The Three Swords (The Ways of Mages)

by Catherine Beery

  Ryan watched the three men staring intently at their cards. Bored guards always seemed to have an eternal love for gambling to pass the time. Ryan glanced about the room and smiled. The flames flaring halfheartedly in the torches were bored too. Apparently the men had done nothing more than play this game over and over again. They would take turns to go down the stairs to feed those down there. They would then return and continue their never ending game.

  Shall we play our own game? Ryan asked them silently, one fire to another. The torches flared brightly before dimming to nothing, the flames hiding in a deeply buried coal.

  “What the hell!?”the men cried out. Chairs scrapped and one crashed to the floor as two men stood up. The third was frozen to his seat.

  Now my friends.Ryan communicated to his team. Eagerly, with crackling giggles, the torches flared again. The guards yelped against the sudden light in the dark room. They covered their eyes. So they didn’t see Ryan strike down the first man to stand. Tommy saw the shadow of the younger thief streak across the wall opposite the doorway. The first guard dropped with a crash and the torches dimmed to nothing again.

  The guards panted.“Trent?”the one sitting asked. No one answered. That must have been the name of the first man down. Ryan mused as he lined himself up for the next strike. It didn’t take long. The guards were just lowering their hands when the torches leapt to life again. Ryan once again moved as the second standing man flailed against the light. He grunted as Ryan’s dagger hilt hit his temple. The sitting man opened his eyes as the second man fell. Ryan threw the dagger and the blade thunked, quivering, into the table just before the sitting man’s wide eyes. The last guard threw himself backward just as the torches dimmed once again, hissing in amusement. There was a crash as the final man’s chair hit the ground and he tripped over it. There was a crack as his head hit the stone floor.

  The torches came out of their hiding as Ryan checked the man’s pulse. He was still alive. Ryan nodded his head in thanks to the torches who thanked him for the fun game and asked if he would give them the forgotten cards? They had their own game they wished to play with the things. Ryan smiled and rose from his crouch.

  Ryan’s three companions entered the room as Ryan picked up the cards and gave some of them to each torch. Duncan and Trevor both frowned at Ryan’s behavior. Tommy watched him for a moment before asking.“How did you do that?”At Ryan’s raised brows he continued“How did you get the flames to rise and fall. I didn’t feel any magic.”

  “I didn’t either.”Duncan added. Trevor nodded in agreement.

  “Why would I use magic, even if I had it?”Ryan asked shaking his head.“To use magic here would be just asking the enemy to come and get us.”

  “So how did you get the torches to flare like that?”the big knight asked gesturing at the merrily burning torches. The playing cards shriveled in their burning embrace.

  Ryan shrugged.“They were bored of the game. I gave them another to play.”

  The three companions stared at each other. Tommy turned a speculative gaze toward Ryan.“Fieressen was the son of the dragon, Firen, and the Lady Cyendara, a Ucora...”Kindra had said.“Ucora are unicorns born of the Heart of Fire…” Tommy wished he had asked what that had meant. But was it possible that a Ucora was able to control fire? Not through the use of magic, but because it was a kind of fire? Was that possible? It would explain some of the things Ryan could do.

  “It must be nice being a three thousand year old dragon.”Tommy began.

  Ryan gave him a look.“How many times must I tell you people? I’m nota dragon.”

  “And your hair just happens to be auburn.”Tommy replied.

  “Brown. Not red.”Ryan clarified as he started toward the stairs.

  “Auburn is a redish brown.”Trevor joined in.“So therefore, red.”

  Ryan gave a frustrated sighed.“Red, brown, purple…what does it matter?”

  “Red hair means you have strong magic or you have dragon blood. Of course one kind of means the other.”Duncan answered.

  “Perela has dark hair and she is the daughter of a dragon half-breed.”Ryan pointed out.

  “I’ve seen red highlights in certain lighting.”Duncan said.

  “And wouldn’t most people like being called a dragon?”Trevor observed quietly.

  Ryan shook his head and muttered something caustic under his breath. The other three shared a look. They all felt that they were close to unraveling Ryan’s secrets. Or at the very least, getting him to admit it.

  They soon found Jason deep in the dungeons. Trevor clutched the bars between them as Tommy picked the lock on the door.“Jason!”

