Something Wyverian
This Way Comes
By
Jeffrey M. Poole
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
This book is a work of fiction. All characters and locations appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or real locations, is purely coincidental.
Published by: Hungry Griffin Publishing
www.HungryGriffin.com
Published in the United States of America
1st Electronic Edition
Copyright 2014 © Jeffrey M. Poole
www.Lentari.com
KEEP YOUR CHIN UP, CHICKLET! YOU MAY BEAT ME YET AT TRICKY!
“He believes the time of the wyverian is over.”
– Kahvel
For a complete list of titles available by Jeffrey M. Poole, including the best-selling fantasy series Bakkian Chronicles and Tales of Lentari, and the cozy mystery series Corgi Case Files, please click here!
“Five stars! Once again Jeffrey Poole has written an entertaining story set in Lentari. I thoroughly enjoyed the Bakkian Chronicles and this story about the dwarves we've met before and their adventures continues a great series. Wonderful descriptions and lots of laughs as well. Highly recommended for all ages.” – Anthony Robson, taken from an Amazon.com review.
“Five stars! I couldn't wait until this book came out, and wouldn't you know I somehow missed the release! Once I got it I couldn't put it down, just like the Bakkian books! You really know how to keep readers interested. I've been telling my children about these books since the beginning and they loved hearing me talk about them. I was trying to get them to read them when I realized they thought they were bedtime stories! Finally I made them look at the books and like me they couldn't put it down! I must thank you because I've been trying to get them to read for years! Reading your books is like watching a Great movie, that is what we all felt! Thank you for keeping the adventures going and I won’t miss the next one.” – Michelle Ellis., Amazon.com review.
“Five stars! This is a very good read, loved all of Jeffrey's books and can't wait for more Tales from Lentari. I would recommend this story to anyone that is into fantasy/SciFi genre. This is a standalone tale of some of the inhabitants from the world of Lentari if you would like to read more check out the Bakkian Chronicles.” – Jason Harvill, Amazon.com review.
“Five stars! Another story from Lentari. Excellent read from Jeffrey Poole. If you enjoyed the Bakkian Chronicles you'll enjoy this about the Dwarfs.” – Mrs. Diana Wells T., Amazon UK reviewer.
“Four stars! I don't care how many people Poole has helping him....all of you just keep up the great work! And for the graphic art, very nice; with the work you guys do I could see a short graphic novel based in Lentari coming soon. I would like to see some prequels covering the portal being built and related adventures. Again, thanks for the very enjoyable reads.” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble review.
“Five stars! I will recommend Jeffrey Poole as one of my favorite authors to anyone. He won me over with his ability to transport me to another place and time with each and every book!!!.” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble review.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Author’s Note
Fan Submissions
Acknowledgments
I’m fast becoming dependent upon quite a few people helping me out whenever I’m ready to release one of my books. Here we go…
I’d like to thank the multi-talented Rachel Marks for her wonderful illustration I’m using as the cover. Rachel has done all five of my covers so far, and as you can see for yourself, you know why. Her work is fantastic!
I’d also like to thank her husband, Richard, for all the title graphics and also for thinking outside the box when I asked him to create something special for the “Something Wyverian…” part. I do think he’s outdone himself. Thanks again, you two!!
Providing the illustration of the dragon egg is Honorary Citizen of Lentari, Brett Gable. You might remember Brett as being the person responsible for drawing the wonderful Questor’s Mark from Lost City, as well as everyone’s favorite tool, the Narian power hammer.
Chief among the list of people to thank are my beta readers. You guys are awesome! There isn’t one group of people who make me feel like a dunce more than these guys. To all those many errors everyone found I’ll just blame the keyboard for not being able to keep up with my typing skills. Hmmm. Anyone buying it? :) Giliane (my wife), Diane (my mother), Jamie, (Lia), Brett Gable (Tristofer), Derek Pritchard, Laura Mathews, Debra Shapiro, Jeryme Hunter, Caroline Craven and Scott Poe. You guys are the best!
Finally, I have to thank you. The fans. I can’t say this enough: THANK YOU! It’s been an absolute blast keeping Lentari alive when I was originally planning on ending it after Amulet of Aria. You asked to keep the series going, so thanks to all of your support, there are more stories on the way!
Stay tuned to the blog! You’ll never know when I’ll ask for some suggestions to name a fictional character! The list is at the back of the book if you’d like to see which names made it in!
Thanks again & happy reading!
J.
