by K J Taylor
‘Yes. Oh. Yes. Sorry.’ Nils hastily backed off. Realising he was blushing, he quickly transformed before anyone would notice. Thank the Drachengott, dragons did not blush.
Spurling was waiting impatiently with his two friends, but they let Nils take off first. He headed back toward the mountains, still holding the Soul Thief, and the old confusion was back with him, made more bewildering by Lilith’s smile. Who am I? he wondered. Am I still Nils? Or am I really Theodor? And who is Theodor anyway?
A man? A child? A human, or a dragon? But he had parents. Real parents who truly seemed to love him. Even though he was a thief and a killer. Even then.
A curious warmth filled his heart, and he smiled internally. If that was what being Theodor meant, then maybe that was who he wanted to be now. Not Nils Schächer, but Theodor Half-Dragon, son of Rutger and Syn. And who knew what else he could become?
***
Nils, Spurling and the other two dragons reached the camp without too much trouble, although by now Nils was utterly exhausted. He landed by the fire where the other three were resting, and slumped onto his belly while Elynor and Ambrose joyfully greeted Spurling.
Rutger came over to him. ‘Son, are you all right?’
Nils groaned. I need to rest . . .
‘You can rest,’ said Rutger. ‘But Theodor, is—?’
Nils raised his head. She’s alive, he said. I tried to talk to her, but she was confused. Lilith and Tancred are looking after her. They’re bringing her to Ketzergard with everyone else.
Most of our followers survived, said Spurling. And more dragons have joined us. But the Drachengott . . .
Elynor paused in scratching him behind the horns. ‘We know,’ she said grimly. ‘It was a failure. The Drachengott could have crushed us like ants.’
‘Then why didn’t he?’ said Rutger, yet again. ‘I don’t understand . . .’
But maybe she does, said Nils. My mother. We can ask her.
‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Elynor. ‘Once she recovers she’ll tell us everything.’
‘She might refuse,’ said Ambrose. ‘By the sound of it, she’s a stubborn one.’
‘She’ll tell me,’ Rutger said firmly. ‘If she truly does love me, then she’ll tell me the truth — all of it.’
Nils said nothing, but he shivered internally. The whole truth: he could imagine how painful that would be for his father to hear. But maybe once she was well again, Syn would be ready to tell him.
‘Let’s rest for now,’ said Elynor. ‘Theodor certainly needs it. In fact I think we should camp for the night and leave in the morning. With your help,’ she nodded to Spurling and his fellows, ‘the journey should be a short one.’
Rutger seemed uneasy. ‘I can use my flying sails,’ he said. ‘I’d rather not be carried.’
‘Are you sure you have enough magic for it?’ asked Ambrose.
Rutger patted his chest. ‘With everything I took from the Drachengott, I have more magic than I know what to do with.’
Nils laughed, a rough, growly little dragon’s laugh. You and I can fly together tomorrow. That should be fun.
Rutger grinned at him. ‘We’ll see if you can keep up with me, son.’
Chapter Fifteen
Nils slept soundly that night — the deep sleep of mental and physical exhaustion. Vague dreams flitted through his mind, but they were too faint to make any real impression, and he was glad about that.
When he woke up the next morning, it was to a very strange sight. Elynor and Ambrose had disappeared. Two animals had taken their place: the tawny cat and a lean red fox. They were curled up together, the fox’s head resting on the cat’s back, and the cat was purring softly. Spurling lay behind them, his flank protecting them, and Storm and Sunray were asleep a short distance away. Rutger, however, was still human — lying on his back with one arm folded under his head, snoring softly. Nils watched him, and wondered what his animal shape might be. He would have to ask later.
He got up and stretched, wincing at the ache in his limbs. But he felt strong enough. His deep growling yawn woke up Rutger, who sat up stiffly and started to rub his eyes. ‘Guten Morgen,’ he mumbled. ‘Did you sleep well?’
Nils yawned again. Pretty well. You?
‘I never sleep that well anymore,’ said Rutger. ‘Especially not on the ground.’ He made a gesture, and water condensed out of the air and pooled in his hands. He splashed it over his face.
Nils put his head on one side. That’s a clever trick.
