Laugh of Destruction (Book 3 of the Death Incarnate Saga)

by Jr H. Lee Morgan

  The others also stood and watched as Daku flew ever closer, but hadn’t thought to descend yet. “The king promised none would be allowed on our island.” Came Meeka’s astonished voice. “He promised to keep everyone off, but they look to have been there for weeks. They’ve cut down dozens of trees… What are we going to do?”

  A devious grin crept into Cage’s features as adrenaline began to flow through his body and a glance from Daku proved he could sense the change and it had an effect as Daku began to rock slightly while moving his arms and legs in preparation. Cage said “Everyone better hold on. Daku, make an impression and scoop up those two mages I brought up on screen.”

  “With pleasure.” A large tingle of magic came from the griffin as he doubled in size. “All of you better find a good grip.”

  Everyone besides Cage laid flat on their stomachs, but he had an idea to test. He turned around and said “Don’t be afraid… I’m going to make sure none of you fall.” Cage extended a hand as an aid to increase focus as he worked a modified spell Megdline taught which originally would allow one to glide a fraction of an inch above whatever surface they were on, whether it be land or water. He inverted the properties to stick firmly to the surface without budging rather than float. The spell worked wonderfully, flattening everyone and the supplies securely on Daku’s back. It was the first spell to work on the Familiar other than healing. Heads were even stuck on the white fur. He held the spell in place before adding a relief spell to disengage when needed. They all cried in surprise as he said “You don’t need to worry about falling now, but to end my spell on your own simply say ‘Release.’ Just wait till Daku comes to a stop before you do, he’s about to dive.” He then added the worded condition and placed the spell on a gem so he didn’t have to maintain focus or worry about them. Before he turned around he watched Meeka and Brooke manage to take Sean’s hand before sticking to the soft and warm white fur.

  “Aren’t you going to stick yourself to me?” Daku asked with a lively smirk.

  “Where’s the fun in that?” Cage countered and sat down between his Familiar’s shoulders and behind the neck to clamp down his legs while single handedly gripping a fistful of fur.

  “Here we go!” Daku exclaimed delightfully and tilted forward nearly straight down towards the ocean, a mile away from the island.

  Cage laughed loudly and hooted at the sudden weightlessness and blast of air slamming in his face. Daku matched the sentiment with a shrill roar. They dropped thousands of feet and the rush had only him and Daku thrilled while others screamed in immense fear.

  Then at the moment it felt just right, Daku pulled out of the dive and the increased G’s pushed them all down. Using the falling sun to their advantage the griffin shot straight for the pair at the tip of the mountain. The speed slowed just enough as his facsimile of a human hand opened and made sure his curved talons would not be deadly. He grew large enough earlier to completely encompass an entire human in each hand and the perfect dive and trajectory sped him precisely for the intended, oblivious targets.

  Before either mage knew anything of Daku’s silent approach, he caught the individuals off guard as he snared both off the ground and clutched them in his hand. Their surprised screams lasted for a few seconds before he felt a struggle. In several more seconds came flames shooting harmlessly from his fingers in one hand and lightning in the other.

  The griffin smirked, knowing that any direct magic was useless against him.

  One stray flame got away and threatened to harm those on his back, but he was relieved as Cage simply swatted the loose flame aside with ease.

  The flight was short as he blazed past the island and turned hard to reach the human’s beach encampment. There came a yell and pointing where the men drew arms and bows at his approach. Every human came out and continued shouting, but his approach was too fast. He was slow enough to drop the mages on the group while feeling the useless thumps from crossbow bolts bounce off his fur. He turned back to the water and banked enough to turn around and slow the flight. He could see the mage’s trying to untangle themselves from the other men and knew he didn’t come close to killing them. He closed in on the beach and slowed till his massive form landed on the beach not a hundred feet from the shouting men.

