Heir to the Sundered Crown (The Sundered Crown Saga)

by Matthew Olney

  “That boy is full of surprises,” he said in awe.

  Sophia smiled before hugging the Nightblade in a tight embrace and kissing him deeply. She let him go, a flustered look on her reddened face.

  Ferran stared at her a boyish grin on his face.

  *

  Luxon whooped in joy as Umbaroth rained destruction upon the horde of monsters below. The ghouls, zombies and other foul creatures were vaporised in a blaze of dragon fire.

  “I see Cliria,” Umbaroth bellowed over the din of whistling air. Luxon looked to where the dragon was pointing. Sure enough he spotted the witch stood close to the besieged castles gate. Her face was twisted in fury. At her side was what looked like a walking corpse.

  Luxon’s eyes widened as he realised that the corpse was Danon.

  “Danon is there too, be careful...” Luxon yelled in warning.

  He was too late.

  The Lich thrust an arm skywards. A flash of light lit up the sky blinding him, Umbaroth roared in pain. Then they were falling like a stone towards the ruined city below.

  Luxon held onto Umbaroth with all of his strength, the air ripping past him as they fell. He gritted his teeth and focused. Just before the silver dragon smashed into the ground he leapt from its back.

  The ravaged ground approached at a sickening speed. He thrust Dragasdol downwards and focused with all of his power. His fall began to slow as the levitation spell took effect.

  Unlike when he had first cast such a spell he could control it. He landed gently on his feet.

  Umbaroth wasn’t so lucky.

  The unconscious dragon smashed into ruined buildings, his great size demolishing them in the process in a great cloud of dust. The ground shook as the beast crashed to a halt.

  Luxon called out to the dragon but no reply came.

  He gulped as he spotted Danon and Cliria stalking towards him, in the witch’s hand was the staff of Aljeron. He was no much for the both of them. He glanced about. They were on a wide avenue leading through the heart of the city. At one end was the besieged castles main gate, to the sides were fire ravaged buildings and behind him was the approaching Balnor army which was battling its way through the remaining ghouls.

  It was just him against them, the enemies of the world since the dawn of mankind against a boy who did not yet know what he was capable of.

  His mind raced, no warrior or wizard had ever been able to defeat them both. Despair threatened to overwhelm him.

  “Indeed you are powerful,” Cliria mocked. The witch twirled and skipped around her beloved dark lord. “My lord was right, you are the one. The one blessed with the powers of Niveren himself. I will enjoy cutting your heart out.”

  “You cannot hope to defeat us boy,” rasped Danon. “You have served your purpose.”

  “He’s not alone foul creature” a voice said.

  Luxon spun around and sighed in relief. Marching quickly up the road was the army, at their head rode Kaiden, Ferran and Sophia. The three dismounted and drew their swords before taking their place next to Luxon. Sophia squeezed Luxon on the shoulder.

  “We are with you,” she said her eyes narrowed and focused on the foes ahead.

  “Time for some payback,” Ferran added with a growl.

  “How sweet,” Cliria sneered sarcastically. She turned to Danon. “I will handle these fools my love. You should have the honour of killing the brat.”

  Luxon tensed. The witch’s overconfidence was her weakness.

  Danon smiled his skeletal face contorting into a nightmare.

  “Make it quick but painful,” he chuckled before turning and striding towards the castle. The lich raised his arms once more. The ground began to shake causing already damaged buildings to collapse and a crack to appear in the castles wall.

  “He’s going to bring the walls down!” cried Sophia.

  Cliria smiled wickedly. She clicked her fingers and stepped back. Luxon and the others looked upwards as the two surviving black dragons flew into view. The bigger of the two had an eye missing. It was the one at Danon’s tower Luxon realised. The two dragons landed on the road blocking their view of the castle and shielding Cliria.

  “Get behind me,” Luxon yelled at the others. The dragons reared up on their hind legs causing them to tower over the city. Light formed in their bellies and Luxon knew what would come next.

