“Good,” Garnuk replied briskly. “Your warriors can set up at this end of camp. Keep the varloug prans a little apart, and keep them under control. If there is any trouble at all from your creatures, then Zanove here will deal with them.”
“Understood,” Arasnak replied, glancing at the dragon. “I did not know there was another dragon at large. This one is yours to command?”
“He fights with us, yes,” Garnuk agreed.
“Fascinating,” Arasnak murmured, studying Zanove. “I must learn how you succeeded where I failed, Ramshuk.”
“I succeeded because I had time and patience,” Garnuk replied. “I would think your failure was due to circumstances outside your control. Norkuvad pulled you off the project as you said.”
“Yes,” the Butcher agreed quietly. “I was so close, and then . . .” he heaved an enormous sigh of frustration. “The past is the past,” he growled, turning away. “Now is the time to be focusing on the future. The golden age of our race.”
“Arasnak!” Danur called, speaking up for the first time. “Wait a moment, I have another question for you!”
Arasnak stopped and turned back. “Yes?”
“You said you have five hundred more varloug prans than rams under your command,” Danur pointed out. “Are you in need of more riders?”
“Always,” the Butcher replied, grinning. “You have some in mind?”
“There are some who would leap at the opportunity. I will see how many I can find.”
“That would be good,” Arasnak agreed. “With the Ramshuk’s approval, of course.”
“Granted,” Garnuk replied briskly. “Two hundred riders and five hundred additional varloug prans is a potent force. Seven hundred riders, though, would be nearly unstoppable.”
“Yes,” Danur agreed. “And, there is another thing we might consider. Do you remember the formations Tarq discussed with you, general? The one’s the Sthan riders use that we were trying to replicate with foot soldiers?”
“Yes,” Garnuk grunted.
“Well,” Danur said, gesturing to Arasnak’s distant force of riders and varloug prans. “It seems to me we have an opportunity to improve on that strategy even further.”
Garnuk nodded slowly, surveying Arasnak’s army. “It certainly does,” he agreed.
“What are you discussing?” the Butcher asked uncertainly.
“An opportunity to make your already feared and potent force completely unstoppable,” Garnuk replied confidently. “Set up camp for your troops, Arasnak. Then join me in the command tent, just over there. Danur and I will share some ideas with you that might just turn this army into the greatest the vertaga have ever fielded.”
“That is a promise I will hold you to,” Arasnak growled eagerly, climbing onto the back of his varloug pran once more. “Thank you, Ramshuk, for accepting us. We will fight for you with everything we have. And if the spirits are willing, we will win many, many battles for you and water the ground with the blood of men.”
The Butcher wheeled his mount around and charged back up the ridge to deliver the good news to his forces. As he did, Garnuk let out a pent up breath.
“Do you feel it, Danur?” he asked quietly. “Events are turning in our favor at last.”
“Yes,” the captain agreed. “Seven hundred varloug prans. This is a glorious day, general. We are still outnumbered, but the balance of power is drawing closer to even.”
“And our enemies have not even begun to weaken each other yet,” Garnuk added. “Arasnak was right. The golden age of the vertaga is coming.”
Chapter 36:
The Messenger
Khollo crouched low over Kanin’s neck as the emerald dragon blasted a wide swath through the jungle with his fire. Acrid fumes and gray-black smoke roiled up from the ground, hot ash and embers swirling among the billowing clouds.
To their right, Sven and Uthano were blasting their own path through the jungle, fire pouring from the crimson dragon’s mouth and charring all manner of greenery. Even after Uthano had pulled away, the flames sustained themselves and continued spreading, consuming even more of the jungle.
“Sven,” Khollo called. “We’re trying to clear the area, not start a forest fire.”
“This is a jungle, not a forest,” L’tel grunted as Thela cleared a stretch of her own.
“A jungle fire then,” Khollo said, rolling his eyes. “You’re supposed to be practicing control and precision.”
“But this is way more effective!” Sven protested.
