Blood and Ashes

by N M Zoltack

  But as Aldus readied himself for the upcoming battle, Sabine smirked. The voices had left her, yes, but she had not become afraid. No, she had been smart enough to take the magical protection potion and then had drunk another potion she always kept on hand—the one that increased her strength.

  While Aldus was occupied, she drank another one to increase her strength and also one that protected a person from flames. It was not a new potion, not one of her own creations, but after drinking it previously, she had tested it out and had placed a candle’s flame over a good portion of her body, and while she felt the heat, the flames did not harm her.

  It was a good thing the voices had told her about the magical protection potion, though. Otherwise, Aldus would have been able to kill her with his dagger.

  “Are you ready?” she called to Aldus.

  “I am.”

  “Good.” She grinned, although she did not believe the man knew just what he was ready for.

  To be bait for the dragon.

  “Are you certain you wish for me to just dump this onto the flames?” Aldus asked her, his voice heavy with skepticism. “Won’t it douse the fire?”

  Sabine smiled widely, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes. “Trust me,” she said, forcing sweetness into her tone. “I know what I am doing.”

  The voices had returned to her, just when she had started to contemplate praying to the Fates for guidance as for how precisely to use Aldus as bait, how to alert the dragon to their presence—or at least to his. The female alchemists had answered her and gave her almost the ingredients and steps on how to create a potion that would bring the dragon to them straight away.

  It wasn’t until this moment that she realized the alchemists might not have wished for her to pray, but then why should she? What had the Fates ever done for her? If anything, she should pray to the alchemists, for their guidance and power only increased her own power and might.

  “You will strike first,” Sabine continued. “Then, once you have wounded the dragon, I will use my potion—”

  “You will not take the kill from me,” Aldus insisted. “Only if I wave my arm like this…” He demonstrated. “Only then will you use the potion on the dragon. I wish to kill him myself, but do not fret. We can find some other skamelar for you to then use your potion on.”

  She pursed her lips but dipped her head. The man was a fool to think he could handle the dragon all on his own, but so be it. The thought of wasting her potion on a scrounger as he had suggested did not sit well with her, but then, why not? A parasite of a man should not be allowed to live. Her rule of Tenoch would be for the good of all the people, but only those who deserved to live, and those who took from others, well, why should they be allowed to continue to do so?

  Aldus finally sprinkled the potion onto the flames, and the fire rose to be massive, almost as high as Atlan Castle. The man rushed backward to not be engulfed by the flames. The rising smoke was a pure white, almost light instead of smoke, and before her eyes, she watched as the plume morphed into the shape of a dragon’s long neck and terrifying face.

  Her gaze remained on the skies before she glanced around. The grassy field was empty, a stretch of land between villages, and she eased back a few paces at a time until she stood behind one of the few nearby trees. A boulder was to the south, but it was perhaps too far away for her to reach, and she did not wish to lose her one chance to face the dragon, hopefully wounded, if Aldus was not entirely incapable of being useful.

  The sound of flapping wings reached her ears long before she could see the dragon. He flew through the smoke of the fire, and his voice, animalistic and powerful, thundered in her head.

  Who dares to summon me?

  She was at just the right angle to see Aldus’s profile. He grinned at the dragon. He might be a fool, but he had courage. She could not deny that.

  “I offer myself to you,” Aldus said.

  Sabine's heart skipped a beat. Did he mean to turn her over to the dragon in order to gain favor with the beast? Honestly, she was more agitated that she had not thought of that first, but then, the dragon must die for there to be peace, and whatever else Sabine desired, she still sought peace. She had not lost herself entirely to alchemy.

  Aldus bent his head and lowered one knee to the ground. As he then rose, the massive magical fire shifted, altering, each flame becoming an icicle spear that Aldus threw up at the dragon’s underbelly with a wave of his hand. Most shattered on impact, but the dragon roared and twisted and writhed its body, belching out flames in pain.

  But then the dragon roared up high, brought his neck down low, and breathed such a terrible deluge of flames that none could possibly survive the blast.

  And indeed, once the fire finally ended, all that remained of Aldus was a pillar of ashes as tall as he had been. The dragon snorted, air leaving his nostrils with puffs of black smoke, and the pillar fell apart, the ashes scattering all about.

  Sabine gulped. Just like that, Aldus Perez would advise no one any longer.

  51

  Princess Vivian Rivera

  The slow pacing of all of the Vincanans warriors and the guards from Tenoch who had not been left behind in Rapid Falls was beginning to wear on the princess. As much as she enjoyed being out and about on the land, she did not relish the queen being without her and Marcellus.

  They were still two days out from the castle when Vivian approached Marcellus.

  “You seek to bring all of your warriors to the castle?” she asked.

  “I am of two minds about that,” he said. “There are still some warriors here and there who need to be called in, and then there is the issue of those in Tenoch fearing us yet. Until the betrothal is announced, mayhap not even until we are wed, will there start to be peace between our kingdoms.”

  “So you will have them set up camp outside of Atlan?”

  “I believe so or at least not close enough to cause those in the castle distress.”

  “And then you will continue on to the castle?”

