The Elder Gods of Maa: Dragon Lords

By Danny Hern

    My eyes had rested on the wizard since the commotion began. The wizard had been gazing into mine for a long while. Our stares were locked.
    "What I would like to know, what I need to know… is…
          Can an elder god be killed…?" I whispered into the growing silence.
The wizard did not flinch, nor did he break away from my eyes. His gnarled, wrinkled face tightened even further as if the question demanded too much of him. When he finally spoke, it was in a stillness which was palpable. He seemed to exclude everyone else from his presence as he breath the word…
         "Yes…"
"What is wrong Kerttu? I thought you would be one of the first ones who would go into the cave of Ali-Dika." I said to the gloomy redheaded Elf.
"For the first time in my life Mandannis, I am afraid." He said bluntly.
"You're going to have to give me a little bit more information, Kerttu. What are you afraid of?"
        "I have been in the darkest forest, fighting the ugliest daemons, never flinching when trouble came my way. I was always ready to tackle the worst situation. A prince, wood Elf, mage warrior, strong, bold, maybe even handsome." He said smiling again, then he grew serious and despondent. "But what if I am not worthy of becoming a dragon-lord? What if the cave of the elder god decides I can't pass the ceremony?
       What if I fail the test?" He seemed genuinely distressed.
 I destroyed your Elven city." He said turning his baleful black eyes on Shian-lee. "I killed your kings, princesses and all those whom I choose… will die. I killed your Valkyrie warriors." The evil shade said leering at Shian-lee, trying to bait her.
Shian-lee steadied herself, her misty green eyes sweeping the daemons before her. She had her helmet on, her armor made her seem like one more shadow under the dark cloud cover. The Valkyries were just the opposite, their bright armor made a stark contrast with the princess they surrounded. They did not like what they heard, and I could sense their aggravated emotions but only their leader had the right to start this battle.
"The way everyone remembers… daemon." Shian-lee said pausing to make her statement all the more odious. "You are barely a fairy warrior. No one has ever called you elder god. You are just another weak fairy. Worthy only of our contempt." All about her, the silence and the darkness deepened. Rage swept through the malevolent shade.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Danny Hern
• Release date: Mar 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781386816102

Book preview

Book II

DRAGON LORDS

Index

CHAPTER – I 

Awaken

Chapter – II 

Bad New

Terrible News

Chapter – III 

The enemy’s Promise

Chapter – IV 

Shadows in The Mist

Chapter – V 

To Kill a Fire-Daemon

Chapter – VI 

The Travails of Magic

Chapter – VII 

A New Manner of Warfare

Chapter – VIII 

Queen of Fairies

Chapter – IX 

North, we fly North

As bold as a man may be,

over the mountains of light,

with a mind that can foresee,

the lineage of a mighty knight,

that runs along his heart, in plight,

like the wind upon the earth is free.

Sail away, valiant dragon of fury,

for there is nothing to keep you content.

with the spirit of some old story,

that could only have been sent.

by the ancients who have spent,

their days in skies of glory.

The road that in mind you bare,

will wander endlessly into the night,

with mystic treasures for those who dare,

visions of power, and terrible fright,

spells of wisdom, and fairy sight,

a land of enchantment, where time is fair.

Sword in hand through the hardest fate,

with an iron will, and a heart of steel,

an enemy who’s jealous and full of hate,

a deck of life for one to deal,

the best of times for you to feel,

take heart, for destiny awaits.

Chapter - I

Awaken

The return to consciousness was like the rising of the sun over the horizon, a gradual change in my inability to perceive sensations. The sense of being somewhere other than where I had been. As if I were a light, come from darkness, and allowed to be seen once more.

I found myself in a blackness, in a wrongness. I couldn’t see anything; my sight was not working. I began to panic, striving for understanding, how could this happen? Where was I? Why can’t I move? Why couldn’t I see anything?

The beat of my heart became loud in my ears then, a strong pulsing which had not been there before, like the pounding of a hammer on an anvil. And the flow of the blood through the veins, a fire that singed my body. But there was such stiffness.  

A terrible tightness in my limbs, and as I felt the blood circulate, it brought a tingling pain, which grew exponentially until the throes became unbearable.

I would have screamed but found myself voiceless. My throat was dry, beyond any memories in my mind. My tongue was rooted to the top of the mouth and would not respond. My body’s weakness was an excruciating anguish. My eyes would not open.

