The Terra Drago Chronicles: The Sacrifice (Rein of Fire Book 1)

by Richardson, James

  Draco placed a shack of coins into the folds of the clothes and handed it to an elven boy. Draco had promised that if he would do this ten gold pieces would be his. Draco had also told the boy not to tell her who had given him the clothes for her. As the boy ran to the fallen princess, he handed her the clothes eager for the prize of such a simple task.

  “These are for you miss,” Zead said holding out the stack of clothes for Lanshina.

  “Thank you for your kindness my I ask who purchased this,” Lanshina asked eyeing the boy with suspicion.

  “He did not give his name to me just asked me to bring these to you miss."

  “Please tell him thank you for the kind gift,” Lanshina said pressing the fresh clothes to her chest. With that the elven boy ran off into the distance to where he had met the man. That had given the clothes for that beautiful woman.

  “I done as you asked mister,” Zead said holding his hand out.

  “You told her not my name." Zead nodding his head in agreement. Draco plunged his hand into the pouch and placed ten gold coins into the young boy’s hand.

  “Thank you sir may I ask why you care about that woman. The people have shunned her and that is why she lives on the streets,” Zead said pointing his thumb in Lanshina’s direction.

  “She is my daughter please see to it that she is taken care of I shall pay for the expense when I return,” Draco said smiling at the boy.

  “I would like to know the name of the person I am working for?"

  “For now you can call me Draco my young friend,” Draco said shaking the boys outstretched hand. There came a thunderous roar from the sky as Draco finished his conversation with the young elf. The young boy looked to the skyward, Zead's eyes were in mystical wonder as he saw the shape of a dragon flying overhead. Before Zead turned his attention back towards the strange man. Draco he had already rounded the corner down the alley.

  Zead ran to catch up with the man as he neared the area where he last saw the dragon. As Zead rushed down the alley, he saw the man climbing into the saddle onto of a black dragon. Zead stopped in his tracks when he saw the man on the back of the mighty dragon he was star struck. Zead had heard the name Draco on his father’s lips over dinner many nights. This can not be the Lord Draco that his father talks about with honor and respect. This could not be the man that had saved their city from the attack by the Drow.

  “Your not Lord Draco are you,” Zead asked his voice cracking as he spoke.

  “Why yes I am.”

  “My father is never going to believe this that I meet the black rider,” Zead stammered growing ever flustered at the sight of the mighty warrior.

  “Here show him this and tell him you are under my charge to care for that woman,” Draco said gently tapping lose one of Shadow Fangs neck scales. Chanting low placing a spell upon the brilliant scale. Draco bent down from his saddle to hand Zead a black round object the size of Zead's hand.

  “What is it my lord,” Zead asked pawing the scale over his fine elven fingers.

  “That is a scale from Shadow Fang herself I have enchanted it. It will allow you to contact me it will also allow you entrance to the castle,” Draco said resting his hands on the horn of his saddle.

  “You honor me my lord,” Zead said with awe. As Draco readied Shadow Fang for take off Zead bowed to him and ran off into the darkness of the alley. Zead tucked the scale into his tunic as he ran towards his home. As he neared the one story three-bedroom house he saw his mother out in their garden. While his father sat at their dinner table, repairing shoes for a customer that had came two days ago.

  “Were have you been Zead you were suppose to be home an hour ago,” said his mother.

  “Sorry mother you will never believe me if I tell you! Come I want father to hear this to,” Zead said over joyous of the days events. Grabbing his mothers arm, he rushed towards the back door of the house. As he burst through the door, Zead’s father was placing the last sole on the pair of shoes that had been commissioned. Placing down the tack hammer on the table turning to his son.

  “What is the fuss all about son,” Zead's father asked.

  “I meat a rider today father,” Zead said flustered. “Do tell,” said his father jokingly.

  “I did, I did father see he gave me a scale and asked me to look out for a woman,” Zead said showing his father the black scale that Draco had giving him.

