Chapter 11-2: Sir Eric

        Caden finished every delivery except Sir Eric's. He carried the basket, empty sacks and two loaves of oat bread. He felt better, and regretted spending two weeks in bed. Even now he wondered how close the Dragon Knights were to rescuing Keilee.

        Sir Eric's homestead looked the same as it always did. Caden knocked on the door. Sir Eric opened the door. He wore a simple white shirt, brown pants and leather brace over his missing shoulder. Caden stared at the wound.

        "Caden?" Sir Eric said. "So you're not dead after all."

        "No, Sir."

        Sir Eric took his bread from the basket. "So how did your quest go?"

        "I made it to the Dragon Knight training camp, and now I need your help."

        "Why?"

        "I can join the Dragon Knights to save Keilee, if I'm not to late already," Caden said. "But first I need to slay five dragons. Can you help me?"

        Sir Eric sighed. He stepped aside and held the door open. "You better come in."

        Caden smiled and stepped into the house. Sir Eric closed the door, and motioned for Caden to sit at a table. He walked into the kitchen. Caden sat in the small room. He had never been inside Sir Eric's home before. He looked at the bearskins on the floor, and the deer antlers on the wall over the fireplace. Caden smiled when he saw through an open door. Sir Eric's Dragon Knight armor was displayed in a small shrine in the next room, exactly how it should be. 

        Caden stood up and walked into the next room. In the center of the far wall, was Sir Eric's armor. Spread out on shelves were weapons, broken bits of war machines, statues, and other trinkets collected from the battle field. Everything Sir Eric ever did, and was ever honored for was on display in this room. A museum to his service for the dragon knights.

        Caden walked around the room. He wondered what part of a dragon would he find. What part is considered a trophy. The heads would be too big to be put on display. Looked for a fang, or a talon, or even a scale. While he looked for the dragon trophies, he stopped on a weapon. A sword, that looked exactly like Rilyn's. Caden picked it off of the shelf and looked at the half sun engravings.

        Caden heard a shatter come from the kitchen. He returned the curved sword to it's place on the shelf and went to the kitchen. He found Sir Eric picking up a broken tea cup. Caden helped him clean up. He took the tray of tea out to the main room and set it down.

        Sir Eric came out with a new tea cup. "Caden, I'm going to make this as clear as I can." He set the tea cup down on the table. Caden served the tea. "Before the Dragon Queen attacked Erdon, I didn't believe dragons existed."

        "What do you mean?" Caden placed a cup in front of Sir Eric. "You've been trained to fight dragons, how could you not believe in them?"

        Eric shook his head. "I was never trained to fight dragons," he said. "I was trained to fight people."

        "You mean trolls and gremlins."

        "No, though they are closer to people then you might think. I was trained to fight people, like you, me or the mayor. We're never taught anything about dragons."

        "So you were part of a special squad? Others specialized in dragons."

        "No. None of us were."

        "But the general, he said his best dragon trackers wou..."

        Sir Eric slammed his fist into the table. His tea cup tipped over. "You're not listening to me. There are no dragon trackers, no dragon slayers." Caden watched the tea run across the rough wood table and drip onto the floor. "We got hundreds of 'dragon sightings' every moon. Yet not a single one ever turned out to be anything more then a rumor. The dragon knights don't investigate most of them anymore. The general probably thought that you made to story up to join even after he turned you down."

        "But he said..."

        "He lied, Caden. He told you what you wanted to hear so you would leave. No one is looking for the Queen, no one is going after Keilee."

        "The Queen, it's attacked other temples. When more reports about her come in, then..."

        "No, they'll go to the closest Dragon Knight camp. And they will be ignored. No one will pass on the story, so no one will ever see any patterns."

        Caden stood up. He grabbed his basket and sacks. "You're lying. You just don't want me to join them." Caden walked to the door.

        "Believe what you will, Caden. But the only people in the world who will believe your story are right here in Erdon."

        Caden left and slammed the door. Sir Eric left the tea on the table. He went into the kitchen and fetched a bottle of shine.

Chapter 9: The Dread Knights

        The first thing Caden saw was the black shrouds. Then from the darkness came three Dragon Knights. He tightened his grip on the stone sword. Caden looked at Rilyn. He was ready. He dropped the cane next to Father Achilleos and held his sword in one hand. Rilyn had a loose grip on the sword, it looked like it was balanced on his index finger. Father Achilleos continued to draw in his small book.

