Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6)

by Christopher Mitchell

  Kelsey laughed.

  ‘This isn’t funny,’ said Aila. ‘If those soldiers belong to a Banner, then who sent them and how did they get so close to the lair without us spotting them?’ She glanced at Frostback. ‘You fly out two or three times a day; is this the first you’ve seen of them?’

  ‘Yes, it is.’

  Aila stood, and began pacing up and down the ledge. ‘This could be bad, very bad.’

  ‘You always say stuff like that,’ said Kelsey. ‘Try to be optimistic for once; you might like it.’

  The demigod glared at her. ‘Either the soldiers have just put their armour on, or they used a Quadrant to come here. If the second option is true, then it will have been a god who held the Quadrant; they would never entrust one to a soldier. If it’s a god, then he or she will have been sent here to kill a dragon, so we have to assume that the god will have death powers, and battle-vision, and…’

  ‘You’re hurting my head,’ said Kelsey. ‘I’ve never heard so many “ifs” in a single sentence before. All the same; Frostback, please be careful.’

  ‘I will eat first,’ said the dragon, ‘and then I will kill these new soldiers.’

  Kelsey drummed her fingers off her knee. ‘Maybe you should stay here, and let them come to us.’

  Frostback glanced up from the carcass. ‘Why? That sounds weak. They will think I am cowering in my lair.’

  ‘I hate to say it, but maybe Aila has a point. If they’ve sent someone with god powers, then I’ll be able to protect you from them.’

  The dragon’s eyes lit with anger. ‘I told you not to bring that up again. I protect you, not the other way around. To imagine! The shame of being protected by an insect. Besides, your claims are ridiculous and foolish, and my opinion of you lessens every time you mention them.’

  Kelsey’s face fell, and she looked hurt.

  ‘Her claims are true,’ said Aila to the dragon; ‘you should listen to her.’

  ‘Nonsense,’ said the dragon. ‘Not even the gods can protect themselves from death powers.’

  ‘But you know Sable has powers, and you know that Kelsey is Sable’s niece. Think of Corthie as well, you’ve heard of his powers. The Holdfasts are different, Frostback; that’s why the gods are hunting them.’

  ‘I have seen no evidence that the gods are hunting Kelsey; the attacks of the soldiers have been directed at me. If what you say is true, then hordes of gods and their minions would be chasing her through the forest.’

  ‘But they can’t sense her; that’s the entire point. Kelsey blocks all of their powers. Haven’t you been listening?’

  The dragon’s eyes glowed. ‘Be careful of your tone, demigod, or I may have to chastise you.’

  Aila opened her mouth, but Kelsey put a hand on her arm. ‘Frostback is being reasonable. She needs evidence, not words.’

  ‘Sorry,’ said Aila; ‘you’re right.’

  The dragon stared at the carcass. ‘Your bickering has made me lose my appetite. Sometimes, I wonder why I tolerate your presence. I shall work off my anger on the soldiers, and when I return, I will expect to receive the respect you owe me.’

  She beat her wings and soared away.

  ‘You need to be careful,’ said Kelsey. ‘She has a temper.’

  Aila sighed. ‘I know, but it’s so frustrating. It’s like speaking to a child; she just doesn’t listen.’

  They stood and watched as the silver dragon headed to the north-west. She circled in the distance, then swooped low, sending a blast of flames down into the trees below her.

  ‘That’s only a mile from here,’ said Kelsey. ‘Those soldiers got close.’

  Frostback rose and circled again.

  ‘Looks like you were wrong, though,’ Kelsey went on. ‘There doesn’t seem…’

  The silver dragon let out a scream. Her wings went limp, and she plummeted from the sky, falling like a stone into the forest. She crashed through the branches and disappeared from sight.

  Kelsey stared, her mouth open, then she began to run.

  ‘Wait,’ cried Aila; ‘what are you doing?’

  ‘You were right,’ said Kelsey, turning. ‘We have to save her.’

  ‘But…’

  ‘Stay if you like, Aila; I’m going.’

  Kelsey reached the edge of the wide ledge and leaped down into the forest. Aila stood frozen for a moment, then followed. She reached the lip of the ledge, paused, then rushed back to the cave entrance and picked up their knife. She shoved it into her belt, then ran after Kelsey. The young Holdfast woman was racing through the trees, following the track to a small stream that supplied the lair with water. Aila caught up with her by the banks of the little river, and they splashed across the shallows to the other side.

