Raulin's Oath

Lucius awoke well rested, knowing that this would be the day that the next phase of his plan would be put into action. He summoned Hestia from her resting place, as she would play an integral role in this mission. As he entered the throne room, he transformed into the magnificent black dragon. Footsteps on the landing outside of the throne room broke through his thoughts and he turned in time to see Hestia enter and lower her head to the king.

“You summoned me, My King.”

“Indeed I have, Hestia. You were once known as the Queen of Fire to the races of Palidonaya. That was before my father allowed us to be imprisoned in these mountains. Today, we leave for Belamoris. Our mission is two-fold. First, we cripple the seven kingdoms by burning their center of trade to ashes. Then, we will find the Chosen that have united and end the threat that they pose to our kind.”

Lucius spread his magnificent sable wings and took to the sky. Hestia galloped forward, launching her violet form upwards and followed. It had been an eternity since she had ventured out of Mons Draconis. Energy pulsed through her veins as she soared through the clouds. She tasted the anticipation as she followed her king. It was an honor to be chosen to embark on such a monumental quest for dragonkind. She longed to burn the infidels. Yes, she would follow her king wherever he led; whenever he needed her, she would be there without question. Dragons were meant to rule, and they had bent the knee to the Council far too long.

***

According to Gustoff, the city of Waterhaven was a two-day trek from where they had exited the forest. They finally felt safe, as they no longer worried about the dark spirits that reside in the forest launching attacks against them. They were tired to the bone, but the hope of reaching Waterhaven kept them moving. The sun continued its journey to the west as the group trudged on, and as the sky turned to twilight, they entered a small village that went by the name of Dell Meadow.

Dimitri and the herd made camp on the outskirts of the village in a grassy meadow while Gustoff led the children to the local inn, aptly named The Dancing Pony, to arrange rooms for the night. Gustoff entered an office and asked Arietta and Jerry to stay in the main room. There were no objections as they quickly warmed themselves by the fire. A few minutes later, Gustoff emerged from the office with a smile on his face. He led them to a table, where they were served the most ambrosial, savory stew that they had ever eaten.

“I don’t know if this really tastes this good or if I have eaten so many dry rations that anything would taste like this!” Jerry laughed as he scooped the last of the stew into his mouth. He washed it down with a large mug of cider, eyes closed with enjoyment. Ari laughed as she finished her stew. Her eyelids were heavy, threatening to close, and her stomach was so full it was uncomfortable. Gustoff smiled as he finished his stew and sipped on a tall mug of ale.

“Grandpa, would it be rude for us to just go to bed now? I am really tired.” Ari yawned as she spoke. Gustoff smiled at her and nodded.

“We hope these rooms will be satisfactory; the discount seemed necessary for the man who had saved this inn all those years ago,” the inn owner said pleasantly.

“Thank you, we have not slept in a bed for weeks, and this was the first real meal that we have enjoyed since our journey began. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to retire for the night.” Gustoff padded off to his resting spot He stopped by the children’s rooms to ensure that they were still asleep and safe. He locked their door, and once he hit his bed, he immediately fell into a deep sleep that would be the last restful night of his journey.

The herd had eaten their fill of the rich grasses that grew in the plains. The innkeeper arranged for the horses to enjoy a good brushing and an almost endless supply of water to replenish them before they slept. Strength returned to Dimitri, and his mind settled on his king’s quest to call a meeting with the Council. “Come home safe, Father,” he whispered into the night as he drifted into a deep sleep.

Feeling the effect of one good night’s sleep in a warm bed with a full belly was simply amazing. Arietta woke as the sun drifted from the right corner of her window to the left. She reached both hands high in the air without a single creak or pop from her back. Grandpa Gus had arranged for a hot bath before breakfast, so she felt clean and energized as they packed extra supplies into backpacks furnished by the innkeeper. They were again on their way before the sun had reached its highest point in the sky. She walked with Jerry while Gustoff strode alongside Dimitri at the front of the herd.

“Hey Jerry, want to see what we can do?” Arietta was thinking about a song that she could try out that could help her control her power without causing any major issues. Jerry nodded curiously as Arietta gazed pensively in the distance. The herd chatted amongst themselves as Ari began singing. “Hello darkness, it’s nice to see you again…” As she began singing, the heavens swirled, and massive clouds formed. Day turned to twilight as sound ceased to flow, the only audible noise coming from Arietta as she continued to sing.

Jerry stared at her with wonder as an energy seemed to build around her. Her eyes shone bright in the sudden darkness. The herd had come to a halt. Ari continued singing.

“Then the lightning splits the darkened skies. The wind and rain came down to claim their prize.” Lightning zagged its way across the sky with a loud crash. Arietta blinked, realizing what she had done, and quickly switched songs. The temperature had fallen several degrees with the absence of sunlight. “I like to see the sun shine, down on me. The warm brightness makes me so happy.” The sun suddenly appeared, bringing with it an increase in temperature.

This got Gustoff’s attention, and he quickly joined the pair. “Ari, as you sing, try to focus on the result that you are wanting. Otherwise, the magic will make its own sense of the words. You could do something like making day into night and turning your entire party mute. Try something a little less drastic.”

“Something like this?” Arietta began singing, “I see the trees reaching to the sky. The flowers bloom and it makes me sigh. The beauty of nature takes my breath. It makes me feel that we’ve defeated death.” Suddenly roses sprouted and bloomed around them. A tree sprang from the ground, reaching skyward. Ari stopped singing.

Gustoff shook his head. “Think about a specific result.” He swung his staff about his head, and the trees and roses disappeared. Ari looked down at her feet, then smiled at the worn shoes on her feet. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the desired effect, and began, “I’ve been-a walkin’. Down the beaten path, but my feet just hurt me oh so bad. My new boots they feel so rad.” She stopped the song there and looked down at her feet to see a brand-new pair of Palidonayan walking boots on her feet. Gustoff smiled and gave her a wink.

She then turned to Jerry and said, “Let’s see what you can do.” The spirit of competition flared in his eyes. Jerry was there one second and gone the next. The air shimmered like a mirage in the distance. She could almost see his shape, but couldn’t make it out. A breeze whispered in her right ear and she jerked around to see him smiling on the opposite side of where he began. “That is so cool!”

“Well, I can’t change the weather, but I can enter someone’s mind and make them see, or not see, things.”

Gustoff had a quizzical look on his face and said, “You didn’t just enter her mind. I couldn’t see you either!”

Jerry smiled. “I have found that I can have the desired impact on a group as long as they are close together. I have that ability along with some pretty radical skills with my blades.” Jerry produced two ebony blades as if from nowhere and began spinning through several lethal moves.

“I pray that you will not need to use your skills with the blades again, though I fear that they will be needed before our journey comes to an end,” Gustoff murmured solemnly, causing the conversation to come to a halt. Uncomfortable with the silence, Arietta let out a laugh.

“Way to kill the mood, Gramps.”

At this, Gustoff released an uneasy chuckle.