The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (little red riding hood ebook free .txt) 📕

followedme of his own accord, but I did not attempt to dissuade him. Ibelieve he is in the service of your former mentor.”

“Try to be civil, Gareth,” admonishedMoira Centyr. “We do not have enough allies to drive wedges betweeneach other with harsh words.”

Gareth closed his toothy mouth andrefrained from offering anymore biting remarks.

Ariadne approached them now, movingwith confident grace. “I am hopeful you bring good news, SirDragon.” Her eyes went from Gareth and then to Karenth.

“My news is neither good nor ill,Princess,” said the Dragon. “But it should be of concern, for itcould possibly herald the destruction of most ofLothion.”

The Queen of Lothion blanched at hissuggestion. At the same time Moira leaned in to whisper somethingin Gareth’s ear.

“My pardon, Your Majesty,” added thedragon. “I was unaware of the news regarding yourbrother.”

She waved her hands as if to hurry himalong from the unpleasant subject. “Please continue, I would rathernot dwell upon my family’s tragedies at present.”

“Very well,” he responded quickly. “Ispent the last few days at rest, watching the city of Albamarl,when I saw something most alarming occur yester eve. Just as thesun went down the city was encased in the largest stasis field Ihave ever witnessed.”

“What does this mean?” asked theQueen.

“Such a thing can only be accomplishedusing a most rare and exceedingly complex enchantment; one that Ibelieve only Mordecai to be currently capable of crafting. I haveseen him do something similar, on a much smaller scale, no morethan a week ago. I fear that he has done the same with your city,”explained the archmage/dragon.

“I am not well versed in the magicalarts,” began Ariadne, “but if I remember correctly, a ‘stasis’spell can only freeze things in time. Is that not correct? Whatcould his goal be with this, and how do you think it could bedangerous?”

“Enchantment, Your Majesty,” correctedGareth. “A spell could not accomplish this.”

“Enchantment then,” she repliedimpatiently. “Get to the point.”

“He has developed a method for movingand acting within the stasis field, while whoever else is there ishelpless. He probably is using it to further his grievance againstTremont,” started Gareth.

“That sounds promising,” interruptedthe Queen.

The dragon sighed, a much less subtlesignal when done by such a large creature. “The greater danger liesin the amount of power required to create this enchantment. A smallone, like those created in my day, required a vast expenditure ofaythar to charge them during their making. The larger the finalenchantment, the greater the energy needed. The power inputnecessary rises at an exponential rate that corresponds to thecubic expansion of the volume to be included.”

Ariadne was no stranger to math, buther education into the topic had stayed mostly in the realm of themore practical applications of arithmetic as they applied tobookkeeping and governance. “I am not certain of all your terms,but I gather you feel the amount of aythar necessary to be ratherdrastic?” she questioned him.

“Drastic is putting it mildly, YourMajesty,” said Gareth. “When Moira destroyed Balinthor in our time,the energy released destroyed a nation and created the gulf we nowcall the Gulf of Garulon. The amount of power Mordecai must haveused to create this enchantment would be more than twicethat.”

“You imply that he will misstep andcreate a much greater swath of destruction,” observed theQueen.

“He does not even have to make amistake,” answered Gareth. “The problem lies in the vessels he isusing to channel and control that much power. They have to be ableto withstand the force of that much concentrated aythar. If heexceeds their capacity they will fail, and the result will besimilar to the iron bombs he has used so successfully in the past,only on a much larger scale.”

“Is it not possible that he has chosensomething able to withstand the stresses?” she asked.

“I could not begin to guess whatmaterial would be up to such an extreme task. That he has somethingremarkable is evidenced by the fact that we are still here, butwhatever it is, it cannot endure that much power indefinitely,”said the dragon.

“So you have come to warn us? Itsounds as if the danger has already passed,” Ariadneobserved.

“I came to escape the danger. Thewarning was merely a favor,” answered the dragon in a surlytone.

Moira Centyr gave him a disapprovingglare, and Ariadne couldn’t help but wonder if they were having asecond, silent conversation.

Karenth broke in at that point andsaved her from pursuing the thought further. “While the dragon’snews is pessimistic, I think you’ll find mine rather moreencouraging.”

The new queen let out the breath shehad been holding with relief. Only then was she aware of how tenseshe had become. “Good news would be welcome. We have had littleenough of late.”

“First I would like to mention, ifMordecai’s plan in Albamarl has gone without any difficulties, thenthe capital is free. While he did not give me the full details, Iknow he intended to rid the city of the usurper and his allies. Wecannot disregard this good news,” Karenth told the young queen.“Also, he instructed me to present myself here and submit myselfand my fellow gods into your service.”

“Fellow gods?”

“Indeed, Your Majesty. As with me,Mordecai has bound both Millicenth and Doron to his will. Beforeseparating to prepare for Albamarl, he instructed us to find youand aid you in whatever manner we could,” the god informedher.

Something flickered across Ariadne’sface, an emotion suddenly felt and quickly subdued, the possibilityof hope. “Where are your fellows then?” she asked.

“Searching the vale, as I was, forsome sign of you and your people. Once we have finished I willleave and fetch them to your side,” said Karenthimmediately.

“Though I find myself mistrustful ofyou and your ilk, I yet find hope in your words,” said thequeen.

“There is yet more,” said the shininggod. “As the good dragon here can attest, on the horizon thereapproaches a mighty host of strange beings. Mordecai was successfulin restoring the She’Har, and they are sending their servants, theKriteck, to aid you in your battle.”

“Is this true?” she asked, turning toGareth.

“They were too far away for me to besure of their nature, but they match what I already know, and theywere coming from the proper direction,” said the dragon.

“I know little of the She’Har. As withmost of