Bane of Dragons: Unicorn Odyssey, #3

By C.J. May

A battle begins for the fate of Roarica, and the destruction of dragons everywhere…

 

Alice continues to fight, hunting down dragons as vengeance. What they did to her wife cannot easily be forgotten.

 

The final battle looms. The dragons have built a Tower, a giant temple shaped like a man, capable of walking. And they even have the gall to summon their evil god to live inside it.

 

Can she make it home in time to destroy the Tower, or is it the end for the unicorns?

 

Bane of Dragons is Book 3 of the Unicorn Odyssey Series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C.J. May
• Release date: Dec 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215070505

C.J. May

C.J. May is a woman living in Arkansas with her cat, Butternubs. She loves dragons, unicorns, flying cats, and gryphons.

Book preview

1

Tower of Dragons

IN THE HEART OF DAGNA, COUNTRY OF THE DRAGONS

Soul watched the dragons as they finished decorating their Tower. The shape of the Tower made him fearful, and not without cause. It wasn’t a tiger, like the rest of the gods of Roarica. It was shaped like a man, like his father, the Nameless One.

He walked closer. Hidden by magic, none of the dragons could see him, but fire-dragons possessed strong magical abilities and could sense his presence. They rustled their wings and chirped, overcome with joy.

The Nameless One, he’s here!

They weren’t completely wrong—Soul, being his son, had part of the god’s power.

But even they didn’t know the name of the One. Few did, because speaking that name would cause the world-tigress to flinch and the ground to quake.

The dragons stared through him. Out of one of the Tower’s toes walked Sharmagne, the dragon king. He slammed the door behind him.

What is all this ruckus? This apparition is not the One!

So he knew. Despite all the tricks up Soul’s sleeve, Sharmagne had such mastery that he could see the invisible being clearly.

Soul grasped the hilt of his rainbow knife and made his meaning clear.

I do not want to hurt you, Soul thought. He directed the thought to the dragon king.

Neither do I. Begone from here, faceless Son of Tigressa.

He bowed and teleported away.

From a greater distance, he could see through scraps of smoke the filigreed knees of the Tower. It was so immense that all of it could not be seen at once.

He turned his mind to other things. This man-shaped temple would waltz right into Sateel if he couldn’t topple it.

He knew who could do it, however, if time and fate allowed. Alice had already passed his tests, and gained great strength through her trials near the border. But if she couldn’t put that strength into play, what good was it?

It was worth a try, but the time had to be right. He sat down, crossed his legs, and waited for when the world would need him again.

2

Miro’s Misery

HELKARN DESERT, SATEEL, COUNTRY OF THE UNICORNS

In the middle of the night, Miro and Alice slept in their wagon. Miro tossed and turned; her hooves kicked and her horn caught on the tapestries decorating the wagon’s walls. Next to her, Alice took little notice; she hugged the pillows, rustled her wings, and went back to sleep. Her time with the nameless tribe had exhausted her, and her horn still glowed faintly with magic as the amulet worked to heal her fatigue.

Miro remained tormented. A vision in her head rose up; she opened her eyes, yet all she could see was the vision, blocking out her field of view. She felt inconceivable heat washing over her, drenching her in sweat. And under the heat, she felt a fever-chill, a terror that made her heart wrench and her muscles lock.

She saw, in the vision, a dragon bigger than a hill, rising in a lake of fire. When the dragon rose, it was plated in molten gold from its eyelids to its legs. The dragon spoke to her; his words were terrible, but as soon as they were spoken, she could not grasp them and remember what he had said. A name came to her: Masha.

Miro thrashed on top of the pillows and cushions. Alice awoke.

Dear, are you alright?

Miro’s face dripped sweat. A dragon, I saw a dragon.

No… Alice said, and then she remembered. Did the herbs the nurse gave to Miro not work, and not effectively block the memory? Miro, there were no dragons.

His name is Masha.

Miro, I have something to confess. Looking into Miro’s wild eyes, she couldn’t hold back the truth. Her magic fur turned gray. We met a dragon in the Helkarn desert.

Then why do I not remember? This vision I had, is it true?

Alice nodded. We gave you herbs to help you forget, but—

"You drugged me? Alice!"

