"Let me handle this." Raven murmured to Veren and Damion in a quiet voice. "And who are to demand tribute?" She asked the man in a haughty voice.
"I am Ver, son of Ler, chief of Sun Lizard tribe!" He sneered arrogantly. "It is my tribe that control these landings, and no one passes without paying tribute!"
"And what amount will suffice?"
The burly man chuckled, revealing a mouth full of rotten teeth as he smiled. "Five hundred gold," His eyes suddenly locked on Storm, who was pawing at the ground aggressively. "And that stallion!"
The young woman held up her hand as Damion snorted in contempt, then pulled out a heavy pouch of gold. "I will give you one hundred silver pieces to leave us in peace." She offered to the man, who was still staring at Storm with greedily.
"And the stallion," Ver demanded firmly. "or your shall go no further!"
"It'll never happen." Damion told him in a flat voice. "I'd suggest you take her offer."
"You shall not pass without giving me that stallion as tribute!"
"How about a wager?" Veren asked suddenly. "We'll put the stallion up against our guaranteed safe passage up the escarpment. You and Damion can fight until there is a winner."
The man looked at Damion, who was slouched over in the saddle, partially concealing his size, and quickly dismissed him as a threat. "Bare handed! No armor! No weapons! I'll beat this... freak senseless, and then take my horse when I finally tire of knocking him around!"
"Done!" The one eared man agreed. He looked to Damion with a smirk, which quickly faded away as he noticed the young warrior's expression. "I figured it would the quickest route to dealing with this." He said defensively. "It's better than being forced to fight our way up the cliff side!"
Damion sighed, then slid from the saddle and slipped out of his mailed shirt. He handed the Dragon Sword to Veren with a hard expression. "Guard this with you life!" He told him in a quiet voice. He then walked out into the open circle that was surrounded by the tribesmen.
Ver was obviously not prepared for what he saw as Damion strode towards him with determined eyes. The bully had never encountered another that could match him in size, let alone someone larger, and the warrior coming towards him not only stood nearly a foot taller, but was heavily muscled and wearing an expression that promised death.
"Oh my!" Raven murmured in admiration as Damion moved towards Ver, his muscles rippling as he moved like a cat towards its prey.
The pot bellied man strode out to meet his challenger, his eyes narrow and his lips curled back in a snarl, showing off his mouthful of rotten teeth.
They circled one another, each sizing the other up before the tribesman suddenly lunged forward with surprising speed, throwing an overhand punch that he obviously thrown many times before to settle a dispute. Damion easily sidestepped the blow and tripped the snarling brute, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Several of the tribesmen began to laugh uproariously, while several others began to shout encouragement to their leader.
Damion casually backed away and let the man scramble back to his feet, then ducked two more wild swipes with little effort as the man began to roar in fury and frustration.
"Why isn't he trying to fight him?" Raven asked Veren in confusion.
Veren smiled. "I think Damion has decided to teach this man a lesson and humiliate him in front of his clan."
"Why would he do that?"
"He's fiercely protective of his warhorse, and well he should be." He told the young girl as they watched Damion easily avoid a clumsy lunge, sending Ver sprawling to the ground once more. "That ill tempered brute he rides was a gift from one of the clan chieftains of the horse people, the Deola. It's worth a king's fortune!" He winced as he watched as the tribesman went flying through the air to land in a dusty heap, much to the amusement of his own people, who were all laughing openly now. "Plus I have the feeling that 'freak' comment made him angry."
Ver staggered back to his feet breathing heavily, then made one final rush, his arms held wide in a sad attempt to tackle Damion, who launched a foot forward, catching the tribesman hard in the pit of his stomach. The air whooshed out of the man's lungs, and his face turned an ugly shade of purple, then he emptied the contents of his stomach into the sand.
Damion spun behind him and launched another kick that landed with a crunch on the back of his leg, sending him down to his knees.
"Damn freak!" The man screamed in pain and frustration.
Damion's face went flat as he whirled back to face Ver, his hand moving faster than the eye could follow as he back handed the man's rotten teeth down his throat. Ver dropped like a felled oak, landing hard on his back, his eyes rolling up in the back of his head and blood streaming from his mouth.
The tribesmen who had been watching began to roar and cheer in approval as two of the shabbily dressed men ran forward and began to drag Ver's unconscious body away. The cheering gradually faded, and the crowd that had gathered quickly dispersed, returning to the business of tending to their daily tasks.
"That was magnificent!" Raven exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement.
Damion shrugged. "It was nothing. I would have sooner died than allowed him to take Storm." He returned to the prancing warhorse, and then paused to slip back into his armor and retrieve the Dragon Sword from Veren. He climbed back into his saddle and looked around. Except for a couple of stragglers who were watching with mild interest, the tribesmen had all moved on, leaving them to continue on their way freely. "I don't think that we should be bothered any further."
"Not after that display!" The dark haired woman exclaimed with a smile. "All these Veirians really respect is brute strength! Ver was this clan's chief, meaning he was also the most powerful warrior of his people. When you defeated him, you defeated their very best! No one will stand in your way as long as you remain among this tribe!"
