by L. L. McNeil
They enhanced his power?’
Moroda felt her skin redden, and cast her eyes to the floor, unwilling to add her part to the conversation. A feeling of dread began to well in the pit of her stomach. Aciel’s words sickened her and yet no-one else seemed bothered. Were they succumbing to his compulsion? Was she able to fight it without realising?
Topeko sighed and turned to face the others. ‘If one dragon burned Niversai to the ground in a single night, think how Linaria would fare if a hundred dragons laid siege to our world? This is a fate more deadly than the Arillian you fear. You told me you wished to understand the history of Berel and more of these dragon stones, so please, do come with me.
Topeko’s warning could not be ignored, and Moroda worried about the destruction the dragons could bring to the world if they had mind to. She certainly wanted to learn more—as much as she could.
Topeko opened the door to the city. ‘Shall we?’
Amarah followed the scholar closely, still chewing on her flat bread, oil dripping down her hand. Intrigued, Moroda followed her lead, with Eryn and the others close behind. As she exited the building, she turned back to look at the table, and saw Sapora skulking out of the dark hallway to follow them. She held the door open as he approached, dropping her gaze on reflex. When she glanced up, he was in line with the others, though she hadn’t heard or felt him speed up.
If Moroda had thought Berel beautiful at night, it was staggering in the day. The cloudless sky above was a bright, rich blue, and the streets were a sandy yellow, soft in sunlight. The archways and bridges were brought to life by the same rich, green vines she had seen the previous evening, but the torch brackets were now empty.
Moroda had many questions she desperately wanted to ask, but unwilling to be seen as too forward or naïve, she remained quiet, relying on Topeko to answer her questions naturally as he spoke.
She kept beside Eryn and Kohl, and found herself looking at Kohl’s reaction to the scenery more than the scenery itself. He looked pained as he reached to touch the desert ivy which grew up many of the sandy buildings, never quite touching anything but longing to understand something he seemed afraid to ask.
‘You may know Berel is divided into two halves—the old and new towns.’ Topeko said, leading them through the streets and grabbing Moroda’s attention again. Other Samolen going about their business took little notice of the group, and those who did were nothing but friendly. One or two inclined their heads slightly in a shallow bow, which Moroda was sure to return. They seemed used to visitors touring their old city, and she wondered how many thousands of people had walked these same streets and learned what they could of Linaria’s past.
The scents of lavender and cinnamon ran through the streets, but no music played. She was a little disappointed—she had been looking forward to seeing and hearing more of their magic, but was careful not to let her disappointment show. Her mind wandered to Aciel and his compulsion, to the other dragons and their powers being taken, and what it meant for Linaria. With Niversai burned, she was certainly in no rush to return.
‘We are in the new town,’ Topeko continued, waving his arms to showcase their surroundings. ‘Built over 600 years ago, it has been slowly expanding ever since we laid the first stone down. Each archway signifies a new section—you’ll notice the further we walk, the older they appear, with cracked and faded brickwork, as we go towards the old town.
The old town is the very centre of Berel, in the middle of the lake, with the new town built around it as it expanded. The two are connected by one narrow bridge, as you can see,’ he explained.
Moroda stopped and inspected the architecture around her. She ran her hands over the wall of one archway, she felt how coarse the material was—roughly hewn slabs of sandy brick carved straight from the desert. It had a sort of beauty to it, with its uneven edges and lack of symmetry.
‘The old town houses the university, the altar where the dragon stones sit, and is surrounded by the lake, as well as our pillar defences… everything Berel is known for. It is our job to protect the wisdom of Linaria here, to teach it to our children and those who wish to learn, but above all, it is the job of the Samolen to maintain peace.’ Topeko came to a stop at the bridge. It was marked by a huge archway and flanked by wide pillars on either side. Moroda studied the pillars and archway both, taking in the details of stone dragons carved into them, their wings half-folded, tails wrapping around the pillars before coming to rest on the ground.
