Dragon Mage (Blacklight Chronicles)

by John Forrester

  Palarian inhaled a huge gulp of air and glanced around as if assessing his chance of survival. He quickly bowed to Jeremiah, apologized to Talis for not being able to protect him, and cast a spell over Nikulo. Together they catapulted up into the dark sky and disappeared.

  “Your friends are gone.” After the old barkeep spoke, Talis found himself released of the spell.

  Talis considered changing into dragon form and flying away with Charna, but knew if King Valeron and his entire host of dragons obeyed Jeremiah’s words, any resistance or escape would be futile.

  “Who are you? Or I should say, what are you?”

  The man sauntered up to Talis, and bent down to peer into Charna’s eyes. The lynx hissed and raised her paw as if Jeremiah were a snake.

  “We are what you call Starwalkers, and I am the leader of our group. We’ve waited here on Vellia for thousands of years, waiting and stirring, fomenting citizens and forming cults, hoping to overthrow the kingdom, but blocked by the power of Crystalline. Now that is gone…at long last. I can be rid of this horrid, boring, tiresome world!”

  “You’re leaving Vellia?” Talis almost spit the words out; he wanted to scream and shout “No!” but contained his rage instead.

  “Not quite yet. There is a small matter of a certain object that belongs to me, that was stolen from me, that I need to retrieve from the vaults deep in the depths under the Regents Palace of Illumina.”

  “What is it they’ve taken from you?”

  Jeremiah chuckled, amused, as if Talis were such a trifling, inconsequential person, unworthy of a response. But he lifted a finger and spoke.

  “Something very old and precious to me. Enough talk, on to Illumina. Show me your map, show me Aurellia and his forces, and we will go tonight, and strike, now!”

  “I advise against attempting to track Aurellia…he will know and will hunt me.” After seeing fury fire up in Jeremiah’s eyes, Talis said, “But I can track his Elders and Aurellia’s followers.”

  “Then do so, immediately.”

  Talis closed his eyes and commanded the map to see Elder Relech, Elder Rolovian, Elder Raelles, and Aurellia’s army. He made a quick prayer to the Goddess Nacrea, thanking her for giving him a chance to go to Illumina and find Mara. He could convince Jeremiah to rescue her once they arrived in Illumina.

  The map bristled with points of colored lights and angry swarms of faded, grey lights. Jeremiah peered over the map and pointed.

  “There, they’ve left Crystalline and headed to Illumina. Some points of light are already close to the capitol. Aurellia’s Elders? Good, very good. They’re spread out, separated; we can use that to our advantage. Let’s go!”

  Jeremiah snapped his fingers and instantly he transformed into a shimmering, black-and-silver being with waves of dark energy emanating around his body. Gone were the old, tattered clothes and the belly; his skin was rejuvenated and glowed with eerie radiance. His robe was of intermeshed silver and black. And his eyes, his once unassuming and mild eyes, his eyes were now alien and cold like the eyes of a bull.

  The others of his group also changed into their natural, glorious, Starwalker-forms, and gathered around him and opened their hands expectantly to Talis.

  “Give us the stones, give us the power, give us the hearts of stars.”

  Talis felt defeat sink into his bones as he handed them the four crystals mined from the depths of Ghaelstrom. He was giving away his only hope of returning home to Naru and rebuilding his land. Not that Jeremiah would ever release him from bondage. Talis knew his role: he was the Starwalker’s map wielder, their scout, and their finder of stones on an endless journey through the universe. There was no chance they would ever let him go. Not as long as he remained alive and possessed the Surineda Map. Or until they were killed.

  With the largest and most powerful of the crystals in his hand, Jeremiah snapped his finger and summoned a massive shadow portal. He gestured for Talis to go first, and he obeyed, scooping up Charna into his arms and filling his heart with the hope that he would see Mara soon.

  19. ASSASSIN

  Mara roamed the palace in the quiet of night after the chaos of the party had died down. The shadows wrapped tightly around her figure followed her everywhere as she stalked the rooms in search of her prey. Nothing could penetrate her dark cloak, not when she held the power of Princess Minoweth’s dagger in her hand. She would slay Regent Donoval, when the time proved worthy, and she would not mind to hear the death sighs and groans spill from his mouth.

