by Brad Clark
She walked over to the nearest sailor and pulled a sword from his grasp. “Now who is going to teach me how to use this!”
For a long moment, no one moved. Finally, Conner stepped forward. As he approached, he realized that there were tears forming at the edge of her eyes. He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away, thinking that he was going to try and take the sword from her grasp. Instead, he took her by the elbow as gently as he could.
“Come over here,” he said softly.
She followed him away from the sailors to an isolated spot on the deck. Behind them, Captain Gorge started barking commands to get his men back to work. Play time for them was over.
“Elissa,” he said when they were alone. “I don’t want you to know how to fight. I don’t want you to know how to kill, or to be comfortable with it. The first time I had to kill someone, I felt sick and couldn’t think. You were there, remember? And then next time was just as bad. But then, with each one I killed, it became easier and easier. It is not a badge of honor to know how to kill. It is just something that I had to do to protect Karmon and to protect you. I can remember the face of each man that I have killed. The screams for mercy, the tears, they haunt my dreams. I cannot let you ever feel that. It is a horrible feeling, and it is one that I want to protect you from.”
“I am not a little girl, Conner. I am not the princess that you found in the woods. I have grown, and I have learned what it is like to be helpless. When I see you fight and twirl your swords like you do, dancing with your opponent, I cannot help but be amazed. I know you will always be able to do more than me, but I cannot just sit by and be helpless. I have to help somehow, someway.”
“You already carry too great a burden. I cannot let you carry this one as well. I would be afraid for you the first time you were forced to kill someone.”
“Why?” She said, her voice getting angry again. “Are you afraid that I wouldn’t be able to do it?”
“No,” Conner replied. “I would be afraid that you would. I fell in love with the princess who was strong, yet still a lady. I fell deeper in love with you the moment I saw you back in the castle. You were meant to be queen, and it made me so proud to just know you, much less be in love with you.” He took a deep breath. “But I did not fall in love with a warrior, or someone who wishes to become one. I know what it is to be a warrior, to kill in battle. Your humanity is stripped from you when you kill. I do not want you to feel that.”
The tears that had built up in her eyes fell down her cheeks. “How can you say that?” She said. “How can you put conditions on our love?” She spun and ran across the deck, disappearing down the stairwell.
Silence filled the ship. The sailors kept their heads down, quietly doing their chores, trying to act like they had not heard their argument.
Glaerion silently walked up to him, shaking his head. “You stupid humans will always mess up a good thing.”
Conner shook his head and glared right back at the Elf. “Would you just shut up?”
Glaerion laughed.
Chapter Three
He knew what he was and what his real name was, and Farrus was not it. The body the Deceiver inhabited had called itself Farrus, others had called himself Farrus, so he decided to take that name. At least while he inhabited this body. The name that his followers had given him, the Adversary, didn’t seem quite right. Farrus was as good as any. It was only a name. The enemy and his followers referred to him as the Deceiver, which he didn't really mind. Since the first time that word was uttered to name him, his own followers had hated and despised that name, but not him. He knew who he was and what he was. Deceiver was an appropriate name.
In the instant that he took over the human Farrus’ body, he knew all that the man knew. It wasn’t much, but it did help fill in the gaps of his knowledge. Tarcious had been an able servant, but he had proven unable to wield the power that he needed to wield. The sudden appearance of the Ark of Life had also made Tarcious expendable. His sole purpose had been to find the Ark and deliver it, but then the Ark had suddenly appeared right before him. It was as if the fates of the universe were finally on his side.
Dealing with the frail human body was a chore as well. It was certainly functional and very adaptable to the world, but it had too many requirements. The sustenance required by the human body continually interrupted his activities, but not quite as much as the rest he was forced to endure. It took him two days to realize that he not only needed to feed the body but allow it to sleep. At times he wondered how humanity could have survived all this time. Too much time was spent sleeping, eating, and expunging wastes from his body.
With his back to the ruins of the city that the locals called South Karmon, he actually took a moment to enjoy the beauty of the Creator’s creation. He never doubted the Creator’s power or disputed the wonder of the universe. Its vastness was as infinite as its splendor. What drove the being that inhabited Farrus’ body was envy and frustration. The Creator’s universe was so immense, there was room for his own dominion, but the Creator never let him have even one of the billions of worlds floating in the darkness of space. There was no denying the envy he felt. Who wouldn’t be envious, but it was the frustration of eons of bitterness that pushed him to where he was now.
Now, he finally had a foothold upon one of the Creator’s creations, and there was nothing that was going to stop him now. He had the Ark of Life, which meant he had the full power of the Web of Magic. No being that walked the earth could stop him as he wielded the power of the Ark.
One of the Stone Ogres ambled by, shaking the ground. It was carrying an armload of stone from the walls. At the back of the city near the tall cliffs that overlooked the ocean, was a pile of rubble that had once been a strong castle. The ogres and the dragons had torn the castle apart so that he could rebuild his own tower. Once there was enough stone, he would be able to call forth his magic to construct the tower. He could have used magic to help the ogres, but his frail human body was still limited in the amount of magic that could come through it. In time, as he used magic to make his body stronger, there would be nothing that he couldn't do. He just needed to be patient for just a little while longer. Since had been waiting for a seemingly infinite amount of time, a few more cycles of the moon would not make a difference to him.
