Dragon Scepter

by Angelique Anderson

  Way to go, Astrid. Ticking off an evil dragon is exactly what I planned to do to help our situation, she chided herself, rushing toward the shoreline as she continued to glance over her shoulder.

  48

  Svana

  Victory is nothing in battle, if love for each other does not exist. It is love that cries for empathy, kindness and compassion. Without it, warriors are hollow shells. Taking and killing without measure. Never lose your appreciation for this emotion, for it is indeed what makes the world go around. When it ceases, we all die.

  Civeress, The Champion, Third Dragon Elder, Fourth Age of Verdil

  Svana was still reeling from the dragon’s attack on her, and then in the next moment the undead were rising again. Their rotting flesh fell from their faces, as the waves crashed hard against their legs and lower torsos. Friends and allies, who had moments ago fought alongside her, raised from the dead, turned around and attacked her. Svana had a hard time fighting them. She made the mistake of looking deep into their cold, dead eyes. Eyes that had just shown passion and the will to survive. The evil dragon had more power than any of them could have anticipated, and in her gut, she could feel the fear growing.

  Then Svana saw someone that stopped her in her tracks. A familiar face, and yet, not so familiar. The man was freshly dead, and his face had little decay, but it was still clearly him. And he was clearly dead. Gill. Svana’s heart sank. Gill had been with her since the beginning. He had been part of her original party, back when Duggary had been alive. They’d been through a lot together. And here he was, dead, eyes black, jaw broken, arms outstretched as he tore through Tellurians. It wasn’t the same Gill as before, with his good-natured personality and smile. That Gill was dead. And Svana was forced to keep him that way.

  Svana stepped forward, her sword held high. The man who was once Gill turned to her, and his snarl almost resembled a smile. Svana shivered. He rushed forward, heading straight for her. Svana quickly wheeled around, blade extended and closed her eyes as the sound of blade tearing through soft flesh and bone, echoed through the air. The knowledge of what she had been forced to do, weighed on her like a stone in her heart. Goodbye, Gill. She had to wonder if Branwin had seen it happen. She hadn’t seen him since they arrived at the battlefield. Please, be all right, Branwin. I can’t lose you too.

  She had not expected the dragon to be able to gain on her the way he had, and if not for Hekla rescuing her, there was no doubt the beast would have obliterated her with one flaming ball of fire over her petite form.

  “Thank you, thank you!” Svana yelled to Hekla, who was now engaged in battles of her own. Her scepter slicing through the air, as aptly as any sword could manage. She was taking off undead Aequoran heads, as smooth as a blade to cantaloupe.

  Perhaps Hekla had sensed something in Svana, or perhaps it was because they knew each other too well, but over the sound of fighting and the crashing of bodies to the ground, Hekla yelled back, “don’t beat yourself up, sister. He is not like any other foe we’ve fought.”

  Then Hekla was off and slicing her way across the shoreline with such gifted grace that it was almost distracting.

  “Don’t get distracted,” the dragon yelled to her, as he came closer. His yellow eyes alight with smug knowledge. As if he could smell his victory in the air. His great head swinging from side to side, his talons ripping through soldiers faster than Hekla could dance around and heal them.

  “Never,” Svana yelled back, even more intent on taking out as many of the undead as she could. The dragon didn’t worry her as much as they did, for most of his power and security was wrapped in his ability to do magic. If that magic was taken away, she knew he would be weak. Just another scary beast with claws and a long tail.

  How to take away his magic? How had he been given so much to begin with? Her mind fought to fill in the blanks, but without knowing the truth, nothing made sense. She knew the capabilities of her dragon guide, as well as those of her sisters, which seemed to be limited to an extent and also governed by rules that their dragon guides held in high esteem, but the dark creature seemed to live by his own rules.

  Not that it was any excuse for how quickly she’d fallen when he’d come after her. I acted like I didn’t know how to wield a sword, or like I’d never fought before. Her anger at her own idiocy raged in her mind as she fought the undead. Fueling her fight against them. Such a stupid woman. After all this time, that was the best I had to offer?

