Terror At The Temple (Book 3)

by Craig Halloran

  Forgive me,

  Nath Dragon

  He would be furious, but I couldn’t wait a moment longer. I yearned for freedom, not just mine, but for the Dragons. They needed me. I put the vial to my lips and took the first sip. It tasted like berries and honey.

  “Mmmmm’ I said, smacking my lips.

  A moment later, I pitched forward and fell to my knees as my mind turned to mud.

  CHAPTER 3

  Everything turned black. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. I couldn’t see a thing, but my ears were just fine. I could hear everything in the street below but much louder this time.

  What do I do! What have I done! That potion has me undone!

  My plan was simple: take the potion of polymorph and turn myself into something else. I stretched out and fluttered on the floor. This shouldn’t have been so hard; I'd done it before. But, I'd never turned myself into a bat.

  “Eeeek!” I screamed, but it came out a high pitched shriek.

  Bats are blind, you idiot!

  What was I thinking? Oh, now I remember. I was going to blend in with the bats and fly away. None of the keen eyed dwarfs would pay attention to such a thing.

  Think! Take a breath, Dragon. You can figure this out.

  I flapped my wings. Nothing. I rose on my tiny clawed feet and flapped once more. I lifted from the ground. Yes! I banged into a wall and plummeted back to the floor. Ow!

  At least, I thought it was a wall; I couldn’t see it. Head aching, I made my next attempt.

  Up, Dragon!

  Whop!

  I hit something else and dove nose first into the floor. Think, Dragon. Think!

  Morphing into a new body took some getting used to, and it didn’t help that I was blind to boot, and―fair enough―I was stupid, too. I should have just turned into a bird. I rubbed my nose with the tiny fingers at the end of my wing and sniffed the air. Not only could I hear everything, I could smell everything as well. Pretty amazing. What I lacked in sight, I made up with everything else.

  What else could bats do that I didn’t know about? I had to think on that. Then I remembered they had a sonic power that helped them out.

  “Eeeek!”

  That wasn’t it. I tried something else. A whisper of sorts. Soon after I let it out, an echo came back. Ah! I get it now!

  I lifted my head up and sounded out towards the smells and sounds below. In my mind, I saw the shape of the balcony now. Gathering myself, I fluttered to the ledge. Made it! Then I took a deep breath. Well, as big a breath as I could, that is. I certainly felt like I was in a very small body. I sent out a signal. The bats and bugs were still there, but the rest of my path from Morgdon was all clear. Here we go… Bat Dragon!

  I slipped from the ledge, spread my wings, and whoosh—I was flying! Everything in my body was tingling, making me all the more eager to become a Dragon one day. Then a thought struck me. Not all Dragons can fly. What if I was one of those? No, I must perish such thoughts; it shouldn't matter either way. Right now, I needed to enjoy that I was free!

  I let out a signal. Moths and fireflies fluttered in the air, and a strange hunger came over me. I signaled again, and like a beacon, I knew where the firefly was. I zoomed in and snatched it in my mouth. That was fast! I liked that. Yech! It left an odd taste in my mouth, but I crunched it up anyway.

  Time to move on, Dragon! The sooner you go the better. No telling when the potion's magic would wear off, and I didn’t want to be in the air when that happened, either. I let out a new signal. The mountain was behind, but the open plains of Nalzambor were below. That's where I went, where the goat herders go.

  Flap! Flap! Flap!

  Something soared past me. What was that? I ducked and dove before I got a good look around. The other bats were attacking me. One after the other they came, nipping and clawing at me. What were they attacking me for? All I ate was one lousy firefly. It wasn’t like there weren't plenty of them left out there, you know. But in full assault they came. I was in trouble now.

  I shrieked. It didn’t help. I dodged.

  They struck.

  I dove.

  They bit. They were going to drive me from the sky.

  I wanted to say something, but I don’t think bats talked; they shrieked. What would happen if they got me on the ground? I was certain they’d tear me to shreds.

  Ouch!

