The Aduramis Chronicles: Volumes 1-3: The Definitive Collection

by Harrison Davies

  ‘I’m a dragon wrangler. I don’t do nothing other than looking after dragons, honest.’

  Jericho released his grip on the man though did not lower the wand. ‘What is your name, dragon wrangler?’

  ‘Silentus Madook.’ His eyes darted here and there and looked for an escape.

  Did this little man really handle dragons? If so, Jericho knew better than to underestimate him.

  ‘They don’t need much handling really. I feed them six times a day, and muck them out every morning,’ Silentus offered with a weak smile. He wiped his brow, which had begun to bead with sweat.

  ‘The Wizards, why do they need dragons, what do they use them for?’

  ‘Well, they travel from here to the mainland mostly, and back again, like.’

  ‘How come you are working for these people?’ Jericho demanded, and searched for a lie in the man’s eyes.

  ‘Believe me, it isn’t by choice. I run up a bit of a gambling debt, like,’ Silentus began. ‘As it turns out, I couldn’t pay. So anyway, this chap, he comes to me, he does and says he can write off my debt, but I have to work for him, on account as how I’m good with horses, you see.’

  ‘Go on,’ Jericho said.

  ‘Well, that’s it, I thought I was looking after horses. Instead, it turns out its dragons. You know, I’ve been here ten years. You would have thought I’d have paid off my debt by now.’

  Jericho grunted, and then signalled Eraywen to join them.

  ‘I’d do anything to go home, I would. God knows what the wife will say,’ Silentus mused.

  ‘Indeed. Perhaps I can help you get home.’ An idea had formed in Jericho’s mind. ‘You get us transport out of here, and I will ensure you and your family are kept safe until all this blows over.’

  ‘I’m not sure about that. These people are ruthless murdering scum.’ Silentus shook his head worriedly.

  ‘These people are amateur at best. I, on the other hand, am a general of a grand army.’

  ‘How come you got caught then?’

  ‘That, my friend, is thanks to one of your bloody great big dragons.’

  ‘Ah!’ said Silentus sheepishly.

  ‘Ah is right. Now, will you help us?’

  Silentus thought carefully. ‘If only to see the back of you, then yes.’

  ‘Fine, then I shall honour our agreement once we are off this island,’ said Jericho, and offered Silentus a hand in friendship.

  Silentus took the hand and shook it, sealing the deal.

  ‘There is one question I have. Are these dragons used in combat? I plan to escape and don’t particularly fancy coming up against one of them; they are fearsome creatures. I would like to know how to defeat one if I cannot ride one out of here, and you seem to be best placed to advise me on that.’

  Silentus grimaced. ‘It’s possible they use them for defence, I can’t say I’ve seen that. But I tell you, it isn’t an easy thing to kill a dragon, near impossible if the stories are to be believed. They can’t be trained, but they are vulnerable to certain types of magic that can take away their free will for a while, helpful if you want to use them as transport. Take away its mind and ability to protect itself and then strike at the heart, and it will die, hopefully, if you do it right.’

  Jericho looked hopeful. ‘We will talk later on this. Now lead on, friend, we don’t have all day.’

  They stepped into the bright sunlight and immediately squinted, blinded by the sun’s rays that cut through a light mist that enveloped the island. It was a few moments before their eyes adjusted, and their new surroundings came into focus. An enormous solitary tower made from a cold, dark stone, rose hundreds of feet into the air. Low cloud skirted its bulk high up, and at the base of the tower, a building made from the same material gathered moss. It had a pitched roof made from straw, and from this angle, no doors or windows could be seen.

  ‘The building is really two,’ said Silentus. ‘To the left is the barracks and the right holds a meeting hall.’

  ‘Who meets there?’ Eraywen asked.

  ‘I don’t rightly know, they keep us away when there’s a meeting going on, but I do hear the guards talking, and they say a council of oath breakers meet here twice a week. Today is one of those days, and I was sent away as usual. I took the opportunity to catch up on some sleep.’

  Jericho thought long and hard. Warlocks, for that, was what Silentus had meant, liars and dark wizards by any other name, meeting here, but why? This might be his one chance to find out. ‘I want to take a closer look at those attending the meeting. Where is the best place?’

