You take the stone to the wizard in the mountain, Corzan? You're a fool, little dragon. Did you think I did not know about all in the mountain? I know every creature and every tree. HA! HA! HA! Go then, fool. You will give it to me in a day. If not, I will destroy you, your friend the dragon, Corzan, and all of his rotten goblins. I know the secrets of the stone. You and he do not. Be wary, fool dragon. But you entertain me. I shall wait. Sit. Watch. Death comes quick to the fools who seek it.
CHAPTER 23
I caught up with Brenwar another hundred feet down the mountain, and he wasn’t in much of a talking mood. It didn’t help that I had to help him out of the tree he’d been stuck in, either, and he made me swear I’d never tell. His cheeks were flushed red behind his beard, so I didn’t bother to tell him that it was all his fault. He should have waited, and he was lucky he wasn’t dead. His impulsiveness could have killed us both. But I bit my tongue, forgave him inwardly, and moved on.
Down the mountain we went, and for some reason, the Thunderstone seemed heavy, as heavy as ten. I had a feeling it didn’t like being moved around, but I had to take care of my mission. My own thoughts were filled with worry. The steel dragon had mentioned that he knew the secrets of the stone and then hadn't offered any more information. He was desperate, though. I could feel it in his thoughts. If things didn’t work out, I was certain he’d wipe out everything on the mountain.
Corzan was another problem. Just as the steel dragon had been tricked by a wizard before, another magic user was trying to trick me. I had to stay focused. All I needed to do was get the blue razor free and hope the rest would take care of itself. Even though my goals sounded simple, they would be much harder to accomplish than they looked.
“We’re almost there,” I said. The sun was setting, the mountain becoming a black face in the night. I could hear the waterfalls in the distance. I jumped from one ledge to the other, reached out, and helped my friend over. “Any advice, Brenwar?”
It was always good to have a backup plan, but at this time I had none. I would have to convince Corzan to free the dragon before I gave him the stone. If he would not relent, well, I had no idea what I would do.
“Just free the dragon. Don’t worry about the stone,” Brenwar huffed, crawling down a ledge.
“What about the steel dragon? I gave my word I’d help him.”
“You gave him your word he could eat you, not me.”
“Brenwar,” I said, alarmed “he wouldn’t eat you anyway. Dwarves are too chewy and sour, they say.”
Brenwar shot me a look and said, “Lucky for me, not so lucky for you.”
Well, it seemed my dearest friend didn’t have a backup plan, either.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
Down we went, my back beginning to ache from the load of the stone and my leg still agitated from days before. I should have been healed up by now.
***
Goblin guards, yellow eyed with pointed ears and stiff jaws, greeted us with spears at the entrance of the Burrow Goblin home.
“Leave your weapons,” one said, lowering his spear toward Brenwar’s nose.
He ripped the spear from its hands and whacked it in the head. I clocked the other one in the face, busting his nose. I was tired. I wouldn’t be playing any more games today.
My feet were dragging by the time I got there. The stone as heavy as a small boulder now. The sight of Corzan the Necromancer irritated me. The devilish man sat with a smug look on his coarse face, hairy hands folded over his robed lap. Meanwhile, I felt like a mouse that had just stepped into a trap.
“Ah … the son of the Dragon King has returned. And an hour not too late. I’m impressed,” Corzan said. “Do you have it?”
I stretched my arms and shoulders. I was all too ready to get rid of it now. I should have given it to Brenwar.
“I have it,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. This was it. It was time for Corzan to play his final cards. “Let the dragon go, and it’s all yours.”
Corzan chuckled. The great hall full of goblins, over thirty of them, chuckled as well.
Leaning forward, Corzan said, “Show it to me first.”
His eyes were like dark moons when I removed the Thunderstone from my pack, and a collective gasp filled the air. The orb's arcane markings shone a brilliant blue in the dimness of the cave. Corzan rose from his chair, hands outstretched as he approached.
“Give it to me,” he hissed. “Now!”
