Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign (Worlds of the Crystal Moon, Book 1) (65 page)

Sam and Shalee found their Peak with the noble and his friends to be pleasant. At the end of their visit, their host sent them away with gifts. Sam received a set of the duke’s finest, handcrafted, black, leather armor. The seal of the duke’s home, a red dragon, had been crafted onto the chest piece, arm bracers, greaves and again on the back of each boot.

Shalee was given six bolts of exotic fabric of assorted colors. As they left, Shalee realized she did not have a place to put them. She had been so busy running around with Sam, staying at one inn after another, that she had not thought about getting a place of their own. She spoke with Sam about the problem as they headed back to the inn.

Helga and BJ were sitting at the bar drinking ale when the two arrived. The younger couple saw the older couple flirting with one another, but they did not say anything. They stood in the background and watched as Helga reached over to touch BJ’s arm.

BJ was about 61 seasons, and even though Helga was over 247, she did not look a Peak over 55. It was clear there was more to their relationship and neither Sam nor Shalee had noticed until now.

Sam crept up on their trainers. As BJ touched Helga’s hand, Sam cleared his throat and watched the couple jump. “Look what we have here,” Sam said in a fatherly voice. “I guess I’m going to have to start keeping an eye on you two. We leave you for the shortest series of moments and come back to find you groping one another. I’m shocked.”

“Oh, get lost, bonehead!” BJ grumbled. “We have lives, too, you know. I never thought I would look at another woman after my wife passed, but traveling with Helga has given me new perspective. There’s something here that’s good for both of us, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Helga was embarrassed. “Sam, please know that we still intend to provide you with the best training we can offer.”

Shalee jumped into the conversation. “Don’t be silly. I don’t think that ever crossed our minds. The idea of you two getting together is sweet, really. Sam and I were talking the other Peak about the two of you, and we both agreed that you’re like parents to us. You’re not just our trainers. You’re our friends. We love you, and we see you as family.”

Shalee’s sentiment was everything Helga wanted to hear. Her eyes grew misty. Grabbing a towelette, she dabbed the moisture from them.

BJ looked at Sam, shrugged and then rolled his eyes as guys often do during emotional moments. After the mood subsided, BJ placed his arm around Helga. “I suppose the cotlum has been let out of the bag. We can be more open with our love.”

“Love? Have you two been doing this long enough to use that word?” Sam said, ignoring the fact he had no idea what a cotlum was. “Where was I when the courting was taking place?”

BJ turned to Sam. “Since you consider me your father, the place you have been when Helga and I were courting is on top of my daughter. This incestuous relationship between the two of you must stop.” The trainer smiled as he sat back on his stool.

Helga slapped BJ on the arm. “He’s always talking that way, Child. He can be so naughty. Just last night, he said—”

Shalee covered her ears and spoke loudly over Helga’s voice. “T.M.I. T.M.I.”

Sam agreed, chuckling, “Yeah, way too much information, you two.” Sam looked at BJ. “Anyway, we received some gifts from Duke Brandor.” He pointed to the pile sitting across the room.

As soon as BJ saw the armor, he jumped from his stool and ran over to take a look. Lifting the chest piece from the floor, he held it up in front of him. The excitement could be seen on his face as he threw it over his head to try it on.

The armor was way too large for his smaller frame, but this did not curb BJ’s enthusiasm. “Sam, do you realize what this means?”

The fighter crossed the room and picked up the bracers. “It means we have met our first noble, why?”

“It means far more than that,” BJ responded. “It means the house of Brandor is watching your career. It means the king knows who you are. When something like this happens, a fighter usually receives an invitation to the battle of champions before he completes the circuit requirements.”

BJ put his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “You’ve only competed in three cities. I would wager that if you win your next few fights, you could get an invitation to the city of Champions before you complete the tour.

“Sam, all you have to do is ensure your victories are memorable. If they are, we’ll be on our way to the Senate’s tournament.

“There is far more than fighting at this tournament. Just like the king’s tournament in Brandor, the Senate’s tournament is a citywide event that lasts for 10 Peaks. Sixty-four fighters are invited, and none of the fights are meant to be to the death.

“The winners of this tournament from past seasons are given a chance to enter the king’s tournament in Brandor. The ultimate prize is to defeat the General Absolute. Many want the glory attached to this victory, but all have perished while trying to attain it. The general is merciless, and although he’s an honorable man, he believes the arena is a glorious place to pass. The leader of the king’s army steps into the arena prepared to kill and equally prepared to surrender his life.”

BJ took off the chest piece and placed it on Sam. He admired the fit as he tightened the straps beneath Sam’s arms. “The first Peak of the tournament is to celebrate the 64 fighters and the General Absolute. The next seven are filled with heroic battles. In Brandor, the field is narrowed until only one fighter remains. On the ninth Peak, this being is given the chance to face the general. To battle the general is considered the highest form of exaltation a warrior can receive. The winner is celebrated and invited to the king’s personal table. For as long as I can remember, the general has been the one celebrated, but I don’t think he cares about dining with the king any longer.”

BJ reached up, grabbed hold of his student’s head and placed his forehead to Sam’s. “Victory could be yours. If you were to beat the general … you would be one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. Only the king and his son would stand above you.”

An enormous smile appeared on Sam’s face. “I can make the impression we need to win our invitation to the city of Champions. You can mark my words on that.”

