Omensent: Rise of the Shadow Dragons

by Barry Gibbons

  "Good idea." Sly motioned to one of the passing guards. "Send the word to bust the barrels."

  The order was quickly passed along and dozens of barrels of lamp oil was brought forward and emptied into large channels cut into the stone that travelled through the wall, and down into open clay gutters that twisted and turned throughout the sea of spikes outside of the wall.

  "Light it up!" The little man roared in a shattering voice.

  A dozen torches were dropped into the trenches below and the oil burst into flame, quickly travelling through the gutters, and lighting the area for hundreds of yards beyond the wall.

  "I had thought this idea mad when you first showed me the design," Sly told the old wizard grudgingly. "but I have to admit that it was a stroke of genius!"

  "I thought it may come in handy once night had fallen." Damarius replied modestly. "Those creatures seem to prefer the cover of darkness, so I thought this may help discourage any nocturnal attacks."

  One of the guard captains entered the guard house, his face flushed with excitement. "Everyone is prepared milord." He reported. "The machines are all manned, and we have a dozen watchers scanning the skies in case a shadow dragon appears!"

  "What happens now?" Lady Skie in an uncertain voice.

  Damarius turned to fix her with a stern look. "Now, you return to the safety of the castle. I'll not allow you to place yourself in danger by remaining here any longer. You can watch what happens from one of the castle verandas."

  "I don't think so!" She exclaimed heatedly. "I'm not some child you can send off while you men play! I'll stay here with everyone as long as I bloody well choose!" She cut off her father when he opened his mouth to speak. "If you want to go hide in the castle, go right ahead! I'm not going anywhere!"

  "You are so stubborn sometimes!" Damarius scowled at his daughter. "You're just like your mother! She never listened to anyone either!"

  "You shouldn't have raised me to be so independent." She answered, giving him a kiss on his scruffy cheek. "Next time you have a child, have a boy. Maybe he'll listen to you!"

  **************

  "Time to be moving on?" The tattooed Deola asked as Damion, Veren, Raven, and Snowfeather gathered outside the livery, eagerly awaiting the sun to set.

  Damion nodded. "We still have a long way to go."

  Ole scratched his head. "I know it isn't any of my business, but you should be careful if you plan to continue your way east. The clans are riled from all of the chaos. You may find the way more difficult than you had planned."

  "We really don't have much of a choice." Veren replied as he checked over the supplies that they had replenished and packed on their spare horses.

  "Well, I wish you the best, my friends." He patted Storm gently on the neck, a wistful look in his eyes. "It was nice to talk with some civilized folk for a change!"

  They left on foot, leading the horses as they made their way towards the closest ramp leading up the escarpment, ignoring the looks from the locals that were hurrying about their business. They paused only for a moment to marvel at the massive complex of platforms and supports that led to the top of the massive escarpment, then started their way up, still leading their horses on foot.

  "I'll meet you at the top." Snowfeather hooted, launching himself into the air. "I'm going to go try and hunt up something fresh to eat in this barren wasteland." He quickly disappeared into the darkness.

  The platforms were all quite crowded as they moved through the milling mass of unwashed bodies. The ancient platforms were constructed of massive timbers that had been placed together eons before, and a surprising number of crude buildings had been constructed against the rock face, taking up a large amount of the already narrow space. The pathways along the platforms became so narrow in places that they were forced to walk in a single file line as they led their horses forward, slowly making their way towards the top of the escarpment.

  "Where are all of these people going?" Veren asked irritably, glaring at the surrounding crowd with distaste. "It's almost like the only reason they're here is to stand around and take up valuable space!"

  "They're various tradesmen that live in the area." Raven replied. "They spend a large portion of their days running from platform to platform to ply their trade. Some of them live in the village above, some in the town below."

  Their presence did not go unnoticed as they continued the climb towards the top of the escarpment. People watched them with unfriendly stares as they moved frustratingly slow through the crowd. Damion's massive size and strange appearance made it virtually impossible to blend with those around them, and many that they passed stopped to stare openly with hostile expressions.

