Children of the Dragon: Chapter 5

“I can’t believe it’s really you,” Dawn said softly hugging Silver tightly.

They had taken the portal to the planning room, the round table newly made. Currently the surface was blank, the chairs circled around with the largest meant for the queen. Presently the only people there were Sehren, Silver and the entire Niess family save for Lily. Emeralda, unable to actually be within the castle itself, rested on the roost, her head just inside the room. The trio of canines were sent back to their room since behaving during meetings wasn’t their strong suit.

Silver separated smiling at her, “It’s good to see you as well Dawn. I had always hoped that you, Nero, and Lily would find happiness together. And you’ve done more than that it seems.” She turned to look at the trio of children who just looked at her with a mix of awe and excitement. “What is it?”

 “We’ve heard stories of you our whole lives. And now here you are. Real,” Silva said. “It’s a lot to take in. I’m even named after you.”

Silver paused then it came to her and she smiled warmly, “Silva.”

She blushed and nodded, “That’s right.”

“This is beyond amazing. I’ve wanted you to meet them ever since they were born,” Nero laughed scratching the back of his head. Even Nero, whose smiles were always easy, looked leagues younger at that moment. None of the trio of siblings had ever seen their father smile like this before. It was like he had been made whole.

“Where is Lily?”

Nero laughed, “Out on a mission investigating strange magic toward Jigour with Oli. We heard that she was on her way back about a week ago. She’s going to kick herself for missing this”

“I hate to be a damper on things but how is this possible. I mean. You died. Right?” Silva asked.

“Yes that’s something that we’d all like to know,” Sehren replied.

The dragon turned to look at him and shook her head, “I feel like you have some inklings already Sehren.”

The mage in question chuckled and nodded slowly, “Yes. Are you meaning to imply that something has-” He started to finish then gasped eyes widening slowly. “Shina.”

Silver nodded. “Yes.”

“Did she really cause that much of a change because she was there?”

“I don’t know all the connections and threads of time. All that I know is that I died. And then I was alive again, like this, with my memories intact. Except I wasn’t here in Reditus. I was in a place called I believe Xye. And that’s where I met the woman named Shina. An old and strange spellcaster. But she knew what I was. And she knew that I didn’t belong there.”

“She helped you find your way back here?”

“That was the intent initially yes. But there were complications. Which is why it took me so long to come home again. To find you all.”

“Complications?” Dawn repeated. “What do you mean?”

Silver’s face turned grim, “It begins and ends with Daze.”

The name of Daze made both Sefirin and Silva stand straighter, a visceral fear waking up. They may have been young when it happened but they had an innate and almost primal memory of the emotions of that night. Dawn saw their reaction and came over to them, taking the hands of both of her children. She remembered that night vividly.

“Of course it does,” Nero scowled barely holding back his frustration. For a second, he felt and smelled like a dragon. “Details Silver.”

Sehren spoke up in her steed, “Recently two people manipulated the timeline. One was Daze, who went as far back as the war between humans and dragons. He meddled and came back to this timeline and paid the price. The other however was accidental. A woman named Shina was sent back almost two centuries and remained in that time until present day. The ripple effect of their actions has caused a number of changes. One of which is Silver’s revival.”

“What are the others?” Sofie asked.

Silver shook her head, “I know not.”

“I believe this is one of those changes made manifest,” Sehren said looking at Emeralda.”

“What do you mean?” Dawn looked at Emeralde then Sofie and her daughter blushed trying to look away. “Are you saying that their meeting was more than just a stroke of luck.”

“That is what I believe yes,” Sehren traced his finger across the map and highlighted the lake and a few other locations. “In the past few months portals like the one you fell into Nero have been opening up in other places. Sofie fell through one right here. Another opened up on the edge of Jigour. A small village was attacked and burned overnight. They thought it was an animal. A manticore or something like it. I believe it was a young dragon, wandering through a portal and showing its strength.”

Silver was the first to be confused as she looked at the others, “What?”

Dawn frowned hard her eyes staying a careful blue, “There were stories in Izarious of a great sea serpent that’s gotten many of the fisherman excited. They hunted it. For sport. A creature that big had never been seen in those waters. My guess is that serpent is a dragon that found its way here as well then?”

Silver nodded grimly, “That is what it sounds like. More like this will continue and become more hazardous for both our people. We need to find out what’s causing it and stop it.”

“What can we do?” Sefirin asked.

Silver motioned toward Sofie. “I believe Sofie and Emeralda are the first step in fixing things.”

