Over time, his yellow color had deepened into a shining copper-bronze, and from the moment he took flight, his wing muscles had quickly developed, filling out the dragon’s posture nicely. The scales and spikes that lay just below the skin had become more prominent. And as Galirras’ body gathered more mass, his head developed characteristic scaled ridges that ran above his eyes, straight into the horned comb on the back of his head where his neck began. Overall, the dragon had grown into a magnificent and powerful creature.
The magnificent creature shot out his tongue into the wooden bowl and scooped up the last bit of Raylan’s soup. The force of the movement knocked the deep dish out of Raylan’s hands, where it landed upside down in the mud. Galirras’ eyes glittered. The tiny, sparkling vortexes inside the three tear-shaped pupils playfully swirled back and forth.
“There. Now you are done,” said Galirras, amused.
Raylan laughed.
“I guess I am. Alright, I’ll just let the others know that we’re leaving.”
He picked up the bowl.
“I don’t think we’ll be fighting anyone at the castle, by the way,” said Raylan to the dragon as he walked away.
“What do you mean?”
“You said you couldn’t fight well on an empty stomach,” explained Raylan. “But we’re not going to fight anyone in the castle.”
“And yet every time you decide to go somewhere by yourself, you end up getting hurt. Or have you forgotten what happened at the tree village?”
On the Dark Continent, Raylan had joined Sebastian and a few other escaped slaves from the tree village to steal food from a small storage facility. Though the mission ended up being a reasonable success, Raylan had run into Corza and almost ended up in the hands of the sadistic high general.
“I haven’t, but I don’t see how anyone could hurt us here. We’ll be meeting with Lord Algirio and his wife; the place will be swarming with guards.”
“Well, I will not take any chances. My stomach will be filled and my claws sharpened.”
Raylan arrived at Richard’s tent. He was about to enter when the same messenger from before exited the tent and bumped into Raylan.
“’Scuse me,” said Raylan, moving out of the way.
The messenger nodded politely and went on his way. Raylan ducked into the shade of the tent to find Richard deep in thought behind his temporary desk.
“May I come in?” asked Raylan, who found himself acting distant toward Richard after the lecture that morning.
Richard looked up and waved him in.
“Galirras and I are about to leave for the castle. I just thought you ought to know.”
No reaction came. Raylan took note of the worried look on his brother’s replacement's face.
“Everything alright?” said Raylan. “Is something wrong with Harwin?”
“What? Oh, no, Harwin’s fine. They have their best healers looking after him. I’m told he’s resting very comfortably in the castle's mid-level wing. There’s no sign of infection, and he should make a full recovery in a few weeks.”
“That’s a relief to hear. So why the troubled face? Did we hear back from Shid’el?”
“No, not yet. It’s the ghol’m. It’s gone,” said Richard. “The guards at the beach last night were minimal because of the festivities, and since we didn’t tell them anything about the danger it represented, there were few enough to begin with. This morning, the two men who remained were found passed out from several bottles of the hard stuff—and the ghol'm had disappeared.”
“Bandits?” asked Raylan doubtfully, though he knew better.
“I don’t think so. No value in a regular statue, I would think,” said Richard, shaking his head.
“So, the escaped Doskovian soldier?”
“Most likely. Perhaps he had help.”
Richard hesitated.
“You and the big guy searched the airship for those sacrificial scrolls, right?” he said, referring to their friend Galen.
It had been the three of them—Richard, Raylan and Galen—who destroyed the first ghol’m they encountered on the Dark Continent, but only after immense effort. It had been a fierce fight, one that had cost their friend Stephen his life. Richard and Raylan had finally been able to bring the ghol’m down, after which Galen and his large war hammer delivered the final blow. Or blows, rather, as the ghol’m’s body possessed extraordinary durability.
“We did, multiple times,” confirmed Raylan. “Do you think it’s possible we missed something?”
“Who knows? It wasn’t our ship, after all.”
