The day of the Knight meeting came in a flash, multiple dragons arriving during the week with their crew.
Dragon's Heart had not nearly enough rooms or beds for all of the crew, tents and tables getting set up to accommodate the masses and turning the surrounding grasslands into a bustling town.
I didn't have much time to introduce myself to anyone as Lin and Lasse immediately resumed their lessons and occupied the majority of my days with my crafting.
My crew and I dressed in our finest- our only- armour and waited in front of the meeting room, getting there earlier than any of the Knights.
Rachel was fidgeting wildly, hopping from foot to foot while holding my hand. “I hate waiting. It's so cold. Why did we have to wake up so early?”
“You said that we had to make a good first impression,” I reminded her, ignoring that I almost literally fell out of bed when Rachel had a nightmare and lashed out in her sleep.
Ethan straightened his back. “Someone's coming.“
Lin staggered out of a hallway, holding her head with one hand and steadying herself with the other.
“Are you alright?” I asked as we approached, worry written on our faces.
“Fuck, am I too late?” she asked, a bottle dropping from her cloak and shattering on the ground. “Oh no…”
“What happened? Did you fall out of bed?” Rachel asked, grabbing Lin's arm to help her stay standing.
Lin shook her head. “I didn't sleep, too much work. I forgot about the meeting until Nadia showed up,” she explained.
“Are you drunk?” Ethan asked, leading us to the side for her to sit down.
She dropped onto the grass, almost dragging Rachel down alongside. “No, you're drunk.”
“You can't be drunk at a Knight meeting,” I told her, the sheer audacity boggling my mind.
“Watch me,” she threatened, pointing at me threateningly, “What are they going to do? They can't fire me!”
She giggled, swaying from side to side. “I know too much.”
“Like what?” Rachel asked, ever curious.
Eva cut in “We should not be talking about anything compromising or threatening to the order.”
“Bo~oring,” Lin sang before dropping onto her side. “The meeting is just going to be the asshole handing out jobs to the Knights who aren't worthless. Yknow, everyone except me.”
“That's not true,” I reassured her, kneeling down and putting a hand on her shoulder. She reeked of booze. “You trained us and probably many of the other Dragonknights. You probably have more worth than any of us and your influence will easily outlive you.”
“How old do you think I am?!” she yelled, slapping my hand away. “You are only the second group I trained from scratch!”
“That’s what you take from his speech?” came a new voice from behind us.
I turned around to see the figure towering over me.
He was a Dragonknight I had seen a few times, never having gotten his name. He was wiry, wearing light leather armour with a bow on his back, an archer.
Lin narrowed her eyes at the newcomer. “Frank… What are you doing here?”
He sighed “I am a recognised Dragonknight in duty, unlike you.”
“Meany.”
“I’ll take her from here, kids. You can go back to sleep,” he said, waving us away as he thought us staff.
“Actually,” I said, taking a second to muster the courage needed and reaching a hand out for a handshake, “I am the newest Dragonknight, Caleb Interita. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Nadia's spawn, huh?” he asked, shaking my hand, “A pleasure, sure.”
He grabbed Lin like a sack of potatoes and walked towards the door, kicking it open.
Lin struggled the entire time, kicking the air and thumping her fists against Franks back.
I heard some talking from inside that ceased when the doors burst open, replaced by a torrent of greetings.
They had already been inside.
Rachel grabbed my arm and pulled me into a kiss. “Go get them.”
“Of course,” I answered, squeezing her tightly before joining Ethan.
The meeting hall was a huge room, a giant stone table dominating the centre of it. Stone seats surrounded it with a veritable throne opposite the entrance.
A dozen Knights sat around the table, staring at us or nursing their mugs of ale as we entered.
I recognised a few, including Mom, Tobias, and Lasse, but others were a complete mystery to me. Their First Mates stood behind them, a lot more relaxed than the Knights.
Every single one had custom-made armour and weapons, from daggers through bows to staffs. No one except Mom was in full armour though.
Frank threw Lin onto the table before sitting down next to her, adjusting her robe so she was properly covered. “Morning everyone. Welcome the newest Knight.”
I waved and searched for a free seat, moving to the one next to Mom. I didn't want to be anywhere near Lin when the Allfather saw her drunk.
“A pleasure to meet all of you. I am Caleb Interita,” I introduced myself before gesturing to Mom, “you may know my Mom.”
My attempt at a joke got a few chuckles but the Allfather stepped inside before any more introductions could be made.
