8 • RAEHERYS

THE CLOUDLESS SKIES BEAMED TOO BRIGHT FOR HIS EYES … that Raeherys almost forgot to focus on the gathering of the Lawdras, led by his father at the Temple of Hylos.

“They did it all wrong …” said King Sevyrion, looking at the Lawdras. “My father … my grandfather … all of my ancestors made a mistake. War and bloodshed will never end our conflict. It can only be resolved by peace.”

“We Lawdras are strongly against it, Your Grace,” replied Fetyr. “It will mean your death if you fly south over the lands of the human empire.”

“No …” Sevyrion touched his chest. “I am the only one who can make a bargain with the human emperor. We have the gold, diamonds … anything they would want in exchange for the orb.”

“The humans could never be trusted!” argued Mydrad. “We are uncertain if they plan to return the orb to us at all.”

“I’m afraid, I have made up my mind already, my dear Lawdras,” said King Sevyrion.

“Listen to them, father …” Raeherys spoke in his mind, but his mouth betrayed him with silence. “You’re making a mistake.”

At one blink, everything faded into darkness … leaving him and his father alone, facing each other.

King Sevyrion cast a sad smile on his lips. He had to kneel so he could level himself with Raeherys.

“Promise me, son …” said the king, tears forming to wet his eyes—the first tears Raeherys saw from his father. “Promise me, you will do the right thing.”

Before Raeherys could reply, he woke up all of a sudden—his breath and his heart galloping like a stallion. In the middle of the night it was, he realized, as he gazed at the stars through the lancet window, flickering like scattered moondust in the sky.

Raeherys wrinkled his eyebrows as a strange presence nearby had triggered his senses. Normally, he would not be awoken by a dream alone at night. Something or someone outside must have disturbed him.

Raeherys sat up from his nest and found dust sprinkled on his body and around. That’s odd. He stood up barefoot, took a silent walk forward, and glanced down through the window.

“What the hell …” His eyes snapped open at what he saw.

Far below … from the rocky plains at the foot of Volcron, extending beyond the moonlit trees and meadows—hundreds of transformed dragons stood and grouped, facing the volcano.

Chills radiated beneath his skin. How could the entire realm gather here tonight without him being informed?

When he looked up to the night sky, he could see it—a vast swarm of dragons far away, flying towards the volcano. Had there been a kind of emergency he wasn’t aware of?

Raeherys flinched when the door of his chamber slammed open.

He turned around and found the two Lawdras outside, Fetyr and Mydrad, panting as if someone had chased them for hours. Their conditions told him they had been attacked; cuts and bruises on their faces and bodies.

“My King! We have to leave.” Fetyr barged in while Mydrad stayed out of the door, looking anxiously outside.

“Why are you here? And why are the dragons coming here at this hour?” said Raeherys as he pointed at the window. But instead of replying, Fetyr grabbed a hold of his arm and dragged him out of his chamber.

“Hold on, why are we leaving? Where are you taking me?” A lot of questions Raeherys wanted to ask, but Fetyr was still not answering.

The three of them rushed through the lava tubes when a sudden quake hit the area for a quick moment. Tiny rocks and dust fell on their path as they hasted through the maze of tunnels beneath Volcron’s crater. Raeherys’ chest hammered fast—his mind all clouded, wondering what’s going on. Was Volcron erupting? Was it under siege? Were the humans here already?

“FETYR!” Raeherys pulled back his arm and paused. “Tell me what the hell’s going on!” he commanded.

Fetyr and Mydrad exchanged worried glances before answering. “Our people are revolting, Your Grace. We have no time to explain further.”

“Revolting?” Raeherys yelled out, his voice echoing in the dark tunnel. The word made him recall the hearing the previous day. It did not end up well … instead, it only heightened up their burning conflict. He felt very stupid for making such a foolish act. He never knew it would reach the worst point like this.

“Where are the other three of you?” asked Raeherys as they found the circular stairs and climbed up.

A few moments it took the old men as if it was too painful for them to tell. “It grieves me to say … Yrinth and Prodrag were … murdered in their sleep … Your Grace,” said Fetyr, frowning.

Raeherys’ mouth fell open ... A brisk sting of pain shot his chest like a poison arrow. How could their own brethren kill them? No … Raeherys himself had caused their deaths. If only he had listened to the Lawdras who went against his idea of the hearing, they would still be alive by now. He made a mistake again … a small mistake that caused severe casualties … the same mistake his father and his brother once did.

He’s such a fool … a damn fool … a foolish king!

“This is no time for mourning. Ovylion is up there in the temple, clearing the path of our escape. We need to rush now,” Mydrad told him.

Raeherys wiped his tears and pulled himself together. Ovylion was still alive. If he too would die this night, Raeherys would never be able to forgive himself.

Another quake occurred, coming from above at Volcron’s crater—at the Temple of Hylos.

“Where are our mondras? Where is Mondramyr Gramad? Shouldn’t they be defending Volcron by now?” said Raeherys as they picked up their pace on the long, circular steps. Had the walls not been too narrow, they would’ve shape-shifted and flown up already.

“They have all been part of the revolution all this time, Your Grace—including Gramad, I fear.”

Damn it. Raeherys should have known when Gramad had always requested about letting them go south. It was his father, he came to realize. Gramad lost his father during the battle, and the entire time he had a boiling thirst for vengeance inside. He kept it for a long time, but now, that must have been the reason he joined the revolution.

The roars and screeches of dragons grew louder as the three reached the temple. The battle had destroyed almost all pillars and the granite slabs around. A strong blast of dusty wind blew everywhere as Ovylion, in his full form, rampaged against the other dragons from Seagrad, including Igryth. Ovylion’s body appeared as longer than any normal dragon. Possessing four wings with bodies of gigantic snakes had made the Lawdras unique in their Primal Form.

