The Dragon Orb (The Alaris Chronicles Book 1)

by Mike Shelton

  Bakari smiled at the friendly stranger. “My name is Bakari. And this is Kharlia.”

  They shook hands.

  As Bakari looked over at the boar, they all clearly heard his stomach rumble.

  “Sounds like you’re hungry, Bakari. You two on the run from something?”

  Bakari didn’t answer, feeling nervous about that line of questioning. Harley appeared to accept his silence, so he tried to settle his nerves.

  “No matter what your business is, seems like you could use a good meal. All bony you are. We need to put some more meat on those bones so you can be strong for your girl here.”

  Bakari blushed and started to say that she wasn’t his girl, but Kharlia punched her small fist into his back and laughed.

  “Thank you, Sir. A good meal sounds great,” Kharlia said graciously.

  “No need to call me Sir here, Missy. Har or Harley will do, like I said. My cabin’s not too far away from here. My wife and boy are there. Hopefully, a nice pot of something is waiting for us to eat. I’m starving.” The big man patted his stomach. “This here wild boar will need to be cured for a while before she’s ready for eatin’.”

  Harley packed up his boar and slung it over his broad shoulders. Then Bakari and Kharlia followed him to his home, a small, two-room cabin made of pine logs. A clearing in the front housed a vegetable garden, and a small stream, leading to the Dunn River, flowed around the back.

  Soon they were all seated around a table, Harley bringing in a few extra crates for the newcomers to sit on. Bakari noticed that the child Harley had mentioned did not come sit with them, so Bakari guessed it must be only an infant, probably sleeping somewhere.

  They ate a nice thick stew, fresh bread, and turnip greens. It felt nice to be full again. In the last few days of their journey, they had relied on Kharlia’s foresting skills and Bakari’s book knowledge for finding edible plants, neither of which had filled them up much.

  After eating, Harley turned to Bakari. “So, Son, what do you do in life that brings you up this direction?”

  Bakari fidgeted nervously with his feet, but Kharlia stepped in. “Bak is a scholar, and I am a village healer. He’s helping me find herbs growing up in this area.”

  Harley’s wife, Sarah, brightened up. “A healer? Harley, did you hear that?”

  Harley nodded his head and then spoke. “Our son is sick with a fever, and we don’t know what to do. He keeps getting weaker and sleeps most of the day. Could you—I mean—would you be willin’ to look at him?”

  Kharlia’s eyes lit up. Within moments, she had grabbed her pack headed off into the other room with Sarah.

  Once they had left, Harley resumed speaking to Bakari. “How far north are you headed?”

  Bakari didn’t know this man and wasn’t a good conversationalist, but he felt he could trust him. “As far as we can get—all the way to the barrier.”

  Harley’s eyes widened. “Strange happenings up there, on the other side of the river. You better stay farther south.”

  “Happenings like what?” Bakari’s desire for knowledge pushed him forward.

  “People live up there that no one hardly ever sees. A strange place that used to be on Elvyn lands but got stuck this side of the barrier.” Harley’s eyes shifted around in his nervousness. “You just don’t want to go there, Bakari. The closer you get to the corner of the barrier—people see things they don’t want to talk about.”

  Bakari received the impression to push the man further. His wizard powers told him this man knew more than he let on. “What things have you seen, Harley?”

  Harley got up and walked to the fire, where the pot of stew had been cooked. He poked around in it a few times. It was warm enough to not need the fire for warmth. He turned back around and stroked his beard.

  “You seem like a nice kid, Bak—can I call you Bak?”

  Bakari nodded.

  “I don’t know what you two are running from,” Harley continued. “Oh, you do seem the scholarly type, and I hope with all my might your girl is a healer, but you don’t belong out here.”

  Bakari opened his mouth to answer.

  “Stay away from the barrier. There are sightings of odd animals around it and rumors of seeing people on the other side.”

  “Harley,” Bakari said, looking him in the eyes. “I need to hear and understand what you know. Have you seen a city around there?”