  Svana! Go easy on yourself! No harm came to you, and you made it away from him. Lingaria tried to comfort her, his voice calming against her raging thoughts, but Svana couldn’t accept what he said.

  No, I could have cost us everything. I am just one fighter, but I know they need me… and what would have become of my sisters, had I died, and they would have had to go on fighting without me. Do you not think that would have affected their ability to battle?

  Indeed, it would have, Lingaria agreed, so thankfully it didn’t come to that. Now focus on the task at hand, and don’t lose sight of the goal. When this is all over, and the dragon is dead, the lands will be free once more.

  Yeah, if we make it out of here alive. That dragon is unlike any creature we’ve fought before. Svana said, irritation tinging her voice.

  You’ve been given everything you need to be triumphant against him, just stay focused and everything will be fine, Lingaria continued.

  Little by little, she took back the battlefield and soldier by soldier, they rallied together until it was blade against the undead. Hekla had corned the large beast of her own free will and seemed to be holding her own against him. Fear got the best of Svana, and she couldn’t take her eyes off her sister and the dragon.

  The dragon’s head slightly bent down, Hekla with her scepter raised, powerful magic swirling about the air around her as if she had some control over the beast and its reaction. Svana wanted to rush to her sister’s aid, but Lingaria warned her not to.

  “She’s got it figure out, your sister. Don’t worry about her, help the people defeat the undead,” Lingaria said.

  Angry, exhausted, and too out of energy to argue, Svana did as she was told. Her anger at herself translated to her blade, and she fought hard and fast. Her swift, undeterred movements a solid defense against the ceaseless amounts of undead that continued to rise up. How many could there be? If someone doesn’t take out that dragon and soon, we’re not going to have the strength left to fight anymore. She could see and feel the defeat in those around her. They were tired, wounded, falling to their knees in exhaustion as others came to their defense.

  Svana could feel the sense of hopelessness that started to overtake them all. Even as those who were strong continued to rise up and fight, the broad familiar back of a man she’d only barely remembered sliced his way through the undead. His grunts of frustration felt with every swing of his blade.

  “Murdoc?” she whispered aloud, wondering if it could possibly be the man from the arena. “Murdoc!” she yelled louder, willing that he turn around and look at her, but he barely turned his head. She understood why. There simply wasn’t time, the undead seemed unstoppable and where one fell, it seemed that two more rose up.

  Svana’s attention moved to the dragon, where she saw her two sisters, Hekla and Astrid, as they led the dragon away from the people of Verdil. She crinkled her nose as she watched what they were doing. Were they causing a distraction?

  Svana didn’t know what their plan was. All she knew was she’d been weak against him, but her two sisters together should prove to be much stronger. Her eyebrows drooped in frustration as she longed to join her sisters. However, Svana knew, if she left, there would be no one remaining to command the armies. A few soldiers, having seen Astrid and Hekla leave, grew fearful, and from the corner of Svana’s eye, she saw them retreating toward the tree line.

  “Caelestans, Aequorans, and Tellurians! Stay strong, Focus! We are not defeated! We must keep fighting!” She had caught their attention, but she could still f
eel their uncertainty.

  Almost as if to prove a point, two undead advanced on her and she leapt into the air, spinning full circle, her blade extended as she swiftly removed their heads and landed in a crouch. Taking a deep breath, she stood and looked back to the soldiers surrounding her.

  “We have nothing to be afraid of,” she reminded them.

  Then her feet were quickly carrying her to the next set of rotting-flesh creatures. Svana took them out just as easily, not letting on that momentarily, she had been afraid for their safety with her sisters leaving. Now, she could see it was for the best. With the dragon distracted, he no longer summoned undead from their watery graves, nor from the ground of the recent fallen. With that truth, and those still fighting, the numbers against them were decreasing.

  This was a much different fight than when the people had fought against each other. This was a fight they could win. And this was an enemy no one would have any regrets with eliminating.

