Keep of Dragons (The Azuleah Trilogy Book 3)

by Daniel Adorno

  “Aaargh!” Kraegyn screamed.

  On the wall behind them, Siegfried stood holding his bow with an arrow nocked. His brother released another shot and it landed in the dragon’s back. Kraegyn turned to face the new threat then bounded for the wall. Siegfried released three more arrows in succession as the dragon approached. The shots missed Kraegyn, who attempted to fly but failed on account of the injured wing. Instead, the large dragon rammed the wall with his body. The beleaguered wall cracked in several places and swayed unsteadily.

  “Siegfried, get out of there!” Lucius yelled. He tried to stand, but he experienced a wave of pain in his torso. The ribs on his right side were broken. Somehow he needed to push past the pain.

  Kraegyn rammed the wall once more then spewed fire onto the battlements. Siegfried ran down the crumbling structure toward the large gap created by Kraegyn earlier. Lucius watched his brother leap over the gap, confident his brother would easily clear the distance. But then Kraegyn intervened. The Black Dragon leapt high into the air, twisting his body in a clockwise motion. His massive tail coiled around his body then shot out like a ferocious snake. It struck Siegfried hard, sending him far from the other side of the wall.

  Lucius watched in horror as his brother plummeted outside the fortress wall.

  “No!” Lucius screamed. His body shook from the physical and emotional pain he now felt. Tears streamed down his face as he fell to his knees in the courtyard. All the desire to fight had left him.

  Kraegyn approached him slowly. He scowled at him with those evil sapphire eyes. Beneath him, the Requiem Sword lay beckoning for Lucius to retrieve it. But the crippling loss of Siegfried overwhelmed him.

  “Ready to die, Ellyllei?” Kraegyn said.

  Lucius looked up at the dragon then stood to his feet. If he must die, he wouldn’t do it kneeling before this despicable creature. Setting his jaw, Lucius stared defiantly into Kraegyn’s eyes. Eyes that had tormented him for years in his sleep. But no longer. Death did not scare him. His true fear was living without those he loved. With both his father and Siegfried gone that fear became a painful reality. Allowing Kraegyn to incinerate him seemed much less terrifying now.

  Kraegyn snarled at him then opened his giant mouth, releasing a torrent of blue flames. Then everything around them slowed to a snail’s pace. The flames hovered just outside the dragon’s mouth and inched slowly toward him. In the sky above, the smoke that once billowed freely now stood eerily still.

  “Lucius, do not be afraid.” The voice was Yesu’s. He appeared in front of Lucius, standing between him and the flames. “I know you have lost much in this war. But you must not surrender now.”

  "Why not? I don’t want to fight anymore. I’d rather be with you in Caelum—with my mother and father...and Siegfried."

  Yesu nodded. “I understand that. But you do a great disservice to those you love by dying needlessly here. They gave their lives so you might live. So you would vanquish this evil. It is why you are the Ellyllei,” he said.

  “I don’t want to be the Ellyllei. All I ever wanted was to know my family and be with them. But now I’ve lost them all!”

  “No, you haven’t. Helmer, Avani, Silas, Violet, and so many others are still here. Are they not your family? Will they not grieve as you do if you surrender to the darkness now?”

  Lucius sighed. He hadn’t considered that. Avani and Helmer would not wish for him to surrender to death so carelessly. And now that he thought on it, neither would Siegfried. His brother had sacrificed his life on countless occasions to ensure Lucius’ survival. This selfish act would dishonor Siegfried.

  “You’re right. You’re always right,” Lucius said, his shoulders sagging.

  Yesu gave a faint smile. The flames were nearly touching the back of the man’s robe now. “Lucius, draw near to me and I will help you. Take my shield and banish this evil from Dwyfoltír for good,” he said.

  Lucius noticed a triangular shield in Yesu’s hands that hadn’t been there before. The iron shield had a gold sheen to it and etched on its surface was an eagle with wings outstretched. Yesu handed Lucius the shield and then he heard his father’s lullaby once more.

  Gone the shield that defends us

  Lost with the man Cervantes

  Yesu blesseth he who finds it

  For the shield, the shield is gone

  Oh whence cometh the dawn?

  To defend ye brothers and sisters

  Forevermore we travel to Caelum

  “Your father sends his regards, Lucius,” Yesu said.

