Dawn of The Dragon

Chapter 7: From the Ashes

Free-falling from the sky like a bird without wings, Xavgon plummets. The massive dragon screams in agony. Kalera looks down to see two arrows in her lower torso. Blood is flowing from Xavgon as if his scaled armor has been pierced by a bolt thrower. His massive wings fold upwards, trying to protect his mother.

Kalera's eyes open.

A dream, she thinks as she slowly turns her head, trying to determine her whereabouts. Perplexed, she rises, removing the covers from her body, which is wrapped in black linen cloth. Her vision is blurry, so she only sees stoned black walls lined with candles. Like a rush of wind, she realizes her plight as her clouded memory begins to return. People she once knew and cared for tried to destroy her in the worst way possible.

How am I alive? She wonders as she checks her neck for Xavgon, but the pendant is missing.

Keys jingle and the door creaks as it opens. Molly enters the room.

"You." Kalera speaks in a low, enraged tone. "How could you allow them to hurt me? They tried to murder me, and you left me there."

She walks slowly over to Molly, too angry to pay any attention to her charred flesh underneath the wrapping. "I should be dead! I should be in agony, but somehow I'm not. Why am I not dead!?" she yells.

Lifting her right arm, she strikes Molly down to the floor. Molly grabs the left side of her face, slowly looking up at Kalera as she speaks. "I deserve that and understand your wrath. Please know the Lord did not mean to harm you. Hurting you is the last thing he wanted to do. He was only following the prophecy, which speaks of a Dawn rising from the ashes of time, only to be burnt on the rack, and broken as life remains and power she gains. The symbol on your neck led him to believe that it must be you. And here you are, standing and speaking."

"He believed me, but when you were back with your husband, you doubted me. You're out of your mind. He had no idea who or what I was or am." Kalera whispers.

Her heart palpitates as it becomes harder and harder for her to breathe.

I must get out of here. I must find Xavgon.

"You are right," Molly answers her. "You should be dead, but you are not—because he was right and Hiddard was right. You are the rightful ruler of the realm!"

"The Brams have been fighting a war in secret for many moons, but with you, we will prevail," Molly continues.

As she continues to talk, Kalera tries to focus from her core, but nothing is working.

I'm alive, but I still have no power.

Xavgon.

All of a sudden, her body begins to itch, so she tries to remove the linen. Molly moves in to help, and they both peel away the cloth. While unraveling, a chunk of burned skin falls to the floor, revealing a secret. The two women quickly begin pulling away at the scabs and burnt flesh to reveal perfectly healed brown skin, just as Kalera's hearing and sight begin to return. Unwrapping her head, she rubs her hands across it to feel hair erupting from a newly formed scalp.

Then she rises, walking towards a large slab of metal, viewing her reflection. Her hair is copper, thick, soft, and curly, with silver streaks at the front. Her teeth are bone straight and snow white. She is somehow whole again—new.

Molly walks over to a chest made of birch wood with a familiar insignia, the skull of a dragon. She removes a silver dress etched with blue dragon scales and white raindrops. Turning to Kalera, she lowers herself to her knees.

"My Queen, your garment," She proclaims as she hands Kalera the dress, as well as her pendant.

Kalera is grateful, but her sense of anger, doubt, and distrust remains. "Thank you, Molly. Where did you get this pendant?"