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- Herausgeber: Dragonfire Press
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Serie: Dragon Riders of Osnen
- Sprache: Englisch
To save a kingdom, a king must fall.
Eldwin and Maren return to the Citadel to find the king’s army at the gates. The Wild Ones are their only hope of defeating the tyrant, but will untested dragons be enough to sway the battlefield?
Fans of Sarah K.L. Wilson's Dragon School, Christopher Paolini's Eragon and Anne McCaffrey's Dragon Riders of Pern will feel right at home.
Wrath and Ruin is the fourteenth episode of the series Dragon Riders of Osnen.
Dragon Riders of Osnen series:
Book 1: Trial by Sorcery
Book 2: A Bond of Flame
Book 3: The Warrior's Call
Book 4: The Coin of Souls
Book 5: Wings of Terror
Book 6: Eyes of Stone
Book 7: Tooth and Claw
Book 8: A Servant of Souls
Book 9: Smoke and Shadow
Book 10: The Dark Rider
Book 11: The Song of Bones
Book 12: Sword and Crown
Book 13: Tides of Darkness
Book 14: Wrath and Ruin
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Seitenzahl: 105
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
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Wrath and Ruin
Dragon Riders of Osnen Book 14
Richard Fierce
Copyright © 2023 by Richard Fierce
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. All events portrayed in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form without the express permission of the publisher.
Cover design by germancreative
Cover art by Nimesh Niyomal
Contents
You lied to me.
Sion’s words burned in my mind like a brand, and guilt assailed me.
I’m sorry, I said. I thought I was doing what was best.
Sion snorted. Being deceitful is never what is best.
Didn’t you tell me to lie to the wild dragons about Drakus?
I told you we should kill him. I never told you to lie about it.
I thought back to our conversation and realized she was right. The path I found myself on seemed to grow darker with each decision I made. What was I doing? I ground my teeth in frustration.
I’m sorry, I repeated.
Never lie to me again.
I swallowed hard, nodding, and the silence stretched between us. She still didn’t know about the orbs, but since they had been destroyed, I saw no point in telling her about them. She was already angry with me, and I didn’t want to infuriate her further.
We rested atop a hill, and I stared off into the distance. The sun burned hot, heat waves dancing a slow dance, shimmering everything in sight. We had reached the mainland late last night, and the wild dragons were exhausted. Maren and Demris were with them, resting outside the port city. I felt like we were wasting valuable time, but I knew we couldn’t push the poor dragons any harder.
Do you think the Citadel is still standing? I asked.
Master Anesko is a wise leader. I am sure he is keeping the king at bay.
I hoped that was true, though it was impossible to know for certain.
How long before they’ll be ready to fly again?
Sion hummed softly, the sound vibrating the ground beneath me.
Give them a few hours. We can still reach the Citadel before nightfall.
I stood up and stretched. I’ll be back.
Where are you going?
For a walk.
I strode down the hill, and I could feel Sion’s confusion filtering through the bond. I didn’t blame her. The way things were going recently had me confused as well. In trying to do what I thought was best, I continued to stumble. Perhaps it was best if I didn’t try to play leader. Clearly, I was failing miserably at it. And despite that, Sion and Maren continued to follow me … but why?
I reached the bottom of the hill and breathed in deeply of the air. The smell of salt water still permeated my nostrils, but the moist earthy scent of the grass did well to drive it away. I enjoyed being out at sea, but it was good to be home. An invisible heaviness overcame me, and I paused to glance around.
“Eldwin.”
My eyes blurred momentarily, and then I saw a cloaked figure standing before me. Instinctively, I put my hand on the hilt of my blade.
“I see you found the Wild Ones.”
It was Tyrval.
I let go of the hilt and nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted. “Yes, we did. It would have been helpful to know your brother was playing god over them.”
“Drakus is still alive? I’m impressed.”
“He was,” I clarified. “The Wild Ones took their wrath out on him.”
Tyrval didn’t seem fazed by the news. She probably hadn’t seen him since he’d left the mainland, which was long enough to lose any familial connection.
“After they’ve rested, we’re flying to the Citadel.”
“Good,” Tyrval replied. “When that is settled, the Assembly could use some help.”
“With what?”
“We still haven’t found Risod. Nemryth suspects the dragon slayers have captured her.”
“My hands are full,” I said. “I don’t know how long it will take to deal with the king, and there’s no guarantee we will be victorious.”
“Dark times indeed, but we must never lose hope, my boy. The night is darkest before the dawn, as the saying goes.”
I had never heard that saying before. If Tyrval thought it would inspire me, she was wrong.
“Send word if you find her,” I said. “Otherwise, I will seek you out later.”
With a blink of my eyes, Tyrval was gone. The heaviness I felt dissipated, and I stared at the spot where she had been. Had the Assembly not asked enough of me? There were many people in this world, and yet they always requested my aid. It was enough to drive me mad.
What’s wrong? Sion’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
What isn’t? I replied. Everyone in this world needs help and there aren’t enough people to stand in the gap.
My words took Sion by surprise. I felt her shock for only a moment before she recovered and withdrew from my mind. I stared off in the Citadel’s direction and wondered what was next. It seemed as though there was always another battle to fight, as if there was never a moment of rest before something bad threatened the world. I heaved a sigh and trudged back up the hill to where Sion waited.
