“Now it’s time for a new king in the south. Toomis!”
With the dragon gone and the queen dead, the army that had followed her looked nervous, but Lorik didn't threaten them. Instead he called them together after Toomis had joined him. The young soldier looked almost like a child next to Lorik. Where the commanding warrior was tall and thick with muscle, Toomis was short, thin, and mousy.
“Men of the south,” Lorik said. “My name is Lorik, King of Ortis, and soon to be ruler of the lost kingdoms. For too long people like your false queen have lorded over you. My sovereign turned his back on his people, abandoning us in pursuit of glory. I stood in the gap when Ortis was attacked by the savage Norsik raiders. I crossed the Wilderlands and brought back those taken captive. I routed the Norsik invaders and stood against the witch’s horde. When the outcasts were freed, I assumed they would return to their homes and families. But their families were gone and their homes destroyed. They were terrified and lost, so I gathered them together to build a new kingdom. Among them are humans, like Toomis."
Lorik laid his large hand on the young soldier's shoulder.
"I believe we can all live together in unity. I could march my army of outcasts through the south, looting and burning, but what would that accomplish? Instead, I ask that you join us. Everything south of Merchant’s City will be reserved for humans and led by Toomis, my regent in the south.”
The young soldier looked shocked, but Lorik gave him a reassuring smile. The troops gathered around them looked at one another, uncertainty etched across their faces.
“You do not know me,” Lorik said. “But you will in time. I am a man of my word. You will not be forced to fight one another—or fed to dragons—as long as I reign. Return to your trades, live in peace. A small tithe of your crops and your goods is all that I require of you, and in return I shall destroy any enemy that comes against us.”
Spector felt that all of Lorik’s words were like smoke, but he didn’t speak. He would have preferred slaughter, but Lorik wouldn’t stand for it. The wraith wanted nothing to do with his friend’s grand dream of a united kingdom, but they were bound together by the dark magic. There was nothing Spector could do but wait and watch.
“The kingdoms in the north won’t sit idle while you build an army of outcasts,” said one of the officers. “They will come south with their own armies and we will be caught up in your war.”
“I agree that the armies from Baskla and Yelsia will come, but not because of us. They are driven by greed and led by evil men. When they come we will be ready for them. The great dragon will join me in battle and together we will be unstoppable.”
“You control the dragon now, like Queen Havina did?” asked another soldier.
“No,” Lorik replied. “The dragon will join me freely because I show it respect. The same respect I am showing you and your troops. We need not fight each other. Go home, be productive, and we will have no animosity between us.”
“We will go,” said one of the other officers.
“I am placing Toomis in charge,” Lorik said. “He will ensure that your laws are obeyed and that you have peace. If he is not obeyed, I will come and you will long for the days when all you feared was a dragon.”
The soldiers were not in any position to argue. They had superior numbers but they had just seen their queen slain by a wraith and watched as Lorik tamed the great black dragon. None of them wanted to fight, so they agreed.
“Good, we will rest today, then you shall travel home tomorrow. If there are concerns, you can bring them to me and Toomis once your camp is established.”
The soldiers turned back toward the supply wagons and began making camp. They seemed happy enough. They had met the enemy and he turned out to be their friend. The evil queen was dead, her dragon no longer a threat. Their journey was over and they felt like celebrating.
Lorik was in fine spirits, too. He was one step closer to realizing his dream. With the threat in the south dealt with, he was free to turn his attention northward, and he had a powerful new ally to help him face the armies of the north. It was only a matter of time before all the Five Kingdoms called him lord.
Chapter 29
Zollin sprinted back to the grove of trees shouting for Ferno.
“Riders!” he cried. “Ferno we have to leave—now!”
The dragon roared and burst from the trees. The huge green beast was a terrible sight as flames licked up from its savage maw and flickered around the huge, pointed teeth. Zollin jumped, his magic rushing through him and lifting him high into the air. He had to twist to land properly on Ferno’s back, but his magic gave him complete control over his body, slowing his landing so that Zollin’s weight didn’t crash down on Ferno.
“To the air!” Zollin shouted.