  Jason grinned on the other side.“Trevor. Its good to see you cousin.”

  Trevor shook his head.“Tell me, why is it I always have to save you?”

  “Come on, really?”Jason snorted.“You haven’t had to come save me in years. And this time it wasn’t my fault at all.”

  Trevor only shook his head as the lock clicked open. Jason walked out and Trevor embraced him.“Come on. Let’s get out of here.“The older McGill said.

  Jason took a step back and shook his head.“Not yet. We can’t leave her here.”

  “Her?”Three of the four rescuers blinked. Ryan was down the hall watching for trouble.

  “Yeah, Altana.”Jason said gesturing to the cell next to his.

  His cousin gapped at him.“She is the enemy! Did you hit your head or something?”

  Jason grimaced and touched the still sore part.“Yeah, but she isn’t the evil sorceress anymore. She is as much a victim of the Dark as the rest of us. She has changed.”Jason looked to Duncan.“Sir, Elainia and I have been sharing the gospel with her. I know that God has worked a miracle. Please, we have to get her out of here.”

  Duncan glanced at both Tommy and Trevor. He then nodded at Tommy.“God does work in mysterious ways. Besides, why would the Sorceress be here unless something has happened? A break possibly between her and the Dark.”

  Tommy nodded and approached the cell door.“You mentioned Elainia…how is that possible?”He asked Jason.

  Jason grabbed hold of one of the bars of Altana’s cell and said.“She talks to Elainia. She knows things that only Elainia would know. The ways she tells me what Elainia was saying is just as Elainia would speak. And considering that she is nearly out of her mind in pain I can’t doubt her.”

  The door unlocked and Jason entered the cell and tried to assist Altana to her feet. The woman was very frail and heavy with child. She whimpered in pain and squeezed her eyes shut as Jason guided her out of her cell. The dim torch light was too bright for her. Duncan, Trevor, and Tommy gasped in shock at the half healed wounds that marred Altana’s cold beauty. Yes, she had had a scar down the left side of her face, but that was nothing compared to the rest of her face and body. The woman had been through hell.

  Ryan’s gasp attracted their attention. Panting Ryan stumbled toward them. It took him several excruciating moments before he could gasp out.“We need to go! and GO NOW!”

  It was too late. A procession of Maltacken priests rounded the corner. There were too many and Altana’s condition was such that they couldn’t run.

  WHAT IS THIS? a thunderous voice asked. Altana shrank against Jason with a whimper. A dark shadowy form stood in the middle of the priests. Evil permeated the air. The shadow could be only one thing…The Dark Lord Maltacken continued. GUESTS ON THE NIGHT OF MY HUSK’S BIRTH? HOW MARVELOUS…GET THEM.

  The priests had the companions restrained in moments. The tight space and the overwhelming numbers saw to that. The group was bound and dragged out of the dungeon and up through the palace. All the way to the top of the highest tower.

  “Well, well. What have we here?”Proconsul Salvo said eying the rebels with interest.

  THEY HAD BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO BRING ALTANA OUT FOR US. I THOUGHT THEY DESERVED THE HONOR OF WITNESSING THE BIRTH OF MY HUSK. Maltacken announced.

  The child sized, swarthy man grinned maliciously.
“I’m sure that can be arranged.”He then nodded toward Altana. Two priests came forward and dragged the broken Altana toward an alter large enough for a full grown man to lay upon it. Now if the experience was comfortable was somewhat debatable considering the stone surface was used for sacrifices.

  Altana trembled as she lay upon its surface. Her swollen stomach seemed very large to her. Her eyes widened when Salvo approached. He smiled nastily at her before placing a hand on her belly. She gulped as her body tensed. Birthing pain flowed out from her lower half. Altana whimpered. If felt as if the baby was trying desperately to get away from the evil hand resting on her flesh.

  Tears gleamed in the corners of Jason’s eyes as he watched Altana struggle through a labor her body couldn’t possibly survive. He glanced at his companions. Each one was grim. Each wanted to help the woman get through the pain, to at least be next to her. She might have been the enemy at one time, but now she only seemed like a lost and lonely girl. Her screams could have been heard in the city. She writhed and no one who could did anything to help her. Salvo and Maltacken seemed to enjoy her pain.

