The paladin took his leave and headed over to his companions. They watched as Lamont and the others said their farewells to the dwarves. Their victory had taken a toll on the dwarves and the paladins. Exterminating the nest of drakes had cost three of his best fighters. Lamont’s lack of concern over the losses sustained by the dwarves and the paladins worried Bertram. He let out a sigh as the others approached. Aside from his paladins, the closest ally he had in the situation was a man that he was unsure if he could trust. The group moved out, taking one last look at the dwarven halls before they left.
“As strange as it sounds, I will miss this place,” Hadrin said.
“We lost our home and found hospitality in a foreign place, not many would call it strange to miss that,” Alandra said.
“Do you really think the elves won’t allow you back?” Bertram asked.
“I do, but Cristoph was kind enough to let us stay at the monastery until things change,” the Prince replied.
“It gives us a base of operations, that should be helpful,” Wrotan said.
“A base of operations for what?”
“Our first goal should be to free Kade. After that, who knows? Perhaps we can discuss how to weaken both sides of the conflict.”
“I should have commented sooner, but not all of us are traveling to the Arcane Academy,” Lamont said.
“What do you mean?” Amber asked.
“Bertram and his paladins will escort the elves back to the monastery where they will help bolster the defense in case we are targeted. The four of us will travel west and then south into the arcane academy lands. It is our only real option.”
“In that case, I wish you safe travels,” Bertram said as he extended his arm to the hunter.
“To you as well,” Wrotan said as he clasped arms with the paladin.
Bertram watched as the others said their goodbyes. He thought it strange that Lamont withheld the information for so long, but there was little he could do about it. The monastery needed him now more than ever. He called together his paladins and checked with the elves before ordering the march. There was no telling what they would stumble across now that all the pieces were moving, but the paladin knew better than to let that bother him. He sent two of his scouts out ahead of the rest of the group to ensure that they didn’t run into any ambushes. They had already encountered the slavers on the way to meet the dwarves and the initiation of war would only cause an influx of bandits.
“Be on the lookout, my friends. The world is changing.”
The Four Kingdoms
Wrotan took the lead as the small company cut south across the plains of the kingdom of Levik. The first few days through the dwarven lands had been uneventful. Their trek would lead them through the two western kingdoms. The hunter and his companions had never been this far to the west, but they weren’t going to let that stop them. Each member of the party had their own reason for making the trek. Amber felt partially responsible for getting Kade into the mess that he was now in. Mariah had volunteered to assist Amber and Julian, but it was Julian’s death that caused her to push so hard. Wrotan had made a promise to bring Kade back from whatever nightmare he was living. Lamont, however, had not been so open with his reasons for accompanying the others.
“Why have you accompanied us?” The hunter asked as he came alongside the monk.
“I was wondering when you would ask me that. If only I could say that I am here out of my sense of honor or duty, but alas my motives are not entirely selfless. Yes, I do wish to assist this young man named Kade. Partially because the shadow beasts are my enemies, but also because I think that both you and this young man hold the key to the spirit world,” Lamont replied.
“Neither of us is even close to being an expert on the spirit world. Why would we be critical to understanding the other world?”
“It is my belief that there are three realms. Our world, the spirit world, and the shadow world. Each of these realms is occupied by a set or multiple sets of beings. The spirit world and the shadow world as constantly at war with one another. Both you and Kade have a connection to the shadow world. Your connection has been severed and we are looking to break the dragon’s hold on your friend. Once this has happened, we will be able to use your connection without them knowing. If we are lucky, the spirit warriors will help us to destroy the shadow dragons and their allies.”
“You mean to say that the dragons have other shadow allies?”
“It is a theory, but I believe it to be true.”
“Let us hope that these spirit warriors of yours are up to the task.”
“I am certain they will be.”
“How can you be sure?” Wrotan asked.
“If I am not mistaken, they are already doing what they can to weaken the shadow dragons. How else can you explain the dragon hunters? They abhor the beasts with a hatred that is nearly unexplainable. Plus they are extraordinarily proficient at killing the creatures. I believe it is because they are used to fighting shadow dragons. Whether the dragon hunters are actual spirit warriors or they have been trained by the spirit warriors, I do not know,” Lamont replied.
“That is hard to believe, but I will keep an open mind.”
The hunter dropped back to contemplate the monk’s words. He needed time to process the theories held by his new traveling companion. It was highly unlikely that he was lying about any of it, which left two possibilities. Either Lamont believed it all to be true or he was a madman. Neither of those options gave Wrotan any comfort. While there was nothing wrong with having a differing opinion, Lamont seemed to have a strange adulation for those that he called spirit warriors. If these strange beings were both real and hostile to Wrotan and his companions, then so too, would Lamont. The hunter concluded that it was imperative that he find time to warn the other two, but the difficulty would be in knowing how to do so without alerting Lamont.
