The Dragon Ring (Book 1) (26 page)

In a return letter, Tournak wrote to Memlatec to warn him again of new creatures found on Tixos and of the work done by Dreaddrac’s minions.

“This must be the last time we communicate by written means. The danger of interception is growing. Watchers are everywhere here as well. Saxthor assures me rock-dwarves are forging weapons night and day in large quantities. Orcs and saber-wolves infest the heartland. The Dark Lord is preparing his return to power and is producing weapons sufficient to do so. With the wizards’ centralized power long gone, little can stand in the way of the evil forces unless the southern kingdoms unite and arm. The Dark Lord’s progress on Tixos has gone beyond even your worst fears.”

12:  Creation of Helshia

A gentle breeze blew through Memlatec’s hair as he stood on the western balcony off his tower workroom. He savored the sunset. Fedra drifted down and perched on the balustrade beside the old wizard. The two looked out toward Tixos.

“So peaceful, but turmoil lies right under the surface.”

A rough knock on the sanctum door and wheezing broke the tranquil mood.

“What’re you up to?” portly Aleman the housekeeper asked. “Are you coming down to eat or should I chuck your dinner out back for that grand bird on the railing? Maybe I ought to give it to this owl staring at me as if I kicked him. They don’t look like they go hungry.”

“They’re fine, Aleman.”

Memlatec returned to his desk; Fedra remained on the balcony rail. Aleman came in and began to dust and stack various items. A few swipes of the feather duster and the old housekeeper propped himself on the broom handle.

“What you fired up about?”

“Fired up?”

“What was the turmoil you was grumbling about? You sounds like Powteros ain’t stable. You mumbling about war troubles or the land itself?”

“War, but the continent has a violent history, too.”

“How’s that?”

“Powteros came to be when molten rock rose through the sea over eons. A massive explosion blew Powteros apart and the ocean rushed in and formed the Tixosian Sea. Tixos became an island.”

“Explosion? Ash? Sounds like a real mess to clean up. You ain’t expecting another eruption are you?”

“No.”

Memlatec remembered the story well. It troubled him from time to time. He knew something violent and unsettling lurked beneath Powteros. Though cautious, he’d tapped the power himself to create Helshia.

I’ve followed the development of the kingdoms of Powteros after the Dark Lord’s wars and retreats, Memlatec thought. In my age, the primal beings defeated the darkness, but couldn’t destroy evil. I’ve waited and he’s rising again, this time to challenge man. I settled here at the Neuyokkasinian court when the seer predicted the Crown of Yensupov’s heir would arise here. I hope Tournak can get Saxthor and Bodrin to safety before the witch, or worse, the Dark Lord finds them again.

Memlatec turned to Fedra. A small gust fluffed the magnificent eagle’s feathers. As always, Fedra was unperturbed. The regal bird acknowledged Memlatec, gave a simple caw as if he understood, and observed the west once more. Aleman fidgeted.

“Is the prince safe?”

“It’s unfortunate Saxthor was born into the same kingdom and at the same time as Witch Earwig. Her obsession with him, as a powerful contender for the throne, could draw her mentor’s attention; that’s a greater threat. She discovered he has a unique power before he matured enough to defend himself, but I think Tournak can get him to safety.”

“Where you hiding him?”

“He’s heading for a secure refuge.”

“Not going to tell me where, huh?”

“We can’t afford a slip of the tongue, Aleman. Don’t be offended.”

“Then I don’t wants to know, but you take care of him.”

“I shall.”

With the instability of the subsurface plates off the west coast of Tixos on his mind, Memlatec had traveled north to the burned-out cellars of Wizards’ Hall. By moonlight, he’d drawn on the timeless power still entombed in the earth below. The sorcerer drew up a veil of mist off the rocky cliffs of western Tixos. He’d focused the wizards’ might to shake the tectonic plates on the seafloor.

The ocean had trembled as magma broke through a cracked plate and spewed upward from the seabed as two volcanoes. Bubbling and hissing in clouds of steam, the isle of Helshia burst from the sea.

Tidal waves thrown out by the undersea eruptions washed the life supporting soil from the western Tixosian coast leaving the land barren and uninhabitable. The new island was isolated and magnificent in contrast.

As the memory renewed in his mind, the old wizard was young once more. Then a chill washed over him.

It scares me when I think of the forces I disturbed in creating that refuge, he thought. I won’t disturb the seafloor again.

