Laugh of Destruction (Book 3 of the Death Incarnate Saga)

by Jr H. Lee Morgan

  Cage looked at all eyes in the too turned to him. He sighed. “It will be told sooner or later, but what I say doesn’t leave the room.” Four heads nodded. “What do you know of the Tiaxm?”

  Megdline instantly paled, but didn’t faint. Frill bristled and hissed, but Kolby and Leon were in the dark. “You mean… those… and they are here… but six?” the sorceress mumbled. “I shouldn’t have asked. You need to eat fast. This must be dealt with immediately.” She went back to the meal and took out her frustrations.

  “Sir Cage, what is a Tiaxm?” Kolby squeaked.

  Cage held out his hand and created a small illusion of the creature and spoke of the beasts, but not the part of either a nexus or their role in creating warlocks. By the time he finished the room was silent until the sorceress sat down hot plates of food for everyone. Cage still tested for poison before wolfing down the delicious meal. His strawberries before had helped, but a full belly made him feel back to tiptop shape.

  As the warlock took his last bite Megdline said “We leave immediately to find Daku and take you to the council grounds.” Leon wasn’t half done, but he grudgingly put his wooden fork down and downed the last of his orange juice while grabbing his Familiar and staff.

  They took off from the landing balcony and Cage spotted Daku and his escorts easily enough. They all met up in the air, refreshed, but the hot water really made Daku’s coat shine and his feathers sparkle. “Follow me, Everyone!” Megdline shouted as Cage landed on Daku’s head.

  Without word of disagreement everyone followed her while most eyes in Twilight watched them closely.

  They were led towards the monolith archive tree, but not directly as they descended for one of the three domed giant buildings surrounded by a lake. Each island building was connected by a wide bridge where even three dragons could walk side by side. At the front was a gate and the powerful tingle of magic protected the council chambers for any form of unauthorized access. Megdline and Leon landed in an open field between the library and First Council gate where two elder dragons and several mages guarded the entrance. But the elders were so big that they laid flat on the ground, but even relaxed, their wide open eyes showed them to be fully lucid. The elders didn’t lift their heads as Daku and the other dragons landed.

  “I am Lady Megdline, here to bring Cage and Daku to see the First Council in matters of grave importance.” She said clearly.

  One of the council guards, a hefty woman with a vixen fox returned “The council is convened and ready to allow them in. The Rex’s’ of all five colonies will allow only them inside.”

  “Screw that!” Cage shouted downward, startling everyone other than Daku. “All eight of us are going in whether they like it or not.”

  “You dare defy a Rex’s order?” One of the huge canary yellow elder dragons reared his head.

  “Damn right I do! This matter won’t stay private, even if I have to go through every Rex and sorcerer in there.” Cage levelly responded while all tensed.

  The yellow dragon gave a toothy grin and shook his great head. “Warlocks haven’t changed, still defiant and challenging… Stay here, Two-legs, I will see what they decide.” The dragon stood, nosed the enormous wooden gate open and walked through. It shut behind him without sound.

  Leon was beyond frightened and Megdline chuckled. Everyone else stared at Cage sitting on Daku’s head with either hesitation or curiosity.

  It wasn’t a minute before the dragon returned and opened the door. “Proceed.”

  Daku stepped over Megdline and Leon, leading the group through the door. They followed the fortified wooden dock all the way to the doors. The double doors opened inward, but instead of a dark interior, it was bright and inviting.

  The First Council chambers were simple, but overly spacious. It would easily contain fifteen of King Skylar’s castles inside it. Two rows of support pillars lined the inside where natural and magical light illuminated the room. It was too big to decorate so they didn’t. At the far end of the circular room was a dais where the eleven council members ruled, each being in the first class of sorcerer or sorceress. The room was quiet besides the heavy stomping and that of those with a massive lung capacity. Beside the council member’s dais were eleven dragons, the largest yet to be seen, but Cage noticed an outsider dragon being of amethyst coloring was curled up on the council dais with a large man sitting comfortably between her open eyes. Cage made an instant connection that this man actually had a dragon for a Familiar and what’s more the man’s body actually glowed with power. As his black eyes kept sweeping the room, Cage noticed that the Rex’s’ wore gold bands around their thick horns and that four were male and one was female. The five with the Rex’s’ were the opposite sex, likely their mates, but not one of the dragons were any less beautiful than the next. But the largest Rex in the room was the one Megdline once spoke of, the gold Rex with a length of over five hundred and fifty feet and more thickly muscled than any other in the entire area.

  Then Daku stopped as they reached an open space where everyone could see each other. His guards stopped just behind his hips and bowed before the leaders before laying completely flat on the polished wooden ground. Megdline and Leon stood to either side of Daku’s hands, feeling the tense atmosphere.

  It was broken as the largely muscled man who glowed in lavender robes on the purple dragon spoke “Welcome to Twilight White King Daku and Cage. Daku, for technicality, are you the one who called for this emergency meeting?”

