Blood and Fire (Book 3)

by Marcus Alexander

  Hotstepper, whose hearing was better than Charlie appreciated, smiled when he heard her words.

  44

  The Golden Mountain

  ‘Look!’ said Hotstepper.

  Charlie roused from her daydreams and sat up so she could better peer over Hotstepper’s head. The isle with the golden mountain was nearly obscured behind a mass of fluttering wings. Only the very tip of the mountain rising above the cloud of flying Winged Ones could be seen.

  ‘Is that –?’

  ‘Yes!’ chuckled Hotstepper. ‘My people have answered the call. Come, we had best join them before they depart.’

  As Hotstepper glided in, Charlie gazed at the gathered dragons with awe and a strong sense of satisfaction. They were the sword that would defeat Bane’s hold on Bellania. It was these magnificent beasts that would make her dreams come true.

  ‘Promise kept!’ called a Winged One as she caught sight of Charlie on Hotstepper’s back.

  ‘Promise kept!’ cried a Winged One with silver scales.

  ‘Promise kept!’ cried another.

  The cry followed them as Hotstepper flew deeper.

  ‘What does that mean?’ asked Charlie.

  ‘They’re saluting you!’ replied Hotstepper.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because you opened the way back to Bellania.’

  ‘But why are they saying “promise kept”?’

  Delighted by her naivety, Hotstepper laughed yet again. ‘Because you held true to your role as a Keeper. You’ve done your part in keeping the realms safe.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Charlie.

  ‘“Oh”?’ Hotstepper found that hilarious. ‘Is that all you can say? After reuniting our realms and allowing us to return to our chosen land? “Oh.” Ha! Charlie of the Keepers, you are a jester!’

  He flared his wings and landed amidst the crowd. Torn Moon, standing head and shoulders above the others, paused mid-conversation with several of her subjects so she could address Charlie.

  ‘How fared your visit to the Hunger?’

  ‘It, er … went well,’ replied Charlie once she had knocked her brain into a gear suitable for deciphering Torn Moon’s antiquated way of speaking.

  ‘And your soul?’

  Charlie put hand to chest. ‘I’m not too sure about my soul … but I feel better.’

  ‘Then I am glad.’

  Last Laugh, standing by her side, gave Charlie a congratulatory nod.

  ‘Elder, do we have enough Wings?’ asked Hotstepper.

  ‘We do,’ said Torn Moon. ‘We fly soon.’

  Giving both Charlie and Hotstepper one final glance, she returned to conferring with her subjects.

  ‘Wait, what about –’ began Charlie, but she was cut short by Hotstepper. Craning his neck round, he gave her a kind but warning look of gentle admonishment.

  ‘Sshh. Charlie of the Keepers, do not forget that you stand in the presence of our Queen.’ He began to push his way back through the crowd. ‘We owe you our thanks and I’m sure that Torn Moon will always be willing to grant you counsel but you must not forget this is a time of war. Do not embarrass her by interrupting her in front of her captains.’

  Charlie blushed. Hotstepper had a point. She couldn’t imagine a general or prime minister on Earth taking the time to talk to a fourteen-year-old while holding a council of war. However, manners or not, she still had questions that needed answering.

  ‘What about Sylvaris?’ she asked Hotstepper. ‘Will you guys save it?’

  ‘Once Torn Moon has formed a bridgehead and secured our point of entry back to Bellania it would be safe to assume that Sylvaris will be our first port of call.’

  Driven by her worry for Kelko and Jensen, Charlie felt the need to press for confirmation. ‘Is that a promise?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Charlie of the Keepers, but I cannot give you any certainties. Neither can I tell you what Torn Moon intends. But calm your fears for we are Winged Ones and we return to Bellania with the sole intent of righting the balance.’

  ‘MY CHILDREN!’ roared Torn Moon. Her mighty voice cut through the sound of the crowd. ‘OUR NUMBERS HAVE SWOLLEN AND WE FIND OURSELVES READY! SPREAD YOUR WINGS AND LET US RIDE THE WINDS! TO BELLANIA AND SUN-FILLED SKIES!’