“And far more destructive,” L’tel muttered.
Khollo sighed. “Sven, just follow the instructions, please. Yes, we’re trying to clear as much jungle as possible, but if we start the largest fire the world has ever seen we’ll end up destroying more than just the jungle. We’ll weaken the structures the Keepers left behind for us, maybe even destroy a few.”
“They’re all made of stone!” Sven protested.
“You could just ground him,” Halena suggested as she flew past on Amang. “That would stop his nonsense for a little while.”
“I’m thinking about it,” Khollo muttered. Kanin, try to persuade Uthano will you?
I will try, but he is rather like his bonded rider in many respects, Kanin grunted, his mental tone somewhat muffled as he flamed another chunk of jungle.
Khollo nodded gratefully, then checked the area to make sure everyone else was following instructions and they hadn’t lost anyone. He found Uthano easily, still gleefully destroying large amounts of jungle, as well as Thela and Amang. They worked at a more sedate pace, but still weren’t very precise with their flames. That left –
A purple blur streaked past Khollo’s ear, Aralye whooping ecstatically as Ayrmi wheeled, dove, and flamed. Khollo grinned at the pair’s exuberance, shaking his head in wonder at the sheer mobility of the undersized dragon, as well as the skill she employed in the placement of her fire. Ayrmi was working on clearing the sides of the main hall, stripping them of vegetation. To achieve that end, she was using controlled bursts to slice the curtain of vines into smaller sheets. After she had passed, the smaller sheets peeled away from the wall. These tumbled to the ground below, leaving a cleared expanse of stone in their place.
Be careful, Ayrmi, Khollo warned. We don’t want you to overfly yourself.
Aralye is no burden, Ayrmi replied comfortably. And she needs the practice as a rider.
Her balance is good though, Kanin remarked. Far better than when the others rode for the first time.
Don’t tell Aralye that, Khollo interjected quickly. She’s had quite a bit of success lately, and we can’t have her getting a big head or reverting to impulsiveness.
Even if she does, I can moderate her impulsiveness, Ayrmi promised, making another cut in the vines. But I will heed your wishes, High Keeper.
Thank you, Khollo replied, withdrawing from the mental contact and focusing his attention on the physical world again. He twisted around in the saddle and found Ayrmi and Aralye again. They had been flying together for four days now, and they already looked like naturals, masters of the sky.
The sun has risen high, Kanin reported, interrupting Khollo’s thoughts. Time for a break? I know you humans need to eat around this time each day.
Around this time, Khollo agreed. I suppose now is as good a time as any though. Call them back to the holds please, Kanin.
The emerald dragon bugled to the younger dragons, then wheeled and headed back to the holds. The others answered his call reluctantly, Sven complaining bitterly, Halena and Aralye shouting good-natured protests from the backs of their dragons. L’tel accepted the command without comment, simply allowing Thela to turn and swoop into her place in formation.
Khollo sighed contentedly, sitting back in the saddle a little. They were getting stronger, all of them. His students were becoming more competent warriors and riders, and the dragons were gradually maturing and realizing their full potential. On top of that, he had a good team building around him. Yes, Sven
and L’tel still argued, yes Aralye was impulsive and reckless at times, and yes Halena still wasn’t much of a fighter with her staff, but they all had a place and a purpose in the team and they were each capable in their own way.
The clouds of smoke from the morning’s work were still roiling upwards when Kanin landed on the ledge in front of the dragon holds a few moments later. Khollo shaded his eyes against the midday sun and gazed out over the valley while the others landed and dismounted. With five dragons at work, the jungle was suddenly on the losing side of the war, grudgingly surrendering its hold on more and more buildings every day. The quadrant between the dragon holds and the great hall on the north side of the main east-to-west road was largely clear now, revealing a multitude of buildings sized for humans, as well as several open plazas and fields, where Khollo guessed smaller herds or farms had been maintained to provide for the dragonless who supported the Order.
