The Tomes Of Magic (9 page)

“Well done, Wizard. I’m not sure what they are up to, but we’d be in a lot worse shape without you,” Aithen said as he took a seat next to the Archwizard.

“Your men are holding together well. I feared that seeing Theros and Melos fall would dash their spirits. It is a shame, they should have returned to the castle. We could have used them in the defense,” Cormac looked back at the naga camp as he spoke.

“They pledged their service to me. Death was inevitable in their eyes. It doesn’t make it any better, but it is the truth all the same.”

“The naga are reorganizing their forces. I think they expected to catch us unaware. Perhaps they did. Theros and Melos did not die in vain. Their deaths could have been prevented, but their initial charge saved most of your people. Let us not allow their sacrifice to be overturned by these foul creatures.”

*

Paul brought his dragon to rest atop the massive tower that the dragon’s thralls had recently finished. He tried his best to look annoyed as he and Argos joined the rest of the Council. Rolin nodded to him in greeting, but Melissa continued staring off into the distance.
Foul dragons have nearly destroyed her
, he thought as he looked at her. He instantly felt Argos emotions, more than the dragon had wanted to show, he presumed. It was mixture of anger, fear, and guilt. Paul pushed aside both his thoughts and those of his dragon. He took his sword and thrust in into the ground. It dug through several feet and the dragon King snorted in anger. The beast stared down at Paul, who stared back with matched ferocity. Rolin cleared his throat, trying to draw their attention to him. Paul looked over at him for a moment, but looked back at the dragon King when he saw that Melissa was still staring off into space.

“What do you have to report, little one?” The dragon King asked, taunting the Wizard.

“The town is not in Holy Order hands, far from it. They remain firmly neutral. How goes the completion of the castle?” Paul knew the question would anger the dragon.

“It is none of your concern, whelp!” Steam poured out of the dragon King’s nostrils.

“My work here is done. I am going now.” Paul pushed his chair back and began to stand.

The dragon King swung his tail around to try to catch Paul in the back. Paul grabbed his sword and pulled it out of the ground just in time to dig it into the oncoming tail. Rolin gasped as he watched Paul shoved the tail back before pulling his sword out. A quick flip of Paul’s wrist sent a fireball shooting toward the dragon King. Argos took flight and met Paul just as he was leaping off the tower. The dragon King bellowed in rage as he took flight after the two. Paul raised his hand and sent a massive burst of air to slow the King. It was all that he needed to get out of sight of the Council. Argos growled as they flew south. The dragon knew where Paul was headed. Despite warnings from the dragon, Paul knew that he
had to see Emily. It had been months since he had even heard from her. He owed her a visit, even if she had moved on.

“You are a fool!” Argos shouted.

Hold your tongue
, Paul thought as he gripped the reins tighter.

Your arrogance will get us both killed
, the dragon replied as it swooped lower.

“Perhaps it will,” Paul spoke this time.

“You have a plan, I can sense it.”

“I will see the dragon King dead, Argos. That much I can promise you.”

Argos went silent as soon as he heard the words. Paul knew that the dragon would be calculating which side to choose. Where other dragons hung on the King’s every word, Argos watched and waited. Whether by luck or by fate, the two had been brought together. One ambitious dragon and one ambitious human. Paul patted Argos’ neck as they flew.
We shall see what the two of us can accomplish
, he thought, not caring if the dragon listened in as well. Paul was one of the few citizens of Canai that held no grudge against the dragons as a whole. It was the dragon King that had changed his life. The dragon King and Arcantos, former leader of the Knights of Doom, both had a hand in changing what Paul had wanted. He saw the defeat of the Knights of Doom as a chance to start over anew, but the dragon King’s arrival had changed all that. Even if he succeeded at dethroning the dragon King, he knew that the Holy Order would still be a threat.

“I am looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish,” Argos said.

“When do we make our move?” Paul asked.

*

The road to Cardinia was a long one for Zeltos. Bartholomew had offered a contingent of Holy Order soldiers, but he refused. He traveled better alone. The soldiers would only serve to slow him down and draw far too much attention to him.
Some company would have been nice
, he thought as he walked along the road. The other members of the Swords of Justice could only travel so far with him. Their destination was further west than his. He had mixed feelings about the assignment. Assassinating a King not something to scoff at, but the dragons had few holdings within Cardinia and even less in Sardinia. Getting them to suspect each other would create havoc for the dragon King. He followed the Grand Cleric to a fault, but he still preferred to strike against his true enemy. Without thinking, he checked his belt for the jeweled dagger. It had been far too long since he had gotten the chance to use it. Grand Crusader Gareth had taken over the decisions on whom to assassinate. Their old Grand Crusader had been weak in Zeltos eyes.

“Evil deserves to be purged,” he muttered as he walked.

