Drakonika (Book 1)

by Andrea Závodská

  “Police? Wait, where are you going? The only way out is here!” Magnus cried, but like everything about this evening, he had a feeling they knew something more. And they did.

  “There is a teleport in the dungeon behind this wall.” Zimbadur said swiftly.

  “What? How do you want to get through the wall?” As Magnus said that, Zim was already pushing against the wall, opening a secret door with a muffled sound.

  “Come on, get in.” Zimbadur whispered, waving his arm wildly to stress the seriousness of the situation.

  Want or not, Magnus was forced to step into the freezing water; and he started shaking immediately. He rushed through the flooded ground and slipped into the damp dungeon though the opened secret door. But the dark corridor felt in no way any warmer.

  Zim and Valezar followed him inside, carefully pushing the door back into one level with the wall.

  “What's a teleport?” Magnus asked, as they hurried together along the corridor.

  Zimbadur leaned to Valezar again. “We will have to teach him a lot of things,” he whispered, casting Magnus a furtive glance over the shoulder.

  Valezar only let out a muffled snigger as an answer.

  They took the first turn on the left; then descended another slippery staircase even deeper into the ground and rushed towards a strange circle of stones inscribed with characters of odd shapes, which looked like some sort of runes.

  “What-” Magnus said, but before he could formulate his question, Zimbadur and Valezar had pulled him into the circle with them; and as they stepped inside, the runes coruscated and cast a soft blue light on Magnus, Zimbadur and Valear; and within a few seconds, both the lights and the visitors vanished.

  Just like Maren, Fjalldís could not sleep that night either. She let Belinda and Aurora get upstairs, while she continued mourning over the torn picture by the candlelit table downstairs. She was just wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her white blouse, when she saw something weird move over the book.

  She gave a terrified yelp. “For heaven's sake, don't do that! You almost scared me to death!” she chided in a shaking voice, as the little dragon finally stopped mimicking the surroundings.

  “You shouldn't linger on the things that are gone,” the lizard said, his tail regaining the its green colour. “You can't change what happened in the past, but you can change what will happen in the future... by living in the present time.” He gathered the picture scraps with his small claws.

  “What are you doing?” Fjalldís said, and the tone in which she asked this question suggested that she considered it something ridiculous.

  “Collecting the pieces of past. We need to burn them, otherwise you will keep mourning over them.” The dragon mumbled, as he jumped off the table desk and dashed to the lit fireplace.

  “Oh no, wait! That's my favourite picture!” Fjalldís squaled, as she rushed from the table towards the fireplace, but when she heard the lizard speak again, she came into a staggering halt.

  “Torn favourite picture, we need to get rid of it. Broken things bring sadness and bad luck.” The dragon said over his tiny shoulder, then tossed the scraps of paper into the fire without hesitation.

  There was a moment of silence, in which both of them gazed at the torn pieces of Fjalldís' favourite picture burning to ashes, her and Magnus' face vanishing in its black remnants.

  “You know what?” Fjalldís said silently. “That actually does feel quite good.” When the lizard rounded back on her, there was a gentle smile on her face. “But why didn't you burn it with your own fire? You're a dragon, aren't you?” She asked in a slightly doubtful tone. “Why bother coming to the fireplace...”

  “Ehehm...” The dragon gave a fake cough to act he could not hear that question. “So, tell me... Does your friend... Magnus... really want to get that amulet back?” He said carefully, as he made a long jump with his elegant lizard legs back onto the table. But his voice sounded rather dark when he uttered Magnus' name.

  “Are you kidding?” Fjalldís said. “He wants to find that amulet more than anything else, before he... before he turns into a real dragon! If you know where it is, please, tell us where to find it!” She implied desperately.

  “Hmm... if that's true, I could help you out... and if I were you, I'd start looking in the Ragnan Mages Guild. And right now, if you will,” the dragon said, but then he found himself immediately stuffed in a fabric backpack.

