The Vordalyn 2

by Michael T Payne

  “Yes,” Queen Menina finally vocalized what her face already told Tamina, “Return to mother’s garden, if you wish. I have something I need to do before the day is done.” She snapped her fingers and disappeared before the sound of the snap could be heard, leaving Tamina alone in the dungeon, just outside the door to the cells. Tamina vanished from the dungeon as well, reappearing at the top of the spire once again, looking out, as night fell upon Urixis. She waited there for hours, watching the lights of the city, bright as the moon, until the city began to sleep and most of the lights dimmed. She whispered, “Uisa.” Taking control of Queen Menina’s amulets and thus, all her palace guards. She used the amulets to see through the eyes of the guards, jumping from one to another until she found where Queen Menina was. During her search she saw through the eyes of someone far from Urixis, a woman, who wore one of Queen Menina’s amulets. It was the woman Tani, who bore witness to the destruction of Dead Hallow. Tamina found it curious and wondered how she came upon the amulet. But she did not ponder it for too long, for she had other business to tend to. Once she was sure that her niece was occupied and certain she would not be missed, Tamina dove over the side of the spires railing and took flight, white wings sprouted from her back, catching the wind, making her glide to the center of the city. Hovering over the magical waterfall, one of Ayana’s wonders, Tamina scanned the public garden. She made sure there were no visitors to the garden in the late evening, then dove down as fast as she could, wings folded behind her like an eagle diving on prey. At the very last moment, her wings spread out, catching air and halting her instantly, mere feet from the ground. Her wings disappeared with her return to a human form, letting her fall to the ground. She leapt onto the railing, balancing on it as easily as a skilled acrobat, aided by her ability to fly. She held the rock up before her, whispered her name into it, then threw it at the waterfall. It disappeared behind the curtain of falling water. There was a flash within it, then the water began to flow back up into the sky and the waterfall parted. Tamina stepped on to the water which had become solid as glass and walked into the opening at the base of the waterfall. Behind it, a torch lit cave gave way to a very ornate hall, leading to a wide, stone staircase that spiraled down. At the end of the staircase was an open doorway edged in a mist. She could see the round marble table beyond the door and could even hear one of the council members speaking. Whoever spoke was very animated, it sounded like a heated debate engrossed the council that evening. Tamina stepped through the door and walked to the table. She did not announce herself and had almost made it to the table before Vartan, the elf, spotted her. His face reflected the alarm her sudden, unexpected, appearance elicited from him. He backed away from the table causing others to look over at her. They too, reacted fearfully. One of the council members dropped her robe and flew up and away from the table. It was some type of fairy who fled in fear of Tamina. Zender ducked under the table while other members began to chant spells. Vartan stretched out his hand ready to attack.

  “Stop where you are, Tamina Physia! Dare not come any closer!” Vartan warned her. All the members of the council, twelve in all, minus the fleeing fairy.

  “I was called here, you fool! Lower your hand or I’ll take it with me as a prize for your insolence!” Tamina growled and looked at each of the council members, making sure they knew that warning was meant for them too.

  “We are not afraid of you!” Vartan shot back, Tamina cackled a laugh.

  “I beg to differ.” She said still laughing at him, “You summoned! Same as before and here I am, but no one met me at the waterfall, as before?”

  “You are mistaken, our business is done, we did not call for you.” Zender said peering over the edge of the table.

  “I called for her.” Raggrun said from behind Tamina, entering the chasm from the same door as Tamina had.

  “You?” Vartan asked in disbelief.

  “That’s right.” Raggrun marched passed Tamina and grabbed an empty seat. He pulled it out then looked back at Tamina, “Please, Tamina, forgive their ignorance.” Tamina walked to Raggrun then sat in the seat, he pushed it in for her, making sure she was seated comfortably. He walked around the table to the other side. “It’s time we had a serious conversation with her and quit ruminating what ifs.” Vartan stared at Raggrun up until he reached his side of the table.

  “We never discussed this.” Zender said still cowering.

