Omensent: Princess Of Dragons (Book 5)

by Barry Gibbons

  "That's why we're here." Brody told him. "We've been attempting to track down the blood elves, and we were hoping that you may be able to help us." He turned to look at the others. "This is Marken Deeproot, my oldest and dearest friend. I've known him since I was a child."

  "Since you were a babe, actually." The old elf smiled. "I still remember the party that your father threw to celebrate your birth."

  Brody chuckled. "This, of course," He gestured to the to Damion. "is Damion Omensent, better known as the Dragon Lord, and his wife, Raven. And that is Shirk, the Dragon Lord's friend and advisor." He gestured to the bearded bandit, who was leaning against the brass railing that surrounded the platform, and peering down at the forest floor below with a sick expression.

  "It is an honor to meet you all." The old elf bowed respectfully. "The stories about your adventures are quite popular here on our island, although some still refuse to believe that the Dragon Lord is a real person."

  "You'd be surprised at how often I hear that." Damion told him with an amused smile.

  "Do you think we can go somewhere private where we can talk?" Brody asked the tiny old elf, his tone suddenly serious.

  "Of course. We can talk at my manor house. No one will bother us there."

  Damion and the others finally stepped off of the elevating platform, and got their first good look at Oakenvale.

  "Wow!" Raven gasped, staring in amazement at the sprawling city that lay before them.

  "Welcome, my friends, to Oakenvale, the city in the trees." Brody smiled with delight at the looks of astonishment on their faces.

  Oakenvale was unlike any city the companions had ever seen before. All of the buildings had been built around the massive trunks of the ancient oak trees, and were all interconnected by a series of hanging bridges which stretched throughout the treetops like a giant cobweb. Most of the buildings had multiple levels, and had been constructed out of wood which had been stained a beautiful honey color, and polished until it shined. Huge windows, some stained with colorful designs, decorated each building, allowing the sunlight to flood inside. The roofs had all been finished in bright sheets of beaten copper, while the railings which protected the city's inhabitants from stumbling off of the edges of the platforms were all made of polished brass that had been twisted and bent into elaborate designs which enthralled the eye.

  "This place is amazing!" Raven said in a breathless tone, watching as numerous colorful song birds swooped through the treetops playfully. "I've never seen anything like it!"

  "It's the only city of its kind." Marken told her, staring out over the city with an expression of pride. "Many of the buildings have been here since it was first constructed almost two thousand years ago."

  "What about the bridges?" Shirk asked worriedly, edging over to examine one of the hanging bridges which had been constructed out of thick rope and heavy wooden planks. "Are they all two thousand years old as well?"

  "The bridges are all maintained on a regular basis." Marken assured him with a harsh laugh. He looked at the old bandit closely. "You look a little green in the face, if you don't mind me saying. I'm guessing that you're not accustomed to heights?"

  "Not unless you count the upper floors of the Serpent's Keep." Shirk grunted, keeping a tight grip on the brass railing to ensure that he didn't topple over the edge. "I prefer to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground."

  "Why don't we hurry along to my place, then." The old elf suggested. "After a couple of glasses of wine, you'll forget all about the fact that you're three hundred feet above the ground."

  They followed the tiny little elf as he quickly made his way across a nearby bridge, and deeper into the treetop city.

  "Is it true that your father was a dragonspawn?" Marken asked Damion curiously as they made their way across a platform crowded with elves who looked surprised to see outsiders in their midst.

  "No, I'm afraid not." The huge warrior chuckled. "Both my mother and father were human."

  "How did you end up with your... well, you know." He gestured to Damion's brow scales.

  "My mother was already pregnant with me when she was attacked by dragonspawn." Damion explained in an emotionless tone. He had long ago gotten used to explaining his odd appearance to the curious. "She survived long enough to give birth to me, but their attack left its mark."

  "In more ways than one, if the stories are to be believed." The old elf commented shrewdly. "Do you truly control the dragons?"

  "Some of them, yes." Damion nodded. "The Dragon Sword controls the scarlet dragons, but it doesn't control the other great serpents."