  Cage magnified his voice with a spell. “GET OFF MY ISLAND!” He stood as Daku knelt for him to leap down. Behind him he heard Zatal and Lanna say ‘Release!’ and get up to follow their chieftain to the beach with weapons drawn.

  Daku stood dignified as the three landed. He stood over thirty feet tall and waited.

  Cage saw a man wearing more elaborate clothes carry a long sword shouting for his mages to protect them. Already mad, the two mages rushed forward and began making their staff gems glow while working a rather powerful spell, but before either could finish one they stopped as Cage’s grin grew along with a huge spike of mana which dwarfed the pair. A black fireball as large as Daku appeared over the whole group. Its heat alone made the trees wilt and caused men to sweat in seconds. Using the enhanced voice he commanded “DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND CEASE USING MAGIC BEFORE I DROP THE FIRE DOWN ON YOU. YOU WON’T LIVE TO REGRET NOT LISTENING TO ME!”

  “Stand down!” The captain ordered and threw his own weapon in the sand. With an inferno daring them to resist, everyone followed. When every last one complied the fire vanished overhead and immediately the heat was swept away in the sea breeze. The captain took a step forward to shout “You are tempting fate by attacking the Vlaran Navy. Leave now before you incur our nation’s wrath.”

  Cage closed in on the man, flanked by the two warriors with drawn weapons. “This is my island and you are trespassing. This is Cage Island and I have every right to kill anyone I do not permit.”

  The captain took in the tallest naked men with cold hate and the two behind, but even he knew the one not ten feet in front of him is the deadliest. “And just who are you to give me orders?”

  “I’m Cage, owner of this island you are not allowed on. Leave now before I kill all of you.”

  “You Dare…!” Before the captain could attempt another word Cage, grinned lunged, kicking the man square in the chest and knocking the wind out of him.

  Two went for their nearby swords, but found a razor sharp knife to their throats as Zatal and Lanna moved like lightning and the calm warning look in their eyes instilled fear. The display of skill and magical power stayed everyone. The two sailors showed their hands and slowly backed away with them raised. The Utala warriors permitted it and stepped behind their chieftain.

  Cage placed a foot over the captain’s chest and kept him from moving and stared down dominantly while keeping every other sailor in sight, but they realized they were outmatched and held still like good soldiers. “Before I insist you leave for the last time, I need straight answers. Why did you set foot on my island?”

  “Orders…” The captain gasped out.

  That word alone made Cage angry so he said “One move and you and your men are dead.” and grinned to prove he’d follow through.

  The fireball took nearly every ounce of mana to conjure so he drew some mana back from the stores until he had enough to fortify him for the next task. He focused on finding Tate by sight mirror, but the image was unreadable and he should have known better since castles seemed to be protected by means of magic to look anywhere inside. He then searched for the next best person and before everyone came the image of General Kurk riding Vin’re’s streets on horseback with several armed men. Cage manipulated the spell to receive sounds and added a large quantity of magic to speak over long distances.

  General Kurk jerked on the reigns of his horse as a black sphere appeared fifteen feet before him and his men. Each drew swords and a red robed mage seemed to begin a spell. “Kurk, It is Cage. Tell me why your men are on my island?”

  The general gave a hand signal which had everyone sheathing their swords. His veteran skills wasn’t completely lost to age for even his calm and fierce expression showed he still
had strength to kill nearly anyone in his way. “I know this voice and direct speech patterns men.” He turned to the orb while back on the island the sailors stared dumbfounded at what they saw. “Cage, it is good to hear from you. How’s the nose from our last encounter.”

  A deep chuckle emanated from the orb. “Wily old Fox! Good test to find if I’m really who’s speaking. Back at our last encounter, you didn’t touch my nose. You busted my lip and cracked a rib, but I gave you a good few reminders. As for the broken nose, ask Tate since I broke his with a head butt.”

  “So it is you!” The general admitted with a nod and kept his features calm and cool, revealing nothing. “Only you have the balls to call the king by his name without honoring his station. So what is this problem with men on your island? Corbin from Emroc sent me a letter confirming you delivered the letters and our transaction stands fulfilled. What has Captain Aiden done?”