A flood of memories rushed in, but the number of events which came suddenly, were too many for my mind to assimilate. I stopped viewing them and removed these to a corner of my subconscious. A gradual return to normality was essential.

One of those thoughts was plain enough... I had been dead.

My consciousness had left this body and gone somewhere. How this was so, I couldn’t remember, there was nothing in my mind which could give me answers. The agony of darkness returned, my inability to move a struggle which was beyond my strength. Was this what it felt like to be dead? The inability to move or see or hear. Darkness. I forced despair away, replacing it with hope.

There was something not yet finished. It gnawed at me with persistency. A need but not mine it seemed. It was there, some strong desire which emanated from memories I could not access.

Stimulating my body back to life, back to its normal functions, was imperative. A struggle which seemed to be beyond the meager strength I possessed. Mind thoughts went unanswered. The flow of liquids, saliva began to move through my mouth, but such a small amount would not accomplish anything.

The magical energy which had previously brought strength to this body were hidden away somewhere in the recesses of my subconscious mind. They were tied to my psychic self and had traveled with me to wherever I had gone.

I raged as despair threatened once again. Mentally I quarreled. Forcing these energies throughout the body, but the process was slow and painful. Like the blood in my veins, these also coursed through with agonistic lethargy

Somewhere in the distance I could perceive the thoughts of another, like a reflection in the corners of a mirror. Vague mind thoughts, like shadows in the night.

I dreamt; a long and endless nightmare which caused more anguish in me. Memories and sensations of times and places, both remembered, and yet... surreal. Waves of sounds, motions carried through the night and days, landscapes of shadows, haunts of terrifying darkness. Through a land of gloom so oppressive, it seemed to breathe and pulse with malevolent life. Clouds rolled over my awareness, filled with lightning, borne on a wind which howled in madness. I felt myself buffeted and tossed, thrown like a dried leaf across the land of Maa...

Distraught, I fought my way through the hostile blackness which had shrouded me, barely conscious of anything else but the need to reach

beyond this darkness. Baleful shades were advancing stealthily through the gloom, sinister wrathful creatures, intent only on destruction. Their foul odor and their rabid insanity permeated the black forest with dread.

The battle was inevitable. Magical energies surged through me, so powerful and intricate nothing

could prevent them from succeeding. Power which transcended the barriers the enemies of Maa had crafted. It would break past the screen of deceit and lies which hid everything in malevolence.

I suddenly became aware of what was required of me, but the task, even in my dream, seemed overwhelming.

VOICES... MUTTERING vaguely, fragmented words slipping through my mind, like clouds drifting under the moonlight, and casting a shadow on my awareness. I meandered in and out of consciousness, striving to stay focused on the voices in my dream.

Somewhere in the depths of my mind, it seemed to me like this had happened before, but the weakness in me was overpowering and would sequester me into darkness while I fought to stay awake.

The battle for consciousness grew, until eventually I was able to keep darkness away...

Shian-lee... did you notice, the stone has stopped shining! It has stopped pulsing! A voice said excitedly.

Your right... I wonder what it means. A woman answered.

I have to tell you something else.

The first voice. The demon horde has vanished, just like that, they are nowhere around...

My eyelids felt weighed down and I had to grapple with them, slowly they gave into my demand. There was a bothersome pain on the right side of my body, and my right arm was completely numb. Something putting pressure on my chest, it screamed at me for relief.

A woman bending over me, staring into my face with a look of concern... fear... worry... who was this lady?

I tried to speak but could not; the muscles in my jaws were locked tight. My eyes moved around in agony but the rest of my body was not responding.

The struggle with my eyelids was

intense... unused... for how long? Awake; like a light suddenly turned on, come back from where I had slipped away, yet not fully conscious of what had befallen, or what I was about.

His eyes have fluttered! He has opened his eyes! She exclaimed.

Mandannis...! Can you hear me? She

shouted close to my face, but I could not answer her... my mouth would not work. My eyelids fluttered in anguish.

You have been in this bed for three months now and we thought you would never wake up, but the stone on the sword kept pulsing with that eerie light, it was like the beating of your heart.

The woman said.

I am going to try to give you some water from the cave of Ali- Dika, we have been unable to do so before because you were stiff, like the dead and we could not open your mouth.

She was right I could not open my mouth, and maybe I had died, something had kept this body whole.