This was it. The moment of truth. The moment we’d all been waiting for.
“Free the dragon first,” I replied, cradling the Thunderstone at my side. He wasn’t going to push me around.
Corzan flicked his fingers. A shower of sparks hit the dragon cage, drawing forth a painful hiss from the dragon.
“Give me the stone, Nath Dragon! Or my next spell will kill the dragon.”
My anger started to rise. Brenwar bristled at my side, war hammer in his white-knuckled grip. It was time to be rid of Corzan, the goblins―all of them. But the necromancer had the edge. He held the dragon’s life in the balance.
Holding the stone out in front of his eyes, I said, “It is my stone to give, and I give it to you freely, Corzan.”
“What!” Brenwar started.
Corzan licked his lips. A smile as broad as a river formed on his hardened face as he reached for it.
I tossed it into the dragon cage.
“You’ll just have to get it.”
The stone rolled into the cage, and the blue razor coiled over it.
Corzan’s hands burst into flames.
“You FOOL! You’ll die for this! Kill them! Kill them both!”
CHAPTER 24
The goblins surged. Corzan disappeared. Brenwar threw himself into the entire force, war hammer swinging, goblins flying. Me, I had another idea.
I ripped Fang from his sheath. “Don’t fail me now,” I said.
Bang!
I struck the sword tip on the stone floor.
Fang vibrated with life in my hand and began to sing a terrible song. Terrible if you were a goblin, that is.
The sound echoed in the chamber, shaking the debris from the rocky ledges and ceiling. The goblins in the path of the sword fell to their knees, fingers plugging their ears, crying out in anguish, pain, and uncertainty. Half of them fled. Others cried and begged.
Whop! Whop! Whop!
Brenwar took them out, one by one, rattling bones and cracking their ribs.
I was elated. When Fang sang, it sang a beautiful song that repelled evil like baths repel goblins. A tuning fork gone berserk. The great hall, once a fortress full of many enemies, was now under my full control. I muttered a quick thanks to my father for crafting such a fine and magical sword for me.
Fang sang for another few seconds or so, and we found ourselves surrounded by a heap of broken, passed-out, or cringing goblins and a lone dragon in the cage.
“Corzan!” I yelled, my words echoing from corner to corner. “Come out! Surrender the dragon before it’s too late!”
“He won’t come,” Brenwar said, kicking a goblin in his path. “The cowards run. They always do.” A goblin burst from the floor and dashed away from the pack. “See! I’m going after it!”
“No, Brenwar!”
Too late. He ran into the tunnels and out of my sight.
Beside me, the blue razor remained huddled in the cage, eyes open, unmoving. She was unafraid. I kneeled alongside the cage and said, “I’ll have you free soon, sister. Just don’t let go of that stone.” I reached my fingers inside the cage.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you!”
It was Corzan, but from where I didn’t know.
“Oh, Nath Dragon, you have infuriated me! Do you think you’ve defeated me, Corzan the Necromancer? NEVER!”
I could sense the man. He was hidden but not invisible. “Corzan, free the dragon and the stone is yours.”
An arc of light shot across the room and slammed into the cage. The blue razor
roared.
“STOP IT!” I yelled.
The dragon’s scales began to smolder. My temper did as well.
“Fetch the stone, Nath Dragon. Give it to me, or the dragon shall suffer more agony than you can imagine!”
I couldn’t stand the thought of her suffering any more, but I couldn’t give in right now. I had to try something else. The Throne. The arc of light had come from behind it, and I could see the edges of Corzan’s robes at the bottom. I stepped between the throne and the cage and made my offer.
“Last chance, Corzan. Free the dragon now, or else I’m coming after you. Nothing can stop a dragon!”
Corzan stepped from behind the throne, arms raised over his head, hands burning with fire. “You and the dragon both shall die, fool!”
“Last chance, Corzan!”
Another arc of light erupted from his hands. I swung Fang right into it.
KRYSAA—AK!
A shower of flame lit up the chamber. Corzan howled in rage.
