Defenders of Kron - The Black Dragon (26 page)

Mordok seemed amused. “What a brave boy, just like his mother. She didn’t even give in the temptation of bringing the love of her life back from the dead” Mordok lowered his gaze “Oh! What is this, your father’s sword?  You think this sword will protect you from me boy?” Mordok laughed hysterically. “You fool, you think you stand a chance against me? Mordok?”

Mordok moved his wings before Aaron; it gave out a gust of wind so hard that Aaron lost his balance. He held on to his sword tight and came towards Mordok. He managed to raise his sword high and drew it against Mordok’s right wing. The sword cut through Mordok’s wing a little, making him scream for a second before he realized what had happened.

Mordok pounced on Aaron and stood over him with anger in his eyes. Aaron’s sword fell down. Mordok grunted “I will kill the boy who the whole world is waiting for and delight my master”

Mordok had Aaron by his neck. His sharp claws pierced Aaron. He struggled to get out of Mordok’s clutches, but the more he moved, the more the claws hurt him. Mordok’s big black head was close to Aaron now. Aaron felt his warm blood oozing from his neck.

“Mordok, Leave the boy alone” Alfadon screamed.

Mordok’s clutches loosened as he was startled. Aaron fell down on the floor and Jane pulled him away immediately.

“I will never join you and your disgusting friends. I have sworn to finish the likes of you” said Alfadon and raised his staff. A strong wind blew around Mordok and he could not keep his claws on the ground. He had to leave the ground and fly high into the sky. But soon, he came back on the terrace. Alfadon created a small tornado with his staff that caught Mordok.  But Mordok was very powerful and in no time, he overcame the tornado.

“Quick! Hide before he comes back” Alfadon said to Aaron and Jane.

“No, we cannot leave you alone. Please let me help you” said Jane feeling helpless.

“We will do whatever we can” said Aaron joining her.

Alfadon looked at both of them and said “Didn’t you just say that I am the greatest wizard who ever lived? Then why are you afraid? Now go and find a safe place for yourselves”

Aaron and Jane reluctantly moved away.

Alfadon turned back. Mordok was almost out of the tornado that Alfadon had created. Alfadon took a deep breath; he dropped his staff onto the ground. He raised his hands towards the sky and took another deep breath chanting something under his breath.

“What is he going to do?” Aaron was worried.

“I don’t know, I think he is surrendering. I can’t watch this” Jane said and hid her face behind Aaron’s shoulders.  She closed her eyes and teardrops rolled down her face.

Something strange began to happen around Alfadon. He was surrounded by strange blue waves of light which were encircling him rapidly. The waves turned very bright. There was a big bright explosion and Aaron shut his eyes and covered Jane and himself. Mordok stopped in mid air for a second.

Something flew off the ground towards the sky in a flash of light. Aaron opened his eyes and looked up.

“Jane, look!” he pointed towards the sky.

Jane looked up with her teary eyes and smiled.

“The White Dragon” she whispered.

Chapter 24

The Final Flight

‘The White Dragon’
Aaron thought to himself. “The legends are true” he said.

The White Dragon came back speedily towards Mordok. Mordok was really confused for a moment. He flew in the opposite direction, but the White Dragon tailed him.

“That’s impossible!” Mordok said while flying “You couldn’t have learned that, how did you do that?” Mordok turned towards Alfadon.

“You didn’t think you were the only one who could master Dragon Magic, did you?  Yes, I learnt this magic from the Dragon Masters themselves. Unlike you, who stole the magic for your own benefit” said Alfadon.

Mordok became enraged. “How dare you say I stole this magic? Magic has to be acquired. I acquired this magic. You may have transformed into a Dragon, but you will never be as powerful as me Alfadon”

Saying this, Mordok roared and breathed fire at Alfadon. Alfadon was quick to escape the flames. Mordok flew after Alfadon. Aaron saw the two large dragons flying high in the sky chasing each other. Both of them looked equally big and powerful. The Lurgs and the Giants had stopped fighting and had their eyes fixed on the Dragons.

Both the Dragons were moving in circles now. The White Dragon had both his wings open and was hovering in the sky. The Black Dragon wasn’t able to fly so well, since Aaron had damaged his right wing.

