Fate Rides Wicked: Volume I of the Lerilon Trilogy (10 page)

“That explains the rumbling in my stomach. Where is
my armor?” He only wore the padded tunic and shorts that
protected his skin from his armor.

“We destroyed the armor. The battles you fought
against the weather and the creatures weakened it too much
to be any good. Besides,” Doleof lifted momentarily to
reveal the treasure under him, “you can take some magic
armor from my collection here.”

Lendril stood and went to her backpack. “I have some
food here which I’ve been gathering while we waited.”
She brought some fruit and dried meat to the bed.

Tych kissed her and she sat. “Tell me, Doleof, of this
endaril which provided you with such service that you
dropped your grudges.”

“Ah, that is a story as strange as it is wonderful.”
Doleof paused and took a breath while Tych began eating.
“Several decades ago, Corl created the Staff of Two
Magics. While testing it, as I know the story, he teleported
accidentally to a battle between Buhlaht and Rangdor
above the Field of Scars, your old home. Buhlaht fought
alone, because the guards had failed to arrive at his castle
before he left to intercept Rangdor on his way to the
Hidden Valley.

“Corl knew that we should be there. So, taking a big
risk, he teleported to the closest gold dragon. I do not
know how you endarils teleport, so different is it from our
methods, but he arrived here. I woke up with a start at the
new intrusion and demanded to know why he had invaded
my lair. I, naturally, felt threatened.

“He quickly told me of the battle. I laughed so hard my
eyes watered and my vision blurred. I couldn’t imagine
Buhlaht fighting without his guards, of which I used to be a
member. While I laughed, he ran to me and teleported us
both to the sight of the battle. Once I saw how wrong I
was, I teleported to alert the guards. In my absence, Corl
distracted Rangdor and helped Buhlaht regain control of the
battle.

“Rangdor knew he was doomed when I and nine of the
guards roared into the sky around him. Still, he fought
viciously killing one of the guards and injuring four others
badly enough that they had to leave the battle. Corl helped,
and soon Rangdor had to flee, returning north too weak to
break into the valley. He could have killed more of us, but
decided to wait for another day. Now he grows strong
again.”

Tych had finished eating and had started pacing around
to test his legs and muscles. “Why did Corl exile me?
Lendril says he told her it was so I wouldn’t take the Oath
of Isolation.”

Doleof chuckled softly, but the coins rattled and the
walls shook. “He told her part of it.

“I told Corl several years ago that you would commit a
crime which would force you into the outside world. ‘In
order for that to work, it must be before the oath,’ I said.
He told me Morg and Greentree had agreed to leave matters
concerning you to him and he would see that the prophecy
became fulfilled.”

Tych’s blood boiled in anger and he strutted briskly to
the pile. “Do you see any armor on me?” he yelled. He
pulled up his shirt. “I am bandaged like this because of
some words on paper? In the past few days, my life and the
life of the person dearest to me, Lendril, have been in
danger because of a PROPHECY? I hope you jest. My life
is not a toy.”

The dragon had become solemn. He had not expected
such a reaction. “You must fulfill your destiny, Tych.
Your whole life is one continuous prophecy.”

In almost a whisper, Tych spoke right in the dragon’s
face, which stood almost as tall as the Prince. “All I want
to do is live out my life with this beautiful woman, whom I
love. I don’t want to fight anybody, follow anybody or be
controlled by some destiny I had no say in creating.”

Sadness filled the face of Doleof. He said, “Then we
are doomed." The dragon paused, staring into Tych's face.
"You’re right. It is not our place to tell you
how to live your life. Those powers inside you, which both
help and destroy you, are yours to figure out. When you
are ready for my help in mastering the forces inside you, I
will tell you the rest of your destiny and what you must do
to fulfill it.”

Lendril had come up behind Tych and placed her hand
on his shoulder. “Let him help you, Tych.”

Tych turned his head and looked at her. “No. I’m tired
of everybody telling me what to do. All I want to do is find
a way to earn a living, build a home and spend the rest of
my life living with you in peace.” He turned to the dragon.
“Is that too much to ask?”

