Dragon's Blood

by Jason J. Nugent

  Whatever the reason for it, Jor was thankful for the freedom to defend herself. She struck at the guard, her hand moving in regular speed, and caught her in the eye. She didn’t deflect it or try to block it. She struck her five more times before the guard’s fist struck the ground where Jor should have been.

  Slowly her hands raised upward to defend herself, but by then, Jor had punched her throat three times, using all her weight to try to collapse her esophagus. Jor leapt to her feet and kicked her in the face, her lip exploding in a burst of blood. One of her teeth went flying and Jor was mesmerized by the slowly twisting tooth as it left her mouth.

  Jor left the guard and headed back to the platform to help her friends. They were all moving in slow steps. Jor seemed to be the only one moving in real time.

  She went to the guard with the onyx stone first, yanking it off her neck while she struggled with Ori. Blood bloomed on his head from where he hit the guard.

  Belthos was on his back with a guard over him. Tozgan had tried to knock the guard off the young Magus. All moved in an odd, slow way that accentuated their movements.

  Jor shoved the onyx stone into Belthos’ pocket, and immediately he broke from the slowness and moved in real time. He rolled away from the guard. Jor watched his stone glow and the irons fell off his hands.

  “What the…what’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. I think Helni did something. She must be…she must be like you!”

  Jor turned to the guard. “We need to get the guard while we can!”

  The two of them attacked the guard that had been going after Belthos. The young Magus used the stone and crafted a spell that created a thin line of light that he waved like a blade. It sliced into the guard’s throat, spilling her blood slowly to the platform underneath him. The light vanished into nothing.

  They grabbed Tozgan and he broke from the slowness, falling to the platform before they could catch him.

  “You will not get me! I will—” He noticed where he was and looked around. “What happened?”

  Belthos wove a spell, breaking the iron rings around Tozgan’s wrists. “Come on! We have to get Ori.” He reached out and lifted Tozgan from the platform.

  Beyond the crowd, they noticed Helni with her arms raised and her body glowing. To Jor, she looked like one of Belthos’ stones, but in human form. Her father was yelling at her, but he too moved in slow motion.

  As they turned to Ori, Jor saw it first.

  “No!”

  The guard had pierced Ori’s stomach with a knife, the blade completely covered in Ori’s flesh. The slow movement made the blood drip in agonizing drops. Ori’s face was frozen in surprise.

  Belthos waved his hands and his stone glowed. He forced his hands outward and pushed the guard back, leaving a massive open wound. They rushed to Ori and when they touched him, he fell from the slow movement and collapsed on the platform.

  Grymryg circled above them, roaring and spitting acid. He didn’t seem to be affected by the sudden slowness and soared above the crowd. Jor felt Belthos instinctively cover them in a spell of protection.

  Red flaming balls shot from the ground toward Grymryg, striking the dragon’s wings. He roared and turned away from the slayers and headed back toward Helni and her father.

  Jor didn’t have time for the dragon at the moment as they tried to stem Ori’s bleeding.

  “Belthos, do something! Use your power!” Jor cried.

  “I’m trying. You know my strength is not in healing!”

  “Do what you have to. Save his life!”

  The stone glowed again as Belthos tried his best to heal the deep wound. Tozgan had lunged at the guard and slit the woman’s throat. The guard didn’t resist and her face didn’t register the pain as she continued to move in slow motion.

  “Jor, I can’t save him. The wound is too deep and my powers aren’t capable of mending him. I’m sorry.”

  Jor wiped her face, trying to calm her nerves. Grymryg’s roar snapped her out of her stupor and she looked up at the Onyx fighting back fireballs pummeled at him from Helni. The girl glowed brighter, and Jor feared she might burn herself out, if that were possible.

  One last bright blast and Helni collapsed to the ground. Suddenly the slow motion everyone seemed caught in disappeared and the crowd erupted into chaos. Ulkand fell on top of his daughter as Grymryg’s talons ripped into him, shredding his back.

  “It’s time for us to leave. The girl has saved us. Let’s not waste her efforts,” Tozgan said. He grabbed Ori under the arms and dragged him back off he platform, away from the crowd.

