The Last of the Dragons-Set 1

42

5 Days Later

I rode to the center of the kings land on horse back, with eight guards tasked with providing some form of protection. We were escorted by a large group of soldiers, which, to my surprise, didn't show any hostility towards the nine of us. Doron flew over head above the clouds, hidden from view. I hoped that he would be able to sense if something was wrong. I rode through the night and arrived at the kings home. It was a massive, glimmering building, lined with flags with dragons heads on them. I approached the entrance, and were stopped by the guards.

"I'm here to speak with your king. I have sworn him safe conduct." I announced from my horse.

The guard in front of me looked to one of the escorting soldiers. He nodded to the guard, who turned and signaled for the gate to be opened. I dismounted my horse, along with my guards, and followed a soldier through the maze of hallways, until we reached a door several feet tall. The soldier guiding us opened the door, stepped to the side and motioned for us to walk through. We walked in to the massive room, on the other end, a short, skinny man sitting on a throne that towered over him. 

"Ah! Miss Albo! I've been looking forward to our little.. Meeting." He said with a smirk.

I cautiously approached. I looked around the room, the wall lined with dozens and dozens of dragon skulls. Some were as small as our dragons were when they hatched, others trumped them many times over. The kings throne sat directly below the largest of them. Tario's skull was massive, many times the size of Dorons. I felt smaller than I ever had walking up to stand below it. Its spikes were nearly the size of Dorons entire head.

"Intrigued by the skull of the legendary Tario?" The king said.

I looked down from the skull to lock eyes with him.

"Well, of course. It's not every day you see a dragon skull that size." I said.

"Ah this may be true, but from what I hear, you have spent the last several years living with three real live dragons! Is this true?" He asked sarcastically. 

"Yes, I would have thought the thousands of casualties you have suffered would have confirmed that." 

His face changed as I said this.

"Don't play such a dangerous game young one. You think your three dragons make you invincible. You think that your massive following of mindless morons stands a chance against my army?" He said as he stood briefly before sitting back down.

"You defeated us one-hundred years ago with dragons, now, dragons will bring you down, just as they brought you up." I said.

"The blood of a dragon must run through his masters veins... If it does not, he will falter under their command. The blood of the dragon runs through MY veins, not yours. Your dragons will either serve me, or die fighting me. Their is no other option. I have sworn you safe conduct, but I have made no such promise to your rebellion guards. Now, your arrogance will cost you. Kill them all." He said.

A group of soldiers swiftly closed on us, taking down the men I had brought with me as I watched helplessly. I turned back to face the king, blood on my torn shoes, seeping in through a tear getting between my toes. 

"Your dragons will never defeat my army. They will try, and they will fail. I will have their skulls mounted in my throne room as trophies for the day I crushed a pathetic attempt to overthrow my almighty empire." He said.

"Your army will be destroyed. Your reign is nearly over. One day, I will sit where you are, and my dragons will be the ones to get me there. You are doomed. My king."

A silence came over the room. The king looked at me with anger in his eyes.

"Perhaps I shouldn't honor my promise you would leave here alive." He said.

"If you kill me, my dragons will by pass any other targets, and roast you alive." I said, hoping he would believe my obvious bluff.

"Be gone, before I change my mind. I would much rather keep you alive to witness your army destroyed, and your dragons slaughtered." He said.

"You think I even need dragons to take you down?" I said foolishly.

He smirked at me.

"You're nothing without your dragon. I offer you a chance to surrender, and live. Refuse, and you will all die. After all, my messenger did tell you that I wished to discuss the terms of your surrender, didn't he?" He said.

"Oh my great king, the only one who should consider surrender to save their own life, is you."

I turned without another word, and made my way back outside, following another soldier. I made my way back outside to see all my horses dead on the ground in a pool of blood.

"The king swore only you safe conduct". A soldier said, grinning with a bloody sword in his hand.

I didn't say a word as I walked over the dead horses, and began the impossibly long walk back. Several hours later, after the sun had already started to go down, and I had ended up in the middle of an open field, I heard a screech come from behind me. I turned to see Doron flying in behind me.

"It's about bloody time you overgrown lizard." I said in a cheery voice as I patted his noise.

I mounted Doron, and he took off back towards the rest of our waiting army.

"Don't worry, I wont let anything happen to any of you." I said.

He tilted his head back to look at me, I could see in his eyes, that he understood what was going on, and that he was afraid of what was to come.

"I said don't worry, it will all be okay. Some way, some how, we will win. Together." I said.