The Seven Seals: Dragon Crusade

The door clanked shut behind them, letting out a resonating echo through the dank dungeon. Kirith held up the glowing crystal necklace to see further down the passageway. The blue tinted light illuminated an old stone tunnel before them with cells on either side. Muck filled puddles lay ever still, evident none had been touched in many years.

Kate shivered as a chill ran up her spine. The place smelled of decay and rot. She could just taste the musty air on her tongue. If there really were ghosts there, Kate hoped they would at least be somewhat friendly...though that seemed unlikely since they had been stuck here for who knows how long. “So...do you have any idea where we’re supposed to go?” she asked.

Kirith squinted at the dark tunnel beyond. “No idea. And this place really doesn’t look promising,” he admitted, giving a quick glance towards an armored skeleton propped up against a wall. “Well, like Earidon said, if we’re quiet enough, the spirits won’t notice us.”

Kate looked away from the skeleton, wincing in disgust. It felt as if her stomach was turning inside her and she was just about to retch! But Kate held the bile back and swallowed hard. She nodded and stepped closer to his side, massaging her forearm. “R-right,” Kate said.

The both of them tentatively began to walk down the hall, deeper into the tunnel. The silence was unsettling. It felt as if at any given moment, something would lunge from the shadows and attack. But nothing did, which caused the paranoia to grow. Even the slightest drop of water made them almost jump.

The shadows around them seemed to close in on them as they walked. Kate gripped the end of her jacket sleeve. This was like a horror movie brought to life. It never occurred to her that this partially made up her fear for the unknown; the uncomfortable silence, which lead to her mind playing tricks with her, the creeping shadows that lead into an abyss of empty darkness. Kate felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as possible scenarios flooded her consciousness. No, don’t think about it, she thought. Maybe the story of the wizard and the ghosts was a parable, something to keep anyone out. But if that were so, why would Earidon tell them? Kate felt her body slowly break into a cold sweat as her heart pounded in her chest. She needed to keep this off her mind.

Kate glanced towards Kirith who had quite a grim look on his face. “So...what do you think will happen to Earidon?” She tried desperately not to sound afraid.

Kirith swallowed. “I’m not sure...” he whispered, his mind still lost in the fear of the darkness. “We can only hope that he escapes in one piece.”

“The sorcerer— ah— Shangorn, do you think he’s here?” Kate murmured.

Kirith bit his lip and paused for a moment. “Maybe,” he finally answered.

The two Seals turned a corner and passed through into another tunnel. The further they went, the more aged and crumbled the dungeons became. But this particular hall seemed to very much strike their nerves. Skeletons of previous Baldorian guards and prisoners were strewn here and there, some in piles. No one had even bothered to return to gather the deceased, all the more leading to the idea that the tales of the sorceress were true.

Kate clamped a hand over her mouth to hold back the bile rising through her throat. She was practically clinging to Kirith’s arm at this point. Kirith didn’t even mind at all. He was just as shocked as she was. Kirith had to admit; having the strain of someone latching to his arm was comforting in such a place as this.

Up ahead, something glinted in the shadows to the right. The light of the Althrist stone touched it and revealed something unexpected. A transparent glowing form of a man was hunched over in a small concave like area. He wore ragged clothing and had a balding spot atop his afflicted head. The man—or ghost was weeping; it was a surprise that they didn’t hear him from afar.

“Why me...why me? When will this darkness come to an end…?” the ghost wailed. As he continued to cry, the air around them grew colder and colder.

Kirith and Kate stood frozen in fear, not knowing at all what to do. It appeared that this phantom being hadn’t noticed them yet. The both of them felt the dark and foreboding atmosphere enclose them like a cocoon. It was a while before one of them spoke.

“Move very slowly...” Kirith whispered into her ear.

Kate nodded shakily.

A minute passed before Kirith took a step forward. Kate quickly caught on and followed after him, keeping close to his side.

