Dragon Quest Novel

by Melania Zveja

  However, Ron had healers on his side. Thomas cast a healing spell upon Ron, allowing him to get back onto his feet and charge back to the troll. While that happened, Alice finished another spell and enhanced Suzanne's strength. And with the troll now on the ground, Suzanne and Ron were at an advantage now. Ron cut into the monster's midsection, looking for its heart, while Suzanne jumped on top of the troll's side and cut into its arm. It had tried to swat at Suzanne but her blade rendered its arm useless. The arm fell down limply.

  Finally, Suzanne and Ron worked their way to the troll's head. The troll was unable to get the two off of it, allowing them to slice and dice into the creature's skull, soon rendering the troll limp and lifeless. As they had with the Orochi, the two made sure to inflict a good amount of overkill on the beast to be certain that it was dead and ensure that the troll could not heal itself back into fighting shape. The troll's body fell disgustingly unto its back, the king's bedroom now almost covered in a pool of green blood.

  The imposter was dead. When the creature rolled over, the four noticed a peculiar staff sitting just underneath the troll's arm.

  Chapter 25: Loved Ones

  The four had seen and participated in the toppling of several regimes throughout the duration of their quest but the overthrowing of the troll pretending to be King Crayton would take more than the troll's defeat. The two witnesses spread the tale of the battle against the fake King Crayton throughout the kingdom and the true King Crayton publicly displayed himself and the body of the troll in the Mirror of Ra several times. But some refused to believe these displays. This led to the ironic situation of many of the castle soldiers and many of the rebellion teaming up to form a new rebellion; though the new rebellion considered themselves the true servants of Samanao and considered the true King Crayton an usurper.

  Fortunately, the majority of the people respected the Mirror of Ra enough to believe in the true king. King Crayton was able to sit upon his throne for the first time in years. The group of people who thought he had stolen the throne was small compared to those that now stood by him. The new rebellion was driven from the capital into the countryside. The king had intended to leave them alone but the rebels had turned to guerilla warfare against the forces of Samanao. It was with a heavy heart that the king ordered his men to pursue the rebels.

  "All this because of my mistakes," King Crayton lamented. "But now I must fix my mistakes."

  "Is there anything we can do to help?" Suzanne asked.

  "You can continue your quest," the king answered. "As far as Samanao is concerned that is the best thing you can do for us. As for my dissenters, that is a problem that will take some time to solve and that we, as a people, will have to solve for ourselves. And now I have found out first hand how dangerous the Archfiend is, even without using an army of monsters."

  "On that note, I have prepared a collection of messages to be given to the rulers of Romaly, Isis, Eginbear, and Portoga. It will let them know about most of our situation. I am afraid I could not mention you in the messages for Eginbear and Portoga. Politically, I did not think it would be wise; in fact, I think it could hurt our cause."

  "Why's that?" asked Ron.

  "No doubt the citizens of Samanao aren't the only ones that will find this tale hard to swallow," Suzanne guessed. "King Saldor of Portoga will be especially suspicious if he hears of our involvement. When we met him, he suspected us of being agents of the empire and if he hears of our part in this affair he may think the empire has set up a puppet ruler in Samanao. His mistrust in the empire is that great."

  "You are correct," said the king. "I remember King Saldor. If he thinks that I am a puppet put here by the empire he will not take it lightly. He would likely consider it an aggressive act; the Romalian Empire building up their power before they invade Portoga. The two nations have had a strained relationship ever since the Second Great War. And with your talk of uniting the nations, as Desmond did, he will believe that his greatest nightmare is coming true again. Samanao will have enough to do to recover from our recent turmoil; we would not be able to defend ourselves if King Saldor thinks it necessary to get rid of the empire's puppet government."

  "That'd be terrible!" exclaimed Alice. "You don't think he'd really invade Samanao do you?"

  "Do not be so quick to judge King Saldor," said His Majesty. "He only wishes to protect his land. The number of parallels between recent events and the Second Great War would be understandably frightening for him."