*
Finrul tapped his finger against the table as he watched the hourglass slowly drain down to empty. He took a deep breath as he stood up. His troops were growing anxious waiting for his next command. The waiting was now over. Obrin had already showed the sorcerer where he wanted him to open a portal to. Finrul motioned for Revin to gather the troops before heading down to the open fields. He held his hands forward and created a large shadow portal. The cavalry rode through first, as planned. They were followed by the infantry and the archers. Revin accompanied the healers, the siege weaponry, and the supply train through the portal. The sorcerer psyched himself up before stepping through the portal.
“Pikemen and cavalry, seal up the pass. Archers and swordsmen, get started on the barricades. I want lookouts watching all directions. We win the fight today, simple as that,” Finrul yelled as he arrived on the field.
The massive elven armies of the sea elves, the forest elves, and the night elves were engaging the combined forces of Alartius and Markurin. Finrul’s arrival ensured that the human armies were unable to retreat. He made his way to the front lines and watched as a large portion of the enemy’s army broke off to engage his forces. The sun elves were to wait for the signal from Obrin before attacking. Finrul didn’t let that stop him from preparing the archers in the event that the enemy went through with their charge. He was confident, however, that the dragons had other plans. His suspicions were confirmed as a pair of dragons swooped down from the skies. Several smaller dragons followed behind and all of the dragons unleashed a firestorm on the enemy army. More dragons joined in the assault as the first wave circled back around for another pass.
“Tighten up the ranks. Prepare to charge. Don’t let any of them get away!” Finrul yelled as the first contingent of enemy troops broke into a charge.
“Sir, they haven’t given the signal yet,” Revin said as he approached the mage.
“Hold for my signal,”
Finrul clenched his teeth as he watched the battalion charging towards his men. His troops were as eager as he was to take the battle to the enemy, but he knew that Rev
in was right. Obrin would be furious if he attacked without receiving the order. There was a violent tremor that set the troops on edge. Rocks and earth flew into the air as a massive wingless dragon burst from the ground. The beast let out a roar as it charged the oncoming enemy troops. Several smaller wingless dragons followed behind the creature. Finrul watched in a mixture of amazement and horror as the dragons tore through the ranks of the humans. Both the wingless and the winged dragons continued to take the battle to the enemy as their elven allies retreated back to safety.
“What monstrosity have we unleashed on the world?” Finrul asked.
“I’m not certain that the humans deserve this,” Revin replied.
“We can’t back out now, not if that is what we are up against.”
“You must have known this was a possibility. Have you not worked with the dragons before?”
“Not like this. They’ve always been used to defend the elves, never to cause this much destruction.”
“We must do something to stop them.”
“What can we do?” Finrul asked as he shook his head.
*
Obrin smiled as he watched the dragons hunt down the remaining enemy troops. Without a question, it was the easiest battle he had participated in. He left orders with one of his Generals before calling over the forest elf King and the sea elf Queen. They waited as he opened a portal to the other side of the pass. He followed them through the portal and found Finrul and his troops to be in a state of shock. The night elf King chuckled as he approached the sorcerer. He didn’t need the elf to be in step with his own views of the dragons, he only needed him to follow orders.
“You’ve done well, Finrul. The sun elf throne may just be yours someday soon. I believe that you’ve already met Queen Ophelia and King Lothrin, yes?” Obrin asked.
“In my service to Melisandre, yes,” Finrul replied.
“Good, the three of you will be traveling to the northwest to take Alartius’ capital.”
“What about you, sir?”
“I’ll be taking the rest of the dragons south to the Markurin capital.”
“The rest of the dragons?” Ophelia asked.
“Yes, we have much more than just a dozen dragons. According to my calculations, we have over one hundred of them,” Obrin replied.
*
Kade took the scabbard from his belt and handed it to Attos. The sword had come to be a symbol of leadership to the Knights of Ardevale and it was time for the young leader to step aside. He knew that the others would not approve of his decision, but this was something he needed to do for his own sake. His companion fumbled with the sword as he attached it to his belt. There was little doubt that the two of them saw the situation in a different light. The two clasped hands and Kade pulled Attos in and placed his free arm around him. As they let go, he placed two fingers on the new leader’s heart.
“Lead with this” he moved his hand up to Attos’ head, “and this as well.
“This isn’t right. I am no leader,’ Attos said.
“Nor was I when I took over the Knights of Ardevale. You may not have some greater mission to defeat miscreants, but that is not why I succeeded. I found a brotherhood. It was my fellow Knights that led me in the right direction, just as they do now.”
“I don’t understand why you need to leave.”
“My mind is not truly my own. That needs to be remedied. I know not how to do so, but I will find a way. Remember, the people need our leadership.”
The young man turned toward the forest. No longer was he the leader of the Knights of Ardevale, yet he was also not just the son of a tailor. He wandered into the forest, hoping to find a clearing where he could rest and try to clear his head. His path brought him to a small chapel. Though it seemed remote, the grounds were still well tended. Kade slowly approached the door and pushed it open. There was a lone priest inside the chapel. The man looked to be well into his sixties. He motioned for the young man to enter.
“Have you come looking for salvation?” The priest asked.
“I was wandering the forest in search of a place to be alone with my thoughts. Your chapel drew me in,” Kade replied.
“You may very well find what you are looking for here. Come, sit, pay your respects to the Maker.”
