by M Arienach
“Oh shit.” Haladoria looked puzzled till I pointed at the ship building.
“Oh gods. They are using slaves.” She said in a half whisper.
“That complicates things a bit.” I said with a frown.
“Why?”
“I can’t just blast that place if they are holding slaves hostage.”
I pulled the view back far enough to survey the island. The city by the seaport was the largest, but there was one just to the north set back in the hills plus a few more scattered around the island. All in all, it didn’t look that populated considering the size. I focused on the one north of the seaport and slowly worked my way through it. Mostly scavenger, human, but with other races mixed in as well. A close look a a few had them well fed and moving without restraint, so I assumed that not all of the people there were slaves. The city looked clean for the most part. There was a large villa overlooking the town and just down from there was courthouse looking building. I wondered if that was the seat of power.
A quick trip back to the port, I found our survivor off loading and one of the crew making haste towards the town. Now I should at least have a direction. I was disappointed for a few minutes when it stopped in at a building just off the piers. Harbor master, probably. The crewman left after a few minutes and started heading north. I followed him through town and watched as he continued northward. I smiled to myself. He passed through the gates and kept going. I noticed that there were quite a few guards, both at the gate and on the walls. I had a pretty good idea where he was going, so I went back to the docks again. I started looking for and found many, many guards. I figured I still had time so I started searching the town.
Just to the sunward side, I found the base, nestled in the trees. I took my time and looked it over carefully. My eyes widened when I found the slave pens at the far side of the base, set up against a cliff.
“If I could just get into that base and hold it, they would bring the rest of the slaves to me.” I muttered to myself.
“How many would you need to hold it?” Cornal asked.
I jerked my head up, surprised. “I was just thinking out loud.”
“Think louder lad. How many would you need?”
I stared for a minute. “Only a few. It would be more to keep anyone from slipping away and giving warning, than to hold the place. I would need enough to pose as guards when the slaves were brought in from their work. The problem would be getting them out to safety.”
“What if we put a boat in right here?” Haladoria pointed to the south were there were several inlets along that stretch of coast.
“It might work, but it would take several trips that way.” I replied. “You would be exposed and I would need to get back to the shipyard to take care of it.”
“What if we had air cover?” Cornal asked with a half cocked smile.
“What are you thinking?”
“We do have a couple of dragons other than you, you know.”
“If they would be willing.” I replied.
“So if we sent about two dozen of the watch and then a contingent of the dwarves, the base would be ours and we could free them.” Haladoria observed as she rubbed her chin.
“Take that as a possible action. We need to do a lot more digging here to avoid surprises.”
Cornal chuckled. “That would be wise, I be thinkin.”
I moved back to the port town and surveyed it carefully. I saw no other base, but there were what looked like guard barracks. I noted their location carefully. I checked up on our wayward crewman and he was still a few miles out from the gates of the northern hold. So I took a look at a few of the other towns as well. It looked like there was a presence there but no real bases. Which was strange, unless this was just the one location who was causing problems.
I got back just in time to follow the crewman up to the court. Seems I was right. A few moments after he entered, a runner took off up the hill. I smiled to myself. He was greeted by a couple of guards and went inside. After several minutes, a human on a horse left by the side and came around to the front. Checking where he had exited, there was a good sized stable there that could hold about a dozen horses. I looked the place over carefully and discovered that the detached building in the back was a small barracks as well.
Since there was no way to know what was going on in the court, I went back to studying the towns as well as the land around them. My surprise came at the northmost town. It was a walled town with a castle. It was manned by elves and they looked to be on high alert. Curious. They had a small port as well with a few ships.
“I have not seen those ships before.” Haladoria commented.
Where most ships he had seen on this world reminded him of merchant galleys, these looked to be more in kin with Viking long ships. Long and narrow with very smooth lines, but triple masted. Low to the water line, they did not look like merchant ships.
“Passing strange.” I replied.
I pulled the sight out and noticed a speck off to the sunward side. Zooming in, there were at least two dozen of the black sails rounding the island and I could guess where they were heading. I focused on the ships and started when I saw that each had a catapult mounted on a swivel on the fore-deck of each. Closer inspection showed they were all human. Scavengers. I suddenly wondered if scavenger was another word for pirate.
“What to do, what to do… Should I intervene here?” I mused.
“It would be an opportunity, methinks.” Cornal said as he stoked his beard.
The ships were moving at a good clip and the sun would be behind them as they got to their target. But what if they were allied? It wouldn’t matter. It would be a force reduction for them.
“If they are enemies of each other, it is a good show of faith. If they are not, it is a good warning. I see no harm in this.”
“Aye, ya be thinkin right.” Dorvus said.
I looked up at him. “When did you get here?”
“Oh, its been a while.” He said as he walked out of the shadows of the hall. “You be thinkin an plannin instead of just reactin. That be good in my book. I saw no reason to interfere.”
