The Exodus Sagas: Book II - Of Dragons And Crowns (41 page)

“My lady of Lazlette, may I inquire-“

“Call me Gwenne please, Lord
Cristoff of Saint Erinsburg.” s
he said it sharply to the esteemed veteran soldier. She hated the formality that carried with her name, since it had nothing to do with her powers at all, it was simply a reminder of who her mother was.

“Very well, Gwenne, why is it you disagree with the divine omens and heavenly gifts that Saberrak has been gifted? Did you not attend c
hurch or temple in Vallakazz?” h
is words were genuine, but he held back from asking what she thought of being the only one that heard nothing in the cavern, for Cristoff believed she was lying and had truly heard something but kept it to herself.

“I did when I was young, and most everything I have seen of religion can be explained by simple methods of very minor incantations that allow one to produce a desired affect. I have argued the powers of faith versus the study of arcane arts with several priests, only to find what they had was terribly weak compared to what I could perform. Divinity is weak, false, and requires far too much blind belief for me.” Gwenneth
avoided the questions pertaining to Saberrak, hoping her thoughts on religion were enough to keep him satisfied.

“So do you feel the same about Azenairk then, and the voice in the light we all heard?”

“Zen is different, he does not preach to us
n
or try to explain every little thing in the world as being the result of a God that he has specific relations with. He is humble, reserved, and has a gift that is not like any temple clergyman I have met
in person
. I have seen his little miracles or divine magicks, they are true and real, unlike many of the priests who claim to have done things before but cannot explain how or why. Zen is blessed
, and I will leave it at that.”
Gwenne turned her head back to the front, seeing the ground getting closer.

Cristoff spoke louder as the wind picked up. “And the minotaur?”

“Cursed.
Whatever was in that scroll is gone, and it went into him. It cannot be traced, but we all know it is there and has had an effect on him. If it were good and divine, why would it be hidden? It is hidden from my powers and skills, likely for a reason, and there is something there that is telling him to do things he would not normally do. You can keep your blind faith in it all
if
you like, my lord, but I know deception
when I see it. I say it is a curse in the guise of a
blessing, and it will come
to remind us of that someday.” Gwenne tightened her hand around a large red scale as the dragon glided across the open ground beside a barren hill at the bottom of the mountain.
Her wings went up, and the motion slowed into a hovering and then they landed.

Saberrak, Cristoff, and Gwenneth slid down the side of Ansharr as she crouched low on all fours to ensure they would not have far to drop. “I will return in a
short while with the others.” t
he dragon beat her wings hard and lifted off of the ground slowly, safely away from her recent passengers. She rose in the air, short dives into glides, then one after another, she flew off and up toward the top of the mountain.

“Sometimes, young wizard, blind faith in things majestic and unexplainable is all we have to go on.” Cristoff watched the dragon fade from view into the afternoon sky, still feeling the sensation of flying in his body as he stood firm on the ground.

“And sometimes the truth need be found by those edu
cated and skilled.
The majestic and mythical wonders all came from somewhere, and nothing is unexplainable, my lord. I would think the poor blind man would give anything to have the understanding, power, and reason of a wizard of the arcane. Knowledge is power, my lord, plain and simple. Blind faith is for
those that do not have the ability
to find the truth and need
to put
some
meaning to their
measly
lives.” Gwenne walked over to sit by a stump of a dead tree by the road.
She pulled out the tome of the draconic language that Ansharr had given her, and began to read. The tongue was old Agarian, but she understood it well enough to absorb the written words. Gwenne knew that to uncover the powers that lay in the staff of I
moch, and to enhance her skills
beyond her mother’s or those of Kalzarius, she would have to fully grasp all
that was in this book and more; e
specially if, and when, she reached the fabled librabry of Car
ados in the lost city of Mooncr
est.

Gwenneth saw Cristoff give up his battle of questions, resigned and reserved with a sigh. She smiled, knowing that her knowledge of things would always win over those of forced faith and hopeful divine explanation.
Her professors, her mother, and most every student at the academy in Vallakazz had been secretly in awe of her ability to retain what she learned. Gwenne enjoyed philosophical debate, especially with those far less educated than her that held positions of elevated power. Nothing pleased her more than to put another noble in their place in regards to religious and spiritual beliefs, for Gwenneth Lazlette had none of her own, save that what she had was vastly more potent and tangible.

James I
I:I

Soujan Mountain, Harlaheim

His mind could barely concentrate on anything besides the woman’s voic
e, a voice only he had heard
most unexpected
ly
. Despite being on the back of a gigantic ancient red dragon with Shinayne and Azenairk; James was focused on the confusion of that m
oment earlier in the
morning. The veteran knight of the kingdom of Chazzrynn had seen signs before. His gift of healing with a touch of his hand had been there since he was a child; the faint blue glow that he had though
t
required prayer to Alden was something few knew of. The feeling of wholeness in the churches of his youth, the wolf on the battlefield that superstitiously warned him of danger, and the man with the glowing eyes under the ruins of Arouland all felt connected and spiritual to him.
Now, t
h
ey all confused him
. He had thought himself blessed by Alden, pious and exceptional, and that his purpose fell in line with the tenants of Aldane religion and disciplines. Now, the scroll and the man were undoubtedly Annar, the brother of Alden who had been lost from the world of men for thousands of years. And when a divine omen between he and the recipient of some powers of the scroll made contact, it was not the voice of the Lord of Heaven he heard, in fact far from it.

