“We were eager to discuss what will happen now.” Cadeyrn said trying to show a willingness to move forward as mutual allies. “ Perhaps we should wait for the Dwarfen king?” Annar said looking at the empty seat around the table. It had impressed Annar that the different races of Neeska had managed to sit together at all, let alone to discuss what to do about the Dragons long enough without tearing at each other’s throats, but he was even more surprised that they had all come when he had sent summons out for them again. Well, most of them. From those that had come when Ingaild had called most still lived and now sat at the table to decide the fate of Neeska. William of the White Flags had returned, somewhat surprisingly considering his swift disappearance at the end of the battle. Cadeyrn as is already mentioned had made the journey back across from the Alienage. The Arch Mage of the Mages Tower even made the journey and sat intently digging something out of his tooth. The only other names of note that had not returned were Erin and Fintan but for their part in the legend of the Dragons Blight were over. They were not leaders of people and could have returned peacefully to their previous life. They could have, but did not. Erin and Fintan were travelling down into the Tropical Bounding and the precious Green Stone Isles. It would seem Fintan’s adventures were not yet over and Erin would be at his side but that is a story for another time.
“ From what Fintan, I think that was his name. Regardless from what he said the Dwarfen king isn’t likely to come unless we move this council to the nearest tavern. Leave the Dwarfs to their fate for now. They’ll shut themselves off as they always do.” William said remembering the brief conversation he had with Fintan when the council had last met.
“ If the old council is going to remain as it is. Then we need to include everyone. Dwarf included.” Cadeyrn said trying her best to steer things towards the diplomatic peace her people so desperately needed. Ingaild’s sudden death at the hands, or rather the mouth and crushing bite of a Dragon, had allowed a peaceful way forward that would have not existed otherwise but everyone was aware that it would not take much for the fear, and panic of the spell they had all witnessed crashing into the crater to descend the continent into war.
“ I have no interest in making this a council.” Annar said and the room fell quiet. They all had known it was unlikely things would go smoothly but no one thought the Iron Giants would continue as they had before. The continent was too weak to support another conquest and although Raidaridin had been largely unaffected by the Dragons return surely even Annar would not ignore the risk the demons posed to them all.
“ Then why are we here now? Ingaild died and with it so did his grip on this city. We fought side by side. I would probably be dead if he hadn’t tried to take out the Dragon we had been fighting. Now you plan to push us back out of the city, to claim Neeska for the Poles.” William said. A lot of his bravery had returned upon his homecoming to Slickrock. Things there had largely been unaffected by the trials of war and aside from the heavy loses the Dragons had wrought.
“ The name of Pole died with Ingaild. It was he who led my people to raise our weapons against the Handson’s. When the great arm of war is resting, we are the Iron Giants as we had always been and you miss understand me.” Annar said staring at William with his one good eye. “I cannot lead my people like this. You see me. I am crippled weak and my wounds do not heal. I will not survive much longer. I plan to return home. I brought you all here to suggest peace.” Annar said to the surprise of everyone. It seemed the haggard old war general had more to him than anyone suspected. It could have been because he was facing death or it could have been the loss of his mighty king.
“Many of your wounds can be healed with a little magic.” The Arch Mage said seemingly focusing on the room for the first time since he arrived. He had been deep in thought since Calvin had died. He knew it was his doing that gave the demon the opportunity to break the seal and it would mean things for the wizards of Neeska would no doubt become worse than ever.
“ No. That is not the Iron Giant way, my time is done.” Annar said abruptly but with such devotion no one in the room dare argue it. He would not have magic cast on him and would happily go to the hunting grounds of death. “William you were to be Ingaild champion and fight for the city, that chore is not yet finished.” Annar said staring across the table as best he could. “I as the rightful ruler pass command of Neeskmouth and Raidaridin to you. On the condition they remain open to my people.”
“ I. Well. What do you mean?” William said taken aback. He could feel all the eyes in the room fall on him. The warm stares and hushed silence meant that no one objected. How the average man on the street would react is another matter and what it meant for the White Flags was something else but those gathered around him had all had dealings with William and his White Flags and knew it would bring a peace that no other man could. William could scarcely believe it. It had to be some kind of joke. He had been striving for this for years. When he had arrived in the city a month or more before he had thought it might be possible then but when the city fell to the Poles. William had almost given in to the idea that it impossible, that his plan for a republic would ever come to being.
“ My men know my wishes and have already sent word throughout the people. I do not envy you trying to tame the two cities but they must remain open to both people or another war is guaranteed.” Annar said wheezing. No one had really noticed it before. Too shocked by his appearance if they were honest with themselves but Annar’s breathing was labored. He sounded slow and shallow. Talking so much was obviously taking a huge toll on his damaged body.
