The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn

by Tyler Whitesides

  Did she know? Could the dragon somehow sense what he had done for that egg? That he had traveled through time to give her this gift of birth?

  That was crazy thinking. She was an animal. How could she possibly know such a thing? Ard suddenly thought he might be way off the mark. Perhaps it wasn’t acknowledgment in those eyes. Perhaps it was simply a bestial hunger that chased after the rage of her destruction.

  She’s going to eat me, Ard thought, his blood chilling. My plans were too blazing arrogant this time. He knew that, in truth, his scent was all over that egg. And while the scent-masking Pichar oil was certainly a good idea, Ard didn’t have any.

  The dragon dropped her head, jaws parting slightly, and a thin wisp of smoke curling off her tongue. Ard could feel the hot vapor upon his face, smell her fetid breath.

  King Pethredote’s voice drifted up the stairs as he gained confidence. He shouted to the citizens in an attempt to confirm Elbrig’s theory. “Behold! The dragon knows …”

  The sow’s neck snaked out, curling away from Ard, those incomparable jaws snapping around King Pethredote midsentence. He screamed as she lifted him into the air, shaking him with a violent crunching of bones and a shower of blood. In a single gulp, the king was gone, downed like a cream-filled pastry from the Bakery on Humont Street.

  Ard fell backward, gasping in shocked relief as the citizens scattered with screams of horror.

  The dragon’s wings snapped outward, her hind legs thrusting as her torso flared like coals under the breath of a bellows. Ard watched her rise, higher and higher into the dark sky, cradling that egg as she winged her way in the direction of Pekal’s glorious peaks.

  Ard lay still for several moments, the fear of his encounter having sapped all strength from his aching limbs. Then another piece of the burning palace gave way, rubble raining dangerously close.

  With slow, deliberate movements, Ard picked himself up and descended the steps, not even pausing at the red spatter of Pethredote’s remains. A group of bold Wayfarists stopped him at the bottom of the stairs, their frightened expressions somewhat awestruck.

  “Is she coming back?” a man asked, glancing skyward.

  “Are more dragons coming?” cried a woman.

  Ard held out a weary hand. “The dragon got what she came for. We are safe now.”

  “They’re saying the king poisoned the Bull Dragon Patriarchy,” said a woman in the group. “That he killed an innocent Isle in the Mooring.”

  Excellent. People were talking. The facts had been sown, and the dragon’s finale had germinated those seeds.

  “It’s all true,” Ard confirmed. “The crusader monarch was not the man he claimed to be.”

  “Who are you?” whispered the first man.

  A year ago, Ard would have claimed this moment. He would have proudly professed his name and taken responsibility for delivering the king to justice. He probably would have even gone so far as to say he’d commanded the dragon to fly away.

  But Ardor Benn was a different man now. And his answer to the question was honest.

  “I’m a servant of the Homeland.”

  Ard stepped past, the people letting him go in silent awe. The chaos of fleeing citizens churned around him as Ard made his way through fire and ash to the broken outer gate.

  “You had me scared for a moment,” Raek’s voice sounded at his side. He was soaked in sweat and shaking, still clinging to the saddle of the stolen Reggie horse. But his face carried an old familiar expression of mischief.

  “I had everything under my thumb, Raek.”

  “Sounds like the people know the truth,” Raek said, guiding his horse to stay by Ard’s side as they moved away from the burning palace grounds.

  “Not all of it,” answered Ard. “Not yet. We just told them the parts that would get them fired up.”

  “We?”

  “The crazies,” Ard replied. “They were working the crowd.”

  “Ah, that explains all that blazing nonsense about the dragon bringing justice to the king,” said Raek.

  “Poetic justice,” Ard replied. “I thought the dragon added a nice touch. Plus, a vengeful sow lends a bit of veracity to our wild accusations against the king.”

  “This will change the political dynamic of the Greater Chain,” Raek said. “The crusader monarch was supposed to end his term peacefully. Now the nobles will be scrabbling over who gets to rule the islands.”

