Clutch Of The Cleric (Book 4) (11 page)

CHAPTER 23

High Priestess Selen
e, accompanied by a dozen acolytes and Lizard Men, had finished her journey west towards the Ruins of Barnabus. It was there her lord lived. Hidden from prying eyes deep inside the belly of the mountainous terrain.  They rode on horseback, traversing the narrow trails until they stopped at a cave mouth. It resembled a maw, Dragon like, over forty feet tall.  Standing just outside the entrance, she rubbed her shoulder. It was cold in there. Dark. Vast. She could feel eyes all over her.

“Stay here,” she said. “And make no sudden moves.” She pointed at the ledges of the cave
’s entrance.

Several carved
Dragons blended in with the stones and vegetation. As big as Men, some bigger. They were breathing. Their eyes sparkled like gems.

“You don’t want those guardians to greet you. One bite
and it’s over.”

Inside she went, heavy dark robes dragging over the ground, tail swishing back and forth. She felt cold. Nervous. She was the High Priestess of Barnabus,
so she shouldn’t fear anything. Yet she did. Her breath showed. Her heart beat faster. It smelled of death. Decay. A tomb of sorts.

Straight she went. Down a gentle grade until a distan
t light shone. Torches. The fires green and blue ignited by magic.

A massive stone archway adorned in gargoyle heads and
Dragons looked down at her.

She kneeled. Bowed. “High Priestess Selen
e comes to see the master of all masters. The priest of all priests. The one true Lord of Nalzambor.”

On the other side of the archway, two stone urns flared with icy burning light. In between it a throne made for someone ten times her size waited. Empty.

“COME.”

The voice was deep as a canyon. Powerful as a stormy wind.

Selene
made her way inside. Stopped at the marble step as high as her head and bowed.

She felt small. Insignifigant. Her hands went cold. She waited what seemed to her a long time.

“YOU TREMBLE. WHY
, SELENE?”

She swallowed. Words were stuck in her throat.
She trembled.

“HAVE YOU NO GOOD NEWS TO BRING?”

“I-I do.”

“LOOK AT ME!”

She snapped her chin up. A presence sat. Huge. Ominous. A Dragon-like being of shadows and scales. His eyes were black pits with burning stars in the middle. A crown of thorns adorned his head. He sat like a Man. Shoulders like a Titan’s. But all Dragon.

“THAT’S BETTER … DAUGHTER. WHAT NEWS DO YOU HAVE FOR ME?”

She yelled, even though she didn’t have to, her voice echoing.

“Nath Dragon has black scales, Father.”

“HEH … HEH. SOON NALZAMBOR WILL BE OURS. BUT I GROW IMPATIENT.” He reached down his hand. “COME.”

S
he stepped onto the center of his hand.

H
e lifted her like a doll and set her on the arm of the chair.

Still looking up at him
, she waited. The Dragon was her father so far as she knew. She’d never known any other parents other than the family of Barnabus.

Unknown to her, this
was a lie. Barnabus had been a hero in the first Dragon wars. His legend had been twisted into something else. His good name used to spread evil. It had all been the idea of Gorm Grattak, the Dragon Lord on the throne. King of the evil Dragons. One of a few survivors of the last Dragon War.

“TELL ME MORE
, CHILD.”

The tightness in her chest eased. Her confidence returned. She’d made it this far. She’d live.

She said, “We capture Dragons by the dozens now. We’ve turned the world against them. For every one Nath Dragon saves, we take ten. Extinguish them. Sell them. Or bring the willing ones here. As you wish, Father.

“
We watch Nath Dragon. Wear him down. Hunt and destroy his friends. His allies. He’s still attached to this world. Banished from the Dragon Home. A wayward one, trying to redeem himself.”

Again, Selene waited what seemed to her a long time.

“HIS REDEMPTION MUST NEVER HAPPEN,” Gorm Grattak said. “SEE TO THAT PERSONALLY, IF YOU MUST.”

“Yes
, Father.”

“
I CANNOT LEAVE, DAUGHTER. ELSE I BE DISCOVERED. I FEEL MY STRENGTH GROWING. MY ARMY BUILDS.”

He waved his arm across the air. The entire chamber lit up. Bones, treasures and
tributes covered the edges of the room. A mural spanned the entire back wall filled with Dragons battling in a storm. There were hundreds of them. No two alike. They moved. They hissed. Trying to escape one world for the other.

“THEY ARE READY TO FIGHT. THE
IR BANISHMENT ALMOST OVER. SOON WE WILL RUN THIS WORLD OVER.” He lifted her chin with his clawed finger. “THE TURNING OR DEATH OF NATH DRAGON WILL MAKE IT CERTAIN. I PREFER HIM TURNED.” He snorted. Smoke billowed from his nose like icy air. “GO NOW, DAUGHTER. RETURN ONLY WHEN YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED.” He set her down.

