The Blood Stone Read online

  Twenty-Three

  Myrthyd’s execution of the novice stirred a hornet’s nest within the Black Tower. Fear and anger tinged with rumors of an Order Council convened to depose him ran rampant. Even within the midst of this turmoil, Myrthyd walked the halls with a deadly dignity. Novices, apprentices, and even other Magus gave him a wide berth and bowed deep when he walked by. He merely returned their gestures with a slight nod of his head.

  He retreated to his quarters intent on studying the tome to discover more spells useful in his quest to revitalize the land, conquer the south, and rid the world of halflings. He still hadn’t puzzled out the entirety of the Nightwraith spell, though his desire to obtain the Blood Stone grew more intense every day. He was convinced it was the key to destroying the Drakku and their ill-gotten offspring. He trusted Lailoken to secure the gem. The man was relentless, but he also trusted his man Gregor to kill Driano and return the gem to him. No loose ends. They must all be tidied up.

  Myrthyd sat at his desk, opened the ancient book, and began to read. Not more than a few pages in there was a loud knocking at his door. Annoyed, he quickly hid the book and opened the large wooden door to find a small group of Magus from all five Towers. The oldest living Magus, Magus Alfred from the Crimson Tower, stood in front of the others.

  “Alfred, how may I assist you?” Myrthyd asked. His dark grin barely masked his disgust of the other Magus.

  “Kull Naga Myrthyd, it has come to our attention that, maybe, possibly…” The old man seemed unsure of his actions. Myrthyd glared at him. Alfred cleared his throat, adjusted his blood-red robes, and started again.

  “It has come to our attention that you have discovered and used forbidden dark magic of the ancient Magus. Order decree dictates it is unlawful to ever study or use such magic as compulsion to enhance our station. We have evidence that you are working toward—”

  “Are you accusing me, Alfred? Do I, the Kull Naga, stand accused of heresy? Would you have me on trial? For what? Rumors?” Myrthyd waved his hand slightly, casting compulsion on the men.

  “We do so accuse you. It is also our accusation that you intend to bring Tregaron to war with the south, a war we do not agree with nor condone.”

  “A war? Don’t you think it takes more than one man to wage a war? I don’t have that kind of power! What I do want is to end the hunger plaguing our land. Tell me, when was the last time a bountiful harvest came in?” Myrthyd asked, spittle flying from his mouth. The compulsion he cast seemed not to affect the men, and especially not Alfred, who continued his accusations.

  “It is not for me to decide. You have been summoned to a Questioning by a special council. On tomorrow’s eve, you are to appear before this council in the Grand Hall of the Black Tower. Failure to arrive will be cause for immediate detention in the Tower dungeon. I do not intend on having to go that far with these orders.” Alfred coughed into his sleeve, his long, dirty white hair covering his face. He pushed it back and waited for Myrthyd’s reply.

  “You dare question me? I will appear at this sham council, and when I do, may Menos have mercy on you all. I will not be second-guessed. Our time of peace with the south is over. The Drakku have run amok in our lands for too long, spreading their blight and wretched halflings. No more! I will face this council, and you will all regret this action!”

  He slammed the wooden door behind him, leaving the group of Magus in the hall. Rage blossomed inside him, boiling and destructive. He wanted to unleash all his power and tear the Tower down, leaving only a pile of charred stones. Closing his eyes, Myrthyd sought the black void where he lived and let his anger flow into the nothingness around him. Soothed, he soon left the blackness and opened his eyes, returning to the present.

  “Their council will not remove me from power. I earned this and I’m the one powerful enough to destroy the Drakku. They will see my logic or die as traitors,” he said to the empty room. Too angry to study, he rested and prepared for the council the next day.

  ***

  Myrthyd stood outside the immense black doors to the Great Hall. Tower guards opened the doors and the talking and chatter inside ceased. It amazed him how over a hundred Magus with countless apprentices and novices could go silent so quickly. The hall was packed with Magus in mostly black robes, though there were some from the other Towers as well. Every last Black Magus seemed to have turned out to witness the Questioning of their young leader.

