Death Or Fortune (19 page)

     I followed
everyone out of the dining hall through the halls of the castle. I could hear
the dragons outside, roaring at the resistance on the walls.  I yelled at
the backs of the men in front of me, asking where we were going once we were
out in the open.  Zender yelled back that we were headed to the top of the
walls where the men were fighting.  I told everyone to stop and looked at
Hetaron.  Reading my mind he was already pulling his flying carpet out of
his bag.  All seven of us stood on the carpet and took off towards the top
of the castle walls. The sound of lightning bolts filled the air, the sound of
stone being shattered soon followed.
'They have breached the armory, we are
not going to make it.'
Lomark said with a bit of dread in his voice.
     The royal armory was on the far end of the castle
grounds.  Protected inside of the walls of the castle, surrounded by other
buildings, there was little to no room for the dragon to spread her wings.
 Once she had the staff she jumped to the top of the wall.  Several
of the Red Falcon guard were there with ropes and hooks.  When she hit the
top of the wall and started to spread her wings the men launched an attack,
trying to keep her down.  The large hooks dug into the creatures flesh and
into her wings.  Thrashing back and forth she slowly shook off the men
trying to keep her down.  All the while fighting off the ones on the ground
attacking her with weapons. In one of its claws it held what looked like a
twig, when Zender started shouting to Lomark that she had the Rod, all hell
broke loose.  The young wizard unleashed a massive fireball at the beast.
     I watched as Zackary charged headlong into the fight I
was about to join him when I felt Hetarons hand on my shoulder.
'Do you see
it, I can feel it's power from here.'
I looked at him with a question on
the tip of my tongue.
'The Rod of the Arcane, I can feel it. It shines to me
as a sun shines in the noon sky. You must get it for me, I must have it.'
I
shook off his hand and headed towards the fighting.  A second blue dragon
then came down to the wall, unleashing its breath towards the men holding its
companion down. Several men were blown off the top of the wall.  Enough
that the female blue was then able to free it's self from the hooks and spread
her wings.  I turned aside just in time to avoid being crushed by the
second dragon landing on the wall.  Turning its body atop of the wall it
spoke,
'fly now, I will deal with these pests after I get air born. Go, do
not stop for anything, the others are waiting. You must reach Ramanthus.'
It
was then that I saw Pare, I saw him there free of his shirt and jacket. Knife
in hand getting closer and closer to the beast. It was not until I saw him
leaping on to the dragons back that I knew what he was doing.  Knowing
that he was doomed I did the only thing I could do.  I started to run
towards the blue dragon as he was getting ready to leap from the wall.
     Just as the dragon dropped from the wall I leaped for
his back. While the large male did not feel Pare on his back, he could not help
but notice me.
'Foul creature, you dare touch me.'
Holding on to a spine
on the creatures back I was able to keep from falling off for a moment. Pare
howling like a mad man had started to ram his weapon into the back of the
dragon. As the great beast started to rise I could feel his body turning.
 It was all I could to hold on.
'Hey ya big ugly lizard, that was fun
do it again'
. Pare was having entirely too much fun. Once again it turned
the world upside down, my grip was starting to give.
'My horse bucks better
than you, smells better too.'
Still stabbing at the beast while holding on
for his life the dragon broke into a dive towards the ground. As the ground
continued to rush closer I had one chance to end this. Still holding onto the
dragon’s spine with one hand I freed my blade with the other. With all the
strength I could muster I rammed the blade into the creatures flank.  As I
pulled the blade out again I lost my grip.  Screaming out to Pare I fell
from the dragons back only moments before it hit the ground.
     I remember seeing the beast turn back towards the sky
just before it crashed into the stand of trees they found me in.  I
remember Pare screaming out my name just as he jumped.  I remember
smashing into branches, odds are that is the only thing that saved my life.
After that the world went black. Pare found me on the ground but could not move
me.  He brought Hans to me, who was able to heal most of my wounds if not
my pride.  As we returned to the castle we learned that the dragons had
gotten away with the Rod.  A horde of healers were seeing to the kings
men. They kept many men from death that day.  I asked Pare to go find my
shield still on the castle wall somewhere while Hans and I went to the king.
 Lomark, Zender and Zackary were with the king, each of them looking as
bad as I felt.  Only Lomark was speaking.
    
