Wrath of the Dragon Czar

by James E. Wisher

  Talon started pacing, clearly still annoyed. “The direct way, I suppose. I’ll call my people and we’ll advance to the edge of the orb’s range and when they fire it up you hit it. If your spell works, we’ll attack and if it doesn’t we’ll run.”

  Conryu nodded. Not much of a plan, but it would work, hopefully.

  9

  Vampires vs. Dragons

  One thing you could say about vampires, they moved right along. Around midnight, three hours after Talon sent out his mental call, fifty of his brothers and sisters had arrived in the park. While Conryu hated to admit it, being surrounded by so many supernatural beings made him a little nervous. Anya and her mother stayed a little ways off to one side. Neither of them would be joining in the fight, Anya because she didn’t know much in the way of magic and Sasha because she still hadn’t mastered her powers.

  Talon explained the situation to his people and invited anyone that wished to leave to do so. Conryu held his expression neutral as he endured the scrutiny of fifty pairs of glowing red eyes. He didn’t dare show a moment of weakness. Like Malice Kincade, these were predators of the first order.

  In the end no one withdrew. The other vampires were as eager as Talon to avenge their fallen comrades.

  “We will draw their attention,” Talon said for the benefit of the new arrivals. “As soon as the orb activates, hit it with your spell. After that just stay out of our way.”

  “Okay, just be sure not to kill the masked wizard. I have some questions I need to ask her.”

  Talon nodded. “Let’s go.”

  The vampires dematerialized and rushed northeast toward the enemy camp.

  Conryu gave Anya a thumbs up and cast, “Father of winds, carry me into your domain. Air Rider.”

  He streaked into the sky and powered after the others. He turned to Prime as they flew. “A few months ago I was fighting shadow beasts and now I’m teaming up with vampires. Do you suppose the world will ever make some sort of sense?”

  “You’re looking at it wrong, Master,” Prime said. “Both times you were fighting for the party under threat. First the people of Sentinel City and now Talon and his people. From that perspective what you’ve been doing make perfect sense.”

  Conryu grinned. “Thanks, Prime. If you sense any of those witches coming at us, let me know.”

  “Of course, Master, protecting you is my job.”

  “Mine as well.” Kai’s voice was barely audible as she spoke through the veil separating earth and Hell. “I shall allow no harm to come to you, Chosen.”

  Conryu’s confidence rose a notch. With those two on his side, how could he fail?

  Numerous fires lit the enemy camp. Shadowy figures moved about, tending to whatever needed doing. The center of the camp held a tent big enough to be right at home in a circus. That must be where the czar lived.

  Nothing frantic was happening yet, so Talon must not have moved his forces into position. It wouldn’t be long though. The vampire had to have sensed Conryu’s arrival in the sky above. At least the witches didn’t seem to have taken note of him.

  As if on cue, a cry went up from the camp and people scrambled around. From the giant tent a silver figure clutching a shining sword emerged. That had to be the czar. He made the dragon-blood warriors Conryu fought look small.

  A blinding light burst to life near the camp’s western edge. That was his signal.

  Conryu flew closer until he spotted a wisp of a woman dressed all in white surrounded by dragon-bloods carrying shields. She held a crystal that glowed like a second sun.

  He put his hands a foot apart and chanted, “Darkness dispels everything.”

  A black sphere crackled to life between his palms. He spoke the spell over and over, pushing his hands closer together with each recitation. After seven times through the spell he could barely contain the power he’d gathered.

  With a final, “Darkness dispels everything!” he hurled the now egg-sized blob of darkness at the orb.

  The spell struck dead on. Instead of exploding, the dark energy soaked into the crystal, coating it, and cutting off the light until only the fires illuminated the night.

  Indistinct figures rushed into the camp.

  Screams and machine-gun fire mingled with the crack and flash of lightning. Conryu ignored all of that and searched for the Society wizard. She had to be down there somewhere. Hopefully none of Talon’s people would get overzealous and kill her before he questioned her.

