Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town (26 page)

            
His friends fought hard against a total disorientation of all their senses. Awe and
hope surged each time a world, tiny in size, appeared in the black void, hope that this
was done. Only when the bluish orb began growing did they realize that at last they were
finally beginning to arrive. Like a scene observed through a zoom lense, the world grew
in size. Then the towering spires of Castle Dorumova appeared, steadily growing in size
until it filled all their world. Still it zoomed until a dimly illuminated room appeared and
grew to full size.

            
“Here we are,” Zoran announced. “My room. Crap! Pardon the mess; it is just like
I left it last year.” Indeed, stuff was scattered everywhere. Memories of his hasty packing
returned. “I had to leave in a big hurry. No one’s been in here to clean up. Okay, first
action, search for any hidden spy devices and spells.”

            
At once, spells detonated right and left. They found none. “Well, that’s a relief.
Okay, I will let Lida and Rayna know that we are here. Undoubtedly, the Baron will soon
discover this as well.” He concentrated and told his sisters he had arrived.

            
Rayna explained.
We have to greet Uncle Milan and Aunt Marjeta. Dad is
having us perform mom’s old duties, greeting our guests. Stay put until we can come
to you. It is not safe. Dad has spies everywhere!

            
“Now we wait,” he announced. Meanwhile, the women set about cleaning up the
place. Slightly embarrassed, Zoran lent them a hand. Karel conjured two large sofas so
that they would all have a place to sit down and chat with his sisters.

            
A while later, a knock on his door announced their arrival. Zoran let his two
sisters into the room. All three continually glanced around the halls making sure they
were not detected entering. Once inside, a three-way hug ensued.

            
“We’ve missed you so much, little brother,” Rayna whispered.

            
His team finally got a look at the twin sisters. Now twenty, they had blossomed
into lovely young women, who looked nearly identical, save for the way they wore their
hair. Rayna had shoulder length light brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. Lida had
identical colored hair, but wore hers much shorter, the only way one could tell them
apart. Both wore black silk gowns that billowed out below their waists. A hint of
lavender betrayed their presence.

            
Rayna, seeing the six waiting patiently by the sofas, giggled. She saw three
women, one with unusual golden hued skin and said, “Okay little brother. Introduce
your friends and tell us which one is your fiancé! We are both dying to know and meet
her!”

            
“Okay, okay. I can take a hint. Gang, this is Rayna, longer hair, and Lida, shorter
hair, my twin sisters. This is my fiancé, Archmage Zdenka. I will tell you her last name in
about a month.” Both twins moved to her and gave her a warm hug and embrace.

            
“Congratulations, Zdenka! Archmage? Incredible! Honestly, we never thought
anyone would ever capture little brother’s heart. You are really very pretty too. He didn’t
mention that to us,” Rayna teased him. Zdenka blushed slightly, knowing that she was
with two Duskas, two very powerful women in their own right.

            
“And this is Mage Jarka, Mage Bernard, Mage Karel, and the twins Archmage
Emil and Archmage Renata. The twins are from a distant land, studying with us,” Zoran
explained, still fearful of revealing too much about them — no last names for sure, not
just yet.

            
“Wow, three Archmages and three Mages! You sure have come prepared!”
exclaimed Lida, as she greeted each of them warmly.

            
“Four Archmages,” Zoran decided to add a bit more hope to his sisters.

            
“Where? Is someone invisible” Rayna asked, looking around for another
companion.

            
“Me. Apparently I have set some kind of new record. A Duska has become an
Archmage.”

            
Both sisters opened their mouths in utter shock and surprise. “Really? Is that
even possible?” Lida exclaimed at last.

            
Rayna finally found her voice, “Zoran! That’s never, ever happened. We are still
not yet Mages even! How did you do it? You can cast those top power spells? Incredible!
Wow! Congratulations indeed!”

            
“Yes, congratulations, little brother. Does anyone know of this?” Lida asked.

            
“No, we are keeping it a secret for a month or so before it is revealed to the world.
Please keep it a secret a little longer. I just wanted you to have a little more hope. We are
sure in a fine mess, aren’t we?”

            
“Oh Zoran, what are we going to do?” Lida sank into the sofa beside her brother.
“Leo’s here; he told me that he plans on taking me back with him. I’m going to pack
tonight and be ready for whatever happens tomorrow. I’d rather be dead than marry
that ugly Strom Clav. He’s worse than dad and has terribly bad manners and stinks. Yet,
if I run off, what will become of Rayna? Dad will only force her to marry the pig!”

            
“Stefan’s not here yet. I think he’s coming in the early morning,” Rayna
explained. “Honestly, if we run off with these families, there will be hell to pay. It could
start another dispute and war between these houses!”

            
“To say nothing of all the assassins running around after our lives and Leo’s and
Stefan’s,” Lida added what she feared most.

            
“We need to stall for time; in another month I will be shaking up the Baron and
all of the other Houses,” Zoran said defiantly. “Sorry I cannot be more specific just now.
I just need to stall a month. If the Baron tries to force either of you to marry, somehow,
someway, we have to get you two out of here.”

            
“They would probably be safest with us, Zoran,” Zdenka suggested.

