Chapter 95 – Inauguration.

Crystal didn’t have much interest in the speech, and was only half paying attention as the queen talked about the changes to the world, going over the existence of the ancients and the second pulse. Things that she was all too familiar with, and that she thought would have been passed on by now. But given that communication in this age was not what it once was, it wasn’t that surprising, and the current event was probably the best platform for doing so anyways.

They were currently sitting just off to the left side of the raised platform on the upper tier, the others seated nearby and below them looking like they were nobility or the powerful of the city. Especially since all of the men present were amongst them. Lots of fancy dresses and suits that reeked of money and people that gave off an aura of arrogance. There were a number of ferals, as well as those whose garments actually seemed to have a magical quality to them. They were also almost all more modestly dressed than the riders.

On the right was the ones Crystal assumed were the lady knights, or those riders of importance, Willow and Tayja amongst their number. They numbered only a handful, and were seated with generous space between most of them. The rest of the riders and their significant others were haphazardly seated in the middle section of the terraces, as much food and drink present with them as there was bodies. Even with the queen speaking there was still the murmur of conversation, but at least they were keeping it quiet enough that Alysia wasn’t having to use any magic to project her voice, and the queen didn’t seem at all bothered by it. Most of the conversation had died down anyways when the queen had arrived not long after she had made her statement. The projection that she had sent with them was still present, seated with them. People moving to their designated seating areas had taken quite a bit longer though.

It had meant that Crystal hadn’t gotten to spend much time with the familiars at all, ignoring the interruptions from a couple of concerned riders. Tayja had stepped in, stating that hell was more likely to freeze than them getting hurt by the dragons, and that Nerida was actually quite fond of them. Tayja’s familiar affectionately nuzzling Crystal seemed to drive the point home, and they’d wandered off again, albeit somewhat confused. Crystal was surprised that there hadn’t been more fuss on it given that people just didn’t go near familiars, but given the atmosphere and that she was likely not near the familiars of those riders it sorta made sense. She needed to actually remember, that as much as she liked them, she shouldn’t just go up to them in the streets if they were trying to avoid unwanted attention.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. And all that.

And was she inadvertently flirting with a rider when she petted their dragon? She should probably ask about that at some point...

Just like it had with Nerida, her magic had welled up within her in response to the familiars. What effect it might have had, if any, she wasn’t sure. She knew that there was an array within her related to that change, its presence clearly felt to her now that she had some understanding of it, another part of Dragon’s legacy she suspected, but she had yet to manifest it. Of course, that didn’t mean that it hadn’t activated, just that its effect was probably a lot more focused.

Unfortunately it seemed like they were getting more attention that she’d like. Most of those in the lady knight group seemed to be looking in their direction rather than at the queen, and quite a number of the riders were periodically glancing their way as well. As were the familiars as well, but they’d been doing so since their arrival, and Crystal wasn’t complaining about their attention. At least none of the people on their side could really do so, since they’d have to look behind them to see them, and that would be a lot more obvious and likely rude. Those social rules wouldn’t have changed.

‘I told you so,’ Spectre stated smugly, Crystal mentally huffing back, her arkchild currently sitting on her lap. Which was probably contributing to said attention. He’d be hard to miss there, even with the shenanigans that normally managed to obfuscate their presence.

‘Do you think that they’re accepting what she’s been telling them?’ Crystal asked. She wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t, given Willow’s scepticism of it all.

‘I’m a reconnaissance model, not a psychologist.’ Spectre tilted his head to look at her. ‘But, based on everything we know thus far, I think some will, but most will still be sceptical. Just like it has been for the others, it’s a lot to accept, and it’s the tip of the iceberg for what is to come. Sure, some of them may have felt the movement of the ancients, and all of them will have felt the pulse, but none have had the close encounters that you and your companions have. Most have not had the changes. Yet. Add in the overall atmosphere and the effect that you have on them, and I’d say that there certainly will be reactions to it all.’

