Welcome to the second to the last chapter. I can't believe I got through all of the book. It may have taken me a long time but I finally did it. Onto the chapter!
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Serina glided into our room a couple minutes later. Not able to walk the distance to my bed I slide off her back to land softly on her massive bed. The room doused in complete darkness when Serina laid her wing over where I lay making it easy for me to drift to sleep.
Though my dreams were far from pleasant. As I dreamt Dax was ambushed when walking alone. He gave it his all but the tide of the fight was completely out of his favor. Until Jake came to his rescue. For a bit they were winning until they were overwhelmed by another wave of soldiers. Losing the fight they were tied up and knocked out, and were dragged off into the dingy tunnels of the dungeon.
The dream changed to inside of the dungeons where Jake and Dax hung from various chains. Blood dripping in small streams from different wounds that had been inflicted. A figure cloaked in shadow hid in the corner watching the torture in sadistic glee. I screamed for the guards to cease their activities and tried to push them away from my family, only to go unheard and unable to touch.
Waking in a cold sweat as another scream ripped through my vocal cords, accidently waking Serina as she lifted her wing to glance at me in question. "Serina, I have a terrible feeling in my gut." Quickly rising and explaining the dream as I frantically tore through my bags searching for the speaking stone. Serina had to remind me that I had left both behind as we had no reason to keep them any longer as father had gone AWOL. "Serina we have to make contact with either Dax or Jake. This is going to severely drain our energy, but I have to make sure they are alright."
"I understand. Let's do so quickly to put your mind at ease." Placing our foreheads together our energies combined, extending our consciousness out in search of my friends.
The stress mounted the further we backtracked over the land we had traveled over. Flitting through space until we were met with a familiar consciousness. They surroundings misty, as I cannot make out where Dax is being held, if it is indeed the dungeon. "Dax." I called out to him. His consciousness spiking in fear and panic at the invasion of his mind. "Dax, it is me. Avian." Trying to sooth him back into peace so he wouldn't accidently force us out, breaking the connection.
Hesitantly he spoke back, "Avian? Is that really you?" His thoughts a mere whisper due to the distance between us.
"Yes, it is really me. Are you and Jake alright? I had a dream las night that you were captured."
"That part is true. We were ambushed and thrown into the dungeon. We were betrayed, the King became furious at our deception. As punishment we were captured and beaten. He is hoping word will get back to you so he can capture you as well."
My breath caught in my throat. "I promise, I will do whatever it takes to get you guys free and away from his control."
"No! Do not come. That is exactly what Moddox wants." A faint echo of chains rattling came across the connection as Dax protested.
"I don't care!" I slightly shake my head even though he couldn't see. "You are that is left of my family. My father abandoned me, my sister and mother are dead. You and Jake are all I have left in this world. I have to save you!"
"There is no changing your mind is there?" Dax sighed in exasperation at my stubborn headedness.
"No there is not." I hummed in agreement.
"Just please be careful. Our lives are not worth the cost of yours." Only agreeing to be careful before gently leaving. Opening my eyes a sluggish feeling fatigued by muscles but not enough to bring me to the brink of fainting.
Glancing out the window I am surprised to discover the sun was setting. The conversation with Dax had taken longer than what I had previously assumed. "Serina, we need to inform King Hakeem that we will be leaving."
"Pity seeming as we have only just arrived. But family is family." Serina carefully stretched making sure not to knock anything over in the process. "I shall await you outside in the courtyard." She flew off as I adventured into the hallway in search for anyone who had seen the King recently.
Not too far down the hallway I found a guard who had seen the King recently in the council room, meeting with his appointed advisors. Thanking him I quickly make a beeline towards that particular room. Remembering where to find it from the forced tour.
Not wanting to disturb the current conversation I open the door just enough to silently slip in. King Hakeem noticed my entrance as he looked up from the charts the group had been pouring over. Excusing himself from the discussion, he made his way over to where I waited by the doorway. "Avian, what a surprise." Catching onto my somber expression, his guard rose as concern took over. "What is the matter?"
