DragonStone- Fatal Winds

by M A Bernier

  “And you think the events occurring now are like a volcano getting ready to burst?” Jaymee asked if only for verification of where Ardant was heading with his thoughts, Ardant nodded in a positive response.

  “If what you’re saying is true, then what will be the big eruption? Assuming that it has not happened yet.” The captain asked putting a much larger scope on the current discussion.

  “If the war with Lysithia was only a battle, and that battle I remind you could have destroyed the Earth.” Syl stretched forth her legs and her head rose. “If this next coming war is just as deadly, then I almost dare not to think what is going to happen with this volcano of yours erupts Ardant.”

  “I cannot help wonder just how many ‘ages’ there have been, how different and how often, and for how long.” Alys said not speaking to anyone in particular. “I wonder if all those ages have in themselves been a test by powers we have never before seen or even imagined. If this is the first time that magic and science will co-exist together, and all the past ages have been a trial of sorts, then what is in store for our future?”

  “I really don’t want to go down that road of thought if you don’t mind.” Ardant said almost plaintively as he looked at Alys. He preferred to deal in the here and now. “Personally, I would like to let the future take care of itself. I don’t think I want to know what it is going to be, or contemplate that what-ifs. I am having all I can do still to adjust to a culture outside my own, of course it does not help when I am dragged into it by your DragonStone.” Ardant looked at the others not with anger or a sense of blame, but with irony that he, a person totally cultured in science would play a major choice on a world driven my magic. “It is very disconcerting to have to force considering that my destiny is being watched and verified so closely.”

  “Do the colonist who returned not have a higher power they believe in?” Asked the ship's captain.

  “Yes but.” Ardant was not sure how to proceed. He and the colonist did believe in a higher power, but the belief was never a topic for debate. The colonists believed in a higher power. They viewed it as an unconscious perhaps instinctive entity reacting only in response to the universe as a whole. “We do but, I think those of us who returned to Earth never really considered that it might take a personal interest in each of our lives.” Alys sighed as she looked at the stars. Her mood drew everyone’s attention.

  “Eryyn is going hate having missed his conversation.” She looked at the others and smiled. “I for one feel I have enough to contemplate for a while.” She kissed Jaymee lightly on his cheek. “I am going to check on Eryyn and get some sleep.” The others in turn nodded and decided with the falling of night it was best to sleep on what they contemplated, if they could sleep at all. The four of them were sure only Eryyn and the crew not involved in this discussion would sleep peacefully.

  CHAPTER TEN

  A Change of Hearts

  Every day which Koth awoke he hated being trapped within the decrepit body of the fat, useless high cleric he had possessed. He was trapped because he could not leave until his task was complete and because he was nothing more than a watchdog for his master to assure Jyn-Taa did not betray them. As a creature of the shadow’s he needed no sleep, but the body that housed his essence did, so he compromised and allowed the body to sleep. He found the process agonizingly inept and ultimately maddening the first few times lying within a bed for several hours at a time. He shortly took to allowing the body to take shorter periods of rest in order to allow him to roam the temple of Katanz at random. The necessity for food was equally as distracting and annoying. He consumed it with hatred and scarcity taking in only enough food to provide the body basic nourishment. The body of the fat cleric had at least lost a great deal of weight allowing me easier movement up and down the long stairs and steep hallways of the temple. The first weeks he possessed the body it had protested loudly after several walks over long distances, something that the overstuffed cleric never did. The body was now at least lean and the muscles accustomed to long walks. He no longer breathed so heavily from the slightest physical movement. There was a permanent limp from a damaged hip. The mind of this creature was still present but like a caged animal it cringed from its captor. Koth knew this cleric could have been tortured into giving him any information he wanted. Being trapped within the body he could not torture without pain to himself and he had not the power to rip the information he wanted from its mind. What information he did gather was through other followers of Katanz, and mostly through torture or threats. So far he had no information or indication of Jyn-Taa’s plan to betray the demons. Not that it would matter as any such betrayal would mean his death would shortly follow. Koth was sure that Jyn-Taa was searching for a say to free himself from demon lords, but what that plan was he did not know. The release of Vuuaan had created an unholy stir and scare within the temple. Jyn-Taa seemed unconcerned with the release of such a creature perceived to be so dangerous. It did not matter to Koth, Vuuaan was some pathetic creature kept imprison out of fear, so long as it served Jyn-Taa and therefore what Koth’s masters wanted he did not care. Koth could not wait until Jyn-Taa faced his end. Knowing that he was on a short leash by the masters, and that his time limited, was one of the few things that could bring a smile to Koth's face. What did not bring a smile was a knock on the door of his private chambers, he stood up from his bed and walked to the door opening it quickly. The witch outside his door prostrated herself as flat as possible and cringed in fear when she spoke.

