by F. P. Spirit
Aksel stood at the railing, staring intently at the empty shoreline. He acted as if he hadn’t heard a word the Captain said. “I really wish I knew what was going on over there.”
Glo looked from one to the other and placed a hand on the Captain’s shoulder. Rochino’s eyes shifted toward him. “Perhaps we can save the gutting for a later time?” He nodded toward the distraught cleric.
Rochino let out a heavy sigh. “Lad, you sure know how to ruin a sailor’s fun.” He paused a moment, then called over two of his men. “Throw this brigand in a cell and stand guard over him. If he escapes, he won’t be the only one keel-hauled.”
“Aye, Captain!” both sailors exclaimed. They grabbed either end of the tied-up spy and carried him down below.
Meanwhile, Ves gently extricated herself from Martan and joined Aksel at the rail. The little cleric still silently stared off at the shore. “There might be a way to find out what is going on over there.”
Aksel glanced up at her, a pleading look in his eyes. “If there is, I would be most interested.”
Ves gave him a slow nod. “Very well, but we will need some privacy.”
“Captain?” Aksel called.
Rochino strode over to the rail. “What is it, Master Aksel?”
“We need a section of the deck cleared. We are going to try something to find out what is happening on the shore. We need somewhere out of sight to do so.”
Rochino stroked his chin, glancing around the deck as he pondered the request. His gaze fell on a high stack of crates at the rear of the vessel. “I believe I have just the spot.”
A thin smile crossed Aksel’s lips. “That would be perfect.”
Rochino smiled in turn then spun around and bellowed to his crew. “All hands to the main deck!”
The sailors on the rear deck all turned toward him. Some of them wore curious expressions on their faces, but nonetheless, they all filed off the rear deck down the two sets of stairs to the main deck. Rochino nodded curtly to the others, then followed his men. The companions also followed, stopping to pick up Lloyd on the way.
“Did you find him?” Lloyd asked excitedly. “I thought I heard an explosion or something.”
Glo grinned at the young man’s enthusiasm. “We’ll tell you on the way,” He grabbed Lloyd’s arm and led him down to the main deck, all the while explaining to him about the spy, Martan’s mishap, Ruka’s chase, and the strange amulet. As he finished the story, Glo heard a loud flapping noise coming from up on the rear deck. Gazing upward, he watched in amazement as a giant eagle winged its way off the ship. On its back sat Aksel! They all gawked at the magnificent creature as it rose high above the Endurance. It quickly flew off, its huge wings propelling it quickly toward the shore.
“Would you look at that!” one of the sailors whistled. “Where did it come from?” another sailor cried.
Glo turned to Seth and winked. That pretty much confirmed it. Aside from their other considerable talents, the sisters were also shape shifters. Well Ves was, at the very least.
“What’s going on?” Lloyd asked, his head swiveling from side to side.
Seth smirked. “Oh, nothing out of the ordinary—just Aksel riding a giant eagle.”
Lloyd’s expression was incredulous. “A giant eagle? Where did he find one of those?”
Glo tried rather unsuccessfully to repress a smile. “Let’s just say that Ves found it for him.”
Lloyd let out a low whistle. “Ves? I knew the girls could talk to sea creatures, but now giant eagles?” The young man shook his head, a look of wonder on his face.
Seth’s eyes shifted from Glo to Lloyd. “Like I said before, strange...”
A Copper Dragon
Glo felt as if he hung there forever, suspended between the dragon and the ship
Aksel had flown before, but that was only kites, back in his home town of Caprizon. Those were nothing compared to this. The eagle was incredibly fast, and the wind felt exhilarating against his face. He held tight onto her back as they shot through the air. This must be what it felt like to ride one of Glo’s missiles. The water flew by below them in a blur. Before he knew it, they had reached the shoreline.
