The Paper Dragon (The Chain Breaker Book 5)

by D. K. Holmberg

  Gavin focused on letting power and energy flow into him, and then he exploded it through the sword. He swung the blade through one of the hyadan. It shrieked, splitting in half, and then each half came at him.

  “Well, shit,” he muttered. “You should stay back, Gaspar.”

  The creatures continued to swarm closer. Gavin continued to focus on the power within him. Now that he had the El’aras ring, he didn’t have to rely only on his own core reserves. He felt the power within the ring, and he borrowed from that magic. He sent it bursting out from him, and it slammed into the hyadan.

  Five of them fell to the ground.

  Then Imogen was next to him, thrusting her sword into the face of one, before glancing over her shoulder to Gavin. “There is only one way to kill them. You must target their mouths.”

  “I didn’t see a mouth,” Gavin said, but he could see an opening in what had to be their face now that he was looking for it.

  Imogen spun, her blade flickering faster than he could follow, and she stabbed it down into two others. Gavin started forward at the others and jabbed his sword into their mouths, moving as quickly as he could.

  Another figure joined them, holding a short sword.

  Gavin looked over. “Maybe this isn’t a fight you want to be a part of.”

  “This is my city,” Davel said. “And I vowed to protect it.”

  Gavin wasn’t about to contest that with him at this point. “Imogen tells me we have to stab them in the face.”

  “If we must.”

  Imogen shook her head. “Not you.”

  “What do you mean?” Davel asked.

  Three of the creatures surrounded Gavin, and he ran forward, calling on the magic in the ring. He pushed the power out, but there was no control—nothing like what he really needed to have against creatures like this.

  “You won’t be able to defeat them,” Imogen said.

  “I am quite capable,” Davel said.

  “Not against them.”

  Gavin jabbed at one of the fallen hyadan, and it shrieked a horrible sound as it died. At least, he thought it was dying.

  He looked over to the other creatures. There were still a dozen, maybe more. And as he watched, they continued to split. They all came from a single one, though.

  “You need to get to that one.” Imogen nodded to the primary hyadan. “It will be difficult. The others will swarm around it.”

  Swarm?

  Gavin frowned. “The two of you, make sure I get there without dying.” He glanced at Imogen. “I presume they can kill me?”

  “Very much so,” she said.

  Gavin snorted. “Perfect.”

  That would explain why Tristan had viewed them as useful training.

  He raced to meet them, with Imogen alongside him, swinging her sword toward the hyadan and blocking them from getting too close. Gavin swept his blade around, creating a glowing arc of blue light that streaked around him. Davel stayed with him, and his physical presence created enough pressure against the creatures, at least intimidating them from approaching.

  “I’m going in for the main one,” Gavin said.

  He sprinted forward.

  More hyadan came toward him, separating him from Imogen and Davel.

  Shit.

  Gavin focused on the ring. He pushed his core reserves out through it and then released it as his connection faltered. He managed to solidify it and hold on to the magic.

  How long could he contain the power of the ring?

  The hyadan pushed against him, and he released the force against them in uncontrolled violence. The hyadan were thrown down. Gavin darted toward them and stabbed, but Imogen leapt over to the nearest one, her blade a blur.

  “I have these. You go,” she said.

  Gavin jumped, filled with the power of the core reserves, but even as he went forward, he knew he wasn’t fast enough.

  The hyadan continued replicating.

  He needed speed.

  Gavin slipped on the bracelet he kept in his pocket, then reached for the small vial of sh’rasn powder and took a quick gulp of it. Then he used the energy within his core reserves and jumped again, landing next to the area where the hyadan were replicating. More of the strange, dark energies continued to separate outward. They circled him, making it difficult for him to keep track of which one was spawning them. Gavin focused on the shadows and tried to figure out which one he needed to target, but he wasn’t sure.

  He filled himself with the power of his core reserves and the energy of the ring, and started stabbing at the hyadan, slashing at their mouths. He moved with the magic of the enchantment, speeding around as quickly as he could, and the power poured out from him.

  He brought one after another down, but still more appeared.

  Gavin had to work even faster. He darted forward, sweeping his blade in a circle, cutting down them down. There were simply too many.

  Imogen joined him. “Do what you did before.”

  “I don’t even know what I did before,” he said.

  “Just try.”

  He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and then he pushed outward through the ring. Energy exploded from him and created a circle of power all around him.

  He held it.

  Then lost control.

  That ring of power slammed into the hyadan, throwing them back.

  The creature he had been trying to target, the one responsible for duplicating the most, was alone at the center. Gavin started toward it, but then it duplicated again. Then again.

  He ignored the others and focused only on the one.

  The speed from the bracelet carried him toward the hyadan, and Gavin stabbed. It was an ugly and brutal sort of movement—no technique, something that would’ve made Tristan angry for his lack of skill—but it was what he needed to do. He slammed the sword all the way into the creature’s mouth, and then pushed power out through the blade.

  He was using too much of his core reserves. Gavin could feel himself starting to fade. If this fight kept going on too long, he wouldn’t be able to withstand much more.

