Valtava: Dragon Sword

Chapter 3

Amber stepped into the bedroom, inside which several Hollow Men were chaotically running about. Four of them were hovered over Tony, who lay on his bed motionless. As Amber walked closer to the boy, she saw that his skin was white, and chest was barely rising. Her remorse deepened at the sight, but she told herself that now was not the time to be weak.

"Step out," Amber instructed the Hollow Men. They looked at her and hesitated for a moment before backing out and leaving her in silence.

Finally relieved that she was able to spend some time with her son alone, she sat next to him on his bed and peered down at his youthful face. His dark, bushy eyebrows followed an upward slant, conveying the strongest sense of innocence. His mouth was ever so slightly open, allowing a thin stream of air in and out of his body.

Amber calmed herself, regulated her breathing, and extended her hands towards Tony. A bright yellow glow illuminated his body, and within a minute the blood within his vessels began to flow again, and his skin returned to a warm peach colour. After Amber released the transfer of energy, she patiently waited for him to open his eyes and shift his gaze around until it landed on her.

"Mother?" he called, instinctively lifting himself upwards. He was still relatively frail and needed Amber to help him sit up against the head of his bed.

"How are you feeling now?" Amber asked.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired." He didn't know what to say and how to look at his mother, as the incident that day was the first time he witnessed her use violence against someone. He looked down and fumbled with his fingers, wondering if he was at fault.

"Tony, you don't hate me, do you?"

He looked up and hastily responded, "Of course not, Mother. I would never hate you, even if you really did try to kill me."

Amber reached into her pocket and pulled out her pouch of pills that Tony had seen hundreds of times. But this time, she placed it into Tony's hands and did not let go until he had a firm grasp on it. "Remember to take your pills every full moon. Do you understand?"

He was confused but responded with a simple, "Yes, Mother." After pausing for a while and noticing her troubled expression, he said, "Is something bothering you, Mother? Please tell me so I can help you."

Sighing, she replied, "I am worried that the prophecy's effect is coming to an end. When that day comes, you and I will no longer be of any use to Lord Navarro. He will start to mobilize his troops again and invade into the other territories of Valtava. As for the two of us...God knows what will happen to us. He has hated me for fifteen years, and after today he will only hate me more."

Hearing those words, Tony felt a deep weight in his chest, thoughts flying across his mind of what catastrophes could possibly ensue. Amber continued, "If the Northern Lands become unsafe for us to stay, we will travel to Emeradia and find Uncle Turbo and Aunt Janice. In the event that we become separated, you will have the pills to keep yourself protected from the poison in your body. You must not let yourself be harmed." Her voice began quivering and her eyes flooded with tears, and she could not speak any further.

Tony leaned forward and comforted her by gently stroking her shoulder. "Mother, don't cry."

"I'm sorry for letting you live such a bitter childhood. I promised your father to raise you up in peace, but you have never lived a day in happiness."

"What do you mean, Mother? If you hadn't placed me on the throne, Valtava would not be in peace, let alone myself. Because of your bravery, Valtava has flourished for fifteen years, and it's worth it."