Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 091 - Returning Home With A Dragon (Patreon)

They are all dead.  Something is consuming life in the forest.  I will not risk flying near it.

Kaen could make out the section Pammon was looking at between the vision he somehow gained from Pammon and the light of the moon that now was a fourth of the way in the sky.

The whole forest… It's like… is that a mile of it gone?

I don’t know what it was, but that spell turned everything brown and dead, and there is a vine down there that is still moving a little.  We need to forget it and focus on the cave.  It is the last one.

Patting Pammon’s neck, Kaen felt it was too great of a risk.  Whoever had been here had either unleashed a power he could not imagine, or something far worse was waiting for them at the cave they needed to seal.

It had taken an hour for them to find the three casks, and Kaen had shot over three hundred arrows from the sky, killing an army that was constantly searching for where they were coming from.  He was content to have gained one more point of archery in the process, bringing it to thirty-three.

No creature or monster could be found beyond the lower-level orcs and hobgoblins.  Whoever cast that spell had to have died in the woods with it.

Faced with a foe they could not locate, the minions fled into the cave, and once the horde had been forced inside, Pammon finished off those foolish enough to stand close to the entrance with the last two seconds of fire that he had.

Once that was complete, they fetched the casks and sealed the entrance of the cave, giving the kingdom a little time before any creatures still left would be able to dig out.

If they wanted to.

I’m tired.  Can we find somewhere to land and rest?  It has been a long day, and every part of my body aches.

I am with you.  Even though I did not do as much as you, it feels like every part of me has been beaten.  You find a place, and we can sleep there.

The next morning, Kaen got to experience the first time hunting with Pammon while flying.

He laughed and hollered as Pammon chased down animals and devoured them with ease.  He even managed to score a shot that killed a deer.  Pammon helped start a fire and used his talon to cut the deer as Kaen had tossed his knife like an idiot while flying.

Each of them forgot about the worries of the day before, knowing that in a few days, everything would change.

Thank you for being kind to Ava.  I know it wasn’t easy for you.

I still think you are too young to pursue a female.  You need to wait a few years at least before considering siring an offspring.

A howl of laughter echoed off the trees as Kaen reached up with his hand and scratched the scales under Pammon’s wings.

Pammon’s body shook as he tried to laugh and sigh at the same time, creating a humorous trilling, and thrumming sound.

We both know I am not looking to have an eggling anytime soon.

You say that, but look at Hess.  He and his woman have not been together long, and now she is pregnant.

Kaen winced as he thought about Hess riding home and showing up to Sulenda, missing part of his arm.  He knew she would be happy that he had returned, and it still hurt to know Hess had hidden all this from him.

When we get back, I’m going to have to have a talk with Fiola.  I’m pretty sure it was her who didn’t let Hess tell me about all this.

You and Hess seem to have issues with her.  Do I need to talk to her?

Pammon’s thrum at his own joke drowned out the laughter of Kaen’s as they reclined in the woods, enjoying the fire at night and gazing up at the sky.

They took an extra day, enjoying a night by a stream, laughing, sleeping, and resting.  They knew it would take the other groups two days to return, and it would be more complicated if they returned first.

Are you sure about this?  I understand if you want to wait.

Sitting on Pammon, overlooking Ebonmount below, Kaen knew it was time.  He watched the city moving like an ant hill, small dots moving all over the streets, flowing between the buildings and bringing the city to life.  It was almost mid-afternoon, and everyone would be up and about.  There was no better time than now.

Yes.  It is time.  Head to the guild hall. I will direct you.

Pammon thrummed, and Kaen laughed as he felt the joy coming from Pammon at finally being announced to the kingdom.  No longer would he have to hide by himself in the mountains or forest.

As they flew down toward the guild hall, Kaen watched as the walls around Ebonmount began to buzz with movement.

There are a lot of guards on the walls, and they are all moving to the edge.  I see some weapons that look like they might be useful against a dragon.  Are you sure this is still a good idea?

It is.  That is why I tied that white shirt to my bow and will hold it up as we circle around nice and slow.  You can always dodge if it looks like they will fire, and we can rethink this.

We will see how it goes.

What could have taken a minute or less to descend stretched on as Pammon kept his distance, informing Kaen of the movements below and on the wall.  Finally, after a few moments, what they had hoped for happened.

There is a white flag waving on the wall.

Kaen felt Pammon sigh in relief the same time he did.

Fly to the wall, but be ready just in case.  I doubt they will fire, but I will not risk you.

Nor I, you.

As they flew low and over the streets and buildings, Kaen could see the people in the city looking up at him.  Gliding over the walls, Kaen swore he saw Gertrude waving the white flag on the wall as they drifted overhead.

Was that the dwarven woman from my group?

That was a woman?  Why must they have a beard?

Seriously, Pammon, you knew she was a woman. Now tell me, was that really her?

It was, and it appeared she was happy to see both of us by the way she was waving that flag.

Once past the wall, Kaen saw the street leading to the guild hall with white flags stationed on every block, creating a path for them to take.  The flags led to the courtyard before it, where a circle of flags marked off a section to the left of the building.

There!  Land there!