They continued through the crude village without further distraction until they reached one of the large ramps that led up the escarpment.
"We should seek shelter for the day." Veren commented, gesturing to the shadow of the escarpment cast by the sun, which was slowly growing smaller as the sun grew higher in the sky. "Let's wait until the sun has set before we attempt to our way up."
"But where shall we stay?" Raven asked, her eyes doubtful. "It think I would rather chance the sun before I would take refuge in one of those flea infested huts!"
"How about that place?" Damion motioned to the only building in town that was constructed from stone instead of sand and dung. "Perhaps we can purchase rooms for the night."
They made their way over to the enormous stone building which had been built directly against the cliff side. A large sign with a rather crude painting of a bunch of grapes had been erected outside, and a large livery had been constructed next door, ran by a rather peculiar fellow that looked somehow familiar to Damion.
"That would be a Deolan warhorse!" The thin man in his mid-forties commented with a smile as he emerged from the stable. "Bred from my cousin Bativa's own private stable, if my eyes haven't failed me!"
"You have good eyes." Damion commented, somewhat surprised to find one of the Deola so far away from his homeland. "Storm is indeed from Bativa's stables."
"I knew it!" The man laughed a dry laugh. "I can spot one of my cousin's horses from a mile away! He always did breed the very best warhorses!" The man had the shaved head and intricate tattoos that were customary among his people.
Damion slid from the saddle, and gave the man a curious look. "This desolate wasteland is the last place I expected to find one of the Deola. What are you doing so far from your homelands?"
"I left my home in the grasslands many decades ago." The man told him, still gazing at Storm with appreciation. "I had a falling out with one of the council, and decided I had best try to find my fortune elsewhere. I took passage on a ship heading north and eventually found myself in this godforsaken land." He shrugged. "I married a local woman, and opened this inn and li
very. My wife and daughters take care of the inn, while I tend the livery." He smiled. "I guess caring for horses is too deeply ingrained in my character."
"Do you have any rooms available?" Veren asked in a tired voice.
The tattooed man nodded. "Of course! My wife will take care of the arrangements. We also have a bath house that is quite useful when it comes to washing away this infernal sand!"
They thanked the man, then made their way inside. They were immediately greeted by a short middle aged woman who led them to a set off well maintained rooms.
After a prolonged visit to the baths, they finally met in the taproom feeling refreshed after washing away the grime from the road. The innkeeper's wife soon appeared with a large tray of food, followed by one of the daughters who carried several foaming tankards.
They were just finishing their meal when the innkeeper appeared, carrying several more foaming tankards. "I thought I may join you for a drink!" He said, offering them each a tankard. "The name's Ole. You've already met my wife, Chelle." He gestured to the two serving girls who were busy tending to the growing crowd. "Those are my daughters, Syla and Seva."
"I'm Veren." The one eared man nodded, accepting one of the tankards. "That's Damion, and the young lady is Raven."
"It's been a while since I've heard any news from home." Ole commented, sinking wearily into a chair. "How is my cousin faring?"
"He was well, last we spoke." Damion replied. "He was still trying to keep peace in the council."
The Deolan snorted in amusement. "I doubt that he'll have much luck. The council spends most of its time squabbling. If they didn't spend all of their time arguing, they wouldn't have anything to do!" He gave Damion a inquiring look. "How did you manage to get Bativa to part with one of his warhorses? He guards those beasts with his life!"
Damion smiled. "I helped him out a tight spot a few years back. He presented Storm to me as a gift as his way of saying thanks."
Ole let out a low whistle. "It must have been some favor! That warhorse would fetch a fortune here on this continent!"
Damion shook his head. "I could never sell him. Besides," He smirked. "He's a little too aggressive for most people's taste, but he matches my personality perfectly."
"What news is there from the east?" Veren asked, taking a long drink from his tankard.
The Deolan's face fell. "Much as it is to the west and to the south. There are reports of attacks on villages, and roaming packs of dragonspawn that are attacking anything that moves!"
Damion and Veren exchanged looks.
"There have been some wild stories being circulated." Ole continued. "People are afraid of what's happening. There have even been reports of dragons, if you can believe that!" He shook his head. "I fear we are heading for dark times, my friends!"
"Is there any news of armies gathering?" Raven asked worriedly.
Ole shook his head. "Not that I've heard, but that doesn't mean much. The only people that travel this way are drug addled tribesmen and slavers, and nobody stops to exchange news with slavers!"
They chatted for several more minutes, then the tattooed man bid them goodnight.
"It sounds as if things are growing more serious." Raven murmured as they slowly made there way to their rooms. "The dragonspawn appear to be stepping up their attacks!"
"And the news of the shadow dragons seem to be spreading. It won't be long before the entire world knows of their return." Damion frowned. "Then everyone will be turning to me for answers."
************
"Lord Quickhand!" The young castle guardsman burst into Damion's office breathing heavily, his eyes wild. "Lord Quickhand!"
"Calm yourself, man!" Sly exclaimed, staring at the panicked man in surprise. "Take a moment to catch your breath, then explain yourself."
