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Now read an excerpt from book two in the series, The Legend of Oescienne - The Beginning ...
-Prologue-
Shadows in the East
Gilded sunlight poured over the landscape and pushed through the trees, announcing the break of dawn or signaling the approach of evening. It was hard to tell in this strange, noiseless place. The colors here were bright, but fuzzy around the edges as if stained and blurred by water. Nothing stirred here; there were no deer, no foxes, no rabbits, not even a solitary bird to disrupt the foggy solitude. All around the trees stood silent, watching and waiting for something profound to happen. And then something did happen.
Far below the wooded hillside in the bare, spacious glen something finally moved. A fair-haired child, barely older than ten, danced into sight. She looked happy and carefree, her laughter alone breaking the unnatural, oppressive silence. She wasn’t dressed like a typical girl, wearing only a plain cotton shirt over a pair of leather pants. Her hair was loose, unbound and falling past her shoulders. It caught the eerie light and reflected it in golden shards that cut through the monotony of this world. She chased after butterflies, doing cartwheels and kicking up clouds of ladybugs with her bare feet.
It was obvious she felt safe here, even as the atmosphere slowly began to change. The slumbering trees grew more rigid and the pleasant scene dimmed, as if a black cloud had crept in front of the sun. Something sinister was approaching, but the girl was too caught up in her own antics to realize she was no longer alone. She was too busy dancing across the field and making merry, so she didn’t feel the change in the air; she didn’t notice the darkening sky.
And then it happened. Something like a dark flame appeared on the edge of the meadow where the dense wood began. It was a figure wearing a blood-red cloak, creeping between the shivering trees, stalking around like a predator hunting down its prey. The creature crawled from the edge of the tree line and drew closer to the girl. But the girl kept at her games, unaware of the menacing threat to her safety.
As the ominous figure moved ever closer, it threw open its arms like a great, blood-stained bat, its crimson cloak curling and flowing behind it as if pushed by an imperceptible wind. The creature began to grow, becoming larger and larger with each step. It was only a few yards from the girl now and had grown to twenty feet tall and twice as wide, engulfing the entire glen with the flowing scarlet fabric of its robes. It stood over the girl for a few seconds more and then, as quickly as the blink of an eye, it wrapped its massive arms around her and vanished.
Raejaaxorix jolted awake, breathing heavily as his heart pumped the overly-heated dragon blood that pulsed through his veins. Instinctively, he grazed his surroundings with his sharp eyes, looking for the girl who had been swallowed up by the red demon. After a few moments, he breathed a sigh of relief, wisps of smoke curling from his nostrils. A dream, he consoled himself as his heartbeat calmed, just a dream.
The Tanaan dragon lifted his head and stretched out his legs, working the tension free of the stiff muscles. Though the dream wasn’t a new one, it continued to terrify him each time he woke from it. He knew it was only a result of the recent discovery of Cierryon’s soldiers setting up camps around the perimeter of Oescienne, but it felt too real to simply ignore. There was no denying that the girl in the dream was Jahrra and that the monster, the demon, was the Tyrant King himself, or at least those who worked for him. The corrupt soldiers of Ghorium, he reminded himself with a grimace.
Jaax shuddered and tried to convince the pounding ache in his head to go elsewhere. Jahrra was safe, he had to believe that. She would not be found by their enemy, at least not yet. He stood, stretched out his stiff joints and his great wings and waited for his scales to slowly change from the dull, dead gray of the granite crag he’d been sleeping on to his own natural colors of green, gold, bronze and turquoise. He yawned once, exposing all of his deadly teeth, and glanced around as he tried to judge the time of day.
Just after sunset, good, he thought. That gives me plenty of time to hunt before full dark. Jaax lifted his nose to the frigid breeze pouring over the mountain peaks. Mixed with the scent of fresh snow and crisp pine resin was the distinct odor of deer. The dragon smiled. It had been two weeks since he last ate and he hoped that whatever he caught tonight would be enough for another few weeks. He lumbered over to the edge of the cliff where he’d slept the day away. The drop was treacherous, over three thousand feet, but he had nothing to fear. He thrust out his great wings and leapt, allowing the biting winds to pull him away from the mountainside and towards the valley far below. Down there somewhere he would find his meal, grazing one last time before the night.
While he flew, Jaax thought about the nightmare that had been plaguing him nearly every night for the past few months. Ever since King Dhuruhn of the Creecemind dragons informed him of the suspicious activity around the border, Jaax had been haunted in his sleep. The first time he’d had the dream, he knew exactly what it had meant: the Crimson King knew about Jahrra, and he would do what it took to find her. And just like the Jahrra in his dream, the Jahrra in real life was oblivious to what was after her. Jaax shivered. He knew the time to tell her who she really was was drawing near, but he feared telling her the truth, though he knew it was necessary. How would she react? Would she even believe him when he told her she was the only human being in the whole of Ethoes and that the fate of the world depended on her?
