They stopped dead. He gripped her arm as they began surrounding them.
“Kainan,” she whispered shaking. Those creatures she knew were immune to her magic. The human-like creatures, black from head to toe stared at them, flapping their wings slowly as they studied them. “Why did they not die with Gemini?” she rushed, quickly counting them. There were twenty.
“Perhaps,” he whispered back. “They did not belong to Gemini, or he did not create them with his magic.”
“When you killed it, it disintegrated,” she pointed out. He shrugged giving a grim shake of his head and pulling out the twin sword.
***
Meladrom lifted his head, growling ferociously. Galtec spun to his brother as he spoke.
“The King is in trouble!” Galtec then roared to Amerdril. The King’s bodyguard spun to him.
“What has happened,” he yelled back.
“They are under attack in the city, West Street, black-winged creatures.” Amerdril spun to the others.
“They are under attack, black-winged creatures. Mount up and head for West Street!” he yelled urgently, jumping up onto Galtec’s back. The riders scrambled for their dragons and in moments, they were airborne.
***
“Stay behind me at all times,” Kainan warned. Arweyn stood to his back. The twin sword glowed with power as Kainan raised it towards the creatures. All at once, they swarmed like a black mass towards them. Arweyn screamed as she tried to shadow Kainan’s every move. He swung the sword striking through the first creature, for a second it looked at him and then in a burst of power it disintegrated. Immediately Kainan felt the magic absorbed by the sword and he shuddered as it transferred into him.
“They are magical beings,” he yelled to her.
“Why cannot I kill them,” she screamed. She had tried but her power had merely skimmed off them.
“I do not know,” he yelled back, striking at another and then shuddering once again as the magic entered him. He locked his arm through hers and spun her over him as they attacked from the rear. She ducked as one launched itself at her. Kainan spun around and jumping into the air, he somersaulted over her striking the creature through the top of its head and straight down through the centre of its body. Kainan landed in a crouched position, he looked up as he heard them. The dragons swooped down towards them. The creatures spun their attention to the skies above. Kainan jumped up and grabbed her hand.
“Run!” he yelled pulling her as they ran towards the well.
“Get in!” he screamed at her. She hesitated for a second and seeing the urgency in his eyes, she climbed up onto the well. He followed her and together they lowered themselves down onto a narrow ledge within the well’s shaft.
“Now Meladrom!” he shouted in his mind towards his dragon. He grasped Arweyn, pulling her to him. Lifting the sword, he chanted fast.
“Illumanartry reflectara.” The sword glowed and a protective shield covered the entrance to the well. Meladrom signalled to the other dragons and at once they breathed in deep and then with a might roar, they sent forth their flames. A massive inferno billowed below them. The creatures screamed; they may have been immune to magic but not to fire and within seconds, they disintegrated.
Kainan waited a few minutes before releasing the shield. He climbed out and scanned the area. The dragons had landed and nothing remained of the black winged creatures but a black mass of dust covering the street. He looked down to his wife and reached out a hand to her. Taking it, she climbed out.
Amerdril jumped down off Galtec.
“You both okay?” he asked approaching them.
“Yes fine thanks Amerdril, thanks all of you.”
“What were they?” Forde questioned. Kainan shrugged.
“I do not know, obviously not Gemini’s creations.” He smiled at the worried look on his face and then gesturing outwards with his arms he asked.
“Well what do you think? I told you it would all be as it was.” Amerdril grinned at his King and gave a slight dip of his head.
“I never doubted you for a moment my Lord,” he replied. Kainan shook his head and laughed.
“Of course you did not Amerdril.”
“Sharelle, Forde can you two stay here with your dragons and give the place a thorough sweep through just to be sure there are no more surprises.” Forde glanced at Sharelle and she smiled, a few days alone. Stepping forward Sharelle held out Shadow. Arweyn smiled at her.
