Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  Near a week later in the town of Rohloff, Kandella was on the deck of the ship waving goodbye to Bishop Hans. While it took her some time to convince him, he did agree that this find was something that should be looked into. Yet he sent along with her a few men. He did not want her blindly roaming around an island that could be a very dangerous place now. Bishop Hans talked Captain Turk into sending a few men with her. While Kandella did not care for the brutish humans, she was glad for their protection. She knew the voyage would take several weeks and she was looking forward to writing about the journey there and back. She gave Bishop Hans one last wave as she turned away from the railing of the ship and took her things to her room. She had some strange looks from the sailors on the ship but none of them said a word to her. The ship's captain had a good reputation in Rohloff and for some reason the name of the ship pleased her. If only she knew when they set out that this would be the last voyage of Nathan’s Bounty for a very long time.

  64. Thunder

  Sa'tilix made an imposing figure sitting there amongst the burnt buildings, almost majestic. I didn't see him at first but sitting there on the dragons back was General Malkov. While I could not see his face I imagine he wasn't all that pleased. When the great beast lowered him to the ground I knew he was going to come to the tower. It was the only building left standing. I drew my weapon and started to make my way towards the stairs. 'What are you doing?' Zender asked me with some confusion in his voice. I told him we had to deal with Malkov, one way or another. 'What about the dragon, did you think of that?' he asked again. I looked out the tower window again at the beast, I just shrugged my shoulders. It is only one dragon I told him. Thinking in the back of my mind that the red we killed months ago was so much bigger than Sa’tilix, I knew we could take him. Either way, we had to do something before they went back to Ramanthus to tell him what had happened at the spire. We had to give Lomark the time he needed to make our escape ready. I was tired of standing around and doing nothing, I was tired of trying to find the back way around it all. It was time for me to start going towards things head on. I told him he could follow me or stay with the wizard. Either way I was going down there to deal with it.

  Looking back I may have just been itching for a fight. While I take no pleasure from killing, there is something to be said about the fight. As I was rushing down the tower stairs, I could hear them behind me. I took a moment to look back and was shocked to see Lomark. I told him he could stay behind, he just said 'Fight with me or die without me'. I wasn't sure how to take that but then I remembered it was Lomark. Malkov opened the door to the tower just as we reached the bottom of the stairs. 'You did this!' he shouted at me. 'I'll kill you all.' He was lost in his rage. While he did have a dragon outside, how could he believe he would take us all on? He raised his weapon over his head and started charging towards us. I doubted for a moment if I wanted to kill him right away. This wasn't his fault, he was just the hired hand. I wanted to give him a chance to walk away. To this day, I do not know why. I stood where I was, three steps from the bottom and waited for him to come to me. Knowing my timing had to be just right I set my back foot and when he hit the first step I kicked out at him.

  The sound of my foot crushing his face echoed up the tower. He flew back towards the door and landed in a heap on the floor. While I still don't know what was so funny hearing Zackary laugh made me smile. Malkov rolled around on the floor, drawing a deep breath into his mouth, his nosed was completely crushed. As he got to his knees he spit out two teeth and looked up at me. 'Should have known better than to trust you. Did you burn them all alive you bastard?' I just shook my head at him. I told him he was an idiot, that the men set the fires as they were leaving. I told him about Willis coming out of the house saying something about how the priest and that all the gold was gone. I then told him the men rioted over not being paid. 'Lies!' he screamed at me. I just shook my head at him and told him that it was over. That all their plans had fallen apart and he was better off leaving before it was too late. Using the tower wall to hold himself he got to his feet again. 'I will give up when you are dead.' While I wasn't determined to kill him yet I could feel my anger starting to burn. I slowly slid my weapon back into its scabbard. Locking my eyes on his, I started to walk towards him.

  I saw him draw the dagger from his belt but I didn't even acknowledge it. I could hear my friends behind me, talking, warning me. It didn't matter. As he thrust the blade at me I caught his wrist, slamming it into the wall over his head. Watching the dagger fall to the floor. 'You do not know me', I said to him. 'You do not know what I am capable of doing to you. I am giving you a chance, a chance to live. To be free of this mad man and live out the rest of your life. You know he can't beat Xcavere, every man in this fortress would have died. We saved them, now save yourself before it is too late.' I was watching his eyes, watching to see if my words had any effect on him. All I could see was madness, he was beyond my ability to reach with words. He tried to free himself from my grip, it was then that Zackary once again saved my life. The dragon Sa'tilix had been watching from outside the tower. Sticking his head as far into the door as was possible it tried to bite me. It would have had Zackary not pulled me away. I turned and looked at the face of the beast, 'do not kill my human. Give him to me.' I honestly could not believe my ears. I wondered what it was that made him so protective of Malkov. Most dragons don’t care for humans, evil dragons only view them as a threat or something else to eat.