“And that brings us to the reasons for this gathering, both intertwined and connected to all of this.” There was a palatable shift it the atmosphere as Alysia paused, the chatter all but dying out and silence descending on the amphitheatre. Even nature seemed to have turned the dial down.

“The inauguration of a new lady knight, and the new of the rank of awakened.”

“For those that can apparently talk to their familiars?” Willow asked with a frown as she stood.

“For those that can, yes,” Alysia answered, a smile on her face.

The riders look at each other in confusion as talking erupted in the amphitheatre. Even those sitting near them seemed shocked at the declaration, hushed comments that were still a bit too loud. Disbelief, uncertainty, worry, concern. And hope, that it might actually be real.

Another lady knight stood up, a harsh red light enveloping her as bone armour formed around her body, black tinged red and covering her arms, chest, and hips down to heeled boots, sleek and smooth. An interesting contrast to her short spiky silver hair that seemed to sway as power coursed through it. She had copper skin and a lithe build, like that of a professional athlete, well toned with just the right amount of muscle. Piercing black eyes stared at the queen from a pretty face, silence falling on the amphitheatre once again.

“Yes, Lady Knight Cassia?”

“Like many of the others, I am finding this all quite hard to believe.” Cassia rubbed the bridge of her nose before gesturing to the rest of those present. “Yes, some of us have known the tales of the ancients for a while, but time does not make it any more truthful. Look I get it, it is hard to prove, just like the tales of gods from ages long past. But I am sure we all know the truth about them. If anything, we are more like gods than what they turned out to be.”

A quiet grumble of agreement emanated from around the amphitheatre, Alysia just continuing to look at the lady knight, the smile still on her face.

“Ignoring the promotion, which is well overdue, as I think some deserve that title, this whole awakened thing sounds very problematic. You want to divide our clan, stigmatise them according to a supposed ability that goes against the very laws of magic as we know it, cannot be proved, and could be falsely claimed? If it is even real!”

“And,” Cassia continued, taking a brief pause for breath, “from what we have gathered, is the ‘supposed’ result of something or someone attempting to tamper with our magic. Meddling with our very souls, with who and what we are. There has been a lot of strange things going on recently, not the least of which is the savage roars from earlier today that managed to get the attention and rile up every single familiar in the city.”

Crystal bristled at that. Rachael’s roar had been anything but. An announcement. Beautiful. Soft and strong. That of a true dragon. And the reaction had been like. Did the lady knight not understand the familiars at all? Perhaps she was just a pompous git.

Cassia stared at the queen, the ensuing grumble much louder than before.

“Is that all?” Alysia queried, her demeanour unchanged.

“Prove it. Prove it all, if you want our support on this endeavour, if you want us to allow our magic to be tampered with. No theories, no speeches on the benefits of communications, no fear-mongering about the return of the demon king or the arrival of long dormant powers. Just cold hard visual proof.”

“Is that the view shared by all of your circle?”

“Yes.” Cassia stated. There was a round of nods from the lady knight side, though Crystal did notice that not all of them did so. Willow was showing her support, while Tayja was not, for obvious reasons. In fact Tayja looked more than a little worried and nervous, like she would rather be anywhere else than there, quickly averting her eyes to the ground when she noticed Crystal’s attention.

“You forget your place. But it is not always a bad thing. You were all chosen as lady knights for a reason, not just because of your apparent power. This situation is well beyond you all, and has already started. The pulse was just the beginning, the declaration a catalyst. There is no stopping it, even if you wanted to do so. But, if you desire ‘cold hard proof’, so be it.”

“Not from Tayja,” Cassia stated, as she pointed towards Crystal and Rachael. “For all we know she’s in league with those tramps. Beguilers and charlatans who seem to be at the centre of it all.”

Crystal growled, glaring daggers at the lady knight as she stood, Rachael’s grip on her hand tightening as she reacted similarly.

