“And the utensils?” Arlon inquired.
“Same room,” she replied. “Different box.”
Trilyra finished her first bite and twirled the golden fork in her hand. “Are there more of these?”
“Lots. Aren’t they lovely? They remind me of home.”
Trilyra nodded with a satisfied smile as she pulled it closer for inspection. “I’ll bet my bow that this gold came from Ammodis. The best gold comes from our mines in the Ploutonians. They are just a few hundred miles east of my home in Polichlor.”
“Whoa, slow down there, Desert Damsel,” Paymer quipped, leaning forward. “Have you forgotten about the very rich mines a bit farther north?” He took a large bite. “Everyone knows that Oranian gold is the choice of kings.”
Arlon examined his knife. “Hey Paymer…let me see a gold royal.”
Paymer dug one out of his satchel and tossed it across. “As a gift or a loan, pal?”
“I just want to feel it.” Arlon held the coin in his right hand and the utensil in his left. He bobbed them both up and down a bit. “I would say that the knife weighs about as much as two royals.” He grabbed his fork. “It’s quite a bit lighter than the knife. How many utensils did you find in that room, Mae’Lee?”
She stared at the ceiling. “Uh…probably twenty of each. Maybe a few more.”
Trilyra’s eyes glistened. “That means we could trade them for sixty or seventy royals. That could buy a lot of food. Or clothes.” She paused. “Or horses!”
Arlon squirmed. “Well, see…not all of us can ride a horse.”
“What? You’re kidding me?!”
He cut off a small slice of meat. “Nope. Horseback riding was not a very high priority for a Dunamai in Soteria. Too dangerous I suspect. I think we all share this same…inability.”
“I have ridden on a horse several times,” Mae’Lee offered. “But it was always in a parade or some other guided circumstance. Never out in an open field or anything.”
“Speaking of out in the open,” Trilyra began, “has anyone been outside to see if there’s anything unusual going on this morning?”
“I’ve been out twice,” Paymer replied. “Nothing moving around on the ground except for a few leaves. Oh…and one rabbit.”
“How about a bit higher? Any falcons?”
He swallowed. “The only thing in the sky was a beautiful sunrise.”
Trilyra gobbled down the remainder of her breakfast and looked around. “We need to hurry up and get moving. And don’t forget to get the gold.” She hesitated. “There’s probably a very good reason why this city is deserted.” She rose up and grabbed her weapons. “I’m not so sure we want to find out.”
_____________________________________
Paymer hadn’t exaggerated. The weather outside was nothing short of beautiful. But it was a sobering contradiction; gorgeous blue skies above and lifeless gray ruins down below.
After thirty brutal minutes of working their way north through streets virtually barricaded by trees and debris, an impressive, curved structure came into view. Dozens and dozens of grooved columns graced the perimeter (most of them still standing), all set atop a gradual, rounded base of countless narrow steps.
“Whoa! Now there’s something worth checking out,” Paymer declared with awe. Everyone paused for a breather, and Mae’Lee pulled out a gold royal. She seemed determine to roll it through her fingers, with minor success.
“This place is huge,” Hort said. “I’ve never seen anything like it."
“You’ve lived on a small island your whole life, Hort from the port,” Paymer said with a wink. “So that’s probably not too surprising, pal.”
Mae’Lee dropped the coin and Paymer bent down to retrieve it.
“It looks like an arena,” Trilyra noted. “So Paymer is right…it is worth checking out.” She hurried towards it. “Arenas are often places of combat. And combat could mean weapons. Come on.”
They scurried up the endless slope of cracked and pitted stairs towards a wide opening that led into the interior of the apparent coliseum. But a series of dark streaks on the stone pavement caught Mae’Lee’s eye.
“Hey, what’s this?” she said, hunkering down. Within moments, they had all gathered around her.
“That’s odd,” Trilyra replied, taking a sample with her index finger. “It’s blood.”
“Blood?” Arlon repeated. “Are you sure?”