  ‘If there are soldiers,’ said Aila as they ran; ‘leave them to me. Go to Frostback and I’ll cover you.’

  Kelsey made no indication that she had heard, her eyes on the trees ahead of them as they raced through the undergrowth. They reached a burnt part of the forest. Some of the branches were still burning, and ash was floating through the air. Aila counted the bodies of two soldiers, their steel armour blackened but intact, and they slowed. They began to creep through the trees, their eyes glancing around as if expecting an attack at any second. They arrived at a clearing, where trees had been knocked over, and saw Frostback lying there, her eyes closed. Her body was stretched out amid the broken trunks and twisted branches, and a soldier was standing by her head, a heavy crossbow in his hands.

  Kelsey put a hand to her mouth as she stared at the immobile body of the dragon.

  ‘Go left,’ Aila whispered. ‘Distract him, but for Malik’s sake stay low in case he shoots.’

  Kelsey nodded, and stole away. Aila glanced around, then took the knife from her belt. The soldier seemed to be focussed on the dragon, the crossbow pointing at her head. Aila crept through the undergrowth until she was behind him, then she heard a noise over to the left. The soldier’s attention went to where the noise had come from, his eyes squinting into the gloom of the forest.

  Aila tried to imagine she was Stormfire. She sprang at the soldier from behind, and with a quick motion of her hand, sliced through his throat. She leaped back a step as the soldier dropped the crossbow, his hands going to his neck, then he collapsed to the ground. Aila’s eyes went from him to the bloody knife in her hand, her heart racing. She looked at the soldier’s contorted face. He had been young, in his early twenties, just doing his job, and she had snuffed out his mortal life with a flick of her wrist.

  Kelsey appeared before her. She stared at the body, then grabbed Aila’s arm.

  ‘Search him,’ she said.

  Aila blinked. ‘What?’

  Kelsey went down to one knee next to the soldier and began looking through his pockets, and into the hiding places behind his steel breastplate, as Aila tried to regain her composure. What was wrong with her? She had killed before, and the soldier would have shot or arrested them, yet all she could think about was the waste of life his death represented.

  ‘Snap out of it,’ said Kelsey, glancing up; ‘the other soldiers can’t be far away, and they’ll be coming.’

  Aila nodded, and peered through the trees, her hand still gripping the hilt of the knife.

  ‘Got it,’ muttered Kelsey.

  ‘What?’ said Aila again, her thoughts spinning.

  Kelsey held up a small vial. ‘Salve.’

  Aila’s eyes widened. ‘How did you know?’

  ‘I spent a lot of time with Van,’ she said. ‘He told me that many Banner soldiers carry this into combat, in case they’re injured. Stay on guard while I try to give it to Frostback.’

  ‘Will it work?’

  ‘How am I meant to know? What else are we supposed to do; just leave her here to die?’

  She clutched the vial in her fist and raced over to Frostback’s head. Aila stared at her for a moment, then turned, her eyes scanning the forest around them. The trees were still and quiet, but she knew the Ba
nner soldiers were professionals; they could be anywhere; they could be watching her and she wouldn’t know.

  A crossbow clicked.

  ‘Don’t move,’ said a low voice. ‘Drop the knife and raise your hands.’

  Aila turned her head. A soldier was crouching in the undergrowth five yards from her, his crossbow trained on her chest.

  ‘Last chance,’ he said; ‘drop the knife.’

  She let go of the hilt, and the bloody knife fell to the ground. The soldier rose to his full height and stepped forward. His eyes flickered over to the dragon, but Kelsey was out of sight on the far side of Frostback’s head. He spotted the body of his fallen comrade and his features hardened.

  ‘You’ll pay for that,’ he said, raising his bow and aiming along its sights.

  Aila stood frozen as the soldier’s finger went to the trigger. She had taken a crossbow bolt before, and tried to prepare herself for the rush of agony.

  A silver-scaled forelimb burst through the undergrowth, there was a glint of claws, and the soldier was torn in two where he stood, a spray of blood spattering the trees. Aila staggered back, her eyes staring at the bloody mess on the forest floor where the man had been. Nausea gripped her stomach, and she fell to her knees and threw up onto the ground.

