Dragon Glaive: Illusions of a Golden Age
So much had happened over the last twenty-four hours. About this time the previous day, he had been in the process of robbing the Locopolis terminal. But then, half against his will, he had gotten dragged into doing actual honest work. Well, it was still stealing, but stealing in a good cause. And now here he was, traveling as a guest on a special military train.
Maybe it was an honor, but Cason had no particular interest in honor. Anyway, he had always been, by disposition, a loner--even before tragedy had forced him into a life where it was a necessity. And so to be trapped in a small car with other people was not to his liking. Especially not these people.
There was Kendra the Hunter, a barbarian, who spent her time pretending to shoot her crossbow at the passing telegraph poles. There was V'kaya of the Two Blades, a soldier with a perpetually angry expression. She sat stolidly and in an attentive attitude for most of the trip but whenever there was the least sign of something unusual, she moved as if ready to draw the two broadswords strapped to her back and attack everything in her sight. Then there was Gaius of the North, an old man with a fringe of white beard who was busy making adjustments to the mechanisms inside his saber.
None of them were the kind of people that Cason would have chosen to make friends with assuming that Cason had any desire to make friends with anyone, which he didn't. Cason wasn't sure even the reward he had been promised would have been enough to keep him here. But, much as he hated to admit it, there was something else that held him here. And it was the same thing which held the strange and uncongenial group together. It was the fifth occupant of the car.
Prince Aiden II was a young man, just on the cusp of adulthood. He didn't look much like Cason's idea of a prince or even a warrior, for though he wore the armor of one of the royal guard, his face was as much that of a scholar as a soldier. He was the acting ruler of the kingdom at the moment and the catalyst which had formed this strange group.
Cason had no intention of telling anyone, but he had come to respect the young prince. Not because he was royalty--the capability of respect for authority had been killed too early and too completely in Cason's soul to grow back quickly. But there was something about Prince Aiden which had captured Cason's attention in their time together. It was partly his courage and skill, for though he didn't much look like a soldier, there was no question as to what he could do as a soldier. But more than that, it was his idealism. Cason had never met an idealist before and would never have thought he would have much use for one. He still didn't think he shared Aiden's idealism. But he couldn't help respecting it.
Ever since his family had been killed by dragons, Cason had fended for himself and to him, the main principle of life was looking out for himself. He had sort of felt as if the world owed him something after it had taken everything from him. But there was Aiden--he was royalty, acting ruler of the kingdom, with the world on a silver platter. And yet he was doing everything he could, working as hard as he could, risking his life for the sake of his kingdom. Cason had seen him walk straight into the middle of his enemies in order to protect them from danger. Once Cason would have called that kind altruism foolishness and maybe he still felt it was foolish, but he had to admit it fascinated him. And so for that reason (and because Locopolis was no longer a safe place for him) he had agreed to travel with the prince and his companions back to the capital.
Though, of course, there was also the reward Aiden had promised him for his help.
Cason stirred in his reverie, noting the train was slowing in speed. Through the gray twilight outside the windows, he could see walls and buildings rising up beside the train. They had reached the capital. Cason didn't much like the look of it, but his opinion wasn't that important.
They were slowing down but hadn't come to complete stop yet, but they already had company. A young soldier stepped into the carriage from the outside, the wings of his flight gear drooping dismally as if in protest to the damp weather outside.
At the first sound of his approach, V'kaya was on her feet, her hands on the handles of her swords. “Report, soldier,” she ordered. “What brings you to this train?”
The man saluted, perhaps a little nervously. V'kaya tended to have that effect on people. “I bear a message from Minister Glosslav. He desires an audience with Prince Aiden immediately. He is waiting at the terminal.”
“Then you could've waited until we got there to tell us,” remarked Kendra conversationally.
“He is on the train, correct?” added the soldier.
Cason glanced around and realized that at some point the prince had left the carriage. “Where'd he go?” he commented allowed, though not actually expecting an answer.
Gaius gave something like a sigh. “I believe we all know where he is. He is in the last car.”
Nobody answered because they all knew what he meant.
*
Prince Aiden II stood in the final car of the train, his hands clasped behind him. This was a military train and most of the carriages were very simply, even austerely furnished. But this car was different. It was not lavish but had been carefully prepared to present a pleasant and soothing appearance. All the bare metal of the car had been covered over by cloth and there were a few attempts here and there to lend color and brightness to the otherwise dull interior, though the lights were dim.