  “Don't you make any sounds!” Fjalldís yelled, as she slipped her shoes on her feet and the pack on her back, swung the door open and scooted off into the street. The air felt fresh and cool, as the nights were growing colder. She quickly strode to Magnus' house and slammed on the door impatiently, and although she was not sure that somebody would open at this hour, there was Elmar and Lars standing in the doorstep before her just a few moments later. But the news she had learned from them were quite shocking.

  She hurtled to Maren's house, and with Elmar and Lars still watching her from the entrance of their house, she knocked on the door. “Maren!” She cried, although she knew she would wake her other house mates as well; and then again, maybe all of the novices anyway. Everything happened so suddenly, she could not even believe what she was doing.

  Shortly, Maren opened the door downstairs, but then Fjalldís noticed also other novices curiously peeking out from their windows, some of them even lighting candles and lanterns. “Dress up, we don't have much time! Magnus has left with Valezar and Zimbadur,” Fjalldís breathed indignantly.

  “I know! I saw them leaving from my window,” Maren said, sounding rather scared. “What... what if they are going to do something silly? Oh Fjalldís... What do we do?” She stuttered desperately.

  As an answer, Fjalldís grabbed a coat from the hanger at the wall and forced it on Maren's chest. “We need to leave, now!” As she said that, she suddenly felt fierce breathing above her head.

  Both girls felt their blood freeze.

  “Did you think you wouldn't wake me with all that terrible racket?” Aedan barked. But he did not have any time to scold them; there were other sounds nearing them, coming rapidly up the lane... they were sounds of wheels and horses galloping on the stone pavement.

  As the cart lit with a few lanterns emerged from the darkness and stopped in the middle of the street, they could finally see who had paid them a visit. The general of the Magi police himself.

  Xanthar let go of the reins and briskly climbed off his cart, strolling past the four horses richly dressed in red and golden expensive fabrics. “Good evening...” He said grimly, although everyone knew already that his presence would not bring cheer or merry making of any kind. “I've been told that an ancient artefact has been stolen from this town; a very serious crime... I would like to search all these houses, please get everybody out.” he said firmly.

  Aedan was surprised by his visit just as all of his novices. He obviously did not have a clue about any ancient artefacts hidden in Sinei, neither he knew how would Xanthar learn about it; but then again, the citadel was ancient enough, perhaps he referred to one of its secret chambers. Aedan decided to wake his novices and call them out, so that Xanthar could search the houses, although he simply did not believe any of those kids could have had stolen a hidden artefact.

  As soon as the novices gathered around Aedan, trembling from cold, Xanthar surveyed them with his investigative eyes. “Two of them are missing.” He commented bitterly. “Magnus...”

  “... and Viktor.” Aedan said, looking quite shocked. “Does anyone know where they are?” He glanced sideways to see their faces, but nobody dared to speak. There was not a word about Magnus, but Darius decided to tell them about Victor.

  “We broke up with Victor today. He hasn't returned until now, I think he left the guild for good...” He said carefully, when he felt general's suspicious gaze on him.

  “Hm... They might have taken it with them, but I need to check their houses as well. Show me where the two missing boys live.” He said, and althoug
h he meant only for one or two to go with him, all of the Novices shuffled around, along with Aedan in the back.

  “This is where Magnus lives, and that's where Victor lives,” Elmar said in a shaking voice, as he pointed his finger at the two houses. And the general decided to check Victor's first.

  Nothing was happening for a while, and that silence was quite painful; they could only hear some muffled sounds, as Xanthar was looking into each closet, every drawer, under the beds and pillows, in the fireplace, and just anywhere he thought an artefact could be hidden at. Shortly, he had returned; with his right hand hidden under the long coat he was wearing.

  “Who sleeps by the second window on the left?” Xanthar said in a very stern voice. Apparently, he had found something.

  A single hand arose from the little crowd. “I do,” Darius said, sounding rather scared. And his feelings were well-founded.

  “Then perhaps you could explain why you had a magickal crystal ball hidden in one of your drawers...” Xanthar said, as he pulled his coat aside and unveiled a clear crystal ball lain in the firm grip of his right palm.

  There was an outbreak of shocked muttering.

  Darius gasped. “I... I have no idea how it got there, I swear!” He stammered in fear, but that was not going to persuade Xanthar about his innocence.

