Lexi was rushing toward him, but Tiberius could see the dragon turning in the distance, readying itself for another attack.
“Help me up,” he said through clenched teeth.
The soldiers all had spears and shields, but they all looked terrified just the same. Tiberius guessed the weapons made them feel better but he doubted they would be much help if the war ship was knocked from the sky.
“We need to dive,” Tiberius said as loudly as he could. “Go down, into the mist.”
“There’s god knows what down there,” the captain complained.
“Just do it!” Lexi shouted.
“Why not throw your pet overboard?” the captain said angrily. “That’s all the beast wants.”
“You know that for a fact?” Lexi said. “And what if the dragon wants you next? Should we toss you overboard, too?”
“I’m just saying the creature attacked your pet, not us.”
“There’s no time for this,” Tiberius said. “Get us down into the mist, Captain! As soon as possible.”
“What are you going to do?” Lexi asked.
“Fight back.”
Tiberius didn’t think about the spell he was casting. He just unleashed the power and directed it at the dragon.
“Accendo!”
The portal of fire opened, and a gout of flame leapt out, enveloping the dragon. For a moment there was nothing but the flash of orange flame and a smear of black smoke against the blue sky. Then the dragon appeared out of the fire, completely unfazed.
“It’s still coming!” Lexi shouted.
“Fire didn’t even faze it,” Tiberius said in surprise.
The dragon roared again, and this time it spewed fire from the long, pointing maw. Tiberius barely had time to raise his shield spell again and divert the yellow flames before they set the war ship ablaze. His only success was staying on his feet. He felt the contact of the fire against his spell, but it was more like a strong wind than a physical blow.
The dragon circled, looking back to see what kind of damage its fire had done to the ship. Tiberius felt a shock of fear, knowing they couldn’t keep the battle up much longer. The captain was shouting orders to the soldiers crewing the ship. Ropes were pulled, and the sails angled. Tiberius felt the ship descending but he knew it wasn’t fast enough.
“What if it can see in the mist?” Lexi asked. “We’ll be blind, but it might not be.”
“I don’t know,” Tiberius said.
Dancer trilled sadly, and Lexi put a hand on the small creature.
“I won’t sacrifice her,” she said. “You’ll have to throw me overboard, too.”
“Don’t talk like that,” Tiberius said as he hobbled toward the ship’s rail.
“Tell me you have a plan,” she asked, the desperation clear in her voice.
“I’m working on it.”
Tiberius was thinking of every spell he knew. The healing spells were no help, and neither were most of the spells he’d learned from Princess Ariel. Fire didn’t seem to faze the dragon; that left wind and light spells. It might be possible that lightning would hurt the beast, but Tiberius didn’t know if he could control the power of the lightning spell. He could unleash the magic but he might hurt himself in the process or, worse yet, destroy the war ship if the lightning got out of control.
“Try putting it to sleep,” Lexi said. “You’ve done that before.”
Tiberius thought back to the night attack of the huge creature on the plains far below. The Hoskali called the creatures Draccons, and Tiberius had managed to cast his sleep spell on the beast, but for some reason he felt less hopeful about using the spell on the dragon.
“I’ll try,” he said. “Somni Incantatio,” he chanted.
He could feel the magic moving out toward the dragon. It felt weak, and for a moment he wished he still had the Balestone. When he’d cast the sleep spell in his father’s palace with the Balestone fused in his back, the magic rushed out like a tidal wave and rendered nearly a hundred soldiers unconscious in the blink of an eye. His sleep spell now felt like he was tossing a thimble of water at a forest fire.
The dragon didn’t seem aware of the sleep spell. Tiberius felt the magical power contact the beast. He had to move the spell constantly to try and keep it on the dragon, which flew through the air almost like an eel swimming through water. The dragon’s wings slowed after a moment, and the beast veered away from the war ship.
“It’s working!” Lexi shouted.
