Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera

by Tamara H Hartl

  She walked over to him, wearing nothing but her long shirt, and he pulled her between his knees and rested his head against her breasts. He slid his hands up the back of her thighs and settled them on her buttocks. Drace pulled her into his lap, moving her legs around his waist.

  “I thought you would be tired. I know you did not sleep last night,” Ki said, running her hands soothingly over his shoulders. She gasped when he pulled her closer against him and her eyebrows rose. “Not too tired I see.” She saw him grin at her by the light of the single candle left burning on a camp table.

  “It has a mind of its own I think,” he replied, nuzzling her neck. He grew more serious. “I don’t know what the next few days will hold but I have tonight.” He bit her lightly. “Yes, I’m tired. I’m really tired, but I have to have you, at least once. Please, Ki let me love you.”

  Ki sucked in her breath as his mouth moved across her collarbone and she buried her hands in his long hair. While his mouth was busy, his hands moved from her bottom to the front of her shirt. He opened the laces and pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it in the general direction his boots had taken. He pushed her back so that he could get to her breasts. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth to keep from crying out when he nipped her then sucked the hurt lightly.

  He tried to unlace the fly of his breeches with one hand. “Help me,” he murmured against her skin.

  Ki helped free him from his breeches and he groaned when she lifted herself and sank down on him. “Jesus,” he whispered and Ki sobbed with the intimate contact.

  Drace loved her like that for a while until she rested against his chest, dazed at the power of her release. He managed to get his pants the rest of the way down and kicked free of them, making Ki giggle as he cursed them.

  “Hold on to me,” he said and rose, still holding her, managing not to slip out of her, even when he stumbled and bumped the camp table with his hip, knocking the candle over. It went out and left him to make his way to their bed in darkness.

  Later, they lay tangled for a long time and then Drace rolled over, pulling her with him, keeping her close to him, drawing comfort in the feel of her heartbeat next to his. He yawned until his jaw popped. “I hope I don’t have to try for five because we’ll both be disappointed.”

  He felt her smile against his damp chest and hugged her closer. He soon slept and dreamed of dragons in nightmares from which he could not wake.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  DRACE WOKE IN A FOUL MOOD, having slept but poorly. He was still haunted by visions of a red dragon, but said nothing to Ki about it. He dressed and left to check on the horses.

  Ki tracked him down later, bringing him a cup of coffee. He was checking one of Pride’s front shoes. He stood, took the cup from her, gulped a healthy swallow and said, “Mmm, that’s good.” He sighed and drank some more.

  “What is wrong?’ Ki asked as she scratched Pride on his shoulder, keeping her gaze on the frown on his handsome face.

  Drace shook his head. “Nothing really. I was dreaming all last night and I guess I’m just tired, and anxious.” He took another long sip of coffee then handed the cup back to Ki. He ducked under Pride’s neck and checked Ki’s horse. He had given her the dark bay gelding he had picked out when he first arrived in Oralia as Valor was in foal to Pride. He checked the big horse’s legs and feet, and then patted the horse on the neck. He silently wished the animal to take care of Ki when she would have need of it.

  Drace wrapped an arm around Ki’s shoulders. “Come on. This mighty warrior is starving. I need to go kill a biscuit or something.”

  It would be the next day before the enemy would make the northern end of the plains of Hopa as reported by Nimbus, so all that day was spent readying for the upcoming conflict. There would be no fires this night and the camp grew quiet.

  Drace took watch just before it became totally dark. When he was relieved, he found his tent, undressed down to his breeches, and laid down next to Ki. Thinking she was asleep, he lay on his back and stared at the tent’s ceiling.

  “You are thinking too loudly,” Ki whispered sleepily.

  Drace smiled despite himself. “You’re supposed to be asleep. Let me worry on my own.” He rolled onto his side, propped on his elbow. “I want you to know something.”

  Alarmed at the seriousness of his voice Ki rolled onto her back to look up at him. “What is it?”

