The Dragon Blade

by P D Atkerson

  Enrick sighed. "Come. As much as I trust you, I don't want you in my chambers while I'm not here."

  Dasety laughed, then nodded and followed Enrick out of the room.

  When Enrick approached his father's chambers, the two guards stationed outside stood to attention and saluted him. As he moved closer, the guard on the left side of the door caught Enrick's eye.

  It was the same guard he'd met before the wedding, he couldn't recall his name. So, he just nodded to him, as he moved towards the door. The other guard quickly moved forwards and knocked on the door, as if Enrick couldn't do it himself! He wasn’t a child.

  After the guard knocked, Enrick could hear mumbling from within. There was the sound of footsteps, then the door was opened by one of his father's servants. The servant bowed and ushered the prince inside.

  His father's chambers were (as expected) much bigger than his own. An ashen colored rug was spread out onto the cold stone floor. A portrait of Munay hung upon the wall in front of the king's bed. Enrick didn't know why, but the thought of seeing one staring down at you whenever you awake from sleep, didn't sound pleasant to him.

  Fiery red curtains hung in front of the windows, blocking out what little sunlight which might find its way into the Dark Castle.

  King Munay sat on one of his chairs, with his feet resting on the table. Staring up at the roof, he seemed unaware that his son had entered.

  Enrick took in a deep breath and steeling himself against whatever Munay might say to him, he moved towards his father.

  "My king." Enrick said, dropping to one of his knees. As he did, he was careful to make sure it was on top of the rugs. He didn't want a dirty knee when he was done speaking with his father.

  "Enrick, what is it you want?" King Munay asked, yawning as he scooted up and dropped his feet to the ground. "You never come to see me here, unless you want something from me. So, what is it?" At least his father wasn't going to waste both their time with idle chatter. One of the few things they had in common.

  Slowly, Enrick pushed himself back to his feet and cleared his throat, before starting. "Tension in Shenock is rising. The Warriors I sent to Shey believe we should send a treaty to King Dillaran, before war breaks out. Seeing as his sister is now the queen, I agree. They need allies and so do we. If we are to finish your plan to restore Aleanare."

  King Munay sighed. "Why are you telling me this?"

  Okay... "Because I think you need to do something about it." Enrick said, through his teeth. Trying in vain to keep his temper under control. "Maybe you should visit Shey. Let them see we know what they're doing, and that we have no hard feelings against them."

  "Are you really that stupid?" Munay asked. "Willow could go into labor any day now. I’m not leaving the castle."

  “But if you don’t, Shenock could declare war on us!”

  "I just can't go, Enrick." The king said, leaning back in his chair. "I don't know when the child might come, and I don't want to miss it."

  "Of course, I'd hate for you to miss your child's birth." Enrick said, standing up straight and looking vacantly out at his father. Like you missed mine. "Alright, so you don't want to go. Then send someone else. We need them to know we aren't afraid of their little army."

  "Shenock hasn't gone to war against anyone for hundreds of years. Why would they now?"

  "Because, we've been building up our army and you’re not very discreet about it. You go to every village in Karlay and drag away every able-bodied man. Shenock would be stupid not to see what we’re doing!" Enrick snapped. "If you weren't so blind because of Willow, you would see that too!"

  "You will keep Willow out of this." Munay said, sternly. "If you're so worried about it, why don’t you do something about it? Gee! Sometimes I wonder if you're the king, not I!" He said, snorting. Then the humor left his face and he squinted at Enrick. "That was a joke. You're not king, I am!"

  "If I were king, nothing like this would be happening!" Enrick said. "Shenock would already be under our boot, like they should be now."

  King Munay glared at him. "If you were not my son, I would take that as treason, and have you hung!"

  Enrick glared back at him. "If I weren't your son, I wouldn't be here." I would never stay in this dank castle. That’s when a crazy thought hit him. “Make me your commander.”

  King Munay stared at him. “What?”

  Enrick swallowed. There was no taking it back now. “Make me your commander. You know I fight better than most of your men. I know strategy and the army would follow me. You know your current commander is worthless! I would take care of Shenock for good. One way or another, they would be ours.”

