A dragonslayers tale
Chapter 17: A smitten dwarf

Rhuk and Dabin were running as fast as they could and now their short stubby bodies did prove to be a good thing. They could hide easily and they saw that something indeed was happening, the guards were running as fast as they could and the population of the city started to wake up from their slumber. Lights came on in many houses and Rhuk was racing ahead and he was using his eyes well. There were obvious differences there when one got a view of the area, the good housing was near the citadel but here near the cliff it was almost a slum. The buildings were badly constructed and most were made from debris. If there were slaves in this city that would be where they were kept and Dabin stared at the rather rackety constructions and he didn’t even dare to think about what a fire there could do of damage. There was an open sewer running along the narrow streets and the place did stink. The poor lived there and it was a screaming contrast to the lovely villas they could spot near the citadel. A stench of dirt and rot hang heavy in the air and Rhuk did sneeze. “This smells like Tersus on a good day”

Dabin giggled and suddenly he saw something on a wooden beam, it was a small symbol carved into the wood and it was half hidden. He pointed at it. “Look, a rune, a dwarven rune”

Rhuk ran over, let his fingers glide over it and his eyes were alight with eager joy. “It isn’t old, just a couple of years at the most”

Dabin nodded. “There has to be dwarves here, we have got to find them”

They did wander through the narrow streets, eyes never resting on something for too long and they heard a lot of voices but nobody entered the street. It was rather obvious that this place was unsafe when it was dark. Rhuk was holding his axe ready and Dabin was constantly listening for any signs of danger. They had walked for a couple of blocks when they suddenly saw several buildings up ahead with a very dwarven design. They were made from rock, not wood and even if the building material had to be rather inferior there was strength in the walls. Rhuk almost shouted, there were lights in some of them and he nodded at Dabin. “We were right, there is other of our people here”

Dabin swallowed hard. “But are they friendly, and will they help us?”

Rhuk straightened himself up. “That my friend remains to be seen”

He walked towards one of the buildings with his heart hammering. “Let me do the talking”

Dabin just shrugged and followed, they had to try, there wasn’t any way around it.

Zaray had taken the rest of the group through a narrow side canyon nobody seemed to use and they entered an area closer to the main gate of the city, it wasn’t part of the slum but the buildings were few and very old and some areas between them were open. Thiana just blinked, the ground was covered with plants and she looked at Zaray. “A garden?!”

Zaray nodded. “Yes, they do grow herbs and vegetables. It is very useful here and needed. I bet you can work from here?”

The two wood elves did nod and they walked around a little before they found a spot where they could connect with the land. Dhokay and Shaluun and Phraan did found some huge crates which were used to transport the vegetables and placed them so that the two would be hidden from sight, Ivran and Thiana did look very determined but also nervous, what they were about to do was difficult and they weren’t at all sure they would be able to fulfil it at all. Zaray smiled at them. “Shaluun, you can guard them, make sure that none interrupt them”

The elf nodded and swung his axe. “Right, so, what are you to do?”

Zaray turned her head, the dragon had followed them without really making much out of itself but now it did seem eager. “I think there is something this one wants to show us?”

Phraan saw that the huge creature was staring at the citadel and its eyes were rather telling for there was hate in them. “We will follow him”

Shaluun nodded and Ivran did look a bit nervous. “I can sense that something is changing here, I think there are problems coming”

Phraan swallowed. “Well, if Tersus does manage to get the wall up and running again we have one less problem”

Zaray sent him a very stiff grin. “Yes, and then we’ll get rid of the brotherhood, I don’t want a single one of them to remain here alive”

Dhokay did pet his hammer. “That can become a true challenge, this city is large and I bet the citadel is full of hidden exits. It will be like chasing voles, but we’ll try.”

She stared at them and her eyes were blazing. “Believe me, if just one of those chaos worshipers are allowed to get out of here the goddamn brotherhood may survive and start growing anew. We cannot let that happen.”

Ivran frowned. “But what about the balance then? There has to be a balance yes?”

Zaray turned to him and her expression did soften. She smiled at him. “Yes, but that balance will come naturally, it will be the creative forces of light versus the destructive powers of darkness yet again, in the form of nature”

Ivran sighed. “Alright, but I think we ought to get going then”

Phraan did notice that the cat stayed close to him, and it had always put himself between Phraan and Fastonar. The knight did look as if he was confused now, as if he didn’t know what to do and Phraan tried not to sneer when looking at him. The huge feline did confirm what Phraan already knew within his heart, the question was just why, and how?

Shaluun did hide among the crates and Phraan was rather confident that he would be able to protect the two wood elves, Zaray did follow the dragon and the huge beast did move with surprising stealth. It was heading towards the heart of the city and Phraan was a bit confused by that but he didn’t question its decision. There had to be something there which was important. The cat too was on guard now and Phraan could see that it was angry, its fur did stand up on its back and it was growling. It didn’t like this place at all.

Taurin and Thiana sat down on the ground and they smiled at each other. This valley had been a beautiful oasis once upon a time, a place of growth and plenty in the middle of the rather barren mountains, they would make sure that it returned to its former glory. Both let their hands slide into the soil and they started to hum. Their souls tried to unite with the land and slowly they did descend into a deep trance. Shaluun did see that both had started to glow slightly and he cringed, even behind the crates that light was visible with the naked eye, he just prayed that nobody would come this way.

The wall which had been built to protect the city was rather tall and it was a lovely work of art with elegant lines and strong turrets but it hadn’t really been intended to protect the city against an attack. Several mages came to the wall now using their magic to transport themselves and at first it was sheer curiosity which drove them there. When the older experienced mages did show up it was already rather clear that this was something none of them had been able to imagine. The valley in front of the city was teeming with dragons and they were changed. It seemed as if the magic which had been reshaping them had gone wild as they were being moved out of the pens and to the other side of the city and these beasts were truly monstrous. It looked as if several dragons had merged with each other and the dreghil and elementals had grown into giants. The undead wolf creatures had also grown and the mages started creating a magical barrier once again. Suddenly they were in a hurry, the huge army of monsters wasn’t too far away and flames and acid did almost reach the wall already. Siverel did arrive with the mages of his level, they stared at the terrible sight and Siverel started to shout orders. The wall they were standing on was more than a mile and a half long and it wasn’t really tall. The gate had been shut with both solid doors, metal grids and spells so that wasn’t in any way a weak point but these huge beasts could most certainly get over the wall with ease. Thankfully it seemed as if most of these dragons were too large to fly, and their wings did seem to be crippled. Siverel remembered an old prophecy all of a sudden, that the dragons would bring doom onto them all and he swallowed hard. The truth was that this could happen and happen easily too.

