Erik And The Dragon ( Book 4)

by Sam Ferguson

  The going was slow at first. The upper portion of the cliff trails were littered with loose shale, gravel, and small branches and twigs. The morning dew still sat upon the grass and foliage, adding an additional degree of difficulty to an already demanding path. The nearby roaring waterfall meant that each of them had to yell if they wanted to be heard by anyone else, but Erik didn’t mind that part. It meant that Tatev couldn’t ramble on with one of his endless historical anecdotes.

  He turned around and saw Tatev’s mouth moving. He wasn’t sure who the man was talking to, but he was still talking despite the waterfall. Just then, Erik’s foot slipped a little. Not enough that anyone else noticed, but enough to make him turn around and focus on the trail. He was grateful that he did, because one more step would have put him in a pile of mule dung. Erik stepped around the steaming brown pile and continued on down the trail.

  The pool below glistened in the morning sun, almost making up for the lack of trees or vegetation on the valley floor. The black, dry soil stretched out before them like a thick carpet over the valley floor. Dead, gray trees twisted up into the sky or lay scorched upon the ground. No birds sang, no bees hummed. There was no movement anywhere in the entire valley that Erik could see, other than his group.

  After about an hour of switching back and forth down the trail, the group made it to the bottom, near the tear-shaped pool of water. One of the mules went over to the pool to drink, but Marlin was quick to pull the animal away from the water.

  “The water isn’t good here,” Jaleal said casually as he walked up beside Erik and peered into the depths of the pool. “It comes from a good source, but the valley corrupts it.”

  Erik started to ask about it, but he saw Tatev walking toward them so he thought better of it and quickly moved back into the line behind Lepkin and Dimwater.

  The group was silent as they forged ahead over the rough terrain. The trail had stopped by the pool, so now they just picked their way over the barren landscape as best they could. Dust kicked up around their footprints and it was then that Erik realized there were no other prints in the ground. There were no tracks or marks of any kind. He decided he would keep an eye to the ground, looking to see if he could spot any tracks or scat of any kind. After four hours of walking, he gave up the pursuit, realizing there would be no other tracks.

  At least there were no beings like what he had seen last night. No howling winds and no ghosts. That was definitely a good thing as far as Erik was concerned. He thought back to the one that had almost pulled him down off the cliff. As he recalled the terrible being, his skin tightened into goose bumps and he couldn’t help but look over his shoulder.

  Tatev caught Erik’s gaze and offered a happy, but tired, smile. Erik returned the gesture and slowed down to let the librarian catch up with him. Perhaps one of Tatev’s anecdotes would help him pass the time without thinking of last night’s ghosts.

  “Having fun?” Tatev asked when he caught up to Erik.

  “Not exactly,” Erik said. “Any more luck with the book?”

  Tatev shook his head. “I have only read a few pages.” He fidgeted with his fingers, rubbing the tips together and then he bit his lower lip for a moment. He stopped and grinned sheepishly when he noticed Erik watching him. “I know it is silly, but I have been hesitant to read even the first portion of the book. I mean, I have always fantasized about reading it, but now that I have it, I am a bit apprehensive.”

  “I understand,” Erik said.

  “You do?” Tatev asked.

  Erik nodded. “I used to day dream about being a mighty warrior, chasing down monsters and earning fame for my family and riches for myself. Now that I actually have that chance, to do something that no one else can try to do, I am scared and so nervous I wish I could just go back to Kuldiga Academy.” Erik looked to the ground and shrugged. “I guess that makes me a bit of a coward.”

  “On the contrary,” Tatev said with a decisive finger in the air. “The fact that you are scared, but continue on with your quest makes you very brave.”

  “That sounds like something Lepkin would say,” Erik said.

  “He is a smart man” Tatev said.

  “Are we doing the right thing?” Erik asked. “I mean, what if Tu’luh is right? What if fighting him really just seals our doom, should we continue on?”

  “Why are you asking me?” Tatev asked.

  “Because you have read a lot of books. You always know so much about any subject we happen to be talking about. If anyone will know the answer, I think you would.”