Farrus looked up into the sky and closed his eyes. Thinking of the destruction of the city reminded him of his next task. His hand fell upon the small leather pouch that hung from his neck. He slipped the stone out and squeezed it. It felt odd to wield the power of the Ark of Life this way, but the thought was only fleeting as he called out for the dragons.
He felt their minds, but he could not see any further into them. Once again, something felt out of place, but before he could think anymore of it, the dragon answered.
There were no words that were spoken, only impressions and thoughts. The dragon that responded was coming along with a companion. It seemed angry and also slightly amused. And then it was out of his mind. He squeezed the stone harder to try and will it back, but it would not come. A burning anger spread through his body and filled his mind with hate. A nearly uncontrollable urge to wreak havoc upon something, anything, came over him.
It was only the screech from above him that kept him from exploding his anger onto the ruins around him. He looked up to see the two dragons circling high over his head. Their dark bodies were but specks against the high clouds. Tails swished back and forth. Wings slowly pumped, keeping them aloft.
With agonizing slowness, they descended.
Farrus watched, as did his army. The Stone Ogres didn’t know what they were, and they didn't care. They were only concerned with pleasing their master and completing their task at hand, which was moving piles of rock from the walls to the castle ruins. With a final glance to evaluate whether the presence of the flying creatures was a threat or not, the Stone Ogres continued with their tedious task.
The goblins, however, reacted much differently. Some of them ran in
fear, knowing what they were and the devastation they could bring. Even their small brains and short memory couldn't forget the ferocity of the first night of the attack. As many goblins died that first night as Humans. Other goblins stood in awe, transfixed at the hypnotic flight pattern of the creatures overhead.
With the onlookers fully mesmerized, jaws wide open and eyes bulging with amazement, the two dragons pulled their wings into their sides and dove straight down, streaking towards the ground. At the last possible moment, they spread their great leathery wings and flapped with ferocity to hang in the air. The wind generated by the force of the flapping wings sent many goblins tumbling across the ground. Some did not get up, but no one cared.
Slowly the dragons finished their descent, their long, muscular feet reaching for the ground. Once they touched the ground, their wings folded up along their backs, and they dropped onto their forelegs. Their eyes were unusually large for the size of their heads. One had deep golden eyes while the other had bright green eyes. Swinging their long snouts from side to side, they looked around at the goblins, dismissing them with little thought. Then they both looked directly at Farrus. Both dragons looked very similar with light brown scales that covered their entire bodies. But the dragon with the green eyes had three short horns sprouting from its forehead while the dragon with the golden eyes had a dozen horns of various sizes. The dragon with the golden eyes was also larger, but not by much.
Looking straight at Farrus, the dragon with the golden eyes bared its long, sharp teeth.
“You look Human, but you did not smell Human.” The words came from the dragon, but its mouth never moved.
Farrus glanced curiously from one dragon to the other.
The golden-eyed dragon moved forward, slowly stretching its legs with each step. It leaned towards Farrus and took a deep breath through its nose.
“You do not fear me?” It asked with its voiceless words. No sound came from its mouth, but Farrus could hear it in his head. The voice seemed feminine, but Farrus couldn’t be fully sure. The sex of a dragon was not obvious unless one happened upon them mating.
“I called for you,” Farrus replied, his booming voice breaking the silence.
“Yes, I heard you,” the dragon replied. “And we came.”
“I have called before, many times, and you did not come.”
The golden-eyed dragon glanced back at its partner. “No, we did not.”
“I commanded you!”
The dragon bared its teeth once again.
Farrus stepped forward, gripping the Ark firmly and shouted, “I command you.”
The dragon pulled its head up and back, opening its jaws wide. Fire exploded from its belly, shooting out in a wide stream directly at Farrus. Without thinking, the words of a spell came to his mind, and a bubble of protection kept the fire from reaching him. He knew he would not have died, as he cannot die. The body that he inhabited would have quickly melted in the heat and flames, and he would have been sent back to his own realm. All his work and effort over the past millennia would have been wasted. As the dragon fire continued to pump out, Farrus realized he needed to be much more careful to protect his body.
Once the dragon stopped breathing its fire, he stopped the spell, and his anger exploded.
“How dare you!” Farrus screamed. “I am your master! You will obey my commands!”
Laughter came from both dragons. “We are no one’s master,” the golden-eyed dragon said.
“I am!” Farrus shouted. He gripped the Ark of Life, squeezing it as hard as he could. He thrust it out at the dragon, opening a direct channel into the Web of Magic. Dragons were made from the same fabric of the universe that magic came from. The Ark of Life was supposed to control them.
He could no longer feel the dragons. He focused on the Ark, using his mind and thoughts to seek out the presence of the dragon, but he could not feel it. He could see them both, right in front of him, but he could no longer feel them in his mind.
Even though dragons did not have lips, the razor-toothed mouth of the golden-eyed dragon appeared to turn into a smile.
“Is there a problem?”
