DragonLight (7 page)

“Kale, would you like to dance?” Bardon bowed to his lady wife.

“Not yet. May we watch?”

“Of course.”

They sat in dainty chairs set against the wall. Rows of seating encircled the dance floor in three tiers, the highest against the wall, the next level just in front of that, and the lowest level on a platform eight inches above the floor. The chairs were grouped in sizes so that kimens and urohms could each find a comfortable place to rest. Outside on the veranda, seats were clustered for socializing between the races.

After the third dance, the lights dimmed and the orchestra began to play a piece that reminded Kale of music she had heard Sir Dar play on his flute. The partners on the floor stood still. They couldn’t see well enough to proceed. Between the dancers, shimmering lights began to appear.

“Kimens,” whispered Kale.

The small creatures danced, twirling between their larger counterparts, circling couples, then spinning away and gliding in and out of the unmoving spectators.

Kale took Bardon’s hand and stood. “I want to dance with the kimens.”

They hurried to the floor. Bardon encircled her waist with one arm, held her other hand, and sailed into the midst of the others. Two by two, the couples shook off the awe of the beautiful kimens surrounding them. The colors of the kimens’ lighted garb reflected off the shiny material of the dancers’ clothing. “It’s like being inside a kaleidoscope,” Kale whispered. “The shifting colors could be disconcerting, but you know they’re held together by a pattern even if we can’t see the overall design.”

“Very philosophical, but that reminds me of a principle.” Bardon pulled her closer, laid his chin against her hair, and murmured in her ear. “Don’t go analyzing it, Light Wizard Kale. Some things are meant just for us to enjoy.”

“That’s not a principle.”

“Ah, but it is, an underlying principle that shows itself in many of the more formal wordings.”

She felt him stiffen. “What is it?”

“I see evidence of Tieto’s concern.”

Kale’s head swiveled so that she could look all around them. “I don’t see anything.”

“Our kimen friends are dancing freely among us, but there are those that they never circle, never come close to. I surmise that these are the folks that Tieto has identified as having an odd aura.”

“Oh, dear.” Kale sighed. “Things are never perfect, are they?”

         
9
         

E
ARLY
M
ORNING
C
ONFLICT

Bardon slipped out of bed, dressed, strapped on his sword, and left his wizard wife for his rendezvous with Sir Dar, Lee Ark, Lord Brunstetter, and Wizard Cam. Mikkai came along to provide directions to the exercise field. Tieto chirred his displeasure over such a short night’s sleep. He refused to fly, remained perched on Bardon’s shoulder, and grumbled at being required to keep an eye out for tainted auras. He claimed all were skewed after so little sleep.

Bardon’s footsteps echoed in the great hallways. He passed only a few people, mostly servants. They nodded in deference to a guest, but he grinned at their drooping eyelids and slow, shuffling steps. Most likely, no one eagerly jumped out of their beds this morning.

Sunshine greeted him as he stepped out onto a lawn that stretched over a rolling hill and ended at the base of a cliff. Those who had managed to rise that morning sparred in pairs or did forms in a line. Bardon unbuckled his belt, removed his outer jacket and boots, and laid them on a bench with Tieto and Mikkai standing watch over his possessions. He joined a group of men and two ladies who performed slow, dance-like stretches.

Bardon’s body responded to the movements as if he had never burned with the fever of stakes. He breathed deeply and felt energy flow from his core to his fingertips. With the next measured lift of his right leg, he swung it easily to the side and down. A burst of vigor made it hard not to speed up beyond the required slow motion into a more energetic expression of pleasure. Perhaps this time the kimens’ treatment would last forever. Perhaps he wouldn’t return to that stiff condition that had almost paralyzed him.

He located Lee Ark with a group of men who were further along in the routine exercises. Sir Dar and Wizard Cam ambled onto the field a few minutes later. Bardon became engrossed in his forms and laughed at himself later when he saw that the giant urohm Brunstetter had somehow slipped into the activities unnoticed.

When Bardon finished his regimen, he joined Lee Ark to wait for the others. The men sat on benches along the castle wall. Servants brought them towels to wipe away the perspiration and tankards of cool well water.

“Ah,” said Bardon as he took a slow draft and wiped his lips on the back of his sleeve. “Wizard Namee has a sweet supply.”

