The servant of souls, p.1
The Servant of Souls, page 1
The Servant
of
Souls
Dragon Riders of Osnen Book 8
RICHARD FIERCE
The Servant of Souls © 2020 by Richard Fierce
This is a work of fiction. All events portrayed in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form without the express permission of the publisher.
Cover design by germancreative
Cover art by Rosauro Ugang
Dragonfire Press
e-Book ISBN: 978-1-947329-50-8
First Edition: 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
1
I stared up at the mountain that towered over the surrounding peaks.
It seemed higher than I remembered. The pinnacle was lost in the clouds above, and somewhere up there on a plateau was Valgaard. I shivered just thinking about the thick snow that blanketed the crags.
“Did we have to come here first?” I complained.
“I’d rather not have come here at all,” Maren replied, “but we need to explore every avenue, and Valgaard is the closest school.”
“I know,” I muttered. I knelt and rolled up my bedroll, tying the thin cords on the ends to secure it, and placed it in Sion’s saddle. “I just hate the cold. And Hrodin. Mostly Hrodin.”
Maren smiled playfully and shook her head. “We’ll make this quick and painless,” she said. “Like pulling off a bandage.”
That didn’t change my dread about going.
How are you feeling? I asked Sion, walking around to her head.
Warm, she replied. I remember the coldness of this place. It was not pleasant.
Yes, but their stables were comfortable.
Sion snorted, and I could tell by the disdain in the bond that she was not happy. I rubbed the scales along her neck and she hummed contentedly.
As Maren said, we’ll be in and out in no time.
Let us hope so, Sion said.
“Are you two ready?” Maren asked.
“Yes.”
I climbed up Sion’s shoulder and settled into the saddle. The fur cloak I’d brought from the Citadel was stuffed into a large pocket on the saddle, and I debated with myself about putting it on now. I glanced at the sky. It was midday and warm, so I decided to wait.
“If you feel anything wrong with the bond, land immediately,” Maren said. “It doesn’t matter where, as long as you can do so safely.”
I nodded, though I was hoping we didn’t run into that problem. Given the way things had gone the last few weeks, I knew that was a stretch.
Tell me if you feel any sign of weakness, I said.
I will.
Sion hunched down and positioned her legs, then jumped. Her wings stretched out and she flapped, soaring vertically. I leaned forward and braced myself against her, holding on tightly. She climbed higher and higher until the ground below was hardly recognizable. Once Sion leveled out, I eased my grip on the saddle and looked for Demris.
He and Maren weren’t far behind. With a couple of flaps, he caught up to us and flew beside Sion. We continued our ascent, but in gradual circles around the mountain. The air began to thin, and I could see giant puffs of air escaping from Sion’s nostrils. The temperature steadily dropped, and I was forced to retrieve the fur cloak. I wrapped it around myself and rubbed my hands together, occasionally blowing my hot breath onto them.
There’s a storm brewing, Sion said.
I looked around, but it was difficult to tell where it was. We were among the clouds, and everything was veiled in a thin misty fog. The cold was becoming unbearable, and my eyes were dry. I pulled the cloak tighter around me, but the wind and the cold still nipped at my flesh. I didn’t think I could feel more miserable, and I was wrong.
The storm struck, sudden and fierce.
I felt Sion tense against the wind, and it jostled her about wildly. The cold intensified, hitting me like a physical blow, and I shivered uncontrollably.
“We’re close!”
Maren shouted the words, though I barely heard them. Her voice was drowned away by the thrashing wind. She pointed to the right, but I couldn’t see anything through the fog and the snow.
Can you see it? I asked Sion.
Yes, she replied. It’s not far, but this wind is making it tough to maneuver.
Just do your best, I said.
I always do.
You’re starting to sound like Maren. I flooded the bond with mirth.
Sion rumbled in reply. I felt her body tilt as she tried to angle herself toward Valgaard. A powerful gust of wind struck me, pushing me backward in the saddle. I grunted and leaned far forward, practically lying on Sion to keep from being ripped from the saddle. The wind screeched. I blinked away flakes of snow and my heart fell into my stomach. That wasn’t the wind.
It was Maren.
Demris was spiraling down, his wings limp and useless. Before I could alert Sion, Demris struck the side of the mountain, disappearing in a mound of snow.
Demris just fell!
Without warning, Sion dived. Her head snaked back and forth.
There! I shouted, trying to project the image of where he’d landed. It was fragmented, but Sion discerned the location. She tucked her wings in as she neared the spot and we landed roughly, her claws scrabbling against the stone outcropping that jutted out from the mountain. I jumped down off of her back and pushed myself through knee-high snow.
There was a shallow cave, and I spotted green scales mingled against the white powdery snow. I reached him and started shoveling the snow off with my hands. Sion joined me, and she used her tail to scoop large piles away. It felt like an eternity before we uncovered him. He was lying on his right side, which meant Maren was probably in the cave.