  "Nevertheless, your names and deeds are proudly recorded in the messages for the empire and Isis," continued King Crayton, changing the subject. "In addition, I will pledge the support of Samanao to the cause of fighting the Archfiend. When the time comes, Samanao will stand together with Romaly and Isis. Though you must understand, we are capable of giving little support at the moment. I fear the imposter has done enough damage."

  "Don't worry, Your Majesty," came a voice from the back of the throne room. "We'll restore Samanao to its former glory in no time."

  Matthew had just walked into the throne room. For the first time since the four had met him, Matthew was no longer wearing his light armor but a noble looking robe. King Crayton had appointed Matthew to be an advisor. Matthew would prove invaluable in dealing with the former members of the rebellion. Besides that, Matthew had proven he was a man the king could trust and with his missing arm this would allow him to serve his country without fighting. Lastly, the king still had not fully recovered from all the torment he had suffered while imprisoned by the troll and Matthew was familiar with the episodes the king could go into.

  Nevertheless, the role would take some getting used to. Even walking in the bulky robe appeared to give Matthew some discomfort. He also was getting used to only having one arm; he walked into the room carrying two swords and scabbards.

  "I came to see the lot of you off," said Matthew. Ron quickly relieved him of his burden, looking at Matthew to see where he wanted the swords. "They're for you: a gift for all you've done. They're called dragon killers. They're very powerful and, as you would guess, effective against dragons. History tells us the mountains around our nation were once a home to the beasts. The knowledge of how to make these weapons has been passed down throughout Samanaon history."

  "Thank you," said Suzanne. "We will use them well."

  "That reminds me, I have a gift for you as well," said the king. He brought forward the strange staff that had been found on the troll's body after it had been defeated.

  "I have had the scholars look at it and they agree this is called the Staff of Change," explained King Crayton. "It is what that demon used to assume my form so perfectly. I want you four to take care of it. Make sure it never falls into the wrong hands ever again."

  "You have our word that will never happen," said Suzanne, accepting the gift.

  "I would ask a favor of you, before you go," said Matthew. "If you find Simon, dead or alive, could you get word to me immediately? Only if it's not an inconvenience, of course."

  "It would be no problem," replied Suzanne. "Now that the seal on Samanao is gone we'll be able to teleport to and from here at will. If I may ask, why are you interested in Simon's fate?"

  "He is my father," answered Matthew.

  Having no leads on the remaining two orbs and wanting to find Simon for Matthew the group decided to look for the Shrine Jail, where Simon was sent by the imposter. King Crayton and Matthew gave the group maps which pinpointed the Shrine Jail's exact location in the Narls Sea. The Mad Hound was teleported near Noaniels. From there, it was a four day trip to get to the Naxly Sea, the body of water just east of the Narls which was connected by a river.

  On the third day of the trip they came to the river that led from the open ocean through land, forming part of the border between the Zilcof and Dalmath continents. This portion of the Dalmath continent was literally covered by a humongous forest called the Forest of the World Tree. The forest was named for the fact it was rumored to house the World Tree; a tre
e whose leaves were said to have wondrous healing abilities. The forest was a mysterious place and filled with monsters so it had resisted habitation by humans.

  Which made it all the more curious when the crew of the Mad Hound spotted a house not far inland. The house was just outside of the forest. Suzanne wondered who would be living in a place like this and so she and the other three decided to take a quick detour and visit the house.

  Once the four came near the house they found that it was of remarkable construction. It was made out of the finest of wood and shaped in such a way that it seemed to sprout forth from the ground itself. Looking at the house and comparing it to the nearby forest it was clear that wood used had come from the forest. However, looking at the house and its natural looking shapes gave the observer the impression that no trees had been cut down to build it.

  Out of the house came a man of very short stature. The four quickly realized he was a dwarf. The dwarf was wearing heavy armor and was carrying a hammer even bigger than he was.

  "Be gone with you!" shouted the dwarf in a very deep voice. "Don't think I can't reach your faces with this hammer here!"