  “We did, we just never followed through. Given current events, I wish to follow through. You all needed a nudge, and so, I nudge.” Raggrun finished in a growl. He looked at Tamina then sat. He looked at Vartan then at Vartan’s seat, nodding for him to sit. The elf reluctantly sat back down. “We’ve pondered, amongst ourselves mind you, the consideration of a change. Again, I must stress, it has not left this room and no actions have been taken.”

  “This is foolhardy, Raggrun, you court disaster!” Zender grumbled.

  “She is here, let’s hear her response.” Vartan said acknowledging that he too wished to know how she would respond to their request. Tamina cocked her head very curious at what the council wished to ask her.

  “We wish to make a change.” Raggrun announced.

  “What kind of change?” Tamina asked.

  “It is true, we have discussed changes, Tamina, sister of Ayana. But know, it is in the interest of maintaining what you and your sister fought for, those many years ago.” Vartan said, “We know what Queen Ayana wanted for Ganlin and we know it was not Prince Dracon.”

  “I’m listening.” Tamina relaxed in her seat.

  “We want you to replace her.” Zender said suddenly, still guarded and somewhat crouched, slowly returning to his seat.

  “You want me to kill my niece?” Tamina asked eyeing everyone at the table.

  “No!” Raggrun said alarmed, he held up one finger, “No one said kill!”

  “We wish Princess Menina…” Vartan started.

  “Queen Menina.” Tamina corrected him before he could continue.

  “Queen Menina.” The old elf conceded, “We wish Queen Menina to rule one day, but we do not believe her to be ready yet, not to face Prince Dracon.”

  “And you think I want to be your queen?” Tamina chuckled.

  “It is not a matter of want, it is a matter of need, Tamina. You knew your sisters mind, you helped create Ganlin.” Raggrun added.

  “And you all exiled me!” Tamina growled angrily, slapping her hand on the marble table, “You helped my sister remove me from Ganlin, forced me back to Sumia! Now you ask me to be your queen?” There was a long few minutes of silence.

  “Yes.” Zender said breaking the silence.

  “You have shown us you are ready to act, Tamina, without your sister we are lost, but in you we can be whole again.” Vartan explained. “What happened between you and your sister was by design and we all know it. You’re feigned outrage is lost on us.”

  “So, you know what we did?” Tamina asked.

  “Yes.” Zender answered.

  “We know you backed Terrax against Treska, giving him a war to keep Ayana ruling Ganlin. To keep the human population under control and on the frontlines of battle.” Raggrun said. “Ayana consulted the council before it came to pass. Some of us who were in that meeting still live.”

  “You agreed to lie for me, is this why? To curry favor, in hopes I would say yes to unseating my niece?” Tamina asked. The council looked around at one another.

  “Yes.” Zender the halfling answered. Tamina sat back in her seat, relaxed, once more.

  “It was the council who chose the line of Ayana over me to rule Ganlin. Now you wish to reverse your decision?” Tamina asked very smugly.

  “If you feel you are not up to the task, Tamina, we will stay the course and hope for the best?” Zender offered almost at the very moment Tamina stopped speaking.

  “Oh, we will stay the course, for as you said, I have already acted. I have more than one wheel turning.” Tamina said standing, “I will be queen. It w
ill be my lineage that rules Ganlin from now, until the end of time. But it will be you, who unseats my niece, not me. That is for you to resolve. Then, I will take my place as queen, with the unwavering support of the council.”

  “How do you propose we do that?” Zender asked standing from his seat, alarmed at what she proposed. “We would have to kill her?” Tamina smiled.

  “So be it.” She said, “If you wish me to be your queen, then end the line of Ayana and Treska. In the meantime, I will deal with Dracon and his Vordalyn Queen? Show you what you will gain in me as queen.”

