by Eric Vall
“Extraordinary,” I breathed as I petted them.
“Yeah, they are pretty… uh, what is that?” Carmedy said as she nervously pointed in the direction of the dungeon behind me. I turned to see four treasure chests float out of the tunnel from which we had come and set down in the back of the cart.
“I had my shadow slaves bring out my helmet and some of the treasure stored within my dungeon so that we can buy supplies,” I said as I turned back to the cat. “I can acquire more if we need it, but for now, I think I’d prefer to earn it the old fashion way, by conquering my rivals.”
“Ooh,” the feline said as her jade-colored eyes bulged at the chests. “You brought so much!” Her mouth practically fell open as she stared. “This will be more than enough to get started! You really are the best master a minion could ask for.” She gave me a sweet smile that I couldn’t help but return.
“Treasure?” Rana said with sudden interest, and her fox ears began to twitch as she moved toward the chests, eyes locked on them with single-minded intensity.
“Yes.” I nodded slowly. “I have collected many items of value over the years.”
“I’ll be taking a look if you don’t mind.” The fact that the fox began to rifle through the goods without waiting for my response indicated that she didn’t much care if I gave my consent or not.
“As you wish.” I nodded. I had briefly considered making a comment on Rana’s lack of respect but decided against it. Having an argument with the stubborn fox over something such as this would not make matters any easier. I hoped that my allowance would help to convince her of my trustworthiness.
The fox sat in the cart and picked up item after item so she could carefully hold each one up to the light. Her paws suddenly brushed against something, she paused, and then her shoulders shook as she picked up a golden talisman. The tarnished metal formed a flat circle, and an opalescent gem was nestled in the center. I couldn’t make out the markings that were etched across the surface. Rana gazed at the talisman for several moments and repeatedly turned it around to inspect it. She finally gripped the gold piece tightly and released a small sigh, one of relief I thought. With that, she placed the talisman around her neck and tucked it beneath her long-sleeved shirt.
“This ought to fetch a fair price. I’ll hang on to this one,” she said quietly without so much as a look in my direction. Without another word, the fox woman continued to root through the valuables and inspected each item in the same manner as before.
“As you wish.” I was not offended by her action. It didn’t matter to me if she kept it. It appeared to be no different from any other trinket that had come into my possession, but then, I wasn’t a mortal being. Such things were of no use to me. I sought greater things than gold and silver.
I sought the power of the gods and my rightful place in the heavens.
“Hey,” Carmedy said as she walked past the back of the cart, “What’s in the bag?” The feline pointed to a black velvet pouch with a drawstring that was nestled amongst some gold and silver trinkets in one of the chests. I looked at the bag curiously. I myself was unsure of the contents of the bag. In fact, I had never before noticed it, there were so many items that had been left in my dungeon over the years, and I had never bothered to take any sort of inventory.
Rana turned her head, and excitement filled her blue eyes as she beheld the sack. The fox woman carefully removed the velvet bag from the chest. It was small and easily fit in the center of her paw. Rana eagerly loosened the drawstring and overturned the pouch so that the contents would spill into her furry clutch. As she did so, Carmedy leaned forward on her tiptoes to see, and I too moved closer out of curiosity. What tumbled out was a tiny sapphire colored sphere that was roughly the size of a marble. The surface of it was perfectly polished and smooth, and the various shades of blue swirled in such a way to resemble the sea that glittered from the sun’s rays.
Despite the sphere’s beauty, Rana’s elated expression shifted to a look of disappointment when the small blue ball tumbled out.
“It’s just a bead or something,” the fox-tailed woman mumbled.
“Ooh, it’s pretty.” Carmedy’s eyes widened at the little object. “Can I see?” she asked as she held out her hand.
“Sure.” Rana shrugged. The red-haired woman placed the little sea-colored ball in Carmedy’s palm, and the cat held it up close to her face. She turned the smooth object in her hand as she marveled at it.
“I wonder what it is?” Carmedy said softly. Her jade eyes were filled with wonder, and her furry black tail swished back and forth only further displaying her enthusiasm.