Mordok pounced on Alfadon with his sharp claws and in a second, there was visible blood on Alfadon’s white body. He gave out a sharp cry. Mordok tightened his grip on Alfadon and knocked him onto the ground. Alfadon fell among the Lurgs and Mordok breathed fire at Alfadon again, but Alfadon rolled away instantly. With his mighty tail, Alfadon trashed Mordok. Mordok fell a few feet away. But he got up quickly and broke the building behind him out of anger.

Mordok was filled with rage, he walked towards Alfadon. But Alfadon was still calm. Mordok flew high in the air again and thrashed another building wall of the palace, very close to the terrace where Aaron was standing. Alfadon was alarmed.

Quickly, Alfadon flew towards Mordok and from above; he breathed blue flames onto him. Before Mordok could understand what Alfadon had done, his right wing had caught fire. He flew straight upwards in a great speed to put the fire out. With another great roar, Mordok came back and caught Alfadon’s tail with his claws. Alfadon felt a sharp pain in his spine. Mordok lifted Alfadon with all his strength and threw him far away.  Then he followed Alfadon, flying in the same direction. Before Alfadon could land, Mordok caught him again in mid air and thrashed him onto the ground.

Alfadon lay on the ground for a few moments. He was bleeding badly all over. Jane looked very worried, she crossed her fingers and prayed for Alfadon.

“Is that all the strength you have old man?” Mordok mocked Alfadon. Then he turned towards the Lurgs and said “Finish them, what are you waiting for? Let us make Arktor a part of the Dark kingdom. Ha ha ha…”

The fight between the Lurgs and the Giants began again. The Lurgs seemed to have become more powerful now. They were taking on the Giants easily. Many soldiers of the Giants were falling. Dan and Ony were fighting as many Lurgs as they could, but it didn’t look like they would be able to hold on for longer.

Thodin couldn’t watch this anymore. He drew his sword and jumped on the Lurgs to fight them. He was fierce with his sword and his hammer. He alone took down hundreds of Lurgs, but the Lurgs had outnumbered the Giants and the fall of Arktor was now obvious.

Mordok sat on a high building and looked down, he laughed at the Giants and the Defenders. He made fun of Alfadon and Aaron for thinking they could kill him. Aaron’s blood was boiling. He clutched onto his sword’s hilt.

Alfadon slowly regained his strength. He got up and searched for Mordok. The blood retuned to Jane’s face seeing Alfadon get up.

Alfadon straightened his wings and flew towards Mordok. He perched next to where Mordok was sitting. Seeing him Mordok growled. Mordok raised and hit Alfadon hard with his head. Alfadon lost balance and slipped. But he climbed up again. Mordok was ready for him now.

“You won’t give up. Will you old man? I will have to finish you then” said Mordok and caught Alfadon by his right wing. Mordok flew towards the mountains with Alfadon in his clutches.

“No! Where is he taking Alfadon?” Jane gasped.

Alfadon tried to struggle and get off the clutches of the Black Dragon but he could hardly match Mordok’s strength. Mordok dropped Alfadon from a height onto the mountain below. Alfadon fell with a big thud. He was hurt badly but he didn’t give up. He stood up again.

Mordok landed right in front of him and looked at him with his fierce red eyes “I will be the only greatest wizard alive in the whole world, Alfadon. Your time has come.” Mordok slapped Alfadon with his powerful claws. Alfadon flinched and tried to fly. Mordok pulled him down abruptly and Alfadon crashed against the mountain rocks.

“Say goodbye then, great Alfadon” said Mordok, and with his large tail, he hit against the mountain and many large rocks and boulders fell on Alfadon. Soon, Alfadon was covered with heavy stones and none of him was visible.

“Rest in peace my enemy” Mordok laughed aloud and then flew towards Arktor again.

Aaron was looking up towards the mountains for Alfadon to come back. But the only shape he saw flying back towards him was Mordok’s.

Mordok looked at the Lurgs who were winning now. He knew that the army of Arktor will fall soon and that he will have another kingdom to rule upon.

“What have you done to Alfadon? Where is he?” shouted Aaron at Mordok as he came near the terrace.

“You have some nerve boy” said Mordok, landing on the terrace.

Everyone else stood back, some even escaped “You want to know what happened to your beloved Alfadon? I killed him. And now it’s your turn” Mordok came towards Aaron.

“Brandon! Come back here” said Flynn appearing from inside the door. Brandon was running in front of him, he paid no attention to Flynn. Brandon came straight to Aaron and stood facing him.

“Aaron” Brandon screamed.

