 
### Scourge of the Dragons

By Cody J. Sherer
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.

Scourge of the Dragons

Copyright ©2015 by Cody J. Sherer

All Rights Reserved.

Tales of Canai Series

Book 1: The Wizard's Council

Book 2: The Tomes of Magic

Book 3: Fall of a Guardian

Other Works

Legends of Canai Short Story Compilation

Sanctuary

Chronicles of George Jackson

Book 1: Pioneers of the Stars

#  Map of Palemedor

#

# Contents

Map of Palemedor 4

Scourged Lands 7

Dragons and Knights 25

A Champion of Night 46

The Beginnings of a Journey 54

A Champion of Shadows 59

The Forest Realms 68

The Dance of Shadows 73

The Shadow Grows 85

The Spirit Monks 103

War 118

Dragon Hunting 132

The Four Kingdoms 145

Seeking Allies 161

Esclation 174

The Arcane Academy 191

Preparing For War 203

The Great Battle 216

Author Bio 234

#  Scourged Lands

Prince Hadrin gazed out over the evening realms. The lands he stood to inherit had become infested with a scourge that even the Prince couldn't escape. Violet branches stretched out over the land like the shadow of a massive tree. He looked down at his hand and saw the deep-blue tendrils stretching forth on his forearm. The spread had quickened its pace in the recent years, causing Hadrin to wonder if there would be a kingdom left to inherit. He pulled his sleeves back down over his forearms and spun back away from the balcony. His father, King Obrin, had taken the worst of the scourge. The Prince was still able to hide the deep blues with long sleeves and cloaks. Small wisps of purple and blue lined the King's chin and neck like a beard under his skin. Even his old scar on his left cheek had succumbed to the unknown curse.

"Why did this foulness befall us, father?" Hadrin asked as he approached the King.

"Through no fault of our own, my son. We formed a pact with the night dragons. They gave us long life in exchange for being their caretakers. The evils of the world have finally dealt a fatal blow to dragonkind and so we must pass on with them," Obrin replied.

"Is there no way to reverse it?"

"Our greatest mages have attempted to reverse the effects, but it was for naught. The great night elf army vanquished several possible culprits. Whoever struck us down did so from the shadows. We are a dying race now, my boy."

The Prince turned away from his father, heartbroken at seeing the once thriving elf in such a state. There had been a time when the legendary King Obrin would have died before giving up. He looked out over the evening realms again, this time in an attempt to remember their glorious past. His eyes spotted something shimmering in the distance. A great host moved across the lands with a purpose unknown to Hadrin. He grabbed hold of the Wizard's Orb and stepped out onto the balcony. The inside of the sphere showed the leader of the sun elves, King Erlkan.

"Look father, our brethren from the sun realms have come to help us," he said as the King joined him on the balcony.

"Not to help us, son. Erlkan is here to ensure that the scourge dies with us," Obrin said.

"Why would you ask him to do such a thing?"

"I did no such thing. The sun King is an arrogant elf that only has time for the solutions of his Empress."

Hadrin grimaced at his father's words. There had been a time when Obrin only had positive words for his cousin. The Prince had once mistakenly thought they were brothers. Before the scourge had taken hold, Obrin looked like a silver haired version of Erlkan. They were both tall and thin with faces like stone. Unlike his cousin, the sun King's appearance matched that which was inside his heart. The Prince was able to spot the air of haughtiness that the man exuded. Though the cousins were tall, Hadrin towered over both of them. His softer features belying the strength and determination within. Though tall for an elf, the Prince was short by the world's standards. Among the so-called civilized races, only the dwarves were shorter than the elves. Hadrin's stocky build and above average height often had the other elves wondering at his ancestry.

The young Prince looked from the night elf King to the Wizard's Orb and back. His father's transformation had been so slow that he hadn't realized just how drastic it had become. Everyone saw the strange tendrils plaguing his body, but few had noticed the changes in posture, skin tone, and mass. King Obrin looked pale, thin, and sickly. His cousin, on the other hand, looked as though he had escaped the ravages of time altogether. Though elves lived longer than the other races, time still had a negative effect on their bodies. King Erlkan looked closer to three hundred than over six hundred. Obrin looked more like Hadrin's grandfather than his father. The scourge was stealing more than just the Prince's future kingdom, it was slowly killing his father. Hadrin knew that it wouldn't stop there either.

"Come, my son, let us greet our guest and see if we can stay his hand," King Obrin said.

"Is there any chance he will give us more time?" Hadrin asked.

"We are still cousins, that may help our cause.

*

Erlkan motioned for his army to stop as soon as he spotted the two riders. His task was a difficult one. He had attempted to get the others to send someone else, but they chose him on purpose. King Obrin might see reason coming from his own cousin, or so they had told him. There had been a time when the elves had seen his actions as noble. The night dragons needed caretakers, even if they were the most notorious of dragons. Erlkan felt that his cousin's bravery had only increased since taking on the task. His sacrifices ensured that the most dangerous of dragons had been kept in check. The sun King cleared his throat as the whispers reached his ears. He would not abide his elves talking bad about their kin.

"King Erlkan, my cousin, it has been too long," King Obrin said as he dismounted.

"I could not agree more, old friend. We were unsure if you would receive us favorably," the sun King said.

"Truth be told, we receive you warily. Everyone knows you are here for the night dragons. They are our lifeblood now, much like you and the sun dragons. Can we persuade you to give us more time?"

"They are no longer your lifeblood, cousin. They've become your noose. Let us rid you of their scourge. There is still the possibility of salvaging your kingdom."

"The night dragons are not behind the scourge. They've been infected just as horribly as the rest of us," Hadrin said.

"It cannot be. Has it been so long that your son is all grown?" Erlkan turned to his cousin, his face full of shame.

"My son had his fifty-second celebration no more than a month ago," Obrin said, placing his hand on Hadrin's shoulder.

"I've failed you as a cousin. I should have been here twelve years ago for his rituals. At the very least I should have brought a family gift within the ten year window. Where have the years gone, Obrin?" Erlkan asked.

"We've lost much more than just the past several years."

"Mostly because of me, I know. What choice did I have? It matters not, we must focus on the now. The dragons can wait, my kin completed the ceremony. I must know all about it."

*

Hadrin pulled the leather jerkin over his head. It was a little tight, but he was close to the same size as he had been twelve years ago. He strapped the breastplate on over the leather. His image in the mirror was far more regal than he ever felt. Servants and advisers alike had always told him he would make a good King one day. He strapped on the rest of his armor and then pulled the helmet down over his head. Every member of the elven royal line received custom ceremonial armor when they came of age. It usually was a combination of the styles of their combat armor and their family crest. For Hadrin, the combination was lighter armor with silver and blue highlights. He made his way out into the hall and was surprised to see both of the Kings wearing their armor. His father's ceremonial armor was heavy with silver and orange and Erlkan wore heavy armor with gold and green.

"You do not know how fortunate you have been, cousin," Erlkan said.

"My position is much less envious than your own," Obrin said.

"I would give it all up for a true family. You have a son to share everything with. It makes you wonder."

"What are saying, your highness?" Corin, one of the sun King's Captains, asked.

"The Empress is a woman to be served, not a woman to love," Erlkan replied.

"How can you say that about her majesty? The Empress means everything to elvenkind."

"Enough, you insult our hosts with your ignorance."

Silence filled the banquet hall as Corin glared at the sun King. The elven Captain's hand slid down to his sword as he stood. Erlkan sighed as he scooted his chair back. He stood up and drew his own sword. The two stepped out into the center of the hall and faced each other. Several other elves lined up alongside Corin. Obrin stood up and drew his sword. He staggered over to his cousin and stood at his side. Hadrin could tell that the two of them were severely outmatched, but his father had forbidden the blacksmith from making him a sword. He stood up from his chair and joined the two despite being unarmed. Dozens of elves joined each side of the fight. Ultimately, more sided with Corin. Erlkan held up his hand.

"I had heard the rumors, but I had never thought it would be you," he said.

"How did you find out?" Corin asked.

"The necklace. It belonged to her father. That is her most prized possession. The fact that she gave it to you tells me everything."

"She never loved you."

"There was very short period where she did, but our marriage was political. We both knew it would not last. Corin, this is between you and me. Let the others leave."

"You are so very mistaken. She wants all three of imprisoned for spreading the scourge to the sun dragons."

The entire room gasped at the revelation and some of the elves that had sided with the two Kings switched to the Captain's side. Erlkan began to protest the claim, but the warriors on both sides were already prepared for a fight. The fight was short and bloody, with many elves on both sides falling. Both Kings had stayed near the Prince to ensure his safety, but in the end it didn't matter. Their opponents had managed to disarm both of them and take all three into captivity. They led the three down to the dungeons to keep them safe while they formulated a plan for how to get the three out of the night elf kingdom without alerting the populace.

*

Wrotan eyed the two elves warily as he approached the massive door. Neither of them moved as he pushed the door open. The audience chamber much smaller than what he would have expected for an elven King. It lined up well with what his father had told him, but it still felt strange to see a King that cared so little about making his surroundings seem overly grand. The elves in the audience chamber looked different from those outside. There was a certain strength about them that the two outside were missing. He cleared his throat as he approached the throne. The two elves looked at him without saying a word and then turned back to their conversation.

"I am here to see the King of the evening realms," he said.

"Your kind is not welcome here, please leave," one of the elves said.

"Is this the famed elven hospitality I've heard so much about?"

"Who told you about our hospitality?"

"My father, he was something of a friend to the King. I am here to pay my respects and to pay him back for his kindness to my old man."

"The King is otherwise occupied, shall I let him know that you came to visit?"

"I'll tell you what you can do. You can drop the attitude. Elves are no better or worse than men. Where can I find the King?" Wrotan asked.

"You are rather obnoxious, we have a cure for that," the man said as he pulled his sword.

"Hold a moment, I would like to know your name for when I need to inform your nearest of kin that you died an unnecessary and idiotic death."

"You may call be Torin. My brother is here with me, but you will die before you get a chance to bother him."

The hunter shrugged and took a step back. He reached down and put his hand on the hilt of his sword. His opponents drew their swords and spread out as they closed in on him. Their movements let him know that this was far from their first fight as a unit. He jumped backward as he drew his sword. His height and long blade gave him a significant range advantage on the two elves. Torin's companion lunged forward in an overhead strike. Wrotan spun to the side and sliced him just below the ribs. The elf collapsed to the floor with a howl of pain. His compatriot let out a yell as he charged toward the hunter's back. The man flipped his sword around and thrust it backward toward the elf, causing him to change course. They both spun and faced one another. Wrotan could see the rage in Torin's eyes. He attacked with a quick thrust and the elf blocked it with all his might. The sword flew out of the hunter's hands and crashed to the ground.

"Any last requests, human?" Torin asked as he sauntered toward his unarmed opponent.

"If you are looking for me to beg, you'll get no such satisfaction," Wrotan replied.

"At least you can face your death with some dignity."

Torin brought his blade up to Wrotan's neck before drawing it back. He whipped his arm around with pure rage. The Hunter brought up both his arms, using one to brace the other as the sword struck his gauntlet. As planned, the sword caught on the gauntlet as the elf tried to pull it back. Torin grunted as he tugged at the sword again. Wrotan yanked his arm to the side and the sword slipped out of the elf's hands. He twisted the blade and let it fall to the floor. His opponent yelled as he charged. The Hunter dodged the first punch and retaliated with a fist to the gut. Torin stumbled back before shaking it off and throwing another wild punch. Wrotan let the padding on his shoulder absorb the contact and grabbed hold of the elf. He lifted his smaller opponent into the air and slammed him down onto the floor. Torin gasped for air as his opponent came down on his chest with an elbow.

"Never fight when you are angry, fool. Now, where is the King?" Wrotan asked, grabbing hold of the elf by the collar.

"Corin will have neck before you find Obrin," Torin replied.

"Have it your way."

The hunter pulled his arm back and then smashed his elbow into the elf's nose. He checked his gauntlet before gathering up his own sword and his opponent's sword. The audience hall only had one other entrance. He took the corridor down until it opened into the kitchen. There were several elves arguing with each other in the kitchen, but they stopped as soon as he arrived. Two of them drew their swords as they moved to intercept him. He grabbed a pot from the closest table and threw it at one of the elves. The elf knocked it aside, but was too slow to recover from the fist to the face. Wrotan turned to face his other opponent. He drew Torin's sword and stepped forward to attack the elf. Before he could get in an attack, one of the other elves smacked the other over the head with a pot.

"You can still save the King," she said.

"Where is he?" Wrotan asked.

"Corin had them taken to the dungeons. That corridor, all the way down and then to the left."

"Thank you."

*

Hadrin paced back and forth as he contemplated escape. His fellow prisoners had already resigned to their defeat, but he would have none of it. This was his chance to actually do something. His father had always tried to keep him as safe as possible, but that also meant that he barely had the freedom to do what he wanted. He was thankful, but it was time for him to act like an adult. It wasn't often that a member of elven royalty got the chance to do much before becoming King. Hadrin understood that, but he also knew that his people needed him now more than ever. As much as he loved his father, Obrin was no longer fit to rule. In fact, if the Prince couldn't find a way to get them out, they'd likely both rot in a cell in the sun realms.

"Father, there must be something you remember about the dungeon that can help us," he said.

"These are among the most difficult to escape. The builders suggested that we create a secret passage in the event of our own capture, but I didn't much like the idea. Our only hope is that somebody from the outside finds us," Obrin said.

"That won't happen. Jessien chose more than half of the Captains to go on the mission. She knew exactly what she was doing. My army is far stronger than yours. You did her a favor when you sought out our enemies in order to cure the dragons," Erlkan said.

"She knows us both far too well. Even if we were to escape, she would know our every move."

"Then the two of you must rely on me. I know it is a lot to ask, but I can do this," Hadrin said.

They all stopped talking when they heard footsteps. Corin and two of his soldiers stopped in front of the cell door. He eyed the prisoners before opening the door. Hadrin had to hold himself back as the Captain backhanded his father. Erlkan hung his head in shame, a look that the Prince had seen from his father almost every time somebody brought up the scourge. It amazed him how similar the two really were. Corin punched Erlkan in the gut. He turned to the Prince. Hadrin desperately wanted to wipe the arrogant grin off his face. The Captain motioned for his men to lock the two Kings to the shackles on the wall. He looked at the Prince for a moment before talking.

"Perhaps we should see what you are made of," he said.

"Leave my son alone!" Obrin yelled.

"I can handle this fool," Hadrin said.

Corin smiled as he took one of his soldier's swords and then waved them both back to the door. He handed the sword to the Prince before taking several steps back and drawing his own sword. Hadrin's heart began to beat faster as he held the sword. His hand shook as he attacked the Captain. The other elves laughed as their commander danced circles around the Prince. Obrin continued his pleading as Corin proceeded to toy with the Prince. He stabbed Hadrin several times, but never deep enough to seriously damage the Prince. This continued until they were both distracted by the sound of footsteps. The walking increased to what sounded like a sprint. Hadrin looked toward the sound and saw a man come running out of the shadows. He slid as he closed in on the two elves at the door. His right hand shot out and he knocked the first guard off his feet. The man dug his knife into the other elf's knee and used it to pull the elf down. He grabbed his opponent's shoulder on the way down and sprang back to his feet.

"Who are you?" Corin asked as he turned toward the man.

"I am Wrotan, you must be Corin," the man replied.

"How did you know that?"

"You look nearly identical to the corpse I took this blade from." Wrotan held Torin's blade out for the others to see.

The Captain shook with rage as he rushed toward the newcomer. Wrotan knocked his attack aside and elbowed him in the chest. The two continued to exchange blows, the hunter quickly gaining the upper hand. Hadrin waited until he saw an opening and drove his sword into Corin's calf. The elf cried out in pain as he stumbled to the side. Wrotan took advantage of the lapse in his opponent's defenses and drove his sword through the elf's chest. He let his sword drop to the floor with the Captain. Hadrin dropped his sword to the floor and rushed over to his father's side. The hunter searched Corin and found the keys to the shackled. He threw them to the elf.

"I am Wrotan, I've come to repay the King of the evening realms," the hunter said.

"You've done just that," Erlkan said.

"Wrotan? I've heard that name before," Obrin said as he stepped toward the man.

"You knew my father, Isaack." Wrotan said.

"Of course, your father is a good man."

"Was a good man, yes. He passed on three months ago. He told me to come here and repay you the debt he owed you."

"As my cousin said, you've already done that."

"Then perhaps I can make a request of you?"

"I will hear it, but that does not mean I will grant it."

"My father told me to come here in search of family. I know not what he meant."

"Yes, I am sure he did. However, I must ask that you wait on the answer. We need to get to safety first."

"Where can we go that is safer than your castle?" Hadrin asked.

"The Citadel of the Night. I do hope that none of you are afraid of dragons."

*

Empress Melisandre sighed as she looked down at the sun dragon. The once majestic beast had lost the ability to fly. She had hoped to find the cure well before things progressed to this state. Unfortunately, none of her magicians could seem to find the source of the scourge. There was only one clue. The scourge originated in the evening realms. Corin was taking care of things on that end. There was always the slight chance that killing the night dragons would rid the world of the scourge, but she needed to be prepared in case that wasn't enough. She felt a pang of guilt when she thought of Erlkan. He truly was a good man and an excellent commander. It wasn't his fault that his cousin was aligned with those that caused the scourge.

"Not all men thrive off doing things for their lover, Empress," Fenzik, the head of the elven schools of magic, said.

"Corin is no lover of mine, mage," she said.

"What is he?"

"Nothing more than a pawn who jumped at a suggestion. Alluding to something is not the same as actually promising it."

"You are as cunning as you are beautiful."

"Not you too,"

"Flattery has its uses."

"Have we learned anything more about the scourge?" Melisandre asked.

"I do not believe it is natural. Nor is it any form of magic I've ever seen. My recommendation would be to seek out the opinion of the fairies," Fenzik answered.

"Why would I seek their assistance, I very much hate them."

"They are born of magic or so the legends say. Truth be told, we may be chasing ghosts."

"Fine then, devote some of our resources into finding if they even exist."

*

Wrotan knelt down and picked up a small bit of dirt as they exited the castle. He rubbed it between his fingers before letting it fall to the ground. The others looked to him, but he shrugged. There was something different about the soil, but he couldn't tell what it was. The little specks of violet were somewhat off-putting, but they seemed to have little effect on grass or trees. He wiped his hand off and followed the others. The elves that they met on their way out of the castle seemed as surprised to see the two Kings as they were to see a human. One of the Captains stepped forward as they approached the outer gate. She held up her hand so that they would stop. Hadrin looked first to his father and then to Erlkan.

"The Empress said not to let the royal family leave the castle for their own safety, sir," the Captain said.

"They are under my protection, Alandra," Erlkan said.

"No disrespect, your majesty, but I would be happier to see you with an escort. It will only take me a moment to gather the troops."

"We should be fine. The lands are not that dangerous and we won't be going far," Hadrin said.

"I am coming with you and that is that," she said.

The hunter looked to the others for an explanation, but none offered one. He knew that some of the elves were on their side and others weren't, but he had no way of knowing which ones were friendly. His companions seemed to share his skepticism, but they weren't letting that change their actions. The Captain returned with a handful of elven soldiers and escorted them outside of town. Everyone remained quiet as they continued out away from the castle. Wrotan tapped Hadrin on the arm, but the elven shook his head. He looked to Erlkan and saw that the elf was warily eying the guards. Alandra motioned toward the closest patch of forest. She waited for the others to enter before looking back at the castle.

"Corin seeks your head," the Captain said as she turned to Erlkan.

"If only it were that simple," the sun King replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Melisandre sent him here. It was her wish that I die, not his. Not that he seemed to mind."

"Your wife? Why would the Empress want you dead?"

"Your aunt is under the impression that my cousin knows why the dragons are scourged. She suspects that he is trying to subvert her wishes."

"Are there any elves that are not related?" Wrotan asked with a bewildered look on his face.

"We do live longer and have fewer children than humans. You'll find that when an elf is granted a position of power, their friends and family are often elevated with them. Sometimes out of their own schemes, other times because people promote them to look good in the eyes of another, few times they are granted their title because they deserve it," Obrin replied.

"Who is this?" Alandra asked.

"Wrotan saved us from the dungeons and killed Corin in the process. His adopted father was an old friend of mine. You can trust him."

"He killed Corin? We are all as good as dead if we stay with him. Torin won't rest until his brother is avenged."

"He put up a decent fight, but it wasn't something I couldn't handle. I doubt he'll do any serious avenging anytime soon," Wrotan said.

"What have you two gotten yourselves into?" Hadrin asked as he turned to his father and Erlkan.

"Not now, we need to get to the Citadel of the Night. Even with Wrotan, Alandra, and her soldiers, we are not safe here," Obrin replied.

The elf Captain sighed as she nodded. There was no denying the potential danger they would be facing if the rest of the elves loyal to the Empress were to find them. Wrotan kept his hand on the hilt of his sword as they exited from the woods. There was no sign of anyone following, but that could change at any time. The Citadel of the Night was atop one of the taller mountains within the evening realms. By the hunter's estimation, it would take a few days just to reach the base of the mountain. He fell in behind the Prince as they set off toward their destination. Alandra and her warriors hesitated a moment before following the others. Wrotan was unsure whether or not they could be fully trusted. He couldn't help but feel that it was dangerous to bring their opponent's niece along.

*

Finrul patted the sun dragon on the head. He could see the bewilderment in the majestic creature's eyes. Melisandre had contacted the magician as soon as the scourge had started to affect the dragon. He been fortunate enough to have seen how the night dragons reacted to the scourge, but it did little to help him with the sun dragons. Their reaction to the scourge was unpredictable and, at times, dangerous. Many of the lesser sun dragons had been significantly weakened. The Empress' theory that the scourge was created by the night elves to bring down the sun dragons seemed to fit well with the situation. Finrul always tried to stay out of any squabbles between the elves, but if the night elves were really sabotaging the sun elves he would have no choice but to side with the sun elves. It would be a shift from the usual rivalries among elves, but not completely unheard of. The magician sighed as he looked down at the dragon. All of his attempts to reverse the spread of the scourge had failed.

"Any news?" Melisandre asked as she approached.

"Nothing at all. They are still getting the negative effects of the scourge and it continues to spread. I've done everything I can and, much like with the night dragons, it has had no success," he replied.

"We must be missing something. Is it possible they enlisted the help of a human?"

"I cannot tell for certain, but I would not be surprised. The humans that have embraced magic have done so in such different ways than the elves. We elves do not need to worry about our longevity as they do. It is possible that, in seeking a longer life, they unlocked some of the secrets of death."

"Are the humans capable of such a thing?"

"There is a wide gap between what some humans deem acceptable and what elves see as an abomination. I cannot guarantee that this is a human driven scourge, but it is certainly not elven in nature."

The Empress nodded before leaving. Her visits were often short and full of questions. At times, Finrul found it rather difficult to answer all her queries. She had a thirst for power, yet it seemed tempered by a thirst for knowledge. Her ambitions were far greater than those of the common elf. Finrul rarely questioned his allegiance to her, but when he did, what he saw often frightened him. She was the sort that would kill to get her way. Her intentions had always been good, but her methods could be questionable. The mage dismissed the thoughts. He was an impartial observer, nothing more. His information could prove valuable to the elves as a whole.

"I've come to take over, brother," Fenzik said as he approached.

"That isn't necessary, I've got several good hours left in me yet," Finrul replied.

"Then let us work together. We have a knack for solving things together. If only father could see us now."

"Can I ask you a question, brother?"

"Of course, you know that you always can."

"Have the Empress' actions of late seemed worrisome to you?" Finrul asked.

"Yes, I've seen it as well. Her theory is a sound one, but the idea of Obrin and Erlkan uniting against her has her on edge," Fenzik replied.

"It feels good to know that I am not the only one who sees it."

"Indeed, do you think we should discuss it with her?"

"Yes, but only out of concern. If she is acting this way on purpose, then it is not our place to meddle."

*

Wrotan bent down and examined the tracks. There was no doubt that they were made by wolves. He could recognize their paw prints in nearly any terrain. The shadows danced on the edge of camp as the fire swayed to and fro. It was almost mesmerizing in a way. The scourged tendrils were unaffected by the fire, but it kept them warm and kept the animals away. Wrotan redirected his focus to a nearby plant that had been infected with the scourge. He rubbed one of the leaves between his fingers. The feel was much the same as an unscourged leaf, but there was something about it that made him want to investigate further. Where the normal infection would render crops inedible and plants damaged or destroyed, the scourge seemed to have the opposite effect on the health of the plant.

"This is most strange," he said as Hadrin approached.

"What is it?" The Prince asked.

"The plants, they are not affected by the scourge like they should be. You see, they seem to grow larger due to the tendrils. One would expect them to be weakened or dying, but that is not the case. Changed, yes. Dying, no."

"But the elves are dying, how can it have a different impact on different living things?"

"I do not fully understand the scourge, but it seems to be different from the scourge you carry. These plants are stronger, you and your people are weaker."

Their conversation was interrupted by a low growl. Wrotan's hand dropped to his sword as he turned toward where the sound had originated. Hadrin let out a quiet shriek and fled back toward camp. The hunter shook his head before returning his attention back to the beast. A massive wolf stepped out of the woods with a snarl. Wrotan's eyes were immediately drawn to the deep black substance that seemed to permeate the wolf's fur. The scourge had grown the wolf beyond its normal size and had taken away any fear that the creature might have had for elf or human. There was little doubt that this wolf was the leader of a pack. The hunter had faced off against wolves on multiple occasions and one of their moves was to draw out an opponent while other members of the pack struck from behind. He drew his sword in his right hand and a hunting knife in his left hand.

"They're much larger than the average wolf and we can expect them to be smarter as well. We will need to act fast before we get surrounded," he said to nobody in particular.

Alandra snapped out of the daze and joined Wrotan. The wolf pack leader rushed forward only to be driven back by the hunter's expert use of the knife. He continued to use the knife to force the wolf to defend. Unless he was mistaken, the wolves would need their leader initiating the attack for it to be as much of a success as they needed. He continued his attack until the storm surrounded him. The six wolves came to the aid of their pack leader. Alandra did what should could to stop their attacks, but eventually the wolves would wear her down as well. Wrotan and the pack leader circled one another, each trying to gain the upper hand. The hunter used both his weapons in conjunction to attempt to take down the wolf leader. His knife attacks failed to hit his opponent, but he had managed to graze the wolf's side with his sword. The pack leader pulled back ever so slightly.

"They aren't attacking anymore, why not?" Wrotan asked as he stood side by side with Alandra.

"I don't know, they seem different now," she replied.

"It is the scourge. They can recognize it within me, much like I can recognize it within them. We may be able to use this to our advantage," Obrin said.

"What do you need from us?" Erlkan asked.

"Do not make them feel threatened. They think of us as an extension of their pack now. We cannot tell them where we are going, but I do believe they will see us safely out of their territory."

The wolf pack leader stood tall and looked at Wrotan. He gave the wolf a shallow bow and it returned the sentiment. The hunter glanced over at Alandra and saw that she was as surprised as he was. He had encountered wolves on a consistent basis back home, but never had he seen one act in such a way. King Obrin motioned for the others to follow him as he began to head into forest. Wrotan opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. He grabbed a piece of wood from his pack and wrapped it in a soaked cloth before dipping it in the fire. Alandra put out the fire before falling in line behind him. They walked through the night until they reached the edge of the forest. The morning light brought with it a view of the mountains in the distance.

#  Dragons and Knights

Kade pulled the glove over his left hand with a frown. The small spot that had appeared on the back of his hand had grown over the past week. He knew nothing of its origin or nature, only that it caused his hand to tense up once or twice a day. So far, no one had noticed it. There was little doubt that Julian and Amber would take notice of his glove. He took off at a sprint, eager to visit the city proper. His mother called out for him to be back before they closed the gate and he raised his arm so that she would know he heard. The outskirts of Reddington stretched out for what seemed to the young man to be miles and miles. Julian and Amber had agreed to meet him at the crossroads just outside the eastern gate. He slowed down as he spotted the two of them talking at the crossroads. The other two waved him over when they spotted him.

"The festival is in two weeks, you know what that means don't you?" Julian asked as he approached.

"Sure do. Merchants will be testing their wares, cooks will be testing their food, bards will be testing their songs, and the storytellers will be priming us all for their epic tales," Kade replied.

"Nice fashion statement," Amber said as she pointed to the glove.

"Your sarcasm is not appreciated."

She laughed as she started toward the city. Julian and Kade followed quickly behind. Their clothes pegged them as peasants, but this was one of the few times of year that everyone treated each other equally. As always, Amber got more attention than the other two. Her long blonde hair was a rarity in the borderlands. Most people had dark hair like Julian and Kade. Some kept it short as Kade did and others preferred it long like Julian and Amber. The streets closer to the city were far more crowded than those near the crossroads. People were excited for the coming festival. The three made their way to the gate and were waved in by the guards. Things were even more crowded inside the city walls. Julian took the lead and cut down a nearby alley. The other two followed as he wove his way through the back alleys, eventually coming out next to their favorite inn.

"Welcome to the Drunken Swine! Best ale, oh, just you three," the innkeeper said as they came in the door.

"Hello to you too, Winston," Amber said.

"The usual?"

"Let's make it a little more special today. You got any cheese today?" Julian asked as he pulled a gold coin out of his pocket.

"Do I have any cheese? What do I look like, boy? Course I got cheese. I'll bring ya a platter. Choose any table ya like," Winston said.

Kade looked to Amber to see if she knew anything about Julian's gold coin, but she just shrugged. They walked fast to catch up to him as he chose a table near the center of the room. The Drunken Swine had a variety of entertainment consisting of jugglers, dancers, storytellers, bards, and sometimes even actors. Julian somehow managed to get one of the best tables every time they visited the inn. Kade took a seat between the two of them and looked around the room for the night's entertainers. One of the storytellers spotted the three of them and made his way over to their table. He was an older man with a patchy beard and unkempt graying hair.

"Mind if I join you youngsters?" He asked.

"Not at all," Julian answered.

"A thousand kindnesses upon you. My name is Timus. I've traveled far and wide to come here and tell my tales. The three of you seem the sort that would enjoy hearing about them, yes?"

"Sure, why not?" Amber looked to the others for an answer.

"Before you launch into your legends, do you have any information on more recent happenings?" Julian asked as he produced a silver from his pouch.

"Not a whole lot to talk about here in the borderlands. Heard some nasty rumors about the elves though. I've got some information on the dwarves as well. Can't forget the four kingdoms either. Which would you like to hear about first?"

"The elves," Kade said before the others could answer.

"Near as I can tell, those moon elves or what have you, they're cursed or so the tale goes. You see, two weeks ago, a merchant friend of mine went to trade for elven silk. Finest silk in the lands by far. He arrives at those blasted evening realms and the elf that came to meet him was covered in some sort of dark purple, I don't know what it was. My friend swears up and down the seas that it isn't spreadable, but I've kept at a distance just in case he starts to show signs of it. Anyhow, he says that every elf he saw had this to some degree or another. Not sure if it is a disease or something entirely different."

"Strange. The elves aren't all that interesting anyway though. What about the three kingdoms?" Julian asked.

"This is prime information, let me tell you. Prince Arlen and Princess Ilsa have run off together to Markurin. Their parents are furious and have threatened war not just with Markurin, but with each other as well. Relations between the four kingdoms are tumultuous at best, but never before have they been this close to all-out war between all four kingdoms," Timus said.

"What about the dwarves?" Amber asked.

"They've decided to start an expedition into the depths of Mount Kargon. It has been more than three hundred years since they last ventured into those caves. Last time they did, they were greeted with an attack from wyrms."

"What are wyrms?" Julian asked.

"Wingless dragons, lad. Dragons fall into several categories. Night dragons, sun dragons, sea dragons, land dragons, and lesser dragons. Dragon hunters exterminated almost all the dragons from human lands and drove out the rest. The elves have become caretakers for many of the different types."

"Fascinating, I've not heard much other than tales of old," Kade said.

"Aye, lad. Wyverns, drakes, wyrms, and the like are fairly common. The more ancient dragons are less common. You can find them all in the elven lands though."

*

Hadrin slowly rose to his feet as he spotted the figures moving in the darkness. The light from the dying fire was far too low to make out what he was seeing. Alandra looked up at him questioningly and he moved over to sit down next to her. She had taken the final watch before morning and there was little chance that he would get back to sleep after seeing the moving shadows. The Prince poked at the fire, hoping that it would emit more light. His actions only made the Captain give him an even stranger look.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"How long have they been on the edge of camp?" He asked as he motioned toward one of the figures.

"I'm not certain I understand."

"She can't see them, my son," King Obrin said as he joined the two of them.

"What do you mean, father?"

"Only those with the scourge have reported seeing the figures on the edge of light and darkness. Similar to the reports of elves seeing figures in the distance when they are close to death. They affectionately call it death's shadow. Many believe it is those who have passed on before us coming to welcome us into their number. Truth be told, we haven't a clue what is actually being seen nor do we know if the scourge produces the same effect."

"Isaack had some ideas about the scourge," Wrotan said as he sat up on his bedroll.

"He never shared those insights with me," Obrin said.

"It is possible he didn't want to worry you. He earnestly believed that whatever separates the living and the dead is beginning to fail. If he is correct and we cannot combat the scourge, the results would be catastrophic."

"They don't look particularly elven," Hadrin said.

"What do they look like?" Alandra asked.

"I would say they look humanoid. The shapes are ever changing, but some of them look elven and others do not," Obrin said, glancing toward his cousin.

"My cousin probably sees them more clearly than the Prince. The scourge has, after all, taken the most out of him," Erlkan said.

"Perhaps the dragons can give us a better idea of what we are dealing with," Wrotan said as he slung his pack over his shoulder.

Hadrin and he others nodded and then began to gather their own belongings. The sun rose over the mountains just as they were getting underway. Wrotan took the lead, cautiously glancing over his shoulder regularly. There was a sense of accomplishment among the group as they neared the foothills underneath the mountain range. King Obrin kept his same wary attitude, which put his son on edge. The Prince glanced up at the sun before deciding to call the others together before moving forward.

"I think father should decide on our path from here on out," he said.

"My men and I are far better equipped to make such a decision," Alandra said.

"I agree with the Prince. King Obrin is the only one of us who has ever been to the Citadel of the Night, it is important to know your terrain," Wrotan said.

"Do we care more about safety or about reaching our destination faster?" The King asked.

"Speed is crucial, we are being tracked. Those wolves slowed down our enemies, but not for much longer," Wrotan replied as he looked across the plains toward the forest.

"How long have you known this?" Alandra asked.

"Since we left camp this morning. I would have mentioned it, but we were moving at a good enough pace already."

"It doesn't matter now, we need to get moving. Those elves won't think to ask questions first," King Obrin said.

*

Finrul nodded to Fenzik as he opened the massive door. Though the sun dragon's nest was over one thousand years old, it was still the greatest of its kind. The only comparable dragon roost was the Citadel of the Night. At one time, there had been a sister stronghold in the sun realms, but long since the Citadel of the Sun had been left in ruins. The two mages cared little for the history between the sun and evening realms. Like the Empress, they had come from the other elven kingdoms. The empire had once been four separate kingdoms. In more recent times, the sun and night elf kingdoms had joined together to fend off the woodland and sea kingdoms. The fighting had lasted for several decades before the marriage of Erlkan and Melisandre forged a new empire out of the ashes of the four kingdoms. Finrul and Fenzik had jumped at the chance to study the other dragon types under the Empress.

"They are more restless than usual," Fenzik said as he pointed toward the two bronze dragons in the middle of the nest.

"The elder dragons have always fought for supremacy, but never have I seen such violence," Finrul replied.

The two bronze dragons circled a larger gold dragon. They circled their prey, looking for an opening. Two silver dragons lingered on the outskirts of the fight, seemingly waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting victim. The gold dragon lashed out with its tail and hit one of the bronze dragons in the face. His other opponent lunged forward and the two exchanged blows. Their hardened scales took the brunt of the damage and the two creatures reared back and eyed one another. They each let out a low roar before turning away from each other. The two silver dragons snorted before turning away from the short fight.

"That was not normal," Finrul said.

"Have you studied the sun dragons long enough to know if their habits are different from the others?" Fenzik asked.

"I have, but there are only a few distinguishable differences. The sun dragons rarely end a fight without one side dying. They are as dangerous as they are majestic."

"Yet they are not considered to be as dangerous as the night dragons."

"That is a frightening concept. For now, we must put it aside. These dragons are acting erratically and something must be done to fix it."

"You presume to fix us, elf?" The gold dragon asked in a booming voice as he landed near the entrance to the next.

"We are here to offer expertise and our educated opinions, nothing more," Fenzik replied.

"Tell the Empress that we do not need any assistance."

"You are making a foolish mistake, dragon. The scourge is pervasive and deadly, you should accept whatever help you can get."

*

Obrin held up his hand as he heard a noise in the distance. He leaned forward, straining to hear better. The sound of soft crunching echoed off the neighboring hills. Wrotan drew his sword and leaped in front of the King. A large winged beast roared as it lunged at the hunter. Alandra and her elves rushed forward as several more winged beasts landed around them. Erlkan drew his sword and stood back near Hadrin and Obrin. The King of the evening realms took a moment to regain his composure before examining the creatures. There were seven in all. From what the dragons had told him, the four with six foot wingspans, two hind legs, and a more snakelike form were wyverns. Two of them were easily recognizable as drakes with their near ten foot wingspans, quadruped lizardlike form, razorsharp claws, and teeth like small daggers. The final beast, what could only be a wyrm, looked like a massive monitor lizard.

"We are nearly there, these dragonlings follow their greater brethren," Obrin said.

"That one almost looks more like a lizard than a dragon," Hadrin said as he pointed toward the wyrm.

"There are many types of dragons, my son. The wyrms most closely resemble the earth dragons."

Wrotan skewered one of the wyverns with his spear before retreating back behind Alandra's shield. The two worked in unison to take down one of the drakes. He lashed out from behind the shield, pestering the beast into charging. She shoved the bottom of her shield into the ground and ducked down behind it. The large drake charged forward and extended an arm out to smash the shield. They both rolled out from behind the shield and thrust their swords into the creature's chest. It bellowed in pain as it tried to pull back from the strikes. The hunter pulled out one of his knives and dug it into the drake's side. He used it to pull himself up and grab onto the neck of the creature. His weight was too much for the beast to hold and it was forced to lower its neck closer to the ground. Alandra pulled her sword out of the drake's chest and thrust it into the dragon's left eye.

"Regroup and hit them one more time, that should be enough to force a retreat," Obrin called out to the others.

Alandra, Wrotan, and the three remaining elven soldiers pulled back and regrouped closer to the elven Kings. The lone surviving wyvern pounced before his companions and was quickly dispatched by the Captain. She rolled backward just in time to dodge a tail swing by the wrym. Wrotan moved to his left and motioned for the others to start to circle around the beast from the other direction. The creature moved with incredible speed as it lunged forward. It latched onto one of the elves with its claws and bit into another with its teeth. The remaining elven warrior rushed forward to avenge her companions. She managed to score a hit on the beast's neck before it batted her away with a front paw. Wrotan sprinted forward and slid toward Alandra's shield. He grabbed hold of the shield and raised it above his head just as the wyrm's tail swung around at him. The force of the impact nearly knocked the shield out of his hand.

Wrotan rolled to the side before standing up. He fended off the wyrm's bite attempts using both sword and shield. The great beast knocked him back with a swift flick of the paw. Alandra rushed forward to assist, but the wyrm hit her with a tail swipe. Erlkan let out a battle cry as he rushed toward the creature. It twisted about to face the elf. The wyrm let out a roar as it charged toward the elf King. He leaned back and began to slide as the creature got closer. His slid back behind him and he dropped to the ground and thrust his sword forward. The beast attempted to change course but was too slow. Erlkan's sword tore into the creature's neck and slid down to the wyrm's chest as its momentum carried it forward. The elf King rolled to the side as the creature shuddered. It let out one last weak roar before collapsing to the ground.

"What happened to the other drake?" Hadrin asked as he counted the bodies.

"I didn't get a chance to see it," Wrotan replied, clutching his bloodied head.

"Could it have run away?" Alandra asked as she hobbled up to the others.

"It went for reinforcements," Obrin replied.

*

The crowd went silent as the performers took the stage. Kade smiled as he leaned back in his chair. The Drunken Swine was known for having the best variety entertain of all the taverns in Reddington. Even Timus seemed to be interested in the show. A young boy of no more than seven stepped forward on the stage and pulled a sword. He spun the blade in his hand as he whipped it back behind his head and around his body. Another performer pulled his sword and threw it into the air. The boy spun and caught the second sword. He began juggling the two swords. Kade chuckled as the crowd called for more swords. The other entertainers joined in and there were three people juggling four swords each.

"You don't see that every day," Timus said.

Kade turned to say something to the storyteller, but stopped when he saw the door swing open. A large man in gold plate armor with an orange tabard entered the inn. Several others in the same garb followed behind him. Two of them stayed at the door while their leader approached the bar and the others began to spread out through the room. Winston and the newcomer exchanged words and the innkeeper stormed into the back. Kade got the attention of the others. They watched in silence as the man approached the people at the bar and talked to each of them.

"They look like trouble," Amber said.

"Just play it cool, there is little chance they are looking for anyone like us," Julian said.

The leader of the heavily armored soldiers made his way to their table. He looked first at Timus. The storyteller nodded before looking down at the table. Amber did the best she could at watching the performers and ignoring the man. Julian stared at him defiantly. Kade kicked his friend under the table, but it only broke his stare for a moment. The stranger glanced around the room before taking a seat across from Kade. He started at the young man for what seemed like an hour. Timus cleared his throat, but the man took no notice. Julian bumped Kade in the elbow and motioned toward the front door. Amber looked from one to the other, trying to figure out what they were going to do.

"Come on, it's high time we got back home," Julian said.

"Not so fast, my friends," the stranger said.