  “I have been commanded to ask for your presence in the council chamber.” Her voice was barely audible and shaking with absolute fear. He did not even bother to acknowledge her but instead simple walked over her. He thought of walking on her out of pleasure, but then thought otherwise, she was after all properly addressing him in a prone position. He made his way through the corridors to the council chambers where Jyn-Taa sat casually eating. Beside him sitting in silence was the pathetic and mindless idiot Odien whom he chose as a personal server.

  “For what reason to you need my presence?” He demanded. “My master is preparing now for the calling, asking me here is a waste of time until he is ready.”

  “Which will be within a few hours, is that not correct?” Jyn-Taa replied as he casually pushed his plate aside. He continued to eat only the food fed at their roots by those clerics and witches interned into the ground that he had made an example of.

  “Do not try my patience! Get to the point!” Koth watched as Jyn-Taa casually stood. His servant stood with him in unison.

  “I thought perhaps you wanted to give word to your master when we speak of the army I have discovered which will be at his command should we need it. I know you would not take my word for it, but perhaps there are others who can confirm for you what I have learned. I have commanded Vuuaan to summon a force to be used to our desire. This force will create havoc on a level to pleasure you and our mutual masters.”

  “Go on.” Koth said.

  “The followers of Katanz have not kept themselves entirely isolated within this temple. For many generations a select few have been fostering hatred between those of the Barren Continent and the Evergreen Continents. I have for good reason to believe a force almost 100,000 strong would be ready to take up arms and march over the land bridge and to the Evergreen Continent. A few here have mapped the treacherous paths and maze of the underground caves of the land bridge. No one travels those paths, it is certain death so it is not patrolled or watched, except at the exit and those are scattered across several miles of land. Over the years the followers here have endeavored to hide those exits from unwanted eyes, they have done an excellent job.” Jyn-Taa walked around the closer end of the table and stood close to Koth. “I am confident you have methods of your own to verify what I have learned, I can give you the names of the others who have this information, but we must be cautious.”

  “You dare to imply I would be otherwise?” Koth said.

  “I only offer advice Koth.�
�� Jyn-Taa Replied. “There are a very few which have earned the trust of landowners and pirates, and probably with the assistance of their magic to manipulate certain minds. It is a precarious force which could be commanded as a group or disperse into smaller groups jealous for power, the back-stabbing and infighting would render any chance we have of an invasion useless.”

  “You also mentioned a force created by this foul creature you released, show me proof of this.” Jyn-Taa bowed deeply in front of Koth providing some temporary sense that Koth was in charge. He led him to the lower depths of the temple below the gardens and then to an entrance at the end of short tunnel. It was blocked by a large steel door split vertically at the center. On either side of the door stood two guards, to men on one side and two women on the other side, neither moved as they approached. “Jyn-Taa, I ordered this entrance off limits to everyone. No one is to be using the gateway without my express permission.”

  “And no one had Koth, but I am aware of the places in the mountain to which it leads too, place only this order can get to.” Jyn-Taa turned to Koth after speaking. “It was the perfect place to hide the additional forces I have obtained for our purpose.”

  “I already know the geography, the northern mountains, like this one, are surrounded my miles of desert with more pockets of quicksand than desert sand. The only safe approach has been the gateway which lies beyond this door. Limited as it may be I want no one in this temple going there, the catacombs make it too difficult to track those who wish to hide.”