She glanced up with a smirk. “I’ve practiced sword and knife fighting since I was little. Trust me, I know what blood looks like. And this is fairly fresh. Less than a day for sure. And look at the pattern.”
“They look like paint splatters,” Arlon observed, hunching over. “Like it dripped from way up.”
“What would do that?” Mae’Lee asked uneasily, dropping her coin for the second time. It bounced away.
Trilyra glanced above. “It’s hard to say. Maybe a bird was injured up on one of the columns. Or a bird could’ve captured a small rodent. And carried it away.”
“Don’t say that!” Mae’Lee complained. “I hate to think about little animals getting harmed like that.”
Trilyra rose up and dusted her knees off. “That’s funny…I don’t remember you being too concerned about that little animal I shot in the heart with an arrow. You know, the one you’ve been eating on for the last few days?”
“Wild boars don’t count.”
“Whatever you say, Princess. We need to keep moving.”
_____________________________________
The top of the steps led onto a wide, rubble-littered causeway which eventually emptied onto the midlevel of an immense, open-aired stadium. Arlon glanced up and around at the jagged rim surrounding the arena. He studied the massive piles of stone blocks and debris that blanketed the numerous rows of bleachers stretching out below and above him.
Is it possible that this stadium once had a ceiling? Incredible.
Paymer whistled low as his eyes readjusted to the bright light. “Whoa…and I thought the outside of this place was impressive.”
“Impressive is right. The floor is lower than the ground level of the city,” Trilyra said. “They actually dug it out. I can’t imagine how much work that would have been. No doubt years of hard labor.”
One by one, they all gazed down below in reverent wonder. Acres and acres of untamed forest and tall grasses replaced whatever had once lined the arena’s sizable contest area. Wild vines radiated out into the eroded grandstands, tunneling themselves into every seam and every crack.
“Those trees look old,” Mae’Lee said, playing with her coin again.
“Yep,” Arlon replied. “And I don’t think that we’ll find any weapons down there in that mess.”
Hort shuffled off to the left. “Look at the mess over here.”
“Whatcha talking about port-man?” Paymer asked.
Arlon got there first. “It looks like more blood.”
Trilyra came to a stop and nodded. “It is.” She worked her way down a few more steps. “And the trail continues.”
“Whoa! That’s a lot of blood for just a little rodent,” Paymer mumbled.
“That’s because it wasn’t a rabbit,” Trilyra said coldly. She thrust her right arm out and pointed. “Look.”
Fifty yards below, a small pair of mostly-eaten cows were draped across a massive block embedded at a steep angle in the bleachers. Streams of blood drained along its pocked surface and collected in a dark pool just below.
Hort looked puzzled. “But how could those cattle get down there?”
Paymer rested against a low wall. “Well, there’s no way they just wandered down these stone terraces.”
“Something’s been eating on them,” Trilyra said, resting her right hand on the hilt of her sword. “Something…big.”
The Princess shied away from the gruesome sight and did her best to weave the gold royal through the fingers of her pale right hand. Paymer grinned and reached over to help her. “You need to start with
it on top of your little finger. Let me show you.” He tried to grab it but she resisted.
“I can do this,” she retorted, jerking her arm away. The large coin teetered precariously on the back of her hand before accidentally plummeting onto the stone ledge. It bounced and tumbled down several rows of seats, clinking and clanking the entire way. The high pitched jangling rang out and echoed across the circular ruins.
“Sorry, Paymer!” she apologized, red-faced. “I’ll go down and get—“
“The screamssss of my prey and the sweeeeet sound of gold are both a deeeelight to my earssss,” a chilling, booming voice sounded out into Arlon’s mind. He spun around in terror and met the terrified eyes of the other Dunamai. There was no question that they had all heard the same familiar voice.
Trilyra snatched her sword and snapped her head in every direction. “What was that roar?! Where did it come from?”
A dark head snaked above a large pile of stony debris near the carcasses of the cows. Four menacing amber and red eyes opened and glared up at them. Seconds later, the Dragon spread his leathery wings with a subtle rush and rose to his full height.
