Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  As soon as the fight started he took a great over handed swing at me. Perhaps he believed I would back away and he could press me back. I raised my shield to block his swing. As his sword came down on it, it sounded like a hammer hitting an anvil. At this the crowd erupted, soon they were the only sound I could hear. Not the beating of my heart, not the grunts and roars that Rogar was letting out, just the crowd chanting for blood. I was lost in the moment, my heart pounding so hard I was sure if I looked down I would see it beating under my breast plate. Not that I had time to look down. For a large man, Rogar was fast as a viper and his strength rivaled my own. While I had managed to cut him, draw his blood he ignored it all. His anger kept him going, adrenalin blocking out his pain. He was also angry that he had not yet gotten to me. Blow after blow I avoided or blocked. The one or two hits he had managed to land had caused me no harm.

  The longer the fight went on, the more confident I became yet he showed no sign of slowing down. He was a pure killing machine, fueled by hate and anger. When his anger got the best of him, he decided to change his tactics. He waited for me to get close and stepped out with one of his large booted feet, smashing his foot down onto mine. I looked down for a single moment, trying to remove my foot out from under him when he lashed out with his fist, striking me in the head. He hit me hard enough to send me back, off balance. Before I could recover he was after me. His sword arm was down, bringing it up he slashed across my chest. The force of the blow knocked me from my feet and sent me flying. I landed on my back a good ten feet away from where I had been standing. I knew from the pain I was in that whatever spell Hetaron had cast on me, it had expired.

  As fast as I could I got to my feet again. Rogar looked at me, looked at the blade of his sword and then back at me. He did not understand why I was getting up. Why I wasn't dead. He ran forwards towards me in a rage. I knew that if it wasn't over soon, he very well may kill me. I set my feet and waited for him knowing that I would only have one chance to slow him down. His sword arm reared back as he approached, he intended to take my head off as he slashed through the air. Had I moved any slower he may have done just that. I could hear him cleaving the air as I ducked under his blade. It was the first real opening he had given me and I wasn't going to miss it. As his body turned with the force of his swing I moved to his side, I sliced as hard as I could into his stomach. His armor was the only thing that kept me from gutting him on the spot. As it was you could still see his blood on my sword as I turned towards his back for the return stroke. His armor could not stop my blade from cutting deep into the back of his leg.

  As Rogar tried to turn towards me once more he put his weight on his injured leg and fell towards the platform floor. Every instinct in my body was telling me to hit him while he was down, to finish him as he had finished everyone he had faced. Yet something held me back. The voices in the crowd were screaming for his head, to finish him. Even he expected it, he laid there for a moment his eyes locked on mine. A voice inside my head told me to hold, told me to wait just a moment more. So I stood there and watched, waiting for some kind of sign. Rogar got up to his knees, the pain was visible on his face and in his roar. He tried to get on his feet but his leg would no longer hold up his massive frame. He crashed down once more, he was beaten. Using his one good leg and his arms he crawled towards the edge of the platform. As he reached his side of the platform he started to make his way down the stairs as best he could. While I may not have liked the man beast, I did respect him as a warrior and would not cut him down like some kind of lame dog.

  It did not dawn on me right away what it was that I had just done. I kept expecting him to come back at me, to finish the fight. I looked down at his sword laying on the floor next to a pool of his blood. A trail of blood lead away from it to the stairs Rogar had used to get down. Without thought I sheathed my blade and went towards it. Picking up the claymore in one hand I followed the trail of blood to the other side of the platform. I looked down on him and the healer who was fast at work trying to stop the bleeding in his leg. I tossed the blade down towards them and as it crashed onto the ground Rogar took one final look up at me. I nodded to him once and walked away. As I moved towards the center of the platform I drew my blade once more. I then looked towards King Darius and lifted it in a salute to the king. The king of my home land nodded in return and began to clap his hands for the lands new champion.

