All gathered up and ready to leave, Asher seated on Sirius gazed at his men in rows that stretched as far as his eyes could reach.
He watched them marching back to paradise with a complicated gaze. While they went back, he was on another journey, a journey that would need traversing Edom and Dothan.
He was headed for Clan El.
His plans were laid down. Should things go south, he would be able to escape with Sirius, Nero and Moses by his side before fleeing to where the Adeptus Paladins would be waiting for him.
From there, he would break out of any encirclement… even if it were to be Awoken One leading a troop!
“Let’s go.” He said softly. As Sirius began to walk toward the direction of their destination, Moses hollered.
“Onwards!”
…
A man clad in black studded leather armour vest, leather pants and black boots stood on a bridge, his hands clasped before him.
A band held his brown hair in a knot yet it fluttered softly due to the wind coming from the waves crashing against the bottom of the bridge.
He stood on a 2 meters wide bridge built across a river. The bridge was connected to a Castle, the home of wyverns.
Verna!
One of the isolated places in Wyvern County. His eyes settled on the roaring waves, rising and falling in an unseemly rhythm that he was all too used to.
His black eyes drunk in the sight, lost into the flair of the river to even consider his surroundings.
All of a sudden, a high pitched roar made him tilt his head upward, his eyes narrowing and his lips widening at the sight of wyverns, in their magnificent forms hovering in the sky.
Dozens of them populated the skies. This were the core of House Wyvern, an attribute that made them one of the most renowned houses in the world despite their small size.
In fact some people said House Wyvern was more powerful than the dukedoms combined!
It might seem far fetched but the power of a thousand wyvern wasn’t to be underestimated.
Ten thousand fully fledged knights, meaning knights of the diamond rank, would fall before the might of 100 fully grown wyverns.
Adult wyverns ranged at, 15 feet in height, 30-40 feet in length and 40-60 feet in wingspan.
These fire and ice breathing creatures could tower over 5-meters-tall walls!
In the next moment, a wyvern, 13 feet in height landed on the bridge by grabbing the elevated sides before lowering its head to reveal its rider.
The rider pulled down the scarf around his nose and mouth, revealing his face. “Father. When will they arrive?”
Rimmon Wyvern, count of Wyvern County, looked at his son, Ain Wyvern.
“Soon.”
“Ho—!”
Ain was about to ask once more when his mount lifted its head and roared, shifting into a defensive posture.
It was intimidated by something!
Shocked, Ain raised his head, his eyes widening in wonder as a magnificent beast with four powerful limbs and a great wingspan, much broader than that of their biggest wyvern approached the castle.
The forelimbs of wyverns were connected to their wings, so they only had their powerful hind limbs but this creature clearly had all four!
“A dragon!”
Ain’s pupils shook.
“His highness, prince Aaron has arrived. Prepare to meet him.” Rimmon said, moving hurriedly toward the castle.
Shortly after, he and his son stood in the castle’s courtyard, gazing at the golden haired man that descended from the mighty dragon with a beautiful woman.
Her supple, fair skin, rosy cheeks, full, attention grabbing lips and a pair of enchanting eyes stole Ain’s breath at first glance.
This was the infamous Sylvia Nethaneel. Known as the most beautiful woman in the land, unrivaled in temperament and grace. She was the jewel of the empire.
Both he and his father knelt, lowering their heads as they did.
“Welcome to Verna, Your Highness.” They said in reverence.
Aaron smiled softly. “It is as they say. A city that stands against the raging tides of the river with skies covered by mythical wyverns and walls over 30 meters tall. The impenetrable Verna.”
“You flatter me.”
Rimmon chuckled as he and his son rose to their feet.
“Shall we take a walk, Lady Sylvia?”
Ain bowed.
Sylvia glanced at him for a brief moment before turning to the bridge. “Let’s go.”
Ain hurriedly went after her, leaving Rimmon and Aaron staring at their departing figures.
“Sylvia is indeed as beautiful as they say. He can’t even control himself.” Rimmon laughed softly.
Aaron smiled.
“Speaking of damsels. Have you heard of Lady Mary Ashbourne of the same blood as Duke Asher Ashbourne.”
A gleam flashed through Rimmon’s eyes.
‘Why did His Highness ask such a question? Is he after her?!’
“I have. Last I heard, she has returned to the Dukedom with her brother after Duke Ohad’s grand party.”
“Anything else since then?”
“There have been rumours of her creating an academy in the Dukedom but I do not know if it is true.”
“An academy? Something like those buildings in Sacred Flame?” Aaron raised his eyebrows.
“Considering she did study there, yes.”
Aaron pursed his lips. “She’s not an idle type. That’s good.”
The doors to the castle’s parlour were opened by two soldiers, allowing both noblemen to settle in the comforts of sofas.
Aaron crossed his legs, gazing at the light flooding into the room from the tall window. “If I wed her, House Ashbourne will automatically be an ally should it not?”
Rimmon’s eyes widened. After Asher killed one of his wyverns, they were bound to be enemies but there was a bigger picture to be considered here.
The prince wanted to unite the regions into one great empire once again. Should he gain the alliance of House Ashbourne, a prosperous house known for their military strength and olive oil, it would aid his cause immensely.
“You gave him his title. Can’t he be considered your ally?”
“Duke Asher is an ambitious man, Count Rimmon. You’re in your fifties, you should know better. From first glance, I knew he was a man with his own agenda. His heart is far from a united empire.”
Aaron turned to Rimmon.
“His ability to endure is proof of his ambitious heart. I sent an official to collect a cumulative tax from two of his cities yet he did nothing. Had he come complaining I would have known he saw me as his superior but he didn’t, he didn’t even bulge.”
Rimmon’s eyes narrowed at this information. “We should dispose of him then.”
Aaron scowled. “Tell me, how do we dispose of a Duke who was thought dead for four months only for him to rise from the grave and decimate an army of barbarians, 100,000 strong?”
Sighing, he faced the window once more. “Merging our families is a better option. Once I win the heart of his sister, I have Duke Asher in my palms.”