  “I believe I should,” he said slowly. “You wish to be rid of me?”

  “Yes,” she pertly, grinning before biting her lower lip. “I feel it deep within me that I must hurry on ahead. Mayhap something is wrong. I do not know, but I feel—”

  “Vivian.” Marcellus stepped closer to her and touched her hand. The two of them were not the only ones awake this early in the morn, but the others were preoccupied making food to break their nightly fast. “If you wish to go, then go ahead. Scout ahead or continue on all the way straight for the castle. You will make much better time that way.”

  She nodded slowly, unable to speak, her throat too dry. Something was wrong. She could not say how she knew, but she did know this to be true.

  Vivian placed Gidie Leroux in charge and instructed him to break off from the Vincanans once they set up camp. He and the other Tenoch warriors were to continue straight away to the castle. After his nod of acquiescence, Vivian fled, racing hard toward the castle. Once she reached a large expanse of greenery, she spied a massive burst of flames.

  Her horse whinnied and shook his head. Swiftfire, her destrier, was the bravest horse Vivian ever knew. Although he did not seem keen, he obeyed her as she altered their course to head straight for the fire.

  To her shock, the dragon soon came into view. But why? There was no village or town about for a good bit. Even more astonishing was the fact that the dragon was not alone.

  Sabine stood before the dragon, looking every bit as regal as she ever had as a queen even though she did not wear a gown, nor did she have her long blond hair up, and no jewelry adorned her throat.

  “I am so sorry,” Sabine said clearly, her voice carrying across the field even though Vivian was not yet close enough for the dragon or the speaker to see her. “That terrible man hurt you. Drink this potion. It will heal you—”

  I do not need to be healed!

  Swiftfire halted in place. He would go no farther. Perhaps he heard the dragon’s vo
ice in his mind as well. It had certainly unnerved Vivian to the core.

  She slid down and headed for a boulder that offered her visibility while she remained hopefully invisible to the two… Were they allies? Had the feeling referred to this and not her sister? Had the Fates been trying to tell her something?

  Vivian glanced over her shoulder once she was in position. Swiftfire had left. A pang hit her, but she could not fault the warhorse. Charging into battle against a man and his horse was one matter, but no one had signed up to fight against a dragon, and yet, Vivian still struggled with the notion of killing the dragons, all three of them, again. Yes, clearly these dragons were not the same ones of old. She did not doubt that, but to slay them all for having been betrayed by the people they sought to watch over and protect, to have been dead for a millennium and a half… it would change anyone.

  The old dragons had been Faith, Hope, and Love, as she had learned in her readings, which made her wonder if the dragons who had returned were Doubt, Despair, and Hatred. Certainly, she had felt a great deal more doubt and despair since the dragons had returned but not so much hatred.

  Although if Sabine thought to make an ally of the last remaining dragon, Vivian could very well find it all too easy to have hate in her heart for the despicable ronyon. Not that Sabine was old and scabby, but she was mangy. Well, to a certain extent.

  “Of course,” Sabine said in a soothing tone that Vivian did not believe for one second.

  You are one of those alchemists, aren’t you?

  “Oh no,” Sabine said.

  Yet you have a potion.

  “A male alchemist gave it to me.”

  Vivian snorted and clapped her hands to her mouth. She did not know of any male alchemists, and she doubted the woman did either.

  “You know best. I only… I feel so terrible… Aldus lied to me. He said… It does not matter now.”

  You knew him?

  "Yes, but he deceived me and many others besides. The world is better off now that he is merely ashes. You are so very wise."

  Wise enough to know that you lie! You seek to deceive me too!

  The dragon reared back and opened his massive mouth. Red-orange flames burst out, but Sabine was running forward toward him as he stood on the ground, and Vivian could just see Sabine hurl the potion against the dragon's underside.

  Vivian watched, uncertain if she should be horrified that the dragon’s underbelly started to freeze. The blue-whiteness of ice spread faster and faster, and Sabine just stood there, almost directly beneath him. All he had to do was to drop down, and he would smash her to bits.

  The dragon did just that. The dragon lowered to the ground entirely. The sound of Sabine being flatted, her bones breaking, crossed all the way to Vivian, who watched as the dragon began to hover just above Sabine’s broken, unmoving body.

  The world is better off now that you are dead, the dragon said. The same could be said for so, so many. So very many.

  Vivian waited for the dragon to leave, but the dragon did not. Instead, the dragon curled his long neck and stared at the boulder she hid behind, and Vivian worried that the Fates had deceived her and lured her to her death.

  52

  Valkyrie Horatia Ramagi

  The Valkyries marched their horses, riding hard but too hard. They had covered much ground since they had left to obey the dragon’s command, and they were nearing mountains. Soon, they would head northward. Eventually, they would find—

  “Horatia!”

  Liviana Papius thundered back to Horatia. She had been sent ahead to scout.

  “Have you spotted them?” Horatia asked.

  “Indeed. They are just over the ridge.”

  Horatia grinned and lifted her sword high into the air as she used her knees to turn her horse about so she could address the other Valkyries.

