Devarius sighed. “We come from a small village north of Caspar. It was so small it wasn’t even on the map yet, and didn’t have a name. It was growing fast, and probably soon would have been … but the Dragonia Empire destroyed it.”
Jonik’s eyebrows wrinkled. “Why?”
“They believed the village had traitors, that some of us were part of the Resistance.”
“Were there?”
“Not to my knowledge. Three dragonriders appeared one day, rounded up everyone, and began questioning. They hung and burned several people, trying to scare people into confessing, I assume. Many of the people they killed at first were innocent. I know they were, but they didn’t care. When they didn’t get the answers they wanted, they proceeded to kill everyone and destroy all the homes.”
“And you escaped?”
Devarius nodded. “Me and twenty-nine companions.”
“Twenty-nine,” Jonik mused.
“Yes.”
“How were so many able to escape without them noticing?”
Paedyn grinned. “Can I tell this part?”
Devarius nodded.
“Devarius and I set fire to their tents. Even though they took over the village, they didn’t sleep inside anyone’s home. They kept tents in the village. I assume they weren’t worried about anyone doing anything to the tents because of their dragons, but they don’t know us very well.”
Jonik tilted his head. “How did you distract the dragons?”
“We set the hogs loose and sort of led them to their camp. Apparently, the dragons were hungry. While they were distracted, Devarius and I approached from behind with torches and ignited the tents.”
“Interesting,” Jonik said.
“Once the tents were aflame, we rushed back to the others and fled the village. We only convinced twenty-eight others to come with us. The others … I fear the worst.”
“I imagine so,” Jonik said. “How were you able to hide from them after that? I imagine they would be hot on your trail, so to speak.”
“I know a few tricks.” Devarius shrugged.
Paedyn grinned. “We made a mess of our tracks in the forest north of Caspar.”
“Still … I imagine they are still after you?”
“We’ve been evading them the whole way south.”
“They didn’t follow you here, did they?” Jonik asked.
“We led them east to Sephreal, while we came south. I don’t know how long they will be delayed, but we are not being followed,” Devarius said.
Jonik scratched his chin.
“I’m assuming the Resistance isn’t here. We have to travel again … don’t we?” Devarius asked.
“Yes,” Jonik said. His brow furrowed as he puffed on his pipe. He moved it away and pressed his lips tightly together.
“Your expression tells me it is most likely in the direction we sent the dragonriders off our trail.” Devarius paused. “It is … isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Jonik responded.
“Where?” Devarius asked.
“I cannot tell you where the Resistance is … especially with the dragonriders so close on your tail.”
“I understand. You don’t want to compromise the location if we have a chance of being captured.”
Jonik nodded.
Devarius sighed. “Where do we need to go to next?”
“Ceydar.”
“Is it at least in the right direction?” Paedyn groaned.
Jonik didn’t answer.
“He cannot answer that,” Devarius said. “He doesn’t want us to have any information to pass over to the dragonriders if we’re captured.”
Jonik nodded.
“Where do we need to go in Ceydar?”
“A tavern called the Blind Mule.”
“Are we looking for anyone in particular?”
“No. Get a room there. I’d leave your party out of the village in the forest to the south. You don’t want to arouse suspicion. The Resistance will find you.” He paused, then laid a coin on the bar. “Pay with this.”
Devarius snatched the small gold coin, brought it to his face, and inspected it closely. It wasn’t a gold dragon. He held a gold crown in his hand. Crowns hadn’t been the currency in over seventy years. His eyes widened. They were allegedly all destroyed.
“How much more of this goose chase do we need to endure before we can actually join the Resistance?” Paedyn asked.
“This should be the last for you,” Jonik said. “If you make it there without being tracked, you should be led to them.”
“Good,” Paedyn said.
