The Valley of Fire

“There weren’t always dragons in the valley and under your new reign, may there never be dragons again!”

The hundreds of men, women, and children living in the Kingdom of the West, looking up at the nearly-appointed teenage king erupted in praise. Xenos knelt before his people, humbled and terrified for what would come next. The Archduke of Doldran stood behind the trembling prince, holding the gold, jewel-encrusted crown just inches above his bowed head. The crowd grew silent as the Archduke recited the king’s prayer over Xenos, calling for the men who served before him to guide and protect the young king. Xenos silently recited his own version of this prayer to one king in particular. His father.

“I present to you the ruler of the Kingdom of the West of Doldran! Long live King Xenos Draco Nethershine!”

“Long live King Xenos Nethershine!”

The crowd chanted those five words over and over as the Archduke lowered the ornate crown onto the teen’s head. Xenos rose to his feet, lifted his head, and looked down on the crowd of cheering people. His people. He watched in awe as they danced and celebrated underneath the mid-summer sun. Standing there, before them, he felt for the first time the immense pressure that came with this title. He knew being king would be both an honor and a burden, but he wasn’t quite prepared for an overwhelming feeling of dread to wash over him so suddenly.

Xenos could feel the panic swirling inside of him. What started as a small spark, grew into a strongly burning flame, then spread like an uncontrollable wildfire throughout his over six foot tall, thin frame. Without pause, his organs were consumed, set ablaze. His blood boiled, hot like lava. The molten liquid flowed to every inch of him, making his skin hot to the touch. Xenos was trying his best to mask the raging chaos consuming him from the inside out. Not knowing how else to quench the flames, Xenos quickly signaled to the guards to close the castle’s gate. The handful of men operated the pulley system to raise the heavy, wooden door. When the door finally slammed shut, Xenos felt a sense of calm come over him, extinguishing the fire within. For a brief moment, he felt entirely at ease.

But the celebration and congratulations coming from behind him, from the men of the royal council, reawakened Xenos’ panic. He turned to face them, knowing he should say something to them, address them in some way, but when he opened his mouth to speak, nothing came out. He didn’t know what to say. For years, he had grown up idolizing and respecting these men and their wisdom, recognizing that it was their counsel, their advice that allowed the Kingdom of the West to be the prosperous land that it now was. These five men have spent decades learning about and leading this kingdom, and today, a teenage boy became the person they have to answer to. In their eyes, this kid had never been more than the son of King Oberon. Xenos, and the royal council, didn’t know if they could or would ever see him as someone or something more.

Xenos watched as the men exited the rotunda and headed for the council’s chambers. He was the last to exit, walking a few steps behind the Archduke and the man who served as King Oberon’s confidant during his kingship.

“Will you and the other members of the high court be joining us today for the inaugural meeting of the king’s royal council?”

“Unfortunately, we cannot. There are rumors of an uprising in the Kingdom of the South. Me and the others are traveling there to offer our support to King Asmodeus. We must be leaving soon if we are going to make it to Dwellmane before nightfall.”

“Of course. We will have a handful of our bravest warriors accompany you and your men on your journey to provide you with protection.”

“You are too kind, sir. Now, about this young king. Will you all be able to get done what needs to be done at this meeting?

“Yes, sir. It shouldn’t be a problem. King Oberon was a good man, but stubborn and shortsighted. His boy seems less set in his ways and eager to please. I believe if we are cautious, we will have no problem doing what must be done.”

“That is good to hear. I know I don’t need to remind you of how imperative it is that we move quickly on this. We know what happened the last time there was magic left uncontrolled in Doldran.”

“Of course, Archduke. We will do all we can.

"Whatever it takes.”

"Yes, whatever it takes."

“For the good of Doldran.”

“For the good of Doldran.”

