The Exodus Sagas: Book II - Of Dragons And Crowns

by Jason R Jones

  “Marcell, you are certain that no scroll was left in their room?” Katrina did not look to the Lord of Bailey, just stared ahead at the lone mountain. She would not look at failure, not ever.

  “Certain Lady Willborne, and no sign of whatever the dwarf carries either, no box or deed found. They must have whatever treasures they own with them, up there. We searched thoroughly.” Marcell Keervin hated when she failed to make eye contact, it unnerved him.

  “Katrina, let me take a brigade up there, just a hundred soldiers. I will get what you seek, and the women for ransome. I will leave the others in their own blood for daring such a transgression against the kingdom.” Faldrune the red drew his spiked mace and spiked shield to prepare for battle.

  “No, my mighty warrior, no. There is no escape from that mountain. I want the God of old appeased if possible here. Our people need a good harvest, good rain, and all the blessings we can provide. Let Veuric see that the sacrifice goes on as planned, God will decide. If not, then we will take them when they flee, or when they starve to death. I do not want to anger the mountain.” Katrina patted her armored bovine general on the shoulder from atop her steed. She had no desire to see what she knew to be in that mountain, and she knew that no group of less than a small army had a chance survival. She knew what was there, and he would not take kindly to any visitors.

  “What is it about this scroll and that which the dwarf carries that makes them so sought after in three countries, Lady Willborne?” Marcell tried to make small talk, here with his army and hers around the base of the mountain for half an hour now.

  “None of your concern. If you were truly concerned, you would have captured them as I instructed. Now you seek to writhe your way out of failure with words, Marcell. I am a woman, I am not an idiot. In fact, I am far more intelligent than you could fathom, so save your words for those secret noble meetings where I am ridiculed by every failure of a man in Willborne. If any of them, including yourself, had real Agarian blood or balls, one of you would have drawn swords with me by now. So since I keep this country alive with a shred of hope, alone, I will also keep my concerns. Do I make myself clear?” again, without a blink or a glance his direction, Katrina spoke her mind.

  “Yes, Milady, crystal clear.” Marcell gulped his saliva down with much effort.

  “Have the men set up camp completely around the mountain. Post watchmen and archers at each direction. I want it done moments ago.” the mercenary lady of Willborne gave her orders that none ever refused. She knew that the rest of her army was posted in three different locations throughout the kingdom, waiting for her call for any reason. To keep them fed and loyal, she needed coin and lots of it. The offer from Johnas was too rich to refuse, so wait for these fugitives and their posessions she must. Her rule, her army, and her future crown depended upon it.

  Johnas II:V

  Valhirst Outskirts, Chazzrynn

  Light sleet blew across the faces of Balric D’Vrelle and Prince Johnas as they watched the outer wall from a forest covered vantage spot near the southern gates of Valhirst. Balric spotted them first, four of them leaving a merchant caravan rather quickly from under the coverings of the wagon. Royal guards of the capital distracted by other merchants, timed perfect.

  “They approach, Johnas.” the Harlian spy under the control of the Prince signaled the ten remaining agents of the White Spider to take aim from their covered positions in the early morning stormy haze. He turned back to the front, watching royal guard from Loucas march in pairs all across his field of vision in front of the emerald city of trade. Then his eyes darted to Vanessa, Fadim, young Oggidan, and another cutthroat mercenary of the foul guild as they rushed to the rendezvous point. Here was the place to meet should anything happen during the lockdown, which apparently something had.

  “My Prince, the heir prince of Chazzrynn has written warrant with royal seal to bring you to Loucas and search the city of Valhirst. All agents are in hiding, yet our spies say that the king is en route to his galleons and will surround the port within the week. What shall we do Johnas?” Fadim looked calm in the face of such adversity, much more than Vanessa Blackflame or the one-handed youth with them.

