Curse of the Dragon Kings

  "Oh my head," Mygdewyn muttered from Galanor's other hand. "Where are we?" he wondered, looking out over the small pool of water they had landed in. Nearby, he spied another, golden-hued dragon in the dim light of Aiovel's light spell.

  "Hmmm, this is humbling," Dylan said from Aiovel's claw.

  "Don't worry, Mygdewyn, the water isn't very deep." Aiovel's dragon voice rumbled. Gil looked toward the claw where the dwarf crouched, peering nervously at the waters below. The dwarf's distress was growing; Aiovel's reassurance didn't appear to have helped very much.

  "Funny, it doesn't smell like sewage," Lilia said, shaking her head.

  "That's because it isn't," Aiovel corrected her. "There hasn't been any sewage in this city for thousands of years. But the water system connects the entire city. I was trying to warn you that Dylan had sat down in the wizard's storeroom for unwanted items."

  "So when their load of garbage gets too heavy, its dumping time, eh?" Rodruban said from Aiovel's other claw.

  "You got it." Aiovel said with a wide grimace that passed for a smile.

  "Just our luck they were so worried about hygiene," Rodruban muttered.

  "Looks like the water system must have sprung a leak somewhere," Dylan said. Looking around, he saw that the tunnels around them had collapsed. The only way out seemed to be back up the shaft they had fallen through. Whatever retractable platform the wizards had used to contain their garbage had fallen with them and broken into pieces as it landed in the water. Planks of decayed wood floated in the three-foot waters around Galanor's toes. "I we think broke the spring mechanism for good." He added.

  "Why don't you float us back up there, Aiovel, like you did outside the Black Dragons' cave?" Mygdewyn suggested.

  "Because my magic doesn't work that way." Aiovel shook her head. "I can slow our fall to keep us from injury, but I can't make objects fly. That isn't a natural spell. Of course, Galanor and I could fly out, if the opening were wide enough, but it isn't."

  "Hey, Galanor, how about making an ice ladder so we can climb out?" Lilia suggested.

  "An ice ladder?" Rodruban repeated, his eyes narrowing.

  "An ice pole?" Lilia amended meekly.

  "How are we supposed to climb a pole made of ice?!" Rodruban retorted.

  "Okay, so it's not such a hot idea." Lilia grinned.

  "Well, we can't get back up that way," Dylan said, looking at the dim ray of light coming from above.

  "Look over there—" Gil said suddenly, pointing to a dark corner of the great underground cavern. If it led nowhere, Gil knew he was going to feel really foolish. But where else could they go?

  "Hmmm," Galanor nodded. "It looks like one of the sewage tunnels has survived, but who knows how far it goes?" He wondered. "Time to find out! Down you go, Gil," Galanor said, dropping Gil onto a dry bank. Lilia jumped into the water when Galanor lowered his hand. Then the dragon brought Mygdewyn down to join them.

  Meanwhile, Aiovel had put Rodruban and Dylan down on the shore. Dylan peered over at her, anticipating her transformation back to elven form.

  "You're terrible!" Lilia cried, and flung her hands in front of his eyes.

  "Lilia, get off!" Dylan shouted and wrenched himself free. But Aiovel's light spell had faded, and he couldn't see, anyway! Meddlesome girl! Dylan thought darkly.

  A moment later, Rodruban cast a bright globe at the end of his staff, but Aiovel and Galanor had already joined them in full attire.

  Aiovel and Galanor led the way down the narrow tunnel. They passed an intersection that crossed a much wider tunnel, but Aiovel continued down the same passage for five minutes until it came to an abrupt dead end of collapsed stones and earth.

  "Let's turn around," Dylan suggested. Aiovel looked meaningfully at Galanor but said nothing, and Galanor nodded soberly. Uh-oh, Dylan thought. He'd seen that look before, and he didn't like it very much. Obviously, they were keeping something to themselves.

  "All right," Galanor agreed. "But let us go first." He said firmly.

  They backtracked to the wide corridor and changed directions. After a few minutes, there seemed to be fewer gaps in the stonework. The sturdy, smooth texture of these sewers implied that someone had taken great care in building them. A dark water line bisected the walls, but the tunnel was bone dry.

