Omensent: Rise of the Shadow Dragons Read online

  Veren shook his head. "Only in the capitol would my name carry any weight. Out here we're on our own."

  "Please don't worry about me." The girl assured them, rushing over to stare at her reflection again. She was really quite pretty now that her eyes had been repaired."I'll never tell anyone what you have done for me, Damion! I'll take it to my grave with me!" She suddenly laughed. "If anyone asks me I'll tell them that I slipped and hit my head and knocked my eyes straight!"

  They all burst out laughing, then Damion and Veren adjourned to their tiny rooms to try and get some rest.

  Damion paused on the way to his room to grab a plain wooden chair from the hallway and carried it into his room, placing it near the head of the cot so Snowfeather would have a place to perch while he slept. He then struggled out of his armor, and tried to lie down on the rough cot, but it was far too small, and after a few moments, he gave up and made his bed on the floor.

  "That was a very nice thing you did for that girl." Snowfeather noted, preening his snow white feathers. "One wonders why you did it though?"

  Damion laid his head back on one of his packs. "I understood exactly how she felt." He murmured aloud. "People stared at her and ridiculed her because she was different. She couldn't do anything about her condition, but I could." He yawned sleepily.

  "I see." The huge owl continued to preen his feathers. "But one wonders, would you change yourself if you could?"

  Damion chuckled. "I can, remember?"

  "You know what I mean." Snowfeather chirped in annoyance. "Would you permanently change your appearance to blend in with the other humans, or would you choose to remain as you are?"

  "It doesn't really matter." He answered in a tired voice. "I just thought I would help Seli out a little bit."

  "You need to keep in mind that just because you can do something, doesn't necessarily mean you should do something."

  Damion grunted in agreement. "If I had never joined the Dragon Gem with the Dragon Sword, we wouldn't be in this predicament."

  "Knowing what you know now, would you have still released the scarlet dragons?"

  He didn't answer, but instead, lay there awake long into the night pondering the answer to Snowfeather's question.

  Chapter 5

  It took them three weeks to reach the capitol city of Livingston, which was located in the exact center of the orderly country. The roads that traveled through the countryside were straight and well maintained, and the people they encountered seemed sober and industrious. They stopped each evening at various villages and farmsteads that they passed along the way, or simply camped out under the stars along the roadside, but encountered no one with any direct knowledge of the shadow dragon attacks.

  They arrived in the area where Veren's farm had once stood two weeks after leaving Whilhom and the one eared man reined in his horse, his face sad. "My farm used to lie at the end of this road." He gestured to the road that had diverged from the main trade route. "I'd really prefer not to go any closer."

  Damion nodded understandingly. "Let's just keep moving. I don't think there's anything more to be learned here anyways."

  They finally arrived at Livingston late one evening, long after the sun had set. They rode freely through the gates of the city, which was being watched closely by a detachment of soldiers.

  One of the guards suddenly ran forward, his eyes wide. "Commander Veren!" He exclaimed in surprised.

  Veren reined in his horse. "Former commander, sergeant." He replied. "I'm afraid I left that title behind long ago." He gave the man a curious look. "Tell me, how has the royal family faired since I left?"

  The sergeant's face fell. "Not well. Since you left, Sorsos has managed to weasel himself into becoming the Royal Sorcerer and King's Atorius's head advisor. Nothing is done in the kingdom without it first having his approval. And he's been giving the king some very bad advise! He actually suggested we form an alliance with the Deirians!"

  "To what end?"

  The soldier shrugged. "I think Sorsos wants to go to war with the western continent. He's heard stories of the man they are calling the Dragon Lord. He's convinced the king that the Dragon Lord has released his dragons so he can take over the world." He suddenly dropped his voice. "Personally, I think Sorsos covets the Dragon Sword for himself."

  "And he would be willing to join forces with the Deirians to achieve his goals?" The one eared man exclaimed, his expression appalled. "Has that man lost his mind?"

  "Who are the Deirians?" Damion asked curiously.