"What exactly do you want here?" Winston asked as he approached the table.

"The Knights of Ardevale are sworn to protect humankind from enemies both foreign and domestic. Perhaps you've heard that the elves are dealing with a pervasive disease that is known as death's shadow. It is said that the victims slowly succumb to a scourge of sorts. They are living in death's shadow, if you will."

"What does that have to do with us?" Julian asked.

"Why don't we ask your friend?" The Knight asked as he grabbed Kade's hand.

"Let go of him!" Amber yelled as she swung at the stranger's hand.

The man didn't even flinch when her hand struck his arm. Kade attempted to pull his hand away, but the Knight was too strong. He grabbed the man with his other hand. Another of the Knight walked over and grabbed hold of Kade's shoulders. Their leader pulled back the glove to reveal the small black circle. Amber gasped as she looked down at her friend's hand. Julian rose to his feet and rammed into the Knight that was holding Kade. Two more Knights came over and grabbed hold of Kade. Their leader rose from his chair and motioned for the door. He stopped at the door and turned to face the room.

"If anyone else sees anything that resembled the scourge, contact us immediately," he said before pulling Kade into the streets.

*

"Don't even think about it, boy," Winston said as he moved between Julian and the door.

"What are we supposed to do?" Amber asked.

"We'll be contacting the authorities, that's what."

Julian let out a sigh of resignation as he took a seat at the bar. Amber and Timus took the seats next to him as Winston exited the inn. The innkeeper returned moments later and nodded to the three of them. Amber placed a hand on Julian's shoulder, but he shrugged it away. The last thing he wanted was to be comforted. He wanted his anger to well up inside until he was able to unleash it on the Knights of Ardevale. The thought was foolish, but one that he could not shake. Winston came back to the bar and placed a mug in front of each of the three. Julian slid it closer and stared into the liquid. Amber lifted her mug to her nose and smelled it.

"This is illegal," she said as she placed it back down.

"I watered it down, it'll do ya both some good. Listen to old Winston," he said.

Julian grabbed hold of the mug handle and took a big swig. The taste would take some getting used to, but drinking the ale made him feel like an adult. Amber looked at the mug suspiciously as she raised it to her lips. She took a small sip before shaking her head. Timus motioned for Winston to bring her something else and the barkeep obliged. Amber thanked him for the tea and sipped it. Julian raised his mug and drained the rest of the watered down ale. He slammed it back down on the bar and took a deep breath. In the back of his mind, he wanted to forget the guards and give chase. The door swung open and a young woman in chainmail approached the bar. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she carried herself as though she knew how to fight. The blue tabard draped over her chainmail held the symbol of the Regent of Reddington.

"You called for the guard?" She asked as Winston approached.

"That I did. These youngins and their friend need your assistance," he replied.

"My name is Mariah, I am here to help. Now, which one of you wants to tell me what happened?" She asked.

"Our friend was taken," Julian replied without looking up.

"You'll need to do better than that."

"There was a man in golden armor with an orange cloak. Some of his soldiers wore gold armor and others wore silver. All of them had orange cloaks. They called themselves the Knights of Ardevale," Amber said.

"We best get going if we are to catch them before they reach their castle."

"That's it? You help us without even asking who we are. How do we know this isn't a trick?" Julian asked as he looked up at the woman.

"Enough, Julian. Mariah offered to help and we will take her assistance. Kade doesn't stand a chance without it," Amber replied as she glared at her friend.

The guardswoman shrugged before turning back to the door. Amber scrambled to catch her as Julian waited in his seat. He watched them leave the inn before looking back down at his empty mug. Winston and Timus both came closer, but he paid them no head. His mind was racing as he tried to think of any alternatives. He slammed his fist on the bar before sliding off his seat and heading for the door. A quick glance over the shoulder told him that neither Timus nor Winston would be joining them. He took a deep breath as he stepped out into the cool night air. Mairah and Amber were already several blocks down the street. He quickened his pace as he followed them. They slowed down as he caught up to them.

"Coming around after all?" Amber asked as she looked over her shoulder.

"This is our best chance of rescuing him," Julian answered.

"That doesn't mean our chances are high," Mariah said.

*

Melisandre grabbed hold of her throne as the palace shook. She rushed to the nearest balcony and looked to see what had caused it. An entire wing of dragons was swooping down toward the palace. The massive gold dragon had already landed atop the highest part of the palace. Her kin took up spots on the various towers protruding from the palace and the surrounding walls. Several other dragons landed in the courtyard outside of the palace, blocking in anyone that wanted to leave. The Queen rushed back to her throne room and made her way to the back wall. She threw aside the tapestry and pulled down on the hidden lever. The throne slid backward, revealing a secret passage below. She rushed down the stairs and into a small chamber. Fenzik, Finrul, and several guards followed her into the secret chamber. The Queen pulled a level and the throne slid back into place. She turned to face the magicians.

"What is the meaning of this?" She asked.

"The dragons appear to have been driven mad by the scourge. We saw them behaving in a strange manner before, but it wore off almost immediately. Perhaps that is the case with their latest action," Fenzik replied.

"Let us hope that is true. Do the dragons have knowledge of our escape tunnels?"

"I doubt it, but it is possible."

The Queen paced back and forth as she considered her options. Even if the dragons had no knowledge of the secret tunnels, there was still a chance that they would spot her and the others fleeing. It was the only viable option that she could think of. She took a deep breath before motioning for the others to follow. The paths had not been used during the time of her reign. They slowed their pace as they got closer to the exit. One of her guards took the lead and exited from the tunnel first. He motioned for the others to follow as soon as he saw that the coast was clear. The market was abuzz with citizens, many of whom had taken the dragons' appearance as a good omen. Melisandre pulled her hood over her head and did the best she could to hide her face. The move was not enough to fool her subjects and within moments they were surrounded by elves.

"Make way for the Queen!" One member of the crowd shouted.

"Hail Queen Melisandre!" Another yelled.

Fenzik pushed through the crowd and the others followed closely behind. The elves were so happy to see the dragons that they failed to make way for their Queen. Melisandre glanced back at the palace and saw the massive gold dragon pull her head out of the throne room. She kicked out her wings and launched into the air. Melisandre gasped as the creature swooped into a dive over the city. Their window for escape was quickly closing. The entire group pushed against the crowd and slowly made their way to one of the side alleys. They broke into a run and headed for the closest gate. Melisandre took the lead as their path wove through the back alleys. She came to a sliding halt as she exited the alley and entered the south gate square. The massive gold dragon sat atop the southern gate. She twisted around to tell the others to head back the other direction, but there was a massive silver dragon using its tail to block the way.

"Leaving so soon, my Queen?" The dragon asked.

"Why are you doing this?" The Queen asked.

"My true master wishes for us to see our full potential. That is not something that can be said for you."

"Your true master? I don't understand. What master are you talking about?"

"You shall see, in due time. For now, I ask that you and your allies accompany me to the dungeon."

*

Wrotan stood with the others at his back. Blood dripped down from his bandaged head as he stared at the drake. The beast growled as it took a step closer. Two other drakes moved in behind the leader. The hunter had chosen the spot because his opponents would be forced to fight him one at a time or get in each other's way. He knew there was little chance of success, but he hoped that he could injure the beasts enough so that the others could get away. Their last encounter with the lesser dragonkin had left them battered and nearly out of weapons. Wrotan had been forced to borrow Obrin's sword just to fend off the three drakes. He motioned for the others to get as far back from the fighting as possible.

"You shouldn't have to do this alone," Alandra said as she leaned on Erlkan's shoulder for support.

"Fighting drakes with a sword is near suicide, fighting them with no weapons is beyond stupidity," he said.

The largest of the drakes lunged at Wrotan and attempted to skewer him with its claws. He brought the sword around and blocked the blow. The two exchanged attacks for several minutes with neither party landing a blow. His hands began to shake as his strength waned. The drake reared back and Wrotan saw his opening. He rushed forward and sliced the beast on its softer underbelly. The creature roared in pain as it collapsed backward. Wrotan managed to wrest the sword free. One of the other drakes rushed in and attempted to bite him, but he threw himself backward. A deafening roar echoed through the hills, sending everyone diving and covering their ear. The two drakes returned the roars as they launched into the air.

A massive black dragon swooped down and snapped the neck of the closest of the drakes. It whipped around and caught the other drake with its tail. The smaller creature writhed in pain as the dragon clamped down on the drake's neck with its teeth. It discarded the carcass and landed down next to the others. The dragon extended its crimson-tinted wings and let out another roar. Obrin pushed past the others and made a symbol in the air before dropping to one knee. Wrotan and the others all fell to one knee as well. The dragon brought in its wings and lowered its head. Obrin let out a sigh of relief as he stood back up. He motioned for the others to stay as he approached the dragon. Wrotan watched as the elf King talked to the dragon. They appeared to get rather heated as they discussed something. Obrin finally nodded and turned back to the others.

"He is willing to take us to the Citadel," he said.

Before anyone could ask any questions, another dragon dropped down and landed next to the first. This one was smaller with the same black color, except it had gray wings. The two dragons lifted the small group off the ground and took to the skies. Wrotan was amazed by the view. He could see all of the evening realms and well beyond. The hunter could see the Citadel up ahead and the night elf castle back behind them. He caught sight at what looked like dozens of birds attacking some smaller animals. It dawned on him that he was seeing the drakes and wyverns attacking the elves that had come in pursuit of the night elf King. He shuddered to think of their fate against those beasts. There were only so many creatures in the lands that could claim supremacy over the drakes and few of those were as ferocious.

Wrotan was amazed at the sheer size of the Citadel. The design was far from intricate, but the builders had needed to create something large enough for the dragons. There was a large tower in the center of a square wall with four towers. Each of the outer towers was large enough to house two or three dragons and the center tower was large enough to house over a dozen. The two dragons swooped down and dropped off their passengers in the courtyard below. They landed between the small group and the central tower. Dozens of dragons came flying in from the towers as well as the mountains around the Citadel. The hunter was surprised to see that the only dragon not affected by the scourge was the massive crimson and black dragon that had originally approached them. Each of the other dragons had streaks of violet across their bodies, some more than others. In all, Wrotan was able to identify four different types of dragons based on their coloring. There were black dragons, gray dragons, black dragons with gray wings, and the lone black dragon with crimson wings.

"Take the others to the dungeon," the crimson winged dragon said.

"Hold a moment, Ungaroth. These are my friends and family, they can be trusted," Obrin said.

"They may be your friends and family, but they are not our friends and family. You bring with you a very dangerous group."

"How can you possibly know that?" Erlkan asked.

"We are far more involved in the world than your sun dragons, elf," Ungaroth replied.

"Tell us your conclusions about each member of our group and allow us to defend ourselves," Wrotan said.

"Ah, Wrotan, you do your adoptive father justice. He taught you well. We shall start with Alandra, niece of the Queen that wants many of us dead," the dragon said.

"I understand why you would see me as an enemy, but the truth is that I do not agree with Melisandre. Her assumptions make no sense. Why would you or King Obrin unleash a scourge upon yourselves? It may affect others worse than you, but it still affects you," Alandra said.

"A solid point. To answer your question, Queen Melisandre believes that because I am not affected by the scourge, I am its originator. Nevertheless, why would I infect my entire clan? Are not dragons a more powerful ally than this scourge? You seem to agree, no need for an answer to that question. Now, Erlkan, why should we trust you?" Ungaroth asked.

"My wife tried to have me killed because I wanted to give my cousin and his son more time. I may not have been an ally before, but she had forced my hand. My desire was to stay neutral, but I cannot do that now," the sun King answered.

"Quite true, which leaves us with Prince Hadrin. Can you explain why you aren't a danger to us or even yourself for that matter?" The dragon asked as it turned to the Prince.

"I'm not sure I understand. The scourge runs through my blood as well. We are all on the same side. Even if I did mean you harm, I'm not even close to being an expert swordsman," Hadrin replied.

"Have you not told him?" Ungaroth asked as he turned to the night elf King.

"I have not, there was never a time when I felt comfortable revealing the truth," Obrin replied.

"Then we must all go to the inner tower at once. There is much that needs to be discussed."

*

Kade groaned as he came to. His head throbbed as he tried to gather his bearings. They had tied him to a stake in the middle of a tent. There was nothing else inside the tent, but there were two guards just outside. He tried to wriggle free, but his bonds were too tight. His mind was still in a fog, but things were starting to slowly come back to him. He remembered what happened in the tavern, but nothing after that. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of men entering the tent. He recognized the man that had kidnapped him, but the other man was unknown to him. They whispered to one another before coming closer and untying the rope. The thought of escape hovered in the back of Kade's mind as he looked up at the two men.

"Time for some answers, boy. You'll want to make it easy on yourself now," the leader said.

"What do you want to know?" Kade asked.

"Let's start with a name. What do I call you?" The other man asked.

"Kade."

"I am Ansom, this is Knight-Commander Goraine. We can make things much easier on you if you answer our questions."

"You didn't need to tell him our names," the Knight-Commander said.

"I have my ways, Goraine. Now, tell me what you know of this scourge."

"I know nothing about it. One day the back of my hand was clear, the next there was a small black mark. That was about a month ago. In that time, the mark has grown a bit," Kade said.

"You expect us to believe you know nothing about it? We are not fools. Who is responsible?" Ansom asked.

"Nobody is responsible, it just happened."

"Things like this do not just happen, boy. Perhaps we should apply pain."

*

Mariah handed a knife to each of her companions before drawing her sword. Julian opened his mouth to protest, but she had already moved on. The Knights of Ardevale had made camp in a small meadow in the midst of the forest. By the sound of it, they had begun torturing the young man they had captured. This had the guardswoman's blood boiling. There were few things she hated as much as torture. She motioned for the other two to follow as she ducked down behind some bushes. They made their way to the edge of the bush before making their move. Mariah vaulted over the bush and shouldered the nearest Knight. Julian and Amber followed behind and attacked the other sentry. Amber froze when she had the chance to kill the man, but Julian had no such hesitation.

The other Knights began to stir. Mariah slew two of them before they could even stand. Julian knocked a third into the fire, but the other four got to their feet before they could be attacked. Goraine and Ansom came out of the tent with Kade in tow. The Knight-Commander barked to the torturer to take Kade while he went after the others. Mariah managed to hold off two of the Knights and Julian held off another. The fourth Knight grabbed hold of Amber and dragged her toward where the torturer had gone. Goraine joined the fight and Mariah was forced to defend Julian. The youngster threw his knife, taking one of the Knights in the shoulder. He ducked back behind the guardswoman and looked for another weapon. She held off the others, but Goraine called for a retreat. Julian started to give chase, but Mariah grabbed him by the shoulder.

"We cannot chase them," she said.

"Why not?" He asked.

"They will likely try to set a trap for us. We need to move forward with caution and avoid any traps they may set. There is still a chance we can reach them before they get to their stronghold."

"How can we have failed so easily?"

"We did not fail. They've only five soldiers left. Another surprise attack and your friends are as good as free."

*

Melisandre fumed as she watched her former subjects setting up the strange device in her former throne room. The dragons were ordering them about and she had only caught a small portion of their orders. She knew that the device was somehow related to the dragon's new master, but she had no idea what the device was. There was a part of her that desperately wanted to try to disrupt their task, but she knew she would be better served looking for an escape route. Her former subjects placed the last piece together and the device began to hum. A small opening was created above the device. The opening began to grow and Melisandre could make out a figure on the other side. A cloaked man stepped through the opening. He disengaged the device before looking around the room.

"Home at last," he said as he sat down on the throne.

"My master, it is good that you are here. This is the former Queen and her subjects," the gold dragon said.

"Excellent, I like efficiency in my servants."

The man walked over to the Queen. He stopped and began to examine each of them one by one. There was something about him that felt off. He looked like a human, but also like an elf. His long black hair had small patches of gray at the temples. He had a stern face that looked like a strange combination of a human and an elf. Yet none of that unnerved her as much as his eyes. One purple eye and one gray eye. She shivered and forced herself to look away. Her reaction brought a chuckle from the strange man. He sighed before turning back to his throne.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" He asked.

"There is something unnatural about you," She replied.

"Yes, my mother was a human enchantress and my father was an elven sorcerer. Two types of magic run through my veins just as the two bloods run through my veins."

"Your kind is forbidden."

"That is why I was away for so long. You elves have so many dirty secrets. Yet the humans seem to scheme so much more. It is hard to say which I am more ashamed of. No matter, my identity no longer rests with the elves or the humans."

"What do you want with me?" Melisandre asked.

"A simple answer for a simple question. Your loyalty or your death. It matters no which you choose," he replied.

"You'll need my army, of course. The dragons are powerful, but they cannot invade other kingdoms."

"My army will be here soon. Once they've arrived, I think your army will prefer to join us. You see, I could crush you like a bug. I will give you a week to decide. In the meantime, enjoy your old dungeon."

#  A Champion of Night

Hadrin trudged along behind the others. He felt a mixture of curiosity and betrayal. His father had kept something important from him. Yes, it was for his own good, but he was no child, not anymore. The others knew better than to tell him to hurry up, though he was surprised that Ungaroth cared. Everything he had been taught about the night dragons made him believe they were always out for themselves. He let out a sigh as he looked at the room. There were no decorations and little else. The dragons had taken up the three spots at the end of the room. His companions were taking the seats at the table facing the dragons. He slid into his seat and stared down at the table. Obrin cleared his throat before standing.

"I should be the one to go first. How far back should I go?" He asked as he turned to Ungaroth.

"For now, just the basics. The rest can come later," the dragon replied.

"This applies to Wrotan in some ways as well. Hadrin is one of the only of his kind. I do not know the specifics of the timeline, but hundreds of years ago a young elf maiden fell for a human. What she did not know at that time was that this man was a wizard. For those of you who do not know, such a union is forbidden among the elves. The offspring produced from such a pairing are reported to never die of old age. Whether true or not, we do know that they outlive elves. This tends to cause problems when they outlive their elven brethren. Many of their number have gone mad. As such, they are banned from our society. I will not comment on whether this is right or wrong. That is not why we are here."

"What does that have to do with either of us?" Hadrin asked.

"I am getting there, my son. This particular pairing resulted in two children before the parents were jailed and later executed. The two children managed to stay hidden from the elven authorities. I fell in love with the daughter over three hundred years ago. At first, we agree that having children would be a bad idea. Your mother's health began to deteriorate. We never knew why, but it was obvious that she would not live longer than the elves she lived among. This was when she revealed to me that she wanted a child. I could not refuse her. Hadrin was born some years after that. She was so delighted to have son. I miss her greatly. That is not the point, though. You see, my son, you are part human and, more importantly, you have a propensity for magic," Tears rolled down Obrin's cheeks as he spoke.

"Where does that leave us and what does that have to do with Wrotan?" Alandra asked.

"Isaack was her brother. That is why he spoke so favorably of you. I always thought he was growing weak due to age," Wrotan said.

"There was much that Isaack did not tell any of you. He sought out the spirit monks and their paladin brethren. I have spoken with my kin and we believe that you should follow in his footsteps. As to why he grew weak, we can only assume that he and his sister had a powerful enemy," Ungaroth said.

"What does this mean for me?" Hadrin asked.

"You are born of magic, dragons are born of magic. When you take your father's place as King of the evening realms and steward of the dragons, you will become one of the most powerful individuals in the world. It is your birthright. We will teach you the ways of magic."

"Is it wise for one man to possess such power?"

"That is where Wrotan comes in. His adoptive father held another position. Your father is the steward of the night dragons, but Isaack was our champion. That position is open for Wrotan, should he desire to accept it. His role will be to keep you in check, but only if you go against our wishes. As long as your actions align with our wishes, he will be your protector. The two of you will need to think on these things for you will need to make these choices in the future."

"It would be an honor to be the champion of the night dragons," Wrotan said.

"Before you accept the title, there are two things you must know. Your life will be connected to ours. As long as the dragons live, you will never succumb to old age or natural causes. There is, however, a downside. The scourge will spread to you as well, until we find a way to destroy it once and for all."

*

Kade struggled to take in his surroundings. His left eye was swollen shut and his right eye throbbed. He knew he wasn't alone, but the other figure was far too blurry to make out. There was a part of him that wanted to reach out to this other person, but another part of him felt that it could be a trick. He decided to let his fellow captive decide whether or not to engage in conversation. His fear was too great to allow him to talk to his fellow prisoner. Ansom had shown a rather ruthless streak and Kade didn't want this to be another of his tricks. A feeling of despair flooded over him as he heard voices in the distance.

"Did you set a watch?" Goraine asked.

"Yes, just as I did the first time. That didn't stop them then and it won't stop them now. We don't have time for easing into things this time. He will break tonight," Ansom replied.

"Already awake it seems. Let's see if we can't loosen that jaw." Kade flinched as he heard the man talk.

"I had an entirely different idea, Goraine."

"Let's hear it. You weren't appointed to your job for nothing."

"We inflicted a great deal of pain on the boy yesterday and he still remained silent."

"You think we should try to get the information out of her?" The Knight of Ardevale asked.

"Not exactly. We threaten to harm her if he doesn't give the information we are looking for."

"Sadistically ingenious, as always. Cut her loose and bring her to me."

"Wait, nobody deserves to be injured on my account. Please, just listen to me," Kade said as he dropped to his knees.

"This not just any nobody, my young friend, I believe you call her Amber."

Kade shook uncontrollably as he fell to the ground. Every fiber of his being attempted to cry for help, but he could not even get any words out. He began to drift out of consciousness only to be snapped back. Everything was in a haze, but his vision was beginning to return. The tent was gone, replaced by a strange room of stone. There were several strangers looking at him in confusion. Nothing felt quite right as he tried to get up off the floor. He froze in terror as he spotted a massive winged beast staring down at him. The creature brought its head in close to examine him. It pulled back with a loud snort. His heart pounded as they helped him to his feet and walked him toward the great beast. Everything was foreign to him. Even those that were helping him walk forward looked strange to him.

"What have you done with me?" He cried out in terror.

"This is not Wrotan," the great creature said.

*

The hunter groaned as he came awake. He immediately noticed that something was wrong. His face was throbbing and his vision was blurry at best. Everything seemed to be blocked out by some sort of fog. Isaack's teachings kicked in instantly and he closed his eyes and listened. There were two others in the room that he could hear. They were laughing hysterically about something. He could also make out the voice of a woman. By the sound of it, she was pleading with them about somebody named Kade. The fog seemed to lift, but his vision remained impaired.

"Please, we don't know anything about the scourge," the woman said.

"How do you explain the spot on the back of his hand?" One of the men asked.

"This is the first that I've heard of it."

"She seems to be telling the truth," the other man said.

"That matters little, her presence here is to make that one talk."

"You'll get no information out of me," Wrotan said as he stood up.

He heard one of the two men move toward him. His muscles tensed as he waited for them to make contact. The man grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him closer. Wrotan slipped out of the man's grip and brought his palm up into the man's chest. His opponent staggered back a few steps, but it didn't have the effect the hunter was expecting. He took a few steps back and listened for his opponent's next move. The man laughed as he strode toward his handicapped target. Wrotan pivoted forward and slapped the man in the face. He gambled on the fact that most people would flinch from a light slap and brought his elbow into his opponent's chest with all the force he could muster. The man groaned as he dropped to one knee and Wrotan brought his elbow down into the man's face.

*

Julian yelled at the top of his lungs as he ran toward the camp. He threw his knife at the closest of the guards and crashed into the next. The three remaining Knights surrounded him and drew their swords. He dropped to his knees and pleaded for them to spare him. One of the guards shook his head as he pulled the young man to his feet. Julian flinched when he saw the sword heading for the man's neck. He looked away and covered his eyes, but the sounds of slaughter were distinct. He waited for several moments before lowering his hands from his eyes. All five of the Knights had been killed and there was a man backing out of the largest of the tents. Mariah grabbed him from behind and placed her sword at his neck. He stiffened, but made no move to break free. The guardswoman dragged him toward the fire before throwing him to the ground.

"Where is the young man?" She asked.

"You can have that cursed thing. He is not human, that is for certain," Ansom replied.

"Explain yourself."

"I will not deny that I treated him violently, but he is a spawn of the scourge. We injured him to the point where he could not see. It is a technique I learned long ago. Take a man's sight and he will feel powerless. Your friend would not reveal the information about the scourge, so we pressed harder. We threatened to hurt the girl and he broke down. He fell to the floor in tears. Something changed inside of him and he began to fight back. We didn't think much of it at first. His first attack on Goraine was too weak to do any serious damage, but he was determined. He moved quicker than either of us expected and before I knew it, the Knight was on the floor."

"Julian?" Amber called out as she exited the tent.

"Yes, we've rescued you," he called back.

"Mark my words, that boy is trouble!" Ansom yelled.

Everyone went silent as Kade exited the tent. He staggered forward as he held his hands over his eyes. Julian clenched his fist as he stared down at the man responsible. He pushed past Mariah and punched Ansom in the face. His opponent quickly retaliated with a punch of his own. The guardswoman motioned for Amber to assist Kade before she broke up the fistfight. She pushed Julian back before smashing her hilt against the torturer's forehead. Kade stumbled up to the others with the help of Amber. Julian placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"We'll get you both to safety. Mariah will know what to do," He said.

"You best let me go, the last thing you want is for the Knights of Ardevale to arrive and see that you've taken one of their allies captive," Ansom said.

"Not likely."

"No, he's right. We don't need to draw any unnecessary attention," Mariah said.

"We can't just leave him here," Amber said.

"I never planned to."

*

Wrotan grabbed his head as the fog came back. He sat up and looked around. There were several figures moving just past the mist. His vision cleared as he stood up. Hadrin and the others were all staring at him. Ungaroth brought his head in close to examine the hunter. They all had strange looks on their faces. He rubbed his eyes as what little was left of the fog dissipated. The dragon snorted as it pulled back. Wrotan shook his head before turning to the others.

"What happened to me?" He asked.

"We were hoping you would know. You freaked out and then Ungaroth told us that it wasn't you," Alandra replied.

"Very strange," Wrotan said as he turned to Erlkan.

"What?" The elf asked.

"You said that it was strange."

"But I didn't say that."

"Who said it?"

"Nobody said it," Hadrin said.

"This is most interesting. Isaack never told us that this was a possibility," Ungaroth said.

"What is a possibility?" The hunter asked.

"The ritual is complete. You are now the champion of the night dragons, but something more has occurred. Our connection to the scourge has changed you. You are now attuned to anything that has been scourged. I, too, heard Erlkan's thought."

"What about before? That was more than just hearing a thought. How did I change locations?"

"You did not change locations, you changed bodies. Explain what happened from your point of view."

"Everything went foggy and then I was on the ground. There were two men talking and one woman pleading with them. The mist left, but my vision was still blurred. I fought off the one man and then I returned here."

"Isaack and I were able to voluntarily invite others into our minds, but never did we swap bodies. Whomever you assisted must have let out quite the cry for assistance. We must look into this further. "

"Of course, how do we do that?" Obrin asked.

"You will stay with us and go through the archives. The others will head for the spirit monk monastery. They believe that the scourge originated in the spirit word. Whether they are correct or not doesn't matter. Their knowledge may be able to help us combat the scourge."

#  The Beginnings of a Journey

Hadrin examined his pack one last time. Leaving his father didn't feel right, but he lacked the courage to stand up to the dragons. Knowing that his father had dealt with the creatures for so long added an incredible amount of respect for him. There had been a time when Obrin was considered among the greatest of the elven Kings throughout the history of all the elven realms, but the deterioration caused by the scourge had changed the opinion of many elves. The dragons treated him like a friend and that was no small feat. Erlkan paced back and forth with his pack slung over his shoulder. The elf King had traveled to the human lands before and was not looking forward to doing so again.

"We'll be fine, Erlkan," Alandra said as she approached.

"Easy for you to say, humans, present company excluded, are an erratic sort. Hadrin and I are scourged, who is to say that won't set off some of the humans?" Erlkan asked.

"He is right. Not all humans are corrupt, but many in positions of power are. We need to have a story in the event that they find out about the scourge," Wrotan said.

"I have an idea, but I'm not certain where we'll get the supplies," Hadrin said.

"Let's hear it."

"We can give the two of them tribal style tattoos and claim that it is an elven tradition. The process isn't painless, but the tattoos will only last for a month or two. Would that give us enough time?"

"An excellent idea, son. I'm not certain that we have the supplies though," Obrin said.

"Finding the supplies should be easy enough."

"He isn't a child anymore, you don't need to treat him as such," the newly christened champion said.

"It is hardy your place to tell me what to do about my son," Obrin said.

"On the contrary, he has every right to bring up this point. Part of our failing as dragons was to allow you and Isaack a certain measure of distance from each other. Hadrin and Wrotan must balance each other out. Just as we will do our best to balance both of them. Your son will need to take over for you sooner or later," Ungaroth said.

"Perhaps it would be wise to add another to the mix. Three heads are better than two," Hadrin said.

"We've already accounted for that. You will understand soon enough. For now, the four of you need to leave. There must be no more delaying."

Wrotan nodded as he slung his pack over his shoulder. Obrin pulled his son in for an embrace. Erlkan held out his hand and Obrin took hold of his forearm and the two locked their hands on each other's forearms before pulling each other in for a one handed hug. Alandra watched as one of the smaller dragons pulled in a cart. Ungaroth motioned toward the cart and the four travelers approached. Hadrin, Wrotan, and Alandra were all given a backpack with armor and a cloak. The Prince and Alandra were also given notes that they were supposed to read once on the road. Erlkan received a new bow and a new sword. Each of the four gathered their new gifts and said their farewells before leaving.

*

Mariah bent down and dipped the cloth in the water before wrapping it around Kade's head, covering his still injured eye. She wrapped another bandage on top of it to secure it in position before motioning to the others. Julian finished filling the waterskins and nodded to the guardswoman. Amber let out a sigh as she stood up from the rock overlooking the river. Though their pace was slow, their path was far from easy. They had run out of food the night after rescuing Kade, but Mariah had managed to catch two meals a day the two following days. They all gathered around her and waited for her to set off in any direction. Whatever skills they may have had in the city were no good to them in the wilds. Mariah felt as though she were leading three children toward the vague promise of safety.

"Who are you?" Kade asked as he quickened his pace to keep up with her.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"The others said you were a guardswoman from Reddington, but someone like you would never work for the Regent. I also doubt that a simple guard would have the skills that you have displayed."

"You are far more perceptive than your friends. I am more than just a simple guardswoman. As you may have surmised, the Regent of Reddington will one day be replaced by a King or Queen. Prince Rotherham, Princess Eloise, and Princess Ilsanth are all eligible for the throne. They each have their own royal guards. We, the Guardians of the Throne, must ensure that none of the three or their supports commit treachery. Luckily for the three of you, none of them are even past nine. I was trained since childhood to fight, survive, and ensure the survival of my wards. My job doesn't rightfully start for another five to ten years. All the Guardians know that, so we do what we can to stay sharp in the meantime. You are doing me as much of a favor as I am doing one for you."

"That is fascinating, how does one get selected for such a thing?" The young man asked.

"It isn't something that I enjoy talking about."

"My apologies, I did not mean to offend."

"Where are we headed?" Julian asked as he and Amber joined them at the front.

"The elven lands. We should be safer there. The Knights of Ardevale are not to be trifled with," Mariah replied.

"Are not the elven lands dangerous?" Amber asked.

"They can be, but we have given them no reason to fight with us. With luck, they should welcome us with open arms."

Kade looked down at the dirt path, not wanting the others to see his face. He tried to push aside the faces that came rushing at the mention of elves. They didn't look a great deal different than humans, but they had with them a massive beast unlike anything Kade had seen before. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought it a dragon. The thought gave him shivers. There were hundreds of legends that told of heroes going out to fight dragons and similar creatures, but everyone knew them to be fictitious. He took a deep breath as he looked up at Mariah.

"I have a question," he said.

"You weren't afraid to ask before, why the hesitation now?" She asked.

"It sounds silly."

"Let me be the judge of that."

"Are dragons real?"

"Why are you asking?" Mariah asked as she stopped walking.

"I think I saw one," Kade said as he stopped.

"Fairy tales, Kade," Julian said.

"Who is to say that fairies aren't real?" Amber asked.

"Where did you see it? What did it look like?" Mariah asked, ignoring the other two.

"When they were torturing me, I went somewhere else. It seemed impossible, but it felt so real. There were elves and a massive creature. They called me Wrotan," Kade answered.

"They are real, I thought it was common knowledge. Have you not heard the tales?"

"I had heard them on numerous occasions, but the storyweavers often exaggerate."

"True, but they rarely lie. Take dragons, for example, they are nothing like the stories. They are rarely larger than a horse."

"I must not have seen a dragon then."

"Describe it. I may not be too much of a world traveler, but I've seen my fair share of beasts."

"Well, it looked like a lizard with wings. Not exactly though, lizards do not have the same fangs or claws."

"A dragon then," Mariah said.

"No, this thing could have eaten a horse without taking a bite."

"That sounds rather dreadful. Perhaps the tales are true."

#  A Champion of Shadows

Hadrin looked down at the note in his hands. It seemed to call to him. He looked up at the others. Wrotan nodded. The Prince took a deep breath before breaking the seal. He started to open the envelope, but stopped and motioned for Alandra to open hers. She dug through her pack and produced an identical envelope. He waited for her to break the seal and then they both pulled out their letters. There was a small note at the top of his that said to wait for her to read hers first. She was already looking at him when he looked over and nodded.

"It says that I am to become the night dragon champion," she said.

"We already have a night dragon champion," Erlkan said as he motioned toward Wrotan.

"Is that all it says?" Wrotan asked.

"It also says not to wear the cloak or armor until we complete the ritual," Alandra replied.

"I think this will help," Hadrin said as he held his letter up. "It says here that something went wrong with the last ceremony. The scourge somehow changed Wrotan's role. Ungaroth was unsure of how to deal with it at first. There is no question that our hunter is a champion, but not the night dragon champion."

"How do we find out what he is the champion of?"

"It says to give him the letter after we complete the ritual."

Wrotan nodded as he stood up. The hunter approached Alandra and held out a small bowl. Erlkan quickly stood up as well. Each of them knew something about the ritual that needed to be performed. The sun King had been there when his cousin was joined with the night dragons. He pulled out his knife and asked Hadrin to hold out his hand. The pain wasn't much, but seriousness of the moment weighed heavily on the young Prince. Erlkan took out a vial of the dragon's blood and mixed it with the blood he had taken from Hadrin. He sprinkled several other substances over the bowl and then placed it on the floor. Hadrin stared down at the bowl, wondering what purpose it served. The sun King grabbed his waterskin and filled the rest of the bowl with water before handing it to the Prince.

"I have to drink this?" Hadrin asked.

"No, it is not that type of ritual. I needed your blood and the other ingredients so that Ungaroth would know the time to transfer some of the link from Obrin to you," Erlkan replied.

Hadrin let out a sigh as he stared down at the bowl. The sun King took it from him and poured it out on the ground. He then stepped forward and grabbed the Prince by the shoulders. Hadrin attempted to ask him why he had done so, but before he could speak his body went limp. His vision faded as Erlkan lowered him to the floor. He felt as though he was floating through the clouds. The feeling slowly dissipated as his vision returned. His mind was flooded with images of dragons, elves, wars, and all manner of things. He began to feel dizzy as the imaged flashed by faster and faster. A hand pulled him up to a sitting position as he gasped for breath. Erlkan looked at him expectantly.

"What?" Hadrin asked.

"I asked if you were all right," the sun King replied.

"Yes, but please don't ever do that again."

Erlkan let out a chuckle as he helped the Prince to his feet. The meld was complete. Hadrin could feel the dragon, his father, and even Alandra in the back of his mind. It was impossible to tell what they were thinking, but he felt as though Ungaroth were telling him that the voice would become clearer in time. He looked around to see that Wrotan and Alandra were watching him. They waved and motioned for him to join them at the fire. Wrotan held out the cape that the dragons had packed for the Prince and took the note in exchange. The hunter sat down and stared at the blank side of the letter. Hadrin looked to Erlkan and Alandra, but they both shrugged.

"What are you doing?" The sun King asked.

"I am reading Ungaroth's message," Wrotan replied.

"The paper is blank on that side," Alandra said.

"No, it clearly is not." The hunter held up the note to show the others.

"Of course," the sun King said.

"Care to enlighten us?" Hadrin asked.

"The dragons had always told rumors of their lost brethren. They were known as the shadow dragons. I have no real concrete information about them, but they are said to have the ability to see that which others cannot. Ungaroth speculated that the scourge originated with a different strain of dragon when they attempted to contact their kin. He also speculated that it is the scourge that changed Wrotan's ritual. To be certain, the dragon temporarily cut himself off from his fellow scourged dragons when he made a connection to the two of you. As it turns out, he had only connected a part of himself to Wrotan. That part connection has been severed, but the connection through the scourge is still there."

"So, these dragons wanted to kill their kin with a scourge of some kind and it interfered with Wrotan becoming champion?" Alandra asked.

"Not exactly, we weren't going to reveal this part to the three of you quite yet. I suppose it is time though. There are two parts to the scourge. One part is a poison that appears to have been added after the initial contact was made. You have, no doubt, noticed that Ungaroth alone had red wings. That was not always true. Many of the others were crimson and gray. None of them were black, not until the scourge appeared," Erlkan replied.

"You mean to say that the scourge is some sort of darkness?" Wrotan asked.

"Shadow to be exact. The shadow dragons are the missing dragons. They've been gone for so long that we assumed they were dead. More than a hundred years ago they began to reach out to the closest of their kin, the night dragons. You see, Ungaroth is not truly a night dragon. He is the product of one shadow dragon and one night dragon. That is why the scourge has no effect on him. It is not truly a scourge, but a shadow. If our assumption is correct, Wrotan is the new shadow dragon champion."

*

"You are certain this is the case?" Obrin asked as he turned to Ungaroth.

"It is impossible to be certain, but I've always had a feeling that the shadow dragons survived. Have you heard the tale of the exodus?" The dragon asked.

"I have not."

"There was a time, long, long ago, when all the dragons were as one. We accepted each other's differences. Though small, the forest dragons were still a part of our number. The mammoth sized mountain dragons were very much a part of our society. Even the undersea dragons would be accepted as brethren when they visited. The sun dragons and the shadow dragons were the first to begin fighting. Not wanting to cause turmoil amongst dragonkind, the shadow dragons embarked upon a journey to find another homeland. It was, ultimately, too late. The dragon wars erupted and sides were formed. We fought for hundreds of years, until your people arrived. The fighting had been so fierce and lasted so long that we had no idea how many kinds of dragons had been lost. Shadow dragons, like star dragons and fairy dragons, become something of a myth. Yet here I am, half shadow half night."

"You are proof that the shadow dragons existed as many as two hundred years ago."

"That I am. I sent the others to the spirit monks because I believe they have found the shadow realm. They are adamant that it is a spirit realm and that there is no physical connection to our world, but I am not so sure. Do the elves have any information on whether that is possible?" Ungaroth asked.

"Our people once knew how to make magical portals. The knowledge was lost long ago and we are uncertain if the portals are to another world or just to another place in our world," Obrin replied.

"Let us hope that the others can find out."

*

Mariah slowed down as they came to the edge of the forest. She knew that the woods were home to both the elves and nomadic tribes of the wilds, but she didn't know how either group would react to her and the others. The atmosphere changed as they entered the forest. Amber's cheery outlook took the hardest hit, which noticeably bothered Kade. Julian seemed to be ignoring both of them, allowing his already negative attitude to spiral even further down. Mariah stopped at the next clearing and sat down. She waited as Kade and Amber took a seat next to her. Julian paced back and forth next to them, tapping his fingers together.

"We've been dodging the subject for far too long. Why are the Knights of Ardevale after you?" Mariah asked.

"I don't know what they want with me, honestly," Kade replied.

"They must have given you some idea with their questions."

"I didn't understand most of it, but they were focused on something called they called a scourge or disease." Kade pulled off his glove to show the small black dot.

"This is what they wanted to know about?" Amber asked.

"Yes, it showed up a while ago. I don't know why, but nothing bad has happened to me."

"Didn't Timus say something about how his merchant friend visited the elves and they had some sort of disease?" Julian asked as he approached the three.

"That's right. Both he and Goraine mentioned the elves," Amber replied.

"And here we are fleeing straight into their territory. They'll have us pegged as enemies for certain. This does not bode well for us. I had hoped we could escape the Knights and never need to hear from them again, but if they know the elves are connected and they know we are heading into the elven lands," Mariah let the others come to their own conclusion about what the Knights would do.

"They should be able to help him, shouldn't they?" Amber asked.

"It originated with the elves, they should know more about it than anyone. I would say that they are our best chance of figuring out what it even is."

"Has it changed at all?" Julian asked as he turned to his friend.

"Yes, but only slightly. It was smaller before. Darker too," Kade replied.

"No sense in worrying about it now. Even if the remedy is in the forest, we would have no idea what to even look for. Let's go. I'll let you know when we've reached the elven lands. It is imperative that you let me do the talking when we get there," Mariah said.

The others nodded and slowly followed as she got up. They were far from experienced soldiers, but the fact that they were getting used to following her orders was comforting. She had expected things to be much quicker when she agreed to assist the youngsters and it was beginning to look like she still had a long road ahead. So long that she may no longer have a place among the Guardians upon her return. There was a slight chance of the elves being able to cure Kade of the disease or scourge, but Mariah wasn't about to set all of her hopes on a group that might not even let them enter their lands. She slowed down and waited for the others to come alongside her before speaking.

"There is one last thing that we need to discuss. The elves aren't particularly friendly to humans and there is always a chance of running into bandits whenever traveling off the main roads. I need to know if the three of you are able to defend yourselves," Mariah said.

"I think we already proved that we can't," Kade said.

"Everyone has at least one or two skills that can be transferred to the battlefield. What are your areas of expertise?"

"Kade can fire a bow better than most and Julian is decent with a mace," Amber replied.

"She is better than both of us with a blade," Julian said as he pointed toward Amber.

