Dimwater's Demons

by Sam Ferguson

  Al pulled up a quiver of bolts and slid three of them into place. Then, with his left hand on the stock and his right hand on the metal handle in the back, he pulled the limbs into place with a loud cl-click! He then turned to the pile of coal nearby.

  “First I will demonstrate single-fire.” He lifted the weapon and pulled the first trigger. The top bolt flew out and exploded into the coal. He then pulled his finger out and put it back on the second trigger. He pulled it and the middle bolt fired. He then slipped his finger back to the third trigger and pulled it. The bottom limbs snapped into place and the last bolt flew through the air.

  “Now I will show you the rapid-fire method.” Al loaded three more bolts, and then held the weapon up to take aim. This time, Kyra watched as the dwarf pulled the trigger back hard enough that his finger slipped straight back, hitting the second and then third trigger in less than half of a second. The three crossbow bolts blasted into the coal at nearly the same moment.

  “I can loan this to you,” Al told Kyra. You can both go in and hunt the shade. He can wear the amulet, which will protect you both, and you can use the crossbow.”

  “I have never used one before,” she said.

  “It ain’t difficult,” Al commented. “You just pull it up and look down the middle at what you want to hit. When you see this little knob over the target, you pull the trigger.” Al pointed to a short, oblong metal protrusion on the front of the crossbow. “Just don’t waste all three shots unless you know they are all going to hit the target.”

  He held the weapon out for Kyra.

  She took it and turned it over in her hands.

  “If you ever dry fire the thing, the limbs will break,” Al warned. “Always load all three bolts.”

  Kyra nodded.

  “How much for the weapon?” Kathair asked.

  Al shook his head. “Just don’t get yourselves killed,” he groused. “Also, I am looking for an apprentice. What do you say, Lepkin?”

  Kathair shook his head. “No, you know I am bound for the dragon slayers.”

  Al shrugged and then held his hands out to the side. “Worth asking,” he said. “It’s hard to find good help in Buktah.”

  Al then moved to a shelf on the wall and retrieved a large, canvas bag. He went to Kyra and took the crossbow from her, setting it into the bag along with the quiver of bolts. “Don’t want the guards seeing this and confiscating the only one I have.”

  Kyra smiled. “Thank you,” she offered.

  Al shook his head. “Don’t thank me unless you live. Frankly, I wouldn’t face a shade unless it had hunted me down and had me cornered. I think the two of you are on a fool’s errand. Why not just wait for the masters to take care of it?”

  “They can’t track it,” Kathair said.

  “And you can?” Al quipped.

  Kathair just looked at Al and nodded.

  Al frowned. “Oh,” he said. After a moment, he removed the amulet and handed it to Kathair. “You sure I can’t convince you to reconsider?”

  Kyra shook her head. “We’ll have help,” she said.

  The two of them made their way back to Leatherback. Kyra sighed with relief and rushed up to hug Leatherback’s snout when she realized he was resting safely where they had left him.

  “How do you feel?” Kyra asked.

  Leatherback grinned. “I feel good.”

  Kyra picked up her staff and then climbed atop the dragon’s back.

  Kathair stopped for a moment and removed his shirt. Kyra was about to ask what he was doing, but then he wrapped the amulet in the shirt and stuffed it into the back of his left boot as best he could.

  “I don’t know if it will help,” Kathair said, “but I thought it might be worth a try.”

  “Thanks,” Kyra offered. She couldn’t help but notice Kathair’s wide shoulders and muscular chest as he approached and scrambled up to sit behind her. He wrapped his hands around her waist and then Kyra took the reins.

  “Let’s go home,” she said.

  Leatherback launched into the air. Moments later Kyra smiled while Kathair giggled and laughed uncontrollably. It sounded as though he was having far more fun than Kyra had ever had while riding Leatherback.

