Chapter 246 - Burning of the Everflame

Some issues with Patreon this weekend that prevented me from posting. It looks like it's fixed now, so hopefully this chapter goes live!

Against the recommendation of the healing house, Hump left their care early, preferring to return to Vamir’s instead. Celaine had them stop to collect lunch from a street vendor selling soup, and the hot meal went a long way to help Hump’s condition. Essence overuse was still a debilitating issue for him, but at least if he didn’t take it too far his recovery was fairly swift. He reckoned another day or two of rest and he’d be back to his usual form.

It was on their way back that they heard shouts from the market. Hump turned to see the peak of the Temple of the Everflame erupt with green flame, blazing brightly at the very top of the pyramid. This was his second time witnessing the burning of the flame—he wondered if the signal had gone up when the lich had attacked Celaine.

“What does it mean?” Hump asked.

Celaine didn’t answer immediately. She stared at the fire, her face turning pale.

“Celaine?”

“That’s the fire of death,” she said. “A dragon keeper has fallen.”

Word trickled out in the hours before the council meeting, spreading throughout Drakalyn. A team of dragon keepers were tasked with guard duty at Fire Pass at all times, ensuring the lich’s forces did not leave the Charred Heights Mountains unnoticed. The team had been ambushed—a keeper and their dragon both killed. Celaine had asked around, but she’d been unable to find additional details, and Finnian wasn’t around to speak to.

It was a bad day. Hump spent his time with Nisha, the hours passing slowly as he waited for the meeting that evening. He realised he had a choice to make. If the lich’s target was Drakalyn, did he remain and fight? The decision would not be difficult if not for the fact that he didn’t understand why Owalyn allowed the lich to pose a threat in the first place. She was a goddess—how could this lich possibly stand against her? That question was certainly a concern.

When the hour of the council finally arrived, he left Nisha at home with Walt. The spirit would keep her entertained until he returned.

The council was held in a large domed building near the market square. Standing before it, the Temple of the Everflame lined up perfectly with its centre, along with the Great Tree towering overhead beyond it. He gazed up at its mighty branches and wondered what Owalyn must think about a direct attack against her people. Perhaps they’d find out today. His eyes shifted down to the Everflame, still burning with the green fire of death.

As they crested hill, a fury of dragons came into view. More than two dozen were gathered outside the halls, lounging on a large area of grassland. Seeing so many of the giant beasts in one place was breathtaking.

“Look who found his way out of bed,” Kelec said, approaching Hump with a smile and shaking his hand. “Good to see you, Hump. We were worried about you.”

“I told you he was fine,” Eva said.

They stood with Vamir and his other dragon blooded, forming a group outside the Council Hall.

Hump smiled back. “I’m feeling much better, thanks. Bit of sleep was all I needed.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Kelec said. “I expect things will only be getting busier from here.”

They talked outside while they waited for the halls to open.

Ado approached at one point, the bear of a man towering over him and clasping a shoulder. “Good to see you, lad. We’ll have to do something about these essence overuse issues of yours. Very inconvenient.”

“You’re telling me,” Hump said, chuckling. “The curse of being a wizard.”

“Mhm, well, I’ve got some ideas that may help.”

“Oh yeah?”

He nodded, then glanced over his shoulder as someone called his name. “Talk later though. Now’s not the time.”

Hump followed the group into the halls. The building was designed like an amphitheatre; twelve rows of large stone steps created a half circle where the audience would sit, facing a raised dais at the front of the room. The stone was intricately carved with artwork that depicted Owalyn, things of nature, and dragons. Upon it was a large wooden table, each leg formed to look like a tree, the bushy top supporting the table.

Vamir led the group to one of the middle steps where they sat on seating pads placed directly on the stone. Whispers filled the room, a quiet fury building within the domed building. Looking around, most of the hunters wore their leathers and cloaks, while the ordinary civilians of Drakalyn—if they could be called that at all—wore bright colours that stood in stark contrast to the battle gear. Around the hall, on the top step up against the walls, guards stood spaced out, carrying short spears and shields. On the front row, saved for the most important members of Drakalyn, Hump spotted Finnian alongside twelve others in the same black scaled armour of the keepers. Ado was there too, standing off to one side of the stairs rather than sitting with the others.