  “Aiden is it?” Cage asked and the captain knew this was no trick of magic. “Tell Kurk your current position.”

  He didn’t till Cage painfully pressed his heel deeper in Aiden’s chest. “General, we were scouting the island and used the only safe passage in reports. We sent mages to make a detailed map of the island and…”

  “You DID WHAT!” General Kurk shouted in increasing outrage through the mirror and the sailors saw their highest ranking general go beyond livid and his features were flushed in outrage. Kurk went silent in the sight mirror for a moment to compose himself as his men and Vin’re citizens alike stared at him. He schooled himself to talk calmly, but the threat in the words were clear. “I personally gave you direct orders to prevent anyone from setting one foot on Cage Island, including you and the men. What god possessed you to disobey a direct order passed directly from your king and stand against one of the most dangerous in all of Vlara? Do you even realize that you just signed the death warrant of not only yourselves, but King Tate as well. That man before you is a friend of the king, but will kill him for the deal you’ve just broken!” Color drained from Aiden’s face. “Cage, believe me, the captain went against direct orders and is now your domain to punish as you see fit.” Cage grinned and the captain was on the verge of fainting. “The island is yours as discussed since you are just as the king expected. Because I have to ask, are you going to go after mine king for disregarded, direct orders. If so, I need your word right now to keep him safe. As safe as we can…”

  “Kurk,” Cage interrupted. “if, and I’m stretching the if, I look the other way just this once, what measures will be taken to prevent such events from ever happening again?”

  “If… look oth…?... oh.” The general had to understand the contexts and seemed to succeed. “If you show leniency this one time, which I believe will only be once, I will first strip Captain Aiden of his command, title and service wages while also making his men, who also heard my orders, be on latrine duty and other menial work until spring. I am beyond words by how angry they have made me by nearly jeopardizing our whole kingdom because ‘they made you grin.’” The general quoted the secret message which came in loud and clear to the prophesied warlock. “If you pardon this costly mistake you have my word that not only will the king hear about this issue immediately, but that any royal contact will hold position outside those two pillars, that were reported to me, until such time as you or someone on your island gives a clear signal to either approach unarmed or someone goes to the ship. Any further breaches to our contract will put their life in their own hands or will be quartered and stripped of everything they ever worked for, if I ever hear this happening again.”

  Cage kept the line open agonizingly long to see how the words set in for the men and wasn’t disappointed. The general was too strict to lie, that was certain. Someone of his rank obviously gained respect by being trustworthy and had honor, this the warlock figured to be commendable. In the growing shadow of the mountain Cage finally ended the silence. “Then apparently no one was here.”

  General smiled while sighing. To the orb he said to Cage “You have my thanks.” and to those sailors on the island he commanded “All of you who can hear me, since I hear heavy breathing from a group, are reported to get your sorry asses off Cage Island immediately! You have two minutes to obey this command before I can no longer test the rightful owner’s patience. Place Aiden in the brig and set sail for Vin’re immediately. Any delay will result in worse punishment. Are my order’s clear!”

  The sailors saluted fearfully to the general’s enlarged image, thinking he was actually staring right at them, but he wasn’t.

  As one they all shouted “Yes, General!”

  “Good! Get to it!” with that, Cage ended the draining spells and the general’s image vanished without another sound.

  The sailors and mages hurriedly retrieved their weapons and two came closer to Cage with drawn knifes, but were meant to take the former captain away. Aiden, completely defeated, complied and went into custody for disobeying orders. The group worked together by disassembling the large grey tent and hurriedly placed everything they brought onto ten man rowboats and were in the water just under the two minute deadline. They rowed faster when Daku stomped closer, shaking the ground beneath his great weight.

  Cage didn’t look away till the second boat passed the black skull pillars. Over Daku’s shoulders he saw Meeka, Sean, Moril and Brooke standing and watching the fleeing boats and didn’t say a word till they all climbed aboard.”

