Faith Of The Dragon Tamer (Book 2) (37 page)

The wolven were all over him.

Michel had saved him. In the end, Michel had defied the animal Ista had created.

Quinton looked up into the night and studied Ren’s constellation. The Raven had almost reached the first point of the triangle. He had to hurry, but his leg still throbbed from where he had cauterized the wound, and in the distance he heard Ramie’s troops begin to march. With rising conviction Quinton pushed himself up and shouted for help, but the soldiers were too far away to hear a lone scream, too preoccupied with their purpose to give notice to a small movement in the trees.

- - -

“We must leave,” Zorc said, tucking the shrunken crystal back into the folds of his robe.

The group fell to silence as they ambled to the cavern’s entrance. Grauss put a hand on Neki’s arm, motioning for him to remain behind. Neki was about to question when Grauss’ piercing gaze stopped him.

Over the years he had learned not to question his grandfather. If Grauss wanted to have a word with him without the others, he had good reason. It may be a reason Neki would never know, but a reason nonetheless.

When the others had disappeared from sight, Grauss tapped the side of Neki’s face. “You must watch the stars, my boy. Something is wrong.” Grauss turned toward the window. His eyes darted nervously to the side. Neki almost drew back. Grauss was shaking.

“I said nothing to your prince because I don’t yet know the implications.”

“What is it? What did you see?”

When Grauss turned back to him, his eyes were crazed. “The twin moons, Neki. Look at them. Really look at them when you leave here. You’ll see what I mean.”

Neki was about to ask another question when Grauss flung his arms around him. “I’m proud of you, my boy. Be safe. And watch the stars.”

Before Neki had a chance to reply, Grauss broke from him and scampered to the nearest dangling chair. After hoisting himself up to the window, Grauss began writing frantically. Neki watched Grauss for a few heartbeats before turning to leave.

He walked slowly at first, needing to be alone with his thoughts. The twin moons? What did Grauss mean? He had seen the twin moons every night and he hadn’t noticed anything unusual. Neki heaved a sigh and picked up the pace, watching for any sign of the others. He should have seen their torches by now, but the trail was dark. He ran on instinct.

The green glow of nightmoss began flickering around him.

Neki stopped. It was the end of summer. Nightmoss was only green in the spring. Neki drew his saber. The emerald glowed with a brilliant intensity. It was almost blinding.

The emerald wards off evildoings
.

His shadow hit the rock wall beside him, making his countenance appear as vast as the Druidonian. Neki only hoped the enemy would think so as well.

Neki sensed them before he felt the air stir behind him. Spinning in defensive posture, he faced Feher and Welch. Feher’s putrid yellow eyes glowed with a deep-seated hatred. Welch appeared smug. It was that smugness that gave away the third Druid creeping up from behind. When Neki spun, his saber sliced through the approaching Druid, spilling his insides across the cold, gray stone.

Neki whirled back to face the other two. Feher only chuckled. Neki remembered the feeling when the Druids tried to close him and slunk back, trying to find the others in the dimly lit passage. He spotted the silver dust on Zorc’s robe first, about ten paces down the ledge. Galvin, Nigel, and Ren lay with him. Morrus wasn’t there.

Morrus had betrayed them.

Neki’s body slammed into the mountain’s face as a mighty force entered his mind. He felt strong tentacles searching for his power. They grabbed it, encircled it, and began to pull, but as quickly as the feeling came it went. Neki careened down the wall, exhausted, and watched in shock as Morrus hit Feher. Welch lay dead, a knife in his chest.

The High Priest faced Morrus with a long dagger. Morrus looked into Feher’s eyes without fear, but he had no weapon. Feher grinned.

In that grin was victory.

With rising dread Neki saw what Morrus was about to do. Morrus was next to the mountain’s face, Feher next to the edge. Morrus was going push Feher over the edge, but in doing so he was prepared to sacrifice himself. If Feher grabbed Morrus, Morrus would be unable to stop his own fall. His bulk wouldn’t allow it.

Neki pushed himself off the rocks just as Morrus broke into a run. Worry stole over Feher’s countenance. Neki jumped, knowing full well it may be the last jump he ever made, but he knew it would be next to impossible for him to pull Morrus back from Feher’s grip without toppling into the fissure himself. He had to trust Morrus to save him if Feher grabbed him before plummeting into the crevice below.

