Reaching the royal chambers of history, with a torch in hand, Queen Erlen set out to consult the ancient scrolls. Reading through the kingdoms entire history, she could not find what she was looking for. No scrolls made mention of the crest on her back, there was nothing about dragons, and very few details concerning what was hidden and trapped within the dark forest.
“That can’t be. I remember father showing me them. They exist, I just know they do.” said Erlen frustrating that it’s taking this long. Running across the room, she decides to consult every shelves. Looking through records of trade, of war, of territory. Still, she couldn’t find what it is she wanted. “Don’t tell me, that fool had them destroyed?” asked Erlen out loud, in reference to her husband the king. Having spend hours in the library, a lifetime of emotions were streaming down her cheeks. Emotions of disappointment and misunderstanding, fused with constantly being call crazy by her husband, all piled up into tears as she wished for someone to be by her side. To be there with her in her search for answers and truth.
Feeling hopeless and abandon, queen Erlen sat down in hopelessness; contemplating and old tapestry hanged on the far side of the room. It was secluded all by itself. With no light, other than the torch in her hand, to show her great grandfathers painting, it was partly engulf in shadows. And that’s exactly how she felt in that moment. She remembered her father’s story concerning it.
“What do you think it is?” she recalled her dad once ask her.
“I don’t know. It looks like a giant rock.” her eight year old self replied.
“What you are looking at is a dragon. I know it doesn’t look like one, but it is.” had said her father.
“That’s a dragon?” laughed young Erlen.
“Yes dear! That is a dragon. A dragon in slumber. There’s no way for you to tell by the painting, I know. But my great grandfather painted this after his encounter with the beast. And ever since, he wouldn’t stop saying that there was a dragon living inside the castle walls. The good thing is, back then he was no longer king. My dad was. So everybody assumed he was starting to loose his mind due to old age.” said her dad.
“Did you and grandpa believe him, dad?” asked Erlen.
Looking down at her daughter, the previous king smiled, “of course we did. Just as I know you believe me. You now bear the mark of such truth and many more. And later in life, you shall pass it on to your first born. Just as I have with you.” said her faher.
“Then where’s the dragon?” had asked Erlen.
“That I cannot tell you sweetheart. Many a mystery there are in this world. Some can be told. Others must be discovered. Just like this one. You must find it. You must find him. But don’t look for him, when you don’t need him. When the time comes, and I feared it will come in your reign, seek him out. Wake him up. Wake him up and command him. A day will come when this tapestry shall crumpled of age. Then, only then, shall you find what must be found.”
Growing up, that is not what she had imagined her future would be. That is not what she had hoped for her kingdom. It was falling apart, and her foolish husband, did nothing if little to change this. In anger of her current predicament and at her father doing little to prepare her for this, she picked up her torch and threw it at the family painting. Successfully setting it ablaze. She watched as the flames consumed the image of the so call dragon. “A dragon you once told me. Do be honest, it still looks like a giant rock.” queen Erlen said out loud.
An as that rock burned, the flames spread outwards, toward the edges of the tapestry. Thus leaving a giant dark hole in the middle. A hole, thanks to the light provided by the flames, should have been square shape rocks. As more of the tapestry burned, the more it revealed. As if to say behind that tapestry was a secret passage not lit for years. Surprised and cautious, her father’s words now made sense to her, “A day will come when this tapestry shall crumpled of age. Then, only then, shall you find what must be found.” As well as that of her great grandfather, “a dragon lives inside the castle walls.”
Rushing forward, she picked up her torch where it landed and stood back awaiting for the tapestry to burn completely all the while trying to hold back her excitement. Once it was all ashes, the size of the entrance wall was wide enough for four cows to fit in together. The opening was a clean cut through the wall. Peering her torch through, she could see the floor on the other side. Holding the torch above her, the ceiling was nowhere near visible. “Could this be a cave? This deep below the castle?”