Everyone saluted, even Lin while still laying on the table.
“I see that everyone is present,” he said, moving to the throne seat with naught a glance towards Lin. “I trust that all your missions have been successful and your reports-”
“Reports!” Lin scrambled to sit on the edge of the table and dug through her pouches as she continued “I still have yours, Caleb. Now, the content was fine but your grammar-”
“Lin,” interrupted the Allfather, “although your dedication to teaching is admirable, your propriety is lacking. Please refrain from interrupting me again or you'll be kicked from the meeting.”
She grabbed a potion from her pouch and downed it, immediately straightening up. “My apologies.”
Did she- just immediately sober up?
The Allfather nodded slightly before unrolling a large scroll of parchment across the table. “Your reports have been handed in and will be taken into account.”
It was a map of Tera with a dozen green markers at Dragon's Heart and six more spread around.
The Allfather pointed to the mountains. “There have been developments in Khazur. A group of rebels have killed the Queen and taken the Princess hostage, her uncle is currently keeping the city together and asked for our assistance.”
“The dwarves asked for us?” asked the Knight sitting on the other side of Mom. “They must be desperate.”
“The princess is the last of her lineage, her father, the King, having died two years ago without another offspring,” explained the Allfather. “Reports of the rebels mention their liberal use of Necromancy and hit and run tactics. An agile Dragonknight is needed for this mission, someone who can fight in the tunnels.”
Mom and four others leaned back in their chairs, accepting that the mission wasn't for them.
I raised my hand.
The Allfather stared at me. “Yes?”
“My crew could take the mission,” I offered, fidgeting in my seat. “Dosor is still small and we have just recently trained with a general of Khazur. I know my way around dwarven culture better than most, having spent the majority of my life learning personally from Drembar.”
My Mom's head snapped to me. “Caleb!”
Murmurs started to spread, people talking with their neighbours and debating the pros and cons.
“It's a good idea,” Lasse cut in before Mom could interject. “He can use the time after the mission to refine his enchantments with the aid of the crown. There is no better place to learn enchanting.”
“Can they deal with an entire rebellion?” asked a Dragonknight with a staff on his back, a battle mage.
Lin readjusted her hat. “Yes, they can. I've schooled them on enough political history and etiquette where they shouldn't make any major blunders.”
“Because your lessons are so great,” said the same Dragonknight. “You haven't been outside Dragon's Heart in years and even then, your etiquette has always been lacking.”
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“Fuck you,” she replied, flipping him off. “You would screw it over even more.”
The Allfather glared at Lin. “Language. Let's stay respectful.”
Mom chimed in, “I don't think this is a good idea. Dosor just hatched and you don't have nearly enough gear to handle a rebellion. Rachel is a liability underground and neither of you two know how to fight monsters of larger sizes. It's just not safe.”
“There aren't any safe missions to start with,” Ethan argued, “at least we'll be able to further our skills and work together with the uncle of the princess. It's a great start for us and we can upgrade our equipment cheaply.”
“He's got my vote,” said one Dragonknight.
His neighbour scoffed. “That's just because he mentioned how cheap it's going to be.”
“Doesn't change anything.”
The discussion continued for a while, each dragonknight weighing in on the issue and prodding me about my teams capabilities.
The Allfather raised a hand, signalling that he had come to a decision. “I have heard enough.”
The entire room stilled, years of servitude and an abundance of respect for the Allfather taming the chaotic discussions that had filled the room before.
The Allfather's gaze lingered on me, his expression revealing a blend of contemplation and decision.
The weight of his authority settled in the air as he spoke "Caleb Interita, you propose an unconventional choice for this mission, and while concerns have been raised, your conviction is evident. Dosor, despite being in the early stages of growth, may offer a unique advantage in navigating Khazur's tunnels. Your familiarity with dwarven culture, fostered under Drembar, could prove invaluable."
A ripple of whispers passed through the assembly, a mixture of surprise and curiosity at the Allfather’s unexpected decision.
I nodded solemnly, acknowledging the gravity of his words.
"You and your crew shall embark on this mission to Khazur," the Allfather declared, a murmur of discussions sparked anew. "May the guidance of the Dragons' Heart be with you, Caleb Interita. Prove that even the untested can rise to the challenge."
The assembly stirred with a mixture of emotions — some murmured support, others speculative whispers.
I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension, knowing that the path ahead was fraught with challenges.
