How to Bond a Mage (Heir of Dragons Book 3)

by J. A. Culican

  All of this ruckus had awakened the First, who peered in through the window with messy hair and heavy eyes. “The weapons... they're complete?” he asked.

  “Yes,” replied Minx. “She held out one of her new arrows for his inspection. “They're wonderful—sure to pack a punch.”

  The first admired the arrow sleepily, returning it to Minx before glancing at the sword. “Very good. Very good... And I see that Torrent's forces have not rushed us, either. That's good. The wards are still holding. They may soon give way, but for now they have held. There is time enough for us to gather a force this morning. We will assemble an army of our own and meet Torrent in battle. Every able-bodied Fae will be armed and led to the edge of Pandling Grounds. We will drive them from our lands and scrub their darkness from all Aleio!”

  Kaleb grinned. “It's an ambitious plan. I like it!”

  Thanking Haemon and Thom profusely, Kaleb, Minx and the First left the building and met the Fae watchmen still waiting outside. Mau had awakened in the interim, and was sunning herself on top of the hill. They got your new toys ready, huh? I'm impressed. I didn't think they had it in them!

  These weapons are excellent, Mau. I have a good feeling about them. The arrowheads and sword were made from the ancient metal Winterlimb gave us, and they were quenched in water from Gloirs' spring. I don't know how it'll go when we actually meet Torrent in battle, but these things are giving me a lot more confidence in our ability to win. Just yesterday, things weren't looking too good. Now... I think we stand a fighting chance!

  “Let us prepare,” ordered the First, urging his men into a straight line. “We must gather every remaining soldier and enlist all able-bodied men in Pan to assist us. We will distribute weapons, get them into formation, and seek out Torrent at once. Although our forces will be at a disadvantage in the way of training, I should hasten to remind you all that young Fae men receive mandatory training in swordsmanship, archery and other battle disciplines. For some, they will not have used their training in many years. Do your best to support them—and to instruct them.” He led the way from the hill, starting back toward the treeline that would see them re-enter the city of the Fae.

  Minx, Mau and Kaleb followed in the rear.

  Are there really going to be enough survivors in town to throw together a last-minute army? asked the Faelyr.

  Minx had her doubts. But in that moment, with the sun shining and thirty stunning arrows in her quiver, she felt too hopeful to voice them. We'll find out soon enough. The important thing is that we bring our best. Torrent isn't going to go easy on us just because our ranks are depleted. This will be our last stand, Mau. We have to give it all we've got—every last one of us.

  Chapter 25

  The campaign in search of reinforcements began simply enough. Minx, Kaleb and the First began going door-to-door in the tree city of Pan, seeking capable volunteers. Morale amongst the Fae was at historical lows following massive losses, but the able-bodied survivors responded with surprising patriotism when asked to serve the cause by the First himself. Others were drawn into the war effort and helped through their hesitance by the prospect of fighting alongside the famous Dragon Hunter.

  Roughly one hundred Fae warriors had survived the previous turmoil; these soldiers were called away from their various posts and patrol missions, and asked to converge before Winterlimb. They were brought in from the various borderlands, many of them already weak and tired from weeks in the field. The troops had been pushed constantly, driven to the brink by the crisis, but at sight of the First leading their ranks, they perked up noticeably.

  Minx and Mau had split from Kaleb while soliciting help in Pan, and passing her father's home she'd decided to stop in and check on him. She had not spoken to her father in some time; when last she'd seen him, he'd been in the grip of senility. She had administered a bit of Gloirs' spring water to him in the hopes of reversing his condition—though the success of that course had never been assured. Since their last meeting, the waters of the lake had only been tainted further, and she knew that her father's state could hardly have improved in that same window. Nonetheless, she was not promised another chance to see him—in the event that they could not overcome Torrent, this would be her last opportunity to say goodbye.

  Stay here, Mau, instructed the Fae huntress, approaching her father's place. I won't be long. I just want to check on him.

