4 Inflame

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CHAPTER 4

BANG!

"Argh!" A young-looking man bellowed in what sounded like confusion and frustration as he slammed his fist against the big table in front of him.

He took in a deep breath before pushing off the table and taking a turn around.

He glanced at the men standing before him, slowly peeling his gaze over to the centre of the big throne room where the king sat on his throne, watching in silence.

He squinted, narrowing his gaze further as several wrinkles appeared on his forehead, proving the fact that indeed age was still catching up to him in spite of his youthful appearance.

"Your majesty, I cannot simply allow us to wait," his deep and impatient voice resonated in the spacious hall of the throne room.

"Lord Zephyr, you need to..."

Ignoring the words of the man to his left, his fingers tightened hard at his side, not bothering to hide his anger.

His eyes darkened further, expressing his displeasure as his hands tightened into fists by his side

"He has my daughter, your majesty. I cannot sit back and watch while that beast of a dragon lay claim over my only child."

"Calm down, Lord…"

"Don't!" He yelled next, taking several short deep breaths, trying to control his rage to the best of his ability. "Don't tell me to calm down," he cautioned coldly.

They knew him better. He was vicious when pushed to the wall and right now, he was barely holding in. Nevertheless, they couldn't let him be rash at this point.

"But you must listen to reason. It would be rather foolish to march out straight for him when we do not even know where he must have gone after his attack," a third man reasoned.

"For all we know we can be riding into an ambush," he added.

"Can you hear yourself? An ambush for a being that has been sealed for tens of thousands of years. How can you cower before him and fear, Lord Dwayne?"

"Of course, we should, Lord Zephyr," a lady who strode into the throne room at that time challenged as she walked over to where he stood.

Her sharp piercing gaze, marched with her shining red hair, seemed to have invaded his glaring eyes but unlike the rest of the men, she was not shaken by this.

Rather, she challenged his words again, "Or have you forgotten the ancient tale?"

"Tales be damned! He is not as strong anymore. He is weak and would take a week to recover his full strength. We do not have time to delay. We must march and charge while there is still time."

"Time!" She scoffed out a bitter laugh, taking an elegant step forward, daring him to reason.

"He awoke at the weakest point but has done so much more damage than any other being in Maestherial. How can you be blinded by your rage?!" She shrieked yet again.

"I know you are angry, Zephyr, but you need to calm down and think this through!" She hollered at him.

Everyone knew how he treasured his daughter, Raven. She was a rainbow dragon and the only rainbow dragon they had since ten thousand years ago.

Zephyr had been so proud and boastful of her that to say he was overprotective was an understatement. He would do anything in this world for his beloved daughter.

And now that the dragon king broke out, his first captive became no one else but her. Truth be told, his rage was actually understandable.

But from experience, rage had never been the best course of action.

It took a great deal for Zephyr to swallow his anger and listen to her and when he spoke, his voice softened. "Why did it just have to be her, though?"

"Or anyone for that matter," the first man countered, making him realize that anyone captured would be in danger.

"Lady Adalinda, what do you propose?" Dwayne inquired, seeing as she was the one who dared stand against the strongest warlock.

She took a deep sigh and turned around to face the throne and the one who sat quietly all this time.

"We wait."

"We can't!" Zephyr growled, marching forward to counter her.

"Lord Zephyr!" Adalinda shouted in turn. She hated his annoying anger sometimes and now it wasn't any different.

Instantly, several murmurings ensued in the big throne room as others voiced out their thoughts in a whisper.

"Easy for you to say," Zephyr began. "It wasn't your child who was taken. I want my daughter. I demand the full…"

"Enough!"

The throne room immediately went dead silent from that order. No one dared make a sound and if a pin had dropped, it would have been heard as they waited for the next words of order to be said.

Seated on the black big throne beautifully adorned with strikes of gold, a man supposedly in his late forties rested both hands on the armrest of the throne as his cold gaze swept across the Lords and ministers present.

"Enough bickering. You are not kids," his cold voice echoed deeply, as he drew in a deep breath.

"However," he began, rising from his throne. "I understand the urgency and the situation."

"Your majes…" Adalinda had tried to speak but got cut off instantly when he lifted his hand.

"I hate the fact that he thinks he can waltz out of his prison and send my kingdom to hell." With each step he took forward they could feel their heartbeat increase rapidly in their chest.

The aura he exuded was one fueled by anger. He was the new dragon king, one whose family had been appointed after the terror Xavier committed back then.

Though not a pure-blooded dragon, his clan was made to rule and because of that fact, he did not get the full support of the people of the kingdom.

There were still those who remained loyal to Xavier till date and it pissed him.

Now that their Dragon King had broken out, he could tell his reign would quake. So, if there was a chance to cut off Xavier's powers at this early stage he would without giving it a second thought.

Turning his head to the side, he let his gaze linger on Zephyr wearing a wry smile as he inquired. "Zephyr, what do you suggest?"

"Thank you, your majesty," Zephyr lowered his head before continuing. "I know that by now the torch of Dradevow would have been lit across the realm, meaning the other kingdoms had been informed one way or the other."

"True."

"I think if you wish to take action, now is the time. Summon the rulers of each of the eight kingdoms. The assembly of royals is nigh! We need to form an alliance once more like it was done before to proffer a solution. Only then can we rid the realm of such evil, once and for all."

There was an extreme silence surrounding the throne room after Zephyr made his suggestion.

"Okay." He lifted his chin, averting his gaze to his ministers as he issued out his order.

"Get the messenger birds. Send word to all the kingdoms of Maestherial. The realm's greatest threat lives. The assembly will be held in two days."