  "Exactly where are we going?" Rodruban asked querulously half an hour later.

  "This passage should eventually lead us to the Inverlen River," Aiovel answered. "Unless the tunnels have caved in again."

  Gil shivered. He hoped they hadn't walked this far only to reach a dead end!

  "Hey, it looked like we just passed a stone staircase to the surface!" Lilia cried excitedly and tugged on Galanor's cloak.

  "We did," Galanor nodded and pulled free. "But I for one am not going to risk going up there. You can go by yourself if you really want to."

  "Oh you!" Lilia exclaimed hotly. "Why won't you go up there?" She demanded, thin-lipped.

  "Because we are directly below the Silver Castle!" Galanor explained.

  * * * * *

  Gradually, they began to hear the sound of rushing water. Lilia hurried ahead. Several minutes passed before the source became visible.

  "What is that?" Lilia asked as the others arrived, pointing to the swift underground current that intersected the tunnel. Their passage had come to an end; the wide canal before them stretched interminably in both directions.

  "I think this canal comes from a tributary that feeds into the river Inverlen." Aiovel explained. "Most of these branches lie above. I believe the waters were once used to create the moat around the castle, but the elves also diverted part of them to run under the castle when they built these tunnels."

  "So, all of the sewers runs into the river?" Lilia said, holding her nose.

  "Yes." Aiovel nodded.

  "As interesting as all of this is, how do we get to the surface from here?" Mygdewyn interrupted, eyeing the rushing waters as only a nervous dwarf could.

  "Sorry, Mygdewyn, old boy," Aiovel said, mussing the top of his hair. "But there's nothing for it. We'll have to swim for it this time. But if you can hold on to me—" she stopped.

  Behind them, a loud, piteous wail echoed through the passages. Gil felt the hair on his arms and neck stand on end. He hadn't seen the creature yet, but he felt its blind malice already, even from so far away. He turned to Aiovel, but she had turned white.

  "What was that?" Lilia ventured nervously.

  "Hurry, you've got to get out of here!" Aiovel shouted and waved the others back. "Into the canal!"

  "But—" Mygdewyn choked.

  "No time to argue!" Aiovel cried.

  As Aiovel spoke, Gil saw a ghostly form appear behind her in the passage some distance away. Only it wasn't a ghost, but a wraith. The malignant cry had given it away. Even the children of Gyfen knew the difference between ghosts and wraiths; ghosts were harmless creatures, spirits of former men being punished for ill deeds they had done in life.

  But a wraith was a legendary specter, a creature who had been a victim of unnatural death, who wreaked vengeance for its suffering upon any living creatures who chanced to come near it. Wraiths had been caught between life and death, and were supposedly made of an airy physical substance. It was precisely this partial materiality that allowed them to use the abilities they had possessed in life to harm mortal creatures while they themselves remained immune to injury.

  Meanwhile, Rodruban had turned toward the creature and was trying to drive the wraith away with his magic. But as Gil watched, Rodruban's eyes glazed over with madness. A moment later, he ran screaming into the water and disappeared in the current.

  "Don't look at her!" Aiovel shouted, just in time, as far as Gil was concerned.

  Gil blinked several times and deliberately looked away, though he had caught a glimpse
of the creature's unshod feet and once rich, royal clothing now luminescent, swaying like translucent cobwebs caught in a breeze. Already he could feel despair rising in his throat, threatening to turn his mind senseless.

  "I thought I told you to get out of here!" Aiovel said to the others, but Gil, Galanor, and Dylan stood their ground. Lilia grabbed the protesting dwarf's arm and dragged him to the water.

  "Don't worry, Mygdewyn, I'm stronger than you in the water. If you just hold on to me, you won't drown!" she said assertively, and they disappeared with a loud splash.

  The creature wailed again piteously and slowly moved a step toward them. Gil felt suddenly deadly cold. Then he heard a hiss that resolved into words.

  You will feel my pain.

  Gil shivered and jumped back, refusing to listen anymore. He reached down for his sword, but found the scepter in his belt first.

  "Is it—Grainnewyn?" Dylan breathed.