  One of them got a piece of my leathery wing, sending me spiraling downward. I wanted to swing my sword, but it was part of me now, as well as all those other things. I regained my balance and dove into the alley of the city. Perhaps I could shake them from my trail; I understood things about the city that they did not. Maybe that would help. I flapped hard and fast, weaving into alleys and underneath bridges, drawing some cries from the crowds. I don’t think the dwarves had ever seen bats chasing bats before. This might not be such a good idea, after all.

  Clack. Clack. Clack.

  Too late. Stones were clattering off the walls. The children were throwing stones now. Accurate ones, too. I flew under one and over another, one stone clipping the wing on a pursuer. It bought me time. Up I went. Down I came to find the bats in front of me. I was chasing them now. I sent out a signal. The one in the back, bigger than the rest, was driving the colony of bats. I knew what I had to do. I had to stop him, else they’d wear me down. I let out an awful screech. A challenge was my intent. Up, up, up! The big bat came after me.

  Bat or man, I knew how to fight, and I’d fight anything anywhere. I wasn’t sure how bat fights went, but I think the leader got the message. I circled him, and he circled me, then in rush he came right at me.

  Whop!

  We clocked heads. Blind, I saw stars, and I realized his head was much bigger and harder than mine. I swear; with one gulp, he could eat me. What kind of bat did I turn myself into, anyway? The more I flapped, the more my wings began to tire. Flying all the time could be very exhausting.

  I sucked it up, flying straight upward as he barreled straight downward. At the last second, I dodged, and the others were upon me, clipping and biting at me. It seemed either I fought one of them head on, or I fought them all at once. The leader and I darted up and down in a wide circle. This was it: him and me, head to head for all the glory of the nighttime bug eating. I let out my final signal. He let out his. He charged. I charged and let out my ‘Dragon! Dragon!’ screech. There was no need to close my eyes, but I think I did.

  CHAPTER 4

  I felt something burning in my stomach and projecting from my mouth. The big bat screeched in the sky. I let out a sonic signal. The big bat was engulfed in flames and plummeting toward the ground. I could smell it burning―its hair, its wings―as I dove after it. Where did that flame come from? Did it come from me?

  My mouth was hot, and I could taste the bitterness of sulfur on my tongue. Below me, the burning bat crashed into a rooftop. Yes! What kind of bat am I, anyway? I’d never seen a fire-breathing bat before. I swooped up into the sky where the other bats waited and let out a screech of triumph. I felt another streak of flames shoot from my mouth into the sky. I sent out another sonic signal, and all the bats were gone. I’d won.

  I could hear shouts and cries from bellow and had visions of stubby fingers pointing in the sky. I flapped my way past the walls of Morgdon over and beyond where the green grass grows and flew through the night, exhausted, until I could fly no more.

  ***

  I awoke to find myself in a very cramped cave with the new day's light creeping in.

  “Sunken Sulfur! Where am I? Where are my arms and legs?”

  I could see again, but I couldn’t move a thing. It was as if I’d been nailed inside a coffin. I struggled and strained, wiggling my shoulder loose, then my arm and leg.

  “Ah… I’m whole again,” I said, crawling out of the cramped cave. “Whoa!” I tumbled down a rocky hillside and went crashing into the hard ground below. “Stupid!” What was I thinking, turning into a bat? I almost got myself killed. And being blind wasn’t any
fun at all. Next time I changed, it would be into something else, but I had to admit: all the flying was incredible.

  I dusted myself off, and to my relief, everything was intact: my sword, my bow, and even my pack. You have to like magic like that, which transforms not only you, but everything you carry as well. “Thank goodness.”

  Above me, the sun was rising, and Morgdon was nowhere in sight. The last thing I remembered was flying as far and fast as I could, putting the Festival of Iron far behind. Guilt crept into me, however, about leaving Brenwar behind. I knew he’d be mad, but I also knew that he didn’t understand. He was a dwarf; I was part Dragon, part man. He’d just have to understand.

  I coughed. The inside of my stomach churned like a pot of boiling lava, and the taste of sulfur was still inside my mouth.

  Smacking my lips, I said, “That tastes horrible.” I stuck a finger in my mouth, feeling around, certain I’d find a piece of charred wood inside there. What happened, anyway? Could bats breathe fire? Impossible.

