Rise of the Last Dragon Rider - Epilogue (Patreon)

This plan is foolish, and you are a fool to not listen to me!

Juthom whipped his tail into the stone wall of the throne room, sending pieces of stone flying and stirring up a dust cloud.

Whatever game you are playing will not bring us the victory you promised me!

Stioks turned and glared at the dragon whose black eye seethed with anger and rage.

“You seem to forget why we have made this move.  There are countless pieces in play on this board, and right now, we need to reposition if we want to win it all.  Do not forget what your anger already cost you.”

Juthom unleashed a massive snort, sending vast amounts of air through his nostrils and making the cloud of dust swirl around the room.

That was your fault!  If you had let me–

“Quiet!” Stioks shouted, his voice booming through the room as Juthom actually flinched and stopped talking. “I am not the one who did not expect an attack from above.  I am not the one that allowed them to sneak up on us.  It was not me who wanted to keep chasing that boy who was taking off your scales with every shot.  We could not catch them, and had we continued to chase, we both would most likely be dead.”

Blood began to seep out of the black skin on his face as it cracked.  His entire face was scrunched in anger as he shouted, ignoring the pain as he unleashed his torrent upon Juthom.

“You,” he continued, pointing a finger at the black dragon, “killed one of your females we spent years working so hard to acquire.  It was your rage and inability to allow it to go that had you tearing her neck out.  So do not blame me for the actions we must now take.  He has two dragons, which would make this an equal fight, yet I know it must not be.  His skill with a bow is known around every part of the lands we have traveled.  You experienced it first hand.”

Stioks took a deep breath and held it as he gently massaged the eye on his face that was now leaking blood with his finger. As he let it out, he opened both eyelids and again glared at Juthom.

“Tell me, what is a few years to win a war? How old are you? Is it not just a brief moment in time?”

After a few seconds, Juthom realized the rage and anger were gone and finally spoke.

They are but like months to you.

“Then count them as months or a few seasons.  Let us move on and secure the future we know will allow us to win.  Trust that I know what they will do, and that will bring us victory.”

Juthom laid back down on the black stone floor and said nothing else.

“Good.  Now, I will return in a few.  Do not destroy the room in my absence.  This will be the last time I fix it.”

Stioks couldn’t help but wonder what the emotion he felt right now was.

Giddy? Am I actually feeling like some child?

He chuckled, and a smile that represented joy cracked his blackened face for the first time in years.

“You will be well rewarded, Upsi.  Know that I will never forget this.”

Upsi bowed her head low and smiled, white teeth showing the entire length of both sides of her mouth as she let out a trill.

Stioks walked around the egg she had encircled, running his hand over its hard shell.

He stopped, bending down till his lips were almost against the grey shell, and whispered, “Grow strong, little one.  Soon, you and I will be kings of this world, and you will get a first-hand seat for all of it.”

Though nothing happened as he spoke, Stioks believed he could feel the dragon inside the egg shake with excitement.