  Suzanne held up her hands. "We mean you no harm, sir. We were just wondering who was living so close to the Forest of the World Tree."

  The dwarf opened his mouth to yell again but then promptly shut it. It was tough to see due to the dwarf's full facial hair covering his face but he appeared shocked at what Suzanne said. The four looked at the dwarf with confusion.

  "That voice…" muttered the dwarf, barely audible. "What is your name?"

  As Suzanne came near the dwarf it was now her that showed surprise on her face. She quickly composed herself and answered, "I am Suzanne of Aliahan, daughter of Ortega. And you are Gerule, the man who brought us news of his fate."

  "My goodness, Suzanne, what brings you out here?" asked Gerule. "Why are you and your friends armed and armored like this?"

  "We have taken up the journey where my father left off," answered Suzanne.

  "No!" said Gerule, horrified. "You cannot go on our journey. Ortega's spirit would never rest, knowing his little girl is putting herself in danger."

  "I have to disagree, Gerule," replied Suzanne. "We have met with a lot of progress in our quest. I believe my father would be proud."

  "No!" yelled Gerule again. "You have no idea what you're getting into! You have no idea the horrors that are out there!"

  "With all due respect, we do," returned Suzanne calmly. "We have fought terrible monsters and witnessed terrible things. But we have also seen the good out there. And we have begun to get the different nations to cooperate. The Romalian Empire and Isis have formed an alliance and are even now preparing to deal with the Archfiend. And just recently, Samanao has come out of isolation and has pledged their support to the cause."

  Gerule once again wore the face of shock. "Samanao has come out of isolation? How in the world did you manage that?"

  "It's a long story," said Suzanne. "Why don't we go inside and take a moment to catch up?"

  "Incredible," commented Gerule, when the four had finished their story. "Indeed, you have met with much more success than we ever did. To think that you liberated Samanao and got them to join the alliance…"

  But then Gerule became stern once again. "But you must stop this now. There are still more terrible things out there. You must not continue, as we did. You would inevitably be taken into the Necrogond. You would meet the same fate as your father and our comrades." The thought of his lost friends clearly gave Gerule a lot of grief.

  "What happened up there?" asked Suzanne softly. "Up in the Necrogond. I never heard the whole story."

  "I wouldn't want to give you pain. Know only that your father fought bravely to the last," answered Gerule.

  "Please, Gerule. I can handle it," said Suzanne.

  Gerule gave a large sigh. "Very well. We went into the Necrogond to perform reconnaissance on the Archfiend and his forces. Maybe we could even catch a glimpse of the bastard. The going was tough from the get go. The monsters would've been bad enough but just getting through the mountains was an impossible challenge."

  "One day, we were beset upon by a host of monsters. The battle was fierce and we never found good ground to stand on. It was all we could do to keep from falling down. We used this to our advantage too, pushing monsters down the mountain. But many of our foes could fly. It felt like hours."

  "Eventually we caught a break, but it didn't last long. Before we could find shelter we were attacked by a large green dragon and some other monsters. Irineas, one of our comrades and an elven wizard, identified the dragon as Xlysinil, the Dark Sky Guardian said to have served the Master Archfiend in the First Great War."

  "Wait, that's the name from the elves' song from Liamland!" exclaimed Alice. "The one they said killed the god-bird!"

  "It would not surprise me," said Gerule. "He was a terrible beast. With him fighting us, we were now at a serious disadvantage. And he was a skilled flier; we could not hope to escape. Ortega was sent down the mountain first; one of Xlysinil's minions cast a spell and when Ortega tried to avoid it he lost his footing. Then Xlysinil let out a burst of flame that sent me down the mountainside. I was separated from Ortega, Sarina, and Irineas."

  "I lost consciousness for a time," continued Gerule. "I don't know how long I was out. I was amazed to even wake up. There were no monsters around me. I hurried up the mountain after my friends."

