Where Dragons Haunt (The Diaspora Book 1)

by Scott Meaders

  “Quite simple my child—riches beyond one’s wildest dreams. Do you see, boy? Riches!”

  “I don’t care for your filthy money. It is better to be poor and do what is right than to be rich and have done some vile thing to get it.”

  “Oh, now there is where you are wrong…”

  Zoe cut him off, “No, I won’t do it. I won’t!” He was now yelling and the whole group of men came by way to hear the boy and his conversation with the man.

  “Why won’t you? We will give you a share in the money!”

  “I don’t want your filthy money. I won’t do it. It’s wrong!”

  Kope laughed, “Have you never done anything wrong in all of your life?”

  Zoe stopped for a moment and thought of what he said. He had done many things wrong. His mind was carried off to the blue orb and the destruction that was cause by his foolish actions.

  “See, you know what I mean!”

  Zoe still didn’t like his idea nor his company, “But it is not your stuff and you will kill them.”

  “No we won’t kill them, and they have so much, we wont take all, just what we need. They are so rich; they won’t even miss what we take. You can have your pick of the biggest pile of gold.”

  “I won’t do it; I tell you I won’t! Nothing you can say will convince me to!”

  Kope now turned on Zoe with swift anger, “You will do as you are told” He grabbed Zoe by the back of his hair and pulled up with force. Or you will prove your words to be right; we will kill, but you will be the one we kill. You understand me?” He pulled fiercely on his hair.

  “Ouch, Ahhh. Yes, Yes.” Zoe cried out in utter pain. Laughter erupted from the other men that stood about. They drug him back to the place where they were to eat.

  “Tie him up,” Kope ordered out to anyone.

  Mastix jumped at the opportunity to cause the boy some harm. He took a rope and tied his hands behind him, making sure the ropes were extra tight. The ropes themselves ate into the flesh in Zoe’s arms as Mastix made sure to apply great pleasure. “I am so going to enjoy gutting you boy, if you don’t do as we say!”

  “I think I liked you better when you couldn’t speak,” Zoe shot back at the wicked man.

  Mastix reached back his hand to punch the boy, but Enno caught his arm just in time. “Now, now, Mastix don’t let this boy get the best of your temper. I know how you want to take your blade and stick him in the gut, twisting and turning, until all of his insides come rushing to the forest floor, but we have need of the boy. And he plans to disappoint you. See, he plans to do as we say or you will get your wish. Either he does exactly what we say or you get him.” Enno smiled after he said these words and walked over to the group; Mastix was soon to follow.

  In the group of men, they talked amongst themselves so that Zoe could not hear their words.

  “I say we kill him now!”

  “Yeah! ”

  “No we need him. ”

  “Why? ”

  “Because he is our way in. ”

  “We can find another way. ”

  Enno spoke up, “Men, do you really need to fight? We can do either way. We can use the boy to get what we want, or we can kill him and find another way. It matters not to me.” He paused for effect. “But you must understand men, that any delay threatens our band and our desired end. My sources have said that the weakness of arms is only a weeklong window, which started yesterday. If we don’t go soon, we won’t be going at all! Keep that in mind when you consider what to do with the boy.”

  Mastix said quietly amongst them all, “Ok we use the boy to get in, then when we are clear and free, I gut him!”

  Kope responded, “Mastix that was the plan all along. You never thought the boy would be part of us?” They all laughed to Zoe’s discomfort as he knew not their plan, but was sure that it did not entail good things for him.

  Chapter 26

  Cruel children, crying babies,

  All grow up as geese and gabies,

  Hated, as their age increases,

  By their nephews and their nieces.

  ~Robert Louis Stevenson~

  The wizard had severely punished Thanatos for his misbehavior. Keeping him in for three months. The boy had found nothing mischievous to do. He hated being in under the protection of the wizard who kept up his façade of a simple-minded person in a small village. They even had a fight with words about it.

  “Master Raziel, why do you pretend?”

  Raziel continued to read from his book but spoke out his comment, “Pretend what Thanatos?” He was not in the least interested in a talk with the boy.

  “Why do you pretend to read?”

  “Huh, you are at it again. I can read.”

  “No one else in the village can read. How is it you can? Who taught you?”

  “We have talked about this, my mother taught me to read. She learned by a man that was traveling through just after my father had died.”

  “You mother must have been a whore.”

  Raziel sat up at this unexpected twist in their conversation. “Why do you say such hurtful things?”

  “Why do you lie?”

  “I don’t like the way you are talking to me. Answer me now! Why do you say such things?” Raziel was becoming angered.

  “Either your mother was a whore or you are a liar. Which is it?”

  “Neither!”

  “You said you were poor, having no money for anything while growing up. Now you tell me a traveling man who sells knowledge taught your mother to read. Either your mother paid with the only thing available, her body, or you lie.”

  “You talk foolishly boy! I never said the man sold knowledge.”

  “No you didn’t, but I have never seen a man do anything without a price. Have you?”

  “Enough of this foolish talk!”

  Thanatos then spoke openly for the first time, “I read it.”

  “You read what?”

