by Tyler Wild
For the moment, Aurora’s attention seemed to be elsewhere.
Water dripped from my body, pooling at my feet as I huddled by the large roots. I stayed there for a moment, trying to formulate a plan. I had but one purpose—exact revenge on Evron for my father's death.
But that was no easy task.
To defeat the dragon and retake the kingdom, I would need an army, or help from the gods.
Or both.
Even if I had the support of every available man of fighting age in the kingdom, it still wouldn't be enough to take the dragon.
“A dragon is a magical beast, and the only way to defeat one is with magic,” Asgoth said. “You will get no help from the gods. We will need the aid of a sorcerer.”
“Do you have one in mind?”
“There is a rumor of a powerful one in the Dark Forest.”
I shivered at the thought. The Dark Forest was dangerous. “That is a long and perilous journey.”
“Don’t be a pussy. It will be fun. An adventure. We will woo women, conquer enemies, and prove our worth. Besides, you have no other option if you want to reclaim your kingdom.”
Asgoth was right. The gods would not help. They had never helped. I turned my back on them long ago. A sorcerer was the only way. “We will need to travel north to the frontier town of Locsava. There we can gather horses and supplies for this adventure.”
“Yay, a road trip!” Asgoth exclaimed. “I love road trips.”
“I’m glad you are so excited,” I said, dryly, not sharing his enthusiasm.
My heart filled with dread at the thought of traveling through the northern section of the Lorewood. It was off-limits to man. Trespassing would bring the wrath and fury of its inhabitants.
But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing?
13
Kron
“I owe you one,” I said.
“You owe me several,” Asgoth replied.
“True.”
“You are no good to me dead,” the sword added. “It is in my best interest to keep you as my master… until I find someone better.”
I sneered at the blade. “You will never find someone better.”
Asgoth and I made our way north through the lush forest. The dappled rays of the midday sun beamed through the canopy of leaves. I moved through the tall trees and thick trunks with caution, knowing with each step I was drawing closer to danger. Despite my stealthy attempts, my trespassing did not go unnoticed.
I was quickly surrounded by Wood Elves—arrows knocked and swords drawn.
There were four of them. Three men and a female. They all had svelte frames and moved with grace and precision. Pointed ears, flowing hair, and pale skin that almost seemed to glow.
"You are trespassing where no man has traveled in a hundred years," the woman said.
She had blonde hair and blue eyes and porcelain skin. She looked innocent, but I knew she was far from it. The Elves could be ruthless killers, despite their benign reputation.
"I would not intrude, but these are desperate times. I must travel north to Locsava.”
"Take the long way," an elf-man said.
"King Tyrek has been killed. My brother, Evron, now rules with the support of a dragon. His tyranny threatens us all."
Their eyes widened at the news.
"All the more reason not to trespass through our woods," the woman said.
"I intend to overthrow my brother. An alliance between man and elf would be in both our interests.”
"There will never be another alliance between man and elves," the woman said.
"Take me to Veldrick,” I demanded. “I wish to speak with him myself."
"I am, Cassandra, daughter of Veldrick. I can speak on his behalf.”
I looked at her curiously. She was the princess to the elf kingdom.
"Go back to where you came, or face death," she added.
"Going back is not an option." My body tensed. It was clear they had no intention of letting me pass.
I prepared for battle.
"So be it," she said.
I gripped the hilt of my sword and drew the blade. The elves’ eyes grew wide at the sight.
"He wields a demon blade!" an elf yelled.
Cassandra’s eyes narrowed. "How dare you bring such evil into our forest!”
"He's not so bad once you get to know him," I said.
She growled at me and charged.
She swung her Elven blade, and I deflected the blow with Asgoth. The metallic clamor echoed throughout the forest.
Another elf attacked from the side.
I spun around, deflected his blow, and kicked him in the belly. He tumbled against the ground, rolling to the base of a tree.
I twirled around in time to deflect another blow. A swift kick to the elf’s groin doubled him over. He collapsed to his knees, and I hammered the back of his head with the hilt of my blade. He flattened against the ground, unconscious.
Another elf loosed an arrow.
It zipped through the air, racing toward me.
I twisted my torso in time to avoid the sharp projectile.
It slammed into a tree, and the shaft rattled. The elf knocked another arrow and was about to fire when Cassandra attacked again.
Our swords clashed.
The other elf dare not fire for fear of hitting the Elf Lord's daughter.
I clashed swords with Cassandra.
She attacked with ferocity.
Determination blazed in her eyes, a scowl on her face. She moved with lethal precision—her movements quick and graceful. She grunted and groaned with each slash and hack, her hair fluttering in the wind.
Elves had always been worthy adversaries. But I could never have anticipated how ruthless they were.
With a few expert moves, the princess had gained an advantage.
Then the unthinkable happened.
Asgoth betrayed me.
He twirled from my grasp, flew through the air, and embedded his point into the ground.
I tumbled back, slamming the dirt.