“Surely someone would have heard something if it was activated. That sound can’t easily be missed, can it? Did they find any tracks?” said Raylan, as the possibility of a ghol’m waiting to attack sank in.
“I asked, but the messenger wasn’t sure anyone bothered to check.”
Raylan saw why Richard was so troubled. Even one ghol’m could do a massive amount of damage. Normal soldiers barely stood a chance against those stone abominations.
“We have to tell them,” said Raylan. “They have to know the danger it represents.”
“No, not yet.”
Raylan looked at Richard, astounded.
“Still? What are you afraid of?” he exclaimed. “You can’t seriously still wish to wait for official orders? By then, it could be too late. You have to start making your own decisions at some point.”
“Don’t belittle me. I’m fully aware of the danger,” snapped Richard. “You have no idea of the sensitivity of the situation we’re in. Do you think Aeterra is all one happy kingdom just because there’s no war? Where there’s power, there’s people who wish to take it. We serve the king; who knows what kind of balance we'll upset if we tell one of the most powerful family lines in Aeterra everything we know? Can we even be certain? This is not for us to decide. There are rules in place for this kind of thing.
“Your brother was an expert in recognizing the power struggles, but he always stayed within the structure. Used it to his advantage. He was a brilliant strategist. I’m nowhere near his level, but I try. I play by the rules so that we don’t find ourselves tangled up in them. So we wait, and keep our eyes open.”
Richard kept his eyes locked on Raylan as if imprinting the order.
“After you visit the castle, I want you to cover the beach with Galirras. Find out everything you can about the missing ghol’m. Any tracks, cover-ups, leads. Talk to those who might have seen anything. We need to find it before anything happens. Now, get out of here. I need to think.”
Moments later, somewhat disgruntled by the brisk dismissal, Raylan felt the wind rush through his hair. Galirras set a course northwest of the city.
The more Raylan joined Galirras on his flights, the more it felt like sailing on the wind. That same feeling of freedom that drove him to the ocean would wash over him whenever they took off. The world at their feet; four directions in which the wind could lead them. Yet this time, his mind was too preoccupied to enjoy the thrilling sensation. He did his best to let his worries slide away, but he found himself constantly surveying the ground below. Did he hope to catch a glimpse of a moving ghol’m?
Raylan reached out to Galirras. “I hope you didn’t jinx it, my friend.”
“Jinx what?” asked the dragon, scanning the ground below for his own reasons.
“We might find ourselves in battle sooner than I thought,” said Raylan.
“If that happens, let them come. I am not afraid of them. My wounds are healed and my wind is strong,” Galirras said as he demonstrated a powerful windblast that nearly toppled a small oak.
“Hold on,” added the dragon as he spotted a group of wild pigs.
Raylan tightly gripped the leather belt they had put around Galirras’ neck while the dragon dove toward the top of a grassy hill to let Raylan off. Flying together was amazing, but during the hunt Galirras sometimes had to make very sudden course adjustments if he did not wish his next meal to escape. Marek had hel
ped to construct the leather belt so that Raylan had something to hold on to apart from the spikes on Galirras’ back, but the simple handhold offered little additional safety. It was easier for Raylan to stay on the ground during the hunt.
Raylan sat down in the grass as Galirras launched back into the air and headed for his prey. A few miles to the east lay Azurna, with the shimmering ocean behind it. The water’s distinct color was clearly the inspiration for the city’s name. The layered castle on the river island rose watchful above the city. It was a magnificent view. It reminded Raylan of Shid’el, his home. That too was a place that called forth awe from those who traveled to it. Suddenly, it felt far too long since he had seen the city where he was born. Despite the meeting with his father that loomed over his return, it would be good to see his home once again.
Spread out across the southern mountain slope of the north point of the Crescent Moon Massif—a central mountainous area of the Aeterran kingdom—the capital of Aeterra was shaped differently from Azurna, but was certainly just as grand as the coastal city that lay before him. As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, Raylan wished he could paint—or at least draw—and capture the enchanting image of Azurna below.
