Dawn of The Dragon

Chapter 2: Toan: Outskirts of Zaylen

The air is crisp as Lord Hiddard Larks turns to glare into the eyes of his darling wife, Molly. For today is a special day—the twins' birthday.

"Ten years old now," he whispers to her as she extends her arms and complains of the cold.

"By the feel of it, my husband, summer has ended."

"Yes, it has," he responds, wishing for another warmer day for the younglings that will not come.

With cold feet, he carries a candle over to light a fire. It is now needed throughout all of Toan, and it may take one or two moons before the entire castle feels the warmth. He will hurry the Clans and light workers to ignition.

"What time will the festivities begin?" Molly asks him.

Realizing he has no choice but to answer, he begins to move his tongue to say what she will not want to hear.

"Unfortunately, my love, there will be no festivities, for the king has summoned me to Mason for a meeting."

Molly hates Mason, as does Hiddard, but there is no choice but to meet the king's demand. Many moons ago, his refusal had cost him his former wife and three sons.

The sweet smells of lavender rice reminds him of her standing in the middle of the kitchen stirring over the open flame, while the laughter of the twins often reminds him of his boys, and the fun games they once played. He had plans for his sons to grow into strong men, but that was taken away from him by a murderous tyrant.

Hiddard has never forgotten the horrendous sounds of their screams, or the smell of their burning flesh as he stood powerless to save them.

"You, I, and the twins must make our way there. Besides, they have not been on an adventure in a while. This could be their birthday present."

Molly frowns. On the first day of winter, they must travel the road with the younglings, no less, to the horrid Mason.

"The cold has manipulated your mind, my lord."

Placing his arms around his wife, he assures her they will have a safe journey, but he also needs to break additional news at the same time.

"My love, I must tell you something more," he says. "Five Enforcers deserted their duty post making their way here. You know the law, and I must uphold it."

"You have a strange way of upholding the law, Hiddard," Molly replies.

"You know I'm being watched, and can't take any chances with your lives," he shouts, losing his temper. "I will do what I must."

Then he looks over to find the twins, forcing open the door and letting out their innocent laughs.

"My loves, what have we told you both about knocking?" Molly asks.

They both laugh as their father tickles them.

"Sundo and Celest, hug your mother," he orders in a sterner voice.

"You both give the warmest hugs. Happy birthday!" she exclaims.

"Yes! We're ten now," the twins say in unison.

"I have a surprise for the both of you," Hiddard tells them. "We will be going on a journey to Mason."

Up and down they jump, as they have been yearning to leave the castle.

Molly smiles and grabs them both. "Now, Nanny will help both of you pack a bag with warm coverings for the road," she says.

Their joy fills the air as they hurry for the door.

"Sundo, wait for a second, son," Hiddard commands.

"You are now ten years old and considered a man. As a man, you must attend to your duties. Son, five people have broken the law, and now they must be punished. You will accompany me and my men to the Pit, where justice will be served."

Sundo has heard of his father handing out justice before, but he does not understand the extent of it.

Hiddard dresses in layers in front of his son and finally places his black pelt over himself. Sundo is ecstatic when his father hands him a matching pelt.

They hurry to meet up with three of Hiddard's men, and then they make their way to the Pit, a dungeon inside of the castle. It is where men—and sometimes women— wait to be transferred to Mason to fight in the games.

Hundreds of moons ago, the Bolong family guarded the Wall, but wanted more. They were bored, so they decided to bring a proposition to Fefinar, Guardian of the Keys by way of Queen Palera.

Fefinar had much power, but he did many things in secret, such as creating the games. He supplied human capital by buying men and women from the outer realms. They would fight to the death, and Fefinar and the Bolongs of Thaves collected gold by placing bets with the Ta'l Bank.

Now, the Bolongs still run the games, but only for the entertainment of the Realm. Hiddard is a responsible supplier, but it's a job he despises.

Another job he must adhere to is the duty of executioner. Anyone who deserts their post or tries to escape their military position within the Force, the king's military, is sentenced to die.

A tall man opens the gate to the cell, where the men are being held. All five are scrawny and filthy. One calls out for water, while others seem to have accepted their fate. The men are lined up in front of a gigantic statue of a titano boa snake, the insignia of the Larks House.

Feeling sorrow in his heart, Hiddard glares into their young faces, thinking of Sundo, who is about to witness the king's terror by the hand of his own father.

A short gentleman hands his son a light sword.

"Whatever you do, don't drop this sword, and don't look away," the man orders him.

"I won't," Sundo replies.

Hiddard's men herd the accused through the outer gates, beyond the courtyard, to the dense forest.

Hiddard looks to the spectrum sky, the color of the rainbow, closes his eyes, and whispers a prayer before turning to the men.

"I, Lord Hiddard Larks, protector of the Outskirts of the Zaylen Realm, sentence you to die by my hand. Do any of you have last words?"

The young man who asked for water responds.

"This Realm is cursed with a dark spirit that can only be healed by a Dawn!" the young man cries. "He's coming, and he brings the morphs of death with him. I saw them—Death Claws. These men are afraid to say so, but they saw them, too. Tales that were told to us as younglings by nurse nannies are now real. Boilos is real, and he searches for the one who will bring forth the dragons."

Hiddard is surprised by the young man's claim as he releases his black sword made of magma glass from its scabbard. With one swing, all five of the men's throats are slit with cuts so deep their heads roll from their bodies. Sundo does not look away nor drop his sword. He has a proud look in his eyes, and is careful not to speak of it just yet.

"Give them a proper burial," Hiddard commands his men as he ponders what he has just heard.

Taking the hand of his son, he heads back towards the living quarters of the castle. Hiddard senses Sundo wanting to question him, but he remains silent.