  It was nearly midnight when they finally reached the third main platform that had been constructed on the face of the cliff side. They found it to be much larger than the first two, so it was slightly less crowded as they stopped to rest and water the horses.

  "At least we've made it half way up." Raven said in a tired voice.

  Damion glanced up towards the top of the escarpment, ignoring the stares of the passing tribesmen. "We would have already made it to the top if it wasn't for all of these people," His voice had an irritated edge. "and they all seem to want to move as slowly as possible."

  "I guess living on a cliff side has made the people here move as cautiously as possible where ever they go." Veren grunted, huddling deeper into his fur cape in an effort to keep the chill at bay.

  "This is as close to a city as this backward wasteland gets." Raven told them with a shrug. "Half of the population in the country lives in the two towns or the out lying areas."

  They were preparing to continue their trek towards the top of the escarpment, but found their way blocked by a group of thirty or so savage looking warriors dressed in flowing robes the same color as the sand that continually drifted on the breeze. Their leader was a large barrel chested warrior with a elaborately curled mustache and weathered skin from a lifetime of living in the desert. He carried a brutal looking spiked club loosely in one hand, and approached them with a confidence of a man who had a small army at his back.

  "Here we go!" Raven groaned, shaking her head wearily. She turned to give Damion a pleading look. "Please don't do anything spectacular! We'll end up with every tribesmen in the area on our trail!"

  Damion stepped forward to meet the leader, his face calm and posture relaxed. "Is there something you need?" He asked in a deceptively mild voice.

  The barrel chested man stared at Damion for several long moments. "Why have you come to our lands?" He asked in a aggressive tone. "Why are you here?"

  "We are just passing through." He answered politely, staring down at the smaller man.

  "On your way to purchase slaves in Arleia?" He asked, his voice suddenly taking on an oily quality. "The only reason anyone travels to Arleia is to purchase slaves." He smiled, revealing a mouthful of rotten teeth. "I can save you the time of making the trip! We have a number of slaves that should fit any of your needs!"

  Damion's calm demeanor suddenly dropped away. "We are not slavers." He growled, leaning down to stare at the man in the eyes. "We have other business."

  The man took a step back fearfully, then seemed to regain his courage. "If you are not slavers, then what business do you have with the snake people?" His expression had suddenly became suspicious.

  "Our business is just that, our business." He answered shortly, fixing the man with a look that promised death. "Take your men and move along."

  The barrel chested man's expression grew outraged. "You dare to order me?" He gestured to the group of warriors at his back. "I would think that one such as you should know when he is outnumbered! I would watch what I said if I was you!"

  Damion turned to give Raven an irritated look, but the young woman shook her head. He grit his teeth, then turned back to the smaller man. "Just leave us to be on our way. We still have far to go before we reach our destination."

  "I have a better idea!" The man
's eyes suddenly narrowed. "You look like you would fetch a handsome sum at the market! They would love to have you working in the salt mines!" His men began to crowd around their leader menacingly.

  Damion looked over to Raven, who shook her head firmly, then snarled and turned back. "Friend," He growled, trying valiantly to keep his tone even. "I don't like slavers, and I don't like being delayed. You really don't want to detained us any further. Take your men, and let us be on our way."

  "No, my friend," The barrel chested man gripped his club tighter. "I think you and your friends will be coming with us!" He looked back at his fellow tribesmen. "We can get a fortune for this freak, eh boys?" His men rumbled their agreement.

  Damion's face fell flat. He turned to look at Raven one last time, his eyes filled with suppressed rage.

  The young woman rolled her eyes and sighed, then held her hands out helplessly and reluctantly nodded.

