The Dragon Realms Saga

The vigilant Elucard and Cade perched high on the steeples of the temple of Errix, scanning over the vast desert city, their eyes sharply trained to pick out their target even within the crowded streets of a bustling marketplace.

Cade slid into the lap of a statue of Errix. He mused to himself, but loud enough for Elucard to hear, “The god of wayward travelers; perhaps we need a god of luck instead.”

Elucard’s eyes slid to Cade.

“You are fluent in Draak’Terran mythology? You are a well read man, Cade,” complemented Elucard with a smile. He paused for a brief moment. Do you speak Salrothian? Krem shev alv Salrothian?”

“Los.” Cade laughed out his response. “Merv yolmo Salrothian.”

Elucard nodded. “I would agree that you are very adept at the language. I haven’t practiced much with it other than with my master, but I had a close friend that might have been as good as you.” Elucard hid his frown at his reference to Jetta and turned his head back to the search.

“A close friend, perhaps a girl in your life?” Cade asked, attempting to pry more into Elucard’s private life.

Elucard gave a long sigh. “A section of my life I try to forget. It pains me even to this day despite it being at least a decade ago.”

“It has been that long, hasn’t it?” Cade whispered underneath his breath, but it passed through Elucard unnoticed.

“I—” Elucard’s eyes widened. He thrusted his finger to an alleyway that ran along the west end of the temple. “There. There is our Spellbreaker.”

Cade leaned over Elucard’s shoulder to get a good look. His firm chest rubbed against Elucard’s back and the elf couldn’t help but blush.

“Yes, I see him. Cade pushed off of his partner back to his feet. “So what’s the plan?

Elucard rose and pulled a dagger to his hand. “Follow my lead.”

Cade cracked his knuckles.

Elucard grinned and raised his mask to the bridge of his nose. The business of a scoundrel is what he excelled at most in life and it was time to be a scoundrel once again.

***

The helpless Spellbreaker slammed against the stone wall with a shuddering thud. Elucard brought his thin blade close to his victim’s throat, lifting his Adam's apple with the edge of his dagger. “Now where are you off to in such a hurry?” Elucard said with a slithering hiss.

“N-none of you b-business!” stammered the Spellbreaker.

Cade slapped the Spellbreaker across the face. The strike jostled the small man’s wooden mask. “We’re making it our business!” growled Cade.

“You’ll get n-nothing out of me!” screamed the Spellbreaker.

“Well then,” Elucard glanced at Cade. “He’s got a strong will on him, don’t you think?”

Cade yanked the tuft of the man’s scalp. “Oh yes, we won’t be breaking this one. Just let him go.” Cade’s face morphed into an exaggerated frown. “Let’s find someone weaker than this one.”

Elucard sheathed his dagger and threw the Spellbreaker to the ground. “Get out of here!”

The shrouds narrowed their eyes as their target scurried off.

“Alright, we’ll give him some distance, but stay hidden. Let’s see if this little rat brings us to his hole,” whispered Elucard.

***

Elucard and Cade spied on their prey, watching as he dashed through the crowd. The Spellbreaker looked back to see if he was followed several times in his path back to his hideout.

Elucard hid within the crowd, leaning behind corners, and staying within the shadows of archways, letting his Black Rabbit instincts take over. His mind wandered over the concern of Cade. Though skilled as an elemental shroud, surely he didn’t have the same skill set as a trained assassin. They were just glorified bodyguards, right? To Elucard’s pleasant surprise, Cade stuck to the darkness of alleys and stalked within the crowds as skilled as a lurking wolf.

Cade did mention his master was a Rabbit, like myself. Perhaps he was taught more than his share of needed techniques. Elucard said to himself. The magic of a shroud, the skills of a killer. Cade is far more dangerous than I give him credit for.

Elucard shut his eyes and shook his head. “Focus, Elucard.”

Cade snuck his way beside Elucard and gestured to an opium lounge. “Our target has gone in there.”

Elucard looked to a second floor balcony. “We’ll enter through there. Come on.”

With the nimble reflexes and agile movements of a squirrel, Elucard leaped up the wall and pulled himself over the balcony. The elf peered through the full length window pane of the door for any guards. Satisfied, he wedged his dagger into the door and pried it open. In a matter of moments they were inside.

The arid layer of smoke scratched Elucard’s throat and dried his elven eyes as Cade and himself crept stealthily down a hallway which spilled into a round lounge. Elucard rolled behind a pair of wood and silk screens, waiting patiently for a yikahti mistress to pass by.

Elucard gestured for Cade to keep close. He slunk down to his hands and scampered past several entranced men in beds. Snaking around a corner, Elucard waited for Cade before continuing up a set of stairs. Carefully they creaked open doors and peered inside the foggy rooms, searching for their Spellbreaker friend.

