by James Somers
In the dark of the night, Black had heard the boy’s prayers to idol gods and dark powers, hoping to have his vengeance upon the ones who had cowed his father before his eyes. Liam’s venomous petitions had drawn his ear on the spiritual plane. Black had not answered, but it was still very interesting.
Knowing the boy’s desires might prove useful some day. But, for now, he was too young to be of any use. Black wanted destruction and death now, and Brian Shade was doing his ignorant best to foul it all. Black had to do something.
Diverted
There were too many sites for us to see in Rockunder. It would have taken us days and days to go through the city, even longer to really take in all that the Leprechauns had to offer. I had to admit to myself that they were far from the people I had thought. Our previous experience with the Shade King had made such a bad first impression. However, this side of the Leprechauns—the day to day living, their true selves and their wondrous ingenuity—had forced me to change my point of view.
I was intrigued with the prospect of peace, even if Prince Liam Shade remained a thorn in my side. Surely there was some misunderstanding between us. And, if that was the case, it could all be set right. We just had to make the effort. A peace treaty between his father and our people might just give us that opportunity.
Onlookers watched our small procession curiously, but no one approached us. Even the street vendors allowed us by unmolested. Then the unexpected occurred.
A group of Leprechaun soldiers met us in the street. Their captain met Connic face to face. The Shade King’s advisor clearly had not been expecting this to happen. The two men stepped aside out of earshot. Still, I could make out a little of what they were saying.
The Shade King had sent them to prevent us reaching the palace at this time. Something had happened, though the captain of this company did not know exactly what. At any rate, we were to be diverted for the time being.
None of this had been told to us, as yet. In a moment, Connic came away looking forlorn but determined. “My friends, I’m terribly sorry to inform you that the king has been delayed. He won’t be able to meet us at this time.”
“He’s canceling?” Laish asked, glancing at Donatus.
“The king hopes to meet with you soon,” Connic replied. “In the meantime, I’ve been instructed to see that you have a meal at any of our fine establishments here in Rockunder.”
Donatus looked displeased. “What, exactly, has happened that the Shade King cannot meet at this time?”
Connic put on his best face. “I’m sorry, my lord, I am not at liberty to say. However, if you’ll follow me, we can have lunch and wait for the king to become available?”
Connic started to walk toward one of the eateries located on the other side of the street from us. We looked at the soldiers, who had now taken up a position between us and the palace. Reluctantly, Donatus followed Connic toward the restaurant. The rest of us fell in line behind him—the soldiers casually taking up stations around the place.
We entered beneath a sign, written in common Elfish—that being the common language among Descendants at the time—which read The Dragon’s Lair. Once inside, the spices, competing with other aromas out in the main thoroughfare, assaulted us head on. Immediately, I observed what might have otherwise been considered a dive, had Connic not assured us of its fine cuisine.
The Dragon’s Lair was more a pub than a proper restaurant, and I could tell by the clientele that they weren’t used to seeing patrons come from the royal palace. For his part, Connic appeared to be a bit embarrassed by the lack of ambiance. Clearly, he had diverted us to the nearest place he could find without realizing what lay within.
A menu board written, again, in common Elfish, listed a variety of dishes including: beef, lamb, pork and chicken. To my surprise, there was also a selection that claimed to be made with dragon. I couldn’t help but ask the obvious question of our guide.
“Do they really serve dragon here?”
I had heard tales of dragons before, but I had never actually seen one of the beasts. I didn’t count that monstrosity we had encountered while searching through the Underworld. It had not been a true dragon—only a manifestation of the cherubim meant to imprison them and nullify their power. As far as I knew, actual dragons had been extinct for hundreds of years.
Connic looked at me wearily, more concerned with whether my Grandfather and uncle were going to raise a stink about this diversion. He glanced up at the menu board, squinting before his reply. “Yes, actually there are a number of Rockunder establishments that serve dragon.”
“I didn’t think there were any dragons left in the world,” Sadie said. “How could you be serving them up in sandwiches?”
Connic smiled. “Dragons are not at all extinct, Princess,” he explained. “You simply have to know where to find them these days.”
“And where do you find them?” I asked.
“I’m afraid that is a topic for another day,” Connic said. “I should go and make arrangements for your meals. I won’t be long.” And with that, Connic hurried away to speak, presumably, with the proprietor of The Dragon’s Lair.
“What do you suppose has happened?” Sadie asked.
Donatus eyed us conspiratorially. “Whatever it is, I don’t like it. I have a feeling that someone means to stop our peace talks with the king.”
“Exactly what I was thinking, brother,” Laish said. “We don’t want to be delayed here, eating dragon tail of all things.”
Donatus nodded. “Right,” he said. “I’m going to find out.”
“I’m coming, as well,” Laish added.
“The children will not be able to bypass the soldiers, as we can, Laish. And someone needs to stay here with them in order to handle Connic.”
I was about to suggest that Sadie and I could probably get by the soldiers without any problem. However, Connic would be a different matter. Once he realized we had gone, a search would be undertaken.