The city guards had gathered and the area behind the wall was open so there was room for all sorts of weapons but unfortunately the city had never been under siege so they didn’t have much of anything. Who would dare to attack their city when it was protected by dark mages? Only a madman!

Siverel saw that several of the brotherhood had arrived too and they did look shocked and terrified, Buraz was pale and Arabur did waddle around behind him like some half stuffed couch. Siverel just loathed fat people and he had never liked Arabur’s personality, the man was just bothersome and he didn’t know when to shut up. Siverel swallowed hard and tried to focus, the magical barrier was up for sure but it seemed to be weaker than it ought to be. He opened himself up to the force of their magic and what he felt made him wince and stare down in shock and disbelief. The hidden source of their energy and power, it wasn’t there! Or rather, it was there, but he couldn’t tap into it. Siverel realized that this could end in disaster, without the magic they did drain out of the heart stone they were only half as strong as before. It wasn’t possible, how could the ancient power have disappeared like that? He was sweating and he saw that several of the others had noticed the change too. They were pale and Siverel took a deep breath. Something had hijacked their power source, and it could very well be responsible for the fact that the pens opened up and that the dragons didn’t leave the valley at all.

He saw that some of the other experienced mages did organize the defence of the wall and the city, he grasped onto one of the other mages there and his face was stern and his eyes dark. “Come with me brother, there is something going on here, and I need help. We have to figure this out before it is too late”

The other man was one of his most trusted mages and he was also very good at thinking quickly and outside of the box. “Of course my lord, what has really happened?”

Siverel sneered. “The source, something has happened to it, and I have no idea of what! We have to check it out. Return with me to the citadel Adrall, we have to investigate this”

Adrall bowed deeply and they grasped onto each other, let the magic carry them back to Siverel’s office. There had to be a way to investigate what this was about. Siverel did grasp a huge crystal which was meant to increase the carriers own powers and he gave one to Adrall too. “Come with me, we are going to the great hall, right now!”

The two mages did run down the stairs, this time they were in a real haste.

Crassian and the men he had chosen did ride hard, they had covered a lot of ground in a few days and they had seen that the dragons had obliterated many small societies. There were few survivors where the monsters had attacked if any at all and the cold had preserved the scenes of slaughter. They hadn’t stopped, they couldn’t afford to lose any time and it was obvious that the dragons were ahead of them now, heading south just as they were. They would have to catch up with them, and pass them by and Crassian did doubt that it was even possible. The winged dragons did seem to wait for the ones who couldn’t fly but still they moved very fast. They had all left one horse each behind now and they did only stop to let the animals drink and eat some oats. Crassian was feeling how despair threatened to overwhelm him completely, they wouldn’t reach the larger cities before it was too late, he was rather sure of this.

They were riding along the river marking the border to the great sand plains when one of the men did shout out, he was pointing at something behind them and Crassian did stop the panting horse and turned in the saddle. What he saw made his heart sink, it was another horde of dragons and monsters and this was huge and moving fast. He grasped the reins and checked the terrain. “We have once chance, those cliffs over there, we have to get to them and seek shelter before it is too late”

The men nodded and spurred the horses and the spare horses did follow them now, they felt the darkness approaching and got scared. The cliff was rather large and very visible in the landscape and Crassian knew that they were like sitting ducks out there on the plain, he could sense the oncoming dragons like a weight upon his soul and he saw that every species was represented. He rode for his life and the cliff was still far away. He realized that they wouldn’t reach it in time and he did something he had seen the desert tribes do. He let himself fall off the horse and hit the ground hard, it knocked the air out of him and his back hurt but he rolled away from the horses and rolled into a bush. The soil was loose there and he pushed himself into the ground with his heart hammering. The horses just galloped on and the other riders did the same as him. They sought shelter in the low but dense bushes and covered themselves with sand, the dust cloud kicked up by the hooves ought to hide them.

Crassian held his breath, the first dragons did fly overhead and the herd of horses did spread out, he wondered if the dragons would bother with some loose horses. Some did in fact chase after the running animals and a couple were snatched and killed by some large dragons which looked a little like storm fires but had the wings of iron bellies. Crassian didn’t see what happened to the rest, dust was rising in huge clouds and he just pushed himself into the sand and prayed for there were dragons running along the ground too and he did also see other creatures in the clouds. He closed his eyes, pretended not to be there, some animals can sense a presence and he had learned that the best way to avoid detection was to be completely relaxed.

He heard screams and his heart did almost stop, his comrades had apparently been seen and they hadn’t stood a chance. He was lying in a slope and he was buried deeper in the sand than they were, he just hoped it would save him. The ground did shake, there were hundreds of creatures passing him by and he wondered if this could be the final rest of what the dark mages had conjured up. He hoped it was, if there was more hope was meaningless. He laid there for a long time, barely breathing, not moving a muscle and the ground stopped moving and the dust did settle again. Yet he didn’t move until it started to get dark and the temperature did drop very low. He was a man who was used to discipline and he knew how to push himself beyond his own limits. He got out of the sand and felt that his ribs had taken a beating when he fell off the horse, there wasn’t anything left of his fellow riders, just a few specks of blood in the sand and he swallowed hard, he had lead them to their deaths but he couldn’t regret it now. He had to think of his own survival and he didn’t have anything left except his clothes and the blades he wore on his body. The huge pack was long gone and his soul wept for anybody who got caught in their path. He sighed and tried to review the situation, no food, no water and no horse. He was rather sure that the horses were dead, the dragons had probably eaten them all. He believed that until he heard distant neighing and he gasped and ran up the hill, what he saw made him breathe a huge sigh of relief. It was a horse, and it was unharmed. It had probably fallen and gotten hidden by some very tall bushes and the dragons had ignored it. It was a very lanky looking gelding and it didn’t have a saddle or anything but it was better than nothing. The animal was scared out of its wits and the ears lay flat backwards as he approached it but he did manage to calm it down with some soothing words and before long he could mount it.

He did ride in circles and did find the remains of two other horses, one had a saddle and some stuff was still attached to it. He salvaged a blanket and a canteen and a small pack of food. At least he was safe for the moment and he did kick the horse into trot. He had no other option but to follow the dragons yet again, sooner or later he had to encounter humans again, or at least the remains of some farm or village. He said a prayer for his fallen friends, then he focused on staying on a steady course. The road leading south was very good there and he could keep a steady pace. Here and here he did see the remains of animals the dragons had killed, and they had scorched the land. There weren’t any living beings left except small ground burrowing mammals. Even the birds were silent and he got a feeling that he was riding towards a scene of complete destruction. He would soon reach the first cities of the southern territories, and he already knew what he would face. Yet he couldn’t hesitate, there could be survivors and he changed his intentions from warning the cities to saving whatever was left. He just hoped that he would be able to do at least something good.