Seth would love this! It was even faster than riding dolphin back. Strangely enough, Aksel was not nervous at all. Despite the great speed, the ride was extremely smooth. He suspected the eagle was purposely trying to keep it that way for her small passenger, and for that he was deeply grateful.
Aksel admitted he had been taken aback at first. His eyes had gone wide when Ves shifted forms. The creature that stood before him was close to ten feet tall, with golden-brown feathers, a long hooked beak, and deadly-looking talons. The wings probably spanned twenty feet. The eyes, however, were what threw him the most—they were bluish-green. Those eyes stared at him curiously as he slowly approached the large creature. Aksel had to remind himself that this was still Ves before finally climbing onto the eagle’s back. Once he was comfortably situated, the eagle unfolded its vast wings and, with two great beats, lifted off the rear deck of the Endurance. As soon as they cleared the railing, the eagle shot away from the ship at an incredible rate. They quickly gained altitude, and minutes later were flying high over land. The lush greenery of the forest spread out for miles below them in every direction save the sea. From this height, it was hard to see much down below, but Aksel was certain that there was nothing moving between the cliff and the forest.
“Can we get any lower?” he cried over the wind.
The huge eagle let out a screech and then spiraled downward in a slow arc. Aksel peered in all directions, trying to find some trace of The Boulder or the goblin army. As they descended, Aksel could make out more details in the landscape. The forest had appeared solid from above, but was in fact broken up by patches and long lines that were most likely clearing and trails. There was one wide line in particular, about a mile west of them. It cut through the forest from the sea as far north as the eye could see. That had to be the main road from Cape Marlin to the cliff-side village of Gelcliff.
As they continued their descent, Aksel spotted a wide clearing about a half mile back from the cliff. A tall grey figure stood alone in its center. Aksel pointed toward it and cried, “Over there!” Ves turned her great head to see where he was pointing, then banked and turned in that direction. As they passed overhead, Aksel cried out in triumph. “That’s it! We found him!”
The figure below was indeed The Boulder. The clearing around the golem was littered with the bodies of small yellow creatures. The remains of the goblins were bloodied and broken from their encounter with the unstoppable stone creature. Aksel decided it best not to land. There was no telling how many more goblins still lurked in those woods, not to mention the barghest and those dark-robed mages. Instead, he grasped the golem’s ring with his hand and concentrated.
Go back to the big boat, he thought repeatedly. After a few times, he felt the now-familiar tingling. Below, The Boulder began to move. It turned around and headed back toward the cliff.
“That should do it!” he cried aloud. The eagle screeched in reply and then banked around toward the sea. The great wings beat hard against the air, and they soared back up into the sky.
A short while later, Aksel again stood on the deck of the Endurance. Ves dropped him off and then winged away, not wanting anyone to see her change back from eagle form. Aksel rejoined the others, and described the scene they had found in the forest.
Lloyd sighed, a trace of envy in his tone. “That must have been one heck of a fight.”
Glo placed a hand on his shoulder. “Trust me, with the Serpent Cult skulking around, there’s bound to be plenty more fighting before we’re through.”
Lloyd visibly perked up. “And next time I’ll be ready for them.”
A little while later, Ves, Ruka, and Maya climbed aboard. The latter t
wo had dove over the side just after the eagle took off with Aksel. Their excuse was they were checking out the shoreline, but Glo suspected it had more to do with covering the disappearance of Ves. The sailors gawked as the sisters strode up to join the companions. Ves appeared oblivious to the fuss around them, while Ruka cast dark looks at the crew. Maya danced along, happily waving to everyone around them.
When they were finally in earshot, Ruka called out to the companions. “I think your golem was in one heck of a fight. It’s got two large gashes in its body, one in the front and another in back.”
Seth fixed Aksel with an accusatory stare. “Well, that’s not good.”
Aksel let out a deep sigh. “No, it isn’t. It looks like we are going to need more scrolls from Maltar to repair him.”
