“I came here not long after I first met Trendan in that cave,” Fayne said.
Tatrice nodded. “Cedar Falls is on the way to Symbor from Brookhaven. It makes sense. Did you use the bathhouses?”
“There was no time. I was just passing through.” She sighed. “What did you say his last name was again?”
“Who?” Tatrice asked.
“You know who,” Fayne said.
“Faylor. Trendan Faylor,” Tatrice answered.
“Fayne Faylor. It doesn’t really roll off the tongue, does it?”
“Look at us. Sisters both mired in the tangle of love.” Tatrice observed.
“That’s the first time you have called me your sister,” Fayne said.
“Well, I should—” The door to the tavern burst open. A man in soiled clothes and a dirty face entered, followed by two men of about the same appearance.
“Something is happening in the Sacred Land. The sky has darkened and it’s spreading.”
The barkeep absently wiped the bar with his white cloth. “Are the armies finally engaged in battle? I hear the Scarovs and Abaddonians were fighting each other!”
“How should I know. We are headed for Basillain. I’m only relaying what we saw behind us,” the dirty man said.
The other man stepped up to the bar. “And there is some kind of mad creature terrorizing the countryside. Tell him, Alred, about the stalker.”
“We heard tell a few miles back of a creature with sharp teeth killing livestock and small animals.”
“And people, if they are unlucky enough to get in its way,” the second man said.
Fayne gave Tatrice a look. She nodded. “Where was this creature seen again?”
The man took notice of Tatrice and grinned. His mouth was as dirty as the rest of him. “Hey there. I will tell you for a smooch.”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous. Just tell me.” Tatrice felt herself sobering up rapidly.
“You heard the price,” he said. The other man went to Deylia’s side and flanked them. The last man stood in the middle, completing the semi-circle.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you like men?”
Tatrice winced at his breath. “I prefer clean men. Are you going to tell me what I want to know?”
The third man reached for Fayne’s arm, and she jerked away.
“Look, we don’t want any trouble. We don’t want to hurt you,” Tatrice said.
The men laughed. “Hurt us, wench? You don’t know who you are dealing with.” He pulled her off the stool she was sitting on. The second man grabbed ahold of Deylia, and the middle man secured Fayne.
Tatrice gave the man a hard look. His smile faded. “Have it your way,” she said.
The man holding Deylia suddenly clasped his head and screamed. Blood trickled out of his nose. The man holding Fayne looked down as he realized he was not holding her arms but instead was holding the blade end of two daggers. The one called Alred collapsed to the floor, clutching his stomach as blood oozed out between his fingers. Tatrice took her drink from the bar and downed it, as did Fayne and Deylia in turn. Tatrice flicked the barkeep two gold. “Sorry about the mess. This should cover it.” The barkeep just nodded stupidly. “Well, don’t just stand there slack-jawed. Call for a cleric before they bleed to death on your floor!”
They exited the tavern. “We may have made some enemies,” Deylia said.
“We won’t stick around long enough,” Tatrice said. She looked into the sky and saw the dark clouds rolling in from the west. “We have to go back toward the Sacred Land. I think Kimala is heading for the source of that.” She pointed to the darkness.
“We will have to ride hard if we want to catch up with her before she reaches the Sacred Land. We can’t let her get there before we do or we will never be able to stop her,” Fayne said.
Tatrice nodded. “I hope the stable hands have had time to feed the horses.”
Shey stumbled as the spell dissipated. She ran to Vesperin and grabbed him by the robes. “What was that?” He looked down at her burned hands, and he put his hands over them, healing them.
“Shey,” Gondrial said, “he was just trying to protect us.”
“He was planning to die,” Shey said, still grasping Vesperin’s robes.
“I have faith, Lady Shey. My goddess wouldn’t have let me perish, and if she had, I would be with her for eternity.”
“It was foolish and reckless. What about Fayne? What would I have told her?”
“She would understand,” Vesperin said. “I have to stop him. I have the power of Loracia. She brought me to this destiny.”
Seancey cleared his throat. “I don’t think we traveled very far. I would suggest we move.”
Gondrial nodded. “I know Naneden can hear that travel spell. He will come straight for us.” He surveyed his surroundings. “However, if we use it once more, I believe we can reach the Triangle and use the portal to get back to Ardenia. If Naneden is following, he won’t be able to go through the portal.”
“Why not?” Trendan asked curiously.
“Because it was made by sand elves. They are very cautious when it comes to building things against the unlife,” he said.
Shey let go of Vesperin. “All right, let’s go. Gather round.”
A dark shadow began to form behind her.
“I think he’s coming!” Seancey said.
Shey cast the spell, and at the last moment, Vesperin yanked his hand free, staying behind. Trendan saw him turning with his staff just as Naneden was appearing.
They snapped out of the travel spell to within a few steps of the Triangle portal. Shey clenched her hands and began to cast the spell again.
Gondrial grabbed her by the shoulders. “No, Shey, he did it on purpose.”
“We have to go back for him!” she said. “What’s he doing?”