  “Really...?” Xanthar said in a highly doubtful tone.

  “I didn't... I didn't take it...” Darius shook his head indignantly. “I was never outside at night, except....” he paused for a while, when he realized the word except which slipped out of his mouth. Everyone was listening; there was no way he could hide anything now. It was time to talk. “Except that night when we all went out. We wanted to see the crystal ball, Magnus had found it first...”

  Xanthar gave him a piercing look. “So you do admit that you came into contact with the crystal ball...” he said suspiciously.

  “Well, yes... but I didn't take it! I had a divination, and then I left... one of the others must have taken it... in fact, I bet it was Victor!” Darius defended himself.

  “Oh, of course.” Xanthar said in the tone of fake belief.

  “It wasn't him!” A girl's voice echoed in the darkness. Fjalldís strolled past the novices and despite what Darius had done to her that afternoon, she stood next to him. However, it was not to defend Darius; she did it do defend the truth. “I was with him that night, he didn't have any crystal ball with him.” She said swiftly.

  Another moment of silence was broken by Xanthar's stern voice. “And were you two together all night?” He said and gave her an investigative look.

  Fjalldís felt he was watching every blink of her eye, every quiver of her nostrils, every rising of her chest, just to see if she was not lying. “No...” She said silently, as she felt her face turn red.

  “Then how can you know if he had not taken it before?” Xanthar said. “I am sorry, but I'll have to take him away...”

  Darius had never felt more fear in his life. Even the scary divination was nothing compared to this.

  “Why don't you just ask the ball to see what really happened,” Fjalldís stopped Xanthar quickly, because she saw he was about to grab Darius' arm. “Ask the ball...” She repeated.

  Xanthar paused for a while, glancing from Darius to Fjalldís. “All right then. I shall ask the ball.” He decided.

  There was a moment of silence, in which everyone present hoped to hear that Darius had not done it, while Xanthar was gazing into the ball.

  The general looked up, his expression clearing. “He's guilty.” He said simply, grabbed Darius by his jacket and dragged him harshly to his cart.

  “No! I didn't! I swear I didn't! Let me go!” Darius cried, as he was squirming and trying to slip from Xanthar's firm grip. “I'm innocent! Let go of me!”

  “You're wrong! He did not take it! You are the general of the Magi police, you must know that!” Fjalldís bellowed from the top of her lungs, but nothing could make Xanthar release the boy. She clapped her hand to her mouth, as she was watching the dramatic scene in horror.

  “That won't work!” Maren whispered. She used the moment of Aedan's total shock and she quickly took Fjalldís, Elmar and Lars aside. “Listen, I've been experiencing with the belt from Magnus... it can cast a strong invisibility spell, undetectable! We'll get into one of those vans on Xanthar's cart and that will get us to Ragna in no time. Let's do it!” She said, and before her friends could object, they all vanished from each other's sight.

  “Maren? Are you.. are you here?” Lars whispered in fear, then looked at the back of his hand, but he saw nothing. He gave a terrified yelp.

  “Yes, I am here, silly!” Maren said silently. “Now move it! Get into the carriage!” She said and she sped off towards the cart herself, hoping the others were following her, as she was unable to check them now.

  When they came to the cart, the ball was already hidden somewhere, and so were Darius. Their senses were telling them he would be in one of those vans carried by the cart, but strangely, he was not screaming, nor he was moving. The four of them did not even want to know what Xanthar did to him while they were not watching.

  “Is this really necessary?” Aedan yelled. “I mean... he's just ten years old, even if he did it, there's no need for such drastic solutions, is there?” But there was no answer to his question; the horses started moving and the cart turned slowly, letting Maren, Fjalldís, Elmar and Lars hop into the left van in the last second.

  Magnus was sitting in a comfortable armchair by the candlelight, hearing the soothing sounds of cracking wood burning in the fireplace behind him. Normally, he would consider this a perfect moment; if he was not taken from his house in the middle of the night without any explanation, if he had not travelled through that strange teleport thing, which shifted them magickally to the Mages Guild within seconds, and if he did not feel so anxious and strange about this whole matter. He felt they were waiting for something... but what exactly was that?