He hit. Feher screeched in rage as he groped for Neki’s tunic. Feher stumbled backwards, clutching Neki to him, and fell. Neki held his breath. The darkness bellow came closer as his feet lost contact with the ground.

Then strong hands encircled his waist, jerking him from Feher’s grasp.

Neki fell to solid ground as Feher’s shrieks became distant echoes and were finally silenced.

Neki’s head sunk down in relief. “Thank you.”

Morrus chuckled. “I should be thanking you.”

Neki felt a stab of regret for doubting Morrus’ loyalty, even for a heartbeat. He rolled to his side and looked at the Druid who had hereto been an enigma to him.

“Forgive me.”

Morrus looked surprised. “For?”

“When I didn’t see you with the others I thought the worst.”

Morrus nodded, but no emotion touched his features. “There’s nothing to forgive. I’m a Druid. I can understand your doubt.”

“Do you have go through some ritual to become a Druid?”

Morrus frowned. “Well, there’s a coronation at birth. But no, not really.”

“Can you be de-coronated?”

“De-coronated?

“Yes, de-coronated.” Neki stood and slapped the dust off his pants before he offered Morrus his hand. Morrus helped himself up and they both walked to the others. “What do they do at this coronation?”

“The father immerses his new born in water and holds him up to the heavens, asking for his child to be worthy of the omniscient state.”

Neki cocked his head to the side. “That’s it?”

Morrus nodded. “That’s it.”

Neki recorded that piece of information for future reference as he bent to examine Ren. “That doesn’t sound too difficult. We just have to have you de-coronated.”

Morrus frowned, but before he had a chance to speak Neki pointed to Ren and the others. “What happened?”

Morrus lowered his voice and took Ren’s hand in his own. “Feher surprised us. I managed to hide before he realized I was with the group. Feher sprayed Ren and the others with a mist. They immediately lost consciousness.”

“From the numberry bush,” Neki concluded. One dose of the potent plant could put an angry dragon to sleep. The plant was rare, and although the plant’s effects didn’t last long it was enough to down an enemy.

Morrus heaved a sigh. “They were planning on taking them to Ista.”

Neki nodded, knowing full well what the Druids intended.

“I was trying to find a way to free the others when you came down the passage,” Morrus said. “You gave me the diversion I needed.”

“Well, at least that does away with them.”

Morrus glanced at the ledge. “Feher is still alive. I’m afraid we haven’t seen the last of him.”

“How could he have survived?” Neki’s voice sounded frantic.

Morrus’ eyes were hard when he turned back to face him. “High Priests are stronger than other Druids. Druids can use the calling power, but High Priests can use an opposite phenomenon. Instead of bringing an object to them, High Priests have learned how to send their body to an object. Feher found a way to land without harm. Rest assured, we’ll see him again.”

Neki was about to ask more when he decided against it. He didn’t want to know any more about the Druid cultus.

Nigel moaned and reached up to rub a nasty knot on his head. In the next heartbeat Nigel’s eyes opened and he sprang to his feet, drawing his sword.

“Easy Blackie,” Neki said. “The threat has been deterred.”

Nigel looked down the passageway at the two dead Druids. “All of them?”

“Not all,” Morrus said. “Feher went over the edge.”

Nigel stiffened, face grave. It took a little longer for Galvin, Ren, and Zorc to wake, but when they did Zorc was furious. He mumbled under his breath and peered over the edge like he was about to jump after the High Priest.

When they finally made it out of the mountain it was far into the next day and they were surprised to find Markum sitting on a rock. He looked tired, but a large smile lit his face when he saw Ren.

After a heartfelt reunion Zorc led the way down the mountain, taking them on a course that led straight to Zier. Neki wondered what Zorc was doing but didn’t question the wizard. It wasn’t his place. Soon darkness surrounded them, but they continued on. Zorc insisted that after this push they would settle in until they went to take the Red Eye from Ista. The mood of the group was dismal and no one spoke after Zorc had reiterated everything about the twin Eyes. Neki tried to tune out the wizard’s words but he couldn’t. He finally busied himself by studying the twin moons. They were bright that night, and for a time Neki found nothing unusual about them. Then he saw it.

One of the moons was larger on one side. The more he studied it, the more concerned he became. It wasn’t larger at all. Another moon was emerging from behind it. Three moons?

Neki began to wonder how any of them were going to make it out of this alive.