“He does, indeed,” answered Lee Ark. With military directness, he continued. “I’m anxious to talk over this matter of Followers with our comrades. My number of new soldiers has dropped in the past few months, and upon investigation, I find the young people are being lured away to improve their minds and souls.”

“According to the Tomes, defending the old, young, and weak, providing stability in life, and assuring the land’s ability to support us have always been a part of improving minds and souls.”

Lee Ark crossed his legs so that one ankle rested on the other knee and leaned back against the bricks of the castle wall. “Apparently, that is no longer true.”

Bardon snickered. “Someone has written another volume of the Tomes? I hadn’t heard so.”

“I’ve heard these people speak myself. At first I was impressed. They explained the principles with more wisdom and understanding than any teacher I’ve ever heard.”

Bardon widened his eyes and paid closer attention.

Lee Ark nodded. “Until I heard one statement that struck me as out of place. Something about earning Wulder’s favor. I kept attending their open-air meetings and made sure I prayed for discernment each time. In every message I found one speck of heresy almost hidden in the glowing rhetoric.”

Over the clang of swords clashing in mock combat, a hum like the sound of swarming bees drifted across the lawn. The people on the exercise field ceased their forms and practice of various methods of defense. All eyes turned toward the western corner of the castle. The drone drew closer and, as it became more distinct, Bardon realized it could not be small insects.

“What is this?” asked Lee Ark.

A tumanhofer boy came running around the corner. As soon as he saw the people, he yelled, “Dragons. Little dragons. They’re attacking!” He ran on toward the stables, repeating his warning with increasing fervor.

Lee Ark took command. “Those who will not fight, return to the castle. Warriors, to your weapons. A line for defense. A second line behind, the distance of three yards.”

Most of the servants and ladies disappeared into the castle. The remaining fighters hastened to follow Lee Ark’s orders. Mikkai settled on Bardon’s shoulder and clung steadfastly as his knight responded to the battle cry. Tieto chose to fly above the field. Wizard Cam stood beside Bardon on one side and Lee Ark on the other. They positioned themselves in the center of the front line. The men and a few women had just formed ranks when a hundred or more black dragons the size of a small lad’s fist charged around the corner.

The black beasts stormed the defenders en masse without an apparent leader or a particular plan of attack. As they approached, the dragons blasted tiny streams of fire at the obstacles in their way but did not tarry to fight. Mikkai hunkered down on Bardon’s shoulder and did not move. The swarm flew as if the people were merely an inconvenience in the way of their journey.

The small, quick targets were difficult to hit, but a score of dragon bodies littered the ground, a solid testament to the warriors’ skills.

One man yelped when he attempted to pick up one of the black dragons. He shook his hand. “It stung me.” He ran his sword point through the creature and lifted it. “In all of Amara, I’ve never seen the like of this.”

Another defender crouched and examined a fallen dragon. “I mistook them for bats when they first rounded the corner, but the fire proved me wrong. These are dragons, peculiar, but dragons. The boy was right.” The man stood and spit on the ground. “Dragons. I don’t like any of them. Don’t trust them, myself. Here’s an example of how bad they can be.” He strode off the field, glowering at all he passed.

Bardon lifted his eyebrows and glanced at Sir Dar. He shrugged, shook his head, and touched his singed hair. Bardon looked at Cam, but the old wizard was concentrating on something else.

Wizard Cam sniffed the air above the dead specimen before him. “I believe the spines along the back may contain toxins. Even dead, this venom could be released and cause pain. Since our friend over there is still standing, I doubt the venom is fatal.”

Mikkai came out of a stupor and began a high-pitched squawk next to Bardon’s ear. The knight cringed and forcefully removed the shrieker from his shoulder, peeling this little dragon’s claws out of his shirt. He held shivering Mikkai next to his chest, stroking his back, and uttering soothing phrases. “It’s all right. They’re gone now. You aren’t hurt.”

When the little fellow quieted, Bardon asked, “Do you know anything about these dragons, Mikkai? Do you know where they came from?”

Mikkai shuddered, and Bardon heard the suggestion in his mind that Filia would be more likely to know. Bardon asked Tieto, who had come to find out what was wrong with his friend, about the tiny dragons. Through Mikkai, he found out the other dragon knew nothing more and didn’t want to discuss such errant behavior in any species of dragon.