But none of those things explained the fact that Aiden was here. No, he was here because of the one passenger who rode in this car.
The man lay on a sort of couch which had been installed in the car. He was not asleep but his eyes stared vacantly at the ceiling and saw nothing. Anyone could have seen at a glance that this man had to be related to Aiden, but he was so haggard and gaunt that you might have thought he was Aiden's grandfather rather than his father.
Aiden took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm and stoical. Giving way to emotion would help no one now. He knew there was still hope for his father. It was for this reason that he had decided to move him from the Fortress of the Wilds back to the capital. Gaius (who was in charge of his case) seemed optimistic and there were moments when the man seemed almost to be aware of his surroundings. Once he almost seemed to be trying to speak.
Or maybe it was all wishful thinking.
Aiden had always looked up to his father even if they had always been rather distant from each other. Anados was a good king and a good soldier. It was not easy ruling a kingdom like this, a kingdom in the midst of a continual crisis. It was no enviable position to be the sovereign of a nation blackened by the shadow of dragons. And yet Anados had been a good ruler. Under his leadership, it had actually seemed as if they were making headway against the dragons. Aiden's dream had always been to grow up to be a king as good as his father.
He had admired his father but always from a distance. Anados was not a friendly man by disposition and his position as the king had naturally given him little time for his son. Perhaps, if he had tried, Aiden could have grown close to his father. And perhaps if he had, he could have realized the truth before it was too late. Perhaps he could have understood the morbid guilt which was slowly driving Anados mad.
But Aiden hadn't known. His father had deliberately kept him in ignorance of much of the reality of his world. As a boy, he had been fed the official propaganda regarding the history of the kingdom--that the first king, Aiden I, had established a golden age which was only later destroyed by the coming of the dragons which had brought death and destruction across the kingdom. He didn't know the truth, which everyone else in the palace complex knew, that Aiden I was an ambitious tyrant who had created the dragons using genetic engineering and nuclear fission and used them as weapons to carve out his kingdom--until the day they broke from his control and became a force solely of chaos and destruction. He didn't know how this knowledge had fermented in his father's soul until he went insane.
Aiden had known none of the truth about his father or the history of his kingdom. Not until his father had given him the Dragon Glaive, an ancient weapon of unfathomable power. It was only then, with V'kaya's help, that he had begun to understand. Anados had intended to drive him mad as well until he reached the point where he would be willing to use the full power of the Dragon Glaive to wipe out the entire kingdom. That was Anados's idea of absolution, of bringing the tragic tale of the dragons to an end.
But Aiden hadn't snapped. He had managed to subdue his father so that he could be treated, in hopes of returning him to sanity. The king's mental breakdown had placed the responsibilities of the kingdom of Aiden's shoulders. But Aiden had left most of the details of government to the prime minister. He had a passion of his own--to destroy the dragons.
He had been disillusioned to learn the truth about the past of his kingdom. He had been heartbroken to realize how his father had attempted to manipulate him. But none of that had changed his essential loyalty, either to his father or to the kingdom. He had determined that, one way or another, he was going to cleanse the world of the dragons once and for all. And with the Dragon Glaive in his hand, it might just be possible. His quest had taken him to the untamed wilderness of the south and back to the gray, smoggy streets of Locopolis. He had fought dragons, barbarians, rioters, and a would-be revolutionary. And now here he was back in the capital, with new allies and with the material necessary to complete to his plan.
“Just think,” he said, speaking out loud even though he felt sure Anados couldn't hear him, “in a few more days, we may have won this war. With one stroke, this kingdom may be free at last.”
He stiffened suddenly as he heard the door open behind him. He turned around swiftly and saw V'kaya standing in the entryway.
“Aiden, Minister Glosslav is waiting in the terminal. He sent a messenger on to say that he wanted an audience.”
Aiden sighed. His mind had been so occupied with other things, he had almost forgotten all the normal business of the kingdom, most of which had fallen to the prime minister in his absence. “I suppose that's to be expected.” He stepped around V'kaya and back into the other car. “Gaius, I need you to make sure my father and the ore in that car are safely delivered to our work site. Kendra, I want you and Cason to guard the car while it's being moved. I don't want to take any chance on another theft.”
