A Miracle for Love (Caesar Drisdall from The White Knights Chronicles)

Chapter 7

After teleporting back in time, the group ended up in front of the Drisdall Manor in the middle of purple mist. After teleporting and looking around for a moment, Caesar said, "So, this is the past?" "Look at the purple mist," Katelyn pointed out, "It's just like in the present time." "So, this must be forty years in the past," Caesar stated, "That was when the last cases of pyrexia were recorded. I need to try something real quick." Caesar started to walk up towards the guard at the gate and asked, "Hey, is my dad home?" The guard looked at Caesar suspiciously and said, "Huh? And who might you be?" "I'm Count Drisdall's son, duh. Ring any bells?" Katelyn just shook her head at Caesar's comment and smacked her hand to her head, letting out a sigh. "His lordship, the Count, doesn't have any children," the guard said. "Ooo, trippy," Caesar said, walking towards the back of the group. Eldore approached the guard and asked, "Excuse me, could you tell us if Count Drisdall is in?" "Who's asking," the guard asked him. "We've come with information about the fever sweeping through Greede." "Have you really? That's good news. But I'm afraid the Count is in the Bunker Lode Caverns undergoing the Dragon's Trial." "The Dragon's Trial," Yulie questioned. Caesar started to take off, pulling Katelyn with him and said, "So that's what's up. Let's head for the Caverns. Follow me everyone." With that, the group took off towards the Gondola Station to go to the Bunker Lode Caverns.

Upon arriving at the entrance to the Bunker Lode caverns, Caesar explained how the Dragon's Trial was used in times of need to borrow the strength and wisdom of the Armored Dragon. "Borrow it how," Yulie asked. "Look, let's just find my dad further in. Then it should all click." With that, the group began to walk into the Bunker Lode Caverns. On the way, Katelyn asked Caesar how to use the power of the Black Knight if it was needed. He told her, "As far as Kara had said when she used the incantation, it should be, O Dinivas, Deliverer of Dark and Dread, Ruler of the Ancient Shadows, Grant Me Your Power! Verto! Then the transformation should take hold of you. You should try it when we see one of the large enemies up ahead. I'll transform with you, and we can take them down. I'm sure there will be some large direspiders and dragons throughout the Caverns." With that, Katelyn said, "Okay. I'll follow your lead. Let's go kick some monster butt." They caught up to the group who had wondered a little way ahead of them. Leonard asked Eldore, "So the Armored Dragon can tell us how to stop the Netherwyrm?" "Well, if you want to know about dragons, ask a dragon." Leonard nodded and said, "Head's up. Monsters up ahead." The group started running towards the group of fire lizards, red scorpions, and firespider sprogs. Katelyn pulled out the black sword from its sheath and felt the magic coursing through the blade. She started to approach a fire lizard and swung at it. Her body felt different in a way that she could not explain. She felt as if muscle memory knew the exact ways to swing the sword, even though it was her first time trying to defeat an enemy on her own. After a few swings, the fire lizard collapsed and Katelyn had a huge smile on her face, realizing she had just defeated her first monster. She said a quick heal incantation because of the scratches the monster placed on her skin, then moved in to help Caesar defeat a red scorpion. After he swung at it, she felt a surge of energy and words flew from her mouth before she swung at the scorpion. A surge of light spread over the scorpions body and small cracks spread over its surface. Katelyn realized that she weakened its shell but didn't remember the exact words she used to cause it to happen.

With another swing of his spear, Caesar defeated the Red Scorpion. Him and Katelyn looked around for any more enemies but saw that the group had finished defeating the other enemies and began to move on within the Caverns. Caesar and Katelyn started to follow behind them before Caesar asked Katelyn, "How did you learn the shield breaker incantation?" "I don't know, the words just slipped from my tongue." "Hmm, maybe it's Kara's memories slipping into yours again." "I don't know, but it was almost like muscle memory fighting the monsters back there." A few minutes of walking later, the group made their way to a large direspider and many other small monsters. Katelyn nodded at Caesar and then pulled out the black sword, reciting the words, "Oh Dinivas, Deliverer of Dark and Dread, Ruler of the Ancient Shadows, Grant Me Your Power! Verto!" She started to glow and then stood higher off the ground. She realized that the magical power that had coursed through the sword had turned her into the Black Knight. She looked to her left to see the Dragon Knight beside her. She ran towards the direspider and swung her sword towards it. Her sword crashed into one of its hind legs as Caesar attacked its front legs with his spear. They continued to take turns hitting it until finally it collapsed. Then, they attacked its belly until finally it stopped moving. Katelyn and Caesar both realized that it was dead and transformed back after taking a knee. Katelyn looked up bewildered from the place that she kneeled as her and Caesar were directly beside each other and back to their human forms. Caesar leaned into Katelyn and took hold of her face, placing a kiss on her lips before they stood. "You did amazing," he said, standing up and holding out a hand to her. She grasped his hand and he pulled her from the ground. "Okay, enough of that lovebirds. Let's go," Yulie yelled out to the two upon seeing their public display of affection.