“No need to thank me, Aglina. Really. The Dwarves have compensated me for more than they ever should have. If the call ever comes, I’d do it all over again.”
They hugged one another, before she excused herself from the room. The others followed suit. Raythum and Liniana were the last to leave, and hurried to their own quarters for some quality alone time for the first time in days.
They climbed into bed and faced one another, both of them stealing a kiss when the opportunity presented itself. They said no words for a while. They reveled in the quiet, and relished the time alone, locking eyes with one another, and enjoying the warm embrace they shared.
As tired as they both were, neither wanted to be the first to drift off to sleep. Liniana spoke. “I can’t believe all you have been through in such a short life. You’re already a hero, and now the world is calling on your services once again. I don’t understand how you can cope with all that is expected of you.” She shook her head in disbelief.
Raythum grinned. “You give me too much credit, my love. If given the opportunity, there are many things I would change. The night Lutheras used the orb, every instinct, every nerve in my body, told me I needed to grab Narantha, and I should have. I ignored my instincts and allowed my arrogance to get in the way. Now I’m here to correct the wrong, to fix what I should’ve never allowed to transpire. As the leader of the Keepers, I have no choice, and I’ll die to uphold my oath and protect my land and my people. I’m sure you’d do the same.” He smiled at her. “You are doing the same. Even before you understood my background—or why I’m here—you joined my side and offered your services. If anyone is the hero, it’s you. All of you. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for all of you.” He kissed her forehead and couldn’t help but notice her blush, even in the darkened state of their quarters.
She seemed on edge, which he understood considering she had just found out about his mission here. A mission that, when concluded would require him to return to his own time, and leave her abandoned with a new baby. She tried her best to hide her true feelings, but he picked up on them.
He tried to reassure her and make her feel comfortable as much as possible considering their predicament. They made small talk and tried to get their minds away from the task at hand. Eventually they both drifted off to sleep, and for the first time in days, the whole household slept peacefully.
Most of them slept well into the late morning hours, and by the time everyone awoke, the aromas of mutton and vegetables filled the cottage. After the long night’s rest, they all were very hungry and tore into the large lunch, devouring every last morsel and crumb set out on the table. They ate in relative silence as a thunderstorm raged outside the cottage. Flashes of lightning, and brief bouts of hail beat on the weathered exterior of the building.
Raythum was stuffing the last pieces of meat into his already full stomach, when a familiar voice rang through his head.
How did it go? Did you get through your whole past?
Well, hello, Milenthia. It’s a pleasure to hear from you too. He shook his head. Yes, I spoke of the pertinent events of my past to give them a better picture of our situation, and of our enemy. How’d it go in Agripina? Do you have any news? Has he reached Shakiel yet?
The battle in Shakiel has begun. Neither side is showing an advantage yet, but now that I have a full understanding of your brother, I’m sure he has a trick or two up his sleeve. Everything in Agripina went well. I have to admit, I enjoyed being back, even if only for a short time. I bring with me four others who have agreed to assist us in our journey. We should arrive within several hours. I suggest you all make your preparations to depart as soon as we arrive. Raythum agreed and thanked her. And I would tell them to prepare for the elements. This storm is hammering us. While I understand our need for haste, I’d hate for any of you to catch a cold, or worse, die from exposure.
Raythum revealed what Milenthia had told him. He could see the excitement written on Jaeden’s face. The boy seemed eager, maybe a bit too eager. They cleaned up their mess from lunch, before they began packing.
Norlun didn’t know when he’d return and insisted on sealing up his home. He enlisted the help of Matt and Jaeden to lock up all of his belongings. With everything secured, they awaited the Dragon’s arrival. Aglina took the opportunity to catch a nap. She’d been the first to rise in the morning and had started on lunch. Her snores filled the sitting room of the cottage, and brought chuckles to many of them. Between the thunder outside, and her snores inside, the walls of the cottage shook. Matt and Jaeden were deep in conversation, while Liniana and Raythum sat together in a large oversized chair. Norlun had his nose buried deep in a large book. Who knew what the old man had in mind, and in all honesty, Raythum didn’t care. He embraced the closeness of Liniana and he breathed, taking in her sweet smell. He understood they only had a short time together, and it made her—and every minute they had together— all the sweeter.
