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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 19: In BloodVaine's Lair
It was almost midnight when BloodVaine and Dacker returned to the lair. Dacker hit the ground panting. Teleportation always made him week. He struggled, coughing, until he got a hold of his blood flask and took a swig. Straitening, Dacker saw BloodVaine standing over the forms of the two brothers.
“You won’t get away with this wizard.” Reno said, reaching for his potions bag, “Lord Void tried the same thing and…”
“Looking for this?” BloodVaine said, holding the bag aloft. “As to Lord Void. He may have the brains of a goat but even he would have had control of the Pendants if Majisto had brought him the two of you. Oh yes, I know all about that. Many eyes have reported these things to me. You yourself have aided me by destroying Majisto. Not that he could stop me now. No one can. Not even your friends in the keep. I could have killed every one of them had I wanted. They live still, but only because of my urgent business with you. The hour of magic approaches. I must have control of the Pendants by midnight.”
“We will never give you the pendants.” Aros said matter-of-factly, “And what’s more, you’ll never succeed in your plan. Many others have tried to conquer Dametreos. Breck Silandro, Defoe Grimtongue, even Lord Void. Who’s to say that someone won’t steal the Pendants from you?”
BloodVaine couldn’t help but chuckle. “My allies are better picked then that. And aren’t you forgetting the Black Falcons? They took the Bull’s lands and destroyed nearly all of their people. So you see such a thing can be accomplished. And in truth, you haven’t the slightest clue as to how deeply laid my plans have been. As to the Pendants, I will have them tonight. I believe you know this boy.”
There was a sudden flash of light and there, standing in front of them, was a very frightened-looking Luxus.
Eroth Gamus was back! BloodVaine chuckled sinisterly as he thought of the power he had gained.
“Now,” he said, turning to the three youths. “I have no more use for you. In a way you are rather like the Pendants. They have fulfilled their great purpose for evil and can only hinder me now. So I am giving them back to you.” He chuckled. “Here you go.”
A sudden light shot from the pendants and hit Reno, Aros and Luxus. The light surrounded them like a bubble and then, went straight back into the Pendants, taking the three with it. In a moment BloodVaine was on Bahamut and soaring out over the ocean. He raised the pendants.
“Get out of this if you can.”
And he dropped them. Down they went, hitting the water with a splash and then sinking down to the depths. Suddenly a whirring filled BloodVaine’s head. Someone was trying to reach him with a teleharm.
“Dacker!” BloodVaine said as he came back to the main room.
“Yes?” Dacker said.
“I have been informed by my insider that Lord Void has left Dragon Master land. No doubt he is coming to get me, but the fool has left his homeland open. I will be teleporting you and Coal Blood there. You will take control of the fortress. Do this and the debt you owe me will be paid. Stand by for teleport.”
Dacker grimaced. He didn’t like being teleported but he knew this was important. He clenched his fists and waited for the spell.
When Dacker opened his eyes he was in Dragon Master land. He tried to stand, still reeling from the teleport. Then the pain hit him. The leftovers of an old wound, searing in his side. He grasped for his flask. Still half full. Dacker took a long swig of the dragon blood. His pain subsided but not much. It’s getting worse. he thought. I’ll have to find the antidote soon.
Dacker looked up. In the distance he could see the lop-sided Fire Breathing Fortress.
“Come, Coal Blood.” he said, mounting the dragon. “We’re going home.”
Caimlin was puzzled. A strange situation had presented itself right after Lord Void had left. A scouting party had come across two dead Dragon Masters several miles south. They said that there were also dragon and Ninja tracks. According to the scouts it looked like the ninja had killed the two knights and stolen the dragon. That was all fine and good but what Caimlin couldn’t understand was what a Ninja was doing in dragon land, and how it had managed to steal the dragon? Dragons aren’t the easiest things to control.
Suddenly Caimlin’s thoughts were interrupted by some strange noises from outside the fortress. He wasn’t concerned though, Del Grakken had appointed an all out ‘practice of arms’ day. Every Dragon Master in the region was out there and drilling and sparing and the like. All the dragons were out there too, marching and flying, practicing fire accuracy. Of course here was a lot of noise. So why had he been bothered now?
Resigning his puzzle Caimlin walked to the window. What he saw left him in shock. The dragons were going crazy, turning on their riders, dropping them off in mid air, incinerating knights who were drilling in formation. Caimlin raced down the stairs and out the main door. Something had to be done!
“To me!” he cried. “To me, men of the Dragon Crest!”
Dragon Masters came from every side. Fifty from the left, another fifty from the right. They all gathered ‘round him, shields raised to stop the dragon-fire. Caimlin was surprised to find less then two hundred men total, at his sides.
Two hundred men verses one hundred dragons Caimlin thought. We don’t stand a chance.
“Retreat!” he called. “Into the fortress!”
But his heart sank when he tried the doors.
“Locked.” he said aloud. “How?”
Caimlin whirled around to face the dragons. The men were surrounded. Dragons on all sides. Then another dragon landed. It was completely black except for a blood red face. A man stepped off.
“Drop your weapons and your lives will be spared.”
“It can’t be.” Caimlin whispered. “The deceiver!”
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