To The Ship.
1227 Words
Rhineas with muddled thought in his head rode Jiua to the ship of Hadrites.
You will know the answers when the time comes. Jiua assured Rhineas.
Rhineas nodded to her and gently stroked her forehead. He still cannot understand the reason why his father treated Jiua so cruelly? An Ignysreon is the closest to the purity of the fire and a dragon is the creature of fire, earth, air and sky. All the elements of the Kingdom of Sun. What did Alistair mean when he said that Edgard might have summoned the Zohua’s descendants? He denied to believe.
As far as Rhineas knows that Edgard is the most one who fought alongside gods in the great war. Emone had taken him as his ward and gifted the dragon, why would he keep the gift of Emone caged?
Rhineas believed he will learn the answers when the right moment comes till then he just has to do what he is destined for. Now that Alistair’s adventures had finally accomplished what would he do? How would he enter the city of Halem and offer his services as a knight? New trials await Rhineas. He might think that his journey is about to cease, but little did he know it had just begun. From the moment he accompanied with Alistair all he heard was he is destined to do greater things.
But all these words and the people that he met indicated ambiguous facts, they were vague. Where did these signs led him is the something he had to find out? Until then he had his different plans for destiny. He does not want to be the chosen one for playing his part in some prophecy which is recited by a god long before he was born.
Rhineas had chosen his path all he wanted is just to be a knight and have his father’s acknowledgement. Just a pat on his back and just few words “I am proud of you son.”
The Daelus sea rippled underneath the veil of the thin clouds below them as they approached closer to it. The air left a slight test on Alistair’s dry mouth. The vision in the deep hollow eyes had drowned Alistair in the pool of anxiety.
Hadrites’s ship appeared as a tiny dot in the sea from up above. Jiua went around the perimeter and aimed to light on the front deck of the ship. The screams and howls resonated from the ship as Jiua approached. Hadrites emerged from the depth of the dimly lit stairs which ascended to the deck, along with lady Dalenes.
The dragon roared as it touched the deck – slightly still in the air.
Sea lords impatiently climbed down the dragon from its tail. Alistair and Rhineas hoped down solemnly after the men.
Hadrites wobbled his way onto the deck with Brietos and lady Dalenes on his side. Lady Dalenes had a stride of an elegant lady, while Brietos stomped all thorugh the way heavily on the wooden deck.
Every head bowed as Hadrites strolled past his men, Alistair let out a sigh of mock, Rhineas eyes him sternly.
The sea lords lined which had returned with Alistair and Rhineas lined in front of their lord. Dried blood marred their faces. Hadrites scrutinized every face that had returned, unscathed.
‘Ten men.’ Hadrites said gruffly, and looked at Alistair and Rhineas.
The stripes of blood covered their faces as well.
Hadrites went close to Rhineas the breaths of ale blew on his face. Hadrites traced a finger on the blood on his face and licked it.
Alistair glared at Hadrites, Rhineas gave him a calm look.
‘It is not human blood.’ Hadrites said in his hoarse voice.
Rhineas perplexed eyes stared at Hadrites expecting him to speak.
‘Is it?’ He asked.
‘No…,’ Rhineas said looking him in the eyes and added, ‘…my lord.’
Hadrites shifted to Alistair and asked him again the same question, ‘not a human’s blood?’
‘No, it was not.’ Alistair kept his glare intact on Hadrites.
‘You bring a dragon?’ Hadrites rolled his eyes at Jiua briefly.
‘That was unforeseen, Lord Hadrites.’ Rhineas replied.
‘And you bring back ten men…,’ Hadrites broke into a laughter.
He threw his head back and spoke again, ‘they brought a dragon on the ship with ten men.’
‘What is so amusing about it.’ Alistair blurted.
‘You do not speak until asked for.’ Hadrites said furiously.
Rhineas could see Alistair struggling to keep his anger contained inside him, but he might lose it at any moment.
‘We had a little hassle in the strategy…,’ Rhineas spoke, ‘… while battling the princess I was thrown into the dragon’s lair…’
‘… so, a puny fragile girl beat the s**t out of you?’ Hadrites silenced Rhineas.
Alistair’s veins jagged on his arms as his balled his fist, prepared to punch Hadrites in the face.
Before Alistair could act Rhineas uttered, ‘my lord, we brought your men back now we leave. I apologize for the disappointment. The knights of Halem outnumbered us. So, we left with whatever men we could rescue.’
‘You are an Ignysreon. You should shut your pretty mouth boy.’ Hadrites voice raised.
‘You should be grateful for we came back with your savage barbaric weaklings…,’ Alistair growled behind his gritted teeth.
Brietos charged at Alistair with his mace Rhineas blocked his blow and shoved his elbow in Brietos’s abdomen.
‘We leave in peace.’ Rhineas shouted.
‘You bring back just ten men. I don’t care what business you had in the palace, but you neither bring me what you promised.’ Hadrites pulled out his axe, ‘… and you attack my man. You think you can leave in peace, eh boy?’
Before Hadrites could swing his axe at Rhineas Alistair spun around and hit his elbow on the nape of Hadrites.
The terror filled on lady Dalenes face beneath the hooded cloak. The sea lords all drew their weapons and came after Alistair.
Hadrites jumped back to his feet and swung his axe again at Rhineas, he managed to evade it and swooped away. Alistair had disemboweled two of the men already.
The deck was emerged in a fierce battle. All the men charged at once at Alistair and Rhineas. Hadrites went for Alistair and before he could swing the axe, Rhineas kicked him and blocked his axe with the hilt of the sword. Alistair came to rescue Rhineas slicing through the men he drew his sword through Hadrites’s arm.
Every one stood still where the thudding of the arm against the wooden floor penetrated the battle. Hadrites roared in excruciating pain. His hoarse cry reverberated the rippling sea.
‘Alistair to the dragon now.’ Rhineas yelled as his ran towards the dragon.
Jiua extended her wings to shield Rhineas and Alistair from the spears and arrows flying their way.
‘The wave and flame never get along.’ Lady Dalenes screamed.
- Writer