My throat felt tight as I gazed at the stone floor, "My family is in trouble. I came to tell you I was leaving to go to their aid."
Feeling his gaze sharpen, I began to doubt that he would release me, "How do you know this to be true?"
"I had a vision while I slept. Waking up terrified, I managed to contact my family. Only to find out that the vision was real. My family is being held prisoner by my former King. I have to go. I need to save them immediately before they are killed for my desertion to the throne." Bring my gaze up to meet his.
Silence took over as he pondered, not giving me an answer. That is until, "I will go with you."
I shook my head, denying him his own request. His safety was my top priority besides my family. "No. I can't risk endangering your safety. I will go alone. It is my family Moddox has within his clutches. This is something Serina and I must do alone. I only came to inform you about my absence from the Kingdom."
His whole demeanor visibly drooped at my rejection but gave me a small nod of understanding. "At least eat something before you leave."
Shaking my head once more, stopping his protests before they could begin. "I will take something along to eat. I am not very hungry right now as it is." Excusing myself I slip back out of the council room. Running to the courtyard to where Serina waited patiently.
Despite telling King Hakeem I would take food along, I couldn't waste time. Besides I doubt my stomach could handle food at the moment. If I was feeling hungry later Serina could hunt for the both of us.
We traveled swiftly, only stopping when absolutely necessary. Serina was completely exhausted by the time we landed near the castle. After folding her wings she all but collapsed onto the ground. "So do we have a plan of action or are we just going to wing it?"
"Probably should have planned this out better. Oh well, I'll have time for regrets later. We are going to sneak into the tunnels under the cover of night. As for freeing them, well we are just going to have to work quickly." Serina let out a tired yawn as her eyelids drooped. I might have pushed her too hard in the journey. "For now let's get some rest. We have quite a few hours before it is dark enough to move about unnoticed." Sighing I lean against Serina. Closing my eyes to briefly rest.
Serina nudged me awake later, as I must have accidently dozed off. The sun had already set and the stars twinkled high above. "It is time dear one." Nodding I stand up, keeping my hand on her snout so she could meld into my skin. It would look a bit suspicious if a small dragon was a running around.
Staying out of sight I make my way to the hallow that held the secrete entrance, the very same one Kenai had used to escape. Sticking close to the shadows using the entrance to sneak back into the castle. Treading carefully deeper into the dungeon two bright pinpoints of spirit came across my radar.
Breaking into the room with the spirit points I found Jake and Dax. Both sporting bruises and cuts, dried blood clinging to a good portion of their skin. "Should I ask to see the other guy?" I commented. Their heads snapping up at my voice.
Relief flooded through their eyes at my surprise appearance. Jake ran his tongue over his dried cracked lips slightly wincing from the jab of pain his busted lip caused him. "About time you came back for us." He teased. Shaking my head at him I quickly work through their bonds.
"At least I got here in time. Now let us flee from this god awful place, we need to get far away from King Moddox as possible before we are discovered."
My boys glanced at each other before nodding in unison, "Sounds good." Satisfied I nod back, leading them out of their cell. Checking to make sure the coast was clear we started to sneak quietly back towards the way I had come. So far everything had been quiet. They knew as well as I that this had been a trap set just for me by the rogue King. I was dreading what could happen. This had been far too easy.
As if answering my thoughts the sound of scuffing boots caught my attention. Stopping me in my tracks as I turned around to locate how far the person lay behind us. "Avian?" Dax whispered as the boys had come to halt after seeing I had stopped following along.
Bringing my focus back to them I nudge my head in the direction we were heading, "Keep going and don't look back." Unsheathing my swords I turn back around to face the place where the noise was coming from. "Hurry." I whisper. The silence had a heavy pause before the shuffling of my group continued towards the exit.
Not a second later the person pursuing us stepped out of the shadows after having rounded the corner. King Moddox grinned with malice. "I knew you would come back for your family if you believed them to be in danger. That is your weakness and your downfall." His eyes flicked to something or rather someone behind me. Returning to me in the next instant, "Letting them go is a small price to pay in exchange for capturing you."