  Ard hadn’t really intended any of this. He’d been swept into dangerous waters, compelled to swim on as the ruse got bigger and bigger.

  “How did you know, Ard?” Raek asked. “How did you know the dragon would eat Pethredote instead of you?”

  For a moment, staring into those big green eyes, Ard hadn’t been so sure. “Reek Sauce,” he answered. “Elbrig picked up a flask for me. I convinced the king to pour it all over his head, essentially marking himself as irresistible dragon bait.”

  Raek burst into a laugh that instantly caused him to grimace in pain. “Talk about a foul supper!”

  Ard shook his head in mock pity. “Poor dragon.”

  “It was a blazing genius plan, though,” Raek admitted.

  “Hey. I was just doing what I always do.”

  “Feeding corrupt monarchs to dragons?”

  Ard chuckled. “Manipulating the other guy.” Strangely, it was what the Homeland had always Urged him to do.

  The Homeland.

  Ard wanted to make it to that perfect future. But he wasn’t going to leave the Homeland to be crafted at the discretion of one almighty individual with the power to rewrite time. Ard would reach his own Homeland by the natural unveiling of day upon day. By the choices he made.

  Ard glanced up at Raek. His friend would have his skin for thinking such elevated Wayfarist sentiments. Ardor Benn, a religious man? Stranger things had happened. Ard himself had become a Paladin Visitant. He couldn’t wait to fill Raek in on that particular accomplishment.

  “So, what’s next?” Raek asked. “The Greater Chain happens to need a new ruler and a new Prime Isle. And there just so happens to be two of us.”

  “Ha!” Ard laughed. “Let’s wait at least until they build us a new palace.”

  “Good point.”

  What were they going to do next? Ard had become accustomed to holding the world on his shoulders as it turned upside down. Could he really let that burden go? Along with the political and religious upheaval, Lyndel’s people would need protection and justice. Pekal would need safeguarding to ensure that the bull dragon hatched. Moonsickness would likely touch more outlying villages before the dragon population recovered enough to fully absorb the rays.

  Perhaps Ard could position himself …

  No.

  “We can’t go on like this, Raek,” whispered Ard.

  You have to stop this, Ard. Quarrah’s words rattled in Ard’s head.

  “You want to go clean?” the big man asked.

  Ard wanted Quarrah Khai. He remembered her face in that dark alley as she pleaded with him to be done.

  Well, he was done now.

  My part in this is over. What becomes of the truths I gathered is no longer up to me. I chose this fate. And now I go to die, a victim of my own impassioned ardor.

  GLOSSARY

  Common Grit: Barrier, Blast, Drift, Light, and Prolonging Grit are classified as Common Grit. These are derived from common types of source material, including digested organic matter, most metals, most bone, most wood, and most stone. All organic material can be digested and becomes Slagstone, although bone and wood typically pass through the dragon intact and are then processed to become various other types of Grit. In contrast to Common Grit, types of Specialty Grit are each derived from a single, specific indigestible source material. For example, all types of wood but oak and aspen are classified as Common and produce Light Grit. Oak, however, produces Shadow Grit and aspen produces Silence Grit, both are types of Specialty Grit.

  Contained detonations: Any cloud that is met with p
hysical resistance sufficient to inhibit the cloud’s natural spherical shape.

  Partially contained: Any detonation where part but not all of the cloud’s natural spherical shape is contained. This is the most common detonation (as it includes the familiar dome), due to the fact that most detonations occur as Slagstone sparks against a solid surface, frequently placing the cloud’s center against the ground or a wall. Partially contained detonations cannot be moved or altered.

  Fully contained: Any detonation where every part of the cloud’s natural spherical shape has been completely contained. Once enclosed in this manner, clouds resulting from the following types of Grit can be moved: Drift, Light, Shadow, Silence, Cold, Heat, Memory, and Health. Any attempt to fully contain other Grit types will effectively render their detonation null.