In the back of his mind, he felt Galirras’ excitement spike on the hunt, followed by the satisfaction of a kill well made. Raylan closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. If he did not think about everything else, this was a perfect moment. He felt the warm, gentle breeze of a summer’s afternoon on his face. It was like the lightest touch of a feather, softly caressing his skin. For the briefest of moments, he felt completely at peace. Relaxed. Like the entire world just dropped away.
When he opened his eyes and returned his gaze to the city, the ocean water was not the only thing that shimmered. The entire sky was filled with sparkles. Waves of them flowed through the air and gently moved with the wind. They shifted constantly, creating small vortexes here and there. Raylan's back and neck tingled and his head felt like it was floating on a cloud. The sparkles reminded him of Galirras’ eyes. The already amazing view of the city intensified to something unworldly and Raylan wondered if he had ever seen anything so beautiful.
But the perfect moment did not last long. It was invaded by thoughts of the Stone King’s forces, and of the missing ghol’m. The scar on his arm started to throb as his relaxation fell before his anger. Raylan could only imagine what horrors the invasion would bring. Azurna would be destroyed or occupied, its people captured or worse. He remembered Richard’s words.
But is this not larger than the politics involved? thought Raylan. What about all those people living in the city? Sebastian’s family? They all deserve a chance to get away, don’t they?
Next to him, Galirras landed with a second kill locked in his jaws. The dragon put the carcass between his front legs, tore it in half and quickly threw back his head to swallow the entire piece in one go. The second half followed right after.
“I am ready. Are you?” asked Galirras.
Looking at the city below, Raylan made up his mind.
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
By the time they descended toward the third level plaza behind the castle, Raylan could no longer see the sparkles. Thankfully, the throbbing in his arm had subsided as well.
Their destination was a private plateau, half of which was filled with plants and sculptures. If Raylan had to guess, these were probably the lord and lady’s private gardens. The main square on the third level was in front of the highest-level buildings—he remembered it well from his walk to the festivities the previous day. But this back part was not accessible to the common people, it seemed.
From the air, Raylan saw the river and its northern cliff. Just outside the walls of the northern city quarter lay a lush forest following the river. A strip of land just outside the walls was cleared of trees, but other than that, the forest remained untouched; the trees did not grow very tall and their trunks were full of twists and turns, which made them unsuitable for planks. The wood also gave off a strong, unpleasant odor when burned: the ‘beggar’s stench,’ so called because only those who had nothing to spend would resort to using the wood for fire. The animals in the forest were less lucky; it was a very active hunting ground for the royal family and poachers alike.
Further north, on the grassier fields beyond the forest, a herd of sheep made its way to the top of a hill. Raylan felt Galirras’ spark of interest as the dragon judged whether his hunger had dissipated enough with the meal just caught.
Sebastian had told Raylan that goat and sheep herding were the main professions of those who lived on the northern side. Small villages and settlements were found throughout the region there, while the south of the city was occupied mostly by farmers and fishermen. Together they provided a constant stream of food and drink, the most basic supplies to keep any city running.
Nearing the plaza, Raylan saw Lord Algirio and his wife waiting on their arrival. As a gesture of trust, only a moderate number of guards were present on the plateau. A bold move, thought Raylan, considering Galirras could easily attack and kill every single one of them if he wished.
Raylan and the others were so used to the dragon that it was sometimes easy to forget how impressive, scary and threatening his winged friend could be for those who did not know him. Captain Whitflow had been right in anticipating the people’s reaction. During the flight, Galirras had informed Raylan that there were people shouting at the edge of the encampment that morning, before Raylan and the others returned. The dragon overheard them calling things like “the beast’s got to go” and “keep our children safe” before the crowd was broken up by the city guards. It was clear that curiosity was not the only sentiment bringing the people of Azurna out to see the dragon.