  They flew back with great speed, the wind blowing into them hard and forcing the pair to hunker down atop the dragon as he beat a furious path through the night sky with his wings. There was no way to be sure, but the flight seemed to be nearly half what it had been on their way to Buktah.

  Before they knew it, they were landing in a forested area, setting down upon a valley of rocks. Kathair slid off from Leatherback and patted the dragon’s side.

  “Thanks for the ride,” he said.

  Leatherback turned his head and bowed it slightly while emitting a short purr.

  “He likes you,” Kyra said with a smile.

  “Of course he does,” Kathair said as he swept his arms out to the side. “Everybody likes me.”

  Kyra shook her head and pulled on the reins.

  “Wait, before you go, what is the plan?” Kathair asked.

  “Meet me in the library tomorrow,” Kyra said.

  “Promise you won’t go tonight,” Kathair demanded.

  Kyra nodded. “It’s too late even if I wanted to. We would lose the cover of night in a few hours.”

  Kathair smiled and looked to Leatherback. “Make sure she doesn’t go anywhere but home tonight, okay? It’s important.”

  Leatherback grinned and then turned his head away.

  “See you soon,” Kyra said. Then she tugged on the reins twice and Leatherback launched into the air.

  The first beat of the dragon’s wings bent the trees away and Kyra could hear Kathair coughing as clouds of dust erupted around him. She smiled at her friend as he quickly disappeared below her.

  Soon, she and Leatherback were landing back in the glade. Leatherback let out a satisfied growl and Kyra slid off to the ground and then patted Leatherback’s shoulder.

  “Get some rest,” she said. “Tomorrow night we will go after the shade.”

  “Hunt the shade,” Leatherback snarled.

  Kyra nodded. “Do you still feel all right?”

  Leatherback nodded.

  “Kyra,” a voice called from the darkness.

  She spun around, alarmed, but Leatherback identified the speaker and calmed her.

  “Njar,” he said reverently.

  The satyr conjured a magical orb of light that hovered above his staff and approached them. “I wanted to check on Leatherback again,” he said. “I know you have been out longer than this before, but with the frequency and distance from the grove you are travelling, I thought it best to be cautious.”

  Kyra nodded. “He says he is fine, but I understand.”

  Leatherback took a step toward the satyr and then bowed his head low.

  The satyr put out a furry hand and placed it upon Leatherback’s forehead. A green glow emanated between them and Njar began to hum as he closed his eyes and leaned toward Leatherback. The dragon purred softly, closing his eyes as well.

  Kyra was never entirely sure what was happening between them, but she felt much more at ease with Njar’s tests than the priests from Valtuu Temple. Knowing that Njar had once been friends with Leatherback’s parents made it seem better, safer somehow.

  The exam took several minutes, but Njar broke the spell soon enough and smiled, seemingly pleased.

  “Still no evidence of the taint. I will work tonight to strengthen the aspen wood as much as I can.”

  Kyra nodded. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.

  Njar pointed to her staff. “Leave that here with me as well. I will try to enhance its powers.

  Kyra moved to hand him the staff. She then asked, “Are you sure you know the shade’s location?”

  Njar nodded. “After you slayed the first beast, I was able to hone in on a second using the Pools of Fate. I saw it emerge from its den. It is there that we will go. If I am wrong, then at l
east we will eradicate another garunda monster.”

  Kyra glanced back to Leatherback. Finally she would have answers. Cyrus may not believe her ready to fight on her own against the shade, but she was not alone. She had good friends to help her.

  Kyra opened the portal and walked through without another word.

  She appeared in the rocky nest, only a few feet from where she had left Kathair.

  The light of the moon was enough to see her way from here. She went toward the tree line, but something moved in the darkness in front of her.

  “Kyra, is that you?” Kathair whispered.

  Kyra squinted, trying to distinguish her friend from the shadows.

  “Kyra?” Kathair repeated.

  “It’s me,” she said.

