He saw that Kharendaen was watching him, and he knew that she could appreciate just how difficult that battle would be. He wondered if she had also guessed the sacrifice that he might have to make to acquire the strength he would need to defeat the Overlord.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The ranks of the enemy moved slowly through the wilderness; there was no reason for such a vast and unstoppable force to hurry toward the inevitable. Their destruction of the civilized lands to the east seemed a terrible certainty, so it mattered not to them whether their conquest of this new world took weeks or months. Indeed, the Masters reckoned that they might need as long as a year to enslave the western continent before moving step by step across the islands of the sea to Alphatia and finally into the uncharted continents of the far east and the distant south. They would never again make the mistake that they had made before by underestimating the dragons.
They had fought their way across a hundred worlds, enslaving many and utterly destroying a number of them. In all the centuries of conquest since they had come to serve the Overlord, they had never lost a war. Now they were prepared to do whatever they must to insure that they did not lose this battle. There was no question that the dragons would try to stop ihem before their forces reached the inhabited lands. Either they and their vast army would be defeated, a seemingly impossible turn of events, or the dragons would be destroyed. But they knew they would not lose the coming battle. If things went badly, the Overlord himself would come to fight with them, to make their victory certain and absolute. Indeed, the Overlord would be coming under any circumstances.
Their invasion force moved slowly across the land, five entire armies marching side by side a mile apart, each army advancing in a column two hundred yards across. Swift, stealthy scouts, Veydran and other warriors, advanced well ahead of the columns, seeking out spies and traps. Great beasts gathered from many strange worlds led each army, tearing out trees and stones and tossing them aside like playthings, while other massive animals followed behind to trample the torn ground into a hard-packed road. After that came the soldiers, rank upon rank, drawn from many different races, interspaced with trains of supply wagons, great wains the size of small ships drawn by horselike beasts nearly the size of dragons, supplies enough to keep even this huge force in the field for months.
And above the armies of the Overlord flew the Masters, hundreds of gemstone dragons of every color. Others led the lumbering hulks of the metal warriors, who stood like mountains of iron over the ranks of the armies. The metal monsters had been marching slowly outward from the secret stronghold of the Masters for the last six days, and ranks of soldiers and supply wagons were still coming through the great worldgate, taking their places at the ends of columns that now stretched for nearly a hundred miles. They would reach the mountains bordering the western frontier in another five days, although their intention was to head south of the great spur of the Wen-darian Range to enter the Highlands through the wide valley of Areste River. They expected to fight their last battle with the dragons before that happened.
They knew what the Dragonking's plans would be, since circumstances left him little choice. They knew that their own disadvantage was the very size of their army, forcing it to move slowly through open land. And they knew that the dragons would not wait to fight them in one last battle, but would harass them at every opportunity, steadily whittling away at their strength. The Masters were prepared to do anything to prevent themselves from being drawn into a contest that they would lose because of their smaller numbers, even if they had to sacrifice large portions of their armies of slaves to protect themselves.
Even so, the Dragonking managed to surprise them. He had realized that any plan that was obvious and simple to him was also apparent to the Masters. He had changed his tactics accordingly.
The dragons came not in small, swift raiding parties but in full strength, five thousand strong, flying as low and fast as they could. Darting in and out between the tops of the trees, they seemed to appear without warning from all directions at once, their attack runs carefully timed so that they all descended upon their enemies at the same moment. And they attacked not at one place but all along the twenty-mile length of the ranks of the invaders. The Masters were overwhelmed almost as quickly as they realized that they were under attack. They had kept their own numbers spread out along the columns of their armies to offer the best protection, and now they couldn't gather quickly enough to combine their strength against the overpowering numbers of their enemies.
The dragons descended upon the Masters in swarms, often five of six of them overtaking a single gemstone dragon at once. The Masters that were caught were driven sharply to the ground, their armor plowing through the torn earth among the scattered ranks of their soldiers, some crashing through the trees of the surrounding woods. Many of the gemstone dragons were slain immediately, their necks broken in death holds. Others were simply held to the ground for a brief moment while the dragons spoke the Overlord's secret name to them in soft voices before releasing their captives and withdrawing quickly. In the latter instance, the Masters would most often rise slowly, as if they were regaining their wits. Then they would spread their wings and leap into the morning sky, heading swiftly away into the wilderness like trapped animals fleeing a cage when the door has been opened.
As Thelvyn had expected, knowing the name of the Overlord had the power to free even the Masters from his control. Perhaps they had never before in their lives commanded their own thoughts and will, knowing only what the Overlord demanded of them. Now that they were free, they wanted to stay free.
Of course, not all the Masters were slain or freed. Some found openings between the attacking dragons and fled, although the swifter gold and red dragons were able to chase down many who managed to escape the initial attack. But enough of the Masters were gone that the advance of the invading army was brought to a stop for the remainder of the day until the Masters who had managed to escape returned cautiously from the wild and began to restore order to their disoriented fighters. As Thelvyn had predicted, it was obvious that the Overlord depended upon the Masters to convey his orders and redirect the force of his will among his many slaves.
