Using his backpack as a pillow, Alexander laid on the cool marble platform within Nidra’s cave with his legs dipped into the water of the lake. Pengu was sitting on his chest shaking with excitement.
Pola, Pola, POLA!
“Yes, Pengu. Pola is coming back. I know this is very exciting for you, but maybe celebrate over there? You’re kind of making it difficult to breathe.”
Thomas stepped closer and picked Pengu up, placing her on the edge of the platform where the little penguin continued her chirping. “You’re sure about this? The prophecy is one thing but driving the Green Mamba pirates away from Kedra Island will be a near impossible task for you.”
Chuckling to himself, Alexander answered. “You try saying no when a dragon asks you to do something. Nidra was staring me down. What was I supposed to do? I’m pretty sure I would have been frozen over had I declined.”
Thomas tried to form an ice chair from the water but quickly realized he was still unable to use his powers. At least this time, he could detect the reason why. He felt more than saw speckles of black within the depths of the lake. Thomas suspected all the water in the island was under Nidra’s spell- only accessible through his permission. With no other choice, he plopped down on the ground beside Alexander. “That is not the only reason you said yes. Dragons are noble creatures, and we, quite frankly, are like ants to someone of Lord Nidra’s caliber. Would he have been disappointed? Sure, but there was no threat hidden in his words."
Alexander studied the stalactites in the roof of the cave for a few seconds, as if trying to gather a deeper meaning for their existence. Slowly, he answered. “I have no idea what to do about the prophecy. The sheer scale of it isn’t something I’ll be able to wrap my head around anytime soon, but the Green Mamba pirates are here. They have been after us for weeks chasing you, and we’ve both seen their crimes along the way. Edro even said they attacked Kai!”
“That doesn’t mean we need to be the ones to fight them. I’ve become so much stronger through these ruins. I can go back now. We can all go to Radhi together. Tlaloc would welcome you and Kai with open arms. Think of all the good we could do in the war, Alexander. The Dartuga’s prophecy says in some way, shape, or form you will help bring an end to the war. If we join the frontlines, our efforts will trickle through the planets and reform Kedra passively. We don’t have to stay here.”
Rising into a sitting position, Alexander turned to face Thomas. “That’s just it, though. Everything you just said is based on a maybe. Maybe they interpreted the prophecy correctly. Maybe our being in the war will trigger some sort of change. Maybe our efforts will bear immediate results. I don’t want to operate based on maybes. Right now, we are here, and this land needs help. I didn’t spend so much time learning to fight just to look the other way once I gained the strength needed to make a difference. I am NOT running away.”
Thomas watched as his friend’s chest heaved in and out, the situation having clearly riled him up. “A difference, huh.” Staring at his own hands, Thomas slowly balled them into a fist. “You’re right. You’re totally right. I zeroed in on the big picture so much I forgot to think about the details. It would bring shame to the people of Mesto if their prince did not intervene when the Jupiter clan was ravaging a defenseless island.”
Alexander gave Thomas a firm slap on the back. “And you want to help them yourself. How hard is it admit you want to do that without having to go into a whole speech about your people? The two of us with Kai, together, are gonna bring an end to the tyranny of the pirates, and it’s gonna be fucking awesome.” Pengu angrily waddled over and kicked up a loud fuss. “Haha, that’s right. Sorry. All four of us will do it.”
With an unfettered smile, Thomas stretched. “Fine. We’ll kick some pirate ass because we feel like it. The honor it will bring from my people is only secondary.”
“That’s the spirit!”
“Wonderful.” Nidra’s deep, thrumming voice rippled through the cave as his silhouette became apparent under the water. Breaking out of the water’s surface, he commanded tendrils of water to delicately place a sleeping Pola in the midst of the group. “The child may be a bit tired, but to her, this will have been no different from the feeling of sleeping in.” Nidra continued to exit the lake, his body shrinking as he did so. “Edro, Cosmo, and Dartuga have gone ahead to make some preparations for the war. There is not much left for you to do in my realm except to receive your prizes.”
At the word prize, Alexander and Thomas both perked up. A wide smile adorned Alexander’s smile as he laced his tone with sincerity. “Oh, Lord Nidra, you shouldn’t have. I knew- didn’t I say this, Thomas? I always knew you were a magnanimous dragon. I promise to use your great gifts to drive away the Green Mamba from these lands. Before any battle, I will shout your heroic name. The people will know their savior’s name!”
With a snarl, Nidra stopped Alexander’s charade. “Enough, boy. I have spent more than enough on you. Do you think establishing a time formation is cheap?!” The cave trembled as it displayed Nidra’s rage. “No, you and the penguin will share in a reward. Let it be known, Nidra is not cheap. Although this will not be one of the legendary items found in my treasury, it is barely passable in quality and is just what your group needs.”
“Stingy dragon. How come I never get the dragon’s treasure.” Half-listening, Alexander complained in his disappointment.
