With every hour that passed, Helen began to feel her hopes dwindle.

While the group were safe from the Drakes, no one came to answer the historian's call for help. The horizon was barren. She wanted to venture forward over the hill towards where she knew her daughter was being held captive. But, she didn't want to give away the group's presence. As time went on, her hopelessness turned into frustration. Even their enemies weren't bothered by her rallying cry.

Helen sat on the ground and looked over her shoulder at the group. There were many good people here. However, it wasn't nearly enough. They had no hope of storming the stadium. Even if it was just Albatox and Baerock, they would easily overwhelm the group before they even got close to Isabel. And the last thing Helen wanted was to leave her daughter alone in this world. She had thought that people would come to help. Despite Cruise's apprehension earlier, he was also on the lookout for allies. But, no one came.

''You should get some rest,'' Jon's soft voice startled Helen.

She turned and saw him approaching her. His face twisted in pain as he eased himself down so that he was sitting next to her. Helen offered her arm for support. ''I could say the same of you.'' She said.

''I've done enough resting,'' he replied. ''I wish I could do more to help.''

''We all do.'' Helen smiled. She stared at the hill with him. ''I just want to hold her in my arms again. I can't lose her.''

He cupped her arm gently. ''You won't. She'll overcome anything thrown her way. She's the bravest and strongest woman I've ever met. Well…along with someone else I know.''

''I don't feel strong now. My words didn't inspire a single soul.''

''It inspired us, look at us,'' he gestured to the group behind them. ''Everyone who is here is willing to fight to save Isabel.''

Helen's smile dropped when she spotted Thane in the crowd, sitting by the fire and keeping to himself. ''Not everyone.''

Jon scoffed. ''Even the most beautiful of starry nights have a blank spot or two.''

The jest was enough to earn a small laugh from Helen. Hearing those words compelled her to look up towards the sky. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to see any stars, but that didn't stop her imagination or her sense of wonder from coming to the surface. ''The funny thing is that those stars we're seeing have actually long since passed. They are so far away that time is still travelling through space to reach our eyes. It's like a glimpse into the past.''

Leaning back, Jon grinned hopefully. ''So, if there are people watching us from there, can they see us or what the world used to be?''

Helen shrugged. ''I don't know. We were apparently on the brink of journeying out towards the stars before the Dragons came from above. Maybe they've destroyed other worlds and we're seeing them before their light goes out?''

''I don't know about them. The only thing I'm certain of is that we're still alive. As long as that is a fact, we have to keep fighting until the end. And I know that's exactly what you're going to do. Right?''

Feeling her heart lift, Helen turned to her oldest friend and smiled. ''Yes. Thank you, Jon.''

She looked over Jon's shoulder and spotted Jess sitting by herself in the distance. The young woman had her arms tucked around her knees as she was also gazing out to the hill as if she was looking at Isabel. She hadn't noticed Helen and Jon.

Helen slowly rose to her feet. ''I'm going to keep her company.''

''I'm going to head back to the others,'' Jon said. After being helped up by Helen, he limped back towards the group. ''There's only so much sitting around one person can do.''

They parted ways, with Jon returning to the group and immediately being welcomed by Jasmine and Naomi. Despite his pain, he greeted them excitedly, much to Erika's amusement. His fatherly instincts had made him a warm and friendly giant to the young girls. The display made Helen smile. It felt like a lifetime ago when he was the same with Isabel when she was barely up to her thigh. Now, Isabel was a young woman that Helen knew she had feelings for. Not in a way that was right, but that was true. As she approached Jess, she could see the love in her eyes. Strangely, Helen didn't feel jealous. She was happy that her daughter could inspire and be loved. It was just as she said before, their feelings could be shared.

''Do you mind if I join you?'' she asked, standing over her.

Jess rubbed her eyes and looked up at Helen. She moved down a bit. ''Not at all.''

Helen sat down and rubbed Jess's arm. ''Are you okay?''

''Yes,'' Jess nodded. ''I was just keeping a lookout.''

''Doesn't Cruise have his Crew on lookout?''

''I mean look out for allies,'' Jess said. ''People must have heard your call. They will hopefully be here soon.''

It was such a small statement. However, Jess said it was so much commitment and belief, Helen wanted to believe her ludicrous plan would work. She sighed. ''The world is a big place. I don't know how far my call reached.''

Jess looked at her. ''It could have been passed on. It's like back in the tunnels. We move the message from one person to the other. All it takes is one person to be brave enough to stand up. I wish I was as brave as you and Isabel.''

''Are you kidding me?'' Helen gasped, shocking Jess. ''You have been nothing but brave. You saved my life from Lacron. You chose to come on this journey with us. You have been at the front of almost everything since we started.''

Looking away bashfully, Jess rubbed her legs. ''I'm just doing what I believe is right in my heart. Doing the right thing shouldn't be considered special. It should be the norm.''

''Still, what I say is true,'' Helen looked away for a moment before she then gazed back at Jess and smiled. ''You were even brave enough to want Isabel when no one else would.''

