Broadswords - 39. The Dawning

Broadswords

Chapter Thirty-Nine
The Dawning

Though he'd never been in the dungeons under the Jhirdyrian castle before, the atmosphere was not surprising to Daegon. He'd been to the ones in Darkhaven, maybe once or twice, back in his days as a squire. Despite the differences of the kingdoms, their underground levels were much the same. The walls were made of the same brick as the rest of the castle, but had become less than appealing as a result of the lack of upkeep that instead went into the upper levels. Hints of acrid odors intermingled with the dampness in the air, and he had to keep his breathing steady to prevent upsetting his stomach.

He was almost surprised that his visit didn't require guard accompaniment; then again, there was only one prisoner currently in the keep. Additionally, there were several steel bars separating the two of them. And with everything going on, he was sure the king had more pressing matters for his men to attend to than escorting Daegon beneath the castle.

When he reached Birten's cell, he found the squire sitting cross-legged in the corner with his head hung. He didn't appear to have heard Daegon's arrival, as he didn't falter from his position. Daegon watched him for a moment. It was odd; surreal, almost. He'd been separated from him for so long, yet at the same time it was as if he had taken in the sight of that beautiful man just moments ago.

His arrival had apparently been unnoticed, as Birten didn't stir as Daegon stepped up to the confines. Daegon watched him for a moment in silence, a sadness stirring within. He felt guilty for what had happened to Birten. Logically he knew that it wasn't his fault, but a part of him was angry at himself for allowing Elsior to fool him. Had he figured out what was going on sooner, Birten wouldn't be in the mess he was.

Daegon had been filled in on the situation by Harmon. The prince explained what had happened and how the king had reacted. The positive of it all was that if they could find a way to undo whatever had befallen Birten, he would be freed.

The conversation also allowed Daegon to fill Harmon in on everything that had occurred in Dorre after their arrival, and the prince's reaction told Daegon immediately that he was not part of Elsior's plan. He didn't look shocked, necessarily, but as if a macabre confirmation had been bestowed upon him. It certainly wasn't the reaction of someone who was in on it, however.

But the despair that Harmon was likely feeling was nothing compared to what Daegon felt in that moment, he was sure of it. He'd never seen Birten look so helpless, and he couldn't stand the sight of it anymore. Finally, he had to break the silence. "Birten…." he said softly.

The squire raised his head, a similar sullenness smeared across his own face. It seemed to take him a moment to recognize Daegon, as his eyes darted back and forth as if trying to put a name to the face. "Daegon?" he asked. He slowly rose to his feet and hesitantly narrowed the gap between them until the bars were their only separation.

"Are you… how are you doing?" Daegon asked. He didn't really know what to say first. It seemed like as good of an opener as any. And based on what Harmon had told him, there was a fair chance that Birten would be a little wary of him.

"I'm… I don't know. Confused. So much has been going on in my head. I recognize you, but just barely. As if I don't know how I do. I'm not supposed to. Not based on the recollections I have of my life. You're supposed to be the bad guy," he said. There was no hint of jest to his tone; it surely seemed like Birten was perplexed.

Hesitantly, he placed his hand atop Birten's. Instinctually, he wanted to snap. Tell Birten that of course he wasn't the bad guy and to shake out of it. But he knew that would only worsen the situation. He knew Birten wasn't right in the head, and reacting how he normally would wouldn't help. So, with much restraint, he responded as calmly as he could muster. "I know that there must be a lot of conflicting information running through your head right now. I wish I could help, but I don't know exactly what can be done to make you remember everything more clearly."

Birten pulled his hand away. Not gruffly, but still in a way that hit Daegon inside his chest. He was surprised to find that he could feel that way. He watched Birten back away slowly. "I wish there was, too. But I have to be smart. If you are all telling the truth, here in Jhirdyr, then I feel horrible for not being able to trust you. But if my connections to Tarragonia are real, and this is some kind of trap, I'll be the stupidest person alive to fall for it."

Although he had gone through who knows what, Birten still had his wits about him. He was still cautious and on the lookout to avoid falling into a trap. Regardless of the fact that it hurt Daegon to see him this way, he was glad that the characteristics of the squire that made him who he was were still intact. It meant he was still in there.

"I understand." There really wasn't much more that could be said. He wanted to pull him out of that cell, hold him, apologize for some of the shit he'd put him through in the past. But it would do no good. In any event, he had to head out to the cave with Lana to begin their watch for dragon activity. He was glad he'd made the decision to see Birten before they embarked.

He had already been rearing and ready to go to slay the dragons and end Elsior, but this motivated him even more. Elsior would pay for what he'd done to Birten.

Daegon enjoyed Lana's company. Like him, she wasn't one for unnecessary chatter. Their entire trek to the cave was done without conversation. There wasn't need for it. They knew what they were going there to do, and further discussion wasn't going to benefit them.

They found a relatively flat area to set up camp. It had only been two days since Daegon and Kep had discovered Deke arriving to feed the dragons, so it was unlikely he would return anytime soon. Even if he did, there was no longer a need to hide. And if he did show up again, Daegon planned on slitting his throat faster than he could disappear to go alert Elsior.

