Dragon's Keep: The Complete Dracengard Series

by Christopher Vale

  When they reached the hills, she saw few drakmere. Well, few living ones anyway. The ground was littered with the charred corpses of reptiles. Anne led the shedom as they descended onto the hills. She leapt from Morgan’s back and wandered around. “What has happened?” Anne asked Asmodeus as he joined her on the ground.

  “It appears the nephilim and their dracen have attacked your drak army, Your Majesty,” Asmodeus said. “The drakmere must have fled into the forest.”

  Anne grew red with anger. How dare they attack her army. “Find the draks,” she said. “Find as many as you can. Gather them back up and tell them they shall have their revenge tonight.”

  ***

  Erec stood atop the castle keep with Aura on his right and Lord Galt on his left. It had been a couple of hours since the large force of drakon disappeared behind the hills and Erec was nervous. “What are they waiting for?” he asked rhetorically.

  “Are you so eager to die?” Aura responded.

  Erec turned to look at her. “No,” he said. She turned toward him as well. “We have a beautiful daughter,” he said changing the subject and realizing this might be his last opportunity to tell her. Then took a deep breath. “If things do not go well, I want you to take her and flee to Avalon.”

  Aura shook her head. “We would die in Avalon when the shield maidens discovered us. Better to die here fighting.”

  “I am just saying that…” he began but Aura held up a hand cutting him off.

  “Erec, if you want your daughter to live you have but one choice.”

  “What is that?” he asked.

  “Win the battle, of course,” she replied and then turned back to gaze out over the hills. He continued to stare at her. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and he still loved her. “Your wait is over,” she said.

  “What?” he asked as he followed her gaze to the hills north of the city. He swallowed hard as he scores of drakon rose off the ground and began flying toward them. His breathing intensified. “We cannot hope to win,” he said through dry lips.

  Aura turned and grabbed him, pressing her lips firmly to his. She pulled away. “We have no other choice,” she said.

  They both turned their attention back to the invading army to see waves of se’irim cresting the hills and charging downward as a low guttural sound rolled up to the city. Erec smiled as he saw groups of se’irim fall into the spike pits he and his men had dug into the hillside. Unfortunately it was not enough. There were just too many of the creatures. They were a terrifying sight charging down the hill at incredible speeds. Erec suddenly longed to be fighting drakmere once again.

  Even more terrifying than se’irim, however, was the horde of black dragons flying toward them. He swallowed hard as they neared the city. He knew the clerics’ archers were waiting until they could not miss to loose their arrows, but he wanted to shout, “shoot dammit shoot!”

  Before the clerics had a chance, however, Erec’s eyes went wide as the trees seemed to come alive, emptying their inhabitants into the sky. Thousands of birds flew from the branches of the trees surrounding Avonvale toward the drakons. There were birds of every kind, not just birds of prey. The drakons and their shedom riders seemed to be consumed by the mass of birds.

  “The owl king!” Erec shouted.

  “What?” asked Aura.

  Erec turned to her. “Taite told me that the owl king was going to help us. I didn’t know how he could, but…” Erec smiled as he heard the shrieks of the shedom.

  “Look!” Galt shouted and pointed to the hillside. There, hundreds of wolves and dogs rushed from the woods and began to take down se’irim one at a time as the monsters charged. Humanity was not alone tonight. It seemed every inhabitant of the Middle Realm was there to fight.

  ***

  Anne led the assault, flying at the head of the drakons and shedom. She held the jagged, dark-bladed sword in her right hand as she screamed for the attack to begin. Morgan flew forward followed by the other drakon. Asmodeus was nearby. Suddenly, the air erupted with birds—thousands and thousands of birds—bursting from the surrounding trees.

  Anne screamed as the birds swooped upon her, pecking and clawing at her skin. She swung her sword wildly at them. In her mind, she could also feel Morgan’s pain as the birds attacked his wings and head. He snapped and roared at them as they attempted to claw out his eyes.

  The other shedom and drakons were faring no better. Some of the drakons even fell to the ground overcome by the flocks of attacking birds. That appeared to be the bird’s purpose, to knock the drakons out of the air.

