Dragon's Breath Cavern
9th of August, 1997.
Kato stood looking down at the big hole in the ground that supposedly was a cave or maybe even a whole cave system. "I think flying down is safest," he said as Laurina walked up next to him. She nodded. "Good thing we brought brooms," she said.
"You and I maybe unless Ralis is a better choice," Kato said. "I'm thinking we'll set up the apparition point down there rather than up here. The goblins will prefer it. We should have our main camp down in the cave either way."
Laurina nodded slowly. She agreed, but she wanted to know what the terrain was like down there first. They couldn't make any decisions until they had an idea of what they were dealing with, and she told Kato as much.
After breakfast, Laurina and Kato grabbed their brooms and floated down in the darkness.
Kato summoned a candlelight orb and dropped it in. He followed after the orb. He could feel Laurina close by. "Water," he said softly yet his voice echoed far. He stepped down on the surface. "Come here Laurina I'm going to give us more light," he said. She flew down next to him and he focused on the orb in the air above them. It glowed brighter and brighter until it looked like a small sun above them. Kato shifted the light and the walls of the cave glowed. "The walls are rich," Kato said. "I hope the goblins won't dig too much in them."
"There is land over there," Laurina said. "It is quite humid down here."
"Let's see if we can put something up over there or maybe find an offshoot that will work better," Kato said. He started walking towards land as Laurina dismounted her broom. The two of them scanned the walls. They found a few corridors, but they either ended in quick dead-ends or were filled with rubble.
"We could probably clear one of these out quite quickly if we got everyone down here," Laurina said.
"Will you take the brooms back up and start on that," Kato said. "I'll see if I can figure out which one of these would be best to work on." He handed Laurina his Firebolt and walked up to one of the five tunnels that could lead somewhere. Qozul poked his head out and looked around. "Monah, what are we doing?" he asked.
"We are trying to find a good nest for many nights," Kato said. "Zu'u, I'm trying to decide which one of these corridors might be best to clear out for us."
Qozul stood up slowly and stretched. He looked around for a bit to get a lay of the land before he took off. He flew around and dived into the lake before coming back to Kato. "Not that one," he said as he landed in front of the opening Kato stood by. "Feels bad, dead." He moved over to the next one. "Water," was all he said. The third entrance he landed by he stopped by. "Maybe?" he said.
Kato smiled. "Thank you Qozul," he said. "Will you check the other ones as well? In case there is something you can detect."
Qozul agreed and flew off while Kato started moving rocks. He wanted to be careful. The rocks were there for a reason, and he didn't want to bring the cave down on himself. He could probably mend the walls, but they would need to support it too. Hopefully, Bill would be coming down first since he had more experience with these kinds of things.
"Other ways no good either, Monah," Qozul said as he returned. "Bad air and more death."
"So this is our best option then," Kato said. "That is good to know."
"Is Qozul scouting for us?" Bill asked as he walked up to Kato.
Kato nodded. "He says this way is our best option," he said and pointed at a blocked-off corridor.
Bill walked forward and studied the walls. "Yeah, this is going to take a while," he said.
"Teach me something I can do to help and let's get started then," Kato said.
Draco arrived among the last of the group. He had started missing Kato as he was left alone with Rose as Ralis. "Please give me something to do away from Miss Rose," he said as he walked up to Kato. "Anything as long as I don't need to listen to her anymore."
Kato gave his apprentice an amused look before teaching him the same spells that Bill had taught him only moments earlier. Together with Laurina and Prower they slowly made their way through the rubble only to find a big open room with long wooden tables.
"A dining hall maybe," Bill said.
Kato shook his head. "I don't think so," he said. He looked back at Rose. This was her time. "Bill is thinking dining hall and I'm not quite so certain," he said. "What do you think?" he threw in a magelight orb so she could see.
Rose walked in further slowly. She had removed the glamour that Kato had given her, and her pink hair almost glowed. "I think it looks like they might have kept some kind of plants here," she said. "Just look at all the dirt."