  The King of Caelum faded from view before Lucius could reply and Kraegyn’s flames suddenly drew closer to him. He raised up Yesu’s shield and felt the sweltering heat of the fire on the shield as it parted the flames on either side of his body. When the fire ceased, he took a step back. Kraegyn’s face was a mixture of confusion and rage. He had expected Lucius to be a smoldering heap of ash. The dragon growled then swiped his claws at him. Lucius raised the shield, easily deflecting the attack. He darted below the creature’s head and picked up his sword.

  Another swipe came at his right. But Lucius was already swinging the sword in that direction. He severed four of Kraegyn’s clawed fingers, inciting anguished howls from the dragon. Sidestepping to the left, Lucius cut a gash across Kraegyn’s chest. The wound jolted Kraegyn backward preventing Lucius from following up with a thrust at the dragon’s heart.

  “No! You will not prevail this day,” Kraegyn shouted.

  The dragon reared back and plunged his remaining talons in Lucius’ shoulder. He cried out as the claws punctured sinew and tendons. Then he felt his body lifted from the ground. Kraegyn had taken flight, carrying him along the courtyard. The dragon struggled to stay airborne with only a single functioning wing. Somehow Lucius kept his grip on the Requiem Sword and the shield despite the excruciating pain. Kraegyn glided toward the broken wall and landed roughly on its remains.

  “Look! You will suffer the same fate as your elf friend!” Kraegyn snarled.

  Lucius, still hanging from the dragon’s claws, craned his neck to see. Siegfried lay unmoving on his back amid the rubble below, his legs twisted at unnatural angles from the fall he suffered. Pangs of grief racked Lucius for a moment then unbridled rage took hold of him. He swung the sword at the claws impaling his shoulder and separated them from Kraegyn’s foreleg. Dropping from the creature’s grasp, Lucius rushed forward on the rubble and cut side to side at Kraegyn’s body. Blood flew in multiple directions as he hacked away at the dragon’s torso.

  “This war ends today, Kraegyn!” Lucius shouted.

  The monster could only roar painfully at the statement. He attempted to whip his tail at Lucius like before, but the shield took the brunt of the blow. In one swift motion, Lucius sliced off a section of the tail and Kraegyn faltered. The momentary opening was all Lucius needed to get close and thrust his sword into Kraegyn’s chest. Rearing back onto his hind legs, Kraegyn clawed helplessly at the sword stuck in his heart. With no fingers left, the dragon’s attempt was futile. A deep gurgling sound came from the monster’s throat then he stumbled and fell headlong onto the rocks in front of Lucius. Kraegyn’s eyes glazed over and fiery cracks formed throughout his black scales like lava seeping through rock. In an instant, the dragon’s body disintegrated in a fiery explosion that filled the courtyard.

  Lucius, acting quickly, crouched down with the shield covering him. Waves of heat and smoke swirled around him as Kraegyn’s body dissipated into smoldering ash. He stood slowly, gazing down at the smoking remains of the Black Dragon. Amid the ash, he saw the glint of his blade—still intact. He stepped forward to retrieve the sword when the pain of his injuries stopped him. Four severed talons still protruded from his shoulder. He yanked each of the sharp spikes from his body, grunting with the effort. Blood trickled slowly from the punctures, but he ignored the dull, aching pain.

  Sheathing the sword into his scabbard, he climbed down the wall to Siegfried. When he was close, he noticed his b
rother’s eyes opened slightly.

  “Siegfried!” Lucius said, crouching beside his brother. “You’re alive, thank Yéwa. I’ll go fetch one of the healers to come and—”

  “Lucius,” Siegfried said weakly.

  “Yes, brother?”

  “The life within me is ebbing away.”

  “What? No, no. I can help you, we’ll go to Alistair! He can heal you—it’ll... it’ll be fine.” Lucius’ eyes welled with tears once more. He looked down at his brother, who was shaking his head slowly.

  “It’s too late for me, brother. We fought... a good fight today. You killed him... I knew you would.”

  Lucius sobbed and nodded slowly.

  “It’s all right to grieve, Lucius,” Siegfried said. “But thanks to you, I do not fear... death. We’ll see each other again.”

