The group rode back towards Leoux city with haste, though Alsces Kyros was certainly unhappy with the way things ended. Deryke as well, felt slightly disappointed that he did not accomplish much during this trip. He had been training to fight for sometime, and though it may not have been a Dark one that was manipulating the Wild ones, it would have been worth the trip should he have fought some Wild ones. The most he ever fought before joining the Order were wild animals, and those were either on hunts, or to prevent the stocks of the inn from being eaten.
But to fight another being that was capable of fighting back? Deryke had not even fought bandits before, though he had always thought that he would be able to one day. Fighting Wild ones would probably be the next best thing. But to fail at that as well was certainly a low morale turner. Though not for long. The group rode into viewing distance of Leoux city when they came across a camp belonging to a large group of armed fighters. Numbering around fifty, these soldiers were heavily armed with mail and plate armour. Their mounts, a mixture of horses, Velan raptors, and pegasus, each equally armed. This was a war band of soldiers, though not affiliated with Leoux city, nor the Kingdom of Hexarash. Instead, they bore the insignia of a certain grey wolf head.
“The Greyvolfe clan. This is perhaps fortuitous…”
Lilianne muttered, riding up to the camp. The soldiers, noticing the group’s arrival, became alerted, but lowered their guard as they noticed Lilianne and her attire. Though the Dragonnaire attire was made to be inconspicuous, certainly those who know of the Dragonnaire Order well enough, such as the Greyvolfe clan, would instantly recognise it should they see it.
“Grand Winged one, it is an honour.”
One of the soldiers greeted them with a bow when they neared.
“Who leads this war band? I must speak to them.”
Lilianne stated. The soldier did not hesitate as he turned around to where a large tent in the middle of the camp stood and pointed to it.
“Captain of the third arm, fifth league, Captain Byren.”
Lilianne dipped her head slightly to the soldier as a sign of gratitude, before riding her horse into the camp and only dismounting when she reached the tent to enter. Deryke and Alsces were confused as to Lilianne’s haste and what she planned to talk to the captain, but they dismounted and followed her in. As for the Golden Knights, they opted to stay outside the tent in order to watch the horses. Stepping into the tent, Deryke and Alsces were greeted by an immediate stench of sweat, heat, and poor ventilation. To call it stifling within the tent was quite an understatement, as no less than ten armoured knights stood around a single table. Lilianne Relinton stood at one end of the table, with all eyes looking at her. So focused were the knight’s eyes on her, that none looked towards the other two Dragonnaires as they entered, though Deryke noted that perhaps the situation was not one where they would be easily distracted by people randomly entering the tent.
“You would ask of us to complete this task that you will not on your own?”
One of the knights asked, his voice slightly strung. A Gwevalkan knight with a grand bronze beard.
“If you wish to think of it as such, feel free to do so.”
Lilianne immediately answered. The knights turned to one another, before another spoke to her.
“We owe much debt to be paid to the Order, but to simply demand such a task on such short notice is certainly not able to be done.”
The blue skinned Koredin said, blinking his four eyes in bewilderment.
“I have not asked the whole of Draagterra from the clan.”
Lilianne stated, planting her hands down on the table.
“Adventurers of Leoux city have been sent to fight the Wild ones upon the Western approach. I ask that the Greyvolfe clan make haste to aid in their fight.”
Lilianne pointed her finger onto the map laid out on the table.
“With all due respect, Grand Winged one, it is because you ask of us to simply pack up and march West that troubles us.”
A Vern knight purred, twirling one of her many whiskers.
“We are in the midst of a mission of great importance to our clan. We cannot abandon it so easily, even if one such as yourself comes to command us so.”
“The Pillar you seek within these lands is the Grave Keeper.”
Lilianne spoke out almost immediately, making the Knights in the tent wide-eyed in surprise. For Deryke, he was surprised that Lilianne knew what these Greyvolfe knights were looking for.
“The Grave Keeper?”
“The Sixth? There had been no news of him leaving the lands of Green-”
“Why come here?”
“Can we fight the Sixth on our own?”
