Sands of Nezza

by M. L. Forman

  Again and again, Alex dove down on the fleeing army. He tore great trenches in the earth with his tail and filled them with fire. The land glowed orange and red, and the air was filled with smoke and steam. A few soldiers tried to shoot arrows at the dragon, but the arrows that struck him simply shattered on his true silver scales.

  He dove again and was about to destroy a large collection of carts, but he stopped himself when he saw that they contained helpless prisoners. His rage flared as he realized that the army of Bray was using the prisoners to force the people inside the city to surrender. How many people had they already killed? How could men be so evil?

  The storm kept pace with Alex’s rage. Lightning shattered the darkness, and the rain pounded the earth like a rolling drum. The rain had put out the fires in the city. Ossbo would not be destroyed by fire, but Bray’s army would be.

  The army was broken long before Alex grew tired of attacking them. A few small groups began racing back to the south as fast as they could go. Alex let his thoughts reach out to one group, looking for a name to go with the face he could see so clearly. It came as he flew over the company: Bray.

  The dragon’s rage got the better of Alex, and without considering the consequences, he destroyed Bray and his men with a huge ball of flame. One evil lord was gone. If another took his place, then the dragon would make sure he met the same fate.

  Enough, a familiar voice said in Alex’s mind. You have done enough. Return now. Help those who need you.

  “Salinor,” said Alex. “How . . . How did you know?”

  The same way you would know if I were to do what you have done, Salinor answered, his voice kind and not accusing. You have saved the city and broken Bray’s army, as you promised you would do. That is enough for now. Return, and help those who need you.

  “As you wish, great one,” said Alex, his anger slipping away.

  Remember this, child, Salinor continued. With all your powers of wizardry, with all your powers as a dragon, you cannot force the people of Nezza to make peace.

  “But—”

  You must help the young king find peace for his people, said Salinor. Force alone is not the path to lasting peace.

  Alex flew back toward Ossbo, changing into an eagle once more as he went. Alex knew Salinor’s words were true, but he couldn’t see the path Salinor was talking about. Without magic, without war and force and destruction, Alex didn’t know how Rallian could win his crown and bring peace to Nezza.

  The fields around the city were still burning when Alex arrived. He landed close to the city gate and changed back to his human form without being seen. Walking up to the gates, Alex could hear people yelling and running inside the city. He knew that many of the people must be hurt; he knew he needed to help them. Raising his staff, he pounded on the city gates.

  “Open in the name of Rallian, king of Nezza,” Alex called out.

  There was no answer.

  Alex raised his staff once more, but this time he magically lifted the massive iron beam that held the gates shut and moved it to one side. When Alex struck the city gate with his staff again, one side of it opened in front of him.

  “What the—?” A large man near the gate started, then stopped in surprise. “Who are you? What do you want? How did you open the gates?”

  “What is your name?” Alex asked the man.

  “I am Tilac,” the man answered.

  “I am a messenger from King Rallian and Lord Shelnor,” answered Alex as he walked into the city. “I must speak with Lady Shelnor at once.”

  “Yes, of course, but the gate . . .” said Tilac.

  “Send men to the fields,” Alex ordered. “Along the south road they will find a number of people trapped in carts who need to be cared for.”

  Tilac hesitated, looking around for someone to help.

  “Quickly!” Alex commanded.

  “At once,” said Tilac, and he began yelling for others to come and do what Alex had ordered.

  Five minutes later, a group of men was assembled and on its way.

  “Now, take me to Lady Shelnor,” Alex ordered Tilac.

  “As you command,” said Tilac again, leading the way into the city.

  The fire in the city had not been as bad as Alex had thought, but there were still many damaged buildings. There were dozens of injured people lying in the street with no one to help them. Alex was angry for a moment, but then he realized that the uninjured people in the city were busy looking through the ruins, searching for others who had been hurt.

  “How long was the army of Bray here before the dragon drove them away?” asked Alex.

