Omensent: Rise of the Shadow Dragons (18 page)

"What was that beast?" Raven was still trembling
uncontrollably.

"It's called a shadow dragon." Damion answered in an angry voice. "They are the cause of all of the destruction taking place."

"A shadow dragon?" She asked in disbelief. "I thought the dragons vanished centuries ago!"

"They have returned." Damion began to strip out of his armor, then rummaged their the packs to find some clothing to replace the charred tatters he now wore.

Raven stormed up to Damion, her eyes flashing in anger. "Just who are you? How do you know of these creatures?"

Damion was silent as he finished getting dressed. "The scarlet dragons were released from the Dragon Gem three years ago
when it was joined with the Dragon Sword." He said finally, struggling back into his armor.

"I have heard the stories
of the Dragon Lord." She admitted. "I had thought them nonsense!"

Damion shook his head. "The stories are true. The scarlet dragons emerged once more into this world, but they are still controlled by the Dragon Sword."

"But that dragon was black!" She said in confusion.

Damion
nodded grimly. "The scarlet dragons banished the shadow dragons from this world thousands of years ago. They were all but forgotten, until they were released back into this world by accident when the scarlet dragons were freed from the Dragon Gem."

"How is it that you know all of this?" She asked in sudden suspicion.

He turned away from her without answering, but she caught sight of the Dragon Sword on his hip.

"It was you
?" Her voice was scarcely more than a whisper. "You are the Dragon Lord? You are the one that released them?"

He sighed heavily. "Aye
, I am the one responsible for what is happening."

"If the Dragon Sword controls the dragons, then c
an't you use the sword to stop them?"

He shook h
is head. "The Dragon Sword only controls the scarlet dragons. It doesn't have any power over the shadow dragons. That's why I have been trying to track these beasts down and stop them. It was my mistake that allowed them to return."

"Can't you
just force the scarlet dragons to banish them again?" She asked desperately.

"The scarlet dragons are trying to track them down, but the shad
ow beasts are elusive creatures and almost impossible to detect in the darkness, which is the only time they appear."

"This
all seems so unreal!" She said in a dazed voice.

"It's all too real."
Veren assured her as he began loading their belongings onto the horses.

"I must report this news to my father! The council needs to know what'
s happening!" She looked around at her fallen clansmen. "We must bury my men first."

They helped her to bury the charred remains of her warriors, then finished loading their horses and set off for the trade road.

It was dawn by the time they finally reached the road, although it was still quite dark, the dense forest canopy overhead allowing very little light through for them to travel by. They moved at a careful walk until the sun was high enough to allow for faster travel, then they quickened their pace, following Raven as she confidently guided them through the forest she called home.

It was nearly noon when they finally stopped to rest their horses. Raven led them up another
path to a natural spring located a half mile or so from the trade road, and they dismounted and allowed their weary horses to drink.

Veren
rummaged through their packs and produced some rations, which he distributed between them. "You know," He said casually to Damion, who was gnawing on a piece of dried beef. "You have to be the craziest person I've ever met!"

Damion snorted, but remained silent.

"I mean, what kind of sane person wades through a raging fire and attacks a dragon?" Veren shook his head in amused disbelief.

"Fire doesn't burn my flesh." He explained quietly.
"It cannot harm me."

"What do you mean
?" Raven asked curiously.

Damion frowned and looked away. "The dragon
's blood in my veins makes me immune to fire."

The young woman stared at him in disbelief.

"My mother was violated by dragonspawn while I was still in her womb." He told her in an emotionless voice. "The attack left its mark upon me in many different ways."

"But who charges an attacking dragon?"
Veren continued. "What was you thinking?"

Damion shru
gged. "Believe it or not, it wasn't the first time that's happened."

They both stared at him in disbelief now, but he ignored them as Snowfeather
appeared from overhead.

"Everything seems clear in the area
,"
He reported as he landed on Storm's saddle.
"but there is another patrol heading south along  the trade road."

"How far away are they?"
He asked silently.

"Two or
three miles. They're not really moving very fast."

Damion looked
to the others. "There is a group of riders moving along the trade road."

"
How is it you know this?" Raven asked in confusion. "We're a half mile from the trade road!"

Damion nodded to the snow owl
. "Snowfeather told me."

"You can talk to animals?"
She asked in astonishment.

Damion smiled
, then shook his head. "Only Snowfeather. He and I are linked by my magic."

"How far away are they?"
Veren inquired, running one hand over his bald head.

"They are still a couple of miles to the north."

