“So, I didn’t have enough strength to fight the Dragon. If the knights of this kingdom had stuck to their duties instead of their love for worthless metals, they would have followed me and we would have won.
“I stood alone when the Ice Dragon invaded my kingdom. Now, I remain captive by the Ice Dragon, which lies somewhere in the nearby mountains, and I am free to roam around the castle on my own free will. If I am to step out of the castle, I would be turned to ice and my powers would not match those of the stronger dragon.”
“Now, I am here, and I have come to save you,” stated Vaeludar. “I have this sword, which may help fight against the Ice Dragon.” Vaeludar showed Charity the Crystal Sword.
“That sword only has half the power and it won’t enough. Even with my power, the half-ripped Crystal Sword won’t be a match with the Ice Dragon. The Ice Dragon is nearly as powerful as the Shadow King. You need the armor artifact and the other half of the sword forged from the Crystal Dragon’s scales, in order to beat the Ice Dragon.”
“Then how do I get you out… of… here… Of course, I can fly you out of here.”
“Yes, if you can fly us both out of here, I will show where to find the cave is, and where the armor artifact will be hidden. By equipping the artifact to your hand, your strength will increase and your power will be stronger than ever.”
“That sounds very useful,” said Vaeludar.
“And you have other abilities you don’t even how about.”
“I’d realize that and I’ve slowly been progressing of what magical abilities I have and don’t have. I can breathe fire like any fire-breathing Dragon. I can turn creatures to stone like a Gorgon.
“And I just found my mother isn’t a human but a witch, which would explain why I have other magical abilities. I can’t get over it that she is a lot older than I thought she would be.”
“And there are other things you have yet to discover, such about yourself. Because you have other things a Dragon and a human do not have. And when you discover what those things are, I foresaw you giving into great anger and a strong hatred for your parents. You will end up giving the Shadow King more strength.”
“Believe me; I will not give in to anger.”
“You will unleash it, hybrid. You will, and when you do, you’d better be ready to counterattack. If you’re not, then losses will end up coming and you will be witnessing them.”
Vaeludar was staring at her. She was sounding like a soothsayer. Now Vaeludar was wondering if traveling all this way up this far north away from his home was worth the effort.
For all he knew now, she could be an imposter pretending to be a White Knight: someone chosen by the Crystal Dragon or by the spirit of Valverno. At first, he was starting to trust her, but it seemed she knew more about him than Vaeludar knew himself for the last seventeen years.
They just met and he felt she was invading his mind, by staring at him. It was like she could read his memories and see every deep thought of every magic power he has.
First, he thinks about being the hero in a fairy tale. Now, he was thinking he wasted his time of hearing a thousand-year-old girl, who was a White Knight, telling him these sorts of things. How could she know more about him than himself? His father and his mother must have told her about him.
“Just what are you getting at? I’m a human-dragon hybrid raised by a mortal man named Geraldus, who raised me while Ralenskrit and Belverda were out scouting for armored toys.”
“Is that who you truly are?” asked the princess.
Vaeludar blinked at the princess’s question. He was certain he does know who he is as he just said. But now, he was starting to grow a bit irritated by the princess’s talking. “Enough of this,” said Vaeludar. “Let’s go before we are caught by the Ice Dragon.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” nodded Charity. “The closest door is over there.”
There was a large broken door under a smashed window. The two ran for the door. Before they exited, Charity said: “Once we stumble out, the Ice Dragon will come charging from one of the mountains. Can you be ready to fly?”
“I am half dragon. Yes, I can be ready to fly within a matter of ten seconds.”
“Make it five if you can. I never want to see this place again in my life. It has been too boring here for a thousand years, and I don’t want to remember this place. Too many bad memories I do not want to remember.”
“Then one of these days I’ll return and burn it to the ground,” promised Vaeludar.
“I can’t refuse an offer.”
“Then let’s go,” said Vaeludar, widening his wings. He wiped his tail forward at the broken door and burst into dust in one whip. “Let’s get out of here this foul dungeon of yours.”
They both dashed into the open light. The sun was sparkling with its brightness. The surrounding mountains were covered in white snow. The stone wall was turned to ice. The farmhouses and the stables were crushed down to ruble.
A pounding of an earthquake broke the balance of the hybrid and the White Knight and dropped to their knees. Soft growling was heard coming from above their heads.
“He has come,” said Charity, horrified. She turned to the top of the castle to see what was above her head.
A giant blue snake with small skinny legs and thin wings were hanging on the castle’s side, right above them both. Its scales were
