Rage of the Dragon

CHAPTER 17

Treia had recovered from her fright by the following morning. The nightmarish encounter with Hevis had been just that-a nightmare brought about by drinking too much wine. She was being foolish, overreacting. She and Raegar had coupled many times before and he had yet to get her with child. She had work to do and she could not allow any distractions. She would not think of it now.

As Raegar dressed in his finest robe and put on his ceremonial armor, she showed him the spiritbone, explained what to do, what to say, how to say it.

“Where will you be?” Raegar was shaving his head and face with a razor, viewing his refection in a small bronze mirror. “Won’t you be with me? You are my wife now.”

“No, no, my love,” said Treia. “This is your moment of glory. I don’t want to be a distraction.”

Raegar shrugged, not much caring. Treia saw this and felt a pang. Never mind, she thought. I am his wife. That is all that matters.

“I will be watching from some quiet place,” Treia said. “And praying to Aelon.”

Raegar scraped at his jaw. “The god is with me. I feel his presence.”

Treia handed him a cloth to mop his face.

“The god loves you,” said Treia, helping him adjust his armor. “And now, you must take a walk through the city. Show yourself to the people. Ask for their support.”

Raegar did as she suggested. He rode through the streets in a chariot and was pleased and astonished to find the people shouting his praises, surrounding his chariot, wanting to touch him, asking for his blessing. Cheering throngs escorted Raegar to the Shrine. Treia, disguised in her cloak, wearing the spiritbone around her neck, made her solitary way to an old shrine where she and Raegar had often met to make love.

The shrine was small and run-down. Hidden among trees, the shrine was dedicated to a lesser god in the pantheon, a god whose name no one knew or cared to know. Made of stone, the building was dark, dank, and shadowy. No one was here, as Treia had foreseen. Everyone had gathered to find out the decision of the High Council.

Treia picked up a handful of mud from the soggy ground and then entered the shrine. Choosing a dark corner, she knelt down on the ground and took off the spiritbone. She covered the bone with mud and began to chant the words that would summon the dragon.

* * *

The High Council of Warrior Priests was meeting in the domed Shrine of Aelon to consider the two candidates for the office of Priest-General. No one was quite sure of the proper protocol, for none of them had ever been faced with this unique situation; the Priest-General had always named a successor before he died. They opened the session with prayers to Aelon, asking for the god’s guidance, and then the two candidates were asked to come forth to state their claims.

Thanos, as the son of the late Priest-General, was given the honor of speaking first. He had recovered from his cold and the effects of a cracked skull. He began by praising Raegar, which everyone thought was generous. He then modestly gave the High Priest the forged scroll naming himself as his father’s choice to be Priest-General, saying that he was humbled to know how well his father thought of him. He finished by explaining some of his plans for the future of the church and the rebuilding of the city of Sinaria. Since these plans would increase the wealth and power of the priests, they were consequently well received.

The council asked friends of the candidate to offer their assessment of him. They proclaimed Thanos to be a man of honor and intelligence, possessing wisdom far beyond his years. They also added, pointedly, that he was a Sinarian.

Raegar was then invited to speak. Most of the council considered this a formality, a sop thrown to the people of Sinaria, who were gathered outside the Shrine, shouting Raegar’s name. High Priest Atemis introduced Raegar by first cautioning the members to guard against succumbing to the will of the masses, who, like children, did not always know what was good for them. After some faint praise, acknowledging Raegar’s heroics during the past crisis, Atemis invited Raegar to speak.

Raegar’s speech was brief. He was not a Sinarian, that was true, but he asked if the worship of Aelon was limited only to Sinarians. He trusted this was not so, since the church had priests of all races now, working to bring everyone in the world out of the darkness and into Aelon’s light. Selecting him, a Vindrasi and a former follower of the old, failed gods, to be Priest-General would show people the world over that Aelon and his church was all-inclusive. Everyone, from human to ogre, was welcome. He concluded with a statement that astonished them all.

“I say to the members of this honored council that Aelon has already chosen his Priest-General. The god has chosen me. He gave me the power to summon the kraken that attacked our enemies and dragged them beneath the sea.”