  "Deiria is a neighboring kingdom to the north." Veren explained, a look of distaste on his face. "A state of war has existed between us for over a thousand years."

  The sergeant nodded. "Even the king choked when Sorsos suggested an alliance. The sorcerer has been locked up in the castle for weeks now trying to convince the king to send the army to war against the Dragon Lord!"

  Damion and Veren exchanged a worried look.

  "It seems that we should hurry along to see the king then." Veren suggested. "If Sorsos succeeds in convincing the king into mobilizing the army, it could throw the entire continent into chaos!"

  They thanked the soldier for the news, then quickly made their way deeper into the city. After discussing it for several moments, they decided to find some rooms for the evening, and attempt to gain admittance with the king first thing the next morning.

  When dawn broke over the city the following day, they quickly saddled up and began making their way towards the center of town. The city was beginning to come alive as they made their way through the streets. The merchants of the city were just opening their shops to begin their day, and many called out to them in passing in the hopes of starting the morning out with an early sale.

  Veren led Damion through the streets confidently, and after a couple of hours the fortress the Jaghern royal castle finally loomed into view. When they reached the main gates, the one eared man slipped down from his horse and approached the soldiers who were standing guard.

  After several moments, he returned to his horse with a relieved look on his face. "We're in luck! The coronel in charge is an old friend. They won't bar us from entering."

  They proceeded at a walk into the fortress courtyard, then left the horses in the care of the castle livery. Damion drew a number of frightened stares as he followed Veren through the marble sheathed hallway, but he ignored them and moved on, eager to resolve their problem.

  They emerged into a large hall that was lined wall to wall with stone benches that were packed with people. They sat staring expectantly at a raised platform at the far end of the hall where two people sat on extravagant thrones. A number of other people hovered about the seated pair, each wearing a worried expression.

  "The man on the throne is King Atorius, and the woman is his wife, Queen Ann." Veren murmured as they hovered at the back of the room. "The three on the right are the king's military advisors. The man on the left, Sorsos, the Royal Sorcerer."

  Damion stared at the rather pudgy, self indulgent looking king and his plump wife with unimpressed eyes. They both had dark skin like Veren, and oddly slanted eyes. They were clothed in long golden robes and each of them wore a gem encrusted crown of gold. They stared out over the crowded hall with slightly blank looks on their faces.

  He turned his gaze towards Sorsos, who was garbed in a robe of brilliant purple and blue. His long black hair hung in elaborate curls, and his meticulously trimmed beard had been groomed to perfection. He wore a neutral expression on his gaunt, almost skeletal face, but his eyes seemed hard around the edges. In one hand he wielded a long staff elaborately carved into the shape of a snake, which he tapped against the ground occasionally causing the crowd to lower their voices to a murmur.

  Flanking either side of the platform stood a dozen men in heavy plate armor which had been polished to gleam. A golden crown had been painstakingly engraved in their breastplates, representing the seal of the royal house of Jaghera. Their polished helms were topped with larg
e feathered plumes and each man carried a long steel tipped pike, and had a short sword belted to their waists.

  "Don't underestimate the king and queen." Veren cautioned. "There's a lot more to them than meets the eye."

  "So what do we do?" Damion asked nervously. There were a number of people looking his way now.

  "Once we have their attention, you'll have to explain who you are, and how the attacks are not of your doing."

  "I thought you had this handled?"

  Veren shrugged. "I can't do everything."

  "What if they don't believe me?"

  "Convince them! But whatever happens, stay calm! I'm sure Sorsos will try and denounce your claims."

  They slowly began to make their way towards the raised platform and the crowd of people gathered began to murmur excitedly as more of them began to notice Damion. He heard the word 'freak' whispered several times as they made their way through the hall, and many he passed stared at him with frightened expressions.

  Veren motioned for him to stop when they were about twenty feet away, then stood quietly as he awaited to be acknowledged by the throne. It wasn't long since the entire hall had gone quiet to await what happened next.

