Dragon's Blood

by Jason J. Nugent

  “Your ambition will serve you well, Kull. Tregaron is blessed to have you.”

  The novice carefully collected the rye, scooping it into the sack.

  “Make sure he gets something to drink. The boy looks parched.”

  Magus Utrix bowed again, and Myrthyd walked away.

  The food situation had grown dire, far worse than Utrix had led him to believe. Myrthyd’s network of informants described many riots breaking out in small villages as crops died in the fields and livestock withered away. Within the cities, they hoarded as much food as possible, which gave the unfortunate image that things weren’t so bad. Tower guards had quietly gone to one too many villages to quell the anger for Myrthyd’s liking.

  Tregaron was a mess. Halflings running loose. Food shortages. Magus revolting against his wishes.

  The Drakku must pay. They’ve spoiled our people, they’ve turned our fields to rot, and they’ve caused the Order to abdicate their powers.

  Myrthyd grew angrier as he stalked the hallways. He passed through the main foyer with the large open center and left through the main Tower doors. Two guards protested, saying he needed protection, but he waved them off.

  “I’m fine. None will dare attack the Kull. I can handle myself.”

  “But sir, Tukra demands we—”

  “I appreciate his concern, but my safety will not be in jeopardy.”

  When they tried to argue, he cast compulsion on them, forcing their minds to accept his words and leave him be. It was quite the useful spell.

  The air was thick. The mid-summer celebrations of a month ago were still visible in the streamers hung across storefronts. Vendors asked exorbitant prices for their wares. Since his ascension to Kull Naga, prices had risen considerably, which he attributed to the growing food shortages. He could release the Tower stores, but then what of the Order? If Tregaron was to stay free from the south, the Order would need their strength.

  Myrthyd walked slowly amongst the crowds, trying to pick up on rumors and the general mood of his people. It had been a few weeks since an execution and he considered holding another, if only to galvanize the people to his side. His army was close to ready, the ranks swelling daily. When it was time to reveal his plan, he had to make sure they were all behind him. He could use compulsion on the people, but he felt he lacked sufficient power to cast that on so many, even with the Blood Stone.

  The south had food. Every southerner he interrogated claimed it. If he could gain the absolute trust of his people when he revealed his army of gray-souls, they’d support his move south. They were hungry and in need. The Drakku had brought this upon them and marching against their staunch southern allies while securing resources was a stroke of genius.

  “Good day, Kull,” a woman with a small child said as she passed by. He tipped his head in her direction to acknowledge her.

  “Wonderful day,” a man said as he walked by.

  They know me, but do they serve me? Will they be willing to follow me south, to renew ancient enemies and claim the resources we need to live? Will they support an army of gray-souls at my complete command?

  “If they knew better, yes,” he whispered.

  Myrthyd strolled through the marketplace, testing an apple from one vendor. It was barely sweet and mushy but was the best of the bunch. He tossed it to the ground and two young boys wrestled for it. Watching them fight over the rotten fruit strengthened his resolve to push on, to carry out his master plan, and to once again lead Tregaron to a greater future.

  Twenty-One

  Ryn swooped up and down in the clear blue sky, Alushia clinging to his neck and Brida growling in his grasp. In her head, Alushia heard Ryn chuckle.

  “It’s not that funny, you know!”

  Come on! It is a little funny.

  “Brida might not like you so much if you keep on doing this!”

  According to Ryn, they were closer to the Dragon Lands and soon would meet her mother. They were still days away but flying near the border of Tregaron along the Dragonback Mountains kept her mind off the eventual reunion.

  Brida growled again, but her tone was something different.

  “What is it, girl?” Alushia shouted over Ryn’s beating wings.

  Brida’s deep growl grew fierce.

  I think I see it.

  Alushia looked downward for the source of the problem, but from their height, it was difficult.

  “Would someone please tell me what’s going on?”

  Ryn dove from the sky and pulled up short of the forest below. Maybe we ought to go on foot. They might see us up here.

  “Who? Who are we creeping up on?”

  The gray-souls.

  Ryn gently landed, letting Brida go. Instead of running off, the snowcat stood near them, her gaze focused on the forest to the west. The hairs along her spine stood up.