  39. Uninvited Guest

  After the cheering had died down and we were leaving, an official from the kingdom was waiting for us in the depths of the arena. He was with two other rather large men, guards for the chest he had I assume. I was given a prize of ten thousand gold, most of it in gems, for winning the tournament. We were also given an invitation to join King Darius for a dinner in my honor. I stood looking at the man, I could understand the words coming out of his mouth but none of it made sense to me. My hands were shaking, the rush I was feeling over winning the fight had not yet given up its hold on me. I thought for a moment about what to do with the chest and asked him to open it.

  I looked at the pile of odd gold coins and gem stones. It dawned on me for the first time that I did not need it. I was a wealthy man already, what did I need this for? So I reached my hand in and cherry picked out a few of the gems. Thinking to have something made for Jasmin, I put them in a small pouch and tucked them away inside of my armor. I then turned to Hans and told him to find something worthwhile to spend half the money on here in Eystlund. The other half was to go home with him to Arcadia. The temple Hans called home was sheltering two dozen war orphans. They could use the money more than I could. He started to protest but knew I wouldn't be talked out of it. I owed him more than what was in the chest. I would have died if not for him.

  With that business done I returned to the inn with my wife and friends. This would be our last night in the place and to be honest I could not have been any happier about it. I told Jasmin to put on the best dress she had and to pack away everything that she wouldn't need. Even if I had to put up with two weeks in a wagon, I was looking forward to getting back home. Not that I needed to be there. Charles ran everything so well it didn't matter if I was dead or alive. He has this habit of asking me, 'If you really think that is for the best.' This is how he tells me that he doesn't agree with something. It doesn't happen often but when it does, he lets me know.

  I didn't have much packing to do so I went about the task of cleaning and putting some polish on my armor. When it wasn't covered in blood, grime and other things it was very nice looking. I made quite the impression on the common folk between that and my cloak made from red dragon skin. Jasmin gave me an odd look when I started to strap it all on. Do you have to wear that? I told her no but I was going to wear it anyway. It was still in my mind that we could have been in some kind of danger from people who were not happy about the outcome of the fight. Should anyone try anything I wanted to be ready, truth be told I did not take the armor off very much until we were well away from Eystlund.

  Just before sun down a carriage arrived to take us all to the kings castle where the dinner was being held. Hetaron was dressed in his normal robes but Pare I had to look at twice. I had never seen him so clean or well dressed. Not even for my wedding did he look so good. When I asked him about the outfit he had on he just pointed one stubby finger at Jasmin. ‘She picked all this stuff out, she said I had to look presentable.’ I just smiled at Jasmin, took her hand and lead her out of the inn. Moving as fast as I could it was all I could do to hold in my laughter. During the ride to the castle, I thought he was going to rip the collar off his shirt. Every time I looked at him he was pulling and tugging on something else. It wasn't until later that I learned that he had put his clothes and jacket on over his armor. When I asked him why he did that he only shrugged at me and said 'Hetaron told me to. I don't know why, ask him.'

  We were ushered in quietly, this was not a formal function but protocol was still to be followed. This was the first time I had met all of Hans friends from
before he came to Arcadia. Zackary Red Beard who I had met, was well into his second bottle of wine by the time we were being show to our seats. The wizard Lomark, another young and powerful wizard. Who was the black robed figure I had seen at the final fight, he carried a staff with a golden griffin claw holding some kind of gem at the top. When I saw Hetaron approach him, I feared there would be tension but they seemed to know each other already. The last was the man in white robes, a cleric of Solarth and the man who mentored Hans, Zender. He was not at all what I expected. I gave him a slight bow and extended my hand to him. He took my hand in a firm grip, very firm and told me something I had not expected.

  'My father speaks very well of you Darmot.' I looked at him with a bit of a lost look on my face. 'Windfall, he is my father. I understand you two spent quite a bit of time together years ago. You provided him with a distraction during that time. I had already decided on my path and my brother was still too young to take to the road with him. He sends his regards by the way.' I knew Windfall had children but this was just too much for my mind to take. The odds of it all made my head spin a bit. The cleric gave me a quick laugh and slapped me on my shoulder. I shook it all off and turned to introduce him to my wife. He lightly took her hand, kissed it and said something about Solarth blessing our union. I honestly do not remember.

