Once she was settled and strapped in, Dofri jumped to the ground. “You’re all set. Good luck.”
“Stay safe, Dofri.” He brought his head around. “If I don’t return, I’ve been proud to know you.”
“If you don’t return, I’ll come looking for you, you stupid dragon.” He stepped up to the big head and placed his hand on the dragon’s face. “Please come home.”
“I’ll try my best.” Lazarus raised his head and spread his wings. “Are you ready, Erik?”
“Yes sir.” Erik had already shifted. He had a new backpack of his own to carry clothes for himself and Gunnar.
Dofri stepped back and watched the winged creatures take flight. When they were gone, he walked back inside. He found Mr. MacGregor in the kitchen, fixing coffee.
“So, they’ve gone.” Michael asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Call me Michael. Would ye like some coffee?”
“Yes, thank you. I doubt I could go back to sleep now, anyway. I won’t be able to sleep at all until they are home safe and sound.”
“Aye, I agree.” Michael placed a cup of coffee in front of him. “Tell me, why have you not shifted and gone with them?”
“I wanted to go, but Lazarus was already carrying Aria and he had a backpack that looked heavy, he even had his father’s sword. I am to stay here and protect the rest of you.”
“Can you not shift like the rest of them?”
“Oh, I’m not a shifter. I thought you knew.”
“Nay. This shifter thing is new to me. Until a month ago, Lazarus was the only one I knew about.”
“But Roana, isn’t she your daughter-in-law?”
“Aye, still, I didn’t know.”
“Wow.” They both sat, sipping their coffee. “Michael, what will you do if they don’t come back?”
“They’ll come back, lad. Don’t you ever think otherwise.”
“Sorry, I just don’t know what I’ll do if something happens. Lazarus is the only father I’ve ever known.”
Michael sat there and stared, dumbstruck. “Father!”
“Oh, he’s not my real father, but he’s always been there for me for as long as I can remember.”
“What happened to your real parents?”
“They died.”
“How?”
“All I know is they died.” He left it at that.
Chapter 27
The trip over the ocean was cold and wet. They flew low, close to the angry waves of the north Atlantic. Erik was showing signs of fatigue.
“Erik, are ye failing?”
“Aye, sorry. I don’t know if I can make it.”
“Ride me back, ah can carry ye for a while. Your bird weighs nothing. Hold on to the backpack. I’ll land if possible.” Erik maneuvered around the huge dragon wings and landed on the backpack. He pulled himself up to Aria and rested his head behind her back. Lazarus looked back to make sure he was okay. “Keep an eye on him, Aria, let me know if he looks like he might fall.”
“I will.” She looked behind her and shifted sideways. “Erik, move up more if you can, I can put my arms around you.” Erik moved himself up further and was able to put his head in Aria’s lap. She pulled her coat around him, so he could rest. His feathers were soaked, but his down was still dry and warm. He was exhausted. “Lazarus, maybe we should turn back.”
“Nay, we’re past half way. Is he secure?”
“Yes, I’ve got him.” The dragon looked back one more time to confirm what she said. Aria held Erik in her arms with her coat tucked around them. Lazarus flew higher, he knew there was a small island about ten miles south of Rona, he just had to find it. It was almost dawn, and luck was with him, he saw it in the distance as the sky lightened and flew to the island. He landed on the leeward side of the island, protected from the wind.
“We’ll rest here today.” Lazarus announced as he waited for Aria to dismount so he could shift. Erik shifted and got dressed.
“Lazarus, I’m sorry, I thought I could make it.”
“Erik, don’t worry about it. This will work out better. You would have been worn out if we’d gone all the way and too tired to help anyone. We can rest here and leave just before dawn tomorrow.” Lazarus pulled blankets out of his pack for Aria and Erik, then gathered driftwood and started a fire. “You two get warmed up and I’ll see if I can find us something to eat.” Lazarus shifted and took off, staying close to the water. It wasn’t long before he spotted a school of tuna and dove for it. It was his lucky day, he got one on his first try.