  “Master, to your right, headed for the southern edge of the camp.”

  Conryu spotted her a moment later. The masked woman didn’t even try to help the Imperials. Talk about a poor excuse for an ally.

  “Talon!” a deep, booming voice bellowed over the chaos. “Face me like a warrior if you dare. Let us settle this, one ruler to another.”

  “Master! She’s opening a portal.”

  Cursing the distraction, Conryu refocused. A swirling disk of deep blue appeared at the edge of the camp.

  Conryu raised his hand. “Break!”

  The sphere of dark energy rushed toward the portal and he flew down after it.

  When Roman’s challenge rang out over the battlefield, Talon tossed aside the dead soldier in his hands and made his way across the battlefield. He materialized facing the Dragon Czar. Even though they’d been neighbors for centuries, Talon had never seen Roman in person. To say that the dragon-blooded ruler cut an impressive figure would be greatly understating his presence. Roman towered over eight feet in height and he had to be five feet across at the shoulders. Thick silver scales covered his body and his yellow eyes glowed in the dark.

  “You think you can beat me in a fair fight?” Talon asked.

  Roman laughed. “I don’t doubt it for a moment, assuming you have the courage to face me. If by some miracle you win, my army will withdraw and never return. If I win your lands join with mine. Agreed?”

  “You only make the offer because your side is losing. In an hour every one of you will be dead anyway.”

  Talon sensed one of his people approaching Roman from behind. Before he could give a warning, the czar spun and slashed with his silver sword at the exact moment the vampire took on physical form. The unfortunate woman’s head went flying, disintegrating as it went.

  Roman bared needle-sharp fangs. “Then again, perhaps you won’t all survive. I ask you again, let’s settle this like warriors.”

  Talon nodded. “Tell your people to stop and I’ll tell mine.”

  “Lower your weapons!” Roman bellowed.

  Withdraw to the edge of the camp. Talon’s telepathic command reached every vampire in an instant. He felt them moving a safe distance away.

  He turned his focus back to Roman just in time to lean away from a slash that would have taken his head.

  Roman grinned. “You need to be careful.”

  “Indeed. So much for an honorable battle.”

  Talon circled right and Roman mirrored him, the silver sword spinning in his hand, ready to lash out in an instant. The tension grew as both warriors waited for an opening.

  Talon reversed his direction and in the instant it took Roman to react he lunged. Dark energy crackled around his elongated nails.

  He slashed across Roman’s midriff, but despite the strength and magic behind them, his claws skated across the silver scales.

  Roman’s counter-slash breezed over Talon’s head, severing the ends of his hair, but doing no real damage.

  Talon darted back and his opponent seemed content to let him. He flexed his hands and felt a moment of betrayal. That blow would have gutted a normal opponent. Whatever else Roman was, he wasn’t ordinary.

  Or aggressive. Given Roman’s nature he expected the czar to wade in with a flurry of heavy strikes. Instead he seemed content to hang back and let Talon take the lead. He’d pay for that decision.

  Talon dematerialized and swirled around Roman in his mist form.

  The czar laughed. “That won’t save you.”

 
He drew a deep lungful of air and exhaled. The rush of bitterly cold air sent Talon’s immaterial body flying, though the cold didn’t bother his undead form in the least.

  Talon pulled himself together in time to avoid a quick slash and thrust. He stepped inside Roman’s blade and punched him in the throat with every bit of strength his immortal body could muster.

  Roman stumbled back a step and pawed at his neck.

  Eager to press his momentary advantage, Talon charged in.

  The instant he did the sword came swinging in for his head. Only sliding under the blow kept him alive.

  As he passed, Talon grasped Roman’s knee and squeezed for all he was worth. At last his nails punched through.

  Talon ripped back, severing the tendons behind Roman’s knee and sending the czar hobbling to one side.

  Talon regained his feet and bared his fangs. There was no way Roman could win on one leg.

  He took a step toward his limping opponent.

