AngelHeart

Chapter Eight

The mighty dragon stared down angerily at Zamor, it’s eyes filled with anger while maintaining a calm demeanor, as best it could and said its mighty voice echoing down the corridors of the unfinished dungeons, “And what is your name human?” He swallowed the fear of staring down a dragon and thought if he could keep the conversation going he could spare the lives of his men  and himself, if even only for a brief moment, “I am Zamor Evergardon, the ruler of this kingdom,” he answered the creature’s question. “Why have you intruded on my lair and killed my young,” the dragon asked, her voice losing its calm composure as it boomed in the chamber and down the corridors, striking fear into the hearts of his men. “I did not know that your cave was on the other side of this wall. I am truly sorry, and offer my deepest apologies and condolences,” Zamor said, bowing to the dragon and waiting for the creature’s response. The dragon, puzzled by this behaviour, and from a king no less, because to her knowledge a human king bows to no one excpet the gods they worshiped, she took a moment to observe the situation without flying it to rage and and thought of what it was like to be hunted down like she had been in the past, she loved the seclusion and safety for her cave. “Rise, human,” she said, “My name is Rozara, I’m puzzled by your actions.” “Lady Rozara, what do you mean by puzzled,” the king asked. “From my past experiences with kings and knights alike, their first thoughts upon seeing me, they typically go to  ‘its a dragon slay it’ and yet,” Rozara continued, “your men immediately rushed and started to clear the rubble before I intervened and drove them away in my anger,” she finished regaining her composure. “If I may show you something,” Zamor said grabbing a shield with a crest that depicted a dragon that looked eerily simliar to Rozara herself, “this has been the crest of House Evergardon for fifteen generations ever since my ancestors saw that elegant creature,” Zamor continued, “It was decreed many a century ago that dragon hunting was to be outlawed any who disobaeyed this royal dercree would be burned at the stake.” Zamour looked past her to the dead hatchling partially buried under the rubble, “If there is anything I can do to make this right,” Zamor said to Rozara. “Do you have children, human king,” she asked. “Aye, a son, born just hours ago,” he said. “You have killed my child so a blood price must be paid,” she said. “A blood price,” Zamor exclaimed, shocked by the creature’s demands. “Yes, a blood price,” Rozara stated cold-heartedly.
***
“So you are the reason my son is dead,” AnnMarie shouted at Rozara clutching the amber dragon brooch tight to her chest, as she started to sob in anger. “A blood price had to be paid, a life for a life,” Rozara said, hatefully, “such was the deal I struck with your husband twenty-six years ago.” “I never knew what became of my son, he just vanished from the crib after his birth. Are you telling me that my husband brought him to you,” the queen asked, the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Yes, my queen I am to blame for your son’s death,” Rozara stated with great resentment at the memory of her dead hatchling at the hand of the cave-in caused by the late king. “My deal with Zamor was that he paid the blood price and I would be bound in service via this magic collar until such time the rest of my eggs hatched, in the safety of the castle dungeons,” Rozara said. “You want your freedom after all the pain you have caused me after all the grief you have put me through,” AnnMarie shouted at Rozara, “you can have it when I’m dead,” she said shatteriing the Amber brooch on the ground of the chamber, it’s shattering on the floor echoed through what seemed like an eternity to Rozara, and with that AnnMarie exited the chamber the massive doors closing behind her.