  “What now, Dad?” Sean called out and observed. “Someone should stay behind so you can know our new home won’t be taken advantage of. The island will be open if we all go get the Utala.”

  “I will stay!” Lanna volunteered.

  “No, I have a better idea. Everyone come down, Daku and I need to go somewhere real quick.” Cage said and Daku laid down and moved a great arm forward as a ramp. Cage kept hearing them struggle and loudly say ‘Release.’ He asked what the problem is and heard the supplies weren’t releasing. It then donned that the bags wouldn’t release because they couldn’t speak and outside efforts would be ineffective. He then manually disengaged the spell and got thanked before everyone walked down and into the soft sand. “Good, restart that fire since we’ll likely be occupied longer than remaining daylight. We’ll be back soon… Daku, you don’t need to be so large anymore.” Cage began rummaging in his pack for an empty pouch.

  “Alright.” He shrank down to an appropriate size to carry Cage only. Cage climbed on and waved goodbye for a short time before the griffin hurried and took to the sky and glided over by his partner’s direction. “And just where are we going?” Daku asked while gliding.

  “Remember me telling you about how I got my new arm-skin and… well modified boots?”

  Daku glanced at Cage’s normal golden skin which contrasted to the black gauntlets that fused all the way up the arms and shoulders along with boots that reached the calf muscles yet around his open black toes was a firm flap beneath which would act somewhat like sandals. In the gauntlets, on the backside of his hands were the engraving of a skull with black diamonds for eyes. “I do, but why do you bring it up?” Cage explained and it made the fur and feathered partner smirk. “Oh, that will be much more effective than leaving Lanna behind alone.”

  “I was actually thinking about them for quite awhile and Sean’s words about preventing others gave me the idea.” Cage looked at the canopy beneath and could remember his months of scouting while relearning how to walk again after coming here and could almost see exactly what lay beneath the trees. “What takes you five minutes would take me half a day down there running.”

  “Flying is more efficient, but you miss the small details the ground offers.” Daku replied and flapped his twenty foot wide wings.

  “There!” Cage pointed. “I see the waterfall.”

  Ahead stood the island’s great waterfall as it continuously fell over the enormous cliff. In the fading light the mist sparkled from the natural rush of water. Below the cliff lay a rather spacious void of t
he near constant tree canopy. Cage felt Daku’s flinch of surprise beneath him and heard “How wondrous!”

  Slow spirals brought them to a soft landing where both took in the paradise of wildflowers of stunning colors. To Cage, it was as he remembered it, except that his work to keep the waterfall split wasn’t there any longer as it poured heavily as it did before. The cave became hidden behind the torrent again and he only hoped those mages didn’t find the passage when they worked whatever magic. The crystal clear lake still had colorful fish darting around as the water continuously flowed down a wide stream towards the ocean.

  Together they stared at the island’s greatest piece of paradise for several minutes till Cage saw Daku turn his head sharply to a squirrel barking from a nearby tree. Suddenly Daku shrank down to the squirrel’s size and charged for the tree. The unexpected change made Cage confused till the smaller griffin Jumped on the tree’s trunk and scurried up after the squirrel. The squirrel barked as Daku let loose a shrill roar to give chase. The nimble creatures sped round and round, Jumping from tree to tree. If not for the griffin’s white coat Cage wouldn’t have been able to keep up with his eyes.

  The chase lasted for a good minute before there came a shriek… then silence. Daku returned a few moments later, doubled in size while jerking his head back and forth. Cage noticed the bulge in the griffin’s throat along with a fluffy tail hanging out of the beak. A few more jerks showed the bulge disappear down to the stomach.

  “I thought you preferred rats? What do you call that?”

  “Tree rat.” Daku retorted and licked the blood from his beak.

  “Come on.” Cage smirked at the remark and Daku leapt to land on Cage’s shoulder as planned.