The insult cut deep, and they weren’t the only ones feeling it. Yes, they were indeed at the centre of it all, but not for any reasons like that.

Rachael took a deep breath, and stared hard at Cassia as she addressed the queen. “Permission to take the stage?”

“By all means,” Alysia replied, with the kind of look that said she had excepted that that would happen. Which she may well have done. “Let me introduce Rachael and Crystal. Deep Dragons, touched of the ancients, and whose mark you all bear.”

Cassia glared at Alysia again, the queen just smiling smugly back. “As I said, it has already begun.”

Crystal followed Rachael as they made their way to and down the stairs between the terraces, intense, evaluating stares, the eyes of everyone on them as they passed by the nobles. It was nerve wracking, Crystal shrinking back a little from it all. They were all judging them. Rachael on the other hand seemed unfazed, challenging them even with her posture and confidence.

They stopped in the middle of the open area, Rachael’s wings and tail materializing in dramatic fashion, motes of mana falling down around her as they turned to face the riders. That certainly got their attention, the chatter finally dying down again. Mostly.

“It can’t be easy, being asked to believe in something that seems so foreign to you, something so strange, that challenges your place at the perceived apex of civilization.” Rachael grinned at the riders, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

“But you know what. I don’t really understand it at all. I had magic from a young age, in an era where there wasn’t meant to be any. I have been a priestess of the ancients for most of my life, feeling their power and hearing their voices. An unwitting pawn in their games at times. Turns out accepting the existence of one means accepting them all, and them into your life as well. We were taken from our age and re-awoken here, a thousand years later, everything that we knew lost and gone. Confronted with the normalcy of both magic and its absence, and strange new technologies. At every turn there has been something new to accept. Some change. Some small, others earth moving. And I have done so. We have done so. It has been a part of our lives.”

“Of course, we’ve always had the ‘hard proof’ in front of us.” Rachael picked up Kitsune, the cat-fox rolling its eyes as she was presented to the crowd, then jumping back down to the ground and making herself comfortable around Rachael’s feet shortly after. “Perhaps we’re just privileged in that way, but it has come at a cost, and continues to do so. This here being an example of it all, and also how you all look at us, what you think of us, one of two extremes.”

“You know, we weren’t always deep dragons. There wasn’t even such a thing as other races. Humans the one and only. But now that has all changed, and we are the first of our kind, and proud of what we are.” Crystal smiled at that, manifesting her wings and tails as well, a brilliant golden hue. She could sense the familiars listening, waiting, the magic within her wanting to manifest. Do what had been declared. But it was not yet time. “There are others as well, and many more to come, but whether or not you notice them with your clouded vision, see them for what they actually are is another thing. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t there though. Change is here. A new era is dawning, and either you take it in your stride, or you’ll be swept along, your struggles for naught.”

“Of course that doesn’t mean just blindly accepting everyone else's decisions for you though,” Rachael continued, muttering Arcane’s name under her breath, “As that would be plain stupid, but when you know the truth, can see it in front of you, make an informed decision. A decision for you. And your bonded partner in existence.”

“Or is your hubris so great that power is the only way that you understand things?” Rachael turned to the lady knights, the challenge plain and obvious.

“You little...” Cassia started, cut short by Willow’s hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t,” she instructed, before giving them a measured stare. “We asked for proof. We shall measure our response to you based on that.”

“Your familiars are more than just a manifestation of your magic you know. They have personalities, wills and desires, just like you do. As much a person as you all are. Perhaps even more so. They are the dragons, you are the riders. Two parts of a whole, and very much draconic in nature. It’s no surprise that they seen us as what we are. Kin to them.”

Arrays manifested around Rachael, spreading out and down, pulling on the leylines beneath the city and bringing the mana back up to them.

“What are you doing?” Cassia growled, throwing off Willow’s hand and advancing down the stairs.

Rachael ignored her, her long black hair glinting and waving in the fading sunlight as she gave her head a shake. Looking at the familiars around them, Rachael roared. An invitation, once again. Of what they wanted, what they could have. A promise.

