Dragons Shining (25 page)

Each Ogre roared with one fist held high to her and the other fist beating his chest. The Elves crossed both their arms over their hearts and bowed to her.

“
Come child. It is time for you to leave the Elves and learn the Dragon Way. Climb onto my back, and I will take you to the dam’s mountain lair. Do not change here in front of them. That would be unseemly for a Queen.”

Briana sent another message to her father. “
Onadath, will you continue this please? The Ogres in the mountains need serious mage protection, immediately. I am going with Zana.”

“Yes, Briana. Well done, I am so proud of you. We will approach carefully and send the magi with the Ogres. Remember us, young one. The Elves will always love you. The other young Dragon Lords will be headed your way soon.”

“The mage Onadath will be here soon, with three hundred warriors”, Briana said. “They will not attack you, Gorogath, for we are now allies. They will send ten powerful Elven magi with you. Help each other and we become much, much stronger. You are also joining the Humans, the Dwarves, the Fairies and the Dragons in this coming conflict. Remember to remain pure at heart, no matter what happens. Love can conquer hate if your heart is true.”

“May your light shine upon us always, little one”, said Gorogath, the huge and potent Ogre King.

Salece watched with relief when Briana climbed upon Zana and sighed as the dragons disappeared in the distance. “
She is in Zana’s care now. My teachings are done. Please guide her, honored Maker, for she is our greatest hope
.” Salece made her way back to where Jugs, her familiar in Fenre form, was waiting. She began the ride toward her cabin, once there to help the village elves prepare for what she knew was coming.

Chapter Eight – The Toss

This was their second day as they approached a large dock in dusk. They had already stopped at one campground along the way. Cabins at the first stop kept the rain off while they slept on simple cots, and the horses remained under tarpaulins on ship. There they ate off of ship stores. The five cabins were only for shelter and were not provisioned. Nor was there room in the nearby swamp for horses.

The second campground had an Inn and there was a large dock with several outland swamp vessels. There were a number of cabins behind the Inn, and several other buildings. One was open and had two boats dry docked inside with paint crews just finishing for the day, heading toward the buildings behind.

Barlow and his three sons, Jasper, Collin and Whistle stood near Owen and Baird at the raised starboard prow of the boat. Barlow said "There are two large fields out back that support the cattle, sheep and ostrich that are meat sources for the Last Stop Inn, aside from alligator of course. Your horses will be welcome there to browse for the night. There is plenty of room for both boats at the dock here."

"So this is a land oasis amidst the great swamp. I sense that it continues for almost a mile deep by two hundred yards wide", Owen said. "Why is this area not built up more, I mean with a town or something like Swamphaven?"

"Once it was, many thousands of years ago", Baird said. "It was called Last Stop, just like the Inn. It was destroyed and everyone killed by Ogres in revenge for being betrayed by Osgard. It is too exposed here, only a day from the Hills and the things that can come through the Forest while the Mother sleeps."

"The Forest Mother awakens. I sense her, yet I cannot speak with her creeping thoughts", said Owen.

The others looked at him strangely. "She wakens?" Barlow asked. "Was it that song that woke her?"

"The Elf song, yes" Baird replied. "The song also woke many things that are best left sleeping. We may get a reception at the end of this waterway, in the Hills."

"If they wait that long" Owen said. "Evil approaches like black smoke at the fringes of my outermost senses. It comes and goes. I sense Dragons as well. They come too."

"How can you sense these things so far, Owen?" asked Barlow suspiciously. "
There is more here than meets the eye. This boy professes more than even Baird would dare."

"The Mother senses them, and so do I sense many things in her forest even from here."

"Yes, Barlow. This is beyond even me. It may be time we tell you the truth" Baird alluded.

"Please do" Collin said. It was the first time he had spoken to Baird.

"Owen will be a Dragon Lord, among the first since Kragon. Show them your eyes, Owen. They have a right to know."

Owen released the glimmer and the startled magi stepped back.

"Dragon" said Barlow in shock. "No wonder he can sense them. But Kragon and the Dragon Lords became tools of evil men in the end, and were cast down, so the tales say."

"The records are true, Barlow. I wrote them. But tales tend to bend over time by word of mouth and copied record." Baird said. "Kragon helped beat the dark forces back into their blasted lands, yet after a hundred years of human bickering he used his power most unwisely. He paid dearly for that in Hell."

Owen replaced the glimmer and stepped away to the gunwale and off onto the dock as the boat touched in.

"He is a good boy" said Baird. "Yet I do not envy him the choices he will be forced to make as the Dragon King. Already he has sanctioned his Queen's alliance with the Ogres. The first since even before my time, thirteen thousand years ago - I think."

"The King no less" said Barlow. "That means we are in far more danger than I had feared, doesn't it Baird. The Dragon King always had more enemies than friends, by your own accord."

"His closest friends outside of the other Dragon Lords are called the Toss, as they were ages ago. People who would die for him. I am one, Barlow. These men with him are Toss, though they don't know the name. Think about it. It might get you killed yes, but if he fails we may all die."

"Owen is not the only one who can see the coming darkness, Baird", Whistle said. She was a petite, dark haired girl, thin and quite pretty with startling grey eyes.

"Eye. That's why we call her Whistle, an early alert system", said Barlow.

