Chapter 724: The Word ’Honor’ (Ch.725)
"He doesn’t...see us." Neveah surmised as Asrig strode past the exact spot Neveah and Jian stood, so close he nearly grazed Jian’s shoulder and Jian stiffened noticeably, yet Asrig did not seem to take notice and his gaze was fixed straight ahead.
"What were you doing? Before you ca to ?" Jian asked, his tone was still low and his gaze trailed Asrig, eyes wide and wary.
"I... I found it... the scroll you wanted. Asrig’s records of the challenge and the realm of forlorn beasts." Neveah relayed to Jian imdiately. "It couldn’t be..."
"Your mind must have been greatly occupied by it. Beloved, we are...in Asrig’s writings." Jian murmured in a tone that said he could hardly believe it himself.
"I... I didn’t an to bring you here. Forgive ..." Neveah whispered, her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.
The mories shared between Jian and Asrig had not been the brightest, Neveah had read through a number of them for herself, from the worst point of view too.
More than that, Asrig’s existence and everything he embodied was a thorn in Jian’s heart and a wound he still nursed in silence,
And now, Neveah could practically sense Jian’s despair, she had never been able to tell before now, he was just that good at keeping a calm facade but in this mont, his despair lay over him like a shroud.
Still, Jian rubbed soothing circles into Neveah’s back where his hand still rested, providing comfort that he was more in need of, or perhaps comforting Neveah was in itself an act of comfort to him also.
"What do we do now? We should leave..." Neveah began to say but Jian interrupted.
"This is the very realm Fort Blazed is currently lost in. That is why I needed Asrig’s records, to understand this strange and unfamiliar place teeming with untold dangers... now, that we are here, I will have my answers... for myself." Jian asserted.
"I know enough to..." Neveah opened her mouth to argue, to reason with Jian that he did not need to put himself through the heartache that was sure to co... the heartache and devastation that she knew would co, the sa way it had co to the King’s guard.
But as Jian trailed Asrig without waiting to hear Neveah’s protest, his brows furrowed, Neveah swallowed down her protest and chose to remain quiet. She knew Jian’s choice would always be to face head-on whatever ca his way and Asrig was Jian’s own personal battle, if fate had determined Jian saw for himself, she could not dare interfere.
They followed behind Asrig until he arrived at a forest where another young man erged from, walking up to him. He nursed a roughly bandaged wound on his upper arm.
Once again, Jian froze in place, his grip on Neveah’s hand tightened almost painfully and Neveah’s heart constricted in corresponding pain.
"My Lord Asrig, the challenge will resu by dawn. When the seal over the sea weakens, another beast will erge... this ti, I will go to battle." The young dragon lord reported to Asrig.
Walking over to Asrig, the young dragon lord placed a hand on Asrig’s shoulder, whilst Asrig just stared at him with a blank expression.
"You are Agardan’s heir. Your life is of the greatest significance to us so do not think of facing those beasts yourself. Each and every one of us are willing to give our lives to protect you and return you to your father in one piece."
"I do not know how many more challenges will co our way, but we will give it our all and return to you victorious. Until we find a way back ho, you must persevere..." The young dragon lord vowed solemnly.
This was the period in history where Agardan still united the dragons under a single authority, this was the period when Agardan still plotted the uprising in secret and only the dragons knew what was to co.
Agardan was not yet King, Neveah noted. He was instead their battle lord and hope of salvation, and it was visible in the eyes of this young dragon lord that he held the very sa fate in Asrig, Agardan’s son and heir.
A faith Neveah knew Asrig would prove unworthy of.
"I must go prepare..." The young dragon lord said and he smiled slightly at Asrig before he retreated.
"Rhall..." Asrig finally spoke, his voice was low and relaxed. More easygoing than Neveah had figured from reading his writings, or perhaps it was the youth in him that concealed his darkness so well.
"A way back, you said. How do you plan to find that when all you do is battle and battle..." Asrig asked, his tone bellied frustration.
"My Lord, if we do not battle the beast at the black sea once it erges, it will count as a victory on their end and the seal beneath the sea weakens, allowing the beasts freedom. Then our lives alone will be the least of our worries." The young man, Rhall said to Asrig.
"Then you must admit, that you do not know a way back. And you have no ans of finding one..." Asrig insisted.
Rhall’s expression was pained but he nodded slowly.
"I have learnt one thing in my lifeti, Rhall. The only way to overco dark magic...is with dark magic. If we can figure out how the spell that brought us here works, it might just be our way back ho." Asrig stated.
Rhall’s brows scrunched up imdiately, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Dragons do not practice, aspire to understand or even speak of dark magic. These are the founding rules of our kind, our very honour depends on it...you know this."
Asrig nodded slowly in understanding. "Go to battle then."
Rhall inclined his head slightly and then disappeared into the forest whilst Asrig stared after him, an amused expression in his eyes.
"Honour? That is a claim only the living is entitled to. What is honour to the dead?" Asrig murmured.
He headed into the forest and once again Neveah and Jian followed.
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