Raven continued to stare up at the strangely altered form above her for several long moments, then turned to look at Damion, her eyes wide in disbelief. "You really are the Dragon Lord, aren't you?"
Damion sighed wearily. "I really wish people would stop calling me that."
"And you are a sorcerer?"
Damion nodded. "I am."
"Interesting." She continued to stare at him, her expression growing speculative, then with one last look at the towering arch, they continued their way north, deeper into the heart of the forest.
Chapter 8
It was two days later when Raven led them up a well traveled path that led away from the trade road and deeper into the dark forest. After several hours they emerged into a surprisingly large town that had been built on the banks of a wide river. The houses and buildings had all been built from the natural river stone gathered from the river's banks and held together with mortar. An extensive shipyard lined the riverbank and a number of large ships and barges were tied off to the docks.
"This is River Pass." Raven told them as she quickly guided them through town. "This is the main camp of the Black Feather clan. We have a number of others camps, but this is the largest." She gestured to the docks as they passed. "The revenue generated by merchants traveling on the river is the primary source of income for my people."
They followed the dark haired woman through the bustling town, ignoring the startled looks that they drew from the people they passed. After several minutes, they finally arrived at a large imposing building guarded by several Deirian warriors.
Raven dismounted and led the way inside, ignoring the greetings from her fellow clansmen. Damion and Veren followed her closely as she made her way up a set of stairs, then through a set of double doors guarded by another pair of warriors dressed in black leather similar to the kind that Raven wore.
They emerged into a large chamber that appeared to be some sort of library. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling with shelving stuffed with books and scrolls.
"This is my father's study." Raven quickly explained. "He spends most of his time here."
A large desk of carved oak had been positioned in the center of the room behind which sat an older heavy set man with silver hair and a closely cropped beard.
"Raven?" The man exclaimed in surprise, rising to embrace his daughter. "I had thought you were out patrolling the trade road. What has happened?" He motioned to Damion and Veren. "Who are these foreigners who follow you?"
"These are my new friends, Damion of the town of Sevria on the southern continent, and Veren Verilian of Jaghera." She gestured to the shocked looking old man behind the desk. "This is my father," She declared proudly. "Evien Nightshade, Chief of the Black Feather clan!"
The old man stared at his daughter in confusion. "What has happened?"
Her face clouded. "Our camp was attacked and my men killed. We were the only survivors."
The older man's face grew grim. "Who attacked you?"
Raven stared at her father helplessly. "It was a dragon!" She saw her father's look of disbelief, and rushed on. "I know it sounds insane, but it's true! I saw the beast with my own eyes! It fell from the sky, breathing fire over the camp! It was as large as a house and its scales were as black as night! It killed my men, then turned on me!" She gestured to Damion, who was watching the old man as he slowly began to realize that his daughter was not jesting. "I would not be alive if it were not for Damion driving the beast off!"
The clan chief finally took a good look at Damion and his eyes grew wide at the sight of the huge warrior. He looked back to his daughter. "Are.. Are you sure it was a dragon? All the stories I have heard said that dragons were always some shade of red."
"It was a dragon. " Damion assured the old man, who jumped nervously when he spoke. "They are called shadow dragons. They are the source of all of the destruction throughout the land."
The old man's face was shocked. "And you fought this beast? Was you able to kill it?"
Damion shook his head. "It was injured, but it still lives."
"Where did it come from?" The old man asked, still in trying to absorb everything he was hearing. "I have heard some stories coming out of the south of some madman releasing the dragons back into the world, but I had thought them to just be fairy tales!"
Veren coughed uncomfortably. "You wouldn't happen to have anything to drink handy, would you?" He asked Raven's father. "Believe me when I say that it's much easier to accept when you have a drink in your hand."
The old man nodded to several bottles of wine on a tray nearby, and the one eared man poured them each a large goblet. He took one from Veren with shaking hands, then drained it dry in one long drink.