  Myrthyd grinned. This was exactly what he wanted.

  He strode to the stage in the center of the Hall like a prowling lion. His robes swished loudly in the quiet, echoey Hall. He approached the stage where one Magus from each of the five Towers were seated facing him at a large rectangular wooden table.

  “I have come to your spectacle. What am I accused of?” he called out in a booming voice. Gasps rose from the audience. Magus Carleon from the White Tower raised his hand for silence from where he was seated at the table.

  “Kull Naga Myrthyd,” Magus Brin said. Brin was older than Myrthyd by maybe twenty years. His bright blue robe was pristine; not a touch of dirt on it. He was thin and wiry with thinning hair and a scraggly beard that looked like it was attached to a bony skull. Brin was one of the main opposing voices to Myrthyd’s ascension to Kull. He, of course, would have to be there for Myrthyd’s Questioning. His presence assured Myrthyd he’d go free from this, as he was the easiest to compel of the Magus in front of him.

  Myrthyd clasped his hands in front of him. “How may I be of service?” he replied with a slight wave of his hand.

  “We appreciate your time in attending these matters. As you can see, it’s an issue large enough to affect the entire Order. Please, have a seat,” Brin said, motioning to a chair on the opposite side of the table. Myrthyd waved him off.

  “I prefer to stand, if that pleases the council.” His disdain was growing and some of it came through in his tone, as Magus Jardyn’s face told him. It didn’t matter. He was determined to see his plan through. He’d bring Tregaron to health and feed the people, whatever the cost.

  “No matter. We will proceed,” Brin said.

  Myrthyd scanned his accusers. Other than Brin and Jardyn, the other three were Magus Dornald from the Crimson Tower, Magus Morris from the Black Tower, and Magus Barr from the Verdant Tower. Dornald and Barr were older; not quite as old as Alfred, but close. Morris was quite a bit younger; maybe five years older than Myrthyd. His presence surprised him. Morris had always been a strong supporter of Myrthyd’s, even without compulsion. The five men sat across from him with their neatly crossed arms resting on the table.

  “Kull Naga Myrthyd, what is the purpose of slayer Lailoken’s journey into the mountains?” Brin asked.

  Myrthyd held his surprise in check. No one knew about his plan.

  “He is leading a small band of hunters to slay dragons, of course. We must keep our land free of their influence. Their blood is needed for our stones.”

  “But Kull, why is he searching for the Blood Stone?” Dornald asked. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. Gasps rose from the crowd.

  “The Blood Stone?” Myrthyd asked innocently. Whoever shared his plans would find themselves flayed alive when he found out! How dare they give him up like that!

  “We have witnesses who testified to your obsession with Drexon’s tome with spells intended to cause havoc and spread evil in the name of Tregaron. They also shared your plans to obtain the Blood Stone, a tool so forbidden and harmful that our predecessors hid it to protect the land and our people from certain destruction.” More gasps rose from the crowd.

  Myrthyd waved his hand again, this time more overtly, casting compulsion on the men in front of him.

  “You can dismiss of the use of that horrid spell,” Barr said. “It has no effect on us. Answer the accusation.”

  Myrthyd closed his eyes, found the dark black nothingness, and drew all the power he could from it, widening his cast of compulsion to fill the Hall. He felt the spell settle on those around him. He ope
ned his eyes and stared at Barr.

  “As Kull Naga, it is my duty to protect Tregaron from our enemies, and none are more cunning and devious than the southerners with their sinful love of Drakku. For centuries our order has been tasked with keeping them from our lands and infecting our way of life. It is more important now than ever to combat the infiltration of their ways. Have you not witnessed the daily swelling of the hungry and poor in your cities? For us to continue as we have since the reformation, we must make a stand. What I do, I do for all of us.” Myrthyd’s voice grew louder and bolder, turning from the council to the assembled Magus around him. This was his moment. They’d all fall in line. A touch of compulsion didn’t hurt, either.

