The color on the glass swirled as Kaen studied it.
It almost looks like that potion did. Here goes nothing.
Taking his knife from his sheath, Kaen sliced his palm open and began to press blood against the glass. Sheathing the blade, he pulled out a bottle of dragon blood and pulled off the stopper, pouring it over his hand and the dragon glass.
Smearing them together, Kaen and Pammon watched, waiting and hoping to see if they had finally found the answer.
Seconds ticked and passed.
Nothing is happening… why?
Slamming his fist into the glass, Kaen growled.
I’m not sure! Those colors look almost like the colors on the glass. What are we missing?
Both tried to solve the problem. Kaen felt the blood start to dry on the surface, and his wound began to close.
Why would they put this behind a barrier like that? Dragon Riders aren’t known for torturing their own kind like that. This is a test of some kind—a need so great we would overcome.
Nodding, Kaen knew Pammon was correct. This was here for one reason only: to help a possible dragon rider if they ever came and their need was great enough. No one but a dragon rider could get in here.
I need you to share your magic and life with me momentarily. I think… no, I know that is what this needs. Somehow, we have to prove who we are, not with just blood but our connection. Perhaps someone could get past the door and find the blood of a dragon and a rider, but they couldn’t fake the connection.
Laughter came through their bond, and Kaen couldn’t help but smile.
You really are getting wiser. I will have to inform Ava that her assessment of you is not correct.
Kaen pulled out his knife again and reopened the cut on his palm.
Taking the last potion, he poured it over his hand and the surface, mixing the two, and dropped the bottle to the ground.
I’m ready.
Pammon’s pour surged through their bond, and Kaen’s body began to fill with power. His own lifestone burned hot, and they watched as the colors on the glass vibrated.
It’s working! More!
Their purpose and power mingled together in Kaen’s body, and he willed it toward his hand. The lesson in the forest that he thought was so silly now filled a purpose Kaen could never have anticipated.
Their lives, blood, and power surged through his arm and into his palm. His fingers vibrated from the power inside them.
It looked like the sun, with how bright his hand was glowing, and then Kaen saw the first real sign of success.
A crack!
I see it!
Seeing a change in the glass, both of them focused on what their lives together were about. Pammon envisioned in his mind his two children and the two mates that he had. The word he often used to describe Amranth and Glynnis, mates, felt wrong now. They weren’t just someone to enjoy physically or create more dragons with. They were a part of him. His family had grown beyond Kaen and Hess five years ago. Now, it was filled with dragons he loved and humans that were just as important.
Kaen’s body began to shake as Pammon found his reason for this battle and focused on it completely. The dragon knew this wasn’t a battle just to win and defeat an evil man but to give his family a future no matter the cost.
The lifestone in Kaen burned hotter than he could ever remember. He grabbed the case with his other hand, panting as his lifestone matched his will. Years ago, he had found his purpose. He had solidified to it and then lost his way as his plans failed. Years spent in guilt, sorrow, and fear had stolen his power, yet now he was reborn. The faces of his children, Ava, Hess, and others flooded his mind. Pammon and his family filled his thoughts.
In a moment, their reasons for everything became one and poured out of Kaen through his hand.
The glass shattered, blowing inward, and in a moment, the entire surface he had been pressing against was gone.
Both of them dropped, their exhaustion from what they had done hitting them.
We… we did it.
Kaen could feel Pammon panting and trying to recover just as he was. On his knees, Kaen opened his eyes as his lifestone went cold, looking up at the armor he had dreamed of for so long.
We did.
Slowly, he reached out with his hand, his arm and fingers trembling from the exertion and excitement toward the armor. They touched the purple scales where the knees would go.
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“Kaen! Are you ok?!”
Laughing, Kaen nodded, not knowing if Herb could even see him.
He heard footsteps, and then they stopped a reasonable distance from him.
“You… you two did it,” Herb said, his voice not hiding the shock. “How? I mean… no, don’t tell me, but…”
The footsteps came again, and Kaen felt Herb’s hand reaching under his armpit. “Here, let me help you up.”
Standing with some assistance, Kaen turned and saw the massive grin on Herb’s face.
“I can’t believe we succeeded… we actually did it.”
Herb nodded, staring at the armor no longer protected by the glass. He looked at Kaen and gave him a gentle poke in the side.
“I don’t want to ruin the moment, but do me a favor and put that thing on. I want to… no need to see it on you!”
Laughing, Kaen nodded and moved to the side, starting to take off his outer clothing. “I can’t say it's the most fashionable thing, but I’m also looking forward to seeing it on myself.”
This fits like a glove. It actually adjusted to fit my legs, chest, and shoulders.
