by Brandon Mull
“Enough,” Velrog declared, blowing a puff of mist at the agile warrior. The cloud condensed into hundreds of entwined strands, and the more Cyllia moved, the more fully entangled she became.
Velrog pounced, and Kendra looked away as the dragon noisily devoured the hamadryad. Kendra strained against the webs girdling her, weeping with frustration as her muscles failed the test. She fell over, and the webs binding her stuck to the floor.
“That was rash,” Velrog admitted after his last swallow. “Luscious, satisfying, but overly indulgent. How could I resist? It has been so long. Having slaked my appetite, I intend to relish the rest of you.”
Velrog looked upward. Kendra heard a rush of air and flapping wings. Had Raxtus torn free? No, he remained flypapered to the hanging webs. Craning her head, Kendra glimpsed two figures flying above and behind her, golden wings flashing. Both held swords. Were they astrids? Where had they come from? As they wheeled into a more visible position, Kendra recognized one of the newcomers as her brother!
Seth hovered beside Merek. After arriving at the Dragon Temple as the sun rose, they had found a dead giant, two dead dragons, and the main door open. They had discovered a dragon corpse in the mirror maze, shortly before meeting a blind woman named Vanessa, who had encouraged them onward. They had flown through a room with an enormous, broken dragon statue, and then had arrived in this web-shrouded lair.
“Is that your sister?” Merek asked, pointing down to where Kendra lay wrapped in webs on the floor.
“Yeah,” Seth said, happy to find her alive.
“Who has joined us?” the dragon asked. “A pair of sparrows?”
“Velrog!” Merek warned Seth. “This one hunts like a spider. He is preparing to feed. Split up.”
Seth swooped one way and Merek the other. Seth’s wings involuntarily jerked him sideways, and a gray ball of matter flew by, barely missing him. As he maneuvered closer to the scurrying dragon, Seth dodged many webby banners and tendrils, his golden wings neatly slicing through any strands they encountered.
Diving near the dragon with his stake in his hand, Merek swerved to avoid the club tail and missed his chance to strike. The dragon jetted a concentrated stream of web material at him, but Merek flew behind hanging webs, and the stream could not reach him.
Seth streaked toward the dragon. The creature turned and breathed a gray mist at him. Holding out his long knife, Seth spiraled into the cloud, wings spinning like blades in a blender, and he came through the mist with only a few gluey strands clinging to him.
Landing beside the dragon, Seth slashed one of the legs. He thought he had missed, due to the lack of resistance against his blade, but then the limb fell off. Shrieking, the dragon tipped toward him, allowing Seth to stab the Unforgiving Blade up into its belly. The blade entered effortlessly, as if he had thrust it into water.
Otherwise strangely still, the dragon trembled.
“How?” the dragon whispered, the words requiring effort to speak. “Your blade . . . I have failed. I yield.”
“You do?” Seth asked.
“Seth,” Merek called. “Grant the monstrosity a clean death.”
“Remove . . . the blade,” the dragon begged quietly. “Please . . .”
Seth noticed the platelike scales around the blade withering and darkening.
“Quickly, Seth,” Raxtus said. “It isn’t a trick.”
The dragon gasped. “Please . . . my word . . . mercy.”
Seth pulled out the Unforgiving Blade but held it ready. On shaky legs, the dragon turned, lowering his head in front of Seth. “Be quick,” the dragon whispered.
The Unforgiving Blade passed easily through the neck, though it lacked enough length to decapitate the dragon with a single stroke. Two more rapid swipes fully parted the head from the body. The dragon collapsed and remained still.
Seth stepped away and pondered the long knife in his hand. How powerful was it? What had the dragon felt with the dark blade inside of him?
Merek landed beside Seth. “Well done. First dragon?”
“Second,” Kendra said from her webby straitjacket. “Unless you’ve killed others since leaving us.”
“The first I can remember,” Seth said. “Hi, Kendra.”
“Where did you get wings?” Kendra asked.
