(Dragonkin) Dragon Rider (18 page)

   "As you wish."

   The next morning Menimeth discussed the ambush with the men. The plan was to send Commander Rayden and his cavalry to the crossroads now, and let the regent pass before Menimeth and his four companions walked into the trap. After informing the regent of their plans, Commander Rayden and the Lost Cavalry moved out to get into position before nightfall. They wanted to be sure to get to the site first, to set up the trap for a trap.

   Chanry was the biggest problem Menimeth could foresee, but he could hold the horses when the battle started and be out of the way of the fight. Everything was planned and ready, all they had to do was to wait until morning, and the fight to come.

   It was just growing light in the east when Falendor loaded his family in the carriage. Menimeth and the Dragon Guard waited until they were far enough down the road to be safe from the ambush, then they followed slowly behind to make it look as though they were in separate groups, and watched the road for any sign of the attack.

   The western regent's group was well passed the crossroads when Menimeth and his companions reached it. The attack came from the left side of the road, and the west corner as they had expected. Menimeth dismounted and drew his swords and the others did the same. Chanry took the horses across the road from the attackers, as the four warriors defended themselves. The two swords glowed white as they flashed around Menimeth's head and body, and into the brigands in front of him. Javen was fighting two of the outlaws, and Kyler had killed one but was being pressed by two more. Litlorn was fighting furiously, and one brigand was at his feet while another had lost the use of one arm.

   The mage, who was with the outlaws, raised his staff and a ball of fire flew from the end of it. The flash was very bright, and the closest bandit to Menimeth was burned to nothing in seconds.

   "You traitor!" The leader of the outlaws yelled, and turned to attack the mage.

   Donderan burst from the trees between the outlaw leader and the mage, and buried his war ax into the leaders chest. The look of shock remained on his face, even after he was dead.

   Menimeth already had three men at his feet, when the second trap was sprung. Commander Rayden and his men came from two different sides, to attack the remaining outlaws, and the fight began to go badly for the solders dressed as bandits, quickly.

   Brylen was beside Donderan as they fought beside each other, and several men lay dead at their feet. The fight was almost over, when the five remaining outlaws turned from the men they faced, and attacked Menimeth. Darik raised his staff once again, and spoke one word in a language no one had ever heard before. The staff glowed brightly, and the five outlaws that were still alive screamed a death scream. Seconds later they fell to the ground, and were dead.

   Donderan stood in the road, and smiled at Litlorn as he cleaned his sword from the carnage around him. Brylen stood beside him, and looked around at the bodies of the dead outlaws, lying in the road. This was better than what had happened to his home, but he was not a killer, and he disliked having to kill.

   Commander Rayden and his men retrieved their horses, and began clearing the bodies from the road. Menimeth looked at the dwarf, and knew him from his days with Captain Brandt. He wondered how he had come to be here, and decided he would have to talk to him later when they stopped for the night.

   Litlorn and Donderan walked to the side of the road, and talked until the road was cleared, and the armor and swords of the outlaws were stowed on the packhorses

   "It is good to see you old friend." Donderan said to the elf.

   "As always, you show up from out of nowhere when there is a fight, and kill everyone." Litlorn said to his friend of more than five hundred years. "It is good to see you too, Donderan. You are the sneakiest dwarf, that I have ever seen, and dwarves are not very good at it, normally."

   "You travel with the dragon rider do you lad?" He asked, very excitedly.

   "Yes, and his name is Menimeth." Litlorn told the dwarf.

   "And you have seen his dragon?" The dwarf asked, and danced around in front of the elf.

   Litlorn could never get used to the dwarf and the way he danced around when he was excited. It was very funny to see him hop and jerk around like he was in pain from some invisible arrow. Brylen watched the dwarf as he danced around, and shook his head, for he had seen it several times before.

   "Yes, but the regents have not. I do not know when they will find out about him, but it will be a sight to see. We are on our way to the council of regents and that is most likely where it will happen." Litlorn said, and smiled as the dwarf stopped dancing, and looked at him.

   "I will have to tag along, and see that for myself. I saw the dragon weeks ago as he passed overhead, and would like to see him up close."

   "You may get your wish sooner than you think." Litlorn said, and turned his attention to the mage.

   Once the bodies had been removed, everyone turned their attention to the mage, who still remained beside the road where he was when the ambush began. He had not moved from where he stood during the battle, and watched the men as they worked. Menimeth walked up to the mage and stopped in front of him.

   "I am Menimeth, and I was told that you gave us the information about the ambush."

   "Yes I did, but it was to be free of these solders more than anything else." The mage replied.

   "I thank you for your information, but am curious about your motive for helping us." Menimeth said, and watched the mage for his reaction.

   "My motivation for killing these men, is the fact that I was not to leave the ambush alive. My motivation for coming to this land is that Arnoran would have had me killed if I had not. And my motivation for coming along, and not disappearing along the way, was to see the dragon warrior." The mage said.