  Unknown to anyone, Elainia pulled Altana from the brink of insanity.“Breathe, Altana. Just breathe.”Elainia tried to sooth the birthing woman.“Breathe with me. Okay, now I’m going to count to three and then you are going to push.”Altana moaned in denial. Her head rocked from side to side.“You have to.” Elainia said.“Think of it this way, the sooner you bring the baby into the world, the sooner the pain will end. Elainia did have a point. Altana shivered and worked to breathe when Elainia did.“Now, one, two, three. Push!”Elainia directed. Lost in the pain, Altana did as she was told. She pushed. And cried.“Good job. Now breathe. Here we go, same thing. One, two, three, PUSH!” Elainia guided. It took a couple more pushes, but the baby did come out.

  A priest came forward. He gathered the baby close so he could be cleaned and swaddled. The baby cried and it was one of the most beautiful sounds Altana had ever heard. The baby was alive, the pain she had felt so long ago in South Port when she had touched the sword in her father’s machine had not killed him. She had tested it then, but it was good to know the spell hadn’t been wrong. The baby was in the world now and she wondered how she could save him from what had been her master.

  Any future plans she might have made were interrupted by a renewal of the birthing pain.“You said it would STOP!”Altana thought at her invisible coach. Mostly because she was too inarticulate to say it out loud.

  “There must be another.”Elainia said surprised.”You have to keep going.” Altana whimpered, but followed Elainia’s coaching once again. Another baby soon came into the world. This one didn’t make a sound.

  Maltacken, who had been seeking a way into the first baby turned toward the second. The priest who wrapped and cleaned it announced that it was alive. It was just silent. And when it opened its eyes they were empty. Maltacken found it easy to slip into the silent vessel. There was no soul to resist him.

  The first was given to Altana. The exhausted woman gasped when she saw the baby’s clear blue-gray eyes. The tender expression the baby gave her as he reach a tiny hand toward her face made all the pain worth it. Altana held him to her as best as she could, grateful that there had been twins. She wondered absently if the sword had split her child into two individuals. One that had a soul and one that didn’t. But if it did do that, why? And how?

  Meanwhile, Salvo smiled as the Lord of Shadows disappeared into the second baby. The Proconsul then stepped closer to the bound prisoners.“Behold,”he began.“The Child of the Dark.”The captive men glared at him. Two caught his attention. He tilted his head as he studied both the lanky tall man and the much shorter man, a boy really, with auburn hair.“Did you enjoy exploring my inner study?”He asked them.

  Both of their eyes widened. Salvo smirked and stepped closer to them.“The wonders of layered security. You may have escaped then, but now you will pay…”He trailed of, his attention straying to the younger of the two men. There was something about this one that was familiar. Golden eyes met his and Salvo knew exactly who he was. Youngest the lad may look, but he was by far the oldest of the captives.

  Salvo laughed and everyone on the tower watched him warily, much like sheep watch a wolf.“My, this night is full of wonder.”Salvo turned to the black eyed Child of the Dark.“Maltacken, we have been gifted with a dragon soul for you.”

  Ryan’s eyebrows rose as the others glanced uneasily at each other. Jason, who had never met the young thief, shook his head.“There is no dragon here.”He said.

  Duncan, Trevor, and Tommy each felt sick. Not long before they had been teasing Ryan, trying to get him to admit something they had long suspected. But if their suspicions were true, which they were appearing to be, Ryan was in more danger than they could have ever dreamed. He was a seer, he might have seen what was coming. If he had, why had he ventured to the most dangerous place for him?

  Salvo smirked at Jason and gestured to the priests. They dragged Ryan forward.“That, boy, is where you are wrong.”the proconsul said.“For this is the Seeing Dragon, Firessen. If I am not mistaken.”

  “You are, actually. The name is Ryan. Ryan Shadehand.”Ryan said with a mocking smile. He received a rather excessive slap that left a welt on his cheek. Blinking, he was dragged toward the alter. Altana was dragged off of it, her arms cradling the baby close to her in an attempt to protect him.“That was uncalled for, don’t you think?”Ryan muttered.“Considering I am not what you are looking for at all…”

  “Your blood may not be pure dragon, but you have a dragon’s soul.”Salvo explained before Ryan could continue.“I do not understand why you think you can hide it, since it is rather hard to miss. Or deny.”