“What did you say, boy?!”
“Nothing! Nothing at all, Lord Nidra. Please continue. I will just stay bowed. My eyes are unworthy of basking in your holy presence.”
“You and the penguin have already received enough from me, but in order to succeed in your conquest of the pirate’s territory, your group is in dire need of a quicker form of transportation. Edro’s clansmen recently raided a ship and managed to retrieve a lump of metal. The information we’ve managed to gather points to this thing being capable of flight. Use it wisely.”
Alexander lifted his slack-jawed face. He was stunned, at a loss for words, so much so that it was Thomas who was forced to thank Nidra. “We both thank you for the gift from the bottom of our hearts, Lord Nidra. We will be sure to treat the flying ship with care.”
“Heh, use it as you will. It is nothing but a fabrication at the end of the day. Although I do appreciate you humans finally understanding the best way to progress is by attempting to imitate the beasts.” Laughing softly as he spoke of the glory of the dragons, tendrils of water brought forward a large leather sac. “As for you, warrior of water, I have brought several items from my treasury which I believe have ample compatibility with you. Look through the bag and choose one.”
Thomas executed a noble’s bow. “Thank you kindly, Lord Nidra.”
As he approached sac floating in the water, Alexander jealously imagined the incredible treasure hiding within. It was an exceptionally large bag. When Nidra first pushed it forward, it seemed normal, small even, as it stood beside the dragon, but now that it was closer to them, the comical size bore down on them. A tentacle of water snaked around the bag and pulled it down once Thomas was close to it, his own arms unable to reach the opening.
A chorus of clings and clangs erupted as the bag fell forward. A thin, golden rope was all that prevented the contents from spilling, and it was evident it would snap at any moment. The bag was bursting at its seams, but right when Thomas was about to undo the rope’s knot, a blinding light pierced out of the lake and into the roof of the cave, causing several stalactites to crumble.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Alexander ran over to Pengu to protect her from the falling debris; however, all the rocks turned to dust before any damage was done. The sudden change seemed to be due to Nidra’s hum as Alexander could feel an injection of mana coming from Nidra’s waving whiskers.
Soon, the beam of light vanished, leaving behind an elliptical stone floating in its place. It was unnaturally smooth, and despite the thrashing of the lake’s water, it remained perfectly still as it floated where the beam had previously emanated from.
Confused by the sudden turn of events, Thomas backed away from the treasure bag and regrouped with Alexander and Pengu. They all stared at Nidra, awaiting some sort of direction.
Coiling towards the elliptica stone, Nidra remained silent. He watched the stone like a scientist gathering as much data as possible from an experiment, and the stone, in turn, stared back. It was difficult to explain, but Alexander could vividly feel the stone was defiantly staring down the dragon.
“I remember.” Nidra’s deep voice whispered once before repeating a second time more firmly. “I remember now. This is the family heirloom.”
Overcome with curiosity, Thomas stepped forward to try to get more information. “Is this part of my rewards, Lord Nidra? What do you mean the family heirloom? I was under the impression dragons didn’t really establish their own clans.”
Nidra brought his head close to Thomas, looking him up and down. A hint of understanding grew within his eyes. “You are correct. Dragons do not remain with other dragons, but this particular artifact was left to me by my father and to him by his father before him. Prior to that, I do not know, but what I do know, is this object seems to have chosen you.”
Desire grew within Thomas. An ancient artifact passed down by Nidra’s lineage could be nothing short of legendary. “What… what does it do?”
“That, boy, is something I hope you will be able to tell me in the nearby future. For centuries now, it has remained a simple stone: unmoving and without use. The theatrics we just witnessed lead me to believe whatever treasures my grandfather left behind are ready to show themselves.”
Bending down to analyze the stone more closely, Thomas stopped himself from grasping it. “Is there anything about this treasure I should know?”
“Hmm, when my father informed me of its existence, he said only the artifact would choose its user. I had never even seen it move before today. My father told me even when he first laid eyes on it, the stone was already sitting at the bottom of the lake gathering dust.” Noticing the disappointment in Thomas’ eyes, he quickly added. “But there are several things we can infer from its signs of life. Like other legendary grade treasures, I assume you must imprint it with your own mana to be accepted as the owner. Some treasures require several sessions so do not be discouraged if this happens.” With a swipe, it took back the leather rucksack as Nidra returned to the edge of the lake.
“I see… Wow, wait! Do I not get my pick of your treasures anymore? I thought this would only be a bonus.”
An icy mist filled the cavern as Nidra harumphed. “Greed is the downfall of every hero. I am teaching you to measure yourself, boy. The value of that stone is immeasurable. You should almost be thanking me for allowing you to keep it.” One of his claws longingly caressed the bag of treasures as he scolded Thomas.
It took a world of determination to maintain a straight face as he heard Alexander snickering in the background, but Thomas managed to keep an even smile. “Of course. Thank you for the lesson, Lord Nidra.” Having the go-ahead, he grabbed the elliptical stone and inspected it.
