Dragon's Blood

by Jason J. Nugent

  Jor didn’t know what to say. She was on the hunt for Lailoken, to bring him back from the cursed dragons. Etain was surely a prisoner, if she still lived. How could this man believe such lies?

  “Well, the story is nice. It’s not true, but—”

  Belthos interrupted her, earning a dagger stare.

  “Why did you say I was like you?” he asked Helni.

  She smiled as Ulkand pulled her close to him.

  “You have dragon blood like me. I can sense it. You do, don’t you?”

  Belthos looked ready to answer but when he caught Jor’s stare, he reconsidered his words.

  “I don’t sense it, no. I wouldn’t know you were a halfling unless you told me.”

  “Most of us can tell when we’re near one like us. Maybe it’s her?” she said pointing at Jor.

  “No! I’m not tainted with their blood!”

  Helni’s face turned down. “Mother always told me people would hate me.”

  “Shh, dear. They don’t hate you. Remember what I told you. Those from Tregaron don’t understand the truth. They’ve been blinded by lies from the Order for centuries. They didn’t mean anything by it. They don’t know better.”

  Jor’s blood boiled. How dare he call them ignorant!

  “I think we’re done here. I appreciate your hospitality, but we must go. Our friends will worry that something bad has happened to us.” Jor stood, Belthos following her lead.

  “Thank you. May Meanos guide you,” Jor said, extending a hand to Ulkand. He accepted it and shook.

  “Meanos or Deavos, it doesn’t matter. They’re two sides of the same drac.”

  Jor tilted her head, confused by his words, but refrained from asking more. Clearly this man fell under the spell of dragon lies. Whoever his wife was, she had duped him into believing in her ways. He’d never last in Tregaron.

  They left the small home and headed back toward the city. It was a short walk, but long enough for the pair to discuss what just happened.

  “Belthos, that halfling girl isn’t right, is she?”

  Belthos took a moment before replying. When he did, Jor’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “I don’t think so, but honestly, I can’t be sure.”

  “What do you mean? You can’t be!”

  “Jor, I don’t want to believe it, either. I don’t feel different. If I were a halfling, would my powers work? I doubt it. What the Order honed over the years is for humans only. Dragons can shift. They can create acid or flame or poison, but does that mean they’re endowed with the same powers as a Magus? I doubt it.”

  “Then why was she so adamant you had dragon blood in you?”

  He shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe because of the hunts I’ve been on. Maybe some how she senses it. I really don’t know.”

  Jor let the questions drop. It confused her, and honestly it wasn’t anywhere near true. Why bother wasting her time thinking about it?

  They entered the city along a narrow road with guards stationed to either side watching the visitors come and go.

  “So they protect a dragon shrine?” Jor asked, nodding toward the guard on her left. It was an older woman with grey hair who looked like she wasn’t one to be messed with in spite of her age.

  “How odd,” Belthos replied. “I assumed dragons didn’t interact with humans like that. And now there are factions amongst them, too? How many lies do we need to uncover before the truth wins out?”

  “For a former Magus, and a young one at that, you sure do ask a lot of questions.”

  “I’m a curious person. Always have been.”

  They watched the guards carefully and walked the dirty streets. Vendors called out but they ignored the pleas.

  “I can’t wait to be rid of this place. I wonder how many more cities and villages we’ll come across before we enter the heart of the Dragon Lands?” Jor asked.

  “If my memory serves me right, maybe two or three? Driano wasn’t good for much, but he did at least instill a sense of direction in me. I’ve seen more maps of Rowyth than I care to admit. Unless things have changed much from the time the maps were created, that’s my best guess.”

  “Two or three. Maybe they won’t all be as dragon-friendly as this one.”

  They turned a corner and the unmistakable roar of a dragon sounded overhead. Jor’s eyes lit up and her face pointed skyward. “An Onyx,” she hissed. Her sword was at the inn and she scanned the crowd around her for a weapon. Belthos placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “Jor, we can’t. We’re not in our lands.”