  “Burn them!” Anne shouted at the top of her voice and Morgan released a burst of flame that fried all the birds in his path. The other drakons did the same and the beasts eventually fought their way through as the birds retreated back to the trees out of the range of the drakon flame.

  Anne wiped the blood from her face as she sneered. “After we have conquered the humans, we shall kill every bird in the Middle Realm!” she spat angrily. “On to Avonvale!” Morgan and the other drakon obeyed flying toward the city.

  Chapter 23

  Terrwyn and the other nephilim smiled as they watched the birds attack the drakon and shedom, delaying the assault while knocking several of the drakons out of the sky. The dracen and their riders hovered above the city, waiting to defend it to the death.

  “The se’irim are undefended!” they all heard Chaundra’s voice echo in their heads. “Let us not waste this advantage!” With that, the dracen queen flapped her mighty wings propelling herself toward the hillside down which the se’irim charged toward the city walls. The nephilim followed astride their own dracen.

  The dracen dove at the se’irim, releasing bursts of flames as they did so, scorching the ranks of the attacking beasts. The se’irim shrieked in agony and fear, but continued to charge forward. The dracen swooped back making another pass before stopping and landing in a line in front of the city walls.

  They watched as the se’irim came closer and closer, charging toward the wall. At Chaundra’s command, the dracen released a burst of flame engulfing the front ranks of se’irim in flame so hot that the se’irim were disintegrated! Still the red demons kept coming in waves, undeterred by the dracen, knowing that they would face far more horrors from the shedom behind them than the dracen if they turned and fled.

  Terrwyn drew her sword as the se’irim pushed in closer and closer toward the dracen. Her head was racing as she watched the monstrous creatures fight toward her. She remembered the terror she had first felt upon seeing the drakmere attack her beloved home. That terror paled in comparison to what she felt now.

  Terrwyn took a deep breath as she watched the drakons fight their way through the flocks of birds to continue the attack on Avonvale. There were fewer drakons now than when they began, but they still vastly outnumbered the few dracen defending the city.

  Terrwyn glanced at Dillan, and he back at her. Her breathing intensified as she saw the fear in his eyes. She had never seen Dillan so afraid and that alone terrified her. “I love you,” he said as he attempted to force a calming and confident smile.

  “I love you, too,” Terrwyn replied as she fought back tears. Her emotions were going crazy. She wanted nothing more than to flee. To take her babies and Dillan, Taite, and Erec and fly away as fast as she could. She knew she could not, however. Even if she was willing to abandon the others, there was no place in the Middle Realm that would be safe if they lost the battle today.

  Terrwyn turned her attention back to the drakons flying toward them. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Jade begin to lift off the ground as Eamon’s dander rose and he eagerly awaited the fight with the fearless enthusiasm of a boy.

  “Easy, Eamon and Jade!” Terrwyn heard Chaundra caution. “Focus on the se’irim. I will give the order when it is time to engage the drakon and shedom!”

  Jade dropped obediently back to the ground, once again breathing fire at the attacking se’irim, several of them sca
ntly ten steps from her.

  Terrwyn watched the drakons, her grip tightening on the hilt of her light sword. The dragons of darkness were almost on top of them! What was Chaundra waiting for? Suddenly, Terrwyn received her answer as hundreds of streaks of light leapt from the wall to the attacking drakon and shedom. Terrwyn turned her head to glance at the wall and saw the Clerics of Avalon holding the center position, and loosing arrows—with heads forged in Auraehalis—at the forces of darkness. Unlike arrows of steel, arrows of light could kill a shedom.

  The drakon shrieked as arrows tore through their black, leathery wings and some even found cracks between scales, penetrating the dragons’ skin. Arrows tore through the black armor of shedom and the demons howled in pain, even knocking some off their drakons. The skill with which the clerics sent volley after volley in such a short amount of time was truly impressive. Unfortunately, while no fewer than twenty drakons fell from the sky to the shining arrows, the rest continued forward. Just before they reached the wall to attack the clerics, Terrwyn heard what sounded like her mother’s commanding voice in her head.