  “Two days,” answered Tilac. “If the dragon had not come, the city would have surrendered in the morning.”

  “Then it is well that he came,” said Alex.

  “Do you know this dragon?” Tilac asked, apparently shocked by the idea.

  “I know him well,” said Alex. “He came to protect your city, though I wish he had come sooner.”

  “As do I,” said Tilac. “Though I never believed in dragons before this night.”

  “It is hard to believe in things you’ve never seen.”

  “Yes, very hard,” Tilac agreed.

  Alex didn’t say anything else as Tilac led him into a grand palace, and finally into the private rooms of Lady Shelnor.

  “My lady,” said Tilac, bowing. “This man is a messenger. He has asked to see you.”

  “What madness is this?” said Lady Shelnor, getting up from a small bed she had been kneeling beside. “The city besieged, your lord off to fight at the gap of Luthan, and you bring a stranger into my private chambers!”

  “Lady Shelnor, please,” said Alex, stepping forward. “I have come from King Rallian and your noble husband.”

  Alex held out Lord Shelnor’s ring for Lady Shelnor to see as he spoke. Lady Shelnor hesitated for a moment before taking the ring from Alex’s hand.

  “My husband is well?” Lady Shelnor asked after a long moment.

  “He is,” Alex answered. “I left him at the gap of Luthan a few hours ago. He was preparing to march south with the king.”

  “A few hours?” Lady Shelnor asked in disbelief.

  “My name is Alex Taylor, and I am a wizard,” Alex said. “I have come to aid your city and drive off Bray’s army. I am here to help.”

  “You, alone?”

  “My lady, the siege is lifted,” said Tilac. “A great silver dragon came from the west and destroyed the armies of Bray.”

  “A dragon? Don’t talk nonsense, Tilac. There are no such things as dragons.”

  “He speaks the truth,” said Alex. “The dragon came because I called him. Bray’s army is scattered and destroyed.”

  Lady Shelnor looked at the ring again and then back to Alex, her face full of questions. “You . . . you are a wizard?”

  “I am.”

  “You are a healer, too?”

  “Yes,” said Alex.

  “Can you . . .” Lady Shelnor began and then hesitated. “Can you heal my son?”

  “Your son?” Alex asked.

  “Young Lord Roland fell from the city walls while defending his people,” Tilac said softly.

  “I told him not to go, but he disobeyed me,” said Lady Shelnor, a touch of pride mixed with the sorrow in her voice. “He would not let others defend his father’s city while he remained safe in the palace.”

  “Where is he?” Alex asked.

  “Here” Lady Shelnor pointed to the small bed where she had been kneeling.

  Alex moved forward and knelt beside the boy. He looked to be ten or eleven years old. He was pale, and Alex could see that he was in a great deal of pain. For a moment Alex worried that Roland was already moving toward the shadowlands, but he soon saw that Roland’s spirit was still in him.

  Alex took Roland’s hand as he let his mind and magic move outward. As his thoughts moved to find the injuries in Roland’s body, Alex slowly began to feel the pain that Roland was suffering. When he let
his thoughts return, he felt drained.

  Carefully, Alex moved his hands over Roland, allowing some of his own strength to flow into the boy. He shifted the broken ribs on Roland’s left side, pushing them back into place with his mind, blocking the pain by allowing it to flow into his own body. When he finished his work, Alex was dripping with sweat and shaking, but he was sure that Roland would live.

  “Are there any trained healers in this city?” Alex asked, dropping to the floor to rest for a moment.

  “A few,” said Tilac.

  “Summon them,” Alex ordered. “I will need their help if we are to save the injured people of Ossbo.”

  “And my son?” Lady Shelnor questioned.

  “He has many broken bones that will take time to heal, but he will live.”

  “How do you know? How can you be sure?” Lady Shelnor asked, her voice shaking in fear.

  “I know,” said Alex.