“Wake him up. Wake him up and command him.” Her father’s voice echoed in her head. Taking up courage, she walked through to the other side with confidence. As the queen that she is, she walked with boldness. With the strength and courage required of her, of her crowned, she feared not the darkness around her. Having walk a great distance from the room of records, with her back toward it, and darkness before her, she raised her voice, “dragon of old, it is I your queen.” Her voice echoed throughout the darkness, but nothing responded.
Raising her voice a second time she said, “dragon of old, wake up, for your queen summons you!” Still no response. “Call him out.” she heard her dad’s familiar voice. Taking in a deep breath, and this time with full authority she spoke firmly, “My name is Queen Erlen of Henri. Heir to my father’s throne, and his father before him. I command thee to heed my call and wake up. By the power of this crest I command thee to wake up!” she raised her voice at the end. And as her echoed died down, the familiar noise of cracking, echoed back. Faintly at first, then louder and louder until it stop all together.
Waiting in total silence and not knowing what to expect, Queen Erlen wondered whether she was brave or foolish to be down here all alone. Placing her lit torch ahead above her head, she took a couple of steps forward. With every steps echoing throughout this unknown territory. On her fifth step, a low growl was heard, causing her to stop advancing. Awaiting for the worst, she listened as something shuffled in the shadows. Shuffled and approached.
She could feel something was there in front of her. She could feel it but couldn’t see anything. Grasping her hands around the torch, she threw it as far as she could in front of her. She watched as the torch spun in mid air and yet still not bright enough to let her see what was around her in this darkness. But when it landed on the floor, it was clear to see what was facing her. Shocked and afraid, Erlen started to pace backwards toward the room of records, back to where was better lit.
Having fallen away from her, as she intended, the flames of her once held torch, revealed claws the length of a full stretch fox and the height of her knee. No painting was necessary to help her make sense of what she was seeing. As soon as she saw the claws, queen Erlen took her first step back. As she did so a wind, or rather a breath, blew out her only light source. Now in total darkness she kept her pace and tried not to panic. With every step she took, it felt like the dragon was taken twenty of his own. And as she reach the entrance she once crossed, the dragon’s breath was beating down on her head. Slowly but surely, she cross back to her domain, her familiar territory, as she heard shuffling noises once more through the dark cave. Running toward the stairwells, she unhook a fresh torch off the wall. Pacing back to where she once stood she watch as the dragon’s scale become visible. It was of a dark gray color. Without expectations, what she was looking at, flung open, and a giant eyeball, stared back at her. Dirty orange were the color of the it’s eye. That was the last thing Erlen saw before fainting.
When she woke up, it took her a couple of seconds to figure out where she was. Whether inside the records room or in the dragon’s cave. For, there were no lid sources anywhere. Sitting up she tried to adjust her eyes to the darkness around her. But alas, in vain.
“Queen of Henri, how is your father?” asked a deep tone voice.
Hesitating to answer, queen Erlen answered anyway, “My, father, my father passed away, many years ago. How did you know him?” asked she, somewhat already knowing the answer to her question.
“Just as I knew his father, and the one before that, for as long as the line of your descendants made resident in these lands.” answered the voice.
“Wait, how old must you be? How old can dragon’s live to be?” asked Erlen as she got off the floor.
“I am old. I was old, and was no more. And then, I became again. And soon, I’ll be no more.” answered the dragon.
“Well, that doesn’t really answer my question.” Thinking of a better question she asked, “you said, my descendants came to these lands. Where were they from?”
“They came from across the vast lands of water.” said the dragon.
“You mean the ocean. Who were they, do you know? Or remember?” asked Erlen.
“Who they were, I know not. But what they became, that I know. And you are the same as them. You are a guardian. The first line of defense, against what lies in our prison. A prison me and my kind created.” revealed the dragon.
“Well, your prison isn’t what it used to be. Creature of unknown origins have been killed roaming our lands. Entire villagers near it have vanished. Seems to me like your prison is broken.” the queen was getting furious. “If you’ve been here all this time, what,” the queen wanted to pass her own frustration and hurt upon the dragon, “what, were you doing? Why not come out and help me fight? To convince everyone, that i’m not insane?”