‘Thanks,’ said Rutger. ‘I worked it out myself — I always had a knack for making the air do what I want it to.’
Of course, said Nils. You can fly, after all.
‘True.’ Rutger looked over at the cat and fox, who were getting up as well. ‘Elynor, Ambrose — Guten Morgen to you as well.’
The cat stretched luxuriously, as only a cat can. She said nothing, but settled down to groom her paws. Ambrose, the fox, nibbled affectionately at the nape of her neck. Now that she was sitting upright, Nils spotted the Bond Breaker hanging against her chest.
Nearby the heap of gemstones glittered in the firelight. How are we going to carry them? Nils wondered aloud.
Storm, the white dragon, stopped scratching her belly. I will carry them, she said. If they can be bundled together.
Reluctantly, Rutger took off his overcoat. ‘It’ll be cold without it, but this should do.’
Nils helped him pile the stones onto it, and Rutger bound it tightly shut with his belt.
Storm picked it up in her front talons. Heavy, but I can carry it.
‘Don’t drop it,’ said Rutger. ‘We need those stones.’
I will not.
Sunray poked Ambrose with her muzzle. I will carry you, she said.
The fox whined softly. Elynor rubbed her head under his chin and purred to reassure him — it was an oddly touching sight.
I’ll protect us if we’re attacked, said Nils.
‘And so will I.’ Rutger was already unfurling his flying sails and attaching them to himself. He reabsorbed the fire, taking its energy back into himself, and after that there was nothing more they needed to do. Elynor climbed up onto Spurling’s back, gripping the little harness he was still wearing. Storm scooped up the bundle of gems, and Sunray picked up Ambrose. Since he couldn’t hold onto her back she simply took him in her talons, holding him to her chest with his bushy tail dangling. Ambrose whimpered, but didn’t struggle. Nils chuckled softly.
Rutger took off first. He stood crouched, scowling in concentration, and a moment later the magic emerged from his hands. A great blast of wind struck the ground and then spiralled upward, filling the leather sails. They billowed, and Rutger floated up into the air. Once he was above the treeline he levelled out, and an astonished Nils flew up to join him.
He could feel the cocoon of wind around his father, holding him up and steadying him. Instinctively, Nils rode on the updraft, his wings out straight from his sides. You really can fly!
‘And so can you!’ Rutger yelled back. He wasn’t even squinting — he must be directing the wind so that it stayed out of his eyes. Incredible.
Spurling, Storm and Sunray emerged from the trees, and Spurling flew off westward, leading the way. Nils and Rutger followed.
***
It was a fine day, and good for flying. Nils stuck close by his father, on the lookout for danger, but although there were dragons about none of them bothered the travellers. They followed the mountains for a few hours, the forest to their right, until Spurling suddenly turned away and flew off over the trees. Rutger, still effortlessly riding the wind, made a graceful turn and followed him.
How much further is it? Nils called to him. My wings are getting tired!
‘I don’t know!’ Rutger yelled back. ‘I’ve never been to Ketzergard before!’
Nils hoped they were getting close, but it didn’t seem likely. He couldn’t see anything up ahead; just more forest, with the occasional clearing and the odd rocky outcrop.
It didn’t look as though anyone could get through it easily on foot, let alone an entire army.
Finally, just when Nils was beginning to wonder whether he should suggest stopping to rest, Spurling came to a halt. He and his two fellows circled together over a huge stone outcrop which protruded above the treeline. It was rugged and cracked, with shrubs and stunted trees growing on its sides. It clearly hadn’t been visited by anyone human in a very long time. In fact Nils could see a giant spider down there, clicking its way over a large boulder.
He joined Spurling, circling with him. What is this place?
Ketzergard! Spurling told him. It is magically hidden!
Just as Nils was going to ask how, something else moved below them. Dragons appeared — dozens of them, flying up seemingly from nowhere. Nils opened his jaws, ready to fight, but then one of them called out Spurling’s name.
Moments later, something began to happen. Light glowed over the plateau, covering the rocks. It was no one colour, but a mix of dozens — a rainbow of magic, all working together. The light grew brighter in moments, and Nils could feel the sheer power of it. He winced and closed his eyes, just in time. A blinding flash blasted up toward him, visible through his eyelids, and then it was gone. He opened his eyes again, and saw Ketzergard at last.