  ‘It would be suicide to try to get close to the building during a meeting,’ Silentus objected. ‘Though, if you are mad enough to try it, I do have a suggestion. The barracks are usually empty during the gathering as the guards are busy protecting the wizards.’

  ‘How does that help us?’

  ‘The wall between the two buildings is quite thin in the roof space. If you can get into the barracks unseen, you should be able to crawl through the roof space into the meeting hall.’

  ‘You seem very knowledgeable about this?’ Jericho eyed Silentus suspiciously.

  ‘Well, I should.’ Silentus shrugged. ‘I went poking about in the meeting room some time ago. I heard someone coming and panicked. I hid in the only place I could; the roof.’

  ‘How did you get out?’

  ‘Well, I couldn’t leave the way I came in, so I removed a few loose stones from the wall and slipped through. Thankfully no one was around.’

  ‘Well, we need a plan,’ Jericho began. ‘Eraywen, I think you should stay out of sight, while Silentus checks to see if the barracks are clear. If they are, he signals me, and I will slip in undetected.’

  Eraywen stepped up to Jericho, nose-to-nose, and scowled at him. ‘Why are you doing this? We need to escape. We should have been in their master’s presence minutes ago. By now they will be missing us.’

  ‘I know you are frightened, my sweet. But these troll droppings nearly destroyed our spiritual home, and I mean to find out who they are so that we can put a stop to their crimes. I will be gone mere moments.’

  ‘Why you?’ Eraywen whined. ‘Why not someone else?’

  ‘This may be the only chance we get to do this. There is no one else here who can.’

  ‘We should be making all haste to get off this island. It’s dangerous enough,’ Eraywen pleaded.

  ‘Enough!’ said Jericho gruffly. ‘The decision is made.’

  ‘I am not one of your soldiers to command,’ Eraywen half whispered, her eyes lowered.

  ‘No, you are my wife, but you are no tactician and fail to see the bigger picture. I do this to protect you. Now, please, let me do what I do best.’

  ‘Have you quite finished?’ Silentus asked. ‘Only the meeting is due to begin if I’ve read the sun correctly.’

  ‘Oh, you’ve read it correctly, for a traitor.’

  Silentus wheeled around at the sound of the new voice, and immediately a fist struck him in the stomach. He doubled up in pain, and then a second punch connected with his jaw. He fell onto his back and was knocked out cold as his head hit the ground hard.

  Jericho raised his wand in defence yet knew before he looked that he would be outmanoeuvred.

  ‘Now that I have your attention, I suggest you drop your wand, general. Despite what you did to Nestis, thank you, by the way, the master still wishes to see you.’ Le’roth smirked. He flicked his wand up and down as an indication that Jericho should drop his.

  Jericho fleetingly contemplated a duel with Le’roth, though he knew the man would not be alone, and his instincts proved to be correct when several wizards appeared out of thin air, accompanied by loud cracks.

  He was outnumbered, and unsure if he was fast enough to take out all of them before they struck back. There was the additional fear that he would hit his wife if he used a destruction spell. What about Eraywen? She was now in the greatest danger. He had to act, but how?

  ‘Ca
ught twice in as many days, general. We are losing our touch.’ Le’roth chuckled to himself and circled Jericho. ‘Now, if you do not mind, follow me to the master. He is waiting.’

  ‘If I refuse?’

  Le’roth looked at him, amused. This man dared to test him. ‘Then you pay the price.’ He raised his wand, and a jet of red light erupted from its tip.

  It struck Eraywen squarely in the chest. Her face was one of shock as the life left her eyes. Jericho launched himself forward as she fell to her knees and caught her in mid-air. He knew instantly that she was dead as she lay in his arms.

  ‘Perhaps now you will do as you are asked,’ said Le’roth, his tone and expression unmoved.

  Jericho, with a solitary tear that ran down his nose, gently kissed Eraywen on her forehead, and then with his fingers, he closed her eyes to the world for the last time.

  He picked up his wife’s lifeless body in his strong arms and slowly made his way to the barracks several yards away. He was aware, if only distantly, that Le’roth shouted commands and orders to him, yet he paid no heed.