As he flew back to the island, he felt like he was being watched. If he was, it was too late to do anything about it now. Whoever it was, they already knew where they were. They were too far from Rona island for Gilbert or Manfred to sense their presence, it had to be someone or something else.
Lazarus had let his guard down when he went hunting for food. He didn’t think anyone would see him this far out over the ocean. He watched as he flew back to the island for any signs of anyone being there. As an afterthought, he should have checked the island before he left to hunt.
As soon as he landed, he shifted. “I’m afraid I might have jeopardized our mission.”
“Why?” Erik asked.
“I have a feeling we’re being watched. I didn’t check this island before I left, we might not be alone.”
“Well, you can’t go up again. I’ll shift and check the island.”
“Are you sure you’re up to it?”
“Lazarus, I’m fine. I’ve rested long enough to take a short flight, it’s not a very big island.”
“Alright but be careful. If someone is on the island, they could take a shot at you.” Erik quickly stripped, shifted, and took to the sky, while Lazarus watched him go.
“Will he be alright?” Aria asked.
“I hope so,” he answered as he started to clean the tuna. Aria watched the sky, waiting for Erik to return. She started to pace. “Relax, Aria, he’s only been gone for a few minutes.”
“But, what if something happens?”
“He’s a big boy, he can take care of himself.”
“And why, exactly, did we stop here?” She gave him a look. Just as he was about to answer, he saw the eagle flying towards them. Erik gracefully landed, and crow hopped over to his clothes. He shifted and quickly got dressed.
“Did you find anything?” Lazarus inquired. Erik gave him a nod and pointed to the sky. Three Stellar’s eagles circled above them.
“I wanted to check with you before I told them to land and join us.”
“Do you know them?”
“No, but they know of me from Gunnar, they served with him in Vietnam. They have been looking for him.”
“Gunnar must have told them where he was going.”
“Let them land and you can ask them.”
“Go ahead and tell them to come down. Do they have something to cover themselves with?” Lazarus was always the gentleman, if Aria wasn’t with them, it wasn’t a problem.
“They do. They’re carrying backpacks.” Erik waved his arms to signal the Eagles to land.
Aria watched as three huge, beautiful birds landed a short distance from where they were standing. When they shifted, she stifled a gasp. Three of the most handsome and muscular men she had ever seen, opened their packs and proceeded to get dressed. When they were presentable, they approached the camp. One of the three approached Lazarus and introduced himself.
“Sir, my name is Thoron,” he put his arm forward to shake hands, “Gunnar told us about the dragon, but we teased him. We thought he was telling us a tale. Your dragon is magnificent, it’s an honor to meet you.”
“I’ll have to get after him for that, it’s supposed to be a secret,” he shook hands with the other two men, Grim and Ossur, “except, I have to find and rescue him first.”
“Rescue?” All three looked to Lazarus for an explanation.
“I sent him on a mission and he got his ass caught. Erik was with him. Erik, you and Ar
ia tell them what is going on while I cook us some tuna.” Erik proceeded to tell the three men everything up to the present. How he barely got away from the men that captured Gunnar on the island. Aria told them about the prisoners in the long house and the old dungeon.
Thoron and his companions listened to everything that was said. “We’re going with you,” Thoron told them, “Gunnar is our friend and brother, and it sounds like you could use some help.”
“I don’t know how much resistance we’ll have. I have to caution you, there is magic involved, it could be deadly.”
“If Gunnar is in that kind of danger,” Grim told him, “we have to go and help him.”
“I won’t lie, we can use all the help we can get.” Lazarus finished cooking the tuna and everyone ate. They talked about what was ahead of them. Lazarus told them who would be involved. “I have to disarm Manfred before anyone can do anything. If I succeed and the wizard is out of the way, I will be fighting for my life. I will be counting on the rest of you to rescue my family, Gunnar, and the rest of the prisoners.”
“I can’t believe I’m going to ask this,” Thoron remarked, “Merlin was real.”
