“I swear the Yaeno Oath to King Evil.”
With that, Morchad sat back, satisfied.
Then, after a long pause, he said, “Your secret?”
“Oh, yes. Do you know how to die?”
“Me? I can only die by the most powerful stone in Kiolerasdarque. I hid it ages ago in a beach here in this country.”
“What is the source?”
“A rock of the name Goldstone. If one finds it, makes a sword out of it, and stabs me, I shall die.”
It was more information than Satym needed, but she accepted it all.
“Thanks. Now I shall return to Mthanl and wait for an order from my new home.” And she yelled a transporting spell. Then she disappeared, and reappeared in Destville.
Thetra
RAGING ARMY
Satym appeared back in Destville the day before the good army received a letter from Morchad saying that their army had a secret ally.
Also included in the letter, Morchad had challenged once more a battle against Therr, and this time, Morchad would come.
He’s tricking us. He wouldn’t tell us that he’s coming. We shouldn’t expect it.
That night, the night before the expected battle, Thetra sat on his bedside, reading a book about Dragon Riders. When he reached a chapter about how to kill one, he paused, then continued, for he expected good information.
It read:
One of the early Riders, Kouché, was a
Morchad-fighter. This is one who fights
Morchad separately from the battle. Kouché,
however, fought the closest to the battle as
anyone in Kiolerasdarque had ever dared
. He fought fifty-four feet from the nearest
warrior, and still had no interference with the
battle, nor did the warrior have any interference
with the fight between Kouché and Morchad.
Kouché’s dragon, Lortum, was off fighting
against the UlballsMorchad’s armyin
the battle, away from Morchad and his Rider.
And this may come as surprising news to the
reader of this book, but Morchad is a Dragon
Rider. His dragon, the golden Dragonslayer
by name, is battling Lortum a thousand feet
above the battles. Finally, Morchad kills Kouché,
but not easily. Each Rider has a certain material
found somewhere in Kiolerasdarque that can
kill the Rider, but there is only one piece of it
throughout the country, and becomes more rare the
more powerful the Rider becomes. And Morchad
found Kouché’s within his pocket, and throws it at him,
making Kouché fall to the ground, dead. And
Lortum and Dragonslayer are still fighting, and
dragons do not have certain materials, as they
just die like any other creature than the Riders.
Finally, Dragonslayer kills Lortum, and that is
how to kill a Dragon Rider right there in the book.
Exactly when he finished reading it, Thetra heard a loud BOOM! and rushed outside to see lightning, hear thunder, and feel the rushing wind of a dragon zooming by his face.
“Thetra!” yelled Arek. “They’re here! Evil is outside!”
Thetra pushed himself out of bed and looked outside to see swords clashing, backs breaking, and many of both armies falling in pain.
“I’ll kill them! I’ll kill Morchad for his crimes and his men!”
“Thetra, we need you.” Arek put his hand on his brother’s shoulder and they looked at each other in the eyes. “Let’s take our dragons. And let’s kill some Ulball meat!”
“Aye!”
“Valao!”
“Ejarsöh!”
They heard their dragons land on the roof, and they ran upstairs.
They hopped on their dragons and told them to go deep into the army.
“We can’t breathe fire,” protested Ejarshöh, reminding the Riders something that they already knew.
“We know, dragons. But you can kill.”
Valao grunted.
Thetra drew Slayer. “Let’s go,” he said even as Arek drew Stabber. They touched blades as they would with cues before their pool games, then the two warriors took off in flight, attempting to find and kill the leader.
There’s always a leader in every battle and war. Arek and I are of the good army, but who knows who theirs is.
A warrior from below shouted something to the Riders that was lost in the wind, and Thetra didn’t know who he served.
“Faster, faster,” Thetra heard Arek say.
“I’m going full speed!” complained Ejarshöh.
“No, you’re not. I know my dragon well, and you can fly way faster than this.”
Then Ejarshöh growled, “I’m only a hatchling.”
“That’s no excuse,” said Valao.
