prologue 1: A Dracanean.

Sat on the copper-coloured stone wharf above the river was a teen in a clean white knitted jumper, his neatly combed brown hair parted to one side. Eyes fixed on the crowd across the river.

“You know, if I were to nudge you, you would fall straight in. You’d think you’ve never seen the arrival ceremony before.” An older boy, late teens to early twenties, lay against a bollard next to him with shoulder length brown hair and a shiny navy blue cloak over a plain grey jumper.

“Oh come on! As if you don’t love it! It’s the Jaein National team! The toughest guys from way over at the eastern border vs our Malguen national team! It’s the best the empire has facing off against each other— not just the best, but some of the best to ever do it!”

He pumped his fist emphatically.

“This one’s gonna go down in Dungeon League history!” 

Talos gushed, eyes flicking back to the river barge covered in spiked armor, sporting purple and white striped flags.

“And how are you going to watch it without tickets, did Krustallos and Puraethos both descend and personally gift them to you, no wait, did the youth academy un-expel you and apologize with a trip to the ‘big game’!”

Talos tutted and tore his eyes away from his fantasies.

“A guy can dream can’t he!” He slouched and fiddled with his sleeves.

“You’ve been doing way too much of that lately. You’re supposedly being punished may I remind you, although I’m coming to realize it might not just be you father was punishing.” The older boy stood up and stretched up to the sky, yawning.

A small grin replaced Talos’ disappointment.“You fed up with me already Chrys! It’s only been a month.”

Chrys scoffed mid-yawn, clipping Talos around the head as he strode past. “A month too long, I should be in the great library, not baby sitting the drop out, father should have taken you with him to ...” Chrys’s face contorted. He immediately regretted what he’d said.

…

A chilling wind persisted, overtaking the sudden silence.

Talos stood up, taking one last glance at the celebrations across the river, the team was disembarking at the massive dock with a street full of fanfare.

Purple striped tabards on shining metal, swords, vials and pouches strapped across their waists. A small black wyvern perched on one man’s shoulder, a blue translucent serpent wrapped around another woman’s arm.

“He’ll be fine right? He’s getting closer to the action from the sounds of it.” Talos looked at his brother’s chest, avoiding any possible telling reaction.

“He —*sigh* It’s Pyras’ doing. She’s gone all nationalistic, with the recent losses she’s bought right into mother’s hype. Father is just trying to stay close, … just in case … you know how she gets, and how he gets.”

They started to walk up the wharf, cutting through the heavy traffic of people rushing in the opposite direction gawking at the festivities emanating from the local stadium.

“Well, may Krust and flame guide her.” He said the words, but at this point they felt hollow as they left his mouth.

He rushed to push past the thought.

“Mother would be overjoyed if her daughter ‘ascends’, she’d jump at the chance to…” Talos shook his head— ‘Shut up, just don’t.’ 

 He distracted himself, looking back at the river.

Chrys reached across His Talos’ shoulder and pulled him close “It’s not going to happen.-” 

He stated, it sounded like he was trying to convince himself of it too.

 “-Father wouldn’t let it, she may be old enough to make her own decisions, but she’s too drake-headed to understand the consequences of them.”

“Gods, you’re really starting to sound like a teacher.” Talos smiled, trying to change the sour topic.

Chrys recoiled, pushing Talos away. “Never! Me, stuck teaching the likes of you, when I could be out there, following in the footsteps of the wise scholars of old!”

“Wise in title alone if you ask me, who in their right mind walks the wild alone, church of wisdom my arse, you’re maniacs, the lot of you!

First you go all religious nomad on me, then Pyras runs off to be a champion for the empire.

As for me,-”

He paused, reluctant to say how he actually felt.

“-well I just like sports, what’s so bad about that!”

Chrys punched Talos’s arm and draped an arm around him pulling him back in as they walked.

“You know what? Forget what I said, never change Tal. Someone has to keep us grounded in that fantasy version of reality you live in.” Chrys’s face held a remorseful gaze as he kept his brother’s vision tightly locked away from his.