  He tortured and killed Talis.

  She vowed to do the same thing to him—and worse. The lewdness and decadence of the people of the palace sickened her. And his denial of even knowing Talis! She saw him, saw his face in her vision. He had tortured Talis, he was there, she saw it all. They lie, all of them, lie so easily. Fake smiles and trained politeness, just like the royals back in Naru, all of them deceiving and conniving and liars. She’d kill them all; the dagger would dig so easily into their necks.

  The tall, oval window on the fifth floor of the palace provided a clear view of the luminous city. In size, Mara guessed it was ten times as large as Darkov, and hundreds of times larger than Naru. Each tower and mansion and building was covered with a kind of shifting, shimmering light that gave the illusion of rippling water in the soft light of dawn. The city was so harmonious and beautiful it moved Mara to tears. She felt no evil in the view, only purity and warmth. What a strange world filled with so many contradictions.

  Her dagger dropped to the hardwood floor with a loud thud and the tears kept streaming down her cheeks. How could Talis be dead? She closed her eyes and pictured his beautiful face, refusing to believe it was true. She could still feel him in her heart. With her entire self she reached out to him in the night and called for him. Talis where are you? He couldn’t be dead, she loved him too much.

  Then a thought struck her mind. Why is it still dark outside? When she’d first come to the party it was already dark. And hadn’t the night wind buffeted the windows? But now, after how many hours, why was it still dark? She leaned against the crystal glass and stared outside. The trees and shrubs in the garden were still. There’s no wind outside…that’s impossible!

  A blinding light seared her vision and she turned away and covered her eyes in pain. What in the name of Zagros was that? As the light dimmed she gazed outside and spotted the fading remains of a shadow portal. Mara’s heart hammered in her chest as she recognized Aurellia and Elder Relech floating over to the window where she was. But how could they know she was here?

  They blinked in through the window and hovered in the large, attic room where Mara had sought refuge. Aurellia’s eyes beamed an eerie power so strong it made Mara collapse to her knees in prostration.

  “Have you slain the one these light-blinded fools name Regent?”

  “He hurt Talis…he tortured and killed him…I will bring death to his house.” Mara was surprised by the fury and determination in her voice.

  “This is disappointing. You have failed to kill him?” Aurellia frowned at Elder Relech. “You said she was ready, but clearly she is still a child. Then I will have to do it myself. Come along and see how you murder a king. The end of the reign of light must come with a dark deed.”

  Mara picked up her dagger and followed Aurellia and Elder Relech as they strode towards the door. As they stepped down the massive, white stairwell, guards turned cloak at a look from the dark lord, their eyes becoming black pools of mindlessness, and they marched faithfully behind their new master. Soon they reached small, corner door, in an inconspicuous part of the palace. There were no guards here, and Mara realized how she had missed finding the Regent: he had hidden himself away like a rat.

  Once stealthing inside the massive room, Mara spotted a figure standing far away at a floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the city.

  “I knew it was only a matter of time before you returned, brother.” Brother? Aurellia’s brother was the Regent of the Kingdom of Zhael
?

  Aurellia walked the distance to the window next to the figure and stared outside. “She is a beautiful city. How I’ve missed her. I regret ever leaving Vellia to venture out to that damned world. And I miss you as well, Donoval. I miss my home.”

  A tension released from Regent Donoval’s shoulders, and he hung his head in a tired exhalation. “I couldn’t sleep all night. A girl assassin, you really sent a girl to kill me? Did you think me so weak?”

  Mara gripped the dagger and felt the rage rip through her at the insult. She’d show him how a girl could slice open his neck.

  “I didn’t know what I’d find here on Vellia after four thousand years. And yes, you have grown weak through countless years of indolence. When is the last time you’ve fought a good battle, brother? And felt the blood pumping through your veins?”

  Donoval chuckled at that. “Do you even have blood anymore? Or does ash only flow through your veins? Has the darkness so taken you that you’ve failed to realize how far from the light you’ve gone?”