The room went black.

She didn’t turn. Just walked away. Though she had no aversion to darkness, she welcomed the light of the sun that greeted her at the end. She would do things right or else she would be dead.

Clearing the mouth of the cave
, her heart stopped.

She gasped.

All of the Lizard Men and Acolytes were dead. Devoured in most cases. Even all the horses, but one. She got in the saddle and eyed the guardians above the mouth of the cave. The statues didn’t move or blink, but their bellies bulged where’d they’d been flat before.

Her eyes narrowed.

Her jaw set.

Nath
Dragon will be mine one way or the other.
“Yah!”

CHAPTER 24

Three days later the
Elves came. It was a good thing too. Ben and Garrison were getting antsy. Pestering the Elves. Almost stalking them.

I didn’t have t
he patience to explain Elven etiquette to them. Don’t touch. Don’t stare. Eat and sleep until they get here.

Brenwar grumbled every half day or so. Hadn’t eaten a thing.

Sasha lay on the sofa, legs over Bayzog’s lap. She slept most of the time.

Shum sat by himself. Eyes closed the entire time. But I could tell he saw everything
through his ears. He was the first one to rise moments before the Elven delegation appeared.

There
were eight of them in all. Light and dark headed. Fair skinned and tanned. Adorned in soft and intricate robes. The tallest was half a foot shorter than me, the shortest half a head taller than Brenwar. Their expressions were stern, but friendly.

I knew two of them and nodded.

They led us to another open room with a large oval table. It looked more like it was grown than carved.

“Dragon Son, it’s good to have you among us again,” one said. “I see Akron is still honored in your possession.”

“Yes, Laedorn,” I said. “Your excellent gift has never failed. Put a lot of new holes in Orcs, I’ll say.”

He chuckled. “Those were the days,” he said. “So, Nath, I see you’ve changed since last we met?
Is that what brings you here? I understand you seek the Occular of Orray?”

I wanted to shrug. I in this by the prompting of my friends and
for the benefit of Shum and his King. I felt great.

“Yes,”
I said, “my friend Bayzog believes it might heal me.”

Laedorn
’s eyes drifted between Shum and Bayzog. The other Elves’ eyes did as well. I could feel the tension among them. Something old. Unsettled.

Laedorn rested his eyes on Bayzog. Smiled briefly at Sasha.

“Bayzog, you should visit with your family. They miss you. But they respect your privacy. They don’t anticipate your arrival, but that’s up to you.”

“Tell them I’ll return when the time is right,” Bayzog said,” but that time is not now. Certainly the
Elves are aware that damp winds have begun to prevail. The seasons change. Rapidly.”

“We know this. The evil races are
emboldened. Their skirmishes increase. They’ve crossed our lands and hunted our game. Testing us day in and day out.” Laedorn’s brow furrowed.  “Tell me what you have learned of the Occular of Orray?”

Bayzog furrowed his own brow.
“It can heal anything. Curses. Lycanthropy. Disease. I’ve even read it can take you from one time to another. Perhaps it can return Dragon back to form. Take him back to before the trouble started.”

“Possibly.”

“But,” Bayzog said, “it’s been taken. Stolen. Scattered in six pieces all over this world. Taken from right underneath the Elves’ noses. A hundred years after the last war.”

“You suppose,” Laedorn said. “But you do not know for certain.”

“And you do, Laedorn? Are the histories wrong? My sources polluted?”

The
Elves at the table muttered in Elven among themselves. There weren’t speaking thoughts so much as grumbling at one another. I spoke Elven and many other things, but they muttered with uncertainty.

“Enough,” Laedorn said. He turned his focus to Shum. “And what is your interest in all of this, Rover Shum
?”

“I’m in it for my King, Sansla Libor,” Shum said.

The Elves stirred.

“There is no king but the one
Elven King,” Laedorn said. His eyes narrowed. “Mind your manners.”

“You
r king is here, in these lands. The Rovers have one King and one alone. Sansla Libor is the King of the Rovers.” Shum said it matter-of-factly with a bow. “Always has been; always will be.”

“Your
king
,” Laedorn said, voice hardening, “is wanted for murder, Shum. Over a dozen Elves died by his hands. There’s blood on that winged monster’s claws. You know this. All of the Elves know this.”

“He
’s cursed!” Shum said, slamming his fist on the table.

All the humans jumped in their seats.

Shum went on.
“He cannot be blamed.”

Laedorn said,
“Curse or no curse, the blood is on his hands, not someone else’s, Rover. We hunt him, yet you protect him.”

