Nectar of War: The Song of Verity and Serenity (The Nectar of War Series Book 1)

LAVEN HEPHAESTUS ARVENALDI, II

NESVYNHA, PROVAS — THE DRAGONS DENS

Ivella and Dyena are speaking quietly out on the mountain where they stand near Tuduran and Nara. We are right outside the Dragons dens. Below us is a vast dip off the mountain that spans thousands of feet before there is another steep upward slope that leads to the next flat land. I can see the many skeletal bodies that have tried to travel across and were most likely burned on their way.

Dyena is sternly speaking to Ivella, who is distant from the conversation though she is listening as Dyena rips into her. Near them, Vaigon and Vorzantu look the size of Nyt next to Tuduran and Nara. I would have thought they would cower away but they seem to curiously near closer to the large Dragons who look down at them from the corner of their eyes.

“Her stubbornness is excruciatingly familiar.” Stravan looks over his shoulder at me. There is no comical flare to his words, he seems to be just as annoyed as Dyena.

“Her stubbornness will be my end.”

Something deep.

Something so monopolizing is holding her hostage.

I have always been told all my life how secretive I am, but her–Ivella is a level of secretive even I cannot bear.

“You know, do you not?” I urge him as he continues to watch the two women very far ahead of us speak. They know exactly what she is not telling me.

“I do,” he nods. “And so do you. She just has not told you to what extent.”

“Stravan, if she is in some form of danger, you need to tell me this instant.”

Knowing they are listening, he answers. “She is fine.” But below he signs with his hands six letters.

N-E-S-Y-R-A

Nesyra?

Ivella climbs up the side of Nara using the saddle wrapped around her white and silver scaled body.

Stravan and I approach closer and Ivella seems like the tiniest being as she sits upon Nara’s back on the large saddle.

“Now, to ride, you must give all commands.” Dyena explains. “Since Nara is grown, you will not need to guide her much, but you will mostly be saying the commands for Vorzantu as he follows. Nara is aware that he is young so she will keep next to him and act as his guide as you will. The same is for you, Laven, when Vaigon is with you.”

“Ivella,” Stravan motions for her to begin.

Ivella grasps onto the handles of the saddle and with a pull, Nara stands straighter and she towers above us. Spanning larger than two hundred yards, her wings flare and Vorzantu, who sits next to Ivella on Nara’s back, stands taller as well.

And by slightly leaning forward, settling into the front of the saddle to sit steadily, Ivella speaks. “Avanya*.”

At his first command ever heard, a small twitch shakes through Vorzantu’s head. So young, but now prepared to be properly ridden when the time comes. This day will shape both him and Vaigon.

Nara’s large spiked head that meets to a rounded point lifts. She bellows out a loud roar that shakes the mountains and causes rocks to crumble down the steep wall. Nara walks on and with one oscillation of her wings she takes down the steep mountain and all of us near the edge, watching as Ivella directs both Nara and Vorzantu.

Vorzantu soars right above Ivella’s shoulder as Nara takes a swift upward turn. She turns her head to Vorzantu and a smile appears on her face as she watches him follow with ease.

Next to me, Tuduran rumbles quietly and his head bows and my chest grows tight seeing such a magnificent being welcoming me toward him.

I have seen the day of riding a Dragon in my dreams.

Now, the opportunity presents itself in front of me and for the rest of my life.

Tuduran nudges tiny Vaigon with his large nose and Vaigon leisurely makes his way up Tuduran’s large wing, over his back, and sits next to the saddle waiting for me.

When I take the long stroll up Tuduran’s sharp back, I sit in the saddle and position myself forward.

“Now, just as Ivella did.” Dyena nods. “Do not be afraid to fall, Tuduran will catch you.”

Mighty.

Mighty is the feeling that overwhelms my entire body as I sit so high up that Stravan and Dyena seem like small horses down below.

I can feel the rising and falling as Tuduran breathes in deeply and exhales slowly. And next, the heat that radiates from his thickly scaled skin that cannot be penetrated by even the sharpest spear. The thickness of this skin speaks volumes of his age.

“Are you ready?” I look at Vaigon and he leans down, nudges my hand, and searches the skies for his brother and mother. He is ready to be with them.

With one pull of the black leather saddle, and a single command, Tuduran glides into the sky to find Nara.

In the past, I would have been frightened to be taken off a cliff, now, it is exhilarating.

