Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6)

by Christopher Mitchell

  A thunderous roar ripped through the ground as they approached Old Alea, and the last faces of the gods carved into the rock face collapsed, showering the ramp below with rubble, and killing dozens of civilians who were trying to make their way up onto the plateau. At the top of the ramp, the gates had disappeared, and the gatehouse was in smoking ruins. Deathfang led them up and over the line of walls that surrounded the promontory, passing smouldering heaps of burning ballistae and piles of charred corpses. Beyond, the streets were in chaos. Armed bands of civilians were battling small detachments of Banner soldiers, and bodies lay scattered upon every road. A mile ahead of them, an enormous palace set amid huge gardens was burning, the flames reaching up into the growing light as dawn approached.

  Behind them, the sun breached the horizon, sending its rays across the surface of Old Alea, and the extent of the slaughter became clear.

  ‘I can sense powers,’ said Kelsey.

  ‘Where?’ said Frostback.

  ‘Ahead and to the right, next to that huge building with the tower. Death powers, and fire.’

  ‘Father,’ Frostback called; ‘Kelsey has located the gods.’

  Deathfang slowed a little, careful to remain close to the silver dragon. ‘You take the lead from here, my daughter; guide us to them.’

  ‘Yes, father.’

  Frostback powered her wings and moved to the front of the formation, Deathfang to her right, Halfclaw to her left. Aila stared at the ground as they approached the building. Was Corthie somewhere down there among the carnage?

  ‘I see Sanguino,’ called Halfclaw; ‘he is in the gardens of the burning palace.’

  ‘Leave him for now,’ said Deathfang; ‘we shall check on him once we have dealt with the gods.’

  Aila leaned to the left, her fingers gripping the folds on Frostback’s shoulders. She caught a brief glimpse of the dark red dragon, surrounded by dozens of humans, who appeared to be fighting Banner soldiers alongside him. A blast of fire rose up from the gardens, incinerating a group of soldiers who had ventured too close to where Sanguino was standing.

  ‘He seems to be holding his own,’ said Aila, ‘but I can’t see Sable.’

  ‘I can see her,’ said Kelsey, staring directly ahead.

  Aila turned. At the western end of the huge building, a tower had collapsed. Surrounding it was a swarm of soldiers, scrambling up the slopes of rubble to confront three figures upon the summit – Sable, Belinda and Corthie.

  ‘Frostback!’ cried Kelsey. ‘Sable’s down there, in the centre of the rubble, and my brother is with her.’

  ‘Is he the one with the clawed hammer?’

  ‘Aye.’

  Deathfang closed in on their right. ‘Look at them fight! I am tempted to leave them to it; I have never seen humans fight like that.’

  ‘Help them,’ said Aila; ‘please.’

  ‘There are three gods down there, too,’ said Deathfang.

  ‘Kelsey will block their powers, father,’ said Frostback. ‘We must act before the soldiers’ numbers prevail against Kelsey’s kin.’

  ‘And this will work, you can assure me, daughter?’

  ‘It will, father.’

  ‘If you are wrong, we will all die.’

  ‘You must trust me.’

  ‘Very well, daughter; lead on.’

  Frostback swooped down, the other two dragons staying close to her flanks. They opened their jaws together, and unleashed a flood of flames onto the soldiers scaling the heap of rubble. They circled the mound once, incinerating the thick ranks of armoured humans, then turned for the gods.

  All three raised their arms as the dragons approached. Deathfang flinched, but nothing happened, and the dragons opened their jaws again. Flames exploded over where the gods stood, and they were engulfed in the blast of fire.

  ‘Run, gods, run!’ laughed Deathfang. ‘Taste my vengeance and burn!’

  The flames cleared a little as the three dragons banked together. One of the gods had vanished, and of the two that remained, one was fleeing on foot, his hair and robes alight, while the other was trying to crawl away. Deathfang peeled off to chase the fleeing god.

  ‘No, father,’ cried Frostback; ‘you must stay close to Kelsey.’

  Deathfang pulled short at the last moment, and they watched as the running god ducked into the smoking building. Then they turned to the one who was crawling along the ground. His clothes were hanging in burnt, tattered strips, but his skin was regenerating. The three dragons hovered over him, aimed down, and enveloped the god in flames. The paving slabs cracked and split, and a scream rose up with the intense heat and smoke, but the dragons were relentless, their streams of fire combining into a white hot inferno. At last, Deathfang closed his jaws, and the other two did the same. Not a trace of the god remained amid the glowing slabs.

