Fierce Loyalty fk-5

by Toby Neighbors

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, I was like one of those fire worm things the dwarves fought. I melted the rock, turned it into lava and swam down into the mountain. Then I used the molten rock to form the dragons. I worked for days, maybe even weeks-I’m not sure. I couldn’t stop. I just kept making them, molding their bodies and wings. Then I added gold to form their hearts and breathed life into them with my fire.”

  “Wow,” Zollin said, unsure what else to say. “That’s amazing.”

  “I know. When I was done there was a huge cavern deep in the mountain. It was incredible. Afterwards, I named each dragon. A little over half of them left to go on their own. The others stayed with me.”

  “That is incredible,” Zollin said. “I wish I could have seen it.”

  Brianna smiled and nodded. She understood how he felt. For months she had seen him doing the most incredible magic, but she couldn’t feel what he felt or understand how he did those things. Her magic was different than Zollin’s, but she understood what he meant and she was actually happy that he could relate to how others felt around him.

  “So, what are you going to do now?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure. I came to help.”

  “Well, I won’t turn you away. I need all the help I can get. I really have no idea what I’m getting myself into.”

  “Do you think Mansel will trust me?”

  “I don’t know,” Zollin said. “He’s not the same guy we knew. He’s seen and done some horrible things. I think he really wants to find a quiet place to heal his wounded soul with Nycoll.”

  “What is she like?”

  “I don’t know really,” Zollin said. “When we found her, she had tied herself to one of the pilings under the dock.” He pointed toward the path that led to the shore. “She was hiding from the army, which for some reason doesn’t seem to care if certain groups pillage, rape, and burn their own villages.”

  “And the army is from Falxis?”

  “Half of it; the other half is from Osla. We heard rumors that King Zorlan had the Oslan generals killed and took control of their troops. Anyway, Nycoll had been in the water for almost two days. The seawater had caused the rope she used to help her stay hidden through the night become impossible to untie. Even Mansel couldn’t get it loose. I had to use magic. Needless to say, she was in shock, and dehydrated. Other than that, she seems fine. She’s shy, a little older than Mansel, and a widow. He said her husband was a fisherman who was lost at sea. She seems sad to me, but she was happy to see Mansel.”

  “Will he go with us to Osla, now that he’s found her?”

  “I think so. I guess they both will. We still have a long way to go though. And with armies fighting in Osla, I’m not sure what we’re going to find.”

  “What armies?” Brianna said. “Didn’t you say the Oslan army was with King Zorlan?”

  “Yes, but the witch has brought the army from Ortis with her.”

  “This is confusing,” Brianna said.

  “It is, and dangerous too. Are you sure you want to get mixed up in it?”

  “I want to be with you,” she said. “I can take care of myself, and my pride will make their own decisions. But we can help you, Zollin. I really hope you see that.”

  “I do,” he said, moving closer to Brianna. “I was just surprised, that’s all.”

  Just then the ground shook as Ferno landed roughly, not far behind them. The big, green dragon stomped forward several paces, then gently laid a deer carcass on the ground.

  “Oh, great, supper’s here,” Brianna said, smiling.

  “That whole deer is for us?” Zollin asked.

  Ferno shook its head and flames flew from its nostrils, causing Brianna to laugh. “No,” she said. “We’ll take what we need, and the dragons will take the rest. Did you find more meat than this?” she asked the dragon.

  The beast looked deeply into Brianna’s eyes and she smiled.

  “Good, it’s past time you fed well. We’ll stay here at least until sunrise, then we’ll decide what to do.”

  Zollin dropped to one knee and used his knife to remove one of the deer’s back legs. Then he stood up and backed slowly away from the dragon. “Thank you,” he said.

  Ferno growled, but there was less menace to the dragon’s response than before. It picked up the rest of the deer and flew into the darkness. Zollin let his magic flow out and found that the other dragons were feeding nearby. They had found a herd of deer and were enjoying their meal.

  “They are amazing,” Zollin said.

  “Yes, they are. Each one is different,” Brianna explained. “They’re intelligent too, but young. And you may have noticed they’re a little protective.”