“Can you keep him until I get back?” she asked, tickling Shadow under his chin. Reluctantly Sharelle agreed. “Do not forget to feed him,” Arweyn then added as she and the others mounted their dragons. Sharelle gave a slight dip of her head. Forde came up behind her, placing his arms around her waist. She turned and smiled at him before lifting a hand and waving the others off.
Putting the cat down, she spun around to him, her eyes gazing into his. Forde smiled at her and then raising a hand to her face, he kissed her. Sharelle’s heart beat faster; she had been waiting since she was fifteen for him to kiss her like this. She shook her foot, and then her leg. He broke from the kiss.
“What is wrong?” he asked. She frowned looking down. Shadow clung to her leg.
“Bloody cat,” she moaned. Forde laughed and then pulled her to him, kissing her again. He was not going to a let a stupid cat spoil this moment.
Seventeen ~ Return to Malgar
“We will awaken the soldiers first. They can help get the boats ready,” Kainan said, leading the party down into the vast chambers within the Shankar Mountain. Pulling out the Twin Sword the King broke the invisible seal. They entered and with a sweep of her magic Arweyn lit the torches on the walls. It was a formidable sight. Hundreds of soldiers stood row upon row. For a moment, the small party of dragon riders just stared. Kainan smiled lifting the sword. “Arweyn,” he said glancing to his wife. She returned his smile and stepping up to him, she placed her hands on top of his.
“Shar Nordar Kilraken
Grenar Lelan Rudesan
Eprewil Aylamguar”
They began to chant repeatedly. The room became electrified as sparkles of magic spread across the silent army. Waiting with nervous anticipation, they wondered if the power was going to be strong enough. They started moving, first it was just a twitch here and there, but before long life had returned to their bodies and they began glancing around looking at one another. The dragon riders cheered and Kainan, pulling his wife to him, hugged her euphorically before kissing her with joy.
Arweyn began to cry with happiness as the hundreds of soldiers faced front towards them, and each one of them bowed down onto one knee.
Giving a sweep of his hand for them to rise, Kainan stepped forward and addressed them.
“Soldiers of Malgar,” he said, glancing at his wife and then the dragon riders who stood flanking them either side. “Gemini is dead!”
The soldiers erupted in shouts of euphoria, shooting their arms into the air triumphantly. He felt her hand slip into his, Kainan glanced to her, his heart shook and as his eyes lifted to hers, he winked.
“Only another three thousand or so to go,” he said with a grin.
***
Three days later the boats began docking at the City. Thousands disembarked and began filtering back to their homes, unaffected by their five hundred years in stasis. Along with them were their horses, livestock, dogs, and even chickens carried in wooden crates. Kainan stood alongside his dragon, resting a hand on his side.
“It is good to see the people home,” he said. Meladrom glanced down to him.
“Yes my King. It is good to be home.” Smiling he watched his son Kailan being bombarded by children, all desperate to have a turn sitting on the dragon’s back. “All of us together.”
Arweyn hugged Elspeth, before passing her Shadow. Sharelle had point blankly refused, Queen or not, to take Shadow again. Apparently, he had hissed at her! Arweyn tickled his ear and the cat purred. She could not imagine for one moment why he would have hissed at her
.
“We will be back soon. Please take him to our chambers,” she said. Elspeth curtsied.
“Yes my Queen.” As she turned and began walking away, Kainan dropped back.
“Elspeth the cat goes in the kitchen,” he said, screwing his nose up at it as it hissed at him. Elspeth smiled and was about to speak when Kainan shushed her, shaking his head.
“Kitchen, I will take the consequences.” Elspeth curtsied watching as he caught up with his wife.
He took her hand and smiled.
“Come on let’s go and surprise my brother.” Excitedly they headed for the secret passage that wound underneath the mountain and into the Chamber of Knowledge. Once in the library Kainan lit a couple of torches passing one to his wife. Removing the amulet from around his neck, he placed it into the indentation on the dragon with the green wings painted on the wall. With a creak and a moan the door opened, Arweyn squeezed through the gap first, Kainan hesitated for a moment as he remembered. His hand reach up high and he smiled.
