Fortress of Radiance

by Marc Alan Edelheit

  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Karus let the breath out long and slow, working to steady his heart. Then he opened his eyes and looked downward. The farmland below looked idyllic and peaceful. Karus now knew it was deceptive. There was danger about.

  These are conquered lands, Kordem said, almost as if the dragon could read his thoughts. Karus glanced over and saw the dragon to their side looking his way. So, too, was Amarra. She was gripping the spike to her front tightly, her eyes wide as she looked back at him. The dragon’s tone turned to one of disgust. Karus got the sense Amarra could hear what was being said as well. The peoples living below gave in to the Horde. They, like the people of Lyre, chose not to resist and are now no better than slaves, feeding and supporting our enemy’s war effort.

  Karus gazed downward with fresh eyes. If these were the conquered lands … where were the enemy’s armies?

  Chapter Seven

  Ready yourself, human.

  Karus’s eyes snapped open. He had been dozing. Blinking, he glanced around. It was just after sunset. The last of the two suns had slipped beneath the horizon, yet the final rays of the day’s sunlight were on the clouds high above them. The dying light gave the clouds a brilliant fiery hue.

  Cyln’phax banked to the right, angling slightly downward. We will be landing shortly at Irin’Surall. This is the seat of the warden’s power. The dragon paused a moment. Our reception is likely to be far from friendly.

  The land below was already dark and heavily shadowed. When he had dozed off, they had been flying over a large forest. The forest still spread outward in all directions, for as far as the eye could see.

  The dragon began descending faster. Karus’s stomach tightened with the uncomfortable sensation of falling. The wind buffeting him intensified as the dragon picked up speed. He glanced behind them and saw Kordem was following close on Cyln’phax’s tail. Amarra, wrapped in his cloak, was gripping one of the dragon’s spikes.

  Karus turned back and gazed down at the forest. He made out some lights amongst the trees and what appeared to be a large clearing ahead. Cyln’phax folded her wings back a little more and picked up even greater speed, while dumping altitude at an alarming rate. As they closed on the clearing, the dragon tucked her wings in closer to her body. Karus leaned back as far as the straps holding him in would allow as the dragon dove at a steeper angle for the clearing. There were more lights below them now. The lights winked and flickered through the leafy canopy around the clearing.

  There was a city amongst the trees. He was surprised, for it was very deep into the forest, with no cultivated fields anywhere within view. He peered closer and discovered the city was up in the trees themselves, which were giants, like those the legion had been greeted with when first brought to this world.

  In a flash, Karus saw lots of buildings. They were slim, graceful, yet alien in appearance. There was what looked like a complex network of bridges suspended between trees. This he caught in a moment, as they hurtled downward and into the clearing.

  Cyln’phax flared out her wings, giving powerful slowing flaps as she came in for a landing. Karus was pushed down against the dragon’s back as she worked to check her forward momentum. The landing that followed was rapid and rough. Then Karus was thrown forward against the straps holding him in place. Cyln’phax reared backward, throwing her head up. The dragon took a couple of steps before she came to a halt.

  Cyln’phax gave forth a deafening roar and blew a jet of flame almost straight up into the air. Karus could feel the intense heat from the blast on his face and exposed skin. Then she came down on her front two feet, claws digging into the ground. The trees around the clearing trembled, branches rustling and creaking. The nearest bridges swayed.

  Get off, Cyln’phax said urgently. I have announced ourselves. Do it quick, before the elves can organize themselves. Get off, now! I need to be free of you should it come to a fight!

  Fingers half numb with cold, he scrambled to untie himself. Kordem landed a few feet away. Karus got the first knot untied and began working on the second. An indistinct shout came from beyond the clearing, out in the darkness of the forest. It was followed by the blast of a horn, which spurred his efforts onward.

