Inferno Legacy: Loyalty of the Dragon (Book Two)

Chapter 11

            “The what?” Cody asked.

            Heyrone whispered in his ear, “The Duel of Barbarians. Dragons have existed as long as humans, dwarves, and elves, and there have been riders as long as dragons. Just as we twolegs have a barbaric past, so too have the dragons. Even though we have all become more civilized, there are those instincts among dragons that cannot be tamed. It comes as second nature to some, and that is how Micah and Inferno both knew how to respond. During and just after the challenge, their thoughts are so primitive that they can’t communicate through thoughts. If I remember correctly, if Micah still wishes to challenge Inferno, he will use the draconic language alone to communicate the reason of his challenge. Perhaps Argos can translate for us.”

            “Challenge to do what?” Autumn asked nonchalantly.

            “Quiet!” Argos growled.

            Micah paid no attention to the anything but the dragon before him as he lifted his head in a roar. Cody felt Argos connect to his mind in preparation to translate. The white dragon spread out his claws and growled low in his throat. Occasionally he would give another roar, a bark, or a ferocious hiss, while Inferno stood unmoving, listening to the challenge with intense interest.

            “Weakling lizard-biter,” Argos translated for the twolegs, cringing, “you follow a wolf-rider blindly into unknown dangers and risk your rider’s life as though it were nothing. You are no more than a horned snake given the honor of magic and flight, and you are undeserving of being bonded with a rider! The Great Dragons must have humored themselves when they thought of creating a hornless, dim-hearted, ice-brained fool like you. It’s a miracle they gave you the hide of our kin, and you are the first-born of the new generation? You’re a coward, and I cringe to think of what shame your rider must feel.”

            “Argos said that there is more, but he can’t bring himself to repeat such curses,” Heyrone said when Argos stopped but Micah continued. “Let us see if Inferno accepts the challenge.”

            “If the curses are so awful, why would he refuse?” Cody asked, dreading the answer.

            Heyrone shook his head in despair, “The stakes are high in the Duel of Barbarians, Blackscales. Argos won’t tell me what the stakes of this particular duel are, but in olden days the winner would win almost everything from the loser. Oftentimes one of the dragons would die in the struggle.”

            “What was on the line in your time?” Cody asked.

            Heyrone looked at him carefully before answering so that only he could hear, “If Micah should win and Inferno dies, you will be left to do what you please, and Autumn will be left the same if Micah should die. But if the loser is left alive, the winner would own absolutely everything of theirs. Some dragons have even gone as far as taking the loser as a slave. If Inferno should lose and be left alive, Micah could do whatever he pleased of you and Inferno. Most likely, based on what I understand from Argos, he will take all of your armor and weapons for Autumn and banish the two of you from Mrana Akano Furista. But be assured, I’ve never seen a fight for myself, so perhaps the stories are exaggerated.”

            Cody wasn’t entirely sure that he fully grasped what was at stake, but he remained silent from what he did understand. I could lose Inferno. He froze when Micah finished and all was silent. Inferno looked over at Cody and his iron gaze melted, showing more love and affection than Cody had ever seen from him. It was a primordial emotion, stronger than most others in the entire world that had somehow survived through millennia in the form of this archaic race. Inferno’s gaze hardened once more and he turned on the white dragon, letting loose his most powerful roar yet. The power and emotion behind it was beyond anything that Cody could have ever imagined. It was the final testimony of a dragon’s eternal love for his rider. Right then, Cody was overwhelmed by the passion in the draconic word. He didn’t need Argos to translate the simple but powerful message, for my rider!