Mondramyr Gramad, on his vermilion-red scales, landed a direct hit against Ovylion with his enormous tail. The crushing impact slammed the Lawdra against the dragon throne—shattering it into pieces of black fragments. He roared painfully as he tried to get back on his feet; cuts and blood and broken scales spread all over his body.

Raeherys breathed fast from the boiling blood within him. Ovylion would die if he only stood and watched. He wanted to help … he had to. But before he could attempt transforming into his Primal Form, Fetyr stopped him.

“You should not. It will draw more attention,” Fetyr yelled out amidst the loud, screeching noises around them.

Raeherys hesitated, wanting to help Ovylion so badly. But Fetyr was right.

The three of them curved their spines and summoned their wings to escape.

However, while doing so, Igryth spotted Raeherys. He called out and commanded the others to capture the young king. In just a manner of seconds, about five dragons turned their heads; the next they were crawling wildly for him, their heavy movements shaking the ground once again.

“We should go … NOW!” said Fetyr as he and Mydrad flapped their wings to ascend.

Raeherys clenched his fists as he stole a glance at Ovylion. He watched Igryth and Gramad, still clashing with claws against the injured Lawdra.

“I’m … sorry …” Raeherys muttered a curse as he jumped and ascended to the air. They had to leave as fast as they could, otherwise, Ovylion’s efforts would all go for nothing.

Raeherys followed Fetyr and Mydrad, flapping higher and higher into the night heavens.

A clear night it was, unfortunately, so they had no clouds to hide in above. When Raeherys turned his head down, swarms of dragons flew and tailed beneath them. Then his eyes shifted to Ovylion, lying on the ground, all bloody and injured.

Raeherys gritted his teeth. He wanted to transform. He wanted to go all out and kill those damn traitors. But then he remembered; acting on his own would cause nothing but worse trouble. He needed to heed the Lawdras now more than ever.

“They’re almost after us … hurry,” Raeherys called out as the wind blew against him.

They worked their wings, harder and faster … but not enough as it was. More dragons below came to follow them. And they were all flying so damn fast. By their speed, they could catch him up very soon.

Mydrad must have noticed it when suddenly he slowed down and turned back towards the dragons following them.

Raeherys widened his eyes and shouted, “What are you doing? MYDRAD!”

He tried to call the Lawdra out again and again, but at that moment … he came to understand.

Mydrad shape-shifted—growing into his massive body of jade-green dragon skin and scales. He breathed in and blasted swirling fire to the dragons. The tornado of flames did not stop them, however, it only blinded them for a period of time.

“No …” Raeherys’ eyes watered as he turned his face upward front. His escape had cost him the four damn Lawdras. And he had done nothing but brought their lives in danger and let them die.

Raeherys wrenched all of his muscles to endure every pain he suffered. He had never expected this to happen at this worst. He expected the worst … but this was far worse than what he thought. It destroyed whatever was left of him … but it hurt him more. He could not believe this night would be the end of him.

He had lost … so much … it’s too much.

Raeherys wanted to cry and grieve … but he must be strong. He was still alive, and he had Fetyr. They needed to hide for now before the dragons could catch up with them.

“Fetyr …” he said, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Head to the place.”

***

Raeherys had no idea what to do other than let his tears fall along with the clear waters of Draconi Falls. His regret and anger overwhelmed his sorrow.

“Forgive me, Fetyr,” said Raeherys as he clawed his fingers on the wet soil. He and Fetyr stayed in the cave, completely hidden behind the waterfall—a secret place which only he and the Lawdras had known. “All of these happened because … because I didn’t listen to you.”

“My fellow Lawdras have served our kings until their last breath. They were good men.” Fetyr nodded sadly.

“You all were the only family I have … but now …”

“Your Grace,” said Fetyr. “Mourning their deaths will not make a difference. What matters now … is what you ought to do after this.”

“I …” Raeherys sighed. “I don’t know, Fetyr. I can no longer decide on my own. I’ve had enough already.” He had grown more fear of making even a small mistake, after how he had caused the deaths of the four.

“You are not alone, My King. I will be here to guide whatever decision you make.”

Raeherys looked down. “I … I can’t stay here …” he said, knowing the dragons would capture him if they spot him in the isles.

“What do you want to do now?”

Raeherys gazed into the falls—the splashing and deafening sound helped him calm his thoughts down. He wanted to save his realm. He wanted to end the bloodshed of his kind; no more wars, and no more deaths. But if he would go south, it might kill him as to how it killed his father and his brother before.

“I’m afraid, Fetyr … I’m afraid … I will end up just like my family.” Raeherys hugged his knees.

“Your fear will do you no good in making decisions, Your Grace. Whatever it is you are thinking, make sure it’s right for you and everyone,” Fetyr told him.

Right … Raeherys recalled his father’s words before he left for the south and never came back again. ‘Promise me, you’ll do the right thing.’ There must be a reason he dreamed about his father earlier.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before looking back at Fetyr. “I have to get the orb.”

“Very well … if that is what you want, then. But I must warn you, you have never been to the human lands before.”

“It’s the only way I can stop the humans from destroying Draconos,” said Raeherys, thinking about the dragon eggs in Aggronar, the future of their realm. He had to do this … as the King and as the last Hyborn.

Raeherys knew he was the last hope of his kind, to end the war and conflict, and to save everyone from destroying each other before the comet could come.

Fetyr studied him for a moment. “Then I shall come with you.”

Raeherys’ face enlightened, giving him more hope and relief. He could not do it alone. He could never make any decisions alone. But with Fetyr in his side, he could have more courage to go on this journey.

Fetyr placed a hand on the young king’s shoulder and said, “Wherever the King goes, his Lawdra shall follow.”