Among the normal cityfolk was a group of five blue-clad humanoids. Their muffled footsteps cut deep into the snow that covered the ground as they made their way to the Knight stronghold on Dagaos. All around them was the Dagaoese eternal winter — Icicle branches hung from the floodlamps attached to the sides of the black skyscrapers, and frozen water reflected sunlight off the sloped roofs of the towering iron trees. Every civilian, whether human, dragon, or metal-skinned mechanoid, wore some form of fur coat and insulative mask over their thermals to protect them from the cold. Even the hulls of the hovercraft above were dripping and tailed with sharp spikes of ice.
They, like many of their brothers, were on the hunt. The hunt for a royal.
You see, after Emporate Maj went missing, the only evidence of his existence was a salesman returning to the Imperium a Throne Pendant - the only visible way that Imperial royals were distinguished from planetary royals. To be even a queen and have one was treason, but the salesman admitted that there were actually two, and the first was given back to the seller - with both of the egg-like pearls that represented the dragon's association with the Empress. Tek'Alma immediately had the salesman pardoned, as she had concluded that the seller was the lost Emporate — and the second pendant, however he managed to get his talons on it, was going to an heir.
Immediately after, she volunteered to pause her current projects and lead a search, which was obliged. So, that was why, three years later, Scorchtroopers were on the surface of Dagaos — to find the lost Emporate and his child.
Burn halted for a moment at the base of the stronghold. It wasn't particularly tall, except for the towering turrets it had recently put in place, but still loomed over the humanoids — which was quite impressive, considering they were over twice as tall as a human.
The first place they looked at was on the roof of the stronghold, as they were instructed. If the Emporate or his child were here, then the vigilant Knights would be the best people to protect them, and the roof was the only place in the stronghold that the Queen of Dagaos didn't monitor.
Everything seemed normal. There were three sets of trainees, one from each species, training on the flat space. There was a dragon trainee that looked a bit young, but that was it.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" A draconic Knight called to them. "I am Commander Tihou, temporary general of the stronghold. Has the search for the Emporate finally stretched to our humble doorstep?"
"I'm afraid it has, commander," Burn's own commander replied. "We've been tasked with searching your stronghold for any signs of the Emporate or his heir. Would you be kind enough to give us a guide?"
Tihou nodded, calling over a human and a dragon. "Friends, this is Imrik and his adoptive daughter, Herial." Burn looked the two over for a moment.
Imrik was human, a little taller than his comrades. His armor was pelted with battle scars, from dents to gouges, and he held himself almost regally. Heiral was a good bit smaller than her comrades, and was very clearly younger. A bit young to be a Knight, which was why Burn leaned down to get a better look at her.
"I chose to join my adoptive father earlier than a normal Knight," she said to him, as if reading his mind. "And that was two years ago, for your information."
Burn nodded, standing straight, but turned his head in Imrik's direction. "And he let you?"
Imrik shrugged. "She wanted to, and she survived a Dagaoese snowstorm with no protection before. She has everything she needs."
Burn looked the young dragoness over again, then decided Imrik was correct and continued on without another word. The five Scorchtroopers and the two Knights waited patiently for the doors to open, then continued down the staircase and to the elevators. They'd have to check the rooms.