— — —

Under the dim light of sundown stood a three-storied building, it was nestled in a tight row of similar dwellings not two minutes from the river Dominion.

Red rain was staining the window, dyeing the sunlight even more crimson than it should be.

Chrys, as still as a statue in a room lined with bookshelves, sat behind a dark oaken desk. It had a cobalt-coloured wooden top, barely visible under the mountains of books and papers strewn about it. 

His stony expression looked wearily out the window. With tears staining his cheeks he looked east, envisioning the war-torn borderlands of Jaien.

The rhythmic tapping of the rain accompanied his still, silent sobbing and ocasional heaving breaths.

*knock knock*

“Chrys!”

…

*knock knock knock*

“Chrys!-why’s the door locked?-Chrys!!”

The remains of the days light reflecting in Chrys’s eyes dimmed, his expression finally wavered and his hands crumpled the edges of the tear stained letter in his hands.

He looked to the door, and back to the letter.

‘ Dear Mr. Frostvale,

It is with great satisfaction that I write to you regarding the most recent engagement on the eastern front.

I am pleased to formally record the successful ascension of the young miss Pyras Frostvale. ‘

“Chrys! What’re you doing in there?! Dinner ended hours ago, you missed the toasted whitecaps!”

‘ Her conduct exemplified the ideals of service and devotion to the empire. Few are capable of meeting the requirements of the divines, yet young Pyras surpassed expectations. ‘

“Chrys!” Talos jostled the door.

‘ The circumstances around this achievement were demanding. During the course of which Mr Ashton Frostvale was lost in an unanticipated manner. ‘

“CHRYS!! Open up!” The door bulged frantically.

‘ While regrettable, such losses are an expected reality of frontier operations and they do not diminish the significance of the day’s accomplishments.

The accomplishments of Saint Pyras affirm the effectiveness of our strategic doctrine and the strength of the bloodline from which she originated. ‘

“Chrys?! Are you crying?” The door quietened and a muffled voice called out from behind the door.

‘ In light of these events, I extend congratulations to you, Mr Chrys Frostvale on your expected appointment to Head of Estate. 

With the gaze of Saint Pyras watching over you, the continuation of your house is assured. I am confident your father would approve of the steadiness of your bloodlines position.

 

Further ceremonial acknowledgments will be arranged, take pride in knowing Saint Pyras will be remembered by all, for generations to come.

With commendation,

-Commander Brightwood Crymson the IV, Jaein forward command ’

Eyes shut tight, Chrys’s hands came to the edge of the desk, it was a graduation present from his father.

He wiped his tears with his thumb, blinking and sniffing, he pushed himself up off of the matching desk chair-

“Gods, fine! Look, whatever girl troubles you’re having, I’m sure you’ve got it handled. BUT, I’ll be in my room if you do want to talk.” Talos stood outside, muttering insults under his breath.

Chrys wrestled with the thought of telling his brother, his fingers clinging onto that desk like a last lifeline.

*sigh* “Goodnight, don’t let the Latchflies bite.”

Footsteps echoed through the hall outside, until a door creaked open and then shut.

Alone again, accompanied only by the silent ambiance of the crimson rain splattering against the window, Chrys collapsed back into his chair, reading the letter once again.

‘Dear Mr Frostvale,-

-I extend congratulations to you, Mr Chrys Frostvale on your appointment to Head of Estate.-

— — —

*knock knock*

Talos opened his eyes, daylight streaking through the blinds painting the small square room in patterns of red and white light. 

“Uuugh” he fled from it like a nocturnal beast under the covers of his warm comfy bed sheets.

The floorboards outside groaned and something was slid underneath the door.

*sigh*

Talos peered through his crusty eyelids at the letter on his floor, sealed with a familiar wax crest, official and important looking.

“Uuuugh, Chrys. Just give it to Rosie, damn.”

He sat up reluctantly, letting himself wake up for a minute before he swung his legs off the bed.

Shuffling a few steps forward past the letter he retrieved fresh underwear and socks from a drawer full of fancy clothing.

