Where Dragons Haunt (The Diaspora Book 1)

by Scott Meaders

  While the wizard was gone, Zoe looked around him noticing that most of the people were gone, having sealed themselves up into their dwellings. There were a few people here and there still rushing to get home. The majority of those on the streets were solders trained for battle. He saw kids his age preparing for war. He was surprised that at the age of thirteen, if he lived in the city, he could have been marching off to his death this very moment.

  There were many things that caught his eye, but the most significant was the plaque that was posted at the entrance of the Twin City by the waters. The tablet was enormous being at least twenty feet high. Zoe thought this must be of importance for this to be the first thing the citizens read when they enter the city. Somehow he had noticed the words when he had first come to the city.

  By the hand of the prophet of the gods:

  One king shall live in harmony

  With two cities in peace below his rule of righteousness

  Two sons shall live in a divided house

  With two cities in bedlam below their rule of malevolence

  One father shall rule in grace and peace

  Two sons shall rule with hatred and spite

  The twins divided shall fall

  Their life’s end will be at the tune of the fife

  The twins shall fall in disharmony

  As the cities eat of the meadows bitter cress

  One will arise out of the Field’s of a Mouse

  Carrying honor and justice walking in the due of silence

  The twins’ rule of vile wickedness will cease

  licking of their own blood & the blade the hearts will bite

  The true king shall arise releasing the thrall

  Shouts of Glory, Hail King, Hail life, Hail king, Hail Life

  He wondered at the majestic writing, what meaning could have been so important to place here at the cities entrance? While he pondered these things, Mikael came upon him, “Zoe we must climb, quickly.” Zoe turned to see Mikael and ran toward him. He followed the wizard up the high tower to the top hastening up the spiral staircase. Half way up was a bed quarters. Zoe saw many men talking about creatures and death, war and victory. They talked while they prepared. They continued on past this point to the apex of the tower gaining a spectacular view of the region. On any other day, Zoe would have been overwhelmed by the grandeur of sight, but this, the most horrible of days, brought no splendor to his heart.

  Before their eyes they saw the horrid destruction of the fields of farmers and their homes, lives and families’ lives. Creatures of the Yellow Forest came upon them in droves killing, devouring the flesh of those unable to defend themselves. Zoe’s eyes could not be trusted at this distance, but the creatures destroying the land bore the resemblance of the beast that had bitten off the entire head of the a creature in the Yellow Forest while he was stuck upon the tree.

  Mikael spoke to confirm Zoe’s first impression, “Parorgismos, but something is wrong, very wrong indeed. These creatures never hunt in packs nor do they leave the Yellow Forest.” He rambled on to himself with Zoe only catching a few words, “They should not be here…by the hands of the gods what does this mean…When they mate, only three at most survives out of millions, only three survives from the blue orb.”

  Zoe’s heart sank when he heard mention of the orb. He recalled the battle he had, the madness of the well, the orb and the water. He became stone white with fear. This did not pass by the notice of the wizard. Mikael read his face, “Do you know these creatures, the Parorgismos? Do You!” He shouted realizing that the boy had something to do with this horror.

  Zoe spoke realizing his shame, “In the Yellow Forest…I found a blue orb…the creature’s orb…In the well…I didn’t know what I was doing…I …I…”

  “You what?”

  “I threw it into the water in the well.”

  Silence proceeded for a moment as they again looked over the devastation. The wizard held out his hand, open as if to say, see, and he spoke, “Indeed the evil works of your hand though you be one will be worked out upon the Twin Cities though they did nothing!” Again silence, “Many are dead and many more will die, but the cities are not lost as the beasts’ numbers are in the hundreds.” Just upon speaking his words, droves of Parorgismoses crawled out from the shelter of the Yellow Forest, numbers beyond count. Multitude upon multitudes came forth on their four hind legs, reaching out their humanlike hands with protruding hooks gesturing to the Twin Cities. The odds were apparent, the Twin Cities were outnumbered.

  Chapter 17

  Good news about someone never gets past the door,

  but bad news will travel a thousand leagues away.