  "What do you mean other great serpents?"

  "I mean the other dragons. The Dragon Sword can control the scarlet dragons, but it holds no influence over the shadow dragons or the veiled dragons."

  The old elf stopped mid-step and stared at him with a confused expression. "Shadow dragons and veiled dragons? What are you talking about?"

  "The shadow dragons are dark creatures that were banished from this world thousands of years ago, and only returned a decade or so ago. They were nearly wiped out by the scarlet dragons, though." Raven explained, still looking around at the treetop city with an expression of wonder. "The veiled dragons were created just recently by the Dragon God, Draco."

  "Why would the Dragon God want to create another species of dragon?"

  "Because He needed new children to carry out His bidding." Damion explained as they continued following Marken from platform to platform, moving ever deeper into the massive treetop city. "He has no control over the scarlet dragons as long as I possess the Dragon Sword, and most of the shadow dragons were destroyed or driven into hiding. Without them, the Dragon God was left with only the dragonspawn to carry out His plans."

  "The dragonspawn are complete savages." Marken frowned, pausing to shoo away a pair of elves who had stopped to stare at Damion with wide, fearful eyes. "They appear here on the island occasionally, and we're forced to hunt them down before they cause any damage."

  "Apparently they're not all complete savages." Brody remarked thoughtfully. "The Dragon Lord's daughter, Leia, has a shadowspawn for a bodyguard."

  "What's a shadowspawn?" The old elf asked in confusion.

  "They're similar to dragonspawn, but larger, and far more intelligent." Damion explained. "Their scales are as black as night, and have the ability to absorb the surrounding shadows, making them virtually invisible in the darkness."

  "They sound like formidable creatures."

  "They are." Brody assured the elderly little elf. "Leia's bodyguard, Slither, left quite an impression on me and Ava Delilah."

  "I've always thought that dragonspawn were nothing but savage brutes who delight in destruction." Marken murmured with a thoughtful expression.

  "Most are." Damion assured him. "And most are not very reliable, which is why Draco decided that He needed new children to carry out His plans. He kidnapped my daughter, and used her blood to create new dragons that we named the veiled dragons. They're similar to the scarlet dragons or shadow dragons, but they have the ability to camouflage themselves by shifting the colors of their scales to mimic their environment."

  "Surely you're jesting?" Marken asked skeptically. "A dragon that can make itself invisible?"

  "Trust me when I say that he speaks the truth." Brody assured him fervently. "I had the opportunity to meet one of the veiled dragons. His name was Xaxis, and the Dragon Lord's daughter likes to ride him around like he were a pony."

  "Truly?" The old elf turned to look at Damion. "I thought that you said that you had no control over the veiled dragons."

  "I don't," Damion chuckled. "but when the Dragon God used my daughter's blood to create the veiled dragons, He inadvertently created a link between them. She can feel what they feel, and know what they are thinking, even over vast distances. And they look at her as though she were their mother. They would do anything for her."

  "I see that much has happened in the world in recent years."
The old elf remarked with wide eyes. "Things are happening that even we elves cannot ignore."

  "You don't know the half of it." Shirk grumbled, his face still an odd shade of green as he carefully made his way across another hanging bridge. "But if it's all the same to you, we'll save those stories for when we're not about to plunge to our deaths."

  Darkness had fallen by the time they finally reached the old elf's substantial looking house. Marken quickly led them inside, leaving behind a small crowd of curious elves who had gathered to follow them as they made their way through the city.

  Damion paused for a moment before he followed the others into the manor. "This may take us a while." The huge warrior told Snowfeather, who circled in the darkness high above the treetop city. "Can I talk you into staying close by while you're hunting tonight, and keeping an eye on everything?"

  "Of course." The huge snow owl agreed immediately. "Are you expecting something to happen?"

  "Not really, but we're in unfamiliar territory right now, and I don't want to take any chances. We really don't know who are our friends and who are our foes, and that puts us in a very dangerous situation. Just keep an eye out for anything unusual, and let me know the instant that you see anything. We don't want a bunch of blood elves to catch us unprepared." He turned and hurried inside, leaving the crowd of curious elves staring after him with disappointed expressions.

