The Chronicles of Dragon Collection (Series 1 Omnibus, Books 1-10) (103 page)

CHAPTER 2

Running his slender fingers over the cool wood of the Elderwood Staff, Bayzog sat and caught his breath. He, Brenwar, and Ben had been on the move, cutting through the woods, ever since the copper dragon’s lethal attack left Otter Bone and Horse Neck dead. And they weren’t the only ones, either. Many others were dead. He could still see them in his mind, broken and twisted like a tornado had run through them. He held his staff tighter.

“Can ye keep up, elf?” Brenwar said, combing his stubby fingers through his beard. “Or do I need to carry you?”

“A moment, Brenwar,” he said, taking a deep breath. “A moment.”

“Life and death happen in moments.”

True.

The part-elf wizard had seen it several times with his own eyes, but that last assault had shaken him. The dragon—copper, black-winged and black-tailed—had struck like an assassin. He still saw the murderous look in its snake eyes. It was a predator. A killer. It had snapped the two men like chicken bones. He tightened his grip on the Elderwood Staff and let the power of the ancient wood fill him.

“Here,” Ben said, handing him a canteen, “take a drink. A long one.”

He drank, said, “Thank you,” and handed it back.

“We’re still heading after Dragon, aren’t we?” Ben asked, taking a sip himself. “He needs us. Otter Bone said so himself.”

“Aye,” Brenwar said, “that’s what we should have been doing all along. Let’s move, elf.” He slung War Hammer over his shoulder. “We’ve got a copper on our tails, and I get to protect you all the time.”

“I can take care of myself just fine,” Ben said. Holding out Akron, he nocked an arrow. “I think it’s
you
who need
our
help. If a dragon attacks from the air, how will you hit it with that ugly hammer? Your ability to jump is a bit lacking.”

“Watch yourself, human,” Brenwar said, buckling his brows. “I’ve pulled you from the pit more than one time. Now let’s get moving.”

Brenwar led, marching through the forest like a bearded bear. Ben remained close behind. The sun dipped behind the Floating City, and the forest became dark and quiet, the hum of bugs silent. Even the hoots of the owls were missing.

Bayzog had finally become accustomed to sensing differences in nature. This should have been elven instinct, but it had taken decades. And that wasn’t all he had developed. There was a greater sense of awareness. Meditation and the Elderwood Staff helped with that. The suffocating grip of evil was always in his midst.

Brenwar halted. Hunkered down.

Bayzog and Ben flanked the dwarf. Ahead in a clearing, a wide creek’s trickling waters ran toward the river. A dragon’s long neck was lowered into the waters.

“That’s the one,” Brenwar said. “The one I should have crowned. Slippery lizard.”

Ben’s bowstring stretched.

Brenwar pushed it away, saying, “What are you doing? They be upwind of us. Watch and wait, foolish boy.”

Ben’s rugged taciturn face scowled at him, but Brenwar kept his eyes fixed ahead. More movement slithered through the shadows: dragons, two more, weaving through the trees with their necks low and tongues licking out. Bayzog could see the muscles rippling under their scales. Fear filled him, more than ever before. The dragons had gone from fascinating to horrifying.

The dragon with his head in the stream jerked his neck out and choked down a fish. The other two waded into the waters and dipped their scaly heads in.

“We should strike now,” Ben said in a low voice. “While their guard is down.”

“So ready to risk death, are you?” Brenwar said. “We wait. They’ll move along.”

“In a day. Maybe two. They wait for us. Those dragons are no fools.”

Ben was right. The dragons were biding their time. With such long lives, they could afford to. But Bayzog wasn’t sure if the dragons were hunting them or not. Why had they killed Otter Bone and Horse Neck? Was that who they hunted, or were they hunting all who opposed Barnabus now? He felt time pressing inside his chest. He and his friends needed to move. Find Nath. Bayzog couldn’t believe what he said next.

“We might have to take them out.”

Brenwar twisted his neck around.

“What?”

“It’s us or them now.”

“Are you feeling alright, elf?”

