Ash had never seen his mother so heated. “It’s okay mother I took all diseases away so that he can no longer give or receive them.”
Zedock looked at Ella and then back at Ash. The sorcerer could accomplish many things but could he really accomplish that? “Are you sure son? When did you do that?”
“Just now. I hit Nighith with a pinch of light.”
“This place is so big,” said Nighith. “Mind if I look around?” And he wandered off inside one of the side tunnels.
As Ella commenced to turn toward Nighith to say something about him being rude Ryxa appeared outside the cave entrance flapping her wings and hovering as she looked inside. “Please I need your help. Is this the home of the dragon wizard?”
“Who are you?” said Zedock, matter-of-factly.
“I have a problem and I don’t know what to do. All my eggs are collapsing. I thought a dragon wizard might be able to help?”
Ash shrugged. “I don’t know much about the hatching of dragon eggs but I can take a look. There are so many things to learn.”
Zedock nodded. “Go and see if you can help and get that purple dragon out of here.”
Back at Ryxa’s nest Ash sniffed the remaining eggs.
“Do you want the good news or the bad news?”
“The good news please.”
Ash waddled over. “The good news is that those two have baby dragons in them but they appear to be shrinking. I don’t know if they will survive or not.”
Ryxa knew that two eggs had dragons but hadn’t realized that they were getting smaller. “Oh dear.”
“Where’s the father?”
“He ah ran off.”
Ash brought up his back leg and scratched his face as he thought. “There is a way to strengthen the eggs and at least give them a chance but I’m too big to get down into that underground garden. Marcus might help you though.”
“I know Marcus well. I’m sure he would help me if he’s not dealing with some other catastrophe of his own.”
Ash was surprised. “You know the boy wizard? Dragons are not supposed to connect with humans.”
Ryxa was annoyed. “Yeah well if a rule is unwritten then as far as I’m concerned it doesn’t exist.”
Ash shrugged. “Just tell Marcus that you need at least two upside down red roses, and then you rub it all over the eggs, it not only strengthens the shell but is supposed to make the dragons healthier as well.”
“I’ve never heard of an upside down rose.”
“My grandfather Aloth told me about them. He’s a great source of wisdom. He’s writing a book about many of his past experiences and other knowledge and stuff. I can’t wait to read it.”
Ryxa looked down at the baby dragon. “You’re awful advanced for a little one.”
“My magic helps me gain knowledge, almost like having a book in my head and it’s always bringing up spells that I might want to use.”
She sighed. “So it’s not showing you a spell for my poor eggs?”
Ash again sniffed the eggs. “No sorry. Is it a normal thing for some eggs to be empty?”
Ryxa shrugged. “I’ve never heard of it.”
One of the eggs moved slightly as the dragon inside adjusted its position and then as they continued to stare it remained motionless.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A BALL OF FIRE landed in the courtyard and dispersed razor sharp embers in all directions, both cutting and burning through skin, catching a small tree on fire. Many were injured by the fiery ball, including Abbey in donkey form, running for cover. Several pieces were stuck into Stones breastplate as he took off with several other knights, riding hard toward the direction of the catapult.
Marcus scared himself as he hovered up over the wall, the boy had never been aware that it was something he could do. He saw another ball of red fire being launched from over a league distant, aiming his wand he fired a bolt of lightning at it but missed. He fired a second time as it passed the halfway point, striking the fireball and blowing it to pieces, embers sticking into the ground, some deflecting off rocks, one piece killing a jackrabbit and setting it alight.
Marcus discovered that the higher he went the more unstable he became, finally managing to get atop the castle wall where he could safely watch for incoming orbs, observing Stone with five other knights riding hard toward the area where they had been launched. It had been scary floating up like that and he didn’t know if he would ever try to do it again but then again he hadn’t tried to do it this time.
Asher, Aewyn and Kapano floated the catapult back down into the tunnel and then climbed down themselves, an arrow deflecting off the magical door as they closed it. Asher smashed his broken toe yet again against the wheel of the catapult, making him cry out in pain and curse his own clumsiness, holding on to Aewyn as he jumped around.
Stone and the other knights arrived at the location where the attack had originated, and had they not seen the door fallen to the ground it was likely that they would have never found it. Merrill and Stone dismounted and examined the tracks that the wheels had dug into the ground. Archer Obed dismounted, a knight so tall that it made his horse look smaller than it actually was; he swept the dirt off the ground revealing the door that was concealing the entrance to the tunnel, but the dirt magically returned to its position of concealment.
“What do you suppose is down there?” said Stone.
Merrill shook his head. “Nothing good.”
Obed tried to get the door open but couldn’t; they all put a lot of effort into getting the damn thing ajar but it was futile, may as well have been attempting to move a mountain.
Stone sighed. “It’s a magic thing. Maybe Marcus can open it with his stick.”
Obed removed his helmet. “If there’s a wizard down there do we really want to go in?”
Merrill nodded. “Marcus could bring his dragon and burn them out. I’d like to see that.”