  A hand grabbed her shoulder, and she looked up to see Kelsey.

  ‘Come on,’ the Holdfast woman urged.

  Frostback’s head appeared in front of them, her eyes glowing bright.

  ‘I… I owe you insects my thanks,’ she said, as if the words pained her. ‘You saved my life. You were right, Aila; a god is among them. We must leave, now, before the god approaches.’

  There was a noise to the right, and Frostback thrust her head into the undergrowth. There was a scream, then the dragon pulled her head back, a soldier crushed between her jaws. She dropped the mangled corpse to the ground, then picked up the two women, one in each forelimb.

  ‘Halt, lizard,’ cried a voice.

  They turned. A cluster of soldiers were standing to their right, forming a tight line. Behind them, a dark-skinned woman with red hair was staring at the dragon, her hand raised.

  ‘Do you know who I am, lizard?’ she said. ‘Do you remember me from Yoneath? You should have died that day, but I will finish the job now.’

  Frostback didn’t move, her eyes widening. ‘Ascendant.’

  ‘That’s right,’ said the woman. ‘I wanted you to see the face of the one who kills you, beast. Die.’

  She pointed at Frostback. The dragon flinched, but nothing happened. The Ascendant’s mouth opened, and a flicker of fear passed over her features.

  Kelsey let out a laugh from where she was clasped behind the claws of Frostback’s right forelimb.

  ‘Hi, Arete,’ she said. ‘The last time we met, you had me chained up and at your mercy. This time, I have a dragon with me.’

  ‘Kelsey Holdfast?’ said the Ascendant

  ‘That’s right,’ she said. She glanced up at the dragon. ‘Frostback, burn them.’

  The dragon hesitated for a second, then unleashed a torrent of flames at the line of soldiers. Arete’s hands moved, and she vanished as the stream of fire hit them. The soldiers screamed, then fell silent amid the inferno. A dozen trees went up in flames around where they had been standing, and Aila felt the heat from the fires on her face.

  Frostback closed her jaws, and leaned her head forwards as the flames fell away.

  ‘Did you get her?’ said Kelsey.

  ‘I do not see her remains,’ said the dragon.

  Aila tried to wriggle free of the dragon’s grasp. ‘She had a Quadrant; she’s gone, but she might come back. We have to leave.’

  Frostback ignored her, and continued to sniff the remnants of the incinerated soldiers. She raised her head after a while, then turned to Kelsey.

  ‘I owe you an apology, Holdfast witch.’

  ‘It’s fine,’ said Kelsey.

  ‘It is not fine. I berated you for lying to me when you were telling the truth.’ She closed her eyes. ‘I have shamed myself; can you forgive me?’

  ‘Of course; don’t worry about it.’

  ‘But you saved my life, twice. You gave me salve when I was dying, and then you… I can scarcely believe I am saying the words, but you stopped the powers of an Ascendant. I was wrong, so wrong.’

  The dragon began to weep. Aila and Kelsey glanced at each other, and said nothing.

  ‘Are you a god?’ said Frostback. ‘How is someone so small so powerful?’

  ‘It’s just as Aila said – I’m a Holdfast, and we have some funny powers.’

  ‘Funny? No, majestic. You are a queen, Kelsey Holdfast, and I have wronged you. How can I repay you for my unkind words?’

  ‘Eh, you could always make me your rider, you know, if you wanted to. Imagine; if I was on your back, then no god would ever be able to hurt us; we’d be invincible together.’

  The dragon lowered her head. ‘I am not worthy.’

  ‘Come on, Frostback; of course you are. Most people don’t believe that I have any powers when they first meet me. I can do other things too, you know, useful things, but I don’t hold any grudge that you didn’t believe it.’

  ‘Are you being sincere? You think I am worthy, even after what I said?’

  ‘Eh,’ said Aila; ‘perhaps we should continue this discussion at the lair? The Ascendant might return at any minute with a thousand Banner soldiers. Kelsey can repel god powers, but a crossbow bolt in the guts will still kill her.’

  ‘You are right, demigod,’ said the dragon; ‘once again, your advice is sound. My apologies.’