Zeltos much preferred Bartholomew and Xander. Their methods, while questioned by many, were welcomed by the assassin. He was one of the few that saw no wrong in being an assassin for good. Gareth had always told him that they would only assassinate others in extreme circumstances. Though Zeltos, Bartholomew, and Xander saw him as weak for being unable to order assassinations, none of them could argue that he gave the Holy Order new life. In their long history, the Holy Order had been known for many things, but rarely were they known to be in a position of complete power. Had the dragons not arrived, the Holy Order would have been able to sweep through Canai and uproot any trace of evil. It was due to Gareth that their influence had grown so much. Now, with the appearance of the dragons, it was easy for them to convince people to side with the Holy Order. Before the dragons’ arrival, Gareth’s presence was the key to bringing support. Now, fear of the dragons was so widespread that they didn’t need him anymore.

The assassin sighed as he came to accept the impact that the former Grand Crusader had on the Holy Order.
Even fools can bring about good
, he thought as he scanned the horizon. Forests loomed to the north and mountains to the south. It was one of two spots that he expected would hold a bandit ambush. His suspicions were quickly confirmed as he spotted a small band of people just inside the forest. He slid his hand down to his belt and slipped several small throwing knives into his palm. The group spotted him and he acted as though he had no clue they were there. He wanted to keep the option of springing a trap on them. They slowly made their way out of the forest and onto the path in front of him. He shook his head as he got closer. Their leader stepped forward and held out his hand to motion for Zeltos to stop.

“These paths are dangerous for a lone traveler,” the man announced.

“Not as dangerous as they are for foolish bandits,” Zeltos whipped his wrist forward and one of his knives flashed out and struck one of the bandits in the throat.

“You’ll pay for that!” The bandit leader pulled his sword and charged forward.

Zeltos dodged to the side and let two more knives fly. He pulled his short sword and turned to face their leader. A quick flip of the wrist and he sliced into the man’s forearm. The bandit leader yelped in pain and took a step backward. Zeltos’ free hand shot out and sent another knife at the advancing bandits before he stepped forward to close the gap the leader had just created. A quick attack with his short sword knocked his opponent’s sword to the side, allowing him to follow up with a stab to the gut. He turned to face his next opponent as the leader crumpled to the floor. The attackers hesitated, giving Zeltos enough time to pull another short sword with his free hand. He used one of the swords to parry a blow from the closest attack and used the other to skewer him. Several of the bandits ran for their lives, not wanting to incur the wrath of the assassin.

The two remaining opponents attacked him in unison. He parried one man’s attack into the other man and followed up with a stab to the attacker’s shoulder. Their poor skill at working in unison allowed Zeltos to score another hit against each combatant. He stabbed each of them with one of his swords and turned to see if there were any others left. The rest of the bandits had fled, leaving the assassin to his carcass filled battlefield. He cleaned his swords before sheathing them and proceeded to
gather up all his throwing knives. It was no surprise to him that the bandits had tried to attack him.
Dark times
, he thought as he set off down the road. The bandits had been too brazen in their attack. He was left wondering if the recent squabbles among the dragon’s allies had caused them to lessen their patrols. It would be a bad sign for the smaller villages if the kingdoms had stopped looking out for their own. Zeltos shook his head as he thought about what it could mean for the villagers. His task did not allow for him to intervene.

James placed a hand on the great red dragon that sat next to him. The Telmac Valley was bustling with Holy Order troops. They were hard at working finishing the Fortress of Exaltation. The Archwizard had been sent to put a stop to their actions and seize control of the fortress for the dragons. His army stood in waiting, under the cover of darkness, for the signal to attack. He had no idea how the dragons has raised an army of five thousand so easily. There were rumors that the Holy Order had increased their numbers to the thirty or forty-thousand range, but James had no way of confirming it. He sighed as he raised his staff into the air. It was a necessary move, but risky nonetheless. A massive fireball shot out into the sky and exploded. His signal was met by another fireball shooting into the sky from the north. He had contacted one of his former students from the Desert of Solitude and asked her to raise an army to attack from the north.

“We are in luck, Hanoth,” James said as he mounted the dragon.

“You go against the dragons and think it brings you luck?” The dragon asked.

“I do not openly disrespect them. They gave us an army and a mission, I did my best to make that mission easier. You cannot fault me for that.”

“Hanoth has no interest in faulting others. It is the truth that he wishes to convey. The dragon King does not like those who do listen to his orders,” the dragon’s manner of speaking had taken some getting used to.

“I appreciate your honesty, but the dragon King didn’t strictly forbid us from seeking allies.”