I chuckled. “Feel like doing some work then?”
“What did ye have in mind?”
“Come here and pick a spot on the map and think about getting closer to it.”
He looked puzzled, but came over anyway. After a few seconds the map responded. He looked up to me with a grin.
“If you want to move out farther just think of moving away. Focus on anything you wish to see and you can get a closer look.”
“Aye. What be I lookin for?”
“Troops, bases or anything that tells us what we are looking at here. It seems there may be two power bases here, but the southern one is better organized. See if you can figure anything else out about them. Meanwhile, I think I will go visiting over on the sea around Torgos.”
“That be a good plan methinks. We will get to work on it.”
As I turned to leave I heard Haladoria. “Michael, be careful.”
“I will, milady.” I smiled.
It was strange that the little elf would worry about a dragon, well, at least to me it was. Maybe it was because we had grown to become friends? I thought about it, then realized that more and more I was starting to look at things from a dragon’s perspective. The thought of close friends was strange.
“I fear you are becoming more like us every day. But the human side of you still guides you. I may be a bad influence on you.” He said with chuckle.
“I haven’t heard from you in a while, spirit.”
“I haven’t needed to speak. There is little now that I need teach and it would seem our thoughts are merging. While this is good in some ways, in others it may influence your way of thinking for the worse.”
“We have done fairly well so far.”
“Yes, but you reacted to the ships, and twas a stroke of luck you let the one survive. The human side of you let it go and then used our sight to track it.�
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“So a dragon would have just destroyed, then flew back home and went about the day.”
Arienach laughed in my thoughts. “That pretty much sums it up. I would withdraw a bit, I think.”
“No.”
“No?”
“No, you see, I need your perspective in this. I think we must see a balance. Humans think too short termed and dragons tend to just wipe things out. We need to find a harmony because either of us alone is weaker.”
Arienach chuckled. “Food for thought. Your perspective has not led us wrong yet.”
Just Visiting
When I arrived at my landing pad at the harbor, I found Darhla and Shryke waiting on me, in their elven forms.
“What might I do for you this day?” I asked curiously.
“We would go with you.” Shryke said.
“Do you know where I am going?” I asked.
“No, but we have heard of the attack on our land and would help you as we may.”
I was slightly surprised, not so much about wanting to help, but by the “our land”. Twould seem they had found a home here.
“I would be honored to have you, for this strike as well as the one that will come later.”
I asked Arienach how I could take them with me, as this was a new concept for me. He laughed and asked how I had gotten the gold when I met with Haladoria and Dorvus or how I had gotten to Dragonhaven. So, open a portal behind me? I only heard a chuckle, but felt a sense of pride in my mind.
“Follow then. Once I go, there will be an opening that you can follow through.”
They glanced at each other a little uneasily, but both nodded. “We will follow.”
“When we arrive, we will be going moonward. There will be a small harbor bearing to your left. Fly to the entrance of the harbor but do not enter it. If by chance any get away from me, stop them from entering the harbor. We are hunting black sail ships.”
“What lies in the harbor?” Darhla asked.
“Possible allies. I know them to be elves, but I know not where we stand with them.”
“Then why not just wipe them out as well?” There was no malice in Shryke’s voice, only curiosity
“Because it is hard to befriend the dead. We will not be their enemy unless they make themselves such.”
I watched as the new concept, at least new to them, was pondered.
“We will do so.”
When we arrived, I dropped down to a low glide over the water. Darhla and Shryke split to the left. Two of the black sails were engaged with a watch tower that I had not spotted, about a mile before the harbor. I watched as Darhla took one and Shryke took the other, blowing them both out of the water. Then they proceeded to their places over each side of the harbor mouth. I took my time while this was happening to study the ships as we approached them. There was one that looked different from the others. It was a slight bit larger and flew some type of flag.
I decided not to attack that round and simply overflew the fleet, taking a few of their masts with me. I could hear the screams and shouts of rage as I shot over them. I flew out ahead of them then turned in the air and came back. Canting to the right, I carefully took out the ships closest to the harbor, taking care to not touch the large ship. Then I repeated the maneuver for the other side.
We were almost on the harbor by this point and three survivors tried to run for the harbor. They met with destruction from Darhla and Shryke. As for the larger one, I took his masts off, then his catapult and left him to sit.
Flying to the moonward side, I found a large flat area. No arrows or other projectiles were forthcoming from the elves, so I landed and shifted. Darhla and Shryke stayed where they were, landing, but keeping an eye on what was left of the big ship. I waited there, facing the outer wall.
After a time, the outer gates opened and a column of troops came out and marched towards me. I walked to meet them. As they drew close, they formed a line in front of me and stopped, lowering their spears while the line behind them drew arrow.
I smiled and said. “Greetings, I am called Michael.”
