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2024-10-29 19:42:56The Reunion
Treylen peered into the shadows as the steady click of metal onstone drew closer. From a tunnel opposite where they’d entered came a monstrous lowsater. His cloven hooves were shod like an oxen and his frame towered over the doorways of the empty village. Uberetus was tall enough to make the Lowsater he had seen in the mine look small. Treylen had to wonder how a man his size could even manage in the tight tunnels and lifts of the mines.Though his star-speckled coat was more patchy than it had been, and his vest and skirt more threadbare, he still carried himself with the patronly bearing of an elder regent. Perhaps he was once a great leader of his people.“You can come out, Lomish man. I see you perfectly well there in the dark.” His voice was loud but welcoming, deep but silken, and drawled with the cadence of one whose patience knew no end.Uberetus stopped jus
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Land of Dragon 27
The HandbagOAKWREN WAS A WOMAN OF FEW WORDS. IT MADE THE WALK BACK EASIER,as Treylen only had one set of incessant questions to answer. Laureth wanted to know everything about his time in Lome and the night he had rescued the Lowsater. From training with Marziel, he’d learned enough to answer most of them without giving any real information. It was bad enough that they knew his purpose here.Instead, he shifted the focus to what Marziel had told him of the lowsater, how they were not the founders of the Stone Kingdom but inherited it from the dwarves long ago. A kind people, they had welcomed humans into their mountain home and together, they had carved grand cities on the slopes.When the Jaul conquered the Stone Kingdom, it was the humans who’d caused their downfall, and the Lowsater—a peaceful people—had fled rather than allow themselves to be drafted into the armies of the Jaul. Some fled overland, others undergroun
Land of Dragon 28
"You look well,” Treylen’s father said, rolling his eyes. "What are you doing here?” Treylen asked.“Your mother thought that you would be glad to see us. Aren't you?” “I’m sure that I would be, but I'm working. How did you even get aninvitation?”“Your aunt has a friend in Count Warren. Oh, my son, you are so important now.” It was dripping with sarcasm, but there was a grain of envy in the words. “What is it you're up to anyway?”“Just admiring the design work here. I’m a bit surprised you built it. This lodge is not your style.”“It's how they wanted it,” his father sighed. “I told them it didn't match the tower. Anyway, Owen Priscus did the drafting and the oversight. He has a protégé of his own now. Less work for me. You could have done the same, but then I suppose that's not quite as grand as being a lord.”“I’m not a lord,” Treylen whispered, looking around. “I serve a higher power. Besides, I wouldn't have built it like
Land of Dragon 29
The Gathering It had taken half the night to coerce Rime into staying in Treylen’sroom and not his mother’s. Not only had she fed and lavished attention on him, but Rime was angry at Treylen on his mother's behalf.Treylen had reminded Rime that they were serving a higher power than his mother. He was playing as Cren’pin: a murder suspect who had no business mingling with dinner guests he didn't know.At last Rime had slipped in through his balcony door and scowled at him from the top of the wardrobe. A visit with Treylen's mother always left the dragon like that, but he couldn't fault him. Sometimes he felt the same way toward himself.He couldn't sleep.He lay awake and stared at the ceiling, thinking of what the caverns below might hold and wondering just how foolish it was to disappear now when the pieces were just starting to fall into
Land of Dragon 30
The Watergate “The glyphs tell us we must first cross the water then travel underit. This would concern me, for the dwarves who first mapped these passages could go far longer than your kind on a breath, but my father suggests it may not be necessary. The paths often change over the years.”Brome held a torch aloft for the humans as they walked around the rim of the underground lake. The hooves of the Lowsater twins crunched on dark sand. On the right, softly rippling black water stretched off into the distance. On the left the collection of old stone buildings grew larger and grander.At last they reach the heart of what had once been a proud city. Most of the buildings here were of cut black stone. It was roughly-hewn and not in any style that he recognized. Treylen had to wonder how a place so grand could fade from history—for despite the crudeness of the cuts, the scale of it all an
Land of Dragon 31
The Waystone The following day, after some debate, they chose a passage thatHalfindle and the Lowsater agreed upon. The clan woman’s time exploring the caves around Wetherdin seemed to have lent her an understanding of the minds of the old tunnel builders.Rime confirmed that the tunnel chosen was leading them deeper into the Dragon Lands. Even underground the dragon had some innate sense of direction.By Halfindle’s guess they had passed the first range of mountains and were walking below lands that no hunters from Wetherdin dared to venture over.Treylen wondered if it wouldn't have been faster and easier to simply go over them. But he alone was a strong enough climber to make the journey. Now that they were dry again, they walked in relative comfort. The torches wouldn't last, so at intervals when the way was straight and unobstructed, they let them die. Then he, Rim
Land of Dragon 32
