God Stones: Books 1 - 3

by Otto Schafer

Jack nodded, more to himself than to Cerb. “Right. Like I mean it.” All of you! Shut the hell up! Now!

  The voices stopped.

  Jack waited a moment, just to be sure. You will only speak out loud to each other or to the group if spoken to by me or Cerb! You will listen for my commands.

  We listen to no human! We will listen to Cerberus, the god son!

  Jack was pretty sure that was the same dragon with the deep voice. He spoke again, but Cerberus’s own voice boomed in his head, dwarfing the juvenile dragon.

  I follow Jack Nightshade! If you follow Cerberus, then you too follow Jack! What are your orders, my liege?

  Jack didn’t know what a liege was, but he trusted Cerb that it was something good… like a boss. He smiled inwardly. He was about to lead this horde like a boss! Kick the tires and light the fires, boys! Spread out and burn the jungle fifty miles wide!

  The dragons spread out, raining fire down onto the jungle. Jack watched as trees tried to rush off to the sides in an effort to avoid the flames, but few made it. He watched them fall, their strange screams finding him as he and Cerberus soared high above the horde.

  It would seem as though fifteen hundred dragons burning a jungle would go quick, but what Jack saw below was chaos. The young dragons flew in every direction with no rhyme or reason. He spotted at least three dragons fly beneath others at the wrong moment, catching fire and crashing into the forest below, victims of their own recklessness. Jack also realized the juveniles’ ability to breathe fire wasn’t limitless. As he watched the horde, he noticed some weren’t breathing fire at all, while others were doing all the work. Circle the horde, Cerb. The dragon obeyed, and Jack assessed the flock of chaos. He quickly realized there wasn’t room for everyone to work all at once, and some of the front-runners were getting tired. Everyone, I want one hundred fifty dragons to form up in a line facing south, three per mile. The rest of you line up behind them, ten to a line all the way across. Each of you gets two bursts and then you go to the back of the line and rest until your turn comes up again. Well – what are you waiting for? Line up!

  The dragons stopped firing on the forest and began trying to form rows. At first they shouted at each other, arguing over who would line up where, but as chaotic as it was, his horde was trying. Jack stayed quiet, letting it play out.

  “It’s working, Cerb! They’re doing it!” Jack shouted aloud so only Cerb could hear.

  Cerberus nodded his three heads.

  “Line us up in the center, Cerb! Let’s show them how to burn!”

  Cerb raced to the center of the line.

  Fire! Jack shouted.

  Flame exploded from all of Cerb’s heads at once as the forest below screamed.

  To Jack’s left and right, most of the dragons were doing exactly as told and the jungle below was burning in an organized pattern, fifty miles wide. Forward progress went quickly, faster than Jack had imagined possible. They made short work of their assignment and reached the nephilbock within a couple hours.

  That’s when things went horribly wrong.

  The other three hordes were there already, covering the nephilbock’s flanks and rear just as the queen had commanded. The trees were mainly attacking the triangle-shaped army of the nephilbock head on. But Jack could see that was about to change. From the sides and rear, giant trees were approaching, taller than any Jack had ever seen. Some stretched up into the air over two hundred feet and looked like giant palm trees with their narrow single trunks. Others were as big around as a house.

  The tall skinny ones seemed to pop up from nowhere. At first, Jack couldn’t understand it. Fly lower, Cerb!

  Cerb dipped low and flew in closer. A tree sprang upward from the jungle foliage and whipped past as Cerb banked sharp to avoid being struck. Jack wasn’t ready, nearly slipping from the dragon’s back. “What the shit!” Jack shouted, looking back to see the tall palm tree swaying back and forth. He searched the forest below and after a moment understood. “There, look!”

  Below, he saw one of the skinny palms bent in the shape of the St. Louis Arch. No, no, no! Jack yelled in his mind and the minds of his horde, but for the group of dragons flying the path of the bent tree there was no time to react. The tree released itself and flung upward like the arm of a giant catapult, releasing its kinetic energy as it collided with bone-smashing force into four dragons.

  Shit! Why didn’t they move, Cerb? It’s like they didn’t even hear me yelling!

