by Jordan Baker
"Darga," Aaron said.
"Yes," Lexi said. "These Darga are not the same as what I know. They are different."
"Well it looks as though they are spoiling for a fight," Stavros said as the lizard men raised their weapons and broke into a run. Stavros turned suddenly, looking into the trees close by and he thrust out his hands, creating a wall of energy as a blast of purple and black fire came from the forest. The force of magic crashed against the translucent wall that the mage had erected and the dark, swirling energy clung to it, eating it away. Stavros pulled his hands back as the dark energy began to snake its way toward him. He let the wall drop, and the enemy magic fell to the ground, eating away at the grass and dirt like burning pitch. "It seems they've brought a mage with them."
"There are more," Kasha said as she spotted at least a half dozen lizard men appearing upon the trail ahead.
Ashan walked ahead, moving toward them, unarmed, unchanged, simply a thin, old man, and Aaron was surprised but he knew that the old Ansari was more than he seemed. Hopefully, he and Kasha would be able to handle the second group of Darga. Aaron and Lexi sprang into action, meeting the steel of their attackers with steel of their own, their matching blades taking the heavy blows from the powerful lizard men.
Aaron was surprised at how much more lizard like the Darga were, having imagined them to be more like Lexi, and they were much larger and more powerful than he had imagined. He struggled against the urge to reach for his power, using the things Ashan had been teaching him instead, using only the part of him that did not touch the shadow to strengthen his arms and body. It was much more difficult to manage, but he was glad that he could at least gain some small advantage from his power, for the Darga were unbelievably strong, and despite their size, they moved very quickly, striking with quick intensity. Aaron knew he would be hard pressed to fight such creatures if he did not have any power, but his skill as a fighter was still enough to take them on one at a time. Unfortunately, they did not wait turns, instead attacking all at once.
Lexi moved quickly between the Darga, slashing with her blade and raking her claws at them, her fighting almost like a deadly dance. It was as though fighting was something she was born to, her movements fluid and her instincts sharp. She slashed at one of the Darga with her blade and caught him in the neck, then she ducked under his sword as he tried to fend her off. She grabbed the edge of his armored chest piece and swung around behind him, using her momentum to attack the Darga beside him, who was attacking Aaron.
The Darga caught sight of Lexi coming at him, but it was too late. She drove her sword into his side, then she kicked her foot at him as he fell and she yanked the blade free, moving back toward the other Darga she had cut, who was now clutching at his neck with one of his large, clawed hands. He slashed at her with the sword he held in his other hand but Lexi caught his blade with her own and drove the Darga back, pushing hard against his sword and bending his arm back. He tried to block her, but she leapt up and over him, bringing her blade around and cutting the other side of his thick, reptilian neck. Black blood gushed freely from the deep cut and the Darga fell to the ground.
Aaron fought the two remaining Darga, glad that Lexi had taken out the third one he faced, and he blocked and parried their powerful blows as they hammered away at him. He quickly realized that the scales along their arms were like iron and the armor they wore likely covered their more vulnerable places, but he saw Lexi cut at the neck of the first Darga she faced, and aimed for the same. Aaron managed to get past one of the Darga's reach and slashed at his neck with his sword, catching the tip of it on his throat. The Darga leapt back before the blade could cut deeply and both Darga changed their tactics, defending themselves more carefully while continuing to fight with relentless power and speed. Aaron was impressed that they showed such skill since the creatures had been described by Stroma as slow witted, but these Darga fought like well-trained fighters, and he wondered about how Lexi had said they were different.
Aaron managed to cut the other Darga on the inside of its sword arm and narrowly dodged a powerful swipe of the first Darga's blade when Lexi joined in, having dispatched the other Darga she had fought. It was frustrating for Aaron that he could not let go and fight as he normally would, for fear of reaching for his power, which had become almost like an instinct, and he was glad that Lexi was there, fighting with speed and finesse that matched his own, and with a killing instinct that was almost a little frightening to see.
