Morris looked down the road. “My objective is clear. Get to the king,” he said, nodding them down the road. “I have to get back to Thendor. I’m sure the king is still there. He will explain everything. These ludicrous rumors about his using magic will truly amuse him. Now, get to your orders!”
“Yes, sir.” The commander waited patiently while Morris rode off at a good clip. Then he turned and got down to the ground to help the younger officer.
Chapter 5: Manipulation
Hallond exited the cave and barreled down an old dirt road that had not been used much in the last few centuries. Only the occasional supply caravan came through from the coast to the capital, but that would not happen for a few weeks. Hallond had walked this path often in many different bodies. It was a calming location that gave a beautiful view down into the great plains of Gallenor.
The distant high Barren Mountains could be seen as mere silhouettes against a blue sky. Vast farmlands and pastures lay between those stalwart giants and the shorter mountains of the coastal region, where Hallond and the other dark wizards took refuge after the Dragon council ejected them. Little did he realize these dirty, short mountains would become a tomb for a thousand years.
The sight Hallond treasured most was his perfect view of Thendor, the capital of Gallenor. From here he has watched this mighty city rise from just a few buildings and farms. He witnessed the construction of the palace at every stage and even over-saw the construction of a few of the additions to it over the centuries. He hated the castle. It was a symbol of the idiotic rule of foolish mortals. When he becomes King, it will be torn down in front of everyone. The tapestries, the tables, the books, and the Throne will be burned in a great fire dedicated to the new rulers of Gallenor. Then, he will use every last living being without magical powers as a slave army to carve out his hideous new castle from these mountains. It will stand taller and bigger than any structure ever built in either the wizard Kingdom of old or Gallenor. Those who look upon it will not be in awe, but fear. And the eternal ruler on the throne of fire will be Hallond the Great.
In the distance, he could see several riders of the Guard going to and fro looking for him. Little did they realize that he was simply observing them in their pointless quest. If they even got close to him, he had enough power to befuddle their horses and send them heading in the wrong direction. He reached down and plucked a leaf from a small scrawny plant. Holding it in his hands, he enchanted it with a very basic spell. It didn’t work.
He rolled his eyes, huffed out a breath, and tried again. This time the spell took and the leaf became a strange looking winged bug. It fluttered up and awaited instruction. “Bring Morris to me,” Hallond ordered. The small magical insect flew off in search of its target. This bug spell did not have a large radius, but Hallond was sure Morris wasn’t too far.
***
Captain Morris rode toward Thendor, the brilliant castle growing majestically on the horizon. Soon, he would ride through town with his prize ready for the king. As he got closer, the noise from town grew louder. There was a lot of commotion today.
“The hysteria is out of hand,” he muttered to himself. A burning hatred of the Rakki flared intensely. He had made up his mind that this was the machinations of those dogs. Without any evidence, other than the race of the captive currently tied to him, he had passed judgment on those people and was considering every sort of punishment he would request the king to enact.
Pushing his horse toward the town, he would get there as soon as possible and get this situation under control.
What the hell are they doing? he thought as he arrived, observing that even his own soldiers were riding all over the place in search of something. The lack of order was disgusting as people scurried from here to there.
Pushing even harder, he wanted to get into the palace and see that everything was brought back in line. The poor king is probably hiding in his room while those terrible dogs have the place in an uproar.
Five of his own men saw him approaching and quickly headed his direction. He was ready to meet them, and demand an explanation of what they were doing.
Slowing down, he almost stopped his horse when a strange green bug landed on his hand. He attempted to swat it away, it turned into a green mist. Startled at first, he then had an inexplicable urge to turn down a side road leading around the city, and up toward the mountains.
In the distance he could hear his own men calling out, “Hail, Captain! Hail, Captain Morris!” They were trying to get his attention, but he ignored them. Something in him was sure this was the right path to be on.
***
After what felt like hours, Hallond’s snarling frown began to turn to a smile. To his great relief, he saw Morris approaching up a distant road that had no other path but to come here. With him was another person, sitting behind him. Hallond could not see that this other person was unconscious and tied up.
Hallond prepared himself for the possibility that Morris had met up with the resistance already and was on their side. He might be bringing a courtier to discuss Hallond’s surrender. Or worse, he might be bringing along another fighter to try and bring him down. Either way, he wouldn’t be taken that easily.
Hallond stood tall with a firm posture and a commanding gaze. In his mind he mulled over the limited amount of spells he could conjure to defend this failing body. Then a sly smile crept across his face and crinkled his old skin. He could see the passenger on the horse was not an adult, but a child, and this child was tied up like a hog for slaughter. Morris had done it. He had brought back the child with the wand.
“Hail, Captain Morris!” Hallond lifted a hand to signal the captain.
Morris turned his horse and pushed her to go up the path toward the old King. Once he got to about fifteen feet away he stopped the horse and dismounted, taking Crystal with him. The horse listed to one side and then the other, then she fell down and died. Morris couldn’t care less if he had pushed her too hard and killed her. She had served her purpose.
Carrying Crystal over his shoulder with as much respect as he might give a sack of potatoes, he came up to the King and knelt down to one knee bowing low. “Your Majesty, I bring you what you desired, the child with the wand.”
