by D L Colon
Ethan looks at Falror in confusion and asks, “Isn't everything the will of Thelagios?"
Falror laugh and shakes his head. “I'll let him tell you more about it when you meet him.”
The group comes to a stop when they make it to Susagep. They enter the bar and notice it is very crowded. The people inside are singing and drinking as they watch the girls dance around the place, serving beer to the guys who watch them with lust in their eyes. Glaycol watches as a man’s hands find their way to one of the girl’s asses, but the girl stops his advance quickly by turning around and kicking him between the legs, making him fall back and spill his beer. The room erupts in cheers and laughter as he lays in the floor, holding himself.
As they look for Jasorian Jondariun, Falror hears someone say his name, “Falror, my friend, long time no see. Seems Elaine the Giant is treating you well.”
Falror, Glaycol, and Ethan look toward the direction of the voice and see an average height, bald-headed man with a beard and a small belly walking toward them. As he makes his way to the group, you can tell he is an experienced warrior. They can also sense a killing intent coming from him, and Glaycol let his own rise to the surface. When Ethan’s join his it was so strong that the room went completely quiet and everyone started watching the interaction between them.
The tension is thick until Jasorian Jondariun laughs as he says, “They’re good. They know how to answer to my killing intent.”
Jasorian turns to Glaycol and looks at him for a second before he turns to Falror and says, “He inherited your wrath, Falror. He is you in your younger days.”
Ethan interrupts him, “Excuse me, sir, but why don't you believe in the will of Thelagios?”
Jasorian looks at Ethan and tilts his head, “And who might you be, elf?"
Ethan looks at his feet for a second before looking back at Jasorian, "Sorry for being so rude. I am Ethan.”
Jasorian nods toward an empty table. “Let's sit down and I will tell you.”
The group sits around a table as the noise in the bar starts again. Jasorian motions one of the girls to bring a round of beer. After the drinks are served, Jasorian grabs the ass of one of the girls. She looks at him seductively, smiles, and walks away. Jasorian takes a sip of his drink then turns to Ethan, "You know, it’s not that I don’t believe, because I believe there is a God, but I don't bend to his will. I think that God uses us for his own gain. He thinks of us as pawns on his chessboard. He thinks we are petty beings in the world he created. That's why I became a Monk. I chose to live my life the way I want it to be, not the way God wants it to be.”
Falror laughs at him and says, “You always lived life your way.”
Jasorian smiles and nods, “Yes, you are right, my friend. So, tell me my friend, what is the reason you have called me here?"
A serious expression crosses Falror’s face and he answers, “I want you to join my grandson, Glaycol’s, army against Hyglarur.”
Jasorian leans back in his chair and takes a sip of his beer before answering. "Why should I join you on your suicide mission?"
Falror sighs and answers, “Because you well know that you are one of the strongest hunters that still remain of my generation. I wish I could join you all, but I don't have any of my equipment since it was passed down through our family. Glaycol, you are now the owner of all of my things.”
“I know, Gramps,” Glaycol tells him and smiles a little. “I also saw how you looked at the armor with longing and I’ve seen how Grandma Elaine looks at the sword, too. You may not be there physically to fight with me, but your will and legacy is always with me.”
Falror nods and looks at Glaycol, "The sword is no longer the same. You will see it when we get to the shop." He then turns to Ethan and says, “And why are you joining this fight in the first place? As far as I'm concerned the elves have enough people and resources to start a war of their own."
Ethan sits with a serious expression on his face, not saying anything, until Jasorian looks at him and says, "Unless they are hoping to get something out of this fight without wasting their resources and their people.”
Glaycol’s expression turns dark and wrath fills his eyes as he looks at Ethan. Ethan, knowing he has no way out of this conversation, sighs and nods. "Yes, that is the plan of my brother, the Elf King. He wants to use humans and the other races to save his troops and the resources of our people."