The anger inside of him dissipated and in its place was an odd feeling. Maybe this is what fear is, he thought to himself.
“You cannot feel me anymore, can you?”
A mix of confusion and anger kept Farrus from speaking.
“Do you know why? Do you want to know why? You thought you could control me, but try as you might, you can’t. You never could. Anything that I have done…” The dragon turned its neck to look at the other dragon. “Anything we have done, we have done because that was our will. Not yours. You may have control of your dominion and command your minions there, but here, on earth, you cannot command that which refuses to be commanded.”
Farrus would not listen anymore. A loud scream erupted from his lips, and he lifted his hands high into the air and thrust them towards the dragon. Streaks of lightning burst from his fingertips, enveloping both dragons in a bright, blue light. Goblins that had stayed around them were fried alive. Anything that wasn't instantly killed was singed and permanently disfigured. His screaming continued as he pulled strength and power deep from the Web of Magic, pumping the lighting out of his hands until all strength left.
Farrus dropped to a knee, his heart pounding hard and his breathing shallow and labored. He cursed his Human form for being so weak. There was no doubt the dragons should be dead. The power that he released would have destroyed even the largest and greatest of creatures. Instead, they both looked back at him with amusement in their eyes.
Once again that feeling came over him. He felt fear. If the dragons had cast their fire breath at him at this moment, he did not believe he had the power to protect himself. They did not seem to notice the weakness, as he was sure they would have attacked if they knew how weak he was. Forcing himself to stand tall, he did his best to project strength and power.
“Most curious,” the golden-eyed dragon said. “You claim to be the Deceiver, the Adversary, the Opposer. The One Who Would be Second. Nassifar in the language of the ancients.”
“I am he!” Farrus shouted out.
“And yet, you do not know the power of the dragons? You do not know all, nor will you ever know all. Only the Creator can know all.”
“You try and taunt me, tease me? I will destroy you.”
“I have already shown you that you cannot. You use the power of the Web of Magic to attack beings that are of magic? We are flesh and bone, just like any creature that the Creator brought to the world, but the Web of Magic flows through our veins and magic cannot hurt us. Your power is useless against us!”
Farrus knew this. The moment he saw that his lighting strike attack did nothing to the dragons, he knew that his power was going to be useless against them. It was a piece of knowledge that was hovering just under the surface, waiting to be revealed. As he took possession of the body of the man named Farrus, not all of his knowledge had transferred over. It was coming back, but too slowly. For a moment, he wondered what else he could not remember, but he didn’t have time to dwell on what he couldn’t control. Indeed, the dragons were flesh and bone, and that meant that they could still die. Just not by his magic.
While the golden-eyed dragon spoke, reveling in Farrus’ failure, Farrus went to work. His hand was still gripping the Ark, which made it easier to connect to the Stone Ogres and communicate with them. He didn’t need to spell out what he needed to do, he only needed to picture it in his mind.
The ground rumbled as the first of the Stone Ogres approached, running at top speed. It had come from the city, jumping over debris and knocking down anything in its way. Both dragons turned as they felt the ground shake. The golden-eye dragon reacted quickly, breathing its fire directly at the Stone Ogre, but the fire did nothing to it. With its own thunderous screech, the Stone Ogre leaped directly at the smaller dragon, wrapping its arms around the dragon’s neck. Its momentum carried it to the ground, bringin
g the dragon with it.
The green-eyed dragon thrashed and bucked, trying to release itself from the grasp of the Stone Ogre, but the strength and size of the Strone Ogre were too great. With one last flip, the Stone Ogre threw the dragon onto its back and then it fell on top of its body, holding it down. Shrieking for its life, the dragon tried to claw and kicks its way free, but the sharp talons of the dragon did nothing to the stone skin of the ogre.
The golden-eyed dragon lowered itself into a crouch and prepared to pounce. The moment it launched, a second Strone Ogre grabbed its tail, pulling it back down. With a quick snap of its tail, it sent the Strone Ogre flying across a rubble-littered street, crashing head-first through a partially collapsed building. But the destruction did its job. By the time the golden-eyed dragon turned around to help the green-eyed dragon, it had been pulled to the ground, laying atop the Stone Ogre, who had a death grip around its neck.
The green-eyed dragon had stopped thrashing and awaited its fate.
“Release him!” The golden-eyed dragon shouted. It spun its head towards Farrus, its teeth bared.
“Or what?” Farrus replied. “Or you will kill me? You could try, but if I were to lose control of the Stone Ogre, I fear it would simply crush the neck of your green-eyed friend. I have no intention of releasing him. At least until I am done with you.”
The golden-eyed dragon snapped its teeth, but Farrus did not flinch. A comfortable feeling came back over him now that he was back in control.
“Now that I have your attention, you will listen and obey me. Otherwise, I will kill your companion.”
A low rumble came from the belly of the golden-eyed dragon. “I will send you right back to where you came from. I will fry your body and devour every one of your servants. They will suffer the most horrible of deaths.”
Farrus laughed. “Unlike you, I care not for any of my servants, companions, minions, or whatever you call them. That is your weakness. My only weakness is the body that I inhabit, and I can protect myself from you. But you cannot protect yourself from me.”