Chapter 22

In my desperate, deprived state, his nickname for me almost felt like a comfort. If only he wasn't telling me to die.

The desert was indeed cursed. They weren't real, I told myself. It's the scorpion stings, they did this to me. I'm not going to die. I can't die. Not now. Mavis was safe. She didn't want me to die either.

"If you don't die now, I'll just kill you myself." Samuel said.

"Believe me, dying now is easier. I will torture you. Maybe if you give up now, I'll let your wife and child go."

I couldn't be tempted by his offer. I might have a few months ago, but now. I thought. I came too far just to die in the desert.

Perhaps there was nothing out here. Perhaps it was all for nothing.

Their voices had gotten louder. They all continued with their same threats. The pain in my chest began to spread. I became weak. I tried to conserve my water, but I was already running low. I tried to keep going but continued collapsing. Then, nighttime fell. I stuffed my ears with parchment in fear of the siren, and laid in the sand in such agony.

I heard my mom's voice. I didn't see her, but I could hear her through the plugs in my ears.

"Come with us. It's better here. You'll be happier here."

Her voice wasn't like the others. It had seemed genuine. It felt real.

"I can't. I need to avenge you."

"You don't. You could come with us. It's peaceful."

My mother made dying sound much more appealing than living. There was a part of me thst wanted to give up, but I couldn't. Then again, it wasn't my decision.

My heart and felt like it had given out. Everything became dark.

I had woken up in a shaded area. For a moment I doubted I was in the desert. The temperature was much cooler, despite the sun being out. My chest still hurt, but not as much as it did when I was in the sun.

I was in a cave. Outside was the endless sand wasteland. How did I get here? I asked myself. How did I find a cave?

I went in deeper. The inside had become darker the farther I went in. It had gotten cooler with every step. I had almost gotten chills. It felt great.

There was a rumble. The ground shook, a gust of wind pushed towards me. Large yellow eyes opened.

"Who goes there? Back away!" The alarming voice hissed.

"King Zander Bray. Who are you?"

"You can understand me?" The voice asked, less aggressively. His mouth didn't move. It was like he was speaking into my mind.

"Yes?" I said.

He stepped out from the shadows. It was a dragon. But it wasn't like the Samuel's dragon. This one was long, green, and more snakelike.

"I thought all the dragon's were dead?"

"That's what humans think. I am not just any dragon. I am a whyrm dragon."

"Whyrm?"

"An elder dragon. My powers exceed beyond an ordinary dragon. How did you find me?"

"I don't know. I passed out in the desert, and woke up outside the cave."

"No one has tried to cross the desert in years. Why did you?"

"I needed to find something. I think that it may be you."

"Excuse you?"

"There's a war. It needs to end. I think you can end it." I said.

"I know about your war. You awoke one of my resting brothers to fight in it."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know this would happen. I just want the war to end. To take back what is mine."

"All humans think what they're doing is right. Every one of you thinks their fight is justified, but it's not. All other species hate humans. All of them. Humans are too destructive for their own good."

"I want to make the world fair and just. I don't want fire fairies in cages or mermaids to fear us. Please. I know I sound like every human you have met. Everyone thinks their cause is just. I know I'm not the smartest or bravest king, but I want to be the most generous. I want to save others. Please, help me. Fight for me. Then I'll leave you alone."

"I am far too old to fight for you."

I had felt defeated. I lowered my head. If the elder dragon wasn't the answer, what was?

"But you do have a connection with my brother dragon. The unrest dragon."

"I do?"

"From my understanding, you helped free him, correct?"

"Yes. How did you know that?"

"Us dragons have a connection. I could feel when he was awaken, and brought back to life. You brought him back. That's why we can communicate. Did you free all three parts on your own?"

"No, it was me and my enemy. My enemy has the dragon now."

"Your connection is very strong.. How many parts of the dragon did you assemble?"

"Two. The body and the soul. My enemy freed the mind."

"You had released more elements of the unrest dragon. He might respond to you better, and more likely to follow your commands. Your connection is stronger from it, therefore he may obey you more so than your enemy."

I could control the dragon, I thought. It would listen to me over Samuel. It was brilliant. I had to awaken what I already had.

"But the mind is the most powerful. If your enemy freed the mind, there is a chance his connection is as strong as yours. Having a connection to a dragon's mind is dangerous, especially for your fragile mortals."

There was a chance my connection could outweigh  Samuel's, but those odds weren't enough. I need something to even get close to the dragon. He was wise, perhaps he could help me further.

"Thank you for your wisdom. Is there any other way to gain strength?"

"There is one more thing. It's power that no mortal has never tried to bare before."