“You have to realize.” Jonik paused. “The Resistance is an old idea. In fact, it was started the same time the Dragonia Empire was rising to power. One close adviser to the emperor of the time didn’t agree with his tyranny to rise to power. He thought there should be peace throughout the land. Not fear of an empire, and especially not by dictation and force. The emperor and him split ways, and he created the Resistance. But even after all these years, there isn’t much the Resistance can do to battle the empire. What can a few humans do against hundreds of dragons? What can thousands of humans do against hundreds of dragons?”
“Is there no hope to defeat the Dragonia Empire?” Devarius asked.
“There is always hope. We’re constantly developing weapons that can aid us in a battle against dragons. But until we are fully prepared to fight the Dragonia Empire, we cannot compromise the Resistance. If they learn our location too early, then there will be little chance anyone will ever overthrow the Dragonia Empire.”
“I understand.”
The door behind them rattled and Jonik stood, hand on the dagger at his belt. A man stepped inside, and Jonik visibly relaxed. The man wore a brown peasant cloak and had a grimy face.
“Jonik.” He turned to the others, narrowing his eyes.
“They are safe … enough.”
“Dragonriders are coming to the village.”
Jonik raised an eyebrow.
“There are six dragonriders in Laeraed. One has scouted Kaedur and the other here. It seems whatever they found in this direction interested them. They’re approaching from the east, blocking off any escape in that direction.”
Devarius stood. “It seems we must go.”
Paedyn’s jaw dropped. “Where could we possibly go where the dragonriders wouldn’t find us?”
The peasant turned to Paedyn and Devarius. “Are they who the dragonriders are after?”
“I’m afraid so,” Jonik said. “They want to join the Resistance … if they can survive long enough.”
“Thanks for the encouragement,” Paedyn muttered.
“How long before they arrive?” Devarius asked.
“Nightfall,” the peasant replied.
Devarius bit his upper lip. “We need to gather the rest of the party in the forest north of here, but then I don’t know where we should go to avoid the dragonriders. We’re kind of in a corner here.”
“Want my advice?” Jonik asked.
“Yes, please.”
“You won’t like it.”
“I’m sure I’ll like it better than waiting to be captured and tortured by the Dragonia Empire.”
“There are a few unattended ships on the coast. If you think you and your party can manage the sails, you could commandeer a ship and travel west into the sea.”
Devarius frowned.
“I told you that you weren’t going to like it.” Jonik grinned.
“I’ve heard stories about the western sea. Isn’t that where the dragons come from?”
“That is the claim. Don’t travel too far. Go west for a while, and then travel south around Kaeldroga. Be careful, it’s cold down there, especially at sea. On the south side of Kaeldroga, there will be two rivers traveling north from the sea into the land. Take the second river, the one on the east side, upstream north as far as you can. That will get you close to Kaedur. Then Ceydar is right across the bay from there.”
“Right,” Paedyn muttered.
“Right across the bay. A nice, easy swim away.”
“It’s better than where we’re at now,” Devarius said.
“You’d better go,” Jonik said.
Devarius moved to Jonik and shook his hand. “Thank you.”
Paedyn and Devarius left the tavern. Rain continued to fall. Lightning filled the sky.
“Hopefully, this storm delays them. I don’t imagine this is great flying weather. Hopefully, they’ll travel by foot,” Devarius said.
“We can hope,” Paedyn whispered.
“Go to the camp and gather the others. Bring them to the docks.”
“Right through the village. What if people see and tell the dragonriders?”
“That’s a chance we’ll have to take.” Devarius glanced around. “But it doesn’t seem anyone is outside during this storm. They may notice people moving through the village from their safety inside, but it seems unlikely they’ll know exactly where we’re going without coming outside to witness it.”
Paedyn nodded. “What will you be doing?”
Devarius grinned. “Getting us a ship.”
Paedyn clasped Devarius’s shoulder before running north. Devarius sped west until he found the docks. The storm appeared even worse over the sea. He gulped. Perhaps the dragonriders wouldn’t follow them into the stormy waters. Perhaps they would survive the journey.
