[Jean] Chapter 17: Back to Mt. Velothia

[Throndir]

Anja brightened up more from the suggestion. "Y-yes... I didn't realize how difficult even simple things are without having the use of your legs... If we could... That would be... That would be great."



Lili hesitantly leaned over to bite a chunk of the meat. But after a few chews her eyes widened, After that, she greedily took the rest of the offered meat. "That... my people need that." Lili said pointing at the boar.



"The wind temple hero... Rumour had it you appeared again. Alyona... That is the smaller dragon following our hero around? Yes... She is currently training with the rest of them." The knight said pointing towards the direction of the dragonknight camp. It was at that moment that you saw a familiar blue dragon flying straight towards you. That was definitely Alyona. Or at least, it looked like her.

[pringerbeam]

     "Okay, when we get back to the city, we'll get you measured up."  Said Jean to Anja.  "And Lili, thank you.  This is very important to me."



     Jean looked around, grabbed a plate, and began to assemble a boar sandwich from some of the leavings around the kitchen and a loaf of bread.  Finishing it, he sliced it in half and handed one piece to Lili.  "I know, and imagine what else your people could trade for: beef, venison, lamb, cheese...  that's the bit in there that isn't a meat or vegetable.  Not sure if you had something similar."  He bit into his sandwich.  "Maybe we should try bringing some back for the others to try.  If your reaction is what we can expect from the others I'm sure there would be a stampede for the surface if everyone got a taste of some of this food."



     Jean flagged down the approaching dragon with a wave of his arm.  When she was in earshot he shouted out.  "Lady Alyona!  I wanted to come see you.  Thanks for watching out for the villagers back there."

[Throndir]

Lili nodded, her eyes roaming over to each of the foods in deep thought. Eventually she ended up grinning, as she too began to dig into the food.

"Jean!" The dragon said as she transformed into her much younger-looking human form.

"You made it safely...! You escaped from the... umm... treants?" She asked as she hopped over to you.

[pringerbeam]

     "Oh, damn, that's right.  We've got some errands to run still."  Said Jean as he began to cram the rest of the sandwich in his mouth.  "I have to return some stuff to someone.  Come on, we'll be able to eat more later probably."



     "Yeah, we made it out okay.  I'm sorry we left you behind but I really needed you to help with the villagers."  Said Jean as the dragon came down to them.  "It was very mature of you to stay behind.  We ended up having to go to the peaks to the west.  Do any of the dragons go there that often?"

[Throndir]

"No... umm... we only leave the mountain when we are contracted... And usually... we go to where the knights want us to." Alyona explained.

[pringerbeam]

     "I see...  Well let me tell you, there's a whole new world under one of those mountains.  This is Lili, she's a dwarf that lives out there.  Lili, this is Alyona, as I'm sure you've noticed she's a dragon.  Hey Alyona, I don't suppose you could help give us the tour?  I never really got a chance to see the camp before we left.  Also, who's the top dragon knight around here?  We need to meet with them, maybe get started on diplomatic relations with Lili's people."

[Throndir]

"Sure...!" Alyona said. Then she paused considering the next question. "That is Captain Charles... He's that knight with the scruffy face hair. But... I heard a platoon of actual dragonknights are making their way here... The army of demons that was spotted eventually stopped at Tathi village. We're not sure for what reason... But the knights have been busy trying to get in as much training as they can, along with warnings nearby human settlements about evacuating... The captain had been trying to get the dragons to leave too, but the elder won't have it. She's not willing to give up the last home of the dragons."

[pringerbeam]

     "Well we will need to meet with the captain then and let them know about their new potential allies.  I don't suppose we can go look for him?  Maybe get a tour of the camp while we're at it?  I want to get a better idea of this place before we return to Drugan later tonight."

[Throndir]

Alyona began leading the group in a makeshift tour. Throughout it, you realized that Alyona wasn't the best tour guide at all, though you managed to get a gist of the dragonknight campground. It consisted primarily of cabins, and various fields where knights either trained, or learned to fight with their dragon companions. The training grounds themselves weren't used as much anymore as apparently the dragonknight ceremony was held not too long ago. Due to this, the knight training moved more towards sky formations, and handling their young dragons in combat. There were still some knights who used the training grounds however, each of them were accompanied by young-looking girls, around the same age or slightly older than Alyona. Back on Earth the sight would have been questionable indeed with men in their mid 20s sparring and laughing with girls who looked no more than 12 at most.

Campground includes:
-Barracks for the soldiers
-Cabins that serve as kitchens
-Barious benches
-A couple large football sized fields.
-Cabins for guests and officers
-Larger building serving as a more formal meeting hall, with smaller rooms inside
-Stables
-Storage buildings
-Etc

You found the captain looking over some maps, along with a couple of other knight trainees around him. They seemed to be talking about potential evacuation plans for surrounding villages. "Hero of the Wind Priests... Jean." The captain stated once you neared. "I heard about the side-trip to get away from the treants, though, we've been too busy to do much of anything else but send knights to the rest of the villages, along with increasing the number of scouts to have to the north."