  ‘Today,’ Deathfang said, ‘we have slain a god, and sweet vengeance is ours.’ He turned to Kelsey. ‘You, girl, are a true wonder, and I was wrong about you. Frostback, your rider will always be honoured by me, from this moment forth; I swear it.’

  ‘My rider?’ said Frostback. ‘Yes. My rider. Kelsey, do you wish it to be so?’

  ‘Of course I do!’ cried Kelsey

  ‘Then I accept you as my rider.’

  ‘Let us land,’ said Deathfang; ‘the other two gods have fled, as cowards are wont to do.’

  They circled one more time, then descended into a clear area of the vast yard. Aila slid and clambered down from Frostback’s shoulders and ran towards the heap of rubble. The charred and blackened bodies of the soldiers were spread across the remains of the tower, and she struggled up the slope. Corthie saw her, shouldered the Clawhammer and rushed down towards her. He scooped her up in his arms and held her close, the stench of death and ash filling the air around them. She didn’t care, her head buried into his chest as he held her tight. He kissed her face and her neck, then pulled back so he could gaze down into her eyes.

  ‘I was supposed to rescue you,’ he said; ‘and here you are, with three dragons.’

  ‘And Kelsey,’ she said; ‘your sister’s here too.’

  ‘You again?’ said Sable, as she reached them.

  ‘When we parted,’ said Aila; ‘did you know we’d meet here?’

  ‘I knew there was a fair chance. Sanguino’s a mile away; I need to go to him.’

  Deathfang approached. He turned to Halfclaw. ‘Go, and fetch Sanguino. Remember his blindness, take it slowly, and guide him here.’

  Halfclaw tilted his head. ‘Yes, my lord.’ He beat his blue wings and rose into the bright morning sky, then flew to the south.

  Belinda walked down the slope and went to gaze at the place where the god had been consumed by flames. Corthie, Aila and Sable joined her.

  ‘Which one was it?’ said Corthie.

  ‘Leksandr,’ said Belinda. She glanced up at the two dragons. ‘You killed an Ascendant.’

  ‘Did we?’ said Deathfang. ‘The glory of this morning shall never be exceeded! An Ascendant!’

  ‘Don’t celebrate just yet,’ she said. ‘Old Alea is crumbling. Lostwell has only a few hours left to exist.’

  ‘What?’ said Aila.

  ‘The Second Ascendant has destroyed Lostwell,’ said Corthie. ‘Did you see the rest of Alea Tanton?’

  ‘We did, but… Lostwell… I can’t believe it. Why?’

  ‘Edmond hated Lostwell,’ said Belinda, ‘because Nathaniel made it.’

  ‘Has he gone?’ said Aila. ‘The Second Ascendant? Did he have a Quadrant? When the flames died down, there were only two gods there, not three.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Belinda. ‘The one who ran away on foot was Bastion. He also has a Quadrant; perhaps he’s on his way to collect it now.’

  ‘We need to find him before he does,’ said Aila; ‘otherwise… otherwise, what happens next?’

  ‘We all die,’ said Sable.

  Kelsey joined them. ‘I have a dragon,’ she said, her eyes glowing; ‘did you hear? Brother, it’s good to
see you and everything, but I have a dragon!’

  Aila frowned. ‘Not for long, it seems. Lostwell is in the process of being obliterated. We have hours to live.’

  Kelsey staggered back a step. ‘What?’

  ‘We still have the Sextant,’ said Sable; ‘it’s our last chance.’

  They returned to the mountain of rubble, and enlisted Frostback to assist with clearing the boulders and broken masonry from around the Sextant. Despite the collapse of the tower, it appeared to be without a single scratch.

  ‘How’s it supposed to work?’ said Kelsey, as they gathered round it.

  ‘Belinda’s sword,’ said Sable; ‘that’s the key. It has to be inserted somewhere into the mechanism, and then, I guess, it activates.’

  Kelsey frowned. ‘A sword?’

  Belinda drew the Weathervane. ‘This.’

  ‘There are lots of places where it could fit,’ said Kelsey, as she crouched by it.

  ‘I know,’ said Belinda. ‘We’ve tried more than a dozen.’

  Kelsey extended her hand. ‘May I?’

