Treis

Draegan - I

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The scent of blood permeated the air.
Sounds of swords clashing rang into my ears.
From the corner of my eye, I caught wind of a sudden blur to my right. I sidestepped just in time to dodge the swing of Cronin's sword by an inch. I held out my left hand to block his punch which aimed for my abdomen. Using the block I just did, I allowed myself to be pushed back to avoid another swing of his sword. Planting my feet firmly on the ground, I aimed for the side of his neck. He dodged but the tip of my blade lightly grazed the top layer of his pale skin.

"Vheirr!" He lightly cursed.

I used this to my advantage and elbowed him in the face. Then, I followed it up by kneeing him in the abdomen. A ghost of a smile peeked at my lips as I watched Cronin lay on his back with blood flowing from his nostrils and the small cut on his neck.
"Why I allow myself to be shamed like so is but a mystery." Cronin groaned.
"Your movements have improved. You can catch up to me now." I grinned.
Cronin stood up, wiping off the blood and revealing unscathed skin. "Don't jest, Draegan. We both know that I still can't graze you with a punch, a kick or with any weapon. No one is a match for you." He rested his sword on a nearby stone table. "The sixth sidus has just ended." He pointed out.
I gently placed my obsidian blade onto the table, its dull black color contrasting against the white stone marble. A representation of darkness and light. "I am aware and I've prepared for this since the day they declared I was one of the best Noir warriors in E'andim. Orpheus' assistance in my training has also proven its worth."
My jaw hardened as a figure walked past the training grounds.

It was her.
Her jet black hair was in two side twists with a jumbo Dutch braid in the middle which fell just below her breasts. Her lilac evening gown flowed with each step she took.

"Quite the beauty, ain't she?" Cronin stated the obvious.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "And you'd be better off with someone else, Cronin." I warned.
He chuckled. "I was just acknowledging beauty as it passed, Draegan. I already have my eyes set on someone." I watched his gaze dart towards a girl in black armor training young Noir children in the ways of the warrior. "Yet we are all destined to never be with the one our very hearts long for." Cronin shrugged as if it wasn't that big of a deal to him but beyond his façade I knew very well that my friend was in pain. "Lucky for you though you're all set to marry-"
"I refuse to marry." I cut him off, stepping out of the training grounds to head to my room situated in the upper floors of the palace.
"The marriage has been pre-arranged by your family." Cronin's footsteps sped up as he caught up to me. "Choice is but a luxury, my friend."
"And I'm willing to buy it. No matter the cost." Stopping right at the foot of the stairs, I looked at Cronin in the eye.
"Are you mad? With the curse in place you still won't have your way."
Silence filled the air as we ascended the flight of stairs connecting to the upper floors. Cronin regarded me with worry-filled eyes.
"When I said I refuse to marry, I meant it." I nodded my head to acknowledge fellow Noir warriors that passed the hallway. "Since the curse is still in place then I shall be alone till I meet with death." I heard Cronin let out a heavy sigh, his sign of surrender. "Fret not, my friend. On the eighth sidus, I am set to represent our race. I will break our curse." I turned to face him with a proud grin.
He laughed. "You are by far the best we've got, Draegan however many of the previous 'best' have failed in breaking the curse. I am truly torn between keeping faith or to be engulfed in worry. Well I must head back to meet with my parents they have some great news to tell me they said." He rolled his eyes and groaned.
"Go on then maybe they finally agreed to have you keep a Drakonling as a pet." He laughed, rushing back the way we came.

A weak smile found its way to my lips. Deep down, I was well aware of what he said.
What if I fail? Will Cronin be the next representative or his son perhaps?
If I don't stop the curse then history shall simply repeat itself.
Another cycle, another life and another death.
Breaking the Noir curse will allow all of us the freedom to choose and to truly be with the one our hearts desire.
Also with the curse broken then that means there will no longer be any need for representatives. No more sacrifices. No more blood shed.

I looked to my left to see I've reached my bed chambers. The gold etchings on the black wooden door symbolized my ranking amongst the Noir.

I was a prince.

I pushed the doors open making my way inside and allowing them to slowly close on its own. I surveyed my room with a heavy heart.

Yet royalty and strength meant something else to all of us.
It meant you have potential to represent the entire race.
It has been drilled into our heads since the day we could make sense of things. Our bodies and minds have been trained everyday as if we were headed for an all out war against a powerful enemy.
If you are born of into the line of royals, then it is a given that you are a direct descendant of Grimoire, the first Noir and the man who doomed us all into this wretched curse. As a royal, you are to represent the entire Noir race whether male or female.
If you are born with natural strength that beats that of a royal, then you are considered a potential representative.

There's no escape from it.
No one dared to question it for it was mandatory.
We have to participate or all three races will die.

I looked out my window to see only darkness. Our only source of light was the fire that lit the candles, oil lamps and braziers.
Even every eight sidus when the so-called moon would align at the great waterfall, we doubt it's very existence for we do not see it apart from what we hear from the Drakon and Strix races that there's a ball of light shining brightly above the waterfall and every night.
Whether it was day or night, our only way of knowing was thanks to our Strix friends who provided us with a magical tool that helped count the days. It was a magical bowl that held a fire which changed colour to indicate day, night and whether a new sidus has started or ended. It was situated at the very center of the palace.

I watched as Noir children trained hard. I chuckled as memories from my childhood came rushing in. I saw the blacksmith busy forging our obsidian weapons for some are convinced that apart from the maze of trials every eight sidus, we were also at war with the Drakon race. I rolled my eyes at the thought.
My eyes wandered and I saw some of the women also out training.

Then, there she was.

Gone was her lilac evening gown for she now had armour adorned. Her shiny black hair was smoothed into a ponytail.
The grip on the sword she had on her pale hands tightened and I was captured with each step. Her every move looked like a graceful dance.

I didn't know her name or anything about her apart from what I've simply observed.
She loved the lavender colour.
If she wasn't in armour then every other clothing she wore had lavender on it.
She trained hard and every move was a smooth transition as if she knew them by heart. She wasn't a royal but she wasn't homeless peasant either. I've never seen her with her parents or anyone who seemed like family. She was always in the training grounds or picking flowers. She was usually surrounded by other women. Her choice of flowers were always lilacs. I noticed she passed by the training grounds one time carrying those very flowers on a basket. Her smile at that time was warm and my heart felt like-

I clenched my heart, the curse reminding me that it was still in place.
I wheezed in pain. My vision blurred, my head pounded as if someone was gripping it and my heart-my wretched pathetic heart was being stabbed by swords.
As exaggerating as it sounds, it was the perfect description of the pain.

Vheirr! I cursed. I wasn't even doing anything except admire!

Oh but the curse knows the heart. Any longer and you would have ran towards her and held her in your arms. I groaned knowing that there was no point in denying or fighting to convince myself otherwise.

Quickly I closed the windows and sat on the bed, my breathing slowly going back to normal and the pain reduced to a numbing feeling. At least, I wasn't plunged into the darkness this time. I wiped the sweat off my forehead.

"Two more sidus..." I sighed. "...then the trials begin. I'll break that darned curse."

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