Legends of Marithia: Book 3 - Talonsphere

by Peter Koevari

  Vartan could do nothing but watch as his vengeance was robbed.

  Chapter 13 : Mortal Chains

  “What is the purpose of one who is truly evil? Are they redeemable and can find humanity in their lost souls?

  I often wonder if evil could ever find an end, or if it would not stop quenching its thirst for blood until there is nothing left. It must be stopped; there is no such thing as surrendering to the mercy of darkness.

  It would be nothing more than suicide.”

  (Karven - King of Dragons)

  Vartan watched the world around him crawl. He only heard his ragged breath. Queen Andrielle jerked the head of a vampire backwards and ripped its fangs out of a screaming elf’s neck. She twisted, slicing the vampire’s head off its body. Blood spurted from the elven warrior’s fresh wound and the he brought his soaked hands to his face. The elf screamed at the sight of them. Andrielle’s face hardened. She plunged her sword through the bitten warrior’s skull, before returning her attention to the onslaught of Kassina’s vampires.

  “Snap out of it, Vartan!” the queen said, her urgent voice cutting through his head. Her face wore various splashes of dark and light blood.

  He wiped his tears with his palms. He had never before been paralysed by panic. There was no time for this; he would have to deal with this news later.

  Use the pain to destroy your enemies, he thought.

  The flood of chaotic sounds washed over his mind as the world resumed around him. Vartan slammed his Phoenix shield into an attacking vampire’s face, flames engulfing its armour. Vartan sneered as he swung his sword through the moonlit air, slicing through another vampire’s face. Succumbing to his anger, Vartan briefly forgot his pain while he slashed at his enemies. Hot blood splattered at his face and for just a moment, it felt good to bathe in death.

  Every enemy he killed seemed to further bottle the pain inside of him.

  “I’m here, my queen,” he said.

  “About time!”

  His eyes glowed blue as Mazu’s powers returned to him. Blinking momentarily, he tried to focus on the water running through their bodies, but there were too many elves among the vampires. It was a complete mess, and there was no way to focus solely on their enemies. He had to do something to turn this tide.

  Shaking his head, he narrowed his eyes and focused on one vampire at a time. Keeping one in his sights, he boiled the vampire’s fluids, taking pleasure in the agony he caused until the vampire exploded.

  Vartan stumbled when the ground rumbled beneath him. Balancing himself, his face paled as he cried out to the queen. She couldn’t hear him or was too distracted to notice. Surrounding elves fought for their lives, and some turned to Vartan for instructions.

  He looked to direct the nearest ally but as he opened his mouth to speak, a cannonball tore through the elf’s face, leaving the twitching body to plummet to the ground.

  Fuck.

  “There are too many! We can’t hold this. Get everyone off the walls. They’re about to fall!” he said, ducking as another cannonball ripped through the air, pounding into a building below them.

  Helenia, where are you? Tell me you still live.

  Vartan pulled his arm out of the shield’s leather strap, swinging it through the air by its edge, dispatching two attacking vampires, swinging his sword upward to block another’s sword. Helenia’s voice was not coming, and he felt another twist in his chest. His eyes watered at the thought of his wife, and the vision of battle blurred.

  In his moment of weakness, he thought back to the flowing waters of Mother Dragon’s statue at Weeping Falls.

  His body filled with magic as he kicked a vampire over the parapets, sending it falling to the ocean below.

  Mother Dragon, we need your help.

  He saw a feint light along the wall and brought his arm up to see that his entire body glowed within his armour.

  His ears filled with the most joyful of voices, but his heart sank further when Helenia’s was not among them. You have summoned me, but I cannot always answer your call or stay in your world for long.

  Vartan watched the remaining elves follow his instructions and flee the walls, joining the archers within Greenhaven’s streets and leaving him to deal with the onslaught of vampires.

  He turned to the readied archers and yelled, “Release, now!”