“We have come to ascertain the Pillar, to fight it calls for a larger force. We require the fighters from the second arm, and possibly the first.”
“You understand well that the first arm do not move unless the third Pillar appears-”
“Or should the situation be dire enough to warrant their movement. The Sixth pillar is too dangerous in his present state for merely the second arm to contest.”
“The first arm requires the approval of all three heads, and we do not know where the matriach has gone-”
“The matriach will return, she always has.”
“But will she return in time?”
“Do not question the matriach.”
The Knights began to discuss further amongst themselves, bickering and arguing as their voices began to get louder. Until a single knight slams his hands onto the table, silencing the tent. Standing directly opposed to Lilianne was a knight of a rather small stature compared to the others. A human knight who had seen his fair share of battle and time had not been gentle to his skin, being wrinkled, course, and scarred. And yet within his red eyes still lingered a fiery energetic youth. A man who seemed young, yet held physical traits of an old warrior.
“We… have been called upon these lands to discover the identity of the Pillar that is rumoured to appear here. And to think that such a war with the Wild ones is brewing around the same time is of no coincidence. Am I right, Lady of the White Dragons?”
Lilianne stood back up, crossing arms as she looked at the knight who just spoke, and nodded.
“That is what I have heard. I faced a Daemos whilst hunting the Wild ones-”
“A Daemos!”
“Here?!”
The knights could not contain their shock upon hearing that, but the wizened knight slammed his hands on the table again, silencing the tent.
“… Continue, Lady of the White Dragons.”
The knight beckoned, and Lilianne nodded.
“The Daemos spoke of the Grave Keeper who has gone mad after losing what he once possessed. The Grave Keeper is now inciting the Wild ones to war, allying them with the harpies.”
“… Pillars do not perform such pointless acts.”
The knight stated, and Lilianne agreed.
“The Daemos I spoke with had told of the Pillar being incited into doing so by another, but by who, that is not known, even to the Daemos.”
The knights considered what Lilianne had just said, before the wizened knight sighed, hanging his head as he prepared to make his judgement. He stood back up straight, looking at Lilianne and to the map before he spoke.
“… We shall advance West with due haste.”
“Captain!”
“The Pillar has already sown the seeds of conflict, and we do not know just how far the damage shall spread. Send word to all Arms of the nearest Wind. Tell them to join our battle to quell the fires of the Sixth. Tell the men to pack the camp and make ready for the march. Refales, take your riders West before us and secure us our path. We, the Greyvolfe clan, have now declared war upon the Wild ones, and the Sixth Pillar.”
The knights all nodded, grabbing their gear and rushing out of the tent. Deryke had not seen such dedication and reaction time made by anyone before. The knights all left with their faces filled with purpose and energy. It was as though he was watching the rousings of a grand beast, ready to pounce upon its meal that wandered in before it. And soon the tent of nearly empty. Lilianne turned to leave, but was stopped by the one knight that remained. The wizened knight called out to her to stop Lilianne.
“Lady of the White Dragons, before you go, I must know.”
The knight said, and Lilianne turned to face him. The knight’s face turned grim for a moment.
“… That Daemos… A Lilin, I suppose it was.”
“… Yes.”
Lilianne nodded to confirm, and the Knight sighed.
“So, she has returned indeed. To speak of a Daemos who meddles with the affairs of the Pillars, then one can only think of Leanith Sidhe… you have been blessed by the Grand Winds to be alive after facing her, Lady of the White Dragons.”
The knight stated, making Lilianne looked down as she gripped her chest tightly.
“… Yes… I certainly am.”
As promised by the captain of the Greyvolfe war band, the Greyvolfe clan had started to move Westward, and Lilianne could finally relax a little.
“Though we have failed ourselves in completing the task, we have, at the very least, ensured the overall victory of the conflict.”
That was what she had reasoned. The Golden Knights seemed satisfied with this result, though Ales, as always, was not too happy with it. However she said nothing as the group headed back into Leoux city. The group met up with Bouxen, the Goblin merchant. Giving the Goblin a brief summary of what had transpired, the Goblin gave the group a rather pleased smile.
