Soldiers of the Crown

by Stephen L. Nowland

  “And what price did you exact from Alaric for this service?” Aiden asked warily.

  Are you aware of the history of dragonkind? came the question.

  “Of course, it is well documented,” Aiden replied curiously. “You used to dominate the entire island, but as man’s influence spread your kin were hunted down and slain, to protect cattle and innocent lives.”

  What you so casually speak of is the wholesale genocide of my species, Salinder thundered in his mind, and the two men clutched at their heads from the volume. What few remain are bitter, angry, or insane from the perpetual war mankind has waged upon us. Before man there were others who toyed with our very existence, and I would have an end to it. The pact I made with Alaric was to stop the slaughter of my kin within the realm. It is for this reason that I keep my vigil, and because the Ironlord would eliminate my cousins from the world just as surely as Man.

  Aiden silently pondered this for a long moment, glancing at Desmond to see an ashamed look upon the old wizard’s weathered features and feeling some of that himself.

  “What is it you want from me?” Aiden asked, curious as to what role he was supposed to play in all this.

  My time grows short, Aiden, Salinder replied tiredly. I have kept my word, and remained at my post these long years, but even I am not immortal. I was ancient and weary even before Alaric came to me, a century ago, and now the weight of years grows heavier by the day. Soon I will not be able to keep it locked away any longer and this reality will collapse, releasing the Ironlord back into the world.

  “So it would just fall back to Feydwiir?” Aiden asked, puzzled.

  In a fashion, though it is more akin to swimming than falling, as you may recall.

  “Then would it appear again where you first left the world?” Aiden inquired. “Would it not simply be stuck here floating around forever?”

  It would float for only a brief time, for there are other forces at work in this place.

  “The Aether is ever-shifting,” Desmond explained. “Much like the sea, there are tides, eddies and currents that constantly move about. To continue the metaphor, there are places where the Aether becomes shallow, almost touching our world. There is only one such place that has been documented on the island of Feydwiir, and it is to this place that the land we now stand upon has drifted. When this reality is no more, the Ironlord will be deposited at this location almost instantaneously, free to continue its rampage unchecked.”

  You cannot count upon the aid of my kin any further, Salinder added. You asked what I wanted from you? I need you to find a way to destroy it once and for all.

  “But… you said it couldn’t be destroyed,” Aiden replied quietly, thunderstruck by this revelation.

  We were not able to find a weakness before it became imperative to act, the dragon corrected. Research has been ongoing, but those who carry on this process are old and tired. You have an aptitude for knowledge, Aiden, and I need you to carry on this task.

  “Much has been learned and uncovered this past century,” Desmond explained solemnly, “but our numbers are growing fewer every year and young blood is needed to replace those who have passed on. We have to be careful who we talk to however, for there are those in the world who would actively welcome the return of this unstoppable monstrosity. Discretion is called for, which is why we must ask that you mention this to no one, not even your closest friends. Not yet, anyway.”

  “They wouldn’t believe me if I told them,” Aiden muttered dryly, recalling the reactions he had received when he’d mentioned the dream he’d had over and over again. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to help you, but I’ll do my best to find a way to stop this thing. Is this what you were trying to tell me in those dreams?”

  No, that was another matter concerning my cousins and the device which you… The dragon’s eye suddenly opened wide and stared at Aiden. A scream echoed from behind him, and whirling around he saw Sayana standing there, having just stepped through the portal to the tower.

  She was gaping at the dragon before them, and Aiden could see light visible from under her clothes as she summoned power to protect herself. A challenging roar blasted from Salinder’s gigantic maw as the ancient dragon’s head rose up, and suddenly Sayana was encased in a shimmering bubble of energy, her arms pinned against her sides.

  HOW DARE YOU ENTER MY PRESENCE, Salinder thundered as the ground beneath their feet began to shake once more. The dragon’s head whirled around to look at the gate behind them and saw the chains straining to hold it shut. A loud, rhythmic thumping sound came from beyond, and Aiden looked on in terror as he realized the Ironlord was trying to free itself.