With so much of the jungle gone, the size of the stronghold was even more staggering. Why, based on this sector, there would be dwellings for thousands of humans. The dragon holds would house only a few hundred dragons though, which led Khollo to wonder if there were more holds elsewhere in the stronghold, just waiting to be discovered. Perhaps tomorrow they would find them.
“Lunch time?” Sven guessed, moving toward his hold.
Khollo nodded. “Grab a bite to eat everyone. Good work this morning.”
“We could have kept going a while still,” L’tel said, shrugging. “The dragons don’t seem the least bit exhausted.”
“I think we’ve started enough fires for one day,” Halena replied, wiping sweat from her brow. “Besides, I was getting hungry and we need to let the smoke clear.”
“Agreed,” Aralye said immediately, “Those black and gray ash clouds really ruin the view. And if the fires get much larger, they won’t burn out on their own. A morning’s work is perfectly suited for this sort of thing, I think.”
“That may be,” L’tel acknowledged, “But it leaves the whole afternoon open.”
“For training, right?” Halena asked, glancing at Khollo.
“Not today,” Khollo said, shaking his head. “I think you’ve all earned an afternoon off.”
“Really?” Aralye asked.
“Really,” Khollo confirmed. “It’s been a while since any of you have had time to yourselves. Take the afternoon, explore the island, see what there is to see. Visit some of the natural springs if you like, or go hunting with your dragons. Just spend some time away from training and work.”
“I’m all for that!” Sven whooped as he emerged from his hold. “Speaking of seeing what there is to see,” he added, juggling bread and dried meat between his hands as he tried to build a sandwich, “Could you give us a refresher on which fruits are safe to eat? This bread and meat diet is getting a little old.”
“You mean stale?” Aralye asked, grinning.
“No, old,” Sven repeated stubbornly. “Why would it be getting stale?”
“Because that’s what old bread does,” Halena explained. “It gets stale, Sven. It was a joke.”
“Sorry,” Sven muttered around a full mouth. “Didn’t expect one of those coming from the scowling huntress over there.”
“Hey!” Aralye protested. “I’ll give you something to scowl about, you idiotic – ”
“Aralye, put the dagger up,” Khollo said calmly. “We need Sven in one piece.”
“Like she could do any harm with just a dagger,” Sven scoffed.
The dagger, halfway back to its sheath, suddenly leapt from Aralye’s hand, spinning across the intervening space and flashing right in front of Sven. The northerner yelped and dove for cover, pieces of his sandwich scattering over the ledge. The dagger carried on, a slice of dried meat speared on the end of it, until it clattered side-on against the wall of the nearest hold.
“That was terrifying,” L’tel observed, picking up the dagger and tossing it back.
“Thank you,” Aralye grunted, catching the knife deftly and removing the meat from it with an expression of distaste. “I could have done more damage, but Khollo said we need him in one piece.”
“For which I am very grateful,” Sven muttered, getting to his feet slowly. He glanced down at his hands, which were clutching two slices of bread and a few scraps of meat and sighed. “I’ll be back. Since Khollo didn’t warn Aralye against harming my sandwich.”
“Well,” Khollo said, “Next time I could protect your sandwich instead of you.”
“No, no,” Sven replied, shaking his head urgently. “If I have to choose one or the other – ”
“And you do,” Halena interrupted.
“Then I’ll let my sandwich take the dagger every time,” Sven finished.
“Every time?” Aralye asked innocently, toying with the dagger.
“That wasn’t permission to throw it at every sandwich I make,” Sven shouted over his shoulder.
“What a shame,” the huntress said, sighing as she returned the blade to its sheath.
“Anyway,” Sven said when he returned a moment later. “What else is there to eat on this island?”
“There are plenty of fruits,” Khollo replied. “Some are good to eat. Others are dangerous though, and there are others that taste good but have unfortunate side effects.”
“Like?” Sven asked eagerly.
Khollo frowned. “I don’t think I trust you with that knowledge.”
“Oh, come on!” Sven protested. “I’m in need of a good laugh!”