“Sad the Wild ones could not be dealt with now, yes, but ensured of eventual success, your grandness did achieve, yes. I have prepared the reward, as promised, yes.”
Bouxen gestured to the group of goblin workers who carted out a wagon several laden with sacks and crates. Deryke walked over and inspected the sacks, and was surprised to find not a single coin. Instead, the sacks contained various grain, seeds and produce. Spices and salts were also filled in the sacks, and one of the crates even contained empty glass bottles and vials. Vexer=iriloux walked over and took a sack of spices.
“This is our payment, as we had agreed upon with your Order.”
The Koredin stated, and Lilianne nodded. Spices were indeed valuable, and Deryke had known some to trade it in the place of coin, but the value of spices were highly dependent on whether it was desired by the person being paid by it. Spices were also rather abundant, and despite the constant wars the Kingdoms had against one another, trade merchants and Freemen merchants still continue to ply their trade. Thus it was not used as a universally tradeable commodity. It still held value, however, and the Dragonnaire Order required spices and produce from the Kingdoms in order to continue to sustain its own community. Farms were created in Dracoravine, but the limited size of areable land compared to the growing size of the Order made it impracticable to continue its closed of seclusion. Spices that required specialised environments to grow were also essential for people of various parts of Draagterra.
“From here, we shall part ways. Though I had hoped to earn some time to guide your honourable selves through the market of Leoux city, perhaps time shall grant us favour the next time we meet.”
Vexer=iriloux said, placing his fist over his chest as a form of salute to them.
“It has been an honour and priviledge to fight alongst side the Grand Winged Order.”
The three Golden knights bowed to the Dragonnaires, and Deryke was a little flustered over how he should react, though judging from Lilianne’s lack of response, he suppose he need not do anything as well.
“You three have fought well. May the winds guide you on your safe journey.”
Lilianne said, earning a smile from Vexer=iriloux and Zexastek, whilst Ales simply looked away in a pout. Vexer=iriloux then turned to Deryke and speaking to him, making Deryke rather surprised.
“Your Grandness, I pray to for favourable Winds to guide you onto your own path, and to lighten your journey ahead as you forge your own path into the unknown. And until you find your own truths, may you forever be bestowed upon the blessings of such winds.”
The Koredin said as much, extending a hand to Deryke. Deryke was a little confused, but took the hand and shook it. Vexer=iriloux smiled broadly and nodded to Deryke before departing with the other two Golden knights, disappearing into the large tower that the group descended down from. It was at this point that Bouxen came forward with a particularly large, and blood stained parchment.
“Your Grandness, the report that your Grand Order has tasked this one to undertake, yes. It is done as your Grand Order has instructed, yes.”
Lilianne took the parchment and took note of the wax seal placed upon it.
“… I see.”
Was all she said, before pocketing the parchment.
“We shall make haste back to Dracoravine. We shall let the Dragoons handle these rewards.”
Lilianne took out a small wooden tablet and tied it to one of the sacks. Deryke peered over and noticed that the wooden tablet held the insignia of the Dragonnaire Order, and upon Lilianne’s touch, the symbol glowed fiercely in a pale white light, before the light faded away.
“Place these sacks upon the steps before the door of this building.”
Lilianne took out a small parchment, quickly wrote something on it, and handed it to Bouxen, who took a look upon the parchment and bowed.
“To complete such a task would be this one’s greatest honour, yes.”
Without acknowledging the goblin’s actions, Lilianne turned around and headed for the large tower. Deryke and Alsces looked to one another to see what the other would do, though both were uncertain on the course of action to take, but they decided that following Lilianne would be best. As the trio entered the tower, they noticed that there seemed to be an increase number of armed personnel. And they certainly did not seem the type to be Freemen adventurers or Greyvolfe clan mercernaries. No, these were different. Their armours and weapons of a different sort, clearly distinguishable from the ‘ragtag’, ‘slapped together’ sort of armour of the Freemen. Different from the uniformed and serious armour of the Greyvolfe clan that clearly emphasized utility over anything else. It also was different from the soldiers of the main army of a Kingdom, for they did not bear the symbol of the Kingdom of a large size on their equipment, nor bear the royal crest seal of the imperial knights. These held a separate symbol apart from the Kingdom’s coat of arms, dyed in pale beige colour, these were the armed soldiers of a Lord.
