The Dragoso Series 3: Peace in Agony
Chapter 5

Stepping out of the portal, Trevor found himself in the middle of nowhere. There were no landmarks in the plain he stood in. He looked around a little confused. Was this supposed to be where the temple was? There was nothing here. Trevor looked back when Anna stepped through.

“Where are we?” Trevor asked. Anna watched the portal disappear before looking at Trevor.

“The castle,” She replied.

“I don’t see any castle here, Anna.” Anna pointed a claw to the sky and Trevor looked straight up, spotting something floating in the air. “Uh...okay how?” Anna walked up next to him and gave him a look.

“Magic.” Anna opened her wings and took off. Trevor stared for a moment before following after her.

Flying closer, Trevor could tell what he saw was a castle floating in the sky. Water Dragons in silver armor flew and hovered around the castle, no doubt the Royal Soldiers. The castle looked to be made of a light colored stone, maybe marble? It was made up of a central part and a tower on either side of it. It looked as though there were five levels to the castle but only four walkways on either side connecting the main part to the towers on either side. Trevor could tell since one side of the walkways didn’t match up with the other side. There were three landing balconies that matched up to three floors that were decorated with flags. The fourth floor had three balconies side by side. A decent amount of the top part of the castle looked almost untouched save for a walkway.

Anna flew for the topmost decorated balcony and landed. She walked into the castle with Trevor close behind her and laying before them, on platforms almost like Deathbore’s, was a red dragon and a black and green dragon. The red dragon beamed and stepped off her platform and went to Anna.

“Anna! Oh my beautiful daughter let me look at you!” the dragon gushed.

“Mom, please,” Anna laughed. She looked to Trevor who stood at the threshold of the doorway. It was unusual that the castle didn’t have doors, then again the openings were big enough for dragons. “Mom, Dad, this is one of my students, Trevor Williams. Trevor, these are my parents.” Anna looked to the red dragon. “Queen Dawn.” She looked to the other dragon laying on the platform still. “And King Dusk.” Trevor gazed in awe.

Dawn was a Fire Dragon, he knew as much since Anna had a son that was a Fire Dragon. As for Dusk, Trevor had yet to meet a Black Dragon. Despite having black and green scales, the breed was known as a Black Dragon. The green scales were possibly a warning. Black Dragons could spit acid.

Trevor snapped out of his daze and bowed his head low. “It’s an honor to stand before royalty, your majesties.” Damn. I hope they didn’t see me as rude...

“Stand, Trevor, you’re a friend of my daughter, no need to be so formal. Drake and Voutneth are still so new, how are you liking the place?” Dawn asked and Trevor stood straight.

“My siblings and I moved there from Sand Creek, Michigan. It’s quite a change, but we love it there.” Trevor smiled. “I’m embracing dragon life easily and so are my siblings.”

“Judging by the way you speak, you were human raised?” Dawn asked, going back onto her platform beside Dusk.

“Yeah. We didn’t know we were dragons until last June. It was-” Trevor was cut off by an excited squeal and Trevor looked to the walkway to the right where a pink mass came running and collided with Anna.

“Oh my gods! Sissy!” it was another Flower Dragon who was smothering Anna in kisses and hugs.

“Okay, okay, enough! Not in front of my student,” Anna complained and shoved the other Flower Dragon off. A chuckle drew Trevor’s attention to the walkway again where Kano stood.

“Hey, Trevor,” The Volcano Dragon greeted.

“Kano? What are you-? Oh right, you married Anna’s sister,” Trevor remembered. “So that means you must be-”

“Eshala, Anna’s twin sister, nice to meet you,” the Flower Dragon in question greeted and grinned. Trevor could see her eyes were a dark magenta, almost purple. “Wow, a Water-Ice Dragon. Don’t see those everyday. How did that happen?” Kano sighed.

“Okay, Eshala, that’s way too much information, calm down,” her mate interrupted and Trevor chuckled nervously. “Sorry, she gets like this when she’s really excited.”

“You have no idea,” Anna added and Eshala went up to Anna and poked her snout.

“You hardly come around anymore, I missed you,” Eshala said.

“I have a school to run, Lala, I don’t have much time to visit especially now with the lingering threat.”

“You speak of the Council,” Dusk spoke up finally. They all looked to him and the king of dragons stood. “Eshala, Kano, clear the room please.”

“Come see me before you head home,” Eshala whispered to Anna and bounded out, Kano following behind her. Dusk watched them before sitting on his platform.

“Speak, my dear,” Dusk requested.

“Cenod was behind the attack on the Underworld and injury to Deathbore. Sometime after we reclaimed the Underworld from him, he went and worked with the Hunters. We managed to destroy him then, but the runes on his neck were red, not white like my first encounter with him. The Council is back.” Anna explained. “I asked Deathbore about the books on them.” Dawn went a little tense at the statement.

“Did he...say anything else?” Dawn asked.

“That Blazefore is your brother? Yes, I’m not pressing the matter. Matisa didn’t exactly have good intentions when she was still alive.”

“Matisa?” Trevor questioned.

“You don’t pay attention in history do you? She started the Pink and Moon War and is the reason Stella, Eshala, and I are the only Flower Dragons alive today,” Anna said and Trevor looked away. “Anyway, I’ll be going to see him and Shooting Star.” Dusk nodded.