  Ryan stopped listening as he was hulled forcefully onto the stone surface. He began to pray silently. Dear God, if it is Your will, please forgive that oath I made to You all those years ago. As always, You were right, I cannot hide behind my mother’s heritage anymore…

  Unknowing of the silent request being made, Salvo leaned over Ryan a ceremonial dagger in his hand.“I wonder, will you plead and beg like your pretty mate did before she died?”Ryan stilled and stared at him with wide gold eyes. Salvo grinned.“Didn’t know that, did you?”Obviously enjoying reliving the memory Salvo explained.“She begged and begged. For her life and her little ones. Eventually she just begged for her offspring’s’lives. It was rather pathetic.”Salvo chuckled.“Beautiful, but pathetic.”the Proconsul leaned closer.“Did you like the present I made of her for you to find?”

  Silence reigned over the tower, so every word could be heard. Duncan met the shocked gazes of his companions. They were right in guessing who Ryan really was, but what was this about a mate? Tommy didn’t know. Kindra had never said anything about Ryan, or Fieressen rather, being married. Duncan’s eyes widened when he saw a priest snatch the baby Altana tried to clutch to her chest.

  Ryan’s eyes burned. In his mind’s eye he could see his Pyra’s ravaged and skinned body in the clearing again.“You bastard…”Ryan spat. Salvo grinned and raised the dagger over Ryan. Ryan’s eyes narrowed.“Salvo, did you ever hear about Rageron?”Ryan asked softly. Salvo blinked. He then dodged out of the way as quickly as he could. Ryan had ceased to be flesh. Instead he was flame. In a flash Ryan’s flame had everyone dropping to the ground to avoid him. The priest with the first baby was forced to the ground half way to the wall. The heat radiating off of the living flames was intense.

  Tommy managed to snag a knife from one of the priests who was near him. Before any could notice, he cut Duncan’s ties. Duncan was returning the favor when the scythe like flames contracted to the center point of the tower.

  Ryan regained his human form, his auburn hair had been burned away to be replaced by bright red-gold locks. His eyes opened and they were black like coals. Ryan hadn’t felt this strong in ages. The power of his father’s blood joined his mother’s. The old pain also returned, but now it had a target: Salvo. He listened to the hea
t of the earth and invited it up. It wanted to burn and melt. He wanted the same thing…He could feel the palace shudder as the earth’s blood welled under it. The force was such that it knocked the big knight off his feet. His gaze focused on the priest who held Altana’s baby. The man was almost to the wall.

  A woman’s scream cut through the red haze of Ryan’s mind and he blinked. The gold of his eyes returned with rational thought. His throat tightened to see the priest who had taken Altana’s baby was at the wall. Duncan was trying to pick himself up, but the trembling stone was not helping. Trevor and Tommy were busy trying to fight the priests with knives they had stolen. Jason was struggling toward Altana and a priest who held her back so she couldn’t save her child. The baby with a soul was held over the precipice.

  The baby fell with a scream that was echoed by his sobbing mother. The shrill cry stopped as the priest turned with a cruel smile on his face. Ryan’s eyes widened as the swaddled bundle rose above the battlements behind the priest. Beneath the bundle was a storm cloud gray snout. A draconic head rose over the tower wall. Opaque eyes took in the battle raging on the tower with indifferent hunger. Everyone who saw it felt horror.

  “Kal’es” Ryan breathed. The priest who stood just before the creature stilled before turning slowly. He yelped and cast an instinctive attack spell at the creature. It opened its mouth and swallowed the magic. The baby slipped and began to roll off the creature’s face. Instinct made Ryan react.“Camzah!” he called. His long neglected dragon magic caught the baby and brought it to him. The pressure in the air brought the kal’es onto the tower. Ryan backed away.

  Stone screamed as the tower pitched to one side. Duncan grunted as he hit the wall. His eyes widened when he saw the red lava creeping up the side of the palace. Screams could be heard below as it seeped through melted windows. A section of the palace fell down into the lava’s searing clutches.“We need to get out of here.” Duncan turned and shouted“We need to get out of here NOW!”The fight had paused when the tower tilted.