Aaron focused his attack on the first Darga and knocked the lizard man's blade aside, then slammed the sharp edge of his blade just above the hilt into his throat, almost like a punch. It was not the most graceful of attacks but, given the lack of vulnerabilities on the creature, it turned out to be effective. The Darga staggered back, letting out a gurgling growl through the open hole in his throat and Aaron blocked the creature's blade that came back in a desperate, dying attack. The Darga fell over, landing heavily on its back on the ground and Aaron turned to see Lexi perched up on the other Darga's chest, slamming her sword straight down under the breastplate the creature wore, driving it deep into its chest. The Darga flailed its arms wide and Lexi sprung upward, yanking her blade free. The Darga fell and she landed next to the creature, her sword leveled at him until he twitched and died.
"Thank you, Lexi," Aaron said.
"Why do you fight so slowly?" Lexi asked.
"I don't want to use my power," Aaron told her as he looked over to where Kasha and Ashan were fighting four more Darga, and he started moving in their direction, breaking into a run. "It is dangerous if I do, even accidentally."
"You move stiffly as well," she said as she ran along beside him.
"I am being careful," Aaron told her. "If I let go and simply fight, I feel myself reaching for my power almost without thinking."
"Do not worry, I will help," Lexi said. "These Darga are stronger and faster than other Darga, but I am faster and stronger."
"I can see that," Aaron said as she leapt ahead of him and attacked one of the Darga that Kasha faced.
As Aaron ran toward the fight, he was amazed to see Ashan, fighting without a weapon, ducking and dodging the attacks of the three Darga that had him surrounded. The old man moved like a kind of whirlwind, spinning and ducking around swords and claws and axes that one of the Darga swung at him with unbelievable speed. Ashan dropped low and smashed his fist into the abdomen of the lizardman with the axes and Aaron saw the creature buckle with a deep cut in its stomach, almost as though a hole had been cut out of it, and he caught a glint of steel as Ashan's hand shifted back into a fist, from what had looked like a kind of thick, metal spike.
The other two Darga swung their blades at the old man and he leapt backwards, sailing between their blades, then he rolled over and landed in a crouch, leaping toward one of them, both his hands held flat and glinting with steel as they became like two, short blades. He cut and slashed the leather straps holding the plate armor that one of the Darga wore, and it fell to the ground, exposing his leathery chest and stomach, which did not have any of the armored scales that covered the rest of its body.
Aaron saw Lexi dispatch one of the Darga that Kasha was fighting and then the two of them went after the other one, so he engaged one of the two that Ashan was fighting, slashing at the creature's side, where the scales turned to leather. His sword cut flesh but hit bone and glanced away, and he dodged around behind the Darga as it bellowed in pain and swung around violently in a vicious and angry attack. Aaron had been expecting such a retaliatory strike and was ready to block, but the power of the Darga sent him flying and even though he landed on his feet, he slid along the dirt of the trail, struggling to keep his balance.
The Darga followed through, turning and leaping through the air toward Aaron, extending a pair of wings from his back and soaring toward him with his sword outstretched, pointed right at his chest. Aaron dropped and rolled to the side just as the Darga snaked his blade after him, catching him and cutting a dee
p gash into his upper arm. Aaron ignored the pain and sprang to his feet, then darted after the Darga as he flared his wings and landed on his feet. The creature's wings slowed down his movements and Aaron stabbed him in the side of the neck before he could turn around completely.
The creature fell and Aaron turned to see Ashan standing over the body of the other Darga, peering down at it with a curious expression on his face. He looked over to where Kasha and Lexi were sheathing their swords, the bodies of the remaining Darga strewn upon the ground, spilling dark blood onto the dirt.
"Where is Stavros?" Aaron asked.
"Here," the mage said as he emerged from the trees, dragging a black robed mage with him, holding him by the ear.
"I will find Tash," Lexi said and she took off at a run.
"Let go of me," the mage priest yelled.