  Cursing, Karus managed to get the last knot untied. He hurriedly climbed off the dragon’s back, jumping the last few feet to the ground, where his hobnailed sandals landed with a loud clap of metal on stone. He took several steps away from Cyln’phax as the dragon unfurled her wings and gave a flap, which generated almost enough wind to bowl him over.

  He looked around for Amarra and spotted her climbing down from Kordem’s back. Clutched in her hand was the crystal staff, which, in the growing darkness, glowed a brilliant blue. It seemed to throb with power. Once she was off and clear, Kordem reared back and stood straight up, flapping his wings mightily. He gave a roar and then blew a blast of fire into the night sky as Cyln’phax had done a few moments before.

  Hear me, elves, Kordem said. We come here not to fight. Instead, we bring holy representatives of the High Father who have need to make words with Elantric Warden.

  Kordem fell back forward, landing on his front two feet. It caused the ground beneath Karus’s sandals to shake.

  Your cowering within these trees is detestable to us, Cyln’phax added, her tone dripping with loathing. By not standing up to the Horde, you do no better than aid our enemy.

  Karus glanced around and his mouth fell open as he realized this was no simple forest clearing. It was instead a city square built on the forest floor. Carved granite paving stones were underfoot. Thin lines of trimmed grass separated each stone. Intricate geometric patterns had been carved onto the surfaces of the paving stones.

  You should fight with us, Cyln’phax continued. There is no honor in standing apart.

  Karus sucked in a breath as he gazed about, gawking at the city that surrounded them. It was amazing, incredible, and that didn’t even come close to describing what he saw. He shook his head in utter wonder. Just when he thought this world could surprise him no more, it did.

  His eyes were drawn to the giant trees that surrounded the square. Windows had been cut into the massive trunks, from which yellowed light spilled outward. The buildings he had spotted from above had been erected amongst the branches in the canopy. They were wooden structures that had been constructed along the limbs of many of the trees, seeming to have sprung outward from the trunks themselves. It was an impressive engineering achievement.

  He squinted up at the buildings, wondering just how the builders had managed to pull it off. Some of the structures were even two or three stories in height from the base level. The structures weren’t square or box-like, such as Karus was familiar with. They had rounded edges that gave many of them an oblong or curved look, unnatural, at least to Karus’s eyes. Or perhaps it was that the buildings appeared too natural, almost one with the tree. If Karus had not known better, he would have said the buildings had grown out of the trees themselves. But that was not possible. He decided those who had built this city must be master artisans, impressively skilled at their craft.

  His eyes went to one of the bridges suspended between trees in the canopy. He saw people lining the railing looking down upon them. They were so high up that, in the gloom, he could only make out their outlines. The bridge had a simple railing, but for the life of him, Karus could not see how it was supported. Lanterns attached to the railings emitted a pale and somewhat dim white light. Karus wondered if they were magical, like the lanterns in Carthum.

  Cyln’phax gave another roar. Karus jumped, the moment of awe shattered. A gout of flame arced up into the sky. He glanced back at the dragon, snapping back to the reality of the moment. They were facing the potential for a fight. He scanned about, searching for threats.

  There was a large fountain directly in the center of the square. It captured and held Karus’s gaze a moment. Two exquisitely carved marble statues, a man and woman holding hands, were standing in the center of the fo
untain. It had been designed to appear as if they were walking on the surface of the water. The fountain shot streams of water up into the air around the two figures. The streams fell back down into the pool. The statues were not what had seized his attention. It was the water, for it glowed with an unearthly white light.

  Cyln’phax flexed one of her claws, cracking and ripping up the stone paving behind him. Karus pulled his gaze from the fountain and continued scanning about them. He noticed for the first time that scattered throughout the square were a dozen or so people. They had fallen back and away from the two dragons, moving closer to the trees.

  From amongst the base of the trees, Karus got the sense there were more people there, hidden by the growing darkness. Those he could see pointed and gesticulated amongst themselves at the two dragons. He realized that their arrival had taken these people by surprise, which was what the dragons had likely intended. Karus could see no weapons amongst them. The people in the square appeared to be civilians, yet the dragons were ready for action. Karus wondered what dire danger lay out in the darkness amongst the trees.