The ghost continued to cry sorrowfully. “They locked me up here...selfish pigs...they did this to me!”

Kate tried to block out any sound, but the rapid hammering of her heart made moving smoothly difficult. They were getting closer, closer to the archway leading into another long tunnel. Only several more paces and they might just be able to relax…

Crack! Something crunched beneath Kate’s foot. She froze stick still as the sound resonated through the tunnel and smack dab into her head. Kate slowly looked down to see one of her shoes crushing a crumbled bone. Everything around her began to fall as she awaited the inevitable.

The cries of the ghost had stopped, leaving them in dead silence. Kate looked back up to meet Kirith’s horrified gaze.

“I told you to stay quiet!” he whispered through clenched teeth.

“Well nobodies perfect are they?!?!” Kate hissed.

From behind, there was a low inhuman growl. Kirith and Kate slowly looked around to the ghost.

The phantom slowly rose into a standing position. It looked around towards them as its face contorted and knotted in rage. It let out a ghastly moaning roar that bounced right off of the walls. Soon, more followed with it. It was a cacophony of voices that made their ears ring. The air grew an icy cold as forms of what looked to be ghosts seeped through the walls and from the shadows. They were not pleased with the presence of others.

Kirith looked to Kate. “Run!”

And the two were off in a bolt in the direction they had been heading. The enraged souls followed after like a speeding wave ready to crash on the shore. Their angered cries reached out to them, clawing and begging to devour. Kate didn’t even bother to look back. All she could think about was running away. Her heart beat methodically within her chest as she gave in every ounce of strength.

Minutes passed, and the two Seals had no source of direction. Kate felt every muscle in her body burn and scream for her to stop. Her legs ached in pain from the amount of sprinting. Were they getting anywhere with this? Would they even escape the wrath of these spirits?

The light of Kirith’s crystal danced across the walls, causing everything to look distorted. But Kate caught sight of a spirit standing there ahead of them, waiting for them. Kate screeched to a halt and, on impulse, grabbed the back of Kirith’s collar and yanked him back. Kirith nearly fell to the floor, but he quickly regained his composure.

“We’re surrounded!” Kate exclaimed frantically.

Kirith looked back at the angry mob of ghosts heading right towards them. He looked around when his gaze landed on a narrowed hall with a door hanging off its hinges. “There!” Kirith pointed out. They both ran right inside. Some of the ghosts screeched madly and clawed at the walls just to get in.

They easily ran through the hall and passed an opening. Kirith came to a sudden stop as Kate ran right into him. She suddenly realized why he had stopped. A railing separated them from a rapid water system before them. The river lead down a long tunnel that opened up to the source of light beyond.

“Our only escape,” Kirith said, stuffing his necklace into his shirt and climbing over the railing.

Kate furrowed her brow and gripped the railing shakily. “W-wait we can’t jump in there, that water is rapid!” she stammered.

“Got any better ideas?!” Kirith snapped and lunged into the water, disappearing under the tumult.

From behind, the enraged screams of the ghosts became more apparent. Kate nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound. On instinct, Kate climbed over the railing and dove straight into the water. Everything around her became submerged. Upon impact, she lost all sense of control as she was tossed forward in the water by the current. What breath she did have was forced out of her lungs. Kate didn’t bear to open her eyes to the disarray. The loss of oxygen in her lungs strained her senses and consciousness.

Fighting against the rush, Kate brought her head up above the water and took a deep breath. Blinking away droplets of water, She looked around to see that the river had led her outside into a forested area. The morning sky was visible up above as the sun was just beginning to cast its warm glow on the land.

Kate weakly swam to shore and crawled onto the rocky land. She coughed and spat up water from her throat. She took in more breathes of air, relieved to have something natural in her lungs. Then a thought came to mind. Kirith. The idea slapped Kate right out of her satisfaction and into worry. She hadn’t seen him while coming out of the tunnel.

