Slayer

  “True. And then it’ll probably take us a week to reach Casca Doba.”

  “Way longer. More like two or three weeks. Then we’ll cross Long River, and then on our way straight to the good army. That’ll take us about two months total.”

  “This is going to take a long time.” Then they started walking again.

  They reached Wecvavrrn the next day at noon. They stopped in the town, and then kept going at one o’clock. They saw the cabin they would’ve stayed in, had they stopped there that night, and it had a light on. Curious, they walked in.

  A man and woman were in there preparing the cabin. When they saw them, they both screamed. “Who are you two?”

  “We were going to rent a cabin here.”

  “Oh. Are you the kids whose parents died and couldn’t make it here?”

  “Aye.” Then Thetra and Arek spun on their heels and continued their journey.

  “Well, we are getting it done!” said Arek. “We’ve already covered about seventy-five leagues!”

  “Aye. We are on our way.”

  They stopped in a cave that night It was called Veuer’s Cavern.

  “We made a lot of progress,” summed up Thetra before they went to bed for the night.

  “Yes, we have. Good dreams, Brother! And hope the bats don’t mess up your hair! Ha ha!”

  “Wake up call!” cried Arek again.

  Thetra stood up, stretched, and then walked with Arek on their journey.

  They got breakfast at a place called Voloni’s. There they talked about nothing important, except for one subject.

  Thetra finished and said to Arek, “On our way, I think we should visit Lake Dalfnok.”

  “Why is it you always say the important stuff once you finish your meal? Of course we can’t go to Lake Dalfnok! That’s nowhere near here.”

  “I just...Dragons.”

  “You heard Worgh, didn’t you? You can’t see the eggs. Besides, do you even like the color green?”

  “Of course!”

  “Oh, I forgot. I like red.” He drew his sword. “And my blade is red! Yes, we can go to Lake Dalfnok! I want a dragon.”

  “As do I.”

  “Then we shall change directions and go east- southeast.”

  They changed directions and did go southeast.

  They reached Casca Doba sooner than they expected. They got there after three more days of traveling.

  “Great job,” said Arek to Thetra. “We need water.” They got some out of a creek, and then continued.

  They didn’t know where they were for a while. Not until they reached Lake Olz. Until there, it had been just all dirt like a desert.

  They played in Lake Olz for about three hours, and then went to bed, feeling good that they could rest.

  LAKE DALFNOK

  I have a dragon.

  Thetra was on his dragon, flying away in a war against Morchad and his army. He was facing Morchad in the air, and his consciousness was fading. His green dragon, Valao, hadn’t failed him yet. In fact, he had all the memories that they had been in together.

  “Valao, we need to get closer. I can’t kill him from this distance. I’d lose my sword.”

  His dragon sped up fast and Thetra slashed. His sword, like every other time he tried, just went through Morchad’s body harmlessly.

  It’s got to be hurting him somehow, thought Thetra. He kept slashing but yet failed every time.

  One time when he tried to slash he lost his sword in Morchad’s grip.

  Then they zoomed up into the sky where Morchad couldn’t get them, for he didn’t have a dragon. But he had two swords: Gonca and Slayer.

  He threw Slayer up at Thetra. He caught it by the handle, lucky. Then he and Valao tumbled to the ground from a spell by Morchad.

  “Morchad, who is your father?” asked Valao.

  “I will not tell you.”

  “I know.” Then Thetra yelled, “YOUR FATHER IS TYERRONDE!”

  When he said that, Morchad crumpled to the ground, and Thetra stabbed him, driving Slayer through Morchad’s forearm, killing the sorcerer.

  Thetra woke up to a beautiful view of the lake. Its glittering surface shined against the sun.

  “Great view, isn’t it?” asked Arek, who was already up.

  Thetra sat up. “Aye. It’s great.”

  Then a green dragon dove out of the water, followed by a red one, both the same color of their swords, the green one the same as in Thetra’s dream.

  Arek

    

  VALAO AND EJARSHӦH

  Arek stared in amazement at the dragons.

  All his life, he had dreamed of dragons, as he knew Thetra had. But this time, they were real.

