“We came as quickly as we could. In fact, we almost caught the killer and would have if he didn’t have a means of escape. Escaped the same way he came, right over you and the Sword Slayer,” Richtor retorted, his face now displaying visible anger.
The wind started to kick up a bit, and the sound of leaves rustled from the carefully pruned trees around and in the courtyard. A large gust actually moved several of them as they braced themselves against the growing gale.
“I hate it when I’m right,” Diamedes said, letting out a sigh.
“Right about what?” Richtor asked, raising his voice to be heard above the now loud wind that was blowing from the south.
“Your bigger issue is here,” Diamedes said as the small historian ran to the waist-high wall and lay down along the edge, covering his head with his hands.
“What in Agon are you doing?” Alyssa asked, turning to the man as he lay prone against the short stone wall.
“Taking cover. I suggest you do the same, or arm yourself,” Diamedes shouted now, continuing to cover himself and literally curling into a ball in a fetal position.
“Against what?” Alyssa asked before Richtor could interject.
“Dragon,” Diamedes said, unphased.
The group was easy to spot in the wide, flat expanse of the governmental complex. The normal illumination from the magical spheres alongside the courtyard was more than enough, but in the ultraviolet range where the dragon could see energy signatures, the Kesh wizard glowed a bright white, almost hurting the dragon’s eyes.
Ela Elektra did not understand why the Kesh were so different from the other sheep of Agon. They were one of the few that the Draconus species feared when they awoke from hibernation. The war between the two had raged for millennia, and at times, the wicked wizards were sometimes brought to the edge of extinction. The last few cycles however, they seemed to grow in power. In fact, they prospered and grew powerful. Too powerful, Ela thought to herself.
She willed the wind in front of her toward the courtyard. It had been too long since she last flew and had her way with the sheep of Agon. The charged particles from Tau Ceti bombarded Agon, and Ela harnessed them, much the way those damned Kesh did, to stream in front of her and create a wind that started to stir, calmly enough at first, and then gathering more energy, it started to become a gale, a wall of air that would create panic and confusion in the armed humans below her.
The big red of her kind could do the same, and the air elements were a blue dragon’s specialty, so to speak. In times past, the sheep learned to fear an unannounced wind on a calm night. They would soon learn again.
The attack was silent and deadly. With the wind whipping around them, the group of humans were caught unawares. The blue dragon breathed first, an intense bolt of lightning that appeared to be aimed at Kayrel, who ducked behind the group, and instead, hit Jayrel square in his chest and then arced from person to person, losing strength with each jump.
Seth grabbed Alyssa and pushed her down toward Diamedes, as the flat, open courtyard was too exposed to this aerial attack. The initial bolt of electricity killed the leader of the thieves’ guild instantly, and an arcing bolt knocked the grandmaster assassin on his back. Seth watched, sure that no force other than a dragon or wizard in all of Agon could do that to two of the most powerful people in all the realms.
Richtor screamed a high-pitched squeal and fell back, a smaller bolt arcing across to catch his out-flung arm. Several soldiers were also hit, falling where they stood as their metallic armor assisted in the attack. In fact, Seth was fairly certain that the unarmored amongst them were actually spared the electrical bolt as it searched for conductive material and naturally found the easiest path to ground, which for the hapless soldiers, was through their armor.
Powerful claws clutched at least two soldiers in each as a pair of huge wings flapped above them and knocked a few more troops on their backs, weapons clanging across the flat paved stones of the courtyard.
Graz reacted the quickest and, being the furthest back, was spared the arcing after effects of the first breath weapon. His enormous two-handed sword swung across one of the dragon’s legs and scored a large laceration that bled profusely. A violet ichor splattered across the stones where the hit by the large northern barbarian had drawn blood.
Seth pulled his sword from its sheath and rolled behind the table that had tipped over in the wind. The lone dining table, along with a pair of chairs, were the only cover any of them had.