“Some old guy in the middle of nowhere,” Seth said. “After I was struck by lightning.”
“You’ve been busy,” a guy tangled in webs said. “I’m Warren, Seth. Welcome back.”
“Nice to meet you,” Seth said. “I probably used to know you?”
“You knew all of us,” the huge Polynesian said.
“Sorry we didn’t get here sooner,” Seth said. “The weather was insane. We did our best. This is Merek. He’s . . . useful against dragons. Can I say?”
Merek gave a nod.
“He’s one of the legendary Dragon Slayers,” Seth said.
“Wait,” Kendra said. “One of the five originals? A son of Konrad?”
“You know your history,” Merek said.
“I’ve already seen him turn a dragon to dust,” Seth said.
“We just eliminated a couple ourselves,” Warren muttered.
“Your group did well,” Merek complimented. “I have never seen a dragon filleted like Jinzen. And Pioleen has proven hard to kill for centuries.”
“The leader of Dragonwatch is searching for the legendary Dragon Slayers,” Kendra said. “Do you know there is a dragon war going on?”
“I’m learning,” Merek said. “Your brother recently reunited me with my memories.”
“That’s ironic,” Kendra said. “Now if only we can get Seth’s memories back.”
“His memories existed separate from him,” Seth said. “Almost like a ghost. Mine are probably in a similar state.”
“How did you find him?” Kendra asked Seth.
“Happy accident,” Seth said.
“You still don’t remember me,” Kendra said.
“Not from my old memories,” Seth said. “Hopefully soon.”
“I’m Tanu,” the giant Polynesian guy said. “If you free me, I can help the others. I suspect that dragon has a gland in its mouth that produces a liquid to melt the webs.”
Seth held up the Unforgiving Blade. “I can’t use this. It’s too dangerous to get close to anyone.”
“I will use my wings to free Tanu,” Merek said.
“I’m not always this massive,” Tanu said. “I brewed an enlargement potion.”
Merek took flight and started swooping near Tanu, his wings slashing away large swathes of web. Seth walked over to Kendra.
“What’s with the smaller dragon?” Seth asked. “The one in the webs?”
“I’m Raxtus,” the dragon said. “It’s good to see you, Seth. I’m on your side.”
“He is,” Kendra confirmed.
“Nice to meet you,” Seth said. He returned his attention to Kendra. “You’re the one stuck this time.”
“I wouldn’t have left you on that mushroom,” Kendra said. “I was trying to take advantage of having a captive audience. It was a delicate situation.”
“Still is in a lot of ways,” Seth said.
“Do you know we’re on your side?” Kendra asked.
“Generally,” Seth said. “I’ve confirmed that you’re my sister. But I still have a lot to figure out.”
“Can we agree that we don’t want dragons to rule the world?” Kendra said.
“Yes,” Seth answered.
“And we can agree we don’t want Ronodin ruling the Fairy Realm?”
“Definitely,” Seth said.
“That’s a start,” Kendra said.
“This is the third dragon you fought today inside the Dragon Temple?” Seth asked.
“It should be the last guardian,” Kendra affirmed.
“Thanks for the help. Is the storm still raging?”
“It was brutal,” Seth said. “The storm was slowing down when we arrived here. The sun was starting to peek through. And it was raining purple frogs.”
“Literally raining frogs?” Kendra checked.
“Yes,” Seth verified. “Live ones, tiny and slimy.”
“Gross,” Kendra said.
“It was pretty disgusting,” Seth admitted.
Trailing a short cape of webs, Tanu trudged over to Velrog. Crouching, he pulled the jaws apart, then, after finding leverage, cracked the jaws much wider than they were meant to open. Bending over, the gigantic Polynesian poked around inside the exposed mouth.
“If the storm is winding down, we need to hurry,” Kendra said. “The dragons could strike anytime. Who knows how many might come to the temple? At some point, they will realize we killed the guards they posted here. We have to find the Harp before they arrive.”
