ATTENTION READERS:
Gunji is singular and plural
Magi is the plural of Mage

Chapter 18 (Part 1)
Eye of the Dragon

Traveling hours into mid-day--heavy ground fog thickening moment by moment, Priest Hayman led the Volari soldiers through the dark forest with its strange animal-shaped trees. Or were they trees? Hayman wondered. Some things had appeared different since his last visit.

Dinary, Celio, Olatunji, and the Domari generals quickly advanced several feet ahead of the group. A magical creature, called a Gunji, traveled with them. Olatunji had stumbled upon the Gunji meditating in a deeply wooded area of Aenwyn territory. He befriended the creature after discovering they had much in common.

The Gunji were highly spiritual beings that worshiped and protected nature. The most powerful of them could shapeshift into various animals and had power over beasts and plants. The Gunji shared knowledge with Olatunji which greatly added to his shapeshifting skills.

It took twenty-one days to travel from Volari territory to the Qu'Venar kingdom. The travel unit gasped when they saw branches on a tree point and grass part to reveal the path to the city.

Dinary felt the forest's reputation truly preceded itself: It was colorful and gorgeous, attracting nature-lovers to its beauty. The most common Qu'Venars lived in small homes nestled between the strange-looking trees. Powerful Magi who studied their craft in the arcane tower of the Sharian actually lived among the Qu'Venar commoners and protected them. The beauty of the forest was said to be so enticing, to the irritation of Sharian sorcerers, travelers often lingered well beyond their welcomed visits.

As the unit traveled deeper into the forest, something caught Dinary's eye. The ground fog went no farther and appeared to thin and evaporate.  He dismounted and walked several feet, stepping onto a crimsoned patch of ground that resembled red clay. He bent to touch the strange dirt when arrows whizzed above his head, missing him by inches. "WHAT THE?" Dinary blurted.

"Dinary!" Priest Hayman yelled. "For god's sake man, don't stand up...crawl back towards your horse on your hands and knees then stand."

Dinary did as told, then shot up from the ground. "What the Hades was that?" he spat.

"Son, you're moving too fast. You can't just walk where you please. Some parts of this forest are what the Qu'Venars consider sacred ground, and we must get permission from the regional wizards to move beyond a certain point."

"Oh, now you tell me?"

"You are familiar with these wizards?" Olatunji asked.

"That I am...and is why I'm traveling with you. You must walk where I tell you."

"Apologies," Dinary said. "I didn't mean to get ahead of you. I'm just anxious to get to the city."

"You will get there, son, but my way, you won't stand before the king full of bloody holes."

Dinary, heeding Hayman's words, turned and immediately slowed his pace. He followed Hayman to a dark patch of ground which turned a bright purple as soon as their feet touched it. Dinary didn't bother to ask what it meant.

Up ahead, a wizard stood stone-faced--dressed in colorful attire of blue-green, orange, and bright yellow. Holding his six-foot staff in an upright position, he slammed it and the ground shook beneath them--knocking them off balance.

"By what authority are you here?" the wizard growled.

Hayman held out his pinky finger. The wizard walked to him; he leaned in and read the secret word that floated within the liquid of the blue stone, and then stepped aside. That incident was repeated two more times--each with a different wizard more strangely colorful than before. Because of the priest's knowledge of the forest, there were no harmful encounters. It grew clear to Dinary that going there on his own would have been lethal.

The group continued to travel until they reached a little village with more common houses, but with shops, and many small buildings.

"Why are we stopping here?" Dinary asked.

"We've been traveling for hours," Olatunji said, irritated. "Where is this city?"

"Calm yourselves," Prince Hayman urged. "You can't see her, but she sees us."

"See us...her who?" Dinary asked, looking about.

"The sorcerer. She's looking us over before letting us in."

"In there?" Celio asked, squinting at the simple little village.

"Well, if you can't see her," Olatunji said, "how do you know she sees us?"

"I never said I couldn't see her," Hayman said.

Suddenly, a yellow ball of light appeared--so bright, it blotted out the village, and when the light dimmed and disappeared, there before them stood a great city. It was the city of Entrydal sitting by the sparkling waters of the Emerald Lake where the spire lay along its edge just as Hayman had described it.

Eighty-six thousand Qu'Venars spread out over five acres were its occupants. The city bustled with excitement and its beauty was overwhelming. Hayman was greeted warmly, and all were immediately taken to meet the Council of the Ten Magi, but to their disappointment, neither King Pyruss nor the prince attended. The King, however, kept his meeting with Hayman.

Well within the conversation, the priest learned the King wanted to join Gangus. However, he felt bad standing in the way of the alliance, but being old and sickly, had left the decision-making to his son.

"What does he want?"

"I can answer for myself," Prince Norr interrupted. He entered the room and his father leaned back in his chair.

"I sent for Dinary and the others," the prince said. "He shall have his long-awaited answer."

They waited and the tensed moments seemed like hours. Then shortly, Dinary, followed by Olatunji, Celio, Domari generals, and the Gunji entered--bowed to the king and stood before the prince.

"You sent for us, Your Highness?" Dinary asked straightening after his second bow.

"Yes. I've thought the matter over. My father seems to approve and..."

"Then that's a yes?" Dinary interrupted excitedly.

"Calm yourself," the prince said taking the seat beside his father's. "I've thought the matter over after discussing it...in great length...with my father. We believe the fears of Lord Abrams are genuine. But...there is something more pressing we need to address."

"Something more pressing? What exactly does that mean?" Dinary asked, irritated.

