by Mark Tyson
Bren handed the stone over to Dorenn. “Are you leaving us?”
“No, I am calling Melias to us here. If he is with King Amarantus, maybe the king will relent and give us a Lora Daine or two large enough to get us out of here.”
Bren looked doubtful. “I wouldn’t hold my breath. He is still upset with you disabling the Lora Daines. It took some doing to get the enchantment back in place.”
“If Melias can’t convince him, then we are stuck here on foot,” Dorenn commented.
“Never mind that. It’s a good plan,” Morgoran said. “Use the stone. It can’t hurt.”
“This tower has seen better days,” Seandara observed after she stepped in a pile of dusty, unknown debris.
“It’s falling apart. Be careful, this tower has been through a lot over the years,” Lady Shey said.
Dorenn used the stone and handed it back to Bren, who dropped it in a bag around his waist.
They all followed Morgoran up the stone stairway to the hidden exit of the dungeons and carefully filed out into a dark room.
“Stop!” Deylia said. “There is something lurking just out of sight.”
Dorenn unsheathed Dranmalin, and Seandara readied her bow. Veric prepared his daggers.
Morgoran flashed a beam of light from his palm to expose Kyrie, the little Kylerie elf, who was holding his hands over his eyes to shield them from the light. “Are you trying to blind me?” Kyrie said.
“What are you doing here?” Shey asked.
“Looking for you, well, all of you. I have something you need.”
“What would that be?”
Kyrie smiled broadly.
“Oh, no you don’t. You can’t bend all of us! You can barely bend two people,” Gondrial said, holding his hand out to ward off the little elf. “You know, it’s very convenient you always seem to show up out of nowhere when we need you. How did you even know we were here?”
“Fawlsbane Vex told me. He said for me to come and get you,” Kyrie said. “He wants to meet with all of you in Draegodor.”
“What is bending?” Deylia asked. “It sounds painful.”
Ianthill answered. “It’s a form of teleportation the Kylerie elves do. It sounds worse than it is.”
“We don’t need you,” Gondrial said to Kyrie. “Dorenn has already called Melias.”
“It didn’t work,” Dorenn said. “The stone was dead. It needs to be re-enchanted. I wasn’t going to say anything until we thought of something else to do.”
“Great. Can’t you enchant it? You know some dragon magic.”
“No, I don’t know how. If a dragon knight can’t do it, I know I can’t,” Dorenn said.
“Relax, Gondrial,” Kyrie said. “I have been practicing. I am sure I can do it.” He went to stand on an overturned crate. “All of you hold hands.”
Gondrial was the last to hold hands with anyone. When Kyrie was satisfied, he grabbed a hold of Gondrial’s hand and began the spell. Dorenn could feel his body stretching out as they took one step forward and were in the King’s Citadel in Draegodor. Dorenn abruptly felt sick to his stomach. He doubled over. He noticed he wasn’t the only one. Most everyone but Kyrie and Morgoran collapsed to the floor.
When Gondrial recovered, he took out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow. “All right, take us to Fawlsbane Vex.”
“I would love to,” Kyrie said, “but I lied about that. He isn’t here. However, there are a couple of people you may want to talk to in the next room. I found them just before I found you . . . in the White Tower.” Kyrie opened the next door to the chamber, and sitting on a divan with Fayne in his arms was Vesperin.
Dorenn burst through the door and stormed over to his friend. “What the thunder happened to you?” he asked.
Vesperin’s head hung low, and he had trouble looking Dorenn in the eye. “I am ashamed to tell you.”
“Vesperin?”
“Dorenn, I was so sure it was her, but it wasn’t. I helped raise the Oracle.”
Morgoran, upon hearing Vesperin’s confession, sighed with dread. Ianthill absently rubbed his left index finger with his right thumb with trepidation.
“What did you do a fool thing like that for?” Gondrial chided. “Couldn’t you see you were being manipulated?”
Vesperin, who was already sorry for his actions, bowed his head deeper.
“Gondrial,” Shey spoke with a hushed tone, “can’t you see he regrets his actions? Go easy.”
