“Offer to help you?” laughed Barden. “Come now, Ballorn, you never would have accepted, you’re far too proud for that.”
“How would you know?” asked Ballorn, growing suspicious. “The only times we spoke to one another was when you were trying to diddle me out of getting paid!”
“Oh dear,” laughed Barden. “Was I that convincing?”
“I wouldn’t say convincing,” said Ballorn. “More… annoying.”
“I played my part well then, it’s exactly what I was aiming for. I needed to stay at arms-length, Ballorn. I wanted to offer my aid from the first time we met, but I knew that you would flatly refuse. I doubted that you would believe me at all.”
“Believe you about what?”
“That there were dragons abroad, of course. You’d have thought me insane and I didn’t want that! I chose irritating instead and it worked perfectly, even if I do say so myself.”
“Oh yes,” agreed Ballorn, “I’ll second that. The irritating part was perfect!”
Stitch was livid that he had lost his friend, but the wheels in his head had been turning, “So, these… woodles?” he asked, “… they’re just made up then?”
Barden shook his head and frowned, “Oh no, not at all. They’re very real I’m afraid. They’ll drag you down in the blink of an eye. Very dangerous creatures are woodles!”
Stitch gulped and tugged at his collar, “Oh dear,” he said quietly.
“Woodles aren’t the only things you should worry about either,” continued Barden, “There are burgoons, goops, hobblers, gromties, bafflers and worst of all, gresps.”
Stitch was now sweating a little and looking decidedly nervous, “And, erm, w-w-why are they the worst?” he stammered.
“Those teeth!” Barden shuddered, “Rows and rows of them. Tiny, razor-sharp teeth just big enough to get through your skin.”
“So they eat people then!” gasped Stitch.
“Of course they don’t, weren’t you listening? They only eat your skin!”
“Right!” Stitch suddenly said loudly. “Count me out! I’m not having my skin nibbled off! Ballorn, you’ll have to go on without me, I’m staying here. It’s a big village and there’s lots of people bigger than me, so the monsters will go after them first because they’ve got more skin than I have!”
Ballorn shook his head, “He’s just winding you up, Stitch,” he said, reassuringly. “Chances are we won’t see any of those things. They’re like all animals, hear a noise and run for it. That’s what they all do.”
“Bafflers don’t,” mumbled Hunter. “When they hear a noise they hide in the reeds, then as you’re going past… GOTCHA! You’re halfway down their gullet with your feet sticking out of their beak before you can blink!”
“Well we’ll just have to keep clear of the reeds then, won’t we!” exclaimed Ballorn, glaring at him.
Hunter realised what he had just said, “Oh, erm… nothing to worry about anyway,” he said unconvincingly, “Bafflers haven’t been seen within a hundred miles of here for years.”
Barden raised an eyebrow, “There is something else to consider,” he added.
“Which is?” asked Ballorn, frustrated that Hunter and Barden seemed determined to give Stitch every possible reason to stay behind.
“Dragon worshippers,” whispered Barden. “Far more dangerous than any beast you’ll find out in the wilderness.”
“What?” asked Ballorn, scrunching up his nose. “Who’d want to worship a dragon?”
“They’re a nasty bunch, Ballorn,” Barden warned him. “Strange race they are… shapeshifters. They want to be dragons, so they look out for the real ones. They protect them in the hope of becoming one themselves.”
“Why would they want that?” asked Stitch. “Nobody likes dragons, everyone’s scared to death of ‘em.”
Barden wagged his finger, “That’s exactly why they want to be dragons,” he said, winking. “They aren’t a large race, barely half the size of you nemilar. They’re a cold, cruel bunch that’s for sure. You can’t trust a word they say, that’s if you ever get to meet one in their true form of course.”
“What are they called?” asked Stitch.
Barden leaned forward, “The vikkery,” he replied quietly.
CHAPTER 17
Fellis followed Gelbran as he marched confidently toward the cave. Everything he had said seemed quite logical, well… mostly.
“This is not one of your best ideas, Gelbran!” hissed Asdor from behind them. “If you’re wrong that dragon’ll be picking us out of his teeth tomorrow morning!”