  “To arms! For Odium!” she called.

  “For Odium!” the rest of the Valkyries cried.

  Swiftly, they reformed into their even and ordered lines even as they galloped to the ridge. Once at the top, Horatia lifted her sword once more to stop them. Having the high ground would prove advantageous.

  There were far more than just the four leaders Odium had mentioned. Not one of them had horses, but they were each armed, many with multiple weapons.

  "Defend yourselves," Horatia dictated, "but concentrate your assault on the leaders. The ones in the Zola have paint on their faces. The one with the headdress must be Chieftain Mundzuk.”

  “There,” Cassia murmured.

  Horatia followed her gaze. The larger sect of warriors marched behind two men. One was much younger than the other. The older was bald, but he appeared lithe and strong, moving with the grace of one who had studied weapons all of his life.

  She pointed them out to the others. “One must be Ninoa Ahmed, the other Amosis Nejem.”

  “What of Jarl Brynja?” Liviana asked.

  Horatia eyed the approaching mob and shook her head. “I am not certain. There are several women among their ranks, but I do not see any who appears to be a leader. Try and see if you can get someone to tell you where she might be. If they will not help you, slaughter them all. Each and every one of them marches against Odium’s wishes, but focus on the leaders first if you can.”

  “Shall we wait here for them?” Cassia asked. She had always been eager to fight for a just cause.

  Horatia, if she had been the one truly in control, would have opted to wait, but she could feel the pressure and heavy influence of Odium within her. The seeds of hatred had been planted deep within her, and she sneered as she lifted her arm.

  “Charge! Slay them all for Odium!”

  Horatia led the charge, her destrier galloping like a creature born of the wind, and her sword pierced through the chest of a man with white paint down the center of his face. The warriors descended onto the Valkyries, but these men and women must not have seen much combat. They fought lazily, their arms moving too slow, their reflexes pathetic, and Horatia slew several more before she glanced about, trying to find one of the leaders.

  The older man from Xalac fought with skill the others lacked sorely. Horatia urged her horse over toward the younger one from that same isle and sheathed her sword. With both hands free, she leaned down and grabbed the younger one by his shirt, lifting him up high until his feet weren’t on the ground.

  “Amosis?” she asked.

  “Ninos,” he corrected. “Why are you attacking me?”

  "It is the whim of the dragon," she said calmly, a bit amazed that he wasn't struggling to break free from her grasp. He had a dagger in his hand, the hilt shaped to look like a dragon's head, as if the blade came out of the dragon's mouth.

  “What have we done to earn the dragon’s wrath?”

  His confusion seemed genuine, but she had no answer for him.

  “I do not question him,” she hissed. “Tell me where I might find Jarl Brynja?”

  Nino’s face turned red. “That foolish weakling of a ruler! She remains on Tiapan with her people. The lot of them are cowards beyond measure—”

  “The lot of them might be allowed to live, but you…”

  Horatia shifted her hold so that she could maintain his position aloft while she drew back her arm and prepared to unsheathe her blade so she could slay him when she felt something strong, something powerful, some emotion that was not hers.

  Not fear.

  Rage.

  Anger.

  Worry.

  The dragon. Somehow, she just knew that the dragon was being attacked.

  Horatia threw the man aside. He and the other leaders were allowed to live for now.

  “Valkyries!” she called, whirling her horse about. “Come! Our dragon has need of us!”

  The Valkyries did not need to be told a second time, and they all fell into line behind her.

  We are coming, Odium. We will be there.

  53

  Princess Vivian Rivera

  The dragon turned his massive bod
y toward the boulder Vivian hid behind, but he did not fly over to her.

  I will kill the last living female alchemist, the dragon fumed, his words pounding into Vivian’s mind. No longer will that curse blight the world or me.

  “No!”

  Vivian couldn’t help herself. She raced forward, tossing her sword down, her daggers, every weapon to stand before the dragon unarmed.

  “No,” she said a bit more calmly. Well, as calmly as one could be while staring up into the face of an irate dragon who had been betrayed and wounded.

  You dare to tell me no? I should eat you as a snack.

  “You do not understand. I know the last female alchemist. Her name is Tatum Hill. She is a good and decent person—”

  Oh, yes, I am certain that is the case, the dragon mocked. Only ever good and decent people wish to have the acclaim and the power that comes from the knowledge of alchemy—

  “Only the female alchemists are cursed,” Vivian spat out. “How is that fair? Men can be just as ambitious. That is why you hate the female alchemists, is it not?”

  Yes, I do know that men, alchemists or not, can be ambitious, but there have been fewer and fewer male alchemists, are there not?

  She said nothing.

  And there are no male alchemists now, is that not the case? You do not have to answer. I know there isn’t.

  “If you know all as you claim to,” Vivian said through gritted teeth, “then you know that Tatum is the least ambitious person in the world!”

  Hmm. The dragon sniffed as if he were smelling something. She lives in the castle, does she not?

  “Yes, but that is because she is helping to heal—”

  Not merely to heal. She creates potions that are used by those who head to war.

  Vivian scowled. “You do not understand. Tatum is not who you believe her to be!”