        "Don't hold it too tight," Rilyn said.

        Caden nodded. "Their not Dragon Knights, not anymore."

        "Wouldn't matter if they were."

        "This is what I first fought in the catacombs. They move slow now, but they can have bursts of speed."

        The first Knight rushed forward, Caden raised the sword and blocked the attack to his head. He brought the sword down into the Knight's arm. The bone cracked and the dead flesh ripped. It fell to the ground in a stream of straw and preservative herbs. Caden's sword completed it's swing and the tip dug into the earth.

        The second Knight charged Rilyn. He blocked repeated blows, unable to get in an attack. Caden looked for the third Knight but couldn't see him. The first Knight picked up its sword from the severed limb. Caden pulled his sword out of the ground. He felt a line of fire across his back. He fell forward and leaned on his sword. He turned around and saw the third Knight. It's sword was smeared with blood.

        Caden looked down, another sword was in his side. He looked up and saw the first Knight holding it in its left arm. Caden laughed. There was no pain. He was going to die, and he felt no pain.

        He fell to the ground. Darkness filled his vision from the corners of his eyes. He saw the third Knight standing over him, it's sword raised above it's head, the tip pointing down. He felt warm, and safe. He giggled again. Then everything was black.

Chapter 9: The Road Home

        Caden and Rilyn settled their bill with the Blue Fox. True to her word, Cassy didn’t charge them for all the special food she was giving them. Caden wondered about how quickly the rumors had spread.
        Rilyn went back to the table and fetched Father Achilleos, who was finishing all of cold mugs of cinnamon tea. Caden went out the back to the courtyard where he saddled Starlight. He led the old girl out the courtyard gates.
        On the other side of the gate he saw the strange little rodent watching him. Caden stopped. The rodent stood up on it’s hind legs and twitched its nose. Caden tilted his head to the left. The rodent did the same. Caden smiled. He knelt down and stuck out his hand. The rodent ran up to him and scurried up his arm. Caden laughed as it’s little claws tickled his skin.
        Rilyn walked around to see what was taking Caden. He looked at the rodent. “That thing is going to give you a disease.”
        “You worry too much.” Caden took the rodent off of his shoulder and set it on Starlight’s saddle. “Look at it, it’s healthy.”
        Rilyn shook his head and walked away.
        They walked through the Market of Tinate and gathered supplies for the trip home. Caden took some money from Rilyn and bought ingredients to make a thank you gift for the mayor.
        Father Achilleos was an old man. He walked beside Caden and Rilyn for three hours, insisting that he was fine, but Caden saw him slowing down. They took more breaks to let him rest. Yet he refused the assistance of Starlight. Caden offered after every rest, but Father Achilleos always turned him down.
        Caden looked at Rilyn walking with his cane, and Father Achilleos leaning on the sacred staff of the Sages. He considered riding for a while, but felt guilty. Rilyn was still afraid of Starlight after the bite she gave him, but Caden couldn’t understand Father Achilleos’s reasons.
So they continued to walk, leading Starlight be the reigns. Caden thought about his father. He was going to be angry with Caden for taking the money and horse without asking. She didn’t even save them much time since there was always one person walking. At least the Mayor’s generosity kept him from spending any of his father’s money.
        As much as he regretted lying to his father, but would his father understand him leaving again? Would he agree to letting Caden leave Erdon and hunt down five dragons to prove that he was strong enough to join the quest for the Dragon Queen?
        They stopped to eat lunch next to a small brook. Caden watered the horse while Father Achilleos and Rilyn sat and talked under the shade of an old oak. Caden shivered, he felt a cold chill run up his spine. He looked around, but couldn’t see anything. He looked at the stone sword. He untied the straps holding it to the saddle and pulled it away. He lifted it in both hands then held it in one. It felt light. He walked up the bank to Rilyn.
        Rilyn was laughing at a joke Father Achilleos told him. He looked over at Caden coming back. He lifted an apple to give to Caden, then saw the stone sword. Rilyn dropped the fruit. He stood up and drew one of his swords.
        Father Achilleos looked at them. “What’s wrong?”
        “I don’t know,” Rilyn said, “and I can’t explain it. But if Caden can hold that sword, then something is wrong.”
        Caden stopped next to Rilyn. “See anything?”
        “No, you?”
        “Not yet, but I can feel it.”
        Father Achilleos watched them. He took out a small book, ink, and quill. He recorded what he saw in a simple black line sketch.
        Caden turned and pointed into the woods. A group of shadows got darker, turning almost pitchblack. Rilyn nodded. “Yeah, I see it.”