I was afraid the situation would be too traumatic for you.

What happened? Tell me the truth.

Alice told her. And then she told her of Ishvah, the frost-dragon. Miro trembled.

I see. I understand now. I’m sorry I got so angry. I was just afraid.

It’s alright. It’s my fault; we should have asked you before doing it.

I would have chosen to forget. I am grateful. But Miro did not sound grateful. Her voice was like stone, implacable. I must leave.

Miro, no, we’ve come this far. Don’t give up now.

It is not giving up. I’m making a choice for my future well-being, and I demand that you respect it. I am going no further. If we encounter another dragon, it will be the end of me.

I will defend you.

You don’t understand, even just seeing one, it… Miro retched. Alice licked the sweat from Miro’s cheeks and looked into her eyes with longing and love.

I will respect your desires.

Alice, I sincerely wish I could come with you further. But there is simply no way. No matter of herbs or magic will keep this fear from me. I am sad it has to tear us apart.

I am sad, too. Must you leave now? Can we spend one more night together?

One last night. And I will go.

3

Tall Tales

ON THE BORDER BETWEEN SATEEL AND DAGNA

In order to reach their next destination and make it back to Matisse before Sombra began, they had to travel through part of the night.

Alice slept in her wagon. The rumble of the wheels lulled her into a deep sleep. Rikaj slept next to her, paws tangled in her mane, so that she wouldn’t have to feel the emptiness left by Miro’s absence.

The seasons, Alice learned, were much longer than the seasons she had experienced on Earth. Each season, determined by one of the five planets overhead, lasted for six months.

Whether Sombra had a planet or not was still hotly debated among the creatures of Roarica. Dragons of Dagna held that Sombra was a holding ground for the souls of the dead, and that it was ruled by a spear-wielding king named Hunzi. Many unicorns in Sateel believed the souls of the dead went to the celestial planet Coelest, and that Sombra was nothing more than a gap between the planets, a hole in the sky.

Alice didn’t want to think about Sombra. The darkness was her biggest fear, and six months of it would be too much if she couldn’t get a hold of herself.

A few days later, when Alice had rested enough, she left her wagon and marched with the rest of her traveling party. All her friends, Alpa, Ren, and Rikaj, greeted her when she walked up. They started the day’s journey after the hundred scouts and warriors were accounted for.

Rikaj, the flightless wingcat runt, rode on Ren’s back and stared up at Sombra, telling tall tales.

Sombra is a real planet, Rikaj said to Alice. He gripped Ren’s mane with his small, hand-like paws and his golden eyes shimmered with mischief. His green feathered wings pressed against his sides.

Is it, now? Alice said.

The dead live on Sombra, he insisted.

The dead can’t, by definition, live.

In days of ancestral clan, fierce dragons took star-ships to fly to planets.

Alice cocked her head. What?

I swear by my tail, it is true. Have you looked at Solasta? I see signs that dragons still live on there.

That’s what you see when you stare at the sun too long.

Rikaj sighed softly. Ah, you do not believe me? Have you looked for yourself?

It harms your eyes to stare at Solasta, Alice said. If you stare, you see spots. There aren’t any dragons living there.

The star-ships are at top of pinnacle of Equina. You can see for self. I heard from Colton, he does not lie.

Alice didn’t remember the queen, Matisse, showing her any such rooms in the pinnacle. I will have to take a look.

They passed through the barren waste without speaking for a while. The ground was dead; little forage could be found by any of the scouts. Scattered flakes of snow drifted on the sea-wind. The scouts and warriors took a break and broke off to spar. Their hooves crunched on the sandstone until they felt raw. Alice didn’t think she could handle more of this terrain. Her army cleats were long gone; she threw one shoe off in the Helkarn desert, and the rest came off near Yomatova.

Some of her group had fungal infections between their cloven hooves. They had not heeded their training when passing through Yomatova and they had forgotten to use their horns to scrape the gunk out every day. On Alpa’s orders, they sought out wild honey and herbs to dress their wounds. They stood by Alice and talked while they watched the rest of the group spar.

Of one thing, Alice was glad—it was not cold. Heat from Dagna flowed across the sea and kept them warm. The journey had left her joints popping and creaking, but they were no longer frozen stiff.

