“Of course!” snapped Katasha, rounding on the redhead. The other mermaid backed off and lowered her head in deference.
Katasha returned her attention to Rubin. “Who gave this to you?”
Rubin repeated what was said earlier.
Katasha nodded. “It is in keeping with the ancient texts. Our sisters in the sea have done their part. We must do ours.” She withdrew an object from a small pouch at her side and let it dangle from a light chain between her fingers. It was another broken talisman.
Katasha then took Rubin’s talisman, which still hung from his neck, and pressed it against her own. A bright, golden light emanated from her fingers for a split second, then vanished. When she opened her hands, the talismans had become one, and it was in the shape of a golden key.
“Our duty is complete,” announced Katasha. She looked seriously at Rubin. “The power of the key will return to its source when your task is complete. Do not waver!”
“I—I don’t understand,” stammered Rubin.
“Seek the pool,” said Katasha quietly. “The key fits nowhere else.” She turned to those assembled on the shoreline. “We will aid in this matter because failure to do so will ultimately end in our own destruction. The hordes of darkness will be almost overwhelming, but we hope to give you what aid we can with our magic, since we cannot move onto land ourselves.” Katasha sighed. “More we cannot do.”
“Actually, you can,” said Milena.
Katasha looked at the druid. “How?”
Milena told her how important it was to get the skink warriors into the battle, the more of them, the better. In order to do so, the skink warriors had to leave their homes undefended.
Katasha nodded. “I understand.” She looked at Olag. “You can tell your fellow skink warriors that, though we are often at odds, we are all on the same side in this instance. We will not go beyond your borders, and will do what we can to prevent others from entering your homes as well. Furthermore, if you wish, we will aid your people by taking them to the land where the battle now rages. Your race can swim well, but we can bring you to the battle far more quickly.”
Olag hissed. “I don’t know,” he began. He turned to Milena. “There’s still the problem of punching a path through the enemy to get my people to the tower’s battlements. As you well know, we are not well armoured or skilled for this task.”
“What if we get Zylor and his group to help?” suggested Sherman.
Milena nodded. “That’s a good idea. We can go back and inform them to come to the shore of North Lake and you can transport them to your starting location by ship, Olag. Zylor leads a group of determined minotaurs and dwarves eager for action. They are skilled fighters and would certainly be able to create a path for your warriors to follow to the safety of the tower’s battlements.”
Olag hesitated.
“Remember what I said earlier, Olag,” continued Milena. “If you do this, your people can call upon the aid of the clerics in the Tower of Hope at any time. Any wounded or injured among your kind will be treated as required. Clerics do not discriminate.”
Olag sighed. “Very well,” he said at last. “Take me back to my kind and I will make preparations.”
“I will take you personally,” said Katasha. “You will see just how quickly mermaids can swim in times of need.”
Olag gulped and nervously entered the water. He turned back to Milena. “My forces will be there to join the regular forces at sunup. Be ready!”
“I will,” said Milena.
Olag disappeared beneath the waves with the mermaids and soon all was silent save for the splash of the waves against the shore.
“What is the pool?” asked Rubin suddenly. He still stood in the water and looked longingly to where the mermaids had been.
“I don’t know,” said Sherman, “but when I figure it out, I’ll let you know.” He stepped into the water and guided the sailor out. “Gorgeous things, aren’t they?” he added.
Rubin grinned distractedly and nodded. “Even with only one eye to see them with.”
Chapter 63
The rain came down heavily once again as Kazin finally reached the eastern shoreline just west of the Tower of Hope. The flight back to Zylor’s group to inform them of the newest plans took less time than anticipated. Now, looking below, he could pick out the shadowy forms of the regular troops of skink warriors as they relentlessly showered arrows into the ranks of the nearby enemies. Lizardmages within arrow range retaliated with lightning bolts but did little damage to the well-hidden skinks.
