Dragon Quest Novel

by Melania Zveja

  "You don't think Tom deserves some credit?" asked Suzanne.

  "Oh, no, no, that's not what I meant!" said Ron hastily. "There's no way I could've done what he did. He definitely saved her life. But we played our part too. I'm just saying that instead of just not yelling at Tom she should not be yelling at us too."

  Suzanne could not help but laugh at Ron's comments. "Oh but that would take away from team morale. The crew was even placing bets on how long you and Alice would argue about ice dragons yesterday."

  "Really?" asked Ron, brightening up. "I wish you'd have told me! I'd have loved to get in on that!"

  "Speaking of morale," said Ron, now serious. "Are you alright, Susie? I know our visit with Gerule brought up a lot of memories."

  "I'm fine," replied Suzanne. "Really, I am glad we ran into Gerule. Now I know what happened in my father's final moments. And even though those moments were horrible, I know he achieved victory even in death. Because of him, we will not need to worry about Xlysinil. And as the daughter of the man who slew that beast, I am proud to continue on in his name."

  "And now we're searching for Simon, Matthew's father," continued Suzanne. "In many ways, Matthew has had a much tougher time than me. Both he and his father were denounced as enemies of their nation. He doesn't know if his father is dead or alive and he has a terrible wound that will hinder him his entire life. Yet he still does all he can to make a difference. We can all draw inspiration from people like him."

  Suddenly a large wailing noise startled the group. The Mad Hound had entered the river between the Narls and the Naxly while they were talking. The four looked around for the source but the noise seemed to be coming from all around them. The crew of the Mad Hound had also been surprised by the noise and stopped their work to figure out what was going on.

  Then a cloud blotted out the sun. All on board quickly realized this to be an ill omen as there had not been a cloud in the sky all day. Captain Marbeley was the first to recover his senses as he began giving orders to his crew to prepare the ship for whatever may come.

  After a few more moments the noise was identified as a woman's voice. Nobody on board could understand what the woman was saying but she seemed to be crying out in extreme sorrow. Then the ship began being pushed backwards. Captain Marbeley ordered anchors to be dropped but almost as though the world was now working against the Mad Hound any anchor that was dropped into the ocean was somehow unsecured and would fall off the ship entirely, no longer tied down.

  For many tense moments the crew and the four could do nothing but brace themselves for whatever doom the voice had in store for them. But almost as suddenly as the commotion had began it stopped. The Mad Hound found itself back in the Naxly without a scratch. The crew was confused by the sudden change and looked to Captain Marbeley for orders. The captain walked over to the four.

  "I've not seen waters like these in all my years on the sea," said the captain. "Mind you, I've set sail in some rough seas. But I've never come across a storm that lasts only minutes and politely sets a ship backwards without a scratch. I take it this was that curse you were talking about?"

  "It must've been," answered Suzanne. "Which would mean that woman's voice we heard was Olivia's."

  Alice turned to Thomas. "I guess you were right. This time."

  "So let me see if I follow this chain of events," said Ron. "We want to go to the Shrine Jail to find Simon. The Shrine Jail is in the middle of the Narls Sea. The Narls Sea is haunted by the spirit of Olivia who keeps us from getting to the Shrine Jail. Sonny told us that Olivia's love, Errol, was taken by a pirate ship that now travels the seas as a phantom ship. We believe this phantom ship is the same ship that Celia and her pirate group once happened upon and that Errol's spirit, if it is on the ship, is the key to breaking Olivia's hold on the Narls. The key to finding this phantom ship is with the thigh bone of one of its crew, which was given to the wizard Zlistan who lives in Greenlad. Zlistan will trade us the thigh bone if we give him the Staff of Change."

  "Sounds about right," agreed Suzanne.

  "Now, Tom," said Ron, turning to Thomas. "I know you have your own little list cooked up to address this one."

  "I had thought everybody was tired of hearing my pessimistic grumblings," replied Thomas. "Especially since, as I have to admit, I've often been wrong."