  Belinda handed her the weapon hilt-first, and the young Holdfast woman took it.

  ‘Excuse me,’ said Sable, glancing up; ‘my dragon’s here.’

  She scrambled back down the slope, passing Frostback, who was watching the Sextant closely, and reached the bottom as Sanguino descended. Halfclaw was only yards from him as he flew, and they landed together.

  Sable ran up to the dark red dragon, just as Sanguino opened a forelimb, releasing Van from his grip. The former mercenary collapsed to his knees, and Sable reached out a hand and helped him up.

  ‘More dragons?’ he gasped.

  Sable pointed at the heap of rubble. ‘There’s a young woman up there whom I believe you are looking for.’

  Van squinted. ‘Kelsey?’

  ‘Yes. And see that silver dragon close by? Whatever else you do, I recommend that you are very polite to her. She and Kelsey have bonded.’

  Aila watched from the top of the heap as Van hurried towards them.

  Kelsey hefted the Weathervane as she peered into the mechanism. ‘What about this side? Have you tried here?’

  ‘No,’ said Belinda, ‘not yet.’

  ‘Kelsey!’ cried Van, as he reached the top of the heap.

  She raised a finger. ‘One moment, Van; I’m concentrating.’

  The former mercenary looked a little disappointed, but said nothing, and they all watched as Kelsey slotted the dark-bladed sword into the side of the Sextant.

  ‘Nope,’ she said, trying another place; ‘nope, nope, nope.’ She tried a fifth position, halfway up the side. She pushed the sword in, and the Sextant began to emit a low hum. She glanced up, and winked at Belinda.

  ‘Everyone, stand back,’ said Belinda. She approached the device and stretched out her hand towards it. She slid one finger under the glass panel on the top of the Sextant, and lifted the entire device clear of the ground. She laughed, then placed her palm onto the surface of the device, her eyes closing.

  ‘Is it working?’ said Aila.

  Belinda nodded, as a tear slid down her cheek. ‘I can sense… everything; everywhere. I can see the endless plains of the Holdings, where horses are running over the grass, and I can see the Great Fortress in Plateau City, and the Empress.’ The tears came quicker, and Belinda’s head fell a little. ‘I’m sorry, Bridget, for all the pain I caused you. I can also see the City of Pella,’ she went on, ‘and all of the empty spaces in the Bulwark. The greenhides bodies have gone, but so have the Scythes. And, I can see other worlds too, many other worlds, including Dragon Eyre.’

  ‘This Sextant made Dragon Eyre?’ said Sable, who had returned to the top of the heap.

  ‘Yes, but not by Nathaniel, by another hand, many long millennia ago. I can also see Lostwell. There is no hope for my realm. In the east, the same fate that destroyed Alea Tanton has also happened to Kin Dai, and the forests of Kinell are burning from one end to the other. The Southern Cape, too, has been obliterated by lava flowing down from the mountains behind Dun Khatar. Everywhere I look on Lostwell, there is nothing but death and destruction.’

  ‘Can you get us off this world?’ said Corthie. ‘I’m sorry that your realm is ending, but can you save us?’

  ‘I can do more than that, Corthie. With the power of the Sextant, I can save the survivors of Alea Tanton; I can see every person up here on the plateau of Old Alea – gang members, Banner soldiers, and the thousands of servants who used to serve the gods.’

  ‘What about Edmond?’ said Aila. ‘Can you see him?’

  ‘No. He’s gone.’ Her eyes snapped open. ‘I know what I have to do.’

  ‘What?’ said Corthie.

  ‘With this device, I can send people, living people, from here to any of the worlds created by this Sextant. There are over forty thousand up here; survivors from the desolation below us. I can save them, and I can save the dragons. I saw a small group of them in the Torduan Mountains, sheltering.’

  ‘They are my kin,’ said Deathfang. ‘Who are you? How has such power come to you?’

  ‘I am the Third Ascendant and the Queen of Khatanax.’

  The huge grey dragon’s eyes burned. ‘Queen Belinda?’

  ‘Do you remember me?’

  ‘I never saw you, but I used to visit Dun Khatar in my youth, before the gods destroyed it. Are you truly the wise old queen?’

  ‘I am, though I don’t think I’m very wise any more.’

  The dragon hesitated for a moment, then tilted his head. ‘Your Majesty. The light of my youth was filled with happy days, and for many years I have longed to return to that time. Everything went wrong when the gods invaded. We were imprisoned, and made to fight in the pits.’

