Valverno took notice of her eyes; Marina’s eyes were just barely red. Valverno knew she was going through some kind of great depression, as she and the others found out King Uragiru was working for an ancient evil king. The man she was raised by and thought by many to be a wise, cranky king was just a servant of the enemy.
Hoping not to go into the subject of family betrayal, Valverno thought of what he, Geraldus, and Sora were talking about. “We were discussing of gathering allies. Do you know anyone you find friendly?”
“Outside the capital city, no. I only know of King Uragiru. I don’t know any high ranking person who is an enemy of the king, other than Geraldus and Teutates.”
Valverno was amazed. He thought Marina was going to be in complete shock if her foster father would be mentioned. But it looks like she was showing great strength of accepting the truth of the matter.
“Well then,” said Valverno, turning to see Sora and Geraldus looking at him. “Instead of waiting here for any responses, I’m going to head to the Northern Region and get whatever soldiers I can rally.”
“That is a start,” said Geraldus, “but what about Teutates? What do you planning on doing with him?”
“I don’t know yet. The Northern Region could have a big army that could rival King Uragiru’s army. If I can rally them behind me, then we won’t have to rely on Teutates for help. But I can’t expect all five clans to answer my call at once. I have three under my tail, with the other two I’m not sure what to make of. And I just wish the people I traveled with were under your command, Geraldus.”
“But that is about to change since Wasso, Monico, and Gurro’s loyalty lie with the Royal Army,” said Geraldus. “They are part of the most elite soldiers King Uragiru has to offer. Facing them is going to be difficult.”
“Perhaps.” Valverno inhaled and exhaled of the thought of trying to kill old comrades who traveled with him. “I might as well go to the Northern Region now. The sooner we have more soldiers, the better of a chance we’d have surviving battles that will collide.”
“If you’re eager to go to the Northern Region, I’m afraid I can’ go,” said Geraldus. “My people need to know of King Uragiru’s betrayal.”
“I know what to do, or I hope so,” said Valverno.
“I’m going with you as well,” said Sora. “I traveled to this Northern Region myself and know what you have done. And those people apparently know of a White Knight of Charity. They will be quite surprised to see me up there.”
“Okay, what about you, Marina?” asked Valverno.
Marina shook her head, a single tear dropped.
Valverno signed.
“Alright, you stay here then and try to recuperate, Marina. Sora and I will travel to the Northern Region to see what armies we can gather. And I have a bad feeling it may take a while to gain a lot of troops for an army to march south. But with my newly, profound speed, I’m sure Sora and I can gather a big army to march south.”
“May we have the favor of the Three Gods, if things don’t go to plan and go very sour,” said Geraldus.
Valverno nodded and exited the house. Sora followed behind Valverno walking out of the house.
“What do you mean by that?” asked a girl voice.
Eliana was running down the stairs. Apparently, all of Geraldus’s kids were home safe and sound, and it would seem the eldest daughter heard part of their conversation. “What is going on here, father? And who is she?” Eliana walked to her father as she saw Valverno and Sora walking out the door.
Valverno suddenly rushed away from the house and soared into the sky, carrying Sora around her waist. He knew Sora’s couldn’t fly while Geraldus did. And he wondered how Geraldus could have done that in the first place, since he decided to fly on Flarefur’s back.
For the current moment, Valverno didn’t want to wonder why Geraldus hid the fact he could have flown from the castle to the Greenwood Forest in the first place. Valverno could only think of the current objective he was on: getting an army in the Northern Region and marching south downward with the army.
With a flick of his wing, Valverno took off at the speed of light to the Northern Region.
THE NORTHERN VILLAGE
Valverno had the speed of a flying cheetah. His great speed gave him a great boost from the village of Geraldus to the Northern Region in half-an-hour. Thanks to the leg attachment he equipped to his dragon leg, his speed was a hundred times faster. The speed he was flying could make him fly around the beaches of Shimabellia in a matter of hours. Valverno was proud of the speed he has, and he considered it to be a great gift from the Three Gods.
Valverno and Sora landed at the village when he traveled with his traveling companions: Flavius, Flarefur, Wasso, Monico, and Gurro, with the twin girl Naìra. It was the village where Valverno had learned its inhabitants were under control by the Shadow King Lusìvar and the witches, who had been dealt away with.
The battle with the Five-Headed Dragon left its mark in the surrounding mountains. Many mountains were crushed easily when Valverno and the previous White Knight of Charity were fighting against the evil threat, which had been casted away at the cost of the White Knight’s life.
That battle happened six months ago to the day. Now the village was blossoming with life. Not just humans were being housed, but creatures down from the south started to roam in the village. Dragons carried heavy bags with their legs and placing the heavy bags, which seemed to be filled with bricks, onto buildings under construction. Centaurs were walking with the villagers. Several small Fairies used their small wands and Unicorns used their horns to lift big, heavy
