Chapter 4: The Hydra Ceremony

"Wake up, Princess, if that is who you truly are." A sharp voice sliced its way into Ixia's dream, forcing her awake from a nightmare of eyes, tentacles, and a vast gray giant.

Ixia blinked her eyes. The nasty summoner from the previous night was crouched above the trapdoor to the royal chamber. "Wake up and prepare yourself. Do try not to be late; today is a big day for you."

"Mmm? What's happening?" Ixia asked coolly, blinking sleepily up at the summoner.

"Today is the Hydra Ceremony," said the summoner, and Ixia could detect a hint of a smirk in her voice. "Quickly, get dressed. You will find fresh garments in that box."

Ixia opened a small wicker box next to her bed and removed a pale blue robe, hooded, that reached her ankles. The summoner turned away while she slipped it on. "What's the Hydra Ceremony?"

The summoner's voice was gleeful. "Four thousand years ago, before our holy Princess (I don't believe you are she) went into slumber, the members of the royal family had a protector, a frost hydra who was coded only to protect those of royal blood and those of the line of the smith who had created it. You will meet that protector today. If it recognizes you (which it won't), you will live and the Summoners' Guild will once again have its rightful queen."

"And if it doesn't?" asked Ixia fearfully as she climbed out of the hanging bedroom.

The summoner giggled happily. "Oh, all kinds of terrible things. If you're just an impostor, you'll get to experience all of them firsthand." She leaned close, and Ixia could smell the summoner's breath on her face. "Every... single... one."

Ixia shuddered and followed the summoner down into the central chamber of the Summoners' Guild. There was a great pit in the center, and all around it stood summoners and royal supporters from all walks of life. Inside the pit was a podium, and upon it stood a huge, musclebound man in red robes, clutching an elaborate staff.

The summoner lifted Ixia's hood over her head. "Go."

Ixia took a deep breath and descended the steps into the pit, carrying herself proudly and gracefully. Eytan's small voice - "Go get 'em, my liege!" - made her smile, and she walked confidently up to the man in red.

He said no words, but began to chant an incantation, making strange motions with his large hands, and finally tapping the staff against the earth, three times. Icy energy began swirling around him, and he began shaping the energy into a mass - a dragon, about three feet high, made of ice. This was the Hydra.

The Hydra stretched its muscles and ran for a quick lap around the pit, much to the amusement of the crowd of summoners. It snorted, emitting two puffs of freezing steam. Only then did it seem to notice Ixia for the first time.

It padded suspiciously up to her, sniffing every part of her. And then, to her dismay, it flattened its ears to its head and began growling.

Ixia took off her hood and tried to calm it down. "Shh, shh." She reached out her hand and touched the dragon's nose, between its eyes. The Hydra saw her face and instantly calmed down, for even after thousands of years it recognized the person it had protected for so long.

Much to everyone's amazement, the Hydra walked up to Ixia and sat on its haunches. Ixia knelt, and then brought the dragon to her and gave it a hug. Its scales were warm and smooth, despite being made of ice.

Around her, a roar began echoing around the roots of the tree as the summoners gave up a massive cheer.

At last, at long, long last, they had found their true queen.