Jewel of the Hoard Ch. 03

Aries' consciousness was starting to fade and his body began to go limp. He fought his own mind from passing out but he knew he was losing a lot of blood. He opened his eyes, too weak to speak but wanting to tell Cadmus that he was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay. If he couldn't find what he needed to on a mortal plane, perhaps he could find his father in the next one. The blood from his wound was starting to enter his nose and begin to trickle down. Breathing was starting to get more difficult and the world was starting to spin. If he passed out, he didn't know if he would wake up.

"He isn't going to die....he can't," Cadmus choked out as the little sparrow on his shoulder disappeared and was scattered among the cold wind. The sky began to lighten up, the wind slowing down to a stop and Giscela kneeled by Cadmus. She placed a hand gently on Cadmus' shoulder.

"Cadmus...there's nothing we can do. The arrow pierced a lung..."

"I don't care what it went through!" Cadmus yelled out. "There must be...I can do something! Anything! He said we all have choices. I can't let him suffer for so long. I can fix this. Everything is going to be okay! It must be okay!"

Cadmus must see his little sparrow fly again. He has to.

Cadmus desperately ran into his cave, desperate to find something, anything that could aid Aries. As Cadmus ran into the cave, Giscela took Aries hand in hers.

"Aries...please hold on," Giscela said. She stroked the knight's cheek, the blood from his mouth and nose coating her fingers.

The dragon could bear the thought of his knight laying defeated. He felt guilt eating away at him. His army was crumbling around him before he even built it. It was his fault that his ally...that someone he loved was put in such a situation. He wasn't even around to protect him! Images of his family being slaughtered came to his mind, swords rose up and ready to strike and the only thing he could do was scream and run. He could not do anything. He was worthless. Cadmus sobbed as he gathered crystals and threw them into a lip he created with his cloak. He had to try. He had to prove to the Gods that they cannot take anything else from him. The precious gems were not discriminated for their use; each one looked like the crystal that would save his knight's life. It was a mad dash and a last hope in order to save his army that never stood a chance.

When Cadmus returned, he held all the jewels he could find still filled with any amount of energy. The remaining ones that were full along with as many others as he could gather. He placed them around Aries and the dragon concentrated.

Giscela was quiet, watching tears roll down Cadmus' cheeks as the dragon said a soft prayer before placing his hands on Aries' wound. He pulled as much energy as he could, pulling at whatever he could find. He pulled at living creatures, coaxing the small and practically insignificant energy that they gathered on themselves. His mind reached into the cave and searched each crystal and drained it of energy and kneaded it together before pushing it straight into Aries. He searched each and every crystal that he could not carry and drained each one for energy. He prayed that it would work, yelling out to the heavens for him to see his plight.

The human gasped, the blood starting to trap his throat rising out of him and out of his nose. The liquid was suspended in air and when Cadmus gathered more energy, it fell onto the ground.

"I'm sorry, Aries..." Cadmus said. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

Giscela shook her head. "Stop. Don't tell yourself that..."

She grabbed Cadmus' paw and wrapped it around the shaft of the arrow and then brought her own hand around his. "We have to try. We must do what we can...but I can't guarantee that..."

"I know."

The word was laced with a sad understanding and firm willpower and Giscela felt as though the air rippled around Cadmus. If they ripped the arrow out and Cadmus was not fast enough in patching the hole, Aries' lung would collapse and he would die. Giscela nodded in affirmation and steadied herself. It was going to be messy but she was part of the family now.

Cadmus and Giscela broke the shaft of the arrow in two and ripped it out. Aries was unconscious, his body falling forward limply. More blood. More sorrow. Healing always required confronting what was cruel and vile head on. Aries was too far gone to even make a sound as the arrow came free of his body. Giscela cast it off to the side like garbage.

Cadmus put his hands on the wound and pushed another rush of energy into his friend. Tissue started to close, blood began to fill capillaries. The lung that was about to collapse swelled upward and the hole began to close. The crystals that were being drained of energy and lost their light like a well running dry.