  Kathair came rushing out from the bushes, waving his arm for her to come to him. “Quickly!” he said. “The priests are coming.”

  “The priests?” Kyra asked.

  Kathair rushed forward to take her hand and pulled her to the bushes. “Come on, we don’t have much time.”

  Kyra resisted. “Why are they out here?”

  Kathair shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “But I saw them with Dengar, he is one of the dragon slayers I have been working with. After you dropped me off here, I left the forest, but I found the priests with Dengar just beyond the trees. Dengar left the priests, going back to the academy I think, but the priests turned and walked toward the forest. So, I rushed back here to find you first.”

  “We can’t escape from them,” Kyra said. “They see auras. They will find us no matter where we hide.”

  Kathair shook his head. “They can’t see through walls,” he said. “There is a hollowed out tree just over here. I found a large rock I can roll in front of the opening, we’ll be concealed.”

  Kyra stopped him and pulled her hand back. “No, a tree is a living thing. It has an aura that they can see. Either they will see our auras inside of the tree, or it will somehow signal to them that we are there.”

  Kathair stopped and shook his head. “But, we have to hide somewhere,” he said.

  “Why?” Kyra asked. “They have done no harm to us.”

  Kathair shook his head. “I could hear Dengar talking. I think he has caught on about Leatherback. He was asking about the priests, what they were doing here, and whether they had found a dragon.”

  “Why would he ask that?” Kyra asked.

  “Because, he has seen you scampering about like an imp,” a voice called out from the darkness.

  Three men in long robes emerged from the tree line and walked steadily over the rocks.

  “They’re fast,” Kathair whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

  “Just because our eyes do not work like yours, that is no reason to suspect that we do not have full control over our other faculties,” the priest said. “We have come to warn you, that is all.”

  “You aren’t going to hurt Kyra or Leatherback?” Kathair asked as he took a half step in front of Kyra.

  The young sorceress glanced at Kathair, surprised that he should be so protective.

  “We have only come to warn you. The dragon must be moved. Dengar has seen you walking in this direction, Kyra. He has also seen us when we have left the academy for our inspections.”

  Kyra’s heart sank. The priests had promised to be careful. How could they have let a dragon slayer see them?

  “Perhaps this will help you trust us,” the priest said. “If you were to move the dragon, and then from that point on we used your portal to conduct our inspections, then the dragon slayers would have nothing to follow. They would only see us enter your room. Or, perhaps we could convene in the headmaster’s chamber.”

  Kyra nodded. She didn’t know what to say. Njar was reinforcing the magic of the grove. If they had to move now, then they would have to start over. That was not a risk she wanted to take. For half a moment she thought of fighting the dragon slayers, but that notion left her mind nearly as quickly as it had come. Such actions would only bring more dragon slayers to the area.

  “With your permission, we will go and tell your dragon of the danger.”

  Kyra shook her head. “I’ll go first.” Kyra opened the portal and before anyone could protest, she stepped through and it closed behind her.

  The sound of Kathair’s laughter filled the rocky clearing as the priests grumbled to each other and began walking again.

  Chapter 16

  Lepkin and Kyra waited anxiously for the daylight to fade away the following day. They waited in the old rock nest, in the spot where Guardian, a special lizard that had watched over Leatherback’s unhatched egg, had been killed by a wraith. Kyra had hidden the special crossbow near a large rock, well out of sight to anyone but her. She had tipped the three bolts with garunda blood. Lepkin had also smeared the blood across his sword.

  The young swordsman was hiding a couple feet away, lying under a large, flat rock in the same place that Leatherback’s egg had once been hidden from passersby. This way, it appeared that Kyra was alone when in fact, Lepkin was close enough that the dwarven amulet he wore could protect her as well. The dragon was crouched in the forest, and would take to the sky after dark so he could circle from above.

