MAGES OF SOUTHWICK: DRAGONS EGG

Chapter 17

“Seems a lot has gone on here today. Frankie? Is that you?” Master Lake stops taking a look at Frank who is still bound to the floor.
“HULP MUU!” He squeals. His body shaking against the earth snakes.
“Do not worry Frank. I’ll free you.” Frank body sinks down he lets out huff. “I’ll take you right way to see the King.” Master Lake chuckles. Frank shakes against the shackles.
“Master Lake.” Alred bows, he places his right arm near his waist while doing so. “What can I do to be of service?”
“Its been almost twenty years since I’ve seen you.” Master Lake walks towards him.
“Umm, Master I attended your class last year on runes. We then had dinner together?” Master Lake stops. He scratches his head.
“I guess I kind of remember that.” He shrugs his shoulder. “You boy, what is your name and what kingdom do you hail from?”
“Umm.” Vane hurries to stand up, “I… I am Vane, I hail from the Fa… Farooq Tribe in the Wild-lands. I was picked by a traveling mage. He rented me to Havricks.” He drops his wand. Puddle now, laying on its belly, its breaths are long and steady, Vane sighs.
“So, tell me Vane, what is the name of your Master?” I happen to know quite a few traveling mages on AiRisa.” Vane hurries to step back. “It’s ok boy, I already know you work for the Far Kingdom. Master Thorns apprentice, Vane the Beast Tamer.”
Vane didn’t wait to hear another word. He turns rushing for the exit. The drake did the opposite, it rushes towards Maker Lake. The drakes heavy footsteps closing in. Master Lake points his finger with his thumb pointing up at the drake.
“Bang.” As the word leaves his mouth, a flash of blue launches from his finger. Alred follows his finger to see the drakes forehead explode from an impact. The drakes body falls sliding forward.
“Cube.” The patter of Vanes footsteps end with a thud. “Tighten.” Alred sees that Vane is stuck. He’s able to move around but it looks like the air around him is shrinking. Slowly he’s forced to sit on the ground with his knees in his face.
Even though Alred knows he is on the same side. The flawless use of his magic. Even the power that is hiding within this master mage.
“I scared most of Havricks men away. Seems you killed most of them here. We have a couple things we need to go over. First, I see she went through with her plan. Surprised she pick you. Next, there is a man stuck in the wall over there, set him free and offer him a contract. If he refuses, kill him. I know you don’t want to do this but we must process her.” He points at the pale blue dragon. Before Alred can mutter a word,
“I know it sounds rude and just not right. You are going to be raising a dragon once the egg hatches. Either you can spend a lot of money replacing your coloring all the time or get armor made from dragon skin.”
Alred looks at the dragons body. In a weird way he felt like she told him it was okay. He knows the waste to just bury her and he still has the thug at his heart to do so.
“I do not think I should be the only one to benefit from her body. Should I give the body to the King for my failed mission?”
“No, he may be your King, but he has no claims on creatures we kill unless he pays you to kill it for him. Those are fun jobs.” He nods his head, lost in the past. “I sense there are two elves close to the tree, offer them each contract. You don’t have to kill them if they refuse, they have high potential.”
“Is there anything else we need to do?”
“One last thing. We just need to wait for the egg to hatch. Once it does, we can leave this place.”
“We have to stay here until the egg hatches? I can’t take it with me?”
“Nope. Sorry, we stay here and leave the egg where it is until it hatches. We have to ensure it lives. I can’t imagine you running across the kingdom while trying to carry a egg. We’re going to train and build you a new staff. Ozzy, I know you are there, will you take these two back to the King. Oh also give him thus report;
Alred Wooden is safe. Frank Havrick and Vane a mage form Far Kingdom have both been caught by Alred Wooden. Alred is now going to have to stay with Master Lake and train for the next four months. We will remain here and make sure no one tries to breach the capital from here." A few shadows flash as they run away.

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Eight legs pound the ground as fast as they can. Other creatures scurry away before they get trampled. A make shift carriage sits on the back of the spider.
“This is a lot quicker then the horses.” James spoke up.
“Hmm, she’s a lot faster, any faster and we will bounce to much.”
“She?” James tilts his head.
“Well yes, she is going to be my queen spider. Could you imagine a cavalry of these? We will run all over our enemy.” He bites into a apple. A smile on his face. “In fact, her name will be Queen.”
“Young Master, I believe this is a male, its smaller and is all black, females have red strips.” The Young Master stops mid bite. Looking at James then the all black spider.
“Your name is still Queen.” He throws the apple out the window. Whipping the juice on his plants. He looks ahead to see an old stone bridge ahead.
He looks across the river to see there is a matching piece on the other side as well. The old stone pillars tips still breaking the rivers surface. He was worried about this before. They would have lost their ride if they still traveled by horse. Now that they have Queen.
“Hey, cross the river using those old pillars.” The spider stops at the edge of the broken bridge. It turns running away from the river. The Young Master stands up looking back at the river.  “Oye! The river is that way.” He points back at the river.
Queen stops, twisting around. It races right towards the bridge. As it reaches the end of the bridge it launches with everything it has. In mid air it twist its body around shooting its web the rest of the way. It uses its legs to pull it the rest of the way. None of its body touched the water.
“Well, that’s one way to do it.” Young Master sits back down, eating a piece of jerky. A smile on his face.