"Don't worry." He assured her soothingly. "It looks worse than it actually is." He shook the dust from his hair as she rushed off to dig through their supplies for something to cleanse and dress his wound.
"I see you brought a friend with you." Veren walked over and nudged the man with one toe, then knelt down and grasped a handful of greasy hair, lifting the man's face from the dirt so they could get a better view. "The bearded one!" He said with a smile. "He should be able to give us some answers!"
"He already has." Damion replied as Raven forced him to take a seat so she could tend his wound. "From what he says, Tara is far more involved with this dragon cult than it first appeared. He claims she poses as a slave chaser, but he swears she is actually a cultist."
The one eared man frowned, then rolled the stout little man onto his back, and peeled open one of his eyelids. "What did you hit him with?"
"My fist." He replied, wincing as Raven began to scrub the wound clean.
"Next time you may want to hit him with a club. You nearly killed him!" He stood up. "It's going to be a few minutes before he wakes up. I'll go get the horses, while you keep an eye on him." He disappeared into the darkness, but soon returned with their horses in tow.
The bearded man finally began to stir just as Raven finished bandaging Damion's face. They gathered around him as he groaned loudly and pushed himself up into a sitting position, rubbing his jaw gingerly with one hand.
"Good morning, friend." Damion greeted him gravely. "Remember me?"
The man stared up at him for a long moment, then looked around in confusion. "What happened? Where are my men? Where's Blind Man's cave?"
Veren gestured at the pile of crushed stone that replaced the cave. "The answers to your questions lie under that pile of rubble, along with most of your men."
The man stared at the rubble in incomprehension for several long moments, then understanding suddenly dawned in his eyes, and he looked back up at Damion in terror. "You really are him, aren't you?" He asked in fear, still holding his aching jaw in one hand. "You're the Dragon Lord! The man that released the dragons back into the world!"
"Tell me everything you know of Tara and those cultists at Daconia." Damion growled at him threateningly. "Talk quickly, don't leave anything out, and you may just survive this encounter!"
The bearded man gulped audibly, then nodded. "Of-Of course! I will tell you everything you wish to know." He paused, not really sure where he should begin.
"Why don't you start at the beginning." Raven supplied helpfully. "When did you first meet Tara?"
The man scratched his head. "That would be roughly six or seven months ago. Me and the others had fled into the marshes, one step of the law, after running into a few problems in Thissa. We took refuge here at Blind Man's cave, not knowing that the ruins nearby had been taken over by those dragon cultists, but we left them alone, and they left us alone. About a month after we arrived, that scar faced woman appeared and told me that it would be in our best interest to help protect this area from unwanted visitors in exchange for them continuing to turn a blind eye to our presence."
"Were there a lot of travelers heading to and from the ruins?" Veren inquired curiously.
The man shook his head. "I've only seen that woman, and a few other cultists heading to and from the temples. I've never even seen any supply wagons heading there!"
"Did you notice anything odd about the cultists you encountered?"
The bearded man snorted. "Odd doesn't even scratch the surface! Besides the fact that they are a secretive bunch, the few that I've encountered were especially vicious, even by my standards! Then there are all of the stories about their rituals and rites, and rumors of bloodletting and human sacrifice." He shook his head. "If that isn't bad enough, the men swear that they've seen dragons hiding amongst the ruins! I never saw one for myself, but enough of my men saw them to convince me that it was true!"
Damion, Raven, and Veren exchanged glances.
"What did Tara tell you when she appeared tonight?" Damion asked him, his tone still as cold as ice.
The man's face soured. "She appeared a couple of hours before midnight with a young slave girl, riding a horse that was half dead from exhaustion. She claimed she was being pursued by..." He glanced at Damion. "well, you. She took the slave child to the back of the cave for an hour or so, then approached me and ordered me to send out my men to intercept and eliminate you and your friends." He shrugged helplessly. "After that, she returned to the child's side for a couple of more hours. She and the child left less than an hour before you appeared."
"Do you know of what her plans were once she reaches Daconia?"
The bearded man shook his head. "She didn't speak of her plans, although I suspect that they involve that slave girl." He shuddered. "If any of the rumors of the rites and rituals are true, that little girl is in for a bad time!"
"That's not going to happen!" Damion declared firmly. "Is there anything else that you can tell us that would be of any help?"
"Just that you'll be spotted the instant you step foot into the ruins." The man warned him gravely. "The only people in Daconia are cultists, and believe me when I say you'll have the entire cult descending on you as soon as you ride into the open!"
"That's just something that we'll have to deal with then. I'll not allow Susa to be used in some obscene rite, or be sacrificed during some insane ritual. I made a promise to her that I wouldn't let anyone hurt her, and I plan on keeping that promise!"
"What do you want to do with him?" Veren asked, gesturing to the helpless man. "Should we kill him?"
"He has been helpful." Raven pointed out. "Maybe just take his weapons, and send him on way? Why kill him if there's no real need?"
"I like her!" The bearded man blurted nervously. "I vote for her idea!"