  “Siegfried, wait. I’m not ready. Please don’t leave,” Lucius pleaded.

  But Siegfried didn’t reply. His eyes were distant and unmoving.

  Lucius buried his face in his hands and cried in the solitude of Arkadeus.

  Chapter 28

  The carriage turned off the weathered cobblestone road into an overgrown game trail easily missed to travelers unfamiliar with the area. Horse hooves clopped rhythmically on the soft dirt and every so often the carriage rocked hard from a bump in the trail. The old cottage came into view as the coachman reined the horses in. From the small carriage window, Lucius saw faeries flitting about the roof, excited to see the visitors.

  “We’ve arrived, Father,” Lucius said, turning to Helmer who sat across from him.

  The elf nodded and opened the creaky carriage door then stepped out.

  Lucius hesitated. A fortnight had passed since the battle of Arkadeus. In that time, he’d witnessed the mass retreat of Draknoir from the ancient fortress to the Maguna Mountains. The last pair of dragons that survived the war fled the continent, reportedly to islands off the coast of Loredia. Many proclaimed a new era of peace in Azuleah with the demise of both Memnon and Kraegyn. But Lucius’ heart remained troubled. He’d lost so much more than he’d anticipated in this war. The worst being the death of Siegfried.

  For the last two weeks, he busied himself with preparations for an excursion with Ulric outside the continent. He had an irrepressible curiosity regarding the native land of his people. The island of Gezer was the ancestral home of the Terrín, the first humans. No one had explored the island in centuries and Lucius wondered if anyone still lived there. Perhaps he could find distant relatives of the family Nostra. The trip was a welcome distraction after his role as Ellyllei had come to an end. But now, moments from a memorial held in Siegfried’s honor, he had to face reality once more. His brother was gone.

  “Lucius? Aren’t you coming?” Helmer asked.

  “Yes, Father. I’m just...” Lucius couldn’t finish the thought, but Helmer, as always, seemed to read his thoughts.

  “You think if you stay in the carriage you won’t have to face the truth of Siegfried’s death?”

  Lucius nodded.

  “I had a similar thought long ago when Suneela died. Siegfried was about your age. I wouldn’t leave my room at the estate for weeks. Peniel had to force me to eat anything. Then came the funeral. I told Siegfried I couldn’t go. The grief was insurmountable. But do you know what he told me? ‘We are only bidding Mother goodbye for a time before we meet her again,'’’ Helmer said. He smiled sadly then continued. “Such a simple truth, but profound to a grieving father. Now I suspect his words are quite apt for you on this gloomiest of occasions.”

  Lucius sighed then gave a faint smile. “Seems appropriate that Siegfried would have the last word,” he said.

  “Indeed,” Helmer said.

  Lucius climbed out of the carriage and they made their way to a clearing near the cottage where a mass of people were assembled before a large obelisk. Elves from both Evingrad and Numa were in attendance including Avani and her parents. Ulric and a delegation of dwarves stood nearby, nodding at Lucius and Helmer as they walked past. At the front of the assembly Silas, Violet, and Becca watched Lucius approach. The king and queen both looked sullen. Becca’s eyes were red-rimmed and cast toward the ground. A small podium stood before the obelisk where Klik and Lya awaited them.

  Klik cleared his throat. “I know this does little justice to the memory of your brother, Lucius. But know that Tok labored for many hours to fashion this memorial for Siegfried. Though we had our differences in the past—he brought back what I thought lost forever,” the king said, glancing at Lya. “For that the faeries of Gwyltref must give their thanks.”

  “Thank you, your Majesty. It is a gracious gift during this difficult ordeal,” Lucius replied. He looked up at the obelisk and saw an epitaph inscribed in elvish that read:

  Here lies the resting place of Siegfried Silverhart.

  Proud elf of Evingrad. Savior of Aldron and Gwyltref.

  Devoted son and beloved brother.

  Lucius’ eyes stung once he’d finished reading the epitaph. The tears came earlier than he wished, but he did not hold them back when they did. Several elves came forward and sang songs written about Siegfried’s heroic deeds. Ulric gave a stirring speech about Siegfried’s selflessness and bravery during their captivity in Arkadeus. More solemn songs followed, this time led by Quetulya. The Cyngorell leader ended the singing with a coaxing ritual where a shoot in the ground grew into a young tree beside the pillar. Finally, Silas took the podium. He spoke of the sincere friendship that now existed between elves and mankind after such a terrible war with the Draknoir and dragons.