Jaax shuddered again, causing the rhythm of his wing beats to falter. He needed to stop analyzing his nightmares; it was getting him nowhere. Instead, he decided to reflect on the positive outcome of constant vigilance and hard work. For the past few months he and a handful of other dragons had been camped out in the far eastern rim of the Elornn Mountains where the southern boundary of Felldreim met with the borders of Torinn and Rhiim. The dragons had been studying the activities of the Tyrant’s troops, Ghorium soldiers, for half a year now. They’d watched them carefully, noting every movement, listening to every order, memorizing every camp schedule. After all they’d seen, Jaax and his colleagues had finally come to the conclusion that if the enemy were to enter Oescienne at all, their march would begin here, where the three provinces met.
The soldiers’ main camp was, gratefully, east of the Oribiy River, still well within the province of Rhiim. But once they crossed the Oribiy it wouldn’t be long before they continued west. Since it was located far on the outskirts of Felldreim, the southern Hrunahn Wilders contained little magic to ward off any unwelcome intruders. Once through the Wilders, the army would merely follow the southern shore of Lake Runess until they came to the Cornaith River. A week or two south along the river’s mountain valley and they would find the head waters of the Raenyan River, splitting from the Cornaith and leading directly into the heart of Oescienne.
Jaax winced at how easy it could be for them to trickle into the western province unnoticed. He only hoped that it proved as difficult as legend claimed. The valley that existed where the Elornn and Thorbet mountains met was notorious for claiming the lives of thousands of explorers and adventurers. If the Tyrant’s army followed the path Jaax imagined, then they’d find themselves in a treacherous river valley riddled with cliffs, disorienting canyons, weather that could change almost instantly, and ferocious wild animals that were nearly impossible to kill. If this was their plan, Jaax could only hope they met with every obstacle imaginable along the way. Until they made their move, however, he was determined to delay them as long as possible.
The sudden overpowering scent of wild venison yanked Jaax’s awareness back to the present. He quickly glanced below, his eyes focusing on the russet figures about fifty feet below. It would be an easy catch this time of day, for the deer were well fed and weren’t expecting an attack from above. All I need is one, Jaax thought, grateful that that woul
d be enough. He set his sight on one of the adults and suddenly dropped from the sky.
After finishing his meal, Jaax took a few more minutes to analyze his surroundings before taking flight once again. It was dark enough now that he could leave this secluded valley in the mountains and take to the open sky. It was still a little early to meet the others, but Jaax wouldn’t mind some time alone before the night’s work began. He stretched his wings and lifted from the clearing, his full stomach protesting just a little. He soared above the tops of the Elornn Mountains, their white-capped peaks glowing eerily against the indigo sky.
Jaax passed by his campsite from the day before and kept going, looking for the final mountain on the eastern edge of the range. When he found it, he immediately located the high ledge where he would meet the others. Jaax made a rather quiet landing, his feet crunching delicately in the freezing snow. He pulled his wings tightly against his back and sat to wait, not noticing the biting ice that surrounded him. A half hour later he heard the familiar pulse of a dragon’s wings.
Jaax turned his triangular head and acknowledged the other huge reptile that was now approaching, giving her a curt nod. She was a deep red color, dulled down by the evening dark. She was smaller than Jaax, but she resembled him in build and stature. Her head, angular like his, was narrower and she had fewer spikes adorning her features. Her gait was smooth and confident, and as she joined Jaax’s side, her mouth curved in a smile.
“Couldn’t sleep again?” she asked in a liquid voice.
Her light brown eyes glittered with amusement, but Jaax wasn’t paying attention.
“No Shiroxx. I slept, but not well.”
Even Jaax thought his voice sounded tired.
“The nightmare again?”
This time the dragon named Shiroxx sounded slightly concerned.
Jaax simply nodded. Shiroxx dropped her head and thought for a moment.
“You’re not worried, are you? Do you think you should return to Oescienne, to make sure all is well?”
Before Jaax could answer, the sound of more wings intruded the quiet, stirring the frosty air of the snowy ledge. A pair of Korli dragons landed several feet away and started walking towards the two Tanaan before folding their wings. One looked to be dark gray in the pale light of the newly risen half moon. The other was a little lighter than Hroombra’s cobalt blue.
Before they could say anything, Jaax spoke, “Sapheramin, Tollorias.”
The two new giant reptiles nodded at the other dragon’s greeting, then eyed Shiroxx jadedly.
“Where’s Tybys?” Tollorias, the darker, more wrinkled one asked.
Jaax cringed. He’d forgotten about Tybys.
“He had to return to his post, it was a last minute decision. It seems a few of the Tyrant’s men have decided to brave the temptation of the Dunes of Ehrann and have traveled down the Rhiimian Gorge. From the report we received earlier, they plan on following the Fuhrlas River south and then cross into Torinn. We needed him back at Telln Bahra in order to keep watch if this information proves true.”
“And you were going to inform us of this when?” Shiroxx’s voice was sharp, making plain her feelings of being left out of this decision.
