The Adventures Of Erlin-The Sword In The Stone || A BTS Fan Fiction || Vol. 4

Aithusa

First part

A rope was lowered down into the dark, quiet cave where a group of druids were resting, lit only by their unquenchable, fluttering candles. A man slid down, being careful not to create too much friction, otherwise his skin would have given off an annoying burning sensation. He released a sigh as he hit the ground, being silent cost him enormous effort. He made sure everyone was asleep and started looking for the small chest that contained the piece he had been hunting for a long time. In a few seconds he found it, he climbed over the body of a gentleman, took his dagger, knelt in front of that small leather container. He deftly placed the blade of the dagger through the gap in the lid and, applying the slightest pressure, the chest opened. Shou smiled and lifted the lid, revealing another small chest. Shou frowned, taking it, he saw that on all four sides it had gold-colored circles. Shou put his hand on one and tried to turn it over, but it didn't budge, so he tried another one on a different side; this could be turned clockwise. Shou checked his heartbeat, a click, coming from the top of the chest caught him off guard. He gulped down his saliva, his eyes shining as he saw the golden object he had craved so much. He took it in his hands and analyzed it: it was the right one, the rune writing didn't lie. Furiously he reached into his pocket and took the first piece of the sign he was piecing together, brought them closer and they joined together, creating a dim orange light. Shou couldn't believe it, now only one more component was missing and the triskelion would be complete. A noise behind him made him turn around, all the druids were standing and looking at him obsessively and evilly. Shou wasted no time, as quick as a hare, he ran out of the rock. "Follow him!"
Said the supreme mind of the group. His companions did as requested. Using magic, they teleported exactly where Shou was, the man didn't expect it and tried to run faster, but a cliff, a few steps away from him, forced him to stop, otherwise he would have fallen. Shou turned, finding his path blocked by the group of druids. He was put on the spot, he broke out in a cold sweat, they were getting closer and closer. Instinct drove him to punch a man next to him in the face and grab him under the neck, twisting an arm around him and holding him, also pointing a dagger to his throat. The supreme mind of the group raised a hand, declaring truce.
"Let him go, its not worth anyone's life."
He said, referring to the piece of the triskelion that he had stolen.
"Really? It cost me twenty years of mine!"
Shou growled, tightening his grip.
"It's useless. You'll never find the third part of the triskelion anyway."
That it could be composed was just a legend, according to the supreme mind, Shou was wasting his time.
"Ah, but you're wrong, I already know where that piece is."
Shou took a quick look at the cliff. He threw the man in his arms towards his group, took a running start and jumped, letting out a yell to charge himself. He landed, digging the dagger in too, so he could get a better grip. Shou managed to pull himself up and ran to find his horse, which he left in the forest. When he got close to it, he got on its back and kicked the animal in the side with his heel, so that it took off. He galloped until the sun was high in the sky and reached his goal: Camelot. That's right, the third and final piece of the triskelion was located in the castle's treasure room. Shou smiled victoriously, and entered through the gates; now he had to find a place for the night and then, he would go to visit an old friend of his. He decided to stop at the citadel tavern, asked for a room and paid for one evening's accommodation. To make the hours pass faster, he picked up a book of facts about dragons and kept himself busy until late in the evening, taking necessary breaks to eat and relieve himself. Having finished dinner, a plate of rice with a glass of beer, he took the triskelion and left the tavern, heading towards the castle. Once there, he asked a guard for information on the whereabouts of the court doctor Kim Seokjin and, when he got the answer, he thanked the guards and headed towards the room they told him. He knocked immediately, without waiting. Jin, inside, wondered who it could be at that time of evening; he put down the items he was holding, taking some time. Shou knocked again, impatiently, in doing so, he woke Erlin, who was trying to sleep. Jin opened the door and his facial expression hardened.
"Hello, Jin."
Shou smiled, but stopped his enthusiasm, seeing that the doctor didn't say a word and didn't even move aside to let him in.
"Maybe you remember me...?"
Shou hoped he wasn't still angry with him.
"Only too well."
The doctor replied harshly, glaring at him. Erlin got up completely from the bed and approached the door, to better eavesdrop on the conversation.
"Why are you here?"
The doctor asked.
"I would like to warm myself a little in your fire."
Shou made up an excuse, if he had gotten straight to the point, he was sure that the news would have overwhelmed Jin without giving him time to assimilate it. Erlin spied what was happening from the lock. Jin stepped aside, letting Shou in; he went to the fireplace.
"You had some nerve coming here, you left me in a lot of trouble."
"Yes...I know and I'm sorry. But, how to say, the execution...didn't appeal to me at all."
They both remembered the moment, Jin snorted and Shou thanked the gods once again for being alive.
"You didn't agree with Dooyoung."
"Tell me why you're here."
The doctor interrupted him abruptly. Shou turned his head around to make sure no one was there and took out his handkerchief, revealing the two pieces of the triskelion. The doctor approached, it couldn't be, his tired eyes were playing a trick on him, he was sure of it.
"It's what you think, Jin: it's the triskelion of Askanar."
"Are you sure?"
"I am."
"Let me see."
Jin took it in his hand, to verify the authenticity of the triskelion he needed a magnifying glass. He found it on the table and passed it over the two pieces and, much to his surprise, found small engravings.
"This is a druid language. The runes are in groups of three, this is rare."
"There's no point continuing, they guide the bearer to Askanar's tomb."
There was no need to inspect, it was the real one, he knew it, he had already checked it. The doctor turned to him with a rather surprised facial expression.
"Yes, we both know the legend, we know what he hid there."