  “You know the scroll you read with your wizard friend.”

  “Ah yes. I was wondering when this would come up.”

  “Well, I read it and know.”

  “Know what?”

  “That you are a deceiver. You are a wizard and pretend to be nobody.”

  “I love your fanciful imaginative stories you come up with.”

  “Do you? Why not destroy everyone in the village with your powers?”

  “That would be wrong!” Raziel responded.

  Thanatos had the last word of this conversation, “Yes, it would be wrong, that is why you don’t but you didn’t deny the power is available to you!” A small smirk was seen on his face. Raziel went back to reading realizing the boy had gotten the better of him.

  Now three months had passed since the death of his pet and he had nothing better to do but wander around the village. He didn’t go down the main street because he wasn’t feeling up to the pleasantries of being polite to the other people, so he went on the outskirts of the village in hopes to avoid the vast majority of the people.

  Thanatos came upon three boys that he had known for a long time. The town had known them for getting together and causing mischief. They were not evil, but they were cruel from time to time. In many instances their cruelty came upon the head of Thanatos. Thanatos was often angered over the situation with the boys because whenever something would happen, Master Raziel would take their side of it and not deal with the boys.

  Things seem to never change. The three boys saw Thanatos coming and quickly consulted what to do. They waited until he was close to them before they started to talk to him. “Hey Thanatos you want to play a game?”

  Thanatos didn’t like the idea because he didn’t trust them. They had never been nice to him. They had been so cruel to everyone that hatred by the young kids in the town was growing. With each passing year their cruelties increased along with the anger and spite for them. But he also seemed not to care what they did as he was hopeful for some form of company, “Sure why not.”

&n
bsp; He walked over to them and asked, “What game are we going to play?”

  “Well, it isn’t like any other game we have played before!” Megas said who was the largest kid in the group. His whole face was pudgy and round. When he talked it looked as if his whole face was flapping about in the wind.

  “Yeah, it’s called With My Hidden Eye,” Xurao. He was the boy that his mother shaved his head every summer because boys don’t have long hair. He hated the way he looked. His two buddies even made fun of his hairless head.

  “Here put this over your head and don’t peek,” Nipto said as he examined his hands after handing the bag to Thanatos. Nipto was a child that could not have an ounce of dirt on his body. He had to always wash his hands every time he touched something dirty. He was the only kid in the village that took a bath more than once a year.

  “Ok,” he slipped the bag over his head and stood their waiting for further instructions.

  “Oh yeah, there is another name to the game,” one of the kids blurted out.

  “What is that?” Thanatos said having a muffled voice through the sack.

  “Beat the crap out of the idiot with the bag on his head!” Laughter erupted and then the punches were thrown.

  The boys started hitting Thanatos as hard as they could, one on each side. Each punch sank in and caused Thanatos great pain. He sank to his knees. The boys began hitting him in the head while he still had the bag on his head until he fell to the ground. They pulled off the bag to see his bloody face. Each one in turn took one swing at him and kicked him squarely in the head. The boys walked off laughing.

  Thanatos lay their suffering as his hatred kindled for them. After some time he gained enough strength to make his way home. He stumbled in the cottage and fell to the floor.

  “By the heavens what happened to you!” He rushed over to him, aiding him to the couch. He quickly got him something to drink. Thanatos couldn’t drink it as most of the liquid ran down his battered face.

  “What happened?”

  “Boys…hurt me.” Thanatos was able to get out.

  Then the disposition of the wizard changed knowing Thanatos’ past. He said ill advisedly, “What did you do to prompt them?” He wasn’t being cruel to him or mean; he knew what Thanatos was capable of.

  Strangely Thanatos responded with a lie, “I...did terrible…thing to them. Terrible.” All the while Thanatos dreamed of what was to come.

  Chapter 27

  Profit is sweet,

  even if it comes from deception.

  ~Sophocles~

  “Zoe, why so downcast? You will be a wealthy boy. You know gold and jewels are sweet even if you do have to steal them! Possibly all the more sweeter when stolen!” Kope said jokingly.

  Zoe looked at him with distain, “No amount of money is sweet if it’s thieved by dirty hands such as your own.”

  “Ah, but Zoe, better to steal and be alive, then not to steal and never see another day!” Enno’s smile broadened with his words.

  “You will do what we ask?” Kope questioned, knowing this was his last chance to give the answer he wanted to hear or face Mastix’s blade.

  Zoe was about to spit in his face in response when he saw a bright light from the fire gain his attention. The light died away and an apparition appeared within the fire. Zoe gazed as the fire turned bright blue. The men noticed Zoe’s change in facial expression and turned to see what he was looking at, but they only saw the normal surrounding of the men and the fire. Nothing was abnormal to their sight.

  When the men turned around to face Zoe again, he asked the men, “Don’t you see him?”

  They turned around again to see if they had missed something. Seeing nothing they again looked upon Zoe, “We see nothing, and don’t try anything, ‘cause that will get you killed!” They looked at each other and then Emmo repeated Kope’s question, “Tonight you are going to go and do as we say?”