  “This woman is a Vordalyn? A Vordalyn Queen?” Asked a voice from above the group. Tamina looked up to see it was a nymph, hovering above the group, listening to the conversation below. It was the one who flew away when Tamina first arrived, she wasn’t a fairy as Tamina first thought. Tamina bit her lip, knowing she foolishly revealed Venalina to the council, who up until then were oblivious to her heritage. “A true Vordalyn?” The nymph asked hovering back down to the floor near the seat she had vacated earlier. Tamina narrowed her eyes at the nymph, thinking how she could turn this in her favor. There was no going back, her mistake would destroy everything she accomplished in the minutes prior to those words being spoken. Now she put herself in danger from the council and potentially, her niece.

  “Yes.” She answered. The council erupted in murmurs of fear, “She is nothing! She has no power and couldn’t dare match wits with me, and my niece combined!” Tamina insisted.

  “You just asked us to kill her!” Zender yelled standing from his seat and pointing at Tamina, “Who will stand with you then? No Kina can stand alone against a Vordalyn! Not even an army can stand against a true Vordalyn!”

  “The Vordalyn are dead?” Raggrun asked incredulously.

  “Vartan,” One of the other hooded council members called, “We need to convene in private.” Many of the council members began to stand.

  “Take your leave, Tamina Physia, the council has much to discuss.” Vartan said also standing with the rest of the council members.

  “She doesn’t know anything!” Tamina declared in a moment of desperation, then gathered herself and left the council the way she came. Tamina realized, at least, they would be united against Dracon. She could go to Queen Menina and tell her about the meeting, claiming it was a lure, to incite fear in them, driving them to support Queen Menina fully in every decision she made. She would have to decide quickly if that would be her course of action. If she was wrong and the council chose another way, then Queen Menina would lose trust in her, seeing her ruse as a failure. Then what? So many possible outcomes, none predictable.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Dracon stood on the balcony of his training room alone, sword in both hands, held before him as if waiting for an opponent to fly at him from beyond the balconies edge. The sword spoke to him, not in words, but images. It dominated his vision, forcing him to see things, even though he was awake, with his eyes wide open. War waging on, a never-ending war, filled with the suffering of the innocent. Children, women, all creatures, all races. Blood flowed down the blade of his Unholy Reaver covering his hands. Searing flesh, inflicting the land with desolation and disease. All, done under Dracon’s direction. His armor appeared and disappeared repeatedly as the visions of battle came in waves, so real, he cried out in a battle cry, several times. Yelling orders to imaginary creatures that served him, all the while he stood on the balcony. Dracon resisted the visions, struggling to wake himself up from what he thought were horrible nightmares. In each one he was killing thousands of people indiscriminately, with a blood lust that brought him pleasure. Briefly he would regain himself and struggle to wake.

  “You are a killer! Meant only for killing! Death! Death to those who oppose your will!” The sword, finally giving voice to its own will. “Feed me, Dracon, we will rule the lands! Not only Ganlin, but all lands!”

  “No!” Dracon yelled at the sword in his hands. His vision cleared and there he stood, on his training room balcony, staring at the sword he gripped with both hands. It vibrated with power. Dracon could see he was wearing his armor, ready for battle. He looked around panting, not knowing how he got there, or how long he’d been there. “Who are you?” He asked looking at the sword. His armor vanished then slowly his sword began to disappear, fading away. “I am Dracon.” He answered his own question, but was no longer himself.

  “Dracon?” Kaylin asked from the open door to the training room. She walked in a few steps and looked around, “Who are you talking to?” Dracon didn’t move. He stood still, trying to grasp his sanity. Was she real? Or another part of a dream he didn’t seem able to wake from? He didn’t want to turn around and find out, he didn’t want to turn around and see any more death of people he knew. “Dracon?” His vision blurred, and he slowly turned around, standing in the balcony’s doorway. His mouth hung open slightly, his head was tilted forward, and his eyes glared at her suspiciously.

