Axe of Fate: Crimsonseas

Axe of Fate: Crimsonseas

By Jeffrey Thompson

Copyright © 2016 Jeffrey Thompson

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Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Connect with the Author

Chapter One

Amid the intensity of the snow filled gusts of wind, a lady stands in front of the collapsed remains of what was once her prized Cavern of Plague. As she chants boldly with her arms outstretched against the winds fury; her black cloak dances wildly behind her. A faint green glow slowly pulsates around her hands.

For three days I have listened to you mumble into these winds, a callous voice mocks from behind her.

Enraged by the interruption, she spins around to see a tall, thinly framed, grey skinned demon with red-orange eyes standing knee deep in a snow mound.

And once again, as could have been predicted, the great Dark Mother has nothing to show for it, the demon finishes with a smirk.

Your rude interruption will cost you dearly, she hisses, producing lightly bladed demon wings from her back.

The demon laughs stepping out from the snow towards her. Excuse the laughter, but I cannot seem to be concerned; as you have yet to be able to deliver upon any of your threats. Perhaps, you could with the aid of your army of demons? Oh wait, they're busy waging a pointless war against Shaeness.

She launches a glowing green orb of energy at him.

The demon catches the orb, and then squeezes it with both hands until it is out of existence. You're playing out of your league here. If I were you, and I'm glad that I am not; I would seriously consider an escape plan, he states coldly. Let me be very clear. You are not worth my effort. Leave now; go muster your strength and your demons so that I might be able to have some kind of a challenge from you.

For a short moment, she stands glaring at him.

I realize that your senses are slow, but I won't say it again before I merely wipe you out of existence like your pathetic little energy ball, he says, his tone grows more intensely hostile with each syllable.

Despite her growing hate filled anger, she leaps into one of the many shadows and vanishes; allowing her instinct for self-preservation to win out.

Perhaps the smartest move you've made since you willingly entered these snow plains, the demon states into the wind.

He walks towards the collapsed cavern assessing every detail. He scales the steep incline of the ruined collapsed cavern to its pentacle. He stalks, following the difficult to detect subtle signs of the cavern's collapsed interior. Locating a slightly deeper sunken spot in the snow; he carefully surveys the area. Slowly he paces around the sunken area, making his mental calculations. Stepping with a long singular stride into the sunken area, he begins to chant.

No, a sickly greenish colored dragon screams, swooping at him from the grey overcast wintery sky.

The demon easily dodges the assault, skillfully rolling to his feet and then catching the dragon on its side with a red-orange ball of electric energy.

The dragon crashes down into the ground and tumbles to a halt, flinging snow into the air.

You have never learned the technique of how to cut your losses, Dark Mother, the demon states angrily leaping down from the top of the cavern. While you are still in no way really worth my efforts, he explains as energy begins pulsing through his veins, now you have made this a matter of principal.

Wait, another voice breaks into the conflict over the noise of the wind. You told me that she would be given the opportunity to join us.

Solartin, the dragon hisses her displeasure in seeing him; but doesn't plan on wasting the distraction of the demon's attention. She leaps, striking at the demon with claw and bladed demon wings.

The demon artfully deflects her amateur attacks and moves in delivering an openhanded punch into the sternum of her dragon form. The blow sends her tumbling backward through the air. She slams back to the ground, the force of which drives her deep into the packed snow.

I think we're beyond that now, he states punching the ground.

A bolt of energy zips through the snow and erupts up and through Solartin.

Solartin is somersaulted by the blast and buried into a nearby snow dune.

Even after her betrayal of blades through the back of what she actually believed was you, the demon starts as he walks towards the snow dune, you are still willing to interrupt my justified aggression to remind me of a statement I made in a feeble attempt to save her. I wonder if I have overestimated your usefulness to me.

Solartin struggles to get to his feet, from both the inflicted damage from the erupting bolt and the giving way of the snow beneath him.

Need some help up? the demon asks rhetorically, delivering a well-placed kick through the snow dune.

Solartin is sent flipping across the snow plain; coming to a halt only after crashing into the Dark Mother's dragon form as she climbs free of the snow pack.

This is far from over, the Dark Mother hisses, hastily fleeing the scene through the shadows.

Know that I intend to kill her, the demon states looking directly into Solartin's eyes. You have the choice of inclusion in her fate or to go your own way. However, it would be wise of you not to be in my presence.

Solartin takes that as his cue; he musters his strength and takes to the air.

How disappointing, the demon comments watching Solartin's silhouette disappear into the distance, he was showing such promise. However, back to the business at hand, he says redirecting his attention to the slightly more sunken area of snow atop the collapsed cavern.

And what is next? a growling whispering voice barely audible above the wind questions.

I have every contingency planned for, my master, the demon whispers back falling to one knee.

That I do not question, the voice reaffirms. However, we do not have the luxury of decades or perhaps years for schemes to develop.

The years, my master, the demon answers with his head bowed and wings spread out across the snowy ground in front of him, have past. Now we have come to the eleventh hour. For soon I will have everything in place. Forgive my vagueness master, but even the winds can betray us.

You have my confidence in your ability, the growling voice says fading away into the winds.

