It was her faith in the world that gave him strength, made him see what was good, and he sought for those things. But that was a long time ago … back when she walked the same streets as he did, when she was not a prisoner of Vashgal. He always blamed himself for Sheena’s capture. If he had been stronger, or faster, or even smarter … then maybe, just maybe … it would not have happened the way it did. The day she was taken … Flynn remembered that all too clearly. It haunted his memory like a ghostly presence that he just could not shake. The Dark Riders … the drayskuls … the town within his reach … and Sheena’s cry as she was pulled from his arms. He would never forget that … and it seemed like he would never see her again, considering the predicament he was in.
‘Titus said he had a feeling about them,’ muttered Flynn angrily under his breath, ‘but I should have known better than to trust him.’
Their friendship was … rather strained. Flynn always liked Titus, and always trusted and relied on him to get the job done right. He made Titus a captain, and whenever he left Gunclove, Titus would see to everything. But that was before Flynn found out that the wayfarer was a seer. It would have killed his heart to get rid of Titus, but he dared not to say that to anyone. He wanted to toss him out of the city, but he could not do it. It would have torn him in half to lose such a valuable ally and friend. Yet he was frightened of the seer, afraid that the moment Titus looked into his eyes, he would find some sort of grim future for the thief. Flynn did not worry completely about himself, but for his sister as well. They were one in the same – Sheena and him. His mind felt so connected to hers. Even now, while he was lost in the woods, he knew she was alive somewhere. He knew she was closer than ever to him, but he also knew that getting to her would be the most difficult quest imaginable. But if he had to do it himself, then he was prepared. He had come too far to turn back now.
Vashgal was waiting for him.
‘Master!’
His head swam with relief at the sound of another voice – even though it sounded sad and forlorn.
‘Lanai,’ said Flynn, as he saw her step through a tangled mat of bushes, ‘you come alone?’
She looked different from when he last saw her. The cloths that held her dark hair up had fallen off, and the black curls now sprawled down across her back. One of her knives was gone and her dark pants were torn at both knees. Flynn figured her struggle must have been just as horrible as his had been.
‘I come alone,’ she answered, her voice low and shaking in her strange, clear accent. She met Flynn’s gaze for a long, lingering moment. ‘Shiva … she has …’
‘No …’ whispered Flynn, taking a step towards Lanai. He shook his head. ‘That can’t be.’
Lanai nodded. ‘I am afraid that it is true,’ she said quietly. ‘I am dragonless … and it appears that you are, too.’
‘Copper is not … not dead,’ said Flynn. ‘I know he isn’t.’
Lanai gave him a long stare. ‘You always seem to know everything and that is why I trust you, yet … if Copper is alive, he must not be well … or he is lost; both situations do not benefit us.’ She paused and glanced up, but the treetops were thick. ‘It will be dark soon too, and the forest is dangerous.’ She looked to Flynn. ‘What will you do, Leader?’
Flynn gave her a wry smile. She always seemed to observe every situation with the upmost scrutiny. It was – perhaps – in her nature to do so, but sometimes it left a horrid feeling in the pit of his stomach to know all of their outcomes.
‘I say we wait here,’ replied Flynn, glancing around the area. ‘The Dark Riders have gone and I don’t see any other danger that can’t be handled with my sword or your knife. It would be best to wait out the night instead of face it head-on, wouldn’t you agree?’
‘You are the leader,’ said Lanai, closing her eyes. ‘You know what is best.’
‘I like a bit of input, too –’ Flynn stopped, recognizing an expression on Lanai’s face that he had only seen twice before in his life: once when they were ambushed while travelling through the farthest corners of the Outlands, and again when they were battling against the clan to the north. He had gotten a shock the first time, and when it had happened again, he was in wonder. This time, however, he reached out and grabbed both her arms before she collapsed.
‘Lanai?’ said Flynn, seeing the stillness creep up over her face. The change was beginning now. Her hair – once as black as the night – turned a pure white, as pale as freshly fallen snow. Yet her face remained young and unaffected, and when she opened her now golden eyes, she was brought back to the world again.
