by Matthew Peed
“Actually . . . there are three—if you count Zuthon over in the forest. Though, he is technically a land dragon so less powerful,” Ignea said with a wide smile and a glint in her eye.
“Remind me to smack Regan over the head when I see him next time,” I mumbled.
“Never!” Morka roared, pulling my attention back to the fight. She charged at Nova, shadows forming a cloak around her.
“I don’t think I gave you the option!” Nova roared back and mimicked Morka in her charge. He was soon as bright as the noonday sun. I squinted through the pain, as I felt this was important to watch.
There were only a few hundred meters between the two and they quickly collided. Nova brought his head around and bit down on Morka’s neck. Shadow sprayed from the wound as she roared in pain. She wrapped her neck around Nova’s and returned the favor by biting into his flank. The sound of grinding metal filled the space.
Nova’s wings came around and angled toward Morka, the bladed ends looking menacing. With a moment of tension, the two came to a stop, still biting down heavily on each other. They seemed to stare at each other, silently communicating something before Nova’s wings moved, piercing deep into Morka’s flanks. Morka released Nova and roared in pain until she came to a stop. At first, I thought she was dead, but her chest rose a few seconds later as she breathed in. Nova gripped her in his claws, then turned toward us.
“I will take my prize. She will need to be educated on how to conduct herself around her king. When the Creator returns, please tell him that I will formally ask permission to keep her then,” Nova said.
I knew that was in line with dragon society, but the thought of having my fate decided just by losing a fight—well, I guess in most cases that was actually the case. The frontier wasn’t exactly safe for women or men either. I shuddered at some of the horror stories I’d heard about bandits.
“Roger!” Ignea said with a wave.
He bowed his head, then turned back to the hole he’d ripped in the wall. He flew off with his prize, quickly vanishing from sight.
“I guess that’s the end of that?” I asked Ignea.
“Yes. I think it best for you to return to town. I’m sure the incident has rattled quite a few of the mortals,” Ignea said. She tapped my head, and I found myself on the surface, or at least at the bottom of the crater. I looked around, but Ignea was nowhere to be seen.
Jumping into the air, I made my way toward the town. I was really falling in love with flying. While it served its purpose to get me from place to place, I found I enjoyed the freedom it gave me. Lightning users weren’t usually able to fly. Another thing I needed to thank Regan for—placing information of electromagnetism in his library.
Flying over town, I took in the damage caused by the last two day’s events. Not only was there the massive terra wave from late last night, but there was the damage caused by the Celestial . . . dragon attacking Regan’s dungeon. There were collapsed buildings, damaged roads, and a list of other problems in the town. Around it, places that weren’t protected by the mages, the ground was torn apart, looking like a giant claw had gouged out sections. Then there was the new addition of the strange terra landforms from where the wall had been created.
It would take weeks to get all the problems and damage fixed. The thing I was dreading the most was the causality report. The last thing I wanted to do was send more letters to distant families about deceased loved ones. Sighing at the thought, I made my way to the castle.
~~~
“And how many are still missing?” I asked to clarify.
“Thousands, ma’am,” the messenger answered.
I rubbed my temples at the answer. “Alright. Head to the inn. Tell them it’s on me. You deserve a rest for bringing me this news.”
“Thank you, Lady Coates,” the messenger said, bowing as he left.
I turned to Ezal. “It looks like we were the least hit during this . . . event,” I said, pulling the report the messenger delivered across my desk.
“Yes. The bigger cities, or more accurately the ancient cities, all had defenses that activated to protect them. But the towns and villages . . .” Ezal said, letting it trail off.
“Dispatch hawks. Spread the news that we are accepting any and all refugees. They will be provided food and basic necessities. We will guarantee this for three months. I want full patrols in the surrounding areas. There is no telling what that massive amount of mana did to the monster population, and I want to make sure everything is safe for the refugees.”
Monsters might be the least of our problems. If entire towns had been destroyed, there would be a surge in bandits and war bands. Another problem in a time we couldn’t really afford more.
“Understood. What about the dungeon? The Adventurers Guild is currently restricting anyone from entering on account of the damage that it suffered. As you can guess, this is not going to fly for long,” Ezal said, pulling a document from her bag.
“Cassie is just going to have to figure it out. Most of the dungeon’s automata from around the town have moved over to the entrance. If someone really wants to, they can try to fight through those things,” I said with a low chuckle.
People had tried plenty of times to fight Regan’s patrols. They mostly ended in the people getting horribly injured, then being taken to the hospital to be healed, then slapped on their hand. Some people actually found it funny the first couple of times. I even heard there was a group that used the patrols as free training. Of course, they did it when there were few people around, so I wasn’t sure of the validity of the claim.
“I think Regan is rubbing off on you,” Ezal said with a laugh.
I shrugged. “Maybe a little.”
“The Mages Guild and several of the other guilds would still like for the festival to take place. They say the recent events are all the more reason to host it,” Ezal said, handing me a few documents.
“I would like to continue with the festival as well, but is it feasible?” I asked, reading but not really taking in the documents.