“It would seem a Lord of Yellow has begun to move.”
Lilianne noted off-handedly, making Deryke rather alarmed by this statement.
“A Lord of Yellow? Here?”
“Mayhap they be here… or they have simply sent their soldiers to guard their lands… though this Island is not the land of this particular Lord.”
Lilianne’s voice trailed off from the last part of her sentence, and Deryke and Alsces did not quite catch it. But a Lord, here? Such a news of difficult for Deryke and Alsces to react to, let alone keep their cool. Lords were a different kind of power within the Kingdoms. Powerful and said to be unaging, the Lords of the Kingdoms are chosen and bestowed such gifts by the King themselves in order to help spread the power of the throne throughout their land. Deryke knew little of how they actually worked, but he did know one thing. They do not answer to anyone, not even the nobles who sit as the King’s council, but the King.
“… The troubles of this Kingdom are becoming worse as time continues. Verias, Kyros, we are quickening our pace.”
Deryke and Alsces barely had time to reply before they are forced to keep in pace with the White Dragonnaire. Their pace had certainly attracted some attention, though Lilianne did not bother. They found the nearest cage elevator and took it up. Deryke could not recall where they came from, with the tower starting to look rather identical on all floors, but Lilianne seemed rather sure of herself as she leaned against the wall of the cage, unbothered by anything that came to her, even one of those aggressive Avarian merchants who came flapping to their cage and squawking something about apples. The Avarian merchant was glared at by Lilianne when he tried to press his sales pitch too hard, and immediately flew away in fright. The trio remained silent throughout the ride up, with Deryke taking note of Lilianne’s unease. He wanted to question it, but he noticed Alsces giving strange looks, as though the other red Dragonnaire was trying to tell him something using only his eyes and slight twitches of his facial muscles. Deryke understood none of that.
However, if Deryke could gleam anything from what Alsces wanted to say, it would probably be to not question anything. And so Deryke kept his silence, though it only managed to increase his own curiousity. The elevator finally stopped, and Lilianne left the cage the moment it opened out, forcing her way through the crowd and leaving Deryke and Alsces to force their way as well to follow her. Pushing their way through the crowded bridge market, the three Dragonnaires reached the largest landing platform. While normally people would queue for their own turn to call for their flying mount to the platform, Lilianne simply walked to the front of the queue, showing the insignia of the Order to anyone who complained.
This was rather against what Deryke knew of what was the Order meant. It is known that the Order is well-respected across the Kingdoms, and thus the insignia of the Order itself carried its weight of influence. However, it was stated constantly that the Order seeks to preserve the Kingdoms, and thus chooses not to supercede any rules and laws of the Kingdoms, unless it was an emergency. One good example, is the fact that Deryke and Alsces have returned to the platform to mount their scales, rather than simply calling down the scales outside of the city. They could do it, but as the Dragonnaire Order wishes to respect the law of this city, which stipulates that all entries and exits this island have to be documented and recorded by the city, they must comply. This was mainly to ensure that all merchants and travellers are known to the city, lowering the chances of a dangerous person entering the city.
But what about this case? Though they still chose to return to the platform to mount their scales, Lilianne ignored the queue and simply went ahead. Was this an emergency? It did not seem so, and Lilianne’s sense of urgency did not feel as though the general situation warranted an emergency, but rather it felt more along the lines of Lilianne wanting to leave with great haste of her own accord. It was odd and Deryke clearly showed his puzzlement on his face. Alsces, as usual, offered little help on the matter, and so the two simply followed Lilianne. Upon reaching the platform, Lilianne had just finished demanding the platform be cleared for the scales to arrive, and seeing three Dragonnaires in one place, was certainly enough to get the platform workers off in a hurry to complete the task.
