“I do not know if he is telling the truth, but we can not be lying here. I will go after the dragon of hell.”, Edryon was increasingly determined to pursue the ancient world’s most powerful beast.
“Thelron can not do everything he wants. If he is even with the seven grimoires, then we can only hope that something larger can save us.”, said Ornell, having saved his hatchet.
Then suddenly several skeleton fairies surrounded the group, Edryon and the bards used their best combat skills. The tiny creatures have fled, and some of them burned to death, or crushed with blows and kicks.
4
The Necromancer
Following in big roars, breaking into the stormy night with
echoes that sounded for several minutes, Snow shook his wings and his head sideways, so insistent. He should be asking other delicacies as simple as rat meat, or dry grass, then Edryon looked at the three empty wooden buckets beside him. Headquarters apparent infinitely wanted something that was not edible… the griffin only wanted one more bucket of water.
Other total reserves of more water stored in full buckets, next to the stable, which caused Edryon to spend more half hours to finish feeding Snow. Now he had to return, while the shadows of the bell next to the warehouse showed that the evening was just ending. Edryon felt all the screaming, howling, barking. He heard all those animals, knowing that tomorrow would be even more hectic.
Edryon flew over some houses near the main square of Hanneris, and then met Ornell and the bards discussing something that seemed important. He remembered the last night of the fight against the fairies, the damned green devils, he realized that now Ornell seemed more skilled at using his spells in combat, but at the same time Thelron kept invading his thoughts. He should find a way to help his brother, then suddenly, when Snow landed closer to the bards, two elves were frightened and started walking as if they had sighted some aberration.
“I can offer help in two weeks. The king will not have to wait so long.”, Edryon said while riding on his griffon.
The gray elf knew that, despite the plague had spread through the mountains to the north, and most humans have suffered from strange diseases, becoming infected with fragile skins, he felt that the world of Fynge still had major problems as Kordius that was still threatening to many kingdoms with his army of necromancers. The king William II understood his decisions because he had helped the Kingdom of the Lightss during the winter of 1528, where terrible attacks of dragons nearly destroyed the defense of the magical towers of the city of Shannen.
“But our people have no more food, and they are also losing their lives due to the lack of healers. They can not continue without your support.”, said Ornell.
“I know, but the dragon of hell is still beating his wings over the kingdoms, causing more deaths and destruction. And Kordius must be preparing some evil plan in his stronghold. I’m sorry but i do not know what will be my first mission. “
When Edryon noticed a great dissatisfaction on the faces of the other bard messengers, he felt that maybe he should not get involved in many missions, so many challenges to overcome, problems that seemed bigger with no solution. After all, he was a dragon hunter, the only one that was left in the world, he could not be carried away by impulses that would bring only confusion in his mind.
“Okay. But do not forget that many innocent lives will be lost. Think well in your future decisions.”
After some time, Edryon flew around the city while looking for signs of invasion, or something else that could be a threat. Twenty soldiers had crossed the roads, on horses of war, as if they heard some suspicious noise, or as if they had witnessed an attack on the town, and so Edryon became even more worried.
After not finding any danger, he looked down and he saw many druids delivering sickles, machetes and swords for the population of Hanneris. So he was confused, he could not understand why the arming of people. He felt that something could be very wrong, then fell to Snow by the Druids. He watched stunned women and children wielding torches, machetes, spears and wooden simple. The druids knew something that Edryon was unaware.
The sun was strong, and then he descended with Snow near the square, he felt a sharp pain in his left arm. He pulled out a band that covered the burns, he realized he still had not recovered from the fire that destroyed his tower. He had tried to save his parents, but the heat of the flames was unbearable, so he could not do anything except to leave the place as soon as possible. He remembered with sadness when he noted his strong tower tumbling and crashing into huge pieces of stone that flew against the wooden houses nearby.
His wife still was walking in the garden, smiling and hugging in his memories that will never desert him. He liked when Sarah would wake him with a kiss and then they went to the kitchen to take a hot tea, or eat a few slices of carrot cake. She knew very well the ritual invocation of the elementals, but nothing was normal that day, she had failed to end the spell efficiently. Then there was a magic blast that also killed the parents of Edryon, who was watching with joy the day’s arcane experiences. Edryon then tried to forget everything for a few minutes.
The gray elf walked slowly down the road and looked up, a large network fell over him. He tried to free himself, but his weak body was not helping him, the druids were watching as if they had just a wild creature. Edryon without understanding what happened, he continued thinking of some way to escape the magical field of energy that caused him a great heat. He observed that some druids was closer, they seemed nervous, several people shouted, asking that the elf to take him to the guillotine. An old man then shouted:
“I saw everything! It was him who brought the little devils to our city!”
“You are wrong, i want to help you, but it seems that the stupidity is reigning among the majority! It’s not time to get suspicious, i have done a lot for you!”, Edryon reddened with anger, and his hands wanted to hang the first who disagrees with his word.
“Shut up! We know that you are to blame because you was along with that fairy. Do not try to lie about something so obvious.”, said one of the druids.
“Okay, think what you want. But do something for our people, they are dying, and you only know how to discuss nonsense.”
