Dragonlord

Ep 174. Get To Work. (3)

Ep 174. Get To Work. (3)

In retrospect, Serenis had never spared the time to properly take a look around the Dragon’s Valley since her awakening.

Her previous visits had all been rather short-lived. It didn’t help that she’d been far too occupied to spare the time for a proper tour during those times.

But with Eline having to examine Raizel, there was little to do but wait – and when Bruton and Aether had called for her, she’d thought it a much better outcome than lounging around doing nothing in their nest.

And as Serenis observed the valley on their way, she began to notice striking similarities between past and present.

 ‘…Some things haven’t changed, I see.’

After their short flight, Bruton and Aether had landed onto the valley floors to lead the rest of the way on foot.

And the road itself was nothing remarkable: towering valley walls stood on either side, with the occasional shrubbery decorating their surface. A stream of water occupied most of the floor, leaving only a narrow stone path for the dragons to follow along.

It was almost exactly the way Serenis had remembered.

Finer details aside, the valley’s overall layout had remained the same. This particular trail was especially easier to recall as it served a number of purposes before, including a practice ground for hatchlings learning to fly, and a path that other races often took when entering or leaving the valley.

‘And at the end of this trail was…’

As if to answer her thoughts, the two leading elders came to a halt. Bruton turned to face the dragonlord behind him, gesturing towards the structure ahead.

“Lord Serenis, my apologies for the sudden summoning. The other elders were requesting your presence as soon as possible.”

“…The elder kin? Here?”

“Yes. They’re waiting for your arrival inside.”

“…”

Serenis let out a small snort before turning to Bruton.

“And are these elders aware of the structure’s purpose? Seeing how it’s stood through the millennium, I don’t suppose its purpose has changed.”

“…It remains unused most of the time. But to my knowledge, the structure is…a guest hall.”

“…”

It was a structure that’d been built to receive non-dragons traveling to and from the valley.

It’d served as a gate to the valley for those who weren’t dragonkin: all paths that led deeper into the valley began here, and those that lacked the ability to fly had no choice but to pass by this structure. It was where the kin would welcome their guests or strike down guised intruders.

Hence, to choose it as their meeting place indicated the underlying message quite blatantly.

“…A guest, is it?”

“…”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

As Bruton and Aether fell silent, Serenis briskly walked inside. She was quite eager to see the faces of those that were waiting for their lord’s arrival.

…Correction, their guest’s arrival.

✧   ✧   ✧

“Dragonlord Serenis.”

“…”

“Speak. That was your name, was it not?”

“…Hah.”

Serenis snorted at the irony of her title.

Despite referring to her as their lord, the gathered elders were atop higher stations, each occupying a seat above Serenis’ eye level. The dragonlord herself was standing on the centre of the stone floors, much alike to a sinner in question.

Soon, she raised her gaze to meet those falling upon her.

“And to what do I owe this pleasure…elders?”

“We’ve called on you to discuss your actions.”

After the short answer, the gathered elders looked to the one in centre.

There, a stern-looking elder dragon was staring down at his guest from above, golden eyes gleaming in the darkness of the hall.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. As you may know, I am Xerun – I believe there won’t be any disagreement in claiming that I speak for the entirety of our kin today.”

“…”

One, Serenis had no idea who this was.

Two, she was already disagreeing – just not verbally.

But nonetheless, the elder dragon continued uninterrupted.

From his seat, the speaking elder’s quiet voice rang throughout the hall, silencing that of the others.

“First, on behalf of the dragonkin, I once again to offer our sincerest gratitude. Dragonlord Serenis – by your deeds, the kin were able to reclaim those we’ve thought to have lost. If it weren’t for your actions, no doubt they would yet remain imprisoned, held at the mercy of those human invaders.”

“Strange. Despite your words, I’m brought to think that this isn’t a celebratory occasion.”

“…It is not.”

A brief pause ensued as the other elders shifted uncomfortably. Even Bruton and Aether seemed uneasy despite standing at Serenis’ side.

“Dragonlord Serenis. While we’re grateful for what you’ve done, you’ve wronged the kin just as well. We’ve called on your presence today to address them.”

“…”

Serenis narrowed her eyes in silence.

There was a myriad of things that came to mind – but all of them were events that had transpired a millennium past. They weren’t events that Xerun would have knowledge of.

But soon, the elder began to clarify his words.

“Upon your first appearance at the valley, you’ve claimed to be our king – perhaps a wrong in its own right, but not as dire as the events that followed. That day, you’ve trespassed into the kin’s forbidden grounds, together with Bruton and his daughters. And there, you’ve stolen a possession of the dragonkin.”

Serenis’ expression quickly twisted in ridicule.