Below them, a third person was present, patiently awaiting their arrival beside Lord Algirio and his wife.
“It’s Xi’Lao,” said Galirras with surprise in response to Raylan’s silent question.
Galirras’ claws scraped briefly across the stones of the plateau before he came to a standstill and folded his wings. Raylan slid down the dragon’s shoulder and landed neatly on his feet. He quickly ran a hand through his hair and dusted off his clothes. By habit, his hands slid along his belt to adjust his sword, only to find an empty space.
Raylan still had to figure out how to comfortably bring a sword along as on his flights with Galirras. He had attempted it once, but it had a tendency to poke Galirras painfully in his neck during certain turns. Perhaps a back holder for the sword would be the solution, but for now Raylan had decided to simply go without. Galirras’ size made it unlikely they would run into any trouble.
“Lord Algirio; milady,” said Raylan formally. He added a quick nod to Xi’Lao to greet her.
“Mister Stryk’ard, so glad you could join us once again within such a short time,” said the lord of the castle, adding with a smile, “As you see, we have the lovely Miss Wén visiting us as well. I could not resist a chance to learn more about our mysterious trading partner. Unfortunately, I must admit she is well-taught in politely dodging my questions.”
Beside him, Lady Leandra nervously held her lord’s hand as Galirras shook out his wings once more and rearranged them neatly against his flank. Xi’Lao walked up to him and gave him a scratch on his nose to greet him.
“See, my dear, there is nothing to be afraid of. He is a perfectly wonderful creature. Not dangerous at all,” said Lord Algirio to Lady Leandra. “Just look at his deep coloring, those wonderful eyes. Such a majestic creature.”
Lord Algirio guided his wife a little closer.
“Miss Wén? Perhaps I might persuade you to introduce my wife to your friend over there? There are some matters that I would like to discuss with Mister Stryk’ard in the meantime.”
“My pleasure,” said Xi’Lao. She took Lady Leandra by the hand and guided her toward Galirras, who tried his best to look smaller and less intimidating than he was.
“Mister Stryk’ard, if you would be so kind as to f
ollow me. I’m confident that Galirras will be adequately entertained by the two women.”
“Actually, there’s something I would like to discuss with you too, Lord Algirio. If you will permit me,” said Raylan, imitating his host's formal tone.
“Wonderful. Let us be on our way, then.”
Raylan followed the lord through a small part of the garden. A variety of plants and flowers ornamented their surroundings, most of which Raylan had never seen before in his life.
“Indeed, it seems that my curiosity of the new and unfamiliar has slightly rubbed off onto my wife. She has developed quite an interest in the exotic flowers our world has to offer,” said Lord Algirio in response to Raylan’s remark on the many different shapes and bright colors. “I myself am drawn more toward the wonderful stone creations you see among the flowers. I have collected quite a few from artists all around the continent. Just last year I was pleasantly surprised by a merchant, who brought a new addition for my collection as a present from one of the southern cities. It is always nice to see people who are thoughtful in their business relationships. But I always keep my eye out for the next grand discovery. In fact, I should have a new addition arriving very soon. One of my trusted collectors sent word this morning that he had found an extraordinary piece of unknown origin.”
They entered the castle, but not before Raylan threw a glance over his shoulder to check on Galirras and his company. Both women seemed to discuss something as Galirras lifted one of his wings and turned around on the spot a few times. Raylan heard the women’s laughter carry across the plateau just before the doors closed behind him.
Inside, Raylan followed his host through several hallways until they reached a more private chamber. The room was filled with books, most of which looked older than Raylan. A large desk littered with paper scrolls and several maps stood at the end of the room. Raylan walked closer to look at a map of the continent. It showed part of the Dark Continent's coastline, as well as the known trade routes to the Tiankong Empire.
Wavebreaker_Book II of the Stone War Chronicles_Part 1_Trickle Page 24