“It doesn’t matter!” yelled Thetra, sick of arguments. “Let’s just find and kill the leader, then we’ll help those down below.
Arek grunted.
After a long flight, they passed the whole battle, Thetra saw a spark ahead.
“Look,” he pointed out. “Did you see that?”
“I did,” said Valao.
But Arek and Ejarshöh didn’t answer. The dragons flew in the way of the direction.
“It’s a...”started Arek, but didn’t finish.
Finally, when they knew what it was, they all shouted, “DRAGON!”
“Let’s kill the Rider!” shouted Thetra.
“Good idea!” yelled Arek back.
“Wait,” said Ejarshöh. “It’s a trap. I just saw another to the left. Arek and I will go after it. You follow that one.”
“Alright, Arek. Good luck to you two.”
“And to you as well.”
Then they split, and fear gripped Thetra. “Come on, Valao.”
Then they charged, heading into the dragon’s territory.
Then Thetra caught a glimpse of movement on the dragon’s back, and he saw a Rider.
“It’s a Rider!” he exclaimed to Valao.
Valao growled in response.
They zoomed by trees, dead and alive lost soldiers from both armies, and finally reached the glittering blue diamond dragon.
The dragon was huge. It was three times the size of Valao, and from Thetra’s opinion, Valao was not small, although he had just hatched.
Then they collided with a loud BOOM! and Thetra got his chance to stab at the Rider, missing by a few yards.
The Rider yelled a battle cry, and announced his name, something like Youtren.
“I am the Betrayer of the Good Army, and I serve Morchad wisely, as will you when our forces capture you and your brother.”
“Never,” growled Thetra through gritted teeth. “I don’t know you, but apparently everyone else of our army does, because you betrayed them.”
“Satym! Morchad has given me orders for you to fight!” he said into a microphone. “Satym, is this your house? Satym!”
Then Valao ripped a scale off of the enemy dragon, and it let out a loud screech.
“Stop, O Eater of Flesh!” yelled Youtren. “I will kill you if you take another bite of Ghuar.”
Valao growled, but stopped, for even he knew how powerful the Rider must be.
“Youtren, we will fight you until we kill you.”
“Thetra, you know me.” He smiled. “You know me.”
When he said the words, memories poured into Thetra’s brain, and he understood who the Rider was. It was his cousin. He was fighting against family.
“You are...my cousin.”
“As are our dragonscousins. For you see here, I am not from Kiolerasdarque. I am from”
“Herode. I know. The place filled with laks, Boffs, and so many kings.”
“Yes, Cousin.”
“Why do you serve Morchad! He is mad!”
>
“Thetra, listen to me. Your uncle is not who you think it is. It is not Wartard the Great. Thetra, that is not my father. That was my stepbrother. Your uncle and my father is”
Then a loud horn sounded, and the name of Thetra’s uncle was drowned out.
“Thetra, look at me!” yelled Youtren. “Your uncle is”
Then the horn sounded again.
And again.
And then a glittering gold dragon flew into the sky, and there, on its backfor Thetra made no mistake who it was the evil ruler of Ulball, Morchad Tyerrondesson.
“Thetra Eouhjasson!” boomed his voice. “I challenge you!”
Then, while Thetra was still looking at Morchad, he felt pain in his back.
Ah!he exclaimed in his mind. That was the plan. That’s not Morchad. It’s a fake. Not even a real Rider nor dragon. It was used...Ah! It was used to distract me. Youtren stabbed me. Ah!
“Feel the pain!” yelled Youtren, twisting the sword which was now about two inches deep into Thetra’s flesh.
“Who is...our uncle?” asked Thetra.
“That’s all you care about. Not even the pain in your back. you do feel that, right?”
Then Thetra swung Slayer around and felt it hit an eyeball.
“Ah! My eye!” yelled Youtren.
Thetra looked down to see his eyeball laying on Valao’s back. Thetra picked it up and stuffed it in his pocket. Then he pulled Youtren’s sword out of his back, and saw two words engraved in the blade: Rider Killer.