He found two empty sail ships that met his standards. It had to be large enough to hold twenty-eight people, sturdy, and easy enough to sail with an inexperienced crew. He decided to pick the one with less wear. He began preparing the sails to the best of his knowledge. Devarius had spent a little time on a ship before, but he’d never captained one.
He waited. It took less than an hour for Paedyn and the rest of the party to appear. They weren’t too far in the forest north of Vaereal. Once everyone was on board, Paedyn helped Devarius lift the anchor. The wind immediately grabbed the sails.
“The wind is strong west,” Devarius called.
Paedyn nodded as the ship sped out to sea. “That is good … for now.”
“Well …” Devarius brushed his hand over his head. “You’ve always wanted your own boat.” He gestured to the steering helm.
Paedyn grinned as he put his hand on the helm. “Excellent.”
16
Captain Vesryn stood in the center of Vaereal. Rain poured all around him. The storm refused to let up, making it hard to travel. The dragons didn’t like to fly in the rain, especially a storm. He couldn’t blame the beasts. It would be unsettling to fly so close to lightning. They reached Vaereal by foot, and much later than he wanted. On one of his dragonrider’s flights, they found a trail leading to Vaereal from the north, and what appeared to be a camp. However, the camp was abandoned, and there was no trace of its occupants in Vaereal.
“Where did they go?” he mused.
“Captain.” Tirask bowed.
Vesryn turned to glare at the dragonrider. The one person who’d had the traitors in his grasp and lost them. “What?”
“What is our course of action? We’ve searched all the buildings in the village, asked all of the people here, but no one claims to have seen them.”
“Have you found any tracks?”
“None.” Tirask paused. “But it’s hard to tell with this storm. Even if they traveled around the village, or through it, the rain has washed the tracks away. The dragons can’t even determine their scent through the storm.”
“There are only three directions they could have gone from here. North, south, or east.”
“What about west?” Tirask asked.
“Into the sea?” Vesryn laughed.
Tirask tilted his head.
“There’s nothing in that direction but wild dragon land. If they do travel that way, they’re as sure as dead anyway. Only the northern island has been claimed by the Dragonia Empire to tame the dragons. If there are any more, they’re not tame dragons, but wild beasts. Besides, who in their right mind would travel into this storm? With a ragtag bunch of peasants, who know nothing about manning a ship, and no ship to speak of? Do you suppose they carried a large ship from Kaed down here?”
Tirask shrugged. “It was just a thought.”
“Think less,” Vesryn said. “We need to find these men. The general is expecting us to deliver these traitors. We’ve already spent too much time searching. If we fail, we’ll all have to report to the general, and possibly the emperor. Do you want that, Tirask?”
Tirask’s body grew rigid. “No, sir.”
“Let’s split into three parties once more and search the north, south, and east thoroughly.”
“Yes, sir.” Tirask turned around and strode away to find the other dragonriders.
“They have to be out there somewhere,” Vesryn whispered.
17
Paedyn’s knuckles turned white as he held onto the steering helm on the ship. Thunder crackled all around them, vibrating the ship. It only grew worse the further west they traveled.
Devarius stepped next to Paedyn. “We’ve traveled a long way west … we should be far enough away to not see the shoreline, even in clear weather.”
“I know,” Paedyn replied. He continued to hold the helm and stared straight ahead.
“Then why don’t you turn south?”
Paedyn finally turned his head to glare into Devarius’s eyes. “Turn south, like it’s so bloody easy. Look, if you feel I’m incompetent as a ship captain, you take over.”
Devarius put his hands up. “Woah, relax, Paedyn. What’s wrong?”
“This bloody steering wheel won’t budge.”
“Is it broken?” Devarius asked.
“I don’t believe so,” Paedyn said.
“Then … what’s wrong?”
“The storm is pushing us too hard.”