Aries gasped, his eyes shooting open and Cadmus' hands started to shake. The air made a whistling sound at the chest where the hole was, air rushing where it wasn't supposed to go for a split second until the hole closed shut. Tissue began to weave itself together like an invisible needle was threading it back together again. Giscela watched, not believing what she was seeing, her mouth agape as Cadmus kept pushing. He pushed the energy around until blood that was in the lung started to go back into arteries. Cadmus went in for another grab for energy but hit a block; the crystals were now dried up and the dragon paused.

Cadmus wondered if it worked at all. The air itself stopped around them like just before a storm. Cadmus' mouth was dry, the tears that rolled down his cheek dehydrating him. Did he utilize enough energy? Was it all for nothing in the end? Cadmus felt dread sneak itself into his brain. His army would crumble only a month after they made their oaths.

When all felt lost, Aries' fingers twitched.

"Aries?"

Cadmus' voice was as light as the clouds above. Both Cadmus and Giscela removed their paws and hands respectively from the wound. Aries coughed and spluttered, yet only mucus came up. He opened his eyes and winced.

A dragon and a very happy Princess beamed down at him.

"I've never been so happy to see you two," Aries said with a chuckle and shifted his weight to get back up against the wall. He grunted as he lifted his hurt body up so he was sitting straight up and Cadmus and Giscela helped him, a hand on each shoulder.

"Slow down, Aries...you might reopen the wound. There might not have been enough to fully heal you," Cadmus said and wrapped his arms around Aries. Bringing his hand around so it rested on the dragon's shoulder blade, Aries placed his head on Cadmus' shoulder.

"Well, be careful with the hug, Cadmus," Giscela said and got up off the ground to stand. She took in the surroundings, her heartbeat starting to slow as everything began to come into view of the turmoil. The crystals, the last ones on the continent, were lifeless. Each one the last known hallmark of magic now used and empty. The cave wall was splattered with blood, most like Aries' own, and five trees were uprooted near the entrance of the cave.

"Well, we managed to hold our own here," Giscela said with a sigh. "I'm sure my father will be thrilled."

"Damn your father and damn Edward," Cadmus replied as sharp as a knife and wheeled around on his heels.

"I completely agree, but do you want to stay?"

Cadmus frowned, reaching up to cup Aries' cheek. Aries hand came up to place it on the back of his hand. The hand felt warm thanks to the oxygenated blood rushing through and Cadmus' sour attitude turned as warm as the blood rushing through Aries' body. He got up and turned around, looking over the dead crystals.

All the potential that they had was now gone and dispersed. It was not a waste; far from it to Cadmus. They saved Aries' life and for that he was thankful but it did mean that if the King sent anymore troops, they would be hopelessly outmatched.

"I...I don't want to move anymore..." Cadmus admitted. "I say we stay and make this place our home."

Giscela nodded. "Very well. I think this will work perfectly. Winter is starting to lighten up and soon spring will be here..."

Cadmus blinked, surprised. She was already talking about a change in season. "You expect us to last that long?"

The Princess chuckled. "Maybe. It will be a while until we have troops deployed. With Randalians just getting out of war, I suspect there will be a few odds and ends. I can guarantee that Edward will go back to his family in Lanish."

"So you are saying we have a chance?" Cadmus said with a wistful smile.

Giscela held up her hand. "Maybe but a reminder that our little stunt here almost got Aries killed."

Cadmus shrunk into himself and his ears folded downward. "Yes...yes it did." Cadmus looked back at Aries to see his eyes were closed but he was breathing well. To heal so quickly would take a toll on anyone and who knows what small cuts did not end up getting fixed. The arrow laid in two pieces beside the human, the metal tip covered with blood. It was a reminder of everything that he wasn't there for and a pang of guilt went through him.

"I'm sorry."

Giscela lightened up. "None of that. We can't change the past. We need you, Cadmus." Giscela grabbed the dragon's paw. "He needs you." Giscela straightened up, her pose suggesting her noble past and she looked much older than before.

She nodded in Aries' direction, the knight fast asleep against the rock now. A light snoring came from him, slow and calm. Cadmus curtsied and bowed his head. "You will make an excellent queen some day, Giscela."

Giscela smiled and had to cover her giggle with her hand. "Together, we will protect humanity and usher in a new age for both of our species. For now, we should rest. I'll stay out and scout. I'll be back within the hour."

