The Estian Alliance

CHAPTER 8

Dusk - 31st August - The City of Te’oull - Siatol

Jake and Tien climbed onto Gellsorr’s lowered neck. The flight from Varriann city had taken the mighty dragon a little over two hours to complete. He had covered the considerable distance in a fraction of the time it would have taken an army to march and he was far faster than the flying horses would have been. As he neared Te’oull, Gellsorr circled high around the city and approached from the south, just as instructed by Jake. He landed in the main square without being spotted by the enemy, who thankfully remained completely unaware of his arrival. A crowd on enthralled onlookers immediately gathered around him. Apart from those warriors and civilians present at the Battle of Dassilliak, no one had ever seen a live dragon before on Estia. The most anyone knew about the magnificent creatures from legend were the descriptions contained in the stories passed down through word of mouth by previous generations, or snippets from the fairy tales and books, which relayed in dramatic terms their crucial role in Estia’s turbulent history. Dragons were the stuff of myths and folklore for most on Estia and yet, a very real, very large, living and breathing beast was now standing before them. The defenders of Te’oull took great heart from the fact that he had come at their hour of need and was ready and willing to fight by their side. As awe inspiring as the sight may have been for the many Estians packed into the square however, Jake decided quickly that they had no time for pleasantries. He immediately made his goodbyes and invited Tien to join him.

“Right then,” the young Keeper said, as soon as the wizard was settled in behind him, “this oughta be a blast!”

Tien made to respond to yet another strange and unfamiliar statement, but Jake continued before he had the chance. “…Tell ya what, if I take nothing else away from this incredible experience, this whole life changing ‘dream’ I seem to be living, I’m determined that I’m really gonna enjoy this!”

Tien could not see it, but in front of him Jake West’s eyes were on fire. He was suddenly alive with anticipation. His young and eager face was beaming at the prospect of what was about to come. He was about to take another wild ride into the realms of the unknown. This was an excursion to rival anything he had done before, including travelling through the light. He couldn’t be more excited. His smile widened even further when he felt Gellsorr chuckle slightly beneath him, in response to his youthful exuberance.

“Oh yeah,” Jake added, feeling like a kid again and loving every minute of it, “Alton Towers theme park’s got nothing on this! Ha ha… I only wish my mates could see me now!”

The old wizard shook his head in disbelief, barely able to believe the Keeper’s mood given their current predicament. But, he soon realised that actually, he was feeling rather pleased to see the boyish enthusiasm return in Jake, if only for a fleeting moment or two. This whole new world for him, this tremendous burden of responsibility he was now shouldering, had been thrust upon the teenager without warning, without a choice. He had been left all of a sudden without any options. Jake could not object to it, or refuse the honour bestowed upon him, not really. And as far as Tien was concerned, he had dealt with it all superbly, despite his immaturity at times, which often riled the old wizard. The youngster had earned the right to have a little fun if he could. Still, though he had no wish at all to ruin the moment, Tien knew that he was there to guide him, and he felt obliged to point out the obvious.

“Jake, we are about to head for the very heart of our enemy’s lands. In reality, we have very little hope of success. We have no plan to speak of, as far as I know? And in all probability we are journeying to our deaths. It is good to see you smiling again. However, I do not understand…? I fail to see how any of this could have escaped your attention?”

Jake’s expression did not alter. His smile was as wide as ever as he turned his head to reply over his shoulder. “Yeah, I know all of that, of course I do. But, come on? Lighten up, will ya? Look, if we’re about to kick the bucket as you say, if we’re gonna pop our clogs and become worm food, can you seriously think of a better way to go?”

Tien was unable to respond for he had no time. Realising the urgency of their mission, Gellsorr decided to leave. His huge and powerful wings unfurled without warning. They beat rapidly and the old dragon lurched forward, almost unseating his two passengers with the speed of his movement, who were left clinging onto his neck for dear life. He soared swiftly into the sunlit sky, before banking immediately and heading south, in another manoeuvre which almost flung the Keeper and his guide to their deaths on the ground below. They managed to hold on somehow and the dragon headed away from the city, towards the Fetril Sea and the violent continent of Mynae which lay beyond.