It was nigh weightless and completely unsullied. Had he not witnessed the beam of light, Thomas would have taken this for an ordinary stone someone decided to smoothen. Testing it out, he poured his mana into the rock. There was no outward response, but he felt a link form to an insatiable appetite. The stone devoured his mana and pleaded for more. This continued until Thomas could feel his reserves running low.
The lack of progress did nothing to discourage Thomas as he was convinced this was surely an irreplaceable weapon of some sort. He could think of nothing else that would eat mana like this. This is definitely an ancient relic, but I wonder its use. Probably a weapon or formation I would think. Those are the most common legendary treasures found. This time, there was no need to force out the words. Jubilant beyond words, he thanked Nidra.
“Spare me your antics, human. I do not need your thanks. What I need is your success. Go out there and show me this prophecy is correct. My beast faction will provide you with assistance, but all confrontations will be taken care of by your group.” The spectral rowboat appeared from behind Nidra and docked at the marble platform they were standing in. “Board it. It will take you outside where the flying ship awaits you. I will teleport you back to the ocean once you reach it.”
Realizing this was goodbye, Alexander sputtered out. “But wait. You haven’t discussed how you will support us exactly. How do we even get started with taking down the Green Mamba?”
Water claws reached out of the lake and carried everyone into the boat. It automatically began moving away as Nidra’s voice carried one final message. “Self-sufficiency, children. Everything will become apparent in due time, but you must begin this adventure alone.”
Wrinkling his eyebrows, Alexander looked around in the boat to see if anyone else was as lost as he felt, but he found no support. Pola’s eyes had rolled back, and a soft snore now escaped her lips. Beside her, Pengu clung to her shoulder while administering a smack every so often. At the helm of the boat, Thomas was singing a lullaby to the stone, rocking it gently with the occasional kiss. A long sigh escaped Alexander as he laid down his head. This isn’t exactly how I thought we would be starting our mission.
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At a canopy in the mountains, overlooking the desert, the pirate Empress was sitting comfortably in a lounge chair, sipping on a cocktail. A small glimmer of light reflected off a bead of sweat as it rolled down her forehead, under her rounded sunglasses, and on to her cheek. She was wearing a purple bikini, its color matching that of her eyes. Two men were kneeling beside her chair holding up platters of shrimp. Small tremors could be seen on their arms, but they did not complain and instead stared off into the distance in silence. It was the picture of the perfect summer vacation. Well, it would have been, had the pirate Empress not been holding a smoking gun.
Waving the gun around, she cleared the smoke from the area. “C’mon, Isaac. No need to take this so seriously. I have to punish you. What would the others think of me if I just let you go despite your failure to bring me back Kai?”
Muffled sobs were the only response from the downed executive. He was currently strung up between two wooden posts, held there by ropes tied around his wrists and ankles. Blood trickled down his right foot as it joined a puddle formed beneath him. This was the sixth gunshot wound, and the pirate Empress seemed no closer to finishing, clinically choosing the locations to maximize his pain and ensure his survival. If he so chose, he could have used his powers to set himself free, but he knew the consequences would only get worse if he did.
Off to the side, Gabriel watched in fascination as Celie administered the sadistic torture. The hints of a smile could be seen forming on his lips. It was Jacques beside him who was unable to hold back. “Milady, perhaps this is far enough. Isaac has surely learned his lesson. Any more of this and he may be permanently maimed. Is he not more useful to us healthy?”
“Quiet, butler.” Celia didn’t spare him even a glance. “The only reason you two are not strung up beside him is because the little prince was not present. Plus, Isaac himself doesn’t think this is enough. Don’t you Isaac.” Biting down on his tongue through the pain, he managed to nod his head, wary of the evident threat in her words. “Good, good. Your honesty should be rewarded. 2 more, no, no, 3 more shots, then you can scamper back to retrieve Kai.”
Stepping forward, Jacques attempted to interrupt again. “I must insist you rethink the punishment. Isaac might not survive-” A loud shot eclipsed whatever Jacques had been meaning to say. A dribble of saliva rolled down his mouth as he collapsed holding on to his bicep.
“Haha, what do you know Isaac. Old man over here volunteered to take the bullets for you. That was beautiful, Jacques. You collapsed just like in the movies.” Placing her drink on the platter, she slithered towards him. Two more shots quickly followed. “I have to ask. How does it feel? I had this gun custom made. Uses my lightning mana as fuel, and I’ve heard it is exceedingly painful.”
Celia rolled her eyes after only hearing grunting from Jacques. Stepping on his back, she slung her arm around Gabriel and led him away, leaving the bleeding Isaac and the crumpled Jacques behind. “C’mon, dear. It looks like we need to call another emergency meeting. My old dog Kai dared to bite the hand that fed it, so I have to put it down now. How annoying... I wanted to finish sunbathing.”