“Well . . . from what I have seen it should be. Lord Wintergrasp is making potions for the Terra mages, and they are fixing the large sections of the outer areas first since that is the easiest and takes the least amount of time. If the nobles don’t cause any problems, we will be even better off,” Ezal said.
“I don’t know whether we should count on them to cause trouble or try to trust them to enjoy the festival with the rest of the town,” I said, laying my head on the desk.
Ezal chuckled at my show. “A question that will probably remain as long as the nobility exist.”
“True enough” I sighed.
There came a knock at the door. I glanced over to Ezal, who nodded. She made her way over and asked the guard who it was. I heard her mumble something about Regan and his theatrics. I stood up beside the desk and made myself presentable as the door was swung open by the guards.
Regan walked in, looking the least lethal he had in a while. I didn’t see a single sharp edge on him. If he’d worn regular clothes, I was sure people would mistake him for a human. I almost did a double take to make sure it was him.
Behind him walked a beautiful girl. I couldn’t quite place her race, as she was short like a gnome but had pointed ears like an elf. Her skin was bone white, which was common to the northern humans before we lost touch with them. A black iron crown rested in a nest of pinkish hair.
“Welcome, Regan. I hope everything has calmed down to a decent point for you to be visiting me,” I said.
“Yes. Everything has reached a calm of sorts for the moment,” Regan said, taking a seat on a couch that appeared out of nowhere. The girl quickly joined him, wrapping herself around his arm. Another couch appeared across from him, and he gestured toward it.
“And who is your friend?” I asked, moving over to sit, Ezal joining me.
“May I introduce Alara the undead queen,” Regan said with a gesture to the girl. Both Ezal and I jerked in our seat, turnin
g wide eyes to Regan. “Do not worry. She is harmless and quite sane. As one can be after enduring over a century of torture.”
“I trust you, Regan, but I would advise you to include a bit more heads-up next time you introduce her,” I said, placing a hand over my heart.
“Now where would the fun be in that?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Yeah. Yeah. Other than scaring us, did you have another reason to see me?” I asked, trying not to stare at Alara.
“I did, indeed. And it should be here any moment now.”
I tilted my head but before I could ask, there was a knock at the door. Ezal got up to check it out, and the sound of labored breathing whisked in from outside the door. Ezal escorted in a very flushed messenger who looked like he’d just run a hundred kilometers.
“My Lady Louella!” the messenger gasped as he knelt.
“Forego ceremony. What is it?” I asked, standing up.
“Lecazar . . . Lecazar . . .”
“What about Lecazar?”
The messenger took a deep breath. “Lecazar’s capital burns! A scar of undeath stretches from the north to the capital!” he yelled, then collapsed, foaming from the mouth.
Regan extended his hand, and there was a flow of mana. The man’s appearance improved but he stayed unconscious. Ezal ordered one of the guards to take the man to the hospital.
I twisted to look at Regan. “What does he mean?” My breathing was accelerating despite me trying to control it.
Regan extended his hand palm up. A blue screen like the ones I’d seen on his station formed over it. A map of the continent was displayed, only Lecazar looked much different. From a spot in the north past the mountains down to the location of the capital, there was a black line that looked almost perfectly straight. He did something and the image zoomed in on the capital, or at least what remained of it.
If I had to guess, I would say ninety percent of the city was gone. He zoomed in closer, and we saw undead pulling themselves out of the ground like weeds. The image was clear enough that I was feeling sick just watching the screen. Necromancers were moving around as if they owned the place. Just from the image in front of me, I counted well over a hundred.
“What happened?!” I asked, not wanting to believe the horror.
Regan glanced at Alara before he explained. “The necromancers were planning this for a long time. I’m sure not everything went according to plan thanks to yours truly, and losing Alara probably threw a big wrench in their plans. Alara was ordered to use her core in a ritual that terraformed . . . changed a large section of the continent. I’m not sure of the long-term effects yet.”
I fell back into my seat as I mulled over this news, then looked to Regan and said, “Is there . . . is there anything you can do?!” I hated myself for sounding like I was pleading, but this was out of my league.
Regan considered me for a moment. “Not immediately. I used up most of my mana freeing Alara. Plus, I have to repair the damage caused to my dungeon. You have no idea how it feels to me. A large division of my forces are stationed to protect Alara’s dungeon. As I claim more of the north, this might change, but for now it will be tough to extend myself much farther than the valley and its surroundings,” he said.
Ezal cleared her throat. “Is the town safe from that black dragon Mistress told me about?” she asked. I had honestly completely forgotten about the beast.
“Oh yes! Nova has taken quite a . . . liking to his friend. If you studied dragons, then you know that one dragon ‘claiming’ another is almost as strong as slave magic. I understand that is how they acquire mates, but still,” Regan said, shaking his head. “The claimed one can’t go against the claimer unless they are more powerful. Nova being a dungeon monster, he has plenty of room to grow, whereas Morka has been bottlenecked for several decades,” he explained with a laugh.
“That’s one less worry, then,” Ezal said, leaning back in her seat.
“What should we do?” I asked, more to myself.
