The Dragons of Argent and Silver (Tales from the New Earth #6)

by J. J. Thompson

  I mean it would be bizarre to my old self, but to me now it's home. My tower, my chair, these two little people.

  He smiled into the dancing flames, feeling content for the first time in quite a while.

  “And what are you smirking about?” Aeris asked as he floated over to hover near Simon's left hand.

  “Nothing important. Okay, so let me tell you what happened. Surprise number one, I ran into Esmiralla.”

  Aeris' reaction would have made a sailor blush.

  “Hey now; language!” Kronk said primly.

  “Oh, yes Mom,” the air elemental retorted. “Don't language me. That, that...dragon used our wizard. No, more than used; she mutilated him! And now you're worried about the language I use to describe her?”

  Kronk frowned as he considered Aeris' words.

  “Actually, you are right,” he ended up saying. “Call her what you will.”

  Before Aeris could go on a rant, Simon pointed at him.

  “Stop,” he said firmly. “I'm aware of what she did to me; no one knows better than I. But while I will never forgive or trust her, we may need to interact with her in the future and I don't want to hear a litany of her sins every time we do. I get it, okay? I get it. And now you need to get over it. All right?”

  Aeris seemed taken aback.

  “Well, aren't you a kinder, gentler soul suddenly,” he said with a edge in his voice.

  “No, I'm just a realist. And I think that's one of the reasons Argentium sent me to her, to get me used to dealing with her again. He knows how I feel as well as you do, but he also knows that our cooperation will be needed in the days ahead. Now, stay calm and let me tell you what I saw.”

  When he was done telling his story, Simon got up and put on the kettle again.

  He stood by the counter waiting for it to boil and looked at the elementals.

  “So what do you two think?” he asked.

  “I think that we're in deep trouble,” Aeris told him after a quick glance at Kronk. “If those necromancers are being given extra powers by the gods, who knows where it will lead? Spell-casters have limits on how far their magic can take them for a reason, my dear wizard. No offense, but there have been humans in the distant past who have tried to rule over others, many others, and it was only because their power wasn't unlimited that they failed.”

  Simon made a fresh cup of tea and sat down again.

  “I know. We had tyrants in my day as well. But Esmiralla didn't say their powers had become unlimited, only that they had received knowledge beyond what they had been given before.”

  “I think that she was implying it, master,” Kronk said slowly.

  He was frowning in concentration as he spoke, feeling his way through his thoughts. Simon remained silent to give him a chance to express himself.

  “I think, master, that perhaps Argentium is making a suggestion, without actually coming out and telling you directly.”

  “What sort of suggestion?”

  “I believe that he is suggesting that you take the battle to the necromancers before they can consolidate their powers and build their armies to overwhelming proportions. Master, I think that that is what Esmiralla's role was tonight; to show you what the enemy could do and how strong they could become if left unchecked.”

  “I don't see it,” Aeris cut in. “I don't see it at all. Kronk, all that the silver dragon did tonight was show our wizard the strength of the opposition. How do you go from that to thinking that Argentium wants Simon to attack?”

  The wizard listened closely. It was rare for Aeris to use his proper name and when he did, it was usually because what he was saying was important to him.

  “Master, what happened to the undead when you destroyed that glyph?”

  Simon smiled in satisfaction at the memory.

  “They dropped; all of them. Even the ones who had already left the sea and were heading inland. Their bones fell apart, their remains disintegrated and all that was left was powder. I don't think that they can ever be summoned again.”

  “There you go,” Kronk said to Aeris smugly.

  “There I go? There I go what? What are you trying to say? That the walking dead collapsed when the spell was broken? Of course they did. That is how magic works, Kronk.”

  Aeris was sounding increasingly irritated.

  “Easy there,” Simon told him. “This is a discussion, not a debate. Hear him out, don't jump down his throat.”

  The air elemental looked like he wanted to argue for a moment and then settled down and nodded.