Gelbran paused and glanced back, “Stay here then, nobody said you had to come along!” he sighed.
“Yes, you’d love that wouldn’t you? The rest of the clan find out you went to challenge a dragon and I didn’t lift a finger to help, then they hang me up by my toes and beat me with sticks for a week! But you won’t be there to stop them, will you? Because you’ll be in a dragon’s belly when it happens, you pillock!”
Fellis smiled, “He makes a good argument.”
“Hmph, that’s always been his problem,” grunted Gelbran. “He argues about everything!”
“Sorry for trying to keep you alive!” Asdor protested. “But if you insist on doing this, I’ll be right here doing it with you. Honestly, I’m a bigger idiot than you are!”
“No denying that!” mumbled Gelbran. He slowed slightly as he neared the cave mouth and called gently, “Cordain.” There was no sound of movement within the cave. “Cordain, you can come out, we know it’s you. There’s no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed. Come out and we’ll see if we can fix this.”
Flame erupted briefly but ferociously from the entrance, and a single word was snarled in rage, “LEAVE!”
“Cordain,” said Fellis, softly. “It’s me, Fellis. Come out, I’m sure we can help if you give us a chance.”
Loud scrapings were heard as the dragon moved around, hidden in the darkness.
“Well, Cordain or not, it knows we’re here now. I hope you’ve got a back-up plan in case you’re wrong,” whispered Asdor.
As he spoke, the dragon appeared in the cave entrance, “What do you want?” it growled.
Gelbran moved closer, “Cordain? I am right, it is you, isn’t it?”
“NO, NOT ANY MORE!” the dragon bellowed. “DOES THIS LOOK IN ANY WAY FAMILIAR TO YOU?”
“Cordain, just tell us what happened and we’ll find out how to turn you back. It’s obviously a mistake. Let us help.”
Cordain stared down at Gelbran, “YOU? HELP? IT’S BECAUSE OF YOU THAT I LOOK LIKE THIS!”
“I know, and I’m sorry, but I won’t rest until I’ve put it right. You have to trust me.”
“Trust you? Tell me, Gelbran, why should I trust you? Why should any of us have ever trusted you? You wait until we’re asleep and start doing deals with wizards without consulting us! You turn us into freaks who would never be accepted by any other than our own kind. Even then you never thought to ask the wizard if there was a catch. Ask me something, Gelbran! Ask me how it feels to be trapped like this! Ask me how painful it was to have my skin seared off to allow this thing to grow from within me. Ask me how painful it was as every one of my bones snapped as I was transformed against my will! COME ON… ASK ME!”
Tears were streaming down Fellis’s cheeks and she found herself walking toward Cordain, “Please,” she pleaded, “let us try to help you.”
Cordain snorted. Unfortunately, a small flame shot from his nostril and singed the top of Fellis’s hair. Cordain immediately pushed away, “I’m so sorry, Fellis,” he said in a complete change of tone. “It was an accident… I never, I’m really sorry. I’m sure it’ll grow back alright!”
Fellis began to laugh, “Listen to you,” she giggled. “You’ve been turned into a dragon, but you’re more concerned about my hair getting a bit singed than you are about your own troubles.”
Cordain took a deep breath, “I know, but what I did to you was an acciden
t,” he said. “However, I suspect that what has happened to me, is deliberate!”
“Oh no, you can’t think that,” she cried. “Gelbran would never do such a thing to any of us.”
Cordain stared hard at Gelbran, “No,” he said quietly. “But I think that stain of a wizard would.”
“Does this mean you’re not going to roast us all then?” Asdor shouted from behind a rock.
“Not today, no,” replied Cordain. “But I’d tread lightly if I were you, Asdor. You’re really annoying at times. You always cross the line.”
Asdor popped his head over the top of the rock, “All part of my charm, dear boy.”
“And you’ve already got one toe on it,” Cordain warned him. To see a dragon raise one eyebrow, although they don’t actually have any, was a sight to behold.
“Was it really that bad, my boy?” asked Gelbran, sincerely.
