United Dragons

by Calista Lambrechts

  As I fell I knew there had to be a way to slow down the speed and possibly lessen the drop. I grabbed onto a washing line, but it broke by the last second as soon as it gained my weight. I grabbed a pipe mounted onto the wall. It held me for a second or so, but it broke afterwards. I fell onto a wooden platform, but – you’d probably never guess this one – it broke into wooden shards as soon as I fell on it. My heartbeat rose by the minute and left me panicking.

  The assassin wouldn’t give up. He didn’t dare to and rushed down, grabbing wooden poles and pipes, jumping from one wall to another and sliding down onto the streets with ease, looking as though it took no effort at all.

  The assassin was more skilful than I could ever hope to be.

  I was left with one hope. I pushed myself further away from the wall and grabbed my belt, quickly loosening it. I hooked it onto a sturdy rope where banners hung from and slid down, probably breaking the law and creating more disarray as the large, heavy banners fell to the streets down below.

  I slid all the way forth, let go and fell towards another tight line leading downwards. I continued on until letting go when I was close enough to the surface. I collided with the base of a building and fell to the ground. Well, I did expect a hit and I was ready for it.

  For a moment, I felt a stiff pain bursting through my body, but quickly forgot about it the soon as I got to my feet, noting the assassin to be approaching with both swords withdrawn. He attacked without mercy, but I was quick and jumped out of the way, running off into the market streets. So now and then I would look behind my shoulder, only to notice the assassin still firmly on my track.

  I carelessly jostled past the citizens that were in my way. I was hoping to lose the assassin within the disorder of the crowds, but there was no such hope, for he was too good, too capable.

  I tried to slow him down by grabbing random wares and throwing it at him as I passed through, putting everyone on alert. It seemed to work until the assassin took his own path on the walls of the buildings, automatically closing in much faster than before. Before I knew it, I was forcefully pushed into one of the stalls, smashing and breaking everything I hit, not daring to meet the unfortunate merchant face to face.

  Luckily, I was alarmed and blocked the oncoming blades with a single metal bucket. I grabbed an apple and gave my attacker a headshot.

  He staggered back and gave me the perfect chance to strike back. I leapt from the stall and attacked him with my bucket. I found these odds rather unfair. I kept hitting and blocking, risking life and limb each time I hesitated or almost missed a block. It was clear this man would not give up until he sees a lifeless carcass. I was sure to return the favour.

  I countered and shoved my attacker forward with the last block and gave him another hit that sent him to the ground. I threw the bucket to the side and disarmed him quicker than I thought I could manage. I guess my training wasn’t all for nothing after all.

  It was now up to our natural weapons to end this. I punched him several times, but was blocked even more so. I pinned him to the ground as I tried to beat him, but as soon as I went for a winning hit, a stumbling citizen pushed me off as he fell on me, no doubt drunk and directly from the nearest tavern. I could tell by the mug of beer in his hand and the terrible smell of his breath.

  I fell to the side alongside this idiot. I gave him one livid scowl before finding my feet, just in time to block an oncoming fist. I pushed it away with my forearm and gave another lucky hit that that stunned the assassin. I pushed him forward and sent him falling onto another stall. I didn’t hesitate to hit him one last time with my fist and the bucket to finish it all off. By my luck, the assassin fell to the ground, unconscious.

  I was exhausted and no doubt had dozens of broken bones. All suddenly seemed quiet. Most citizens were scared away, others sent into hiding and some left to watch. I stared at the assassin. Whenever I looked into his eyes, he seemed familiar, but I never got the chance to see who it was.

  Ever so slightly, I reached out for the mask, but hesitated and pulled back. For some reason, I couldn’t manage. I couldn’t reveal his identity. I had too much doubts, and frankly… I guess I was too scared.

  Instead I kicked him on the side and said, “I hope you rest in peace, bastard!”

  With an incensed expression, wounds and scratches, I whipped around and lividly returned to the manor.