The guard took a long trembling breath. "Our scouts have just returned from their patrol. They're reporting that a army of dragonspawn are massing a few miles from here! They say there are hundreds of them gathered together, and more are appearing every minute!"
"That can't be good." Damarius commented, stroking his beard absently.
"Are there any reports of shadowspawn?" Dar asked, his childlike face pale.
The young guard nodded. "They report that there are dozens of them mingling with the dragonspawn. They appear to be the one's that are in charge!"
"It appears that our fears were well founded." Lady Skie noted. "I guess all our preparations have not been for nothing."
"I just hope they will be enough." The freckle faced boy's face grew concerned. "A thousand dragonspawn pounding at the walls is nothing to dismiss! Add the fact that the shadowspawn are commanding them, they could become a serious problem!"
"How far away are they gathering?"
"About five miles from our walls, milady. They are gathering in a large clearing a mile or so off of the trade road."
"Have there been any reports of shadow dragons?"
The young man shook his head. "Not as of yet, although we have a number of men watching the skies for any sign of dragons."
"Return to the wall and relay the news to everyone." Sly ordered. "Make sure that everyone stays alert! I don't want those creatures sneaking up on us and catching us unaware!"
The young guard nodded, then hurried off to the wall.
"The gathering of so many dragonspawn can only mean one thing." Damarius said, his face grim.
Sly nodded. "They are planning an attack."
"Shouldn't we try to attack them first?" Dar asked. "You know, try to catch them by surprise?"
Damarius shook his head. "Out of the question. We would be too outnumbered to make such an assault. Our best plan of action is to sit tight and allow them to come to us. We should be safe as long as we can hold the wall."
"But will we be able to hold the wall?" Lady Skie asked in concern.
Sly nodded confidently. "We should be safe enough. We have been preparing for this for quite some time now. Every available person has been enlisted to help defend the walls. I've even seen several of the castle maids practicing with bows. They seemed determined to try and help defend their home."
Lady Skie nodded knowingly. "The people have labored hard to rebuild their lives here in Sevria. They'll not see it destroyed without a fight!"
"I think we shall be safe enough." Damarius agreed, brushing his brow lock from his eyes absently. "I've devised any number of nasty little surprises that will make them quite sorry for attempting any attack!" He gave them an evil grin. "I've designed dozens of different devices over the years that could prove to be quite useful in battle! I'll finally have a reason to use a few of them!"
They didn't have to wait long before the old wizard had his chance to use his devices. It was sunset two nights later when the hoard of dragonspawn appeared boiling out of the growing shadows of the forests surrounding the outskirts of Sevria.
The workers had cleared the forest outside the wall for several hundred yards in every direction to use in the creation of the sea of deadly stakes that surrounded the town, allowing no possible chance of concealment, so the beasts chose to boldly rush forward, making no effort to try and hide their presence as they continued to spill from the forest.
"Dragonspawn!" One keen eyed boy of about fourteen yelled from his lookout in one of the guard towers along the wall. "The dragonspawn are attacking!"
The other guards quickly responded with a practiced reaction, sending word down the wall from guardhouse to guardhouse by runners who raced along to speed the alert. One large red faced man produced a tarnished horn and began to trumpet a loud warning which echoed through the mountains. The people of Sevria reacted without hesitation to that warning, dropping whatever they carried and retrieving their weapons. Men and women alike rushed to their places along the wall, their faces pale, but determined, while those unable to fight stood ready to assist by supplying extra arrows, or preparing the supplies they would need assist any wounded. A large group of riders rode out from the gate
to help protect the workers who labored outside the wall, then quickly retreated to safety once everyone was clear of danger.
The hoard of dragonspawn was still continuing to pour from the surrounding forests when Sly, Damarius, Dar, and Lady Skie arrived at the main guard house that had been constructed on top of the wall to overlook the gate.
"I guess it was just a matter time until they made their move." Sly commented grimly as they inspected the growing force that had them surrounded. "It was too much to hope that they would just return to wherever they came from."
The growing throng of creatures had halted their advance across open fields to gather in one massive mob just outside the range of their crossbows. Thousands of the snarling creatures had spilled from the forest and now stood trembling with eagerness as they prepared to make their way across the sea spikes that separated the city wall from the open field.
"The people have reacted remarkably well." Lady Skie noted as she watched several men rush by to take their positions along the wall. "They almost look professional!"
"We have been preparing for this for months now." Damarius shrugged, causing his brow lock to fall into his eyes. "They know exactly what they are supposed to do, and the fact that their lives hang in the balance encourages them to take their responsibilities seriously."
"The scouts were right." Dar reported, his keen eyes scanning the mass of creatures. "There are shadowspawn mingling throughout the crowd. They are doubtlessly the one's that are in control over the hoard."
"There are more of those creatures than we first thought." Sly muttered, his face troubled as he watched the dragonspawn continue to gather in the growing darkness. "Those creatures must breed like rabbits!"
"They'll probably attack sometime after midnight." Damarius predicted. "We should probably light their way, don't your think?"
Omensent: Rise of the Shadow Dragons Page 19