The two men shook hands before parting ways at the entrance of a long hall. Xenos didn’t hear everything that was said, but he heard enough to know that he could not trust this man like his father had before him. He would need to tread carefully in his presence. Trying to maintain his composure, Xenos shoved his worries down and followed the council members into a long hallway lined with portraits of this kingdom’s former rulers. Each portrait was six feet tall and three feet wide, yet somehow looked small in this space.

The members of the royal council walked halfway down the hall then entered the room on the right. To the left of the doorway was an empty space where the portrait of Xenos would go and to the right of the doorway was the portrait of King Oberon. Xenos paused in front of his father’s portrait.

His auburn hair was braided into six perfect cornrows, each too long to be captured fully in the frame. Within the red braids, you could see strands of white. Hairs earned from years of selfless devotion to protecting his family, his people, his kingdom. His jade green eyes had lost their brilliant sparkle over time and in its place earned a sort of heaviness that comes with sleepless nights and the inability to unsee the types of evil he witnessed during his reign. There was a depth to them that could only be acquired from time spent on the throne. Looking up at his father, he saw confidence and bravery, the very things that made this nearly five foot tall man seem six foot tall.

His presence was enormous and standing here, Xenos felt totally eclipsed by his father’s shadow.

The quiet grumbles coming from the council’s chambers told Xenos the men were growing impatient. Xenos let out an exasperated sigh, puffed his chest, lifted his chin, then entered the council’s chambers for the very first time.

At the center of the large, somewhat barren room, was a circular, oak table engraved with the initials of all of the kings that had served before Xenos. At the head of the table sat an oversized, golden throne. It was padded and covered with a dark, green fabric, lined with jewels. Seven smaller, yet ornately decorated, chairs filled in the rest of the space around the circular table.

The men of the royal council watched from behind their chairs as Xenos made his way to the throne. He traced his father’s initials with his finger before taking his seat at the head of the table. The five men, each of whose light-colored hair had been braided into intricate and unique patterns, took their seats next. Then, two women entered the chambers. The room was silent as they watched them make their way across the room, mesmerized by how they long, blonde braids–adorned with daffodils–swayed in perfect rhythm with their steps, to take their seats in the empty chairs closest to Xenos. Seiran Lunamore, Xenos’ betrothed, sat down first, followed by his mother, Ellamae.

“I think we’ve waited long enough, nephew. I’ll get us started. We need to discuss our plan for seizing the valley. The dragons continue to repopulate. As of yesterday, my men counted 30 full grown dragons and 8 eggs. If we do not do something about them, and quickly, they will become unstoppable.”

“I’m not sure that should be our focus, Acanthus,” Ellamae interrupted, “the dragons have been living peacefully in the valley for a decade and a half now. They were not something my late-husband, God rest his soul, ever saw as a threat to the kingdom and that hasn’t changed. What we need to address is feeding our people. The fishermen continue to yield good hauls, but our fields are not producing enough crops. We need to either increase supply or supplement our food source.”

“I understand that my brother did not see these fire breathers as a threat, but that’s because he was a coward. He was too scared to face these beasts. We cannot continue to live in fear. We need to show these monsters that we are strong and brave and are the dominant ones. This is our land and we need to take control of it. And if it’s food you’re most worried about, we can see from here that the land in the valley is rich and green. It must be fertile. This is where we can grow our crops. If we can take control of the valley, we could produce enough food to feed not just ours, but all the kingdoms in Doldran. We could control production and regulate trade across the kingdoms and we could build an army of dragons. We could rule all of Doldran. We could be unstoppable.”

“I, for one, agree with my mother. These dragons have not been and are not currently a threat to us. And as far as I am concerned, ruling over the Kingdom of the West should be our focus, not trying to control all of Doldran. We should be focused on the problems that exist within our kingdom’s walls. We need to be focused on our people.”

“But Xenos.”

“From here on out, uncle, you will refer to me as either your king or your grace.”

Acanthus straightened his back and sat up in his chair in an attempt to inflate himself and seem bigger than he truly was. He and Xenos were both taken aback by the venom in that declaration. The only person who had ever spoken to Acanthus with that sort of authority and sternness was his late-brother. Even as kids, Oberon had always had this uncanny ability to make Acanthus feel small, almost insignificant, and he maintained that power until the day he died. He would be damned if he’d let his nephew treat him this way, too.