"No," Stavros said. "Consider yourself lucky if I don't ensorcel you in a slow burning spell. Now get moving."
"Why do you let him live?" Ashan asked.
"I thought he might prove useful," Stavros said. "And I am a little reticent about killing one of my former students."
"You taught this mage?" Kasha asked.
"Yes," Stavros said. "Before the rise of the priesthood and this god of theirs, I taught many mages. This is one of them. Rulsten here was talented in certain magics, especially destructive magics, but none too bright in most of the rest of his life. It seems not much has changed, though I suppose I can't fault him for falling under the influence of the book."
"How might this corrupted mage be useful?" Ashan asked.
"I thought we might have a word with Cerric, or this Kenra," Stavros said. "I have put a protective spell on young Rulsten here, so he cannot see any of you right now, though it may be that he has already have seen all of us. Whatever the case, I thought it might be time we asked some questions and Rully's going to help us with that."
"How can we speak to this god-king?" Ashan asked.
"There is a way," Stavros said. "I will explain later."
"Let me go, Stavros," the mage said. "I can hear the voice of who you're talking to."
"So that means you don't know who it is," Stavros said. "Like I said, he was never that bright. Now, since young Rully here has already seen me, let's not give away more than we have to." He held up his fingers to his lips and winked at them, then he shoved the mage to the ground. "Rully, tell your master I want to speak with him."
"No one calls me Rully anymore, Stavros, and I'm not that young either," he said as he got back up. "I'm more powerful now too, and I won't be trifled with."
"Really, Rully," Stavros said. "You've already been trifled with, and you lost. Now be a good lad and do what I tell you."
Aaron thought that Rulsten looked as though he was trying to reach for his power but even without touching his own magic, the power that flowed through him and heightened his senses, told him that Stavros had blocked the mage's power. Rulsten choked and spluttered in frustration, then he threw a hateful look at Stavros, who simply shrugged.
"What did you do?" Rulsten demanded.
"Come now," Stavros said. "You don't think I would let you touch your magic, do you? There is only one thing you can do, and that is to talk to your master, the regent, Cerric, who thinks he has become some sort of god."
Rulsten's eyes took on a strange, distant look and a magical glow appeared in them, making him look almost as though he was blind.
"Stavros," a voice said, that was noticeably different.
"Cerric," Stavros replied and then he smiled. "How are things at Maramyr?"
Rulsten's face contorted slightly in a strange look of revulsion mixed with a smirk, a combination of the mage's confusion at Stavros' casual question and Cerric's response to the same.
"Your flippant sarcasm was never welcome here," Cerric replied through the mage. "And how drab things are in the forest to the northwest of Forsina? Not the most comfortable setting, I would imagine."
"Well, it was quite lovely until your lizard men showed up," Stavros replied. "Interesting creatures these Darga. Quite the nuisance they are."
"They have their uses," Cerric said. "Now what do you want?"
"I should ask you the same thing," Stavros said. "You sent your creatures and this mage, and they attacked me without any warning, which was rather rude. What do you want?"
"You think I don't know who you travel with?" Cerric said. "I am not foolish like this mage and I have many eyes."
"Yes, yes," Stavros said. "I am not so foolish as to travel without an armed escort, Cerric. Dangerous times for us independent mages with these lizardmen and your mindless mage priests lurking about."
"You travel with more than a mere escort, mage," Cerric spat, then Rulsten's head turned and he stared in Aaron's direction, as though he could sense his presence. "I can feel the shadows of my power, even with your magic hiding him. I know he is with you."
"Zachary was here, but he left. I think he went to see you."
"Zachary is dead," Cerric said. "He was destroyed by his own fire, burned from existence. A true shame it was, for he would have made a powerful addition to my priesthood."
"The true shame is yours, Cerric, that you allow yourself to be manipulated by this power you have claimed," Stavros told him. "Really, you appear to be no better than one of these mages that have become enthralled to that blasted book, and I wonder if your mind is really your own. Are you a slave to it as well? Don't forget, Cerric, I know about you. I know about your powers. Feeble though you are, there is enough magic in you that you could have fallen prey to the book. You might ask yourself if you are truly in control of yourself."
