Dragons, Power, Courts, And War (Book 2)

by Vic Broquard

  Jarka and Izabela conferred for over an hour. She went over in detail the operation she’d just witnessed for the benefit of Izabela, a fellow potion maker, in hopes that a second viewpoint would yield a solution. Neither woman had any idea what the substance was that the dragon had carefully inserted into the women’s shoulders. Jarka began drawing up a chart. “Look, we know that a hollow needle was used. We know that the dragon took extraordinary care to insert the needle at very precise spots and at very precise depths. We know that he put two drops of a bluish substance into the needle. We can assume the purpose was to get the bluish substance to an exact internal location close to where the arm socket meets the shoulder. We know that within a very short time after insertion, that tiny amount completely numbs the arm. We know the women cannot move their arms or fingers or sense anything in them after that, not even if they break their bones. Their arms are basically ‘dead’ to them. We also know that healing potions have no effect on them. We know that within some sixty days, the arms have atrophied to nearly skin on bone.”

  Izabela added, “That tiny amount must be extremely potent, whatever it is. Add that please.”

  Jarka did so. “Now then, there is something else that we can very likely assume.”

  “What’s that?” Izabela asked, her face stern with reflection upon their assumptions thus far.

  “Our physicians studied the dead arms that they removed from the original seventeen women. They discovered some bluish, gooey substance at about the same locations that where we saw the dragon making the insertion. While accumulating samples for me to analyze, they got some on their fingers and their fingers went numb, just the surface of their fingers, one side only. No matter what we’ve done to their fingers since then, feeling in them has not been restored and it’s been eight months now. I’d say that the stuff is pretty darn permanent,” Jarka explained.

  Back to her chart, she then added, “We surmise that the bluish drops the dragon inserted into these women is the same as the bluish substance our physician’s recovered. Thus, we have a sample, albeit in a very small quantity. It seems to be extremely potent, whatever it is. I’ve tried to determine what it is, but so far I’ve only been able to determine what it isn’t, I’m afraid.”

  “Incredible! We’ve a sample. We ought to be able to figure this out then. What have you tried?” Izabela asked, becoming keenly interested. Jarka listed a very lengthy list. With each one, Izabela’s enthusiasm faded a wee bit more. “Gosh, you’ve tried everything! What is this stuff?”

  “That is the question. Since we cannot identify it, chances are good that we cannot find a direct counter-agent to dissolve and remove it,” Jarka concluded.

  “Well, then, Mage Jarka, we should investigate what other avenues are available to us. Let’s see, jot these down. If we do nothing, in sixty days, the atrophy almost certainly dictates amputation. Correct?”

  “Absolutely, the bones have also gotten so brittle that they break extremely easily, which can lead rapidly to very serious health risks. They can get a serious cut and bleed to death before they even feel it. You are right, at that point, they should be removed if possible,” Jarka agreed with her.

  “So, what other choices do we have? Now that we know that there is this substance inside their arms and we know its approximate depth, what about making a surgical attempt to remove it? Cut them open around that spot, dig in a bit, find the blue stuff, and remove it,” Izabela suggested.

  “We ought to try that for sure. However, the two physicians have barely gotten the stuff on their fingers and it numbed them. They’ve washed their hands with everything imaginable. Surely there cannot be more of that stuff still on their skin, yet they are still numb. So if we cut them open and remove the stuff, I wonder if their arms will still be totally dead, like the physician’s fingers? We ought to work on other possibilities as well,” Jarka suggested.

  She frowned and added, “I suppose that I can add another column called speculations.”

  “Sure go ahead, I’m all ears,” Izabela replied encouragingly, out of bright ideas herself.

  She produced the Chart 2 Dragon Statistics as Currently Known that was created at the High Council meeting. “Look at this line here: Blue Dragons — breath weapon: Neurotoxin Paralysis. I admit that no one here has ever even seen a Blue Dragon, let alone dealt with its supposed breath weapon. Just from the sound of it, it sounds somewhat similar to what we are dealing with here, don’t you think?”

  Izabela agreed. “You know, this might be the best avenue to explore. If we can find out what the substance actually is, it might lead us to a cure. Only trouble is that we have so very little time. Already sixteen women’s arms are perilously close to being needed to be amputated.”

  “Come on. I know just the one to ask about this!” Jarka was suddenly inspired. She sent a Message first and when the reply came back affirmative, she teleported Izabela and herself to an isolated cavern high in the mountains.

  “Er, hello Aldrick, sir,” she called out. “We’re here, sir,” she added timidly. The great gold stood up to greet the two women. As always, Jarka was a little frightened standing before a huge dragon. His seventy feet dwarfed her five-five frame. “This is a fellow potion maker, Izabela. Thank you for seeing us, sir.”

  He chuckled, but it sounded more like a hurricane racing through the trees to the two women. He morphed into his human form, and Jarka visibly relaxed. “Sir, we need to know more about the Blue Dragon’s neurotoxin. Can you describe it and what it actually does?”

  “When they are hunting, they snort out the toxin. It is a thin bluish spray. When it hits living tissue, it numbs and paralyzes the surfaces on which it lands. The antelope then collapse onto the ground and the blues then merely pick up their dinner.”