“I’ve got it,” Tanu said, turning and smiling, holding up a pulpy little pocket of tissue. “Let me blend this into a solution, and I’ll have everyone web-free in no time.”
Tess,” Emery called. “Fetch your brother and meet me in the hall. There is something you should see.”
“Is the storm over?” Tess asked.
“One is over,” Emery said. “Another may be starting. Hurry.”
Tess had only been awake for a few minutes. In Humburgh, Virgil had recommended they take refuge at Terastios before the storm hit, so she, Knox, Newel, and Doren had gone to Big Side and returned to the giant fortress with Rustafet. The night had been tumultuous outside, with shrieking winds and nearly continuous thunder, but she had finally slept.
Tess ran into Knox’s room and shook him. “Wake up.”
“Leave me alone,” Knox grumbled, pulling the pillow over his head. “I could barely sleep last night.”
“Emery wants to show us something,” Tess insisted. “It’s important.”
“You go see,” Knox mumbled. “She can show me later.”
“Another storm is coming,” Tess said.
Knox sat up. “Another storm? What do you mean?”
“Come on,” Tess said. “She’s waiting.”
“Give me a minute,” Knox said. “Let me get dressed.”
Tess went out of his room and waited. She started to worry it was a trick and he was back under his covers. “Are you coming?” she checked.
He opened the door, a crease from the pillow printed across his cheek, eyes bleary, but he had a T-shirt, jeans, and shoes on. “This better be good.”
“If not, blame Emery,” Tess said, leading him to the hall.
“Glad to see you awake,” Emery said. She took Tess by the hand. “I’ve been alerted to something worth seeing. This way.”
The beautiful servant led them down a few hallways to a leaded-glass window, which she opened, offering a view from the front of the fortress. The storm clouds had broken up and were drifting into the distance. Several trees had fallen and more had lost limbs. Many were charred from lightning strikes. Standing water abounded in pools and puddles.
And there was a small group of dragons flying toward Terastios.
Behind them, in the distance, hundreds of flying objects peppered the sky.
The platinum scales of the leading dragon gleamed in the light of the newly risen sun as he landed in front of the fortress. Sleek in form and enormous in scale, he wore a crown at the base of his majestic horns. Twenty other dragons formed up behind him.
“Welcome to a new day,” Celebrant declared in a clear voice with the resonance of many men speaking in unison. “Revenge is all the sweeter when your oppressors understand their doom. As of this morning, the other six dragon sanctuaries have all fallen. Yours is the last to stand. It will not endure for long.”
The dragons behind Celebrant roared and blew fire triumphantly.
“I offer no terms of surrender. The way you have treated our kind here leaves no room for mercy. You giants never placed an emphasis on magical defenses for Stratos and Terastios, considering such preparations beneath you. Speaking as your devoted enemy, you have my sincere gratitude for this philosophy. What meager defensive spells were in place have already been compromised. I want the dragons of Titan Valley to know that the hour of their liberation is at hand. I want the sky giants to realize that by nightfall, they will be extinct. And I want all to recognize that when we dragons finish our work here today, no two stones of this fortress will remain one upon the other, and the kingdom of Stratos will be a scarred and desolate waste.”
The dragons flanking Celebrant flapped their wings and bellowed. Behind them, rank upon rank of airborne dragons came into clearer view.
“The overseers of Titan Valley long ago forgot the might of dragons. We have come to issue a reminder that will never be forgotten. I am Celebrant the Just, and I swear that the Perennial Storm was a feeble precursor to the real tempest. Dragons, attack!”
The gates of Terastios opened, and three armored giants charged out, one bearing a mace, one a sword, and one a flail. After inhaling deeply, the Dragon King breathed out a stream of white energy that blew the helmet off the lead giant and left him on the ground, clutching his face. As the dragons accompanying Celebrant soared into the air, unleashing long columns of fire, searing bolts of lightning, and roiling torrents of acid, Emery closed the window and led Knox and Tess away.