  Torn Moon

  Snapping open her wings, she leaped upward. The thousands of Winged Ones that had gathered on the island bellowed their approval. One by one they too opened their wings and beat their way up into the indigo skies. Charlie, eyes wide with wonder, stared at the mass of dragons rising to form a great ribbon of bodies that corkscrewed through the air. She caught glimpses of beating wings, blazing eyes and scales that glittered with reflected starlight. Before she could admire the view any further Hotstepper cried, ‘Hold tight!’ and with a lurch he raced to the edge of the isle. Flinging himself into the abyss, he peeled his wings open and with confident flaps rose into the sky to join his brethren.

  Caught in the moment, Charlie gripped Hotstepper’s shoulders with hands that tremored with excitement. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she would witness a moment like this.

  ‘Whoooooooooo!’ cried a familiar voice. ‘Whoop-whoop! Charlie!’

  She felt a rush of exhilaration flutter in her stomach as she turned to find Nibbler flying beside them. His mouth was open wide and he was practically slobbering with excitement.

  ‘Isn’t this the best?’ he hollered. Looping around Hotstepper, he waved enthusiastically at her. ‘How’d it go with the wise one? Do you feel cunning and awesome?’

  ‘It was great!’ admitted Charlie as she too, buoyed up by his enthusiasm and the magic of the moment, finally felt herself start to relax. ‘Where’s E’Jaaz?’

  Nibbler pointed to a distant arc of Winged Ones. One of them carried the Keeper in a sling that dangled beneath its feet.

  ‘Is he OK?’ asked Charlie.

  ‘He’s still unconscious,’ answered Nibbler, ‘but Last Laugh said he’d be fine. We just have to get him to the healers when we’re back in Sylvaris.’

  And as simply as that Charlie knew that although things were out of her control everything was going to be OK. E’Jaaz was alive and could be healed and although Sylvaris was in trouble it would soon be saved. And once those loose ends had been taken care of it would not take that much more to dethrone Bane and see the return of her parents.

  After all, she thought to herself, what could stop an army of dragons?

  Looking at the great mass of wings flapping around her, Charlie allowed herself a small smile of success.

  45

  The Return

  Charlie could see the shimmering outline of the Gateway. It hung in an empty patch of the indigo sky, its golden lining looking very out of place amidst the backdrop of the Winged Realm. Charlie squinted as she stared ahead. It looked different from when she had last seen it. The reason soon struck her: its entrance had been blocked.

  Before she could point this out to Hotstepper and make him aware that Stonesingers had somehow blocked the way, a squad of six Winged Ones flew past. Beneath them hung a long shape held in place by strong tethers. Charlie blinked in astonishment when she finally worked out what the massive object was. A battering ram made of gold, its head carved to resemble that of a growling dragon.

  The six overtook Torn Moon and the rest of the army. Picking up speed, they dived towards the Gateway and released their load, leaving the battering ram to fly at its target. There was a flash of white light, then a crack of concussion followed by a cloud of dust that dissipated to reveal shafts of Bellanian sunlight piercing the realm of the Winged Ones.

  With a roar, Torn Moon and her cohorts spiralled towards the Gateway. Tucking their wings tight to their flanks, they streamed through. Almost immediately there came the flicker of flung flames and the roar of angered giants that Charlie quickly recognized as the Winged Ones’ battle cry.

  ‘Are you ready?’ called Hotstepper.

  ‘Like you wouldn’t believe!’ answered Charlie. ‘Let’s get
this done!’

  Growling with anticipation, Hotstepper beat his wings twice more, then pulled them tight to join the others diving towards the Gateway. Charlie heard the whistle of wind as it screamed past her ears and saw the glint of exposed teeth as other Winged Ones flew by her side, then she was through. She caught a glimpse of the broken architecture and toppled carvings that used to be part of the old temple, followed by a whirr of blue as she and Hotstepper pulled out of their trajectory to fling themselves up into the bright skies.

  Gazing around her, Charlie could see Winged Ones cavorting through the sky, relishing the opportunity to feel the wind beneath their wings and the warmth of the sun on their backs. Then, one by one, they began to drop down to earth with flames erupting from their mouths and vengeance flickering from their eyes.

  The Delightful Brothers, up on the Winged Mount, were watching the temple from a safe vantage point. Both held telescopes to their eyes and had been waiting patiently for events to unfold.