  I marched up the outside stairs and entered the living room.

  I noticed my father, the great commander of the knights and personally working for the king himself, Rowan Belanos, to be studying one of his glass display cases. He wore his usual silver armour used to represent the king’s majesty.

  I remained silent, but regrettably he had heard me walk in. He turned around, rather startled, though just as I knew him, his expression showed no concern but only wonder and questioning. We might not have had the best fatherly-son relationship one might hope us to have.

  “Terrowin? Where the hell were you? It looks as though you’ve been dragged through a goblin hole!” I didn’t reply immediately and rather took a moment to myself, gathering myself in a second of stillness.

  “Nothing to concern,” I said bitterly and continued my way up the staircase without another word. My father was left to stare, unable to speak another word.

  CHAPTER 6

  JESTERS OF THE EAST

  CARLAYLIN

  DAWN – ALWAYS A NICE way to mark your time. It was the dawn of morning and we already travelled quite the way! Well, judging by the amount of days we had travelled…

  It was but only Justin, Nemtris, Ramses and I… A rather strange group. Nemtris went all out on what to wear for this little trip of ours. Her white hair hung loose and her black necklace and her skull earrings remained. She wore a black dress, ripped on the bottom and reaching uneven lengths slightly longer than her knees. She wore a stylish waistcoat that was somewhat torn as well and exposed slightly too much of her chest. Two black straps held it together. Nemtris was the only one I knew that would wander these forests barefoot with nothing but a black anklet strapped to her one ankle.

  I realized that Justin was trying to keep his distance as we ventured. I was the only one he could trust… well… the only one that wouldn’t eat him for dinner and or experiment on him in his sleep.

  The forest was scorching in immense heat and bathed in sunlight. It became all the more dense and humid the deeper we went. Sometimes I would the various paths and turns I chose, but so far everything turned out for the better good. Little did Nemtris know that I was actually on my way to Hayley for that one special bastard, the one that gave away the location of the wizard’s tower and identify Murray and I to Thomason.

  If we were lucky enough to find Terrowin alive, I would probably kill him.

  The forest was overgrown with vegetation and plants blocked our path most of the time.

  “Ugh! I simply cannot believe I agreed to this!” wined Nemtris. She tried her very best not to get caught by any plants and or gigantic leaves. I kept my gaze on the path up ahead.

  “Well it’s too late to turn back now,” I spluttered.

  “Oh, perhaps you are right.”

  Without another word we continued on. I had my sword withdrawn to cut away any unwanted vegetation. Ramses wandered nearby, but truth be told, I had no idea where he was at the moment.

  We might have lost him near the waterhole where deer usually hang out… oops.

  “How much further?” Justin asked, trying to make his way through the shrubbery. It felt as though I was parenting two complaining children. I took a moment to think about it.

  “I’d say we are almost halfway there, but judging by these conditions, I doubt it will be a short journey ahead.”

  Justin ducked down as he pushed a large leaf out of the way and said, “I see.”

  A crooked half-smile appeared on Nemtris’ lips as another taunting thought came to mind.

  Here we go again, I thought to myself.

  “Aw,
little elfy getting tired?” she asked in false sympathy.

  “Don’t call me elfy! Besides, we elves from the Wisdomtree realm are rather used to these exertions and therefor make it almost impossible to catch my kind in a tired state.”

  Nemtris took a quick second to page her thoughts.

  “Are you sure you aren’t mistaking it for the Stupidity realm?”

  Justin was genuinely offended, his expression the very definition of offence and utter shock.

  “What?” he gasped, “Of course I’m not!” Nemtris tried her best to look surprised. “Really? I never would’ve guessed! Well, I do not know what the rest of your pointy-eared kind are like if you are indeed a part.”

  Justin gave her an enraged stare.

  Both tried at their hardest to keep fluent sentences as they tried to get past all the vegetation that blocked their path, but sometimes it proved impossible. What made it worse was the fact that I was kind of forced to listen to their taunting and constant arguing with a frown planted firmly on my face. Sure it was quite entertaining at first, but after five hours it gets rather juvenile. Not much longer and I knew my eye would even start to twitch.

