Chapter 9

Betrayal:

Geoffrey, a mysterious and cunning individual who conceals his true identity well, presents himself as a charming and friendly person to Lysanna, creating a facade that hides his dark allegiance to the shadow coven, bannermen to the undead. As a member of this covert group, Geoffrey has been assigned the sinister task of eliminating Lysanna, whose possession of the sword of ice stands in the way of their undead king's ambitions. His mission is shrouded in secrecy, and he must navigate a delicate balance between his unreal feelings for Lysanna and his loyalty to the coven's malevolent cause.

"Oh, I see you've made for yourself a new friend" lord Alista said as he saw Geoffrey and the reunited band. Alara looked up and replied "you must be Lord Alista", "my reputation precedes me and who is asking?". She gave details of how she knew Zed and Elinor and that she was the older sister to Lysanna. He welcomed her with a smile and said "why don't you all get freshened up and be properly welcomed. Lysanna told them of where she stays with Elinor and also invited Geoffrey along. He skillfully played the role of a humble friend , seeking acceptance into their midst.

They arrived at the house and Elinor happy to see Alara ran out to welcome them all. Unknown to her, her husband had been put to death. Sadly, Alara broke out the truth and Elinor's face bacame discountenanced and sad. It also took a toll on Lysanna as she had just started building a deeper connection with him. 

Night fell and from the moment Geoffrey crossed the threshold, Alara felt a nagging sense of distrust, a gut feeling that something was amiss. Her instincts were heightened by strange occurrences around the house, a creaking floorboard here, an unsettling presence there. Alara couldn't shake the feeling that Geoffrey wasn't who he claimed to be, but she had no concrete proof.

As days turned into weeks, Geoffrey skillfully ingratiated himself into their lives. He seemed genuinely interested in Lysanna, earning her trust with charming tales and empathetic gestures. However, behind his warm smile, he plotted to exploit her trust and catch her off-guard.

Alara couldn't ignore her intuition any longer. Seeking answers, she embarked on her own investigation, delving into ancient texts and counsels. Through her research, Alara uncovered the truth about Geoffrey: he was a member of the notorious shadow coven, an ancient sect of dark sorcerers seeking to harness the sword of ice for their malevolent undead king. Still, it didn't appear to concrete before her eyes.

Determined to protect her friend and stop Geoffrey's malevolent plans, Alara devised a daring strategy. She discreetly informed Ikky about Geoffrey's true identity and his malicious intentions telling him to keep it away from Lysanna. Ikky acknowledged the grave threat and devised a plan to apprehend the sinister intruder.

On the night of the full moon, when the veil between realms was thinnest, Geoffrey made his move. Under the cover of darkness, he crept silently into Lysanna's room, his heart filled with both remorse and determination. As he lifted his dagger to strike, a sudden rush of cold wind engulfed him, rendering him immobile.

Alara stood in the doorway, her hands raised, channeling the essence of the ancient spirits she had invoked for protection. Her suspicion had been right all along but Geoffrey was not an ordinary person as he challenged Alara and even surpassed her in strength. "Maybe I should kill you first to make things easier for me" he mentioned as he walked slowly towards the overpowered Alara. Ikky who had been pretending to be asleep jumped up and transformed into a ferocious beast, attacking him. Lysanna woke up to the battle noise of the trio. Frozen in place, she kept looking at Geoffrey questioning his loyalty as a friend and a potential lover. He had not anticipated the depth of emotion that had grown within him during his time with her and Alara. The revelation touched Alara's heart, but she knew she could not let her guard down. Just then did Geoffrey vanish into thin air making an escape for himself.

Geoffrey returned to the shadow coven, facing the leader's wrath for his failure. However, instead of condemning Geoffrey to punishment, he saw an opportunity to use the situation to his advantage. He recognized the depth of Geoffrey's feelings for Lysanna and realized that he could exploit this emotional vulnerability to control him further.

"I'm sorry, lord Alista" Geoffrey kept chanting it like an anthem. Lord Alista, supposed old friend of Zed was the leader of the shadow coven and was feared among the members of the coven. It appears that Alista had a relationship with one of the 13 elder mages of tri-goh, who plotted the downfall of Zed. Alista had only been undercover pretending as a friend to Zed. Alista was told about the dragon girl and how she posed a threat to the rising of their undead king. Their primary objective was to make sure she never fulfills destiny. 

"Get up boy, wipe your tears, I have another assignment for you" as he left the presence of Geoffrey.

As the days passed, Lord Alista approached Lysanna and Alara, pretending to be concerned and apologetic about Geoffrey's actions, cleverly concealing his true intentions. Unbeknownst to the duo, he was secretly plotting to manipulate them further and exploit their emotions for his own sinister gains.

Unknown to Lysanna, Ikky and Alara, every revelation they shared with Lord Alista was relayed to the shadow coven, providing them with valuable insights into the young heroes defenses and vulnerabilities. As the coven's grip tightened, tensions escalated, and the realm's safety hung in the balance.

Ser Ector and his men had arrived at an inn to spend the night. They entered with an immense aura making the people in the inn fear them. "Have fun boys, for we will soon end the threat to the kingdom" Ser Ector referred to Aldric as he spoke. The remainsing knights screamed at the top of their voices and drank to their fullest, sleeping with the prostitutes the inn keeper had brought them.

Back at the kingdom of Albion, although brutal and inconsiderate, King Edmund had always dreamt of being a dragon rider. Aspiring riders dreamed of forming an unbreakable bond with these majestic creatures, but only a select few were chosen by the dragons themselves. The king ordered the servants prepare his saddle as he intended on riding one. 

Arriving at the Dragon Sanctuary, Edmund was met by the court mages- the keeper of the dragons. They explained that forming a bond with a dragon required patience, trust, and a deep understanding of the creatures' nature. It was not something that could be rushed or forced; it had to be earned through genuine connections. Every king had a dragon who they only had to tame when they were princes bearing the mark. Due to the worried kingdom about him not having a dragon of his own, he decided to get one in order to hide the truth that he bore no mark of the dragon. 

Edmund got into the sanctuary and picked out a dragon.He sought to claim a dragon as a symbol of his authority and strength. With an air of arrogance and unwavering determination, Edmund marched to the Dragon Sanctuary, demanding to be given the opportunity to bond with a dragon. The keepers, aware of his reputation, tried to dissuade him, cautioning that such an approach would only lead to disaster. But Edmund's pride would not allow him to back down. Surprisingly, he wrestled one and forcefully managed to get to his back. During this wrestle of trust, Edmund got burnt, but fear of his truth revealing kept him going. He however sits on the dragon's back and subdued it under his call. He then whispered into it's ear and called it Vhamor.

Vhamor was the third biggest dragon in the land. With shimmering silver scales and eyes that glowed like embers, Vhamor was a sight to behold, capturing the imaginations of all who encountered him. 

The dragon had all reasons to refuse the submission to Edmund as he bore no mark to command the authority. But as a reason of Edmund's sheer will and resolve, it allowed Edmund to ride its back. The ONLY exception that went the course of history.