  They didn’t. They are not part of our horde.

  As Jack frantically searched the forest, he saw more bent trees lying in wait. Jack’s horde! Listen to me, he said, realizing how stupid “Jack’s horde” sounded. He would need to give them a better name if they made it through this. Stay away from the flanks. We need to focus on the front mass. They’re coming in from the sides, but you have to stay low! Trees are… I don’t know, bending and then snapping upward! We just watched four dragons die. Keep your distance and watch out for—

  An entire tree sailed past, just missing them.

  What the hell? Flying trees? Cerb? How the hell did that tree fly? Another tree sailed past them, roots first, crashing into the nephilbock army below as the giants clambered to move out of the way.

  Cerb circled from the right flank. The tall, fat trees pushing in from the southwest were ripping smaller trees from the ground and throwing them. Throwing them at the dragons and throwing them at the nephilbock. They’re not flying, Jack, they are being propelled.

  Another tree sailed by, too close.

  Let the other hordes worry about them. The attack from the front has no trees large enough to throw others. We should focus there, Cerb said.

  They circled back again and got a run at the front. They had already burned the path ahead of the nephilbock clean. All Jack and his small horde had to do was keep it clear of any intruding trees. But while Cerb focused on the trees pushing into the clearing in an attempt to block the nephilbock’s advance, Jack couldn’t peel his eyes from the other hordes. They were laying down fire just fine, but both nephilbock and dragons were suffering too many casualties as trees were being thrown one after another over, and sometimes even through, the fire barrier the dragons had created to protect the nephilbock. The flying trees often ignited, landing among the nephilbock, killing several. Now, other trees were loading anything they could find, including smaller trees, boulders, and even dead dragons, onto the canopies of the bendy palm trees, to be flung like loaded catapults at the nephilbock.

  Cerb, this isn’t working. The nephilbock and the hordes are taking too much damage. We need to stop burning the front and let the nephilbock fight their way forward.

  And what is your plan for us, Jack?

  He grinned. “I have an idea, Cerb!” Jack’s horde! One hundred of you come with us to the west! The rest go ten miles to the east of the flanking horde and lay down a secondary path of fire. We will cut the forest off at both flanks with fire and burn them from behind – box them in and burn them out. We will widen the gap between the trees and the east and west flanks so the distance is too great and the trees can no longer throw objects.

  “Only one hundred with us?” Cerb asked.

  “Yep, because this one hundred has Cerberus, son of Typhon, and Jack.” That sounded stupid. “Strike that, Cerb, because this one hundred has Cerberus, son of Typhon, and the mighty human who rides him! Good enough! I’ll work on that later!”

  Jack and Cerb began burning everything as they led their dragons ten miles off the nephilbock’s west flank. He hoped the other horde would see his strategy. They had to build more distance between the trees and the nephilbock to make throwing trees ineffective.

  It didn’t take long for the trees to catch on because suddenly Jack’s one hundred were the target of the flying trees.

  Trees as far as the eye can see, Jack. What is your plan?

  What Apep said on their walk came back to Jack now. You have to show them why they should follow you. You have to prove you’re wor
thy. He was going to do more than that. He was going to have songs written about him because of this day.

  As a tree collided with two dragons to his left, voices from the horde sounded in Jack’s head.

  The queen said we are supposed to be at the front! said one.

  We should go to the front! said another.

  Yes, to the front! said still another.

  Go! Cowards. Go to the front and leave the glory for Cerberus and Jack! Jack said. Another tree flew up, nearly striking them. Cerberus roared and poured fire from his three heads down onto the offending trees. No one’s flames did more damage than Cerberus’s, but at a height safe from swatting trees and flying debris, most of the dragon’s fire dissipated before reaching the ground… even Cerb’s.

  Moving through the trees east toward the flank was a group of the giant trees. He wasn’t sure what they were, but they were ridiculously big. Both in height and girth. Cerb, fly down low toward the middle of that tall group of giant trees.

  That is suicide, Jack, Cerb argued.

  Just trust me.