  He raised his staff and channelled the magic within him. The dragons roared as they unleashed their fire. The inferno raced down the street. Sophia shut her eyes tightly holding onto Luxon’s cloak, behind her was Ferran and Kaiden. Further back the advancing Balnor army panicked and fled.

  Instead of the fire incinerating them Luxon cast a shield spell, the most powerful one he had ever cast. The dragon’s fire crashed into the magical barrier to pass harmlessly around the huddled heroes. Once the smoke cleared Luxon stepped forward.

  “My turn,” he whispered.

  He pointed Dragsdol and the dragons and felt the magic course through him into the staff. His eyes shone blue as the magic engulfed him; the power he had tapped into in Caldaria now flowed easily through him. The time in the void had taught him much.

  A massive burst of fire exploded out of Dragasdol. The fireball flashed outwards to strike the smaller of the black dragons. With an agonised scream the beast was engulfed in flame, its scales melting and its blood boiling. The beast writhed around in agony before crashing to the ground. Dead.

  The other dragon stared at its fallen kin in horror before glancing at Luxon warily.

  “Tarvak, has no desire to die at your hand wizard,” the one eyed dragon growled.

  It turned, flapped its great wings and fled into the sky.

  ***

  44.

  Cliria cackled and clapped her hands in delight.

  “A most impressive trick!” she giggled insanely. She ran a hand over the dead dragon’s scales as she walked towards Luxon and the others. Her amused expression dropped as quickly as it had appeared to be replaced with one of utter fury.

  “Danon promised me dragons, and YOU have killed two of them!” she screamed hysterically.

  Again her expression changed.

  The anger replaced yet again by the mirth of insanity.

  “Never mind, never mind. More will come, and not just dragons but the entire void will be my pets,” she laughed skipping through the splayed claws of the dead dragon.

  “Not if I can help it witch!” Ferran shouted. The Nightblade dashed forward his Tourmaline sword held high ready for the kill. He got within ten paces of Cliria but was halted by an invincible barrier. He tried to move but couldn’t.

  Sophia loosed an arrow but it too froze in midflight before striking its target. Kaiden ran forward his sword drawn. Before he could even raise the blade he cried out as the pommel grew red hot to burn his hand. He dropped the sword just as the metal blade went red before melting into a useless puddle at his feet.

  Cliria wagged her finger like a parent scolding a small child.

  “No,no.no. I will kill you three once I am done with Luxon.”

  With a flick of her wrist the three were sent flying backwards to crash in a tangle of limbs.

  She smiled cruelly at Luxon.

  “Let us see what you are truly made of.”

  Luxon stepped forward yelling to the others to hide.

  “You will pay for your crimes Cliria,” he said with more certainty then he felt.

  An eerie silence descended upon them.

  The tension grew to unbearable levels.

  Each magic user stared at the other both waiting for a time to strike.

  Luxon glanced upwards to see the vortex widen further so that it now filled most of the sky above the city. He could make out dark objects falling through the breach. Cliria used the distraction to attack.

  A wall of flame shot out from her hands to surge towards Luxon. He focused his attention back to the witch and the coming danger. Just in time he whipped Dragosdal up and around focusing his mag
ic to cast a shield spell. The heat of the fire singed his cloak but the brunt of the attack passed harmlessly by.

  Cliria didn’t wait for him to respond. She rained fireball after fireball at him causing the magical barrier to shrink until it was just a few inches from his body. He gritted his teeth and focused channelling all of his power through the staff. With a shout he expanded the shield outwards to push the deadly flames back towards their caster.

  Cliria batted the returned flames aside as though swatting a fly.

  Luxon looked around all the while maintaining his concentration on the shield. He smiled as he spotted the remnants of a shattered house.

  With a flick of his wrist the rubble floated into the air and with a thrust of his arm he sent the debris flying towards Cliria. The witch’s eyes widened in surprise as the heavy stone and timbers came hurtling towards her. The flames ceased as her focus shifted to blocking. With expert skill she cast her own shield which vaporised the incoming debris.