Mom stood up, slamming her gauntleted hands onto the stone table to gather the attention of everyone. “I would like to issue a test of their strength first, to see if Dosor truly can handle creatures of her size. She has no experience after all.”
The assembly quieted down to listen to Mom, finding her proposal an exciting twist on an otherwise stale decision.
“What did you have in mind?” asked the Allfather, quieting the last murmurs with a pointed look.
Mom pointed towards the stretch of land between Dragon's Heart and the Telkynese desert, speaking loudly as if daring the others to interrupt or challenge her.
“A Hydra has been interrupting trade in this area for a few months. I would have taken care of it but only flew over the area once,” she explained, pausing momentarily, “but I had other priorities at the moment.”
“A Hydra?” asked the Dragonknight who had sided with us the moment we mentioned the low cost.
“A Young Hydra, I could kill it from the air with no trouble- a single spell really,” Mom explained. “Khazur armies use many different mounts but I assume that the rebellion likely uses labour beasts that they repurposed using Necromancy. I believe that it will be the perfect test for the Crew although their beasts will lack the regeneration of a Hydra.”
“I must agree that it would provide ample opportunity for the young crew to grow,” answered the Allfather, stroking his beard, “but sending them on it alone would risk their lives and many others.”
“I will accompany them,” declared Mom. “I can make sure that they don't die before travelling further north to keep the Orcs at bay, unless there is a mission I am needed for that you haven't put on the map for some reason.”
He stared at Mom, his face an unreadable mask crafted by time.
“Very well,” he finally agreed, modifying the marker on the map with only a thought. “You should depart as soon as possible to stunt the growth of the rebellion.”
Mom nodded, but kept seated.
The meeting devolved into easier to assign missions from there on, simple missions that appeared almost custom-tailored for a specific Dragonknight or two.
Devoured started to rise in the south, expected remnants of the Pale Serpents trying to rise up again. Two Dragonknights were assigned to squash them.
The Orcs picked up their raiding frequency, but Mom would deal with them. She was being sent to keep an entire country small, unable- or unwilling- to eradicate every last one of them. A second Knight was sent to clean up small raids and keep them at bay while she tested me.
The bindings on Feerwood appeared to have weakened and the Allfather expected it to deteriorate further, threatening to allow the elves to break free. Lin and the Knight she had been squabbling with were sent to check and reinforce it if needed.
How she could reinforce divine magic was beyond me, but I wasn't exactly the same calibre as Lin when it came to magical theory.
A local Lord in the east attempted to overthrow the Dragonknights and rise up against us.
No one thought he was much of a problem, but Tobias got sent to reign him in or appoint a new Lord.
The remaining Knights got assigned certain patrols around Tera so they could take care of any brewing troubles before they required more resources.
With the last patrols assigned, most Knights took their leave, not wanting to tax our supplies and get to spend more time with their crew.
Ethan and I left with them, eager to prepare for our first mission and tell the others the good news.
Rachel was flipping through a book while Eva stared off into space, both waiting for us.
“We're fighting a Hydra!” called out Ethan, bounding over to the others.
Rachel stared at me. “Are you serious?”
“It's only a test of our strength before the actual mission,” I defended myself, joining them.
Eva nodded.
Rachel glared at me, crossing her arms over her chest. “What did you get us into?” she demanded.
I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her closely, kissing the top of her head before answering “Nothing. We'll just have to squash a rebellion and rescue the princess of Khazur.”
“Of course,” She sighed before wriggling around to free her arms, wrapping them around my chest. “When do we leave?”
“As soon as Uldru is ready,” answered Mom, towering behind me.
Rachel froze up, slowly unburrowing her head from my chest to look over my shoulder.
She quickly let go of me and stepped back, her face a hot red mess. “Ok.”
Mom literally cast a shadow onto Rachel, looking back and forth between us. “Is there anything I should know before I send you two into a possibly life-threatening situation?”
“The Manticore in the Harndom Forest protects an infinite mana source,” I said.
Rachel's face heated up to an insane degree, a shade of red that looked plain unhealthy covering her face.
“She means between the two of us,” she explained to me.
I slowly nodded. That made sense.
“Ohh, that. Rachel proposed-”
Rachel made a strangled noise, whipping her head around to look at me with wide eyes. “Ugh!”
“-that we try dating,” I finished, staring at Rachel in confusion.
Mom stared at Rachel for a solid moment before finally saying something. “Ahh, alright.”