Chapter 8: Rumors Over Breakfast

        Caden woke up early. He got dressed. As he pulled his shirt on, he looked at Rilyn's sleeping form. She had the covers pulled tightly around her, like it was a shield against some unforeseen danger. Caden looked at her swords. The sheaths were made from bone, and split along the top so you lifted the swords out rather then drawing them. The blades etched with a jagged pattern, so that when placed side by side, the curve formed a perfect circle with a sun etched around the rim.

        Caden held the swords up and looked at Rilyn. "Where are you from?" he said. He looked at the blanket covering most of her face. "And even sleeping, you still hide your face from me." He shook his head and put the swords away. He walked out of the room. "You're one strange man."

        In the common room, Cassy came over and served him a bowl with a cinnamon bread soaking in steaming milk. Caden noted how the bread lacked a distinctive cinnamon swirl when he cut it open and it absorbed the milk much too quickly.

        He looked up at Cassy. "Cinnamon?" he asked. "Isn't that a bit extravagant for what we pay?"

        "True," she said. "But I want you to come back again."

        "Why?" Caden took a bite of the meal.

        Cassy set down a mug of tea sweetened with steamed cinnamon spiced milk. "I heard a rumor the other day, and I think you had something to do with it."

        "What was that?" Caden took a drink of tea.

        Cassy sat down across from Caden. "Well, some people were saying that the local guard picked up a couple of Bandits. They were wanted for several muggings on the south highway. The guards found them with major injurys, but two were still alive. When they were brought in, they talked about a man with a holy, green and black, sword. Now everyone in town is talking about some holy knight who's purging the wicked."

        Caden choked on his tea.

        "When I saw you bring that stone sword into your room last night," she said. "I figured it had to be you."

        "Well," Caden said. "I wouldn't put too much faith into rumors."

        Cassy looked up, and said, "Where's your friend?"

        "I think maybe he had too much to drink last night," Caden said. "He's still asleep."

        "He's so mysterious, always covered up like that."

        "You're telling me," Caden said. "At night, he even covers up with his blanket." Caden leaned over the taple and whispered, "I think he's secretly hiding some hideous scar."

        Cassy laughed. Caden joined her. They sat and talked till more patrons came in looking for breakfast and Cassy went back to work.

Chapter 7: The General

        Rilyn sat in grass and watched the clouds drift by. Starlight grazed. Caden recounted the tale of the Dragon Queen to the general. The general listened and nodded. His brow was tight, and he kept a tight frown on his face.
        When Caden finished, the general said, "That's quite the story.゛
        "It's true,"Caden said.
        "I believe you."
        "So you'll rescue Keilee?"
        "I'll send my best dragon trackers out immediately. Without fail, I promise they will find this dragon and kill it by the next new moon."

        "But this isn't any ordinary dragon," Caden said. "It's the Dragon Queen."

        "The great sages have left us everything we need to deal with that old lizard." The general put his hand on Caden's shoulder. "And if your friend is still alive, we'll bring her back to your village."

        "I want to go with." Caden looked up at the general.

        "Oh?" The general looked down into Caden's eyes.

        "Please, reconsider, let me join," Caden said. "I'm stronger then I look, let me go with the dragon trackers so that I may help rescue Keilee."

        The general's brow relaxed, and he smiled. "If it means that much to you."

        Caden smiled.

        "I'm not supposed to do this." The general leaned down and whispered to Caden. "But I will make you a deal."

        Rilyn looked and watched closely as the general whispered into Caden's ear.

        Caden and Rilyn walked back to where they left Su. Rilyn looked at Caden. He hadn't stopped smiling since they departed ways from the general.

        "Are you going to tell me what he said, or is this another secret?"

        "No, I'll tell you," said Caden. "He agreed to let me join the Dragon Knights."

        "Okay, so why are you leaving?"

        "I need to talk with Sir Eric. I can only join them if I prove my strength and bring them the heads of five dragons. I figure Sir Eric should know how to track down some small ones."

        Rilyn shook his head and followed behind Caden. "Then we should double your training so you can defeat them with the stone sword."

