Pondering the What

  Gasping loudly, I rose up out of the water, somewhat submerged. Breathing heavily, I grasped my chest, and I found the stab wound I had was gone, along with the missing arm and hand, which was intact.

  I controlled my breathing and realized I wasn't wet despite submerging in… water?

  Looking around to see where I'm at, clarity came over me the moment I realized in the white void again.

  Standing back up, I checked my bloody clothes. Everything was as it was before; even some of my clothes that were sliced off have returned. My body was healed.

  Sighing loudly, I question what happened.

  I quickly turned to a golden orb that lit up the white void. It reminded me of the first time I was here. There, the golden orb rested in the arms of the same woman from before. She sat on the ground, legs crossed, and held the orb.

  "Mom?" I mumbled loudly.

  "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon," she said softly. "I'm glad you are still alive. Yes, yes, I know you are too."

  "Who are you talking to?" I asked.

  "Who do you think?" she answered, lifting the orb. It soon took off, flying around us. The orb gave me a warm sensation. A sense of peace, comfort, and familiarity.

  "Aurum?" I asked.

  Mom chuckled. "You are getting better." After finally standing up, she turned to me. "You must have thousands of questions."

  "Yeah, quite a bit…" Without thinking, the first question flooded my head. "Are you really, my mother?" I hesitated when I spoke, almost afraid to know the truth.

  Her smile was comforting but eerie, maybe because I feared what she might say. "I am what remains of what you preserved."

  My face churned in confusion.

  "I can tell by your face you don't understand," she giggled. "You come to understand in time," she said.

  I can feel tears slowly building up in me. Part of me didn't understand. But another part of me didn't care and just wanted her to be my mom.

  "Time's up," she said. Before I could protest, she was walking away.

  I reached out to her, tears about to fall. "Wait..... Will I.... Will I see you again?"

  She turned back and smiled. "Wake up, my child."

  My eyes shot open as I let out a loud gasp. I woke up on a strange white bed, light piercing the room, blinding me. The room was filled with many empty beds, covered in white sheets and blankets. Next to each bed was a magical device; even my bed had one. Black wires extended out of the device and into my bed. Some writing and numbers were displayed on the device, but I couldn't tell what they meant. Shortly, I noticed a table next to me with a flower vase dorn with white flowers.

  Feeling something heavy on my stomach, I see a golden dragon, Aurum, resting on me peacefully. Pushing myself up, she moved down to sleep on my lap. Moving my hand to my shirt, I looked at my chest to see my wound from before truly gone. Hell, the hand I was using that was once missing is back.

  I was fully healed.

  Loud grovel snore radiated from Aurum, sending a wave of relaxation. It brought a smile to my face, so much so that I didn't hesitate to touch her smooth scales. I slid my hand down her neck, feeling her flexible dorsal spine, the webbing folding neatly down just enough for my hand to glide over.

  I took note of a memory to my right. Looking at it, I took note of myself. The dark grime that covered me is now gone. But the scar on my face still remained. The scar that was left when I was infected with the Blight. That sparked curiosity in me as I rechecked my chest. Looking down underneath my shirt. A speck of horror hit me as I looked at the scar on my stomach, where I was bitten by those blighted spiders. The scars were jagged, stretching across my skin. The bite wounds were gone, but the Blight's infection left its marks on me.

  I sighed loudly, taking the moment to relax.

  Soon, my father entered the room, his eyes looking heavy. The moment he made eye contact with me, his eyes lit up, and a big smile of relief was etched on his face. "You're up!" he exclaimed, rushing to my side and looking me over. How do you feel?" he asked with concern as his eyes looked over me.

  I gave him a delighted chuckle. "I'm fine, father. I'm just glad we are out of that cave."

  He sighed in relief. "That's good. Gave us a scare there."

  My lips curved as I looked at my father in confusion. "Us?"

  "Me. Dimmal, Azrael, and our host," my father answered.

  "Host?"

  My father gave me a smirk. "We are in the country of Asgard, remember? This is Hawkwood, a large town at the border of Asgard. Lord Ryu took us in as his guest."

  My brows furrowed in frustration. Lord Ryu sent us to the Blight Nest, which almost killed me. Nearly got all of us killed.

  "Luckily Lord Ryu was nearby to heal you," my father added, leaving me in disbelief.

  "What?" I uttered out.

  "Lord Ryu personally used his magic to heal you and took us into his manor here in Hawkwood." My father said with a bright smile. His voice was oddly filled with wonder and amazement, as if Ryu's magic was a blessing.