“The fact is, your grace,” Acanthus hissed through gritted teeth, “we are no match for these dragons. No army, no matter the size or amount of resources, could ever compete with the abilities of these monsters. We would have no hope to withstand the type of devastation and hell they could unleash on our kingdom. The only way we will have a fighting chance against them is if we strike first.”

“They have never crossed into or even came close to invading ours or any of the kingdoms of Doldran. If we have been coexisting peacefully with the dragons for over a decade, why would we anticipate this to change?”

“Just because they have not leveled our kingdom yet doesn’t mean that they won’t. The point is that they can and one day they will. And when they do, the blood of all the innocent lives within our kingdom will be on your hands.”

Acanthus pushed back from the table and stormed off towards the exit. He knew losing his temper would only make him seem unstable and vindictive, so instead he chose to leave the council’s chambers. He would wait for the right moment to make his bid for the throne before the royal council and the high court. He would show them just how naive and inept this teenager was to rule the Kingdom of the West and once he did, there would be no way that they would deny him the crown. Not again.

Acanthus had no idea that this was the royal council’s and high court’s plan all along.

Xenos waited until he could no longer hear Acanthus’ heavy steps down the creaking hallway.

“My fellow councilmen,” he began slowly, choosing his words carefully, “while I do not believe these dragons pose an immediate threat to our kingdom, I do acknowledge that they may pose an imminent threat to our people. I do not want to mobilize hundreds of soldiers to begin an unwarranted war that will surely result in unnecessary death. As a compromise, I will venture into the valley of fire on my own. I will see for myself the condition of the land and learn about these creatures so we may best prepare for action for if or when the time comes.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Xenos?” Seiran’s voice quivered as the question left her lips.

“His grace has spoken and I, for one, second his decision.”

Xenos was not surprised that this gray-bearded councilman who was busy conversing with the Archduke was eager to send him into the valley of fire. No one from theirs, or any of the kingdoms of Doldran, had tried to enter the valley since the dragons appeared, so no one knew what Xenos’ chances of survival were. If he, or anyone else, were guessing, Xenos’ odds of returning to the kingdom alive were slim, at best. Xenos knew this plan was dangerous and that walking into the valley could be the single act that ends his life, but he was not afraid. He was excited. Exhilarated by the simple thought that he would finally have a reason and a chance to journey into this land. Into the very place that had been consuming his mind for most of his life. His decision to do this, and do it alone, was in part to protect the people of his kingdom. But mostly, it was an excuse to go where he never thought possible. To satisfy his burning desires and endless curiosities.

Ellamae was overcome with panic at the very thought of her son venturing into the valley of fire. She had spent his whole life trying to keep him from even thinking about that place. She needed to keep him alive and keep Acanthus from ever inheriting the throne. But more than that, she needed to keep the seer’s premonition from coming true for on the day that her son crosses into the valley of fire, the Kingdom of the West would crumble. Ellamae turned to look at her son, trying to hide the tears swelling behind her light-colored eyes and choke down the sobs piling up in her throat. She wanted to scream, she wanted to stop him, but she was completely paralyzed knowing that there was nothing she could do to stop what was already in motion. There was no shielding him or the Kingdom of the West from the chaos that was brewing just beyond the horizon.

“Now, about food,” Xenos began, bringing Ellamae’s mind back to the task at hand, ‘it seems that we are bringing in plenty of fish, so let’s commission one of our war vessels as a fishing boat. May as well put it to good use. How many men will we need?”

“Between 20 and 30, your grace.”

“Okay. Let’s recruit 30 men. They will set sail with the current crew and learn to navigate the seas, man the ship, and fish. We will pay these men one piece of silver per day.”

“Yes, your grace.”