  “Now!” shouted Chaundra as she flapped her giant wings propelling herself into the air to collide with two drakons, grabbing each around the neck in a massive claw and biting into their respective heads one at a time.

  “Focus on the Queen!” Terrwyn heard a shedom hiss as the drakons began to turn their attention to Chaundra. Terrwyn and the others knew they had to help Chaundra. She was the strongest among them, if she fell, it would be difficult to recover.

  Avon and the other dracen were beside Chaundra battling the drakons as well. Avon flew up, high into the sky, snatching a shedom from the saddle of a drakon as he went. Terrwyn let out a squeal as she saw the shedom rear back with his jagged, black blade to chop through Avon’s leg, but before the demon could do so, Avon released him allowing him to crash to the ground below.

  “Will a fall like that kill a shedom?” she asked her dracen.

  “I have no idea,” he replied as he turned and dove back down. Avon released a burst of flame at a drakon, protecting Chaundra’s rear, as another attacked from above. Terrwyn reached out with her sword, swiping at the drakon. The blade missed the beast but did collide with the dark blade of the drakon’s shedom. Terrwyn felt a chill rush up her spine as she stared into the black holes where eyes should have been.

  In a blink, the shedom had flown past and Terrwyn turned her attention to the other drakon. She turned and her heart leapt up into her throat. Terrwyn gasped in recognition as she noticed a vaguely familiar form. Her teeth clenched tightly together as Anne’s eyes rose to meet hers. Anne’s lips curved into a sneer and the black beast upon which she rode turned to bolt toward Terrwyn and Avon.

  ***

  The water lapped against the sides of the Vagabond as it rocked back and forth, anchored in the middle of the river, flanked by a row of other ships. The ships were positioned in an attempt to halt an attack by water. Captain Starron stood upon the bridge of the ship staring across the bow. He realized that if an attack did come down the river, the ships would not stop it. The best they might do is slow it, but in reality they were there to give warning to those on shore. No one wanted to be caught unawares again after what happened in Riversmeet.

  Starron held the tricorn hat bestowed on him by Dillan when he took over command of the Vagabond in his left hand and kept patting it against his leg nervously. Starron remembered the day fondly. He had been surprised when Dillan had given it up. Dillan adored that hat more than anything, except the Vagabond herself. “Never lose this,” Dillan had told Starron as he placed it on the newly promoted captain’s head. Starron had almost teared up. He realized that Dillan had meant for him to always return alive, with his head intact. When Starron expressed surprise, Dillan only shrugged. “It won’t fit atop my crown,” he smirked. “I tried.”

  Starron glanced down at the hat and smiled. Dillan was a good king. He would have made his father proud.

  “Captain!” a voice rang out interrupting Starron’s thoughts.

  “Yes, Mr. Ramo?” Starron replied as his eyes met those of the sailor at the bow.

  “Draks, sir!” Ramo answered.

  Starron nodded and placed the tricorn hat upon his head. “Be ready men!” he shouted as he drew the cutlass from its sheath upon his belt. He then took a step forward and began ringing the ship’s bell as loudly as he could to warn the other ships and those ashore to be on their guard.

  ***

  Karissa stood on the docks along the Ehren River watching the battle rage at the wall of the city. She saw the dracen fly above the city and out over the hillside to engage the se’irim and shedom. She said a silent prayer to the Creator that Eamon would be alright. Then she remembered the rest of the realm and prayed for the safety of all.

  “It is beginning,” the deep voice of Lord Tibor said beside her. Karissa nodded without taking her eyes off of the sky above the walls.

  “Do not fear for the Prince’s safety, Your Grace,” Tibor said. “He is a valiant warrior and well trained. We need your attention here and now. You must fight for your own life and the lives of those around you.”