  The Faelyr waited down below as Minx began climbing the steps to her father's quarters. She wasn't sure what state she'd find him in; lately, he'd suffered through such terrible bouts of confusion that he'd hardly been in control of himself. Arriving outside his door, she knocked gently—almost too gently to be heard—and then stepped inside. “Father?” she called out gently, not wishing to frighten him.

  She had only to wander in a few steps to find Valdar sitting up in bed, pulling on one of his boots. He was not dressed in the comfortable robes of an invalid any longer, but clad in his battle armor. His sheathed longsword sat on the bed beside him. He met her surprise with a smile and stood to embrace her when his boots were on. “Minx? What are you doing here? I'm pleased to see you—to know you're safe.”

  She didn't want to get her hopes up. Too many of her earnest hopes had been dashed in recent days and her heart was harder, more jaded, than previously. There was no denying it, though—he looked well. Valdar walked and spoke like a new man, and his eyes, previously clouded with the malaise of one battling serious mental afflictions, were as clear and kind as ever. “Father... How are you feeling?” she relished his embrace, then pulled away to size him up. “You... you look well.”

  “Thanks to you,” he was quick to reply. He fastened his sword to the belt on his waist and adjusted the buckle. “You brought me something during your last visit—pure water. I was in a bad way, but I remember its taste... Since drinking that water, my thoughts have slowly cleared and my strength has returned to me. I feel strong enough to participate in what's to come, and when I heard neighbors being summoned to answer the call, I began to suit up.” He regarded his daughter lovingly, combing aside locks of her messy hair and admiring her dirty face. “If they're seeking volunteers amongst the citizenry, we must truly be backed against a wall, I take it?”

  Minx nodded. “For days now, Torrent's forces have been pressing in. The wards were replenished, but they've only managed to slow the enemy down. Slowly but surely, they've been breaking through and taking more ground. For a time, it was looking like sure destruction for us, but...” She reached into her quiver and presented her father with one of the new arrows. “Kaleb received a gift from Winterlimb. He passed on a precious metal whose properties should be effective against Torrent. A sword was made, along with these arrows, and we're now gathering as large a force as we can to confront the dark army. This will be our last stand, but Winterlimb believes that these weapons of ours will do the job... I hope he's right.”

  “As do I,” replied Valdar.

  “Are you sure you're well enough, father? Maybe you ought to stay home and rest. We should have enough men to handle this if you want to—”

  Her father interrupted her with a wave of his hand. “Nonsense. We need every last man. Only a coward would stay behind at a time like this, and I assure you I've not felt this well in a long, long while, Minx. No need to worry. Come, let's meet up with the others. Time is wasting!”

  When she descended the steps and was reunited with Mau, her father following close behind, the Faelyr's eyes nearly popped from her head. Whoa, should he really be up and about like this? And what's he dressed like that for? Does he think he can really go out to battle with the way he's been feeling lately?

  Minx smiled. Believe it or not, I think the spring water worked, Mau. He's cured. Or, at the very least, he's himself again. If we don't stop Torrent and purify the lake, it's possible he'll slip back into that state—and we'll have many other problems to worry about as well. But for now, he's feeling fine. We need all hands on deck, so...

  Kale
b rejoined them after knocking on several nearby doors, and was similarly stunned to see Valdar out and about. “Oh, how's it going?” he asked, glancing discretely at Minx. “Did the spring water work?”

  “It did,” replied Valdar. He held out his hand to shake, and patted Kaleb on the shoulder. “Thank you for looking after my daughter all this time.”

  The four of them split up to knock on still more doors, drawing other Fae from their homes and asking them to meet near Winterlimb. Valdar was all too happy to assist with this, and went from house to house requesting aid. During this period, he never faltered or showed signs of the affliction that had recently plagued him. When they had completed their rounds and were preparing to head to Winterlimb themselves, Mau expressed wonder at the change in him. Gloirs really knew what he was talking about! I can't believe it! Your old man is really himself. To think, all we needed was a bit of that water!