  “My word were did you get such a thing,” asked his mother.

  “From Lord Draco himself,” Zead said holding his head up high.

  “I don't believe it why would he give you such important thing,” asked his father.

  “If you don't believe me father I can talk to him though it,” Zead said praying that it would work. “Lord Draco can you hear me,” Zead said to the scale pleading that it worked.

  Yes what is it,” asked Draco.

  “My lord I showed the scale to my mother and father they did not believe that you would gave me such a thing,” Zead said smiling at his parents shocked looks.

  I see what he says it true I paid him for his serves and I put him under my charge for further serves." Draco ended the

  conversation with Zead’s parents seeing how he could handle it himself. “I told you father he also told me this will also get me into his castle,” Zead said picking up the scale to place it back into his tunic. Zead also placed the ten gold coins that Draco had paid him with onto the table.

  “My word,” said his mother shocked by the amount in which her son was paid.

  “Just one would feed us for three months,” said his father.

  “That is Zead’s money not ours Pablo,” said his mother.

  “Here mother,” handing his mother five of the gold coins and pocketing the other five, his mother wrapping her arms tightly around Zead they would never thought that their son would be so giving.

  “I shall head to the market right now and get the biggest duck and have a fine meal tonight,” said his mother running out of the house.

  “Zead you must hide that and the coins and tell no one that you have these things,” said Pablo.

  “Yes father,” Zead said running into his room. He lifted a loose floorboard and placed the scale and the coins into the hollow space.

  ******** At the training field where Cominus was to being his formal training under the elves rule. However he would hate every minute of it yet he would not openly voice his displeasure. As the morning light graced the training grounds, all eyes were on him in his leather armor Draco had given him. The only ones that looked at him without disgust in their eyes, were the dwarfs who were getting the same treatment as he was. As the instructor stepped onto the field all became silent as the dark elf walked to the center of the stage.

  “Good morning young riders today will be your first of many days under my rein. As I pound the knowledge of the arcane in to your heads and its disadvantages in battle. Many of you are too young to know how to channel your magic through your bodies. So we will have a simple test for those here today,” said the dark elf instructor waving his hand to signal the two helpers. As they stepped onto the stage their arms were filled with freshly cut

  branches. Cominus could only smile at the thought that he had already past that part of his training. He wondered how far Aryl’s teachings had taken him beyond those of his counterparts.

  Darjin rested on his shoulders bathing in the warm morning sun. Her blue eyes scanning the elves that were in attendance, then she spotted the crimson dragon as the male rest near his riders feet. Looking at what had caught Darjin’s attention her lithe form, her blond hair fluttered in the morning breeze. Looking down her dragon could not take its eyes off Darjin. As those purple eyes fell upon him Cominus felt all time had stopped. He felt the same pull as he did when Aryl was near. “What the hell is going on,” Cominus asked himself.

  He would have been in that moment if it was not for the instructor calling out his name. Aryl stood on the stage beside the dark elf the look on her face broug
ht a smile to his face. He hoped that she did not see him standing there like a fool. As he neared the stage, Cominus noticed a parchment scroll in his midnight blue hands. Perplex Cominus wondered what this could be about.

  “Lord Cominus I have a letter here from Lord Draco,” the dark elves voice did not hint at the displeasure of his lesson being interrupted. However the look in his silver eyes told him so. “Do you wish to know what it says young rider?”

  “By all means please,” Cominus said with a wave of his hand. Cominus hoped his brother had changed his mind about not teaching him magic.

  “It says that you have already begun your arcane schooling under the mage Aryl. Is what his lordship says is true young rider.”

  “Yes master that is true I thought it best encase of another attack while we traveled to the city of Shadleel.” Cominus could hear mummers and whispers from the elves in the crowd.

  “I see and did you perform this task that your companions here are about to perform.”

  “Yes master.” Not believing a word that came out of his mouth, he would have Cominus prove his truth.