Cold water dripping on my face, some of it leached through my lips and into my mouth... a vivid tingling sensation. The water was causing the muscles in my jaws to loosen, another painful experience.

Ever so slowly, the muscles of my mouth began to work, I was able to move the tongue... I moved it around the inside of my mouth and started to brush it against the teeth feeling the sensation of being able to move again; even if it was just my tongue.

As the waters slipped through my jaws... I tried to piece together some words... Please... sword. I forced myself to croak. Thankfully... she understood the mumblings coming out of my mouth.

Searing pain from each finger of my right hand, as she pried them one by one from the pommel of the sword. I had held unto this sword for three months?

When she lifted the blade, my chest

heaved a euphoric sigh of relief, but the rest of my body was still in a coma.

"No one has been able to take the sword from you and truthfully, no one dared. The stone on the sword seemed to beat like a heart, we thought you and the sword where somehow connected. Each

time we tried to take it from you, its crimson fire would spew, as if warning us to stay away."

More... water. I croaked again.

This time, most of it went into my mouth. The waters a cool tingling sensation as they went all the way down my throat. Immediately I felt strength coming back to my body, some pin-prickling which eventually reached all the way to my toes.

My mind was still groggy, and trying to remember what happened to me before this, was impossible. Somewhere deep in my subconscious there was knowledge, but it was buried. I gave up trying to remember and asked...

What... happened? I mumbled.

WE FOUND YOU AFTER the battle with the daemons. She said after looking into my eyes. "The dragons from The Valley had come, they had you and Draconis surrounded. The white Wolf was there also.

No one could get near, until Kheelar spoke to Gyllene the white dragon. She permitted us to bring you to the city. You were unconscious, they made a litter for you and that made two. I was also carried into the city."

What happened to... Draconis? I asked. This name was the reflection in the mirror of my mind, though I could not remember clearly who he was, or

what kind of connection we had?

Gyllene... the white dragon, said they would care for Draconis. She said Draconis wasn’t in any danger, but she could sense... you were... dying. The beautiful lady had looked away, the words she pronounced had been broken by grief.

I heard strong emotions in her voice, this beautiful woman had feared for me, she had feelings for me... she was in love... with me?

It was Odiscarious who ministered to you, while you were unconscious. She said composing herself. "He gave us hope. He told us you were not dead. He said you had been removed to another dimension. He did not explain. He came in a few times and each time, he told us not to worry, that you would be well again.

He said someone more powerful than any other in Maa had you, and you would return when it was deemed safe."

I TRIED TO FORCE MORE information out of him, but the old buzzard was stubborn and close mouth. He said it was all I needed to know. I could hear the anger in her voice.

Struggling to remember, was like traveling through dense fog.  My body’s mind had been asleep far too long. Memories came and went, mixed with images, evaporating like smoke when I ventured too close. For a time, I just laid there... thinking, my mind slipping in and out of consciousness.

Talk to me, tell me what happened. I said eventually, trying to remember a name used long ago. Shian-lee... maybe it will trigger my mind and I will be able to remember. Right now, my mind is still... dead.

It seemed appropriate to speak her name. By her mannerism, it was clear I had a relationship with this beautiful maiden.

It is a long story... are you sure you are ready to hear it? She was still concern over my feebleness.

Give me some more water and yes, tell me everything. I said stubbornly.

We had a dreadful battle at a large bend in the river Sileajoki, where the river turns west. Do you remember this?  I shook my head... no, and she continued.

She sat on the bed close to me and her green eyes made my heartbeat faster. Her long white hair fell down in curls and her slender hands took hold of mine.

"When you speared one of the dragons who attacked us, he fell in the forest, close to where the Valkyries had made their stand. The dragon was dead but the daemon dragon lord who rode it was not. We hunted him throughout the forest. He hid in the shadows, like darkness in the gloom, he slithered from one place of concealment to another.

It was the Valkyries who eventually found him. They did not wait for me, as is their nature. They started to fight the daemon lord, but even as strong as they have become, they were no equal to this nefarious creature. Many of them were dying as I came to where they fought the daemon. He was a huge monster, ape-like beast; strong, powerful and like a cornered badger, fought viciously.

I came at him in a rage, as I looked upon the carnage he wrought. I had gathered my power as I moved towards him.

When our swords clashed, all my energies were focused on that first blow... but even then, and to my surprise, I wasn’t an equal to this daemon lord either."

