Eclipsed

Chapter 17

The morning sun bathed the skies in hues of gold and crimson as Ren, Valen, Alina, and Kael stood ready. Ren had his katana strapped to his side, the blade sheathed but radiating a quiet menace. Kael, with his scythes crossed on his back, adjusted the straps to make sure they wouldn’t shift during the flight. Alina pulled her cloak tighter around her, her expression composed but her eyes betraying a trace of nervousness. Valen, draped in a dark cloak, carried no visible weapons but stood with the quiet confidence of someone always prepared.

Rhaegar, the mighty dragon, waited patiently, his scales shimmering in the morning light. His massive wings stretched lazily, as though savoring the calm before the storm. Kael couldn’t hide his excitement as he approached the beast, turning to Ren with an almost pleading look.

“Ren,” Kael said, barely containing himself, “can I ride Rhaegar this time? Just once?”

Ren sighed, his tone indifferent but with an undercurrent of amusement. “Yeah, whatever. Just make sure we’re heading in the right direction.”

Kael grinned. “Of course, don’t worry!”

They climbed aboard, Kael eagerly taking the front seat. Ren settled behind him, and Valen and Alina took positions at the back. With a powerful push of his wings, Rhaegar took to the skies, the ground falling away rapidly as they soared above the forest canopy.

Alina clung to the edge of her seat, her knuckles pale. “I’ll never get used to this,” she muttered, her voice tinged with both awe and apprehension.

Ren, glancing at her, replied with a faint smirk. “Yeah, no, you probably won’t.”

Valen leaned forward, raising his voice above the rush of the wind. “Ren, are you absolutely sure about going alone? One of us could come with you, just in case.”

Ren’s face darkened slightly, but his voice was steady. “I’m fine. This is something I have to do myself. Ozthayr... he destroyed my village. Sent his minions—an entire Nihroz army—and wiped everything out. My home, my family... everything.”

Kael turned to glance back, his expression shifting from curiosity to solemnity. “You... you also lived in a village?”

Ren’s gaze remained fixed on the horizon. “It’s a long story. But yeah. Ozthayr and his forces obliterated it. That’s why I have to kill him. For my family, for my people. Once he’s gone, maybe I can finally have some peace.”

Alina’s voice softened. “That must have been awful, Ren. I’m so sorry.”

Ren shook his head, his silver hair catching the sunlight. “Don’t waste your pity. I’ve had time to come to terms with it. But this is something I can’t let go. He has to pay.”

Valen interjected, his tone calm but cautious. “Remember, Ren, once Ozthayr and Rhulgar are gone, there are still nine more disciples left.”

Kael, ever the optimist, chimed in. “But they’re small fries, right? Should be easy enough?”

Valen gave a dry chuckle. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable. Most of them, yeah, are weaker. But there are a few who are more powerful than Ozthayr and Rhulgar combined.”

Kael blinked in disbelief. “What the hell? These two we’re about to fight aren’t even the strongest?”

“No,” Valen said gravely. “But they are the most dangerous. That’s why we’re targeting them first. If we don’t, they’ll keep getting in our way, undermining every move we make.”

Kael sighed, slumping slightly in his seat. “Great. So not only are we picking a fight with the most dangerous ones first, but we’ve still got a mountain to climb after this.”