  “But—”

  “He will live,” Alex repeated firmly. “Now, summon the healers. There is much work to do in this city, and I will need their help.”

  “Go, Tilac, do as he commands,” said Lady Shelnor with a wave of her hand.

  “Forgive me, lady,” said Alex, “but I must rest a moment before going to help your people.”

  A short time later, Alex left Lady Shelnor with her son and made his way back to the main entrance of the palace. He met Tilac there, with a small group of people following him. Alex could see that most of the people had at least some power in them. He felt his own strength returning as they gathered around him, waiting for him to speak.

  “How many people are injured?” Alex asked.

  “Most of the guards,” said Tilac. “I would say a hundred of them badly, and the others only slightly.”

  “And the people of the city?” Alex asked.

  “Many have burns and cuts,” said one of the healers, stepping forward. “We know charms and simple spells to ease their pains, but we have no great store of medicines.”

  “What is your name?” asked Alex.

  “I am Roanna.”

  “Go to the kitchens, Roanna, and find the largest caldron or cooking pot you can. Fill it with clean water and set it to boil. I will follow shortly.”

  Roanna bowed to Alex and left, running.

  Alex turned back to the rest of the healers. “The people rescued from Bray’s camp? How are they?”

  “Weak and hungry,” said Tilac. “There are few injuries among them that a meal and a good night’s sleep will not heal.”

  “Very well,” said Alex, looking at the faces around him. “Find those who are injured the worst. Bring them here to the palace as quickly as you can. I will go to the kitchens and make some healing potions for you to use. Tilac, make sure those who were rescued from the carts get something to eat, and try to find them a place to rest.”

  “As you command,” said Tilac with a bow.

  “Go now, my friends,” said Alex to the healers. “We have a great deal of work to do, and the night is already growing old.”

  The healers left the palace, and Alex went to find the kitchens. When he finally found them, Roanna was there, boiling as much water as she possibly could in several large pots.

  “I could not move the largest pots to the fire,” Roanna explained, not meeting Alex’s eyes. “I thought I should do as much as I could. I hope it is enough.”

  “It will be fine,” said Alex, leaning his staff against the wall and clearing a large table in the center of the room. “Do you know anything of adventurers?”

  “I have heard stories,” said Roanna in a slightly confused tone.

  “Very well. I don’t have time to explain things now, but I’m going to disappear for a few minutes, though this bag will remain. You will not be able to move this bag while I am gone. When I return, I will try to answer any questions you might have.”

  Roanna nodded that she understood.

  Alex lifted his magic bag and quietly spoke the password. Once inside his bag, he moved as fast as he could to collect what he would need. First, he went to his greenhouse to collect herbs and roots, flowers and leaves. Then he went to his library, where he stored his other magical items for potion making. It took him less than ten minutes to get everything, and with his arms full, he returned to the kitchen.

  Alex began setting out the items he’d collected on the table, arranging them in groups so they would be ready for each potion he planned to make.

  “This is dwarf’s beard,” said Roanna, picking up one of the plants.

  “That is one of its names,” said Alex.

  “But it is rare here in Nezza, and it only grows in the far north,” Roanna said.

  “I had it in my bag,” said Alex. “You said you’d heard stories of adventurers—what do those stories say?”

  “They say that adventurers carry magic bags with them, bags that can hold many things in a small place,” answered Roanna.

  “That is true,” said Alex as he moved to one of the smaller pots of water. “Magic bags make it easy for adventurers to carry everything we might need. As you can see, I have a great many things in my bag.”

  As the first potion began to boil, Alex started mixing a second and then a third. When the third potion was brewing, he returned to the first and removed it from the fire, checking its color to make sure it was finished.

  “Take a goblet of this to Lord Roland. Make sure he drinks all of it,” Alex said to Roanna. “Can you splint broken bones?”

  “I have done it many times,” Roanna answered with pride.

  “Roland’s bones are already set, but his left arm and leg will both need splints,” said Alex. “You should also bind his ribs because several of them are broken.”

