Key of Living Fire (The Sword of the Dragon) (46 page)

When the flames stopped, Ilfedo leaned forward. Surely Isor couldn’t last any longer.

He was right. Vectra’s fists hammered into the creature’s chest, and her screaming battle cry caused the crowd to hunker down in fear. Clouds of sand rose, hiding the duelists from view. Only an occasional poisonous vapor escaped.

Emerging from the dust, Vectra shook herself and growled victory. The dust settled, and several Megatraths made their way past her and dragged Isor’s unconscious form into the tunnel. She accepted a washing from her subordinates and returned to lie beside Ilfedo—with not a scratch on her, so far as he could tell.

“If I may be so bold,” he whispered by way of congratulating her. “If that is the strongest challenger to your supremacy, then you have nothing to fear.”

She started to smile and rumbled in her chest. “The ways of a Megatrath are strange to you, Lord Ilfedo, but I would like you to understand. I remain in charge of my people only so long as another cannot defeat me in combat. Isor was weary, having already battled today. Yet she is strong. I will someday pit myself against her when she is fresh, but only when I know that she is truly capable of defeating me in fair combat. For now all Isor may do is test me and hone her fighting technique.”

“I understand,” Ilfedo said. “You will only permit her to truly challenge you when you feel she presents a genuine threat to your leadership.”

Vectra nodded, then shook her head. “You understand part of it.” She might have continued, but a voice interrupted, cool and confident.

“So, this is the great Vectra,” it rumbled. The Megatraths in the stands gasped, and Vectra stiffened. A Megatrath lumbered from the assemblage’s midst. Ilfedo had not noticed him before. His hide was black, and his eyes were silver. A horn spiked out from his snout, and his build was wider than Vectra’s. Ilfedo could hardly believe his eyes. Here was a black Megatrath. Only once before had he seen a Megatrath of that color, and that creature was in Dresdyn. That could easily be his pass to discovering the fastest way to return for the people of Dresdyn.

The black one had evil intent in its eye. Or was that the glimmer of ambition? Ilfedo knew not which. The creature lumbered toward Vectra’s stone. It would challenge her when she had already exerted much of her energy. Isor had not hurt her, but Vectra’s breathing was far from easy, and she smelled of sweat.

The black one approached them. Ilfedo eyed the creature, noting its powerful build. It was taller than Vectra, too, by at least a few feet.

“Who are you?” Vectra stood and eyed the other. “You are unfamiliar to me.”

The creature chuckled. “No, we have never met. But I know you.” He raked his thick black claws through the sand. “I have watched you wage war against your neighboring Megatrath nations. You would have them bow the knee to you, to recreate Resgeria the way it once was. But you would have the land for your own, all Megatraths your servants.”

“It is the way of our people,” she spat.

“Conveniently, yes. Which is why I have come—to lay claim to Resgeria.”

Vectra’s muscles bristled as she stepped down a level so as to be closer to him. “You fool! You wait for me to duel first and then demand this?”

“Yes.”

“Coward!”

The Megatrath’s silver eyes glistened. “Prudent planning.” He waited for her anger to build, then he stepped back and bowed. “Shall we duel?”

“No.” Ilfedo stepped past Vectra, his eyes fastened on the silver ones. This creature had cunning. He could see that all too clearly. He was breaking down Vectra’s mental walls before taking her on physically. If she accepted the challenge, which she must to retain her honor, then—no, he would not let it happen.

“Ah!” the black creature said. “A brave though weak individual. I have dealt in numerous ways with your kind before.”

Ilfedo smiled and bowed, determined to outdo the creature’s aristocratic manner. “It is good of you to call me brave. But weak? You bring my ability to lead my people into question—I accept your challenge.”

“My challenge?” The creature laughed deeply and held up one clawed hand, clicking his claws together. “I have nothing to gain or lose by accepting a challenge from you. Vectra, on the other hand, has much to lose.”

Remarkably, Vectra appeared to have caught on to what Ilfedo was doing. The insult had been meant for her, but she did not offer a rebuttal. Instead, she looked to Ilfedo for his response. He could see appreciation and a light of anticipation in her eyes.

“You misunderstand, Megatrath.” Ilfedo shook his head. “I am allied with Vectra. The challenge to her is a challenge to me as well. She has fought her battle for today. I therefore accept your challenge in her stead.”

Cocking his head to the side in an amused sort of way, the Megatrath gave Ilfedo his attention. “Then the rumors were true. Humans joined with Resgeria. Is this true, Vectra?”

Vectra growled affirmation, and sparks flew from her mouth. “Your challenge has been accepted—” Suddenly realizing she did not know his name, she hesitated.

He bowed with mocked politeness and snapped his gaze to Ilfedo. “Regulus.”

She stepped back and turned to Ilfedo, sudden recognition in her eyes. “Do not go through with this, Ilfedo. I beg you as a friend.” She kept her voice low, but there was no mistaking the fear in her eyes. “This Megatrath is legendary . . . and old. His army—”

“Is here,” Ilfedo said.

“What?”

He disregarded her question and looked around the arena. Standing along its rim was a host of black Megatraths, smaller than Regulus and without horns. They had Vectra’s assemblage at a disadvantage, for they had taken the high ground. His hand dropped to his sword’s hilt. It warmed to his skin, and then it cooled to give him a better grip.