They travelled for the remainder of that day and into the night. The lush green valleys of Estia soon gave way and underneath them appeared the rough, turbulent waters of the channel which divided the two contrasting lands. At one point in the darkness, Jake began to feel very tired, exhausted in fact. Though he knew it was extremely dangerous to fall asleep in his current plight, he just couldn’t help himself, and his eyes began to close. He fought hard and struggled gamely to stay awake. Luckily for him, Tien somehow sensed what was happening. He performed a vitality spell he had learned from the Heynai and the young boy in front of him was immediately revived. His mind and body felt fresh once more, leaving him able to concentrate solely on the task in hand.

As they crossed into Mynae and flew low over the country of Falor a bright and clear moon was shining, lighting up the incredible landscape below. Verastus’ homeland was a mixture of baron plains and overpopulated cities, built on rough, scorched earth. It was punctuated here and there by vast mountain ranges with incredibly high peaks. These snow covered summits had to be negotiated in flight, either by going round, or by flying over them if they could. The temperature fluctuated rapidly. When they were over the plains it was pleasantly warm, but the air cooled severely when approaching the mountains, so much so that it fell to well below freezing in what seemed like a matter of seconds. Jake would probably have died from exposure if it were not for another of Tien’s spells.

Daylight sneaked up on them much faster than expected and, as they approached the border with Eratur, the sun had already risen. This was the homeland of the Thargws and Hybraddan, and it was their final destination. It was a harsh, unforgiving place. The landscape consisted entirely of rock and blackened soil. The icy wind was almost unbearable, in spite of Tien’s magic. It cut right through Jake and seemed almost to enter his bones. Eratur looked devoid of life at first glance. Closer inspection however, revealed numerous small conurbations of caves and huts. They were littered everywhere, though most were obviously built to conceal them from the view of anyone at ground level.

Gellsorr continued flying for another hour or more, bypassing several cities, as well as towns of all shapes and sizes. At last, he spied his destination, a small mountain range at the foot of which was a much larger metropolis, protected on all sides by a vast wall of grey rock. It was a daunting, intimidating sight to behold. He began to descend slowly and landed behind a small hill to remain obscured from sight. Once on the ground, he lowered his neck and Jake and Tien dismounted quickly.

“We have done well to arrive safely, Keeper. The city you saw before us is Kerralux. The northern part of Eratur which we have passed through is sparsely populated. Beyond this point however, their warriors live in large numbers, in cities such as this, and in many smaller dwellings. Now, I have done as you asked, tell me your plan,” said the dragon.

Jake looked at each of the expectant faces of his new friends. “Hmmnn… Yes, a plan. I suppose it would be a good idea to have one of those, eh?

…No, I can’t do it like Ben. Alright, calm down, I was only kidding. Listen in… It’s almost midday I reckon? If we go marching in there now, we’ll be easily spotted and killed for sure. No, there’s way too many of them for that. We’ll just have to wait for darkness. Then you’ll have to glide over the wall as silently as you can and land us right next to the palace. If we’re lucky, we won’t be seen or heard, and we’ll go from there?”

Gellsorr was astounded by the simplicity of such a notion. He was also a little disappointed. He looked towards the wizard, expecting him to say something, but Tien remained quiet and showed no sign at all that he was going to. “I… How…? I… Srr… I admit to being taken by surprise, Jake. You mean to tell me that your only plan is to trust to luck?”

“Err… Yeah,” replied the teenage Keeper. “…Well… No, actually, that’s not quite true. I’m hoping we’ll be lucky, of course I am. But, it’s more accurate to say that I’m trusting in you and Tien.”