  Jor and Belthos followed, the former novice wiping at tears on his face.

  Thirty-One

  Jor followed Tozgan as they navigated their way through the lawless crowd. Grymryg’s attempt to execute them in front of the crowd failed and she had no plans on allowing him a second chance.

  Helni, she thought. We have to get the girl.

  “We can’t leave her here. They’ll kill her!”

  “Who?” Tozgan asked.

  “Helni. The girl who saved us. We can’t let that dragon get to her. She helped us, it’s the least we can do.”

  “How are we going to do that?” Tozgan turned, sweat pouring down his face. He set Ori on the ground. “Won’t her father help her? She’s not our concern now. Saving ourselves needs to be.”

  “Jor’s right,” Belthos added, “we have to get Helni. She’s not safe here anymore. Not after what she did back there.”

  “But you do see what they’ll do to us. Look at him!” Tozgan pointed to Ori’s lifeless body.

  “It’s the risk we take for our actions. If I can spare that little girl’s life, I’m going to do it,” Jor replied.

  “I’m going to help,” Belthos added.

  Tozgan shook his head. “You two are crazy.” He looked to Ori and then back to them. “Fine. Can we at least bury Ori? He deserves that.”

  Jor exhaled the deep breath she’d been holding in. “I’m sorry. We don’t have time or the means. It’s not right and we will avenge his death. But right now, we don’t have the time to spare.” She bent down to look at Ori’s face, running her hand along his cheek. He had done well for a crossbowman. He’d done his part in the hunt and was willing to do what it took in order to succeed. “I’m sorry, Ori. When we meet again, we can share tales of the hunt.”

  Belthos helped Tozgan move their friend out of the street toward a building where they set him up against it. “Be well, friend. I await our next meeting.”

  Tozgan took a moment with him, quietly making his peace, then the three of them left Ori and headed back toward the slowly dissipating crowd.

  Jor pulled a sword from a dead guard. Tozgan brandished a knife. Belthos channeled his energy into the stone that glowed ominously around his neck.

  “We can go wide of the crowd and hopefully miss any fanatics that would want our heads for Grymryg. Ulkand might be dead and Helni vulnerable. Be careful; we don’t want to end up dead ourselves,” Jor said. Adrenaline coursed through her, reminding her of how she felt on a hunt. It had been a long time since she flexed those muscles and now as they crept along the village streets, it felt right again.

  Belthos cast a spell of protection on them, causing Jor to turn back to him.

  “Just in case. It’ll help if Grymryg comes after us.”

  They could hear the dragon’s roar as it circled above. Holes dotted his wings and his motion was less fluid than before. Helni did some serious damage, Jor thought.

  Grymryg continued to rumble as they worked efficiently down nearly deserted streets. Most of the crowd was still assembled in the square to their right. People shouted for help and called for the heretics from Tregaron.

  “Stay clear of them. We don’t have the ability to fight them all. We only need the girl; nothing more,” Jor cautioned.

  “I’ll kill any guard who dares step in front of me. For Ori,” Tozgan said quietly. Jor couldn’t argue. She felt the same.
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  As they neared Ulkand and Helni, Jor noticed the man was bleeding profusely. Long strips of flesh hung from his back. His shirt had been shredded. He lay across Helni, who was struggling to free herself.

  “Watch for problems,” Jor said to Belthos. The boy nodded and positioned himself to look back at the crowd and at the dragon above.

  Tozgan stuck close to her side.

  “Do you think she’s ok? To do what she did took a lot of energy. She might be pretty weak,” Tozgan said.

  “I hope so. That girl is powerful. More than any Magus I’ve ever met. That horrid dragon will kill her if it knows she’s alive. We have to save her. It’s the least we can do for what she did for us.”

  The two crept closer.

  “Watch for the dragon,” Belthos called. “It’s looking your way.”

  Jor looked over her shoulder and satisfied it wasn’t coming for them, rushed to the bodies on the street.

  “Ulkand, are you all right? Helni, can you hear me?”

