Scourge of the Dragons (25 page)

*

Obrin smiled as looked at the ruins of what
used to be castle Markurin. The dragons had caused a level of
destruction that was nearly unfathomable. He felt unstoppable with
the creatures on his side. Two of the most powerful human kingdoms
had been brought down with relative ease. The other two would have
time to prepare, but there was little one could do to stop the
dragons. That was the key to the entire conquest. The night elf
King took one last look at their handiwork before opening a portal
to castle Altarius. He stood up straighter as he walked through the
portal. Finrul, Queen Ophelia, and King Lothrin were all gathered
in the throne room when he arrived. They turned and welcomed him as
he stepped into the room.

“Castle Markurin has been decimated. The
dragons will arrive here shortly to prepare for the coming battle
against the final two kingdoms. We will head out first and then you
will bring in the army behind us. Is that clear?” He asked.

“Quite clear. How much time do we have to
prepare the men for the next assault?” Finrul asked.

“I do not have a concrete answer for you.
The dragons will presumably take somewhere between one to two
weeks. “

“Isn’t that a bit long for dragons?”

“Not all of the creatures are seeing eye to
eye. Ungaroth told me to expect things to be a bit longer so that
he is able to send a message to those who are acting out of line.
This should have no effect on how the three of you proceed. I will
be here should any of you have any questions.”

“We are certainly glad to have you.”

The night elf King smiled as he turned away
from the others. His plans were quickly bringing him toward
ultimate victory. There was still the mystery of what to do once
the four kingdoms were subjugated, but that question was likely to
answer itself with time. The castle was not quite the same as his
own back in the night elf lands, but it was rather exquisite in its
own right. Obrin preferred elven styles over that of the humans,
but the living arrangements were only temporary. He made his way to
the top floor and chose the room with the best view. To his
surprise, there was also a study connected to the room he chose. He
took one look over the city before heading back into his room to
rest. The coming month would be crucial and the last thing he
needed was to make a stupid mistake due to lack of sleep.

*

Wrotan and his companions thanked the
leprechaun King for his kindness and bid him and his followers
farewell. The short respite was just what the small group had
needed. They left feeling refreshed and hopeful of the coming
weeks. The Arcane Academy wasn’t far, which meant they would soon
be able to locate and help Kade. It would be a small victory, but a
victory nonetheless. The hunter was more wary than the others. He
had only dealt with someone from the Arcane Academy on one
occasion, but it had left him feeling that the mages cared more
about their own interests than they did about helping others. That
did not, however, stop him from sharing in the increased morale of
the others. Amber had changed more than anyone. The prospect of
seeing Kade again had become real to her.

“Stay alert. We want to help Kade, but not
at the cost of our own well-being,” Wrotan said.

“Why would we do such a thing? Our main
focus has been to assist your friend. It would be foolish to rescue
one at the cost of another,” Lamont said.

“The Arcane Academy is home to some of the
smartest minds in the known world. Some of them are not so quick to
lend a hand. Others are known for getting people into deals that
aren’t as savory as they first seem. I was simply giving out a
warning.”

“If they are as shady as you say, why are we
going to them for assistance?” Mariah asked.

“Not all of them are as bad as I said. Not
that it matters, they are our best chance at saving Kade.”

“Can they help us against the dragons?”
Amber asked.

“I plan to ask, whether or not they agree to
do so is another story. They would be a great help against the
beasts. Unfortunately, we have little to offer them in return,”
Wrotan replied.

“Is not the defeat of the dragons enough?”
Mariah asked.

“It could be, but magicians are not like
others. They see the world in different ways, as they should. We
are limited to shorter lives that deal with smaller areas. The
sorcerers live longer and deal with things that could affect the
whole world.”

“Like the dragons,”

“If they are seen as enough of a threat,
yes. In fact, that may be the best argument we have for bringing
them into the fray.”

*

Hadrin stormed away from the gates of Barnet
Manor. Not only had they refused to meet with him, but they
insulted his people. He had heard the stories of how humans were
dismissive of elves, but he hadn’t ever thought he would experience
it for himself. His experience with Mariah, Amber, Wrotan, and the
spirit monks had been positive. Alandra and the others followed the
Prince at a slight distance, unsure of how to deal with the
situation. He let out a sigh as he slowed down. His companions
weren’t the ones that had needlessly offended him. Only House
Barnet deserved his wrath, though he was certain there were other
humans that agreed with them. He turned toward the next keep and
waited for the others to catch up to him.

“It would give me unmeasurable satisfaction
to end the miserable lives of those fools, but we haven’t the time
or the ability at present. We need to focus on getting House
Guilder or House Martine to join us,” he said.

“What if they aren’t willing to join us?”
Charise asked.

“We move on to the militias and the regular
populace. The borderlanders must know the importance of defeating
this menace. They were already attacked by the elves without the
assistance of the dragons. Adding those beasts only means more
death for their opponents.”

“Do we even have much chance of defeating
the creatures?” Nicolai asked.

“Of course we do, but it won’t be easy. The
more people we recruit, the better chance we have against them. I’m
not certain how much regular troops will help our cause, but we
must try.”

“If not regular troops, then who?”

“Wrotan is the reason why we were able to
fell that earth dragon. Mariah and the dwarves were immensely
helpful, but he was the key to our victory. Hopefully he will have
a chance to teach us how to defeat the dragons. I fear that their
numbers may just be too much for us.”

The group got silent as they neared the gate
to House Guilder. A gaping hole in the side of the keep revealed
disheveled and out of date furnishings. Aside from that portion of
the keep, the rest of the building seemed well kept. The guards at
the gate didn’t even question any of the group. Hadrin took the
lead as they entered the courtyard. It only took him a moment to
realize that the gardens were open for all to visit. The Prince had
not seen such behavior from any of the royal elven populace. He
wondered if humans were more likely to act in such a way or if it
was something unique to House Guilder. One of the guards stepped
forward from his spot next to the main doors to the keep.