[pringerbeam]

     "Have the demons made any advances past the village?"  Inquired Jean as he looked at the maps laid out on the table.  "Oh, right, captain, this is Lili: princess of Drugan apparently your neighbor to the northwest."

[Throndir]

Captain Charles shook his head.

"They haven't... which I'm not sure why. The other nearby villages are already being abandoned, while a company of senior dragonknights are making their way here. Unfortunately, we can't spare much other footmen. We would have evacuated already, but the dragons do not want to lose their last ancestral home." The captain said explaining the situation. After that he turned to Lili and bowed.

The Drugan dwarves... It's said that your people were wiped out early in the war, princess. Wait... If you're the princess, does that mean the kingdom is still around then? There's nothing but the Antwarch mountain ranges to the northwest, and it's not a place that's welcoming for travelers..."

"Aye, th' coldness of the mountains keep travelers away... That magic that stays atop oor mountain isn't very strong nearer th' coast... That'd make sense why the demons are choosin' to march down here... But.. even back in me home, there are stories of the Velothian dragons, a powerful n' proud race enough to take down an entire country if they wanted tae."

"Perhaps it was like that a century ago. They're more vulnerable than you would think..." The captain sighed. "We were too complacent expecting the dragon's presence here would be enough to dissuade advances... With the Hierdsvain Valkyrie falling, the Antwarch dragonknight kingdom had begun to move any spare men they have to the northern border... But they never advanced. The fact they are here in our country's eastern borders probably explains why. Simply put, we're unprepared for this."

Lili bit her lip as if considering the words, then she looked towards you.

"Let me people help." Lili announced.

[pringerbeam]

     "I agree that the aid of the dwarves would go a long way in helping to fortify this mountain, if the city is any indication, your people could build a magnificent defense line...  How quickly do you think we can get them here though?  Until we get a safer route open they would be forced to march through the snows to descend the mountain.  How safe is the descent?  I didn't walk up to the peak so I don't know how treacherous it might be."  Asked Jean as he returned Lili's gaze.

[Throndir]

Lili strode over to the map that captain Charles and a couple of the other knights had been looking at. It was a map of the immediate area, and Lili pointed to a place on it.

"Getting from 'ere tae th' mountain entrance wid tak' a day's journey by foot. Flying goes much quicker fur o' th' rough terrain. Anither problem is th' fact that th' elevators aren't designed tae send up that mony fowk a' at wance. We hae outposts ilka few miles oan th' ben range, bit that wouldn't nearly be enough." Lili said. "Ah'd have tae talk with me faither..."

"The Velothian hero is here training the rest of the knights under her wing, and have been preparing for the potential fight... Normally I'd request council from my superiors if it comes to other countries, much like your own kingdom. But if it helps, one of the other dragonknight captains from the front lines are arriving here in a few hours. He and I can make our way to your kingdom as an official diplomatic envoy... I admit, that's not really my forte, but my ranking as a dragonknight captain... even grounded, gives me enough sway in the kingdom." Captain Charles looked over to you and Lili carefully.

"Princess of the Drugan Kingdom, and Wind Temple hero Jean, I, Captain Charles Arthursen formally request audience with the Kingdom of Drugan." He said, bowing his head towards Lili.

Lili herself nodded, then turned towards you.

"We kin send aid. But is there anyway we kin quickly clear th' collapsed tunnels with... Yer blessings? If not, th' most we kin do is send up our most elite and strongest soldiers."

[pringerbeam]

     "As a future lord of Durgan I would be willing to grant that audience but...  As Lili said, it is not some easy task to get troops down to mount Velothia and the reverse is true.  Anyone making for the entrances to the kingdom face just as treacherous a ascent..."  Jean pondered Lili's words.  "Hmm...  I don't know if my blessings would be of use...  Maybe I could research a spell that could help but even then I would need the help of your engineers to make sure I was directing my magic in the right way...  Unless...  Maybe Karn?  He has a remarkable ability to shape stone and other materials...  Maybe he could help tunnel us to Drugan?"

[Throndir]

"That's richt! Karn... Ah haven't seen that kind o' magic he used afore. Bit ah remember how he made th' chairs form up fae th' ground. Tis similar tae earth magic? Ah noticed he didn't even need tae chant an incantation too. We hae earth magic users among th' dwarves... Many o' us are proficient with earth magic, bit we cannae mak' something as precise as they chairs. If he kin make a tunnel.... Aye that wid wirk. We kin hae some o' oor people help to, at least wi' ensuring thay don't re-collapse, while Karn does most o' th' wirk fur tunneling."

"Then we have a plan... Let's get Mr. Karn Eldricksen to help us uncover the dwarves... In the mean time... Lord of Drugan..." Captain Charles said eyeing you specifically. "Since the other captain of the dragonknights is still a few hours out from arrival with the rest of his troops, if it doesn't take too long to get to the mountains by dragonflight, or the birds that the Wind Priest use, because we're bound by time, I think it's best if we have Karn start his work now, while we petition the Drugan kingdom for aid..."

"Are we in agreement?" He asked.