Stone knew he couldn’t just head back to Leeander. “Knute, Lance, you two stay here and guard it. “I’ll send others back to relieve you shortly and we’ll see if Marcus can open it. This cannot be allowed to stand.”
A while later Stone saw Marcus approaching in the distance, riding hard on the black stallion, his golden knights following him, including the newly returned Adorok, who had wanted to remain behind to talk to king Darius but he was compelled to follow the young wizard. Marcus’s horse whinnied at the scent of the dark magic that emanated from within. Adorok had left his suit of armour behind so now was a skeleton on the back of a white horse, a peculiar sight, no longer a wizard he felt a bit lost, his skill with a sword was dearly lacking. He had more than enough strength to wield a sword but no talent for it.
“Marcus you must destroy them from out here,” said Adorok. “Never attack a wizard at his home where he has had years or perhaps even centuries to set magical traps that even you cannot escape from.”
Marcus thought it sounded like good advice but also considered that it might be necessary to go in there to end them. “But what if I can’t destroy them from out here?”
Adorok shook his head. “Heed my words. You go down there and you won’t be coming out.”
Brother Knight attempted to pull open the solid door in the ground that led down into the tunnel as Kadyn watched, they were the first two knights that Marcus had unwillingly conjured in his state of sleepwalking; he pulled the handle off but the door wouldn’t budge, sealed by layers of magic. Marcus jumped off his horse and could feel the enchantment like an ocean wave flowing over it, and looking at his wand he read the words Layers of spells protect this entrance. It will take a long time for you to break all of them.
Marcus didn’t like what he was seeing. “How long?”
Almost three months.
Marcus looked as though he was arguing with his stick. “Three months! I can’t stay here for three months trying to break this spell.”
That is what makes it such an efficient spell. You should learn from it. It is like pla
cing a locked box inside of a locked box inside of a locked box.
Stone looked at Marcus. “So I take it that you are unable to break the spell? Now what?”
“There’s so much in the book of magic that it’ll take years for me to learn it all. All that reading gives me a headache.” Marcus scratched his head as he thought. “I can set up a spell out here so that when they emerge they will be in big trouble.”
“But what if there are innocents down there?” said Adorok. “And I sense that there are some.”
Marcus nodded. “That wouldn’t be good. Perhaps a spell that would put them in such a state of confusion that they wouldn’t be able to launch an attack?”
Adorok nodded. “I think that might work; an enchantment that would only last a day or two so that innocents wouldn’t wander endlessly and starve to death. I should be able to help you put it together.”
“Terrowin, Lance and Isaac you’ll remain here until Marcus gets back with the spell. I’ll send food and relief as it could take a while.”
“Especially if Marcus doesn’t have all the ingredients.” And Adorok knew that he didn’t. “You should always keep a large amount of ingredients on hand Marcus as your life and the lives of others might just depend on it.
Below ground the three sorcerers were listening to the conversations above.
Kapano stared at Asher. “I thought that Adorok was dead?”
“A walking skeleton; the boy must have pulled him from the afterlife now that is power.” Aewyn smiled at all the things they might be able to accomplish with such magical energy.
They were looking through the earth, a sort of window that allowed them to see the goings-on. “We might have to get rid of Adorok. Is it possible to kill him? The boy’s inexperience should allow us to handle him before he becomes too powerful but Adorok could help him progress faster than he would otherwise. He’s already warned him not to come down here.”
Aewyn nodded as he agreed. “Kapano you should kill Adorok now. When are you gonna get another opportunity?”
Kapano wanted to tell Aewyn that he should do it but didn’t, thinking that he was probably correct in his judgement. “I only have one penetration spell remaining and to get more ingredients for a new spell I’d have to risk an encounter with another dragon, but I suppose.”
“You do have the element of surprise.”
Kapano grunted. “The surprise will only endure for a moment but what that little wizard does to me might endure for all eternity.” A see-through shield appeared in his left hand, in his right a small ball of red fire that crackled and rolled around in the palm of his hand.
“I hope it works,” said Aewyn.
Kapano slowly raised himself up through the stone tunnel, the top part of his head sticking out from the ground as he oriented on the skeleton, and then extended himself up to his waist and launched the fireball at Adorok. The attack caught Adorok on his left shoulder and he burst into flame; Marcus turned and fired a lightning bolt but it was too late, Kapano had already descended back down into the tunnel, the bolt striking the ground and sending rocks flying where he had been.
Adorok screamed as the fire consumed him; soon all that remained was a pile of ash, hot fiery embers and half of his femur.
Marcus screamed. “No!”
CHAPTER TWELVE
CYRUS WAS IN THE COURTYARD swinging his sword around, going through modes of attack and defence, envisioning foes that he was vanquishing, brigands that were out to get him. He was also having nasty thoughts concerning Raina, about taking her without her permission.
Marcus had departed with his golden knights along with Stone and several others; Cyrus would have loved to have gone along but Stone had forbid it. The knight had told him not to be too anxious to become a warrior, to enjoy life now while it was less complicated and a lot less perilous. Life had many levels and his was now in watch and learn.