After half an hour the energy field was over, three druids approached Edryon and took from him his diary of victories. They threw the book in the middle of a fire, and laughed while throwing stones on the elf. He never thought that one day he would pass by a humiliation so great, and he felt disrespected and powerless. The pain was not bothering him because he had lost his reputation and honor that he won with great effort. He tried to get up, but received a strong kick in the face, and he fell in the middle of the dusty road.
For a long time he continued to be beaten and humiliated by the druids, and when he was nearly unconscious, he was left all alone in the middle of the night. He wiped his mouth stained with blood, and observed a fairy skeleton approaching, she was the same that had entered his home.
“Ple… Please help me.”, Edryon could not speak properly because his felt a strong pain in his tongue.
“Now you want me to help you? Why would i do such a thing? You have destroyed my people, and you would not help us. Get with the mice, they will observe your death.”
The elf was surprised and amazed to see that dozens of the creatures were in a small group alongside Thelron. The necromancer appeared to be able to convince them, and he showed a small sign that he still was not satisfied with the alliance. Edryon extended his right hand for help, but his brother passed him, ignoring him completely. His forces seemed increasingly distant, his weak body was fighting against injuries. Then with great difficulty he got a stone that was beside him, flunging against his brother. Thelron turned to see that the stone struck one of the fairies.
“You, how could you do this?”, said Edryon, his weak voice no longer seemed to be the voice of a courageous hunter of dragons.
“I do not want you to continue suffering, so i will kill you now.”, T
helron advanced with his sickle of silver toward the elf, then thought some more and ended with the blade pressed against the neck of Edryon.
“I hope… one day… you can repent of your stupidity, i told you several times… do not… follow the path of evil.”, Edryon then closed his eyes and could not open them .
Thelron went on horseback thin, moving away from the road until to get near the Hanneris’s cemetery. There was no point in going back, thought it was too late to regret anything. He felt he was following the right path, a path of power, and knowledge of new and powerful, forbidden spells. He came close to some raped tombs and searched for the best skeletons that could serve him. After a few hours the sun appeared behind the mountains, Thelron was satisfied with his great army of undead. The skeletons were beating their jaws, eager to destroy any living creature they could find.
The necromancer went with the hideous creatures along the road, scaring all who crossed his path. Then he found several druids near the main square, and when they realized Thelron was determined to invade the city with his undeads, they did a great magic circle. The skeletons started falling broken by rays of blue energy. Upon realizing that his entire army was easily destroyed, the necromancer was a little confusing, but at the same time felt a hatred that grew more and more. Recalling the hours spent calling the creatures, all of his work was ruined by the druids.
Then he rode quickly to get in front of the tavern, descended from his skinny horse, opened the door of the place with violence. Two frightened elves hid under a table, and everyone looked at the necromancer with a startled expression.
“What are you looking, idiots?”
An elf with a cup of wine in hand, answered:
“Calm down, sir. We’re not here to fight.”
Thelron approached the elf, quite angry, grabbed the bottle of wine that was on the table and slowly poured over his head. The elf stood still, did not say another word.
The necromancer, realizing that everyone was scared, he ignored them completely, and when he put his hands on the balcon looking for Sgnilliv, he was not found. In his place, a young woman wearing a long black dress and her face covered with a red silk cloth to conceal his pallor. Thelron realized she was part of those infected, then he said, withdrawing his silver sickle of his back:
“I’m looking for the goblin.”
“He asked me to take care of his inn for two nights.”, said the woman as he filled two cups of wine on a large tray of iron.
“For this i will not wait that long. Give me four bottles of wine. I have no money with me, but i can pay later.”
“Are you Thelron?”, the woman asked suspiciously.
“Yes, but why this dumb question?”
“Nothing, that is Sgnilliv asked me to not sell you anything.”
The necromancer was furious, but when he looked back, saw that the doors of the tabern have closed alone.
Edryon opened his eyes as he tried to rise, but still felt great pain. Then he discovered that he had been taken to another place, away from the rats and all dirty roads. He observed two boys approaching him and he said:
“Do you know who i am?” The boys were silent, but seemed curious.
“I’m Edryon, the only and the best hunter of all the dragons of the universe. I was betrayed by my brother, but soon he will recognize all my bravery. Do not just stand there, help me up.”
Meanwhile, in the Forest of Spirits, Sgnilliv walked attentive in the trails covered with leaves. When he rememberd that Ellen could be experiencing problems with the customers, he felt more worried. She was his best servant, and the goblin always liked her services. Sgnilliv had not found any boar, and his tavern could not be missing any kind of meat. Visitors from other cities were paying very well for exotic dishes from the Orc’s Head tavern. The goblin was satisfied with his reputation, but felt he should further improve his tavern, and its services.
After walking for a few hours, he was exhausted, and then decided to rest under the shade of a tree. He stayed there for a while, listening to the stream of the waters, which moved quickly and he felt very calm. His eyes became heavier, but his ears were alerted when he heard drums coming from inside a covered area for a fuller vegetation. With each hit, the impact of the drums, he felt he knew the rhythm, he knew the phrase that communicated with such insistence. Then he remembered his tribe, it was they who had created the rhythms, and Sgnilliv was more excited to think they could be in the forest.