  “You're right. Sorry, Kronk. This whole thing is making me a little...cranky.”

  “I hadn't noticed,” the earthen said with a smile.

  Aeris laughed and motioned for the little guy to continue.

  “What I was trying to say, master, is that you have been shown a solution, or at least a partial one, to your problem. Find the source of the magic that is being used to bind these undead to their masters, and sever it.”

  “And how do we find all of the glyphs that are drawing the dead from their watery graves?” Aeris asked, obviously holding his objections in check.

  Kronk only shrugged.

  “How should I know? I am only an elemental. Master is the wizard. Perhaps he should consult with his mage friends in Nottinghill Castle? Or perhaps ask Argentium directly? But I think that this extends beyond those glyphs.”

  “How so?” Simon asked.

  “You have been shown the necromancers' weakness, master. Their spells have been given to them directly by the dark gods, but they must use a conduit to activate them. You saw the glyph tonight, yes, but you have also seen another source of their power.”

  “I have?”

  Simon frowned in thought as he tried to figure out what the little guy was getting at. He could just ask him, of course, but he wanted to discover the answer for himself.

  And there it was, right in front of him. He remembered when they had spied on the necromancer in Ottawa and saw him drawing the undead from miles around up through that tunnel. What had been his conduit that time? Not a glyph, no. A crystal sphere.

  “You're talking about the crystal ball, aren't you?”

  “Yes master,” Kronk said with a satisfied smile. “You remembered. Yes, that magical ball was obviously being used to amplify the dark wizard's powers. I wondered at the time how he was able to raise so many dead at once, and from such a distance. Well, now we know. Like that glyph, it was a gift from the lords of Chaos. I believe that if you can smash those globes, and I think that each of those necromancers must have one, you can destroy their armies with one blow.”

  “You think it will be that easy?” Aeris scoffed.

  Kronk shook his head heavily.

  “No, I think it will be that hard.”

  An hour later, after he had gotten washed up and had a light meal, Simon was talking to a rather irritated, disheveled Tamara in his mirror. It was the middle of the night in England and he had woken her up from a sound sleep.

  Her irritation vanished quickly as he filled her in on what had been happening.

  “Undead sailors? Seriously? And how do we stop them?”

  He explained that too and told her about the conduits that they believed the necromancers were using.

  “Hang on,” Tamara told him as she rolled out of bed. “Give me a few minutes to get dressed and rouse Sebastian and the others. Everyone needs to hear this. I'll call you back.”

  “Will do.”

  Chapter 29

  Tamara looked at the sleepy faces sitting around the table in the conference room. Sebastian was pouring tea for everyone while the cleric, Miriam, was passing around a tray of cakes.

  The mage looked at each one in turn, measuring their strengths.

  Sebastian was an open book to her, of course. Her brother was loyal, empathetic and stronger than he knew he was. He was the perfect foil for her sharp temper and occasional impetuousness. Not that she would ever tell him that, of course. His weak
ness, if it could be called that, was his gentle nature.

  Miriam was exactly as she appeared to be. Caring to a fault, a maternal figure for many of the castle's inhabitants, the cleric suited her role as healer perfectly.

  The others were harder to read.

  Malcolm and Aiden sat together as always. The two very large men were wearing simple tunics and trousers, having been roused from sleep. They normally stood the day shift.

  Both were the strongest men that Tamara had ever met. Malcolm was over six and a half feet tall and his partner wasn't much smaller. Both had Changed into the perfect warriors, with skills in combat, tactics and the gods knew what else. They were fiercely loyal to their friends and a terror to their enemies. Both had also been infected with the lycanthropy disease, but it was kept in check by enchanted amulets that they wore around their necks and most people didn't even know about it. They preferred it that way.

  The infection did have benefits though; they healed incredibly quickly and were immune to poison and disease.

  Keiko. Tamara rested her chin on her hands and watched the Japanese woman as she hid her mouth in her hand, giggling at some joke that Miriam had just told her.