  "Yes," Aiovel said hurriedly and nodded. "I can't seem to free her spirit from whatever it is that holds her here, though I've already tried several times. But all of you have to get out of here! I can resist her so she won't follow you beyond the castle—"

  "No, you can't!" Galanor disagreed. "If you do, you'll be too weak to continue on your journey!"

  "I'm not leaving you here, lady," Dylan insisted, his sword bravely drawn. "She'll think twice before she attacks me."

  "No! Her magic is far too powerful for you!" Aiovel yelled and stepped in front of Dylan.

  Aiovel raised her arms, and from the dimness a pale dark blue aura formed tightly around her. As Gil stared, it seemed to him Aiovel's magic drew strength from the very stones around her, and from the rushing waters behind them. Galanor stood and joined her, adding his own magic power. As the brightness of their combined spell grew, the wraith wavered and stepped back.

  A minute passed as Gil looked on, feeling helpless. Then it became clear that Aiovel was weakening.

  "It's no use!" she cried at last. "I don't know how to break the spell, and we can't hold her back!"

  The wraith moved toward Aiovel, lashing out with her ghastly hand.

  Without hesitation, Dylan leaped in front of her. He screamed and fell writhing to the ground, clutching at a deep red gash across his chest that had melted through his armor. Then Galanor stood before the wraith; Gil watched in horror as the Dragorian fell beneath the wraith Queen's quick attack.

  In a panic, Gil gazed down at the scepter. He felt its power burning his hand. Now the scepter gleamed in the pale light, turning in his hand as though of its own accord.

  What could he do? Gil's mind searched for an answer. But he was only an orphaned servant boy! In his wildest imaginations, he'd never thought he might have to do battle with a spirit!

  Free her soul! The words formed in Gil's mind. Was it the scepter talking to him? But how did it know?—

  Gil didn't have time to think. The wraith was closing in upon Aiovel. Without hesitation, Gil raised his arm toward the wraith— or had the scepter taken hold of him?

  Suddenly, a bright flash of light burst from the scepter toward the wraith Queen.

  Gil heard faint words again, this time further away:

  Remember your name!

  Your life was just.

  Now out of your time,

  Return you must!

  With a great, mournful cry that shook the castle, the wraith fell. Gil chanced a look; the furious eyes softened as they at last recognized Aiovel, and the Elf Queen stood, blinking. It had worked! She knew who she was. Now if only the Elf Queen could remember her unfinished task!

  Gil stoof a moment, when words again poured from the scepter. A moment later, he realized the scepter's power was flowing through him! The whispered words were coming from his own lips!

  Your spell fulfilled,

  the barrier holds,

  the gate now opens

  between two worlds!

  Gil blinked and stepped back. The white aura surrounding the wraith Queen faded, though a deep rumbling continued to sound through the castle. The Queen raised her arms like Aiovel often had, as though intoning a spell. For a moment, Grainnewyn was magically whole again.

  Gil watched, stunned, as she embraced young Aiovel. In spite of himself, Gil felt tears stinging his eyes.

  Watching the two of them, Gil found himself wishing he could say good-bye to his own mother, now that he was old enough to feel the loss of her.

  "Thank you both," Grainnewyn said to Aiovel, then looked kindly at Gil. "You have broken the spell holding me here in torment, and now the way has opened for me to leave this world."

  Grainnewyn looked down at the fallen companions. "One more thing I may still do, while my power remains." She said, lifting her hand. A ray of white light fell from her fingers onto Dylan and Galanor— after being around Ronan so long, Gil recognized the healing spell, though he sensed that this one was much stronger.

  In a moment, Galanor and Dylan stirred and groaned hoarsely.

  Then, Queen Grainnewyn's body began to fade away, until at last nothing remained of her. Where her original body lay buried there was no telling, but Gil was certain her soul had been freed at last. He felt strangely relieved— and gratified that he had played a small part in bringing her suffering to an end.

  However, with her departure, the rumbling around them grew, and several stones began to fall from the ceiling above.

  "Now we've really got to get out of here!" Aiovel shouted, holding a vial of sacred water to Galanor's lips, then she quickly administered it to Dylan. "With my mother's power gone, this castle will collapse any minute!"