Ferno flew up and Zollin’s worry turned to relief. They were away, and while he didn’t have all the supplies Mansel had left with him, he had water and clothes. It would be enough to survive until they could resupply further away from Orrock and Branock’s insane plan to kill him.
Then everything seemed to change at once. As Zollin looked down at the riders spreading out through the valley below, Ferno suddenly banked hard. It was all Zollin could do to hold on.
“Ferno!” he shouted. “What are you doing?”
The dragon roared and Zollin suddenly felt the tantalizing pull of gold that plagued the dragon. He knew instantly that it was a trap, but convincing Ferno was a different matter, one they didn’t have time for.
“No, Ferno! Resist it. Don’t go back!”
Then Zollin saw it, a wagon loaded with gold. There were coins, gilded frames, goblets, and jewelry of every kind. There were even stacked bars of solid gold. The treasure was in plain sight at the rear of the company of soldiers which by Zollin’s quick estimate was nearly five hundred men. There were at least a hundred light riders, but the rest wore heavy armor and rode large war horses. They carried lances and crossbows, but that wasn’t the most frightening sight of all. What made Zollin’s stomach twist with an emotional agony he had never felt before was seeing his father commanding the soldiers.
Ferno roared and spewed a stream of fire at the riders, but the horses quickly scattered out of the way.
“No!” Zollin shouted. “We have to flee, there are too many.”
But Ferno couldn’t resist the urge of so much gold all together. The poor beast was held fast by the lure of the precious metal and Zollin feared for Ferno’s life. He couldn’t force the dragon to flee, but he knew his father, and the gold was simply a lure to keep the dragon close enough so that he could spring the trap he’d devised.
There were other wagons, two on each side of the gold. When Ferno flew past, the soldiers on board threw back the canvas covers to reveal harpoon launchers. At first Zollin felt a wave of relief, knowing the harpoons wouldn’t penetrate Ferno’s hardened scales. But then he realized the danger. The soldiers weren’t aiming at Ferno’s body, but rather at the dragon’s wings.
“Fire!” Zollin heard his father bellow.
The harpoons were launched skyward, each carrying what looked like a fishing net. Ferno’s massive wings flared as the dragon banked hard, trying to avoid the trap but Zollin knew it was too late. Two of the harpoons missed, and Zollin used his magic to cast another aside, but the fourth tore through Ferno’s leathery right wing. The projectile slashing through the wing was only a minor injury to the dragon, but the net it carried jammed into the hole, then flipped up and around the wing, tangling it so that Ferno was dragged down from the sky.
Everything happened so fast that Zollin was barely able to raise a shield around his body as Ferno flipped onto one side, throwing the young wizard like a trebuchet. Ferno crashed to the ground, rolling and skidding into the warriors who were trying to move out of the way, but their heavy armor made them slow. Dozens were knocked from their horses or crushed beneath Ferno.
Zollin used his magic to slow his own crash, but by the time he was under control he was several hundred yard
s from where the knights were charging at Ferno with their lances lowered. Zollin knew that even an iron-tipped lance wouldn’t puncture the dragon’s skin, but hundreds of lances were bound to do some damage, and once Ferno was wounded it would only be a matter of time before they managed to kill the poor beast.
Ferno lashed out with its muscular tail, knocking the soldiers behind it off their horses while at the same time spewing a gout of flame in a huge semi-circle in an effort to protect itself. Zollin dashed forward, letting his magic flow out in a wave of havoc that surprised even himself. A few of the riders had turned toward the young wizard, thinking to occupy him while the rest focused on the dragon, but he pushed them away with a wave of magic that sent them crashing back into the crowd around Ferno.
Despite the fact that Zollin didn’t want to harm or kill the soldiers, he knew he couldn’t hold back, not anymore. His anger fueled the magic inside him and he screamed angrily as he cast the familiar blue magical energy toward the soldiers. Normally the spell was focused, like flowing veins of blue light that struck with the power of a lightning bolt. But this time it spread out like a net, shooting from rider to rider. Zollin could feel the magic pulsing through him, connecting to the riders and their horses. Each one spasmed then toppled to the ground.