  Zoe didn’t even hear him as his focus was intent on the figure in the fire. The figure in the flames spoke to Zoe, “Answer them that you will go with them and do all that you can. You will find the way of escape as I will provide it for you in the symbol of a dove.” The figure then disappeared from sight and all things returned to their natural state.

  “Well, what say you boy?”

  Zoe blinked realizing that the gods had again appeared to him. He spoke as he was told, “I…I will go and do all that I can.”

  They both grinned devilishly as Kope falsely reassured Zoe, “Now boy you have chosen the wise coarse of action. And to be sure you will get your reward when the work is done as long as there is no funny business. Understood!”

  Zoe nodded in agreement to his comment, though his heart was bent on betraying the man at the sign of the dove. He had wondered why the gods would want him to do the bidding of an evil man. He thought to himself, why doesn’t Hagious just strike them all dead? Why does he play this game and allow them even to live? Zoe couldn’t understand why the gods would act so strangely, nevertheless he trusted them to deliver him in the time of need.

  The appointed time arrived when the second blue moon arose above the hill tops of Kedron. He had watched the first blue moon and the red arise as well. He had waited patiently. The men had fed him generously as they were in fear that he might change his mind. They made every attempt now to befriend the boy. Zoe despised each attempt, but never let on that he hated them and their ways.

  As the men were breaking camp, Enno came over to Zoe with a rather large knife. The knife had an ivory handle with an intricate carving on the handle of a giant eye. The carving was a symbol of the evil eyes of the forest. He took the knife and with force stabbed the ground in front of Zoe. He released the knife as it was stuck in the ground. Zoe knew the knife was for a show of force and effect. It would have worked if the gods had not promised him a way of escape.

  “Now Zoe, don’t disappoint.”

  “I won’t.” Zoe shot back.

  Enno paused for a moment not liking the tone of voice Zoe used. He then resumed his speech, “Good, because if you do, I won’t give Mastrix the pleasure. I will gut you myself. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Very well; here is the plan. We will enter the city. You will be tied to me by rope. The gatekeeper will let us in without question as he has cast in his lot with us.” He paused to let that much sink in. “Then we will travel through the city to the main part. There will be lots of people still about. You are to say nothing to anyone or make any attempts to show distress. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “When we reach the inner gate of the dwelling that is our desired aim, you will crawl though the sewer bars. You will crawl through a small tunnel. The first sign of light above your head will be a way for you to get out. Do you follow so far?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wait there until you hear our signal.” He paused for Zoe to ask.

  “What signal?”

  “Good! You are paying attention.” He yelled over his shoulder, “Hey Oinophlugia the signal.” An awkward sounding birdcall was heard. The sound was repeated three times.

  “Sounds more like a dead bird than a signal.” Zoe mocked.

  “Sure enough, but will you remember it?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is very important that you remember this. There will be guards all over the place. And don’t think that this will save you. You let them know that you are there by coming up early, you will be dead by morning as we have insiders.”

  Zoe challenged this, “Then why don’t they just let you in.”

  “Ah you are a smart one! They could, but they are watched as there are many people on guard. But they would be able to get to you.”

  Zoe didn’t believe him, but didn’t want to show his disbelief, “Ok, then what do I do?”

  “When you hear the signal, you open up the sewer passage and come to the main gate. At that time we will be there to tell you how to open it. It is not difficult, but we will be t
here as a guide in case you cannot figure it out on your own. Once it is open, you will follow us. When we escape with you and the money you will receive your portion. Do you understand all that I say?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, now repeat it back to me.”

  Zoe repeated everything to the man leaving out none of the important details. The man was pleased and left Zoe to himself while the men finished with their preparations. Zoe saw flaws with the man’s account of how he was to do things. He knew that he was a liar and would kill him once he opened the door, but he wondered what the sign of the dove would be and where it would appear.

  While Zoe was pondering these things, the men came over to Zoe. “Now is the time,” Kope said bending down and loosening his bonds. He then retied Zoe’s arm to Enno so that they could walk side by side without suspicion.

  The journey to the city was not far. In fact Zoe was surprised at how close they were to the cities main entrance. Just past a cluster of trees from the encampment was the main gate. They waited in the darkness eyeing the gate until no others were about. A small ox cart was let in while they waited and two traveling men on horses. Then they made their way to the front gate. The men kept Zoe to the back with Enno while Kope talked with the gatekeeper. He put a small bag of money in the guard’s hand. The man smiled at the group with his toothless face. He looked stupid to Zoe as if the man would have let in a monster to kill everyone for a small meal, not knowing that he in turn would be killed himself.

  They passed into the main streets of the city. The city was packed full as predicted by the men. Enno showed Zoe his blade that he held just under a loose garment. He made sure Zoe knew that it was there in case he tried to escape. They came to a part of the town that was less busy, more where people would be asleep for the night. The palace that came into view was enormous. Zoe was overwhelmed with the size of dwelling that was made for one man. He didn’t have time to dwell on this as they quickly turned down a side street that was dark and provided the needed cover for the criminals. They also pointed for Zoe to see where the sewer was.