The Legend of Voden: The Rise of the Hollow

Chapter 4: New Arrivals

"Remind me, Eric." The masked dragon said as she caught up to her mentor. "Why it's always me when it comes to the dirty work again?"

Her mentor abruptly turned around and faced her. "Don't call me that!" He said as his eyes narrowed and flashed dangerously under his mask. "My name is Etherion. And for the hundredth time already, just use it!"

"But we're supposed to be using our new names, right?" She grinned as she "reminded" him. "So why don't you just use that name instead?"

"And this is why you would be dealing with the guards while I tend to the more important stuff," Etherion huffed as he double-checked the water level in his flask. "I prefer not to mention that name in front of anyone if I can prevent it."

Oh, cute Etherion. She chuckled at his stubborn mentor. She always loved seeing his pale cheeks going red whenever he blushed or felt the slightest of anger. "Only you would kill the fun on every occasion."

"Raziela. You are one the better to know," Her mentor said without looking at her, his eyes avoidant, intent on the nearing city walls. "That this isn't a vacation. We're here under the Lord's name to carry out an important task. An important mission."

"A mission so important that could affect the whole fate of the entire nation. Raziela, could you be-no. Don't try to give me that face again."

Raziela resisted the temptation to let out a chuckle of amusement. Although she knew her mentor repeated it at least ten times already, she never thought it was cliché. She loved him more when Etherion was cute and angry and was being less serious around her.

"And who says we can't have a little fun right here while we can?" Raziela retorted. "At least we should stock up on something while we're here. Or we could finally have a good night's sleep under a solid roof here. I've heard the market district is busy around this time of the year. We should definitely check it out. "

There was a moist sound behind her when Etherion spat. "We, perfectly polite dragons, stalk about the shopper stalls and the public houses now? I think not."

"Come on. It's not that bad," said Raziela in a most convincing tone possible. She really wanted to explore more of the city, now that she had the opportunity to do so.

"Not now. We'll discuss this, only after we've entered the city," Etherion flatly stated.

"Wait, we're here already?" Raziela was so busy that she didn't notice that they were already at the city walls. She gazed up and around them, noting the armored guards patrolling around the borders. The sun has been beginning to rise and the torches lit on the sides of the wall have now begun to extinguish one at a time by an invisible force. A few guards have already noticed them, their expressions sleepless and incurious.

"Yes, Raziela. We're here. At the City of Seasons." Etherion said while unstrapping the water flask from his traveling robes. "Now wake up. Do your job and make it quick. We don't have all day and I definitely do not prefer to camp outside the city."

"Killjoy."

"Raziela-"

"Okay. Okay. Wiseguy. I'm going already." Raziela turned to face the massive city. She breathed in and took it all in. She knew she was prepared for this day for her whole life, but suddenly she didn't seems as quite prepared.

Something held her back. Something that told her to back down. Yet, something else was driving her forward. Calling her to adventure. She didn't know what to choose at first, but it was Etherion's sigh that gave the final nudge. With a swing of her trusty backpack, she walked up to the city gates with the cheeriest smile that she could put on.

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Author's Notes:

We'll be taking a short break from Voden and Iceleta and move onto to some fresh new faces in the story. 

Etherion and Raziela. What do you think about those two? Do you think they will be able to succeed in their mission? What is their mission anyway, and why are they supposed to use different names? 

So many questions, yet so little answers...

Too bad.

You'll have to figure it out yourself.

-Darkbane