  Munay eyed him, then bit his lip and leaned back. “I'll think it over. Now leave me.” He said, motioning him away.

  Enrick bowed to his father and left the room as fast as he could. When he stepped out of the chamber, his heart was pounding. Had his father really said, he’d think it over? That was as close to a yes as he’d ever gotten.

  * * *

  Chapter 34

  Rise of the Elouns

  The deeper Aroron went, the colder and the darker it became, until it felt like night had returned to the mountain. Not to mention the fact, that climbing up the side of an icy mountain wasn’t as easy as it might sound.

  The only thing that kept him going was knowing he had to do it. He just had to do it. He didn’t know why, but the mountain had a pull on him, and he could not fight it.

  Aroron was barely to the midpoint at the top of the mountain, but to him, he was nearly on the other side. He’d just pulled himself up onto a ledge, when he saw it. There, shooting out of the top of the boulder of ice in front of him, was his sword. Aroron looked around him, half expecting it to be a trap of some sort. But how would Kant have known he would come this way, let alone climb up the side of the mountain?

  What little sunlight there was, glittered through the pommel of the blade, turning the world around Aroron, blue and green.

  Careful not to lose his footing, Aroron inched his way towards his sword. He reached up and grabbed hold of the hilt and pulled. The blade easily slid out of the ice and he stepped back.

  “So, you’re some kind of great and powerful blade. Huh?” He mumbled, looking it over. “Or at least that’s what my dreams tell me.” The ground below him moaned and Aroron froze.

  The ice under his feet cracked and he yelled, as it fell away from him and he went falling and rolling down the cliff, towards the valley below. Covered in snow and freezing cold, Aroron arrived at the bottom.

  Groaning, he shoved himself off the ground and looked around him. What he saw, caught his breath. Towering all around him was an icy city. Walls, pillars and balconies. It was a castle of ice and snow.

  “The lost city of Glunot.” He whispered. Still buried beneath the ice and snow of a thousand winters. Clutching his sword, Aroron scrambled to his feet.

  “Hello…”

  Aroron spun around, unsure if he’d heard the voice or if it was the sound of the wind.

  That’s when he saw the person.

  A thin figure wrapped in a snow-white fur cloak, stepped into the valley. How long they’d been there, Aroron wasn’t sure. The cloak was so white, it blended in with the snowy ground.

  “Who are you?!” Aroron yelled, lifting his blade towards the snowy figure as the person moved closer to him.

  “I am Lilay.” The soft voice whispered to Aroron, as she lifted her hand up. She lowered her hood to reveal long flowing white hair. Her eyes were almost transparent. The sight of them caused Aroron to tighten his grip on his sword.

  She was beautiful, but in an eerie way.

  “Well Lilay, I’m… Aroron.” He said, his body still tense.

  Lilay lowered her head and curtsied. “Welcome, Dragon King, we have long awaited your visit.”

  “What did you just call me?” Aroron asked, quickly scanning the valley for any other strangers lurking in the shadows. This girl was obviously crazy to be out here!<
br />
  “Come, we do not have time for these questions. You must meet with the High Elder.” She said, spinning around and gracefully walked towards the nearest archway leading into the mountain castle.

  Carefully, Aroron slid his sword into his belt and hesitantly followed her. If she was crazy, he wanted to be able to keep an eye on her at all times. So, after he glanced around one last time, he hurried inside.

  The whole interior of the castle was glossily covered in glass like ice. Beneath one of the archways, stood a statue of a guard. He wore light armor and a helmet that covered his face.

  Without really thinking about it, Aroron stopped and reached towards the statue. It looked so life like.

  “Don’t touch him!” she snapped, swatting Aroron’s hand. “You could hurt him! I haven’t been watching over them all this time to have you mess it up.”

  “Not to be rude, but how old are you?” Aroron asked, eyeing her as they began to walk again. She didn’t look like she was much older than he was. Maybe five or six years difference.