Rhuk did walk up to the door of the house and took a deep breath, he could smell that there were dwarves there but the scent was different from what he was used to. It was the smell of someone who is weak and malnourished and he realized that these dwarves were very poor indeed. He knocked, three times, then he waited for a few seconds and knocked two times more. It was an ancient signal most dwarves would know, it meant that the one knocking was a friend and they heard the sound of movement from within. Rhuk held his breath, the door was opened rather slowly and he stared into the most incredible pair of eyes he had ever seen, bright blue and surrounded by a face sporting a huge and wild beard with the same colour as a ripe field of wheat. It was a dwarrow dam and she was the most incredible creature he had seen in spite of her obvious poverty. Most female dwarves would wear jewellery but she had none and the dress was made from burlap and so small it would have been regarded as nothing but a flimsy shift back in the large dwarven cities. She was young and her shoulders wide and by every deity she was hairy! Rhuk just gaped and blinked and Dabin saw that the one in the door was a female and swore to himself. The young female did look scared and Rhuk did look like some moron. Dabin bowed his head. “Pardon us fair maiden, we are new to the city and saw that there are dwarves here. “

She gasped. “New? There haven’t been any new dwarves here for ages, oh thank the God of the hammer and steel, are you here to save us?”

Rhuk grinned, a rather wide and very blissful smile, his eyes were glued to her thick and long beard and the fact that she was a busty one too. “Aye my golden one, we are here to save ya”

The girl sort of yipped and pulled them in through the door, the room was cold and dank and very dark and just a few embers did glow in the hearth. The house was not very cosy at all and Dabin saw some rats sitting in a corner, gnawing at an old sheep hide. He hissed and shuddered. Rhuk did bow down, deeply. “I am Rhuk of the Black mountains and this is Dabin, we have arrived here today to end the scourge of the dragons and their masters”

The girl sort of giggled, and Dabin did see that she had rather large feet and since she wore no shoes he could see that she indeed had very hairy feet too. Rhuk was almost drooling. “Alone?”

Rhuk shook his head. “Nay precious one, we are a part of a group, pray tell, what is your name most fair among creatures?”

The young dwarrowdam did blush violently and looked down. “I am Goldren, daughter of Gereb and Libha.”

They heard some sounds from the back of the room and Rhuk frowned, the young one did send them a sad smile. “My poor father, he…isn’t well”

Rhuk swallowed hard. “Please, how many dwarves are there here? And why?”

Goldren sat down, she was way too skinny for a dwarrowdam, she should have had way more curves than she had. “We are two hundred in all, most males. Some are very old. We were brought here to build the city but it is a very long time ago and the masters have used us for all other sorts of work afterwards but now we are just slaves and we don’t get much of anything. We are no longer needed”

Dabin had to growl a bit, no longer needed…That was rather obvious, the house didn’t contain anything at all except the bare necessities. Rhuk frowned . “That is terrible, and two hundred? That is many? Haven’t anyone tried to get out of here?”

She sighed and there were more sounds coming from the back of the room. “Some have tried but the magic holds us here, and if we are caught, well, death would be a blessing.”

She moved over to a bed hidden in a corner and Dabin let out a small shriek,, an elderly dwarf lay in it and he was blind, both eyes had been stabbed out and he made some odd sounds which indicated that his tongue had been cut out as well. Goldren did hand a cup of something over to the old dwarf and he grasped it with shaking hands. Rhuk saw that several fingers were missing. “The masters, they had mines for a while, he worked there and the ones in charge were cruel, they cut out his tongue first, and when he didn’t submit they took his fingers and then his eyes. The masters regard us dwarves as vermin, well, they regard everybody not in the brotherhood as worthless”

Rhuk was aghast and his eyes did reveal it too. “Oh by every deity, but how many people live here in the city?”

Goldren sighed and her eyes were sad. “Some thousand, humans and elves and dwarves in all. There are some gnomes too. But the people who are connected to the brotherhood are about fifteen hundred I think, they live in the good parts of the city”

Dabin swallowed hard. “And there is no way out?”

Goldren did lower her voice. “There is an old tunnel, it leads away from the city and ends up in another valley to the east of here. But it is sealed off by magic and we cannot enter it. It is huge though”

Rhuk did grasp her hands. “Tell me, can the population of this area be gathered somehow? There is trouble coming, the mages have done a blunder and there are dragons outside of the city walls, I fear that they may break through.”

Goldren became pale as a ghost and she did look as if she was about to pass out. “Oh Gods, no! Dragons here would be a terrible thing, everything is made from wood! And it is old and dry too. The entire city will burn!”

Dabin tried to stay calm. “Do you have any leaders, anyone able to resist the masters? All mages and all guards are pulled to the wall now, it is your chance!”

Goldren did squeak. “There is one here, a descendant of the first leader, I bet she can gather the dwarves”

Dabin held his breath “What about the other races? We cannot just leave people to burn now can we?”

Goldren nodded vigorously. “She can arrange a meeting, they all have leaders, and elders they listen to. Believe me, life in this city is like living in a prison, the useful ones does receive food and other things they need but they have no freedom. Here survival is never guaranteed!”

Dabin sat down, the furniture there was so bad it was a miracle the chair didn’t break in two from his mere weight. “This leader, who is she?”

Goldren turned to him and Rhuk did frown, it was rather apparent that he had fallen for Goldren already, head over heels and Dabin didn’t want to stand in his way. He had a feeling that a jealous Rhuk would be very dangerous. “She is one of the last smiths among us, we aren’t allowed into the forges anymore”

Rhuk and Dabin just stared, wide eyed. A dwarf not allowed into a forge was like a fish not allowed to swim. “What?!”

She tried to smile. “Some of the younger males did try to forge weapons, to fight their way to freedom. The masters had them skinned alive on the square”

Dabin shuddered, the brotherhood did seem like true psychos. Goldren did continue. “The high lords and the mages aren’t too bad, they don’t even bother with the population here, and it is the people who are left in charge with governing the city who are bad. They try to suck up to the brotherhood and the mages and they are all sadists. I cannot explain how terrible things can be here at times.”

Rhuk did stare at the empty kettles standing by the hearth. “What do you eat? You are too skinny dear, someone as radiant as you ought to have meat on yer bones”

Goldren giggled again. “Whatever we find, there is a garbage dump outside of the city wall, the highborn and the mages dump their garbage there and we go through it every day. There is usually some food in it, and we eat anything. Rats are popular”

Dabin felt nauseous, he remembered the great hearths of his father’s halls, the boars which were being barbequed over the fire and the endless supply of heavy ale and mead. He had never known hunger before he left home and his heart went out to them all. Goldren sent them a vague smile. “It is bad for the humans too, but the elves are even worse off. They refuse to eat rats and so they are starving, they aren’t allowed to enter the fields since the master’s fear that they can find poisonous herbs there.”