  “I am flattered,” Tatev said with a half grin. “But, to be honest, the books don’t teach you everything you need to know in life. They are a good start, but they don’t have all the answers.”

  “Then how do we know what we should do?”

  “Well,” Tatev said as he looked on down the valley. “What do you feel we should do?” he asked.

  Erik screwed up his face and snorted.

  “No, I’m serious,” Tatev said. “What do you feel?”

  Erik knit his brow as if he had to think carefully, but he didn’t. He didn’t need more than just an instant to know what he felt. “I must stop Tu’luh, and destroy the book.”

  “Some people call that intuition, others call it instinct, or your gut, but I like to think we are all connected to a higher wisdom if we just listen to what our heart tells us.”

  Erik nodded. “It still doesn’t help me figure out what to do about the vision Tu’luh showed me.”

  “True enough, but if every answer came easily, we would have no challenges in life, and if there were no adversities or hardships, then there would be no satisfaction or triumph. Life would be stale, and we would be stagnant creatures not worthy of the life we have been given.”

  Erik nodded, half-heartedly agreeing as he turned his gaze back to the horizon. The mountains off in the distance started looming closer and closer. Erik noted that even the tall, hard peaks looked as barren as the valley they walked through. Heavy, thick gray clouds hung in the air near the mountains, drifting lazily toward them. A flash of lightning tore through the sky, followed shortly by low, rumbling thunder. A few moments later gray streaks fell from the clouds, signaling the first rain of the storm.

  “Well, at least it will temper the afternoon heat,” Tatev commented.

  The group trudged through the valley, slowing considerably when they caught the rain. The hard, black ground was turned into ankle-deep muck that sucked their boots down with each step. More than a few times Erik found himself stopping to stuff his foot farther into his boot after the mud pulled it part way off. The mules weren’t faring much better either. Their hooves schlucked and popped with each step. The thunder rolled in steadily and the clouds blotted out the sun.

  With the darkness came the howling wind that sent shivers down the back of Erik’s neck.

  Lady Dimwater moved in beside him then. He looked up and saw her hair clinging to her back and her dress stuck to her skin, accentuating all of her curves. Erik blushed and looked away, afraid that either Lady Dimwater or Master Lepkin might have seen his stare. Then a thought came to him.

  “Couldn’t you use your magic to keep us dry?” Erik asked.

  Dimwater laughed softly. “Every expenditure of magic requires strength and energy, just the same as every use of your muscles requires effort on your part. The rain is not hurting us, so there is no need to waste my energy now when we might need it later.”

  “But don’t you conjure up drinks?” Erik asked, recalling the tea she had summoned after catching him in her office. Erik regretted the words almost as soon as they left his mouth. He closed his eyes and turned away from Dimwater.

  She laughed. “Sometimes a person just needs a drink,” she said with a wink.

  Erik chuckled a bit too, relieved that she wasn’t taking offense at his comment.

  The two of them talked for the rest of the trip, until the great towers of Tualdern loomed into view and the group found thems
elves on the brick and stone path leading out of Hamath valley up to the alabaster gatehouse. A deep, wide green moat ringed the tall white walls. The slender, conical towers jutted up into the sky like great spears with windows of rose colored glass.

  “I have long wanted to visit the city of the elves,” Dimwater noted. “Never had reason to do so until today though.”

  “Something is wrong,” Lepkin announced from the front. He turned and motioned for everyone to stop. “There are no sentries at the gate, and the portcullis is open.”

  “No, no, no,” Tatev said. “The elves in Tualdern have the most disciplined warriors in the Middle Kingdom, they would never leave their gatehouse undefended.” The diminutive man jogged up to Lepkin’s side, pushing his spectacles up the bridge of his nose and flipping the lenses down so he could inspect the walls. “The magical wards are gone too.”

  “Well, we can’t camp out in the valley tonight, and we should at least check around inside to see what is going on,” Marlin said.

  “I have a bad feeling about this,” Jaleal commented with a quick glance over his shoulder at the dark and dreary valley.