"Or at the plants that seem to have flourished despite the absence of whoever lived here," Kato said as he pushed the light further. Long whines and mushrooms that looked very familiar to Kato became visible. He stopped in his tracks. "Don't touch those," he said. He sent a light orb up to one of the tall stalks. It blinked out of existence and the stalk glowed faintly. He recognised the mushrooms as the same as the ones grown down in Blackreach. Blackreach was filled with magic keeping them nourished. These ones seemed deprived, but they could still be awakened it would seem. "We'll have to make sure that none of the roots of those things spread to where we set up our living space or we need to get rid of them," he said. He shielded the room carefully.
"They might be an unknown species and you just want to destroy them?" Prower said.
"How about we get that apparition point up and get the rest of our team here," Laurina said. "One of the goblins might know what to do and the General can decide what we'll do."
Kato gave her a grateful smile before he joined Bill and Ralis in setting up a safe space.
By lunch, they sent out a signal and the goblins arrived. "Koss go get Alve. Tell her we have deep mushrooms. She is to drop everything and come here immediately. The survival of this expedition hangs on it," Rourk ordered as soon as he saw the faintly glowing mushroom. He could tell that there was some kind of ward up between them and the fungi so he looked over at Kato. "You approached them?" he asked.
"Mask up," Kato said. "Miss Rose went with me though and I don't know if she had any protection."
"Was it glowing when you got here?" Alve asked as she came walking up to them.
"No I sent a spell near it," Kato said. "The closest we have been is three meters. Miss Rose was unprotected I think. Once I realised what it was I threw up a filter ward."
Alve nodded. "The best way to deal with those is burning them out," she said. "As I understand it you are quite good with fire Mr Peverell."
"Good enough that I can kill every living organism in an area," Kato said uncomfortably.
"Back straight soldier!" General Rourk commanded. "Past mistakes will not affect your current assignment."
"This time we need you to kill at least everything that is connected to those mushrooms," Alve said. "If you can narrow it down then that is fine."
Kato nodded. "Draco come over here!" he called.
"What is it Master?" Draco asked as he reached them.
"Come with me," Kato said. "You wanted to know just what Thu'um can do." They walked up to the ward. "I'm going to burn those mushrooms without touching anything else in the room." He lowered his voice. "I'd appreciate it if you could make sure I don't just collapse afterwards. This takes more power than most would realise."
Draco nodded. "As you wish," he said. He watched as Kato brought out a chain of glowing gems. He knew they were charged with magic. His Master had to assume this would drain him if he was about to use the stones. Kato grabbed Draco's shoulder and then he spoke. The cloud of fire that left him was loaded with power, but Draco felt no heat from it. The mushrooms didn't seem to agree. Fire spread under their feet, and Alve brought Rose with her back to base. The very floor seemed to be alight with flames as the fire spread along the mycelium. Kato swayed slightly and his grip on Draco's shoulder tightened. He was still feeding the fire as it spread much farther than he could have guessed. For a moment he had an idea of just how big the caves were. Slowly, Draco led him back to the others so he could sit down.
"That should have taken care of that, sir," Kato told Rourk. Qozul came flying in and Draco held his arm out for him. "Found anything?" he asked.
Qozul shrunk down and curled up around Draco's neck. "No," he said sadly.
"The caves are big, Qozul," Kato said. "Don't give up yet." He closed his eyes and relaxed as the others moved around him. Draco stayed with his Master just in case and talked to Qozul. He could hear Prower complain about the manual labour and he snorted.
In the following days, they set up camp and opened up the corridor that Qozul had claimed had water behind it. He had been right. It was a corridor filled with water.
13th of August, 1997.
Base camp was finally done. Kato was standing by the water-filled tunnel. He was seriously considering going down there to check it out.
"I'm coming with you," Draco said.