  “The portal is collapsing,” Desmond cried over the rumbling sound. “We need to get back to the tower immediately!”

  It is taking advantage of the distraction, BEGONE! Salinder told them, his telepathic voice strong and clear over the rumbling around them. Sayana was thrown back through the portal with a squeal while Salinder shifted his bulk to concentrate on holding the gate in place. Desmond took Aiden by the shoulder and thrust him through the flickering portal to the tower beyond.

  Instead of the easy step through, this time the journey felt like agony as the rippling doorway tore at him and although it only lasted a brief moment, it was so sharp and intense that darkness descended over him just after he felt the cold stone of the tower floor beneath his cheek.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Aiden slowly opened his eyes and tried to recall what had happened. He looked around the room and saw the mundane furniture, assorted devices and artefacts of Desmond’s laboratory. There was a piercing rattle echoing through the air and the old wizard was unconscious, lying on the stone just next to him. The portal itself had vanished, leaving only a blackened scorch mark on the metal floor plate.

  Aiden slowly got back on his feet and walked over to Sayana, also unconscious but evidently free of the dragon’s binding incantation. Satisfied that both of them were going to survive, Aiden turned his attention to the metallic rattling noise coming from the cylinder nearby.

  The blue glow was flickering in the tube, and the noise emitted from the device was slowly turning into a screeching sound and smoke was pouring from the tube. Scanning the panel, Aiden saw a flashing red light with a strange rune above it. His curiosity outstripping his caution, he pressed the worn metal plate and the red light vanished, along with the horrid screeching sound which faded into a sort of whimpering noise and was soon gone completely.

  He studied the contraption for a few moments, noticing that the blue light was still glowing within the tube, though it was no longer swirling around. A thought occurred to him as he looked down at the panel again and saw a familiar switch and pressed it, flipping open a small hatch only inches across. Rummaging around in his belt pouch, he pulled out the small cube whose secrets had continued to elude him for weeks.

  His hands shaking with trepidation, he fitted the cube into the square slot and gently pushed it in. When he had done this back at Dale’s place in Bracksford, nothing further had happened. This time he was rewarded with a curious display of coloured lights next to the hatch. A faint humming sound could be heard from the contraption and the blue glow began to fade from the tube.

  “Don’t touch that, it is an incredibly delicate artefact,” Desmond croaked, picking himself up off the floor and dusting off his robe. Aiden quickly attempted to pull the cube out of the slot, but it refused to budge and he was reluctant to try and force it lest he damage either device. He spun around and stood between the wizard and the device, hoping Desmond wasn’t going to come over for a closer look.

  “It’s okay, I managed to make it stop,” Aiden assured him, trying to appear casual. “Are you okay? Perhaps you should sit down for a moment.”

  “Nonsense, I’m not some doddering old fool,” Desmond muttered, leaning heavily on his staff and doddering over to a wall to lean against it for a few moments. Aiden moved his right hand to the panel behind him and felt his
way around to the cube, and then to the small switch next to it that should pop it back out again. It wouldn’t budge, however, no matter how hard he pressed down upon it.

  “We were lucky to make it out of there,” Desmond said, looking at Sayana’s unmoving form lying on the flagstones. “From Salinder’s reaction, I can assume that your friend is more dangerous than I had accounted for.”

  “I don’t know what she’s done to warrant that sort of response,” Aiden protested, feeling the switch move under his hand at last and grasping the cube before it could fall onto the floor. It was quite warm, but not uncomfortably so. With a minor feat of dexterity, he managed to close the small hatch on the panel without looking, although it did make a tiny click sound as it closed, prompting Desmond to glare at him.

  “Stand away from the device, Aiden,” he ordered, “I cannot take the chance that you might inadvertently damage it.”