Ren turned his head and glared at Zorc. “I feel ridiculous.”

Galvin grunted his agreement from where he played a game of Chance with Markum and Morrus.

Zorc had taken them as close as he dared to Zier. They had found a small rise in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains that overlooked the city. Thick foliage surrounded them on three sides, protecting them from a surprise attack.

Ren, Nigel, and Neki had perched on boulders near the embankment’s edge at Zorc’s command. All were leaning forward with their backs parallel with the ground and one leg in the air in line with their spine. Their arms were spread to each side, as if they were preparing for flight.

Zorc raised his pointy eyebrows and lifted a finger. “Ridiculous but effective. Here, let me show you.” Zorc jumped on Ren’s boulder and shooed him off. He bent into the pose, dark hair falling to brush the ground. Zorc closed his eyes and raised his head to face forward.

“The elements are powerful things. If you don’t feel them and know where they reside inside you, you’ll fail in your task. I’m showing you ‘love’ in the best way I know how. You must believe it, feel it, live it, be it. Relax your body, feel your heart, feel the wind and the freedom of love’s choice. It’s there, inside all of us, and only we can choose to feel it. When we do we can fly!”

Zorc slowly lifted the only leg he stood on and hovered in the air, all muscles relaxed. The wind hit his face and caused his blue robe to ripple like an expanse of ocean. He grinned at their astonished expressions before languidly lowering both legs to the rock.

“Come,” he said, waving them over. “First I should explain how the Quy works.” All three of them approached, humbled by the wizard’s display of power. Zorc grabbed a stick and drew an equilateral triangle in the dirt, placing a small stone at each point.

“Ren, this is what you saw in the Oracle, the internal elements of love, hate, and pain. The Quy uses these elements to create magic. Magic can be woven from any of these elements and any combination of them,” Zorc said, tracing the lines of the triangle.

“But,” he said, “the Quy is strongest when it’s here.” Zorc placed a stone in the air above the center of the triangle. It hovered above the ground, creating a pyramid effect.

“It’s the synergy,” Neki said. Zorc smiled and nodded.

Ren studied the hovering stone. “What does it represent?”

“That is the pinnacle or, as Grauss calls it, the union, or the synergy. The synergy, or pinnacle, draws on all three of the elements. None are stronger than the other in the pinnacle. The pinnacle is the calm.”

Ren glanced up. “I didn’t think you were supposed to use hate.”

Zorc smiled. “No, you shouldn’t use hate in the sense of the word ‘hate.’ For instance: If I hate you because you have more power than I do, that’s hate, and that hate is evil. Let’s say you hated this way, your hate is birthed by no other emotion than hate itself. Watch what happens to the pinnacle.”

The hate stone on the ground grew, causing the triangle to become unbalanced. The hovering pinnacle rock began to sink, slowly at first, and then it plunged down to crash into the hate stone. This caused the large mass of hate to sink into the opposite leg of the triangle, which in turn caused the love and pain stones to collapse into it as it hit their center, leaving only one large rock mass.

Zorc peered at each in turn. “If you begin to hate for hate itself, for evil, such as greed or jealousy, without love or pain originating the hate, you’ll become hate. Hate will envelop you and take over your soul. Barracus proved that. He allowed hate, in the form of greed, to consume him.

“Barracus was a mage, and very strong, but he was like this.” Zorc swept his hand over the one large stone. “But beware, this configuration of one emotion to the extreme is powerful. It can overtake someone who uses the pinnacle as if the pinnacle is nothing more than a piece of glass. However, the pinnacle, the synergy, is ultimately stronger than the intensity of the one emotion. If the pinnacle can withstand the intense emotion’s first attack it has a chance. If you are strong enough to hold the pinnacle, the attacker with the one dominant emotion will weaken. The pinnacle won’t. That’s why I’m teaching you to find the calm, the pinnacle. Barracus has intense hatred inside him. If you’re forced to face him you’ll have to overcome that intensity and push off his hatred.”

Zorc leaned closer, eyes piercing. “Ren, you’ll have your own hatred inside the pinnacle. It will be the righteous hate, the good hate, but you’ll have it all the same. Your hate will be attracted to Barracus’ hate and together it may cause what I’ve just described – the collapse of the union. Only if you’re strong enough will you be able to resist and hang onto the pinnacle, thus pushing Barracus out.”