  “So they blues are not affected when they ingest an antelope that’s covered in the stuff?”

  “Not in the slightest. Why all this interest in their toxins? Have the blues been attacking as well?”

  “Oh no, sir. Nothing like that. In fact, we’ve never even seen a blue before.” Jarka then explained her complete findings to Aldrick. “So those seventeen women’s arms that you removed contained a tiny amount of a bluish substance? The physician’s fingers went numb after touching it? Hum, that sure does sound suspiciously like the blue’s neurotoxin at that. My humble opinion, mages, is that this would be a fruitful line of investigation.”

  “Thank you, sir. We will do that. Thank you, sir.” Jarka repeated herself and prepared to leave.

  Aldrick chuckled again. “Just Aldrick, mage. Just Aldrick.” Somehow Jarka just could not bring herself to omit the ‘sir.’ He was far too important and impressive to do otherwise.

  Back at the infirmary, Jarka and Izabela decided that they had to pursue this new lead. The problem was how? A quick check with the Archmages yielded no information on this topic whatsoever.

  “Oh here you two are,” Verushka interrupted them. “Been looking for you, Jarka. Have you worked out any way to heal the women’s arms yet? I am going to have to address this issue with the ninety-six women today. They keep asking about it, especially Adrianna Whitehall.”

  “We’ve finally made significant headway,” Jarka reported. “We need to do further research. If that fails, we want the physicians to see if they can cut out the bluish gooey substances from their shoulders. That might end the paralysis, but we both are highly doubtful that will work. We need more time. Tell them not to give up hope just yet, please. I know, sixteen are in dire need of a cure immediately.”

  “Okay, thanks, Jarka, Izabela. Say, would you mind looking in on three of those who have just given birth? I am afraid that they sat on their arms accidentally and broke them. We all heard the cracks this time. Otherwise we would not have known about it for some time.”

  “Yes, of course, right away.”

  “I see the magnitude of the problem,” Izabela said as the two headed for the infirmary. “After sixty days of carrying the dragon fetus, their
arms have withered to mere skin and bone. I suspect the fetus also leeched material from their arm bones as well. I took the liberty of examining some remains that the physicians had. It is like you said. The bones are very thin and brittle, as if half of their mass had been removed. I am surprised one or more have not gotten gangrene yet.”

  “We keep a close eye out for that! Have to,” Jarka replied, thankful for the assistance of another healing potion maker.

  A while later, Verushka assembled the ninety-six women together for a frank and honest conference. “We’ve at last observed what the dragons have done to your arms.” Many women nodded and smiled, hoping against hope for encouraging words, especially the sixteen who had just given birth and whose arms looked more like matchsticks now. Adrianna glanced over at them and shuttered. Hers were still in good shape, just as if nothing had happened to them, only she couldn’t use or feel them any longer.

  “Unfortunately, the dragons apparently know more about the human anatomy than we humans. Cleverly, they’ve injected some tiny substance into your shoulders, where those pin pricks are located. While it was a very tiny substance that they inserted, its effect on your arms and hands is catastrophic. I am afraid to say that it is beyond the healing potions that we currently have to repair the damage that they’ve done. However, our two potion makers have told me that at long last they have some key clues and wish for time to explore them. Of course, there is no guarantee that they will discover a cure, but they want some time to try. It would be cruel of me to tell you to count on the fact that they will be able to find a cure. The reality that we must all face is that this may well be permanent. You have all seen how the arms so rapidly atrophy. In a mere sixty days, they have become skin and bone, all muscle tissues mostly gone. Worse, many of us heard three women’s arms break earlier today when they accidentally sat on them. At least they felt no pain, but you all know just how life threatening this is going to be for you.”

  “So what are we to do?” asked Adrianna.

  “Yes, what are we to do?” asked Anezka, who was one of those who’d just given birth and whose arms were frighteningly thin and frail now. Worry lines creased her forehead and she definitely was withholding a mountain of grief.

  Verushka sighed, “I wish that I had better answers for all of you. First, let me point out that we’ve verified that each one of you who have just given birth does have now a strong potential to learn magic. Yes, it is true, if you study hard and practice diligently, we Archmages believe that you all can learn to use magic. I cannot guarantee you that each one of you will be able to achieve the skill levels that the seventeen have, but you all have a very bright future as users of magic, very likely as official Mages at least. We are offering you a new chance at a very worthwhile and remunerative life, if you so desire it. The rest of you also have that same magic energies now running through your bodies as well.”

  “Let me explain further. After carrying the dragon for sixty days, the build up of magical energies in your bodies is as high as it is in the original seventeen who have already become mages in less than a year. Those who have only just become pregnant, while that same energy is in your bodies now, it is very weak. The longer you carry the dragon, the stronger the energy level becomes and the more likely it will be that you can learn to use magic.”

  Verushka shrugged, “So what are you to do? I cannot answer that for you. It must be your own personal decision. I can give you my recommendation.”

  “Please,” Anezka asked.