  "I came across Sarina and Irineas first," said Gerule. His voice was barely audible now and his face had lost all its color. "They were already dead. What was worst, there were monsters all around them. The demons were feasting on them right there."

  Now Gerule was filled with such rage, the four were almost afraid he would snap and attack them. "I ended the foul beasts right there to stop their desecration of my friends' bodies. It was then I heard a commotion further up the mountain. I could see Ortega fighting Xlysinil all by himself."

  Gerule's anger was now replaced with admiration. "I always knew he was a skilled fighter, a master with both the sword and with magic. But I had never seen him like this. To think that he fought and defeated that dragon in single combat is incredible."

  Then Gerule turned solemn again. "I rushed up the mountain to help him but I was too late. When I saw him deal the killing blow to Xlysinil, I slowed my pace. Thinking the threat done with, my adrenaline stopped fueling me and I felt the ache of my wounds and my exhaustion catch up with me. It appeared the same happened to Ortega. We both thought the creature to no longer be a threat but with its last breath it threw its body against Ortega, sending them both into the mouth of the volcano."

  "My energy returned to me and I rushed after Ortega. The heat was so incredible, it was all I could do just to look into the volcano. I saw nothing but lava and a few glimpses of Xlysinil's body, set aflame. At least the beast was destroyed too."

  There was silence for a long time. Finally, Suzanne spoke, "Thank you Gerule. I know that must have been hard for you. But now I know the true significance of my father's last moments. He destroyed the terrible Xlysinil who slew the god-bird. He died a true hero."

  "And I will continue his journey," continued Suzanne. "I realize we will face even greater dangers and horrors than we have seen yet. But my father went on this journey because he knew we could not just stand by. He believed in making an effort for the greater good and as his daughter, I too believe in that. I will continue his journey."

  "Come with us," said Suzanne. "We could use your help. And you could put my father's spirit at ease; he would know that his daughter is being watched over by a friend."

  "I almost wish I could," replied Gerule. "But I can't. The fight wouldn't be in me anyhow. I have no hope left, child. A man with no hope would only be a deterrent to your cause. And I made a promise to Irineas and Sarina. Irineas was the last in a line of elves that had sworn to protect this forest. Sarina had happened upon him by chance and the two had fallen in love. I promised them that
if something happened to them I would protect this forest in their place. This is their house."

  Gerule then went over to a drawer and pulled out a leaf. Never had the four thought they would see a single leaf that looked so majestic, so incredible. The leaf literally glowed with an incredible power.

  "A leaf of the World Tree," gasped Thomas in awe. "The greatest of healing plants. This leaf has the power to bring a person back from the very brink of death."

  "You're correct, Thomas," said Gerule. "This is all I can do for you now. Take it, and be safe."

  The four left Gerule and continued towards the Shrine Jail. The next two days saw sunny skies as the Mad Hound worked its way into and then through the Laxly Sea.

  "We're finally going to meet Simon!" exclaimed Alice excitedly. "I hope Mathias was right and that Simon has the Sword of Gaia. I would love to see that thing in action!"

  "Don't be too hasty," cautioned Thomas. "Do you remember that tale we heard from the bard, Sonny? The Shrine Jail is right in the middle of the Narls. And if his tale is correct, there's no way we'll even get into the Narls."

  "Well of course I remember, Tom!" said Alice, undeterred. "But I have faith in Captain Marbeley and his crew. They haven't failed us yet!"

  "I too have the utmost confidence in the captain and the crew but I don't think great sailing skills are going to get by a curse," protested Thomas.

  The two continued to discuss the matter while Suzanne and Ron looked on.

  "She's awfully cheerful today," observed Ron. "Usually when we try to argue with her she'd be yelling her head off at us by now. Remember how we argued about the existence of ice dragons again yesterday? You'd think I insulted her honor or something!"

  "She's been patient with Tom in general recently," said Suzanne. "I think she's being thankful for his saving her life against the troll."

  "Now that's just unfair," replied Ron. "We kept the thing away from the two of them while Tom worked his magic. We saved her just as much as he did."