  She beat her wings, and they rose into the air. Aila groaned as they ascended, her chest and torso constricted by the grip of the dragon’s forelimb around her. Frostback kept low, and soared over the trees, then rose up the slope of the hill to the lair. She landed, and deposited the two women onto the ledge.

  ‘Aila,’ said the dragon; ‘I also owe you an apology. You told me that Kelsey was telling the truth, and I belittled you. You have consistently offered me good advice, and I have scorned you. My heart is riddled with shame, and my thoughts are bewildered with confusion. How could I have been so wrong?’

  Aila nodded. She still felt sick about cutting the soldier’s throat, but didn’t want to admit it. Stormfire wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but she felt a weight of guilt pressing against her chest.

  ‘You are still angry with me, I see,’ said the dragon. ‘That is understandable. I have earned your ire.’

  ‘I’m not angry with you,’ said Aila.

  ‘All my life,’ the dragon said, ‘I have been taught that insects are worthless, stupid, selfish liars. We killed any that ventured too close to the Catacombs, and mocked Blackrose for her weakness in befriending them. I swear to you both that I will try to change.’

  Kelsey placed a palm on the dragon’s face. ‘You don’t need to explain anything to us. We’re on your side.’

  ‘I don’t deserve you, Kelsey. If I did, I would ask you never to leave me.’

  ‘Take a breath. I can protect you from the powers of the gods, but who is going to protect me from swords and crossbows?’

  The dragon’s eyes lit with fury. ‘I will. I would die for you, just as you risked yourself for me. Let me protect you, Kelsey; let me watch over you; let me prove that I can be worthy.’

  ‘You don’t have to prove anything to me.’

  Aila frowned as she watched the Holdfast woman and the dragon gaze into each other’s eyes. Kelsey was smitten; it was obvious, and the dragon now clearly felt the same. She turned and glanced out over the forest. The Ascendant could be out there, planning her next move, while Kelsey and Frostback were pledging their undying love to each other.

  Tendrils of smoke were still rising from where Frostback had burned the soldiers, and the fire seemed to be growing. The forest was dry, she thought, starting to worry that they might have caused a conflagration that would devour half the forest. Flames s
tarted to appear at the tops of the trees, then some leapt the distance to other trees, and the fire continued to grow.

  ‘Do you see that?’ Aila said, squinting at the smoke and flames.

  As Frostback and Kelsey turned to look, a large mass of fire began to lift up from the forest. It formed into a ball of white hot flames, then shot through the air towards them.

  Kelsey cried out as Aila stared, then Frostback gathered the two women into her forelimbs and turned, her back taking the full force of the fireball. The dragon groaned in pain as the flames enveloped her. Inside the tight embrace of her claws, Aila gasped for breath, the heat overwhelming as it washed round them.

  The ground began to rumble, and a crack opened up in the wide ledge, splitting it in two. Frostback tried to step away, but half of her was dragged down by the collapsing ledge. The rumbling increased into a full earthquake, and the roof of the cave fell in, sending a cloud of dust over them as the flames died away.

  ‘Arete’s back!’ cried Kelsey, still wrapped in Frostback’s right forelimb.

  Another fireball lifted from the forest, while around them on the broken ledge, the hill itself seemed to be crumbling and sliding down into the trees.

  ‘Fly!’ shouted Aila as the second fireball was launched towards them.

  Frostback looked panicked, her red eyes wide and staring. Smoke was rising from her scaled back, and blisters had appeared on her wings. She seemed to understand what Aila had said, and cleared the hillside, her damaged wings beating. The fireball struck the entrance to the lair in a mighty explosion that sent rocks bursting up into the sky. Frostback was struck by a splintered boulder, and she hung in the air for a moment, then slowly began to ascend, leaving the shattered hillside below them. A third fireball raced towards them, but Frostback flung herself out of its way, then soared upwards, ignoring the pain from her wounds. She turned south, and flew.

  * * *

  Frostback landed an hour later. She chose a clearing in the forest next to a stream, and almost collapsed as soon as her limbs touched the ground. She opened her talons, and Aila and Kelsey fell out, winded and slightly crushed. Aila rolled onto her knees on the grass, powering her self-healing. The nausea and pain faded, then she glanced at Kelsey, who was groaning on the ground, her arms round her chest.