Rise of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 013 - Making the rounds (Patreon)

Kaen spent The next two days interacting with people around town and making up for his absence at the ceremony for Phillip and Frederick.

“Keep that arm up and bend those knees more,” Kaen shouted as he demonstrated a spear thrust again for Phillip.  “Remember, distance and speed are your friends!”

Phillip nodded and assumed the stance as best as he could with the training spear.  He thrust at the target, picking different angles and dancing around the straw-filled dummy.  He rolled as he had been taught and came up in the guard position, giving multiple thrusts to ward off invisible attackers.

“Shield up! Don’t let it drop like that!” Kaen called out as he tossed bean bags with accuracy that always pelted Phillip in the head and the feet.  “Block!  Move and block!

The eleven-year-old obey never flinched, absorbing the hits and adjusting, soon blocking the onslaught that rained down upon him as he advanced on his target.

Two quick lunge steps had him in position, and he pierced the ring on the target.

“Nice!” Kaen declared as he moved forward, clapping his hands.  “You have improved much more than I would have imagined.”

Phillip beamed at the praise and stood there, spear up, holding that shield, breathing hard from the exertion.

“Thank you, Sir Kaen!  I managed to earn a point in my spear skill!”

His voice was cracking from the hormones flooding his body and the knowledge of having gained a point in a training session with his idol.

“That’s good,” Kaen replied as he walked over and roughed up the boy's wet and matted hair.  “Judging from Pammon coming, it looks like our time is done.  I hope you can still forgive me for missing your ceremony.”

“We understood.  All of us,” Phillip said as he motioned to the rest of the training field where students who weren’t actively training were watching him and Kaen practice or Pammon flying with Frederick.  “Knowing you are ok means more than a ceremony.”

Snorting, Kaen bobbed his head as he smiled at the young boy.  He had matured so much in the last two years.  Muscles were showing from his hard work and the food he was eating.  There was no doubt both of them had earned their lifestone.

“Well, keep being the example I know you can be.  These other students might be jealous of what I have given you but know that means I expect you two to lead.  Don’t flaunt the gifts, but instead show them the results of hard work.  Soon enough, I know we will need more students like you, ready to carry the mantle of adventurers.”

Grinning, Phillip stood at attention.  Transferring the spear to his shield hand, he put his fist over his chest and gave a slight bow.

“It is my honor to protect our kingdom and serve the Dragon Rider.”

Wincing, Kaen returned the salute and sent Phillip to join his friend, who was just getting off of Pammon.

Those boys seemed to enjoy themselves.  Thank you for this.

A thrum echoed from where Pammon and the two boys were, and they laughed, scratching Pammon’s head as they had many times.  Kaen watched as they both gave a bow and grabbed their gear, running to join the other students, waiting to hear what it was like.

They remind me of you.  Young and prone to acting like an eggling, yet committed.

What are you talking about? Kaen asked as he walked toward Pammon, who was staring at him.  I was never that young when we met.

Age is not a requirement to act like an eggling.  We both know that.

Laughing out loud, Kaen glanced around the area, ensuring no one was looking before he lifted a hand and gave Pammon the finger.

Careful, someone might bite that off one day…

Oh, making threats, are we?  Perhaps I’ll just keep from scratching those spots at the top of your head for a while.

Pammon snorted at him, sending small flecks of snot in his direction, which Kaen easily dodged.

Someday, I will find a comeback for that, but for now, we have another stop to make.

Grunting, Kaen stopped at the edge of Pammon and glanced at the courtyard filled with all the kids.  Over fifty students were training, practicing movements, doing exercises, and learning the art of combat.  It was scary and yet impressive.  How many really understood what they had signed up for?  A chance to be an adventurer sounded so cool and special as a child, but knowing what it was really like was the hard part.

Come on, let’s do what we know is coming next.

“Kaen!  It has been far too long!” exclaimed Lord Hurem as he strode toward Pammon and Kaen.  They had landed in a part of the family garden.

It was actually a small area of manicured grass and rare flowers that was nothing like a garden.  No fruits or vegetables grew here.  Just another reminder that the life they lived was very different from the average person in Ebonmount.

“Lord Hurem,” Kaen replied as he gave a slight bow. “I owe a lot for the assistance you gave while I was sick.  Guild Master Herb had told me you requested to see me sooner than later.”

“Yes, yes!  Now come close and shake my hand, and I promise not to try and bind you for that comment.”

Both of them laughed, knowing that even if he tried, it would not succeed.

As they shook hands, Kaen spotted Lady Hurem coming across the grass toward them, carrying a few things on a tray.  Behind her was Ava, wearing a yellow dress that hugged her in all the right ways.  Her hair seemed to reflect light in the afternoon sun, and her eyes held him even from this distance.  She smiled at him as he smiled back, missing whatever Lord Hurem had just said.

“Lady Hurem, you look just as lovely as I recall from last time.”