"That's a start. We can begin training with the equipment we have on hand, but that will exclude Kade as we don't have a bow. Anything else that you can bring to the table?" The guardswoman asked as she turned to the young man.

"My mother taught me the basics of herbs and potions," he replied.

"We'll get you started on that then. Anything else?"

"I hadn't thought of it before, but when Kade mentioned his mother I remembered. None of our families know where we are. They probably think something happened to us," Amber said.

"If the elves let us into their lands, we'll write up a letter for each of your parents. The elves may not venture into humans lands often, but merchants travel anywhere they can make a coin."

*

Erlkan clenched his fist as he looked out at the approaching squad of elves. He recognized the banner of the Empress as soon as he spotted it. His hand drifted down to the hilt of his sword. Wrotan stood next to him, waiting for the sun King to make a decision. They had already agreed as a group that Erlkan would make the final decision about how to confront any elves they came across. The King weighed his options as he drew his sword. Hadrin and Alandra unsheathed their weapons as well, but Wrotan simply glanced over at Erlkan. He turned to the hunter and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Make sure they arrive at the monastery alive. I will handle this group," he said.

"You have my word," the hunter said.

"Absolutely not, we will stay and fight," Alandra said.

"It is his decision, not yours," Wrotan said.

Hadrin and Alandra continued to protest as the hunter lead them both away from the King. Erlkan let out a sigh as he started marching toward the oncoming squad. He went through his options in his mind as he covered the distance to his opponents. There was a small chance that they would be willing to negotiate, but there was a greater likelihood that they would see him as an obstacle between themselves and the other three. The incoming elves slowed down when they recognized the King. Upon seeing their reaction, Erlkan sheathed his sword and continued forward.

"Your majesty, we hadn't expected to find you here," one of the soldiers said.

"My wife sent you?" The King asked.

"She asked us to fix any problems that you were unable to handle. We were under the assumption that the night elves had captured you."

"I was captured, but not by the night elves. The Empress was incorrect about the source of the scourge. Neither the night elves nor the night dragons are actually to blame."

"Surely, you understand that we can't just take your word for it. What would you have us do?"

"Take me in to face the Empress. Give me a chance to convince her. That is all I ask for."

*

"You let us abandon him," Alandra said.

"I did what he asked. This business with the scourge is larger than each of us," Wrotan said.

"What do we do now?" Hadrin asked.

"Same as before, we consult the spirit monks," the hunter replied.

"How do we find them?"

"We head through the forest elf realms and into the wilds. From there, we break north. I may not know the exact position, but their monastery is somewhere near the edge of the borderlands."

"The forest elves may not like us cutting through their land," Alandra said.

"Our only other choice is to head into the sea elf lands and then cut through the sun realms. I'd prefer not to get too close to the sun realms," Wrotan said.

"That settles it then," Hadrin said.

Alandra nodded as she turned toward the forest. She took one last look toward where they had left Erlkan and let out a sigh. Her reverence for her aunt had her wanting to be there when she met with her husband. In her mind, the situation was a simple misunderstanding. She hoped that things would go well in her absence. Hadrin placed a hand on her shoulder. The hunter had already started off toward the forest. Alandra smiled at the Prince and walked alongside him. There was something calming about being in his presence. Despite knowing that Wrotan would get impatient, neither of them felt the need to quicken their pace.

"Erlkan will be fine. In fact, he'll even have Empress Melisandre seeing the truth," Hadrin said.

"Kindness such as yours is hard to find these days, even amongst the elves. It is truly refreshing," she said.

"You have me at a loss for words."

"I'll bet you say that to all the elven maidens back home."

"They don't often talk to me when they see what the scourge has done." Hadrin pulled off his gauntlet and showed her the small blue tendrils that had recently spread to the back of his hand.

"It is quite commendable to see someone brave enough to accept such a burden so readily. More often than not, people are unwilling to take on even the smallest of responsibilities."

"I'm not sure I ever had much of a choice. The evening realms would fall apart without someone to replace my father. A Prince can't just step down because he doesn't want to take on the burdens that come with ruling."

"You certainly know how to turn a compliment into a negative situation."

"He has a hard time taking a compliment, go easy on him or you might scare him off," Wrotan said as he turned back to look at the two of them.

"Have you been eavesdropping on our conversation?" Alandra asked.

"Not by choice, but I did catch bits and pieces. My apologies."

"He has done nothing wrong, leave him be," Hadrin said.

"Not that a little flirting between my traveling companions is any of my business, but the two of you should cut each other a little slack. I may not know even the slightest thing about elven politics, but I do know that it shouldn't get in the way of two people getting to know each other," the hunter said.

"I think you've mistaken what has transpired, my friend. Alandra and I were simply making conversation."

"Right, innocent conversation. I'll remember that next time it happens."

"Let's just talk about something else," Alandra said.

"Might be best if we stay quiet. The woods are home to more than just elves."

#  The Forest Realms

Mariah spotted the elves before any of the others. They were thinner than she expected, but she surmised that the elves from different lands each had their own unique look. She reached out and took the knife from Julian. He was about to protest when he noticed several elves coming out from behind the trees. There were ten of them in total. All but one of them, their leader, had their weapons drawn. Amber and Kade stopped and looked at one another. Julian started to take a step back before stopping himself. Mariah looked back over her shoulder, making it seem as though she were checking on the other two. She counted five more elves behind them. Their leader stepped forward with his hand on his sword hilt. He examined the group for a moment before speaking.

"You best be careful what you do with that knife," he said.

"I take it that was a promise and not a threat. Why so wary?" Mariah asked.

"It isn't your business."

"You make it seem as though you just don't like the idea of humans in your lands."

"We haven't had the best of histories, our two peoples. I'm sure you already know that. That having been said, it doesn't look like you are planning an invasion. I'll give this as a warning, the elven lands are in a bit of turmoil right now."

"Is there any way we can assist?" Kade asked as he stepped forward.

"I doubt it. The sun elves and the night elves look to be gearing for war. That places the forest elves and the sea elves in the middle of things. Unless one of you is an extremely powerful wizard or the best diplomat known to the world, there is little that can be done. Though, your offer will be remembered," the leader replied.

"We are looking for a safe place to stay before moving on. Can you provide that for us?" Mariah asked.

"You can find lodging at one of our outposts or waystations. We haven't any real cities, not in the way that you would think of them. Your best bet for affordable lodging would be at our trading post, but it is a good half a day's worth of travel from here. Continue down the dirt path and you'll see a crossroads. There will be signs."

"That will do, thank you."

The elf nodded before turning to his troops and motioning for them to put away their weapons. Mariah and the others watched as the elves disappeared into the forest. She let out a sigh as she handed the dagger back to Julian. He nodded as he took it back from her. All four of them continued on without saying a word. Unlike before, the silence seemed to come from some sense of apprehension in the other three. Whether the others knew it or not, there was little doubt in her mind that the forest elves had sent at least one scout to follow them. The royal guardswoman glanced back to see if she could garner anything from their expressions. They did their best to keep from locking eyes with her. She stopped and turned toward them.

"What is the matter?" She asked.

"The elves are preparing for war. They are supposed to be the last ones to fight," Kade replied.

"Is that really what you've been taught?"

"Yes, the humans were at fault the last time we fought the elves," Julian said.

"Absolutely not, the elves attacked us for reasons that they have yet to reveal. Most of our wars with them started with an invasion from an elven army. Until recently, they fought among themselves on a regular basis."

"If they are so dangerous, why did you bring us into their lands?" Amber asked.

"I've been asking myself that same question since we entered the forest. The only answer I can think of is that the elves aren't the ones chasing us. That and I was hoping we could help your friend. Unfortunately for us, the forest elves appear unaffected by whatever it is that your friend has contracted."

"It isn't contagious," Kade said.

"How do you know?" Mariah asked.

"I don't, but they do."

"Who does?"

"The ones that I saw from before. I think that we are somehow connected. I can sort of sense them out there. They seem to be getting closer to us."

Mariah nodded as she dropped the conversation. She wanted to reprimand him for not telling her earlier, but she knew that it wouldn't change anything. The information was helpful. There was a group out there that knew something about this strange disease or scourge. Even though her duty was to the people of Reddington, she felt like this was a matter of some importance to more than just the elves. The last thing that anyone in the borderlands needed was a spread of disease. They were already enough of a target from threats on nearly all sides. The guardswoman shivered at the last thought. Her wards were the only reason that the four kingdoms hadn't invaded. They had made a treaty with the former King of Reddington and breaking such a treaty would look bad. If the royal line were destroyed by a disease, everyone would have their eye on the borderlands.

*

Erlkan's spirits fell when the Empress' palace came into view. He had forgotten how much of the city's resources had gone into converting the large castle into an even larger palace. They were still miles from the entrance to the city and the only structures he could make out where the palace and the walls. There was little doubt that the new design would serve well in a siege, but it still felt too extravagant for his liking. The one upside that he could take away from the situation was the fact that his wife had been much younger when she had commissioned the conversion from castle to palace. Her more recent decrees had been much more favorable in the eyes of the general populace. He pushed aside the feelings of regret and tried to focus on how to better their relationship.

"Your highness, something isn't right," one of the soldiers said.

"What do you mean?" Erlkan asked as he turned to face her.

"The Empress would never remove her banner from the palace."

"You're certain there is no reason for her to do so?"

"Absolutely."

The sun King let out a sigh as he looked back toward the palace. As the soldier had said, the Empress' banner was nowhere to be found. Despite whatever grievances remained between the two of them, the Empress was still his wife and he didn't want anything bad to happen to her. No one spoke as they made their way closer to the palace. Everyone knew to expect to come to a different sun palace than the one they had last visited. Erlkan nodded to himself as he quickened his pace. He would face the situation with his head held high. No matter the reason for the Empress' banner being removed, the sun elves would need a King that was willing to face adversity without wilting away. The elf King resolved to be that which his people needed most.

"There, someone approaches," the elven Captain said as he pointed to Erlkan's side.

"I'll need a sword," he replied as he looked over at the approaching group.

"Sorry, your highness, the Empress instructed us against that."

"Whether bandits or the Empress' own troops, I will address them with a sword in hand. This is not a negotiation, Captain. You have my word that I will not use it against one of our own, but I need to show my strength if we are to unite together and defeat the scourge once and for all."

Erlkan waited for a moment, wondering if his gamble would pay off. The Captain shook his head as he unhooked his scabbard. He handed it to the King before turning to get spare from his equipment. The sun King drew the sword as he marched toward the oncoming troops. He could now see that they were elves, but whether they were hostile or not remained to be determined. The group of elves slowed to a stop when they spotted the King with his sword drawn. Two of their members began to talk before heading toward Erlkan.

"Your majesty, there is no need for violence," one of them called out as soon as he was close enough for the King to hear.

"What is your purpose?" Erlkan asked.

"We came to warn you and to ask for your assistance."

"Warn me about what?"

"The dragons have turned on us and the Empress has been taken captive. There is a wizard that claims the throne."

*

Melisandre paced back and forth inside of her cell. She let out a sigh as she dropped to the floor. By her estimation, more than a week had passed already. Whether by design or not, the mage had ignored his own ultimatum. Her food rations had been decreased to one meal a day. All signs pointed toward this new ruler trying to break her spirit. Despite his insistence on being able to make do without her, she suspected that her assistance would make things easier for him. It was rare times like this that she wondered if things would have been the same had she tried to reason with her husband. There was no doubt in her mind that he was an unreasonable man, but she also felt that there were times when she could have asserted herself more.

"Lost in thought, are we?" A man asked as he opened the door.

"Who are you?" The Empress asked.

"Peligrin, but that is hardly important. My master seems to be of the impression that you will beg him for mercy. He and I are not in agreement on this topic. As you may have guessed, his bark is worse than his bite. However, he only has so much patience."

"You are here to convince me to join him."

"Not at all. I am in my master's service because I made a foolish pledge to serve him until his dying breath. My plan had been to kill him or even just serve him until time did the dirty work for me."

"How is that possible?" Melisandre asked.

"I'm not certain that I could explain it to an elf. To put it simply, my people live thousands of years. By their standards, I am not even middle aged. My master is something of an anomaly. I don't actually know if he'll live as long as I will, but he certainly won't die anytime soon. Not by natural means."

"You are here for me assistance in defeating him."

"Not exactly, no. I don't expect you to be able to do much considering that he has you in your former dungeon. However, being an Empress, you must know of people that can assist me in ridding the world of my master. In exchange for a meeting, I could leave a door or two unlocked."

"You'll need to do better than that. The only people who can stop your master are the night elves. Their night dragons are a match for the sun dragons. I can get you a meeting with their leaders."

"I knew my master was foolish to underestimate you. Our discussion must come to an end, but I will return tomorrow. You will be free of this dungeon before the week is out."

#  The Dance of Shadows

Hadrin kept his hand on the hilt of his sword as he watched the forest elves whispering to each other. He glanced over at Alandra and realized that she had her sword drawn and was ready for a fight. The forest elves looked equally prepared for a fight. Wrotan looked far from ready to fight, but Hadrin knew that the hunter would be the first to draw blood in the event of a confrontation. The forest elves continued to whisper and occasionally glance at the small party. Hadrin was unsure whether Wrotan's presence caused them more or less pause. One of them turned back to the forest and began shaking his head. The other elf turned and started coming closer to the three of them.

"Please, we aren't looking for a fight," she said.

"Nor are we, but don't think that means we will shy away from one if necessary," Alandra answered.

"We wish to pass through your lands and into the human lands. There is no reason that we should come to blows," Wrotan said.

"There is a matter that must be dealt with before we can grant you this wish."

"What matter?" Hadrin asked as he stepped forward.

"You will soon see, Prince."

The forest elves stepped forward to take possession of the group's weapons. Alandra finally consented after Wrotan and Hadrin encouraged her to do so. The hunter had given up his weapons without even the slightest pause. Hadrin asked to keep his knife, but the forest elves wouldn't allow it. Once they were certain that the three travelers were unarmed, they lead them deeper into the forest. The Prince attempted to keep track of the path, but the elves used such a roundabout way that he soon found himself unable to remember the intricacies. They came to a large clearing and the leader of the elves motioned for the others to be blindfolded. Alandra protested once again, but Hadrin convinced her that it would be fine. The second half of their trek was even more difficult and the Prince found himself with no idea as to where they had been taken.

"You may remove the blindfold now," Hadrin recognized the voice of Lothrin, King of the forest elves.

"It is a pleasure, your majesty," the Prince said as he stepped forward and held out his arm.

"If only we were meeting under better circumstance, Prince Hadrin," Lothrin and the Prince clasped forearms and pulled each other in for a one armed hug.

"These are my friends and traveling companions, Alandra and Wrotan."

"Your majesty," Wrotan said as he gave a slight bow.

"Welcome to the woodland realms," Lothrin said, ignoring Alandra's defiance.

"Something is amiss?" Wrotan asked.

"Yes, allow me to introduce Kade, Mariah, Amber, and Julian," the King motioned to the side as he spoke.

The four humans were brought into the room in chains. Hadrin looked to the others to see if he could garner any information out of his allies' reactions. Alandra scowled at the sight of the shackles, but quickly recovered her look of defiance. Wrotan raised an eyebrow as he looked over at his fellow humans before looking back at the King. For all Hadrin knew, the hunter was merely curious at the appearance of these four. He looked to the four. Mariah's expression was nearly the same as that of Alandra. The Prince shuddered at the thought of facing either of them in such a mood. Amber had a look of sadness to her. Julian seemed to be the only one of the four that didn't care about being in chains in front of a room of elves. Kade looked terrified as he looked around the room.

"What does this have to do with us?" Wrotan asked.

"The one they call Kade has shown signs of the scourge," the King answered.

"Impossible, he isn't even an elf," Hadrin replied.

"So we thought," Lothrin paused and motioned for the guards to bring Kade closer, "but we were wrong."

"Take the shackles off of this young man immediately," Wrotan said as he looked from the mark on the back of Kade's hand up to the bandage on his eye.

"You have no authority here, hunter."

Wrotan pivoted forward and hit the nearest elf with a palm strike to the nose. He grabbed the elf's sword and then disappeared in a small cloud of darkness. Dozens of forest elves rushed into the room with their weapons drawn. Hadrin looked to Alandra in bewilderment. The forest elves were advancing on them, and she looked as frightened as he did. Wrotan came diving out of the shadows and skewered two forest elves before disappearing once again. King Lothrin ordered his soldiers to bring more torches into the room. The Prince felt a strange feeling come over him as he was compelled to use his magic. His arms rose into the air as the spell came to him. A quick burst of air and the torches in the room were blown out. The darkness closed in around them and the sounds of a massacre become louder.

"Enough!" King Lothrin shouted as he used his own magic to fill the room with light.

Hadrin could scarcely believe his eyes as he looked around the room. Wrotan stood at the far side of the room with a sword in each hand. The dozens of elves were either dead or dying on the floor. There were several smaller wingless dragons whose scales and skin were so dark that they almost looked like they weren't truly in the room. The hunter sheathed his swords and the creatures melted into the light. He strode forward and shattered the shackles around Kade's wrists using only his hands. Another two dozen forest elves entered the room and looked to the King for instruction. Lothrin motioned for them to put away their weapons as he used his magic to relight the torches.

"Quite a display," the King said.

"The shadow dragons do wish harm to come to this young man," Wrotan replied as he held his head.

"I hadn't known that you too were a pawn in their game."

"A willing pawn, but a pawn none the less." The hunter took his hand from his head.

"The dragons have long been benevolent masters. It is a shame I had to lose so many of my soldiers to this misunderstanding. We will give you provisions and speed you along your way. I assume that you will be taking the prisoners with you?"

"The boy, yes. As for the others, they are free to choose."

"Right then. One last word of warning, do not make enemies of those who are servants to the dragons."

"Wise words. I have a warming of my own, it comes from the shadow dragons. They say that the sun elves are no longer to be trusted and that the sun dragons are corrupted from within."

King Lothrin nodded as he took in the words. Hadrin was unaware of what the two were discussing, but there was a soft voice in the back of his head that promised he would understand in time. It repeated Wrotan's warning, adding that even some of the shadow dragons could be susceptible to this new enemy. He looked to the other four humans and saw that there were equally as confused as he was. Despite their hesitation, all three decided to accompany Kade.

*

"What happened back there?" Alandra asked as soon as they were far enough away from the forest elf stronghold.

"The shadow dragons decided to send a message to the forest dragons," Wrotan replied.

"I thought they were allies."

"They are allies, but the shadow dragons wanted the forest dragons to know that they are not to be taken lightly."

"You just let them use you as a weapon?" Kade asked.

"It is possible that I could have stopped them from killing the forest elves, but I wasn't sure that was the best option available. I had been unaware that the shadow dragons could even exert any amount of control over me prior to this happening. They may have just killed me on the spot. Even now, I'm not entirely certain I could stop them if I wanted to."

"That doesn't sound very comforting," Mariah said.

"Imagine what they would have done to their enemies," Wrotan said.

Alandra shuddered at the possibility of something worse than what they had witnessed. There was a nagging sensation that kept pushing her to consider what the night dragons were capable of. She ignored it as best she could, not wanting to face the fact that they could use her in a similar way to what the shadow dragons had done with Wrotan. The others seemed equally distraught over the new development. She fell back to where Hadrin was walking at the back of the pack. He forced a smile before looking back down at the ground.

"What's the matter?" Alandra asked.

"The shadow dragons. They were once considered a part of the same hatchery, but they seem much more vicious than Ungaroth," the Prince replied.

"I've been thinking about that myself. Could it be that over the years they've changed or has Ungaroth held back his darker side."

"Can we really know what the dragons want? They've been a large part of why we've fought with the humans in the past. Do they really seek the best for the elves?"

"Even if they only seek glory for themselves, can we do anything about it?" Alandra asked.

"Perhaps so, perhaps not. We are all in this together now. The best we can do is make certain that our small group is as prepared as can be," Hadrin answered.

"How can we do that?"

"Each of us must push ourselves harder. Daily training in all manner of skills. We may not have time to become proficient at everything, but we can certainly improve on what skills we already possess."

"Do you think the others would be willing to do so?"

"We can only hope."

*

Erlkan watched as one of the dragons circled the main gate of the city. They had either joined with this sorcerer or were being controlled by him. He turned back to the map that they had laid out near the fire. They were close to the southern entrance into the system of caves and tunnels that led to numerous locations throughout the town. It was the only way inside the palace that could guarantee them a way around the dragons. He ran his finger along the path that he wanted the first group to take. They nodded as he looked up at them. The sequence repeated until he had directed each of the four groups. They only had one copy of the map, meaning that three of the groups would need to memorize their path as well as the layout of the tunnels and caves. The sun King rolled up the map and handed it to one of the Captains.

"Are we all in agreement on our course of action?" He asked.

"I may not like it, but I'll stand by it," one Captain replied.

The other two nodded their assent. Erlkan let out a sigh of relief before dismissing the others. He checked his pack one last time before covering the fire with dirt. Each of the Captains gathered together their small group of soldiers and set off toward one of the two entrances to the abandoned unground portion of the city. The sun King nodded to his group before setting off toward the entrance. A wave of nostalgia washed over him as he entered the cave entrance. He remembered the hours and hours he had spent exploring the underground passageways. A sense of calm came over him as he continued further through the tunnels. He watched as the group ahead headed off down their predetermined path. Their own route continued onward into the tunnels below the palace.

Erlkan stopped when they reached the second set of stairs. He drew his sword and headed up the steps. His men followed closely behind, ready to spring into action at any moment. They continued on their way and reached the dungeon. The sun King ordered his men to split into two groups so that they could check lower level before circling back and heading to the other level. They both met back at the stairs, neither group having found any sign of their opponents. Erlkan took a deep breath as he headed up to the upper level of the dungeon. Based on the information given to him, the Empress would be located in this portion of the palace.

"State your purpose," a voice called out as he opened a door to the upper level.

"Stand down or feel the wrath of your King!" Erlkan yelled as he jumped through the doorway.

The elven guard raised their spears and surged forward, but the elf King was too quick. He knocked their weapons aside and dealt each of them a powerful blow. They each drew back and dropped to one knee in surrender. Erlkan's men came rushing through the door and met three more guards. They quickly overpowered the outnumbered dungeon guards and gathered them together with the other two. The sun King sheathed his sword as he approached the captives. He didn't recognize any of them as having served under him or under the Empress.

"I wish to know where the Empress is being held. If you tell me, I won't need to hurt any of you," Erlkan said.

"Do you think us mad? The dragons will have our heads if we give up that information," one of the guards said.

"What makes you think that I will not?"

"You're the sun King, they're the sun dragons. We've seen you pardon criminals, but the dragons have never done so. Not when in the employ of the new master."

"Who is this new master?" The King asked.

"The sorcerer Elorhan, he is incredibly powerful."

"He is simply another obstacle to be removed," Erlkan turned to address his soldiers, "find them a cell."

His men nodded and gathered up the five captives before searching for the nearest cell. Erlkan drew his sword and headed in the opposite direction. He slowed down when he spotted a robed figure outside one of the cells. There was another man pacing back and forth behind him. The King held back and watched as they opened the cell door and went inside. He crept closer, making sure that there were no guards before stopping just outside the door. Melisandre's voice was easy to recognize, but he couldn't make out what she was saying.

"Peligrin here thinks that you should stop this nonsense and pledge to support me. If I didn't know better, I'd think he cares about you. As for me, I made an idle threat. Do not think that my next one will have no teeth behind it," one of the men said.

"Master, is there not a better way to go about getting others on our side?" Peligrin asked.

"The contempt in your voice when you refer to me as master has returned. Perhaps I should leave you in this cell for a few days. It may rid your mind of whatever shortcomings you believe I possess. I am not here to strike up an alliance with the Empress. The elves gave up on me quite some time ago, my friend. If I can even call you that. Perhaps you are but a parasite like so many others. No matter, you've done nothing compared to the elves and humans who sought to be rid of me. They didn't even have the decency to kill me."

"I am no parasite, nor do I wish to spend any time rotting in a cell with an elven Empress. The contempt you hear is directed at me for being foolish enough to pledge to serve another until one of us dies. Not that serving you is so bad, but freedom is always preferable."

"There it is. You've struck on exactly why I am here to punish the elves and humans. My freedom was wrenched away from me. That is not something you understand. However, because I understand what it is like to live without freedom, you are no longer indebted to me."

Erlkan chanced a peek around the doorframe. The two men were staring at each other and the Empress was standing a few feet back from them. They took a step back, each looking prepared to fight the other to the death. The sun King pivoted into the room and drew his sword. Melisandre continued backing up until she reached the wall. Peligrin and his former master both turned their attention to the newcomer.

"You are outmatched, elf," the hooded man said.

"Together we can beat him," Peligrin said, turning to the newcomer.

"Why should I listen to either of you?" Erlkan asked.

"I served him for countless years, I know his weaknesses better than anyone."

"Your treachery was expected, Peligrin. However, the appearance of the sun King does put a wrinkle in my plans. I could easily defeat either of you in single combat, but that not an option. What is it that you seek?" The mage looked toward Erlkan as he spoke.

"Freedom for my people and it shall be gained with a sword through your heart. You've plagued the dragons and threaten those most dear to me. That is not something I can allow," the King replied.

The magician extended an arm toward Erlkan and a large fireball shot out of his palm. Before the King could move out of the way, the fireball melted into a patch of darkness. All three of the combatants took a step back as the room got darker. The sun King heard a low growl behind him. He turned to see a small dragon crashing through the cell door. It knocked him aside and bit into the sorcerer's shoulder. Erlkan backed up until he got to the door and then motioned for Melisandre to join him. The small dragon flung the magician into the wall before pouncing forward and slashing him with its sharp claws. Peligrin started to move toward the door and the dragon spun and clamped down on his torso with a massive bite. He screamed in pain as the creature yanked him back toward his former master.

Erlkan grabbed hold of Melisandre's hand and took off down the hall running. He could still hear the screams of the two men in the distance. They came to a halt when he spotted his men locking one of the cell doors. He panicked when he realized that the screams had died down. The dragon would be looking for another target. His men rushed toward him, but he motioned for them to stop. They began to speak, but he held his hand up to his mouth. He waited until he was next to them before he spoke.

"Open the cell door, we need a distraction," he whispered.

"I thought we were getting rid of their master," one of the elves replied in a hushed tone.

"We've got bigger problems now. Unlock the door and tell them they are free to go."

One of his soldiers managed to get the cell door open just as the torches blew out. A low growl came from the opposite direction of the dragon. The sun King ordered his men to draw their weapons as he moved Melisandre into the middle of the circle his troops had formed. Another growl came from the direction of the first dragon. Erlkan ordered his men to protect the Empress as he lunged toward the second growl. He made contact with something and could barely see a shape moving toward him in the darkness. It lurched forward and he jabbed at it with his sword. The creature made a grunting sound as the blade pierced its hide. Three of the elven soldiers joined him and attacked the dragon. The other dragon plowed through the group of elves and smashed into the King's back just as he was about to deliver the finishing blow.

"Get the Empress to safety," he yelled as he crashed to the floor.

*

Melisandre's heart felt as though it would explode out of her chest as she watched her husband flailing wildly on the floor. She felt two of the elven soldiers grab hold of her and start dragging her away. Her voice failed her as she tried to scream. Tears streamed down her face as she heard the cries of her husband and his troops. The sounds began to fade as they rushed toward the exit of the dungeon. Melisandre's body began to shudder as she fell to her knees. Her husband had come back for her and given his life to save her in spite of how she had turned on him.

"We need to get you to safety," one of the soldiers said.

"What do we do?" Another asked after seeing her shake her head.

"We die with our Empress."

*

Finrul dropped to one knee in front of the great gold dragon. He had no intention of questioning the majestic creature's will. Fenzik stared at the dragon as he refused to kneel. The massive beast placed the tip of her claw on the magician's shoulder. He took a deep breath and refused to bow to the greater being. Elbereth whipped her claw back and then brought it down into Fenzik's chest. He gasped as he stumbled backward. The dragon tossed aside the body before letting out a loud bellow. Two silver dragons swooped down and landed next to her.

"This is my new representative for the elven people. Finrul shall live among them and report back to us. His position shall be high commander and no other elf will be above him. Anyone that he declares as under his protection shall be left alone by all dragonkind," Elbereth said.

"The shadow dragons will not like it, great Queen of the dragons," one of the silvers said.

"I shall deal with them as I see fit."

*

Obrin clenched his fist and took a deep breath. The word of his cousin's death was difficult to swallow, even if he knew that it was coming. He shook his head in frustration and began to pace back and forth. Ungaroth growled as he drew back from the elf. The dragon curled up and watched the night King. Obrin turned toward the dragon. He took a moment to stare at the massive creature before approaching him. Neither spoke as the elf sat down next to the dragon.

"It could be worse," the dragon said.

"It still may be. We don't know for certain that my son will join us. Wrotan's appearance changed many things. Erlkan was easy to manipulate, as was that sorcerer of yours, but the hunter is a different story," Obrin said.

"He was no sorcerer of mine. Once our plan is in motion, there is no reason to believe that they will oppose us. Just because he doesn't join us doesn't mean we need to kill him. He could live a long life in exile."

"I hope you are correct, old friend. Other than you, he is the closest family I have."

"All will be well in time. For now, we must return home and gather your army. They will be happy to see their King reinvigorated. Then, we shall pay a visit to the other monarch and see if she is as accepting as King Lothrin."

#  The Shadow Grows

Wrotan leaned back against the tree as he watched Kade and Julian spar. They had come a long way since their initial training, but they still had much to learn. Mariah let out a sigh as she took a seat near the hunter. They had both spent the majority of their free time training the others and it had started to take a toll on each of them. The hunter nodded to the guardswoman, but neither of them spoke. There was an unspoken understanding that rest was more important than conversation at times. Wrotan looked over to see Alandra, Hadrin, and Amber discussing the uses of various herbs and plants. He knew that the Prince had no use for any of that information, but he dared not point that out.

"Careful, Kade, we aren't trying to hurt one another," Julian said.

The hunter raised his hand and was about to say something when his vision began to darken. He felt something hit him in the chest, but he couldn't tell what was happening. The darkness closed in around him as he collapsed to the floor. Mariah and Alandra were yelling something, but their voices sounded too far away for him to hear. A dragon growled somewhere in the back of his head. He opened his eyes and found himself standing on a stone platform up on the top of a massive mountain. There was a lone dragon on the platform with him. It roared when it saw him. He reached down and drew his sword. The blade looked different than he remembered. He closed his eyes and rubbed them with his free hand. The sword in his hand looked familiar once again.

Wrotan clenched his teeth as the dragon let out a massive roar. It shook his entire body to the core, but he pushed the fear aside and charged. The dragon dodged to the side with ease. It let out a chuckle as it dodged another of his attacks. He let out a grunt as the dragon's tail slammed into his side and sent him crashing to the floor. The dragon continued to toy with him as he failed to land any blows against the massive creature. He fell down onto his knees as he tried to strengthen his resolve. The dragon laughed once again, but this time the hunter did not move to attack.

"You humans are even weak in your own minds. Sure, some of you have an ego the size of a dragon, but enter that mind and the man becomes like an ant," the dragon said.

"What are you talking about? What have you done to the others?" Wrotan asked as he stood up.

"Foolish and weak, that is a dangerous combination, human. Allow me to enlighten you. Not even the elves seem to grasp what I am about to tell you. Dragons do not just create a bridge between their mind and the mind of another. They invade that mind and make it their own. At the forest sanctuary, that was not us controlling you from afar. I controlled you from within."

"Of course, what a fool I have been. You will not find me so easy now!"

The hunter raised his sword and charged the dragon. As the beast moved to dodge, Wrotan split into three separate versions of himself. They worked in unison to drive the beast back into a corner. The dragon unfurled its wings and lifted off from the ground. Wrotan and his doubles each grabbed a spear from their back and threw it at the dragon. When the spears made contact with the dragon wings, a rope shot out from their end and into the hands of the hunters. Each hunter pulled down on the rope with all their strength and yanked the dragon back to the ground. The creature bellowed in pain as the spears tore its wings to shreds. Wrotan raised his sword and swung for the dragon's skull. All three swords contacted the same spot, killing the dragon.

*

Mariah tried shaking the hunter one more time, but he was unresponsive. She looked up at the others. Kade aggressively attacked Julian, knocking him to the floor. Amber began to panic as Alandra and Hadrin crumpled to the floor. The guardswoman watched in horror as Kade drove his dagger into Julian's chest. He ran off into the forest as she rushed toward them. Julian grinned when he saw her coming toward him. She moved to put pressure on the wound, but realized it was too late. Amber arrived shortly thereafter and grabbed hold of Julian.

"Let me go," he said.

"No, they'll come up with something. It'll be ok. Won't it be ok?" She asked as she turned toward Mariah.

"There's something wrong with them, they won't be any help to us at all," the guardswoman replied.

"Then we will do it ourselves."

"Focus on Kade, he's the one who needs your help. Always has been," Julian said.

Amber wrapped both her arms around Julian and held him tightly. Mariah placed a hand on her shoulder, but made no move to stop her from hugging the dying young man. She gazed off in the direction that Kade had gone, wondering why he had suddenly turned on his friend. The others were still collapsed on the floor and Amber was in no condition for coming up with a plan. She reached down and wiped the tears off the younger woman's face and gently pulled her arms away from Julian. Desperation and panic tried to take over as she searched her pack for something to wipe up the blood stains. She helped Amber to get as clean as possible before starting in on digging a grave.

"Why are you helping?" Amber asked.

"Everyone deserves a proper burial and Julian is certainly not an exception. He may not have been the easiest to get along with, but he was a good man," Mariah replied.

"I thought you didn't like him."

"There is little chance I would have considered him a friend, but he cared for you and he cared for Kade. That counts more than getting along with a guardswoman."

"You are far more than a mere guardswoman. Your wards are fortunate to have you, or they will be when they get older."

"If I ever get a chance to return to our hometown. The world has changed for us, not just with Julian's death. We are moving toward something dangerous. I know not what that is, but I can feel it within the very core of my being."

*

Hadrin grabbed his forehead as he came to. His dream had been a strange one. He fought a dragon that was only half there. It made no sense to him, but he dared not speak about it to the others. He opened his eyes and saw that Alandra was slumped on the floor not too far away, Mariah and Amber were standing over a fresh mound of dirt, Wrotan was also on the floor in what appeared to be a trance, and Kade was nowhere to be seen. The Prince slowly pushed himself to his feet. His vision swirled ever so slightly, threatening to send him tumbling back to the ground. He grabbed hold of a nearby tree and rested for a moment. Mariah squeezed Amber's shoulder before retreating back from the mound of dirt. Hadrin waved to her and she motioned for him to stay as she approached.

"Are you feeling well?" She asked.

"Not particularly. What happened?" He asked.

"The three of you just fell into what seemed like trances. You are the first to come out of it. While you were out, Kade attacked Julian before running off."

"How strange, I do hope they'll be all right. Did you happen to see which way they went?"

"Not they, just Kade," Mariah said as she pointed in the direction he went.

The Prince looked back at the mound of dirt and grimaced. He began to offer his apologies and condolences when Wrotan began to stir. The hunter lunged forward and mumbled something about a dragon. He quickly realized he was on the ground and stood up. Mariah motioned for him to join them. Alandra began to stir as well and Hadrin rushed to her side, stumbling as he went. He helped her to her feet and they walked back to the other two. Amber slowly made her way toward the gathering, her eyes still red from the tears.

"We need to go after him," she said when she got to the others.

"I think we need to bring the others up to speed first," Hadrin said.

"Kade is out of our reach now. Unless one of us knows how to reach into another's mind, we won't be able to get through to him," Wrotan said.

"What do you mean?" Mariah asked.

"The dragons have him now. Their so called connection was nothing more than invading a person's mind with the intent to control it. A young man like Kade stands little chance of overcoming their power."

"We were able to, why not him?" Alandra asked.

"Because they'll be extra careful with him. Their arrogance was the only reason I survived. He let slip that the fight was going on inside of my mind. Without that clue, I would most likely be dead."

"We can't just give up on him, there has to be something we can do. Where do we go from here?" Amber asked.

"As of right now, our best bet is the spirit monks. They might know of ways to contact others." Hadrin replied.

"It seems our best course of action." Wrotan added.

"What of Kade? We can't just let him wander about. How should we deal with him?" Mariah asked.

"With the head start that he has and us not knowing his destination, there is little or no chance that we could catch him." Alandra replied.

"How do we know that the dragons have him?" Amber asked.

"The scourge, they used it to invade our minds. He has a small portion of the scourge within him, that is enough to give them access to his mind," Wrotan replied.

*

Kade stumbled through the forest, unable to remember anything other than his name and a burning hatred. He wasn't even certain where the hate came from or what it was aimed toward. His head felt as though it were filled with clouds, yet there was a single unknown purpose driving him forward. The forest around him was far from inviting. His senses amplified the dangers around him, pushing him to quicken his pace. The nagging feeling in the back of his head pushed toward an unseen enemy, promising respite when that enemy was defeated. A strange sadness pulled at his heart as he pressed on. He pushed forward, sealing away all feelings that made him seem weak. A new Kade strode through the forest unafraid, brimming with newfound power, and set in his purpose. The old Kade had shrunk away, locked inside of a new cold exterior.

*

Obrin flexed his muscles as he felt his strength return. It had been far too long since he had felt this good. The night elf King drew his sword and tested his agility. He felt as though his youth had returned to him. A part of him felt bad that they had to trick his son into thinking that the scourge was truly a problem, but it had been an integral part of their plan. His dragon ally let out a soft growl to remind him of the importance of their task. He nodded to the beast before turning toward his castle. Though he enjoyed spending time at the Citadel of the Night, there was nothing like the feeling of being welcomed home. His kingdom was in the capable hands of his Generals and he was certain that they would be able to ready their troops within a week. Ungaroth had his doubts, but the dragon knew better than to push the night elf King too far. Their alliance was strongest when they worked together as a team. The night elf King raised a hand as he made his way toward the outer gate.

"Your majesty, we are pleased that you've returned!" One of the guards said.

"As am I. I trust that the sun elves are no longer bothering us?" Obrin asked.

"They returned home some time ago, your highness."

"Are my Generals close at hand?"

"Yes, your grace, they've kept us prepped for war since your departure."

"Excellent. I must pay a visit to our allies, but you can give this to Neilon." The King handed the guard a small scroll with instructions on where to meet."

*

"These lands will test us," Wrotan said as he held up his hand.

"Is this not your home?" Hadrin asked.

"As close as you can get to it. We are entering the wilds or the proper part of them. The nomadic peoples of the wilds do not see the forest as a part of their lands. They see it as the elves giving of their bounty as a sort of tribute so that they are not inconvenienced by the inhabitants of the wilds."

"That is certainly a stretch," Alandra said.

"If you truly think that, then you have never traveled the wilds," Mariah said.

Wrotan nodded before setting forth. The others followed closely behind, not wanting to be left behind in a harsh land. They had all heard the tales of pioneers being lulled into a false sense of security by the bountiful look of the wilds. The name referred to the inhabitants and their attitude toward outsiders. Their bloodlust toward outsiders seemed unquenchable. Few knew the truth behind what had driven them to adopt such a stance toward the neighboring peoples. The hunter glanced back to check on Amber. They all knew that she only stayed with them because she feared what would happen if she were to try to track Kade on her own. Wrotan slowed down so that he could speak with her.

"We will do everything we can to bring him back," he said.

"What if it isn't enough?" She asked.

"It may not be, but I will die trying to save him. You have my word."

"That is a lot to sacrifice for a young man and a young lady that you barely know," Mariah said as she joined the two of them.

"The dragons need to be stopped or the entire world is doomed. That much I've already accepted. Going a step further and saving the boy instead of killing him is reward in itself. Furthermore, Amber and Kade are among the few people I've met that are willing to help their fellows, human or elf. That is something the world needs more of. Look at the wilds, these people are still stuck on tragedies that occurred hundreds of years ago."

"You are quite the enigma, Wrotan."

"I think it is a good thing," Amber said.

"I never meant it as a slight," Mariah added.

"You can thank the elves for his upbringing," Hadrin said.

"As much as I share your love for our people, I cannot help but think it is in spite of the elves," Alandra said.

"Why can't things be like they were in the stories of old?" Amber asked.

"The stories were written to inspire and impress. They leave out the negative parts when it fits their worldview better. It would not sound so good if they told the part about Randor torching an entire elven village or how Gellian ordered the slaughter of all the human captives that had surrendered on the field that day," Wrotan replied.

"Why do they leave such things out of the histories?"

"Some claim they do so as a way to not influence the younger generations. A sort of clean slate to end the previous wrongs. Others say it is a way for each kingdom or race to make themselves look better."

"And what do you say?" Mariah asked.

"I say that it doesn't matter. What matters is that we understand the mistakes those before us have made so that we do not make them ourselves."

*

Kade smiled as he neared the stronghold. Several guards stepped forward to intercept him. They threw aside their orange cloaks as they drew their swords. The young man made a fist with his right hand. He reached up with his left hand and caught the oncoming sword. His fist shot out and hit the man in the chest. A burst of electricity shot out of his knuckles and blasted the guard backward several feet. The other soldiers stepped back, both awed and terrified by what they had witnessed. Kade continued forward as they moved out of his way. He stepped up to the gate and placed his hand against the massive gate leading into the stronghold. A shockwave of fire smashed into the gate, knocking it to the floor.

"Knights of Ardevale, you answer to me know!" Kade yelled as he stepped into the courtyard.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," one of the Knights said as he stepped out into the courtyard.

Something deep inside Kade shuddered when he saw the man. The fear washed away as he clenched his left fist. His combatant was taller and stronger, but the young man knew it wouldn't be a problem. He strode forward as the man charged. The Knight raised his shield and catapulted himself toward his opponent. Kade grabbed hold of the sides of the shield and tore it out of the Knight's hands. He threw it aside before grabbing the man by the throat. The man attempted to break free as his opponent's free hand came to rest on his chest. Kade closed his eyes and his palm began to glow. A blast of pure energy shot out of his palm, tearing a hole through his opponent. He tossed the corpse aside and turned toward the others in the courtyard.

