Chapter 11-3: The Market

        Caden left Sir Eric's homestead. He was upset. He was going to head home to the bakery, but didn't want to anymore. So he wandered through the market. He didn't know where he wanted to go. Everyone was trying to go back to business as normal. But the town was still scarred from the Queen's attack. Many buildings hadn't been repaired at all. Hollow ruins, devoid of life. Others still had people working to rebuild. The sound of hammers and saws echoed behind the murmer of merchants selling and people buying.

        Caden saw Haron's stall was open. He remembered how he used to go there every day to see if Keilee was working. But he knew that she wouldn't be there, she was gone. Alone in some far off land and he couldn't do anything to bring her back. He crossed the street to avoid it. He walked over one of the bridges spanning the hallows in the ground. Fish swam underneath.

        "Caden!" Mika called. "Caden over here."

        Caden looked. Mika was waving from Haron's stall. He sighed and turned back. He walked over to her. "Morning, Mika," he said.

        Mika smiled. "Did you meet the Dragon Knights? Did you see my brother? Is he going to rescue Keilee?"

        Caden forced a smile. "Of course I found them. I didn't see Damion, but I talked with his general. I'm sure once he hears of what happened here, he'll be the first to sign up to rescue her."

        "Dad says that we shouldn't expect her to come back. He even made a grave shrine for her on our land."

        "Do you believe she's okay?"

        "I know she is."

        "So do I."

        "Things haven't been the same since that day." Mika dropped her head and looked at the dirt road.

        "What do you mean?"

        "Dad, he's been drinking more then uncle Eric lately," she said. "And he gets really angry a lot." Mika started crying.

        Caden looked at her. He noticed an old bruise under her sleeve. It was green and purple. "Hey, it'll be okay," He said. He lifted her chin. Her eyes were red. "Once Keilee returns, everything will be back to normal."

        Mika hugged Caden. He stood there, and she held him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

        "Everything will be okay," he said. "I'll bring Keilee back... I promise."

        Caden left Mika to her work. His mind focused on his promise, and trying to find a way to help poor Mika. He was so tied with his thoughts, he didn't hear someone calling his name. he stopped when he felt a tug on the back of his shirt. He turned around and saw a little boy holding onto him. He smiled, it was one of the children he saved. He looked around, and a couple of the other kids were there too, but stood back.

        "Caden," he said. "I heard you was eaten by the dwagon."

        Caden knelt down. "No, why would you think that?"

        "You was gone so long, and when you came back, you was hurt bad."

        "Well, it wasn't a dragon," Caden said. "And you don't need to worry about me. When I see dragons, I slay them and skin their hides for my clothes."

        "You saw a dwagon!" he said.

        "Yeah--" Caden scratched his head "--and it was fierce. It wasn't as big as the Queen, but still huge. It had fangs as long as my hand." Caden held up his hand in front of the boy, it covered his face. "That's bigger then your head!"

        "Wow!" The other children gathered around Caden. "Wasn't you scared?"

        "No way. I wasn't afraid in front of the Dragon Queen, and this was just a pup. Plus I had that sacred sword from the temple."

        "The green and black one?"

        "Yeah, you remember it. That sword is magical, and I was able to take down that dragon with just one hit."

        "What else have you done?" a little girl asked.

        "Well, I faced a witch down, stood in testimony before the goddess, defeated some bandits..."

        "You're so strong," said the little girl.

        "I'll say." Caden turned around. The barkeep from the tavern was standing behind him. Caden didn't even notice he was sitting in front of it. After it was rebuilt it looked completely different. The place he used to climb to the roof was gone, and it looked bigger. The courtyard wall was rebuilt with an arch over the hallow the Queen left. "Come inside. Why don't you tell us about your travels."

        "I thought I was too young."

        "My boy--" he put a hand on Caden's back, "--if you can travel across the province, track down the Knight's camp, and survive a sword fight, then you're old enough to come inside."

        Caden smiled. He waved to the children as he walked into the tavern for the first time.

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 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."