Kronin's War by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (best book clubs .txt) 📖

Kronin's War


Kronin Dratianos was the Heir to the Dragon Throne. His Dratyr, Lord Draconis, and his mutyr, Lady Adellandra, were Emperor and Empress of the Dragon Nations. He lived in the capital city of Mal'estar with them and his twin sisters, Princess Locanna, named after her Gramere and Princess Locanna, named after her Grandaunt.
Kronin Draconis Dratianos was a Dragonwolf, but held more dragonblood than his mutyr's wolfen blood. He was strong but fierce, not only in magic but in mind and body. He took after his mutyr in only one thing that pleased him. He was a Spirit Dragon. Proudly he stood in demiform of a dragonmale, his colors reflecting his dratyr's darker side of pitch black. His eyes were as his mutyr's, brilliant starry-eyed silver. For his three years, Kronin, Heir-Prince of Mal'estar, was wise beyond his age. Kronin learned many things from both his parents, but mostly he took after his powerful Dratyr, Draconis.
Nightly, he took to the skies with his dratyr's favorite guard Dranus not far behind. Dranus nurtured his eagerness for adventure and scouting. He was welcomed into the army's ranks early, proving himself many times over to both his instructors and his peers. He bested many at magic and swordwork.
As a Spirit Dragon, Kronin was able to do many things other elemental dragons could not. He could transport himself from one place to another with merely a thought. He could also stay silent in the shadows and remain invisible. He learned that early from his mutyr.
One particular night, when his sisters were in bed and his dratyr was in his study with Dranus and the rest of the Guard, Kronin took to his mutyr's side. She'd been ill lately and he brought her herbal remedy to her, in hopes she'd feel better soon. Adellandra Dratianos hadn't been the same warm and caring Empress Mutyr lately. The Nation was slowly declining, Draconis was slowly receding into himself with worry for his mate and Empress. Even his uncle Drakkar and Drakkar's mate, Adellandra's twin Adarramena were acting differently. It seemed to Kronin that all were suffering in one way or another due to his mutyr's infliction.
The Nation needed their Empress back, Draconis needed his mate back, but most importantly of all, Kronin needed his mutyr back.
Kronin was cautious as he stepped into his mutyr's bedchamber with the mug of her herbal remedy in hand. He found her sitting in bed, kerchief in hand and reddened eyes from crying.
"Mutyr?" He whispered.
Adellandra turned to see her son there. Smiling, she opened her arms for him to hug her. "Kano, come to me, please."
Kronin stepped to her side and set the mug on the table beside her. "Why do you cry, Mutyr?"
Lady Adellandra shook her head, "Tis naught for you to worry over, kano. I will be fine soon."
"You have been ill for three weeks." Kronin pointed out. "What ails you so that all in the entire Dragon Nations feel it?"
Adellandra gasped. "You realized that too, have you?" She sighed, holding him tighter. "I cannot understand it, nor can I stop it. It is much too great even for myself or my Parentada to comprehend."
Kronin thought for a moment, and waited until his mutyr had taken a sip and swallowed before saying anything. "Could it be because you are Spirit Dragon? Spawned by the Fire Dragon and a Mountain Wolf, could your unique power, along with that of Dratyr's, be responsible for what is happening to you and our great Nation?"
Adellandra smiled, nodding. "That could be. Either that, or it could be because I have a blood-oath to the land, being its Empress."
Kronin shrugged. "Perhaps both?"
"Perhaps."
Kronin purred sadly. Adellandra placed a hand on her son's cheek. "What saddens you, kano?"
"I want us to be happy, Mutyr. Us happy and you well again." Kronin hugged her before quietly leaving the room.
To get his mind off her ailments, he took a night flight. Dranus was still busy so he went alone. He soared the skies, invisible to the Empire, thinking over his and the Lady's words. He found himself out of Mal'estar and at the borderlines of the Realm of Dreams before too long.
There had to be some reason Mutyr and Dratyr forbade us going there alone. He thought to himself.
He shook his head and continued on. Soon he passed the borderline and came across the Mountain Region. Wolf's Head, a shape in the rock that named the Region, came into view, letting him know where he was.
The Mountain Wolf Forest Packs. Those of his Gramere, Katerina Dranna, Alpha SheWolf of the Packs.
It was to her side he descended. She was busy with the other Alphas, both male and female, of the Forest Packs. He watched and waited until she was finished, just reveling in how she handled the Alphas. She dismissed them and turned to him.
"I can sense you grandonar." Katerina grinned. "You can drop your invisibility shields."
When he did so, he shifted to a Dragonwolf, as to not startle her or the other wolfkin. "Sulheya Gramere."
"Sulheya." She grinned, her grey eyes bright. They reminded him of those of his Mutyr Adellandra. "What brings you across our borders?"
