The Fires of War - Chapter Three

Chapter 3

“I swear I heard a roar,” Ewan said. “Didn’t you hear it as well?”

“You’re just trying to change the subject,” Consus said. “You know how to swim don’t you?”

“Of course, I know how to swim,” Ewan said as he strolled to the harbor of Denipoor. “I just don’t feel safe being on a boat for so long. It makes a man mad.” 

Consus shook his head in disbelief. “You’re scared of boats? Of all the things in the world to fear.”

“There is no way to escape if you’re under attack. You either die by pirates or jump ship and get eaten by sharks.”

“Well, you don’t want to walk to the Valenforn,” he said. “You’d have to pass through the Gelhbin Desert. There’s nothing but sand and sun. You’d die of thirst or worse. You could be captured by barbarians or killed by a horde of goblins that live at the desert’s border.”

“I’d rather that than sharks or pirates.”

Consus laughed and rolled his eyes. He looked to Leiwyn walking beside him, hoping to see a smile upon her face. She was not laughing but appeared less mournful than yesterday. She carried a leather sack that held the Pilgrim Stone. She refused to go anywhere without it.

He couldn’t blame her. It made little sense to leave it unsecured at the inn. “Is it heavy?”

Leiwyn shook her head and opened the satchel as if to make sure the Stone was there. He caught a glimpse of the gold glowing orb. The tiny gryphons and dragons continued to soar within the orb, encircling the blue sun. Consus could watch the mesmerizing spectacle forever, however, another spectacle caught his eyes. 

Leiwyn pulled the cover back over the satchel and pulled her scarf tighter over her exposed skin. The wind blew her red and brown hair over her shoulders and the sunlight reflected in her green eyes. He realized he was staring and looked away before she caught him.

A flurry of soldiers charged up from the docks and Consus leaped out of the street to avoid them. Their grim faces and harsh commands to clear the street drew attention from all pedestrians.

“What was that?” Leiwyn asked.

“I told you something’s happening,” Ewan said. “I heard a roar. You don’t think it’s one of the dragons that escaped, do you?”

Consus shuddered at the thought of that night. The fight with Zamari would be the tale of nightmares to come. The battle filled with lightning atop the Maerstone Keep, the swarm of young dragons snapping at his brothers, and the Children of Nemoth wielding black flames. It already is the stuff of nightmares. Thank Arden, Zamari’s dead.

“If it is I don’t know what we’ll do,” Ewan said. “They weren’t even bothered by swords. Don’t know that my arrows will do much more.” 

“Perhaps it’s just a mischievous halfling,” Consus said. He was relieved to hear Leiwyn laugh, even if it was forced.

“Don’t even joke,” Ewan said. “I’d rather fight dragons.”

“Here’s our ship,” Consus said.

A muscular bald man holding a parchment conversed with a middle-aged halfling. He turned to them as they approached, the gull tattoo on his face pinched together as he frowned. “Hold there a moment. Who‘re you?”

Consus stepped forward. “Consus Edderick.” He mustered as firm a tone as he could. “My brother spoke with you a couple days ago. He said you could carry us to the Southern Empire and beyond.”

The man raised his eyebrows. “Right,” he said, “I remember now. I’m Earl, first mate. Six of you, right? Captain Pantiki’s been expecting you. Follow me.” He passed the parchment to the older Halfling and walked up the gangway.  Consus, Ewan, and Leiwyn followed him past the crew members manning the deck. “Captain Pantiki don’t usually take on passengers but your brother’s generous. And a trip to the Valenforn, well, it’s too exciting to turn down.”

Earl opened the door to the captain’s quarters, well-lit from the bay window near the back. Maps and charts decorated the table and a barrel of water sat in the corner of the room. A disheveled cot lay squat in the adjacent corner beside an unlit lantern. 

An older man with bushy gray eyebrows and a thick black mustache stood by the table. His eyes were blue like the ocean. He approached them with a spry stride and clasped Consus’ hands. The gruff calluses squeezed against Consus’ slightly softer palms.

“Captain Pantiki,” Consus said. He introduced himself, Milo and Leiwyn. The captain shook each of their hands but Leiwyn's, who’s hands he kissed with grace.

He rose back up and looked at Consus. “Travel to the Valenforn,” Pantiki began. “It’s not forbidden but the elves aren’t too keen on humans. It may be dangerous.”  

“My brother already paid you.”

Pantiki raised his hands. “It’s not payment I’m concerned about. I just want to be sure we won’t be harmed by the elves.” 

Leiwyn lifted her chin to match his gaze. “You will be guests under my protection. You’ve nothing to fear.”

“I will take your word for it m’lady,” he said with a bow. “I will make certain you have proper accommodations as well. Even if it means Mister Earl must sleep in a longboat.” Mister Earl laughed with the captain, but Consus saw him give a nervous grin.