Rhuk stared at Dabin, he bet that Shaluun and Phraan would be furious when they heard of that. “So, what do the elves do then?”

Goldren looked down. “Sew, clean, serve the masters”

Rhuk frowned. “What do you mean by serve?”

She swallowed. “The most beautiful among them are picked out, for the master’s pleasure…”

Dabin felt sick, he knew that elves rarely survive for very long when abused thus. “That is terrible.”

Goldren nodded. “They are few now, maybe fifty left? They haven’t had any births for a very long time and they used to kill female babies the moment they were born, to spare them the destiny of their mother’s.”

Rhuk took a deep breath. “But you can get a message to your leader?”

She nodded. “Yes, but it is dangerous, the mages have some sort of beasts patrolling the city at night, to keep us indoors. We have to be very careful”

Dabin bit his lower lip. “Alright, is it far?”

She shook her head and grasped a piece of cloth, it was so threadbare it barely hung together, she covered her golden hair with it and Rhuk did look upon her with a sad expression. “You shouldn’t have to hide your beauty, it is more radiant than the moon”

Goldren blushed and walked towards the door. “One will have to stay here and guard the house. My father cannot speak but he can hear, and he is rather smart, just crippled”

Dabin nodded. “I’ll stay. Rhuk, you follow the lovely dam”

Rhuk did look as if he was really looking forward to the task. Dabin just cocked his head. “What about Tersus and Peter? Shouldn’t we return to help them, or at least give them a message to tell them what we are doing?”

Rhuk shook his head. “The alchemist isn’t stupid Dabin, if we don’t return he will be able to go on with just Peter. Besides, they are less easy to spot alone, two like us are going to make the goddamn guards suspicious. No, don’t worry about the alchemist, we have to think of the people of this city now”

Dabin nodded. “Alright, but I think Tersus will be less than pleased when we meet him again”

Rhuk just shrugged and went towards the door. “I don’t care, that stinky human is no kid, and he can take care of himself”

Phraan Fastonar and Zaray did follow the dragon and Dhokay and Ivran was pointing towards the wall. It was lighted now by fires and they could hear loud booms, the mages were probably trying to stop the dragons and the sounds were loud. Phraan did see that people started to take to the streets, scared and confused and the sight of the huge dragon and the almost just as large feline did make many scream and return indoors. Zaray did run very lightly and before long they reached the area the dragon had aimed for, in the middle of the city. The creature was heading towards a very large building which did look very important and Zaray sneered. “It stinks of magic, I bet this place has something to do with the dragons”

Phraan was about to answer when they heard shouts and a group of guards came running, they stopped in shock at the sight of the huge dragon but then they went into a headlong attack and Phraan swore and drew his blades. The dragon roared and rushed forth, hit the group like an avalanche and the cat did also grasp a couple and tossed them out of the way like a housecat who plays with a mouse. Zaray and Phraan did take care of the rest and Dhokay did catch up with one who tried to flee and struck him with his hammer. The man just fell like a ton of bricks. Ivran stared at the body with eyes like teacups. Fastonar had drawn his sword but he hadn’t had time to do anything and he was very silent indeed. That was not normal at all. Zaray did point at the entrance, she was almost sniffing the air. “So, what is in there I wonder? What is it you want?”

She stared at the dragon and the beast cocked its head. “Beginning, return. Reverse magic”

Phraan gaped. “The magic can be reversed?”

The creature nodded. “It can, do it.”

Dhokay did keep a keen eye on the surrounding buildings. “I bet it won’t be done in a flash though?” Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The dragon shook its head and the long teeth were shining. “No, takes time, but will happen”

Zaray smiled. “That is enough for me, we have to do it. It may save lives out on the plains, and not to mention the cities. I bet the first dragons have reached the outer cities already”

Phraan nodded. “Yes, and they are unprepared. So, do we go?”

Zaray nodded. “What will we find friend?”

The dragon stared at them. “Powerful magic, break the circle”

Dhokay did look as if this reminded him of something. “Break the circle, I think I may know what this is.”

The dragon turned towards the city. “I will hunt, distract. Go, will be grateful”

Phraan did dare to pet the huge beast and he smiled. “We will hurry, give the guards hell but be careful”

Ivran did look as if he too had an idea of what this was, his eyes were determined and he didn’t look as scared as before, he seemed to be adapting to this situation rather well.

The dragon did look as if it was smiling, then it took off but the cat stayed with Phraan. He stared at it. “Not to be rude friend, but you are a bit too large to fit through the doors”

The huge feline sent him a sort of glance which could only be described as very superior before it suddenly shrank to the size of a normal size tiger. Phraan just blinked. “Now that is what I can call a handy ability”

Fastonar was scratching his head. “I will stand guard here, the door shouldn’t be left open like that, if the guards return they may fall you in the back”

Phraan tensed up, he felt an intense need to just shout it all out, all that he knew and all that he suspected but Zaray sent him a hidden glance filled with warnings. She just smiled at the soul sworn. “That is a good idea, keep yourself hidden and do not engage the enemy unless you are discovered. I bet you are able to talk your way out of trouble yes?”

Fastonar nodded, his eyes showed enthusiasm again and he smiled. “Most certainly, I will make sure that nothing attacks you from behind”

Zaray nodded and Phraan sent Fastonar a sheepish grin, he had to hide his eyes, his anger had grown now and it was festering within him but now wasn’t the time to do anything about it, it could be that Fastonar was innocent after all, that someone else was behind this and Phraan wanted to believe it, he wanted to believe it so very badly. He couldn’t really suspect his once best friend of what he now had been told but Imeah wouldn’t lie, he was even more sure of that. Could the young psychic have been confused perhaps? Could she have gotten it all wrong? He just had to wait and see.

Dhokay was heading for the door already and they hurried after him. The building was some sort of administrative office and there was nothing there which spoke of magic until they reached the first part of the basement. Several rooms were filled with huge posters with drawings of dragons and their anatomy and then there were other drawings of possible outcomes of mixing the species and Phraan had to stare. Some of the suggestions were grotesque and Zaray was pale as she stared at some drawings of a beast with a horrible maw with hundreds of teeth and two sets of eyes. “That is not a dragon that is a freakin’ demon!”

They hadn’t met anyone and Phraan had sort of relaxed but now they heard voices from afar and Dhokay did lift a hand, they hid behind a door leading into a room so filled with clutter it was hard to tell what sort of mission it had. The voices got closer and it was three young men. All three had shaved their heads and one of them had a ghastly skull tattooed onto his back head, the other two wore some sort of headbands with spikes and metal ornaments on them. It did look absolutely ridiculous. All three wore some rather dirty robes, they had to have been working on something and the tallest of them was almost running. “We have to figure out what’s wrong, hurry!”