He stripped and reclothed himself as quickly as possible, feeling the cold breeze between his legs.

Clothed, semi-awake and hungry, Talos rolled his eyes, picking up the letter at the door.

“You sealed it? Gods is this a bill?! Are you finally charging me rent?” He shouted through the door.

Talos turned around and walked a few paces towards the window, beneath which was an old, small table, whose varnish was peeling off from the heat of the sun streaking across it every morning.

The chair creaked as he sat down taking a small blue-metal knife and prying open the wax seal.

“My dear brother, 

I have all the love in the world for you, and I hope you do not hate me for this, but steel yourself for what’s to come.”

Talos’s heart fluttered and adrenaline from panic woke him much more than the sunlight in his eyes did.

“Talos, I received a letter yesterday evening that tore me apart, it was from frontline command. 

Last we heard, father transferred to an outpost further east in search for Pyras’s unit to watch over her, and Jaein’s frontlines being as chaotic as they are, I expected news sooner or later.

There’s no easy way to put this Talos, but the letter detailed that father was deceased but not how or why, so this morning I’m off to the grand library to find out more.”

A fire like nothing he had ever felt flooded Talos’s veins in an instant, pouring into his throat, his chest and his stomach. With vertigo and adrenaline clouding his mind, his face dropped and his lips fought not to quiver.

“No!“

Talos stood up, panicked, suddenly choking on an inhale of breath, he swayed but caught himself, almost falling from the instability of his world spinning in his view, the tears welling up and clouding his vision even further.

Unfortunately it wasn’t over, he kept reading and caught sight of the names on the letter in his shaking hands.

“-I’m worried that mothers machinations finally bore fruit-

- the letter reverently detailed the death of Pyras-“

Talos caught his breath, his red face contorted in unbearable agony. The burning weighted feeling immediately hit the limit of what he could bear. Unable to contain the emotions exploding through his body, he collapsed to the ground helplessly.

*THUD*

With eyes wide he lay on the cold floor, his world was swimming and twisting around him, Talos shook from his very core and wanted nothing more than to wail with agony and loss that threatened to burst through his esophagus.

His mind reached out for the memories of his sister- but the thought was forcefully cut off before it could latch on to the pain.

“-No, its not true! IT CAN’T BE!”

Talos swallowed it all, he pulled himself up off the floor grabbing his coat.

Footsteps rushed towards the door as it burst open, a red haired maid wearing a crimson stained white apron burst into the room.

“Mr. Talos sir! Are you alright, I heard-” she saw his red face, his pain, his-

“I’m fine Rosie, I’m heading out!”

“A-ah, Tal! Put some trousers on!” She said sternly.

— — —

The sun was now high in the sky. The Dominion River was bustling with the traffic both in the water and beside it.

Pulling into a public dock, Talos carelessly crashed the single-seat boat into the copper-colored stone wharf, splintering the bow.

The impact sent the docking boats rocking.

 

An especially aggrieved raven-haired woman fussing with woodworking tools the next boat over cursed under her breath.

 An older angered dockmaster scrambled over his desk by the stairs. “HEY! THOSE ARE PUBLIC PROPERTY BOY! HEY!!” He jutted out his hairy arm to stop Talos’ approach.

The dockmaster wore a bright turquoise poncho and beret with a house crest sewn on.

‘Not now, just- *sigh*’ 

Tali’s composed himself. “Boat and dagger, house Wavepiercer, I presume? If I’m correct, your house trades frequently with my own, Talos Frostvale, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir…”

The man adjusted his beret, centering his house crest “Well that tracks. I’ve heard about your recent incident at the Colegial Champion Institute. You were expelled, if I’m not mistaken. And look here, yet another instance of poor impulse control. The name’s Tidevar Wavepiercer, by the way.

Docking fee and repair costs come to 105 iron.”

‘90 iron for a chipped bow and some paint! Bloody highborns!’ Holding back his retort, Talos grabbed a pouch from his belt and started counting.

“Oh, and an extra 20 for the artisan’s wage.” The dockmaster eyed the pouch, probably estimating what was in there in his head.

