Breath of the Titans: The False Titanbringer: Complete Trilogy Page 9

  He heard a sharp familiar bark from behind him and headed deeper into the jungle, away from the sound. After several hours of traveling, he climbed another tree to get his bearings. He heard the sea from behind, but it sounded distant. From time to time, he would hear the beast making noise from that direction. The mountain rose from the jungle floor in front of him, and Lov noticed that he was much closer to it than a couple of days ago. Lov could see a small building on the mountainside, about halfway up. He decided to push for it, since he needed shelter.

  Lov returned to the small shed on the mountain he had been living in for the last few months. Built to house an altar of some sort, it didn't offer much in the way of creature comforts, but it kept the water off while he slept. The wet season had rolled in, bringing much needed precipitation to the jungle, but it hampered Lov. It was hard to keep an ear out for the beast with the splattering of droplets on the ground. Twice he had almost run into it. The rain masked its sounds well.

  He rounded the corner to his shelter, and went in through the open front. He nocked an arrow lightning quick, aiming at the immense snake that was curled upon the altar.

  "Put your toy away, kid. I mean you no harm." it said, sounding like his grandfather.

  Lov rubbed his eyes, as if to wake from a dream. "Tryton?" He asked, thinking himself hallucinating.

  The snake morphed, turning into a tall, hard looking man. His hair was long and black, and he wore a braided band around his temples. A hard hawk-like face glared at him with deep blue eyes. "I'm disappointed in you, kid. I leave you here for a couple months, hoping you'll show me some spirit. And what do you do? Survive. No fun, no pets, nothing." He threw his hands up in exasperation. "I do have to say, you've done an admirable job of surviving."

  Lov heard a snap behind him. He turned in alarm, knowing the sound of the beast's beak clacking together. "Why do you jump?" His grandfather asked, coming forward to grab the beast by the scales under its beak. Tryton began to scratch the eye ridges roughly. His voice light and endearing, he cooed. "Who could jump at such a pretty girl? Fifi's so sweet, yes she is!"

  Lov was startled. The creature, Fifi, flicked out a tongue long enough to lick his grandfather from two feet away. Tryton turned away from the beast and back to Lov. "If you had only turned and faced her as a dragon, she would have done you no harm."

  Lov slowly blushed, turning black in the face, feeling his dragonhunger building up within him. "What in the hell do you think you're doing? You're insane! I ask for help to avenge my people, and you drop me on an island, with your crazy ass dog to keep me company? Only, you didn't tell me it was your pet! Instead, it chases me the whole time I'm here like I'm dinner!"

  Tryton seemed to grow in size. His hair brushed the top of the shelter as his shoulders broadened. "Watch your tone with me, young man!" Tryton replied, his eyes glowing with a purple light. "What have you done to help your mother while you've been on this island?" The old dragon demanded.

  "Nothing, there's nothing I can do from here." Lov shot back petulantly.

  "There's plenty you can do from here." Tryton replied, his voice and size returning to normal. "How are you doing at lighting a fire?"

  Lov pointed to the corner where some coals burned. "I've kept that going."

  Tryton gave a small laugh, then sucked the air away from the embers. "That's not what I meant." He stated as he killed Lov's fire. "I don't want to know what you can do with sticks and tinder. I want you to light that fire. Using our power, not your muscles."

  Lov swallowed the anger that wanted to burst forth. Instead, he took a deep breath. "I still don't see how fire will help." He said calmly.

  "Really?" His grandfather asked. "Let me show you."

  The young half-dragon watched as he was surrounded by tall walls of flame. He started to reach through it, since fire didn't hurt dragons, but stopped when his grandfather told him to.

  "One day, you might be able to save yourself from the flames of a fully grown dragon, but now isn't that time." Tryton dropped his flame walls and walked out the front of the building. "I'll be back in a couple more weeks to check on you." He said as he walked into the jungle. "Be sure to work on your magic! Fire is easiest, but if you can master another element, it'll do!" Tryton shouted out as he disappeared into the trees.