“Have you heard what has transpired?” Hallond calmly asked, true fear building in him at his captain’s next words.
“I have heard of the rumors, but I do not believe them. The people are led by fear and do not trust in your perfect judgment.” Morris remained bowing as he spoke.
Hallond’s sly smile took on a definite wickedness. “Thank all that is good. I worried you too would have gone mad. This whole situation has simply gotten out of control.”
“Am I correct? Is this the workings of the Rakki?”
“What?” Hallond asked.
“I have surmised that the plot to corrupt the people against you was orchestrated by the Rakki. They have always been a thorn in our side, and their leader demonstrates very little respect for my authority or the throne.” Morris was keen and brilliant; able to deduce plots at ease.
Hallond knew that and respected it the same. So he played right along. “It was their representative that headed this, even convinced some of your men to follow him against me. I was forced to flee or they would have put me in a dungeon, or worse. Now I am stuck up here. I wasn’t even sure if I would see my Kingdom saved from the evil Dragon before I died a lonely death up on this mountain.”
“To think you would be deposed by an ungrateful populace and still only think of their safety. Surely you are a great King.”
“That, I will be. Now, show me this child. I must finish what Hallond started before his untimely demise.” It was still difficult to speak of himself in the third person.
Morris laid Crystal on the ground before Hallond. “There she is, sire.”
“She?” Hallond only then realized this was not a boy, but a girl. “And she is Rakki! The child I….Hallond saw was a human bo
y!”
“Lord Hallond must have been mistaken. Or something happened to confuse us. But, when I captured her, I can say for certain that she was carrying the wand.”
“You wouldn’t lie to me?” Hallond was quick to suspicion.
“No, that I cannot ever do. I saw the wand in her hand and can attest to that with my life.”
Hallond looked down at her. “What happened to her? Is she dead?”
“No. I obtained a powerful sleeping potion in Stillwater and used it to stop the people protecting her and it also stopped her from using her wand on me.”
Hallond was actually impressed. “Truly a powerful potion. Now, I think we should wake her.”
Morris cocked his head. “I’m afraid Donna did not tell me a cure for it, other than waiting.”
Hallond’s frustration bubbled over. “We don’t have time for that!” he wailed. He knew time was short, but he still did not want to give away his identity just yet, so he lied, “The wizard Hallond taught me how to break a potion like this. It is a simple matter.” He leaned down to cast a small disenchantment on her.
Morris stopped him with a gentle hand. “Let me, just tell me how to. I would not want you harmed in any way.”
“Your devotion is warming to my heart, but unnecessary. It won’t take much.” He put his hand on her head and then whispered a disenchantment spell. It did not work the first time, so he said it again. Finally, on the third try, the spell worked and she began to move around.
Crystal slowly opened her eyes and felt like a thousand rocks had been dropped on her. She tried to move, but the ropes restrained her still. “What…what happened…where am I?” Her eyes locked on Captain Morris standing over her, staring. “YOU! NO!”
Hallond grabbed her by the jaw with his old hand and turned her to face him. “So, you were going to complete Tolen’s foolish mission. What a pathetic puppy he sends against me.”
“Tolen’s mission? Me?” She looked confused and very groggy. A side effect from the potion no doubt.
Hallond stood and held out his hand. “Morris, bring me the staff.”
Morris looked around, confused. “Uh…staff?”
“THE DRAGONWAND! BRING IT TO ME NOW!!” Hallond barked.
“She had a wand, but it disappeared after she dropped it,” Morris said.
Hallond’s eyes exploded. “Disappeared? No, it cannot be.” He pulled out a knife hidden on him and cut the ropes on her arms, pointing the blade in her direction. “Girl, call it! Now!”
Crystal was recovering from the potion and getting very scared. “The wand?”
“YES! THE WAND, YOU WHELP!” Hallond said.
Crystal held out her hand and said, “Wand.” And it appeared in her hand.
Hallond’s jaw dropped at the sight of it; disappointed. “YOU IDIOT! THAT IS NOT THE DRAGONWAND!!” He turned on Morris and was ready to kill him, though he could not destroy his last ally.
Morris fell down to one knee quickly and bowed low. “But…sir. That is the wand we saw.”
Crystal pointed her wand at Morris and tried to cast a spell. “Eldr!”
Hallond quickly countered it with a simple wave of his hand. A small explosion of red light filled the space between Crystal and Morris. “Tie her hands!”
Morris rushed over to her, grabbed her hands, and tied her up quickly. Crystal struggled to fight free but was powerless against the Captain. Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes.
Hallond controlled his anger and asked, “Did you see any staff with them? Did they even make it to the Dragon Citadel?”
“I don’t know if they were at the Citadel, but I do know there was a boy with a staff,” Morris answered.
“The Dragonwand,” Crystal said, then quickly closed her mouth.
Hallond turned and walked over to her. “What do you know, girl?”
Crystal quickly shook her head, unwilling to respond.
Morris interjected, hell bent on making her respect the King and slapped her as he barked, “Answer him!”
