Chapter 52 THE VALLEY OF DRAGONS
After three long days, they were finally close to the Andagon Valley. Those days had been pure torture though. They had to go through three more demon attacks, and with Magnus's broken arm, there had been quite a few close calls. He could still cast spells, but anything too powerful left him weak. Also, with his injury, someone had to keep watch each night. With the idea that there were actually demons out there that could break barriers, they didn't feel very safe. However, there hadn't been any problems. They had been able to have peaceful nights.
As they entered the Andagon Valley, the first thing they noticed was the change in their surroundings. The grass had become thicker, there were more flowers, and everything just felt more peaceful. It was as if all unease had been completely washed away. If the dragons accepted them as guests, then they would probably be in one of the safest places on the planet. No one ever dared to attack the dragons. Such creatures were easily stronger than any other mortal, or at least almost any.
"We're here!" announced Astrid happily as she ran ahead of them. "Just over this hill you'll be able to see the village."
Magnus smiled as he watched the girl run to the top of the hill. She was happy to be home, to be able to see her father and friends. It was fun watching her when she was this cheerful. Under any other circumstance, he would have run to the top as well, but moving fast meant his arm would move, and that meant pain. He was really getting sick of it, so he figured that the less he did, the better he would feel. It was horrible though. He couldn't sleep, couldn't use magic, couldn't fight... He was useless!
He glanced down at the broken limb now held in a makeshift sling. They had used some clothes from Astrid's sash and a bit of wood for a brace. The dragon was an amazing medic. She had known exactly where each break was and just how to position his arm so that it would heal properly. He was thankful for the help, but he really didn't like being watched over. He hated being protected.
"Does it still hurt?" asked Xyra. She was walking right next to him, and she had been watching as he looked over his injury.
"A little," he answered. A sigh escaped his lips as he slouched over a bit, shoving his good hand into his pocket. "It will probably be a few weeks before it heals. We'll have to stay here until then."
"I don't mind," she assured him. "It's not like we're in a hurry."
"Look, look!" shouted Astrid blissfully as she pointed over the hill. They were just now arriving, and their eyes widened at what they saw. "Welcome to Andagon Valley."
What lies before them wasn't just a village in any way. It spanned farther than any place they had ever seen, and it was probably one of the most beautiful places ever. The grass hadn't been paved over like in so many towns, and the houses weren't overly extravagant. They were cylindrical with wooden roofs that came to a point. Each one harbored a chimney as well. It was a very old-fashioned-looking place, but it was amazing. The atmosphere was very serene.
There were a ton of dragons, each one in their human shape. It was probably more convenient that way. Larger bodies were harder to hide, and the houses would have had to be built for giants. Plus, the limbs of humans were easier when doing day-to-day things. Despite their appearances though, there were some definite differences between humans and them. Their ears were pointed, and their eyes were very catlike. They could easily pass as humans though. Most wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
"Let's go," suggested Astrid. "I'm sure daddy can't wait to meet everyone."
They followed her down the hill, wanting her to go first for obvious reasons. Darren didn't seem at all nervous though, most likely because he had been here countless times before. He knew the dragon tribe and had probably been accepted by just about all of them. Magnus and Xyra weren't sure what to expect though, so they stayed behind the hunter and the dragon. It was safer that way.
As they made it into the village, the other dragons quickly noticed them. With smiles on their faces, they approached. They were all rather similar in some ways. The women all wore white robes, and the men dressed in tan-colored pants, white shirts, and white cloaks. They all looked like clerics, dressing much like the healer Sirona did.
"Welcome back Astrid, Darren," one of the men greeted. "It's been awhile. We were starting to wonder if you would ever return."
"We were only gone for a little while," Astrid stated.
"Yeah, you were. Darren here's been gone for over a year."
"I had my reasons," the hunter defended, crossing his arms out of stubbornness. "I've just been busy, that's all. I thought about coming back."
"I'm sure…" The dragon looked over in Magnus and Xyra's direction, his smile falling into a look of confusion. His sky blue eyes roamed over them a bit. "Humans?" The second he said that word, every dragon within hearing range turned to look at them. Magnus and Xyra both seemed just a little nervous right now.
"Oh yeah," said Darren. "I almost forgot. These are our friends, Magnus and Xyra. I asked them to come with us. Hope that's alright."
"Both of them really helped us out," added Astrid. "There were so many demons on the way here…"
"Demons?" the dragon questioned, his eyes widening a bit. "You weren't hurt, right?"
"Nope. Thanks to them, I'm just fine."
"But you know the rules," said another male dragon. He looked a little sad as he said this. "Outsiders are prohibited. They can't stay here."
"I'll be the judge of that," stated a softer, more agile voice. It had an amazing regal quality to it, more so than Magnus's voice.