  Aurellia arched his body and a shock of brilliant, golden light blinded Mara’s eyes. But when she squinted through her fingers, his figure remained a radiant gold and back swirl.

  “Indeed you are wrong, brother. If anything, these last four thousand years I’ve come closer to the light. True, I embody the night as well, but the secret I’ve learned is balancing the forces of light and darkness. And through that balance I’ve found the ability to channel an immense power. Enough power to kill you with a single thought.”

  “But why would you want to kill your own brother? Is it because I inherited the throne? Is it because you still blame me for Father’s death? Is it out of jealousy? Is it because Jareen chose me over you? If it is any consolation, she died in childbirth from our third child. It is I who bear the pain of her loss.”

  The dark lord’s figured dimmed and returned to normal. “Jareen, dead? But how could you have allowed this? Death can be conquered, wounds can be cured, and the dead can rise again! Take me to her grave and I will show you this.”

  Donoval’s eyes flared in horror at Aurellia’s words. “Do you ever really listen to yourself? You speak of balance, you say you’ve gone closer to the light, but you’re tainted by the malice of the night and your own twisted love. Jareen chose me, she spurned your attention, but you still cling to this madness? She’s dead. Let the dead journey on, let them fade away and fly to the fair seas. Let them rest from the concerns and weight of the living. Let her go, brother.”

  For many minutes Mara could feel the silence and the sadness in the room creep inside her mind. The pain of losing Talis, of losing her family, of even losing who she was weighed heavily on her heart. Her body told her to turn around and leave the room, leave the palace, leave Illumina and walk out of this world forever. She would wander and wonder where Talis was, and search for every temple of death, make offerings and say prayers to Zagros. She would worship death if it meant finding Talis.

  She raised the dagger and studied the angry green glints of light moving along its surface. The blade told a story of purpose, that every object had a use, and that a blade’s use is to cut and maim and kill. Princess Minoweth’s dagger commanded her to kill. She knew the person responsible for hurting Talis was in this room. He was standing at the window.

  “You can kill him…so easily.” Elder Relech was a will-o-wisp whispering in her ear. “You know he hurt your friend, you saw him. Just bring the blade along his neck, just do it.”

  “I didn’t see him kill Talis. You showed me a vision of Talis being tortured and told me he was dead. Why should I believe you? Donoval said he knew nothing of Talis. And now I discover that Donoval is Aurellia’s brother?” What should I believe? Or whom should she kill?

  “Would seeing a vision of Talis suffering in the Underworld convince you of his guilt?”

  “No, please, I don’t want to see that. I just want to get out of here, I want to think…I feel so sick.”

  Mara couldn’t hold back the bile rising up her throat and vomited all over Elder Relech’s robe, and in her anger and confusion she brought her hands forward to wipe the stain, but instead the dagger sliced open his belly.

  Elder Relech shrieked and hissed and tried to keep the blood from spilling out of his gut. Donoval and Aurellia swirled around and gaped at the scene. Mara, seeing the monster dying, felt a surge of hatred towards him, for all the terrible things he’d made her do. She wheeled her arm up and around in a vicious arc and the dagger sliced most of his head from its trunk.

  He crumpled to the ground, blood and ash pouring and spurting from his body. His malicious, angry eyes glowered at her, as if even in death, the rage still burned.

  “What have you done, girl? Why have you killed your master?” Aurellia raised his hands as if preparing to slay her with magic.

  “The assassin, here? You’ve brought her and her master in here to kill me?” Donoval glared at his brother and brought beams of light to form a golden ball between his palms.

  At the aggressive display, Mara used the power of the dagger to pull shadows around her form and she disappeared. She darted over towards the windows where the two brothers were. Aurellia cast seething tentacles of black and silver to snake around the place where she once stood, but none found their mark.

  “You can’t hide from me! Why did you kill one of my Elders?”

  Aurellia was knocked aside as the force of Donoval’s light spell slammed into his stomach, slamming him against a tall, porcelain vase. Donoval kept blasting his brother over and over again until a burning light surged in Aurellia’s chest.