  Drace toyed with her hair for a moment. “If something happens tomorrow, to me, I wanted you to know I love you.” He shushed her gently when she started to speak. “I know I’ve told you that many times before, but I just needed you to know that now. I love you with all my heart and soul. I have no regrets.”

  Tears filled her eyes and spilled. “Oh Drace, I love you too.”

  He couldn’t see her tears but he heard them in her voice. “Baby, don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he said, wiping away her tears. “Go back to sleep. You need to rest.” He held her close and soon they both slept.

  Faint stirrings in the early morning woke them and he took her, both feeling the desperate need. It was quick and powerful and full of emotion. Afterwards, they dressed and helped each other don their armor.

  When the two emerged from the tent both their hair was braided into warrior style, running behind the ears to keep the hair out of their vision, back braided and in Drace’s case, tucked under. Ki had applied the paint that accentuated her lion look.

  It was a fierce looking group that assembled before a dead fire, eating a cold breakfast. Cearan spoke quietly, gazing into his cup. “May the Gods bless us and may we assemble here as we are now when this deed is done.”

  Everyone broke from there. Horses were saddled and outfitted in their own armor, manes and tails braided tightly. Men and women checked armor and weapons and then rechecked them. Nerves were stretched taunt when, finally, a galloper came into camp with word that the southern army was in sight.

  Drace grabbed Ki and kissed her fiercely before heading to the horse line. “I love you,” he said. “Be careful.” He spun away, pulling his helm over the chain mail hood, and after mounting, waved a salute to her.

  Panic hit Ki when she realized something. She mounted her gelding and galloped to where Drace was lining up his men to climb the ridge.

  “What is it?” he asked her, surprised at her appearance there.

  “I did not tell you that I loved you also. If something happens to me today I wanted that to be in your heart.”

  Drace smiled a crooked smile at her. “It’s in my heart always. Go on now. You will lead your people to victory.”

  Ki looked at him one last time. Pride danced under him in excitement, causing the horsehair tail on Drace’s helm to swing. Drace winked at her, closed his visor, and grabbing the lance someone handed to him, turned to move his men out.

  Vashti met Ki on her way to the front line and handed Ki her helm. Vashti grabbed her hand for a moment. “You must go for their king,” she reminded her. “And my Lady?”

  Ki looked down at the sorceress through the slit in her visor. “Yes?”

  “May the gods protect you.”

  Ki squeezed Vashti’s hand. “And you as well, my friend.” She released Vashti’s hand and spurred her gelding forward.

  A moment later, Lexin saluted Ki as he galloped with his men past her position, their lances ready, the metal tips shining deadly in the sunlight. His forces would flank opposite Drace’s off the far ridge while Ki lead the rest of her people along with the dwarves and elves through the center of the valley.

  Ki’s horse spooked sideways as Nimbus then Azure made a pass overhead. Straightening the horse with a calming word, she gave the signal to move forward.

  Drace sat Pride under the cover of the thick trees, knowing Lexin and his men sat waiting on the opposite hill. Ki’s army and the allied forces had taken up position at the mouth of the valley. The elven archers were behind the Werren ground forces that carried their big shields. Drace could j
ust make out Ki and Cearan at the head of the mounted forces, the dwarves behind them, big axes and war hammers at the ready. He wasn’t sure where Vashti had taken position to work her magic, but he knew Ka’Ril was by her side, offering the cover of his bow.

  A dust cloud covered the bottom of the valley as the southern army approached. When the army halted and the dust began to settle, Drace got an idea of their numbers. It looked like the southern army outnumbered them three to one, although their men were ragged and most were on foot and poorly armed. There were however, at least two hundred Zakaras throughout the ranks.

  Drace heard a bellow above him, looked up, and felt cold fear churn in the pit of his stomach. A black dragon flew over, its double horned head turned in search of something. It was about the size of Azure. That dragon was fearsome, but it wasn’t the Night dragon that scared him; it was the big red one high above it.