  When they saw the Winged Ones’ golden battering ram burst through the temple’s dome they knew it had started. The ram sent great slabs of stonework and masonry flying before continuing, momentum unchecked, to fly out of sight like some glittering missile. Flame came next, great billowing torrents of it, that gushed past the remaining temple walls to crackle and spit before dissipating in curdles of black smoke.

  There were some cracks and pops as superheated rock shattered, then a distant roar arose that grew and grew until the very ground shivered in protest. A dark shadow spat from the temple, then another and another until a seemingly endless stream of growling black silhouettes cascaded from the ruins. With the motion of unfurling fans the shadows spread wings wide to reveal themselves as Bellania’s missing Winged Ones. Scales of blue and green, silver and gold, blood red and sunburst yellow glittered and glimmered in the sky.

  ‘Huurrgh,’ muttered Stix in distaste as he continued to press his eye to his ’scope.

  A keening moan of disbelief filtered from the Stoman forces as they realized the true might of what they faced. Those with quicker minds than their fellows started running straight away. When those slower on the uptake noticed their comrades fleeing, they too joined the race, until a great flood of retreating Stomen could be seen scurrying from the temple like termites evacuating a besieged mound.

  Stones let his telescope drop to his saddle so he could better watch the wider play of events.

  ‘I’d forgotten how big they are,’ Stones muttered. He gestured with his chin to the Stoman forces shrieking and wailing as they fled the Winged Ones’ onslaught. ‘Think they’ll be able to bring any of the Winged Ones down?’

  ‘Maybe some of the Stonesingers will manage one or two,’ growled Stix. ‘Then again, maybe not.’

  As he said this there came a flurry of activity from one of the crags that circled the ruined temple. The soldiers positioned there, unwilling or perhaps unable to flee, had chosen to stand their ground. Stix and Stones could not hear the twang of siege bows but they could see that they shook and jumped as their teams fired the huge engines. Two great bodies fell from the skies like kites cut loose from their strings, to smash gracelessly into the ground. A third Winged One joined the other two as a behemoth, urged on by Stonesingers, flung a rock into the sky.

  But there was no further opportunity to attack as the Winged Ones’ reaction was swift. Bellowing in anger at the loss of their brethren, the dragons tore down from the sky to unleash a rain of fire that blanketed the soldiers and set the siege bows alight. The behemoth, unaffected by the flames, was torn limb from limb as three Winged Ones descended to rend it with tooth and nail.

  ‘Seen enough?’ Stones asked his brother.

  ‘I have.’ Stix folded his telescope away and stored it in one of his saddlebags. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘I think the balance of power has swayed.’ Stones stared disdainfully at the soldiers. ‘That lot down there don’t stand a chance.’

  ‘Think Bane is finished?’

  ‘Not yet. You don’t reach that level of power and dominance by being a pushover. I think that even though these beasties have returned to Bellania, Bane could yet win the day.’

  ‘So you want to stick with this path?’

  Stones nodded thoughtfully. ‘For the time being, yes. If Bane ends up on top we’ll receive a big slice of the pie.’

  ‘You don’t think he’ll be angry with us for failing to prevent the Winged Ones from returning?’

  ‘Maybe,’ said Stones, ‘but at the moment he’s going to need all the help he can get. Which means there’s plenty of time to get ourselves into his good books again. Back to the Western Mountains?’

  ‘Back to the Western Mountains,’ agreed Stix. However, he paused a moment before urging his Stowyrm down the other side of the Winged Mount and stared at the Winged Ones with a measured eye. ‘I’d really like to try our hand against one of those. See if we can’t take one or two of them down.’

  Stones looked at the hundreds and hundreds of Winged Ones wheeling and circling overhead. ‘I think we’ll get our chance and we’ll get it soon – but, brother, now is not the time.’

  ‘Later, then,’ growled Stix.

  ‘Later,’ agreed Stones.

  46

  First Taste of Victory

  And as simple as that, it was over. The Winged Ones ruled the skies over the Winged Mount and the Stoman garrison had been –

  ‘Defeated!’ chuckled Nibbler. ‘Well, I say defeated but really I mean smashed, crushed and smushed! Now that’s what I call a day of pure awesomeness!’