  “Koth, even if those from this temple violate your edict they would find themselves unwilling conscripts. I doubt you will allow me to takes us by means at my disposal to the North Mountains.” Jyn-Taa stepped back from Koth followed by Odien. No one but Koth could order these guards to let them pass, or so Koth thought.

  “Open the door, then shut it behind us and let none other enter.” He turned to Jyn-Taa, at the same time pointing to Odien. “Leave your little servant behind.”

  “As you wish.” He nodded to Odien who knew what to do. He would be free for a time, unobserved by Koth, to seek Vuuaan and collect more of the life source promised to Jyn-Taa. Koth ordered the guards to open the metal doors. They creaked and groaned at the effort. The doors opened to a short corridor about twenty feet long. It ended in a natural cavern about fifty feet in diameter with stalagmites and stalactites they would have to navigate to reach the center of the cavern. Jyn-Taa could not help think how easy it would be to cause one to fall and end Koth’s life in an instant, he was sure Koth was thinking the same thing.

  The gateway itself consisted nothing more than four waist high ebony colored granite posts spaced approximated ten feet apart. They stood in the only flat area of the cavern. The floor had been polished smooth eons before. The four posts placed presumably by Katanz himself. Each pillar was polished as smooth as the circular area they surrounded. One only needed to step within the circle of pillars and would be sent to the catacombs of the North Mountains.

  After stepping into the circle Koth found himself in a large circular cavern that was lit with several torches placed at shoulder height around the wall. The torches fully lit as they stepped from the within the four pillars similar to the ones they had seen at the smaller cavern. This cavern was several hundred feet in diameter with a dome ceiling reaching a hundred feet at its highest point. The gateway markers were on the opposite side of the cavern from where they stood. Koth himself had never been here, but the memories of his host were familiar with it. He knew from those memories that a long set of spiral stairs, with several iron gates, led to the lower catacombs. Koth allowed Jyn-Taa to lead them down the stairs. There were nine iron gates in all along the stairwell. At each gate Jyn-Taa lifted his hand and placed it flat against the center of the gate. Within moments the gate slowly opened to admit them and closed behind them. Koth also knew of the magic locking these gates. His memories from the cleric told him that only the highest level clerics or witches could open them, but he was not surprised that Jyn-Taa could open them. No one knew what the catacombs were created for, except for Katanz, and no one wanted him to return to tell them, except for his followers. Koth followed as Jyn-Taa led him to the bottom of the stairwell. The last gate led into a long corridor also lit with torches that magically flamed brighter as they entered. The corridor was fifty feet long ending in a single iron door with no apparent handle. Hinges in the left side indicated it opened inward. The door was standard height and width with a small grating about shoulder height. Koth knew this door led directly to the labyrinth of catacombs. It had been used now only by the clerics and witches as a prison. Jyn-Taa placed his hand on the door. He stepped back and the door opened. Koth followed Jyn-Taa into a the main catacomb. It was, like all the others, fifty to sixty feet high. Its width varied from twenty to thirty feet. The walls were made up of ledges easily navigated on foot. Some were only foot sized while others large enough for two to three people. The only light within the catacombs was from the torches that bearers, or prisoners, brought with them. Once a torch was lit the light was absorbed by whitish, hand-sized, crystals embedded into the ceiling high above. As the catacomb lit Koth could hear and sense movement all around him. It started at first to sound like hissing or the rustle of dried leaves. The sound grew until he could hear the moaning of voices both male and female, young and old alike. Koth stepped closer to the movement from the edge of the walls. He steeled himself by willing what power he had should he need defense. The closer he walked to the wall the more movement he could see. The light from the crystals was now bathing all the walls for hundreds of feet. Where the ledges were he could see hands and arms reaching out, the closer he got he could see people trapped by bars of rock. It looked as if those trapped had been placed in waiting indentations that matched their body, then strips of rock connection like a cage to keep them from escaping. He looked closer and saw faces devoid of intellect or color. Their skin was pale white and their eyes empty as they looked at him. Once the first sensed his movement she let out a screech that did not stop, the others beside her then began to screech as well and the sound cascaded throughout the catacombs. Even Koth felt the cold hatred they had for any life and the hunger that burned in their eyes for the taste of souls and blood of the living. He turned quickly sensing movement behind him and saw Jyn-Taa moving towards him, for a moment his face also seemed to convey that same hunger.