Kato chuckled. "Time for an adventure?" he asked. "I did promise you adventure at some point, didn't I? I usually don't have so many others with me. There is so much that needs to be done when you bring a whole research team with you." He turned away from the corridor. "Let's go check with the General if he minds us disappearing for a bit," he said. They walked back to base and Kato waited patiently as Prower argued with Vekk and the General. He wanted them to open up another corridor, but Vekk was cautious based on Qozul's information.
"General Rourk," Kato said.
"Master Peverell, what do you want?" Rourk asked. He looked irate and Kato couldn't blame him. Half their people were missing. They had gotten held up at another dig and it meant they couldn't move along as quickly as Rourk would have preferred.
"I seek permission to explore the water-filled corridor," Kato said.
"From our scans, it doesn't lead anywhere," Rourke said.
"That might be so, but we haven't checked it out," Kato said.
Rourk nodded. "Fine, but I'm sending the Elovyns in after you if you aren't back in two hours," he said.
"Understood," Kato said. He walked over to his pack and took his shirt off. While he wasn't going in naked he did have a wet suit with him and he had made sure to get Draco one as well. They walked back to the water. "Ready?" Kato asked Draco.
"As ready as I'll get," Draco said before casting a bubblehead charm on himself.
Kato put his mask on and they dived in. They summoned candlelight orbs and swam down. The walls were smooth either from water or tools.
They surfaced again to find a small room with two doors. Kato grabbed his candlelight and threw it up towards the ceiling. His eyes widened as he looked around.
"Are those dragon runes?" Draco asked. He knew quite a lot of them, but he had never seen this long text before. Even Kato didn't seem to have any records of this many of the runes being found.
"In this the end of our time we leave as much information about our people as we can," Kato translated. He pointed towards the start of the text so Draco could get started on copying it down. The earth is warming around us. Haasspann bubbles… Kato looked at the words following. Some he didn't understand. He walked up to the wall and touched it. Images flashed before his eyes. "Sulfur," he said.
"Isn't that dangerous?" Draco asked.
Kato nodded and kept reading, "The water is rising. One of the little ones jumped in the water, his skin melted pink and red before our eyes. There is no saving us. The great winged ones left us to our fate. They no longer come when called. We should have listened."
Draco looked over at the water they had swam through.
"I tested it," Kato said. "We're not in any danger right now, but this is information that General Rourk needs to know." He looked back at the wall. "Our priest has left us. He tried his best to keep us safe. We are going to barricade the doors and hope for the best. There is nothing else left for us to do," he read. "Then there is a list of names and their occupations as well as several personal messages."
Draco nodded. "Should we write all of this down before going back?" he asked.
"Yes," Kato said, "but I am going to send them a message to let them know that we found something." He sent his patronus off with a message for Rourk before he joined Draco in writing down what had been left behind.
As they finished up, Bill arrived with Ralis and Prower.
"These runes," Prower said. "I've seen ones like them before, but we have never been able to crack them." He sighed. "I wish we could tell what they say."
Kato handed him the finished translation. "The goblins have a lexicon," he said. "If you don't have access to it you might want to check in with them."
Prower stared at the text. "How he asked."
"It is yet another reason we bring, Kato," Bill said. "That is written dragon-tongue. Kato is fluent."
Prower's eyebrows narrowed as he read the translation. "You really think they mean sulphur?" he asked.
"I think it is likely considering their description of the effects," Kato said. "I checked the water when we arrived and there are no trances now, but if it comes and goes in long cycles there wouldn't necessarily be any traces." He pointed at a door. "I was thinking we'll open the rooms up. They are warded, but the wards are failing. Together Bill and I can take down what is left."
Ralis nodded. "Go ahead," he said.
"Wands at the ready," Kato said. He looked at Draco. "Shield in your off-hand."
A shimmering blue shield appeared before Draco as he positioned himself behind Kato.
Bill raised his wand and scanned the walls. He pulled the wards down slowly. He could feel resistance until Kato said something in Dragon-tongue and the rest of the wards fell.