"Anyone else wish to question my rule?" He asked.

*

Hadrin positioned himself between the wilderlanders and Amber. He motioned for Alandra and Mariah to do the same. They others did as he asked. They all watched as Wrotan stood up as tall as he could and approached the nomads. The Prince half expected them to attack the hunter. Alandra and Mariah each stood ready to draw their weapons. One of the wilderlanders took a swing at Wrotan, but the hunter was too fast. He caught hold of the man's fist and delivered a punch to the man's side. Another nomad got an elbow to the face as he stepped forward. The hunter held up a hand that told Hadrin and the others not to interfere. He proceeded to make quick work of the two wilderlanders before calling the others over.

"They are willing to let us travel through this part of the wilds without incident," Wrotan said.

"Without incident? What do you call that?" Hadrin asked, motioning toward the two men that the hunter had thoroughly thrashed.

"They were under the impression that I had spoken ill of their sister. I set them straight."

"Did you speak ill of their sister?" Amber asked.

"It seems that somebody has been masquerading as me. We shouldn't focus on stopping the man, but if we happen across him, I would very much like to set him straight," the hunter replied.

"That is a reasonable request, we'll keep an eye out for this false Wrotan," Hadrin said.

"You will have my thanks, friend."

They separated from their huddle and motioned for one of the nomads to lead them on. Hadrin took in as much of the surroundings as possible. Though Wrotan had attempted to explain to them that the wilds were a fertile land, the point had not quite gotten through to them. Seeing things with their own eyes was the only way to convince them of the fact. The other large surprise for the elf was seeing the fields of grain that had been planted by the nomads. He headed to the front of the pack so that he could ask Wrotan about it.

"If the people here are nomads, who tends to the fields?" The Prince asked.

"Each individual tribe is nomadic, but they all live off the land. One tribe may plant the grain while another harvests it. They always ensure that there is enough food for their neighboring tribes. It is the same with the fruits and vegetables as well. There are eleven tribes in all and they rely on one another to ensure that everyone survives. Relying solely on animals is too risky with hostile neighbors. The result is that the eleven tribes had never been at war with one another. They simply cannot afford to fight each other," Wrotan replied.

"Fascinating, though I find it somewhat shocking that none of them have attempted to settle in one place for a prolonged period of time."

"The borderlanders see to it that they are never in one place for too long. They've made several incursions in the past few decades. Prior to those attacks, there were fifteen nomad tribes. The eleven remaining tribes learned to stay on the move and assist each other whenever necessary."

"That sounds like a hard life," Amber said.

"It is often seen as one. We can only hope that our time in the wilds is much less eventful."

*

Obrin took a deep breath as Ungaroth swooped down toward the sea. It had been far too long since he had properly ridden a dragon. The two came down for a landing inside of Queen Ophelia's courtyard. Her guards readied their weapons and moved forward to surround the majestic creature. The night elf King slid off the back of the dragon and headed for the throne room. He extended his hand out from one side of the body to the other, knocking aside all the soldiers that had positioned themselves in front of him. The Queen was waiting for him on her throne. He knew there was an extreme fury behind her calm. Though her armies were inferior and her dragons vastly outmatched, she posed the biggest threat to Obrin and his allies.

"So the night alliance comes here at last," she said.

"As I am certain you already know, King Lothrin has already accepted our offer," Obrin said.

"Yes, the spineless weasel probably didn't even attempt to negotiate. Tell me, what of the sun elves?"

"They have been taken care of. One of our agents is now in control."

"I hear you awakened an old enemy, is that wise?" Queen Ophelia asked.

"He too, has been taken care of. The shadow dragons were able to finish him for good," the King replied.

"Why should I pledge my support against the humans?"

"We are willing to give the sun realms to you."

"What of the forest elves?"

"Lothrin accepted our terms. He will be given part of the borderlands."

"Who has claimed the wilds?"

"The wilds are to remain unspoiled."

"Your response intrigues me. Did you know that all of the dragons agree on that stipulation?" She asked.

"Is that so? I hadn't known. Should I be surprised? They aren't called the wilds for nothing," he replied.

"They aren't called the wilds because they are useless. Think on that, night King. You will have the support of the sea elves, but we would be foolish not to keep an eye on the wilds."

*

Kade spurred his horse into the courtyard. He drew his sword and raised it high into the air. His golden armor shined in the sunlight and his orange cloak rippled in the breeze. The Knights of Ardevale let out a shout as they raised their own swords in the air. They fell in line as the young man rode out of the courtyard. A sharp pain shot through his head, forcing him to crumple forward in his saddle. He grabbed his head with his free hand and did his best to keep from getting thrown. The pain subsided and he sat up in his saddle, acting as if nothing had gone wrong. He thrust his sword forward as he spurred his horse to a canter. The full power of the Knights of Ardevale rode west toward the four kingdoms with Kade at their head.

*

Finrul slammed his fist against the table. He crumpled the report and threw it aside. A good portion of the sun elves had taken up arms against the dragons. They never openly attacked the creatures, but they did everything in their power to disrupt the dragon's rule. The beasts blamed the sorcerer for the problem. He paced back and forth as he tried to think of a solution. The news of the death of their Empress had delivered a devastating blow to the rebels, but it had not stopped them outright. Finrul turned as he heard the door open.

"Revin, I hope you have good news," he said.

"I'm afraid not, sir. However, I do have an idea," the elf replied.

"Let's hear it."

"The rebels have successfully procured a copy of our invasion plans. They are spreading dissent and claiming that a war with the humans will destroy our people. I propose that we use this to our advantage."

"How exactly are we supposed to do that?" The mage asked.

"The plan will require all five of your Captains, three of whom you would trust with your life."

"That can be arranged."

"We draw up two different plans. The first will outline the troop movements for two battalions. This is the set that we allow fall into the rebel's hands. It will be too good for them to pass up attacking the supply trains for those two battalions. However, we will have the other three battalions waiting for the rebels to strike. Our enemies will have split their forces in an attempt to sabotage our invasion of the borderlands. They will be weak and we will take advantage of that."

"How can we be certain that the information won't be leaked?"

"Only the three Captains will know their true orders. Everyone else will be told that they are being sent to bolster the other elven kingdoms. One battalion for each kingdom." Revin answered.

"You may be onto something. Make it happen. Choose Trakin and Falore for the two Captains. I am not certain they can be trusted."

Revin nodded and bowed before leaving the room. Finrul let out a sigh as the door closed. A victory like this would break the morale of any remaining rebels, but it was not good for elvenkind as a whole. He sat down at his desk and began to write a message for the dragons. They preferred to be informed of any plan before it was executed, but this particular plan required that as few people knew about it as possible. The benefit of writing to the dragons was that he knew that nobody would be able to read the letter. They had taught him how to use dragon runes when writing important messages. He was far from an expert at writing in the ancient language, but it gave him a small thrill to know that he was among the few that even knew how to write in dragon runes.

*

The makeshift inn was abuzz with music and laughter as Wrotan and his companions approached. Though it only had two walls, a small bar, and a handful of tables, it served a purpose just as well as any other inn. The hunter made his way over to the bar as the others found an empty table. He cleared his throat when the bartender failed to acknowledge him. The man shot him a look of disgust and shook his head. Wrotan looked over at the man who everyone was enthralled by and then slammed his fist on the bar. The bartender hushed him as he came scurrying over.

"Is the service always this spotty?" Wrotan asked.

"You are interrupting a rather interesting story by a very important man," the bartender replied.

"What's this nonsense?" The storyteller asked as he pushed his way through the crowd.

"My apologies, Wrotan, this outsider was clamoring for a drink."

"What did you call him?" The hunter asked.

"He called me Wrotan, of course. I see that you've heard of me before. Now will I be able to proceed with my story?" The other man asked.

Wrotan gritted his teeth as he stepped forward. He grabbed hold of the man by his shirt and dragged him outside of the bar. The imposter tore himself free and turned to the crowd. He started to say something when Wrotan spun him back around and punched him in the face. The hunter threw two more punches and finished up with an uppercut just as the imposter was staggering back toward him. He was prepared to throw another punch, but the man crashed to the ground. Several members of the crowd rushed forward to check on the man. Wrotan made his way back to the bar and motioned to the bartender.

"Not so fast, ruffian. You've gone and punched out one of my friends. I will not let that slide," one of the members of the crowd said as he stepped toward the hunter.

"Is that so? As a friend of his, you must have known that he wasn't who he claimed to be," Wrotan said.

"How dare you. Who are you to make such a claim about a local hero?"

"I am Wrotan the hunter, but I am no local hero. This fool has been using my name to spread rumors and gain fame. Do you still claim to be a friend of his?"

"I do and I won't let you sully his good name by claiming that he lies. He could have beaten you had you not ambushed him from behind."

"Fine, you wish me to prove that I could have beaten him? I will gladly do so. Gather your three best brawlers and I shall confront them all at once."

The man failed to reply and Wrotan turned back to the bartender. He ordered he drinks for his party before making his way through the crowd to the table that the others had procured. Just as he was beginning to sit, a member of the crowd grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him into the middle of a circle. Several of the rougher looking members of the crowd were already in the circle. They rushed toward him and he dodged the first of them. He blocked a punch from the second and elbowed the third in the face. Another group of three rushed forward and tackled him to the floor. He shoved one of them off as one of the others managed to land a punch to his ribcage. Mariah wrapped her arm around one of them and pulled him off with a headlock. Alandra followed quickly behind her and took out one of the others with a punch.

"Enough!" One of the elders yelled as he pushed his way into the circle.

"Shut up, old man. Your hospitality has been appreciated, but we will finish off these fools with or without your permission," one of the brawlers said.

Wrotan shoved another of his opponents off and got back to his feet. Though they were outnumbered, Alandra and Mariah had managed to take out a few of the ruffians. The hunter grabbed hold of the man who had talked back to the elder and threw him to the ground. He dropped to his knees and elbowed him in the face. His companions each took down another of the brawlers, leaving only two. Wrotan ducked a punch from the closer of the two and then pivoted forward and hit him in the side with a punch. He shoved the man into an oncoming punch from the other opponent. The elder stepped out into the middle of the circle and hit the last of the attackers in the back of the head with his cane.

"I'm sorry that it had to come to this," Wrotan said as he approached the man.

"It wasn't your fault, hunter. The borderlands have been spilling over into the wilds for far too long. This is the result of their failure to rein in their own criminals. Your assistance was highly appreciated," the elder said.

"Things will only get worse. The shadows dragons have returned and the elves are planning something. I doubt they will bother you directly, but war creates refugees and refugees tend to wander. You would do well to prepare for the worst."

"Thank you for the warning. It is not often that people are willing to volunteer such information without wanting something in return."

"I need a miracle or, at the very least, the ability to enter another's mind," Wrotan said.

"Magic is the answer that you seek. You travel north, that means you are heading to the monastery. If they are unable to assist you, look to the south. The Arcane Academy may not be friendly to strangers, but they are your best chance at what you seek," the elder said.

"You have my thanks."

*

"What is our task, Master of Ardevale?" One of the Knights asked as he approached Kade.

"Our mission is to find the dragon hunters and any that the dragon Knights. We are to eliminate them and leave the four kingdoms open to invasion," Kade replied.

"There are several groups employed by the four kingdoms, it will take time to eliminate all of them."

"They will come to us."

"How is that possible?" The Knight asked.

"I will show you," Kade said as he raised left hand into the air.

A small portal opened and several smaller wingless drakes ran through. Kade dismounted from his horse and approached the largest of them. He pulled off his glove and placed his hand on the largest drake's neck. His palm seared a mark onto the drake's neck. He sent an order through his mind and the beast lowered itself so he could ride. Several of his fellow Knights dismounted at his order and mounted the drakes. Kade ordered his troops to follow as he rode toward the nearest village. His mount let out a roar as they got closer. The town guards rushed forward to intercept the oncoming Knights and their dragon mounts. They fought bravely, but they were overwhelmed by the superior forces of the Knights of Ardevale and their new leader. Kade made certain that the drakes lit several buildings on fire before spurring his own mount onward.

"The drakes will serve their purpose if we allow them to do so," he said as he turned to his Knights.

"I don't mean to question, sir, but what is the purpose of all this?" One of the Knights asked.

"The four kingdoms will pay for their past sins. We, along with the elves, will act as the hand of vengeance. Once we've subjugated the four kingdoms, we will stamp out any resistance, human or elf."

*

"Our plan appears to have been a success, sir," Revin said as he rode up to Finrul.

"Excellent news, my friend. The dragons will be pleased with our success. This should allow two more battalions to join us in our invasion," the sorcerer replied.

"Is it wise to commit the majority of our troops to this endeavor?"

"Perhaps not, but it is a risk that I am willing to take."

Finrul looked down at the map on his lap. The dragons had ordered him to secure the borderlands without disturbing the mages at the Arcane Academy. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the simple spell. Fenzik had taught it to him long ago. His brother had often taken to using magic for the most mundane of things, but there were occasions that Finrul felt it helpful. This particular spell allowed the caster to connect a person or group's location to a map. He opened his eyes and smiled when he saw the two horses halfway to the borderlands. The magical map wouldn't replace those in the command tent, but it would allow him to see where his battalions were.

"Revin, I need you to accompany the forward scouts. You are to be my eyes and ears for the duration of this campaign," he said.

"Campaign, sir?" The elf asked.

"Yes, something tells me that the dragons won't be satisfied with just the four kingdoms. There is a whole world unknown to us beyond the borders of these kingdoms."

"I cannot deny that it sounds exciting, but what about those who want to settle down and have a family?"

"We are elves, Revin, we live hundreds of years. If we are fortunate, the dragons may grant us even longer lives. This campaign will be a memory to be cherished."

"What if we don't make it out alive?" Revin asked.

"That too, is a risk I am willing to take. No doubt the dragons will be willing as well. Think on it, my friend. Should they choose to press forward, that would give us an opportunity that will never be available to us. We are the superior race, it is our right to rule."

"You are not the man that I once knew."

"Is that good or bad?" Finrul asked.

"I haven't decided yet."

#  The Spirit Monks

Amber quickened her pace when she spotted the monastery on the horizon. The monastery sat in a large indention along the foot of the mountains. Unlike the mansions and castles near Reddington, the monastery was plain. She smiled at the thought of somebody building such a grand building without the extravagance of the Kings and nobles. The others matched her pace and came alongside her. Wrotan kept one hand on the hilt of his sword as he took the lead. They weren't expecting any trouble, but the hunter seemed to believe that it followed them everywhere.

"Have they no honor?" Hadrin asked.

"What do you mean?" Amber asked.

"This building is a testament to their god, yet there is nothing special about it. Yes, it is a large building, but it is neither defensible nor extravagant. What are we supposed to expect from their god?"

"Do not speak ill of that which you know nothing," Wrotan said.

"I am with Hadrin on this one. The elves treat the Creator with the respect that she deserves. This would be an affront to her godhood," Alandra said.

"They refer to him as the Builder. He has no use for extravagance. The spirit monks see him as the being that brought everything into existence. What good is a fancy window or a pile of gold and jewels? I am not saying that their beliefs are superior to anyone else, but to compare the spirit monks to other religions in such a way is to not understand the spirit monks and their deity."

"He asks for humility and servanthood over all else. They use their material goods to shelter others, fight what they see as evil or injustice, and to spread their religion. Their god shares some similarities with the Maker, enough so that some believe them to be the same being. Things change over the years and people adopt traditions that may have meant something wholly different before. It is always wise to treat other religions with respect," Mariah said.

"We are wasting time discussing this when we could be approaching them," Amber said as she pushed the pace up again.

Wrotan nodded and matched her speed, but the others continued to squabble over religion. The hunter let out a sigh as he looked over his shoulder. Amber opened her mouth to ask a question, but decided it would be foolish. He noticed her looking at him and gave her a slight nod. She watched as he turned his head back toward the monastery. There was something different about him than the others. Mariah had joined them to assist Kade and stuck with them to atone for letting Julian be killed. Hadrin and Alandra traveled with them because their people required it. Amber did not know why the hunter traveled with them.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked.

"You just did," he replied.

"That isn't what I meant."

"Yes, you may ask me something, but that doesn't mean you will get the answer you want. Thank you for asking permission, more often than not people pry their way into the lives of others without an invite."

"I don't want this to come out wrong, but why are you traveling with us. You seek to help humankind and elvenkind and all of that, but what is it that keeps you so driven?

"A good question. Up until now I've evaded the question with answers about the greater good. Truth of the matter is that I am on a search. You see, I never knew my parents and the man who raised me was part elf and part human. More than that, he was often gone. He meant well, but the role of father was not for him. I was something more like an apprentice. I've spent years in the cities, years in the wilds, years in the forests, and even years with the elves. Never once have I found my place. So, I look for purpose. Hadrin and his father needed my assistance against the sun elves and I gave it. They offered me something that nobody else has ever offered me before. I was to be the champion of the night dragons. Alas, it was not meant to be. Then we found you, Mariah, Kade, and Julian. It seemed like a quest befitting of a hero. That is something I've never been before. Now, we are just the remnants of whatever it was that I was leading for that short period of time."

"I'm not certain I completely understand."

"My life is a long story of me looking for purpose and not being able to find it. Opportunities present themselves and I try to rise to the occasion, but I fail more often than not. There have been times when I thought I could fit in with different communities, but they never work out. It would be good to know that the path I've chosen is the correct one."

"I am sorry to have brought up a sore subject."

"Not at all, I am not afraid of my past failures. They are as much a part of me as my skin."

Amber went quiet when she noticed the small party exiting the monastery. There were a dozen of them, half in gray robes and half in armor. The men and women in armor were heavily armed. One of the monks separated from the group and approached the two of them. Wrotan motioned for Amber to stop before looking back over his shoulder. The other monks and their armored companions held back as their leader stood in the middle of the road. He looked at the three behind them and then back at the two in the front. Amber glanced at Wrotan and gave him a quick nod. She was prepared to face the monks and their warrior brethren.

"That is close enough, thank you," the monk said as they got closer.

"Is this the spirit monk monastery?" Amber asked.

"That is correct, what is your business here?"

"Our business is two-fold. We mean you no harm, come let us go inside and discuss matters," Wrotan answered.

"Very well, but your weapons must stay at the entrance. The Builder frowns upon bloodshed."

The monk didn't wait for a reply. He turned around and began walking back to the monastery. Wrotan motioned for Amber to follow him. She gave him a quick nod before heading forward to catch up to the monk. His age began to show as she got closer to him. He walked with a slight limp and was hunched over just a tad. The wrinkles on his hands were much like those on her grandfather's hands. He waved for his companions to enter the monastery without him. She slowed down to his pace when she caught up to him. He acknowledged her with a nod without turning his head. One of the others moved to open the door for him, but he waved them off. The monk held the same determination and drive that she had seen in Wrotan.

"He is just like you, you know," she said as they entered the monastery.

"Please, call me Cristoph. I highly doubt that we are similar, young one. I am a monk and he is a warrior," the monk replied.

"You are looking at the outside."

"Ah, forgive me, I have not the ability to ascertain one's personality in such a short time. If you are indeed able to do so, you have a special gift. Now, how are we alike?"

"He shares your drive. Not for the same things, of course, but the drive and determination is there. You both strive to better yourself at all times, yet that is not your main goal."

"You get all that from the short time we have spent together? That is most impressive. I strive to be a role model for my younger brothers and sisters. How better to do so than to constantly make an effort to be a better person?"

"It seems a noble cause and that is an understandable goal, one that I think more people have than are willing to admit," Amber said.

"Enough about me. What is it that your friend is searching for? Or is it you that are doing the searching?"

"Both, but Wrotan can explain them better than I."

*

"Are you familiar with the elven practice of exiling those who are seeing as a danger to society?" Wrotan asked as he put his mug down.

"I've heard much about it, but it is not something they've allowed us to research," Cristoph replied.

"Is it possible that those who are exiled are somehow connected to the spirit world?"

"There is still much mystery to the spirit world, but we do know that none of the inhabitants can take on physical form. However, it is still possible that there is a connection of some sort."

"Perhaps they are exiled to another world that can also access the spirit world?" Alandra asked.

"That is certainly a possibility. Is there a reason why you need this information?" Cristoph asked.

"We were hoping to stop the return of the shadow dragons. It may already be too late, but we need to try," Wrotan said.

"Dragons are magical creatures and it is through magic that we have been able to glimpse the spirit realm. If there is another realm in which the shadow dragons reside, they would be far too powerful for any of us."

"I suppose that leaves us to our other question. Is it possible to enter another's mind using magic?"

"Yes, but such a thing is extremely dangerous. Either subject could end up destroying their mind. Why would you need to do such a thing?" Cristoph asked.

"A young man named Kade is under the control of the dragons and we must do everything we can to free him," the hunter replied.

"This is most unfortunate. One of our monks is traveling to the dwarven lands, he would know more about it than I. His name is Lamont. Your best chance is to find him. The only other group that knows about such things resides at the Arcane Academy."

"You have been most helpful, Cristoph. Is there any way that we can repay you?"

"There is one, yes. Would any of you be willing to attempt to traverse the spirit world?"

"Wouldn't that be dangerous for anyone that doesn't have the ability to use magic?" Mariah asked.

"Not necessarily. Through our research, we've found that people have different reactions to experiencing the spirit world. I understand if you think it is too dangerous, but any assistance would be greatly appreciated," Cristoph said.

"I will do it," Wrotan said.

The monk nodded as he put down his cup. He motioned to one of the other monks and they began whispering to each other. Cristoph smiled as he stood up. He took Wrotan's mug and went into the adjacent room, returning shortly with a filled mug. The hunter took the mug and drank the contents. His whole body began to feel heavy. Everything around him was out of focus. Wrotan slumped back into the chair as he felt his eyelids close. When he opened them, the monks and his companions were nowhere to be found. Upon closer inspection, he saw that there were hundreds of mirrors along the walls of the room. The mirrors came in different sizes. There were seven large mirrors, three small mirrors, and countless tiny mirrors.

He looked at the closest of the mirrors and saw a reflection of himself wearing armor made of bark and he was holding a vine whip. The next mirror showed him wearing plate armor and wielding a massive hammer. His third reflection wore the same thing he had on, except there was a sword of flame in his hand and red streaks in his hair. Two of the mirrors showed him riding a beast of some sort, one was a griffin and the other was a dolphin like sea creature. The last two large mirrors showed near opposites of each other. In the first, he wore shining armor with an equally bright sword. Both the armor and the sword seemed to emit their own light. The other mirror showed him in dark armor with a dark sword. Light seemed to be sapped away by the armor and the sword. He turned to one of the small mirrors and caught a glimpse of himself covered in dried blood. His reflection wielded a massive great sword and had a necklace of skulls. The next small mirror continually changed back and forth between an older version of himself and a younger version of himself. Sometimes the transformation took seconds, other times it took minutes. He turned to the final small mirror and shuddered. Half of his reflection was a bare skull and the other half was pale skin.

The hunter quickly turned away and noticed a strangely shaped mirror. His reflection carried a staff and wore a long robe. Having his fill with seeing his reflections, Wrotan turned back to the chair. In its place he found one final mirror. This mirror was his exact size and shape. His reflection looked much the same as it always did. He walked up and touched the glass. Everything went to black and there were familiar voices. He opened his eyes to find himself back in the room with his companions and the monks. They stared at him for a moment with looks of dire concern. Cristoph let out a huge sigh of relief as he leaped to his feet.

"He has returned!" The monk announced triumphantly.

"Of course I have returned, I was only gone for a few minutes," Wrotan said.

"You were gone for over three hours, we were beginning to worry," Mariah said.

"Indeed, but you are here now. All is well. Now, what did you see?" Cristoph asked.

"I was in this room, or at least some version of this room. There were hundreds of mirrors, each with its own reflection of me," Wrotan answered.

"Yes, the hub. One of the more dangerous areas of the spirit world. The mirrors are both portals and reflections all at once. A person can become trapped in another world if they are not careful. No doubt you saw the mirrors that were shaped like you?"

"There was only one mirror shaped like me. The others were varying sizes and shapes. Seven large, three small, one oddly shaped, and hundreds of incredibly small mirrors."

"This is intriguing. We don't have time to get into all of it, but what I can tell you is that the seven large mirrors represent the seven cornerstones of our world. They are water, air, earth, fire, nature, darkness, and light. The three smaller mirrors represent three inevitabilities of life. Those are conflict, time, and death. The oddly shaped mirror represents magic. This means you could possibly learn the arcane arts or, at the very least, you have a connection to them. Lastly, we have the mirrors shaped like you. These are the worlds you are most connected with. Given more time at the hub, the mirrors will change to allow access to different worlds."

"Different worlds? Could the shadow dragons be in one of these worlds?" Alandra asked.

"It is not possible. I will attempt to better explain it. They are not worlds so much as pieces of our world. Legends tell of the days of reckoning when men and women possessed power great enough to seal off entire kingdoms and continents. It is said that one such man, Cron, was able to not only seal off locations, but destroy them completely. It was later surmised that he had not destroyed them, but rather locked them in another place of existence. We believe the spirit world connects them all. There are other accounts as well, such as those who believe that lesser celestial or spiritual beings created lands all to themselves and invited their most loyal minions. We may never know the complete truth."

"Why are they specific to certain elements?" Amber asked.

"A fine question. It is our belief that Cron's enemies harnessed the power of the elements themselves and with the sealing of the individual came the sealing of the elements. The world of Palemedor will not be complete until all of the pieces are restored, or so we believe. Others believe that the elements have their own miniature worlds and that the individual's closeness to each element is what sends them to specific realms," Cristoph replied.

"This is all well and good, but the world as we know it will be destroyed if we are unable to stop the shadow dragons," Wrotan said.

"Right you are. I've informed Bertram that you are seeking Lamont and he has agreed to accompany you. He and his men have prepared everything you will need for the journey. You may leave as soon as you like."

*

The man in charge of the expedition, Bertram, looked much like the other monks they had seen at the monastery. He had assembled half a dozen others, bringing the new number of travelers up to twelve. Hadrin smiled as he watched the party gather. Twelve felt like a good number, not too many, not too few. Adding the horses brought the number to twenty seven, another favorable sign in the elf's mind. His companions, it seemed, were not quite so satisfied. Alandra looked almost apprehensive as she approached the group. She stayed close to Hadrin, for the most part. The Prince was flattered that she chose to stay near him, but he worried that the two groups might not work as well together as Cristoph had assumed. He let his thoughts wander as they started off on what he knew would feel like a very long trip.

Hadrin slowed his horse just in time to avoid a collision with the rider ahead of him. The tedium of riding for days at a time without much break in the scenery and only two stops per day had lulled the Prince into a routine that lacked awareness. He began to inquire as to why they had halted, but stopped when he saw the caravan in the distance. Bertram called together the small group. The Prince kept his eye on the caravan as he moved in closer to the others. There was something unnerving about the caravan that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"These are the first travelers we have seen yet. They might have useful information," Bertram said.

"They might be dangerous. I've never seen a caravan with that many guards," Hadrin said as he continued to watch the caravan.

"There is no doubt they've spotted us by now. Any evasive maneuvers would set us well off course."

"Do you think a caravan would hunt down a dozen riders?" Wrotan asked.

"I've seen the aftermath of such an event. We may not be in the wilds, but things here can often be much worse," Bertram replied.

"That doesn't leave us with very many options," Mariah said.

"I count three: we can approach peacefully, we can run, or we can attack," the Prince said.

"We can approach them peacefully, but we should be ready for them to attack," Wrotan added.

"Approach with confidence and be prepared, I like that. Paladins are trained to fight against any odds, we can approach with the utmost confidence. What about you?" Bertram asked.

"Don't worry about us," the hunter answered.

The paladin nodded before spurring his horse to a trot. Hadrin looked at the others in his party. Alandra's expression was closer to defiance than confidence, but the Prince felt it would work just as well. Mariah looked cautious, but seemed prepared for the worst. Amber did the best she could to put on a strong face, but there was little doubt that the caravan guards would see through it. Bertram and his paladins all seemed under control, but there was a sense of unease about them. Finally, Wrotan looked as though he had just slain a dragon and was returning for the feast. The Prince had no doubt that the hunter would be the reason the caravan guards would choose against fighting. If they choose not to fight, that is, the elf thought.

"I don't know that I can do this," Amber said as she got closer to Alandra and Hadrin.

"Stick close to Wrotan, only a fool would attack him," the Prince said.

"That spirit world visit seems to have made him even more Wrotan than he was before, if that is even possible," Alandra said.

"What do you mean?" Mariah asked as she joined the others.

"I've never met anyone so set on self-improvement. He is an accomplished hunter, he has saved dozens of lives, the man is constantly striving to do the right thing. It doesn't matter if the beneficiaries are appreciative or not. For a man so outcast by much of society, you would think he would get tired of pushing himself," Hadrin said.

"No more time for conversation, I need all eyes on the caravan. Alert me if you see anything out of the ordinary," Wrotan said as he slowed to speak to his companions.

The hunter spurred his horse forward. He rode on past Bertram without even checking with the paladin. Hadrin was relieved to see that somebody other than the leader of the paladins would be the first to make contact with the caravan. He could tell that Bertram was not pleased, but the paladin made no move to overtake Wrotan. Everyone watched as the hunter slowed his horse near the outskirts of the caravan. He had his horse slow to a crawl as he looked down at the caravan guards. The mercenaries watched with no small measure of wariness as Wrotan called out for the caravan master to come meet together. Bertram caught up to the hunter and they both dismounted as the caravan master came out to see them. He was younger than Hadrin had expected, but he looked the part. His extravagant outfit made all but a few of the members of the caravan look like peasants. He was flanked by two of his own personal bodyguards, neither of whom seemed to like the idea of Wrotan and Bertram demanding to see their master. More caravan guards began to gather as they watched the two strangers with seemingly iron wills.

"I don't like the look of this, we best be ready to open an escape route for them," Mariah said.

"They've certainly managed to gather quite the crowd," one of the paladins said.

A lone caravan guard acted before anyone else. He drew his sword and lunged toward Bertram. The leader of the paladins stepped back out of range of the blow and drew his war hammer. His hammer's long handle gave him the necessary reach to counterattack without fear of being hit. He swung the hammer with such speed and precision that his opponent never had a chance. The other caravan guards stared in disbelief as their comrade collapsed to the floor. Hadrin could hear the caravan master yelling something as his men frantically began drawing their weapons. A small portion of the soldiers broke off and moved to intercept the paladins who were rushing to join their leader in battle. The Prince drew his sword and charged forward to join the holy warriors. Mariah and Alandra followed closely behind as Amber began preparing healing herbs and bandages.

"To Bertram!" One of the paladins ordered as she rushed into the battle.

"We'll need to break through for them to stand any chance of surviving," Alandra said.

The two groups met together in a giant clash. Hadrin downed an opponent and then was forced to parry. He stayed on the defensive until Alandra was able to assist him in overcoming his opponent. They banded together and took out three more opponents. The Prince stopped once they had broken through the small batch of opponents. He watched in horror as dozens of caravan guards descended upon Bertram and Wrotan. The caravan's lone magician stepped forward and cast a quick spell. Hadrin and the others attempted to charge toward their companions, but were stopped by a magic barrier. He hit the barrier with his sword and it sent a shockwave through his body, forcing him to drop his weapon.

"Save your strength, they'll come for us next," one paladin said as she helped Hadrin to his feet.

"If they get a chance. Look!" Mariah said, barely able to contain her excitement as she pointed toward the fight.

Bertram batted away attack after attack using both his shield and his war hammer. Wrotan stayed on the offensive as his companion defended against the crowd of mercenaries. He used his superior quickness to pivot around opponents and his strength to knock them aside or into each other. His free hand darted to and fro, pulling a guard off balance or shoving another guard out of range. The two combatants continually switched places to ensure that their opponents were unable to adapt to their fighting styles. Within a short period of time, they have managed to wound or kill enough opponents to create an opening. Wrotan darted past the guards and took up position with his back against the mage's barrier. Bertram joined him shortly thereafter and they worked in conjunction to fight off several waves of attacks.

"Bring that barrier down, we need to surround them again!" The caravan master yelled.

"It will allow the rest of their party to join the fight," the mage said.

"I don't care, I want them dead."

Hadrin nodded to the others and sprang into action as soon as the barrier was down. Their charge broke the enemy's spirit, resulting in a rout. The caravan master, driven insane with rage, began cutting down his own troops as they tried to retreat. Wrotan reached him first and delivered a sword through the heart before he or his bodyguards could react. With their leader dead, the handful of remaining soldiers either continued running or surrendered. Bertram ordered his men to split up and examine the wagons. He wiped off his war hammer and joined them. Wrotan sat down and began checking for wounds. His aggressive style of fighting had helped to seal the victory, but it had left him open on several occasions.

"That didn't quite go as expected," he said as the others approached.

"There must be an explanation for their willingness to fight," Amber said.

"I believe that I've found something that will explain that," Bertram said as he approached.

"What is it?" Hadrin asked.

"According to the leader's journal, they were slavers. More than likely, they thought we were guardsmen for some noble whose son or daughter had been kidnapped and that Wrotan was a champion from the clan they raided a week ago."

"Where are the slaves?" Amber asked.

"Sold. No more than two days ago," one of the prisoners said.

"According to the journal, they were headed out on another raid. It seems that the four kingdoms were keeping them well paid and well equipped to ensure that the borderlanders and wilders were kept under control," Bertram added.

"It is a fairly common practice in the wilds. The smaller tribes get hit the hardest. Chiefs have even begun to authorize retaliatory raids. I had hoped for a friendly caravan, but getting rid of a bunch of slavers isn't a bad thing," Wrotan said.

"If we manage to halt the slavery for a time, would the tribes be willing to follow us to war?" Hadrin asked.

"They might. We can look into it for the future, for now we should focus on getting Kade out of his predicament."

"It won't be easy taking out the slavers. We were one of the smaller less organized groups. One-eyed Silva, Old Jack, and the Demon are the three main slavers. They each have their own slice of territory. Between the three of them, they keep the dwarven lands, the borderlands, and the wilds from getting to powerful," the prisoner said.

"Why are you helping us?" Amber asked.

"I'm not proud of what I did. I was in it for the money and it never quite felt right. This isn't my way of trying to get any of you to spare me. I am simply trying to make up for some of the horrible things I did."

*

Kade and several of his Knights dismounted from their horses as they neared the inn. According to the locals, the owner was a friend to the dragon hunters. It was a particularly busy night at the inn, meaning more dragon hunters to maim or kill. Ungaroth and his fellow dragons had insisted that they weren't afraid of the dragon hunters, yet they were open about only needing to injure them. Kade found it amusing that they were so adamant about stopping these groups, yet still claimed to be all-powerful. He pushed open the door to the inn and then made his way to the bar. The innkeeper rushed over to him and asked if he and his men wanted something to drink.

"Nothing for us, thank you. We are here because there are rumors that you support the dragon hunters," Kade said.

"Absolutely, they're heroes. We'd have to deal with those deadly beasts if not for them. You here to join?" The bartender asked.

"No, I'm here to send a message. Not just a message to the dragon hunters, but a message to everyone. The dragons are returning and your foolish dragon hunters will be swept away in flames."

His words riled up the patrons of the inn, but none as much as the dragon hunters. It was just as he had planned. More than a dozen armored patrons stood up from their tables and drew their weapons. Kade drew his own sword and motioned for his men to do the same. He placed his free hand on top of the bar and whispered an incantation. The wood began to splinter as it came to life and pulled itself up. It formed the shape of a large humanoid wielding a club. The young leader of the Knights used his thoughts to order it to attack the dragon hunters. He followed closely behind the wooden automaton and clashed with the first opponent he could find. Small shadowy tendrils seeped out of his free hand and held the man in place as he drove his sword into his opponent's gut. He flicked his hand to the side and the tendrils sent the man flying.

Kade's Knights engaged the dragon hunters just as the crowd was beginning to get involved. The majority of the tavern patrons were farmers and villagers, but some of them were competent fighters. They surrounded the Knights of Ardevale and their leader. The wooden construct let out a deep roar as it slammed its club into the gathering field of opponents. Kade grabbed hold of a chair and uttered the same words as before. He continued in that fashion until there were over a dozen wooden creations assaulting the patrons of the inn. His Knights let out a cheer as they led the final charge against the enemy. He raised his sword in the air as the last of the dragon hunters was killed. Much of the inn had been destroyed in the battle, but none of his men were seriously injured.

"Let this be a lesson to the four kingdoms. The dragons are coming and they bring with them," he said.

"This was a good victory, but the dragon hunters are much greater in number. I fear we may just be driving even more people into their fold," one of his Knights said.

"Attos, this is not about fighting the easy fight. We are to bring the full brunt of our forces down on these dragon hunters."

"I understand, sir, but the four kingdoms will surely respond with an army."

"Yes, that is why it is of the utmost importance that Finrul secures the borderlands. They'll need to position their armies in such a way that the invasion isn't too easy for the elves. That should give us a chance to continue our quest. In the meantime, we should make it known that we are hunting these dragon hunters," Kade said.

"What if they travel with the armies?" Attos asked.

"We must make certain that they will do no such thing. I need to contact the others. Finrul and his men cannot let anyone know he is working with the dragons. The four kingdoms must think this is a separate threat. Get me a scroll, I have much to write."

#  War

Finrul took a deep breath as he watched his men begin their march. The borderlanders had sent an army to challenge the elves and this would be the first clash between either side. This army was no match for the one that the elves had brought, but they were unaware of his other battalions. As far as the borderlanders knew, they were facing one army that was slightly larger than their own. The magician had given his Generals specific orders as to how to deal with the situation at hand. He had predicted that they would respond in such a manner and he wanted to send an unmistakable message. The two armies were preparing to meet on the field as he considered whether or not to use his magic to assist his own men.

"Revin, should I tip my hand this early?" He asked as his new head of intelligence approached.

"I'm sure I know what you are talking about," Revin replied.

"My magic, should I give our enemies a taste of it or should I save it for later?"

"It would make a fine display, but I do not think now is the time. Our force should be able to squash this army without even calling in our other battalions."

"You seem quite confident. Is there any reason to keep the other battalions back?"

"Perhaps one of them. I have no doubt that we would sustain fewer casualties if we use all three battalions, but what if they decide to run to the four kingdoms for assistance?" Revin asked.

"A question I've been pondering for some time. We need to face the four kingdoms at some point, that is for certain. However, when will they make their move? Will they allow us to decide where and when to strike or will they counterattack when possible? There is much that we need to learn about the kingdoms," Finrul said.

"I shall look into it myself."

"Good, but not until after the battle. I want you to watch and inform me of how we can improve for the future. Before you say anything, I already know that there are others who are better tacticians. That isn't what I am looking for at the moment. What I need from you is someone who is willing to give me information that will be helpful. The Generals already know how to fight their battles, what I need is somebody who can look at both sides and figure out where the strengths and weaknesses will come into play."

"If it helps, sir, there are a few things I've already noticed about our men. You see, their confidence is much higher than their actual skill. We are the better army, yes, but foolish mistakes could cost us this battle. They don't know that you'll bring in the other battalions, yet they are already planning their celebrations. Confidence is good, but overconfidence is easy to exploit. Our enemy, on the other hand, seems to be gearing for quite a war. They protect their own lands and they will do so with a ferocity that our men cannot match. We need them to feel overwhelmed and helpless. This cannot turn into a last stand type of situation for them. Humans have an ever so strange way of always wanting to be the big hero. Martyrs are not good for our cause. We need to ensure that their heroes die first and brutally."

Finrul smiled and nodded as he contemplated the elf's words. He was correct, of course. Revin had a way of seeing things that others would often overlook. To Finrul and his Generals, war was war. Whether attacking or defending, the elves always believed themselves to be doing what was right. They fought as well as they could, but it would be difficult to match the desperation of the humans. The longevity of elves could, on occasion, create issues that other races didn't need to deal with. Finrul turned his attention toward the two armies. As he had commanded, the frontline troops had halted in preparation for the ranged troops. The first volley caused a panic among the human army. Their soldiers were less inclined to want to fight an enemy that was out of range. However, their spirit served them well. The foot soldiers broke off to the side and allowed the riders a straight shot at the elven frontline.

"How quickly they rush to their deaths," Finrul said.

"Do not be so certain. I've seen them move like this before. The humans are a very crafty people," Revin said.

The elven foot soldiers readied their weapons and began to head out toward the cavalry. Even though Finrul had expressly told them to allow the enemy to initiate the attacks, his men still were too eager to keep from charging. Out ran the frontline troops. They chased after the horsemen, but quickly found themselves to be outmatched. Finrul watched in frustration as the enemy riders circled around his troops and charged at his archers. His own cavalry began their surge forward, but they were not quick enough to stop the slaughter that ensued. The enemy horsemen descended upon his archers and tore through their ranks before circling back toward their own army. His foot soldiers moved to cut off the cavalry, but had left themselves open to a barrage of arrows from behind. Within a matter minutes, his troops had gone from almost certain victory to almost certain defeat. He signaled for the two banners to be raised.

"It looks like we will be using all three battalions today, Revin," Finrul said.

"You'll need to speak with the Generals when this is over. There is no excuse for what just happened. Either our foot soldiers need to be more disciplined or the cavalry needs to be able to react quicker. They massacred our archers and that does not bode well for the future of our campaign," the elf said.

"I will do what I can to ensure that everyone learns from this mistake. It is hard to believe that we fell for such a move. Have we gone too long without war?"

"Our people will remember, their pride won't give them any other choice. Not that it was the most dishonorable tactic, but our people are not accustomed to fighting other races anymore. There was a time when we knew the humans tactics as if they were our own, but that is not so anymore. Our people think like elves and that can be dangerous."

*

"This has been a disgrace," Finrul said as he addressed his three Generals.

"I agree, sir. The humans are barbaric and dishonorable. It is truly appalling to see such tactics used on the field of battle," General Kern said.

"I was referring to our own shortcomings. The humans should never get the jump on the elves. We are superior. How did this happen?"