Rachel Marks: falynevarger.deviantart.com
Richard Marks: ubervestigum.deviantart.com
Brett Gable Illustrations: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brett-David-Gable-Illustrations/151382885064996
For Grandma Bonnie –
(1926-2014)
This book is dedicated to a sweet lady who has been there for me all of my life. You may be gone, grandma, but you will never be forgotten.
I promise you, we will see each other again!
Prologue
“How many have fallen now, beloved? How many more must fall before he will do something? Surely he will seek help from our allies, or perhaps –”
“He will not seek help. You know him as well as me.”
“What are we to do? We must do something. There is too much at stake!”
The huge golden dragon angled his long serpentine neck to look back at their nest. After a few moments, his mate came up next to him and gently twined her green neck with his. Together, they gazed into the dark recess of their cave.
“I cannot believe Rinbok will sit idly by while the rest of us suffer.”
“Rinbok has become stricken.”
Pryllan’s eyes widened with surprise. This was not news she wanted to hear. She clicked her fangs together worriedly.
“How long has he had it?”
“At least a month,” her mate told her.
“We have allies! Why will he not prevail upon them for help? They will come to our aid. I know it!”
“He believes the time of the wyverian is over,” Kahvel said softly.
Anger flared. Pryllan bared her fangs and growled.
“Do you believe that?”
Kahvel’s neck untwined
itself from hers. His large golden head turned to regard her.
“I want to believe he’s wrong. So many of our brethren have succumbed, my love. So many! I begin to wonder if perhaps he’s right.”
Pryllan wrapped her long tail around her mate’s body and shook him.
“You cannot think like that. I do not agree with Rinbok Intherer about this. Neither should you.”
Kahvel was silent for a few minutes before he responded.
“No. For Pravara’s sake, I refuse to.”
“How strong is your resolve?”
“Why do you ask that?”
Pryllan’s green slitted eyes narrowed. “Would you disobey Rinbok’s orders?”
Kahvel looked back at the dark opening of their cave and sighed.
“Aye, I would. Now explain yourself.”
“We must consult the humans. They have a wizard. A wizard and his jhorun could help us.”
Kahvel shook his head.
“There’s no way we can ask the human wizard for advice without word reaching their king. The human king would have to inform Rinbok for fear of jeopardizing the wyverian-human pact.”
“What about Steve?”
Her mate’s surprise was evident by the way his body gave a slight jerk and then froze. Slowly Kahvel’s head turned to face her.
“That human is on another world. Besides, he is but one human man. What could he possibly do?”
“If he would be able to help us remains to be seen. However, if there is a chance that he might be able to do something, do you not want to try?”
Kahvel was silent for a full five minutes before answering.
“Very well, I am tired. I will stand watch. I know not how to initiate contact with a being on another world so I cannot offer any guidance how to proceed.”
Pryllan unfolded her wings from her back and stretched them out to their fullest potential.
“Perhaps a dwarf would know. I remember hearing somewhere that one of the dwarves has contacted him before. I must find out which one.”
“Be discreet,” Kahvel warned. “Remember, we must not arouse Rinbok Intherer’s suspicions. Confide in only those that you trust.”
Pryllan nodded. Beating her wings, she lifted off the ground and ascended into the air. Gaining altitude, she dipped her right wing down so that she started to turn east. Looking down at the rapidly passing grasslands of the valley she briefly wondered how she should make contact with the dwarves. She knew of five entrances scattered throughout the valley. She knew there were more subterranean entrances hidden within the forest, but since she could not reasonably move her bulk in such close proximity to the heavy concentration of trees, she ignored them and instead focused on those that were more readily accessible.
As a member of the largest species of winged creatures that called Lentari home, she was more at peace in the wide open skies with the winds under her wings than being stuck on the ground for an indeterminable amount of time. She couldn’t imagine a worse fate for a dragon, than being grounded. That was why she must prevail. That was why she had to find the only human she had ever allowed to ride on her back. The problem was this particular human was on another world.
She knew of the portals, which if the right portal key were used, would create a doorway thus allowing travel between the two worlds. She knew that the key to activate Steve’s portal was kept on his world and since he and his mate had been responsible for the well-being of the young human prince, contact between the worlds was strictly monitored. Any contact with the other foreign world would have to be from their end, not from Lentari. Now with the threat to the human prince neutralized, both the human king and Steve kept a key so that either side could initiate contact with the other. The problem with the portals, unfortunately, was that only a human would be able to fit through. There was no way a creature her size would be able to use it.