Veren laughed, then refilled his glass. "That's a brave one!"
The clan chief looked back to Damion. "Who are you? How is it you know all of this?"
Damion groaned. He was growing rather tired of repeating this story. "Three years ago I joined the Dragon Sword with the Dragon Gem, releasing the scarlet dragons back into this world."
"You were the one that released them?" The old man asked in disbelief. He stared at Damion for a long moment, then drained his glass of wine once again. He gestured to Veren for a refill, his face still pale with shock.
"When I released the scarlet dragons," Damion continued, his face sad. "the shadow dragons were also released from a banishment thousands of years old. The Dragon Sword only controls the scarlet dragons, it does not have any power over the shadow dragons. So we are searching for a way to stop them before the attacks grow worse."
"They are journeying to Arleia where the disturbances first occurred." Raven explained to her father, who was staring at Damion with frightened eyes. "They are trying to stop these beasts!"
"Beasts?" The old man asked, his hands trembling slightly. "You mean there is more than one?"
"There's no way of telling how many of these damned creatures there are!" Veren snorted.
Raven's father shook his head dazedly, his face pale with shock. "Can this all be true?"
Damion nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so. I'm hoping I can find some way to stop the shadow dragons, even if that means I have to hunt them down one by one."
"And you think you can defeat a dragon?"
"He already has!" Raven told him. "When the shadow dragon attacked our camp, Damion was the one who drove it off! That beast would have killed me if he hadn't attacked it!" She went to her father's side. "Damion is the one that the stories speak of! He is the Dragon Lord!"
The old man passed a weary hand across his forehead, then looked to Damion and Veren. "I think I may need a little time to absorb everything that I have heard." He looked to his daughter. "Please take our guests to suitable quarters. We can continue this discussion once you have had a chance rest and refresh yourselves."
Raven embraced her father briefly, then led them back to their horses outside.
"He seemed to take the news well." Veren commented sarcastically.
"It is a lot to take in!" Raven said, defending her father fiercely. "To hear that a dragon is the cause of these attacks would be hard for anyone to swallow!"
"Well, unfortunately, we do not have the time to wait for him to catch up." Damion murmured regretfully as he climbed atop Storm's broad. "We need to continue our way towards Arleia. We have to find a way to stop these creatures before they begin attacking larger settlements. Too many lives have already been lost."
"You can at least stay overnight!" Raven objected, her face determined. "A fine meal and a good night's rest will not slow your progress too much." Her tone spoke loudly that she would hear no furthers arguments on the subject.
They followed the dark haired woman through the crowded streets to another large stone structure, then after leaving their horses with a stable hand, they followed Raven inside.
"This is the Lion's Head Inn." She told them, motioning for the elderly innkeeper to join them.
He was an ancient looking old
man with a weeks worth of beard growth and an angry look that appeared his normal expression. He scowled at Raven hatefully, then shuffled over, grumbling sourly under his breathe.
"This is Sully." She introduced with a fond smile. "He runs the finest establishment in all of Deiria! He'll show you to your rooms." She smiled down at the old man, who glared back at her hatefully. "I know he may look a bit surly, but he is truly a good man." She looked back to Damion and Veren. "After you have rested and refreshed yourselves, I'd suggest visiting his tavern. He makes some of the finest wine you have ever tasted!"
"Will you be returning soon?" Damion asked hesitantly, not wanting to sound too interested.
Raven smiled a radiant smile that seemed to brighten everything around her. "I'll return once I have finished filling my father in on the details." She frowned momentarily. "I'm not quite sure how I am going to explain what happened with Melvik, though." She shrugged. "I'm sure I'll think of something!"
Damion watched as she hurried out the door, then glanced down at Sully, who was staring up at him with an angry look. "Is there a bathhouse we can use?"
"Out back." Sully grumbled, still staring at Damion angrily. "Boy, what did your parents feed you to make you grow so big?" He shook his head in disapproval. "Don't you think you should have had the courtesy to stop growing at a reasonable height?"