The afternoon hours ticked by and they itched to be on their way. Aglina had awoken from her nap when a large bolt of lightning struck an old oak tree out by the barn. Norlun ran to the window to see the damage. The tree cracked down the middle, half of it lay on the ground. Smoke rose from the remains, but they didn’t see any flames. The white walls of the barn had blackened and charred near the remnants of the tree.
Eventually, Milenthia called to Raythum and announced their arrival. They walked outside into the fierce winds, where she waited with four of her friends. Before them stood another bronze Dragon, as well as a blue and two reds.
Milenthia gave the names to Raythum, and he proceeded with the introductions. “The blue is a male named Urngio, the bronze a female named Zykel, the female red is named Iolla, and the male red is Ryaxon.” They exchanged pleasantries and met one another. They determined who would ride which Dragon. Liniana decided to ride atop Milenthia with Raythum, the rest had their own mounts. Jaeden could barely contain his excitement.
Using rope, they tied all of their belongings to the backs of the creatures, of course sparing Milenthia any additional weight since she would be carrying two people. It took them an hour to prepare for departure. The rains hadn’t yet let up, and each of them were soaking wet by the time they climbed onto the Dragon’s backs. Many of them shivered as the cold bit deep into their bones. Unfortunately for them, the storms followed them wherever they went.
It took five days to reach the realm of Havenbrook, much to Raythum’s dismay. But it was still quicker than the month and a half it had taken to seek out Norlun to begin with. They stopped in Ferrindale and Drognard as they made their way west. Ferrindale had been a quick stop, well, much quicker than their first visit anyway. They had escaped without much pomp and circumstance. The Elves agreed to join the battle against Lutheras, understanding the threat he posed to all of Askabar.
Drognard had been a different story. Hostility and anger met their arrival. Raythum thought the Dwarves were going to arrest them on the spot. They had been the hardest on Aglina, which made sense because they viewed her as a tratiro. Having spent a great deal of time with the Dwarves in the past—or rather the future—he could respect their position.
Once they explained everything, and there was a clearer picture to be seen, Hirig understood the necessity of their travels, and came down easier on Aglina—even granting her permission to continue her accompaniment of Raythum as they traveled on to Havenbrook. That was where the ease of his stubbornness ended, though. He insisted the group stay in Drognard overnight to dine with them. His true intent was to gain a better understanding of what they had planned.
Raythum accepted, knowing he had no other choice. It turned out to be a good thing since many of the Dwarves weren’t eager to join in the fight against Lutheras. It took most of the evening, but Raythum continued to explain the need, and convinced many of the elders to agree. In the morning, the high council called a meeting to take a vote. The council agreed, and Raythum felt comforted by the assistance of the Dwarves. They t
ried to get back on their way, but Hirig insisted they stay longer to discuss the impending battle. With the assistance of Aglina, the reminder of their timeframe, they convinced the high council to allow them to depart. Raythum promised a proper audience with Hirig to discuss the finalization of the battle plans.
Riding through a hailstorm was never a pleasant experience, but add to that the presence of abnormal heat, and it was unbearable. Raythum’s excitement increased as the outer walls of the city, and the buildings in the outer ring came into view. Even though he didn’t belong to the Havenbrook of this time, he still found something comforting and homey when he saw the place of his birth. A sense of pride filled his entire body, and he beamed as they flew over the city walls.
He expected their sudden appearance on Dragons to bring a sense of calamity and chaos to the citizens of Havenbrook, and he had to admit he wasn’t at all disappointed. A large gathering of people collected in the courtyard, ready for their arrival. Several of the soldiers had bows drawn, ready to attack at a moment’s notice. Their attitudes relaxed when they spotted Liniana, and the entire mood of the collection of people changed. Instead of a potential threat, they had become a welcoming party. Unsure how to react, or help, several grooms rushed out to offer assistance to the party, but they made sure to give the Dragons a wide berth.