“I would keep going in the direction you were before I came. Gather the refugees. Offer shelter. This pass and the valley to the south are the only breaches the undead have to Thonaca. The valley to the south is much more direct to the Thonacan capital. Unless an idiot is in control, then I would direct my forces there. Especially after the trouble we have been giving them.”
I nodded. Yes, we should shore up the defenses until we gained more information. “Alright! Ezal send those missives at once. Even offer safety to the nobles if they are willing to follow my command,” I said, moving to my desk.
I noticed Alara tug on Regan’s coat. She whispered something to him that even with my enhanced hearing I couldn’t make out.
“Alara says they have used most of their cards. They will be desperate. Let’s keep that in mind,” Regan said, nodding at the girl.
“Understood. This is going to be an interesting winter,” I said, pausing to look out the window. The first snows were only a few days away. What changes would the world see once the snow melted in spring?
Chapter 24
Izora
My small force made its way to the first circle gate. I flew up over the gate, but the other side was completely empty. Frowning, I couldn’t detect anyone either. Opening that gate in the magic circuit, we quickly passed through. It was eerie how easily we made it to the castle. The pillar behind it thrummed with power.
I ran a finger over several runes on my gauntlet. Metal swirled out of a piece of armor, forming into my lance, a nifty function I had found while I was bored in my office earlier on the journey. We slowly made our way into the castle entrance but found it empty. I glanced at a timepiece on the wall. Father would be in the throne room at this time if he was still holding to his schedule.
“Let’s stick together. I have no idea what is controlling the people, but we have a better chance of resisting if we work together,” I called back to the rest of the group. I got tense nods in reply but couldn’t blame them. The loss of free will was quite terrifying.
The castle was strangely empty as we made our way to the throne room. Again, I wondered what could have happened to cause this since the last time I’d spoken to my father. Surely the necromancers couldn’t have gotten another foothold in the city since the exodus. It would fit their ways to leave behind members that could cause trouble, but to affect even the king? I found it hard to believe.
We were making our way down the adjoining hallway to the throne room when doors burst open. Soldiers rushed out, aiming air rifles at us, as well as more mundane weapons. We quickly took defensive positions.
“My daughter. It is so nice to see you again,” Father said with a sweet tone as he walked out of one of the rooms. I felt like I was five and was interrupting his duties while I played in his study.
“Father! What is going on?!” I demanded, lowering my weapon a bit despite myself.
“Dear Izora. I have fixed them.” He grabbed one of the guards and shook him. “I realized that mortals just can’t be trusted. We ruled them to the best of our ability for centuries! Centuries! How do they repay us?! By killing Elena!” Father shouted, tears running freely.
“I know, Father, I know! But that doesn’t mean we should strip them of their free will,” I said, shaking my head.
My father didn’t seem to hear me though and continued. “I thought for many weeks on how to avenge your mother. I could wage war on the necromancers, but what is to stop more of my people from joining the enemy? That’s when I found it! A magic practiced by the gnomes of old, deep in the records. Now I . . . we never have to fear betrayal again!” Father screamed with his arms held out.
My father was clearly mad with rage and grief. “This goes against nature! I know we are hurting, but we must look to the future! Please, Father, snap out of it!” I cried.
Father looked back to me, and this time I felt he was actually looking at me. “I see. So, you want to betray me too.” He sighed and rubbed his hand across his face.
&nbs
p; “No! I love you, Father. Please come to your senses!”
“Don’t worry, my dear. I will protect you. Even from yourself.”
He gestured toward us, and all the guards rushed forward, while the ones wielding air-rifles maintained their distance in the back. I slammed my foot down with a surge of terra mana, knocking back the rushing guards. Losing a clear shot, the rear lone guards couldn’t fire.
“They’re lost to us! Return the favor!” I ordered. All my guards rushed forward and met the castle guards in a melee. My side was at the obvious disadvantage. For them, the other force weren’t enemies but people who they trained with and knew almost as well as brothers and sisters. While my guards were fighting, they couldn’t avoid the slight hesitation that was present in their swings.
That thought almost made me pause. Since when had I been able to switch gears so quickly? I should have been trying to save these people, not kill them. I gritted my teeth, angry at both the situation and myself, and angry at my father for causing this to happen. I felt something call to me from my lance, but it was more of a dull thrum in my mind.
The pinging sound of bullets crashing into the masonry brought me back to the present. Both sides were taking pot shots between their allies, mine a little more carefully than the others. I turned my lance toward the most crowded part of the enemy line.
“Sorry,” I muttered as I unleashed a torrent of energy into the gathering.
Mana made physical slammed the enemy guards against the wall and down the hall. My forces quickly took the chance to push deeper into the enemy. The next minute there were screaming and muted thuds as my guards dealt fatal blows to their old friends.
Everyone breathed deeply as we checked ourselves. Two of my guards had been killed and a dozen more injured. The throne room was at the end of the hall, but even there lay another trap. I couldn’t stand the idea of losing even more of my people to this craziness.
“Sasori! Hatsu! I want you to hold here. I will confront my father . . . the king alone,” I ordered, taking a step toward the throne room.