        Caden looked back and smiled. He raised his left hand over his shoulder and gave Rilyn a thumbs up. "Sounds like a plan."

        They reached the top of the hill where they left Su. But she was no longer on the outcropping of rock. Caden dropped his knapsack and looked around, but couldn't find her anywhere. 

        Rilyn smiled, glad to be rid of the troublesome girl. "Well, guess she left. Let's hurry back to Tinate."

        "It's late, we should camp here and continue on in the morning," Caden said. "She might come back yet tonight."

        "Fine. I'll build a fire."

        Caden walked over to his knapsack and saw a small furry creature trying to untie the knot. "Hey, get away from there!" Caden ran at it. It jumped away and ran away. It stopped and stood up on it's hind legs. Caden never saw anything like it before. It looked like a rodent, but had a long, slim sinewy body. 

        It looked at Caden like it was begging for food. Caden sighed. He opened his knapsack and took out a loaf of stew bread. He tore off a fourth of it and threw it onto the ground. The rodent thing picked it up and started to eat. 

        "No more," Caden said. "I need to make the rest of this last till we return home."

Chapter 7: Shattered Dreams

        Caden dreamt that night. In his dream, he was grown up. He was strong, his arms and chest well defined and muscular from the training Rilyn gave him. He was by the river, Keilee was safe and sleeping with her head on his lap. He stroked her hair. He heard a splash. Out in the river, another woman was bathing. Her wet skin glimmered in the orange light of the dying fire while the water sparkled under the full moon. She was the most beautiful woman Caden had ever seen. Her long red hair glistened.

        That morning, they broke camp, ate the last of the wheat bread and preserves, and set off down the highway. As they walked along that morning, Rilyn saw Caden smiling like a fool.

        "What are you smiling about?" He asked.

        "Oh, nothing," Caden said. "I just had a really good dream last night."

        "Well, stay focused on the real world. I don't understand why you like that thing." Rilyn pointed at the Stone Sword. "But until you can lift it all the time, I want you to stick to the short sword."

        "It's not a sword," Caden said. "It's a brush axe."

        "Still, you can actually lift it, so use that till you get stronger."

        "Okay." The mention of getting stronger made Caden think about his dream again.

        "From what Ramone said, we should reach Sharsden around noon," Rilyn said.

        They continued to walk down the highway. The terrain had few trees, but many hills dotted by giant boulders jutting out of them at odd angles. By noon, it was hotter then the day before. Caden was sweating a river. He emptied the water flask he had filled that morning by the river. He looked at Rilyn. Rilyn still wore the same cloak with the high collar covering his face up to his nose. The wide brimmed hat cast a shadow over his eyes.

        "Damn, aren't you hot?" asked Caden.

        "No."

        "Do you ever take that cloak off?"

        "The cloak is what keeps me cool," said Rilyn. "It's been blessed to protect me from the second sun."

        Caden shielded his eyes and squinted at the single sun in the sky. "What are you talking about?"

        Caden and Rilyn reached the top of a hill. They looked down at a valley nestled between 5 hills. In the valley, there was a town about the same size as Erdon.

        "That must be Sharsden," Rilyn said.

        "I doubt the Dragon Knights are still there," said Caden. "Let's go down and see if anyone knows where their training camp is."

        Caden and Rilyn walked down the hill and into the town. There are very few people in the streets, and all of them were woman or small children. The buildings were old and rundown. Caden noticed many buildings looked boarded up and abandoned. The ceiling of the stables next to the smithy collapsed and hasn't been repaired. The forge inside was cold and covered in dust and cobwebs. Tools were scattered on the floor and rusted.

        "What happened here?" asked Caden.

        "This town looks dead."

        Caden saw an old woman and young boy walk out from a side street. "Excuse me," he said.

        The woman looked up at Caden and Rilyn. She grabbed the boy and ran down the street. Rilyn looked around. He saw several people close their windows. "Caden," he said, "I don't think we're going to get much help from around here."

        "There has to be someone who will help us." Caden pulled on Starlight's reigns and guided her to the center of the town.

        In the center of Sharden, there was a fountain with a statue of three Dragon Knights. The fountain was dry. The foundation cracked. Moss and ivy grew over the statues. One of the statues was broken, missing it's head. One was missing an arm, and the third his sword. Caden brushed off an inscription on the key stone. It read, "We honor the brave Dragon Knights who guide and protect our fair town."

