Hunter's War (Legend of the Wild Hunter Book 4) (64 page)

-Are you telling the truth, Orceen? Is my egg truly safe?-

There was a soft, but dangerous calmness, to his voice.

“Yes.”

-Good, because I’ve been waiting a long time for this.-

Umingoth turned toward Eric and, opening his mouth, vomited fire. For one brief moment it was like standing in a furnace. The temperature of the cavern was raised to a level where the stone floor began to melt. Kile grabbed Alex and pulled him back, behind the dragon and away from his fury. When the fired subsided the ground was glowing white, the Valgar were nothing but ash, and Eric stood, unharmed, among the flames.

“How? The chains... you can’t…” he shouted.

What he could or couldn’t do didn’t seem to bother Umingoth. With the speed of a serpent striking, he ate Eric in one bite.

“NO!” Kile cried.

-Oh, I’m sorry,-

The dragon replied with a wicked grin.

-Were you hungry?-

“How could you?”

-Please, Orceen, do not fool yourself. Do you think he would have shown any mercy toward you?-

He was right, she knew he was. Eric would have killed her on any number of occasions, if it wasn’t for Ravenshadow wanting her alive. But to do it so quickly, without hesitation or remorse, that’s what surprised her.

“I suppose interrogating him is out of the question,” Alex added.

Umingoth laughed.

“I like this one, I might not eat him,” he said, looking down at the small Hunter.

“Thank you… I think,” Alex replied.

Kile looked up at the dragon. “Wait a minute. You can speak?”

He just cocked his head, and if she didn’t know any better, shrugged it off.

“Of course I can speak, I’m a dragon for crying out loud. You think you’re the only one who stands between worlds.”

“No, but, why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“Why should I? Besides, if they knew I could speak, they wouldn’t have needed you, and they wouldn’t have brought you to me,” Umingoth replied.

“Brought me to you? I don’t understand.”

“There is nothing to understand, Orceen. For centuries, I have been held here, trapped by these accursed chains, forged from the very earth you stand upon. They could not destroy me, so they tried to enslave me. When they could not control me, they left me here. Long have I waited in this prison, until Ravenshadow found me. He spoke of freedom, but he demanded my servitude. He was no different than those who put me here. It would not be said, I did not listen, but I did not speak to him, either.”

“But why?”

“Because he needed a way to control me, and he found it. His vermin dug their way into my inner chambers. They found my nest and they destroyed my young, all but one. They stole him from me. If Ravenshadow knew I could speak, if he knew I could understand everything he said, he would threaten me with the destruction of my species. That’s why he needed you, and that’s why I waited.”

“But how did you know about me?” Kile asked.

“Because I heard you calling, once, a year or two ago. I tried to speak with you then, but you were not completely awake. Your mind was still young and clouded, and then you were spirited away. Far beyond my reach.”

“But, you don’t need me anymore,” Kile replied. “The Ogre have your egg, and I’m pretty sure they’ll return it to you, if you ask them.”

“Yes, but that is not the boon I wish of you. This is what I offer you, Orceen. Do me this favor and I will help you defeat your enemies.”

“I can’t just agree to a favor, without knowing what it is,” she replied.

“Even if it meant the destruction of your enemies?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, Umingoth.”

-Very well-

He said, and he was now speaking to her from within his own world. His voice was sad, but it was honest, and she knew the favor he asked was a difficult one.

-I am dying, Orceen. It is the burden of my kind to carry such awareness. We know when the time of our death is near, although we are not granted the knowledge of the hour, nor do we know the nature of our death. When one of my kind dies, their young hatches, and their brood is taken into the clan and raised. I am the last of my kind here on your world. I fear no more of my brothers or sisters are coming. When I die, my egg will hatch, but he will have no clan to watch over him as he grows.-

“I think I understand now.”

-Then you know what I am asking of you?-

“Yes, I think so,” she replied.

-Then you will do this for me? You will watch over my young?-

“Yes, Umingoth, I will do this for you.”

“So be it,” he said, bowing his head to the ground. “Get upon my back, and we will be gone from this place.”