“What is it?” she asked curiously.
“I just remembered, this lever here, if I pull it down it will keep the door open. It will make it easier for us to come and go between the two castles until the boundary is down.” Keeping a watchful eye as they moved on, he smiled when the door did indeed remain open.
Although Kainan was eager to see his brother and tell him everything that had happened over the last few weeks, he was more desperate to see his father, to see if he had awakened now that Gemini and his dragons were dead. They reached the door to the Chamber of Knowledge and once again using the amulet, he opened the secret door. They quickly headed through the Chamber, and discarding their torches, they entered the passageway leading back into the castle.
“Kainan,” she whispered, as he held her hand increasing his stride.
“Yes?”
“I have got butterflies,” she said, excitedly at him.
“Me too,” he replied. Although he had a little more than just butterflies, he had a feeling of nausea, combined with excitement and dread in case it had not worked. They headed straight for his parents chamber, passing a few shocked guards along the way who immediately dropped to one knee when they saw him. He waved them up as they hurried past. They marched with urgency as they climbed the crystal staircase and then followed the corridor to his parent’s chamber.
He halted at the door. Now he felt sick. They had been gone for a long time, what if his father had died.
“Kainan,” Arweyn urged with her eyes towards the door and squeezing his hand encouragingly. He swallowed nervously, and took a deep breath before knocking hard on the oak door. A moment passed before the door opened. It was his mother and she gasped in surprise as she saw them, and then she burst into tears. Kainan’s heart shuddered, immediately fearing the worse as she flung her arms around him.
“Kainan!” she exclaimed, hugging him tight. Releasing him, she then hugged Arweyn, who wiped the tears from her own eyes.
“Thank the stars you are both home,” she wept. Kainan felt his eyes brimming with tears and he fought to hold it back.
“Father?” he questioned hesitantly, scared of her reply, but she smiled at him and held out her hand.
“Come and see,” she said, leading him into the chamber. As they entered the room, a grin spread across his face.
“Father,” he cried, before releasing his mother’s hand and rushing to his father’s bedside. He sat down on the bed and his father smiled, he still looked weak but he opened his arms to his son. Kainan threw his arms around him and held him.
“My son,” his father whispered, patting his back. Kainan wiped his eyes as he sat back and looked at his father.
“Do you feel okay?” he asked. His father nodded.
“A little weak my son but glad to be alive thanks to you, and…” he looked behind Kainan at Arweyn. She curtsied. His father held out his hand and she approached him. Taking her hand, he squeezed it lightly. “Your Queen,” he said, gently.
“Father now you are awake you must take back your crown.” Kainan insisted. His father shook his head, glancing at his wife. She gave him a gentle nod.
“No my son you are now the King of Malgar and Arweyn the Queen. I am retired,” he said with a smile. Kainan looked at his wife and her eyes smiled at him.
“Father we found them, all of our people.”
“Kainan,” his mother said in surprise, stepping up to him. He moved over so she could sit on the bed next him. Arweyn pulled up a chair.
“There are thousands of them, they were hidden within a mountain around three days from here, Arweyn and I can remember our life before, not everything but snippets here and there. Beyond our boundary lies a great city and a castle and it is Arweyn’s and mine from our life 500 years ago. We have been using magic and have restored the castle back to how it was. We have brought the Groundling Empire home father. Right now they are settling back into their homes as if no time has passed.” His father looked at him speechless.
“I have fourteen dragons,” he said grinning. “Twelve of the most loyal men and women dragon riders a King could have wished for. I cannot wait to take you to see it father. It is time to take down our boundary and open our city to our great empire beyond. It is so beautiful.”
“Kainan, I am…” His mother hesitated as she searched for the words. “Stunned,” she finally said, her eyes wide her smile bright. Kainan stood up and bowed to his father.