"We were unprepared, sir Finrul," General Peliras replied.

"And why were we unprepared?" The elven mage asked.

"Overconfidence, I believe. Yes, we are superior, but that does not mean that they are unable to come up with effective tactics. Yes, we are better, but that does not make them worthless. We underestimated them and overestimated ourselves," General Wellith said.

"You are correct, Wellith. I think it is time that we instate you as High General. Peliras and Kern will obey your orders from here on out. Let us learn from this mistake. We may have the dragons on our side, but that does not mean that we will not need superior tactics to win this war," Finrul said before dismissing his Generals.

He paced back and forth, contemplating how to explain to the dragons that nearly a third of his archers had been wiped out. They would want someone to blame and he couldn't afford to choose any of his Generals. He sighed as he accepted that it would be the best course of action to take on the blame himself. His hand trembled as he took up his quill. He took a deep breath and began writing out a letter to explain what had happened. There was little doubt in his mind that the dragons would not be happy with this failure. Despite having won the battle, this many losses was simply unacceptable. The sorcerer wondered if this would be his last letter.

*

Wrotan grimaced as he climbed up onto his horse. The battle against the caravan guards had not come without a cost. Both Bertram and the hunter had been wounded. The leader of the paladins tried his best to show no weaknesses, but everyone could see that he was hurting. Wrotan, on the other hand, made no effort to hide the fact that even a week after the encounter, his injuries still got in the way. Since their encounter with the caravan, they had slowed their pace to speed the recovery of the injured. Two of the paladins had also taken minor wounds in the fight. Nearly everyone involved had come away with at least a few nicks and bruises, but Wrotan and Bertram had taken the brunt of it.

"Don't we look nice," Mariah said as she came alongside Wrotan.

"As long as everything heals properly, I don't mind a few scars," Wrotan said.

"That was pretty impressive back there. You two must have killed over a dozen each."

"We got lucky. Bertram's initial blow shocked most of our opponents. We also must remember that slavers are trained to capture not kill. Their instincts kicked in and they were trying to subdue us. I did everything I could to attack as aggressively as possible. They should have killed me, but they were looking to wear me down instead."

"It wasn't luck. I believe Bertram knew what he was doing with that savage counterattack and you knew exactly how to take advantage of your enemy's main weakness."

"You make it sound glamorous. We were better prepared, it is as simple as that."

"That isn't normal. The average swordsman does not prepare for extreme situations. You have a skill that not many others can master."

"What exactly should I be doing with this skill?" Wrotan asked.

"Once we are finished here, you could use your skills to defend those who truly need it. I understand that the wilds are your home, but the people there can fend for themselves. You could make a real difference in the city," Mariah replied.

"I wish it were that simple."

"Not everyone will see you as an outsider, you will find a place to fit in."

"It isn't entirely their fault. I played a part in it as well."

"What happened?"

"That is a story for another time."

*

Hadrin covered his nose as the smell wafted toward them. Something was seriously wrong up ahead. Bertram signaled to his paladins and they all spurred their horses on faster. The elf made no move to show up at the scene any quicker. His companions were of the same mind. Their altercation with the caravan had taught them not to rush into situations too quickly. The sight was almost worse than the smell. An entire swath of the forest had been torched, all for the sake of finding a handful of dwarves. The bodies were charred beyond what a normal fire could have done. Alandra held back to ensure that Amber was ok. Hadrin and the others rode ahead.

"What could have done this?" The Prince asked as he rode up to the leader of the paladins.

"Only two things can cause this sort of damage. We are looking at either dragons or magicians," Bertram replied.

"It is likely the earth dragons. They've been at odds with the dwarves at times throughout history. The dwarves have been attempting to retake mount Kargon and I have no doubt that the dragons aren't happy about that," Wrotan said.

"I don't think I've ever been in a situation where I wanted to add more dragons into the mix. Are we certain that traveling to the dwarven lands is our best course of action?" Mariah asked.

"We really don't have much choice. Even if we can stop Kade, the four kingdoms and the elves will side against us. If we are able to assist the dwarves, they may help us in return."

"Good thing we have a hunter with us," one of the paladins said as he approached with a dragon claw.

"You don't hunt dragons. They hunt you," Wrotan said.

"True or not, we have little choice. One of my men found Lamont's knife. We are on the right track, but it looks like the path leads to dragons. Even if there was no sign of Lamont, this attack was an abomination," Bertram said.

"These are not your typical dragons. They are earth dragons. Whether or not any of their kin are assisting them remains to be seen. That having been said, the shadow dragons will undoubtedly seek their allegiance."

"How is an earth dragon different from the ones we saw with my father?" Hadrin asked.

"They're mainly underground beasts. This does not mean they will not come above ground, but they prefer to burrow. They are significantly less agile and they have no wings. Unfortunately, they are also much hardier," the hunter replied.

"Have you faced one before?" Amber asked, trying to take her mind off the devastation that surrounded them.

"No, but I've spent time among the dragon hunters of the four kingdoms. Most people take their tales as nothing more than exaggerations, but I don't doubt that most of what they told me is true. Luckily for us, earth dragons are the easiest to fight with small numbers. Precision and speed are the key. We need to strike fast and true."

Hadrin nodded as he walked closer to the carnage. There was something about seeing the dragon's handiwork with his own eyes that really brought things home for the Prince. He sighed as he continued to examine the scene. By his count, there were more than a hundred charred corpses. The dragons had attacked without care for whether their target had been man, woman, or child. Hadrin clenched his fist as he thought about his father's involvement with the beasts. In his eyes, the King was just as guilty of the slaughter as the dragons that had unleashed the fire. Save it for the dragons, he thought as he opened his fist.

*

Obrin took a deep breath before stepping toward the shadow portal. The dragons had begun using them to travel across great distances. He hated the feeling of stepping into pure darkness, but the result was always easier than any other form of travel. The fertile farmlands of the borderlands greeted him upon his exit from the portal. Several elves hailed him as they came down the hill toward him. He raised his hand in greeting. They quickly surrounded him and rushed him back up the hill without a word. Finrul's camp was quite the sight to behold. The elves had set up large watchtowers on the highest hill within sight. There were small patrols constantly checking to ensure that the enemy couldn't take them by surprise.

"You seem to have learned from your earlier blunder," Obrin said as they brought him into the sorcerer's tent.

"That I have. You see, the humans are a devious people. They will use whatever means necessary to weaken their opponents. We can't let that happen," Finrul replied.

"I told the dragons that you would make up for the mistake, my faith was well placed. Ungaroth was hoping that the conquest of the borderlands would be finished sooner. What is holding up our plans?"

"We were told to give Kade as much time as possible in eliminating the dragon hunters. Has that request changed?"

"No, the dragons are also disappointed with how long he is taking. They underestimate the human's ability to adapt. None of this is why I am really here. The dragons want me to ensure that your men are comfortable using shadow portals."

"How can we be comfortable using them if we haven't a clue what they are?" Finrul asked.

"They sent me to teach you how to create and use them. It will be up to you to effectively use these shadow portals," Obrin replied.

"What do they want us to do with these portals?"

"They want you to use them to surprise the enemy. Shadow portals allow you to travel instantaneously. Because you are new to this type of magic, I advise you keep the distance to within eyesight. Preferably you can find a decent vantage point to open the portals for your men to give them the upper hand in even the most dire of situations."

*

Kade watched as column after column of troops passed. Something had alerted the four kingdoms, making his mission that much more difficult. The morale of his Knights had taken a significant hit when they spotted the armies on the move. A full battalion of dragon hunters had yet to be seen, but several had been seen interspersed throughout the armies. They are marching toward the elves, Kade told himself as he moved further into the forest. A handful of his Knights stayed behind to keep an eye on their enemies as he headed back into the main camp. He sighed as he looked over his troops. His two hundred Knights were among the best warriors in the land, but the enemy's numbers would crush them like a bug. They needed to find a way to lure out their targets without bringing the armies into the mix.

"What news, sir?" Attos asked as Kade arrived at the camp.

"The four kingdoms are marching for war. They pass by the edge of the forest. Some of the dragon hunters ride with them, but we are not yet certain where the bulk of our targets reside," the young leader replied.

"I sent some of our men out to try to get information out of the locals. They will bring us back what we need."

"While I do not appreciate you doing this without my consent, I am glad that the scouts are already on their way. Well done, perhaps it is time that I give you more responsibility. Would you be interested in taking command of the scouts?"

"It would be an honor, sir."

The young leader nodded as he dismissed Attos. Things were beginning to shape up rather nicely. He felt a strange need for eliminating the dragon hunters, but as each day passed the feeling seemed to get further and further away. There were days when he wondered why he served the dragons. He grabbed a paper and quill and began to write out a new set of instructions for his Lieutenant. His hand quivered for a moment, but then stopped as he finished out the first sentence. Whatever fight was going on inside of him, his dominant will seemed to be winning out.

*

"What can you tell me of the spirit world?" Wrotan asked as he rode closer to Bertram.

"Not much. Lamont and Cristoph are the real experts in that sense. They may not always agree, but you can be certain that one of them is right most of the time. I've seen them get quite heated in their arguments about the specifics. Lamont believes that there are two parts to the spirit realm, one good and the other evil. Cristoph believes it to be one realm that is neither good nor evil, but rather that it has good and evil beings that reside in it. I am certain that Lamont will be able to give you more information on the topic," the paladin replied.

"Perhaps you can tell me of the paladins?"

"That I can. The spirit monks were not always in need of defenders in their numbers. They were accepted by the people long ago. That all changed rather quickly. Our monastery was at the edge of the lands of two warring kingdoms. There was no strategic value to our building, but the kingdoms each wanted to use it as a sort of watchtower to keep an eye on their rival. We were forced to defend ourselves. Out of the flames, the order of paladins was born. Ultimately, the spirit order was overtaken. We spent decades under the rule of tyrannical kingdoms. The lands switched hands many times and, one year, we saw an opening. Our paladins lead the rebellion and we were able to win back our freedom. We have been an integral part of the spirit order ever since. It may seem strange that a group that abhors violence has soldiers, but there are times when fighting is the only choice."

"I hate to interrupt, but we appear to have company," Hadrin said as he joined the two at the front of the pack.

"It seems that we have found Lamont and the dwarves. Good, they must be in need of assistance against the dragons," Bertram said.

The dwarves looked battered and beaten, but they still raised their weapons as the group approached. Wrotan watched them carefully as he brought his horse to a stop. They talked among themselves for a few seconds and then one of the dwarves started running back toward the makeshift camp that they had set up. The lone dwarf returned with a human and several dwarves. They made their way past the line of dwarven defenders and hailed the travelers. Bertram raised his hand when he spotted the man. The hunter followed the paladin's lead and dismounted as the dwarves approached. He was surprised to see that even the dwarven leaders looked battered. The main difference that he noticed was that their leaders still had the fight in them.

"Hail, humans. Lamont has informed us that one of you is Bertram. The paladin and his order are welcome here, but not the others," one of the dwarves said.

"While I understand your apprehension, I do not think it is wise for you to turn away help," Bertram replied.

"We have no choice. Our enemies will do anything to defeat us. This could be another of their tricks."

"I can assure you that Wrotan and his allies are not in league with the dragons."

"Why are the elves here?" Lamont asked as he approached the paladin.

"We would be glad to tell you the story once those dragons are dead," Wrotan replied.

"How did you know there was more than one?" One of the dwarves demanded.

"I'm a hunter, I was conditioned to know my prey."

"You've hunted a dragon before?"

"No, I'm not crazy. Every hunter worth his weight in gold knows the basic rules of hunting a dragon, the first of which is not to hunt them. I've lost enough friends to those beasts to know not to hunt one, but that doesn't mean I can't do it."

*

"Why exactly are you traveling with them?" Lamont asked as he pulled Bertram aside.

"You know how Cristoph does things," the paladin replied.

"We both know how you operate. You wouldn't go along with his plan unless you agreed with it."

"One of them survived a trip to the spirit world. He might just be the one we are looking for. Cristoph wants me to keep an eye on him and see if he would be willing to assist us."

"What else?"

"They are on the hunt for a young man that may hold the key to defeating the shadow dragons and their allies. His mind is being controlled by the dragons."

"What is the significance of this?" Lamont asked.

"Unlike the others, he is human and never came into direct contact with the scourge before contracting it. We believe that this will reveal much about our enemies. My turn now, why are you helping the dwarves?"

"I've told you about my theories about the shadow people, yes? I believe they have an enemy or had an enemy. You see, the dwarves had recently discovered what they thought was an ancient dwarven stronghold. I think that the dwarves were allied with the spirit people. This is our chance at finding the enemies of the shadow. If I could just examine the ruins, I might be able to find a way to contact them."

"An unknown enemy appears and threatens the known world and you are chasing ghosts?" Bertram asked.

"The shadow dragons and their ilk were just ghosts until recently. Isn't it possible that spirit people are real as well? They could be valuable allies in the coming struggle."

"Their existence could also provide you with the means to take over the spirit monastery. Cristoph's credibility would be damaged by such a revelation."

"That's just the tip of the iceberg, my friend. From what I gather, the spirit warriors are gearing up for a conquest of their own. If we assist them in taking the four kingdoms and sending the shadows back to wherever it is they come from, they would make us Kings!"

"You know I'm not one to take sides, Lamont. What happens to me and others like me?"

"War always has casualties, but if people like you don't get in the way of the spirit warriors, you should survive. Were the shadows to win, I am not so certain."

*

Finrul extended his arm as he opened the shadow portal. It wasn't necessary, but sometimes the small things helped when trying new spells. He tried his best to stay calm as he watched the men disappear into the swirling darkness. Too much excitement and the spell could spiral out of his control. Too much apprehension and the spell could fizzle out. For all he knew, either of those could cause casualties. The dragons had ordered him to master the technique no matter the cost, but he knew there would be consequences if he lost more than a few soldiers. He pushed aside all thoughts not relating to the portal itself. The mind was a mage's most powerful tool, but it could also become the source of catastrophic failure.

"One more squad and then we break," He yelled to the nearest Captain.

"How much longer do we have to master this?" Revin asked as the last of the groups entered the portal.

"They never told me, which means the sooner the better. I'll let them rest for a time and then we will begin with a new group."

"What about you?"

"What about me?" The magician turned toward Revin as he closed the portal.

"Magic takes a toll on the user, you know that better than I."

"I haven't even come close to mastering the spell, there is no way for me to tell what will happen to me. Obrin seemed unaffected by it, that is a good sign."

"Is it wise to place this much faith in the dragons?"

"Perhaps not, but this spell is powerful. It is worth whatever cost is incurred."

*

Kade rubbed his eyes as he sat up. He shivered as he glanced around to gather his bearings. The Knights of Ardevale were gone, replaced by a massive dragon and a lone warrior. He tried to move his legs, but they wouldn't respond to his commands. His body slowly floated toward the two beings. The warrior altered his grip on his spear as he stepped toward the dragon. His opponent reared back and snarled. Neither of them paid Kade any attention as he floated in for a better look. The warrior was tall and thin. Taller than any human he had ever seen, but with a significantly smaller frame than the giants of legend. There was something familiar about the figure. He pivoted to the side as the dragon unleashed a swath of flames. The two combatants continued their dance. Neither could manage to get the upper hand. The massive beast clawed and whipped its tail to and fro, but each time the warrior was too quick. He darted around the dragon, stabbing with his spear. Several times he made contact, but the spear slid off the dragon's hide.

"Where am I?" Kade shouted as he floated in-between the two of them.

"This is most unexpected," said the dragon.

"I'm not certain that either of us can properly explain that," the warrior said.

"Who are you?" The young man asked.

"The beast's name is unimportant. All you need to know is that it is indeed a dragon as you already suspect. I am Tychran of the Kelimar. We are an ancient race that opposes the shadow at every turn. With your help, I can defeat this creature. Now is hardly the time for that, though. You must awaken," the warrior said as he reached out and touched Kade's forehead.

Kade awoke in the forest where his Knights were camped. He squinted as he glanced around the camp. Everything was quiet, almost too quiet. He listened for any sound and was rewarded with the soft crunch of a twig. The sound was immediately followed by a shushing noise. Kade sprang to his feet and thrust his hands toward the noise. A shadowy tentacle shot out from his left palm and grabbed hold of one of the soldiers that was attempting an ambush. His right palm began to glow before emitting a beam of silver energy. The beam took another of the attackers in the chest and knocked him back several feet. Both the beam and the tentacle took on a life of their own as Kade spotted the rest of the enemy squad. His eyes were transfixed on his victims as the tentacle smashed bones, crushed windpipes, and cracked skulls. The beam tore through the opponents that the shadow tentacle had missed.

"What's happening?" Attos asked as he scrambled to his feet.

"These fools were under the impression that they could sneak up on us. I proved them wrong," Kade replied as the tentacle retracted into his left palm and the beam died out.

#  Dragon Hunting

Mariah nodded to Wrotan as he finished assembling the final ballista. She wanted to say something, but the timing didn't feel right. He waved and she waved back before turning away. A small squad of dwarves was awaiting her orders just down the tunnel. They were among the few that had survived a run-in with a dragon and dared to face one again. She was the only member of the group that didn't have experience facing off against one of the creatures, but nobody else had volunteered to lead the small squad into the dragon's lair. Besides Wrotan's task of actually killing the beast, Mariah had taken on the most dangerous mission. One of the dwarves joined her at the front of the column as they began to march.

"Nothing to be afraid of, lass," he said.

"There is plenty to be afraid of," she said.

"Aye, but we'll get the beast. That hunter has the real difficult task. Friend of yours?"

"Yes, maybe something more, I don't really know. Do you really think we can do this?"

"As crazy as it sounds, I truly believe we will succeed."

The dwarf nodded as he drew his axe. Mariah pulled the shield off her back and drew her sword. The exit to the dwarven tunnels wasn't far from where the dragon had taken up his position. She took a deep breath as she wrestled with the reality of fighting a pack of smaller dragons just to get the attention of the full size creature. Hadrin, having the most experience dealing with dragons, had insisted that they keep from engaging the earth dragon until they had it cornered. It seemed to disagree with common sense, but it was the only way to ensure the beast's death. The former guardswoman cleared her mind as she spotted the drake.

"Take out as many of the smaller ones as you can," she ordered as she pointed her sword toward the drake.

"The others said to focus on the big one," one of the dwarves said.

"We won't be around later to kill the drakes."

"You're the only non-dwarf here."

"Wrotan's focus may be on the earth dragon, but he will do his best to kill as many drakes as possible."

The conversation ended as the drakes spotted the oncoming attackers. Mariah reached the creatures first. She dodged to the side and sliced at the beast's wing. Her sword tore through the drake's wing, sending it bellowing in rage. The dwarves swarmed the wounded creature and finished it off as the former guardswoman moved on to the next target. They fought off the initial wave of drakes until the ground began to shake. Mariah called the dwarves back in to formation. She stayed at the front as the entire squadron slowly backed away. The ground shook even more violently as the earth dragon burst out of its cave.

"This is it. Make sure it stays on us until Wrotan can get to it," Mariah said.

*

Wrotan stood with a spear in hand, waiting on the squad to return with the dragon. He heard a low rumble in the distance. The dwarves began loading up the ballistae. His other companions stayed back and watched. The hunter took a deep breath as he spotted the first of the dwarves to return. Several other dwarves were right on his heels and just behind them were a few drakes. Wrotan dropped his spear and drew his sword. He sprinted toward the first of the creatures and leaped toward it. His sword dug into the drake's neck. He grabbed hold of the sword and dragged it down, tearing the beast's throat open. The creature crashed to the floor as the hunter pulled his sword from the corpse.

"The dragon is coming!" One of the dwarves yelled as he ran into the tunnel.

"Focus the ballistae on the earth dragon, everyone else thin out the drakes!" Wrotan yelled as he sprinted back to his spear.

He sheathed his sword and picked up the spear. The dragon let out a massive roar as it burst into the tunnel. Wrotan launched his spear at the dragon. It flew through the air and slammed into the creature's leg. Ballista bolts rained down on the beast as the hunter drew his sword and rushed toward the dragon. He nodded to Mariah and she slid down to one knee and braced her shield against the ground. Wrotan used the shield as a ramp, but still wasn't able to reach the dragon's head. He rolled to the side as the beast attempted to slam him with a claw. The hunter pulled his knife and dug it into one of the dragon's legs. He used it to pull himself higher and dig his sword further up. The creature shook off the attack and spun to deal a death blow.

"I'll send you to your grave, foul beast!" Wrotan yelled as he rolled away from the oncoming claw.

The hunter grabbed his knife from the dragon's leg and ran underneath the creature's belly. He dug the dagger into the beast's gut before rushing out from underneath. One of nearby dwarves threw his axe to the hunter. He brought the axe up behind his head and swung at the dragon's leg as though it were a tree to be felled. His arms repeated the motion several times as the beast bellowed in pain. It limped backward and let out a roar. Wrotan let out a battle cry as he rushed the wounded dragon. The axe dug into the creature's front leg just as the back of the dragon's other paw collided with the hunter. He struggled to his feet as the dragon lurched toward him. The hunter dove to the side, narrowly missing being crushed by the beast.

*

"Reload the ballistae, aim at the dragon's leg!" Mariah yelled as she watched the dragon turn and charge Wrotan.

She ran toward the beast as more dwarven ballista bolts bounced off of the dragon's hide. The former guardswoman grabbed hold of one of the bolts. She lunged at the beast and dug the bolt into the wound in the dragon's leg. The beast roared as it pulled back the wounded leg. Mariah backpedaled as the creature turned to face her. Several dwarves rushed to her side, ready to give their lives to assist her. The dwarves' willingness to work as a team gave her an idea on how to defeat the dragon. She ordered them to break up into four groups. Each group focused on attack one of the beast's legs. They attacked whenever the creature was distracted by another group. Wrotan joined in on the attack and before long the dragon's legs gave out. The massive beast crashed to the floor with a loud roar.

"Take the axe and aim for the neck!" The hunter yelled as he tossed her his weapon.

Mariah caught the axe and dodged to the side as the dragon whipped its head toward her. Wrotan rushed forward and rammed into the fallen beast. He continued assaulting the creature to create an opening for his companion. She slipped in behind the dragon's head and raised the axe as high as she could. It took several tries, but she was able to break through the thick hide and deal a blow that not even a dragon would be able to survive. The dwarves ordered everyone to back away from the beast, but Mariah was stuck behind the thrashing creature's head. Wrotan climbed atop the dragon and slid down to where she was. He helped her to slide free and they both ran out of the creature's reach.

"We've done it!" One of the dwarves yelled.

Wrotan ordered everyone to gather together and tend to the wounded. The others obeyed as the remaining drakes retreated back out of the caverns. Hadrin, Alandra, and Amber did what they could to help the healing of those who had been injured in the battle. Lamont and Bertram led their small party of paladins after the drakes to ensure that they didn't attack again. Mariah approached the fallen dragon with a sense of awe. She ran her fingers along the hide as she walked beside the beast's body. Even after having been attacked by the vicious creature, she couldn't help but have some measure of respect for the dragon.

"It is a shame that the creatures are not willing to listen to reason," Wrotan said as he approached.

"Perhaps, in the future, people will learn to live with such beasts. They are not like other lesser animals that can be tamed and they are far too dangerous to exterminate, even if such a drastic measure were necessary," she said.

"We can always hope. Unfortunately, they are trying to exterminate us. That doesn't give us much choice in the matter."

"How will we be able to defeat multiple dragons? This one didn't even breathe fire or fly. What kind of army will we need to face our enemies?"

"Earth dragons are known to be the toughest to kill. Yes, the others will be more likely to damage our forces, but they will fall easier."

"How can you be certain?" Mariah asked.

"I may not have faced the dragons, but I've learned of them. There are tomes and tomes on fighting the beasts. We will have a decent array of knowledge should be forced to face more of them."

"I had always thought that dragons had scales."

"They do. An earth dragon's scales are underneath the hide, though not in every section. Their weaker parts, like the neck and underbelly, have no scales. Other dragons are even weaker in those areas."

"Can we truly hope to defeat the elves and their dragons? What about the four kingdoms?"

"We will find a way. Hopefully this victory will help us in that. The dwarves should be able to craft armor from the remains of the dragon."

*

Obrin stepped through the portal and waved a greeting to Queen Ophelia and King Lothrin. The sea and forest elf armies were camped out on the massive plain. It was an impressive sight, even for one used to dealing with dragons. The night elf King made his way over to the other two royals. They were already discussing their part in the coming invasion. Their dragons, though weaker than the night, shadow, and sun dragons, were an integral part of keeping the human armies contained. Obrin held back a chuckle as he listened to the two talking about how each would bring far more honor to their people than any other battalion. He cleared his throat as he approached the war table. The other two turned their attention to him.

"It is good to see a united elven alliance. The humans are tough, but we will be victorious," Obrin said.

"Can you be so certain?" Lothrin asked.

"The shadow dragons have given me what we need to defeat even an army larger than our own. Our shadow portals will allow us to strike at them at will. We will be able to attack before they can marshal their defenses."

"What of their dragon slayers?" Ophelia asked.

"We have secret weapon in that fight. Even if he does not stay on as long as the dragons hope, he has already dealt a devastating blow to the four kingdoms," Obrin replied.

"What are you speaking of?"

"The shadows have taken control of a young man's mind. They used him to commandeer a group of Knights to destroy the kingdoms from within. He seems to be slipping from their grip, but a good portion of the damage has already been done."

"Your shadow dragons are too reckless. They do not understand the intricacies of war," Lothrin said.

"There is some merit to your outrage, but we cannot question Ungaroth and his kin. They have provided us with more than what we need to defeat the humans. Prepare your troops, we leave as soon as the portals are functioning," Obrin said.

The night elf King left the table and turned toward the countryside where the armies were located. He spread his arms out in front of him. A small portal opened in front of the armies. It began to expand to be able to account for large portions of troops entering. Obrin motioned toward the portal and waited for his fellow royals to order their troops through. Lothrin and Ophelia joined him and they all waited as the two massive armies traveled through the portal. The forest King and the sea Queen entered first, leaving Obrin to observe his handiwork. He took a deep breath before stepping through the portal. The others were waiting for him when he arrived on the other side.

"Where you have taken us?" Ophelia asked.

"North of Reddington. We leave the borderlands and the wildlands alone. They are not our concern yet," Obrin replied.

"This is the dragon's plan?" Lothrin asked.

"It is, for now. Once we've taken the four kingdoms, the dragons will give us our next assignment. Not even they know what lies beyond the human kingdoms. Perhaps they will have us clean up the rest of the area or they might have us move on to better things. As for you, they may or may not ask for you to accompany us after the fall of the humans."

*

Hadrin watched as Lamont and Bertram huddled together. He approached them, but they held up their hand so he would know to stop. Wrotan, Alandra, Amber, and Mariah joined the Prince. The spirit monk and the paladin finished their conversation before turning to the others. They stepped forward and Lamont looked to Bertram once again. The paladin nodded to him and motioned toward the others.

"Bertram has convinced me that it is best that I inform all of you that I have been in contact with Cristoph. We can use the spirit world to communicate with one another," Lamont said.

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Hadrin asked.

"I was not certain that I could trust you. Bertram told me of his dealings with you and changed my mind about it. Cristoph is pleased that we were able to help out the dwarves. He informed me that you need to know how to enter another's mind. While it is true that I know the secrets of magic, the ability to enter one's mind is beyond me. You will need to seek the expertise of the arcane academy."

"As unfortunate as that is, we always knew that might be the case. We best leave as soon as possible," Wrotan said.

"The dwarves have requested that we stay for another week and help them destroy the nest of drakes. After that, we are free to return to the spirit monastery. From there, you can head south past the borderlands to the arcane academy. That is a trek that you will be forced to make alone. Lamont and I are not welcome at the academy," Bertram said.

"Will the spirit monks be willing to join the battle against the elves and humans if necessary?"

"The paladins will be glad to join in that task, as will some of our allies. However, the majority of the spirit monks have sworn not to take up the sword."

"We are thankful for whatever assistance you can provide. I understand that it is not your place to fight our battles, but these two forces will stop at nothing to ensure that the world in under their thumb."

"True as that may be, not all the monks will see it that way."

*

Kade looked back at his troops. A strange sense of unease had overcome even his toughest Knights. He frantically searched his mind to find out when and how it started. The days since the attempt on his life had gone by quickly. Their path was much clearer now that the elves had brought forth the brunt of their army. The young leader's inner struggle had only intensified since his strange dream about the dragon and the humanoid. A part of him knew that the source of the men's unease came from his own inability to fully control his rage. His mind felt as though it were not his own and it caused him both anger and confusion. The men needed a leader that didn't need to worry about such things.

"Attos, after the coming battle, you will take charge of the Knights for a time," he said.

"Is that wise?" His second-in-command asked.

"The men are loyal to you, and I seek an answer to a question that I have yet to figure out."

"What would you have us do?"

"You and the men deserve some time off. Enjoy the local taverns, but do not wander too far."

"I've seen that sort of talk before. How bad will the next battle be?"

"There is no real way of knowing yet. It shouldn't be too much longer until we reach their position. I do expect casualties."

Attos nodded as he sat up taller in his saddle. The young Knight always did his best to look intimidating on the outside, but Kade could sense his fear. It was a strange feeling, being able to know another's emotions just by looking at them. The connection with the dragons had first brought about his knowledge of the ability. He honed his skills and was now able to tell what complete strangers were feeling. It came as an advantage on the field of battle. Kade placed his hand on Attos' shoulder and returned the nod. He withdrew his hand before spurring his horse forward. The dragon hunters would see his full power before engaging the Knights. He rode up over the hill and nearly fell out of his saddle. The dragon hunters and dragon Knights had amassed an army in the valley below. By his estimation, they had more than twenty thousand troops.

"Company halt!" He yelled as he brought his horse to a stop.

"We can't possibly hope to overcome that many," one of the Knights said.

"Nor do I expect you to. We are done doing the dragon's dirty work. Come, let us make haste before they decide to give chase."

"Won't the dragons be furious?" Attos asked as he pulled his horse alongside Kade's.

"I'm not even certain that the dragons can overcome this force. They may not all be dragon hunters, but those that are will be trained specifically to kill dragons. Whichever side is the victor, the inhabitants of the land will lose," Kade replied.

"Which side do we join?"

"Neither. The people need us more than anyone else."

Kade spurred his horse forward and motioned for the others to follow. The dragons would know of his treachery before too long and the last thing his men needed was for him to draw the attention of the dragon hunter's army. His inner battle was being waged between the dragon and the humanoid, but he felt as though his true self was missing from the ordeal. Memories of his old life were distant and fleeting, but there was no time for him to determine the cause. He and his men were about to be on the run from both the humans and the elves. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. No matter the victor, the Knights of Ardevale and their new leader would be branded as outlaws.

*

Cristoph nodded to the two guards before closing the door. They knew the importance of keeping others out of the room when he was visiting the spirit world. While there was no inherent danger in being in the same room as a person who was in the other world, there was a slight chance of the others being drawn in with him. It only seemed to happen to those who had visited the spirit world before. He had convinced the others that it was something to be researched in the future when the world was not quite so tumultuous. The truth was that he was afraid of the spirit world in many ways and felt that, if he could limit the amount of people visiting, he could also keep from drawing too much attention from whatever unknown entities had access to the world. None of that mattered now, though. Lamont had agreed to meet with him on a weekly basis and it was important to keep the line of communication open. The monk took a deep breath as he sunk back into the chair.

"Brother Cristoph, you've arrived," Lamont said.

"Indeed, I have. How are the dwarves faring?" Cristoph asked.

"Quite well, we've run the drakes out of the mountains and are preparing to head south to the arcane academy."

"That is excellent news, but I am afraid you will have a difficult time getting there. The elves have armies to the north and south of Reddington."

"It has already begun?"

"They've engaged some of the borderlanders, but not the four kingdoms."

"Good, we still have time. If the east is blocked, do we dare go west?" Lamont asked.

"The four kingdoms have their focus on the elves in the east. A small party should be able to slip through the countryside without too much trouble."

"I will suggest that. Bertram will return with some of the others while I continue on with Wrotan, Amber, and Mariah."

"Is it wise to leave the elves out of it?"

"You know the arcane academy as well as I do. They'll see that the elves are on the offensive and think that any elf traveling in their lands is a spy. We cannot risk them turning us aside. I know that the others want to save their friend, but I will be looking for allies in the coming war."

"Be safe, my friend. You know as well as I that the Arcane Academy is not a safe place for spirit monks," Cristoph said as he began his return to his study.

The other monk's words left him troubled. There were few times in history that the spirit monks had embraced war and none of them had ended well. He wasn't about to stop anyone from volunteering to join the war on either side, but the spirit monks' official stance would be to denounce the war. Cristoph let out a sigh as he stood up from his chair. There was much work to be done. The monastery needed to be prepared in case of an attack. Beyond that, the spirit monks would be flooded with refugees from all sides of the war. He pushed open the door and motioned for the guards to follow him.

"We need to inspect the monastery for weaknesses. Send for the stonemasons and the carpenters. Even if our home is sound, we need it to be impenetrable. I want a small contingent of paladins sent into the caves to clear them of any dangerous beasts. We will need the area in case we are flooded with refugees," Cristoph said as several monks approached him.

*

"We are eternally thankful for your assistance against those wretched beasts," Hrimgur, spokesman for the dwarven King, said.

"The upcoming war will sow chaos in the world. Our friendship will go far in ensuring that there are safe havens in the world," Bertram said.

"We can do one better. Our armies, or what is left of them, will fight at your side should the need arise. Safe travels, friend Bertram."

"You have my thanks. I will inform Cristoph of the situation. Thank you again for the mounts."

The paladin took his leave and headed over to his companions. They watched as Lamont and the others said their farewells to the dwarves. Their victory had taken a toll on the dwarves and the paladins. Exterminating the nest of drakes had cost three of his best fighters. Lamont's lack of concern over the losses sustained by the dwarves and the paladins worried Bertram. He let out a sigh as the others approached. Aside from his paladins, the closest ally he had in the situation was a man that he was unsure if he could trust. The group moved out, taking one last look at the dwarven halls before they left.

"As strange as it sounds, I will miss this place," Hadrin said.

"We lost our home and found hospitality in a foreign place, not many would call it strange to miss that," Alandra said.

"Do you really think the elves won't allow you back?" Bertram asked.

"I do, but Cristoph was kind enough to let us stay at the monastery until things change," the Prince replied.

"It gives us a base of operations, that should be helpful," Wrotan said.

"A base of operations for what?"

"Our first goal should be to free Kade. After that, who knows? Perhaps we can discuss how to weaken both sides of the conflict."

"I should have commented sooner, but not all of us are traveling to the Arcane Academy," Lamont said.

"What do you mean?" Amber asked.

"Bertram and his paladins will escort the elves back to the monastery where they will help bolster the defense in case we are targeted. The four of us will travel west and then south into the arcane academy lands. It is our only real option."

"In that case, I wish you safe travels," Bertram said as he extended his arm to the hunter.

"To you as well," Wrotan said as he clasped arms with the paladin.

Bertram watched as the others said their goodbyes. He thought it strange that Lamont withheld the information for so long, but there was little he could do about it. The monastery needed him now more than ever. He called together his paladins and checked with the elves before ordering the march. There was no telling what they would stumble across now that all the pieces were moving, but the paladin knew better than to let that bother him. He sent two of his scouts out ahead of the rest of the group to ensure that they didn't run into any ambushes. They had already encountered the slavers on the way to meet the dwarves and the initiation of war would only cause an influx of bandits.

"Be on the lookout, my friends. The world is changing."

#  The Four Kingdoms

Wrotan took the lead as the small company cut south across the plains of the kingdom of Levik. The first few days through the dwarven lands had been uneventful. Their trek would lead them through the two western kingdoms. The hunter and his companions had never been this far to the west, but they weren't going to let that stop them. Each member of the party had their own reason for making the trek. Amber felt partially responsible for getting Kade into the mess that he was now in. Mariah had volunteered to assist Amber and Julian, but it was Julian's death that caused her to push so hard. Wrotan had made a promise to bring Kade back from whatever nightmare he was living. Lamont, however, had not been so open with his reasons for accompanying the others.

"Why have you accompanied us?" The hunter asked as he came alongside the monk.

"I was wondering when you would ask me that. If only I could say that I am here out of my sense of honor or duty, but alas my motives are not entirely selfless. Yes, I do wish to assist this young man named Kade. Partially because the shadow beasts are my enemies, but also because I think that both you and this young man hold the key to the spirit world," Lamont replied.

"Neither of us is even close to being an expert on the spirit world. Why would we be critical to understanding the other world?"

"It is my belief that there are three realms. Our world, the spirit world, and the shadow world. Each of these realms is occupied by a set or multiple sets of beings. The spirit world and the shadow world as constantly at war with one another. Both you and Kade have a connection to the shadow world. Your connection has been severed and we are looking to break the dragon's hold on your friend. Once this has happened, we will be able to use your connection without them knowing. If we are lucky, the spirit warriors will help us to destroy the shadow dragons and their allies."

"You mean to say that the dragons have other shadow allies?"

"It is a theory, but I believe it to be true."

"Let us hope that these spirit warriors of yours are up to the task."

"I am certain they will be."

"How can you be sure?" Wrotan asked.

"If I am not mistaken, they are already doing what they can to weaken the shadow dragons. How else can you explain the dragon hunters? They abhor the beasts with a hatred that is nearly unexplainable. Plus they are extraordinarily proficient at killing the creatures. I believe it is because they are used to fighting shadow dragons. Whether the dragon hunters are actual spirit warriors or they have been trained by the spirit warriors, I do not know," Lamont replied.

"That is hard to believe, but I will keep an open mind."

The hunter dropped back to contemplate the monk's words. He needed time to process the theories held by his new traveling companion. It was highly unlikely that he was lying about any of it, which left two possibilities. Either Lamont believed it all to be true or he was a madman. Neither of those options gave Wrotan any comfort. While there was nothing wrong with having a differing opinion, Lamont seemed to have a strange adulation for those that he called spirit warriors. If these strange beings were both real and hostile to Wrotan and his companions, then so too, would Lamont. The hunter concluded that it was imperative that he find time to warn the other two, but the difficulty would be in knowing how to do so without alerting Lamont.

*

Finrul tapped his finger against the table as he watched the hourglass slowly drain down to empty. He took a deep breath as he stood up. His troops were growing anxious waiting for his next command. The waiting was now over. Obrin had already showed the sorcerer where he wanted him to open a portal to. Finrul motioned for Revin to gather the troops before heading down to the open fields. He held his hands forward and created a large shadow portal. The cavalry rode through first, as planned. They were followed by the infantry and the archers. Revin accompanied the healers, the siege weaponry, and the supply train through the portal. The sorcerer psyched himself up before stepping through the portal.

"Pikemen and cavalry, seal up the pass. Archers and swordsmen, get started on the barricades. I want lookouts watching all directions. We win the fight today, simple as that," Finrul yelled as he arrived on the field.

The massive elven armies of the sea elves, the forest elves, and the night elves were engaging the combined forces of Alartius and Markurin. Finrul's arrival ensured that the human armies were unable to retreat. He made his way to the front lines and watched as a large portion of the enemy's army broke off to engage his forces. The sun elves were to wait for the signal from Obrin before attacking. Finrul didn't let that stop him from preparing the archers in the event that the enemy went through with their charge. He was confident, however, that the dragons had other plans. His suspicions were confirmed as a pair of dragons swooped down from the skies. Several smaller dragons followed behind and all of the dragons unleashed a firestorm on the enemy army. More dragons joined in the assault as the first wave circled back around for another pass.

"Tighten up the ranks. Prepare to charge. Don't let any of them get away!" Finrul yelled as the first contingent of enemy troops broke into a charge.

"Sir, they haven't given the signal yet," Revin said as he approached the mage.

"Hold for my signal,"

Finrul clenched his teeth as he watched the battalion charging towards his men. His troops were as eager as he was to take the battle to the enemy, but he knew that Revin was right. Obrin would be furious if he attacked without receiving the order. There was a violent tremor that set the troops on edge. Rocks and earth flew into the air as a massive wingless dragon burst from the ground. The beast let out a roar as it charged the oncoming enemy troops. Several smaller wingless dragons followed behind the creature. Finrul watched in a mixture of amazement and horror as the dragons tore through the ranks of the humans. Both the wingless and the winged dragons continued to take the battle to the enemy as their elven allies retreated back to safety.

"What monstrosity have we unleashed on the world?" Finrul asked.

"I'm not certain that the humans deserve this," Revin replied.

"We can't back out now, not if that is what we are up against."

"You must have known this was a possibility. Have you not worked with the dragons before?"

"Not like this. They've always been used to defend the elves, never to cause this much destruction."

"We must do something to stop them."

"What can we do?" Finrul asked as he shook his head.

*

Obrin smiled as he watched the dragons hunt down the remaining enemy troops. Without a question, it was the easiest battle he had participated in. He left orders with one of his Generals before calling over the forest elf King and the sea elf Queen. They waited as he opened a portal to the other side of the pass. He followed them through the portal and found Finrul and his troops to be in a state of shock. The night elf King chuckled as he approached the sorcerer. He didn't need the elf to be in step with his own views of the dragons, he only needed him to follow orders.

"You've done well, Finrul. The sun elf throne may just be yours someday soon. I believe that you've already met Queen Ophelia and King Lothrin, yes?" Obrin asked.

"In my service to Melisandre, yes," Finrul replied.

"Good, the three of you will be traveling to the northwest to take Alartius' capital."

"What about you, sir?"

"I'll be taking the rest of the dragons south to the Markurin capital."

"The rest of the dragons?" Ophelia asked.

"Yes, we have much more than just a dozen dragons. According to my calculations, we have over one hundred of them," Obrin replied.

*

Kade took the scabbard from his belt and handed it to Attos. The sword had come to be a symbol of leadership to the Knights of Ardevale and it was time for the young leader to step aside. He knew that the others would not approve of his decision, but this was something he needed to do for his own sake. His companion fumbled with the sword as he attached it to his belt. There was little doubt that the two of them saw the situation in a different light. The two clasped hands and Kade pulled Attos in and placed his free arm around him. As they let go, he placed two fingers on the new leader's heart.