I guess it speaks of the magic inside it. I can feel something coming through our bond from it. There is no way to describe it other than that it belongs to you. Does that make sense?
Kaen nodded, trying not to ignore Herb, who was waiting for him to finish putting on the last few pieces.
Slipping on the boots, Kaen felt a shimmer run through him as the final one adjusted around his foot.
“Uh… I… you…” Herb fumbled for words, unable to make coherent sentences as he gazed upon Kaen, who gave a quick spin to display the whole thing.
“It fits, like, perfectly. How?”
Kaen shrugged as he ran his scaled gloves over the armor. Each glove felt like his own skin, with tiny green and silver scales on the top part. It made no sense to him how they could have been acquired.
“There is no bunching or anything. It’s like someone, somewhere, long ago, made this exactly for me.”
Kaen ran his hand over the massive red scale on the chest's breastplate. The dragon emblem that had somehow been etched into it almost seemed alive. The gold scales on his shoulders stood out even in the simple light of the room. The black helmet gave him perfect vision through the slits for his eyes, nose, and mouth. The armor was perfect, with each of the individual colored scales connected to the other black scales that made up the outfit.
Check your stats.
Kaen coughed and shook his head.
What?!
Check your stats.
Laughing, Kaen smiled at Herb, who was looking at him quizically.
“One moment, Pammon wants me to check something.”
Herb shrugged and continued to gaze at the sight before him.
[ Status Check ]
Kaen Marshell - Adolescent
Dragon Bond - One Soul 30%
Age - 24
HP - 5548/5548 (38%)
MP - 1297/1297 (38%)
STR - 61 (38%) +35 - 96
CON - 66 (38%) +35 - 101
DEX - 62 (38%) +35 - 97
INT - 59 (38%) +35 - 94
WIS - 51 (38%) +35 - 86
Emperor Helmet - +5 to all stats. Strong Willed
Emperor Chest - +10 to all stats. Fortitude, Second Life
Emperor Leggings - +10 to all stats. Quick Stride
Emperor Gloves - +5 to all stats. Quick Strike
Emperor Boots - +5 to all stats. Solid Footing
Wedding Band - +3% to all stats. Fortitude
Emperor Set Bonus: 5/5 Equiped. +5% to all stats. +50% reduction to all damage. +50% to all resistances.
Holy ogre shite!
Pammon said nothing, but Kaen could feel his friend struggling with the numbers just as he was.
I… no… how…
Our need was great enough. Now, it is time to end this. Let us go and show the others what we have been given.
Kaen felt the shift in his heart as in Pammon’s, each knowing there was nothing more they could do. The time had come.
Kaen enjoyed the discussion and comments, as everyone back at Lord Hurem’s estate admired the armor. Ava reacted in complete disbelief when he shared his stats with her. There was still a dragon shield waiting for him back at their place, along with a few other items. Knowing multiple stats would be pushed beyond a number no one believed was possible still boggled his mind.
I can feel you smiling. It is that large.
Should I not be smiling. Honestly, right now, you and I both know we have never been more prepared.
That does not mean we should forget we are still made of flesh and scales. One would be foolish to walk in and think themselves invulnerable. Remember how that went the last few times.
Sighing, Kaen nodded as he watched the entrance to their home draw closer. With his arms wrapped around his wife, Kaen wished the helmet wouldn’t block his lips, or he would have kissed her on the neck.
Regardless, she shifted back into him, letting him hold her close as they each knew tonight would be the last night they slept here for a while.
“You’re stronger than me, my love,” Kaen said after kissing his wife.
“And why is that?” Ava asked, her tone letting him know it might be a dangerous statement he was about to make.
“Childbirth, going to battle, leading an army. You don’t have to do the last two, yet you have chosen to be by my side. For that, I am grateful and thankful.”
Snorting, Ava shifted as she lay on top of him. “Just promise me you will come home to us and end this once and for all.”
“No matter what happens, this battle will be over soon. This land will have a moment of rest and peace for as long as our family lives, hopefully longer.”
Ava nodded her head and then kissed his bare chest. “I’ll hold you to that. We have two beautiful children who need to learn what it is like to ride on a dragon.”
Closing his eyes, Kaen imagined what that would be like. A child with him and a child with Ava, each getting to fly across the sky from the back of Pammon and Amaranth. He could see their smiles, hear their laughter, and imagine how wonderful that would be. Inside his chest, his lifestone surged softly for a moment, and Ava lifted up her head.
“Was that you?”
“It was my love. I was just imagining what it would be like one day with us all flying together. My lifestone pulsed at that thought.”
“Well, tell it to stop,” she teased. “I’m worn out, and we need to sleep. War is coming.”