The Drafain Saga:

Book one; Kay-Ree

By: Gardner Williams

Chapter 1:

It was a cold day in Hefertheas, the main port of the elvish countries to the east of the great river; the clouds blocked out the sun and caused a darkness to descend early winds blew in from the cold western lands bringing a cold damp fog that shrouded the streets and lightning plagued the sky threatening of storms to come. ‘As if it ain’t wet enough,’ thought Jameal, “without the threat ‘o storms,’ as he went on to the inn he was sting at, The rusty hinge, nicely inconspicuous, the kind of place rangers hung out not that he was a ranger of course but he desired the same anonymity as that wild breed. Jameal Beluvien was dragon-born one of the few people gifted with the knowledge of the great creatures that roamed the northern wastes and stalked the southern mountains, born to a great leader of one of the clans of the south he had desired more from his life than privilege and softness he had left and found his way to elvish lands where he quickly learned all there was to know of the great lands and became a ranger for a while but now he was something more, a battle mage, a legend whispered in bars, sung in houses and castles by bards, known by most in the lands by reputation if not by name, but never by face, and despite his status none suspected he was one of the shunned people, the dragon born, loathed because of their magics more fearsome than any even those the Sahr employed, envied because of their strength and skill, but misunderstood because of their openness.

 People had mistaken their former openness and acceptance as weakness and had tried to invade their ore rich lands, the dragon born having no choice but to defend their land and families massacred the aggressors and set a brilliant and brutal counter-campaign before finally being stopped by a combined army of the seven races, the wars are still the most brutal in history and even the most hardened veterans who were not killed by the dragon born were broken in spirit by the thing they had seen. The wars were over now but no one would trust the Dragon born anymore despite the fact that they had not initiated the wars, even admitting to be acquainted with one without revealing their location and such things as that was a death sentence if one was found to be staying in an inn they wouldn’t bother going in after it they would just barricade the building and bombard it with ballistae and trebuchets after which soldier would slice anything resembling flesh until they were certain nothing lived. ‘No’ Jameal mused ‘anonymity was his friend while away from his homelands.

He stepped into the inn wearing a sandy colored tunic with a sword belt around his waist with several pouches hanging off of it, but no sword. Under this he wore darker brown trousers and worn leather boots, on his head was a wide brimmed cowhide hat of the type favored by wanderers in the east lands.

“I’d like a room for the night and stabling for my horse.” Said Jameal as he walked into the inn he had selected for this night.

            “Would you like room cheap, not so cheap, or expensive?” asked the inn keep in a thick accent, referring to the three types of rooms available that eventually everyone who traveled figured out, they meant a shared room, a single room, or a very nice room but the doors didn’t quite lock although ‘it would be taken care of in the morning’. Most who stayed in an expensive room were robbed blind in the night, in many places to the inn keeps benefit.

“Not so cheap please, and a meal too, I’ve been on the road awhile.” He finished telling the Keeper just as a large female wolfhound walked in from outside just before the door closed, at first glance Jameal didn’t recognize the hound because of a set of recent looking scars the fur hadn’t yet covered, but then he realized what the dog was, and who.

“That your dog?” asked the innkeeper.

“Yep.” Replied Jameal.

“Do you want a cage or place in kennel for it?” the inn keep asked

“No, she won’t make much noise,” Said Jameal and then he continued, “Unless someone tries to rob me of course.” He finished raising an eyebrow.

“Of course, the room and meal are five copper pieces.”

“Here.” Said Jameal as he flicked a small silver piece towards the Innkeeper. “That should cover it.”

The innkeeper examined the coin and then nodded satisfied it was real.

As he waited for his meal and room key Jameal looked around, spotted a young woman with short blonde hair and an excellent if slightly muscled for the tastes of most, and walked over to her table.

“You Tad Ferlain?” He asked

“Whose asking?” she replied

And then he bent down close to her ear and whispered, “Jameal Beluvien.”

Her eyes widened a bit an then she laughed, “Ah, and do you know how many there are of those in this establishment alone?”

“Well,” he responded, “I hope somebody catches them all before they end up owing a lot of money to a lot of people.” He smiled roguishly.

“You are him,” she said, her eyes widening.

“Yes and I need a guide.” He stated.

“A guide, the great warrior mage tracker who knows all the ways from here to heaven needs a guide, well what’s the world come to?”

Slightly flustered he said, “Well all I know is where to go for what and the best ways to get between where I am and where I’m going, don’ always know what to do when I get there, besides this is special.”

“So what do you need me for all the civilized cities have maps you can buy.”

“Well I need a guide through the mountains of storm to the caves of the Rages and through those same caves.” He said.

“Well, well, well, what business do you have there, not hoping to speak with the rages are you?”

“Well,” he said knowing how crazy it would sound, “Yes and hopefully to get their talismans.”

“Your crazy, I wont do it for less than twelve gold crowns.”

“Ah,” he said amused, “The greatest guides woman thinks not of safety first but of the proper price. I will pay you five here and another five when we have finished as well as compensation for injuries and such.”

“You must take me for a fool, you offer me only ten, I asked for twelve.”

“Ah, But the deal sweetens you may also have half of all the treasure found, I’m sure your aware of the riches supposedly in those caves.”

She let this mull over in her head before finally, “and if there is no treasure?

“Then I will pay seven gold as well as the five in advance.”

 “You drive a hard bargain Jameal, but I accept.” And they shook on it.

Suddenly the door burst open and a large lizard like figure stepped in. There was a gasp from the people seated in the common room and the wolfhound’s ears lay flat against her head as she growled menacingly, a Sahr. The second most feared of the races next to the Dragon-born they usually wield powerful necromantic magic and are thoroughly evil.