"I didn't really have much to say in that matter."
The old man gave Snowfeather, who was perched sedately on Damion's shoulder, a disapproving look. "Make sure your bird doesn't make any messes while it's here. I don't want to have to scrub the floors after you leave."
"That shouldn't be a problem." Damion assured him calmly.
"I suppose you'll want some food after you wash?"
Damion smiled and nodded.
"I'll tell the cooks to butcher a couple of oxen then." The old man griped, turning to shuffle towards the kitchen. "I'll have your rooms made up while you bathe."
"Pleasant little fellow." Veren laughed, watching as the old man paused to berate a passing servant.
"Raven seems to like him though." Damion commented, chuckling in amusement.
They returned from the bathhouse to find Sully impatiently awaiting their return with a table groaning with food. "It's about time!" The old man growled unhappily. "I've had my cooks working overtime to prepare all of this food!" He gave Damion an appraising look. "I figured it would take quite a bit to fill such a big fella."
Damion smiled, his mouth watering at the sight of all the food. "This is perfect, Sully!" He sat down and began to help himself.
After he and Veren had eaten far more than was good for them, they sat back in their seats enjoying a flavorful wine provided by Sully from his private stock.
"Tell me about the land that lies between Deiria and Arleia?" Damion asked Veren curiously, taking a sip from his goblet of wine.
"Veiria?" Veren's face grew bleak. "It's not a very pleasant place. It's mostly desert, and as hot as a dwarven forge. The Veirians are a backward primitive sort of folk who worship the spirits of their ancestors. They live in underground chambers hidden all over the desert and concealed by the shifting sands."
"Will they give us any problems when we enter their lands?"
The one eared man shook his head. "I doubt it. The Veirians are an odd sort. They eat the fruit of a certain cactus that apparently allows them to enter a trance like state, which is how they speak to their ancestors. They spend most of their time wandering the desert in a drug induced daze, unable to distinguish fantasy from reality."
Raven suddenly appeared in the doorway, her face pale. She hurried over to their table, her eyes slightly panicked. "You must leave at once!" She whispered, her voice slightly desperate.
"Why?" Damion asked in confusion? "What has happened?"
"My father has called for you to be taken into custody and dragged before the council!" She told them, grabbing Damion by one arm and trying to drag him to his feet. "As soon as they gather enough men they're going to try to subdue you!"
Damion stood, but still did not follow. "Why are you telling me this? Won't you get in trouble for warning us?"
The young woman's face grew flustered. "Well... You saved me! I owe my life to you!"
"You're father will not be happy that you have done this."
She dismissed this with a toss of her head. "You must hurry! I will lead you out of town!"
Damion and Veren followed her to retrieve their horses, then quickly made their way through the empty streets. Although it was dark, the streets were lined with torches which lit the way to the edge of town.
"Damn!" Veren cursed as they rounded a corner to find the road blocked by nearly a hundred warriors, each armed with long bows which were drawn and leveled at their chests.
"Raven!" The young woman's father stepped from the crowd of warriors. "Step away from that vile creature! You're job is done now!"
"She has betrayed us!" The one eared man snarled in anger. "I knew we couldn't trust a Deirian!"
"That's not true!" Raven turned to stare at Damion desperately. "I..."
"Do as I say!" Evien Nightshade roared. "Get away from them so we can take them into custody!"
The young woman stared at her father in chagrin, then turned to gaze at Damion helplessly.
"Go." Damion snarled at her in a cold voice.
She continued to stare at him with a pleading look, then finally looked away, staring instead at the clan chief, who stood awaiting his daughter to respond to his command. She turned away and then nudged her horse with her heels, disappearing into the crowd of warriors.
"Got any ideas?" Veren murmured.
"None that doesn't involve a lot of people getting hurt." Damion replied, his mind still reeling by Raven's betrayal.
"Well you had better think quickly!" The one eared man whispered desperately. "Otherwise we are going to look like a couple of pin cushions!"
