Dragonvein Book Five

by Brian D. Anderson

  Shinzan paused. “Yes. There is a small chance you could defeat me. Very small, but a possibility nonetheless. Were it not so, I would simply kill you and be done with it. But why should I take any risk at all? You too for that matter, especially given the darkness that is your future. Why not simply ease your burden? We can both have what we desire.”

  “And what do you think I want?”

  “You wish to live your life in peace and safety. You want the woman you love at your side and the freedom to be happy.”

  “And you can give me this?”

  “Of course, I can. Your life is finite. Mine is eternal. Regardless of what happens, your time will eventually run out. You will wither and die, as will everything and everyone you love. Even a mage cannot change this. So why not instead simply live the life your heart desires for the rest of your days?”

  “If you are consuming this world, how is that possible?”

  “You would live out your life here,” he explained. “With my help, there is nothing you can imagine that cannot be provided.” He cast his eyes to Lumnia. “She will not make you such a pleasing offer, that I promise you. She would watch you destroy all those who live upon her rather than give you even a moment of joy.” He spread his hands. “Is my offer not fair? You can live out the rest of your time without having slaughtered all that you hold dear. And die with your soul intact.” He turned and pointed. “Look and see what awaits you.”

  A small cabin with a row of delicate flowers planted along its front appeared in the near distance. “The woman you love is just inside, waiting only for you to come. Step through that door and you will have accepted my offer. All memory of this will then disappear. From that moment on, you will be free of all guilt. You will know only joy and contentment.”

  Ethan looked across at Lumnia. Once again, her expression was blank and her eyes were downcast. “And what do you have to say?” he asked.

  “Only that this is your choice,” she replied softly. “I cannot offer you the life that Shinzan promises. I merely offer the freedom to choose.”

  Ethan stared at her for a time, then over to Shinzan. It was clear that neither had anything further to say. Smoke was rising from the chimney of the cabin, its inviting aroma wafting on a warm breeze. Knowing what was awaiting him inside brought a smile to his lips. Kat would be sitting in a comfortable chair in front of the fireplace with a book and a glass of good wine. The instant he stepped through the door, all of his troubles would melt away. It would be as if his life had always been thus. From that moment on, he would only know joy. They would grow old together, each day for them as perfect as the one before.

  He started toward the cabin. With each step, the world around him expanded. He was now in a lush field sprinkled with colorful wildflowers and bordered by tall pines and massive oaks. He knew instinctively that the game beyond these would be varied and plentiful. Alongside the cabin, a vegetable garden was filled to bursting with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, squash…a variety unmatched by anything he had ever seen before. It was a garden that would never be empty and always ready to grow whatever they most wanted.

  The aroma of roasting lamb wafted out from a half open window, causing his mouth to water. Closing his eyes, he imagined the feast that would be awaiting him inside – a feast to be shared every day from this moment on with Kat. A bounty that would last until their final breaths. It was tempting almost beyond belief.

  But still not tempting enough to break his will.

  When he was only a few yards away from the door, he halted and turned back to where Shinzan and Lumnia were still standing. “I must respectfully decline your offer,” he said. “Maybe it is better to perish than to live a lie, but that’s not the real reason. The truth is, Shinzan, I just find the thought of watching you die too tempting to pass. More than anything, I want to see the fear in your eyes just before I kill you.”

  His enemy’s face twisted with rage. “Fool! I offer you the life of your dreams, and you choose death instead? So be it. I will waste no more time with you.”

  Behind Ethan the cabin erupted, transforming into a towering wall of flames. Kat’s terrified screams tore at his ears, even though he knew it wasn’t real. Kat was not – and never would have been – here in this place.

  He smiled at the enraged Shinzan. “I’ll be seeing you real soon.”

  The truth of what he was seeing had become clear. Facing the flames, he walked fearlessly into the inferno. This was the door that would lead him to the other side. He would not become what Shinzan had shown him. Nor would he hide in a prison of his own making.

  After only a few paces, the flames vanished. He found himself standing inside a cavern with walls covered in multi-colored crystals. In the very center stood the spirit of Lumnia. Her expression was no longer one of sorrow, but of deep appreciation.

  He could feel that he was no longer within Lumnia’s heart. He was back in the world of the living. “What Shinzan told me was true, wasn’t it?” he asked. “All you care about is survival.”

  “If that is what you believe, why did you not accept his offer?”

  “Because of what he did not understand. Everything he showed me was based on his belief that I hope to survive. You and I both know that the only way I can defeat him is for both of us to die together. So none of what he showed me could ever come true.”

  “The wars could still happen,” she responded. “Humans and dwarves do not understand this world. And they hate the elves because they do. They even hate the dragons. What you witnessed may still come to pass. Only the perpetrator would change. Not the crime.”

  Ethan nodded. “I know this too. But I have faith in the people I love. More than I have in myself. Together they will find a way to make things right.”

  Closing his eyes, he pictured Kat in his mind. Holding onto her image, he added each one of his friends in turn.

  Halvar: So strong and dedicated. Slow to accept change, yet humble and true of heart.

  Markus: A friend who would walk with him through hell…smiling the whole way.