Panic coursing as I try to turn to face my new opponent. Though I am far too late. A throbbing floods through my skull as I fall to the ground, my eyesight flickering. Struggling to remain awake. The person's boots stepped into my line of vision, unable to see their face. Serina fed me part of her energy to try keep the blackout at bay. Though I inevitably lost consciousness.
When I reopened my eyes I felt disoriented and nauseous. My head continued to throb where I had gotten hit. My vision at the moment wasn't the best. "Oh good. You are finally awake." Moddox entered into my field of vision though his figure was slightly blurry.
I tried to lung towards him, though am forced back as pressure built up on my wrists and ankles. Chains insistently rattled as I continued to thrash. Moddox watched on in amusement, "Cease your struggling. We have business to settle." He stepped closer unafraid. "I know you let that creature go."
Growing still I quirk my eyebrow at him. Leaving my expression for the most part blank. "I have no clue to what you are talking--" My left cheek suddenly exploded with throbbing pain as Moddox back handed me, causing spit and a bit of blood to fly from my mouth. My neck objecting to the jerking it had gone through.
"Don't lie to me." He wiped the blood off from his hand with a handkerchief. "I know you helped him escape. You know where the hidden Kingdom of Dragons is located, don't you? You will tell me where it is effective immediately." His glare having lost its affect when my allegiance switched.
Well if he knows that much why bother to play stupid? Returning his glare with my own I hissed, "Try as you might, Moddox. I will never tell you, you have my word upon my honor as a Knight." Fury coloring his face red. Raising his hand he back handed me once more, cutting my right cheek with one of the rings decorating his hand. Blood dripping down in a faint trickle.
He moved more into my space as he snarled, "You will tell me." Spit flying from his mouth landing on my face. I grimaced in disgust, not able to wipe away the spit as my hands were still chained above me.
Keeping my glare in place not showing him a moment of weakness, "You will have to kill me before I give up even a single piece of information to you."
With a calculating gaze he nods, "If that's what it takes." He steps away putting distance between us. "Bao, come here." The door opens to reveal the man waiting on the other side. He walked in with a blank expression as his eyes darted between the two of us. "Torture is in order. I need the information she possesses. We need to get her to break. Kill her if you must." Moddox's gaze never wavered. Bao stayed rooted to his spot as he studied my appearance. Moddox became aggravated at his lack of response, "Well? Get on with it!"
Bao blinked once as he lazily replied, "Sorry, but I no longer take orders from you. You helped me get what I wanted." Shrugging his shoulders.
Moddox didn't take kindly to Bao's words as his face grew to a deep shade of red. Bringing himself up to his full height he stomped over to Bao. "Foolish boy! Now you listen--" He never finished as Bao thrust a blade into his stomach.
Moddox slumped forward as his breath became labored and shallow. Blood splattering onto the floor as Bao twisted the knife further into the King's gut. He laid his mouth against Moddox's ear whispering to him gently, "What was that? You didn't finish your sentence. I really want to know what you were going to say." Joy dancing in his eyes as he watched the last of the former King's life leave him. Yanking back on the knife, and shaking blood off from it as the body slumped to the floor. Blood continued to pour out making a large puddle around the cooling body.
Sheathing his knife Bao glanced up as if realizing I was still in the room shackled to the wall. Striding up to stand before me and lifting his blood covered hand to stroke my unwounded cheek smearing it with the King's blood. "I am truly sorry you had to see that." He continued to stroke my cheek, "You are probably wondering why I killed him aren't you, darling? And I shall tell you."
Glaring at him I couldn't help giving a sarcastic answer, "Oh do tell. I am just on the edge of my seat with anticipation." My neck jerked to the side once more from his slap, leaving a bloody handprint on the cheek he had been stroking a moment before.
He waved a finger in front of my face as if I were a child, "Don't be cheeky with me." Stepping back he sat on the edge of a table I wasn't aware of, one that was filled with various weapons. "Now what was I going to say? Ah, yes! My mother was the daughter of a Blade, like you. She was a bit more rambunctious however as she had an affair with the King. She bore him a child. I am the first born, however illegitimate child of that King.
