It was nearing sunrise when the foothills of the Talon Range finally entered into view.
At first glimpse of this land, Minx couldn't help but gasp. The jagged peaks of the Talon Range pierced the dull pre-dawn skies, and were higher than any other formation she'd ever seen. As they neared the dragon lands, she spied large, ornate carvings in the sides of various cliff-faces, these seeming to indicate a network of elegant tunnels, fortresses and neighborhoods. A vast clearing sat in the shadow of the range—this, Kaleb explained, was utilized during combat drills by the militant dragons.
Minx stared on in wonder as they approached the greatest monuments of the Talon Range. The mountain itself appeared to be one enormous fortress, carved and hollowed by generations of careful workers. Of particular interest was the Great Hall of Talon Range, a beautiful structure built directly into the crags of the mountain and flanked by two carved monuments of titanic height, each bearing the likenesses of past rulers.
Minx had read a bit about the dragon lands in the past, and had sometimes imagined what the homes of these militaristic creatures might look like. But the reality far outweighed her wildest imaginings. There was a certain roughness to every feature—the roughness of the mountain, and of the hands that had tamed it—but she'd been unprepared for the beauty and attention to detail that the builders had fastidiously imbued each structure with. The great arches, the artistry of the two carved pillars flanking the Great Hall, and even the neatness of the clearing below struck her as beautiful.
Kaleb coasted on the breeze, streaming past the top of the mountain and then gradually lowering himself onto a large, smooth platform built into the peaks. As soon as the red dragon touched down, Minx and Mau hopped off his back and watched as he donned his human form. Kaleb stretched and limped across the platform, shaking his head. “Even when I'm feeling my best, that flight is hard. With passengers, it's brutal. I'm going to feel that one for days.”
Minx marveled at the breadth of the platform, and at the countless openings arranged all around it, which ostensibly led deeper into the mountain. “This is beautiful. I never imagined dragons would live in a place like this.”
“How did you imagine us living? In huts? Ditches?” he mocked. “Yeah, it turns out we're highly-civilized after all. Don't act so surprised!”
“I didn't mean it that way!” replied Minx. “It's just... this stonework is so lovely. I've never seen anything like it, really!”
A small humanoid figure emerged furtively from one of the openings, peering out at them narrowly before back-tracking with a strange noise. It had been a bent thing, animal-like, with smooth, almost rubbery-looking skin and beady eyes planted in a blunted face. It held its arms out before it like an insect, its clawed fingers twitching curiously. Kaleb hiked a thumb at the retreating figure. “We have the Kurgs to thank for that. They're a workmanlike race, and they're the ones that hollowed out this mountain. When it comes to stonework, there are none more gifted. They're peaceful, so no worries if you see them hanging around.”
The sight of the thing had unsettled her, but Minx put it out of her mind, following Kaleb down a few steps and approaching a narrow tunnel lit only by staggered torches. “Where are we going, exactly?” she asked, a chill running down her spine as they descended into the corridor of carved stone.
Mau's claws clacked against the smooth floors, and she sniffed the air cautiously. The dragons live inside of a mountain? Now I've seen everything...
Kaleb kept his voice down as he replied. His pace had taken on something of the calm, the assured, and he carried on as though he'd walked this path a million times. “I know of a secret route through these tunnels—it'll take us to my parents. Might take a few minutes, but trust me, I know where I'm going.”
“So...” began Minx, “your parents live here?” The passage had been so carefully shaped that she couldn't even detect tool marks in the torchlight. “Stone is coarse and sharp... I never imagined that it could be as comfortable as this.”
“Wait till you see the inside,” replied Kaleb. “Us dragons do have a thing for aesthetics. Beauty is a necessity in life, wouldn't you say?”
