Dragon Prince: A Warrior's Journey (Under Editing)

Chapter Thirteen: To Xadia

They would be able to reunite Zym with his mother any day now. In the early morning light, Rayla looked around at the rises in the canyon; she was practically bursting to show Callum what lay beyond. She spun around to face Callum, Sierra, and Zym.
A gasp from Callum and Sierra stiffened made her become still just as well. They were staring at something behind Rayla, their eyes wide. But before Rayla could speak, Callum gestured for Rayla to keep quiet for some reason with a worried look in his eyes.
She spun around to see a pile of rocks and boulders. But her heart skipped a beat when she saw what was making them hesitant about moving towards Xadia.
There, on the top of a small rise in the distance, silhouetted by the rising sun, was Sol Regem. This ancient dragon was known to all of Xadia. He had once symbolized all that was beautiful and glorious about Xadia. That was, until a human mage burned out his eyes hundreds of years ago. Now he roamed the Xadian border, blinded and bitter.
Sol Regem represented the rage between Xadia and the Human Kingdoms. He was standing in the way of Zym returning to his mother.
Sol Regem might let an elf, a dragon, and a flenimu through to Xadia, Rayla reasoned. But a human?
Rayla looked over at Callum. She hoped he was ready to do more magic.
"Um... Who is that?" Callum asked Rayla softly, looking scared.
"Sol Regem." Rayla looked at Callum with a nervous look in her eyes. "Sol Regem was once the King of the Dragons. But after he was blind by a dark mage, he has turned bitter and now stands by the entrance of Xaida guarding it. We will need to get him permission to enter."
"Oh, great." A weak chuckle could be heard by Callum's sarcasm.
"Don't worry, we'll be with you." Rayla gently placed a hand on Callum's shoulder.
Nervously, the team walked towards Sol Regem. Sierra could gain a better look of the ancient dragon. Sol Regem has amber scales shining in the rising sunlight. She could see that his horns resemble rays of sunlight and his wings are red with several holes and tears on his wings. He has a white beard hanging from his chin and fearsome scars marked all over him.
As they approached him, he lifted his head regally. But Sierra could see the scars marked over him throughout the years and the massive red scar that covers most of his face.
"Great Sol Regem, I am Rayla, and with Prince Callum of Katolis and Sierra of Katolis ask of you for entrance into to Xaida to return Azymonidas, the Dragon Prince to Queen Zubiea," Rayla announced to Sol Regem.
"I was told about you by the Fire Dragon, Pyrrah." His voice was raspy and hoarse, but it carried ancient authority and strength. "First, I would like to meet this human who has somehow learned primal magic."
Callum took in a breath as he stepped towards Sol Regem and struggling to push his fear down after seeing the huge dragon to have a better chance of meeting him.
"Greeting Sol Regem. My name is Prince Callum of Katolis." Callum introduces himself the way he remembered being taught how do make a home. "My home is the Kingdom of Katolis. I am the son of the late Queen Sarai and the stepson of the late King Harrow."
Due to his blindness, he relays on his other senses. Cocking his head to the side, the great dragon scents the air. It is strong, but it is there. Magic. Emanating from the human in front of him. The union of a human and elf has not been unheard of, and in such cases the resulting offspring can radiate magic, but Sol Regem cannot sense the familiar magic of elves radiating from this human. Instead it is something else... something new.
"You are truly something else..." Sol Regem muttered.
In the back, the team all watched on with terrified silence as they watched the scene happening before their eyes.
"Why is that?" Callum asked, still trying to keep up his most noble-sounding voice.
"You smell of primal magic, but yet you also smell of human filth," growled Sol Regem. "That of tainted dark magic."
"My mother had taught me how to connect with the Sky Arcanum," Callum explained. "However, we had a hasty encounter with a dark mage, who'd hit me with dark magic." Callum smiled softly as he gazed at his friends behind him. "But, Sierra used her Sky magic to help me reject the dark magic out of me."
There was a long moment of silence before Sol Regem spoke up again.
"Very well, you all shall pass," said Sol Regem.
"Thank you Lord Sol Regem," Callum said as he rejoined with the elf, the flenimu, and the baby Storm dragon.
But before they could leave, Sol Regem's voice stopped them. "When you are done, I would like you to bring this Lord Viren to me." Sierra has a strong sense that Sol Regem wants to deal with his form of punishment regarding the mentioned dark mage.
"We will," agreed Callum.
As soon as they exited the canyon, Callum and Sierra were astonished by the stunning sight of Xadia in front of them.