   "I am the one they refer to as the dragon warrior." Menimeth told him. "And what is your interest in me?"

   "My name is Darik, and I am from a land far to the east of lake Kathirem, but the forces of Arnoran overran my land, and I was forced to join his army. I have studied magic most of my life, and devoted it dragon lore."

   "What is your title, if I may ask?" Menimeth inquired.

   "Arnoran believes me to be a mid level mage, but I am a Supreme Master Dragon Mage. I hold the highest level in dragon lore that my land has ever produced." Darik replied.

   "You studied dragons?" Menimeth asked surprised.

   "I studied dragon magic, but there is a lot about dragons in dragon lore." Darik responded.

   Falendor was far down the road, and out of sight of Menimeth and the men in the crossroads. There was very little chance that the regents would find out about his dragon before he wanted them too, so he called Danorathin to him.

   "Would you land in the road beside me please?" Menimeth asked his dragon.

   "You are a mage, could you have not killed the solders you were with without our help?" Menimeth asked once again turning his attention to the mage.

   "Twenty-one men is more than I can face at one time, and still live." The mage replied. "Are that many hardened, solders, no match for you?"

   "What are your intentions now that you are free of the solders?" Menimeth asked him. He was curious about the man and his magic, but more than that, he was interested in the dragon lore.

   "I do not know. I have thought about it, but have nowhere to go." Darik replied.

   He was about to continue, when Danorathin came in low over the trees, and landed on the road beside his master. Darik stood stunned. His whole life had been dedicated to the study of dragons, and he looked at the great beast in awe. It was a real dragon, and he was close enough to touch. He was captured by the magic of the dragon, and could not take his eyes from him. Darik now understood why Arnoran feared the warrior so much, and why events brought him to this place, at this time.

   Brylen began backing up as soon as the dragon appeared over the trees, and he continued to do so, until he backed into the horses, and could go no farther. He watched the scene before him as it unfolded, and could hardly believe his eyes. A dragon, an elf, and a dwarf, were all in the same place, at the same time. It was the first time in over five hundred years that this had happened, and the dwarf was the first to realize it.

   Donderan started dancing around beside Litlorn and began singing, if that was what you called it, and Danorathin looked at him as he did. Litlorn was laughing at the dwarf, and Brylen just shook his head.

   Menimeth looked around the road, at the men who stood and watched him. They were caught in the middle of a war they did not want, or start, but refused to be defeated without a fight. He could not allow the empire to fall into the hands of the mage king, or his henchmen, and these men looked to him for leadership. This moment in time was important to those whose destiny was tied to the war for the lands of men, and Menimeth knew it. The decisions he made on the road today would shape events to come.

   Menimeth looked down the road to the east, and thought about the regents in Corlindum. Soon he would have to face them all, and make the empire whole again. The time had come to face what he was, and accept his place in the empire. When he rode into the council of regents, he would do so as the king of the Great Dragon Empire.

Chapter Fourteen

   Rylee watched from the trees as the ambush was cut down in the crossroads. Avren had sent him to follow the warrior once again, and threatened to have him cut into four pieces if he returned to the camp. Messengers would be stationed at the ruins north of Argnon, and he could send his reports from there.

   Avren would need to know about this as soon as possible Rylee thought. He was the only one who could send the news to him, and he hoped the messenger would be there when he arrived. The man in the dragon armor had survived again, and Finor was dead. The mage, that was sent to protect them, however, was not. He had killed six of Finor's men himself, and had used powerful magic to do it. He was not what he appeared to be, and that was for sure.

   Mounting his horse, he rode from the trees where he had watched the battle, and turned northwest. He rode slowly at first to avoid detection, but picked up speed when he was clear of the area. The morning was bright and warm, and Rylee worried villagers along the way would spot him, but even though he used what cover the land provided, he did not slow down.

   Life was a lot better when Grif was around he thought. Back then he could ride wherever he wanted, but now he was forced to sneak around to stay alive. The guard was getting harder to avoid during the day, and the closer to Argnon you came, the more solders of the realm you encountered.

   Several times Rylee thought about just disappearing, but there was nowhere for him to go to accomplish that goal. He believed that Arnoran would win the war for the lands of men, and he would be caught and tortured if he ran. He knew about the White Kingdoms, but Chidren was between him and any hope of escape in that direction. He feared Avren and what he could do to him, but he feared Chidren even more.

   It took him several days to reach the ruins, but no one was there to meet him when he arrived, and it was two days more before the messenger showed up to found Rylee waiting on him. Things had not gone well with the operation in the southern part of Falendor's realm, and the remaining solders there were pulling back to regroup at the camp in the northwest. Rylee did not need to return and watch the warrior any longer, because he had been given new orders. He was to return to Argnon, and report on the people who came and went while the regent was away, and learn the guard's routine. When the regent returned to his castle, he was to return to the camp, and report to Avren.