  After Alushia climbed down, Ryn shifted back to his human form.

  “I think things have gotten worse.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Come, you’ll see.”

  Ryn led them through the thick forest, moving slowly and trying to avoid snapping twigs and causing too much noise. The leaves on the trees above shook as a gust of wind blew past.

  Alushia waved her hand in front of her face. “What is that smell?”

  “A new problem.”

  “Ryn, why do you keep talking in riddles? You said something about the gray-souls.”

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the trees and stopped.

  They stood on a ridge overlooking a deep valley.

  “Oh no,” Alushia whispered.

  Below them, shambling aimlessly were gray-souls for as far as they could see.

  “There must be hundreds down there.”

  Alushia turned to Ryn. “Where’d they all come from?”

  “This has to be the work of Myrthyd. He has the Blood Stone. He’s unlocked the powers within.”

  Brida continued to growl, her lips pulling back in a snarl.

  “What do we do? We have to stop them!” Alushia said.

  “We can’t do anything about them now. There’s too many.”

  “But…” Alushia watched the gray-souled people move back and forth. They had no direction and seemed lost.

  “We have to get to Etain. It’s the only way. She’ll know how to handle this.”

  “Couldn’t you just blast them all with your fire? You could turn them into heaps of ash.”

  “There are far too many for me. I’d need help. From the looks of it, they’re stuck in there. If we can get Etain and return with more dragons, we’d have no problem getting rid of them.”

  “But we’re here now! Why can’t we do something now? It’s not like they can fly after you! How would they ever hurt you?”

  Ryn closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Alushia didn’t want to leave these gray-souls to possibly escape and harm others. She had to convince him to act…or she would.

  “We have to leave them. For now.”

  “No! We have to try and stop them!”

  “I promised…I promised your mother I’d look after you. She’d kill me if I let anything happen to you.”

  Alushia placed her fists on her hips. “Do I look like someone who needs help? Other than Brida, I’ve been alone for most of my life. I’ve learned how to take care of myself. I don’t need anyone to look after me.”

  “That’s not what I meant! I don’t think you need a caretaker, but this is too much. There are far too many for us to get rid of. You must understand this!”

  Alushia turned her back to him, considering her options. If they left and the gray-souls were freed, many people would die or be hurt by their advances. A mindless army like that would cause massive amounts of destruction. If they stayed, Ryn was right. They were overmatched by the volume of gray-souls. She’d have to ride with him or stay back and let him do all the work. That’s not what she was proposing. Something had to be done. She couldn’t let others take this upon t
hemselves while she had breath in her lungs.

  Figuring she had no choice, she bolted from Ryn.

  “Hey, stop! We can’t do this!”

  Alushia ran down the ridge with Brida at her heels. She received an impression of the hunt from Brida that made her smile. Her companion was ready.

  She turned back and Ryn had transformed into his dragon form and darted after her. He roared loudly and caught the attention of the gray-souls. They turned toward her, moaning and gnashing their rotten teeth. One of them broke ranks and worked its way up the ridge. Others soon followed in a broken line of stumbling gray-souls headed right for her.

  As she neared them, Ryn dropped from the sky to block her path. He faced the gray-souls and let loose a massive wall of flame. Brida abruptly stopped, nearly toppling over. Alushia smacked into Ryn’s tail and fell to the ground.

  Stay behind me! Do not get in the way!

  “Fine, whatever!”

  Brida prowled the ground to Ryn’s right, cautiously looking through the flames for the gray-souls.

  Ryn roared and more gray-souls followed the sound. He exhaled bright orange flames, the smell of charred rotten flesh soon growing worse.

  What were you thinking? You could’ve died! You’d never survive all of them!

  Alushia shook her head as if to clear the voice. At times, she wished she didn’t have the ability to hear Ryn’s words.

  Alushia stood and produced her knife from her waistband, waiting for a chance to join the fight.

  Brida paced back and forth.