  She was a mystery still. Quiet, unassuming, painfully shy, she was also probably more powerful than anyone Tamara knew except Simon O'Toole. But that power was hidden away inside a slight, tiny body. She was underestimated by almost everyone who met her.

  Everyone but me perhaps, Tamara thought.

  And then there was, of course, the Quartet, as they had come to be known by everyone in the castle.

  Virginia, Anna, Eric and Gerard. Their names tripped off of the tongue like a chant because they were almost always mentioned together.

  Theirs was a strange power. Separately their magic was weak and ineffective. But together? Oh my, Tamara thought. Together they were formidable indeed.

  Virginia was a healer. Her powers rivaled those of Miriam, as long as the others were there with her. Anna, sweet little Anna, could cast an Invisibility spell over the group. As far as Tamara knew, she was the only Changling that could do that.

  Eric was the tallest and strongest of the group. He could cast Shield, a very useful ability that had saved the four of them on several occasions.

  And Gerard, no taller than Anna, with white-blonde hair and a mischievous nature, was the joker of the bunch. He was also, in some ways, the most powerful. He could use magic like a blunt instrument. Tamara had seen him knock over trees that were three feet across and smash through a wall once. But he hated that power and used it sparingly. She believed that it frightened him.

  We're quite a collection, Tamara thought as she accepted a cup of tea from Sebastian with a smile of thanks. And, except for Simon and that handful of mages sailing on the Defiant, we might be humanity's last hope. God help us.

  “Okay everyone,” she spoke up.

  The hum of conversation ceased and all heads turned to look at her.

  “I'm sorry to get you all out of bed, but we've received some news and I thought that it was important enough to disturb your rest.”

  Malcolm yawned and covered his mouth quickly.

  “Sorry. Go ahead, Tamara. We're listening.”

  She looked pointedly past him at Aiden, who was nodding in his seat.

  The big man poked his partner in the ribs and Aiden snorted and looked around blearily.

  “Hmm? What? Oh, absolutely. I agree. Who did you want me to kill?”

  Several members of the group chuckled and Malcolm rolled his eyes.

  “Pay attention,” he chided.

  “Always.”

  Tamara smiled reluctantly. She could never stay irritated at either of the warriors.

  “Okay, if we're all awake now? Good. Simon called me about an hour ago and told me that he'd spoken with Argentium.”

  “The dragon?” Anna blurted. “Oh-oh. There's trouble?”

  “Yes, but also an opportunity. Let me explain.”

  Tamara told them all exactly what Simon had told her. The room remained hushed as she spoke; everyone was focused on what she was saying.

  When she had finished and picked up her cup, the mage looked from one person to the next.

  “Any questions?”

  “Questions? My God, yes,” Aiden said quickly. “Where to begin?”

  “Allow me,” Malcolm cut in. He looked troubled.

  “If I'm understanding you, Tamara, you're telling us that these necromancers have received direct aid from the lords of Chaos, correct? That they've been given relics or mystic symbols that enhance their powers over the dead?”

  “So Simon tells me, because that's what Argentium and Esmiralla told him.”

  “Okay, putting aside the fact that we don't even know how many of those bastards are out there, how are we supposed to find them and their relics? I assume that's what you'll be suggesting we do?”

  She shook her head.

  “I'm just the messenger. I'm not asking any of you to do anything. All I'm doing is passing along the information I was given. Now you know as much as I do. Go ahead and discuss it amongst yourselves.”

  They all began doing just that. Sebastian was sitting to Tamara's right and he leaned toward her.

  “Shouldn't you get in touch with Simon?” he asked quietly under the general chatter that had filled the room.

  “I will. I wanted to share the intel first. And one is them is bound to ask me to do just that in a minute. Let them. It will make them feel more involved.”

  Her brother gave her a look that Tamara knew well.

  “What?” she whispered irritably. “I'm not their bloody leader. They all have to have a say in things and suggesting I call the wizard helps them feel like I'm not trying to run the show.”