A familiar voice broke through the stillness of passed out, broken men. Elucard placed hand on Cade’s shoulder and raised a finger to his lips. The two shrouds crouched on either side of a doorway veiled only by a long curtain of seashells.

“The same two shrouds from the other day, my lord,” said the squiremy voice of the Spellbreaker

Elucard pointed his fingers at his eyes and then out to the Spellbreaker. He then patted his dagger. There, suspect.

Cade nodded and responded in a silent whisper, “But who is he talking to?”

Elucard raised his brow. Of course Cade could speak in a silent whisper. He was trained by a Black Rabbit.

“I don’t know,” Elucard responded back.

They continued to listen in.

“Were you followed, Keras?” Unlike the first voice, this new voice had a deeper edge. Commanding. Confident. Powerful. Yes, he was the Spellbreaker leader. Elucard was sure of it.

“No, my lord.”

“The rally continues tonight, then. Azeva’s student will be sacrificed as an example to the mages of this city.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“They will learn the meaning of respect and fear of Erzathen, heir to Urd’Draak. I shall see to that myself.

“Lord, Raze, what of the shrouds?”

Raze. So he leads the Spellbreakers.

“Do we make our move, Elucard?” asked Cade.

“No, we need to find out where they have Nia. Her safety is our number one priority,” said Elucard.

Cade nodded and together they continued to listen to Raze’s conversation for any clues to their mission.

“They are of no concern to me. If they try to rescue Azeva’s brat, they will learn why we are called the Spellbreakers!”

The slimy man snickered.

“Prepare the prisoner for the ritual,” ordered Raze. “Make sure her Magi is drained before she is sacrificed tonight.”

Elucard gave Cade a puzzled look. “They can take away Magi? Elucard flexed his left arm.

“Hide!” hissed Cade as shells and beads rattled.

The two Spellbreakers walked out of the meeting room and Elucard gestured to Keras as he headed down a set of stairs.

After waiting for Raze to walk back into his room, Elucard and Cade followed Keras as he made his way to the cellar of the lounge. There, a frightened desert elf maiden huddled, chained in the corner.

“Please let me go.” Her meek voice came out with a gentle sob.

“You will be set free all in good time, child. Set free for all the city to see,” Keras said with a sinister smile. He took out a small dish of red powder and dabbed it on the elf’s face.

“What is this? What are you doing?”

“Your use of the Magi is an abominable act against our dragon gods. You will be relinquished of your magic.”

Nia’s eyes widened with fear. “My-my magic?”

Keras stood and lit three sandalwood incense and wafted their thin trails of smoke around his prison. He muttered a prayer in the draconian tongue. With the final word the red powder began to glow.

“Please! Please let me go!” Nia shouted.

Keras chuckled. He lifted a smooth pink orb and rubbed it. “Not a cha—gaak!”

A long emerald lit blade emerged from Keras’s chest and sunk back in. Keras dropped like a sack of potatoes. Dead.

Elucard sheathed his sword and Cade slid to Nia’s side, swift to wipe the markings from her face.

“Elucard, look for a key to her cuffs,” said Cade.

Elucard rummaged through Keras’s robes to find the small iron key and unlocked Nia’s shackles. The young mage rubbed her chaffed, irritated wrists.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Friends,” Cade said with a small grin. He searched around the room, looking for a window or a grate to escape to safety. Cade moved aside a large bookcase and rolled away a stack of barrels. Finally, behind a tattered drape, he found his way out.

The window was too small for a human to pass through, but a good size for an elf. “Come here, Nia.”

The dune elf complied and nervously shuffled to the hydro shroud.

“You needn't be frightened of me. Elucard and myself are here to help you,” Cade cooed with a kind voice.

Elucard placed a set of firm hands on her waist and lifted her up to the window. “Hurry, crawl to the street, we’ll be right behind you.”

Heavy footsteps approached down the stairwell.

“Quickly, quickly, Nia,” Cade said, pushing the mage through the window.

“You next, Cade.” Elucard assisted his partner’s foot with his palm and lifted him up to the window.

“You!” A threatening voice broke across the cellar. Raze had arrived.

Elucard drew his ninjato and flared a surge of vernal magic through it.

“So you are the shroud thorns in my side?” Raze curled his fists until they cracked. His voice hissed through his vented mask. His golden eyes beaded into Elucard’s own.

A long, cold silence shifted between the two deadly men.

Raze pulled out a short, blue, steel cylinder from his belt. Taking it in both hands, he extended it into a staff crackling with electricity on either end.

“Witness Erzathen’s chosen one, Shroud!” Raze spat as he lunged forward. The Spellbreaker leader flung through air, brandishing his knee.

