Omensent: Revealing the Dragon (The Dragon Lord Series) Read online

  Each tribesman nodded his head as his name was announced, their eyes carefully appraising the companions. Several of them wore disapproving looks, clearly unhappy with their presence.

  "And, of course," Bativa continued with a twinkle in his eyes. "Most of you are already acquainted with Lord Damion Omensent, Lord and Protector of Sevria, better known to the world as the Dragon Lord. And this," He gestured to Raven and Leia, who stood at Damion's side. "is his wife, Raven, and his daughter, Leia. The scruffy little fellow," He nodded towards Sly. "as some of you may remember, is Gabriel Quickhand, master swordsman. The red haired boy is Dar of the Alena, and the wise looking old fellow over there is Damarius the Sorcerer."

  The councilmen looked to each companion as they were announced, then back to Bativa.

  "And this, my friends," The huge tribesman's eyes were dancing with mischief. "is Slither of Sevria, little Leia's bodyguard." The huge shadowspawn moved forward to stand behind Leia protectively.

  The councilmen looked stunned at Slither's appearance, and several of them jumped from their seats, their eyes wide with fear.

  "How dare you allow such a vile creature into our midst!" Krel bellowed at Bativa in outrage. "It could slaughter us all!"

  "Watch who you call a vile creature, horssse-man." Slither growled in an offended tone.

  Several of the councilmen's jaws dropped open in surprise at the discovery that shadowspawn could speak the common tongue, though most were still peering around the empty cathedral for some means of escape.

  "Calm yourselves, brothers." Bativa told the frightened tribesman in a placating tone. "Slither is not here to harm you, unless, of course, you attempt to harm little Leia."

  Even with his reassurances, it took the councilmen several minutes to regain their composure and return to their seats, and even then, the fierce looking tribesmen continued to cast fearful glances at Slither.

  "Why have you returned to the Council?" Krel asked Damion after everyone had returned to their seats. "Most of us had hoped we had seen the last of you after your last visit."

  "Recent events have come to light that the Council needs to be made aware of." Damion told him with a frown. "Events that require immediate attention."

  "What events would those be?" Druta, chieftain of the Supece clan, looked intrigued.

  "Have any of you good men ever heard tales of the Etazk?" Damarius asked the men in a wizened tone. "The followers of Etaz, God of the Underworld?"

  "We've heard the stories." Druta nodded. "They are a race of blood thirsty savages that dwell in the west. Our people still speak of the battles fought against them during the War of the Gods." His expression grew sad. "Thousands of Deola were sacrificed by their priests, and had their hearts offered up to their dread god."

  "Of course we've all heard the stories, old man." Krel snapped impatiently. "Surely you didn't travel all of this way to give us a history lesson."

  "We came to deliver a warning." Damarius told the tribesman, his eyes hardening. "Etaz, the God of the Underworld, has returned to our world, and has gathered His armies once again. He plans to renew His war upon the world, and convert all nonbelievers to His worship."

  "And those who refuse to convert?"

  "You've heard the stories." Damion told Krel in a grim tone. "His people will slaughter all those who oppose them, and offer their hearts up to Etaz as an offering."

  "How do you know this?" Jackal, chieftain of the Alanoa clan, demanded in a weak voice.

  Damion quickly recounted Captain Harper's surprise arrival and his warning about the Etazk.

  "So all you have is an unconfirmed report from some drunken pirate?" Krel asked doubtfully.

  "Of course not, you blockhead!" Bativa barked at his fellow councilman scathingly. "Do you really think he would be here if he didn't know that there was a real threat? Have you forgotten who you are speaking with?" He gave him a disgusted look. "If you'd keep your shut mouth, he would be able to finish telling us what he discovered." He gave Damion an apologetic look. "Please continue."

  "Like I was saying, Captain Harper appeared to warn us that the Etazk were gathering in the port city of Salastar on the western continent. I enlisted the aid of one of the scarlet dragons, and flew to the west to see this army for myself."

  "And?" Wathre, chieftain of the Hasht clan, asked expectantly.