* * *

At Te’oull on 1st September, volunteers of all shapes, sizes, creed and capability continued to pour into the southern gates. As they did, they passed by the throngs of civilians and non combatants who were heading the other way, hoping to avoid the forthcoming battle and escape the enemy. They were led by Eyatrav, Yelena and most of the Juyen, and they left with Princess Zephany’s blessing. The young warrior and her Perosyan champion, Caro, had formed a collection point in the main square for all those who wanted to fight. Here, the new arrivals were quickly assessed by army captains for their fighting ability and experience, before being assigned their new positions in the defence of the city. The Princess had taken a keen interest in what was happening and she remained close by.

When there was a brief lull in activity she spoke to Caro about their situation, seeking his counsel. “By some miracle, our numbers continue to grow. But, what do you make of our new army, Caro? Can they fight?”

The veteran knight was not one for speaking anything other than the truth. “Princess, they are all volunteers. They have not been coerced. They are here for you, of their own free will. I would take ten such warriors into battle with me over a hundred slaves any day. Though, to answer your question as you would like; there are many among them who have been raised like us, with sword, bow and spear in hand. We are fortunate to have them. There are also farmers, tailors, blacksmiths and saddlers in their ranks. It is yet to be seen how effective they will be in battle, but I do not believe we are in the position to be anything other than grateful? We must welcome them all with open arms, and hope that we are allowed the time to train them.”

Zephany laughed at having to be reminded of a few home truths by her sworn protector. She slapped Caro on his back in a surprisingly warm show of affection. “Ha ha… Indeed, my friend, well spoken. What would I do without you? Thank you. Welcome!” she cried, to the crowd of fresh volunteers who now approached their position. “…You are all very welcome here! We are the Estian Alliance, and this is Te’oull, the chosen sight for our stand against all those who would seek to enslave us, to destroy us. Fight well, and this is a story you will relay with pride to your children some day!”

Lord Caro’s attention was drawn suddenly towards one of the new arrivals. She looked totally and utterly out of place. He eyed her up and down, unsure what to make of her. “Srr… You are of course as welcome as anyone here, madam. Though, forgive me, I have to ask, what is it you believe you can do for us?”

It soon became clear that Princess Zephany was equally as surprised and bemused. She looked down upon the tired and worn out features of the old lady in front of her. Both warriors could not help but notice the scars on her face, barely hidden in amongst the many wrinkles which covered it completely. Her clothes were nothing more than rags. Shredded and faded, they looked as though they were about to fall off at any point.

“Tell us, why do you come here?” Zephany asked, softly.

The old peasant lifted her head slowly to reveal two piercingly blue eyes. They were full of kindness, even though they seemed to carry within them a lifetime of pain and anguish. “I am addressing the Princess from Rhuaddan, am I not? You are the Leader of the Alliance? Good, I have found you at last. I… I seek the Keeper, the one who claims that title,” she replied, with more emotion echoing in her words than most experience in a whole lifetime.

* * *

It was the middle of the night now at Kerralux. The great Thargw city was illuminated only by the moonlight, and a few flamed torches littered here and there to help the sentries find their way around. The inhabitants had no reason to expect an attack on their heavily fortified capitol, so a standing guard comprised of only of older Thargw warriors, the lucky few who had lived long enough to earn the honour of manning the walls, protected them.

With Jake and Tien riding upon his back Gellsorr flew high over the city, using his superior eyesight to reconnoitre its defences before choosing the best place to land. Then, his wings stopped beating and he glided gently and silently down to an open patch of ground which lay just outside the city palace. He immediately made for the largest shaded area he could find, the darkest corner, where he was confident they would not be seen. It was not far from the palace doors and he allowed his passengers to dismount.

“Okay,” hissed Jake, “so far, so good. Me and Tien are going in. Gellsorr, you stay here and protect this entrance. Try to remain undetected if you can. If anything goes wrong, save yourself… And help the others at Te’oull.”

“Do not concern yourself, Jake. I will be here when you return. You need have no fear on that account.”

