The Royal Guard

"Have you thought about names yet?" Tatsuya asked after our first night together with the dragons.

Not really yet, but they look really different and special.

"I think the blue one is the most special, Musashi... I've never seen dragons like that before".

The blue one was indeed very special... it looked rather feathered with four wings and on the upper side its feathers were blue, while the underside of it was rather white... Not exactly what I expected among dragons... but something with sky would fit to him....

Sky flyer? No, that sounds weird.

Clouds... Clouds... Cloud jumper? That could fit

"I think I have one for him," I said to Tatsuya while pointing at him.

"Huh?" he looked at me questioningly.

"I think Cloudjumper would suit him. He has the colors of the sky and even feathers."

"Well, they are your dragons, I don't think the name is strong enough."

"But that's his name now," I said to him with a serious look.

"Yes, yes, it's okay. Calm down." he said while signaling with his hands that I shouldn't get upset.

"We should keep going, though, Musashi. We still haven't reached our destination and we're not safe either."

"At least tell me what this world is all about now."

We went on our way and while I ran after Tatsuya, he explained to me the systems about our world... well, rather the worlds.

"We are here in the second realm also known as the plane of magic. As you can see, there are all kinds of magical creatures that you may know from your legends, and special plants."

And what is the origin of this place? We humans have never heard of such things... except in stories. Why am I so different? Why can I use magic and all the other people don't know this anymore? So many questions went through my mind at that moment.

"Stories have their origins, don't they? All those legends you people tell and all those stories are real. There are dragons. There is magic and there are several worlds... well, I wouldn't consider it a separate world but a plane."

"Even your religions are true. Just with more details. But that is another topic. There are 3 levels in total and another dimension Musashi. The one of the people in which you live alone for several millennia... and the level of magic as you see here right now." tatsuya spoke while pointing to our right side.

It's beautiful... Forests that seem as if they are straight out of a painted picture.... Pink rivers, turquoise trees and incredibly beautiful animals.

"Why... isn't there anything like that here?" I asked him uncertainly.

"I also know this only from stories from my father. But as far as we know, it's because there was a devastating war that happened a long time ago. But there was a fallen Celestial named Messiah. His goals and thoughts back then were so radical that the other Celestials banished him from the Heavenly Realm.

"He swore that he would still get to his goals, which would only bring suffering if they were true."

"However, in his attempt to reach the Heavenly Realm again, he was stopped. The Gods had ordered the people to protect the border between Heaven and Earth and to ward off the monsters that the Messiah was gathering under him."

"We entered into a devastating war for humanity that lasted more than a hundred years. The result was the division of the races. People suspected that the magical beings could also become like the monsters of Messiah. Many people attacked the magical beings and wiped out several hundred species of animals...it was terrible as your grandfather described," tatsuya said as his voice dropped and seemed sadder.

My grandfather? He passed away a long time ago? At least that's what my father said...and he didn't like to talk about it..." It made me sad... my family has fallen apart... I am alone.

"In fact, your father must have said something like that. They broke up in a quarrel... I don't know the exact circumstances, but your grandfather lives Musashi. He's one of the capital's leading subordinates. One of the three Hydra members. He is the last representative Akiyame after your clan disintegrated."

My heart stopped when he told me that and my eyes widened.

"My grandfather is alive?" tears of joy came down my face, touching my skin coldly and slowly.

"It's unbelievable... I thought I was the last Akiyame and the remaining one of my family..." my voice must be trembling... just like the rest of my body... my grandfather is alive and I am not alone after all. I am so relieved.

"That wasn't all Musashi. After the people fought each other because they had different views about living with magic, the people divided into two and so did the animals. Some of the animals that were not exactly magical stayed in the human world, while the other humans withdrew along with the magic and the other animals. However, the remaining ones managed to at least seal the Messiah... well, with the help of the Celestial Gothar. He was the keeper of the light and brought peace to our worlds. He sealed the Messiah in a statue and banished him to a cave far from the people, never to be found by anyone."

"And why are there different worlds now?"

"In order to keep peace, the Celestial, together with his brothers and sisters, created several levels of worlds. Thus, the people who betrayed us were allowed to stay in the lowest of the planes where the war took place, and the other magical people and beings were taken to the second realm."

"And now we are-" I was interrupted when we saw dragons in the sky.

My dragons, settling on my shoulders and head, reacted to them and started screeching and growling. Comparable to protective dogs.

"Who are they?" I asked uncertainly as I prepared to fight.