  That water is going to be of immense importance later on, replied Minx. Even if we beat Torrent today, the lake will need time to heal. It's been through a lot. Clean, pure water from Gloirs' spring will slowly come to replace the tainted waters.

  Minx led the others across the tree city. The mass of new conscripts shuffled through the forest, muttering amongst themselves, and the mood was understandably tense. Some joked nervously about how they hadn't trained in archery or swordsmanship in over a decade, while others, having seen the destruction wrought by the Dark Mage, wondered aloud whether surrender wasn't the wiser option.

  “Morale isn't so good,” said Kaleb as he eavesdropped on the conversations breaking out all around them. “We need to pump them up, get them motivated. There's no sense in putting together an army if our soldiers are all weak in the knees!”

  “They'll come around,” promised Minx. She motioned to the sword in his grasp. “We'll lead them, together with the First. They're frightened right now, and with good reason, but we'll take the front lines and be a good example for them. It's the best we can do.”

  The great tree entered into sight, and the crowd that had assembled around his withered trunk was sizable. Already, the First was directing his men to distribute weapons to the conscripted masses; swords, lances and bows were handed out from the royal armory according to each man's ability. Among the Fae, however, Minx discovered others—individuals she'd never expected to see.

  Idling near Winterlimb's trunk were roughly fifteen royal dragons of the Pyra clan—Kaleb's father among them. Gidiam and the others were speaking to the First, and looked just about as worn-out as anyone on the Fae side. Seeing them, Kaleb broke away from the group immediately and ran toward them. “Father! What are you doing here?” he asked, pushing past the assembled Fae.

  Minx hurried behind him, overjoyed to see the dragons present. Did they finally come around? Are they here to help? She had longed for ages to see the dragons and Fae work together; now, in the final hour, it seemed her wish had come true.

  Gidiam met his son with a tight hug. “Kaleb, how are you?”

  “I'm hanging in there. What brings you all here today? I don't suppose you're here to lend us a hand, are you?” Kaleb grinned. “We're planning a major offensive against Torrent's forces. He's been doing his best to break through our shields for days now. Today, we bring the fight to him.”

  “Yes, I see...” Gidiam's reply was marked by something like sadness. He lowered his gaze as he spoke. “Things at the Talon Range are dire. The infections have exploded and many have succumbed. It was decided that we should venture here to render aid in the fight against Torrent. He is, we believe, responsible for this shadow spider virus. The sooner he's dealt with, the sooner our people will be free of this terrible affliction.”

  “I've seen a few dragons who've come down with the virus,” replied Kaleb. “They had come to Heilo Lake, believing that the waters would cure them. Instead, the tainted waters of the lake only hastened their demise. Has... has the death toll been great?” he asked, sounding almost as though he feared the answer.

  Gidiam offered a gentle smile. “There will be time enough to discuss those losses when the battle is through, my son. For now, we must focus on the fight ahead. Torrent will give us no quarter, and there's little use in marching off to war with a heavy heart. Our people will survive this, rest assured.” He motioned to the Fae in the vicinity. “The Fae here have sustained incredible losses. Had we intervened sooner, perhaps this could have been avoided. Lest we and every other race in Aleio suffer this same fate, the generals decided to act.”

  Man, they couldn't have come to that conclusion earlier, when we stopped in multiple times to beg for their help? asked Mau, breaking through the crowd to listen in on Kaleb's conversation. We sure would have appreciated their help weeks ago!

  They're here now, replied Minx. The past is the past. What I'm concerned about is the future.

  “On our way in, we noticed that the lake is black,” continued Gidiam sternly. “I had no idea that Torrent wielded so much influence. Gloirs Mountain, too, is beginning to crumble. It looks as though it's on the verge of collapse. These are dark days and a heroic effort will be necessary to trample Torrent once and for all...”

  Those overhearing Gidiam's words reacted at turns with shock, terror and anger. Though word had surely gotten around about the state of Heilo Lake, few of the Fae remaining in Pan had actually made a pilgrimage to the lake since the troubles had begun. To hear the dragons describe blackened waters and crumbling mountains was more than a little upsetting to the scarcely-trained masses who were already anticipating a fierce, uphill battle. A few of the Fae, insisting on more detail about the state of the lake, openly wept at hearing of its current tainted state; others grew enraged and urged the First to immediately lead them into battle.