  Lov absently reached out and scratched Fifi on her eye ridge. "Well, looks like it's just you and me, girl." He said to the hulking beast. Fifi shook her head, as if to deny, and took off into the jungle, leaving Lov alone in the dark.

  His anger smoldered inside him. He could hear a phrase his father used to say. Think, Lov. Don't get angry. Your anger makes you stop thinking, when you stop thinking, you lose.

  He needed to calm himself before he'd be able to do anything. Lov sat cross legged and took some deep breaths. Slowly he felt himself calm. His dragonhunger cursed his tranquility, demanded he do something besides sit there. But he pushed it aside, letting his anger dissipate.

  The young half-dragon sat as he had with his mother many times before, relaxing and drinking in the world around him. She taught Lov that you don't need your eyes to see what is around you. He felt the wind kiss his face, felt the earth beneath him welling with power. Felt the trees around him swaying. He heard the little animal sounds, chattering of squirrels and other rodents on the forest floor. The many mysterious calls of monkeys back and forth. And the birds, the wonderful strange melodic sounds they made. He didn't know how, but he tried reaching for the immense well of power he felt beneath his feet. Lov grasped a small part of it, and struggled for control. He thought he had it, when he lost it with a physical slap. It threw him to the ground, knocking the wind from him.

  Lov sat up from landing sprawled on his stomach and resettled into a cross legged position. Something told him that wasn't the way. He started his breathing exercise again, this time drawing from the well of power within himself. He felt himself reach out and seize the power within. It twisted and writhed in his grasp, like an eel, slipping away from him faster than thought.

  The young half-dragon tried again, wrestling the eel, and managed a form of control. He felt his mind guided, following a path laid before it.

  Warmth began to come to him from where his fire was situated. He turned, a smile upon his face, until he saw what he had done. A full half of his shelter was in flames. Lov gave a startled cry and lost control. The fire swelled and burned hotter. The young half-elf grabbed his weapons and beat a hasty retreat from the burning building. Smoke billowed out behind him as he ran. He wasn't sure if that was dragon fire, but he didn't want to stick around to find out. The shelter collapsed with a whoosh shortly after he escaped. Late in the night, the collapsed shelter's embers finished burning out.

  Lov walked out into the jungle, looking for a roof to place over his head. He found a cave and approached it cautiously. Rocks tripped him sending him stumbling into the cave. The darkness from the back of the cavern unnerved Lov as he lay on the ground, thankful he wasn't hurt. He decided to stick to the front of the cave. It went deeper, but he just wanted a dry place to sleep, in case the rains came. The young half-elf curled up in a ball and went to sleep.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lov was awakened in the night, hearing a snuffling sound outside. He climbed to his knees, grabbing his ax and bow, then slunk towards the entrance. Outside was the biggest bear the young half-dragon had ever seen, it would top Nord by its head and shoulders. The bear's shaggy brown coat was wet with a rain that had fallen while the young half-elf had slept. That didn't detract from its aggressive look. It seemed to favor one paw as it walked toward the cavern’s mouth. Lov wished he had been able to start a fire, but there wasn't any fuel available.

  The bear spotted him inside the cave. It gave a roar as it charged the entrance. Lov reacted without thinking, swinging his ax around. He caught the bear in the shoulder as it charged over the rocks. His weapon was lost as the beast tore away, taking off through the jungle. Lov gave a curse before pursuing.
He didn't want to lose his weapon.

  He tracked the bear for hours, heading into parts of the jungle unknown to him. After a few hours, and many miles, the bear finally collapsed from exhaustion. Lov approached cautiously, the beast didn't react. Tentatively, he reached out and gave his ax a tug. It refused to budge from where it was, but the bear finally reacted, groaning in pain and agony. Lov touched its fur and felt its pain acutely. He knew there would be no recovering from this wound. This bear was old and sick. It had just been looking for a place to die. Lov felt pity for the beast and drew his sword.

  He put the bear out of its misery, then set to work freeing his weapon.

  Lov huddled, freezing in his cave. He tried building a fire for warmth, but for some reason he couldn't keep one alive. He would have a good ember burning in his kindling, but it refused to catch. The young half-dragon had seen flames for a second, but they had faded immediately. As if something suffocated them. He thought his grandfather might have something to do with it, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.