Damion couldn't help but laugh. "I bet you do." He stared at the man for a long moment. "Can we count on you to flee directly to Daconia and warn them of our intentions?" He asked the man in a plaintive tone.
The man snorted. "Not a chance!" He swore fervently. "If you spare me, I'll be your man for life!"
"Not this again!" The big warrior groaned, staring up at the predawn sky in exasperation. "Why does everyone I spare want to pledge me their life?"
"It's your overwhelming personality!" Veren laughed. "We are all drawn to you because we know you will take us under your wing!"
The bearded man sat forward until he was on his knees before Damion and the others. "I can be useful!" He assured them desperately. "I was born in these swamps. I know them as well, or better, than anyone you'll find!"
"What good will that do us?" Veren asked sourly. "We already know the way to Daconia!"
"But I know a short cut." He told them. "It's at least four miles to Daconia following the road, but I know of a trail that will take you safely through the swamp without worrying about all of the twists and turns of the trade road."
"How did you come to find this trail?" Raven asked him suspiciously.
"As I said, I have lived in these marshes my entire life. As soon as we established our hideout here, we located and marked every useable trail in the area. One of the trails leads directly to Daconia, without all of the twists and turns. If we hurry, you may have a chance to save your slave girl!" He looked to Damion imploringly. "Allow me to redeem myself, Dragon Lord! I swear I will not lead you astray!"
"You had better not be lying to us!" Veren snarled threateningly, testing the edge of his dagger with one thumb. "Or I swear I'll decorate this swamp with your entrails!"
"That won't be necessary, Veren." Damion smiled at the one eared man. He turned and offered the bearded man his hand to help him to his feet. "What's your name?"
"Shirk," The man grunted, taking Damion's offered hand. "and if you will take a bit of advice, we really should get moving if you hope to save that girl."
***********
The brood mother slowly strolled through the predawn shadows of the ruins, trying to igno
re the dreadful feeling that threatened to overwhelm her. The dragon man had thwarted their every attempt to take the sword that controlled her enemies, and he was getting closer and closer with every second that passed. That thought alone made her shiver. She had seen what he was capable of first hand, and this would be her last chance to take the Dragon Sword into her possession.
She continued to wander, lost in thought, until she finally encountered Tar, who had sat patiently awaiting her orders. "What have you learned?"
"They are only a couple of miles from here, Mother." She reported from the shadows. "They should arrive here within the next couple of hours."
"Is everything prepared for their arrival?"
"Nearly the entire brood has arrived as ordered, Mother. There are only those few that are busy with other tasks that have yet to arrive."
"I need to be sure that everything goes exactly as I planned!" She snarled, causing Tar to jump fearfully. "I have worked far too hard to fail when I am this close to having my revenge!"
"What if they give up looking for the slave girl?"
"They won't. The dragon man has grown attached to her, and will do anything to save her!" She smirked mockingly for a moment, then returned her attention to the matters at hand. "Make sure that the brood is prepared for what has to happen. I will not tolerate any mistakes from anyone! This has to go exactly as planned, or the entire brood could be at risk!"
"I will be sure that the others understand what they are to do, Mother."
"And what of the spawn?"
"They have fled. They are no longer willing to face the dragon man any longer. He seems to take a particular delight in destroying every spawn he comes into contact with."
"It matters not. They have served their purpose." She stared at the smaller serpent. "And what of you? Do you know what you are to do?"
"I know what I am to do, Mother. I will not fail you."
The brood mother gazed at her with unyielding black eyes. "I know, because if you fail, I will kill you myself."
Tar cringed, and huddled farther back into the shadows.
"Go now and warn the others to be prepared. I wish to know the second he tries to enter the ruins!"
"As you wish, Mother." Tar quickly disappeared into the fading darkness.
She returned to her wanderings, absently cursing the sun that was less than an hour from appearing over the horizon. She would have had preferred to put off the meeting until darkness had fallen once more, when she and her brood had the advantage of remaining virtually invisible, but she couldn't risk losing this opportunity over a few hours time. She had to act when the moment was right, whether it was day or night.
It could be a matter of hours before she could finally fulfill all of her plans, and take possession of the object that could insure the enslavement, or destruction, of her enemies, but for some reason, she still could not shake the dreadful feeling of doom approaching.
She glanced up into the predawn darkness and her eyes were instantly drawn to the constellation of the serpent god, who seemed to still be watching her every movement from the heavens above with an intense interest. It seemed that she could almost feel his displeasure in that gaze, and she stared back boldly, her resolve hardened by that displeasure. "I will have my revenge!" She roared in defiance, her voice echoing out into the fading night. "Even if it destroys me and my entire brood, I will have my revenge on those who cast me out of this world! I will make them suffer for what they have done, and nothing will stop me!"
She continued to stare up into the heavens until the sky was too bright to make out the constellation any longer, then she slowly turned and disappeared back into the ruins to finish her preparations for the dragon man's arrival.
Chapter 16
The three dark forms dropped from the sky, breathing fire upon the panicked people of Sevria, who began to push and shove their way through the crowd in an effort to flee the nightmares that had suddenly descended on their village.