“You don’t seek to cure him,” Shum said
. “You seek to destroy him.”

“He needs
to stand trial. He must answer. He must be stopped. He kills, Shum. You’ve seen it. He’ll kill today. Kill tomorrow.” Laedorn tapped his fingers together. “So I presume you want the Occular to cure your King?”

“You would do the same thing for you
r king, wouldn’t you?” Shum leaned forward on the table. “Isn’t that what this Occular if for, healing?”

“Healing the sick. Not murder
ers!”

“Alright, everyone,” I cut in
. “Let’s back up. About the Occular, Laedorn. We want to help find it. Will you let us do that at least?”

The
Elves went stone cold silent. Expressionless. One and all. They had secrets deeper than the world. They guarded them well.

All eyes were on Laedorn. Except Brenwar
’s. His eyes were closed. Head was back. Snoring softly.

Laedorn sighed. “Dragon, I need you to come with us. As well as Bayzog and Shum.”

“Why?”

“It has been required of me. You see Dragon, as soon as you showed up, we met. Our
full council, not just these Elves. Even the King. The decision has been made.”

“
What decision?” I said, easing my way out of my chair.

“
I need you to leave your weapons and come with us,” Laedorn said, “Now.”

Elven guards sealed the room. Leaf-shaped helmets on their heads. Elven steel on hips and spearheads. There must have been thirty of them.

Sasha clutched at Bayzog
’s arm. “What is going on? Laedorn, is this how you treat your guests?”

“I’m sorry
, Lovely Lady, but you’ll just have to trust me. Dragon, must I ask again?”

I unhitched Akron, unbuckled Fang
, and dropped them on the table. “Lead the way.”

After
all, I still had my claws.

Not to mention my breath.

CHAPTER 25

The Elven guard led us on a casual march through the city. Not a single eye batted. It was as if strangers and armed guards strolled through the city all the time. The three of us were side by side, Bayzog in the middle, the Elven greeters in front and behind us, with Laedorn close by.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Laedorn,” I said, not hiding the irritation in my voice. “Didn’t you forget to shackle us?”

He said nothing.

We kept going, following a deck roadway that led up and around the trunk of a tree.
We came to a tunnel concealed behind the woodland. I’d never heard of an Elven dungeon before, but this had to be one.

The hair on my neck stood up.

“Where is this?” I whispered over to Bayzog.

“I don’t know,” he
whispered back.

We stopped
. Dark hoods were placed over our heads.

I said,
“You can’t be serious, Laedorn.”

He said nothing.

We were prodded along. Prisoners. Our footsteps silent through every twist and turn.

I couldn’t keep track of where we were going. I was
disoriented. And I had to wonder if it was the structure or the hood.

It tingled on my head. Muffled sounds. At time
s it seemed to guide me.

I lost track of time. Seconds
. Minutes. Or hours. But my legs didn’t tire.

KaRoom
!

It was the first notable sound I heard. A large metal door closing. The stuffiness of an enclosed room. Like a tomb.

My hood was lifted. Laedorn and many others stood before me.

“We
’re here,” he said.

“Where
?” I said. “Our prison?”

“Sort of,” he said. “It’s a place more secure that a prison, Dragon. It’s a vault.”

My eyes adjusted quickly. The room was ornate, metal, completely sealed with one door going in and out. Lit by mystic Lapis Lazuli that hung from chains on the ceiling. Behind Laedorn, the other Elves stood on a dais the color of pearl. The Elven Guard were gone.

“A vault for what?”

“Ha! For centuries we’ve been searching. Redeeming ourselves for what we lost. We scoured Nalzambor from one corner to the other. Sailed the waters. Crossed the lava. Tunneled where no Elf had been before.” He smiled at me. “And now we have it.” He stepped aside. The other Elves parted in the middle. “Dragon, behold The Occular of Orray.”

A cluster of diamonds in the middle were brilliant like star
s. Encased in the purest gold and platinum, the Occular was spectacular.

Bayzog’s violet eyes were wider than I’d ever seen
.

Shum’s narrow eyes were circles.

I found myself swallowing a lump in my throat. It was as great a treasure as any in my father’s throne room.

“
How long,” I said, squinting my gold eyes a little, “have you had it?”

“Not long. Little over a decade,” Laedorn said.

“Have you used it?” Bayzog asked.

“Once,” Laedorn replied.

Bayzog stepped forward, eyes on the pendant.

“Did it work?”

“Of course.”

“And, what did you hea
l?” Bayzog said. “Or let me guess, you won’t reveal?”

“You are wise, Bayzog,” Laedorn said, shifting his feet a little, “but it’s not
anything you should concern yourselves with. It is Dragon and Sansla Libor that you are concerned with.” He looked at me, my Dragon arms. Waiting. Studying. “Well, Dragon. Is this what you want? Are you ready?”

