The Inner Kingdom: Quest One (Dragon Quest Book 1)

by Gibbs, S. R.

  Quickly, the light began to appear, and instead of forcing it forward, I let it spread slowly until I could feel my hands warming.

  The sound of someone clapping made me open my eyes to find Prince Leev standing beside Nolin. “Excellent, I see you are making progress. My father will love to hear about this.”

  A small glow in the palm of my hands caught my eyes, making me almost scream with joy, "I did it," and catching the smiles on my sisters’ faces they had, too.

  Nolin seemed engrossed in a conversation with the prince. Straining to hear what they were saying, I didn’t see or hear Leo coming up behind me until he knocked my feet from under me.

  Determined to not fall for a second time in front of him, I relaxed and let the energy spread. Holding the side of my dress, I went into a one handed back flip to catch myself. Once I landed on my feet, popping the straps on my right sandal. I came back at him with everything I had.

  The energy in my hands grew so fast that it took all of my strength to stay upright. My palms heated up as the energy moved toward Leo like fiery lightning bolts. Apparently caught off guard by my counter attack, he quickly retaliated with his own gray tinted energy in the form of a large orb.

  Right before the two energies met, a bright white light flashed, engulfing both of our attacks. “That is enough!” Nolin thundered coming between us.

  Still tense from the experience, I stood in a fighting stance. I know I was a sight to see, with my thick hair wild and loose, my long dress bunched in one hand, with one sandal on.

  I stood with my eyes never wavering from Leo’s, while panting as if I had just ran a marathon.

  “Captain! Explain yourself!” Prince Leev then stepped in.

  “I was testing the dragon warrior. I wanted to see how close I could get without her knowing, but she was too busy trying to listen in on what you were conversing about that she did not sense me,” Leo accused glancing my way.

  I tried to not let the truth about my eavesdropping show on my face as my sisters came to my side.

  “I decided then to teach her a lesson about letting down her guard. I see she has learned quickly under your tutelage and teachings,” Leo explained bowing down in front of the prince and Nolin.

  “Your intentions are noble captain, but the next time you test them, let it be with my knowledge and permission first,” Nolin warned.

  “Yes, Elder,” Walking back into the fields, he started commanding his men who were standing around staring in a daze at the whole spectacle.

  Feeling dissatisfied while watching him walk away, I could not stay quiet. “That’s it? He attacks me, and he gets a pat on the back.”

  I could feel Ashley’s nails digging into my arms, silently telling me to shut my mouth.

  “What the captain was trying to teach you is a very important lesson,” Prince Leev said, turning toward me. “Never let your guard down.”

  “I will remember that from now on,” I responded loosening my hold on my dress. “What was that anyway? Can everyone here on this planet do that?”

  “Everything has energy, or life force, as some may call, but sometimes there are some who are born with more energy than others. We call them celta masters.”

  “If you have celta masters, why do you need dragon warriors?”

  “A dragon warrior’s energy is immensely more powerful than a celta master could ever dream their energy could be.

  “His energy literally ate mine with no problem,” I stated nodding my head in Nolin’s direction.

  Nolin began to laugh. “That is because you still have much to learn, and you haven’t gained the full powers of dragon warrior.

  Pulling me to the side with April, Ashley began to vent her frustrations on me. “I thought you agreed you were going to hold your temper.”

  “Are you okay sister?” I sarcastically mimicked Ashley’s voice. “Yes, I am fine, thanks for asking.”

  “I know you are okay because if you weren’t, you would not fail in letting us know since you can’t seem to control that mouth of yours.”

  April stepped In between us. “We are not here to fight each other. We are here to learn more about this place and ourselves until we can find a way home and confront Mom and Dad about everything.”

  “You are right, but I wasn’t planning on attacking him. It just came naturally after he tripped me,” I confessed.

  “Even though that was kind of cool, do not do that every time you are startled," Ashley joked.

  “I’ll try not, but no promises.”

  “If you ladies are done chattering, my father has summoned everyone to his quarters for a meeting. Due to the fact that he is ill, he was not able to meet you at your ceremony,” The prince announced, standing beside Nolin, Leo, and several other guards.

  “Before we go, I believe we need to know about the dangers other than Jewel.” April’s demand must of shocked them because they stood quiet for a while looking at each other.

  “Please do not tell us we need to wait to find out,” I chimed in to take away the usual response we’d received since arriving here.

  “Truthfully, there are dangers everywhere. All that you have seen here was built and maintained without the assistance of money. We have built a bartering system to make this kingdom free of greed,” Nolin confessed. “I have seen the devastation and chaos the love of money brings, but there was one thing we did not foresee, and that was the love of power.”

  “What does any of that has to do with us?”

  “Bain predicted that the next dragon warriors will bring peace for many years and will unite the kingdoms as one.”

  “And with the kingdoms united, no one will be able to profit from the division any longer,” the prince spoke up. “There is a rumor that my Aunt Raven has allied herself with other kingdoms, bartering off military secrets in order to get on the council.

  I was beginning to feel confused. “What council?”

