The Dragon Sands Box Set: Books 1 - 3

by C. K. Rieke

  Lilaci let forth the fire of the Sanzoral then, it shot from her hand like a hole had just formed in The Eternal Fires themselves. Burr had to cover his eyes from the heat. It ripped forth towards the commander. It roared and screamed as the purple inferno blazed forth. Then, in a split second, the fires extinguished into a vapor with a dull hiss. Like the light of a candle being put out with wet fingers.

  Then the terror returned. As Lilaci and Burr stood there, completely unable to move their legs. Lilaci stared in Kera’s young eyes wet with fear. Lilaci could feel Gorlen approaching from behind, and she only looked longingly into Kera’s eyes. She mouthed the words, “I’m sorry,” to the young girl.

  Kera mouthed back, “It’s okay.”

  “This isn’t how things were supposed to end,” Burr said. “Another Knight of the Whiteblade is going to be lost by the gods.” His head sunk into his chest.

  Lilaci looked around, desperate for a clue as to what to do. She looked at Kera again as tears ran down her cheeks and she was fully weeping, and she fell to her knees. Then, Lilaci looked to Veranor. The child in her looked to him for some inkling of compassion, which he was devoid of. His face was stern. He showed no expression at all.

  “You shouldn’t have killed them,” he said to Lilaci, dropping the torch to his side, and drawing his sword from his scabbard. “It’s the law. It’s our law that we created to keep order. We don’t kill our own, unless, they’ve killed one of our own.”

  “We killed innocent people and took young, weak children,” she said. “What kind of world did you create with your laws?”

  “It’s sad really,” he said. “You never had a chance. You may have fooled yourself into thinking you did. You may have somehow convinced these others that they could stand up to a god, but it was all the foolishness of a young, scared girl. You were destined for greatness, Lilaci, then you pissed it all away. All for a young girl who couldn’t even lift a sword in one arm. And now it all ends. Tonight, on the night of the first Lunindor in almost sixty years. You die. The Old Serpentine Prophecies die. We’re going to take her. I’m sorry it had to end this way. I truly am. You were to be my most powerful pupil, instead, you became my greatest embarrassment. Your betrayal has scarred me deeply, and for that, I’m going to watch you suffer. By my own hand, you will breathe your last breath. Enjoy the starlight, breathe in deeply the night air. Look to the light of the moon one last time, Lilaci, for death’s cold embrace is coming for you. Your master has returned to put right what wrong you’ve done. With the light of the Six in me, I sentence you to death.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  “Now—” Veranor said with his long-curved sword firmly at his side, he held Kera by her arm in the other. “Kneel.”

  Lilaci wasn’t about to drop to her knees for him, but with the sands pulling her downward, she felt her legs would break if she continued to fight it. She soon found herself on both knees with Veranor standing directly in front of her, then he took a step to stand to her right. Is this it? Is this how I die? At the hands of my master? In his eyes I am probably his biggest failure as commander— a traitor, a deserter, and a heretic.

  “Bow your head,” he said. “I’ll make this quick.”

  Gorlen slunk around and stood at Veranor’s side. She looked pleased with a wide grin across her face, showing her white teeth. “You’re letting her get off too easy. I have a special poison for such treachery. Boils and warts form all over the body, especially on the genitals. She’ll be oozing blood and puss out of every nook and cranny that forms in her skin which will crack and break with every move she makes.” Gorlen let out a wretched laugh.

  “No,” Veranor said. “She’s still my pupil. She’s still my responsibility.”

  “I’ve told you—” She gave Veranor a wicked look. Like a long, venomous snake staring down a fat rat. “I don’t like it when you speak to me like that. I could have you spewing up blood before me on the sands with them. I don’t need any form of approval or disapproval from you.”

  “Lilaci is mine. She is my greatest accomplishment, and my greatest shame. I need to be the one to do this. Lilaci betrayed me more than anyone ever has. This is my retribution to have. This is my redemption to you and the other gods. I have to be the one to do this.”

  “You mortals are so pitiful,” she said. “So . . . Pathetic. So miserable. You only want to kill her because you enjoy the taste of her death. However, I want to enjoy the flavor as well. I live off such pain.”