  Harley stood up and almost knocked over a small table. “What do you know about a city? Who are you really?” The man paced the small room nervously.

  Bakari decided to level with him. “I am a scholar wizard. The Chief Judge is in trouble. I serve him. We heard that the barrier is failing, and I need to find out why.”

  “And, why did you ask about a city?”

  Bakari brought up in his mind the map they had seen at the library in River Bend. He had memorized every last detail. “Celestar. Does that mean anything to you?” He had purposefully not answered the man’s question.

  Harley fell back in his seat and stayed silent for a minute.

  Bakari needed to find out, so he pushed forward. “I need you to bring us there, Harley. You know where it is, don’t you?”

  Harley only nodded his head, at first, then his eyes glazed over. “Bright lights, gleaming spires, and people that never leave or come. I haven’t seen it myself, boy, but I trust those who have. I have been close enough to see its lights reflecting in the night sky. Something mighty strange, to have a city no one knows about, tucked away at the corner of the barrier.”

  “That is why I need to go there.”

  Kharlia and Sarah emerged from the bedroom. Harley’s wife held their young son, probably not more than two years old.

  “Harley, she did it! She is a healer indeed.” Tears streaked down Sarah’s face. “His fever broke.”

  Harley moved next to his wife and put his arm around her.

  The large man looked at Kharlia and then Bakari. “How can I repay you?” he asked before thinking through what the answer might be.

  Bakari gave him a toothy grin, and Harley knew then what the price would be.

  “Fine,” the woodsman said. “But only as far as the large outcropping of rock. I’ll point the way from there. I’m not going all the way to that city. We’ll all gather supplies today and leave at first light. With horses, it will be about five days of traveling.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Alli needed to expend some energy. She was fidgety from sitting around the Citadel and watching the power plays between the wizards and the Chief Judge. This morning, she walked to the practice yard and proceeded to stretch and work her body. Wearing tight leather pants and snug leather armor over a thin shirt, she soon worked up a sweat.

  She picked up a staff and twirled it faster and faster around her head and then her body. Becoming one with the weapon, she removed all distractions from her mind. She swung the staff out with one hand and brought it back with the other. She jumped over the staff, released some of her powers, and somersaulted back to the ground. Faster and faster she turned, until she became a blur to any curious onlookers.

  The young apprentice was oblivious to the growing crowd until she stopped moving and opened her eyes. She flushed from the attention more than from the exertion of the workout. The crowd applauded, and an older man walked up to her.

  “My girl,” he began. “That was one of the most beautiful routines I have ever seen. You must be quite something to behold during an actual battle.”

  Alli gave a short bow of her head in deference to the man. “Thank you, Wizard. I just needed to blow off some steam. I’m bored.”

  “Bored!” The elderly wizard laughed. “Well, you brought some excitement to the gathering for sure. I am Battle Wizard Geoffrey.” He extended his right hand.

  The man stood at least a foot taller than Alli, with shortly cropped, silver hair. His older years were upon him, but he was still fit and trim, with muscle definition showing through his attire. “Would you li
ke to take on some real challenges? I would love to show you around the battle wizard training grounds.”

  Alli’s eyes lit up, and a smile crossed her young face. She pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Lead the way.”

  Geoffrey laughed and led her on a short walk away from the onlookers. Entering the official training grounds of the battle wizards, Alli was awed. Before, when living at the Citadel, she had only been allowed to practice among the other apprentices. But now, glancing around, she saw full-fledged wizards using swords, staffs, bows, knives, and—some—only their wizarding powers.

  “High Wizard Kanzar wants us ready at all times,” Geoffrey said as he motioned around the practice yard. “You must know of the Chief Judge’s words the other day. He intends not to relinquish his position. There could be a battle soon.”

  Alli frowned up at the larger man. “Why should he relinquish his legally obtained position?”

  “Ahh. I forgot that you serve in Cassian,” Geoffrey said with a twinkle in his eye.