  “Of course,” Aiden responded, slipping the cube into his pouch as he moved over to Sayana. “That whole experience was quite overwhelming,” he continued, speaking honestly. “I can scarcely believe I’ve been asked to help destroy that whatever it is. I’m not even a proper wizard.”

  “A fact of which I am keenly aware,” Desmond grumbled. “Nevertheless, I am not one to ignore the will of a dragon, much less my own king, and so I shall make it my task to assist you wherever possible. You needn’t be too concerned though, as you’ll be more of a research assistant than anything else. It’s not like you were being asked to slay the damned thing single-handedly.”

  “I still have to finish up this assassin business as well,” Aiden mused quietly, feeling overwhelmed from every direction.

  “Continue your work tracking down the perpetrators of this conspiracy, and once that is resolved I shall help you to understand more of what is at stake here,” Desmond said.

  “I have one last question,” Aiden responded. “You mentioned the dragon’s little island of reality had drifted to that shallow place where our worlds connect. Where is that place?”

  “It resides within the western borders of Tulsone,” Desmond replied tersely, clearing papers from an overstuffed chair nearby. “A small temple was built there long ago to mark the place. Over the years, prophets and monks have flocked there to meditate, unwittingly touching the Aether in the process. Soon the Ironlord will appear there and begin its cycle of destruction anew.”

  “Tulsone… but that’s where the king is waging his war,” Aiden surmised. “So that’s what it’s all about? He’s trying to get to that temple and hit it before it hurts anyone else?”

  “I’m afraid so,” Desmond nodded, sitting in his overstuffed chair at last and appearing relieved for doing so. “His Majesty sought to gain permission from King Evariste Davignon of Tulsone to take his army through their lands, but this was met with an understandable measure of suspicion and mistrust. Negotiations broke down and King Seamus was forced to invade in order to be in position in time, thus resulting in an unnecessary war in which thousands have perished.”

  Aiden could scarcely imagine the magnitude of what he had learned today. Sayana was finally waking up, and looked up at Aiden with a vague expression on her face. His feeling of betrayal felt insignificant compared to the events taking place in the world right now, so he pushed aside any childish emotions and helped her get back on her feet.

  “Are you hurt?” Aiden asked.

  “Just a few bruises,” she whispered tremulously. “If I’d known what was on the other side of that glowing door I wouldn’t have stepped through it. What on earth were the two of you doing in there?” Aiden exchanged a glance with Desmond, unsure of what to say. It was possible she’d heard some of what they’d spoken about, but if she called him out on any lies it wasn’t going to be the end of the world.

  “Getting to the bottom of a few mysteries,” he told her cryptically. “I think I should tell you that you were right about me — that dragon does have a hold over me, but believe it or not it’s using me to help the Kingdom anyway. And since I’m already doing that, I guess we can think of Salinder as an ally. But why does it hate you so much? When you were thrown back through the portal I could swear he was trying to kill you.”

  “Maybe he’s sensing my distrust and hatred of him and his kind,” Sayana answered in a menacing voice. “Even if this ‘Salinder’ seems benign, other dragons in recent history have not been so benevolent Aiden, and you would do well to be cautious around that one.” Aiden didn’t answer, his attention caught by a tattoo on her exposed shoulder that set his mind thinking about sorcerers, and the dragon’s reaction to her.

  “Desmond, when you were using that strange device over there you mentioned that ‘Terinus, the king’s wizard usually handles this’,” he said to the old wizard. “Did he ever actually go through the portal to speak with Salinder directly?”

  “Yes, but only once,” Desmond answered. “I don’t know what transpired between them but Terinus did retreat from the portal after less than a minute, swearing never to step inside again. Ever since then only the king has actually crossed the threshold into that realm.”

  “Are you sure Terinus isn’t a sorcerer?”

  “I have never witnessed him using sorcery, and I’ve been here at the University for a most of my life, young man,” Desmond replied, sounding grumpier by the minute. “His command of magic is the greatest I have ever seen, and it takes a lifetime to attain the mastery he exhibits with each incantation. Even if he had some natural talent for it, the possibility of him also achieving any degree of sorcerous power while also mastering conventional magic is preposterous — there just aren’t enough years in one lifetime, my boy.”