Before the Council could recover from their shock at this temerity, Raegar called as witnesses the men who had served aboard Aelon’s Triumph. They came forward, led by Captain Anker, who gave a stirring account of the kraken flinging its tentacles around the two ships, the sounds of ogres screaming in terror, the cracking and rending of timber, the horrible gurgling as the ships went under and, finally, the awful silence left behind.

The members of the council were impressed. Thanos and High Priest Atemis exchanged glances. Thanos rose to say that while this show of Aelon’s power was truly wonderful, it did not prove that Aelon had chosen Raegar as Priest-General. Aelon performed miracles every day.

Up until now, Raegar had been feeling dubious about Treia’s plan. Was he demanding too much of the god? Seeing the looks the High Priest and Thanos exchanged, Raegar knew beyond doubt that Treia was right. These two were conspiring to take over the priesthood. Raegar believed with all his heart that Aelon had made his choice. Aelon had given him the power to summon the kraken and these two were intending to thwart the god’s wishes. Raegar’s doubts vanished.

The council was about to vote when the shouts of the people gathered outside the Shrine of Aelon changed to wails and cries for help.

One of the Shrine guards raced inside.

“My lords!” he cried. “Another dragon!”

* * *

Raegar left the Shrine in company with the other priests. They stared up in horror, adding their panicked shouts to those of the populace. A dragon flew overhead. She was greenish-gray in color and not nearly as large as the Vektia dragon, but one dragon looked much the same as another to the terrified.

People called upon Aelon to save them. The priests either called upon Aelon or looked about for some place to hide. Raegar stepped forward. He towered over the masses. His armor gleamed in the sunshine. He lifted his hands to the heavens and thundered out the name of Aelon.

Hidden in the shrine, Treia hugged the spiritbone to her breast and smiled to think that this would mark the beginning of her husband’s triumph.

* * *

Thanos sat in his chair in the Shrine. He was alone; the others had all rushed out to either see the dragon or flee from it. He had known the moment the dragon appeared that he was finished.

Xydis had told Thanos that Raegar’s lover, a Vindrasi woman, had the power to summon dragons.

This woman is going to summon a dragon of immense power that will drive out the ogres and save the city, Xydis had told his nephew. She will be doing the bidding of Aelon.

“Of course she will,” Thanos murmured.

He rubbed his forehead. The aching had returned.

“I can’t denounce Raegar because I have no proof,” he said softly. “No one will believe me.”

Atemis had gone outside with the other Warrior-Priests to confront the dragon. He returned, looking for Thanos.

“Here you are.” Atemis was displeased. “You should have gone with us. The others will say you are a coward.”

Thanos looked up with a smile. “Does it matter now what they say?”

Atemis regarded Thanos with a grim expression, then shook his head. The sound of cheering shook the walls.

“I assume the dragon flew down from heaven at Raegar’s command and knelt at his feet?”

“Something like that,” Atemis said sourly.

“So Raegar has yet another miracle.”

“A trick! He staged it. That wife of his-”

“Rather like me forging the scroll naming my father’s successor,” said Thanos. He spread his hands. “Don’t you see, my friend. It’s all a trick. The secret to opening the vault door. The dragon appearing at the right moment. There is no Aelon. Never was. Never has been.”

Atemis stared at Thanos in shock. “You can’t mean that!”

“Oh, I do, I assure you.” Thanos shrugged. “Now, my friend. I’ve made it easy for you. You can cast your vote for Raegar with a clear conscience. As for me, I must take my leave. I have packing to do and not much time in which to do it.”

“You’re leaving the city?”

“I am,” said Thanos. He started to walk off, then turned back to say, “You might consider taking a trip yourself. Priest-General Raegar will not look kindly upon those who opposed him. And I know from reading my father’s missives that Raegar knows how to deal with his enemies.”

Atemis, considerably shaken, promised to give the matter thought. He did not think too long.

Later that day, after the dragon had flown away in peace and Raegar had been acclaimed a hero by the populace, he was named Priest-General by a vote of the Council of Warrior-Priests. The vote would have been unanimous, but two members were missing.

That night, men wearing dark cloaks armed with knives entered the dwellings of both Atemis and Thanos.

They found no one at home.