The blow knocked me from my feet, and Fang flew from my grip. My vision was spotted, the wind knocked from me as I fought to stay conscious. Where is he?
I could see his face now. His eyes narrowed. His mouth snarled. His fists balled up at his sides.
“NO!” I shouted.
Hands like burning torches, he rushed for the cage. I could see the murder in his eyes. He’d have to kill the dragon to get the stone.
I struggled to rise, but my aching muscles were like lead.
Corzan's flaming hands reached for the cage.
Move, Dragon!
I lunged for his legs.
Corzan sidestepped me. He kicked me in the face, and I saw spots again.
I caught his robes by the hem and jerked him down to the ground.
Whack! Whack!
Two flaming punches burned into my face. It was like getting hit with a hot frying pan, but I held on. I’d been in a scrap before. But I’d never brawled with a magic user before. This one had a lot of fight in him. Anger, too.
“Let the dragon go, Corzan! I’m warning you!”
We rolled over the floor, back and forth, my human arm wrapped around his forearms, fighting to keep his flaming hands from my face.
He kneed me in the groin.
“Oof!”
A mage fighter, a dirty fighter, too.
“That’s it!”
Pow!
I punched him in the chest with my dragon arm.
It took the wind from him. He sagged within his robes as the fires extinguished from his hands. I put my forearm on his neck and pinned him to the ground.
“Let the dragon go, Corzan!”
“Heh-heh. You won’t hurt me, Nath Dragon.” Corzan coughed and gasped. “I know that much about you.”
He was right. I’m not sure how I could convince him otherwise, not without Brenwar, anyway. Why’d that dwarf have to run off? Still, that didn’t prevent me from roughing him up a little. I walloped him in the stomach.
“Oof!”
“Let her go!”
Corzan grunted, but he did nothing else.
I tried it again. Whop! Same result, a more painful expression. I drew my fist back one more time.
“All right!” Corzan finally said. “But you must promise me the stone.”
“I already have.” I dragged him over to the cage. “Do it already!”
Corzan pulled himself onto his knees, put his hands together, closed his eyes, and began to murmur. I kept the pressure on his neck with my dragon hand the entire time.
The metal cage warbled like a living thing, popped, cracked, and slowly fizzled from sight.
The blue razor reared up, stretched her long, metal-blue neck and black wings, and batted her lashes at me. I smiled.
Zing!
Like a streak of lightning, she was gone. Not much of a thank-you, either, but I’d come to expect that. A shame; I’d like to have gotten to know her, a little bit at least.
Relief assailed me. I’d accomplished at least one good deed today. Now it was just me, Corzan, a bunch of roughed-up goblins, and the Thunderstone in the chamber. That, and of course—my word.
Corzan went for the stone. I went for my sword. I know you are wondering why I let him have the stone. I’m sure you think I’m crazy. But I gave him my word. If my word’s not good, then I’m no good at all.
We squared off. Corzan held the stone as if he had all the wealth and power in Nalzambor in his own hand. I could feel the scales shift heavily in his favor.
“So, what’s it going to be now, Corzan?”
He didn’t say anything. He just stared at the orb, its blue markings radiant with life.
“I’ve got what I want, and you have what you want. Can we go in peace or not?”
Of course, I still had to get the stone back, but I needed to buy more time. I needed to know what he was thinking first.
“Well?”
Corzan stroked his fingers across the orb. “Such power,” he hissed. “I can feel it in my very bones. It strengthens me.” His voice rose. “Like ten necromancers in one.”
I stepped back. Corzan’s robes blustered behind a radiant swirl that circled him from head to toe. I could barely make out his face now, but it was changing, transforming, stretching unnaturally. The necromancer had been formidable enough before, but there was no telling what he had inside him now. I had a feeling that I only had a few seconds of life left―or possibly some arcane form of lifetime imprisonment. I didn’t want either of those things to happen, so I did what any reasonable fighter would do. I raised Fang over my head and attacked.