"Get down off your horses, and surrender the Dragon Sword!" The clan chief demanded. "You shall be taken before the council in Willowton to answer for the crimes your actions have caused our people!"
"I don't have the time to play games with you, Evien Nightshade." Damion growled in a dangerous voice. "You do not want to cross me!"
"I assure you, I'm not playing games." The pale skinned clan chief told him. "You will do as I say, or you will die!"
An ear splitting roar echoed through the forest surrounding the city, causing many of the Deirian warriors to jump in fear.
"Uh oh!" Veren was already searching the sky, his face concerned. "That sounded like a dragon!"
Another roar split the air, then a shadowy form suddenly dropped from the night sky, slamming to the ground behind the Deirians. The black dragon shrieked once more, then lashed out with its lethal tail, sending a number of warriors flying limply through the air. It drew a deep breath, then began spewing fire over the nearest structure, setting it instantly ablaze.
"Fall back!" The clan chief yelled to his men in a booming voice.
The Deirian warriors reacted with the efficiency of well trained men as they retreated from the creature, then reformed their ranks in a practiced motion.
"Fire!"
A hundred arrows suddenly rained down on the raging dragon as the warriors released their bows, but the arrows merely bounced off harmlessly, unable to penetrate the creature's tough hide.
Damion launched himself from his saddle as he drew the Dragon Sword. "Take the horses and get out of here!" He ordered Veren. "I'll catch up!" He paused to watch Veren disappear with the horses, then turned to the dragon, who was still being pelted with arrows.
The shadow dragon suddenly reared and slashed out with its razor sharp talons, cutting down several warriors, then drew another breath, preparing to breathe flaming death down upon the Deirians.
Damion drew in his magic and sent a sizzling bolt of energy streaking from his fingertips, striking the beast in the side of its enormous head.
The shadow
dragon shrieked as the bolt of energy exploded, momentarily blinding it. It shook its head to clear its vision, then whirled on Damion, it fangs bared and ready to strike. Its long whipping tail lashed out, absently crushing another warrior and hurling his body into his clansmen.
"Retreat!" The Deirian clan chief screamed in terror, watching as his clan was being slaughtered. "Fall back to the forest!" He turned and fled, followed closely by what remained of his clan.
The shadow dragon ignored the fleeing men and focused on Damion, who was rushing forward, the blazing Dragon Sword held aloft. It reared back, then lunged forward with a roar, raking the air before him with its claws, but he dove behind the stone wall of a building, avoiding the slashing talons by mere inches. The shadow dragon screamed in fury, then began belching flames, engulfing the structure behind which Damion was hiding, then turned its attention to spreading its flames to the other nearby structures. Fully half of the town was ablaze within seconds, and the screams of terror from the town's people were lost in the roar of the fire.
Damion raced from behind the stone structure and swung a vast overhand blow with the Dragon Sword, striking the frenzied beast just under its massive armpit. The flaming blade sliced through the tough hide easily, leaving a deep jagged gash that exposed bone. He danced behind the dragon for safety as it began to thrash in pain, then saw his opportunity. He ducked the whipping tail, then leaped aboard the thrashing dragon, landing between its rear hips. He scampered nimbly up its spine and between its wings, then braced himself as the dragon went berserk.
The shadow dragon shrieked in fury as it began to slam its body into one of the stone structures in an effort to dislodge Damion, but he held on tight, refusing to be thrown from the shadowy serpent's back. It desperately tried to whip its head far around enough to grasp him, but it was unable to reach him. Its belched a wave of flames high into the air, roaring in frustration.
Damion, continued to hold on, then, as the shadow dragon paused to roar its frustration, he reversed his grip on the Dragon Sword and drove it down into the beast's back with all his strength, just between its shoulder blades. He felt the flaming blade slide through the gap between its ribs, and drive deep into the shadow dragon's beating heart.
Omensent: Rise of the Shadow Dragons Page 12