“At least we can take comfort that many dragons are dead. The battle was not fought in vain. With the Mountain of Doom gone, well, the dragons don’t have a base to rally from. They’ll be scattered. We need to make sure Nath Dragon doesn’t rally them. Keep him away from them, and the world will continue to be ours.”
Tapping his fingers together, Eckubahn said, “Send word out. The titan army destroyed the Mountain of Doom. The dragons lost. I want it known from one corner of Nalzambor to the other. It will break the will of the people, especially those troublesome elves and dwarves. It’s time to break them.”
“The dwarves aren’t going anywhere. The elves are the ones that need finishing. They are exposed.” Tylabahn tucked her comb away. She moved closer to him, crunching the bugs beneath her bare toes. “Use the wurmers. I have an excellent idea…” Her expression faded into nothing.
Eckubahn leaned forward. “You were saying, sister?”
Lotuus watched Tylabahn’s lids flutter. The ugly woman shook her head. Something is very amiss there. The changeling fights within her.
The glassy stare in Tylabahn’s eyes cleared.
Eckubahn slapped his hand on the chair arm. “You had better have control of that thing you indwell, sister. I don’t need any more failures!”
“I’m perfectly fine,” she argued. “Can’t a girl have a moment to gather her wits? As I was saying, I have an idea that will allow the wurmers to rain down devastation from above.”
“I’d be interested to hear what you have in mind.”
The giant sentries opened the throne room doors. The bald-headed priestess Forever entered, a former servant of Selene’s. Robes dusting the floor as she crossed the expansive room, she came to a stop and bowed at Eckubahn’s feet.
“What is it, child?” Eckubahn said.
“My lord, I am the bearer of horrendous news.”
His head tilted. He cast a quick look at Lotuus. She faded back. “Out with it.”
“I have confirmed that two more wurmer hives have been destroyed. That leaves only two. What would you have me do?”
Lotuus stopped breathing. Tylabahn stepped back.
“That’s quite all right, child.” Eckubahn extended his hands. He picked up Forever like a doll. “Quite fine.” His green flames began to boil red.
Forever squirmed. “My lord! You’re crushing me! Please,” she begged. “Stop.”
Bone and cartilage snapped.
Lotuus flinched. Better her than me. I didn’t care for her much anyway.
Eckubahn chucked Forever’s body over his shoulder. “We’ll move on the elves. Now clean up this mess.”
CHAPTER 4
“I wish there were a way we could all keep tabs on one another,” Nath said. He, Brenwar, and Selene began the journey east. He had decided it would be best to find the others and the surviving dragons. But there was still a gnawing in his stomach. Brenwar wanted to check in on his kindred, but it would be impossible for him to do so with the titan army swelling within their borders. “I’m tempted to fly back and see for myself, Brenwar.”
The grizzled dwarf marched up the pathway, eyes fixed on the way ahead. “No, you made up your mind. I won’t argue. Let’s make Morgdon our next stop, though. The elves will surely need more help than we do.”
“Well said.” Nath lengthened his stride and broke into a trot for a long run. Finally, he said, “This is silly when I can fly.” He looked back at his friends.
“We aren’t stopping you.” Selene glanced up. “Perhaps the wurmers are?”
“I can risk it. Besides, I haven’t met a wurmer I couldn’t handle. Just stay east until you cross the river. I don’t want to lose you.”
“Are you telling me you’ve forgotten how to track?” Brenwar said.
“No, of course not. I’m still the best tracker of them all. Just stay on course. I’ll be back.” Nath leapt into the air, wings beating, and started flying. Staying low, just above the treetops, he circled his friends once and waved goodbye. Then he shot over the treetops like a black bolt of lightning, cutting through the winds like a knife. A surge of exhilaration coursed through his body. I haven’t felt this good in, well, years! I love it! I love being a dragon!
Scales covered every inch of his body except his head. He didn’t have any horns. He was still part man and part dragon, but now dragon was the bigger part. While flying, he channeled more of his energy, trying to transform into a full dragon like before. The change didn’t come. He shook it off. I’m not complaining! I can fly again! And not only that, I have more scales!
