“I guess it does. You want me to do the same with the black flame?”
“Can you?”
“I’ll try.”
The dragon stone vanished in an orange flare. Like an illusion, the brightness blinked out of existence and was substituted by a fizzing black emptiness in the shape of a pyre. Unlike its untainted counterpart, the sinister fire took more prana and a gentler touch to get the hot darkness to compress and spin. As I suspected, getting it to cooperate proved tricky. I decided to ignore the least compliant embers, which briefly handed me greater control of its melon-sized heart.
In the end, trying to compact it to a spinning ball prompted it to wobble and split. Since I expected it to burst at once like the regular fireballs, I flinched. However, the irregular black sphere’s surface evaporated while only the innermost core excitedly exploded in a high-pithed hiss.
“Was that better?” asked Ghevont.
“I think the concept is sound. I just need a lot more practice.”
“Then let’s try boiling water next.”
It demanded four days of rest and treatment, but Master Hermoon recovered from his sickness, even if it was obvious that his ailment cost him an extra spring in his step. Ghevont wondered aloud how well corruption might be able to guard me from disease. I wondered it myself, but as I did not desire for him to throw sicknesses at me, I said nothing about it to him.
Chapter Five
A week since summoning Iterra, one of the sages who had been watching the rune sprinted over to the open-air temple to tell me it started to glow. I forwent waiting for my breakfast and hastily walked with ten sages to the neighboring pillar. We confirmed it was Iterra’s prana and summoned her.
She came to inform me that an audience with a diviner had been granted. I was to wait for the rune to glow again. From there I was to link my prana with the lure and hold on to it. A reverse summoning would send me to the meeting spot. So, once Iterra’s form vanished, I sat by the rune in expectation. Ujin brought over a plate of fruit and pork for me to eat.
As I pinched the second to last piece of meat between my fingers, the rune glimmered. This crimson light enticed me in. I stood in the middle of the carved design and reached out with my prana. My spirit pulsed when magic latched on to magic. Reminding myself not to resist the tug, an alien prana blanketed my whole body. Despite shutting my eyes, a red flash penetrated my vision all the same.
Another change in illumination persuaded my eyelids to stay closed. However, a squinting peek recognized my new environment was not perilously bright, only altered to an unquiet exoticness. The once amber sky was now a dark shade of purple containing thousands of twinkling stars and tinges of wavering emerald streaks. A half-submerged sun far in the horizon to my left cast whitish light as it either rose or set. My eyes did not know how to adjust to the bizarre twilight state I found myself in, making them ache. Barely any wind blew and no snow or ice I saw, but the cold air still nipped at my exposed skin. Nothing too problematic.
To my right were dozens of wave-shaped rock formations as tall as mountains. Miles closer was what first looked like a field of golden flowers with coiled stems, except they must have been peculiar trees two hundred feet in height. Half the flora also sported a floating spherical sack tethered to their host plant by way of several vines wrapped around the coiled stems. How long had it been since a human stepped into this other world?
A huffing breath behind got me facing a new direction. Two dragon heads glared at me, but only one green body was present. While the two-headed beast was more robust and longer than Aranath, the absence of wings made it seem smaller overall. Instead of the webbed appendages, the dragon possessed another pair of legs. A splotchy line of yellow went down the two necks, back, and tail. Given the scales lacked luster, and not to mention many were not so uniform in pattern and size, I got the impression this dragon had seen markedly more day and night cycles than Aranath or Iterra.
After I bowed, the head to my right, which held two red eyes, said, “Welcome to Hibitoth, child.” His voice sounded hoarse and drawn-out.
“Hibitoth? I thought your world was called Eldroth in the shared tongue.”
“You are correct, child. You are not there. This world is the world of diviners and meditation. Now, what do you call yourself?”
“I am Mercer Eberwolf, my lord. Er, lords. Uh, do you have one name or two?”
“You may call me Behenath.”