  “Then show me young rider that you can call upon your magic at will and I shall follow what this letter says.” Thinking back to his only two encounters with magic, he could not use the same spell he had used against the goblins. How could he use a spell that he called upon by shear instinct. Then he remembered the time in the bathing pool the small fireball that he had created out of his need of knowledge or curiosity.

  “Pyro Shire,” Cominus said feeling the tingle of the magic as it flowed though his body up to his arm. Into his right palm as the dark elf watched as the faint light began to form in his calloused hand. The fire grew to its summoned size all but Aryl stared at the human rider in disbelief.

  “Very well you are free to continue your training with the mage Aryl.” Aryl flashed him a smile and nodded towards a clearing where she would be waiting. Cominus sent a silent thank you to his brother for getting him out of this. Though he had told him the dark elves would teach him magic they never told Draco who it had to be. Cutting the flow of magic the ball of flame dwindled to nothing then it was no more. As Cominus looked back towards the crimson rider their eyes meet. Those purple eyes looked upon the human rider with wonder. For she was an outcast amongst her people; as he was though she had no idea how fate will intertwine these two, or what the gods had in store for them.

  As he approached the clearing Aryl had indicated Cominus tugged at his leather armor. Eager to take off the stifling piece of armor. Cominus was not arrogant that he could escape harm from an elves blows even if it was only practice. Darjin looked around the knoll to see where she could watch her rider without undo harm to herself, and a safe distance away from Cominus when his own failure would amuse her. As he reached the top of the grassy knoll Ergan stood beside Aryl. The sight of his friends brought a hint of joy to his brown eyes.

  “I must thank you for fetching me from that,” Cominus said nodding his head towards where the other young riders had gathered.

  “Come now you think I would let some one else finish the work that I have already begun,” Aryl said placing her hands her shapely hips. Cominus could not tell if she was joking, or not which brought a smile to her thin lips. “Oh come now rider that will not do,” she said referring to the leather armor his brother had given him.

  “Well if it keeps your blows from breaking a rib all the better, so were is Redbird.”

  “Over here m’lord I thought I watch this little sparing match between the three of you. It would not do if the guard for his lordship were to be tuckered out to face a foe bent on his lordships head.” Chuckled Redbird from under the braches of the red pine a few feet away, jumping from his shoulders Darjin ran up the pine tree where Redbird rested.

  “Shall we get started my lord,” Ergan said sliding his arm through the leather straps of his shield. The wooden scimitars he had practiced with fell at his feet. Cominus thought he was here to learn magic not sword play though it was on his to do list. “You think that I would stand back and watch while you and Aryl have all the fun not likely,” the wood elf said with a smirk.

  “Yes I been wondering what a rider could do against two elves,” Aryl said her devilish giggle told him this would not end well. As he bent to pick up the wooden scimitars, Ergan launched his attack. Cominus had a feeling he would try that so he fainted to Ergan’s left only to be met with Aryl’s magic bolt aimed at his chest. Leaping into a side roll Cominus had avoided taking the full blunt of the magic bolt by a fraction of an inch. Yet he did not escape without suffering the sting of the bolt.

  Wincing from the bite of the bolt a plan was forming in his mind as he looked at the two elves. Cominus had to separate them if he had any chance to win this bout. With Ergan so close to his practice swords, he knew he would not get to them before Ergan was on him. Looking down the knoll a devilish grin appeared on his tan face. Taking flight into the woods Cominus knew without line of sight most of Aryl’s spells would be useless. All he had to do was slow Ergan down long enough to get to Aryl and his practice swords.