  "Just indulge me," said Ron.

  "Very well," began Thomas. "Simon is probably dead, we are only guessing that Errol's spirit can calm Olivia's, and we're only guessing that Errol is on this phantom ship."

  "Thanks, Tom," said Ron. "Now I'm not saying I don't think all of this is going to work but you guys have to admit this is one of the most zig-zaggy, complicated leads we've had on this quest."

  "Oh I don't know," disagreed Alice. "Remember what we had to do for the Final Key? We heard about it in Tedanki, went to Lancel for more information and for the Invisibility Herbs to help us sneak into Eginbear, where we found the Vase of Drought. Then we found out where to use the Vase from a talking horse in the Soo village and had to search in the middle of the ocean before finally finding it."

  "You have a point," conceded Ron.

  The four had teleported to Eginbear which was the closest to Greenlad. Since they were in the area, they decided to pay Bill and Polce a visit and see how their town was doing. It was a three day trip from Eginbear to the new town. The path through the forest that the group had found last time had now been upgraded to a full road. At the beginning of the road there was a large house at which several guards were stationed. Some of the guards offered to escort the four through the forest but they turned down the offer.

  The town had grown quite a bit since the last time the four had visited, three months ago. It seemed like an impossible transformation. The theater Bill had been overseeing the construction of was already finished with several shows and attractions advertised. A few extra shops had been added and the town now had an established business district. The town had been named Billville, likely in thanks to the man who had helped it grow so much.

  There were many people out and about on this day. None of them were heading for the theater or seemed to be using their time for entertainment. All of them were either working or going off in a rush, likely to get to their place of business.

  The four asked around for Bill and were met with surprising disdain in a number of places. Nevertheless, after asking a few people they were pointed to a large building, one that had not been standing on their previous visit. The building was the most decorated structure in the town, even more so than the theater. One of the townspeople identified it as the town hall, though she had said so with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

  Inside the town hall Bill sat upon a throne with a luxurious red carpet leading up to it. Though his room did not have quite the level of decoration and wealth as a king's he certainly gave off the impression that he was acting as a ruler.

  "Well isn't this a pleasant surprise!" greeted Bill. "I formally welcome you to Billsville, now that our settlement actually has a name. What brings the four of you here?"

  "We have business in this area of the world so we thought we'd pay you a visit," answered Suzanne. "I have to say, I'm impressed with how far this place has come along. I can't believe how much progress this town has made in the last few months alone!"

  "Ah yes, we're all very proud of the achievements we've made," said a beaming Bill. "Everyone knows the value of hard work here. And I've heard a thing or two about your achievements. In the past couple days the town has been abuzz with rumors of Samanao coming back to the rest of the world, helped along by a courageous quartet of warriors. That wouldn't happen to be you four, would it?"

  "We may have had a hand in it," said Ron, also beaming.

  "Well I thank you for that," said Bill. "Now I can send my recruits to Samanao. This opens up a lot of different possibilities. A new variety of people could settle here. And if rumors of the terrible life in Samanao are true, we should have no trouble getting peopl
e to move from there."

  "Can you only think about yourself?" asked Thomas with disgust. "These people are trying to recover from a terrible regime and all you can think about is what they can bring to your operation?"

  "I'm sorry, Tom, I misspoke," answered Bill hastily. "Of course I empathize with what the Samanaons have gone through. That is why it would be so great for them to come here. I would think many of them have had enough conflict in their native land, conflict which doesn't exist here. I think many Samanaons could have a better life here."

  "That does bring up something troubling I've noticed in our stroll over here," began Suzanne. "Why is everyone in such a rush around here? Everyone seems to be working at a frenzied pace and we've noticed a lot of unhappiness just walking here. To be specific, a lot of this unhappiness seems directed at you."