  At least we were approaching a clearing. I was truly relieved.

  “Hey! You cannot insult my people!” Justin scolded.

  Nemtris gave a little chuckle and asked, “Why not?”

  This time Justin forced his way beyond the last line of vegetation with frustration, entering the clearing directly after. Some might call it that last second strength, or ‘crossed the line’.

  “You don’t have the right!”

  Nemtris gave a sweet grin and shrugged as her only response. Only seconds passed before Justin thought it wise to reply.

  “Did you ever notice? You smell like dead meat!”

  Nemtris chuckled sinisterly and looked back over her shoulder at Justin. “Do you like it? It is my regular aroma. I can help you smell the same if you wish.”

  Somehow Nemtris always found a way to give the poor elf nightmares.

  “Enough, the two of you!” I snapped and swung around, looking them both directly in the eye. It was truly unbelievable how these two always managed to insult one another. As I spoke, I had noticed a nearby rock formation and approached it to study it up close. It might have been ruins left by the people from the times before. Ysellian had quite enough of those.

  The clearing was of a rocky slope with an uneven terrain. A small river ran through the glade, across the forest floor and into a large opening at the base of the ruins. It stretched far down, leading to areas further than the naked eye could see.

  “I don’t have time for this immature quarrelling!”

  I moved my hand across the various parts of ruin of ancient stone in hope of finding something useful… I can’t lie that part of me searched for a loose brick to throw Nemtris with.

  “This is not how we will venture forth!”

  I finally decided to take a look at the enormous gaping hole. I placed my feet firmly in the stream, grabbed the edge for support and leaned in closer to study. Absentmindedly I took a few steps forward as I continued to scold.

  “And so help me if you continue these childish acts, I will have no choice but tooooooooooo-” Typical. I took one step too many, slipped and fell. I slid all the way down the somewhat steep rocky slope along the flow of the icy stream, slithering all the way down.

  I ended up plummeting into a pool of stream water.

  “Master! I’m coming for you!”

  Justin immediately jumped into action and jumped in after me without a moment’s hesitation. Nemtris, on the other hand, stayed where she was and gave but a single glance down the hole. She doubted that she would find the desire to go in after us.

  “I will wait up here until you’re done,” she called.

  I rolled all the way downward. I was shot forward and came to an abrupt stop. It wasn’t long until Justin crashed into me the soon as I tried to get up. From there on out I was back at phase one: face planted to the ground, my face buried in the waters of the restless stream!

  “Justin,” I asked.

  “Yes?”

  I tried to turn my neck as far as I could, facing him, meeting him eye to eye. “Get off of me!”

  “Oh!”

  It was times like these that I was truly glad that Justin was obedient and loyal to my orders. He didn’t even think twice before getting to his feet and gave me the chance to do the same. The soon as I stood, I took a quick moment to stretch myself in hope of soothing the back pain. In case you wondered: it is absolutely unpleasant to have an elf fall on you.

  “Whoa!” Justin marvelled as his gaze swept across the area.

  “What?” I asked, baffled, but soon had no need for an answer when seeing the breath-taking sight in front of me. I don’t say this much, but… it was absolutely stunning, magnificent and amazing!

  “Would you look at that?” I remarked as I took Justin’s side, marvelling in awe the same as he.

  It appeared that we had ended up in some sort of lost ruins of a once magnificent castle, though the only remains were the towering walls.

  There was no floor, only the green earth. A silent stream ran across the uneven bed of ground. Since it was so warm down here, the water wasn’t as cold as I expected. Well, it certainly wasn’t as cold us up there. And I should know, for I had found myself face first in the waters.

  The exposed earth was covered in dark green grass and riddled with shattered stones and ancient structures. As said, it was warm down here, warmer than a true summer’s day. The air was thick and moist and small drops of damp rested on the vegetation. Birds adorned the old, wooden ramparts above and vines and undergrowth ran up along the old stone walls of brick slabs and disappeared into the forest-gloom beyond the roofs and trees.