She saw Amarah peering past where they stood, trying to look at the enormous stones embedded in the ground on the other side of the bridge—the island of the old town. Moroda recalled what the sky pirate had said of the size of the stones back in Corhaven, and she felt her heart flutter with sudden excitement.
‘They say in ancient times, when Rhea created Linaria, she drew the first dragons from the sands Berel was built on, and then she drew the people.’ Topeko said. ‘They nested here, side-by-side, and the people grew in numbers very rapidly in this beautiful, fertile place. Soon, all of Linaria was covered with people, who spread across the land and sea, outnumbering dragons a hundred thousand to one. The country of Ranski was overwhelmed; we farmed and fished and hunted the land until nothing remained. We claimed dominion over the land and slaughtered those who got in our way. This angered the dragons, who had brought them life, and they turned furiously on Linaria, burning the earth with their breath and turning everything to dust, thusly destroying the first people.
Once Ranski was bereft of life, they stopped, their rage over. In time, the Samolen nomads returned to this sacred, yet violent place, and made it the centre of peace and prosperity, settling here, by the very source of all magic—the lake—and building Berel. Legends read the dragons will one day reduce all of Linaria to ash and sand; from dragon-flame begun, from dragon-flame undone.’
‘Why would they? We’ve not done anything to hurt Linaria, have we?’ Eryn asked.
‘That is for the dragons to decide,’ Topeko sighed. ‘There is more to see in the old town. Perhaps more of your questions will be answered there,’ his cheek jewels pulsed with colour as he led them across.
‘The lake is below us,’ he said, as the party grouped to the edge of the stone bridge to look into the blue depths below. ‘It carries no life, no fish or plants, but it is immeasurably important to Linaria, and the Samolen. It is the root of... the deepest of our magic, its very essence.
I have shown many people my beautiful city over the years, but I am always overwhelmed when I reach this point. Words… cannot describe,’ he shook his head. ‘It is Rhea’s breath, it is the source of all Linaria’s energy and life, and it is the very blood of our world.’
‘Very fascinating, Topeko,’ Amarah huffed. ‘Let’s get to the actual source of power—those huge dragon stones!’
The scholar ignored Amarah’s outburst and remained still and silent, looking to the lake as though seeing it for the very first time.
Moroda looked down on the blue waters with fascination and awe—her eyes grew wide and goose bumps rose along her arms at his words. She glanced up at the scholar and watched as his cheek jewels shone in the sunlight. ‘Topeko? The jewels you have, is that… are those from this water too?’ she asked.
‘You are most perceptive, Moroda,’ he smiled. ‘Yes, the water is the source of all magic in Linaria, and we Samolen have condensed it into small jewels of power which we can call upon as we need,’ he said, raising one hand to his jewels. ‘It is as much a part of every Samolen as one’s hands or feet.’
‘How do you do that?’ Eryn asked, also studying the jewels in Topeko’s face.
‘Who cares about your damned face! I want to know about these dragons and how to avoid going up in smoke when the next one turns on my ship!’ Amarah demanded, folding her arms and walking ahead of the others.
Embarrassed by Amarah’s brusque approach, Moroda apologised, ‘I’m sorry about her.’
‘I know Amarah and her ways quite wel
l, I take no offense,’ Topeko reassured them. ‘It is a sore subject for her, I think.’
‘A sore subject?’ Palom interjected, having been listening quietly up until Amarah’s outburst. ‘How?’
‘I do not think it my place to speak for her—but you wished to know more of our jewels. Come. I will show you in the old town,’ the Samolen chuckled, continuing along the bridge after Amarah.
Moroda’s eyes lit up as she saw through the archway to the five dragon stones stood on a raised altar. They were almost eight feet tall and shone in the bright sunlight.
‘You do know the real treasure when you see it.’ Topeko’s face lit up in a bright smile.
Moroda’s cheeks heated, but she carried on through the archway and into the old town, joining Amarah who stood beneath the stones with a scowl on her face.