Seth watched as the dragon roared in pain and anger and flew up and toward the large inner wall that circled the complex and courtyard. As it arrived, it dropped the soldiers who fell, either dead from its claws or soon to die upon impact over thirty feet below. The large beast flapped its wings furiously and alighted upon the wall, one claw grasping an illuminating globe and crushing it, darkening the area where it was perched.
Kaylor tapped his staff against the paved stones and walked slowly toward the wall. The tip of his staff was adorned with a large diamond, and it started to glow, dimly at first, and then with a bright white light that reached the far walls that held the dragon. “Sveti!” he said loudly as light blossomed from the staff’s tip, and Seth watched the dragon narrow its eyes as it stared at the offending wizard.
Graz started to circle to the wizard’s left, opposite of Seth. Seth decided to circle to the right, unsure of what Kaylor was going to do but hoping for a chance to get in a lucky strike. The thought occurred to Seth that the best time to take down a Kesh wizard or a nasty dragon would be when they faced off one against another. The pair was certainly focused on each other as if all other considerations were secondary.
“What are you doing?” Alyssa asked, crouching from her place near the historian who had lowered his arms from his head long enough to watch the spectacle unfolding before them.
“That’s a good question,” Seth responded, not bothering to look back at Alyssa and instead keeping his eyes on the large blue dragon, now sitting on their tall defensive wall as if it owned the place.
“Well, let me know when you find out.” Alyssa now sounded annoyed. Was there truly that much concern for Seth in her voice? Seth was accustomed to being used or employed or played, though usually with his permission, but he wasn’t used to anyone worrying about his well-being.
“Keep an eye on our guest for us while we figure out what we are going to do with this intruder,” Seth said, not bothering to lower his voice in the now silent courtyard.
With the dragon’s attention focused on the wizard, the winds had died down and the rustling leaves of trees and meticulously planted bushes had ceased to the point that the entire courtyard became silent. Well, almost silent if not for the banter between Seth and Alyssa.
“I think I’ll be fine. Thank you for your concern,” Diamedes said.
“Is that you, Master Diamedes? Are you all right?” a faint voice called out from the other side of the main gates that had been lowered earlier that evening. True to her word, Fist Madalena had maintained her post just outside the complex, ready to escort her charge back to their villa.
“That sounds like that ugly woman,” Richtor complained from the ground where he sat near the outer wall. His arm was burned black, and he held it close to his chest. His face grimaced in pain, and Seth wondered that the man could speak at all, much less jest.
“I heard that,” Madalena said, sounding somewhat hurt, which surprised Seth. He didn’t think she was vulnerable to a verbal attack, much less a physical one.
“Now is not the time for levity,” Alyssa scolded the governor.
“Enough, both of you,” Seth chided, continuing to step slowly and carefully to the wizard’s right flank as he gave the northern barbarian a look. The mercenary returned the gaze and nodded and then moved farther to the left of the wizard. Seth would not allow for them to be an easy target.
“Open the gates, now.” Madalena’s voice wafted over the taller walls of the outer defenses.
; “That would not be a good idea right now, Madalena. Can you stay where you’re at for a moment longer?” Diamedes called out, forgetting the formalities with the Fist of Astor.
“I swore an oath to my liege to protect you, Master Historian,” she called back.
“I wouldn’t worry about me,” Diamedes responded as he stood and started to walk toward the wizard.
“Has he lost his mind?” Richtor asked to no one in particular.
Seth hated to take his eyes off the dragon, but he stole a glance back and saw the older man walking slowly toward Kaylor in the middle of the courtyard.
“Where are you going?” Alyssa asked Diamedes.
“I wonder . . .” he responded, allowing the words to die on his tongue.
“Forget about him,” Seth said to Alyssa. “See to Azex.”
Alyssa responded immediately. “The grandmaster is breathing. Jayrel, however, is dead.”
Seth wondered if there was a hint of emotion in her voice before he answered. “All right, see if you can open the sally port door and let that holy warrior into the complex.”
“Why?” Alyssa asked as she moved toward the main gates.