  “Thetra! This is awesome. The red one is mine because of the blade.”

  “Arek, I had a dream and it was exactly like this. My dragon was in it. Mine is green, and his name is Valao.”

  “And mine is red. I will name him Ejarshöh.”

  “We are your dragons,” both of the dragons said at the same time. “Thank you for our names, riders.”

  “No problem,” responded Arek.

  “We cannot talk much. It takes a lot of energy out of us dragons. We save it for battles, when we need to talk to our riders.”

  “Then don’t talk now.”

  “Thetra, we can make it to the good army much, much faster now.”

  “You’re right! Let’s go!”

  And then they went, flying so fast in the sky.

  In the morning, when they flew lowest, they saw an evil army going in the same direction as they. So they traveled even faster.

  “I think that’s Morchad’s army,” Thetra said to Arek.

  “Aye. It looks evil!”

  The dragons just nodded.

  And then they reached their destination in a big field where they part-crashed, part-landed.

  They had reached the good army. Way sooner than Arek and Thetra expected, though.

  HEIRG

  They had reached the army. The good army of about 3,000. How were they going to defeat Morchad’s army, which was at 17,000 soldiers strong?

  They flew on their dragons. They landed, startling a watchman.

  “We’re here to join the good army,” explained Arek.

  The watchman said, “I am Fathr, son of Weaxcont.”

  “I am Thetra, son of Eouhja.”

  “I am Arek, son of Eouhja.”

  “I am Valao, son of Valeo.”

  “I am Ejarshöh, son of Korjahb.”

  “Come this way if you wish to join the good army.” He led them to a big field where the whole good army was.

  “Who is this, Fathr?” asked a man.

  “They claim to be Thetra, Arek, Valao, and Ejarshöh. They have come to join us.”

  “Dragons,” muttered the man. “Welcome! I am the king of the good army. My name is Therr, son of Oregma. Will you fight with us strongly?”

  “We will,” they all said.

  “Then we must prepare for battle...With you.” Then he led them to rooms where they could get ready. He gave them each armor. “We heard Morchad’s army is a day away.”

  “Yes, King Therr. We saw them on our way here.”

  “Where are you from in this mighty country?”

  “My brother Arek and I are from Toage, and the dragons came out of their eggs in Toage and have traveled with us ever since.”

  “I see. Well, welcome to Destville. We are the good army.”

  “I can tell you don’t trust us yet.”

  “Well, we won’t just tell you our name! You have to earn it. And there’s a good chance of that considering we’re about to go into battle.”

  “Yes, My King.”

  “My King!” he chuckled. “You’re a dragon rider! I should be calling you Rider Thetra and Rider Arek! And Dragon Valao and Dragon Ejarshöh!”

  “And I will call you King Therr. Now may we have privacy to prepare?”

  “You may.” Then he exited the room,
leaving the four of them alone.

  “We will win this battle,” said Valao. “And if an Ognok comes, then Thetra and I shall confront him alone.”

  “Yes,” agreed Arek. “Alone. We will fight like the rest of the army. We will win. I am confident.”

  “I am nervous,” said Ejarshöh.

  “It’s just a battle,” Arek told his dragon. “We’ll survive.”

  “I hope you’re right, rider.”

  Once Arek and Thetra had put on their armor, they put their dragon’s armor on.

  When they were done, the other army was only hours away.

  “We’re glad to have you by our side,” said Therr. “If an Ognok arrives, Valao and Thetra shall fight him separate from the battle.”

  Valao and Thetra exchanged glances. “We’ve already discussed it.”

  Just then the three bells rang, which Thetra guessed meant that the army had arrived.

  “We’re doomed,” said Arek when he saw the army.

  “It’s no more than what we saw before,” assured Thetra.

  “I think it’s more,” said Valao, and Thetra looked.

  It was way more. This time they had brought about 20,000 soliders.

  Then Thetra saw the Ognok, and he pointed it out to Valao. “Come on, Valao! Let’s go kill the Ognok.”

  The Ognok took flight and bared his fangs and sent a jet of flame in Valao and Thetra’s direction.

