Chapter 88: Book 2: Death Magic

Azula

… I kind of felt bad for Lord Thakden, since he’d actually gotten in trouble for the book… but I was the one who chose to read it. Yulanya was currently yelling at him in the War room, while I sat in my small throne…. Drozo’s was empty.

Even with him not Here, it Still felt strange… of all the things to get Over, I think This was something I’d have to brute force. I Would say his name! I just needed him here to test it in private…

“You’re and Idiot!” She screamed, pointing at him.

“I Forgot about that one! It’s just a local children’s tale. Hell, the noble children Sing This song on the way to the academy around 10th Moon!” Thakden yelled.

She sighed. “But those noble children Aren’t the High Queen… who’s clothes had to be put in the Wash for smelling of fear. I know his majesty. He’s going to lose what little patience he has with us… what a mess.” She grumbled… “But if it’s a local tale…. Hopefully he won’t be Too angered from this… what is this nonsense anyway?” She demanded.

“I wasn’t born then, so I only know hand me downs… but the legend talks about a Dragon Slayer, who ate the flesh of dragons…. It made him an insatiable monster…. His belly was so bloated, he could no longer fit in his armor when the elves and dragons teamed up to slay him…. You must recall, King Nox, and King Drozakrahth were either dead or sleeping…. It left their children to deal with it… but I bet Headmaster Ardenyull might know… Or maybe not? He’s been locked up in the academy since he helped build the city…”

“Someone go summon Headmaster Ardenyull. I can bet 10 gold Right Now that he won’t be please to be interrupted.” She growled… it was a deep one. Her skin popped and crackled with small lightning on her skin…. She must know storm magic….

“Aye Head Advisor.” Said a dragon guard.

“…. We asked her multiple times if she wanted to stop… now I may be beheaded today.” Said the taller guard who watched me.

“No… he will not be crass at You two. Your jobs were to protect her from physical danger, not…. Paper ones.” She opened the book. “I swear it looks like its looking back at me…. Maybe we should burn it.”

“Such old texts are preserved in the archives. I could quite literally Just put it back… but some of the verses I’ve not heard…. May I see it again.” He looked at it. “See here.” He pointed to the page with everyone running… “There’s a soul in this book.” He mumbled.

“What?! So you gave her something Cursed too?!” She hissed. The drakes looked about ready to kill him.

“As I Said I Did Not Know…. I don’t even remember this book in the collection… but Yes… The image of the woman looking back is the trapped soul...stuck in torment…but I feel no hex… I should excise this….. He grumbled. “But there’s also a chance this spirit has become vengeful over the years… looking to attack whomever trapped them….”

It wasn’t long before the Headmaster came shooting through the room, with only red wings sprouted. “I got here as fast as I can. Give me that.” He hissed.

“Headmaster… what is it?” Asked Thakden.

“Why do I smell my wife’s fear?!” Shouted my husband. “Who thought they could cover it up?!... Yulanya!” He boomed.

“Well… so much for hiding it. Let’s wait for him to barge in here.” She said as the dragons kneeled on bended knee.

He barged in and glanced at them briefly before coming to me. “I’m fine husband.” I smiled.

“Did you fine a haunted book…?” He looked at it on the center of the table. “Someone better start talking.” He warned. He closed his eyes, and did a big breath. His exhale snorted thick smoke… [Elvish] There was a person behind him. He had blonde hair, and vividly gray eyes. I could tell he was human.

I could bet money that elvish was a threat.

“Have a seat… the headmaster was going to tell us about the book.” I said putting my hand on his arm… I rubbed it a little.

I didn’t think it would work, but it did… he sat, holding my hand. I think it was the only reason he sat down…

“This… is Trouble father.” He said flatly. Everyone sat now, but I could tell they were uncomfortable with him still breathing out hot ash….. “The Man Who Ate Cake is Hardon, the Scale Snatcher.”

“That can’t be… he was my people’s hero.” Said the blonde man.

“Explain son.” He said calmly, resting his cheek on his knuckles. “Mortal often times the ‘heroes’ you look up to aren’t as noble as you think.”

I could tell by the looks the dragons gave the only other human in the room… that he was probably on his way to the dungeons…. Or the kitchen…

“I made this with… mortal skin. This is what’s left of my first apprentice… Joy. About I don’t know, 300 years after your death and disappearance, a human claimed Plemteth….. They made a town, and no one really, rightly gave a fuck.”

“Well yeah, they’re Just mortals.” Said my husband dismissively. “Continue; I’ll share what I know when you finish.”