“And I am Nirsait,” said the slightly quicker and slicker voice on my left. Whereas one of his eyes shined red, the other appeared sunken and white.
“You two can help me make a case for Aranath’s freedom?”
Nirsait closed his red eyes. “We do not wish to aid or hinder. We only wish to see what is and what can be.”
“So you don’t make the ultimate decision?”
“Our words will carry the necessary weight, little Eberwolf.”
“All right. What do I have to do?”
“Allow Nirsait some peace,” said Behenath. “We sense the prana linking you here and to us. Nirsait will use it to begin seeing beyond mortal sight, so keep your magic calm and constant. I will be free to speak, so let me hear what you have to say.”
Something made me look up. The distant silhouette of a dragon flew over us. It required this second gaze at the sky to notice not a single cloud could be spotted. Better attuned eyes also saw deeper into the glittery drapery. Holy damn there were a lot of stars! Perhaps three times as many as could be seen in Orda in her darkest nights. How well could Aranath see the stars from his prison?
Returning to what was in front of me, I said, “I have to assume Aranath has never been seen as irredeemable if he’s been allowed to live this long.”
“Like many Kyloth recruited, Aranath was young when he warred against us and your people. This meant he needed time to become a worthy rebel for his treasonous master, which further meant his role remained restricted to the latter half of the war. Most of the deaths attributed to him are humans, not dragons, and largely in defensive battles. All the same, if the barrier enclosing him had been a little weaker, his punishment would have been fatal.”
“What about now? You must know he risked life and wing to kill giants on a world not his own.”
“Perhaps from pure tedium.”
“That explains progress as well as it does war.”
“To humans. Such a perspective is what makes divining your kind challenging, as well as troubling. So many possibilities, and all because few of you without power relentlessly fall to its appeal, and those with it are never content with sitting still with it.”
“Says a race with their fires burning on many worlds.”
“We have survived our mistakes. It has earned us wisdom and foresight. Yet when humans were given their chance to attest their worth, they only confused their present and our futures. Kyloth foresaw the destruction your kind could wrought if left to do what you desired. Rather than allow us to guide your potential as we had done with others, he desired to harness it for himself.” The dragon stepped forward to inhale my scent. “What has Aranath said about your corruption?”
“Not much. If I’m being honest, which I suppose is in my best interest, I’d say the fiend’s power in me does not bother him. It doesn’t bother me either. At least, it bothers me less than not having it.”
“Nirsait?”
The second head’s throat rumbled. Eyes still shut, he said, “The darkness is sheathed. When it threatens to unleash itself, he can burn it away.”
“Demonstrate, young Eberwolf.”
I pulled out a dragon stone and cast the spell. Like the charred rock, the fire turned black. It was a funny thing to see darkness reflected back from the dragon’s eyes as I held the fire between us. When Behenath pulled his head back, I ceased feeding the spell.
“You wear a dragon crystal. Why not use its prana to create dragon fire from regular flame?”
“I’ve never learned to cast a regular flame.”
A gurgling chuckle, or perhaps a sigh of exasperation, emitted from one or both their heads. “You learned to wield dragon flame before knowing how to command its weaker sibling?”
“I didn’t have the luxury to learn another spell. Just as I didn’t have the luxury to command my own prana before it became tainted the first time. Just as I didn’t have the luxury to make my own choices before I killed my first man. Since then, I’ve had the chance and motivation to control my own prana and kill men using my own judgment. I’ve yet to find a reason to learn to kindle a candle or torch.”
“Sometimes a mild light is what’s needed, little Eberwolf.”
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to devote some training to the endeavor.”
“No, it would not.” The dragon started to amble around the rune. “Free or not, you are linked with Aranath and the power he grants you. What do you expect from it?”
“Um, well, I don’t expect to ever be considered a true Veknu Milaris with my corrupted soul. I don’t expect to forge new relations between humans and dragons. I do expect my sword, dragon flame, and corruption can be useful. They simply need a little direction.”