At first, Jess thought the comment was referring to her friendship with the historian's daughter. However, her face turned red when she realized Helen was talking about when she caught the two of them in her hut. It was such a long time ago, but the memory of Jess offering herself to Isabel and then being literally swept off her feet made the young woman squirm. ''I'm sorry…''

''Sorry that you did it? Or sorry you were caught?''

Sensing that Helen was being light-hearted on the subject, Jess laughed lightly. ''Sorry, that…we got caught.''

The two shared a laugh together. Jess rubbed her warm face as if that would erase her blushes. When it got quiet again, Helen kept staring at Jess and waited for her to lock eyes with her before speaking. ''I'm not. Don't get me wrong, it was a shock, but after so many years of seeing Isabel being rejected, I was happy that someone wanted her for who she was and not because of a tradition about mating.''

''What the two of you have is more than mating,'' Jess said. ''It's real love. It's something that I would like to have too…with both of you. If that's okay?''

Helen's smile widened. ''It is. And I know that Isabel will be happy to hear that too. Once we save her, we'll decide on what to do next.''

Their moment of happiness was ended abruptly when they began to feel the earth rumble beneath them. They jumped to their feet and glanced around, seeing stones shake as something large appeared to be approaching. For a moment, they feared the worst and worried that the Drakes were coming to finish them off. They turned to run to the others until they saw Erika was rushing towards them.

She gazed at them with a beaming smile. ''You need to see this!''

They hurried after her. The sound grew louder as they ran back to their camp and then stopped in their tracks when they saw what was heading towards them. Stretching as far as the eye could see, the group saw an army of people coming towards them. There was more than anyone dared to count. Some of them brandished weapons, holding them in the air while letting out a gallant cheer. Shockingly, there was a few that had even made the journey on horseback. Many had never seen live horses before. The sight brought tears to almost everyone.

''They came.'' Helen gasped, trying to hold back her own tears.

Standing next to her, Cruise smirked. ''I suppose when there's only a few left in the world that can read maps, people naturally huddle together to come for help.''

Jess turned her head, noticing more groups coming towards them. ''I've never seen so many people before.''

Within minutes, the small group were surrounded by an army that absolutely dwarfed their numbers. People of different cultures and regions had come together to answer their call. They were prepared to do what they could to save the Dragon Slayer. To save their hope for a brighter future. Suddenly, they noticed a small group separating from a larger one to approach them. He and the others held their breath as they recognized the familiar faces of the colony and the Crew that had stayed behind with them. Sir Lucan and the council marched at the front of the group until a woman and her four children sprinted forward.

''Ciara!'' Jon cried out. Ignoring his injuries, he hurried to them and embraced his beloved. Their four sons wrapped their arms around their father, crying their eyes out and endlessly proclaiming their love for him.

Thane stepped forward, staring at his father with wide eyes. ''Father? You came too?''

''Indeed, my son,'' he said and gestured to the colony. ''We heard the message and couldn't sit idly when the hero of the colony needs our help.''

Helen stepped forward. ''Thank you.''

''What do you want us to do?'' Ciara asked while still holding Jon close to her.

Dominic came forward and pointed his bound hands in the opposite direction. ''Over that hill is a structure where two Drakes have got the Dragon Slayer. They have prisoners who may fight for them to save their own skin. We outnumber them. Though, I think we all know that they're not going to be the difficult part.''

''Once we save Isabel,'' Jess spoke up. ''She can fight the Drakes. She gets stronger when a fire is near. If we have any weapons that can help her, then we stand by her side.''

''For the Dragon Slayer!'' Someone in the crowd cheered.

What followed was a rallying cry the likes of which had never been heard on this earth for centuries. People from across the land had come together to fight as one. Dominic was surprised to feel his hands being freed. He turned and saw Cruise and his Crew tearing off their cuffs and binds before handing them whatever weapons were available to be shared.

Cruise looked to the crowd and smiled. ''Do you hear the people sing?'' he bellowed.

Standing amongst their numbers was Helen, who upon gazing up at the sky saw the clouds begin to part. She could see the stars glimmering over a black canvas. With her belief and courage renewed, she knew that the time to mount a charge was now.

The fate of the Dragon Slayer and the world was about to be decided very soon.

XXX

HELLO MY SWEET SUPERSTARS! DID YOU LIKE THIS NEW CHAPTER? ARE YOU EXCITED FOR WHAT'S COMING NEXT? I HOPE SO BECAUSE THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS ARE GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST YET. THERE WILL BE ACTION, THERE WILL BE ROMANCE, AND THERE WILL BE BIG TWISTS COMING AS WELL. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE ALL YOUR REACTIONS WHEN IT HAPPENS. FOR MY PATRONS, THE NEXT 3 CHAPTERS WILL BE POSTED ALL TOGETHER THIS SUNDAY SO YOU GET TO READ THEM ALL AT ONCE. THEN, THEY WILL BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC AS SCHEDULED ON MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY. GET READY FOR THE BIGGEST BATTLE YET. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING THE BEST READERS EVER. STAY SAFE AND TA-TA FOR NOW.