  “Okay, here is my best suggestion, but please, it is only a suggestion. Those who have already given birth, it is time to have our physicians remove the atrophied arms. Once that is done, your life is no longer at risk. Immediately after that is done, we will begin your magic training, handling and caring for your personal needs all during your training period, however long that may take, usually several years. There is no cost at all to you. It is the least that we can do for our fellow women. If you wish, you can rest up and give the mages time to do more research, but please be exceedingly careful.”

  “But what about the rest of us? We heard rumors that we can have this wicked beast in us somehow removed,” put in Kamila, who was not due for another two weeks.

  Verushka smiled, these were observant women. “My recommendation for the rest of you is to continue on as you are until you give birth. After that, when your arms are then a serious threat to your survival, proceed as I’ve already outlined and get on with your magic training. That is, I am asking you to build up as much potential to learn magic as possible and at the same time give our mages the time they need to work on a possible cure. While the cure may never come, at least we Archmages believe fully that after birth is done, you will be able to learn magic and learn it swiftly.”

  She went on, “Now it is true that we now have the skill, thanks to Izabela here, to force that evil, wicked thing out of your bodies even today.”

  “Why don’t you do it?” asked Kamila, who was not due for about a month yet.

  “Because remember the longer that you carry it, the greater your chances of learning powerful magical spells become. If we remove it from those of you who were raped just last night, you would find that your ability to learn magic would be perhaps enough to reach the Adept level, if at all. Worse, you would in all likelihood still lose your arms in a few months and then you would be doomed to a terrible existence for the rest of your lives. I know how badly you want to be rid of the foul beast growing inside of you, but think of your future. Endure it and you have the greatest chance to become Mages yourselves and overcome it, as you’ve seen how the seventeen have.”

  “When you put it that way, we don’t really have much choice, do we?” Kamila retorted. “Spend our lives as a helpless cripple or bear it and become a Mage who can conjure arms and hands.”

  “Bluntly, Kamila, that is correct. I am not going to pretend otherwise with you. Besides, this gives the mages a bit more time to find a cure, if possible.”

  “But what about me?” asked Adrianna. “Shadows and stuff. I have to sleep with all the lanterns on brightly in my room.”

  “Your situation is wholly unique among all of the women that have so far been abducted, Adrianna. Let’s talk about yours in private, shall we?” She nodded. The women asked a few more questions and they agreed to follow Verushka’s recommendations. As Kamila had said, what real choice had they?

  A bit later, Zoran, High Priestess Jarmila, Archmage Nadia joined Archmage Verushka, Jarka, Izabela, and Adrianna. “Your situation is a most unusual one, Adrianna,” Zoran began a lengthy explanation. He wanted her to know the full details.

  “When a child is born to a baron or baroness or other Duska members, then when they reach puberty, somewhere between ten and twenty-one, it is their birthright and is vitally necessary for them to be given the Ceremony of Ascension. This special ceremony activates something within us and gives us many very special and unique abilities. Among these is the ability to Shadow Walk and to move through the Shadows, which you have seen many times, though you did not know what it was. It also gives us lightning fast reflexes, a sort of second sight or early warning of imminent danger. Plus, it also gives us the ability to learn magic rather swiftly, even if we had no chance to learn it before the ceremony. When it is not given, as in your case, the child often gets Shadow Sickness, which is what you have. It is cured by giving the person the ceremony, of course.”

  “Barons are often unfaithful to their wives, it seems, fathering children in secret affairs. Ordinarily, the baron would make some provision to see that such offspring are given their birthright, the Ceremony of Ascension, when the child reaches puberty. Failure to do that can have terrible repercussions on the child. You have experienced such things already, and yes, they are extremely scary! In your case, Adrianna, I suspect that your father was the late Baron Tom Witherspoon, though I will research it as soon as I can and give you a better idea who was your father. I owe you that much.”

  H
e went on, “Your case is unique, Adrianna, in that you need this Ceremony of Ascension. All by itself, it will give you the ability to learn magic. That means that you could take advantage of Izabela’s potions to abort your pregnancy at once. True, unless we have a miracle in fabricating a cure for this stuff that they injected into your arms, you will likely have to get rid of your atrophying arms in some sixty days or so, if you continue to carry the dragon. If you abort it, we don’t know if your arms will take far longer to atrophy or not. We’ve no idea on that situation. However, by virtue of your birthright as a Duska, you will still be able to learn magic, like my sisters, Rayna and Lida have. Once the ceremony is completed, I give you my word that I will see that you are fully trained as a full Duska ought to have been trained.”

  “What I am saying is that you could take the potion of Izabela’s today and get started on everything else tomorrow.” She brightened up considerably.

  “However, Adrianna, there is something else to consider before doing that. Ordinarily, a Duska will spend between six and ten years learning magic and how to best use their special Duska skills. My two sisters are prime examples. Furthermore, until I came along twenty-one years ago now, never in the entire history of the Federation of the Sixteen Planets has a Duska ever become an Archmage. I was the first to be able to join both together. Since then, my dear wife Zdenka has been able to train Duskas Verushka, Nadia, Chesna, and Zelenka to this ultimate Archmage level, an incredible feat unheard of even within the Federation.”