There was that instance last year when Sarah, Steve’s wife, had accidentally teleported her, and her rider, back to his world. She had seen firsthand what Steve’s home world had looked like and quite frankly, he could have it. There were small metallic bugs scooting along the ground and loud speeding monsters flying through the air faster than she could go; none of it appealed to her. But, it was Steve’s world, and he was her friend. She knew if she could just make contact with him that he’d be willing to help.
Choosing the most frequently used dwarven entrance, Pryllan landed quietly beside the large boulders and camouflaged herself. The last thing she needed was to have it look as though she was lying in ambush for a dwarf to go in or out of the hidden tunnel. Her mate had said she’d need to be discreet, so discreet she’d be.
Invoking her species natural ability to protect itself, her skin took on the coloring of the surrounding environment. In this case she could choose to look like either an enormous mound of grass, or since large rounded boulders were nearby, she could become a group of the huge stones. She opted for the latter. Now all an outsider would be able to see would be a large jumble of stones sitting near the individual stone that hid the one boulder/door leading down. All she had to do now was to wait.
Nearly an hour later she felt several tremors in the earth. Cracking open an eye to investigate her surroundings she saw that the dwarf door was opening. The large boulder lifted easily off the ground and swung up into the air. A group of three dwarves, chatting merrily, emerged from the depths of the earth and started north while the door noiselessly swung back down and clicked into place.
“Pardon me.”
All three dwarves twirled around and stared, disbelievingly, as a pile of nearby boulders sprouted eyes. Two green reptilian eyes blinked a few times as if they had just awoken after a long nap. Both eyes then swiveled as they locked on to the dwarf that was nervously edging out in front.
“Who are you, dragon?” the lead dwarf exclaimed. “Why do you lie in wait for us? I thought there was a pact in place which prevented such atrocities from happening again.”
“Be at ease,” Pryllan told the dwarf as gently as she could. She let her camouflage drop and presented herself before the dwarf in her true form. “I come in peace. I’m looking for a dwarf.”
Relaxing somewhat, the lead dwarf narrowed his eyes as he stared at the enormous green dragon.
“Who is it then? Who are you searching for?”
“I’m looking for, er, for…”
Pryllan hesitated as she realized she had completely forgotten the dwarf’s name. Suddenly, and without explanation, it came to her.
“Breslin. I’m searching for Breslin. Do you know where I can find him?”
“How do you know Breslin?” one of the other two dwarfs suspiciously asked.
Facts started falling into place. Pryllan smiled. “We fought together during the battle with the human sorceress.”
The dwarves’ demeanor instantly reversed. Gone were the skeptical frowns and scowls.
“Why the ruddy hell didn’t you say so before? Any friend of Breslin is a friend of ours! I am Loken. That’s Argus on my left and on my right is Xaj.”
“I am Pryllan.”
“I thought as much,” Loken nodded. “You’re looking for Breslin? Well, if you’re willing to wait, he’s due Topside in just a few hours.”
“That is acceptable,” Pryllan told them.
Several hours later Pryllan was flying back to their nest. The news Breslin had given her hadn’t been very encouraging. Apparently there was a way to communicate with Steve on his home world, but that would work only if Steve was holding on to a special sword, while Breslin maintained physical contact with his own weapon. Holders of the Mythra weapons could then communicate telepathically; otherwise someone would have to journey to Steve’s world and ask him directly. Since she couldn’t fit through the portal and didn’t know who to trust when it came to her family, she hesitated in confiding with the dwarf. She liked Breslin well enough, but not enough to relay her concerns about her fellow dragons.
Returning to her nest, she
approached Kahvel, who had encircled the nest with his body and had clamped his tail with his teeth. With as much stealth as she could afford, she crept over Kahvel’s resting body and carefully curled up in their nest. She thought again of the importance of protecting those she cared about. Pryllan vowed to find a cure for whatever it was that was plaguing her fellow dragons. She would not allow those under her care to come to harm.
Snuggling up next to Kahvel, basking in the warmth his body was generating, she fell asleep pondering how to best contact her human friend.
Chapter 1 – Do Dragons Dream?
The treetops were passing swiftly by him far below. Faster and faster he beat his wings, as though one of the dreaded mechanical devices that had attacked his brethren years ago was somehow on his tail again.
He dipped his wings and banked to the right, inhaling deeply as he did so. He could detect the fragrant scent of pine trees intermingled with the aromatic scents of blooming pontal, mixed in with the unmistakable trace of water. Without looking about, he knew that the lake lay directly behind him.
He dipped his left wing this time and brought himself completely around so that he was now flying north. There, just as he expected, was the huge freshwater lake he had flown over countless other times. Gliding low over the lake, he lazily dropped a foreleg down so that his claw gently broke the surface of the water.
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