The two younger did seem to be more relaxed. “Stop damn it, no need to rush it? The mages does take care of everything, we are novices, and they won’t let us do anything no matter what”

The tall one was almost panting. “Yes, but the guard, he said there were dragons by the gates and I haven’t even seen a dragon yet!”

The other two had to be older and more experienced for they sort of rolled their eyes and did look very smug. “Well, if there are dragons breaking into the city I bet you will see more dragons than you’ll ever wish for again”

Zaray did make a small gesture, they let the three pass by unhindered, they were no real threat and hiding three bodies would take time they didn’t have. They waited until the three had disappeared up the stairs and then they moved forth again. There were more rooms with drawings and plans and one room with huge glass jars filled with some sort of fluid and dragon foetuses. Some did look rather natural but others were grotesque. Ivran did look as if he was about to puke, his eyes did veer off when he passed by some of the jars and he was swallowing constantly. Phraan did feel something now, a sort of distant buzz and it was unpleasant and very strange. It felt like the greasy membrane on top of dirty water, something oily and slick and just disgusting. He saw that Zaray saw it too and they moved forth slower now. Ivran clicked his tongue, he had an expression on his face which told of pain. “There is so much bad magic here, it feels just sick, like a festering wound. We have to be careful”

There didn’t appear to be more people there but the cat stopped and it snarled, it was staring at a room which was locked and Phraan did feel a strange smell there. “Something is in there, something alive”

Zaray made a grimace. “The door is locked from the outside, I bet that they doesn’t want whatever it is to get out”

Dhokay did touch the door, he pushed against it gently and it did budge a little. “The door is rather weak, I can break it open?”

Zaray nodded. “Can you do it silently?”

Dhokay had to snicker. “No, it is an old door, the wood is dry, it is gonna crack”

She sighed. “Right, be quick with it.”

Dhokay didn’t hesitate, he gave the door one punch with his elbow and the wood splintered into a thousand pieces with a dry crash, the room was rather dark but one lamp did throw a vague light over long rows of cages. Zaray hissed and Dhokay did gape, the cages did contain hundreds of tiny dragons. Phraan didn’t believe his own eyes, it was a species which had been extinct since before the realms even were formed and Phraan had only seen ancient drawings of them. The dragons were no longer than his hand and they had a long thin tail and wings but they couldn’t fly. The animals did hiss because of the light and Zaray turned to Phraan. “What the heck is that?!”

Phraan was sitting down onto his haunches, he was fascinated- “These are known as Watay, they are swarm dragons. The mages must have tried to find a way to use them too but these little ones is very tough, I don’t think they can be manipulated in any way”

Zaray frowned. “And why is that? I thought the chaos magic could tweak just about any animal?”

Phraan smiled. “Because these little rascals is said to have come from a stone which fell from the skies at the very beginning of time, they are not of this world and thus no magic here can change them”

Ivran did blink and he was suddenly smiling. “I have read about them, in fact they can undo magic, the swarm that is. They sort of create an energy which dissolve spells, I didn’t believe in them though, but now I see that they are real.”

Phraan let out a hand and a dragon in the nearest cage did let out a very shrill sound and then it sniffed him, very carefully. ”See? These little ones are smart, they know whose friend or foe”

Dhokay tilted his head. “They are tiny, not even the size of a squirrel, what harm can they do?”

Phraan had a special glimpse within his eyes. “More than you think, come on, and open the cages”

Zaray just stared at him. “What? Are you nuts?”

He nodded. “Yes, completely. Do it!”

He fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a tiny scrap of dried meat, he let the dragon have it and the little one did gobble it down with obvious glee. Then it sort of stroked its head against his hand and purred. Zaray was gaping. “I would never have believed that this was true….”

Dhokay did open the cages one by one and soon a tiny army of small creatures were scurrying around like a swarm of ants. Phraan was making some cooing sounds and Dhokay did scratch his head. “They seem to like you”

He nodded, “I just fed their queen, and she likes my scent”

Zaray giggled. “Damn it, don’t say she think you are her mate?”

Phraan shook his head. “No, I am now her general, her war leader.”

He opened the door and the tiny dragon did tilt her head and coo back. Phraan sat down and she climbed his arm, placed herself on his shoulder like a tame parrot. He nodded at Dhokay and Zaray. “Let’s go, I bet these little ones will do whatever they can to protect their queen”

Zaray rolled her eyes and Dhokay scoffed but they did leave the room and the little ones were surprisingly quiet and more so, everywhere. They ran on the walls and on the ceiling and it looked just like a blanket of large insects and it was actually rather terrifying. They had walked for just a few doors down when a man dressed in a guard uniform came running, he stopped with a cry when he saw the tree people heading for him and the dark living mass covering the hallway. He grasped for his blade but it was too late, several of the little watay dragons did fall down onto him and they did bite. The man let out a piercing howl of agony and then he went completely stiff and foam did dribble out of his mouth before he stopped breathing. Zaray stared at Phraan with disbelief in her eyes. “Goddamn it, are they poisonous?!”

Phraan just grinned so widely they saw all his teeth. “Yes, absolutely lethal, one bite and you are done for”

Dhokay snorted. “Oh fucking…Phraan, you could have told us before?”

He just shrugged. “So what? They see us as friends, we freed them right? They won’t bite any of us, I bet they have a grudge against the brotherhood though, imagine, being imprisoned like that for centuries”

The queen did rub her cheek up against his jaw and she acted as if she was absolutely in love with her rescuer. Zaray did see that the queen had a different colour now that they had light, she was lighter green than the others and her eyes were bright red. Zaray had to admit that the tiny dragon in fact was rather pretty. It did look like a living animal made from emeralds and rubies and she was fascinated by its strength. It had survived for a very long time there and it hadn’t been changed by the magic that was something worthy of respect. Ivran seemed to be charmed by the animal as well and the young man did stroke its long tail very gently with one finger, the queen allowed it with a dignified nod of her head and a soft purring sound.