Raven rose from where she sat. "We should make our way back to the trade road. If it's another patrol, they need to be warned of what has transpired."

They set off back up the nearly invisible
trail and soon reached the trade road. They continued to the north and it wasn't long before a group of riders appeared in the distance.

Damion noticed Raven's face darken as they drew closer, and she slowed to a stop in the middle of the road.

"Trouble?" Veren asked as he watched the Deirian riders approach.

"They are from the
Blood Claw clan!" She said with heat. "They should not be this far into my people's lands!"

The riders reined in their horses twenty or so feet
from where they waited and stared at them with fierce aggressive stares. There were twenty or so of the pale faced riders, each armed with long bows and short swords, which were belted tightly to their waists. Their leader was a thin dark haired man who was missing both of his front teeth. He was dressed in leather armor dyed a garish red, as were his men, and their horses had been painted with various designs using a bright red dye. "Ah! Raven Nightshade!" He exclaimed in a slightly mocking voice. "Out for a day's ride with friends, are we?"

Raven sneered at the man
contemptuously. "Melvik Poisonoak." She said in a flat voice. "You should
not
be here! Your people's lands are to the north! You are violating the treaty between our people!"

The dark haired man scowled at her angrily. "Speak not of violating treaties, woman!
I know it's your people that are attacking our camps, and as soon as I have the evidence, my people will finally wipe your tribe from this fair land!"

"These attacks are happening to our people too
, you imbecile!" She informed him through clenched teeth. "Your people are not the only ones to have suffered losses!"

The dark haired man looked to
Veren and Damion, who were watching the newcomers warily. "And with whom do you travel, Raven? A Jaghern and..." He faltered as his eyes fell upon Damion, who stared back at him with a look that promised death.

Raven smiled slightly, then gestured
imperiously. "You and your friends
will
turn around and return to your own lands!"

"And who will make us?" He sneered mockingly. "Where are all your men, Raven? I've never known you go anywhere without a dozen or so
of your lackeys at your back."

Raven's face grew
stony. "We were attacked last night. My entire patrol was killed."

Melvik seemed taken aback. "Attacked? By who?"

She shook her head. "You would not believe me if I told you."

The dark haired man scoffed dismissively. "So your warriors died while you fled to save your own skin? I had thought better of you."

"You
will
watch what you say to me, dog," Raven snarled in a deadly voice. "and you
will
turn around and return to your own lands! I must report to my father what we have learned so he can present it before the council."

Melvik laughed
condescendingly. "I don't think the council will believe the words of some cowardly female. Especially one who left her kinsmen to die."

Raven's hands were a blur as she notched an arrow into the bow
that seemed materialize from nowhere. She leveled the arrow at Melvik's chest. "One more insult and you will die!"

The warriors following
Melvik drew their own bows. The dark haired man laughed, then gestured to his men. "It seems you are a little outnumbered, Raven! And I don't think that one Jaghern, and one...
freak
, will be much help!"

Veren
groaned at the word 'freak'. "You really shouldn't have said that." He told Melvik in a regretful voice. He looked to Damion, whose face was a thundercloud. "I'm just going to take the horses and wait over here. Are you coming, Raven?" His voice was casual, but he gestured insistently for her to join him.

Raven looked confused at first, but then
caught sight of the look on Damion's face and quickly lowered her bow.

"You really should turn around and leave this place." Damion warned the dark haired man in a voice that was little more than a growl. "No one has to die here."

Melvik and several of his men began to laugh. "Do you think the words of some
freak
will frighten us?"

The men couldn't see the invisible force that suddenly swept them
all from their mounts, sending them crashing hard to the ground. While the warriors lay gasping in pain on the ground, their horses panicked and disappeared into the surrounding forest.

Melvik struggled to his feet, his face filled with rage.
"Witchcraft!" He snarled, raising his bow and notching an arrow. "You will die this day, Freak!"

Damion gestured with one hand and the Deirian screamed as
his bow suddenly vanished and was replaced by a hissing snake which struck at his face, missing by mere inches.

Melvik tossed the snake aside fearfully, then drew his sword and charged
at Damion, his eyes bulging insanely.

Damion leaned back in his saddle and kicked
him hard in the chest, sending him crashing backwards into a number of his own men who had finally regained the feet.

"
Damion!" Raven suddenly called, riding forward to join him. "Please, do not kill them!" She stared down at the warriors, many of whom were still laying on the ground, groaning in pain. "Go, Melvik. Go and take your men with you while you still can."