  I took a hold of Malkov and held him in front of me like a shield, marching him out of the tower. The others followed behind me, fanning out to the sides once they were clear of the door way. Sa'tilix took Malkov in one of its claws, standing on his hind legs he looked down on me. It was then I noticed the wounds on its body, the blood on his face. Holding Malkov's body close to its face, Sa'tilix began to whisper words of magic, causing the man to fall fast asleep. 'I remember the sting of your blade human.' As it looked down on me the dragon’s voice rolled over the courtyard like thunder over a plain. 'I have lost my mate this day to those cursed elves, I will not lose my young. They are not ready to live in this world alone. Yet this I swear human, I will find you again. My time is great, when you are old and gray I will come to you. You will be helpless as I kill everyone that you care about. Then after seeing all that you love destroyed, I will take you. Remember my name human, I will not soon forget yours.' I do not know why he was so focused on me and I still do not know why he was so protective over Malkov. When the first fireball exploded around the dragons head, I thought we might never know. A roar filled the air as it turned in rage towards the wizard. Malkov's charred body dropped to the courtyard below.

  Lomark continued to cast his spells, offensive and protective, as the dragon dropped to all fours to face him. It was then that Zender called down the power of his god in the form of a column of light, striking the head of the creature. I knew I only had moments to act, sword in hand I began to charge the beast. As I ran magical attacks continued to strike the dragon. He was wounded and not ready to fight, not against the combined power of a wizard and a cleric of good. I could hear the beast drawing in a breath as I got close enough to strike. I rammed the sword deep into the chest of Sa'tilix, trying to open up his chest. The dragon’s blood came down on me like rain as I removed the blade. Barely avoiding the creature’s claws I moved away. He turned his head towards me with murder in his eyes when another barrage of magical energy slammed into the creatures head. Snapping his head back around, he unleashed his breath weapon at the wizard. A blinding flash of light filled the air as the lightning struck the barriers the wizard used to protect himself. It was not enough, when the smoke cleared Lomark was on the ground. I looked for Zender but could not see him.

  Once again the beast turned its head towards me, I watched as it opened its mouth and tried to bite me. It was all I could do to stay away from its gaping maw, filled with dagger like teeth. 'Pathetic humans.' The dragon continued to come after me, no matter how fast I mov
ed. I knew it was only a matter of time before it used its breath weapon on me. I looked around for the others, Zender had Lomark on his feet, Zackary I could not see. Not until he struck his own blow into the dragons flank. Another roar of rage filled the air as it turned towards him, Zackary had opened up a gash three feet long. The dragon’s blood soon began to cover the courtyard. Each time he took an attack, he turned towards it. We hit him from all sides, each of us taking our toll on him. It was only a matter of time before the beast fell. He could not withstand the assault of steel and magic. After the beast died, I was just happy to be alive. I thought about cutting out a patch of the dragon’s skin for a trophy when I saw Lomark. He was filling old potion jars with the creature’s blood.

  I was about to ask what was next when we heard his voice again. 'Kromwell' he screamed at me. I looked over and saw Malkov. He was broken, bloody but far from dead. He was trying to walk but one of his legs was clearly broken. He would take a step, drag the other leg ahead and continued his pain filled march. 'I am going to rip your head off and watch as the crows eat out your eyes.' As he walked he continued to get stronger. It almost reminded me of something but I could not put my finger on it at the time. The four of us stood there next to the dead dragon watching him. 'I have a spell or two I want to try on him.' I thought the wizard was joking but by the look on his face I could tell he was quite serious. I told Zender to take the others back to the tower, that I would deal with Malkov. Zackary had taken a hit or two from the dragon but was still in good shape, he helped Lomark up the stairs. Zender however would not move, he stayed there by my side. 'You do not have to kill him but you can't allow him to stop us from taking the rod.' I told him not to worry, that I would deal with the good general one way or another.

  'When my lord returns, you will all suffer for your betrayal.' I told Zender to go help Lomark and that I would be up as soon as I could deal with Malkov. I watched as Malkov walked over to the dragon’s body, placing a single hand on the side of the beast. 'They will all pay my friend, they will pay for what they have done to you this day.' I tried to talk to him but he was in another place at the moment. I kept telling him that he had time to flee before it was too late. He just stood there next to the body of the dragon with his eyes closed. When he at last turned away and started to move again he didn't even limp. 'I am going to kill you now.' he said this as anyone else might say it was a nice day. As if it was just a simple matter of fact. He started towards the tower, I just shook my head and went after him. I was more than a little shocked when he started to run. He was going for his weapons, once he had his own sword in hand he turned back towards me. 'Lord Kromwell, bhaaaaaa. You propelled yourself to glory on the strength of others. I thought so much more of you before I met you. I see what you are now. Nothing but a coward who hides behind real men and then you take credit for it. What will you do now? There is no one to save you.' He stood there sword in hand, waiting for me to make my move.