“Never better,” he said. “And we can’t avoid these conflicts forever. I say we take them out, as quickly as we can.”

“Are you sure it can’t wait a little longer?” Brenwar said. “They may pass.”

“They’ll have our scent soon enough. You know that. And since when do you prefer stealth over an attack?”

“Argh, since never.” Brenwar nodded. “What is the plan?”

“Just remember,” Bayzog said to Ben, “they have a breath weapon. Keep your distance.” He looked down at the stream full of dragons. “Wait for my signal. I’m going in.”

CHAPTER 3

Bayzog’s son Rerry strolled barefoot through their home in the city of Quintuklen. His stomach rumbled, and the smell of his mother’s cooking didn’t linger in the air. His brother, Samaz, sat at Bayzog’s great round table with his nose in a scroll. One of many that were scattered about.

“Where’s Mother?” Rerry said. He slid on his shoes near the fireplace, buckled on his sword, folded his arms across his chest, and waited for Samaz to answer. His brother slept even less than he did, so if their mother, Sasha, had left, then he’d know. He tapped his foot on the floor. “Samaz, you toad, where is Mother!”

Samaz’s head eased up. There was a sad look in his bigger, brooding, older brother’s eyes.

“What is it?” Rerry said. His blood raced. “What is wrong?”

Samaz wiped his robed sleeve across his brow and said, “She has not come home yet. She’s been gone since yesterday.” He swallowed. “That feeling … that feeling I’ve had, it’s gotten worse.”

In two quick steps, Rerry grabbed him by the collar and started to shake him.

“Why didn’t you wake me? Why didn’t you wake me, you oaf!”

With a single move, fast as a fly, Samaz brushed Rerry’s arms away and forced him backward.

“Because I’ve been trying to find her.” He tapped his meaty fingers on the table. “Using these scrolls. This feeling, Rerry,” he clutched his robes. “It won’t go away.”

“Then we need to find her,” Rerry said, taking a mail coat out of an open closet and buckling it on. “We need to go now.”

“Where do we start?” Samaz said.

“The gardens. Certainly someone saw her in the gardens.”

CHAPTER 4

Man-sized dragons. Emerald. Black tailed. Dark winged. They greeted Nath’s descent with open maws filled with sharp teeth. Plummeting through the air, Nath didn’t think. He reacted. He let go of the gnomes, crashed into one of the dragons, wrapped his arms around its neck, and squeezed.

Its wings flapped vigorously, but not for long. Nath pinned them down with his legs. The emerald dragon’s claws tore at him. They fell fast and hit hard.

Splash!

Deep into the water they sank. Fighting. The dragon’s tail coiled around his neck. It felt like an iron bar, choking him. Nath continued squeezing its serpentine neck. It snapped at him. Clawed at him as they sank deeper into the water. Nath sent his thoughts out to it.

I’m not giving in!

He didn’t know if they registered or not, but the tail did not loosen. His arms didn’t either. He was a dragon. His scales were steel. His muscles stronger than iron. He wrestled the dragon’s neck into the nook of his arm and put everything he had into it.

It’s me or you!

The dragon fought.

Nath fought back.

You cannot win! I’m Nath Dragon!

There was no give in the dragon. It was proud. Devoted. Its tail flexed and tried to pull Nath’s head from his shoulders.

It made him mad. He summoned his strength and wrenched its neck.

Pop!

The great green lizard went limp. Nath released it and watched it sink to the bottom, its beautiful form coming to rest on the great river’s floor. Lungs burning, he swam for the surface and emerged, gasping for air. Treading water and spinning around, he spied the gnomes, who were paddling their way toward the bank with a poor effort. They screamed back and forth at one another.

Great dragons!

The other emerald dragon slithered through the waters like a great snake, quick after the gnomes.

Nath yelled and waved his arm over his head, “Over here! Over here!”

The dragon’s neck snaked around, and evil intelligent eyes glared back into Nath’s. It went back and forth between him and the gnomes for only a moment before gliding after the gnomes.

No!

Nath swam, arms churning like paddles as fast as he could. He cut the distance in half while the gnomes scrambled up on the sandy riverbank, coughing and wheezing. One helped another and cried for the last to hurry along.