Then he pointed Slayer at Youtren’s neck. “Who is your father?”
Youtren smiled. “His name...is”
Then the fake Morchad yelled a spell that Thetra recognized, and Morchad disappeared.
Then Youtren took off in flight, away from the point of Thetra’s sword.
Then Thetra threw Slayer at Youtren, but it fell short and hit the ground, shattering the blade stolen from the murderers of his parents.
“No!” Thetra yelled.
PURSUIT
Thetra had no choice but to fly after his cousin and enemy.
First, Youtren knocked into a tree, for he was leaning.
He can’t see right. His eyes aren’t balanced.
Valao flew faster than ever in a chase that was epic enough for Thetra. He didn’t have a weapon, which was a major problem for him.
How did Slayer shatter into three pieces? wondered Thetra. It’s made of iron and steel.
“Thetra, watch out,” screamed Valao as he missed a branch by five inches.
“I need a weapon!” he exclaimed.
“Then I’ll get Slayer for you, Dragon Rider.” He dipped down and snatched the sword with his talons. He looked back to give it to Thetra, and he grabbed it. The only part left that was found: the handle.
“How will this help?”
“Better than nothing.”
Then he zoomed forward and bit the end of Ghuar.
Youtren looked back with one eye and yelled, “I swear to kill you, dragon and Rider!”
“So be it,” muttered Thetra.
Then the two dragons started chasing each other, neither one able to gain advantage.
While they flew, Youtren swung off-balance blows, missing every time. Thetra had stuffed Slayer’s handle in his bag, hoping to find the other pieces later, for they had pinpointed the spot.
“Thetra…” Youtren stopped swinging. “Your uncle is Morchad.”
Thetra felt like he had been shot with an arrow. Valao stumbled as well.
“My father…My father is Morchad.”
Then he fell off of his dragon.
DESTINY
“I come to kill you,” growled Valao. “I come to destroy anyone who dares hurt my Rider. Curse you, and have the neutrals come after you.”
“Those busy aliens don’t have the time!” yelled Youtren. “Ghuar, kill him. Him and his Rider. Kill them all! Ghuar, kill our cousins.”
Thetra was watching from the ground fifty yards below the dragons.
“Thou power cannot overwhelm us,” said Thetra from below.
“Oh, so you’re still present,” said Youtren with a sneer. “I thought you were dead, Cousin. Ghuar, kill Valao and then Thetra.”
“No!” yelled Thetra and chucked the remaining pieces of his sword at Youtren.
Then the most amazing thing that Thetra had ever seen happened.
All at once, the pieces of the sword from all directions came together to form the weapon once again.
And then it drilled Youtren in the chest.
And he died.
Now we just have to kill Ghuar, thought Thetra, running over to catch his sword, feeling excitement.
He caught it and threw it at Ghuar the dragon. But Ghuar just moved out of the way and let it still fly into the sky.
Then Valao went underneath Ghuar and bit him in the belly.
But Ghuar was well protected by wards. The wards did double though. It made Valao fly backwards toward the ground.
That was the moment Thetra caught his sword, Slayer.
And then Valao crashed to the ground. Ghuar took off from where the battle had come from: obviously, Santkl Maobn.
But Valao was too weak to chase after him this time. He lay there still, as if he might be dead.
“Valao?” said Thetra.
“I am awake. I cannot fly after her.”
“We already killed Youtren.”
“You think you killed me?!” said a voice. Youtren walked out of a bush he had fallen into. “Ha! I’m alive. And you won’t be in a few seconds.”
“I think you got it mixed up,” said Thetra. “It is you who will be dead in a few seconds.”
“O Lord Kohasta of the short Elves, you cannot defeat me. It’s just impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible,” said Thetra, and chucked Slayer through the air at him, but of course he had wards. And of course the sword bounced back at Thetra, who barely had the time to catch it.
“No one likes you, Youtren,” said Valao.
“Oh, I’m Morchad’s favorite. I’m his personal assistant.”
