The Dragon War Page 18

  “None taken,” Damien assured the man.

  “Then you want to get to the Duke and inform him of this portal that the High Mage referred to,” Zokar finished.

  “That’s the idea,” Diamedes said. “However, I think I need something first that is slightly out of the way.”

  “What would that be?” Zokar asked.

  “There is a book in Tannis that may hold a clue to what I learned this past week. The library where it is located is in the local Temple of Astor and it survived the dragon attack last year.”

  “So we need to go to Tannis first, then somehow get through the Kesh lines and smuggle ourselves into Ulatha?” Zokar said.

  “That and then get help in reaching the portal before it opens,” Diamedes finished.

  “When will it open?” Damien asked, now having his curiosity piqued.

  Diamedes turned his head to face Damien, “That is why I want to get that book in Tannis. I think Olivia mentioned something about the portal last year that I overlooked as unimportant till now.”

  “Who’s Olivia?” Dour asked.

  “She’s a Hand of Astor,” Diamedes explained. “She is the guardian now of the Black Queen.”

  “I’ve never heard of the Black Queen before,” Azor said. “What realm does she rule?”

  “She’s a dragon,” Diamedes said, “and Olivia sacrificed herself to contain the evil that this one exudes from her lair near Tannis.”

  “This sounds like a different dragon,” Azor said.

  “It is,” Diamedes said. “This dragon is one of, if not, the worst that Agon has ever seen.”

  “And you say we’re going near her?” Dour asked.

  Diamedes turned the other way now to face the cleric, “Not exactly.”

  “It matters not what we plan to do if we’re caught by those mercenaries and that magic-user,” Alyssa said. “We can’t run anymore so what’s our plan for now?”

  All went quiet and most turned their heads down and fixed their gazes on the ground. There seemed to be little in the way of options to avoid capture or most likely death. Both Dour and Diamedes were pale, paler than Alyssa despite her wound and most had blisters forming on their feet and toes despite their good walking boots. Finally Damien spoke, “I have only one idea.”

  “I hope it ain’t to summon one of those dragons again,” Dour said.

  “No,” Damien began, “That probably would not work against this particular mage, not unless there were several dragons.”

  “A dragon could handle the five score of killers they have,” Alyssa said hopefully.

  “Not if Amsel intervened first which he would,” Damien said.

  “Then what’s yur plan?” Dour asked.

  “There is a river southwest of us that runs to the great Western Sea,” Damien began. “The headwaters are in the mountains at the far south end of the Felsic range. We could head there and build rafts to carry us near Tannis. If I recall correctly the river runs not far from the town that Diamedes mentioned.”

  “That would mean abandoning Diamedes’ plan to talk to one of the king’s sons in Akilon,” Zokar pointed out. “Is that acceptable to you?”

  Diamedes looked at Zokar, “I guess with the civil war and Kesh incursion here the chance for obtaining any resources from Tyniria is little to none.”

  “Then we’ve wasted all this time trying to talk to a dead king, eh?” Dour said bitterly.

  “Perhaps not,” Zokar said. “We’ve learned a lot and we’re actually much closer to Tannis which isn’t anywhere close to the Balar Ocean so perhaps this will aid us in fending off the impending catastrophe.”

  “Alright then,” Dour said, “that leaves us with what do we do now? How far away are these headwaters that will lead us to Tannis?”

  “Diamedes would know these lands better than most, but if I recall correctly the journey will be at least two day from here, mainly due to us having to cross the mountains west of here.” Damien looked at each companion in turn as he talked.

  “Then we’re not gonna make it,” Dour said.

  “Unless I can assist,” Damien said.

  “What’s your plan?” Dour asked.

  “Fight magic with magic,” he said. Seeing the confusion on their faces he added, “He may be a mage, but he is not the only one who can cast a spell or run interference with a hunting party.”

  “Go on,” Zokar prompted.

