by Dean Cadman
Without pause, Zedd created a weak fireball of his own and launched it towards the Vintenar. He had no intention of killing him with it. His only aim was to give the soldiers false hope, and having seen their commander survive a direct hit from him, it seemed to have the desired effect. A fresh wave of missiles came back at him almost immediately, and as they struck his shield, the Vintenar’s knees buckled under him. Three death-pulses rippled through the night air, as three of the Empire soldiers fell face first into the red dirt. Several more of the magi had also felt the effects of the power drain and now looked towards their Vintenar for an explanation. But Zedd didn’t give him an opportunity to reply, instead choosing to use a silence spell of his own. A moment later Zedd had created a powerful fireball in his right hand, and after choosing one of the soldiers at random, he launched it towards him. As expected, it tore clean through his shield, killing him instantly, and sent another powerful death-pulse echoing through the darkness.
There was an instant eerie silence as the remaining soldiers paused and watched their dead colleague slowly slump to the ground. A moment later Zedd’s manic laughter rang out through the still night air, startling several of the men. But most of them were simply enraged by his actions, and unthinkingly sent a fresh wave of missiles towards him. The last thing many of them ever saw, was the grin of self-satisfaction on Zedd’s face. More than a dozen death-pulses suddenly filled the night air, and corpses began hitting the ground hard, creating a miniature red dust storm of their own.
The dragon heart shard roared within Zedd’s mind, eager to finish the hunt and claim the victory, but he was in no rush to end his fun, just yet. He reached for his connection to the Vintenar’s magical reserves and began to drain his power. Still, under the influence of his silence spell, the Vintenar was unable to call out for any assistance, and Zedd could see the panic in his eyes. He knew that he was about to die but he still continued to drain his own men’s power, as he desperately attempted to save his own life, even at the expense of theirs. Zedd admired him for that—it was something that he would have done in his situation, too. Under different circumstances, he thought that he could have been friends with a man like that. One who knew how to use the men under his command to gain what he needed, but unfortunately for him, he had to die. And he had to die in a spectacular manner, because no other way would suffice for what he needed to prove to his new potential followers.
The dragon heart shard radiated waves of anticipation and need throughout his mind and body. Zedd smiled openly, as mage after mage died. Their death-pulses overlapping in a cacophony of mental sounds and sensations. He monitored the soldiers closely and when the final one died, he immediately stopped draining the Vintenar’s magic. He had no way of knowing how much power the Vintenar still had left, but judging by the way he’d just collapsed onto the ground, it wasn’t very much.
Zedd stepped forward, no longer caring if he was still within range of Cole’s magic. A quick glance told him that every prisoner was still looking his way and that their demeanour had changed considerably. No longer did they look like a cowering band of people ready to give up all hope. Now they all stood proudly in defiance, and if not for the fact they’d all been silenced, drugged and bound, he knew there would have been no shortage of volunteers to kill the Vintenar kneeling before him. Many had already lost friends and loved ones to the Empire’s raid, and now he would give them the justice that they no doubt desired.
Zedd whispered a few words of power and the Vintenar levitated off the ground. If he even noticed or cared he didn’t show it, keeping his head firmly bowed to the ground. Zedd wasn’t sure if the man was actually crying, but there again, he didn’t much care. In a final act of humiliation, he turned the defeated Vintenar in mid-air to face the onlooking prisoners.
“Take a good look at this man and remember what he did here today to your friends and family. And also remember what he intended to do to all of you. Where he wanted to take you, and what would have become of you there if I had not been here to save you. For generations, the people of The Badlands have suffered the same fate… but no more. From this day forward, any citizen of The Badlands who chooses to follow me will no longer have to live in fear of the Empire and its raids, as they will be under my personal protection. As you have all witnessed here today, I can exploit weaknesses in their soldiers, and use those weaknesses against them. And I can assure you that no matter how large their force is, the end result will remain the same. I will also make you another promise, and it’s this: I will unite The Badlands under my banner, and I will defeat Lord Zelroth and his Empire. Anyone who wishes to stand in my way, I will sweep aside without a second thought. But anyone who chooses to stand with me will bask in the glory of a new Empire. An Empire that will no longer treat you as outcasts or slaves, but as equal citizens.”
Zedd scanned the faces of the prisoners and could tell that very few of them doubted his words. If they hadn’t been silenced he felt sure they would have even cheered him on, but there would still be time for that, he decided. He turned back towards the Vintenar—the dragon heart shard still pleading for him to take his final victory—and addressed him directly, loud enough for everyone there to hear.
“For crimes both committed and intended against the people of the Kraell clan, as their leader, I sentence you to death. Do you have any last words?” Zedd said, knowing full well that the Vintenar was still silenced and couldn’t reply. “Very well,” Zedd said, dramatically, “I hope that you saved some of your magic to levitate.” He whispered the words of power to remove the Vintenar’s silence spell and saw him flinch when it vanished. By the look in his eyes, Zedd could tell that he was considering one final attack, but he didn’t give him the time or opportunity and instead sent him hurtling several hundred feet into the air. Zedd then tethered him in place magically so he couldn’t escape, then cancelled his levitation spell. The Vintenar plummeted towards the ground below but quickly arrested his rapid descent with a levitation spell of his own—much to Zedd’s satisfaction.