  “Nice try boy!” Cliria hissed. “But you are no match for the power of the N’gist.”

  She whirled Aljeron’s staff above her head and muttered a dark incantation. Darkness seemed to engulf her before she thrust the staff down into the ground. Black tendrils of energy spread out from the staff to envelope the dead dragon behind her. Luxon stepped back as the tendrils slithered and crawled towards him.

  The bodies of ghouls, and fallen warriors were devoured by the blackness.

  Then they began to stir.

  To Luxon’s horror the dead men began to twitch until they slowly began to rise. Their cold dead eyes focused upon him. They let out an unearthly scream before shambling towards him. The rising dead men were bad enough, but then the dead dragon began to stir.

  He planted his feet and raised his staff. Memories of his lesson in the void and the spell Danon had cast entered his mind. Sure enough a wind began to blow. Fire sprang from Dragasdol to blow in the wind. The dead drew closer. He closed his eyes and concentrated; he pursed his lips and blew.

  The wind turned into a howling gust the fire joining it until a tornado of fire roared into life.

  With one hand Luxon pushed forward sending the whirling flaming vortex into the un-dead.

  The howling winds knocked them off of their feet setting them ablaze and sending them flying in all directions. The now un-dead black dragon staggered onto its feet. With a roar it reared back onto its hind legs unleashing fire of its own.

  Once again Luxon cast a shield spell. The dragon fire knocked him backwards. Desperately he tried to refocus but Cliria launched another assault with her own magic. Luxon cried out as the shield almost buckled.

  The stone beneath him cracked and splintered as he dug his heels in.

  “Fear not Luxon!” a deep voice boomed.

  Luxon looked to his right and sighed in relief as Umbaroth staggered back onto his feet. The silver dragon roared and lunged at the black dragon, his jaws once again clamping tightly over its throat. The dragon fire stopped, easing the pressure upon Luxon.

  He dropped the shield and swung Dragasdol like a bat sending Cliria’s magic back at her like a missile. The witch screamed as her own magic rebounded back at her at such speed that she couldn’t block it. The fireball struck her solidly in the chest setting her clothes ablaze and sending her flying backwards to crash into a heap.

  Umbaroth meanwhile defeated the black dragon. With a sickening snap the beast’s neck broke. Umbaroth released his grip before destroying the carcass with his own fire.

  Luxon pressed his attack. He ran at the downed witch and leapt into the air. As he went, he cast levitation to keep him off of the ground. He floated above her.

  “It is over Cliria. You are beaten,” he said coldly. He raised a hand summoning the staff of Aljeron into it.

  The staff flew into the air to land in his grip.

  The witch glared at him. Her face was burnt and her clothes were singed. She staggered onto her feet.

  “It is not over fool; even if you destroy me, things have still gone to our plan. My beloved is back; his dark glory will consume the world. You think that by besting me you have changed anything; there are many others like me, servants to his will.” Cliria spat.

  Luxon floated to the ground to stand before her. He looked at the vortex above them. There was no other way. He swung the staff of Aljeron smacking the witch back onto the ground. Then he placed it to her head.

  Cliria cried out in terror as he stood over her. Her face shifted and changed. Instead of the eyes full of malice and hate were eyes wide and innocent.

  “Where...Where am I? The last thing I remember is walking through the Great Wood collecting mushrooms for grandmother and then...nothing,”

  Luxon hesitated. Cliria had said that she had possessed the body of a girl.

  “Alira?” he asked cautiously.

  The blonde girl nodded her eyes full of fear.

  “Do not fear. I will set you free,” he said. His mind raced. Now was his chance to rid the world of the witch forever. He leant down so that he whispered into the girl’s ear.

  “I know you are still in there hiding Cliria. I will do to you what you did to me. You will seal the void witch. With no body to call your own you will be trapped there for all time, and this girl will be free.” he whispered.

  He stood back up and prepared himself for what he had to do.

  Behind him the girls eyes darkened, her face contorting into that of the witches once more. Reaching into her clothes she pulled out a dagger. With a scream she leapt to her feet and launched herself at him.