Kile made sure Alex climbed on first, for fear the dragon might leave him behind. She was the one who made the deal with the Umingoth, she just didn’t know how far that deal extended. When Alex was finally situated, Kile joined him.

“What about the chains?” Alex asked.

Umingoth laughed. “The chains are nothing, little vir. They no longer bind me here. Ravenshadow saw to that, although he did not know it.”

“And how did he do that?” Kile asked.

“An elixir, brewed from the remains of metal, rusted by magic. He could not help, but gloat about it. When he poured it upon the chains, it broke the enchantment, but not the metal.” Umingoth lifted his back foot and pulled the chain taught. It didn’t just break, it snapped, but before the links could fall to the ground, like one of Alex’s illusions, they simply faded out of existence. When he had broken the last of the chains, he turned his face skyward. Standing upon his hind legs, he grabbed the wall of the cavern and began to pull himself up. Kile and Alex held on the best they could, clinging to the scales upon his back.

“You could always ride in my mouth, if you think it would be easier.” Umingoth laughed.

“We’ll pass,” Kile replied.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to hold on for very long. When the dragon reached the top, he pulled himself over the lip and stood upon solid ground once again. They could now feel the winds, off the wasteland, blowing through the tunnel. Umingoth followed the path to the mouth of a large cave and out into the light of an early dawn. Spreading his massive wings, he took to the air.

The valrik stared at him.

“We come in peace.” Daniel repeated.

“I don’t think they understand,” Sandson replied.

“I don’t suppose you can speak valrik?”

“It would have been a good thing to consider before we walked all the way out here.”

The valrik looked among themselves, they appeared to be as suspicious of the vir as the vir were of them. One did finally step forward, or he might have been pushed from behind. He held up his hands, mimicking Daniel’s gesture of peace, and said something in a language that wasn’t anywhere near the King’s tongue.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.” Daniel said, leaning in.

“He says no fight.”

Daniel quickly turned around to see the Taugh towering over him. He didn’t hear the Ogre, coming up behind them.

“Can you understand them?” he asked.

“Little.” Taugh replied. “Speech same as ours.”

The Ogre didn’t seem very pleased in admitting that. It created a connection between the Ogre and the Uhyre, something the Ogre was not very happy with.

“Do you think you can tell them we mean them no harm?” Daniel asked.

Taugh relayed what Daniel hoped was the right message. The language was a series of guttural tones that made it impossible for any normal tongue to wrap themselves around. There was a quick, verbal exchange between the two before Taugh broke off the conversation. He turned to Daniel, his eyes never leaving the valrik.

“They return home. Fight not theirs.”

“What of our friends, are they here?” Sandson asked.

“We can have vir, do not try to stop them from going home.”

“Like we could if we wanted to.” Sandson remarked. “Tell them we will not try to stop them. Tell them they can leave, but they must leave their weapons here.”

Taugh repeated Sandson’s words, and although they sounded a lot more aggressive in the guttural language, the valrik seemed to understand. Without hesitation, they dropped their weapons and began to file out of the cave.

“Well, that was easier than I thought.” Sandson said as he watched the last valrik join the group. They were heading back toward the stone city.

“Let’s just hope they aren’t going back for reinforcements.” Browne added.

“I don’t think so, not this time.” Sandson replied. He never thought he’d see the day where the Uhyre would just walk away from a battle. From the stories he was told as a youth, they always came off as a bloodthirsty lot, bent on chaos and destruction. Now it appears they aren’t much different from any other citizen of the realm. “Daniel, Anurr, you’re with me. Brown, stay with Taugh and Ertgoth and keep watch. That group may have lost their leader and gone home, but they’re not the only ones out here.”

Daniel climbed up after Anurr and they followed Sandson into the mines. It wasn’t difficult to navigate, as there weren’t too many directions to wander off in. Fortunately, the tunnels were well lit, touches had been wedged into the wall every ten feet or so, leading them down a single path to a larger cavern. From here there were several smaller tunnels leading in different directions, but none of them were lit. The room, itself, was empty, save for the tell-tail signs of valrik habitation. There were a few crude beds along the wall and a foul smelling something was cooking over a small fire.