Nearly a hundred riders fell to the spell, all brought low in one massive attack. Zollin could hear the officers calling for the riders to regroup as Ferno belched another wave of fire. There were screams and shouts, horses neighing in terror, and the dragon’s fearsome roar. Zollin projected a feeling of panic and amplified it with his power. Soon the soldiers were fleeing in every direction. Zollin was forced to knock several riders down to avoid being trampled. His magic was like a raging storm inside him and he used it to levitate himself up above the fray.
Almost everyone was running way, except for Quinn. Zollin’s father sat on a large black horse glaring at his son with an expression of pure hatred. For a moment all Zollin could think about was the pain of his father’s rejection. He knew that something had happened to his father, that Quinn was under some type of dark spell that was magnifying his anger and resentment. Mansel had said that Quinn had become angry and violent, but Zollin couldn’t help but feel he was somehow justified in his anger toward his son. Zollin’s mother had died giving birth to him. Zollin wasn’t a good carpenter like his father, nor was he skilled with a sword. He had grown strong in his own way, but it was a way his father simply couldn’t relate to.
Zollin watched his father raise a large crossbow. His aim was true and to Zollin’s horror Quinn launched the bolt straight at him. In that instant he knew he had lost his father. He reached out with his magic and nudged the crossbow bolt off course so that it flew harmlessly by. Then Quinn was forced to retreat as Ferno sent a plume of fire straight toward him.
The wagons were bounding away and the soldiers had fled in panic. Zollin looked in every direction to make sure the danger was passed, then sent a wave of magic toward the wagon of gold. The cargo was so heavy the wagon was falling behind the others. Performing magic at a distance was always a strain on Zollin, but he forced his magic into the right rear wagon wheel and split it apart. For a moment his concentration slipped and he fell, only managing to catch himself a few feet from the ground.
He lowered himself and then hurried to where Ferno was roaring angrily. Zollin could feel the pain and fear the huge dragon felt. He had to approach slowly until Ferno’s fury had passed.
“It’s okay,” Zollin said. “They’re running now, they won’t trouble us. Let me help you.”
Ferno growled as smoke poured from the dragon’s mouth and nostrils, but it dropped its head toward Zollin. The young wizard recognized the sign as one of submission and his heart ached for the dragon. Ferno didn’t need to bow to anyone, yet it was willing to submit to Zollin, pushing down its fear and anger so that the young wizard could help. Zollin’s magic flowed across Ferno, which in turn kindled the strange magic that surrounded the dragons. Zollin let the magic flow into the net and it only took a nudge to burn the thick twine up. It smoldered for an instant, then burst into ash that was blown away by the wind.
“We don’t have much time,” Zollin said. “Can you fly?”
Ferno extended the wounded wing, but it wasn’t a grave injury. A mental image of the two of them flying together flooded Zollin’s mind.
“Good, I’ll gather some of the gold and we’ll hide the rest,” Zollin said.
He didn’t want to encourage Ferno’s addiction to the precious metal, but his own magic wouldn’t heal the dragon. Brianna could heal the dragons with fire but Zollin had no idea when he would find her, and the only other alternative was to cover the wound with gold.
“Can you dig me hole?” Zollin asked.
Ferno growled, then began to dig into the soft ground with its massive talons. Huge chunks of turf and soil flew through the air behind the dragon. All around them were bodies, some dead, others gravely injured. The ones Zollin had blasted with his magical energy were mostly unconscious, but some had been slain by the powerful magic. He felt a wave of guilt at the carnage, but he reminded himself that it wasn’t his fault. Branock had manipulated his way into the king’s confidence, and Zollin had no doubt that the evil Torr wizard had murdered King Hausey. Then Branock had taken control of Yelsia and sent the soldiers to attack him. He wasn’t certain how they had found him, but he guessed that Branock had been able to feel Zollin’s magic when he was injured.
Zollin forced himself to put his guilt and his anger aside as he concentrated on rebuilding the wagon wheel. The wood was all present, it was only a matter of gathering it, which Zollin did using a simple levitation spell, and then binding it back together in the proper shape. He didn’t take the time to make the wheel perfect, it just needed to be strong enough to roll. The horses were still trying to pull the heavy wagon and Zollin calmed them with a feeling of tranquility which he amplified with his magic and pushed into the minds of the frightened animals.