  "And we found an army of at least fifty thousand men gathered outside the city. It was obvious they were making preparations for war."

  The councilmen began to talk excitedly amongst themselves.

  "How were they planning on moving an army of such size?" Jackal asked after several moments of discussion.

  "They had an entire fleet of ships waiting out in the harbor for them."

  "Had?"

  "We decided to burn the ships in order to slow their departure. It's going to take them a couple of months to rebuild their fleet, which gives us a bit of time to plan a welcoming committee."

  "Us?" Krel asked pointedly. "What do you mean, us? The Deola have no reason to involve themselves in this war. We don't even know who they're planning on attacking."

  "Everyone." Sly grunted at the councilmen with a serious expression. "The Etazk will take their war to everyone. Every race, every land, every people. Their god, Etaz, has commanded that they go forth into the lands and convert or kill each and every nonbeliever that lives, and the Etazk will follow that command until all have been brought under His dominion, or have been destroyed."

  "And you're sure they believe Etaz has returned?" Druta asked skeptically.

  "They do." Damion confirmed with a nod. "I heard it from one of their priests. He said that Etaz has returned to renew His quest to seize control of the world, and all of those who dwell upon it."

  "There are Etazk priests among their army?" Jackal gulped nervously. "Do they really rip open their enemies' chests and offer their hearts to their god?"

  "I'm afraid so." The huge warrior nodded regretfully. "I was witness to the gruesome practice first hand. A priest chose one of their own soldiers and had his fellow warriors drag him up to an altar, where the priest butchered him like a pig for all to see. It was fairly obvious by everyone's reactions that it was fairly standard practice among their people."

  "I thought the gods were bound by a pact to never return to this world." Cinte, chieftain of the Calite clan, commented, his expression thoughtful.

  "They were." Damion sighed, giving the others a resigned look. "Unfortunately, one of the gods broke the pact, allowing the rest of the gods to return to walk among their people once again."

  This news did not go over well with the council members.

  "Explain yourself!" Krel demanded once the yelling died down. "What did you mean the pact has been broken? How could you know this?"

  "A few years ago, our daughter Leia was abducted from her crib by a witch whose job it was to take her across the seas to the eastern shores to the Highland Mountains, and deliver her up to Draco, the Dragon God." Damion explained, looking down at his daughter, who was staring at the councilmen with hard eyes. "We managed to chase them down and rescue her," He sighed heavily. "but not before forcing Draco to take a direct hand against me, which violated the agreement the between the gods, and opened the door for them all to return."

  "All of them?" Jackal gasped in horror.

  "I'm afraid so." The huge warrior shrugged. "Unfortunately, it was the only way to save our daughter from the Dragon God."

  This really didn't settle well with the Council. Many of the men still looked skeptical, others looked afraid, while still others appeared angry, staring at the companions with accusing stares.

  "So what you're saying is that you have, once again, thrown this entire world into chaos." Krel snarled angrily once the shouting had died down. "It wasn't enough to unleash two different races of dragons upon our world, you have now forced the gods themselves to take action against you, breaking the Pact of the Gods?"

  "Oh, and we believe there may b
e an entirely new species of dragon on the loose." Sly added, causing the councilmen to stare at the little man in disbelief. "A beast attacked Damion while we were on our way to Mercedia that was unlike anything we have ever seen before. It was able to change the color of its skin to mimic its surrounding, rendering it virtually invisible."

  Damion and the other companions turned to fix the scruffy little man with hard stares.

  "What?" Sly asked them defensively. "I figured while we were giving them the bad news, we may as well alert them to the dragon as well!"

  "Is he joking?" Thenke, the chieftain of the Unta clan, asked in a weak voice.

  "I'm afraid not." Damion cast Sly another sour look. "The beast I encountered was unlike anything I've ever encountered. I managed to injure it, but not badly enough to kill it."

  "So it's still running around out there somewhere?"

  "I'm afraid so." The huge warrior shrugged. "And with its ability to blend into its surroundings, it will be virtually impossible to locate."