“I will leave you to rest father while we go and tell Gareion.” He held out his hand to his wife. “Arweyn and I have decided if it is okay with you, that we will return to our chambers within the other castle. There is a lot to do for these people and others that we have rescued but remain outside of the city. I am hoping that Gareion and Alys will join us and live within the new castle.” His father nodded.
“That makes sense,” he agreed and he smiled at his wife. “That means we get this place to ourselves, a nice quiet retirement,” he said with a chuckle.
“I will wait a week give the people time to get used to the idea before I remove the Ardor Crystal. I was thinking Arweyn, perhaps it would be best if we asked the Faerlings to take it, it will be safer in Sarconia than here.”
“I will contact my grandmother and ask her,” she replied. His father nodded in agreement.
“Until the boundary is down,” Kainan continued. “We can use the tunnel through the Chamber of Knowledge to bring people through.”
“Err,” his father interrupted. “I should like them blindfolded before they are taken to the Chamber it is imperative that the Chamber remains a secret Kainan.” His son nodded.
“Then it shall be so, thank you father, mother.” He dipped his head to the both of them, as did his wife.
Leaving the King’s chamber, they made their way towards Gareion and Alys.
Slinging an arm around her shoulder, he squeezed her tight.
“I am so glad this is all over,” he said with a little sigh as he gazed down into her hazel eyes her heart shuddered as she returned his gaze. “Now we can spend some time together, without having to fight or use magic, or hike our way through forests.” She stopped and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest and inhaling him. He stroked his hands through her hair.
“Hey what is that for?” he asked, smiling. She took a deep breath and shrugged as she looked up at him.
“I do not know I just wanted to hold you. These past weeks have been frightening. I suppose I am just glad like you are that this is all over, although …..” she faltered.
“Although what?” he pushed.
“What more is there to come?”
“How do you mean?”
“We have two Kingdoms to rule Kainan that is going to be really hard.” He smiled at her adoringly
“I know, but Gareion, mother and father will help. It will not all be down to us. Look, how about when this is over in a few months we just take off somewhere for a couple of weeks?”
“Like where?” she asked. He shrugged as they continued walking.
“I do not know, explore our lands maybe or go to Sarconia wherever you like.” She nodded.
“Hmm that would be nice. Can we do that though, now you are the King?” he laughed.
“I can do what I like now I am King!” She laughed with him. The stopped at the door to his brother’s chamber and knocked. Gareion opened the door. He stared.
“Surprise!” they both yelled at his startled face. It took a moment for him to pull himself together.
“You are back, you are back!” he yelled repeatedly throwing his arms around his twin. “Hell I really thought you would get yourselves killed,” he then muttered patting his brother’s back.
“Disappointed?” Kainan asked grinning. Gareion nodded and then laughed.
“Of course not you nut,” he laughed, before giving Arweyn a hug. “Alys, we have visitors,” he yelled. Alys hurried out of the bathing room, her eyes lit up with glee when she saw them. Throwing the towel onto a chair, she ran and threw her arms around her cousin.
“Thank the stars I have missed you so much.” Arweyn kissed her cheek and smiled happily hugging her cousin.
“How is little Starre?” Arweyn asked.
“Getting big,” Alys replied, before giving Kainan a relieved hug.
Taking her cousin’s hand, she began to pull her. “Come and see her, she is sleeping.” Arweyn smiled at her husband as Alys pulled her over to the cot that sat next to their bed. Gareion walked his brother over to the seating area of their chamber and plonked himself down onto a sofa, whilst Kainan perched himself on an arm of another chair.
“Glad to see my Kingdom is still standing,” the young King teased. Gareion looked at him wryly.
“There only seems to be trouble when you are around brother,” Gareion quipped back. Kainan laughed.
“Very true,” he then said with a grin.
Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 02 - Meladrom Page 34