  Jor’s heart beat heavy in her chest, the rush of adrenaline overcoming her. But the boy was right. They weren’t in a place where the hunt was called.

  “This place is all wrong,” she growled. The Onyx circled the city, roaring loudly, and the people paid it little attention. The only ones who seemed to care were the red shirted Dragon Guards.

  They scurried toward the shrine, circling it as if to protect something precious. Then the dragon soared across the sky, landing on the top spire of the shrine. It spread its wings in a display of size and roared again. It seemed to be looking for something as it peered down at the people below.

  “Belthos, I don’t have a good feeling about that. Do you think our host disclosed who we are?”

  The boy looked up at the Onyx and back to Jor. “I hope not, but we can’t be too sure. We better get back to the others. It might be time for us to leave.”

  “I agree. Hurry!”

  Jor rushed through the streets, shoving her way past the crowd. When they finally made it to the inn, Ori and Tozgan were already outside fixated on the Onyx.

  “What is that?” Ori asked.

  “If I’m not mistaken, it’s an Onyx,” Tozgan teased.

  “We need to leave. Now,” Jor said as she approached the pair.

  “Hey, where ya been? We got up this morning and you were both gone. We’ve stayed in all day, enjoying the comforts of our beds,” Tozgan replied.

  “We can talk later. But now, I think it best we leave this city. I fear that Onyx might be after us and we aren’t in a position to slay it. There are too many sympathizers around. I’m determined, but I’m not dumb. Gather your things. Now!”

  The crossbowmen jumped at her command and went inside the inn.

  “Belthos,” Jor said, holding the boy by his shoulders and staring into his eyes, “Say nothing about Helni and her accusation against you. Do you understand me?”

  He scrunched his face. “Sure. It stays with us.”

  “Good. Gather your things. Meet me down here in a few minutes. I’ll settle the bill.”

  Belthos ran into the inn. Jor turned back to the Onyx perched atop the shrine. It continued to search the people below. Jor admired the dragon, imagining what the hunt would be like when it spotted her from its perch. Its head stopped moving, staring directly at her. Then it opened its wings wide and roared madly. It leapt from the shrine, roaring as if to gain attention. Then it flew at her and Dragon Guards raced toward her on the streets.

  “Oh no,” she whispered.

  Twenty-Three

  Lailoken wandered through the forest below the dragon cavern where he’d spent the last few months. He hadn’t seen Alushia since that day in the field outside of Woodpine and as often as he tried to not consider the worst scenario possible, daily he struggled to find hope that she lived. Etain swore she was fine and in the care of the dragon Ryn, but he had his doubts. Myrthyd was angered that day and his fierce fury was saved for no one.

  He’d been mulling over his promise to Etain of helping to lead some kind of force against what she called the Gray Army. Not one to offer great details, he wondered what Etain meant.

  If the Gray Army of now was anything like the images depicted on the cavern walls, maybe it was the gray-souls that were growing more numerous. He didn’t understand why she wasn’t completely up front with him about it. It was almost as though she was hiding something.

  But what other choice di
d he have?

  Myrthyd would surely seek his execution if he went home. The way he tried to have him killed when he had Jor take the stone was enough to convince him that he’d turned into an enemy of the Order. His son, his own flesh and blood, wanted him dead. Did he know about his past? Did Myrthyd realize who his parents were? Etain gave him up as a baby and no one knew the truth but her. Did he sense he was different than the rest of the Order? They were instrumental in hunting dragons and executing halflings. How would they react if they found out the truth?

  Alushia was a halfling, a development that still stung, though its bite was growing weaker. If Myrthyd hadn’t understood that he, too, was a halfling and continued his vengeance on all dragon-kind, Alushia could never return to Tregaron, either.

  Lailoken was left with only once choice: to side with his mortal enemy, the Drakku.

