The Dragon Warrior

The castle looked just like he remembered. The dark, enormous construction of black stone made you feel small and irrelevant. Those walls could crush you as if you were nothing. But that was home. One of two Devin remembered. He was born here; his mother died here. In his heart, hatred fought with love when he strolled, looking at the corridors—the good memories mixed with the bad one. The fight lasted less than an hour. Defenders of the castle were unwilling to lose their lives to protect the Dragon King. Most surrendered when rebels entered those walls, using the secret passage. They were like a storm. Years of misery and deep, hidden hatred took a toll on them, releasing the strength they had forgotten about. Devin's father had difficulty controlling his men, as they were ready to destroy everything on their path. Nickolas had to shout, constantly stopping them from causing more damage than needed. Some remaining generals decided to fight in the name of loyalty, and their blood was now staining Devin's blade. The ones who chose to surrender were now escorted to the dungeons. They would stay there until the time of their trial will come. Their crimes could not be forgotten or foregiven. After all, the Dragon King was not the only one in wrong here. Those people were the equal villains, supporting his crimes for years. They were responsible for everything, just like Lucius. Devin was searching the corridors together with some of his men. They were looking for the most important person- the king himself. They wished to see him dead. His group left another corridor when they spotted a group of people. It was Cassius, the king's brother, and Kaitlyn, together with the other witches. They were standing in front of the door, clearly waiting for something. Devin joined them, alarmed by their concerned faces. - What is going on?- He asked, scanning the surroundings. There were a few bodies here and there, king's guards judging by their armour. The fight reached this place as well. - My daughter is inside. She is not alone.- Kaitlyn looked at him. She was scared. That could mean only one thing. Her mysterious daughter was there with her father. - Let's get there and finish it all.- Devin said, pulling his sword closer to his body. If there was blood he wished to see on this blade, it was the one that belonged to the king. - It is impossible. Demetria put the barrier on the whole room.- The witch explained. The blood boiled in Devin's veins. Why would she do that if not to protect her father? He was not wrong about this girl. - Is she going to fight against us?- He asked, anger flashed in his eyes. It was time to end all those games. Whatever this girl had in mind, he was ready to reveal her true colours. - Hold your horses, boy.- Cassius put his hand on Devin's arm. The young man fought the urge to shake it off.- If she did it, there must be a reason, and it is not what you are thinking about. Devin looked around. Everyone was eying him, and those were not friendly looks. His men took a few steps back. Why were they all so sure about this girl's intentions? - Take your people and search the rest of the castle. Whatever will happen here, we need to be sure that no one will attack us from behind.- Cassius said, pushing him gently in the other direction. Though he wished to stay, Devin left the group and rushed to fulfil the order. They will have to handle it by themselves. Maybe then they will discover the truth. The search was quite eventful. Devin and his men found a few more king's advisors hiding in the further chambers, hoping they could escape when the situation calmed down. Devin's men escorted them to the dungeons, where they joined the others. Half an hour later, the atmosphere in the castle visibly changed. The cheering erupted, and people were shouting with joy. Devin glanced at his men with confusion. Something important had happened while they were searching the castle. The whole group rushed back. The door when they previously met Cassius was now wide open. The crowd gathered in front, buzzing with chatters. - The Dragon King is dead. The dark era is over.- The man standing nearby filled them with the latest news before returning to his friends. Devin leaned against the wall, processing the information. He slipped to the floor, as his legs could not carry him anymore. Relief washed all over him, but it was mixed with worry. After so many years, the horror was over. What would their life look like now? Like many other young people, Devin barely remembered the good times. He spent most of his life amongst rebels in the mountains. Others, much younger than him, were unaware of life outside the caves. At this moment, he was unsure if he could live an everyday life. - Are you OK, son?- His father's voice brought him back to reality. - Is this true? Are they telling the truth?- Devin mumbled, desperate to get the confirmation. He pointed to the crowd gathered around the door. - The Dragon King is dead.- Nickolas nodded his head. - What about his daughter?- The young man asked. Where was the girl? Was she dead as well? - Her mother took care of her. We owe her a big time. - Why is that? Nickolas gave his son a puzzled look. - She ended this all. Princess Demetria was the one who took the king's life. She is our saviour. Devin gasped upon hearing those words. - Are you serious? - She trapped him inside the barrier and burned his body to ashes. Cassius told me that since he was the first one by her side after everything was over.- Nickolas crouched next to his son. - Let me take you to the chamber Cassius assigned for us. You can take a bath and rest. In a few days, we will witness the coronation. Devin looked at his father with an utter shock. - What coronation? - They need to choose someone who will take the king's place. Those lands need someone who will help us rise from the ashes. - Nickolas explained calmly, helping Devin to his feet. - Who will they choose? What do you think?- The young man asked his father when they moved away from the others. - I would go with Cassius, as he is the brother of a late king.- A slight smirk formed on Nickolas's lips.- My friend was never interested in ruling. But now the situation is complicated so that he may push his preferences aside and step in. Devin wondered about his father's words for a while. Whoever they will choose, this person has to be better than Lucius. They reached the chamber Cassius had given them. - Go inside and take a bath. I have to go back. There are still matters we need to take care of.- With those words, Nickolas left. Devin entered the spacious room and looked around. Whoever lived here before did not lack luxury. The massive wooden bed was covered with silk sheets. Next to it were drawers with hunting scenes carved in wood. An enormous bowl of fruits was standing on the table. Devin could not recognise some of them as he had never seen them. The young man entered a bathroom. The marble bath sat in the middle. It was big enough to fit two people at once. Next to it were various types of soaps and balms. Devin's hands balled into fists. People in the castle had all the luxuries, while rebels suffered for years, barely able to take care of their essential needs. Devin turned off the water and filled the bath with a small amount. Using more would be a waste, and he was taught not to waste something that could not be easily replaced. After a quick bath, he felt refreshed. Wrapping one of the fluffy towels over his waist, the man left the bathroom, searching for anything suitable to wear. His clothes were covered with blood and dirt from the fight. He found the wardrobe, and to his relief, it was full of men's clothes. Devin chose the simple cotton shirt and trousers made of black leather. As a warrior, he was not used to wearing fancy clothes. In caves, they were no use anyway. Besides, they could not waste money on useless goods. Here, it was not a problem. That made the young man even angrier. Now he could see a difference between two worlds. Since no one was coming, Devin decided to take some rest. He grabbed a few fruits from the bowl and placed them on the bed. The sweet taste rolled down his tongue, and he spent a moment savouring it. He moved his hand over the silk, admiring its softness. With hesitation, Devin lay on the bed. His eyes closed involuntarily, and his body got heavier. - Just five minutes.- A young man thought to himself before drifting into sleep. His mind brought him back to the past.