Glaycol’s expression turns sour and sarcasm fills his voice when he says, “I forgot that we have to please the King of the Elves. So tell me, Prince Ethan, how can we mere humans serve your royal ass today?”
Ethan knows he has made a big mistake by keeping that detail out of the initial conversation with Glaycol. Even though Glaycol was suspicious of his actions, he trusted him, but he knows Glaycol no longer trusts him, and earning that trust back will be very difficult. Falror turns to face Glaycol and says, “Glaycol, take care of this later. Now, tell your reason for wanting to destroy the dragons to Jasorian.”
Glaycol looks at Ethan for a moment longer before he turned to Jasorian, “I lost my family thanks to Hyglarur and his war. It’s been two years since that fateful day and my hate for him hasn’t diminish. I killed his brother and I have been fighting against all dragons during that time. Now I will make sure to scout the elves, the dwarfs, and us for warriors. I know that there are people who are not happy with how things are going and I know that there are members of all races that abhor the Dragon Empire. Yet there are others who are not happy with how some humans, elves, and dwarfs have joined forces with the Dragon Empire. Most of all, they are not happy with how they are using Glaceila as a puppet to keep the people in their place.”
Jasorian is nodding as Glaycol states his reasons. When Glaycol finishes Jasorian tells him, “Very well, Glaycol, I will join you under one condition.”
“And that is?” Glaycol asks, uncertainty lacing his voice.
Jasorian smiles and answers, “I want you to keep my stash of alcohol full. Both before and after my fights.”
Glaycol grins and nods, “You have a deal, Jasorian Jondariun.”
Chapter 6
Glaycol stands up with his Gramps and heads out of the bar and back to the shop so he can get his armor and swords. They walk in silence for a while before Glaycol says, “You know the money I’ve been giving you to hold for me?"
"Yes, what about it, son?"
"Do you know how much it is?”
Falror scratches his small beard and answers, “You know, as a matter of fact, I do and it is enough to buy half of the buildings in the Capital.”
Glaycol smiles evilly and nods, but doesn’t say anything so Falror lets the subject drop. As they keep walking, Falror asks, “What are you going to do about the Elf Prince, Ethan?"
“I will make sure to put him in a situation he can't escape from unless he follows what he told me he would do. I know that I will have to kill his brother, the King, so this war will continue the way it’s supposed to, but there's got to be something I can do to keep the elves on a leash for them to serve the purpose of this war. I will do everything I can to bring down the Dragon Empire.” Glaycol is silent for a minute before he turns to Falror and asks, “What's the status of the cities’ economic affairs?”
Falror looks at Glaycol like he’s lost his mind and asks, "Do you expect me to know that much about the cities?”
Glaycol nods and answers, “You may think I'm not paying attention, but I know that despite you being a blacksmith, you hold a connection to every city on Istagar. I know this because I watch how you sit down at night to read letters from all over the Continent."
“The Castles in every city are on the border of not being able to afford to keep the city running. They’ve been increasing taxes in their cities to get more money that they are easily loosing. Unless someone is able to pay what the cities owe to the Capital, it's going to be a hard road for the people."
Glaycol nods and asks, “What if I pay all the debts with the stipula
tion that the Kings must cut ties to the Capital and prepare to fall under my command? Every city that decides not to back me up will be conquered by me and their future will be harder if they are unwilling to join me."
“Are you out of your mind, son? You are basically doing what the Empire is doing to the people; enslaving them to your will.”
Glaycol’s expression turns cold at Falror’s words. “People will die, Gramps. I'm giving them the option to join me and push the Dragons out. I’m giving the cities a chance to be governed by kings that know the struggle of the people under their leadership. The kingdom is slowly sucking the vitality of the people. Sooner or later a civil war will break out, and the people will pay a higher price than the first time. Under my command they will not suffer heavy taxes, they will pay what they can afford to the kingdom, and there will be no tolerance for those that will try to leech on the poor.”
“Why would you go to such lengths to protect the humans? You know very well that there will be opposition to everything that happens, and they will try to make sure you fail to accomplish it.”
