by Vic Broquard
A few days later, Baron Stefan Pavel reported that he too had Black Dragons raiding for gold and gems, primarily. The reds were just being a general nuisance. Zoran quickly educated him as he had done Baron Leo. Baron Arcangelo Mondo of Cosma reported that the blacks were behind most of the gem shipment raids, though a few had been done by reds as well. After that Barons John Witherspoon of Terra and Gaspard Gervaise of Gonda reported that the reds were their biggest gem and gold shipment raiders, though blacks were also doing it in a more limited way. As July came to an end, all of the allied planets now used their Duskas and mages to handle all valuable shipments in an attempt to stop the raiding dragons. With no targets to hit, they could not raid — at least that was the agreed upon analysis of the barons. Zoran had serious reservations and cautioned all of the barons to be alert for whole villages being slaughtered in extortion plots, as had been done on Adapazan by the reds.
“No, Baron Strom, we no longer obey you,” Corrado sneered at the overweight, ugly human. He’d just won the position of Red Dragon Leader on Rehor, with the mysterious demise of Ambrogino. “You have set us up and gotten two of us reds murdered. If you know what is good for you, you continue to give us a hundred thousand each month. If not, well, you know what we can do!”
Strom wanted to curse and smash this egocentric, young Red Dragon — pound some sense into him. However, his innate fear of the fifty-foot beast restrained him, but his muscles involuntarily twitched. “So be it, Corrado. There are others who will stand up and fight.” He wanted to have the last word. Corrado stretched out his huge wings and lifted off of the roof of Strom’s mountain fortress.
A bit later, Bardawulf circled above and came in for a landing. Right on time, Strom noted. Perhaps he would have better luck with the blacks anyway. The reds just didn’t follow his orders at all well. “Welcome mighty Bardawulf! Hail and well met,” Strom started off as politely as he could.
The black was nearly the same size as the red that just left. He tucked in his wings and sat down before the Baron. “I am here to do business,” Bardawulf began. He hated dilly dallying around. Just come out with it, was his motto.
“Adapazan. They’ve taken to using mages to transport their gold and gems. The ignorant reds cannot deal with that. Now you blacks are vastly smarter than the reds. Something this simple won’t stop you, right?” He played upon the dragon’s ego.
“Ha, ha, ha! You have that right. What did you expect? Once the humans figured out that your spies were relaying their shipment details to the reds, they could be expected to use magical transport means. Any idiot could figure that out. So I take it you are finished with the reds?”
“Yes, they are, as you say, idiots. Now you blacks have been doing a fabulous job on Gladno, Cosma, and Valtr. I need your help with our archenemy Adapazan. They are making secret transports of their gems and gold. I need that stopped anyway that you can do it. Are you blacks up to the challenge?”
“How much, Baron?” Bardawulf asked the key question. He was not about to risk his blacks without proper remuneration.
“How about a half million for starters. If you can bring their economy to a halt, I’ll double that!” Strom proclaimed. He had little intention of doing so; the blacks could not be that strong, he thought, just greedy, dumb beasts. Well, a half million would be worth it, if that gave Baron Zoran some real problems. After all, Zoran had cheated his dad out of everything including the throne of Adapazan. Now he could get even, he thought, by bringing Zoran to his knees. One day soon, Zoran would come to him, Strom Clav, begging forgiveness.
“In advance,” Bardawulf added. No way would he undertake this dangerous mission without payment up front.
Strom handed him a heavy sack containing the promised gems. He didn’t mention that he had had his wizard turn worthless quartz crystals into what appeared to be diamonds. Well, they were diamonds, just not of any high quality nor could the larger stones hold any magical enchantments as real diamonds could. Bardawulf accepted the bag eagerly. “Consider it done,” he stated dryly and lifted off, circling high into the mountain sky.
During the second week of August, Zoran received word from his allied planets. Indeed, the reds and the blacks attempted to run the same extortion scheme on their worlds, annihilating a village and demanding gems to keep them from doing the same to another village. All reported taking the same action that Zoran had, using mages to Create Objects, namely diamonds from quartz crystals. Zoran continued to hope that this would satisfy the dragons. He hesitated to consult with Aldrick or Emil about this, afraid of what they might say in response.
