The test is a success. It is time to move on now. Be prepared to set sail at dawn, the message began, an ominous and frustrating command. His men had not yet had time to completely scour Norwych, not to mention the wild lands beyond the city. It never paid to leave things half done. No one liked a vengeful foe suddenly turning up behind him.
Your destination is Northern Ergoth’s southern coast. The point is marked on the map I have drawn below. You will wait there until I send further information.
Ignoring the map for the moment, Cadrio turned the paper over, looking for more explanation. Nothing. He confronted the gargoyle. “This is it? This is all he says?”
Crag eyed him like a potential meal. “Will not obey?”
General Cadrio bristled, but otherwise held his temper in check. “Tell Valkyn that we’ll sail tomorrow.”
Once more Crag’s monstrous expression seemed to hint at amusement … or mockery. “Will tell Maaaster …”
The gargoyle suddenly leaped toward the humans. As his aides rushed forward to defend him, Cadrio ducked, frantically reaching for his own blade. However, instead of falling upon them, the savage gargoyle flew skyward, at the same time emitting a throaty rumble that sounded like laughter.
“I swear I’ll have that one skinned and used for boot leather!” the general roared as Zander helped him up.
Zander leaned near. “Sir, how long must we deal with this mage? He and his creatures mock us at every turn, and now we must obey his commands! Surely Valkyn intends himself to be the new Dragon Highlord-nay, the new Emperor of Ansalon-instead of you, despite his words to the contrary!”
Timinion looked around nervously. “Careful, you fool! We’ve no idea how many more of those beasts might be listening! Do you want them to tell the mage that we plot against him?”
“Better we take what we are due than follow around like lackeys!”
“Strong words until Atriun comes floating over our heads and burns us to a crisp!”
Cadrio came between his two warring officers. “Be still, both of you, or I’ll have your heads!”
Both men immediately quieted down. Cadrio stared at the pair a minute longer, then shifted his gaze skyward, where Crag had dwindled to a speck, at last vanishing into the clouds.
“We’ll soon remedy the imbalance,” he announced. “I’ve already had enough of this alliance. In fact, I’ve something in mind that must be done before we leave Norwych. Mean-while, we follow the wizard’s dictates and make preparations to leave. We’ll pretend that all is right in the world and we don’t mind being servants instead of the allies he claims us to be. Understood?” Zander and Timinion nodded. “Good! Timinion, sound the call for withdrawal. Go!” Cadrio smiled as the aide departed. “Come with me, Zander. We must speak with the dragons. There’s a certain gargoyle who might be useful to us.…”
* * * * *
The citadel lay in ruins, its last task the death of Norwych.
Tyros felt the blood drain from his face as the griffon again circled over the wreckage. Behind him, Serene’s body shook as she no doubt thought about her lost love. The stunned mage stared at the fragments, as if somehow he had the power to will the flying castle back into one piece.
What had happened? Had Norwych had dragons protecting it? If so, where had they gone after downing the castle? Surely the twin black dragons had not managed to kill them.
A shape in the distance caught his attention. At first he thought it was one of the griffons. The animals had a fondness for Rapp and more than one had wanted to accompany them. Yet this looked to be a slightly smaller creature, something about the size of a man.
Or a gargoyle.
This one had three horns and looked far uglier than the pair Tyros had confronted in Gwynned. He watched it fly up into the clouds. “Serene! Did you see that? Make the griffon go up! I want to follow that gargoyle … from a distance!”
“What about the dragons?”
“Please!”
With much reluctance, she directed the griffon upward. Bakal and Rapp followed, the captain not at all thrilled by the prospect. The winds rocked the riders, but the griffons compensated. Tyros and Serene pulled up their hoods as moisture began to cover them.
“I don’t see a thing, Tyros! Shouldn’t we turn back?”
“We won’t go far.”
Bakal and Rapp popped in and out of sight as they ascended. Rapp brought his own griffon nearer so that the pair wouldn’t become separated, but even then the others still occasionally vanished. Tyros began to consider turning back.
Without warning, they burst into an open area where thunder roared and lightning flashed. The griffons hesitated. Tyros nearly had Serene make them descend. Then a great flash illuminated the region, and all four travelers beheld a sight that made everything else pale.
Tyros could barely believe his eyes. A second, more astounding citadel floated among the storm clouds, a leviathan compared to the ruined castle below. With its dark stone and high walls, it seemed as much a part of the threatening weather as the lightning and thunder. Occasional flashes of crimson and yellow gave it an ominous appearance, and the mage half-expected to see ghosts haunting its battlements.
Whether or not ghosts haunted it, gargoyles certainly did. Not only did he spot the one that they had shadowed, but scores more fluttered above and around the astonishing fortress. A shiver ran through Tyros. These creatures served the same master responsible for Leot’s disappearance and his own near-kidnapping.
“Atriun! By the Bard King’s harp, it’s Castle Atriun!”
Serene’s shocked words caught him by surprise. “You know that fortress?”
“It’s the castle of Atriun, a small, secluded province. It was originally built by a mad Solamnic Knight, but it’s long been abandoned.” She gripped his arm tightly. “Do you see what this means? We still have a chance to find those we sought!”
Tyros had actually been thinking how this gave him the chance to bring back an even greater prize than originally planned. He turned his face from hers, pretending to wipe away moisture. She worried about her love and Leot; he had only been thinking of glory. The mage felt disgust for himself.
He stared at the massive citadel. “I want to get nearer!”
“It’s too dangerous. Look at all those gargoyles!”
She had a point. This would require stealth. But what could he do? Tyros hadn’t expected so many gargoyles, nor had he thought to confront so deadly a citadel. His entire plan had been based on the crippled older castle, not this imposing edifice.
The winds and rain grew harsher. They couldn’t stay here any longer, much less attempt to infiltrate the castle. Bakal waved, clearly wanting to descend. Tyros nodded, bitter to be so near and yet unable to continue. He would be back, though.
The griffons descended, eager to return to better climes. The animals grew even happier when they left the foul clouds; their wings beat faster as they soared in the direction of the camp. Tyros rode in silence, trying to formulate a plan for his next visit. If he could somehow draw the gargoyles away …
“Above us!” Serene whispered in his ear. “A dragon!”
A savage black giant flew a few hundred feet above them, surveying the landscape. To their horror, a second monstrosity dropped from the clouds to join the first.
The terrible twins looked left and right, their draconian orbs searching below. Sooner or later one of the beasts would look their direction. Tyros quickly searched his memory for a spell that would help his party but could think of very few. However, one gave him some hope. He began running through it in his mind.
“We’ll have to out race them,” Serene insisted.
“No! Give me one more moment.”
With their far greater wingspan, the dragons readily cut the gap between themselves and the mage’s party. The nearer they drew, the more anxious Tyros became. If either beast noticed them, he and his companions were as good as dead. Neither Tyros nor Serene had the power to drive off the pair, and the griffons could certainly not outpace them for long.