Cadmus took that as his cue to go and made his way back to Aries. He scooped the human up into the same fireman's carry he brought him into the cave a month ago and pulled him close. It felt like they had been through hell together but this was just the beginning. Giscela was right; he had to keep Aries safe. The knight had been through so much and he barely survived. Cadmus took him back into the cave, his mind lost in thought and racing through the events. He wished he could have been there earlier. He wished he could have prevented the arrow from shooting into Aries.

But Giscela was right. He had to move on. He would do better.

He placed Aries gently onto the bed, the human now sleeping sound. Cadmus smiled and sat on the bed next to him. Although Aries was human, he understood him. He would listen and his laugh would ring through his ears and...

Cadmus reached forward and gripped Aries' hand. He had to memorize when he felt it warm and full. He never wanted to imagine Aries growing limp and cold. Cadmus squeezed Aries hand and felt his pulse for just a moment.

He leaned forward, contemplating something. His breath kissed the human's cheek and he held his muzzle there. Aries was so brave and so clever. If he were a dragon, he would have songs about him. Cadmus smiled, a rush of calm running over him.

He made his way back to his private room and the baths. Stripping off his clothes and throwing them off to the side, Cadmus slid himself into the pool. Blood rose throughout the beautiful water, siphoning through the rock and getting filtered out. Cadmus watched it disperse throughout the beautiful water, mucking it and the dragon looked away. He did not want any more reminders.

An hour passed of Cadmus lounging in the water and his thoughts started to idly linger on one event after another. He hoped that Giscela brought good tidings with her. At least some good news would lift his spirits. Although Aries was alive, he did not have any crystals left. He was now cut off from the magic that he had been around since he was little. He secretly hoped that his healing was not in vain. If Aries made the wrong move, the wound could reopen and they would have to attempt to stabilize a lung without the help of the arcane.

Cadmus leaned back into the rock, letting go a long breath. The adrenaline that shot through his body like a wildfire began to quiet its screech. The dragon was in a lull, lost in his own recollection of the events. He could still see Aries slumped against the wall, his mouth open and red from all the blood. He threw the thought away but each time it would come back. He was so brave. The thought of the little golden bird floated into his head and there was a shot of warmth that flowed through him. If he could remember one thing from the horrible events, he hoped the sparrow would come to the forefront of his mind and wipe away all the evil that transpired.

There were footsteps behind Cadmus and the dragon turned around quickly. How undignified to be caught in a bath. If it was the soldiers coming back in for the kill, he would be defenseless...and naked. Luckily, it was just Giscela who came up to the pool with a tired sigh. Cadmus noticed that the area around her eyes appeared to darken. He was thankful that dragons did not show fatigue. She slipped her feet into the water and Cadmus eyes fell upon them. Giscela 's feet were blistered from running fast and without stop.

"There is no one around. Everyone left. I scouted a mile up towards Rendelen."

Cadmus nodded. Giscela still stayed, Clearly, she had more to say since she was hanging around. The dragon pondered even saying anything at all. Luckily, he did not have much time to wait.

"You fancy him, don't you?"

Cadmus blushed, a coy smile showing itself. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, it doesn't take a Spymaster to figure it out."

Cadmus chuckled. "He understands me. He knows how to talk to me and he is so...personable. In all the years I have been alive, these weeks have been the happiest. Even with him almost dying."

He paused and gave Giscela a side eye. She was still smiling and watching him close. She was giving him room to continue.

"It feels so easy. We have both been through so much. I don't have to hide from him. I can tell him everything and he does not want anything in return and I don't know if he feels the same."

Giscela laughed. "He feels the same. I have seen the way he sneaks peeks at you in the baths and how his eyes just light up when you start talking about the arcane. Since that first week, he has been by your side. He almost died trying to protect you, not just the cave...."

Giscela brought her hand down and rubbed Cadmus' shoulder. "He took an arrow for you. He sees something in you that only he can describe."

Cadmus shifted, his body moving and displacing the water. He searched through his feelings, really digging through them. Giscela was right. Aries was by his side, learning magic, truly learning and listening. He was one of a kind.

"Can I tell you a story, Cadmus?"

"Of course, Princess."