They moved on and now they encountered a stairway. The cat had walked next to Phraan but now it started to growl and its fur did rise along the back, the magic in the air got even stronger and the tiny dragons did react. They seemed to gather in long lines and it did almost look like liquid running over uneven terrain. Phraan heard something, it was someone chanting and he nodded at Ivran and Zaray. They saw light ahead, a very sharp bluish light and it wasn’t natural at all. Slowly they moved forth and stayed in the shadows, hid themselves. It was a huge hall, it was round in shape and the roof was dome shaped and it was probably a natural cave which had been merged with the basement of the building and they did see why. A circle of huge columns did fill the room, they weren’t the type of columns which carry a roof but more like obelisks, pointy and covered with symbols. The circle did have nine columns and in the middle of the circle was a sort of altar and on it stood several containers with tiny red gems. Ivran whispered. “The gems which transform the dragons, this is where that power comes from”

Phraan did nod and swung his sword. Two mages did stand by the altar, they were so focused upon what they were doing that they didn’t notice that they weren’t alone. It seemed as if they were trying to transfer power from the circle to the gems and they did chant and sway with the sound. The gems did glow faintly and Zaray cringed, she felt the contamination within those pretty red stones. Dhokay nodded silently at Phraan. “Get them”

The two did run forth but someone had better ideas, the tiny dragons did run forth and they sort of flooded the floor and the circle. Sparks did fly as the huge number of tiny dragons entered the circle and the two mages did notice that something was off. The watay dragons simply made the magic disappear, just by being there. One tried to run and the other just stood there, gaping in utter disbelief. Phraan reached him with the sword and the man fell headless. The other mage tried to shout a spell but tiny dragons did climb all over him like mice and covered the entire mage, he fell convulsing and the queen did scree with joy. Phraan shook the blood off his blade and Zaray entered the circle. “So, the magic has to be reversed. I wonder how we are to do that? I don’t know the spells, and to be honest, my magic is of a very different type.”

She stared at the altar and the basket of gems, she felt like throwing them at the floor, these things would do harm to living creatures and she hated that. Dhokay did frown, he stared at the columns. “See? There are markings on them.”

Phraan nodded. “I see, but I haven’t got any idea of what they mean”

Zaray walked over to the columns and her eyes were very narrow. “Guys, I think I have an idea, I think I may know what this is supposed to mean”

She pointed at the nearest column and they saw a sort of figure which was kneeling in front of a pillar, another figure looked as if he was turning the pillar around. Dhokay gaped. “You have got to be kidding me? These things are massive, and they go deep into the ground?”

Zaray nodded. “Yes, but I think they can be turned around, so the markings point outwards”

Ivran was almost stepping in one place, he was very eager indeed. “Yes, yes, that has to be it. I can feel it, the magic will be disrupted if the columns are turned, because the symbols have to align.”

Phraan did walk around one of the columns and the tiny dragons did squeal, they did seem eager. “You think we are onto something little ones? So do I, there is a crack between them and the floor, all the way around them.”

Zaray kicked some dust away, “Yes, but it must have been decades since they were turned around the last time, it will be a very hard task. The little ones cannot disrupt this magic?”

Phraan walked around the circle. “No, this magic is too strong, to old too, it is just not the type they can ruin that easily since it is linked to objects. Magic is very specific right? I think that even a small shift can ruin the magic.”

Dhokay scratched his head, the horns did shine in the light. “But even if we do manage to turn one of them there is no guarantee that it will reverse the spells and turn the dragons back to what they were supposed to be?”

Phraan nodded. “Yes, but it is worth trying. We can try this one, if you’ll help me?”

Dhokay just sighed and walked over to the column, he grasped one side and Phraan took the other side and he smiled swiftly. “We go clockwise”

Dhokay just grunted and put his strength into it, he was extremely strong and so was Phraan and the column did make a sort of creaking sound before it started to turn. It went very slowly, and the two were pushing themselves extremely hard. Sweat did flow of them and groans could be heard over the sound of stone gnawing against sand. Then something more happened, the columns started to shake and an unnatural light started to fill the markings, it was blood red and nasty and Zaray was hissing at the sight. Ivran cringed as if he was in pain and he grunted. “This is at least doing something, but I have no idea of what!”

Dhokay had almost managed to push the column all the way around when a shout could be heard and several guards and a mage came running. Zaray did have knives and now they did see how efficient she was with them, two guards did drop so fast it was almost impossible to see her movements, one more did fall covered with tiny dragons and Zaray did kick two others down and broke the neck of one with yet another kick. The other one got her blade straight through his skull. The mage shouted a spell but it didn’t have much effect, some sparks did fly off the rocks but nothing else happened and he didn’t have time for anything more for Dhokay did reach him and tore his head clean off the body. Blood did gush and he tossed the body aside and threw the head into the basket with the gems.

Ivran pointed at the circle. “The magic has been weakened, but I think it still works. We need to turn more columns”

Dhokay sighed and rolled his eyes but he did obey and the two males did try again. This next column was way tougher to move and it took them some time to get it to shift. It felt like trying to move the very bedrock itself and sparks started to fly from the columns, it was very clear that the misalignment of the markings did have a very physical effect for the gems in the basket sort of lost their glow and started to look like ordinary rubies. Ivran was making some encouraging sounds and the small dragons were obviously very glad. They did jump up and down and the queen was still sitting on Phraan’s shoulder and she did almost sing. Zaray had to admit that the little one was very adorable.

Tersus and Peter had been waiting in the guardroom for way too long and the alchemist had gotten restless, he was wandering about and Peter found it rather annoying. Each time the man passed him by Peter got a whiff of Tersus very pungent body odour straight in the face and he would rather have been thrown into a pigpen in the middle of the summer heat, That was roses and lilies compared with this. “We cannot wait for those dwarves, I bet they have gotten lost, or found long lost kin and about to spend a week celebrating it. Come, let’s go”

Peter did frown. “But…we are not familiar with the city?!”

Tersus shrugged. “Matters not, the citadel is visible from every bloody where, we can find it easily enough.”

Peter didn’t like this at all. “But, what if we are discovered?”

Tersus slapped his robe. “See this? A mages robe, they’ll think I am one of them, you are my servant. Come on, don’t be a whuzz, show some balls”

Tersus was already heading out of the door and Peter let out a small involuntary gasp and had to follow, he didn’t want to be left there alone and maybe Tersus was right, he did look like a mage, a very filthy mage alright but he was most certainly no ordinary man. With the hood up he could perhaps sneak into the citadel unchecked. Peter just prayed that this wouldn’t lead to misery and ran after the alchemist. Every God damn the day he decided to join that madman.

They walked through the streets and they did see that things indeed was happening, some were running around trying to find out what was happening at the city wall while others tried to find family members or anyone who could tell them what to do. A young and very skinny man did stop in front of them, staring at Tersus with pleading eyes. “Please great mage, what is happening?”

Tersus did stop for a second. “It has all gone south, straight to hell. The dragons will be here soon so pack you stuff and whoever you are related to in this rat hole and run to the hills”

Tersus just walked on and the young man did stare with huge eyes before he turned on his heel and ran for his very life. Peter saw that many were scared and his heart did bleed for the population, there had to be something they could do to help these poor people. The city guard was called to the wall and there was nobody there to give any orders, panic was close to breaking out.