He started into a loud roar but cut it off. The wurmers still lurked in the open skies and were possibly dug into the forest below. It was the reason he hadn’t called out to the dragons earlier. It was too risky. He stayed on course, drifting several hundred feet higher, where he was able to see farther ahead and more below.
Dusk was coming, but his vision was clear. It wouldn’t be long before he made it to the river. He just hoped he’d find his friends alive and well. He was sick of all the needless death and endless suffering. It needed to come to an end. With Fang, I bet I could kill Eckubahn. He turned north for a moment and hovered in the air. Fang slew the spirit of Isobahn, so why not him? One strike. Slice! Fang burned hot in his grip. You don’t like that idea, do you?
Nath resumed his journey east. Fang cooled. The essence of the sword seemed to guide him. There was more closeness between the two of them after his Immersion of Flame, yet something bothered him. Had Isobahn truly died, or had his spirit only been banished? The way Nath understood it, they didn’t really die, not unless you killed them on their plane. Otherwise, they just lingered.
They need to be destroyed. All of them.
With the icy winds in his face, he flew on, hour after hour, into the night. With his toes almost grazing the treetops, he spied something ahead. A mile away, a flock of birds chased after a silver sparrow.
Birds don’t fly at night.
He angled upward for them. The silver bird’s wings beat with an unsteady rhythm. Nath got a closer look.
Those aren’t birds, they’re wurmers! That’s Slivver!
Nath sped up. Streaking upward in the sky, he headed on an aerial collision course with the flock. Slivver labored through the sky with one wing half beating. He caught Nath’s eyes.
“Nath, you live!”
“Yes, brother!” He soared right underneath Slivver. “And they die!” He chopped through the first wurmer in the V-formation. Striking mid-air, he detached two more heads from their bodies with the shimmering blade. Wurmer parts and bodies dropped toward the earth. Nath continued swinging.
The mindless creatures’ pursuit of Slivver ended. The destruction of Nath Dragon had begun. In a frenzy, they swarmed him.
Spinning in a tight circle, Nath unleashed a torrent of fire from his breath. The burning fluid clung to the wurmers’ bodies and spread. Their wings beat hard in the winds. His fires scorched their membranes. The wurmers spiraled downward, hitting the earth in small pyres.
Nath’s head whipped around. All ten of the wurmers were gone from the sky. There was no sign of his brother. “Slivver?” On the ground, a small flash of lightning caught his eye. Slivver stood in the grasses, waving. Nath landed right beside him. “You’re wounded.”
“Only my body, but my heart is on fire knowing you still live!” Slivver gave Nath a great hug. “My brother of all brothers, I’m elated! Tell me everything!”
CHAPTER 5
The sun rose. Ben kicked the coals of the campfire he’d made in the night. He and the others had camped just inside the tree line. Working through most of the night, roasting some meat on a spit and smoking the rest for later, they had cooked a small deer Rerry slew with Akron. It was enough to fill their bellies and keep them rationed for a few more days.
Sasha packed up some of the deer jerky in a bundle of deer skin. Her breath was frosting. “The sooner we move, the better. My toes are freezing. You did a good job with ev
erything last night. I enjoyed watching you work with my sons. You’re a good man, Ben.”
“To be honest with you, last night was the closest to normal I’ve had in a long time. I enjoyed it.” He stretched his arms wide and cracked his back. “It makes me think of my family. I know why I’m in this: to help end it so more fathers and sons and daughters can enjoy this world in safety.”
“You make it sound like it’s up to us to save the world,” she said. “You’re more ambitious than you let on.”
“I’m just carrying the same torch that Dragon would. If we don’t fight for the right things in the world, the wrong things will rule.”
“That sounds familiar.”
“It should. Bayzog told me that. He taught me a lot when I was confused. He was a great teacher.”
Sasha teared up.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“No, Ben. I’m fine. What you said, well, it does my heart well to remember him like that.”