She spit on Morris. “I won’t tell you anything about him!”
“Why you!” Morris lurched back to hit her again, but Hallond stopped him.
“No!” the King said, grabbing Morris’ hand before he could strike again. He turned to the girl with a hideously wicked smile. “So, there is love in this little mess. Oh, how sweet.”
Crystal’s lip quivered.
Morris snatched her up by the ropes and held her like he had before. “What now?”
Hallond looked at her again. “You just saved yourself, child. I was planning on killing you since you’re a dangerous threat to my plans. But, now I shall let you live, as bait for that boy and the staff. If he is wise, you both may survive.” He turned his attention to Morris. “I think it is time we return to Thendor and bring back order to their foolish chaos.”
Morris nodded in agreement. “Yes, sire. But…how?”
Hallond enjoyed talking about himself. “Hallond left me a gift. A wonderful treasure in the case of an emergency.”
“What could his gift have been?” Morris inquired. “What can we use to stand up against the chaos back at Thendor?”
Just then the ground rumbled; shaking with the foot falls of a thousand men marching in unison. The golems emerged from the caves, filled with the souls of the condemned. Hallond looked to Thendor, “We will use an army.”
Chapter 6: The Thread of Hope Broken
The Port of Pearls was unusually active today. The furthest major city from Thendor, they often did not house this many Royal Guard within their walls. Protests rocked the city’s center, as parents fought for the lives of their children. The city guards were joined by the Royal Guard to keep the people from turning into a riot.
Commander Wilhelm heard the screaming cries of the terrified parents, but pushed away the noise with thoughts of loyalty and duty. He was the most experienced soldier under Captain Morris. Until the recent events surrounding the hunt for rogue wizards and the Dragonwand, Wilhelm spent most of his time training the cadets. He was a paragon of duty. The cadets were taught the virtue of loyalty above anything else. The Throne was everything and the Kings words inerrant. If any cadet exhibited the smallest amount of question regarding following orders, Wilhelm would reject them from the academy.
His career was built on the pedestal of devotion. There was only one other soldier under the king who might display stronger devotion, and that was Captain Morris.
Yet, at this very moment, there was a quiver in his heart. His face did not show it and his gait was sturdy. Not a soul could possibly know what trembled in his spirit.
A young man waited for him outside of a large room. “Sir,” he said as he stood at attention.
Commander Wilhelm held out a hand. “Give me the knife.”
“But, sir. I...” he mumbled before biting his lip.
“Problem?” Wilhelm asked, with a narrowed gaze.
“Nothing, sir.”
“You know,” Wilhelm started, wagging his finger, “to even utter the slightest question of my authority could mean demotion.”
The boy remained quiet, merely nodding.
Wilhelm sternly asked again. “Now…The knife?”
The younger man quietly raised a knife they had retrieved from the butcher. Placing it in the commander’s hand, he gasped in a few breaths. He calmly asked, “May I be relieved now, sir?”
“I need you to stay here, in case any of the parents tries anything,” Wilhelm replied.
“But, sir. I...I don’t know if I can.”
Wilhelm put a hand on the door and did not make eye contact with the younger soldier. “You will. Just be glad that I decided to do this myself, alone. Do your duty.” With those last words he entered the room and then closed the door, latching it tightly behind himself.
Wilhelm looked around the hospital room; the many beds stripped of cloth and each with several occupants. Hundreds of childre
n were tied down and knocked out with sleeping potions. Some of the beds were filled with only one person; young adults barely of the age of seventeen. Other beds were covered in smaller children, a few having only been born this week.
He clenched his jaw and tensed his abdomen. It hurt inside. Never in his life had he felt such a pain in his gut. Never in his career had his eyes watered like this when executing a royal decree. Setting his eyes on a far wall, he would snuff the torches, as not to see their faces as clearly. It was the only way he could stomach what he had to do next.
Then it happened. He glanced down and saw a child, a familiar little dwarf girl, the granddaughter of a well-known shop owner. Each time he would stroll through the town, early in the morning, he recalled how she would walk beside him and talk about her favorite boat in the harbor. He never had any children of his own. Each day, she would make him happy like a grandfather might be.
All his composure, all of his training, everything in him broke at that moment. His eyes were opened and he saw what was around him. With a quivering hand, he brushed her hair aside from her sweet, sleeping face.
“I...I...I can’t do it.” Falling to his knees, he wept bitterly. There was a raging war in him that boiled out in the form of tears and crying. Loyalty to the king, loyalty to the people, he thought.
Commander Wilhelm, the man known as the Beast of the Academy, leaned over onto the bed of children and cried like a baby.
“COMMANDER! COMMANDER!” the boy at the door was yelled as he slammed his fists against the wood.
“What?” Wilhelm looked up, startled.
Before he could get to his feet, a sword was thrust through the crack between the doors and it sliced down to break the lock. The sound of dense metal rang out as the door flung open from the force of a heavy boot, connected to the leg of a soldier of the governor. He was here, as were a few other officials.
More than one parent poured in. “Commander, Stop!”
Wilhelm stood there, wiping his eyes. “What’s going on?”
Legacy of Dragonwand- Book III Page 4