'You know where they are taking it. We cannot let
it fall into his hands. Once The Rod of the Arcane passes into Toryth Vol,
Xcavere will know it is there. Its power will be like a beacon, shining out to
him. Even if he has to fight those dragons for it, it is only a matter of time.
His undead do not fear the beast. He will send wave after wave into their lair
until he has it. We don't even know who the dragons were working for or if they
just wanted it for their own.'
Darius listened to the mage, knowing
everything he said was true. Yet sending a large force into Toryth Vol would
have been seen as an act of war.  It would also take time to find just
where the dragons were headed and who held them in service if not Xcavere.
    
'My friends, it would appear that I must once again
ask you to find the Rod and return it to me.  It is too powerful to be in
the hands of any one person.  If we had only found a way to destroy it!
How soon before you can set off?'
Darius was looking towards Zender, he
only shook his head.
'I am sorry sire, it will be a good two weeks. We do
not know where we are going and we must be sure before we set out. We also need
another man or two. Zackary cannot protect us both.'
Then I saw it. All
four men turned towards me. Each of them had something different in their eyes.
'Champion...Lord Kromwell can you offer any help to us in this great time of
need?'
I looked at the king and the king alone.  At first I could only
nod my head.  I told him that I would do all that I could to help and if
they were willing my friends would help as well.
     I looked at Hans and he only shook his head, hanging
it low.
'I am sorry, I cannot help you in this. I fear I will be of no use
to you in this journey.'
I was heartbroken. The man who had saved my life,
time after time on the field of battle would not join me in this.  I
placed one hand on his shoulder and asked him if he was sure.
'I am sorry
Darmot'
was all that he could say.  My mind went back to the story he
told me of the last time he was in Toryth Vol and it was then that I
understood.  I could see that pain in his eyes again, reliving the horror.
 I gave him my best smile and told him I understood.  As did everyone
else in the room.  Zender and the others understood more than I did.
 They were there with him, they knew what they were headed for.
     Before we left that day we made our plans. I was to
return home to Arcadia and inform Roderick of the threat.  Both kingdoms
were in danger with the Rod of the Arcane in Toryth Vol. He must make ready
should we fall.  I gave my word to Darius and the others that I would meet
them in three weeks time at the appointed place.  With help or by myself I
would be there.  Hans and myself found Pare and Hetaron outside of the
castle.  Pare was sitting on my shield, Hetaron was silent and lost in
thought.  I thanked my small friend and told them to make ready because we
were leaving that night.  No one said a word to me. The three of them just
turned to leave as I headed back towards the castle, in search of my wife.

     The
wounded were piled up inside the walls, clerics from the local temple were
seeing to them.  I thought for a moment I saw Zender barking orders out to
his brothers.  I did not think on it.  I just wanted to find my wife.
 I would have plenty of time to think of the priest in the days to come.
 I found my wife, still in the dining room.  Part of the table had
been cleared and there were a few wounded being attended to there.  One of
them by Jasmin.  Not a hair out of place she was trying to hold an old man
down while keeping a wad of bandages pressed down on his chest.  He was
doing all he could to fight her off, screaming that he would be fine.  As
I approached the table I saw Darius come into the room.
     The old man, older than I had ever seen, seemed
familiar to me somehow.  Something about the look in his eye.
 Wearing white robes, etched in silver and a beard longer than the hair on
his head.  His robes were stained with his own blood.  One of his
arms was badly wounded, his legs both broken and twisted.  I looked at my
wife and she just shook her head.
'He has sent away three clerics that
wanted to heal him, he said he needed to speak to the king. He needed the
clarity of pain. I don't think he is going to make it much longer if this
bleeding does not stop.'
I walked closer to the table and put my hand over
hers. I lifted it to see the wound under, it was as if something had sliced
open his skin just to see what lay inside.  I had seen worse on the field
of battle but not on anyone this old.  I looked my wife in the eye and
told her to run. Told her to run outside to find Zender, if he did not hurry
this man would die.  While it was no laughing matter watching her run with
her dress hiked up brought a smile to my face.
    
