SWNOVELS Dragonia: Rise of the Wyverns – Chapter 38
Three ships approached Adeth Peak Isle. At first, Devarius couldn’t tell if they were friend or foe, but after a few minutes, Devarius recognized the ship they’d used to travel to the island.
“They’ve returned,” he whispered.
“It’s about bloody time … it’s been months,” Paedyn said.
“It looks like they’ve been busy.”
They watched as the three ships anchored and began to unload. Hundreds of men departed the vessels, along with herds of livestock and bundles of lumber.
Captain Tynaer strode forward, his hand out. Devarius grabbed it tightly, and the two shook. Both men wore a grin on their face.
“I’m sorry it took longer than I suspected, but once I explained everything to Ellisar, he was eager to set up a fortress over here.”
Devarius glanced at the men and women unloading the ships. “How many did you bring?”
Tynaer frowned. “Twelve hundred men and women, and six hundred livestock. We also brought as many trees as we could to help build.”
“Twelve hundred? You already left four hundred men here. I don’t know if there are even that many wyverns,” Devarius said.
“They’re not all to become riders. We brought blacksmiths, woodworkers, seamstresses, farmers, cattleworkers, and all sorts of other craftsmen. We’re not just here to become wyvernriders, we’re here to build the Resistance.”
Devarius’s brows furrowed. “With sixteen hundred men here, what does that leave the Resistance in the mountains with?”
Tynaer pressed his lips together tightly. “Less than three thousand, with less than half actual warriors.”
Devarius’s eyes bulged. “Isn’t it dangerous to split us so thin? What if the empire finds Saefron?”
“I’ve already tried to argue that point with Ellisar, but he refused to listen. He insisted that it is important for us to build here, train with the wyverns, and create a strong fortress. He believes Saefron will stay hidden, as it has for the last seventy years.”
Devarius’s eyebrows rose. “Seventy years?”
Tynaer nodded. “The Resistance have been building for a long time. However, until now, we haven’t been strong enough to even think about facing the empire. That’s why Ellisar is so adamant on training these wyverns. This is our chance.”
“Still,” Devarius whispered. “I don’t like it. We’re not split by a few miles. We’re on the opposite side of the continent.”
“I know,” Tynaer said.
“If what we’re doing here is so important … why don’t we move everyone here?”
“I agree … and Ellisar is considering it, but there are a few issues with that.”
“What issues?”
“This island is small. It is full of mountains … and who knows if any of these are volcanoes. Also, there lies the question … is there room for all of us here?”
Devarius glanced around and realized how tight their camp was going to get with the twelve hundred additional people and the extra livestock. “It will be tight …”
“Exactly, and the most important reason for Ellisar is accommodations. Saefron has buildings. It has homes. Here, there is nothing … only open sky.”
“So, we build,” Devarius said.
Tynaer nodded. “Yes … we build.” He gestured to the lumber being offloaded from the ship.
Devarius nodded, understanding why Tynaer brought so much lumber and so many woodworkers. He hoped to build a city, a city good enough to welcome the rest of Saefron.
“So, while I’ve been away gathering men, livestock, and building materials … what have you been up to over here? Keeping everyone in shape, I trust?”
Devarius grinned. “Your men are well trained. I don’t need to get onto them too often to keep up with their training.”
Tynaer tilted his head. “With that earsplitting grin of yours … it makes me believe you’ve been up to more than just training my men.”
“Yes … and I insist you get those leatherworkers hard at work making saddles. We’re going to need them.”
Tynaer raised his eyebrows.
“It’s a little difficult to explain. Come … follow me. This is something I’m going to have to show you.”
Tynaer tilted his head.
Devarius pressed his lips together with a smile as he walked away. Tynaer quickly fell in by his side. They walked from the camp toward the mountain, well away from all the people. Ayla flew in the sky ahead of them. When she saw Devarius approaching, she changed directions and landed in front of them.
“Wow … she’s grown.”
Devarius smiled. Ayla, who only a few months ago had been the size of a medium dog when Tynaer had left, was now the size of a medium horse.
Ayla bowed to Tynaer. He reached out and stroked the top of her nose. “Incredible,” he whispered.
“Ayla, can you ask one of each wyvern to come to me to demonstrate their abilities for Captain Tynaer?”
Ayla’s head sprung up and she nodded eagerly. She leapt into the air and flew away.
“Abilities?” Tynaer asked.
Devarius laughed softly. “Just watch.”
After a few minutes, six wyverns descended from the sky to land in front of them.
“Are you telling me each of these six wyverns have different abilities?”
“Watch,” Devarius repeated.
Devarius reached down and grabbed six medium stones from the ground. First, he stepped next to the red wyvern, stroked its nose, then threw the rock high into the air. He stepped back. When the rock began to drop, the wyvern opened its mouth and a reddish-orange flame blazed from its throat to disintegrate the rock.
Tynaer nodded. “I’ve heard the dragons have fire.”
Devarius beamed at Tynaer as he approached the blue wyvern. Again, like the last, he stroked the wyvern’s nose in greeting. He threw the rock. The wyvern watched as it ascended into the sky. It opened its jaws, and blue ice flashed from its mouth. When it struck the rock, it became encased in several layers of ice and fell to the ground. When it hit, the rock shattered into hundreds of pieces.
