A Memory of Fire (The Dragon War, Book 3) by Daniel Arenson Page A
Authors: Daniel Arenson
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his voice drowned under the shouting.
"All of you, be quiet!"
Erry howled, hopping up and down. "Valien is talking. Let him
be heard!"
When finally everyone was
silent, Valien stared at them one by one, then spoke again.
"We've fled here to these
islands, two camps of refugees. On Horsehead Island, three thousand
Vir Requis dream of reclaiming their homeland. Here upon Maiden
Island, four thousand Tirans have found a new life, refugees from
their fallen kingdom, and they too dream. They dream of returning to
the desert, unafraid, of rebuilding their homeland without the threat
of Cadigus looming. For long years, both our camps hid and fought
separately, but we shared the same vision. We sang the same song.
We dreamed of going home."
As they listened to the speech,
Erry saw that Kaelyn and Miya had tears in their eyes. Kaelyn
dreamed of returning to Nova Vita, the capital Erry herself had never
seen. Miya dreamed of returning to Tiranor, land of her fathers, the
desert kingdom her people still yearned for.
Yet
what home do I dream of? Erry wondered. I
never had a home, unless the docks at Lynport were a home. If we
truly win this war, what awaits me if not more pain?
Valien continued speaking, voice
scratchy but clear, the voice of wind over sand. "For many
years, this was but a dream, a whisper of a hope. But today we found
new hope—a hope that blazes bright as a pillar of fire. We no
longer need hide. Together, with our magic and your machines, we can
defeat the Cadigus regime. We can both reclaim our homes." He
lifted a scope in one hand, an arquebus in the other. "I will
lead my people into Requiem. We will fly as dragons, roaring and
blowing fire. Upon our backs, we will bear you, noble people of
Tiranor, and you will wield your weapons. You will point the Genesis
Scopes at the Legions; they will fall from the sky. We will fly for
days, felling the armies that storm toward us, until we reach the
capital. We will storm the palace as men, firing our guns. The
Axehand Order defends the palace, and they fight with blades; we will
shoot them from a distance. We will find Relesar Aeternum, true King
of Requiem, and free him from captivity. We will find Frey Cadigus,
the usurper, and slay him." The grizzled man's eyes gleamed.
"The war will end. Fear will fade. We will return home."
The
council dispersed one by one. Leresy shifted and left first, flying
off with a puff of smoke, still muttering about how he had found the shards. Kaelyn followed him, a slim green dragon,
calling him a woolhead for all the island to hear. Miya left in her
boat, while Bantis opted for leaping off the hull, crashing into the
water, and swimming to shore. Valien departed with a grumble, a
silver dragon with clattering scales and one horn.
Erry remained standing on the
deck, watching the others leave. She placed her hand upon a cannon,
remembering the battles she had fought, the friends she had seen die,
and the men she'd killed. She lowered her head.
A voice spoke behind her.
"Will you not fly with your
friends, Erry of Requiem?"
She turned to see Captain Sila.
His golden, weathered face still seemed rough to her, a patch of
leather left out in the sun, but she saw softness in his eyes.
"They're not my friends,"
she said. "I'm just here because..."
Because
what? she
wondered. Because the docks had burned? Because Tilla had turned
into a killer, little better than Shari Cadigus? Because Leresy fed
and sheltered her, or because she felt she had to heal him?
Sila nodded. "I
understand. You are here for the same reason I am."
"And what is that?"
she demanded.
He smiled wryly. "Because
there's nowhere better to be."
"Valien thinks there is.
And he wants to fly out and fight for it. Will you fight with him,
Captain Sila? Will you leave your haven for a chance to win this
war?"
He cleared his throat, came to
stand beside her, and placed his hands upon the railing. They both
stared at the beach.
"My people mistrust
dragons," he said
"All of you, be quiet!"
Erry howled, hopping up and down. "Valien is talking. Let him
be heard!"
When finally everyone was
silent, Valien stared at them one by one, then spoke again.
"We've fled here to these
islands, two camps of refugees. On Horsehead Island, three thousand
Vir Requis dream of reclaiming their homeland. Here upon Maiden
Island, four thousand Tirans have found a new life, refugees from
their fallen kingdom, and they too dream. They dream of returning to
the desert, unafraid, of rebuilding their homeland without the threat
of Cadigus looming. For long years, both our camps hid and fought
separately, but we shared the same vision. We sang the same song.
We dreamed of going home."
As they listened to the speech,
Erry saw that Kaelyn and Miya had tears in their eyes. Kaelyn
dreamed of returning to Nova Vita, the capital Erry herself had never
seen. Miya dreamed of returning to Tiranor, land of her fathers, the
desert kingdom her people still yearned for.
Yet
what home do I dream of? Erry wondered. I
never had a home, unless the docks at Lynport were a home. If we
truly win this war, what awaits me if not more pain?
Valien continued speaking, voice
scratchy but clear, the voice of wind over sand. "For many
years, this was but a dream, a whisper of a hope. But today we found
new hope—a hope that blazes bright as a pillar of fire. We no
longer need hide. Together, with our magic and your machines, we can
defeat the Cadigus regime. We can both reclaim our homes." He
lifted a scope in one hand, an arquebus in the other. "I will
lead my people into Requiem. We will fly as dragons, roaring and
blowing fire. Upon our backs, we will bear you, noble people of
Tiranor, and you will wield your weapons. You will point the Genesis
Scopes at the Legions; they will fall from the sky. We will fly for
days, felling the armies that storm toward us, until we reach the
capital. We will storm the palace as men, firing our guns. The
Axehand Order defends the palace, and they fight with blades; we will
shoot them from a distance. We will find Relesar Aeternum, true King
of Requiem, and free him from captivity. We will find Frey Cadigus,
the usurper, and slay him." The grizzled man's eyes gleamed.
"The war will end. Fear will fade. We will return home."
The
council dispersed one by one. Leresy shifted and left first, flying
off with a puff of smoke, still muttering about how he had found the shards. Kaelyn followed him, a slim green dragon,
calling him a woolhead for all the island to hear. Miya left in her
boat, while Bantis opted for leaping off the hull, crashing into the
water, and swimming to shore. Valien departed with a grumble, a
silver dragon with clattering scales and one horn.
Erry remained standing on the
deck, watching the others leave. She placed her hand upon a cannon,
remembering the battles she had fought, the friends she had seen die,
and the men she'd killed. She lowered her head.
A voice spoke behind her.
"Will you not fly with your
friends, Erry of Requiem?"
She turned to see Captain Sila.
His golden, weathered face still seemed rough to her, a patch of
leather left out in the sun, but she saw softness in his eyes.
"They're not my friends,"
she said. "I'm just here because..."
Because
what? she
wondered. Because the docks had burned? Because Tilla had turned
into a killer, little better than Shari Cadigus? Because Leresy fed
and sheltered her, or because she felt she had to heal him?
Sila nodded. "I
understand. You are here for the same reason I am."
"And what is that?"
she demanded.
He smiled wryly. "Because
there's nowhere better to be."
"Valien thinks there is.
And he wants to fly out and fight for it. Will you fight with him,
Captain Sila? Will you leave your haven for a chance to win this
war?"
He cleared his throat, came to
stand beside her, and placed his hands upon the railing. They both
stared at the beach.
"My people mistrust
dragons," he said
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