A Bet

The sound of the dizi flute played on this very lone long night. From here, if looked at the Tanah Agra from the top of the old lighthouse in Raffendel, then the sacred land of the Dragons seems so tired. No wonder since the Dragons just managed to defend their land from Samsara's attack for the second times.

Even since leaving the battle field, Rihan Daniel chose to take a rest in Raffendel's old lighthouse. Like a guard dog, he sat alone playing song after song.

Something big with thick fluffy hair suddenly rub against Rihan's back in spoiled. Rihan already knew who it was.

Lily came to share the warmth when the night was getting colder.

"Sorry for ignoring you, Lily." Rihan caressed the top of Lily's head and then moved to the bottom of her neck.

Lily growled pleasantly at Rihan's treatment. But those fun was interrupted by the arrival of someone. Lily suddenly straightened up and looked down at the lighthouse enthusiastically.

Alvi Veenessa Endley was standing down there. In her hands, she carried something like a multi-tiered lunchbox. She placed the box in front of the lighthouse door before glancing up for a while. No words were spoken. There was no longer a friendly glow from Alvi's eyes. The first thing that came to mind before Alvi looked away was hatred and dead feeling.

Rihan not blaming Alvi or anyone. There was no one who did not hate him for his past deeds and identity. "Lily, accompany Veena to home." Rihan patted Lily's back. But the snow leopard hesitated a little.

"I'm fine." He nodded reassuringly and Lily immediately ran downstairs and went after Alvi.

"You don't want to talk to Big Bro?" Raka who was silently following Alvi asked in the end. "I know that since you met him in Yi Lu, you have some kind of positive vibes about him. Are you disappointed that Big Bro has been deceiving you all this time?" Raka asked again.

"What about you and the Dragons?" Alvi instead turned to ask with a cold intonation.

Raka smiled slightly as he shook his head slowly. "Confused and restless. Do not know what to do. Hate and feelings of wanting to forgive mixed into one. I want to give him a chance and hear his explanation. But when you think back on what he did to the Dragons in the past, Dad went awry."

"Mom is much worse than Dad. If Dad wasn't forbid us to approach or talk with Big Bro, maybe Mom was the first person to run out after him," said Raka again.

Alvi clenched her fists tightly. Unlike Raka who wants to tell everything. Alvi chose to remain silent and continued her steps with a myriad of feelings that she didn't want to express at all.

At that moment, the melodic hums returned. Actually not a tone that Alvi hates. Just the sound of the flute reminded her of so many memories.

*****

For several days afterwards, whether it was morning, afternoon or evening Rihan always faithfully played his flute and only stopped for one or two hours. Usually these hours are used to eat or just take a short power nap. But today is different. The melodies stopped completely and became a peculiarity in the Tanah Agra and Raffendel.

The Dragons remembered exactly, that day was exactly one week since the attack on Tanah Agra. A dragon knight in charge of supervising reports that Rihan Daniel has left.

Then, three weeks later Julius Aditya Kane finally opened his eyes. All of his muscles and joints feel stiff. He struggled to get up from the bed. His chest was prickling with pain due to a fracture in his ribs. But he insisted on stepping out of the room.

The house of the head of the Kane family is actually just a small little family house with four bedrooms, a living room as well as a family room, and a medium-sized kitchen in the back.

All members of the Kane family live in this type of house. They prefer to live in separate houses but still in a housing cluster. This is in stark contrast to the residences of other family heads which tend to be magnificent with large courtyards. Meanwhile, family members who are not from the main bloodline are free to live scattered throughout Tanah Agra.

That day the Kane's house was very quiet. It's not unusual for his mother and sister to go out. Even when Julius came out, there was no one in the sight. The only place that crossed Julius' mind was the assembly hall in the Dragon Castle.

The deadlock that the Dragons faced made the atmosphere in the castle's hall last very long time. Only this time the ancient creature who were considered the wisest had failed to find a solution to their own problem.

Arken, the Dragon King seemed to massage his own forehead. His face looked tired but he still forced himself to think.

"If you doubt Rihan Daniel is friend or foe, I can assure you he is not on Samsara's side." The arrival of a Julius broke the silence in the hall.

The eldest son of the Kane family walked into the center of the hall with a slight drag of his feet.