Tynaer’s eyes bulged.
The smile left Devarius’s face as he approached the third wyvern. He stroked the purple wyvern’s nose and threw another rock. The creature waited until the rock began to fall, then it opened its mouth and blew. Air from its mouth swirled like hurricane winds. When the wyvern’s breath struck the rock, it thrust it forward. The rock soared even further into the sky until it couldn’t be seen anymore.
Tynaer’s jaw dropped.
“I’m calling it a wind wyvern.”
Devarius moved to the fourth wyvern, a beautiful gold creature. He threw the rock. A bolt of lightning flashed from the wyvern’s mouth. When it struck the rock, it obliterated the object into a thousand pieces. Thunder erupted in the air.
Devarius opened his mouth, about to say something to explain, but he shrugged and moved to the next wyvern. A magnificent green wyvern looked down at him. He stroked the creature’s nose and threw a rock. Green acid projected from the creature’s mouth. As it covered the rock, it began to corrode away as it tumbled to the earth.
Devarius shrugged his shoulders. “Acid wyvern. Think of the deadliest acid from a snake, and times it by a thousand.”
He walked to the last wyvern, a glistening silver beast a little smaller than the others. Devarius grinned at the wyvern and scratched its nose a little longer than he had the others.
“This one is different.” He turned to look at Tynaer. “It doesn’t have any special elements to spew from its mouth, but it has a very special ability.”
Devarius launched the rock into the air. It crept upward, and as it began its arch downward, the wyvern sprang into the air, flapping its wings. They watched as it neared the stone. Before it drove itself into the rock, its body transformed from silver scales to hard silver metal. When the metallic wyvern hit the rock, it shattered.
Tynaer’s jaw dropped as far as it could. “And what do you call that?”
“I’m not sure. Steel wyvern?”
“How exactly does it work?” Tynaer asked.
“The rest of them have this oil gland that looks a lot like our uvula, which has a small hole in the bottom. They can excrete a type of liquid, or oil in some cases, and then when it mixes with their breath, it either becomes ice, fire, acid, or lightning. The purple wyvern is a little different, too. I don’t know how it creates such a strong wind.”
“And this wyvern?”
“The steel wyvern? I have no idea. This one I haven’t been able to figure out yet … but I like it.”
“Me too.”
Devarius motioned to the wyverns, inviting them to leave. Each one flew off into the sky. A crowd had formed nearby, watching as the wyverns left, many had come to see the wyvern’s gifts. When the wyverns flew away, the men and women left as well, leaving Devarius and Tynaer alone. Devarius reached into his pack and brought out four jars, each one six inches tall and as wide as the palm of his hand.
“What are those?” Tynaer asked.
“These are the oil—or acid—that the wyverns produce from their uvula. I’ve tested a few of them, but like cattle, we can ‘milk’ them in a sense, to gather the oils they produce. They replenish them rather quickly.”
“What do you propose we do with their … milk?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’ve only studied them briefly … and I’m no alchemist. However, the orange translucent liquid is from the red wyvern, and it is extremely flammable. A few drops can create a large camp-sized fire. A small puddle … well, my eyebrows are still growing back.”
Tynaer raised a brow while squinching his lips.
“This jar”—he pointed to the jar with a light blue liquid inside—“is from the blue wyvern. It burns to the touch … instantly giving you frostbite. I’ve also tested it on other things as well. It instantly freezes anything it touches, provided you use enough of it. A drop will freeze an insect inside of ice for hours … all harmless to the little bug, because when the ice breaks away, it is still alive and well. It takes a few drops to completely freeze a squirrel, but it’s the same concept.”
“Squirrel?” Tynaer asked.
Devarius shrugged. “There is some wildlife in the mountains, though very little. Mostly small critters, but Ayla caught this squirrel for me.”
“What do the wyverns eat?”
“Fish.”
“I hope they don’t eat our livestock … we’ll need them to survive.”
“I’ll ask Ayla to explain that to the other wyverns.”
Tynaer nodded.
Devarius pointed to the third jar. It was full of a bubbling green liquid. “This is from the green wyvern. It’s the same acid it spits from its mouth, though it seems to be stronger since it isn’t mixed with the air from its exhalations, which makes it spread out in more of a mist.”
“Let me guess … it can eat through things.”
“Everything I’ve tried it on except glass.”
“Interesting,” Tynaer said. “And the last … the yellow ooze?”
“That’s from the gold wyvern. It’s … I don’t know. Liquid lightning? If such a thing exists. A drop will make a bug look like it’s been zapped with lightning. I don’t know exactly how it works, but I wouldn’t touch it with your bare hands. In fact … I wouldn’t touch any of this with your bare hands.”
“I see. What are you planning to do with all of it?”
“I don’t know. As I said, I’m not an alchemist. However, I believe it is a good idea to collect it. We may come up with some ideas on how to use these oils and acids against the Dragonia Empire.”
“I agree.” Tynaer sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
“As if we don’t have enough things to do, now we need to collect sand and gather some glassworkers to create more jars.”
Devarius laughed.