The crowd began to part, leaving through a man decked in white and blue. He was dressed very similarly to the other male dragons, but his cloak was a midnight blue, and his other garments were white and an ice color. His hair was silver, just like Astrid's, but it only came to his shoulders. His eyes were probably the brightest shade of blue that ever existed. They were clear, like peering into an ocean.
He walked elegantly towards them, each step softer than the last. His strides were even, never faltering. This man was graceful, and just by looking at him and the way the others were reacting, Magnus and Xyra instantly knew who he was. This was the dragon king, one of the most powerful men in the world. This was Xerxes.
"Daddy!" called Astrid as she ran up to him, throwing her arms around him in a loving embrace. "I'm home."
A smile graced the man's face as he returned it, hugging his daughter closely. He looked so soft like that, as if he was just another ordinary human father. It was hard to believe that this man could kill them all in a matter of seconds if he so pleased. He seemed rather gentle though, and that was in no way a bad thing, especially not when placed in their situation.
He released Astrid and glanced over to the rest of them. His eyes went to Darren first, and he began walking over again, his daughter at his side. He stopped in front of the boy, who just stared up at him. Xerxes was a very tall man, standing almost an entire head above Darren, and the hunter was pretty tall the way it was.
"Hello sir," he greeted. Xerxes only smiled though and placed his hand on Darren's head. He ruffled his hair a bit, much like a father would do to his son. The hunter just smirked. "I'm home."
"I can see that," the dragon king responded. "There are some things I need to talk to you about, but not right now. It seems there's another matter at hand here." His eyes drifted towards the two humans, both looking nervous. His attention went from Xyra and then to Magnus, who was a bit less scared right now. He was just standing there, something apparently on his mind.
After studying him a bit, Xerxes's eyes went to the sling he wore. The dragon king became a bit curious as to what had happened. They had obviously been attacked a few times, because on a journey, that was inevitable. However, this boy was the only one who had gotten hurt.
"How did you break your arm?" he asked Magnus. The sorcerer seemed just a little confused by the question, but it quickly drained, his eyes dimming a bit.
"I fought a vepus," he answered calmly, his response drawing a few gasps from the crowd.
"Did you kill it?"
"Yes."
The dragon king smirked a bit, his eyes stating that he knew what the boy was. He seemed smug with himself, possibly proud that he had figured it out so easily.
"A sorcerer, huh?" he asked with very little question. "It's been a long time since I met one." He smiled to both humans, his eyes shining. "Welcome to our village. You may stay for as long as you'd like, but first, may I have your names?" He looked at Xyra first.
"I'm Xyra," she said. "It's nice to meet you, sir." She still seemed a little nervous. His attention then went to the sorcerer.
"I'm Magnus Coleman."
Xerxes's eyes darkened just a little when that name left his lips. He stared at the boy for a little while as if trying to decide something.
"If it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to talk to you later tonight. Is that alright?"
"It's fine," Magnus assured him. He had his own questions for the king of the dragons. Such a man had to know things about the Lazufeer talismans, and he needed any and all information he could get.
"Now come with me," Xerxes said happily. "I'm sure you're all tired. We have plenty of food, so fill up, and feel free to use the hot springs. For now…our home is your home."
Xyra stepped lightly on the rocks, not wanting to hurt her bare feet as she slid into the hot spring just behind the dragon king's house. He had the largest hut in the village, but that was expected. He was their ruler. It was big, a place fit for a king, and yet the castle that Christian owned was far larger. This place was much homier though. It had a peaceful, warm quality to it instead of the aloofness that the stones of a castle often represented.
A delighted sigh escaped her lips as the steaming water soothed her tired body. It had been a long time since she had been able to relax like this. This journey was shaping out to be a long and hard one. These last three days had really been killers. She had taken guard duty a few times so that Magnus could rest. However, he never slept very well. He would often lean into his injured arm and startle himself. He probably wasn't used to being hurt like that. Most sorcerers weren't used to physical pain. He handled himself well though.
"Can I join you?" asked Astrid shyly, drawing Xyra's attention. She was hiding behind a few rocks, seeming a little nervous. Despite her happy demeanor, she really was a shy girl, always very humble and a little meek when it came to asking permission. Xyra only smiled at her.
"I don't mind," she said. Astrid just smiled and slid into the water. A sigh much like the one Xyra had given escaped her lips. The water really was soothing.
The two women sat there in silence, each trying to find something to say to the other. Through the entire trip to the Andagon Valley, neither one had said much to the other. Xyra had always been in a foul mood, and Astrid had been hanging around Magnus, constantly making sure he wasn't in any kind of pain. She was a sweet girl, always worrying about other people. She was a lot like Magnus in that sense.
"Xyra?" she began a bit hesitantly, drawing the thief's attention. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." This was finally her chance to get to know the dragon a bit better. Now that she wasn't swooning over Magnus, she was much less irritating.
"Do you like Magnus?"
"Well, he's a friend," she answered, not quite understanding what the dragon wanted to know.
"Not like that," Astrid stated. "I meant the other way…as more than a friend."