"He had a sword which seemed to be made of fire and it clashed against my sword, Phaino; the power wave of the clash sent us both in different directions. I was up quickly but not quickly enough; this daemon lord was fast for his size.

IT WAS THE VALKYRIES who stood in the daemon lord’s path... to their deaths."

She said with distress, painful sadness colored her memories.

"I fought that ugly daemon lord with everything I could think of; speed, power, looking for a weakness. He kept sending power bursts with his left hand as he struck me with his sword. I had never had to retreat before, but this time I fought a losing battle. There was no manner in which I could defeat this powerful daemon.

I grew desperate, and tried a desperate move. Moving as quickly as I could and coming under the demon lord’s sword thrust, I swung my sword at his

exposed lower body. He jumped my blade and swung his sword at my back.

His sword clashed against my armor, and the left side of my body went numb. I went down in a roll as the Valkyries joined the fight once more.

They pushed him by sheer strength of numbers, first one way and then another. The daemon lord forgot where I was and he remembered too late. I stabbed him from behind and my blade

went all the way through his rib cage until the hilt of the sword stopped the thrust.

It didn’t kill him but it slowed him down. The Valkyries made mud out of him as they stabbed, speared and stumped on him."

She paused for a long while, it seemed she was re-living the battle and her memories were not pleasant. She chewed on her lips vigorously, and her beautiful green eyes were troubled.

Our victory celebration was cut short. She said after some time. "Because the shadow daemons found us soon after this, and I was in no condition to fight them.

The Valkyries formed a defensive circle around me and the prowess of their battle in my defense was more than I had witness in any other battle. No matter what the shadow daemons tried they could not break the Valkyries’s formation.

The shadow daemons came viciously against them, fast as they are, but the Valkyries kept their turtle formation tight and the daemons could not get through.

Still... if it wasn’t for Kheelar and the mage warriors who came to our rescue... we would have died in those woods." She said dismayed.

"I must tell you Mandannis... Kheelar has grown. I don’t know how, but he has developed in power. He was a killing force which destroyed the shadow daemons. He carried no weapons, he just blasted them away with very powerful bursts of energy.

His hands seemed to be two small balls of fire. You have been the only other warrior who could summon that kind of magical power.

The mage warriors were also capable of standing against the shadow daemons, not to say anything less about Kerttu and Peli who stood side by side with Kheelar. Peli’s arrows would blind the daemons as he shot them in their skulls. He was quick as lightning and Kerttu was just as fast smashing them with his huge Warhammer."

It was a terrible battle and all I could do was watch. Eventually, the mage warriors prevailed and the shadow daemons vanished into the forest.

After the battle was over, we traveled slowly out of the woods, I was carried on a stretcher. She paused again, remembering the past. "Later, on our way to the city of Kaupunki, we found the dragons... hard to miss they are.

They had been waiting for us." She said with a secretive smile, her misty green eyes danced upon her face.

We didn’t know what happened to you, and Gyllene’ s words did not help either. All we could do was carry you to the city and hope you would find a way back to us...

Kheelar, Kerttu and Peli have been constant in their vigil of you, as have I, but we did not know what to do... we did not know how to help you. All we could do was wait and hope. She said distressed.

The elves from Kaupunkimeri arrived here safely. She said changing the subject, and composing herself with an effort. "Their Lintujas are not use to being on the ground. We moved them to the north end of the city.

The giant bird’s squawking is loud

enough to keep that part of the city from sleep." She said trying to lighten the mood.

Can’t say I was anywhere... I said into the silence which followed. It seemed like a paradise to me... and... singing. Memories came, a slow untangling of threads which had somehow knotted. It took me a while to continue as the fog in my mind dissipated ever so slowly.

IT WAS LIKE A DREAM... I could not open my eyes... the bright lights would not let me and then... someone was talking to me.

The elder god... Shikari! I exclaimed, as my mind began to clear. He was surrounded by light and my eyes hurt when I tried to look. He spoke with me.

He said I had died, but because I held his sword, he was able to bring me to his domain... instead of where men usually go when they die.

He held me there for a time. I think he was healing me... yet it wasn’t him who healed me... it was the singing... a female voice I heard... beautiful... and the sound waves of that voice seemed to go right through me and touch some inner part of me... or some distant part of me... I don’t remember much else.

Then the elder god said I had to go back, because there was still something unfinished... he also said... he said... I can’t remember... I think he said something more.

