Liberator (5 page)

Eagle Eye pointed at Wallace’s stomach. “What is that behind your tunic?”

Wallace lifted his tunic, revealing a small block of wood behind his trousers waistband. It had been carved into a human shape, rough but recognizable. “It’s a girl named Regina who died of the disease, but it’s not finished. I like to carve, but I don’t usually have a knife.” He withdrew a small knife from the back of his trousers. “The dragons don’t like it.”

“Well, come along with us.” Edison waved a hand southward. “A slow march until we get to the cart. Then be ready to accelerate. We have a long way to go.”

T
aushin sat on a boulder near the base of a mountain, his head low. With Mallerin’s wing draped over his head, the cool breeze rolling down the snowcapped peak stayed clear of his face. Viewing the world through his mother’s eyes had proven to be a chore. Untrained and unreliable, she rarely knew what to focus on without being told. Her years of banishment in the grinding mill basin had clearly not produced a cunning she-dragon. She knew little more than brute force and bloodshed. It was no wonder Magnar got rid of her. Having a dullard for a mate had to be taxing to the point of insanity.

Still, with so few dragons, every male needed to find a proper mate to help populate Starlight, and only one or two intelligent females remained available. One of the barrier wall guardians, Berkah, displayed high intelligence, but she was not pliable enough. Only one female displayed
an excellent blend of intelligence and naïveté that allowed her to be manipulated, and soon it would be time to inform Xenith of the good news that she would become queen of the Southlands’ dragons.

“Mother,” Taushin whispered, “kindly look at my subjects. The time has come to address them.”

“Very well, but do not think you can treat me like a slave. I am not Zena.” Mallerin’s vision focused on the gathered dragons, allowing him to scan them through her eyes from their elevated position. Nestled in a depression between two mountains in the southern border range, all fifty-four remaining dragons sat in various resting poses, some on their haunches and some stretched out in the stubby grass.

“I would never treat you as I did Zena, Mother. She was a foul human, a former Starlighter. She was useful for learning, but her value as a vision vessel was minimal. I used and disposed of her. You, however, I value above all others, and my loyalty to you should be unquestioned. Did we not make a thorough search until we found you?”

“Arxad’s cave was an easy guess.”

“True, but that does not minimize my desire to find you. In any case, one tidbit of information I learned from Zena will allow me to lure and control one of the two Starlighters. It seems that the Reflections Crystal in the Zodiac’s dome room attracts Exodus with a powerful force. In fact, that crystal is the very reason Exodus found its way to the bottom of an old volcano tube in the Northlands mountains, but that is a story for another time. The point is if the dome is opened, the crystal will draw Exodus to itself, trap it, and begin absorbing its power.

Cassabrie, who now dwells within the star, will slowly die. Before we left the village, I planted a rumor that the humans’ only hope is for Cassabrie to come, so I expect that the dome will open to welcome her arrival. When she becomes ensnared, I will rescue her in exchange for her loyalty to me.”

“And if she refuses? I hear she is not easily influenced.”

“Then she will die, but that would be only a minor loss. There is another Starlighter who has already proven vulnerable to my influence. She is not as powerful as Cassabrie, but she would serve my purposes if necessary. Without one of the Starlighters, we cannot prevail.”

“Such nonsense!” Mallerin said. “Even without a Starlighter, we could conquer a thousand healthy soldiers. Why are we hiding from diseased humans?”

“We are not hiding from humans. We are in this refuge to keep us safe from another enemy.” Taushin extended his neck, pushing Mallerin’s wing away. “I sense that the hour has arrived. I will explain the situation to all my subjects at the same time.”

He thumped his tail on the boulder. When the dragons rose and turned their attention to him, he spoke in a formal tone. “Hear me, those who are faithful to our race. As we learned earlier, Magnar and Arxad have allied themselves with humans in order to remove me from my rightful place as king over you. They have proven that their allegiances are with forces foreign to ours, so we must defend our place and position against their betrayal. You have heard that men are coming with weapons, but that is not why we are taking refuge. The humans are a pathetic
lot who might perish in piles of rotting flesh before they ever arrive. We have a different enemy.”

A flapping sound arose toward the forest wilderness. The other dragons’ heads swayed as they searched for the source. “Mother,” Taushin said, “please look to the northern skies.”