  “Jor?” a muffled voice replied. “I think…I think he’s dead.” The girl cried softly. “Please see if he’s ok. He’s all I’ve got.”

  Jor and Tozgan struggled to move Ulkand from Helni. When they finally turned him over, it was clear he was dead.

  “Oh dear, I’m sorry. Your father…he’s gone.” Jor lifted Helni from the ground and cradled her, Ulkand’s blood soaking into her shirt.

  Helni sobbed, clutching Jor tight.

  “He was a good man, Helni; he won’t be forgotten.”

  “He killed my father! Grymryg killed my father! We’re at peace with the Drakku. How could he do this?”

  “I’m so sorry, Helni. I wish I could take it all away.”

  “I hate him! I don’t care if dragon blood is in me! I hate him!”

  “Come with us, Helni. We can help find your mother. We’re going to the Dragon Lands. We can protect you.”

  “That’s what I was doing for you! I know you aren’t bad people. That boy is like me. How could they think you were bad?”

  Jor slowly stood up, lifting Helni with her.

  “It’s not safe here. Come with us.”

  “I can’t leave my father! Where am I gonna go? I won’t leave him!”

  Belthos called out to them. “Hey, Grymryg is coming back! He’s headed for us!”

  Jor looked up and the large Onyx was barreling his way toward them, blustering his anger.

  Helni broke from Jor and concentrated hard.

  “No! Come back, Helni!”

  The girl looked down and a deep red glow overcame her. When she faced skyward, her entire body shimmered in red. She extended her hands toward the dragon and a massive bolt of red lightning shot upwards. It speared the dragon’s wing, tearing it in two. Grymryg bellowed and crashed to the ground near the assembled people and landed on several of them. He rolled in agony as the villagers shouted in anger.

  “What was that?” Belthos asked. “I’ve never seen any Magus do that! How did you…where did…”

  “Helni! Let go of the power. It’s draining you. We need to go. Come with us. Your father is gone.” Jor tried pleading with the girl, trying to break her from the trance she was in. Finally Belthos approached her.

  “I know the feeling, but you have to let go. You’re pulling in too much. It’s not good for you. Let go, Helni.”

  The girl seemed to register his words and turned from the sky, her glow slowly fading.

  “That’s it. Let go. It’ll be fine, I promise.” Belthos approached her and wrapped an arm around her. “Come with us, Helni. I can help you control that. If nothing else, we can talk about the power.”

  “But my father,” she replied weakly. “I can’t leave him.”

  “Oh dear,” Belthos said as he crouched to her eye level. “Your father is gone. We can help get you to your mother. We’re going to the Dragon Lands. We’re searching for Etain and you can tag along. It’ll be great to share my knowledge with someone who might actually use it.”

  “But…Father.” Helni broke from Belthos and ran to Ulkand’s lifeless body lying on the street. Blood pooled around him and his blank eyes stared upwards.

  Shouts from the crowd grabbed their attention.

  “We either take her or leave her. Either way, it’s time we got out of here,” Tozgan said.

  “The time is now, Helni. Are you coming?” Jor extended a hand to her.

  “I can’t leave my father! He’s all I have!”

  Belthos leaned close to her. “It’s ok, Helni. You can grieve, but you aren’t safe here. Not anymore. Come with us.”

  “They’re turning our way. I suggest we leave her. There’s no time left,” Tozgan said. He removed his cap and twisted it in his hands before putting it back on.

  “Father…I’m sorry. I made a mistake. I won’t let them get me. I’ll find Mother. Please forgive me.” Helni clutched Belthos’ hand and the two walked quickly away.

  Helni stopped and Jor watched as she glowed again.

  “Helni, what are you doing? There’s no time—”

  The girl let loose a thunderous boom followed by a bright white light. It was aimed at the villagers approaching them.

  “We can go now. They won’t follow.”

  Jor was speechless. Belthos followed Helni’s lead as she took them through the winding streets to the wilderness outside the village.

  “I want my mother. I want to know more about me. How are we going to reach her?” Helni asked Belthos. She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes.