“Tonight,” Jaax said, casting her a warning glance before looking back at Tollorias and Sapheramin. “Tybys received word only five hours ago, leaving as soon as he knew the details. He offered his apologies and promises to return as soon as the south is secure.”
Sapheramin and Tollorias nodded in acceptance, but Shiroxx huffed her frustration.
“It was hard enough with five dragons, now we just have four . . .”
“We are plenty in number, Shiroxx. Remember, we are simply trying to spook the soldiers, not take on the entire army,” Jaax responded with his usual authority.
Shiroxx glared at him, but he simply took a deep breath and closed his eyes. It was almost like arguing with Jahrra, almost. Jaax allowed himself a minute grin at the memory. Even though arguing with Jahrra was much more exhausting than arguing with Shiroxx, it was somehow much more satisfying. He very nearly chuckled aloud when he pictured the stubborn girl refusing to let him intimidate her during their last encounter.
“And what is so amusing?” Shiroxx snapped.
“Nothing,” Jaax said, opening his eyes. “Just recalling a more pleasant situation.”
“Well, I’m sure we’d all love to sit and reminisce on more pleasant times Raejaax, but we ought to get moving,” Tollorias interrupted. “It’ll take us three hours to fly to the camp and another hour to terrify those Ghorium parasites further into Rhiimian territory.”
“Alright then, Tollorias, lead the way.”
Jaax nodded to the larger, darker of the two Korli dragons. He then turned and gave Sapheramin a bright smile.
“And how are you doing? Tollorias treating you well, I hope?”
The smaller Korli dragon returned Jaax’s greeting with a brilliant grin of her own. Unlike Shiroxx, Sapheramin exuded an aura of joy. Her crystal blue eyes flashed, adding their own light to the dark night, and she easily walked next to Jaax as they made their way to the edge of the mountain shelf.
“Oh, Tollorias! He’s taking this duty much more harshly than I. He feels guilty that I’ve been removed from Nimbronia, but I’ve tried to tell him I don’t mind.”
Jaax nodded grimly and set his focus on the ground ahead of him. Sapheramin and Tollorias were important delegates in the courts of Nimbronia, two of the many consulates living in that city and serving the king. Sapheramin’s position was considered more important than Tollorias’, and although she was regarded as very valuable to the king, she’d insisted on helping out in the cause to keep the human child protected.
“And how is our young Jahrra? Did she look well since you last saw her? Is my uncle taking good care of her?”
A mischievous grin flashed across Sapheramin’s young, yet wrinkled face.
Jaax answered that with a light chuckle, “Oh, well, you know Hroombramantu. He’s spoiled her rotten, I assure you.”
“That sounds about right.” She sighed contentedly and Jaax felt his spirits lift.
“But how does she look? You must describe her for I have never seen her,” Sapheramin laughed.
Jaax furrowed his brow and narrowed his mouth, trying to get a clear picture of Jahrra in his mind.
“She’s tall compared to her friends, but not thin and gangly or petite like the Resai. Her eyes are blue, but not as bright as yours, and her hair is a deep blond color. And she’s strong for a girl, something that surprised me. The last time I saw her she dislodged one of my scales.”
Shiroxx cleared her throat behind them and Jaax turned to look at her. Her eyebrows were raised and she nodded her head towards Tollorias. He’d made it to the edge of the peak and was waiting for Jaax’s command to take flight. Jaax sighed and smiled at Sapheramin. He hoped that his description of Jahrra satisfied her curiosity.
Their job tonight was simple and was the same as it had been the last hundred nights: to fly to the large camp of the Tyrant’s soldiers in the East Crein Mountains and terrorize them until they retreated further into Rhiim. So far it had been somewhat successful, but it was only a matter of time before the men realized it was only a small group of dragons and not a huge colony that was trying to drive them away. That is why they always attacked at night, so the only thing the enemy could see were the streams of multi-colored fire raining down on them.
Jaax took a deep breath and sighed.
“Is everyone ready?” he asked.
The other three dragons nodded and Jaax climbed to the edge of the precipice. This one was even steeper than the cliff top he’d slept on earlier that day.
“May Ethoes grant us another successful night,” he said solemnly.
The four dragons quietly mumbled an ancient blessing in their own dialect of Kruelt. On Jaax’s signal they launched themselves off the mountain, their giant reptilian b
odies invisible against the black of night.
Don’t worry Jahrra, Jaax thought as they crossed over the Oribiy River, the moonlight sparking off its surface far below, I’ll stop them, I won’t let them find you.
As the miles fled by, Jaax found his thoughts returning to his nightmare once again. He felt so helpless in that world, unable to move, unable to shout out a warning to Jahrra, unable to confront the demon who attacked her. But he wouldn’t let that world become reality; he wouldn’t allow his nightmare to take form in the world of the living. He would fight, fight to the death if he had to in order to keep Jahrra safe. With a renewed vigor, Jaax set his teeth and felt the flames building deep in his chest as the weak firelight of a large camp came into view. Someday he would defeat the Crimson King, but tonight he would simply delay him.
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