Chapter Twelve - A Change in Plans

Noah was unconscious for two days after the incident, he was moved from the Keep's entrance and into a hospital ward a few floors above. Isan personally watched over Noah after feeling like it was his fault for not warning the young boy.

The healers that had helped Noah get back into a stable condition were thanked multiple times by both Isan and Nereem once she had found out what had happened. Nereem was deathly pale and refused to leave Noah's side.

Isan's higher-ups were contacted to let them know what had occurred in the Keep. He was taken into a room with three people who all exceeded his rank when he came back his lips were tightly kept together and he didn't say anything to Nereem.

While Noah was out cold the dragon squad that took him to the Keep all eventually dropped in to check in on him, normally when Nereem was asleep so they wouldn't disturb her. Checking in on the young boy, Isan was typically in the corner and would walk out and talk to each of them. What they discussed stayed in the small room that was Noah's wardroom.

On the third day, as the sun broke over the horizon. Noah woke with a heavy feeling in his heart and his head pounding against his skull as if someone had smashed a small boulder against it. His eyes were barely able to open to start with, feeling as if he was still tired he did the best to rub them and wake up properly.

When Noah could finally see he saw his mother leaning against a wall on a chair right beside the bed he was on, she was fast asleep. She had dark circles under her eyes from trying to stay awake through each night to accompany him but could never do it.

He looked around the room, it was a white room built from the same material as the Dragon Keeps outer layer. Along the top of the wall were runes that were glowing a soft warm yellow light like the sun on a summers evening.

There was only one bed which he was laying on, behind his mother was a table and a cabinet above it filled with different materials in flasks and jars, all different colours. The one that stood out the most was a black liquid that went from sparkling to pitch black, darker than the night's sky. It would bubble and come to the rim of the flask that it was in before settling down for another few seconds.

Cough - Cough

Noah looked into the corner of the room on his right, standing somehow blending in so well with the room that Noah didn't see him when he first awoke. "Sir Isan, I am sorry to cause such an issue. I hope whatever happened only happened to me." Thinking about the other Dragon Troopers who weren't there in the room with them.

A smile crept onto Isan's face, "It is kind of you to worry about them but they are more than fine. The reason you are here is for me forgetting that you wouldn't be able to handle the Emperor's defences, it's one reason why it is located in the centre ring. When someone without magic or with low magic stares for too they fall into what we call the Abyss. Even the highest-ranked and strongest Dragon Trooper would fall into the abyss if they stare too long. No one knows what would happen if you actually tried to enter the mansion."

Isan admired Noah for checking in on his troops, it was the sign of a great man to put others before yourself. Something that Oran had shown him plenty when he was being helped by him. Whenever Isan looked at Noah he could see Oran standing behind him laughing at how ridiculous his son was.

Noah asked Isan what was going to happen now; when do they start training; where will they stay; when does he get to become a knight?

A gentle sigh came from Isan's lips, "I am afraid there has been a change in plan. Not only did I manage to make you get hurt, I even got disciplined by my superiors. So I am not allowed to have any guests stay in the Keep for 2 years..." Isan let this sink in before continuing. "It matters not, I have other ways to train you. I am still a noble and my family have multiple properties in-ring Bernard, you can go there and train with knights or there is another option although I am not sure if you will agree with it."

Noah clenched his mouth tight, "If I go to your family house. how will my mother be treated? What is the other method?" His hands curling into a fist in his blanket.

Isan rubbed his chin with his fingers before answering, "Your mother will have to go to my family home no matter what, she will be treated well. I am after all brothers to the head of the family and as I am the only Dragon Trooper left from the family I have a large amount of authority so don't worry about her."

Loosening his grip around his blanket, "Why are you offering me two different places to train? Surely learning with your family would be the best choice?"

Shaking his head, "You aren't wrong, normally yes. Being trained to be a knight is well within the power of a noble family like mine, however... You could train with an old friend of mine. He has retired now and rests in the 3rd ring of Sil, in the plains for the dragons. He could train you up and you could keep him company to stop him from turning into a stone statue out there."

...

"But I didn't think that I could visit the third ring because I am not a Dragon Trooper or specially picked to breed farm animals." a dull look washed over Noah's eyes.

"... Well... We might be breaking a rule or two, but as long as we didn't get caught it should be fine." Winking at Noah with a small smirk.

Noah let out a small laugh and closed his eyes leaning his head against his pillow and taking a deep breath in. "My mum would be heartbroken, but it would be a dream to train under a Dragon Trooper.." Silence falling onto the room after that.

"... Sometimes we might have to lie to make the world a better place, we can just tell her I have sent you directly to a private academy and the family will be told the same." Putting forward the idea to Noah, letting him think about it. "We only have until the healers say you no longer need bed rest to think about it. None of my men are able to host you as guests here in the tower as they do not have that privilege yet."

"No, I want to learn from the Dragon Trooper I don't have to think about it."