Chapter 9 – Jail time with a cake
(Balinor POV)
"WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MYSTIC-KNIGHT!" Balinor shouts like an officer to a row of seven year old boys, Pages standing side by side in the middle of a round chamber.
The Chamber itself has mosaic windows depicting Soul's history like how humanity gain the power of magic from the good dragons as well as one depicting the first of the Mystic-Knights fighting alongside the very first Wizard-King against the dragons who turned to evil. There are also statues of the heroic knights in their signature armor resembling a hybrid between a warrior and a wizard.
"TO BRING PEACE TO SOUL!" one Page shouts.
"TO UES OUR MAGIC TO FIGHT LIKE WARRIORS" another Page follows
Balinor, who is standing in the middle platform looks to his fellow high ranking knights. Even though he is a Prince and Knight-Commander second only to his father the king, he is open to hear opinions of those who follow him. Even knight give him approving nods to proceed with his speech on what a Mystic-Knight is all about. It is the induction ceremony to promote the young eager Pages to be Squires.
"We are more than soldier capable of wielding magic with combat. We are more than simply the King's best soldiers. WE ARE THE PROTECTORS OF THE KINGDON AGAINST THOSE WHO DARE MISSUSE MAGIC FOR SELFISH GAIN!"
"It is our sacred duty to be prepared to face against foes beyond your imagination! We faced hellish demons, wicked witches, terrifying Basilisks, and more importantly once upon a time…Dragons who dare turn their back on the Maker for wicked gain."
"Seeing you all here brings me great joy to see that young men like you are willing to pick a blade with your mind to defend the innocent and face creatures of darkness. Today by my right as not only a Prince but also Knight-Commander of the Mystic-Knights of Soul I make you all Squires!"
The audience, current squires and knights alike give their applause to the Pages who are now promoted to be Squires. Balinor then proceeds to assign each Squire or two to an available Knight where they will start their training in both combat and spell power.
()
After the ceremony, Balinor makes his way through the halls of the castle to check on his father the King. Things have been going smoothly lately. No more complaints about a dragon attack. He and his father made haste to help rebuild the kingdom of the damages of one individual.
It gives him some peace to know that his little brother is not out there causing trouble anymore. At the same time it worries him. Something might have happened to him. Magic related accident? Potion? Or worse? Maker Balinor hopes Ignus is ok at least. It is what he wanted to speak with his father about until he sees a woman in black robes speaking with his father in the middle of the 'private chambers' hall.
"Are you sure about that?" Balinor hears his father, King Merlon demands to the lady with a surprised look.
"I saw with my own eyes your majesty. Dragons of legend have chased off your son off the distance across the ocean," the lady tells him. "Who knows where that dragon boy of yours head off too."
"Excuse me!" Balinor calls the pair out. Both the King and the lady look at him. "Did you say dragons chased Ingus lady Necanda?"
Turns out the lady is the court wizard of the Soul palace. Being one time a great professor of the Magic academy, Merlon hired her to fill the role. Since then, Necanda has been working alongside the court.
However, her mention of dragons surprises Balinor as much as his father. Creatures of legend unseen for a long time. Necanda chuckles and replies, "I did indeed. I just told your father while venturing in the enchanted woods, I saw your brother was flying away from a flock of dragons in armor across the sea."
"Father is it true?!" Balinor questions turning his attention to Merlon.
"If that is case, it means he might be danger. There is no telling why the dragons would want him…Meet me at the throne room. We will talk about this more there." The king declares.
"Of course, your majesty, defenitlly a great idea to involve the lords of this kingdom for such a big time." Necanda adds with a strange smirk and silent whispers something catching Balinor's ear.
He kinda sworn he heard her say the word 'fools'. He ignores it for now as an emergency meeting is going to take place involving his brother.
()
In the grand throne room of Castle Spirit. A rectangular pear stone room with a blue royal carpet that stretches from the entrance to the large white stone throne. Blue banners with a white star representing the Kingdom of Soul hang from a beautiful ceiling painted purple with white dots, stars with a large star in the middle where a grand chandelier hangs with a large blue crystal giving the room light.
King Merlon has gathered important members of both his military and nobility. Balinor stands next to his father who sits on his throne addressing his important subjects.
