Wayne Batson - The Rise of the Wrym Lord

Kearn looked up. His eyes narrowed. “That is not possible,” he whispered.

“Here,” Antoinette said as she handed him the photo of Robby.

Kearn clutched the photo with both hands and stared. He looked up, and for a moment, Antoinette saw something flicker in his eyes. But it was quickly gone.

Kearn straightened, and his eyes darted right. “Lies!” he hissed. “Sorcery! Guards, bind her!” And suddenly, Paragor Knights had her by the arms. They roughly clasped manacles upon her wrists, manacles with heavy chains. Antoinette struggled, but it was no use.

Kearn stood before her and his eyes flashed red. “You will come with us to the Shattered Lands,” he said. “And tomorrow, you will see just how wrong you are!” He tore the photo of Robby in half and let it fall to the ground. He laughed and walked away. The soldiers dragged Antoinette along behind him.

Trenna stroked the white dragon’s neck and feared for Antoinette. She had been gone for much longer than twenty minutes. Much longer than an hour. Still, Trenna could not bring herself to leave. She paced by the white dragon, wishing she had a good bow and a quiver full of Blackwood shafts. Then I might be of some use! she thought. But she had nothing. To go charging alone into the enemy camp, she knew, would just give the enemy another prisoner. And the longer she waited, the more she thought about the legend of the Seven Sleepers and what it could mean for her homeland-what it could mean for The Realm-if it was true. Trenna leaped onto Honk’s back and flicked the reins.

“I am sorry, Lady Antoinette,” she said, and the white dragon soared away into the night sky.

T he sun was already high when Trenna first caught sight of Pennath Kirin, the mountains just to the east of Acacia. They were small peaks compared to some, draped completely by a thick blanket of fir trees. Nonetheless, it was all the white dragon could do to fly over them. Trenna knew the beast was spent from the torrid pace, but she had to get to Acacia. “Just a little farther, Honk,” she called. “Just a little farther, and then you shall rest!”

The first homesteads of Acacia appeared: cottages, fenced parcels of land, and grazing livestock. Next, there were cottages surrounded by crumbling stone walls, and at last, there came the castle of Acacia. It was built on a wide hill and had three towers and many rows of arched windows. At last, Trenna spotted a wide ledge of stone to the rear of the castle. Honk glided down and landed softly. Other dragons of various colors were there, sunning themselves or eating, but they stared at the white newcomer. Trenna dismounted quickly. Honk made her way over to one of the feeding troughs and helped herself.

Two knights ran to greet Trenna. Their gray armor was inlaid with designs of a silver tree whose trunk and limbs were curvaceous and heavily laden with long bunches of white flowers. “Welcome to Acacia,” the knights said together, and both their eyes glinted blue.

“Are either of you Kaliam?” Trenna asked.

“No,” they both replied. “You speak of Kaliam from Alleble?”

“Yes!” Trenna said. “Is he here?”

“He is here,” said one of the knights.

The other guard explained, “Kaliam and the other Knights of Alleble are holding court with Lord Sternhilt in the castle library.”

“Take me to them, now!” Trenna exclaimed. “I am on an urgent errand!”

They led Trenna to the back of the ledge and under an arched overhang, then down a long torchlit tunnel, and finally up a spiraling staircase to a wide set of doors. The guards opened the doors, and Trenna ran into a huge room with a high, vaulted ceiling. The walls from floor to ceiling were laden with books. In the center of the library was a table surrounded by the most lordly warriors Trenna had ever seen. Nock she knew, but he looked older and stronger, and in some ways more solemn than she remembered. At the head of the table sat a Glimpse with a long gray staff that split at the end and spread like a silver blossom. He was large in girth and had a thick brown mustache that quivered when he spoke. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded.

“I am sorry, Lord Sternhilt!” said one of the guards. “This lady just arrived upon the back of a white dragon. She seemed in peril, so I brought her to you.” At the mention of a white dragon, several of the knights stood up.

“Which of you is Kaliam?” Trenna asked.

A tall knight came forward. He was dressed all in silver armor except for his massive bare forearms. His head also was uncovered and long black hair fell about his shoulders. “I am Kaliam,” he said. “I am Sentinel of Alleble.”

“Sir, I have come with urgent news. Lady Antoinette is in great danger! We all are in great danger!”

“What do you know of Lady Antoinette? She was our companion, and she left us four nights ago.”

Trenna revealed all she knew of the events that led to Antoinette’s disappearance, and how she had met Antoinette. When she had finished, Kaliam fell backward into his chair.

“This is grievous news!” he said.

“It is all true, then,” said Sir Gabriel. “The Wyrm Lord-”

“Is it that hard to be believed?” Nock asked. “We saw for ourselves the Sepulcher!”

“Lady Antoinette is killed or captive,” recounted Kaliam, staring from Glimpse to Glimpse. “Paragor goes to the Shattered Lands of the Wyrm Lord, an ancient horror from our darkest dreams. And from what Trenna has said, the Wyrm Lord will awaken the Seven Sleepers to wreak havoc upon Yewland. It is a many-faceted evil, and I do not know how we can hope to face it all or even solve any part of it.”

“Yewland must be warned!” cried Nock.

“And we must send word to King Eliam!” said Tal.

“But there is a chance that Antoinette still lives,” said Aelic.

“I agree,” said Lady Merewen. “We must go to her aid!”

Kaliam turned to Lord Sternhilt. “M’lord, by your leave, we will need your swiftest dragon steeds and many of your most able riders.”

The big Glimpse’s mustache quivered, and he banged his staff on the stone floor like a gavel. “Sir Wahlion! Sir Danebass!” he bellowed, and the two guards who had escorted Trenna into the castle bowed, awaiting their lord’s commands. “Alert the Castle Guard! Give Kaliam whatever he asks for!”

And then Lord Sternhilt turned back to Kaliam. “Our dragons have not the speed of the white beasts from Yewland, but you shall have the best of all our breeds. And the two guards who left are among the finest riders in my kingdom. They and all that they muster are at your service.”

Kaliam bowed. “Lord Sternhilt, your friendship to Alleble shall never be forgotten.”

“Know that it is only a token payment, Sentinel of Alleble,” said Lord Sternhilt. “King Eliam restored Acacia from a burned-out husk, as it was left by Paragor and his brood. Acacia stands ready to strike a blow, however small, against the enemy of The Realm.” Kaliam bowed respectfully and then turned to his team.

“This, then, is my judgment,” Kaliam said. “And may King Eliam forgive me if my decisions now go awry. Nock, you, Mallik, and Rogan go to Yewland, and make haste! Queen Illaria will need to muster every band of braves. The young and the old, the ones who do not fight, must be moved to a place of safety!

“Sir Gabriel, fly with Trenna back to Alleble! Let there be a dozen Acacian riders to escort you safely there. Trenna must tell her story before the King and the remaining Elder Guard. Find out what was written in the scroll that Paragor took from the Ancient One. All of our hopes may hinge on what you discover.

“For the rest, we fly into the worst danger! To the Shattered Lands we go to do what we may to stop Paragor from releasing the Wyrm Lord. And if Lady Antoinette is still alive, then we will rescue her or die in the attempt.”