  Sight wasn't a problem. Lov could see the night-darkened jungle outside the cave as if it were daylight. The trees swayed in the breeze and the air filled with the soft sound of bird calls.

  He left the cave, knowing that movement would warm him, and began looking for a plant he had seen before. Its large wide leaves would serve nicely as a blanket. Before long he was nice and warm, barely feeling the chill that had overcome him in the cave. Lov found a grouping of several nice plants. The leaves were long and wide, just one would make a nice umbrella. He broke the branch-like stalks of the leaves, picking as many as he could carry then headed back.

  When he reached the cave, Lov piled them on the ground. He hopped onto them, pulling the topmost layer over himself like a tattered blanket. He fell asleep thinking of how nice a fire would be. He'd be able to cook some of the bear meat he had been eating raw. While it gave him energy, his dragonhunger craved cooked meat.

  While the leaf blanket helped, Lov was still cold and shivering as he fell asleep.

  Lov sat at a campfire. His father and uncle were nearby, sharing a wine skin, and talking about the lofty people of elven society. Their family was a bit of an enigma. Amon had stepped forward into a leadership role when the elven king died. An unusual role for a dark wilder elf. Lov knew he was a hero whose shrewd tactics saved countless lives, but his father always changed the subject whenever Lov would ask questions. Still, it was a warm and pleasant dream.

  Lov heard the relaxing sounds of a crackling fire nearby. He sat up, startled as he finished awakening. He hadn't been able to get any fires going, yet a soft yellow light lit the cavern. Looking to the glow, he saw a large fire burning. It danced and sent shadows across the cave walls.

  Lov climbed to his feet and approached the fire. As he drew near, he saw a huge lizard, easily the size of a large dog, lay stretching and warming itself by the flames. Its scales glowed orange and red in the firelight.

  "What a wonderful fire you make." The lizard said in his grandfather's voice. "A soft glow with lots of warmth. Reminds me of the fires your mother would make when she was just learning."

  Lov gave Tryton a puzzled look. "I didn't build this fire." He said, wishing he had. Maybe Tryton would take him home then.

  "Of course you did." Tryton replied, eyeballing Lov. "You slipped into a dream and used that to help build it up, didn't you?"

  Lov shook his head. "I did have a dream, but it was just me relaxing with my father and uncle."

  "Was there a fire there?" His grandfather asked, knowingly.

  Lov nodded. "We were sitting around it. They were discussing some of the councilors and generals from home."

  Tryton smiled at Lov. "So, if it wasn't me who built the fire..." Tryton flipped onto his back, exposing his soft blue underbelly to the flames. He scratched a claw across his blue skin. "And it wasn't you, well, who else is there, kid?" Tryton rolled himself back onto his feet, and transformed himself into the old man from the other day. He stretched, reaching for the ceiling, and gave a loud sigh of pleasure. "No form is more satisfying to stretch in than a humanoid one. Cat is a close second, but something about being able to stand and do it." Tryton's eyes went to Lov, considering. "Well there's a lot we need to teach you, and as usual, the universe never seems to give us enough time. I'm sure you'll find that out over the course of your long life." Tryton stood and headed for the cave entrance. "I guess I should get you some supplies." He disappeared, the air clapping into the space he vacated. Lov shook his head, thinking his grandfather insane. He went and cut the rest of the bear up, determined to cook the meat before it spoiled. The smell of cooking flesh filled the air, making his mouth water. The young half-dragon grabbed a piece, still hot from the flames, and gulped it down. The juices warmed his tongue and throat as the meat traveled down. As he was tossing another chunk into his mouth, he heard a slight poof, and felt the air move as if it were fanned. Tryton waved his hands around his face. "Whew. Sorry, Lov. I thought I left that behind."

  An overpowering aroma wafted over Lov. It smelled of rotten eggs and broccoli. He gagged at the putrid stench, almost losing the meat he had just eaten.