        Caden stood up on fountain's basin wall. "Everyone!" he yelled. "We need your help."

        A few people looked out windows and doors. Rilyn watched them. His hands dropped to under his cloak.

        "We are on an urgent mission," he continued. "Innocent lives are at stake. We need to know where we can find the Dragon Knights."

        Woman and children walked out. Rilyn gripped the handles to both of his swords.

        Caden leans down to Rilyn. "I told you there would be people willing to help us." Caden felt a cold chill run down his spine. He shivered under the hot midsummer sun.

        One elderly woman stepped forward. "If you're looking for the Dragon Knights, we don't want you in our town."

        "Why?"

        "They killed our sons and husbands," she said. "Taking them off to fight losing battles, stealing what they want, leaving us with only enough to survive."

        "But the Dragon Knights protect us," Caden cried.

        A young boy picked up a rock and threw it at Caden. He hit Caden in the head. Caden fell into the dry fountain basin. He hit his head against the base of the statues. He looked up, the world spun in front of him. He saw two Rilyns draw four curved swords. He saw a man walk out of a building. He had a dark shroud over his shoulders. He smiled. Caden stood up and grasped the back of his head. More people picked up refuse and threw it at Rilyn and Caden. Rilyn deflected what he could with his swords. 

        Caden looked at the man with the dark shroud. His vision cleared. He stood up and grabbed the stone sword off of Starlight. He held it up in one hand. "By this holy sword of the temple," he shouted. "Stop your attack and we'll leave peacefully!"

        The crowd stopped and stared at him holding the stone sword without any difficulty. With that, Caden nodded to Rilyn, grabbed Starlight by the reigns, and they left. They walked past the man with the dark shroud. He laughed, showing black gums receding from his teeth.

        Caden looked at him. "I'll be back to deal with you."

Chapter 5: Highway Robbery

        Caden rode Starlight for a while, then dismounted. "Would you like to rest for a while?" asked Caden. 

        "No thanks," Rilyn said. "I'm fine just walking."

        "Come on." Caden handed him the reigns. "Your training routine this morning put us behind schedule. I don't want to stop for another break."

        Rilyn stared at the horse.

        "What are you waiting for?"

        Rilyn grabbed the horse's mane and the saddle. He tried to pull himself up. The horse cried out and bit Rilyn on the arm. "Ow, you stupid beast!" He let go of Starlight and she trotted ahead 20 paces.

        Caden fetched Starlight and walked her back. "What was that?" He looked at Rilyn rubbing his arm. "You would think you've never seen a horse."

        "Actually, I haven't," Rilyn said. "We don't have them where I come from."

        "Where are you from?"

        "Doesn't matter. I can't return."

        Caden stared at Rilyn rubbing his arm. "That's going to bruise, but it's better then if she had kicked you." Caden tied Starlight to a low tree branch. "Come here, I'll teach you some basics so you can play nice with the old girl."

        Rilyn rode on Starlight, but didn't feel comfortable with the commands. So he just sat on her back while Caden led the horse on foot. Caden saw something dark moving in the woods. "You know," he said. "We need to be careful. If someone saw me leading your horse, they might think your royalty."

        "Why? Nobles don't know how to ride either?"

        Caden watched the dark movement. "I'm sure they do," he said. "But Sir Eric says that actual riding is considered below them. So they either ride in Carriages or have some one lead the horse on foot."

        "In that case," said Rilyn. "I think I'll get off for now."

        Caden stopped the horse. "That's a good idea." The dark shape in the forest stopped too. Caden helped Rilyn climb down. The horse snorted and stamped it's foot. "In fact, why don't we resume our training from earlier?"

        "I thought you wanted keep moving?"

        "I did." Caden looked Rilyn in the eyes. "But you can never be too careful."

        Rilyn looked out the corner of his eyes. He nodded and moved his arms under his cloak. Caden untied the stone sword and let it drop. He bent over to pick it up.

        Clink, clink! Rilyn had a curved sword out and deflected two daggers. The landed at Caden's feet. Caden knelt on the ground and rested the stone sword on his shoulder. He never saw a sword like Rilyn's before. It was six hands long and curved to form a half circle. It had a single edge on the inside curve. The outside was etched to resemble a ring of flames.

        Caden watched the black shape move again. Laughter came from the woods, and three men came out. The each held up a black steel brush axe.