  "I tried to warn you." The huge warrior snarled angrily as he turned back to the leader of the tribesmen. The man ignored him, and charged forward with his club held aloft, preparing to beat him into submission, but Damion suddenly launched himself forward, and lashed out with a crushing kick that caught the man full in the chest. The man was sent crashing back into his fellows tribesmen, his ribs and breastbone shattered. His limp form knocked nearly half of his men from their feet, sending them crashing to the ground, where they lay groaning and cursing in pain.

  The numerous onlookers that happened to be passing scattered in fear, warning those they passed to stay clear of the upcoming battle.

  "I guess we had better get ready for this!" Veren growled in resignation, drawing his sword.

  The tribesmen untangled themselves from their leader's limp body, then began to fan out, preparing to attack from all sides.

  "I've had enough!" Damion snarled, facing the men barehanded, not bothering to even draw his sword. Energy began to sizzle from his fingertips as he drew in his magic, preparing to obliterate the tribesmen who had suddenly stopped in their advance with wide eyes.

  "Behold!" Raven suddenly declared in a ringing voice, dropping the reins to the horses and rushing forward, her eyes slightly desperate. "You have angered the mighty Sorcerer of the South, who spreads sickness and blight upon all those who cross his path!" She stopped next to Damion, who had a startled look on his face.

  "What are you doing?" He asked in confusion.

  "Trying to keep you from destroying the platform!" She hissed back. "We are on a cliff side, in case you had forgotten! Just continue to look menacing!" She threw her hands above her head dramatically. "Woe be to they who incur the wrath of He with the power!" Damion emphasized her words by holding his hands before him and allowing the energy from his magic to sizzle back and forth between his fingertips.

  The tribesmen stared in fear for one long moment, then one by one they dropped to their knees and pressed their heads to the platform in submission. "Stay your hand, mighty one!" One on the men cried in terror. "Forgive us for our insolence!"

  "Silence!" Veren roared, quickly taking up the pose. "You are not worthy to address the great one!" He turned to Damion and struck an exaggerated pose. "What say you, great and mighty Sorcerer of the South? What be the fate of these men who dared to impede your journey?"

  Damion's anger evaporated in amusement as Raven and Veren continued to strike absurd poses. The tribesmen seemed not to notice, but remained on their knees, awaiting their fates to be delivered. "You men followed a fool!" He roared, trying not to start laughing. "You preyed on the innocent, took those weaker than yourselves against their will, and forced them into slavery!" He looked over the trembling men in half amusement, half pity. "This will be thy fate for your transgressions! You will release every slave that you and your tribe hold, and return them to their homelands. You will also repay your transgressions by insuring that no man ever passes through here as a slave again!" He released his magic, causing a wave of sparks to shower down upon the men. "Only by following my command shall ye find salvation from a horrific death!"

  "You!" Veren pointed to one trembling man. "Take several men and clear the way for our passage to the top. The rest of you, hasten now to obey your new master's command, lest ye suffer an awful fate!"

  The men all scrambled to their feet and rushed off in a panic, desperate to obey his commands, dragging the lifeless corpse of their formal leader behind them.

  "Hamming it up a little there, weren't you?" Damion asked, turning to the others. "How did you know they would fall for that?" He asked, fixing Raven with a curious stare.

  The young woman flushed a bright red. "I didn't! I just blurted the first thing that came to mind! I nearly fainted in relief when they all fell to their knees!"

  "You sure scared the fight right out of them!" Veren laughed. "The back of their robes suddenly turned brown! At least now they'll do something useful with their wretched lives!"

  "So what do we do now?" Raven asked, still giggling.

  "We take advantage of them clearing our path, and finish our climb to the top." Damion replied with a shrug, retrieving Storm's reins, and leading the warhorse towards the next ramp leading towards the top.

  They found the way forward much easier to navigate once the robed men cleared the way for their passage, and it only took them an hour to reach the last platform before they reached the top.

  "Do we stop here, or press on?" Veren asked in a weary voice.

  "We need to press on." Damion said regretfully. "If we hurry, it should only take us a couple of hours. We can find somewhere to rest once we reach the village above."