“Is he safe now?” Aleman asked.

“Yes, I think so, for the time being.”

Memlatec returned to his reminiscence. I cast the permanent Veil of Mists and hid Helshia from the world. I drew on the power at The Hall to blow the sea winds so cooling rains would shower the volcanic region. Not having eons for the island’s natural development, I blew soil from Tixos to blanket Helshia. I sent plants and animals to populate the landmass, making Helshia habitable. Thus, the island evolved fast, rested, and awaited its purpose as a place of secure exile.

Fedra gave a simple caw, spread his wings, and drifted up and away on the breeze with the sun’s last rays zooming over Tixos. As night’s mantle of darkness unfurled, Memlatec beheld the preening owl.

“Saxthor can’t come back?” Aleman asked. “He’s such a cute little fellow.”

“It’s too dangerous to allow the boy to return to Neuyokkasinian. As long as Earwig and the Dark Lord think Saxthor is lost far away, they wouldn’t expend their animosity to destroy him. Earwig suspects the prince survives somewhere, but must be too weak and distant to seem a threat. Still, it’s dangerous to leave them on Tixos. I must hide the exiles for their protection while Saxthor develops his powers.”

“Far away.”

“Yes.”

At dawn, Memlatec dispatched Fedra with all haste to Tixumemnese to intercept the exiles and convey his instructions to Tournak. The three had to sail from Tixos unobserved so the dark forces would assume Saxthor was still lost on the island.

* * *

Armon frowned, having spent the passage price on the Prince Oikin when Saxthor approached.

“Armon, why not send your wife dressed as a man with your two sons on the voyage for a holiday?” Saxthor said. “Spies will report a man and two boys sailed from Tixos to the Powterosian port. A lady and sons disembarking will end the trail, yet get a vacation. While the ruse lures the watchers away, Tournak, Bodrin, and I can escape unnoticed from Tixos in a local vessel.”

“That’s an excellent idea,” Tournak said. “Armon, you’ll need to buy a craft large enough for an ocean voyage, yet unobtrusive as only a fishing boat.”

They all agreed.

“After the attention I received when I booked ye passage on the Prince Oikin, I’m afeared any further activity on my part might jeopardize yer plan. If ye think involving another conspirator is worth the risk, I’ll ask me clerk, Pakwic, to help. He can be trusted. Still, I’ll tell him no more than he needs to know.”

“Agreed,” Tournak said.

Armon went downstairs to the shop and his clerk.

“Pakwic, the family will be leaving on holiday to the continent this very afternoon,” Armon said. “I haven’t mentioned the trip because I want to surprise them with a vacation and a splendid vessel, not too grand mind ye, when they return. I’m going to trust ye to go to the docks and buy the fishing boat large enough to impress me neighbors. You think ye can carry out such a tall order?”

“Yes, sir.”

Saxthor chuckled at Pakwic’s alert, wide-eyed enthusiasm.

“Here be enough money to negotiate a favorable deal. Don’t ye be showing excitement. Frown on the price and hesitate before ye makes a lower offer. Ye’ve seen me make deals enough before. Inspect the boat careful like. She must be sturdy, one as can sail the open sea for good fishing. Do ye follow me meaning? Be sure ye return with a bill of sale and the change.”

“And the change,” Bodrin said.

Pakwic snatched the money, and glad to escape the shop’s monotony, bounded out the door on his mission. Watching him, all but one failed to detect the tall, thin man who observed him leaving from across the street. Sharp-eyed Tournak brought Saxthor’s attention to the watcher.

In midafternoon, the merchant bundled his surprised and thrilled family off on the Prince Oikin for an excursion to Powteros.

“Darling’,” Armon said to his wife. “Ye must travel in disguise so the king’s tax collectors won’t be thinking I’m rich and raise me taxes.”

“Yes, dear, but do ye think wearing a man’s clothes and false beard is absolutely necessary?”

“Just ‘till ye gets on board and sails, ma darling”. Then ye can toss the beard and man’s outfit overboard, but be ye discrete about it.”

“Oh, the children will like the game.”

The boys giggled hearing the plan of deception, until Tournak frowned at them. Saxthor noted the edge of a smile on Tournak’s face as he turned away. He monitored the family at the window as they left for the Prince Oikin and saw the watcher trail them to the ship.