“I sssseek Jameal issss he here?” the Sahr asked sibilantly.

Jameal stood up after applying a quick face shrouding spell, “I am he of whom thou seek foul one what want thou?” he said in a commanding voice.

“Your life in payment for that of my brother foolisssssh one.” The Sahr replied coldly.

In the commanding voice Jameal replied, “I see I will face you outside now.”

“Come little one your doom awaitsss thee in my clawssss.” The Sahr said as they stepped out side.

As they moved to opposite sides of the small clearing inns usually kept out front for duels Jameal drew a large metallic ball from a pouch at his belt, larger than his hand it appeared a dull metallic gray but with odd swirls in it as if possessing a life of he gathering crowd gasped as the legendary warriors hand sank into the ball and a long blade emerged, Mercurial steel only shape shifters and Dragon-born knew the secret of its creation and forging, some murmured that the blade was cursed others enchanted and still more blessed, all agreed there was something special, or sinister about it, And a round of bets went up as to the winner. Suddenly all conversation stopped as the Sahr lifted his right clawed hand and lifted the palm toward Jameal and a thin blue ribbon of power burst from his palm toward Jameal, this was going to be as much a magic duel as a physical one and a new round of wagers went up but ceased as Jameal blade moved seemingly of its own will to intercept the energy beam and suddenly a dark gray dome materialized around the combatants, a trick Jameal had learned from some shape shifters he had spent time with it imposed itself on the minds of those nearby and appeared only as it was expected besides acting as a shield from magic Jameal could see through it but the Sahr could not so to him it cast a dark shadow on the combat field that his races vaunted night vision could only barely see through. As the combat continued, outside the dome people were beginning to lose interest, soon the only people transfixed by combat no one else could see was Tad and the wolf hound.

The combat continued despite the apparent darkness the Sahr had summoned a light sphere to see by just in time to catch Jameal’s spell in the midriff, a projectile of nothing but air packed so tight it had been seen to punch through a castle wall once but the Sahr was only blown back to the edge of the dome and stunned for a second but before he could recover he felt a stiffness in his joints, passing it off as a side affect of the wind blast he threw himself back into the fray with a blast of flame towards where he knew Jameal to be only to find he wasn’t. Moving so quickly the still slightly dazed Sahr could barely follow, Jameal cast another spell at the Sahr, a blast of energy taking the form of small black shards of nothingness that when they collided with the Sahr clung to him stiffening the joints more and steeling a small bit of concentration from him fractionally lowering his defensive wards, it was enough, a blast of energy ripped from Jameal’s outstretched hand imprisoning the Sahr in a crystal that shattered taking the Sahr with it, the battle was over, the shield lowered and Jameal stepped out the victor. And, he was still wearing his hat.

“So, what was that all about?” asked Tad.

“I was taking the night in a village a few days back when this woman came screaming into the inn about her daughter being kidnapped, being who I am I couldn’t pass it up and was soon on the kidnappers trail, I found them three Sahr in a clearing of the main trail, preparing the little girl for some ritual, so I killed them. This one must have been the brother of one of them.”

“So, what was that energy dome all about, protecting the innocents from the force of the spells.” She asked.

“No, it’s too keep people from learning what spells I have access too, some would be,” he paused, “incriminating.”

“But I could see right through it.” She said puzzled.

Jameal suddenly grew serious “Not many can. Tell me, do you have the mages talent?” he asked.

“No, why?” she said and Jameal relaxed.

“Don’t worry about it.” And they walked back into the inn.

“Ah” said the innkeeper “you were victorious, your food and room are ready Master Jameal.”

“Was there ever any doubt?” Asked Jameal.

“No, of course not.” The inn keep said quickly, afraid he’d offended the famous mage.

“And I’ll be taking the food in my room please.”

“Yes of course, number twenty-three, your saddle bags are already inside.”

So he walked up the stairs to his room with the wolfhound on his heals. As he opened the door he noticed his saddlebags in a pile near the door. The dog came in and he closed the door, after locking it Jameal turned to face the dog. Nothing moved for a second and then the dog began to blur around the edges, growing in size and changing shape until suddenly she snapped into focus as a young feral looking woman with scars running up and down her sides and face.

Unabashed Jameal looked on and suddenly spoke, “Where’d you get the scars?”

The young woman, a shape shifter, replied, “border skirmish to the southeast I wasn’t fast enough to avoid a war hounds jaws but Skye took it off of me, I got the owner.” She said. “But that’s not why I came.”

I gathered as much, my father wouldn’t send a good courier off for no reason, what’s the bad news?”

“The enemy is advancing, it’s his armies we’ve been fighting with, we’re winning now but your father and his advisors feel that the enemy has reinforcements just around the corner, he wants you to come back.”

“No! I won’t go back, I didn’t leave twenty three years ago to be at my fathers beck and call whenever he wants, I new about the enemy’s advances but didn’t know how close they were, I’m close to something we can use in this fight, tell him when I return, I will bring victory in my hands.”

“You always were one for melodramatics Jameal, okay I’ll tell him, but don’t be too long I think he’s anxious.”

“You’d better stay here for the night, you can leave when we’re out of sight of the inn in the morning.”

“Of course.” And she found some spare blankets under the bed and curled up on the floor to sleep.

In the morning they set out, Tad, Jameal, and the shape shifter, as a dog. When they got out of sight of everyone else, about two miles down the road from the city gates after a bend in the road, the shape shifter sprang off the trail and ran off.

“Aren’t you going to follow her, bring her back or something?” Tad inquired.

“No.” replied Jameal.

“Why not?” Tad asked.

“Not my dog.” He said.

“But at the inn-“ she begun, but Jameal cut her off.

“I know what I said at the inn but it ain’t my dog.” So she resigned her efforts and they rode on.