  I coughed again. No smoke. No fire. Doing my best impression of a Dragon, I forced out a roar of air. Nothing came out.

  “Hmmm… perhaps it was a side of effect of the potion,” I said to myself. That happens, you know. I shrugged it off. It was time to go, but where to? I stretched my arms and limbs and raked my fingers through my hair.

  “Freedom!” I yelled, stirring the birds in the trees. “Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!”

  I ran! Long legs cutting through the woodland like a wild stag, I ran hard and long, with nowhere in mind to go. I was free. Not that I’d been a slave, but without Brenwar tagging along, I was liberated. Too often, he'd slow me down and nag.“Quit looking at your arm.”

  “Focus, Dragon. Focus.”

  “Slow down.”

  “I need ale.”

  “Did I ever tell you about the time I killed an Ettin?”

  It wasn’t all that bad, most of the time, but there was nothing like being alone without anyone to answer to. I could do what I wanted now, and I was going to. This time, I was going to rescue many Dragons on my own. I think that might better help my cause.

  I ran several leagues before I came to a stop beneath a shady tree and took a seat. Wind in my hair, civilization long from sight, I had all the peace and quiet I ever wanted.

  “Ah, now this is the life!”

  Finger on the white scaled spot in the middle of my Dragon hand, I found relief.

  “I guess it’s alright to kill bats, then.” And why wouldn’t it be? After all, that bat was picking on me. I tapped my fist on my chest as another fit of coughing began, but the taste of sulfur in my mouth was gone. “Finally! That’s much better.” I took a pull from the canteen in my pack.

  It was midday now, and I had a lot on my mind. Where was I going to go to find the Dragons? And I didn’t want to find just one. I wanted to find several at a time. I knew they were out there and that the most likely spot was one of the Clerics of Barnabus temples that were scattered and hidden throughout the world.

  “Not a good idea,” I said, rubbing my scales on my Dragon arm. Such a fascinating thing, it was. I tried to imagine what it would look like in white. “If I was a careless Dragon, where would I go? Hmmmm.” I also wanted to get as much distance between me and Morgdon as possible, and I had to think about that as well. If Brenwar came after me, where would he think I’d go? Nalzambor is a very large place with each major city several hundred leagues from the other.

  The Free City of Narnum was the closest and filled with the most trouble, the kind I like, that is. Pretty faces from all the other places gather there in celebration.

  The Home of the Elves, Elomehorrahahn, or Elome for short, is a fantastic place hidden in the mist and trees. Their surrounding forests are well guarded as they like their privacy, and as far as I knew, they didn’t meddle with Dragons. They were jealous is what I always figured.

  Thraag, or Thraagramoor, the home of the orcs, is simply too smelly to go near. I’d had my fill for a while in Orcen Hold.

  That left Morgdon, that I had to avoid, and Quintuklen, where I hadn’t been for a while. The humans lived there, and I’d had some friends there. Perhaps it was time I checked with some. I missed their colorful ways and wonderful things. The humans had the most zeal for life compared to all the others, simply put: because they didn’t live so long. They gave "living life to the fullest" new meaning, and I could relate to them better than the rest. Especially now, when I had a sense of urgency within me.

  But, Quintuklen was a long way off, and I could probably rescue a dozen Dragons by the time I got there. But, there were many men and women in that city that knew an awful lot about Dragons. Humans had poachers as well. Wizards, clerics, sages―many of them with questionable character―wanted the Dragons, our magic and the secrets that we held.

  I could hear Brenwar's voice in my head as if he was here saying, “There’s nothing but troubles and temptation for you in the cities.” I sighed. I was focused. I could handle those distractions now if need be.

  And of course, there were still all the small cities, towns and villages spread out and in between. I would just head that way first.

  “Perhaps I should buy a horse.”

  I had a long, long way to go.