Beyond the door was a small sleeping area. A hurdle of skeletons lay in a corner.
"Parent with their children maybe," Bill said. He stepped over a skeleton. "They killed this one," he said as he pointed to the knife that sat stuck in the ribcage.
"They would have been better off if they had been non-magical," Kato said softly. "At least they would have died faster. I would guess they died of dehydration. Not a nice way to go." He pointed to a wall. "They left a message behind," he said.
"So hungry," Draco read. "So thirsty. Papa went crazy. I had to end him. He wanted to eat Sataya. I couldn't let it happen. The knife is stuck. I choked mama and Sataya. There is no way out. I didn't want them to suffer. I wish I could get the knife."
"Their skull is bashed in," Bill said as he looked at the skeleton. "They probably did that to themselves when they couldn't get the knife."
Kato grasped Draco's shoulder and squeezed. "This happened a long time ago," he said. "All we can do for them is bury their remains."
"Are you serious?" Prower asked. "We have to study them."
Kato gave Prower a disgusted look while Ralis looked around uncomfortably.
"Someone did not like that," Ralis said. "There is an angry spirit here."
"A ghost you mean?" Prower asked. "If there was a ghost we would be able to see it."
Kato reached out and touched the wall where the runes were carved. His magic charged the runes and a ghostly figure appeared. "I wouldn't be so sure of that," Kato said. "I greet you zii se kruziik tiid, spirit of the past," he turned to the ghost that appeared.
"Du dinok, devouring death live in these halls," the ghost said. "Ru ru, run run, you who breathes and whose heart beats."
"I will not run," Kato said. "I have faced death before. It has not stopped me."
The ghost seemed to study him for a moment. "Long have I been guarding this place," they said. "It would bring me peace is our old bones may see the sun once more."
Kato bowed his head. "This will be done," he said. He touched Draco's shoulder and leaned over. He asked his apprentice to bring the bones of the fallen with him while the rest of them went over to the second room.
Draco nodded slowly. He wasn't interested in seeing another room like this one. peeked into the other room when he left with the bones. The floors were strangely brown. His stomach hurled as he realised that it had to be blood. He grabbed Kato's broom so he could head out. He could feel the ghost as a cold presence hovering nearby. He found a nice little place sheltered from the wind. He placed the bones down. "Praan ko Drem," he said. He saw the ghost smile softly before disappearing into the ether. "I hope you find peace."
16th of August, 1997.
Draco yawned and rubbed his eyes as he sat up in bed. The messed up light down in the caves got his sleep schedule all wonky. He wondered where Kato was. They were going to open up a new tunnel now that General Rourk had finally received most of his men. Kato had promised him that he could be there. He got up slowly. Breakfast was standing on the table, but Kato was nowhere to be seen. Draco was hoping that his Master hadn't left without him. He cleaned up after breakfast and was putting his plate and glass away when Kato walked into the tent. He was wearing full armour and looked very intimidating.
"Ready to go," Kato asked.
"No point in cleaning up beforehand, is there?" Draco asked.
"Use a cleaning charm," Kato said. "This is as clean as you will be today. They have almost broken through. Now they are just waiting for us."
Draco nodded. He grabbed his shoes and put them on before walking up to Kato so they could head out. Apart from Kato and Draco, there were only goblins present at the entrance. A team of three were moving stones aside while two guards stood with their weapons at the ready. Vekk and Rourk were standing there as well. A ward had been raised halfway into the open corridor. Kato walked in further. He passed the ward. "Stay here," he told Draco.
Draco stopped on the safe side of the ward and watched Kato.
"There are lifeforms in there," Kato said calmly in Tamrielic. "They are close to the ground. Human in size. If you can secure the walls I can blow the rest of this rubble back in case those things in there aren't friendly."
"Would be appreciated," one of the goblins said. They cast several long spells at the walls before moving back past the ward. Kato called the guards forward as he drew his sword. "At the ready," he said. "Fus ro dah," he shouted.