Alsces and Deryke both reached into their satchels and pulled out small wooden carved flutes. The scale handler had handed these two them in order to call forth the scales should they separate. The flutes themselves had dragon engravings on them, though the overal design was simplistic. According to the handler, different musical instruments can affect Dragons, with flutes being able to call them, lyres being able to lull them to slumber, and, of all things, drums to get them to dance. Dragons dancing was something Deryke had not seen. A Drac, perhaps, but a Dragon? No. Placing the flutes under their lips, the two tried to blow into them, though if one were to judge their musical abilities, one would have to dig their ears and strain to hear anything remotely like a musical note. To them, it seemed like they were simply blowing air into the flutes. The two, faces flushed with embarrassment by their utter failure, attempted to try again, but Lilianne stopped them.
“It is enough.”
She told them, and pointed to the sky above them. Straining their eyes to see, the two noticed small dots far off in the distance. And the dots soon grew larger, and larger, until the shapes were no longer mere dots, but the faint shape of a flying Dragon. Coming towards them at amazing speeds, the two scales Houwe and Suilya slowed their descent as they approached and landed with heavy gusts of wind swept up by their power wings blowing all around.
“Let us hurry.”
Lilianne repeated that command to them, before she transformed into her white Dragon form. Alsces and Deryke knew better than to not follow Lilianne’s instructions, particularly in her current agitated state, and mounted upon their scales and took flight, following the White Dragonnaire as they three left Leoux city and the floating island on which it was on. As they flew further, Deryke craned his neck to see the city, and the island become smaller and smaller. This was his first time out of the Order after being trained to be one, and though he did not manage to do much, it still was an experience he would not forget. Clutching onto his chest, the words of Vexer=iriloux still resounded within him. Just what sort of path would he traverse upon from here on? He did not know, and that frightened him. But such fears are best kept to himself. Or so he hopes.
The journey back from Hexarash was less eventful than going to it. No swarms of scatter-brained Avarian knights coming to stop them, no large numbers of mounted knights in golden shining armour either. But the air around the Kingdom felt thick with tension. War was looming over the horizon every so closer, and Deryke could feel it, very well taste it. But they were not aiming for that. Lilianne Relinton flew higher than before, reaching great heights to the thick black clouds that hung over the Kingdom of the High peaks with ominous dread. Deryke did not know what to expect, but urged Suilya to follow.
As they got closer to the clouds, Deryke suddenly saw four figures emerge from the clouds. Shooting out of the clouds, the four figures swooped down and encircled the trio. Deryke, in his surprise, did not notice until his mind had calmed down, that these four were Dragons. Wearing the tell-tale armour of the Order, the Dragons each had a rider armed with plate armour under what appeared to be ceremonial surcoat. The armour of which the rider wore were also somewhat ceremonial, more in form than in function. But the symbols upon their armour could not be mistaken. Dragoons.
“Hail! Honoured Dragonnaires! The gate remains open!”
One of the Dragoons called out, pointing into the clouds. Lilianne acknowledged the instructions with a nod, and flew up. Deryke urged Suilya to follow, and once the Dragon got closer, Deryke could now see that an island was hiding itself up in the clouds. Whilst the clouds covered most of the island, a mysterious swirl of gentle air prevented the clouds from obstructing the view of the island itself once one had managed to get close enough. It was not a large piece of land in the sky, like the one Leoux city was on, but it was large enough to hold what appeared to be a stone arch.
Constructed with uneven and various sized stones, the archway was seemingly built in the open, with no walls, no other structures around it. One would think that this archway was built by some one who was simply bored and found some random stones lying around. The archway was unassuming, simple and not worth a second glance, save for the fact that it was the only thing on this small floating island high above the other floating islands of Hexarash, not even grass nor soil was on this island. One would think that this island was nothing more than a floating piece of rock.
It was odd, not only for this fact, but the fact that Deryke did not even realise this was what he came through when he was first brought here. To be enraptured by the sight of the Kingdom of the High peaks, that he did not turn around to see how he got here. But now to see this archway, Deryke had an odd sense of disappointment, though what exactly was he expecting in the first place is not known, even to himself.