"Relax. It's the royal guard. They must be looking for us because your grandfather heard your story."

The dragon riders landed around us and the sky and earth shook as they settled down from the reptiles. They were tall men in black and red armor, with a three-headed dragon on their chests. They carried a variety of weapons that I had never seen before.

"Prince Akiyame. Prince Shikiyame. The Hydra sends us."

They stood upright in front of us with one hand on their weapons in case we refused.

"We ask that they accompany us to the capital. Your relatives are waiting for you."

Prince... my grandfather... this is too much at once.

My circulation collapsed and I must have fainted.

***

***

Musashi just fell over?

"The prince!" the guards shouted when they saw the boy fall over.

The dragons were also on alert and tried to pick him up, but they were too small.

I had to help the guards attach him and his dragons to their dragons in a way that would transport them safely.

After that, I got on my father's guard and we took off. This power that these animals carry is exciting every time. The earth beneath us cracked, the grass was met with so much air and power that it was torn out of the ground.

Dragons are so special... Only, unfortunately, there is none for me.

"How is father?" I asked Rupert, our guard.

"His condition has stabilized for the moment, but... You have to prepare for the day when it will end Tatsuya."

"I know..."

My father is seriously ill.

He spits up blood regularly and his heart is infected with an old virus that can't be cured. As his heir, I will have to take the place in the Hydra.

I am already being prepared to take a leadership position in my clan, which is why Musashi and Sia, who had little to no training, had no chance against me.

I am not a fair match for them, as I have been studying and practicing magic and especially curses for years. Still, they have more potential than I do. Especially Musashi, since he is now the heir of Rhagar. Sia on the other hand I don't know and I rather estimate him as if he doesn't want to be strong either.

I wonder what he is doing right now anyway.

It doesn't matter, he'll be fine.

"My prince, we'll be right there," said Rupert.

At that moment they saw the capital of the Second Realm. Golden, extremely high towers and lots of mythical creatures flying between them.

There are far fewer people living here than in the cities of the First Realm, but still this city is far more productive and advanced than any other city.

We use magic to improve buildings and traffic, we have this advantage in this realm.

The King's Guard took the landing right on the Hydra's square and Musashi was still unconscious at the moment.

All the members of the Hydra were already waiting for us, including my father, Musashi's grandfather and Aurelia.

"What about him?" asked Aurelia as she put her hand on Musashi's head.

"The information about our world and his family has made him a little... overwhelmed. I think he will wake up soon," I replied.

"And this is your grandson Fukashi?" Aurelia liked to provoke the others.

"Take him to his chamber," and the royal guard transported him directly to his room.

"The dragons will stay with me." Fukashi is currently the leader of the Hydra, as he was the one who convened the Hydra in the first place, and he has direct contact with Alerius, the supreme celestial and creator of the three realms.

The dragons had a hard time separating from their father, and even more so when they couldn't assess his condition. They tried to free themselves from the magic box, where the guards locked them up for the time being, so that they would be safe.

I should lie down now, too. Today was annoying again. First picking up the idiot, then being threatened by him and... he has a dragon. Somehow I'm jealous but... wait.

Me, jealous? Musashi is a loser and I shouldn't worry about him at all.

I closed my eyes to get some sleep.

"Father! Don't!" I screamed in my dream.

My father fighting with a living shadow... it doesn't look human.

At that moment, the silhouette pierced my father's chest with its hand and tore out his heart.

The moment his lifeless body touched the ground, tears came to my eyes and infinite rage boiled inside me.

My hand clenched into a fist and I approached the silhouette, wanting to avenge my father.

Suddenly it turned to me and stared into my soul with bright red eyes.

„You will understand one day, child of the Hydra! Your father succumbed to the Messiah and will fall under the new world".

My body was frozen in shock as the silhouette looked at me with a creepy grin.

"What do you want from me?" I stuttered.

His expression twisted and he stared at me questioningly as he turned his head to the side.

"We want your core," he spoke as if it were a matter of course.

He reached into my chest and his hand went through it as if I were made of water.

"There it is!"

He grabbed something inside me and I felt the greatest pain I have ever experienced.

Something was being ripped further and further out of my body and it felt like a thousand needles were piercing my insides.

I screamed in pain, tears covered my face, when...

I opened my eyes and lay sweaty in my bed.

"What was that?" I asked myself as I woke up.

I felt my chest and didn't notice any injuries.

It must have been a dream.

"Your power is mine," I heard, as the same fear as in the dream came over my body.

But it was a different voice and the fear was much more intense.

"You are mine."