Dragonsphere (The Fallen King Chronicles Book 1)

by Richard Fierce

  Even more than his desire to delegate his responsibility elsewhere, he wished that he could have had the Lord Aio to guide him in his new role. He had expected him to be there with him when he had been appointed High Priest over the Red Island, just a few days earlier. Now, to be placed even higher in the hierarchy of High Priests, he had no one familiar to guide him as the storm approached.

  The body of the Lord Aio had been taken care and disposed of according to the ancient customs of the Aihi. So as not to discourage the people of the Five Islands in letting them know that one of the greatest warriors and priests in their history had not merely died, but had been murdered, the occasion went unannounced outside of the small group of Priests, Priestesses, and pupils. Nonetheless, there was much weeping as the earthen mound covered the lifeless form.

  The aged prophet had been the beloved master to many for over a century, and of the five pupils, to Lord Imen the longest. As a child, Imen had seen much of the High Priest, usually from a distance, and had thought him to be a small, harmless yet frightening old man. As he departed his youth for a life in the service of the Ai, the harmless old man gradually grew larger in the pupil’s eyes, the essence of wisdom and strength. The two had fought together during Imen’s early days as a pupil and as a warrior-priest, each saving the other’s life many times during battle. Over the years following the wars, the Lord Aio had become somewhat of a father to Imen. As Imen prepared the body, performed the rites of burial, and led the group in songs of mourning, he found his grief of a greatness that would not allow the tears to form. The whole of the ceremony had found new meaning for him, the High Priest finally understanding the importance of the ceremonies of burial and the honoring of the dead. The Lord Aio had died, the part of Imen that lived life seemingly dying with him, disappearing with the full shovel of earth on the burial mound.

  The dawn of the eighth day after his death marked the end of the week of mourning. A messenger, the pupil Erasen, was sent to summon the Lady Melar, High Priestess of the Island of Ban, in order that she should take her place as the Great High Priestess.

  Although the others did not recognizemuch less understandthe symbol cut into the Lord Aio’s back, Imen understood it altogether too well. Immediately after Erasen’s departure for the Island of Ban, Imen had sent the Lady Moren to Aicatan to warn the Great Cabinet to mobilize all available military units from the various armies of the Five Islands. It was for the same reason that Imen had sent the Lord Forgotten Man to warn all who remained faithful to the Ai on the Island to either take up arms and prepare for battle, or to take up their things and flee to the mountain.

  It had been three days since the three messengers had gone out from the mountain. Only Imen and Las remained. Imen spent most of his time looking over the valley from the Clearing of the Five Stones, near the Tunnel entrance. Las worked at preparing the huts for the new Great High Priestess and whoever else might be moving in or out, busying herself with every task imaginable, accomplishing very little for the amount of effort invested.

  At dusk on the third day, Las had run out of tasks to complete, while Imen continued to look out over the valley. It was on that evening the young Priestess chose to interrupt the thoughts of her senior.

  She sat on the stone nearest the right of the High Priest.

  “Sitting all day, looking over the valley will not bring him back or cause our three messengers to return more quickly, you know.”

  Imen’s gaze ahead did not falter. “As busying oneself with futile tasks does not cause time to alter its course for the faster?”

  She laughed, probably for the first time in the eleven days that had passed since the return of Imen and the late Lord Aio. “You are starting to sound more and more like the Lord Aio.”

  Imen turned his head toward her, raising an eyebrow. “Am I?” he asked.

  Las nodded. “You are also starting to act like he used to. Why do you sit and stare at the valley all the time as he did?”

  Imen returned his gaze to the valley as he pondered the question. “I used to ask myself the same question of the Lord Aio for the six years in which I studied and trained for the priesthood, and in my ten years as a priest. I believe now that I understand somewhat. For one, when sitting here, I am not taxing an ever-limited supply of energy on pointless errands and labors.”

  They both laughed at this.

  After a few moments, Imen went on explaining. “Having put mourning for the loss of the Lord Aio behind me, I have been thinking these past three days. Thinking about the recent twist in what will be the history of our people that has put me in this temporary position of authority. Thinking about what will happen to us all. Thinking about the death of the Lord Aio, his murder, the hut, the body, and the …”

  He stopped himself short, his composure normal, and his eyes telling of unfathomable torture. He shook it off, yet not before Las noticed something.

  “The symbol in the Lord Aio’s back?” she asked of him. “It was the one thing that you could not take your eyes off while investigating the hut.”

  Imen quickly turned to her, the pain in his eyes returning with a deeper ferocity. It took him a full minute to quell the inner disturbance. As it subsided again, the fire died within his eyes. He cleared his throat and spoke.

  “You are quite observant. I tried my best to hide my reaction to the symbol. I see that you have been wondering as to its meaning.”

  “When he died, you became our leader, for the time being. I would imagine the others observing you just as closely, as well as wondering about that symbol.”

  Imen smiled. “For reasons that have not been forgotten with the death of Lord Aio, this is something that has been kept within the confines of the High Priest Council ever since Lord Aio became the Great High Priest. It is probably better if you do know. You are to be a High Priestess someday, and judging by recent events, you will not have to wait long. These things have already begun to pass. I see no reason why you should not be informed.”