“Be careful, my dear. You may be an all important protector, but we are still your family,” Dusk said and Anna nodded. She turned to leave, though hesitated. She turned and walked up to the platforms, stepping up onto it and hugging her parents around their necks. They hugged her back.

“I love you,” Anna said and Dawn crooned.

“Aww, we love you too, sweetheart,” Dawn replied and nuzzled Anna. They stayed like that for a moment before Anna stepped back.

“I’ll be back after I get the books.” Dawn and Dusk nodded and Anna headed out, Trevor following behind her onto the balcony.

“So where exactly is the temple?” Trevor asked. Anna pointed higher up to the left and another structure could be seen.

“The castle and temple are connected, they move locations occasionally when they need to, but these two always stay together.” Anna took to the sky and flew up towards the temple. Trevor followed and he could feel the magic coming off of it. The two landed on the platform and entered. Trevor was surprised to see what he saw. Four platforms on either side with offerings of some kind at each one. “This is the spiritual connection that the Gods use to be linked to the living world. And where dragons come to worship them.”

Near the back of the temple was another Fire Dragon and a silver dragon. They had silver collars of some kind around their necks that hung low on their necks and had pendants hanging from them. The two looked up and the silver scaled dragon’s face lit up.

“Little A!” he exclaimed.

“Double S, how are you,” Anna replied as the dragon approached. “Trevor, this is Shooting Star, my older brother. Double S, this is one of my students, Trevor.”

“Nice to meet you,” Shooting Star greeted and he bowed his head.

“I’m sorry if this is rude, but what kind of dragon are you?” Trevor asked.

“I’m the only known living pure Metallic Dragon. How I was named is even more bizarre.” Shooting Star turned and lifted his wing, revealing a mark in the shape of a star with streaks coming off of it.

“An actual shooting star, that’s kinda funny,” Trevor noted. Shooting Star chuckled.

“Yeah it is. So what brings you here, A?” Shooting Star asked.

“The Council’s books,” Anna said.

“Oh... business stuff. Teaching your students about them?” Shooting Star questioned, going over to a chest and opening them, pulling out eight books. A large uncut light blue crystal fell from the trunk which caught Trevor’s eye. “Fesh, why does that always happen?” Shooting Star cursed under his breath and set the books down to pick up the crystal. Anna looked from Trevor to the crystal.

“Hold up Double S.” Shooting Star looked up. “Let me see that.” Anna stepped forward and looked at the crystal. “What are you even doing with this?”

“Not really sure actually, just kinda hangs out here. What, you want it?” Anna nodded and Shooting Star handed it to her. “Good to see you again, A. Can’t believe how grown up you’ve gotten.” Anna smiled and hugged Shooting Star.

“Missed you Double S.”

“Missed you too.” After a small wave to Blazefore from Anna, they headed back to the castle and Anna showed Trevor her room.

It turned into an educational moment as well. Anna introduced Trevor to the creature that was responsible for the scar on her back, a Brimstone Fire Salamander. The creature’s flame was magically infused and very powerful. It had been an accident so the creature remained at the castle.

Trevor also met Anna’s very grouchy little sister, Moonlight. She was a Purple Dragon cursed to be a fledgling forever. Something that had happened years ago before Anna knew she was a Life Dragon. Trevor was also shown her youngest sibling’s room, her little brother Kaydaso. However the little Water Dragon was nowhere to be seen.

“Probably at lessons with Welsh,” Anna said.

“Wait Welsh is here? He’s the Royal Librarian right? I thought he like...had his own tower or something,” Trevor asked.

“Oh no, the entire top portion of the castle is the library where he lives. I’ll show you the rest of the castle first,” Anna explained. They flew out of the balcony connected to Kaydaso’s room and down to the barracks. There were dragons in different combinations of bronze, silver, and gold scales, one with even all three colors. They all had dragon wings markings on their chests.

Anna pointed out that they were Elite Dragons, specially born dragons that were destined to be part of the Elite Guard. However, there was another dragon that wasn’t an Elite. Their captain was a Galaxy Dragon who knew how to keep the young dragons in line. It was interesting to see a Galaxy Dragon leading Elite Dragons, but somebody had to do it.

One floor up was the Royal Guard’s rooms where some soldiers rested in the room now. The soldiers, as Anna told Trevor, all shared the space. The platform beds and the hygiene area as well. Soldiers that needed a break or were off their shift came here to rest for their next shift. The castle was guarded round the clock non-stop so the soldiers lived at the castle. Anna also introduced the Royal Guard Captain to Trevor. An older Water Dragon who gave Trevor a run down of the Royal Guard. Water Dragons were a prime choice due to their stamina and hearty lives due to the fish they ate. It was a tradition the Royal Family held for years. The Captain had been around as far back as Matisa’s reign.

Anna finally took Trevor to the library and he couldn’t believe what he saw. So many books and scrolls lined the shelves that towered over his head. He couldn’t understand the titles, but it was still amazing to be surrounded by so much. Anna gave Welsh a little wave and spoke in a language unknown to Trevor before they headed off and back to the Academy with their books and the strange blue crystal in claws.

Trevor could only wonder what Anna had planned for the beautiful rock.