  He stole a glance over at Amarra, who appeared just as amazed by their surroundings. Clearly, like him, she’d never seen anything like it. Karus’s gaze flicked around the square again. He had not noticed before, but a man wearing a long brown robe stood just ten yards away, by the side of the fountain. He was still and as unmoving as the statues themselves.

  Karus began moving toward him, making certain to keep his hands in view and away from his sword. The man held his ground as Karus neared. The man stood with his back to the fountain, and in the growing darkness, Karus could not clearly see his face.

  Cyln’phax shot another gout of flame high up into the air. In that moment, Karus almost missed a step. He recalled the dragon’s word … elves.

  This was no man.

  He appeared human enough, but wasn’t. He was tall, almost whipcord thin. In the light of the flame, Karus could see that his face had an unnatural look and cast to it, almost olive-like. It was somehow wrong to Karus’s mind, the shape too symmetrical, too perfect. There were no blemishes, nor the hint of stubble. The eyes were more rounded than they should have been.

  The elf appeared very young, though, by his bearing, that somehow did not seem quite right. Karus wasn’t sure how, but he sensed tremendous dignity and age within the eyes. The elf’s black hair was pulled back into a single long braid. Two delicate ears had been exposed, long and pointed, most definitely not human.

  Karus came to a stop some five feet from the other, more from surprise than anything else. The dragons had named the people who lived here elves. They were yet another strange race that inhabited this world, like the orcs and dwarves. How many more races were there? Karus realized that the elves must be the warden’s people. The fire from the dragon’s blast died out and darkness returned.

  Curious, Karus moved toward the fountain, making his way around the elf, being exceptionally careful to keep his distance. A row of metal buttons ran down the front of the elf’s robes, which trailed on the ground and concealed his feet. Though the elf carried no visible weapon, Karus understood that did not mean he wasn’t dangerous. He was, however, carrying a book, which he held by his right hand to his chest. The elf’s eyes glittered as they followed Karus.

  The falling streams of water from the fountain tinkled with a sound that was pleasant to the ear. Karus glanced down into the fountain’s pool. The bottom of the fountain was lined with sand and rounded river rocks that had been arranged neatly. There was no visible light source. The light seemed to be coming directly from the water. What made it glow? Was the water magic? There was so much to this world he just did not understand, and that made him uncomfortable.

  Karus returned his gaze to the elf. Their eyes met. He found the other’s gaze downright unfriendly. The elf remained nearly motionless as Karus looked him over. He did not exhibit any fear or concern. He simply stood there, holding his ground and gazing back on Karus.

  “I do not seek a fight,” Karus said in Latin. “We come only to talk.”

  He was rewarded with an unhappy scowl. Karus realized what an idiot he had been for speaking Latin.

  “I want no fight,” Karus said, switching to his accented Common. He tapped his chest armor, deciding to keep it simple. “No fight. Talk only, understand?”

  The other continued to stare at him and then shook his head in a slow, somewhat sad manner. Despite that, Karus felt that he had been understood. He suspected the shake of the head was meant to communicate something else. With a sinking feeling, Karus knew that by coming here to this place they had essentially invited a fight. Was this sacred ground? He glanced back at the dragons. Had they known? Surely they had.

  He looked for Amarra, hoping she could help, and spotted her making her way across the square toward him. She held her staff in her right hand, the bottom clicking on the paving stones with each and every step. Oddly, her staff no longer emitted any light. It had gone dark and cold, as if the blue fire within had been completely extinguished. She, however, looked bold and unafraid as she approached. Karus turned back to the elf.

  “I am Karus.” He touched his chest and then pointed at the elf.

  “You are not welcome here,” the elf said quietly in Common. The tone had a soft singsong quality to it that was alien to Karus’s ears. “This is our place, not yours. Go now before you can’t.”