  “I am.” The griffin replied regally.

  “Then it is noted and we may proceed.” The man stood and glided off his Familiar. He had long brown hair that brushed his shoulders, a square, shaved jaw and calm, calculating hazel eyes. He pulled a jeweled staff of white oak from his side and placed the end on the ground, tapping it three times. The council doors shut silently and Cage sensed a bit of magic warding all proceedings from being spied upon. “Daku, as you can see, the council is as it was when you disappeared a thousand years ago with only one new council member being replaced.” Daku gave a gentle nod, but let his partner stay where he was. “Cage,” The warlock paid careful attention to the glowing man and could feel the power rolling of him. Of all the human council members, this man clearly led them and was without a doubt the most powerful. “I would like to introduce myself since you do not know one being in this room beside the ones beside you…” Cage then jumped down like he had before, but it didn’t startle any of the ancients in the room. “I am Zikon, leader of the First Council.” He then gestured behind him. “She is my Familiar Theresa.” The purple dragon smiled, but did not raise her large head. Zikon then introduced the ruling council members and their large animal Familiars. Cage easily spotted the five who wanted him dead for they were afraid to meet his gaze while the others calmly looked at him impassively or like a new experiment. The leader of the council then introduced all ten of the other dragons in the room who dipped their regally arched necks when called out. “Rex Nattan is the gold male who rules the Fire Mountains. Rex Gralla resides here in the Blind Mountains, the firey beauty. Rex Semek rules the Vlaran Mountain colony. The last two are Rex’s Shrral and Hesaan. As we are all aware of your direct tendency and of the danger which brought you both here, please show us what transpired yesterday.” Zikon gestured to Cage.

  The warlock closed his eyes and used the open space to say “To be sure I show and speak the truth, use the truth spell on me, Grandpa.”

  “Pardon?” Zikon tilted his head.

  “Don’t try to fool me, Grandpa. You’re Granny’s husband. Though you disguised your voice when Granny and Frill found Brooke and I in Frozen Forest, your grammar and vocal patterns are identical to the threat you gave me. And when we arrived, you barely cracked a smile when you saw your spirit mate, I have the same tendency to do the same with mine. So enough trying to keep your identity secret, I’m no fool. If you’re half as honorable as Granny I can extend some trust since it was your decision which ultimately kept this council from
starting a war over me.”

  There was tense silence and unease, especially in the five members and their Familiars who wanted his immediate execution before Zikon looked over at Daku’s hand. “My Love, he truly is a perceptive young man. To remember our conversation from back then shows remarkable acuity.”

  “I told you he would figure it out after you started speaking.” She retorted.

  “That you did.” Zikon’s hazel eyes returned to Cage’s. “Please, I must insist you cease calling me Grandpa…” he recognized that wasn’t going to happen as Cage smiled, just doing it to break down longstanding barriers and to cause unease. “Never mind. If my wife cannot stop you, what chance have I? Fair enough, I shall impart the truth spell.” Zikon then spoke the spell aloud so all could hear his words. “Allow only truth to part from your lips or be shown through experience. Any lies or false creations are prohibited from interfering with the conversation.”

  With the wedge placed in Cage’s mind he said “I’m about to recreate all that I saw from yesterday’s attack.” When Zikon waved his hand, Cage released a fair amount of magic to create the fight between himself and King Tate, remembering every physical move and counter while explaining his thoughts and ideas. Then he got to the part of getting skewered from behind and allowing his memories to progress and act as a guide for the illusion.

  As the Tiaxm came to full scale display Zikon raised a hand. “Cage, hold that image for all of us.” At the same time there came a ground trembling rumble that his heightened hearing picked up and it came from all but three dragons, Ulon, Poli and Theresa. “Rex Nattan, you are oldest among us, do you believe young Cage here could have fabricated this image?”

  The largest gold dragon hissed like a rockslide “Not slightly, Zikon Two-legs. Never forget I battling the Tiaxm. We Rex’s’ and our mates were alive all those millennia ago and fought with bird-beast and two-legs’ at this world’s nexus. A scout much like that was able to remove my leg. The broken race will always remain in my mind. The youngling warlock could not know since he recently returned from the void. Words could not recreate the abominations with such quality. It is certainly our most hated failure.”

  “Nattan, you didn’t fail, they did.” Cage said directly and the dragon cocked his great head. “Daku told me how his ancestors, you dragons and the warlocks fought till the nexus’ closed for good. They did it in ignorance and paid the price. Your race, I’m told, are ancient enough to not overly interfere in a species development because of history. The past cannot be changed, but if you do not learn from it I would call you a fool. And if you didn’t at least try to help them you would be stupid and unworthy to have any association with others. I can see you feel responsible, but you need to see that your being a fool. Learn to forgive yourself or give your horn rings to another dragon who can make clear decisions and not be haunted like the past.”

  The gold Rex stood, but then Daku took a step closer to say “What are your intentions, Rex Nattan?”

