Two months after the wastes incident

Sitting upright on the bed prepared for him in the gardens of his mother's estate eldra looked down upon the lands below. Having never come to this place before his mother had married the human nedral. Surveying the area that he could see the innate beauty of the landscape felt soothing to him.

Though two months had passed since he and the boy lanthim had fought eldra felt no need to return to the dragon lands further west. Also adding to his remaining in the empire was the damage he had received in combat.

Losing his left arm while a blow to his pride would not have required him to go through meaningful recovery. However, he had been greedy at the wrong moment. Following Lanthim after he had fled from combat. Confident that the boy would be exhausted from using too much mana. Only to find the child prepared what followed next was an, even more, disastrous defeat than he had suffered previously.

Having his chest crushed was not something eldra wanted to experience again. If Dethlyma had not arrived when she had he would have died. So the dragon lay uncomfortable due to his rib cage being held together with mana and every time he tried to move the mana would change form.

"If you had just heeded my warning you would not be on that bed in the middle of my garden feeling like an invalid." [Mynrea]

With a gentle smile on her face, the dragoness of the mountain entered the garden. Chuckling to himself eldra turned to see her coming towards him.

"You are interested in this boy mother I fear he may be too much for you." [eldra]

Laughing hurt giving a slight chuckle was the best eldra could do to show his amusement. Mynrea was not far from the bed that eldra lay still smiling the same as she always seemed too. Depending on the person this smile could have thousands of meanings.

"My interests are not of your concern eldra." [mynrea]

Sitting on a seat beside his bed Mynrea looked at her son with an amused look on her face.

"What was it like to fight something even I can not hope to understand?"[mynrea]

With eyes that demanded answers to her every question, eldra could not help himself but state his thoughts of the battle.

"I have never fought an opponent who had the capacity to strike at me from almost any direction and almost always land a blow that would certainly kill." [eldra]

Remembering back to his past combat with lanthim the aspects of each fight that he vividly could recall was just how efficient the boy was at close range.

"If there is one thing I am thankful for is was his lack of mana if he had used any attack spell while we fought I would likely not be alive right now."

While it was true that Lanthim did have a large projectable area since he had limited mana reserves he had to limit himself. However if this was not the case it would have been likely that eldra and his group. Would have been wiped off the face of the planet with a simple area of effect spell.

"What you say is true the seal on his back while a great hindrance to himself is the only thing that allowed you to survive. This expedition of his might be a blessing in disguise for the Strentolos clan that is in a need of renewal." [mynrea]

A gentle breeze blew through the garden as both mother and son looked out over the endless countryside. There was value in simple things especially when not long ago eldra had nearly passed from the world of the living. For almost a thousand years he had lived with no real opponent he could call a true rival. Now he lay feeling the constant reminder of his defeat.

"The group that continued to search for him have they returned?" [eldra]

After his defeat, Milty trigel had led those who had not taken part in the battle in search of the child however it had been weeks since any news had reached eldra. Mynrea did not answer nor did she look at eldra directly but he could sense that something was wrong.

"They have not returned then."

Feeling a calmness that he had not felt before there was no sorrow in his heart for them. They were likely alive somewhere on the other side of the wastes communication with this side of the world was difficult. There was also the likelihood that lanthim would prepare some kind of trap in order to hinder anyone from catching him again.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"When Lanthim was living in Litralia's home I would hear from reiflin all the strange and magnificent thing he was able to do with magic. Most of what she reported I chose not to believe in the beginning now a choice must be made." [mynrea]

With a determined expression on her face, Mynrea looked into her son's eyes with a dominating aura about her. Feeling whatever this choice would it would not end well for him eldra frowned inwardly so not to receive any unwanted reprisal.

"While I will agree that the boy is on a whole other plain compared to other humans he will have a hard time when he returns. That is if he ever returns." [eldra]

While still giving his mother a neutral expression eldra still felt the pressure from her increasing. With eyes, that seemed to see into a man's soul mynrea was a frightening existence to behold.

"Your daughter Leinea has just turned six this year correct?" [mynrea]

"Ah, I see what you are suggesting mother. While I too also would like to see the boys power used properly and not for clan squabbling I feel having a young dragon female living in the human world for an extended amount of time will be more damaging than productive." [eldra]

Marriage, while not held to the same degree of importance than other races, was for dragons a way to ensure the first call on male genetics. The first male a dragoness would ever breed with would likely be one chosen for her by her father. As such seeing that eldra understood her intent mynrea eased her overbearing presence.

"If she stays within my estate everything should be fine. Also, Litralia is not polluted by the stupidity that surrounds the rest of the clan. I also think getting to know her future mother-in-law would be a good thing for Leinea." [mynrea]

While there would always be someone to object to this plan eldra felt such an arrangement to be good and natural. While he knew little about Litralia having only met her for a short time. Eldra had a feeling that trusting his mother would provide him with satisfactory results. There was, however, the issue of lanthim's grandmother and her disastrously meddlesome daughter-in-law Feinya.

"What has that old strentolos witch decided to do now that he is out of reach. Depending on his return, I can see her being against him marrying a dragon everything we plan now could be undone with a single word." [eldra]

"You actually think lanthim cares in the slightest for what his grandmother thinks. More than likely he will marry your daughter just to spite that old witch." [mynrea]

Eldra chuckled when he heard this. From what he had seen of the boy, it was true that if lanthim thought something was to be tedious he would steer clear of it. Lanthim also had an extreme dislike for individuals that did not listen to when he gave instruction.

Feeling his chest, Eldra was living proof of this seeing how he should have died when the boy struck him. Mynrea looked to him with concern in her eyes.

"Does your chest still cause you pain?" [mynrea]

"No, it is just uncomfortable for me to move to much." [Eldra]

Standing beside him mynrea placed her hand on his chest so to check the condition of his wounds. There were still internal wounds that had not healed. From when his ribs had cut into the inner tissues of his chest. His right lung still required daily healing having been punctured. As for the left arm, eldra had lost he would not allow it to be regrown.

"I still do not understand why you will not allow your arm to be fixed if you want to have another go with lanthim would it not be netter to do so when you are whole?" [mynrea]

Eldra smiled looking to his mother who was holding what remained of his arm.

"I will keep this wound as a reminder that there is someone greater than I. Also that others may see what happens to they that stand against him." [eldra]

Moving his left shoulder mynrea sat again with still the same smile.

"I hope that these others will see the warning you provide my son teilquin also is a testament to lanthim's disdain for they that would hinder his further progression." [mynrea]