  They were the only ones not seeking his death, though Etain’s interference helped. Other than the small faction of rogue dragons led by Grymryg, they obeyed her commands and let him be. He couldn’t blame them if they wanted to murder him, he deserved it after all he’d done. Grateful for their restraint, he now found himself in the position to lead them with sympathizing humans against this emerging threat of the Gray Army.

  Lailoken heard a roar overhead and turned skyward. An Onyx dragon soared by, its large black wings contrasting against the puffy white clouds in the blue sky. Then an Opal. Following the Opal were three Garnet dragons, all of them headed toward the cavern. And Etain.

  More dragons roared above and Lailoken couldn’t believe it.

  “There’s so many of them,” he said out loud. Opal, Onyx, and Garnet dragons flew in great numbers he’d never seen before, all headed toward the cavern.

  The forest came alive with activity. Animals ran everywhere. Large branches snapped. Lailoken turned behind him and thirty meters away, a group of five Jade dragons smashed their way through the forest, headed for the cavern.

  “What’s happening? Has Etain called some sort of gathering?”

  The sky turned dark, forcing him to look up. Dragons filled the sky, blotting out the clouds and blue skies. Fierce roars in varied pitches carried down from the dragons, a sound unlike anything he’d ever heard.

  All around him, the forest grew louder as more Jade dragons raced through the thick brush.

  Whatever it was, he needed to be there. Never before had he seen such a display of dragon-kind. Something was happening, and he had to find out what.

  Following the racing dragons, Lailoken ran back on the path, hoping to get to the cavern in time. A growing sense of dread filled him as an endless array of dragons headed toward Etain.

  Scrambling upwards on loose gravel, Lailoken worked his way back to the cavern’s entrance. On the flat stone outcropping were more dragons than he’d ever seen in one place, but something was wrong.

  Etain was near the cavern’s mouth, her attendants to either side of her. They seemed to be defending themselves from the roaring dragons perched in a semi-circle around them. An Onyx dragon stepped out from the crowd and moved closer. It was Grymryg. Those behind it roared their approval.

  Your actions are weak. You put our kind in jeopardy. I’m here to fix it, Lailoken heard in his head. It had to be Grymryg speaking to Etain.

  You dare oppose me? I’ve done all in my power for our survival. I have ruled our kind for centuries. We must deal with this problem we face. All of us.

  Your kind no longer support you. Age does not equal wisdom. Your decisions have taken us down a dark path. Who amongst us trusts the mighty Etain? Grymryg asked, raising his wings like arms to the crowd around them. A chorus of roars was his answer. Do you see now? You’ve lost the support of your kind. They don’t trust you. They don’t believe in you anymore. Mating with a slayer and allowing him to continue to kill our kind…despicable and unacceptable behavior for our leader. No more, Etain; it ends now.

  You would divide us now, when we need unity above all? The Gray Army has returned. The night-wraith rises. We are all in danger.

  At her words, the dragons roared and grew anxious, shifting back and forth and shaking their wings.

  Your scare tactics are useless. No Gray Army has come. We are not in grave danger. If we leave those horrid humans alone, we’ll be rid of them. We must tend to our own and care for our own, something you seem to have lost sight of, as you allowed him to murder us. Grymryg pointed a wing at Lailoken, startling him. He didn’t think the Onyx had seen him standing far off to the side.

  Dragons growled. A few of the Garnets breathed fire into the sky, earning the praise of those around them.

  Shall I kill you like I killed Kigad? You two tried this once. Or will you fall in line with the rest and unite our kind against a greater threat?

  There is none greater than your incompetence. It’s a sign of weakness. Your time is over.

  It’s over when I give up my spirit, and I live with it still.

  This is your last chance, Etain. You’re outnumbered. You lack the support. Your weakness is exposed for all to see. He, he said, pointing at Lailoken, is a symptom of greater ills. Your mistakes have brought us to this point. Will you step aside without dying, or do you prefer to spill your blood on these grounds?