“It’s Terras Telos!” Arlon shouted.
Trilyra traded her sword for her bow in an instant and launched an arrow directly at the heart of the creature. The Dragon didn’t even flinch as the bolt simply bounced off his chest and tumbled to the pavement below. He opened his jagged mouth again.
“I warned you of your folly once before,” the Dragon boomed out into the panicked minds of the Dunamai. “And yet you still threaten a Dread Guardian with your mortal weaponssss…foolish child of Ammodisssss.” He paused and studied them. “And now you have enlisted the aid of the Chosen against me. Hear me, Chosen Children…the friend of my enemy is my enemy.” With a powerful series of sudden flaps and a swirling storm of dust, the Dragon lifted from the ground. “And to be an enemy of a Dread Guardian is a fearful burdennnn.” It reared its head back. “A fearful burden that needn’t be long. Indeed, it shall end today.”
Arlon spun around and darted for the exit. “Run!” he screamed. “Run!”
The first volley of Dragon fire fell far short of their position, but there was little doubt that everyone felt the effect of its scorching heat. Arlon’s almost-healed scars across his back burned with searing pain under the fury of the Dragon’s assault. The group scrambled through the rubble of the causeway as a second explosion of directed flame licked at their fleeing heels. The rushing sound of the blast was almost as horrifying as the fire itself.
Arlon slowed somewhat to grab a struggling Mae’Lee and thrust her out in front of him. “Keep running,” he yelled. “I’m right behind you.” He glanced back just in time to see the terrifying silhouette of the Dragon hovering at the far end of the passage. He was relieved that the opening was far too small to allow the creature’s hulking form to pursue them. A clearly frustrated Terras Telos raised its head and bolted straight up with a hair-raising roar.
Paymer and Trilyra had almost reached the entrance when Arlon screamed to get their attention from behind. “Hey! Stop! Listen to me! Stop!”
They both looked back.
“The Dragon flew up,” Arlon said, breathless. “I saw him. I’m sure he’s gonna come down on the other side. We can’t leave that way.”
Hort was sandwiched between them. “What do we do? Where do we go?!” he asked with absolute terror in his brown eyes.
Trilyra took a lightning quick survey of the area before motioning off to her left. She ducked down and scurried off.
“There’s a hallway…follow me.”
CHAPTER 10
Light may have been in short supply, but fear was abounding. And it drove them. The darkened corridor followed a circular path around the huge perimeter of the ancient stadium. They navigated quietly from one dusty pool of sunlight to the next; at times climbing over fallen pillars, at others crawling under them through a tight squeeze.
Mae’Lee kept a very nervous and a very firm grip on Arlon’s arm. Each time the Dragon’s roar echoed in the distance, she dug her nails into his flesh. (It was usually followed by “Sorry” which was always followed by “It’s okay.”)
Paymer kept his voice low as he crept closer to Trilyra. “What’s the plan, Desert Damsel?”
She spun her head about and her blonde hair wrapped around, covering most of her pretty face. She exhaled and blew it away from her eyes. “I have two plans. One: make it out of here alive. Two: make sure that you don’t if you ever call me that cursed name again.”
He shrugged and nodded as the rest of the group caught up. “Stick with the first one. The first plan. Trilyra.”
“That’s what I thought,” she whispered with a hint of a smile. “Anyway…I’m looking for a break in the wall…that leads to either a nearby building or to a big pile of debris we can use to conceal our escape. We can’t stay in here.”
Paymer bobbed his head. “I don’t think anyone would disagree with that.”
“Do you think that’s why those dreadful Therion wouldn’t come into the city?” Mae’Lee asked. “Because of the Dragon?”
“The same thought had crossed my mind,” Trilyra replied.
“Mine, too, Princess,” Paymer added.
Trilyra straightened the bow on her back. “So, what did he say?”
Paymer narrowed his eyes. “What?”
“What did that monster say?” She looked down. “I’m sure he didn’t compliment my aim.”