“For about 40 years, they built a small settlement around 300 or so, ruled by a Dragon Slayer’s Guild. But even then, there was peace. We were too busy fighting the elves, and the elves were too disheartened that their King was missing as well, and when they found him, he was in a slumber they could not wake him from… but while you two were away… Harbon… he discovered that not only could he extend his life by eating dragons and drinking their blood, but he could become Stronger than us as well… Well only as strong as who he ate… He stole the essence of who he killed, and the more he killed the stronger he got… but the less… human he became.” He mumbled.

“By the story, it suggests that he began to eat his fellow humans as well…,” Said Lord Thakden.

“Aye.” Said the Headmaster. “It took me and the elf headmaster of Iren University, in Hellion’s capital to kill Harbon… We cut his body up and I burned it to ash, but a pile of scales was left… I could not destroy them, with magic or my own flames…. But… when we got there, the city was one of bone… and the walking dead.” He said as if he remembered some great horror…

“What happened to them?” asked my husband.

“… sire he Ate them… he killed them all… and those he bit walked the earth as soulless corpses… he even got Joy here, but she asked me to do this before she lost her mind. I don’t know if I should have… but I did as she asked. I was grief stricken. I really liked her….” He mumbled.

“Did you want her as your mate son?” He asked.

“No…. I don’t know… If I take her soul out the book… the preservation of it will be Gone. I didn’t want anyone to forget… I didn’t want to let go either.” He said with shame.

“That is part of what it means to be a dragon my son…We horde More than Just gold.” He mumbled. “Had I been alive, not dead from my selfish actions…. I might have prevented your loss.”

“No father I’m alright. I Truly dedicated myself to magic after that, should he return…. Had my loss not happened, I might have remained the aloof gold collector I was.” He chuckled.

“Regardless… do you think it fair you prevent her from passing?” He asked.

“No father… it isn’t… With what I know now, I could produce the same result with a deer soul…. Ah zesh Ak Mek Joy-na Na-itkeb.” He said, and the book became dust. Blood rolled off his cheeks from his eyes….. I could only guess dragons cried blood. “It pains me to see my Failure… that mortals are so small… all it took was a scratch, and she became a pale sickly yellow…I watched her hair and teeth fall out… I made this book, and now her sorrow and pain attacks Me as it should. I didn’t know she still… felt what they’d done to her…”

“Then I will make sure my mate has Nothing to do with this.” Said Drozo. “I want an order issued to all major cities. Their gates are to be closed. Any sick approaching the gates will be killed on sight. Humans in unprotected homes Will have at least one dragon sent to fight the undead…. What a fucking mess…” He mumbled.

“I will also send light magic messages to the elvish kingdoms.” Said Yulanya.

“Yes… do you remember if it affected elves?” Drozo asked the headmaster.

“Only mortal races. Any who age year for year with Solis…. But fire burns them to ash. They’re slower in the day too… and smell like rotting flesh….” Headmaster Ardenyull wiped his face. He now seemed unaffected by whatever curse the spirit of his old apprentice put on him…. But I get why she did it…

Just touching and reading what happened made me literally throw it on the ground…

“…Your majesty… if all this is true… I Need no MUST stop my fellow…. Former guildmates…” Mumbled the human.

“They will see your service collar and behead you on the spot. My Name is across your neck in three languages.” He said kingly. “Your place is here in the court. You want to help change the kingdoms? All that is in this land is owned by Me.” He said firmly.

“Father… you allow a Dragon Slayer in your home?... Wow…” the headmaster looked at him as if he didn’t hear him right.

“I Know. But we must plan. Luminia. [Elvish] There. I sent a letter to my father with light magic… but by the time he gets it, I know Harbon will already have his armor, and I’ve ordered the Crimson King not to interfere….” He grumbled. “As selfish as it is, there’s also Real Worry about this.”

“If he gets the Crimson King’s blood, by the headmaster’s account sire… he’ll kill him.” Said Yulanya.

“No it’s more than that. If he kills a dragon, he steals a portion of their being. This magic… death magic does not Exist, but it sounds like he’s playing with enchants that work by exchange. So if he did get his grubby hands on my father’s blood, no other could stop him except me… and knowing my father, he’s likely going to go try protect his people.”

“Then mass summons all dragon kings here.” Said Yulanya. “I see the Crimson King as almost an uncle sire…”

“That’s actually a good idea. I had not thought to do that… With everyone ordered here by my word, Hardon might even be attracted to come to Me instead of us trying to find him.” He said fanning his fingers out, and making a circle. “Mass Luminia [roaring.]

With a snap of his fingers, tiny balls of light shot out the window, well through it without breaking it, and then scatted every direction….