The familiars of course all roared back.

“It was you,” Cassia hissed.

“Of course it was,” Rachael said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I never denied it. Are you going to let us finish our presentation, or are your palms getting too itchy? While Crystal has sworn to protect dragons and won’t fight you, I’m a little more loose on the wording of it all.” Rachael gave Cassia that dangerous smile again, laid with the lust for a fight.

Cassia stopped, and folded her arms as Willow came up behind her, the two lady knights standing at the edge of the bottom terrace.

“You know, you’re right. Proving that you can talk to something when the communication can’t be heard by others is rather hard. Especially when there is a baseline understanding, as primitive as it is. You’d be laughed at, told that you’re just imagining things. Or that you’re mad, or just seeking attention. Laws are laws after all. Dragons cannot talk, or so we’ve been told. The prospect of it likened to having an imaginary friend, a hallucination. That is just wrong though. The primals can talk, and we know that your familiars desire it. After all, they have just declared it. We can talk to them, even if you can’t.”

“But,” Rachael paused for dramatic effect, arms sweeping out. “That of course doesn’t prove anything to you. We could just be making all of this up. Charlatans apparently. A rather grave accusation. For better or worse, there is in fact only one way to prove it, and that is to grant you that gift.”

“You would tamper with our magic against our will in front of us all?”

“No. Of course not. Nothing will be forced upon you, at least right now. We will release the magic, albeit with a caveat. Accept it, and it will do its thing, here and now. Reject it, and it will just flow past, time and inevitability then the final deciders. A choice for you and your familiars.”

“I don’t accept that,” Cassia said, scowling at them, her body tensing.

“It’s not your choice. It’s everyone’s.”

“Can we do that?” Crystal asked quietly, leaning in to Rachael. Sure, they had done delays and the like, but making it conditional, on someone else’s decision...

Yes.

That should be easy for you both to achieve.

You have her understanding after all,

and the power to back it up.

Lean into it, express your intent.

In the same way that the magic is doing for you when in the presence of the familiars.

Crystal blinked, a little surprised. She hadn’t expected to hear from them, but she had no reason not to believe what they were saying. Rachael gave her a reassuring smile, before mouthing silently, “Let’s do it.” Crystal nodded back, looking up at the familiars around them, their expectant gazes on them. The riders on the other hand seemed to be all over the scale, some sitting, some rising, an uncertainty in the air. It was now or never, if they were going to do this.

Hopefully the lady knights didn’t try anything stupid.

She could feel the mana around them intensifying, tendrils of it wrapping around them, the leylines theirs to control as Rachael’s arrays spread out, glowing a soft green and pulsating with power. Arrays that were of course visible to everyone, audible gasps as people noticed the obvious.

Crystal closed her eyes, ignoring everything else, feeling the mana. Waiting for it to become dense enough, the desired arrays forming within herself, reacting to her will and intent just as Dragon had said, its structure and parts now clear in her mind. She looked at it, carefully examining its nature, making sure that it was exactly what she was wanting, and that it did what they needed. There would be no second chance here, nor would she let this opportunity go to waste. Guardian of Dragons. She tweaked a bit here and there as understanding flooded her, the desires of the familiars and riders echoing around her, flowing through her, reaching her even with her senses dulled. Another connection. One that would not be lost.

One that was not just for her.

And then she was done, the arrays complete. Almost. Focusing, she made one last change, giving the arrays a form, life, shaping it with her hands, a tune singing within her. Finished, she gave it her blessing, releasing it into the world.

Crystal opened her eyes. She could see the mana flowing around them now. Thick and vicious, its ethereal glow tinted green and gold. Those around them were not handling it so well. A number of the riders and most of the guests had fled to the top terrace of the amphitheatre, those remaining in the lower levels struggling to maintain standing, many forced to their knees, or now prone on the ground. Lady knights included, though Alysia appeared unaffected, as she would have expected. Primal magic and all that.