"We know the greed of the Nordoxz," the prince said. "And we know they won't stop with just Volarian territory. But their greed is not without wisdom or fear. You've tasted a little of our forest. The Nordoxz will not come here. However, we are not so heartless as to stand by and watch them slaughter your people. So, I'm prepared to send your father three thousand of our finest...and King Yawmin will match us with another three thousand. If we choose to increase, he will increase and so on."

Though Dinary was all smiles, Priest Hayman bore a suspicious gaze.

Excited, Dinary said, "King Pyruss, Prince Norr. I...I can't tell you how happy I am that you've changed your mind...I mean...when my father hears this...."

"And just what does young Dinary have to do for this...this sudden change of heart?" Hayman interrupted, looking at Prince Norr under his lashes.

"Do?" Dinary asked wide-eyed. "Of course...name it. I always knew there was something you wanted. That's why I convinced my father to allow me to come here."

The king and Priest Hayman looked on as Prince Norr settled back in his chair, cleared his throat, and spoke. The room went silent.

"Over a century ago, when our ancestors traveled here from the Mother World, we had in our possession a precious emerald stone, the size of my fist, called The Eye of the Dragon. It had been a fixture among my people for generations. A tribe called the Mycide attacked their ship and stole the stone. Years ago, one of my soldiers stumbled upon a descendent of a runaway slave of the Mycide who told the soldier the Mycide had carried the stone off into the Haunted Wastelands..."

"Haunted Wastelands?" Dinary interrupted.

"Yes, located just east of our forest. He told the soldier the Mycide were wiped out by the Wastelands'
hostile inhabitants who took the stone. His ancestor and a few other slaves had managed to escape. The story handed down to him...is that the Eye is guarded day and night by ghastly creatures." The prince paused.

"That's...quite a story," Dinary said. "How do you know it's true?"

"Our mage has seen the stone in dreams, where it's located and what guards it," the king said. "His dreams never lie. But Magi are very meticulous; their dreams must be backed by confirmation. They never say why."

"And so this information from the descendant of a Mycide slave is the confirmation the mage needs?" Dinary asked.

"Most assuredly," the prince replied.

Dinary let out a quiet gush of breath. "And why do I dread what you're going to say next?"

The prince hesitated then leaned forward and spoke with awe. "You and your Volarian comrades fought your way across that demonic Endless Ocean. No one has ever survived those waters. Yet, here you all stand," Norr said.

"When I learned of that, I was impressed beyond belief," the king said, wide-eyed.

"As was I," Norr replied. He paused. "I suppose you're wondering why we didn't send our soldiers."

"That had crossed my mind," Dinary said, sarcastically.

"Make no mistake," Norr said with a protruding chest. "Qu'Venar soldiers have always been second to none. However, not even we can boast of having crossed the Endless Ocean."

"Are you saying," Ndornah interrupted, "that you want us to go to this Haunted Wastelands and bring back your dragon stone?"

"Of course he does," Celio snapped. "Why couldn't you have said this at the conference instead of making us travel all this way? Not to mention the embarrassment your public refusal caused Lord Abrams."

"Because our enemies' spies may have overheard and would have attempted to harm you. Perhaps, tried to beat you to it and take it for themselves, that's why," the king blurted. "We meant no disrespect to your Lord."

"I see," Dinary said. He pondered then turned to his comrades. They whispered among themselves. King Pyruss and Prince Norr, unable to make sense of the inaudible conversation sat eagerly waiting but silent.

Dinary turned and faced the royal pair. "All right then, if that's what it'll take for you to help us, we're at your service. How soon do we leave?"

"Are you sure," the prince asked, "that you don't want to go back to your land for more soldiers? I see only a remnant here."

"That won't be necessary," Dinary replied. "I had a feeling there would be some great challenge involved if you changed your mind, so I brought my best."

"Then," said the king, "you may leave as soon as you think you are ready. My servants will provide you and your soldiers with whatever you will need for your journey. And as you go, may the gods of the heavens join and protect you."



End of chapter part 1



Image: by Dantegrafice from Pixabay

Main Characters
Lord Gangus Abram Leader of his clan
Lady Brehira (Bree here rah) His wife
Dinary (Deh nah ry) Youngest Son
Celio (Seal le o) Soldier and close friend
Princess Netrekka (Neh trek kah) Dinary's Lover/wife
Olatunji (O Lah Tune Gee) Cushite Soldier
Gangus's Staff Command Tierphenjinochun (Teer fen gin o tion)

Minor Characters
Khimah (Kee ma) Eldest Son
Captain Dulcy P Dordrecht (Door check) Captain of the Cristofur
Judian (Jew-dee-in) Second in Command of the Christofur
Kofius (Ko fee us) The Sail Master
The Drake (like it's spelled) The menacing dragon

The gods
Raziel (Ray-zeal) God of gods
Dahlia (Doll-lee'ah) Goddess of Domaria--a kingdom ruled by women
Gailzur (Gale-zore) God of War
Nelchael (Nell-key-ol) God of the Underworld
Zakzakiel (Zak zah keel) God of Peace
Osun (O Shun) Nigerian Goddess

The Races
Volarians (Vo lar rians) (Humans) 'Gangus's tribe'
Engamars (In ga mars) (Humanoids) aka, Red Beards 'Hate Aenwyns and Qu'Venars'
Aenwyns (An winds) (Humanoids) 'Adore Qu'Venars, hate Engamars'
Qu'Venars (Q' Vin nahs) (Humanoids) 'Adore Aenwyns can't tolerate the stubborn Engamars'
Nordoxz (Nor-docks) (Humanoid) 'Have multi-colored leathery skin like that of a serpent.'
Faerie (Far ree) (Another world) Origin of the Aenwyns'
Domarians (Doe mah rians) ( Humans) A kingdom ruled by women'
Nekani (Keh cah knee) (Humanoids) Felion Race