Wayward Tail: The Mortal Realms Trilogy, Book 1

Attack!

"Are you okay," Artifax asked through the small opening in his door. He could see Gargos across the hall. "Oh... I forgot you don't talk."

It was the early morning and the halls of the dungeon were quiet. Artifax had not seen any other prisoners in his forced march down from the throne room. He thought that it was perhaps that they had emptied the dungeon of those prisoners so as to make sacrifices to Kazgoroth. They were all that was left. "But where was Layla," he wondered.

"Can you get us out of here," Artifax asked to his giant friend. Gargos pulled on the bars as hard as he could but they did not budge.

"Figures..." he said with finality. "It's almost morning now. They are probably preparing her for the ritual."

A familiar voice spoke from the hallway. "Actually, they are moving her." Artifax looked up to see a bruised Malena fluttering at eye level. "We have to go. At some point they will realize that the supposedly 'dead' sprite' is missing in the throne room." Malena hefted a key into view.

A freed Artifax and Gargos followed the sprite down dark hallways to avoid detection. The traveled quickly and quietly. Artifax was surprised to realize that he had grown since the march from the Carin. He wondered if the moonwell or the orb was causing his changes. Perhaps his transformation was something that could not be slowed now.

They exited the castle much the same way they had come into the castle. The south side provided cover from the castle. They saw a mass of Fomorian, ettin, and Northlander men marching down the switchbacks to the beach. With them they carried a female prisoner, who was unarmed and bound.

"We don't have much time," Malena said. The ritual has been moved up from mid day to the sunrise."

"Let's hope your brothers are ready," Artifax said to Gargos.

The trio split apart. Gargos and Malena traveled farther up the hill to meet up with the assembled forces of giants and eladrin. Artifax headed to a promontory. He was overlooking the bay and the beach where the Queen had just tied Layla to a large cross. Her hands were tied at a 45 degree angle from her head on each side.

Queen Connomae began speaking in a language that Artifax didn't understand. She held a curved knife into the sky and pointed to a vessel beneath Layla's feet. The sun's first rays began cresting in the east. Artifax's dragon eyes could see colors and shapes that no one else on the beach head could see. He smiled and nodded at what he saw.

Embracing his draconic changes, Artifax broke the Queen's monologue with an unearthly roar. All of the eyes on the beach traveled up to the dragon man on the ledge above them. The Queen, confused at first, identified the once former gnome as Artifax.

"You are too late to save her now Artifax," The Queen said smiling.

Layla strained to see the figure on the cliff face. The thing she saw above them was not the Artifax she remembered. This man was much larger than her beloved gnome, even at a distance. His body had scales all over, and angular contours that were reptilian in nature. Wings expanded as they caught the morning wind from the sea. Still, there was something familiar about this figure.

Layla had always known that Artifax would come look for her, but he was so hopelessly outnumbered. Even in this new form, what could he possibly do to save her against these odds. The Queen interrupted Layla's thoughts by holding the sharp blade to her right wrist. Artifax's roar hadn't fully left his throat when he began to speak.

"Queen Connomae, you know who I am," he yelled. "Know that I will crush you and your army before the sun has yet warmed their cold armor. And if you doubt me, look again at your orb."

The queen considered his words, smiled, and cut deep into Layla's flesh. The blood came out fast and dripped down her body and into the vessel. In an instant the ground rumbled and rocked the beach and surrounding cliffs as if from an earthquake.

"It is done," the Queen said as the fire reigned down on the beach. A deafening bellow came from the giants in the hills, and trumpets came from unseen boats outside of the harbor.

"It has only just begun." Artifax replied as the dragon fire erupted from his body in unlimited waves. "Attack," he roared.