  “As we look back on this day, it won’t be because I’ve revived ancient spells to assist in our glory. It will be because all of you decided it was time. We’ve had enough of halflings. Our slayers, as powerful and mighty as they are, cannot stop the influx of dragons. What I can do…what I’ve discovered… will change our course of history forever!”

  Thunderous applause rained down on Myrthyd. He smiled, lifting his arms, soaking it in. When he turned back to the council, four of the five men were standing and clapping in agreement. Barr sat still with his arms crossed and scowled at him.

  Brin held up his hands to quiet the crowd. “We hereby dismiss these charges against our wise and powerful Kull Naga. Furthermore, we support your use of Drexon’s tome in hopes it provides the means to eliminate the Drakku threat for good. This council is dismissed.”

  Once again, the crowd roared its approval, shouts and applause filling the great hall. Myrthyd’s moment was now. He had his entire Order on his side with the exception of a few, but they’d come around or find themselves dead for their disagreement. The future was his for the taking.

  CHAPTER

  Twenty-Four

  Alushia spent day after day tending to the farm. The work was grueling and made her feel at least twice her age. Pains rose where they’d never been before, and her hands had become callused long ago. She’d never be one of those soft-skinned, princess-type women. She understood hard work and didn’t shy away from it, even when she was completely exhausted from terrible nights with little sleep.

  For close to a week fought sleep, worried the Nightwraith would visit her again and say things to confuse her. Dragons lied, which was the main reason why halflings existed. Was Avess lying to her? She didn’t fear the Nightwraith. It seemed more interested in talking to her instead of hurting her. She grew tired of worrying, which she did to the detriment of her rest.

  After the Nightwraith’s last visit, Alushia almost believed its words. It made her think it was possible she was a halfling. She couldn’t explain why, but she felt…different. As though maybe dragon blood did run through her veins. But if that were true, it meant she was everything she was taught to hate. She tried to dismiss it as too preposterous to believe, but an inkling of the thought stuck with her.

  Alushia cooked herself a bland meal of gruel after the long day in the fields. Her energy was sapped with the day’s heat. She kept Brida in the house, though her father forbade it. What did it matter; he was never there.

  It had been too long since she slept through the night and soon after dinner, she passed out on her bed.

  ***

  A snow-covered field stretched as far as she could see, white blanketing everything, and a cold, bitter wind swept across her face. Alushia shivered and pulled the hood of her thick wool coat closer to her face. At the edge of the horizon rose a mountain range with one peak covered in a pinkish color. “Dragonfire Peak,” she whispered.

  Behind her, the roar of a dragon made her spin around. Crossing the white sky was the black Nightwraith, carving large swaths of the sky and leaving long black streaks behind. The contrast in colors was startling and unsettling. It roared again and dropped from the sky, landing before Alushia and turning its smoky eyes on her.

  “Avess,” she called out in the wind. “We meet again. Are you here to fill my head with more of your lies?”

  The Nightwraith inhaled deeply and let out a long loud sigh.

  “What do I gain from treachery? My soul is trapped forever within the gem. How would lying to you gain me anything? I speak truth to you because I sense you know the right thing. You have your mother’s blood and that of your father, and both of your parents have a strong sense of duty. You are no different.”

  Alushia turned from Avess, unable to believe what he said might be true.

  “I do not come to cause confusion or hurt. I’ve come to warn you. To get you to see what must be done. Your mother needs your help.”

  “You know nothing of my mother!” Alushia screamed as she turned back to face Avess.

  “I know her well. She leads the Drakku as Dragon Lord. She protects you and your father, though his prowess might convince some to disobey her.”

  “Why do you insist on this falsehood? Why do you continue lying to me? Why can’t you be honest? This is why our people have hunted dragons for as long as we can remember. You deceive us and when you get a foothold, you destroy what you can.”

  Avess turned as though trying to get a better look at her. Heavy snow fell from the sky, large white flakes obscuring her vision.