She shook her head, her eyelids fluttering at his compliment.  A slight smile appeared on her face as she set the tray down on the table near where he and her husband were standing.

“I do not think I have yet to properly thank you for saving our daughter's life all that time ago.  I would say anything within my power is yours, yet I know that might not mean much to one like you.”

Lord Hurem flinched as his wife spoke those words, barely noticeable, except Kaen was right next to him.

“I would ask nothing in return, Lady Hurem.  I am just glad I was able to make it in time.  Losing her would have hurt all of us.  Besides, any debt one might have thought I could claim was easily paid for by your husband and Ava’s help curing me.”

Her face was almost a perfect image of calmness and dignity if it was not for that slight movement of her lip that Kaen recognized as her biting it ever so gently.

“Well, my offer still stands if the need arises.  I will support you in anything you might request.”

A slight cough from her husband brought the attention back to him.

“Kaen, I summoned you here because I want to ask you and Pammon for something.  While Ava and I scoured the books these last few years, I found a few old notes for potions we can make that will assist you.  They require some of your blood and his, and I wanted to ask if you would be willing to give some to us.”

Glancing down at the tray, Kaen saw two daggers, one with a long, thin blade and the other appeared to have a hollow blade in a round shape.  The cup and pitcher he first noticed were actually vessels to hold his and Pammon’s blood if they were willing.

“Can I ask what the potions would be?”

Grinning, he nodded and motioned to Ava, who stepped forward smiling.

“We would attempt to make a few potions that would cure you of most ailments.  Poison or other things that might affect you. It would require your blood and Pammons and only work for you,” Ava informed him as she picked up the hollow blade.  “We would need a little more than required because we would have to practice a few times.  Most of the necessary ingredients are on hand; if you are willing, we will have the others within a week.  The other option would be one that should hopefully heal Pammon, similar to the ones Hess had given you.  There are not many of those left, and the fact that he had a stash surprised my father and a few other merchants.”

Kaen heard a chuckle from Lord Hurem, bobbing his head and smirking.

“Those potions are not as common as they once were.  Materials are not as available anymore, and most adventurers have forsaken gathering them.  That has changed over the last year as Guild Master Herb and our family have entered an agreement to give a portion of the potions back to the guild that they help with the necessary materials.”

What do you think?  Willing to bleed a little?

I’m not afraid to bleed if you are worried about me.  I am interested, though, in what they get out of this.  Would they really do this for you and me out of the kindness of their own heart, or is this a payment for saving Ava?

“Pammon was wondering why to do this for us at no charge?”

“An excellent question,” Lord Hurem declared as he turned and gave a slight bow to Pammon.  “Research is the main reason, but also knowing we can help prevent another problem like last week.  No one has had the chance to work with dragon blood in hundreds of years.  Elies and Tharnok did not give any, and we never pressured after the first request was turned down two generations ago.”

Lord Hurem was pacing a little, waving his hands in the air, and his voice had gotten higher.

“Imagine what a single drop of dragon blood could do!  We could outfit the guild and the adventurers with potions that heal better, find cures for different diseases, and more!”

So all the blood they would be taking would not be just for us?

“Pammon wants to know how much of the blood would be for potions for us and potions for you and others.”

Clasping his hands behind his back, he motioned to Ava.

“Our… my hope is that most of what we require would not have to be used for the potions for the two of you.  Pammon’s would be harder to gather down the road.  A single drawing now could possibly serve for hundreds of potions if we figure out what they did so long ago,” she stated as her voice matched the pitch of her father's.

“We would work on what we have promised you two first, and once successful, take the knowledge we have gained and apply it to the other potions we would like to make for the kingdom.”

After she stopped talking, Kaen turned and gazed at Pammon.

What do you think? Are you willing to let them take your blood for what they have offered?

A slight huff of air came from Pammon’s snout as he gazed at the Hurem family.  He saw them all staring back at them, faces attempting to remain calm.  He could see their slight trembling as they waited to hear what he might say.

Very well.  I will bleed this time because they were honest and had something to offer for us.  If they prove themselves trustworthy, I may be inclined to bleed again.

Letting the breath he had been holding out slowly, Kaen smiled.

Thank you for not making me ask you to do it for me.

I knew you would have, and you know I would have given in for you.  Why not save the trouble and sound like I am a gentle dragon and not one who will do terrible things to protect you?  Besides, I owe Ava a little blood, at least.  I have easily eaten a hundred cows by now.

Unable to control himself, Kaen laughed out loud, gathering the attention of the other three.

“He says you may take his blood.  He will trust you and what you say and also feels he may owe a little blood to Ava for all the cows she has given him.”

The three of them all clapped their hands and laughed.

Pammon began to thrum as he joined in.

The thrumming stopped when Ave moved toward him with the hollow dagger.

“I’ll try not to make this hurt,” she said as her voice squeaked a little.