And without waiting for a response, he exited the car, motioning for V'kaya to follow him.
Rhienhold Glosslav was a tall man who towered over Aiden (and even over V'kaya) with a broad-shouldered build and rock-solid posture. He wore a black and green uniform and cape. His hair was jet black and his face was solid and impassive. At least, all of it you could see. He wore a sort of mask which covered most of the left side of his face, and his left arm hung useless and limp in a sling at his side. When he had been only a boy, he had been attacked by a dragon which had left him permanently scarred and disabled. But despite this disadvantage, he had been noted in his skill as a soldier. And even now, working in a political position, he always carried a glaive in a holder at his side. (His glaive had a retractable handle making it easier to carry.)
“Greetings, your highness,” he said with a bow as Aiden and V'kaya stepped into the room in the terminal where he waited. “I am glad that you have returned to the city at this juncture. There are some important matters we must discuss.” He spoke with a measured carefulness (only to be expected by someone who made a career out of politics). His voice was well-modulated and professional, but deep and strong, like a river which runs slowly and without a ripple in unhindered passion.
“I have no doubt,” said Aiden, rather perfunctorily. He respected Glosslav deeply, but the man was sometimes inclined to take his own political considerations too seriously. “Did you receive my telegram relating to the situation in Locopolis?”
“I did receive it, and I dispatched two squadrons of guards to deal with it. Sacheverell and his followers will be in prison before the day is over. I do not think we have anything further to fear from that quarter.”
“Thank you for acting promptly. I don't think Sacheverell has either the brains or the nerve to stage a successful revolution, but stirring up unrest in Locopolis could cripple our transportation system.” In the end, Aiden was glad that he had stumbled unto the situation in Locopolis, even though it had delayed his plans and put him in some danger. The discovery of an attempted coup by a local official had proved useful. But it also shook him somewhat. Not because of the attempt itself, but because of something related to it. “It is so hard to believe,” he commented, glancing away--not speaking directly to anyone. “To think there were some in Locopolis who bought into his propaganda--that there were those who were coming to accept the dragons--to support them--”
Glosslav nodded. “Yes, your highness--that is why I wished to speak with you.”
Aiden head jerked around and his eyes narrowed slightly. “What do you mean?”
“Prior to your father's breakdown, you were never very involved in the government, so it is understandable that you would be unaware of these developments, but there has always been a certain degree of such sentiment.”
V'kaya gave a low sound like a growl. “How can citizens of this kingdom sink that low?”
V'kaya had never paid much attention to politics or civilian life either.
“You must remember, dragons have been part of our kingdom since its founding, since the golden age.” If there was any intentional irony in Glosslav's words, it didn't show in his voice. “They are a part of our national heritage, our national identity. We are the kingdom of dragons. It is easy to see how that could evolve into pro-dragon sentiment.”
Aiden, in war as well as in peace, was usually calm and even-tempered. But for once he felt a flush of passion coming to his face. “Such talk is madness. We only have a kingdom because throughout the years our people have given their time, their labor, and their lifeblood in order to fight them. We are a kingdom of dragons only because we are a kingdom of dragon-killers. They are the lingering guilt of our own sins, not a crown of glory. Our only glory is their eradication.”
Glosslav nodded. “Well, I certainly never claimed excessive intelligence for those portions of the population who espouse such ideas. I am merely stating that they are there. And, after all, remember that most people do not know the truth about the origin of the dragons. There are rumors and legends of the truth, of course, but many people believe that they are merely natural creatures that happened upon our kingdom at the end of the golden age.”
“Surely, this cannot be a very prevalent idea.”
“As I said, there have always been some who believed it. But no, it was not a very prevalent idea. Until recently. But now there is definitely a rise in such pro-dragon sentiment. Even in the time you have been gone from the capital, it has grown rapidly. That is why I wished to speak to you immediately. You already saw in Locopolis what such sentiment could engender. I do not know exactly what your plans are now, but I believe you are still seeking for a means to destroy the dragons finally and completely. And I believe if the general populace learns of this plan, you could have a full riot on your hands.”
“And if I succeed, perhaps I will as well.” Aiden couldn't imagine how such a feeling could grow, but he knew better than to discount such things. For so long his focus had solely been on destroying the dragons, he hadn't considered what other repercussions it might have.
