Chapter 25: Jewel's Trial

The cold air grew more and more intense.

Jewel's goosebumps held goosebumps, and snot ran from her nose. She sniffled, sucking it back in, trying her best to keep herself stable. She hadn't expected to wait hours without rest, and the cold only served to stiffen her muscle and bone, fogging her thoughts.

She was freezing, and her mind went from hoping they were alive to simply surviving without frostbite. She attempted a breathing technique meant to control the flow of heat through the body, and stabilize herself by spreading it out evenly, however that only did so much.

Her magic didn't help her much either, the heavy chill cutting through the skin of mana she kept around herself. In truth, she was beginning to think they'd never come back.

When she closed her eyes, footsteps filled her ears. Glancing at the source of the sound, the old man smiled down at her and handed her a warm cup of tea. "Here you are, dear. Tea from the Fire Kingdom."

"Thank you," She accepted graciously, taking the cup and drinking its warmth. It flowed down her throat, scalding and burning, but welcomed. Anything was better than being a slab of meat in a freezer to Jewel, even if it meant she couldn't talk for a few minutes.

"Two of them passed. Your friends I mean."

Jewel withdrew the cup from her lips, looking at the aged Dragon with curious eyes. "Where are they then?"

"The space in between. Julius won't permit them to join us until they all pass."

She frowned mentally, yet kept a confident smile on her face. "Of course. That sounds reasonable."

It doesn't, but I really don't know this guy. For all I know, he could be Julius.

Then it dawned on her. So quickly as her thoughts echoed and replayed in her mind. "You're… Julius, aren't you?"

The Dragon smiled at her, stepping deeper into the cave. "Possibly."

"WHAT THE FUCK," She shouted, throwing her mug down. "Why didn't you tell me sooner!?"

"You simply never asked," He replied, and held his smile at her scornful gaze.

"Let me ask this then. Why the hell have I been sitting here waiting then?" She held out her palm, shivering all but ceasing and cold leaving her mind. "Give me my friends back."

He shook his head at her words. "I'm afraid I can't do that. I spared you, and you alone, from these trials as a favor."

"Favor," She repeated, holding back the anger in her tone. "I didn't ask for that."

"And I gave it to you." He sat down, brushing his beard. "I can see it in your eyes. You want them free. I can do such for an exchange."

Jewel rose an eyebrow. She didn't like where he was headed with his words, or his thoughts. She could tell by the hazy look in his eye and the way his face grew red he had some impure ideas.

Regrettably, she asked, "What do you want?"

"A wife," He said bluntly. "A woman to call a queen."

Jewel crossed her arms, sighing in response, pacing around the cave. She mulled over the options, weighing what she could possibly do to get out of the situation at hand. Regardless of being an old Dragon, a man was still a man. When she stopped moving about, an idea rolled into her mind, and she faced him. "Fine."

"What?"

"I'll do it. Let me see my friends who passed first."

He was very hesitant. Her attitude screamed deception, but her eyes and soul were nothing but purity. Had she not been human, he would have considered Jewel an Angel.

It's because she's a pure hearted human that Julius took such a liking to her. She had a fire that burned intensely in her soul, with eyes that could melt even the coldest hearts. She was a priestess descendant, so while this purity naturally isn't lost on her, it's amazing to be in the presence of.

He raised his hands, palms floating apart from one another. Light began to swell between the space, and upon exhaling, two magic gates opened up side by side behind Jewel. Turning, she spotted Nana's face first. Blood was on it, but it wasn't her own. She was unconscious, but uninjured.

Kairas' head popped out the second gate. His eyes were halfway open, and hair a scrambled mess. Both arms were strung up at his sides, held in place by a magic chain. Jewel rushed over to him, examining his face.

"Kai! Kai, are you okay?!"

"More or less," He muttered in response. "That guy… Who is he," He asked, eyes falling on Julius' old figure.

"Explain it later. What happened to you?"

"Can't… Remember…" His right arm shook at her touch. "I just… You're okay… Right? And.. And real?"

She smiled warmly at him. "Of course I am." Her fingers danced along his face, then she placed her palm on his chest. "I am real."

He looked reassured. "So cold."

"I can tell. It's amazing, someone like you being cold for once." She glanced back at Julius, who ushered her to hurry up. Nodding, she faced him and said, "Hey. Hey, look at me." Kairas did so, warily keeping his consciousness. "I'm going to get us all out of here. Do me a favor and lend me some strength, yeah?" She spoke her words in a whisper, low enough that Julius couldn't hear her.