  He stood, taking his staff, drawing the symbol in the dirt.

  “Many years ago, the Great High Priest Dazu called Aio, while on his deathbed, made a prophecy which is recorded in song. He spoke of the returning of evil into the Five Islands. An evil so great it annihilated the Serpentauri, and all but destroyed our people.”

  “Orlek!” Las gasped in a fearful recognition.

  “That is correct,” said Imen as he continued. “Our deceased master, Daio called Aio, was present as the successor took the position of Great High Priest. Since his death, the song has been taught to all who are to become High Priest and High Priestesses. I myself have known this song for scarcely a month. However, considering all the events foretold are taking place as we speak, I believe that now is the proper time to be teaching you.”

  Las positioned herself into an upright posture, listening attentively, as Imen destroyed the symbol with his foot and, singing, began to draw another one with his staff. A line to draw the horizon; a small circle depicts a moon. A banner abreast the bright sun to hail the impending doom.

  There was a moment of silence as both High Priest and Priestess took in the full meaning of what had just been sung. It seemed as if all life had frozen for a short moment after he finished. Nothing stirred, not bird, not beast, not fish, not man, not woman, not child. The wind seemed to stop blowing. The river seemed to stop its steady flow toward the sea. The sun seemed to hold its position, giving off the waning light of day for just a few moments longer.

  Imen broke the silence. “Tell me, Las: what do you know of our history concerning Orlek?”

  Las looked up at the darkening sky, searching her memory. “I admit my knowledge concerning this is limited,” she said, somewhat sheepishly. “Just what I learned in the school as a child.”

  Imen frowned. “Very well, then. Much of this you will have heard before, but at least some should be new to you. To properly tell this story, it must be started from the beginning. Over two thousand years ago, bef
ore the Great Ai, before the twelve tribes of the Aihi had united to form the Republic, there lived on the Five Islands the cave-dwelling orcs, the legendary fire-breathing Serpentauri, and the Cannibals, as well as the Aihi.

  “The four groups battled amongst themselves, no race seeming to gain any sort of advantage, each struggling futilely for mere survival. This went on for five hundred years. The twelve tribes had been reduced to no more than twelve small families. the Orcs, a small band of paranoid, dangerous cave dwellers. The Serpentauri had taken to isolation in the area on the coast of the Red Island where we have built Aicatan, and the Cannibals eating leaves, insects, animalsand, occasionally, themselvesin the hills.

  “Out of desperation, the Twelve Tribes of the Aihi united and chose from among themselves a leader who would travel to the caves, the coast, and the hills to speak to the other three races about peace. This representative’s name was Daio, now called Daio the Uniter. After many man-to-man struggles and death matches with members of each race, he finally united the Aihi, Serpentauri, and the Orcs under one central government, controlled by a council consisting of a representative from each race. The Cannibals continued to live in their primitive state in the hills, not willingand perhaps too primitiveto join with others.

  “For the next thousand years, the three races prospered working together. The Orcs mined the hills, the Aihi farmed the valley and raised cattle and sheep, along with helping to mine the hills and fish the rivers and the sea. The Serpentauri took part in every activity, using their breath of fire and their great strength to help till the fields, herd livestock, and carry loads of product. Commerce developed between the Five Islands and the mainland of Oakvalor, which resulted in the king of Oakvalor buying the Five Islands. Each race became more adept in magic and science. Every once in a while, a band of Cannibals would enter the valley or raid a mine, killing a few Orcs or men.

  “Toward the end of that thousand years, an Orc by the name of Orlek was elected to the Council as representative of the Orcs. Of the races, Aihi included, he surpassed all in knowledge and power.

  “For many years, he led his race and the whole of the Five Islands in becoming the strongest and wealthiest civilization. Through his discoveries, magic had peaked to a point that has not since been bested. No other nation would have challenged the Five Islands in any move it made. Even the king paid tribute to the Islands. A citizen was considered poor if he did not have at least ten slaves and double his weight in gold and rubies. Orlek became a symbol of pride for the Five Islands.”

  At this point, Las spoke up. “If I remember something about this period of history, Orlek began to delve very deep into the magical arts. From my understanding, he was on the verge of discovering the secret to all magic and power.”

  Imen spat on the ground. “Yes, I suppose you could say that. Could one also say that he was about to benefit the three races and, eventually, the entire world with this last secret? That because of overwork and exhaustion he went mad, all but destroying the Five Islands?”

  Las looked down. “That is what they said, what I was taught at …”

  Imen spat on the ground again. “School?” he finished for her, the contempt in his voice unconcealed. “You would be best not to accept as fact anything you have learned about our history in school. I call them not teachers. Agents of Orlek would be more appropriate.”

  Las gave him a nod partly indicating agreement, partly indicating her impatience for an explanation. Imen continued with the story.

  “It is true, that Lord Orlek came close to the discovery of this great and terrible secret. It might even have been that his original intentions were to use it for the good of the Five Islands. However good his intentions, he was not able to control his knowledge. In the end, the knowledge and magic controlled him.