  Loss of containment: A partially contained cloud cannot lose containment, since a portion of the detonation was fully formed, reaching stability by achieving its natural spherical shape. That said, should a wall (upon which a partially contained cloud is formed) collapse, the cloud dome will remain suspended in the exact place where it was originally detonated. In the event of a fully contained cloud losing containment, however, the detonation will suddenly assume its desired spherical shape, rendering the cloud immovable.

  Granule: Smallest standard unit of weight measurement. 450 granules = 1 panweight.

  Ignition rate: The time it takes for Grit to make a fully formed cloud after detonation.

  Natural cloud duration: All detonations (with an exception of Blast Grit) result in a cloud that lasts between eight and ten minutes, depending on the quality of the Grit.

  Quality: Quality is lowered when contaminates are introduced to the Grit during or after processing. Contaminates may include trace particles of other Grit types, or other natural contaminates such as dust, dirt, or sand. Low quality Grit, results in a cloud whose duration can be shortened by up to two minutes. It is important to note that the quality of the Grit does not alter the potency of the cloud’s effect, only the duration of the cloud.

  Overlapping detonations: These clouds occur when multiple detonations (of the same or differing Grit types) are separated by enough time that each cloud is fully formed before the next ignites. In the likely event that the center of the two detonations are not in the same place, the resulting clouds will partially overlap, with no apparent change to their effect in the overlapping area.

  Radius: The distance between the detonation center, where ignition occurs, and the surface of a detonation cloud. In the event of a contained detonation cloud, the radius is still considered to be the distance to the point where the cloud’s surface would have formed, given the chance to achieve its natural spherical shape.

  Simultaneous detonations: Any two or more detonations of the same Grit type that occur within the space of the ignition rate will effectively merge into one cloud, its dimensions reflecting the sum of all detonating Grit. This is not to be confused with overlapping detonations.

  Slagstone: Digested organic matter that has passed through a dragon’s digestive tract and subsequently been fired into a stonelike material. The term Slagstone frequently is applied to the entire mass of fired excrement, although, technically, the indigestible materials within are entirely different. While Slagstone is frequently reduced to Blast Grit, the stone itself has notable properties. Any measurable impact against Slagstone results in a spark. Thus, small Slagstone fragments are used for gun hammers, ignitor tools, and the catalyst within detonation pots and Grit kegs.

  Source Material: The original material from which each type of Grit is derived.

  Specialty Grit: Cold, Heat, Illusion, Memory, Health, Void, Compounding, Silence, Shadow, and Visitant Grit are classified as Specialty Grit. These are derived from a single, specific indigestible source material. The source materials for Specialty Grit, while technically falling under one of the five common classes, are in fact exceptions. As an example, all types of metal but nickel and copper are classified as Common and produce Barrier Grit. However, nickel produces Cold Grit and copper produces Heat Grit, both types of Specialty Grit.

  Types of Common Grit

  Barrier Grit

  Cloud effect: Perimeter hardens into an impenetrable shell.

  Source material: Common metals

  Ignition rate: 0.4 seconds

  Notes: The distinctive hard shell of a Barrier cloud forms as soon as the detonation has reached its full size. The shell-like perimeter develops upon contact with air, and once formed, cannot be altered. If detonated against a wall (forming a dome), it will remain in place, even if the wall is removed, leaving the dome like an open bowl. Because of this feature, digging under the edge of the solid perimeter is one of the only known ways to bypass a dome of Barrier Grit. The Barrier shell is considered impenetrable, even fireproof. However, clouds from other Grit types can pass through a Barrier wall (with the exception of Blast Grit). When mixed with Prolonging Grit, the Barrier shell grows weaker after the natural ten minutes of full potency. Eventually, things within or without can forcefully press through the softening perimeter. Detonations cannot be fully contained.

  Blast Grit

  Cloud effect: No lingering cloud. Detonation results in a short-lived forceful explosion of fire and sparks.