  "Well like I said, everyone knows it takes hard work to make this place succeed," Bill explained. "But just because a person knows this doesn't always mean he or she is happy with it. I've taken it upon myself to keep the people busy; to keep the town growing. Many think that we've come far enough that we can sit down for a bit and relax but I know better. We're one of the few settlements on this side of the world and as far as most of civilization is concerned, we're out in the middle of nowhere. If we sit down for a moment then the rest of the world will quickly forget about us. And since we are so isolated that would quickly mean the end of this town. We need to continue to work hard to keep this from happening."

  "With all this talk of hard work, what are you doing to help this town besides boss everyone around from your throne?" asked Thomas accusingly. "You have the town named after you and this nice luxurious room to lounge around in. Where's your hard work?"

  "Tom, I'm shocked at your attitude towards me!" said Bill, hurt by Thomas' comments. "I'm doing for this town what I had done for you guys! I handle the finances, the business decisions! I'm brining money into this town and keeping it from losing all of it. I'm handling our relationships with the rest of the world, engaging in trade. And with Samanao coming out of isolation, my role will be even more important in the days to come. I may not be handling the physical labor but I promise you I am putting every effort I can into this town!"

  "Tom, perhaps you should take a step outside," suggested Suzanne. Thomas put up no argument and seemed glad to remove himself from Bill's presence.

  "Tom does bring up a good point," said Suzanne, turning back to Bill. "Make sure you always have the best of these people in your mind, Bill. The line between leadership and tyranny can sometimes be difficult to see."

  "I appreciate your concern, Susie," thanked Bill. "And on that note, I do have some paperwork to look over. But before you leave, there's a fellow at the inn you may want to talk to. When he found out that I knew you four he seemed quite interested in talking to you. I had meant to send a message to you but I didn't know where you were and I was too busy to try and track you down. Also, please visit our shops and buy some of our quality goods before you leave."

  "Alright, I'll go talk to the man at the inn," said Suzanne.

  "I'll hit up the shops," declared Ron with a grin. "Anything to support this budding community."

  "And I'll babysit Ron to make sure he doesn't blow all our money," said Alice with a sigh. "Though I could've sworn it was Tom's turn."

  "You're babysitting me?" asked Ron with a laugh. "I'm not the one that wanted to pay a large sum for that dress in Samanao!"

  "Hey, that dress had magic in it!" protested Alice. "It probably could've protected me better than my armor!"

  "Only if the monsters are easily distracted by shining things," said Ron.

  Suzanne went to the inn looking for the man Bill had referred her to. The innkeeper directed her to one of the rooms. Suzanne knocked on the door and was admittedly told to enter. Inside the room was a middle-aged man who looked like he had seen his share of battle; his body was covered in scars. He wore green furs and his face was much paler from the rest of his skin; as though he typically wore something over it whenever he was outdoors. Suzanne was reminded of the cannibals that the group had encountered in southern Tarasia.

  "You are one of the four searching for the orbs?" asked the man, not wasting a lot of time.

  "I am," confirmed Suzanne.

  "I am from one of the tribes that used to take residence in southern Tarasia," said the man, confirming what Suzanne had been thinking. "As you may know, the Archfiend's forces have forced many of us from our homes. Those that remain may as well be monsters; they hunt humans for food and serve the Archfiend."

  "We had the misfortune of encountering such people in our travels," replied Suzanne. "I must admit that you remind me of them."

  "You refer to my manner of dress?" asked the man. "It is common for the people of our land. Or was common, as things are now. Do not compare me with those disgusting things. They are as responsible for the exile and deaths of my people as the Archfiend."

  "I'm sorry," apologized Suzanne. "Why did you want to speak with us?"

  "I want revenge against the Archfiend and against those vile cannibals," explained the man. "I myself have traveled far and wide and talked with many people. When I heard that a group of people was searching for the orbs I decided that I should help them. I don't know what the orbs do but I do know they are objects of incredible power."