A few of then glanced to each other while I heard laughter from behind them.
“Greetings to you as well, Lord Dragon. I am called Alistor of the clan Estaria.”
“I am glad that we may talk. I do not wish your people harmed this day.”
“I am glad that you do not wish to harm us lord dragon.”
“Michael, please. I get the lord enough back home.”
The tall pale elf came forward and we looked each other over. Then he spoke.
“What are you in the hierarchy of the dragons?”
“Oh, you know of us?”
“We made a study of your kind and have kept it for many generations. I am sorry, but my studies sometimes goes before my diplomacy.”
I laughed. “That is a good priority if you would ask of me. I am the eldest ancient.”
I heard a rattle as the spears dropped behind Alistor, who dropped to his knees looking somewhat paler than he had.
“I… I had heard… your name was Arienach…” He stuttered.
I sighed then smiled sadly. “Please rise, I mean you and your people no harm. I am Arienach. Michael Arienach. Again, please call me Michael.”
“Nice save. I like that name as well and it is an apt description now.”
“What may we do for you… Michael.”
“I would ask to borrow this space for a while, I wish to know of the ones who are on that black sailed ship.”
“They are scavengers. One managed to rise to power in the south and has taken the major seaport in this land. Most others would not oppose him and any that sent diplomats to talk, lost them to slavery.”
I heard a loud crash. Glancing over, I saw Shryke return to his perch. He glanced over and I motioned him to join us.
“What happened?” I asked as he landed.
“Oh, a tiny boat tried to sneak away from the far side of the ship.” He cocked his head. “You know, there is no way to disable one of those little ones, they blow apart too easily.”
“Do not worry yourself. Shryke, this is the high elf Alistor, Alistor, this is Shryke.”
To my surprise, Shryke managed a very good bow.
“I am honored to meet you, Alistor.”
“We never knew…” Alistor said in a quiet shocked voice. “We had no clue…”
“My pardon? What did not you know?” I asked.
“We never knew that you could talk. Our chronicles list you all as nothing more than savage beasts.”
Shryke laughed. “We are savage beasts. Michael seeks to change that.”
I glanced at Shryke then shrugged. “We are working with the people over on the continent to the south moonward side of you.”
Alistor’s shock was evident. “The people?”
“Yes, the Horiel clan, the Rockheld and about a handful of others… I am lousy with names, though I am trying.” I chuckled.
“Rockheld? I have never heard of such.”
“They are dwarves.”
“Dwarves?” His eyes widened comically.
“Yes, our people are made up of all of the races who care to join and live in peace. Many new ideas and much art has arisen from the joining.” I replied.
“How did you… how was it managed?”
“Quite by accident, actually. Green skins… I know them as orcs, captured Calalistos and the surviving elves sent a party of hunters north. They tried to take my herd of cattle. I let them have half, then arranged trade with them and it developed from there.”
Alistor sighed. “So the orcs hold Calalistos.”
“No, I removed them.”
“I can see this story requires quite a bit of telling. Mayhaps another time? What will you do about the scavengers to the south?”
“Well, we have a plan to take care of them, once we can make sure the slaves are protected. We are studying the problem as we speak. If you would, I would like you to come to my city and talk with s
ome of the other leaders so that we would know more of what we face.”
“If I may go reassure my people, I would be honored. How would I go there? It would take at least two days by ship.”
“Have you ever thought to ride a dragon?”
Alistor turned white and swayed on his feet. One of the spearmen came forward to steady him.
I smiled. “You can bring one other. Make sure that they do not fear high places.”
“I will go and talk with my people now.” He said weakly. “I will be back in a few hours. Feel free to use this space.”
As he left, I opened a portal and pulled the ship through it. It landed with a crash and rolled to one side. I was sure it would not be comfortable to be in it at this moment, but I waited patiently for the humans to emerge. I noticed Alistor and his guard looking back for a few minutes then head back to their city.
Darhla joined us as the first of the humans left the shell of their ship. I studied it, noting details of it’s construction. From what I could remember of my life before I came here, it would be a very slow design. Rounded hull would not make for any great stability on heavy seas either. I walked around it, then met with an over large human in plate armor who tried to take my head off with an axe. After the axe broke, I took his head off with a flick of my wrist, conjuring my mana blade.
The others decided to calm down a bit at that point.
“Are there any left in your ship?” I asked.
“What’s it to you, dragon?” The gentleman talking spat the words.
“I seek their safety as in a few moments, that hull is going back out where it was and it will be destroyed.”
He stared at me for a few moments then yelled. “Come on out or die. He means to destroy what be left of it.”
About two dozen warriors came out and lined up behind him.
I looked them over. “Greetings, I am called Michael. Now tell me of what happens in the south.”
He stared at me defiantly. “Why would I tell you that?”
I grinned at him. “Because we missed breakfast to come here?”
