The dragon knight and th.., p.1
The Dragon Knight and the Future, page 1
part #7 of Dragon Knight Series
The Dragon Knight and the Future
By D.C. Clemens
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter One
Odet
While I looked forward to seeing my family and homeland again, I advocated for an undemanding pace from our flying steeds and their summoners. I also did not mind delaying the overlong voyage to reach Alslana’s shores. Therefore, despite it being over a week since leaving the Dragon Spire Temple, we yet needed another few days of earnest migration to reach Kozuth’s coastline. All the same, our latest flight had us crossing into Boromdu, Kozuth’s largest western nation. Its ports did much business with my kingdom, meaning procuring a ship to Alslana promised to be unchallenging.
This particular region of the continent was a hilly shrubland for many miles around. The midafternoon and late night hours became a little uncomfortable for us temperature wise, but the rest of the time was rather agreeable as long as we kept on the move in the air or sought some shade. Currently, the origin of my noontime shade came from a scrawny tree trunk valiantly propping up a bloated canopy.
Sitting on the opposite side of the tree trunk, where the tree’s shadow was strongest, Clarissa asked me, “So, is the book you bought any good?”
I placed said book on my lap. “A few of the fables must not have been translated all that well, but I am enjoying what I understand so far. I always find it thought-provoking to look into what gets passed down in other cultures. How they view their past, and what lessons they believe are important.”
“Which one is your favorite so far?”
“Actually, the one I’m currently on is quite intriguing. An enchanted doll is looking for her owner.”
“Sounds a little creepy. A walking doll?”
“Says the vampire. In any case, mysterious magic has changed the doll into a human girl for the time being. Unfortunately, I have a feeling this tale will end sadly for the poor thing. Or perhaps it’s the flawed tone of the translation giving me a false impression. We’ll see.”
“Do you think magic can do something like that? Transform an object into a living, breathing human?”
“I’ve read and heard about mad enchanters committing horrendous crimes to attain such a goal. To my knowledge, none have succeeded. Whether that means it’s impossible… I can’t say. After all, powerful enchanted objects are said to form personalities of their own, though most academics agree the process there is the transference of personality from enchanter to object rather than a true creation of self-determining life. Still, an interesting philosophical discussion to ponder.”
“Oh, er, yeah.”
I chuckled. “I’m sorry. More in depth than you wished to go?”
“No. I only realized I don’t have much to add. Your tutors, advisors, and castle archives give you too much of a head start over me.”
“But I guarantee you’ve already gathered greater life experience than any of those stuffy tutors, advisors, and lifeless texts. I’ve come to value their ability to broaden my perspective the older I’ve become, but what I’ve learned in the short time I’ve been with you and Mercer has surpassed anything a thousand secondhand accounts could possibly impart. All you need to do is learn to express yourself better. I’ll be sure to hand you several books on the subject once we return to Alslana.”
“You think that’s all I need?”
“I do. There are people who have had our thoughts before, and some have been able to write them down for us to connect with and repeat. I know many people see royals and nobles as wiser than our subjects, but many of our actions and words really come from a plethora of dusty scripts.”
“Ahh, then we should be blaming dead folks when you nobles do or say something wrong.”
Matching the smile I heard on her end, I answered, “Please do.”
We were back in the air an hour later. However, not ten minutes into the flight, Lady Qin’s eknuil, Yilmu, began to glide downward.
Leaning forward to be nearer Lady Qin’s ear, I asked, “Is something wrong?”
“You ordered us to stop and investigate any unusual circumstances on the ground, Your Highness. There is a single traveler down below. They are well away from any civilized path.”
“I see. They may be lost. Yes, continue the descent.”
In all, six winged steeds went toward this lone figure. We landed in a circular formation, surrounding a young man carrying a large pack on his back. Exempting his bare arms, cloth of dark red and darker green enveloped his golden brown body. A thick braid went down behind his otherwise hairless head.
On getting Yilmu to step closer to the nervous, tired looking man, I hopped off the beast and said, “Please, do not worry. We are not bandits. Do you understand me?”
Relaxing his shoulders, his dry voice answered, “Yes, miss.”
“A bit far from any beaten path, are you not?”
“Right you are. I’m a courier, you see, and I thought I could make it quicker to my destination if I simply cut across the wilderness. It seems I’ve underestimated why people call it ‘the wilderness’ in the first place.”
“Gerard, please give him some water.”
The knight dismounted the kingclaw to hand the courier his waterskin. As the courier finished drinking, Gerard asked him, “What are you conveying?”
“Mostly old scrolls,” he answered, his voice still sounding parched. A buyer up in Midox City bought these from the Dukalla library to add to her collection.”
“I assume you have a proof of purchase, then?”
“Of course, good sir.”
