‘Don’t believe everything you hear.’ said Firestorm. ‘Hebleeds just like you or I. Anyhow I dare say if he’s here, we’llsee him soon enough.’
***
Granwellfinished a complicated incantation calling for help from the dragonwho had promised assistance in return for a favour granted byGranwell. Unfortunately dragons were not that reliable resentingbeing called to act for lesser beings. However, a favour was afavour and required a repayment in kind.
‘This dragon has an unpronounceable name and prefers that wejust call her Rose. She is quite vain and she likes the idea ofroses being pretty flowers on a bush covered with thorns. I thinkshe sees herself that way.’ said Granwell. ‘Let me do thetalking.’
After aboutfive minutes a bronze coloured dragon appeared on top of theteleport marker and casually looked around until she spottedGranwell.
‘Sssssss … I was just about to have a nap when my good friendGranwell called. I hope you have some nice entertainment for me orI might be a bit unhappy. I do like my napsssss.’
‘Err . Hello Rose. This is my friend Aquitain. There is anarmy not far from here and we were planning a little party for thembut first we thought you might like some entertainment before thefight. We were hoping to stage a grand deception to fool anarchwizard into releasing some hostage Newmans.’
‘Ssssssss … it sounds interessssting. Tell me more.’ saidRose.
‘My friend Aquitain will explain what he wishes todo.’
Rose looked atFeatherdown closely and said.
‘Ssssssss. An interessssting disguise wizard but not verypractical. I hope your deception is a little better.’
Featherdownexplained what he planned to do and the dragon was quiet for acouple of minutes thinking about it.
‘Sssssss … it might work. I shall come along and watch. If itis boring I might just ssssssstart the killing early.’
Featherdownbreathed a sigh of relief. He was more concerned about this part ofthe plan than the rest. All they needed now was exceptional goodluck so he set to work.
First he hadGranwell polymorph to the shape of a Little Person to lookharmless. Granwell knew he could use his conjuring ability in thisshape as he had done it before. Granwell climbed into the birdcageand it was hung around the dragons neck on a rope as if was anecklace or a more appropriately a trophy or a prisoner. This wasimportant as it gave Granwell a good view. Unfortunately it waslikely to be a very scary journey when the dragon flew.
Featherdowncoiled two lengths of rope around the dragon’s chest to hold ontowhile in the air, cast the power to use mindspeak on himself so hecould communicate with everyone and climbed onto the dragons back.He sat at the front looking like a near naked Aquitain with thedruid mimicking Miranda holding on tightly behind him. The druidwas silently cursing his stupidity for deciding to volunteer tohelp. Granwell just closed his eyes and hung on tightly thinkingthat if he survived he would see a healer to check his own sanityand off they flew.
Rose at firstspiralled in a couple of lazy circles around gaining altitude andwhen about three hundred paces up from the ground headed for theheadland. She circled three times around it then slowly descendedto about two hundred paces off the ground above the square outsidethe gateway building and hovered in view of the whole army belowher. They all watched but did nothing aggressive.
Featherdownused a herald power on himself. This allowed him to speak with amagically enhanced voice so that all below could hear him.
‘I am Aquitain, Wizard Captain of the Mudrun Defence forces. Ihave Princess Miranda of Argenta with me. We wish to speak with thecommander of this force under a flag of truce. Please send up agreen flare if you wish to talk.’
He quickly usedMass Suggestion.
‘If we don’t see a flare we shall assume you wish to fight usand the other dragons currently on the way. You have five minutesto reply.’ and Rose flew off circling around theheadland.
‘Okay, now for the reinforcements, Granwell. Keep them flyinghigh in circles so they can’t see them too well. At a distance theywill look like dragons.’ said Featherdown usingmindspeak.
Granwell sat inthe cage wedged his legs against the sides and began conjuringthree Wyverns. They were stupid animals and would do what he askedfor about 10 minutes.
To the majorityon the ground the mass suggestion had primed them to see dragonsand dragons they saw. The few that saw Wyverns weredisbelieved.
On the groundFirestorm was looking up.
‘What’s he playing at? I’d bet a week’s pay those areWyverns.’
‘They look like dragons to me.’ said Kelnor. ‘but I’ve onlyever seen them in books. Are they really as dangerous as they’reclaimed to be?’
‘Well, four of them could probably destroy half our force, Isuppose. I didn’t think we’d be facing dragons. We haven’t got theright gear. It would certainly upset morale.’ replied Firestormreluctantly.
‘We better talk. Send up a flare.’
On seeing theflare Rose circled down to the ground and landed three hundredpaces from the Gateway Building while the wyverns flew in circlesaround the headland about five hundred paces above. More than halfthe army moved to a position where they could see the dragon withFeatherdown and Miranda on its back. A hundred soldiers took upposition with weapons drawn halfway between Featherdown and theGateway Building and the supplies coming out of the gatewaystopped.
Featherdown satthere for a couple of minutes and nobody came out to talk so hedismounted the dragon and walked out in front of it and begantalking using his herald amplified voice. Everyone on the headlandcould hear him.
‘I am Aquitain. I am a mind wizard and I’m from Panmagica likeyou. You probably know mind magic is illegal in Panmagica butprobably don’t know why. It’s because we are believed by thepriests to be in control of dangerous magic that affects peopleminds.’
‘Did anyone tell you about this world you have just entered. Iam here to warn you of this place. It was once totally destroyed bya magic storm that went on for weeks. Few know why the