As Suilya and Houwe circled around the archway, following Lilianne as she too circled the island, Deryke had time to look at the archway properly. The archway was as large as the island that it sat upon, allowing for a fully grown Dragon to fly straight through without obstruction. Two more Dragoons were spotted by the gate, wearing the same ceremonial armour as the ones below, seemingly studying the archway.
“Dragoon scouts need to know of the timing of the gates.”
Lilianne stated as they circled for another pass.
“And though they do not wear their ceremonial armour on normal occasions, they wear it upon news that a Kingdom is nearing a peril that could end it. It serves as a warning to both the Order, and the Kingdom, that our Order shall soon move into their lands.”
Like a war banner waved before the army. It serves to warn the Kingdom that the Order had deemed the situation dire enough for them to intervene. The two Dragoons studying the gate then stood up, looked up to the trio and took out a white banner showing the symbol of the Order, waving it in the air.
“The gate still connects, and will stay as such for the time we need to traverse it.”
Apparently, the gates may suddenly change their destination, or may cut off while knights go through it half-way. Dragoon scouts were trained in the study of the gates, and can tell should the gate threaten to change, but the timing they can accurately judge is only up to a few hours.
“It is safe to proceed.”
The White Dragonnaire flew up a little, before banking inwards, diving straight down towards the gate. Suilya craned her neck to look at Deryke with an inquisitive look. Should they follow? Deryke nodded, pulling the reigns to guide Suilya, and the pale blue Dragon turned sharply, diving straight down after Lilianne. Lilianne flew straight in through the archway on the side where the Dragoons stood, folding her wings slightly to make herself smaller when passing the archway, and the moment she passed, her figure disappeared from Deryke’s view. Alsces, on his scale Houwe, flew in after, disappearing as he flew through the archway.
Deryke, being last, held his breath as he neared the archway. Suilya’s wings folded slightly as the Dragon dove through the archway, and for Deryke, his view suddenly changed as he went through the archway. From merely looking through the archway, and seeing the otherside of the floating island, it was instantly changed to the thick fog. Heavy and hard on his chest, Deryke forced his lungs to breathe as Suilya flew through the fog and finally out of it to let Deryke see that he was now back in Dracoravine. The long stretch of valley, with the raging magical thunder storm overhead, leading all the way to the grand castle of the Dragonnaires and Dragoons.
The giant grey castle, towering atop a raised plateau at the other end of the valley, was easily a match for size of a capital city of the Kingdoms, Dracoravine had its walls and ramparts covered with defensive equipment, and one would not really notice it unless they were flying towards it. Heavy ballistaes, catapults, trebuchets, Drake-mounted cannons, and many Dragoons that manned such defenses. While within its walls, Deryke did not feel such power and strength of the Order, but from without, a fraction of the Order’s true might was on display for all who dared to approach.
Flying through the valley, Lilianne increased her altitude upon reaching the raised plateau, flying up to one of the open fields of the castle. Deryke and Alsces followed suit, and upon reaching the field, they saw Lilianne transform back into her normal self right before touching down on the field. Dragoons rushed out to the field as the two red Dragonnaires landed their scales, and the Dragoons helped them off their scales. However, no sooner did they get off the scales, did they spot Lilianne leaving the field in a hurry. Deryke was unsure if they were done now, or were they meant to follow Lilianne.
“I suppose I will have to seek out Lord Yellow Wing in order to inform him of the request.”
Alsces sighed, scratching the back of his head before glancing over to Deryke.
“You can go back to your room, Deryke. I’ll deal with the rest.”
The other red Dragonnaire patted Deryke on the shoulder with a smile.
“Though it may not have been what I had hoped it to be, at the very least, we stepped outside of these grey walls for a breath of fresh air… monkey excrement filled air, but fresh air nonetheless.”
Alsces said, before walking off back to the castle. Deryke did not know how to react, but perhaps it would be best for him to return to his room. There was, after all, much that he had to think and deliberate upon.
Imagination's fart 