And, soon enough, she turned to Bruton with that same expression.

“…Bruton. I thought you’ve since explained to the others what happened that day.”

“I have, my lord. Several times at that. And…I’m afraid it accomplished little besides my exclusion from the council.”

“Then-“

“Dragonlord Serenis. I am not yet finished.”

Once again, Xerun’s echoing voice silenced that of others.

“Because of your actions, the never-melting ice of our forbidden grounds has begun to melt. And not only have you claimed the dragonkin’s treasure as your own, you’ve continuously broken the kin’s seclusion with two of our younglings – one of which has returned gravely hurt due to your antics. You’ve even brought outsiders into our homes, again without our permission.”

Muddled words designed to frame. Exaggeration of truths, or fabrication of what’s actually happened.

And yet, Xerun’s words were by no means completely false.

“Dragonlord Serenis. Return what you have stolen, and restore the forbidden grounds to its former state.”

“…”

“As you’ve acted in the best interest of the dragonkin, we shall not ask further consequences of your wrongs. We only ask that you restore what has been taken.”

Serenis quietly balled her hands into fists. She’d remained silent to hear the full context of Xerun’s argument, but frankly, it’d ridiculed her far more than she’d expected.

As the elder finished, the dragonlord briefly glanced around the darkness of the hall.

Even excluding Serenis and the two elders at her side, there were at least a dozen elder dragons gathered around the hall’s upper seats. But none of them seemed to be in disagreement with Xerun’s verdict, nor of what has been said.

And finally, Serenis turned around to look at Bruton.

The grey-haired elder wore a sheepish look. He stared into the empty ceiling, scratching the back of his head.

“…I tried to convince them otherwise, my lord. I’ve already told the others that the pit was not what we were taught it was. But…”

“I take it they weren’t keen on trusting your claims.”

“…No. And I should tell you that the others remain adamant on going nowhere near the pit.”

A long sigh escaped the dragonlord’s lips.

The fact that she’d been called here into a hall purposed for the kin’s guests already implied much about how the other elders perceived their lord. The fact that they were all seated at a higher council also indicated plenty.

And finally, Serenis looked to Xerun with a stern expression to deliver her answer.

“…I will not.”

“What?”

“I will not. The treasure you claim stolen has been mine from birth; the forbidden ground you speak of is but my own son’s grave.”

“…And on what basis do you suppose we’ll believe your claims?”

Xerun briskly rose from his seat. Golden wings sprouted forth from behind the elder’s back as he leapt from above.

Soon, he landed onto the floor to stand mere few steps away from the dragonlord in question.

“Do you take us for fools? That we’d truly believe in your tales of returning from the dead? You may have convinced Bruton, but your words will not blind us all. To our knowledge, you are but a human child who luckily happened to acquire the dragonkin’s treasure. You merely mirror our reduced forms, and lack the ability to become a proper dragon.”

“…”

Serenis didn’t bother to correct Xerun; after all, it was only recent when she’d regained the ability to take her proper form. And that was only possible after she’d absorbed Aymeia’s divinity.

But instead of correcting the elder, Serenis only beamed a soft grin, allowing Xerun to continue uninterrupted.

“Yet, we’ve chosen not to question your being as dragonkin – for we truly believed that you carry no ill will towards us. We’ve even chosen to refer to you as your claimed title. All we ask is that you return what you’ve taken to its rightful place, as our predecessors have intended.”

“…By whose authority are you making this demand?”

“The collective authority of all elders.”

“And should I still refuse?”

“…Then you leave us little choice.”

As Xerun raised his hand, several dragons appeared from the shadows of the hall, each one synthesizing a deadly spell.

And, unlike Serenis who remained ever so indifferent, Bruton looked around wide-eyed with panic. Even Aether seemed uneasy with finding themselves suddenly surrounded.

“Xerun! Cease this madness. Do you realize what you’re doing?”

“They are acting in the best interest of our kin, Bruton.”

“…”

“As am I. As we always have.”

After the brief quip with Bruton, Xerun’s gaze focused back onto Serenis.

“Dragonlord Serenis. Your ability to bend the kin to your will roots from speech. But such ability carries no meaning should your figure be blown to bits before words are spoken – and this time, Raizel is not at your side to protect you.”

“…”

Once again, Serenis maintained silence – and this time for a good reason. One word, and all that’s left to do would be fighting against her own children.

With his tone growing in confidence and authority, the elder dragon once again pressed his argument.

“I ask again. Return what you’ve stolen, Serenis.”

Stern gazes locked in the air as Xerun and Serenis glared into each other’s eyes.

Ironically, both were looking to each other as an adult would at an immature child.