“Quiet, you.” He said to the Unholy Reaver at his side.
Dracon halted the Nightmare and let the army pass, taking stock of its leaders, and where they were among them. He considered, if he couldn’t walk the earth with Venalina for an eternity, maybe he could with Talila, or Alyndra? Maybe all the sisters? Maybe it was time he tried his hand at being a Dark Lord? He grabbed the mane of his Nightmare and guided it to take him back to the village. With supernatural speed, he travelled the five miles in almost an instant. He arrived at the bonfire, remaining invisible a moment, watching Satana give orders to Grik, who in turn gave them to Um’Vec, who in turn gave them to the orcs. It was very disorganized, and he could see Satana was growing short on patience, much was lost in the translation.
Dracon reappeared, startling the orcs around him who fled in fear. The Nightmare reared up and Dracon pulled his unholy reaver from its sheath, it flashed, getting everyone’s attention. It sent out waves of calming energy, subduing the terrified orcs to a trancelike state.
“I will lead you to victory over those who would oppose us!” he growled. His voice carried throughout the village, the orcs gathered around no longer terrified by him, but emboldened. They roared, once again in support of his words. “Men come this way, hoping to end your existence. Follow me and I will deliver the flesh of your enemies to your bellies!” He raised the Unholy Reaver again and the orcs roared.
Satana rushed to Dracon’s side.
“That’s a great speech, now, what are we looking at?” she asked.
Dracon removed his helmet.
“Alyndra,” He called, she appeared next to Satana, “Can you help her communicate with these orcs?”
“It’s not the orcs who need help communicating, its Um’Vec.”
“What do you mean?” Dracon asked, dismounting his Nightmare.
“The orcs speak common tongue, but he doesn’t, telling him to tell them something is useless.”
“That is a certainty.” Satana agreed.
“Then you take control of the orcs,” he said to Satana, “have Grik sit on Um’Vec.” Dracon ordered, Satana moved off right away. “Tell me, my wife, how strong is your magic?”
Alyndra smiled.
“You say it, and it will be done.”
Hours later the approaching army came upon the outskirts of the village and halted. It was surrounded by a wall of ice. The men at the front sent word back to their commander who made his way to the front.
“What is this? Our intelligence said nothing of a wall?” He asked his captain who rode alongside him.
“It’s ice.” A soldier who dismounted announced, touching the wall with his bare hand.
“Take a squadron and see if it circles the entire village.” The commander ordered.
“Yes, commander!” A soldier replied and called out orders, within moments twenty men rode off, following the ice around the village.
“Torches!” The commander yelled, soldiers behind him rode up and dropped torches in a pile next to the ice wall. After a few minutes the squadron return coming from the opposite side, having followed the wall completely around the village. The soldier leading the squadron stopped near the commander.
“It surrounds the village, Commander Motra.”
“Add wood to that fire!” Commander Motra ordered, “Come on lads, there’s plenty of brush to burn.” He looked over at his captain beside him, “We should have brought a magic-user.”
“Who could have foreseen these dumb beasts would have any magic?” The captain asked in return, making the commander chuckle.
“Is it magic, commander?” A soldier asked.
“How else would a wall of ice appear here, when the world is hotter than a whore’s twat?” The commander asked to the laughter of the soldiers around him.
There was a rumbling, a sound like the stampeding of horses, the soldiers looked around at one another, confused at the source of the sound.
“Commander!” the soldier who put his bare hand on the wall, called out in alarm, backing away from the ice wall, pointing at it. A glow of fire approaching the wall from the other side, could be seen through the ice.
“What in the nine hells is that?” Commander Motra exclaimed.
“It looks like a horse, set afire!” a soldier called out from behind the commander.
The ice wall exploded, sending shards of ice outward. The soldiers nearest the wall were sent to the ground from the force of the explosion. As sure as it was made of steel, ice shards pierced armor of both horse and man, killing many at the front of the armies ranks. The commander looked up from his back, in a daze, his back was broken from the fall. The Nightmare trotted out from the remnants of the ice wall, mounted by a demon.
“By the gods!” Commander Motra gasped in horror.
The rumbling of orcs running, shook the ground as they charged into the ranks of the disheveled army, attacking man and horse alike.
Um’Vec appeared above the commander and grabbed his limp broken body by the front of his chest plate. Um’Vec looked at his demonic lord with golden horns, atop his Nightmare.
“Um’Vec!” Dracon called, then pointed his Unholy Reaver at the commander, “Eat man!”
Chapter Nine
Miles beneath the once great city of Taranath, far below the Pools of Pythia, where waters filtered through the earth into a crystalline cavern. There, the songs of the Vordalyn were sung. The winged women of the Vordalyn bathed each other under the cascading water that fell within the crystalline cavern, preening and singing, deepening their bond and love for one another, creating the loving sisterhood that was the foundation of their society.
Venalina led Talila through the cavern that was brightly lit with a soft glow, reflecting off one crystalline structure to the next. Each refraction was a different color, creating a prismatic affect. Hundreds of Vordalyn collected there, singing songs that echoed throughout the crystalline caverns in a cacophony of music never to be heard by any ears other than those of the Vordalyn.
