Anders knew she was right. The next time they faced Merglan would be the last.
We could give out more crystals to the people in the Army? Your cousin was impressed by Inama’s ability.
If there were more like her, we would, but those willing to touch the crystals among her people didn’t show the same aptitude and the others could take too much time to train. If we gave them away and they couldn’t defend themselves properly, the best chance we have at having enough energy to fight Merglan head on would go right back to him, Anders explained. Anders felt her annoyance at having to cart the heavy, bulky crystals and said, If you need to, we can use some of the energy to lighten the load?
No, if we can’t share these tools with all of those deserving people down there, then we can’t waste any of the energy on making ourselves more comfortable.
I know it doesn’t seem fair to everyone else, but what would you have me do?
I don’t know. Maybe if you had told everyone you were their true King, they would’ve listened and we could’ve had more time.
That wouldn’t have given us more time and you know I don’t want to be King. Ruling over people is what Merglan wants, not me.
What about when it’s over? Will you claim the throne then?
Let’s focus on now and trying to defeat Merglan; we’ll think about what comes afterward if we make it.
What about Maija and Raffa?
If we all make it through this, we’ll stick together no matter what.
Good.
But that can’t happen if we don’t beat Merglan first, he said. Anders felt Zahara distance her emotions from him and he no longer could tell what she was thinking about. If I were to become King after all this, I would give each person the chance to have magic. I would promote having schools in every city and major town that would teach normal people how to use the crystals’ powers. Tasks that require back-breaking labor would become easier to handle. If we could combine this energy with a strong focus on morality and philosophy, the world would change.
Those are the ideals the ancient order of dragonriders was striving to achieve, Tarron’s voice cut through into Anders’ thoughts.
If Merglan hadn’t killed off anyone who still practiced the order’s philosophies, equality in magic’s uses might’ve had a chance to thrive in Kartania, Zahara said.
The order of the dragonriders faced obstacles of their own. Like Merglan, there were those among them who believed the gift of magic should stay a weapon available only to those who’d bonded. Finding a way to make magic accessible to others and using it for the betterment of society led to the crumbling of their influential power. Several riders and many dragons outside the order believed access to magic shouldn’t be distributed so broadly, Tarron said.
But the order wanted magic to be used as a tool not a weapon? Anders asked.
In those days, they hadn’t discovered the use of inhabitance crystals yet, but they envisioned a world where dragons and dragonriders would use their magic as a trade skill, not to start and end wars.
But with such a superior power, it doesn’t take a genius to see its potential to be misused for domination, Zahara said.
The order had very strict rules about what dragonriders could do. They policed themselves with a strict code of conduct. Abuse of one’s power could result in an unbonding and, as a dragonrider and wielder of the one great power, one could never become a ruler of a nation or kingdom.
See, Zahara, I wasn’t born to be a king, Anders said.
Zahara ignored his comment and asked, What do you mean, unbonding?
Death, Tarron said simply. However, times have changed: your beliefs differ so greatly and no one polices anyone’s actions, which puts you in an interesting situation. Maybe what the world needs at this time is a just ruler who can use the powers given to us by dragons.
I wonder what that band of riders we saw in the mountains believes? Anders said, looking north and seeing the snowcapped peaks in the distance.
There is a way to find out, Tarron suggested.
And if they see things differently? Anders asked.
That’s why I’m pointing these things out to you. What if you do achieve your goal, then what? Like Zahara said, you are a King without a crown. You must consider what’s best for the people. After Merglan is gone, there will still be a struggle for power. With your common enemy out of the picture, will peace continue between your nations? What happens if the humans decide they want to live in the Everlight Kingdom now that the elves have been weakened? And what about the dwarfs? What if they want to expand their empire? The order of riders was tasked with controlling these things. We worked as ambassadors for world peace.
Are you saying I should strong-arm people into doing what I want? How is that different from what Merglan is doing? If I want to continue to be different from him, I need to do things differently.
I’m just saying, there is more to consider than just killing Merglan and leaving everyone to pick up the pieces. You didn’t start this, but you should finish it and that means dealing with the fallout too, Tarron said.
Maybe I won’t and I don’t have to decide anything? Right now, that almost seems preferable.
Anders, don’t say that! Zahara shouted.
Anders winced from the outburst, That was a poor joke. I’m sorry. Tens of thousands of lives would become enslaved if we don’t win.
Not to mention all the dragons. We need to stop the C.F.D.D., too, remember?
Yeah, no pressure, right?
Yes, pressure. Lots of pressure, Zahara replied.
Anders almost told her it was a sarcastic remark but decided against it. They were both on edge and needed to focus on the task at hand. Why did Merglan have to go and mess up our lives? Anders thought.
That’s the cycle of things. There will always be a negative to the positive, no matter how extreme, Tarron said.
If this ends up in our favor and we decide to give everyone access to magic, how will we prevent something like this from happening again? Zahara asked.
That’s for the future us to think about, Anders said.
You know for a three-year-old, Zahara, you are quite advanced, even for a dragon, Tarron remarked.