Now the plateau was smooth and rounded, covered in lush plants, and its inside was hollow. An open space big enough for several farms lay protected by its walls, and indeed there were farms down there, and buildings as well.
Spurling roared and flew down toward it, and Nils chased after him, Rutger flying just behind him.
The grey dragon landed on top of the wall, on a flat, open space apparently meant for just that purpose. Sunray gently dropped Ambrose and landed beside him as Elynor jumped down. Nils landed, too, very gratefully, and Rutger touched down as neatly as before. While he was busy taking off his sails, several dragons landed around them. Dragons — and one other creature.
Nils spotted the hawk, and started in surprise. Wait—
Elynor became human again, and rubbed her back. Beside her Ambrose changed too — he looked extremely tired, and more than a little ruffled. ‘Thank goodness that’s over — thank you, Sunray.’
The hawk hopped down off his perch, and he, too, transformed. ‘Lady Elynor!’ he exclaimed. ‘And Ambrose! You’re back!’
The name came back to Nils at once. Alberich!
The man stared at him. A moment later his eyes widened. ‘Wait — you’re that dragon I saw up in the mountains!’
Nils changed back. ‘Yes, I am,’ he said, somewhat nervously. ‘I didn’t think you’d be here.’
Alberich looked curiously at Elynor. ‘My Lady, why is he here? And who is this?’ he said, looking over at Rutger. ‘Is that . . . ?’
Rutger bowed. ‘I’m Rutger Dragonsbane, and this man here is my son, Theodor.’
‘Your son?’ Alberich sounded blank.
‘Yes, he is,’ said Elynor. ‘Rutger, Theodor — welcome to Ketzergard. Alberich, how is everything here? Did anything happen while we were gone?’
‘No, things are quiet enough here,’ said Alberich. He bowed to Rutger. ‘It’s an honour to meet you, Dragonsbane. But why are you all here? What happened?’
‘We can explain everything inside,’ said Elynor. ‘For now, we all need food and rest.’
‘Oh yes, of course — I’m sorry.’ Alberich stood aside and left her to take charge, and Elynor quickly led them all away from the landing spot to a wooden hatch set into the stone. Ambrose lifted it up, and they climbed down the ladder beneath and into Ketzergard itself.
The stone beneath them had been carved out into living quarters, which Nils found very impressive. Elynor strode along a corridor, her skirts rustling, past little alcoves where yellow flames were burning. Beyond it was a large and well-furnished sitting room, with bookshelves carved into the walls and several stone couches made more comfortable with cushions and leather padding.
‘Please, sit,’ said Elynor. ‘I will have rooms prepared for you — you can eat while you wait.’
Nils sank gratefully onto the nearest couch, the Soul Thief leaning beside him. Rutger sat, too, looking pale and tired. ‘I’ve never flown that far in one go,’ he said. ‘I think I used up most of the magic I took from the Drachengott.’
A surprisingly short time later, a small group of Gottlosen servants arrived with some trays of food. Nils tucked in gratefully, while Elynor told Alberich everything. He listened grimly, and flinched when he heard about the death of Haedwig. ‘She was the first of us,’ he said sadly.
‘First?’ Nils repeated.
‘She was the first one I gave the shapeshifter’s gift,’ said Elynor. ‘When I came here to Ketzergard.’
‘Oh.’ Nils fingered the Soul Thief. ‘What was her other shape?’
‘A rabbit,’ said Alberich. ‘Don’t laugh — she was fast. But what about you, Theodor? How did you come to be a shapeshifter?’
‘I was born that way,’ said Nils. ‘Like Tancred and Lilith.’
Alberich frowned. ‘But then, who was your mother?’
‘That’s something we all want to know,’ said Rutger.
***
Predictably, it took weeks for the army to reach Ketzergard. Nils was given a room in Elynor’s residence, which was a kind of palace cut out of the rock. There were plenty of other living quarters in Ketzergard; in fact most of the spaces carved into the plateau were private homes, on multiple levels. Those on the outside even had their own little balconies. Meanwhile the Gottlosen residents owned the open space at the centre, where they had built more ordinary homes for themselves and farmed for a living. The dragons generally lived up on top of the walls, where they could keep watch for intruders. Under Spurling’s instruction they flew out on regular scouting missions, together with a good number of shapeshifters whose animal shapes were winged.