Arken raised his head. His face radiated relief. The dead end seems to have found a bit of a bright spot. "You mean Rihan Daniel Vaiskyler is on our side?" asked Elis Ragnvald, the head of the Ragnvald family which was one of the five noble families of the Dragons.

Julius shook his head quickly. "Daniel isn't on our side either. To be honest he's not on either side."

All of the meeting participants suddenly frowned and exchanged questioning glances.

"Julius, I believe you are the most understand about this situation. About what Raka had said before." Arken took over the flow of the conversation.

Julius could already guess what Arken want to clarify.

"Our succession towards Samsara years ago not only because of Raka's plans and strength alone. There are some other things which supporting those act. As Raka already admitted, the destruction of Samsara cannot be separated from Rihan Daniel." There was a bitter tone when Arken mentioned Rihan Daniel's name.

"Yes, Raka was right. I asked Daniel to help. With my strength alone, it's impossible to keep Samsara's strongest warrior away when the attack occurs." Julius answered honestly.

"It's not that I'm unsure of the power we've got. But I want to minimize casualties on the side of the Dragons. The only genius I know who understands the ins and outs of Samsara, and who I can really ask for help is only Daniel." Julius explained.

The word 'genius' didn't seem very acceptable to the Dragons.

"If your story is true. Plus the fact that you didn't die and we all survived thanks to his heroic action. Why did he come to slaughter all the members out of Frostfall in the first place?" William Frostfall, the youngest family head in the Dragons asked vengefully.

"Not only the Frostfall family, several Dragons families were brutally massacred as well." Demita Waldermar chimed in.

Julius gulped. "To earn Lady and Samsara's trust." The answer sounded diplomatic. But that's what he knows.

"You mean Daniel sacrificed so many Dragons's lives to gain Samsara's little trusts? No one will believe! That traitor even dare to scribble his own name out off the sacred stone wall! Who can guarantee that he won't destroy us one day?" William Frostfall defending again.

"Rather than continuing to curse him, I think we just desperately need him more than before." Julius didn't want to have a long debate. "Honestly, back in Samsara he never showed his strength to such an astonishing level. Tanah Agra needs a knight like him."

"Julius, tell me every detail of Rihan Daniel Vaiskyler's actions while at Samsara. A decision can only be made after we hear the story." Julius' father, Henry Aditya Kane, takes turns.

Seconds passed into minutes. "Even if I tell you, could you immediately believe and accept him?" Julius ended up on that one question.

The Dragons looked at each other again.

"I do not think so…." Julius concluded after observing the reactions of most of the Dragons.

"Besides, I already promised Daniel to kept these secret. Let him decide whether the story should be told or not," said Julius in respect to his friend decision.

"But, to convince all of you, I have one effective way. But I would like to make a bet with the Dragons and of course with the permission of Lord Arken." Julius continued as he looked around before landing on Arken.

Arken gave a nod of yes. He was quite curious about the bet in question.

"All this time we have been waiting for the birth of a dragon who is able to protect the whole Dragons and also this sacred land. The strongest dragon that surpasses even the Dragon King as well as the predecessor. The test of becoming the High Honor Dragon." Julius' idea was too crazy and very unreasonable.

"Who among us had not yet tried the test from the ancestors? If what is written by the historical records is correct, it means that as long as the sparks of the previous High Honor Dragon's were lit, then among us, there is a suitable candidate. It's just that we don't know who," said Julius in optimistic.

"You mean that there is a chance that the traitor might become the High Honor Dragon?" Demita Waldermar was half condescending.

"If it's real, wouldn't the Dragons benefit?" Julius replied.

"But are we willing to entrust all the lives of our family, the Dragons and Tanah Agra in the hands of a traitor...?" Elis Ragnvald's words represented doubt in every family head.

"Will someone who has no intention of protecting the Dragons be chosen by the ancestors to be our High Honor Dragon?" Arken turned to question Elis Ragnvald.

"We'll give Daniel a chance to explain if he did manage to become High Honor Dragon. If he fails, then he will forever be the enemy of the Dragons." Arken's words were like a final statement.

There was no response of approval or denial from the other heads of families. Maybe they secretly also hoped for a similar miracle. The birth of a High Honor Dragon who is able to protect the Dragons as well as their sacred land.

"Well, we're all tired. There's no harm in trying. Unless you guys have a better idea." Arken's magma-red irises gently swept across the hall.

One by one the Dragons nodded in agreement.