Raythum climbed from Milenthia’s back and noticed how the crowd seemed to disperse—to try and get out of the elements now that the display was over. He turned to Milenthia and said, I thank you for the assistance of your friends. You saved us much travel time, and it could prove crucial in our fight against my brother. You are free to feed in the meadows to the east. At least, you always preferred the area in the future. If it wouldn’t be too much to ask, could the others stay for a while? We might have further need of their assistance. He smiled at his long-time friend.
She groaned as he stroked her muzzle. I’ll see what I can do. I can’t make any promises, but I don’t see why it would be an issue. Good luck with the lord. He nodded his thanks and she watched as he departed.
The double doors leading to the palace flew open as Lord Brukahn and Lady Ariala walked out into the storm to welcome their daughter and guests. Raythum couldn’t help but notice the look of surprise filling the lord’s face. Ariala looked graceful as she glided toward them, the overweight Brukahn did not.
“Liniana, how glad I am to have you home.” The rotund Brukahn waddled up and gave his daughter a hug, looking her body up and down with concern. He walked over to Raythum and offered his hand. “I thank you for returning my daughter in one piece. I hope you found what you were looking for.”
Raythum opened his mouth to reply, when Brukahn noticed Norlun for the first time. “And Norlun, what a surprise to welcome you back!”
Norlun offered a slight bow of his head. “I’m glad to be back, my lord. But we have much to discuss.” He looked at the large storm filling the sky. “And I must admit it would be nice to get out of the elements for a bit.”
“But of course. Please, let’s retire to my chamber.”
They followed the pudgy old man into the palace and enjoyed the warmth which greeted them. Raythum watched as Milenthia and the other Dragons took flight and disappeared in the skies to the east. Brukahn offered Liniana the opportunity to retire to her own quarters, but she insisted on accompanying them to the chamber.
Under normal circumstances, the audience chamber would seem stuffy and hot, but the group welcomed the heat and comfort offered by the room. They all took a seat and looked toward Raythum to begin.
“Where do I start?” He said out loud, even though he intended it for himself. “I warn you, my lord, this is going to be a lot to take in.” Brukahn nodded his head and motioned for him to proceed. Raythum took a deep breath and started his tale. “My name is Raythum Stormdragon. I’m the prince and heir of Havenbrook.” He couldn’t help but notice the look of surprise on Brukahn’s face. “No need to worry about your realm, I come from over one hundred and thirty years in the future. In my time, I’m in charge of the Keepers of the Orbs, and if you haven’t already noticed, I’m a Dragon rider.” He looked at Lord Brukahn’s face trying to gauge his reaction.
He paused to let the information sink in to the old man’s head. “I’m sure by now you’ve heard the rumors of war to the north. I must inform you, the person waging the war is my older brother, Lutheras. I came back in time to stop him, and to return things to their proper timeline.”
The conversation continued through much of the afternoon. Brukahn questioned everything, and wanted more. Raythum came to understand the lord was a stickler for details. There would be much time to discuss the events further, as well as how they would bring a stop to Lutheras, but Raythum had one more piece of information the lord needed to know.
Raythum stood and addressed the lord. “I must also add that I’ve fallen in love with your daughter. Our long journey provided an ample opportunity for us to grow closer to one another.” Raythum felt a ripple of nerves spread through his body.
Brukahn’s jaw dropped open with the news. He sat in silent contemplation as he thought of his response. With his daughter present in the room, he needed to step carefully and ensure he used the proper language.
Finally, he opened his mouth and broke his silence. “Considering you are of noble birth, and you’re a prince, I don’t have a large issue with your courtship. But considering you’re from a different time period, how do you expect to handle this?”