Raina was sitting on a large rock by the king’s pond; the body of water was surrounded by a myriad of smooth white rocks and lily pads in the water, nature was soothing to the mind and body, a great way to relax. Rock steps led down to the pond, steps that were often used as a place to sit and enjoy its beauty, even the king occasionally sat here. There were several pretty yellow and pink water lilies and a sturdy wooden bridge that went over the pond. An apple tree with plenty of red and delicious apples gave the pond some shade and made the area that much prettier. A white rabbit that was under the king’s protection was having a drink at the edge of the pond but then ran off as it was in a playful mood. It roamed the courtyard and ate from Darius’s garden but he enjoyed watching it. He always said to appreciate life to its fullest one must be grateful for the little things and to the king the rabbit was a gift. A part of the king’s garden was fenced off so that the rabbit couldn’t get at it.
Raina’s presence did not go unnoticed by Cyrus and she was a bit of a distraction; he commenced to pursue more complicated moves like jumping and stabbing one opponent while landing.
He was in her line of view although she did have to look up a bit as he was up on a hill; she tried hard not to notice him after all she was now officially engaged but she could see that he was now making his way toward her.
“Such a pleasant afternoon,” said Cyrus.
“It is.” Raina looked at him briefly and then stared back down into the pond.
“Raina I see that you have been left behind.”
“As have you.”
“I wanted to go but Stone insisted that I stay behind and without his approval my chances of knighthood are slim. I must admit that he is aggravating at times.”
Raina went up on the bridge and stopped midway over the pond, staring down at the water lilies. Cyrus came up behind her. “Cyrus do you think it wise to follow me around.”
Cyrus shrugged. “I just want to talk. There’s nothing wrong with talking to a beautiful maiden.”
“It is inappropriate and you know it. Be off with you before I summon the guard.”
But instead of leaving he got even closer to Raina, uncomfortably close. What kind of dastardly knight was this boy going to make? Should she threaten him that she was going to tell Stone? Being new to Leeander she thought that maybe they would believe him and if Stone stood up for Cyrus it might it put her in a bad light with the king.
“Raina, let me steal a single kiss from those beautiful lips and then I shall be off. No one ever need know.”
Raina was shocked at the request and was tempted to kick him in his soft parts. “If you know what’s good for you you’ll get away from me. Others may not believe me but Marcus will.”
That did indeed give him pause but would Marcus dare to spell him? After all he was Stone’s favorite pupil. “No one will believe a maiden over a knight in training.” He looked around and decided to go for it, attempted to kiss her and she caught him in the solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him. Raina decided to move closer to the castle where it would be safer and was happy when he didn’t follow.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Alexa was leading archers Merrill and Obed through the Dark Forest; from Leeander one had to cross the Mighty Kassa River to get to it. This part of the forest was always dark and the stars overhead always shone bright, never a moon in the sky and an eerie place to visit because many creatures concealed themselves under the shield of darkness. The expansive patch of forest had been there when Alexa was a young child and king Darius sometimes took her there to marvel at the bright stars and a single colorful Nebula almost straight overhead, looked like a golden ocean wave frozen in time.
In less than a week it was Stone’s birthday and Marcus had been a sufficient distraction to enable Alexa to slip away in search of Knightshade’s sword. Knightshade had been a valorous knight that fought for king Darius when he was first crowned and perished a little over a dozen years ago. The blade had gone through the chest of a niiwu and remained stuck in the giant sequoia tree but unfortunately another niiwu had taken the knight’s head. M
any had tried to release the sword and already it was becoming legend, that the tree loved it so much it refused to release it. It was a beautiful sword that had been bestowed on Knightshade by the king himself for his acts of valour, having tracked down and killed several rogue knights that had planned to kill the king. Its blade forged from the best steel, with a black dragon on one side and a red on the other.
After two days of travelling they could see the edge of the Dark Forest, though still hours away, it darkness obvious against the light of day. Alexa remembered standing with her arms outstretched as a girl, one side of her in the dark and the other in the light, when something had grabbed her from the dark side and made her scream, and she still had no idea what it had been. The three stopped to rest under an oak tree, a good place to do so as they could clearly see in all directions.
The sword was to be Stone’s gift if she could get her hands on it.
Obed made coffee and they had some bread and meat to go with it, hoping that the scent wouldn’t attract animals searching for food. They were unlikely to be attracted to the coffee but the cooked rabbits were different. Some of their armour was removed so that they could be more comfortable as they ate and the horses were fed as well, the day was warm and pleasant but Merrill wasn’t happy to be out in pursuit of a sword when there were many to be had at the castle. The princess could have easily had one forged for him. They talked about Stone and how he hated being reminded that another year had passed but that was part of the fun of it.
“Do you see what I see?” asked Merrill. A dozen niiwu were walking in their direction, muscular humanoid creatures with two heads, brutish faces and grey-blue skin. They had gold bands and necklaces around most of their necks, jewelry purloined from humans no doubt. Instead of nipples they had patches of small scales in that area and wore nothing but loincloths. They could also run as fast as a horse and so attempting to flee was risky.
Knight of the Sword (of Knights and Wizards Book 3) Page 5