The demon realizes the pressure he is under in this endeavor; however, his master Conath ensures he knows it with these unexpected verbal visitations. The demon quickly ascends the slope once again and takes up his previous position; before he was interrupted. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath and stretches his arms and wings as far upward as he can. Exhaling he brings his arms and wings down around him. Then again he stretches upward, inhaling deeply. He then exhales bringing his arms and wings down only to shoulder level and chanting a few inaudible words. A brilliant red-orange energy begins to sparks and dance like electricity about his body and wings. Inhaling his body swells as he stretches outward. His thin frame transforms into a highly muscular physique, and his wings double in size with blades adorning them along their length. Again he utters a few inaudible words and the energy magnifies tenfold. He keeps repeating the chant and as the energy continues to grow; until the wind no longer touches him and the snow around him begins to melt. He begins to sink into the packed snow. He then gives out an ear piercing high pitched scream, and thrusts his arms deep into the snow below him. His body shrinks as he begins releasing every ounce of the energy into the ground.

The ground erupts in a spectacular upheaval of snow, rock, and other charged debris and he continues to release the red-orange energy. The explosion turns into an eruption. The intensity becomes so great that he is launched with great velocity into the air. He achieves an impressive altitude before gravity wins out pulling him back to the ground.

His thin frame crashes into the snow like a small meteor.

The energy surges deep into the ground. It breaks through to an open area where five dragons lie. The energy erupts into their chamber, sending swirling crystalline shards of the cavern walls throughout the space. The energized shards pierce through the tough hides of the dragons and fuses into the dragons' bodies.

Ostisis, the demon's voice thunders, come forth and bring your brood of Plague Dragons.

The echoing roars of dragons trumpet from depths of the cavern. A large black scaled, gold plated dragon leaps from the formed pit. He stands stretching his wings, as four more dragons make their way out of the hole. There is a grey, a pale blue, and two lemon yellow dragons now standing beside Ostisis, stretching their wings as well.

This is all? the demon questions in obvious disappointment. Is this all the dragons she put in the cavern? He asks again, frustration seeping into his words.

It seems that you gave her too much credit in undertaking this experiment, Ostisis answers. While she was aware of the experiment; she knew very little of the need for preparation and conditioning. So this is all that survived, Ostsisis answers.

Did she not bother to read the text left in Nyherhurst completely before such an undertaking? the demon inquires. Of course, she didn't. She's too impulsive. Not at all one to set forth a good viable plan, he vents. Then I assume she failed to provide the proper amount of nourishment?

Not nearly enough, Ostisis asserts.

You will have two objectives then, the demon begins. Take your Plague Dragons to the island of Kypheri. There you will find the dragon trainers. They will them training while also proper nourishment to compensate for the lax in the cavern. Prepare them as quickly as you can.

Aren't you the least bit interested in our names? the pale blue dragon asks.

And what is your name? the demon answers with a question of his own.

Xontia, the pale blue dragon answers proudly.

Then let me ask you this Xontia. Is it the deformity of your left front claw that makes you feel inadequate, or is the fact that you are the only female among four males that drives you to feel the need to be more aggressive in your attempts to be noticed? the demon's question cut through her like a knife. You will learn that there are times that the best thing is not to be noticed. But congratulations, you are noticed, the demon states, as his image fades away.

Kind of rude, Xontia states more than asks.

I'm just glad he left when he did. I would have hated to lose you before you could do any real flying, Ostisis states, leaping and flapping his large powerful wings as he takes to the air.

Like children chasing their father to play, the young dragons run and jump into the air after him.

***

For three days Karvian sets upon the helm of the ship staring at the axe stuck into the deck; behind the captain's wheel. No one has boarded the vessel since their arrival. Although many have gathered at the docks waiting to see what will happen next.

Gaster, an obviously irritated official looking soldier says staring at the ship, you know that when the other ships return, this one is scheduled to go out?

That is the plan, a plainly dressed, stoutly framed, older man replies.

Then you also realize that we need to get her ready?

Yes I do, Thomar Gaster answers taking his eyes away from the ship. Go get her ready. Just, stay away from the helm, he tells Thomar patting him on the shoulder.

Sighing and giving Gaster a look of frustration, Thomar begins giving the men orders to prepare the ship, but not to approach the helm.

The men gather about the gangplank and toss looks one to the other; none of them too eager to be the first to board the ship.

The supplies won't carry themselves up there, Thomar yells to the men to prompt them into action.

You want them to see you as a leader? Gaster questions as he begins walking down the docks, then you must take the lead.

The men part way so as to give Gaster room to pass through them.

Come, let's get those supplies where they belong, he tells the men and then starts up the gangplank.

The men quickly pick up whatever is near them, so that Gaster does not get too far ahead of them.

Stepping onto the deck, Gaster looks to the helm for any signs of movement.

It's fine, Gaster says behind him, remember to stay away from the helm.

The men work throughout the day all around the ship; up the masts, down into the galley, and all along the main deck. None of them, however, go near the helm, per their instructions. Although the whispering amongst themselves of how it is just one man sitting and staring at an Axe, begins.

The sun begins its descent for the day when Gaster decides that the silent stalemate has lasted long enough, not to mention the seeds of rumors that have started to be sown. He ascends the stairs to the helm. Gaster moves three steps away from the stairs, along the railing; being sure to keep his distance from the man and the Axe.

It is customary to announce yourself before boarding a captain's ship, Gaster says to Karvian sitting against the rear railing.

My apologies, Karvian comments tilting his head slightly as he gives