If you are worried about the belching fruits, I have already shared their image with the other dragons, Kanin interrupted.
Khollo glanced up at the emerald dragon. And warned them against eating them?
Of course! Kanin replied innocently.
Liar, Khollo grunted.
Maybe, Kanin admitted, chuckling deep in his throat. It will be a good experience for them.
“Okay,” Khollo said, addressing the whole group. “If your dragon shows interest in a fruit, don’t let them eat it. There’s one that makes them spit fire uncontrollably and is highly dangerous.”
“Huh,” L’tel muttered. “That sounds interesting. What would it do to a human?”
Khollo hesitated. “The result isn’t dangerous so much as disgusting. That’s all I’ll say.”
“I know what I’m doing this afternoon,” Sven said gleefully, glancing at Uthano. “Time to run some experiments!”
“On yourself?” Halena asked, frowning. “Why do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Did I say I’d be running them on myself?” Sven asked. “Why would I do such a thing when I have so many unsuspecting test subjects?”
“Because they’re not unsuspecting anymore,” Khollo muttered, making a mental note to accept nothing that looked like food from the northerner for the next few days.
“Great,” Halena muttered, “I’m going to be triple-checking my food the rest of the week.”
“It’s fine,” Aralye assured her. “If he messes with either of us, he knows what will happen.” She glared at Sven icily, hand dropping to the hilt of her dagger again. The northerner followed the movement with his eyes and cleared his throat hastily, looking away.
“Maybe I’ll just go exploring instead,” he muttered.
“I think that would be wise,” Khollo agreed, retreating to his and Kanin’s hold. “If any of you are looking for me, I’ll be here. If I’m not here, I’ll leave a note telling you where I’ve gone.”
The others watched him go, then went back to excitedly discussing their options for the afternoon. Khollo smiled wearily at their chatter. The afternoon off hadn’t been so much a gift for them as a much-needed respite for himself. The constant stress and anxiety, coupled with the long days full of strenuous work, were taking their toll on him mentally and physically. He needed a break.
Rest, Kanin urged him. I will watch over them while you do. You have pushed yourself hard these past weeks.
No harder than you have
pushed yourself.
I can bear it. Dragons are strong, resilient. You humans have frail bodies by comparison.
Thanks, Khollo muttered, laying back on his bed. He closed his eyes, and was instantly asleep.
He did not know how long he had slept, but it felt like no time at all before Kanin’s voice was speaking in his mind again. Uthano approaches, he reported. Without Sven.
Khollo sat bolt upright, rubbing at his eyes drowsily. Without Sven? What do you mean? Where is he? Where did they go? What time is it? he added, glancing at the entrance to the hold.
Yes, without Sven, exactly what I said, how should I know, the northern plains, and midafternoon, Kanin replied promptly and confidently. While Khollo frowned, trying to remember what order he had asked his questions in and figure out how they lined up with Kanin’s answers, the emerald dragon cocked his head, listening.
Uthano says Sven is fine. He is with L’tel and Thela at the beach. With the ship.
The ship? Khollo asked. What ship?
The Southern Star.
Eralm is here? Why didn’t you tell me?
I just found out.
What does he want? Why has he come? Has something gone wrong?
I don’t know, Kanin replied slowly. But I suppose we could go to him and find out.
Khollo laughed at the long-suffering look the dragon cast his way, leaning on the wall for support. Sorry, he said, grinning, I guess I get carried away sometimes.
Sometimes?
Hey, cut me some slack, I just woke up.
So did I.
I thought you were listening for the others.
I only said that so you would rest and not worry.
Kanin!
What? I still heard Uthano and relayed his message to you. There is nothing wrong with that.
But –
Enough. Are you coming or shall I fly to the ship alone and you can catch up on foot?
I’m coming, Khollo grumbled, accompanying Kanin out to the ledge. Where are the others?
One of the springs. Shall I call them in?
Tell Amang and Ayrmi what’s going on, and let them know they can join us if they wish.
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