Rerry and Samaz returned from the river, where they’d filled skins with water. “Are we ready to go?” Rerry said, looking between Ben and Sasha.
“Of course.” Ben grabbed what little gear he had and headed out of the grove. “The sooner we start, the sooner we get there.” He made it to the river, turned north, and said, “Say, where are the dragons?”
“The only ones I’ve seen are the silvers.” Rerry pointed ahead. “See? There are two of them just inside that line of trees. They’re very quiet.”
“I noticed a copper’s head shimmering above the waters,” Samaz stated.
“No you didn’t,” Rerry said. “I didn’t see it.”
“You weren’t looking where I was.”
“Either way, Ben, I’m certain they’re around. They’re here to look after us, aren’t they?”
Ben shrugged. “That’s what Slivver said. He should be back soon. I suggest we keep going.”
The sun stayed out for the first hour before the clouds hid it. Snow started to fall once more. Ben marched on, heading toward the fascinating land of the elves. The last time he was there seemed like a lifetime ago. Now he had a chance to go back, if he could actually get there. He hated to imagine the titan army destroying another fantastic city.
The next thing he knew, the silver shades were back to escorting them. On each side of the small group, they walked in easy steps with their long tails dragging through the snow. Little bigger than Ben, the magnificent reptiles seemed at home in the frosty elements. He had to fight the urge to reach out and touch one. He didn’t want his hand snapped off. As beautiful and graceful as they were, they were twice as deadly.
They’d marched into midday.
“We can stop if you like,” Ben said to Sasha.
“No, it’s too cold to stop,” she replied.
“How about the two of you?”
“I’m part elf,” said Rerry. “I can walk days and nights without sleep.”
Samaz stared into the sky. A speck high in the air circled above. “What do you suppose that is, a wurmer?”
“Where there’s one wurmer, there’s at least a dozen,” Ben replied. “Just keep an eye on it. Let’s keep moving. If we have to take to the trees, we will.” He thought he heard one of the silver shade dragons snicker, but he couldn’t be sure.
The speck circled a few more times before vanishing into the clouds.
“It’s gone now,” Rerry said. “Probably one of our dragons.”
“Yes, let’s hope that’s the case.” Ben’s heart pounded in his chest. They were a formidable group, but fighting a score of wurmers could be fatal. He didn’t have the ability to control the dragons. There was no telling what they might do. He moved on, checking the sky from time to time. “Samaz, next time you see something, if you don’t mind, please mention it.”
Rerry punched his brother in the back. “Yes, big head little mouth. Say something.”
The shaggy-haired Samaz walked on with his head down.
Ben let him and Rerry lead the way and drifted back to Sasha. “Samaz has been awfully silent. It troubles me.”
“Yes, me too. I think most of it is just him mourning. He wanted to go back and fight for his friends.” Sasha tucked her hands under her arms. “Grahleyna sending him to safety through the mural didn’t sit well with him.”
“I know how he feels. He carries that chest and staff like the world on his shoulders.” Ben watched Rerry trying to take the chest from Samaz. The elder brother wouldn’t give. “He needs to learn while he’s young that you can’t do it alone.”
Sasha reached over and took his hand in hers. “Do you mind, dear friend?”
“Your warmth is more than welcome,” Ben said, feeling half a foot taller. “I’d be honored.”
“The honor is mine.”
Just beyond a bend in the river, Rerry and Samaz came to a stop. Rerry’s hand went to his sword. Samaz set the strongbox down. The silver dragons’ heads lowered. Their tongues flickered from their mouths.
There was a dry stretch of river rock spreading out toward the bank. A black figure was balled up over the rocks, with wings folded over its back.
Ben readied Akron. Snap. Clatch. Snap. He notched a moorite arrow. “Stay here,” he said to Sasha. Together with Rerry and Samaz, he crept forward.
CHAPTER 6
The creature on the dry river bed stood up. Wings facing Ben, the scaled man turned. Flame-red hair spilled out over the man’s shoulders.
“Dragon?” Ben said. His fingers fumbled on the bow string. The arrow sailed.