  Ryn opened his wings to make himself look imposing. He exhaled a stream of flame. Fiery gray-souls marched forward, lurching toward the blaze without regard to their bodies burning. They groaned and shuffled forward. Some fell to the ground and those behind stepped on their flaming gray bodies. A few were tripped by the twisting fallen bodies and joined them as they helplessly fought against the oncoming gray-souls who pursued the living.

  There are too many for me to burn! I can’t keep this up for long!

  Alushia rolled away from Ryn’s thrashing tail and jumped to her feet next to Brida. “Come on, girl, we need to help Ryn!” Brida growled and clung to her side.

  Alushia advanced near the wall of fire with her knife drawn. A gray-soul woman stumbled through the fire forcing her to jump away. Brida leapt on it, knocking it down. Alushia ran to the squirming woman and slammed her knife into its skull. The woman’s expression turned from anger to peace as her remaining life left her for good.

  Get back! Retreat! More are coming!

  Alushia looked up through the slowly dying flames and behind the mass of gray-souls, she noticed a few black armored guards.

  “Ryn, look! Tower Guards!”

  The dragon rose higher and scanned the oncoming horde.

  Myrthyd, he whispered.

  He shot a blast of fire to his right, taking out a group of three that had come through the flame wall toward Alushia, who hadn’t seen them.

  “Thank you.”

  I told you to go back! Leave this place. We can’t last much longer!

  “We can do this! We can fight them back. We have to Ryn!”

  Brida raced to the side and jumped onto another gray-soul. She clawed at its back as though trying to dig a hole through it.

  Two gray-souls followed and went for Brida.

  “No!” Alushia screamed. They fell on Brida, an impression of surprise coming from the large white cat.

  Alushia ran to her, falling on the nearest gray-soul and slashing furiously at it. “Get off her! Brida, run!”

  The man moaned as she stabbed him, finally sinking her blade into his skull. She tossed him aside and went after the second one, a younger boy whose gaping wounds on his back exposed his ribs.

  The boy clenched his teeth and tried to bite into Brida’s thick fur. The snowcat rolled off the woman she was attacking and knocked the boy off her. Red splotches dotted her white fur.

  Alushia slashed at the boy, missing his head. The knife struck his back and caught on something, forcing it from her hand.

  “Brida!” she cried as the boy clawed his way toward her. He grabbed her leg and tried to bite it. Brida swiped at him with her large paws, sharp claws slicing through his gray flesh.

  It did nothing to stop him.

  Behind her, Alushia felt a wave of heat as Ryn ignited another line of gray-souls.

  Come on! We have to leave! The guards are prodding them forward! I can’t hold them off much longer!

  Alushia grabbed the boy to pull him off Brida but as she yanked on his arms, her hands tore through his skin and what was left of his muscle and she fell backwards, landing in the grass. Gray-souls surrounded her, some with their bodies engulfed in flame.

  She scrambled back, trying to escape their grasp. They moaned loudly and mashed their teeth together, preparing to tear into her.

  “Ryn, help!”

  She felt the ground shake as he raced to her. He blasted the gray-souls around them with flames and swiped his arm to knock them back. He grabbed the boy attacking Brida and flung him into the oncoming gray-souls.

  I’ve got you! I won’t let them hurt you!

  He swung his tail, clipping a few gray-souls and knocking them to the ground.

  Then he let out an earsplitting roar.

  Alushia covered her ears to the sound and noticed the cause of his distress. One of the gray-souls had latched on to his leg and others quickly followed, attracted by the scent of his blood.

  “Ryn, no!”

  Alushia scrambled to her feet but before she could do anything, Ryn grabbed her in his arms and jumped into the air.

  “Brida! We have to save her!”

  She’s on her own now. I have to protect you.

  “No! She’s my friend! We can’t leave her!”

  Ryn circled the snowcat, exhaling fire all around her.

  Alushia closed her eyes and focused her thoughts on Brida. She felt the snowcat send her impressions of life and fields of grain. Images of her racing through their farm after small game were followed by the two of them resting against a tree.

  “Brida!” she screamed. She fought against Ryn’s grasp but he was much too strong for her.

  “You have to do something!”

  Ryn circled her again, trying to force the gray-souls back with his flames when arrows shot through the sky and sunk into his side. He roared in pain, twisting in the sky.

