Dragonvein - Book Three (26 page)

“It was difficult at first,” he said. “Learning English was hard enough, but learning to live without magic was something I couldn’t possibly have prepared for.”

“Did you ever tell your adoptive parents the truth about where you are from?” asked Markus.

“Once,” he replied. “After I graduated high school, we sat down together and I told them everything.”

“And did they believe you?”

“I don’t know. They just said that none of it mattered any longer. Earth was my home and I shouldn't worry about Lumnia.” He let out a derisive laugh. “I guess they were wrong about that. Anyway, they died a few years ago in a car accident.”

“So you have no wife or children?” asked Lylinora.

David spread his arms wide. “Hey, look at me. I’m not exactly a dashing hero. Not many women go for the skinny professor type.”

Lylinora laughed. “Well at least here on Lumnia being a mage might turn some heads.”

David huffed. “Being a mage here will probably get me killed long before that happens.”

Ethan’s heart pounded wildly as the elf and dwarf armies hurried to form ranks. Apparently unwilling to simply wait any longer to be attacked, the Imperial soldiers had taken the initiative. They were now moving with great speed: far more than anyone expected of them. This had sent waves of alarm throughout the dwarf ranks, though the elves appeared to be far more relaxed about the situation. The fact remained that they still outnumbered the enemy two to one. Their scouts had reported that no Imperial reinforcements had arrived, and none were advancing from anywhere nearby.

On the surface, it still looked as if this would be an easy victory. The battle plan would remain unchanged. They would punch straight through the center of the Imperial lines with all their strength and split the enemy in two. The elves would then close in around them.

Ethan pleaded to be allowed in the fight, but Halvar stood fiercely against it. They would not put him at risk unless there was no other choice. Keira agreed, as did all but a few of the commanders.

“There will be time enough for you to fight,” Halvar had told him. “Your battles will be upon you sooner than you think, I would imagine.”

This was true. Ethan actually only needed to fight one battle – one that he was nowhere near ready to face just yet. Though the lessons Martok passed to him through Kat had increased his knowledge tremendously, he was still a long way short of being powerful enough to face Shinzan.

The mood of the elves was one of excitement and anticipation. Ethan was now keenly aware that his connection with them was far deeper than he first realized. They could not only feel the will of Lumnia and use its power to give them strength, they could actually share their thoughts and memories with each other. It was how many of them passed down learning and history from one generation to the next. However, not all chose this method of communication. Some elves found it far too personal an experience. The longer he was around them, the more Ethan was coming to realize that they were not as different from humans as they thought - or would care to admit. Elves were not some race with a single mind. That they were all connected to Lumnia did not mean they were without individuality. All the same, even the most reserved amongst them did not care for prolonged periods of solitude - not that most humans did either – but theirs was an almost fundamental need for the company of their own kind; as essential as food and water.

Ethan glanced behind him. The battle would be fought within the shadow of the dwarf kingdom. The tall jagged peaks loomed ominously like the broken grin of some ancient god, there to witness the petty squabbles of mere mortals. It occurred to him that, should they have underestimated their foe, retreat would be incredibly difficult. The only road leading to the interior of the mountain was far too narrow. A withdrawal would take many hours.

The vast open field in which they would clash was uneven and littered with large boulders. This would give the elves a marked advantage by providing plenty of cover.

A hand touched Ethan on the shoulder. He looked to see Kat smiling at him.

“Are you nervous?” she asked.

He nodded. “It’s different from what I’ve seen before.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “I've seen the old films about World War II. They used to come on after cartoons on Saturday morning.”

Ethan chuckled. The thought of Kat watching events on television as if they were ancient history, when to him they had occurred only a short time ago, was oddly amusing. “This is more like something out of the King Arthur stories,” he said, grinning.

“So I guess that makes you Merlin,” she added playfully.

Ethan cocked his head. “Didn’t Merlin die in the end?”

She poked him hard in the ribs. “Not funny.”

She had only just finished speaking when the blare of trumpets sounded in the distance. This was accompanied by a rhythmic deep thudding of drums. Both armies fell silent for a moment. The enemy was coming and soon the battle would be joined.