  "Wait, his manor?" I said it out loud. We are in his manor?

  Before I could ask my father any more questions, he hugged me. "That doesn't matter now; what matters is that you're awake and safe."

  Grimacing at him, I protested. "Father… stop." I managed to push him off me, but I could see a few tears welling up in his eyes. Taking a closer look, I can tell he looks more tired than before. He must have looked after me while I was sleeping. "Thank you," I mumbled.

  He gave me a smug look. The same look that always annoyed me. But this time, I was glad to see it. "You expect someone else to take care of your sorry ass."

  A sense of peace filled me as my father and I looked at each other. He soon sat down next to me. He must have been under a lot of stress. I never saw him so worn out because of me.

  The sunlight beamed through the curtains, making the room feel more relaxed and peaceful. It was as if all the problems in the world had settled and allowed us both to breathe. Like whatever happened in the past few days was just a dream.

  As we sat there, I recalled what my mother told me.

  “Hey… dad…” I muttered. I cursed myself. I meant to say father. But it's my mother I'm about to talk about. It felt wrong to call simply father.

  He gave a soft chuckle. "Now you call me that?"

  "I saw mom."

  Everything went eerily quiet. Looking up, I saw my father's eyes widen in disbelief. Part of me thought he would call me crazy, but he looked down in shock. Then, he relaxed, somewhat tense. My mother meant so much to him, so I'm not surprised.

  "She… uh... talked to me," I stuttered, not sure how he would take it or if he would believe me. I initially thought he would just brush it off, then I thought he would freak out, but his current reaction left me concerned.

  "What did she say?"

  I blinked in disbelief. The words my father said didn't process fully in my head. I could see his hands shake as they lay on the bed. I have no idea what to say. I do, but I wasn't expecting this.

  I furrowed my brows, trying to remember exactly what happened. "She said something about her bloodline and that you haven't told me about our family, " I said hesitantly.

  Turning to my father, I can see his voice is shaken. He lets out a long sigh as he relaxes. "That's it? It sounds like you really did meet Cira."

  I stared in shock. "What do you mean? What is it you haven't told me?" I pondered for a moment. "Am I some noble?"

  My father let out a loud chuckle. "No, nothing like that." He turned away, rubbing his eyes, then back to me. "You took my family's name, Hunter. You should've taken your mother's name, but she didn't want you to live with her family's legacy. Neither did I."

  Looking down at Aurum, I moved my hand up and down her neck, feeling her smooth scales. It made me more at ease for some reason. "What legacy?"

  My father let out a longer sigh as he closed his eyes. He finally opens up to look at me, looking uneasy. "Your mother was Cira Lifebearer."

  "Lifebearer?" I repeated back, confused.

  "Lifebearer? There's no way!"

  Both my father and I turned to the sudden voice at the door. It was Ryu. Lord Ryu, King of Asgard. Seeing him made me nervous and angry, but soon, that feeling dissipated at the sight of his face. He looked in disbelief and was enthralled. My father stood up quickly, treating him like a noble. Ryu soon marched over to me, his short legs moving swiftly, closing the distance.

  "For real?" Ryu asked my father.

  "Yes… My lord," my father answered, his final words coming out delayed as if he were correcting himself.

  Ryu took my hand and shook it. "A real Lifebearer. If I knew, I wouldn't have sent you all to the Blight Nest." Ryu said with excitement. I didn't know how to feel. It was odd that a king of an entire country would shake hand. He didn't stop shaking it, either. "I'm shaking your hand too long."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Ryu finally finished shaking my hand. My memory of him from the first time I met him was different.

  My father pitched in, "You know about Lifebearer's?"

  Ryu shook his head, "Sadly not much. I do know they are descendants of Eve."

  Hearing Ryu's answer made me lean back in my bed. My eyes almost fell out of my sockets.

  Eve…..

  Eve herself is well known throughout history, to some extent. Most of our history was lost during the Holy War. According to what we know, Eve was one of the first heroes to walk Kalos along with Adam. We don't know much about her or Adam, but according to what we know, everyone is a descendant of Adam himself.

  Snapping back to reality, I remember that I wasn't the only one who was injured. I was so wrapped up with my father and what was happening that I forgot what had transpired. I exclaim, "The others! How are they?" My voice was filled with anxiety. Or maybe it was guilt. Guilt that I forgot about those I fought alongside.

  My father raised his hand. "They are fine. They are recovering much better than you."

  I sighed in relief. I was worried for them since I was nearly killed. Didn't know if they suffered after I passed out.