  Lylinora: Her heart so big and her emotions so deep that they threatened to break her will at times. A woman who would give her life to heal a perfect stranger without a second’s pause.

  Keira: Fierce and wild, but with a love for her people and for this world that was without equal. She could see through the hate and anger people surrounded themselves with, and recognized that it was only their fears that made them this way. Through her understanding of this, she brought out the best those around her.

  Ganix: Wise and kind, but with a steel in his heart that was unbreakable. With the soul of a poet and the mind of a scholar, he possessed an uncanny ability to make those around him feel as if they could better themselves. Where they had once lived in doubt, they found courage. Where there was anger, they discovered compassion.

  One by one, he pictured more faces of the people he had met since his journey through Lumnia began. Those he had lost, and those he had only just started to know. All these people and their legacies would be what forged the new world. Confidence swelled within him. And with it came a peace he had not known before. It showered over him like warm spring rain, washing away dark thoughts, leaving him cleansed.

  “So, are you ready?” Lumnia asked.

  He opened his eyes. “Yes. It’s time to end this.”

  Lumnia moved close to him and placed her hands on his cheeks. At once, a warmth radiated from her flesh to his. His muscles felt infinitely stronger and his mind sharpened. The skin on his arms tingled as if a current was running through it.

  “You are now endowed with a portion of my essence,” she told him. “This will enable you to destroy Shinzan. But to do so, you must make physical contact. Do you understand? You must touch him.”

  Ethan nodded. “What will happen then?”

  “I think you already know the answer.”

  “It will destroy us both,” he said in a half-whisper.

  “I’m sorry. But th
is is the only way.”

  He forced a smile. “I know. It’s all right. We all have our time…our rendezvous with destiny. This is mine.”

  Lumnia leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Then go meet it with my gratitude. And my love.”

  He took a long breath and closed his eyes once again. The rush of air roared in his ears, as though he were moving at great speed. After a few seconds it stopped, and he tried to look around him. At first there was nothing but utter darkness. Then, in the blink of an eye, he saw he was standing in the desert sands. The sun blazed at high noon. And in the distance, just beyond a low dune, he could see the ominous towers of Shinzan’s palace.

  This would be his final battle. After picturing Kat in his mind one last time, he said a silent farewell. Something told him that she could hear him across the vast span separating them, and that she was saying farewell in return.

  “One last thing to do,” he said softly. A chuckle then slipped out. “I have to admit. It’s been one hell of a ride.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  King Ganix gripped the sending rod ever tighter. Still nothing. He had to face the grim reality that there would be no help forthcoming. The army converging on his beloved home would arrive very soon now, and if the reports were to be believed, they stood little chance of repelling them. The harsh truth was, the scant force he had managed to assemble would barely slow them.

  All entrances to the mountain bar one had already been collapsed, and those unable to fight sent deep into the mining tunnels to hide. Now, fifteen hundred dwarves, a few hundred elves, and roughly the same number of humans were all that stood in the Empire’s path. A mere minor irritation for the tens of thousands that were coming their way. And these soldiers…they were different from Shinzan’s usual troops. Their march was uncannily swift. And according to the elf scout’s report, they made not a sound. No songs of victory, not even idle chatter.

  With the city itself less than half a mile from the entrance into the mountain, the defenders had positioned themselves right across the main road leading into Valmorsa. Once, long ago, during a time of peace, it had been a center of trade and the road built specifically to accommodate a steady procession of goods entering through the main gates. Now, though, it served a different purpose. It was the most advantageous position from which to face their attackers, and offered the best access to the tunnels if, or rather when, they needed to retreat.

  Ganix looked out at the dense forest just beyond the road. Often he had come here and imagined a day when his people could venture out and be free to explore this world once again. Now all he wanted to do was to seal the mountain and shut it all out. That idea had actually been given full consideration. The problem was, there was not nearly enough food to sustain them for any extended period. Better to die a quick death at the edge of a blade than to starve. What little food they had gathered was already with those hiding in the tunnels.

  A hand gently touched his shoulder. He turned and smiled. “I was wondering when you would come to watch over me. Afraid I’ll topple over and die before Shinzan’s men get their chance?”

  “With the thoughtless way you take care of yourself, it had crossed my mind,” Lady Thora responded.

  Ganix pulled her close to his side. “Don’t worry. I’m not ready to lie down just yet. Let them come.”

  As if in reply to his words, a trumpet sounded from deep within the forest. The line of soldiers spanning the road shifted nervously. Ganix knew he should give them words of encouragement, but at that moment his dread had overcome him.

  “I don’t suppose there is any chance that you will join the others in the tunnels?” he asked, though already knowing the answer.

  Thora drew a dwarf rod from her sleeve. “None at all, my love.”

  He tried not to think about Maile and Asta, desperately afraid and without their grandmother by their side. It would take the Imperials a long time to discover where those who were too young, too old, or too sick to fight were hidden. But this would not save them in the end. Even if they escaped detection completely, they would still run out of food eventually and be forced to seek it in the open. Their only hope would be that aid might arrive before that became necessary.