The Dwarven Gate It took more coaching than anticipated to get Treylen’s cousin downthe cliff into the pit of spines then up the cavern wall to the passage the lights indicated. But when it came time to do it all again at the next cave, there was no need to teach her again. She sped down the rope more quickly than Oakwren or the twins could manage.There were three more junctions, each separated by an hours-long trek. Sometimes it was a walk, others a crawl, and the junctions themselves were wildly different. The third junction was a circular chamber—small, and symmetrical with a murky pool at its center, that none dared fill their waterskin from. At each intersection the lowsater took out a hammer and chisel to mark the path they had taken.The fourth junction was a vast open plain with a ceiling so low that even Treylen had to hunch over as he walked, but wh
Land of Dragon 33
The Shell Once they entered the hellcaves it was clear why the twins had beenso nervous even before they’d seen the dwarven gate. The chambers above had closely resembled these. Wide and winding, they had the feel of the sprawling understory of the forests of Lome. But in place of brush and trees there were fallen boulders, jagged crystals, and dripping columns of dark stone. The sound of running water echoed from far off and the heat and mugginess grew the farther they walked. Scattered about the caves were thick patches of oozing fungus, glowing toadstools and long, stringy slime that seemed to move ever-so-slightly if watched close enough.Along with thoughts of Lome came his memory of the otters there— beasts the size of men who dwelled in the river and stalked their prey in packs.At least here he and Rime weren’t alone.Brome and Noulea continued to lead albeit more
Land of Dragon 34
The BasaltThe stairs were never-ending.After a long, tense hour of travel the caverns had ended, the last of the cobwebs falling away to reveal a square stone archway carved with the dwarven runes. Then the climb had started.“I cannot go on. We must sleep.” Halfindle grabbed the Lowsater by the fur on her leg. If she was at her breaking point, then the others were likely past it.“We are not free of the danger.” Noulea pulled away and started up the stair again.“I can’t either,” Laureth said.“I am also tired, sister,” Brome said from the back of the party. He peered down the stair behind them as if the spider might come up from the hellcaves at any moment.“We'll sleep right here on the stairs then,” Treylen said. “We've been climbing for hours. There's no end to it. I'll take the first watch. Noulea can take the second.”“I will take the third,” Oakwren said.“No, no,” Laureth put a hand on Oakwren’s shoulder. “I’ll take the third watch. I've slept a little, remember?”“I've nev
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Chapter 37Lasgol and Camu were staring at the dead dragon on the floor of the patio in front of them, unable to fully believe they had killed it. Camu would never admit he found it hard to believe, since his fighting, stubborn character had made him absolutely sure they could defeat it. Lasgol, on the other hand, thought it was nothing short of miraculous that they had managed to kill it. An unthinkable enterprise, one that had almost cost the three of them their lives.A moan made them both turn around. Ona was coming toward them from inside the building.How are you feeling, Ona? Lasgol transmitted to her, bending down to hug her. As he crouched, he grunted with pain from the two cuts he had in the stomach and thigh. He had already realized they were not simple scratches.The snow panther reached his side, moaned, and licked his face.Ona, we kill dragon, Camu messaged to her, proudly nodding toward it.Ona growled once.And it almost killed us, Lasgol transmitted.We defeat. Much
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Chapter 36The afternoon group was running back from doing their physical exercises around the capital. Viggo was still intent on proving that he was better than the Royal Rangers, so he was flying downhill, five paces ahead of two Royal Rangers, who were trying hard to catch up with him and overtake him.The howling of a wolf from the forest to the east warned Egil, who was running beside Gerd at the rear of the group, that he was wanted. He looked at the giant, who returned a gaze of complicity. He raised his right hand and turned aside.“I have to stop!” Gerd warned his comrades.Nilsa and the Royal Rangers who were running in front stopped to look at him.“Are you all right, Gerd?” Nilsa asked, concerned.“Yeah, it’s my hip, it’s bothering me. Nothing to worry about. It’ll soon pass, go ahead.”“Are you sure it’s nothing?” Nilsa came over, concerned, while the Rangers she was running with remained a little further.“Don’t worry, it’ll pass in a moment,” he said without straighteni
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Chapter 35The minor dragon rose, flapping its wings hard, and prepared to drop once again onto Camu to strike it with all the power and weight of its considerable size. In comparison, the dragon was larger than Camu, who recognized the situation and what it meant. Seeing it was going to lunge down at him and knowing he was not exactly nimble, Camu decided to change tactics to avoid the crash.The dragon lunged at Camu with its four claws outstretched.Camu called on his Drakonian Wings. There was a powerful silver flash along his body and the wings appeared on his back, glowing in all their splendor. He leapt, flapping them vigorously, and rose up off the ground.The dragon hit the ground with its four claws hard, breaking the marble slabs of the patio, which flew in shards all over the place. Camu was already nine feet up. He had escaped the attack by a scale’s breath.The dragon looked up.So, the pup can fly. Then he is not such a pup, it messaged and flapped its wings. It took a