“Aye, and a friend to my mother. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have a chance in hell of defeating Manfred tomorrow. There is still a chance I could fail.”
“Would a distraction help?” Grim asked.
“What do you have in mind.”
“Well, I doubt we can help you with the dragon without getting roasted, but we might be able to outnumber the wizard. If we do a hit-and-run technique we used in Nam, we might give him too many things to concentrate on.”
“He could also kill you instantly with a flick of a wand, but I have a safeguard. You would have to repeat an incantation and fight at the same time. Keep repeating the words over and over, he can’t hurt you, but if you miss a single word, he will kill you.”
“Tell us the words and we will practice. If we all repeat the words together, would the effect be more powerful,” Ossur asked.
“I have no idea, but it’s worth a try.” He turned to Aria. “I want you to learn the words. It might protect you as well.” Lazarus repeated the words
Merlin of old, retrieve the power of your amulet, regain what was yours.
Reverse the power of yellow to green, powerless evermore.
Aria dug deep in her pockets for a pencil and piece of paper. “Say it again.” Lazarus recited the first sentence slowly and everyone repeated it. Aria wrote it down. “Now, say the rest.” He recited the second line of the spell. “Got it.” Aria smiled at everyone. “We have all day to memorize it and test each other. We can do mock battles and see if we make any mistakes.”
“That’s a great idea, Aria, good job.” Erik told her.
“I agree.” Lazarus added.
They spent a good part of the day memorizing the two lines. Without warning, Thoron tackled Erik while reciting the lines. Erik stopped repeating the lines.
“Erik, you’re dead,” Aria told him.
“Damn, this is going to be hard.”
“It is,” Lazarus remarked, “you have to clear your mind of everything except the words and be able to fight without thinking about it. Aria, you also stopped reciting the lines. The only time you will be protected is when you repeat the lines.”
“Wow, Erik is right, this is going to be hard.” They practiced all day. By the time they stopped to eat in the evening, they were as good as they were going to be. Lazarus hoped it would be enough.
“If any of you are together and one of you is attacked, no matter what, keep saying those lines out loud, hopefully it will help to weaken him. I don’t know how long it will take to disarm the amulet, but once it turns black, Manfred is toast. I suggest you don’t watch.”
“Why, Lazarus, what’s going to happen?” Aria asked.
“Manfred is human. The amulet has been keeping him young for hundreds of years. Once the amulet is gone, Manfred will age rapidly and die.”
“Eeeww,” Aria scrunched up her face, “I don’t think I want to see that.”
“Alright, once Manfred is gone, all of you know what to do. Don’t wait for me. Get as far away from me as possible and stay out of sight. The black dragon will come looking for me. Everyone get some rest, we’ll leave just before dawn.”
Aria walked up to Lazarus and threw her arms around him. “Good luck.” She looked up at him. “We’ll take care of your family and keep them safe. We will be waiting for you to come home.”
“Thank you.” He held her close for a moment, then released her. “Get some sleep.” Sometime during the night, it started to rain. Lazarus shifted to his dragon, spread his wing, and kept his companions warm and dry. Being a dragon, he was always warm. Thoron would later describe it, like sleeping next to a furnace.
Chapter 28
It was still dark when Lazarus woke. He looked under his wing and smiled to himself. “At least they got a good night’s sleep, I hope it isn’t their last.” He shifted his weight. “Alright, sleeping beauties, time to get to work. Rise and shine.”
One by one, they stretched and got to their feet. Lazarus shifted.
“I could use a cup of coffee.” Erik said with a yawn.
“We’ll stop at the next café we come to and get you one.” Thoron joked.
Aria thanked Lazarus for keeping them warm. “You’re better than an electric blanket.” That made them all laugh.
“You are very welcome. Now, I suggest we pack up and get out of here. We have a busy day ahead.” He handed Aria a granola bar. “Sorry, it’s all I have. Maybe we’ll be done with this nasty business in time for lunch.”