  ~Chinese proverb~

  A knock was heard, and the dweller of the home sat more attentively. Ratziel placed his freshly brewed apple weed tea on the table while he opened one eye wide while squinting the other, making his face look like a wrinkled prune. He wondered to himself, who could that be? He looked around the room as his eyes remained opposites, one open and one close to being closed. Not the boy, a strange but familiar presence, his thoughts were confused with curiosity. He stood up crouching over slightly from his old age. He grabbed his staff for protection and slowly made his way to the door. The knock again repeated itself as thoughts erupted in the man’s mind, impatient buffoon, no respect for the elderly anymore, always hurry until they go slow with their foolish games of merrymaking!

  He reached the door as his nose began to burn with a familiar sent. He paused at the door recollecting the last time he had smelt such an odor. When he realized the last time he spoke in disbelief to himself, “Oh no. No, oh no. Why must I be burdened with such guests? Why do the gods hate me so?”

  Ratziel opened the door to see his fears and distaste. Before him was Sandalphon smoking his pipe of freshly found Kapnos-weed. He removed his pipe and looked at his fellow wizard, “Good day friend of the gods!”

  “Oh, bad news travels a thousand miles, and you never come with good news.” His voice was filled with revulsion, “I must have been fooling myself; the Beginnings must be upon us as I can read it in the stars! Your ill timing and bad manners also forespeaks to my soul that you will be taking the boy.” He waved his hands to push away the freshly blown smoke by Sandalphon.

  “My good friend, Ratziel! What a glorious welcome you have give to a weary traveler from a distant land!” A smirk of delight was seen on the wizard’s face relishing the discomfort he brought to the man.

  “Oh, go back to the Yellow Forest and leave me alone!”

  “You know that is not possible.”

  Ratziel pondered for a moment and then with a sigh spoke, “I suppose not, I suppose not…What is to be done?”

  “Do you wish to speak about the fate of the lands upon your porch or are you going to allow me to enter your secret abode?”

  “Ooow bosh! If you must!” He moved aside allowing for Sandalphon to enter.

  Sandalphon looked around the room to see what a wizard’s home incognito would look like. There were no books, no potions, and no wizard’s tools. There were not even herbs hanging from the corners of the rooms, no secret bottles, nothing that was wizard like. Sandalphon laughed, “What is this? A wizard without a wizard’s home, ha! You must be the most miserable one of us all.”

  “Bosh, misery comes by the sight of you! You know I can’t stand your unorthodox ways! I have done as the gods bid me.”

  “To say the least. You resemble that of a human, at that with a scanty existence!”

  Being greatly irritated he gave a reminder, “This is exactly what I mean. You would have the whole realm, not to mention Thanatos knowing that you are a wizard, when the gods strictly stated that you were not to be known among them. I have done as I was told by Chokmah my god. You should take heed of yourself. Remember the last time we got into an argument.”

  “How could one forget; you destroyed half a forest!”

  “Bosh—I…I. No, you did and the gods made you to rule over the
Yellow Forest as punishment, or have you forgotten why you call such a wretched place home?”

  “No, no. Your right, but I bet you haven’t even looked at the scroll! Did you even peek?”

  “No I did not!”

  “See, that is the problem with you. Out of the ten of us, you are given the most precious hint into the future by the gods and you don’t even peek. I would have known fifty years ago, the day it was received.”

  “Yes, and with your big mouth the entire world would have known of its contents. I suppose that is why they gave it to me and not you!”

  “Sure enough. True, true.” They sat for a moment but Sandalphon couldn’t bare the wait, “Well, are we going to look at the letter now that you know the Beginnings are upon us, and I have been sent for us to read it?”

  “Yes I…” The sudden opening of the door interrupted Ratziel. There before the two was Thanatos surprised to see a guest as his master had rarely had any visits from locals or those abroad.

  “Oh, master Ratziel. Pardon my intrusion. I didn’t mean to bother you and your…”

  “No trouble...um…this is Sandalphon a friend of mine.”