“Maybe he’ll give us the scrolls for his pendant,” Glo said. “He promised us a reward anyway.”
Aksel visibly brightened at the idea.
An hour later, the ship tilted and then gently rocked. The Boulder had reached the anchor and climbed aboard. With that, Captain Rochino gave the order to weigh anchor, and start the journey back to Ravenford. The companions gathered on the rear deck, near the port railing, amongst the crates labeled Ravenford. Lloyd, still blinded, sat quietly listening to the conversation. The Endurance rounded Cape Marlin point, the rubble of what was once the lighthouse still smoldering in the center of the isle. Rochino came over to join them.
“I never got a chance to ask you what happened over there. It looks as if a bomb went off or something.”
“Or something,” Seth snickered.
Glo cast a dark look at the halfling, but refused to retort.
“It was an unfortunate side effect of our run-in with the goblins,” Aksel explained.
Rochino responded with a gruff laugh. “Well, that must have been one strong side effect, lad.”
“Explosive, one might say,” Seth needled, a wide smirk spreading across his face.
Glo threw his hands up in exasperation. “Fine, Seth! I blew up the lighthouse! Are you happy now?”
Rochino stared the wizard up and down, his eyes widening. He then leaned toward Seth and spoke in a soft voice. “Piece of advice there, laddie. I’d think twice about pissing off anyone who could blow up a building like that.”
Seth glanced up at the Captain, his expression unchanging. “What can I say? I like living dangerously.”
Glo smiled in spite of himself. Seth was incorrigible. He shrugged his shoulders and excused himself, strolling over to the port railing. Glo leaned over the rail and watched the clear waters roll by below. He stood there a few minutes, the waves making him feel peaceful. He quickly realized he was no longer alone. Seth and Aksel stood on either side of him. Glo arched an eyebrow.
“Yes?”
“Can you identify some things we found?” Seth asked politely. He wore that all-too-familiar innocent expression on his face.
Glo sighed. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t say no to the halfling.
“Of course,” he said, putting his hand out. Seth handed him the dagger he had found on the imposter. Glo cast the spell of identification and concentrated until an image coalesced in his head. “It is a magical dagger with a better-than-average chance of puncturing its target, no matter how tough the hide.”
“Sweet!” Seth declared.
Glo handed Seth the dagger. The halfling gingerly stuffed it in his belt.
Next, Aksel held out a ruby ring. “We found this at the lighthouse.”
Glo took the ring and held it until images formed in his mind. “It is a ring that will enhance your overall health to a minor degree.” Glo handed the ring back to his friend. As Seth pulled out another object, Martan strode over to them.
“There’s something I think you should see.” The archer turned toward the stern of the ship and pointed to the sky.
Glo peered in the direction the archer pointed. Off in the distance, there was a barely-visible speck. Glo was amazed that Martan had seen it at all. Glo narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look at the object. It appeared reddish-brown in color. It was also getting larger. “I can’t quite make it out, but whatever it is, it’s headed this way.”
“I know what that is. It’s a copper dragon,” Seth declared.
A copper dragon? What would a copper dragon be doing out here over the sea? Copper dragons normally dwelled in the hills or mountains. They were earth dragons, and not typically fond of water. Either way, this was an amazing opportunity. Glo had never seen a real live dragon before, and coppers were notoriously friendly. Based on his studies, he knew that all metallic dragons were friendly. They were noble creatures and meant no harm to the other races. Non-metallic dragons, on the other hand, were a different matter. Black, red, green, blue, and white dragons were inherently evil. The dragon Ullarak, the one that had terrorized Ravenford, and that Gryswold had slain, was a black dragon.
Glo’s musings were interrupted by a tug at his arm. Ves stood at his side, her expression worried. She grabbed his arm and gently pulled him away from the others. Glo was a bit surprised but said nothing, instead allowing her to lead him farther down the railing. Ruka and Maya stood waiting there. Glo surveyed the three sisters. Ruka appeared concerned as well. Even Maya, normally unflappable, was subdued.