The army surrounding the Tower of Hope was as large as the one the companions had encountered in the south. Things appeared to be dismal indeed for the defenders. Chimeras, bearing lizardmage riders, soared in the sky above the tower, and lightning bolts flashed back and forth between the attackers and defenders continuously.
Mercifully, it was dark outside, so not many of the chimeras were prepared for the leathery-winged dragon as it streaked toward the tower. A few of the fiery beasts gave chase, but the damp weather hindered their fire-breathing abilities, so they had to get close enough for their riders to cast spells instead. In so doing, the lizardmages were caught off guard by Della and Perenia’s arrows.
Most of the lizardmages fell screaming to the ground. Those who managed to get a lightning bolt through had their spells hindered by Milena’s blocking spells. Any chimeras with intentions of using their claws to attack Kazin or his riders were met with Rubin’s scimitar or Sherman’s Sword of Dead. Kazin had enough hot, dry air inside him to blast some chimeras with a fiery flame, but they merely flew off with minor injuries, being naturally resistant to fire.
The harrowing flight to the safety of the tower was mercifully short, and once within range of the tower’s spell casters, the chimeras gave up chase. The defenders realized that the dragon must be on their side if it was against their opponents, so they lowered their shield long enough for the dragon to land.
Kazin spiralled down into the tower’s courtyard and several black and white mages came running up to surround him in case he was not the ally he seemed to be. But when they saw Milena in the torchlight, they relaxed. Her shimmering blue robe was unmistakably the robe of a druid.
The companions dismounted and Kazin transformed back into himself to the awe and surprise of those watching.
High Cleric Malachi came running and gave a look of astonishment at seeing them gathered there. He gave Kazin a curious glance as he stepped forward to embrace Milena.
“My child!” he said happily. He released the druid. “Is it really true? You are a druid?”
Milena nodded. “Yes, Malachi. I am no longer a cleric. I mean—my clerical skills are still there, but my magical power has been enhanced. My responsibilities are now to the Tower of the Moon.”
“You are indeed a marvel!” exclaimed Malachi. “You have—wait a minute! Did you say Tower of the Moon?”
“Yes,” said Milena.
Suddenly an explosion rocked the eastern battlements. Clerics scurried to restore their shield in that area.
“You can tell me about it later,” shouted Malachi as another explosion sounded in the north. “As you can see, we’ve had very little peace in the last while. Fortunately, with the heavy rain, their magic seems to be weaker, and the chimeras are bereft of their usual fire. They still manage to weaken our shield with their magic, but the black mages here use the disruption of the shield to fire back at the enemy with lightning bolts. Fireballs would be easier to cast, but this weather doesn’t permit that kind of magic to be very successful.”
“We will do what we can to help,” offered Kazin.
“I wish it were enough,” said Malachi sadly. “Reinforcements are not available to give us aid. You may have signed your death warrant by coming here.”
“Reinforcements will be here i
n the morning,” said Milena.
“What?!” exclaimed Malachi. “Who?”
“The skinks are going to aid us,” said Kazin.
“They already are!” retorted Malachi. “It’s making very little difference. Didn’t you see the size of the enemy out there?”
“The skink warriors will grow in number as well,” said Milena calmly. “With their help, and the help of others who are on their way, we stand a chance of holding them off, perhaps even driving them off.”
Malachi grasped Milena’s hands tightly. “I hope you are right, Milena.” He released her hands suddenly. “I’ve got to go back inside and assist with the healing. There are too few of us as it is, and the wounded are many!”
“I’ll go with you,” said Milena, following the high cleric into the tower.
“I’m going to see what I can do to help the wall’s defenders,” said Sherman.
“I’ll go with you,” said Rubin.
“We’ll all go,” said Kazin.
“Aren’t you going to transform—?” began Perenia.
Kazin shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. We’ll be singled out and killed if we go out there. We can do more good helping the defenders from the inside.”
Perenia removed her talisman and returned to her original form. “I’ll be more use this way then. If speed or power is required, count me in!”