"Everyone, what I am about say must only remain here for the time being. We all know the dragon, my one son caused lots of trouble. When i mean we i mean all of Eurobania. They all eventually know the truth of his appearance. It why i have been busy taking responsibility to help rebuild the damages he brought. But now he has stopped for now. However, it is because something has happened. I want to say thanks to the court Witch Necanda, I have learned that my younger son who I personally turned into a dragon was chased to another world…by dragons."
Everyone in the room Gasp in disbelief. One General raises his hand and asks, "Did you say your son was chased by dragons as in natural born?"
"I speak truth" Merlon motions his arm to Necanda who was hiding behind his throne to step forth.
"Fine subjects of the king. It is indeed I who addressed our majesty that the dragon boy is indeed chased by other dragons from the legends. However, they flew all the way to the eastern coast where the dragons somehow stop chase yet Ignus kept on flying into the ocean." Necanda finishes.
Then a flurry of questions are thrown by the crowd, demanding how she knows, why would dragons want with Ignus? And more importantly would he be dead by drowning into the ocean?
"I assure you boys that the younger prince still lives"
"How do you know that if I may be bluff," Balinor steps up to Necanda. He gives her a suspicious look on his face. To come and think of it, How does she know if his younger brother did not simply drown after being chased.
Necanda simply smirked and shows him a crystal ball. "Look here," she tells him and Merlon. The Generals also walk up to the throne to see for themselves. With a voice of authority, Necanda damands it to show her the boy. The orb glows and creates a projection of the red dragon, Ignus all chained up being dragged by strange snake like creature they never seen before.
"Maker's mercy! Where in the heavens is he!? What are those things? And why is Ignus in chains?" Merlon demands looking worried for Ignus as he helpless gaze at the projection, watching his younger son being dragged by the snake creatures.
Balinor is also at a loss for words. It is what he feared. Flew to a place unknown and captured by its natives. Taking a closer look at the creatures, their heads seem to almost resemble ones of dragons?
Necanda shuts off the projection of her crystal ball and tucks it back into her bag and spouts, "What this shows gentle dra- I mean gentlemen is that there is a whole another world across the sea. However, I suspect the dragons of our world are going attempt to follow suit and try to get your boy there."
"And how do you know the dragons will try to fly there?" Balinor demands again. Still sus at her.
"You know the legends. Stubborn creatures who will never give up getting what they want." Counters Necanda. "There were stories about dragons kidnapping members of royalty"
"But most of them were princesses?" Balinor questions looking confused.
"Then we better head to wherever he is and find him before the dragons get to him or the snake creatures harm him." Decrees Merlon raising from his pearl throne.
"Actually father!" Balinor calls out getting attention from all present in the throne. "The people of Soul won't like it, especially while you are trying rebuild the kingdom to take responsibility."
"What do you offer then?" Necanda gives him a questionable demand as she crosses her arms.
Balinor looks to his concern father and at the members of the military and nobility. With a deep breath he suggests, "I volunteer to travel with an appropriate team and get Ignus out of there."
(Ignus POV)
Ignus is being dragged through the Oriental streets of this city filled with furry noodle dragons by the chained neck while his fore legs are cuffed. He is pulled by two the guards following their leader Pengu with Jagan by his left side while Sisu is by his right looking worried.
Ignus tries to ignore the constant stares from the wingless oversized snakes who are all gathered at the main street as if they are excepting a parade of sorts. He kept his focus on the leading dragons at front. He sees the dragon Sisu look back at him with a fearful look on her face. At the same time she looks hurt.
Should have known she is part of some hunting team. At least to his view even though she did beg that she has no knowledge of her brothers searching for him particularly. Yet Ignus did not say a word to her. He just glares at her without making a sound. With a hurt face, Sisu looks back in front of her.
The trio continue to walk through the crowd all the way to a large temple structure with two of the dragons in between.
()
Ignus is taken to what looks like the dungeons area. Rocky, damp, dark, filled with cells. The usual dungeon for prisoners. While he is being dragged by two guards, he notices that all the cells are empty and clean. Probably these weird giant snakes whom claim to be dragons have no problem with crime. Makes him the first ever prisoner.
"With all the empty cells, can't believe it is going to be difficult to pick which one suited for that thing." One of the two guys claims pointing his claw thumb to Ignus. The latter growls at being called a thing.
The two guards give him a brief look before the other ones replies, "Better make it quick. He looks very dangerous."
"You have no idea," Ignus mutters himself. As much as he wants to burn them with his fire breath, he does not because of the dragoness Sisu even though he has conflicted feelings towards her. With haste, the guards picked a random cell.