Once they finished sparring, they continued to advance on their final goal. Tronti was no more than five days away.

The days passed with nothing of interest. Ren continued to sing, Rikaj continued to mete out the water rations, and Alpa offered his shoulder and his guidance when Alice felt Miro’s absence hit her too hard.

Do you think Miro’s alright? Alice said while they walked.

Yes. Nivis is still harsh in central Sateel, but she has a good pelt.

What if she gets lost?

She won’t meet any dragons, that I will promise you.

Alice turned the group towards the left to avoid a wide fissure in the sandstone. Steam poured out of the gap and blanketed the nearby land. Their hooves passed through it, forming eddies and waves. Tendrils of mist, thick and gray, tickled their feathery fetlocks. It took faith for her to step forward, into the unknown, the ground concealed by the steam. It took a greater faith for Alice to move on without Miro.

Practicing this faith, Alice was learning, was heavier and more exhausting than any exercise she had done in the Herd. She kicked up the mist and the tiger-striped stone looked out at her, as if taunting. Where was Tigressa’s protection? Why had the goddess torn Miro from her side?

She shook her head. It couldn’t be the goddess’ fault. Tigressa had saved her so many times already: she had freed them from being trapped in Colton’s mines, and from the darkness and danger she faced in Ishvah’s cave. Not to mention the goddess’ power rested in the amulet she wore.

No, Miro had taken herself from them. But to blame her? Alice couldn’t do that. She respected her decision to leave.

Feels wrong going on without her, Alice said.

She went on without you.

That doesn’t mean I have to do the same to her.

You can’t go back now, if that’s what you’re thinking. Have courage. We’ll be home in no time, and Miro will find you.

Did you know that she joined the Mane?

A little silence. Colton’s group, the Mane, acted directly against the queen. Alice had no higher loyalty than to Matisse.

She betrayed you, Alpa said. I never thought her capable of such an act.

Another silence.

She didn’t betray me, Alice said. I trust her decision.

An eye on the inside, eh?

"I’m not going to manipulate her into spying for me. I really mean it when I say I trust her."

Ren, who had been circling the group and helping to guide their marching song, came to the front. His mane bounced as he galloped up to them. After days of dust, his pelt was the same brown as the rest of the group.

Hey, Fanghorn! Why aren’t you singing along? He gave her a sly wink. Wife troubles, is it?

You have good ears, Alice said.

A musician’s ears. Oh, why the long face? I have just the thing for that. He reared and jumped a few steps on his hind legs, pawing the air with his front legs. He then backed down and did something similar, this time hopping on his front legs.

When he finished and his back legs hit the ground, he sprinted to the right. He yelled and charged at Alice, all smooth muscle and fur bristling with energy. Just when Alice thought he was going to hit her, he leaped and soared over her and Alpa both. Alice felt a rush of air lift the mane on her neck.

Ren landed and clacked his hooves on the ground with pride.

A few red strands of Alice’s mane landed near her eyes and she tossed her head.

Did you see that? I’ve been practicing. He trotted back over to them without the slightest show of fatigue. Come on, now! What’s that look for? Want me to go again?

Alice didn’t give him a chance to gather his voice. I bet I can do it just as well. Watch this. She galloped ahead and imitated Ren by jumping on her back hooves. When she went in to stand on her front hooves, she fell forwards and splayed into the ground with a thud!

I make it look rather carefree, easy, don’t I? Ren laughed. You can be taught as we go.

Alice rose. I would like that. She joined with him in laughter.

And then Alpa surprised them both. He galloped sideways, and then swung around and took off in a backwards canter. Without missing a beat, he picked up speed and jumped. He twirled in the air and landed forwards again.

As they say, age is wisdom. Ren said. But Ren would not be outdone. He swung his long tail around and twisted his neck. Catching the tip of his tail in his mouth, he spun around in circles like a dog. Dizzy with pride and spinning, he managed to do another handstand and walk for a couple of steps.

Gaze upon this tremendous act, Ren said. I can lick my back hoof.

An amazing feat of flexibility it was. Alice hurt just watching it.

And I can lick the tip of my horn, Alpa said. They watched, dumbstruck. He licked the ground and