  She smiled. “We do not consider it rude here. Besides, I haven’t really spoken to anyone since… well since we were put to sleep after the Great War. As for your question, I’m nearly a hundred Glunoton years old. If you hadn’t come, next year I would have awakened one of the younger Elouns to take my place as the keeper of the city.”

  Aroron whistled.

  He’d heard stories that Elouns used to live much longer than mortal men, but he hadn’t imagined them to age so… gracefully. She looked barely over twenty. Not barely a hundred.

  Again, doubt crept into his mind. Maybe she’s not all there after all. She seemed sound of mind, but then again, some of the things she said were a little 'out there'. As far as Aroron knew, Elouns weren’t even real.

  Lilay lead Aroron down several hallways. With each one they took, Aroron grew more nervous. Where was she taking him? He was just about to ask her, when they turned another corner and came to a hallway that led only to a pair of tall, beautifully carved doorways.

  “These doors lead to the throne room.” Lilay said, carefully running her hand along one of the pictures. She placed her hands on the door and pushed against it. She grimaced as she tried her best to pry the doors open. She pressed as hard as she could against it, but it wouldn’t come free. Looking defeated, Lilay turned towards Aroron and dropped her gaze. “It would seem doing nothing but watching over others hasn’t given me physical strength.”

  Aroron bit his lip and glanced back down the hallway they’d come from. “Alright, I’ll help you.” He said, moving to stand next to her.

  Both pressed as hard as they could against the doors and for a second, it still wouldn’t give way. With one last push, it gave way. The door groaned, as it finally came free and slid open.

  Aroron and Lilay stumbled through the doorway and into a large room. Dimly lit by a cold blue light coming from somewhere above. Half a dozen frozen figures sat upon thrones on both sides of the throne room and at the end of the room, sat one man.

  A chilling breeze blew against Aroron’s skin and he shivered. “What are we doing here?” he whispered, as if he was afraid the still figures would hear him.

  “I already told you.” She whispered back. “We’re here to see the High Elder.”

  Aroron glanced around him. “I don’t think anyone here is going to care to see us… if they could see at all.”

  She frowned at him. “That’s not funny.”

  The smiled faded from his face. “I’m sorry.”

  Without another word to him, she turned away and continued forwards. Their footsteps echoed through the room, as they moved towards the man at the end of the throne room. He wore a white robe, that Aroron imagined, if it wasn’t frozen, would be very soft and warm to wear. Around his neck he wore a strange necklace, it looked to Aroron that it was missing a jewel from the center. His long beard nearly covered the necklace up. He couldn’t tell if his beard was white, or if that was just the effect of the ice and snow covering him. Icicles hung from the beard.

  “Put your sword into his heart.” Lilay said, motioning to the man. “And do hurry up.”

  Aroron looked from her to the frozen man and back again. “I don’t know if this is a good idea. If this man is still alive, (which I highly doubt) stabbing him with my blade isn’t going to help him.”

  Her eyes flashed yellow. “You do not fully understand what’s going on here. Just do as I tell you!”

  “Alright!” he said, holding up his hand. “I’ll do it.”

  Carefully, Aroron placed the tip of his sword against the man’s chest and pressed against it. Almost instantly, the ice around Aroron's blade, cracked.

  It started slowly at first.

  But Aroron could clearly see it starting. Water dripped from his chin and onto his lap, as the ice on the top of his head began to melt. The man’s hair remained white, but slowly it grew softer, until it was no longer ice covered. Then the rest of his face melted, followed quickly by the rest of him.

  The man gasped for breath and blinked.

  “High Elder.” Lilay said, dropping to her knees. She gave Aroron a look, telling him to bow towards the man. He didn’t bow, he hadn’t bowed to anyone since he’d left the Dark Castle and he wasn't going to change that.

  The High Elder moaned, as he stretched out his back and his arms. He yawned and reached up towards the roof. If Aroron hadn’t known better, he would have thought the man had just awakened from a nap. Not that he’d just been frozen solid.