        "I'm impressed you saw them," Rilyn said.

        "I didn't." Caden watched the black shape. "I saw him."

        Rilyn looked at where Caden was looking, but didn't see anyone.

        "Looks like we have quite the pair here," said one of the men.

        "They got lucky with the knives," said another. "But what are they planning on doing with a bent sword and stone log."

        "This is a half sun blade," Rilyn said. "Pray the full sun never rises." He raised the blade over his head, and held it to the side. It looked like a sun rising over the horizon.

        Caden looked at Rilyn, he stood up, keeping the stone sword propped on his shoulder. "I'll have you know," he said, "this sword is a Sacred Artifact of the Five Sages."

        The three men rushed forward. Caden flipped his sword over his shoulder and crashed it into the lead man's sword arm. His arm shattered, bone splitting and protruding from the skin. Rilyn sidestepped the second man's attack and hit him in the throat with the inner curve of her blade. She pulled him off his feet and dropped him to the ground. He hit the ground dead. Blood gushed from the deep cut in his neck. Caden turned and spun the sword in a circle. He hit the third man in the knee. The man's knee gave out with a crunch. He fell to the ground, his leg bent in the wrong direction.

        Caden lifted the stone sword in one hand, and pointed it into the woods. "Why don't you come out too."

        The men with shattered bones screamed, vomited, and passed out.

        Rilyn stared at Caden holding the massive sword so easily. He followed the sword's blade to where it pointed into the woods. He saw a man there, young, and extremely strong. But his eyes were sunken. The skin around his eyes were black, and had more wrinkles then anyone Rilyn had ever seen before. He smiled, his gums were black and purple, his tongue was swollen and gray.

        "Impressive," he said. "I'll be looking forward to meeting you again." He backed away into the woods. Caden saw the darkness vanish like smoke.

        "We should go after him," Rilyn said.

        Caden turned his sword and grabbed the blade in his free hand. "I don't think we'll be able to catch him."

        "I guess you weren't lying." Rilyn looked at the sword. "But a Sacred Artifact?"

        "Well." Caden laughed. He let go of the blade and rubbed his head. "I did find it in the crypt of a temple."

        Rilyn giggled. Caden looked at Rilyn, his laugh sounded very girly.

        Caden dropped the stone sword and grabbed his arm. "Ow!"

        "What's wrong?"

        "I don't know," Caden said. "The sword just got too heavy." Caden lifted his arm. "Ow, I think I pulled my shoulder."

Chapter 2: Three return, and three depart

        Everyone gathered in the town square. In the center, parked next to the fountain, were the Dragon Knights. Four had large shields that reached from their shoulders to their ankles. The shields bore the Dragon Knight coat of arms, a Serpent, coiled around a sword. It's mouth wide and striking at the tip. Their breast plates shone on top of the black chain mail underneath. The fifth was a general, he wore a red cape with a silver dragon clasp, concealing his armor and weapons. 

        The general stepped in front of the crowd. "All able bodied men, over 17 harvests, step forward and line up."

        Men kissed their wives and loved ones as they walked forward. Caden's father left his side to join the line of men. Caden waited in the crowd, then rushed forward to join the line. His father looked down at him. 

"What are you doing?" he asked.

        "I'm joining them."

        "You're too young, now get..."

        "No talking in the ranks," yelled one of the Knights. "You shall remain quite, until such a time as the general speaks to you."

        Caden's father looked down at him, and scowled. Caden smiled and stood straight and rigid.

        The general walked down the row of men, inspecting each one and dismissing him. He stopped in front of Caden's father. "You're too old. You're excused." He returned to the crowd as the general looked down at Caden. "How old are you."

        "17 harvests sir."

        Two swords swept out from under the general's cape. Crossed right above the handle, their edges rested on opposite sides of Caden's neck. "In the Dragon Knights, lying to a general is punishable by immediate execution." Caden swallows. The swords cut into his neck. A trickle of blood ran down his shirt. "Care to answer again?"

        "17 harvests."

        "Good thing you're not a Dragon Knight." The swords disappear under the general's cape. "You're too young. Dismissed."

        "I can fight. I've been..."

        "You got guts kid." The general smiled. "But it takes a lot more then that to survive out there. Go home." 

        The general walked down the line, dismissing more men. He accepted two before he reached Damion. He looked at the carved sword under his belt. "What? Are you a kid? Playing with a toy sword?"