The main road leading to the citadel was wide and well lighted and it was pawed with stones which had gilded symbols carved into them. It did look like real gold and it probably was. Huge statues of past mages did guard the road and they too were of gold and Peter hissed at the very sight, people were starving and there they walked on gold cobblestones? It was insane! There was a sort of front yard before you reached the main entrance and Tersus did see that there were guards there, they were probably the type who never leaves their post no matter what. Tersus did stop on a street corner and he was rubbing his chin, thinking fast. The building they stood by was a sort of apartment building with many apartments in it and there appeared to be a garden in the middle. Tersus did enter it, just to see if he got an idea and suddenly he disappeared into the thicket and came back with something in his arms. Peter blinked in disbelief. “A piglet?!”

Tersus nodded and he was grinning from one ear to the other. “Quick, the crate over there, and the blanket.”

He grasped some leather and tied it around the piglet’s snout and put the animal into the crate. Then he threw the blanket over it and shook the crate a bit. The piglet did squeal but the sound became distorted by the muzzle and Tersus nodded, his eyes did shine. “Excellent”

Peter was handed the crate. “Carry it over your shoulder and don’t say a word, let me do the talking, and run as if your life depends upon it!”

Tersus did gather the cloak tighter around him and ran, and he did run fast too. Peter had huge problems keeping up with the man, who would have thought that the alchemist was such a sprinter. Peter was young and strong but the crate plus the bags of equipment was causing him to pant like a whipped horse. They ran towards the entrance and Peter saw that the guards did notice them and lowered their spears. Tersus was wild eyed and panting and he did look terrified. “Darkness damn it, let us through soldier, it is urgent!”

The soldiers did frown. “All mages were called to the wall?!”

Tersus did nod. “Exactly, this is a demon, it broke through the wall, we have to detain it before it breaks free again, the magic in it, it is insane!”

The soldiers heard the squeals and saw that something moved violently inside of the crate, they took a step backwards. “I don’t know for how long my power can contain it!!”

They raised the spears and Tersus did make a grimace. “They stink these monsters, thank you men, you are doing the smart thing”

Tersus did run again and Peter was hanging on, he was wet from top to toe and he felt terrified, they were to enter the headquarters of the brotherhood!

Tersus did slow down whence they were on the inside and walked with a sort of casual calm, he did look as if he had every right to be there. They walked down a hall and into some corridors and Tersus did frown. “So, where do you think they do their magic?”

Peter did whisper. “Most likely in the basement?”

Tersus nodded. “Your guess is as good as mine I think. There has to be an entrance here somewhere”

They walked on and suddenly a couple of men did appear around a corner, Tersus did hold his head low and he had his hood up. The men were obviously not mages but they seemed to be very powerful and all were clad in expensive clothes. Peter held his breath, this had to be some of the men of the brotherhood, those who weren’t mages. One did raise his hand. “Brother, what is going on? Where are your brethren?”

Tersus did answer and his voice was suddenly silky smooth and very different from normal. “Oh, they are at the wall, the dragons have escaped and they can enter the city every moment, I have been sent to rescue what may be rescued of valuables.”

He lowered his voice. “Don’t tell anyone that I said this, but now is a good time to run for it, we cannot stop the dragons. Save yourselves brothers.”

The men just stared at each other, then they turned and ran and Tersus chuckled to himself. He nodded slowly and then he walked into a side room. It was a room filled with maps and books and scrolls and he smiled, there was a fire pot standing in the middle of the room and it was shaped like a tree with a bowl at the top. It was full of oil and Tersus smiled gleefully and lit the oil with some flint and steel. When the pot was all alight he did flip it with a casual little kick. “Oops!”

The oil spread and the flames did reach greedily for papers and dry tapestries and Peter did swallow. “This is dangerous, you know that?”

Tersus nodded. “A little distraction, give me that bag”

He grasped the smallest bag and pulled some small jars out of it, threw them onto the floor. “This ought to do it!”

He winked at Peter and they did run along the corridors and finally they did see a stair leading downwards. Tersus nodded at Peter. “Keep your eyes open, there has to be something we can use to remove the protection those monsters have been given.”

They had just gotten halfway down the stairs when they heard several loud booms and Tersus grinned from one ear to the other. Thick red smoke seemed to fill the hall behind them and Peter shook his head in disbelief, the things Tersus did…

They wandered down the stair and entered a hall with was very large but the roof wasn’t that high and it seemed to be more of a recreational area. There were couches and tables here and there and Tersus smiled, a very wicked grin. “Their little oasis in the daily toil? Hmm, now, where can we find a mage or something of the like?”

Peter whimpered. “Damn it Tersus, you cannot take on a mage?!”

Tersus smiled even wider. “Oh says who? I can take on anything.”

He fished something out of the bag, it was a small bag with some sort of powder in it and it did look like flour. He held it in his hand as he strolled on, completely relaxed and at ease and Peter held the crate with the piglet and swore that he never would think about alchemy or anything of that sort if he made it out of there alive. From then on he would make himself a living as a broom maker, yes , a broom maker!

Tersus did open a door which lead into a corridor and he walked forth with a brisk pace, suddenly they saw that a door opened and someone did peek out into the corridor. It was a young man wearing a mage’s robe but it wasn’t the deep blue or black they had seen, this was dark green and not as embellished and Peter realized that this had to be a novice. The young man was wearing his hair long but it was shaved along the sides and he had some rings in his ears and several in his eyebrows and lower lip. It did look silly. The young one did wet his lip. “Ah, brother? Ahm, I was waiting for brother Mherun but he hasn’t arrived for my lesson?”

Tersus smiled, he did make a vague gesture. “Oh don’t worry young one, your teacher will come soon, there has been a slight mishap at the dragon pens and all the mages has been called there”

The young one did stare. “A mishap?! At the dragon pens?!”

His voice was a bit hysterical and Tersus did nod solemnly, he did walk towards the young mage and since the hood was up nobody could see that Tersus did look a bit uncouth for a mage. “Indeed, somebody did screw up poor sod, is probably gonna have his hide flogged by the high mage”

The young one squealed, he was a bit pale. Tersus smiled again, a fatherly smile. “So, what is your name?”

The young one managed to bow his head in respect. “Uh, I am Ogan master, I am sorry to bother you but I thought it was my master coming”

Tersus did nod. “No harm in that lad, now, watch this, this is a very good trick every young one ought to learn”

He held the bag up in his flat hand and the apprentice did look curious, Tersus did open the bag carefully and then he lifted the hand and blew the powder straight into the young man’s face. The apprentice did rear back, coughed once and fell like a tree in a storm. Tersus chuckled and waved the remaining powder away. “Hurry, let us find a nice room, I am in the mood for a bit of an interrogation”

Peter bit his lower lip. “Are you gonna kill him?”

Tersus shrugged. “No, not if I can help it. He is young, there is still hope for him, he isn’t completely brainwashed as of yet. “

Tersus opened a small door and a smile spread across his face. “Excellent, a kitchen. There is plenty of sharp stuff here!”