The dragon closed in on the last gnome in the water, and like a snake, it struck. Its jaws clamped down on the gnome’s leg and pulled it underneath the waters in a violent surge. All the gnomes screamed in horror.

Nath filled his lungs full of air and plunged into the waters. In seconds, he made out the shape of the dragon. The deeper he swam, the more he saw.

Swim faster!

He pulled Dragon Claw out of Fang’s hilt and closed in. He could see the gnome’s stubby fingers clawing for the surface, its little leg pinched between the dragon’s jaws. Nath reached out and locked one paw around the dragon’s arm, and with the other he struck. Dragon Claw’s glowing tip went deep. Straight into the head of the dragon beast. The fire in its eyes extinguished, and its jaw went slack.

Hurry!

He scooped the unmoving gnome up in his arms and swam for the surface. Seconds later, he carried the gnome’s limp form onto the riverbank, where the gnomes waited with tender looks on their faces, one and all.

They pushed Nath away and huddled around their friend. The throng of small river-soaked bodies started to chant and sway. Moments later, Snarggell stepped away with his head down.

“Flupplinn is gone.”

“I’m sorry,” Nath said. “I tried.”

“You hurried us from our home and into death,” Snarggell said, balling up his fists. “You’ve failed yourself. You’ve failed us all. Most of all Flupplinn.”

“Sorry,” Nath said, raising his eyes to the sky. He could see more dragons perched in the Floating City’s towers above. The shadow of the great city sent a chill through him. “We must go.”

“Go! We must have a burial, Rescue Murderer.”

“There’s no time for a burial,” Nath said. “I’ll carry Flupplinn. We can bury him later.” He moved toward the fallen body that lay still on the ground. The gnome’s small form was like that of a child, and Nath felt sadness run through him. He started to stoop down, but the gnomes stopped him.

“We’ll carry our own dead,” one said, “Rescue Murderer.”

“Be on with you now,” said another.

“Go, go away.”

“Rescue Murderer.”

“Safer with dragons, we were.”

“The lurker was safer too.”

The comments stung. Bit. But Nath didn’t have time for any of it. He didn’t have time to explain himself, and it wasn’t surprising that the gnomes didn’t see the truth of it. They’d gotten settled in their jaxite home.

He turned and faced Snarggell.

“I know this is hard, but it’s going to be much harder if you don’t come with me.”

“Are you going to snatch me up like a child again?”

Nath’s golden eyes flared. Smoke rolled from his nose.

“Alright,” Snarggell said, eyeing the city in the sky. His ancient eyes narrowed a little. “We’ll go with you then.”

“Good.”

Nath led them along the riverbank for about a half mile, keeping his eyes on the city behind him. The dragons remained still as gargoyles in their perches. Not a wing in the sky. His mind raced, wondering why they didn’t come. What were they waiting for? He glanced back at the gnomes. Four of them carried one dead friend. All of their faces were dour. It left a guilty feeling in him. But he hadn’t invaded the city to make friends. He had done it to put an end to the jaxite mining that allowed the Clerics of Barnabus to control the dragons. And to save Bayzog from Otter Bone’s spell.

My friend had better be in good order.

He pushed his way up the riverbank, through the clinging briars, and into the forest. The frozen stares of the dragons were now gone from his mind. He focused on catching up with Bayzog, Brenwar, and Ben.

A hundred yards deep in the forest, he pushed through the foliage and into a grove of pines. He came to a stop. The ground rumbled beneath his feet.

“What is it?” Snarggell said, squinting his eyes in the growing darkness. “Why did we stop?”

“Sh,” Nath said, staying the gnomes with his hand. He kneeled and put his palm on the ground. His nostrils flared. A moment later, birds exploded from the tree and the forest shook.

Ear-shattering roars filled the valley like thunder. Nath shrank back. The gnomes fell to their knees, quivering.

“What in Nuh-Nalzambor was that?” Snarggell said.

“Dragons,” Nath said, unsheathing Fang. “Bull dragons.”