  “I am Dracon.” He said in a low raspy voice. He sounded like a different man to Kaylin, he looked like a different man to her as well. His eyes were sunken and dark, tired. His breathing was sporadic and tense, his right hand shook uncontrollably. The way he stared at her was lustful and angry at the same time. “I am Dracon.” He said again and took a step in to the room. He frightened Kaylin, making her match his step, only hers was backwards. He cocked his head at her, and a snarl spread across his face. “I am Dracon.” He said, “Come…,” He said through labored breaths, “here.” Dracon slowly raised his left hand out to Kaylin. She stared at him fearfully. Something was wrong with him, it made her want to run and fetch Venalina, or at least one of her sisters. “Come!” He growled when his hand reached out fully to her. Kaylin took a step toward Dracon, then paused. She walked the rest of the way to him cautiously, just beyond the reach of his outstretched hand. She glanced down at his right hand that shook uncontrollably, then returned her attention to his face. She studied him closely, his eyes were glassy as if in a trance and unfocused. He looked at her, but his eyes did not act as if they saw her, like a blind man following a voice. “Who do you say, you are, to me?” He asked. Kaylin pondered the question, wondering what he wanted to hear from her. Surely, he knew her? Did he want her to say her name? Did he forget it? Or did he want her to state her station in his household? She decided she would tell him what Venalina says they are to him.

  “I am the wife of King Dracon.” She said standing tall before him. His head cocked again, considering her words.

  “I am King Dracon?” He asked.

  “Yes, my lord, my husband.” She said. Saying it out loud to his face for the first time gave her butterflies in her stomach. She knew he would not remember, it was clear, he was not in his right mind. It felt good to say it to his face despite that fact. Before she could react, Dracon moved like lightning across the few feet that separated them. His hand was on her throat lifting her from the ground and together they moved across the room, slamming against the wall, before she knew what was happening. He choked her, his body pressed against hers. She flailed instinctively, kicking and clawing at his arm. He had an iron grip and had her lifted from the floor high enough that her feet dangled below her. He pressed his body against hers and put his face to her cheek and growled in her ear.

  “My wife!” He growled lasciviously. He squeezed harder, pushing his hand into her throat, using the wall to stop her head from moving. She struggled for air, but all she could do was gurgle. “My wife!” he growled again, moving his face directly in front of hers. His eyes were no longer distant, staring directly in to her wide, fear filled eyes. His face was angry, his lips curled in a snarl. A devilish smile spread across his lips, “It is within my right to enjoy the pleasures of your flesh!” He growled sadistically, her eyes began to roll back as consciousness left her. The whites of her eyes began to turn black and her body stiffened, no longer struggling. Her eyelids fluttered, then closed tightly. When Kaylin opened her eyes again, they were completely bl
ack, just like Venalina. She screamed and ear-piercing screech that even Dracon’s hand on her throat could not stifle. Her arms and legs straightened out from her, wide, resembling a five-pointed star. Dracon was thrown back far, out the balcony’s door and over its edge, falling hundreds of feet to the ground. He landed between the palace walls and the palace. There were several guards on the wall that watched him fall, even more on the ground where he landed. Kaylin’s scream could be heard by the men on the wall and ground alike, causing them to look up at the balcony, so high above them.

  Kaylin floated in place, hovering off the ground, no longer against the wall, still screeching. Wings sprouted from her back, tearing her dress, some of which fell to the floor. Her head was tilted back, all her limbs stretched out. Horns grew from her head, curling around like those of a ram. At the same time, in the palace kitchen, Talila was preparing a meal for Dracon, furious that the kitchen staff seemed to have disappeared from the palace. She felt a tightness in her throat. Then suddenly she was lifted from the ground, her head lurched back, and she screamed a screech. Wings tore from her skin, tearing through her dress, horns grew from her head, curling around like those of a ram. Talila’s eyes rolled back in her head, turning completely black. The transformation affected each of the sisters. Saida and Alyndra too, in their room combing their hair, discussing the magic they had learned before they were interrupted by the sudden, unexpected event.

  Elsewhere, in the home of the Priests of O’on, Venalina was studying her texts in her library when she too was suddenly grabbed with the overwhelming power that forced her to transform. Grabbing her so intently, she lost control of her body. It acted on its own, her mind oblivious to her actions.