Gondrial threw his hands up in frustration. “Here we go again, another great War of the Oracle. We barely won the first time around and we had far greater numbers.”
“That’s enough, Gondrial,” Ianthill said. “It’s clear to me now the Oracle has been behind this whole affair, sending Dramyds and Drasmyd Duil at every turn. It was he who created the abominations in the first place, with Toborne’s help, of course, but it was chiefly him.”
“How is he manipulating events from death?” Rennon asked.
“Simple. Through his essence, which grows stronger every day,” Morgoran answered. “He didn’t need a physical body to manipulate events. He used Naneden and Toborne for that.”
“So what now?” Deylia asked.
The chamber door opened from the other side of the room, and King Amarantus entered, followed by the usual pomp and circumstance from the guards. “What are we discussing?” he asked.
“Planning our next move,” Morgoran said.
“Planning on an empty stomach, no doubt. The cooks have prepared you a meal. If you will follow me to the dining rooms.”
After they all had eaten, they sat at the dining room table to discuss their plans over cups of hot bittering tea. Amarantus joined them.
“The reports from my outlook patrols tell me that all the Dramyds and Drasmyd Duil, as well as other foul creatures, are migrating to the Sacred Land. Golvashala is calling his army home,” Amarantus said.
“The Tome of Enlightenment is the key,” Dorenn said. “We must get to Lux Amarou.” He put the tome on the table. Amarantus opened it.
“Aye, I see the passage about the Myradon Codex,” Amarantus said. He gave Dorenn a stern face. “I will give you a Lora Daine and I can send you as far as the pillars of Sanguineous with the Lora Daine chamber here in Draegodor, but if you tinker with the enchantment again, I will make sure you never see another stone for the rest of your days. Am I understood? I want your assurance.”
“You have my assurance. I will not abuse the enchantment,” Dorenn said.
“There are other concerns as well. I have reports that armies from Abaddonia and Scarovia are crossing the Jagged Mountains. With the armies of Symboria gone, they will roll over Ishrak and Symboria easily.”
“How long will it take them to cross the mountains?” Dorenn asked.
“A few months. The Jagged Mountains are named the Jagged Mountains for a reason; they are treacherous. Even the southern pass is difficult in winter time,” Ianthill said.
“If I can get in touch with my father in Ardenia, maybe I can get some troops rounded up from Trigothia,” Dorenn said.
“If the enemy armies do cross the mountains, my dragon legions can slow them down; however, your alliance with the dragons of Kragodor ended as soon as they found out Golvashala had awakened. They will likely try to fight us when we attack.”
“Forgive me,” Seandara said, “but the archers of Endil can help as well. How long will it take Golvashala to regain his strength?”
“It will be much faster with the power of the Sacred Land, but coming back from the dead is no easy feat. I would say a few months. That is why he is gathering his army—for protection while he returns to full strength,” Morgoran said.
Amarantus nodded. “There is time to get to the Myradon Codex. However, the last concern I need to warn you about is that my spies have uncovered a plot by Toborne to travel to Lux Amarou to destroy it. He will be traveling by dragon, but the dragon will not go on past the wards of the Pillars of Sanguineous. The l
ands beyond the pillars are forbidden to dragons. The Amar of old warded the island against dragonkind after they stowed the Myradon Codex there, and the magic still stands even though the Amar do not.” He paused for a moment while he studied the faces of Morgoran and Ianthill. “The old wizards should know this, but I will warn you anyway. Lux Amarou is the land of the first men, the Amar, and magic works differently there. It is more . . . arcane. Be careful drawing essence there.”
“Why is it different?” Dorenn asked.
“You will be drawing essence from ancient sources and from other sources you have never encountered. It is a very different place from what you know. The ancient magic there is powerful and deadly.”
“We should go there and lure the Oracle into a trap,” Rennon smiled.
“Golvashala would never fall for such a plan,” Amarantus paced back and forth. “There are things that dwell there in the ruined cities and countryside that repel even him.”
“I was joking,” Rennon said.