Nils found the whole thing fascinating, and at the first opportunity he asked Elynor about it. ‘How does it work? How does someone become a shapeshifter? And how do you know what animal they’ll become?’
Elynor seemed amused. ‘Shapeshifting is a Druiden gift,’ she said. ‘I learned it in Gallia when I was younger. I was going to become a Druiden priestess, but then I heard about the Drachengott and I came to Wendland to join the Jüngen. After Ambrose and I were betrayed, I decided to break my vows and share the gift with outsiders. If the Druiden at home knew, they would want my head.’
‘But how does it work?’ Nils persisted.
Elynor laughed. ‘You know, it’s at times like this that I remember you’re no older than my own children,’ she said. ‘But the truth is, nobody truly understands how it works. The Druiden live close to Nature and understand its gifts. By becoming animals, we come closer still. It’s different for you, since you were born the way you are and a dragon is not really an animal. But for someone like me, well, that’s how I became leader of the Ketzer. By sharing my gift. My new friends and I ran together every night, and it made a bond between us. When the last Ketzer leader, Tanja, tried to stop us, they were furious. Nobody would ever want to give up something so wonderful.’
‘And how do you know what animal you’ll become?’ asked Nils.
‘You don’t know,’ said Elynor. ‘Nobody does. But what you become says something about who you are on the inside, or so the Druiden believe.’
‘So what does my father turn into?’
Elynor laughed again. ‘You should ask him — but maybe you can guess for yourself. Maybe I should just say that I was not very pleased when I first saw him transform!’
‘Does he turn into a dragon?’
‘No,’ said Elynor. ‘Nobody I’ve given the gift to has ever become a dragon, although most of Spurling’s dragons can become human. But why don’t you go and speak to your father? I think he could do with some company.’
Nils nodded, and left her sitting comfortably in the sunshine on her personal balcony with a cup of tea in her hand. It was anothe
r nice day, and he went down the steps to the Gottlosen farms, thinking he could go for a stroll and maybe find Rutger somewhere. His father did seem to like it better down there.
At least there was no real worry about whether the others would make it to Ketzergard. Spurling had seen to that. His dragons had been flying back and forth every day, keeping watch over the army, and reported that Lilith had managed to pull everyone back together and was now leading them back via Jarlsberg. Nobody had attacked them along the way. The only Jüngen in Drucht Valley were now scattered, and most were making their way toward Zauberwald. If it hadn’t been for the Drachengott himself, the war would have been all but won.
Nils walked along, following the wall of Ketzergard, and turning all of this over in his mind. There was so much more that needed to be done, but how would they do it? Where would they even begin?
He was so distracted that at first he didn’t realise that someone was calling out to him. Finally the voice got through to him, and he looked up and saw Rutger. His father was coming toward him, the Magic Taker at his hip as always.
‘Hello,’ Nils said cautiously.
‘Theodor — hello,’ said Rutger. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Looking for you, sort of,’ said Nils. ‘What were you doing?’
‘Talking to the farmers,’ said Rutger. ‘I always feel more comfortable around other Gottlosen.’
‘They must like you a lot,’ said Nils. ‘The Gottlosen, I mean.’
‘Actually, most of them are afraid of me,’ said Rutger, rather sadly. ‘The Gottlosen in Drucht Valley think of me as a Jünger, and the Gottlosen here think of me as a Ketzer. But magic doesn’t make a man a Jünger or a Gottloser, does it?’
‘No, it doesn’t,’ said Nils. ‘The Drachengott does that. But if you can learn how to give magic to other Gottlosen, then you won’t be alone anymore.’
‘Maybe not,’ said Rutger, falling into step beside him. ‘But even then I’d still be . . . well, the Dragonsbane. That won’t change.’
Nils eyed him. He had caught the note of loneliness in his father’s voice, and an unexpected sadness came over him. ‘Imagine how I feel,’ he said. ‘At least you know who you are. I don’t even know whether I’m really human or not.’
