Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town (15 page)

            
“It’s my birthday,” he admitted. “My sister sent me a message just then, wishing
me a happy birthday. Nothing important, really,” Zoran replied.

            
“Gang, it’s Zoran’s birthday today!” Zdenka playfully called out.

            
Jarka couldn’t resist and started to sing “Happy Birthday to you.” Soon they all
got in on it, hamming it up, much to Zoran’s embarrassment.

            
“Okay, now you’ve gone and done it. Just you wait until I find out when all of
your birthdays are, then you’ll get it!” he threatened jokingly. Everyone laughed and
returned to their studies. Today, they were learning how to create a Killing Cloud, which
was a fog-like cloud whose vapors poisoned all living creatures that breathed it into their
lungs. It was a nasty spell indeed.

            
All were more excited about the next spell on the list, however. It was the
Teleport spell, one which would elevate them all to Mage status, as well as giving them
the freedom to travel anywhere on Adapazan in an instant. Everyone hoped and prayed
that they would be able to learn that spell — that key spell of all other spells — all except
Zoran, who really did not need it. He could Shadow Walk anywhere on the planet as well
as to all of the other planets in the Federation of Planets.

            
Much of the early weeks of July were spent working on this single spell.
Archmage Nadia insisted that every member of the team learn to Teleport. While Zoran
picked it up first with great ease, some of the others had a more difficult time with the
spell, particularly Bernard, Karel, and Jarka. Interestingly enough, both Emil and
Renata picked it up almost as rapidly as did Zoran.

            
The last Saturday in July was success day. Bernard finally mastered the spell. All
seven were now awarded their Mage status, a high honor indeed. Since Sunday was their
day off, Zoran exclaimed, “All right, Mages, one and all! Tomorrow, I want to throw you
all a really big celebration party at the Stodgy Inn. I’ve reserved the inn for our use from
ten to one. All you can eat and drink is on me! I’ve hired some musicians to play for us as
well. Congratulations to us all! My fellow Mages! This is a once in a lifetime celebration,
for Mages are we! Emil, Renata, maybe you can delay whatever it is that you have to do
on Sunday for a while and join us. After all, you are part of the celebration too, you
Mages.” Zoran felt alive, happy, and even a touch elated that every member of his team
had made it. The twins looked at each other and then at their five friends.

            
“Sure we can delay it for a while,” Emil grinned. “All we can eat? Are you sure you
can afford our tab?” Everyone roared with laughter. They had seen that these two could
put away enormous meals without batting an eye.

            
“Great Emil, Renata. Yes, all you can eat and drink. Time for a real celebration.
You are the greatest bunch of friends that I’ve ever had.”

            
On Sunday, they all headed to the inn — that is, they all Teleported there at the
stroke of ten. The musicians were already on hand and played a triumphant march as
the seven arrived. Drinks and food flowed from the barkeeper, who was making a very
tidy profit this day indeed. Zoran moved tables out of the way making a dancing area. He
took Zdenka onto his new dance floor, and they began to dance to the tunes. Not to be
outdone, Bernard swept Jarka, protesting all the way, onto the dance floor as well. But
her protests were all show; she began to enjoy herself as well.

            
Karel asked if Renata wanted to dance. “But I don’t know how to dance,” she
replied.

            
“Darn if I know either, but let’s just follow them. At least you can twirl around
some,” he confided in her. She let go of her hesitation and they joined in, leaving Emil
standing and watching. Shortly, one of the barmaids, who was serving the drinks, took
Emil by the hand and pulled him onto the dance floor as well. She got caught up in their
frolicking fun as well.

            
A while later, Emil and Renata stopped to eat. Only after letting out a tremendous
burp after his seventh serving did Emil finally push his plate away. “Guess that will hold
me a while.” Everyone roared and handed him another ale. Renata had six servings,
Zoran noted. How they could put away all that food was beyond him, but just now, he
cared not at all. He was happy, having fun, and was with his friends. The world was
beautiful and cheerful. He had no idea this would be so short lived.

            
The next morning, everyone was nursing a slight hangover, excepting Emil and
Renata, of course. After breakfast, all felt somewhat better and were about to resume
their studies, when they received a Message from the Archmage. “Meet me in the first
floor study immediately.” The tone of her voice sounded serious; they looked at each
other hoping that one of them had some clue about what was happening. None did. They
rushed down to their old study room. All of the many books and scrolls were neatly in
their proper places. Archmage Nadia looked very serious and very old this morning.
Something was very wrong. Zoran didn’t need his special sense to know that something
was happening.

            
“Have a seat, please. I have some really bad news to share with you, and I am
afraid that I will have to beg you to undertake a vitally critical mission fraught with
danger, especially to Zoran. As everyone now knows, Baron Kazimir,” Zoran noted that
she purposely did not use his last name, probably for his sake, “has invaded the Sholov
Province. Warlord Mikolas has put up a valiant defense, costing the Baron dearly for
every mile that he has conquered. However, that is not why I have called you here. No, it
is far, far, far more important than the fall of yet another warlord of the Wild Lands.”

            
“There is a side effect, one of immense magnitude, but one which only Zoran here
can fully appreciate. Because of the nature of this situation, Zoran, I ask your permission
to tell the others your identity and secret, if I may. I swear to you that I am not taking
this lightly and that it is vital to everyone’s understanding of the situation we are facing
at this very moment that they know your story. Will you free me from my pledge to you,
Zoran?”