Brandon was now standing between Aaron and the Dragon. He turned to look at the Dragon with his big eyes. Brandon froze with fear.

“No Brandon, get away” Aaron said with his heart pounding. Mordok looked at Aaron and then at Brandon. Then he laughed again.

“You little worms, I am going finish the both of you.”

Mordok raised his claws to crush Bandon with a thrash.  Bandon looked at the Black Dragon’s raised claws. Mordok moved his sharp claws towards Brandon but gave out a shriek himself.

Somebody had shielded Brandon form the Dragon. He was holding a shield and a sword. He had cut the Dragon’s claws.

“Billy!” cried Aaron. He recognized Billy with his long blond hair.

Billy was dressed differently now. He looked bigger and was wearing armor and holding his shield. Billy rose against the Dragon. He withdrew his shield and raised his sword.

Brandon ran towards Aaron.

“The Defenders are not made to give up!” he said and with his sword he jabbed the Dragon in the eye.

Mordok went crazy with pain. He roared and tried to fly, but he couldn’t see anything clearly.

From above, they heard another roar. The White Dragon came towards them.

“Why don’t you fight someone your own size?” said Alfadon and pulled Mordok by his tail. Alfadon thrashed him against the rocks many times till Mordok gave up.

Mordok fell in front of them. Breathing shallow, he said “The Dark Lord will avenge me. None of you will be able to stand against him”

Aaron walked up to Mordok. Mordok was slowly changing back into his human form.

Aaron drew his sword and plunged it into Mordok’s chest. “This is for my Mother” He said with anger.

Mordok gave out a howl and finally died. Mordok was now just another dead man, fallen on the grounds of Arktor.

As soon as the Dark Wizard Mordok fell, the Lurgs started to fall too. They were terrified. They dropped their weapons and ran in the opposite direction. They ran like rats into the tunnel from where they came from.

The Giants cheered. Ony hugged Dan so tightly that Dan couldn’t breathe for a moment. Flynn came forward to hug Aaron. Brandon joined them too. The soldiers of the Giants dropped their axes and finally took a breath of relief. Thodin was cheering for Arktor.

Aaron looked for Jane, but she was not seen anywhere. Aaron looked in the corridor. He saw Jane kneeling down close to Mordok.

“Jane, what are you doing here?” Aaron said as he ran towards her “Are you alright?”

He saw her crying. Alfadon was lying next to her on the ground. He was badly hurt all over. He was bleeding and could hardly speak. Aaron sat next to Alfadon and held one of his hands.

“You are no doubt the greatest wizard ever” Aaron said looking at Alfadon.

“Didn’t I tell you everything will be fine?” Alfadon smiled through his pain.

Ony, Dan and Thodin came running to Alfadon and took him inside the Palace.

Chapter 25

The Journey Ahead

The Giants sealed the tunnel with heavy rocks so that the Lurgs could never come back again. But even they knew that it wouldn’t be too long, before Zorath would come back to this world again.

Alfadon was kept under strict supervision by the Giants. They took great care of him and brought all the ingredients that Jane asked for; so she could make special medicines for Alfadon. But still, Alfadon did not show any signs of improvement. Aaron and Jane would sit next to him for hours and Alfadon would sometimes tell them stories of their mother and father.

Finally, when Alfadon became slightly better, Aaron asked him  “What do we do now that Zorath has acquired the Sicil stone of Merthyl? Will he be back now to wreck more havoc in the world?”

“Ah, you see Aaron. It’s not that simple” said Alfadon “Zorath always has ruled over his Dark Kingdom through the kings he had made immortal. In each of these kings, he put a part of his soul. They are Zorath’s real strength. Even when his physical body perished, Zorath was alive through these kings and continued his evil deeds through them. Now, to come back to his human form again, he cannot simply use the Sicil of Merthyl alone. He would also have to sacrifice the kings he had made immortal. This, the kings do not know of”

“So he will not be able to come back if he can’t kill these kings?”asked Aaron.

“Yes! That is right” Alfadon agreed.

“Then, we should capture these kings and keep them hidden while we find the Sicil of Merthyl” Aaron said after thinking for some time.

“That is a great plan Aaron. But it might not be that easy though. Each of these kings have exceptional magic powers and they stand by Zorath. They will never give up what they have.” said Alfadon.

“Then we will fight them and bring them to Kron” Aaron said boldly.