Kohl took to the wing as they arrived, sending out a chill breeze and raising dust from the ground. He perched on the archway by the bridge and crouched down, feathers rustling as he admired the stones from above.
Moroda couldn’t help but smile, though Eryn scowled at the sudden behaviour.
‘This is the university’s central courtyard—in fact most of the old town is part of the university—and these stones are from very old, very powerful dragons, willingly sacrificed,’ Topeko explained, looking up at the stones as he spoke. ‘They were given to those who would not use their immeasurable power for destruction. It is why the Samolen do not partake in war and do not take sides in conflict. We are above all political involvement and we are all bound to this pledge.’
‘Not to be used for destruction?’ Sapora asked. ‘What about your ability to create fire? Seems pretty destructive to me.’
Topeko shook his head, ‘We are capable of creating fire, water, weapons, yes, but not for war. Though permitted, our magic is strictly regulated.’ The Samolen returned his attention to the huge stones, ‘The last ancient dragon, a rare type called Sevastos, died and gave its stone long before the war, around 500 years ago. No Sevastos have been seen since, so they are thought by most to be gone. We only have the younger dragons now—ones as old as these haven’t been seen in our lifetime.’ He touched the stone nearest him with his palm and looked up at it. ‘Throughout the world’s history, only five Sevastos have willingly sacrificed themselves to Linarians, and we hold their stones here.’
‘So these stones are the source of your magic?’ Eryn asked, echoing what Topeko had mentioned earlier.
‘Not the source—that’s the lake—but they do enhance it immeasurably,’ Topeko replied. ‘These stones power our city, and strengthen our own magic, which comes directly from the lake.’ With a wave of his hand, the torch mounted at the top of the archway burst into flame. A matching wave later, and a new flame appeared on the torch set to the left of the first.
‘How do you do that?’ Moroda asked, stunned at seeing the magic so close up.
‘It’s just energy,’ Topeko replied. ‘It is the simplest of all magic, our children learn this technique. I am moving the energy from here,’ he gestured, ‘to here. No more. Anyone can learn to do this, not just the Samolen. Everyone has innate magic. We are all of Rhea’s creation.’
Amarah snorted in response.
‘There are very few who do not,’ Topeko coughed. ‘Arillians, for example. They have another type of magic in them, a far more destructive one, giving them power and flight. But the source of all magic, all power in Linaria, is the dragons, and that comes from the lake here.’
‘How so?’ Morgen asked, curiosity piqued now talk had turned to dragons, the very thing which had triggered their journey to Berel.
‘The heart-stone, the dragon’s jewel, the soul, the crystal… it has a thousand names. It is the source of their fire, first and foremost.’
‘I thought they were just beasts?’ Palom questioned, his eyes resting on the tall stones set into the ground.
‘Oh, they are. In the same way we are. But as descendants of Rhea’s children, as gods in Linaria, their stone is their heart and soul and strength. It is this which gives them fire. Here in Berel, we have no need of engines for power, we use our own stones.’ He gestured to his cheeks, where his three small gems protruded. ‘But we have to take the water from the lake and condense it into our jewels to harness this strength. The dragons are born with this power already within them. It is innate. This is why many people have come to revere them as Gods, and Rhea, the oldest and most powerful of all dragons, the strongest Sevastos to have ever lived, as the Goddess, the creator of Linaria.’
Topeko closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before continuing. ‘This Arillian, whose strength grows every day...I cannot see how his plan will work. Collecting the stones of drakes and dragons is all well and good, but he will turn them against his forces and bring their wrath to Linaria. This will not be so much a war of Aciel and his followers against the people of Linaria, I fear. It will be Arillians against the dragons… and, perhaps, the dragons will cast their flames on the remaining people and burn them all, reducing Linaria to nothing. If Aciel continues, this will surely be Linaria’s fate.’
‘Is that truly the source of Aciel’s strength?’ Palom questioned, ‘slaying dragons and seizing their power?’