  Alli was positive the man hadn’t forgotten where she came from. He was one of Kanzar’s men for sure and was trying to lure her into wanting to be in their good graces. Taking in the wonders of the yard, she was surely tempted. But her loyalty lay with the Chief Judge and her mentor, Gorn. Though, since arriving at the Citadel, Gorn had been more subdued than normal and she hadn’t seen much of him.

  A young wizard, in his late twenties, came walking up to the two. “Who is this young girl, Battlemaster?”

  Battlemaster? Alli didn’t realize she was speaking to the highest ranking battle wizard in the land. Her face betrayed her emotions, and the newcomer laughed.

  “Just showing a promising young apprentice what she has access to, if she wants to become a full wizard,” Geoffrey said.

  Alli heard the bribe running through his words. If she agreed to be on their side and to fight against the Chief Judge, they would allow her to test to be a full wizard. Was that the bargain Roland had made to be named a wizard? She had heard that he passed the test the previous day but hadn’t spoken personally to him yet. It was unlike him, not to come and gloat.

  “Is she any good?” asked the young wizard with a smile, and his eyes lingered on Alli’s tightly clad body. “She looks the part…but kind of small.”

  Alli glared at the arrogant young man. Were all young men so bad? She thought of Bakari. At least he seemed to hold a good head on his shoulders—though it usually was stuck in a book.

  “I assure you I can hold my own.” She flashed him a cutesy smile. “Want to go for a bout?”

  The young wizard looked at the Battlemaster, who motioned that he agreed to the demonstration. So the two headed off toward a small practice area to choose their weapons. All were blunted with tied-up rags, but the force of a hit would still sting.

  “My name is Maddox,” the young wizard said as he tied back his dark hair.

  “Alli,” she replied.

  With these introductions out of the way, the two grabbed swords. Alli took a defensive posture, at first, in order to study the movements of her opponent; Maddox came driving in with no thought. Alli easily sidestepped him and swung her sword around, slapping him on his rear end.

  Maddox blushed and came at her harder. Alli stuck her sword out, blocking his. Back and forth they went, neither yielding much to the other. Sweat streamed down Maddox’s face as he pushed himself harder.

  Alli had studied his moves long enough. The man fought well, but arrogance had him not paying enough attention. He didn’t seem to realize that Alli had hardly moved as she parried or dodged each blow.

  “Getting tired?” the man said as he puffed out air in an attempt to distract her.

  Alli smiled innocently and then stopped moving. This sudden change made Maddox overreach, and he moved past her. Alli then jumped up into the air and flipped over the young wizard, appearing once again in front of him. The move stunned the young man, and Alli smacked him hard with the sword once again.

  “Staff!” Maddox yelled, and someone threw him a long, black staff. He swung it hard at Alli’s legs. She jumped over it and came down behind him, swatting him on the back. He turned swiftly around and began wildly swinging the staff around him.

  With each of his moves, Alli stepped to the staff’s rhythm. She became a blur around Maddox, anticipating every move and reaching her sword in to swat him on every part of his body.

  During one jump, Alli sensed movement behind her and ducked as another man intruded on their fight. With an eye full of annoyance, she glanced at the Battlemaster, who only smiled in return.

  So, that is how it was going to be. They were going to test her now. Two against one: Maddox with the staff, the other with a sword.

  Alli struck out at both, somersaulting through the air. While in midair, she pulled two knives out of her boots and threw them at both opponents. The blunt handles smacked each of them hard on the chest. Landing beside a tree in the yard, she felt grateful for a brief respite in the shade as the other two regrouped.

  Two more of the Battlemaster’s men came out to fight against her. Four against one. She put on her best grin. Now she could blank her mind from everything around her and do what she did best.

  She ran straight up the trunk of the tree and flipped back over their heads, knocking two of them down on the way. The other two advanced with swords. She brought out a second sword from a scabbard on her own back and stood with one in each hand. The thrill of battle settled familiarly upon her. It was what she had been born to do.

  With moves resembling the grace of a dance more than the crudeness of battle, she flew around, under, and over the four men, scoring hits over and over again. Tiring of not being able to touch Alli, one of the wizards brought forth a ball of fire and threw it at Alli.

