Chapter 2
1760 Words
2
“Trouble? What kind of trouble?” I asked him.
“We shall see,” he mused as he took my hand and led us to one of the many balconies that overlooked the lake and the majestic city of Alexandria.
The metropolis was spread before us for miles, but the trouble came from just below us along the surface of Beriadan Lake. The harbor was always crowded with the lively sea trade, and on an average day every ship imaginable could be found moored along the docks or close by.
Today, however, was a day for a more unusual vessel. The sailing ship had three masts that pushed its long, smooth body quickly through the mouth of the harbor and into the body of the lake. Three-mast vessels weren’t unusual, but it was unusual to see the ship manned by a crew of men that all sported gold-colored dragon wings. The flag at the highest mast sported red and yellow stripes.
I looked up at Xander’s tense face as he studied the ship. “Do you recognize the flag?”
He shook his head. “I do not.”
“And the dragons?”
“They are also a mystery to me, and evidently to those who manage the harbor, or those at the mouth of the lake would not be blowing the horn.” His keen eyes scanned the strip of land and rocks that through which the overflow from the lake escaped via a wide river. The river finished its course at the ocean far to the west of the city.
“It is strange. . .” I heard him murmur.
“What’s strange?” I asked him.
His gaze fell once more on the vessel as it made its way toward the castle docks. “The journey up the river often takes a full day, even when the winds are favorable, but there was no warning of this vessel until this moment.”
I watched the ship sail like a ghost to within a hundred yards of the castle where it stopped. “It looks fast.”
Movement caught my eye and I leaned over the railing to watch a procession of guards exit the castle and march down to the port. Spiros was at the head, and he stopped the long ranks on the longest of the castle docks. An away-boat pushed off from the vessel, and besides the two rowers there was a single dragon man aboard.
“Lord Xander!” a voice called. We turned in time to watch a guard hurry up to the archway that led onto the balcony. He was out of breath, but managed to stand tall and salute. “A strange vessel has been sighted-”
“I can see that, but why was there no earlier messages about such dragons piloting the ship?” Xander questioned him.
“The vessel arrived at the mouth of the river only two hours ago and made the entire two-day trip in that time.”
Xander’s eyes widened. “Two hours? How is that possible?”
The guard shook his head. “We cannot tell except to say that the dragons appeared to use their wings to fan the sails.”
Xander spun around to face the ship. I grabbed his arm. “What’s important about that? The sand dragons can do that in their races, and even you could do it.”
He pursed his lips as he watched the away-boat land. “Many thousands of years ago the art was commonplace, but as the years passed and we dragons drifted away from breeding with humans we lost that ability to manipulate our wings, and thus the sails. Now only small vessels of one sail and two dragons may be pushed by such methods, but not a ship as large as this.”
I leaned forward to catch his gaze and frowned. “So what you’re saying is these guys are like those ancient dragons like the Sæ made you into?”
The lead dragon in the away-boat stepped onto the dock and paused. He was about twenty with long blond hair that was nearly white in color. He wore black shoes, a pair of loose trousers, and a buttoned coat that hid all but the high collar of a white shirt. Even the eyes of the dragon were of a golden hue, but the smile that appeared on his lips felt cold as he tilted his head back and looked up at us as we stood some two hundred feet above him.
Spiros’s lips moved, but I couldn’t hear what he said. The visitor apparently didn’t care to hear them because he opened wide his dragon wings and leapt up. He flew like a bullet, with each pump of his wings giving him an easy fifty feet of altitude.
Spiros drew his sword and gave chase, along with half the company of guards. They were half as fast so that the golden dragon reached our balcony well ahead of his pursuers. Xander drew me back and unsheathed Bucephalus.
The dragon crossed his arm over his chest and gave us a deep bow. “My sincerest apologies, Lord Xander, for the abrupt appearance of my vessel, but I bring an important message for you from my mistress.”
Spiros and company arrived. The guards landed neatly on the railing, but the captain of them all dropped to the balcony beside our ‘guest’ and pointed the tip of his sword at the stranger. “An admirable flight, sir, but too short to escape us,” Spiros informed him.
The man raised his head and chuckled. “If I had wanted to escape I would have merely flown to the tip of the castle and watched you weary yourselves in your pursuit. Therefore, it is fortunate for you and your men that I do not have any ill intentions toward your people.”