All James Andellis could think of was her haunting voice, soothing and soft, yet undeniably powerful and all knowing. The dragon turned to dive through some passing clouds above the valley, yet the human knight could feel nothing of the breeze, only the numbness of his fleeting faith. His whole life had been devoted to Southwind Keep, the kingdom of Chazzrynn, and Alden. He knew nothing else, until these past few weeks in Harlaheim with a wizard, and elf, a dwarven priest of a foreign deity, and a savage minotaur. Although
they were
his closest companions now for certain, Sir James had forcefully had his eyes opened to a much larger world of belief.
He stared at the red feathered cross on his white tabard and wondered what the meaning of it all truly was.

Ansharr landed on the open ground near Saberrak, Cristoff, and Gwenneth. In the fog of his disturbed thoughts, James had not realized that Shinayne and Zen had slid down the side of the dragon. He sat alone on her back, the others staring up at him in silence as he stared down and the large dark red scales.

“Sir James
, what troubles thee so heavily?” the soft voice of the dragon whispered into his ear as she turned her neck and head close to him so the others would not hear.

“I have nothing, great Ansharr. I felt a woman’s voice, her sadness, her commands to me this morning. I
t
was the Goddess
Seirena
, though I kn
ow not her reasons
. I am so confused and lost at what it is I am to do.” James hung his head, ran his fingers through his brown hair in frustration, then looked at the enormous round eyes of red and silver that were so close to him.

“She is Seirena, the Goddess of the earth, of life, th
e great mother of the children of the moons
. I am sure you will understand in time, do not force it. When you know, you know. I have a strong feeling you and I wi
ll meet again James Andellis.” s
he whispered with a smile.

“Why would the old pagan Goddess of the earth speak to me? I have never spoke her name, paid her homage, nor seen or heard of anything to do with her. All my life I have fought for-“

“
Things change, brave knight, they do. You are meant to understand when the Gods will it, not when you demand. Remember this, no God or Goddess would abandon you when you needed them most. If you feel it to be more overwhelming than you can fathom in the weeks and months to come, return here. I will explain it to you. But, for now, our paths must go their separate ways, and you need to join your friends. They will need you on this journey, to whatever end.”
Ansharr lowered her folded wing
and allowed James to slide off easily to the ground.

James stood on the ridged back of the titani
c winged wyrm
and stepped off, the worn steel shield strapped to his left arm. He floated slowly to the ground, the magical enchantments of the round defensive piece or armor preventing his fall. James knelt when he touched the hard dirt road and bowed
his head to Ansharr. “
I will see you again then, great dragon of the mountain. May Alden bless thee for you assistance and wisdom.”

“And may you be blessed by all whom watch over you, James Andellis. Farewell.” Ansharr bowed in return to the knight. She hoped that she had helped give him a bit of peace and direction, for even she was confused why such a spiritually injured soldier of Alden would be troubled with omens from the Goddess. Ansharr learned long ago, however, not to question the will of the Mother
. Her ways were
mysterious and deep,
never without purpose.

“And what will you do now
, Ansharr?” Lady T’Sarrin asked. H
er awe remained as she felt her heart not wanting to say good bye to the ancient dragon.

“I think I will send for an old friend. Kalzarius and I have not spent time together for many years and I am curious if he has any new tricks of the arcane to teach me.”

“K
alzarius teaches you? I would think it quite the opposite.” Gwenne was surprised and showed it for once. She was curious as to how a two thousand year old dragon had anything to learn from a human wizard who was perhaps a century old or so.

“Ahhh, young Lazlette, we dragons learn many gifts of the arcane naturally and from our fathers, but it is different in the
practice and manner of study,
therefore restricting what we know. You humans and elves seem to be far more diligent and creative with the arts, and for some of us that lavish the crafts of magic, well, we have to make unusual friends.” Ansharr stretched her wings and rested
down for a moment as she had not flown this much in decades.

“Are all dragons as wise and honorable as you Ansharr? Stories passed down say many things great and terrible about your kind.” James rose from his kneeling stance, feeling a semblance of peace wash over him as he tried to push his confused spiritual dilemma to the back of
his mind
.
He looked at the deep red claws on her feet, up past the loose scales of her muscled legs, and to her rich red underbelly that was much lighter and younger than the dark r
ed scales on her back that
curled from age in several places.

“No, for certain not. My kind came from the north as well, most of us anyway. Hunted
by the Azorim sorcerers for our powers, by the Tethese for glory, and protected for a time by the Sol Qutan tribesman. When the Azorim conquered
all
the northern kingdoms many
thousands of years ago and became the Altestan empires, we were driven out or killed, much like the elves, dwarves, and o
ther races that were unlike the supposed ruling and chosen
human
s
of Altestan
.
The Azoteth, as they are known now, are the sorcerers that have hunted out the arcane from the remnants of the first Azorim dynasty.
Many of my kind
forgot their history, their gifts, and have become savage beasts without conscience. I am ashamed to say it, but you must be wary of dragons for there are few of us remaining that have love for anything or anyone.
My k
ind will see most any of you a threatening predator
or a simple meal
.
”
Ansharr lowered her head
and closed her eyes deep in thought of the tragic fates that have enveloped dragonkind since she had been born.

“My sympathies and blessings, but how will we know which dragon to trust and which to not?” James looked to the road ahead north, and to his friends eagerly awaiting travel.