‘I believe so,’ Topeko said. ‘As a scholar, it is my duty to learn all I can of this world, and all those who inhabit it. While I cannot claim to understand everything, I understand balance, and I understand dragons. Aciel has ruined the balance in favour of selfishly boosting his own power. It cannot continue.’
‘But, how do we stop him?’ Anahrik asked. ‘His followers grow every day.’
Topeko sighed, a little sparkle leaving his jewels. ‘I wish I knew. Many of his followers are under his compulsion—perhaps if there was some way to lessen his power, his hold on his army would weaken and they’d break away? I don’t know if there is a way. He seeks revenge for how Arillians were treated, for their losses in the war, their suffering. Perhaps it is time Linaria was cleansed of all the hate that has grown in its people.’
‘The war is past. Arillians know they cannot stand against us a second time, we will crush them again, before the dragons even think about turning on Linaria,’ Palom growled.
‘But Palom, they’re already turning! Look what happened to Niversai!’ Morgen replied.
‘No, it was under compulsion and did not act on its own,’ Topeko countered. ‘There is still time, yes, but how much is hard to say. But this Arillian…His people have been mistreated for generations, and he seeks to right the wrongs inflicted by the rest of the world.’
Amarah scoffed again. ‘Plenty of people have been mistreated—you see them building an army and trying to burn down half the world? Damn coward. I bet he’d lose in single combat, that’s why he’s hiding behind all these people who don’t even want to follow him!’
‘Amarah…’ Topeko sighed.
‘No, I’ve had enough of being pushed around. I do what I want. Always have done. Yes, I help myself to pickings, but I don’t kill for fun like that snake.’ She glared at Sapora. ‘If anything, you should get your subjects to take on this Arillian. Destroy each other. That’d do a world of good and rid Linaria of both you vermin.’
‘Watch your tongue, thief.’ Sapora took a step towards her.
‘Ro, what are we going to do?’ Eryn asked.
‘Well, what can we do?’ Morgen said. ‘We need to stop this Arillian. And avoid any dragons, too,’ he added.
‘This Arillian… He may be weak alone. What Amarah says may be true,’ Palom added.
‘Exactly.’ The sky pirate agreed.
‘You’re not going to fight him alone, Palom?’ Anahrik asked. ‘I thought you just wanted to get back to Val Sharis?’
‘Yes, I do. But there may be no Val Sharis left if he continues his rampage. Our cities can fall as easily as Niversai.’
‘So there’s no way of stopping his takeover?’ Moroda asked, defeated.
‘I do not know,’ Topeko said.
‘Perhaps you should seek wisdom and enlist the help of an old dragon, one who may become Sevastos in years to come. Reach it before Aciel. His power greatens with each passing moment, and it will not be long before Linaria will truly be at war. But with key figureheads under compulsion, or left with small armies, it may be a short takeover.’
‘An old dragon?’ Moroda asked.
‘There are many dragons in Val Sharis. Aciel has not yet touched my homeland. I would know if he had.’ Palom’s voice deepened into a growl. ‘If these old dragons, or even Sevastos, still live…there is where we will find them.’
‘I agree,’ Sapora said. ‘The time of my birth approaches, and with winter, I shall ascend the throne of my own people.
Returning across the Sea of Nami is the best next step.’
‘Then it is decided. Amarah, I will ensure your ship is repaired as swiftly as possible. In the meantime, you should rest and resupply before your journey across the ocean.’ Topeko said.
‘What if I don’t want to fly you all there?’ she folded her arms. ‘Why should I risk Khanna or myself again hunting for these bloody beasts? You saw what the last one did to my ship, and apparently that was a young one!’
‘Where else would you go?’ Topeko asked gently. ‘You told me you wished to cross the ocean and find a new crew. Why not take this group with you? Surely they can be of use on the ship?’
‘A clean ship does not clothe, feed or arm me.’
‘Then I shall pay on arrival to Taban Yul,’ Sapora hissed. ‘My sister, the princess, will have enough crowns for even your thirst, I think.’
Amarah glared at the Varkain. ‘Food will be needed also, and weapons, and travelling gear.’