Aria laughed. “Yeah, maybe we will. If we are, I’ll fix it myself.”
“That a girl.” Lazarus hoisted his pack and shifted. “Climb aboard, time to go.” Erik made sure she was secure before picking up his own backpack and shifting. “Erik, are you going to be alright?”
“I’ll be fine, it’s not much further.”
Four beautiful Stellar’s eagles took flight. They knew Lazarus would use his cloaking ability once he was off the ground and they wouldn’t be able to see him. They all agreed in advance where to land when they got to the island.
It was almost dawn when they saw Rona island shrouded in fog. The four eagles landed on a point high above the ocean to survey their surroundings. They would all head for the ruins that contained the old dungeon if the coast was clear. If Gunnar wasn’t there, Erik and Thoron would head for the longhouse, while Grim and Ossur helped Aria free the prisoners.
Lazarus landed near the old ruins. He dropped his pack and shifted. He would have to fight Manfred as a man. He opened his pack and pulled out a pair of bolt cutters and handed them to Grim. “Help Aria release the prisoners and get them to the far side of the island.”
“Do you think they know we’re here?” Erik asked.
“Aye, they know. Stay sharp and watch your back. I guess I’d better show myself, so the games can begin.” Everyone started to repeat the incantation. “Merlin of old, retrieve what was yours….”
Aria told Ossur to follow Lazarus, to repeat the words as he went. Grim and Aria repeated the words as they snuck into the old ruins and headed for the dungeon. Erik and Thoron stayed out of sight and would head for the longhouse as soon as the battle with Manfred was over. They repeated the words the entire time.
Lazarus was surprised at how different the island looked once they landed. The magic Manfred was using made the island look like nothing more than a barren rock in the ocean. As he walked out into the open, he could feel the power of magic surrounding him. He continued to repeat the words, he knew Manfred was there.
“Well, well, well. Who do we have here?” Manfred sneered. “Lazarus MacEachthighearna. So, the lizard has finally crawled out from under his rock. Where is your dragon? I’d love to meet him.” Manfred started to wave his arms around. Within seconds, he was throwing invisible power balls at Lazarus. Manfred was filled with glee, h
e couldn’t believe he was going to defeat his enemy so easily. When the power balls didn’t appear to affect Lazarus, he was puzzled. “What is this?” He tried again and nothing.
Lazarus continued to repeat the words. Ossur came out of hiding and repeated the words. Manfred turned on Ossur and threw a power ball at him. It knocked him down, but he got up, unharmed, Ossur continued the words. Manfred threw fire balls at Lazarus, but they caused no harm. Erik and Thoron came out of hiding and repeated the words. They said the words out loud, together.
Lazarus took a chance and spoke to Manfred. “What has happened. I thought you were strong. You’re not a wizard, you’re a fake, a phony.” Lazarus joined the chant again.
Manfred was furious. He threw fire balls at Erik and Thoron, but he missed. He tried to put a spell on Lazarus but forgot the words. His amulet glowed so bright, it was almost blinding. “What’s happening. It’s not supposed to do that.” He finally started to hear the words coming from the men that were now surrounding him. “No! No! What are you saying. Stop saying that.” Suddenly, the amulet flashed bright white, and went dark. Manfred held the amulet in his hand. “What have you done?” The amulet slowly turned to dust in his hand. Instantly, Manfred started to age.
“Lazarus, you did it.” Erik yelled to him. They watched as Manfred fell to the ground, a shriveled up old man. As they watched, his clothes, body and bones turned to dust. Nothing of him remained. “Wow, even his bones are gone.”
“That’s what happens when you use someone else’s magic. I’d better get going. It’s time for me to find the black dragon. Protect my family.”
“We will. Be careful,” Erik told him.
*****
For the first time in years, the fog lifted from the island. Rona was bathed in sunshine. The prisoners that were still alive in the dungeon had to shield their eyes. Aria and Grim instantly knew Lazarus had defeated the wizard. Now that the sun was shining, Aria stopped in her tracks.
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