During this second week, Zoran received a frantic message from a working mage in the Chern Mine in the mountains of northern Dorum Province, some hundred miles from Castle Dorumova. “We’re under attack by Black Dragons! They’ve entered the mine and . . .” He sensed intense pain and then the mage’s Message ended. Zoran didn’t hesitate, he sent out a massive Message spell, alerting everyone he could think of who had the slightest chance in combat with a dragon, including Emil and Renata.
Within minutes, he and many others began arriving at the Chern Mine, though he, Zdenka, and Jarka were the first on the scene, followed within seconds by Karel and Bernard. Many others arrived within the next couple of minutes. “Oh dear god!” exclaimed Zdenka as the pungent acid fumes billowed out of the main entrance tunnel. “Fumigate!” she chanted and slowly the deadly gasses began flowing out of the tunnels, while Zoran and Jarka kept alert for the dragons. None appeared and he soon concluded that the dragons had already fled the scene.
It took the combined mages nearly an hour to completely fumigate the mine tunnels and then to neutralize the corrosive acids that the Black Dragons had spewed all throughout the tunnels. When they entered, most wished that they had not. Here and there, bleached skulls and bones were all that remained of the hundred plus miners and mage who had been working this diamond mine for years.
Zoran was sickened by the sight, as were most of his companions. He ordered a thorough search, looking for some message from the blacks demanding something to keep this from happening again. Alas, no such note was found, much to everyone’s disappointment. Baron Jan now had to find new miners who were willing to work this lucrative mine.
However, Zoran held an immediate conference with all of his top leaders on Adapazan. The topic: how to protect the miners from the Black Dragon attacks. Since mining and related activities accounted for over half of the jobs on the planet and with thousands of such mines, no one could come up with a fool proof plan to safeguard all of the mines. Zoran had no choice but to speak with Aldrick and Emil about this latest attack.
Aldrick, Emil, and Renata visited the mine, sniffing the still pungent residue of the acid. Several workers were collecting the remains of those who had died and they gave the three dragons very dirty looks. “Well, this is indeed a very bad situation, Zoran. Yes, Black Dragons did this. Why? Only they know. I will take this up with the other dragons and see if I can put a stop to this,” Aldrick stated the obvious.
“I need help preventing this from happening in the future. We do not have the means to protect so many mines,” Zoran explained.
“Dad, in a way, we golds share some responsibility for this slaughter. We are obligated to help Zoran protect this planet from outside attacks. This certainly amounts to an off-world attack,” Emil pointed out.
“You are right, son. Zoran, we will alert all of the golds here, and we will organize protection squads for the major mines across the continent. We’ll fly cover over them and discourage any blacks who make such an attempt again. I give you my word,” Aldrick declared. Zoran accepted it with his thanks. Again, the golds were saving him, he thought.
During the next five days, Emil reported that the band of blacks attempted to repeat their attacks on other major gem producing mines across Adapazan. Each time, the blacks were repulsed by the rapidly swarming Golden Dragons.
However, the night of the first mine attack, Milan
returned from another off-world trip, bring back several wagon loads of grain and a special sack. Triumphantly, he stepped into his father’s lab on the top floor of the fortress at Brn. “Hi pop! Guess what I have for you?” he said exuberantly and triumphantly.
“I’ve no idea, son. What? Have you heard about the Black Dragon slaughter of the miners today?” Archmage Karel answered.
“Yes, mom’s just told me. Here, have a look.” He dispelled his shrink spell, revealing three large water barrels, each labeled. Karel’s eyes flickered from label to label and his mouth gaped, he was speechless.
“Yep, pop. Green Dragon blood from Jing. Black Dragon blood from Alta. White Dragon blood from Dietmar. Cost me three hundred thousand gold, but I got it for you. More’s a coming, I’m told.”
