Dawn Of Prophecy

Chapter 2-3

“Claskan?” Bora’s voice snapped Claskan from his inner thoughts.

“I want my bond mate to be free.” He said absently considering a question he had yet to reach in his mind.

“I understand that.” Bora replied, accepting the answer with a quizzical look. “What does that have to do with the way you treated Dego?”

Claskan fully snapped out of his own mind. “Neither of us like’s Dego. He’s arrogant and believes that his way is law, even though he really has no power over anything except the Hunters.”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with Carina being free?” Bora asked, whispering so only he and Claskan could hear.

“Nothing, I just don’t like Dego. I would rather his Hunters no longer existed.” Claskan knew that the Hunters would be among the biggest problems when everything he planned since last spring happened.

He sat on his hands since Kail, the prince and the person laying in the bundle Bora dropped, was born. He watched as Ocelot crushed the natives of the world they now lived on and consistently berated his only child for something he could not control.

Claskan served faithfully over the course of his career at Ocelot’s side. As time progressed Ocelot had turned into his father, enslaving the people of this world within the first couple of summers of their arrival. Still Claskan stood at Ocelot’s side, claiming he was doing what was right.

Last spring the lower classes of Dragonian society began to feel the effects of the King’s decisions. Though Claskan had secrets of his own, he could no longer stand idly by. Ocelot had adopted many of his predecessor’s laws and it was only a matter of time before the birthing centers he ended were brought back into existence.

“How did Kail do today?” Claskan asked.

“He ran hard. He has become very agile in his young age. The others were relentless in their attacks and he kept up for the most part. I only joined when he was clearly done and even then, I only secured him.” Bora reported.

“Good.” Claskan remarked.

“He’s ready Claskan” Bora said looking back at Kail. The boy had not moved or tried to free himself from his restraints since they landed.

“Forty-five miles is not far enough, and five days to get there is definitely not fast enough.” Claskan replied.

“He may have taken that long to get there, but if you had seen him evading their attacks even you would be impressed.” Bora claimed.

Claskan again began thinking. The boy had proven he was willing to flee the comforts of the castle for the constant fear and shame that fleeing into the woods would have. Claskan turned away from Bora, preparing to walk to the castle interior. “You are no longer one of the Hunters. The King will see this as a demotion, given the fact that you are a green, he will find joy in it.”

“Even more so because I was one of his closest friends back then.” Bora stated as he remembered the King as he was. “I know the war was tough on him, I know that losing Em was harder. She was his rock when he needed it.”

Claskan stopped and turned around. “We both know why he’s abandoned the green.” Claskan said as shame filled his own face. It wasn’t the green dragon’s fault that one of their own caused them to flee the planet. It also was not their fault that the Queen died on their watch. Claskan and Bora both looked at Kail. “He’s the main reason for Ocelot’s madness.”

“Kail?” Bora asked. “He had no control over what happened. No more than my own people. What he expected of us that day was impossible.”

“You and I both know that. Yet there are four dead dragons because of his birth, five including Em. The problem is it was one of you who caused us to flee everything we knew.” He looked at Bora, knowing they had this same conversation time and again. Each time the outcome was the same, but each hoped the other would have a better explanation. “I don’t blame your people, as you said, there’s only so much you, and they, can do.”

“Xindross isn’t the only one who can raise the dead among us, but we abide by our morals and ethics.” Bora reflected.

Claskan looked around him at Kail. “Then when it’s time, you must train the boy in those morals and ethics. I don’t want a repeat of Stelladahn, I don’t want to doom this planet like we did our own.”

Bora was not offended by the comment. His people, though considered to be healers and farmers, had some of the most dangerous magic. The ability to raise the dead was a forbidden act on Stelladahn. Xindross was simply a tool for the old ways to continue.

Xindross was one of the Birthed, dragons that had been born in a tube. These dragons were grown like plants, never learning morals, or the difference between right and wrong. Xindross was a shadow that now hung over his people like a noose.

Bora shook Claskan’s hand. “You have my word, when it’s time, I will train that boy in the proper ways of the green dragon.”

“You have my word as well. I will train the boy in the proper ways of the red, though our magic is mainly brute force.” Claskan said.

“I’m to ‘guard’ the boy then.” Bora quoted as he spoke. “Will you tell him of your plans, or anything at all?”

“Right now, you’re the only dragon that knows my secret. You know what would happen if Ocelot ever found out. That boy is my only hope to change things.” Claskan said as he once again turned around.

“I understand that.” Bora replied to Claskan. “Trust is a two-way street. You both have to be willing to give in order to receive. Are you hoping for a revolution, like before?” Bora asked.

“No one hopes for a revolution. Besides, that would require a true miracle I believe.” Claskan replied.

Before their people suffered for many generations under the rule of Ocelot’s father and those that came before. Ocelot had only just begun showing signs of his descent into madness where all would suffer, not just the puny humans who could barely lift a sword. It really would take a miracle, some catalyst, for the general public to change their mind of the hero King.

“What are you going to tell Ocelot?” Bora asked.

“I will tell him that I’m disappointed with your performance in the field and that I’m making you the boys guard.” Claskan said.

“Understood. I’ll do my best to have the boy see you in a different light, without revealing too much.” He looked Claskan in the eyes. “How long until you need me for the thing?” Bora asked coyly, hiding as much of the subject as he could from the general public. The question hung in the air as Claskan thought it over.

“It will likely be a few more weeks, but we have never allowed this to happen before and you know it.” Claskan looked to the framed sky, where the dragons approached just minutes before. They both now faced the door as Claskan’s bowed his head, preparing for his meeting with the King.

“I will do everything within my power when the time comes.” Bora said.

“Take Kail to his tower and wait for word.” Claskan raised a hand in the air, waving his friend off.

Bora watched for a moment as Claskan disappeared to the interior of the castle. He has a point, he thought, it will take a miracle to turn the dragons against Ocelot. Claskan gone, Bora turned to where the boy lay.

With a quick wave of his hand the binds unfurled and Kail was free. He slowly stood up. The hours spent bundled up and carried by a dragon were not kind as Kail raised his arms to the sky and stretched away some of his aches and pain.

“To your tower.” He said as Kail stared him straight in the face.

“How do you think he will treat me now?” Kail asked.

“Who do you mean?” Bora asked.

“My father, of course. Who else would be worthy of my concern?” Kail replied indignantly.

“Many more people should be worthy of your concern.” Bora scolded. “I assume he will be very strict. I would have beaten you, if you were my child, but then again I would never have treated you the way he treats you.” Bora stopped a moment as Kail looked at him. “You have to believe me when I say that Claskan wants to train you to make you stronger.”

Kail ignored the comment. Each step took him closer to the isolation that his father would deem necessary. Each step grew heavier with every passing moment. He had the anger of his insane father to look forward to while the walls of the castle grew darker as the distance between his tower and himself grew smaller.