  "Look at all of the chaos that you have caused," Krel berated Damion in an outraged tone. "Isn't it enough that your dragons now dominate our skies, terrifying our people?"

  "The dragons were wrongly imprisoned by a madman who was bent on ruling the world." Damion told him with a frown. "The scarlet dragons did not deserve that fate."

  "But upon your releasing the scarlet dragons, you also allowed the shadow beasts to return to the world." Tonke, chieftain of the Worashe clan, pointed out, his expression disapproving. "There is no denying that your past actions have had far reaching effects on us all."

  "Now you tell us that the gods themselves have turned against you," Krel continued relentlessly. "and again, the people shall bear the brunt of your actions. Countless people will die if the gods return to walk among us once more." He shook his head in disgust. "I hope it was worth it."

  "Worth it?" Damion growled at him in a dangerous tone, his eyes flashing red with fury. "Was saving my only daughter from being taken by the Dragon God worth it?" He looked as though he were on the verge of attacking Krel.

  "Calm yourself, father." Leia placed a tiny hand on Damion's arm to restrain him. "Let me handle this." She fixed the tattoo faced councilman with a stern gaze. "Do you truly not understand what would have happened if I had fallen into the hands of the Dragon God?" She waited for him to answer, then cut him off when he opened his mouth to speak. "Mankind would have been completely destroyed if my mother and father hadn't rescued me."

  "Surely you're exaggerating, child." Cinte murmured in a subdued voice.

  "I can assure you that little Leia is not exaggerating." Damarius murmured the councilmen, brushing his brow lock from his eyes absently. "Gwynth of the Gods herself brought us warnings from Estheryal. The Serpent Mother warned us that if the daughter of the Dragon Lord was delivered up to the Dragon God, mankind would surely be lost."

  "Gwynth of the Gods?" Wathre said skeptically. "Are you sure you weren't fooled by some charlatan claiming to be the messenger of the gods?"

  The companions all stared at him pointedly.

  "Remember who you're speaking to, you idiot." Bativa growled to his fellow councilman. "I doubt anyone alive could fool the Dragon Lord."

  "Regardless of what some savage goddess and her servant may have told you, your actions have caused untold destruction and loss of life throughout the entire world." Krel told Damion in a grim tone. "Now you wish the Deola to help you fight your war with the Etazk."

  "It isn't my war." Damion growled back, his temper building by the second. "This war began long before any of us were born."

  "But by your own admission it was your actions that allowed the God of the Underworld to return and renew His war!" Krel pointed out triumphantly. "And now you wish our people to become involved in a war that doesn't concern us."

  "Doesn't concern us?" Bativa looked at his fellow councilman in astonishment. "Are you mad? Do you believe the Etazk will just leave our people be? Don't you remember the stories of what happened to our people during the first war?"

  "Of course I remember the stories." The tattoo faced councilman retorted in an offended tone. "I also remember that the Etazk are the very reason that Mercedia was constructed in the first place. Our ancestors wanted their descendants to have someplace safe to retreat from danger." He shook his head firmly. "We should remain aloof from this war, and allow..." He gave the huge warrior a condescending look. "Damion, to battle his own wars. If it looks as though our people may be in danger, we can pull our tribes back into the city. The Etazk can dash themselves against our walls for a thousand years without ever endangering a single Deolan warrior."

  "You want our people to cower in fear while our enemies run rampant throughout our lands?" Bativa asked, his voice full of outrage. "Have you become such cowards that you would hide rather than face you enemies head on?"

  Several of the councilmen voiced their agreement with shouts of approval, while the others still looked doubtful.

  "My personal feeling are irrelevant." Krel snarled back. "It's our responsibility as members of the Council to insure the safety of our people above all else, not send our warriors off to fight in a war between a heathen god and a madman who has brought nothing but death and despair to the lands."