  ***

  By nightfall, I’d made it to a small town called Quinley, a thriving farming community. The buildings were well constructed, the people amiable but wary. I respected their hard-working kind, but I was certain they didn’t care for a stranger like me. I fit in like a shiny button on a potato sack shirt. Not that they were dirty, but grubby from all their hard work. I almost opted to remain outside to avoid the stares, but the steady rain convinced me otherwise, so I entered. My coins were as good as any, and I was certain they wouldn’t mind my business, so inside the nearest establishment I went.

  My stomach growled as the scent of hot food aroused my senses. I could taste the roasted lamb and baked rolls in my mouth already. One thing about the well-fed people in the countryside: nobody made better buttered bread―and the vegetables were always fresh and delicious. Patting my tummy, I smiled as I walked in, keeping my Dragon arm concealed under my cloak.

  “Can I help you, er, Sir?” the innkeeper asked. He was tall and lean with a nice head of brown hair, for a man. He wore overalls underneath his apron and had a white scar on his clean-shaven chin. It was probably from some sort of farming accident as a child. He seemed alright, but his eyes were busy.

  “I need food and a room for the night,” I said.

  “Eh,” he started, wiping his greasy fingers on his apron, “we don’t have any more rooms.”

  He was lying. There was no one else on the floor except me, him and a table where a young couple sat. A pair of passersby like me, judging by their traveling cloaks and boots. They eyed me. I eyed them back until they turned away. I looked the innkeeper square in the eyes.

  “Are you sure you don’t have any rooms? I’d hate to think I came all this way, to the wonderful town of Quinley, home of the finest carrots and heifers, only to find they don’t have any rooms. Perish the thought!”

  The innkeeper showed me a toothy smile as he leaned back and I leaned forward.

  “Er… it’s true.”

  The innkeeper jumped as I rapped my knuckles on the bar.

  “Well that’s just horrible!” I said. And it really was, for him, because I was starting to get mad. I didn’t like it when people lied, and it was even worse when they did it without batting an eye. Something strange, very strange was going on in Quinley. But, that wasn’t any of my business. Getting some hot food and a dry room was. I continued.

  “And I suppose you are out of food, too?”

  The innkeeper nodded his head.

  A comely older woman emerged from the kitchen with two plates full of hot food. She stumbled as she saw me, eyes blinking, as she plopped the meals onto the couple's table. The woman turned towards me, pushed her hair back, straightened her shoulders, and smiled before casually mak
ing her way back to the kitchen. I smiled back and waved. Then I turned my attention back to the innkeeper.

  “I suppose that was your last meal… eh, Innkeeper?”

  Palms up, he shrugged, smiled and said, “Y-Yes.”

  LIAR!

  Now, I was hungry. Really, really hungry. And tired. I wanted food, and a room, and they were going to give it to me. Liar, Liar, Britches on fire! And all those years, I'd thought the country folk were nice.

  “What are you eating over here?” I said, walking over to the other travelers. “Smells good!” Something was wrong here. Why would they serve this ordinary man and woman, but not me? Sure, I had beautiful gold eyes and a wonderful mane of auburn hair, on the frame of an extraordinary man, but that’s no reason to exempt me. Is it?

  “Go away,” the man said, hand falling to a small dagger at his side. “Just passing through, and we don’t want any trouble.”“I don’t want any trouble either, my friends. But I really don’t want to sleep in the rain.” I turned back to the Innkeeper. “Or on an empty stomach!”

  A silence fell over the room. I could sense the Innkeeper didn’t want any trouble, but I was certain he’d seen stranger men than me before. There were many other races that had come into this place. I could tell by all the unique objects that decorated the walls: elven shoes, a dwarven shovel and even the two-pronged forks of the orcs.

  The waitress returned, a swagger in her hips, a smile on her lips, a bowl of soup with a biscuit in her hands.

  “Jane, no,” the innkeeper warned, reaching for her.

  Dipping her shoulder and shuffling over to me, she nodded and said, “Take this quick, and go.”

  I took the bowl from her and said, “Thank you, but why?”

  She stared up at me and said nothing as she licked her lips.

  That happens sometimes.

  “Jane is it?” I said. “That’s a pretty blouse you’re wearing, and your eyes and ears, so pretty. Are you part-elven?”

  She blushed.