“What, you mean being set on fire?” Cordain asked sarcastically. “What do you think!?”
“Sorry, stupid question really,” admitted Gelbran.
“If I’m honest, it wasn’t that bad,” Cordain confessed. “The pain was excruciating, I’ve never felt anything like it before, but it only lasted a few seconds. I must have passed out, or fallen asleep, I’m not sure which. But waking up and trying to rub your face and seeing…” he held up his claws, “… these! Well, that was the biggest shock of all. I was hoping it was just a terrible nightmare, then I woke up in that cave. That’s where I’ve been ever since. Then you three turned up.”
Asdor eyed him thoughtfully, “But you’re not feeling like you should be out there in the wilds tearing things apart?”
“There’s only one thing I want to tear apart.” He flexed his claws, “That poxy wizard.” He looked down at Gelbran, “Then again,” he added, “if you don’t get this sorted out pretty soon, I could start a list!”
“Well you can’t do that can you?” said Asdor, chuckling. “How would you hold the quill?”
Gelbran and Fellis glared at him.
***
“There’s nothing else for it, pal of mine,” sighed Yello. “We’re going to have to spy on the slimy little toad!”
“Impossible,” replied Emnor. “As much as we can’t stand the git, you cannot deny his prowess as a wizard.”
Yello curled his lip, “I can deny what I damned well like!” he laughed. “He’s not that good a wizard. Either of us could out-perform him any day!”
“Oh, I never meant I thought he was more gifted than us, just that he’s better at kissing the right backsides.”
“Ooh, hang on!” Yello suddenly yelled as he released a huge ball of flame.
“Do you think this is really the right time to be having this conversation?” Emnor asked thoughtfully.
“It’s as good a time as ever,” replied Yello frowning.
“So, it doesn’t matter to you that we’re fending off an attack from a hoard of giants whilst we try to figure out what Barden’s up to?”
“Not at all,” said Yello. “It actually helps me think more clearly when I’m occupied. DUCK!”
A huge rock flew right above their heads, a rock hurled by one of the giants that would have undoubtedly crushed Emnor, but for Yello’s warning. “That was a close one,” Emnor smiled.
“I think that one’s getting a bit tetchy,” said Yello, pointing at the giant who had thrown the rock.
“I don’t doubt it!” exclaimed Emnor. “Mind you, I think I’d probably be a bit tetchy if someone had just set fire to my bits!”
“Lucky shot,” grinned Yello, as he let fly once more. “Anyway, we’ve got them on the run now. Look, they’re scarpering toward the hills.”
“Right, so what are we going to do about Barden?”
“What can we do, Emmy? We don’t actually know that he’s up to anything!”
“Oh, come on!” exclaimed Emnor. “He’s always up to something! Why would he disguise himself as a nemilar for a start? And what was that crap he was spouting about the dragons being on the move? I’ve not heard so much as a whisper of any dragon sightings and neither have you. Surely, we would have heard any rumours that were going around. We’ve been travelling for…” Emnor thoughtfully started to count his fingers, “Good grief! We’ve been wandering around for over eight months!”
Yello grinned again, “I know,” he said. “It’s been great, hasn’t it? Just you and me, loads of ale and wine, and the occasional punch up to keep it interesting.”
Emnor peered at him through half-closed eyes, “Barden?” he asked, quietly.
“Look, if we try to follow him, he’ll know we’re there! He’ll sense us if we get within half a mile of him!”
“We’ll have to stay a bit further away then, won’t we?”
“And do what?” protested Yello. “It’s all well and good if he’s out in the open, but once he heads into, I don’t know, the woods or into the hills perhaps, we won’t be able to see anything.”
“Not if we’re behind him,” admitted Emnor, “But what if we were above him?”
“You can sod off!” Yello yelled, “I’m not falling for that one again. You nearly got us both killed last time!”
“It won’t be like last time,” Emnor reassured him. “I’ve made a lot of improvements since then, trust me, Yello… it will fly.”
“That’s what you said last time! And me being the moron I am, I believed you!”
“Oh, come on, Yello, it wasn’t that bad,” chuckled Emnor.