  “Nothing. This is all according to plan, do not think otherwise for a moment. Next, King Mikhail will pull from either Vallakazz or Southwind Keep to reinforce Loucas and Addisonia. Then, the armies of trolls and ogre under Salah Cam will begin their attack. After a few months of that terror, the king will be begging for me and my men to assist, no matter what the young brat of an heir has to say.” the Agarian Prince of Valhirst laughed, slicking his sleet filled blonde hair back in the wicked weather.

  “There is no way you planned this, Valhera. I am no fool, I saw what I saw and Salah Cam had planned to kill you from the start. You even said so yourself, so there is no feasible way those armies will rally to him, let alone time themselves to your design. You are mad, wicked and evil, but now mad for certain.” Balric wished he could draw his saber on the man that enslaved him, but all he had were words.

  “I left my doppelgangers in Fortress Salganat for good reason, they were the weak and young ones I knew would be found easily. That should have been enough to push both Bryant and Mikhail over the edge into searching me out. And especially in their home if the poor little prince received so much as a scratch. Then Salah and I made a deal, one that would give him power in the west, and me the crown of Chazzrynn. Of course, my name is fairly tarnished with the trolls, ogre, and most of the kingdom. So, in order for him to gain their respect, he needed to be deceitful, wicked, and most of all, opposed to me. Now they trust him, fear his unnatural state and powers, and his magicks will ensure that they remain loyal. Now we wait until my armies and services are in greater need than ever for the kingdom. And then, we charge in.” Johnas was grinning from ear to ear, his webs working as perfect as ever.

  “Then what, open war in the west? How will you arise from that unscathed?” Balric looked to Vanessa, hoping for a nod that she had made headway into dispelling the magicks that held them captive. She moved her eyes from side to side, denoting that she had not.

  “When I unite Chazzrynn under me, Salah will get his land and reward. A few victorious skirmishes will end the battles, and the foul beasts will get their holdings as well. Then with Harlaheim under my control, two kingdoms of armies, both on land and in the underground, will move toward Caberra and Shanador. It is beautiful indeed.” Johnas waited to see the second caravan arrive, the one that would escort them into the merchant district and then to the sewers. He had never worried about sharing his plans, the ones that were already in motion or completed anyway. He could not hold back, his mind craved the awe and attention and his madness loosed his tongue.

  “Harlaheim? The Church will never allow you or yours to touch the---“ Balric thought for a moment of his home to the north.

  “The church? Yes, I am aware of the Cardinal and the Legion with him entering to take hold of the kingdom there. I have already taken care of that little issue, and your contact, Bishop Javiel, has already been executed. Trust me Harlian, you and your country, do indeed, belong to me.” his laughter rolled heartily like a man that had drunk too much wine and heard an amusing anecdote. “Even my own agents believe the schemes I set, even you. Having many casualties truly sets the realism of the event, I have found.”

  “You cannot rule my kingdom, or this one! You are the devil and I hope that you---“ his head turned aside from the heavy blow from Fadim, just as Johnas grabbed Vanessa by the hair and began to force her to the arriving merchant wagon. Oggidan followed, as were his orders from master Fadim.

  Johnas slid into the opened side of the decorative wagon. “Dream big Oggidan, always big and lofty dreams of power. Dreaming less is a waste of time. I want kingdoms to mine own, above and below, noble and criminal. I work daily to get what I want. Blade by blade, death by death, I will achieve what I set my sights upon. Do not let anyone tell you any different. What is it you want most?” Johnas Va
lhera made small talk with the one-handed boy his men had found, one he knew had a grudge.

  “I want Kendari of Stillwood dead for taking my hand. I want to be the one to kill him and collect the bounty.” without pause, the young red-headed boy replied with determination.

  “I will help you with that, gladly. But first, you will need to do a few things for me, then maybe take a hot brand and a pledge, and we will talk more. Steer us into the city now boy. Balric, Fadim, patrol the underground now, and watch the visiting guards. A few examples might keep them busy, say three dead by noon? Very good.” Johnas secretly entered his own city with just he and Vanessa riding in the rear of the wagon, mindful of the occupation that Prince Bryant had begun.