She looked at the rest of my crew and then nodded, turning to her First Mate. “Tell the others to prepare supplies for the trip. Dosor should be able to ride on Uldrus back until we reach the Hydra.”
He saluted, quickly leaving to fulfil the orders.
“We’ll have to gather supplies and some gear,” I told my crew, mimicking Mom, “Khazur is far away but once there, we should be able to resupply freely. Prioritise funding and tools for the underground over food. We can always hunt in the plains.”
Ethan mulled something over, looking around before adding “We should get oils and some acids to deal with the Hydra.”
We split up and got all the supplies, meeting back up with Dosor.
Mom's crew took a lot longer to get ready than us, having to prepare a lot more due to the size. Uldru couldn't feed himself by hunting as easily as Dosor but he had plenty of room for cargo.
I laid on Dosor's back, watching the crew climb over Uldru and stow away the cargo like a bunch of ants.
Rachel laid next to me and was fiddling with a potion, flipping and turning it around in her hand.
I still wasn't the best at figuring out emotions but even I could see that she was anxious- or nervous.
Was there a difference between the two?
It didn't matter. I grabbed her hand with the potion to stop her from fidgeting, asking “Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” she replied instantly. Sighing, she continued “No… It's Nadia.”
“What about her?” I asked, feeling myself getting anxious. I wanted the two to get along.
She dropped her hands. “I don't know,” she whined, “I expected her to react more. She just said alright and that was it!”
I saw Ethan wanting to add something but he just sighed, leaving us some privacy and wandering off to see how the preparations are going.
“My mom isn't the most expressive person,” I explained, rubbing my thumb over the back of her hand, “she likes you.”
“I guess, but she is the Destroyer! I don't want her to object to us dating because-” she replied, lowering her voice, “Well, she could kill me and get away with it.”
“She wouldn't do that!” I exclaimed, belatedly realising that I was just shooting down her worries. “Sorry. She couldn't kill you and get away with it, unless you decide to practise Necromancy.”
“Thanks.”
Mhhh, it felt like I was missing something.
I pulled her close and kissed her on the cheek. “You'll have plenty of time to chat with her on our journey. You're delightful, she'll love you.”
“What if I am not good enough?” she asked, looking into the distance and seeing Ethan walking off. “You are the son of the legendary Destroyer, newest Dragonknight, and I- I am just some alchemist chick.”
I sat up to look her in the face. “Rachel…”
Her lip was quivering and she was desperately trying to search for anything to focus on, looking from feature to feature but settling on Uldrus head high up to try and keep herself from crying.
I didn’t know what to do. I never expected to be on the other end of this.
“We’ve known each other for years, you grew up surrounded by legends and when given the choice of Herbalist or Cleric, you chose both!” I reassured her, lamely putting a hand on her back. “Even as a Healer, generalised for every single application, you insisted on picking up a sword and fighting alongside Ethan and I. I couldn’t think of a single person more suited to have with me on missions.”
She let herself fall over, dropping into my lap. “You’re just saying that.”
“These past weeks have been incredible. Spending the nights by your side helped me sleep and kept me focused when I had to work on our gear,” I objected, patting her head.
She didn't answer, staring into the distance as she mulled my words over.
I kept piling on, feeling dread rising as she stayed quiet, “You are as far from “just some alchemist chick” as I am from becoming the next Soul of Avarice or Dosor from being a chicken.”
Dosor, having heard her name, twisted her neck to look at us sitting on her back.
I patted her snout with my free hand, reassuring her “It was a compliment.”
She snorted a cloud of frost in my face, cold mist freezing my eyelashes.
Frost?
Rachel shot upwards, staring at Dosor with wide eyes.
“You're a frost dragon?” I asked in disbelief, not expecting a real answer.
She closed her eyes and raised her head, looking all regal. I felt a wave of annoyance through the bond at the fact that it took me so long to figure out.
The thought of Dosor being a frost dragon hadn't even crossed my mind. I had expected her to be a fire dragon like Uldru.
I gently pushed her head away, laughing. “You big dope.”
Ethan and Mom came to us, carrying backpacks full of supplies.
Mom called out to us, waving, “Everything’s set! Do you two need some time?”
I looked to Rachel for input and shouted back once she shook her head no.
“We’re fine,” I said, combing through Rachel's hair.
Ethan attached his backpack to the saddle once he climbed aboard, attaching himself to the saddle.
“Let's go! We've got a Hydra to slay!” he yelled, bouncing in his seat.