Karel picked up his son and twirled him around the room! “You are a genius, son! Well done indeed! This is way beyond anything that I expected! More you say? Incredible. Now we have a chance! Oh,” he realized the actual cost was pretty steep and retrieved some gems from his extra-dimensional safe. “This will cover your expenses, son. Keep the blood coming! Tell mom that I will likely be up all night and not to wait up for me!” He forgot all about his son and began carrying the water kegs to his workbench, talking to himself all the while. Milan grinned, pocketed the gems, and left, walking as tall as he could down the halls. For once, his father had shown him more attention and emotion than ever before. Milan knew that his father really did appreciate his off-world work.
On the second day of the continuing black raids, Zoran decided to experiment himself. He positioned himself in the Shadows where he could watch over the whole continent. After waiting what seemed to be an eternity in the grey-black void of nothingness which was the Shadows, Zoran spotted some two dozen winged forms moving through the Shadows. He grinned, he could see them, but they could not see him. He drew his Karel special short sword, magically enchanted to be able to cut into dragon hide. As one came near him, he gave it a slice as it passed by him. To his amazement, the dragon both did not perceive him and had no idea how it was suddenly hurt. When it appeared out of the Shadows over the mines, while the others swarmed down and were quickly intercepted by dozens of golds who answered the single gold’s Message, the injured dragon stood back licking the long, bleeding slice to his mid-section. It looked around in vain for its attacker, but saw no one.
That gave Zoran another idea. If the Shadow Assassin idea had driven his evil father insane, maybe it would work with the dragons. When the blacks regrouped and fled back into the Shadows, Zoran again sliced the wounded dragon and also materialized an idea in that dragon’s mind: Shadow Assassins. Soon the dragons were lost in the depths of the Shadows and Zoran headed back home, where he pondered what had just happened.
The next couple of days, he repeated his action as the blacks continued to make their attempted raids on the major mines of Adapazan. Obviously, they had received word of the mines’ precise locations, probably from Baron Strom, he thought. Finally, the attacks stopped, and Zoran also stopped waiting in the Shadows. Honestly, it was incredibly boring, and he had the affairs of Adapazan to help run.
Friday the 13th brought the most unlucky day for Brn. Later, Zoran guessed what had occurred. Having been thwarted in their attempts to get at the major mines, the blacks decided to attack Zoran’s key fortress in Brn, which was at the other end of the monetary pipeline. Once more, he was saved from total disaster by Zdenka and her power spell.
Around noon, Zdenka let out a shriek, which got everyone’s instant attention. “Black Dragons will be attacking this fortress!” she screamed. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, recovering her senses. She fired off numerous Messages to everyone she could think of as fast as she could. Spells detonated everywhere, as most headed to the roofs from where they could both see in the incoming dragons and attack them. Several rang the citywide gongs, alerting the citizens of Brn that an attack was imminent. This system Zoran had installed over twenty years ago after his father’s failed attempt to storm the Wizard’s Tower where he was staying along with his Circle of Ascension originally located in its basement.
A sea of chaos filled the streets of this city of some twenty thousand, as folks headed for their homes or found ways to get inside some dwelling. One by one, Zoran and his group assembled on the rooftops of the fortress and manor house and even Zdenka’s Archmage Tower. He and the other Archmages cast all manner of defensive spells on themselves and the others around them. Finally, Karel handed out enchanted weapons to any that did not yet have one. At last they waited.
Zdenka stood beside Zoran, along with Jarka and Bernard. Karel, Milan, and Chika grouped themselves near his falcon cages, around which he had already cast Force Walls. Some twenty feet from Zoran, Tomas, Verushka, Nadia, and Dusan stood their ground, spells at the ready. Jan and his wife Reina along with Archmage Marek and Akira stood far to the left of Zoran’s group. Dana, Chan, Wen, along with Kate and Milena stood atop Zdenka’s tower. On the ground level, General Damek Kamil and a dozen mail clad guards all armed with enchanted blades stood ready to repel any dragons who might attempt to breech the entrance way into the fortress proper.
Still various servants ran helter skelter below them, pulling horses into the safety of stables and ushering others into the safety of the buildings. “Here they come!” yelled Zoran. “Watch out for the acid spewing from their mouths! Stay alert!” To Zdenka, he said, “Power spells, dear. Don’t hold back.”