"Nonsense," Cerric said, his voice growing sharp with irritation. "You always spoke a lot of nonsense, Stavros. You are clever, mage, but you cannot hide from me forever, and the one I seek will reveal himself. Of that, I am certain."
"Until then, I suggest you quit wasting my time with these pathetic attacks," Stavros told him. "If you're too cowardly to come out here yourself, then at least send something of a challenge."
"You overestimate your power, mage," Cerric responded, his voice growing angry and the eyes of the mage glared at Stavros, who shrugged and looked unimpressed.
"Perhaps you overestimate your power," he said. "You might want to think about that. Until we meet again, Cerric." Stavros smiled and held up his hand.
"Do not presume to tell me what to think," Cerric growled, but then the eyes of the mage ceased to glow and his body stiffened, stuck perfectly in place, completely unmoving.
"What did you do to him?" Aaron asked, for it looked very odd to see someone completely frozen, but when he took a closer look, he could see that the mage was still moving and breathing, only imperceptibly slow.
"Rully?" Stavros asked. "I just slowed him down a little, but the spell won't last forever so we should get moving."
"What do we do with him?" Kasha asked.
"Nothing," Stavros said. "Leave him here."
"What was the point of talking to Cerric?" Aaron asked.
"I'll tell you later," Stavros replied. He stepped around behind the frozen mage and held his fingers to his lips, signaling for Aaron and the others not to ask any more questions. "Let's find the others and continue on our way. No doubt Cerric will send more of his lizard soldiers to search for us, coward that he is."
Lexi moved quickly and silently through the trees, feeling her way forward in the direction she somehow knew that Tash would be, though she was not sure how she could know such a thing. She knew Tash was scared and upset, but she could tell that she was no longer in any danger. As she felt she was getting closer to where her friend should be, Lexi felt something change and she could no longer feel where Tash was. Worried, she broke into a run, no longer caring if she made any noise, and ready to attack anyone who might try to stop her.
She leapt over a fallen log and skidded to a halt before a scene that shocked her. Tash sat alone in the center of a small clearing of splintered and broken t
rees, and the ground was spattered with black blood from a half dozen dead Darga strewn around her, some of their bodies missing limbs and all of them with deep scratches and claw marks on them. Tash huddled on the ground, her knees pulled tight against her chest and her head buried upon them, crying.
"Tash," Lexi said. "Are you hurt?'
Tash looked up at her through her tear filled eyes.
"No," she said. "They tried, but I stopped them."
"You did this?" Lexi asked, surprised.
Tash nodded.
"I didn't mean it," she said. "It was the dragon."
"The dragon?"
"It made me think bad thoughts," Tash said.
"Come on, Tash," Lexi said, putting her hand gently on the girl's shoulder. "It is safe now, and the others are waiting."
Tash got up and the two of them headed back through the forest.
"I don't want to be a dragon," Tash said.
"I don't either," Lexi said, though she was curious about how Tash could have fought and killed so many Darga by herself. If dragon form were truly so powerful, then it might be truth that there could be some advantage to it, but she worried about what Tash had said about thinking bad thoughts, and she hoped Tash would be all right.
*****
Aaron was relieved when he saw Lexi and Tash emerge from the trees, seemingly unscathed, though he could tell that Tash was upset, for she was very quiet and stuck close to Lexi and Kasha as they continued along the trail. The things that Cerric had said through the mage priest echoed in his thoughts and Aaron tapped Stavros on the shoulder and gestured that he wanted to speak with him away from the others.
"What is it, my boy?" asked the old mage, his gravelly voice and the slight lilt in the way he spoke reminding Aaron so much of Tarnath.
"You said you would explain why you wanted to talk to Cerric," Aaron reminded him.
"That's right," Stavros said. "I thought it might be useful, that we might learn a few things."