My grandfather winked at me as Laish reluctantly agreed to stay behind. “Doppelganger should do nicely in this situation,” he said.
No wonder my grandfather had insisted on Sadie and I staying here in The Dragon’s Lair. Doppelganger was a very complex conjuring. Generally, only powerful Superomancers were able to pull it off, since it required creating an apparition that could fool even Descendants. A Leprechaun wouldn’t be taken in by a mere glamour, which only prevented humans from seeing the truth.
However, I had seen Donatus and Laish perform this conjuring before. There were tell-tale signs that only the initiated would perceive, and then only if they were looking closely. Sadie had attempted to learn the spell from her father, but, she had not possessed the power necessary to form a complete apparition. My attempts had been no better. Even my best try had still been noticeably transparent.
Donatus turned to walk past Laish. He sat down in one of the booths that lined the far wall. The candle on the table created a flickering shadow upon the wooden back of the bench. Laish sat down next to him while Sadie and I took the seat opposite.
My grandfather smiled at me and then glanced toward the kitchen for Connic. I followed his gaze and saw, through a little open window, the Shade King’s advisor nodding to a Leprechaun man. When I looked back at my grandfather, not much had changed. His clothing was the same, his expression, everything.
However, since I knew what to look for, I realized he had already performed the Doppelganger spell. While his person appeared the same, his shadow had stopped flickering. It had also taken on more depth of darkness. A moment later, that shadow was gone—escaped out into the room somewhere. It had been replaced by another that flickered—though, now, both man and shadow were an illusion.
As one of the Sons of Anarchy, Donatus had inherited considerable power from the fallen angel, Samiel, his father. His brother, Laish, had also come into similar ability, though each of them had their particular talents. A spell like the one he now employed in order to create a suitable do
ppelganger for himself was beyond the reach of ordinary spell casters like the Leprechauns. However, for a Superomancer like Donatus it was relatively simple.
One of the more difficult parts was to engineer for the apparition what appeared to be true mass. When it moved, it had to not only react, but cause reactions in the environment. While it wouldn’t have the sufficiency to fight someone, the doppelganger could move objects, even touch someone else believably. Donatus had actually shaken someone’s hand successfully before using an apparition. Still, it was more complicated than it seemed.
Donatus created his apparition and then slid away into shadow, changing his form to something akin to a vapor. In reality, a Superomancer could not destroy and recreate his physical form. To do so would mean death. However, utilizing the spiritual plane to some degree, he could seemingly phase in and out of a purely physical existence on the mortal plane—like moving along an invisible barrier between two worlds—only partly in one or the other at any given time and taking on different physical manifestations in each.
He used the dimness of the lamp lit room to cross the main room of The Dragon’s Lair to the door. From here, Donatus flitted from shadow to shadow as pedestrians walked the streets under the light of so many infused gemstones. As he went from one to another, the shadows took on more depth and less transparency. He worried that the effect might be too conspicuous among so many magic users. This wasn’t like moving among humans who notice very little.
Making a change, Donatus adopted a guise similar to one of Tom’s old tricks. On the mortal plane he appeared now to be in many places at once, assuming the appearance of a swarm of bees. The insects scattered so as not to draw attention—some flying high over the crowd, others weaving about through pedestrians virtually unnoticed.
He passed the soldiers who were meant to keep him and his companions away from the palace. Donatus carried on, heading straight for the luminescent, golden edifice ahead. Whatever the king’s reason for delaying this meeting, there could be nothing good about it, and he intended to know what had happened before it jeopardized the entire peace process.
Maligned
A table had been prepared in expectation of King Shade’s guests coming this afternoon. Roasted meats of every variety had been placed and carved, steaming now within domed silver serving trays. Vegetables had been set into elegant arrangements in a variety of colors alongside cut fruits, laid out to seem appealing. The whole spread had an enchantment upon it so that all of the hot items remained hot and the cold remained cold. Also, it had the effect of keeping pests at bay.
Brian Shade watched the progress of his servants as they brought out accessories to his velvet waistcoat and trousers. The color had been a rich maroon a moment ago. However, Brian found it distasteful today and had waved his hand over it, changing the color to a deep green. He fancied this better, now that he observed himself standing in the looking glass.
A gold necklace with large squares inscribed with ruins was draped from one shoulder to the other by one of his menservants. It appeared to go quite well with the green velvet—looked very kingly. His crown was eventually added which bore both rubies and emeralds in abundance upon the gold.
He glared at the tall spires, thinking them too tall for the outfit. With a gesture of his left hand, the king reduced the spires, but then changed them to even shorter crosses ringing the top of the crown. His menservants stepped away at his command, allowing him to view himself unencumbered.
Satisfied, the king allowed his servants take away the cart rack holding several outfits and various other accouterments. They left the throne room, shutting the door behind them. A number of guards remained. He could have simply conjured his clothing, but the fact was Shade enjoyed the attention of servants. Royal life suited him well.
Brian strode down the length of the dining table which had been conjured. This he had left to his spell casters, as well as other changes to the room. A hearth had been produced on the right side of the grand hall and its overall size had been reduced in order to produce a more intimate atmosphere.
