He rubbed his eyes, his mind racing. Esma had told him that only Asphodel now mattered, and the encounter with the future version of himself reinforced that. But how was he supposed to leave so many people to their fate? Thousands were dying or being enslaved; could he put all of that aside?
The ground shook slightly and he turned around. Umbaroth had landed behind him. The silver dragon regarded him with huge reptilian eyes.
“It is a difficult choice, Luxon, but sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Stopping Danon is what matters most. His hold over my kind remains strong, and so long as he controls them, they will be a terrible threat to the world. We were created by the goddess to defend creation, but his foul corruption has twisted Drakis and his followers.”
Luxon looked away. “Do you think retrieving Asphodel will help the dragons, Umbaroth?” he asked.
The dragon sat back onto his haunches. Even sitting down, he was the height of a house. “The sword is the only thing that we know of that can best him. You have the sigil stones and the clues needed to find Asphodel and wield its power. It is a quest that only you can accomplish.”
Luxon nodded. The dragon was right. Only he knew the location of the final sigil stone and the resting place of the sword. “You’re right of course. It’s just that I cannot help but wonder how I am supposed to succeed where others have failed. Both Niveren and Zahnia the Great wielded Asphodel against Danon, and yet neither destroyed him fully. Is it even possible?”
“We will find out together,” Umbaroth replied sombrely.
Yepert walked over to Luxon and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Umbaroth’s right. We will find out together,” he said with a smile.
Yepert wore his blue mage’s cloak and brown boots. On the grass behind him were their travel packs. His curly hair was a mess, thanks to the strong winds on the cliff top. Luxon looked at his friend, the words of his future self-echoing in his head. Watch Yepert. what had he meant by that? He hadn’t noticed anything different about him, but still those words and the desperate way they’d been said had shaken him.
“I’ll be sad to leave this place,” Luxon said as he took in the island. “It’s so peaceful, and the magic here is so pure. I hope it will be safe from Danon.”
“This isle is well hidden,” Yepert answered. “Once we leave, the mages here will use their power to hide it in the mists once more, and even if Danon does find it, he will still have to face the immortal Esma.”
Umbaroth lowered his body to the ground and held out a paw. Yepert picked up their packs and clambered onto the dragon’s back. Luxon followed suit. Once on Umbaroth’s back, they settled into a spot behind his head. The tall spines that ran down the dragon’s back allowed them to hold on while in the air.
“Where to, Wizard?” the dragon asked.
Luxon looked north. Going after the sword would be a dangerous quest. He would need allies.
“North to Caldaria. I need to speak with Thanos, and hopefully Ferran and the others are there.” He paused. “Fly over the eastern lands en route, too. I want to see what the dragons are up to myself.”
Umbaroth snorted loudly. “If we encounter Drakis and his followers, I cannot fight them alone,” he said. Then, to Luxon and Yepert’s surprise, Umbaroth reared back onto his hind legs and roared. The roar was deafening and louder than thunder.
“What was that?” Luxon asked, his ears ringing.
“A call for assistance,” Umbaroth answered.
*
The little girl cowered in the cellar of the town of Eastsea’s tavern. Nearby were other citizens who had fled blindly from their beds and who had been smart enough to seek sanctuary underground. Deafening booms, roars and screams sounded from above.
An hour before the horror now unfolding around her began, the girl had been sound asleep in her mother’s house on the next street over from the inn. It had been a night like any other. She’d been carried up to her bed by her father and, as usual, he had sung her a nursery rhyme. She’d drifted off to sleep with not a care in the world, feeling loved. Then the roars had started, followed by the screaming. A powerful explosion had tossed her out of bed, and the smell of smoke quickly filled the bedroom. Crawling over splinters and broken glass, she had reached the landing and cried out for her parents. Where their room had been there was now a gaping hole that revealed the hellscape beyond.