Sir Dar and Lord Brunstetter approached. The doneel fumed over the hair singed from his forehead. “Blasted beasts tried to set me on fire!”

“Hair will grow back, my little friend,” said Brunstetter. “If the strike had been lower, it could have been your eye. You can’t grow back an eye. It was a close one. Some of your eyebrow is black stubble.”

“It is?” Sir Dar stopped short and glared up at the towering urohm. “How long does it take eyebrows to grow back? I’ll be lopsided.”

“As far as I can see, you’ve always been off-kilter.” Brunstetter chortled, a deep resonating sound that vibrated the air.

Sir Dar ignored the dig and frowned at Lee Ark. “It doesn’t seem we were the object of their attack.”

“I assume we were simply in the way,” interjected Wizard Cam. “There was no real need to defend the castle.” He pointed at one of the dead beasts. “But the encounter gives us an opportunity to study this new threat. A good thing in the long run.”

“A good thing?” The doneel huffed. “I suppose it is a good thing for those of us who still have two eyebrows and no bald spot between the ears.”

Brunstetter snickered again. “So long as you don’t have an empty spot between the ears where your brain should be.”

“Brunstetter, you are annoying me.”

“That’s the plan.”

Sir Dar squinted at his friend. “I bet you’re hungry.”

“We all are.” Wizard Cam interrupted before Sir Dar could lead the conversation into another friendly barb.

Bardon stepped in as well. “I’ll send Mikkai for Filia, and maybe we can learn more about these dragons. We can pool our thoughts over fried mullins and strong tea.”

“Excellent idea.” Lee Ark waved to a head servant who had stayed to join the battle line. “Have your men pick up the bodies to dispose of. Don’t touch them directly. There’s venom in those spines. Take one to Wizard Namee and inform him of what has happened here.”

“Yes sir.” The servant saluted and dashed away.

“An ex-military man,” said Sir Dar. “No wonder Namee has put him in charge of the training field.”

The men joined others in the room provided for washing away the sweat and grime of training. Bardon noted the lack of bantering between those who had participated in the confrontation with the black dragons. This jousting with words had been something he loathed as a child and had grown to love as a man. He shrugged, recognizing he didn’t feel inclined toward lighthearted wit himself.

Mikkai returned with Filia after the five comrades sat down at a table away from the others. They desired to enjoy the morning’s buffet and the privacy to speak freely.

“Mikkai says that Filia has some knowledge of an ancient myth that might be related to the black dragons.” Bardon relayed the information to the others. “This is going to be arduous. Mikkai will have to interpret for me. I can’t understand Filia’s mindspeaking.”

“I understand her well enough,” said Wizard Cam. “Let me help, if I may.”

Filia flew to sit on Cam’s forearm as it rested on the table. She looked up at him and chittered away. The chittering always distracted Bardon but didn’t seem to bother Wizard Cam as he listened to her mindspeak. He frowned, and the others leaned forward, anticipating his words.

“She says there are legends of a terrifying beast that was captured and put under a sleeping spell. This beast sheds these tiny dragons but is itself huge, as big as a mountain. While the evil dragon sleeps, it produces no vermin. The tiny black dragons we encountered this morning would be the vermin of the myth. When the horrible beast awakes, it sheds the small creatures like scales. As each one drops off, it takes flight.”

Bardon scratched his chin. “So the legend must be based on fact.”

“Not necessarily,” said Sir Dar. “Myths often explain what cannot be explained by observation. If these creatures appear in a cycle—”

“This would have been a very long cycle,” said Brunstetter.

Sir Dar nodded. “Yes, indeed. But if, in an ancient time, the creatures returned every ten years, every hundred years, whatever, the people may have made up the tale of the sleeping beast to explain the phenomenon.”

Wizard Cam held up his hand. “This may be so. Filia says there is only one reference to the beasts, and it is chronicled in the writings of a scholar from the Northern Reach. She has never seen nor heard of any other record. An isolated, strictly regional, almost forgotten fable.”

Sir Dar touched the spot of stubble on his forehead. “It would seem under present circumstances that it would be prudent not to treat this fable lightly.”

Lee Ark put down his empty cup. “We shall know soon enough if we face a new danger. If this is a one-time occurrence, there will be reports from those who encounter the beasts, and then no more. If the accounts come from various directions and keep coming, then we have a problem.”