Chapter 18: Blood Oath
The summons came at dawn, carried on the wings of a messenger hawk. Aria's heart sank as she read the parchment, recognizing the seal of Dragon's Bane Keep. She had known this moment would come, but facing it was another matter entirely.
"What is it?" Drakon asked, his golden eyes filled with concern as he watched Aria's face pale.
She swallowed hard before responding. "They want me to return to the Keep. To... explain my actions."
Drakon's scales bristled, a low growl rumbling in his chest. "It's a trap. You can't go back there, Aria. They'll brand you a traitor."
"If I don't go, they'll hunt me down," Aria countered, her voice tight with tension. "At least this way, I have a chance to speak, to make them understand."
The argument that followed was heated, with Drakon insisting on accompanying her and Aria vehemently refusing to put him at risk. In the end, a compromise was reached. Drakon would follow at a safe distance, ready to intervene if things went south.
As Aria approached the imposing gates of Dragon's Bane Keep, she felt the weight of a thousand eyes upon her. Whispers followed in her wake – some curious, others openly hostile. She kept her head high, steeling herself for what was to come.
Lord Commander Viktor awaited her in the great hall, flanked by the senior members of the Hunter's Guild. His face was a mask of stern disappointment as Aria knelt before him.
"Aria Nightshade," Viktor's voice boomed through the chamber. "You stand accused of treason, of aiding and abetting the enemy. How do you plead?"
Aria raised her eyes to meet his gaze. "I plead for understanding, my lord. What I have learned about dragons, about our shared history – it changes everything. We don't have to be enemies."
Murmurs of disbelief and anger rippled through the assembled crowd. Viktor silenced them with a raised hand. "You were one of our best, Aria. I had such hopes for you. But it seems this black dragon has clouded your mind with lies and manipulations."
"They're not lies!" Aria protested, her voice cracking with emotion. "Drakon has shown me truths that have been hidden for centuries. If you would just listen–"
"Enough!" Viktor's fist came down hard on the arm of his chair. "I see now that words alone will not sway you from this path of madness. Therefore, you leave me no choice."
He gestured to one of the guild elders, who stepped forward bearing an ancient tome. Aria's blood ran cold as she recognized it – the Book of Blood Oaths, used only in the most extreme circumstances.
Viktor's voice took on a ritualistic cadence. "Aria Nightshade, you are hereby bound by sacred oath to prove your loyalty to Dragon's Bane Keep and to humanity. You will hunt down and slay the black dragon known as Drakon, bringing his head as proof of your deed."
Aria felt as though the floor had dropped out from beneath her. "No," she whispered, shaking her head in desperate denial. "Please, don't ask this of me."
But Viktor was unmoved. "This is the price of your redemption, Aria. Swear the oath, or face execution as a traitor to your kind."
Time seemed to slow as Aria weighed her options. To refuse meant certain death, and with it, the death of any hope for peace between dragons and humans. But to swear such an oath, even with no intention of fulfilling it – the very thought made her sick to her stomach.
In that moment of paralyzing indecision, a familiar voice cut through the tension. "Let her take the oath."
Aria's head snapped up to see Liam stepping forward from the crowd. His face was a mask of conflicting emotions as he addressed the Lord Commander. "I've known Aria longer than anyone here. If she swears this oath, she'll be bound by her honor to see it through. It's the only way to know where her true loyalties lie."
Viktor considered Liam's words, then nodded slowly. "Very well. Aria Nightshade, place your hand upon the Book of Blood Oaths and repeat after me."
With trembling fingers, Aria touched the ancient leather-bound tome. The words Viktor spoke seemed to come from a great distance, and she heard her own voice as if it belonged to a stranger:
"I, Aria Nightshade, do solemnly swear upon my life and honor to hunt down and slay the dragon Drakon. I will not rest until his head is brought before this council as proof of my deed. Should I fail in this task or betray this oath, may my own blood be forfeit."
As the last words left her lips, Aria felt a searing pain in her palm. She gasped, watching as a thin line of blood welled up from a cut that had appeared as if by magic. The droplets fell upon the open pages of the book, sizzling and disappearing into the parchment.
"It is done," Viktor intoned solemnly. "You have three moons to complete your task, Aria. Do not fail us again."
In a daze, Aria stumbled from the great hall. The faces of her fellow hunters were a blur – some sympathetic, others coldly satisfied. Only Liam's expression remained clear in her mind, a mixture of relief and lingering doubt.
He caught up to her in the courtyard, grabbing her arm to slow her frantic pace. "Aria, wait. I know that was hard, but I had to give you a chance. You understand that, don't you?"
Aria wrenched free of his grip, tears stinging her eyes. "Understand? How could you ask that of me, Liam? You know what Drakon means to me!"
"Do I?" Liam's voice was tight with frustration. "I thought I knew you, Aria. But ever since that dragon came into your life, it's like you're a different person. This oath – it's your chance to remember who you really are, where your loyalties should lie."
For a moment, Aria was tempted to tell him everything – about the true nature of dragons, about the ancient alliance that had been lost to time. But the weight of the oath pressed down upon her, sealing her lips.
"You have no idea what you've done," she said softly, her voice breaking. "I hope one day you'll understand."
With that, she turned and fled, ignoring Liam's calls for her to come back. Her mind raced as she made her way out of the Keep and into the surrounding forest. How could she face Drakon now? How could she explain the terrible choice she had been forced to make?
As night fell, Aria finally stopped running. She sank to her knees in a moonlit clearing, her body wracked with sobs. The oath burned within her, a constant reminder of the impossible situation she now found herself in.
A rustle of wings announced Drakon's arrival. He landed softly beside her, his massive form curling protectively around her shaking body. "Aria," he rumbled gently. "What happened? What did they do to you?"
Through her tears, Aria told him everything – the accusation, the threat of execution, and the terrible oath she had been compelled to swear. As she spoke, she felt Drakon grow very still, his golden eyes unreadable in the darkness.
When she finished, silence stretched between them. Finally, Drakon spoke, his voice heavy with sorrow and understanding. "Oh, Aria. I am so sorry you were forced into this position."
"What are we going to do?" Aria whispered, her voice raw with emotion. "I can't... I won't hurt you, Drakon. But this oath – I can feel it binding me. If I don't at least try to fulfill it..."
Drakon nuzzled her gently, a low hum of comfort resonating through his chest. "We will find a way, little one. Together, we have already defied the odds. This is simply another challenge to overcome."
As the moon climbed higher in the sky, Aria and Drakon began to formulate a plan. It would be dangerous, requiring trust and sacrifice from both of them. But as Aria looked into Drakon's eyes, seeing the unwavering faith he had in her, she felt a spark of hope ignite in her chest.