“Are you going to kill us?” Knox asked Emery.
“I remain loyal to the Giant Queen, and I have been tasked with keeping you safe,” Emery said. “Should she fall, I will be released from my vows to her, and I will resume my former life as a dragon. I want to get you to safety before that happens. Nobody who remains in Terastios will survive.”
“Where can we go?” Tess asked.
“You must take the passage to Humburgh,” Emery said. “Humbuggle has his own defenses there, and the wrath of Celebrant is not directed at him. Raza has contacted Rustafet to help you. And Giselle is waking the satyrs.”
“We should have stayed in Humburgh,” Knox complained.
“This was the better place to weather the Perennial Storm,” Emery said. “There was no way to know these dragons were coming.”
“Are you excited to be free?” Tess asked.
Emery gave a modest smile. “I must temper my emotions. I need to remain loyal until I am free, or this choker will strangle me. If despite our best efforts the Giant Queen falls, many of the servants in this fortress will transform and change allegiance. We must be swift.”
Newel and Doren ran up to them, with Raza and Giselle trailing behind.
“How are you kids doing?” Newel asked.
“Good,” Tess said. “Except Celebrant is attacking.”
“We knew a dragon apocalypse was coming,” Doren said. “Turns out it’s today.”
“We’ll be all right,” Newel assured them. “These servants of the Giant Queen will evacuate us.”
“Before they change into monsters who want to eat us,” Doren said.
“Escape will be a challenge,” Raza said, walking briskly and motioning for them to follow. “Terastios will fall fast. The giants are woefully unprepared for a fight. In here, please.” He opened a door into a narrow hall Tess had never seen.
An unfamiliar male servant waited behind the door. Stepping forward, he whispered something to Raza.
Raza glanced back at them. “We should run.”
Tess pumped her arms and legs as fast as she could, trying to keep up with the adults. Raza glanced back at her and slowed his pace a little. Then Newel scooped her into his arms, and the pace increased again. They passed intersections with other cramped, nondescript hallways. As other servants rushed by them from different directions, Tess decided these passages were used primarily by the staff of the fortress.
A female ser
vant ran toward them waving both arms, and Raza paused to speak with her. She leaned close and whispered. Newel was panting from the exertion, along with the rest of the group.
“I can run again,” Tess offered.
“Better trust these goat legs,” the satyr said. “They’ve transported me out of many a jam.”
Raza turned to address the others. “The way I hoped to go is cut off. There is an alternate passage at the rear of the throne room, a secret way known only to a few. We can hope the commotion will be sufficient to distract those who would stop us.”
“Lead on,” Doren said.
Raza doubled back the way they had come, then turned down new passages. If Tess had to retrace her steps, she knew she would get lost. The plain hallways looked so similar, and there were too many intersections.
As they ran, from behind the stone walls of the passage, Tess heard an occasional rumble, along with some muted screaming and shouting. They passed a female servant whose silk kimono was singed and fuming.
At length, Raza led them through a door to the throne room and onto a human-sized walkway along the perimeter of the immense space. The walkway led to bleachers where humans and others of similar stature could observe the royal court.
The Giant Queen stood before the throne, her royal scepter clenched in one hand, a sword in the other, glaring at the main doors. Something beyond the doors was slamming against them, causing them to buckle inward, hinges rattling.
Only three other giants remained in the typically crowded room—two armed guards and a completely bald councilor wearing a sky-blue toga.
“Your majesty,” the councilor implored. “Our defenses are failing. You must flee.”
“I will not give up Terastios to a horde of worms,” the Giant Queen said.
“Your people need you,” the councilor insisted. “Fall back to where we can better defend ourselves. Ideally Humburgh. Or Stratos, at least.”
“If the dragons are going to cut me down, my back will not be facing them,” the Giant Queen said. “I will slay their entire host alone if I must. Find a weapon, Eratad. No true giant would flee to Humburgh.”