  A blinding, burning light burst to life. Talon’s body went rigid and he fell to the ground, totally paralyzed.

  Roman staggered over, the silver sword gleaming in his hand.

  When the orb winked out Lady Wolf knew he’d arrived. No other wizard on the planet had the power to dispel an elf artifact, at least not without an artifact of their own. When the vampires struck she made herself scarce. As soon as she had enough distance between her and the chaos of battle, she opened a portal to the realm of water.

  With a hearty good riddance to her captor, Lady Wolf took a step toward the portal. Only to see it collapse before she could enter. Cursing the universe she spun to see the abomination facing her, the Reaper’s Cloak covering him from head to toe.

  She flicked her wrist at him. “Freeze and rend, Ice Blades!”

  Shards of razor-sharp and iron-hard ice formed from the moisture in the air and streaked toward him.

  They might have been spit balls for all the effect they had. A handful struck home and were snuffed out in an instant. She’d read the reports describing how Lady Bluejay made out facing him, but hadn’t really believed it until now.

  Conryu spread his arms. “Do you want to keep going, or can we talk like civilized people?”

  “I have nothing to say to you.” She was pleased to hear her voice hold steady despite the fear that squeezed her heart.

  “That’s a shame, because I have a lot of questions. Did you give the czar that orb and if so why?”

  “I don’t see that it’s any of your business.”

  “Considering how many times the Society has tried to kill me, I’m making it my business. Why don’t you just tell me what I want to know? I’m pretty sure my team’s going to win and when they’re finished, I’ll bet I can get one of them to make you talk.”

  She shuddered at the thought of having one of the undead in her mind. Far more secrets lurked in there than simply her purpose in the Empire. “Never! Mists rise and conceal, Obscuring Fog!”

  Pea-soup-thick mists filled the air, hiding everything. She ran. If she could just get a little distance between them she could portal to safety.

  “I can still see you.” His voice seemed to come from everywhere in the mists. “Do we really have to play hide and seek? It’s kind of embarrassing for a wizard of your strength to be ducking and hiding like this.”

  She ignored his taunts and kept running, the magic of her spell creating new fog as she went. Maybe he was only bluffing about being able to see her.

  The deep, rumbling chant of an earth magic spell filled the air. Lady Wolf took one more step before a stone hand grasped her left ankle.

  “No!” She jerked, trying to free her foot.

  A second hand grasped her other foot, locking her in place.

  He stepped out of the mists, the black cloak swirling around him, hiding his form and making him appear more wraith than man. Conryu gestured and her fog vanished.

  Her heart raced and sweat beaded on her lip and forehead.

  She was a Hierarch of the Society. No matter what, she would keep her silence. “Do your worst, Abomination.”

  Conryu eyed the captive wizard. Did she really think he was going to torture her? Probably, he doubted a Society member would balk at something like that.

  Just kill her, the Reaper’s voice in his mind urged. You can drag her screaming soul back and question it to your heart’s content.

  “Are you going to pester me every time I use one of your spells?” Having that cold, emotionless voice in his head was getting on Conryu’s nerves. Even so it was worth it for the protection Reaper’s Cloak offered.

  Behind him the battle had fallen silent. Didn’t seem like enough time had passed, but he’d never fought with or against vampires, maybe they killed faster than regular people.

  If she refused to talk, Conryu could still satisfy his curiosity about one thing. He closed the distance between them and pulled her mask off.

  The woman underneath didn’t look at all extraordinary. Close to forty, graying hairs mixed in with the dark-brown ones, a few wrinkles around the eyes; she could have been a friend of his mother’s. She’d clenched her eyes shut.

  He gave the mask a closer look. Ugly thing. “Why do you wear these, Lady… Dog I’m guessing. They look awfully uncomfortable.”

  She opened her green eyes and glared at him. “It’s Lady Wolf. The masks are a sign of power and status in the Society, plus they hide our identities when we’re on a mission.”

  “Oh. Well, your secret’s safe, I have no idea who you are.”

