Chapter 12: Cleadrosa

I looked at the city in awe. I saw Mercedes looking at it unfazed. She must’ve been here before, I thought. Onyx slew over the lake and the trees to the mountains. He passed by many caves and I saw small Dragons peek their heads out of the caves and look at us. At a huge cave, Onyx stopped and landed. Mercedes just looked at the cave and jumped off Onyx back. I jumped of as well and Mercedes and I walked into the cavern after we had slung the bags over our shoulders. At first, there was a long and dark tunnel. We walked through that and came into a huge room, even bigger than the cavern I had first met Onyx in. A huge Dragon in blue was flying to us and then landed in front of our feet. [It is nice to see you again my friend,] Ray said and I looked at the Dragon dumbfounded. The Dragon chuckled and then said: “So this is the almighty heir, Fate has told me about.” I looked at the Dragon and said: “Nice to meet you um, sir. My name is Kaizer Nova and after Ray, I am the heir of Ray himself and my namesake and ancestor Kaizer.” “Well this boy has manners, why can’t all of the dragon power Kings be like that?” [I don’t choose them, Fate does. If you have a bone to pick, then pick it with him. Kaizer is here to take the test.] The Dragon and Ray chuckled and then the Dragon said: “I need to introduce myself as well… my name is Drake. I used to be the familiar and partner as well as some other things… of Ray, nice to meet you young warrior.” I looked at Drake and just thought: How in God’s name has Ray made him his familiar? I heard Ray chuckle and sighed. Drake looked at me and then turned to Mercedes: “It is nice to see the Queen of the Elven race again. I am honored to see you again Mercedes.” “I am honored to see you again as well Drake, protector of the Dragons,” she replied. I looked at Drake, then at Mercedes. “Well, you should come ad eat. The only reason why this cavern is so big is for the test and for Dragons to train here. Eating is done in a small section of the cavern. Follow me,” he said and took off. Mercedes disappeared next to me and I heard Ray say: [Follow Drake and Mercedes quickly, or you will lose them soon.] Well if you don’t mind telling me, how I am supposed to get down, I might just do that. [I forgot, you don’t know how to utilize the flying…] I sighed and went into Jester mode. I jumped into the air and let the wind push me forward. I glided a bit and saw Drake landing. I pushed the air against me so that the gravitational pull would double and then fell. I quickly cushioned my fall and then went out of Jester mode next to Drake. I yelped in surprise when Mercedes appeared next to me and heard her giggle. I blushed but refrained from commenting. Drake walked towards Dragons I hadn’t noticed and said: “Brothers and Sisters, a new King has come to take the test. Will you turn him down?” The Dragons all looked at me with curiosity and then one of them said: “Whose heir is he? What is his position in the King seats?”[It has been a long time since we have talked hasn’t it, Ledtriz?] “Oh, so the coward of the humans decides to show his face,” the Dragon named Ledtriz replied. I looked at Drake, but he just seemed amused. [So you still keep calling me that… you will never change Ledtriz. I am actually quite surprised that you made it into the council although you were always bad at everything. Sometimes, young ones have to take the jobs of the old ones.] I heard Drake chuckle next to me and Mercedes was giggling too. I couldn’t help but grin and looked at Ledtriz. He looked furious but then chuckled: “Ah yes, very funny you coward! You can still tell jokes after the things you have done?” “Silence, Ledtriz! You have no right to accuse anybody else for your own stupid act, just because Ray had not helped us only once from the millions of generations, doesn’t mean that he is a coward!” A Dragon with white scales said. The Dragons and Mercedes bowed. I didn’t know what to do so I copied the gesture, keeping my head up. I heard Ray chuckle and Drake was sighing, it seemed like he had heard Ray. [Don’t hit on the young one, Kil´trezi, he was only trying to act like a true Dragon who can do something and be useful for once,] Ray said. “Ray, are you really willing to let this offence slide?” Kil´trezi asked. The other Dragons started getting up one by one. I stood straight again as well and Mercedes was standing next to me. Ledtriz looked furious and then he turned to me: “It’s your fault! I see the same accursed blue hair just like Ray had! Get out, spawn of the coward!” “SILENCE, LEDTRIZ! I will not tolerate you speaking like that to someone who has just received our hospitality!” Kil´trezi roared. Drake then said: “How about this: Ledtriz and Kaizer have a duel over the right to say who is better. It will be Kaizer’s test and at the same time a way to protect Ray’s honor.” Ledtriz laughed and then said: “With him? A mere mortal who thinks that he is powerful? I am not going to waste my time with him.” I got pissed at Ledtriz’ way of speaking to me and then replied: “Hey you little lizard with stubs which you call wings, mind being quiet? I am not some kind of trash Ray picked up at the side of the road, you may be that kind of trash, but I don’t care, be quiet and know your place.” All of the Dragons suddenly turned to