  “Ryn!” Alushia cried.

  The dragon forced himself back up into the sky, trying to flee the oncoming arrows.

  “We have to get Brida!”

  I can’t…I’m hurt…we have to hide.

  Ryn’s voice was strained.

  “No! Go back! Ryn, don’t do this! You have to save her! We can’t let them get her!”

  I’m weak. I can’t…I’m fading…I’m sorry. Brida…

  “Go back!” Alushia beat on Ryn’s neck, trying desperately to force him into action. He flew erratically and she knew the injuries were severe. But still…her Brida. Her companion for far longer than she ever expected.

  “Oh Brida…I’m so sorry.”

  Alushia wailed as Ryn flew to the south, leaving the gray-souls behind. Arrows followed him, but he rose higher in the sky avoiding them, groaning in agony as he did so.

  Twenty-Two

  Ulkand shoved bowlfuls of thick stew across the table for Jor and Belthos. Helni poured mugs of ale for the guests.

  “What brings you two to the Dragon Lands? Why would folk from Tregaron travel to our little city?” Ulkand asked.

  Jor was taken aback. She studied the man for a moment. He was taller than she, with long brown hair. He looked like a warrior of some sort by the way his muscles filled his shirt. Jor sipped the stew, enjoying the hearty taste. It was much better than anything they’d had in a long time.

  Finally, she spoke.

  “How’d you know?”

  Ulkand grinned. “I lived there long ago. I can tell when someone from there co
mes to these lands. They’re confused and a bit surprised by the openness afforded to dragon-kind like my daughter.”

  Jor smiled at the girl who’d been staring at them. “She’s a sweet girl. You ought to be proud to be her father.”

  Ulkand nodded. “I am. Since her mother went back to the Dragon Lands, Helni and I have done quite well in the market. I build and sell wooden implements that are mostly for farming, but sometimes I’ll do practice swords and shields for the Dragon Guards.”

  “These Dragon Guards—”

  “Yeah, I’m sure they seem odd to you. Did for me when I got here, too.”

  Jor paused a moment, unsure if she could speak so freely, but then she tossed caution away. “What are they guarding?”

  Ulkand laughed. “Curious, huh? Best to keep that to yourself when you aren’t in my home! You know that building I was in? Other than the city mayor and high priest, there’s a safe haven within its bowels for dragons to rest. A sanctuary for them.”

  “Dragons need rest?” Belthos asked. “I thought they had more stamina than that.” He was disgusted. Jor understood it. She felt the same.

  “Eat up. Let me repay my debt and you can be on your way.”

  Belthos and Jor finished their stew, Belthos asking for a refill before they were done.

  Helni cleaned off the table. “You don’t have to do that,” Jor protested.

  “Mother wouldn’t like it if I failed in my manners. Neither would father.” She smiled and finished her task.

  Ulkand sat across from the pair, studying them carefully.

  “Back in the market, I lost my cool. I had to pay a hefty fine to get out of trouble. The mayor’s been growing closer to a fierce Onyx dragon named Grymryg. To be honest, we’re much better off siding with Etain. But what do I know? I’m a builder, not part of the ruling class around here.”

  At the sound of Lailoken’s wife’s name, Jor leaned back. Maybe Ulkand was speaking of someone else? There had to be more than one Etain in the world! Or maybe…

  “This Etain. Who is that?” Belthos asked before Jor could voice the question. She glanced at him, though he didn’t catch her glare.

  Ulkand nodded. “Of course you’ve heard of her. I’ve been gone from Tregaron for what, maybe seven years? It was soon after I discovered my wife’s true nature which put Helni in grave danger that I went west. My wife wanted us free of the Order for Helni’s sake, so we came here. But before I left, I knew of the exploits of the dragonslayer Lailoken. I heard the rumors of his wife Etain and how the dragons carried her away. One story I heard said five giant Opal dragons descended on his homestead and destroyed all but his barn before flying off with her. Another story said it was one Garnet dragon so enamored with her beauty that he had to steal her. None of those are true, of course. Etain was and is a dragon. Not just any dragon, either. She’s the Dragon Lord. She’s older than the rest and the wisest among them.”