“Things don’t always happen like you plan, Tych. You
know that already. I can, however, grant you some of what
you want. I can give you a house in a peaceful place. I
warn you, though, you may find your chosen path too
irresponsible with all the abilities you have.”

Lendril hugged Tych from behind, and held him.
“Take what he offers, Tych, and do what you will with it. I
feel fine about living peacefully with you forever.”

Doleof stood, spreading his wings and lifting his head
until he seemed to fill the chamber. “Take what you want,
I have no need for it. Then pass through the tunnel behind
me until you reach a ladder. At the top is a comfortable
hut. It’s yours.” The endarils blinked and only they
remained.

The tunnel led back into a hill for several yards before
arriving at a small room. A small stream had carved a little
gully across the sandy floor. Tych could have lain across
the room but only barely fit head to toe. The rock walls
glowed with a soft light, and cool air came from the stream.

They stepped across and into the tunnel beyond,
carrying their new equipment. Tych held magic leather
armor and daggers, keeping the sword he had received as a
gift from his father. The sword carried its own mysticism,
having been made by the neftir. Lendril chose a magic
crossbow that had a range equal to her vision and reloaded
itself on command. She had put on magic plate mail armor,
which formed itself to the wearer, and an enchanted axe
replaced her old one. The Prince had decided to keep the
mobility of leather.

In the middle of the hill, they reached the end of the
tunnel. A ladder rose above them up a passage too small
for a fat man. Lendril offered to go first and put down
everything she carried. She slung the coil of rope over her
shoulder and climbed, the weightless armor slowing her
down only because of its inflexibility.

Tych tied all their loose possessions in a thin enough
bundle to fit up the passage while he waited. In a few
minutes, the end of the rope fell at his feet. He tied it to
one end of the bundle and gave it a soft tug. It began to lift
off the ground. As soon as it entered the passage up, he
climbed up after it, pushing from below to help its smooth
ascent.

A trap door hung open at the top. The opening proved
to be too small for their bundle, but with a push from below
and Lendril pulling, it popped through. When Tych
climbed up he discovered the ladder led to a closet. Lendril
opened the door and stepped out into a long room. Tych
followed her out.

Dust covered everything. There were two shuttered
windows, one at each end, and a large bed in the center. A
small table sat to the right of the bed on the fur-covered
floor. Opposite the bed, two curtains filled holes cut in the
wooden wall. Lendril went to one of the windows and
opened the solid shutters. Sunlight and the smell of sap and
needles rushed into the room. Tych went to the north one,
on the same wall as the closet and flung them open. Soon,
a steady breeze flowed through, kicking up the blanket on
the bed.

Lendril turned and smiled at Tych. “Now do you feel
better about being out here? In the valley you could hear
our neighbors everywhere.”

Tych started walking towards her, gesturing to his
words. “Yes, and the smell of bread in the ovens, the
sounds of children playing. I could hear my family coming
and going and feel their presence near. No thelfs tried to
make a dinner out of me and no mud slides carried me
away from my goals.”

“Lendela hates pessimism, Tych. Check the roof for
damage while I clean the dust off everything.”

Tych stopped approaching Lendril, turned and went
through a curtain on his left. This one entered the northern
room. A stuffed couch longer than Tych ran along the
wall, and another doorway stood next to it. Across from
the couch, on the north wall, stood a fireplace next to
another shuttered window. He pulled back the covering
and began to turn away.

Suddenly, his attention jerked back. He felt positive
that he had seen a shadow pass along the ground. He
smiled to himself. He had forgotten about their neighbor
below. Comforted, he went through the other curtain.

This room beat out the others in size. He walked on a
bare, polished, wood floor. In the center of the room stood
a table and two chairs made of the same material. He went
over to the sink and turned the right handle. After a few
minutes, hot water sputtered out then came at a steady pace.
The other handle, he discovered, turned on the cold. He
went to the door and turned the steel handle. It lumbered
open on rusty hinges.