  "A year ago, I returned to my former home. There I found that my people were not the only tribe not to give in to the Archfiend," continued the man. "Rumor has it that this tribe has been tasked with protecting the silver orb. A line of guardians have been given this task. They are said to protect the orb from within a shrine that lies in the Necrogond Mountains. The people I talked to expressed their belief that the Archfiend had not found the shrine, for they say it is well hidden."

  "Inside the Necrogond?" echoed Suzanne. "That's in the heart of the Archfiend's land. How would they have survived this long?"

  "I can't say for sure that they have," admitted the man. "But I know the people of this tribe. They have always been attuned to the magical arts. A man I talked to gave me a piece of advice he said was vital to locating the shrine. He said it was a secret known only by his tribe and those they saw as friends. 'When the moon is full, the lake will show the way.' I don't know exactly what it means but it must be the key to finding the shrine. Not knowing this must be why the Archfiend hasn't found them yet, or so they say."

  "Thank you. Do you have any idea where to begin looking for the shrine?" asked Suzanne.

  "I can show you where this tribe used to live, before the monsters became too fierce for even them to stay," said the man.

  Suzanne went to get a map for the man to mark. As she did so she could not help but remember the warning Gerule had given her. Though she believed that her and her companions would indeed one day have to travel into the Necrogond, where her father had met his end, it now seemed that day was fast approaching.

  Chapter 26: Ghosts of All Kinds

  "What do you intend to use the Staff for?" asked Suzanne.

  "What? Oh, for magical research, of course," answered Zlistan.

  "You're hiding something," said Suzanne. "What else are you going to use the Staff for?"

  "Well does it matter? You came here for a trade, didn't you?" asked Zlistan, visibly distraught that Suzanne was able to figure out he was hiding something.

  "I'm afraid it does matter," replied Suzanne. "You see, we made a promise that this Staff wouldn't fall into the hands of evil. We have to make sure your intentions with this staff will not cause harm."

  Zlistan sighed. "Well, if you must know, I caused a bit of a ruckus in the Romaly monster arena. They decided I was kicked out for life. But really, that was over 20 years ago! I'm not as rambunctious as I used to be. So I want to use the Staff to get back into their monster arena. And then I'll use it for research. I wasn't lying when I said that."

  "There's more than one monster arena out there," pointed out Alice. "Why not just frequent one o
f those?"

  "They're not the same," protested Zlistan. "Have you ever been in the Romaly monster arena in a close match, one with near-equal odds for all combatants? The atmosphere in there is incredible."

  "I have to side with Zlistan on this one," agreed Ron. "I've been in some of the other monster arenas and they don't measure up. On the other hand, the empire knows how to run a monster arena!"

  "So that's why you want the Staff of Change so badly?" asked Suzanne incredulously. "You want to be able to go to the Romaly monster arena again?"

  "I said that's not the only reason!" said Zlistan. "I really do want to conduct research with it. I just want to have a little fun before I get to work!"

  After some more discussion the four eventually decided to go through with the trade. Although regaining admittance to a monster arena was not the most noble of intentions at the very least Zlistan would not be using the Staff for evil. The four made the trade for the sailor's thigh bone and left Greenlad.

  Remembering what they had heard from the pirates about the bone's powers, the group returned to the Mad Hound and put the bone to work. The bone gave no visible glow, leading them to believe they were far away from their target. Since the pirates had last seen the ship in the Batay Sea, the Mad Hound teleported to Romaly in search of it.

  The thigh bone was much more responsive in the Batay Sea. Upon arriving at Romaly the bone had a very visible glow to it and moved itself to point south. It moved so quickly that Thomas, who had been holding the bone, nearly dropped it. The Mad Hound began its search by going south as the bone pointed.

  As the Mad Hound traveled south the bone's glow grew progressively brighter. That night, the bone could have served as a lantern should the crew have needed one. The next day, the Mad Hound came across another ship. The ship was almost on the shores of Isis. The Mad Hound drew close to the other ship and soon found that the other ship had suffered a great amount of damage.