  Stopping twenty yards into the forest, Cominus headed off to the right long enough to fool Ergan. Setting a snare near the end of his tracks Cominus backtracked to the fork in the path. Waiting behind a tree to see if Ergan was near not hearing his footfalls. Cominus crept down the left hand path not to leave any trace of his passage. As the woods thinned out to the clearing, Cominus stopped five feet within the edge of the woods. As he watched to see if Ergan had taken the bait, a faint curse came from within the woods. A smile touched his lips, as his plan was half way complete. How to distract the mage that was going to be a problem, shrugging his shoulders Cominus dashed out from his hiding spot. Aryl watched him as he raced towards her she was stunned for a moment then her mind took control. Releasing spell after spell Cominus went into a zigzag moment as each spell struck the ground.

  Cominus had covered the distance at great speed, so that she could not use her most powerful spells has he drew closer to her. Readying her staff Aryl could not help but enjoy the spectacle taking place before her. Thrusting her staff out to strike Cominus in the chest, ducking underneath her weapon, as Cominus stood he was only inches away from her captivating lips. He did the only thing that came into his mind. As his lips embraced hers, Aryl’s silver eyes went wide as his tongue drove into her. Losing her grip on her staff Aryl lost all thought of why they were there. Pulling away her body wanted more of the man yet his smile perplexed her.

  “Agh nowth ish gasted,” Cominus whispered holding on to Aryl as her body became trapped with in the magic web. Cominus gently laid her body on the ground he knew he was going to have to pay for that later from what the anger in her eyes told him. Hearing Ergan coming down the trail Cominus rushed to his waiting weapons. With the familiar weight in his hands, he headed into the woods where even an elves speed would be limited.

  Taking a path that would allow Cominus to attack on Ergan’s exposed left side. Catching up to the elf in a matter of seconds, jumping off a fallen log Cominus left scimitar led his attack. Raising his shield to deflect his attack Cominus had hoped this is what he would do. Snaking his right underneath his raised arm, Cominus struck with two quick jabs to the elves rib cage. As Ergan winched in pain for he had not expected Cominus to take this plan of action.

  Due to the weight of his attack, Ergan lost critical footing to launch a counterattack against the rider. With the element of surprise, Cominus had gained the momentum he needed. Though it was not long lived when he could not hold off the elves blows Cominus ducked and weaved though the trees until Ergan had pushed him back out into the clearing. Swatting his left wrist with his wooden broad sword, the force of the blow was enough to loosen his grip on his sword. With a flick of his wrist, Ergan sent his left scimitar flying. Ergan had to admit he did not think a human would put up much of a fight or make him sweat. Seeing the end of their sparing match Cominus put in every once of strength he h
ad left behind his thrust. With a quick side step, Ergan defected the weapon into the ground, with two elbows in the gut knocking the breath out of Cominus. The battle was over all that was left to do was to free a very angry Aryl.

  ******* With this new wealth in hand, Lanshina headed towards the market. Where she could rid herself of the rags that had become of her clothes. For the plan, she had to save her people from her mother’s folly and Draco’s lust for battle. The scowl of the shop merchant did nothing to disrupt her demeanor. For in her mind she was doing this for her people.

  Clothed in her new garments she sat off to confront the man that her mother had enlisted in Draco’s foolish quest. Argan was a renowned ranger of their people for his many feats in his long life. Coming to the inn of the seven winds her informant had told her. He had come to frequent the inn in the days of their exile from their homeland.

  As the batwing wooden doors opened all eyes were own the disowned princess. The smoke filled air held the hints of cherry and apples from the flagrant weeds that the races seem to enjoy the favors of. The roasted meats commanded those eager to sate their hunger on their succulent juices. The lack of food gnawed at her body. Placing a few silver coins on the bar, though the owner was not pleased to have her within his bar. He would not pass up a paying customer even if they where one of the vile races that walked the land.

  “Take a seat I shall have food brought to your table.” Not hiding his dislike of her being within his inn, pocking the silver coins as he walked towards the kitchen. Scanning the common room of the inn her emerald eyes saw not the man she sought after. As the barmaid came up to her ushering Lanshina to a corner table far from the other paying customers. Though it would not be needed for elves avoided the fallen princess like the plague.