V'kaya grunted. “Once the dragons are gone, it will be easy to knock sense back into the people.” But her voice, though angry, was not quite as certain as usual. Aiden knew that V'kaya did not relish the idea of fighting civilians.
“No, I want to bring peace to this kingdom--not more war.” He threw his shoulders back. He had been chasing his private project, ignoring his duties as acting ruler. But now he knew he had to face those responsibilities--he knew what he had to do. “There is only one thing to do.”
“What is that, your highness?”
“We will make an official, royal announcement to the people. We will tell them the truth.”
V'kaya, disciplined as she was, actually gave a visible start at this, and Minister Glosslav lost for a moment his political decorum, stepping back with his mouth open. “Are you quite sure that is a wise course of action, your highness?”
“Yes, it is the only thing to do. Trying to hide the truth was a bad idea from the beginning. If this false belief and love for the dragons is allowed to grow, it could become a worse problem than the dragons themselves. We must set the record straight.”
Glosslav had recovered his equilibrium by now. “Well, if that is your decision, of course, I will support it. Perhaps you are right that it is for the best. With your permission, I will see to the preparations for such an announcement.”
“Thank-you. Are there any other matters we should discuss?”
“There are a few trivial matters of state we must discuss at some point, but nothing of urgency.”
“I will meet with you later, then. If you have nothing further now, I must go and see to the cargo which I brought in.”
With a few parting formalities, the meeting was over and soon Aiden and V'kaya were out of the terminal and making their way across town to rejoin the others.
*
Gaius of the North was advanced in age, though still strong and competent, and he had spent most of his life serving his kingdom--as a soldier, as a scientist, and as a healer. He had always been honored to do his part for his nation and for his fellow man. But he had never imagined that his life might bring him in contact with a movement like this or involve him in such a plan. Being asked to treat a king for mental illness was an unusual task in itself, but aside from treating Anados, he had become involved in Aiden's project as well. It had involved some trouble and some risk and he had nearly met his end during the course of events, but here he was now.
Two days had passed since they arrived back in the capital. Aiden had installed himself in a worksite he had procured remotely while still in the south. It was an abandoned building just outside of the capital. And with some work, it had been refitted as the centerpiece of Aiden's plan.
Gaius would have preferred to leave Anados in the south, where they had originally taken him in hopes of recovery. But he felt that the man was far along enough now that the change would not hurt him and Aiden was insistent on bringing both Gaius and his father back to the capital so that they would be near at hand. However, Gaius felt strongly that it would be bad for Anados to be back in his own apartments in the palace complex, and so they had fitted up a sick room to the side of the worksite.
In fact, all of them were living in and around the worksite. Aiden was too passionate about his project to go back to go anywhere else except when he absolutely had to. V'kaya wouldn't go too far from Aiden. And Cason and Kendra didn't have anywhere to go.
“Now we see the disadvantages of being a barbarian,” Kendra remarked cheerfully to Gaius as they stood at the side of the room, watching Aiden work. “If I had a little civilization, maybe I would understand what the prince is doing and be able to help.”
Gaius sighed. “I have studied science all my life, though mostly as a side hobby, but I'm afraid Aiden's knowledge leaves me rather in the dust.”
“Well, of course, my father had some knowledge of science and he taught me a little, but neither of us had much time for such things.”
Gaius nodded absently. His mind was more on Aiden's project. The building was a large one and, aside from a few side rooms which had been taken up as sleeping quarters, it was a single, open room. In the middle of this, Aiden had placed a metal framework. Inside this framework, he had placed the ore he had mined in the south, the-rock-which-burns-as-fire. The ore was interspersed with blocks of graphite, which shielded them from the powerful radiation of the ore. Gaius was familiar with the basic plan of an atomic pile, but he still didn't fully understand what Aiden hoped to accomplish with it.
His mind was brought back to Kendra as she spoke again: “I always preferred the hunt to the study. But this--I suppose in dealing which such powerful foes, you need to bait your trap carefully, but I prefer more action in my hunting.” Kendra still spoke lightly, but Gaius thought he detected a more serious note behind it.