  Kyra took in a nervous breath, fidgeting with her feet as she waited for darkness to fall over the rock nest. She hoped her plan would work. She had opted for luring the shade to her instead of trying to find its lair and go after it. She didn’t know what to expect, but at least she felt as though she maintained some amount of control over the battle.

  Her mother’s killer would be here shortly, and it was up to her to bring him to justice for what he had done. Kyra cracked her knuckles and prayed silently to her mother in that moment.

  Watch over me now, Mother, as I avenge your death and end this plague of evil that has befallen our family.

  The final hour before darkness passed by agonizingly slowly, as if it were itself an entire day. Then, as darkness crept over the land, she took in a steadying breath. She jumped when she heard Leatherback take flight, his massive wings bending the trees and kicking up dust. Kyra glanced over to the large, flat rock that she had so many times used to cover Leatherback’s egg. Now Lepkin was crouched beneath it, waiting to spring out and attack the shade.

  “Ready?” she called out to him in a tone that was little more than a whisper.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Lepkin said.

  Kyra waited a few minutes, more out of nervousness than anything else, before she pulled a knife from her belt. She cut a thin line across her left forearm. It was nothing serious, but enough to draw blood from and squeeze upon the ground. She had tried this before, and it had nearly ended in her death. She could only hope that this time she would be ready. She let the droplets fall upon the ground and then waited.

  Only a few seconds passed before a silvery mist wafted into the rock nest. It brought a deathly chill along with it and then the shade appeared.

  “Did you bring the dagger?” the shade asked.

  Kyra shook her head. “I don’t have it,” she replied.

  The shade shook his head and made a clicking sound to show his displeasure. He then split into two, then three, and then four images of himself. Each shade continued to divide itself until she was surrounded on all sides.

  “You do remember how this went the last time, yes?” the shade hissed.

  Kyra nodded. “If you kill me, you will never find the dagger,” she said, trying to sound confident.

  The shades all moved in closer, all speaking in unison. “There are spells that can bring you to the edge of death, and make you feel such pain that you will give up the dagger just for release.

  The shades all raised their right arms and sent great, silver balls of fire hurtling toward Kyra. The young sorceress made a motion as though she was casting a ward spell, but of course she wasn’t, the amulet Lepkin wore would have prevented the ward had she tired. More importantly, the amulet protected her from each
of the fireballs. They each fizzled out a few feet away from her and she laughed as though she had countered the spells.

  The shades’ mouths dropped open and a look of disbelief was painted clearly on each of their faces.

  “You have grown stronger,” the shades said. “No matter, I will finish this with my bare hands!” The eight-foot tall shades all ran toward her simultaneously. Kyra spun around, hoping she would end up facing the true shade when all the illusions were dispelled by Lepkin’s amulet.

  The shades sprinted toward her, hands raised and long, claw-like nails ready to strike her. Then, to her great relief, all but one faded away. The final shade stopped, stunned and confused by his lack of power. He raised his hand to fire another spell, but he was standing a few feet away from Lepkin’s hiding spot, so nothing happened. The shade roared and rushed toward her.

  Kyra screamed and went for the crossbow.

  Kathair burst out from under his rock and took a swing at the shade.

  The nimble creature leapt into the air, flipping over Lepkin’s blade so deftly that only a few hairs were severed by the young man’s sword. The shade landed before Lepkin could recover from his powerful swing and sent a savage back kick to Lepkin’s side. Lepkin spun through the air and crashed on the rocks some ten yards away.

  The shade rushed in.

  Kyra came up with the crossbow and pulled the first two triggers without hesitation.

  The shade threw up his arm and summoned a ward. To Kyra’s horror, the ward spell worked and the crossbow bolts shattered against the magical shield with absolutely no harm done to the shade. Kyra screamed as the shade prepared a massive mess of lightning bolts, but instead of blasting her with it, the shade hurled it at the sky.

  Leatherback dodged the first spell and returned fire with his flaming breath. The shade vanished and teleported to the other side of the rock nest.