  There was a sudden commotion at the edge of the platform, and several people began to gather in a crowd. There were several cries of horror, and a number of them began to race back down the walkway towards the base of the escarpment.

  Snowfeather appeared from the darkness a moment later. "The village below is being attacked! A shadow dragon materialized from out of nowhere, as hundreds of dragonspawn appeared from the night! They are killing everyone!"

  "We had better check this out!" Damion quickly led them towards the edge and peered down. They stood in stunned silence as they saw the village below engulfed in flames. Hundreds of dragonspawn had descended on the unsuspecting people below, slaughtering all those they encountered. In the center of the village stood a shadow dragon, which was breathing fire over the fleeing tribesmen.

  "What should we do?" Raven's voice was subdued as the screams of the dying reached their ears. "Should we try to help them?"

  Damion watched helplessly for a long moment, then handed Storm's reins over to Raven. "Keep moving towards the top. I'll catch up with you."

  "Damion! Wait!" The young girl attempted to catch his arm, but it was too late.

  He launched himself over the railing, far past the edge of the platform, then allowed himself to freefall as he surveyed the scene below. The shadow dragon continued its rampage while the dragonspawn flooded into the town, finding only pockets of resistance as most of the tribe, men, women, and children, fled in blind fear from the nightmare that had descended on them from the darkness. Many were trying to fight their way up the ramps to the questionable safety of the platforms, while others fled blindly into the unforgiving desert.

  Damion fell for nearly a half mile before he drew in his magic, and slowed his descent until he lightly touched down just outside of the village. Most of the structures on the outside of town were fully ablaze, and the shadow dragon continued its destruction while the dragonspawn overwhelmed what little resistance the tribesmen were able to gather.

  He raced forward, pulling the Dragon Sword from its sheath, intending to face the dragon head on, but was forced to stop as several dozen dragonspawn appeared to block his advance. He charged forward, the sword blazing as it sliced through the air carving a path through the creatures, shearing through scale, flesh, and bone with ease. Five dragonspawn fell before the others could even react, but even then, they didn't put up much of a fight. He c
ut four more down before they scattered in fear.

  He whirled around, peering through the smoke to locate the shadow dragon, but was stopped once again as three shadowspawn appeared from the gloom to block his advance. They charged forward to attack, their eyes filled with bloodlust. The Dragon Sword flashed through the air faster than the eye could follow as he leapt forward to meet their attack, severing the legs of one beast, causing it to crash face first to the ground, hissing in agony. The flaming blade sliced cleanly through another's throat, stopping it in its tracks. Blood started spewing from the massive wound, and the beast blinked in disbelief as it saw its life spill to the soil. It collapsed to lay twitching next to its brethren, which was still clawing feebly at the earth.

  The last shadowspawn scrambled back in fear, its eyes wide in fear. "Dragon Man!"

  Damion casually lopped the head off of the crippled shadowspawn, then turned his full attention to the final beast, which was looking around desperately for a way to escape.

  It retreated several steps, then stopped as several dozen dragonspawn appeared from the smoke which was now obscuring everything from view. It hissed something to the smaller creatures, who instantly charged forward to attack.

  Damion snarled in fury, then drew in his magic, feeling it surge through his veins. He sent a blast of energy streaking through the air, striking the ground in front of the charging creatures. It exploded with a force the shook the buildings around it, causing several of the dung huts to collapse in upon themselves. There wasn't much remaining of the dragonspawn once the dust had settled. The sole remaining creature was the lone shadowspawn, who turned fled into the darkness.

  Damion didn't have any time to pursue the creature. At that moment, the shadow dragon burst into view, obviously drawn by the blast. Its eyes instantly locked on him and narrowed. It snarled in fury, then lashed out with its razor sharp talons, raking the air before it furiously. He danced clear of the lethal strikes, then drew in his magic and focused it on a crumbled piece of stone wall, sending it hurtling through the air and crashing into the serpent's broad head.