  Turning back to Ryu, getting serious. "So. What now?"

  "Now?" Ryu responded. "The King of Drakelene and the King of Perrin will be here in three hours. Being a Lifebearer will make my life a lot more difficult. Especially given the laws in Drakelene. But before that, someone owes you an apology."

  I shook my head, trying to wrap my head around it. "Sorry what?"

  The door behind Ryu opened, and another figure walked in. They stood slightly taller than I in heavy armor. Looking at them sent a chill of fear down my spine as I realized it was the Wolf Knight I fought. The one who almost killed me.

  I immediately jumped off my bed, startling Aurum and making her jump. Aurum made a loud growl, her emotions flowing into me: shock and concern. Her claws tapping on the floor while I ignored her, readying myself for the knight, unsure if I would even last for a moment against him without my sword.

  My father, however, came to my side, hands on my shoulders. "Easy, Will. It's okay. He's with us."

  My breathing was frantic as I looked into that knight's helmet, where his eyes would be. That guy took me—Azrael, and what's his face? Sanguine, and we lost. Just seeing him makes me nervous, goosebumps riding up my arm. I can almost still feel the tingling sensation after he cut off my hand. That feeling and sight. The pain. It's going to haunt me for a while.

  The knight approached me, his heavy armor hitting against each other in a soft, gentle clank. I couldn't believe how quiet it was. He walked over to me and gave me a short bow. "My deepest apologies from before. I assume you all were there to kill me due to the relationships between Dragon Knights and Wolf Knights." His voice was young and almost nonchalant, which unnerved me.

  I was still in shock until Ryu spoke up. "You, alongside Argon, did a number on Art. Apparently, you broke eight of his ribs." Ryu gave me a smug look.

  Aurum nibbled at my fingers, making me flinch as I pulled my hand back. Staring at Ryu and the wolf knight, I controlled my breathing and sat back down on the bed, where Aurum jumped onto the bed and rested her head on me again.

  "Art is also one of the two men I was going to give Princess Azrael if she could clear the Nest," Ryu exclaimed.

  The Wolf Knight, Art, turned to Ryu, surprised by his statement. "What?" Art didn't sound too pleased.

  Ryu's expression changed as he faced Art. "You heard me. Besides... did you find what you're looking for?" Ryu asked.

  Art shook his head, "I didn't."

  Ryu didn't look pleased at all. His head bowed, and his nostrils flared as he growled, "Stand outside and be ready to welcome our guests."

  Art nodded in silence, letting out a quiet, annoyed grunt as he walked out. I get the feeling they don't like each other at all.

  Ryu turned back to me and my father, his face more relaxed and carefree. "Sorry. Art owes me a debt that will take a long time to repay.... You guys have a lot of stuff to catch up on." Ryu looked at me. "Listen, I don't know much about Lifebearers personally, but I do know someone who does. Give me some time, and I'm sure I can find them. Consider it an apology for what happened, along with keeping you alive."

  "Keeping me alive?" I asked. My head was starting to spin.

  Ryu chuckled. "You did steal a dragon."

  I looked down at Aurum. Her eyes were filled with excitement and innocence. She moved herself next to me, pressing her snort into my leg. I chuckled as I petted her.

  Knowing some of the laws in Drakelene, both me, Aurum and my father would be executed. If Lord Kevlar isn't at the meeting, I could get away, assuming Ryu is planning on having me there as well. Or simply just not be there.

  Petting Aurum, her body vibrating from letting out a loud groveling pur, I turned to Ryu. "Ryu.. I mean, Lord Ryu.."

  Lord Ryu cuts me off, "Just Ryu, please. A Lifebearer like you shouldn't be talking so formally to me."

  Taken aback by his words, I sighed. "Ryu…" I said nervously. Thank you... for saving me..."

  Ryu smiled. "Don't thank me yet." Ryu started to make his way to the exit. "The others are waiting in the next few rooms down," Ryu said as he left, leaving me and my father.

  Turning to my father, I asked him, "Why didn't you tell me about my mother being a Lifebearer?"

  He sighed while glancing into the distance, as if he was bothered about talking about my mother's side of the family. "I didn't want to do anything to discourage you, or make you overconfident. A bad habit of yours. Lifebearer's carry a burden. Your mother never talked much about it, besides saying, 'Lifebearer's take life where no one else can......' And there can only be three Lifebearer's at a time."

  The last words he said hit me hard. "Only three?" I muttered.