"I dare them to try. I will be ruthless and they will regret trying to oppose me.”
“So you will rule them through oppression?"
“If it sets an example to the opposition and makes them think carefully before going against me, then I will do just that. They will see the difference between me and the dragons. The dragons never gave them a chance, but I will.”
Falror sighs heavily and pauses at the door when they make it to the shop. “Oh well, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, let's take a look of the weapons we made.”
Glaycol and Falror enter the shop and Elaine is waiting for them with a grin on her face. "I’ve been waiting for you boys.”
Glaycol and Falror look at each other questioningly, wondering why she would be waiting for them. When they look down at the table they realize they have been out most of the morning and she has prepared food for them to eat. They smile and sit down to eat and Elaine says, "I have the location of the dragon who is controlling this city."
Glaycol stops midway through eating and his smile is replaced by the expression of a bloodthirsty hunter. He instantly turns into the Dragon Slayer, and looks at Elaine with eyes as cold as the mountains of the Frozen Plains. “Where is he?"
Falror and Elaine look at each other with sad expressions on their face. They know that the person they see is no longer Glaycol Master. In his place sits the Dragon Slayer, and they are sad because it seems like there are two different people living in the same body.
Elaine nods and answers, "He is living under the castle. The caves that are under the castle are big enough for him to live in. There's a possibility that the pillars holding the castle might be where he is located, since he could destroy the castle and leave no trace it was done by a dragon,”
"Okay, Grandma, thank you for the information. I will get back with the person I made a deal with to get me information on the matter.”
Elaine smiles sadly and nods before she changes the topic. “I made upgrades to your armor.”
Suddenly Glaycol’s expression changes completely as he genuinely smiles. "Really? I can't wait to see it.”
Elaine returns his smile, "Eat up, and you will see all of it.”
Glaycol nods and starts eating his food. Only a few minutes pass before he is finished and they head down to where his armor and swords are. As they walk toward the inner workshop, Elaine and Falror are talking about how Thelagios granted his blessing on the swords and gave them names.
Glaycol simply listens to his grandparents as they talk, but once he sees the armor and swords astonishment fills his eyes. "WOW! I can't believe how different they looked a day ago.”
Falror and Elaine smile at his enthusiasm and Falror says, "Go on, son. I know you want to wear it so go ahead and try it out.”
Glaycol takes off his shirt and they can see how much he has trained his body, but they also see the diagonal scar that Hyglarur’s claws left upon it. This scar is a reminder of who could have killed him but wasn't able to when he struck against the Master family. After putting the full armor on, Glaycol feels the scar and the armor assimilate and form a red, diagonal streak on his back and Glaycol can feel the scar pulsing into his armor.
Elaine gasps audibly and says softly, “The Berserker armor has been awakened. It will feed on your anger, hatred, and all the negative emotions inside of you. In return it will give you a power like we have never seen. You are the first to awaken the armor. Falror couldn't even do it. You must remember that the armor is like a beast. The more it feeds the more unstable it will become. You have two choices, either don't use the armor or control the beast in it before it controls you.”
Glaycol nods and looks at them for a moment, “So the more I feed it, the more I must control it. I have to be on alert all the time and be in control of my emotions.”
Falror and Elaine both nod as Glaycol proceeds to finish putting the armor on. Once he is finished he grabs his swords and puts them in their scabbards. He can feel the power coursing through his body and his expression changes. Glaycol Master is once again gone and the Dragon's Slayer is standing there with an evil smile on his face.
Glaycol nods, but doesn’t say a word to his grandparents as he leaves, heading straight to Susagep.
Chapter 7
On his way to Susagep, the people of the city apparently feel the change in Glaycol and upon seeing him, they all hurry out of his way and to let him pass without interfering with whatever he is going to do. When he notices he has made it to Susagep, Glaycol opens the door and walks in, ignoring the noise of the drunk people singing and fighting.