She couldn't fight back her smile. The beauty of the stonework reminded her of her own homeland. The Fae didn't work in stone, it was true, but the thoughtfulness of the design and attention to detail mirrored a similar spirit—a creative spirit she'd never expected to find in dragon-kind. Minx had always been content to limit this sort of beauty to the work of her own people, but now that she passed through the halls of the dragons, admiring the handsomely-carved arches in the stone, she realized she'd been wrong to write them off.
Dragons and Fae, perhaps, were not so different as they'd initially seemed. Her homeland was painted in every shade of brown and green—the colors of the forest. Here, tasteful shades of grey filled out every detail. But the traditions of both peoples were united in their respect of natural materials. Up to that point, Minx had never considered that another race, much less the oft-maligned dragons, could have a proper respect for nature like her people. She couldn't help feeling that she'd been too hasty in dismissing dragons all her life; that Kaleb's culture and kin were not inferior to hers, merely different.
With Kaleb in the lead, the trio hung a sudden left, turning into a narrower and more dimly-lit tunnel. This brought them to a handsome wooden door fixed with a beautiful, brassy knocker. Availing himself of a key stored behind some loose stone, Kaleb unlocked the door and pushed it open softly, bringing them into a chamber of frankly incredible proportions. Till they had crossed into the room, Minx had nearly forgotten that they'd been wandering through a mountain. Now, in this great space, she was more than reminded—she was stunned.
The room they found themselves in was exceptionally high-ceilinged, and the natural texture of the mountain had been left in place here and there, showcasing the beauty of timeless rock formations. The ceilings were so high that the shafts carved into them actually admitted embers of the new dawn, which spilled out across the room in ribbons of powdery gold. The furnishings in the room were things of great beauty and style. A massive table of hand-carved wood sat at room's center, surrounded on all sides by sturdy, padded chairs. The stone-working Kurgs had adorned the walls of the room with exotic bas reliefs of dragons, most of them depictions of victory in battle. Natural scenes, too, were featured, and the peaks of the Talon Range had been reproduced on one wall to super-realistic effect.
While Minx and Mau gawked, Kaleb started past the large table and slipped through an adjacent doorway, apparently searching for someone. “Father?” he called out. “Are you in?”
Minx heard the commotion well before she saw its source. From a room to their left, behind another dense wooden door, there arose a clatter. A wild-eyed figure burst through it at the sound of Kaleb's voice, startling both Minx and the Faelyr. This individual, roughly Kaleb's height and possessed of the same long, black hair, was clad in rust-colored plate armor. His thin face, angular and half-concealed by a wiry black beard, was striking for its aura of dominance. “What's this?” blurted the man. And then, without pause, he strode across the room and seized Kaleb by the shoulders. “Where in the world have you been, my boy?”
Kaleb winced in his father's bear-like embrace. “S-Sorry if I worried you, father.”
His father pulled away, appraising Kaleb's face and regarding the recent damage to his armor. “You look like a mess! What have you gotten into now? Worried isn't the half of it! You've been gone for days.” Pivoting from tenderness, he socked his son in the arm with a beefy fist. “For all we knew, you were dead. There was talk of a messenger—of your being wounded. What is all this, hm? I don't remember approving such an absence. I let you out of my sight for a few days and you start requesting aid? You're still too young, too inexperienced for all of this. Where have you been, then? Spit it out, lad!”
Minx recalled the messenger—the dragon whose hide she'd nearly claimed while Kaleb had still been recovering. Kaleb's reques
t for aid had been delivered, but it remained to be seen how willing the dragons would be to assist when faced with all of the details. Torrent's involvement, she realized, might dissuade them from participating in the defense of Pandling Grounds.
“Well, father,” began Kaleb, “it's complicated, but the gist is that we need to head out straight away. You, me, the guard—we need to hurry back to Pandling Grounds for—”
“Oh, no, no,” countered his father, slapping him hard on the back. “You're not going anywhere. You've been missing long enough, getting mixed up in...” It was here that he finally realized there were two others in the room. He appraised Minx and Mau confusedly. “Er... What, exactly, have you gotten mixed up in?”