“What are they singing?” Talila asked as they entered the cavern through a side hall.
Venalina looked up at the Vordalyn, scattered in groups, bathing and singing to one another, horns and wings, proudly on display.
“Listen, my fiery little Chamaeleon, they sing in our tongue,” Venalina tilted her head, her black horns banded in gold at their bases. Her black wings flapped once, dropping her gown. She nodded for Talila to do the same.
Talila looked around the cavern, listening to the beautiful voices echoing through the warm water that fell like rain.
“They’re singing about me?”
Venalina stepped forward, onto a crystal cliff overlooking the largest gathering of Vordalyn, then motioned for Talila to join her on the cliff.
“They welcome you home, the mother of a new generation.” Venalina looked up at two Vordalyn flying down from a higher crystal outcropping. It was Saida and Kaylin, naked and in their Vordalyn form, water glistened off their bodies. They landed one after the other, immediately embracing their sister.
“I’m so proud of you Talila!” Kaylin exclaimed hugging her sister tightly, then pushed her back. She pushed Talila’s hair over her ears, grabbing her cheeks in her hands, “You’re a mother!”
Talila smiled embarrassed.
“It’s good to see you, Talila, I was worried about you.” Saida shook her head, flinging water, then extended her hands to Talila, “Commune with us.” Saida flapped her wings, lifting herself several feet.
“Sisters,” Venalina spoke for all in the cavern to hear, “Come, welcome home, Princess Talila, and the first child that will be born to us of a new age.”
The Vordalyn gathered at the largest pool beneath the falling waters of the cavern. Venalina bid Talila to remove her gown and join them in the cavern.
Talila’s wings sprouted from her back, tearing her beautiful gown to shreds as she transformed. Kaylin and Venalina helped remove the torn garments from her body, then, the three of th
em flew down to the pool below, entering the falling water to bathe with their Vordalyn sisters. Talila was fawned over, greeted and touched, in one loving way or another. Most felt her belly, stroking her abdomen with soft caresses. Every Vordalyn made their way to her. They washed her in the falling water, preening her wings, and even cleaning her horns. They poured their affection upon her, so overwhelming it put Talila in a trance, a daze, a relaxed state on the very edge of sleep. They cleaned her thoroughly, as though they were cleaning a child of their own. A few at a time, the Vordalyn left the cavern, until only Saida, Kaylin, Venalina, Kalla and Diama remained, circled around Talila. They alone continued to fawn on her.
“You make us all proud, my daughter.” Kalla knelt behind Talila. She pulled Talila’s shoulders back to usher her to a lying position on Kalla’s own lap. The others knelt around her on a large crystal.
“I don’t understand?” Talila looked up at Kalla, then at Venalina, “Daughter?”
“She is your mother now, Talila!” Kaylin giggled; her black eyes were almost hidden behind her ever-widening smile.
“Aren’t you my mother?” Talila asked Venalina.
“She has given you the gift of ascension,” Diama explained, “But it is Kalla who will be your mother, train you in our ways, see to you, and your child. Our child.” Diama took Talila’s hand in hers.
“We are lovers, Talila, we share a husband… I cannot be your mother.” Venalina crawled over Talila and kissed her lips. Talila closed her eyes and kissed her back.
“A husband,” Talila whispered with her exhale, “father of my child.” Talila opened her eyes and grabbed Venalina’s cheeks.
“Our child.” Venalina whispered back, then kissed her again, more passionately, “Leave us.”
Diama and Kalla left immediately. Venalina fed on the sisters, and they fed on her, right back. They loved each other and fed on each other, for hours, alone, under the warm falling waters in the crystalline cavern. When the euphoria of being fed upon, and feeding upon others subsided, Venalina’s vision cleared slowly. Lying on her back, they were curled around one another, feathers, arms, and legs. Venalina could see Kalla, hundreds of feet above them, watching. They looked at each other for a few moments before Venalina sat up. Talila rose when she rose, sticking her face in Venalina’s neck, wanting to feed more.
“Enough, my love, we will feed again later.” Venalina pushed Talila back.
Kaylin and Saida sat up, both giggling and rubbing each other with their hands, all over their wet bodies.
“My skin is so sensitive to touch when we feed like this, its…” Kaylin smiled tilting her head back with a moan.
“Extremely pleasurable!” Saida giggled and bit Kaylin’s neck, then licked it.
Venalina stood up, “Spend this time together, getting to know one another again, I’ll call for you later. Show your sister around when you’re done here.” Saida and Kaylin cuddled up to Talila, massaging her body with theirs, giggling all the while, “Introduce her to some of your friends.”
Kaylin popped up to her knees and moved closer to Talila, face to face. She kissed her then said, “Our husband is all that is missing right now. Tell us, Talila, would he enjoy being here with us?”
“Of course, he would!” Saida exclaimed.