  The creature shrieked with a strange, piercing sound he could scarcely tolerate. The horrible cry tore through his ears, and he started to pull back.

  Imogen placed her hands on his shoulders. “Do not remove your blade,” she said.

  Gavin glanced over to her, and her eyes were wide. “How is it that you know so much about these creatures?”

  “Later,” she snapped. “Leave your blade.”

  Gavin continued to push power out. Then there was an explosion of energy through the sword, and it ripped through the hyadan. As soon as it did, the others disappeared, falling off into little more than shadows. Then they were gone.

  He sank to his knees.

  Where the primary hyadan had been, a dark stone remained. He reached for it, but Imogen caught his hand.

  “You can’t claim it,” she said.

  Gavin unsheathed his dagger, scooping the stone onto the blade. “Then I’ll destroy it.”

  “Unfortunately, that is not possible,” she said. “They were created by sorcerers ages ago for a dark purpose. And I had thought them exterminated.”

  Gavin set the stone down on the ground. The color blended in with the cobbled road that led away from the city, heading north. “I should at least try, before they gather their strength and come again.”

  He pressed his dagger up against the stone, and felt it resist. The El’aras dagger was incredibly sturdy. He had pushed large amounts of energy through it in the past, but he had never unleashed that kind of power into anything like this before.

  “It might work,” Imogen said, though her tone suggested doubt. “Your magic is different. Try the same way as you did with the creature.”

  Gavin once again pressed the tip of the dagger down onto the stone, and the resistance pushing against him felt almost as if the stone itself were trying to fight him. He attempted to force his way through it, calling on the power within hi
s core reserves, sending it through the ring and then the dagger.

  The effect was blinding. The dagger blazed with blue light, which exploded as he jabbed down into the stone, shattering it. A quiet shriek emanated from it, then faded into the darkness of night.

  Gavin leaned back. “That was interesting.”

  “That is why it’s time for you to go,” Davel said to him.

  Gavin got to his feet, and he glanced back to the city. The other constables were all lined up along the road leading toward the city. Had they realized they weren’t going to be able to do anything? Or had they simply stayed, thinking they could protect the city in some way? Maybe they could have, which would have been beneficial.

  “And if something like this were to happen in the future…” Gavin let the thought go unfinished.

  “We have ways of reaching you,” Davel said.

  “What if it wasn’t here for me?” Gavin asked. He glanced over at Imogen, who had gone off to the side of the road and was staring into the darkness.

  And if it wasn’t, then he would have to figure out what was going on, and what he could even do.

  He needed answers—the kind that Imogen had, so far, been reluctant to provide.

  And looking at the way she was standing there in the darkness, looking out into the distance, Gavin couldn’t help but feel as if she knew much more than she was letting on. They weren’t after the Chain Breaker, but why were these horrible creatures after Imogen?

  Chapter Six

  Gavin watched Davel and Gaspar as the two of them headed back toward the city. Neither of them said anything to the other, though that wasn’t entirely surprising. They stayed several paces apart, both men walking stiffly. The tension between them probably stemmed from Gaspar’s past role as a constable, and how he had abandoned that life and taken on his new role as a thief.

  Gavin stayed behind with Imogen. He still focused on what he could feel about the hyadan, though he wasn’t able to detect anything more than what had been there before.

  He held on to his core reserves, trying to maintain that connection and power, but he could feel his energy fading as weakness began to work its way through him.

  He needed answers, though.

  “We have to talk,” Gavin said to her.

  “There is nothing to say.” Imogen slammed her sword back into her sheath, and she spun as if she was going to head back in the city.

  Gavin started to reach for her but decided better of it. He wasn’t going to put himself between Imogen and whatever she wanted, especially knowing that she would put up a fight.

  He crouched down next to the remains of the stone he had shattered with the dagger. “You know about these creatures.”

  “Yes,” she said, pausing.

  He let the silence build between them, waiting for Imogen to share more.

  “I was young when we learned about them, and about the danger they posed. They are brutal. They hunt anyone with magic, but they are indiscriminate, cutting through those who don’t have it just as well.” She looked up, holding his gaze. “They are an ancient enemy of my people, and as far as we know, they were created by a dark sorcerer long ago.”

  “You said they’re made from dark magic?” Gavin was surprised that she’d share this much. It wasn’t typical for Imogen.

  The semarrl had been somewhat similar, though Gavin didn’t know if they were created or simply summoned. Either way, he wasn’t about to lose the dark egg that controlled them.

  “We believe they are made, yes. The stone you destroyed is the key. It is sorcery of the worst kind—one that feeds on magic.”

  He frowned, looking back at where the stone had shattered. “Why would sorcerers create something that feeds on magic?”

  She glanced in his direction. “There are some who can control it.”

  There was an edge to her words. Anger.

  “My mentor had faced them,” she continued. “They are spoken about in rumors in some lands. Used as a threat. Some children think if they misbehave, the hyadan will come for them. They are not rumors.” Her voice had turned into a whisper.

  “And you have some idea why they are here,” Gavin said.