Zedd could feel the Vintenar’s weak and pitiful attempts to levitate away from the area, but he held him firm as he walked towards the awaiting prisoners. With a single word of power, the lock sprung open and released the chain which held them. A moment later he had removed everyone’s silence spell and was immediately bombarded by countless words of praise and gratitude. He held up his hand to try and quieten the crowd, now almost wishing that he’d let the silence spells run their natural course. He had no intention of staying in the village any longer than was absolutely necessary. The people there were nothing more than tools for him to use whenever he saw fit, and he certainly had no desire to get to know any of them better.
Eventually, the noise abated and calm was once more restored to the streets of the village. Only the occasional quiet desperate pleas for help could be heard from high above, as the hundred and fifty strong crowd silently awaited Zedd’s next words. Zedd had seen the bodies of their slain clan members scattered throughout the streets when he had first arrived at the village, and there was even several within the town square. No doubt they had been the ones to try and resist the Empire soldiers, and quite probably had also been the strongest of the clan. Their deaths were of no concern to him whatsoever, but he did at least need to make it appear as if he cared.
“Today many of you have lost friends, family and loved ones. Tonight you will grieve those losses, but tomorrow will bring a new dawn. One in which the Kraell clan will lead the way to a new, brighter future. I will come to this square tomorrow at noon to announce the plans I have for Kraell clan, and The Badlands as a whole. Anyone who wishes to join me should be here. Anyone who doesn’t should leave before I arrive,” Zedd said, turning on his heels and walking away before anyone could respond. After witnessing what he had just done, he expected everyone to be there tomorrow, but it mattered little to him if they were not.
Zedd almost forgot about the Vintenar as he walked back towards the house where
Cole was still hiding. It was only the slight jarring of his magical tether that reminded him he was there at all. He smiled to himself as he formed the spell to incinerate him in mid-air, but his spell was interrupted by a loud thud in the street behind him. A powerful death-pulse washed over him, and the dragon heart shard roared in victorious triumph inside his mind. One woman screamed, and many curses could clearly be heard amongst the loud gasps that filled the cold night air. Zedd’s smile grew even wider as he continued walking towards the house, not even bothering to look back at the dead Vintenar in the street behind him.
Chapter Eighteen
Lusam stood at the prow of the ship looking out across the seemingly endless rolling waves of the ocean. It had been six days since they’d left the protection of the small island where Captain Waylon had sought refuge from the terrible storm, and in all that time they had not even seen another glimpse of land. The weather had improved immeasurably since then, and the winds had also shifted to a more favourable direction, making their progress far swifter than it might otherwise have been.
Lusam’s dragon dreams had become more frequent and vivid with each passing night and he was concerned that it was only a matter of time before the dragon noticed his presence and his torturous nightmares began once more. He had confided in Neala about the dreams and she’d reassured him that she would remove the amulet if he showed any signs of distress whilst he slept. She had, of course, suggested that he relinquish the amulet to her for safekeeping, and he had even considered it at one point—but something deep within him told him not to. He couldn’t explain it, even to himself, but somehow he knew that he must continue with the dreams. He got a distinct feeling that they were trying to tell him something, but each night the dreams were completely different. Only the dragon remained the same, and often it involved either the small desolate island or the larger forested one that he’d previously seen. After waking, he sometimes spent hours alone trying to make sense of what he had seen in his dream—just as he was doing right now.
The strange dragon dreams were not the only thing that had been troubling Lusam lately. As they grew closer to their destination, he couldn’t seem to get Aysha’s parting words out of his mind. And he was all too aware that he hadn’t told Neala anything about the conversation that he’d had with Aysha yet. At The Rift, Neala had been adamant about going with him on his quest and Aysha had told him that she wouldn’t stand in her way. But it was Aysha’s final words which troubled Lusam the most. Aysha had told him that his destiny had become clouded to her, and that she had seen him entering a realm hidden to her sight. One which Neala must not enter under any circumstances because if she did, she would never return.
Lusam sighed heavily to himself. He knew he couldn’t put it off any longer. He simply had to tell Neala. But he certainly wasn’t looking forward to it. He looked back towards the aft deck and saw her looking in his direction. She smiled and waved and he did the same. Although she had willingly given him the time and solitude that he’d needed to contemplate his dragon dreams, he couldn’t help feeling guilty about the amount of time she had spent alone over the last few days. And having to now tell her that he would soon need to leave her behind and continue his quest alone, made him feel truly awful. He took a deep breath and set off towards the aft deck.
Whether it was the way he walked or the look of worry on his face, Neala instinctively knew something was wrong.