  The elves followed his order and shot their fiery arrows as Vartan dropped to the ground to avoid being hit. The arrows hit their targets and vampires were knocked off the walls.

  It’s not going to kill them, but it will buy us time, he thought.

  “Hold your fire!” Vartan said, seeing a blood-soaked Dryden climb over the parapets. Yuski and Anakari emerged from the stairs below and stood by his side. He wondered where they had gotten to, shamefully realising the amount of time he had allowed his emotions to muddle his thoughts.

  He nodded to his companions and spoke as spirited as he could. “Glad to see you all.”

  The wall swayed and rumbled far beneath his feet. That could only mean one thing. “Get off the wall!”

  He knew that the wall coming down would be the beginning of the end for Greenhaven. Once those cannons had nothing to stop them, it would only be a matter of time. If he was going to die, then he would take as many of them as he could.

  “We live together, fight together, and die together, Vartan. We will not leave your side,” Anakari said. The others nodded, readying their weapons.

  Vartan stood and readied his shield and sword. No vampires came over the wall. The sound of cannons continued, as did the distant screams on the seas. He marched to the parapets and saw it. A giant version of Mother Dragon flew over the pirate ships, her entire body made of water. The pirates continued firing their cannons, but changed their targets. The cannonballs tore through Mother Dragon’s watery body with no effect. The pirates screamed as her giant tail swung over the ocean, resulting in an enormous wave engulfing the ships. She appeared to breathe dragon’s breath, but instead of fire, the water burst upward around her and tore the ships apart.

  His vision shook, and he blinked his eyes furiously. The cost of expended magic to bring Mother Dragon into battle had been one he could barely afford. He tried to awaken the powers of Mazu, but his vision flickered. He may have been stripped of magic, but his body could continue.

  Vartan looked over the parapets and his face paled as thoughts of Helenia flooded his mind. He called out to his companions, “Whoever was here has already fled, but Greenhaven was almost lost.”

  “How did we,” Yuski said, “Never mind. It was you, wasn’t it?”

  Mother Dragon shrieked as she turned to Vartan and then dissipated into the ocean, raining down on the destroyed ships

  Goodbye, Great Mother. Until we meet again, he thought.

  Vartan’s face twisted as a memory of Helenia’s face flashed into his mind. He turned away and his breathing stiffened. He knew he didn’t have time to grieve, but the pain was too great.

  Come on. Keep it together a little longer.

  Anakari approached him and lowered her voice. “Vartan, are you alright?”

  He turned toward Greenhaven’s inhabitants with a crooked smiled, raising his sword in the air. “Victory is ours!”

  Greenhaven erupted in cheers.

  Thank you, Mother Dragon, you saved us all.

  No Vartan, you saved them. I only lent you my strength and image, but it was your bravery that sculpted a weapon. I feel the pain inside you. Do not let it destroy you. We shall meet again, Mother Dragon’s voice said, trailing away in his mind.

  Vartan sheathed his sword, retrieving a dropped bow, and ripped out an arrow from a dead elf’s quiver. As he took aim on the pirates below, his companions followed suit and joined him. Vartan felt his gloves vibrating heavily and glowing blue. He released his arrow, watching through wide eyes as the sky glowed aqua. A rain of glowing shards fell onto his targeted area. The magic arrows shredded their way through pirates’ flesh, and fell into the
sea.

  So, that’s what these gloves do.

  “Vartan! You never cease to surprise me,” Dryden said.

  The prince brought his hands to his face and watched the blue glow disappear.

  “You and me both. Kill every last one of them. They took Helenia from our world,” Vartan said, clenching his jaw in an effort to hold back his tears.

  I love you, Helenia, and my heart is forever yours.

  The prince leapt in the air as Helenia’s voice rang in his mind like a bell. Vartan!

  Could this be true? That she is alive after all? he thought.

  He could barely believe it. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, but he allowed himself to indulge in the possible fantasy.

  Karven and Nymira revealed themselves as they landed on the western turrets of Greenhaven. The renewed smile dropped from Vartan’s face as there was no ground beneath his feet, and he found himself falling.