“What he thinks he is supposed to do,” Trendan said. “What he has been praying for all this time.”
“Of course you would say that,” Shey said, confronting the archer. “You are in love with Fayne. It would be very convenient for you if Vesperin was out of the way, wouldn’t it?”
“Shey!” Gondrial grabbed her and swung her around to him. “Have you lost your mind! You’re hysterical. I have never, in all the time I have known you, seen you act like this!”
She began to sob, and she fell into Gondrial’s chest.
“Don’t be a fool, Gondrial. It’s Rikard. Look at what he’s become,” Seancey said.
“I don’t care. It’s no excuse,” he said.
Trendan tried with all his might to look like Shey’s words didn’t hurt or affect him. “We have to go. We have to get to Dorenn and warn him. The situation is dire.”
Gondrial led Shey to the portal, and they all used it to go back to Ardenia.
Chapter 25: Dragons at Dawn
Ganas Nashe stroked his beard as he left his lean-to dwelling to take in the morning air. For once in a long while, there were no sounds of battle, no signs of advancing armies, just peace. He stretched and looked up to the heavens. A glint of something shiny reflected the sunlight from way up above. He put his hand up to his forehead to block out the brightness of the sun, and squinted to see what it was. The land began to darken as hundreds of dragons filled the skies. At the head of the first column was a great silvery one. He went back to his lean-to and found his bow. He pointed the arrow up into the air and fired it. The tip was made of a silvery, mirrored pinwheel that spun wildly as it soared up into the air, catching the attention of the lead dragon, who swooped down to his position. Silver and white shimmered and changed into a beautiful woman with white hair and steel blue eyes. She walked up to him as the other dragons began landing and depositing hollowed crates resembling boats all over the grass and rocky terrain nearby.
“What is your name?” the woman asked.
He bowed. “I am Ganas Nashe of Brookhaven.” He looked back up. “Are you the Silver Drake? We were about to lose hope.”
She signale
d to the others who were all taking on the guise of humanoids. “Aye, I am she. We have brought provisions and equipment, but most importantly, we have come to take you home, lost sons of the Sacred Land.”
Ganas gazed over the area as hundreds of men began to come out of their makeshift shelters. “Well, it’s about time.”
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading Battlefield of the Sacred Land book 5 of the Sacred Land Legacy. If you would like to be informed of my new releases go to http://marktyson.weebly.com and subscribe your email to the mailing list. The form is located right on the home page!
This book was a bit unique. I wanted show rather then tell what had happened in the past to bring the story to its current point. To some, this book may seem a little short, but this is really the size I wanted all the Sacred Land books to be. Middle books are hard to get right because they need to hold the story, but also set up the next book. In the case of this volume, I needed to show the past to move the story forward. When I wrote this book, along with the story in the final book, it just seemed out of place. The two storylines fit together but I didn’t like the two stories smashed together in one book. Plus this story, specifically the jaunt into the past with Oria, was much, much shorter originally. So, I expanded that part of the story to add much more background content and thus more answers to older storylines and let the final book stand on its own. Even though you may think this book is a bit short, it actually allowed me to write much more story than I planned originally and give you, the reader, a richer experience with the story. It is for that very important reason that I decided to include this book as a book on its own rather than splicing a shorter version of it into the final book.
As always, if you would like to ask me a question or contact me, my email is [email protected]
MET February, 2016
Copyright
Copyright © 2016, Mark E. Tyson (1968—)
Editing by Courtney Umphress www.courtneyumphress.com
Cover illustration by Dusan Kostic
Darovan Map by Kenny Holt
First Shadesilver Publishing electronic publication: February, 2016
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via internet or by any other means, electronic or print, without the author/publisher’s permission.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictionally and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, actual events, locale, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Published in the United States by Shadesilver Publishing 2016
Dedication and acknowledgements:
This book is dedicated to all those who work hard to create! It’s a labor of love!
I would like to acknowledge the many people who helped me write this book along the way:
Brandie, Eldon, Courtney, Kylie, Michael, Steve, Kenny, and the many others that have made contributions whether by making suggestions or by adding something useful to this work.
Glossary
Adracoria - Southernmost Trigothian kingdom. Ruled by the Adrac family.
Aedreagnon - God, first son of Fawlsbane Vex and Loracia. He never did have the creative sense and the drive of purpose like his younger siblings. Instead he was jealous of their creative genius and often used their creations to make followers of his own (Dramyds and Drasmyd Duil out of dragons, etc.) He would also teach his disciples to do the same. His jealously tended to make people misunderstand him and label him as evil.
Ageanna - God, creator of drakes and dragonkind. Youngest female child of Fawlsbane Vex and Loracia. Fawlsbane loved her creation of dragons so much he made his own (golden and silver dragons) and even created dragons to guard the realm of the gods, Venifyre.
Amadace - Dragon in which Bren serves as First Knight.
Amalease Stone - Stone used to gain entry into the gates of Draegodor. It is located on Mount Urieus.