The blatant arrogance boiled Talos’s blood. He stopped himself from blowing up on the man and clenched his jaw tight.

He quickly shook the man’s hand and finished the deal.

‘I’ll be hearing about this from fath-‘

He shelved the thought and walked off.

By the boat, the raven haired artisan eyed up the newly broken bow and grumbled, mentally scheduling her extra workload. “As if scrubbing the blood off all the hulls wasn’t enough work for one person. Stingy bastard.”

Sprinting up the short stairs and through a ceramic tiled archway off the wharf, Talos pushed his way through the riverside promenade market. 

Echoes of sales trades and deals bounced off of the dark, narrow market, agitating Talos, who had to apologize after pushing past a few inebriated men.

‘Gods it’s only midday, and these fools are drunk. Well dressed, plump and careless about how loud they are. Highborns.

People are out there actually dying for them and these wastes of space do nothing but spend their bloodlines money.’

“Watch it, fool!” another red-faced youth slurred at Talos, who he had deliberately veered into to save an uncomfortable stall owner from the drunkards grabby hands.

“What do you- ah, Talos Frostvale! Delighted to see you again! If I recall we met at the Redquiver’s ball last summer!”

Talos scoffed and rolled his eyes, not slowing in the slightest. ‘I can’t do this today, I’m so done with highborns.’

The sun blinded Talos emerging from the shadowed market street only to be met with the very thing that put him in the sour mood in the first place.

*sigh* ‘Fuck this country.’

Before him stood an intersection: a path connecting the market, the road ahead, and a road deeper into the city.

In the middle of the intersection was a raised round platform made of gem-like stone that glistened with tones of red, blue and green light.

On top of the imposing pedestal stood a stone figure, a man in armour, covered from the neck down in metal, a mace outstretched pointing diagonally upwards to the sky, not reared for an attack but as a statement, a cry.

The man’s beaten and dented armour mirrored the wear on his own face. His hair was matted, his face was visibly torn and his beard unshaven, not from choice but lack of time or tools. But the worst part was his right eye that hung from its socket.

People say he was screaming in defiance, or maybe he was singing to the gods who welcomed him to their side.

But to Talos, this man who had turned to stone wore the look of someone in pain, someone scared, yet had to be brave for others.

The sight reminded him of his s- 

He once again wrenched away the thought before it could formulate.

He failed to rip his eyes away from the placard beneath the man’s feet before he read it.

“Saint River Wolfbark, holy messenger of Puraetho.”

Talos marched past the uncaring crowd with his head down, heading deeper into the city.

‘River.’ He lingered on the word.

‘They didn’t even let him keep his name.’

— — —

Stained glass windows taller than the houses of lowborns adorned the facade of the grand hotel. Its pristine white coating of weather paint reflected the sunlight onto the gardens before it.

‘Just how many people would give anything to sleep in this building?’

Before its open gates, Talos stretched his palms and balled his fists repeatedly.

‘It’s them, they’re all in there. All the bloodlines that think just like mother.’

Repeated memories of standing at this gate held Talos in place, the same nerves, the same weight.

‘Weight.’

Talos caught himself in the act of highborn procedure. He compared the weight of Pyras’s and father’s well-being with that of this place’s expectations of him.

‘It’s nothing compared to this.’

With disgust, said weight lifted from his shoulders.

‘I’m such an idiot.’

…

“Puraetho bleed me dry, I’m such an idiot!” He shouted.

Talos clenched his jaw and strode forward without escort or invitation.

“It’s such a joke!” he grumbled

Talos’s heavy footsteps attracted a coven of noblewomen picnicking under shade of a giant blue mushroom cap.

‘oh, I dare you-‘

“Oh darling Chrys! I hear congratulations are in order!” The woman with the smuggest smirk chirped.

Beside her another one joined in. “Silvia! But I am positively sure Mr Frostvale is supposed to be much taller than-“

“Save it!” Talos barked mid stride.

The women sang a chorus of gasps that turned into muttering.