Using what strength she had left, Kate got up shakily as her clothes clung to her body. Her gaze darted around the riverbank and on the other side. “Kirith?!?” Kate called. She called out to him several more times but there was no reply. Kate traced along the shore, careful not to trip.

Behind one of the logs that sat half in the water and half on shore had something caught in it. The back of Kirith’s collar was caught in one of the broken branches connected to the log with the current somewhat dragging him along. His eyes were closed, as he seemed to be unconscious.

“Kirith!” Kate exclaimed. She grabbed him and pulled him up to the bank. Kneeling down, Kate looked down at his unresponsive form. She tried frantically to think of something. Kate shakily set her hands on his chest and began to press and release before following with the same method over and over. “Come on, wake up! Stay with me!” she cried.

There was still no response from him. But then there was movement. Kirith shifted slightly before coughing and turning onto his side. Water escaped his lips as the blood began to flow back to his face.

Kate let out a relieved sigh. “You’re alright...” she murmured.

Kirith looked around like he had seen a ghost. “Wh-what happened?” he asked, sitting up.

“Well I saved your life,” Kate said a bit breathlessly. “You’re welcome by the way… But we escaped those ghosts back there.”

Kirith nodded slightly and flipped his wet hair back. “Thanks,” he said quietly. Standing up feebly, Kirith looked around and massaged his forehead. Kate stood up and looked towards the river. She took a clump of her ponytail and squeezed the water out. They were finally out of the godforsaken place, but where would they be heading next in their journey? Kate glanced to Kirith.

“Where to now?” she asked. “Didn’t Earidon mention someone that you knew?”

Kirith nodded. “Yeah, he did,” he replied. “And I know where to find him. Follow me.” Kirith began to walk down the riverbank on instant.

Kate hung her hands at her sides. “Well can we at least take the time to rest maybe? I mean— we just escaped an angry mob of ghosts.” She threw up her hands. “And you almost died!”

“No time to rest,” he replied. “The guards could be coming down here to see if we escaped. Now are you coming or not?”

Kate let out an irritable sigh. “Why do I have the feeling this is going to be a reoccurring thing…?” She quickly followed after him.

Though still soaking, they traced along the river, going only by the knowledge that they held. The sun had already risen into the sky and shed definite light upon their path. It was tiring, especially with the previous events that had left them fatigued. But the enemy wouldn’t wait, and the two had to move.

Kate felt branches and twigs leave petty marks on her legs as she followed Kirith at the forests edge to the river. Up ahead, she caught sight of a structure perched over the river on a cleft where the land rose; a bridge, and upon further inspection it was wide and made of wood.

“I think this leads to the road Earidon was talking about,” Kirith panted, as they got closer.

Kate’s eyes darted to left side of the bridge where there was movement. “Kirith!” She hissed quietly. “Someone’s coming over the bridge!”

Kirith caught sight of it too. “Baldorian guards, hide!” He grabbed Kate’s shoulder and pulled her down behind a thicket.

Kate shifted to make herself comfortable and watched the two guards cross the bridge.

They were both on horseback and looked to be conversing.

“I swear on the Creator’s name, Lorvawk. I saw et with me own two eyes! The Grimel boys’ mother ain’t dead...they just be hidin’ her in ‘eir home b’cause she’s a troll!” one of them exclaimed. “That wizard— or hermit locked up in tha’ ’ouse of his did it!”

“You’ve been drinking too much of that ale at the tavern,” the other said. “And even if it were true, I don’t think that troll would be able to stay in that cooped up house, it’s bad enough with those five sons living there anyways.”

“This ain’t no drunken loligaggin’! I’m tellin you, it’s the truth!”

They finally crossed the bridge, continuing on with their conversation. When they were a safe enough distance away, Kirith looked back at Kate. “Let’s go,” he said.