            
“But that will expose them to — well, you know what I mean,” Zoran cringed.
More than anything, he did not want to burden his friends with his own troubles or open
them wide to assassinations as well.

            
“I am well aware of that aspect, Zoran, but the sheer magnitude of what is
happening and what will happen if we do not intervene within hours far outweigh the
danger to your team members.”

            
“I trust your judgment, Archmage Oldrich. I so release you from your word,”
Zoran spoke clearly and decisively. He rather wished that she had taken him aside and
told him what was going on and allowed him to reach the same conclusion as she.
However, she hadn’t and now he began to wonder why.

            
“Would you or would you prefer me to tell them, Zoran?” she asked in her soft,
calm voice.

            
“I ought to since they are my friends.” He sighed; in a minute they would become
part of his secret life, fraught with all of the dangers and even assassination attempts as
well.

            
“I have never told you my sir name. I had my reasons which I will tell you about
now. I am really Duke Zoran Vladislov, son of Baron Kazimir Vladislov. Here is my ring
to prove it.” He pulled his duke ring from its thong around his neck and showed it to the
others. Many gasped.

            
Zdenka exclaimed, “I knew it! I knew you were a nobleman!” She flushed and was
silent.

            
“More than a nobleman, I’m afraid. I am a Duska and fourth heir to the throne of
Adapazan. I am sorry for having withheld this from you, but I had no choice. You see, I
hate my father and older brother. I am nothing like them; neither are my twin sisters,
Rayna and Lida. I was being trained by Archmage Milos, but he is an idiot and despot
compared to Archmage Oldrich here. Before I came here in secret, an assassin tried to
kill me three times. Obviously, he failed on each attempt, but the attempts on my life
were increasing in frequency. I had no choice but to run away. I took great, great pains
to hide my tracks so that no one could ever follow me here. Indeed, I didn’t even tell my
sisters, who I dearly love, where I went. They still do not know where I am. I know that
Baron Kazimir has got many spies fanned out throughout the entire Federation of
Planets searching for me. If and when they find me, there will be hell to pay, that I know.
Just by my having revealed this to you has now placed all of your lives at risk. You too
may well be targets of assassins, if the Baron or whoever is behind these assassinations
ever finds out that I am here and that you are my friends. I never, ever wanted to place
you in this kind of danger. I am Duska. I have an inner sense when danger is at hand and
have lightning fast reactions, which has saved my life three times now. I am truly sorry
that I have now placed all of you in such danger. You do not deserve it.”

            
“Who is trying to kill you? Tell us about the assassination attempts,” Zdenka
urged him on. She was staggered by the magnitude of just who he was! A Duska, that
explained so much about him — why Archmage Nadia chose him to be their leader and
why he could sense when danger was near. Yet he was nothing like his father, the
Barron. Zoran was the kindest, most gentle man that she had ever met.

            
“I have no idea at all who the assassin might be or who has hired him to kill me or
even why someone wants me dead. The Baron,” he could still not think of him as his
father any longer, “could care less about me. He just ignores me like some fly buzzing
around the dinner table. Rayna, my sister, thinks our older brother, Radek, might be
behind it, but I can’t see why he would want me dead. I pose him no threat. He is the
heir to the throne of Adapazan, not me. Heck, my two sisters are in line for the throne
before I am.”

            
“The first attempt was poisoned bread at our dinner table. I accidently dropped it
on the floor, and my old dog ate it and died within minutes. Then, the assassin tried to
shoot me with a poisoned arrow while I was in the middle of an intense fighter training
round with real swords fighting against our sword master. I barely avoided that one. The
last time, he tried to drop a three foot stone parapet block on my head while I was
walking down the street going to an inn. I dove out of the way and it missed my leg by
mere inches. That’s when I decided that I had had enough and ran away.”

            
“I Shadow Walked to get here. In the basement of Castle Dorumova and in the
most secure location in the entire castle, lies the Circle of Ascension, which is the key to
our ability to Shadow Walk. I purposely retraced my initiation steps, passing through all
of the intertwined lines that connect the many planets of the Federation, before I
stepped out and here to Brn. That way, not even a priest can determine just where I
went. Ordinarily, if one Shadow Walks, a priest can see the energy lines and ascertain
the destination. Honestly, there is no way anyone can trace me here directly. I think we
are still safe for a time.” He wanted to alleviate their fears of imminent assassinations.

            
“Holy crap! We’ve had a real Duska with us all this time!” Karel finally burst out
his surprise and awe. He had been in complete shock until now.

            
“Wow! Incredible!” added Jarka. “Say, does that now mean that we have to call
you Duke Zoran and treat you as a super-nobleman?” she couldn’t resist a stab; after all
he had been hiding this from her all this time.

            
Zoran grinned, “Jarka, if you call me duke, I will have to cut out your tongue.”
She flushed and then giggled, getting his joke. “Honestly, that would give everything
away. The assassins would be here in no time, and you’d probably find your throats cut,
once he forced my whereabouts out of you. Never call me duke or Duska, please. I’m just
plain old Zoran.”

            
“Hardly plain,” Bernard teased him, with a big grin on his face.

            
“So you can walk between planets?” Emil asked curiously.

            
“Yes, just as easily as you all can now Teleport anywhere on Adapazan, Emil. We
are born with a special gland at the base of our brains. When we reach puberty, the
Ceremony of Ascension is conducted by our priests. Essentially, they lead us around the
Circle of Ascension, which activates our glands. I was awfully sick at first, but it soon
passed. Without the guidance of the priest, I would never have been able to master it by
myself.”