Chapter 6

Torch flames crackled softly in the back of the lair, overshadowed by the growls of a golden monster. “So that is how those cowards choose to fight against our cause, going after the innocent,” said Lothar. His slitted amber eyes mirrored the rage burning in his soul.

“Yes, my lord. This is how they hope to stop Divinity’s might,” said the dark blue-scaled dragon standing before him, who reached up to the base of Lothar’s neck in height. “Pathetic. A dragon never surrenders, not even in the face of certain death.”

“My resolve grows all the stronger the more atrocities these animals commit.” Lothar’s throat rumbled once more, as he took in and exhaled a deep breath. “Tell me, Raghes: What was the name of our most recent martyr?”

“Lawrence Fisher, my lord. Condolences on our behalf have already been sent to his family,” Raghes said.

“His name shall not be forgotten,” said Lothar with a faint smile. “Now, he is at peace in the afterlife, his soul forever hallowed in Divinity’s domain.”

Lothar said a small prayer for the martyr, then turned back to Raghes. “Now then, if the imperials wish to descend to these levels, then we must adapt. Raghes, you must inform our allies in the cities that they are safe no longer. They must evacuate. We are not giving the Imperials any easy pickings if we can help it.”

“It will be done, my lord,” said Raghes. He bowed his head before Lothar, and left the lair.

With the junior commander out of the picture, and no one else around to hear him, Lothar returned to his shrine to resume his prayers. He sang the regular praises for Divinity, and asked it to provide him with good fortunes. All seemed ordinary.

That was, until he reached the end. A pressure manifested on Lothar’s skull. The solitude he found himself in wore on his weary mind, an assault on the soul with memories of the past. The prayer fire flickered, as a vision appeared within: Lothar’s old human body, smiling alongside his family as they enjoy life together. Lothar took a deep breath, pressing his eyelids down as hard as he could. It wasn’t enough to stop water from escaping, however.

After a few minutes of pondering and quiet sulking, Lothar whispered in the softest voice he was capable of speaking in- which is to say, ‘not very’ when compared to a human:

“Please, make sure my family is okay...”

The fire did not respond. A feminine voice from behind however, did.

“Lothar? Are you alright?”

Lothar’s head shot up in an instant. Small breaths entered and escaped his jaws as he got a grip on his bearings. He had put himself in a trance, shut off from the world around him; only now did he detect Merahn’s smell in his nostrils. His trusted second-in-command stood in the entrance to his lair staring at him, eyes aghast with concern.

“I’m fine, Merahn. Thank you.”

“Are you sure about that? You look rather stricken.”

“No, there is nothing wrong with me,” said Lothar, the tone of his voice having returned to an emotional blank slate. “Now then, is there anything you wish to tell me?”

Merahn’s eyes narrowed. “If you do say so, my lord. Anyway, it is time for the evening meal. Are you coming to dine with us?“

“Of course, my lady,” Lothar said. He turned to extinguish the shrine’s fire. As he turned back around, a loud rumble emerged from his belly. Merahn held a claw to her face and chuckled. “Ah, there’s that wonderful appetite of yours.” Lothar couldn’t help but laugh along at his own expense.

The two made their way through the labyrinthine tunnels. On their way to their meal, they passed by a great number of deserted lairs. “We’re late. Let’s hurry,” Merahn said.

Lothar wanted to ask what the hurry was, when it hit him: The heavenly aroma of cooked meat marching through his nostrils. “Yes, let us hurry!”

The saliva built up in Lothar’s mouth with every step. Another bellow escaped his stomach. The taste of all sorts of meats danced on his tongue, a sensation which strengthened the closer he got to his meal. By the time he stepped into the feeding hall, he’d lick his chops, and close his eyes every so often to bask in the thought of sinking his jaws into whatever the cooks had prepared for him.

Finally, they reached the feeding hall. Dragons waited anxiously besides their meals, as no eating was allowed until the feast had been declared; a bit of formality to remind the dragons of their humanity. From their eyes and rumbling stomachs, they had been waiting far too long. Still, their crankiness didn’t stop them from hailing their leaders as usual.

Lothar, however, wasn’t fully there to take notice of his soldiers. He was captivated by what lay on his platform at the far end of the cavernous hall: The seared, skinless body of a horse waiting to be devoured. He gasped, which prompted Merahn to poke him with an elbow. “Save your excitement, Lothar. You still have to do the address before you can stuff your gullet.”

Lothar sighed. How stupid for me to act in such a manner. “Of course, my lady. I ought to suppress this habit better,” he said to Merahn, before stepping up to his platform.

From his platform, Lothar had full sight over his warriors. From commanders to rookies, all were on the floor below. With all eyes focused on him, Lothar spoke:

“My fellow kinsmen… ”

Nothing more left Lothar’s throat, but a few anxious breaths. His tail twitched erratically behind him. He had to tell them of what happened back in the civilised world, and how it was but the beginning. Panic gnawed at his nerves. All of his loyal troops had their own families, and how would they respond when confronted by the news of their necks being on the line as well?