  ‘And now, before the end of Lostwell, it will be my privilege and honour to save you and your kin.’

  ‘Where will you send them?’ said Kelsey.

  Belinda thought for a moment. ‘A short time ago, I visited Queen Emily and King Daniel in the City of Pella, and they asked me about dragons. They also suffered terrible losses from the greenhides. I shall send the survivors there, both humans and dragons.’

  ‘You’re sending them to the City?’ said Aila.

  Belinda glanced around at the small group. ‘Can anyone think of a better place?’

  ‘Wait,’ said Kelsey. ‘Are you sending Frostback too?’

  ‘I would want my daughter to accompany me to this City,’ said Deathfang; ‘I do not want to lose her again.’

  Kelsey glanced at Frostback, then turned to Corthie. ‘Brother?’

  He turned to her. ‘Are you and this silver dragon close?’ he said. ‘Like Sable and Sanguino?’

  ‘Aye. She’s only just accepted me as her rider. I don’t want to be separated from her.’

  ‘Nor I from you,’ said Frostback. ‘Come with us to this new world, Kelsey.’

  ‘What about me and Sanguino?’ said Sable. ‘Where should we go? Can you send us to Dragon Eyre?’

  Belinda chewed her lip, then placed her hand onto the Sextant and closed her eyes as the others watched in silence. For a few moments, nothing happened, then the air above the residence crackled and spat out sparks of lightning. The immense form of a dragon appeared overhead, and the air stilled.

  Blackrose looked down at the mountain of rubble. ‘You called me, Belinda, and I am here.’

  ‘Sable and Sanguino want to return with you to Dragon Eyre,’ said Belinda. ‘Will you take them?’

  The black dragon descended, and Maddie jumped down from the harness. Blackrose opened one clawed forelimb, and Naxor stumbled out.

  ‘Were you in Dragon Eyre?’ said Corthie.

  ‘For about two hours,’ muttered Naxor; ‘and, believe me, that was enough.’

  ‘It’s beautiful,’ cried Maddie; ‘you should see it; the oceans, the sunshine, the little islands; it’s perfect.’ She glanced at Sable. ‘But it wasn’t the same without you and Sanguino. Blackrose feels really bad about the way you
parted…’

  ‘I do not,’ said the black dragon. ‘I behaved correctly in every respect. I have, however, decided to return Naxor to you; he does not belong on my world.’

  ‘Quite right,’ said Naxor, brushing down the front of his clothes.

  Blackrose glanced around. ‘This city is in ruins.’

  ‘Lostwell is dying,’ said Sable.

  ‘What?’ said Naxor. ‘Hold on, this wasn’t part of the deal.’

  ‘Hush, cousin,’ said Aila. ‘Everything will be fine.’

  The black dragon lowered her gaze to Sable. ‘Have you accomplished what you set out to accomplish?’

  ‘We have.’

  ‘Are you ready to leave? Truly ready, this time? No more delays?’

  ‘I am.’

  ‘Then, let us depart. Millen, no doubt, will be overjoyed to see you.’ She looked around at the others. ‘Our time together on Lostwell is at an end. Farewell, all of you.’

  Sable embraced Corthie and Kelsey.

  ‘Thanks for coming back for me,’ said Corthie. ‘This is hard for me to take; I’ve only just met you, and you’re leaving already.’

  ‘Look after Aila,’ said Sable, ‘and stay out of trouble. I’ll see you all again one day.’

  She climbed up onto Sanguino’s harness, and the dark red dragon lifted into the sky. Maddie gave a sad wave to the others, and climbed up onto Blackrose’s back, and she rose up next to Sanguino.

  Belinda placed her palm back onto the Sextant, closed her eyes, and the two dragons and their riders disappeared with a loud crack.

  She opened her eyes again. ‘It’s time to save the others, even Naxor. Kelsey, are you going to the City with the dragons and the survivors of Alea Tanton?’

  The young Holdfast woman looked from Frostback to Corthie, her eyes wide.

  Van walked up to her. ‘If you go,’ he said, ‘then I will too. There’s nothing for me on Implacatus, except for a hangman’s noose.’

  She gazed at him, then lowered her eyes and nodded.

  ‘What will I tell mother?’ said Corthie.

  Kelsey started to cry. ‘Tell her I’m happy. And tell her I’m sorry.’