  Thetra veered to the left to avoid it.

  “Whoa!” cried Thetra. “That thing is weird!”

  “But talented. Do not underestimate him, Thetra. He’s stronger than you think.”

  Then Valao breathed a column of gas fire, which was not real fire, for about a minute, covering the Ognok in flames, but the Ognok drew his wand and deflected it.

  “Who are you?” cried Thetra.

  “I am Heirg, son of Perpankan.”

  “And you know me! Because if Morchad knows me, you know me!”

  And then they fought for their lives, neither one being able to gain control over the other.

  “Just die!” shouted Thetra as he clashed swords with Heirg again. “Give up! Cry for mercy! You need to be killed, Ognok!”

  “But I won’t be.” Heirg smiled, and then cut Thetra on the back of his left leg.

  Thetra squealed with pain. “No! You...” He was losing consciousness. “You can’t kill me.”

  “Oh, but I can. You’d be surprised.”

  “Hang in there, Thetra,” said Valao. “We’ll make it through.”

  “The wound on my leg! It burns!” Then Thetra threw back his head and howled, so loud that he would’ve bet a million dollars that the whole army could hear it even though they were about seven hundred feet in the air. “I’ll survive.” Then his vision became black, and then it returned. “I’m losing my vision, Valao.”

  “Too bad you won’t conquer me, rider!” yelled Heirg. “I can sense your death! Both of your deaths!”

  “No, you can’t. Because we aren’t dying.” Then Thetra attempted to kill the Ognok, but missed. He was slow. He was dying.

  Heirg sent another column of fire towards Thetra and Valao, but they were ready. They had a plan.

  Valao whipped around behind Heirg so fast, he was still looking at where they were when Thetra jumped onto Heirg and tackled him, sending them both tumbling down towards the ground.

  Heirg bit at Thetra, but Thetra knocked his tooth out with his shield.

  Then Valao came from below and bumped them both up into the air, but Thetra fell into his saddle. Heirg was sent flying into the air.

  On his way down, Thetra reached up and gripped Heirg’s arm, and then fed him to Valao. Valao caught the Ognok in his teeth, but then accidentally let go and left Heirg falling through the air.

  “Go! FAST! Redeem your mistake, Valao!” demanded Thetra. “We can’t let him touch the ground, else he’ll kill our whole army like a tornado destroying houses.

  “You’re right. But less talking, more flying!” Then he zoomed downward, catching the smiling Ognok both by surprise and in his mouth.

  “Don’t kill me, dragon!”

  “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t, and I won’t. I’m the judge if it’s a good reason or not.”

  Thetra smiled.

  The panicked Ognok started to say, “Because”

  “Not good enough!” Then Thetra saw Valao toss him upward into the air like a chew toy, and then, when he was falling back, Thetra stabbed the Ognok. But Heirg was falling so fast that he pulled Thetra off of Valao. Heirg died, and Thetra let the Ognok go of his grip. Then Valao came down and Thetra hopped on his dragon.

  Together they rode down and helped the good army. And the good army won.

  NAME THE WAND

  “Congratulations, Thetra Wandearner! I, King Therr of the good army, and I give Thetra Wandearner his wand!”

  Thetra shook Therr’s hand, and then accepted his wand.

  “Thetra, what will you name your wand?” asked Therr.

  “I will name it...Death. Death, because that is what Morchad will get when he is killed with this wand.”

  A loud cheer erupted from the good army.

  “All hail Thetra! All hail Thetra!” they cried.

  It was just like the dream he had had.

  “And Arek, brother of Thetra Wandearner! Please come up!” Arek did so. “You killed the most servants in Morchad’s Army. Because of that, you have earned guards with you wherever you go, and you will be at the top of the ranks when we march into battle.”

  “I thank you, King Therr, for your kindness and gifts to me. How may I repay you?”

  “You will use your gifts wisely.”

  Arek bowed, and then walked back to the crowd. Thetra did so as well.

  “We will have a feast!” announced Therr. “Tonight at seven o’clock!”

  “Yes, King!” cried the whole crowd.