  Small waterfalls rained down from the openings in the ceiling above, pouring into the puddles of the on-going stream. Shafts of daylight from the world above lanced down to touch the earth, caressing the walls and dancing on the falling waters.

  Most corners and vegetation were left to endure the shadows, but as mentioned before, the warming sun pierced through, sending the shadows to crawl back into the deepest recesses.

  Up ahead were stone stairs where fresher, clearer water flowed down from the two miniature waterfalls above at the shafts. In total there seemed to be four waterfalls, evenly spaced. The few stairs led up to another ancient platform that led towards an opening where there once was a gigantic stone door. All the various structures, holes and decorations indicated that this had once been an outstanding and striking castle, but now ruined, completely overtaken by the forces of nature and became part of the forest. Still, no words could truly describe its magnificence…

  “Where are we?” Justin asked.

  “It appears to be some sort of a ruined castle,” I replied, completely lost in thought. I shot my gaze at Justin, my arms folded and lips pursed. He gave a single chuckle.

  “Gee. I never would’ve guessed.” I smiled and rolled my eyes, shaking my head and being the first to take a few steps forward, hearing the echo of water as I marched through the stream.

  “Come on,” I said. At first ole Justin hesitated, probably apprehending, but soon found the courage to carefully follow from behind.

  I watched my every step and gently treaded through the watery surface, amazement not ceasing to stop at my door. My gaze wandered aimlessly and so to say the same about Justin. I’m guessing it’s not every day you find an old ruined palace in the middle of a massive forest.

  I took it upon myself to study the hieroglyphics hammered into the walls on our way towards the main platform. Justin wandered away on his own mission, examining these on the left. I traced my fingers on some of the glyphs. They were old and faded and appeared to be of the same kind I once discovered in the underground corridor of the chapel in Morrowburg. The figures looked rather identical, but the images that were displayed were one of a kind, unique and timeless.


  I leaned in closer when I saw a familiar figure carved within one of the darkest recesses. It looked like a boy, almost my age, perhaps somewhat older…

  “Hello. Would you please mind leaving those alone? They’re quite old and – well – important,” said a sudden voice behind me. Instinctively, I swung around, startled. I even managed a quick and frightful scream. Great, the last thing I wanted: a girly scream and a nearby heart attack!

  It appeared to be a grown man with dark billowy hair passing his shoulders. Not to mention his goatee of stubble. His clothes were of these usually worn in the olden days (tousled and somewhat ragged), but did not bare much difference to these worn today. He wore a pair of dark boots, loose trousers and a blue shirt with various fine patterns, many details and textures. Above he wore a comfortable, relatively thin, woollen striped sweater. It was old and somewhat worn-out, but fitted his attire perfectly.

  I also noticed a quiver strapped to his back, carrying a few iron arrows. A stunning and fine carved wooden bow was swung around him. Like usual, my natural instincts kicked in and I immediately noticed him as a rather handsome man, probably somewhere in his early thirties, but still quite ravishing! Hubba hubba… ahem.

  As Justin heard my little scream he, too, whipped around with haste, yelping with fright himself. No doubt he was petrified, shaking from head to toe. I like to call our case… startled (big time).

  “Who- Who are you?” I asked curiously.

  “Oh! Please do excuse my manners. Latham, at your service,” he replied as polite as ever. I could already identify some of his personal traits: a kind, polite man who sticks to order and never to speak out of turn.

  “How long have you been here?”

  Latham pursed his lips and dropped his gaze to the ground for a moment as he tried to think about it.

  “Oh, about ten years, give or take a few weeks. You know, it’s hard to recall.”

  For this my eyes widened extra. I probably looked like a fish with big bulgy eyes, but that was pretty surprising. After a short while I managed to snap myself out of the daze and came crashing back to reality.