  “There is an unofficial and fragile alliance at the moment between us and three of the Outer Kingdoms.”

  “Let me guess, it is because of the children they entrusted to you,” I figured staring at Nolin.

  “Precisely, if something was to happen to any of you girls, whatever alliance that has been formed in these past years would go away in an instant,” Nolin acknowledged as he seemed to age even more, as he told us just how dangerous our situation is. “Three members from each kingdom have been chosen to speak and convene each year with the other members. The council was created after the demise of the last dragon warriors.”

  “The council has never met officially; most of the other kingdoms do not like outsiders inside the activities of their own,” Leo admitted furiously. “We keep electing council members for appearance sake. It doesn’t mean anything, and it is just a show for the people so that they may sleep well at night with their delusion of peace.”

  “Then that means Raven is the least of our concerns. There could be more than one ruler of the outer kingdoms secretly not wanting peace in order to stay in control of their own kingdom," April concluded. “They just want us alive long enough to destroy their most imminent threat."

  “That doesn’t sound good for the people who are supposed to bring peace,” I drily joked.

  Nolin looked more proud than surprised at April’s assessment. “You now know why it is important at all times to be on alert; everyone you meet will not be trustworthy.”

  “My father is not one to wait; we need to be on our way.” The prince walked away with everyone left to follow.

  “Why is everyone here always in a rush to do something?” I complained following after them. "Okay, this is my last question. What role does that Zarf guy play in all of this?"

  "I wouldn’t worry about him if I were you; he is a coward and one of Raven's many puppets," Leo answered me as he appointed guards to follow behind us.

  On the way back to the castle, we were shown the correct way to locate and find a celta to activate a path.

  Be
side every path there is a plant with a celta inside. Once someone touches it, the flower turns gold. The way back was a lot smoother than our ride from the castle. It was particularly odd having people pointing and waving as we passed by houses and stores that were built mostly out the same decorative stone that made up most of the castle walls. So far, from what I could see, this kingdom appeared to be very prosperous.

  Once we entered the castle, I wiped my sweaty hands on my dress. The Inner Kingdom clothes are hardcore. After all I have put my dress through, it is still in one piece.

  “I can’t believe we are going to meet the king,” I whispered to my sisters as we started walking down a long corridor.

  The orbs of energy illuminating the hall glowed brighter than the ones that led to our room. Even the walls were more decorative with stones that changed colors from gold to silver, reminding me of the wings of that bird.

  “Hey, whatever happened to that bird?” April broke the silence, voicing what I was actually thinking.

  “Inda is a rare phoenix bird. There’s not many like her. Her gold and silver feathers turn orange and red whenever there is an evil threat approaching,” Nolin answered as he continued to walk.

  “How old is she? I’ve read that a phoenixes can live for a long time.”

  Leo stopped walking to turn around and face April. “How do you know about the sacred bird?”

  “There are many books about mythical creatures on Earth. I found them fascinating for some strange reason.”

  “Interesting,” Nolin muttered, as he continued to walk down the hall. “To answer your query, she is an ancient bird that is rumored to date back as far as the first records of the dragon warriors. For each set of dragon warriors, she chooses a watcher to locate them and teach them how to control their powers. She only communicates with that chosen watcher.

  “That’s you, isn’t it?” Ashley stated.

  “Yes, I was chosen a long time ago to be the watcher of the previous warriors.”

  “And now you are ours,” I stated wondering exactly how old he really was. “Has that ever happened before, one person being the watcher for two sets of dragon warriors?”

  “No, it has not,” he admitted. “But my duties are not yet complete.”

  The air around us was charged with unanswered questions as we made our way toward the king’s chamber. I was lost in thought as I stared down at my makeshift sandal that I tied in a knot around my calf since I broke the strap that was holding it in place.

  “What an honor it is to see the legendary dragon warriors gracing me with their presence,” a smooth, melodic voice called out snapping my attention toward the sound, which led me to see Raven.

  “The honor is not intended for you,” the prince stated rudely. “My father has requested an audience with the dragon warriors.”

  Raven stood between two women who had skin as dark as mine. One was tall with long curly hair, and the other was rather short and plump.

  April pulled me and Ashley closer when she saw the two women with Raven. “That’s Anna and Nera; they are the ones who helped me when we first arrived.”

  “You are always so cruel to your only aunt. I am hurt.”

  “Don’t be. I am actually being quite hospitable at the moment. If you don’t mind, we have a meeting to get to.”

  April waved at the two women standing beside Raven. The tall one was the only one who smiled and waved back as the other one just glared at everyone.

  “Try to stay far away from those two,” Leo spoke in a low tone, stepping up from behind us. “They are Raven’s personal helpers. When she volunteered them to help with your ceremony, we knew she was up to something.

  “It is very rude to whisper about someone behind their back,” Raven accused, stepping closer to us. It was at that moment I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that brought me to my knees.

  Ashley and April soon followed, as I begin to feel a wave of anger, jealousy, sadness, and loneliness wash over me at the same time. It ended as soon as it began, leaving my sisters and me a shaken up mess, curled in a fetal position on the floor.