  “Azor can lead a trail away from us,” Damien began. “I can enhance Diamedes’ dagger, which is already imbued with a lot of magic, and Azor can lead that away from us. We will have to trust that this is how Amsel is tracking us, that and perhaps natural scouts looking for our prints.”

  “I can cover your tracks and make ones for them to follow. I can’t speak for your magic,” Azor said.

  “What about your staff?” Alyssa asked. “Could the mage track your magic there?”

  “No,” Damien explained. “If that were possible then my order would be extinct long ago. The staves have latent arcane powers that prevent exactly such a thing from happening.”

  “The talamans?” Zokar asked.

  “Yes,” Damien said. “They would need to be carried by Azor as well.”

  “And if this plan of yours doesn’t work?” Dour asked.

  Damien shrugged, “Then we will all most likely perish or be incarcerated if we are lucky.”

  “Fine plan then,” Dour said.

  “Someone should go with Azor,” Zokar said, “he isn’t familiar with this territory.”

  Azor chuckled, “I will be fine. Finding the lot of you is a child playing.”

  “I think you mean child’s play,” Alyssa corrected him.

  Azor shrugged, “Child, children, it matters not. You are not used to the wilds and walk as if you were a heard of cows, all except Zokar.”

  “That’s not very reassuring,” Diamedes said. “How are we going to keep the mercenaries from tracking us if Azor says he could find us easily enough?”

  “I will cover your tracks for a good way,” Azor said. “Go now and I give us a two in three chance that they will follow me and not you.”

  “Odds sound promising,” Dour said, offering his hand so the Northman could help him to his feet.

  Those sitting stood and Damien made a murmuring sound as he held the point of his staff over Diamedes dagger. When he had finished there was no perceptible change in the dull metal. Azor took it from Diamedes and turned to Damien, “Isn’t it supposed to be blue or something?”

  “No,” Damien said. “We do not want to summon a dragon with it. We simply need the mage to home in on it and use it to follow you. Everyone who has anything magical in nature, give it to Azor now.”

  Zokar stepped over and gave the man his sword leaving himself with only a set of knives and his miniature crossbow that could be held in one hand. Alyssa gave him two arrows and a ring but said nothing. Dour took off his necklace and said, “I ain’t taken this off in decades, but best if you take it to be sure.”

  Damien gave him the silk pouch with the talamans and asked, “Do you know where you will go?”

  “Yes, I will head to this great Tynirian city. It will help with the illusion that we are seeking refuge there,” Azor said as he tucked away the various items in his pack or under his belt.

  Damien nodded, “Good, we will head southwest. You can pick up our trail where the mountains seem to hunch down and are at their lowest point for leagues in any direction. Good luck, Northman.”

  “Same to you, now go so I have time to work,” Azor said.

  Zokar shook the Northman’s hand and led the group away still trying to walk in each other’s steps in order to minimize the work that Azor would be tasked with doing in order to cover their tracks. They no longer ran but walked at a brisk pace with Zokar promising them that they would take breaks as necessary.

  Diamedes was familiar with the land and guided them in the general direction of a town that he knew would be nearby. They were only a day�
�s journey away from the capital but now veered off to the southwest while Azor, presumably, went northwest. If their plan didn’t work, they would find out relatively quickly since their pace had slowed considerably.

  They travelled until dusk and Zokar found the highest ground he could, and they set camp for the first time in two days. Dour was pessimistic, “I guess we find out tonight if your plan worked or not.”

  Damien took no offence, “If it did not then I want to say it has been a pleasure knowing you my friend.”

  “Likewise,” Dour said, a tinge of sadness in his voice.

  “Enough of that,” Zokar said. “The two of you sound like you’re saying your goodbyes.”

  “So what if we were?” Dour shot back.

  Zokar shrugged, “No need to get testy. I’d prefer you spent some of that energy on planning our defenses in the event they catch up to us.”