  “Do you have evidence of this? Have you ever seen a dragon do such terrible things? They’ve lived in harmony with mankind since the Reformation. Dragons do not seek to destroy. They seek to live in kinship with all. It was mankind lead by the Order who turned on the Drakku. The Order imprisoned me within the gem. They have stoked the flame of anger and fear for over a thousand years and Tregaron believes mankind is the gentle spirit and Drakku are the ruthless, evil ones. Have you ever heard of a dragon trapping a man’s soul for eternity? Dragons are not the evil creatures.”

  “But how can I be the daughter of a dragon? That would make me an abomination!” Alushia protested.

  When she spoke the words, she knew they weren’t true. Something inside, something burning deep within her spoke to Avess’ words.

  “But how?” she whispered, sitting down on the cold snow. “How is it possible?”

  “Etain is a magnificent dragon, one of the greatest alive. Her wisdom is beyond most.”

  Alushia turned up at Avess and the snow suddenly disappeared. The vast white plain turned to a pristine beach with waves lapping at the shore and birds fighting over a carcass near a large group of boulders.

  “How, how can this be true? Why are you telling me these things?”

  Avess sat back on his haunches, his wings folded neatly behind him and his smoky eyes fixed on her.

  “The time is near. If your father fulfills his duty to the wicked Kull, I no longer run free. I will be under the power of the Kull Naga. Terrible things happen then; awful, horrible things. You will no longer exist if he turns me on you. Others like you will cease to control themselves. Soon a grand gray army, dead yet not, will be under his command. Other dragons will be forced into slavery. Like me, they will be imprisoned within the gem.”

  “I don’t understand. None of this makes sense. You tell me my mother is a dragon and I am somehow a halfling? And my father’s hunt will lead to war and destruction? How does that make me lose myself?” Alushia stood, digging her toes in the sand. “You’re lying to me again, aren’t you? Why? What benefit is there to you? My mother was kidnapped by dragons. She’s most likely dead by now. I’ve realized that possibility long ago. It’s just my father and me.”

  Avess rose, roaring louder than the surf behind her. “Why do you continue to argue with the truth? Have the Magus poisoned you that much? See inside yourself! When the time comes and you do nothing with the knowledge I share, the calamity of Rowyth is upon you!”

  “How dare you—”

  Avess leapt into the sky. “You will see the truth or die because of it!”

  Then he flew higher, devouring the blue skies with abandon, roaring in a frenzy. His black tattered wings flapped hard against the sea-swept
winds. He dove toward her, hovering in the air. “Only you can stop your father! He will listen to your words. Find it within yourself to do the right thing. I may not be able to stop if forced to devour your dreams. Your fate and that of all Rowyth rests in your hands. Do the right thing or suffer!” He roared once more and streaked off toward the sea, dipping down to the whitecapped waves and leaving a dark line behind him where he devoured the dream.

  Alushia stood on the sand watching him leave and contemplated his words. She had no evidence, no direct connection to the words Avess spoke, yet something shook inside her. She felt a distant bubbling that threatened to crash to the front—she was a halfling. Dragon blood flowed inside her. The legacy of the past thousand years of Tregaron hatred fought with the reality of who she was.

  ***

  When she woke, Alushia screamed in frustration. Her housecat ran for her life, hissing as she went. Brida lifted her head and laid it back down.

  “No! Why is this happening? Why am I—” She dared not speak it aloud. That kind of heresy meant an execution.

  She meditated on the revelation and the truth behind it for several days and then she fought them no more. She’d find her father and do whatever she could to stop him from finding the gem and giving it to Myrthyd. It went against everything she’d been taught, but deep inside, it felt right. If Avess had lied to her, it felt more real than anything in her life. She’d have to pay for the lie, but if it were true, her mission was more valuable and necessary than ever before. She had to find her father.

  For her mother’s sake.

  CHAPTER

  Twenty-Five

  Lailoken’s thoughts drifted to his family. He wondered how Alushia was holding up at the homestead and if she’d remembered to bring in the increasingly thin goats at night. At times she seemed scattered, but he had no choice but to trust her with the farm. Hunts were long, arduous affairs and without Etain or any siblings to help, she had to be in over her head. It pained him to think of her struggling with daily chores while he was gone. Was it fair to her?