“The watcher shadowed Armon’s family,” Saxthor said. “Twit’s fluttering above the watcher’s head, leaving his little calling cards all over the man’s hat. The bird is too bold. While the watcher is distracted, I’ll take Fedra out back and into the jungle growth. Out of sight he can fly through the tree tops and leave the island from some distance, carrying your letter to Memlatec.”

* * *

Tournak, Saxthor, and Bodrin again donned local clothing and slipped out the shop’s back door. They worked their way down to the harbor’s end where Pakwic had hidden the fishing vessel, only saying it was a surprise for Armon’s family. Under the cover of darkness, the boat put out to sea, sailed south, and later turned west and up the far coast of Tixos.

*

They failed to recognize a new watcher in the wharf’s shadows. With no time to lose, the watcher searched for any unemployed wizard he could find wandering the streets of Tixumemnese. He engaged a boat, but decided not to send word to Earwig until he could announce his capture or termination of the fleeing Neuyokkasinians. Ill prepared, the watcher and wizard set sail to overtake Saxthor and his companions.

Earwig admonished the watcher who reported the three had sailed on the Prince Oikin for the mainland.  Assassins met the ship when it docked at the Powterosian harbor. They saw only a joyous mother and sons disembark, clearly on holiday. The witch dubbed the watcher a fool and fired him. Finding no trace of Prince Saxthor, she assumed Saxthor was still lost on Tixos.

13: Voyage to Helshia

The early days of the voyage were pleasant with calm seas and a steady wind. The exiles sailed far enough out to sea to keep the coast in sight, while remaining unrecognizable to anyone on shore. They fished to reinforce the image and supplement their food supply.

Tournak passed the hours by instructing his charges on the art of sailing the open seas in a small craft. The wizard was an excellent sailor, and the boys gained their sea legs fast. Strangely green for a brown bird, Twit stayed in the cabin. He’d abandoned the swinging cage by the time they were out of the harbor, but sat on a beam and avoided looking at any movement around him.

Halfway up Tixos’ western coast, the seas worsened and waves tossed the boat in treacherous, conflicting currents. Few, if any, boats sailed west of Tixos. The small craft bobbed in the churning sea and barely moved ahead for three days. By the morning of the sixth day, dark clouds of ominous fog and mist formed a swirling wall in front of them. Anyone else would have heeded the warning and turned back down the coast, but Tournak knew the source of the threatening weather. They sailed on north-northwest and headed straight into the menacing wall of water. The boys glanced often at the wizard’s intense and focused expression, yet dared not question him.

As Bodrin pulled in a sea bass, the ocean bubbled up. From the upwelling’s center came a fish larger than the boat. Bodrin jumped back and dropped to the deck. He grabbed the boat side and peeked over the edge.

“Saxthor!”

Saxthor looked around from the cabin’s far side. “What?”

A disproportionably large tendril-edged mouth rimmed with countless, fang-like teeth bisected the oversized head. A sail-like dorsal fin with projected, leading spines rose out of the froth. Massive pectoral fins fanned out from the fish’s sides as wings might on a bird. Before Bodrin could react, the terrifying sight shot out of the water and sailed over the boat’s bow like a raptor inspecting the morsels onboard.

“Get below!” Bodrin said.

Startled at the sight of such a massive and ferocious flying fish, the boys hesitated. As soon as the denizen of the deep splashed back into the sea, they scurried into the nearby cabin. Tournak laughed.

“Don’t panic. Memlatec set the dragon fish to guard the approach to Helshia.”

Bodrin stood in the refuge’s entry, “Don’t panic he says.”

Saxthor stepped up beside Bodrin, fingers on the doorframe. “It really is fantastic.” Neither boy set foot outside the cabin.

The enormous fish had iridescent scales with black at the center wafting out into emerald green, then blue. Bright yellow edged each one. The oversized head was glossy black with glaring, ruby-red eyes. The white teeth shone in the ebony head and a blood-red mouth displayed ferocity. The overall effect was intimidation and a warning. The finned brute leapt across the bow several times. The sight lured the boys out by the door, but they stood backed against their shelter.

Saxthor turned to ask Tournak to explain the spectacle and spotted a boat bobbing in the waves about a mile behind them. He pointed. “I was sure we’d slipped away unnoticed.”

“I see the boat,” Bodrin said. “The watcher must’ve caught sight of us near the wharf. With two sails, they’ll soon catch up with us.”