  Before she could plunge the blade into his back an arrow flashed past him to strike the girl in the hand. With a scream she fell to the ground weeping.

  Luxon spun around sighing in relief as Sophia stepped out from the shadow of a fallen building.

  “She’s good at that,” Ferran chuckled as he too emerged from his hiding place.

  “Do what must be done” Kaiden said. He knelt down next to the girl. He stroked her hair tenderly. “Free her from the witch’s foul taint.”

  Luxon took a deep breath and placed Aljeron’s staff to the girl’s forehead.

  “I the descendant of Aljeron use this staff and the power of this foul witch to seal the void and banish her blackened soul for all time,”

  The staff began to glow until it became blindingly bright.

  The girl screamed as the witch was purged from her body.

  More and more fell beasts were falling through including more dragons their roars echoing across the mountains.

  Luxon raised the staff and aimed it at the breach.

  “Seal it!” Luxon shouted.

  Light shot forth from the end of the staff to strike the vortex.

  Thunder rumbled and lightening flashed as the sky itself seemed to shake.

  The vortex sputtered for a moment before it imploded with an intense flash that caused Luxon to shield his eyes.

  Slowly he lowered his arm.

  The sky was blue and calm once more.

  The threat from the void was ended.

  *

  Danon stood in the castle courtyard. Scattered around him like discarded toys were the charred bodies of the defenders. Rangers, soldiers and knights had all tried to stop him. They had failed.

  He looked to the blue sky in irritation; his plans for the void had been thwarted but the heir was in his grasp. With a flick of his wrist he ripped the heavy wooden doors leading inside from their hinges. Panicked screams from the refugees cowering from within could be heard as he stalked inside.

  Baron Lido charged at the monster coming for them but was swatted aside like a bug to slam into the wall.

  A group of women and children huddled together before him their pitiful begs for mercy sounding sweet in Danon’s ears.

  Soon the whole world would be doing the same.

  A young woman stood at the front to the cowering group.

  Holding tightly to her hand was a small boy, a boy who
watched Danon with no fear in his eyes.

  Alderlade tugged on Elena’s sleeve causing her to look down at her charge. Terror gripped her as the Lich stared at the boy. Somehow it seemed to know who he was.

  “Lena, give me the shiny rock,” the little boy said his features set in a look of determination. Something in the lad’s eyes caused her to reach into her pocket and pull out the strange stone. As she did so the stone began glow as it had done before. Soon it grew unbearably hot to the touch. Quickly she handed it to Alderlade.

  Danon glared at the stone.

  “The key...” he growled as he recognised it from ages long past. The last time his eyes had set upon it was when Zahnia had used it to retrieve the sword.

  Danon stepped backwards as visions of pain and light flashed before his eyes.

  Alderlade toddled forward holding the now brightly glowing stone before him.

  “Be gone bad man! Leave us alone!” the boy yelled.

  Danon backed further away from the stone. Its light hurt his eyes and for the first time in countless years he felt fear. With a hiss he spun away from the boy and the painful light.

  “Go away!” Alderlade screamed. The stone shone brighter and brighter until it was blinding. With a final flash the light faded to reveal that Danon had fled.

  Elena hugged Alderlade tightly.

  It was over.

  *

  The soldiers of Balnor moved into Eclin. Survivors of the siege emerged from their hiding places stunned at the damage wrought upon their city.

  Luxon and the others stood in the city centre. The wide square had been converted into a makeshift infirmary with mages and healers hurrying about aiding the wounded. Umbaroth lay at one side of the square his loud snoring echoing in the open space.

  “Well we did it. Danon is defeated, Cliria is banished and the heir is safe and well. All in all I’d say that was a good day’s work,” Sophia said cheerfully. Her face was covered in soot and a livid red cut was on her cheek.

  “And none of us died which is always a bonus,” Ferran added with a chuckle. Sophia smiled at him and wrapped an arm around his waist. “Also helps that Luxon seems to be invincible.”