  “She’s mine. That’s final.”

  “You’ve got to fight,” Burr said over to Lilaci. “We can’t let them take Kera. We’ve got to do something.”

  Gorlen’s eyes darted over to Burr, and he quickly fell to his knees from the binding sand on his legs. He looked up at her with a spiteful gaze.

  Lilaci looked over at him. I’m completely powerless with Gorlen here. I’m just like the others without the Sanzoral. I’m as helpless as Kera here and now. I feel so useless. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to Burr. “I can’t stop her.”

  Gorlen walked over to stand in front of Burr and knelt down to his level. “I see you,” she said in a hissing voice. She puckered up her red lips, and she blew a kiss to him. Only inches from his face, a dark green mist flowed out of her mouth, and it began to waft over towards him.

  “No,” Lilaci said. Kera was silent, as she was scared stiff. “Don’t do this! Leave him alone. It’s me you want.” She watched helplessly as the green mist floated towards him. His mouth was tightly shut, and he refused to breathe it in, but the Witch Queen’s magic was too strong. The green vapors forced themselves up his nostrils, and he instantly began to gag and cough. His bindings of sand faded, and he fell to his side, clutching his chest and stomach.

  “Help,” he coughed. “Help me.”

  Lilaci watched in horror as boils quickly began to form on his face and neck. Bright red bumps appeared all over his skin, and he began to scream.

  “Burr!” Kera yelled out in a voice like she was dying from the same pain. “Burr, no!”

  Gorlen took a step back, seemingly to enjoy her work.

  “Now, bow your head,” Veranor said.

  Lilaci looked down at Burr as he convulsed, his screaming had faded, and he was beginning to choke and gag on his own blood. She looked up at Kera, and she felt a pain she’d never felt before.

  Having Kera being taken from me was a worse pain than I would wish on any other. I felt like a mother having her baby taken from her bosom. Now, with no power at all, I know that I’m going to die here. With all the force of the Sanzoral, I feel as if even it knows this is the end. It’s not fighting to break free, it's not telling me to resist. Is this my fate? Was this how it was always supposed to end. Worse than anything, is the pain knowing that I let her down, again. I let down the only one I care about in this world. I love you with all of my heart Kera. May we find each other in the afterlife, where we can finally be free, and you can be happy.

  Lilaci looked up at Veranor, holding the sword firmly next to her neck. His face was cold, and his eyes dead. Then she looked at Kera, tears streaming down her face. Her silver eyes were red with panic. Lilaci had never seen her so scared, so afraid. “Lilaci,” she muttered, her voice begging for help. Yet, she seemed to know what was about to happen.

  “I’m sorry, girl,” Lilaci said. “I’ve let you down again. I just want you to know that I love you.” Lilaci began to cry. “I love you more than anything.”

  “I love you too,” Kera said, her eyes wet with tears, and her lips quivering as she said that. “I’m sorry too.”

  “Goodbye,” Lilaci said. “It’s going to be okay. It’ll be okay.”

  Lilaci lowered her head and closed her eyes. The world turned dark, and all that rolled through Lilaci’s mind was, what I couldn’t find in life, maybe I will find in death: peace.

  Veranor raised his sword up high above him, ready to send it down onto her neck.

  Then— something zipped through the air.
Lilaci grimaced, as she thought it was the sword coming down onto her, then she quickly opened her eyes to see a dagger spinning through the air, which the Witch Queen deflected away with a simple wave of her wrist. Lilaci could see she was surprised by the look in her eyes. Lilaci looked behind her to see Fewn and Roren, both with swords in their hands, emerging from the Hidden Garden behind.

  “Let her go,” Fewn spat.

  The Witch Queen seemed pleased to have more to suffer from her magic. “I don’t listen to mortals, I—”

  Lilaci looked up at Veranor, holding his sword over her, ready to send it crashing down onto her neck, when he did something surprising. He pulled Kera in close and whispered something into her ear that Lilaci couldn’t hear. Kera gave him a surprised and confused look, but then she looked at Lilaci. Her face at first was sad, but then a fire grew in her, and she frowned in hatred. She then looked over at Gorlen, the goddess standing next to her. Kera extended her free hand and wrapped her fingers around the Witch Queen’s hand.