  “We should ensure that Diamedes can escape and continue his quest,” Damien said.

  Alyssa stood after having sat with the others and placed her hands on her hips, “I second that.”

  Diamedes smiled at them, “I’m most grateful for the thoughtfulness, but I can’t travel without your help. I doubt I’d get more than a league before they caught me.”

  “Still, we best be prepared for battle if they get here. My guess is they will arrive well before the twin sisters set,” Zokar said.

  “Assuming Azor failed in his mission,” Alyssa added. Turning to Diamedes she asked, “What specifically are you looking for in Tannis?”

  “As I said, it’s a book but it could have information relating to the ancients and this portal.” Diamedes said. “I also fear in the end we’ll need more than just the Duke’s aid if we are to succeed.”

  “What will this book tell us?” Zokar asked.

  “I’m hoping it will give some clue on how to prevent the gate to Dor Akun from opening,” Diamedes said.

  “I think you mean to say the gate from Dor Akun,” Dour clarified.

  Diamedes nodded, “Actually, I believe now that it could be possible to travel in both directions.”

  There was a cracking sound as if a small tree had busted in half. It was loud and not far off. “I think they’re here,” Dour said, pulling his weapon and cinching his belt.

  Zokar frowned, “I would have heard them if that was correct. I think something else is nearby.”

  “Whatever it is, it appears to have broken a branch or tree fairly easily and without giving away its initial presence,” Alyssa said, drawing her bow and reaching for a special arrow that was no longer in its specific location inside her quiver. “Damn,” she muttered under her breath.

  Zokar noticed and smiled after winking at her as he pulled his hand-crossbow out which made him look not only inadequate for the task at hand but unprepared as well. “You’re not the only one feeling the discomfort of not having a favored weapon available.”

  “Must be your Balarians are used to magic to make ends meet,” Dour said, hefting his weapon and feeling its weight. “This should have plenty of bite to it for anyone looking for a fight.”

  Another cracking sound and Zokar turned to Damien, “Should you illuminate the area?”

  They were camped in darkness with no fire again and the sound seemed closer and louder. The group took a defensive formation with Diamedes at the center and a semi-circle facing the west where the noise had come from. Damien lifted his staff and muttered his arcane words to bring forth a bright but soft hue of ivory light that showed the area well enough. “Will that do?”

  “Aye,” Dour said sarcastically. “May have well started a fire and had not only its light but a weapon to use as well.”

  “Nothing to be done for now,” Zokar said. “Prepare yourselves, I think I see something.”

  “I do too,” Alyssa said.

  All of them watched as a creature the size of two horses nimbly snaked itself through the trees near their camp finally coming into view of Damien’s light which it didn’t appear to like as it blinked several times and drew its long neck and head back towards itself. It hissed once then spoke, “Dim your light, magic-user.”

  Startled slightly by its speech, though having had experience in the past with talking dragons and wyverns, Damien murmured and ordered his spell to dim to half its brightness. “Well?” Damien asked.

  “Better, magic-user,” the wyvern said. “You know you are being pursued?”

  Zokar looked at the beast and then over to Damien who looked back. A nod from the Balarian assassin indicated that Damien should talk with the creature since it addressed him first. Besides, it appeared as if the creature didn’t give much credence to the rest of their group focusing instead solely on the Kesh wizard. Damien answered, “We do.”

  The creature hissed then said, “My mistress finds it interesting that one magic-user is hunting another.”

  Damien tilted his head somewhat mimicking the wyvern then said, “Why would that be?”

  The creature didn’t hesitate in answering, “Your puny attempts in gaining power is a curiosity that we find… amusing. It will do your kind no good. Best to prepare yourselves for the inevitable and accept your fate in this universe.”

  Damien stood fully and leaned his staff slightly towards the beast to ensure it got a full measure of its magical light. The Kesh wizard seemed more assertive and powerful in his new found pose. “Your kind should best worry about keeping what you have now. The High Mage himself will deal with your queen in due time and then there will be no more harvestings for your species. Know your place and accept change for what it is… inevitable.”