Venalina smirked at the girls then flew up to the very top entrance of the crystalline cavern. There, Kalla waited patiently for her. Venalina landed next to her then started walking out of the cavern. Kalla followed, both were still naked. Venalina pulled her hair behind her head and squeezed the moisture from it. She waved her hand over her head, then wiped both hands over her own body, drying herself and creating a black dress at the same time. Kalla snapped her fingers and a white dress covered her. It had an open back, letting her wings fly free. Kalla walked behind Venalina between her black wings, fixing Venalina’s hair as she trailed her.
“Do they know they cannot have a child, like our Talila?”
Venalina stopped walking and turned to face Kalla.
“You haven’t…”
“Of course not, my queen.” Kalla answered before she could finish asking her question, “If you do not wish them to know, I will not defy you!”
Venalina put her hand to Kalla’s cheek.
“I have no doubts of your loyalty, Kalla.”
“She is a mother, isn’t she?” Kalla asked, making Venalina smile, “Have you always known?”
“That remains to be seen, she was with child before I ascended her.” Venalina chuckled.
“Then there is no doubt!” Kalla exclaimed, “A child could not have survived otherwise.”
Venalina started walking again.
“I want you to push her, Kalla, I believe she is capable of much, I want to know how much.”
“As you wish.” Kalla stopped walking and put her hand to her chest, then her forehead, then down to her side again.
Kalla returned to the crystalline cavern and watched over the sisters from afar. She continued watching over them when Kaylin and Saida took Talila to introduce her to other Vordalyn the sisters had made friends with, women who were more their age, mentally. They spent time flying around Taranath, showing Talila as much of the city as possible before they were to return for training. The city was alive with Vordalyn, putting their lives back together in the protection Taranath offered to the no longer lonely women. Everyone they met was joyous, truly happy, except Talila. Her sisters could see she was unhappy, sad almost. She tagged along with them, despite her discontent, forcing smiles and pleasantries to everyone she met. It wasn’t until the days end did Kalla arrive to collect the sisters. She was accompanied by Diama, who greeted them with a hug and a warm smile.
“Can you fly well?” Kalla asked Talila.
“Of Course, I can.” Talila answered, her wings ruffled, and she stepped back from Kalla.
“We don’t speak that tongue here, daughter, forget it exists while you are among us.” Kalla looked at Saida and Kaylin, “You’ll both be with Diama, while I get to know your sister.” She looked back at Talila, “Keep up.”
Kalla crouched and burst into flight, like a shot. Talila looked at her sisters confused, then at Diama.
“Hurry Talila, you’ll fall behind. Don’t make Kalla angry.” Saida urged.
Talila looked up, then flew after Kalla. It took several seconds to see where Kalla had flown off to. It made Talila angry. She seemed to be purposely trying to leave her behind. Talila thought instantly it was so she could speak ill of her to Venalina to bolster her own position. She may not have been there as Taranath was reborn, but she was still a princess, a princess of the Vordalyn. She sped through the air and caught up to Kalla, who arced and turned down tunnels and caverns, places so tight, Talila could feel her wings brush against the walls, and yet, Kalla moved even faster. She led her up, higher and higher through the earth and dirt closing in around them, no more walls, just caves and rock. Talila could see that ahead of Kalla was a dead end, still, Kalla pressed on, harder, faster.
“Brace yourself, princess!” Kalla yelled.
Talila tilted her head forward so that her horns would hit first, if she couldn’t make the turn. A turn she imagined only Kalla knew was there. After all, she couldn’t really be running them straight into a rock wall… could she?
Kalla did not turn off, and there was nothing but the rock wall. With a loud boom, Kalla burst through the rock wall, sending dirt, rock, and roots, in the air, bouncing back into Talila’s face. Talila tightened her wings around her and followed, bursting through the rock wall, several feet to the side of the hole Kalla had made with her body. Through a crust of dirt, gasping all the while, Talila travelled. Then, she was no longer underground and shot free of the earth, up into the night sky.
The moon was full, the air was clean and Talila took in her fill, gasping with an open mouth, stretching her wings and arms alike as she flew straight up, high into the sky. She stopped and hovered a moment looking at the moon, so full, so bright. It lo
oked close enough that Talila felt she could fly to it before the night ended. She twirled in place looking around below her. She saw fires, campfires. There were men at work, mining, so it appeared to Talila. She wondered who they could be, it was quite a large camp, almost as large as a village. They were still hard at work, even late into the night. Talila could see men with torches, moving around like ants.
“Humans, pay them no mind, they’ll be dealt with soon.” Kalla arrived at Talila’s side, who spun on her.
“You meant to get us killed?”
Kalla laughed.
“That’s impossible, daughter. You will soon discover-”
“I am not your daughter!”
“Yes, you are.” Kalla smiled, “You think yourself so knowledgeable of our ways you need no training?”
Talila looked at her shoulder and noticed her dress was almost in tatters, then she looked back at Kalla. Talila steeled herself, she wanted to say so much, but held her tongue.
“You are angry. Good. Let’s see what your anger fuels.” Kalla flapped her wings and flew backwards away from Talila, “Follow me.”
She turned into a dive. Talila took off after her, expecting Kalla to speed away, but she did not, their flight was a casual one.
Dracon and the Edge of the World Page 20