“Perhaps there is some way we can aid him.” Aiden was enamored with his project and seemed to pay attention to nothing else, except his father. But the others were all just slightly on edge, not being able to assist him except in a few trivial matters. V'kaya was imperturbable as always, but Gaius was enough of human nature to know that the inactivity was chaffing her. Cason was more obvious about his feelings and Gaius was slightly worried that he might cause trouble if left idle much longer. And then there was Kendra... she hadn't been around that much. She had said she had business to take care of in the capital and nobody questioned her. Gaius wondered, but of course, it wasn't his business. “Well, if there is any action,” he remarked, glancing around the room, “I believe we will be able to deal with it. Aiden has built a rather diverse team, though a strange one for such a mission.”
Kendra nodded. “Yes. We have a scholar, a soldier, a healer, a hunter, and a thief. Now, all we need is a mage, and this could be an RPG.”
It was at this moment that Aiden walked up and joined them. Gaius noted immediately something different about Aiden's appearance. It was the first time since the work began that he wasn't covered from head to foot in graphite powder.
“I take it you have matters of state to see to?” Gaius remarked with a smile.
“Yes. You know, of course, that I am to make an official statement to the people this afternoon--regarding the dragons. But before that, I have to speak to the cabinet. I believe some of them are not in favor of such drastic action so I may have some persuading to do.”
“And your project?”
“Is almost complete. I was hoping to have the last piece I need, but this meeting complicates things. That's why I wanted your help.”
“Of course, your highness.”
“I need two cadmium rods.”
“Those could be rather difficult to come by. They are not in common use.”
“I know, but they have some in storage in the vault on the east side of the city. While V'kaya and I are at the meeting, I want you and Cason to run over and pick them up and bring them back here. And then,” Aiden smiled, “we will be ready finally to bring an end to this story.”
“As you wish, your highness,” said Gaius, bowing.
“Prince Aiden, do you need me for anything?” asked Kendra, twirling one of her enormous shurikens between her fingers. “Because, if not, I have a few things I would like to look into on my own.”
“I see no reason why you shouldn't.”
“Then it's settled. But I will be back here before you are ready to complete your plan. I wouldn't miss the ending of all this for the world.”
*
V'kaya of the Two Blades disliked meetings.
She stood at attention on the side of the dais with her hands clasped tightly to the handles of the signature twin broadswords which had given her her name. Her expression was slightly more grim than usual. As a soldier, she understood the importance of waiting patiently--but she felt out of place in this setting. She wouldn't have been there at all, except that as Prince Aiden's second-in-command, it was her duty. Besides, she didn't really trust Aiden to be by himself for too long--acting ruler or not.
V'kaya was one of the foremost warriors of the kingdom and despite her youth, she had proved the superior of any man in the royal army. It was because of her skill that she had been chosen to train Aiden in his role as a soldier. At first, she had rather resented the job. She did not have the disposition to be a teacher, and Aiden seemed a very unlikely student. The fact that he was royalty was not a positive in her view. Yet, as it turned out, he had been a good student. That was the strange feeling--realizing that, in his own way, he had now far surpassed his teacher. V'kaya did not approve of his scholarly habits and she wasn't sure she trusted his scientific solutions for military problems, but she couldn't help respecting his skill and determination. More than student and teacher--more than prince and knight--they had become friends.
The meeting with the cabinet was taking place in a large, mostly empty hall in the palace complex. Besides herself and Aiden, there was Prime Minister Glosslav, four rather old men (V'kaya had never cared enough about politics to learn their names or positions), and a number of soldiers who stood at attention around the room.
“I realize this may seem radical to you,” Aiden was saying, his voice calm as always, “but I believe it is the only proper course of action. Trying to build our kingdom on deceit was always doomed to failure.”
“We've done all right so far,” said one of the old men, his voice rather fussy.
“My experience says otherwise. We almost lost Locopolis because of pro-dragon propaganda. We might lose the capital as well if we're not careful. The only recourse is honesty.”
“You're young and foolish,” said another the cabinet members, rather brusquely. “You can't run a kingdom of such ideals. Your father--”
“Is quite incapable of making any decisions at the moment.”
“Our only concern, your highness,” interjected Glosslav calmly, seemingly trying to keep order in the meeting, “is whether you have sufficiently considered all the implications of your course of action. Telling people the truth about the crimes of the royal family could possibly cause significant erosion of trust in the government.”