  'Are you going to fight me or talk me to death' I said to him. I held out my sword and waited for what I was sure to come. He charged at me, screaming like a mad man. Standing my ground I blocked his sword with mine, the sound of metal slamming into metal was soon the only sound in the air. With each blow of his that I turned away, he seemed to grow a bit angrier. He was weak and he wasn't even a very good fighter. I felt like I was toying with him. Locking his blade with mine I pulled him in close. His nose was completely healed at that point, as was all his other injuries. 'Why won't you die!' he shouted in my face. By that point I had enough. I pushed him away, sending him flying to his back. He laid there looking at me and I asked him if he really wanted to die. 'I am giving you the chance to run, take it now or this will not end well for you.' I really didn't want to kill him, yet in the end he gave me no choice in the matter. He got to his feet and charged towards me again. Blocking his blade with my shield I chopped off his sword arm at the elbow. Malkov fell to his knees, holding the bloody stump with his other hand. He was in shock, watching his blood run out of what was left of his arm. He reached out for what I thought was his weapon with his remaining hand. It was then that I ended him, ramming my blade into his chest.

  I stayed there over his body until his breathing stopped. I started to go into the tower when I remembered the dragon, I wasn't going to leave without the skin I wanted. I cut enough off the back of the beast to make a second cloak, to match the red one I had. I rolled it up and stuffed it into the bag with all of the gold we took from Ramanthus. As I was walking back past Malkov I noticed something strange, the arm I had cut off was longer than before. I picked it up, it was still warm to the touch. While I had fought a troll or two in my time, I had never seen such a thing. I looked at the rest of his body and Malkov was clearly dead, yet the arm continued to live. I carried it with me up the tower to show it to the others. Zender took it from me right away, pulling off the gauntlet that was still over the hand. He showed me a large ruby encrusted ring on the middle finger. He whispered to me 'It is a ring of regeneration, had you left this down there he would have grown a whole new body in another day or so.' I watched as he pulled it off, the arm started to bleed and before long it turned gray. Zender handed me back the ring and told me not to tell Lomark about it. 'It would make him reckless' was all he had to say.

  I looked at the Rod of the Arcane, still protected by the magical field. I asked how we were going to get it out of there, Lomark looked up from his book and said he would be able to dispel the field but he wasn't sure if it would set off the wards in the tower. I asked him what would happen if it did. 'You would not live long enough to know I failed.' I turned back towards the window and looked out. Wondering if we would be able to escape before Ramanthus returned, wondering if we would still be there when the armies of Xcavere came marching in the open front gate. The dragon had said something about losing his mate to elves. I assumed that the dragons were hiding in the forest to the west in Sanctuary. Perhaps they would keep Ramanthus away long enough. Right then it became a waiting game. At any rate we were stuck until Lomark was ready and our time was quickly running out.

  65. Over Time, Time Past

  The wizard Khross observed his student with great care. He was years behind others of his age but he was still progressing. While he was gifted, that much was clear, there was something off about him. He tended to be emotional at times. Perhaps it was just his age, at twenty years old he should have been long past the years of having to be taught magic. Yet Khross felt Ramanthus had a good heart, despite the rumors about him. Rumors that he had fallen in love with a brothel whore and that she had a child by him. For the most part, Khross ignored the back alley talk. No matter how others protested, he would not overlook someone with the gift that needed to be molded. Even if he had younger students that were more advanced than Ramanthus. Yes, while he felt that Ramanthus would never achieve any level of greatness he did have it in him to do good work. Minor yet still good work.

  "Ramanthus boy, I want to ask you a question, think long and hard before you answer."

  "Very well Master Khross." he said while looking up from his spell book.

  "What do you want to do with your life?" Ramanthus raised a single eyebrow and looked at his mentor. As he opened his mouth Khross raised a single finger. "Think before you speak young man. At your age you should have already set out into the world. Down the path towards your desires. One year from now I will administer your final test to you. From then on you will be on your own. What is it that you will do after that, you must have some idea?"

  "I do master, you gave me the idea not too long ago." Ramanthus started to twitch and fidget in on his stool.

  "Well go ahead boy, let me hear it."

  "You told me that inside each person there is a type of energy, a soul. While our bodies are all different, we all have that same energy inside of us. Every creature great and small has this energy inside of them. An evil man is still evil stripped of his flesh. His energy is the same no matter the vessel it is contai
ned in. What if there was a way to tap into that energy, control it. Change who a person is by removing that part of the energy that makes him evil. They would be the same but the desire to do things like killing for the sake of killing would be gone. I believe if you tap into that we can make people feel love for their fellow man. We could bind the people together in love and unity." The more his student spoke, the greater the chill Khross felt.

  "You would deny man his free will? Who are you to control how a man feels or acts? There is a balance to the world boy. Tip the scales too far to either side and you can upset the whole cart. Also, what you speak of comes very close to the realm of necromancy. You know I will not allow you to study this, it is forbidden in my home." Khross tried to hide his anger with his student but he could hear it in his own words.

  "Not all men should have free will master, not with what I have seen. Some men are no better than a monster. Take dragons for example, if they get to close to or start killing humans, people will hire hunters to kill the dragon. What if we could change the beast so he wouldn't have the desire to hurt man, they are intelligent and have a soul just like you or I. We could change the monster so instead of living in conflict with man, it would desire harmony with man."