by Dana Journey
Blood dripped from Jes’ little, short sword. “Ah, it looks like I got you. How long has it been since you last saw your blood?”
“Far too long, I thought that I might have become invincible,” was the cloaked man’s reply.
“So would you like to take this outside or would you rather I kill you here.” The crowd was stunned by Jes’ comment.
“Ah ssso you would like to take my life. Are you not afraid that you will end up like thessse men, little thief.” Jes was very frustrated by this comment, First, I am well over average height, and how the heck did everyone know that I am a thief. What. Am I wearing, a sign? He was tired of being called that, too.
“I am a rogue, for your information and not a common thief.” Jes nearly yelled.
“Well it mattersss not as I will end your life.” And the conversation was over.
Jes made the first move. To his surprise his wayward strike struck the other man’s arm just above the elbow. This time no blood found its way onto the blade. The cloaked man was fast thought Jes, the white blade had nearly cut him in half, twice, and it left a nice bruise on his right hip. Luckily Jes’ own sword had deflected the Animal Man’s great sword, causing it to hit flat side down.
The fighting was fierce. The cloaked man’s blade had never found its mark. That would have resulted in a life stealing wound for Jes. On the other hand, Jes had ducked and dove landing many cuts and minor abrasions, but nothing that seemed to take the man down. The small building and crowded floor had caused Jes to draw the fight outside fearing that someone else might get hurt. This was also Jes’ downfall, for when they got outside he failed to recognize the bum sitting in the shadows.
The Guild Master had set up a trap in the street. He hoped that the cloaked man would step on it, but when he realized that the man he was fighting was the same that had humiliated him earlier; he decided that either was sufficient.
Jes could tell that his enemy was tiring, the precise slashes and near missing stabs were slowing. Jes knew that he would never tire. While such a good friend of Lyndon’s may have felt jealous with his powers, he personally had never been jealous of Lyndon’s magical prowess. Jes had a secret of his own. He had been born with the magical ability of what seemed like infinite stamina. He did not know if it was infinite or not, but he had never reached a limit before. That reason alone was why he had been chosen by his former master. So it would only be a matter of time before the fight was over. All he had to do was not get hit, which in its own right was very trying.
The cloaked man swung with incredible speed and strength causing Jes to step back into the waiting trap. Any rogue worth his salt would have been able to see it, but no thief would have been able to locate it when diving and dodging a massive sword. The trap was simply made with spring loaded spikes that when stepped on shot out killing the target. Luckily the momentum of Jes’ movement cleared him from most of the spikes, but not all of them. One small projectile struck him in the hip. Jes went down, smashing his head on the Flying Horses’ deck railing. As Jes lost consciousness, his last thought was this sucks.
7
.“They’re here, they found out our plan. Lyndon you must escape while you can.” The fear in Juleen’s voice was evident.
“I thought you were family, will you be ok?” I said.
“Yes, they won’t hurt me, just go.” With this she gave me a kiss. I had never been kissed before, not even by my mother. There was no way I was going to leave her now, I hope for the telltale burning sensation of my Berserker power to come.
“Hello, who’s there, Lyndon?” The voice seemed very familiar. All I could see was a cloaked man standing in the newly formed opening.
“Jes is that you?” I said with what little power I could.
“Ya, hey, how you been? It was not easy to find you. Oh, and I am glad that you didn’t burn up in the flame.” Jes said this as he stepped from behind the cloaked man.
The Keeper burst from the corridor that we had just left. “What is going on here, and who are you, guards!” Just as he said this the three guards arrived at his side. “How did you get in here?” He continued.
“Well, look at the hole here in the wall, make the connection.” Jes had always been mildly sarcastic.
“It does not matter, we will kill you all.” The Keeper’s face had a hideous look upon it.
“But father they can help us.” Juleen was beginning to cry.
“You are no longer a daughter of mine. Kill them all guards, even the Enlightened One; it seems we no longer need his assistance to escape. Another solution has presented itself.”
How could he do this to his own daughter, I thought? Anger and fear for the beautiful girl rose like a tidal wave inside me. The burning came in full force, and I knew what was about to happen. The guards had taught me many things, but none knew if my training would help when the fire took over.
The first guard drew a sword and attacked Jes and the cloaked figure, and that is when I lost it. The burning was too great to withstand, I let go. My mind, still functioning, allows me to watch and possibly understand, but this time I was not going to regret my body’s actions.
The second guard made an attempt on Juleen’s life, and he felt the full brunt of my power. The ball of magic escaped my finger tips and nearly left the man decapitated. At this moment I did not know if I was controlling this or if my mind had the same desire as my body. He would never move again, I thought, nor harm another. I realized why the Keeper had trained the guards. He was going to use them to take over the town after the magical fire was destroyed.
Now the third guard was still undecided in his actions. The first had been killed by a great white sword and the swiftness of an expert assassin. He now lay on the ground with a short dagger sticking from his throat. The second was propped up against the wall with blank lifeless eyes. His next decision was shocking to me.