  The Blood dragon was a third bigger than Nimbus and had a frilled head like a Triceratops, the frill rimmed with short spikes. It dived down to the level of the Night dragon in a terrifying display of power when it folded its wings to close the distance. Once it spread them again and roared, then snapped at the Night dragon when it came too close. Drace saw the single long horn on its nose and the long talons on its front feet.

  He prayed a silent prayer that Nimbus and Azure could handle them and with any luck, quickly. He could not see the southern king or his sorcerer. Drace turned to his men and saw similar fear in their eyes, but they, like him, were gathering their courage. A memory from his upbringing had Drace begin to silently pray the rosary. It had been so long since he had last said it, but it was deeply ingrained in him thanks to his mother. While he recited, he kept close eye on the valley floor.

  Azure appeared over the hill where Lexin’s forces hid and Nimbus passed over Drace’s ridge, low and fast, the air of his flight making a roaring whooshing noise. Men grabbed tighter on reins as horses spooked, trying to keep the horses quiet. Any noise they made was quickly drowned out by the challenge that the big red dragon bellowed.

  Drace watched as the two Ice dragons flew at the enemy ones, and then he blinked as they literally disappeared. The Blood dragon screamed in frustration and moved its head side to side in search of the vanished pair.

  Azure reappeared directly behind the Night dragon and opening her mouth, breathed a bolt of ice. It pierced the membrane on the black dragon’s left wing and he twisted away, a scream of pain and anger coming from him. He belched a spray of a black acidic substance but missed as Azure retreated to a safe distance. She sent another ice bolt its direction and it missed him by inches.

  The Blood dragon found herself confronting Nimbus who had dropped his invisible shield right in front of her and issued a fog of ice in her face, blinding her. The red dragon bellowed and breathed fire but Nimbus had winged upward out of the way.

  As the aerial battle continued, the forces on the ground watched, careful of things that fell from the sky. One man close to Ki fell with his horse, both screaming in pain, as acid hit them. The man was lucky in that enough hit him to kill him quickly. The horse was not so fortunate and lay writhing in agony. Another warrior dismounted and drew his dagger, slitting the horse’s throat, ending its suffering. He checked the downed man and after a look at the man’s face, made a choking sound then vomited beside his own mount.

  When ice, fire, and acid became harder to belch, the dragons turned to teeth and talons, with the occasional magic. The Night dragon gave a final attempt at an acid attack on Azure who returned the assault with a rapid fire of shards of ice. The ice shredded one of the black dragon’s wings and it decided that retreat was the wisest choice. It began a labored flight back for the mountains where it could rest and heal.

  Azure made a circle and came to the aid of Nimbus who was fending off a fire blast with ice bolts, creating a huge cloud of steam. In the confusion of limited vision, Azure attacked from the rear, waiting for a down beat of the red’s wings, then closed in and latched on to the Blood’s wings with her talons. She flapped backwards and tore viciously into the delicate membranes of the bigger female’s wings. The Blood dragon screeched in agony and tried to twist around to attack. Nimbus struck from the front, claws digging into the red’s chest.

  To those on the ground, it appeared to be a flurry of struggling wings. Finally, the Blood dragon broke free, wings damaged too badly to fly. Concerned with saving herself, she left off the fight, trying to glide away, her wing beats useless. She fell to earth and landed with a terrifying crash behind the southern army’s lines.

  With the enemy dragons no longer a threat, Drace signed to his men, one pass with the lances then drop and go to their other weapon. Heads nodded acknowledgement. They would charge as soon as Ki’s forces drew the southern army far enough into the valley for the flankers to hit them in the sides of their lines. Drace turned Pride back to face the fight, the big horse restless but obedient.

  There was an eruption of yells from the southern army and then the long awaited charge. Ki spun her gelding around, the order for archers coming from her as she yelled to Keva to begin firing.

  The first flight of arrows mowed down the charging enemy and Drace could hear Keva order second and third firing. The archers then parted at his command and the mounted forces swept past, swords drawn. Drace heard the impact of weapons and bodies meeting all the way up the ridge and then the magic started.