  "Some curse or something," my father responded. "It came long before your mother's time, so she didn't know why." He shook his head as he turned to me. "Just like Lord Ryu, I don't know much either. I do remember how she would 'communicate' to her relatives."

  "Wait?" I exclaimed. "Communicate? Aren't her relatives.... our relatives dead?"

  My father points at me, "Yes, just like your mother. And yet..." He gives a faint laugh, his eyes sparkling. "You have talked to her yourself."

  My eyes widen as I piece together what he suggests. "Did Mom go see her relatives like I have been seeing her? I asked her what she was. She said she was 'what remained of what I preserved'."

  "Maybe something to do with you being a Lifebearer?" My father speculated.

  I shrugged. My head throbbed as I continued to piece together what had been happening. The more I thought, the more my head pulsated.

  "You okay?" my father asked, his voice gentle.

  I scoffed, closing my eyes as I held my head up. "Its too much."

  It's too much, what?" my father responded.

  "Everything!" I yelled, turning to my father, eyes staring daggers at him. "Hearthglen destroyed, Prophecy breakers, Asgard being... well, not the Asgard I was told. Corrupted Riders. The Orderbreaker. Me being some Lifebearer." I let out a sigh. "I wasn't expecting..."

  My father came to my side. His hands were on my shoulders. "Hey. Kiddo. Look at me."

  I let out another heavy sigh, annoyed, but I look up at my father anyway.

  Whatever peace that came left with nothing but the problems of the past. It weighed heavily on me. Thinking more about everything brought back the memories of Hearthglen. The screaming, the blood, everything. How that Titan rider brought down the Matriach. How the bodies were missing. And now Aunt Sifle is trying to kill me.

  Then, I had to clear a Blight Nest, kill Lord Thomas, and almost die. This was my first break this week. The last few days were just too much.

  "Listen, " my father said, confidently, making me question who the adult in this situation was. You've been through so much for someone your age. But remember the life you wanted? To be a Dragon Knight."

  "I can't even be one remember," I responded.

  "It doesn't matter if you can or not; what matters is what you do now." My father explained. "I bet no other rider could do or go through what you did. I saw you cut down a massive tree in one swing. Read a map like an expert, like I taught you. Hell, I even heard you took down a Dragon Knight. A real one. To me.... You are more of a Dragon Knight than those nobles high up. You know how spoiled they can be."

  I chuckled slightly. "Ya, I guess."

  "Good," my father smiled, patting my shoulders. Take this time to rest. A lot has happened, so I know you're overwhelmed. Let me handle the rest, okay?"

  A sigh exited my lips as I nodded.

  Aurum held my hand in her mouth. Her saliva coated my hand as she dragged me through the hallways while my father went to join Ryu at the meeting. I can feel Aurum's emotions becoming increasingly easier to understand.

  Aurum's emotions were like a child in a sandbox writing words, but in my head. She would send me an emotion or a word, and suddenly, I would understand. But it wasn't always clear.

  From what Aurum was trying to tell me while pulling my hand, she wanted me to see Azrael. Azrael was extremely grateful that Aurum was my dragon, even after she found out about me stealing Aurum when she was an egg. I questioned Aurum on how Azrael knew about that. Apparently, she overheard what Thomas said to me in the Blight Nest.

  Aurum also told me that Thomas's dragon, Razarin, went berserk, which cost him his life. No one knew what happened.

  Finally, Aurum barged through a door, pulling me inside. The room was all white, with a marble tile floor and white window curtains. A single bed lay in the middle, next to which was some type of magical device. There, Azrael sat.

  Azrael wore a simple white gown, no longer covered in grime and dirt. She looked elegant yet sad—that is, until Aurum let go of my hand and ran over to her, almost like a dog happy to see its owner.

  "Well, hello, Aurum," Azrael squealed. "Did you bring William to me like I asked you to?"

  I was taken aback by her behavior. Then again, I only saw her mad at me.

  Aurum pressed her head into Azrael's lap, her body jittering excitedly, making me chuckle. "Aurum didn't tell me you wanted to see me?"

  Azrael smiled, which made me uneasy. "That's because I told her not to. I wanted to talk to you in private about your situation."

  Walking over to her bedside, I gave her a smug look. "What situation?"

  "You know what, you and your dragon." Her voice was much calmer than before. "How you stole an egg."

  I furrowed my brows at her, giving her a cocky smirk. I wasn't happy that she found out, but if push comes to shove, my father and I will just head out before anything happens. "What's you going to do about it, your grace?" I said in a mocky tone. She knows I don't like her.