The dragon stopped walking. Nirsait opened his eyes. “There… Your path is indeed clearing… Say what you wish to say, child. Remove the barb from your mind.”
“Aye, the barb. The Advent piqued my interest about worlds beyond Orda. The cult claimed they wanted to hand humans power so we may stand a better chance at repelling external threats. I know the corrupted realm is always looking to add another world under its ragged banner, and my corruption is proof a fiend’s power can be easily summoned here, or, uh, in Orda. Even without dragons, there are eidolons helping to protect us, but I’m still wondering how vulnerable Orda is to threats from another realm.”
“We often find such external threats are brought forth from within. For instance, the greatest external threat to Orda comes from an island bearing fiends birthed when humans tampered with spells beyond their comprehension. Do you know why after centuries of isolation that island remains infested with such vermin?”
“I witnessed for myself fiends living under a mountain where barely any food grows. They can survive a long time with very little, including by becoming cannibals.”
“To be sure. However, their adaptability alone does not entirely explain their persistence in an island Veknu Milaris have attempted to clear numerous times. Years after dragons and humans worked together to kill any fiend seen, a new population would arise. Fertile fiends are not common, thus leaving few explanations. It was soon understood that the island’s former inhabitants must have left rune portals open. Not enough to account for an entire domain’s downfall, but it explained the current state of the island. After much seeking, several portals were found and burned.”
“Ah, but not all of them.”
“No. While the last portal could be sensed somewhere beneath a castle, it was never reached. Then the war that severed friendship between human and dragon ended the search prematurely. One explanation for the relative ease at which a caster can summon a fiend is due to the existence of this gateway. The powerful magic that has sustained the portal for so long also enervates the natural barrier between Orda and the corrupted world the fiends appear from.”
“Are you about to suggest that I be the one to find and destroy the portal?”
“You desire direction. We desire to close the most direct means for corruption to enter your realm. This is the clearest path I see.”
“Hmph. I have a harder time seeing it. I have a harder time thinking I convince people to join me in a fight against an island full of fiends.”
“You will not need an army,” said Behenath. “Despite what it may seem, the realm of fiends does provide order. Those who are broken by the mad prana will instinctively fear and follow those in command of their own corruption. Keep command over your corruption, and you will have an advantage none of the human Veknu Milaris will have had when assaulting the island.”
“Hmm, that so? And how does this affect Aranath’s situation? He helps me close the portal and you free him?”
“Promises cannot be sworn,” said Nirsait. “Nonetheless, his centuries in seclusion and support against the nismerdon have already forced the elders to consider your entreaty in measured earnest. Another feat of redemption will surely embolden them to take swifter action. Your own proficiency in corruption must be proven as well.”
“And this is the only path you see for me?”
“Indeed not. There are a thousand visions flashing across my mind’s eye at once, but many of the most vibrant are already known by you, are they not? You did not come here to hear us state the readily apparent… Let us be blunt, child. You crave the heat of battle. It has been rooted into you as steadfastly as the fiend’s tail around your arm. Even losing your corruption did not lessen the yearning. To fight it now is to fight your very self.”
“This closely matches the very state of young dragons,” said Behenath. “We must learn our strength and our place through fighting. In our earliest days this meant bringing war to ourselves and the realms we differed with, but as we grew in wisdom, we set out to share our power, to channel and alleviate the belligerence of our youths through blood pacts with beings such as yourself.”
“Do you understand, little Eberwolf? You are aimless. If you did not come to us, you would only purposelessly wander Orda to seek blood, steel, and death on your own. Following the path we offer will best satisfy both sides. You gain a way to honorably sharpen your power and earn Aranath’s liberty, and we learn whether you are worth the trouble of guiding beyond this day.”
Sporting a nascent smirk, I said, “I expect to be scolded when someone finds out that all I want to do is fight.”