“What are you doing?” Willow asked, managing to force herself back to standing. Cassia looked like she wanted to murder them, but was struggling to stay upright.

“This,” Rachael replied, doing a small twirl, the mana flowing through her fingers, “is the magic of the world itself. A temporary nexus of the leylines, right at this point. A lot of power is needed after all.”

Power for change. A demonstration in its own right. Crystal watched as a small dragon made entirely of light started to materialize in front of her, a smile on its face and love in its eyes. Spreading its wings, it flew up, one beat, two, three, each sending a pulse of magic through those in the amphitheatre, the nature of the arrays materializing in the air under its tiny form, spreading out to encompass the structure and beyond, shimmering in a bright golden light.

A promise, fulfilled, a chorus of roars as the riders and familiars made their decision, spikes of magic everywhere. The small dragon swooped back down, flying around Crystal before it stopped, hovering before her as it gave its own soft call. Like a child calling to its mother. Promise had done what had been asked of it, and now it was time to return home. Flying right up to her and nuzzling her affectionately in the face, it then flowed into her. Back from whence it came, purpose fulfilled, but never forgotten.

Are we doing this?

yes.

it is time.

‘Doing what exactly?’ Crystal thought back, confused, the ancients words snapping her away from the effects of her magic.

And making her painfully aware of what had suddenly started happing around them. The stench of blood and the smell of battle permeated the air around them. Arcs of lightning tore at the ground around her, dislodging some of the thousand blades that had appeared, impaled into the ground. Rachael had let go of the leylines, anchoring them in place, gauntlets glowing on her hands as she stood a few feet forward from where she had been. Willow was giving them a curious look, while Cassia scathed at them, balancing on the edge of the second tier, a wicked looking sword in her hand, more teeth than blade. A weapon to shred and rend more than cut. A form with many memories.

And behind it all, the feeling of change, purpose, individuality and family. Of those who weren’t the same. And of them, of dragons.

The world seemed to shift and tear, reality warping as it struggled to hold the mana that was being pulled into a single point, before it then snapped, two figures appearing as a wave of mana surged out over the amphitheatre. A wave soaked with the power of the ancients.

okay,

that was painful,

even with these forms.

Warrior cracked her neck in both directions, looking out over the amphitheatre as she stood beside Crystal. The ancient had the same form as last time. Well, mostly. Long green hair with the loose braid, sword earrings, scars visible on the back of her hands and on her face. Her armour still retained the same form as Crystal’s, with Rachael’s colours, but it looked more feral. More draconic. More scaled, with horns and claws worked into its motif. And she now had short draconic horns, starting high on her forehead and curving back. Okay, it all sort of fit, but...

what,

you don’t like them?

Warrior gave her a cheeky grin. That wasn’t quite the point though, Crystal internally sighing, to which Warrior gave an amused chuckle. Dragon stood on her other side, tall and upright, wings folded back, his form significantly larger than the last time she had seen them. Something around the same size as the familiars, his form just as beautiful. Deep green eyes, and a glow seeping through the edges of his mouth that hinted of the intensity of the power burning within. Golden brown scales, with spikes running along his spine and down his tail. He wasn’t a dragon to be ridden. Ever.

Size isn’t everything,

but it serves a purpose.

Dragon roared, his voice rough and dangerous, a declaration to all those present. If they hadn’t already had everyone’s attention, they certainly did now.

“Who the #^$@ are you?” Cassia asked, jumping down one tier, oblivious to the actions of those around her. Willow had paled and was just staring at them. Tayja was down on one knee, head bowed. There was silence amongst the ranks of the riders and familiars as they stared down at them, some emulating Tayja while other remained frozen in place.

“It’s not who, but what.” Warrior stepped forward, gesturing to all of the riders with her arms. “You should already know who we are, or you’re blind, dumb, and plain stupid. Or just have a death wish. After all, we are what you all represent, the core of your identity.