Jake smiled at the dragon, scarcely able to believe the absurdity of what he was doing. He gestured to Tien for him to follow. At the large wooden door to the palace the old wizard performed yet another of his spells. He opened the lock with a single wave of his hand and they both disappeared inside. The door was shut silently behind them. Tien began to chant the same spell he had used in the vault at Ilin-Seatt, using his magic to search for the whereabouts of the Eratian Ore.

“Enuussrialle frettureieste hechniarr eratore.”

Jake looked anxiously at him once he had finished. “Well? Did it work?” he asked.

“Yes,” Tien replied. “Come, it is this way, I can sense it,” he added, pointing down the long corridor and up the stairs.

They crept silently along the magnificent hallways until they reached the doors to a very large chamber. “Here, this must be the room of the Thargw Emperor,” said the wizard.

Jake’s heart was pounding furiously now, even though he felt as calm as ever. “So, what we waiting for? Open it, and let’s get that stone.”

Tien unlocked the door, being careful not to make a sound. He pushed it ajar, but it suddenly creaked loudly. Their hearts leapt into their mouths and Jake immediately drew his sword, expecting to be confronted by guards at any moment. Seconds later though, no one had responded to the noise they made and the two raiders breathed a huge sigh of relief.

They entered the room. It was exceedingly grand, lavishly decorated with valuable trinkets and cloths. In the centre, there was a huge bed and, lying on top and snoring so loudly that the very foundations seemed to be shaking, was the largest Thargw warrior either of them had ever seen. He was colossal and even the old wizard felt a shiver run down his spine at the fearsome sight.

Jake though, had only one thing on his mind. He scanned the room quickly with his eyes, looking for the emperor’s crown and the precious stone they had come to collect. “There it is!” the youngster whispered, excitedly.

It was lying on a chair beside the Emperor’s bed. Jake went to fetch it, but Tien held his arm and placed a finger to his lips, stressing the need for stealth. Another spell was performed and the crown lifted into the air. Then, it floated over to them slowly and silently. Jake caught it gratefully and he wasted no time in using his sword to prise the stone free. He placed it in his bag and then lay the crown down on the floor.

“Come on, we’re done here,” he said, happily.

Tien nodded to acknowledge the order. “For once, Jake, I am in complete agreement with you.” They crept away quietly and made for the exit.

Outside the palace, Gellsorr was waiting patiently in the darkness. His huge frame was partially hidden in the shadows thrown by the palace walls. He was confident that he could remain there unseen for as long as it took. However, Thargw warriors possess excellent hearing and eyesight. Though the direction of his approach had enabled the dragon to avoid detection in the initial phase of the raid, a sharp eyed lookout on the wall had spotted something peculiar, and decided to investigate. Against the backdrop of the moonlit sky, the warrior could see a darker mist. It was a vapour of some sort and it was rising steadily from the walls of the palace. The smoke was only slight, but it was rising gently from the dragon’s nostrils and, unbeknown to Gellsorr, every single breath he took was betraying his position to the enemy.

The ancient dragon saw nothing untoward. He remained concealed, unaware that two experienced Thargw warriors were descending slowly down the stairs to the wall, intending to circle around to both sides of his current position. The soldiers used the buildings as cover. Soon, they were staring from only yards away at the unbelievable sight of a fully grown dragon.

Both carried Thargw spears and they launched them at the unsuspecting creature before he had time to react. Gellsorr never knew what hit him. The first thing he felt was a thunderous jolt as a spear tip pierced his skin and tore into his chest. It was followed almost immediately by a second, far more deadly strike, which did him lasting damage. The spear came more from the side this time and it pinned his wing so that he could not fly. Moreover, the incredible force of the throw caused the tip of the shaft to lodge deep within his heart.

He roared in pain, a resounding cry of agony that was so loud it seemed the whole of Mynae and Estia must surely have heard it. The city of Kerralux appeared to shake and vibrate with the unbelievable din. It was fully awake now, and Gellsorr knew for certain that more Thargws would be coming for him.