'Beautiful girl, you have done well for yourself
boy.'
I looked at the man on the table and asked if I knew him.
'I do
not know the man you are but I have seen the boy you were.'
His face
twisted by the pain he laid his head back on the table and watched Darius
approach.  I looked the king in the eye and saw the question in his eye, I
could only shrug and shake my head. The king placed one tender hand on the
forehead of the wizard and asked what happened.
'When the call went out that
there were dragons overhead I went to get the rod. I thought it was the only
way to fight them off.  Captain Herschel delayed me in getting to the
armory in time.  I was in there when the dragon came in the wall.  I
was hit by broken stones just a few feet away from the rod. The dumb beast
lashed out at me when I tried to stand. I never saw it coming. I should have
seen this coming. I could have been ready, prepared.'
The old man seemed
disappointed in himself.
     The king stood by and listened to the story all the
while stroking what was left of the old man’s hair.
'Bravin Silvermorn you
of all people should know better than to try to face a dragon on your own. None
of us saw this coming, I thought it was hidden here. I need you to get well
soon, we have to find it again.'
I could hear the stomping of booted feet,
when I turned I saw Zender enter the room again followed by Jasmin. He did not
pause to talk or question he only told me to move back.  He looked over
the old man and pulled out what looked to be a potion jar and a wooden stick.
'Darmot,
I want you to put this in his mouth and hold him down. I have to straighten his
leg before I can heal him or it will not mend correctly.'
I did not argue
and did as I was told.  The old man began to protest but went quiet as I
placed the wood in his mouth.  I watched as he pressed hard into the old
man’s leg, feeling for the break.  I held him down as Zender tried his
best to put the old man’s legs back together, one at a time.  After the
third adjustment, Bravin Silvermorn passed out from the pain.
     Even without the healing powers granted to him by
Solarth, Zender was a gifted healer.  In the days to come Bravin would
have a slight limp but still had the use of his limbs.  I shook Zender's
hand one last time and told him I would meet him at the appointed time in the
city of Klassen near Darknight Bay.  He only nodded his head and went off
to continue his work.  I took my wife by the hand and escorted her out of
the castle, arm and arm with her as we had entered so many hours before.
'I
am going to pretend that I did not hear that. I am going to pretend that you
did not just agree to go riding off again the moment we get home. I understand
why you have to do it, I talked to that wizard some time before you came in.
Yet for right now, I am going to just ignore it and if you don't want to see me
cry, don't bring it up.'
I could only pull my wife a little closer and hold
her tight.
     I did not see my friends again that night.  Each
was doing his own thing.  Yet come morning they were all ready.  I
got up before the first light, dressed and finished packing the wagons.  I
could not wait any longer to be away.  As the others were eating I put my
armor on again.  I set my shield behind the driver’s seat of the wagon and
it stayed there all the way home. We were back in twelve days. Each day we
drove longer and longer before resting at night.  I just wanted to be
home, where I knew my wife was safe.  Where I was away from my father and
all of the trouble he can cause.  I just wanted things to get back to
normal again. While I did all that I wanted to do in Eystlund, it was no longer
my home.  It felt like an old boot that I had out grown. Once we hit the main
city of Arcadia we took Hans to his temple.  Unloaded all of his gear and
did the same for Hetaron later at his estate.  One of his servants had to
call for help to haul away all of the stuff he had brought home with him.
     As we arrived at home, Charles was waiting for us.
 He had with him all the reports on production and other things having to
do with my property while I was gone.  Other servants came to clean out
the rest of the wagons.  I did not care about any of that . I just took my
wife by the hand again and took her into our home, leading her straight to our
bedroom.  Before I closed the door I looked down a hall to see Pare going
into his room.  Pulling a bag twice his size behind him.  I lifted
one finger at Jasmin and told her I would be along soon.  Pulling the door
closed behind me I walked down towards Pare.  He was looking through a
pouch on his belt trying to find the key for his door.  When I saw him
pull out one of his lock picks I knew he had given up on finding it.  I lifted
his bag for him and followed him into his room.  I tossed it in a corner
and asked him if he needed anything.  He only shook his head no.
     I then told him something that had been on my mind the
entire way home.  I told him that he didn't have to stay with me.
 That I would give him enough money to move away, go where he wanted to.
 He just looked at me with a stunned look on his face.
'There is
nowhere else I want to be. You are my very best friend Darmot and I will not
leave here unless you want me to. What fun would I have if you were not along
with me.'
I could feel tears start to form in my eyes, I knew he spoke the
truth right from his heart. It was then that I told him that I needed him to
stay here without me.  He raised one eyebrow and looked at me funny again.
 I then told him that I needed him to stay with Jasmin while I went off to
look for the Rod of the Arcane.
'Why?'
was all he could ask?  I
then told him that a lot of people lost money when I won the championship in
Eystlund.  Someone might try to take revenge out on me by hurting her.
 He ran across the room and hugged my legs.
'I am honored Darmot. I
will be glad to stay here to watch her back.'
I placed my hand on his head
and thanked him. When I went to bed that night I was sure that everything was
going to be ok. That we were going to go find the rod and come home.  It
was the first sound night of sleep I had in over a month.  It was also the
last for quite some time.  The taste of betrayal kept me awake for many
nights to come.