  He looked at Lilay and Aroron and frowned. “What are we waiting around here for? I’ve been sitting around for a thousand years!” he yelled, shoving himself off the throne. He stumbled and nearly fell, but he quickly recovered himself and started forwards again. “First, we need to wake up the rest of the city.” The High Elder said, as he waddled across the throne room and towards the doorway. "The Second Great War is upon us!"

  “The Second Great War?” Aroron asked, intending the question to be answered by Lilay, but it wasn’t.

  The High Elder stopped and looked at Aroron, then he laughed. “You don’t know what the Second Great War is? You really should, you’re the Dragon King and you’re going to lead the army into battle!”

  “I’m not leading anyone into battle!” Aroron said, taking a step back from the man. Were all Elouns as mad as these two? So much for his wish long ago to learn from them! “What the heck are you talking about? I’m only… fourteen. No one with half a mind would follow me!”

  “I can see why. You don’t even sound very sure about your own age.”

  “Well, it’s not like I’ve been able to keep really close track of the days!” Aroron said, his cheeks growing hot. “I don’t know for sure how old I am today. I doubt you could tell me how old you are!”

  “No, I can't. I’d say somewhere around five hundred. I lost count after I passed a hundred. What’s your excuse? You’re too young to remember?” He laughed at his own joke. “Are you sure he’s the Dragon King?” he whispered to Lilay, loud enough for Aroron to hear, as he eyed him.

  “He wields the Dragon Blade.” She said, motioning to Aroron’s side. “Can there be any doubt?”

  “There can always be doubt, my child.” The High Elder mumbled, snorting. “Well, if you’re sure it’s him, we might as well give it a try.”

  “Try what?” Aroron asked, frowning. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

  “You must try and awaken the city, of course.” The High Elder said. “This is what you were born to do. This is your destiny, after all. If you are indeed the Elhor.”

  “Alright, I can help.” Aroron said. “First I want to know something. Why were you put to sleep in the first place? I mean, I’ve heard stories of why, but none of them can possible be true.”

  “You really don’t know your history, do you?” The High Elder asked, sneering at Aroron as they continued to walk through the castle. “Sad, young mortal. Are all like you now? How a thousand years can c
hange things.”

  “We are not like you, mere mortals.” Lilay said, cutting in just as they stepped out of the castle and into the court yard. “Where it matters, we are the same, but in others we are very different. We were chosen to serve the Creator in any way He decides and after the Great War, he decided we were to sleep until the time of the Second Great War.”

  “Now awaken my city!” The High Elder yelled, slamming his staff against the ground. “Awaken my city, Elhor!”

  “Please don’t call me that. My name’s Aroron, not Elhor.” He said, moving to stand in the center of the court yard.

  The High Elder looked at Aroron indignantly. “Being chosen as the Dragon King is one of the highest honors a mortal can receive. So, I shall call you Elhor, or Dragon King, but nothing else! Now, awaken my people before I grow more impatient!”

  Aroron tightened his grip on the sword. “I still don’t see how this is going to help your city.” He said, looking around at the frozen kingdom.

  The High Elder sighed. “You’re an Oddity, are you not?” Aroron hesitated, then nodded. “Then focus your gift into the blade and it will do the rest. It’s really quite easy on your part.”

  Yeah, says the man who’s not doing it.

  Aroron sighed and brought his sword down into the ground. It easily slid through the ice, but nothing happened.

  Turning towards the High Elder, Aroron sighed. “I told you this wasn’t going to work.”

  The High Elder let out a long breath, his eyes grew yellow, just like Lilay’s had when she was mad. “You have to believe, Elhor, or it’s not going to work!”

  “Fine!” Aroron snapped. He took in a deep breath and shifted his grip on the handle of the blade. “I have to believe.” He mumbled. “Okay…” This time he really focused on the blade and he felt a difference this time.

  Screaming, he slammed the sword down into the ground. The tip of the blade smashed into the ice. Almost as soon as it touched the ground, the earth beneath him rumbled and shook, vibrating underneath his very feet and up into the blade. Quickly, it grew too strong for him to handle.