  “To get a closer view of the warlock. It has long since a two-leg’s spoke to me like that. I promise to not stomp him.” Daku stepped back and allowed the dragon to get closer and wasn’t surprised when Cage didn’t show any fearful traits or flinching. “You have wisdom, Cage Two-legs, but I will consider these words if you do not mean dishonor.” His head reared back as Cage broke out laughing.

  “Hardly you old lizard.” The council gasped while all dragons other than Nattan smiled fractionally. “You would know if I was being disrespectful. On that, you have my word. Just stop blaming yourself, it was over two million years ago. But back to the reason we are here.” Cage returned to the pasty illusion. “Six scout size Tiaxm slaughtered many and nearly ate me if not for Granny’s intervention and quick response, tore Daku to shreds and I nearly died again and would have if not for Granny and Jormon putting me back together.” He played the attack all the way through before saying “Daku explained that to summon even one of those fucking things would require dragon intervention.” The chamber was deathly quiet as he spoke. “To do that you need a thousand years of stored mana, the key to the planet in question and a dragon’s strength to pull just one to this world. Of course it has been a few million years and a thousand years worth of mana is like a drop of water in a gallon of water for you and the time could allow for those six to come, but why would they attempt it, what is worse to imagine is just how many there are and where more are. There is an easier way to pull them over, a new nexus. Would that be even conceivable, Nattan? And why did they choose to attack Vin’re? I was the first attacked, do I have an ability to draw them I’m not aware of?”

  Every life form turned to the Rex who contemplated in silence. “Your ancestry permits this knowledge… All you say is true of the summoning and only we who survived the nexus’ collapse know the symbols to that world, but we will never impart the information. Much time has indeed passed and only a traitor would summon Tiaxm. As for a new nexus, Cage Two-legs, there isn’t one or it could be felt around the world. If that were so we would have not only felt it, but would have been overrun by the broken race. Troubling conundrum this situation is.” He growled deeply within his chest and his anger gave way to small puffs of thick black smoke from his nostrils. “Your other inquiry is likewise queer. I have no answer to why a scout pack would come for you. I’ve never heard such capable of Tiaxm. Should there be more will require profound lengths to begin a search. It must be put to an end, but only smell will reveal their location and the young human race cannot yet scent out their rot. You and white king Daku are too precious to search for yourselves. If you die, we lose Daku. Never shall we let that happen. You show you are not yet ready either way.”

  Daku interrupted. “We do not need to be coddled, Rex Nattan. When we finish here I request use of a mountain so I will begin his training till he ascends. He will not be helpless for long. Most importantly, together we faced six and survived. We all know that was just a taste of what is to come. We have all been lax over the long years to let even one of those things through, but six. Someone is tempting power uncontrollable.”

  “None disagree.” Rex Nattan spoke.

  Rex Gralla opened her fiery mouth. “I permit training in my colony.”

  “So what’s next, Grandpa?”

  Zikon looked at his fellow council members to see a reached unanimous decision. “This situation cannot be debated. The Tiaxm must be found and eliminated. The dragons have the council’s full support to give aid wherever it is needed. Too many lives are in danger if only one still lives. And worse is if they started mating and having young. Even one pregnant female would be a disaster to all of Raliea.”

  All five Rex’s’ bowed their necks in full acceptance of the priority. Nattan said last “We begin the hunt immediately. Send out all younglings to move quick and scent around and contact the colonies if they find one. We elders will end their suffering. Start without me. I need to report to Valagax, our home world of this breach.” Great golden eyes looked down. “Sharpen your teeth, Cage Two-legs.”

  “Then we are done. Keep us appraised.” Zikon said. “Cage, Daku, thank you for bringing to light these events and I ask you not leave Twilight just yet. I wish to speak after the council adjourns.” He then hit the ground three times with his staff and the magic of the room lightened.

  All the dragons stood and followed Nattan out to fly off while Cage and the others walked right behind and staying far from the long dragging tails.

  “So Daku” Cage began as they passed the second gate where they landed not long ago. “what should we do to pass the time?”

  “We begin your training.” Daku replied in all seriousness.

  The journey continues in book four:

  Ascension of the Warlock

  Be sure to read other books by this author:

  Balancer’s Cycle

  Balancer’s Soul

  Changer’s Blood

  Keeper’s Knowledge

  Harmonizer’s Evolution

>   The Item Trilogy

  Untamed Gift

  Furion’s Trials

  Ra’van

  Death Incarnate Saga

  The Grin of Prophecy

  Familiar’s Ancient Throne

  Laugh of Destruction

  Ascension of the Warlock

  Empress’s Endgame

  Spirit Guide Saga (Coming Fall of 2014)

  Forgemaster

  Wrath of Flames

  Atavism of the Ifrit

  Star Pirate Legends (Coming Fall of 2015)

  The Fey Files (Coming Fall of 2016)

  Harsh Realms (Coming Fall on 2017)

  Contact me:

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