Forgive me, I said as I crouched in front of her. She blinked at me, and I ran my hand along her snout comfortingly. I’m in a bad mood. Maybe with some sleep, I’ll be back to myself again.
There is more to your brooding than lack of rest. Darkness weighs on your heart. I can feel it in our bond.
I wanted to argue with her, but I knew she was right. Ever since T’Mere’s death, the suffocating weight of death and despair had slowly been clawing its way into my mind. I ignored it by focusing on everything else, and perhaps that was the reason I continued to fail. Yet if I faced the darkness, would I defeat it, or be lost to it?
None of us are perfect creations, Sion said.
Not even dragons? I asked, cracking a slight grin.
Not even dragons.
An overwhelming rush of emotions hit me suddenly, and it took every ounce of strength to keep the tears from falling. What kind of leader cried when things got difficult? I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against Sion’s hard scales.
You will survive this, she said.
How do you know?
Because I will flame your soul from the afterlife if you do not.
That made me laugh, and this time, I did not stop the tears from coming. I wrapped my arms around Sion’s massive head and held onto her as tightly as I could, as if she alone could stop my descent into madness.
After a long moment, I released her and wiped the tears from my cheeks. It dawned on me that the world was much like the Path on the Island of Lost Souls. It demanded much and gave little in return, but if I had survived that terrible place, I could certainly survive this ordeal.
Thank you for never giving up on me, I said.
Sion nuzzled me, knocking me over backward. Dragons never give up.
That is a good thing.
Indeed. A war is coming, and dragons will decide the fate of the Order.
And of Osnen, I said solemnly.
There was nothing that burned hotter than dragon fire.
Tents and grass were consumed and stones melted as Sion breathed her flames across the small camp of royal scouts. The soldiers died silently, taken completely by surprise. I shielded my face from the heat and held my breath until Sion swooped up and the air grew cooler. The devastation made me glad I had never been at the wrong end of a dragon’s wrath.
I’m surprised Erling has scouts this far west. The Citadel is still miles away.
Perhaps he thinks more riders coming to aid Anesko? Sion suggested.
Maybe, but he knows our numbers are limited. Unless a spy informed him of our plan to find the wild dragons, I doubt he’s expecting a surprise.
Sion wheeled in a wide circle, and I scanned the ground for more scouts.
All looks clear to me.
If there are scouts out here, I think they will be closer to the Citadel, Sion said. How will we get inside without notice?
I’d spent a lot of time thinking about that, and I’d decided on a path that was likely a suicide mission. I sent an image of what I was considering through the bond and waited for Sion to rebuke me. Surprisingly, she seemed pleased with the idea.
It is full of risk, but it is the last thing anyone will expect.
That was my thought as well, I said. We just need everyone to agree. My only fear is these dragons don’t have any battle experience. They’re likely to cause more damage than help.
That is possible, Sion agreed. But the only ones outside the safety of the Citadel are the king’s men. I say bring on the destruction.
I smiled and patted her neck. Sion turned back the way we came and flew until the wild dragons came into view. She landed near Demris, and I dismounted and slid down Sion’s shoulder, then trudged to where Maren was sitting. She looked up as I approached.
“The scouts have been dealt with,” I said.
“Good. The way ahead should be clear, then?”
“I’m not sure. Sion thinks there may be more the closer we get. I could take the lead and make sure, but if we’re spotted, then we’ll lose the element of surprise.”
“If there are enough scouts, we’ll be discovered, regardless.”
“I know, but I have a plan.”
Maren stared at me expectantly.
“Instead of trying to get into the Citadel, I think we should strike at your father’s forces.”
Just as I expected with Sion, I assumed she would argue against my idea. Instead, she nodded.
“Surprise them.”
“Exactly,” I said.
“It’s risky.”
“If we cause enough chaos, they’ll retreat. That will give us the opportunity we need to get inside the Citadel without risking everyone else’s safety.”
“What if they don’t retreat?” Maren asked.
“If they are wise, they will,” I replied. “Otherwise, their losses will be heavy.”
“If I know my father, he’ll have his best men closest to the Citadel. They won’t flee at the first sign of trouble.”
“Nobody said this was going to be easy. Besides, if we succeed, we’ll be trapped inside the school, but I can’t think of anything better.”
Maren nodded. “Once all our forces are pooled together, we can decide what to do next. It’s settled, then. Now we just have to convince Getarros.”
Getarros hadn’t spoken to me since we’d arrived. I was certain his rage still burned hot, but without him and the other wild dragons, we didn’t stand a chance against the king.
“Any ideas on what I should say?” I asked.
“I’ll speak to him, but you need to be with me. He may be angry with you, but he has no reason not to follow you. If it wasn’t for you, he would still be a slave to Drakus.”
Maren had a point, but dragons were stubborn creatures. If he decided he no longer trusted me, there was nothing she could do to sway him.
“Let’s get it over with, then.”
I helped Maren to her feet, and we strode across the grassy field to where Getarros lay. The dragon was basking in the sun. He opened his eyes as we advanced, and his tail flicked back and forth in an agitated manner. He yawned as he rose to his feet, a deep growl rumbling in his chest.
“We need to speak with you,” Maren said.
Getarros turned his gaze on me, and the tension was as thick as smoke. Despite the fear he instilled in me, I kept my eyes locked on his. He looked at Maren, and the two must have started talking. I reached out to Getarros, but he’d blocked me from his mind. After a long moment of awkward silence, Maren looked at me.
“He wants to speak with you.”