The dragons continued to attack throughout the day, altering their tactics to raid quickly in small bands. They could come and go with relative impunity, although they still had to be swift and cautious during their attacks now that the enemy forces had stopped moving to take up a defensive position. The invaders had brought hundreds of mobile catapults that launched bolts large enough to do considerable harm to a dragon. Nevertheless, in one quick and simple move, the Dragonking had left his enemy at a serious disadvantage.
Thelvyn knew he had taken a chance in releasing some of the gemstone dragons rather than slaying them. If the plan hadn't worked as he hoped, many of the Masters would have been free to fight a second time. Jherdar and several other leaders among the red and black dragons had been uncomfortable with the plan, but their respect for the Dragonking had kept them from questioning his judgment. Now, as reports from their scouts came in during the day, Thelvyn's choice had been vindicated. Of the five hundred gemstone dragons that had accompanied the invasion force, more than a hundred were dead and approximately another three hundred had fled into the wilds.
Early that afternoon, Thelvyn received a message that the leader of the freed gemstone dragons wished to speak with the Dragonking. Thelvyn had been expecting something like this.
His hope was that they would be willing to help fight the remaining invaders, or at least provide him with some valuable information. He had been watching the enemy from a temporary camp only ten miles or so from the vanguard of the invading army, together with his chief advisors and his bodyguard.
Three of the freed Masters approached a short time later. Thelvyn hadn't forgotten that the gemstone dragons were larger than all but a few of the mature gold and red dragons, but he was still momentarily startled by their immense size. Their strange ar
mor, like plates that appeared to have been carved from precious stones, made them look more like fanciful statues than living creatures. But there was a change in their bearing; their cold confidence was gone, replaced by uncertainty and fear. Their schemes, their will, even their courage had always come from the Overlord, and they clearly needed some time to learn how to decide matters for themselves.
"Do your people understand what has happened to you?" Thelvyn asked.
The leader of the gemstone dragons glanced quickly to either side before daring to look at the Dragonking. "We understand. We have never been permitted to question our service to the Overlord, and therefore everything he made us believe had seemed right to us. Now we understand what it means to be free."
"Will you fight with us to remain free?" Thelvyn asked.
"We would like to fight, but we dare not," the crystal dragon said, looking very fearful. "We are like the Flaem in that regard. We have been under the will of the Overlord for many generations, and his power remains in us even yet. When he comes into this world, he will be able to draw us back under his control once again. The name that protects you is not enough to keep us safe from him. We must stay far away from here when he comes, or he will enslave us again and make us fight you."
"How far must you go before you escape his influence?"
"We can never really escape him," the crystal dragon explained. "There is no place in this world far enough distant that his will cannot reach us once he comes. But if we are not here, he will not know we are still alive. If he sees us fighting in your ranks, he will turn us against you. That is why we must not be here."
Thelvyn nodded. "I understand. Gather your people and lead them into the east. We will find you when the fighting is done."
"You must be very careful," the gemstone dragon said, becoming fearful again. "The Overlord has changed the gemstone dragons in incredible ways so that we may better serve him. He can share his strength with us, making us stronger and our magic far more powerful."
"Yes, I am aware of that," Thelvyn told him.
"But you have not yet seen the worst. When the Overlord comes, he can command the Masters who remain under his will to transform into terrible creatures of fire and destruction. When this happens, you will not be able to fight them at all. Their touch will bring pain and death. Their breath will rend the sky and crack the earth. However, they will not be able to fly any faster than before, so at least you will be able to flee from them."
Thelvyn stared at the ground while he listened to those words. He looked up after a long moment. "Is there anything else I should know?"
"I can say nothing more," the crystal dragon said. "If the time should come that you must fight the Overlord himself, I am not sure what he will do. I can tell you this, however. What you see is only his magic, layer upon layer of powerful magic. To slay him, you must destroy the ancient spells he has woven about himself. I know not what you will discover hidden deep beneath the magic. No one has ever seen his true form."
"I see." Thelvyn straightened and sat upright. "I do not know whether anything you have said will help me defeat the Overlord, but at least I have a better understanding of what I face. I thank you for that. Now gather your people and go."
The three gemstone dragons bowed their heads in a gesture of respect, then turned and hurried away. Thelvyn continued to sit for a long moment, staring out across the miles of wilderness toward the distant armies of the invaders. The dragons remained silent, watching him closely. They could only wonder if he saw more hope in their situation than they did.
"Ah, well," he sighed at last. "Just when we seemed to be getting ahead, we find out just how far behind we really are."
"If you can believe the words of the gemstone dragons," Jherdar muttered darkly.
"I'm sure they were telling the truth," Thelvyn said, glancing over his shoulder at his companions. "I can't really say that things are worse than I hoped. I was expecting the worst, and this was confirmation of my fears."