The dragon lifted into the air as the army charged forward. James grabbed hold of the harness to keep himself from falling to the ground below. Unlike the other dragons, Hanoth preferred to respond to his rider’s thoughts. Where other dragons had reins, Hanoth simply had a seat for James. The Archwizard liked the idea of forming a greater bond with the creature. They swooped in low and the dragon breathed fire on a group of Holy Order soldiers that had been caught outside of the fortress walls. As the dragon dove in and out of attacks, James used his magic to deflect the ranged attacked that were aimed at the pair.
We need to breach the castle walls
, the Archwizard told his dragon. The dragon reacted instantly, swerving to the side as it looked for a way to tear a hole in the wall. James’ army was still far from reaching the castle, giving them an ample amount of time to find a way to break through the fortifications of the Holy Order’s new castle.

Hanoth grabbed a massive boulder and flew high up into the sky. The dragon picked up speed as he swooped down toward the fortress. It released the stone and it slammed into the unfinished portion of the wall. James deflected more arrows with his magic as his dragon whipped its tail into the weakened part of the wall. Large chunks of the wall crashed down on the ground as Hanoth continued his onslaught. The dragon unleashed a massive swath of fire into the opening he created, clearing the way for the approaching army. James slid off the back of the dragon just as his army was arriving at the breach. The Archwizard and his ragtag army surged forward, fighting their way through the breach and
into the outer courtyard. They met a large force of Holy Order knights. The enemy was far better equipped and more skilled. James pushed forward as thousands of his men streamed into the courtyard.

As per the original plan, the small army from the Desert of Solitude covered their escape route with the help of Hanoth. The majority of James’ army had entered the castle’s outer area and was fighting an uphill battle. James thrust his staff to and fro, shooting fireballs at any opponents who were in his path.
We must break them
, he thought as he turned his attention toward the keep. The Holy Order soldiers were superior to those in his army, but his aim was to cripple their army. If he could manage to kill or capture their leaders, the army would surely surrender. It was the crux of James’ plan. Even when the dragon King was giving him the order, he knew that the army he was to be given would not be enough for an outright victory against the Holy Order. His staff connected with the helmet of a soldier that tried to stand in his way. He fought bravely, but his conviction began to wane as more thoughts popped into his head. A single thought lingered in the back of his head, causing his strength to begin to falter. The dragon King could have sent him on a suicide mission.

“Fall back!” He yelled as he retreated back toward the center of his army.

Their numbers were dwindling far faster than he had anticipated. Even if he had been able to reach their commander, his army would have been defeated and the Holy Order victorious. He shook his head as he pushed through the throng of ragtag soldiers.
The dragon King really messed this up
, he thought as he motioned for the Desert of Solitude army to back away from the breach. His army was being trounced, but the refuge of his reserves was only a small ways away. Hanoth’s thoughts pierced his mind, advising him on how to best get out alive. It would be a difficult task even for an Archwizard. The Holy Order was closing the gap at the breach in an attempt to keep the rest of his army from getting away. Soldiers were falling on all sides of him as he raised his staff at the men guarding his way out. He sent a large gust of wind to knock them back and followed it up by slamming his staff into the ground. A large shock wave emanated from the point where the staff struck. It tossed both friend and foe, but James was able to keep his footing. He lowered his shoulder and slammed into one of the knights that was guarding the breach.

The two men tumbled backward and rolled on the floor. Several Holy Order soldiers rushed to their companion’s aide, leaving small gaps in the exit route. James grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it into the air. He swirled his staff through the air, further riling up the dirt particles. His enemies entered the dirt cloud just as he was finishing his next spell. He rolled backward as the dirt burst into flames. His opponents were engulfed in the flames, allowing him to escape. Hanoth swooped down and picked up the Archwizard before following the desert army to the north. James coughed as he grabbed hold of the dragon’s leg. He proceeded to climb up the side of the flying dragon and take up his spot in the makeshift saddle. What little was left of his army below was swallowed up by the advancing Holy Order defenders. James shook his head as he looked down at the cheering soldiers.

*

Emily dropped the book in frustration. It had been days since she was officially accepted into the Isle of Magic, yet she still felt as though they treated her like a child. It reminded her of growing up in
the Galimdor castle. Her father had always felt she was too young to take care of herself. She plopped down onto the bed and groaned. Her time learning under Owyn had spoiled her. His lessons had been simple, yet effective and important. Kadegar was much different. Though he had little say in the individual lessons, he was in charge of each student’s overall workload. She stood up and walked over to where the book had fallen to the floor. It all seemed so basic.
Do they not know that I’ve taught students?
she wondered as she picked up the book and placed it on her desk. A low whisper caught her attention. She spun to see who was there, but the room was empty.

“Emily,” the voice sounded familiar.

“Thanos?” She asked.

“Yes, is it safe?”

“I am alone, if that is what you mean. Even if I were not, I trust the others in the Royal Tower.”