‘No, not again,’ whispered Lanai, hanging her head. ‘I have changed back again … my power is weak.’
‘You were just in a terrible fight,’ said Flynn, trying to calm her. ‘You need to rest and regain your strength.’
‘You know nothing of magic,’ said Lanai, a sharp edge to her voice, ‘no matter how much you know of me.’
Flynn let go of her shoulders, feeling a sudden wall between them, and wondered if anything else was going to come his way before the night descended.
‘I only meant well,’ he said quietly. ‘Your health … you need to maintain it. The road ahead –’
‘Is your path alone,’ interrupted Lanai, turning her head away. ‘Titus has said so. He knows what is true.’ Flynn flinched, but said nothing. ‘I have lost so much,’ she went on, her voice continuously lowering. ‘Now Shiva has also left me. When we reach Vashgal … I too will –’
‘Lanai, stop it!’
The words came so bluntly from Flynn’s mouth that he was unsure if he had been the one who said it or not. Lanai gave him such a hard stare that he turned away.
‘Titus doesn’t know everyone’s future,’ said Flynn quickly. ‘He only sees half the story, if it’s even true at all. Just because he saw it, doesn’t mean it will happen.’
‘Titus is a seer,’ said Lanai firmly. ‘He knows what will happen, and if he predicted my death within the darkness of Vashgal, then it will come to pass.’ She lifted her chin up. ‘Am I not following you there? Are we not heading into the very lands where so many have fallen before us?’
‘You don’t have to go,’ said Flynn, suddenly angry. ‘I never forced you to come along. You came to me. If you feared the prediction so much, you would have just stayed in Gunclove.’
Lanai sniffed. ‘I suppose it is my fault then that I am here to help you.’ She turned her back to the thief and crouched down beside a tangle of sticks, where she started snapping her fingers.
‘Your magic won’t work when you’re this weak,’ said Flynn brusquely.
Lanai said nothing. She continued snapping and muttering until smoke seeped out from underneath her fingernails. She stopped then, and stared at the ground with a mixture of hate and misery plastered onto her face. ‘You know nothing of magic,’ she said, repeating her earlier statement. ‘A human such as you can never understand the power the dragons bestowed upon my people.’
Flynn crouched down on the opposite side of the pile of twigs, facing her. ‘You must be really upset with me,’ he said drolly. ‘Saying things like that about your leader … I’ve never heard of it before.’ He pulled a pack of matches out of his coat pocket and waved it in front of her. ‘But I’m willing to forgive if you watch the fire and coax it while I’m looking for something for us to eat.’
Lanai looked terribly shocked, and then lowered her head. ‘I apologize, Master,’ she said, ashamed. ‘I have wronged you with my words. I acted out of line. Please forgive me.’
‘I won’t ever forgive you if you call me master one more time,’ replied Flynn, striking a match. ‘Do you know how annoying that can get? If I called you Master Lanai –’
‘I would not have it,’ cut in Lanai. ‘It is not right. I am a lowly mage of the far south. You would bring dishonour upon yourself if –’
‘Yes, yes,’ said Flynn, irritated. ‘I’m not exactly the most honourable person though, am I? Being a leader of thieves a
nd whatnot, I suspect that my honour is only amongst the thieves.’ He gave a sigh as the fire sprung to life before him.
‘Are you … unhappy as a thief?’ asked Lanai slowly. ‘As I am unhappy as a mage?’
Flynn was silent to this, and so Lanai continued.
‘My people are a hidden race, afraid to show their faces, and yet I … with the all the courage of my people … still lack the strength and valour to live fearlessly in this world,’ she said. Her hand touched a strand of white hair. ‘I have to hide my true self from everyone, else I search for trouble amongst them. You,’ her eyes darted to Flynn, ‘are the only one who knows this – the only one who knows who I really am. The ways of magi and humans are not well, and you have kept my secret hidden for a long time now. I –’
‘If you think I care nothing about it, you’re wrong,’ interjected Flynn. ‘I understand secrets. I too have secrets of my own. Why do you think so few people know about me? The Dragon Marauders have no leader. This is what the people say, and I have worked hard to ensure that I am unknown. It is for the safety of the village and my clan.’