  Le’roth’s companions stepped aside and permitted him to pass, unwilling to interfere in the man’s grief.

  He reached the doorway, and kicked the wooden door open with a crunch, and then located the nearest cot. There he gently laid Eraywen onto it, and knelt beside her, faintly aware of a presence behind him.

  ‘I don’t care what happens to me,’ said Jericho flatly. ‘But see to it that she is buried with dignity.’

  ‘It will be done as you ask,’ said a female voice. ‘However, I must bind you now.’

  He was vaguely aware that his hands had been tied with leather strips, and then he was assisted to his feet.

  Jericho, dazed with grief, allowed himself to be manoeuvred to the meeting hall that neighboured the barracks.

  The decoration of the room was lost on Jericho; his eyes focused on his feet. He had lost countless men in battle, although no amount of training or combat experience had prepared him for this. He blamed himself. If only he had not delayed.

  The spacious meeting room held a single large wooden table, an ellipse of highly polished oak. There was a cut-out that led to a central circle, that permitted a speaker to stand within and address those sitting at the table. The circumference held thirteen highly decorated chairs, each with the carved representation of a dragon. The walls were draped in elegant red and gold standards emblazoned with the symbol of the dragon, thirteen in all. Each was different, one for each of the attendees. The central standard was by far the largest and sported the shape of a giant black dragon ready to pounce. This matched the central chair, larger than the rest.

  In this chair sat a hooded figure. A long beard of grey snaked its way to the floor. A gnarled hand that wore several bejewelled rings grasped the top of a wooden staff, which was inlaid with a band of gold that wound its way down the shaft and ended in a golden dragon claw.

  Jericho was forced to kneel several feet from the figure in the chair.

  Only then did the figure look up. ‘Dareth Jericho. How you have aged,’ he said and dropped his hood. Long grey hair tumbled to his shoulders, and a heavily scarred face looked intently at him. Piercing green eyes held his gaze. Jericho had the sudden compulsion to look away but maintained his stare.

  The grey-haired man raised a bony finger and beckoned. ‘Come closer so I may see you better,’ he rasped.

  Jericho struggled to his feet and moved forward a few steps before he was again forced to kneel by his captor.

  ‘You have me at a disadvantage, Sir,’ Jericho began. ‘Who are you?’

  ‘Ever the gentleman, Dareth. All in good time. I was hoping to meet your lovely wife again. Where is she?’

  The young woman who guarded Jericho stepped forward and cleared her throat. She looked nervously at her master. ‘I am sorry. She is dead.’

  The master rose sharply. ‘Dead!’ he roared. ‘What do you mean dead? How did she die?’

  Jericho’s captor dropped her eyes as the wizard rushed forward and stood toe-to-toe with her.

  ‘I said, how did she die?’

  Le’roth stepped into the intimate gathering. ‘I killed her, my Lord.’

  The dark wizard swung to face him and reared to his full height. His eyes blazed red with fury.

  ‘Fool! Now the general will never defect, and no magic can turn him to our cause,’ he screamed.

  Le’roth backed away and trembled with fear. The master raised a wrinkled grey hand and cast a death curse at Le’roth. The latter gasped as a red energy ball hit him full force in the chest. He flew across the room and skidded to a stop against the meeting room wall. His focus fixed and his eyes dilated. His body gave a final sigh as the breath left him for the last time.

  Jericho inwardly rejoiced at the death of the man who had taken the life of his beloved. So he had been correct, these people had wanted him to turn spy against his people.

  ‘That is the price of failure,’ said the cloaked figure to no one in particular. ‘Something I should have done to him long ago.’

  Nobody said a word, too afraid of their master’s anger and of his next move. It was not long before he made it.

  ‘I suppose you think I am going to kill you too, Dareth, now that my plan has failed. Well, do not worry, you are safe, for now.’ The wizard hoisted Jericho to his feet and put an arm around his shoulders. He led him outside into the cool sea breeze. ‘Dareth, I am truly sorry for the loss of your wife. It is regrettable.’

  ‘Regrettable?’ Jericho snarled.