CHAPTER 25
“DRAGON! DRAGON!” Shouting out my battle cry, I crossed the distance between me and Corzan as fast as I could. I was fast. Thought was faster. One second Fang’s tip licked inches from his face, the next I was sailing from one side of the room to the other.
“OOF!”
I slammed hard into one of the support columns and crumpled breathless to the ground.
“HAH!” Corzan shouted from the other side of the room. “I’m invincible now!”
Somehow, I rose to my feet. I wasn’t going to die on my back.
“No one is invincible,” I managed, wiping the blood from my mouth and coughing.
Corzan’s smile was broad as a river, his evil deep as a gorge. His expression was intelligent, cunning, omnipotent. He was the wolf; I was the sheep.
“Your time has come, Nath Dragon. Say your farewells.”
That’s when I noticed the change. His arms were no longer hairy, and his face was more man, less goblin. He noticed me eyeing him.
“What? What do you see?”
I little honesty wouldn’t hurt at this point, and it would buy me more time as well.
“You look more like a man than a goblin now.”
Corzan inspected his fingers. The long, jagged fingernails were gone, the coarse hair over his hands and wrists removed. “Finally,” he gasped. “The curse is controlled, if not removed.” He returned his focus on me. “Heh, I bet you think I'll thank you, don’t you, Nath Dragon?” He laughed. “The truth is, I’d consider it if I weren’t so evil and you weren’t so good. Can’t have troublemakers like you sticking around.” He pointed his finger at me.
Whap!
I punched myself in the face with my dragon fist.
Whap!
I almost knocked myself out cold.
Corzan had his fingers on the necklace of dragon scales and claws. I’d forgotten all about that. I should have ripped it off of him when I had the chance.
“I’ve total control over you now, Dragon. As a matter of fact, I can make you do whatever I want.”
He was right. Unlike the last time he controlled my arm, I was completely at a loss to fight back this time. If I couldn’t use my muscles, I’d have to use my mind. Buy time!
“So, you couldn’t control the guardian dragon before. He was too strong. But I’d say you have enough power to defeat the guardian dragon now, and al
l the other wonders he protects.”
Corzan stopped.
“What other wonders?”
This was the tricky part. I wasn’t going to lie. But I could bluff. Besides, I didn’t really know there weren't any other treasures.
“I didn’t see any, but where there are dragons so big, there are hoards as well. Just think, Corzan, everything in the mountain could be yours.”
“Am I to understand that the guardian dragon still lives?”
“Yes.”
“How did you get the stone, then?”
Now was another time when I could tell the truth or lie. I didn’t need to lie, though. There was still another weapon in my arsenal. Silence.
“I’ll never tell.”
Whap! Whap! Whap!
I dropped to the floor. I could feel my eye swelling. Nothing could really describe what it was like to give yourself a black eye.
“Is that all you got?” I said, not sure if I was talking to myself or to Corzan.
Whap!
“You are a fool, Dragon, to think that you can trick me into a fight with the guardian. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious as to what happened up there. I can only assume you struck a bargain of some kind with him. After all, you animals have a way of sticking together in the herd.
With a motion of his arms, Fang was ripped free of my grasp and into his.
“A fine sword. Magic. Dragon magic. Hmmm. I could make use of this.”
I needed to move. Far and fast. He was strengthening, and I was weakening. I could feel it. And I hoped Brenwar wouldn’t come back, either. He’d be killed if he did. I had to have another trick up my sleeve.
With the stone in one hand and my sword in the other, Corzan was frightening—tall, gaunt, and indestructible.
Well, at least I had saved one dragon, but now I was worried about the other as well. What if Corzan could control him, too? The ancient wizard had done so. It was up to the steel dragon to beat him in battle, but it didn’t seem likely right now. Not with the necklace Corzan wore and his knowledge of the dragons.
“Now what, Corzan? You have me defeated. Should I expect an unpleasant death?” I had to keep talking, at least long enough to figure out something.
The Chronicles of Dragon Collection (Series 1 Omnibus, Books 1-10) Page 17