CHAPTER 8
THE DRAGON QUEST BEGINS
As the three companions prepared to leave the castle of Diabolos, they cautiously looked about the room they were in for any signs of possible attack. They each sensed a strange foreboding, yet they also sensed they were alone.
“I don’t suppose I need to say it but, we should still be careful, since we’re not out of here yet,” Michael commented as he looked about the silent room covered with the motionless bodies of Diabolos’ men. Walking toward the door, with Avenger in his hand, he continued, “I don’t know what Diabolos had in mind, but I’m certain he won’t give up this easily.”
“I wonder where we might find our weapons and horses,” Aaron asked as he stepped over the dead and looked about the room. “I much prefer my own sword to this.”
“Yes,” Zachary quickly added. “I’ve grown used to my own weapons, and I think I’m most effective when I have them.”
As they quietly walked out of the room, they noticed one of the soldiers stealing around the corner as if to attack them from behind.
Zachary glanced in the direction of the man, then at Michael and Aaron and nodded his head, indicating he knew what needed to be done. Moving as quickly as a serpent striking its prey, Zachary grabbed the soldier by the collar with his powerful arm and shook him until he could not stand on his feet any longer.
“Perhaps this young man would care to tell us where our property is located,” Zachary said with a bit of a smile.
“Please, my lords, spare me. I’m a poor farmer pressed into the service of Diabolos,” he pleaded.
“Where are our weapons and horses?” asked Aaron as he held a sword to the frightened young man’s chest.
“In lord Diabolos’ stables. All is there and guarded well. Don’t kill me, and I’ll help you,” the soldier said as his weak knees gave way beneath him.
“Strengthen yourself, man!” Michael said with a note of irritation. “Just show us the way and no harm will come to you from us!”
The young man eagerly accepted the offer and began to lead them to the stables. As he led them along the passageways of the castle toward the stables, he told them his name was Alexander and that he was from the village of Shallem, where his family lived. He also described to them how Diabolos pressed him into service and had mistreated and abused his poor family.
“Did you say you were from Shallem?” Michael inquired with concern.
“Why yes, my prince,” Alexander responded. “Have you heard of my village?”
“Yes, I have, Alexander. A messenger reported to our court the great dragon had devoured it.”
“Devoured it?” Alexander repeated in disbelief as he stopped in his tracks. “My family and friends are gone? I had hoped that my service to Diabolos would spare them.”
“I’m sorry, Alexander,” Michael said in a consoling way. “Evil will only pay evil as its wages. There is no way you could have known. Now you can help us avenge the destruction of your home.”
“I will,” Alexander said resolutely. He then went on to explain Diabolos’ plan to attack the King of El, and make himself king. Alexander next described how Diabolos drew his power from the dragon, and how as long as the dragon lived Diabolos would be nearly invincible.
When Michael, Aaron, and Zachary heard these words, they were most distressed. No longer was this merely an interesting quest for Aaron and Zachary. It was a battle for their families and their way of life. For Michael, the full force of the importance of his role fell upon him unlike any time in the past. Suddenly, all three men felt humbled by the importance of their role in this struggle.
After a brief moment of thought, Michael asked, “Where does Diabolos get an army large enough to attack the King of El?”
“Highness,” replied Alexander, “he hired mercenary hordes from the South Lowlands promising treasures of gold, silver and people.”
Michael and his companions, now knowing the seriousness of the situation, resolved in their hearts that they would not fail in this mission.
With this thought in mind, Aaron added, “If this is the case, our time is short and we must destroy the dragon quickly.”
Finally the four men reached the stables and stole in without the guards seeing them. As Alexander promised, Noble and the other horses were well cared for, and their weapons were close by.
“Lord Diabolos had planned to ride Noble into battle against the King of El,” Alexander commented as he saw Michael devotedly rubbing the horse’s forehead.
“That would have been funny to see!” Michael chuckled. “Noble would never allow Diabolos to ride him. He only knows my family. So it’s likely Diabolos would have died by the horse he would have been trying to ride. At any rate, this is one prize of which I’ll deprive Diabolos now.”
As the three companions were about to escape, Alexander cried out, “Oh, take me with you, my lords! Please don’t leave me here. I’ll wash your clothes and feed your horses. If I stay here Diabolos will skin me alive. I also want to help defeat him.”
Looking at his companions, then at Alexander, Michael said, “Get a horse and a weapon. Work with us and you’ll have a part in our quest. Betray us and Diabolos’ skinning will seem a pleasant alternative.”
Joyfully, Alexander took a steed and weapons, and readied himself for escape. “We must be quick,” he said. “Diabolos’ archers will have their arrows trained on us as soon as we come out of the gate, since they know you’ve escaped.”
Without another word the four men charged out of the gate with their horses running as fast as they would go. The archers, expecting to see them trying to steal in rather than out of the stables were taken by surprise. However, it did not take them long to fix their arrows and begin shooting at the fleeing horsemen, just barely missing them.
As soon as they were out of range and had progressed up the mountainside, they paused to look at the castle, where they had been but had never seen from the outside. Diabolos’ castle was the largest they had ever seen, as well as the oldest. It had six sides with thick walls that looked to be thirty feet high. Though the castle itself was very large, the main gate of the castle was so small only two horses side by side could enter or go out at any one time. There were also tall towers at each corner of the castle walls and a guardhouse over the gate. The castle was dark gray and lifeless.
Were it not for the fact they knew people were in the castle, they would have thought it was deserted. It seemed strange to Michael that the castle was situated in a valley between three mountains and there was no moat or defenses he could see. Alexander later told him secret traps surrounded the castle, providing a more deadly and better defense than any moat.
After looking on the castle for a few moments, they turned toward the mountains where they hoped to soon find and slay the dragon. Before they made their way, they heard a great commotion from the castle. They looked to see Diabolos riding out, leading his hordes of horsemen.
“They’re after us!” Aaron said in excitement.
“No,” Alexander said solemnly. “It’s begun. They’re on their way to make war on the King of El.”
“Time is short, my friends,” Michael commented. “We must slay the dragon and then help defend the kingdom. Let’s be off.”
At Michael’s words the four men were on their way to what the future would hold. Each of them possessed a sense of urgency they had never known.
Prince Michael and The Dragon Page 9