"Do you see those coming our way as does Owen?" Baird asked.

"I do not sense as he does, Baird. I get flashes sometimes of what may be. I know there will be a battle at the end of the Bayou, and I am afraid. There are flames and lightning everywhere in the sky and the Hills are burning. The sky burns. Fey creatures from the Forest come to our aid, and Dragons. There the pathway splits into possibilities, including my death I presume. The darkness is deep and unyielding along that path. Again the vision swirled when I said this to you. I see nothing now."

"Perhaps that means we turn back" Collin said.

"No. We cannot turn back" Baird replied. "I would rather fight in the Hills than on this boat or that field behind Last Stop Inn. You can remain here if you wish. We must press on. As you said, Whistle, there are things in the Forest that will help the Dragon Lord. He must call them, for I cannot."

"Collin, Thomas said to stay with the boats until Baird returns. We will do as he says and a little more. We brought horses too as you know, the only four in town, actually. They are mine, needed in our trips to gather. We cannot let the new Dragon King be killed because we are afraid to die, yet you may remain here Collin if you wish, to also make Thomas happy. Let's be as ready as we can be. Lightning and flame can be warded against. The ship's crew are all expert bowmen. I will speak to them. It's ok to tell them what's really going on I hope, Baird?"

"Well I guess Owen will shift after he wards the crew, because he fights best as a Dragon. That will be a hard thing to hide, so go ahead and tell them."

While Barlow gathered the crew on the larger boats, Owen lead the horses over the gangplank and along the path past the Inn and the other buildings to a fenced off field of oats, wheat and clover. When he returned to get his things off the boat for the stay at the Inn, a reception committee awaited that also included many from the small town. From the way everyone was looking at him he knew the secret was out. They stood watching, waiting for him to speak. His friends moved to his side; Barlow, Collin and Whistle too. So he let the shimmer fall from his eyes and spoke.

"I realize this is unexpected and frightening in a way even for me.  Here I stand to be a lord of dragons. In truth I am a dragon as much as an elf, yet a true dragon I have not yet met. From the time I was too young to remember I grew up on a farm, part of and loved by a family of humans. Until only days ago in fact, these people had no clue they raised a Dragon Lord, a new and different breed in fact. It has become clear to me in the last few weeks that we have an enemy unlike any seen before on this world. He has already sent armies to destroy me and my kind. My kind, the Dragon Lords, are returned to fight this enemy, Satan's Son, Vampire and Demon, escaped from Hell with an army of souls now inhabiting bodies of this world. His undead hoard includes those of all races. He will try to capture me as he already tried to capture my Queen, Briana. I cannot comprehend his dark motive, and can only shudder to think of what it might be. He failed with her by sending Ogres to take her to him.  Instead she has made the Ogres our allies for the first time in many thousands of years. They have joined the Elves, the Dwarves, the Fairies, the Dragons and the Humans. The dwarves are killing vampires in the deep tunnels, already. We, the Dragon Lords will spearhead the coming battles against darkness. Your King has agreed to this alliance, and I have papers to prove it. When we reach the Hills, we will be attacked. I expect a formidable force of Wyrms and fell wizards perhaps, the enemy's most mobile force. Our allies, the Dragons are on the way, and I will call the Fairies from the Dragon Forest."

There were murmurs at this news. The fairies were a dangerous and unpredictable breed, as likely to smite men and orc alike.

Owen continued. "I can ward you against fire and lightning. I can magic your arrows to turn dark blood into powder. I will fight in the sky and then heal your wounds if you and I survive. Even so, if you join us in this battle there will be death among you. Are you good archers?"

“
YES
!”

"Will you fight with us on the forest’s edge?"

“
YES
!”

"Then I hope there is good ale in the Inn here. Enjoy as much food and beer as you feel safe before risking your life tomorrow, on me. Beware that when I contact the fairies I will learn more exactly where our enemies are at this time. We do not want to meet them while on the water. We may need to depart tonight at some time instead. That risk is less with the wizards among you. Wizard light will aid us in the darkness."

That night there was much brave talk among the townsmen and the crew. More and more came to meet Owen and stare at his dragon eyes, women too. Several of the women claimed to be better archers than their husbands and had decided to join the battle. Owen had removed Gandor's glamour as well, and there were many questions about the Dragon King's great Unicorn.

"I did not expect this, Baird" said Owen. He was sitting at a large table with Baird, Purdy, Rolph, Ender, Tamaris, Barlow and his apprentices. The group Baird was calling Toss, Guardians of the Dragon King.

"Neither did I, Owen. These are a hardy people, living off of the swamp land as they do. Perhaps you should get some privacy upstairs and contact the fairies", said Baird. "You remember my lesson I hope."

"Yes Baird. Somehow I remember all of your many hard to learn wizard spells and incantations. Everything you wished to share with me and everything in that big black spell book you thought you had so well protected. It's what's in your head I can't get at since I let you out of that ring!"

Instead of being angry, Baird said "That book contained dark spells also, those which Kragon learned from the dark lords and the records they left behind. Those who would walk in the light should stay away from them, or use them only in the direst of circumstance, because they can stain the user. The book burned in the fire at Fable’s Arch. If you do remember all of those spells then you must write them anew. I want a copy when you do, since you burned my priceless manuscript."