The elites of the kingdoms, blessed with strength and freedom. Their defenders and guides. Seekers of power and prowess. Warriors and their draconic familiars, bonded souls. Dragon Riders.

It is you all who carry the weight of the era on your shoulders. Your actions, and those who came before you, shape history. Especially true here, with the actions of the previous clan.

You wanted proof, well, now you have it.

Just know that all things come with a cost.”

“All those here are now marked, by choice or not.” Dragon opened his mouth, the words seeming to come out. “Not once, not twice, but thrice. Being in our presence has consequence. How you bear that, what parts you accept, and what parts you try and fight, that however is your choice.”

“Blessings and curses after all, are just two sides of the same coin.”

Warrior’s form flickered as she suddenly appeared in front of Cassia, her face a mask of carefully concealed rage, the lady knight stumbling back a step. “You insulted, belittled and threatened my chosen. It may seem just like words on the surface, but I know your true intent. While she may not extract payment, I am not beholden to her domain.”

Cassia was too slow as the ancient moved forward and ripped her sword out of her hand, snapping it in two with one hand as she pelted Cassia with the other, sending her flying across the terraces and through a column with a sickening crunch, shattered stone collapsing in her wake as she tumbled between the familiars. Idly stretching her shoulders as she discarded the remains of the dragon bone weapon, Warrior started leaping her way up the terraces after her.

If Warrior hit her again, she would die, and so then would her familiar. If she wasn’t already.

Without a second thought Crystal launched herself into the air, soaring across the amphitheatre and towards the prone rider, the familiars parting for her as she swooped low, landing in front of the lady knight. Her armour was smoking and broken, blood pooling around her as she glared at Crystal.

“No, you can’t die,” Crystal muttered as she formed the array, placing her hands on Cassia even as the lady knight tried bringing forth her power, tendrils of intensely hot black mana forming around her. A familiar gave a low whine as it pushed its way forward and sat down just behind the lady knight, eyes on them, its form towering over them.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Rachael stated to the rider as she landed beside Crystal. “Let me do that,” she then said to Crystal as she knelt down.

“Thanks,” Crystal murmured as she stood and turned, Warrior right there behind her. “Please,” she half asked, half declared. “She doesn’t deserve to die, not her or Blackheart.” The familiars name came to her, as if she had already known it.

i wouldn’t expect any less from you.

every action here will have consequences for us all.

the rest of the cost she will pay in time.

Crystal stepped aside as Warrior walked past her and crouched down in front of Cassia, arms resting on her knees. “It is only by their mercy that you still live. Know your place.”

Dragon let out another roar, and then they were both gone, the scent of blood fading as Warriors blades vanished one by one till only one remained, embedded into the middle of the stage.

‘Is this an ancient thing? Appearing in a flash, then disappearing just as suddenly and leaving us to deal with the mess?’ Crystal thought after Warrior as Rachael picked up Cassia, cradling her as they made their way back down into the amphitheatre.

they asked,

they got.

theirs the choices now to make.

mogust

One more chapter left for this arc (96. Deific Inference) which will be out in the next week or two, and it clocks in at just under 8k, so it's a big one. This chapter was just under 5k for reference.

I haven't decided on a release schedule yet for the next arc. Given that my backlog is gone, I may try and build it up again before I start posting, which would in part help with convincing amazon when I publish volume 3. Nothing set in stone though. Volume 3 will encompass arcs 5-7, possibly 8 as well if 7 ends up being short, as I'd like it to be at least 120k words long. I have commissioned art for volume 3, though it is a little while away yet. Crystal gets to feature on it though :)

As always, thanks for reading, and comments are welcome. It's always nice to hear from people.

Dawn Weaver and Soul Flames volume 1 and 2 are available on Amazon (all stores bar Brazil). If you would like to support my writing, please consider purchasing and/or reviewing/rating (and rating here as well is always appreciated).