            
“You are right, love, but their boyfriends and our Uncles may see it differently.
We cannot tell them just yet why they would be safer with us. I’ll talk to them when I get
the chance. Just make sure you both keep every protection spell you know on your
rooms tonight.”

            
“We will. Are all of your friends going to sleep in here with you? The girls can
share our rooms. Besides we have proper clothes for all of you,” Rayna asked.

            
“I’m all for that, Zoran. This way, we can help protect your sisters tonight,” Jarka
volunteered, eager to chat with either of the two Duskas.

            
Just then, Zoran’s inner sense alerted him. “Dad’s coming. Zdenka, go with
Rayna. Jarka, Renata, you are with Lida. Shadow Walk them immediately into your
rooms. Mages, put every possible protection spell on their doors and rooms. Action
now!” he was insistent.

            
At once, his sisters took hold of the women’s hands and vanished. Karel, Emil,
and Bernard took up a defensive semi-circle around Zoran, who headed for his door. “It
will be the Baron,” he said with a sigh, knowing a nasty confrontation was about to
occur.

            
“Ah here you are at last, my one remaining son,” the Baron exclaimed as Zoran
opened the door and allowed him to enter. Zoran noticed a dozen security men had
accompanied him, but they stayed out of his room. They had not been invited inside and
wouldn’t be unless so ordered by the Baron.

            
“Baron,” Zoran replied, refusing to call him father or to acknowledge the greeting.

            
“Where have you been son? We have all been so worried that some ill had
befallen you?” he continued ignoring Zoran’s cold greeting.

            
“I’m just fine, never better Baron. Thank you for honoring our mother with the
Ceremony of Passing. She deserves it.” He stayed totally non-committal.

            
“Well, yes. Good to see you looking fit, perhaps fitter than when I last saw you. I
do believe that you have filled out some. Been eating well, I see. I was worried that
perhaps you were starving to death in some hole somewhere. You have heard about your
brother?”

            
Ah, now he was getting to the point, he thought. “Yes, Radek followed your
ruthless despotism and see where it led him? Burned and crippled for life, unable to
fight, barely able to walk. Bet you ignored him and he couldn’t take it any longer. He
ought to have known better, but then he always did idolized you as long as I can
remember.”

            
“Yes, he proved valiant on the battlefield, as any son of mine should. Excellent
warrior. It was those hideous, vile creatures that caused his burns. Son, dragons have
come to Adapazan! Now is the time for us all to drop our hostilities towards each other.
We must join together, if we have any chance of defending our lands and our peoples
from these mean, vicious dragon lizards! If we cannot put aside our differences, all of
Adapazan will fall into utter chaos and total ruin, destroyed by these vile, evil creatures.”
Zoran wondered how Emil was taking all this, but didn’t dare throw him a glance. Later
Bernard told him that Emil fought hard to keep from laughing hysterically.

            
“Ah, so then these dragons have been attacking other towns and cities here on
Adapazan, Baron?” Zoran cleverly inquired.

            
“Not as yet, just burned Sholov Province to the ground, murdering thousands of
my troops. It is only a matter of time before they do advance beyond Sholov Province,
which is now completely deserted, by the way. Not a single living person dwells there, a
ghost province.”

            
“Your invasion, then, had nothing to do with forcing the people in Sholov
Province to flee for their lives to avoid becoming your slave workforce?” he couldn’t
resist taunting the Baron. However, as soon as he made his outburst, he regretted it. It
only antagonized the Baron further.

            
“Of course not, son. I am slowly bringing law and order to the Wild Lands, which
are controlled by wicked, lawless warlords. You know that. These men rape and pillage
and steal to make a living. Son, times are bad. Radek is gone. Your mother is gone. I am
coming tonight to see if we cannot heal the wounds between us. Come back to me. Join
me. Follow my lead, and I will name you my heir at tomorrow’s celebration. Don’t you
wish to one day be known as Baron Zoran?”

            
“Baron, the true reality is that you are a ruthless, evil, sadistic dictator, a slave
master who suppresses all living people to your own ends. I will never follow in your
footsteps. You can name me your heir apparent, but as I stand here living and breathing,
I swear to you that the moment that I become Baron taking your place, I will undo
absolutely everything that you have ever done — abolish every last law you’ve set down
— fire every last person who has ever committed any vile actions against the people of
Adapazan and try them for high treason against the people of Adapazan. Go ahead and
name me your heir, if you can live with that.”

            
The Baron’s face cringed with suppressed anger. His face turned bright red from
the effort to keep from exploding and attacking his son this very instant. “Very well. You
are no longer a son of mine! So be it!” He turned and left, angrier than Zoran had ever
seen him before!

            
“So that’s our Baron,” Bernard said bored again.

            
“He didn’t take that none too kindly,” Karel put in.

            
“What did he mean by his last statement? Was that a threat?” Emil asked, totally
unfamiliar with human relations.

            
“He meant that he has disowned me and that he will likely be sending out
assassins to kill me. At least this time, I will know who is behind the assassination
attempts. I never did figure out who was trying to kill me when I was last here.”

            
“Damn,” Karel exclaimed angrily.

            
“Figures,” Bernard added in a monotonous tone.

            
“We best put up every protection spell we can and immediately,” Zoran
suggested. For over ten minutes the Mages cast spell after spell. Zoran also relayed to
the five women what had happened and checked on their protection spells.