The man with the blue slash turned and slit the Keepers throat with a beautiful gold dagger he had produced from a hidden sheath. “Please, no more violence. It is over; please do not kill the rest of us.” Just as he said this the Librarian arrived.
By now I had regained control over my body. “Why? You were going to kill us.’
“Please we have no desire to die, and there is no way I would survive if I fight you three.” The last Guard’s words rang true.
The remaining guard turned towards Juleen, “I am sorry Juleen, but your father has been going crazy ever since your mother died trying to escape from our home. And now that he is gone, I will take his place as Keeper. Enlightened One you must take her from this place, since she never belonged here.” The last guard seemed very content with his speech.
The Librarian did not seem pleased; he spoke as soon as the guard had stopped. “I have known about this exit for a long time now. I am surprised no one else has discovered it until now. The protective magic does not pass below the ground level. So you must do one more thing before the magic starts to dissipate within you. Finish the enchantment and make this place protected on all levels.”
Before I could speak, Juleen stepped forward. “What do you mean my father was going crazy? I know that he missed my mother deeply after she passed, but that does not mean he was going crazy. He seemed the same to me,” Juleen looked like she was about to cry at the thought of her father not being the man she believed him to be.
“Juleen, dear, the story of this place is not as clear cut as everyone has been told. Yes a mage rescued us, and there were only a few left, but that is where the story drastically differs. I am sorry to tell you, but there are many things that you should know about this tower and not a lot of time.” As if lost in thought the Librarian stopped talking. I thought that when his eyes refocused he would tell us the story of the Library. Instead, he turned towards the new Keeper “Come, we have to tell the others of these events and start to prepare,” turning back towards me, “While I would love to tell you the history and you should know it, right now there are more import
ant things for both you and me to be doing.”
“Now Enlightened One, can you please finish the enchantment?” The Librarian looked both relieved and sad to see us leaving, especially when he looked at Juleen. Taking her in his arms, he kissed her forward and whispered something in her ear. “You too, my Librarian,” said Juleen as she turned towards Jes and the cloaked man.
“But how? The original spell was cast by blood, I do not know how, or what words to say.” I wanted to help but I didn't think I was as strong as he believed me to be.
“Do you remember what I told you earlier? Magic is more powerful if thought and not spoken. Now go, hurry.” With this he guided us out of the hole. He stopped before stepping through.
The area outside the library was very dark and a powerful stench enveloped me. I took a few steps and turned. “Well, here it goes.” I thought of a place that a flame burned and of magic powerful enough to cause this action. Suddenly I fell to the floor as my energy was sapped away. The last thing I saw was a bright white flame.
8
I awoke or at least I thought I was awake, everything was black and the silence was absolute. “Hello, is anyone there?” My words were broken; I feared that they had left me in that dreadful tunnel.
“Lyndon! You are well again?” A familiar voice floated from somewhere close.
“Jes, is that you?” I questioned.
“Ya, about time you woke up.” A bright light flooded the room. Now I could see that Jes had been sitting on a small wooden stool. The room was very empty; all it had was a bed and the wooden stool, which were both occupied. The figure in the door seemed out of place.
“And who might you be?” My question was aimed at the mysterious figure.
“Sssir, I am called by many things, but I would prefer Talon.” The man was very polite.
“Thank you for helping Jes and us in the Library,” I looked at Jes, “Jes what happened to you after I entered the Library? I had been in there for nearly three weeks.” I said.
“Well, now that is an interesting story and it doesn’t look like you will be going anywhere soon. So I will tell you. It all got interesting after there was a little fight at the Flying Horse.”
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Jes awoke in a daze. “Hello, is anyone there? Damn it if you are, answer me.”
A bright light illuminated the room, and a dark figure was standing in what seemed to be a door. “Excuse me, but who are you, and why am I lying here?” Jes nearly yelled at the man.
“Well, do you remember lassst night, when you attacked me, unprovoked?” Now Jes could recognize the man, he was the cloaked figure with the big sword.
“Vividly, how did I end up here?” Jes said
“When you went down I wasss very sssurprisssed, for you had alwaysss been very sssure footed. That isss when I sssaw the guild massster and hisss horrible trap. When he found out that I had met sssomeone that could posssssibly bessst me, he decided to lay a trap in the ssstreet, hoping that our fight would leave the ale house. Sssadly he wasss correct. Luckily! The trap hit you and not me.”
Jes interrupted him “Speak for yourself.” As he unconsciously rubbed where the spike had hit him.
The interruption didn’t even faze him. “After the trap hit itsss mark, I wasss undecided on what to do. Never had I fought anyone sssuch asss you and I wasss curiousss asss to where you trained. Ssso I brought you back to my home.”
“This is your home, why is it so empty?” Asked Jes. Surveying the empty room, he saw only the bed that he was currently occupying and a small wooden stool in the corner.
“I have no want or desssire for treasssuresss or posssesssionsss,” answered the man.
“Okay, I have some questions for my rescuer. What is your name? Why do you have a god awful lisp and where did you get that wonderful sword?” The questions flew out of Jes’ mouth.