  "Quiet, you barbarian. How stupid of you to charge headfirst into a horde of undead creatures? What if you died right there and then?" She retorted, her cheeks puffed.

  "Well I didn't," I spoke back with a mocky tone. I placed my hands on my waist, leaning over to Azrael with a wide grin. "And wasn't I that saved you?"

  Azrael was taken aback, but her grin told me everything I needed. "Excuse me? Who blocked off most of the entrances when the horde arrived? Who helped you when you fought that Wolf Knight? Who helped you with Lord Thomas? Me!"

  "Ya ya sure."

  "You should be thanking me for saving your remaining skin," she said, hitting my side. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about Lord Thomas."

  Thomas? I really didn't want to talk about him. I did kill him after all. Sure, he was an enemy siding with the Blight, so I didn't see any reason to see him as another person. I mean… The Blight turns people into monsters. Why would anyone want to side with them? Anything or anyone who sides with the Blight can't be human, and I won't treat them like one. They get no mercy from me.

  But Thomas was Azrael's knight and protector. I couldn't guess what that means or how it affected her. I guess she kinda grew on me. Rubbing the back of my head, I spoke up, "Ya, sorry about that."

  Azrael shook her head immediately. "No, I should be thanking you." She looked away, her hand gripping Aurum's side. "I didn't think Lord Thomas would do such things. Turning on me like that. And the things he said…" I watched her move her hand from Aurum to her arm, tightening her grip. "It was as if he'd been watching me as I grew up."

  I watched Azrael, pondering her words. Wasn't Thomas supposed to know her? Maybe he was a creep. "I see," I muttered. I didn't hear much of their conversation, and I knew well it was not my business.

  Azrael turned to me and said, "That's why I want you and your father to be my knights."

  "What?"

  "I know what it sounds like, and I can explain it all," Azrael stammered.

  What?

  "I saw how strong you are in the Nest. Without being a Dragon Knight yet… And I know that if you return to Drakelene, you and your father will be executed. I would rather not see such talent go to waste. So by the power in me, I would allow you and your father to be my knight so that you both can live." Azrael explained. "Even if I would prefer nobles to peasants like you."

  Rude.

  "Plus, I appreciate you standing up to Lord Thomas and holding your own. Even when he was using his full power. That type of power isn't found in most dragon riders." Azrael added in.

  I didn't mean to stand up to Thomas. It just happened. Plus, she's right. If my father and I were to return to Drakelene, we would be dead. I would rather not deal with nobles, especially how stuck up she was when we first met.

  A moment passes as I look at Azrael. She responds with an annoyed tone. "If it takes you that long, then I will just decide."

  "What?" I stammered.

  "Too late."

  "What?"

  "I now bestow upon you the position of one of my knights."

  "What? You can't just make me your knight just causes you say so," I exclaim.

  "I just did," Azrael retorted.

  Scoffing at her, I turn away. "Then watch me leave."

  A sudden thud echoed out of the room as I was struck from behind. I stumbled forward, grunting loudly. I wasn't hurt, but I felt my back throbbing. Recovering my footing, I turned back to Azrael to see her hand glowing with magic.

  I hissed at Azrael. "What the hell was that for?"

  Azrael wasn't happy. She yelled at me, her voice furious and loud, just like I first met her. "Why are you complaining? Any noble would be jealous of you! Being chosen as Royal Knight, especially by the Royal Family themselves, is an honor! A simple commoner like you would be of higher status than a simple noble! You should be thanking me!"

  "That doesn't mean you can just spring it on to me like that!" I yelled back. "What if I didn't want it?"

  "Do you want to be a Dragon Knight? This is the only way for you not to be executed by my father!" She answered, her face tensed as she snarled at me.

  "Okay, I just leave before he can..." Before I could finish my sentence, Aurum snapped at my hand, biting down hard. Her teeth stabbed my skin, but did not pierce. I let out a loud, angry groan as I stared at her. "Aurum? Why did you bite me?"

  "Her Knight?!?" I yelled. "You want me to be her Knight?"

  "See, even your dragon has more reason than you," Azrael roared with a triumphant smile.

  "This is not fair! You both can't just say something and make it happen!" Azrael and I argued repeatedly, yelling at each other until Aurum attacked me. It was a constant cycle back and forth until I receded and left. Only for Aurum to attack me again for being rude to Azrael.

  It wasn't my normal interaction, but it was much better than what we all dealt with for the past few days.

  Soon, horns rang across the city. The Kings have arrived.