  The dark landscape blurred below her as she was carried through the skies, her head spinning as she regained her bearings. Kassina grimaced at the dragon’s breath’s heat over her and as she tried to send bolts of lightning through her captor, she found that she couldn’t use her magic.

  She tried again without success. “Shit!”

  “Let me go! What have you done to me?” Kassina said, her arms pinned within the dragon’s grasp.

  “Don’t struggle or I could drop you. I will not hurt you, but this is to protect us both,” the dragon said.

  Kassina froze, recognising the dragon’s voice. Memories long buried in her brain began to surface. Images flashed that tore at her blackened heart, and a dark tear ran down her cheek. Her voice wavered. “Mother?”

  “Yes, it is me. I have waited what seemed to be an eternity to find you. I know that you have long lost your way, so I couldn’t take any chances with you. My breath seals your powers, for now. I will let you get more comfortable. Don’t make me regret it.”

  Niesha loosened her grip and Kassina stretched her aching muscles.

  Where are you taking me? He will not be happy, Kassina thought.

  Do not talk about him, and my breath hides you from Shindar. I am taking you somewhere safe, away from this battle where you would have been killed.

  I doubt that. I had Vartan in my grasp. You should have let me kill him.

  My visions say otherwise. You’re lucky that the skies were filled with dragons, so I could sweep in undetected and save you. You have no idea how close you were to death.

  Kassina looked through openings in Niesha’s talons and watched as Crondor rolled by beneath them. She knew where they were going. Her eyes widened and throat tightened. As the queen of the underworld, she had not been concerned in a long time. This was one place she swore to never return to.

  You are taking me to Castle Praethorne? I never want to go there, take me to my dark tower and we can talk there. Please.

  Kassina remembered that day as if it were only yesterday, even though it was over nine hundred years ago. The execution of her parents at the command of King Grueber. The sound of her vampire father’s screams as the sun burned him alive still haunted her, as did the ringing of the sword and sound of choking before her mother’s head dropped in front of her cage. She had tried to bury all of it over these many years. Every cruel act would dull the pain, for a while.

  No, Kassina, we must face what happened, and this is the only way that we can be free.

  Kassina’s body tightened as she dug her nails into her palms. Being out of control was something she wasn’t used to, and she hated it. Her rage had to be let out, and she realised that she was angry at Nymira. Her mother failed to save them, and the dark lord was her true saviour. Nymira was weak, and he was strong.

  Free? I am free! If it was not for Shindar, then I would have died that day, alongside you.

  Yes, you would have, but you would have also been reborn as a dragon and wouldn’t have been influenced and filled with such darkness, would you?

  She felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. Her mother’s words sliced through her fragile thoughts, and left her with a blend of regret and confusion.

  Would it have been better to have died? Kassina thought.

  She had hated the idea of dragon’s blood in her veins.

  Could it be true, that they may have been my saviour?

  She pondered the hypotheticals of how her life may have turned out as a dragon. After all, even Shindar feared the power of dragons.

  Her mind was a raging war zone, and she closed her eyes to try to drown out the noise.

  Silence was Kassina’s only answer for a long time, until Praethorne drew nearer. Her fiery rage had died down and she knew that she could never hate her mother for dying. The hole in her heart had never been filled, and she had longed all these years to be loved.

  I have lived for centuries thinking you were gone forever and you show up now. I may hate many things, but I cannot hate you, Kassina thought.

  I always have and still love you, Kassina, and it is not too late for you. You were born with both dragon and vampire blood, and you never died at Shindar’s hand. Your soul does not belong in the underworld, but is captive there. You are his prisoner, living in a phantom reality of being free.

  Niesha’s great wings flapped as she descended toward the grounds of castle Praethorne and transformed her scales, revealing herself to the world around her.

  This area was overrun with demons, but they left here a few days ago. I have someone for you to meet. She will be part of your redemption and is the reason I escaped my captors. If it wasn’t for her, then I wouldn’t have saved you today.