   Rylee returned to the camp he used when he was in Argnon. He had used this camp many times over the last few years, and liked its location. The whole town, as well as the castle, was visible from it, and the entrance to the camp was not easy to find.

   When he arrived at the campsite it was getting late in the day, and he went about setting up his camp for a long stay. After completing his camp, he decided to go down and visit the inn on the poorer side of town. He was hungry and did not have the time to hunt for his supper, and he needed news of the latest events. He was drunk when he returned to camp, and did not see the man as he followed him from the tavern.

   When he awoke the next morning, the sun was well into the sky, and people were already on the road. He cooked his breakfast as he watched them come and go, and pulled out the bottle he had brought with him from the tavern. He was drunk before midday had reached his camp, and passed out until almost dark. He repeated this every day until he ran short of money, and then he would ride to one of the smaller roads, and kill some traveler so he could start it all over again.

   He was about to go and look for someone to kill and rob, the evening the man with a dragon on his armor came riding in from the west. Rylee spotted him long before he reached Argnon, and watched as he rode into the town, and stopped at the Red Falcon inn.

   He thought about leaving and reporting it to the messenger at the ruins, but the strong drink had gone to his head. He knew the man would stay the night because his bags were taken in the door to the rooms, and he decided that he could kill the man tonight, and redeem his standing with Avren.

   Rylee thought the men of the realms were cowards, and should be killed whenever he had the chance to kill one. He would find out different soon, but he would not live to learn from his mistakes. His destiny had arrived from the west, and Rylee was about to come face to face with him.

*****

   Avren paced the floor of the tent and grew madder with every step. When he found that fool Rylee, he would kill him slowly for his failure to report to the messenger. They needed the information he was ordered to collect, and he should have already relayed it back to the camp. Chidren was expected to return soon, and Avren did not want any problems to arise before he did. Their plans had not worked out well so far, and with Rylee's disappearance, they had no information on the garrison at Argnon.

   The only part of the campaign that was going as planned, was the traitor in the castle. The messenger would have to order him to relay the information Rylee was to have obtained, and do it quickly.

   Avren returned from his private quarters, and sat at the table in the large tent on the hill. He had just talked to Arnoran about the warrior in the dragon armor, and was ordered to recall Chidren. All of the men that were sent to the Wilderlands were to return as well, and Chidren was to report to Kath as soon as he arrived. Mareston had failed to kill the warrior when he had the chance, and had lost the monastery to him. More than one hundred of Avren's men were dead or captured, and he had recalled the rest.

   Mareston had less than three hundred solders with him, and there were no more than five hundred at the camp in the north. It would take months to assemble all of the men that were in the empire, and longer for those that still traveled from the east. Those solders that were at the camp now, were to begin training for the campaign to take Argnon and the western realm. Arnoran still wanted the White Kingdoms, but the dragon warrior had to be eliminated first, and since the routes in the north would be closed soon, they needed all of the solders they could get. He would know when the north was no longer usable to the mage king, and Chidren would know when to begin the attack.

   Avren issued the orders given to him by Arnoran, and sent riders to bring back those solders that had already traveled west. The riders were not to enter the broken lands, but were to turn back when they reached it. Chidren would turn those solders that had already entered that harsh landscape around, and bring them back with him when he returned.

   Riders were sent to collect all of the solders dressed as outlaws, and send them back to the camp as well, because there were still several hundred of them around the western realm, and Avren needed them all. When most of those men returned, patrols would be formed, and the camp would become a military camp. Scouts reported to the messengers regularly, but the Great Western Road was as far as they could go for now. Without the camps in the south, there was no way for Avren to know what was happening south of the great road, and he could not take a chance on losing his scouts by sending them farther south. There were many towns and villages scattered around the southern part of the realm, and they had not had any solders to protect them in the past, but someone had killed his men and taken the monastery.

   Avren did not believe that the south was a threat to them at this time, so sending his scouts farther south than the road was useless. Argnon held the castle they would need to overrun, and the regent they would need to capture to use against the other realms. If Argnon fell, the west would be theirs, and the war for the empire would be fought on two fronts.

   It was three months before the first of the solders started returning from the west, and Avren put them to work as soon as they arrived. It would take months to prepare for the campaign, and train the solders for the assault on the west, but he would do what he could before Chidren returned. Arrows and spears were needed in large numbers, so Avren set the artisans and mages to that task. The camp had swelled to more than one thousand men so far, and the majority of them had not yet arrived, but soon there would be enough men to begin constructing the siege towers.