  I watched as he then turned towards Pare who had listened to everything that was said. 'Ahhh, so you are the little trouble maker. That potion belt you took is very dear to us at the temple, I am glad it was returned. Hans tells me that you have redeemed yourself so I will agree to honor the king’s pardon of you.' I had known of the crime Pare had committed but to see him standing there with his face as white as his shirt I knew something scared him. After the cleric had moved away to speak with someone else I went over to my little friend and asked him what that was all about. He waved his hand at me asking me to kneel down so he could speak without being heard.

  'No mercy for thieves.' I leaned back and looked at him. I asked what he meant by that. 'Zender, he has a reputation here. Not a good one if you live on the other side of the line. He gives no mercy. Someone told me that he once put a curse on a woman who stole a loaf of bread, her hand fell off. He hangs out in the sheriff’s office looking at reward posters and tracks down people too stupid to hide. A bunch of guys tried to take care of him once, he beat them all, tied them up and took them to jail. He gives no mercy, he is worse than his father.' Over the time I have known him I have learned that most of what Pare was told was nothing but horror stories. Yet I have seen some truth behind the lies. He holds nothing back when tasked with something and has no fear in his heart. I did ask him once how he met Hans and he just told me that they met outside of town. Just before they found all those missing children together.

  When it was time we were all shown to our seats. A long table stood waiting for us, mounded with food. We all stood behind our chairs until King Darius was announced and took his seat. He spoke to each of us as he moved around the table. As I noticed before, he was very different than Roderick. Just in the way he carried himself. As if he would rather be at an inn chatting with his friends over a pint. He took his seat and invited us all to eat. Never touching the food himself he continued to speak with his guest. I had a mouth full of roast beef when one of the Red Falcon Guards came running into the room. The king’s guard, loyal to the throne of Eystlund. He looked out of breath but that did not stop him from shouting to the king. 'Sire, a flight of dragons has attacked the royal armory.' Every man at the table stood as one, each of us ready to take action. Lomark then said that they were after the Rod of the Arcane. Darius looked at Zender and Lomark telling them to go. I looked across the table into the face of Zackary Red Beard and he said something I will never forget. "Aye laddy, we'yill be havinna bih o' fun now!"

  40. Falling

  I followed everyone out of the dining hall through the halls of the castle. I could hear the dragons outside, roaring at the resistance on the walls. I yelled at the backs of the men in front of me, asking where we were going once we were out in the open. Zender yelled back that we were headed to the top of the walls where the men were fighting. I told everyone to stop and looked at Hetaron. Reading my mind he was already pulling his flying carpet out of his bag. All seven of us stood on the carpet and took off towards the top of the castle walls. The sound of lightning bolts filled the air, the sound of stone being shattered soon followed. 'They have breached the armory, we are not going to make it.' Lomark said with a bit of dread in his voice.

  The royal armory was on the far end of the castle grounds. Protected inside of the walls of the castle, surrounded by other buildings, there was little to no room for the dragon to spread her wings. Once she had the staff she jumped to the top of the wall. Several of the Red Falcon guard were there with ropes and hooks. When she hit the top of the wall and started to spread her wings the men launched an attack, trying to keep her down. The large hooks dug into the creatures flesh and into her wings. Thrashing back and forth she slowly shook off the men trying to keep her down. All the while fighting off the ones on the ground attacking her with weapons. In one of its claws it held what looked like a twig, when Zender started shouting to Lomark that she had the Rod, all hell broke loose. The young wizard unleashed a massive fireball at the beast.