  Niesha hovered for a moment before letting Kassina go. The queen of darkness landed on her feet, straightening up and stared at a wide eyed young woman. She instinctively tried to enter the woman’s mind, but kicked the ground at her stripped powers. She wondered how long they would be gone for.

  “Wha... is this who I think it is? So you finally found her,” the young woman said, backing away from Kassina.

  Kassina smirked. “Nice to meet you too, whoever you are.”

  “My name is Adela, and you must be Kassina.”

  Kassina narrowed her eyes and snarled, “Queen Kassina.”

  Niesha landed near them both, and Kassina ran to the dragon’s neck, drawing a sword and holding the blade against her scales. She saw her window of escape and had to take it.

  I have to know if this was all true.

  “The thought of my blood being of my sworn enemy’s is something I can hardly believe. How do I know that it is really you?” Kassina said.

  Niesha roared and blew jets of fire.

  “You dare put a sword at my throat? I could slice your own off your shoulders where you stand! I created you, Kassina, and if you are truly too far gone, then I can destroy you all the same. The day before I was executed, along with your father, it was your birthday. Danton, your father, had brought you a special gift. It was a doll with the rarest of horse hair that was as smooth as silk. You named her Snow, as she had such pale skin.”

  Kassina’s face contorted for a moment and she shook her head, her face hardening. “Anyone could have found my doll, and many in the castle knew her name. You’ll need to try harder than that to convince me.”

  Niesha frowned at her daughter. “You really have turned into a vicious creature, haven’t you?”

  “Shut it! If the next words are not...” Kassina said.

  Niesha began to sing. “As I lay you down to sleep, the angels watching gently weep. A wolf’s howl welcomes you into dream, where nothing is as they seem. When your age is of a bride, a charming prince wakes by your side.”

  Memories flashed in her mind. Her mother’s warm breath blowing over her as she cradled her in her arms, singing her the lullaby to put her to sleep in their private chambers. Nobody that remained alive after the day of her parents’ execution had ever heard that song.

  Kassina dropped her sword through shaking hands a
nd fell to her knees. Her bottom lip quivered. “Forgive me.”

  She rocked back and forth, feeling her doubt clawing away at the comfort of the reality before her.

  “My darling daughter, although you do not see it now, you have been used as nothing but a pawn for Shindar’s needs. If the prophecy of the Blood Red Moon is realised, and everything is his, then he will have no use for you.”

  “No, it can’t be true,” Kassina said, “he loves me, mother, and where have you been all this time? Why did you not come for me?”

  “You simply do not know. After I was reborn and strong enough to leave Trahoterra, I spent every waking moment searching for you. I could not accept that you had died. I sought an audience with Mother Dragon, who confirmed that you still lived. I kept searching. Back then, you would have been easily redeemed. You still can be, even with all you have done. I have to believe that.”

  “I do not regret anything I have done since that day,” Kassina said.

  “And that is part of the problem. You have forgotten that you are not only vampire, but there is also human and dragon blood in you. But let me finish. I reached an island which they call Grenlees, where the pirates that you so foolishly attempted to ally with, managed to capture and enslave me as a guard for all of their treasure.”

  “How can pirates capture a dragon?” Adela said.

  Kassina hated this girl for interrupting them. “You stay out of this! Who are you anyway, and why am I tolerating your presence?”

  “Leave the girl alone, Kassina. Neither of you realise this, so I had better make this clear. It is time you know that Danton was not my first and only love. There was a man. As charming as he was, he was far too kind a soul for the likes of Grueber and his tyranny. I was young, and in the eyes of many, I was not ready to bear a child. I was in the midst of my studies of magic when I fell pregnant. I carried the child to term and left Praethorne to raise my son until he was of an age that he did not need me to be around.”

  “You abandoned my brother?” Kassina said, knowing her face painted a clear picture of disdain and judgement.