A small blue glow formed on the other side of the room. It grew and started to take shape. She had seen it many times before. Rolin had taught her how to project an image of her choosing. Wizards mostly used it when communication, though it was not a necessary aspect of conversing. Stronger Wizards were able to use it as an anchor so that they could project their conscious into the room as well. This allowed for them to see the room as though they were the projection. It was fairly rare to be able to cast such a spell without some form of outside influence. The Wizards had constructed conclaves throughout Canai, which helped them to amplify their magic. One of the first actions the dragons had taken was to outlaw such behavior. Emily watched as a transparent lens appeared in front of Thanos’ projection. She was shocked to see him step through the lens and appear in the flesh.

“How did you do that?” She asked.

“Septimus has taught me a thing or two since I started traveling with him. I don’t know that I have much time. It is possible that Kadegar has ways of detecting the usage of such spells on this island. It is quite the magical beacon.” Thanos said.

“It is good to see you, even if you look worse for wear.”

“It is good to see you as well. I’ll not pretend that we were the closest of friends, but too few of us have escaped the influence of the dragons. Not that I do not welcome you as an ally, but I must admit that you would not have been my first choice.”

“I understand. What brings you here?”

“Have you heard of the Tomes of Magic?” He asked.

“Yes, Rolin told me a little bit about them. I found one here at the Isle of Magic. It was the Tome of Illusion, but it was rather confusing.”

“Septimus believes them to be the key to freeing our companions from the dragons.”

“What if they aren’t looking to be freed?”

Thanos let out a sigh as he shrugged. She could tell that he had considered the option. It seemed as though he might have even discussed it with Septimus. Emily knew little of the Warlock. Rolin had told her much about the Warlocks as a group, but little about their leader. They each operated by their own set of rules. There were rumors as to whether or not they had a code of honor that they adhered to. Rolin speculated that each leader could set a limited number of guidelines. Emily shivered at the concept. An entire group of mages operating outside of the rules set forth by nearly every group that used magic. She did not care to think on it anymore. Thanos was standing in front of the transparent lens again. “Be careful,” he said before stepping through.
He has changed
, Emily thought as she turned for the door. She had not known how many of the others had been offered positions by the dragons. It was a relief to know that Thanos was not one of them.

She left the Royal Tower and began to wander the inner portion of the Isle of Magic. Her perception of the island had changed significantly after being accepted. The island had seemed so small before, but now it was a vast expanse to be explored. She wondered if it was her perception or if Kadegar had used his magic to change the island. It was not something that was entirely unheard of. Magicians throughout the centuries had built up and destroyed entire cities. The Supreme Wizard was by far the most powerful mage she had ever met. Reforming an island was conceivably within his power. He always stressed the importance of using magic to create instead of destroy. Those mages that wielded such great power in times past had wreaked nearly unimaginable destruction upon the world. Kadegar even went as far as to teach lessons on the negative impact that magic could have on a kingdom or even the world. Many of his sessions left students wondering what advances would have been discovered if not for the magicians.

“Dragon!” The shout came from one of the lookout towers.

Emily jumped when she heard the men shouting about the great beasts. Everyone had known it was only a matter of time before they sent one of their number to scout out the Isle of Magic. What was not known was whether they were coming to converse or to scout out the defenses before attacking. Kadegar seemed to appear out of nowhere and was quickly ordering people about. Within moments, the walls of the castle were lined with magicians. Emily watched as they began firing off spells. The dragon dodged with speed that surprised those watching. He came at the walls so fast that the Wizards on that section of the wall couldn’t escape. A quick whip of the tail and several mages were sent plummeting to their doom. The dragon landed atop the wall and his rider sent out massive shock wave. Wizards all along the wall were falling like dominoes as the rider slid off the dragon and jumped off the wall. He slowed himself and those who had been knocked off the wall to a near stop just before hitting the ground, his ability to land softly and protect the others informed those gathered that he was a skilled magician.

“What sort of welcome is that?” Emily recognized Paul’s voice immediately.

“I thought we’d lost you!” She yelled as she run up and hugged him tightly.

“A reasonable fear, the dragons are all but running the show back on Canai. They may not have as much land, men, or sway as the Holy Order, but they are growing in strength with each day. The dragon’s mindmeld is a hard thing to resist. Melissa has not been herself for weeks. Rolin caters to the dragon King’s whims. James and Janessa seem to be holding out, but the meld has changed them. It changes all of us. The will of a dragon is hard to overpower,” Paul looked up at Argos as he spoke.

“This one is strong-willed, I like that. He can bring about change to the dragons. Your friends will be back to who they are once the dragon King is dethroned,” the dragon spoke in almost a whisper even though he was still atop the wall.

“How many of the others survived?” Paul asked.

“I’ve only heard from Thanos. Cormac was missing long before the dragons arrived. Ector was leading the elves against their enemies. For all I know, they could both be dead,” Emily replied.

“I suspected that one of them was still alive. The dragons have been searching, perhaps not even for Thanos. They are searching for something or someone, not even Argos knows. They went east across the water.”