   Mareston rode in one month later, and men were trickling in from three different directions. Sometimes as many as six to eight in a day would enter the camp, but normally it was about three. He rode up to the headquarters tent on the hill and dismounted. Looking around before he entered, he noticed the tree with the fourteen dead solders hanging from it. Avren was a bloodthirsty coward who derived a morbid pleasure from watching men tortured and killed, and Mareston despised him.

   He entered the tent and waited for Avren to acknowledge him, but did not care if he stood there all day. Avren was a fool, and when the mage king found out that Avren was killing his men for his own pleasure, he would find out what torture was. When Avren did speak, it was with disrespect and contempt.

   "I should have you killed for your failure." Avren said to Mareston.

   "You would have to face Arnoran if you did, coward." Mareston replied and put his hand on his sword hilt.

   "You dare to insult me you insolent fool?" Avren screamed, and advanced on Mareston from across the room with his hand on his sword.

   "You are the fool if you pull that sword from its scabbard." Mareston said in a calm voice. "You will be dead before your guards could save you, and I will hang you from that tree."

   Avren stopped halfway to the solder that stood so calmly with his sword half drawn and cursed him. He knew that Mareston could kill him quickly, and it made him madder. The solder had served Arnoran most of his life, and had survived many battles. He once killed thirteen men by himself, in a fight for one of the kingdoms that had belonged to the mage king more than five hundred years ago.

   Avren turned away and walked back to his chair before speaking again. He was furious at Mareston but could do nothing about it, and

despised the man for it.

   "You are ordered by Arnoran to over see the construction of the siege weapons, and to make sure they are done his way." Avren told the solder. "You have almost six months to gather the timber and make the ropes needed for the weapons, I suggest you get started."

   "Where are the men that I am to oversee?"

   "They are on the north side of the camp, take as many as you require to accomplish your task."

   "You can assure Arnoran that it will be done as he commands." Mareston said. "If you are not too afraid of the shadows between here and that tent you hide in."

   Avren turned even redder, and was more than furious than before, but Mareston turned and walked from the tent. He wanted to kill that man more than anything, but Mareston was way too smart to allow himself to be caught unarmed. Only Chidren had the skills to kill the man outright, but Mareston would not give him a reason to do so.

   The tools of war were to be made here, and taken to Argnon when the attack was ordered. Siege towers were to be constructed along with catapults, and a battering ram. The trees that they used were cut north of the camp, and far enough away to allow the camp to continue to remain concealed by the magic of the mages, who were in the camp. The trees were cut from different parts of the woods that surrounded them, so they could remain unnoticed until it did not matter any longer.

   Rope was made from several different types of plants, with different sizes and different strengths. The tall dead grass from the year before, was strong enough when woven together, to attach the bigger parts of the towers together. The ropes for that had to be almost two feet thick, and the grass was more abundant than anything else they had available.

   The smaller ropes were made from the grimberry vines that grew all over the wilder lands of the empire. The seeds of the vines were what Blackbeer was made from, but the outer skin was easily stripped to make the ropes. Each strand was very strong and when woven together made one of the strongest ropes known to men.

   Several months later, there were fifteen hundred men in the camp, and the work was going well. All of the men who returned from the southern part of the empire were in the camp now, and men were still arriving from the east and west. Mareston was further along than Avren expected on the siege weapons, but was at least three month's away from completion at best. Stacks of arrows and spears were all over the camp, and the mages were casting spells on them. They were not very powerful, but Ranjgin should be on his way from Kath by now, and he was a very powerful mage.

   Chidren was still weeks away from the camp, and Avren wished he would get there soon. He was tired of dealing with the grumbling solders every day, and needed someone to straighten them up. The plans for the campaign had been changed because of just one warrior, and Avren could not understand how it could have happened. He was just one man after all, how many men did it take to kill him.

   Avren did not think that the warrior was more than lucky to have escaped the many ambushes set up for him, and he believed it was the incompetence of the men sent to kill him, or their inability to reach the site of the ambush in time, instead. The time would come when everyone would find out that he had been mistaken about the warrior, but he would not be around to see it.

*****

   Chidren was not happy about the change of plans, because he had just crossed the broken lands, and now he had to do it again. His men were exhausted from the weeks of riding among the rifts, but it could not be helped. He let them rest for two weeks, before ordering them to begin the journey back to the camp in the northwest from which they had come.

   Two men remained at the camp when Chidren rode east, to send any one who was not turned around by Chidren, back. They were only to stay for two months, and then return themselves, but were to return sooner if men quit arriving at the camp.

   Gaston, and the men who went north with him in search of a faster route through the broken lands, returned three weeks after Chidren departed. They stayed in the camp until the men he had sent to the south, returned, smoking venison for the return trip to the camp in the northwest. More than thirty men arrived from the broken lands, over the two months the two men were ordered to wait, and he put them to work while they waited. Gaston decided to have them travel with him and his men, to get all of them to the other side, and into the golden woods alive.