Fate Rides Wicked: Volume I of the Lerilon Trilogy by Jonathan Biviano Page B

Doleof.
    “It would be wise to treat me with more respect, young
one. I have been on this planet for over three thousand
years. I was your age when the dragon wars, started by
endarils, claimed my parents and left me orphaned.”
Doleof stood and stopped Tych’s pacing with his hand.
“Do you hear me?”
    “Yes, I’m sorry. Please continue.”
    “If you wish to gain control over the energies, you need
to master the skills of magic. The powers of your mind
will reveal themselves as you use it and it will teach you
how to regulate the flow of energy to your advantage in
combat as a warrior. Only you can be both.”
    “Where do I find this magician?”
    “He is a captive of Lord Damarin, in a magic cell which
prevents him from casting. This lord lives three days from
here to the west, just north of the city of Crentin. Defeat
him and free the magician.”
    “Sounds easy enough. When do we leave?”
    “You and Lendril will meet friends of mine tomorrow,
pemilons who will provide you with horses. Their forest
friends will open a path in the woods for you to follow. I
warn you, his army of forangen guards Damarin’s castle.
You will be informed of their movements as you near the
end of the trees.”
    “Is that all I need to know?” Tych smiled wryly.
    “No, there is one last thing. Take Damarin’s sword but
keep yours with you at all times. The time will come when
you know what to do with it. You should be able to
quickly discover the powers of the lord’s sword by using it
in battle. Never use your old one to fight again after
Damarin’s blade is yours.”
    “I will do as you say.” Doleof headed for the bedroom
to go down the trap door. “Wait. Does the prophecy say I
become king?”
    Doleof paused at the curtain for a moment as if
thinking. “No, I guessed that would happen from what the
prophecy does say. No prophet, rare as they are, has been
able to see past the defeat of Rangdor. It is as if there is no
clear future beyond it. It will be yours to mold.” Quickly,
he stepped through. The endarils heard the trap door
squeak then slam closed.
    Tych stared at the curtain until Lendril’s hand touched
his shoulder. “Your hand is a lighter burden than the one I
now carry on these shoulders. Hold me.” Lendril stepped
around and wrapped him in her arms. He kissed her
passionately on the lips. She stepped away, took his hand,
and led him to the bedroom.
     

Chapter Ten
LORD DAMARIN
     
    In his sleep, Tych heard a soft rapping sound in the
distance. He rolled over and stirred a bit, then sat up ready
to jump to battle. A knock rang through the hut. Her
wounds still healing, he glanced at Lendril sleeping next to
him, the combat of the previous day having worn her to the
point of exhaustion. It didn’t help either that they had
made love long into the night with incredible passion.
    Tych swung his legs out of bed and went through the
curtain on the right into the kitchen. Checking his senses to
discover if evil energy lurked nearby, he opened the door.
Standing there, with little forest animals playing around
him, a pemilon looked down at him. “Hello, I am
Flandroke. You must be Tych.”
    “Yes, I am the Prince of the Endarils. Pleased to meet
you. What brings you here?” The endaril looked upon a
combination of horse and human. The creature had the
body of a horse, with four legs and hooves, but instead of a
horse’s neck and head, a human torso sat on its shoulders.
A human head and arms were where they normally would
be on the torso.
    Flandroke had a long spear, taller than Tych, tied to his
right side and a mace hung from a belt where human met
horse. His eyes reflected the chestnut brown of his
horsehair. “Doleof told us you would know of our coming.
We bring horses and help in reaching Lord Damarin.”
    Suddenly, Tych remembered. “You’re here a little
early aren’t you?”
    “The sun is well past zenith. If I’m not being too
forward,