  Vashti had found their sorcerer, using the distraction of the dragons’ battle to hunt for him. Red-headed, of medium height and slender, he was not as old as Vashti had assumed, but thought to take that to her advantage. Being young by sorcerer standards, he might be arrogant in his abilities, or unlearned. He certainly was dressed well, in brown breeches and a knee length tunic in white with red trim. She was sure arrogance fit into his makeup.

  Vashti had discovered her calling of magic at a young age and had studied with Nimbus for a hundred years. This sorcerer appeared to be at least half human and would not have had as many years of training.

  When he spotted Vashti’s approach, he turned from the cover of the boulder where he had taken refuge during the dragons’ battle. He calmly walked out of its shade, made a motion with his hand and flame flew from his fingertips towards her. A quick spell of her own, she created a shield of protection that caused the flames to bounce harmlessly away.

  Feeling Ka’Rils comforting presence at her side, she knew she could concentrate on the sorcerer in front of her and he would warn her of outside danger.

  Vashti sent the same spell at the enemy wizard that she had used to move Drace when he’d had the nightmare, and the mage countered with the same shield spell she had just used. He smirked confidently her way and said something rude in the language of the southern people.

  Vashti remained cool and composed. She ignored the sounds of battle behind her. She was distantly aware of the twang of Ka’Ril’s bowstring as a warrior from the enemy side came too close. She closed all thought of her husband from her mind. It was time to teach the youngster a lesson and if he refused to learn, she would end him.

  Vashti rapidly fired multiple balls of fire at the sorcerer who deflected each one with an upraised palm. He fired back with the same spell. Vashti deflected and then rapidly cast her next spell.

  The mage was preparing his next spell when the ground shifted under his feet. He staggered a step and looked down as the hard earth turned to sand. He began to sink and jumped backwards desperate to find firm footing. He flung his hand up, and two daggers magically appeared.

  Vashti countered with another shielding spell and the knives bounced harmlessly away. She suddenly changed before his eyes in a spell he had never encountered. She had been wearing tan breeches, boots, and a loose white shirt, but she became almost transparent, her clothes a flowing death dress; her pale hair billowing around her as if caught in a storm. The chant of the spell came from her lips as she became wraithlike, her voice sounded like death calling him. The sorcerer frozen
as panic beat in his chest.

  He watched the elf as the spell took her over, and he began to speak his next spell, hoping to halt her before it was too late. It was now a race to see who could finish off the other first.

  Vashti’s head went back as she spoke the words, the wind picking up around her, tearing at her hair, the rags of the wraith’s dress flowing with the wind. Vashti looked back at her enemy and raised her hands over her head, her voice rising as she continued. One missed word and the wraith spell would consume her. She was not so far into her spell that she did not miss that he was trying to call down lightning.

  Her eyes began to glow with a deep purple light. The air swirled over her head and a vortex opened over her, the screams of the damned coming from within it. The southern sorcerer tried to speak his spell quicker and fumbled over the words as fear gripped him tighter.

  With a sudden movement, Vashti pointed her arms at him: palms up and the mist coming from the vortex moved and enveloped the other magic user. He lost concentration and as the mist surrounded him, he screamed, fighting off the unseen hands that pulled at him. He seemed to levitate for a second and then, he was gone, the vortex closing with the echo of the screams within.

  Vashti collapsed as the spell ended, momentarily drained to exhaustion. Ka’Ril rushed to stand over her protectively while she caught her breath. Once she had recovered enough, he would see her safely out of there.

  Riding at a gallop, Ki’s forces charged into the midst of the southern forces, unaware of the battle being fought by Vashti and the other magic user. Her sword flashed death to any who stood in her way. Ki fought completely focused, intent on making it through the lines to the back where she knew the southern leader hid. She had been separated from Cearan at the start, the first contact with the enemy like a wave. The noise was deafening, orders no longer able to be heard.