You act like I don’t know where they want us to go.  Please relax some.  I can tell you are excited, and I am trying to control my own excitement.  So that you know, Hess is there.

Straining his eyes, Kaen tried to look ahead as they flew past the shops and were just seconds from the guild courtyard.

When there were less than two blocks to go, Kaen could see Hess and Sulenda standing near the steps, waving at him.  He couldn’t see the look on her face, but Kaen felt she was not as excited about this as Hess was by the energy that powered his waving.

After Pammon landed, everyone stayed back except Hess.

Kaen patted Pammon on the neck and scratched a scale before sliding off.

This is the moment of truth.  Remember to behave.

You are no fun, replied Pammon as he snorted, causing a few people to back up a step.

“Kaen! Pammon!” Hess yelled as he ran past the white flags and crossed the distance in a flash.

Smiling, Kaen ran over, embraced Hess, and smiled as he saw the look on his mentor’s face.

“They are here for both of you,” Hess declared as he waved his stump toward the crowd and drew Kaen toward Herb and the others.  “The King himself is waiting inside for you, wanting to have a private word with you.”

Kaen stopped, causing Hess to move forward a few steps without him.

Crossing his arms, Kaen shook his head no.

“I will not leave Pammon out.  If the King or anyone else wishes to see me, it will be with Pammon in my presence.  We both have earned that.  Pammon even more so.”

Hess bobbed his head slowly.

“Well said, Kaen, well said.  I think you are ready to meet the King after all.”

Hess held up his hand, and everyone who had been whispering and murmuring became quiet.

“Adventurers and citizens of Ebonmount.  May I introduce to you Kaen and his dragon, Pammon! The dragon and his rider who saved our kingdom!”

Barely a moment passed before the crowd shouted and clapped.  Herb strode forward when he realized that Kaen would not leave the circle that his dragon was in.

“Congratulations Kaen and Pammon!” Herb exclaimed as he extended a hand to him.  “A job well done!  We owe a debt to the both of you that we cannot repay.”

Kaen smiled as he shook Herb’s hand and glanced around the crowd.

“Where is Fiola? Why isn’t she here?”

Kaen knew the moment he saw how Herb’s face changed that Fiola was not going to ever see him again.

“That was her at the farthest cave to the southeast, wasn’t it?” Kaen asked.

A few tears fell from Herb’s face as he nodded.

“She would not ask anyone to do what she was unwilling to do.  A mark of a true adventurer,” Herb declared as he wiped the tears from his face.  “She stayed behind so that those with her could live.”

This Fiola woman did all that damage in the forest?  She must have been a powerful adventurer.

Trying to catch his breath, Kaen nodded in understanding.

She was stronger than most, it would appear, and could carry a burden many would never be willing to try.

As they stood there, lost in the moment of reverence for Fiola, a voice rang out over the crowd.

“KAEN!”

Turning his head, he saw Ava running past those who were trying to stand in her way.  Her parents had tried to hold her back, but it appeared they had lost that fight.

“Ava!” Kaen shouted as he smiled at her and held his arms wide, waiting for her to reach him.

You’re not going to run to her?

I told you I’m not leaving you. We are in this together.

Pammon thrummed as he laughed, causing people in the crowd to back up a little further.

Do not ask me to give her a ride yet.  I am not quite ready to meet that request.

Laughing out loud, Kaen smiled as Ava reached him and flung herself into his arms.

A kiss was shared without caring for who saw as he felt her pull him close.

“I owe you more than this one for saving me,” she whispered after they pulled apart, ignoring the cheers that came from the crowd.

“Well, I won’t force you to give me anything you don’t want.  Just try to remember I’m a gentleman.”

She laughed and nodded as she glanced at Pammon, who she saw was looking at her intently.

Breaking her embrace, she moved before Pammon and gave him a deep curtsey.

“Thank you, Pammon, for saving my life.  I owe much to you, and Hess informed me that you seem to enjoy cows.  Perhaps ten of them might help begin to settle the debt I owe?”

Moving forward quickly, Pammon was just a few feet from Ava, whose eyes had gone wide from how fast he had approached her.  He gave the best smile he could and moved his snout till it was just a foot from her face.

Tell her I would appreciate it if she scratched the same spot she had last time.  I might get to like her if she keeps offering me cows.

Kaen started laughing so hard he coughed a few times and had to catch his breath.

“He says he appreciates your gift and would like it if you would scratch that ridge you found last time.”

Grinning, Ava reached out and began to run her fingernails along the spot Pammon wanted, and in moments, a trill reverberated around the square.

Herb snapped his fingers, and Kaen turned and saw adventurers he remembered having been at each cave line up behind him, each carrying something in their arms.

“Kaen, as gratitude for saving their lives, each adventurer has something for the two of you.”

Kaen began to say something in protest, but Herb held up his hand and stopped him.

“You and Pammon risked your lives, flying across the entire kingdom to save us and them.  There is no greater honor than a small gift in a moment like this.  To turn it down is to tell each of them their life is worth nothing.  Would you want them to believe that?”

A soft smile formed, and Kaen shook his head no.

“I would be honored to accept their gifts.”