James Maxey - Greatshadow

“Yes,” said Tower. “It’s filled with many types of equipment. And, on the final page, anything I write is instantly duplicated in a matching book in the monastery. They may also add items to their book for my use.”

“And that’s how you’d trigger the X sanction?” she asked.

He nodded.

“Don’t you think it’s creepy that we’re working with someone who’s kinda, sorta dead? I mean, I never got along with my father, but I didn’t think he’d get involved with necromancy. I especially didn’t think the church would go along with something like this.”

“The needs of a king and the needs of the church don’t always overlap,” said Tower. He looked toward the faint glow of the caldera. It had been especially calm ever since the eruption. “Of course, sometimes they do. The church hates all primal dragons. The king wants this island for its natural wealth.” He waved his gauntleted hand toward the forest. “Think of the navy that can be built with such an endless supply of large trees. We’ve long ago exhausted all useful timber on the Silver Isles, and now the forests on the Isle of Apes are producing fewer and fewer large trees. Anywhere the king searches for new resources, he finds primal dragons standing in the way. But, plans have now been set in motion to rid the world not just of Greatshadow, but of all the dragons. In the not so distant future, King Brightmoon will face no barriers at all in his quest to expand our great civilization.”

“Hmm,” said Infidel, running her hands along the seams of his chest plate, tracing the joints lightly with her fingernails. “I suppose ruling the world does excuse a little necromancy.”

Tower stared deeply into Infidel’s eyes. “And you, my lovely princess, you are the last surviving link to the bloodline of your father. Our children will have the sole claim to inherit the crown. Think of it, my darling: the product of my seed and your womb will hold dominion over the earth!”

Infidel met his gaze, and said, “This is quite a vision.”

“A grand vision,” said Tower. “And a true one. I believe with all my heart that our story is the central narrative of the One True Book. Our life and love are the very core of history. It is destiny. Our destiny.”

Infidel turned her back to him. “You’ll pardon me if I need some time to think about this. This is quite a lot to swallow.”

“Would it help if you had something sweet and cream-filled to swallow first?” Tower asked.

At first I assumed this was the worst sexual innuendo I’d ever heard, but Tower surprised me by turning to a new page in the book and tapping it. Instantly the night air was cut through by the scent of vanilla. Infidel’s nose twitched as she peeked back over her shoulder. Her face lit up with a huge grin as she spun around.

Tower was holding a silver plate on which set the tallest slice of cake I’d ever seen. The dessert was composed of seven inch-thick layers of golden cake separated by velvety frosting as white as fresh snow. The whole plate was dusted with confectioner’s sugar and delicate daisy petals composed of frosting. As Infidel stared at the pastry, I felt a surge of delight to see her smiling so after such a long period of sadness, then a surge of jealousy that I wasn’t responsible for her joy.

“I wrote the monks and asked them to hire the finest bakers. They placed the result into my book only hours ago. Enjoy!”

Tower produced a fork as he spoke, but it was too late. Infidel had already snatched up the confection with her fingers and was shoving it into her mouth. She might have been raised in a palace, but she’d had fifteen years in Commonground to shed any table manners. I hoped that Tower might be turned off by the sight of such messy hunger.

Instead, his own eyes as he stared at her frosting covered lips told of a deeper hunger still.

The war drums ended at dawn. Silver mist covered the black stones of the courtyard as the sunbeams seeped through the trees. The dragon-hunters woke to a breakfast of dried sausages and bananas.

Father Ver unrolled the golden map on a section of lichen-covered column. Everyone gathered around, chewing their sausages as they looked at the gleaming scroll.

Aurora was the first to break the silence. “So this is really going to happen. We’re going face to face with Greatshadow.”

Lord Tower nodded. “We’ve paid a steep price to come this far. Yet, when I look around this courtyard, I’m certain we shall succeed. Never before has the dragon faced a band of adventurers with our combined power.”

“It isn’t power that will guarantee our victory,” said Father Ver. “It’s the rightness of our cause. We’re the champions of truth, pitting ourselves against the living embodiment of falsehood. We must not fail.”

Zetetic opened his mouth, inhaling to speak.

Ver cut him off with a raised hand. “We know your thoughts on the matter.”

“Not all of them,” said the Deceiver. “You’ve dragged me back from the grave for this mission. That’s an admission that you can’t do this without me. I’d like to name my terms.”

“You’ll do what we tell you,” said Father Ver, “or you will die.”

“You admit I do have a choice,” said Zetetic.

“You won’t disobey,” said Tower. “You’ve proven your instincts for self-preservation.”

“Which is why I’m not thrilled about being drafted for this suicide mission. But, let’s pretend for a moment that there’s one chance in a million we’ll beat Greatshadow. Our goal, while unlikely, isn’t impossible. Assuming we come out of this alive, I have certain demands.”

“You’re in no position to issue demands,” grumbled Father Ver.

Tower said, “I’d like to hear them.”

Father Ver raised his eyebrows. Even the Deceiver looked surprised.

Tower said, “Believe it or not, Zetetic, I’d prefer you were a willing member of this party. If there is something you want that we can provide, tell us.”

Zetetic looked off balance, as if he hadn’t expected Tower to actually listen. He cleared his throat. “Very well. Of all the reasons I’ve heard for doing this, Relic’s motive is the only one that makes sense to me. Look around you. We’re standing in the middle of a fallen civilization once more advanced than our own. Within Greatshadow’s lair, we’ll find artifacts of these people. Our understanding of the world could be forever changed by what we learn of their science, their religion, and their art.”

“The fact that their civilization failed is evidence that they had nothing of value to offer us,” said Father Ver.

“Nonetheless, if we do survive this, I don’t want to see the artifacts simply looted. I’ll promise my willing cooperation on one condition: I get to review each item we recover for cultural, historical, and magical significance. I don’t want to unearth these treasures merely so that the king can use the jewels to decorate his toilet.”

“We cannot grant this,” said Father Ver, wasting no time to consider the offer. “We shall bring in monks to catalog the treasure. The mercenaries will be compensated according to their contracts, and what remains will be divided between the church and the king.”

“The church and the king are wealthy enough,” said Zetetic. “The king will get the island and its natural wealth. The church will grow as it boasts of an evil vanquished. The only treasure I seek is knowledge. I’ve traveled the world, driven by my hunger to learn more. I’ve explored palaces beneath the waves, and studied in cities built upon clouds. Greatshadow’s hoard is a doorway to a new land: the distant past.”

Father Ver shook his head. “We know all we need to of the Vanished Kingdom. The thing we are most certain of is that these poor men followed mistaken religions. Time has erased their failed gods from memory; should any idols of these false faiths be found, we must destroy them so that no weak-minded men can be led astray.”