  “We do not want trouble,” Karus said.

  “You have found it,” the elf said. It wasn’t a threat, but an assertion of certainty.

  There was a loud crack. Where a moment before there had been one now stood a second elf. Karus jumped, startled. Dressed in long midnight-black robes, this elf had appeared out of thin air. He carried a polished wooden staff, black runes running up its length. It was topped by a crystal that throbbed with a pale blue light. A gold necklace with an amulet reached down the newcomer’s chest, almost to his midriff. The amulet’s center held a small hourglass that emitted a faint glow. The elf’s long brown hair, perfectly brushed, cascaded down around his shoulders. He had a hard, unforgiving face, with cold eyes that settled on Karus.

  “No fight,” Karus said in Common, hand on his sword hilt. It took all of his self-restraint to keep from drawing it, for he felt pure menace from this newcomer. “No fight. We come to talk.”

  “You come here,” the newcomer said as quietly as the other elf, “you invite your own suffering and death.”

  Karus had had enough. He drew his sword, just as Amarra joined him. She stepped up beside him. Making sure not to take his eyes off the two elves, he held out a protective arm and attempted to push her behind him, for he feared something bad was about to happen. He wanted her out of the way. She forced his arm away and took her place squarely at his side, a reproachful look in her eye as she glanced at him.

  The elf with the staff spared her a quick look, then stretched forth a slender hand toward Karus. His fingers flashed with orange light and something akin to liquid fire shot forth in a long, thin stream. It happened so fast and unexpectedly that Karus couldn’t help but blink in astonishment.

  Amarra’s staff flared brilliantly in the darkness, lighting up the entire square. A transparent blue sphere appeared around the two of them. There was a solid crack as the liquid fire impacted the sphere. It ricocheted off and away into the darkness.

  Both elves took a step backward at that. The transparent sphere slowly faded away. Darkness returned to the square. Karus glanced over at Amarra, who appeared as shocked as the elf who had launched the attack.

  “We come to speak with the warden,” Amarra said in Common, having rapidly regained her composure. “I am Amarra, High Priestess of the High Father. We do not seek a fight.”

  The elf’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he regarded her.

  “Oh, just bloody great,” Karus said in Latin to the elf as he realized there would be no avoiding a fight. “You stupid cuss. You’re gonna make me kill you, aren’t you?” />
  The elf’s eyes moved back to Karus.

  “No,” Amarra said firmly in Common. “We come not to kill, but for their help.”

  The ground shook as Cyln’phax moved up closer behind them.

  The wizard’s eyes travel to the dragon and Karus read uncertainty within them, which he felt was a damn fine sign. There was a chance it would not come to an all-out fight.

  Wizard, Cyln’phax said, tone dripping with a surprising level of menace, you will not again assault the revered daughter and son of the High Father.

  The dragon took another step and the ground shook. From the darkness, Karus heard the telltale twang of a bow. Before he could react, the transparent sphere reappeared just as a brown-fletched arrow impacted it directly to the front of his chest, a foot from him. The arrow hung in midair a moment, as if held by an unseen hand. A heartbeat later it exploded into flame, flaring brilliantly as it burned up. The sphere disappeared once again. The ash, all that remained from the arrow shaft, rained downward. The metal arrowhead clinked down on the stone at their feet.

  Above him, the dragon’s head swung in the direction the arrow had come from. She opened her mouth, jaws parting. A ball of fire shot out into the darkness. Karus ducked as the fireball roared over his head. He saw a figure with a bow a few yards off dodging to the side and rolling away to safety as the dragon fire exploded in a tremendous blast where he had just been.

  “Cyln’phax, stop,” Amarra snapped.

  As you wish, revered daughter.

  There was resentment in the dragon’s tone at having been checked at meting out what she apparently thought well-deserved punishment. The dragon eyed the elf who had fired the bow with a baleful eye as he picked himself up.