The Chronicles of Dragon Collection (Series 1 Omnibus, Books 1-10) (142 page)

CHAPTER 29

Ben warmed his hands over a small fire just inside the mouth of a cave.

“Every time the sun drops, my bones get cold. And the rain makes my knuckles ache and my scars throb.” He glanced at Nath. “Do you have any aches and pains?”

Inside, Nath hurt. Selene had been gone seven years, but it felt like she had died yesterday.

“I’m fine.” Nath tossed a stick into the fire. “So get on with it. Where is everyone?”

“Barnabus has the world under its thumb. Men have been wiped out. Women and children enslaved.”

“All men?”

“Of course not. But after Quintuklen was stifled, it scattered them all. The Legionnaires that numbered thousands strong are maybe a few hundred now.”

It riled him. But men, always so conflicted with one another, were so easily scattered, unlike the other races that clung tightly together.

“Morgdon and Elome work together, though,” Ben said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Never imagined they’d team up as they did, but it was either that or annihilation. For seven years they’ve defended their lands from the wicked humanoid forces. Orcs, gnolls, and goblins swarm over and over. I’ve seen it for myself.

“Is that where Brenwar and Bayzog are?”

Shrugging, Ben stirred a stick in the fire. “I suppose. But I never know what they’re thinking.”

“What of the dragons?”

“They still war all over. Some with the races. Others without. It depends. I’ve seen quite a few while you’ve been asleep. But the battles are one thing and the search for you is another.” Ben combed his fingers through his beard. “Barnabus’s forces still search for you. I don’t think the dragon warlord is fully committed in his triumph until he knows you’re through. Things are at a standstill of sorts. Like the Truce, but worse.” His eyes reflected the firelight. “They’re sharpening their claws. Holding their foul, furnace-hot breath. Waiting for you to surface.”

“I’m here now,” Nath said, looking at his hand. His golden-yellow claws were as sharp as ever. His scales twinkled in the firelight. He was hungry. Hungry for another crack at Gorn Grattack. “So what was the plan once I awakened?”

“Ah,” Ben said, nodding. “I almost had forgotten.” He yawned. “Or have I forgotten? I haven’t thought about that for quite some time.” He shook his head. “I’m not so old, am I? Only fifty seasons.”

“Ben,” Nath said, aggravated, “how did you go about taking turns watching me? Was there a signal? Something? Anything?”

“Normally someone would just show up. Rerry and Samaz did. But now, I’m not so sure. Maybe something happened to them? I can’t be certain.”

“Ben, do you feel all right?”

“I’m just tired, Dragon. It’s been a long day.” Ben lay down on his blanket and fell fast asleep.

“Ben?”

Nath was surprised that his friend was out cold. And even more surprised that Ben seemed so old. Something was out of place that he couldn’t put his finger on. The world was off. Out of place.

Am I still dreaming?

Ben stirred and rustled in his armor. The beaten breastplate from his brief stint with the Legionnaires had held up quite well. It was good work for something that wasn’t dwarven.

Nath grabbed a blanket out of Ben’s pack and covered his friend. He then headed out of the cave to stretch his legs. The air was brisk, and a cool drizzle was coming down. The sensation felt soothing for a change.

Learn to appreciate the little things.

He glanced up the hill. The firelight in the cave was dim. Nath fought the urge to wake Ben back up and ask more questions. He needed to know where everyone was. Where to start? Where to go? It seemed Ben didn’t know anything. Perhaps that was by design. It was the best way to keep everyone safe. The less everyone knew, the better. It was the best way to protect Nath and everyone else.

But I can’t just stand around. Not after seven years.

Nath wanted to take flight. Get a good look around. He glanced back again.

He never left me. I can’t ever leave him. Just let him rest. I’m sure he’ll have answers tomorrow. I slept seven years, so what’s one more night?