Amar - Race of high men from Lux Amarou. First creation of Fawlsbane Vex.
Anisport - Largest port city of Denosia, across the Great Sea.
Arasyth/Sythia - Trigothian kingdom between Adracoria and Ardenia, host to the Great Sythian Forest. Ruled by the Arasyth family.
Ardenia - Northernmost Trigothian kingdom. Ruled by the Arden family.
Arillian Elves - High elves from the Isle of Arillia. They migrated to the Isle of Arillia at the end of the first age after their forests became grasslands and the area now known as Ishrak had become cursed. They are the fairest of elves and most elegant.
Are’dune - Race of men who can trace their origins to Lux Amarou and the Amar but are not considered truly high men.
Ascendic Root - A potent root made into a tea and drank. It relieves pain depending on the dose. Higher doses cause euphoria. Weak tea relieves the minor pain of headaches, etc., while strong tea relieves severe pain.
Asheth’s Grimoire - An ancient tome containing spells of essence used to travel magically over distances. It is believed that Migarath used spells from the grimoire as a basis to build his famous Migarath Portals. (See Migarath Portals.)
Bannon, Ezra - A powerful mindwielder and ally to Toborne. Also the reeve of Briarwick, Adracoria.
Basillian - One of the great port cities in the kingdom of Symboria. Basillain is located in Northern Symboria, south of Seabrey. Due to disputes and treaties, Basillain is the port city in the north for trade with Adracoria. Seabrey is the northern port city for trade with both Ardenia and Sythia.
Bittering Tea - A strong brew made from the grinding of the bittering bean. It has a distinct aroma and is usually consumed in the morning as a stimulant.
Bren - Dragon knight from Draegodor. First Knight of Amadace.
Brendlewyre - See Theosus Fiderea.
Broodlord - Common name given to a dragon knight with high ranking. (A brood is a family of something. A broodlord would be a high member of a family or lord of the brood.)
Brynna - An Arillian, elf maiden, healer. She is the eldest daughter of Erinthill, and Ianthill’s niece. She resides on the Isle of Doom (Rugania).
By’temog - The largest city of Ishrak, it was once the kingdom’s capital city. It fell into ruins after the curse of General Sythril. The general is currently trapped as a ghost there, lurking among the ruins.
Chamber of Ancients - An ancient room in the citadel of Rugania (the Isle of Doom) where youthful wielders take part in magical trials. It is also a place to cure essence sickness if necessary.
Darovan - Island continent southwest of the tip of Adracoria where some of the elves of old migrated. Home to the Siladil and Noradil elves.
Delanora/Delanorasylva - Dragon-speak name for Shadesilver.
Dellah – Former Inn mistress of the Tiger’s Head Inn in Brookhaven, Symboria. Currently the queen of the Trigothian kingdom of Ardenia, Mother to Dorenn Adair.
Denosia - Mysterious kingdom on the continent across the Great Ocean.
Deylia - A young Trigothian woman who befriends Rennon in the capital of city of Trigoth.
Dorenn Adair - Innkeeper’s son from the village of Brookhaven in Southeastern Symboria. Son of Lourn and Dellah Adair.
Draegodor (Dray-go-door) - The city of red. Home of the dragons not in exile, nestled deep in the Jagged Mountains.
Dragon Claw - Parrying sword (dagger) of a dragon knight. Not actually a dragon claw but made of metal.
Dragon Fang - Sword of a dragon knight. Not actually a dragon fang but made of metal.
Dragon Knight - Men, elves, dwarves, and Scarovs who have chosen, or have been chosen by the dragons, to serve as knight protectors of the dragon realm.
Drakkius - Symbolic leade
r of Abaddonia.
Dramyd (Draw-mid) - Winged creature created from drake eggs. Designed to kill, they do the bidding of Aedreagnon, Drasmyd Duil, Naneden, and Toborne.
Dranmalin/Draenmaulin - An ancient sword forged by dragons. Its name literally means dragon hammer in ancient dragon-speak. It magically binds to its owner. It is currently Dorenn Adair’s sword after leaving Signal Hill.
Drasmyd Duil (Draws-mid Do-ill) - Shapeshifters. They are cunning and deadly. They usually lead packs of Dramyds. They are also known as Shadow Lurkers. They answer to Toborne.
Duil Clan - Clan of dragonkind Toborne used to create the Drasmyd Duil. Their specialty is shape-shifting into other beings.
Endil - (Foreshome) Home city of the wood elves (Sylvan, Eridil) located deep in the Great Sythian Forest.
Elanadil - Name of the magical sword of Ianthill. (It is a purely conjured sword.)
Elvander - Name of the magical sword of Seancey Namear.
Enowene (IN-O-ween) - Arillian elf and younger sister of Ianthill and Erinthill.
Eridil - Elven name for wood or Sylvan elves. They are the only race of elves that did not migrate; instead, they made their home in Endil (Foreshome), where they still remain. They are shorter than Arillian elves and have slightly darker skin, but are still considered fair and wise.
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