  He gave Thora’s hand a squeeze and drew his own rod from his belt. “Then let us send as many of these foul invaders as we can to see their ancestors.”

  “One thing,” she said. “If by some miracle we do manage to survive this, please tell your people to stop calling me Your Highness. We are not wed yet. And even if we were, I have no wish for such formality.”

  “If we survive this, I will see that they address you however you want,” he assured her.

  Another trumpet blast echoed off the mountainside, accompanied by the drumming of thousands of boots. From the ranks, a young elf ran up, a look of excitement in his eyes.

  “What is it?” asked Ganix.

  “The horn you hear,” he replied. “I would know that sound no matter how far away. It’s a cormafar.” When the king looked at him with confusion, he added: “It’s an elf horn, Your Highness.”

  The cormafar sounded again. Ganix allowed a glimmer of hope to enter his heart. At the same time, a warning voice told him that he was clutching at the impossible. There was no way King Halvar could have outpaced the enemy.

  “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

  “Without a doubt, Your Highness. And I do not think the Empire would be carrying such a horn. They are made from a very rare wood, and only an elf herald would know how to use one.”

  Ganix considered this. Of course, it might be a Rakasa. They had once been elves, after all. But the marching of boots was now accompanied by the shouts and cheers of the approaching soldiers. They could not possibly be the silent ones he had heard spoken of. Thora was clearly thinking the same thing. She squeezed in close, tears ready to fall.

  A hush fell over the defending ranks, everyone daring to hope but refusing to yield to celebrations until it was visibly confirmed. After only a few minutes, it was. A line of dwarves emerged from the tree line and marched onto the road. At the vanguard was King Halvar, with Keira on one side of him and King Yularian on the other. A lone elf accompanying them was holding a polished green horn of peculiar design. Raising this to his lips, he let out a clear call that to Ganix’s ears was sweeter than the finest music ever composed.

  Pushing their way through the now wildly jubilant group of defenders, Ganix and Thora started down the road. Laughing boisterously all the way, Ganix raised an arm. After returning the greeting, Halvar brought the army to a halt when they were halfway to the mountain.

  “You cannot imagine how pleased I am to see you,” Ganix said.

  Halvar gripped him on the shoulders with both hands, smiling broadly. “You think I would allow you to have all the glory? If songs are to be sung of this battle, I would have my name included in at least one verse.”

  Barely had he finished speaking when Thora moved in and wrapped her arms around him. “Blessings,” she said. “You can have all the verses. Every word, if you wish.”

  Such was her enthusiasm, Halvar was practically engulfed. “Just one verse will do, I think, My Lady,” he laughed after disengaging himself.

  “How did you get here ahead of the Imperials?” Ganix asked. Even now he was finding the combined army’s presence hard to believe.

  “As chance would have it, we have you to thank for that,” replied Halvar. “Your insistence that David focus on getting Borgen to move has paid off.”

  Ganix’s eyes widened. “You mean he actually…”

  “Exactly. Unfortunately, we could fit only about twenty thousand on board and still move swiftly enough to get here ahead of the enemy. Our hope now is that we can keep them at bay long enough for the others to reach us.”

  “How far are they behind?” asked Ganix.

  “Two days.”

  “I see. It will be difficult. But we will hold.”

  “Then let us not delay,” Halvar tol
d him. “The silent ones cannot be far behind. We have already taken the liberty of planning a defense, if that is acceptable to you.”

  “I’m more than happy to leave it in your capable hands,” Ganix told the group. “Your knowledge of such matters far exceeds my own.”

  After giving a sharp nod, Halvar turned and raised his arm. In unison, the army moved forward and began lining up in various positions across the road. Elf archers made their way to the rear ranks, while the healers headed back to the mouth of the mountain’s entrance. Though it took only a few hours for everyone to get into position, it felt much longer knowing that at any moment the enemy could burst forth from the forest and attack them before they were ready.

  At Halvar’s insistence, the other two joined with the healers. Thora’s scolding quickly overcame Ganix’s objections.

  Two days, Ganix considered. An eternity. Many would die. More than he cared to imagine. And from what Halvar had now told him of these so-called ‘silent ones’, two days might be too long. He shuddered to think of what foul magic had been used to transform them into such emotionless vessels of death.

  His thoughts then turned to Ethan Dragonvein. The awful possibility that Shinzan might have been victorious occurred to him. If so, all this was for nothing. He pushed the idea aside. No. If Shinzan had already killed Ethan, then there would be nothing preventing him from coming forth and slaughtering them all. That had to mean the battle between them was yet to be joined. He said a silent prayer for Ethan’s victory.

  Seeing Halvar pacing back and forth just behind the last row of soldiers, Ganix walked down to join him.

  “They should be here by now,” Halvar was muttering through a clenched jaw.

  “Why would you be so impatient to fight?” Ganix asked.

  Halvar cocked his head and frowned. “It’s not the Empire I am looking for. It’s -”

  A whirlwind erupted at the base of the road, cutting him short. As the wind died away, they saw two figures standing side by side. Ganix recognized Kat at once, but was unfamiliar with the man alongside her. He assumed it could only be the mage called Lynial that Halvar had spoken of.