  He spun his webs over and over in his mind, checking for flaws and cracks. He had purposely told his plans to Balric whom he knew would remain loyal between his love and the necklace, but it was not Balric he was concerned about. Fadim had been too loyal, too accomplished, and never sought anything for himself for many, many years. He could have had his way with drugs, powders, gold, women, and power in the week that Johnas left him in charge. He would soon find out if one of his most loyal was indeed true, or if it was a front for something else. He did not trust anyone, not even his top advisors and assassins, unless they too had at least a few vices, which it seemed Fadim did not.

  “You sent Ariili in the guise of the Cardinal of Harlaheim as I instructed?”

  “I did my prince, all will be done as you have ordered. Ariili is older than Gregore’ was, a savant doppelganger, he will not fail us. The agreement between you and Richmond the Second will be delivered and the cardinal slain and replaced. I have assurances.” Vanessa replied without emotion.

  “What is the word on Fadim, Sapphire of the East? Is he a spy like your lover, Balric? Or is he one of us, still loyal and wretched?” Johnas turned to Vanessa Blackflame in the private of the wagon, waiting for an answer from his most devout and trusted spies of the Emerald Eight.

  “He has already defected my prince, I saw it in his eyes and actions time and again. He works for the father of the Altestani nobles who visited us and were never seen again. They want blood and it is yours they want first for the Headhunter and her crew resting at the bottom of the Carisian Sea. Then they will want Lazlette and her friends for the deaths they caused. He is loyal to his blood, like I told you before. Kill him.” Vanessa did not look to Johnas, she spoke the truth when it was without eye contact, that was their code. “My scars removed, as agreed?”

  “Yes, of course. As agreed.”

  Johnas trusted her beyond doubt, she had brought him Balric and others in the past. Most believed she was a slave to him, or a prisoner of sorts wishing to escape. Her ruses were so difficult that he believed them himself on occasion. If she said Fadim was disloyal and a threat, he would be set up and marked for death. No one was more loyal, more deceptive, and so well trained by himself than Vanessa. Now his only prying questions were where that arrow had come from that was meant for his heart, who knew he would be there, and who the assassin was working for. Johnas stewed upon it for the ride back to his city, a city in which he had to hide in, for now.

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  Salah Cam floated along the trails of the ogre and trolls that had been searching for the archer for days now. He needed no sleep, no rest, not even food at this awkward stage between death and immortality. His remaining hair had fallen from his head, his stench was easier to hide in the cold and outdoors, and he knew that he could not die by any means of physical injury. He laughed his hollow unliving laugh as the meandering thugs of Munn Par and Avegarne kept on some sort of loose trail ahead of him. The wolves that the ogre king had let them use had been on a trail that they would not give up easily, only reinforced by the old wizard’s senses of arcane detection now and again. He knew someone or something with several enchanted items in their possession had been running from him and his small army. Salah felt powerful sensations that he had felt before, but forgotten when or where. This assassin, whoever it was, had the old wretched ones full attention. Salah smiled, knowing that he now had alliegence with the ogre armies, legions of trolls, the White Spider, and was indeed immortal. Now, he thought, some wars and blood and I rule the south!

  A sensation of arcane and magicked auras trickled into his unearthly view, stopping the undead wizard in mid air. From the south this time, from behind him. “Idiots! He is behind us now, he has double backed!”

  Fearing the proven powers of Salah Cam, and the allegiance that their masters had sworn with him against the men of Chazzrynn, the trolls and ogre turned back and raced to where the bony fingers of the black robed wizard pointed. The wolves growled in their displeasures of being taken by chain off the trail their noses had kept for days and nights. Hissing from black fanged mouths of green trolls and the grumbling of giant savage tusked ogre silenced the wolves’ tirades of disagreement.

  Salah Cam saw his target, an elf for sure. Golden tan skin, blonde hair and regal attire with a decorated blade and many accrutements of enchanted power and value all ran across his arcane gaze. His hand was twisted in a strange position that looked rather painful and his deep indigo eyes stared at the dozens of trolls and ogre that began to surround him. Yet, he did not stop his determined march north, nor did he seem to care for the mob that seemed intent on hindering his path. Without provocation, red and orange flame in a line that crackled with power erupted from his good hand and tore through three trolls to his left. Salah noticed a smirk escape his otherwise emotionless face as screams of agony and growls of shock caused the small army of beasts to stop for a moment.