Elucard raised his arms to block, but Raze was faster. Stronger. Crack! His jaw shifted to the side as Raze’s knee collided with his face. Raze then spun around, waving his staff in a smooth motion and whacked it across Elucard’s chin. The elf nearly bowled over from the impact. Before Elucard could recover, Raze landed another blow to his gut.

Elucard fell to his knees sucking in any air that he could.

Where is his speed coming from? He’s got the height and build of the Silent Master, but the agility and quickness of Cade. Elucard eyed Raze. I was expecting a brawler from his size. He’s just as relentless with attacks as well, but where a brawler lacks technique, Raze has them spades.

Elucard’s body went numb with each sparking hit, but grit his teeth and tightened his grip on his hilt. With a blood-boiling glare to Raze, Elucard made his move.

The forest elf whipped a vine at Raze’s staff to disarm him, but to Elucard’s surprise the vine shattered into thousands of tiny green specks of glass as soon as it made contact with the staff.

What!? How!? Elucard’s mind echoed. No matter. If magic won’t work, raw talent will!

Elucard leaped in the air, twisted his body, and lashed out a set of kicks. The first struck the Spellbreaker’s jaw, but Raze caught Elucard’s foot on the second attack. With a sundering slam, he threw Elucard to the ground.

An explosion of burning pain erupted from Elucard’s chest as the staff came down on him. Charges of electricity raced through his body. Summoning all his might, he endured the agony and grasped the staff. Raze buckled back with a savage kick to the knee and Elucard rolled to the wall. Elucard eyed Raze nursing his knee and grinned viciously. Now’s my chance.

Elucard thrashed a brutal kick to Raze’s head, then grabbed him by the collar and flung his opponent over his shoulder. Raze crashed through a pile of crates.

Elucard winced through labored breaths. Raze’s staff drained his energy, slowed his reaction time, and numbed his thoughts. He’s tough. Fast too. Ever since my fight with the yikahti in Scorch, I’ve been off my game. I need to get back to training and shake off this rust. If I keep fighting like some Black Rabbit recruit, I’ll get myself killed. I have to end this now!

Raze crawled to his feet, steading himself against the wall. “You fight well…” his voice shook with a high pitched wheeze through his mask. “...Shroud, but you are no match for Erzathen’s paladin.”

Elucard swallowed a mouthful of iron tasting blood. He rotated his arm with a sickening pop! Snatching up his fallen blade, he slowly limped to the battered Raze.

Elucard thrust a kick to Raze’s chest. He bounced off the wall and Elucard bent over and caught him across his shoulders. With a heavy grunt, Elucard body slammed Raze on the cold stone floor.

Raze rolled over and speared his shoulder through Elucard’s gut, ramming him into the wall.

“Ack!” Elucard cried. The elf clenched his teeth and hefted an elbow across Raze’s back, but Raze pummeled a score of blows back.

Elucard snarled and switched his sword to a reverse grip and plunged it into Raze’s shoulder.

The Spellbreaker roared in rage. He collided with a clubbed fist across Elucard’s jaw. The elf sailed across the room into a stack of kegs.

Raze ripped the sword from his upper shoulder and tossed it to the shroud’s crumpled body.

“I am the Spellbreaker Raze, and I will take back the Magi,” seethed Raze. “And no man nor elf will make me falter!”

Elucard struggled to get back to his feet. He tripped over the barrels and staggered to the wall. It’s not… He nodded in and out of consciousness. It’s not over yet…

Elucared grabbed his sword and darted for the electro staff on the ground. With a desperate last attempt. Elucard swooped up the staff and hurled it like a javelin.

Raze stepped to the side and caught the projectile.

Good, he moved to the left and just in the path for…

Elucard tensed his muscles and with a ferocious roar swung for Raze’s jugular.

He’s still reacting to the staff, he won’t have the time to defen—

A rush of pain flooded Elucard’s Magi arm. No!!! Elucard’s attack flailed wildly and only grazed Raze’s throat.

Elucard’s knees buckled and he crashed and slid across the ground. His arm continued to stiffen up and quiver with pain. No, please, not now!

Raze palmed his cut and blood trickled down his neck. “You came the closest to slaying me, Shroud. I shall sing your praises in my prayers tonight, but now you die.” Raze slowly approached the elf. His staff hummed with the sound of a thousand wasps.

Elucard clutched his left arm, his back now to the wall and his eyes shrunk into specks of terror.

“I got you, Elucard!”

Elucard gasped in surprise as Cade’s hand snatched him by the collar and dragged him through the window.

“We must leave, now!” Cade whispered frantically.

Raze screamed in frustration. His anger bounced off the alley walls.

“Agreed,” Elucard sighed in relief.