A frightened voice beckoned from the deck. “Captain! Captain!” 

Pantiki pardoned himself and stepped out onto the ship’s deck with Mister Earl. Consus followed them, curious to see what was causing the disruption. 

A sandy haired boy stood at the edge of the ship holding a spyglass. He pointed to several specks covering the horizon, two miles away. “A group of warships are headed this way.”

Pantiki snatched the spyglass from him. “Damn, the boy’s right,” he said after a moment. “They’re flying the Hawk and Sword too, sigil of House Grimhold. There’s armed men all over those decks. Don’t think they’re here for a ‘friendly visit.’”

A cold chill ran up Consus’ spine and he exchanged a fevered glance with Leiwyn and Ewan. Zamari’s army has come for us. Are they mad? What do they have to gain from this attack? Vengeance? Their Mistress is dead-- 

Bells rang throughout the city as a veil of smoke billowed up from the city wall behind them. A red shadow moved through the clouds above them. Guards ran up the street towards the city gate. “We’re under attack!” they yelled. “Back to your homes.”

Men in gold cloaks, the Swords of Serun, ambushed the guards from an alleyway. The guards were overwhelmed and hacked to bloody corpses in just a few moments. 

The sudden violent spectacle shocked Consus as the world around him collapsed. “What happened? Why would they betray them?”

Pantiki nodded to Mister Earl. “Let’s go, Mister Earl.”

“To the sails and shove off,” Mister Earl said to the crew in a voice that bellowed like a horn. “If ya ain’t on board, ya ain’t coming with!”

 The crew dispersed into chaos. Several men climbed up the masts of the ship and began to unfurl the sails. Another group towed the heavy anchor onto the boat and untied the ropes from the docks.

“What are you doing?” Consus asked the captain.

“Warships are sailing into the docks and the Swords of Serun are turning on the city,” Pantiki said. “We’re taking off.”

“We’re not ready to go yet,” Ewan said. “Not everyone’s here and you’re being paid for all six of us. We wait till everyone’s on the boat.”

Pantiki stomped to the helm of the ship. “You can take your money and jump off the boat or you can stay. I won’t risk staying in port with an army.” 

A gut-wrenching roar ripped through the sky followed by a chorus of familiar shrieks. Consus covered his ears and looked to the sky. The red shadow circling above burst through the clouds to reveal an enormous red dragon. It was several times larger than the ones he had seen at the Maerstone Keep. Tendrils of smoke puffed from its nostrils. Smaller dragons followed it like a pack of wolves. 

The smaller dragons dived into the docks nearby and snatched many an innocent passersby. Victims screamed as they were lifted into the air at a dreadful height and were dropped back to the ground to die.

The great red dragon hovered over the ship. Its great wings blew gusts of wind into the sails. The air smelled of sulfur and flame and smoke billowed from its nostrils. Many of the crew fell to the deck in fear, but Consus gripped his staff in both hands and pointed it at the dragon. Nothing happened; no divina magic flowed through him. The fear rippling through him became an earthquake. Not even a spark of lightning leaped forth.

The dragon looked at him with golden eyes.

“You stupid boy,” Zamari’s voice emanated from the dragon. “Did you think you could kill me?” 

Consus looked at the dragon, mouth agape. She can’t be alive.

“Give me the Pilgrim Stone,” she said with an outstretched claw. Several arrows bounced off her tough scaly hide and landed in the water. 

Consus saw Ewan from his periphery notching another two arrows in one hand. “Ewan, wait.”

Zamari beat her wings again, stirring up the waters and shaking the boat, knocking Consus and Leiwyn off their feet. His staff flew from his hand and rolled along the deck, far from his reach. 

Leiwyn struggled to rise beside him. “Consus.” She pointed at the Pilgrim Stone, escaping the satchel and rolling towards him.

“Yes, it is mine.” Zamari reached down to the deck with a massive foreleg, smacking aside  a mast that stood in her way. 

Shards of spear-sized splinters rained down on the crew as Consus grabbed the Pilgrim Stone. The golden light in the orb turned blue. The dragons and the gryphons inside the orb ceased to move. I know how to use it. The realization was sudden and the magic simple. I can take us from here. 

Consus raised the orb to the sky with both hands. “Take me from here,” he said. “Take us from here now.” The gryphons and dragons returned to flight, circling inside it faster and faster until they were only a blur. The blue light at the center grew until it absorbed the orb and emanated outward. Consus closed his eyes as the orb became a small sun in his hands. He could no longer see anything. He heard Zamari roar and felt the ship rock. The Pilgrim Stone fell from his grasp and crashed into the deck.

There was a flash of light and then darkness.