The Dragon Queen [COMPLETE]

THE GREAT DRAGON

We had spotted the lake about an hour ago. It had taken Ryne mere seconds to create a locator charm with the water. He opined that it would have been easier had they not been searching for a powerful god with heavy mystical defences. 

The horse took flight as soon as the gleaming bubble-like charm was up in the air. We had been following it ever since. Even though I knew that we were on a dangerous, almost impossible quest, I couldn't help but feel drowsy. I struggled to stay awake as we flew in a rhythmic motion in the darkening sky.

Ryne's grip on my waist tightened, jolting me awake for a second before he whispered, "Sleep, I'm here."

I leaned against his chest, held his arm and drowned in his comforting scent.

***

I woke up to suffocating smog. Everything was dark and my eyes took a moment to adjust to it. I couldn't believe that all the stories I had read about the realm of gods were real. Liremia was real and the land of night was real. While we had always believed in higher entities, we, mortals, had gone a long time without any contact with them. Somewhere along the way, truth became legends and legends became stories. Which was why no ancestor of mine had ever searched beyond the expanse of the Earth. If not for Ryne, neither would I. Lord Dragomitus was right. In the end, I needed him after all.

"We're here," Ryne said softly.

I nodded. We were close, I could feel it. Somewhere ahead, powerful energy was radiating in all directions. Powerful, but familiar energy.

"Do you feel that?" I asked him as the horse galloped through the dark mist.

"Something huge," he replied.

"It's him. I know."

"No light spells work in the land of night. My powers will be useless unless I resort to dark magic," he said, "And that is only if the situation demands it. So I guess I am under your protection now."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked him. He seemed so sure of himself as if he had been personally acquainted with this realm.

"I was born from the celestial grace of Hecate. In gratitude, my parents offered my life to her. She is my adoptive mother, my tutor and my protector. I lived in Liremia in her court for a long time," he said casually as if we were talking about dinner.

"You... you're Hecate's son?" I asked, my eyes wide. All this while I had been hating on his mother?

Before he could respond, the horse neighed loudly and began flapping its wings in a wild manner.

"He's a creature of divinity, he can't go any further," Ryne said before patting the horse's neck softly. It let out a loud groan before descending. It soon landed softly onto the hard ground. Ryne dismounted and helped me down. He thanked the horse by brushing its mane with his fingers. It let out another neigh before disappearing into thin air.

Dense grey fog removed what little visibility we had. There were no stars in the sky, and no moons. I couldn't make out where the land ended and the sky started. It was one huge plane of darkness.

Ryne took a step forward and stumbled. I grabbed his hand and steadied him. Closing my eyes, I shot my energy out. When it echoed back to me, a map of all obstructions in our path got drawn in my head. I put both his hands on my waist.

"What-"

"Trust me," I said as I led the path. My heart fluttered when he gripped me tighter and followed me.

I understood how difficult it must have been for him to walk completely blind and put all his faith on a person who constantly made his life difficult. The more time I spent with him, the more I realized that he was far from how evil he seemed in my head in the beginning. I really was stupid to have assumed his personality based on the conflict between our clans.