Kaleb turned. “These are friends of mine. Minx, a Fae huntress—and that's Mau, a gifted Faelyr. We ran into each other on the road. Minx has been a great ally to me—in fact, if not for her, I wouldn't be here.” He motioned to the gouges in his armor as proof.
Kaleb's father stormed past him with a toothy grin. He took Minx's hand in his and shook it enthusiastically. “A Fae, of all things? Well, they're not all so bad after all, I suppose! A million thanks, miss, for your service. I appreciate your aiding my son very much.” He stepped back and suddenly motioned for the door.
Apparently, she was being asked to leave. Minx stiffened. “Uh...”
“No, father,” insisted Kaleb, “she can't leave yet. We still have business to tend to.”
“Of course she can leave,” snapped back his father. “We'll see to it that she and her pet have an escort all the way to the territorial boundary.”
Kaleb continued pressing his father, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Seriously, I need you to listen to me. The Fae are facing a great threat. I've come here looking for help. The enemy they're up against may threaten us, too, if we don't join forces and stamp it out soon.”
“What's all this?” spat his father. “A threat? Against the Fae?” He chuckled. “With no offense intended toward your friend here, it is not a dragon's place to much concern himself with the troubles plaguing that race.”
“Father, let me make my case. The threat is real—an army of darkness is gathering and the world as we know it may be plunged into chaos.” Kaleb hesitated. “You know I wouldn't waste your time. And the Fae, as I've learned first-hand, may not be so bad after all. More than mere assistance, I think we stand to forge a longstanding peace with them if we follow through with this.”
His father was flustered—relieved to have his son back, but troubled by all of this nebulous talk of looming battles. “It is a threat to us both?” he asked incredulously. “What kind of threat could possibly concern both of our civilizations, Kaleb? You're speaking nonsense, aren't you?”
“I wish I were.” Kaleb looked to Minx. “I sent that messenger along to ask for aid—aid in mobilizing a force that can accompany us to Pandling Grounds. May I address the Guard? I'll lay it all out on the table for them. I can tell them everything I know about this enemy... but there isn't a lot of time for debate. I need to speak to them immediately, else it might be too late.”
“It isn't like you to be so insistent,” replied his father. Meditating on the request a moment, he reluctantly agreed, motioning to the door. “Let us descend to the War Chamber. I can have the leaders assembled within the hour, but...” He paused. “Are you sure this is necessary? There were mumblings of action after your messenger dropped by, but I don't believe the leaders will come to a unanimous agreement. Many will not be keen to risk their lives in defense of the Fae, and I can hardly blame them. Surely the Fae can take care of themselves, no?”
Kaleb shook his head. “I wish. Please, father, let me appeal to them directly. I couldn't give them the full details earlier. Now, when they hear all I have to say, I'm confident they'll agree at once.”
Kaleb's father led the way out the door, muttering to himself. He had little hope for this course of action and wasn't afraid to show it. “This may be a waste of time, but let's see..” He brought the trio back into the main hall, then cut immediately across to a different arched corridor, this one descending very gently toward a new quadrant of the mountain. There were doorways scattered across this stretch, and in them idled other dragons clad in reddish plate armor. Without exception, these loiterers looked to Minx and Mau with unveiled curiosity and scorn.
Minx couldn't blame them. They've probably never seen a Fae hanging around here.
I'm fairly certain the only Fae they've ever seen in this place have been those tossed in the dungeon. Need I remind you that dragons have never been welcoming of the Fae? It's a wonder we've made it this far. If we lose sight of Kaleb here, we're liable to get locked up for trespassing in dragon territory!
The winding corridors of the labyrinthine mountain settlement brought them through still other passages lined with the residences of community members. They passed, too, through courts of immense breadth, where young dragons dined and socialized at hefty public tables draped in the powdery light of the new day, which entered through masterfully-carved skylights in the unreachable ceilings. Occasionally, these skylights were found to have been outfitted with gilt frames and paned in gorgeous colored glass, resulting in a soothing prismatic effect. No matter the gravity of their errand, Minx and Mau were singularly wowed by the utter beauty of their surroundings.
