Unfortunately, Brute had broken the rules and trust of his hunts, terrorizing several towns and villages without permission. Damian had a soft spot in his black heart for his first defector. Brute was the first one to come over and he realized without his loyalty, he wouldn’t have any dragons. The dragon even followed his instructions to find mating females to bring to the demons’ cause. Damian never expected Brute to defy him, but Travibero always reminded him of the unpredictable nature of dragons. He had spent over five hundred years with the black dragon who had always been faithful. Brute was the first dragon Damian had ever ridden, and treated him as an equal. Damian wanted to pardon Brute for his acts, but he knew what had to happen. Ephesi and Damian met outside the cave.
The coldomores were outside, practicing with their weapons. Almost all the coldomores were untested in battle with only a few holdovers from the last war. Even with demons dying during combat training, they had never tasted a true battle and experienced the utter chaos of the battlefield. Damian’s biggest worry was the fact that you can’t predict how a man, demon or human, would react to real combat. Like humans, demon warriors ranged widely in skill and courage.
He had been using the human decoys to steal books and battle records and Damian researched them to see exactly how a battle was won or lost. They also stole detailed maps of most of the lands to understand the terrain of possible battles. Damian had studied war tactics since the last defeat and created a detailed plan on how to deploy the coldomores for maximum effect.
Damian Doome and Ephesi went inside the chamber for the trial. They saw the council of elders. Twelve men with a combined age of over ten thousand followed Damian to the dragon’s quarters. The heat intensified as Damian used borrowed strength to open the thirty-foot doors. The doors squealed open, showing a battered black dragon exposed by torchlight in the open chamber. Harnessed in a corner of the room, Brute had several chunks taken from his body, exposing the interior muscles. Chains secured his wings, legs and neck so the dragon couldn’t move. The black beast shook violently but the tight chains barely moved. The angry dragon shot fire through his nose but everyone wisely stayed behind the black beast. This was a sad sight for Damian to see.
Damian spoke to the council, being sure to talk loud enough so Brute could also hear, “We are gathered for an unfortunate duty. One of our own stands accused of treasonous acts. Just as we have trials for demons, we have them for our fire-breathing friends too. Brute, you stand accused of treason by disobeying the command to leave the people of earth alone until we are fully ready to attack. How do you plea?” “I am not guilty of any acts of treason. My accusers, Gaillus and Copulon, have been jealous of me for hundreds of years. I was only on the hunt for food until I became the hunted,” the dragon defended himself. The leader of the coldomores could see his dragon was in severe pain. Brute continued, “They roasted me from both sides and I crashed into a boulder. Those two should be in chains.”
Damian looked to his left at the other dragons, “Copulon, tell the elders what you witnessed.” The red dragon walked a little closer and responded, “We followed Brute, as ordered, and found him setting fire to the city of Caridale. He noticed us and tried to dive into a valley to escape but we caught him,” Copulon testified. “Liars, both of you,” Brute shouted. “I haven’t even spoken a word yet,” Gaillus calmly stated.
“Settle your outbursts, Brute, or this trial will end immediately. Have you anything to add, Gaillus?” Damian asked. “Yes, we also followed Brute to Histomanji before the attack on Caridale. He set a village ablaze, killing many humans. Then we followed him to the Kingdom of Donegal. He attacked near the capital and made matters worse. We finally caught him again on Fire Island,” Gaillus swore.
“We have heard reports of six areas being attacked by a dragon. All six have told the story of a big, black dragon. The days of the attacks coincide with your scheduled hunts. I also recall you came back empty on each of those hunting ventures. What say you in your final defense?” Damian asked. “I came to help the demons defeat the humans once and for all. For over five hundred years I have waited to kill humans, our sworn enemy. I know how they talk about you, the lies they spread about the demons. I took an oath with the demons to kill the people of earth. I stand accused of treason. How can it be treason to kill one’s enemy? If I had killed our own kind or sabotaged the cause, I would better understand this treatment,” the dragon defended.
Damian erupted in anger, “You did compromise the cause. Alerting the enemy of impending attack is worse than almost any treason. We’ve waited five hundred years. Do you think the other dragons didn’t see or hear about your actions? We now put it to a vote. I say guilty.”
A unanimous call of guilty made it around the council and sealed Brute’s fate. Damian called in the Cyclops named Herron, and the massive man entered the fiery chamber. He held a huge battle axe over his shoulder. The blade must have been over three feet long, secured at the end of the long metal weapon.
Damian became a little choked up but forced out the words, “Brute, you have been found guilty of treason by your council of elders. By the laws of the Plades, you are sentenced to death. Do you need speak any last words?”