“Hmph. I don’t need the gods’ sight to see that few of your futures involve you content with tilling the land, hewing objects, or selling wares. There are those simply born or beaten to brandish a warrior’s will in every respect. However, as strong as it can be, it is easy to lead astray and is often short-lived. We shall see how your corruption adds or detracts from the typical strengths and weaknesses of a warrior’s will.”
“Aye, we’ll see, my lords. What else can you tell me about the Degosal portal?”
“Your sages should have records detailing the excursions made by every Veknu Milaris. They will point you in the proper direction.”
Sensing my time here waning, I took a moment to survey this alien world one last time. After exhaling a deep inhale of the dry air, I said, “I’m grateful for your time and guidance, my lords. I’ll certainly consider the path you’ve laid out for me.”
“A word of caution, child. It is faint, but I sense the aura of another diviner in many of your paths.”
“What? Er, I guess it’s not a surprise that word of a dragon knight has attracted the attention of other diviners.”
A growling mumble. “You do not understand. You are in another realm. There should be no aura of another diviner here. What’s more, I do not recognize the aura as human, dragon, or fiend.”
“You can’t tell what kind of being it is? Has that happened to you before?”
“It is not unprecedented. There are many beings yet unknown who will impact the dragon realm’s futures. Yet, for that to apply to you is… it is unanticipated. This nameless diviner may simply be a distant, curious watcher of your fate, but if they desire to be more, then be justly wary of any prana that does not feel familiar.”
Strange. I thought he might have been talking about Kiku’s master, but he was a worshiper of a corrupted god. Nirsait would have sensed a corrupted seer easily enough, so who else was interested in me? Close to being forced to switch to my corrupted prana, I bowed and said, “Thank you for the word of warning. As I do not wish to spoil your magic with my corruption, it seems it’s time for me to get back.”
“Indeed. To both you and Aranath, breathe deep and fly high.”
“I’ll tell him you said
so.”
My eyes stung when they went back to absorbing the yellow light of Orda’s sun. As I rubbed them, I sneezed thrice.
Slapping my back, Ujin asked, “You all right there?”
“Yeah, yeah. The air and light of that world just takes some getting used to. Beautiful, but odd on the senses.”
“Can you tell us what the diviner told you?” asked Everson.
“In a bit. First, I’m gonna need you to bring Ghevont any reports you have about dragon knights and Degosal.”
The rest of the sages cleared the pillar on my instruction. I summoned Aranath so he could hear what I’ve been told along with Ujin, Ghevont, and my brother. When I finished summarizing the diviner’s proposal, Aranath snorted.
More vocal than the dragon, Ujin said, “Sounds like they’re using you.”
“I’m sure they’ve been eager for that tear into our realm to close, but no kingdom wants to waste their soldiers attacking fiends who are pretty much contained. Although, if the diviner is right, Alex and I can walk through the island without a lot of resistance.” The corner of my eye spotted the corner of Alex’s eye inquisitively taking a glimpse at me.
“So, you’re seriously considering it?”
“If it’s something I have to do to get Aranath out of his cage, then yes.” Looking back at the dragon, I asked, “Or are you against the idea?”
“Hmph. Whether it comes from dragons or humans, you will find a way to make trouble for me. As you say, if the seer is correct about your ability to repel less powerful corrupted, then I don’t see why we can’t attempt this mission.”
“You’re not going to take me, are you?” Ujin asked. “Not that Shifa and I don’t want to, but a few days of training doesn’t exactly make us useful in a desolate island filled with crazed monsters.”
“No, you, Shifa, and Ghevont are not going. Your prana will only risk attracting fiends to us. Of course, there may be a way you and the scholar can help. If the island turns out to be too dangerous, I’d like for us to be able to teleport out of there. I know regular teleportation runes won’t cut it, but those nismerdon runes seem to work better. Alex, what’s the farthest you’ve teleported in an Advent rune?”
The Dragon Knight and the Steam World Page 5