The courier handed the knight a rolled up paper from an inner fold of his garb. Gerard next gave me the document to scrutinize. While being the most familiar with these sort of things, I had to admit I could not profess to be an expert on the ins and outs of Kozuth invoices. I knew how they were supposed to look in the context of large trade deals, but private transactions within the continent needed another set of laws to follow. At the very least, I concluded this proof of purchase was at least a fine forgery.
“Now, let’s see if the goods match the list.”
“Hmm, you sure you aren’t merely very polite robbers? Why do you care about my goods so much? You’re obviously not Kozuth officials.”
“No, but I am an enforcer of the law all the same. May we?”
“Er, sure. I only ask you be delicate with the scrolls you handle.”
“Of course.”
He opened his pack to allow us to inspect its contents. Sure enough, twenty-one properly marked casings were identified. Opening their protective leather housing revealed brittle parchment and nothing illicit.
Once the scrolls were back in order, I asked the courier, “No steed? No protectors? It’s a long way from Dukalla to Midox City without either.”
“I can summon a golem if need be. As for a steed, well, I’ve hired carriages to get me between larger towns, but there aren’t any to hire here. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I thought I figured out a faster way to reach my employer and save myself some coin. Maps make the world look much smaller than it really is.”
“You must be new to this courier thing,” said Clarissa.
“Most of us work much shorter distances, miss. Really, I still think I might be on to something. Midox shouldn’t be too far, right? All you have to do is point me to the nearest village and I can get back on track.”
“We can do you one better,” I said. “If you do not fear flying, I will allow you to ride one of our steeds to the nearest town or road in whatever direction you wish to go.”
“Truly? No cost?”
“Yes. It will ease my conscience knowing we did not leave you wandering the wilderness alone and low on supplies.”
“Well, my conscience will be eased as well! Never flown before, so I’m not sure how I’ll like it, but I won’t look a gift griffin in the mouth!”
“You can ride with Master Ren. Master Chanling will go to act as precautionary support.”
“And the rest of us?” asked Clarissa.
“There’s no reason for all of us to accompany them. We’re in no great rush, so we’ll simply wait until they can make their return.”
Thus, my group once again settled under the shade of a hill or tree. I went back to my book for a while, but eventually became distracted by conversation with Gerard. The two riders reappeared around two hours later. They told me they left the courier by a well-worn road leading up to an inn. My inner voice settled, we resumed our own path.
Providence desired to interpose on our day’s journey yet again, for an hour into this newest trip, I caught sight of a growing trio of griffins to the south of us. A tap to Lady Qin’s shoulder informed her of the approaching group. To see if they meant to intercept us, we dropped back to the ground. We picked the highest hill in the area, huddled in a defensive circle, and waited. As my initial inkling suggested, they headed right for us. Three male riders dressed in the pure white mantles, black boots, and black gloves of temple Crusaders landed their steeds nearby.
Their presumed leader urged his mount up to my group. Aside from his hard eyes, the rest of his lean, clean-shaven face exhibited a lenient demeanor. “This is an odd assembly to find out here,” he said. “Who are you?”
Lady Qin maneuvered Yilmu sideways so I did not have to look over her shoulder to make eye contact with the speaker. I answered, “First princess Odet Astor. These guildsmen from Efios are graciously escorting me and my companions to Kozuth’s western shores so I may return to my homeland.”
“Princess Astor? I heard rumors you had… Ah, forgive me!” He placed a hand to his chest and bowed. He bid his men do the same. “I would expect a royal to take a more formal method of travel, Your Highness.”
“Exactly why I wish to avoid it at the moment. Formality means excess carriages, invitations to noble manors, and a far slower pace. Besides, you should be well aware how freeing flying is on one’s soul.”
“Indeed I do. Forgive me for interrupting it, and we would normally leave it to Boromdu patrols to hassle anyone flying into the kingdom, but we are on a mission. I am Sartori Enek of the Boromdu Crusaders’ fifth division. We are seeking a thief who has stolen privileged documents from a temple archive in Dukalla.”
To my right, I heard Clarissa say, “Uh-oh.”
As my inner self echoed the vampire’s sentiment, my composed outer self asked, “A single thief stole from an archive holding privileged information?”
“As far as we know. And he would have earned a lengthier head start if one of our priests did not so happen to review inventory a day earlier than customary. We have Crusaders inspecting travelers on the roads, but we now suspect the thief is evading them by means of the wilds.”
“Likely so. We recently came across a man traveling by such means. He claimed to be a courier transporting old scrolls to a buyer in Midox City. We, or I, examined his proof of purchase and concluded it was authentic, though I am obviously not knowledgeable enough to say whether it would pass scrutiny by one who regularly examines official Kozuth documentation. I’m sorry to say we then aided his attempt to travel closer to his objective by giving him a ride to the nearest road.”