“Wasn’t that bad!” exclaimed Yello. “We ended up hanging from one of the highest towers in Reiggan! If they hadn’t just delivered all that hay, we’d have ended up as two pools of goo in the courtyard.”
“I thought you liked a bit of adventure! It’s what you’re always telling me,” Emnor smiled.
“Adventure is one thing!” argued Yello. “Even when you mix in a bit of peril, it’s still fun! But what you did was downright reckless stupidity. We’re wizards for goodness sake. We aren’t meant to fly!”
“I’ve changed the design completely!”
Yello shook his head as he stared at his friend, “You’re not even listening to a word I say, are you?”
“The secret was thicker hide, and of course the seams which are now double-stitched. I was right about the warm air though. But I think you were right that the fire should have been set in some sort of metal container suspended above the floor of the basket.”
“I told you that before the thing left the ground! I said it was going to go up in flames, and it did!”
“No it didn’t, you’re exaggerating again. It was just, well alright, it got a bit out of control, but we soon put it out.”
“Correction, Emnor. I put it out! Which reminds me. You never did pay me back for that cask of wine I wasted.”
“May I point out the flaw in your argument, Yello? Nobody told you to use it to put out the fire.”
“Well it was either that or go up in flames a thousand feet in the air!” protested Yello. “What was I supposed to do?”
Emnor waved his hands, “We’re getting a little off track,” he said, shushing Yello, “This time, we’ll be fine.”
“Well I will be!” snorted Yello, “’Cause you’re not getting me up in that infernal contraption again. Hot air balloon indeed!”
“Alright then, you figure out a way we can follow him without being spotted.”
“Easy!” replied Yello, “We just need to pinch something that belongs to him.”
“And then he discovers that something has been stolen, realises it was you or me, and comes looking for us? Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. When he leaves, we’ll just walk beside him to save time, shall we?”
“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, Emnor,” Yello said slowly. “You should leave that to us professionals.” Reaching inside his robes, he drew out a locket. “Say hello to the Tallarans Eye,” he said. “No matter where he goes, we’ll be able to find him with this.”
“But that still won’t allow
us to watch what he’s doing, will it?”
“Well, no, not really. But face it, Emmy, if he meets up with a dragon, we’re bound to hear the screams if we’re close enough.”
“And do what?” asked Emnor.
“Well…” a fiendish grin spread widely across Yello’s face, “… if we take our time getting to him, we can just sweep him up.”
“Really?” asked Emnor with a blank look. “That’s your plan? Sweep him up.” Yello nodded enthusiastically. “And what about the nemilar he’s with? Do we sweep them up as well?”
“I never said it was a perfect plan,” replied Yello, smirking. “But you have to admit, the first part of it’s a cracker.”
CHAPTER 18
Barden, having managed to quell Ballorn’s reservations of being accompanied by a wizard, walked alongside him. “I discovered some ancient scrolls that told of one who would rise up to protect against the tyranny of dragons,” he said. “I had no idea who that person was, but I sensed that there was one in your village unlike the rest. To appear as one of your own seemed far better than raising suspicion and anguish, we wizards tend to unnerve folk we meet out here.”
“Good word that… suspicion,” said Ballorn.
Barden smiled, “I know you don’t like me,” he said, “I also know that you don’t trust me. But think about it, Ballorn. What purpose could I have here other than to help you?”
“Good question,” said Hunter. They had not seen him and glanced up at the tree in which he sat. “After all, surely if you were needed, Keldenar would have somehow included you in his plans.”
Barden nodded, “Good point,” he admitted, “but how do you know that you can trust the word of a dragon?”
“Well, there’s the fact that he has now given Ballorn ten times the strength that he himself possesses, oh, and he hasn’t tried to kill us,” replied Hunter.
“Admittedly I have not granted you the strength of ten dragons, but it seems that different rules are applied depending upon who you are. After all, I haven’t tried to kill you either. Yet you condemn me all the same.”
Mark of The Nibrilsiem: Set before The Ascension of Karrak (The Karrak Trilogy Book 4) Page 16