“I realize that. But if pro-dragon sentiment continues to rise, we could also see political unrest from that. I would rather place my bets on the truth. Besides, there are enough splinters of the truth out there that we are safer to tell the whole truth once-and-for-all.”
Glosslav stepped unto the dais to stand beside Aiden. “We in the cabinet appreciate your dedication and we are ready to stand behind you if this is, in fact, the course of action you choose. But you must appreciate our feelings in this matter.”
V'kaya growled slightly under her breath. This was why she disliked politics. She would take open conflict any day before these games of words.
“Of course, I do appreciate them. I would not do something this abrupt if I wasn't certain it was necessary.” Aiden smiled and it made him look suddenly much younger. “Believe me, I have thought through all the objections to this plan. But I simply believe that this is the only course of action that is either practical or honorable.”
“So nothing we could say could avail you to change your decision?”
“No. I am sorry if it is not agreeable to you, but as the acting ruler, this is my decision to make and I have already made it.”
“That is understandable though regrettable. Then let us make sure that we are all cognizant of the actual details of your announcements.”
V'kaya had found little interest in the conversation, but her mind had remained focused. As always, she remained alert to all her surroundings. And now, her eyes narrowed slightly. Something... something was off...
“I have made the arrangements for a public meeting this afternoon,” Glosslav droned on, his voice more dispassionate than usual. His left hand hung in its sling as always and his right hand rested on his hip. “Now there are only a few other technicalities which must be discussed.” His right hand moved idly and rested on the handle of his glaive.
It was instinct more than anything definite that made V'kaya move. Her mind was not even consciously involved in the action. In one quick, instinctive movement, she had drawn her swords. And even as they did, Minister Glosslav had grasped his glaive and with a touch extended it to full length.
The glaive would have plunged straight into Aiden's chest if V'kaya had not already had her swords out. As it was, she just had a second to parry the blow.
The next moment, complete confusion reigned in the room.
*
Kendra the Hunter felt a little out of her element here in the capital. She had lived her entire life among the barbarians of the south, though her father had come from the capital. Still, despite her isolated life, she had always remained in contact with the greater world and she knew enough about life outside her own world to function in this world. She had even obtained more civilized looking clothes, though she still wore her own animal hide clothes underneath. Still, to look at her walking through the streets, there was nothing to mark her out as different from any of the other people of the capital.
Other than the fact that she was carrying a crossbow.
All things considered, Kendra much preferred her own wild country and her savage followers to the civilization of a big city. But she was one of those people who could be at home anywhere in the world. She would never choose to live in such a place, but if she had been forced to live there, she would have been quite content and competent to handle it.
She would not have chafed under the restrictions of living such a society as her father had. Kayne Malkeseo had always hated city life. That was largely why he had been so willing to give up all his past life when he met and fell in love with a woman of the barbarians. Sundering all his ties with civilization, he had become Kayne the Hunter, chief of the barbarians, and something of a legend in the south lands.
Kendra had grown up to follow in her father's footsteps, as a hunter and as a chieftain. Like him, she had the same passion to protect the southern wilds and the people who lived there.
But reality is strangely ironic. Both Kendra and her father, driven by the love of their land, had allied with the enemy of their lands. Both had believed that the dragons could be used for good, that their very destructive nature had a positive side. Kayne had died because of his folly and Kendra would have died if it had not been for Aiden.
That was why she has sworn her allegiance to him. Deep inside, she rather looked down on him for his boyish nature and immature idealism, but she had a debt of honor to him and, besides, she understood now that there was no other hope for the kingdom aside from the complete eradication of the dragons.
She had a vague understanding of the science involved in Aiden's project, but the details were beyond her understanding and she knew there was nothing she could do to aid in that.
But she was too skilled of a hunter not to realize that there is never only one prey to consider. Spend all your arrows on the boar and you would be eaten by the wolf. The dragons were now only one part of the problem. The love of the dragons was just as great a problem. And while she wasn't sure that merely telling people the truth about their origins would actually solve anything, it was the only shot they had and she was going to make sure it was as powerful a shot as possible.
She walked quickly and with decision through the streets of the city until she reached a tall stone house, almost a tower, which was nestled in a tangle of streets some distance from the center of town. There she swept up the front steps, for all the world as if she had come and gone from houses like this all her life.
At the doorway, she was met by an elderly man with a mustache dressed in full evening dress. “Ah, milady, you are just in time. We were about to make the final tests.”