Nath snatched the missile out of thin air with a broad smile on his face. “Nice shot, Ben, but save it for the enemy, not your friend.”
Akron fell from Ben’s fingers. Rerry and Samaz leapt forward. Rerry flailed his arms wildly and began yelling.
“Nath! You’re alive! Alive!” He hugged Nath. So did Samaz.
Nath filled his long arms with the both of them. “I’m more alive than ever and glad to see you are also well.” With nothing but black scales up to his chin, he waved Ben over. “Come on, get in here.”
Ben joined in. So did Sasha. Tears streaked down all of their faces.
“How?” Sasha said with a trembling chin. “We saw you die.”
“You saw me take a spill in the moat of lava, and the truth be told, it felt like I died a thousand deaths, but I survived.” He gave them all a squeeze. “And there’s even more good news. Look yonder.”
Ben followed Nath’s stare back toward the path behind them. Brenwar and Selene had arrived, along with Slivver. He pumped his fist. “Yes!” He ran over to Brenwar and picked him up, then he quickly set him down. He reached for his back. “Great Guzan, you weigh a ton!”
“And you leave a trail a blind orc could follow.” Brenwar gave Ben a fierce slap on the back. “Don’t make me look bad. I taught you better than that.”
Selene gave Ben an unexpected embrace with arms as powerful as a grizzly’s. His back popped several times.
“Uh,” Ben said, holding his back and walking away, “good to see you too, Selene.”
The group was back together. Everyone aside from Brenwar had smiles on their faces. In Nath’s presence, even the chill air had warmed.
“I’m so glad you’re alive. I didn’t think I could save the world without you.”
“Sure you could have, Ben. It just takes faith. With that said, I’m glad I’m back too.”
They continued the journey, talking for hours about their plans. Everyone had a spring in their step. Better yet, more dragons appeared among them. Nath spoke with many of them along the journey. He now seemed as much one with them as he was with his friends.
By the end of the next day, they’d come to the edge of the elven lands. Spying from a hilltop, they saw that the splendid scenery of the elves had been invaded. The titan army had created massive camps that dotted the landscape. Huge pyres burned. Whole groves and even forests of trees had been chopped down. As far as the eye could see, the evil army was entrenched.
And for every boot on the ground, it looked like there was a wurmer in the sky.
“There’s even more here than there were at Dragon Home,” Ben said to Nath.
“And more will be coming. The army has just been picking at the elves, but with a greater force, they’ll advance. They’ll squeeze the elves. Choke them.” Nath put his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “We can’t let that happen.”
“Even with you at my side, Dragon, I have to ask, how do we stop so many? We don’t have a mountain to drop on them this time. Not that I would want to do that.”
Selene eased into the conversation. “We won’t win anything if we don’t destroy those wurmer nests. They’ll just keep hatching more, forever.”
A lone, horse-sized wurmer flew over the elven plains. Carrying a net filled with rocks, it flew up over a remote elven settlement. The stones plummeted to the ground, crushing everything.
“That’s diabolical,” Ben said.
“That’s just the beginning. It will get worse the longer we wait.”
“Or the longer the elves wait,” Selene said. “They should move out of harm’s way.”
“They’ll never abandon their lands until the last one dies. And even if they did, the wurmers and titans would just follow. No, we need to get word to them and see what they have planned. Together, I’m certain we can help them.”
“How are we supposed to get in there, Nath?” Ben asked. “Besides, I’m not sure I want to go in. I think it’s safer out here.”
“It’s not safe anywhere. No, we need to offer whatever help we can, man and dragon. They’ll need it. Where’s that strongbox?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Ben said, “You aren’t going to shrink us again, are you?”
“We’ll see.”
Samaz set the strongbox at Nath’s feet. Nath rummaged through with Rerry leaning over his shoulder. “Please, Dragon, let me sample that mystic fair. Ben got to last time—and remember, he shot you with your own bow.”
“That was an accident.”
Power of the Dragon (The Chronicles of Dragon, Series 2, Book 9 of 10): Dragon Fantasy Series (Tail of the Dragon) Page 2