I had no idea what this strange object was, but the fact that it had been inside of that velvet bag made me think it held some importance.
Just then, Annalíse and Morrigan walked past me, and as they placed their satchels into the back of the cart, Morrigan’s gaze met with the tiny sphere in Carmedy’s hand.
“What you hold in your grasp is Dragnasí,” the white-haired elf said nonchalantly as she nodded at the azure-colored orb.
“Drag-whaty?” Carmedy cocked her head to one side.
“Dragnasí,” Morrigan repeated.
“What’s that?” Rana crossed her arms. “Is it a jewel or something? Is it worth much?”
“This is far more valuable than a mere jewel,” Morrigan said unenthusiastically. “More than silver or gold or any precious metal.”
“Really?” Annalíse, Rana, and Carmedy breathed in unison.
“Indeed,” Morrigan said calmly. “As you are all well aware, dragons have ceased to exist. They have been extinct for thousands of years.”
“Yes,” I said solemnly. “The rest of you, of course, have never seen one, they were far before your time, but I was around when there were still some left. They were such powerful and exquisite creatures. Such a tragedy. They were hunted into extinction.” I shook my head sadly. “Dragon teeth and scales were seen as priceless objects, and before long, there were no dragons left. Such magnificent beasts.”
“Yeah.” Rana wrinkled her nose. “Everyone knows that, so what?”
“Yes, this is common knowledge,” Morrigan said calmly, “but what many do not know is that a few hundred years ago, a group of sorcerers attempted to craft a substance that could turn lizards into dragons.”
“No way,” Carmedy whispered.
“That’s impossible.” Annalíse shook her head, and then her eyes slowly moved to the marble-like object in Carmedy’s hand. “Isn’t it?” she asked with a wince.
“No,” Morrigan said. “The sorcerers’ efforts were successful. It is said that if a lizard swallows Dragnasí, it can turn into a dragon and possess a dragon’s power, but only for short periods of time.”
“You mean, like, they can fly?” Carmedy glanced at Xerxes quickly.
“Yes.” Morrigan nodded. “Briefly, but yes.”
“Is there more of this Dragnasí?” I asked. This magical substance could prove to be quite useful, especially if we could obtain another so that both lizards would have one. It would be excellent for emergencies and quick getaways, should the need arise.
“There are more, but not many.” Morrigan’s callous tone suddenly had a note of bitterness, and her dark eyes flashed angrily. “When the Holy Band of Mages discovered what the sorcerers had done, they put a stop to it. They claimed it was unnatural, but who are they to deem what is and is not natural?” Morrigan said the last few words under her breath. I too felt a surge of fury at the mention of the Holy Band of Mages, but I was starting to see that I hadn’t been the only one who had been victim to their ludicrous judgments.
“How many are there?” I asked the elf as I swallowed my rage. I did want to know why the topic angered her, but at the moment it was more important that I learn more about the Dragnasí.
“To my knowledge, there are only four or five in existence,” Morrigan replied, and her voice gradually reverted back to its usual nonchalance. “Most of them were destroyed by
the mages, but a few were saved and hidden away.”
“Wow,” Carmedy whispered as she gazed at the magical sphere in her hand. “Can we feed it to Scylla or Xerxes right now?” the cat asked excitedly and she started to walk toward Xerxes. “I want to see them fly!”
“Hold on.” I quickly placed a hand on the feline’s shoulder. “I think that it would be best if we wait to use it. For one thing, it would be better to start using them when we at least have two so that both Scylla and Xerxes will have have the power of dragons.” I nodded to the two lizards. “Secondly, we don’t know how often we would be able to use it. If it has a limited use, we don’t want to waste it.” Carmedy gave me a small pout, but she shook her head in agreement.
“Morrigan, do you happen to know the limitations of Dragnasí?” I turned to the tattooed elf.
“Unfortunately, I do not,” Morrigan said unfeelingly. “I do not know how long the effects last, nor do I know of how many times it can be utilized.”