Jake and Tien were almost at the door when they heard the awful noise. It stopped them in their tracks. A look of complete horror overcame their faces as they realised immediately what it meant.

“Gellsorr! Quick, we have to help him!” cried Jake.

They raced outside just in time to witness the ancient dragon taking his vengeance upon his two attackers. The Thargw assailants were incinerated by his fire. Then, he trained his other weapon upon the warriors who manned the wall, using his eyes to turn them all into black stone. This afforded Jake and Tien the brief opportunity to approach him, before the warriors of Kerralux could respond in force to the dragon’s cry.

“Gellsorr, you’re hurt! How bad is it?” asked Jake.

The old dragon knew his time had come. The wound to his heart was a mortal one and he could no longer fly. His wing was damaged beyond repair, beyond healing. Even if the spear could be removed, he would not be able to take the others to safety. “It is as bad as bad can be, Jake,” he replied. “You must save yourselves. I cannot aid you now. They will be here very soon, in great numbers, to finish me.”

“No. We can’t!”

“Go! You have to!” insisted the dragon. “There is no other way. Take this stone and do all you can for your people, for Estia.”

Gellsorr gave the stone to the wizard, knowing full well that without it, without his life source, he was doomed. Tien thanked him quickly for his sacrifice and turned to Jake. “He is right, we have to go. We have no way of leaving this place now, but we cannot be captured! Thargws do not treat their prisoners well.”

Jake’s eyes were brimming with tears. He felt totally calm, but inside, he knew his heart was breaking. “Yes, I know. I’m sorry, Gellsorr. I’m sorry it’s ended like this.”

“No need for words. I made my choices. Go!”

The two raiders ran for their lives. They hadn’t gone far when they were confronted by a group of three Thargw warriors. Jake immediately drew his sword and engaged them. Tien sensed that his own intervention might not be needed and he took a step backwards. Enraged by the loss of Gellsorr, the young Keeper was on fire. Every single nerve in his body was alive. His actions were so swift and ferocious that the three beasts surrounding him could not keep up, despite their own skill and speed. Jake was ducking, diving, weaving and thrusting his sword so swiftly that his actions seem to blur into one. Before long, all three warriors lay dead on the ground and the two fugitives had resumed their flight. Soon, they had disappeared into the darkness of the city streets.

They stayed in the shadows as much as possible, moving swiftly away from the palace and into the more densely populated zones, where a thousand and one hiding places presented themselves. Thargw warriors and civilians alike appeared all around them, but somehow they managed to stay hidden as the throngs of angry beasts made their way to the palace square, where the incredible roar had sounded.

Jake led Tien into a quiet alleyway. The complete darkness and lack of life offered brief sanctuary and they stopped to catch their breath. Then, they heard the unmistakeable sound of an enormous fight. The roars and screams were carried on the cool night air. It seemed to last for ages, though in reality it was no more than a few minutes. As they listened and watched the sky, every now and then it was lit up by flame. Finally, they heard the most awful cry; a dragon’s death roar. Estia and Mynae had not heard it’s like for hundreds of years. Piercing, intense and severe, it resonated way above anything they had ever known.

Gellsorr had fought valiantly until the last ounce of strength had left him. He had taken many Thargws with him to the afterlife. Though his energy had started diminishing as soon as the stone had left his grasp, he had continued to fire his beam of light and breathe his fire, even as a multitude of arrows and spears peppered his stricken body. His final cry, his last almighty roar in life, was heard far and wide, across the land.

The sole remaining dragon on Estia, the greatest living ally the Keeper had, was dead. Jake and Tien were lost and on the run in their enemy’s capitol. The whole city was now awake and determined to find the rest of the attackers who, they soon found out, had been spotted running away from the palace square in the darkness. It seemed to both Tien and Jake that the astonishing luck they had enjoyed to date, had finally run out.