For the first time, Hump realised he wasn’t the centre of attention. The novelty of an outsider had lost its lustre now that a true enemy had appeared. From the whispers he overheard, one thing was clear. The people of Drakalyn were out for blood.

Only after all were seated did the Trinity of Elders make their grand entrance, making their way to the dais where they took their seats at the high table. Rena at the centre, Sulamir and Ashera to either side of her. Their ancient faces were hard as iron, giving away nothing about what they thought about the situation. The room quickly fell to silence.

Rena’s voice rang out, carrying a sense of gravitas. “Greetings you all. It is with great sorrow that I announce the passing of Bessa and Lorel. May the earth find them well.”

The same phrase was repeated all around the room, echoing throughout the theatre. Silence followed, the entire village sharing in mourning. Hump swallowed a lump in his throat as he joined. He may not have known this person, but it was enough to imagine Nisha and himself in such a situation. The panic and fear she would share through her bond in their final moments.

A minute passed when Rena addressed the keepers, her voice gentle but firm. “Dira, would you take to the floor and give your report.”

The man stepped forward, striding up to a circle of blue tiles before the high table. He had one arm in a sling and walked using a cane to support a leg. His face was bloodied with fresh wounds.

“Dira led the group,” Celaine whispered. “It was one of his party that was lost.”

Hump nodded his understanding.

Dira bowed his head. “Greetings elders. I shall keep my report brief for the sake of urgency, but to all that will listen, I will be telling the tale of Bessa and Lorel’s final moments once our council today has concluded.”

“And we will listen!” came a shout from the steps.

“Aye! The earth may have them, but we shall not forget.”

Shouts of agreement filled the room, filled with righteous anger.

Rena held up a hand to quiet the room once more. “Please continue.”

“As instructed, my party was tasked with monitoring Fire Pass,” Dira began, turning to address the assembled crowd. “We used the old fortification, Highgaze, as a foothold near the base of the mountains, and were on our way back from a patrol when we were ambushed. The lich attacked us with her magic, restricting our ability to fly. We were fought to escape but could not break free before her fiends caught us. There were simply too many.” He paused, taking a breath. “We were overwhelmed, and Lorel’s wings felled. They fell together.”

There was a long few seconds of quiet that Ashera eventually broke. “Describe this foul magic you speak of. How did the lich restrict you?”

“An orb of energy,” Dira said. “It was purple, brighter in the centre and almost black toward the outside. It dragged us inward, but we disrupted it with dragon fire. By that point, it was too late, and her fiends caught up.”

Gravity magic, Hump thought.

“How would you describe the sensation?” Ashera asked. “Was it like a tether, were you weighed down, sucked toward it, blasted with wind?”

The man frowned. “Weighed down feels most fitting, but the weight was on my spirit, not my body. The world became dull, losing much of its colour.”

Or not.

Sulamir sighed. “A spell that could effect three dragon keepers at once is indeed terrifying, particularly if it targets the spirit.”

“It makes sense though,” Ashera said. “All we know of her points to her being an expert in all things death.”

“There is still more,” Dira continued. “The lich’s army has crossed the pass and taken control of Highgaze. The fortress is lost. I come before you today in the hopes that we will finally take action against this putrid presence. The Lich Queen must be destroyed.”

Silence once again stole the room. The weight of Dira’s words hung heavily in the air.

“Thank you, Dira,” Elder Rena said. “I shall take it from here.” She addressed the room, going through details about the lich’s army, its size, and the strength of the monsters within. By the time she was finished, one thing was clear. Drakalyn was truly under threat.

“I think none here can argue that war has come to Drakalyn,” Sulamir said.

“It came long ago,” Ashera chided. “We simply failed to act decisively. But that will change now. The lich has invaded our home and spread her poison. It is do or die.”

“Which leads us on to my report,” Sulamir said. “As many of you no doubt know, the lich attacked one of our Chosen yesterday while she was part of a dungeon raid. Fortunately, she is still here and Owalyn successfully pushed the lich back.”

A low murmur ran through the theatre and Hump noticed many pointing in their direction. He kept his eyes forward, trying not to show any response to their notice.