  “You are dismissed,” he said, waving a hand. “Congratulations to all!”

  “You too, Lord Therr!”

  “Thetra,” said Therr, beckoning for Thetra to come over. “I will assign a trainer for your magic. You will listen to him and follow his orders.”

  “Yes, My King.”

  “Thank you. You will begin your training most likely next week, or as soon as possible.”

  “I thank you, My King.”

  “Oh, yes, yes. We need you. Without you, we would’ve lost. Now tell me. Tell me about everything that happened in your life. Everything you can remember.”

  “Yes, My King. I’m sure we will love the hours to come.”

  SATYM

  As Therr and Thetra exchanged moments of their life, Valao and Arek joined them and Thetra learned some things he had never known about Valao.

  Ejarshöh later joined them as well, he too talked about moments in his life that neither Arek nor Thetra knew before.

  “My king!” yelled a soldier of the good army. “We have some important matters to discuss!”

  And so the soldier joined their conversation.

  “I am his at-hand warrior, Melford Zhoesson. My king! There is someone who would like to join our army.”

  “Bring the newcomer in!” commanded Therr in a deep voice. “Let us see if the newcomer is worthy of a warrior!”

  And, after he gave the order, a girl of about fifteen walked in. She sat down, joining their group conversation, and explained her life: “I am Satym Loradawssdaughter, and I have come to join the good army. I am from Mthanl, and I am fifteen years old.

  “My father, Vertay, and my mother, Loradaw, have raised me. I am an only-child, and now my mother and father live in a mountain called Mt. Berr, east of the Morchad Mountains.

  “I have come to join the good army.”

  “Explain your whole life.”

  “I will not.” She stayed still as a rock. “My family is not to be told about, nor is my life. My secrets are to stay secrets.”

  “If you wish to join us, you will have to tell
us more!” shouted Therr, drawing his sword.

  And then the mysterious Satym drew her sword as well. “I do not wish to duel you, sir.”

  “Nor do I. But if you do attack, I will have to fight back and kill you.”

  Just then, while they were still staring at each other, Arek sprang up from his seat and drew Stabber. He got on Therr’s side, and said, “If you don’t obey the king, you will be stabbed by Stabber.”

  Therr looked at Thetra’s brother with a newborn satisfaction.

  “You named your sword Stabber, eh? Well, I guess it’s about time you met Vengeance the golden sword!” Her sword glittered like magic when she said the word Vengeance, and Thetra wondered if the sword was magic. “Boy!” Satym looked at Thetra. “Stand up and show your sword if you have one.”

  “Slayer.” Thetra drew his sword and slowly raised it up to right below the girl’s chin. Then he brought it down and walked next to Therr and Arek.

  Then the newcomer did something so unexpected, she nearly killed Therr. She threw Vengeance, aiming for Therr’s nose, but it stopped right in front of his nose and dropped to the floor.

  “No magic!” protested Satym. Then she picked up her sword, looking embarrassed, and did a backflip, landing on her feet. “That doesn’t make it fun! Because I’m no witch!”

  Then Thetra drew his wand and pointed it at Satym. He didn’t know any spells, but he was just trying to threaten her.

  “Ha! Like you actually ‘slayed’ an Ognok!”

  “I killed Heirg, Satym Loradawssdaughter. And I have a dragon here that helped me.”

  “As do I,” said Arek. “I may not have defeated an Ognok, but I have a dragon, and his name is Ejarshöh!” Then, when Arek said his name, Ejarshöh’s scales shined like Satym’s sword did.

  “Will you be our friend or foe?” asked Therr, now pointing his sword at Satym.”

  “Both.”

  Then Therr frowned, lowered his sword, and as he did that, Satym attacked. She banged the hilt of her sword into his nose, and he collapsed.

  “No!” yelled Arek. “You enemy of this army, you cursed witch! May you leave this army and never return!”

  “Cursed?” She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes and laughed. “I’ll be your foe; I’ll be your friend.” Then she ran out the door to northeast, the same direction of Mt. Berr.

  And Thetra and Arek followed.

  “You deserve nothing, you blasted fool!” yelled a woman’s voice.