“Listen...” Lothar said after a few failed attempts, “There has been a sinister development back home. The imperials… they… they’ve executed a civilian for professing Draconism.”

A panic manifested, as the ears got hold of the news. Across the hall did glints of fear appear on bestial eyes, did teeth chatter, and scales vibrate. It was as Lothar predicted. The order in the hall was lost, and a quiet evening meal had been disturbed.

“Allow me to explain.” Lothar called for order. Thanks to his impressive stature, the hall fell silent. “This man was martyred as a result of new tactics adopted by the loathsome imperials. They want even the slightest support for our cause stamped out. Divinity knows how far their terror will spread. But! That is no reason to surrender to the depravity of Justitia, is it? ”

“AYE, MY LORD!”

“Indeed! We will never surrender! Not even our most recent martyr surrendered! In a final act of resistance, moments before his death, he openly stood against the terror our people are suffering under!”

The surging tide of doubt had retreated in a flash. Lothar’s subjects had shrugged off their worries; indeed, there was no way out of the abyss, but to fight on.

“There is no doubt in my mind, that we walk the path of righteousness. And as long as we follow that path, and stay united, we are destined to triumph!”

Loud cheers erupted in the hall, as Lothar watched his followers reply with great passion. He suppressed a small smile. Best not to keep them waiting.

“My fellow dragons, I hereby wish you a fine feast! Now then, let us delight!”

With his address concluded, Lothar opened his maw, and suspended his head above the horse. Some saliva that had amalgamated in his lower jaw spilled on top of his meal. He took in a deep breath through his nose with his eyes closed, filling his lungs with meat-drenched air; The scent sent ripples through his veins, akin to a stone being thrown in a lake. Once the capacity of his lungs reached their zenith, he charged, ripping off a large chunk of muscle. Overshadowed by the other dragons attacking their meals, he chewed ferociously.

Lothar leaned back, and enjoyed himself as he chowed down more and more. Whether it was the primal urges or the potency of his dragon form, he always got in a pleasant mood whenever it was time to feed. The others enjoyed themselves as well by playing with their food; ripping, tearing, rubbing it over their chest, it lifted Lothar’s spirit. Ah, the wonders of dragonhood.

Piece by piece, the sweet flesh and delicate, tender organs all vanished into Lothar’s stomach. His veins surged with primal excitement. Copious amounts of blood spilled from his jaws onto the floor below. The final organ slid down Lothar’s throat, giving him a delightful sense of fullness as it was reunited with the other organs. His stomach filled, he beheld his work: The chest and legs of the horse had been stripped to the bone. The head, however, remained intact.

With his meal sloshing about in his stomach, Lothar licked his chops for any leftovers. The other dragons were nowhere close to finished, Merahn being the lone exception. Satisfied, Lothar took his cue to leave the hall.

The euphoria lasted for a fleeting moment. Stress resumed it’s assault as he reached his lair. He stared at his straw nest for some time, strengthening the forces besieging him.

He felt hollow inside, as if something within had rotten away. He stretched out a claw to reach under his nest… when clicking sounds grew louder behind him. Merahn’s smell filled the air. Lothar swiftly pulled his talons back, and turned around in time to see Merahn’s snout appear in the entrance.

“I was just looking for you, Lothar.”

“What is the matter, my lady?”

“Not much, I only wanted to have a little talk with you. About something I forgot to tell you earlier.”

Lothar laid down on his nest in a protective manner. “Well then, what would you like to talk about?”

Merahn grinned, and stepped further into Lothar’s den. “Something that you’re going to love, of course. The training of our troops has gone exceptionally well. They are psyched to take this fight to the enemy at long last. The imperials will whimper at our sight.”

Lothar grinned back. “Heh… You know me far too well, my lady.”

“What can I say… you’ve never been a very mysterious type.”

The two dragons had a good chuckle with each other. Merahn sat on the cold ground, curling her tail around her legs. Her purple eyes beamed; the corners of her mouth were raised.

“How good it is to hear of your success… though there is something that irks me still.

“What is it?”

“What exactly is happening with that little green dragon, Chalroth. Everytime I have seen his training, he is entirely by himself. Why is that?”

“Yes, Chalroth is quite difficult. He’s an enthusiastic young boy, but his fighting skills leave much to be desired. He just can’t keep up with the others, hence his training being separated from the others,” said Merahn. She let out a reserved sigh, as her eyes sank to the ground. “I feel for him, I really do. The poor boy lost his parents years ago, and has suffered a harsh life ever since. He was so happy to be brought here, he really wishes to fight for us…”

Lothar remained unimpressed. “I understand that he’s gone through a lot, but we must keep in line with our standards. Perhaps he will be better off in a non combat capacity,” he said.