  “As you command,” said Roanna, taking a goblet from one of the shelves and filling it with the potion Alex pointed to.

  “When you are finished with Lord Roland, return,” Alex said as Roanna moved toward the door. “There are many others who will need our help.”

  Alex returned to the potions he was brewing and began making one more he thought would be helpful. It wasn’t long before Alex thought he heard Roanna coming toward the kitchen. He turned to ask why she was back so soon, but to his surprise, Lady Shelnor entered the kitchen. Her hair was pulled back and she wore a common work dress now, and there was a fierce and determined look in her eyes.

  “Roanna told me there was much work to do,” said Lady Shelnor. “How may I serve my people?”

  “Great lady,” said Alex with a slight bow. “I have two large cauldrons of healing potion that are ready. The healers are bringing those who are hurt the worst to the palace. Find some men to help you, and take these cauldrons to the healers. Have them give some of this potion to all who come here. I will have more potions ready soon.”

  “As you wish,” said Lady Shelnor, turning to go.

  The night seemed to go on forever. Alex continued to brew potions, and Lady Shelnor and Roanna continued to take them to those who were injured. The work seemed endless, and from time to time Alex had to call on the power of the dragon to refresh himself so he could keep going.

  When he finished making potions, Alex went back up into the palace carrying a large pot full of a thick, reddish-brown mixture. The healers gathered around him when he arrived.

  “This mixture is for burns,” Alex explained, setting down the pot. “Spread a little of it over any burned skin. It will ease the pain and help the skin to heal.”

  The healers immediately did as Alex commanded.

  Alex turned to Roanna. “Now, show me those who are most hurt.”

  Roanna led him through the palace, stopping at the makeshift cots to tell Alex what was wrong with each person. Alex did what he could for each of them, taking away their pain and their fear and setting them on a path of healing.

  When Roanna fell asleep while Alex was helping a sickly old man, he motioned for one of the other healers to take her place. When he had seen all the people in the
palace, he went out into the courtyard, helping those who needed him. Alex lost track of time as he worked, trying to do all he could for the injured in the city.

  When he returned to the palace, it was dark. Alex didn’t know how long he had been working, but he thought at least one day had gone by. Moving quietly so as not to disturb anyone, he was surprised to find Lady Shelnor and Roanna waiting for him.

  “My lord, you must rest,” said Roanna in a concerned voice.

  “There are still many who need help,” said Alex with a weak smile.

  “And they will receive help, but you must rest,” said Lady Shelnor.

  “It has been three days since you came to our city, Master Taylor. Surely you must need food and sleep,” Roanna added.

  “Three days?” Alex asked.

  “It has been three days since you saved our city,” answered Lady Shelnor. “You have done much for my people, and now you must rest.”

  “Yes,” said Alex, suddenly feeling tired beyond words. “A little food and sleep would be good.”

  “Come. A bed has been made ready for you,” said Lady Shelnor.

  Alex followed Lady Shelnor into the palace. He could see that many of the injured were looking better already. Most of the people in the great hall turned to look at him as he passed. He was taken to a large room where a fine-looking bed and a meal were waiting for him.

  “Rest, my friend,” said Lady Shelnor. “If anyone deserves a rest, it is you.”

  “Call me if there is need,” said Alex.

  He didn’t eat but fell onto the bed as soon as the door to his room was closed. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so tired, and the soft bed was more than he could have hoped for. He let himself sink into the softness and drift away into a happy, restful sleep.

  When Alex woke, the sky was getting dark again, and he guessed that he had been asleep for twelve hours or more. He got up and changed his clothes, then hurried back to the great hall of the palace.

  Lady Shelnor and Roanna were both in the main hall, serving food to those who were well enough to eat. Alex went to them and asked if anyone needed his help. Lady Shelnor smiled and told him that all the injured were doing fine, and she insisted that Roanna take Alex back to the kitchens.