CHAPTER 105: I AM A FOOL

Aeron and Nyella were flying on Draco, both weighed down with agony for leaving General Amber behind. The memory of it tore at them. Neither of them could believe what had happened, though they were now far from the Blacklands.

They flew in silence for a long while until Aeron guided Draco toward a mountain and landed there. Nyella wanted to ask him why, but the words never came. She remained quiet.

As soon as they touched the ground, Aeron climbed off Draco and walked a few steps away. Suddenly, he shouted.

"Ahhh!" He cried bitterly.

"Ahhh!" he shouted again louder, and fell to his knees.

Nyella stood behind him, frozen. She wanted to speak, but no words would leave her lips. She didn’t know how to comfort him, didn’t know where to begin, for her own heart was filled with grief.

At last, she forced herself to speak. Even if her words seemed small or meaningless, she had to try.

"Aeron," she said softly, "if this is about General Amber... you must stop crying. He made his choice. He chose to save you. He chose for you to live, for us to live. He believed in you, Aeron. That is why he gave himself."

"Believed in me? That is the problem," Aeron said as he rose to his feet. He turned, his face streaked with tears, and looked at her with anguish.

"Everyone does the same thing. Everyone I know. They choose my life over theirs. They choose my escape while they stay behind. My father did that. Varek did that. And now even Amber, Amber, a general who had only known me for a few days, he did the same." Aeron’s voice cracked as he stepped closer. "Why? Why do they keep doing this? What do they see? What do they expect me to do?"

Nyella’s eyes glistened. She took a breath. "They see who you are. Who you are going to be. What you can do. They know it is worth their lives, Aeron. They know you can save us, all of us, from the threats we face. They know you are destined for greatness, and so they choose you. Always you."

Aeron shook his head, his hands trembling. "What kind of greatness is that? The kind where I lead people to their deaths? Where my choices cost them everything?" His voice rose in anguish. "That is not greatness. That is foolishness. And I am the fool."

He clenched his fists. "I was a fool for taking Varek with me to the capital, which led to his death. I was a fool for suggesting we go to the southern kingdoms, only to find betrayal. I was a fool for not seeing the Blacklands for what they truly were. And I was the biggest fool for leaving Amber to those monsters."

His voice broke again, heavier this time. "I am... a fool," he whispered through sobs. "I don’t deserve anyone’s sacrifice. I don’t deserve to be lived for. I don’t deserve to be died for. I don’t deserve any of it."

Nyella stared at him quietly for a while. "No, you don’t deserve it," She said firmly. "If after their sacrifices all you can do is weep, regret, and wail, then you truly don’t deserve any of it. They believed in something. They believed in someone. One who can also fight for them, one who cannot be broken easily."

"They gave their lives for that belief. And here you are, looking down on yourself, letting them down." Her voice softened as she stepped closer. "I know it’s not easy. None of this is easy... but Aeron, listen."

She placed a hand on his arm. "You are destined to save us, all of us. That is why they didn’t think twice about their sacrifices. Because they know you are worth it. If I were in their place, I would do the same."

"You don’t mean that," Aeron said, shaking his head.

"I do," Nyella answered. "I’m sure of it. You don’t even see yourself clearly. You don’t understand the power you carry, the strength you have. You must look within yourself, Aeron. You must find out who you are. Who you truly are, if we are to follow you."

Both of them were quiet after those words. Aeron stared at her for a long moment, then finally asked quietly, "So what now? Where do we go?"

"To Dorch, of course," Nyella replied without hesitation.

"And how do we face King Rollo?" Aeron asked. "What do we tell him?"

Nyella’s expression grew sad. "We have no choice but to tell him the truth. The sacrifice his general made. And we must promise him that it will not be in vain."

"And if he does not accept that? Any of it?" Aeron pressed.

"Then it means the war is already lost before it begins," Nyella said. "But I believe he will. He has no choice." She reached for his hand. "Come. Let’s go, Aeron."

He gave a slow nod, and together they walked back to Draco. They climbed onto his back, and with a powerful sweep of his wings, the dragon carried them into the skies.

Hours later, after a long flight, they landed in Dorch. Aeron and Nyella dismounted and made their way toward the castle.

At the meeting hall, Ser Devic stood waiting at the door. He gave a small bow. "Welcome back," he said, then glanced at Nyella with a faint smile. "Someone came for you. You’d be surprised who it is."

Nyella frowned, confused, but said nothing. Together she and Aeron opened the doors to the hall.

Inside, King Rollo sat upon his throne, waiting. But he wasn’t alone. Standing nearby was another figure, tall and regal, with silver-threaded hair and a crown on the head.

Nyella’s breath caught. Her eyes widened.

"Father!" she cried.

Before anyone could say a word, she ran forward and threw her arms around him. King Tharyn Elyndor, ruler of Ivarion, embraced his daughter tightly.

"..."