One of the guards open it up and motions for Ignus to get in or else they would be forced to shove him in. With a growl he complies. He trots into the cell with shame.
Instead of laying on the bed pile, Ingus trots to a corner and sat on it with his back on the wall. Knees up, hugs them with his forearms, buries his face into it as the guards lock him up before making their way out.
A lot of thoughts are in his mind. Mostly about his past as well as mental beatings to himself, complaining about how humiliating that he let himself be held by overgrown four legged snakes.
Through the barred window, the ray of light is diminishing, indicating that nightfall is approaching. It is almost officially his first day in fluffy wingless dragon jail. With a yawn he trots up to his makeshift pillow pile which serves as his bed. He tries to sleep.
"Here goes my first day in weird dragon jail," He jokes to himself.
"Would you like a cake for that?" a familiar female voice startles him up. He whips his head to the cell to see Sisu holding what looks like a cake giving him a nervous grin while her eyes look apologetic.
"Look who decided to show up?" Ignus angrily growls at her.
Sisu's expression drops into a face of hurt in shame. She knows that Ignus is mad at her.
"Iggy please listen, I did not know that my brothers where around!"
"Then how did YOUR brothers find me backstabber?!" demands Ignus angrily. He gives Sisu his back and spouts, "Can't believe I was considering warming up to you."
"Iggy I…Look, I am not the type who hurts her friends like that. I think it is possible they somehow followed me without me knowing or they were already waiting by your cave while you were away." Sisu pleas.
"You expect me to believe any of that?" Ignus doubts still with his back turned not seeing that Sisu is not giving up. She tries to think of something.
She gets an idea, a memory, "You do remember me telling you that I was trying to find a friend, right?"
Ignus nods without looking at her with forearms crossed.
"I was telling the truth. I was truly on my way to find a good friend of mine until i found…well you." Sisu replies
"What is so important about this friend of yours?" Ignus demands suspiciously.
"She and I go a long way. Well not that long but we did recently go on a perilous quest to defeat an old matter of darkness called 'the Druun'" Sisu explains.
Out of nowhere Ignus bursts out laughing making Sisu confused. "What's so funny buster? I don't recall making a joke around here."
"Hahaha, you sure? What kind of name is Druun? And a matter of darkness? Hahaha, sounds like you two only fought some kind evil cloud hahahaha" Ignus mocks the concept of this Druun. It is very laughable to him of an idea of fighting fluffy clouds.
"HEY! Druun was not just some blob of purple clouds. It is a negative form of evil magic manifested from chaos!" Sisu gets defensive. "Not to mention it was not just me and her but also some other friends we made on the way in order to restore the great dragon gem!"
"The what gem?" Ignus says no longer laughing. Magical gems are something very valuable to wizards in Eurobania. He did hear about dragons forging magical items like the fabled 'Staff of light' to defeat the Draconicus.
"A special gem that we dragons of Kumandra have forged in order to defeat evil entities and restore life affected by dark magic like petrification." Sisu explains looking a bit calm, sensing Ignus's sudden interest.
Ignus gets into thought about this gem Sisu just explained. It sounds like a one of those rare 'Light Gems' great wizards and good dragons of old have created to expel the evils of dark magic.
"You guys have a 'Light Gem'? Maker, you dragons must have some sort of advanced light magic or something." He rants grabbing the bars of his cell.
"Riiiiiight but we dragons around here simply call it the 'Dragon gem' and yes we Noodles that you like to call us have very strong magic. I would love to tell you more but it is getting late, tomorrow my siblings are going to want to speak with you along with a trial." Sisu states as she unlocks the cell door and gives Ignus the cake she wants to give him and closes it to lock it up again.
Ignus walks up to the cake to see is covered with purple frosting with frosted letters that reads in a language he does not understand.
"Hope you like vanilla and please don't be a jerk tomorrow" Sisu concludes as she walks out of the dungeon leaving Ignus behind. Ignus looks through the bar to see Sisu sadly trotting out. The way she is trying to be nice to him. He really does not know why she is treating him that way.
Whatever the case might be. He eats up his cake and plops to sleep. It is going to be a long day in the next sunrise.
The trial will begin in the next chapter. Apologies for not updating sooner. I have a big addiction with great video games like Elden ring as well as trying to write my sequel to my Book 'Tales in Scales the empty throne'. Yet again if anyone is interested in reading the book, order it online at Amazon ; )