The blond one that the pot-stirrer had called Silvia stood up and peacocked “You should really have learned your lesson on status after the Institute.

You are not your brother or sister, you have already embarrassed your house once this month.”

Talos stopped his stride.

‘Not today, not now, and you know what …

never again.’

He turned on his heels and unceremoniously shouted “NO ONE FUCKING CARES SILVIA!!”

His cry echoed across the small garden turning heads, scaring away some scaly winged rodents, the coven sat there stunned.

 He didn’t relent, he’d started, and he couldn’t hold it back anymore. “You know, for a firstborn, with all your education and ‘superior blood’ what the depths do you even do all day besides collect an audience and talk down to people.”

To give the girl credit, she switched gears pretty quickly, you could see it in her eyes.

She chuckled “You should really be thanking the divines that they have saved your bloodline for you, may Saint Pyras’s blessings be upon us.”

“Pyras is more of a woman than you’ll ever be, witch!”

Talos balled his fists until they were white, his jaw couldn’t clench any harder.

The girl’s mouth moved and the other women screamed and yelled from their safety blanket, but all he heard was white noise ringing in his ear.

‘Just keep moving, it’s all bullshit, mother surely has more information on this farce.’

Talos stormed past the door attendant whose jaw had hit the floor. He zoned in on the receptionist, blue scaled dress, big curled brown hair.

She looked up and then looked up again, this time with worry.

“Why Mr Frostvale, w-what seems to be the matter?” She peered behind him at the crowd of angry women at the entrance bickering.

“Where’s mother.” He demanded.

“Ah, lady Frostvale is in the tea room, third floor, the sixth door to the right.” She smiled forcefully.

Talos barely registered the directions, he’d already set off up the giant blood-wood stairway.

“Ah, Congratulations on the ascension!” She called out.

‘Bloody worthless religious nationalists’

— — —

Upon reaching the third floor, a young brunette woman in a blue scaled top and a long white skirt stood in the middle of the hall. Hands on her hips she scowled at Talos, watching him approach.

Talos readied himself for a barrage.

She grabbed his wrist tight and yanked him to a different private room out of earshot of the women peering through the doorway of the tea room.

*SLAM*

“Talos Brightiron Frostvale!” She whisper yelled through gritted teeth, peering down at him with a searing gaze.

“Mother, not today-“

“NOT TODAY!? Boy do you understand the consequences of what you’ve just done? To Sivila Redquiver of all people! Krustallos unfreeze this boys mind, she’s of age and dealing suitors Talos!”

“Mother! I’d never in a dozen lifetimes even consider-“

“You?” She scoffed “I was planning to formally introduce her to Chrys at the winter ball!

Gods help me! All my efforts are for naught as usual, I’ve already had to apologize to lady Ingrid on Pyras’ behalf, their union is obviously off. 

I hope she remembered her etiquette lessons! If she arrives in an undignified pose I’ll be a laughing stock!”

His heart began to sink, bet he tore the thoughts and feelings asunder with what little hope he had left.

“Mother, then she’s gone? It’s real?”

Talos hung on her words, desperate for any kind of sign he’d got it all wrong.

“Isn’t it wonderful! I’d planned on her time in the military being put to use with the Saphire families security background, she had to understand her future partners roots if we were to tie the families properly, but who could have guessed! My Pyras, a messenger of the gods themselves! There’s a Saint in the family, Talos!”

 “Seriously!?” 

“While we’re on the topic, I’ve arranged for you to meet the master of rituals at Saint Galestrike cathedral. Her mortal shell will arrive in a week or two and I need you up to speed on the hymns and passages. Chrys cont do it obviously, so you shall lead the bathing ritual and the first contact, I shall take charge of the sermon, don’t worry.”

Every spark of burning rage began to wither, a quiet resignation set in. 

He could see it clearly now, he knew his mother was a faithful woman, but not to this level. She truly believed Pyras was alive, that she’d transcended to whatever realm the gods reside in.

“And father?” Talos asked, quiet and sullen.