But then suddenly the dragon arched upward, flying above the war ship, and Tiberius couldn’t force his magic around the huge balloon sail that held them aloft.
“Damn!” he shouted.
“All hands brace!” the captain bellowed. “We’re entering the mists.”
Tiberius looked at Lexi as the bright world around them faded suddenly to dull gray. They could barely see across the ship through the thick mists, and Tiberius felt exposed. Lexi took his arm, and they waited to see what would happen.
Chapter 3
Leonosis
The newly crowned king paced. He felt frustrated, angry, and above all impatient. Leonosis huddled in the back of his own mind. His body felt weak, but Draggah didn’t seem to notice. The demon ate only to keep up appearances, and Leonosis had grown noticeably thin and haggard.
He was anxious to board the sky ship from Sparlan Citadel and finally be free. The king’s sky ship was actually a very powerful vessel built to direct a war. Draggah had ordered it made ready, along with the entire fleet of over one hundred war ships. Many had already gone out in search of Tiberius, but now the king was mobilizing the large army at his disposal.
“My liege,” came a voice from behind them.
Draggah turned quickly, seeing the man in charge of organizing and supplying the king’s fleet standing in the doorway.
“Speak,” Draggah said in a low, ragged voice.
“We are dangerously low on hylum, my lord,” the man said.
Draggah looked at the man, who averted his gaze from Leonosis’ haggard form. Leonosis could feel the demon’s foul intentions. He was considering hurting the man, for no other reason than because the officer was delivering bad news. Leonosis felt a quiver of fear at the thought of using all of Sparlan Citadel’s reserves of hylum. Avondale was the only place in the kingdom where the precious gas was mined, and if they exhausted the reserves in the capital, they would have no choice but to take control of Avondale. Otherwise, they risked losing ships, maybe even the entire fleet. The war ships were useless without hylum.
“Are all the war ships ready to set sail?” Draggah asked.
“Not all of them, my lord.”
“And is there any hylum gas left?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Then get those ships in the air.”
“But, my liege, we can’t deplete the reserves completely,” the man said, his voice little more than a fearful whine.
Leonosis understood the officer’s fear. He could tell by looking at the man that he was not a warrior. His talent was obviously in organization. He kept the king’s forces armed and supplied, making him an essential part of the king’s army, but Leonosis knew that Draggah didn’t care about that. He had already murdered several officers who hesitated to obey his commands or reported news the demon didn’t want to hear. He was like a spoiled child who had no comprehension of the consequences of his actions. He was destroying the king’s army on what Leonosis could only consider a fool’s errand.
“We don’t need reserves,” Draggah said. “We need the army ready to move as soon as I give the word. If that doesn’t happen, you will be the first to feel my wrath.”
“Of course, my liege.”
“Get out of my sight,” Draggah said, turning away from the man at the doorway.
Leonosis’ body moved, and he still found it odd to feel himself being directed by an alien force. He wanted to scream for the demon to get out, but it did no good. He was a prisoner in his own body, helpless to s
top the carnage around him.
“Are you sure this Tiberius is really worth the effort?” Queen Ariel asked.
She was lounging on a cushioned bench near the window, wrapped in an almost transparent gown that clung to her curves. It was Draggah’s latest torture to tease Leonosis with what he couldn’t have. Leo could feel his body’s desire smoldering like coals in a smithy’s forge, but Draggah wouldn’t let him touch the queen. He was saving her virtue for something, some type of foul magic that Leonosis couldn’t imagine. Still, the demon enjoyed flaunting Ariel’s alluring body in front of his helpless slave.
“He was little more than a novice when I saw him last,” she continued. “He can’t be a threat to you.”
“He has the Balestone,” Draggah said.
“How can you be sure of that?”
“I can feel its power growing,” Draggah said.
“And you think Tiberius is using the stone’s magic to enhance his own power?”
“Of course he is,” Draggah said. “We must not underestimate him again.”
“We? It wasn’t I who let him escape Hamill Keep.”