  Sandalphon smiled knowing that calling him a friend greatly hurt Raziel’s pride. “Yes, our deep friendship goes back before your time. Good to meet you. Raziel has told me so much about you,” he said knowing that Raziel had spoken nothing of him as of yet.

  “Oh…well, I will be out back then if you need me Master Raziel.”

  “Very good then.” The door shut and Raziel blasted his companion, “Why in the names of the gods do you do such things. I have worked so hard to keep this vile kid in line and now you tell him we’ve been talking about him. You have undone a lifetime of trust with the boy.”

  “Vile, you said he was vile. Do tell, does he squish little bugs, does he set fields on fire? What has the boy done to deserve such a title?” Sandalphon was relishing in the wizards slip of the tongue.

  Raziel was not enjoying it the least, but he had a captive audience and he has been yearning to speak of the boy to anyone, even to Sandalphon, “He is vile, I see it in his eyes. I have never caught him doing anything, but small things.”

  “Yes, what small things has he done?”

  “Well,” he offered Sandalphon some tea which was declined, “he catches animals and makes them fight.”

  “Don’t all boys do such things?”

  “Yes, but there is evil in his eyes while he does it. Almost as if he wishes he were the one causing the pain. He enjoys it way too much even for a boy.”

  “If that is all, I would not guess him to be vile.”

  “I have no proof of the rest. Bosh, only foolish speculations; how did I let you get me into this?”

  “Proof of what?” He urged him on.

  “When he hates someone or is angered by them, he doesn’t do anything…”

  “Well, how can that be said to be vile?”

  “I said, he doesn’t do anything that I see, but the individuals always end up dead, missing or severely hurt. I tell you it is the boy; he gains an evil pleasure by it.” The wizard then looked around as to see spies and spoke softly in a whisper, “I think he knows.”

  “Knows what?”

  Raziel took a sip from his now lukewarm tea and looked into being a little surprised. He then responded to the question, “That I’m a wizard.”

  Sandalphon contemplated the meaning of Thanatos knowing the secrets of the wizards, “I am not sure if it matters now. Have you read our scroll?”

  Raziel laughed, “Bosh, you think I wish to keep the child, ha! I read the letter and the two of you were so far off of the truth!”

  “We did not know your disposition until now.”

  “Sure enough, but the two of you couldn’t be further from the truth!”

  Sandalphon had run to the end of his patience, “”Let’s read the scroll of the gods.”

  “Yes, the Re'shiyth has declared it to us; let us now see what the gods would have us do.” He walked over to his chair that he would never allow Thanatos to sit upon. He moved the chair and opened the trap door below. Taking the scroll that was just below in his hand, he examined it. With shock he burst out, “Someone has opened it!”

  “Thanatos must then know more about his own destiny and the fate of the land than the greatest wizards of our time.”

  The two wizards opened the scroll and read:

  By our own hand and with the ink of our blood the gods have written

  The wizard, Sandalphon, in charge of the Yellow Forest the gods do charge; go north to the kingdom established by wicked hands and vile intentions, prepare the way for their king, prepare the way for Thanatos.

  By our own hand and with the ink of our blood the gods have written

  The wizard, Raziel, in charge of the care of Thanatos of whom has read this scroll before your own eyes have beheld, the gods do charge, wait upon the sign in the sky, then release Thanatos for his destiny sending him east to the dragons to face that which looks like himself. Return thyself to the west and await our biding.

  By our own hand and with the ink of our blood the gods have written

  The king, Thanatos, in charge of violence and wicked deeds done in darkness the gods do charge; face your twin brother in the land of the dragons and owls receiving your kingdom of power and rule.

  By the hand of the gods

  “I am to go north then,” Sandalphon spoke softly realizing what was to come to pass and fearing for the people of the larger northern kingdom. He looked at his fellow wizard gaining a respect for him that he had not had previously, “And you.”

  “Yes, I will wait as I have done. Then I will go to the west and again wait as the gods have declared.” He paused, “But why would the gods have Thanatos a wicked boy for a king—Why?” He shook his head in utter disbelief looking at Sandalphon.