  “Marlin is right,” Lepkin said. He moved forward with a determined gait. “We go in.” He didn’t draw his weapon, but his hand shifted to hover over the handle at the ready. Jaleal, on the other hand, pulled his mithril spear out and swept his gaze back and forth as he followed Lepkin.

  “Perhaps I will wait out here,” Tatev said nervously.

  “You’ll be safer with us than alone,” Dimwater assured him.

  No one else said anything. Erik moved in between Lepkin and Jaleal, keeping his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. They passed through the gatehouse into a wide, slate courtyard spotted with raised planter beds of blue and green marble filled with roses, tulips, and lilies. A fair share of the flowers had started to wilt and dry up, and weeds could be seen sprouting up around them. Beyond the planters was a central well, covered with a brass, conical grate.

  “Move the mules next to the well,” Lepkin said as he moved off to the nearest door and pressed it open. He motioned for everyone else to wait outside before ducking into the dark portal. What was likely only a couple of minutes seemed an eternity to Erik. The city was quiet, and the previous night’s howls and ghosts played on Erik’s imagination while he fixed his eyes on the doorway and waited for Lepkin to return.

  Thunder rumbled overhead, reverberating on the stone walls and towers through Tualdern. Heavy, round drops of rain fell upon the slate sparsely at first, then the rain thickened and poured out on the group all at once, leaving them little time to scramble under a large second floor balcony for shelter while they waited for Lepkin to return.

  A few moments later the door opened again and Lepkin emerged, brandishing his sword.

  “Find anything?” Dimwater shouted across the courtyard.

  Lepkin scanned the area and then raised a finger to his mouth. He jogged across the courtyard and sheathed his sword just before rejoining the group. “Something terrible has happened here,” he said grimly.

  “Where are the elves?” Jaleal asked.

  Lepkin shook his head. “I don’t know. From the wreckage I saw inside that house there has been some fighting here. We’ll need to search the area for more clues, but my best guess is that the elves are likely holed up somewhere taking shelter, or they are dead.”

  “Dead?” Tatev echoed. “Who could have conquered the elves of Tualdern?”

  “Not who, but what,” Lepkin corrected.

  “What do you mean?” Marlin pressed.

  “Inside the house I saw savage claw marks on furniture and walls. There were also some bloodstains across the floors and walls, but no bodies. Whatever it was, I don’t think it was human.”

  “What is the plan?” Dimwater asked.

  “Split into two groups,” Lepkin replied. “You, me, and Erik will go to the main hall. Marlin, you will take Jaleal and Tatev and search the houses and shops along the eastern side. You can start with this one.” Lepkin pointed to the door behind them.

  Marlin nodded and Jaleal went to press the door open.

  “Divines be with us,” Tatev whispered as he tentatively followed the other two.

  “Come,” Lepkin said to Erik. “We should be quick, and quiet.”

  Erik nodded. He felt the same knot in his stomach that he had endured during the battle at his home. It made his gut flip and lurch until he burped a small amount of stinging, pungent vomit in the back of his mouth. He gagged it down as best he could and tried to keep a straight face.

  Lepkin must have noticed it, because he turned around and placed a hand on Erik’s shoulder. “Nervous?” he asked.

  Erik nodded. “Does the feeling ever go away?”

  Lepkin drew the left corner of his mouth out into a half-grin. “Fear never leaves of its own accord. It falls to you to conquer it, and banish it from your mind.”

  “How?” Erik asked.

  “By realizing that you are stronger than your fears. Live your life in such a way that you will know that your principles are right and true. Then, you will also know that the only enemies you will have are those who stand against truth. Just as truth and right will conquer evil, it will help you banish your fears.” Lepkin paused and looked into Erik’s eyes. “Does that make sense?”

  “I think so,” Erik said. “But, being right doesn’t make me stronger than my enemies, especially if there is some monster that wiped out all of the elves.”