  I lead the Drakku, not you. I have made difficult decisions that I must live with. It’s for the greater good. It always has been.

  The thing is, you live with those decisions. How many Drakku have had to die because of them?

  Grymryg extended his black wings and puffed out his chest. His head titled back and he let out a thunderous roar that echoed back at him from the cavern. The assembled dragons around him followed suit and did the same, the chorus of anger forcing Lailoken to cover his ears.

  So be it.

  Etain stepped closer to Grymryg, extending her wings. The two dragons faced one another for a dark moment.

  I shall not yield. One of us dies this day.

  Etain inhaled and exhaled a massive orange flame that engulfed Grymryg. The dragon roared and spit acid on Etain. Then their wings collapsed on one another, cloaking them in a tangle of crimson and black.

  The pair fell to the ground, claws searching for a soft hold and, trying to rip chunks of flesh from the other.

  The dragons around them inched closer to the fight, roaring their approval of the deadly brawl. Those within the cavern were far outnumbered by those who followed Grymryg.

  Lailoken felt helpless as he watched the fight unfold. Etain was locked in a brutal clash with Grymryg, both dragons ferociously attacking the other.

  Etain gained her footing and breathed fire at Grymryg. The Onyx roared as the flames scorched his scaly flesh. Smoke rose from his chest and his high-pitched cries pierced the air. Etain pushed the fight, growing closer to Grymryg. She bit at his shoulder and clamped down hard. Grymryg swatted at her but her hold was strong. Then the Onyx twisted his body, falling to the ground, and forcing Etain to let go of her grip.

  Grymryg bit down on her wing, tearing the thin membrane. Etain howled in pain as she leapt back, stunned. Grymryg attacked her, spitting acid in her face, and temporarily blinding her.

  “No, Etain!” Lailoken screamed. He had no weapon besides a small dagger. Etain had forbidden him to carry the broadsword because it angered too many Drakku. It was suicide for him to enter the fight, but the urge was strong to do so anyway.

  Etain flailed her arms to push back Grymryg. The Onyx was fearless and snapped at her with his enormous teeth. He caught her neck and squeezed.

  “Etain!” Lailoken cried. He rushed into the clearing as the Drakku closed in on the fighting pair. Three Jade dragons intercepted Lailoken and tackled him to the ground.

  “Get off me! I have to save her! Leave her alone!”

  The dragons hissed at him, pulling him off the ground. One of the Jade dragons held him upright, completely immobilizing him as he was forced to watch the duel.

  Grymryg let go and knocked Etain to the ground, teeth puncturing
her flesh. Grymryg opened his wings, creating an imposing figure.

  Your reign is over! I will lead the Drakku into glory!

  Etain stood and stumbled on wobbly legs, barely able to face Grymryg.

  You’ve grown more powerful in your ignorance, Grymryg. This is not over. You will never lead the Drakku.

  Etain looked around at the assembled dragons, her eyes narrowing as she recalled who they were. Forgiveness is available, but I offer it only once. I cannot be held accountable for your ignorance. Leave him and follow the true Drakku leader. I give you my word, you shall not be punished.

  Forgiveness is not yours to give. I lead the Drakku now!

  Etain inhaled deep, gave a quick glance at Lailoken, and exhaled an inferno all around her. A wall of flame shot high in the air. Lailoken felt the blast. Then Etain burst into the sky, leaving a trail of flame and smoke behind her.

  You will never get away with this, Grymryg! Your treason will be the death of you!

  Etain circled the assembled dragons. She roared and spit flame. Several dragons leapt into the air joining her until close to a third on the ground were now trailing her. They circled Grymryg and his cohorts. Etain roared once again and then flew westward, the rest of the dragons following her.

  “No, Etain, don’t go!” Lailoken called to her.

  Grymryg cried out, I’m coming for you, Etain! If it takes every last moment I have left, I’m coming for you.

  Lailoken struggled against the Jade and it squeezed tighter.