  Chapter 13

  "Are you ready to go before the council?" Sly asked Leia curiously as they followed Bativa up the large spiral stairway that led to the uppermost floor of the massive fortress city, where the Deolan Council traditionally held court.

  "As ready as I'm going to be." The young girl shrugged, attempting to conceal her nervousness. "Like Bativa said, we're not here to negotiate for anything. We're just here to alert them to the dragonspawn problem. Once we let them know what we have discovered, we can leave, and let the council decide what they will."

  "It sounds like a good plan," The little man started in a dubious tone. "but things rarely go smoothly when it comes to dealing with the Deolan Council."

  "You can say that again." Bativa grunted sourly. "Sometimes I think that some of my brothers have been kicked in the head by a few too many horses. They want to argue over the slightest little thing nowadays." He shook his head. "Several of the clans are on the verge of open warfare. It's gotten to the point that a couple of the council members have had to be forcibly separated."

  They reached the top of the stairs and found themselves in a beautiful domed cathedral that had been built from floor to ceiling in a glistening white marble that reflected the sunlight that streamed through a half dozen huge skylights in the ceiling. The entire cathedral was void of any decoration, save for twelve ornately carved chairs that had been positioned in a half circle in the center of the room. Eleven Deolan warriors sat upon the elaborate chairs, leaving only one on the very end vacant. They watched in silence as Leia, Bativa, and Sly approached, though several of the men wore disapproving expressions.

  "Bativa!" One of the tribesmen greeted the huge chieftain with a smile. "It's about time that you finally arrived! We were beginning to think that you were going to skip the Spring Council altogether."

  "I've been dealing with some issues that have required my full attention." Bativa explained, taking his seat at the far end of the half circle. "Those damned dragonspawn are still causing us problems."

  "Those beasts are becoming a nuisance." The tribesman scowled. "There seem to be more and more of the wretched creatures appearing every day, and no one seems to know where they're coming from."

  "What are they doing here?" One of the tribesmen demanded angrily, pointing to Leia and Sly. "Outsiders are not permitted before the council!"

  "Settle down, Lek," Bativa told the tribesman calmly. "This is Leia of Sevria, daughter of the Dragon Lord, and Princess of Dragons."

  Leia turned and glared at Sly, who grinned back at her mischievously.

  "And this is her companion," The huge tribesman continued. "Gabriel Quickhand, advisor to the Dragon Lord. They have come to warn the council of a danger that threatens us all. I think it would be best if we hear what they have to say."

  The arrogant young tribesman scowled angrily, but remained silent.

  Bativa looked to Leia and Sly. "Allow me to present the Deolan Council. Thenke, the Clan Chief of the Unta clan,” He gestured to the overweight, heavily tattooed man on his left. "Gredee of the Galaspe clan," He continued down the line. "Suscep of the Noste clan; Wathre of the Hasht clan; Tonke of the Worashe clan; Cinte of the Calite clan; Druta of the Supece clan; Menke of the Asnote clan; Lek of the Nacetre clan; and Fathre of the Decribe clan."

  Each tribesman nodded his head as their name was announced, their eyes carefully appraising Leia and Sly. Several of them wore disapproving looks, and were clearly unhappy with their presence, though none looked as angry as Lek of the Nacetre clan, who stared at Leia with open hatred.

  "Are you truly the daughter of the Dragon Lord?" Menke of the Asnote clan asked curiously.

  "I am." Leia smiled. "My father was called away from Sevria and won't return for some months, so I decided to come to Mercedia in his stead."

  "We have had meetings with your father numerous times in the past." Tonke of the Worashe clan informed her with a disapproving expression. "He can be a... difficult, person to deal with."

  "He can be a bloody nightmare to deal with!" Gredee of the Galaspe clan laughed in amusement. "That is one man that you do not want to irritate!"