“Working with our best shamans, I have since investigated the dungeon where it seems her influence evaded even Owalyn’s gaze.”

“How did the lich penetrate so deeply into our forest?” someone asked from the stands.

“We believe the lich is poisoning the essence spring deep underground. We do not know how, but it is likely a powerful and dark artifact. Incredibly powerful. I have been working hard alongside the other shamans to purify the dungeon area of the lich’s influence and prevent further spread, but there is nothing we can do about the essence spring.”

“What about Lady Owalyn?” Keeper Tessa asked. “Surely she can destroy it!”

“Owalyn is not answering.” Sulamir said, another round of murmurs rushing through the room. “There is a sickness to the tree. I believe she is what’s keeping the dark power at bay. Our only course of action is to follow it back to its source and destroy it. The threat posed to Drakalyn by the Lich Queen of Estora only increased with every passing day.”

Solemn silence held the room. Each person tense, their breath short, their eyes focused.

“With Lady Owalyn occupied, we have already sent word to Yunillia,” Ashera said. “She and the other keepers will be returning.”

It was a name Hump recognised. The leader of Drakalyn’s dragon keepers, and the most powerful of Owalyn’s Chosen.

“Until then, we will be relying on our dragon blooded,” Rena said. “Our defences must be raised, the lost fortresses and temples reclaimed, and the full power of Drakalyn put on display. We prepare for war. Come the summer solstice, when the day is at its longest, we shall reclaim what is ours and rid our lands of this wickedness.”

There were no questions. No shared looks of fear or panic at what was approaching. Even with the threat of war, the people of Drakalyn did not back down. They were born with dragons, raised with dragon blood, and destined not to be prey, but hunters.

“Prepare for your orders,” Elder Rena said.

Shouts of agreement and cheers went up around the room. Hump’s heart pounded. One month, and they would go to war with a lich that could threaten a god.

“Might I make one more suggestion before we end things,” Ado said, interrupting everyone. All eyes turned to him. “Wizard Humphrey proved himself a powerful asset in the previous conflict, and there is still much more he has to offer. I believe he should be given a chance to take the second trial.”

Ashera scowled. “Surely there are more important matters than the outsider.”

“Of course, but that does not make it unimportant. Do not forget, the lich’s assault on Celaine was unsuccessful thanks not only to Owalyn, but to him. He resisted her, he knows much of magic that we do not, and he has a strength we need right now.”

“What trial do you suggest?” Rena said.

“The Trial of Resolve.”

Hump took a breath as he felt the eyes of everyone back on him. He looked at Ashera, expecting protest, yet her face was a mask.

“I second the recommendation,” Finnian said, standing from his seat at the front. “As much as it pains me to say it, Wizard Humphrey will be a useful ally in the coming battle.”

“Shit,” Celaine said.

“What’s wrong?” Hump whispered. “What’s the Trial of Resolve?”

“Dragon blood,” Ado said, staring up at Hump from the area below. “I intend to make you one of our dragon blooded.”

It suddenly hit Hump. This was what Ado meant when he said he would solve his essence overuse issue.

“And why is Celaine concerned?” Hump asked.

Ado shrugged. “It’s painful.”

“Don’t you all go through it?”

“Over many years as children, yes,” Celaine said. “As a gradual transformation, we barely notice the discomfort. To undergo that change all at once… it’s going to hurt. A lot.”

“Oh,” Hump said.

“What do you say, Wizard?” Elder Rena asked. “Will you accept this trial?”

Hump considered it. Celaine had almost died already, and Nishari was at constant risk. Ado had been right, he needed to be both physically stronger, and more resistant to essence overuse. He wouldn’t be suggesting this if the man didn’t think Hump could handle it… theoretically. Hump remembered what he’d spoken to Owalyn about. His goals, and what he truly wanted.

Once more, the decision as to whether he remained in Drakalyn or he fled returned. In truth, he never doubted the answer. If Celaine remained, he would not abandon her. He would fight. Perhaps even more importantly, this was the strength that he desired. There were no shortcuts to power—for strength to be gained swiftly, it came at a price.

Hump pushed back his hesitation and answered clearly. “I accept the trial.”