  “May I know what's going on?” Magnus said impatiently, when suddenly Solas bounded in, looking slightly dishevelled from, apparently, a long sprint.

  “Solas!” Zimbadur said happily, ignoring Magnus' question as he gave the old mage a warm embrace. “It's so good to see you again...” He said with a caring smile.

  Solas chuckled hoarsely. “It is good to see you as well,” he said excitedly. Valezar greeted him gladly too.

  Magnus gaped at them with bulged eyes, leaning slightly forwards from the armchair. “I... I thought you two hated each other...? I mean... both of... you two,” he said, looking bewildered. Everything seemed to be turned upside-down that night.

  “Oh, yes... good to see you too, Magnus.” Solas said, as he gave him a short glance; and to Magnus' astonishment, there was no scorn in it. Then he pulled a huge black tome from under his robes, and in one spiralling moment, it seemed to hit Magnus; the Book of the Black Prince! But what he heard in the next moment made him literally jump from the armchair to his feet.

  “So, is everyone finally here?” A boys voice rolled, coming from the dark corridor in front of the social room where Magnus was staring at the three mages, who seemed to be so miraculously happy seeing each other. Shortly after that, Viktor emerged in the doorstep.

  “Viktor??” Magnus said, sounding utterly dazed.

  “Magnus... nice to see you here, away from those losers at last,” Viktor said, a malicious sneer appearing on his face. “It was so easy to find an excuse to get rid of them, I tell you!” He scoffed, then he broke into a sinister laughter along with Zimbadur and Valezar.

  Magnus did not know where to look first; he had never heard those two laugh in such a way.

  “Never mind, soon they'll be history... so, are you ready?” Viktor asked excitedly.

  “Ready for what?” Magnus said in a highly confused tone. He attempted to read Viktor's mind, but for some reason, he was unable to do it. Feeling a searing stitch in the temples, his eyes slid down to a strange, ancient looking ring on
one of Viktor's fingers. He sensed it was a magickal item, and a very powerful one, that protected his mind from being read and surely gave him many more special abilities.

  “For the gate opening, of course...!” Viktor said disbelievingly and glanced sideways at Zimbadur and Valezar. “Are you sure he's ready? He was supposed to be all awaken by now!” he bellowed fiercely.

  “Well, he was...-” Zimbadur said, but he was cut off before he could say another word.

  “He doesn't remember anything!” Viktor yelled savagely.

  “He'll be fine...” Valezar assured him, as though he was afraid of a little boy.

  “All right...” Viktor snarled, then turned back on Magnus. “You're my brother.” He said grimly.

  Magnus felt his heart pierced. He did not know what was worse; the words that Viktor had uttered, or the matter-of-fact tone in which he said them. Before he could even recover, Viktor decided to continue.

  “Dragons exist, Magnus... I mean, I'm sure you have noticed, you're one of them... but you're not like the others. You were raised far away from the Dragon Empire. They have something, the dragons... an ancient artefact. It's the king of artefacts, called The Zirag. Most amazing, most powerful, most sought after... It is said it has the power to make miracles, and make every wish come true.” Viktor said in a mystified tone, his voice lowered almost to a whisper. “Our father is a mighty Warlock. He promised that if we help him acquire the artefact, we will get everything we ever wished for... Can you imagine that?” He said heatedly. “Everything...”

  Magnus looked stunned. “But... I already have everything I could wish for...” He said finally. “I have a home, I study in a guild, I have fun and friends...” When he thought of his friends and the scary dragon transformation, he decided to add one thing. “Actually, I'd like my amulet back... that's what I would wish for.”

  Viktor only scowled more. “The loss of your amulet was planned; you can't wish to have it back! It was merely a tool to safely lead you here.” He said, hoping he would refresh Magnus' memory a little. “If you didn't look like a human and if you did remember everything about yourself you would most probably...” All of a sudden, Viktor fell silent, a note of fear in his expression. Could it be that... even Viktor was afraid of Magnus' true nature? They both looked pale, as though none of them could believe it.