For a moment, just a small glimpse, he saw grief and remorse on his mothers face that quickly steeled itself away.

‘Like mother like son.’ Talos hated that he’d just caught that similarity.

“That man, he made his decision, he never listens to me, and now I have to pay the price for his actions.”

“Right, well, I’ll be off, I better visit the cathedral ahead of time.” he scooted past her and slowly made his way back down stairs.

“You’d better apologize to the Redquiver girl Talos! I’ll figure out reparations after our Saint Pyras is finally in the estate.”

“Goodbye mother” Talos meant it.

 ‘That’s it between me and her I think, it’s not her fault, but-‘

Talos watched as his mother made her way back to the tea room, hearing the rush of footsteps clamber back to their seats.

‘-I can’t be part of this anymore.’

— — —

Walking past the door attendant who watched him with awe, talos was interrupted from his thoughts by the woman and her audience.

Talos looked up from the floor, calm, weightless.

“Mr Frostvale, Talos, may I call you Tal?”

Talos furrowed his brow, the woman’s eyes were much softer, her entire demeanor had changed. 

‘Why has she changed into different clothes?’

Silvia took his silence as compliance and stepped forward.

“I do hope you don’t hold a grudge against  me, I did not mean to offend, I realize how stressfull this must all be for you and your house. I hope I’m not being to forward, but might you be interested in talking about an official introduction, over drinks maybe?” 

Her tone was soft and her posture was unguarded, leaning in with her palms together infront of her, facing upwards.

‘What is she doing? She’s sucking up to me? Why would she want a- Pyras, she wants Pyras.’

“Look, it’s a lovely thought, but no. Also you’ve no need to apologize, it’s not your fault. It’s me.” 

Talos nodded goodbye and walked past her, not waiting for a response.

‘I could get used to this whole no formalities thing’

“Talos? You’re rejecting me?” she said, confused, no malice or vile in her tone.

Talos stopped and turned his head to look back at her.

‘So informal’ he chuckled to himself internally, and said “ Its not Talos now, im done, I’m out.”

‘They’re not the only ones who can strip people of their names.’

Gasps and muttering exploded again from the jury.

“Did you hear that!? He’s lost his titles!”

“He’s been exiled! Ha, that’ll teach him about respecting betters!”

“Girls! Let him speak!” Silvia silenced them , attempting to comprehend the series of events that transpired, clearly something wasn’t adding up in her head.

“Talos, I apologize if-“

“Silvia, please.”

‘She genuinely seems shaken up, ha! I didn’t think she had it in her.’

“it’s not Talos anymore. I don’t want it.

It’s just … empty.” 

He gestured to the out of place giant blue mushroom, the only white building in the area, it’s unguarded grass. 

“All of this is, it’s just all hollow words and false actions. What’s the use of fighting it anymore, riverborns never really fit in with highborns anyway.”

The openness that Talos displayed certainly did shock Silvia. His demeanor, his words, everything he’d done today wasn’t proper.

“I don’t understand, It’s all part of the game, it’s how things are done. You’re truly willing to give all of this up? Why?”

Talos actually turned to look at her this time, appreciating the genuine question, his perception of her shifted slightly, just a touch. “I don’t know, but I refuse to watch anyone else die for my name, while I just sit here reaping the rewards. Goodbye Silvia, I hope our paths never cross again.”

“Tal-, what do I call you now anyway, River?”

‘Huh, I haven’t thought about it, I mean who would…’

A flash of a memory came rushing into his mind, one about Pyras that he didn’t immediately tear to pieces.

‘A good memory.’

“HA! Brian, call me Brian” He smiled from ear to ear, eyes wet.

‘Our private camping trips, we’d spend  days in the woods alone, make up names for each other, we’d pretend we were heroes hunting down monsters.’

“Then Brian, I do hope our paths cross again, this is quite an interesting turn of events.” From the look on her face, she seemed to mean that. Not that Brian really believed it.

Brian didn’t respond, instead he turned and proceded to take tentative steps forward, to something new, something earned, something he could be proud of.

—> Next Chapter