"Mutyr." Was all he said before breaking down in his gramere's arms.
"Hush, Kronin." She whispered. "Tell Gramere all about it."
Kronin explained everything that had been happening in the past three weeks.
She was silent, then forced him to meet her eyes. "Kronin Dratianos, I want to promise me something. Promise you will do everything in your power to take care of your sisters and keep them safe, no matter what happens."
Kronin was confused but agreed, knowing Katerina was serious. "Aye Gramere. I promise."
After a short visit with she and the other wolfkin of her Packs, he supplied that he had to leave before he was missed.
"Pleasant Journeys and Gods Speed, Kronin."
Nothing was the same for him after that.
A week later, without word, Lady Empress Adellandra Dranna Dratianos gathered her three children. In the dead of night and without looking back, the Lady left her mate, and Mal'estar behind.
He was told to keep silent and unseen, and to make sure his sisters did the same. They flew to the borders and she silently left the three of them on the doorstep of the same woman Kronin had visited a week before.
The last words he and his sisters heard were the motto of Mal'estar. "Remember children, I will always love you. Live strong, live free, live in peace."
Tears streaming from her eyes, she left them.
It was shortly thereafter he heard about his Granpere Lord Brakkon turning, renaming himself Thorn. The destruction that followed irked in Kronin's mind for many millenias to come.
Lady Adellandra never came for him or his sisters. The Princesses were blissfully happy, living as wolves amongst the Packs. They never knew and were too young to remember their parentage. Kronin wouldn't nor couldn't forget so easily.
Soon, another kind of destruction hit, in the Realm of Dreams this time. It went by the name of Orthos, Master of his Dominionites. He and his armies destroyed sets, families, clans and homes in his path.
Didn't seem long after that Kronin was so engulfed in all that was going on that he forgot all about Mal'estar and his parents. He continued among the Wolf-Packs as a Wolfkin and spoke in their own Ancient Wolf-Speak only.
Before too long, the Packs around him dwindled in numbers, each succeeding Alpha and her Pack destroyed and killed. Madam Gramere, Katerina Dranna, was one of many hundreds of thousands of Companions and Creatures to be killed by the Master of the Dominion.
Left alone to care for the twins, Kronin found solace after the Wars for Power. A feline by the name of Braken Joel Hawk led them into the Province Wood and what was known as the Province Underground.
It wasn't until years and generations later that Braken Joel Hawk declared it safe to return above ground. The Wars were over, the Master had been Exiled and all was well.
Braken Joel and a band of what he'd called the Dream Realm Crusaders, led them back to civilization in the war-torn Realm of Dreams. Kronin couldn't help staring at the female woman beside Braken Joel. He kept his eye on the Ancient Mystic woman named Young Guardian of the Realms. Something was magically familiar about her. Long, red-blond hair, silver-blue eyes and a demeanor that screamed leader or ruler.
Not knowing where else to go when they parted ways, Kronin took Locarra and Locanna back to the Dragon Nations by flight. Unbeknownst to him, there was a barrier erected at the borderline. It was made of a magical fire that would neither spread or burn out. It had a certain magical signature all over it, but he couldn't place it.
When he saw what was left of the city of Mal'estar, he was crushed. Rubble, blood, bones, decay and other remnants of war were at that were left behind.
The realization struck him.
Kronin and the twins were orphans.
He searched the Empire for some living relative or other member of the Royal family but no one was to be found. The Once-Great Nation was empty, deserted and void of all life.
Something drew him to the back of the Palace. He saw a single gravestone marked "My Empress." Locarra and Locanna held hands as they watched Kronin fall to his knees. He cried silent tears, paying his respects to the one named "My Empress," and all that was lost of his home.
A motto went through his mind, one that hadn't been said since that fateful day millenias ago. He stared at the gravestone and spoke in a language he hadn't spoken in hundreds of years. Roughly translated, it meant. "Live strong, live free, live in peace."
Kronin didn't know where it came from, but it soothed him nonetheless.
"Come," was all he said once he calmed himself.
He flew with them to a small wooded area just outside of Mal'estar. He found traces of his mutyr still at this small hutch-cave, where she grew up. He looked to the Garden she had, and it, too was in ruins. A single, solitary white carnation was all that remained. Gently, he bent down in dragonwolf form and cupped it in his hands, whispering a prayer over it.
Locarra spoke up behind him. "What happened to all the people, satil?"
"Were they killed in a war?" Locanna asked quietly after her.
Kronin stood and nodded without looking at them. "Aye, sitas. After we rest, we will leave this place as well, and find another place to call home."
"Aye, satil." The twins chorused, using the Ancient Wolf-Speak word for brother.
They rested for the night. The next morning, the three were on their way.
They came upon a nest of dragonlets, all