"Lead with this" he moved his hand up to Attos' head, "and this as well.

"This isn't right. I am no leader,' Attos said.

"Nor was I when I took over the Knights of Ardevale. You may not have some greater mission to defeat miscreants, but that is not why I succeeded. I found a brotherhood. It was my fellow Knights that led me in the right direction, just as they do now."

"I don't understand why you need to leave."

"My mind is not truly my own. That needs to be remedied. I know not how to do so, but I will find a way. Remember, the people need our leadership."

The young man turned toward the forest. No longer was he the leader of the Knights of Ardevale, yet he was also not just the son of a tailor. He wandered into the forest, hoping to find a clearing where he could rest and try to clear his head. His path brought him to a small chapel. Though it seemed remote, the grounds were still well tended. Kade slowly approached the door and pushed it open. There was a lone priest inside the chapel. The man looked to be well into his sixties. He motioned for the young man to enter.

"Have you come looking for salvation?" The priest asked.

"I was wandering the forest in search of a place to be alone with my thoughts. Your chapel drew me in," Kade replied.

"You may very well find what you are looking for here. Come, sit, pay your respects to the Maker."

"Can the Maker heal a malady of the mind?"

"Those that are truly worthy are cured of all their woes. Would you care to partake of some wine?"

"I am not here for refreshments, though I thank you for the offer. Perhaps you can intercede for me. You see, I am but a young man that does not know the customs of the Maker. Would you be willing to do so for me?" Kade asked.

"First you must partake of our food and drink." The man replied.

"Our? But there is only one of you."

"You bore me, Knight. This ruse, it grows tiresome. Many have come before you, but none of defeated my brood."

Kade reached for his sword, but remembered that he had given it to Attos. He leaped backward as the fake priest lunged at him. His attacker's skin began to pale and his features grew taut. He lashed out at the young man with claw-like fingernails. Kade thrust his hand forward and a small black tentacle shot out at the creature. It wrapped itself around the thing's arm and tried to pull the creature to the ground. His opponent broke free from the tentacle and tackled him to the ground. The two rolled around on the ground as Kade frantically tried to gather his wits. He placed both his hands on the fake priest's chest and shot out a beam of energy. The beam tore through his opponent, sending ashes flying about the chapel. He ran for the door as his heart pounded. The fresh air welcomed him as he burst out into the forest.

"Hail, friend," a woman called out as she approached.

"Do I know you?" Kade asked.

"No, but I could use a traveling companion, shall we?"

"It would be an honor."

The young man found himself enthralled by the beautiful redhead. They conversed about various things, none of which were of much importance. Kade relished every sentence that they shared. In fact, he was beginning to suspect that he was falling in love with her. The thought seemed rather strange though. He escorted the maiden into a small meadow where she unpackaged her harp and began to play. The music was nearly as mesmerizing as her beauty. He found himself dancing along to the music. It was like being caught up in a gentle stream. His encounter with the strange creature from before seemed to melt away as he danced about the meadow. The woman began to play a faster tune and Kade's feet matched the tempo. She smiled as she caught a glimpse of him dancing. His heart seemed as though it wanted to stop when he spotted the smile. She paused for a moment and motioned for him to sit on a nearby rock.

"My lady, the music is quite wonderful. Where did you learn such a melody?" Kade asked.

"It is an ancient song of my people. They call it the ballad of the two lovers. There are words that accompany it, but my voice would not do them justice," she replied.

"I find that hard to believe."

"You are too kind, sir Kade. To think, a real Knight escorting me. Most women only dream of such things."

"What did you say?" He asked.

"I said that you are too kind, sir Knight."

"No, you said my name. How is it that you know my name?"

The maiden disappeared and Kade found himself alone in the forest again. He searched his mind to attempt to ascertain whether the visions were like before or if they were something completely different. The latter seemed far easier to swallow, but that did not mean it was true. He set off toward the path that had led him into the strange forest. Attos would be able to better explain whether or not the forest could have played some part in his visions. His trip out of the heart of the forest was uneventful, but the new leader of the Knights of Ardevale and the Knights themselves were nowhere to be found. Kade sighed as he sat down against a tree. He let himself drift off to sleep in hopes that another vision would come to him.

*

Once again, the young son of a tailor found himself in the presence of the dragon and the warrior. They had taken a break from their quarrelling and were discussing something as Kade approached. He began to speak, but the other two leaped backward and challenged each other. The warrior pulled a spear of pure light off of his back and threw it at the dragon. His opponent let out a roar and knocked the spear aside. The creature retaliated with a quick blast of fire. Kade attempted to manipulate that which was around him, but was unable to do so. The warrior grabbed hold of another spear and threw it at the dragon. Each of the opponents seemed to be open matched. The young man looked on for what seemed like hours. Both of the combatants were highly skilled and neither seemed able to gain the advantage.

"Enough! I may not fully understand what is happening, but I command you both to stop!" Kade yelled at the two of them.

"You are a very persuasive man, but I am afraid that your powers are useless here," the warrior said.

"What if I told you to leave?

"We are not children, foolish human," the dragon replied.

"I will find a way to remove you both. The visions must stop. No man should be forced to endure such torment."

Kade felt a sharp pain in his head as he tried to will the visions away. Both the dragon and the warrior staggered backward in pain. He continued to push and they both cried out in anguish. The dragon collapsed onto the floor and slowly disappeared. A rush of exhaustion came over the young man, but he continued to press on. The warrior fell to one knee before disappearing as well. Kade began to laugh as he leaped through the air in joy. His tormenters were gone and his mind was free. He dropped to his knees as his body was overcome with weakness. His eyelids closed as he slumped to the floor.

*

Finrul called for the army to halt as castle Alartius came into view. A small army had made camp in the valley between the castle and the elf's current position. He could tell by the banners that the army consisted of the infamous dragon hunters and the dragon Knights. Though they specialized in fighting dragons, their prowess against any opponent was not to be scoffed at. The sorcerer paced back and forth as he contemplated his options. His own forces were far superior to those in the valley as well as whatever was left of the Alartian armies, but he knew that the dragons preferred fewer casualties. He called over to King Lothrin, Queen Ophelia, and Revin.

"We find ourselves pitted against the dragon hunters as well as the castle defenders. More than likely, some of the hunters and Knights are within the castle as well. There is no doubt that our forces are strong enough to defeat both armies, but I do not want to weaken our position. I know that the two of you are fully aligned with the dragons, but I would like to keep our forces strong in the event of their betrayal," Finrul said.

"Though I do not think we will face the wrath of the dragons, your plan is not without merit. Even if the dragons were to swear to us that they would never betray us, it is best to conserve as many troops as we can," Queen Ophelia replied.

"You have a mastery of those portals, why can't we use one of those to storm the castle?" King Lothrin asked.

"The dragons would not like to hear that we passed on a chance to deal a devastating blow to an army of dragon hunters," the sorcerer replied.

"Is there no way to use the portals to destroy the dragon hunters?" Revin asked.

"Yes, of course. Why didn't I think of that sooner? Good work, Revin."

"What about us?" Queen Ophelia asked.

"Ready your troops," Finrul replied.

*

Attos slumped in his saddle as he slowly rode toward the kingdom patrol. He ignored their calls for him to identify himself. His plan had a good deal of risk, but the reward would be well worth it. The patrol called out to him once again, and again he ignored them. He could hear their horses getting closer. The plan required a level of deception that the Knights were unaccustomed to, but they had embraced the idea of assisting the populace at whatever cost. Loss of reputation in the eyes of their enemies was a small price to pay for the lives they could save by weakening all sides of the war. The new leader took a deep breath as the patrol came closer.

"He must be injured," one of the soldiers said.

"Who would do this?" Another asked.

"The elves, they've no scruples. Quickly, check to see if he is alive," their leader replied.

"In the name of the Knights of Ardevale, throw down your weapons or die!" Attos yelled as he drew his sword.

His Knights rushed out of the trees and surrounded the kingdom patrol. He could see the looks on the faces of his opponents. They were looking to their own leader for an answer. The man nodded his head as he detached his scabbard and let it fall. His troops followed suit. Attos lowered his sword and ordered the patrol to dismount from their horses. He watched them carefully, expecting that one or more of them would try to catch his Knights off guard. His suspicions proved to be false as his men were able to gather up the weapons and horses without incident. He dismounted from his horse as his Knights formed a circle around the prisoners.

"What will you do with us?" Their leader asked.

"Truthfully, I do not know," Attos replied.

"Then you've already treated us with more courtesy than our current employers."

"Is it that bad?"

"King Altarius is a vain man. He punishes those who do not agree with everything he says and does. The four Kings are very corrupt, but not everyone in their kingdoms should be held accountable. Some of us fight because it is hard to make a living, others because they've accepted the position instead of a family member going to jail, few choose the path of a soldier for glory. I doubt that my words will sway you, but if you deal with Altarius' soldiers how you have dealt with us, you may be able to spare a great deal of bloodshed."

"We are not the ones that will be shedding great amounts of blood. The elves are the invading force that you should worry about. Our true leader, who I hope returns soon, has given us orders to spread chaos in the ranks of both sides. We are not here to kill, we are here to weaken each side through the destruction of their supplies and the capturing of their soldiers."

"Why would you do this for people that are not even your countrymen?" The patrol leader asked.

"Our new leader had a change of heart. We follow his lead because we have much to make up for. The Knights of Ardevale were once revered by the people. We wish that to be so once again," Attos replied.

"Why change now?"

"Our ways may seem strange, but we were brought up on them. A new leader may only arise if the old leader is defeated in combat or steps down and selects his replacement. The leader is to be followed without question, unless you are willing to fight him in single combat. Over the years, we've become a group ruled by men who would stop at nothing for power. They identified their biggest rivals and saw to it that accidents befell them. A young man named Kade changed that when he killed our last leader."

"Is there a place where you can offer us refuge?"

"Ardevale Keep, tell them Attos sent you."

"Some of my men may be willing to join you. As for me, I only request that you allow me to travel the four kingdoms and tell other men of this new refuge."

"You may do so with my blessing. I do believe Kade would be glad to hear that."

*

Alandra slowed her horse as the monastery came into view. The monks had begun building a wooden stockade outside of the stone monastery. She looked to Hadrin, but he merely shrugged. Even Bertram seemed surprised to see the monks constructing extra defenses. He rode out ahead of the others to investigate. His paladins quickened their pace as well, leaving the two elves alone to contemplate their best course of action. Alandra knew that Hadrin would likely want to take in the situation as best he could before discussing what to do next. She watched silently as he scanned the horizon.

"I'm not certain I trust them," he said.

"Nor do I, but what choice do we have?" She asked.

"None that I am aware of. We'll discuss later." Hadrin waved to Cristoph as the monk came riding out to meet them.

"Builder's blessings upon you. It is good to see that you've arrived safely. We've started on ramping up our defenses, but we need to pursue more alliances," the monk said

"What do you have in mind?" Hadrin asked.

"I would ask that you meet with the wildlanders and the borderlanders. They've both been affected by this war. We believe that it would be prudent to take a small contingent of paladins with you to ensure your safety."

"It seems a decent plan. Will they be willing to combine forces and leave their homes less protected?"

"If the threat is as great as we believe it to be, I think they will agree to fight with us. We will need scouts to coordinate our forces so that none of us are taken by surprise. The elven army moves far faster than we ever could have imagined. I know not how they manage to do so, but we've heard news of their attacks and they appear to be able to travel at least a week's distance in a day."

"Let's hope that they aren't able to use that to pick us apart one at a time."

The monk nodded before riding back toward the monastery. Hadrin and Alandra continued at their slow pace, pretending to take in the surroundings as they rode. She knew better than to interrupt his thoughts. It was a strange thing, they had traveled together for such a long time, yet they had not had much time to themselves. She had hoped she would get to spend time figuring out who the real Hadrin was, but the world seemed against the idea. He let out a sigh and his shoulders drooped ever so slightly. Seeing the opening that she had been hoping for, Alandra placed a hand on his shoulder. He reached up and squeezed it.

"I know that things have been wild since we first met, but I am glad to have traveled with you," the Prince said.

"As I am glad to have traveled with you. You have been a true friend," she said.

"I must confess that I've wondered if perhaps we could be more than just friends."

"It would delight me to no end, Hadrin."

"Then all the more reason for us to survive this madness. I still cannot believe my own father plays a part in this."

*

Amber did her best to appear like the smallest target as possible when she spotted the riders coming toward them. She despised conflict, but not as much as she despised those who enjoyed spreading it. Wrotan did the best he could to sit up tall in his saddle, but his wounds were still pestering him. Mariah, too, was still injured from the battle with the dragon and its drakes. Lamont glanced back at his companions. The monk had put Amber at unease since they had first encountered him. There was something about the way he was so fascinated with Kade that caused her to distrust him. Unfortunately, he was her best chance of surviving the confrontation with the band of riders. Even if they weren't set on fighting, Lamont had a silver tongue.

"Halt, in the name of King Gunther of Levik," the leader of the band called out as they approached.

"We are merely passing through, my friend, no need to worry yourself about us," Lamont replied.

"I can make that decision for myself, thank you. What I see here is a man that has seen many battles, a woman who does not shy away from a fight, a pampered dandy, and a young maiden. You are free to go, dandy. The others, well they will have to answer to us."

"It would be rather taxing on me if my companions were not able to accompany me. Can we not come to some sort of agreement?"

"If these two are willing to join the service of King Gunther and the maiden is willing to become one of the Queen's servants, then we will escort you along your way through our kingdom."

"Don't you have something better to worry about?" Wrotan asked.

"The war is the concern of the army. We're one of Gunther's special task forces," the man replied.

"I'm afraid that I need these two to escort me all the way to the Arcane Academy. You see, my niece has the knack for healing and it would be such a waste if she did not get the proper training. Perhaps a spot of coin will do?" Lamont asked.

"A well to do dandy, is it? Perhaps this is our payday. Get em boys!"

Amber yelped in fear as she backed her horse away from the fray. Everything became a blur as Wrotan and Mariah drew their weapons. Lamont pulled a small orb out of his pack and yelled for the others to cover their eyes. Amber did as he asked. She attempted to block out the sounds of battle as well, but it was too difficult. Her curiosity got the better of her and she found herself watching the battle once again. Wrotan fought just as fiercely on horseback as he did on foot. Mariah seemed to be even more skilled at fighting on horseback than fighting on foot. Lamont did what he could while staying mostly out of the fray. He rode around the outskirts, lashing out with his mace whenever he saw an opportunity. Whatever the orb had done to the attackers, it seemed to give her companions the upper hand. Despite their injuries, Wrotan and Mariah were able to overcome their attackers.

"Well fought, my friends. I thought we were dead," Lamont said.

"Your orb did most of the work," Wrotan said.

"Does anyone need healing?" Amber asked as she rode up to them.

"First we must get as far from the scene of battle as possible. We don't want anyone tracking us down. After that, you can see to Mariah's wounds first. I will be the last."

"Your wounds are the worst. That dragon almost killed you. In fact, I'm shocked that you survived some of those injuries."

"True or not, you won't get him to change his mind, Amber," Mariah said.

"The young lady does bring up a good point. How did you survive your fight with the dragon?" Lamont asked as the party spurred their horses onward.

"It isn't something that I've told many people, but I am no normal human. I suppose I must dip into history to explain. Back in the ancient times, there were those who were granted powers by the Maker," Wrotan said.

"The Builder, you mean," Lamont spoke up to correct him.

"Religious accuracy aside, whatever higher power you believe in, that is who granted these abilities. These powers ranged from magic, to talent, to strength, and beyond. When I was younger, my foster father informed me that one of my parents was a descendant of one of these humans. In their time, they were known as the Prime Rulers. I soon found that I was more resilient than those around me when it came to being able to handle pain. It was not until sometime later that I found it was more than just a mental toughness, but also a physical ability that makes one hardier."

"I've heard of the Prime Rulers that you speak of, but I was not aware that their descendants carried on their gifts."

"Not everyone that is a descendant shows the skills. Isaack looked into the matter and found that it is quite the rare occasion. In fact, he theorized that both of my parents might have been descendant of different Prime Rulers."

"Not much is known of the Prime Rulers or Carpenters, as we call them. This is very informative. Tell me, is this foster father, Isaack, still alive?" Lamont asked.

"Unfortunately, he is not. Much of his writings were bequeathed to me upon his death. If we survive the coming war, I will allow you to borrow them."

"You are most kind, Wrotan. This information could help us fill in many gaps in our knowledge of the Carpenters and their descendants. Discoveries like these always leave me abuzz with excitement. Knowledge is what people should be striving for, not power."

#  Seeking Allies

Hadrin watched as the paladins fanned out in a semi-circle in front of the small group of wildlander warriors. He clenched his teeth as he glared at the lead paladin. The man knew that the elf was supposed to be the leader, but he seemed more concerned with looking powerful in the eyes of his men. Alandra placed a hand on his shoulder. His emotions began to calm almost immediately. She had gotten quite good at knowing when the Prince was about to act out in anger. Her action allowed Hadrin to consider whether a burst of anger or a well-thought berating would do a better job. He looked over to her and then nodded.

"Paladin Charise, you will be in charge of seeing us through the mission safely," Hadrin said.

"But that is Nicolai's role," she said.

"Now it is yours. You would do well to not threaten our potential allies."

Nicolai glared at Hadrin as the paladins all pulled back from their semi-circle and formed up behind the elf. Charise and the other paladins did they best they could to ignore their former leader's attitude. The Prince had no doubt that they were annoyed what happened, but at least they knew better than to question him. He let out a sigh and shrugged as he turned back toward the wildlanders. Their expression remained hard, but that much was to be expected of them. Wrotan's absence and the heightened tensions from the war were more than enough reason for them to remain distrustful. Hadrin pushed Nicolai's foolishness out of his mind as he dismounted. He braced himself as he approached the leader of the wilderlanders.

"You do not need to prove your strength to us, elfling," their leader said.

"Are your people not impressed by a showing of power?" Hadrin asked.

"We are, but now is not the time. You are Hadrin, friend of Wrotan. I am Mordus. The hunter, why is he not with you?"

"He has gone in search of a young man named Kade. We were traveling with him and something foul befell us. The war has forced us to split our ranks. In truth, he should be the one negotiating a treaty with you."

"Nonsense, a friend of Wrotan is worthy enough to present a case to us."

"Now?" The elf asked.

"It is as good a time as any."

"The request is simple, really. We, the dwarves and the spirit monastery, wish to join together with you in a sort of mutual defense pact. If either of us is attacked, the other will pledge to bring an army in to assist. So that you know, we are also looking to bring the borderlanders into the pact, but we would not require you to come to a similar agreement with them if you do not want it."

"We accept the deal with the dwarves and the spirit monastery. As for the borderlanders, that is something we must discuss amongst ourselves. You are welcome to stay here as long as you need. I will inform the other chiefs that your people and the dwarves are not to be attacked. We will, however, ask that you assist us in ridding the lands of slavers after this war is over."

"Agreed. In fact, the dwarves are looking to deal the slavers a deadly blow before traveling to meet us."

Mordus hit his fist against his chest and nodded. Hadrin followed suit, trying his best not to flinch as his hand connected with his chest. The wilderlanders let out a cheer of approval before heading off with their chief. Everything had gone about as well as the Prince had expected. The borderlanders were the ones that were questionable. Their only connection, however remote, was Mariah and only Wrotan and Amber knew the extent of her pull with the nobles of Reddington. Hadrin would be forced to work his diplomatic charms if they were to garner assistance from the last member of the pact. He knew that Alandra would be helpful, but it seemed as though the paladins were bent on ruining his mission.

"If you wish to fight me, get on with it," Hadrin said without even looking over at Nicolai.

"You have no business ordering me to do anything, elf. Do you understand?" The paladin asked as he rode up next to the Prince.

"I'm afraid that is where you are wrong. Your spirit monastery is nothing compared to what the elves can bring down upon the world. From what I gather, the four kingdoms are their only rival. That means you need as much assistance as you can get. Bullying people into alliances will not be tolerated."

"Tolerated by whom?"

"By anyone, you fool. What do you think the wilderlanders and the borderlanders will do the moment this war is over?" Hadrin asked as he stared at the paladin.

"They will bow to the power of the spirit monks and the order of spirit paladins. We may not have numbers, but we have strength. More importantly, we have the Builder's blessings."

"No, you have religious dogma. Builder, Creator, Maker, every religion believes not in a destructive God, but a loving one. Bullying others is not righteous, Nicolai, it is foolish."

*

King Lothrin drew his sword before stepping through the portal. He was fully aware of what would be required of him should Finrul fail to defeat the dragon hunters. The castle was already reacting to the advance force that had been sent through the portal when the King arrived. He thrust his sword forward and led his small contingent of highly trained elven warriors into the fray. Queen Ophelia and her archers arrived shortly after him and began to fight their way up to the walls. The height advantage could be the difference between an acceptable number of casualties and an unacceptable number. King Lothrin ordered some of his men to cut a path for the Queen.

"In the name of King Altarius, we order you to surrender!" One of the defenders yelled.

"Press onward!" The King yelled as the next group appeared through the portal.

Unbeknownst to the defenders, it was only a matter of time before the full force of the elven army was within their walls. After the defeat at the hands of the dragons, the Altarian army was severely depleted. Lothrin continued his push toward the keep as the Queen secured the walls. Any of the enemy troops that were outside of the keep were easily picked off by her skilled archers. The elves cut through the human forces with ease as they stormed the keep. They pushed forward, entering combat with King Altarius' personal bodyguards. Lothrin leaped past his troops and sliced down two opponents in quick succession. He raised his shield just in time to block a blow from Altarius' mace. The two exchanged blows as their troops battled it out. King Lothrin blocked a blow from his opponent and then slammed his shield against the man. He followed it up with a quick stab to the gut.

"Their King is dead, search the castle for any stragglers," Lothrin said.

"What of the peasants outside the castle?" One of his soldiers asked.

"Those who swear fealty will be spared."

"There is a commotion outside the walls!" Another soldier yelled.

Lothrin sheathed his sword and made his way to the nearest window. The Queen's archers had stopped their barrage of the remaining human soldiers and were looking out over the field. King Lothrin made his way to the nearest balcony to get a better view. He stopped as soon as he saw what everyone was looking at. A lone figure was approaching the dragon hunter camp. There was no doubt that it was Finrul, but his actions were unexpected. The King had assumed he would assault the hunters from afar. He leaned against the railing on the balcony as he watched the sorcerer approach the camp. Several dragon hunters broke off from the others and headed in the direction of the elven wizard.

*

"Make your allegiance known or face our steel," one of the dragon hunters said as he approached.

"Very well," Finrul replied.

The sorcerer extended his left hand and a small portal opened and swallowed up the man who spoke. A duplicate portal opened in the sky, dropping the dragon hunter through. He screamed as he plummeted to the ground. His companions drew their swords and charged at Finrul. He smiled as he opened an even larger portal that swallowed all of his attackers. Only the magician knew for certain where the portal led to, but the other dragon hunters knew that they would not see their brothers in arms ever again. Dragon hunter archers unleashed a volley of arrows at the mage and he retaliated with another portal. The arrows disappeared into the portal only to reappear through another behind the archers. Finrul created another portal and stepped through. The thin mountain air bit at his throat and lungs, but he ignored it.

"This will do quite nicely," he said as he approached one of the larger rocks.

He placed his hand against the rock and whispered something. The rock broke free and began to tumble down the mountainside. Another portal opened up and swallowed the stone. Finrul opened another portal for himself, careful to choose an endpoint far enough away from where he sent the boulder so as to not have to worry about it. He stepped through the portal to the aftermath of the rock strike. The dragon hunter camp had descended into chaos. _One last maneuver_ , he thought as he opened another portal. His portal continued to expand as it swallowed up the fleeing dragon hunter. Their screams were silenced as they tumbled into the darkness. The sorcerer rubbed his forehead as he closed the portal.

*

"What news, Ophelia?" Obrin asked as he strode out of the portal and into the throne room.

"We've killed King Altarius and decimated a contingent of dragon hunters and dragon Knights. The Kingdom of Altarius is ours," the Queen replied.

"What sort of man names his castle and his land after himself?"

"The sort that cowers in a hole until you hunt him down," King Lothrin replied.

"Tell me, how did you manage to defeat the dragon hunters with so few casualties?" the night elf King asked.

"Finrul used his magic," Queen Ophelia answered.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that he is becoming powerful. Alas, I haven't the time to stay and chat. The dragons have need of me in taking castle Markurin."

King Lothrin watched as the night elf disappeared back into the portal. The elf was all too engrossed with the dragons for Lothrin's liking. He let out a sigh as he looked around the room. Queen Ophelia met his gaze. They both knew that other was wondering if siding with Obrin had been the correct choice. The King motioned for Ophelia to join him in the small chamber just off the throne room. He took a seat at the table and ordered one of his men to bring wine. The Queen took a seat beside him. He could see that she wasn't entirely convinced that he was on her side and he needed to change that. True, the two hadn't been the closest of allies, but things were changing and he needed a backup plan.

"Finrul still locked in that study?" He asked.

"Yes, I think he is shocked that he went as far as he did," she replied.

"Can you blame him? That is the danger of allying ourselves with the dragons. They may not always demand our obedience, but when they do." Lothrin shivered as he dropped the thought.

"You didn't bring me in here just for wine. That isn't your reputation."

"No, you are very attractive, but I am not looking to wine and dine you as they call it. The wine is merely a perk of joining me in a conversation about the future of our kingdoms."

"You question whether it is wise to stay with the dragons. I, too, have had these thoughts."

"How far have you taken them?" The elf King asked.

"There is always a crossroads. The question remains, have we already reached it?"

"Indeed. There are two paths that must be considered. The first, of course, is the path that brings the dragons to power over the known world. Its counterpart is the path that weakens them enough to be overthrown. For now, those two paths are side by side. As long as the dragons are going to war, their numbers will not swell. That leaves but one question: When do the paths diverge?"

*

King Padraig nodded as his scouts delivered their information. Despite their close proximity to Serania, the fairy kingdom didn't get many visitors. The King called together his bodyguards and ordered a welcome committee. They had heard many rumors coming from the world of men, but it would be good to have them refuted or confirmed. The King and his troops made their way toward the forest road and waited for the small group of humans to arrive. He had one of his diplomats step out onto the path when he spotted the small group. The man who looked to be their leader put a hand on the hilt of his sword and motioned for one of the others to get behind him. He stopped and eyed Padraig's ambassador.

"Please, we are not looking for a fight," Finian, the King's diplomat said.

"Fair enough. Who is this we that you refer to?" The man asked.

"The King of the fairies. He wishes to welcome you to his kingdom."

"I've never heard of such a kingdom. Nevertheless, we accept your welcome."

"Excellent," Padraig said as he exited from the trees.

"Excuse my ignorance, but aren't fairies supposed to be much smaller?" Lamont asked.

"Come, let us answer that question in luxury."

The King took the lead as he headed back toward the fairy capital. He smiled as he heard the others whispering about the trees. His people lived on what amounted to another plane. One that was connected to the human's world, but not truly a part of it. Transferring between planes had the effect of shrinking down the traveler. It was something that the fairies were quite accustomed to, but few humans had ever experienced the effect. The closer they got to the capital, the smaller they became. King Padraig beamed as he showed off the magical city of Caervarrow. The man who looked to be the leader was the only one of the humans that kept his attention on the people. His companions gaped as they looked at the buildings made of gold and precious jewels.

"Welcome to the fair city of Caervarrow," the King said as they arrived at the banquet hall at the center of town.

"How did you manage to build these majestic buildings?" Lamont asked.

"It is significantly easier to find enough of these materials when you are as small as we are now."

"I noticed that we seemed to be shrinking the closer we got to the town. How does that happen?" Mariah asked.

"Truthfully, we've lost the ability to do so. Caervarrow is thousands of years old. The leprechauns and fairies of old were hunted down by all manner of creatures and peoples. They devised a plan for making it nearly impossible to find their cities. Caervarrow is our anchor to your world. While the cities are physically within the boundaries of your realms, they cannot be disturbed unless you enter through Caervarrow. This allows us to gather all our forces in one spot to defend against any intrusion," the King replied.

"Then your people are not smaller than humans, not by any significant margin. Does that mean that, much like the elves and dwarves, we are distantly related?" Wrotan asked.

"I imagine so, our recent interaction with the human world have ended badly. We have the histories to fall back on, but those can only tell us so much. Some of our people would loathe the connection between our two worlds, but I've always felt that we are far more connected than we realize."

"The humans are similarly uninformed about the other races. If not for their recent reappearance in human lands, many would still believe the dragons to be creatures of legend. It makes me question what other wonders we have ignored due to our insular nature."

"Insular is not so bad, my friend. Ignorant, that is where many people have gone wrong. Even among the fairies, we are far more ignorant than we should be. We are a people who live and thrive on magic, yet we have a hard time believing things that are more mundane."

*

Alandra glanced back over her shoulder at Nicolai and the other paladins. He had been conversing with his fellows at every chance he had since Hadrin's actions. Charise did what she could to limit his influence, but it would only be a matter of time before the issue would run its course. The elf wanted to make certain that neither she nor the Prince were on the wrong side of whatever came of the previous confrontation. Most of the paladins seemed to ignore their former leader's pleas, but some of the younger ones were starting to ride along with the man at a significant distance from the rest of the group. Alandra slowed her horse and allowed for Nicolai and his small band of paladins to catch up to her. Both Charise and Hadrin began to slow their horses, but she signaled for them to continue at their prior pace.

"Nicolai, this ends now," the elf said.

"Was that a threat?" The paladin asked.

"I don't threaten people, I eliminate them. This is a chance to either wrest control from Hadrin's hands or make peace with your new position."

"This was not what we asked for when we joined the monastery. No offense, but we didn't ask to follow the orders of an elf."

"What did you ask for?"

"We asked to be a part of something more. They promised us that we would follow in the footsteps of those like Bertram. The man is a living legend. He doesn't just stamp out the evils of this world, he helps out those in need. I've never met a truer hero."

"What would he have said if he had seen how you approached the wildlanders?" Alandra asked.

"He would not have been happy, but we can't just sit at home and not fight. I understand that the elves and the four kingdoms are the main threat, but the wilders are a vile people," Nicolai replied.

"This goes beyond simple hatred of a people group. Something happened in your past, didn't it?"

"Those savages killed my father and kidnapped my mother. We attempted to rescue her, but they slaughtered our group."

"Your pain and hatred is understandable, but killing the wildlanders won't bring back your parents."

"But it will stop their raids."

"Sometimes you must put up with a lesser evil to get rid of a greater evil."

"I refuse to believe that."

"That is your right, but I see no other way to solve both problems. The dragons are not like anything your people have faced before. This task will require more than just the heroics of Bertram. I will speak to Hadrin about reinstating you as Captain or whatever it was that you were. He will not like the idea, but I do not think he will be against it," Alandra said.

"Why do this for me?" Nicolai asked.

"Because your prior actions were not out of foolishness as I originally assumed. Well, not out of blind foolishness, that is. You acted out of past experience, that I can relate to."

The elf nodded to the paladin before spurring her horse onward. She hadn't realized how close they had come to the city of Reddington. It was unlike any city she had seen before. The suburbs stretched out for miles around the city proper. In the event of an attack, thousands upon thousands would be trapped outside the city walls to fend for themselves. The thought made her sick to her stomach. Even the rulers of the four kingdoms had contingencies for their people if an invasion occurred. None of the people seemed to care that there was a small band of armed soldiers riding toward their city. Some of them glanced up as the group passed by, but the majority continued about their business without a second thought.

"Have we entered Reddington proper?" She asked as she caught up to Hadrin and Charise.

"No, this is a suburb of the city," the paladin replied.

"Surely the town cannot hold all these people within the walls. Are they not afraid of an invasion?"

"Reddington is not like other towns. They have a wall and several keeps within the town proper. However, the townsfolk are far more resilient than the average kingdom. The borderlands have always been dangerous and her people have adapted to suit the needs of the lifestyle. An invading army would be wise to be more wary of the townspeople than of the army. That, I believe, is where we will be in luck."

"What do you mean?" Hadrin asked.

"None of the heirs to the throne of Reddington are old enough to rule. That means that the noble families are the ones in charge. They each have their own personal armies, mostly made up of mercenaries. Even though the elves struck here first, there will still be soldiers willing to join our cause. Either one of the noble houses will still have an army or a local militia will be interested," Charise replied.

*

Finrul sat on the balcony with his head in his hands. It was one of the few places that he could go to be alone. He was finding more and more excuses to be alone since his encounter with the dragon hunters. His actions made him sick to his stomach. The thought that he could destroy an entire army with such ease was something that all wizards desired, but the reality of it was unnerving. He forced himself to stand when he heard a knock at the door. Queen Ophelia and King Lothrin had been requesting meetings for a few days now and he could stall them no longer. He let out a sigh as he made his way to the door. As expected, there was a lone servant with a small envelope.

"You may tell them I will be with them shortly," the mage said.

"They will be pleased to hear this. You can find them in the meeting chamber off the throne room," the servant said.

The sorcerer nodded as he inspected the envelope. Unlike the others, this one said that it was imperative that they talk before Obrin's return. Finrul paused for a moment to consider what they could mean by it. The keep was significantly smaller than it looked on the outside. King Altarius had created a ring around each floor so that he could use archers to tear apart an invading army. It was an ingenious idea, but the shadow portals had taken away their ability to prepare such a defense. The meeting chamber itself was small, but functional. There was a table that seated up to eight people and a small writing desk off to the side. Finrul could see how it would be a useful for a King. Ophelia and Lothrin were already waiting for him at the table when he arrived.

"We are glad that you could join us today," the King said.

"My apologies for turning down so many prior invitations. I have had much reflection to do this week," Finrul said.

"It is a relief that your actions are causing you some pause. I do not believe that Obrin would feel the same way," Queen Ophelia said.

"It is adamant that we do not reveal the depth of what can be done with his shadow portals. He would not hesitate to use them on entire cities," the mage said.

"We are in agreement on that. In fact, Lothrin and I are considering rebelling against Obrin and his dragons."

"A risky maneuver, no doubt. However, I am not certain that I see any other options," the King said.

"It is comforting to know that I am not the only one who is afraid of what the dragons might unleash upon the world. How would we even go about doing such a thing?" Finrul asked.

"The key would be striking before they are too powerful, yet we cannot strike too early as they would turn the full strength of their force against us."

"What you are proposing, some will see it as equivalent to treason. How can we be certain that members of our own armies won't turn on us?"

"There are no guarantees, but that is something we are willing to deal with. We've told some of soldiers, the ones we trust most, to mingle with the night elves and see how they would feel about such a move," Ophelia replied.

"Good, I was hoping that the two of you were as serious as I am on the matter. Let us table the matter for now, there is no telling when Obrin will arrive to check on us. Each of us should begin preparations."

#  Esclation

Ungaroth tucked his wings against his body as he started his dive. The other dragons followed his lead. Their attack was two pronged, Ungaroth led one frenzy of dragons and Elbereth led the other. He watched the skies for a sign of the gold dragon. Her job was to swoop in first and draw the attention of the castle defenders. A gold streak flashed across the sky followed by a rainbow of colors. The hybrid night and shadow dragon smiled as he quickened the speed of his dive. His ears picked up the sounds of the attack. Elbereth and her frenzy of dragons had unleashed a small barrage on the south side of the castle. Her group was significantly larger than the one under his command, but the night dragons and shadow dragons were the most powerful. Ungaroth let out a roar as he kicked out his wings. His entire frenzy of dragons glided in toward the wall. The archers along that side of the wall turned and stared in awe as the creatures descended. Each of the dragons flapped their wings at once, sending a gust of wind rushing at the defenders. The archers were sent flying off the back of the wall and crashed down onto the streets below.

The massive dragon launched a fireball at the keep. It slammed into the structure, sending a shower of stone through the area. His dragons began attacking various parts of the castle. Elbereth and her dragons made another pass, assaulting the defenders with a flurry of fire, water, and electricity. Ungaroth let out the loudest roar he could muster, signaling for all the dragons to land on the walls and wait for the final blow. A massive earth dragon burst out of the ground near the keep. The lone elf on his back, Obrin, lent his magic to the beast's strength. They slammed into the keep with the full force of both of their power. The dragons began roaring as they tore off pieces of the wall and threw them at the keep. Obrin used his magic to deflect anything that could harm either him or the earth dragon. Ungaroth took off from the wall and called for Elbereth to follow.

He sent his plan to her via the connection that all dragons shared. Her reply was a mixture of awe and excitement. The two dragons continued their ascent up into the clouds. Ungaroth gave the signal as he folded in his wings and dropped into a freefall. Elbereth followed his lead and the two creatures picked up an incredible amount of speed as they zoomed toward the ground. Both dragons extended their wings and arched toward the keep. They slammed into the structure with such force that the keep exploded in a shower of stone. The gold dragon smashed through the far wall and bounced off the ground beyond. Her shadow companion vaulted over the wall and came to check on her.

"I'm am sorry, great one. I have failed you," Elbereth said as she rose from the ground.

"Nonsense, dragons do not fail. We learn. Even the Queen of the dragons needs to learn at times. War is not your specialty, I should not have put you in that position," Ungaroth said.

"How did you know it would work?"

"I had faith in our combined strength. One of us could have been injured, but it was a risk worth taking. Yes, the shadow dragons are our allies, but they shall not rule us."

"We are not doing this on orders from the shadow dragons?"

"I take orders from no one. The shadow dragons wanted revenge on the humans, why I do not know. It allowed me to seize the opportunity to put a plan in motion to conquer the known world. Stay with me and you will be rewarded. Together we put on a display that not even the shadow dragons can ignore. We have established our dominance over dragonkind, they have no choice except to defer to us."

"What if they attempt something even more masterful?" Elbereth asked.

"They haven't the courage. Look at how they stare at us in awe," Ungaroth replied as he motioned toward the shattered keep.

*

Mariah looked down at the plate that the fairies and leprechauns had laid out for her. The assortment of fruit was foreign to her, but she recognized some of the other parts of the meal. She had never known that most of them were edible. Lamont and Amber both gave her an apprehensive look, but Wrotan seemed undaunted by the strange food. He ate as he listened to one of the leprechauns tell him about the dryads and the satyrs. She had heard the tales of the forest peoples, but they were considered a myth in Reddington. The thought of her hometown gave her a feeling of longing. Things had snowballed out of control ever since she met Kade, Amber, and Julian. She still felt a measure of guilt for what happened to the last of the three.

"Is there something wrong with the food?" King Padraig asked.

"Not at all," Wrotan replied.

"What is the problem?"

"There is no problem. My companions are still stunned to be here. Most human settlements do not consider whether the tales of old are true or not. The citydwellers focus on work, entertainment, and politics. Those in the more rural settings care more for their fields, their families, and their traditions. The world can be such a large place when you aren't used to traveling through it."

"I would think that travelers such as yourselves would be more likely to know about the forest peoples, is that not correct?"

"We are not all travelers, your highness. I was a guard in the town of Reddington in the borderlands. Amber, too, is from the borderlands. Lamont is a monk from the spirit monastery. Wrotan is a hunter who has traveled the human lands as well as the elven lands," Mariah replied.

"My pardon, I assumed things of you. Please, each of you take a moment to tell me of yourself," the King said.

"As I said, I was a guard. My job was to protect the next heir to the throne of Reddington until one of the children was fit to rule. Though I did not realize it at the time, I essentially resigned my post when Amber approached me asking for assistance. The majority of my life has been spent in Reddington itself. What little I have traveled prior to this journey has all been inside of the borderlands."

"I know a bit about the borderlands, though I've not been there before."

"I'm just a village girl from the outskirts of Reddington. The farthest I'd ever been from home was the town proper," Amber said.

"As for me, I've made pilgrimages to some of the human towns, but not much beyond that. The spirit monks keep to themselves for the most part. Up until I traveled to the dwarven lands, I was mostly a scribe," Lamont said.

"That leaves our hunter, I believe," Finian said as they all looked to Wrotan.

"There is not much to be said about me. I am a simple hunter. My life has been spent looking for the next beast to slay. Unlike the average hunter, I am not in it for the sport. The lands are dangerous for those without a way to defend themselves. A traditional hunter tracks animals for his own gain. He might be looking for a meal or a fine skin to sell. It is not so with me. I travel to villages that are plagued by monsters. This has led me through most of the four kingdoms as well as the elven lands. As for who I am, I can think of one story that sums it up well. The elves had me hunt down a wolf that had taken three fingers from one of the children in the village. They had not realized at that time that the wolf was the pet, as much as a wild animal can be considered a pet, of a particularly nasty huntsman that preyed upon the innocent. I rid them of their monster and led the wolf to a more secluded place where he would no longer bother the village."

The table went silent when they realized what Wrotan had meant by "monster." Mariah was beginning to better understand what Wrotan had gone through. She had no doubt that the elves had turned on him after getting rid of the huntsman. What she did not know was whether or not there would have been a way to nullify the elven hunter without killing him. The Wrotan that she knew would have at least tried to do so, but she knew little of who he had been before she met him. She made a mental note to ask him about it at a later time. The others were beginning to notice that she and Amber hadn't touched their food. She took a bite of one of the fruits and nodded to her companion.

"Hunting other humanoids is not always seen as a good thing, Wrotan," Padraig said.

"Perhaps I was wrong to take justice into my own hands, but nobody else was willing to bring him in. I did try to reason with him, but he was not the reasoning type," Wrotan said.

"I did not mean to question your motives, only to say that there are many who would see it as undesirable. That is no excuse to make the weak choice. If the man was preying upon the innocent, then you made the right choice."

"Let us hope that is true."

"Enough about that. Tell me about your current quest."

"We are traveling to the Arcane Academy to see if they can use their magic to locate a friend of ours. It is our belief that they will also be able to free him from his current state."