  Source material: Common digested organic matter (Slagstone)

  Ignition rate: 0.2 seconds

  Notes: Blast Grit’s notable absence of a lasting detonation “cloud” has led some to question even its basic classification as Grit. Its unique nature likely has to do with it being the only Grit type obtained from digested organic material, while all other Grit types are derived from indigestible materials that have passed through a dragon’s tract and subsequently been fired. Thus, every mound of fired dragon dung yields Blast Grit in large quantities. Its abundance makes this Grit significantly less expensive than any other, which led to its most common use in ammunitions.

  Drift Grit

  Cloud effect: Weightlessness.

  Source material: Common bones

  Ignition rate: 0.4 seconds

  Notes: Objects within a Drift cloud act as if they are at rest with regards to the outside world. They can neither act nor be acted upon by any force or object outside the Drift cloud. While objects within a cloud of Drift Grit are considered weightless, the cloud itself is subject to the planet’s gravity. Without such a caveat, the objects within the cloud would theoretically be flung outward at the speed of the planet’s rotation. Although the cloud itself is tied to the gravitational pull, its actual weight and mass is insignificant, allowing a contained cloud to be carried with no noticeable payload. Objects within a fully contained cloud move with the cloud.

  Light Grit

  Cloud effect: Light.

  Source material: Common wood

  Ignition rate: 0.6 seconds

  Notes: The brightness of detonated Light Grit is comparable to firelight. A fist-sized Light cloud yields approximately the same illumination as a fist-sized flame. While both fire and Light Grit draw light from wood, there are several notable differences. Light Grit detonations are odorless, smokeless, and devoid of any discernible warmth. The glow resulting from a cloud of Light Grit is steady, lacking the characteristic flicker of common flame.

  Prolonging Grit

  Cloud effect: Prolonged effect of another Grit type when detonated simultaneously.

  Source material: Common stone

  Ignition rate: 0.2 seconds

  Notes: The nature and use of Prolonging Grit is reliant upon simultaneous detonation with another type of Grit. Ignited on its own, Prolonging Grit burns out in a useless burst, providing no effect and leaving no lingering cloud. Prolonging Grit allows a detonation to stretch beyond its natural duration. The length of this sustaining effect is determined by the amount of Prolonging Grit added to the other Grit type at the time of ignition. The addition of Prolonging Grit causes the effect of the other Grit to decay slowly after the natural detonation duration, rath
er than dispersing immediately as usual. Any additional minutes produced by the presence of Prolonging Grit will gradually wane until the cloud burns out. Prolonging Grit is extremely useful and widely used. It is ineffective only on Blast Grit, as there is no detonation cloud to sustain.

  Types of Specialty Grit

  Cold Grit

  Cloud effect: Cold air.

  Source material: Nickel

  Ignition rate: 0.6 seconds

  Notes: The baseline temperature for a cloud of Cold Grit is around 35 degrees (Shwazer), just above the freezing point of water. The cloud’s potency is self-sustaining and largely unaffected by external air temperature.

  Compounding Grit

  Cloud effect: Compounded effect of another Grit type when detonated simultaneously.

  Source material: Quartzite

  Ignition rate: 0.2 seconds

  Notes: The nature and use of Compounding Grit is reliant upon simultaneous detonation with another type of Grit. When ignited on its own, Compounding Grit burns out in a useless burst, providing no effect and leaving no lingering cloud. Compounding Grit intensifies the effect of another Grit type. This intensifying effect is determined by the amount of Compounding Grit added to the other Grit type at the time of ignition. Not all Grit types can be effectively Compounded. It is ineffective on Blast, Drift, Barrier, Shadow, Visitant, Silence, and Memory Grit. It can be used with Prolonging Grit to supplement any other Grit type, but does not affect the distinctive waning that results from the use of Prolonging Grit.

  Health Grit

  Cloud effect: Capable of healing wounds and purging imperfections in all living lifeforms.

  Source material: Human ribs