She flashed him a very worried smile. She had no intention of withholding her wrath. This was a life and death situation. As soon as the twenty dragons reached the outer limits of the Archmage’s long range spells, within seconds of each other they fired off powerful spells. Archmage Zoran shot his most powerful Bolt of Lightning at one. Archmage Zdenka formed her massive pounding, giant fist around the head of another. Archmage Nadia shot a massive Ball of Fire totally enveloping another. Archmage Verushka shot her most powerful Bolt of Lightning at yet another. Archmage Karel sent a Disintegration Beam at the head of another dragon. Archmage Marek, the Doorwarden, summoned a Storm of Meteors, firing them at three separate dragons that were unwisely too close together.
Mages Bernard, Jarka, Dusan, Milan, Chika, Tomas, Jan, Reina, Akira, Dana, Chan, Wen, Kate, and Milena — all fired off Balls of Fire or Bolts of Lightning at the incoming herd of beasts. Even General Damek down on the ground let lose a Ball of Fire at the incoming dragons.
The twenty-one spells detonated in an cacophony of sight and sound never before heard anywhere within the Federation of Planets! At the instant of detonation, each caster found himself or herself standing on a featureless, grey plain, facing the dragon or dragons that their spell was impacting. As before, Karel merely glared angrily at his beast, while the others had various reactions. Baron Jan, for example, felt a surge of fear flooding his body as he stared down the dragon facing him. Jarka tried to attack hers physically with her enchanted throwing daggers. Zdenka, on the other hand, merely stared straight into the beast’s eyes. Each mage was on this strange plain for only a fraction of a second, but it seemed like an eternity to each, before they were back with their bodies, as the detonations triggered.
Eight of the incoming dragons died, dropping like dead weight from the skies. Some landed on the paved streets of Brn, some on the stone parapets of the outer walls. Two landed on buildings within the city, crushing through the roofs, descending on down into the structure, injuring those huddled inside.
Another eight took serious wounds, while four remained unscathed. These twelve belched forth streams of caustic acid towards the defenders, who now had to dive or frantically get out of the way of the incoming rain of death. Those who were Duskas simply Shadow Walked out of harm’s way. Many of the mages frantically conjured Mystical Doors or simply dove and rolled out of the way of the incoming deluge of caustic acid. Some were not fast enough and the acid landed on parts of their bodies.
However, Chan and Wen did none of these th
ings. Chan drew her dagger, Wen, her short sword. They waited until the dragons heading right at them opened their mouths to spew forth certain death and then they Shadow Walked. Both landed perfectly on the dragons’ necks, just below their heads, their legs encircled the neck and clamping like vice grips. Chan began stabbing her dagger into the head of the dragon, trying to find its eye socket. Wen merely tried to sever its head from its neck. Both dragons continued their flight arcing upwards as they reached the rising mountains on the north side of the fortress.
A number of eyes spotted the approach that Wen and Chan were using, but had their own problems with which to deal. Karel, screaming and yelling, ripped off his clothes which were rapidly disintegrating from the acid he had not completely avoided. Several others followed suit, while Jarka frantically summoned forth lime, making it fall like rain over the rooftop on which she occupied. Bernard then added his summoned water to the mix, creating a seething mass of chemical reaction. Foam rose in all directions, neutralizing much of the acid around their portion of the roof. Others saw what they were doing and after struggling to get out of their disintegrating garments, duplicated their actions.
Karel, however, not to be outdone by the two from Jing, drew his short sword and teleported onto another dragon, as it turned around to make a second pass. The two dragons with the women on their necks tried to grab them with their claws, but found this was impossible while flying. They had not enough altitude to fall while doing so. Wen’s beast let out a hideous moan and began dropping like a ship’s lead sounding weight. She Shadow Walked back to the top of Zdenka’s tower. She’d severed his spinal cord, and the beast’s brain no longer communicated to the rest of its body. The body smashed hard into the side of the northern mountains. Chan finally drove her dagger into an eye socket. Her dragon twisted its neck in a weird way and then began falling from the sky. Chan pulled her dagger out and stepped into the Shadows and then back out, arriving beside Wen, breathing heavily and stepping around the still active acid. “Damn, it’s eating through my boots!” she cried out. “Clean! Clean!” she shrieked.