“Can the Maker heal a malady of the mind?”
“Those that are truly worthy are cured of all their woes. Would you care to partake of some wine?”
“I am not here for refreshments, though I thank you for the offer. Perhaps you can intercede for me. You see, I am but a young man that does not know the customs of the Maker. Would you be willing to do so for me?” Kade asked.
“First you must partake of our food and drink.” The man replied.
“Our? But there is only one of you.”
“You bore me, Knight. This ruse, it grows tiresome. Many have come before you, but none of defeated my brood.”
Kade reached for his sword, but remembered that he had given it to Attos. He leaped backward as the fake priest lunged at him. His attacker’s skin began to pale and his features grew taut. He lashed out at the young man with claw-like fingernails. Kade thrust his hand forward and a small black tentacle shot out at the creature. It wrapped itself around the thing’s arm and tried to pull the creature to the ground. His opponent broke free from the tentacle and tackled him to the ground. The two rolled around on the ground as Kade frantically tried to gather his wits. He placed both his hands on the fake priest’s chest and shot out a beam of energy. The beam tore through his opponent, sending ashes flying about the chapel. He ran for the door as his heart pounded. The fresh air welcomed him as he burst out into the forest.
“Hail, friend,” a woman called out as she approached.
“Do I know you?” Kade asked.
“No, but I could use a traveling companion, shall we?”
“It would be an honor.”
The young man found himself enthralled by the beautiful redhead. They conversed about various things, none of which were of much importance. Kade relished every sentence that they shared. In fact, he was beginning to suspect that he was falling in love with her. The thought seemed rather strange though. He escorted the maiden into a small meadow where she unpackaged her harp and began to play. The music was nearly as mesmerizing as her beauty. He found himself dancing along to the music. It was like being caught up in a gentle stream. His encounter with the strange creature from before seemed to melt away as he danced about the meadow. The woman began to play a faster tune and Kade’s feet matched the tempo. She smiled as she caught a glimpse of him dancing. His heart seemed as though it wanted to stop when he spotted the smile. She paused for a moment and motioned for him to sit on a nearby rock.
“My lady, the music is quite wonderful. Where did you learn such a melody?” Kade asked.
“It is an ancient song of my people. They call it the ballad of the two lovers. There are words that accompany it, but my voice would not do them justice,” she replied.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“You are too kind, sir Kade. To think, a real Knight escorting me. Most women only dream of such things.”
“What did you say?” He asked.
“I said that you are too kind, sir Knight.”
“No, you said my name. How is it that you know my name?”
The maiden disappeared and Kade found himself alone in the forest again. He searched his mind to attempt to ascertain whether the visions were like before or if they were something completely different. The latter seemed far easier to swallow, but that did not mean it was true. He set off toward the path that had led him into the strange forest. Attos would be able to better explain whether or not the forest could have played some part in his visions. His trip out of the heart of the forest was uneventful, but the new leader of the Knights of Ardevale and the Knights themselves were nowhere to be found. Kade sighed as he sat down against a tree. He let himself drift off to sleep in hopes that another vision would co
me to him.
*
Once again, the young son of a tailor found himself in the presence of the dragon and the warrior. They had taken a break from their quarrelling and were discussing something as Kade approached. He began to speak, but the other two leaped backward and challenged each other. The warrior pulled a spear of pure light off of his back and threw it at the dragon. His opponent let out a roar and knocked the spear aside. The creature retaliated with a quick blast of fire. Kade attempted to manipulate that which was around him, but was unable to do so. The warrior grabbed hold of another spear and threw it at the dragon. Each of the opponents seemed to be open matched. The young man looked on for what seemed like hours. Both of the combatants were highly skilled and neither seemed able to gain the advantage.
“Enough! I may not fully understand what is happening, but I command you both to stop!” Kade yelled at the two of them.
“You are a very persuasive man, but I am afraid that your powers are useless here,” the warrior said.
“What if I told you to leave?
“We are not children, foolish human,” the dragon replied.
“I will find a way to remove you both. The visions must stop. No man should be forced to endure such torment.”
Kade felt a sharp pain in his head as he tried to will the visions away. Both the dragon and the warrior staggered backward in pain. He continued to push and they both cried out in anguish. The dragon collapsed onto the floor and slowly disappeared. A rush of exhaustion came over the young man, but he continued to press on. The warrior fell to one knee before disappearing as well. Kade began to laugh as he leaped through the air in joy. His tormenters were gone and his mind was free. He dropped to his knees as his body was overcome with weakness. His eyelids closed as he slumped to the floor.
*
Finrul called for the army to halt as castle Alartius came into view. A small army had made camp in the valley between the castle and the elf’s current position. He could tell by the banners that the army consisted of the infamous dragon hunters and the dragon Knights. Though they specialized in fighting dragons, their prowess against any opponent was not to be scoffed at. The sorcerer paced back and forth as he contemplated his options. His own forces were far superior to those in the valley as well as whatever was left of the Alartian armies, but he knew that the dragons preferred fewer casualties. He called over to King Lothrin, Queen Ophelia, and Revin.