The two crept up the knoll quietly, keeping low to the ground. Upon reaching the road, Kirith and Kate turned left onto the bridge. Kirith gave Kate a small glance before smirking and shaking his head.

“What?” Kate asked persistently. “What’s with that look?”

Kirith ran his fingers across the bridge railin. “I don’t know. We’ve gotten this far. It feels weird but at the same time doesn’t. You get where I’m going with this?”

Kate tilted her head up to the sky. “You mean going on a perilous journey with someone you barely know?” she looked back at him. “Yeah it’s weird. Especially since I’ve never been on a journey myself in anyway...unless you count moving to another house.”

“You mean to say you’ve never ventured outside your hometown before?” Kirith asked.

“Well no I have, it’s different though. It’s usually made up of car rides— wait you don’t know what that is...” Kate searched for a better definition. “Solitary confinement until the destination is reached. And it’s nothing grand at all. You don’t get to...oh what’s the word—”

“Experience?” Kirith inserted.

“Yes! You don’t get to experience the travel, not like this,” she said. “Though it’s very convenient.”

“Well, you’re going to find that no one uses this “solitary confinement” and either just walks, rides a steed or flies.”

Kate furrowed her brow. “Flies?”

Kirith nodded, as if the idea of transport through the sky in this time period was natural. “Yeah, dragons, pegasuses, griffins, etc. You’ll see more later on possibly.”

Dragons? Kate was surprised that she hadn’t gone mad herself. She sighed deeply and shook her head.

Kirith cocked his head forward and looked at her. “Something wrong?” he asked.

Kate waved her hand in dismissal. “It’s just that this world literally sounds like something from a fairytale.”

“Fairy...tale?” he questioned crossly. “Well we have fairies and plenty of tales.”

“What don’t you guys have?”

“Um well...”

“That was a rhetorical question, Kirith.”

“Oh.”

Their conversation fell short as they continued down the road. For once, Kate felt at peace. She hadn’t realized how satisfying it felt to be under the sun and not in some dark dungeon. That made her think back to Earidon, someone she was actually beginning to feel close to in this world. I really hope he’s going to be all right, she thought.

Down the road, several buildings became visible. Two story towering wooden structures lining either side of the road with a cross beam connecting the two structures at the top. Several cottages and homes were beyond it.

“This is it, I remember this place. Deerbreeche,” Kirith recalled.

The dirt road slowly became littered with cobblestones in the ground here and there as they entered the town. Now from up close, the town’s lightheartedness seemed to reflect the forest; greenery flourish here and there with lush trees giving shade to some parts of the streets. Villagers busied themselves here and there; women took out baskets full of clothing to wash at a well, a blacksmith nearby in an overhang hammered away at a blade, children ran along the roads and laughed giddily. But as they made their way further in, some of the women gave Kate nasty looks before shaking their heads in disgust.

Kate felt the heat rise to her cheeks from this unwanted attention. She walked closer to Kirith and bit her lip. “What’s with them?” Kate asked quietly.

“Hm?” Kirith’s gaze was trained on the road ahead.

“These women, they’re looking at me like I’m a black spot on a clean plate.”

Kirith turned his head to Kate and slowly moved his eyes down. His cheeks grew red and he looked back on ahead. “Probably just newcomers,” Kirith said quickly.

Kate narrowed her eyes at him. “I know you’re hiding something so just go ahead and tell me.”

Kirith swallowed. “Well… ah—your legs are pretty revealing. That’s why they’re giving you that look.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Has no one here seen legs before?” she said a bit loudly.

“Move you lousy beast!” a man roared.

Kirith and Kate turned their heads to the street left of them. Not too far away, a burly man and a cloaked figure stood next to a beast that was no bigger than a horse. With glimmering green scales and strong webbed wings it was obvious this creature was indeed a dragon. It looked tired and worn out with a massive load on its back. Another stood next to with equally as large of a luggage. People moved out of the way of the trouble as if it were normal.

