The End or the Beginnig? -- Last of the Dragons

The next day did not bring council, nor did the one that followed after that. The only thing that followed was death and more lose. Though the Hunters did not enter the valley in force, they send out hunting parties regularly, killing the Knights they encountered and tinning their numbers even more. Every day again, more knights would lose their life, while the Hunters seemed to grow ever stronger. The war was all but lost and nothing short of a miracle would change that fact.
The Knights struggles. Each night, the rain seemed to want to drown those who were not already death. More and more, they began to understand that it was a fight they could no longer win. However, none of them seemed hasty to blame Alexandra for it. They all knew she had done what she could, but when she came into command, they were already losing the war. Each day, they moved further, never wanting to stay in one place long, but each of them knew it was only a matter of time. In the end, Alexandra put her foot down one evening and called all those who were still able to fight to her tent.
The next morning, they gathered south of their camping spot. Some on foot, some on the few horses that left them. “The chances are great that we will not lie to fight another day…” Alexandra rode before the lines, looking at her men. “But at least they will not be able to say that we did not have tried.” They had agreed to make one last attack. To show the Hunters that they still had fangs and the dragons were not yet defeated. When the sun rose above the mountains, they rode out. It would be their last stand. None of them expected to live when the night fell, but they rode out all the same. Honouring their vows and the bonds of friendship and loyalty that had formed between them.
The sun set bright red that night. Many lives had been lost that day. The Order of the Knights of the Dragon was no more. Only a handful remained alive, fleeing back into the woods. They had taken Hunters with them, but not enough to be victorious in the end. They gathered near the camp, or what was left of it. When they rode, most of the others had left. Alexandra hoped that they would make it out of the valley alive, so her command would not be remembered as the one who killed everybody. She looked to the ones who were left. “I thank you, my brave knights.” She had not come unharmed out of the conflict, nor did any of the other man. “You fought bravely, but I fear our cause if lost. Our enemy is many and I dare not to put more life at stake.” The bandage she wore was bright red from blood. “I will not release you from your vows, but I will release you from my service. Go where you want to go, be free. I only hope you will remember what it meant to be a Knight.” She put her sword down. There was no point left in fighting. The men mumbled something, but fell silent when they heard a noise in the bushes behind her. Nobody said it, but they all thought the same. Hunters.
Drawing her weapon, Alexandra turned, just to be stunned by what she saw. It were no hunters, but it was the dragon she had met before. “We meet again, Kathar.” He looked at her, before looking to the others. “If I can help it, this will not be the end. Come with me.” Without a word, the group obeyed. They had heard the story of her meeting with the dragon, but never dreamed of seeing him themselves.
Leading the little group further into the valley, Vonatril took the Knights were they had never been before. Unseen, unless if you knew where to look, he entered what seemed a small cave, but the inside was many times bigger than one would ever dare to believe. It was not only the seize of the cave that stunned the Knights, but also what they saw inside. The remaining dragons had gathered there, looking silently to the new arrivals.
Vonatril turned to Alexandra. “These are my brothers and sisters. The last dragons on this earth, just like you have the last Knights.” He sounded somehow sad. “In this hour, when all hope seems lost, we want to give you a gift, that can safe both Knights and Dragons.” One by one, the dragons rose and gathered around. “Dragons are magical beings and if need be, we possess the power to grant others what defines us.” Just like Alexandra stood before her men, Vonatril went standing before his own. “If you accept, each of us will share that special gift with one of you, making you no Order of Knights that fight to protect us, but true Dragonknights. One heart and one soul, beating in the same body.” It seemed the dragons were sure of this, but Alexandra had her doubts. She looked back to the other knights. Adam, one of the older knights, who she could just not figure out, but her father had placed great value in his counsel. Arthur, young, but he had been so full of life when he came to the castle. Eric and Steven, so different, yet, if you heard them talk sometimes you would swore they were brothers. Ryan, with his quick temper. While she looked at each one of them, they nodded silently. Even now, they would do everything to honour their vows. “We accept.” She looked back to Vonatril to give him their answer. “So be it.”
One by one, the dragons seemed to turn into light. Each colour unique to their gifts. Vonatril looked at her. “I give you my soul and power, Kathar, for it was meant to be yours since you were born.” He seemed to glow white while he looked down on her. “We give you our soul and our strength, that it may pass on to your children and their children, until it is time to prepare once more for war.” Alexandra knew the prophecy, but she was scared none the less. This was perhaps the beginning of something knew, but it meant also the end of many things. “We humbly accept your gift and gave you our oath to honor and protect that gift, until the ends of time.” She replied to Vonatril’s words. The dice had been cast, there was no way back know.
One by one, each dragons disappeared into thin air, forming a globe of light. They chose the knights that fitted best by their talents, gifts and personality before the two souls became one in the same body. When Vonatril’s soul entered her, it was like she felt a raging ice storm brewing inside her for a moment, before it became one with her body. The cold somehow comforting and letting her know she was not alone and never would be again. Wordlessly, she turned to her Knights. They all knew what had to be done. It was time to go their own ways, keeping their secret and the life they were given to protect safe. “One day, we will meet again, my Knights. I will look forward to that day and I hope to see each of you again. We may have lost this battle, but the war is not yet over. Not while we hold true to the vows we have taken. Not while we, our children and their children still live to protect the dragons.” Each of them seemed to feel the same. “Go now and now that we will meet again. They can take our castle and our ground, but they can never take our heart, our will or our dreams. We are Dragonknights and one day, the Hunters will regret the day they dared to destroy us.”

Holding her breath, Alexandra looked to the old woman on the other side of the campfire. She had heard parts of this story before, but never in a whole, like tonight. “Now you know who you are, my child, where your powers come from and one day, you will meet your Knights again.” “But Babushka, the others had no prophecies about their return.” The girl was confused. “No, they did not, Alex, but their spirit lived on in their descendants.” She rose and walked towards her granddaughter. “The day you were born, your mother died. And when I hold you and saw the eyes of a Dragonknight, I knew who you were.” She tucked a piece of hair behinds the girl’s ear. “One day, you will understand, sweety. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but in your short life, I have seen enough of you to know that I am right.” Motherly she wrapped an arm around her. “Is that why we live here and why the cold doesn’t bother me?” “It is sweetheart.” Thinking, they stared at the flames. “I’m scared….” Alex’s voice sounded faint in the winter’s air. “I know you are, but you will not be alone when the times come. They will come and if you ask, I’m sure they will help.” She pressed a kiss on her hair. “Go to bed little princess of my, one day, you will rise to be the queen you were born to be.” Smiling, Babushka watched the girl run of the her chamber before her gaze glided to the stars. “Please protect her. She’s the last hope the dragons have of ever returning. The last of the dragons and god forbid that a girl have to carry the weight she will have to carry as their last Queen.”