“Then it would be best then if we waited until we learn more about it to use it,” Annalíse suggested.
“My thoughts exactly,” I said. “I will hold onto it for the time being.” I stretched out my hand to Carmedy.
“Alright,” Carmedy said, and she stuck her lip out slightly as she placed the Dragnasí in my palm. I retrieved the black velvet pouch from the cart, placed the magical blue orb into it, and pulled the strings to close it before I dropped the sack into my pocket. It would be safe there and remain in my possession until we learned more about how it worked.
“Alright then that’s settled,” Annalíse said as she and Morrigan walked away toward Scylla. “Are we ready to leave?” the freckled woman asked as she climbed onto Scylla and hoisted Morrigan up to sit behind her.
“Yes,” I said as I glanced at the lizards. Did they intend for me to ride one of these creatures? Carmedy mounted Xerxes’ back and motioned for me to sit behind her.
“Come on, you can ride with me,” she said brightly. “Rana was riding with me before, but she can ride in the cart for now so you can get a feel for how to ride them. That okay with you, Rana?” She craned her neck toward the fox who was still seated in the donkey cart as she pawed through the treasure.
“That suits me just fine.” the fox’s attention remained fixed on the newly acquired horde, and she did little more than wave absently at us.
“Alrighty then, hop aboard.” Carmedy smiled at me and patted the seat behind her. I blinked at her and then at the great lizard that she was perched on top of. I wasn’t entirely comfortable with my mortal human avatar mounting a beast whose existence I had only been made aware of a few moments before, but it seemed that I had little choice. I doubted that Rana would welcome me as her riding companion, and if I were going to live in this new era, I would have to grow accustomed to the scaly beasts.
I gripped the God Slayer and approached the animal cautiously. It turned its head lazily in my direction and flicked its forked tongue. It seemed docile enough, so I swung a leg over the saddle and slowly lowered myself down. I half expected the creature to make some sort of sudden movement since I was an unfamiliar rider, but it made no such move. Once I steadied myself in my seat, I nodded to Annalíse that we were ready. Annalíse turned to Rana who was now seated at the front of the donkey cart with the reins in her paws.
“Okay then, let’s get going,” Annalise said. “We can stop at the nearest town to get supplies.” She clicked her teeth, and Scylla began to move toward the tree line. Rana steered the donkey around to follow and shot me a glare as she passed. Once the fox was in front of us, Carmedy gripped the reins and gently nudged the creature with her heels. We lurched forward as Xerxes came to life, and off we slithered.
The ride was surprisingly smooth, and as we entered the forest single file, I took the time to once more enjoy my surroundings. I inhaled deeply and took in the fresh, clean air that mingled with the scent of trees, dirt, and flowers. It was glorious. I watched as squirrels skittered around the forest floor in search of nuts, and I closed my eyes as I listened to the wind rustle the leaves of the trees. I lost track of time as I became entranced by the sights, sounds, and smells of the woodland.
“Something’s not right.” Rana’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I moved to see around Carmedy and saw the fox’s ears repeatedly twitch as she bounced along in the cart. She looked back and forth between the two sides of the woods and sniffed at the air. “Guys there’s some--”
The fox’s words were cut off when four men with swords and bows suddenly sprang from the trees. The donkey reared up its legs and heehawed at the sudden disturbance, and the women began to shout. These men were brigands, and they had chosen their prey most unwisely. Now my new minions would see a true god at work.
Chapter 6
The two men with the bows walked out in front of Scylla and motioned for Annalíse and Morrigan to climb down from the lizard’s back. At the same time, the men with the swords made their way to the rear of our procession and signaled for Rana, Carmedy, and I to dismount. I could have easily disarmed all four of the men within seconds, but I wanted to see how my minions would handle this first. I would give them an opening and let them take care of this.