  “Out of my way creatures, or I will incinerate every last one of you. If you care to live, I am looking for another---“ Eliah Shendrynn was interrupted, his noble blood flared that anyone would dare.

  “Another elf? Perhaps one with a great treasure of magicks?” Salah looked at the ripe young body of this elf, a body that would remain healthy and strong for centuries. His power in the arcane was obvious, and his elven features handsome and intimidating. The old wizard wanted to know more, and wanted what he had.

  “Yes, exactly. Where is Lavress Tilaniun!” Eliah thought of destroying each and every one of them, including this husk of a wizard that floated toward him now. He was tired, in pain, starving, and having difficulty keeping pace with the hunter that had his stolen book. Perhaps, he could use these fools to widen his net.

  “I am not sure, but a bit farther north and west is Southwind Keep. We believe he is there and have been tracking him for days now. Stand back filthy ones, this elf is with us.” Salah began radiating his foul aura and concentrating on the entrancing words he spoke. The trolls and ogre, despite the flaming hisses of three dying, stood down as he suggested.

  “I am not with you, old necromancer. Your tricks will not work on my will, so do not try them again. Where is your stronghold…?” Eliah waited for the name with a gaze of false curiosity.

  “Salah Cam, Lord Salah Cam of the Sullan swamps. Yet, I have a place much closer within the walls of one of my allies. The tower of Arouland in the ruins to the south of here is home to king Avegarne of the ogre. I plan to invade Southwind Keep in but a short time, you could rest there…the ogre king is an ally of mine” Salah played the name game back to the elven wizard.

  “Eliah Shendrynn of Kilikala, and your hospitality is most welcome Lord Cam. Yes, I could use some time to rest and heal this atrocious injury to my hand. Perhaps you could assist me in finding what was stolen from me. Do you have a seeing crystal or magicks of the sort?” the traitorous highborne knew this was better than stalking Lavress alone in his wilderness environ he was accustomed to. A little arcane treachery and spying would help his cause by way of this old wicked skeleton of a man.

  “I do, I do, yes, yes. And help you with that hand, I may be able. To Arouland beasts! Bring my things and hurry!” Salah hoped he would make this Eliah very comfortable, learn much from him, and then take his b
ody in lieu of this rotting one Kendari had left him with when he interrupted the rituals. The hunter would have to wait, for life eternal was vastly more important than some elf that wanted to kill Johnas and steal satyrs and books.

  His bow, quiver, falcata, kukri dagger, and the book of High Elven Magick were all hidden in a small cave with a family of wolves he had befriended this morning. Knowing that the black robed wizard, and Eliah, could track the arcane auras on his belongings, Lavress was a mile south of the cave, spear in hand and hiding in the trees awaiting his one chance to kill at least one of his pursuers. He had been still for hours now, watching the wolves try and determine why his trail went further north yet they smelled him near. He had been perched in an old banyan twenty feet over the ogre and trolls that Salah Cam commanded, waiting for his moment that the rotten wretch walked underneath him. Eliah Shendrynn, of all possible reasons, had interrupted that and now the two left south in apparent cooperative aquaintence.

  Lavress Tilaniun crept down slowly, without a sound, and ran steadily to the north to his cave. The ogre, trolls, and wolves had turned back with both of his enemies and now was his chance. His mind raced from oaths to the Hedim Anah to deliver the stolen book, to warning the people of Southwind Keep of the coming invasion he had just overheard, and lastly to his grievous and still seeping wounds from harpy arrows days ago. His strength fading, his body tired and worn from the hunt and battle, Lavress staggered as he ran to the small hole of a cave where he had calmed the two gray wolves and their four pups into letting him stay. He was freezing, but that was his last concern as of now.