“As for supplementing the food supply, let’s send a small team to the forest just North of the kingdom’s wall. They can hunt and gather what they find there. It will likely not be enough to fully replace our crop production, but it can at least supplement our food supply in the meantime. ”

“And where will this team come from?”

“Select 10 of our finest warriors. We don’t know what’s living in the forest, so we will send the men who are best equipped to handle whatever they may encounter.”

“Of course, your grace.”

“I think that is enough for today. Let’s consider our inaugural meeting adjourned.”

All of the council members, and Seiran and Ellamae, stood and bowed to the king before exiting. Seiran made it halfway to the door before turning back around. She stood next to Xenos, who was still seated on his throne, and took his shaking hand into hers.

“Your father would be proud.”

Xenos looked up from the table and found himself memorized by her sapphire blue eyes. He hadn’t noticed the specks of gold in them before. She sweetly kissed his forehead before turning to leave the chambers, but before getting too far, Xenos grabbed her by her olive-colored arm, just below her elbow and pulled her back into him. Xenos kissed her with more passion than he had ever shown before. It was untamed and intense. Animalistic.

One hell of a first kiss.

Even though they have known each other their whole lives, being practically inseparable from the time they could walk, and have been betrothed to be married for over half a year, they had never so much as looked at the other with any feeling of longing or desire. To be honest, Seiran would rather be with the boy that tends the garden, as would Xenos. Even though they did not have romantic feelings for the other, they had a type of friendship, a sort of love, that was more spectacular and powerful than anything they could have ever hoped for. The closeness that they had for the other was one of such depth and selflessness that neither felt like they were missing anything in having the other. What they had was more than enough.

Xenos and Seiran slowly parted, both blushing, embarrassed by their moment of inhibition. Seiran mumbled goodbye before turning to leave. Xenos took one last look around the council chamber before following her out. He exited into the hallway and walked towards the stairs at the end of it. He climbed two flights, exited onto another short hallway, and walked into the first room on the right. It was smaller than one would imagine, only taking Xenos about 5 steps to get from one side of the room to the other.

This was Xenos' bedroom.

Xenos, though he had grown up walking these walls, knowing he would someday be king, had never felt like he belonged here. He always felt out of place, uncomfortable in this castle. But here, in this small, unremarkable room, Xenos felt completely serene. This was the one place he could simply be.

He walked over to his window and watched as the blue sky was painted with brilliant streaks of red and orange. He watched as the bright colors faded, leaving only a dark, black sky speckled with brilliant stars in its wake. His eyes wandered across the land, stopping only briefly to watch the people walking down below. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the dragons moving across the valley.

He watched, in awe, as the dragons settled in for the night. He was intrigued by them. Where others saw beasts, he saw beauty. Every single one of these creatures was unique, distinguishable from the others. They were mystical and magical and fantastic and larger than life. For as massive as these animals were, they moved with such grace. Xenos was completely entranced by them. More than anything, Xenos was amazed by the total harmony that these dragons lived in, not just with each other, but with all of the people of Doldran. Xenos was not sure of much, but he was sure that these dragons were special and worth protecting. He swore he would do whatever it takes to keep these creatures safe.

Xenos could spend all night starring at the dragons from his small window. He stared in silence, begging his drooping eyelids to stay open a little longer, but found it nearly impossible to stay awake any longer. He took the few steps required to reach his bed and without undressing, climbed under the covers. He breathed in, closed his eyes, and let the world melt away. He drifted into a dream, his mind picking up where the last one left off.

He was soaring through the sky, flying amongst the dragons. He looked at where his arms should be and instead saw two six-foot long wings, covered with orange scales that glistened brilliantly in the midday sun. He followed the hoard of dragons, weaving in and out of the clouds, as they flew higher and further than ever before. He cheered with them–roaring–causing the Earth below them to shake. To the people below, the thunderous sound incited panic and fear, but to Xenos and the other dragons, their roars were comforting, like that of a familiar song.