"Stand your ground!" Sly roared to the castle soldiers, who were preparing to desert their posts. "We still have those dragonspawn out there, in case you have forgotten!"
"We need to get these villagers to the castle!" Lady Skie cried, trying to make herself heard over the screams. "They can take refuge in the lower vaults!"
"Take Dar and get them to safety then! We'll stay and do what we can here!" He watched as she and the childlike Alena disappeared into the crowd, then dove for cover as one of the shadow dragons swooped low overhead, belching flames at the men along the top of the wall.
Sly quickly scrambled back to his feet, then looked around for Damarius, who was at the closest machine, bellowing at the operator to take aim on the shadow dragons. "Where are the scarlet dragons Tempest promised would be watching over us?"
"I'm sure they'll be here soon!" The old wizard called back, climbing out from behind his siege machine. "Focus on those shadow dragons! Aim for the soft scales on their under bellies!" He trotted over to join the little man. "We need to keep the men from deserting their posts! It's only a matter of time before the hoard attacks again, and we must make sure that we continue to defend the wall, otherwise the entire town will be overrun!"
Convincing the men to remain at their posts proved to be difficult as the shadows dragons continued to swoop down on the city, breathing flames upon the defenseless crowd that was surging towards the safety of the castle. But after much yelling, screaming, and a number of graphic threats, they managed to get most of the men to return to their posts.
One of the shadow dragons suddenly tucked its wings and dove towards the men defending the wall. Many of the men dove for cover, while others jumped from the wall to their deaths to avoid being roasted alive in the searing flames.
The screams of the dying was soon accompanied by the sickly sweet odor of charred human flesh as dozens were killed. A second dragon landed amongst the buildings of the town and began to bathe the structures in hellfire while lashing out repeatedly with its powerful tail, leveling entire homes and sending debris flying in every direction.
"Get those machines aimed at those beasts before they kill us all!" Sly roared as the shadow dragon soared passed, then banked to renew its attack.
There was a sudden roar from the dragonspawn hoard, and they surged towards the wall, attempting to take advantage of the defenders diverted attention by rushing the only gate leading into the city.
"On your guard!" Damarius bellowed in a surprisingly powerful voice. "The hoard is attacking!"
The dragonspawn reached the wall of spikes and charged forward, encountering only a small amount of resistance from the few archers remaining on the wall. They quickly reached the base of the wall, then, using only their claws, they carefully began to scale the stone.
"They're climbing the wall!" Sly warned, drawing his sword with a curse.
"Not to worry!" Damarius laughed. "This wall is impossible to scale. It's angle outward too steeply!"
"Are you sure about that?" The little man looked doubtful.
"Just watch!"
They watched as several dragonspawn slowly clawed their way up the wall, their eyes alight with bloodlust. But as each creature neared the halfway point, it became apparent that there wasn't much chance on them succeeding. One by one, each creature lost its grip and fell, impaling themselves on the field of spikes below.
"Brilliant!" Sly laughed, and clapped the old wizard on his back. "Your design may just be enough to keep those beasts at bay!"
"Now we just have to focus on the shadow dragons!" The old man said wryly.
The men operating the old wizard's siege machines had finally all reloaded and swung their ponderous machines around to take aim upon the attacking dragons.
The first several machines to fire missed their targets by several yards, but the sixth machine's shot flew straight and true, striking one of the beasts in the side of its huge armored head. The projectile exploded into splinters, failing to penetrate the dragon's thick skull, but
the force behind the projectile was enough to daze the massive beast, causing it to plummet towards the ground uncontrollably. At the last second, it shook its head to clear the cobwebs, then flared its wings, and swooped away, avoiding a horrific crash by mere feet.
"Get those machines reloaded!" Sly shouted, trying to make himself heard over the noise created by the dragon still rampaging through the town. He threw himself to the stone walkway as another dragon plunged down from the sky, belching more flames.
The dragonspawn attacking the wall finally gave up their futile attempts of scaling the walls, and began to crowd onto the road before the gate leading into the city. They quickly produced a battering ram constructed from an entire tree, and the rhythmic boom of the ram against the steel gates soon echoed through the mountains.
Damarius laboriously hauled himself out from his hiding spot from behind the closest siege machine, then looked out over the wall at the hoard. "The dragonspawn are trying to force their way through the gate!" He ran to the guard house built over the gate and pulled a large lever mounted on the floor in one corner. A large number of brass nozzles began to rapidly pop into view through dozens of holes that had been drilled in equal distances along the stone face above the gates.
"Get those chambers open!" The old wizard ordered, pointing to the heavy steel plates inset into the floor.
Two nearby guards scrambled to lift the heavy plates from the floor. Several other guards began rolling in a number of large barrels containing a thick, foul smelling dark liquid, which they emptied into the chambers in the floor. Once all of the barrels were emptied, the guards replaced the plates in the floor, and Damarius pulled the lever once again, causing the dark liquid to suddenly begin spraying out over the throng of dragonspawn, who ignored the shower and continued to pound away at the steel gate.
Omensent: Rise of the Shadow Dragons Page 30