“We can use another fighter right now,” Seth said, allowing his statement to sink in.
“Ulathan, come back. You’ll get yourself killed,” Richtor said from where he sat, back to the waist-high cliff wall. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Has anyone ever tried to talk to one of the Draconus?” Diamedes said softly, continuing to approach the wizard.
“That is a really bad idea,” Richtor said. “I also wouldn’t get near the Kesh; the dragon seems fixated on the man.”’
Seth was counting on exactly that. Despite the fact that an aura of fear was emanating from the beast, he continued to approach the high inner wall, looking for an opening. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but the way the two fixated on one another, he felt he’d have his chance in short order. Seth’s thoughts were broken by the sound of a heavy metal latch being thrown and the faint but distinct sound of metal squealing against metal as Alyssa opened the sally port door.
“Come no closer, Ulathan,” Kaylor finally spoke without taking his eyes from the dragon.
Diamedes paid him no heed and walked up to the Kesh wizard standing just behind him and to his right, Seth’s side. “Have you tried to speak with the Draconus?”
“He’s mad, I’m telling you, completely lost his mind,” Richtor stated, again to an audience of none.
A gasp sounded behind Seth as the holy warrior entered the compound. “Remove your armor, Fist of Astor,” Seth stated while watching the wizard and the historian as they stood looking up at the dragon.
“Over my dead body,” came the reply from Madalena, and Seth heard the sound of a long sword being drawn from its sheath. The Fist was now armed.
Diamedes looked over and waved to his escort to stay back before returning his attention to the Kesh. “May I?” he asked.
“Be my guest,” Kaylor responded, barely moving his lips, and Seth strained to hear him.
Diamedes took a couple of steps forward but stayed to the side of the Kesh, not blocking his line of sight.
“I hate to agree with the governor, but that is a really bad idea, Master Historian,” Alyssa said.
“Well, it’s never been tried in all of recorded history, so perhaps we’ll find out,” Diamedes said, stopping to compose himself a few feet in front of the Kesh.
“Maybe it has but there were no survivors to record the deed,” Kaylor said softly, still not moving.
Diamedes looked back at the man for a moment before turning and addressing the blue dragon in a loud voice. “Ahem.” He cleared his throat. “I am Diamedes of Ulatha, servant to the King of Tyniria. Do you have a name?”
There was a long moment of silence before Richtor spoke. “I don’t think the stupid beast can understand you, Ulathan. You’re wasting your time.”
The response stunned everyone as the dragon finally moved its lips, fangs poking out as its tongue moved to form its words in a deep baritone voice that sounded eerily too human. “Who are you calling a beast, human?”
Chapter 14
Wounded
Ela Elektra perched upon the tall wall of the inner complex of the human settlement and watched the humans below her. Her first attack had been less than ideal as she loosed her breath attack on the offending Kesh wizard. As she approached, she had to squint to shield her eyes against the intense energy signature emanating from the man. She had not expected what happened next.
The man shielded himself behind another human, who bore the brunt of her electrical attack. Many soldiers also fell to the attack, but her target had somehow survived. She managed to grab a few stunned and confused troops and crush them in her claws before dropping their remains below. Finding a suitable perch atop the human-made wall, she had turned to assess the situation, knowing that the human wizard was the most dangerous by far.
The ancient feud between Draconus and Arcane had raged for thousands of years. This cycle, however, something was different. The dragons had been awakened prematurely, and communications were slow to enlighten them as to what was happening. She had learned through her drone that her sister, Statika, had been murdered in her sleep. For that, she knew there could be only one human responsible, and that would be the Arcane, the Kesh. She knew they were to blame, and so she stared at the offending man, hate palpable as she breathed slowly despite her recent exertions. She would make them pay.
The human sheep were stupid, however. Stupid or foolish or, more than likely, both. She clearly saw the tall barbarian to her right as he stepped lithely toward her perch. His huge sword dripped with her precious blood. His skin glowed a pale blue, almost indiscernible, but enough to show that the mercenary had encountered a dragon before, a blue dragon. He would die in due time, and she would ensure his death was most painful for his insolence.