The fire was everywhere, and people were screaming and running in all directions. The roar had sounded again, so loud that the girl covered her ears lest the noise burst her eardrums. Dazed and confused, she staggered down the ravaged staircase and outside the front door, which had been blown off its hinges. She cried out for her parents once more, but her voice was drowned out by the chaos happening all around her. She noticed the people running and watching the night sky. She looked up and screamed. Massive winged shapes flew over the town.
Dragons.
As her eyes registered what she was seeing, she watched in stunned awe as one of the beasts swooped over the far side of town, fire spewing from its mouth. As the fire hit the ground, it ignited the air around it, creating devastating explosions that blew the stone buildings apart.
A pair of rough hands gripped her tightly around the shoulders. It was Urni, her neighbour. The old woman was speaking to her, but the girl could not hear any words, just the screams and the roars. Urni took the girl by the hand and ran with her towards the inn, its stone cellar the only place of safety. Acrid black smoke filled the air; the heat was unbearable. Urni covered the little girl’s eyes as they ran. Burnt bodies lay in the streets; some were still aflame. Burning flesh mingled with the smoke, making them both gag.
They rounded a corner and to Urni’s relief, the inn was still standing – one of the few buildings that was. The innkeeper was standing in the doorway, desperately calling for people to come inside. Urni headed towards him but was blown off her feet by another explosion. The little girl was sobbing in her arms as Urni lay on the cobbled street. Pain shot through her side. Tentatively Urni put her hand where the pain was emanating from; it came away bloody. A piece of debris had pierced her torso; she could feel her life draining away. Her eyes widened as she spotted a wall of fire that was sweeping towards them. Taking the girl’s head in her hands, she said, “Run, girl! Get inside now!” She pushed the frightened girl away toward the inn. Agonising pain lanced through her chest but despite that, she felt relief as the little girl was pulled inside the inn by the innkeeper. The last thing Urni felt was the heat from the dragonfire as it swept over her, turning her to ash.
The little girl meanwhile was rushed inside the inn, through the bar and down a set of stone steps that led to the cold dark cellar. Once inside, the innkeeper pulled the heavy iron hatch closed. Above, the dragonfire consumed the inn, and the hatch glowed white hot. The citizens that had reached the safety of the cellar cried out in fear as the ground shook. To the little girl, it felt like the world was ending.
*
Umbaroth began his descent toward the world below. Thick plumes of smoke and the blackened earth made it obvious that his kin had been in the area.
“Where are we?” Yepert asked, shouting in order to be heard over the whistling of the wind.
“It must be Eastsea. The dragons have been here alright,” Luxon replied as he took in the scene of devastation below. Holding a hand to his eyes to shield them from the brightness of the rising sun, he could make out the shapes of horsemen riding hard towards the ravaged town. As Umbaroth went lower, Luxon could see the riders scatter in a panic. Each wore a mantle of white. Knights.
“Umbaroth, take us down further to the north. There are men down there that look like warriors. We don’t want to spook them.”
The dragon nodded its massive head and pulled up. They soared over the town and the riders. As they did so, Luxon could see that some semblance of order had been restored to their ranks.
*
Umbaroth landed less than a mile to the north of the town, Luxo
n and Yepert hurried towards it on foot. They hadn’t gotten far before they were intercepted by a handful of the knights they’d seen from the air. As the knights approached, Luxon and Yepert stood their ground. To their surprise, the lead knight laughed when he saw them. Kaiden raised the visor of his helmet, a broad smile on his face.
“Just when I think that Niveren has abandoned this world, I realise he has a strange sense of humour,” he said. Kaiden dismounted Herald and approached the two magic wielders. He opened his arms wide and embraced them both.
“By Niveren, it’s good to see you both alive and well. After the Watchers, we all feared the worst. Seeing you swooping towards us on a dragon scared the snot out of my men. I trust Umbaroth is well, too?”
Luxon nodded. It was good to see his friend, but his attire confused him. “I’ll tell you all about it later. It looks like you’ve been busy, too,” Luxon said.