Over the treetops to the northwest, three white dragons flew toward the mesa mines. No larger than normal dragons, they flew haphazardly, dipping and weaving in the gusts.

Taushin resisted the urge to shudder. The Benefile. Their appearance was expected, but not this soon. Rising to his full height, Taushin growled as he spoke. “Behold our enemy.”

Berkah turned to him. “Why are we hiding from these weaklings? We could overwhelm them in mere minutes.”

“Their flight difficulty is due to the length of time they spent in captivity, so do not underestimate their power. They will soon become the extraordinary flyers they once were. And they have no fear of any dragon. In fact, they are likely flying straight to our village in search of us. They mean to destroy us all.”

“Why?” Mallerin asked. “What have we done to them?”

“They are the Benefile, the enforcers, misguided keepers of the Code. Like Alaph, king of the Northlands, they think the dragons of the Southlands have brutalized humans, so they have come to deliver punishment. Yet, if we position ourselves and time events perfectly, they will conquer the humans for us, and we will have a Starlighter who will, in turn, conquer them.”

When the white dragons flew out of sight, Taushin straightened and held his head high. “It is time to set our bait for Koren.”

“What bait might that be?” Berkah asked.

“Suffering children.”

“But the children are all in the village or the grottoes. The patriarchs moved them there when they saw us leave. If the Benefile are as dangerous as you claim, the children will not be accessible to us.”

“Not so, Berkah. The cattle children are in a wilderness refuge. As the most pitiful of all children, they will be the best bait possible. We need only to guide them safely to the village and see to it that they suffer along the way. Koren will see it, and she will come.”

Berkah nodded. “We have searched the wilderness for that refuge before, but it has not been a high priority. Perhaps if we all search again—”

“No need, and too dangerous. If we all fly over the entire wilderness, the Benefile will certainly see us.”

“Then how do you propose that we find them?”

“I will send someone on a hunting expedition.” Taushin pointed a wing at a drone. “You will go.”

The drone lowered his head in submission. “What must I do?”

“Since you are small, you will be able to fly with stealth. If you locate the escaped cattle children, return and report their whereabouts. Kill any adults you find. While you are hunting, we will watch from here. Even if you locate nothing, I expect that one of the traitor dragons will eventually lead us to the refuge, so watch for any member of Arxad’s family.”

Koren groaned. Pain in her shoulders streaked down her spine and ripped across her limbs. With every flap of his wings, the dragon’s claws dug in deeper, then eased back, a rhythm of agony that gouged her senses. If only she could find the strength to speak to him, maybe he would come under her control, at least long enough to set her down and ease the pain.

As the setting Solarus bobbed in her darkening vision, cold air swept through her thin clothing. Her cloak, now dry, trailed behind, too far to reach with pain-stiffened arms. Clenching her teeth, she refused to shiver. Any movement would make the torture even worse.

Ahead, the white caps of the Northlands had come into view. Although the trees now carried far less snow than before, the mountain peaks were still buried in it. Dark clouds loomed on the northern horizon, like a gray hat sitting on an old man’s hoary head.

She closed her eyes. Maybe gathering Cassabrie’s messages from Exodus would bring new energy, especially if the tales carried good news.

As she concentrated, images flashed in her mind — soldiers gathering in the midst of slush and mud, then marching into fields of green grass and multicolored flowers. Farther back, a dragon flew, too distant to identify, and far enough away that the soldiers might not even know that he lurked behind them.

After a few seconds of contemplating the confusing scene, she opened her eyes. A line of men dressed in dark uniforms appeared against a backdrop of color. As in her
vision, they had just passed the Northlands border and were entering the flowered meadow, but the dragon stalking them was nowhere in sight.

Koren tried to take in a deep breath, but the pain kept her respiration shallow. Only a pathetic “Beware” escaped her lips, probably not loud enough for even her carrier dragon to hear.

Soon the men began to shout. Some lifted spears and swords as well as shields, but at a command from their leader, they held back. Perhaps he was fearful they would hit the wrong target.

“This will be easier than I thought,” the dragon said. “All I have to do is drop you from a height beyond the reach of their weapons and then fly away. If the fall kills you, it will be no matter. You will be freshly dead, so the contagion will be delivered.”

The dragon flew higher, providing a wider view of the surrounding area. From the north, another dragon approached, beating its wings furiously. Reddish brown and snorting sparks, his powerful lines drew a familiar form.