Nath sat on the hillside and reflected on things. He could turn into a dragon now and still just as easily maintain a man’s form. He tossed a small ball of orange and blue fire from palm to palm, wondering what other powers he might have. He needed to understand them, but he had no one to teach him. Selene could have, and had to some degree, but she had also deceived him. And where had Sansla Libor taken her? He closed his eyes and took a long draw of breath through his nostrils.

Focus, Nath. Trust your instincts.

He heard Ben’s heartbeat, slow, steady, and strong. Animals prowled the night. Pixlyns sang the song of crickets. The gentle wind tickled the leaves. The night could bring terror, but it could also bring peace. He eased his clawed hands into the ground. He felt the trepidation deep in the bowels of the world. Its life was in jeopardy. It was on a course that ended in death.

Where do I resume this battle? Where do I start?

He meditated until the dawn’s light caught his face.

He felt an unnatural tremor nearby. A rustle of armor. He cocked his head.

Two men approached on cat’s feet. He felt their hearts pounding in their chests.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Nath remained still.

Let the bandits strike. Their blades can’t cut my scales.

The soft shuffles came closer and closer. Nath could feel hard eyes on his back.

“If you’re going to kill me,” Nath said, raising his arms above his head, “Make it swift.”

CHAPTER 30

Gorn Grattack’s eyes popped open. Smoke rolled from his nose. He lifted his ten-foot-tall frame from his throne and stepped down off the dais. Standing as a man, he stroked the horns on his head and spoke to one of the many draykis that guarded the throne room inside the Floating City.

“I sense our enemy has awakened.” He lifted his chin toward the glass dome above. “I can feel him.” He clenched his clawed fists. “And I hate it.”

“Shall I send more out in the search for him?” the winged draykis commander said.

“No, I will see to it that he comes to us. Come.”

Gorn’s tail slithered behind his back as he headed out of the throne room into the city. Legions of skeleton soldiers waited outside the cathedral that Gorn departed. Their black eyes flared with life and hunger. Gorn’s towering frame waded through them and down the street. Above, dragons crowed and snorted. Hundreds could be seen perched on spires and rooftops. Their eyes glowed green with energy. They were under Gorn’s control, thanks to the power of the jaxite stones, and for seven years his army had been growing.

He strode down the streets toward the Floating City’s edge. A grey-stone building stood in his path, dark and grim. Skeleton soldiers pulled open the tall iron doors as he approached. Unaccompanied, Gorn went in. He stood in the inner courtyard of a small covered prison. There were barred chambers three stories tall, open, most of them abandoned and empty.

Gorn’s rough voice echoed in the cold chamber. “I have great news.”

Several torches that illuminated the cages that lay in the room flickered at the sound of his voice.

Gorn headed for the largest one in the center. A lone figure leaned against the bars, huddled in tattered robes, shivering. There were other cages, but they were empty. Lying on the stone floor nearby were dragons, grey scalers. Heads down, their tongues slithered from their mouths.

“I said, I have news.” Gorn banged on the cage. “Nath Dragon is awake. How does that make you feel? Hopeful?”

From underneath the hood, a pair of violet eyes fastened on Gorn’s.

“I’m hopeful? Aren’t you, Bayzog?”

The part-elf wizard rose to his feet and coughed. Shackled, he teetered toward the bars, clasped his grubby hands on them, and faced off with Gorn. “The end nears, and I couldn’t be gladder.”

“I’m thrilled you share my thoughts,” Gorn said. “And now it’s time to draw out our needle in the haystack.”

“I’ve told you everything. I don’t know where he is.”

“Don’t toy with me, Bayzog! You might not know where he is, but you do know how to find him!”

“We’ve danced this dance before, to no avail. And it’s not my life I’m worried about. Even if I could help, I would never yield.”

“No, I’m certain you won’t.” Gorn snapped his fingers. The iron doors opened, and the draykis marched three hooded figures inside. “But perhaps they will.”

Bayzog stiffened.

Gorn stepped back and grabbed the hood on the nearest one. “We recently came across some persons you might be interested in.”