Paymer shot a hard stare over at Arlon.
“Oh, uh, he said something about you being his…enemy,” Arlon mumbled. “And, uh, that we were now his enemies, too.”
“That’s comforting. At least we all know where we stand with him. Anything else?”
He paused, collecting his thoughts. “Well, he pretty much said that he would…kill us all before the day was out.”
She sighed with a forced smile. “Well, that’s good…I guess. I’m not sure I could live another day knowing I would have to eat wild boar again.” She raised up. “Let’s go.”
_____________________________________
Trilyra crawled back towards them and wiped the dirt and dust off her face. She had been gone for nearly ten minutes. “It’s pretty tight,” she said, “but I think everyone can make it. The tunnel is about thirty or forty feet long I would guess. Couple of bad spots. But not too bad.”
“What’s at the other end?” Arlon asked, offering her a drink of water.
She took a sip. “It goes all the way outside. There are two or three columns that have collapsed outward onto the steps. They’ve made a pretty big mess. Lots of vines everywhere. I think it would be enough to hide us.” She poured some water in her hand before rubbing it across her cheeks and dirty forehead. “There’s quite a few buildings past that. We would just need to work our way out of the city from there.”
“I don’t know,” Arlon replied. “It’s kind of risky. If the Dragon finds us right after we all crawl out of that hole, we’re dead for sure. I’m sure we couldn’t go back inside fast enough.”
Paymer squinted. “Unless we go one at a time. Trilyra could go first. She could get outside and then hurry to the next building, and then she would guide the second person out. She could watch for the Dragon while they went to her. Then the next, and so on.”
“We would be split up,” Arlon countered. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that. If things get bad, we might not find each other again.”
“We would still be in sight of each other, right Trilyra?” Paymer inquired.
“Should be.”
Arlon squirmed. “I’m still concerned.”
She patted his shoulder. “We all are. But I think it’s a good plan. Not a great one, but a good one. Let’s just say that I can’t think of a better one.”
Arlon glanced around at the group. “I think we should put it to a vote. I’ll go first. I vote…no.”
Paymer spoke up. “Yes.”
Trilyra nodded. “Yes.�
�
“Me, too,” Hort whispered.
Everyone tensed up as the Dragon announced his impatient rage with a thundering roar in the distance.
Mae’Lee paused, as tears welled up in her big eyes. “I will vote yes, but I still don’t want to go alone out there.”
“I will stay with you,” Arlon blurted out before he could catch himself. “I mean, if that’s okay with you?”
She nodded and wiped her face.
Trilyra cleared her throat and kept her voice very low. “So, I guess that settles it. I’ll go first, then Paymer, Hort, and then the two of you.” She bent down towards the gap. “There’s not much room. You’ll probably want to slide your satchels and weapons ahead of you.”
Seconds later, the first three of them sunk low and slithered into the dark cavern. Mae’Lee knelt down and clutched Arlon’s arm. “I, uh, I get afraid in close spaces. I panic sometimes.”
He smiled at her with a reassuring nod. “It’s okay, Princess. We all do at times. But, if it happens…just close your eyes.” He reached up and tenderly closed her eyelids with the light touch of his fingertips. “Just imagine that you are swimming. Swimming in the warm water of Tobermere. Can’t you see it? Can’t you just picture the steam rising from those soothing pools?”
She cracked one eye back open. “But I don’t—“
“Shhhhh,” he whispered in a comforting voice. “Close your eyes and picture those wonderful, smoky pools. Just think about how good it is for your beautiful skin.”
“For my what?”
He stuttered. “I, uh, I mean, how beautiful it will feel on your skin. Are, uh, are you imagining it?”
“Kind of. I guess.”
“Good. Just focus on that. And before you know it, we will be out in the sunshine.”
She opened both eyes. “Yes, out in the sunshine and possibly facing a Dragon that wants to kill us all.”
The Dragon Wrath: Book Two of the Arlon Prophecies Page 5