SEVENTY ONE: Let the Dragon Emperor In

"The Serin armies are approaching the palace."

"And the Dragon Emperor is leading them?" Kel asked, staring absently out one of the large windows.

It had only been a few days since the first report came in of Serin soldiers surrounding Mevani's capital. 

"He is," the reporting man replied before bowing and leaving the room.

The thud of the heavy door slamming shut echoed throughout the hall, bouncing off stone pillars and floor tiles.

"You know what you need to do, right?" Kel turned to the only other person in the vast throne room.

The boy was sitting in a grand chair with golden embellishments and red cushions and grand regalia draped over his entire body, but his eyes were glued to the floor.

"... yeah, I do," the boy looked up, his face set with sad certainty.

His appearance hardly betrayed the difficult life that had led him to that very seat.