The five companions made for the various parts of the battlements to do what they could to help the tower’s defenders. It was a long, tedious night, but the darkness eventually gave way to the dawn of a grey, dismal, rainy morning.
Milena came up to the battlements to seek out Kazin. She found him preparing to cast a lightning bolt at a group of orcs who were attempting to bash a battering ram through the front gates.
A nearby cleric collapsed as the shield he and several others tried to hold dissipated under the relentless onslaught of the lizardmages below.
“Now!” cried a cleric.
Kazin and several other black mages fired bolt after bolt of lightning into the orcs with the battering ram. Kazin’s lightning bolts were larger and more powerful than the others, and soon even the battering ram itself was engulfed in flames. The orcs who survived abandoned the ram and fled with their clothing on fire.
Some additional clerics ran up and one yelled, “Shield up!”
Kazin and the black mages stopped firing and the shield was re-established. Some of the lizardmen below hastened to cast their spells and one managed to get a bolt through the partly formed shield. It struck a cleric and the victim collapsed. Another cleric ran over and bent to examine him.
Milena was at the victim’s side when the cleric raised his head to look at her. He shook his head grimly.
Milena sighed as some soldiers came over to remove the body. Another dead cleric. There were fewer every hour.
“Morning Milena,” said Kazin wearily when he saw her. His hair was askew and his robe damp with rain and sweat.
Milena smiled weakly in return. “It’s time to help the skink warriors get to the castle.”
Kazin nodded. “Let’s get the others rounded up. We definitely need the extra man power in the tower.”
Within a half hour the weary mage and his passengers flew off to the east. Immediately, several chimeras and their riders pursued. The short flight to the shore of North Lake was hectic at first, but a sudden volley of arrows from the swarms of skink warriors below signalled the presence of allies.
A good half dozen chimeras and their riders fell to the ground in this sudden attack and the remaining pursuers turned tail and fled back to the safety of the main body of the army.
Kazin circled and landed in a suitable location near the shore.
Olag came up to greet them. “We’re almost ready to move out. My scouts spotted your other friends just north of here. With them blazing a trail for us on the ground, and your dragon blazing a trail for us in the sky, we ought to make it to the tower with hardly any casualties.”
“I didn’t see any boats in the water while I was up in the air,” commented the dragon.
“You were probably too distracted, Kazin,” said Milena.
“Kazin?” exclaimed Olag in surprise. “You mean he’s—?”
Sherman laughed. “Sorry, Olag. I guess we forgot to tell you Kazin is a dragon mage!”
Olag’s slitted eyes widened in amazement as he looked at Kazin. “I don’t believe it!”
“It’s true,” said Kazin.
Olag shook his head.
Another skink warrior came up and reported that a ship had been spotted.
Olag nodded. “Any time now.”
The ship slid against the shore not long after and the minotaurs and dwarves disembarked. Zylor strode up to Olag and nodded. “Olag.”
“Zylor,” nodded Olag. “Are you ready to blast a trail through the enemy forces?”
“Anytime,” said a gruff voice behind him. It was Horst. “It’s time to show those creatures who’s boss.”
Zylor grinned. “My sentiments exactly.”
Sherman nudged Rubin and they climbed down off Kazin’s back. “We’re with you,” said the big warrior. He looked back at Kazin. “You’ll be O.K.?”
“Of course,” said Kazin.
Olag withdrew a whistle from a small pouch at his side and blew. There was no sound audible to anyone except Kazin, who winced.
Suddenly, the water lapping against the shore turned frothy white as heads began to surface. Skink warriors came out of the water in droves. Dozens turned into hundreds as the scaly green creatures crowded onto the shoreline. And still more came. When the forces were finally gathered, a good eight hundred armed skink warriors had accumulated west of the Tower of Hope.
Rubin’s jaw dropped in amazement. “Incredible!” he gasped.
“Let’s go!” ordered Olag.