“Is everything preceding according to plan, Jeeves?”
“Yes, milady. Though we never could have accomplished it without your help.”
He ushered her through the entry hall, which was richly if somewhat austerely furnished, into an interior room which had been fitted up as a laboratory. A younger man, also with a mustache, wearing coveralls, was working on a mass of electric equipment set up on a table in the center of the room. Piled on a smaller table beside the main table were about a dozen short swords made of a translucent substance like smoked glass.
At the sight of Kendra, he bowed. “Milady, I'm glad you could come for this important occasion.”
“Yes, yes,” said Kendra with a somewhat impatient movement. She had no desire to be rude to these people, but she also had little patience with formalities. “But Aiden's meeting is to be this afternoon. Will everything be in place by then?”
“Of course. Most of the pieces are already in place.”
“And if it doesn't work, Watson?”
Watson smiled. “It will work.”
Jeeves walked forward to stand beside him. It was obvious they were related in some way. “Aside from helping his highness, this will be a great stride forward for our people as a whole.”
“And a good business decision, too.”
Jeeves gave a dry, professional smile. “Always the pragmatist. Milord was always the same.”
Kendra gave an involuntary smile herself at the thought of Kayne the Hunter being referred to as 'milord.' She could never imagine what her father would have been like living out his whole life here a nobleman. She was just as glad he hadn't. But it was a testimony to the strength of his character that after all these years, the family servants still thought so highly of him, even if he had deserted them and left his estate to manage itself.
Fortunately, he had left notes of his scientific research and some unfinished projects, that Kendra (with help from the old butler and his son) had been able to complete. These, when turned to cash, would continue to pay the servants and keep the estate afloat. But that was not her main concern at the moment.
“So, about the test?”
Watson picked up one of the swords and with careful movements balanced it between two terminals on the apparatus. It began to vibrate slightly causing a soft hum through the room. Taking a second sword, he positioned it, blade up, like a tower overshadowing the whole contraption. For a moment, it too hummed.
“This is the moment. It marks a new chapter for our kingdom. Think of it: a telegraph without wires, capable of transmitting not merely code but actual sounds.”
“Yes it's definitely an advance,” Kendra agreed, though less enthusiastically. “You'd think as long as sound-based weapons have been around, someone would have thought of using the technology for something like this before. So who else is in on this test?”
“My sister Alexa is at the palace complex.”
“Good.”
“And--now--!” The swords had ceased vibrating and had begun to glow with a soft blue light. Watson reached forward and flipped a switch. “Alexa--are you there?”
And at that moment, the room was filled with noise, noise which seemed to come from the sword on the table. There was a confused clamor and the ring of metal against metal. There was no question about what they were hearing. It was a battle.
Watson and Jeeves stared at each other consternation, too shocked at what they heard even to exult in the fact that the device was working.
“Alexa--can you hear me?” began Watson, leaning forward.
“Watson!” A woman's voice rang through the room. “Come here! I-I need you! It's treason! The prince--” Her voice was lost in the sound of the confusion.
Watson staggered backward as if completely lost. “I--I must go--”
“Stay where you are,” ordered Kendra, picking up one of the swords from the table. “You don't need all of these, do you? I'm going to go to the palace complex. Clearly, I never should have trusted Aiden to do something on his own. I'll check on him and on your sister as well. You two keep going on our project. I have a feeling it could be more important than ever.” And without another word she had left the room and was out on the street, moving swiftly in the direction of the palace complex.
*
Prince Aiden had been caught completely off guard by the attack. If it hadn't been for V'kaya, he would have lost before he even realized that there was an attack. But V'kaya bought him enough time to draw his glaive and whirl it around to the front. His intention was to strike the floor at Glosslav's feet, using the power of the Dragon Glaive to generate an explosion that would knock the man back.
But Minister Glosslav clearly understood what he intended and with a twist of his glaive, he knocked V'kaya swords aside and caught Aiden's blade with his. Glosslav's glaive had a sort of hook at the base of the blade which he used to catch Aiden's before it could connect. If Aiden had been less skilled, the parry might have pulled the glaive from his hand.