me, looking surprised as if they had just noticed me. Drake and Ray chuckled. I could feel Mercedes trying hard not to giggle. Ledtriz looked furious and then said: “Then we shall fight, right here, right now!” He unfolded his wings and took off into the sky. I sighed and then went into Jester mode, opened Blood Vision and materialized two blades which were darker then black and had a strange pulling feeling. I looked at Ledtriz and then jumped up. Ledtriz whipped at me with his tail and hit me square in the chest. “Is that all you can do? Being so cocky and then being all bark and no bite? I am incredibly disappointed, but what else should there have been have the cowards spawn?” I ignored the words which came out of his mouth and looked at him. I realized something; he had no symbol on top of his head, nothing. I felt stupid for being so cautious thinking that he could use some kind of element. I switched my grip on the blade in my left hand so that I was able to rest it along the back of my arm and then jumped. I slashed with my right arm and Ledtriz blocked the blow with his claws. I slashed with my left arm and saw Ledtriz bringing up his legs to block my slash but I switched the grip on the blade and then swung it around me. I hit the arms of Ledtriz and he let go of my Blade roaring in pain. I was falling but then I gathered the light from around me and cloaked myself in that light. I had a cape of light and wings of darkness, along with a black hooded cloak. I felt something inside me say: Only this once, will we work together. Be warned! I ignored that thought and flew up into the sky. Ledtriz looked at me with wide eyes and then quickly attacked. I dodged slash after slash. I jumped back and let my cape change shape. My instincts completely took over and all I could feel was bliss, the bliss of having power. I changed my cloak into guns and shot at Ledtriz. Ledtriz was hit but kept on coming at me. I changed the cloak again into a different form, a scythe. I twirled it in one hand and when Ledtriz was close, I flew past him, slashing at some spots while flying. Ledtriz fell towards the ground, bleeding. I changed the cloak into a staff and concentrated my whole self into the staff. The air around Ledtriz was bound so that it cushioned his fall. I then flew down and all power left my body at once. I blacked out, completely exhausted.

I looked around and saw a meadow filled with lush green grass. Three figures were standing on it along with me. I looked at them and recognized Ray. He chuckled and then turned to me: “Kaizer, you need to come here, the Demon King and the King of the Fairy races are willing to talk to you.” I looked at the other two figures and saw that one of them had a mask and wings. The other one wore a plain black hooded cloak. Then suddenly Ray said: “Uh-oh, looks like you’re about to be woken up, looks like we have no choice, bye Kaizer!”

I opened my eyes and saw a girl standing in my doorway, red hair and a pink dress, but those things didn’t catch my eye, it was her wings and tail. Yes, she had a tail and a pair of wings. The scales on her wings and tail were red as well, and she had beautiful facial features. I looked at her and she dropped the things she was holding. There was an awkward silence for some moments and then the girl screamed and ran out. I looked around myself and thought: What a freaking hassle. Suddenly the girl came back into the room and looked at me suspiciously. I looked back and finally she asked with a sweet voice: “Who are you and what are you doing in my room?” “Oh, this was your room? I’m sorry; I’ll get out of it. As to the questions: I am Kaizer Nova and I don’t know why I am here,” I replied. She looked at me again and then said: “Why can’t I see your aura? I can see the auras of everything but I can’t see yours. So, tell me, why can’t I see your aura?” “Again, I am sorry to say this but I don’t know.” She looked away and started to pick up the things she had dropped. I helped her and saw that I was clothed in a t-shirt made out of some kind of weird fabric and a pair of woolen pants. I ignored my state of dress and helped the girl. “Tear, Tear Firestar.” “Excuse me?” “My name, Tear Firestar is my name.” “Nice to meet you, Tear.” “You to Kaizer, nice to meet you, mind me asking you a ‘weird’ question?” “Nope, fire away.” “Are you a human? Are you a King?” “Yes is the answer to both of the questions, mind me asking why you wish to know?” “It’s because, as you can see, I am a half Dragon and so not entirely human. You’re the first human I have seen in my life up until now.”  