Markus Heitz - The Fate of the Dwarves

Ireheart sent his friend an encouraging look. He really seems bothered about it.

Two of the Black Squadron rode ahead, calling out as they went.

Ireheart looked up at the glowing evening sky before it disappeared into the gloom of night-and he made out the shape of a flying monster making for Lakepride from the east. He could not say exactly what it was but it was moving fast. And it looked pretty determined. He called out to Tungdil. “You know more about monsters than I do: What is that ?”

The dwarves watched as the creature approached the island and royal palace.

“I don’t know,” said the one-eyed dwarf. “But I don’t think it’s bringing Her Majesty a nice present.”

“Then we’re here right on time.” Slin was getting excited. “We can help her and then she’ll be in our debt. We won’t even have to ask her to come with us. She’ll do it anyway because it will be the decent thing.”

“That’s how I see it, too.” Tungdil got the squadron to stop on the bank where the villagers were standing by the boats listening suspiciously to their messengers. “Let’s get ourselves over to the island.”

Ireheart studied the water in apprehension as the waves lapped against the bank. “I hope Elria didn’t hear me just now,” he muttered into his beard, “and that all the fish bigger than my little finger are now dead.”

Rodario ran back into the palace and was relieved to note his warnings had been acted upon. Shouts came from all sides and alarm gongs sounded. Heavy boots thudded along the corridors. It was not only the fortress out at the shaft that was preparing for an attack-the defense positions here at the palace were also being manned.

He reached Mallenia’s quarters, where he found her in the doorway, already in half her armor, buckling the leather straps. “Do you know what’s happening?”

“That alarm is being sounded for me,” he said proudly.

“You? But you’re not dangerous.” Mallenia drew her sword and laughed. “No, seriously. Do you know what all the commotion is about?”

“I saw something flying toward the shaft. I thought it would be wise to alert the palace so they can greet the attacker properly…” He stopped, noticing that she was only half listening and was looking past him over his shoulder.

Mallenia lifted her arm. “Queen Coira. Are you looking for us?”

He turned to find the young maga hurrying toward them, surrounded by guards. She was wearing a black robe embroidered in white, her hair covered by the white veil. “It’s the Dragon,” she cried. “Lohasbrand has arrived.”

“To attack us or to discuss what you wrote?” Mallenia sketched a curtsey. Rodario forgot to bow.

“I don’t know. Wasn’t he going to send me a hundred orcs to help capture the alf?” She ran on and waved them to follow her.

“Where are you off to?” Rodario asked. “Is there a safe room at the bottom of the island’s base where you can wait to see what happens?”

“I need to get to the magic source.”

“Don’t make the mistake of destroying it without thinking carefully…”

“Nonsense,” she interrupted. “I don’t want to demolish the shaft. I haven’t got enough magic in reserve to defend us against the Scaly One.”

Rodario and the Ido girl exchanged relieved glances. “We’re pleased to hear you’ve made your decision.”

“And it is down to the two of you that I am able to do this. I have thought a great deal about what you both said and I agree that I must face up to my responsibilities. My mother will not have trained me in vain.” She gave them a brisk smile. “But it won’t be easy. I’m not a fighter at heart.”

She reached the platform from where the cable gondola could take her to the shaft. Coira was about to get in to the car but Rodario held her back. “Wouldn’t it be better to take the stairs? Our lives might hang from a rope.”

“It’ll be fine.” The queen got into the gondola. “Trust me.”

“I trust the construction but not that dragon that’s circling round the island.” He looked for the creature but it was not visible. “Where has it got to?”

“It’s underneath the island!” Mallenia shouted, coming over. “Let’s pray to Elria and Palandiell that we can get to the shaft in one piece.”

“Count Loytan will cover us with his catapult fire.” Coira ordered four of the guards to join her, and the last of them shut the door after her as the steep downward trip began.

“Count Loytan is not at the fort, Highness,” said one of the men. “We met him up on the palace walls but no one has seen him since.”

Rodario was glad he had turned his face away: No one could read his expression. He considered himself a gifted enough actor to conceal his grin, but better safe than sorry.

The gondola swayed in the evening breeze and Mallenia went very pale. The rocking movement was not too severe, however, as the anchoring bolts were all secure.

It was all too slow for Coira’s liking, and she told the guards to release the brakes a little further.

“But Your Highness, that’ll mean we’ll be too fast to stop at the landing stage.” The man risked an objection. “It’s not safe to go any quicker.”

The gondola had already dropped further away from the island when Rodario spied the creature again. “There it is! It’s hanging underneath the rock!”

Mallenia, Coira and the soldiers leaned out for a better view.

It was like a lizard with the wings of a grasshopper. The scaled body was ten paces long, the mouth large enough to swallow a whole cow, and the black skin was shimmering damply in the last of the evening light: Rodario could pick out yellow and blue markings. It was wearing an iron chain around its neck, bearing an onyx pendant the size of a handcart.

“Why aren’t the catapults on the fortress firing?” He was worried now.

The stony eyes had the gondola in their sights.

Mallenia looked down at the arrow slings, which seemed to be aimed straight at them. “It’s because of us. We’re in the line of fire so we’re giving the creature cover.”

“It can’t be the Dragon-no, it’s certainly not Lohasbrand.” Coira stated.

“Perhaps a small friend of his? Has he been sent out as an advance messenger?” Rodario could not make head or tail of the creature’s appearance. He had never met the like in any of the sagas he was conversant with. “It’s staring at me,” he said, moving away from the window. “As if it really likes actors.”

“I’m sure it only eats good ones,” Mallenia teased him, aware once more that she was behaving like a silly girl in love-and that this was a highly unsuitable time for such behavior.

“It’s staring at all of us,” said Coira.

“To be honest, that’s not much of a comfort…” Rodario turned to the queen. “Can’t you send some magic his way? Zap him on the ugly bonce!”

She refused. “We don’t know yet what it wants. Perhaps it’s a peace-loving creature.”

“In Girdlegard? Looking like that?” He watched, shuddering, as the creature dangled a blue tongue. “There! Do you see? It’s getting up an appetite.”

Their gondola was two-thirds of the way across.

The creature dropped down and spun round as it fell, spreading its horny wings to come gliding over to the gondola. It opened its mouth and showed a row of very sharp teeth.

“I think it’s making abundantly clear what it wants.” Rodario sank down in front of Coira to beg. “Save us!”

The queen did not need his plea. She collected the last remnants of her magic powers and sent a red lightning bolt through the window toward the swiftly approaching creature.

Her attack hit home!

The magic energy shattered the creature’s face and part of its neck, and its flight ended in a series of erratic swoops as it entangled itself in the cables holding the gondola aloft. Now the fortress soldiers could use their long-range ballistic weaponry.