“They’re not here.” Sandson said, looking around the room.

“You think they tricked us?” Anurr asked.

Daniel grabbed a torch from the wall and looked down one of the dark tunnels. “Maybe they’re down one of these.” He said, holding the torch higher, it did little to chase away the shadows.

“There’s no telling how far these things go back.” Anurr said coming up behind him. “It could take days to search them all.”

“Carter! Tullner! Marcus!” Daniel yelled into the darkness. “Is anyone there?”

“Danny, is that you?”

Daniel spun around, searching for the source of the voice.

“Carter? Where are you?”

“Up here.”

They looked up to see a large metal cage suspended from the ceiling of the cavern by a thick chain.

“Are you guys all right?” Sandson asked.

“We will be as soon as you get us down.” Tullner shouted back.

“Look for a winch or something.”

The mechanism wasn’t difficult to find, once they were able to trace the chain through the wall and into one of the adjoining rooms. Between Anurr and Sandson, they were able to lower the cage slowly.

“Man, are we ever glad to see you guys.” Tullner said when they finally touched down.

“Where’s Marcus?” Daniel asked. He was looking for another cage suspended from the ceiling which they might have missed.

“Don’t bother.” Tullner told him. “He’s not here.”

“Where is he?”

“He betrayed us, I think.” Carter replied.

Sandson went to work on the lock. I didn’t take him long before he had the door open.

“What do you mean, you think he betrayed you?” Daniel asked.

Tullner walked past them, heading toward the crates in the far corner. It was clear he was not very happy at being tricked so easily.

“All I know is, once you guys entered the building through the hole in the roof, the valrik started to move in. They had the whole place surrounded in seconds. They were waiting for us. The whole thing was a trap,” he said, tossing a few of the crates aside. When he found the one he was looking for, he retrieved his sword and quickly strapped it on.

“I don’t get it. How does Marcus play into this?” Daniel asked.

“His Edge.” Carter replied. “You membered what Kile said? She warned us not to look into his eyes. Well, we kind of forgot that.”

“All I remember was him saying something about joining the valrik and the next thing I know, I’m waking up in a cage suspended in midair.” Tullner said as he handed Carter back his blade. “I ever see that guy again, I’ll cut him in two before he has a chance to say anything.”

Carter strapped on his sword and looked around the room. “Hey, where is Kile? She with you?”

“No, she went to confront Ravenshadow,” Daniel replied.

“What, you let her go face him alone?” Tullner asked.

“She took Alex with her.”

“Well, no offense to your friend, Danny, but I don’t really think Alex is up to the challenge. With Marcus playing for the other team, she’s in danger.”

“Don’t underestimate her, or Alex,” Daniel replied. “You’d be surprised. Alex can handle himself when he has to, and as for Kile… well, if there’s one thing you can say about Kile, she’s unpredictable.”

“Unpredictable or not, we have to find her,” Tullner said as he headed for the exit. Sandson and Anurr quickly fell in behind him.

Carter grabbed Daniel by the arm. “Where are the valrik?” he asked.

“Oh, them, they went home.” Daniel replied.

When they exited the mines, they were met by Browne, who seemed agitated.

“You’ve got to see this, guys.” He said, pointing to the sky.

Tullner looked up and squinted as the morning light reached his eyes.

“What am I looking at?” he asked.

“I see it.” Anurr said. “What is it? It looks like a large bird.”

“That’s no bird.” Browne said, shaking his head. “That, my friend, is a dragon.”

***~~~***

27

They circled the stone city three times trying to locate the others, but Kile didn’t care. For the first time in a long time she felt free. She was flying, really flying. Not vicariously through the eyes of a bird, but actually sorting through the clouds. Granted, she was riding on the back of Umingoth, but it was the closest she would ever get to the real thing. It was the greatest sensation of her life, and she wished it would never end. Alex, on the other hand, was looking a little green.

The sun was now rising over the eastern lands, over the realm of Aru, but she turned her eyes west, to the lush green lands on the far side of the desert.