As we rush down the mountain, Vaigon’s wings are sharply pointed outward as he takes with the sharp wind whipping over us. Even in the wind, and far in the sky, I can hear the quiet laughter of Ivella

“Vylorda*.”

And with a turn up, I hold tighter on to the saddle and Tuduran takes to the horizon.

Vaigon slightly lags behind, but with two beats of his wings, he is next to my shoulders again. He lets out a loud call that alerts his brother we are near.

I pull up on Tuduran’s saddle and Vaigon observes my movements as well as Tuduran’s as he moves higher into the sky at my gentle commands.

In the clouds.

Never have I ever been this high up before other than by ascension, but even through that it is only a mere second, not for however long I wish.

Taking one more flight higher, I see Ivella soaring steadily with Vorzantu and Nara.

“Lasevni*.”

Tuduran levels out and we reach Ivella as we slide over and through the clouds.

“Ah,” I stop Vaigon from losing focus as he aims to playfully attack his brother.

Nara’s head turns and she lowly growls as she sees them misbehave.

“Vorzantu,” Ivella calls and his focus realigns.

“Oh, they have done well,” I recognize the voice as Stravan’s as he rises from below on Vion’s back. “Let them play.” Vion rises higher, causing slight competition from Tuduran who is most definitely dominant above his siblings.

Calypton comes sharply soaring from below and is far ahead.

“Show off.” Ivella remarks and I see a smirk appear on her face before she nods to Vaigon and Vorzantu to play freely. They both turn and look at me and I too agree.

Then as if we both had it in mind, Ivella and I tug hard on Tuduran and Nara’s saddle edging them forward at a speed so fast, Tuduran nudges Nara and she nips at his side.

Ivella gasps and her eyes lock with mine.

She smiles before veering Nara higher and in an easy flow she circles around me and Tuduran. Beneath me Tuduran rumbles as I launch him on to chase and behind us Stravan laughs and Vion too follows.

Just as our Dragons round about and play, Vaigon and Vorzantu follow, keeping close for when it is time to go.

Up here, worries do not exist, torment is released. In the skies there is power, there is freedom of a sort that few know.

But, even sometimes the highest skies see torment.

The Dragons begin to stop playing and I feel Tuduran stiffen beneath me.

His eyes are searching.

Stravan and I now ride behind Ivella and Dyena and they begin to search for what has suddenly set the Dragons off to be on alert.

And below the clouds a dark shadow looms under. A shadow much larger than the four of us now squared off. I grab Vaigon and tuck him under my arm but Stravan reaches his hand out, nodding for me to release him.

This is a moment for learning how to flee when trouble nears, as it is now.

I release him and he stays close.

Stravan brings his hand up to his mouth, telling us to be quiet until the entirety of the shadow below is gone, then, in Dyena’s lead, we take back to the Dragons Dens.

“What the hell was that?” I slide down Tuduran’s back and he and his siblings urgently take to the skies quietly.

“Vanox.” Stravan says as he monitors his children who now patrol the skies.

“Vanox, the largest and eldest Dragon to this universe. She is nearly one-hundred years old and will most likely live another hundred.” Dyena says as she grabs Stravan’s hand.

His hand rises to the sky and it closes into a fist, the clouds still and as his hand reopens, the clouds desiccate, revealing how far Tuduran, Vion, Nara, and Calypton have gotten.

Under the cast of the sun, Calypton’s brindle red skin glistens. This could call for him to be too visible, and I believe that is why Stravan and Dyena worry as they hunt Vanox.

“Why are they going after her?” Ivella asks.

“Just to monitor, to be sure she is not attacking. She most likely sensed us and was searching, but she did not travel high enough. When you are above a Dragon it is difficult to be found. We were lucky today, nevertheless, when these two grow older,” Stravan looks down at Vaigon and Vorzantu who watch the elder Dragons leave. “Watch them, you never know when she may appear.”

“She does not have a rider?”

“No, her last rider was my mother.” Stravan turns to us. “After my mother was gone she no longer had a rider.”

Ivella connects the information in her head. “Did Vanox have a rider prior to your mother?”

“Yes,” Stravan smiles. “In order to ride a Dragon that has a previous rider you must conquer it. By that, you must kill it and when it wakes, it will be yours–this may only happen three times, after the third the Dragon will never wake again. Given Vanox’s current size, it will be nearly impossible to ride her now. No one is capable of bringing her down other than herself.”

* Old Voschantai: Avanya     Translation: Fly

* Old Voschantai: Vylorda     Translation: Skies

* Old Voschantai: Lasevni     Translation: Steady