The Dragon Isles

Chapter Eighteen

Vistas of Glory

Sunrise lit the mountains of the Dragon Isles crimson and gold, making the snowy peaks glitter as though they were on fire. The archipelago dotted the glassy sea like exquisitely formed gems set down on an azure mirror.

Some isles lay so near that Mik could hear the whispers of the surf upon their shores. Others were so distant as to he only mirages on the far horizon. A few were tall and proud, thrusting towering mountains high into the air. Others crouched low in the water, like enormous basking sea turtles. A number of the isles looked big enough to hide large populations of people and even dragons. Some were so small that they could have disappeared entirely down a leviathan’s gullet. Lush greenery tumbled down the sides of even the smallest keys.

Standing at the edge of this glory, it was hard to imagine a more perfect morning. No clouds besmirched the clear blue sky overhead. The sounds of the storm to the west had died away. A warm breeze wafted the earthy scent of the distant shores to the small band of fugitives.

“It’s beautiful,” Mik said, his voice low and welling with emotion.

Trip and Karista, too dazzled to say anything, nodded their agreement.

“So it seems,” Shimmer murmured.

Ula leaned against her spear and gazed out over the quiet sea. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see this place again. I wasn’t sure I wanted to.”

“Imagine the wealth,” Karista whispered. “Imagine the glory of opening a trade route to these isles.”

Ula laughed. “Imagine being smashed on the reefs, or being devoured by dragons, or destroyed by the Veil in trying to bring an unwanted ship here,” she said.

Karista scowled. “We passed the Veil ourselves. Surely there is a way for a fleet of ships to do it. You said yourselves that island privateers use crystals-like Mik Vardan’s diamond-to sail back and forth through the Veil.”

“With the blessing of the dragon overlords,” Ula said.

“And such blessing is not easily won,” added Shimmer. He rubbed his left shoulder absentmindedly.

Mik smiled. “On a morning this glorious,” he said, “anything seems possible. Try to win your trade deal, Karista. I wish you well at it. Who’s to say you can’t? We all deserve a share of good luck after what we’ve been through.” He stretched his arms wide to welcome the coming dawn and, in his mind, saw a glittering white diamond.

Shimanloreth stared out from behind his bronze helmet. His orange eyes looked grim. “I fear our trials are just beginning,” he said. “Lakuda won’t be pleased when she finds I’ve helped set you free….”

“It would be just like that witch to send someone after us,” Ula said. A grim smile cracked her pretty lips. “Not that they’d have much chance.” She twirled her borrowed spear through the air, gauging the feel of the weapon on land.

“You think she’d waste her time?” Mik asked. “She said we weren’t much of a catch.”

“Lakuda is a proud woman,” Shimmer replied. “Offended, she might do any number of foolish things.”

“And Shimmer leaving is bound to offend her,” Ula added, with a sly glance at the knight.

“Assuming,” said Karista, “that Lakuda has lived through the dragon’s attack.”

“What’s that?” Trip asked, pointing to something high in the sky.

At first, the creature looked like a distant bird circling above them. It grew larger as it descended-larger and larger still. The rising sun glinted off its beating wings and its armored back. It burned orange in the dawn, a creature of living fire.

“A dragon!” Ula said, making it sound like a curse.

“Sleek!” said Trip.

Awe and fear battled within Mik’s heart, and his jaw went slack. True, the dragon was beautiful, but he found it hard to share the kender’s enthusiasm.

Beside him, Karista gasped with terror.

“Brass, from the look of him,” Shimmer commented. “He must patrol this area.”

As he spoke, the dragon dived at them. The fugitives-all but Shimmer-instinctively ducked as the creature swooped low overhead. They felt the wind from its huge wings and heard the breath heave in its monstrous lungs. Its brass scales rattled like the armor of a battalion marching to war. Its talons, each as long as man’s arm, shone like polished swords. The wyrm’s green eyes blazed with fierce intelligence.

The dragon arced back into the sky, turning northwest toward one of the nearby islands. As it winged low over the isle and disappeared, Mik, Trip, Ula, and Karista rose once more; Shimmer gazed stoically after the departing beast.

“Did you see?” Trip said enthusiastically. “That was amazing!”

“We saw,” Mik said, suppressing a shudder. He took a deep breath to regain his courage.

Shimmer rubbed the chin of his faceplate. “Kender have an odd sense of fun.”

“Do you think one would give me a ride?” Trip asked, jumping up and down with glee.

“In its stomach, perhaps,” Ula replied.

Mik looked at Shimmer. “You said it was patrolling. Patrolling for what?”