  “Who will they serve Jyn-Taa?” Koth demanded above the screeching creatures. “What manner of creature do you seek to unleash?”

  “Ultimately they will serve our masters, until such time as they have no more need of them.” Jyn-Taa walked coolly towards Koth and then past him. He placed his hand upon one of the creatures' hands and guided it down to rest by its side. One by one the creatures screeching decreased and slowly died to the almost imperceptible moan Koth heard when he first entered. He turned to Koth and could see disdain and anger within his face. He knew a demand was forthcoming so he answered without waiting. “Vuuaan and I have an agreement. I alone have the power to return him to his prison and could have done so when I released him. This he knows, so an agreement was made. I allow him to be free and he will provide us with an army of his creation to spread chaos and death across the world. Once they have done the work we need them to do we are free to dispose of them as we see fit. Vuuaan already has what he needs from them so they are ours now. But the control he has allowed me to have is limited.” Jyn-Taa lied. “He is not a fool and would not give his power wholly to me. The agreement we have will serve for the time which we need.”

  “And then?” Koth stepped closer looking him into the eye and trying to see beyond the blackness of them.

  “That is up to our masters.”

  “How many are here?” Koth asked.

  “Little more than a thousand, Koth.” Jyn-Taa saw instant disappointment in his face and he raised his hand to halt the contention. “They will be more than sufficient for the task needed.”

  “And h
ow to intend to use them, they would clearly attack those who serve us as well.” Koth said accusingly.

  “Vuuaan has agreed to release them to the further parts of the world far from where we will be.” Jyn-Taa replied calmly. “They will be like a plague that spreads slowly and quietly upon the enemy in the darkness of night. The army of the Barren Lands will force those of the Evergreen continent to prepare for an attack. It will be a futile effort on their part. They will be not be able to withstand the power of the elemental demons combined with our army. In any event it will leave much of their people unprotected. They will be easy prey for these creatures.”

  “I believe the masters will be pleased at forces available to use despite your not having found the one descendent who can open the gateway.”

  “I remind you of the need to pull back the shadow gatherers. Eryyn and his friends would find out who, what and where they are coming from too quickly if we had not pulled back, at least for the present. The elemental demons' plans for revenge would be squashed if we were discovered before we were ready. They will continue the slow search until the first ritual.” Jyn-Taa seemed unusually unconcerned by Koth’s rebuke and Koth did not like this. Jyn-Taa was getting too confident. Perhaps a reminder of his dependency on the demons would remind him of his loyalty. Koth had no doubt that another pact existed between Vuuaan and Jyn-Taa. To reveal what he suspected would serve no useful purpose until he could find a way to undermine the alliance.

  In the chamber of the former high clerics Odien returned from his clandestine meeting with Vuuaan. As each time before Vuuaan released the life-force collected to Odien who would contain it for transference to Jyn-Taa. It had been no more than an hour and already he could feel it beginning to eat at his soul and mind, but what he held inside was less potent than what he usually carried. Vuuaan would no longer need to feed Jyn-Taa the lifesouls. His dependency upon the demons would no longer be binding with the last bit of life-force. Odien could hold this amount inside for days if he had too. When he had returned to the chamber he knelt in the center of the floor near the gateway. He did not kneel for the reasons Koth thought whenever he saw him. Koth believed Odien knelt in obedience to Jyn-Taa. Odien knelt meditate and calm the raging power of Vuuaan within him and spoke little so that he could use all his concentration to keep from being overcome by the forces within him. The chamber doors opened and in walked Koth followed by Jyn-Taa.