Dawn of The Dragon

Chapter 8: The Bells

Kalera slams the chamber door and stomps down the corridor.

Tomas finds her standing outside the sleeping chamber with fire in her eyes. Lady Shelleeann stands nearby when he approaches.

"It seems your wife has had few words for me since my revival," Kalera says.

"She's fearful. We all fear what we don't understand,"he replies.

"What doesn't she understand?" Kalera asks.

Tomas reveals that Shelleeann not only fears retaliation, but some of her feelings are more personal. Some moons ago, he went off to fight in a battle down south. The Battle of Leeds, it was called. When he returned home, he was not alone. He returned with a baby boy. Tomas had betrayed his wife during his absence. The baby had no one else, because his mother died in her birthing chamber. Nine and a half-moons later, it still haunts her to see him with another woman.

"She has nothing to fear from me. I can assure her."

Tomas takes Kalera's hand into his, begging for her help. "Taking the eggs to Mount Mahar is the only way to free them from Boilos' grasp."

He knows what he asks is hard for Kalera, but he needs her to understand their plight. Without her, the eggs won't make it to Mount Mahar.

Mount Mahar?

Tomas tells her of the grand mountain beyond Grayler. The terrain is rugged with spiked passageways and native creatures like Bast the Devourer who has ravished many men. But near its peak is Obed, the Fountain Falls of Life. There the eggs can never be awakened once tossed inside.

A deed that can only be done by a Dawn. Only a Dawn may enter the falls. The Goddess Rose cursed everyone else from entering to prevent the falls from being used to kill dragons because a Dawn would never kill a dragon.

"First, you burned me alive without searching for another way to exhaust me. Now you ask me to destroy innocent beings who have not had a chance to live."

"Just please consider. Consider the cost if you do nothing. Now I must take my leave to see my children before they fall asleep."

Hiddard makes his way around the corner, taking a knee before reaching his queen.

"Rise my Lord, and step forward," Kalera says.

"My Queen, Tomas is trying his best to lead in these outlands. He has to worry about his family, the realm, and his city. We don't know when or where Boilos will strike, but he will."

"How do we kill the bringer of death?" she asks him.

"I don't know."

"So killing the Elementos will not destroy him?"

"There's no record that says destroying them will."

"Good. I'm a protector and a mother of dragons, not a murderer of dragons."

Kalera senses something more is troubling Hiddard. She questions him and finds out that not long after her and Molly left, his children were taken by Enforcers for his refusal to obey commands from the Crown. Not only was Hiddard summoned to Mason, but the Bolongs and the king want him and his family to move to Thaves. Hiddard has been called as a slave master. As a master, he must sit on the Facers Council. There he would serve as a Guardian of the Keys to Thaves.

Hiddard explains he was once a guardsman Enforcer. Growing tired of the repulsive actions he was commanded to commit, he decided not to renew, requesting a transfer to Mason to fight in the games for his release. Ager agreed only after Hiddard swore fealty to him. Hiddard swore that if ever called upon, he would return without question. Now they have Sundo and Celest, who are old enough to fight in the games.