“Unfortunately your highness, we all have our burdens. And yours is not one I can lift off your shoulders. As to the reason why I stay here, is to avoid war.” said the dragon.
“War? War with whom?” asked Erlen.
“War with your kind. All it takes is for your kind to see me, and they’ll get scared. Then they’ll want to kill what they fear. All it takes is for one lunatic to rise and stir the rest of your kingdom, to hunt me down. And if you’re not with them, then you’re against them. And if against them, then your head they will have.” unfiltered the dragon.
“My people are not like that? They would never,” the queen was interrupted.
“Before you speak for you people, speak to the other dead descendants scattered across your oceans. Tell it to their people who took it not seriously that they held something of great value on their back. Tell it to my kind, hunted and killed. And of course, your husband and his men. Can you say the same about them?” stroke the dragon.
Unable to respond the queen stayed silent. Being not one for small talks the dragon spoke. “Why are you here, your highness? What is it you want from me?” Not waiting for her answer, the dragon lid ablaze a full circle around them. Trapping both it and the queen at the center. Now it was entirely visible to the queen. It was bigger than she imagined. It’s size, was something to be fearful of. It’s jaws and mouth were big enough to swallow five men simultaneously. Repeating it’s question, it said, “now, your highness, what is it you want from me?”
Before the queen could answer, a faint, yet clear shriek like scream reached the dragon’s ears.
“What? What is it?” asked Erlen, as she look around to see if she could catch wind of what the dragon was sensing.
“It sounded, like a call.” said the dragon.
“Is that good or bad?” asked Erlen.
“It deepens on whom it was intended for.” replied the dragon. It's returned focus on the queen was cut short, as a familiar sound reached it’s ears. It was recognizable, as if it was heard yesterday. “NO, IT CAN’T BE?”
“What can’t be? What did you hear?” asked Erlen impatient and wanting to know what was happening outside.
“It’s him.” said the dragon.
“Him who? You’re not making much sense, you know that?” said and irritated queen.
“It’s Tish!” Yelled the dragon. “He can’t be, he can’t be free. We sealed him in that barrier centuries ago.”
“Um, I guess you miss the part where I told you, your prison wasn’t a prison anymore, huh.” yelled back the queen. “Who is this Tish?”
“Tish is not one you can messed with. If your kind killed my kind across that ocean, Tish is not one, they can defeat. It took seven of us to fight him. How much of my kind you think are left alive?” asked the dragon.
“They can’t all be dead. I’m pretty sure they are alive somewhere. Hiding just like you.” answered Erlen.
“They are all gone. Not one is left alive. And without their help, we can’t win against him.” said the dragon.
“I refuse to give up. Here you were, sound asleep not a care in the world, and you want me to give up hope? No I will not. I’ve got allies across the border and he will help me.” revealed Erlen.
“He? I don’t know whom you’re talking about, but the person that can be of use to us at the moment is the conqueror. If his around we have a fighting chance. Where is your commander?”
“My commander? My commander is out taking over my kingdom and limiting my authority as we speak. There’s no way, I’m going to ask him for help.” replied Erlen.
“He’s not talking about Vasquez your highness,” startling them both, a figured that laid in wait in the shadows. “He’s talking about the king of Serdio. Bervard and his brother Philip.”
“Adasa? Is that you?” asked Erlen.
“It is I, your highness. Where you go we go. You are our body, and we are your shadow.” said Adasa approaching forward, toward the light of the flames. And along with her, three others surrounding the dragon.
“Oh!” marveled the dragon, “there is yet hope for us. The clan of Shadows! And to think I’d thought you guys extinct. Where are your masters?” asked the dragon.
“Our masters are gone. We failed the first, and the second flew away to a place we know not.” replied Adasa.
Queen Erlen began to feel light light headed again. Not only were her spies not scared of the dragon, but they knew of the existence of his kind entirely. She needed to know more. She wanted to know more.
“Allow me to explain my queen.” Said Hadi, another among the four.