The other man, to her left, was lighter on his feet but had a smaller sword. He too was tinged in the blue radiation that was encountered when in the presence of one of her kind. He too would have to die for what he did to her sister, but the human blurred from time to time and she would lose sight of him, almost as if he had some sort of magical protection that offended and confused her sense of sight.
Ela saw everything, including the holy female warrior who had just entered the courtyard and the small, frail, elderly-looking human who dared to approach her. Then she heard him speak in the tongue of the slave language. Long had it been since she heard that language, but it was unmistakable. Though they didn’t act as slaves, they spoke the language, even if they were hard to understand.
Then the pompously dressed human spoke and insulted her. She wasn’t sure what the word stupid meant, but she understood the term beast, and against her better judgement, she responded. She would engage only this once, before she killed them.
Richtor stuttered, hardly believing the dragon spoke to him, but the eyes said it all. For the first time in several tense minutes, the large blue dragon actually looked away from the Kesh wizard and stared straight at the Balarian governor. “You spoke,” Richtor finally said.
The silence from the dragon was unnerving, but the smaller historian responded for the stunned Balarian diplomat. “The governor of this realm meant no insult, great Draconus. Would a parlay be possible?”
A very small rivulet of purplish blood started to stain the stone wall beneath the dragon, a reminder of the recent combat that had taken place. The dragon looked from Richtor to Diamedes for a moment before finally narrowing its eyes and returning its gaze to Kaylor.
When the dragon spoke, both Seth and Graz stopped dead in their tracks. Seth never took his eyes off the dragon despite its question, and his sharp eyesight noted the faint flexing of muscle under its scales as well as the almost imperceptible flaking of stone as it tightened its grip on the stone as if preparing to lunge. Seth spoke softly. “Master Historian, come over here now, v
ery slowly, if you don’t mind.”
“Yes, I think you’re quite right,” Diamedes responded, and started to sidestep toward Seth.
He hardly took a few steps before Kaylor spoke, lifting his staff in front of him and gathering energy in through the tip of his staff. “How dare you kill my apprentice, you oversized worm.”
“This is going to get ugly,” Seth heard Alyssa respond, and then all hell broke loose.
The dragon opened its mouth, not to talk but to hurl another bolt of lightning. The wings spread and started to flap, stirring the air, while its rear legs crushed the stone beneath it. The blast went, as expected, directly at Kaylor, who discharged his own electrical bolt at the same time. The two intense beams of energy met in mid-air over the courtyard, superheating the air and creating a loud sonic boom that deafened everyone within a half league.
Richtor screamed like a child, again, and curled into a ball. Diamedes jumped toward Seth while the metallic thumping of the female holy warrior’s boots on the stone pavers sounded as the boom of the blast dissipated.
Kaylor took a couple of steps forward and pointed his staff at the dragon. The blue creature wasn’t going to wait and leaped from its perch atop the thirty-foot wall straight at the Kesh wizard. Seth pushed the small Ulathan back and toward the tall blonde woman warrior who was charging in his direction, making entirely too much noise in her platemail. Seth would have cringed at the racket if not for their current situation, which, lucky for them, did not require any element of stealth.
An arrow flew over Seth’s head, and he was gratified to see it lodge into the dragon’s jaw, right at its gumline. Alyssa knew it couldn’t penetrate its scales and aimed instead at its more vulnerable parts.
“Now, Graz,” Seth yelled, running forward after releasing Diamedes.
Just as the dragon was about to reach Kaylor, an immense ball of fire shot from the wizard’s staff, hitting the dragon square in its face. It may have been immune to Kaylor’s electrical attacks, but it was vulnerable to the most basic of what most animals and creatures feared—fire. That was how the large red dragons of its kind maintained their rule over the lesser of the chromatics. That, and the fact that they were larger and stronger than their colorful cousins.
The Blue Dragon: A Claire-Agon Dragon Book (Dragon Series 2) Page 12