  “I’m not surprised. Most of us go out of our way to be anonymous. Being nice won’t get me to talk either.”

  He shook his head. Of course it wouldn’t. “That’s fine. I think I’ll just hold you prisoner until Talon finishes up then get him to question you.”

  A flash of light caught the corner of his eye and Lady Wolf smiled. “Maybe you’d better go check on your friends. Seems the Imperials got the Solar Orb up and running.”

  “Shit!” Conryu leapt into the air and flew full blast toward the camp.

  Seconds later he spotted the czar standing over a rigid Talon. A little ways away one of the witches held the glowing orb.

  Kill her. It’s the only way.

  Conryu refused to accept that. He focused on Talon.

  The czar raised his sword and held it poised over the vampire’s neck.

  “Cloak of Darkness!”

  Conryu’s spell covered Talon in liquid black.

  The blade fell.

  The palms of Talon’s hands slapped against the sides of the sword, stopping it a foot above his neck.

  “No!” Roman roared and bore down with all his strength.

  The sword trembled as the two fighters struggled.

  A pair of dragon-bloods ran towards the them. That wouldn’t do at all.

  Conryu landed and slammed his palms to the ground. “Fists of stone, bind and hold, Stone Grasp!”

  Hands of rock sprang from the ground at his command and grasped the approaching monsters by the ankles, sending them sprawling flat on their faces.

  A pop like a gunshot filled the air when the silver blade finally gave out.

  Roman stumbled, his balance lost.

  Talon leapt to his feet, the shard of metal still in his hands.

  The czar turned just in time to take a foot-long sword through his right eye. He hit the ground, twitched around, and went still.

  The light from the orb went out as the witch holding it collapsed. The two dragon-bloods he’d captured went still as well. All around the camp soldiers threw their weapons to the ground and their hands to the sky in hopes of some sort of mercy. If Conryu didn’t act quickly he doubted they’d get it.

  All around him figures moved in the dark.

  Conryu hurried over to Talon, removing the Cloak of Darkness as he went. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, thanks to you.” Talon gave the czar’s corpse a kick in the ribs. “This bastard wouldn’t know an honorable batt
le if it bit him.”

  “Well, you won, that’s the main thing. The soldiers have surrendered. Could you ask your people not to kill them? I think enough have died because of this monster.”

  “You would argue for their lives, after all they’ve done? These men invaded my land and killed my people. Give me one reason I should spare their lives.”

  “Because you’re a better person than the czar could ever hope to be. Besides, sending them back home with a warning should do wonders to dissuade anyone thinking of following in Roman’s footsteps.”

  “You make a strong argument.” Conryu noticed the shifting in the shadows had stopped. “You also saved my life and that of my people. For that alone I…we owe you a debt we can never fully repay. I will have them escorted to the pass and sent on their way.”

  Conryu bowed. “Thank you.”

  He frowned at the still-unmoving dragon-bloods. No flicker of life filled their chests. A ways behind them the witch was equally unmoving, but her life force appeared strong.

  Conryu let his spells fade and walked over to the unconscious witch. He checked her pulse and found it steady. He conjured a light for a better look. Her hair had turned jet black. What could that mean?

  “They were connected to the czar when he died,” Prime said. “Experiencing the death of another may have been too great a shock for their minds.”

  “And the dragon-bloods?”

  “I’m only guessing, Master, but I suspect they had a closer connection to the czar than the witches and were forced to share his death.”

  “Would this have happened all over the Empire?”

  “Almost certainly.”

  If that was true then a lot of witches were going to be in serious trouble. They weren’t exactly the most popular people in the Empire according to what Anya had told him.

  “Oh, shit! I forgot about Lady Dog.”

  “Wolf,” Prime said.

  Conryu ignored him and flew at full speed back to where he left the masked wizard. Two puddles of mud and a few footprints marked the spot where he’d left her. He very badly wanted to punch something. Instead he took slow, deep breaths.