Bayzog’s eyes shone like moons as he pressed his face against the bars.

Gorn pulled off the hood, and there stood Sasha.

“No!”

“Yes,” Gorn replied. He plucked off the other two hoods, revealing Rerry and Samaz. “Tell me how to find Nath Dragon, or I’ll make your family pay.”

CHAPTER 31

“I ought to kill you,” Brenwar’s strong voice said, “fer falling asleep again.”

Nath twisted around and jumped to his feet. “Brenwar!”

With War Hammer slung across his back, the dwarf stood as tall and stout as ever. His beard was still mostly a prominent black, but more grey had taken over.

Pilpin stood beside him. “Enjoy your nap?”

“It’s good to see you, too,” Nath said. He stepped forward and clasped Pilpin’s hand. “The both of you.”

“It’s good to see you on your feet, Nath,” Pilpin said, combing his beard. “Especially during the exciting times we live in. I’m glad you’re back.”

Both of the dwarves were worse for wear. Their breastplates were dented, scars raced along their corded arms, and their other garments were tattered and rumpled.

“You knew where to find me, didn’t you?” Nath said to Brenwar.

Brenwar pulled a spyglass from his pocket and rattled it in the air. “I wasn’t letting you out of my sight no matter what Bayzog said. Not again. I’ve always been around, and if not me, Pilpin kept an eye out.”

“Does Ben know this?”

Brenwar shook his head. “He’s a bit daffy after he took a hard shot on the head. A giant clipped him good a while back.” Brenwar spied the cave. “Asleep is he? Hmmm.”

“He did seem a bit off. Is he all right?”

“He’s fine. Just fuzzy on the details of things. Nothing to worry about. He’s as good a fighter as ever.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“He’s fine.”

“Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t tell me anything. I asked and asked, but he was a bit clueless.”

Brenwar sank the axe end of his war hammer into a fallen log. “We’re here to fill you in. What do you know?”

“It’s only been a day …” Nath proceeded to tell all that Ben had shared. “And I’m eager to get on with things. Where’s Bayzog? He still lives, does he not?”

Brenwar looked away at Pilpin, who was staring at him.

“He’s dead?” Nath asked.

“No, just missing. It’s been a few years.”

Nath’s heart sank. “What happened?”

“Don’t know. We’ve had a rendezvous set up years in advance and he hasn’t been at the last few.”

“We think Gor—”

“Don’t say it,” Brenwar said to Pilpin.

“You really think that?”

“He’s not with the elves, and not even Shum and Hoven can find him.”

“At least the Roamers are still with us,” Nath said. “What about my father? Is he still aiding in all this?”

“Your father’s forces thin, Nath, but they still fight. Many have been tempted and taken by that city that floats on the jaxite.”

Nath rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Don’t you think we should rally one massive army to defeat them?”

“I believe that’s where you come in.”

“Me?”

“The dragons won’t listen to
us
.”

“They never listened to me before.”

Brenwar eyed his scales. “I’ve a feeling they will now.”

“Perhaps.”

“Pilpin, go and rustle Ben up, we need to get moving.”

The small dwarven warrior hopped to his feet and scurried away.

“I saw what you did to those draykis,” Brenwar said.

“And?”

“You should’ve had enough sense to bury them. Not long after we came along, others started to pick at them.” He scratched his beard. “I don’t think it will take long for the forces of Barnabus to figure out you are near.”

“You said we needed to get moving. If so, where are we going?”

“You woke up at the right time, it seems.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s near time for the next rendezvous.”

“And where might that be?”

Brenwar rubbed his face and muttered under his beard, “Near the City of Waste and Ruin.”

“I’ve never heard of that.”

“Quintuklen.”

Nath swallowed. “Ben says the Floating City is there. Why would you pick such a risky place to meet?’

“Because it was still a city when we made the plan. Can’t help the fact it’s not there now. It’s still the plan. Now let’s get moving. I’ve got a strange feeling in my bones.”

So do I
, Nath thought.
So do I.