Lanai lowered her head. ‘Your people … they are different from mine. In their eyes, you are a great leader. My race … they see me as an outcast. I left, betraying the laws of my people, and I cannot go back.’
‘Why would you want to?’ challenged Flynn. ‘You sought freedom and that’s why you left, wasn’t it? To go back would only trap you again.’
Lanai gave a small smile. ‘… Such an observant heart, have you.’
Flynn lowered his head bashfully. ‘Well,’ he said quickly, and then nearly jumped to his feet. ‘Well,’ he repeated, ‘I’d better go look for food, and if I’m lucky I’ll find Titus wandering around out there too. Seers can’t die, after all.’
‘Some seers,’ corrected Lanai, her golden eyes studying his face.
Flynn gave an uneasy nod goodbye and then left the mage sitting by the fire. He headed into the gloom of the woods, which was becoming darker as the minutes passed. Tonight, of all nights, he hoped fate was on his side.
~ Chapter Seventeen ~
Silver in the Sky
High within the mighty, black tower forever known as the Black Fortress, skulked the one branded in these parts the Dragon King. Others called him no name, for they feared him and everything he had done. He was a villain unlike any other, and his name ran down through the entire history of Dragonis and beyond. All the tales of the world revolved around his evil deeds, including how he killed the last hope for the land of the dragons. Indeed, he was both feared and hated for this terrible crime. The people had loved Lucian. Even now, stories of his greatness echoed from one town to another, hoping that – once again – someone would come to save them from the terrors of Vashgal.
Vanyir knew this. He always knew – deep down – that the people of his world loathed him. He raged war against Dragonis when the world had still been young, and now – after all the years had passed – he still fought to remain in control. The west annoyed him, as they had “guards” and “warriors” that constantly proved to be a problem for his Dark Riders. Then there were the bandits of the Outlands, which were just as irritating and liked to ambush the drayskuls whenever they passed through. Vanyir grew tired of their silly games sometimes. Breeding drayskuls took years of development, and even though they were mindless, ruthless beasts, it was still a loss to lose one. Every rider needed a steed. Without a drayskul, a rider was useless.
Within the topmost room of the Black Fortress, Vanyir sat upon his chair of black steel, looking out across the city of Vashgal through the wide windows of his chamber. His days were endless and sometimes he just liked to sit and watch over the land he owned. A long time ago, it was more of a pleasant place, but in these days, it had grown dark. Vanyir knew the world was dying a slow death. It seemed quicker now though, as his eyes lingered on the black streets below. Death had found its way to the edges of the forest. It had not been too long ago when he had ridden out there and saw the gruesome effects of magic. For some reason – a reason unknown even to him – the magic was leaving the world of Dragonis. Vanyir knew that the dragons had something to do with it, but he knew little else.
A knock on the door roused Vanyir from his troubled thoughts. It opened a few seconds later, a young man with light hair and a tall structure entering the room. He bowed to the Dragon King.
‘Lord Vanyir, I have a report from our latest attack,’ he said.
‘What is it?’ asked Vanyir, slightly uninterested. By the sound of Rais’s voice, the mission had been a complete failure.
‘A new discovery has been made, sir,’ replied Rais. ‘I caught word of it from the mayor of Dwenin. I – I did not come straight to you first because I did not believe it to be true myself, but it seems that the Sapphire Stone has re-entered Dragonis.’
That caught Vanyir’s attention. His eyes darted over to Rais the moment the words “sapphire” and “stone” had escaped the young rider’s mouth, and he jumped out of his chair in a heartbeat.
‘The Sapphire Stone?’ repeated Vanyir, awestruck. ‘Are you sure?’