“To begin I am sssorry that I never introduced myssself. When one isss trying not to be killed, they usssually are not worried about giving namesss and ssshaking handsss; my name isss Talon, once known asss Jayo. Your other two quessstionsss warrant the ssstory of my life and it looksss like you are interesssted, ssso I will begin at the beginning.”
“It all ssstarted a few yearsss ago in a sssmall village North of the Badlandsss.”
“When I was known asss Jayo I was very cocky. No enemy had ever besssted me and my massster wasss worried that I may follow in another’s footsssteptsss; who thisss man wasss I wasss never told, but my massster wasss one of the six sssurvivorsss of the legendary battle of Red Beach. I wasss only permitted to call him massster and Sssir, but I knew that hisss true name wasss Doxen.” Talon paused and Jes took the opportunity to cut in.
“Doxen? Wasn’t he the great battle mage, who was said to have killed three of the Queen’s Royal Guards?”
“Yesss he isss the sssame. I do not know why he chossse to teach me, but I took advantage of him and the ssskillsss he taught me; that isss until one day.”
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Three years earlier
“But Doxen I am ready to go, I am not the same as the other man, I will defeat him.” Said Jayo.
“I told you never to call me that, show respect. Do you know what would happen if someone found out who I am?” The rage in Doxen’s voice was evident.
“Please, you are more powerful than any other mage in this world and you have taught me to use magic unlike any I have ever heard of. I could protect you.” Doxen only laughed in response to Jayo.
“Do not laugh at me, master, ” said Jayo.
“Sorry, I am neither the great wizard that you speak of nor are you so well taught that you could protect me from my enemies. But if you are so anxious to find your death and follow in reckless footsteps, then so be it. There is a dragon that has been terrorizing a hamlet.” Doxen seemed a little sad as he spoke.
“Thank you master, but I am not reckless and I wear my own shoes. I am not like the one you always speak of and whose name is hidden, and I will strive where he failed.” Jayo was very excited to meet the dragon who had killed so many.
“One more thing Jayo, you cannot kill this dragon with magic, for it is born of it. You must strike the final blow with a forge born weapon.” Doxen handed his apprentice a short silver dagger.
“How am I supposed to kill it with this?” Jayo fumbled with the dagger. “It is too short and I will die if I try to get that close.” Doxen chuckled, “What did you think, killing a dragon was going to be easy? It is not and if you are going to go then you will use the dagger.” The master was very firm in his words.
“Fine, you will see. I will kill him and bring back the treasures.” With that the cocky battle mage left to meet his destiny.
Doxen knew that he would survive, for he was indeed strong enough.
The journey to the dragon’s cave was short, but long enough for Jayo to develop a strategy for killing the beast. Though, when he first saw the winged lizard all of the planning went out the window. The dragon was the size of a small house. Its horns were pure white and harder than steel. The scales that covered its entire body caused the dragon to have an appearance of a river of blood, for its scales were red and the beast was as swift as the strongest river.
The battle was a fierce one, a tremendous amount of magic and fire collapsed the cave entrance, sealing the treasure and the battle from prying eyes. Jayo was indeed a powerful battle mage and his prowess with sword and shield was unmatched by any. But in the end he was still foolish.
Finally the mage trapped the dragon under a fallen beam and two treasure chests.
“I have you now; I will not be another meal in your future.” Jayo spoke to the beast.
“Don’t be ssso sssure of that dragon ssslayer.” The dragon seemed almost too calm for Jayo, and this unsettled him.
Wanting to return to his master and boast, J
ayo summoned up one last bit of energy and struck the final blow. This recklessness, led to his undoing. Jayo compliantly dismissed the small dagger tucked in his belt. The second the magic ended the beast’s life a surprising thing happened. The stream of energy did not stop, but continued to flow; not towards the beast, but into Jayo. The transformation had begun.
When a magical being is slain by a mortal weapon the soul is trapped within the blade at times giving those blades magical properties. When a magical being dies by magic, the soul has not been trapped, and it will channel back to the caster. In Jayo’s case, that meant it channeled back to him through his blade. Two magical souls can occupy the same body, but with the split occupation also brings a split mind and body. In time the stronger mind will eventually take control. Most dragon slayers end up looking similar to their prey, but with weak scales. In Jayo’s case his power was great enough that his human features remained, but much of his skin became what the dragons’ once was, blood red scales.
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“And later that day when I returned to my massster I found out what had happened to me. My cockinessss and rashnessss had causssed me to fail.” Talon was relieved to have finished his story.
“Why are you so sad, you are impenetrable?” Jes was fascinated with Talons scaled skin.
“No, it isss not a dream which sssome might think: after the transssformation I wasss no longer able to ussse magic or to eat fruitsss and vegetablesss. I have been craving the sssweet taste of grapes for many years. My body is the ssshape of a human with the internal ssstructure of a dragon. If you remember, I told you that I also have the presssence of a dragon in my mind. I fought to control him for a long time and finally it gave in. Sssince my appearance wasss altered I figured it right to change my name to Talon, it represssented the beginning of my new exissstance. Alssso asss you might have noticed, I have thisss terrible ssspeach problem.”