“Intruders. Outsiders,” Shimmer replied. “People like you.”

“And now that it’s seen us,” Karista asked nervously, “what will it do?”

“Consult its superiors,” the bronze knight said. “Find out if it should kill you, capture you, or leave you he.”

“We should,” Ula said, “hide out under the nearest key until nightfall.”

“The water’s not an option,” Mik said. “The magic of the seaweed is exhausted. Trip and Karista were lucky to make it out of the tunnels. We can’t go back. There must be some other way off this reef.”

“We could swim,” Ula said.

“What about sharks?” Karista asked.

Ula turned to the bronze knight and said, “Shimmer, can you carry us to that atoll?” She pointed to a tiny island nearby.

Shimanloreth glanced from the beautiful sea elf to the others. He rubbed his left shoulder self-consciously. “Not all of you,” he said. “Not all at once.”

“How could he carry us across the water?” Trip asked.

Ula ignored him. “Then start with the aristocrat,” she said. “I’ll swim.”

“I can swim, as well,” Mik said. He ran his fingers over the surface of his fish necklace and was disturbed by the number of gemstones missing. He took a deep breath and put his doubts aside.

“Boy, that’s something!” Trip blurted. “A moment ago, the sea was clear. Now there’s a mist rolling in faster than any I’ve ever seen. The Dragon Isles are full of amazing tilings!”

Mik and the rest turned and saw a low bank of white fog scudding over the water toward them. It rounded the closest island and came with the speed of a gale-driven stormcloud, heading straight for the narrow reef.

Ula cursed. “Too late, now.” She set her spear and gazed at the approaching cloud. “Brace yourselves. This could be bad.”

Mik and the others-save Shimanloreth-drew their weapons. The bronze knight merely folded his arms and stood waiting.

As the fog drew closer, strange sounds echoed across the waves. First came a vague, rhythmic thrum-chanting or singing perhaps. A pulsing splashing sound followed, mingling with the thrum. Finally, a metallic creaking, like huge door hinges swinging back and forth, completed the weird chorus.

A bright yellowish shape took form in the center of the cloud. It was long and sinuous, raised up in the front like the head of a huge serpent.

“Another dragon!” piped Trip.

Shimmer put his armored hand over his eyes to block out the glare from the rising sun. “No,” he said. “It’s Lord and Lady Kell. You really might want to leave, Ula.”

“I’d never give them the satisfaction,” the beautiful sea elf replied. She tightened her grip on her spear.

“Back oars!” a woman’s voice called over the chorus of strange noises.

The cloud of mist parted, and a huge dragon-headed trireme surged toward the reef. The ship was nearly twice as long as Kingfisher. Bright brass scales adorned its sides. Its three banks of oars moved in perfect unison, sculling the huge craft effortlessly through the water. Below the carved dragon head on its bow lay a wicked-looking brass ram.

The great ship turned gently and came to a stop thirty yards away from the coral reef. A muscular, auburn-haired woman sauntered from the deck to the ship’s stem. Her stylish brass armor revealed nearly as much of her impressive anatomy as it covered. She leaned on the rail and regarded the castaways.

“Stand to and prepare to come aboard,” the woman called. “We’re taking you into the custody of the Order of Brass.”

“We don’t recognize your authority,” Ula called back. “We’re free people, and we’ll do as we please. Perhaps if you ask nicely, we’ll accept a ride. Which way are you headed?”

“I recognize you, Ula Landwalker,” the woman said. “You’re a well-known malcontent.”

“Ula Drakenvaal,” the sea elf corrected. “My family never formally disowned me. I still maintain my rights as a citizen of the Isles, Misa Kell.”

“The Order will determine that,” Lady Kell replied.

A tall, similarly dressed, auburn-haired man joined Lady Kell at the rail. In his left hand, he held a long lance the color of pale orange coral. “We don’t want to use force,” he said, “but we will, if necessary. All intruders must be taken to Berann to judge their worthiness.”

Shimmer stepped forward. “Will you judge me also, Benthor Kell?” he said, his deep voice echoing over the water.

Benthor and Misa Kell exchanged a wary glance.

“Forgive us, Shimanloreth,” Lady Kell said, bowing slightly. “We did not recognize you at first. The report of our scout was… incomplete.”

“Of course we don’t presume to judge you,” Lord Kell continued. “You are free to go your own way. However-by the rules of the Order of Brass-your companions must come with us.”

“And if I refuse to let you take them?” Shimmer asked.

“Our escort, Tanalish, is not far off,” Lady Kell replied. “She will help us enforce the law if need be.”