Cassandra’s blade was at my throat in an instant.
She hovered over me, and my heart thumped in my chest. I could see the rage in her eyes, and I was sure she was going to nick my carotid artery with the tip of her blade. It would have been an easy flick of the wrist.
Never before had I found myself in this position. One doesn't lose too many sword fights and live to tell about it.
Moreover, I was distraught and astonished that Asgoth would betray me. It was as if my fingers had been pried from the hilt.
Maybe my time was up?
Maybe he had found a more suitable master in the elves?
"I can see no good reason to let you live," the princess said.
"I can think of a few."
She scowled at me and moved the blade, ready to strike.
Then something surprising happened.
Another elf grabbed Asgoth and admired the demonic blade.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. It was as if I became hyper aware in my dying moment.
Asgoth's charisma and charm were too overpowering for the elf to handle. The demonic sword’s will flowed into the elf. Suddenly, the elf was consumed with a murderous rage. He plunged the blade into the belly of his comrade. Crimson blood poured from the man's abdomen. He slumped over the sword and fell to the ground as the elf pulled Asgoth from his torso.
The possessed elf spun around and sliced the demon blade across the chest of the archer. Asgoth carved through muscle and bone, and the Archer groaned in agony. A look of horror washed over his face.
The princess stared in shock, her face twisted by the horror of it all.
The possessed elf charged the princess and hacked at her. Their swords clashed, clamoring through the forest.
Asgoth imbued the elf with fury.
The pointy-eared creature wielded the sword like a crazed barbarian. The princess did her best to deflect his blows, but he quickly overtook her, stripp
ing the sword from her hand.
The princess’s shimmering blade twirled through the air and landed in a bed of leaves.
The princess fell to the ground, her face creased with fear. Her wide eyes stared the at the possessed elf as he reared the sword back, preparing to stab the tip through her heart. Her lip quivered, and she shrieked in terror.
Borvam, the possessed elf, stabbed the blade down with all his might.
14
Malvina
Asking a favor from the underworld was not without peril. But given the situation, I felt it was worth the risk. I knew Kron would never stop until he had exacted revenge. Our newly acquired kingdom was in jeopardy as long as he roamed free. My idiot brother should have killed him when he had the chance.
Inside the palace, I had built a temple to the god Zatyral. It was a modest chamber with a statue of the underworld deity and a sacrificial altar before it.
I kept it secret.
Evron knew about it, and he didn't approve. He never put much faith in my spiritual endeavors. Dabbling in the occult wasn't well regarded among the commoners. The simpletons would burn me at the stake if they knew my allegiance was to any other god besides Xerius.
But the gods of the underworld had always rewarded me. They possessed great power and seemed to be more willing to share it that the gods of Valinsmor.
Evron may have commanded a dragon, but every day my sorcery grew stronger. The more I showered my Zatyral with praise and affection, the more powerful I became.
I was not fool enough to request something without making an offering first. I had my loyal guards bring me a beautiful virgin. They dragged her to the temple, screaming and crying. Tears streamed down her porcelain skin. Her wavy blonde hair was tousled from the struggle.
The guards stripped her of her garments. She was gorgeous, and her perky young breasts begged to be caressed. I would have kept her as a plaything for Gort and I to enjoy, but the matter at hand took precedent.
"There's no need to cry. Everything is going to be okay," I said in a comforting voice.
I waved my hand across her face, casting a tranquility spell. A soothing calm washed over her body. Her lips softened, a thin smile tugging at the corners. She stared at me with hazy eyes as if in a drug-induced stupor.
The guards set her atop the altar.
Her svelte form looked sleek and inviting. The arch in her back extended her firm chest, her nipples poking skyward. Her toned legs and smooth thighs looked glorious. My spell had made her lusty, and she squirmed with desire. Her core grew slick and glistened.
Her lust was infectious, and I found my own cravings growing. My cheeks flushed, and my center heated with passion. A tingle ran through my spine. I wanted nothing more than to dive between her legs and taste her sweet juices.
But that would spoil the gift.
And Zatyral would not be pleased.
I started reciting an incantation. I had learned it from an old sorcerer in the Bunzor Hills. It was in the ancient tongue of Trazul.
As I neared the end of the incantation, the air began to swirl. There was a palpable presence in the room. I gripped the hilt of my dagger and lifted it overhead. I aimed the tip at the girl’s heart, then stabbed it down after I finished my chant.
The blade punctured her pristine flesh, spewing waves of crimson blood across her breasts. Blood trickled down her milky skin. Her body bucked and writhed, then went limp.
The warm blood coated my hands. I could see the girls soul leave her body—a glowing cloud of particles that drifted toward the statue of Zatyral. The sculpture absorbed the girl’s essence.
A few moments later the wraiths materialized—seven demonic souls in service of the dark lord, now in service to me.
My guards recoiled in fear.