  “We’ll find a way. I promise. Now tell me about your powers. How did you find out about them? When did you first discover them?”

  “When I was five…”

  Their voices trailed off as Jor held back with Tozgan.

  “I’m sorry about Ori. I’m sorry this has become a disaster. If you want to turn around now, I won’t hold it against you.”

  “Jor, I’ve come this far. I can’t up and leave now. This entire ordeal has been one problem after another, but I’m not one to quit easily. I’ve seen enough to know when I’m wrong. For my actions earlier, I apologize. I didn’t want anything else bad to happen and I thought I knew better. The boy is trying, I see that. My patience has been tested, but I see my error. I’m part of this quest. Don’t count me out at all. We’ll find Etain. We’ll find Lailoken. All of this will get straightened out, I’m sure of it.”

  “Thank you, Tozgan. I’d hate to lose you. I hate losing anyone. First Darlonn, and now Ori…I can’t take much more. We need to find Lailoken and end this.”

  “I do hope you’re right about that. The closer we get the more difficult things seem to be.” He nodded at Belthos and Helni. “She’ll be handy if she can control her power.”

  “Belthos will be good for her, and she for him.”

  “I hope so.”

  Jor forced a smile as she contemplated their situation. With any luck, they’ll be in the Dragon Lands soon, a place she never dreamed she’d visit. But now, she had no choice. Her friend was there and she had to make it right with him. The world was changing around her and she had to adapt or find herself left behind.

  “By Meanos, things are not easy,” she mumbled, following Tozgan through the thick forest as the sun started to set.

  Thirty-Two

  Lailoken struggled with the griffon. It tore at him with fearsome claws, attempting to rip him to shreds. He didn’t want this fight. They were part of the Drakku, with whom he was now allied.

  He pushed back to avoid the claws and swung his blade in defense, hoping not to strike the griffon. The large beast snarled and swiped at him, nearly knocking him over.

  Frendule cast wave after wave of protection on the men, staying clear of the fight. He shouted gibberish, words, and incantations Lailoken knew nothing about.

  “It would help if you did something useful!” Thibaut cried out to the former Magus.

  It was a useless gesture. The Order did not intervene in the dragon hunt other than to prote
ct and heal the slayers. How would this be any different?

  “Thibaut, let him be! Focus on the griffons instead! Try not to kill them. We need them on our side!” Lailoken swung his sword again, catching the tip of the griffon’s ear. Blood ran down in tiny rivulets.

  Thibaut glared at him, but Lailoken let it slide. He did not survive death and spend time in the Dragon Lands learning about a past he never knew to only die because an old slayer didn’t know to pull back while the griffons believed he was a threat.

  “Listen to me! We’re not here to hurt you! Grymryg is wrong. Etain knows what she’s doing. We’re united in our cause. Myrthyd is unleashing unspeakable evil at this very moment, and the more we fight each other, the more he wins. We have to stop my son!”

  The griffons backed down and paced back and forth. Lailoken and Thibaut held their swords ready, Reinfrid with a crossbow.

  Grymryg was right about you, slayer. You are a threat to the Drakku. Your life means nothing to us. Destroying the Order…that is everything. Their brutal ways have harmed our kind for centuries. We will remove them and follow Grymryg to glory. Etain promises only compromise and talking. Those days are over.

  The griffon talking to him roared, pawing at the dirt.

  “What is your name?”

  The men looked to Lailoken, confused.

  “I ask again. What is your name?”

  The griffon growled, then spoke.

  Phanes.

  “Good. Phanes, we mean no harm to you. Who is your companion?”

  Both griffons roared, extending their wings.

  Enough with the games! Grymryg wants you dead, and we seek to obey.

  “Phanes, please, you must understand. Etain does not wish you harm. She wants to unite the Drakku and humans. We have a common foe and without your help, we may never succeed.”

  Reinfrid backed away from the confrontation, his crossbow aimed at Phanes. “They speak to you? How can you hear them?”

  Your death is welcomed among the Drakku. We will be heroes for our actions.