The rubble flew into the darkened room. Kato cast a light orb into the room.
"Inferi," one of the guards grunted.
Bright golden runes appeared on the floor around Kato as he cast a turn undead spell at the inferi. Golden light engulfed several inferi as they slowly started crawling towards the living. "Can you summon your familiar, Draco?" Kato asked. Draco had been working hard, and he had been close to managing the last time Kato had worked with him.
Draco closed his eyes. He built the spell up and released it. A huge dragonfly burst into existence in front of him.
Kali appeared next to Kato. "Come here, Draco. I want you right next to me with a turn undead spell at the ready at all times," he said. He waited for Draco before he started walking into the room. His light reached the ceiling and spread out to light the room up.
"There are so many of them," Draco said quietly.
Kali and Bellue kept things off their Master's backs as they walked further into the room. The goblin guards killed inferi as they moved forward.
"What do you think that this place was?" Draco asked. He forced a shambling body away from him. Kato cast the same golden spell as earlier. The inferi caught fire and stumbled back.
"Yuvonjun?"
Kato looked around as he heard the voice.
"Was that another ghost… or," Draco asked. He tried to see who had spoken.
"I am Krinahkro," Kato said. "I am dovahkiin, dragonborn. Who are you?" He saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye. He started moving forward again. He killed a few inferi as he walked up to the wall.
"A jul, human, how?" a small, red head poked out of a hole. "No human in long time. Only death. Old ones spoke of human. Human who could speak."
"I am human," Kato said. "I can speak. Kahsotvah can speak as well but only a little."
"Who are you?" Draco asked. "Can we see you?" He turned around and his eyes widened. He grabbed Kato's shoulder and moved in behind him. Inferi were all around them.
Kato's eyes narrowed. He raised a hand. "Al diil toor," he shouted.
"Power," the voice said.
"Thu'um," Kato said.
"Old power. No one knows anymore." The shape moved forward and flew down to a ledge at eye level with Kato. It was a small dragon. The body and head looked very similar to Qozul. "You are different. Old ones said we would have a choice someday. We could follow the Julsuleyk to the light or stay here. Zu'u Sahqosos. I lead our pack."
"I'm honoured to meet you Sahqosos," Kato said. "Will you come with me?"
"I will not leave the caves," Sahqosos said defensively.
Kato shook his head. "I do not ask you to," he said. "We have a camp down here. I ask that you come there. I have someone I would like you to meet."
"You are not tricking Sahqosos?" the little red dragon said.
"I promise I'm not going to hurt you. I will not let anyone else hurt you. I do not wish to trap you. You may leave whenever you want to," Kato said. He held a hand out for the dragon.
Sahqosos hesitated for a moment before jumping down. He shrank so Kato could carry him in his arms.
"Will you be able to handle the rest without me?" Kato asked the guards.
The goblins nodded reverently as they watched Kato carrying the little red dragon with him. They had seen and gotten used to Qozul over the past few days, but this was another one. A new Crystalback. Maybe there were more of them.
"You found one," Vekk said in a soft dusty voice.
"We did," Kato said. "It sounds like there are more." He didn't stop walking since he wanted Qozul to meet Sahqosos. They reached their tent.
"I smell kin," Sahqosos said. His wings moved lazily as he sniffed the air. It smelled like the two humans that were walking with him, but he could also smell a dragon. He could smell one like them.
"Qozul," Kato called. "I found someone you might want to meet."
The green dragon came flying out of Kato's bedroom and landed on the couch. He looked over at his Monah and his eyes widened. Sahqosos left Kato's arms and flew over to join his kindred.
"Let's leave them to it for a bit," Kato said as he headed out of the tent again. He sighed as he looked up at the lanterns that lit up the cave. "We are going to need another dragon handler," he said. "Preferably one who speaks dragon tongue."
Draco gave his Master a knowing look. "So you want to see if you can get Charlie here?" he said while a big grin adorned his face.