“You’re going to die. You’re all going to die. Without me to lead the dragons you don’t stand a chance, old friend. You won’t defeat the humans,” Brute said. The dragon barely released the final word as the heaving swing of the battle axe separated Brute’s head and neck from the rest of the body. Even without a body, the mouth let out a hideous, haunting scream that reverberated around the rectangular, enclosed room. The head hung on the chain supports with black blood pooling on the ground already. The lifeless wings and body were still suspended upright and Damian tried to come to peace with the event.
Everyone knew the rules and laws, so to break them was like committing suicide. Damian couldn’t understand how the dragon could maintain composure for five hundred years only to crack in the final hour. He went back to his private room and studied war records and rested for a few hours. He later received a message saying Travibero wanted him to come alone to the meeting. Damian went and told Ephesi he would have to wait to meet the Lord of the Underground.
Damian Doome went into the deepest depths of the underground lair to get to the true underground. He pounded on a metal door and a short, stout demon greeted him. These were the dead bodies of demons who now dwelled in the underground with the Plades. Other demons unworthy of the underground simply dissolved into nothing after death. The tall, lanky demons of earth were re-sized to better suit the necessity to dig tunnels through the soft soil. This purple demon with red eyes and a square head told Damian to hold on tight. The compact demon worked like a drill and pushed his stubby legs off the sides of the new opening to pull Damian. He held onto the demon’s tail as they plunged toward the center of the earth.
Damian contemplated why Travibero wanted to see him alone. He hoped the Plades weren’t unhappy with the trial of Brute. He got nervous as they neared the home of the Plades. A door appeared and a demon who looked like a cross between a hedgehog and a sledgehammer nodded and left.
Damian knocked on the door, and Travibero answered with a gust of wind rushing out. The Lord of the Plades never answered this door, so Damian was surprised to see him personally open the steel door. The strong wind washed the dirt away from Damian’s body. He led Damian to the Golden Chamber. The entire room was made of gold and the intense heat made the metal mold to his body as he sat on the couch. The gold surrounded his body as he sank in, creating a soft, comfortable feeling. Etched into the walls were scenes of the demons on earth, before the humans took over.
Damian looked over Travibero. His manly body with a long black tail was muscular and fit. The boar-like head had fangs, horns and yellow eyes. Only the four original Plades looked like Travibero. The others looked more like Damian Doome. Travibero spoke in a deep voice, “We saw how you handled the trial with Brute.” He paused for several moments making Damia
n even more on edge about the meeting. “We all agreed we would have handled the matter the same way.” Damian breathed a sigh of relief. “Do you truly believe we can defeat the humans?” Travibero asked. “Yes, we are ready. I told the coldomores of our plans to move soon. The men are ready to move at any time,” Damian told him. “You have dedicated your life to inspiring demons and instilling hope through our religious system,” Travibero said.
The Plades were like Gods, but there were so many, most demons could only name a few. Principles of the religion were imparted into the laws for the demons. Pure demons tried to live their lives by the religious orders, but were never commanded to do so. They didn’t pray like humans for the Plades to help them. Believing or not believing in the religion was entirely up to the individual. A few demons didn’t believe, but they weren’t cast out from the group as humans tended to do.
“I have tried my best to better the situation of the demons,” Damian agreed. “As Plades, we are trying to carry out the same acts you are performing up there. Your life as a demon will end one way or another after this war. If we are to win, the earth and skies will be ours to devour. If we should happen to lose, you will die and take your rightful place among the Plades,” Travibero promised.
Damian Doome couldn’t believe it. He had never aspired to be a Plade because the appointment seemed unattainable. He held back his emotions and said, “Thank you, Lord of the Underground,” as he bowed his head slightly.
“For over five hundred years, you have provided service to the Plades. It’s only fitting you should rest here once you have finished your duty. You will also sit as my Underlord, second in command of the Plades,” Travibero revealed.
Damian couldn’t believe this. The honors just kept coming. Travibero took Damian through a golden tunnel as the Plades stood on both sides of his walk. The Plades wished Damian good luck with the war and cursed the humans as the two passed. Travibero led him back to the door and wished him luck.
Feeling even more confident, Damian grabbed the tail of his demon friend, Rostell. The burrowing dead demon took him to the door of his dwelling. He thanked Rostell for guiding him home and went back to his private room, filled with pride in the demons and Plades. He found the latest round of stolen property and broke into it. He found a thick book and became excited until a harsh dose of reality kicked in. The book was titled Damian Doome’s Mistakes in the First Battle of Fire Island. He threw the book aside and tried to forget about it for the rest of the day. He tried to get his mind off the matter, but his thoughts kept shifting back to the loss against Rockarius.
EPILOGUE
THIRTY YEARS AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE PEARL OF WISDOM SAGA
YEAR 444
SOMEWHERE IN DONEGAL
Mim paid attention as her aunt Telly spoke, “So as you can see, one man wore the crown, but five others were on their way toward the Capitol. Not one of them realized that the fighting wouldn’t matter if the humans were unsuccessful at staving off the impending attack of Damian Doome. The world hung in the balance with every person’s life teetering on the edge. Will the unlikely band of young warriors who were chosen by the Gods be able to protect the human race? Alright, that ends the stories of the summer, but the winds of autumn will blow a different tale of wicked war games.”