But as quickly as it came, the calm of the moment was shattered by the screams emanating from the people of this unfamiliar kingdom below. Then, Xenos felt their fear. Boulders soared through the air, crashing into his body with enough force to knock him off course. Arrows tore through his wings, making it almost impossible for Xenos to flap his wings. He was slowing down, falling behind the other dragons. But no matter the amount of pain or desperation the dragons were facing, they did nothing to retaliate. They didn’t charge at the people or unleash a rain of fire. They simply tried their best to escape this danger.

Xenos’ wings were completely tattered and torn, making it impossible to fly. His body crashed into the Earth, just beyond the kingdom’s walls. The people of this kingdom charged him with swords, spears, and knives in hand. They hurriedly stabbed and sliced at the beast, determined to see it die.

His blood, black as the midnight sky, oozed out of the dozens of holes carved into his scaly flesh. It was getting harder for Xenos to keep his eyes open. His breath grew ragged and shallow. He was drifting in and out of consciousness. Although he didn’t want to die, he knew he couldn’t endure this agony for much longer. He closed his eyes, struggled to inhale for the last time, then let the life drift out of him.

Xenos shot up in bed–his face drenched with sweat and heart racing–trying to reorient himself to reality. His dream had felt so real that he half expected to find his body covered in wounds and blood, but when he inspected himself, he saw nothing unusual. No marks, no scars, no evidence that what he had just experienced was more than a manifestation of his subconscious. He walked over to the dragons, not knowing why, but knowing he needed to see them.

He looked at the hill, searching for something, but not sure of what. He looked from dragon to dragon, seeing nothing peculiar, until he found it. Or rather, it found him.He searched the hill, but saw nothing peculiar.

He locked eyes with a dragon that was sitting a few feet away from the others, near a fully grown tree. Xenos couldn’t make out the dragons body, as it blended into its surroundings, but those eyes were impossible to miss. They were unremarkable in the sense of their shape and color, but there was a type of magnetism behind them. Staring into these two full, deep yellow eyes, Xenos felt compelled by them. He felt the dragon calling him, begging him, summoning him to the valley. He didn’t quite understand what was happening, what he was feeling, but he didn’t entirely care. His body was flooded with adrenaline and a sense of urgency that he could not ignore. He needed to go to the dragons. To the valley. Now.

Xenos pulled a black cloak out from the chest near his bed, draped it over his arms, and fastened it around his neck with a knot. He searched underneath the stacks of loose pages of drawings of dragons cluttering his desk, for a few scraps of fabric. He tied up his thick, curly, black hair that cascaded like a waterfall down his back to hide his identity and as an added precaution, he pulled the cloak’s hood over his head. He grabbed the solitary candle from his desk and fastened it safely into his lantern before descending down the stairwell just outside of his room. Xenos walked four flights down before exiting the staircase and entering the dark hallway. The only light was coming from the single candle Xenos was carrying.

He had never ventured to this part of the castle, as he was forbidden by his father from ever stepping foot here, but he had grown up hearing rumors of this place; the secrets hidden behind these wooden doors, sealed in by thick metal bars and indestructible steel locks. He had heard rumors that at the end of this long, dark hall was a door, marked by an arrow, that led to a maze of underground tunnels that ran below the Kingdom of the West. Xenos intended to find out if this was more than a myth.

He tiptoed down the dark corridor, holding his breath as he passed by these mysterious rooms. As he walked on, the gut-wrenching screams and painful cries coming from the other side of these doors made Xenos’ blood curdle. He could feel the dread wafting through the air, strangling him. He ran, wanting to get out of there as fast as he could. He reached the door at the end of the hallway and searched frantically for the marker, rubbing his hand along the worn and warped wood. Then, he felt it. A small arrow carved into the wood just above the weathered knob, undetectable to anyone who did not know what they were looking for. He steadied his nerves and gripped the knob, sending a shiver up his spine. Before he could convince himself to turn back, he turned the knob, pushed his way through the doorway, and disappeared into the underground tunnels.