Prologue
Two years earlier
“That must be it!” the soldier whispered as they saw the dragon land on the shore of the cold water pond.
“Should I notify the general?” another whispered back.
“No, we have to find the girl first. Let’s get closer.”
“Are you crazy! There may be more dragons out there!”
“That’s the whole reason why we’re here; to spy on dragons. Jerk. I don’t understand why you were chosen for this position.”
“Okay, okay. But this doesn’t have to be a suicide mission, you know? I don’t want to be eaten by dragons.”
“Coward. Follow me!”
The other soldier grumbled to himself, but obeyed. They sneaked under the shelter of rocks and bushes until they got behind the trees into the forest.
“Haha, this was easier than I thought. There’s that girl.”
“Right, quite a lot of time has gone into this. Especially when half the kingdom had been scoured over… Probably a pointless errand. I don’t see what good this does,” growled the latter soldier.
“Okay, okay. But this doesn’t have to be a suicide mission, you know? I don’t want to be eaten by dragons.”
“What else could you expect with that brain,” the first snapped. “Let’s make sure they live there and aren’t just visiting.”
“And how did you plan to do it?”
“You camp here for a few days and then report back,” the first soldier grinned mischievously.
“What? You can’t mean...”
“Hush! Now look what you did!” the first one hissed and pointed at the dragon who had raised his head and was looking at the forest with a curious look.
“Good luck on your journey, you are responsible for the success of the mission to the general. You know what will happen to those who fail him,” he added and bolted away the way they had come, leaving his companions staring after him, frozen in terror.
Elsewhere later
“How long will it take to complete?” the man asked as he looked at the drawings laid out on the table, all created by his ingenious brain. Which the city’s chief planner had outlined according to his instructions.
“A year, maybe two at most. We still need to fabricate a prototype first, for testing. Besides that, finding supplies and casting parts takes time. The city’s carpenters and blacksmiths cannot spend all their time on this. They have much to do in the city. The standard defense equipment must be maintained and supplied…”
“But you can.”
“Um, what can I...?”
“Use all your time for this!” the man roared, slamming his palm down on the drawings, causing the table to shake and a gust of air to send one of the sheets of paper flying onto the stone floor. His sweat-slicked fingers crumpled the paper as he straightened up, took a deep breath, and continued in a honeyed voice, “It’s necessary. You’ll get a raise, of course.”
He turned away from the table, clasping his hands behind his back, and began to pace the room. The clatter of heavy boots echoed off the rough walls. “Is there enough iron for the castings?”
“I’m not sure. More can still be mined if we do run short.”
“In that case, tell the men to work. I don’t allow delays.” He waved his hand impatiently and stopped. “The work must not stop due to running out of material. Do you understand?”
“I u-understand, sir. I must say the plan is genius. I’m sure no one else has tried the same, b-but how are you going to capture the dragon?”
“The technical details are your responsibility. The destination and location is known and is just waiting for its applicant. I’ll make that girl reveal her secret and then I’ll rule the entire continent!”
Few weeks earlier (before the events of the first chapters)
A SandWing stood in the barren and cold borderlands, squinting from the biting winds as the ruins of the Great Ice Cliff towered in the distance. He pulled his cloak around his wings, trying to look like he wasn’t bothered by the cold.
IceWing’s suggestion was strange, but on the other talon, he needed an ally now. Tapping his claw on the icy ground he considered his options.
Huddling by the tree line to hide from the winds, his minions had lit fires to keep warm, making him snort disdainfully. Their ranks had dwindled and they had become pathetic outcasts. But the situation would change. He had sworn revenge and all he needed was a little help from the IceWings to carry out his plan. He still had his wealth, but they had been forced to retreat almost literally underground with the disappearance of their previous ally.
“Alright, I’ll do it,” he spat the words out of his mouth, turning towards the waiting IceWing. “But what else do you expect in return?”
“Salary for soldiers. I can’t use the Queen’s army, so I’ve had to gather my troops from outlying villages. Perhaps you also have “a means” with which the change of power can be handled smoothly?”
“In this case, yes. But my subordinates cannot appear in the Ice Kingdom. You must arrange for someone to collect it from the Scorpion Den at the appointed time.”
“How much time do you need?”
“Don’t get ahead of things. We’ll take care of your smaller problem first. For that, I have to make inquiries and carry out background research so that the result is permanent. After that, it’s my turn to get the support you promised, and once I’ve achieved my goal, it’s time for the final leg.”
“If we take care of the IceWings problem first, you will get stronger support for your project, which is frankly quite risky,” the IceWing pointed out.
“I know the risks and I’m prepared, but if I give you everything right away with a talonshake, what reason do you have to bother to the Kingdom of Sand anymore,” the SandWing snarled.
“Some still have a sense of honor left,” the IceWing hissed.
“I need a collateral. Something from the Royal Treasury.”
“But I can’t...”
“Do you want my help or not? I thought it was important.”
“Alright, I’ll arrange the matter when the first part is successfully completed. Do you mean something in particular?”
“Hmm, from the Forbidden Treasure, yes...”
“What! It is only for the...! HOW do you know about that?”
“Let’s just say that I know everything that matters,” answered the SandWing smugly.
“I don’t have access to it any more than you do. You probably know that too,” the IceWing hissed.
“That’s your problem. A piece of a puzzle that needs to fit into the right place, nothing more.”
“Right, if you help me first, I will personally hand over the treasure I have chosen to you, and then it is not just a pledge, you can keep it.”
“I don’t want any trinket,” the SandWing snorted. “Collateral. At first. And after that you get the rest.”
The IceWing blew icy mist into the air and growled in a low voice as she struggled internally.
She needs me as much as I need her. She will find a way to get what I want and after that nothing will stop my plan from happening. She just needs to be “persuade” a little, he thought, while narrowing his eyes.
“Alright, pack up! We. Are. Leaving!” the Sandwing shouted to his troops and spun around as the cloak swung in a wide arc around him. The IceWing had to jump away from the poisonous tail barb in a less dignified manner.
“Wait!” the IceWing exclaimed. “I think I will manage to arrange it. Tell me what you want and I’ll deliver it to you.”
The SandWing slowly turned back.
“I want the Gift of Strenght as a pledge.”