“You have made a foolish move, Regulus. Today you force me to draw your blood.”

“We shall see, er—what is your name?” Regulus grinned. “I like to know the names of my victims before I kill them, or before I send them into my mines.”

His followers roared with approval.

“Of course,” Ilfedo replied. “Who wouldn’t?”

Regulus waited for him to continue. “So?”

“What? Oh! My name—it’s not important.”

Regulus narrowed his eyes momentarily, and backed to the arena’s other side. “Come, human. It is time to test your words with a little fire.”

Inwardly, Ilfedo chuckled.
A little fire!

Ilfedo drew the flaming sword of the dragon and watched with satisfaction as Regulus’s silver eyes widened. “Your move, Regulus.”

“No,” the creature replied. “Please, you move first.”

Ilfedo strode forward slowly, circling to the right and appraising the black monster’s response. Regulus, his head three times higher than Ilfedo’s, kept his eyes on the sword’s flaming blade. Each of his six tree-trunk legs moved with unexpected agility to keep him facing the man.

The mid-afternoon sunlight glinted off Ilfedo’s blade. The air cooled. The sky remained clear, its bright blue becoming a darker shade. A gentle breeze blew in from the west, not enough to stir the sand. He took a deep breath, gripped the sword’s handle with both hands, and pointed it at the creature’s head. At one with the blade, he felt rather than saw the fire shoot forth. It struck the Megatrath’s scaled hide, burning holes in his natural armor and exposing raw flesh.

Enraged, his face contorting with pain, Regulus fell on his side and scrambled away, spitting flames from his mouth. The flames smote Ilfedo’s blade, and the blade absorbed them. Ilfedo drew nearer, his sword sizzling with energy that moved in waves over his body, empowering him beyond the bounds of a mere mortal.

He rushed forward and jumped onto one of the creature’s legs. He thrust in the sword and willed it to send a surge of energy into the wound. Red blood sprayed against his armor and ran off of it without leaving any stains.

But Regulus pushed Ilfedo to the ground with one foot. Yellow vapors billowed from the creature’s mouth, suffocating vapors that threatened to cut off all of Ilfedo’s oxygen.

Ilfedo choked and weakened, yet he felt the power in the sword revive him. A tingling sensation started in his hands and spread up his arms, down his spine, and into his feet. Life renewed, he twisted the sword around and stabbed Regulus’s foot repeatedly until he felt the weight lift.

He stood up and stumbled back, gasping for breath.

“Not so invincible now, human?”

Regulus spun around before Ilfedo could react, and his tail smote him across the back of his legs. As Ilfedo toppled, the creature pressed his advantage. He blew fire to keep the sword occupied and drove his left hind leg into Ilfedo as though determined to crush him into the ground.

The armor of Living Fire held, but Ilfedo felt as if he were inside a shell that was constricting around him, robbing him of his ability to fight back. Then, to his amazement, Regulus’s wounded leg, which hung limp, healed.

A rumbling laugh filled his ears, and another foot pressed down upon him. One sharp claw dug into his hand and pulled the sword from his grip, throwing it a dozen feet away. The armor of Living Fire blazed—then vanished.

25

THE DRAGON’S INSTRUCTION

T
wo days after her frightful encounter with the carnivorous tree, Oganna ascended a rise in the land where grass and flowers covered the ground. The forest lay just behind her, but now a hundred feet below. Ombre and Caritha climbed behind her, their breathing more relaxed and their occasional comments cheerful. A quartet of mountains towered over either side of the rising land, the sunlight glinting off their jagged peaks.

When she crested the rise and planted her feet on level ground, she gazed out over a lush field that stretched as far as her eye could see to a wall of mist that billowed over the land. Trees dotted the field, enough to shade but not enough to obstruct the view. Flowers of incredible variety were more numerous than the grass, and the smell filled the gentle air. Behind her Ombre and Caritha let out whoops of joy.

Ombre ran into the field, laughing. “We have found a paradise! A veritable paradise. Not even Vortain would oppose moving to a land such as this. Just think what a magnificent city the artisans could raise from this virgin ground.”

But both he and Oganna turned and stared at Caritha, who pointed into the distance. Her mouth was opened as if to say something, and her eyes half-closed then opened wide as she raised her hand higher and higher, angling it as if pointing to one of the clouds. “No, it cannot be. I know this place.” She shook her head. “We have come here for nothing.”

“For nothing.” Ombre chuckled as he rolled in the grass. “Look at this place, Caritha. It is beautiful.”

“Yes, yes it is very beautiful, but
he
would never permit us to settle here.” She dropped to one knee and bowed to Oganna.

Or so Oganna thought, until a shadow fell upon her and Ombre. She turned and faced the albino dragon; only, he was more magnificent than ever before. Ombre’s jaw dropped as he struggled to his feet. “Is this, is this him?” he choked.

The dragon’s muscles rippled beneath his white scales. Blinding light made him into a star at which they could not look directly. He rose before them, and the flowers at his feet began to radiate light. “This paradise is not for Ilfedo’s people,” Albino rumbled, and the ground shook beneath them. “You have done well, my children, in seeking this place out. Thy destiny, however, is not to live under my protection but to become beacons of hope for the dark corners of this world.”