  Raven backed away as if we were contagious. “What is wrong with them? Are they rabid?”

  “You didn’t feel that?” Leo questioned, looking at her strangely as he visibly shivered. “Nolin what was that?”

  “Nothing good,” Nolin responded, leaning on his gold cane.

  Leo helped me to my feet, and for once I did not protest.

  “I feel sick,” April murmured holding her stomach.

  “Calm down, April. It’s okay. Just take deep breaths,” I instructed, rubbing her back while Ashley fanned April’s face with her hand.

  “What is going on?” I demanded.

  “I have my thoughts, and I see I am about to have them confirmed,” Nolin replied, looking over our shoulders.

  Turning around to see what had his attention, I saw four heavily armed guards coming our way. They spread apart to let through a man wearing an outfit similar to the prince with a hood that covered his face.

  The person fell down to one knee in front of Nolin. “Elder, I come with urgent news.”

  “Stand up and introduce yourself,” Nolin ordered motioning toward the hooded guy.

  The young man looked to be in his late teens, if not early twenties. I was not surprised by his devious classic bad boy look; the long dark hair framing a pale face, with trouble written in his deep blue eyes. No, what shocked everyone was what April said next.

  “Ghost boy?”

  The Recognition

  Location: Royal Hall

  ◑ April ◐

  The guy just stood there staring at me unblinking. As if he hadn’t been following me when I was back on Earth. The more he stood there unmoving, I was beginning to think I was going crazy, but the way everyone else was staring at us, I knew he wasn’t just a figment of my imagination.

  “Do you know him?” Angie asked, looking at the boy, I had come to believe was a ghost.

  “Yes, I thought he was a ghost, but now I see he isn’t.”

  “Apologies, I have not had the pleasures of meeting you before,” the guy stated,removing the hood from his head. “My name is Rṓgaire and you are?”

  “These young ladies are the dragon warriors, and he is my assistant,” Nolin explained.

  “And my son,” Raven added, reminding everyone that she was still there. “What news do you bring?”

  “From this point on, this matter is an official royal guard matter. I’m afraid you will have to bid your good-byes,” Leo said, glaring at her.

  “Very well. We will talk later, son.” With a smile on her face, she touched her son’s face, and then continued walking down the hall.

  “I am very interested in hearing what you have to say, but I am afraid I already know what it is,” Nolin stated, leaning more and more on his cane.

  “Elder, Inda's wings have turned red.”

  “Then it is what I have feared. This doesn’t give us much time to prepare.”

  Leo stepped in front of Nolin, his presence demanding attention. “As captain of the guard, I need to know what’s happening.”

  “Jewel has awakened, and what we just felt was pure evil.”

  “That can’t be. I thought we had more time.”

  “As did I. It will take some time for her to regain her strength, but with the upcoming enchanted moon, it may be enough to speed up her recovery process and cut our time in half.”

  “What is an enchanted moon?” Angie asked, interrupting their conversation.

  “As you have witnessed Eupai has two moons and two suns,” Rṓgaire clarified. “Once every century, the two moons will unite, causing the moons to become one. When this occurs, it is said to become a power source, which Jewels can use to her advantage.”

  “This world just keeps getting better the more I get to know it,” Angie sarcastically said.

  I heard everything they were saying, but I could not take my eyes off of the boy w
ho I had believed was a ghost. Unable to just let it go, I said, “I know I have seen you before.”

  “Maybe you saw him at the ceremony,” Ashley reasoned.

  “That cannot be. I have just returned from official royal duties not too long ago,” the guy in question explained.

  “We have more important problems to worry about than where you have seen him,” Prince Leevmotioned toward Rṓgaire.

  “No, I have seen him on Earth at the school, and also on the bus.”

  That statement grabbed everyone's attention, causing all eyes to be on me.

  “I don’t remember ever seeing anyone like him at our school. Have you?” Ashley admitted, turning to Angie.

  “Me neither.” The look Angie was giving me reminded me of how I felt for the past three days we were on Earth.

  “It was like I was the only one that could see him. I know I sound insane, but I know what I saw.”

  Ashley continued to study Rṓgaire. “I know I would remember seeing someone who looks like him at school, or on the bus.”

  "Wait a minute, I can prove it. I saw it the other day, there is a dragon tattoo on his ankle."

  “How does she know about your apprentice mark?” Nolin turned toward his assistant requiring an immediate answer.

  “Okay, something isn’t right here. I believe my sister,” Angie spoke up before Rṓgaire could respond. “Someone needs to tell us the truth. We deserve it.”

  I did not want to believe that Nolin had lied to us. For some reason, the thought alone was enough to make me upset.

  After what felt like an eternity of silence, Nolin’s long sigh was all I needed to know that he was hiding something from us. “You are correct in your assumptions; there is something I did not attend for you to find out.”

  “Elder you must not,” Rṓgaire protested standing in front of him. “At least wait until tomorrow’s eve.”

  I was unable to stand it anymore. They owed us an explanation. “What happens tomorrow?”

  “Is there something you need to tell me as well?” Leo questioned, looking almost as confused as me and my sisters.