  “Siegfried was the only elf I ever knew who willingly left his homeland to aid a country of men and sacrifice everything to do so. I could never repay such a gesture, but I pray the alliance between men and elves will forever be intact. For we need each other more than we previously thought. May the bond that existed between Siegfried and his brother, Lucius, define the relationship between our wholly different cultures for all time,” Silas said.

  When the speeches and mourning songs had passed, servants set tables outside the cottage. Food and beverages from both Aldron and Numa filled the tables and a grand feast in Siegfried’s honor was under way. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Lucius engaged in many conversations about Siegfried. Very few were sad and most of his friends recalled wonderful memories of his brother. Lucius cherished those moments in his heart and felt his mood lighten somewhat.

  After a time, Lucius stood by himself near the obelisk, leaning against the podium. He felt a presence approach from behind and he turned. It was Avani. She appeared beautiful as ever, her raven hair hanging loosely and verdant eyes locked onto his own.

  “I’m sorry that you lost him, Lucius,” she said.

  “Yes. Me too,” he said, glancing at the obelisk.

  There was a long silence between them. Lucius didn’t mind, of course. Avani’s presence always put him at ease and they seemed to enjoy these quiet moments together. Though he wasn’t sure if she remained silent on account of his mourning or for some other reason.

  “Do you still plan to sail with Ulric?” She asked finally.

  “Yes. We’ll leave before the week is over. With any luck, we’ll find Gezer before the end of the month. I’m not sure I could tolerate Ulric for longer than that,” he said.

  Avani gave a faint smile. “I wish you would stay, Lucius,” she said.

  He looked at her with brows raised in a question. At their parting in Ithileo months ago, Lucius and Avani had come to an understanding about their relationship. Their strong feelings for each other needed to be put aside for the sake of focusing on the war. Lucius hoped that once the fighting was over, he and Avani would be free to pursue wherever their relationship might take them. But that was before he’d lost his father and Siegfried. Their loss had nearly crushed Lucius’ spirit. Though seeking Yéwa through the ordeal had certainly helped him heal, he could not fathom a world where Avani might be lost to him as well.

  He loved
her—deeply and truly. But now was not the time for him to stay in Azuleah. He wanted to explore new surroundings and learn of his heritage. Gezer was the last tenuous link between him and his family. Of course, Avani could go with him, but he doubted her parents would allow it or consider the match at all.

  “I’ll be back before the harvest, Avani,” he said, hoping to reassure her.

  “Will you?” Avani said in a doubtful tone. “If our love for each other cannot keep you here now, why would you return later?”

  “That’s hardly fair. You know how much I love you, Avani. But... my world is turned upside down right now. I need to get away... to process everything that’s occurred. Surely you won’t begrudge me that?”

  Avani’s shoulders sagged. “No, I will not. It’s probably for the best. I’m not sure if Father would give his blessing anyway,” she said.

  “Why should that matter? You didn’t seek his blessing when you were called to forge the Requiem Sword,” Lucius countered.

  “Forging a sword and deciding whom I want to marry are two vastly different things, Lucius,” Avani replied with an edge to her voice.

  Lucius swallowed hard. “Are you saying you wouldn’t be with me if he didn’t?”

  Avani averted her eyes.

  "Avani," he said, softening his tone. "Come with me to Gezer. It would be a wonderful adventure together. We could be married at sea or on some exotic island!"

  “Lucius, you’re speaking nonsense,” she replied. “I am a princess of Numa. I cannot leave so casually as you. Though I may have defied my father in the past, now more is expected of me after this war. Thousands of elves are under my command. How reckless would I look among my people if I simply left with you?”

  Lucius sighed, dropping his gaze to the ground. She was right. Her role as princess was no longer a ceremonial affair. Avani had defeated Draknoir and dragons in Aldron and led Numan elves to victory. She was a general among her people now. And someday the crown of Numa would pass to her. In contrast, Lucius was hardly better than a commoner. If not for his defeat of Kraegyn and the mantle of Ellyllei, no one would consider him noteworthy in any regard. Perhaps their relationship was doomed from the start.