        "No, I've been training."

        "Have you now?" The general leaned in close, "And what good will knowing how to swing around a stick do for you?"

        "Try me, and you'll see." Damion smirked at him.

        The general stood up. "Jonas, show this boy why we only train with real swords."

        Jonas stepped forward and drew his sword. Damion did the same. The stared at each other. Finally Jonas charged and attacked. Damion blocked every strike, and pieces of his sword were cut off. Jonas struck at his head. Damion stepped aside and struck his sword against Jonas's. The sword cut off the tip leaving a sharp stake. Damion put his shoulder into the shield and knocked Jonas to the ground. Damion landed on him, pinning him under the shield. He placed the stake at Jonas's neck.

        The general laughed. "Okay, you can come." He turned to the crowd. "Everyone else, you're excused."

        The crowd departed and returned to their lives. Damion waved to Caden as he joined the Knights by their wagon. Harron walked up to his son and shook his hand. "I'm proud of you, boy."

Chapter 2: Bring out your dead

        Caden was walking away from the woodcutter, when he heard the dull clang of an iron bell. He looked down the street and saw everyone stopping their business. With each clang, more people froze and turned away from the street.

        Caden turned away. He didn't need to look when the wagon rolled behind him. He knew who they were, and why they had come. "That's why you should give up your dreams," said Sir Eric. Caden looked up. Sir Eric was walking to the Tavern, in complete disrespect to the dead Dragon Knights of Erdon village being escorted to the Temple. The stranger was following him, leaning on a crutch. He wore a brown poncho with a collar that stood up, covering half of his face. A wide brimmed hat sat on his fiery red hair. Caden had never seen red hair before.

        He turned back and lowered his head. He still wanted to join them, and that meant always respecting their traditions. He stood and waited. Listening to the repeating clang. Waiting for it to fade, and eventually stop when they reached the temple. He waited with everyone in town, except for Sir Eric and the stranger.

        As the market returned to normal, Caden ran through the streets to catch up with Sir Eric and the stranger. A hard object struck his ankle. He fell to the ground hard, his face sliding into the dirt. He looked up to see Damion, Harron's eldest. "What was that for?"

        "I need a sparing partner, I don't want to end up like those stiffs at the temple." Damion bounced a wooden sword on his shoulder. It was carved to look like the Dragon Knights' swords, five hands long, straight, single edge, and no handguard. "If I look good enough, maybe the knights will take me with them. And who to look better next to then a scrawny kid."

        "Not now Damion." Caden stood up. "I'm trying to figure out who the stranger is."

       "They're called the Dragon Knights. Maybe you've heard of them? Defenders of the kingdom, slayers of dragons?"

       "Not them." Caden ran off, leaving Damion to stare after him.

        Caden leaned in close to the chimney. He could hear Sir Eric's voice drifting up from his usual table next to the fireplace.

        "... you should tell your people your name is Rilyn. It won't sound as foreign to them," Sir Eric's voice drifted up the chimney.

        "Why are you helping me?" asked Rilyn.

       "I owe it to your family."

        "I don't have a family... not anymore.

       "Trust me, I know all about..."

       "Caden!" yelled his father. "Get down from there. The town is gathering in the square."

        Caden climbed off the roof. He knew one thing, the stranger and Sir Eric wouldn't be gathering.

Chapter 1: The fires of the past

       Caden loved to listen to Eric's stories. It's possible he was the only one in town. Caden only lived for 15 harvests, and was not allowed in the tavern. Instead, he sat on the roof by the chimney, and listened to the stories drift up with the heat and smoke. Caden knew Sir Eric's warnings against the Dragon Knights, but he didn't care.

     To him, the Dragon Knights were adventure, travel to the foreign lands. Protecting border towns from the pirates of the Starcia Desert, and defending the elves in the east from the troll armies. Most importantly, Caden wanted to fulfill the sacred duty of the Five Great Sages.

      Five millenia ago, the Five sacrificed their lives to seal away the Dragon Queen. Their sacrifice was the birth of their great kingdom, and the Dragon Knights served to ensure the dragons would never return.

     That night, as Caden watched Eric stumble home, he saw the forest near Eric's homestead glowing orange-red from a great fire. He climbed off the roof and followed Sir Eric.