  The crowd gasped and then watched the Battlemaster. His face showed no emotion.

  Alli brought forth her own power and, with a rush of wind, blew the fireball away. It exploded at the feet of one of the other men and knocked him out of the fight. If this was how they were going to play, she would show them what she was made of.

  Dropping one of the swords, she brought forth a stray bolt of lightning from her right hand. It shot around the practice yard. The crowd groaned as they thought she had missed. But the bolt took on speed and power as it circled the yard, going faster and faster, until it became a blur of fire that could hardly be seen.

  Her opponents froze, mesmerized by the control and finesse of her spell. Then, without warning, the lightning shot inward and circled the feet of the three remaining men. They brought forth air and fire of their own, but it was no match for Alli’s strength. She tied their hands with cords of air and then, using the bolt of lightning, dug a hole in the ground beneath their feet. The men dropped three feet into the hole.

  “Alli,” a voice said to her from the sidelines. “That is enough.”

  It was Gorn, his face set firm, but his eyes sparkling with pride.

  With a flourish of her hand, she extinguished the circling bolt of lightning and walked toward the Battlemaster. On her way there, the men screamed for her to untie their hands. Without even turning around, she flipped her hand in a circle, and they were free.

  Gorn walked over and joined her in front of the Battlemaster. He gave a slight bow to the man but did not appear happy.

  Alli looked up at Geoffrey, wet her lips with her tongue, and pushed her hair out of her face. “My loyalty cannot be bought with bribes.”

  Battlemaster Geoffrey appeared taken aback and, for the first time, lost his composure. “Gorn, you should have more control over your apprentice.”

  Standing toe to toe with the man, Gorn controlled his anger by a thread. “You put her up to this, Geoffrey. Pitting four battle wizards against one apprentice is not our usual practice. And, allowing them to use magic directly against her is against all the rules. You are lucky she didn’t kill them all. I would say she had plenty of control.”

  The crowd grew q
uiet, not used to having their Battlemaster’s honor put on the line. Then one loud clap began in the crowd. Alli scanned the crowd and finally saw the smirk on Roland Tyre’s face. This time, she joined him in his smile.

  “Quite a display today,” Roland said to Geoffrey. “I’m sure your intentions were noble, Battlemaster, and you were only interested in testing the young girl’s strength.”

  The Battlemaster gave a slight bow of his head toward Roland. Alli covered a gasp by placing a hand over her mouth. The man had actually acquiesced to Roland’s authority. What had happened during his testing?

  “I think we are done for today.” Roland took command. “Kanzar would like to speak to Gorn and his apprentice.” Roland motioned for the two of them to follow him out of the crowd.

  After they were out of earshot from the group, Alli put her hand on Roland’s arm to stop him.

  “Why did the Battlemaster bow to you?”

  Roland beamed. “I am a wizard now, Alli. I passed their test.”

  Alli continued with her question. “But, surely, a level-four wizard would not bow to a level one wizard.”

  “No. You are right.” Roland winked at her and started walking again. “But a level-four wizard would bow as an equal to another level-four wizard.”

  “What?” Alli couldn’t believe her ears. Roland, a level-four wizard? That was unheard of. What had happened in that test? “You?” she said out loud.

  “Yes, me. Level-four wizard Roland Tyre.” He bowed with a flourish. “At your service.”

  “Oh, great,” Alli moaned. “And I thought your head was big before.”

  Roland laughed. “Hurry up. We really do need to see Kanzar.”

  “Can I at least get a drink first?” Alli asked innocently. “I did just beat four battle wizards.”

  “Yes. I guess you deserve that,” Roland said, and both he and Gorn laughed.

  After freshening up, they entered Kanzar’s office. Onius stood next to the self-proclaimed High Wizard. Alli noticed a new look from Kanzar while he watched Roland. She couldn’t quite place whether it was fear, hatred, envy, or pride—or a mixture of all four.