The strong dragon grunted and nudged the other to get up. Its ears folded back a bit as it let out a sorrowful gurgle.

The man stepped closer to the fallen dragon, his grip tight on his whip. “GET UP!” he roared.

Kate looked to Kirith. “Those are...dragons, right?”

Kirith nodded. “They’re enslaved though...nothing we can do about it.”

Kate furrowed her brow and looked back at the growing commotion.

The stronger dragon lifted its head and looked at the man. “He...need rest,” the dragon spoke.

The man narrowed his eyes at the dragon. “Don’t you talk back to me!” he snapped. Turning his head back to the weaker one, he began to grow tired of such disobedience. “Stubborn lizard!” the man insulted and pulled back the whip before lashing at the dragon’s hide.

The dragon winced but kept its eyes shut.

The man lashed out at the dragon again. And then came several more cracks of the whip. Slowly, blood began to smear the dragon’s hide and the ground next to it. The beast let out a painful moan.

The stronger dragon let out a threatening growl. Then, the cloaked figure stepped forward and raised her hands toward the wyvern and spoke in an unknown tongue. The dragon froze up a bit and looked to be straining under a powerful force.

All the while, the other was being whipped to death. It let out a wailing cry and weakly tried to stand.

Kirith nudged Kate. “Come on...lets go. It’s not like we can do anything about it—”

“STOP!” a voice cried.

They turned their heads to look at a figure standing several paces away. Striding towards the dragon with elegance and grace, the figure looked to be an elf with flowing icy blue hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. He looked only to be in his late teens with almost milky white skin and sharp features. A deep blue cape draped his shoulders along with an oriental tunic. He had a fixated and unflinching stare made by his red and blue eyes. Atop his shoulder was a small grey bat-like creature with large anxious eyes. Two other elves, which looked equally as majestic as the boy only in armor, followed the elf.

The elven boy whipped out a sleek blade from his hip and pointed it at the man. “That whip touches the dragon’s hide again and you will taste my blade!” he snapped.

A crowd was already beginning to form around them as murmurs spread.

The Dragonmaster looked at him in disbelief. “Cursed Iceskins... These are MY beasts! What gives you the right to tell me what to do with them?!?”

The elf lowered his blade. “What gives you the right to have your judgment upon them? When was it ever anyone’s right to do so?!?”

The Dragonmaster stepped towards him. “Who in the Abysses name do you think you are?!?”

The elf’s expression softened and he directed his gaze around the growing crowd. “I am Prince Orindir of the Northlands!” Orindir announced, which got many gasps and murmurs from the crowd. “I seek justice to those who have enslaved the sons and daughters of the Creator.”

The Dragonmaster stared at him before bursting out laughing. Several of the villagers joined and began to cackle themselves. He relaxed a bit and put a hand on his chest to stop himself from laughing. “So...you come down from your little mountains and yet still you Iceskins still have your heads up the dragon’s rump!” the Dragonmaster said.

Orin flushed and clenched his fists. “Look at yourselves! You’re so clouded by your sin you have lost sight of the Creator!” The laughter began to die down. “Yes...there was a time when you did know him, but now look at you! Selfish...such are the ways of mankind…”

They laughing had ceased and was replaced by nervous exchanges between one another. Some fidgeted and stared down at the earth.

“You, this kingdom, Tellaria, all of Teannan!” Orindir continued. “You have committed a great sin...a sin so great it can only be cleansed in blood. You have allowed the Creators children to fall into shackles and for that you shall pay the iron price! This world...it needs justice and punishment. It must be purged of its evildoers. The Creator has chosen me to pour out such wrath upon this world alongside the dragkin. On the day of the next Seven-Moon Alignment, all the sons and daughters of the Creator will be at their full strength...anyone will be hopeless to stop them.”

Kirith scowled. “What kind of foil is this?!” he muttered and looked to Kate.