  Svana found herself studying the fallen, wondering how they had lost, and how many Hekla would be able to save. In that instant, she realized she hadn’t seen Jakobe for quite some time, and suddenly a chill of panic raced through her. Heart in her throat, her head darted from side to side, eyes fervently searching for his familiar face. He was nowhere to be seen.

  “Jakobe! Jakobe!” she yelled out, leaping over bodies, and darting between battling soldiers, as she raced across the watery shoreline. she saw a familiar outline of a male propped against a tree, his blood-stained leather armor a sign that her worse fears had been realized. She screamed out his name again, “Jakobe.”

  Her feet moved so quickly, she was nearly flying, until she tumbled toward him, hitting her knees hard on the bramble covered ground.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  She searched his form for visible wounds, gently peeling away the layers of armor and torn clothing.

  He looked as if a Toverak had torn right through him. “What happened?” she gasped.

  “Dragon,” he answered.

  Svana’s heart stopped, he’d been torn through by the evil creature that even in that moment, Hekla and Astrid were battling with all their might against. She could already tell by the pallor of his face that he wouldn’t pull through if he didn’t get help, and now.

  “Hekla!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, knowing it was a long shot. If Hekla could just stop her fight against the dragon for just a moment, while Astrid fought him. Just long enough to heal him. She caught her sister’s eyes, and screamed again, “Please help!”

  Hekla looked torn, on one hand, she held her scepter up against the dragon who was shooting balls of fire, while the two of them flew in the air, fighting. A quick exchange of looks between Astrid and the youngest sister, and Hekla nodded, running toward her.

  Svana could feel a wave of relief wash over her as Hekla joined her.

  “I wouldn’t have asked, Hekla… but…”

  “Jakobe’s important to you?” Hekla searched her eyes, and Svana nodded, her cheeks reddening slightly with embarrassment. “Well, let’s hope he can pull his weight.” Hekla teased as she waved the scepter over his form.

  He groaned in response, unable to lift his head or move in that moment. His face nearly as white as the foam from the waves that rolled onto the shore.

  “Enviduium, Verilium, Enchantum, Ehealium,” Hekla chanted quickly, the words of healing bringing their powerful light magic to wash over him.

  “Thank you,” Svana said, her hand reaching out to squeeze Hekla’s shoulder.

  “You’re welcome, tend to him! I can’t stay, I need to lure the dragon to Caelestis.” Then she was off and running back toward the evil creature who seemed hellbent on destroying everything in his path. He had changed course now, chasing a fleeing Astrid and seemed to be heading inland. Svana assumed it was for the sake of destroying Telluris, but she knew that her sisters would never allow it.

  She turned her attention back to Jakobe, unhooking her water canteen from her belt to offer him some. His eyes fluttered slightly, as she dripped some of the refreshment into his mouth.

  “Svana,” he mumbled.

  “You all right?” she asked, as his color slowly started to return.

  “Not quite,” he answered.

  It didn’t matter if he was in that moment, she knew her sisters magic to be quite powerful. He would be all right, even if it took a little bit. “All right, well, my sister helped you. Just stay here until you feel better.” She leaned forward, kissing his forehead, “Try to stay out of trouble, all right?”

  Jakobe nodded, blinking sleepily as if he’d just woken up from a long nap. Side effect of the magic healing, he’ll be fine. Svana jumped to her feet, slightly relieved that her conscience had prodded her to check on him. Hekla and Astrid and the dragon were nearly out of sight, leaving the people and undead to finish the battle that had begun. It was nearly over. No more rotting Aequorans were appearing from the water, and they were finally gaining the advantage.

  Svana raced forward, sword drawn. The sound of blades slicing through flesh was comforting to Svana as their magic enemy fell one by one. They may just make it through this after all.

  49

  Hekla

  Arrogance is often the downfall of a society. With arrogance prominent, intellect is suffered. It is often the downfall of power. When one craves power and is lost in selfishness—it is always arrogance that ends of defeating them in the end. Be careful to not be arrogant. Be even more careful to remain humble in the presence of your own power.