“No, you only let him live when you could have killed him in Avondale, before he learned to use his powers.”
“I thought he might be useful to our plans,” she snapped.
“And yet you didn’t bring him here to me,” Draggah growled.
Leonosis could feel the demon’s temper flaring. It made him howl in pain as the anger burned through Leonosis’ mind like molten metal. He wanted to warn Ariel, but no one could hear him except the demon.
“Worse still,” Draggah continued, “you let him leave Avondale.”
“How was I to know he would survive?” she said defiantly.
“You not only let him live,” Draggah went on, ignoring Ariel’s argument, “your actions forced him to grow stronger. He was nothing until you empowered him.”
“This isn’t my fault!” she shouted.
Draggah pounced like a cat, leaping toward Ariel before she even realized he was attacking her. He dropped one knee onto her stomach, pinning her to the bench. His left hand held her throat so tight she struggled to breathe, but his right hand stroked her face tenderly. Leonosis was angry to see the demon hurting Ariel and repulsed by the long, dirty fingernails he saw on his own hand. He had always been fastidious when it came to personal hygiene, but Draggah cared little for the body that sustained him and allowed him to roam the world at large.
“And whose fault are you suggesting it is?” Draggah said softly. “Surely not mine.”
“No,” she managed to croak.
He leaned forward until his mouth was less than an inch from hers.
“Don’t vex me, my sweet.”
Draggah breathed out heavily with each word. Leonosis saw Ariel’s face stiffen as she tried not to gag at the smell of his fetid breath. Leonosis had no control over his body, yet still his pride stung that Ariel would be so repulsed by him. There was a time when he felt a kinship with her. They were both bound to Draggah now, both slaves to his cruelty, helpless to stop his evil plans. But Draggah had not allowed Leonosis to control his own body for some time now, and Ariel never spoke to him directly anymore. Not that he blamed her. Whenever Draggah discovered them talking, he flew into a rage.
Draggah stood up, releasing the young queen, who gasped for breath. Leonosis’ body walked to the window. He could see soldiers assembling in the courtyard below, and the sky around the tall mountain was filled with war ships. The grand army of Sparlan Citadel was poised, ready to strike out at their enemy, but they had no idea where Tiberius was. He wasn’t in Hamill Keep, which had been lost in anarchy since Tiberius had slain Earl Marcus and escaped with the earl’s family. Leonosis had a sinking suspicion where Tiberius would go, but he did his best to banish any such thoughts whenever they entered his mind. Draggah could read his thoughts easily, and if the demon learned Leo’s suspicions, he would descend on Avondale with his fleet of war ships like a swarm of locusts.
“Soon,” Draggah said eagerly, “we will leave this place. We will go out into the wide world and wage war. It shall be a pleasant distraction.”
“War?” Ariel said, sitting propped up on her elbows. “Who would dare fight you?”
“There will always be someone to crush,” Draggah said. “Otherwise, what would be the point?”
“You really think you’ll find him?”
“I can feel him—at least the stone, anyway. Soon, it will be strong enough for me to pinpoint its exact location.”
“Does that mean it’s coming here?” Ariel asked. “Perhaps Tiberius is coming to Sparlan Citadel.”
“No,” Draggah said. “He is no fool, and I will not be lulled into thinking he is foolish or weak. He is a worthy opponent, and I shall savor every moment of his demise.”
“No!” Leonosis shouted, but all he could hear was the demon’s chuckle as phantom pain tore through Leo’s mind.
“And once the boy is defeated? Then we shall rule all?”
“Everything,” Draggah said, but Leonosis could hear the note of doubt in the demon’s voice. It was nothing but a split-second hesitation, as if he was hiding something from Ariel. Leonosis had no idea what it was, but he couldn’t tell Ariel about it even if he did.
“Not just the nine cities?”