  Gorlen shot down a shocked look at the young girl, as they stood then for a moment, hand in hand. The goddess then looked up at Veranor with what appeared to be . . . Fear.

  Veranor sent his blade roaring down, but the sword didn’t come down onto Lilaci, no, it curved around and up, finally making its way towards the Witch Queen, and lodging itself into her stomach. The sharp steel easily glided through her dress and soft skin. She looked down to find blood pouring from her stomach, and she fell to her knees. She coughed hard, and blood fell from her mouth to the sand.

  “Don’t let go of her,” Veranor said to Kera. “Whatever you do, don’t let her free. Smother her if you must.”

  Kera went and wrapped both her arms around the Witch Queen’s back. It looked as if she was almost trying to console her. Gorlen ripped the sword from her stomach, and flipping it around she shoved it into Kera, trying to kill the girl. But something happened then again, surprising the goddess— the sword couldn’t pierce the young girl’s skin. As Gorlen continued to bleed out on the sands, she tried again, and again— the sword’s tip simply bounced off her skin. She looked up at Veranor, the only expression on his face was that of retribution.

  “Die, you witch,” he said in a cold voice. She sent the blade quickly at him. As sick as she was, the blade traveled quickly, and it lodged itself firmly in his stomach, piercing through his back. Veranor roared in pain as the blade stuck completely through him, shredding his insides.

  “No, no, no!” the Witch Queen howled.

  Lilaci then felt her bindings at her feet melt away, and she felt the fire build quickly up inside her again. Her hands burst with the flames of the Sanzoral. She stood before the Witch Queen, with Kera holding tightly onto her back.

  “Thank you for your gift,” Lilaci said. “Would you like it back?”

  Gorlen looked up at her, her eyes as red as her blood dripping to the sands. Her skin was weathered and wrinkled, and at that moment the Witch Queen showed her real age. She was now a decrepit old woman. “You can’t kill me,” she hissed. “I’m immortal, I can’t die. I’ve lived a thousand lifetimes. I—”

  “You,” Lilaci interrupted, “are going to die. You’re going to die alone and scared, just as so many you’ve killed before. What once was divine and corrupt, let the fires purify. Gorlen, the Witch Queen of the Six . . . I sentence you to death.”

  “No!” the Witch Queen howled.

  Lilaci then sent forth the full power of the flames of the Sanzoral. Its heat ripped into every part of the goddess. It flowed into her mouth and eyes and shot out her fingertips. She was soon enveloped in an inferno. The fires were so violent, Kera was fully engulfed too. As the Witch Queen screamed and moaned in pain, Kera was silent, only holding onto the goddess.

  The screaming died down, and the goddess’ body fell limp to the sands, blackened and burned.

  Fewn ran over and wrapped her arms around Kera. “It’s okay,” she said. “You can let go now. Kera, it’s okay now. You can let go.”

  Untouched by the fire, Kera slowly released the burned corpse, and Lilaci looked into Fewn’s eyes. “You did it,” Fewn said.

  Lilaci then looked over at Veranor, still standing with the sword lodged through his abdomen. Lilaci didn’t know what to say to him, so she said nothing.

  “He—” Kera said. “He told me to grab onto her hand. So I did.”

  “Thank you, Commander,” Fewn said, her voice full of respect.

  Veranor nodded, even low enough to hide his eyes, not at all normal of the commander. He didn’t lift his head again, instead, he fell to his side, and blood spilled from his abdomen.

  “Burr!” Roren said as he rushed to his side. Burr was incoherent, rambling in words they couldn’t recognize. “He’s dying, we’ve got to get him to the fountain. Fewn, give me a hand. Fewn rushed over and grabbed him by his other arm and the two began to drag him back towards the Hidden Garden. “Hurry, he’s not got long. Hold on Burr, hold on Demetrius!”

  Lilaci stood there in front of Kera, the light of the Sanzoral had diminished. “We did it,” Kera said. “We did it Lilaci.”

  Lilaci then looked over at Veranor, as he wheezed and coughed up more blood. Again, she had no idea what to say to him, so she said nothing.