  “You misunderstand,” Lepkin said. “A life lived in pursuit of truth will always result in victory. Even if our enemies are stronger than us –even if they should slay us—we can take comfort knowing that we will live in Volganor alongside the just and good men and women of old. So, do not fear death. Also, don’t let fear cripple you from doing good in life. It will take practice, but you will understand in time.”

  “We should go,” Dimwater said softly.

  Lepkin nodded and the trio walked back into the rain across the courtyard. They checked the myriad roads and alleyways branching away from them as they made their way to the large white and gold palace. If not for the rain and the pit in Erik’s stomach, he might have admired the exquisite workmanship more, but he barely noticed the large golden double doors with crystal inlay, or the stained glass cathedral style windows adorning the sweeping alabaster walls.

  Dimwater flicked her wrist and the doors opened in a flash. A putrid stench wafted out from the opening and forced them each to gag and jerk their heads away, covering their mouths with their sleeves.

  “What is that?” Erik asked.

  “Excrement and death,” Dimwater replied.

  “This must be where they took refuge,” Lepkin said. “Come, let’s go in.”

  Erik forced his feet to follow as Lepkin and Dimwater made their way inside. Despite the many windows, the hall was dark and nearly impossible to see in. Lady Dimwater conjured a blue orb of light over each of them to help them navigate the room.

  Shadows danced and swung around broken benches, overturned tables, and hunks of armor strewn along the brown floor. Erik looked closer at the armor and realized that some of the breastplates or helmets still had bits of their owners inside. Erik’s stomach flipped and he fell to his knees, dry heaving and gasping for breath.

  “Stay with him, I will continue on,” Lepkin told Dimwater.

  The sorceress moved to kneel next to Erik and began weaving a quick spell. A second later the stench was gone from the room and Erik’s stomach calmed. He looked up to her and met her smiling, compassionate eyes.

  “I thought you said it wasn’t good to waste magic?” Erik said.

  “In this case, I don’t think it was a waste,” she replied warmly. “We should continue, Lepkin is already pressing on further. Can you stand?”

  Erik nodded. It was then, as he looked to the floor, that he noticed it wasn’t really brown. It was gray, but there was dried blood covering so much of the floor that it had appeared brown
. His stomach threatened to lurch again, but Dimwater placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “Look at me,” she told him.

  Erik nodded, focused on her eyes, and then rose to his feet and the two of them continued on. They passed by the remains of the shattered ivory thrones and into a rear hallway that led up a flight of spiraling stairs to another grand hall. Here, as before, broken bits of furniture and bodies littered the floor. Spear shafts and broken swords were scattered about, and dried blood covered the floor and streaked along the walls.

  “They fought hard,” Dimwater noted.

  The door at the end of the hall opened and Lepkin came out. “Some of them made it out, I think.”

  “How can you tell?” Dimwater asked.

  “More of a feeling I have,” he replied with a shrug. “Also, the lock on this door wasn’t broken, and the jamb itself shows no sign of forced entry. I think some of the warriors in this room survived, and then they escorted the rest of the survivors out. This room has no blood stains anywhere.”

  “Sounds plausible,” Dimwater said. “Any idea what could have done this?”

  Lepkin shook his head. “No, but I think we should go and get the others. We’ll make camp here for the night.”

  “Here?” Erik asked incredulously.

  Lepkin nodded. “There are heavy wardrobes and large piece of furniture inside this room we can use to bolster the door. It isn’t ideal, but we won’t be able to make it through the valley again before nightfall. And if this thing that attacked the elves is still around, we would do best to take shelter here.”

  “I’ll go and get the others,” Dimwater offered. “You two can prepare the room.”

  Lepkin nodded and motioned for Erik to join him.

  Dimwater was out in the courtyard within a few minutes, looking this way and that for any sign of the others. Her nose happily pulled in the petrichor with each breath, ridding her nostrils of the horrid odors she had endured in the palace. The darkness was seeping into Tualdern now that the sun hung low in the western sky and the rain clouds still sat over the city. She knew she would have to hurry. After passing four streets she saw a couple of people down next to a doorway in a row of buildings. She turned and went to them, thinking it was Marlin and Tatev that she saw.