Climbing into the wagon, he was able to turn the horses around and drive them to the hole that Ferno had dug. Zollin was hit almost immediately with a sensation of worry from Ferno and a mental image of the soldiers digging the gold up.
“Don’t worry, I have an idea about that,” Zollin said.
He unhitched the horses and let them loose. Despite Zollin’s magical influence the horses didn’t like being so close to Ferno. Zollin collected a bag of gold coins and set them aside, then used his magic to push the wagon into the hole. The wagon was very heavy, but it rolled across the turf and then flipped forward, dumping the gold into the deep hole that Ferno had dug.
Zollin knew that Brianna could have melted the gold much more quickly, but his magic did the work well enough. As Ferno watched anxiously Zollin heated the gold until the metal grew soft, then became a pool of glistening liquid metal. The impurities rose to the surface, but Zollin didn’t bother to sweep it away.
“It will harden into a solid block of gold,” Zollin said. “It’s too big and too heavy to be lifted out by anyone else, even if they did find it.”
Ferno growled and nodded its big, green head, then swept the dirt back into the hole and packed it down. Zollin felt his body sag as the excitement of the fight faded. He was shaky and tired, but they needed to press on before the soldiers regrouped and returned.
“Let’s go,” Zollin said, climbing up onto Ferno’s back with the bag of gold. “I’ll see to that wing once we make camp.”
They flew southeast, avoiding the larger settlements before setting up camp a mile from a small village. Zollin took a handful of the gold crowns and put them in his coin pouch, the rest he poured out onto Ferno’s wing.
“You stay here, I’ll get supplies at the village and meet you in the morning.”
Ferno didn’t reply, but curled up and closed its large eyes, content with the gold Zollin had placed on its wing. The young wizard took his time walking to the village. The sun was setting and he was tired an
d cold. He guessed they were close to Shupor, which made him think of Roleena, the haughty noble he’d met on his one sea voyage. He still felt guilty that Roleena had lost her leg. He might have been able to save her leg, but the ship’s surgeon had already amputated it and thrown the burned portion into the sea by the time Zollin discovered her injuries. Not that Roleena had wanted his help—she hated him and blamed him for the attack.
He did his best to shake off the guilt as he came to the small village inn. It was little more than a cafe with a few spare rooms, but Zollin paid with a gold coin and was given a small feast which he devoured. His room for the night was exceedingly plain with a narrow bed and a straw mattress, but Zollin had no trouble sleeping. The next morning he bought a sack full of food: potatoes, onions, and smoked chicken, along with some bacon, salted beef, and some fruit. He also bought a bag filled with hard baked bread, a wheel of cheese, and several blankets.
There was no wine to be had in the village, but he purchased a small cask of ale. Carrying his haul back to Ferno was a chore, but when he got to the dragon he was relieved to find that Ferno’s wing was healed. Zollin took the gold and made a thick gold chain which he used to tie his supplies together with. Then he slung the chain across Ferno’s wide neck. The dragon was pleased to feel the gold on its skin and Zollin was happy to have plenty of supplies. All that was left was to fly south and find Brianna, a task that Zollin couldn’t complete fast enough.
Chapter 30
The return to Center Point went quickly. Toomis had been uncertain of his new responsibilities, but Lorik reassured him. He was young and eager to please his king, but serving as regent to Lorik and ensuring that a large section of Osla was obedient was a daunting task. Lorik explained what he expected of his young protégé.
“You don’t have to do everything yourself,” Lorik said, walking with the young soldier. “Look for capable men and put them in charge. Your main task is to spread the word about me and our new kingdom. Travel through the south, visit every significant settlement and tell them what you have seen and heard. Assure them that the outcasts will hold in the north. We want trade, not slaves. Encourage your people to send their goods to Center Point and beyond. In each season, collect the ten percent that you owe me and make sure it gets to the city. Treat your people fairly and you have nothing to fear.”
Chaos Reigning: The Five Kingdoms Book 10 Page 21