  Ugiotti, The Eternal, Fourth Dragon Elder, Fifth Age of Verdil

  Caelestis was a beautiful city. Hekla had never been inside of it before. Buildings and towers stretched high into the sky. The city itself was already stretched high into the atmosphere. People wandered the streets. There weren’t many, as most of the Caelestan warriors were fighting near Aequorus. But there were still civilians.

  Hekla landed in the city well before the dragon. Using the levitation spell had taken its toll on her. It was a long way to travel from the sea all the way up to Caelestis, but Hekla still had a lot more energy. She’d come a long way from when she first started using magic. Hekla’s own mind had been what prevented her from using magic to her full potential. She had believed all the magic came from Speltus. But now, she realized it came from her. She had magic inside of herself. Hekla no longer let that lack of knowledge prevent her from using the magic inside of her.

  “Get out of the streets!” she yelled.

  The Caelestans around her looked at her skeptically. Most of them didn’t know who she was, but she didn’t have time to explain it to them.

  “Hurry!”

  Still, none of them moved. The dragon, Duliogial, landed behind her and roared. She turned, lifted her scepter, and blasted a fireball at him, stopping him from continuing his roar. Once everyone saw the dragon, they turned around and fled.

  “You dare think you can defeat me, human? You are nothing,” the dragon growled.

  “Then why are you so afraid?” Hekla asked.

  “Afraid? How dare you.”

  A massive burst of fire came toward Hekla. She dove out of the way, not having enough time for a counter spell and saving her energy for a different tactic. For now, she was trying to anger the dragon, to make him attack recklessly instead of with any type of reason. So far, Hekla admitted, it seemed to be working.

  Hekla stood, a large grin coming across her face as she stared at the dragon. He snarled at her, then opened his mouth again. This time, she was ready.

  As fire blazed from his mouth, Hekla shifted her scepter, placing her left hand on the orb, and her right halfway down the handle. She positioned herself in a defensive position and prepared to fight.

  “Iciclum Orbium,” she said.

  An orb of blue ice flew from the tip of her scepter. It collided with the fire from the dragon’s mouth, dissipating it. The ice turned into water and rained into Duliogial’s mouth. Dulio
gial roared. He shook his head, like a wet dog, and water scattered into the air around him. His mouth opened again, and his mouth grew red, like he was ready to spit fire, but nothing happened.

  Hekla smiled. Her spell had worked. With the fire mixing with the ice, the two elements canceled each other out, and the water flooded into his mouth, making him not able to produce fire anymore. She didn’t know how long it would last, but she was proud of her ingenuity.

  Duliogial rushed toward her, not letting her savor in her victory. Hekla dove out of the way, rolling on the ground as she missed a swiped paw by mere inches. She stood and moved her scepter upward to block another strike of a paw. Hekla spun, moving to the dragon’s left, then slammed the tip of her scepter into Duliogial’s jaw. The dragon snarled.

  Hekla was impressed her scepter could fight against the dragon as a melee weapon. She knew it wasn’t what it was made for, but she was glad it had worked. Fighting on ground in the sky kingdom wasn’t as easy as fighting under the sea. Hekla missed the beautiful water kingdom. She missed Aequorus. Hekla had grown used to being underwater, including the lack of gravity. Everything above water seemed more difficult, and she realized as she fought how weak her muscles were compared to when she lived in the volcano.

  But, Hekla needed to look at the bright side. She knew that. Without her and Speltus being underwater, they didn’t have to hold onto a breathing spell. The fresh oxygen of Caelestis was nice. At first, it had been hard for her to breathe, as she wasn’t used to the atmosphere being so thin, but Hekla was able to adapt fast.

  She stepped out of the way as a giant dragon tail slammed into the ground at her side. Hekla frowned. She needed to find a better way to fight the dragon. Somehow, Hekla needed to find an edge against the beast.