Raythum nodded his head in understanding. The lord shared some of his own reservations, and of course, he hadn’t quite figured it out on his own, but now wasn’t the time. “We’ll have plenty of time to consider the future, but I must also add she is carrying my child.” He let the words hang in the air for a minute as he braced for the lord’s response.
Lord Brukahn walked forward and pushed his finger into Raythum’s chest. “I told you to keep an eye on my daughter, which didn’t include climbing into her bed. You dishonor my name with your devious acts and I…”
Liniana stepped forward and cut him off. “Be careful what you say next, father. Raythum has acted in nothing but an honorable manner toward me since the moment we departed Havenbrook. We fell in love during our journey. A journey in which both of us nearly died. What would you expect from two young people traveling together?” She could see anger still prevalent on her father’s face. She needed to act to bring him to her side. “Besides, I thought you would be pleased. I’m carrying the child of a prince, and have provided a clear path of ascension for our throne. You’ll be a grandfather and this will ensure our blood continues to reign long after we are gone.” She put a hand to her belly as her eyes looked into her father’s.
Raythum cringed at her words. He knew for the future to come to fruition, the Stormdragons would need to rise to power, an act that transpired with Liniana’s own death. He didn’t know how he would handle it yet, but needed to consider how to fix the future, by correcting the past before he could return to his own time.
Raythum could see the irritation and anger relax from the lord’s face. “Yes, well, this news does change things a bit. We’ll have much time to consider in the coming days. Why don’t you all clean up and get ready for dinner. For one evening, we will forget what needs to be done, and instead focus on celebrating the wonderful, safe return of my lovely daughter, and…” he chuckled in spite of himself, “my impending grand-parenthood.”
He dismissed his guests and departed himself to prepare for the feast. He didn’t seem happy by all of the news, but understood he needed to take it one step at a time. He shook his head in disbelief. He hadn’t prepared for this when he woke up this morning.
The Battle for Shakiel
A tornado dropped from the sky and descended toward the city of Shakiel. The sky turned a wicked shade of green and gray as large hailstones pelted the city below. The tornado picked up the loose stones from the now crumbling wall, and hurled them in all directions.
&n
bsp; Lutheras tried to get the attention of his most-trusted follower, Eldrin. “The orb, Eldrin. We must get that orb.”
The Elf wore a perplexed look. He had no idea what Lutheras’ intentions were, nor how he could do anything about it. All of his energy had been directed toward the incoming soldiers, and he needed to focus on doing everything he could to protect his master.
Lutheras took another glance toward the city. The tornado aided in his conquest, but wreaked carnage on his own troops as well. With a natural disaster, you never had a choice. A tornado doesn’t take sides. It leaves carnage in its wake, with no concern for friend or foe. He contemplated how everything had gone so awry. He spotted the old graying wizard from Shakiel with the orb displayed in his arms. He also looked at the heaps of dead bodies littering the ground and thought his answer lay there.
Lutheras motioned for Eldrin to pick up the other orb. “You must maintain the shield. I know you have to be bordering on little or no energy, but you have to maintain the shield to protect me while I work. Use the power offered by the orb and protect me at all costs. Our true purpose lies with my success.” Eldrin knew the true power of the orb lay in time travel, but the additional energy offered by the vessel would afford Eldrin with enough to keep them protected.
Lutheras grasped the other orb in both arms and felt the elation and joy it offered as he used its true strength. He found the words and conjured the spell to transform the dead into slaves for his cause. The light within the orb pulsed as it worked to accomplish its task. It exploded out and sought the dead soldiers laying on the ground. It took several minutes, but the dead soldiers soon rose and awaited orders.
Lutheras’ lips spread into a grin as he issued his commands. The graying wizard didn’t know what to do as he hefted the orb above his head. Lutheras knew the wizard would never use the true power of the orb; unfortunate, considering the orb would allow him to control the mind of any other being. One of the more powerful orbs-certainly, and if Lutheras could only get his hands on it, he could affect the outcome of the battle.
The Rising Past: Book 2 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series Page 32