I carefully climbed over Demris and saw Maren. Thankfully, she wasn’t under Demris, but she was clutching her leg.
“Are you all right?” I studied her limb. It didn’t look broken, but I wasn’t a healer.
“It hurts here,” Maren said, pointing at her shin. “It’s burning like fire.”
“Do you think it’s broke?”
“No,” Maren shook her head. “But I don’t think I can walk on it.”
“Sion can’t lift Demris, and I can’t carry you up the mountain in this weather.”
We stared at each other in silence.
“I’ll get help,” I finally said. “Sion can stay here with you, and I’ll go to Valgaard.”
“Are you sure you can make it?”
“I have to try. We can’t stay here. Demris will freeze to death.”
Maren looked past me to stare at him. She nodded.
“I’ll be back as soon as possible,” I said. “Stay here in the cave.”
I crawled over Demris and looked up the mountain. The storm was raging, but I could see the edge of the plateau where Valgaard was situated.
I need you to watch over Demris and Maren, I said to Sion. I’m going to get help.
We could fly, but I don’t think I could make it into the air without crashing into the mountain. The wind is too strong.
I don’t want to risk it, I replied. Try to keep them warm. I’ll return with help.
Sion nuzzled me. I ran my frozen hands along her snout, brushing some snow off. The feeling was gone from my fingers. They were pale and tinged blue, and I could barely move them. I turned away from Sion and looked for the easiest way to climb up. With everything covered in snow, it was hard to tell. Part of the cliff face had several lumps sticking out. I cleared the snow off one and realized they were large stones embedded in the soil.
I clenched and released my hands a few times, trying to work the circulation back into my fingers, then started scaling the wall. I’d barely made any progress when I realized how terrible my idea was. Granted, there wasn’t another option, but climbing a mountain in the middle of a snowstorm was akin to putting out a fire with air.
The rocks were jagged and cut into my hands, but I continued climbing. The longer Demris was unconscious, the quicker the cold would take his life. After all we’d gone through to bring him back from the Island of Lost Souls, I couldn’t allow him to die again. I reached the top of the cliff face, but it was a small victory. Valgaard was still high above. At least I could walk along the slopes now and give my hands a rest.
There was a natural path, though there was no sign that anyone used it. I trudged along, the path progressively inclining until it stopped at a wall of rocks. They weren’t completely covered in snow, and the climb was slightly easier. Again, I reached the top and found another natural trail that led up toward the plateau.
The storm had calmed, but the snow was still falling heavily. I stopped for a moment to shake the snow off my cloak, then continued. Every inch of my body was freezing, and I was pretty sure some snow had gotten into my boots and melted. I continuously reminded myself that things could be worse, which was probably why they ended up that way.
A throaty growl filled the air and I stopped in my tracks. It didn’t sound like a dragon, so it likely wasn’t a scout from the school. I slowly moved my head and looked for the source of the sound, but I didn’t see anything. Time was wasting away, so I started walking again. There was a blur of movement above me to my left and I stopped. I saw it now.
It was a mountain cat.
2
The cat watched me intently, and I knew that it considered me an intruder, if not its prey.
It was roughly three feet in length, not including its bushy tail, and thick with muscle. The head was domed, and its muzzle was short. Its fur was mostly white, blending in with the surroundings, and its face was dotted with small black spots. I’d never seen anything like it before.
It growled again and hunched down, preparing to spring at me. I tried to draw my sword, but the blade was trapped in the sheath. I kept yanking on the hilt, and I suspected the cold had frozen it stuck. I quickly unhooked the belt and gripped the handle, swinging the entire thing up as I took a defensive stance.
The numbness in my hands made it difficult to hold the sword steady, and when the giant cat pounced and knocked me down, I lost my grip on the hilt and dropped the weapon. The cat snarled and hissed as it tried to claw me. Despite its small size, it was extremely ferocious. I brought my left arm up to block my face, and the cat latched its sharp teeth onto my bracer. It pulled and jerked, causing my wound to flare with pain.
Eldwin? Sion’s voice filled my mind.
I mentally closed off the bond so I could focus. I clenched my right hand into a fist and struck the cat in the head. The blow sent pain shooting through my numb fingers, and I cried out involuntarily. The animal seemed surprised that I fought back. I punched it again. And again. The fourth blow made the cat release my arm. It leaped off of me and bounded away, traveling up the mountainside.
My entire was body was shivering now, but I wasn’t sure if it was from the cold. The cat had nearly ripped my arm from the socket. I struggled to my feet and saw fresh blood had stained the snow. The bandage that covered my wound was soiled. Muttering under my breath, I retrieved my sword and wrapped the belt around my waist. I incessantly looked to where the cat had fled, but it didn’t return.
I continued along the trail that sloped up toward the plateau. My teeth chattered uncontrollably, despite my attempt to clench my jaw shut, and the cold seeped into every part of my being. The cloak did little to warm me, and eventually, I quit trying to keep myself wrapped up in it.