  "My father can be a bit... excitable, at times." Leia admitted with a wry smile. "I think it has something to do with the fact that he is constantly running off to save the world from being destroyed. It makes him a little short tempered sometimes."

  "He is the cause of much of the disharmony in the world right now." Lek pointed out with a sneer. "His actions have thrown the entire world into turmoil."

  "Do you blame the pebble that starts the avalanche, or do you blame the boulders that were hanging precariously?" The young girl asked philosophically. "The gods were poised and waiting for their opportunity to return to the world, and it was only a matter of time before they got their chance."

  "But your father was the man who ultimately set it all into motion!" Lek snarled, his face growing an ugly shade of red. "If not for his actions, the gods would still be in the heavens, unable to manipulate the mortal world!"

  "My father was the pebble," She agreed grimly. "but would have any of you done less for your only daughter? If it had been you in my father's place, would you have allowed your child to be stolen away? Would you have cowered like frightened womenfolk while the Dragon God took all that you loved?" She stared at each tribesman with a hard expression for a moment, then allowed it to soften. "Of course not. You are Deolan warriors, and Deolan warriors fear nothing, not even pagan gods. You would have reacted exactly as my father did, by chasing the abductors down, and making them sorry that they were ever even born."

  "But look what has happened as a result of his actions!" Lek continued relentlessly. "The entire world has erupted into war! All of the gods are returning, and they're bringing chaos with them! The war with the Etazk was only the beginning! We're hearing reports out of the north that the Jagherns and the Deirians are on the verge of war, and that there has already been a number of incidences between the Teirsians and the Oroni in the east! It's only a matter of time before the next crisis emerges to threaten us all!"

  "Well, wait no longer." Sly snorted in amusement. "I think that we have identified the next threat, and this one is going to make the Etazk invasion look like a friendly reunion with old friends."

  "What do you mean?" Wathre of the Hasht clan asked suspiciously.

  "It has to do with the dragonspawn that have been invading your lands as of late." Leia informed them with a sigh.

  "Ah," Wathre nodded with a frown. "The dragonspawn. I should have known. The foul creatures have been causing our clans quite a bit of trouble. The
y seem to be everywhere nowadays!"

  "That's true." Suscep of the Noste clan agreed. "My clan rarely ever see any of the beasts on the southern side of the White River, but recently there seems to be a group of dragonspawn hiding behind every bush and shrub. They have slaughtered dozens of our cattle and made off with their carcasses, and every time that we try and run them down and eliminate them, they disappear underground!"

  "My warriors have been having the same problem." Cinte of the Calite clan nodded. "We've been collapsing their tunnels behind them, but it hasn't seemed to help."

  "That's because they're fleeing into goblin hollows." Leia explained patiently.

  "Goblin hollows?" Lek asked doubtfully. "Why would the dragonspawn flee into goblin hollows? I thought the dragonspawn and goblins hated one another?"

  "They do." Sly assured him. "They usually slaughter one another on sight."

  "Then what has changed?"

  "We're not entirely certain," Leia frowned. "but we suspect that the Dragon God, Draco, has ordered the dragonspawn to invade the goblin hollows, and take them over for themselves."

  "Why would the Dragon God do that?" Thenke, clan chief of the Unta clan, asked in confusion.

  "Because the goblin hollows are all rumored to be interconnected." Sly informed them in a grim tone. "There are supposedly hundreds of miles worth of tunnels hidden beneath the mountains and foothills connecting each and every goblin hollow, allowing the dragonspawn to emerge just about anywhere they wish."

  The councilmen began to murmur worriedly amongst themselves.

  "How did you discover this?" Fathre of the Decribe clan asked, his expression grim.

  "It all started with the appearance of goblins along the trade route leading through the mountains." Leia quickly explained everything that they had learned, including the discovery of the winged dragonspawn. "I have the feeling that something big is brewing on the horizon." She sighed finally. "I'm not sure where these dreadspawn came from, but I suspect their purpose is to distract the dragons, allowing the rest of the dragonspawn to attack without to having to fear the dragons' wrath."