The wraiths looked like desiccated corpses, with wrinkled skin drawn tight against their bones. Their hollow black eyes and a ghostly presence sent a chill up my spine. Clad in back armor, they were willing to do my bidding, and they wouldn’t stop until the task was complete.
I gave them their purpose—find Kron and bring back his head.
15
Kron
"Asgoth, no!" I screamed
I hoped he would be able to control himself. But his bloodlust was insatiable. This was going to be counterproductive if he made Borvam kill the princess.
I see now that Asgoth abandoned me to save me, but he was about to go too far.
Borvam stabbed Asgoth down. But the tip of the sword stopped a millimeter from Cassandra’s bountiful chest.
A look of horror and shame twisted on the possessed elf’s face as Asgoth relinquished control. Borvam’s mortified eyes glanced at the fallen bodies of his companions, then to his bloodied hands. He tossed Asgoth aside, wanting nothing more to do with the evil blade.
I scooped Asgoth up immediately.
"What happened?" Borvam asked, not remembering the incident. Or, at least, pretending not to remember.
I glanced to the princess who cautiously climbed to her feet. I attempted to have a disarming tone to my voice but I’m sure it sounded snide, “You were the one who wanted to do this the hard way.”
The princess took a step toward her blade. I kept her at bay with Asgoth.
She stepped back, avoiding the demonic sword at all costs.
Borvam collapsed to his knees and sobbed at the misery he had brought.
"That blade is pure evil," the princess said. "I cannot allow its presence in my kingdom."
"I am the blade’s master,” I said.
"No man can master a demon," the princess replied.
I decided to put my faith in Asgoth completely.
I spun the blade around and offered the hilt to the princess. "Then you take my sword while I am in your kingdom."
Her blue eyes glanced from the blade to me with astonishment. The look in her eyes quickly turned to fear. "I want no part of that sword."
I retracted my offer and sheathed the blade. “Then I’m marching north through the Lorewood, whether you like it or not. I don't need your help in defeating the dragon. Don't cry to me when the beast burns down your precious forest."
I turned my back on them and marched north. I'd had enough of this nonsense. I was relatively sure they wouldn't try anything now. But there was no doubt I'd run into more elves. And when I did, I wouldn't be so patient.
It didn't surprise me that the princess staggered forward and grabbed her sword from the ground. She charged toward me with a scowl on her face. A rage-filled growl emanated from her lips. Her footsteps crunched against the leaves. She reared her sword back, ready to attack.
I spun around and deflected the blow, swinging with all my might. My frustration with the situation, combined with Asgoth's power, sheared Cassandra’s blade in half.
There was a blinding flash as the metal collided and the blade split. The Elven steel had been imbued with magical properties, and the demise of the blade released the energy into the aether.
The princess’s face filled with dread and sadness—no doubt the blade had sentimental value.
"Stand down or this won't end pleasantly for you," I said.
The princess was stubborn.
She snarled at me, refusing to back down. She gripped the hilt of her sword which was now no longer than a hunting knife. She swiped and stabbed at me to no avail.
I chuckled, dodging her feeble attempts with amusement. It only seemed to infuriate her further.
I had to admire her determination and grit. She was never going to give up. The Elves could certainly be powerful allies in the fight against Evron and his dragon.
The moment the thought entered my mind, I heard the shrill screeches of the beast.
Its massive wings flapped overhead as it swooped above the canopy of trees, searching for me.
The sound of a dragon was unmistakable, and it was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. I ran for cover under the base of a tree, and the princess did the same.
&nbs
p; Our fight was on hold—perhaps only temporarily.
For now, there were bigger fish to fry.
The princess cowered under the tree near me, her blue eyes scanning the heavens. The color drained from her face, and terror filled her eyes.
The massive beast swooped above the treetops, bathing us in shadow as it passed.
“Still think you don’t have a dragon problem?” I asked.
Her eyes flicked from the dragon above to me, conceding that her beloved forest was in danger.
My heart fluttered in my chest, hoping that the beast would continue on its path. One breath from its craggy lips and the forest would be ablaze. I had no desire to get roasted alive.
16
Kron
The enraged dragon soared low over the canopy of trees and disappeared into the hazy distance.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Now that our mutual enemy was gone, I wasn't exactly sure how the princess was going to react. Would our battle continue?
There was a long moment of silence as she and Borvam contemplated their next move.
I gripped my sword, ready to defend against an attack.
"I will take you to see Veldrick,” the princess said. "But the sword stays here."
"I don't go anywhere without my sword," I replied.
"Then you will not have your audience with my father."
I frowned. "Asgoth is really not bad once you get to know him."
She glared at me. "That blade killed two of my men! If it were up to me, I'd throw it into the deepest part of the ocean where it could never be found.” She took an exasperated breath. “You do realize what will happen once you satiate its need for souls?"
"I am well aware."
“You must be a fool. There is no telling what the demon inside that blade will do once released."
"This chick is getting on my bad side," Asgoth said. "I say we kill her."