“What are you asking Silver?” Nero asked his old partner.

“Myself, you, and now Sofie and Emeralda travel Reditus to find these dragons and help them back to their homes while Sehren and find out why these portals are opening and stop it properly. These dragons are wild. They don’t want to be here anymore than we want them here. Only dragons and riders can properly push them back home with the least amount of damage while buying the most amount of time.”

The gathered stayed in silence letting what Silver had revealed sink in. Sofie looked toward Emeralda and the dragon met her gaze. The pressure of what Silver just suggested nearly crushed Sophie under its weight, a burden that Emeralda tried to share. So she was grateful when someone else spoke up first.

“Me and Silva should come too,” Sefirin said getting all eyes on him.

“Absolutely not,” Dawn said immediately. “We have no idea how dangerous this could even be. I’m not even comfortable with Sofia going along with this.”

“Una we have to. Silva and me are part dragon,” he said and his eyes shifted to the golden hue. “We can help.”

“As much as I hate agreeing with Seffy, he has a point,” Silva said and her brother beamed at her. “I was able to craft a spell to figure out where Sofia was along with the portal when it opened. I can modify it to help us find other portals before they open. Maybe even find the source along the way.”

“You cannot be serious lela,” Dawn said incredulously.

“What about you little one,” Silver asked looking at Sofie.

Sofie’s eyes turned yellow for a moment but after a soft groan from Emeralda she calmed, “It’s scary. And I don’t know what’s going on. But it’s something that only we can do. So I’m going to do it and help as much as I can.” She looked at the emerald dragon and she nodded.

“My kind don’t belong here any more than yours belongs in our realm,” Emeralda added. “It would take more than just Nero and Silver to quell as many dragons as this potentially could become.”

“They are making good points,” Sehren said then chuckled. “Not to mention I don’t believe Sofie and Nero make for the best foreign ambassadors.”

“Hey,” both father and daughter said in unison.

Dawn sighed, her blue eyes turning a soft green, “I do not like this. Not at all.”

Nero took her hand, “Me either. But if Silver’s right we need to act sooner not later. And Sefirin has a point. They all have a dragon connection. It runs in the family. I’ll make sure nothing happens to any of our children princess. I promise.”

“I know you will luzo.” She pressed her forehead against his. She looked at Silver next. “When would you leave?”

“Tonight would be best. There would be much travel time,” Silver replied. “Especially with four passengers.”

“That gives me some time to work with Silva on the spell to help you locate the portals,” Sehren said. Silva nodded quickly in affirmation.

Dawn brushed a pale hand through her hair and gave a long look toward her children before nodding, “Okay. We can begin making travel preparations now then. I will send word to the other kingdoms to be expecting you.”

Sehren nodded, “We shall return to the academy and make our preparations as well. Hopefully, we will have a better heading soon.”

 He conjured a small portal in the meeting room and motioned for them to follow. They started to when Nero put his hand out. “Wait Sofie. Can you stick around?”

“Me?” she said eyes widening slightly. “Is something wrong?”

He laughed shaking his head, “No. I just want to talk to you about the elephant in the room.”

“More like the dragon in the room,” Sefirin said grinning wide.

Silva rolled her eyes and Sofie groaned. But Nero joined his son in bursting out into laughter. Dawn sighed and put her hand on his back, “He is definitely your son luzo.”

“Go on without me I guess,” Sofie said waving at her siblings and Sehren.

“Don’t worry. We wouldn’t go anywhere without you anyway,” Sefirin said.

“Of course not,” Silva said and then mumbled as she went through the portal. “We’d never forget the prodigal daughter.”

Sighing Sefirin put a hand on the back of his head, “And here I thought we were making progress.”

They all went through and the portal closed. Sofie looked at her parents and Dawn tapped Nero’s shoulder kissing him lightly. She kissed Sofie’s forehead and gave her hand a squeeze. “I know this is a lot to take in but your dad knows a lot about this. Ask him anything and everything you can think of lela.”

Sofie made a face and then hugged her mother who hugged her back, rubbing her back gently. “Thanks una. I will.”

Dawn gave her hand another squeeze before leaving the pair of dragon riders behind. Nero took a deep breath and put his hands on his hips. “So you’re a dragon rider. Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Well I guess an indirect apple but close enough right?”

She nodded quickly. She looked at Silver and the dragon in a relatively human shape smiled at her but Sofie didn’t know what to feel looking at her. Like meeting an old relative who knew you as a baby.