“Magnar,” Koren whispered. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she summoned every bit of energy remaining and called out, “Dragon … I appeal to you …. Put me down … safely away from the humans … and summon Magnar…. He must hear from me.”

The dragon circled overtop the soldiers but stayed quiet, as if unsure what to do. Below, the men spread out under the dragon, but whether to present a less concentrated target or to be ready to catch her should it decide to drop her, Koren couldn’t be sure.

Magnar closed in, shouting in the dragon tongue, “Why are you transporting this Starlighter?”

“At Taushin’s bidding. She carries a disease that we wish to spread among the invading humans. Considering your disdain for the vermin, I assume that you approve.”

“I do not approve,” Magnar said as he joined the carrier dragon in his orbit. “Put her on my back. I have need of the human army.” He lowered his voice to a quiet growl. “We can dispose of them later.”

“Taushin is king now,” the carrier dragon said. “Since you left our world, his coronation was legal. We must repel this attack. The vermin must die.”

Magnar eyed him for a moment before replying. “You are Braynor.”

“Yes.”

“You are one of the Zodiac priests.”

“I am.”

“You heard the human’s appeal. By law, you must at least listen to what she has to say. If we land well away from the humans, there will be no danger.”

“Very well. I see no harm in it.” Braynor flew southward, then swooped low and released his grip. Koren tumbled into a somersault, then skidded on her stomach across a stretch of flowers and feathery grass. When her momentum stopped, her cloak wafted over her, covering her head.

Groaning again, she turned and threw the cloak to the side. The dragon sat on its haunches beside her, its neck extended upward while it waited for Magnar to land. With Solarus now behind the trees to the west, twilight was nearing.

Her shoulders throbbing, Koren rose to a sitting position and looked at Braynor. Even in her blurry vision, his nervousness was obvious as his ears twitched and his body shifted from side to side.

Magnar dove toward the ground and landed in a graceful slide. When he settled, he extended his neck toward Koren. “Speak, human. Make your appeal.”

Her arms shaking, Koren pulled her hood up over her head and glanced to the north. Perhaps five hundred paces away, the soldiers marched toward her at a rapid pace. She had to do this before they arrived, or they would be exposed to the disease. After taking another deep breath, she whispered, “I … I need to … tell you … a tale.”

“What?” Braynor’s ears perked. “I cannot hear you!”

Magnar growled. “I hope you have not damaged her beyond her ability to speak.”

Braynor backed up, nearly stepping on Koren’s foot before halting. “If she cannot appeal, then my vow is fulfilled.”

Pushing against the grass with her feet, Koren slid away. If a fight erupted, the first casualty might be a vulnerable Starlighter. She glanced again at the men. The sound of the tromping boots drew closer, maybe three hundred paces away now.

“You are a poor excuse for a priest,” Magnar said. “I will take her to safety myself.”

Trembling, Braynor backed away another step. “I … I cannot allow it. Taushin is king, not you.”

“Beware, Braynor!” Magnar’s growl strengthened. “I am larger than you and more powerful by far.”

“Then I will have to rely on quickness and agility.”

Koren slid farther away. A battle meant a delay in flying her out before the soldiers arrived. “Magnar,” she said, her voice rasping. “Warn the men!”

Magnar raised his head high. “Soldiers from Darksphere! Heed my warning! If you come closer, you will be infected by a fatal disease.”

“No!” Braynor leaped at Magnar, his jaws snapping at the bigger dragon’s neck. Within seconds, their beating wings blocked Koren’s view of the soldiers. Their tails shredded the ground as they fought, edging closer and closer to her.

Koren rolled away. A cacophony pierced her senses— the thumps of whipping tails and the grunts and growls of cursing dragons. Pushing with aching arms, she climbed to her feet, then looked back. The men had stopped within a hundred paces, perhaps worried about the disease. Yet, one man leaped toward her and ran.

Koren waved him back and staggered westward toward the river. The waist-high grass felt like whips against her aching legs, and every pounding step brought new throbs to her perforated shoulders. Blood trickled down her back, biting into lesions along the way. The consuming disease gnawed at her gut, worse than ever.

As the sounds of battle subsided, the rush of water took over. The river came into view, maybe ten paces away. She stumbled over a stone and fell to her knees. Her palms slapped the turf and sent new shock waves through her shoulders.