  Many have died, but the survivors don't know just how bad things are outside their bubble, huh? asked Mau. We've known for a long time what the stakes are—we've been seeing the damage from up-close all along. When these guys follow us onto the battlefield and see what we've been up against, they're going to be floored. Do you think it's a good idea for us to rope them into this? We're desperate for more hands, but... some of these recruits will just get in the way, won't they?

  Minx shook her head. No, this is everyone's fight. Some have been insulated from the extent of the damage till now, but we need every man we can get our hands on. Even with this many conscripts, it's possible we'll be overrun from the get-go. Torrent's forces are nothing to sneeze at.

  Kaleb, hearing the nervous mutters of Fae and dragons alike, cleared his throat. “Victory is within our grasp,” he said in a loud voice, over the din of somber conversation. He panned about the group, nodding to those who appeared unconfident. “Torrent is powerful, make no mistake. But even he has limits. This day, he will face the greatest threat he has ever known. The Fae could not defeat him despite weeks of tremendous effort, and the dragons, too, have fallen short of victory. But the two races fighting alongside one another? This... this is what Torrent fears.

  “The alliance between the Fae and dragon-kind is an old one—the greatest, in fact, of the ancient world. Our people were once a united front, and it was only the meddling of the Dark Mage that thrust them apart to begin with. Today, we are reestablishing that special partnership. Had our ancestors remained steadfast in it, the Dark Mage could never have gained so much ground. Now that we are once again standing together, he won't stand a chance.

  “Don't lose hope.” Kaleb raised his sword, pointing it at the sky so that the sunlight set the impressive blade glowing. “Today, everything that Torrent stands for will fall. March with confidence and fight with all you have and help to usher in a peaceful new world.”

  The dragon shifter's rousing speech had the intended effect; the fearfulness was noticeably diminished and the nervous mutterings all but ceased. All surrounding him stood upright, weapons at the ready, and turned to the First, who was standing beside Winterlimb and studying the swaths of available warriors. They were awaiting their ord
ers.

  Exchanging a few words with one of his officers, the First turned to the group and began to direct them into formation. “I thank you for your courage—and rest assured that your grit and struggle this day will live on. Future generations will look back upon this battle and thank you for your service.

  “The arrangement will be as follows.” The First drew his sword and began using it as a pointer, arranging the men in various positions. “Kaleb and Minx, the two of you will join me at the very front. To your backs, the dragons. Directly behind the dragons, I would ask Valdar and Mau to stand in front of today's conscripts, to lead and encourage them. Finally, the remaining members of my personal guard will bring up the rear and ensure our forces are well-defended from that end. We depart immediately for the contested borders of Pandling Grounds, and our struggles may take us as far as the edges of Heilo Lake. If any man would betray the future of his people and be remembered a coward, then let him stay here. All those ready to make history...” He turned, pointing into the distance with the tip of his longsword. “March!”

  An ear-shattering battle cry erupted from the amassed warriors and they began marching at once.

  The final battle was set to begin.

  Chapter 26

  The mood was solemn as the ragtag army marched off to war.

  Countless losses and fruitless sorties had led to this moment. All among them were ready now to put everything on the line and to follow wherever the First led them. Minx turned now and then to look at the vast swaths of warriors marching behind her, and was moved at the sight of them.

  Their numbers were not so great as she would have liked, but their dedication was praiseworthy. She and Kaleb were mere paces behind the First himself, their weapons soon to play an integral role in the fight against Torrent. She hoped that both she and the dragon shifter would prove good examples to the new conscripts, and that they would be able to defend them, too, from unnecessary dangers. This army is composed of the finest Fae we have left. If we fall here, there will be no one left to stand against Torrent. We have to defend as many of these warriors as we can. If we don't, even a victory will mean returning to an empty city.