The teenagers started to leave, but Telly extended her arm to stop Mim. After everyone left, the older woman said, “My dear, we need to talk.” Mim didn’t say anything, but looked into her aunt’s vibrant eyes. “I need to tell you I am very impressed with your dedication to put these stories to paper. I thought with you being a teenager, you would start off strong and fade away. I am glad to say I was wrong. I have been thinking to myself, what would help your book stand out from the rest? Then, the answer just came to me. Have you heard of an illuminator?”
“Do you mean the men who draw pictures to the Words of the Gods?” Mim asked. “Yes, exactly. I convinced a man to help you with your book,” Telly told her.
Mim became very excited because very few books other than holy works had illumination. “He waits in your room to speak to you. Go talk to him,” Telly said. Mim sprang up, hugged her aunt and ran off to her room.
She slowly opened the door and saw an older man robed in silver silk. He smelled of fine perfumes, was bald and smoked a pipe. The handsome, blue-eyed man asked in a stern voice, “Why should I help you?” Mim stuttered, “My, my…aunt Telly said…” He cut her off, “But why should I help you? I have a reputation to uphold, and how do I know your book isn’t poorly executed?”
“You can read it,” responded Mim as she went to her desk. She opened her leather-bound book as the man came over and began to leaf through it. “I’m Mim Burke, what’s your name?” The man looked her up and down and responded, “Glenn Rosewell is the name. The book is a bit grim, but life is rather grim, I will grant you. How would you describe your writing style?”
“Unpretentious,” Mim immediately answered. Glenn raised an eyebrow, seemingly impressed, and asked, “What exactly do you mean by that?” “I mean I try to write a straightforward story. I like to add detail but not let it get in the way of the story. I won’t describe a leaf on a tree for three paragraphs if it doesn’t add to the story. I try not to be overly fancy or use words I don’t fully understand to impress,” she said. “In this, a poetic age, do you think that will work?” Glenn asked. “This could be considered an alternative to offset all the pretty prose literature. I think people are growing tired of that repetitious style and I want my work to stand the test of time,” she responded.
“You speak very eloquently for a…?” “Fourteen-year-old,” Mim helped him finish the sentence. “I am even more impressed now. How much more until you are finished?” he wanted to know. “I am half way done. I have the tales of spring and summer and now I have to write fall and winter,” Mim told him.
The man went over to her bed and pulled back a gray sheet that Mim hadn’t noticed. Glenn exposed a huge volume of the Words of the Gods. He called Mim over and showed her some of his incredible work. She was amazed by the talent of this illuminator. She knew he could make her work stand out using his creativity with color. The muscle detail and body definition of the people in his work were extremely lifelike and the pictures jumped from the pages. Mim hoped the man wasn’t teasing her with these vivid pictures. “What kind of work would you like to see in your book?” Glenn asked. “I would like to have the heraldry and symbols of the families involved. I would also like some major events to be set to illumination, to shine bright for the rest of time. Anything that could add to the words and accentuate the story is welcome. I want the book to be looked at forever,” Mim told him. “That is what I needed to hear. I want to be part of something special. I want you to leave more margins in areas where I can add a vivid scene, character or family heraldry. Leave more room than you have left in your previous work, please,” he instructed. “Wait, does this mean you will do it?” she asked and tried to mask her excitement. “I shall do it with honor, my lady,” Glenn answered. He picked up his book and pointed back to her desk.
Mim walked over and stared at her book for a moment. She looked back, and Glenn had vanished. Her door was ajar, so she rushed over and looked outside. She looked both ways down the hallway, but couldn’t see her new friend. The man in argent robes had disappeared. Mim shook it off and concentrated on finishing the tales of summer and starting the stories of autumn.
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Table of Contents
Title page
&
nbsp; CONTENTS
Prologue-Mim
1-Leimur
2-Emilia, Elisa
3-Brehan
4-Russell
5-Ollor
6-Jon
7-Mariah
8-Leimur
9-The Man with the Golden Sword
10-The Young Hope
11-Emilia
12-Elisa
13-Ali-Ster
14-Brehan
15-Jon
16-The Young Hope
17-Russell
18-Ollor
19-Leimur
20-The Man with the Golden Sword
21-Mariah
22-Emilia
23-Elisa
24-Ali-Ster
25-Brehan
26-Jon
27-The Young Hope
28-Ollor
29-Russell
30-Leimur
31-The Man with the Golden Sword
32-Emilia
33-Brehan
34-Elisa
35-Mariah/Jon
38-Russell
39-Sunny
40-Damian Doome
Epilogue-Mim
Fractured Families (The Pearl of Wisdom Saga Book 2) Page 48