  “Kill him!” Aurellia shouted, and struggled to cover himself with a shield made of absorbing shadows.

  Mara stalked up behind Donoval and readied her dagger—

  “I didn’t harm your friend.” The Regent groaned and blasted balls of light everywhere in the chamber, but focused most of his attacks on Aurellia. “I swear on the name of the Goddess of the Sun! I have not harmed your friend. I have been here in the capitol for the last month. If I lie, may the Goddess herself strike me down dead…right here, right now!”

  Aurellia pulled in the light energy and reflected the power back onto Donoval, knocking him fifty feet against the opposite wall. The dark lord pushed himself to his feet and brought his arms around in a circle, cloaking himself with light and shadows in a blinding display of power.

  “If you don’t kill my brother, you’ll never find out what happened to your friend.” Aurellia cackled as his eyes shot twin beams of silver light at Donoval, who swatted the attack aside and rose to his feet.

  “You can’t win against me, little brother. It doesn’t matter how powerful the crystal you hold in your hand, you know you can’t defeat me. You couldn’t before and you can’t now. How pathetic, you need a girl assassin to slay me?”

  Mara frowned at his words. What should I do? Was Donoval lying? But if he lied, wouldn’t the Goddess Nacrea strike him down dead on the spot, like the gods did in the Temple of Naru? He had to be telling the truth! But what if Aurellia was holding Talis prisoner some place, what if he could still harm him?

  “Where is Talis?” Mara shouted, and still hidden from their sight, sneaked closer to Aurellia. But at least Talis was alive. There was a chance she could find him again and they could finally return home.

  “How touching is young love…the things people will do in the name of love. They’ll murder and lie and cheat—they’ll do most anything!” Aurellia’s voice had risen to a shrill and angry pitch. “Listen carefully, girl, if you ever want to see your friend alive again you will do as I say and kill him, kill my brother.”

  I should just kill them both. Maybe that was the answer. Kill Aurellia first then kill his brother. The dagger demanded blood and pulsated with a wrathful power that surged into her hand and down her arm. It screamed for her to stab someone.

  She stared at the angry, dark mass of Aurellia’s robes and sensed the flow of life pulsing through his heart
. Yes, ash flowed in his veins, but so did blood. He was dead yet also alive at the same time. She raised the dagger behind him, aiming for the bits of life that still flowed through his heart, and brought the blade down—

  A massive explosion outside shattered the windows and rocked the building, causing the floor to sway from side-to-side. Aurellia had somehow sensed the danger and swung his cape around with a quick cast of shadows, absorbing the blow. Mara was shielded by the dark lord’s flourish of magic. As much as she hated to admit it, he had saved her life.

  “Are these your hounds come to weak havoc on my palace, brother?” Regent Donoval had protected himself from the flying debris with a wall of golden light. More explosions outside shook the walls and sent a shower of plaster and dust from the ceiling.

  “My hounds? Aren’t those your armies come to protect the Regent of the land?”

  A droning, whirring sound was heard then the ceiling and the edge of the building was ripped away by a hand the size of a tree. Aurellia zapped the hand with a burst of lightning and the magical hand vaporized.

  “None of my followers would ever cast a spell like that.” The dark lord cast a shield of shadows over the gaping hole.

  Regent Donoval and Aurellia strode over to the edge and peered down. “Looks like someone is invading your kingdom, Donoval. And doing a fine job of it. And I swear by the gods they aren’t my army—I wish they were, though. My forces are still many hours away. Who in the name of Zagros are they?”

  The Regent aimed a finger at a figure flying a hundred feet away. “Starwalkers…they’ve returned.”

  20. ORIGIN SPRING

  In the light of the moon shining brightly overhead, there was a pool surrounded by mossy rocks, filled with milky water and tiny, effervescent bubbles coming forth, sending the sweet smell of grapes into Nikulo’s nostrils. He was sad and hungry at the same time. Palarian had brought him here, in the mountains north of Illumina, to a place the sorcerer said conjured the oldest memories from his childhood.