When dear old father found out about my existence some years later, he had her killed. Not only that, he denied me the throne. Even though I am the eldest. My mother was the only one in my life who understood me. And the only one to love me." He got up to pace in the middle of his monologue. "I had hoped that you would come to love me during our courtship."
I huffed trying to squish down laughter that bubbled up in an inappropriate time, "Cleary it was not meant to be. As I chose Dax instead."
Bao had the audacity to roll his eyes, "Don't remind me of that embarrassment. That mistake will soon be remedied after you tell me what I want to know."
Shivering at the thought of what he meant I diverted the topic to safer ground, "What does your background have anything to do with the King? What of the Prince?" Might as well fish for information, unable to literally do anything else.
"I had made an arrangement with Moddox to take over the Kingdom that is rightfully mine by birth. But I knew Moddox would try to double cross me, he was far too greedy for his own good. So before he could I simply got rid of him. Now I will take his place as King and use the army to take over the Kingdom that I was meant to rule. As for the little Prince he has eluded me thus far. Be reassured as soon as he is found he shall be eliminated." Coming to stand in front of me he roughly grabbed onto my face. "Now you will tell me what I want to know."
"Why do you want this information?"
"It's simple really. After I have two kingdoms under my influence why not a third one? As the ruler of the Kingdom of Dragons I will be able to rule over all of humanity. The taste of actual power is absolutely divine." Bao licked his lips in delight.
"If that is your reasoning then no I refuse."
"Then you will suffer." The cold hearted man before me snarled. Picking up one of the various weapons on the table he began to slice hundreds of shallow cuts all across my body. Hoisting my weakened body higher to where the tips of my toes grazed the ground, adding extra pressure on my lungs, making it far too difficult to get a decent breath of air. That was only the beginning, I don't know how long the torture lasted. Blood completely covered my entire form when he first stopped. Passing out from the blood loss several times, he would dump a pail of cold water over my head. Aggravating all the wounds and restarting the flow of blood before continuing on. Time did not exist in that room, I had no clue whether it was night or day, or even how long I had been locked up. What was a constant, was the pain. Never ending pain.
My body felt weak as it convulsed from the shivers that I had no control over. Black dots never leaving my vision as my head felt light and fuzzy. "I told you. I won't tell you anything." I wheezed out for the hundredth time. Not accustomed to using my voice after so long, my lip bleeding from biting down to hold in the screams.
Bao's clothes were saturated from my blood, his arms completely streaked bright red. "You will change your mind in time, my darling." He placed his weapon down, heading for the door. "Get some rest, dear. You are going to need it for what comes next." Cackling as he left the room.
Not able to hang onto consciousness anymore as the pain radiating through my wounds became too much. Blissfully I sank into oblivion.
Chains clanking in my ear brought me out of the darkness I had surrendered to. Forcing my eyes open a familiar face blurrily appeared before me. "N-nissim. What--what are you doing-- doing here?" I croaked.
He put a finger to his lips, silencing me. "Shh. I am here to get you out of this place. We don't have much time." Unlocking my wrists. Unable to hold my weight I slump forward, fully expecting to hit the ground. Strong arms wrap around my middle, soliciting a whimper from me.
Nissim quickly adjusted his hold, being mindful of the whip wounds covering my back as he picked me up bridle style. Quickly carrying me out of the room. "Why are you risking your life...by saving me?" Closing my eyes as my stomach rolled building up with nausea.
"Let's just say I am trying to repay a life debt. You have saved my life many a time. I am trying to pay you back for saving me all those times."
Keeping my eyes closed I try to focus on regulating my breathing, "Do you even know where you are going?"
Nissim scoffed as though I had insulted him, "Please. We played in these tunnels as children. Jake, you and I. I memorized every path to keep up with you two, never have forgotten a single one." Slightly relaxing in his arms my mind dozed as he scurries down the tunnels.
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I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next is the last chapter. I'm sad that it is ending but all things must come to an end.
Comment, Vote, and Keep Reading. Onto the final chapter!