"The magicians will help you, but be wary of their tricks. Often times, they will help you only if you agree to their terms," the King said.

"Thank you for your advice. We have little choice in the matter. Our friend is enslaved by the vary evil that threatens the entire land. We hope that weakening their grip on Kade will also weaken their cause."

"You speak of the elven army that invades the four kingdoms?"

"That we do. They are headed by a pack of dragons," Lamont replied.

"Ah, dangerous beasts. If they are truly at the head of things, we may find ourselves drawn into such a battle. Enough about that, let us enough a good time while it lasts."

*

Hadrin paused when they arrived at the gate. The keep was one of several within the city of Reddington. Five of them were owned by the noble houses, one housed the council chambers, and the final keep, the largest of the seven, was home to the royals. The council was made up of the five noble houses. Their influence was currently much greater than usual since none of the royals were old enough to rule. There was no reason to approach the council as a whole when they could petition each individual noble family. This particular keep was largely hidden by the greenery around the outer wall and the ivy growing up the gate. The others looked to the elf Prince as they waited outside the gate. Though he had taken on the role of leader, it was not something that he thought fit him well. This led to hesitations on several points, but he pushed forward. There were two guards standing just inside the closed gate.

"I'm looking for an audience with House Tranquil," Hadrin said.

"Amos does not admit uninvited guests," the guard said.

"On to the next." The elf said as he turned away from the gate.

"Are we really giving up that easily?" Nicolai asked.

"Either the house is aptly named Tranquil and they wouldn't be in favor of war or they are hiding something and wouldn't make a good ally."

"I can see the sense in that."

The elf was surprised at how easily Nicolai had agreed with him. His real reason had been that he didn't know how else to deal with the guards. They hadn't spoken much since he had demoted the man, but Alandra's insistence that he be co-leader with Charise may have changed his outlook. Hadrin had neither the time nor the patience to consider it. The outcome was favorable for both sides as it gave Nicolai some of his reputation back and it allowed Hadrin to make decisions without worrying about the paladin questioning him too much. He headed off toward the next noble house with renewed purpose. House Dominion was the closest in vicinity to House Tranquil. Based on the name and reputation, the elf Prince doubted that they would be willing to lend a hand. None of that mattered. Hadrin was set on appealing to anyone that would listen. He wasn't the best at convincing others to do things, but he would not lose from lack of trying. Furthermore, House Tranquil's rejection had embarrassed him. House Dominion's keep, unlike that of House Tranquil, was displayed with prominence. The massive building loomed over the area like an all-seeing overlord.

"State your business," one of the guards said as they approached.

"We seek an audience with House Dominion," Hadrin said.

"Lord Landros does not take in strangers, but his son is often willing to see those that his father rejects."

"Excellent."

"Only two of you may enter."

Hadrin turned and motioned for Alandra to follow him. He was unsure of how serious Landros' son would be. The last thing he wanted was to be made a fool of in front of the likes of Nicolai. There was no reason for House Dominion to do such a thing to a visiting elf, but the Prince had little experience dealing with human nobles. The keep's courtyard looked more like a death trap than a garden. There were two sets of barracks, each looked as though it could house as many as one thousand soldiers. The inhabitants eyed the elves with looks of contempt. Hadrin ignored the soldiers as he made his way to the main keep. The entryway was at least as large and extravagant as any of the elven castles that he had visited. Their escort led them to one of the smaller side rooms. There was a small table for four and a couch on the side. A young man no more than twenty stood up from the table as they entered.

"Elves, that's a first. Please, sit. My name is Connor Landros, son of Richard Landros," the young man said.

"I am Prince Hadrin of the night elves. This is my associate and friend, Alandra of the sun elves," the Prince said.

"An elven Prince? Why didn't you demand to see my father?"

"We are not in a position of power here. My father is at the heart of this war that is happening in the west. My goal is to stop him. He controls the night elf army, making me a Prince without a home. That is why we did not push for your father to meet with us."

"My apologies, I meant nothing by it. You seek an army?" Connor asked.

"We know that the chances are slim here in Reddington, but we do have allies that are willing to pledge their support should the dragon army set its sights on the borderlands," Hadrin replied.

"They've already been here. We saw no dragons, though. Their portals were more than enough to destroy the council's army. The nobles each have their own personal armies and there are some scattered militias left, but we are mostly in a weakened state. I'm afraid my father would never allow his army to march at such a time. House Tranquil won't go for it either. Perhaps House Martine or House Barnet. You could try House Guilder as well, but they aren't known for going to war."

"It seems we have much work to do. Your assistance has been most helpful."

"I would do more, were I able. My father doesn't like me accepting meetings in the first place, I wouldn't dare outrage him any further."

*

Obrin smiled as looked at the ruins of what used to be castle Markurin. The dragons had caused a level of destruction that was nearly unfathomable. He felt unstoppable with the creatures on his side. Two of the most powerful human kingdoms had been brought down with relative ease. The other two would have time to prepare, but there was little one could do to stop the dragons. That was the key to the entire conquest. The night elf King took one last look at their handiwork before opening a portal to castle Altarius. He stood up straighter as he walked through the portal. Finrul, Queen Ophelia, and King Lothrin were all gathered in the throne room when he arrived. They turned and welcomed him as he stepped into the room.

"Castle Markurin has been decimated. The dragons will arrive here shortly to prepare for the coming battle against the final two kingdoms. We will head out first and then you will bring in the army behind us. Is that clear?" He asked.

"Quite clear. How much time do we have to prepare the men for the next assault?" Finrul asked.

"I do not have a concrete answer for you. The dragons will presumably take somewhere between one to two weeks. "

"Isn't that a bit long for dragons?"

"Not all of the creatures are seeing eye to eye. Ungaroth told me to expect things to be a bit longer so that he is able to send a message to those who are acting out of line. This should have no effect on how the three of you proceed. I will be here should any of you have any questions."

"We are certainly glad to have you."

The night elf King smiled as he turned away from the others. His plans were quickly bringing him toward ultimate victory. There was still the mystery of what to do once the four kingdoms were subjugated, but that question was likely to answer itself with time. The castle was not quite the same as his own back in the night elf lands, but it was rather exquisite in its own right. Obrin preferred elven styles over that of the humans, but the living arrangements were only temporary. He made his way to the top floor and chose the room with the best view. To his surprise, there was also a study connected to the room he chose. He took one look over the city before heading back into his room to rest. The coming month would be crucial and the last thing he needed was to make a stupid mistake due to lack of sleep.

*

Wrotan and his companions thanked the leprechaun King for his kindness and bid him and his followers farewell. The short respite was just what the small group had needed. They left feeling refreshed and hopeful of the coming weeks. The Arcane Academy wasn't far, which meant they would soon be able to locate and help Kade. It would be a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. The hunter was more wary than the others. He had only dealt with someone from the Arcane Academy on one occasion, but it had left him feeling that the mages cared more about their own interests than they did about helping others. That did not, however, stop him from sharing in the increased morale of the others. Amber had changed more than anyone. The prospect of seeing Kade again had become real to her.

"Stay alert. We want to help Kade, but not at the cost of our own well-being," Wrotan said.

"Why would we do such a thing? Our main focus has been to assist your friend. It would be foolish to rescue one at the cost of another," Lamont said.

"The Arcane Academy is home to some of the smartest minds in the known world. Some of them are not so quick to lend a hand. Others are known for getting people into deals that aren't as savory as they first seem. I was simply giving out a warning."

"If they are as shady as you say, why are we going to them for assistance?" Mariah asked.

"Not all of them are as bad as I said. Not that it matters, they are our best chance at saving Kade."

"Can they help us against the dragons?" Amber asked.

"I plan to ask, whether or not they agree to do so is another story. They would be a great help against the beasts. Unfortunately, we have little to offer them in return," Wrotan replied.

"Is not the defeat of the dragons enough?" Mariah asked.

"It could be, but magicians are not like others. They see the world in different ways, as they should. We are limited to shorter lives that deal with smaller areas. The sorcerers live longer and deal with things that could affect the whole world."

"Like the dragons,"

"If they are seen as enough of a threat, yes. In fact, that may be the best argument we have for bringing them into the fray."

*

Hadrin stormed away from the gates of Barnet Manor. Not only had they refused to meet with him, but they insulted his people. He had heard the stories of how humans were dismissive of elves, but he hadn't ever thought he would experience it for himself. His experience with Mariah, Amber, Wrotan, and the spirit monks had been positive. Alandra and the others followed the Prince at a slight distance, unsure of how to deal with the situation. He let out a sigh as he slowed down. His companions weren't the ones that had needlessly offended him. Only House Barnet deserved his wrath, though he was certain there were other humans that agreed with them. He turned toward the next keep and waited for the others to catch up to him.

"It would give me unmeasurable satisfaction to end the miserable lives of those fools, but we haven't the time or the ability at present. We need to focus on getting House Guilder or House Martine to join us," he said.

"What if they aren't willing to join us?" Charise asked.

"We move on to the militias and the regular populace. The borderlanders must know the importance of defeating this menace. They were already attacked by the elves without the assistance of the dragons. Adding those beasts only means more death for their opponents."

"Do we even have much chance of defeating the creatures?" Nicolai asked.

"Of course we do, but it won't be easy. The more people we recruit, the better chance we have against them. I'm not certain how much regular troops will help our cause, but we must try."

"If not regular troops, then who?"

"Wrotan is the reason why we were able to fell that earth dragon. Mariah and the dwarves were immensely helpful, but he was the key to our victory. Hopefully he will have a chance to teach us how to defeat the dragons. I fear that their numbers may just be too much for us."

The group got silent as they neared the gate to House Guilder. A gaping hole in the side of the keep revealed disheveled and out of date furnishings. Aside from that portion of the keep, the rest of the building seemed well kept. The guards at the gate didn't even question any of the group. Hadrin took the lead as they entered the courtyard. It only took him a moment to realize that the gardens were open for all to visit. The Prince had not seen such behavior from any of the royal elven populace. He wondered if humans were more likely to act in such a way or if it was something unique to House Guilder. One of the guards stepped forward from his spot next to the main doors to the keep.

"Lord Guilder hopes that you've enjoyed the view of the gardens," the guard said.

"That we have. Would it be possible to meet with Lord Guilder?" Hadrin asked.

"If your group is willing to give up their weapons for the duration of the meeting, this can be arranged."

"Certainly, those are acceptable terms."

Guilder's guards seemed relieved at their quick cooperation. They opened the doors for Hadrin's group and led them through a small entryway into a sitting room. Lord Guilder stood as they entered the room. He was by no means an intimidating man. Even the shortest of the paladins was half a head taller than the man. His thin build only built upon the perception of weakness. He motioned for his guests to find a seat as he returned to his own. Hadrin, Alandra, Charise, and Nicolai took seats at the table as the rest of the paladins found places on the chairs and couches scattered through the room. The look of the room itself made the elf Prince feel as though their host was something of a scatterbrain.

"Welcome to my humble home. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Guilder asked.

"We are here to form an alliance of sorts. Though not in the sense that one would generally think. This is not a long-term proposal. My father and his allies have unleashed an unspeakable horror on the world and we need help to contain the situation," Hadrin replied.

"I do not envy your position. Going against blood is never an easy task. Unfortunately, House Guilder lacks the resources to go to war. We are doing what we can to keep the populace safe after the loss of the council army, but we aren't making good progress. It is likely that House Martine will assist for the sake of glory. Perhaps you can see if one of the local militias will help you as well."

"You have been quite helpful, Lord Guilder. Thank you for your time."

"Going so soon? Surely you can spare a few minutes?" Guilder asked.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," the elf replied.

"Excellent, I'll call for tea. Perhaps biscuits as well?"

"That won't be necessary."

"Right you are, of course."

"Might I enquire as to why you've a gaping hole in the side of your keep?" Nicolai asked.

"Gives it a sort of different feel, don't you think?"

"Yes, it does. Unfortunately, we must be going," Hadrin said.

Prince Hadrin stood up from his seat and bid the noble farewell. Alandra and the others followed suit. The elf was unsure of how he felt about the man. There was a lot of honor in making sure that those around you were safe, but the man also seemed to see the world different than most. None of that mattered at the moment. The task at hand was finding as much assistance as possible for the coming confrontation with Obrin and his dragons. Whether they would find enough help remained to be seen. Hadrin suspected that they wouldn't know until they confronted the elves and dragons. He let out a sigh as they exited the courtyard. House Martine was the final noble house for them to visit within Reddington.

*

Kade stumbled over a slithering tentacle. He spun as fast as he could and chopped at it with his sword. The creature slid back into the shadows. It shot a tentacle out at him as he approached. He sliced at the appendage, but it whipped out of the way before he could make contact. The pain in his head intensified as he dashed after his prey. Another tentacle shot out and hit him in the chest. He fell backward and tried to scramble to his feet. The tentacles pulled back as he let out a scream. His vision began to blur as he closed in on the creature. It let out a snarl as it lashed out at him with several tentacles. The tentacles wrapped around him and pushed him to the floor. He tried to cry out, but his voice failed him and his vision dimmed.

*

"What is it this time?" Padraig asked as he looked up at Finian.

"There is another human in the forest. He is acting rather erratically," Finian replied.

"Do we have reason to believe he is hostile?"

"It is a distinct possibility."

"Gather the sorcerers and tell them to meet me in the forest. We need to investigate this disturbance."

The leprechaun King stood up from his chair and headed into his chambers. He put on his armor and attached his scabbard to his belt. It had been quite some time since he had been forced to use his sword, but it still seemed like it fit at his side. The blacksmith that made and enchanted the sword had explained that it would always be his unless he chose to relinquish it to an heir. There was a magic that resided within the sword that gave the wielder a slight advantage against an opponent. King Padraig didn't understand the enchantment, but he knew that it had kept him alive on more than one occasion. It comforted him to know that he could pass the sword on to his daughter someday. He took a deep breath as he exited his chambers.

"Zaira, chose five of your best soldiers and follow me," the King said.

His daughter nodded before turning back toward her fellow guards. She pointed to five different soldiers. They followed the King as he headed out into the forest. Several sorcerers were already gathered outside the city. They paid their respects before falling in line behind the warriors. The group, though small, was comprised of the most skilled magicians and fighters within the fairy kingdom. King Padraig was certain that they could contain the lone intruder without anyone getting hurt. He slowed down as he approached the clearing where the young man had been seen. Zaira and her soldiers took the lead as Padraig and the wizards brought up the rear. They stopped when they reached the clearing. The young man was already on the floor. The Princess bent down and checked to see if he was alive.

"He is breathing, but I doubt he will last much longer," she said.

"Allow us," one of the sorcerer's said as he stepped forward.

The wizard threw his hood back as he knelt down next to the young man. He placed a hand over the man's heart. His companions surrounded the fallen human and lent their magic to their leader. The process took several minutes, during which the King was able to further examine the intruder. He stepped back and let out a sigh. The young man didn't look to be much of a threat to him or his kingdom. Zaira and her warriors put away their weapons as the lead wizard stood. The King turned toward him and waited for the diagnosis.

"There is a madness inside of him. I'm not certain we can fix him, but we can keep him alive," the sorcerer said.

"Could this be the friend that our previous visitors spoke of?" King Padraig asked.

"It is possible, but I do not know."

"We can't leave him here. Bring him inside and see to it that you do everything you can for him."

*

Hadrin grabbed the hilt of his sword as he approached the gate to House Martine. Several rough looking men were arguing with one of the guards. The elf was too far to hear what they were saying, but he could see that it wouldn't end well. One of the ruffians pointed toward his group and then they all dispersed. Nicolai ordered two of his paladins to watch the streets as they approached the guards. House Martine's guards were still a bit shook up by the confrontation, but they were willing to let the elf Prince meet with their leader. He took Alandra with him as they headed into the keep. This keep was in much better shape than that of House Guilder, but it wasn't overly fancy like the others they had visited. Lord Martine stood up from his chair to welcome the two guests.

"You must be the elf Prince that I've heard so much about. Please, sit," Martine said.

"My name is Hadrin and this is Alandra. We've come seeking your assistance against my father, his army of elves, and his dragon allies. It is not a small task, but losing may mean destruction of the known world," Hadrin said as he took a seat.

"You don't give me much of a choice, it seems. What would the people think if they knew my failure to act brought about the destruction of the world as we know it? I doubt anyone alive would care. No doubt you've been rejected by each of the other houses. That is to be expected though."

"Now you see how desperate we are. Perhaps it was not wise for me to approach you in such a way, but this is an issue that needs to be addressed."

"Of that, you have me convinced. Answer me this, what are the chances we defeat these dragons?" Martine asked.

"I wish I could say otherwise, but the chances are exceedingly slim. We face dozens of dragons, maybe even hundreds. Then there are the four elven armies to defeat. Last of all, my father is a powerful magician and he employs at least one other powerful mage."

"I've always been partial to heroic jaunts with little chance for success. What is life without a little adventure? Give me a few days and I'll have an army together."

"You have my thanks," Hadrin said as he stood up.

"One of my men mentioned that you helped run off a group of brigands. They'll see you as a target now. The next few days should be interesting for you and your bodyguards," Martine said as he escorted them to the door.

"They are paladins who are trained for war, these ruffians you speak of won't stand a chance," Alandra said.

"Perhaps you should seek them out. The militias have their hands full with those pests."

*

Hrimgur scratched at his beard as he contemplated the scout's words. Their force was significantly larger than that of the slavers, but it would take time to defeat the foul humans. The thought of letting a band of slavers prey upon his people was enough to solidify his decision. He hooked his mace onto the loop at his belt and called forth his Generals. They devised a plan that would ensure their people wouldn't have to deal with slavers for a long time. He gathered together the majority of his forces and set off toward the slaver's camp as one of his Generals headed around to ambush them from behind with the dwarves' mobile ballistae. The dwarves marched until the camp came into view. Their goal was to draw the slavers' attention while the ballistae got into position.

"Have a good portion of the troops hang back, we don't want the slavers running away from us. We want them to think they have a chance," Hrimgur ordered.

His dwarves followed suit, splitting into two parties. The one group held back and waited for the signal as the others continued forward. He could see the slavers alerting one another to their presence. The dwarves drew their weapons as they quicken their pace. A group of slavers rushed forward to engage them. Hrimgur held his weapon up above his head and let out a battle cry. He charged forward and slammed his mace into the chest of the nearest slaver. His troops engaged their opponents and began to push them back toward the camp. The fighting intensified as more soldiers from both sides joined the fray. A horn sounded in the distance and the dwarves all drew back and formed a shield wall. Ballista bolts rained down on the slavers, breaking their spirit. Hrimgur called his men together and they set about destroying what they could of the camp.

"This should set them back, but it won't stop them altogether. We will need to deal with this on our return trip."

#  The Arcane Academy

Amber watched as Wrotan, Mariah, and Lamont all unhooked their sword belts and held them up to the side. One of the mages at the tower entrance motioned for them to come forward. He took their weapons and placed them in a large chest near the entrance. The door swung open on its own and the mage motioned for the four to enter. Lamont slouched as he entered the tower. Amber couldn't help but feel like he had something to hide from the Arcane Academy wizards. The entryway was significantly smaller than she had expected it would be. There was a single round room whose diameter couldn't have been more than eight feet. From the outside, the tower looked as though it would have been two or three times that size. There were stone arches all along the wall, but each was only a foot or two deep. She tapped Wrotan on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Where is the rest of the bottom level?" She asked.

"The Arcane Tower is a special place. Only the wisest and most powerful mages have chambers within the tower itself. The majority of the students are at the academy itself. We've entered the home of the most powerful magicians in the known world. The outside tower is just an anchor that allows us to travel to this location. They didn't want others to be able to tear down their tower with siege weapons and other means," the hunter replied.

"How is that possible?"

"Magic is a powerful tool, young one," a mage said as he stepped out from one of the arches.

"Excuse me, sir. We are looking for magicians who specialize in locating people," Wrotan said.

"Ah, yes. Location services are not too uncommon. Theodorus can be found through the orange arch. Best of fortune in finding your friend."

"Thank you," the hunter said as he offered the mage a small crystal.

"It is refreshing to see that some still know the practices of dealing with a wizard. If you have any other questions, feel free to seek me out within the green arch."

Wrotan nodded to the man before turning toward the arch with the small orange square above it. He glanced back at the others before stepping under the arch. Amber gasped as the hunter disappeared. Lamont let out a chuckle as he followed Wrotan. Mariah place one hand on Amber's shoulder and motioned toward the orange portal with the other. The young woman took a deep breath before stepping into the portal. Everything went black for a split second and then she was standing in another room. This room was much too large to fit inside the tower, which only served to further prove Wrotan's comment. The room was lined with bookshelves. There was no doubt that they had entered the Wizard's Library. She had heard stories about how it was the largest library ever built, but even those stories didn't do it justice. In the center of the room, there was a round desk with several statues on top.

"How can we help you?" One of the statues asked as they approached.

"We are looking for Theodorus," Lamont replied.

"One moment, please."

The small statue levitated above the table before heading off into one of the aisles of bookshelves. Amber watched as it whizzed by a few more times. She turned her attention to the closest of the bookshelves. There were tomes highlighting the basics of everything from gardening to magic to masonry. The library was, without a doubt, the single largest repository of knowledge in the world. That would make it a prime target for Obrin and his allies. She wondered if they could use that fact to bring the sorcerers into the war against the dragons. Her thoughts were interrupted by the return of the statue. It stopped in front of Lamont and waited for them to follow. They followed the statue through what seemed like a maze of bookshelves before coming to a small desk near the corner of the library. A lone mage sat at the desk with piles and piles of books all around him. He was significantly younger than Amber had imagined, or, at the very least, he looked younger than she imagined. His short black hair was accented by a small amount of gray at his temples.

"What is it?" The mage asked without looking up at them.

"You are Theodorus?" Lamont asked.

"I am. Who are you?"

"That is not important, we need to know if you can use your magic to locate our friend," Wrotan said as he stepped forward.

"That is more like it. No offense, but your friend is far less important than he believes. And yes, I can use magic to locate your friend. The question you should answer is: Why should I use my magic to locate your friend?"

"You do not even know me. How could you possibly know whether or not I am important?" Lamont asked.

"Lamont, you are well known to many. Some of your theories are sound, but you greatly underestimate the dangers of meddling in the affairs of others. Regardless of that, I will still assist your friend if they provide me with a sound reason," Theodorus answered.

"The dragons took control of his mind. We don't know what sort of havoc he is wreaking as their tool," Mariah said.

"Dragons? Why wasn't I told that the dragons are involved?"

"We assumed that everyone knew. They attacked the dwarves and, if they haven't already, they will attack the humans next. Some of our allies are already recruiting armies to fight off the threat," Wrotan replied.

"If the dragons are involved, then I have little choice. Is there anything else you need at the Arcane Academy or can we start the process now?" Theodorus asked.

"We will need to be able to heal his mind when we find him. There is no telling what kind of damage the dragons have done to him."

"One last question: Why is he so important?"

"I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

"Are you fools? The dragons are on the loose and you seek to rescue a lone man."

Amber wanted to speak up, but she could see that Wrotan's stare had a far greater effect on the wizard than anything any of them could say. The mage put up his hands, as if to say that they should ignore his outburst. He extended his hand to the hunter and they shook. Lamont was already heading back toward the middle of the library as they others began to leave. The statue made sure that the others could catch up. None of them spoke as they wound back to the center of the library. Theodorus stopped at the center desk and wrote something on a piece of parchment before rejoining the group. His paper lifted off from the desk and glided through the air.

"One of our finest healers will meet us at the exit in a bit," he said.

"How does this work?" Mariah asked.

"I'll prepare a spell once we are outdoors. After that, I can act as a compass to get you closer to your friend."

*

Alandra said a silent prayer as she drew her sword. She never considered herself a religious person, but fighting brought out a different side. They were outnumbered at least four to one, but their opponents weren't as well-armed. Nicolai and Charise ordered their paladins to spread out as the bandits approached. Hadrin was the one that everyone worried most about. Though he was the Prince of the night elves, his skill with a sword was not something that would instill fear in others. They all knew he would refuse to stay out of the fight, so nobody even thought to bring it up. He stood at the center of the half-circle with Alandra at one side and Nicolai at the other. They knew it would be harder for their enemies to get to him if they placed him there. The brigands charged forward and engaged the paladins first.

Hadrin rushed forward and attacked one of the ruffians. Alandra and Nicolai followed behind him, ready to intervene if necessary. She engaged one of the leaders of the thugs. He attacked her with a high arcing chop, which she dodged. Her offhand surged forward and she dug her knife into his chest. The brigand grabbed at his chest as he collapsed to the floor. He was quickly replaced by one of his companions. She lashed out at the elven warrior, but the strike was too slow. Alandra knocked her sword out of the way and dug her dagger into her opponent's neck. The elven warrior proceeded to neutralize three more opponents before she drew back to check on her allies. Hadrin and the paladins had managed to fight off the majority of the ruffians, causing what little was left of the force to flee.

"Everyone survive?" Nicolai asked as the group gathered.

"Yes, a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing major," Charise replied.

"You have our thanks, we've been trying to find a way to stop that gang for years," one of the villagers said as he approached the group.

"Is there no force to stop them?" Hadrin asked.

"The council army kept them from harming the nobles and the militias have always been able to keep them out of certain areas, but this is the first time I've seen anyone deal such a blow."

"We are happy to assist. People deserve better than to be preyed upon by others."

"I was hoping you would see things that way. You see, I am Malcolm, leader of the People's Militia. We are always looking for new recruits. Would you care to join up?" The man asked.

"That isn't really an option that is available to us. We are looking to rid the world of a menace and it requires us to travel to the four kingdoms."

"You're that elf everyone is talking about. Are things really as bad as you say?"

"I wouldn't say it if they weren't. The four kingdoms don't stand a chance against my father and the dragons. It is highly likely that they'll set their sights on the smaller kingdoms once they've conquered the four. That leaves you in a tough position," Hadrin replied.

"That it does. I think I know the answer though. You do whatever you need to do. I'll recruit as many of the militias as I am able. Where should we meet you?"

"Head to the four kingdoms, you'll find us there."

*

Wrotan watched as Theodorus held up his map and began making several marks. He let out a sigh as he rolled up the map and placed it in his pack. Josephine, the healer that Theodorus had recommended, looked to her fellow wizard for information. They spoke in whispers for several minutes before turning to the others. Mariah and Amber already looked impatient, but the hunter had been able to keep his cool. He had dealt with magicians before and knew that they liked to take their time and discuss things. It had taken some getting used to, but he had managed. He called the others over as Theodorus approached him.

"I am not certain that you want them to hear," the sorcerer said as they approached.

"They have my assurance that Kade will be brought back safely. Whatever worry you may instill can be assuaged by me," Wrotan said.

"Let us hope that your skill is as great as your confidence. All signs point toward the owner of this belt being in the Magic Forest. The leprechauns and fairies will not like his meddling."

"That is the best news we've heard in some time."

"Are you insane? Do you not know how dangerous the fairy folk are?" Josephine asked.

"We entered their lands on our way here. They seemed quite cordial to us," Lamont replied.

"Perhaps it will be simpler than we imagine, but I request that we travel without Lamont," Theodorus said.

"Lamont, Amber, and Mariah will meet up with the others. I will travel with the two of you to find Kade," Wrotan said before the spirit monk could protest.

"Wouldn't it be best if I went?" Amber asked.

"It will be a simple task. You have nothing to worry about."

Though the others were not entirely pleased with the decision, they didn't argue with the hunter. The two groups said their goodbyes, telling one another that they would meet up soon. Wrotan was unsure of why the magicians were so adamantly against the fairy kingdom, but he knew it would be best if the others weren't involved. He wasn't sure that he would be able to protect them and save Kade if things got ugly. The hunter motioned for the two wizards to follow as he headed for the south end of the forest. They had a bit of a trek through the southern side of the forest before getting to the Magic Forest and he wanted to get to Kade as soon as he could.

*

"The hunter has returned," Finian said as he approached the King.

"So soon?" Padraig asked.

"He has two magicians with him."

"You are certain of this?"

"They bear the robes of the Arcane Academy."

"We must not assume that Wrotan is an enemy just because he is traveling with two of them. Nevertheless, I must investigate the situation with care. Make sure that Zaira stays behind. If the hunter does decide upon treachery, the kingdom cannot afford to lose us both."

The King let out a sigh as he headed to collect his sword and armor. His sword flowed with magical properties that allowed the wielder to fight with enhanced capabilities. The armor was specifically designed to protect him in a battle that included the use of magic. He could scarcely remember that last time he had been worried that their combined power would fall short. Wrotan was no simple hunter like he claimed. If the stories painted by his companions were true, his skill combined with that of two magicians would be difficult to overcome. He cleared his mind as he exited his quarters. With any luck, Finian would have already set forth in his task to distract Zaira.

"Father, this is far too dangerous a task for you to undertake alone," his daughter said as he headed down the hall.

"It seems that you have outdone Finian once again. You don't make it easy on me. The danger is exactly why you need to stay behind. If anything were to happen to me, this kingdom would need you," Padraig said.

"You know that I have no interest in ruling, father. Why can't you choose another?"

"I have another in mind, but there are two obstacles to his candidacy. Now is hardly the time to discuss it."

"We will discuss it after we deal with whatever disturbance you are trying to keep me away from."

"There is simply no winning against you, is there?"

Padraig smiled and turned for the door before she could answer. He knew her well enough to know that it would do no good to argue. Instead, he took advantage of her presence and sent the other warriors away. If the two of them together couldn't beat back this threat, there was little chance ten guards would help. They headed out of the city and out into the forest. Wrotan and the two wizards were already nearing the edge of the kingdom borders when they intercepted them. Zaira hung back and nocked an arrow as her father stepped out from the trees. The hunter smiled when he saw the King, but his companions were expressionless.

"Stand back, Wrotan," the male sorcerer said.

"Theodorus, let me handle this. King Padraig and I are friends," Wrotan said.

"Josephine, be a darling and take care of the one in the trees that is planning on skewering us with arrows."

The leprechaun King drew his sword and stepped between the three intruders and his daughter. Josephine stepped back and held up her arms, as if to motion that she wanted nothing to do with the fight. Theodorus used his magic to destroy the bow in Zaira's hand and then shoved the King back with another spell. Padraig pushed himself back onto his feet and stepped toward the mage. His opponent used a spell to pull both of his adversaries toward him. He threw his hands up in the air and lightning began to crackle between them. As he was throwing his arms forward, a sword blade protruded out from his chest. He gasped for air as he collapsed to the floor. The lightning he had been wielding shot off into the forest, colliding with a tree. Wrotan pulled his sword from the fallen wizard and turned toward Josephine.

"Choose your words wisely," he said.

"I am here to heal your friend, not go to war with the fairy kingdom. Theodorus' fight is not my fight," she said.

"That is good enough for me," Padraig said as he sheathed his sword.

*

Hadrin put his fingers to his mouth and made the agreed upon call. The scouts returned with call and he led the others toward the camp. Bertram and Hrimgur had managed to bring together a decent size army in their absence. The elf Prince smiled as he looked over the camp. Things were coming together far better than he had initially expected. The leaders of each group were meeting together in the central command tent. One of the sentries informed Hadrin, Alandra, Nicolai, and Charise that they were all invited to attend. The Prince pulled back the tent flap and motioned for the others to enter first. He let out a sigh of relief as he entered the tent. The tent was far gaudier than he would have ever expected. Larger dwarven carvings lined the outside of the tent. They matched the smaller carvings that had been placed on the individual tables. It was a nice way to break up all the books that Cristoph had brought.

"You've arrived, good. We are attempting to ascertain the best way to attack our enemy. This collection of tomes is second only to that of the Arcane Academy. Our hope is to find something that will give us some sort of tactical advantage against the elves and the dragons," the spirit monk said as the others approached.

"Bertram and I will take care of the elves, the rest of you need to find us some sort of advantage against the dragons," Hrimgur said.

"It will not be a simply task. A single earth dragon and his drake allies nearly ended our uprising far too early," Hadrin said.

"What news of Wrotan and the others?" Bertram asked.

"We were hoping that they would meet up with us while we were still in Reddington, but we've had no such luck. It is likely that they will arrive here within the next few days."

"That should give us some time to find a weakness to exploit," Cristoph said.

*

Wrotan watched as Josephine approached Kade. The fairies and leprechauns had been taking care of the young man for a few days, but they saw no change in his condition. They did everything within their power, but they knew that his ailment was beyond their abilities. The wizard started by placing a hand on Kade's chest. She nodded to herself before moving the hand up to his head. Her eyes went wide as she backed away from the bed. Everyone eagerly watched as she collected herself. She turned toward the hunter with a questioning look on her face. He glanced around the room before looking back at her and nodding.

"This is far beyond me. There is only one way that I know for certain that can break whatever enchantment they had on him," she said.

"Had? Is it not still on him?" Padraig asked.

"Yes and no. They put an enchantment on him to control him, but he found a way to fight it. Unfortunately, the process splintered his mind. The only way to fix it would be to enter his mind."

"What are we waiting for?" Wrotan asked.

"It is far too dangerous. I would never enter another's mind without invitation," Josephine replied.

"I never asked you to. You need to find a way to send me."

*

Kade found himself drifting on an island on a great ocean. There were over a dozen other islands around him, each one with its own unique feel. He already knew that thinking about moving to another island would allow him to do so, but he couldn't figure out why that was true. Nothing seemed to make sense on the great ocean, but he had long since stopped questioning it. He felt himself pulled toward one of the islands and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was standing on that island. There was a lone man standing there facing him. He looked familiar and foreign all at the same time. Kade rubbed his eyes, but the man did not leave.

"Who are you?" The young man asked.

"Wrotan. Don't you remember me?" The hunter asked.

"Impossible, I've been alone on these islands for years. There are no boats. The islands are my prison."

"Perhaps I came from beyond the islands."

"Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I have not seen the edge of the world?"

"I would never think you a fool. You spoke before about a prison. That is the truth, but not how you think. We are inside of your mind. The shadow dragons tried to control you and you broke free, but the result was a shattered mind. You and I must work together to bring it all back together."

"Why should I trust you?" Kade asked.

"What other choice do you have?" Wrotan asked.

"I could kill you. It would be easy if this is truly my mind."

"Am I the first person you have come across?"

"Yes, though I've seen glimpses of others. They always go away when I approach. The years have been lonely."

"You've not been here for years. The fairies claim to have put you in a deep sleep less than a week ago. It is possible the madness claimed you before that, but I would wager you've been here no more than a month."

"Truly? This is the best news I've heard in some time. Tell me, how are Amber and Julian?"

"You remember?" The hunter asked.

"I've never forgot them. Not the two of them. They were my closest friends. Are they here as well?"

"Amber wanted to be, but it is too dangerous."

"And Julian?"

"The shadow dragons killed him."

Kade took a step back as Wrotan delivered the news. It hit him in the very core of his being. Hatred, sadness, and guilt welled up inside of him. His hands shook as he fell down to his knees. He buried his face in his hands as he wept. Wrotan placed a hand on his shoulder and slowly the guilt and sadness began to melt away. Kade grabbed a handful of sand and threw it into the air. He pounded his fist into the sand. His hands continued to shake as he slowly stood up. The only upside was knowing that Amber was alive and well. He did everything he could to focus on that, but it was no small task. Wrotan took a step back to give him a bit of room.

"They will pay for this," Kade said.

"That much I promise you," Wrotan said.

"How do we get out of here?"

"There must be something left of the spell they cast on you. We need to find it and cleanse your mind of it."

"It won't be easy. There were two of them, one was a dragon and the other was a warrior of some kind."

"What do you know of this warrior?" The hunter asked.

"His leader was known as Sheltek. They've infiltrated the four kingdoms and stand ready to fight back against the dragons, but the majority of their forces have yet to get through to our world. We face two enemies, Wrotan, not just one. Somehow they are able to change their appearance to live among us."

"We will figure that out later, now we need to get rid of their residue."

#  Preparing For War

Mariah drew her sword as soon as she saw the small pack of soldiers approaching them. Amber stopped and stepped behind the former guardswoman. Lamont placed a hand on each of their shoulders. He nodded before stepping toward the small group. They stopped and started discussing something before coming closer. Mariah could feel the tension building, but she deferred to Lamont for now. He was far from as trustworthy as Wrotan, but he wasn't without his positives. The group of soldiers stopped and waited for the three to initiate contact. Lamont reassured the two women before heading toward the other group.

"I am Lamont of the spirit monastery, we do not seek to fight anyone. Our goal is to meet up with a traveling companion of ours," he said.

"Hail, Lamont. Though I've not met you, I know of you. I am Nicolai of the spirit monastery. You and your companions are welcome in our camp," one of the soldiers said.

Lamont thanked the paladin and motioned for the other two to follow. They fell in behind Nicolai and his paladins. The camp was much larger than Mariah was expecting. She had been under the impression that there wouldn't be much of an army to challenge the dragons with. This was one of those rare times when she enjoyed being wrong. The dwarves cheered as she made her way past them. They remembered well how she and Wrotan had paired together to take down the dragon terrorizing their lands. It made her wonder how the hunter was fairing in his quest to find Kade. She knew that their entire quest would be for naught if he could not meet up with them. Her thoughts were interrupted by Lamont tapping her on the shoulder and motioning toward the tent.

"Where is Wrotan?" Hadrin asked as they entered the tent.

"He went with two mages to find Kade. We are to meet them inside the four kingdoms prior to engaging the enemy," she replied.

"This is unfortunate. He is our best resource on fighting those beasts, I had hoped to be able to discuss tactics with him at length before the battle. We must be ready to move soon. In the meantime, I want everyone working on getting as much information about dragons as they can. We want to be able to provide Wrotan with as much information as necessary."

*

Kade threw up his hand, deflecting the dragon fire away. Since Wrotan had revealed that they were inside his mind, he found himself able to do things that would otherwise be impossible. The shadow dragon let out a deafening roar as it sprang toward the young man. He smiled as he used his newfound powers to shrink the beast down to the size of a house cat. The miniature dragon let out a squeaky roar as it redirected itself away from its former prey. Kade grabbed hold of the creature, but he hesitated. Something deep inside had trouble ending the tiny little beast. He couldn't tell if it was a remnant from the spell they had used on him or if it was because he had shrunk the creature down to a much smaller version of itself. The dragon snapped at him and he dropped it. It let out a roar as it began to grow.

"Don't back down!" Wrotan yelled.

The hunter was holding off the spirit warrior as Kade battled against the dragon. Both the shadow dragon and the spirit warrior had managed to leave a sort of link inside the young man's mind, allowing them to tap into some of his powers. He clenched his fists as he grew to match the size of the dragon. The stepped back as he lunged forward. His fists shot out with incredible speed, taking the beast in the face. The dragon attempted to escape, but Kade was too fast. His fists slammed into the creature's face one after the other. It crashed to the floor and he dropped down and continued the beating. The dragon let out a weak roar as it began to fade away. Kade shrunk back to his normal size as he turned toward Wrotan and the spirit warrior. The hunter had managed to defeat his opponent, but only Kade could banish him for good.

"Finish it and we'll get out of here," Wrotan said.

"Gladly," the young man said as a sword appeared in his hand.

"This is foolishness, you know we are your best chance for victory," the spirit warrior said.

"I've heard more than enough from you!" Kade yelled as he drove the sword into the warrior.

*

Wrotan rocked back as he came out of the spell. He shook his head before looking around the room. Everyone was looking toward Kade's bed. The young man was beginning to stir. He slowly sat up on his bed. Josephine placed a hand on his chest. She slowly nodded before moving the hand up to his forehead. Her smile was enough for everyone to know that they had succeeded. Wrotan stood up and stretched his muscles. He had no idea how long it had taken to free the young man, but it felt as though he had been sitting there for years. There was no question that Kade would be feeling it even more so. It had been a strange event for both of them. The hunter walked over to the bed and put his hand on Kade's shoulder.

"We need you to recuperate as fast as possible. Things have changed in your absence. The known world has been pulled into this war," he said.

"I'll be ready to leave once I've eaten. I am quite famished," Kade said.

"We cannot allow you to go alone," Padraig said.

"What did you have in mind?" Wrotan asked.

"My daughter, Zaira, has volunteered to accompany you with her ten best warriors. In the meantime, I will be bringing together as much of the army as I can so that we can follow behind."

"You have our thanks."

*

Lamont closed his eyes and recited the words to the spell. His heartbeat quickened as he was rushed to the spirit realm. He was taking a serious risk using a spell that he had never researched, but the benefits were too great for him to pass up. The spirit world always gave him some measure of comfort. This time, however, was vastly different than any other time he had visited. There were dozens of tall, thin humanoid beings. They were whispering to one another and periodically pointing at him. He knew that these were the spirit people that he had always thought existed. Aside from their longer, thinner arms, legs, and torso, they were mostly human. Their faces were slightly elongated, but he could see how easily they could use magic to modify their appearance and blend in with humans or elves. One of the spirit warriors broke off from the group and approached him.

"You are the one called Lamont?" He asked.

"Yes, I am Lamont. What may I call you?" The monk asked.

"I am called Sheltek. You would think of me as part warchief, part prelate."

"My life's work has been dedicated to researching your people. This is a dream come true for me."

"We are appreciative of your work. You found the connection between our people and the dwarves of old. That is why we left you with the spell scroll. It was our hope that you could act as an anchor for me and my people."

"Why would you need an anchor? Can you not transfer between worlds?" Lamont asked.

"The shadow dragons have kept us from making the transfer. We need you to find out how they are stopping us."

"I can't imagine they expected anyone to assist you. What if I can find a way to open a portal from my end?"

"It could work."

*

Wrotan drew his sword as slowly as he could to avoid his target from hearing. He raised his arm and was about to bring it down when Kade pulled him back. The hunter shot his companion a glare before turning back toward the Knight. His target was still oblivious of the eminent danger. There were more opponents than allies, but Wrotan felt that the element of surprise would be enough to make up for the difference. Kade was dangerously close to ruining that advantage. The younger man pulled the hunter back before stepping toward the Knight. Zaira stared at the two of them while keeping her bow trained on another of the opponents. Her ten warriors were all huddled behind her with their hands on their hilts.