As the sun began to set, they gathered firewood and got a fire started before they ran out of daylight to do so. Lana gathered some vegetables and dried meat from her bag and began a stew as Daegon sat against a tree and stared into the darkening night sky. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire, various nature sounds in the woods around them, and the occasional clink of the ladle against the edges of the pot as Lana stirred the stew. Despite the chaos he knew would soon be happening, the calmness of everything around him was soothing.

Eventually, Lana shoved a bowl toward him. He took it and looked at its contents warily. Considering the last time he'd eaten something similar he found himself unconscious, it was a little foreboding. But his stomach growled, and he forced himself past it. He needed to eat.

Lana sat down against another tree a few paces away and began scooping the stew from her own bowl. He watched her for a second, then followed suit. He frowned. She was about as good a cook as he. Forcing himself to swallow, the food was welcomed by his stomach. It might not taste great, but it was sustenance. They both finished in a matter of minutes, the lack of conversation allowing for a quick meal.

Once finished, he placed the empty bowl on the ground beside him and returned his gaze toward the stars. With little effort, he found his favorite constellation. It was called Hestyr and the Dragyn.

Though crude, as most constellations were, it resembled a person wielding a sword pointed toward the eye of a dragon. It was named after an ancient Kulean myth revolving around a dragonslayer, Hestyr, and an epic battle with a dragon that resulted in the creation of the Kulean Rainforest.

He remembered hearing the story for the first time when he was a squire. He and Vyrik were headed to a slay in the rainforest, and his slayer asked him if he'd ever heard the tale of how it came to be. When Daegon had admitted that he hadn't, Vyrik recounted the myth.

"The kingdom of Kulea is rich with tales of creationism. Many regions are, but Kulea has some of the most intriguing. Since we're headed to the heart of the rainforest, it's only appropriate that you have some insight on the story of Hestyr and the Dragyn.

"According to legend, Hestyr was a young dragonslayer without much experience. She was full of heart though, and wanted to protect her people. Different versions of the story paint her differently – some say she was a simple orphaned girl who wanted to thank the community for making her feel at home, some say she was a demigoddess trying to prove her worth, and still others indicate that she was born to a tribe of people that made it their sworn duty to rid the world of dragons. But no matter the version, her dedication was unfaltering.

"In the most common accounts, Hestyr was journeying through the region which is now the Kulean Rainforest. At that time, however, it was called the Kulean Plains. The area was flat as far as the eye could see. Hestyr would often go off on her own, hoping to come across stray dragons that she could eliminate before they got too close to civilization. Keep in mind this was a time before squires were used, and so she was always solitary. And on this particular expedition, Hestyr encountered a massive dragon. It was sleeping, curled up on the ground. It appeared to be ancient, covered in moss and vines as if it had been around since the world was born. She almost thought it was a hill until she saw the movements that occurred with each sleeping breath.

"As she approached it, it opened one eye. She hesitated, nervous. She had but a simple sword and was but one person, and before her was the biggest dragon she'd ever laid eyes on. But it did not attack. Instead, it spoke. 'Why do you approach me?' it asked.

"Dumbfounded, she answered. 'I am here to slay you, dragon. I am here to protect my people and ensure you do not encroach upon our land.' She was nervous, but she held her ground. The dragon didn't move, but kept its open eye on her the entire time.

"'Your people have no land; dragons own the land, we are the land. Your people have encroached upon what is ours, they have destroyed us and pushed us nearer extinction. Your people are the ones that must be eradicated.' With that, the dragon made to attack. However, the immense amounts of foliage that grew from its skin weighed it down. It was unable to move its old muscles beneath the weight.

"Admitting defeat, knowing it would be unable to defend itself against her, the dragon told Hestyr that she had won. It told her to make the job quick. But Hestyr was too proud for that. In her eyes, it would be a cheap victory. So she climbed atop the beast, swinging her sword to and fro, shedding the greenery from its hide. She sliced at all of the flora until the dragon's skin was visible. When she had finished, she climbed back down and stood before the dragon. 'Now it's a fair fight,' she said.

"Clearing the dragon of its burden, it was finally able to stand. It lifted itself up, a spectacle to behold. It was far grander than she had expected, yet she still didn't back down. It reared up on its hind legs, letting out a guttural roar that shook the landscape around her. When it came back down on all fours, cracks formed in the ground. It snapped its jaws at her, and she darted about to avoid it. It was toying with her.

"Eventually, though, it tired of its game. It lowered its head next to her, the same eyeball it had initially opened inches from where she stood. 'You had your chance,' it said.

"And with that, she thrust her sword into the eye, as deep as she could. The beast fell, writhing. Its blood soaked the land, intermingling with the foliage she'd shaved from it, filling the cracks within the dirt. She'd bested the dragon due to its cockiness, and she defeated it with the fairness that she'd wanted.

"The tale says that the combination of the plantlife and dragon's blood that filled the breaks in the terrain are what started the rainforest itself. And some versions claim that the body of the dragon still remains at the heart of the forest, as a large hill, just like Hestyr herself initially thought it was."

Daegon must have dozed off, as his recollection of the myth dissolved as Lana shook his shoulders. He blinked, vaguely realizing that she was saying something. "Huh?" he asked.

"Wake up. Daegon, wake up. Something's happening. Something's happening in the cave." She shifted to the side so that his line of sight was unmarred. There, through the darkness, he could clearly see heavy bursts of flames illuminating the cave. Elan's timeline was wrong. The dragons were emerging now.