  “For many years, he remained mostly in the solitude of his tower, allowing only a few select orcs to see him, and not too often at that. When he did come out, it was only for a mandatory session of the Council. Even in those sessions, he was not of much help to the Council or the Five Islands, usually deferring any important decisions or economic matters to the other two members, taking on only small responsibilities concerning magic, none of which he ever fulfilled.

  “All the while, he had been using his chief advisors, all Orcs, to spread sentiment against the Aihi and the Serpentauri among the Orcs, teaching them certain depths of the magical arts as favors for those who were successful, usually torturing to death those who were not.

  “The Five Islands were losing their power in the world. Those nations who had once paid us tribute ceased to do so, using that money instead to build their armies and wage war against one another. The stronger nations even maneuvered their armies to positions in which they could easily attack the Five Islands, resulting in the endless war with Talvaard. With an Orc population unwilling to do anything with or for the other races, our armies began to dwindle. Ruby production all but stopped and our treasury was steadily growing smaller.

  “It came time for the Council members of the other two races to confront him. He was either to find some way to prevent the Five Islands from an almost inevitable fall, bring them back to their former glory, or to abdicate his position, letting another Orc be elected in his place.”

  “I don’t imagine he was all that pleased,” said Las.

  “You are correct in your understatement of his emotions. He was infuriated. The moment he was given that ultimatum, he drew his sword and beheaded the Aihi Councilman. He managed to kill the Serpentauri member as well, but not without his left arm being burned so badly that it completely fell off his body.

  “Within the hour, the entire Orc army he had been building on the Red Island had been mobilized and had begun marching to occupy Aicatan, led by the magically empowered Orcs. The mass of bodies was so great, it completely covered the valley floor. It was evident that much innocent blood would be spilled before the end.

  “The other inhabitants of the Five Islands were not without advantage, however. Aicatan, although it lacked natural defenses, employed every able body male citizen into its army, as well as keeping large reserves from the other Islands. The Orcs within the city were easily done away with at no loss to the city guard.”

  Las interrupted his telling of the story again. “Having heard that, what little I know is starting to make sense to me. I believecorrect me if I am wrong at any pointthat after the death of the two council members, a civil war broke out. The Orcs and their vast numbers against the Aihi and Serpentauri, A good deal of the Serpentauri and men in the hills and the valley were killed within minutes of Orlek taking control of the Council building, outnumbered and caught off guard. A few managed to escape to the cities, giving warning to the people, allowing them to make what preparations that could be made.”

  Imen nodded. “So far, you are correct. Please continue.”

  “The combined efforts of the Aihi and what remained of the Serpentauri were able to repel the Orc attacks on Aicatan for some time,” she continued. “They had the Council building surrounded, but because Orlek gave them little trouble, they were content to keep him prisoner, concentrating most of their strength on the city walls.

  “When it started to seem that the Aihi-Serpentaur forces would prove victorious, Orlek began his attack from within. Buildings went up in flame for no apparent reason. The group of men surrounding and guarding the Council building suddenly found themselves naked, armed with flowers. It was then that the city began to concentrate its efforts on the Council building, allowing most of their outer defenses to disappear altogether.

  “At this point, Orlek put up a magic field around the building to shield himself from his attackers. Then the Orc militia began its invasion of the city. What few handfuls of men that had been left to the walls had already been eliminated with the next attack, and those that fought to get to Orlek were being cut down from behind. Despite all their desperate efforts, the main body of the army turned to fight the Or
cs. The Orc lined advanced, destroying everything in its path, drawing nearer to the Council building and their dark Lord Orlek.

  “The use of magic was not limited to Orlek and his minions, however. A few men still practiced it at a powerful level, though none as powerful as Orlek. It was through their combined efforts that they were able to break down the magic defenses of the Orc King. Although they died from their overuse of magic, the inner forces stormed into the Council building and threw Orlek out of a high window onto the ground, where everyone near was able to hear the snap of bones and see his lifeblood drain from his body.

  “Having seen their leader supposedly dead, and feeling the absence of his magic, the Orcs took to a madness, most of them killing whatever they could find, including themselves. The rest fleeing the Five Islands to the mainland of Oakvalor.”

  Imen laughed. “Very good. I give you far too little credit for the time spent studying history in school.”

  Las shrugged. “Knowledge of the past has its advantages. For the most part I knew all of that history, save the corruption of Orlek. The schools and libraries never fail in failing to teach in a precise, consistent, and accurate manner concerning that. They claim not to know the cause, yet believe that it could be excused as a madness from overwork.”

  “Interesting how that information never falters in its absence from the minds of the people. Very well. In continuing, our people had another four hundred years of peace and prosperity. All the Orcs had fled to the Vish mountains in Oakvalor and the Serpentauri died off after Orlek’s death. What remained of men on the Five Islands began their attempt at rebuilding into what they were in the ‘Golden Age’. The sciences and magics, however, were ignored in the stead of more primitive ways of life and development. It was science and magic that had brought them to the depth at which they were, and the Aihi did not wish to experience such again.