“Surely it can’t be that bad,” she said, trying to make light of whatever was on his mind. He smiled at her half-heartedly. He loved her more than anything in the whole world, and he was about to tell her that he had to leave her behind. He could barely remember his old life before he’d met Neala, and he didn’t want to have to imagine a future without her—no matter how brief a time that might be. He sighed again, and with a single thought, he created a soundproof barrier around them both. He had no idea if it would stop Aamon overhearing what he was about to say, but at least the ship’s crew wouldn’t be privy to it.
“Neala, we have to talk,” he said, taking a seat beside her on the deck.
“Alright…” she said, giving him a worried look. They both sat in silence for what seemed like a long time before Lusam reluctantly spoke again.
“Neala, there’s no easy way for me to say this, so I guess I’ll just come out and say it. When we reach Monmeriath Isle, I have to leave you behind and go on alone…” he started to say, but Neala cut him off mid-sentence.
“No way! I’m coming with you. We’re a team, remember?” she said, more forcefully than she probably intended.
“Neala, you can’t come with me. Please, let me explain,” Lusam replied, holding up his hand when he saw her about to object again. She gave him one of her stern looks. One which told him it better be good, or else. He tried to give her a disarming smile but she obviously wasn’t in the mood to reciprocate, and the scowl on her face deepened.
“When we were at The Rift and Aysha appeared to us, she told me some things in private. She said that my destiny had become clouded to her vision and that she had seen me entering a hidden realm. She told me that she didn’t know where the realm was, or even what it was, but she knew that I must enter it alone. She said that if you tried to follow me, you wouldn’t return—and I can’t allow that to happen, Neala… I just can’t.”
Neala looked distraught by his words. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, holding back her tears. “Why wait until now? Why wait until we’re almost there before telling me?”
“I’m sorry, Neala, but I didn’t really have a choice. It wasn’t safe for us to discuss it at The Rift, and even if we had, you would never have agreed to remain there. Not that I would have wanted you to stay there anyway. And we also agreed not to discuss any details about the quest whilst we travelled to Fairport, just in case Aamon was listening. But none of that really mattered because until I was certain that I could cure Lamar and get the information we required, I didn’t see much point in telling you what Aysha had said anyway. And after that, well… what with the bad weather and the seasickness, not to mention the dragon dreams, I just haven’t found the right time to tell you. Not that there ever could be a right time to tell you something like this,” Lusam said, then he added quietly, “Neala, I love you. I have to keep you safe. You must heed Aysha’s warning.”
Lusam could see the anguish on her face as she answered. “I know, and I love you too. That’s exactly why I want to go with you… wherever it is that you’re going. I need to be there to make sure you’re safe. If anything happened to you…” her words trailed off and she turned her head away from him to hide her tears. Lusam took her in his arms and hugged her tightly, and a small wet patch slowly began to form on his shoulder.
“I wish that you could come with me too, Neala,” he whispered in her ear.
But she didn’t reply.
***
The following day saw the weather take a turn for the worse, and Lusam feared a return to the stormy conditions they had endured recently. Fortunately though, as the day progressed, the weather began to slowly improve again and the distant thunderclouds began to dissipate, revealing a deep winter-blue sky. The same could not be said, however, for the storm clouds which now appeared to be perpetually hanging over Neala’s head. Ever since he had revealed Aysha’s warning to her the previous night, she had barely said a dozen words to him. He knew that she wasn’t really angry with him, or even Aysha for that matter. It was because any choices that she might have had, had now been taken away from her, and she knew there was nothing that she could do to change it. And if Lusam had learned anything about Neala, it was that she hated being forced to do anything that she didn’t want to do. For the time being at least, Lusam knew that he had to simply let her come to terms with it, and eventually she would snap out of her foul mood—or at least he hoped that she would.
About an hour before midday, the rhythmic sound of the ocean crashing against the ship’s hull was suddenly interrupted by calls from the
ship’s lookout.
“LAND AHOY! TEN DEGREES TO STARBOARD,” he shouted, pointing towards the small landmass on the horizon. Crewmen began scrambling around on deck, and a moment later Captain Waylon emerged from his cabin and signalled to his first mate. He spoke briefly with him, then the first mate hurried off towards the main deck, but as the Captain turned to re-enter his cabin, he noticed Lusam watching him. He nodded to Lusam, indicating that he should join him in his cabin, then disappeared back through the doorway. Lusam turned to inform Neala, but she had already seen for herself.
“Come on, let’s go see what he has to say,” Lusam said, looking at Neala.
“There’s not much point in me going,” she replied, sulkily.
Lusam raised his eyebrows at her comment, and in return, she rolled her eyes at him and huffed loudly. “Alright… alright,” she said, standing up from the aft deck and heading straight for the ladder. Lusam stifled a grin—he knew better than to antagonize her any further when she was in such a foul mood—and simply followed in her wake.
“Good day t’ ya, sir,” a familiar voice said from behind as the reached the Captain’s door.
“Oh, hello, Lamar,” Lusam replied. “I haven’t seen much of you for the past few days.”