***
As the party, exhausted from the dangerous narrow escape from Deadman’s Gulch, finally had a chance to let the adrenaline wear off, and take stock of the situation at hand.  “Are we five really all that made it out of that deathtrap,” Rowan asked. “Looks that way,” James said, returning to the campfire with three dead hares in hand, “how is Raziel, has he regained consciousness yet?” “Not yet, he drained most of his mana with that last attack. It may be some time until he wakes up,” Caiyne said, knowing that she could easily dispatch him right now as he lay there defenseless, but now would be too risky, as they still held Kane hostage. “Nothing we can do for him at present, except save him some food for when he wakes up,” Malachi said. “Please tell me that one of you has booze of any kind,” Rowan said. “I’m sorry old friend,” the booze and most of our rations were lost in the spider attack,” James said, “What I would give for a mug of Tamaran Ale right now.” “Aye,” Malachi said. “Is there any more water left,” Rowan asked Malachi. “Yes, but I’m saving it for Raziel when wakes up.” “Alright that’s enough idle chit chat. Will some help me clean these hares,” James said.
“How long has it been since he started cooking,” Malachi asked, his stomach growling loud enough to wake the dead. “It’s been five minutes,” James said, “it will only be a couple more minutes.” “What is that smell,” Raziel said, grogily regaining consciousness, “I’m hungry enough I could eat a horse.” “Take it easy old man,” Caiyne said, taking the water from Malachi and giving it to Raziel. “And dinner is served, eat up now and get some rest people,” James said, “I’m sure by first light we will be on the move.”
***
James couldn’t believe the sights he had just witnessed, the birth of a new Everwood. It was truly magnificent, he thought to himself as he ran to the tree atop the hill. “So this is an Everwood Tree, " James said, touching the tree and feeling the surge of mana flowing to the earth, he felt what it had meant to be one with nature. “O’ great Everwood, pray forgive me, for what I am about to do,” he said to the mighty Everwood Tree standing before him. James' prayer was heard by the great tree in front of him, because before could even climb the tree to collect a branch for his grandfather, a sturdy branch fell from the tree to his feet as if it was fate. “Thank you,” he said, startled, placing a hand on the tree.
“Grandfather,” James yelled excitedly, opening the door to the cabin, his grandfather still with a slight headache from his accident earlier in the day. “What has you so excited,” Sebastian asked. “I saw the birth of an Everwood,” James said, “you were right they are no mere myth they do exist.” Sebastian, shocked to hear those words from his grandson’s lips said, “Surely you jest, I may be old, but I am not naive.” James said, “Come outside and see.”
***
James awoke from his dream, a distant memory from three years prior, he clutched the amber dragon brooch, pinned to his cloak, the same one his grandfather had given him on his deathbed, telling James to go back to back home to his mother, a person that he knew naught of but her name AnnMarie. “I swear I will make it home if it is the last thing I do,” James said quietly to himself. “Take stock of what provisions we have and prepare to head out at the top of the hour,” Raziel said, “I would like to make it to the Shadow Dragon’s Fortress before nightfall.” James said, “Everyone give me your canteens, I saw a stream a ways back while I was out hunting last night.” “I’ll go with you,” Caiyne said, gathering the canteens, “lead the way.”
“James, not that it’s any of business, but why did you join the A.R.L.,” Caiyne asked him, trying to make conversation while filling the canteens at the stream. “Well,” he replied, “It has to do with something my grandfather said on his deathbed,” tugging at the brooch, instinctively like had always done when thinking of his grandfather, he continued, “he said I need to find my way home. I still don’t know what he really meant, if I’m being  truly honest. What about you?” Caiyne thought for a moment and said, “Love. I don’t want to see those, I care for get hurt.,” pulling a small golden locket in the shape of a rectangle out from under her breastplate, “Love, is a crazy thing. When I met Malachi I had initially tried to kill him and all the fool could think of was giving me this locket.” James looked puzzled, “A locket,” he asked. Opening the locket to show millenias old dried blood on both sides on the inside, she said, “Yes a locket, how to put in terms a mortal could understand,” she thought for a moment before continuing, “It’s like an engagement ring, its an eternal bond, all I could do was laugh, until I saw that he was serious.” James, starting to understand, asked, “So what did you do next?” “I spared his life and told him if I saw him again I would kill him,” she said, “it’s funny that happened so long ago but I can still remember it so vividly as if it were only yesterday.”