A rumble escaped Merahn’s throat. “That means little to me, Lothar. All that matters to me is his passion for the cause. Nothing more is necessary for me. I will never abandon any fellow dragon, no matter what.”

“My apologies. No offense was intended, my lady. If you truly believe in the poor child, then strength upon you,” Lothar said.

Merahn nodded. “Thank you, my lord.”

The conversation made an awkward pause. Lothar could tell Merahn wasn’t done speaking, the expression on her snout made it clear. Thus, he waited. Merahn finally responded half a minute later. ”I… want to know more about this new tactic you spoke of. What are they doing now?”

“It is as was said. Now they’re escalating this conflict to new levels.”

“So not even those who have nothing to do with us are safe? Not even our families?” Merahn’s breathing became ragged. Her body quivered lightly. Lothar bit at his cheeks. Even she is frightened… as am I.

“To be honest, I do not know. No need for fear though, my lady. Our human allies are in the process of adapting to this new threat, and they will make sure those at risk are escorted to safety.”

“That’s all I wanted to know.” Merahn nodded, then yawned. “If you excuse me, I’m rather tired, so I will be sleeping early tonight.”

“Alright then. Goodnight, Merahn,” said Lothar.

“See you around, Lothar,” said Merahn, one forepaw already in the hallway. In the blink of an eye, all remaining of the grey dragoness was her smell.

Lothar was alone again. It didn’t take long for his attention to return to the resurging memories. He got off his nest, and waited until the adjacent tunnels were dead silent.

Once all claw clicks had simmered away, he reached under his nest with a talon. He didn’t grab what was stashed underneath, all he did was touch it once; No more was necessary for emotions to get a hold of him. Tears poured from his eyes.

No. This can’t go on like this...

Lothar couldn’t resist the urge any longer. He took in a deep breath, and jumped into action, running on all fours out of his lair… almost bumping into another dragon not long after. He slammed his claws into the ground, coming to a screeching halt in time to avoid slamming into the orange dragon.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn't mean to… I’m sorry,” Lothar said.

“Is something wrong, my lord?” the dragon asked.

“No, I just got a little excited, that’s all,” Lothar lied. The last thing he wanted to reveal to his followers was a potential weakness.

“That’s… umm… rather-”

“Yes, I know. But it is nothing you should be concerned with. Return to your duties.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The dragon ran off. Lothar returned to his lair, defeated. He didn’t want anyone else seeing him sneaking off, lest he’d have to explain himself. He laid back down, and waited for the base to fall asleep. He dropped his head on his forelegs, and closed his eyes .

A few hours later, Lothar’s eyes flew open. Faint snores belonging to his commanders came from the adjacent lairs. Time to try his luck. Lothar treaded lightly through the tunnels this time, making sure the sound of his claws clicking wouldn’t wake anyone.

Once the rock of the tunnel gave way for the marble of the temple, his strides returned to regular speed; No dragon had a lair close by, so walking as normal wouldn’t awaken anyone from their slumber. He soon found himself in front of the temple’s grand door, the lone way in and out. The door groaned as he pushed it open, and slid past.

A grey cave system greeted Lothar after closing the door. An innocuous sight to the naked eye; the paw prints on the soft moss covering the floor alone would raise suspicion amongst the uninitiated, who knew no better than to believe this was an empty cavern. Lothar had crossed through here many times, and knew the way through by heart. From the base, he took a left and followed a path running alongside a small underground lake, then took a right, and a final left. The entrance revealed itself as he rounded the corner.

The cold night air pressed on Lothar’s scales once he set his first foot outside. The ground below became rugged. Lothar’s golden body shone in the light of the moon and the hundreds of stars decorating the skies. The ridge he stood on overlooked a large moonlit valley, one of many in the Origin Mountains. There was no human settlement in sight; Pure nature all throughout. Pines grew all across the valley, with small lakes and meadows scattered about.

It was a breathtaking sight to behold, yet one which saddened Lothar. How he would love to share this view with them, as well as the other wonders of the world he had seen without them. Yet, he couldn’t abandon his duties. A conflict arose in Lothar’s mind. One with no clear winner.

What should I do...? I can’t…

Lothar gazed towards the sky, a dark shroud decorated all across with tiny white specks and the radiant moon. His breaths were small and fast, as he begged to the sky. He got an answer in the form of strain on his back; His wings were stretched out, ready to take off. Lothar smiled.

I see how it is now. Thank you, Divinity.

Lothar’s smile gave way to soft laughter. He readied his legs, and took off into the night. Not even his dreams prepared him for the amazing sense of freedom he experienced in the air. The cool wind brushing against his body, the sound of the gusts in his ears, the speed gained with every wingbeat: A sense of childlike wonder arose within him, and he adored every bit of it.

And so, Lothar flew off eastwards, excitement growing with every wingbeat. It was time to attend to unfinished business.