Glo whispered to Ves, “What’s the matter?”
She responded in a quiet voice, her tone anxious. “My sisters and I cannot be spotted by that dragon. Please do not tell it that you have seen us.”
Glo was surprised by the strange request. Could the sisters be afraid of the dragon? His eyes swept across all three of them, but he saw no evidence of fear. If they’re not scared, then why don’t they want the dragon to see them? He was dying to know the reasoning behind all this. He suspected it had something to do with the girls’ true nature. However, he also knew if he asked them, he wouldn’t get a straight answer. He responded with a slow nod. “Okay, but where will you go?”
“We will hide underwater until he is gone,” Ves replied, with just a trace of a smile at the corners of her mouth.
A thin smile spread across Glo’s own lips. “Very well, I will tell the others to keep silent about meeting you.”
Thank you, Ves mouthed. She flashed him a smile and then all three sisters jumped overboard. Glo peered over the rail after them, but they were already gone from sight, having disappeared beneath the waters of the bay. He soon rejoined his companions, informing them of the sisters’ odd request. They all agreed to keep their secret, although Seth couldn’t help commenting.
“Like I said... strange...”
The dragon now loomed larger in the sky, quite visible to the ordinary eye. Panic began to spread among the crew. The companions reacted swiftly to head it off, explaining to the Captain that this type of dragon meant them no harm. Rochino responded immediately, ordering his men to calm down.
A short while later, the copper dragon drew up to the ship. It was a striking sight. The creature flew with a majestic grace, effortlessly gliding on its massive bat-like wings, only occasionally beating them to propel itself forward. Glo could see the large horned head quite clearly now. It sat astride a long, thick, armored neck, connected at the other end to a strong, muscular body. Four powerful legs were tucked tight against the dragon’s torso, each ending in large clawed feet. The long, sinuous tail extended straight out behind the creature, all the way to its very tip. The dragon’s body, was covered from head to tail with warm reddish-brown scales, speckled here and there with small spots of blue. The large wings spread out far from the body connecting in a V-like shape all the way down, almost to the tip of the creature’s tail. The head was crowned with two broad, flat horns which pointed backwards toward the creature’s body. A multi-pointed frill extended from either side of the dragon’s jaw. It was a breathtaking sight. Glo found himself caug
ht in the splendor of this noble being—then something struck him. The creature looks awful small for a dragon.
Nearly even with the Endurance now, Glo was able to estimate its size. It appeared to be about thirty feet long, its wingspan maybe one and a half times that. It was not small by any means, but somehow he thought that a dragon should be larger. Then Glo remembered—in his father’s Book of Dragons, it noted that copper dragons were smaller than their brethren. A red dragon, for instance, would be nearly twice the size of this one. So this was indeed a full-sized, adult copper dragon.
The dragon now flew parallel to the Endurance. It slowed down to stay even with the craft. Without warning, Seth climbed up on top of the recovered crates, waved toward the dragon, and yelled out to the creature. To Glo’s surprise, he greeted it in its own language, Draconic!
“Hail, winged traveler,” he cried in the dragon’s tongue.
Glo was rather impressed. He had no idea the halfling spoke Draconic. Glo himself knew it because his father had insisted he learn it—that and about a dozen other languages. Still, he had to wonder at how and why Seth had picked up the dragon’s language.
“Hail in return, good person,” the dragon responded, its voice a deep rumble. “You honor me greatly by speaking in my own tongue.”
“The honor is ours, noble one,” Seth replied eloquently. He followed the response with a low bow.
Glo arched an eyebrow. It appeared that Seth could be quite refined when he wanted. Glo’s eyes flickered around the deck. Everyone stared at either the halfling or the dragon. They appeared mesmerized by the curious exchange, though he doubted that any of them understood the conversation.
“How may we be of service?” Seth continued.