  She didn’t say anything, but he knew she had felt something. Imogen had been keeping secrets, and it was time it stopped.

  “Could they be here for you?” he asked. She nodded. “Why?”

  “They should not have been here. They were destroyed.”

  This time, he heard the pain in her voice. He looked over as a familiar figure neared, and Gavin frowned. “Does Gaspar know?”

  “He does,” she said.

  Gaspar approached, flicking a pair of knives before slipping them back into his pocket. “This has been resolved?”

  Gavin glanced at Imogen before nodding. He couldn’t read her expression, but he could tell she was bothered. He needed to intervene until she gathered herself again. “Yes, for now.”

  “Good. The constables weren’t pleased.”

  “Well, I think Davel should be glad. He got to see that his magical shield works.”

  Gaspar grunted. “I suppose that could be considered a success.”

  “And I got to learn about these creatures,” Gavin said. “They’re unsettling, aren’t they? But why would they be here?”

  She nodded. “I’m not exactly sure. Given what I have now seen of the Toral, I wonder if it is connected.”

  Gavin felt as if he needed to pace and think, but for now, he stood motionless as he twisted the ring on his finger.

  “I pledged myself to destroying them,” Imogen said. “Ending the threat of the hyadan for good.”

  “How could you do that if they are the work of a sorcerer?”

  “Because all hyadan are tied to a keystone. Destroy the keystone, and the hyadan can finally be exterminated. I had nearly completed my bond quest, and I would have been free of them… The world would have been free of them.” She locked eyes with Gaspar.

  In the darkness, the shimmering shield that surrounded the city was barely visible, though there was some part of it that Gavin could almost feel. He wasn’t sure why he was so aware of it, but the longer he stood in place, the more he could feel something. He had no idea what it was, only that there was a distinct energy radiating from it.

  “What’s a bond quest?” Gavin asked.

  “A journey some of my people take. Mine has brought me after the hyadan,” Imogen said.

  “Davel believes this is my fault.” He nodded to Imogen, who had turned back and looked at him. “I’m fine taking the blame for this. I don’t mind dealing with the constables, especially when it comes to magic. They accuse me of enough that it could be me, anyway.” He shrugged. “But if this comes up again, we might be in trouble.”

  “It won’t,” she said simply.

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Because I’m leaving,” she said. “I’m not going to endanger others because of my selfishness. Had I not made the mistake of losing the keystone, none of this would’ve happened.”

  “It wasn’t your mistake,” Gaspar said.

  She held his gaze for a moment, and she flashed a smile, one that flickered with a hint of warmth. But then it faded. “We both know the truth of that.”

  “You don’t have to do it alone.”

  Imogen turned to Gavin. “This is not a fight you can participate in.”

  “Maybe not,” he said, before crouching down and holding his hand above the ground where he had shattered the stone. There was still a strange energy coming from the residual fragments. He dug into the ground and pulled up one of the cobblestones, then set the remaining fragments of stone down and placed the cobblestone on top of them. He looked up, and Gaspar was watching. Gavin shrugged. “It may not be my fight, but you’ve been participating in fights that weren’t yours as well. Why shouldn’t this one be mine?”

  “Because it does not need to be,” she said.

  Gavin smiled at her. “And again, I’m saying I ca
n help. And I think you may need it.”

  Imogen was strong, and he recognized strength like that. He also knew when people believed they were strong enough that they didn’t require the assistance they really did, which he sensed from her. She believed she needed to do everything herself, much the way he often felt. They were similar, probably more than either of them would admit.

  Gavin crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. “I seem to remember when my previous mentor was involved and how others had been willing to step in and help me.”

  “This is different,” she said softly.

  “How? We’ve already decided that we’re a team, whatever that might look like. In this case,” he said with a smirk, “I think that whoever is coming after you, Imogen, won’t be expecting you to have a full team with you.”

  “He’s not wrong,” Gaspar said. “I told you I would help you while you were in Yoran, and beyond.”

  “And you have helped,” she said.

  “I’ll still help when you leave.” Gaspar looked over to Gavin, an unreadable expression in his eyes, though there was a hint of curiosity. Maybe a bit of irritation. With Gaspar, it was difficult for him to know. There was always an edge of irritation within him. “And if the boy wants to help you, given everything he’s put us through, I think it’s only reasonable for you to let him.”

  “Two days ago, me and Gaspar discovered that the keystone was reclaimed by someone I trained. I know where it’s going. Loruv.”

  Loruv was a city far to the south and east. Gavin had traveled quite a bit in his days since leaving Tristan, but he had only heard of Loruv in passing. He had never felt curious enough to make the journey all the way there.

  The trip would take days. Weeks, possibly.

  “Why in Loruv?” Gavin asked.

  Neither of them answered.

  “What’s there?” he asked again. “I mean, I’ve heard of it but have never considered traveling there. Given everywhere else I’ve gone, I might as well visit someplace like that.”

  “My quest brought me there,” Imogen finally replied. “It was where I found the person responsible for the hyadan. At least, the one responsible at that time.” She shook her head. “And I had almost completed my task.”