  As Cerb dropped low, Jack thought about who he hated most and closed his eyes. When he could see Garrett’s face clearly in his mind’s eye, he opened his eyes and focused on the group of colossal trees. He wasn’t even sure he could disease a tree, but when the entire area he focused on turned brown and suddenly stopped lumbering forward, Jack smiled. Power filled him unlike anything he’d ever felt. Different from when he killed Goch. This was immense, like he was pulling an ocean into himself. His whole body shook, but still he drew more and more.

  Cerberus dipped lower still until he was nearly brushing the dying canopies. Pained moans of trees dying cut through the sounds of flame and war. Right before Jack’s eyes, trees bigger than any he had ever seen quaked. Bark sloughed off their trunks in wet sheets to reveal bright white woody flesh, only to turn instantly – like spoiled milk souring under a summer sun – brown, then a putrid black. The black tree flesh rotted into wounds, opening to seep viscous fluid. Jack’s bones vibrated electricity – a battery too full, too charged!

  The first mighty tree fell, then the next, collapsing down upon themselves in heaps of decay.

  Jack held on to Cerb’s horns with all he had, screaming through a combination of rage and pain as he released the stored power. Cerb… Breathe… Fire… Now!

  Cerb opened all his mouths and roared. Fire burst from the dragon in a flood of dense flame. His left head vomited green flame that appeared thick as lava. The right head did the same. The middle head, however, shot something as black as the hate Jack felt, and when the three streams of dragon breath hit the forest, it erupted in orange-and-red hell. It was like those old war movies where bombers dropped napalm and the whole forest erupted in incineration.

  Cerberus blew the strange mixture of dragon fire from the northern end of the nephilbock army all the way to the south, staying ten miles away so as not to burn the giant army. With flames still pouring from the dragon, the power of ancient trees drained down through Jack’s arms and hands and into the two horns he clenched in locked fists.

  Below them, the nephilbock stared up and beat their weapons against their shields. Twenty-five thousand percussions in a rhythmic acknowledgment of what Jack and Cerb had done. Jack smiled weakly, having never felt more powerful and absolutely drained in all his life.

  Cerberus laughed, actually laughed.

  Jack collapsed forward, his vision blurring.

  “Well done, brother! Well done!”

  “Ha. Yeah,” Jack chuckled weakly. “Well done, brother!”

  “Horde! Hear me now! Jack Nightshade has pulled the life from the forest and passed it through me! Together we are the mightiest dragon to ever live!”

  Jack’s head erupted as his horde cheered. All the dragons were shouting the names of Jack and Cerberus. Cerberus the Mighty God Son and Nightshade the Taker! The most powerful dragon to ever live! Nightshade the Taker did sound way cooler than Jack. He thought of Danny then and wished so badly he could see him now. “We did it, Danny. We did it!”

  Cerb said aloud, “We have created over ten miles of charred earth between the nephilbock’s west flank and the forest. The trees cannot close that gap as long as Mivras’s horde defends against any who try to cross. Shall we return to the front?”

  Jack wondered what the other hordes thought of what he and Cerb had done. He flexed his tingling hands. Never had he channeled so much power! Below, the nephilbock charged forward as if given a second wind. “No, circle to the east side. Let’s do this again in case anyone missed it the first time.” Jack smiled.

  And they did do it again. In one raging breath of supercharged fire from Cerberus the Mighty God Son and Nightshade the Taker, another million trees burned and died!

  The nephilbock charged forward through Amazonia, and all trees who tried to enter the blackened ground perished under a wave of dragon flame.

  41

  Angel’s Surprise

  Friday, April 29 – God Stones Day 23

  Fishlake National Forest, Utah

  It made sense to Breanne that the only way to change the future was by her own hand. Only she had seen what was to happen. Only she had seen Garrett’s death. Everyone else would try to fight their bindings and try to save him, but she knew in her heart they would all fail. They would fail because the future said they would. Even her brother Paul with his super-strength would fail. Pete, David, Lenny, everyone. Unless she and she alone could do something, Garrett was going to die. But what could she do? She was gagged, bound, and up to her shoulders in dirt.