All eyes were on me.

I wasn’t ready. Not at all. If anything, I’d just gotten used to my Dragon arms. My stomach quivered. Knotted a little. What if the Occular did cure me? I looked at my scaly hands and sharp golden-yellow claws. I would miss them. I could do more good with them. Could I do as much good without them?

“Dragon,” Bayzog said.

“Huh?” I replied, shaking the fog from my head. “Oh, well, will it heal me, or send me back in time before the trouble started?” I was buying time now. But I had to be smooth. Make certain no one suspected it.

“
The Occular heals, that much is certain. But the other effects of the artifact are unpredictable,” Laedorn said.

The tightness in my chest began to unravel.

“Well now, that’s the trick, isn’t it? You can’t really guarantee what will happen, good or bad.” I folded my arms over my chest, held my chin in my hand. “I’ve a great deal of thinking to do. Weighing the consequences of this action.”

“Dragon!” Bayzog s
tomped his foot. “This is a great honor and opportunity the Elves are offering you! This is what we came for. We don’t even have to risk our necks. The gift is there. Your only thought should be to take it!”

I’d never seen Bayzog angry before. There was fury under his creaseless brown
skin that was now crinkled. Fists balled at his sides. His human part had come out. If I hadn’t known him better, I’d have supposed he’d strike me.

“Easy, Bayzog,” I said. “I’m a
Dragon. I don’t rush into things.”

“You rush into everything! That’s what got you
here in the first place!” Bayzog said, getting right in my face. “Don’t be a fool, Dragon!”

My belly caught fire. My eyes narrowed on Bayzog.

“What did you—”

“I said what Brenwar would say. What your father would say!”

“It’s not your decision
, Elf.” I poked him in the chest. “It’s mine and mine alone.” I stepped away from Bayzog’s glare. Faced Laedorn. “What about Sansla Libor?”

“We’ve discussed this already,” Laedorn said, “and we agree to the following.” He face
d Shum and looked up into his eyes.

Shum stood still, hands crossed over his belly.

Laedorn said to Shum, “Capture Sansla Libor and bring him to us, and we promise we’ll use the Occular on him before he stands trial and judgment is delivered.”

“How can
he stand trial for something he’ll have no recollection of?” Shum said, leaning forward.

“You don’t know that, Shum,” Laedorn said.

“And if he’s not healed, how do you try him them?”

“The same as we try any other murderer and monster in our lands,” Laedorn said. “I’m sorry, Shum, but the
Elves won’t budge on this. I won’t either. Justice must be delivered.”

Shum’s face drew tight. Conflicted. His loyalty to his king was unquestionable. He’d give his life for Sansla Libor.

I felt for him. I really did. “Shum,” I said, “what would Sansla Libor do if he were in your boots?”

“Well said, Dragon,” Laedorn said.

Shum’s steely eyes drifted onto me. There was sadness mixed with determination. “Are you going to help me find him, Dragon?”

“I give you my pledge.”

“I too,” Bayzog said.

Shum extended his crossed arms to Laedorn and stretched out his hands.

Laedorn took them in his and nodded. “Agreed then.”

“Now
, Dragon,” Laedorn said, “what is your decision? Sometimes opportunity such as this only comes once in a lifetime.

“Give me a moment,” I said, stepping away. I pinched the bridge of my nose. Rubbed my eyes. Raked my claws through my hair. A hundred thoughts
simultaneously raced through my head. I felt the greatest decision in my life pressing upon me. At times like this, I would make a mental list. The good side and the bad side of my consequences.

“Dragon,” Bayzog said, “the
Elves are offering you a gift. Don’t test their patience.”

“Another moment,
please,” I said, spite in my voice. “What seems so easy to you might not be so easy to me. There are consequences to everything. And Laedorn clearly noted there could be side effects. Did your pointed ears not note that? Because I’m pretty sure everyone else heard.”

I moved
farther towards the corner. I thought of Brenwar.

If he were her
e, he’d shove the Occular down my throat.

And what w
ould Brenwar say once I left and told him I received an offer of healing and didn’t take it? I’d never hear the end of it.

And my father. Should I not do it for him? I could be healed and go back to Dragon
Home again. I could clean my slate. Start all over again.

But I wouldn’t be as powerful.

I flexed my arms. Felt the tough but pliable scales over layers of hardened muscles. It felt amazing. I snorted a puff of smoke from my nose. I would lose that. The fire in my belly that could melt metal bars. I was twice as powerful now as I’d ever been before.

It was my choice.

Mine alone.

I could save more
Dragons with my black scales than without them.

I turned. Faced them. Shook my head.

“I’m not doing this.”