Erlin looked for a better view, so she decided to peek through the crack left by the not completely closed door.
"A dragon egg."
Jin replied. The sorceress's pupils narrowed, as she opened her eyes until her eyelids (almost) disappeared. A dragon egg? Had she heard correctly?
"And you came to steal it."
Jin concluded, knowing too well what Shou was like.
"No, I wouldn't say stealing..."
He had a very specific plan for the animal inside that egg and, theoretically, it wasn't anyone's property, so he wasn't stealing anything.
"You forget one thing: you're missing part of the triskelion."
Jin handed the object back to Shou, trying to contain a mocking smile.
"Oh no, I know where that piece is."
"And where it is?"
Jin thought he was talking a lot of nonsense. No one had ever managed to find all the pieces of the triskelion, not even the most powerful magical people in the world, someone like Shou certainly couldn't make a difference. Jin's former student lowered his head and looked at the floor, the doctor imitated his action, not understanding what was so intriguing about the tiles.
"In the treasure room, under our feet."
Jin opened his mouth, not expecting this response.
"In Camelot?"
He whispered in disbelief.
"Where it has remained safe and secure for the last four hundred years."
Shou covered the triskelion with the handkerchief.
"And you would like me to help you get it?"
Otherwise, what could be the purpose of his visit? Shou grinned, moving closer to the doctor.
"We will be able to bring a noble creature back to life."
Dragons were exceptional animals, Shou was struck by them from the first time he heard about them and now that he had the chance to own one, with an old friend of his, it pushed him to do anything to have it in his hands. Jin clicked his tongue in the roof of his mouth and looked away from Shou for a moment.
"I don't want to be part of your plan."
The doctor replied. What Shou had in mind was dangerous and almost useless, no one could hatch a dragon egg except the Dragon Lords themselves and those creatures, they obeyed no one but their masters. Shou was heading towards nowhere.
"Don't you want to bring the last dragon egg to life?"
The former student said, frowning.
"It would not make sense."
"This is not what you taught me! You always told me that these pearls must be put to good use!"
Jin hoped that Erlin hadn't woken up.
"That's not what I think now. I believe in Namjoon and the future he will build, bringing this dragon to life won't give anyone anything in return."
Shou was somewhat disappointed by Jin's response. He had even thought about telling him before anyone else, what kind of person was he to refuse such a proposal?
"Think again."
Shou begged him, he couldn't do it alone.
"I've given you my answer. And I think it's time for you to leave my room."
The doctor went towards the door, opening it. Shou sighed and followed Jin's steps.
"If you change your mind, you will find me in the citadel tavern, but only for this night. Take your time."
Shou stopped before exiting completely.
"Ah...Jin, I've caused you a lot of trouble in the past, but I'm a different man now. Believe me."
He saw the flame of hatred in the doctor's eyes, it was quite obvious. He was very sorry for what he put him through: Jin helped him from a young age with the study of lost magical treasures and he always repaid him by getting into trouble. Things often got worse due to his tendency towards dishonesty and theft and Jin did not want to help him, because he knew that these vices never disappeared. The doctor closed the door when Shou left, but Jin's former apprentice stopped his steps when he heard a third voice coming from the doctor's room.
"Who was he?"
Erlin decided to come out and join Jin in the room. The doctor felt guilty for waking her up.
"Oh, never mind."
"Jin."
The sorceress scolded him. That whole conversation they had couldn't be summed up with a simple "nevermind" Jin sighed, the sorceress had eavesdropped on their conversations.
"He was my student, his name is Lee Shou and he didn't make my life easy."
Erlin didn't ask him anything else about the matter, because it seemed to make Jin angry.
"And why didn't you help him? This could be a chance to save a dragon, to help Kilgharrah preserve his species."
Erlin was thrilled. Until that day, everyone believed that Kilgharrah was the last huge reptile alive, but that evening, it turned out that in fact, this was not the case.
"Shou is not a person to be trusted."
The doctor replied. Getting involved with that scoundrel could get you into serious trouble.
"You don't think the triskelion is real?"
"I have no doubts about that."
"So what is it?"
The sorceress insisted.
"His motives, Erlin. Even as a boy he was prone to dishonesty. Who knows what path he's taken now."
The sorceress still didn't understand. They could have gone in search of the egg without asking for Shou's help.
"Do you want the egg to stay hidden?"
Erlin asked, her voice was calmer.
"It would be better this way. Askanar's tomb has remained untouched for more than four hundred years, interrupting this cycle could bring more serious trouble. Furthermore, he will never succeed in his quest."
Jin took care to blow out the candle that was heating his potion.
"How can you be so sure?"
asked the sorceress.
"A dragon egg is difficult to hatch. A dragon is certainly not born by chance and their shell is so strong that it can withstand the most tenacious falls. Even if that little reptile is born, Shou will never be able to control it, do I need to remind you that only Dragon Lords can do this?"
Erlin nodded, following the conversation.
"The dragon would probably rebel against him and run away, his goal is mostly bottomless."
The doctor closed the open books on the table.
"And to access the last piece of the triskelion, you need the keys to the treasure room, keys that only Namjoon has and he doesn't know where they are."
Jin finished his speech. The sorceress raised her hands, defeated by the doctor's immense intelligence and resigned herself.
"As much as I would have liked to hold a dragon egg, I think you're right."
Erlin lowered her head, yawning
"It would have been a joy to behold, but the last time a dragon was in Camelot, it almost destroyed everything and I don't think Namjoon has a good memory of these creatures. This little guy will be born, when the time is right."
Jin understood Erlin's feelings, he too would have liked to witness the birth of a dragon, but if there was no reason to give birth to it, then it was better to keep it safe inside its shell.
"Come on, let's go to bed, tomorrow will be a busy day."