“I don’t know what to say .” William said honestly. His boy hood dream concluded. The first steps to a new future had been opened up and for the first time in his life William had nothing to add. His mind raced as he tried to think how he could calm the streets from the clashes of Neeskmouthain natives and the Iron Giants. It almost pushed the more pressing threat from his mind.
“Who cares who runs what, I mean really. I only came because of what my underling Calvin let loose into the world. The demon came through. We could feel it even from the tower. Well once the bloody thing stopped shaking and we came out from under the tables. You all saw them, the shadow demons, spirits from the shadow realm.” The Arch Mage said bored to death of such dribble. It wouldn’t matter who looked after the city if they couldn’t do something about the demons. His foresight had snapped shut like a door being slammed in his face when Calvin had cast the spell. It was like half the magic in Valadfar had been used up in one go.
“So it was the mages who did that. I thought as much but wasn’t sure .” Cadeyrn said glaring across the table. She had only just made it away from the battle with her life and had seen so many torn apart by the darkness that had not been so swift.
“ Well yes and no. But for now let’s focus on what we plan to do against them.” The Arch Mage said rolling his eyes under the fox like brows. He felt such a heavy remorse for the loss of Calvin. He’d always had a lovehate relationship with the boy ever since he had been brought in from Raidaridin but never thought it would end the way it did, all the foresight in the world had not prepared the Arch Mage for what he would feel after all was said and done.
“We need to send word to the Brilanka monks and secure the city. They’ll know how to deal with this. In the meantime I think we need to repair the damage the war has taken on us all. Otherwise the shadow demons will walk all over us.” William said knowing that if his first decree was to go to war the city would implode so they would have to bide their time before facing the new danger. “Anyway they don’t seem to be able to come too far from the crater.” William said feeling unsure what to do in his new role as leader of the Northern Kingdoms. So much had changed in such a short time but for the first time in a long time. Neeskmouth had hope and this time the Dragon Blight was really over.
Epilogue
So it was that the battle of Neeska and the rise and fall of the Dragons passed into the chroniclin
g of Valadfar. In the months that followed word was sent to the Brilanka monks and ships begun docking at the harbor bringing in representatives of the order who begun the work to prepare for the coming darkness. They turned their attentions to the crater close to Briers Hill and the crumbling megalith that was the mages tower as well as starting construction of churches throughout Neeskmouth and Raidaridin. William took to his role as governor like a fish to water. He awarded the Scorched Lands to the now honorary Baroness, Queen Cadeyrn under the condition that they used the Earth Mothers blessing to return life to the destitute lands and that they would trade wood with Neeskmouth openly. The people on the whole adored William and the peace he stood for. That is not to say there were not clashes between Iron Giants and natives of Neeskmouth. But with the Mines reopened and trade flourishing. The once royal guards soon held the twin cities securely. Commerce was re-initiated with the Dwarfs but they still kept themselves pretty much to themselves. The war had passed them by with only a handful of tones of lost explosive powder and Joani decided it was best if they remained separated from the power struggles of topsiders. The only change to the long segregation was a shipment of stone sent once a month to the city in trade for food sent to the mountain in return but with these caravans the secrets behind those stone doors had started to seep out and would change the world forever. Life in Neeskmouth returned to a peace it had not known for generations. Trade routes that were lost and forgotten reopened and under Williams fair hand promise of a bright future for the city and everyone who lived within it became the talk of the taverns. The plans put in place by Ingaild to repair the city continued and more plans for the future of the sleeping beast took up Williams every waking moment, well almost. He was after all a pirate at heart and being Governor brought many new treats and a city of women he had yet to meet. Annar returned to Raidaridin before passing away in the arms of his loving wife. He had left her before being called to take up arm as a Pole and it seemed just to him to spend his last days back in her arms. His favorite hawk is said to still be circling the city of Raidaridin looking for him but no one is sure if that’s a fairy tale or not. As several people, on their way home from the pubs late at night swear they have seen it. Not all the Elves left the Alienage Isle but many did and under Queen Cadeyrn begun the painstaking task of reclaiming land from the scorched earth but almost as soon as they planned the seeds from the Earth Mothers descendants into the warm ash they could feel it, a closeness to her that they had lost during the fall of the Whispering Woods. This land held great promise for them if only they could take it. No word was heard from Erin or Fintan and people moved on with their lives almost forgetting these two, whose adventures lay elsewhere, a tale for another time, much like that of the shadowy demon Rinwid who still sits biding his time inside the darkness below ground...
We have not heard the last of the demon or the strife of Neeska. The story of Valadfar and its people will continue another time as the pages of history turn once more.
This novel is a work of fiction, names, characters and events are a product of the authors’ imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © January 2011 Damien Stephen Malcolm Tiller
Dragons Blight (Valadfar Book 1) Page 27