He was unaware that a group of his soldiers had received orders from an imposter to delay the arrival of his guests while they were still touring the city with his advisor, Connic. This enemy had not impersonated the king, but rather one of his captains. He would receive a guest, just not whom he was expecting.
The king was enjoying the progressive talks with Donatus and his brother. He was privately unsure of the results of waging war on Brody West and his Descendants in Highmore. Better now, he thought, that the Shade King should come before his people and theirs as a peacemaker.
He would have the advantage again. His own people would love him for his magnanimous gestures. The average Leprechaun wanted peace as much as anyone else.
It was also quite likely that the Descendants in Highmore would appreciate him—potentially coming to view him as their leader once he gave them all access to the city of Rockunder. Surely, they would jump at the chance to visit the city. And once they came, many would want to stay. Rockunder simply drew people in that way. He might not defeat Brody West militarily, but he could passively undermine him and come out on top in the end.
Donatus and his brother, Sons of Anarchy, were just as powerful as Brody and far more influential. West had only been among Descendants for a decade. Donatus and Laish had reportedly been around since the times of Noah. Having their support for this peace initiative was the best possible scenario for success.
A thunderous boom resounded throughout the hall, coming from outside the throne room doors. Another came and another, sending tremors through the very stones beneath the Shade King’s feet. His guards hurried to him, presenting swords and shields as they took up a defensive position around their king.
Four Elementals—spell casters specializing in the manipulation of natural forces—moved from the shadows of the room. They wore hooded robes in blue, signifying their religious order. Elementals believed themselves to be vessels of divine power. Despite their beliefs, which Brian cared nothing for, they made excellent mercenaries.
The monstrous pounding steps beyond the throne room doors grew ever nearer. Shade watched anxiously from the safety of his ring of guards. A white hot flame ignited in the middle of each door. In seconds, the fire expanded, enveloping both doors, turning them to ash. Only the heavy stone arch remained.
Beyond the entry, seen through the burning embers of ash drifting to the floor, stood the elf informant who had warned Brian Shade of West and the Descendants months ago. He had no idea this elf was so powerful a spell caster. Not even his Fire Elemental, now staring down the intruder with his fellows, could have burned through the dense oak doors of his throne room so quickly.
The elf strode beneath the archway into the throne room. He wore a long dark coat open at the front, revealing a bare chest and taught muscles. Black trousers and boots completed his rogue’s attire, giving him a menacing quality that Brian had not noticed before.
Before he knew it, he was calling for the four Elementals to attack the elf intruder. They stood ready, spread out between the king and the elf. Rather than responding all at once, the Elementals took turns attacking.
The elf stood still among the ashes of the oak doors. He appeared to be amused by the king’s defenses and made no move to attack just yet. Instead, he smiled, as if offering any of them who was willing the first move.
The Water Elemental struck first. Pulling water from specially preset lavers at either side of the entryway, he set his feet and moved his arms and hands in complex gestures. The water responded to these forms in kind, obeying the will of the Elemental. Two snaking columns of water came at the elf from either side.
An air burst flew out from the elf, shattering both columns as they came within striking distance. He leaped into the air then, somersaulting backward as the Elemental gathered the millions of water droplets with his mind, gesturing for them to converge upon the elf.
Crystallizing in midair,
the droplets became icy shards hurtling at the man. The elf completed his somersault, bounding away from the stone wall above the entrance. He pulled fire from the wall sconces in a wave that increased greatly in intensity, becoming a white hot wave that instantly vaporized the razor sharp darts, turning them to steam.
This move drew the ire of the Fire Elemental who attempted to seize the wave of fire for his own use. But the elf used the Elemental’s energy against him, sending the flame barreling at him in a jetted blast. The Fire Elemental was too late to react, becoming suddenly overwhelmed by the intense heat, unable to redirect the stream of fire from his person. His body burst into flame. He turned, running and screaming, his flesh consuming to the bone in seconds. His skeletal remains clattered to the stones in a steaming pile.
The elf had landed near the throne room entrance again and was patiently waiting for the next challenge. Brian Shade, joined by his soldiers and the remaining Elementals, gaped at the smoldering pile of bones, unable to comprehend the kind of power necessary to do what this elf had just done in their presence. The king looked up, wondering at this man who appeared to be nothing more than a spell caster.
“Who are you?” he muttered to himself.
In the meantime, the Elementals had regrouped. The Wind Elemental gesticulated with his arms, attempting to form a localized whirlwind, while both Water and Lightning were more immediate. A vortex of water swirled around its Elemental master, ready to be directed at the elf in a moment. The Lightning Elemental charged the air between himself and his target, directing several powerful strikes at the elf.
The rogue spell caster caught the lightning in his left hand, seeming to absorb it, only to redirect it over his body and out through his outstretched right hand. The electrical charge bypassed the Lightning Elemental, who had quickly prepared to recapture it, instead cascading across the room into the helpless Water Elemental. The full strike was conducted through the vortex of water into the Elemental’s body, killing him in a blast that instantly stopped his heart and scattered the entire volume of fluid across the throne room.