  Veranor gave her up the making of a small smile. “They— they were going to give me a surname, you know.” He coughed up another spat of blood.

  Lilaci paused, then she went and dropped to a knee to look into his eyes. “Did you ask what it was?”

  A full smile crept across his face. “Seph— Sepherophinos. That was to be my name. I was going to become somebody, somebody of importance.”

  She looked down on him with pity for the first time in her life. Here, before me dying, is the man who manipulated me more than anyone ever did. When I was young, I looked up to him as a father figure, then later, he was my mentor, my leader. Then, when I was fully under his spell, I was more like a servant, a toy of his, and I looked at him as some form of wicked lover. Terrible in his ways, and full of lust for power. Under his command, I was taken from my family, and they were slaughtered in cold blood on the sands when I was just a girl. I was only a girl. Now, here he is, looking death in the eyes. He killed her, he killed the goddess, Gorlen. That took a great deal of courage— of fearlessness.

  “That was brave,” she said. “What you did. Thank you, commander.”

  He looked up at her again, his eyes seeming old, and a tear rolled out of the corner of his eye. “If I’m to die here today, you’re the only one I’d want by my side.” Even with all the things he’s done to me, I can’t help but feel pity for him. Even with all the evil in him, all of the evil wrought in every one of the Scaethers, here he lies, dying. He gave up everything to help us . . . to save us. Perhaps there is good in him.

  “You know, I hate you for what you did to me,” she said.

  “I know, and you have every right to,” he said. “I did what I did to make you strong, strong enough to stand here now, unscathed, with a dead god at your feet. I went too far, and for that I am sorry, Lilaci. That has always been my biggest weakness, my biggest regret, my thirst for power.”

  Lilaci didn’t respond. Instead, Kera walked over to her side, and pulled at the side of her pants. “Lilaci, we could save him. There’s still time. If you want to save his life, we could, but we would have to hurry.”

  She looked at Kera with a feeling of shock. “You know he’s the one who sent those Scaethers out after you your whole life. He’s the one who sent them to kill my parents. And you talk about saving his life?”

  “It’s not my decision to make,” Kera said. “The choice is yours. I won’t judge you either way, and I understand if you want him to die. I’ll even stand here with you. But, it is up to you, if he lives or dies.”

  She stood there watching him, as the pool of blood grew wider, and he coughed, and his already pale face was beginning to grow paler still.

  Minutes ago, this thought would never be
going through my head. I would’ve done anything to cut him down, instead of the opposite about to happen. I wanted to rip his heart out as he held Kera hostage, and the goddess was killing Burr. Now, so much has changed. Look at him now, pathetic and weak like I’ve never seen him. Why would I save him? Why wouldn’t I let him die as he deserves? But— if I were to let him live, the gods would never forgive him. In fact, they surely want his head more than even mine or Kera’s. He could be a distraction for their gaze, and when he is healthy, he is strong. What am I thinking? Of course I should let him die. It’s what he deserves for all the death he’s caused.

  “You need to make a decision,” Kera said. “Whatever it is. He doesn’t have much longer.”

  “L— Lilaci,” he said. “If you decide to spare my life. I’ll promise to protect her. I’ve seen what the gods are. I know they are corrupt. I’ll give my life for the Dragon’s Breath. I can help you. If you would just give me the chance. I don’t deserve it, after what I’ve done. But I can help. I can help Kera fulfill her prophecy.”

  “What are you going to do, Lilaci?” Kera asked. “Is this how it ends?”

  Lilaci looked down at Kera, then over at Veranor. Lilaci sighed, letting out an angry breath. “Fine. Help me carry him.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  They left a long trail of dark blood on the sands that looked black in the moonlight. The commander was tough, not letting out a single yell of pain as they dragged him towards the Hidden Garden. Kera and Lilaci didn’t speak, as much was probably going through the young girl’s head. Lilaci was already second-guessing her decision.

  “Thank—” Veranor started.

  “No,” Lilaci interjected with a harsh tone. “I don’t want to hear your voice.”

  He submitted to the silence then.

  Step by step they trudged on, closer to the garden. To their right was a dark pool, as they got closer Lilaci deduced it was another bodily fluid of Burr.