Kaiden smiled, but a deep concern was in his eyes. “I’ve reformed the Knights of Niveren. After the Watchers, I knew I had to do something. We’re only a few hundred strong at the moment, but what warriors we do have are brave and skilled. Thanks to Ricard taking the King’s Legion to Bison, the east is practically defenceless; we aim to change all that, however, we weren’t counting on Danon sending his dragons to harry the land. Against them, we aren’t having much success.”
“Maybe we can be of some assistance?” Luxon offered,
“I hoped you would say that. Having a wizard on our side will certainly be of help. We need to get back to Eastsea and to helping the survivors. From there, we will take them back to Sumil and safety.”
Kaiden gestured for one of his men to give Luxon and Yepert his horse. The knight dismounted and handed Yepert the reins. Yepert glanced at Luxon with a raised eyebrow. Luxon sighed and nodded in understanding.
“I’m sorry, Kaiden, but we have to get to Caldaria as soon as possible. I was hoping you would come with us. I need all the people I can trust most with me. I know that the dragons need to be stopped but time is of the essence.”
Kaiden’s smile dropped. “What could be more important than protecting the defenceless Luxon?”
Luxon stepped closer so that only Kaiden could hear him. “I know where Asphodel is. We have to find it before Danon does. Only with the sword can we hope to stop him,” Luxon said earnestly.
Kaiden regarded the wizard for a moment. In his eyes, Luxon could see conflicting emotions battle one another. Seeking out Asphodel was a huge gamble, after all. Esma and the visions hinted that it had to be found. Kaiden turned to one of his men.
“Tell Tivon that I will be going with Luxon. Tell him that while I am away, Thrift is in overall command. Get the survivors to Sumil and once there, tell my wife what is happening.”
“Where are you going, sir?” the knight asked, confusion in his tone.
“To Caldaria, and then on a quest, no doubt. Tell them that it will be a quest that could give us a chance in this war.”
18.
Caldaria
The mage city was hectic. Every day, more and more refugees sought sanctuary inside the crystal walls, and every day the city was becoming more crowded. despite Trentian and Ricard’s campaign to make the people fear the mages. Ferran, Hannah, Sophia and the young king Alderlade had to push their way through the bustling crowds of desperate people.
No one paid them any heed, and even if they had known that the king was moving amongst them, Ferran doubted many would care. Nightblades and battle mages patrolled the streets. More than once, they had witnessed refugees turning on each other, either for food or shelter, forcing the city’s defenders to intervene. The latest incident had resulted in the mages using their magic to pull the quarrelling parties apart and leave them floating in the air while they cooled off. Tensions were high.
They pushed their way through the crowds and reached the Arch Tower. The blue crystalline structure that acted as the heart of the city loomed over the rest of the buildings. As they approached, they were greeted by a group of Nightblades led by Welsly.
“You all look terrible,” Welsly said with a boyish grin. “I trust the world beyond these crystal walls continues to grow darker?”
“Nice to see you, too,” Hannah replied tiredly.
“We need to see Thanos as soon as possible,” Ferran said. “The Kingdom is in a far more perilous state than he realises.”
“That bad, huh? Who’s this?” Welsly asked, his attention focused on the small boy held by Sophia.
“This is Alderlade,” Sophia answered. “King of Delfinnia and now in hiding. Can we have some quarters prepared? I think we could all do with a bath and some sleep. The road was not kind to us.”
Welsly’s eyes widened at the news. The Nightblade ushered them inside and called for servants to prepare them some quarters. He then led the way toward the Council Chambers.
“Thanos and the other Masters are going to hate you for bringing the king here, you know that, right?” Welsly said to Ferran as they walked.
“I’m counting on it.”
*
“This is outrageous!” Master Dufran, the head of Illusion, bellowed. His bald head was tattooed in a plethora of mystical looking patterns, and his piercing green eyes glared at Ferran.
The Council of Masters had already been in session when Ferran had arrived. He had never been popular amongst the city’s leadership, mostly down to the part he had played in convincing the mages to march to Eclin’s aid – a decision that most of the Masters had opposed. Magelights danced high above, and firestones lit up the crystalline walls, casting a wide variety of colours. To someone not used to magic, the chamber would no doubt feel alien.