“Lord Guilder hopes that you’ve enjoyed the
view of the gardens,” the guard said.

“That we have. Would it be possible to meet
with Lord Guilder?” Hadrin asked.

“If your group is willing to give up their
weapons for the duration of the meeting, this can be arranged.”

“Certainly, those are acceptable terms.”

Guilder’s guards seemed relieved at their
quick cooperation. They opened the doors for Hadrin’s group and led
them through a small entryway into a sitting room. Lord Guilder
stood as they entered the room. He was by no means an intimidating
man. Even the shortest of the paladins was half a head taller than
the man. His thin build only built upon the perception of weakness.
He motioned for his guests to find a seat as he returned to his
own. Hadrin, Alandra, Charise, and Nicolai took seats at the table
as the rest of the paladins found places on the chairs and couches
scattered through the room. The look of the room itself made the
elf Prince feel as though their host was something of a
scatterbrain.

“Welcome to my humble home. To what do I owe
the pleasure?” Guilder asked.

“We are here to form an alliance of sorts.
Though not in the sense that one would generally think. This is not
a long-term proposal. My father and his allies have unleashed an
unspeakable horror on the world and we need help to contain the
situation,” Hadrin replied.

“I do not envy your position. Going against
blood is never an easy task. Unfortunately, House Guilder lacks the
resources to go to war. We are doing what we can to keep the
populace safe after the loss of the council army, but we aren’t
making good progress. It is likely that House Martine will assist
for the sake of glory. Perhaps you can see if one of the local
militias will help you as well.”

“You have been quite helpful, Lord Guilder.
Thank you for your time.”

“Going so soon? Surely you can spare a few
minutes?” Guilder asked.

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt,” the elf
replied.

“Excellent, I’ll call for tea. Perhaps
biscuits as well?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Right you are, of course.”

“Might I enquire as to why you’ve a gaping
hole in the side of your keep?” Nicolai asked.

“Gives it a sort of different feel, don’t
you think?”

“Yes, it does. Unfortunately, we must be
going,” Hadrin said.

Prince Hadrin stood up from his seat and bid
the noble farewell. Alandra and the others followed suit. The elf
was unsure of how he felt about the man. There was a lot of honor
in making sure that those around you were safe, but the man also
seemed to see the world different than most. None of that mattered
at the moment. The task at hand was finding as much assistance as
possible for the coming confrontation with Obrin and his dragons.
Whether they would find enough help remained to be seen. Hadrin
suspected that they wouldn’t know until they confronted the elves
and dragons. He let out a sigh as they exited the courtyard. House
Martine was the final noble house for them to visit within
Reddington.

*

Kade stumbled over a slithering tentacle. He
spun as fast as he could and chopped at it with his sword. The
creature slid back into the shadows. It shot a tentacle out at him
as he approached. He sliced at the appendage, but it whipped out of
the way before he could make contact. The pain in his head
intensified as he dashed after his prey. Another tentacle shot out
and hit him in the chest. He fell backward and tried to scramble to
his feet. The tentacles pulled back as he let out a scream. His
vision began to blur as he closed in on the creature. It let out a
snarl as it lashed out at him with several tentacles. The tentacles
wrapped around him and pushed him to the floor. He tried to cry
out, but his voice failed him and his vision dimmed.

*

“What is it this time?” Padraig asked as he
looked up at Finian.

“There is another human in the forest. He is
acting rather erratically,” Finian replied.

“Do we have reason to believe he is
hostile?”

“It is a distinct possibility.”

“Gather the sorcerers and tell them to meet
me in the forest. We need to investigate this disturbance.”

The leprechaun King stood up from his chair
and headed into his chambers. He put on his armor and attached his
scabbard to his belt. It had been quite some time since he had been
forced to use his sword, but it still seemed like it fit at his
side. The blacksmith that made and enchanted the sword had
explained that it would always be his unless he chose to relinquish
it to an heir. There was a magic that resided within the sword that
gave the wielder a slight advantage against an opponent. King
Padraig didn’t understand the enchantment, but he knew that it had
kept him alive on more than one occasion. It comforted him to know
that he could pass the sword on to his daughter someday. He took a
deep breath as he exited his chambers.

“Zaira, chose five of your best soldiers and
follow me,” the King said.

His daughter nodded before turning back
toward her fellow guards. She pointed to five different soldiers.
They followed the King as he headed out into the forest. Several
sorcerers were already gathered outside the city. They paid their
respects before falling in line behind the warriors. The group,
though small, was comprised of the most skilled magicians and
fighters within the fairy kingdom. King Padraig was certain that
they could contain the lone intruder without anyone getting hurt.
He slowed down as he approached the clearing where the young man
had been seen. Zaira and her soldiers took the lead as Padraig and
the wizards brought up the rear. They stopped when they reached the
clearing. The young man was already on the floor. The Princess bent
down and checked to see if he was alive.

“He is breathing, but I doubt he will last
much longer,” she said.

“Allow us,” one of the sorcerer’s said as he
stepped forward.

The wizard threw his hood back as he knelt
down next to the young man. He placed a hand over the man’s heart.
His companions surrounded the fallen human and lent their magic to
their leader. The process took several minutes, during which the
King was able to further examine the intruder. He stepped back and
let out a sigh. The young man didn’t look to be much of a threat to
him or his kingdom. Zaira and her warriors put away their weapons
as the lead wizard stood. The King turned toward him and waited for
the diagnosis.

“There is a madness inside of him. I’m not
certain we can fix him, but we can keep him alive,” the sorcerer
said.