“You couldn’t have known, princess. No need to be apologetic. The document and many of the scrolls may even be legitimate to act as a cover. Simply describe him to us and point the way. We will take it from there.”
“No, now I will not be able to feel at ease until I know our actions did not abet a criminal’s escape. We will join your search until the so-called courier is found and his true nature revealed.”
“I can’t ask you involve yourself in this trivial matter, princess.”
“No asking is necessary. In any case, the guildsmen are adept at these type of missions. No doubt the thief will continue avoiding the road we helped him reach, so you will need all the eyes and wings you can acquire if you are to spot him. By the time we arrive at his last known location, the skies and shadows will be darker. He may earn another entire night’s worth of trekking if he can avoid three griffins. However, eluding both squads of our winged beasts is rather doubtful.”
“Well, I’m not certain I even have the authority to deny a royal’s wishes. And I suppose denying myself and my men the opportunity to work with one will be later regretted. Very well, lead the way, Your Highness.”
Consequently, we went to correct our mistake by following the two riders who dropped off the courier.
A patchwork of clouds blowing in from the north abetted the evening’s incoming dimness by the time we saw the dirt path leading up to the inn. Questioning those who worked in the lodging confirmed that someone who matched the courier’s description had stopped by to nourish himself, but he left soon after. Likewise, Sartori’s men asked around the village about the courier.
After his men returned to the inn to inform their leader on what they learned, Sartori stated, “It seems there are two potential sightings of our courier. One witness claims to have spotted a man carrying a large pack on a cart heading north. However, a few children playing at the village outskirts say they’ve seen a man with a braid walking through the brush going northeast, though they do not recall seeing him with a pack.”
“See,” said Clarissa. “This is why the princess suggested we come along. We can spilt up now.”
“Yes, a gesture I’m appreciating more and more. My men and I have been using our summoning spell quite often these past few days. I fear we cannot summon our steeds again until we gain some respite. If we are to split up at this moment, I will have to request we do so as passengers of the guildsmen.”
“That will be fine,” I answered. “Several of our riders have reached their limit as well, but as we have been rotating who flies and who rides as a passenger during our journey, we should have enough fresh reserves available to replace them.”
“Thank you.”
“It will now be a matter of choosing who follows what lead,” said Gerard. “I recommend you and your men track the man in the cart. We will have an easier time tracking the man on foot.”
“And why is that?”
Glancing at the vampire, the knight replied, “One of our own can cast a spell to enhance their night vision. We will thus not be as restricted by a dark wilderness as most others.”
“Ah, yes. Such a spell will give you an advantage we do not possess. Very well. We will meet back here as soon as we are able, and by the grace of Enir, with a caught thief.”
Chapter Two
We selected the eight freshest guildsmen to fly us to our respective suspects while the remaining four rested at the inn. Despite having flown me for much of the day already, Lady Qin’s impressive stamina meant I continued to use her steed as my mount. Clarissa’s whiptail led the way, for a sky dappled by clouds and harboring a thin crescent moon hindered the effectiveness of human eyes. I had no trouble seeing the torch and candlelight of the village even as we left it several miles behind us, but I doubted the courier-thief planned on catching fire anytime soon.
Our aerial route took us nearer and nearer the rocky, weedy hills that gradually built up to become the western fringes of the Midox Heights. Even if the thief did not know the area too well, simply having so many little vales and caves strewn about the region to stumble into gave him favorable odds when it came to eluding us. Fortunately, it looked as though it would take an entire night’s trek on foot to reach the peripheries of this natural hideaway.
Somewhere in the middle of the first and second hour of our probing pursuit, the vampire had her guildsman direct his beast to the north. The griffin picked up speed a few wing flaps later. A quiet, circling descent eventually brought us humans to a height where we could spot a lone figure jogging through the tanned grasses. The experienced riders allowed for us to maintain our stealth right up until the steeds began to land. We encircled him at every chief compass point from twenty feet away.
Knowing fire magic, Lady Qin ignited a fireball over her raised palm. Its vibrant light illuminated the man’s form to reveal it was indeed the courier we met before, if missing his large pack. Thief or not, he looked understandably startled by our sudden appearance.
As I dismounted the eknuil, I said, “I’d refrain from doing anything as rash as summoning your golem or drawing any weapon. Doing so will force us to fight with the intent to kill.”
The courier-thief hunched a little less. “Oh, it’s you again. A cruel jest to stalk me and come upon me in the dark, milady.”
“Deceits and thievery are far crueler. We encountered Crusaders soon after aiding in your travels. I’m certain you can predict what we learned from them. Now, a petty thief caught pilfering may lose a few years of their life in a dungeon, but to steal from a temple archive, well, you’ll be fortunate to only lose your hands if you chose to resist or become uncooperative. I presume you still have what you stole. Hand it over and come quietly. Do so and I will recommend a lighter punishment.”