  Diamedes and Zokar almost had their jaws drop at the man’s bold words to this creature of the dragons. The beast ignored them and replied, “You risk your fate with your rude words not knowing how my task could affect you.”

  Before Damien could respond Diamedes interjected, “We know of your task and we apologize if our words seem cruel, however, you may indeed wish to warn your mistress that our party would be easier to deal with then the other one in this area.”

  The creature switched its gaze to Diamedes, “You dare to instruct me?”

  “Not in the least, good sir,” at this the historian was graced with looks of utter awe as if he had lost his mind in speaking with the enemy as if it were a fellow citizen, “we simply understand how difficult it is for your mistresses when dealing with the magic-users of our society. I thought you would want to know that the magic-user nearby is a mage while our companion here is a wizard. You do know the difference between the two, do you not?”

  The creature narrowed its eyes and lowered its head. For a moment the group thought it was preparing to strike before it finally answered. “We know of the relative strengths between the puny humans who dare to wield the arcane. I will inform my mistress of this intrusion and she will act accordingly.”

  “Wonderful,” Diamedes said, clasping his hands together. “By the way, by any chance would you know if the other magic-user is nearby?”

  “I do know and no, the offender is chasing your puny lone wild man to the north of us.”

  The companions looked at one another never having heard anyone refer to the immense Northman as puny. Diamedes spoke, “We will vacate this area immediately and trouble you no more.”

  “Your infestations have grown the most that we have ever seen over the last millennia,” the creature said. “Our presence between the great passing has not been in vain. We will set things right and then we shall see what fate had in store for each of our kind.”

  “Fair enough,” Diamedes said. “I bid you a good passing and thank you for this parley.”

  The creature hissed, though it seemed less threatening than normal and turning slightly it kept its head craned and its gaze fixed on them as it left the area with its bulbous, stinger-tail held high and ready to strike. When it was out of range the sigh of relief was audible to everyone.

  “What in the Nine Hells was you up to?” Dour said, turning t
o face Diamedes.

  “You know the old saying…” Diamedes prompted the cleric.

  It didn’t work, “What saying?” Dour asked.

  “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer,” Diamedes said.

  “Sounds suicidal if you ask me,” Dour said. “If you want to die, I can make arrangements with the Father for that to happen. No need for you flirting with death all on your own.”

  Zokar stepped closer to Diamedes, “What did you think of gaining by talking to it?”

  “Gained,” Diamedes corrected him. “You see, I started to put together a theory based on bits and pieces of information that I’ve gathered over the decades. In only a minute or two of discussion with this creature, I was able to validate a key idea of it.”

  “Which is?” Zokar prompted.

  “That the dragons don’t travel every two hundred years, instead they visit our planet every thousand years.” Diamedes said.

  Damien coughed, clearing his throat, but Alyssa ignored the gesture and asked, “I thought you said they awaken every two hundred years.”

  “They do,” Diamedes said. “The ones that are left here to cull and tend to the flock so to speak until the real reaping every thousand years.”

  Damien raised a hand and Zokar gave him the palm while addressing Diamedes, “The transit is every two hundred, how is it that they only travel the portal every fifth cycle?”

  “Now that will take some research,” Diamedes said. “Give me a chance to obtain the tome in Tannis and I’ll try to answer that for you.”

  Finally Damien could wait no more, “Time to go,” he said pointing overhead with his staff and slightly west.

  “Why?” more than one of his companions asked in unison.

  “Dragon,” Damien said.

  The group looked into the starry black sky and noted the passing of something dark against the myriad of stars that twinkled overhead. Occasionally, starlight glinted off its scales and the light blue hue was all that they needed to know what lurked high overhead. Zokar could only say one word. “Run.”

  Chapter 15