He stepped out into kneehigh grass, which surrounded
the hut in a band, in some places wide enough for Doleof to
land, in others too small for a horse. He walked around the
hut to the eastern side, since the kitchen extended farther in
that direction than the living room. Here he found a thin,
warped door. He opened it and stepped inside.

A ladder leaned against the wall next to a scythe and a
bucket on his left. To his right stood a shovel, a tree axe,
and a pick, as well as smaller lawn instruments. He picked
up the ladder and carried it outside. Finding a low place in
the eaves of the roof on the northern side, he leaned it
against the house and climbed onto the slats of wood.

A shadow passed over him and he began to chuckle. At
first he thought Doleof must be hunting, but then a feeling
of cold dread came over him and he flattened out on the
roof from a standing position. Long black claws swooped
over him. “Lendril!” he yelled. “Come out here, armed!”

Tych backed down the roof to the ladder and began to
descend. Out of pure instinct, he jumped to his left and did
a somersault as he landed. He came to his feet and looked
up. A lone demon, the one who had brought the news of
Tych to Rangdor, flew out of sight to the northeast.

Tych charged around to the south side of the house.
Lendril rushed out the front door and almost knocked him
over. “What is it?”

“There’s a demon diving at me. He should return any
minute.”

Lendril held her crossbow loaded and ready in her right
hand and her axe hung at her side. “Get your armor on. I’ll
hold it off.”

“Right,” Tych answered, running inside. Lendril
walked out to the largest area in the lawn and crouched so
she could watch the whole sky. After a couple of minutes,
she wondered if Tych would play a trick like this on her.

Suddenly, from the direction the demon had left in, five
flying creatures came into view. Lendril gasped and took
aim. As Tych ran from the house fully armed and armored,
she fired. The bolt sped to her target and missed, passing
between two clawed feet.

Immediately, another bolt flew from her quiver onto her
crossbow and she cocked it. The demon had brought four
smaller versions of itself with it, and one of them caught a
bolt in the wing. They had gotten much closer. The
injured one fell to the lawn and stood.

Tych drew his sword and charged it. Flame came from
its mouth and the prince dove under it, rolling again. He
came up standing within striking range of it and swung.
The demon backed away unsteadily and grabbed at the
sword. A short burst of energy raced up the blade and
burned its hand. It howled in pain. Tych stepped forward
and ran it through. More energy crackled into the demon.
It screamed and fell as two demons landed lightly nearby.
He looked to the sky.

The first demon and one of the others dove at Lendril,
who did everything she could to avoid their flame. She
then turned and fired at the retreating creature. Each
carried several bolts in their bodies. The grass burned in
several places.

Tych shouted to Lendril, “Make your way to these two
so the others can’t breathe on you.” He ran towards the
two demons on the ground. Suddenly, the dead demon
exploded and Tych flew into the air. His sword flew from
his hand as he hit the ground hard. He rolled over only to
see a demon approaching from each side.

His head ached and he hurt all over. A huge shadow
passed over the lawn and he heard a howl of agony.
Seconds later the sounds of branches breaking reached him
from the forest, followed by a thump and an explosion. He
stood and drew a dagger from his belt. In one motion he
threw it at the demon north of him and spun to face the
other one. Lendril came running and tossed his sword to
him.

As the demon reached for him, he caught the handle
and swung. He heard a crossbow fire to his right as he cut
the demon slightly. Somewhere in the distance, Doleof
roared and one of the creatures screamed. The smell of
sulfur now filled the air and Tych’s breathing became
difficult.

The Prince of the Endarils ducked a claw and chopped
down, catching the demon in the shoulder. Sparks flew
from the wound. The demon spun and caught Tych in the
side with his tail, knocking him to the ground. The endaril
drew his knees up to his chest. Turning the sword so that
the hand guards laid horizontal, he placed the handle
between his feet as the creature turned to face him. With a
yell, Tych kicked out and drove the sword in all the way to
the guards.