Scourge of the Dragons (32 page)

“Too much death, I say. Everyone will agree
with me on that, I’m sure. We haven’t known each other long, but I
respect you. You gave my people the spirit they needed to come back
and beat the dragons. We owe you much, hunter. That is a debt that
we can never repay,” Hrimgur said.

“I would never expect you to repay it.
Without your assistance there would be no victory. The same can be
said about everyone that fought today. We all owe an unpayable debt
to each other. It was an honor to have fought by your side,” Wrotan
said.

“If ever you find yourself in the north,
stop by for some dwarven hospitality.”

“You have my promise.”

*

Attos stood next to Amber as she laid the
wildflowers on Kade’s gravesite. The young Knight had not known
Kade for long, but they had formed a bond sealed with sweat and
blood. He felt that the responsibility of seeing Amber home safely
had fallen on his shoulders. It was one last thing he could do for
a friend whose life had been taken too soon. He wiped away a single
tear before placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him and
smiled. There was a bit of silence as they both turned back to the
grave for a moment. They turned back toward camp and slowly walked
toward Wrotan.

“Are you headed back to Reddington?” The
Knight asked.

“Yes, my parents will be worried sick. I
cannot imagine how I will muster the strength, but Kade and
Julian’s parents must be informed of what happened,” she
replied.

“I will see you safely home. After that, the
Knights of Ardevale must do what they can to bring stability back
to the world. We could use someone with your skills at healing
magic.”

“I will feel much safer knowing that you and
your Knights will see me home. Josephine would be a much better
recruit for the position of healer.”

“We will extend the offer to her as well.
Perhaps we can find another position that you would feel is better
suited for your abilities.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t many skills,” Amber
said.

“Though I disagree, I will drop the subject.
When will you be ready to depart?” Attos asked.

“I must speak with Wrotan first. He needs to
know that nobody blames him for Kade’s death.

*

Wrotan looked down as Amber approached. She
could tell that he associated her with Kade, which meant that he
felt guilt. The warmth of the fire helped her to gather her
thoughts as she took a seat next to him. Her mind struggled to find
the right words for the situation. She had yet to truly accept Kade
or Julian’s deaths. The rush of emotions that came with her
realization was more than she could handle. Tears began to stream
down her face as she came to grips with the fact that she would not
see them again in this life. She felt a hand on her shoulder and
looked up to see Wrotan’s solemn face.

“This is all wrong. I was supposed to come
here to help you,” she said.

“Life often hits us when we least expect it.
I know that you came to tell me that Kade’s death is not my fault,
but it seems you are the one who needs the comforting. If only I
knew how to do such a thing. There are many platitudes that come to
mind, but I do not think they would be helpful. All I can say is
that I am truly sorry for your loss, my friend,” Wrotan said.

Amber nodded as she continued to cry.
Nothing could make up for the deaths of her friends, but she felt
comforted that the hunter considered her a friend. It was as though
he could now share some of her sorrow. The two of them sat near the
fire without speaking. Attos took a seat a few feet away and stared
into the flames. Though each of them had vastly different
interactions with Kade, they each brought their own form of
mourning. Amber wiped her tears away and stood up. She had a long
trip ahead and wanted to get on the road. Both Attos and Wrotan
stood as well.

“Take care of her on the return trip,”
Wrotan said to the Knight.

“That I shall,” Attos said.

“Safe travels to both of you.”

*

Zaira was the last to approach the hunter.
He stood with his back to the fire, watching as the last of their
allies departed. It was a strange feeling for the warrior from the
Magic Forest. She understood how the others felt about losing
friends and loved ones, but she had no connection to those who had
left. Her father had sacrificed himself fighting a battle that
seemed distant and pointless, yet he had been so adamant in their
need to assist the others. She had always loved that about him and
she knew that he had seen that same trait in Wrotan. That was, in
her mind, why he chose the hunter as his replacement. He turned
back to the fire and sighed.

“The world is a dangerous place. We will
need to ensure that your people are safe. There is much work that
needs to be done on that front. It is difficult to leave the rest
of the world to its fate, but one man can only do so much,” he
said.

“You are wrong on one account. They are not
just my people anymore. Now, they are our people,” she said.

Born and raised in Southern California, Cody
J. Sherer was always fascinated with Science Fiction, Fantasy, and
similar type genres. His interest led him to read a great many
books and watch a great many shows and movies. These were the
kindling that ignited with a spark that led him to begin writing
seriously at the age of twenty. Since then, he has released three
books: Pioneers of the Stars, The Wizard’s Council, and The Tomes
of Magic. His writing mainly consists of Science Fiction and
Fantasy, but he is also working on other genres as well.

Visit
www.codyjsherer.com
for more information on Cody’s
writing!

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