He rose and walked slowly a short distance into the deep shadows of the woods. The others followed him, gathering around him when he sat down beneath a large tree. They were frightened to see him look so troubled. He still appeared somewhat weary from his trials in the world of the Overlord, but now he looked sad as well. He glanced up at them.
"There's no point in making any small gestures of defiance," he said. "Jherdar, gather the dragons as quickly as you can."
The red dragon nodded grimly. "I will have the dragons ready for your orders as quickly as I can."
"I have only one last command to give the dragons," Thelvyn said. "I realize now that this is my appointed time. I must face the task that I alone was created to accomplish, or else fail in the attempt. The dragons cannot help me. I can no longer in good conscience ask them to risk themselves in battles that will not matter in the end. I dismiss the dragons from my service, and I beg you to lead them to safety. Do whatever you must to take them to a safe place, even if you must open gates of your own and flee this world."
"You speak as if the battle were already lost," Marthaen declared.
Thelvyn shook his head firmly. "I do not believe that, but I must admit the possibility and be prepared. It is my duty to protect the dragons from their enemies. If I can defeat the Overlord, then the dragons will be safe. If I cannot, then they can't hope to defeat him by themselves. There comes a time when it is better to save what we can than risk losing everything."
The others protested, but Thelvyn refused to argue the matter and he would not listen to their pleas. As much as they hated to admit it, there was some truth in Thelvyn's contention that he alone must fight the battle that would decide the outcome of the entire war. At last Jherdar withdrew reluctantly, still grumbling his dissatisfaction even as he began to gather the dragons to lead eastward. In spite of Thelvyn's assurances, they couldn't help but feel that his dismissal of the dragons was meant that the worst was now inevitable.
Thelvyn realized that some dragons would refuse to leave until the final battle was at hand. He needed Marthaen for a while yet, and he knew neither Kharendaen nor Sir George would leave him until there was no choice. Indeed, he wondered how he could possibly convince Kharendaen to leave short of ordering Marthaen to have the dragons carry her to safety. So many hopes seemed to be coming to an end.
Later that afternoon, the dragons who had remained behind with Thelvyn became aware that something was happening to the west. One by one, they paused and lifted their heads to stare into the distance, sensing something. Even as they watched, great banks of clouds began to gather quickly in the west, spreading quickly across the sky in all directions. Within moments a vast, towering storm loomed dark and threatening above the western wilderness. Even as they watched, the clouds continued to expand, as if reaching out for them.
"What is it?" Sir George asked. The first breath of a cold, damp wind suddenly rushed over them, stirring the branches of the trees.
"The Overlord has come," Thelvyn said. "With things going badly for his army, it was inevitable."
"Does he always wrap himself in storms?" Marthaen asked.
"I'm not sure what purpose the storm serves," he replied as he watched the first sheets of lightning ripple across the dark, seething mass of clouds. "Perhaps he needs to hide himself from light and warmth. Perhaps he's lived in darkness so long that he fears to leave it."
Thelvyn had to make some important decisions in a hurry. Now that the Overlord had entered their world, the time was at hand for him to complete the task that he had been created for. He had to find some way to destroy the Overlord, and failure was not an option. The price of defeat was too great. Whatever choice he made had to be the right choice, because
he would not have a second chance.
He couldn't escape the feeling that the Great One must have provided him with some means to fight such a powerful enemy. And yet he found himself reluctant to make the final commitment to the fulfillment of his destiny because he knew th
e price that he would have to pay. There was an inescapable sacrifice to be made in attaining the full powers that had been ordained for the Dragonking, a sacrifice he must pay even in victory. He realized now that he had been trying to work his way around his fate, hoping that cleverness or luck would show him a way to defeat his enemies. Now he knew that he was only delaying the inevitable.
What else was there for him? He had reached the end of his hope, and he had found no other answer. He would not sacrifice the dragons in an attempt to escape his own duty, knowing that they would fail and he would still be left with the same choice. If his concern had been only for himself, for his danger of losing his new life as a dragon, he might have been filled with the same fear and regret, but he would not be hesitating. His deepest regret, he realized, was that Kharendaen would feel he had betrayed her.
As the dragons watched the gathering clouds, their sharp eyes eventually caught sight of the distant forms of gemstone dragons approaching swiftly. There were eight alien dragons in all, more than a match for the small group that remained with the Dragonking. And as the long moments passed, they were alarmed to see that the Masters were heading directly toward them.
"We'd better leave," Thelvyn said. "Now that we know the extent of the powers the Overlord can bestow upon the Masters, I'm sure there aren't enough of us to fight them."
The dragons spread their wings and lifted into the sky, flying low to avoid being seen. They turned immediately to the east, toward the distant line of the Wendarian Mountains. For a moment, it seemed that the Masters would be satisfied simply to chase them from the area. But suddenly there was a brilliant flash of light, and the dark forms of the gemstone dragons were enveloped in flames, transformed into great winged creatures made of fire like an ascending phoenix, trailing long,
flickering trails of flame in their wakes.
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