Chapter 7
Travel after that continued to be hectic. Monsters were more favorable than people, however. Zarracen could not help thinking about anything save for the attack by the bandits. What was even the game there? Her death? If she had not gotten stronger she would have died then. The emperor would be without his prize.
Why risk it?
Not only would the Dragon's carcass not have arrived but not would the heart and the Flame sac would not arrive.
The carriage begins to come to a brief stop. Zarracen leaves the carriage to see why they stopped. The sun was setting but they could go a distance more to Illuvia to reach the city's outskirts before it fully sets, and they'd still be able to make camp.
She finds Prawm staring concerned towards a figure in the distance. The figure looked familiar. Zarracen attempts to place them. They felt familiar as well. The figure approaches them slowly putting everyone on guard. Upon, seeing who they were up close and the crest of the royal family on their chest she knew who it was.
"Stay ya swords it's Herald Stace." Zarracen eyes the man who approaches swiftly on foot.
With each step he took a gust of wind caused the grass to lean back to the ground on approach.
He was not coming from the regular road to Illuvia. He was coming from uphill which was odd to say the least.
"Herald Stace makes greetings with the Grand Knight of Valor Galt Zarracen," he bows at the waist.
"Herald Stace. Why have you come to greet me?" Zarracen asks.
"I came to escort you to camp up the hill where the other Dragon Slayers reside." Stace retorts with ease.
Zarracen's eyes narrowed on him, not trusting him but at this point what choice did he have. She looks at Prawm and the two of them lock eyes. Despite just fighting together the two could emote enough with a look to the other to know a message. And that message was to get ready for a fight.
Zarracen orders the others to take the carriage up the hill. The trip up is slow as Herald Stace was making way for them. By the time the carriage was up the hill Zarracen could see nothing but rolling hills, grass and bushes.
"Is this a trap?" Zarracen asks bluntly, crackling her knuckles ready to pummel him. Stace flinches and pales.
"No not at all just wait one moment please."
"Oh, relax you damned thug," a smoky voice remarks from in front of them.
As if a mist fades away a woman steps forward. Upon the reveal of the person Zarracen cannot help the look of utter disgust that comes on her face. Standing in front of her is the Grand Knight of Magus Anitta Eskola a member of the Tekt class of nobility. Anitta Eskola embodied everything Zarracen hates in nobility.
The woman was unkind as she was brilliant. The top sorceress likely on the continent capable of spells that could wipe entire mountain ranges off the face of world. She received an open door to everything cruelly dismissive to anyone thought of as lesser. She's known for whipping a commoner who would walk in front of her.
Zarracen has personally seen her cast a curse on a Jewler for putting a scratch in one of her wares. The man could not make it more than thirty feet out of sight before dying in an 'accident' triggered by the curse. Annitta was cruel but efficient which kept most of her darker unscrupulous activities from keeping her jailed.
Her emerald eyes land on Aias for a bit longer than Zarracen likes as if she knows him. It makes her immediately want to bunch up her shoulders in a defensive posture. But, she stays relaxed she cannot let the raven-haired beauty in front of her put her on the backfoot.
"Relax when a nutter just appeared out of thin air."
"Nu- listen you common slug who was only given the grace of this mission out of pity"
"Harrumph!" Herald Stace interrupts the brewing argument. "Might get inside the barrier before creatures come flocking." Annitta looks Zarracen's group up and down disgust tinged on her features.
"Yes, the filthy beasts need a bath."
"Fuack you!" Zarracen glares and spits at her feet. Annitta responds by conjuring a fire ball and slinging at Zarracen.
Zarracen coats her fist in Videle and smacks it away. The two sneer at each other but they both know that's as much as they can do to the other. Zarracen starts forward a grabbing the dragon supplies she could carry and marching through where Annitta appeared from. The space distorts and a camp holding more than a company of soldiers appear.
"Shit," Prawm murmurs.
As soon as she steps across the barrier the bustling crowd appears before her. There were several workers running around fixing large boats and tugs with dead dragons on them. Tents were affixed with the insignias of all of the Grand Knight's who were ordered on the expediton.
A hand holding a sword with the wings of a macaw for Annitta.
A lion rampant with the flames at its feet for Kayiback Zayi Rerrer. Zarracen's only friend.
A symbol of bones crossing over a broadsword for Victor Norcross.
A trident with spotted fish swimming around it for Isaac Anderson.
The four others were sent on the expedition. Seeing as there were five corpses here now and the camp was relatively cheery, they all survived. Annita was sent to the region of Goa to kill the Black Dragon of Chaos Rakshi. Rakshi had been terrorizing the Goa region cursing the land with its black fire.
Kayiback was sent to the cold lands in the south to destroy Red Dragon Bracchus. It had made its nest near a human mining settlement. Its presence there kept the commoners there from being able to mine precious ores for the empire.
Victor Norcross, the son of the Grand Shield Knight and a Grand Knight of Nobility himself, was sent after Green Dragon Iridia of the Sunter Plains. Isaac Anderson was sent after Gent the Silver Sea Serpent. Both dragons were interrupting supply travel and trade due to constant attacks.
Each dragon the others went after would have easily killed Zarracen. White dragons are some of the weaker dragon kind but still more powerful than most humanoid creatures. Zarracen is proud of her kill but in comparison to the dragons dead before her, the smaller white dragon was certainly not as impressive.
Workers came to take the dragon's carcass to line it up next to the other dragons being affixed on large boats with wheels at the bottom. Zarracen opens her mouth to tell them not touch it only to be interrupted by Herald Stace.
"Yes, take it by the others and afix the jackal insignia on the tug for the parade."
"Parade?" Zarracen breathes out.
"Yes parade you know what that is right?" Annitta questions.
"The parade is scheduled for tomorrow. I am pleased that you made it back beforehand. Having a second one for yourself or pushing this one back would have been troubling as the others had been waiting for nearly two weeks for you to bring in your kill."
"Two weeks? We left at the same time!"
"And you were slow though given your blood I can imagine why." Zarracen turns to swing at her only for her to be taken in a one shoulder hug.
"Zari! You're late! You owe me a drink! Ugh" the man who hugs her recoils. "You stink of blood and death my friend."
Kayiback looking as at ease as always. He easily towers over her. His wings flutter slightly on his back. Being an Aven Antherian he could fly without magic. His eyes were like that of a hawk though his sharp expression always makes them seem kind.
"Kay." Zarracen ignores Annitta with her friend nearby.
"That's right. You and your...assistance should go freshen up and have a good night's sleep. The parade will start early tomorrow where you'll then take your prizes to his Majesty. It's best to get a good night's sleep," Stace informs looking relieved.
"Will the Cognifiends attack?"
"No, Lady Eskola's barrier is top notch not even a wisp of Videle even one as powerful and tempting as five dragons will not escape."
Annitta looks rather smug in herself. Zarracen wishes to wipe the expression off her face.
"Yes, Lady Eskola is quite the Sorceress perhaps I can learn much from her if she cares to teach."
Annitta flutters her eyes towards Kayiback who has a grin splayed across his face.
Zarracen sighs feeling drained. Kayiback flirting with Annitta. Leaving Zarracen confused. The two were as argumentative as Zarracen was. Kayiback did not enjoy Annitta's temperament in regard to commoners or perhaps in regard to Zarracen herself and would go out of his way to keep Annitta from harming her.
This is exhausting.
"I'm going to take a bath."
She hefts the bags in her hand walks off. They can have the carcass but she's keeping the Emperor's true prize.
"Wait up!" Prawm runs to catch up to Zarracen. "Geez you are fast."
"Shut-up."
"Rude."