“No,” Draggah said. “We shall sweep away the mists and lay bare the blighted lands. We shall rule like gods and crush any who oppose us. We will grow fat on the suffering of an entire world and then we will seek out the next.”
“I can’t wait,” Ariel said, her voice cold and heartless.
“Nor can I,” Draggah growled softly. “Nor can I.”
Chapter 4
Rafe
Walking down the rank of officers felt a little strange. Most of the men were older than Rafe, some as old as his father had been. Still, he got more looks of respect than doubt, and that gave him confidence.
“The events of yesterday are behind us,” Rafe said. “I’m sure you all have questions, your men will have more, but the only thing that is important is that Earl Ageus is well and in complete control of the city. My father died to ensure that the rightful earl was not usurped or harmed. I have taken up his pledge to serve and protect the earl, as well as commanding the war band. If any of you have issues with that, now is the time to resign your commission. There will be no judgement, no negative consequences for your actions. As of today I am your commanding officer, and like my father before me, I will brook no derision in the ranks.”
Rafe stepped back and waited to see if any of the officers would take his offer to resign. The most senior men were in front, the younger officers behind them. Some of the men looked around, waiting to see if anyone would make the first move. After a long moment of silence, one of the senior officers stepped forward.
“Commander Rafe,” he said, snapping to attention.
“Speak your mind, Gerick,” Rafe said, his voice a quiet rumble.
“I served your father, and I can serve you, but there are rumors of war, sir. I want to know what I’ll be following you into.”
Several of the other men nodded or called out their agreement. Rafe raised his voice to reply.
“War is coming,” Rafe said. “There are mysterious and magical things happening in the world of men once more. I won’t try to explain what I don’t understand or haven’t seen for myself, but know this—the earl’s family is in the middle of a terrible struggle. Leonosis has somehow managed to become King of Valana—you all know that. What you may not know is that magic is involved, to the extent that some believe the earl’s son is under the influence of a magical being that is not of this world.”
“How do you expect us to believe that?” shouted someone in the middle of the rank of officers.
Rafe didn’t see who had shouted, but he could see the looks on the faces of many of his men. They were struggling to understand what he was telling them, and he knew he needed to convince them of the da
nger, even if he couldn’t explain exactly what was happening.
“I expect you to obey orders, look after your men, and defend this city with all your strength, courage, and skill. Anything more than that is up to you. But I will say this—many of you fell under Brutas’ influence, myself included. I can’t explain it and I won’t try. But if something foul is controlling the king, then we have an obligation to first make sure it doesn’t get anywhere near the earl, and second, that we fight against it with all the strength we have.”
A few the officers shouted their agreement, and Rafe smiled inwardly. He knew he was turning them, earning their respect. The men of Avondale’s war band were brave warriors, yet they needed someone to lead them. His birthright gave him the opportunity to lead, but it would be his own courage, fairness, and strategic skill that would earn their respect.
“Now as you know I was banished from Avondale. The earl has reinstated me to the city and to this war band with full rights. But while I was in the blighted lands, I saw things, incredible things, even magical things. Magic is not dead in Valana, and there are those who would use magic for good and others who would use it for ill. The earl’s third son, Tiberius, is a wizard.”
This caused more murmuring, but Rafe pressed on.
“He is a good man, and I don’t say that just because we are friends. He has saved my life many times using magic. He has stood by my side and fought countless enemies. He used his magic to restore his father’s health and to resist his brother’s coup. But our new king now wants Tiberius dead. His father has offered him sanctuary in Avondale, and that news will be met with anger in Sparlan Citadel. I have no doubt that King Leonosis—or whatever foul magic he’s fallen under—will come with the strength of the capital to pluck his brother from Avondale. Our job is to stop whatever force comes here to tread on the sovereignty of our city.”
“Commander,” the officer named Gerick interrupted again, “wouldn’t we be better off just handing over the earl’s son to the king?”
“I believe with all my being that if we turn Tiberius over to his brother, we will all be enslaved.”
Avondale V Page 2