"How," He asked. "I can barely hold the strength to break from these chains, much less talk."

She bit her lip. Sucking in cold air, flaring her nostrils, she leaned close and said, "Don't worry about your arms. Just give me your lips."

It took him a moment to register her words, but once he did, she tenderly placed her lips on his. Mana surged through Jewel, but that wasn't her focus.

She wanted to show him the truth, and for whatever reason, she had to have this kiss now. She was worried that if her plan didn't work, then none of them would make it out. The least she could do is be upfront with how she feels.

As she pulled away, and leaned her forehead on his shoulder, she said, "In case he kills me and you guys never get out. In case I don't see you again. Just know I actually kinda…" She felt a lump in her throat. "I fell for you, Kai. Hard."

Before he could reply, both the gates closed, sucking both Kairas and Nana back within their depths. Jewel wiped a cold tear from her eye that she never knew she had, and faced Julius, who looked shocked at her display of affection. Even that, in itself, was pure.

"My word, you're such a beauty."

"Not with snot running down my face," She replied. Jewel moved towards him, trying not to let Kairas' mana cloud her mind. She hadn't planned to take so much, but she knew that it was only the surface. A small fraction of what he had hidden away under his belt.

Among other things, She mentally teased.

Julius raised his fingers, gesturing for her to come closer.

It's now or never. Kairas, please let this work.

She leapt forward, driving her fingers deep into Julius' chest. He was stunned at first, before he smiled and his image faded into nothing.

"Wha…" She was cut off by a heavy hand slapping her, tossing her into the wall to her left. She slumped down, wheezing and rubbing her cheek.

Julius towered over her, looking down with excited eyes. "Yes. I foresaw this. Please, show me why I chose you."

Jewel growled, jumping up, missing her uppercut. Julius connected a palm to the left set of ribs, feeling one of them crack. Pain filled her mind, made her so dizzy she didn't feel herself enter the cold outside and land in a pile of snow. She rose, watching Julius stroll towards her.

Old. Agile and fast. Are all Dragons like this?

The pile of snow in front of her shot up, blinding her field of vision. Julius appeared in front of her, driving his knuckles hard into her stomach. She coughed up the contents of her stomach in the snow, dropping to all fours, struggling to take in breaths.

"You can't attack me if this is the best you have." He gripped her hair and tugged her up, taking in her scent. "I won't hurt you too bad, my queen. You must learn who is in charge, and this is the best way I can show you."

"Fuck you," She spat, grabbing his wrist and flipping around, connecting a heavy kick to his nose. While it knocked him back and broke his grip, there was no visible damage.

Jewel leapt back, taking heavy breaths, sucking in as much air as she could. Her arm was shaking visibly. She gripped it, gritting her teeth.

Kairas' mana reacted violently to her. She expected as much, but it was almost unbearable. Her hair began to rise a bit, and she noticed the cold had much less of an effect on her compared to before.

Maybe it was the heat of battle.

Her mind flashed, and she looked at her arm. Glancing back at Julius who had been waiting patiently, she waved her arm quickly to her left, ice bursting from the snow and running their tips through Julius.

Black… Ice. Kairas, how much did you give me?

Julius burst through the frozen spears, wounds shutting slowly.

"The Dragon of Dreams can't be truly killed dear." His body was swallowed whole by another sheet of black ice. Jewel felt the strain of Kairas' magic, the weight and pressure of his power.

None of it was hers, and it made her a little jealous. She was merely aiming and pulling the trigger.

Once again, Julius broke free, and broke into a blindingly fast run. Jewel's eyes widened, a faint green glow surging in her brown orbs. She craned her head aside, dodging his fist faintly, before bringing up her left arm and blocking a kick. On instinct, her leg rose up and she slammed her knee into Julius' stomach, watching his consistent blank reaction shift to one of faint pain.

They broke their contact, Jewel running at him and throwing fist after fist, running her fingers up his chest, willing ice to shoot up behind him and prevent him from backing up further.

"What?"

She roared, slamming a massive fist of black ice against him, the force shattering the ice wall and knocking the Dragon back into the snow. Jewel was tired, but smiling proudly at herself. Even as Julius stood back up, she braced herself with confidence.