“All right,” Morgoran stood up from the table. “This will be a voluntary trip. Dorenn and I have to go; the rest of you do not.”
“I will go!” Bren volunteered. “Is it likely Tatrice is with Toborne?” he asked Amarantus.
“My sources say it’s so,” Amarantus answered.
“Then you have my answer,” Bren said.
“I will go along,” Ianthill also volunteered. “We can stop back by Ardenia to talk with Dorenn’s father on the way back.”
“I go where Dorenn goes,” Seandara was resolute about being by Dorenn’s side.
Morgoran looked at Lady Shey. “Shey, Gondrial?”
“We will be going as well,” Shey replied
“I guess it is decided,” Gondrial said.
“I am sorry, Rennon and Deylia, but we will need both of you as well,” Morgoran told them. Rennon nodded.
“I hate to be so blunt, but it is likely that we will not all make it out of Lux Amarou alive. So, I insist you also make it voluntary for Rennon and Deylia, Morgoran,” Ianthill explained.
“Very well, Rennon, Deylia, you can refuse to come along without reprisal if you so choose.”
“I will stay by Dorenn,” Rennon said.
“And I will stay by Rennon,” Deylia entwined her arm with Rennon’s.
“It’s settled, then,” King Amarantus said. “I suggest you all get some rest, and I will prepare the Lora Daines for you. I will send you to the pillars at first light tomorrow.”
Trendan was the last to step through the Migarath Portal. Sanmir was relighting the torches in the room. There was no sign of Dorenn or Morgoran or the others.
“There is a note from Rennon pinned to this wall addressed to both of us,” Sanmir said. He opened it and read it. “It says they have gone to Old Symbor. The portal is configured to go there now.”
Sanmir went to the portal and activated it. It connected immediately. He was about to step through it when the portal backfired and blinked out. Sanmir checked the portal device. “It’s fine on our end. The portal on the other end must have been destroyed.” He tried to connect it back to the Vale of Morgoran, but it would not connect. He switched the crystals back and still the portal would not connect. “It looks like we’re stranded here on foot. Whatever happened to the portal on the other end has disabled this one as well.”
“I have a hunch. Can you get it to connect with Draegodor?”
“There isn’t an active portal in Draegodor, I’m afraid,” Sanmir said.
“What is the closest one to Draegodor, then?”
“Unfortunately, By’temog, Ishrak. It’s still quite a ways from Draegodor, though.”
“It was just a hunch.”
“The portal will not connect anywhere anyway it seems,” Sanmir said.
Kimala started up the stairs. “We may as well see where we are,” she said.
As soon as they entered the Temple of Loracia, two men stood up from their seats. “Mistress Kimala?” They noticed Trendan and Sanmir. “We are from Draegodor. Morgoran sent us to bring you to the city to meet with them.” One of the men produced a dragon stone. “Here, this Lora Daine will take you there.”
Trendan took the stone and handed it to Sanmir. “I guess my hunch was right after all.”
Dorenn ate the breakfast brought to his room. After he was done, he gathered up his things and went to the room that was esentially a giant Lora Daine. Besides King Amarantus, he was the last to arrive. He was happy to see Trendan, Sanmir, and Kimala had arrived sometime in the night. Kimala was busy fussing over Fayne, who looked bored and annoyed.
King Amarantus entered the room. “Sorry I am late, but there has been a development. The small island near the Pillars of Sanguineous where I planned to send you has no long boats as I was told. There would be no way for you to get through the pillars to Lux Amarou. However, I have made arrangements for you to travel there aboard two of our dragon knight ships. They are relatively small vessels, but they will get you there.”
“How long will that take?” Ianthill asked.
“Not long. Two of my dragons will fly each ship to the ocean and place you in the water just before the pillars.”
“Oh, no,” Gondrial said. “I am not flying aboard a ship ever again.”
“Then we will leave you here,” Morgoran said.
“I will be there with you,” Lady Shey said. “There is no need to be frightened.”
Kyrie looked disappointed. “I wish I could go with you, but I am needed elsewhere.”
“If you would all be so kind, this way to the ship,” King Amarantus said.