The three of us did as we were told, but the human and the elf stayed in their seats. Annalíse attempted to reach for the sword on her hip, but the larger of the archers shouted something at her in a language I couldn’t understand, and the freckled woman slowly pulled her hand away from her weapon. Annalíse’s back was to me so I couldn’t see her face, but I could tell from the way she tensed her shoulders that the tall woman was angry. She and Morrigan cautiously climbed down and raised their hands in the air. One of the men grunted something, and Annalíse grudgingly removed the pristine sword from her side and tossed it forward out of her reach.
The large man who had spoken earlier began to bellow once more in the foreign language. The man had narrow eyes, a sweaty bald head, and his tanned face and arms were covered with scars in a clear indication that he had been in one too many scuffles. His voice was harsh as he spoke to Annalíse. She appeared to be the only one of our group who could understand him, and she responded in the same unfamiliar dialect. Though I couldn’t understand her words, her fury was unmistakable. After they finished their exchange, she turned to the rest of us with her hands still in the air.
“He said they’re going to take Scylla and Xerxes and whatever we have in the cart,” Annalíse said through gritted teeth, “but they’re going to let us keep the donkey.”
“Gee, what a saint,” Rana snarled, and she narrowed her eyes at the men who pointed their swords at us. I observed that the rest of the men looked similar to the large one, but they were shorter and had fewer scars. I figured that they must have been brothers. The big man spoke again and pointed his bow at Rana.
“He wants you to bring each of the chests to him, Rana,” Annalíse said.
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” the fox growled as she began to lower her arms. One of the swordsmen barked something at her, and she quickly raised them again.
“Do what he says, Rana,” Carmedy whispered fearfully. “They look pretty dangerous.”
“Yeah, I can see that, Carmedy.” The fox pursed her lips. “But my guess is that as soon as they get what they want, they won’t simply leave us here to go along our merry way.”
“You mean they’ll… they’ll...” Carmedy stammered.
“Yes.” The fox-woman glared at the swordsmen and then slowly walked around to the back of the cart. “Let’s play along for now. Meanwhile, I’ll try to figure a way out of this.”
Carmedy and I stood a few feet behind the cart and watched as the fox picked up one of the heavy chests with a grunt and proceeded to swing it around. As she turned, she shot the sword wielders an angry glance and then her gaze momentarily rested on Carmedy and I. The fox quickly twitched her ears three times, and then I realized she had a plan.
Suddenly, Rana gasped as the chest
fell from her hands and crashed to the ground, and all four of the brigands turned their eyes on the fox-tailed woman. She looked at the spilled contents on the ground and then gave me a quick glance. It hadn’t been an accident, she had dropped the chest on purpose to cause a distraction. A wise and very clever move. Rana may have had a temper, but she was as quick with her thinking as she was with her feet and paws. I should have known that she was a crafty one, she was, after all, a fox. I was pleasantly surprised by the strategy that my curly-haired minion had used, and I eagerly waited to see how her plan would unfold.
One of the sword wielders yelled something at the fox woman, probably an order for her to pick up the items. Both swordsmen moved closer and focused their attention on Rana as she knelt on the ground and began to scoop up the contents and replace them. I guessed that they were doing exactly what she wanted them to do.
It was then that she saw her chance.
“After I put the last piece of gold in the chest and close the lid, count to five.” The fox held her head down as she whispered, and she tried to move her lips as little as possible. “Then go for the one on the right.”
Carmedy and I gave no indication that we had heard her, but I was sure that she knew that we had as we weren’t too far from her. Rana was about to place the last coin in the wooden chest when Annalíse suddenly rushed toward her sword without warning. The female warrior’s rashness had struck again.
The human woman dove for her sword, and once it was back in her hands, she quickly rolled to the side. Her quick movement had been unexpected, and the bowmen gaped at her in surprise. The smaller bowman attempted to fire an arrow at the tall woman, and though his aim was true, Annalíse easily knocked the projectile away with her sword before pivoting to dodge the larger one’s arrow. As the big man hastily reached back to grab a new arrow from his quiver, Annalíse stepped around and allowed her momentum to carry her as she hurled her weapon at the larger man. He attempted to sidestep, but his hulking frame was far too slow.