  “It is the Beginnings of the end I fear!”

  Chapter 18

  When shall we three meet again?

  In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

  When the hurly-burly’s done,

  When the battle’s lost and won.

  ~William Shakespeare~

  “Scores and scores of the beasts do come forth. I fear for the safety of the people Zoe.” He looked down upon his companion who was almost in tears. He spoke gently, “Do not fret, the works of your hands were not of malice; the gods have ordained your path, worry not.” He again looked at the multitudes knowing their evil intent was the cities walls to break. He said to Zoe while looking at the still growing number of Parorgismoses, “Zoe at all cost stay by my side; you must heed my voice and my directions. Do you understand?” Zoe nodded to assure the wizard that he would do as he was told. “Good!” The creatures began to move forward and Mikael declared their undoing, “Behold the wrath of the beast.”

  Some of the monsters broke up into small groups and attacked the farms, killing all the inhabitants. Once this was accomplished they returned to the masses that had accumulated at the edge of the Yellow Forest. Growls, screams and shrieks sounded forth as they waited, taunting the people of the cities.

  The drawbridges were up giving the people reasonable alleviation to their fears. The only danger seemed to be of the tower that was before the First Passing. The men were at their stations awaiting the vile creatures’ advancement. Mikael looked through the looking glass at the first tower. In the top portion he spotted his longtime friend and fellow soldier, Sustratiotes. Mikael let out his sadness at seeing his friend, “Oh dear friend the tower will fall and you shall be lost this day.”

  The Parorgismoses had come close to the tower and surrounded the embankment. They swarmed the entire outer limits of the cities moat, at least three hundred thousand strong. The natural thing might have been to push the tower into the moat and all the inhabitants alongside, but the creatures intelligence was vile and devilish in their plots. A mass of seventy to eighty formed on the west side as the group vacated the ground to the east of the tower. V
iolently they charged the tower hitting the side blow after blow giving it violent shocks. The men of the tower used crossbows shooting down upon the creatures, killing many in their attempts to stop the intended purpose of the beasts.

  The men did their best to no avail as the tower came crashing down falling to the side. The beasts had categorically pushed the tower in such a way as to insure survivors. They drug them out of the tower before the multitudes. The beasts swarmed over them attacking all living humans having surrounded them and charging in upon them for all the inhabitants of the city to see.

  Even Mikael had to turn away from the carnage as he saw his friend fall. Grief filled his heart, but other matters pressed in on him. Zoe’s safety was now his utmost concern. The Twin Cities may fall, but Zoe must survive even if he alone endures this hellish nightmare. Mikael motioned for Zoe to bend close, “We will climb down and seek a secret passage from the city that I know of. Once there we will be safely free.”

  “But what of the people?”

  “There is nothing we can do for them,” Mikael said as he rose back up to see the beasts’ next move.

  The creatures cleared a path that was directly in front of the drawbridge. One of the creatures made a running leap for the bridge crashing into the wall with a great thud falling into the moat. Great cheers erupted from the warriors as the beast floated away dead. When the cheers died down as the men were reassured, the beasts began to howl. Suddenly five of the beasts ran and jumped at the bridge simultaneously. The impact left noticeable damage. The rapid secession of beasts came in packs of five with each group doing more damage to the wall. Once the men saw what was happening fear spread as a wave across the massed troops.

  “Now Zoe we must leave as we now know the fate of the city.” They quickly made their way down the tower. They could hear the soundings of trumpets in the First Passing. This signified a breach as the creatures were now leaping through a hole created in the wall of the drawbridge. First five, ten and then fifteen; soon there were fifty followed by another fifty. The solders of the First Passing fought valiantly, swinging swords, killing beasts by the score. Too many beasts came as several hundred made their way through the hole. When the creatures had pushed back the troops, the Parorgismoses did something most unexpected. They bit through the chains of the drawbridge giving access of the First Passing to the hoards of creature covetously waiting for blood.