Dragon Hero III: Drayken Reborn

by C Woodward

  I could hear cheers all around me. My eyes looked over and I saw my friends cheering over the remains of the undead. The gloom that hovered over the valley had even cleared up. Talestria ran over with tears in her eyes.

  "Blakey! I am glad you are safe!" Talestria cried as she knelt over and rested my head on her lap.

  "I’ve had better days," I joked and coughed a bit.

  "Don't you dare leave me!" Talestria cried. She then started balling loudly.

  "Easy there, my dear. Blake is alright" Falstrid came over. He leaned over to inspect my wounds. "You are pretty banged up. But you’ll survive," Falstrid added.

  I smiled, "You should have seen the other guy."

  Falstrid laughed, "You must have done a number on him."

  "I'll say!" Wotmire cheered. He walked over with a big grin on his face, "Don't know what you did but you pulled it off!"

  Jerak laughed out of view, "It looks like everything came out well!"

  "Yes, as soon as you and Xum'gol went through that gate, his obelisks crumbled and his army of dead fell," Falstrid said.

  I grinned, "Well, looks like the danger is all over."

  Talestria coddled me, "Shh, save your strength. I will try to get a healer to treat your wounds."

  I closed my eyes, "I just want to take a nice long nap."

  I could hear the laughter from the others.

  Talestria scolded, "Don't just stand there! Help me get Blake treated."

  I chuckled, "I am fine, hon." I tried to move but my body was sore all over.

  Things became quiet as I rested there on Talestria's lap. The blue feral dragon walked over. She nudged me with her snout. The other feral dragons sat nearby, watching. Talestria put her hand on the blue dragon and smiled.

  "You be very careful, cutie," Talestria ordered the blue dragon.

  The dragon carefully picked me up in its large mouth and placed me on her back. Talestria climbed up and secured me. I grasped the harness and was barely able to sit up. Talestria put a belt around me and smiled.

  The blue dragon calmly walked me toward the entrance. All I could see were dead cultists and their undead army lying all around.

  “What happened to your scales?" Talestria asks as we started moving.

  I looked down at my scales, "Oh, this was a blessing the Dragon Spirit put on me."

  Talestria placed her hand on me, "He enchanted your scales with light magic. So beautiful!'

  I look at her eyes, "Not as beautiful as your eyes."

  Talestria just smiled and held my hand. I stared off and tried to enjoy the ride.

  The swamps were filled with scorched trees and burnt corpses of Xum'gol's forces. It appeared that the dragons made more than one swipe and created a large band of destruction. We trod past it and saw a cheering army of both familiar and unfamiliar faces. The Lyonus army raised their banners and cheered along with the forces from the Farlands. I even saw a few druids cheering and their animal allies. It was strange to see a few elkvians among them.

  Jerak and the others landed behind the group of feral dragons. A heavy-set man in full decorated Lyonus armor walked over to me. He had short hair and big, bushy eyebrows and appeared middle aged. He brushed his fingers over his large mustache and gave me a broad smile, revealing a missing tooth. The markings on his armor displayed his ranking to be a general.

  "Blake, I assume?" the man asked as he held his helmet and walked over to me.

  "Right, and you're General Valks?" I asked.

  General Valks nodded and smiled, "I heard you were the one that brought down Xum'gol."

  I smiled, "I couldn't have done it without your help."

  General Valks shook his head, "It was the combined effort of all. My men are thankful for your aid and the aid of your friends."

  I looked at Talestria and the others, "We all did our best and we succeeded."

  "That you did," Valks nodded.

  Nahryn, as well as few drayken, walked over to us. Nahryn had tears of joy in her eyes. She climbed up onto the blue feral dragon and gave me a warm hug.

  "We are finally safe!" Nahryn said.

  General Valks chimed in, "I had a discussion with the arch mage about the Drake Guard. I will make sure their guild has no place in these lands. You can be sure that Fidalus Fohrne will be punished once we find him. He and a few of his men went against their orders."

  I looked at Jerak and Amgati. The both shrugged at me.

  Amgati cleared his throat, "You see. They, well, we already encountered them."

  Jerak grinned, "They were no match for us! Huh, Blake?"

  I laughed, "I guess not."

  General Valks stroked his mustache, "Well it served them right. That arrogant family had been milking the fame of their ancestor, Gratius."

  "Blake took care of him too," Jerak said proudly.

  General Valks looked surprise, "Well, no kidding. Didn't know he was still around."

  Falstrid walked over, "I will explain it to you. Say, how is my old friend?"

  "Oh, he is still running the mage school, and still a stubborn old fool," Valks joked.

  Wotmire laughed, "Just like this old fool?" He grinned at Falstrid.

  The three of them walked away and Nahryn looked at Talestria.

  "So, have you told him?" Nahryn asked.

  Talestria's eyes went wide, "Uh, no. Not yet. I might wait till we get back."

  Nahryn frowned, "Well, it might be a few days before Blake can make the flight back."

  "What is going on?" I asked.

  Talestria started to look flustered, "Oh nothing! Nothing at all!"

  Nahryn sighed, "You might as well tell him."

  Talestria bit her lower lip and gave me a guilty look. She grabbed my hands and held them close to her. She took a deep breath and timidly spoke, "Blakey, well, I am pregnant."

  My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I suddenly felt short of breath and dizzy. I couldn't utter a sound.

  Talestria put her arms around me, "You're going to be a father!"

  Holy crap!