  Gil nodded; they dived into the water as the great stones began to fall.

  * * * * *

  The water swept him along, pressing inward into his lungs as Gil struggled to stay afloat. His body ached as they were tossed along. He had lost sight of the others. The dark waters had enveloped them. Then it grew lighter. The waters cascaded over a small rise and they fell from the tunnel into a pool and into the bright sunshine. Gil treaded to the surface, his lungs near to bursting. Spitting water out of his mouth, he turned around as the noise of the falling castle threatened to deafen him.

  He swam quickly to the far shore of the fountain, still inside the city. Across a courtyard, he saw stones falling into the wide castle moat, filling it with rubble and spreading onto the grass, upturning turf, dirt, and rock, and still more stones tumbled toward them. A few fell into the deep fountain, as the others climbed out onto the far, wide, circular bank. From the fountain a deep, stone-walled stream continued to the East, no doubt emptying into the River Inverlen.

  Lilia, Mygdewyn, and Rodruban were following the water ahead as far away from the crumbling castle as they could. Suddenly, the soggy dwarf looked back and shouted. The trio ahead waited as Gil and the others caught up.

  "What happened?" Mygdewyn asked, eyeing the strangely smooth gash in Dylan's chain mail, baring inches of his midsection, the bottom of his gold family crest now eaten away.

  Dylan sighed sadly. It was the second gash in it; would the armor look like holed cheese before they got to Gildorland?

  "I think Aiovel broke the spell around the Queen," Galanor said in amazement. "I don't remember anything after she attacked me until Aiovel healed us."

  Aiovel looked at Gil, but he shook his head to silence her.

  "That's pretty much what happened," Gil said, nodding vigorously as the companions' eyes turned to him. After all, would the wraith Queen have remembered who she was without Aiovel there? And even if that wasn't the case, Gil felt he couldn't take the credit anyway; it was the scepter's magic that had saved them.

  Aiovel narrowed her eyes at him as though she would have protested, but Gil smiled sheepishly, then shook his head as if to say no. He couldn't have the others making a fuss over him, not when the scepter had done eve
rything on its own. Aiovel nodded hesitantly, a slight smile turning up the corners of her mouth. If Gil wanted to keep what he had done a secret, the very least she could do would be to honor his wish.

  "Such a shame that castle had to fall!" Lilia whined. "All those treasures!"

  "Grainnewyn's magic and Galadon's curse were what was keeping it standing all these years," Galanor reminded her.

  "Yes, and we'd better hurry out of the city." Aiovel said.

  "Why?" Rodruban raised an eyebrow, still shaken by the panic that had taken hold of him back under the castle. Gil saw the imprint of a hand on Rodruban's cheek; no doubt the druid had suffered several humiliating blows before returning to his senses.

  "Because the magic is what kept the entire city from falling." Aiovel explained. "The protection spell surrounding it has begun to fade, and soon the castle will collapse. We'll be caught in the cascading debris if we don't get out of here."

  "Feeling better now?" Lilia said, slapping the bedraggled wet dwarf on the back and sending him into a coughing fit. She turned to Aiovel and offered an impish smile. "Well, I've never been one to wear out my welcome!"

  * * * * *

  "So, what was it Rod-boy was about to eat back there?" Lilia asked late that afternoon as they stopped by the River of Argolen to find food. The druid shuffled in his pack for the basin, pestle, and powders he's obtained back in the wizards' guild, and fingered them, then hefted each powder in turn and set them on a small rock.

  Galanor had come over from the river with more fish for lunch. He opened his mouth, and a bright blue flame enveloped the writhing fish. It snapped and cooked rapidly in the dragon's breath of fire.

  "Neat trick. Can all dragons do that?" Lilia asked officiously.

  "Of course," Galanor answered, "but the key for me is not using my ice daggers and fire at the same time." He added with a laugh, then coughed.

  "Anyway, that powder Rodruban had is dragon ashes." He went on. "I could smell them from the other side of the room. Throw it and boom— you'd better hope you've got good aim. Unfortunately, eat that stuff and you'll feel like this fish here on the inside!" He made the fish nod agreement. Lilia rolled her eyes at the dragon's perverse sense of humor.