“Just because you’re his son,” responded Thetra.
“Oh, be quiet, Eouhjasson!” roared Ghuar, who had come back now that he found out that Youtren was alive.
Then Thetra threw a brick wall at the Rider and his dragon, saying just one word: “No.”
“Yes!” roared Youtren, and poked him with his sword.
Thetra poked him back. This was a good fight, he’d admit, but someone will have to win sooner or later. And that someone had to be him.
For his dead family.
For his living family.
For Destville.
For him.
And with those final thoughts, he shoved Slayer into Youtren’s gut, and heard a scream of pain before he blacked out.
“Thetra! Thetra!” he heard Valao screaming. “Wake up!”
Thetra opened his eyelids, only to reveal a Vertay misty place everywhere around him.
“Where...am I?” Then a horrible thought hit him. “Am I dead?”
“We are in the Place of the Deep Seas,” said Valao.
And sure enough, when he looked farther, he saw blue ocean.
“Where’s Arek?”
“Somewhere else. You killed Youtren.”
“But how did we get here?”
“When he died the remaining power left in his soul came out and spread us out all over the world. We may be a million leagues away from Kiolerasdarque.
“A million leagues!”
“Shhh! We need to hunt for food now that you’re awake. We don’t want to scare the game off the island.”
As a demonstration, Valao went and stabbed a rabbit with his claw. It was as if he was saying, See? It’s easy.
Thetra drew Slayer, which had appeared back in its sheath. When he saw a bird flying, he threw the sword.
Right on target. He had drilled the pigeon right in the eye.
“Good throw! I w
as wondering if you should make a bow and arrow for yourself!” yelled Valao.
“If I can find wood and string!” he responded. But how would I make the arrows?
After a few days of living on the island, hunting, fishing, eating, and sleeping, they heard a loud cannon go off to their left.
“Valao! shouted Thetra, running to find his dragon.
When he found him, he lay on the ground, his left wing gone.
“There goes any chance of us flying away, mutters Valao.
“Valao! What happened?” yelled Thetra.
“Ghuar came...bit wing off...”
“Valao!”
“Thetra. Go. Ghuar is searching for you within a mile or so.”
“I won’t leave without you!”
“Thetra!”
“Valao, I don’t” But then he was interrupted when he heard a roara dragon roarand he looked up to see Ghuar, the shining blue dragon emerging from the clouds.
“I’ll protect you, Valao. Don’t worry.”
“It’ll tear you to pieces! You can’t fight him! Dragons are too strong.”
“Valao, I must. I can’t let you die.”
Then Ghuar came in and attempted to bite Thetra, but when the blue dragon opened its mouth to bite, Thetra stuck the sword in Ghuar’s mouth, keeping it open, and hopped into the slobbery mess.
He could hear the faint voice of Valao even inside the mouth and on the way down the throat.
He was going to stab the dragon in the stomach, partly because he wanted to see what dragons ate since Valao kept it a secret from him.
After what seemed like an hour, and probably was an hour, he reached the food. Mostly grass, twigs, people, a few body parts of other dragons. Since dragons didn’t go to the bathroom, they always had whatever they ate in the past with them. That’s how dragons grew to be so heavy.
“Does Ghuar drink anything?” he muttered, seeing no water. “Or...” He flinched. The thought was so disturbing.
He drew Slayer. “Let’s finish this dragon off once and for all.”
He pulled the sword up, then thrust it down.
THE DEFENSE OF THE DEATH OF A DRAGON
Thetra screamed in pain. The dragon had burst apart, throwing everything at him. Just like Youtren, the death of the dragon made Thetra regret it, for all the power was thrust at him.
At one part of the explosion, he thought he saw his sword, and then he thought he saw it getting washed away in the ocean.
“The power...It’s too much!” he yelled. He was getting creamed with various objects, bones, tree branches, scales. He caught a few things in his eyes, swallowed some grass, and smelled foul smells.
“Save me!” he cried to Valao, but he figured he was getting drilled as well. And he was already hurt.