Gondrial reluctantly walked with Lady Shey, and Dorenn walked behind them.
Chapter 14: The Pillars of Sanguineous
The two dragon knight ships were in dry dock inside a cave entrance to Draegodor. The only way to access it was from the sky. They were not particularly large ships, requiring only a crew of two or three to run them. It was decided that, considering the dangers and the possible confrontation with Toborne, they would all travel to Lux Amarou together. King Amarantus made them split into two groups to board the ships. Dorenn’s ship consisted of the two dragon knight crew members, Lady Shey, Gondrial, Ianthill, Morgoran, Seandara, Rennon and Bren. The second ship was boarded by two crew members, Veric, Sanmir, Trendan, Kimala, Fayne, Vesperin, and Deylia. If the ships should become separated, the two groups would meet at the old capital of Salderwick.
Before departing, Dorenn decided to say a few words. “There is no reason for us all to travel to Lux Amarou. I have to go after the Myradon Codex. It may be the only hope of defeating the Oracle. While I appreciate the help, you all do not need to volunteer.”
“If Tatrice is in the hands of Toborne, and he may be there to confront you, it is my duty to be there as well. I am going,” Bren said. “I mean no disrespect to you, but she has to know I am alive.”
“You will need someone to see through illusions if necessary. Morgoran has mandated it,” Rennon said.
Morgoran stepped in front of Dorenn. “To be honest, I know all of you will volunteer, so we better be off. Make no mistake, we will need each and every one of you. Lux Amarou is a horrible, dangerous place, and I hate to say this, but if Ianthill, Gondrial, Shey, or I fail to protect him or fall, it is up to each and every one of you to rally to his side and protect him. He must get the Myradon Codex at all costs and get out of Salderwick. Using the Lora Daines to travel across the island will summon evil too powerful to defeat, so we must travel to the capital on foot. Once Dorenn has secured the tome, we can use the Lora Daines to escape back to the ships on the coast. Refrain from using any essence or magic while in the interior of the island if at all possible.”
They all boarded the ships, and Amarantus’ dragons took ahold of bow and stern. Gondrial tried to carry a brave face as the ships cleared the cave’s mouth and sailed out into the blue skies, but Dorenn noticed his knees buckled slightly when he saw how far the ground was below.
The drag
ons picked up speed as soon as they were out in the open. The flight from Draegodor to the ocean would take about five hours.
It was early afternoon when the dragons set the ships down in the ocean outside the Pillars of Sanguineous and headed back for Draegodor. The dragon knight crew took over and steered the ships onward, unfurling the one main sail. The pillars were two giant rock formations reaching to the sky. The red rock at the top of the pillars eroded down the columns over time, giving the pillars the semblance of being covered with blood. As soon as the ships passed the Pillars of Sanguineous, Dorenn felt all the joy in his heart sink into despair. A winter storm rolled in from the north. They would have to fight it before the ships could reach the old port of Draycott.
When the storm hit, the seas rocked the small ships violently. Sanmir controlled the wind of his ship and steered it true to the docks. Dorenn’s ship got blown far off course and ended up heading for jagged rocks on the west side of the island. Ianthill and Morgoran decided to lift the ship with essence and fly it out of danger. They set it down just before reaching land. Morgoran wanted to limit the use of magic on the island. The crew was confident they could sail the ship back around to the docks to meet with the other ships and wait for their return.
The advantage to being blown off course was that Dorenn’s party was much closer to the middle of the island and thus much closer to Salderwick. The first ruin they would reach would be Fornorth.
As soon as Dorenn set foot on Lux Amarou, he felt the surge of the arcane essence emanating up from the land. It was a curious sensation. The land itself appeared dead, but not in the way the Sacred Land was dead. Lux Amarou didn’t become a wasteland. It looked more like it survived a harsh winter. The vegetation was there, just yellow or grey, and the trees were alive but dormant. The feeling of death Lux Amarou exuded was more of a death of its people.
“Nice place,” Gondrial said as they disembarked.
“What is that horrible smell?” Lady Shey said. “Does the entire island smell this bad?”