  Tryton held out a bound book to him. He also passed the young half-elf some quills and a couple of ink pots "I want you to start keeping a dream journal." Tryton told Lov. He pointed to the book. "There are two hundred blank pages in there. I don't care how stupid it seems," Tryton jabbed his finger into Lov's chest. "You write it down!" Tryton jabbed his finger at the book. "Give it a couple weeks, and I bet you dream every night."

  Lov tossed the book onto his leaf bed. "Fine, but only if you stop putting my fire out." He told Tryton as he dropped into his bed. "And no more late night surprise visits. You can come by at a decent time just like anyone else."

  Tryton started laughing. He laughed so hard tears streamed down his face. After a moment, he collapsed to the cave floor, still rolling with his mirth. When he ran out of breath, Tryton sucked in lungfuls of air, and slowly calmed down. "It's so cute, you thinking you can dictate me." He gave one last chuckle. "Still, I suppose I should tell you why I'm suppressing your fires. You really don't understand how pressed for time we are. One day you'll comprehend though."

  Tryton rose to his feet, and transformed into a magnificent macaw. A large crest stood off his head, and his feathers were mostly red with green and yellow wing tips. "I have work I've been neglecting for you, kid. So stay out of trouble, and try not to get yourself killed." Tryton took off into the night, leaving Lov alone with his thoughts and struggles.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Nord awoke with a pounding in his head. He didn't remember much of yesterday, it all became hazy around lunch time. He fumbled into his clothes, still half drunk. It had been almost two months since Lov had disappeared. Nord had no word of him, and the worrying was wearing on him. Losing your entire family in such a short time would be hard on anyone.

  He stumbled out into Jaxon's kitchen, catching himself on the new table. It jiggled Jaxon's cup of coffee, slopping some over the side. Jaxon glared at his friend, not even saying good morning.

  "Do you remember what happened last night?" Jaxon angrily spat out.

  Nord scratched an itch on his head, stretched and yawned lazily. "No I don't, but can you not be so loud? I've got a roaring headache."

  "Oh poor baby Nord, has a headache! Forget your headache!" Jaxon screamed, slamming his hand on the table and spilling more of his coffee. "Anna had to have you thrown out of the Green Dragon! You were complaining about the furniture being too small and said some pretty offensive remarks!"

  Nord grabbed his head, trying to squeeze the pain out. "Don't worry, I'll pay for any damages."

  "That's not the point, Nord! You're going to get me labeled a disturber of the peace! I'll never be invited to any parties! And I'll be damned if I let you ruin my free liquor just because you can't hold yours!" Jaxon jumped to his feet, and headed for the door. "I can't sit here anymore,
I need some air." Jaxon slammed the door behind him.

  Nord was stunned. He'd known Jaxon for many years and had never seen him this hopping mad. He went to the sink, pumping water from the spigot into a basin. He scrubbed his face vigorously, and felt the pounding in his head subside.

  Nord took the last of the old coffee Jaxon had brewed, drinking it bitter and black. It tasted horrible, but the last of his headache began to recede. He looked in a mirror that hung on one wall. A gut stuck out where he used to be flat. Nord grimaced, and decided he needed to get back in shape.

  He opened the front door, taking a deep breath and swinging his arms to loosen up. Nord started down the road at a steady trot nodding to the little people he saw about. But none of them seemed inclined to return a greeting. Most glared or ignored him, and none were kind.

  He ran past the Green Dragon, seeing that the front window was boarded up. A flashback hit him. He remembered throwing a chair through the window. Slowly other memories of what he had said and done returned. Slapping the hostess across her rump, like she was a common prostitute. He couldn't even remember her name to apologize. An image, which would have been hysterical at another time, of four halflings picking the giant-like Nord off his feet, and throwing him out the door passed through his mind's eye.

  Nord hurried past, embarrassed at his actions.

  He returned to Jaxon's house after an hour or so. His friend had returned and was sitting at his table smoking a pipe and reading a book. Nord ducked through the door, keeping his head downcast. "I owe you and your town an apology." Nord sat next to his friend. He didn't even fan the smoke as he normally would. "I've invaded upon your hospitality long enough, Jaxon. I need to get out of this place before I go insane."