The natural path crested a hill, and I thought I glimpsed the walls of Valgaard before my legs gave out on me. I staggered and fell, face-planting into a mound of snow. My mind had told my arms to break my fall, but they had refused to obey. I didn’t both trying to get up. Everything hurt. Every muscle begged for rest. I knew I was almost there, but I convinced myself that a short break would help. That was the last coherent thought before everything went dark.
I became aware that I was moving. Or rather, someone was moving me. I forced my eyes open. Through blurred vision, I saw that someone tall and muscular was lifting me from the snow. His armor was made of leather and covered with fur, which felt warm against my face as he easily tossed me over his shoulder. I flitted in and out of consciousness until something pungent filled my nose.
“Oh, gods,” I mumbled, turning my head away from the smell.
“He lives,” a deep voice said. “Tell Master Hrodin.”
I heard footsteps as someone left, followed by a door closing.
“Can you hear me?” the voice asked.
“Yes,” I replied, cracking my eyes open. A familiar face stared down at me, though I couldn’t remember his name. It seemed an eternity had passed since I’d last seen him. “I’m Eldwin.”
“I remember,” the man replied. “I am Kell.”
Kell. That’s what it was.
“I need help.” I sat up with a groan, every inch of my body screaming at me to stay down.
“You are safe,” Kell said. “Where are the dragons? I saw two before they disappeared in the storm.”
“That’s why I need help. My friend’s dragon got ill and fell. He’s unconscious, and my friend is hurt. We need to help them before they freeze to death.”
“Be still,” Kell admonished. “You’ll open the wound again.”
I glanced around and noticed we were in a small chamber that appeared to serve as an infirmary. It was clean, but it seemed unused. The door opened and another man entered, but it wasn’t Hrodin. He ignored me and spoke to Kell in another language. Kell responded, and the man left again.
“What was that about?” I asked.
“He said Master Hrodin and Skarmundr are going down to get your friend.”
“I need to go with him.” I tried to slide off the table I was on, but Kell stopped me.
“You need to rest,” he said. “Master Hrodin will take care of them.”
I wanted to be stubborn and argue, but my exhaustion stole what little energy I had left. I nodded and laid back down, intending to rest my muscles. Although the table wasn’t comfortable, I ended up dozing off. My eyes snapped open when I heard the door open again, and this time it was Hrodin who entered. He was carrying Maren, and he set her down on a table across from me.
“Check her leg,” he ordered Kell.
Kell walked over to Maren and touched her injured leg in various spots. Maren winced a few times, but otherwise, she kept a stoic expression on her face.
“It’s not broken,” Kell confirmed.
“That’s good news,” I said. “What of our dragons? Where are they?”
“They are in the stable,” Hrodin answered. “Skarmundr had to carry the green one.”
Hrodin was a big man, standing nearly seven feet in height. He wore a steel breastplate decorated with the head of a dragon, and a thick black wolf’s pelt draped his shoulder, stretching down to his ankles. The men of Valgaard were monstrous in size compared to the men of Osnen, and they were made of hardier stuff. I couldn’t imagine living in Valgaard with the constant snow and bone-chilling cold weather.
“I assume you both are here for a reason,” Hrodin said. “We will talk tonight at the feast.”
“A feast?” Kell asked, an edge of excitement in his tone.
“Yes. The feast is in honor of our guests, heroes of the battle against the False King.”
“We are honored,” Maren said.
“Show them to the guest quarters,” Hrodin said to Kell. “Use the hot baths and get some rest. Our feasts last long into the night.”
“Thank you, Master Hrodin,” I said.
He nodded, then left us with Kell. The big man smiled. “I love feasts. Come, I will show you to your room. Can you walk?” he asked Maren.
“I can try,” Maren replied. She rose from the table and paused briefly before putting her weight on her injured leg. Her limb tremored and she leaned against the table. “I don’t think it’s wise just yet.”
“No matter,” Kell said. “I can carry you.”
I slid off my table with the intent of offering to carry her instead, but I quickly realized there was no way I was going to be able to in my current state. Before Maren could argue, Kell scooped her up and carried her to the door. He glanced over his shoulder at me, and I followed after him.
“Do I need to carry you also?” Kell asked.
Maren giggled.
“No, thank you,” I replied. “I can manage.”
I opened the door, and Kell led the way out, navigating us along the hallways to a stairway that led up to the second floor of the school. There were two wings, one to the left and the right. Kell took us down the right wing, all the way to the last door. Our time here previously was a bit muddled in my head, and I couldn’t remember what rooms we’d stayed in.
Kell shifted Maren to one arm and pushed the door open with the other, then stepped inside and set Maren down on the edge of the bed.
“The bathing chamber is at the other wing,” Kell said. “The students cleaned the tubs and refilled them earlier, so you can enjoy them in peace. I’ll come and get you when the feast is ready.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Kell left, closing the door behind him. I sat beside Maren on the bed and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear.