“You have brought doom to Caldaria, Ferran of BlackMoor. We should have you arrested and stripped you of your status as a Nightblade!” Dufran continued to rage.
Ferran stood in the centre of a circular platform. Around him, the masters stood on pedestals. Grand Master Thanos stood on the middle pedestal, his bright blue eyes staring hard.
“What choice did I have, Dufran?” Ferran said. “Leave the boy, our king, in the hands of the enemy? The N’gist were already in Sunguard. All Danon would have to do is show up with his army, and the city would fall.”
“You report that a High Witch tried to prevent his rescue. If true, this is very troubling indeed,” Master Fy’odo, the Master of the school of Alteration, interrupted. The old man stroked his big bushy beard. Only his small grey eyes could be seen poking out through the ragged hair that hid the rest of his features.
“The N’gist are back in force,” Ferran retorted irritably. “They are everywhere. You refuse to accept that the old enemy has returned, even though the evidence is everywhere. They fought at the Watchers, and I am sure they are part of the force besieging Bison.”
“You shouldn’t have got involved at all!” Dufran shouted. His tattooed head was red with rage. “It was you who helped Luxon travel to the Great Plains, and you say stealing the king from the capital like some sneak thief was Rusay Broadmane’s idea. If true, then he should have been the one to do it. This city has only survived the dangers of the world for as long as it has for one reason: we stay out of the affairs of the barons and royalty.”
Ferran glared at Thanos who looked away. With a deep sigh, the Grand Master spoke. “Master Dufran it was I who told Luxon to seek out his mother on the Great Plains, and it was I who asked Ferran to accompany him.”
Dufran and the other masters stared at Thanos, shock and surprise evident on their faces.
“Ferran is right. For too long we have looked away, and as a result, the Old Enemy has returned. The kingdom is on the brink of annihilation at Danon’s hand. One way or another, he will come for us eventually. Make no mistake, gentlemen, we are involved in this war whether we like it or not. We always have been.”
“Letting in refugees is one thing but kidnapping the king –”
Thanos held up a hand, cutting off Dufran’s rant.
“Rescuing
the king is a more accurate term to use. I understand your wariness of getting involved, I truly do, but we cannot turn away the king. He shall stay here with us, and he will be protected by all of the power that we possess –”
The doors to the chamber crashed open. A panicked-looking Welsly ran in.
“Forgive me, masters,” the Nightblade said, “but a dragon has been spotted approaching from the south. It’s a big one!”
Thanos leapt down from his pedestal.
“Tell the battle mages to man the city’s defences,” Thanos shouted as he hurried out of the chamber, Ferran and Welsly at his side. “If this is one of Danon’s, then we will show that we are not defenceless. Council dismissed.”
*
Panic swept the city as news of the dragon spread. Most folks ran to their homes to seek shelter, while the refugees that packed the plazas were ushered indoors. Alarm bells tolled, adding to the sense of fear. Thanos and the others hurried through the streets towards the fortifications. They bounded up the spiral staircase until they emerged onto the defence platforms that ran along the top of the city’s crystal walls. The wind was strong and bitterly cold so high up, but the view they had was spectacular. They could see for miles in all directions. To the south, the Caldarian countryside lay before them. Farmland mingled with gentle foothills and the Great Wood beyond.
“There,” Welsly said, pointing to the sky.
Sure enough, a huge object was flying through the air. As it grew closer, Thanos could not help but smile. The object became the unmistakable shape of a dragon, its silver scales glinting in the sunlight.
“Call off the alarm and clear the Central Plaza,” he commanded. “Tell the people that the Wizard has returned home.”
*
Watching Umbaroth land inside the city stunned the awed onlookers. The mighty dragon’s huge wings cast a shadow over the plaza as they briefly blocked out the sun’s light. As the dragon landed its massive bulk, a tremor went through the city.
Quest for the Sundered Crown (The Sundered Crown Saga Book 3) Page 14