     Sir Eric, not nearly drunk as he wanted to be, traveled home, so he could continue his drinking alone. He saw the fire in the forest. The river would protect his land, yet the red glow of the moon was an omen he couldn't ignore.

     He altered his course to take him to his dock and small boat. He didn't see Caden watching him paddle across the river to investigate the blaze.

***

In the Pyoksan Mountains, the people are wealthy. They had the richest mines of gold and iron in the Kingdom, and would never leave their homes. The Dragon Knights patrolled the passes and valleys of the mountains, to protect the locals from the Starcia Pirates.

    Sir Eric marched for days in those mountains, with no warning of when an attack might come. The pirates flew in on their mechanical dragons, and dropped firebombs from the sky. The fire was horrible, hot enough to melt your armor into your skin. Sir Eric was cursed to hear the screams, smell the burning flesh, forever at his side. In the flames of the forest, he saw his friends being consumed.

     Yet it is not the flames that woke him up in the night. It was the prisoners the Dragon Knights captured. They were the ones who haunted his dreams. They were the ones that Sir Eric tried to drown in an endless tide of ale and shine.

***

     Caden watched the river for Eric's return. When he came back from the other side, he had someone else in his boat. The stranger's body and clothes were burnt, and Sir Eric carried him with care. Caden moved in closer, trying to see who the stranger was. 

     Eric carried him to his homestead, and went inside. Caden watched Eric house. Shadows moved past windows, but Eric never lit a light. Caden sat in the bushes and shivered. The full moon lit up the clearing around the house. Caden couldn't get any closer and was cold.

       Caden returned to town and entered the bakery. He did his chores, cleaned the kitchen, and went to sleep next to the cooling ovens.

Prologue

       Sir Eric was a retired Dragon Knight. His face and arms had many scars from his time with the Dragon Knights. His dark brown hair was ragged and his face unshaven. He returned to Erdon after being injured serving the king. He spent his nights drinking alone in his Homestead, a small under developed plot of land in the forests outside of town. When he came into town, he would visit the tavern and drink.

       That night, he was sitting with his older brother, Harron. When they were younger, many people said they looked like twins. Now no one would make that mistake. Harron shaved every morning, and didn't have any scars.

       The day Sir Eric turned seventeen, their lives where completely different. Harron stayed home and took over the family ranch. Sir Eric ran off to join the Dragon Knights. When Eric returned, he looked old and tired. At 50, Harron still looked young and strong.

       Eric was telling his brother a story about his time with the Dragon Knights.

       "A wind swept across the valley. By the time we got there, everything was gone. Can you still save it, when there is nothing left to save? Do the trees return to salted soil; can fish swim in streams turned red?

     "Elves restore life to the forests. Fairies make wild flowers grow as they fly past. The Goddess in heaven weeps at such devastation. Hell cries out its triumph, as rocks split under the heat.

     "In the middle of the fire and smoke, a village still burned. Just as we thought nothing survived, we saw children amidst the ash. Kids, still alive, against destruction so complete. Life lives amongst death.

       "Our horses still refused to enter the valley, despite their rigorous training. So clear now, that they knew something that we did not. We thought the stench of those consumed by the flame was what kept the horses at bay.

       "My men and I rushed down the valley slope. Only burning coals marked our path. Our boots kicked up sparks and embers as we passed. We were being hasty. "How could they have lived?" asked my men. Until it was too late, we thought we were safe.

      "Valiant as my men were, we were unprepared for the danger that waited in the ash. When it rose and emerged from the smoke, we were caught unaware. 'Xactly what it was, I cannot say. Years in the field, I saw nothing like it, eyes burning like the fires of hell. Zachery was the first to fall, the rest soon followed; I was the only one to escape the valley alive."

     Sir Eric drained his mug. His brow glowed in the light of the grand fire place.

     "Sounds like a dragon to me," Harron said. "Isn't that what you were trained to fight."

     "This was no dragon."

     "Still doesn't concern us." Harron stood, and left his coin on the table. "Nothing like that will ever reach our village."

     "Mark my words," Eric said, "if you let your boy join the Dragon Knights, he will suffer this fate, or one far worse."

     "Blasphemy. It is an honor to serve the Knights, and carry on the work of the Five Great Sages." Harron left the tavern.

      Sir Eric looked for another to tell his warnings to, and buy him another drink. No one else wanted to hear his tales. No one would listen to his heresy. Eric stood and stumbled out the door.