  ‘Indeed, I had never intended for my friend to be hurt in this way.’ A momentary flicker of remorse passed the man’s eyes.

  ‘We are not friends,’ Jericho sneered.

  ‘I take it, then, that my appearance prevents you from recognising me?’

  ‘Am I supposed to know you?’

  ‘Dareth, you and I were friends for many years, until the day you killed me.’

  The general shot him a questioning look, and then the truth became apparent. He was looking into the heavily scarred face of his closest and most beloved friend, Lordich Secracar.

  Lordich had conspired with Draken to overthrow The Brotherhood of The Wulf and establish his own rule in the seat of power. After a fierce battle between The Brotherhood and Lordich’s armies, Major Jericho, his rank at the time, had single-handedly captured Lordich alive. Draken had escaped and was found some time later, hiding in a concealed chamber built into a well in the grounds of his home. He claimed that Lordich had controlled his thoughts and actions with a mind-altering herb concoction.

  Investigations into Draken’s claim could not conclusively disprove his testimony, yet he was banished from the temple by Curator Menin. His great marble statue within the temple grounds was defaced, alongside Lordich’s own. They remained to this day as a reminder to those who might choose the wrong path.

  His peers, however, found Lordich guilty and sentenced him to death for sedition. He appealed the decision, but Archmage Orodor upheld the verdict, and Major Jericho was given the order to execute his friend at dawn the next day. He had pleaded with Orodor that he be spared the grim task. Orodor would not hear of it, and so the order stood.

  The hour arrived for the execution to take place, and Lordich was led out of the temple dungeon in chains and under heavy guard by his former friends.

  Brethren lined the paved walkway from the temple to witness the betrayer being led away. Some booed and jeered him as he went, yet he steadfastly ignored them, proud to the last.

  Execution in this manner had not occurred for one thousand five hundred years, so far back there was only one reference to the deed in the temple archive. To kill a dark wizard was not an easy task; many had lost their lives trying. It was determined the only true way to kill such a foe was to cast him into a fiery volcano, and thereby obliterate all traces of the condemned. The timing was critical, as a dark wizard possessed powerful magic, as the tale of the wizard Rindoch reminded them. />
  The dark warlock Rindoch had escaped his fiery death by summoning a dragon to his side moments before he hit the volcanic magma. He was snatched out of thin air and whisked away to safety under the very noses of his guard.

  The people of the village suffered at his hands for many years after that. Therefore, no chances had been taken with Lordich. He would be bound hand and foot and locked inside a heavy iron cage, too great for a dragon to lift easily. The cage would be tethered with a rope to prevent it being taken. As a final measure, an anti-porting spell was cast over the cage, preventing any chance of escape.

  Lordich calmly allowed himself to be bound and assisted into the cage that would ferry him to his death. Had he planned an escape? Jericho had instructed his men to be extra vigilant.

  Horses heaved the cart laden with the cage and carried it to a clearing in the woods to the north of the Sanctuary. Here The Order had constructed a platform above a pit that led to a magma lake below. Sanctuary, under Rindor’s protection, was once the site of an active volcano; now the lake bubbled away harmlessly.

  The cage was unceremoniously dragged onto the platform by a dozen tethered horses, all of whom strained under the weight. It was raised by pulleys over the pit, where it dangled precariously.

  Major Jericho, dressed in a black cape and hood, clambered up the steps to the platform. He did not look directly at the prisoner; instead, he directed his attention to the crowd that had gathered to witness the event. Ghouls, he thought as he raised a hand for silence. He took a moment to steel himself.

  ‘Brothers and Sisters, we meet today in the worst of circumstances. However, what we do today will serve as a message to those who oppose truth and justice.’ He walked the length of the platform, a frown creasing his brow. ‘Do not be saddened that we lose a friend; instead, rejoice that we rid the world of one more corrupt and evil individual.’

  Jericho allowed a moment for his words to sink in, and winced as a cheer resounded from the growing crowd.

  ‘Lordich, the traitor and conjurer of dark magic, has, before his peers, been condemned as an oath breaker and is sentenced to death. I ask you now, Lordich, do you have any final words before sentence is carried out?’