The Dragon Heir (BOOK#1)

CHAPTER 9

✨️Bitter Relieve✨️

In the tapestry of our lives, fate
weaves intricate threads, guiding us along a path marked by both triumph and despair. I, Melike, recount a tale of vengeance, betrayal, and the unbreakable bonds of family.

The air hung heavy with the scent of ash and despair. It had been a long war, a bloody war that had ravaged our lands. The Drakenwilds, the Sentinels, and the Tygaria, all locked in a vicious cycle of hatred and bloodshed. But it was over now. We had won. The Tygaria, under my leadership, had emerged victorious, pushing back the invading armies and securing our borders.

But victory felt hollow.

The cheers of the people, the songs of celebration, they felt distant, muffled by the weight of what we had lost. So many good men and women had fallen, so much of our world had been scarred. I saw their faces in the smoke, in the ruins, in the empty spaces where laughter and life used to be.

The worst part? I hadn't just won a war, I'd defeated my own blood.

My aunt, Delilah, the very woman who had orchestrated this entire conflict, was supposed to be dead. My victory speech had focused on the restoration of peace, on healing the land and our hearts. But deep down, a shard of fear, a sliver of doubt still lingered. I knew her. Delilah was a viper, cunning and venomous. She had a way of slithering away, of always finding a way to survive.

The next day the news arrived. Like a whispered curse, it spread through the kingdom. Delilah was alive. She had been taken to the Emerald Serpent Kingdom, a place  everyone feared to tread. It was ruled by her son, Aidan, now ruled the Serpent Valley after slaying our beloved cousin, Luke. A cruel and ruthless boy she had molded in her image. He had risen to power on the back of the chaos she had created, and now, he ruled with an iron fist...

My heart sank. Everything felt like a lie. A hollow victory. All that bloodshed, all those lives...and it was for nothing. She would be back. She would rebuild her power, and then, she would strike again.

I couldn't stay in The Sentinels Kingdom. Not while that serpent lurked, her eyes fixed on me, her vengeance simmering. I had to find her, to finish what I had started.

"We have to do something, Ava," I whispered, my voice trembling. "This isn't over."

Ava shook her head, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. "We've lost too many, Melike. We can't fight anymore. Our armies are exhausted."

I looked towards Tolga, standing grimly amongst the remnants of our once-proud cavalry. He met my gaze, his expression unreadable, his face shadowed by the weariness of war. He knew I wouldn't rest until Delilah was vanquished, her tyranny ended. But I also knew the toll this war had taken on him, on all of us. He was right, our forces were depleted, our morale broken.

"What about the dragons?" Ava asked, her voice barely a murmur.

The dragons. I hadn't considered them. My breath hitched. They were the last bastion, the ultimate weapon, but also the most dangerous. Powerful entities that demanded respect, not just obedience.

"We need to plead our case," I said, a glimmer of hope rekindling in my chest. "They understand injustice, they know Delilah's cruelty."

'Melike, they are not ours to command,' Tolga said, his voice low and strained. "They are a force unto themselves, and their wrath is not to be unleashed lightly."

I knew he was right, but I couldn't accept defeat. I couldn't let Delilah win. This was a fight for our heritage, for our future. I knew my aunt had used dark magic to gain control over the lands, to enslave other innocent people. I had to stop her before it was too late.

"I have to try," I said, my voice firm despite the tremor that ran through me. "I have to speak to the dragons. I have to find a way to fight back."

I turned, my back to their questioning gazes, and began my trek towards the Sentinels Cliffs, the only place where I might find the dragons. As I walked, the cold wind whipped around me, carrying the whispers of the dead and the chilling echoes of Delilah's victory.

The cliffs were a place of immense power, their sheer rock faces carved by ancient winds and the whispers of beings beyond human comprehension. The air here hummed with energy, a palpable force that throbbed against my skin. I found my way to the hidden grotto, its entrance concealed by a curtain of moss and ferns. It was said to be the dragons' sanctuary, a place where they came to rest and commune with the earth's energy.

In the dim, ethereal light that seeped through cracks in the rock, I saw them. Two immense figures, dormant yet majestic, their scales shimmering like amethysts in the gloom. Their presence was overwhelming, their power palpable.

I knelt before them, my voice a trembling whisper, "Flame, I come to you in a time of desperate need. Delilah, has usurped our rightful inheritance, killing innocent life, she has plunged our lands into darkness. She still didn't die after the bloody war. She must be stopped. I implore you for your aid, for your strength, to right this terrible injustice."

The silence stretched, a chasm of anticipation. I dared not breathe, my gaze fixed on the sleeping dragons. Then came a rumble, a deep, resonant sound that shook the very foundations of the grotto.

" Delilah is a witch, Melike" the dragon's voice boomed, echoing through the cave. "Her heart is black, her touch leaves only devastation. Her magic... it is unnatural."

'She uses forbidden knowledge,' I whispered, 'dark magic that taints the land.'

The dragon shifted, its massive claws scraping against the stone floor, its eyes fixed on me. "You ask for our aid, but our power comes at a terrible price. Are you prepared to pay it?"

My heart pounded against my ribs. I knew the dragons demanded sacrifice, a heavy price for their assistance. 'I am prepared to do whatever it takes,' I said, my voice steady, my resolve unwavering. 'To ensure Delilah's tyranny ends for good.'

The dragon let out another deep rumble, its gaze piercing. 'Very well. We shall listen to your plea. But know this, the path you choose is not for the faint of heart. It is a path of fire and blood.'

I stood, my body aching with a sudden weariness, but my spirit ablaze with a newfound determination. The dragons would fight. The war was far from over. And I, Melike, daughter of the fallen king, would be at the forefront. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but I would not falter. The fate of our people, the future of our land, hung in the balance. And I would not let them down.

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