Glaycol sits down and orders a drink just as Dach, the owner of the bar, approaches him and says in a low tone, “I got the information you asked me for.”
Glaycol nods and with an evil smile replies, “Excellent. I want to cross information with you because I got some information from a very close source. Don’t worry, you will still be getting paid, but if the information matches you will have something extra.”
Dach proceeds to tell Glaycol what he already knows, which solidifies the dragon’s location, but Dach also has other information. It seems there's a way to get to the mountain through the so called King’s Room. Apparently they made a passage long before the dragon came in case they needed to escape from a war.
Glaycol nods and smiles at the information he is given. "You have gotten more than I was hoping for considering how the dragons are and you have given me more reasons to go hunting.”
Glaycol finishes his drink and puts three gold dracones on the table before he walks away and exits the bar. As soon as he walks out the door he sees Ethan and Jasorian walking together. Upon seeing Glaycol from the other side of the street, they cross and approach him, but when they notice he’s wearing his armor and has his swords with him they pause and their senses are overcome with a feeling of danger from all sides. They know that feeling is coming from Glaycol and they hold their ground, showing him that they are not backing down from anything.
Glaycol smiles at their expressions and says, "Good, I’m glad you’re here. Are you guys ready for some action?"
Ethan and Jasorian look at each other and Ethan asks, "Where are we going?"
Glaycol points at the Castle and answers, “There."
“What are we doing there?" Jasorian asks skeptically.
"Hunting." Glaycol responds with an evil grin.
"Hunting what?" Ethan asks, even though he’s pretty sure of the answer.
“My favorite beast to hunt.” Glaycol tells them. “A dragon. I'm cleaning house in this kingdom.”
Glaycol starts walking toward the castle, heading straight for the one responsible for humans living in fear now. The humans have felt hunted for too long, now Glaycol is the hunter and the dragons are his prey. One by one he will kill them all.
Ethan and Jasorian are walking right behind him, each of them wondering how
Glaycol got that information, and what he is going to do about it that won't jeopardize all the races. Jasorian takes a sip from the flask he keeps stashed in his boot and grins. He’s always ready for a fight. While he takes another sip of his drink, Ethan is accessing his mental inventory and making sure everything is ready.
As they keep walking, Ethan and Jasorian catch up with Glaycol and they start walking faster as they head to the castle door. They are surprised by the fact that there are no guards there to stop them. As soon as they open the door of the castle the smell of blood is so strong that Glaycol instantly changes to the Dragon Slayer. The most surprising thing they see upon entering is the mature dragon that is eating bodies from the floor. Glaycol grips his great sword as he motions for silence. While not making any noise, he puts on his helmet and hears the word FEED in his head.
Glaycol knows that he doesn’t need the help of the armor to fight this enemy as he moves swiftly, swinging his great sword and cutting the dragon in half, never giving it enough time to react. The noise of the sword hitting the floor must have alerted the other small dragons within the castle because within seconds they are being surrounded. As dragons that were on the ceiling start falling, Ethan and Jasorian move closer to Glaycol so they are able to fight together. Glaycol smirks as he watches the dragons start to close in on them. “It must be my lucky day.”
They were just about to attack when a man wearing a mask appears. Seeing Glaycol and the rest being surrounded by the small dragons, he smiles. “Looks like we got some unexpected guests. I guess I should leave it to the baby dragons to take care of you, after all I sided with the dragons so they could destroy the humans and make a utopia for the dragons on the Continent of Istagar. You all are beasts of destruction, after all, and you know nothing of making peace with each other. You always thought you were at the top of the food chain, but you were wrong. My race has always been on top. After all, my father, Hyglarur, is the leader of the dragons.”
Upon hearing the name Hyglarur, Glaycol loses all rational thought as anger, hatred and the need for revenge swarm into his head. Suddenly Glaycol hears the voice in his mind again; You want power? Give me all the emotions you are feeling right now, and that power is yours.