To reiterate his point, Paedyn attempted to turn the steering wheel left. He struggled, making grunts as he tried to leverage all of his strength.
Devarius frowned.
Paedyn stopped, sweat glistening on his forehead. “It hasn’t always been like this. When we pulled out of Vaereal, it was difficult to steer us west, but it was doable. The storm was a lot weaker at the time. Now it’s so strong, we cannot alter the course of the ship.”
Devarius bit his lip. He stepped closer and grabbed the helm. Looking to Paedyn, he nodded. Together, the two of them attempted to turn the wheel of the helm. Even with their combined strength, the helm didn’t budge. Instead, one of its wooden spokes snapped off in Devarius’s hand. He slammed to the deck and slid across its slick surface. Paedyn rushed over to help him to his feet.
“All right,” Devarius said, brushing off his wet clothes. “It looks like we’re heading west until this storm lets up … whenever that will be.”
“It seems so,” Paedyn said.
“Do you know what lies west of Kaeldroga?”
“Dragons.”
“Dragons?”
“I’ve heard that Dragonia is west of Kaeldroga, and the land of dragons, where they train them. And where the emperor sits.”
“So … the Dragonia Empire is after us, and instead of us fleeing, we’re heading straight for them?”
Paedyn shrugged. “I don’t believe so. I’ve heard Dragonia is an island to the north. We’re in the south.”
“What’s down here?”
“I don’t know. All the expeditions in the south that have tried exploring the sea to the west have never returned. Or at least, that’s what I heard. I have heard of some seeing a land surrounded by mountains with giant squids and dragons around it, and they turned around and fled back home. I don’t know what to believe.”
“Giant squids, dragons, and possibly death await us? Excellent, another adventure.”
Paedyn rested his hands on the steering helm. “I’d rather have a toy boat; they’re much easier to steer.”
Devarius laughed.
18
The ship tipped starboard, knocking Devarius from the bed in the cabin. He s
at on the floor, an inch of water soaking into his breeches. He rubbed his head. After shaking his head to clear his mind, he reached onto the side of the bed and pulled himself up. His cabin door sprang open.
“Devarius?” Aquila whispered.
“I’m up.”
“Paedyn needs you.”
“I assumed.” He rubbed his head again. “I thought he knew how to steer a ship. This is dreadful.”
She shook her head, her beautiful black hair waving over her smooth brown face. “How you could sleep during his steering is beyond me.”
Devarius grinned.
He followed Aquila out of the room and to the main deck. The storm hadn’t relented an ounce. Rain raged from the sky with a fury. Thunder crackled all around, and lightning flashed from cloud to cloud in the dark sky. Devarius wondered what time of night it was. He found Paedyn at the helm, holding onto it for dear life.
“What’s the problem?” Devarius asked.
Paedyn turned to look at him, his eyes wide. He inclined his head forward.
Devarius frowned and glanced ahead. All he saw was darkness. He shrugged.
“I don’t see anything.”
“Wait for it,” Paedyn whispered.
Devarius raised his eyebrows and stared ahead. Besides the crashing of waves and the pounding of rain, the ship was silent. Lightning flashed in the sky in front of them in the west. For a few seconds, Devarius could see what lay in front of them. Several large mountains towered out of the sea in a direct line with small passages of water between each one. He saw a large creature with several tentacles at the base of one of the mountains. It was larger than their ship.
“Oh,” Devarius said.
“I don’t know what’s on the other side of those mountains, but I cannot steer away from them. The storm is still too strong to change the sails.”
“What do we do?” Devarius asked.
Paedyn bit his lip. “Pray to the Creator that we don’t crash?”
“Are you going to be able to miss those mountains?”
“Unless lightning flashes at the instant we reach them and we have enough strength to move the steering … I don’t know. There isn’t much we can do. All we can do is pray we can reach land.”
Dragonia- Dragonia Empire series Box Set Page 8