  ‘Stick your tongue back in, little brother,’ said Hotstepper with an indulgent smile. ‘Excitement, particularly on a day like this, is perfectly understandable but a touch of decorum would not go amiss.’

  ‘So what’s next?’ asked Charlie.

  ‘I think,’ said Hotstepper, looking at the group of elders who surrounded his queen, ‘we are about to find out.’

  The three of them watched Torn Moon confer with several of her captains. Five of them nodded their heads, then took to the skies with their companies streaming after. Three of the captains headed off with their crews in tow to secure the Embassy of the Winds while the remaining two returned to the ruins of the temple to watch over the Serpent’s Tail Gateway.

  ‘WINGS UP!’ bellowed Torn Moon. ‘WE FLY TO SYLVARIS!’

  Thousands of wings unfurled all at the same time with a noise that Charlie would never grow tired of hearing. She watched as they leaped into the air and allowed themselves to be carried by the winds up the length of the Winged Mount and past its peak, then whipping once, twice, three times around the vortex that played at the summit, they broke off and headed north-east at incredible speed.

  ‘Grab hold of your Will!’ instructed Hotstepper. ‘At the altitude we will be flying at you’re going to need it!’

  Muscles bunching, he tore open his wings and hurled himself up the Winged Mount. The wind caught at his body and propelled him forward. The crags and cliffs of the mountain rushed beneath him, then they were skimming over the snowline, whipping past the flag-lined summit and up into the crisp freedom of the sky. He rode the tempest that lashed above the peak, spiralling even higher, until they were buffeted by a thunderous crosswind. Roaring with delight, Hotstepper held his wings straight and allowed himself to be caught by the current. Muscles snapped with tension as he shot forward and even though Charlie had wrapped herself in Will the winds tore at her hair and tugged tears from her eyes. Holding on as tightly as she could, she pulled herself forward and wrapped her arms round Hotstepper’s neck.

  The thrum and rumble of the wind grew, as did the shake and tremor in Hotstepper’s muscles, and just as it seemed to reach a crescendo it abruptly ceased. The sudden silence and slackening of force were shocking.

  ‘Ha!’ said Hotstepper gleefully. ‘I’ve missed that! Too long have we been away from the skies of Bellania.’

  ‘Wh-what happened?’ gasped Charlie as s
he struggled against the cold.

  ‘Equilibrium,’ said Hotstepper. ‘We’re flying as fast as the wind. The hard part is done and now we get to enjoy the ride.’

  ‘C-c-cold,’ stammered Charlie.

  ‘Still got hold of your Will?’

  ‘Y-y-yes.’

  ‘Shield yourself.’

  Charlie did as she was told.

  ‘No-not working,’ she said. ‘St-still cold.’

  Hotstepper risked craning his head round to check that Charlie had indeed shielded herself. Seeing the glimmer of gold surrounding her, he smiled in relief.

  ‘Don’t panic,’ he warned. He turned his head back to face the way they were travelling and allowed a trickle of flame to ease from his mouth. It flickered and fluttered down his neck, danced off his scales and breezed across Charlie’s shield. The effects were instantaneous.

  ‘Haaaaa … toastie,’ she sighed.

  Relaxing, she peered over the side to see Nibbler flying below. His eyes were narrowed into slits and a look of incredulous joy was plastered over the rest of his face. Beneath her friend lay the curve of the land. She could see the grasslands of the Great Plains, the grandeur of its greenery broken by the occasional river; to her left she could just about make out the rise and fall of the Western Mountains; and off to her right lay a seemingly endless land and the faint glimmer of a distant sea.

  ‘Beautiful,’ whispered Charlie. Rising up in her seat to peer past Hotstepper’s head, she could see the army of Winged Ones gliding effortlessly on the jet stream. Beneath their furled talons Charlie could make out the distant smear that was Deepforest, its greenery turned a bluish-grey by the blur of distance. ‘How long will it take us to get to Sylvaris?’

  ‘Three hours.’

  ‘What? Really?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Wow … er, how can we get there so quickly? It took Nibbler days.’

  ‘The skytides are a powerful tool for those who know their location,’ said Hotstepper. He glanced at Nibbler, now flying slightly ahead of them. ‘My guess is our little brother missed that part of his education but by the size of his smile I would say he is enjoying the ride.’