  I watched as Zackary charged headlong into the fight I was about to join him when I felt Hetarons hand on my shoulder. 'Do you see it, I can feel it's power from here.' I looked at him with a question on the tip of my tongue. 'The Rod of the Arcane, I can feel it. It shines to me as a sun shines in the noon sky. You must get it for me, I must have it.' I shook off his hand and headed towards the fighting. A second blue dragon then came down to the wall, unleashing its breath towards the men holding its companion down. Several men were blown off the top of the wall. Enough that the female blue was then able to free it's self from the hooks and spread her wings. I turned aside just in time to avoid being crushed by the second dragon landing on the wall. Turning its body atop of the wall it spoke, 'fly now, I will deal with these pests after I get air born. Go, do not stop for anything, the others are waiting. You must reach Ramanthus.' It was then that I saw Pare, I saw him there free of his shirt and jacket. Knife in hand getting closer and closer to the beast. It was not until I saw him leaping on to the dragons back that I knew what he was doing. Knowing that he was doomed I did the only thing I could do. I started to run towards the blue dragon as he was getting ready to leap from the wall.

  Just as the dragon dropped from the wall I leaped for his back. While the large male did not feel Pare on his back, he could not help but notice me. 'Foul creature, you dare touch me.' Holding on to a spine on the creatures back I was able to keep from falling off for a moment. Pare howling like a mad man had started to ram his weapon into the back of the dragon. As the great beast started to rise I could feel his body turning. It was all I could to hold on. 'Hey ya big ugly lizard, that was fun do it again'. Pare was having entirely too much fun. Once again it turned the world upside down, my grip was starting to give. 'My horse bucks better than you, smells better too.' Still stabbing at the beast while holding on for his life the dragon broke into a dive towards the ground. As the ground continued to rush closer I had one chance to end this. Still holding onto the dragon’s spine with one hand I freed my blade with the other. With all the strength I could muster I rammed the blade into the creatures flank. As I pulled the blade out again I lost my grip. Screaming out to Pare I fell from the dragons back only moments before it hit the ground.

  I remember seeing the beast turn back towards the sky just before it crashed into the stand of trees they found me in. I remember Pare screaming out my name just as he jumped. I remember smashing into branches, odds are that is the only thing that saved my life. After that the world went black. Pare found me on the ground but could not move me. He brought Hans to me, who was able to heal most of my wounds if not my pride. As we returned to the castle we learned that the dragons had gott
en away with the Rod. A horde of healers were seeing to the kings men. They kept many men from death that day. I asked Pare to go find my shield still on the castle wall somewhere while Hans and I went to the king. Lomark, Zender and Zackary were with the king, each of them looking as bad as I felt. Only Lomark was speaking.

  'You know where they are taking it. We cannot let it fall into his hands. Once The Rod of the Arcane passes into Toryth Vol, Xcavere will know it is there. Its power will be like a beacon, shining out to him. Even if he has to fight those dragons for it, it is only a matter of time. His undead do not fear the beast. He will send wave after wave into their lair until he has it. We don't even know who the dragons were working for or if they just wanted it for their own.' Darius listened to the mage, knowing everything he said was true. Yet sending a large force into Toryth Vol would have been seen as an act of war. It would also take time to find just where the dragons were headed and who held them in service if not Xcavere.

  'My friends, it would appear that I must once again ask you to find the Rod and return it to me. It is too powerful to be in the hands of any one person. If we had only found a way to destroy it! How soon before you can set off?' Darius was looking towards Zender, he only shook his head. 'I am sorry sire, it will be a good two weeks. We do not know where we are going and we must be sure before we set out. We also need another man or two. Zackary cannot protect us both.' Then I saw it. All four men turned towards me. Each of them had something different in their eyes. 'Champion...Lord Kromwell can you offer any help to us in this great time of need?' I looked at the king and the king alone. At first I could only nod my head. I told him that I would do all that I could to help and if they were willing my friends would help as well.

  I looked at Hans and he only shook his head, hanging it low. 'I am sorry, I cannot help you in this. I fear I will be of no use to you in this journey.' I was heartbroken. The man who had saved my life, time after time on the field of battle would not join me in this. I placed one hand on his shoulder and asked him if he was sure. 'I am sorry Darmot' was all that he could say. My mind went back to the story he told me of the last time he was in Toryth Vol and it was then that I understood. I could see that pain in his eyes again, reliving the horror. I gave him my best smile and told him I understood. As did everyone else in the room. Zender and the others understood more than I did. They were there with him, they knew what they were headed for.