  The king's face grew clouded as he looked out over the assembled crowd, which had fallen dead silent. He quickly spotted Damion towering over those near him, and then his eyes fell on Veren.

  "Commander Veren!" The king exclaimed, jumping up from his throne in surprise. "It was believed that you were dead!"

  The one eared man bowed deeply. "Not quite yet, your majesty."

  "It had been reported that your farmstead had been found in ruins!" The king gestured for him to step forward. "We had sent riders to request your return to advise us in our current crisis, but they found nothing but destruction! It was assumed you had lost your life!"

  Veren shook his head gravely. "I survived, your majesty." He said simply.

  "What happened?" The queen inquired in a serious voice. "Farms and villages all over Jaghera are being destroyed and we can't seem to locate the cause! At first we thought it was the Deirians attacking, but we're getting reports that it's happening there too!"

  "I'll do my best to tell you everything, your majesty, but it may be a little hard to accept."

  The royal couple exchanged worried looks.

  "A little over a year ago I returned to my farm to find my home in flames." Veren started grimly. "Out of the darkness appeared a dragon as black as the night around it. It destroyed my home and killed my family."

  The king's face grew pale, and the queen gasped in horror.

  "I tried to track down the beast, but it vanished into the night." He continued in an emotionless tone. "After searching for several days, I decided to cross the sea to the southern continent." He laughed humorlessly. "I had heard the rumors about the man who released the dragons back into the world, and how he now controls the great serpents."

  "The Dragon Lord!" Sorsos sneered arrogantly. "As I have already advised the king and queen, I believe he is trying to use his beasts to take over the world!"

  The king threw the colorfully dressed man an irritated look.

  "I decided to visit the town of Sevria in the Godstear Mountains, where he was said to make his home inside of the Serpent's Keep. I waited until I managed to get close enough to him, then I struck, intending to kill the man I thought was responsible for the death of my family."

  The crowd in the hall listened breathlessly as he told his story, and the only sound to be heard was that of Veren's deep voice.

  "So you're saying you killed the Dragon Lord?" The king exclaimed in shock.

  Veren shook his head. "Not exactly." He turned and gestured to Damion, who had been standing quietly in the background. "Your majesty, allow me to present Lord Damion Omensent, known by most as the Dragon Lord."

  There was a number of shouts of surprise and alarm as the people closest to Damion scrambled from their seats in terror. Many of those gathered broke and ran, disappearing as fast as they could into the suddenly crowded hallways.

  The king's face was stunned, and he had taken a step back hesitantly. Sorsos, on the other hand, took several steps forward to stare at Damion with burning eyes.

  "Damion managed to avoid my attack and defeat me." Veren continued once the remaining crowd had settled down. "Instead of killing me, he showed mercy to me."

  The king was staring at Damion with shrewd assessing eyes. "So you claim to be the Dragon Lord?" The pampered man asked with a look of disbelief.

  "I don't claim to be anything." Damion replied, trying to stay calm under the glares of the assembled crowd.

  "But you are the one the stories speak of? The man who released the dragons from the Dragon Gem?"

  Damion sighed heavily, then nodded. "I am."

  The king's face grew stern. "Then you are the cause of all of the destruction and disorder that has overtaken our land!"

  Damion's face grew stiff, but he nodded again. "I am."

  A murmur swept through the crowd, and King Atorius's face grew outraged. "You do not even try to deny these charges?"

  Damion was quiet for long moment. "I do not deny the charges because they are true." He answered in a clear voice. "It is my fault that your lands are being attacked and your people killed." He ignored the cries of outrage that came from the crowd and continued. "It is because of my actions that the beasts attacking you were freed, though it was never my intent." He looked to Veren, who nodded for him to continue. "Three years ago I joined the Dragon Sword with the Dragon Gem and released the scarlet dragons back into the world. But when I released them, I also released the shadow dragons back into the world. They are what is causing all of the destruction."

  King Atorius stared at him skeptically. He looked from Damion to Veren, then back to Damion. "If it wasn't for Commander Veren vouching for your identity, I would never believe such a implausible story."