“You know what. I know what you need. Come on,” he walked toward the balcony waving for her to follow. Emeralda sat up giving them space to walk past and Nero looked up at her. “Wow. I never thought all dragons would look so amazing.”

“You’ve met other dragons before Nero.” Silver commented.

“I know but it never gets old. Besides most of them don’t talk.” He touched her foreleg lightly and glanced back at Silver. “Her scales are a lot harder than yours. Bulkier too. I get the feeling you’re really strong.”

“I have not found something that I cannot move if I so wished it,” Emeralda replied then looked toward Silver. “He is not how I expected. Even knowing my own hatchling.”

“Even amongst his kind Nero is a unique one,” Silver replied looking up at Emeralda.

“I resemble that,” Nero replied going toward the edge of the balcony. Emeralda was definitely bigger than Silver had been. There wasn’t a lot of space for them.

Sofie went to stand near Emeralda. But she took a deep breath and walked to stand beside Nero as he walked toward the edge of the balcony. “What are we doing out here daddy?”

“We’re going up there,” he pointed to the sky.

Her eyes widened, “Up there? Like in the air.”

“Yeah. You’re a dragon rider now. Being in the sky with our partners is part of the program Sofie.”

She looked over the edge and gulped. “Are you sure?”

“Definitely. Just watch and learn. It’ll be second nature. Trust your old man.”

Sofie was still nervous but looking at her father with his contagious confidence she nodded back without even thinking. “Okay daddy. How do we do this?”

Nero turned to look at Silver and waved his arm, “Still remember how we used to do it?”

“You really want to do that? After all this time?” she laughed. “You’re an adult Nero.”

“Never too old to enjoy flying with your best friend.”

Smirking Silver stood beside him taking a deep breath. The sun glinted off the silver skin and scales of her body as she spread her arms. Then she took a step forward and jumped off the edge of the balcony. Seconds later Nero did the same letting out a shout.

Sofie gasped and looked over the edge but was then blinded by a bright light. She shut her eyes stepping back but when she opened her eyes again she saw the brilliant silver shape shoot into the sky. She heard her father shouting and when she opened her eyes they went huge.

She stared at the brilliant silver dragon with massive wings, thin muscular body, spines that shined in the light, and her father snug against her neck. They flew into the evening sky like an arrow from a bow. Silver let out a roar that echoed in the sky and instead of startling, it filled Sofie with adrenaline. Suddenly she was bursting with excitement. She whirled around to face Emeralda and who was already standing up. “I feel it too hatchling. Let us join them.”

Sofie darted to her side and stared at her not sure how to proceed. But Emeralda knelt down and lowered her wing slightly. Sofie grasped it as if this were something they had practiced and was lifted up and then slid down until she landed on her back. Getting comfortable despite how she wobbled she nodded.

Emeralda stood up to her full height and the sudden elevation made Sofie squeak in shock. The adrenaline was still pumping but she was starting to have second thoughts. Then Emeralda started running moving. She took a few steps forward, spread her wings, and jumped.

The air rushed past them and they were suddenly going straight down. Sofie held her arms around Emeralda, her eyes shut tightly but she forced them to open a slit. She watched the forest trees coming up on them then felt Emeralda’s wings flap as they curved up toward the sky.

Her wings beat harder and harder as they ascended into the air and suddenly, she was higher up than she’d ever been before in her life. She leaned forward and felt Emeralda’s scales. Using them for purchase as she stared at the parting clouds and the warm sun.

soared with the wind, going up and circling around slowly. Sofie looked back and forth, seeing the clouds part for them, seeing the castle that was infinitely smaller compared to how big it was. She put both her arms up and shouted as Emeralda roared. A shadow passed overhead and she jumped almost fearfully. But Silver circled around and then floated down to them. Nero sat up and waved at his daughter. She waved back and looked up at Emeralda.

“Em this is amazing. Is this what you do. Like always?”

“It is,” she said. “But with you here it is more enjoyable.”

She leaned her face against her neck feeling her warmth, “I think this is what daddy wanted to show me.”

“Come on Sofie. We’ve got more to do before we leave tonight,” Nero said rubbing Silver’s neck. “Feels like ages huh girl?”

“It does,” she said softly and took a deep breath. “I missed this.”

With a sharp flap, she turned and darted going toward the edges of the forest. Emeralda dipped forward and then darted after her, her wings flapping slowly as they coasted on the air currents going where ever Nero had in mind.