  Her vision blurred through her tears as Queen Pando the Trembling Giant stood motionless, waiting for Garrett to die or Turek to magically appear and save him. Garrett was somewhere below the forest floor and god only knew how deep under the ground. How could she help him?

  Breanne! Something is happening! Gabi said.

  Breanne choked and swallowed back sobs. What? What’s happening?

  The trees are talking again. Something is wrong.

  Breanne looked at Pando. She was still frozen in place, standing on the top step of her throne, her feet rooted in the ground. What are they saying, Gabi?

  Someone named Duroia Hirsuta said the dragons have joined forces with the nephilbock. He said Apep refused Pando’s offer and… oh my god! Gran Abuelo is talking now! They have lost over three million trees. Not only have they failed to slow the army, but the dragons have cleared the path to Central America through the trees, and the nephilbock are moving even faster than before.

  Breanne shook her head. Part of her wanted to scream that she didn’t care, Garrett is dying! But the other part of her mind raced. But how, Gabi? How could they lose so many so fast with only a handful of dragons!

  Gabi said, The queen is asking Gran Abuelo how many dragons. Bre! He said there must be over ten thousand juvenile dragons! He says there is one dragon with three heads! And atop it rides a human boy of great power!

  Now the queen is saying the dragons have never aligned with the nephilbock before and this changes everything! There will be no point of a wall beyond the Darien Gap if they will simply burn the blockade. Now Gran Abuelo says he must avenge the forest, they can’t let all this be for nothing—

  Breanne said, That’s it!

  What’s it? Gabi asked.

  Queen Pando! Queen Pando, I know you can hear me! Turek won’t come and your trees are being slaughtered! Let Garrett live! Let us live and we can help you! We can work together!

  Queen Pando’s crowned head turned slowly as her emerald eyes bore into Breanne’s own. Then she heard Pando in her own mind, speaking directly to her: Turek must come! He is our only hope!

  Breanne squinted at the force with which Pando entered her mind. It felt like she had been hit between the eyes. Still, she didn’t let it deter her. But if he doesn’t, you still have one chance! You still have Garrett! If he dies, you have nothing! You have already lost millions of trees! What has he done to you, Pand
o? What have any of us done to you?

  The queen descended the steps of the dais and stood looking down at Breanne. Do you know how many trees are on this planet, Breanne Moore? Over three trillion! We are the largest army this world has ever seen, and we have been right under your noses this whole time! You think I need you?

  Now or never! Push her, girl. Garrett is dying! Push! Why are you trying to stop Apep from opening the portal? Is it because you want the God Stones for yourself? Then why not attack the portal itself? You know where it is! Why do you need Turek?

  Pando said, We cannot stop Apep, stupid human! We must allow him to open the portal, to take his army away from this planet, and to do that, he must take the God Stones with him. She clenched her hand into a fist. But now Apep has refused my offer to stop the attack on his nephilbock and surrender Garrett and all of you for a simple assurance he will leave the portal open only long enough to get his army through quickly before destroying the planet!

  Breanne’s brows cracked in confusion. Something wasn’t adding up. There was more the queen of trees wasn’t saying. You tried to trade Garrett because you know Turek may not come! But I don’t understand? Why do you need Turek to destroy the portal? Why not just attack the portal once Apep and the army are gone? Why not close it yourselves as soon as they step through! Talk to me so I can help! she pleaded. She was missing something, but what? Were they not able to destroy it themselves once it was opened?

  Your descendant is dying. Turek must come now, or our kind must face a difficult alternative, Pando said softly.

  Breanne shook her head. Think, Bre! You can’t let him die! Pando, if you only need to destroy the portal, why do you need Turek? What does trying humanity for crimes against trees matter when your entire world is about to be flooded or worse…

  Pando smiled weakly. Do you not see, Breanne Moore? Our kind cannot go back, Breanne Moore.

  With those words, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place and a veil lifted to reveal the truth. Pando wasn’t trying to bargain to simply close the portal quickly. You… you want your own God Stone? Is that it? You asked Apep to do more than simply spare the planet, didn’t you? You asked him to use the Sound Eye to make you a God Stone that would allow you to walk, and he refused you! That’s it! You want a God Stone of your own!