  “Yes, I picked up on that,” Zollin said, laughing.

  They cleaned the venison meat and then Brianna cooked it. She could heat the meat almost instantly, making sure that it was well cooked all the way through. They took the food back to where Mansel was resting with Nycoll. Zollin built a small fire and they divided the food, setting aside a portion for Mansel and Nycoll to eat when they woke up. Zollin felt his eyes growing heavy as he ate, and afterward they both slept soundly, with one of the dragons standing watch over the camp.

  The next morning dawned bright and clear. Zollin woke up anxious to see the dragons again. Nycoll wasn’t ready to see the dragons up close, so she stayed with Mansel and they hung back while Zollin and Brianna met with the pride in the clearing where Nycoll’s cottage had stood.

  Zollin was amazed at the dragons. They were proud, but also curious. He felt their rough scales and leathery wings. They sniffed his clothing and nudged him with their tails. Then Brianna talked to them, while Zollin waited.

  “Zollin is the wizard I told you about,” she explained. “He is going to fight a very powerful evil wizard. The same wizard that has enslaved Bartoom. There are armies that are going to fight each other. It will not be a safe journey, but I am going with him. Zollin is my mate, the first member of my pride. You must decide if you will go with us. I’ll let Zollin explain what we’re doing.”

  “I’m not sure what we’re going to find,” he said. “Offendorl is the master of a group of wizards who call themselves the Torr. They’ve controlled magic in the Five Kingdoms for centuries, but they aren’t good. I have to stop Offendorl and any more like him. I could use your help, if you’re willing.”

  Brianna waited for a moment, letting the dragons send their mental response to her. Then she laughed.

  “What is it?” Zollin asked.

  “They want to see you do some magic,” she said.

  “Are you kidding? I’m not a traveling performer, you know.”

  “Come on, they’re curious. I’ve told them about you, but they’ve never seen a wizard do magic before. Show them what you can do.”

  Zollin sighed. He wasn’t angry, just a little embarrassed. He was proud of his magic and what he was able to do, but being put on the spot was new. He’d performed tricks in Brighton’s Gate on the night when Quinn decided they should tell everyone who Zollin really was. At first the townspeople had been entertained, but when trouble showed up at the small mountain village, they had blamed Zollin.

  He decided to levitate the rocks around what had once been Nycoll’s well. The soldiers had knocked down the walls of stone, and what was left was an untidy pile. Zollin let his magic flow into the rocks, then he lifted them simply by thinking the command. He raised his arms, holding his hands out toward the rocks; it wasn’t necessary, but it seemed more theatrical. The rocks spun and bobbed, then followed each other like children playing follow the leader. Zollin sent them soaring into the air, then diving back down to earth. The dragons watched the rocks, their mouths open slightly and their tongues licking the air.

  Then Zollin settled the rocks back on the ground in a neat stack, leaving only one to float in the air. It shimmered almost like mirage, then seemed to melt before their very eyes. The dragons bobbed their heads, growling happily. The
n the liquid rock reformed, only this time it took the shape of a woman, with high cheekbones and long, flowing hair tied back neatly with a simple ribbon.

  Zollin let the stone bust float down on top of the pile of stones. Tig was especially curious and began nosing closer and closer to Zollin, who suddenly sent a ball of fire straight into the dragon’s face. The other dragons didn’t exactly laugh, but they roared in a chuckling sort of way. Tig staggered back surprised, but not hurt by the fire. Zollin knew enough about dragons to know that simple flame didn’t hurt them. He then sent a billow of fire skyward and the dragons turned their heads up and joined him.

  “They love it,” Brianna said.

  Zollin smiled, then transformed his fire into molten energy. The dragons could feel the heat and power of the blast. Then Zollin changed it to electrical power, which snapped and popped like a sustained bolt of lightning, twitching and cracking through the air so brightly that it was hard to look straight at.

  The dragons recoiled instantly, instinctively knowing that electrical energy could harm them. Their growls of approval turned menacing and they lowered their heads while lifting their wings, which made them appear even larger, and also made them ready to take flight. They had all moved back quickly, but then, before Zollin realized his display of power was having an adverse effect on the beasts, Ferno charged forward, trying to get between Zollin and Brianna.