The large force marched eastward and Kazin soared back into the sky. The skink warriors already positioned in their concealed locations near the enemy rose to join their own kind, swelling the ranks further.
The enemy looked nervously over their shoulders at this unexpected threat. Where did all those skink warriors suddenly come from?
Olag’s forces stopped momentarily to observe their enemies in return.
Zylor couldn’t wait. With a bellowing roar, he plunged into the enemy. Bloodlust engulfed him. Armour had no meaning as the huge minotaur ploughed through the ranks of the enemy, leaving a trail of mutilated corpses and dismembered body parts in his wake. There were screams of death everywhere, a chorus of agony that only a minotaur could love.
The other minotaurs, not wishing to leave their emperor alone, sprang into the enemy with roars of their own.
The dwarves followed, yelling battle cries and war chants. Sherman and Rubin went with them.
Olag signalled his people and they advanced in the wake of the dwarves and minotaurs, lending their long range support to those ahead of and above them.
For many years afterward, songs and poems would be written about the bravery and discipline of the creatures who had come to the aid of the Tower of Hope in its blackest hours.
Kazin had far less resistance than he thought he would receive as he blasted the enemy in wide swaths with his flames. The chimeras barely got close to the dragon as they were felled by dozens of skink arrows. Olag made sure his air force remained safe.
Finally, the sky battle was won. The chimeras were all defeated and Kazin had the sky to himself.
Milena directed him to the eastern and southern side of the tower, where she brought her numerous treemen to life to create havoc among the enemy.
For the first time in days, the Tower of Hope was free to go on the offensive. General Larsen wasted no time getting his cavalry to strafe the front lines of the en
emy on the north side of the tower. Perenia joined them in the attacks.
Superior numbers were insufficient to deal with the experience and determination of the defenders. The fact that the skink warriors continued to fire on the attackers despite the turning tide of the battle made the defenders even more determined.
Cheers greeted the skink warriors as they made it to the tower and took up position on the battlement walls. The skinks had suffered many casualties in the rush for the tower, losing one nearly fifth of their number, but they held to their agreement and didn’t change sides like they had done in the past. The damage they had caused to the enemy was far more severe.
General Larsen sent his cavalry out time and again to press ferociously into the enemies’ ranks, and even the beleaguered lizardmages were hard pressed to repel these lightning quick assaults. Some mages rode with the cavalry and singled out any nearby enemy spell casters, while Kazin caused serious distraction from above.
The fighting lasted all day, and by nightfall, the attackers had lost heart and retreated to the mountains in droves. They were beaten by an opponent with unyielding resolve and courage.
Clerics scurried to heal wounded skink warriors and soldiers raced to find survivors out in the field who were too injured to rise.
Sherman looked north across the battlefield from the battlement walls. “I wonder if they’ll be back.”
Horst grunted beside him. “They might, when they realize how hard it will be to get away via the portal.”
Sherman looked at the dwarf curiously for a moment. Then he grinned. “Oh, yeah. Those sentries you left to guard the inside of the portal.” Then he frowned. “They won’t stand a chance, will they?”
Horst shook his head and put a hand to his chest. “They will always be honourable in my eyes, and their contribution will not be forgotten.”
Sherman patted the dwarf on the shoulder. “You said it, Horst.”
Soldiers celebrated loudly that night, but the clerics were just getting started with the healing of the many wounded and dying. Kazin walked quietly through the lower levels of the tower and listened to the intent chanting of the clerics as they drew upon their powers for healing. Milena was among them and worked feverishly to do her share of the healing. She had worked among these same clerics before and fit in as though she had never left. Della and Perenia flitted among the clerics, bringing water and bandages where required. Della looked at Kazin briefly and shook her head sadly. The death and destruction the little elf had seen in the past few weeks were taking its toll on her, and it showed. Gone were the days of peaceful strolls through a lush, lively forest filled with colourful songbirds. These were days of destruction and death.
Kazin's Quest: Book I of The Dragon Mage Trilogy Page 63