Peter stared at the very well equipped kitchen with its carving knives and meat cleavers and he swallowed hard, he just hoped that Tersus wasn’t the type to take things too far.

Thiana and Taurin had buried their hands deeply into the soil and their spirits did enter the very land. They sought any signs that the vitality which had been so obvious there before still rested within the ground. It was not easy, the corruption of the heart stone and the dark magic the mages had poured out had in reality poisoned the area down to the bedrock itself but they went deeper than that. Far far beneath the citadel and the city and the walls and towers there was still a small spark of what had once been. The heart stone had made that spark flourish and it had nourished it too but it was a separate thing, the innate life force of this valley, special as it was. Thiana was moaning, the spark was so far away it could have been on the other side of the moon, it was barely anything at all and she searched desperately for something she could use to anchor herself. She needed something to hold onto, to give her leverage so her spirit could drag the spark back up towards the surface. Taurin was there with her, she felt his spirit straining like hers and they used all their strength to bring that tiny spark forth. Maybe it would gather some power whence it was awakened yet again.

Thiana pushed deeper, sought to embrace the spark and nourish it with some of her own light but then she felt a strange presence. It was another spirit, but it wasn’t bound, it was free and she recognized it with a startled yip. It was Imeah, the girl should have gone to her ancestors when she died? She shouldn’t have been there?! Thiana heard the albino girl’s voice in her head. “Quickly, touch me, I am in contact with the heart stone, I can use it to strengthen the life spark”

Thiana reached out, her soul a blazing light within the astral realm and she saw Imeah now, a pale flickering shadow which seemed too ethereal to be real. The albino linked herself to Thiana and Taurin too reached out, there was a sort of jolt and Imeah cried out, her voice so clear it sounded like the piercing cry of a raptor. The spark suddenly blazed, like a star newly awakened in the void and Imeah seemed to grow in size. Thiana got nervous. “What have you done human?”

Imeah was floating away from them. “What I could Thiana, I have made the heart stone pull back its powers, made it doubt the intentions of the mages. It is calling me, I have to go to it. I know what it wants now!”

Taurin was shaking his head, in this spirit form he was radiant, so beautiful Thiana barely could believe it. “Imeah, don’t! You will be trapped here forever!”

The spirit of the girl nodded, a sad smile on the face. “I know, and yes, there is no other way. The heart stone needs a conscience, a soul. I will be it, and I will make sure it never again is used by evil”

She slipped away further. “Bring the spark with you, it is strong, it will spread. Bring the green back, release the forests”

She was gone and Thiana returned to her body with a cry of pain and a jerking motion. Taurin moaned and shivered and sat up, rubbing his head. Thiana was gasping for air, her head did spin and she was nauseous but she felt it now, the spark of life, waiting deep underneath them, waiting for their hands to unleash it, to show it what to do. She turned to Taurin and he nodded. “I am ready love”

Shaluun had stood behind the crates the whole time and he did look nervous. “So, what is happening? Have you done it?”

Thiana nodded. “We have found the energy of the land yes, it has been subdued for so long it was very weak but Imeah’s spirit is here, she has given it more power, from the heart stone. She will merge with it Shaluun, she will become its mind and soul”

Shaluun bowed his head in respect “Brave child, I am in awe of her. Then the brotherhood won’t be able to use the heart stone again”

Thiana smiled. “Exactly, she will fight it, tooth and nail.”

Taurin stared over at the wall, lights were flashing and roars and thunder could be heard. “We’d better hurry”

Thiana nodded and placed her hands in the ground once more, she closed her eyes and Taurin stared at Shaluun. “Whatever happens, don’t let anything disturb us now, this may become very dangerous”

Shaluun saw that the city was waking up, he heard shouts and screams and saw people running around. “I won’t, just stay low!”

He hoped that he wouldn’t have to break that promise.

Siverel and Adrall had reached the great hall, there the main altar of the citadel was placed and there all their most difficult and power consuming spells were performed. The room did sing with it even now but the song was subdued and out of tune. Siverel felt confused and even more so, scared. If they couldn’t hold the dragons out… Adrall did stand there, uncertain of what to do and Siverel waved his hand. “I have to use a wand to do this, it will focus my energy. Something is very wrong, the spells shouldn’t have allowed the dragons to re-emerge this close to the city”

Adrall nodded. “I know, they ought to have been transported to the plains”

Siverel walked over to a closet standing by the wall. It was closed with strong spells and only a high mage would be able to open it. He turned around and stared at Adrall. “The pens were disturbed by some sort of unknown force, the source underneath us feels distant now. I think something is trying to hinder us”

He tried not to think of what he had read, if it was true…what power did he have over those dead? The closed did open and he took a deep breath. There were five wands there, made from different material with different gems at the top and he swallowed and picked the one in middle. It was made from the backbone of a dragon, carved with intrinsic detail and its gem was a black diamond. It was the most powerful of them all and only he was allowed to touch it. He felt its power as a burn against his skin but he ignored the pain, it was a small price to pay. He turned to Adrall again. “Brother, if this fails there is just one thing to do. Should the barrier fail you must all flee! Use the old metal rod in the vault to get through the magic wall and head for the cities”

Adrall shrugged. “If there are any cities left to return to you mean? “

Siverel swallowed hard, his face felt stiff. It was the end, he was sure of it, but he wouldn’t go down without a proper fight. The old prophecies would come true and they had brought the doom upon themselves, by being way too confident and way too ambitious. He wouldn’t just give up though, prophecies were not stone hard truth, they could be tricked. “Just go, save as many as you can, our brotherhood will arise anew, in another time. But for now, help me get ready”

Siverel shed his cloak and ran over to yet another closet, this would take much out of him and he whimpered as he opened it and pulled out some clean robes. They were beautiful and made from thick velvet dyed in a deep copper colour. Strange symbols were embroidered into them and he shivered as he pulled them on. They were cold but he did also sense the protective spells woven into them. Adrall did help him with the outer robe, it couldn’t be touched by Siverel’s own hands and then Adrall did give him the wand. Siverel was sure he did look like an idiot, he was supposed to be the high mage, but he felt like a novice. The altar was placed on top of a round dais and there was nothing else there, just the dark ceiling with all its stars and constellations. He took a deep breath and nodded at Adrall. “Listen, if I fall down don’t touch me, it will devour your soul if you do. Just…stay back”

Adrall was pale and he nodded, left the dais and stood there with his eyes on the ground. “Do start an opening chant, and don’t stop!”

Adrall did clear his voice and began to chant, it was a method used to open up to the magic and Siverel lifted the wand and started shouting spells. He could feel that his power had diminished, that it didn’t give as much as before and he was afraid that he wouldn’t manage to do this after all. If some alien force had hi jacked the source there was a chance that he could cleanse it, but only if he could reach it.

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