The Last Whisper of the Gods (46 page)

It was the same wyrm that had attacked and ultimately killed Lamanar. Sorial understood this as soon as he looked into its eyes, one of which had been damaged by a shot from Warburm’s pistol. In the moment of shared recognition, Sorial slipped into the wyrm’s consciousness and subdued it. Had anyone asked him to explain what he did, he wouldn’t have been able to. Its mind was no puny thing and it wasn’t through cruelty or dominance that Sorial won it over. He didn’t hammer at it or pummel it. There was no silent contest. Instead, their connection emerged through a shared affinity for the earth and all it represented - the deep, cool depths and comforting pressure; the darkness and pungency; the strong, silent power and infinite patience. For a moment, there was a pause as the wyrm grappled with yielding its independence, something antithetical to its nature. Then, with a violent shake of its head that severed the eye contact, it submitted.

Sorial mounted its back, treating it almost as if it was a steed. As he had done with hundreds of animals over the years in the stable, he scratched it behind the ears - in this case, holes in the sides of its head. He leaned close and wrapped his hands and legs around its large, metallic neck.

Somewhere, the Lords of Fire and Air were searching for him, their intentions ill. Somewhere, Warburm was beginning the first stage of a long, lonely journey that might prove too much for even an adventurer of his renown. Somewhere, King Azarak was trying to rule a city beset by troubles and wilting under the force of an unrelenting heat wave. Somewhere, Alicia was waiting for his return. Somewhere, there was a vast emptiness where the gods had once existed.

Sorial commanded and the wyrm obeyed. They plunged as one into the earth, tunneling deep into rock and dirt, to a place where neither fire nor air could reach. This was Sorial’s dominion.

His bloodline had run true. The stableboy was gone, remade in the recesses of the portal. Destiny was a fickle thing, but Sorial would seek his. For one such as him, it wasn’t enough
to be
. He must
do
. It remained to be seen what that
do
would entail, but he would face it not as a confused boy trying in vain to divine his purpose, but as a wizard with power over earth. And he wouldn’t do it alone. The woman he loved, the one who gave meaning to this journey and its struggles, would be beside him. That made all the difference.

This concludes
The Last Whisper of the Gods

The story continues in Volume 2 of the
Last Whisper of the Gods Saga
,
The Curse in the Gift
, which follows Alicia's journey to the North, King Azarak's preparations for war, and Sorial's return to civilization.

Thank you for taking the time to read
The Last Whisper of the Gods
. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated. Thank you. James Berardinelli.