The Fifth Academy - Fantasy Direction / #Wattys2018

Chapter twenty two. The last, but not the least.

By Jason

"Prove to be worthy of my daughter's hand! Go to the Mortal's world, Jason. Find the sweetest singer for your wedding feast and bring him or her to Luxard! You have two weeks to find a nice engaging present for your fiancé. Thus, you will prove your loyalty and become a true Dragonwood. Then I shall call you my son!"

These words of Amadeus Dragonwood had been ringing in my ears all the morning. However, their real meaning was: "Jason! Take your stupid ass as far as you can from my daughter and me! Stop imagining yourself a solder! It is pissing off your dad!"

I imagined myself a solder? Fine! Just a few hours ago, the main cannon announced seven deaths of our people! It meant that the whole night shift was killed and the Hot Gates were, probably, now opened wide.

And what was I doing? Lolling about in the hospital ward? Whimpering for my whipped as? Last night happened the biggest attack on the white magirs! I still could be a solder! I was able to fight and was eager to do this!

"No, Jason! I beg you, don't go! Don't even think about it!" pleaded Rosaline with tears, she deeply regretted healing my back so soon. "You don't have to do it! You are Dragonwood now! You are engaged and almost married!"

I had been pacing impatiently the hospital wing for nearly half an hour, trying to make a plan for my escape. And, without any doubt, at the same time Rosaline was thinking hard, how to screw all my plans and make me stay. The girl had not only common sense on her side, but the powerful magic too.

Finally, she muttered some spell under her breath and lifted the right hand. A strong current of electricity, like some kind of tamed lightning bolt, shot from the center of her palm right into my chest. The last thing, which I had heard before dropping on my bed, were her words "Sorry, puppy! I had no choice!" and then everything went black.

I would have been sleeping for a very long time, if not for...

"Captain Jason? Master Firesteel?" whispered softly a very annoying and persistent, but unfamiliar voice, this time not inside my head, but above me. "Jason?"

I slowly opened my eyes and saw an unknown red-haired boy, bending over me. His face looked reddish too, because of million freckles. Two deep-blue eyes, like two shinning stars, brightened his face, looking with interest and admiration from under long red lashes.

"Jason? You are alive! Thank goodness! Have you really beaten Drago? Are you the Paladin's heir?" started the boy, his voice high and eyes wide. He took a long breath and gathered all his courage. "I am Will, William Goldstone! I have run away from my village. Please! Take me into your squad! I will kill and die for you! I am smart, I can serve you..."

"Too late, Will," answered I bitterly, hiding my miserable eyes from his stars, shinning with enthusiasm. "I am Dragonwood now, not Firesteel! A conjurer, not a solder anymore!"

"So, that's the true!" exclaimed he in disbelief, looking at me with such a horror. "No! No! You will be my Captain no matter what! I swear, by Jason's... by your bloody back!"

"...by my whipped ass!" I mimicked and clenched my teeth with fury and resentment, remembering Max. This treacherous bastard hadn't visited me in hospital yet! His stupid whisper disappeared with him...

"Take me as your solder!" offered Will again, he didn't wait for my negative response and grabbed my hand, pulling me to the door. "We must go, Captain! We must run away, take some solders – I bet, the whole White Legion will go after you – and form a new squad of partisans. You going to be our...!"

"I gonna be among mortals tomorrow!" said I with a deep sigh. However, he managed to make me get up, because I was still sitting on the bed's edge, and then I followed my youngest fan to the doors. I could never guess whom I would met on the wide main staircase of the hospital.