  “Humility, Tammy? Really?”

  She glared at him but Sebastian just grinned back silently until she gave him a reluctant smile.

  “Yes, really. Happy now? I've learned that being the sole leader isn't really my cup of tea.”

  She drank her own tea and shuddered.

  “Neither is this. It's cold.”

  “I'll get you some more,” her brother offered but Tamara shook her head.

  “Later. Let's wait and see what comes out of this discussion.”

  Tamara turned out to be correct. The group exchanged ideas and rehashed what the mage had told them and eventually Victoria looked up the table at her.

  “Tammy? Shouldn't we include Simon in this whole thing? He's the one who spoke with the argent dragon, after all.”

  Sebastian gave her a pointed look and Tamara ignored him.

  “I agree. I wanted you to talk it out first, that's all.”

  As she picked up a hand mirror that lay on the table in front of her, there was a knock on the door. Eric was the closest and he got up to answer it.

  “Tell whoever it is that we're busy,” Tamara called out roughly. “Unless there's a dragon knocking on the front gate, we don't want any.”

  Gerard chuckled while Eric just nodded. He opened the door and spoke with someone out in the hallway.

  “It's not a dragon,” Eric said loudly. “Would you settle for a wizard?”

  “What?”

  He pushed back the door and Simon stepped into the conference room.

  “Simon!” Malcolm bellowed, delighted.

  He jumped up, crossed the room in a couple of long strides and slapped the wizard on the back.

  “Whoops, sorry,” the big man said as Simon almost collapsed. “I really have to stop doing that.”

  “I'd appreciate that,” the wizard wheezed.

  He had caught himself on the back of Eric's empty chair and held on until he found his balance.

  “Damn it, Malcolm! Why do I keep having to remind you of your own strength?” Aiden barked as he hurried over to Simon to offer him a hand.

  “I'm okay, thanks. Just let me catch my breath.”

  Everyone greeted him as he took a moment to regain his equilibrium. The w
izard smiled and nodded at each of them and then followed Sebastian as he led him across the room to the head of the table.

  “You know, I was just about to call you back,” Tamara told him as Simon made his way toward her.

  Sebastian brought over a seat and the wizard sat down on his sister's left side, leaning his staff against the back of the chair.

  “Yeah, I figured. I decided that this was too important to talk about at a distance.”

  “Well, I appreciate it. Our friends here have been brought up to date and have a few questions.”

  Simon grinned at all of the familiar faces. He loved living alone and free, but he had to admit that he had missed this group of people.

  “I'm sure they do. I'll try to answer them as well as I can.”

  “Tea?” Sebastian asked as he offered Simon a steaming cup. “I added honey. I know that you like it that way.”

  “Ah, thank you so much.”

  He accepted the cup and sipped it gratefully. It helped to keep his fatigue at bay.

  “Okay, fire away.”

  Almost everyone had a question or two and the wizard answered the ones that he could. He was also frank about the fact that he didn't know a lot more than they did.

  “Argentium did not give specifics about how we're supposed to find these magical focusing artifacts and glyphs. He left that up to us. So now I have my own question: does anyone have an idea on how to do that?”

  There was no response as everyone looked around at each other. The three mages exchanged glances but none of them offered up anything.

  “Um, Simon?”

  He looked down the table at the hesitant speaker and Anna blushed as everyone focused on her.

  “Yes Anna? You have some thoughts?”

  She nodded and tried to speak. Her voice broke and she became even redder. In the candlelight, she looked younger than she was.

  Virginia smiled gently and gave her friend's hand a squeeze. It seemed to give Anna a boost of courage and she sat up as tall as she could and met Simon's eyes.

  “I do, yes. We,” she indicated herself and her three friends, “have been working on our magic, trying to refine our powers and techniques. Gerard especially.”

  She smiled and wrinkled her nose at the young man and he rolled his eyes in return.