They may not like us very much... but this dragon kingdom isn't so bad, is it? chanced a delighted Mau.
Minx followed Kaleb and his silent father through a teeming square, basking in the palatial splendor of the setting. Maybe, when this is all over, we'll stay awhile and take a proper tour, she quipped.
The path ahead of them opened into a massive chamber built, seemingly, into the side of the mountain. The domed room, ceilinged in part by grey shards of mountain enjoined by glittering glass, was packed with two concentric circles of seating. This room, a stately forum, was occupied only by a handful of dragon-shifters engaged in jovial conversation. At sighting Kaleb's father, they waved him over, inviting him to their chat—but the sternness of his expression must have immediately betrayed the seriousness of his mission, because they all stood to attention. Taking notice of Kaleb, and of the huntress and Faelyr besides, one of them, a middle-aged individual with a bushy beard, asked, “What brings you here, old friend?”
Kaleb's father, hardly in the talking mood, said merely, “Assemble the Generals. Quickly. There is... pressing business we must discuss.”
After the messenger had brought word of Kaleb's request, rumors had circulated throughout the community about a potential military operation. Details had been scant, leading to much gossip and supposition about the nature of this incursion, and another of the assembled dragons, a stooped old man with ice blue eyes, gave a slow nod. “This is about the offensive operation, I take it? There has been much discussion already—we will assemble the Generals posthaste. I look forward to hearing more.”
Kaleb's father settled into a seat and placed his chin atop his palm. Motioning to Minx, he said, “Please, sit. We'll begin in a few minutes, when our military leaders are all present.”
Kaleb, for his part, did not take a seat, but paced about the center of the forum, near a stone podium, as still other individuals began entering the War Chamber. His expression was speculative, pinched into something hard and calculating; that he was carefully considering the wording of his appeal was never in doubt to Minx. He had about him a martial air as he strode across the forum with all the confidence of a famous general on the battlefield. She'd never seen him behave this way, and as she waited for the discussion to commence, she couldn't help but be taken by his firm bearing. In combat, the young dragon shifter had proven himself a highly-capable fighter. The steely resolve in his eye now gave him the look of someone in a position of authority.
Within minutes, several stately men, accompanied by squads of what Minx presumed were military officers and guardsmen, trickled into the forum and took seats. These Generals came in every shape an
d height—one among them was potbellied and stone-faced, while another, thin as a twig, wandered in with an easy smile. These commanders ranged in age as well; though most were cresting the latter half of middle-age, like Kaleb's father, some appeared quite youthful. Some were bald, others rather hairy and mustachioed.
When the last of the Generals had been admitted to the chamber, the doors were sealed by silent guards armed with spears. Taking note of all in attendance, Kaleb wasted no time in starting. He gave a firm nod to all those seated and cleared his throat. “Brothers, I come to you this day with an appeal—an appeal for aid.”
The room was quiet as Kaleb paced about the center of the forum, launching into his speech.
Minx found herself holding her breath as she listened to his oration. I hope they'll help us... Everything depends on this. If they refuse... if they turn us down, then I don't see a way forward. I hope Kaleb can sway them...
“For ages, we have maligned our neighbors the Fae. We have been separated by hotly-contested borders set by our ancestors, have had only disdain for this proud race that warred against our kind so many years ago. I bring you proof this day of hope—a hope for peace.” Here, he pointed to Minx, seated nearby. “I have, in my recent wanderings, made the acquaintance of a Royal Fae—and I owe her my life. Despite the animosity between our peoples, she risked her own safety to nurse and defend me after I sustained grave injuries.”
Murmurs broke out in the crowd; some in seeming delight, others snickering with doubt.
How to Kill a Dragon (Heir of Dragons Book 1) Page 16