Rais nodded. ‘Very sure,’ he answered. ‘Ripley – the mayor of Dwenin – was very exact with his description of the carrier: a young girl – not much younger than I – with dark hair and eyes. She came from the other world and with her travelled three others, one being a creature resembling … a cat, I think.’ The Dark Rider was puzzled for a moment. ‘I can’t remember its name –’
‘I know his name,’ said Vanyir darkly. ‘It doesn’t matter. But this girl … she matters.’ He glanced briefly from the window to Rais again. ‘You mentioned something about a report from your latest attack … what’s that about?’
The Dark Rider looked a bit apprehensive to tell his story now. ‘The girl … we met her in the woods.’
‘What?’ breathed Vanyir.
‘One of our … less experienced riders chased her and another off into the forest,’ explained Rais uneasily. ‘He did not come back, and neither did his steed. I think he might have gotten lost in the woods – or worse.’
‘I don’t care,’ snapped Vanyir. ‘He had no business hunting the girl. Where is she now? Did you follow her?’
‘No, Lord Vanyir,’ replied Rais. ‘It was dark within the woods, and when we found their campsite, they were already alerted somehow. They all separated and we had to track them individually. We lost one drayskul in the fight, but we slew one of their dragons.’
‘Good,’ muttered Vanyir, folding his hands behind his back and walking over to face his unabridged window. Everything looked so quiet and still below, but he knew the citizens of Vashgal were silently moving down there. ‘Next time, slay all their dragons and bring me the girl. The cat too, if you can,’ he added.
‘The cat?’ questioned Rais. ‘Sir, what would –’
‘Never mind what I want with it,’ said Vanyir briskly. He touched the glass of the window momentarily, and heard the footsteps of the captain slowly moving towards the door again. ‘I feel … like this world is ending. Don’t you feel it, too?’
The footsteps halted. ‘... ending, sir?’
Vanyir pressed his forehead to the windowpane. ‘Yes, I feel death approaching … but I don’t know when.’
‘Lord Vanyir …’
‘The seer would know,’ said Vanyir, turning away from the window. ‘Is she still where I put her?’
Rais looked surprised. ‘Yes, sir, she is still there.’
‘Good,’ said the Dragon King. ‘Now go and find that girl and stone before it’s too late.’
The inside of the Black Fortress was like the inside of a maze, but Vanyir knew all of its routes by heart. He had lived there for so many years that even the secret passageways were common knowledge to him now. The deep, dark corners, winding hallways and stairways were always a pleasure to explore. Deeper down, past the tunnels that contained the stalls of the drayskuls, were the dungeons. Below them were the breeding rooms of h
is monstrous creations, of which he was very proud. No one else had ever attempted such a thing. It was his discovery.
But Vanyir was not headed into the depths of the Black Fortress this night. His destination rested near the middle of the tower, where some of his more important riders had rooms of their own. Rais possessed such a chamber, near the very end of the hall, as he was the captain of the Dark Riders.
Vanyir stopped just beside the last door of this particular dark hallway and looked towards the door just near Rais’s room. It was – of course – locked, and so Vanyir pulled a silver key from his pocket. He opened the door and stepped inside the room.
He would always remember this as the most lighted room in the entire Black Fortress, for the girl inside requested endless amounts of candles and lamps. The scent of lavender and roses always came to his nostrils whenever he entered. The rugs on the floor were her bidding also, as was the window view of the city. Vanyir had been patient with the girl and given her what she wanted. She was, after all, an important guest.
At this time of night, she stood by the window, her red hair flowing down over her back, the front pieces held up by strangely shaped clips. Her wardrobe – against her will – was that of the Black Fortress riders: black clothes. Though, she had managed to hang onto her light scarves and tattered boots, which she still wore.
‘I thought you had forgotten about me,’ she said in her smooth voice. ‘I was beginning to like the silence.’
‘I apologize,’ said Vanyir, closing the door behind him. The candles flickered uneasily on the crates near the door. ‘I had … a strange feeling just now.’
‘If you’re so in touch with strange feelings, then figure out the secrets of the future on your own,’ muttered the girl.
‘Sheena,’ whispered Vanyir, ‘you are a seer. I need your help, or else everything falls into vain.’
The Secret World of Dragons Page 18