"That is an excellent idea, Draco," Kato said. "How about we go tell Rourk?"
…
"So, Weasley is our best option?" Rourk asked.
"He knows some dragon tongue and he has a lexicon. I know he will care for the dragons. He is the best option," Kato said.
Rourk waved Bill over. "Kato wants to bring in a Charlie Weasley to aid with the dragons. Will that be a problem?"
Bill looked at Kato and shrugged. "Not for me," he said.
"I won't have to break up silly sibling fights?" Rourk asked. He had worked with siblings before and sometimes they were a total menace whether dwemer or human.
"No, sir," Bill said.
Rourk nodded slowly. "I guess I should be sending out an invitation then. Do I mention what dragons we have?"
"Just say they are a rare species," Kato said. "We don't necessarily want to give the reserve he is working at any ideas about these dragons. They've had a few too many problems for my liking lately."
"I'll see what I can do," Rourk said. "I think everyone here would prefer to work with someone that both of you recommend rather than someone unknown." He looked thoughtful as they parted ways.
"It's a shame you can't stay," Bill said.
Kato shrugged. "I know. I've got other things I have to do though. No matter how much I would like to stay."
Draco wondered what his Master needed to do so badly but he had a feeling he wasn't going to receive an answer to that question so he didn't bother asking it. Part of him would have liked to stay to if he was entirely honest with himself. Cave delving was much more fun with Kato than just taking care of dragons.
17th of August, 1997.
Kato stood by a sealed door in the cave where they had found the inferi and Sahqosos the previous day. Qozul had left with his new dragon friend the evening before to visit their den. It was good that he spent time with his own. It was what Kato had hoped for. He touched the door letting his fingers run over the runes carved into it.
"When I read about a priest earlier I got the feeling that people liked them," Draco said softly. "This text seems to not be all that positive."
"These people were probably cut off from the others in the living quarter," Kato said. "It looks like the priest might have chosen to sacrifice them." He read the rest of the text as he ran his fingers over the door feeling the magic clinging to it.
"Okay, step away," Bill said. "I'm going to open this door up."
Kato backed off with Draco and summoned his familiar. Kali looked around she stretched and yawned as Bellue joined her. The dragonfly's wings buzzed softly as she took in her surroundings. Her Master wasn't in any immediate danger so she wasn't quite sure what to do.
Kato stood at the ready as the wards fell and the door moved open. Dusty air that hadn't moved in centuries puffed out. "If there is a Dragon Priest in here we're going to have to be careful. They can mess with both people's minds and magic. Strengthen your minds as best as you can." He walked forward. He was leading the guards in with Laurina and Ralis at the front. Bill hung back with Draco. They were guarding the door as Vekk raised their own wards to keep anything with ill intent in.
Kato cast a ball of light to the ceiling. He stopped dead in his tracks as the room became visible. The walls had been carved out. Humans and dragons were all facing the head of the room in deep bows. The statue of a woman sat on a throne. Every other statue was bowed in worship of her. Kato's eyes narrowed as he walked closer to her. "Dragons don't worship humans," he said. "If I wanted to I probably have the power to force these small dragons down here to revere me that way, but I'm dragonborn. I was born capable of using Thu'um. That a mere priest would be capable of the same seems strange."
"Maybe it was delusion on her part," Laurina said. "Or maybe she managed with a few individuals." She looked around. "How long do you think they managed to survive in here?" she asked.
"Hard to say," Kato said.
Their steps echoed as they kept walking. Kato started feeling uneasy as he led the group deeper. They entered a large room filled with statues facing a throne much like the first room. Laurina and Ralis moved ahead of Kato as he spread light through the room. "More statues," Ralis said.
Kato's eyes narrowed as he watched the statues. "These are not statues," he said at the same time as one of the men stood up slowly and grabbed onto Laurina. While Laurina struggled to get free Ralis was walking up towards the throne. His eyes were glazed over and his movement was erratic.