V'kaya meanwhile had her own problems to worry about it. While Glosslav and Aiden fought, the other soldiers in the room had converged on her. Clearly, they felt she was more of a threat than Aiden. If they had actually all attacked at once, they would probably have overcome her, but the truth was that they hesitated just slightly. They were royal guards and had seen her in battle before. They had good reason to be just slightly apprehensive.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Aiden saw her whirling her swords around and charging her attackers, but he didn't have time to watch. He had his hands full. Minister Glosslav was taller, older and more experienced which gave him an edge, even if he could only fight with one hand. Aiden's glaive was far more powerful, but he could only use that power if the blade actually connected with something, which so far he hadn't been able to do.
“What is the meaning of this, Glosslav?” he demanded, as he jabbed forward. The two of them had moved off the dais and were now pushing forward and backward in the middle of the room while V'kaya and the other soldiers fought at the side. (The other members of the cabinet had discretely disappeared as soon as the fighting started.)
“In all fairness, your highness,” said the prime minister, his voice as calm and ordered as always, “I tried my best to dissuade you from your course of action.”
“So--is that what this is about? About my decision to reveal the truth of the dragons to the populace?”
“Well, yes, that. And your atomic pile. Fortunately, you'll never complete that now. I made sure your friends will never be able to obtain those cadmium rods. And now, without you and the Dragon Glaive, your plan will never be completed.”
“Are you mad? You, of all people, have you bought into the pro-dragon propaganda as well?”
Glosslav gave a short, dignified and contained laugh. “With all due respect to royalty, you are a fool, your highness. I realize you are rather young to become a ruler, but if you are going to take part in man's world, you need to give up your boyhood. When I was a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
Aiden whirled around and nearly scored a hit but once again Glosslav blocked him. “I still don't understand what you're talking about. I thought you of all people would recognize just what the dragons are. You have suffered your entire life because of them. And you know the truth about their origins. You know that there was never a golden age.”
“Nor will there ever be. Do you not even begin to understand how politics works? This isn't about whether dragons are good or evil. Those are questions for schoolboys.”
By this time, the two of them were against the far wall of the room, while V'kaya and the other soldiers were still fighting by the dais. “So if you don't care about the dragons, what do you care about, Glosslav?”
“The future of this kingdom. And one thing has become quite clear to me. The royal line can no longer rule. I thought I could preserve the government by taking the reigns myself. Your father was quite easy to manipulate. I led him to brood about the sins of his ancestors until he was incapable and uninterested in affairs of state, leaving those to me. However, you have proved to me that we need a complete change in government. Perhaps, a new royal line. Or perhaps a republican government--some of our neighbors have tried that successfully.”
For just a second, Aiden almost dropped his glaive. “You--you are the one who drove my father mad?”
“He drove himself mad. I merely assisted in the process. And with his obsession with dragons, the pro-dragon movement seemed the best hope for regaining control of the kingdom. You understand now why your stubbornness has forced me to this position. With you and V'kaya dead, there will be nothing to upset the balance of power.”
“Really, Glosslav? That's what your plan has been? You have been playing with the souls of men and forces of destruction as counters in your political game? I wonder which of us is truly the fool.”
“You can't run a kingdom on ideals. Do you really believe you can actually accomplish your goal? Even if you could destroy the dragons, do you think it would usher in some kind of golden age?”
“It would usher in an age without dragons. It might not be perfect, but it would be better than what we have. I would rather attempt and fail to achieve a golden age then to be content with an age of chaff. I would rather die trying to fight evil than to live by accepting it.”
“Well,” said Glosslav grimly, “you will get your wish. You are outnumbered.”
“I've been outnumbered before.” By this point, they were against the far wall of the room, and Glosslav had nowhere to move. He kept fighting, but having only one arm to fight with gave him less movability than Aiden. And Aiden knew he only needed to make one strike in order to win. Really, the odds were in his favor.
And at that moment a sound came over the tumult. There was a clash of falling swords and a muffled scream that was more like a grunt. But Aiden knew immediately who it belonged to. “V'kaya?” He turned his head to look at the conflict at the far side of the room, just in time to see an armored figured fall limply to the ground.
And that moment of distraction was all Glosslav needed. In a flash, he was at Aiden's side and had pulled the Dragon Glaive from his hands. Swinging it around, he dealt the prince a stinging blow across the side of the head with the handle. Aiden staggered and fell and before he could right himself, he was surrounded by soldiers.
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