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Chapter 34The Panthers were waiting to be received by Queen Heulyn before her chambers. They were waiting in an antechamber decorated as if they were in Irinel. There were shields and javelins from that realm hanging on the wall. Several Irinel soldiers guarded the entrance and would not let them through. They had told them, kindly but firmly, to wait there. Since the Queen had requested their presence, they could do nothing else.The double doors opened and a familiar face came to greet them.“Good day, Royal Eagles,” Valeria said with a lively spirit and a big smile on her face.“Good day, Valeria,” Nilsa returned the greeting with a light smile.“The Queen has summoned us,” Ingrid said with a hint of interrogation in her tone.“And it’s a little too early for our taste,” Viggo complained, yawning ostentatiously. “You might let the Queen know that these are inappropriate hours for morning meetings. Better to have them after a good breakfast, say mid-morning.”Valeria gave a little
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Chapter 33Saki-Erki-Luzen, the minor dragon, attacked without any warning other than an intimidating roar. It took a step forward, opened its mouth as if it were going to roar again, and issued forth a gust of fire directed at Lasgol, Camu, and Ona.Lasgol leapt to one side using his reflexes and improved agility. It was an instinctive move at seeing the fire and feeling its scorching heat.Ona moved to the other side with a powerful leap to get out of range of the flames so they would not touch her. Her feline instincts saved her from ending up torched by the dragon’s attack.Camu opted for a different defense. He could not jump with the agility of his two friends. He opened his mouth and used his Icy Breath skill. The jet of freezing breath he sent crashed against the flames heading toward him. Upon contact both attacks, fire and water, canceled each other. Neither of the two managed to reach the rival.The scorpions guarding the door, seeing their lord was attacking, also lunged a
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Chapter 32Nilsa, Viggo, Egil, and Gerd were coming back from doing physical practice with six of the Royal Rangers, among which were Kol and Haines. They were both running at the front with Nilsa and chatting with her. It was painfully obvious that both of them were greatly interested in the friendly redhead. They were not the only ones. Another Royal Ranger joined them on the way down toward the capital, whose lights they could see in the distance. Night was falling and hunger and tiredness were beginning to have their effect, but whoever wants to be in shape must suffer a little. The Royal Rangers knew this better than anyone else. They had to endure whole days on their feet standing by a wall on watch duty. This numbed and softened anyone’s muscles. Therefore, it was important they went out to do physical exercise.Viggo was running in the lead, as fast as lightning. He wanted to arrive as soon as possible and show all the Royal Rangers that he was better than them. Nilsa and Gerd
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Chapter 31Ona, Camu, and Lasgol went through the ghost city, following the enormous scorpions that had taken the Silver Pearls. The trail was quite clear since two sets of eight scorpion legs walking on streets partially covered by desert sand were unmistakable. Lasgol was having no trouble following them. Besides, they had carried away the ice jewel so if he lost the trail he could wait for a pulse that would tell him where they were.Lasgol was thinking how lucky they had been that the crocodile had not joined the fray in the middle of the city, since that would have been an additional problem. On the other hand, the croc would have destroyed half the city if entered it, so to a point it was logical it had not come in. Well, as logical as one giant crocodile at the entrance of a city in the desert with colossal scorpions and cobras as guardians was. When he told the tale in Norghana they were not going to believe him.They turned left and then right. They were not in camouflage s
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Chapter 30Lasgol waited a moment and wondered whether his plan might work or if they would be discovered and end up having to confront those monstrous desert creatures. He was not at all sure it was a good idea to follow the scorpions, least of all through the forbidden city. But when there were no other options, it was best to be determined.Watch out. We’re going to follow the scorpions. I don’t think they can see us under Camu’s camouflage, but we must be very careful.Camouflage good. They no see, Camu messaged confidently.There’s more than one way of seeing. They might detect us by sound or by the trail we leave, for instance.Ona moaned once.Oh I understand. I no can help that.That’s why I’m saying we must take extreme precautions. We always careful.Yeah, always… Lasgol was watching with one eye from the corner of the wall. They’ve entered the city. Following them through the streets will be dangerous.City empty, no dangerous.The entrance was also empty and the scorpions
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Chapter 29Astrid, Ingrid, and Molak were waiting for Raner on their horses east of the capital, according to his orders. They were half a league from the Royal Road and were to wait for the First Ranger to join them. Not very far away they could glimpse Beaver Hill, so called because of a rock at the summit that looked very much like the animal.“What do you think the First Ranger has in store for us today?” Molak asked his comrades.“So far, everything he’s had prepared for us has been enlightening and interesting,” Ingrid said in a satisfied tone. “So I hope that whatever he has for us today will be so too.”Astrid stroked her horse’s neck.“I feel the same way. The truth is that training to become Royal Rangers has pleasantly surprised me.”“You weren’t expecting it to be interesting?” Molak asked, surprised.“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting it to be useful and so I thought I’d be bored. But it’s turning out to be the opposite. I think that in the Assassin Specialty at the Shelte