King Halvar and Keira approached. Halvar’s gleaming plate reflected the morning sun, giving him a slight aura. He was armed with a massive war hammer strapped across his back and a short sword on his belt. He walked with even, confident strides, eyes burning with deadly intent from beneath his helm. Every bit the warrior king, Ethan thought.

In stark contrast to Halvar, Keira was clad in modest leather armor. Though plain and unadorned, Ethan knew that it would be functional in battle. Elves fought with speed and cunning rather than brute force, which made steel armor impractical for them. She carried two long knives, one hanging on each side of her belt, while a thin silver crown rested upon her brow.

“They will be upon us within the hour,” Halvar announced. “I would have you two join me and Keira at the rear.”

Ethan saw a look of displeasure appear on the elf's face. “What’s wrong?” he asked her.

“King Halvar would have me cower like a frightened child while my people risk their lives,” grumbled Keira.

“It is the price of leadership, I’m afraid,” Halvar told her. “Your value rests not in your arm, but in your mind. Even your own commanders agree on this point.”

Keira sniffed. “My father never hid while others fought.”

“Your father never fought in this kind of war,” Halvar pointed out. “No one has for hundreds of years. I assure you, I am as distressed as you are about not being in the thick of the battle. But I must sacrifice my pride to ensure the well-being of my people. As leaders, we can provide reassurance and comfort to those who are afraid and uncertain. We can give them the courage to fight on. But only if we are alive.”

“My people are not afraid,” she said quickly.

“Yes they are,” Ethan cut in. “They just hide it better than a human or a dwarf.”

Keira glared at him for a moment. Her expression then relaxed and she nodded. “I will have to remember that you are now a part of us.”

“There is no shame in fear,” said Halvar. “It is a test. One that I hope we shall all pass this day.”

The four of them watched as the first of the enemy soldiers came into view. They were divided into three sections, with an unbroken wall of shields and long spears at the vanguard. The cavalry and archers followed at the rear. It was assumed they would possess a large number of dwarf weapons, but it was unclear how they intended using these. The elves, skilled archers that they were, considered bows to be just as effective when in the right hands, and Ethan knew they would not be underestimating the danger that human arrows might pose. The Imperial drums grew ever louder as the ranks slowed their march. Black and crimson banners attached to long poles fluttered in the stiff north wind. It was an impressive sight. Though outnumbered, they would not make the battle easy.

Even the elves were affected by the spectacle. Ethan could feel this. As for the dwarves, they remained silent, though their tension was clear. The rapid beating of drums continued for more than a minute, increasing in tempo all the time. Then, after reaching a powerful crescendo, they abruptly stopped. All that could be heard was the wind and the creaking of leather on steel.

Kat took his hand and squeezed. “This is it.”

The lonely call of a single trumpet sounded from the Imperial lines. A few moments later, three men rode out to the center of the field and halted. The man in the middle carried a white banner with a red stripe splitting it horizontally through the center.

“Parlay,” muttered Halvar. “They wish to discuss terms.”

“Terms for what?” asked Ethan.

Halvar gave him a wicked smile. “Our surrender, of course.” He waved a dismissive hand. “A mere formality.” He looked to Keira. “Shall we?”

She nodded. “And I think Lord Dragonvein should accompany us as well. There is no reason to conceal his presence. And perhaps the fear of a mage might well work to our advantage.”

“Indeed it might,” Halvar agreed. He looked at Ethan. “That is, assuming you are willing.”

“Of course.”

He released Kat’s hand and met her eyes. “You should stay here.”  

She opened her mouth to object, but Ethan cut her short. “I’ll need you watching my back, just in case they try something sneaky.”

She nodded, her expression sour. “Fine. But if they try something…” A tiny ball of flame appeared at the tip of her finger. “They’ll wish they had never been born.”

Ethan kissed her lightly before setting off with Halvar and Keira. Several dwarf and elf fighters hurried forth to serve as escorts, but Halvar waved them all away.

