Inkway to Albreton

Chapter Fourteen

King Allard awoke in the early morning as usual and prepared himself for the day. His son and Princess Salina were not awake yet but there was something ominous on the air, something that had awoken the King earlier than usual. Entering the white room he glanced briefly at Albert and Salina, asleep in each other's arms, and he smiled in a fatherly way. It wasn't until he stepped outside the castle that he noticed something was very, very wrong.

Corpses bobbed up and down in the mote like buoys, little black birds all dotting the water like feathered balloons, some dragging up onto shore, rotted and grotesque. Beady little black eyes stared dead up at the King and he could not help but stammer backward at the sight of it all. The wind made waves in the mote, water lapping against the shore as the lily pads scattered away from each other. Something larger floated in the center of the mote, something King Allard couldn't quite make out in the shine of the morning sunlight. It vanished underwater as if it had been plucked from the other side and the King stepped cautiously towards the edge of the water, inching forward, boots crunching the bones of one of the smallest crows. He squinted as the thing resurfaced, and then a cloud passed overhead.

It was human. A human corpse swayed to and fro in the water, jerking every now and then as if an animal might be tearing at the bits beneath the water. King Allard could only see its bare back and even that was obscured by the corpse's scraggly, swimming hair.

"By the gods," King Allard murmured. He stepped into the water just as the cloud passed on to let the sun shine down once more.

"Stop!" Someone screamed from above. The King halted immediately, craning his neck to the sky. Three shadows fell upon him and he raised an arm to block the rest of the light invading his peripheral vision.

When the three landed, King Allard made way for them, stepping pointedly away from the water as he did so. Before him were the Dragon Lords and Enkaiein the beast, and atop the Dragon Queen was Jasmine herself. She soon climbed down the scales, hopping the final few feet to the ground. She landed with impeccable accuracy before King Allard, hunching like an athlete.

"We have made it in time," said the Dragon King, "Greetings, Allard, King of the Flatlanders."

"Uh, hi," said Jasmine. It was then King Allard looked at her face.

"Jasmine? Is that truly you?" He asked, "What happened? How did you sustain these injuries?"

"Well um," Jasmine started, but Ellindris stepped in and interrupted her.

"It is my fault entirely," said the Dragon Queen, "Please, accept my apology for injuring one of your own."

King Allard turned an inquisitive face towards Enkaiein and then the Dragon King. They both bowed their long necks, like swans drinking.

"Have you noticed an unusual cloud about?" Kurventhor asked, seeming intent on changing the subject. Jasmine was thankful for that.

"A strange cloud," said King Allard, "No. Why do you ask this?"

"Because that frog wizard guy is possessing a storm cloud," answered Jasmine.

"Yes," Enkaiein elaborated, "It would also appear he has consumed a Phoenix Heart, thus granting himself immortality. I am afraid we could not contain him on our own."

"I could not catch him," Kur said, voice rumbling with spite and self-loathing.

"Do not blame yourself," Ellindris said, nuzzling Kurventhor's throat with her snout.