  Sorsos stepped forward, his eyes alit with a desperate need. "If this truly is the Dragon Lord, then we must subdue him and seize the sword for ourselves!" His eyes were bulging insanely. "With the Dragon Sword in our possession, we can call off the beasts that are plaguing our land!" He gestured imperiously to the soldiers who stood watching with wary eyes.

  The solders drew their swords, then slowly began to advance.

  Damion looked up at the king with a serious expression. "I do not wish to hurt your men," He told the monarch with a cold voice. "but I will take steps to make sure that the Dragon Sword never falls into anyone else's hands."

  Veren cursed, throwing Sorsos a hateful look, then he drew his sword and placed himself between Damion and the advancing soldiers.

  King Atorius looked shocked. "Commander! What is the meaning of this?"

  Veren looked to his king, though he did not lower his sword. "I cannot allow you to hurt this man!" He declared firmly. "I have sworn a life debt to protect him, and I will fulfill that pledge, even if it costs me my life!"

  The king seemed stunned. "You've sworn a life debt to him?"

  "He spared my life after I attempted to take his! My life belongs to him!" Veren stared at his king with pleading eyes. "You must believe him when he says he does not control the shadow dragons! The Dragon Sword that he wields only controls the scarlet dragons! Damion is a good and honorable man, and the deaths that has occurred from his actions weigh heavily on his conscience! He is doing everything in his power to bring an end to the terror of the shadow dragons!"

  King Atorius still looked unsure, but Sorsos lost all sense of composure. "Seize him!" He commanded the soldiers, who had faltered in their advance.

  The soldiers looked from Veren, to Sorsos, to their king, unsure what to do.

  Sorsos snarled in frustration, then whirled back to face Damion. "I warn you, Dragon Lord!" He bellowed at Damion in a dramatically exaggerated voice. "Surrender the Dragon Sword, or face the wrath of Sorsos, the most powerful sorcerer in Jaghera!" He struck a suitably impressive pose.

  D
amion was suddenly struck by the absurdity of the colorfully dressed man. He couldn't help himself when he burst out laughing, causing a couple of nearby spectators to also giggle nervously. "You have to be kidding me!" He snorted derisively.

  Sorsos's face grew outraged.

  "Damion, be careful!" Veren hissed. "Sorsos is reputed to be most skilled in the art of wielding magic!"

  "This charlatan?" Damion snorted contemptuously. He stared at the gaudily dressed man with disdain. "He is not a sorcerer. He is a fraud! There isn't even trace of magic about this man!"

  Veren looked stunned. "Are you sure? I've seen him perform feats of magic with my own eyes!"

  Damion shrugged. "Trickery and sleight of hand. Believe me when I say this man is a fake. He has never tasted true magic."

  "Lies!" Sorsos screamed, his voice suddenly desperate. "He lies to try to confuse and manipulate! All know that my power is unrivaled!" He waved his hand and there was a bright flash of fiery white light, and an impressive puff of billowing smoke. "Behold my power!" He struck another absurd pose. "I give you one last warning! Surrender the Dragon Sword, or suffer my wrath!"

  Several of the crowd whimpered fearfully, and the king's military advisors fled the platform, but Damion only laughed again. He glanced over at Veren, who stared at him in incredulity, then to the king, who had slowly began to back away from the confrontation. "This man is a fraud!" He stated once more, making sure all in the hall heard him. "He has fooled you into believing his story with tricks and slight of hand! He has no magic! He is just a clever impostor that dresses like a jackass!"

  Sorsos screamed in fury. "I warn you! I will bring my power to bear upon you!"

  "Okay." Damion held his arms out and waited. "Go ahead, take your best shot!"

  The colorfully robed man stood motionless as everyone in the hall awaited his response, but Sorsos did nothing. His face had lost all color, and he opened his mouth several times, only to close it once more.

  Damion looked around at the assembled crowd, then to the king and queen, who watched with stunned expressions. "As you can see, he is a fake. This man has been deceiving you people."