“It is tradition that the commanders meet alone,” he told them. “I doubt they will be so reckless as to attack us. Especially when they discover they are facing a mage.”

Ethan almost laughed out loud at the thought of anyone fearing him, though his amusement soon turned into anxiety as they walked toward the trio waiting for them in the center of the battlefield. They were all intimidatingly large men sitting proudly astride their mounts. Each was wearing resplendent black armor with a crimson raven splashed across their breastplates. Their helms were adorned with blood red feathers, and had silver ravens etched into either side. All three dismounted once Ethan and the others were about twenty yards away.

The man in the middle was a full head taller than Ethan, with penetrating brown eyes and a square jaw. The other two were massively broad in the shoulder, and though slightly shorter, just as imposing. At their sides hung heavily jeweled scabbards sheathing gold-hilted longswords.

Straightening his back, Ethan sucked in a deep breath. He needed to appear confident, even if he didn’t feel it. They halted when a few feet away. The Imperial Commanders all bowed in unison. Ethan and the other two returned the gesture.

“I am General Mordechai Valmer,” said the man in the center. “To my left is General Plucio Hume, and to my right, Commander Anolin Fritsh.”

Halvar regarded them steadily before making his own introductions. When the name Ethan Dragonvein was spoken, the three men immediately looked at one another, uncertainty on the faces. Their reaction brought an involuntary grin to the king’s lips.

“Speak your terms,” he said.

General Valmer looked directly at Ethan, his expression grim. “Now that we know Lord Dragonvein is among you, things have changed.”

“How so?” Ethan asked.

“You are to come with us,” replied Valmer. “The Emperor would have you delivered to him unharmed if possible. Should you remain with the dwarves, you will almost certainly die.”

Ethan sneered. “Is that all?”

“No,” Valmer replied. “The dwarves and elves are to lay down their arms and return to their homes. I give you this final chance to alter your path. Refuse, and not a single one of you will live to see the sun set this day.”

Halvar laughed contemptuously. “Can you not count?  You are easily outnumbered.”

Valmer’s face was a stone mask. “You have the Emperor’s terms.”

“Then we are done here,” Halvar told him. Without another word, he spun on his heels and started back.

Keira and Ethan were quickly at his side.

“Something is not right,” Keira remarked. “They can clearly see our superior numbers. And they will surely know that you possess a large number of dwarf weapons. Yet in spite of this, they seem certain of their victory.”

Halvar waved a dismissive hand. “Arrogance - nothing more. They think we will lose heart.” He shot her a confident grin. “We will not.”

The doubtful look remained on Keira's face. Ethan had to agree that it was unnerving. General Valmer had made almost no attempt to talk them into surrendering, and appeared completely unshaken by the force arrayed against him. He was either a fool, or there was far more to this than they were aware. Ethan hoped for the former…but something was warning him that it was almost certainly the latter.

Kat eyed him as they reached the lines. He forced a smile and took her hand.

“I want you to be ready,” he whispered.

“Ready for what?”

“I’m not sure.”

Kat nodded.

All the different spells he might be able to use should the unexpected happen began running through Ethan's mind. Though many he had learned were indeed powerful, only a few could be used against such a large number of foes. A glance at Kat told him she was doing exactly the same thing.

They climbed a low rise just beyond the rear echelon where they could overlook the battlefield. The Imperial army, although impressive, looked small compared to the combined elf and dwarf forces. Ethan was aware that there were thousands more dwarf fighters still within the mountain as well. He knew Halvar had not wanted to show Shinzan his full strength. He felt he had enough to crush his foe. That was all he cared about.

They waited several minutes, all the time expecting the Imperials to charge. But they did nothing apart from merely stare at them across the field.

“What are they waiting for?” mused Halvar.

As if in reply, a massive roar reverberated off the mountainside. Impossibly deep and immeasurably powerful, it drew thousands of eyes instantly skyward.

Though Halvar and Keira appeared confused, Ethan knew at once what was making the terrible sound.  “Get your people back inside the mountain!” he shouted.