Sam turned and headed for the bar. He was about to order an ale when Shalee tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see a look of fright in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Shalee put her hand on his armor-covered chest. “Didn’t you hear the part where BJ said that all of the general’s opponents have died?”

“I heard it. What’s the big deal?”

“Doggone it, Sam. I know you’re not dumb. He’s killed everyone. For heaven’s sake, don’t you think that’s a problem? I don’t want anything to happen to you. I love you, ya big ox.”

“Okay, okay. Hold on a second. You know I love you, too. But BJ also said I don’t have to fight the general if I don’t want to. So let’s not worry about it, and let’s take it one fight at a time. Sound good?”

“No, that doesn’t sound good. I don’t want you to fight him.”

“So, I won’t. Don’t worry about it.”

Sam pulled Shalee close and winked at BJ. He just wanted Shalee to relax, but he knew he would fight the general if given the chance. He had no choice. How else could he get into a position of power? Shalee would just have to understand when the moment arrived for him to make the decision.

Shalee seemed to be okay with his answer. She released Sam and then turned to Helga. “I need your help. Would make a quick detour to the city of Brandor and find a place for us to live? I’ll give you the coin for it.”

Being this close to Brandor, it would only take Helga only 4 Peaks to fly south and then find something suitable. She could find the home, and then catch another hippogriff a few Peaks later to meet up with them in Haven. BJ suggested that Helga take Shalee’s bolts of cloth and leave them in Brandor. BJ wanted to go, but he would not have the moments necessary to get back before Sam’s next fight.

Helga agreed to leave the next Peak.

Retiring for the evening, Shalee watched to see if Helga would sneak into BJ’s room. As expected, the older sorceress did just that. Shalee smiled and then shut the door to her room. She crawled into bed next to Sam. “I can see they love one another. It’s in their eyes. I think it’s cute. It’s downright adorable. Don’t you agree?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever floats your boat. Now get over here and float mine.”

The next morning, the group headed for the landing platform. While walking through the city, they noticed a heightened level of military activity. The king’s soldiers were transporting gigantic trees to the mill.

Sam stopped one of the men dressed in chain armor. The man wore a black tunic with red trim, and the king’s symbol was embroidered at its center. “What’s going on?” he questioned.

“The king has given orders to build harvest wagons. His Lordship has received word from the gods that the harvests will be bounteous. The wagons will be needed to transport the crops to the coastal cities.”

“Why are the harvests transported to the coast?” Sam inquired.

The soldier gave Sam an odd look. “Why wouldn’t they be?”

BJ waved the soldier on and then answered Sam’s question. “The harvests are shipped to Merchant Island to determine their value. Once a value is assigned, they’re distributed throughout Grayham and the other worlds. Each world has certain resources they provide to the others. They are exchanged by way of the Merchant Angels.”

Sam’s brow furrowed. It was easy to see another question was coming.

BJ took the liberty to answer without waiting for the question to be formulated. “The gods have created a group of beings whose sole purpose is to move goods between worlds. They are delivered by the Merchant Angels to each planet’s Merchant Island. After a value is established, the goods are distributed. No one has ever seen a Merchant Angel, so don’t even ask me to describe how they look. Beyond what I’ve told you, the only knowledge I possess about the exchange of goods is that there are special areas where the angels assemble on the island to take away the crates the goods have been placed inside. But this only happens at night when everyone has abandoned the island.”

BJ put his hand on Sam’s shoulder and led the group down the street. “There are moments when government officials agree to allow a member of another race to travel between worlds. It is the Merchant Angels who transport these beings. Although the gods have created special containers to transport live souls, the ride is said to be dark and miserable. When criminals are caught on Grayham, they are transported to Dragonia in this manner to face punishment. It is said ... if the dragons don’t kill them first, the other criminals who have managed to survive will. It is also said that the demons and the vampires have been known to feast on them.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay. Now I’ve heard it all. Vampires? Really? It wasn’t long ago I would’ve said you were full of it for saying something so outlandish, but not anymore. I’m sure Stephenie Meyer would have loved Dragonia, if she was here. Vampires. Wow!”

BJ’s brow wrinkled, “Who is this Stephenie?”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter. She was just an author from my homeworld.” Sam further thought to himself.
I wonder if her soul is truly inside the Book of Immortality?

It was not long before the group arrived at the base of the landing platform and began their ascent. Sam’s mind had continued to wander and was again dwelling on the thought of the Merchant Angels. “BJ, can you eat on the journey when the angels take you to the other worlds?”

“I don’t know anything more, Sam. You’ll have to study on it later when your moments allow it.”

Once at the top, they waited for BJ to lift Helga onto her hippogriff. BJ blew Helga a kiss as the beast lifted into the sky.

Soresym showed up not long after.

Shalee was standing on the platform when his majestic form settled onto the wooden planks. The wind created from the beast’s massive wings made her thankful for the railing lining the perimeter, but her thankfulness stopped at the mess the griffin made of her hair.

Shalee pulled the frazzle into a ponytail. “So much for looking cute for you, Soresym,” she joked. “How can I show you fab if you keep blowing my hair all over the place?”

The griffin enjoyed her candor. “I’m sorry, Shalee, but I don’t have an essence capable of fixing tangled messes.”

BJ covered his smile as Sam responded. “Ha, ha! Very funny. He has a chance to pee in a guy’s mouth, and the King of the Griffins considers himself a comedian. Soresym, you’re a bowl of laughter. Tell me again, why do we like each other?”

After a brief period of friendly banter, they lifted off to wing their way to the city of Haven.