“Surely that will not be necessary, Shimanloreth,” Lord Kell added. “You know that these laws are vital for the safety of the Isles. You may come or go as you please. The rest, however, must accompany us.”

As he said it, two dozen brass-armored warriors appeared at the gunwale. They stood with their swords at the ready, though none threatened Shimmer or the others directly.

Mik glanced at Trip and Karista. “It seems we have no choice,” he whispered.

“They appear genteel enough,” Karista said. “The elf and her friend may have been lying to us. We should go with this Order of Brass.”

“My goals and yours,” Mik replied, “are not entirely the same here. Nevertheless…”

He turned to lord and lady Kell and bowed slightly. “My companions and I,” he said, indicating Trip and Karista, “will do as you request.”

“No!” Ula hissed at him.

Shimmer put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “There is no other way,” he whispered.

“We are shipwrecked travelers, of no threat to anyone,” Mik continued, “and look forward to your hospitality.”

“Our recent fortunes have been grave,” Karista added. “We hope that meeting you may reverse our bad luck.”

“Flattery will gain you nothing,” Lord Kell replied. “The law sees through such shams. However, I welcome you aboard and will treat you fairly during our journey to Berann.”

“Come alongside the reef!” Lady Kell called to her helmswoman. A drumchanter beside the tiller began to chant and the banks of oars dipped into the water once more. The galley executed a graceful turn and stopped only a few yards from the reef.

The warriors put a long boarding plank into the water and Mik, Trip, and Karista walked up it onto the deck of the brass boat.

“Well, Landwalker?” Lady Kell called. “Will you board as well, or shall we summon Tanalish?”

Ula glanced from Lady Kell to Shimmer, and then to Mik standing near the dragonship’s rail. Fire burned in the sea elf s green eyes.

“We’ll come aboard,” Ula said.

She and Shimmer walked up the plank onto the galley’s deck.

As Lady Kell escorted the prisoners to the bow and set guards around them-all save Shimanloreth. Lord Kell gave orders to the helm and oarsmen. A fine mist sprang up around them as the sleek dragonship cut through the water once more.

They sped quickly over the placid ocean, passing the small nearby keys and heading northwest toward a large wooded island crowned with snowcapped peaks.

“You should hide the artifact and the parchment with the Prophecy, or they may confiscate them,” Ula hissed at Mik.

“I’ll do what I can with the diamond,” he said. “As to the Prophecy, it’s already hidden in the best place of all.”

“Where?” she asked.

In reply, he merely tapped his skull and smiled.

She nodded in return and whispered, “If you still want to try for that fortune, support me when I make my play.”

“Have you figured a way out of here?” he asked.

“Maybe,” she replied. “I can’t fight the whole Order of Brass, but…”

Mik looked puzzled, but she said no more.

“Where are we going?” Trip asked their brass-armored captors. He hopped to the rail and leaned out over the gunwale so far that he nearly toppled into the drink.

“Berann,” Lady Kell replied. “Home of the Order of Brass and our lord Thrakdar.”

“A bag of wind,” Shimmer grumbled. “Both him and his uncle Thracktil.”

Misa Kell’s eyes narrowed, but she did not react to what the bronze knight said. Instead, she turned to the others and said, “Turn over your weapons. We will return them to you after judgment”

“And if we’re judged unworthy?” Mik asked, his hand resting on the pommel of his scimitar.

“Then they will he returned when you are cast adrift beyond the Veil,” Lady Kell replied.

Ula rose from where she had been sitting, her spear clenched tightly in her fist. “I am no common prisoner,” she said. “I will not give up my weapons.”

“It is the law, Ula Landwalker,” Lady Kell said.

“You apply your laws capriciously, Misa Kell,” Ula replied. “They do not hind me. I am a Drakenvaal. I will not submit to you, or your order, or your laws. I am hound by the customs of my people-the Dargonesti. We roamed the seas when your people were but babes. Only the Dargonesti can deprive me of arms; only they can judge me. I demand that you take me to Darthalla.”

Mik glanced at Ula, and saw cunning in her eyes. He nodded that he was with her.

“Those were the old ways, Landwalker,” Lady Kell said. “Things are different since the gods of good and their dragon consorts left Krynn. Things have changed in the isles, and order must be maintained.”

“Has honor changed as well, then?” Ula asked.

Misa Kell looked offended. “How could the laws of honor change?” she said haughtily.

A sly smile broke over Ula’s beautiful face. “Then I demand honorable justice,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Lady Kell asked.

“I demand trial by combat.”