Dragons of War - Rising Storm

Chapter 4 (1/3)

My eyes fluttered open and with a blurred vision, I glanced around the room. It was a small cave with a table in the corner and one lamp sitting on it. The ground was covered in similar blanket-beds like my own.

I woke with a jolt when I noticed there was no one else there in them.

I shared the cave with three other people. My work as a cleaner ensured I woke before they did and got to sleep last but this morning, I was alone.

Where had they gone?

Despite the eternal darkness of the cavern, I knew the sun hadn't even risen yet. My own internal clock told me that.

With a heavy heart and stiff limbs, I climbed up from my bed of blankets in the far corner and stepped around theirs to the entrance of the small cave that was my home. I stepped out into a tight hallway that was filled with other cave entrances in either direction but at the end of the hall on my right it opened up to the cavern outside. Small lamps lined the walls that lit my way and I followed the tunnel out into the cavern. Once I stepped out there, again, there was no one. The torches that lined the main paths were lit and the worry in my heart grew. It was a waste to light them all like that unless it was important.

I quickened my pace and stepped out onto the path, following it.

I was exhausted last night but to sleep through something like this... What had happened to everyone?

I followed the path and got closer to the caverns main entrance and I finally saw a few people. They were huddled together in hushed conversation by the far wall, boulders hid them from sight as I passed. They followed me with a deep watchful expression and I let out a breath when the boulder blocked me from their prying eyes.

What would they be talking about? Loitering had a very harsh punishment.

I burst into a run and crested a small rise. Down below me, the slope evened out and to the left was the entrance of the cavern. The stone walls opened up to the bright outside world and the sky had enough color to warn of sunrise. Large torches lined the far wall, and I could clearly see the mass of people gathered around what we liked to call the 'announcement ledge'. People were scattered throughout the entire clearing.

I had only ever seen so many gathered in one place many years ago. At that time, they were announcing something that, at the time, they thought would change the war.

The Dragon Warriors.

I strained my eyes and focused on the announcement ledge and saw a few different people standing there. They were already halfway through their speech.

"... And in light of these facts, this decision is thus made final." A man spoke through a cone to those listening below the ledge. He wore the clean trimmed, tight fitted and metal adorned attire of one of the highest ranked Generals in the colony. His name was Gernard.

"While we are keeping our options open, with so little resources to spare, the benefits simply do not outweigh the costs." His speech went on. The cries below him rose and he had to pause for a moment to keep above them.

"We give thanks to those who have given their lives for this cause and we honor and cherish those who remain. The Dragon Warriors have marked history." He finished.

A cold spear shot through me and my world faded for a second.

It was over now.

The crowd around me surged with mixed emotions. I heard cries of despair, anger, fear. They called out for more food, for lost loved ones back.

My limbs became numb and my eyes drifted but they drifted to the rocks below the announcement ledge and there Aaron stood, his head down. His comrades, some that I had met yesterday, and the other Warriors stood next to him. There were few there, but I knew many of them were elsewhere still on duty.

The crowd around them lashed out, pointing, throwing garbage and words like they were meaningless.

I covered my mouth to try and hold in what I was feeling, to hide the emotions, but I couldn't. We all knew what this meant for the colony. The Dragon Warriors were known as the last hope and for good reason.

By giving up on them, we were also giving up on the war.

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(Authors Note:)

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