5
A Big Decision
Two very obese kids, no… Edryon was just imagining
things. Maybe his eyes were bigger, fatter, but their bodies covered with only loincloths made of clothes that seemed to be luxury before they were torn, revealed otherwise. Those kids of normal legs to the knees, but pies until the black heels and impregnated with dust, seemed to be the same blood, the same family. The first should have a dozen years, while the second doubled in height, but seemed to have two years more.
Edryon raised his head, trying to lift his body lying on the road again. Then he was able to move his left thumb, but he felt that was very close to finish his forces to expel the pain and fatigue. The smaller boy, distanced himself from the house where he was with the right forearm on the door and walked fast, running toward the gray elf.
“Why do you have this weird skin?”, the boy asked, looking so quietly disturbing.
“Did you already have see an elf? Then you should know i’m one of them, no?”
“It is true that they have the pointy ears… but you are more strange.”, the other boy said.
“Look, if you can not help me, go away from here.”, Edryon replied, rather impatiently.
“He must be a devil! Those who invaded the city! Sammy and Jeremy, go back to home now!”, a stern-looking man, seemed to be the father, he cried, putting his arms out of the old wooden house.
A man like him had no right to call him anything, as if Edryon had never done anything for the Hanneris’s city. Edryon could not understand the strange attitude of a father who seemed to be a most miserable wretch, without any good intentions for his children.
They ran back to the frightened man, who pulled his ears and kept yelling, very nervous. Edryon then remembered the time when Nalron, his father, had told him: “Punishment does not teach anyone, but it brings painful memories.” The elf never wanted to feel any bad feeling to have to face tough sermons, when he went out alone to hunt wild boar in the Forest of Spirits, and so he has always relied more on the words of his father than himself.
Edryon continued lying on the road, his eyes skyward, and he saw some birds flying over the road. He wanted to be able to return to home, to give corn to his ravens, but at the same time he should face two major challenges.
Kordius was still causing tragedy on all the realms, and Edryon remembered with sadness for his family, destroyed by fire elementals. Sarah, his wife, had been hired by Kordius to summon new creatures, and Edryon did not suspect at any moment she might be betrayed by the sorcerer. The gray elf tried to divert his sad thoughts, and his body was very weak. His vision began to blur, and he noticed a figure approaching slowly. An old man with a black cloak and a staff in his right hand, approached the elf and extended his hand. And then he put Edryon with difficulty in a cart, as he looked suspicious to the sides.
“Who are you?”, asked the elf, quite weak.
“Do not move, you’re losing too much blood. Agmar is my name, i realized you had problems with the druids and i decided to help you.”
“You… are the Urentir’s father?”
“Yes, but i have not seen him for a long time.”
“He told me about you. Your son seems confused, he walked with me acting strangely, i’m afraid that something might happen to him.”, Edryon said as he looked to his left leg bloodied.
“Do not mess with him. Urentir ever disobeyed me, he never listened to my advice.”
“Agmar, he just needs a rest, he seems a little worried because of the Forest of Spir
its, and also he losted one of his soldiers. Do not judge him too soon.”
After entering with Agmar inside a large wooden house, Edryon remembered Snow and he became concerned with his emphasis, not knowing what could have happened. His stable used to be always full of curious people to move and observe his special mount, and the elf was saddened because he could not do anything. He only remained hopeful that good luck would protect him.
When observing with curiosity an extensive library beside a stone fireplace, Edryon wondered how many magic books he might find interesting. While walking the red carpet that covered the whole room of the house, he realized that Agmar sat cross-legged in a meditation position. The old druid seemed concentrated, and suddenly strange voices echoed through the cold air, causing the elf to be frightened, shivering all over his body. The voices seemed to be whispering people who was requesting help from another world. Edryon realized that Agmar knew the shamanic rituals of invocation.
Agmar whispered some strange words, and then the whole hall was filled with misshapen figures, floating gently in a move that resembled a funeral march. A gray mist penetrated through the cracks of doors, and a great noise of wind filled the hall of the house. Edryon noticed that the flying forms seemed to be the ancient spirits that were invoked, but their facial expressions showed a certain desperation. The spirits roamed around with incredible speed, Edryon was trying to protect itself unsuccessfully with his shield of steel. He felt terrible chills throughout his body, and then sought to stay still, hoping they would go out.
The gray elf tried to focus his thoughts far away, and memories brought him back to the fight against the dragon of hell. He was on top of the mountain, and his shield was cracked all shattered by a single clutche of the monster. The elf was trying to defend the best he could from the attacks of the dragon, so he fell out of the bottomless pit, while the vast creature was trying to grab him. After receiving a deep grab in his right leg, his spear finally reached the neck of the monster. The dragon recoiled, and fled with a shriek so frightening that many kingdoms still remembered that day. Agmar rose from his meditation position, and gave the elf a handful of leaves and herbs, crushed into a small wooden bowl.
Edryon (Book 1 of Edryon Trilogy) Page 4