"Attos, are you here?" Kade asked as he stepped into the clearing.

"Kade! We thought you were dead," the knight said.

"I am quite alive, thanks to my friend." The young man motioned toward Wrotan.

"It seems that we are fortunate you were with them," Attos said when he spotted Wrotan, Zaira, and the ten soldiers.

"You could have told me that they were your friends," Wrotan said as he sheathed his sword.

"I only spotted it at the last minute. My mind is repaired, but there is still a bit of a fog that keeps me from really remembering everything from my past," Kade said.

"Shall we continue our hit and run tactics against both armies?" Attos asked as he showed the others into camp.

"I'm afraid we don't have time for that. We need to meet up with the armies we've raised and attack head on," Wrotan replied.

"How many armies should we be expecting?" Zaira asked.

"The spirit monks, the paladins, the dwarves, the wildlanders, the borderlanders, the Arcane Academy, and now the fairy kingdom. I'm not entirely certain that all of them will be decent sized armies, but together we should have a fighting chance."

*

Hadrin drew his sword as soon as he saw one of the strange beings coming out of the portal. He lunged forward, attempting to drive his sword into the creature's stomach. Lamont threw his body into the elf, knocking him to the side. Alandra pulled the monk off the floor and drew her knife. She placed it at his throat and demanded an explanation. Bertram pulled the two of them apart and positioned himself between Lamont and the others. The elf Prince glared at the two of them while he tried to think of a way to resolve the situation. Cristoph quickly arrived and joined Bertram in trying to get the two sides to communicate rather than attempt to kill one another. Hadrin waited for the newcomers to put away their weapons before he sheathed his sword.

"I am Sheltek, leader of the Kelimar. We are the new leaders here. Lamont will be our representative to the people of this world," the newcomer said.

"Lamont, you fool. You've doomed whatever chance we had against the shadow dragons," Hadrin said.

"Hold a moment, perhaps we can negotiate a treaty of sorts. The Kelimar may prove useful against the shadow dragons," Cristoph said.

"You fight against the shadow? This is acceptable to us. We see no reason why you would need to be our servants. Tell me, where are the dragons gathered?" Sheltek asked.

"It won't be quite as easy as you expect. They've gathered a strong force of elves and dragons. In fact, the shadow dragons are a mere fraction of what we must fight against."

"We have little knowledge of your world. Those of us who avoided imprisonment have been unable to contact us. How many dragons do we face?"

"Our scouts believe that we are up against dozens of shadow dragons, hundreds of other dragons, and thousands of elves. We weren't so much expecting to win as much as deal them a blow that would severely hamper their ability to rule. However, with your appearance, we may have the upper hand."

"Doubtful, we are two thousand strong. Our numbers would fare well against the shadow dragons alone, but we cannot hope to assist with these hundreds of other dragons. Nor do we know if we can defeat thousands of elves."

"I would wager that it is closer to tens of thousands of elves. My father is smart enough to have a force that could at least do some damage to the dragons. Our greatest hope is that the other elven royals do not like the idea of living under dragon rulers," Hadrin said.

"Whether or not they join us matters not, we will fight the shadow dragons and their allies until one side no longer draws breath," Sheltek said.

*

Finrul looked up as the portal opened before him. Obrin strode through and glanced around the room. The sorcerer knew that the King would want to meet with the other royals. He stood up and motioned toward the door at the far end of the room. The night elf King looked toward the door before shaking his head. He pointed to the door on the opposite wall. Finrul raised an eyebrow, but nodded in agreement. He knew that it meant Obrin wished to speak with him alone before going to the other two. It had been quite some time since the King wanted to speak with him alone. He took a seat at one of the smaller tables in the study and waited for Obrin to the do the same.

"Finrul, you've been loyal since the beginning. The dragons like that and, more importantly, I like that. I feel that I can trust you," he said.

"Thank you, it is an honor that you feel that way. How can I assist?" Finrul asked.

"Ophelia and Lothrin are looking to betray the dragons."

"You want me to stop it."

"No, I want you to help me hide it from them. This does not mean that I am in favor of such a move, but I would like an out in the event that the dragons push too hard."

"Is that wise?" The sorcerer asked.

"Likely not, but I don't have much choice. They will rebel whether we attempt to stop them or not. My best course of action is to leave a bridge to safety if necessary," Obrin replied.

"I can see the logic in that."

"In the meantime, we need to move against the two remaining kingdoms. This will require the full force of our armies."

"Shall we tell the others?"

"I will tell them personally. You will go first and ensure that our scouts do the job they are supposed to."

Obrin didn't wait for a reply. He excused himself and headed out the door. Finrul took a deep breath as he looked down at the table. Everyone looked to him in their plans to make sure the dragons didn't subjugate the world. He sighed as he stood up. There was never enough time for the amount of planning he preferred. He used his magic to open a portal to the location that Obrin had previously specified. There was already a small forward camp set up on top of a hill. It was a defensible position, but it also gave away their location. He looked out over the valley and was surprised to see that there were two separate armies, one on each side of the valley. The human army looked to have more than fifty thousand troops, but the other army was significantly smaller. He called over one of the scouts.

"What am I seeing here?" He asked.

"The humans are angry that we devastated their ally's castle. They've decided to go on the offensive. I can't be certain, but they should be ready to attack us by tomorrow," the woman replied.

"What about that army?"

"We aren't certain where they've come from, but they have less than ten thousand troops. I don't see how they could be much of a threat to us or the humans."

"Are they not allied with the two remaining kingdoms?"

"They do not appear to be."

Finrul nodded as he looked back at the smaller army. There was something strangely foreboding about their force. He clenched his fists in frustration. Things were happening too fast and there were far too many variables. It was supposed to be a simple fight between the humans and the dragons. After which he and his allies were going to make the final decision on whether to turn on the creatures or not. Now, there was a new army to deal with. He couldn't help but wonder if they had anything to do with the reports of the death of their earth dragon in the dwarven lands. True, it was only one dragon, but earth dragons were known to be the most resilient of dragons. Any person or group that could slay one was not to be ignored.

*

Kade slowed to a stop when he spotted the armies moving about. The others stopped as well. Zaira shook her head and muttered something under her breath. Attos looked to Kade and the young man nodded to reassure the Knight. Wrotan was the only one that was undisturbed by the presence of so many armies. He examined each army in turn and then took in the entire battlefield. The others knew better than to interrupt him while he was formulating a plan. They waited patiently as he continued to take in the situation. Kade took a deep breath as he looked back at the valley. There was no doubt in his mind that there would be a massive slaughter in that valley before the end of the day. The only question on his mind was which of the armies were friends and which were foes.

"I never imagined it would come to a showdown like this," Wrotan said as he rejoined the others.

"What exactly are we looking at?" Zaira asked.

"This army here," Wrotan pointed to the closest of the armies, "they are friendly. Wildlanders and borderlanders. We would be smart to pair up with them before the fighting starts. As for the others, the dragons make it easy to identify our primary enemies. The larger of the two remaining armies must be whatever is left of the four kingdoms. That smallish army is made up of dwarves, spirit monks, and paladins. They claim to be our allies, but I do not trust Lamont."

"What's our move?" Attos asked.

"We join up with our allies and hope that the others show up before the fighting starts," Wrotan replied.

"What of Lamont and his army?"

"There are four armies. If the leaders have any experience, they will know to pair off into two smaller one on one battles. We can deal with Lamont and his men later if necessary."

*

Bertram looked over his shoulder as he neared the small group. Defecting was never an ideal option, but Lamont had seemingly forced their hand. Hadrin looked as though he was about to jump out of his skin and murder the monk. Alandra was doing everything she could to calm him down, but it seemed to do little good. Hrimgur paced back and forth as he waited to hear what the others had to say. Mariah and Amber both looked as though they could wait no longer to leave the army. Nicolai and Charise were glaring at one another. It was a highly volatile situation and the leader of the paladins knew it would only get more volatile after people started making their decisions. He took a deep breath before addressing the others.

"I believe you all know what this is about," he said.

"There is nothing to discuss. We all know the correct choice," Hadrin said.

"Hold a moment, some of us have obligations," Nicolai said.

"Our deal is with Mariah, Bertram, and Wrotan. We cannot make a move until the three of you are in agreement," Hrimgur said.

"That has already been decided. I just wanted to be certain that everyone knew the gravity of their choices," Bertram said.

"Am I the only one that values loyalty?" Nicolai asked.

"They are choosing loyalty, Nicolai," Charise said as she motioned toward Hadrin, Alandra, Amber, and Mariah.

"What of our own leader?"

"I owe Wrotan more than I owe Lamont. One of those two fought alongside me against seemingly impossible odds, the other did not," Bertram replied.

*

Finrul came to a halt when he spotted an elf with one purple eye and one gray eye. He followed after the elf, motioning for Ophelia and Lothrin to follow. They followed until they came to an empty tent. The sorcerer knew there was something familiar about him, but he couldn't remember what. He steeled himself before entering the tent. The elf with different colored eyes motioned for the others to join him at a small table. They did as he asked, but none of them spoke. Finrul knew that this was either an opportunity or a trap. The strange elf glanced around the tent before talking to the others.

"Finrul, you know me as the sorcerer who tried to slay Melisandre. That was a smoke screen. My real identity is an agent of the Kelimar. You may call me Yarryn. We are the mortal enemies of the shadow dragons. Our goal is to defeat the agents of the shadow. I called you together to give you a chance to join our glorious empire. Fight with us against the shadow dragons and we will accept you into our fold," he said.

"I think it is time to make our move," Finrul said as he turned to the others.

"We seem to be in agreement on that. Ophelia?" Lothrin turned to the Queen.

"This is the opportunity that we've been looking for," the Queen said.

*

Wrotan ducked down into the tall grass when he saw people approaching. The darkness shielded him more than anything, but it also made it difficult to see the others. They were expecting reinforcements, but not from that direction. He crept closer as he tried to identify the intruders. They didn't look like they were prepared to attack, but the hunter knew better than to assume they weren't there to fight. Zaira drew an arrow as she crouched next to him. He held up his hand and she nodded. They crept a bit closer and she nocked an arrow. The hunter stopped when he saw just how large the group was. By his estimation, there were more than a thousand soldiers heading toward them. He grabbed Zaira's shoulder and began pulling her back. She slipped under his hand and disappeared into the darkness. The hunter drew his sword, wishing that he had insisted on taking the first watch alone.

"There are dwarves with them," she said as she reappeared.

"You are certain?" He asked.

"Yes. Is that good or bad?" She asked.

"Good, I hope."

The hunter stood up from the grass and sheathed his sword. He raised his arm in the air as he headed toward the group. Zaira followed him, but she crept low enough that the grass still hid her from view. Wrotan was glad to see that she was smart enough not to risk the small army seeing both of them. Worst case scenario, she could still raise the alarm if they decided to kill him. He desperately wanted to draw his sword, but he didn't want to alarm the other group. Even if they were foes, there was a small chance they would spare him if he didn't show too much aggression. The members of the approaching army began alerting one another when they spotted Wrotan. One of them raised a hand in a sign of peace. The hunter lowered his arm and quickened his pace. Bertram stepped out in front of some of his paladins and waved to Wrotan.

"We come in peace," the leader of the paladins said.

"I'm glad to hear it. We were wondering when our armies would have a chance to combine," Wrotan said.

"It is not as simple as it seems. I will explain when we are in camp."

*

Bertram looked around the command tent with no small measure of apprehension. There were far too many unfamiliar faces for his liking. He wished he could be more like Charise and accept that they were among friends or like Hadrin, Mariah, Amber, and Alandra who were all happy see their friends. That was not his role, nor should it have been. The new arrivals from the Arcane Academy and the Magic Realm were rightly suspicious of each other. Nearly every member of the fragile alliance had something to prove to the others. They fought on the same side out of necessity as opposed to want. That was the nature of the situation they had all been thrown into. Forcing people to accept others as allies wouldn't help them to trust each other. They needed to resolve whatever larger issues they had with each other if they had any hope of efficiently working together. The paladin hoped that his leadership would allow them to raise those questions and that Wrotan's leadership would allow them to get through the answers.

"Our coming together is not as joyous as it might otherwise seem. Lamont and some of the others have paired together with a group from the spirit realms known as the Kelimar. We know little about them, but we do know that they are not looking to defeat the dragons for the take of the realms," Bertram said.

"I've some experience with the Kelimar. They are no better than the shadow dragons. Their goal is to rule the known world. We must stop them, just as we must stop the dragons," Kade said.

"It would be foolish to think that we can set aside our differences and fight side by side against a common enemy. Instead, we must position our army in such a way that the rivalries within our alliance are not at odds with each other. The Arcane Academy and the fairy kingdom are not on the best of terms. As such, they should not be required to fight side by side."

"We are all here for one of two reasons. Some of us owe Wrotan our lives and others are here to defeat the dragons. These are not things that we take lightly. I do not believe we need to worry about any rivalries within our ranks," Mordus, the wildlander chief, said.

"This is a life and death situation, we don't have the luxury of worrying about whatever qualms we have within our alliance. We fight as a unit or we die," Wrotan said.

#  The Great Battle

Finrul watched as the night elf army surged forward. The dragons took flight behind them as they headed toward the remnants of the human armies. There was no doubt that Obrin had been the one to direct them toward such a course of action. That left the other ragtag army to face the elves and their new allies. He glanced over at their new target. The army was significantly larger than it had been the day before, but it was still smaller than his own. Ophelia and Lothrin were already decked out in their royal armor and preparing their troops to march on their opponents. The sorcerer was less optimistic than his fellow commanders, but he was eager to take to the battlefield. He called Revin over.

"What do you make of them?" Finrul asked.

"They don't look nearly as organized as our force," the scoutmaster replied.

"What do your scouts recommend?"

"We need to strike hard and fast. They've got the fairies and the Arcane Academy siding with them. Our army is larger, but we lack the magical power that they can muster. Their main fighting force is made up of the fairy army, an army from the borderlands, an army from the wildlands, and a small contingent of paladins. They have a strong mix. The borderlanders are likely to have a lot of veterans and the wildlanders are some of the most skilled fighters I've ever seen. We know next to nothing about the paladins and the fairies, except that the fairies are not at all what we expected."

"What else can you expect from tiny humanoids with wings?"

"They aren't small and they don't have wings." Revin replied.

"Treat them like you would the humans. This won't be an easy battle for us. My magic won't be enough to stop all their wizards."

"Our people will fight to the end."

"If this is the end for us, let us hope that it is an end worthy of our people."

King Lothrin called them over. It was time to march to victory or death. The elves had chosen their allies and now they needed to get rid of the first obstacle before moving on to the main goal. In the event that they were too weak to fight the dragons outright, they would play it off as though they were watching the back of the night elves and the dragons. It would, at the very least, give them more time to plan an attack on the creatures. Finrul, Revin, Yarryn, Queen Ophelia, and King Lothrin took the lead as they headed into battle. Their opponents began to match forth as well. Soldiers from both sides took off in a sprint toward each other. The two armies met in a clash of steel, staining the field of battle with sweat and blood.

"Neutralize their commanders!" Yarryn yelled as he broke off from the others.

Finrul followed behind as they went after an elf and a human woman. They each had their weapons ready, but they were yelling orders and only engaging in combat when their opponents broke through. The spirit mage used his magic to summon a spear and he threw it at the elf. Finrul followed his lead and shot a bolt of lightning at the woman. Both of their attacks landed, forcing the two enemy commanders to retreat. Several Arcane Academy wizards replaced them and drove off Finrul and Yarryn. They turned their attention back to the center of the battle. Ophelia, Lothrin, and their royal guards were fighting against a well-armed contingent of enemy soldiers. The two sorcerers closed in the distance in an attempt to assist the two royals.

"I remember you. My troops will tear you to piece this time, hunter!" Lothrin yelled as he lunged at his opponent.

Ophelia and her bodyguards were pushed back by one of the paladins that Lamont had warned them about. They continued to battle back and forth until the paladins were able to gain the upper hand. Finrul did what he could with his magic, but the Arcane Academy sorcerers used their magic to nullify his spells. Yarryn rushed in to defend the Queen and managed to hold off the attacking paladins. The elven sorcerer turned his attention to Lothrin, but it was too late. He arrived in time to see the hunter knock aside the King's sword and then stab him through the chest. The hunter yanked his sword free and joined the paladins in their attack.

"Sound the retreat!" Finrul yelled as he passed Lamont and Cristoph.

"The Queen is dead, our forces are shamed!" A cry went up through the elven warriors.

*

Wrotan jumped back as the tall humanoid warrior pulled his spear out of the Queen's back. He lunged forward and threw all his might into the attack. The spirit warrior brought up his spear to block and it shattered as the sword connected. He stumbled backward, leaving the hunter an opening. His sword whipped around and severed the humanoid's head. The surrounding warriors on both sides of the fight stepped back and sheathed their weapons. Cristoph strode forward with a white flag. Lamont and two elves followed behind him as they approached the hunter. Each of them fell down to one knee and their army followed suit.

"We surrender to your superior might, hunter," the head of the spirit monastery said.

"Treachery within your own ranks is what led to your ultimate downfall. This foul warrior killed the elven Queen," Wrotan said as he picked up the spirit warrior's head.

"I bear the brunt of that decision. My only hope is that I can convince the remaining spirit warriors to band together with us to defeat the dragons," Lamont said.

"It is against my better judgment to allow any of you to fight alongside us, but the need is dire. If any of you decide to betray us before the battle is over, your fate shall be the same as his," Wrotan raised his voice as he held the head high in the air.

"We have no time to discuss, our mortal enemies approach," one of the spirit warriors said as he pointed to the skies.

The hunter yelled for his troops to reform their ranks according to how they had been trained. He sheathed his sword and took the spear off his back. The dragons swooped in and began raining down fire on the unorganized army. Arcane Academy sorcerers did their best to protect the troops from the attack, but there was only so much that could be done. Wrotan and the spirit warriors were the first to counterattack. They rushed forward with their spears and let them fly. Several dragons let out cries of pain as the spears tore through their wings, causing a few to crash to the ground. The archers formed up and began opening fire as the next wave of dragons attacked. Lamont and Bertram rallied the spirit monastery troops together and charged the downed dragons.

"With me lad," King Padraig said as he rushed forward.

Wrotan joined him at the front of the fairy army. They were unfazed by the carnage unfurling before them. The spirit monks, paladins, and spirit warriors were in the thick of the fight and they were not faring well. Kade rushed forward with the Arcane Academy wizards at his back. He unleashed a massive spear of ice that skewered one of the larger dragons. His fellow magicians began launching spells at the dragons to keep them out of the skies. The battle on the ground was fierce as Wrotan and the fairy army rushed in to reinforce the others. Lamont and the spirit warriors were cut off and surrounded by the dragons, forcing the others to focus on saving Bertram and his paladins.

"Get your men out of there!" Wrotan yelled at the paladin as he engaged one of the dragons.

The creature let out a roar as the hunter drove his sword into its neck. It thrashed about, trying to catch him, but he was too quick. He continued attacking and dodging until the dragon was too weak to retaliate. His final sword blow severed the beast's neck. Padraig and his men pushed back another dragon, creating an opening for Bertram and his paladins. They retreated back into the midst of the fairy army and the dragons pulled back. Wrotan surveyed the battlefield, wondering why the beasts had pulled back. He sheathed his sword and started to backpedal. Something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"We've walked into a trap!" He yelled as the ground began to shake.

Two massive earth dragons burst out of the ground on either side of the fairy army. They came together, crushing the brunt of the army between them. The hunter yelled as he rushed toward the closer of the two dragons. He started hacking at the creature with reckless abandon. It whipped around and knocked him several feet to the side. Kade rushed to his side and used his magic to create a barrier between them and the dragons. The beasts slammed into the magic shield, but were unable to break it. One of the dragons let out a roar and all of the remaining creatures pulled back. The battlefield was strewn with bodies from both sides of the fight. Wrotan slammed his fist against the ground before rising to his feet.

"We need you alive," Kade said.

"I'll kill every last one of them!" The hunter yelled.

"My suspicions were correct," Padraig said as he struggled to sit up.

"Where is Josephine? We need a healer."

"It is too late for me. The dragons were a more formidable opponent than we realized. You've got to hold them together. They'll lose without your leadership. Treachery on the part of the spirit warriors brought the elves under your command, don't let them change their mind."

"Why me?" Wrotan asked.

"Because they believe in you. With good reason, too. Promise me two things, Wrotan. Can I rely on you for that?" Padraig asked.

"I will do what I can."

"I know you will. First, take my sword and avenge me. Second, ensure my people are safe. Keep them safe, keep my daughter safe."

"You have my promise," Wrotan said as he took the sword.

*

Hadrin nodded to Alandra and Mariah as the dragons attacked from another direction. The other portion of the army needed them to hold off these creatures so that they could reform and amass for a counterattack. He knew well that it would likely mean his own death. They ordered the archers to attack as the dragons swooped down. The Arcane Academy wizards continued to minimalize the damage done by the dragon's fire, but there was nothing they could do to stop the razor sharp claws and crushing jaws of the beasts. Several dragons crashed to the ground as the arrows tore through their wings. The elf raised his sword in the air and shouted as he charged toward the downed dragons. A large contingent of troops followed and battle was joined. He wondered how Wrotan was able to keep a handle on things so well as the battle descended into chaos. The casualties began to pile up on both sides as the elven Prince found himself hacking and dodging with no real rhyme or reason. Alandra and Mariah matched his attacks with a level of precision that surprised him.

"Keep fighting!" He yelled as the dragons began to push back.

The night elf Prince tried to dive out of the way as the dragon tail swung at him. His chest erupted in pain as the attack connected. He flew through the air and felt another flash of pain as he hit the ground. The allied troops rallied around him, but the dragons were too strong and too many. He rose to his knees in time to see one of the creatures drive a claw through Mariah's stomach. His own chest erupted in pain as another dragon punctured one of his lungs. He gasped for breath as he collapsed to the ground. The pain was unlike anything he had every felt before. He tried to cry out for assistance, but he couldn't muster the strength. His vision blurred as everything faded around him. _I'm sorry, father_ , he thought as the darkness closed in.

*

Obrin fell to one knee as he grabbed at his chest. It felt as though somebody had crushed his heart. Tears streamed down his face as he pushed himself up. His troops rushed to his side, but he pushed them away. Something terrible had happened and he hoped it was not the worst case scenario. He took a deep breath as he headed for the castle. Ungaroth perched atop the keep as if it were some sort of small roost. The elf King motioned toward the dragon, but the beast ignored him. He used his magic to send a small wave of air at the creature. Ungaroth let out a roar before lifting off into the air. He dove down and landed next to Obrin with such force that it nearly knocked the elf over.

"What is it?" The dragon asked.

"I need to know where he is," the elf King said.

"With the friends he traveled with, likely dead."

"You allowed my son to die?"

"Foolish elf, we do not care for the well-being of lesser races. You were allowed to live because the services that you have provided us. Your son chose to fight and die. He is the one to blame."

The elf King shook with rage. He desperately wanted to kill the dragon, but he knew that the beast was far too powerful to deal with alone. There was only one option left available to him, he only hoped that it was still viable. He used his magic to create a portal back to his army's camp. His troops bowed as he strode through the portal. They were itching for battle, but he suspected that his plan would give them no small amount of pause. None of that mattered to him, he would see the dragons eliminated with or without his army's assistance. He called together his Generals.

"We are joining the enemy," Obrin said.

"What?" One of the Generals asked.

"You heard me. The dragons have overstepped their bounds. We must stop them."

"No offense, your highness, but that is madness. They've nearly decimated the enemy force. True, many dragons have fallen, but none of the powerful ones."

"I don't need excuses. You may stay here and live under their tyranny or you may die at my side ensuring that they are too weak to rule."

*

Kade threw himself in-between the dragons and Amber. He felt the power surge through him as he threw up his hand at the closest of the creatures. The shadow dragons and the spirit warriors had been foolish in using him a weapon. His time spent under their control is what ultimately taught him how to tap into his magic. He still lacked the control to specify what he wanted the magic to do, but he didn't care as long as it harassed the dragons. The magic shot out of his finger tips and slammed into the nearest dragon. He sent off several more spells before turning to check on Amber. The Knights of Ardevale rushed to his side and formed a wall of shields to protect them from the dragon fire. Kade nodded to Attos in thanks.

"Get her to safety, I'll keep them off your backs," he said.

The young sorcerer turned toward the dragons. A massive earth dragon let out a roar as it bore down on him. He threw his arms forward, unleashing a mass of stone spikes. The dragon attempted to change course, but it was moving far too fast. Kade used his magic to toss aside the corpse. The ease at which he had dispatched the creature caused its allies to pull back. They continued to slowly retreat as he approached. He smiled as they continually retreated back. His newfound power came with a dangerous overconfidence. The dragons continued to draw him further and further from his allies. Kade realized his mistake too late. He turned to head back and found that they had cut off his retreat. The dragons rushed toward him. He began slinging spells in every direction. His efforts pushed back the first attack, but the creatures pressed forward.

Kade continued blasting them with spells. He cried out in pain as one of the dragons managed to connect with a tail swipe. His barrage continued as he fell to one knee. The beasts continued to circle around him, looking for an opening. He took several smaller hits and was unable to keep up the same level of defense. The dragons closed in around him, treating it like a game of cat and mouse. Kade closed his eyes and focused on the magical energy inside of him. He drew upon as much as he could muster and let it pour out of him. A massive shockwave shot out of him. His body withered under the sheer power that was coursing outward. The dragons tumbled into each other and slammed into the ground as the torrent of magic threatened to break them. Kade felt himself losing consciousness, but he refused to let up the assault. He could feel his body breaking down, but he could also hear the creatures crying out in panic. His final action pulled another massive shockwave, crushing dozens of dragons between the two waves.

*

Wrotan's hands shook as he watched Zaira slump to the floor. He rushed to her side and tried to comfort her. Tears streamed down her face as she dug her face into her hands. The hunter unhooked her father's sword from his belt and placed it on the floor next to her. She thanked him for telling her in person and asked for a moment alone. He nodded and backed out of the tent. The camp was a mixture of hate, despair, and resignation. The word had spread far quicker than he had expected. There were more casualties than survivors and the dragons still needed to be defeated. Hrimgur called out to the hunter. The dwarf was standing with Attos and Amber. All three of them had been arguing about something.

"We have a visitor," Attos said.

"Can't somebody else handle this?" Wrotan asked.

"You are the only commander we could find," Amber replied.

The hunter nodded as he calmed down. Things were worse than he had realized. They had all agreed that Lamont, Bertram, Padraig, Wrotan, and Hadrin would be the four heads of the army. If the other four couldn't be found, they were likely injured or dead and thousands of soldiers with them. He let out a sigh as they led him toward the visitor. The majority of the survivors were armed and ready for a fight. Whoever the visitor was, he was not popular among the army. Wrotan nearly lost it when he spotted Obrin. The night elf King was a large part of why everyone had been in this situation in the first place. He was only able to restrain himself when he realized that it likely meant that Hadrin was seriously injured or worse. The night elf King dropped to his knees and extended his neck forward, signifying that he was willing to lose his head over the visit.

"Now is hardly the time for more death. Stand up," the hunter said.

"That is a kindness that I do not deserve," Obrin said.

"It isn't for you. Isaack and Hadrin wouldn't want me to be the one to kill you."

"Then what I do will be one final action to honor them. Ungaroth is at castle Altarius. We must defeat him."

"Why should we believe you?" Hrimgur asked.

"I have nothing more to live for," Obrin replied.

"It is true, I saw it with my own eyes," Alandra said as she slowly made her way through the crowd.

"Hadrin is dead?" Wrotan asked.

"Mariah, Bertram, Lamont, Hadrin, the spirit warriors, and I believe Kade as well."

"Gather the troops, I will have the dragon's head by the end of the night."

Wrotan could barely contain his anger as he headed toward his tent. He dropped down onto the floor as soon as he got inside the tent. The weight of all the deaths felt as though it would suffocate him. A single tear streaked down his cheek. There was too much anger for anything more. His body was exhausted, but his need for revenge fueled him onward. He pushed off his knees and stood up. The dragons would pay for all the death they had caused. He didn't care if he survived the battle. His only goal was to make them pay.

*

Amber stood with Attos and Zaira as they waited for Wrotan to return. He came back wearing a suit of armor that the Knights of Ardevale had made for him. In his hand, he carried the standard of the dwarven realm. The tabard on his chest had the emblem of the borderlanders on the front. His necklace held a single crystal from the Arcane Academy. A wildlander battle horn also hung over one of his shoulders. There was a noticeable protest from those of the magic realm. Before Wrotan could address their concerns, Zaira stepped forward and held forth the leprechaun King's sword. The hunter looked down at the sword for a moment. Amber was uncertain of the significant of offering him the sword, but many of the members of the fairy army seemed insulted by her actions.

"King Padraig was a good man that did not deserve death. I accept this sword from him only as long as his people feel I am worthy of it," Wrotan said as he placed his hand on the hilt.

"I would not dare question my father's ability to judge one's character. The sword is yours," Zaira said.

"Call it honor, revenge, vengeance, or even hatred. I do not care what others think. My goal is to make Ungaroth pay. My life is unimportant. I will do everything in my power to ensure our casualties are at a minimum, but many of us will die. Perhaps even all of us. The beast may be beyond all of us, but that does not mean we should cower in fear. I, for one, will give my life to see that foul creature put down a notch."

The remnants of the alliance let out a cheer at the hunter's words. Amber had no doubt that they felt much like he did. She didn't think that any of them believed the dragons could be defeated, but she knew that it wasn't going to stop any of them from trying. The crowd went silent as Obrin stepped forward. Wrotan and the night elf King clasped forearms and nodded to one another. Each of them, like most of those gathered, had lost somebody close. Whether they trusted one another no longer mattered. They both wanted nothing more than the death of Ungaroth. Obrin moved to the side and opened up a large portal. Wrotan was the first to step through.

*

Wrotan held his sword high above his head as he began the march toward castle Altarius. Ungaroth perched atop the main keep, looking as though he thought himself invincible. A dozen dragons circled in the skies above. The remnant of the alliance combined with some of Obrin's elven army as they marched toward the castle. Their archers readied their arrows as the first of the dragons began to dive toward them. Within moments, all of the dragons began diving down toward the army. These dragons were not like the others. They were larger and more powerful. The strongest of them being Ungaroth. He lifted off from the keep with a loud roar. Wrotan let out a war cry as he began charging.

Obrin began using his magic to clip at the wings of the oncoming dragons. Their first pass took out a large chunk of the army, but it also left several dragons vulnerable. Wrotan charged the closest of the downed dragons and leaped at its neck. He attacked with such a fury that the beast was unable to react quick enough. His blade sliced through the creature's neck as though it were a piece of bread. The hunter looked down at the leprechaun King's blade in wonderment. Perhaps the fight was not as lopsided as it seemed. Ungaroth landed in the center of the battlefield and called the other dragons to him. The night elf King screamed as he ran toward the enemy's leader. He thrust both of his hands forward, sending tentacles at the creature. Several dragons swooped down to intercept him and were caught up by the tentacles.

The hunter ran toward the dragons and slid underneath one of them. He jumped at the next one, slicing into its belly. The tentacles began draining the life out of the dragons that they had ensnared, allowing Wrotan to ignore them. He slid to a halt as a massive gold dragon landed between him and Ungaroth. Obrin used his magic to launch himself at the gold dragon. He grabbed hold of the beast's neck and began draining it of its life force. Ungaroth shot up into the air and then spun around into a dive. He can down and smashed into the night elf King and the other dragon. Obrin sent out a massive blast of light that knocked the dragons back. He collapsed to the floor, still trying to launch spells at the beasts. Wrotan charged toward Ungaroth and the dragon whipped his tail around and hit the hunter in the chest, sending him flying back over a dozen feet.

"This isn't over yet," Amber said as she knelt down beside him.

"You heal him, I'll use my magic to strengthen his attacks," Josephine said.

Wrotan could feel the pain drain from his body. He stood up and faced the leader of the dragons. Both sides had taken heavy casualties and whether or not the hunter succeeded at killing Ungaroth, they had succeeded at destroying his army. The dragon let out a roar as it began charging toward him. He yelled back at the beast as he took off at a sprint. Both dragon and hunter leaped at one another. They crashed into one another and Wrotan drove his sword into the side of the dragon's face. The force of the impact threw the hunter backward. He reached out and grabbed hold of his sword, pulling it free. Despite the magicians assisting him, the pain from colliding with the ground nearly knocked him out. He gasped for breath as he slowly rose to his feet. Blood streamed from the gaping wound just above the dragon's mouth as he launched himself toward the hunter. Wrotan charged forward and raised his sword above his head. The blade sliced into the creature's underbelly. As Ungaroth reared back to attack the hunter, Alandra and Attos led the last of the able soldiers in an attack.

"Aim for areas where he is already wounded!" The head of the Knights of Ardevale yelled.

The dragon was forced to give up his attack on the hunter in order to save himself from the charge. He pushed off from the ground and spread his wings. Hrimgur called forth the dwarven ballistae and they unleashed several bolts at the dragon's wings. The ballista bolts tore through the leathery skin on Ungaroth's wings, forcing him back to the ground. He let out a roar as he spun away from his attackers. Wrotan lunged forward and grabbed hold of the dragon's tail. He used his sword to climb up onto the beast's back. The dragon attempted to throw him off, but he was able to drive the sword into the creature's spine. Ungaroth let out a labored roar as he came crashing to the earth. The hunter was thrown free and slammed against the ground.

*

Alandra ordered the charge as soon as she saw the dragon come crashing down. Attos and his Knights followed closely behind. They descended upon the thrashing dragon and did everything they could to finish it off. The elf continued hacking at the dragon's head. Even as exhaustion threatened to take over, she still managed to raise her arm again and again. Attos and Amber grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. The dragon had been slain once and for all, but she still felt hollow. Her rage and want for revenge had not been sated. The others pulled her back and everyone regrouped. Josephine did what she could for the injured before they gathered together to discuss the next course of action.

"We need to find all of our dead and injured," Hrimgur said.

"He's right, we may be able to save some of them," Amber said.

"Those that we can't save still deserve a proper burial."

"Where is Wrotan?" Attos asked.

"I thought he joined the last attack with the two of you," Zaira said.

"We need to find him," Alandra said.

*

Wrotan groaned as he awoke. The pain and exhaustion from the fight were almost too much for him to handle. He wanted to sleep some more, but somebody was shaking him. His vision began to clear and familiar faces were standing around him. He smiled at the sight of Amber and Attos. Alandra nodded to him from across the room and Hrimgur smiled. Josephine stood with the same mysterious look that she always had. Zaira had the leprechaun's sword in her hands as she stood next to the bed. He looked around the room for others, but these were the only ones he could see.

"Where are the others?" He asked as he sat up in the bed.

"Cristoph already left for the spirit monastery. He plans for keeping his promise about helping refugees," Amber replied.

"I can't remember anything. Did we defeat the dragons?"

"Thanks to you and a few others," Attos said.

"We suffered some loses. Don't deny it, I can see it on your face. How bad is it?" Wrotan asked.

"The majority of our forces didn't make it. It could have been worse though. Had Obrin not joined us in the end, we may not have been able to kill the dragon," Hrimgur.

"Then Hadrin is one of the casualties. What of Bertram and Lamont?"

"We thought you would remember more of it. Mariah didn't make it out either," Amber said.

"Not Kade, please tell me not him. He had so much life ahead of him. If could, I would bring the dragon back to life so we could kill it again."

"We are pretty much the survivors. Was it even worth it?" Attos asked.

"War is never worth it. All wars are terrible, some wars are unavoidable, and few wars are justified. All we can hope for is that ours will be looked upon as the last of those," Wrotan replied.

*

The next several days were full of sadness. Wrotan led the others in their search for the fallen. It was imperative that they hold burial ceremonies according to each group's custom. The hunter took part in each ceremony and did what he could to dig as many graves as he possible. His companions could see that it was taking a toll on him, but they knew better than to ask him to stop. He returned to camp and sat staring at the fire. Alandra was the first to approach him.

"Is it truly over?" She asked.

"We are victorious for the time being. I'm sure other problems will arise given enough time, but they won't be as bad as facing dragons," he replied.

"What will you do now?"

"I made a promise that I plan on keeping. Things may have gone differently had more people survived. Hadrin was not truly related to me, but he was related to my foster father. Beyond that, he was a good friend. Bertram was a good man, I would have liked to help him restore order where it is most needed. I didn't trust Lamont or Obrin, but that doesn't mean I wanted them dead. Kade and Mariah should be alive. I was supposed to die instead of them. So many deaths that I was unable to stop. It has been a long time since I have failed this badly."

"Nonsense, you are the only reason we succeeded. Their deaths are on Ungaroth, not you."

"Even so, I do not see how any of us can return to a life that is even remotely like the one we were accustomed to."

"I have no plan to do so. The elven lands will be in turmoil without any of their rulers. Hadrin could have made a difference, but without him I have no reason to return home. If our paths never cross again, it was an honor to fight by your side. I cannot bear to stay here any longer. May your years be without strife, friend Wrotan."

"Yours as well, my friend. You will be missed."

*

Hrimgur nodded to Alandra as they passed one another. She had already accepted his invitation to the dwarven lands so neither felt it necessary to say anything. He continued on past her and waved to Wrotan. The hunter waved back and the dwarf approached him. Hrimgur joined him in front of the fire and they both stared at the flames without speaking. Wrotan let out a sigh and the dwarf saw it as an opening.

"Too much death, I say. Everyone will agree with me on that, I'm sure. We haven't known each other long, but I respect you. You gave my people the spirit they needed to come back and beat the dragons. We owe you much, hunter. That is a debt that we can never repay," Hrimgur said.

"I would never expect you to repay it. Without your assistance there would be no victory. The same can be said about everyone that fought today. We all owe an unpayable debt to each other. It was an honor to have fought by your side," Wrotan said.

"If ever you find yourself in the north, stop by for some dwarven hospitality."

"You have my promise."

*

Attos stood next to Amber as she laid the wildflowers on Kade's gravesite. The young Knight had not known Kade for long, but they had formed a bond sealed with sweat and blood. He felt that the responsibility of seeing Amber home safely had fallen on his shoulders. It was one last thing he could do for a friend whose life had been taken too soon. He wiped away a single tear before placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him and smiled. There was a bit of silence as they both turned back to the grave for a moment. They turned back toward camp and slowly walked toward Wrotan.

"Are you headed back to Reddington?" The Knight asked.

"Yes, my parents will be worried sick. I cannot imagine how I will muster the strength, but Kade and Julian's parents must be informed of what happened," she replied.

"I will see you safely home. After that, the Knights of Ardevale must do what they can to bring stability back to the world. We could use someone with your skills at healing magic."

"I will feel much safer knowing that you and your Knights will see me home. Josephine would be a much better recruit for the position of healer."

"We will extend the offer to her as well. Perhaps we can find another position that you would feel is better suited for your abilities."

"I'm afraid I haven't many skills," Amber said.

"Though I disagree, I will drop the subject. When will you be ready to depart?" Attos asked.

"I must speak with Wrotan first. He needs to know that nobody blames him for Kade's death.

*

Wrotan looked down as Amber approached. She could tell that he associated her with Kade, which meant that he felt guilt. The warmth of the fire helped her to gather her thoughts as she took a seat next to him. Her mind struggled to find the right words for the situation. She had yet to truly accept Kade or Julian's deaths. The rush of emotions that came with her realization was more than she could handle. Tears began to stream down her face as she came to grips with the fact that she would not see them again in this life. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Wrotan's solemn face.

"This is all wrong. I was supposed to come here to help you," she said.

"Life often hits us when we least expect it. I know that you came to tell me that Kade's death is not my fault, but it seems you are the one who needs the comforting. If only I knew how to do such a thing. There are many platitudes that come to mind, but I do not think they would be helpful. All I can say is that I am truly sorry for your loss, my friend," Wrotan said.

Amber nodded as she continued to cry. Nothing could make up for the deaths of her friends, but she felt comforted that the hunter considered her a friend. It was as though he could now share some of her sorrow. The two of them sat near the fire without speaking. Attos took a seat a few feet away and stared into the flames. Though each of them had vastly different interactions with Kade, they each brought their own form of mourning. Amber wiped her tears away and stood up. She had a long trip ahead and wanted to get on the road. Both Attos and Wrotan stood as well.

"Take care of her on the return trip," Wrotan said to the Knight.

"That I shall," Attos said.

"Safe travels to both of you."

*

Zaira was the last to approach the hunter. He stood with his back to the fire, watching as the last of their allies departed. It was a strange feeling for the warrior from the Magic Forest. She understood how the others felt about losing friends and loved ones, but she had no connection to those who had left. Her father had sacrificed himself fighting a battle that seemed distant and pointless, yet he had been so adamant in their need to assist the others. She had always loved that about him and she knew that he had seen that same trait in Wrotan. That was, in her mind, why he chose the hunter as his replacement. He turned back to the fire and sighed.

"The world is a dangerous place. We will need to ensure that your people are safe. There is much work that needs to be done on that front. It is difficult to leave the rest of the world to its fate, but one man can only do so much," he said.

"You are wrong on one account. They are not just my people anymore. Now, they are our people," she said.

### THE END

#  Author Bio

Born and raised in Southern California, Cody J. Sherer was always fascinated with Science Fiction, Fantasy, and similar type genres. His interest led him to read a great many books and watch a great many shows and movies. These were the kindling that ignited with a spark that led him to begin writing seriously at the age of twenty. Since then, he has released three books: Pioneers of the Stars, The Wizard's Council, and The Tomes of Magic. His writing mainly consists of Science Fiction and Fantasy, but he is also working on other genres as well.

Visit www.codyjsherer.com for more information on Cody's writing!

Very Special Thanks To: You!

Thank you for taking the time to read my book, I hope that you enjoyed it! Thanks to everyone who has ever picked up any of my books and given them a chance!