I smiled and then felt something. A roar in my chest and asked Ray: What is going on? [Well this is funny, it seems like you’re lucky and yet unlucky.] What are you talking about? [You have already found your second Queen.] Tear is my second Queen? What are you saying? [Tear is the descendant of one of Kaizer’s old acquaintances. She is 17 by my assumption and so eligible to be your Queen in Fate’s eyes.] What is wrong with his brain? I just met this girl and he thinks that she is eligible to be my Queen? [Well, you met Alice for the first time too and you didn’t seem to complain about that.] But that was just one person, are you telling me that all four of them will be people I haven’t met? [Yeah, most likely, but even I can’t tell you what Fate is up to.] What a hassle. Tear looked at me and then said: “Thanks for helping me.” She stood up and left. I watched her leave the room and once I was alone, I sat on the bed and sighed. Suddenly the door opened and Tear was coming back into the room, saying: “Wait, you’re supposed to go out! This is my room!” I remembered her having said that and walked out of the room. “Hey, why are you even in Cleadrosa?” “I was here to take my test and now I don’t even know if I passed it… dang that Ledtriz was a huge pain.” “Wait, you were the dumb human who challenged Ledtriz?” “That’s pretty harsh you know. And I only challenged that guy because he was pissing me off, overusing the word; coward,” I objected. She stared at me. Suddenly I heard footsteps and turned around just in time to see Alice jump at me. She hugged me and then said: “You idiot! Why did you overexert yourself and leave me behind? You promised not to!” I was too shocked to say anything so I just looked at the top of her head and then returned the hug. “I’m sorry, by the way, who brought you here?” “Onyx came and picked me up, I just arrived.” “Oh, wait, overexert?” “You fought against that Dragon council member and beat him, remember?” “I did? I don’t remember anything, after I went into Jester mode possessed stage I only heard one sentence and then I don’t remember what happened after that.” “What?” I turned around at the question and saw Tear looking at me in surprise. “You beat Ledtriz? He belongs to the strongest of the Dragon council although he is incredibly stupid.” I stopped any action for a second and noticed that everyone knew that Ledtriz had a temper and so they were trying to make him insult me which would make me challenge him. Are you trying to kill me Ray? [Nope, this was the simplest way to make all of the Dragons accept you.] I sighed and heard Alice giggle. Tear looked at us confused. “Ah, I guess I should introduce you two, Alice, this is Tear; a half Dragon. Tear, this is Alice; a human just like me and also my bonded Queen.” “Wait, you brought your bonded Queen here? In Cleadrosa Ledtriz can easily kidnap your Queen!” [Don’t worry, Ledtriz hasn’t fallen that far. He still honors the battle. In other words, he will challenge you to duels but he won’t kidnap your Queen.] I sighed and then told Tear: “Don’t worry, my Queen isn’t that weak.” Alice walked towards Tear and then said: “Thank you for worrying over me but Kaizer is able to help me.” Tear looked at us and sighed. Then she smiled and said: “Seriously you two are so reckless.” I smiled but thought at the back of my head: How did those two get so close? [The mystery which I almost no one can understand; women.] I smiled at Ray’s statement. I turned around and looked at the hallway in detail for the first time. It was made up of black stone and some pictures hung from the walls. I saw a picture which caught my eye. There was a man on it with a robe on. That man was Kaizer, my namesake. I looked at the portrait and saw some other people standing next to him. I was confused when I saw the others. There were thirteen in total: Ray, Mercedes, Kaizer, Jack, Jett, Jake, Kennan and some others whom I couldn’t name. [Those are the first generation Kings. This house used to be the house of Kaizer, seems like no one messed with his things. I’ll clear your confusion; those are Jack, Jake and Jett. Those three just pretended to have been your generations Kings, they are actually first generation. The others are: Evan, Hamlet, Kenny, Irwina, Jason and Libra. Everyone of the first generation Kings has survived except for Kaizer and me.] I could hear his sadness in his voice. How come Jack, Jake and Jett had trouble fighting against those small monsters? [Their powers are sealed. The powers of all the Kings are sealed until their leader has awakened.] I stared at the portrait for a little bit longer and then heard a roar. Alice and Tear stumbled and I opened a window. The Dragons were fighting. I jumped out of the window and entered Jester form. I propelled myself with air and flew to the scene of combat. A huge being was withstanding elemental attacks from all the Dragons. I looked at him in Blood Vision and felt a familiar chill across my back. It was the Fallen that had followed the black Pegasus. I hovered in the air and looked at it. [That is a shape-shifter.] Wait, shape-shifters look this scary? [When they have shifted shapes so often that their DNA doesn’t remember how they look, they turn into a mixture of all the creatures in the world. Those shape-shifters are the scariest ones. You will have to kill it quickly because it is still in the middle of turning into that form.] I thought of strategies to kill it and looked at the thing. [Are you scared Kaizer?] Yea, I’m terrified. But these Dragons have shown me hospitality so I will fight for them. [Kaizer and I used to say the same thing. You really have our blood inside you.] I kept thinking of strategies and noticed that I was flying towards it. I panicked and stopped thinking. Instincts took over and a cloak of light was in my hands. It turned into another mask. I put it on and my power surged. I flew towards the shape-shifter and materialized a blade. The blade was golden and shined. I swung it at the shape-shifter a light blinded me and I heard a scream.