  The sudden movement caught Zollin’s eye and he saw the thick, green tail swinging toward him. He brought up a shield just before the tail struck. Zollin was knocked backwards, flying through the air for several yards before crashing onto his back. The shield kept him from being crushed by the massive blow, but it stunned him. He lay on his back, blinking slowly as Brianna and Mansel rushed to him.

  “No, Ferno,” she screamed. “Zollin!”

  “What the bloody hell?!” Mansel shouted back.

  The dragons held their ground, all but Ferno looking frightened, which would have been humorous in other circumstances.

  “Zollin, are you okay?” Brianna said, as she dropped to her knees beside him.

  “That beast could have killed him,” Mansel said angrily. “They’re dangerous.”

  “Of course they are,” Brianna said angrily. “They’re not puppies.”

  “I’m okay,” Zollin said. He was shocked by the blow, but not physically harmed. He was also drained from his magical display. Performing magic was similar to lifting a heavy object, draining the user’s strength the longer it was sustained.

  “Ferno was just trying to protect me,” Brianna explained. “The lightning scared them.”

  “I should have known,” Zollin said. “I used lightning to drive the black dragon away from Orrock.”

  “I don’t think spending time with these creatures is a good idea,” Mansel said.

  “They aren’t creatures, they’re dragons. Young dragons at that,” Brianna said. “They may have a lot to learn, but don’t speak of them as if they are vile or evil by nature.”

  “Well aren’t they?” Mansel said. “I’ve seen one kill hundreds of men.”

  “That was one dragon. You’ve seen people kill each other, but you don’t judge them all by the actions of one person.”

  “That’s a bit different,” Mansel said, helping Zollin sit up.

  “How? Dragons are intelligent beings. They make choices just like you and me. Some make bad choices, but that doesn’t mean all of them are bad.”

  “Well, they’re dangerous,” Mansel said. “That’s all I’m saying. It’s not safe to be around them, you should know that.”

  “I’ve been around them for weeks. I’ve never been hurt. They were just trying to protect me. They’re fiercely loyal and I love that about them.”

  “Well, I’m just trying to protect Zollin and Nycoll.”

  “Don’t fight,” Zollin said. “I’m okay. It’s my fault really. I wasn’t thinking about how the dragons might react to the magic.”

  Brianna returned to her pride, calming the nervous dragons down. Mansel returned to Nycoll, who had watched the entire episode with awe. She was amazed at Zollin’s power and more than a little afraid of him. The dragons simply terrified her; they were beautiful and terrible at the same time.

  Zollin found some food and settled down to rest. He knew that if the dragons decided to help him he would need a plan. They were both an asset and a liability. They brought a great amount of strength to Zollin’s efforts, but there was no way he could coordinate with the dragons and stay hidden. He had planned to make his way to the Grand City quietly and map out his options for facing Offendorl once he was there. Now, if the dragons joined him, he would have to change his plans.

  It was only a few minutes before Brianna approached Zollin, the dragons following behind her. She sat down and took Zollin’s hand.

  “We want to help,” she said. “Do you have a plan?”

  “I was just thinking about that,” Zollin said. “I really don’t know what to expect.”

  “Well, we can help with that,” Brianna said. “We can travel fast and scope out the situation.”

  “You mean split up?”

  “For a short while. I don’t think it would be too dangerous for you to ride on Ferno or Selix, since you can levitate, but they couldn’t carry you all the way. It would exhaust them and then they wouldn’t be able to help you.”

  “I understand,” Zollin said. “But if we split up, how will you find me again?”

  “The dragons can sense your magic. I can’t,” she explained, “but they are almost drawn to you. I guess that’s how Bartoom found your ship at sea.”

  “Yes, that would explain a lot, although I’ve got my defenses up. They shouldn’t be able to sense me at all.”

  “What can I say,” she teased, “they’re amazing.”

  “Well, okay, I accept your help, gratefully,” he said, looking up at the dragons. “I take it you’ve been flying by night to avoid detection?”