  "You could pull your tribes back into the city, and cower in fear from the Etazk while they destroy everything and everyone around you," Damarius told the Council in a reasonable tone. "but once everyone else has fallen, the Etazk will turn their attention to Mercedia. It may take them a week, or a year, or a hundred years, but they will eventually succeed in forcing their way into the city, and by that time, there will be no one left to come to your aid. Mercedia will fall, your people will be slaughtered, and it will all be because you were too cowardly to stand and fight."

  Krel's mouth dropped open in indignation, and he looked as though he wanted to respond, but his anger seemed to have robbed him of the ability to speak.

  "Messengers have already been dispatched to spread the word of the Etazk," Sly told the council, his eyes narrowed shrewdly. "and forces are already beginning to gather outside of Crete, but without the aid of the Deola, thousands of innocent people will be slaughtered, and their hearts offered up to Etaz." He looked at the councilmen sternly. "You gentlemen should think carefully before you make a decision. It could mean the end of the Deolan tribes if you choose wrong."

  "Our friend is right." Bativa agreed quickly before Krel, who was still foaming at the mouth with anger, could say anything. "The news that you have brought to us is quite disturbing, and the Council should take some time to carefully consider what options are available to us."

  "Agreed." Krel growled, his face still flushed with anger. "Let us go apart and discuss these events in private." He turned his gaze towards Damion. "A word of advice, Damion," He sneered at the huge warrior, who fixed the tribesman with a gaze that promised death. "You should take a bit more time to consider the ramifications of your actions before placing the fates of all of mankind in jeopardy."

  Damion stared at the offending little man for several long moments, his fury boiling over, then he slowly began to draw in his magic, fully intending on obliterating the tribesman where he sat.

  "Father!" Leia hissed, placing a restraining hand on his arm. "The fool isn't worth the trouble."

  Bativa noticed Damion's expression, and quickly moved to intervene. "Please, my friends," He told them in a slightly tense voice. "Allow one of our warriors to lead you back to my private apartments while my brothers and I discuss what we have learned. We'll gather again at a later time so the Council can deliver its decision."

  Damion gritted his teeth, then slowly allowed his magic to disperse.

  Krel watched the huge warrior as he allowed himself to be led away by the young girl, and chuckled in self-satisfaction.

  Damion froze mid-step, then whipped back around to face Krel, drawing in his magic as he turned. Focusing his gaze upon the laughing tribesman, he released
his magic with an almost negligent wave, then turned and followed the others out of the cathedral, a satisfied smirk on his face.

  "What did you just do?" Leia asked suspiciously as the huge warrior hoisted her up into his arms.

  "What do you mean?" He asked innocently, though he began to blush furiously. "I didn't do anything."

  "Father." She gave him a stern look.

  "Really," He protested, blushing even harder. "I didn't do anything!"

  "Father!"

  "I may have given him a taste of his own medicine," Damion told her evasively. "but I didn't do anything... permanent to him. I just figured since he was being such a pain in my arse, it was only fair if I repaid the favor."

  "What does that supposed to mean?"

  But Damion refused to answer anymore questions as they followed one of the Deolan warriors back to Bativa's private apartments, where they settled down to relax and await the chieftain's return.

  Bativa finally returned as everyone was gathering in the dining hall to enjoy another sumptuous feast, his face haggard.

  "You look like you've been in the middle of a stampede." Dar commented as snatched up a sizzling turkey leg.

  "That would have probably been far more pleasant than what I just left." The huge chieftain grumbled, dropping heavily into an unoccupied chair. He ordered a passing servant to bring him some ale, then sat back in his chair with a weary sigh. "Dealing with those stubborn jackasses can drive a man insane." He turned and gave Damion a suspicious look. "Did you do something to Krel before you left the council room?"

  Damion glanced at his daughter, who had fixed him with a stern gaze. "What do you mean?" He asked, trying his hardest to keep his expression neutral.

  "Not long after you left, Krel began to complained of a stinging pain on his... well... on his backside." The chieftain finished, an amused look on his face. "It seems my fellow councilman has developed several dozen very large, very painful looking boils on his backside. By the time I left the council room they were nearly the size of walnuts!"