He waited and Giscela cleared her throat and adjusted her posture. "When I was a little girl, I was so in love with royalty that I wanted to go to the fanciest balls and to get the best dresses. It was wonderful and it felt like there was a new thing every day. I had servants that were at my beck and call and if I wished for something, I would get it. But, I started to grow up and began to realize how little control I had. My father had my life planned out since I was born and both the King's sons died tragically from disease. The Senate saw me as a gambling chip. Since they are the true ruling class that put the monarchy in power, they wanted me to gather information on Lanish. This meant that all eyes were on me to marry well."

She paused, clearing her throat again.

"Everything from my meals to where I would go during free time was organized down to the tiniest detail. When I got much older, My Father then used his influence to get me deeper into social circles and become a regular socialite. Particularly, to get involved with Lanish and their cities. Barthon was the first city I was assigned to and my father saw that as an opportunity. The Senate agreed."

Giscela toyed with the ring on her finger before pulling it off and throwing it into the water. The gold shimmered as it sank to the bottom and Cadmus watched it finally make it to the bottom of the pool.

"Life has a way of not working in your favor, but that does not mean you should just let it do what it wants with you. You have to fight sometimes. Not only for yourself, but for the people you love." Giscela finished with a sniff. "I forgot, but the two of you reminded me of it."

She got up out of the pool, her bare feet splashing against the cool rock. "Please, don't let Aries slip through your fingers if he is what you want."

Before Giscela could walk away, Cadmus said, "Thank you, Princess."

Giscela stopped, looking over her shoulder. "No problem, my friend."

She walked out of Cadmus' room and into the narrow hallway, leaving the dragon alone. Cadmus slumped against the wall. He had no gems, he was defenseless against a potential assault, and he had needed to pull Aries from the brink of death. Could he really keep up such a pace for the rest of his life? The pain in his body told him otherwise. Yet, he was filled with purpose. Cadmus thought about his next goal carefully. He would have to gather more people and meet with the King personally at some point. Maybe there could be a way to refill the gems or find another dragon who already has some in possession. At least the dragon that the three would find might be more persuaded to listen since it was running from Cinere as well.

Cadmus sighed and slumped further into the pool until it was up to his neck. "Gods, so much to do." He closed his eyes, sleep taking him almost immediately for the first time in 300 years. He was exhausted, his dreams spiraling him down and down into the deepest parts of his subconscious. He dreamt he was sitting upon the throne, a sword of judgement in one hand and a goblet in the other overflowing with wine. He could hear voices, other dragons speaking but also humans mingling with the others. They were all together, in harmony. There was a familiar voice beside him, speaking in a language that sounded familiar but foreign.

Cadmus turned his neck to the right, his head heavy as if filled with the same fog that filled the crystals from before. Seated on the small throne and to the direct right of Cadmus, was Aries in fashionable attire and looking comfortable. Cadmus smiled, his eyes filling with tears but this time out of happiness and joy. Giscela 's words echoed throughout the chamber:

"....don't let Aries slip through your fingers."

Cadmus swore that he wouldn't. He tried to open his mouth but it was like the joints were glued with syrup. He looked at Aries and memorized as much as he could; the smile, the clothes, and the way he looked so dignified at Cadmus' side. He would be a true ally of dragons and Cadmus would be a true ally of humans. Finally, the bridge between their species would be built on trust and dignity. The dream was so pleasing to Cadmus that he wished he could sleep for as long as this vision held him but he knew that's all that it was; a vision.

In a moment, everything disappeared. Distant screams, ones of his family, and the sound of a hammer coming down on swords. In a flash, he saw a dragon, blue like himself, hunched over a balcony with a dagger stabbed into his back. Still alive and gasping for air. In a blink, the image was gone and he was back in the throne room and sitting propped up in the chair.

Arguing reached his ears and yet he felt frozen on the throne. Humans and dragons faded into dust, the throne room looking almost barren now. There was the sound of an explosion, so raw and powerful that it blew Cadmus' head back into the throne and he crumpled to the floor. Another explosion and ash started to rain down upon the windows. The sky itself was black and filled with smoke. Cadmus crawled to a window and pulled himself up the windowsill to peek out. Across the island, the dense forests and homes looked small compared to The Spire which had lava pouring down its sides and plumes of smoke pouring out the top.