  “Then perhaps it’s power itself Salinder distrusts,” Aiden surmised, looking at Sayana in a new light.

  “Nonsense,” Desmond huffed, picking up on what Aiden was thinking. “We conducted long-established tests on her and concluded she was no more harm than that damnable student that blew the top off the other tower. Mark my words, it’s irresponsible young people like him with access to equipment well beyond their ability to control who are the real threat to this country. No, this poor young woman is cursed, unable to enact even minor invocations without putting herself in bed for a day to recover.”

  “Well, it’s probably time we got going,” Aiden responded.

  “Yes, well, go about your business then, but remember what you have learned here today, Mister Wainwright, and know that I will be calling on you in the near future,” the old wizard instructed, and then leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes to take a nap. Aiden ushered Sayana out of the laboratory and closed the door, then started down the stairs in silence.

  They opened the tower doors to a blast of cold wind and looked out at the freezing conditions with little enthusiasm before Aiden had to say something. “Listen, about Ronan,” Aiden said, receiving a withering gaze from Sayana.

  “I don’t want to talk about that anymore,” she replied curtly, then stormed out into the weather. Aiden hurried along to try and catch up, cursing himself as he went. This had turned into quite a fine mess, and apparently it was entirely his fault, although he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where he had made the mistake.

  Aiden had lost sight of her by the time he had stepped inside the Fair Maiden, but he surmised that Sayana had returned to her room for some privacy. It was possible Ronan awaited her there, but Aiden did his best to ignore that particular thought. Instead, he made his way across the crowded floor towards a table where Pacian dozed in a chair, half asleep.

  “Nice bruise,” Pacian remarked lazily, looking over at him. “You seem to get beaten up a lot, you know.”

  “This time it was a little different,” Aiden muttered, gently touching the side of his face that had hit the floor earlier. “There was a dragon involved, so I think I came away from it better than could be expected.”

  “Dragon?” Pacian asked, sitting up straight. “Is there something I should know?”

  “It’s
complicated,” Aiden explained, “but no, there isn’t a dragon about to eat the city. Just give me a few minutes of peace, would you? I’ve had a hell of a morning.” Pacian was gracious enough to remain silent as Aiden rested his head on the back of the chair and stared up at the ceiling.

  The distinctive sound of a man with a cane approaching heralded the arrival of Mister Kinsey, whose ruffled appearance indicated he had not slept the previous night. He stood across the common room looking right at Aiden and gestured for both he and Pacian join him in the kitchens.

  When they stepped through the door, Aiden saw some of the kitchen hands being escorted outside by Kara, who gave him a quick nod before closing the door.

  “All clear, boss,” she declared, leaning against it with her arms crossed.

  “My apologies for the impromptu meeting,” Kinsey addressed them, leaning on his cane. “We should have a few minutes of privacy at least. I trust you are all recovering from your efforts? My people told me in detail the results of your work. Quite impressive, though lacking in subtlety.”

  “We go with what works,” Aiden remarked with a shrug. “You look like you’ve had a busy night,” he added, noticing the heavy bags under the man’s eyes.

  “I’ve been waiting for many years to get my hands on Holister,” Kinsey growled, “and I wasn’t going to sleep until we’d had some time to talk.”

  “Were you able to discover anything valuable?” Aiden asked, leaning forward eagerly.

  “She eventually gave me some information on her past crimes, enough to close some murder cases the City Watch had on their books, but so far, she has failed to further enlighten us on the plans her associates have in store. That isn’t the reason for my visit, however. One piece of information I gleaned from our discussion is the sum of money she was paid to perform this job.”

  “Yes, she told us that too,” Aiden nodded, taking the time to detail the exact nature of the talk he’d had with the assassin last night, and Kinsey listened patiently to the whole story before speaking again.