“Your abrupt entrance would suggest otherwise,” Spiros shot back.
A crooked smile slipped onto his lips. “If my men and I had wished to assault your castle than we would have hurried up the river. As it is, we merely moved as fast as the downstream current.”
“Who is your mistress?” Xander asked the dragon.
The golden dragon swept his eyes over all the swords that were pointed at him. “It is of a most private matter, if you understand me.”
Xander pursed his lips, but glanced at his old friend. “Spiros.” The captain’s eyes flickered to his lord. “Tell your men to stand-down, at least for the time being.”
Spiros pursed his lips, but lowered his weapon and looked to his men. He gave a nod. The guards sheathed their weapons and took a step back. They dropped out of sight. I craned my neck and watched them glide down to the ground.
Spiros walked backward until he stood on the other side of Xander. Neither of the friends put away their swords. “If you do not mind, My Lord, I would like to stay.”
Xander smiled at him. “I would like nothing better.” He returned his attention to our ‘guest’ and his face hardened. “Who are you, and what message do you bring for me?”
The dragon bowed his head. “My apologies for not introducing myself at the first. I am Abraxas, and the vessel below us is my ship, the Acheron.”
Xander started back. “Acheron? How did your vessel come to have that name?”
The man chuckled. “I am glad to hear there are still some in this world who remember the Acheron and the exploits of my crew.”
I raised a hand. “Somebody mind filling me in on this mystery?”
Spiros pursed his lips as he studied our ‘guest’ with more consideration. “The Acheron is a ship of legend that disappeared some five thousand years ago. The ship was rumored to be crewed by the eldest sons of the highest houses, those that still retained a pure blood from the last of the ancient dragons. She was deemed lost at sea.”
Abraxas chuckled. “She was not lost, but found, and by such a worthy mistress that she has no equal.”
Xander frowned. “If what you tell us is true then how came you to live so long? Or are you a descendant of that ancient crew?”
Our ‘guest’ shook his head. “I am no descendant, but the dragon himself, as are my crew. Our mistress has granted us with eternal life so long as we stay in her service.”
Spiros scoffed. “I would call that servitude, and your mistress a poor master.”
Abraxas bowed his head. “We each serve our masters, though in different ways.”
“And what message does your mistress wish you to relay to me?” Xander asked him.
“She wishes for an audience with you on her island,” Abraxas informed him.
“Where does she reside?”
The captain smiled and shook his head. “That I cannot tell. I may only lead you to her, if you wish to accept her invitation.”
“If she wishes to grant me eternal life than I am afraid I must decline,” Xander told him.
“I am limited by what I am allowed to convey, but I can tell you that what she has to say is in regards to your hunting of her kind,” Abraxas revealed.
“This woman sounds like she likes secrets as much as Crates. . .” I mumbled.
Xander arched an eyebrow. “‘Her kind?’”
“Yes. She is a goddess.”
I started back, but the men merely tightened their lips and their grips on their weapons. Spiros took a step in front of Xander and narrowed his eyes at our doubly-unwelcome ‘guest.’ “Does she mean to avenge her banished brethren?”
Abraxas shook his head. “Nothing of the sort. She wishes to speak with you about your hunting her, as she is well aware that there are few left of her kind in this world.”
“She seeks a truce,” Xander stated rather than asked.
Abraxas closed his eyes and bowed his head. “Of a sorts, but all that must be spoke of with my mistress. I am merely the messenger.”
Spiros’s eyes flickered over his shoulder to Xander. “Our foe wishes for us to stumble into her territory.”
I snorted. “It wouldn’t be the first time. Heck, it happened the last two times.”
Xander relaxed his stance, but kept his sword at his side. “I must confer with my friends before I make any decisions.”
Abraxas bowed his head. “As you wish, though I must return within the week to inform my mistress of your answer.”
“So she’s not the goddess of seeing-everything?” I guessed.
He chuckled. “No, and now that I believe I have said everything that I am able I must take my leave. If you wish to communicate with me I will gladly welcome you aboard my vessel.” He bowed low to us before he turned and leapt onto the railing. The dragon spread his shimmering wings and launched himself far into the air. Xander, Spiros and I strode over to the railing and watched him sail down to the away-boat.
Today was turning out to be a hell of a week.
- Writer
