A Reign of Steel

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Romulus stood at the base of the Canyon crossing, his million-man army behind them, and looked out in a seething rage. Up above, his dragons shrieked as they threw themselves, again and again, into Argon’s invisible shield blocking the Canyon, infuriated, unable to cross. Romulus looked up, watching, wondering what could have happened, wondering what force could be strong enough to withstand all these dragons.

Romulus knew that he had destroyed the Shield for good—and he had been told by every sorcerer that the Shield would not rise again; that the Ring was his forever; and that no force on earth could stop him.

Romulus did indeed occupy the Ring—his men now occupied every corner of it, on both sides of the Highlands. They had razed every town, reduced them to rubble, to ashes, and there was not a single thing left to rebuild. The Ring belonged to him now. It was now Empire territory.

And yet here Romulus was, unable to leave the Ring, trapped inside, with this invisible Shield that had somehow been erected by Argon. As Romulus peered out across the Bridge, he wondered what had happened here, and how to destroy it. And most of all: where had Gwendolyn escaped to?

Romulus turned to Luanda, who stood by his side.

“Where has your sister gone?” he demanded.

Luanda stood there, no longer bound, finally loyal, not running anywhere. Romulus took satisfaction in seeing her, a woman he thought he would never break, once so fiercely independent, now subservient to his will, like everybody else. All of his beatings had worked; she was now like every other slave, ready to do his bidding. One day, he might even marry her—and when he’d had enough of her, he’d kill her just as quickly. Of course, she did not know that yet. She would be in for a rude surprise.

Luanda looked out at the horizon, and seemed to be thinking.

“She wouldn’t try to make a home in the Wilds,” she replied. “She would know there is no home for her there. She must be bringing her people to the ships; she must have had them prepared. There is only one place she could sail that is close, friendly territory, a place she probably would not think you would ever venture. A place hidden in the stormy northern seas: the Upper Isles.”

Romulus examined the Canyon crossing, saw the footprints of thousands across it, and he wondered. If he could get past this shield, he would take half of his million man army, lead them to his ships, and set off for the Upper Isles. He would surround every inch of it, and destroy it to oblivion.

First, though, he would send his host of dragons across the ocean, would command them to set it all to fire before his arrival. He would arrive on an island flattened by devastation. He would not even need to raise a sword.

The dragons shrieked again and again, and Romulus knew he had to bring down this new Shield, to undo Argon’s handiwork. Romulus threw his head back, threw his arms out wide, opened his palms, faced the sky, and shrieked, summoning all of his newfound energy, more determined than ever. If he could summon dragons, he could summon the darkest energies of hell to do his bidding.

There came a great thunder, the earth quaked, and shafts of black light shot down from the heavens, into Romulus’s palms. They glowed and vibrated, as he felt the energy passing through him, and down into the earth.

“Ancient powers, I summon you!” Romulus shrieked. “Shatter this shield!”

Romulus opened his eyes, directed his palms forward, and with a great shriek directed all the black light to the invisible shield before him.

Argon’s shield was suddenly covered in black light, spreading over it, more and more vibrant, until finally the shield began to crack.

Suddenly, there came a huge explosion.

The invisible shield exploded into a million little pieces, sprinkling down like snow all around them. Romulus looked up, amazed, feeling the minuscule fragments rain all around him, in his hair, and settling, like dust, in his open palms.

The dragons screeched in victory as they no longer butted against an invisible wall, but flew forward, racing through the open air, across the Canyon, out toward the Wilds.

Romulus leaned back and laughed in delight, knowing that soon the dragons would cross the Wilds, would cross the ocean, would descend upon Gwendolyn and her men and destroy every last one of them.

He would follow on their heels.

“Fly, my dragons,” he laughed. “Fly.”