  “For the most part,” Brianna said. “We flew in the daytime only when we were following Bartoom, but we were so high that I doubt anyone spotted us-or if they did, they probably just thought we were big birds.”

  “Okay, so we wait until nightfall, then you scout ahead. We’re still a long way from Osla and there’s no way for us to get around the army. I had just planned to follow along behind and see how that shakes out. Wouldn’t it be great if they all just kill each other and we can go home?”

  “We should be so lucky,” Brianna said.

  “I know. With my luck, we’ll be fortunate to get home at all.”

  Chapter 18

  Offendorl let his anger propel him. He had left the main road several days back and ridden to a small village called Castlebury-although there was no castle anymore. The village was nestled next to the ruins of an ancient fortress, which had built on a small hill overlooking the Euradies River, one of three major rivers in an otherwise arid part of the kingdom. The huge stone towers had fallen centuries ago, but thick walls still stood, outlining where the castle had been.

  Offendorl entered the town at dusk. His carriage rumbled to a stop and he climbed slowly out, stretching his aching muscles. There were children playing in the street, and the small inn, which served mainly as a tavern and cafe for the residents, was bright and noisy. Offendorl stepped inside and made no attempt at civility.

  “Do you know who I am?” he asked.

  The townsfolk-farmers mostly, who had rarely if ever left the village-stared blankly back at him.

  “I am the Master of the Torr,” he said softly. Then he flicked his hand the way one might shoo a fly, and an empty table went crashing into the empty fireplace, the wood breaking apart and piling up on the cold stone hearth.

  “I require unwavering obedience,” he said as fire roared to life in the fireplace.

  The townsfolk, who had been frozen since Offendorl entered, flinched at the fire. They huddled together, not speaking as he stared at them. Finally one man found the cou
rage to speak.

  “We don’t want any trouble,” he said. “We’re a peaceful village.”

  “You are now a subservient village,” Offendorl said. “I require food and your best wine. Everyone else must return to their homes immediately. No one is to leave the village. Do as you’re told and you shall live. You have no other choice.”

  “King Belphan shall hear of this,” said a skinny little girl. Her mother was trying to force her to sit back down.

  “No he won’t,” Offendorl said kindly, smiling almost benevolently. “You’re a brave little girl, but I’m afraid the king is dead.”

  “No he isn’t,” the girl shouted angrily as her mother pulled her back down onto the bench where her family was sitting.

  “You say the king’s dead?” a man nearby asked.

  “That’s right.”

  “And how do you know that he’s dead?” someone else asked.

  “Because I killed him,” Offendorl said menacingly.

  There was a collective intake of breath. Offendorl wasn’t surprised. He doubted if Belphan had ever even heard of Castlebury, much less cared about its inhabitants, but many people idolized their king, even if he was a cruel and careless ruler.

  “No,” screamed the little girl, who had pulled away from her mother.

  “Cute girl,” Offendorl said, “but sadly lacking in manners.”

  He waved his hand again and the girl went rigid, falling over onto her side. She screamed a high, piercing wail that brought the men of the town to their feet. Many of the women were weeping. The girl’s back began to arch and she was crying out for it to stop, but she couldn’t control herself.

  “Stop it!” screamed her father, who was a small man, but livid with rage. “Stop hurting my little girl or I’ll kill you.”

  “Unwavering obedience,” Offendorl shouted over the voices in the inn.

  There was a pop, like the sound of damp wood burning, then the little girl died, her back broken.

  “No!” screamed the girl’s mother.

  “Bastard!” shouted the girl’s father, who rushed forward with a small knife in his hand. Offendorl didn’t move, but the man went flying into the thick ceiling beams so hard his skull was smashed. Another man drew a thick Hax knife, which was more tool than weapon, but still a deadly instrument. He tried to ease closer to Offendorl, but the elder wizard lashed out with stream of fire that engulfed the man and severely burned several others around him. The man on fire flailed about for a few seconds, screaming uncontrollably before finally collapsing. The smell of burning flesh was sickening and several people vomited.