  Karissa turned to face Tibor. “I understand,” she said. Tibor and his men wore mismatched armor, mostly of dull gray. No uniformity was present for the Epheneen soldiers. They were a rough lot and Karissa felt a pride and confidence in them. She, herself, stood out from them in her shining silver Caerwyn armor consisting of helmet, breastplate, and greaves. Her legs and arms were covered by leather. She had not worn the armor since before Eamon was born and was relieved to find it still fit her.

  Suddenly, they all heard the bell of the Vagabond ring out the warning and all attention was on the river.

  “My Lord, look!” came a shout from one of Tibor’s knights. Tibor turned to the see the man pointing at the river. When his eyes fell on the river they went wide. The water was full of drakmere.

  “Be ready!” Tibor shouted at the men as he drew his sword. He turned to Karissa as she drew her own sword. “Stay back behind the men,” he told her. Karissa nodded.

  The soldiers were formed up into four ranks with another line of archers. The archers stood in the front. “Archers ready!” Tibor shouted and the men notched arrows and drew back their bow strings. Tibor waited for more and more of the stupid drakmere to climb out of the river, hissing and baring teeth. “Loose!” Tibor shouted.

  The archers released their bow strings, loosing their arrows into the first wave of draks and sending many of the beasts falling back into the water as green blood oozed from them. The second wave of drakmere moved much more quickly, leaping from the river, weapons unslung from their backs and charging the Epheneen men.

  “Loose!” Tibor shouted again. “Ready! Loose!” After each volley of arrows downed another line of drakmere, the archers retrieved another arrow. “Shoot at will!” Tibor shouted as the drakmere pushed forward closer and closer to the lines.

  “Archers fall back!” Tibor commanded. The archers responded quickly, moving back behind the four ranks of infantry and up the hill to their rear where they took up predetermined placement. Tibor then addressed the others. “First and second ranks…Charge!” he shouted.

  The Epheneen men, unlike the other humans who had engaged the drakmere during the recent war, did not wait for the draks to come to them. They went to the draks, with the intention of pushing them back into the river. The drakmere were slightly taken aback by this surprising strategy and chaos initially ensued as panicked draks fled in the face of the crazed Epheneen soldiers.

  The men attacked with brutal efficiency, stabbing and chopping at the green-skinned beasts, driving them back toward the river while the archers on the hillside took careful aim in taking down draks.

  Eventually, when pressed against other draks attempting to climb out of the river, the drakmere began to fight back and used their superior strength and numbers to do so. As the Epheneen men fell back, their archers on the hillsi
de continued to rain carefully placed arrows down on the advancing draks. The men continued to fall back, however, as the draks’ numerical superiority was overwhelming. The lines thinned as the draks pushed forward.

  Tibor turned to Karissa. “You shall be in command of the hill,” he said. “You can allow them to gain ground, but do not allow them to crest it. If they do, we shall not be able to stop them!”

  Karissa nodded. “I understand,” she said. “But where are you going?”

  He smiled at her, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her tight to him placing his lips to hers. “I love you, Your Grace!” he said as he pulled away. She was shocked silent for a moment as Tibor turned to his men. “Third rank, follow me!” he shouted and with sword raised led his men down the hill toward the front lines of battle.

  Tibor and his men reinforced the rapidly depleting front lines and momentarily halted the draks’ advance. Then chaos erupted as all ranks were broken and the men and monsters fought in brutal disorder. The docks were covered with red and green blood as the Epheneen soldiers and drakmere had at one another.

  Tibor raised his mighty shield to block the blow from a drak mace before thrusting forward, impaling the beast with his sword. He removed the sword quickly as the drak fell to the ground and stepped forward, swinging downward in a chopping motion, removing the arm of a drak and sending the creature to the ground screeching in agony. Tibor swung again, splitting the beast’s skull open, killing it almost instantly.

  Tibor’s sword was stuck in the drak’s head and he placed his boot on the beast’s chest as he pulled with all of his might. Another drak pounded at him with a war hammer which Tibor blocked with his shield. However, the blow knocked Tibor off of his feet while his sword remained stuck in the dead drak’s skull. Tibor laid on his back holding his shield protectively as the drak pounded and pounded.