I stumbled to the edge, fighting through a maze of memories, confused and maddened. Torn between who I had been and what I had become.  

Somewhere in the memories of my mind there was information. Some of them were painful, too dark for me to contemplate; elusive understandings which kept slipping out of my reach. It was like diving into murky waters which beckoned me deeper into its gloomy depth.

VAST COILS OF KNOWLEDGE beyond my grasp. I decided to remain on the surface of such dreadful information.

I remember now...! I shouted as the memories of recent events came suddenly rushing in.

"The battle with the daemon lord and his dragon! I was fighting the daemon lord and Draconis was hurt badly by the daemon lord’s dragon. We were very high above Maa, even above the clouds. Draconis had wanted to be above the enemy when he attacked.

There were two dragons and their daemon lords, when Draconis spotted them. We dropped on them from above. Draconis killed one of them as he flew by but the other one was quick to come after us.

We fought them, it was a terrifying battle and when the dragons came together, the daemon lord’s dragon was able to bite Draconis in the neck..." I paused when memories of fright and pain returned.

"I stabbed the black dragon in the eye, but the damage had been done, even then, the dragons would not quit the battle...

Draconis flew at the demon lord’s dragon again and managed to sink his talons in the other dragon’s belly."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time, to engage the daemon lord. I jumped at him, trying to stab him, but I missed and we collided. He lost his grip on the dragon and we both tumbled through the air.

WE FOUGHT AS WE FELL. I remember... he was fast and very powerful. And he did look like an ape.

Eventually I was able to stab the daemon lord and the sword of Shikari was slow to drink his life away. He spoke to me then... He said his brothers would avenge him. After that... I thought I was going to die."

I am sorry... I said as she stared at me in shock, a sadness came into her eyes... Very poor choices on my part. I said trying a conciliatory approach...

Oh... Mandannis... I am sorry I brought you into this war. Her green eyes were bright with tears and bitterness reflected in their depth; her grief tore at my heart. She was so close to me I could feel the heat of her breath on my face; the intoxicating aroma of the forest about her and the heat of her desire.

Shiani... Was all I could whisper before her body pressed into mine.

I had finally managed to sit up on the bed. It had been a struggle to get the body to move and I refused Shian-lee’s offer to help me... repeatedly. I had never in my life felt so helpless. My legs were still partially numb, their strength had been sapped away by the long days in bed. The whole body felt weighed down.

I need to speak with Kheelar. I said to Shian-lee... as memories started to gather.

HE HAS BEEN TRAINING the mage warriors as you instructed him, they are now close to an army. She said while hugging tenderly. There are many who would like to speak with you... She said as her big green eyes threatened to swallow me whole... Including my mother.

With the Queen’s permission, I would like to speak with Kheelar first... I said softly into her face. I will let them know... Shian-lee said but did not move, instead she pressed closer.

She was dressed in the mage warrior’s garment, forest colors of green and brown; they did little to hide those curvaceous features which made my heart beat erratic.

Eventually, she released me and got up. "You look as beautiful as ever ... Shiani..." I sent in a mental message as she strode away. Her body moved with amazing grace and womanly flow. Like a feline predator.

You have promises to keep... She sent without turning. and I have been patiently waiting. Some day you will pay for making me wait... Her mind missive was filled with images which made my blood boil.

Shian-lee had grown far from the Elf-maiden I met in the woods; she was now a powerful mage warrior with an awesome semblance, a strength which permeated her entire appearance.

"Draconis..." I sent into the wind... I hear you are back with us... Draconis sounded relieved.

"I am glad you are well my friend ..." I said.

We need to have a talk... you are still acting like a child, and in the kind of war we are in... there is no place for childishness ... Draconis sent.

"Well... I am happy to hear you are your joyful self once more ..."

Tell me... Draconis... what childish game are you talking about...?

"The one where you kill yourself for someone of little importance and leave everyone else to the daemons!" Draconis said harshly.

You my friend are of great importance to me... and it is impossible for me to do anything less than... everything I can... when my friends are in danger... I must... I sent...

Closing my mind to him... he would never understand.

Draconis was right in that extreme logic which ruled his life. I had proceeded recklessly, pouring my life’s magic into him Nonetheless, I would do no different if the need arose again; even if I lacked any concrete reason for my stance.

I summoned the magic within me, feeling the familiar heat as it began to build again. Like the blood in my veins, this energy