"New blood," the voice was soft as a summer's breeze. "Come to me." The woman on the throne was speaking tamrielic.
"Halt!" Rourk called out. His voice seemed rough as gravel. Ralis ignored him.
"Slavers are not welcome here," the woman said calmly. "Please rid us of them."
Rows upon rows of statues rose and started heading towards the Dwemer. Kato drew his sword. He lobbed the head off the first living statue that reached them. "Diin gol dov," he ordered stopping the dragons in their tracks.
"Ah, one of power," the woman said as she rose from her throne. "You can speak to the dragons. You can bend them to your will." Ralis followed behind her like a stray dog hoping for a piece of steak. Laurina finally broke free. She blew up several statues as she moved towards the woman and her husband. Kato reached out for her as she got closer.
"Join me," the woman said as she reached out and touched Kato's face. Her long blond hair glowed faintly from the light of the orb above.
Kato reached up and took her hand. "No," he said calmly.
Anger crossed the woman's face. "You dare say no to me," she said.
"You don't need him my summer star," Ralis said. "You can get everything you want."
Laurina raised an eyebrow as she looked at her husband. She knew he could be a little lax with his occlumency training. This was ridiculous though. She could feel the pressure against her mind. She could see the goblins fighting all around them. She couldn't understand what the woman was saying, but she could tell that she was interested in Kato.
The woman smiled enticingly at Kato. "Won't you change your mind, my knight?" she said. "I might even let those filthy slavers go," she said. "I can make all your dreams come true."
Kato moved too quickly for anyone to see as he raised his sword and stabbed the woman right through the heart. He twisted the blade. "Your honeyed words do not affect me. I'm dovahkiin. What you have done here is perverse. I'm disgusted by your behaviour. I am Kato, The Dragon Prince of Skyrim. In the name of the Dragon Queen Katla I sentence you to death effective immediately," he said in a calm tone that seemed to cleanse the air of her magicka.
Ralis stumbled back as the statues slowly collapsed all around them. The stony exterior broke to reveal the drying corpses within. The woman's perfect skin slowly cracked as her magic left her. Kato pulled his sword back out of the woman. She fell back past Ralis, her body shattering as she hit the ground. Kato forced the dust down so no one would breathe it in. He heard Rlais talk to Laurina as he walked forward. He knelt next to one of the dragons. Scars marred the dusty scales. "She tortured them," he said. "Twisted their minds until they followed her bidding."
"She wouldn't have been able to leave this room," Vekk said. "I see wards built to keep them alive in here. She used their life force to set the wards. Eventually, they would have faded. We just got here before that happened."
"I'll have to ask Sahqosos what they want to do with the remains of the dragons," Kato said. "The rest we should probably burn or bury once we're done here."
Bill walked down next to Kato. "She was powerful," he said. "She reached out all the way to us. I don't like admitting that I was affected. Draco could probably use some time out of the caves. He was also affected, and he isn't taking it well."
"I'll go check on him," Kato said.
Vekk stopped Kato as he approached. "Weasley told you?" he asked.
"He did," Kato said.
"Good. You should check on your apprentice. He was a good lad. He held out longer than I would have expected considering his age," Vekk said.
"I'll be sure to mention that," Kato said. He walked back to their tent. He found Draco sitting on the couch with Qozul in his lap. Kato headed into his room so he could change out of his armour. He started singing softly as he walked back into the main room. He put a pot to boil.
"I could hear her voice in my head," Draco said quietly.
"Have I told you about the Wolf Queen?" Kato asked.
Draco shook his head. "I don't think so," he said.
Kato smiled softly. "The Wolf Queen was far more powerful than the priestess down here was," he said. "It all started just like any other time we were asked to deal with something no one else could handle. I was about the same age you are now. It was a deep cave near a few villages. People had gone missing lately and strange lights had been seen. People were scared…"
Kato told Draco the story of how they had defeated Potema the Wolf Queen.