Kate slowly shook her head, just as puzzled as he. Chosen by the Creator? Was this just a set up to frighten the people?

“YOU LIE!” a woman cried from the crowd.

“Imposter!” another bellowed.

The crowd slowly grew angered as they began to bicker and raise clenched fists.

“You elves think you can frighten us with your words!”

“What makes you think you were chosen by the Creator?!?”

“Go back home you pompous—” and it ended with a most obscene word.

Orin grew flustered, but kept his stance. He took in a deep breath and spoke loudly, “IF YOU SO PLEASE FOR SOME KIND OF EVIDENCE— then I shall show you!” He pulled off the gauntlet and glove on his right hand. Slowly raising his hand, he turned it so that the back of his hand faced the crowd.

Right before Kate could get a glimpse of his hand, several people pushed passed her to get a closer look. She staggered and tried to at least get a quick glance, but it was no use. “Hey, what the heck— what’s going?” she stammered. “Kirith, do you have a clear view?”

Kirith was trying to gaze over the crowd himself. “No!” he said impatiently.

Many people gasped and whispered.

“That can’t be true...” one said.

“It’s real! It’s real!”

“Our world is doomed!!”

Kate became a bit fed up and shoved through the crowd, Kirith following behind closely. But when she finally emerged, Orin had pulled his glove back on. Kate’s shoulders drooped a bit. Now they wouldn’t know what he was. If it had such an affect on the townspeople, this elven Prince would probably be a problem in the future.

Orin turned to the fallen dragon and kneeled down. Caressing the creature’s head, he looked down at it sorrowfully. “Forgive me,” Orindir said and began to speak in an unknown tongue softly.

The dragon looked up at him longingly and replied in a similar tongue.

The Dragonmaster grew angered and stepped towards Orin before grabbing his collar and yanking him up to his face. “I don’t care if you’re poor as dirt or as rich as gold, but these are MY dragons! And you keep your grimy hands off of ’em!” he growled.

Orin glared at the man coldly. “Kill the dracomancer,” he ordered.

The one of elven warriors walked to the robed figure, drawing their sword. The figure raised her hands in defense and stepped back. “Wait— no! Please, have mercy! I was only—” but her words were suddenly cut off when the blade was brought through her abdomen. The elven warrior ripped the blade out as the Dracomancer fell limp to the ground. Chaos erupted all around.

People scattered from the area, leaving Kate and Kirith to try to stay upright in the commotion.

“GUARDS! GUARDS!! SOMEONE HELP!” an old man cried.

Kate grabbed Kirith’s arm and looked at him. “Kirith, we have to get out of here!” she tried to speak over the chaos.

Kirith was staring daggers at Orin, completely unaware of what she said.

“Kirith!” Kate cried, jolting him a bit. She looked back to see Orin staring right back at them. His gaze was daunting and spoke many words that weren’t foreseeable. His left eye a cold blue and his right a deep blood red. The prince turned around to face the dragons again as his cape whipped in the wind.

Kate felt a chill go up her spine. What was that look? There was no time to think, they had to get out of there before being spotted. She grabbed Kirith’s arm and ran the other way down a different street. They turned a corner around a building and Kate slowed down a bit and let go of Kirith. She looked back at him puzzled. “What— why didn’t you listen to me when I was try to talk to you?! We could’ve been caught!” Kate snapped through breaths.

Kirith looked at her. “Something...really isn’t right with this guy, and I don’t like it. Whatever we didn’t see may be something cataclysmic. But I know one thing’s for sure, that elven Prince wasn’t chosen by anyone.” He gazed back down the street where the distant chaos was declining. “We should get out of here. We’ll be safe with my uncle.”

And now he decides to get to safety, Kate thought. “Your uncle?” she questioned.

Kirith nodded. “Yeah, Earidon mentioned him,” he said. “He lives here in an old chapel.” Kirith motioned for her to follow him as he began to jog down the road. Kate rolled her eyes and chased after him.