Valerian, The Legendary

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Valerian laid on the back of the thunder falcon, surprising the soldiers behind, as they have never seen someone so relaxed on the back of the magical beast, and that too a thunder falcon that was counted to be the super force in the sky. The young boy had a silver cat sprawled on his chest.

Fortuna asked, “What do you intend to do by going to the front?”

Valerian said, “Killing skills need to be practiced often, if I lost touch, it will be deteriorating.”

Fortuna opened her eyes to look at him and said, “One day, your battle lust will land you in big trouble.”

Valerian replied calmly, “I know what you are saying that old man in the academy has said the same thing but I just cannot help it. It is like venting out my rage is the only way I can sleep. When I close my eyes and recall that scene when mother Diligentia was killed, I wish to set this world on fire. And later when I saw my mother and your mother leaving the eastern continent, I wished to kill that man right then and there. But you woke me up.”

Fortuna could sense his heartbeat picking up the pace as he was enraged, and said, “You may not know but the river of time is a sacred place and is guarded to such an extent because not only can it grant the power to dragons, but also, transport someone to the different phase of time.”

Valerian was shocked, he sat up abruptly and looked at Fortuna, and asked, “Can one travel back in time?”

Fortuna nodded and said, “Yes, they can, if they wish for the world to be destroyed.”

Valerian was confused and asked, “What do you mean?”

.....

“What I mean is that if a person or a creature is to travel back in time, they will cause a ripple in the flow of time, a ripple that will destroy everything as you know it. That ripple will disrupt the flow of time and with a deranged time, the world will cease existing.”, said Fortuna.

Valerian asked, “Then why can a dragon dive into the river and get powers while a human cannot?”

Fortuna looked at him as if she was watching a dumb horse and said, “Child, that is because the dragons have an identity that not many people know. The identity of the realm guardians. We are the supreme magical beasts but at the same time protectors of the magic world of Vita. If something happens that will affect the natural flow of the world, it is akin to death for us, and the penalty for letting that happen is far worse than death.”

Valerian sighed and said, “Forgive me, I got a bit too anxious. However, traveling back in time does sound tempting.”

Fortuna nodded and said, “Yes, it does.”

The two chatted and led the way for the rest of the units and it was morning when they reached the so-called border. Valerian asked Linea, the thunder falcon to settle down a few miles away to avoid detection by the berserker army. The thunder falcon was smart and thus it landed inside the thicket. The rest of the units also landed around the Thunder Falcon.

Valerian got down and headed to regroup with Deputy General Kunta, who was personally leading this campaign. The middle-aged deputy general was very disciplined, and he was told by Empress Ashlyn to not bother this young man and let him act as he wished, if they found that his plans were better than theirs, then follow his lead.

Kunta was a wise man, he knew that it was not a big deal for someone younger to be better than him. The general saw the prince walking over and asked, “Your Highness, do you have any plans?”

Valerian nodded and said, “I think that attacking at night will prove to be more critical for them than attacking them.”

The general nodded and said, “Yes, I am also thinking about that. However, what worries me is if the soldiers inside still have the energy to sustain till night.”

Valerian also nodded and then said, “What you worry about is correct. Is there any way to get inside the city and not alert the army?”

The general shook his head and said, “No, the city was meant to be a scout camp, and the people were supposed to abandon it when they face attack. However, now they are trapped inside because they thought the berserks were their allies.”

Valerian leaned against a tree and said, “Do not mind me, but the soldiers who follow foolish commands like this are really scums that deserve to die. To think they trusted the wolves. Humph.”

His voice was loud enough for all the soldiers around him to hear this, some did feel a sour taste in their mouths but things were literally as they were because these guys were stupid. Valerian looked at the general and said, “I will send my magical beast to check the situation inside the city, do you have supplies to deliver?”

Deputy general Kunta nodded but then he asked, “Your Highness, how do you intend to do that?”

Valerian said, “You will see.”

The soldiers bought a few big sacks of ration and medicine. Valerian saw the cargo and asked, “Is there a mage inside the city?”

The general nodded, and Valerian took the storage bag off his waist. He took out a paper and ink pot, then he wrote a message on it, before handing it to the deputy general and asking him to put on his seal. The deputy general was still confused but he nodded and pressed his seal on the footer of the message.

Then Valerian lifted all the cargo sacks and stuffed them inside his storage bag and walked over to his thunder falcon. The big bird was sorting his feathers as the silver cat was resting on his back. Valerian said, “Linea, I need you to deliver a message and some stuff inside the city. Also, if the mage takes out anything more than the sacks of food and medicine, kill him right then and there.”

The Deputy General and the soldiers following him were shocked but they did not say anything. Linea nodded and extended his claw, Valerian placed his storage bag in his claws and said, “Fortuna, come down, your palanquin is going out for work.”

Fortuna was resting on the head of the giant blue bird. When she heard this, she cast Valerian a gaze and the boy said, “Fine, you can stay there, do not glare at me.”

Linea rubbed his beak against Valerian’s cheek before he flew away. The speed was fast, and Linea did not intend to head right to the city, he was climbing the sky almost vertically. Kunta could not hold it in and asked, “Your Highness, what I know about the Thunder Falcons states that these beasts are all nocturnals, then how come your beast is able to fly in the daylight?”

Valerian smiled and said, “Linea is a little special, he has undergone strict training to defy the fear of the sun. Beasts all have their innate fears. The thunder falcons fear the light of day. Just that.”

Kunta nodded profoundly, to think this guy could even train a beast to such limits, in his heart Valerian was getting even more formidable.

...

The Valkyrians were standing around the city and they were attacking the walls with siege weapons, the soldiers on top of the walls were fighting them off with valor. Since they were attacked, the commander of the platoon stationed here understood that they were being played. Thankfully the city was made for soldiers and was filled with weapons, so he took advantage and put up a strong front against the enemy.

However, the harder the soldiers fought, the more energy they needed. They were under attack for a day and they were already running low on food because this month’s ration was yet to arrive and the Vlakyrians have already looted it with ease.

The berserks have been noticing everything about the situation in this city for the past few months and obviously, they were aware of the day when the rations would be delivered. They made their plan in accordance with this knowledge.

Suddenly, a loud bird cry woke up the commander sitting in the middle of the city, and he looked up. All he and the enemies outside could see was a dark blue dot falling toward them at a high speed. He was worried about what it might be but did not show fear on his face. In just a few breaths he could see the figure of a magical beast falling straight down from the sky.

Soon the bird landed in the square at the center of the city, and when the soldiers were about to attack it cast a lightning spell to keep them at bay and extended the claw. The commander saw the claw stuffed with a storage bag and paper scroll. He said, “This is a messenger bird, do not harm it.”