THE DRAGON LORDS OF ELEBOR - MIHIGO EMMANUEL (red seas under red skies txt) 📗

ground as one might have expected, but stopped midway at about seventy degrees gave Kalende a pained look of amusement and swung back unsupported to his full height glaring down at Kalende.

A smile played at the corner of her lips. Since her arrival she had taken to trying to trip him when he least expected it. Whenever he confronted her about it she would only smile and move one. “She is not alone; Albadeluz and Rugina are with her.” Bbale squealed like a little girl. His old friend Albadeluz had returned and the great wizard is with him. The princess couldn’t be in safer hands. He was pacing now. “I shall have preparations made and sentries on the lookout for their arrival.” Kalende nodded “There are three others with them. The boy with silky black hair must be protected at all costs. When they reach the serpent’s canyon they will be ambushed. Send men ahead to clear the way and accompany them safely here.

This time Bbale was out the door before she could trip him. Down the winding passage ways to the council room where his generals where already waiting for him. “I need men at the serpent’s canyon and others on lookout. We will be having some special guests soon.” He waved his generals away and they bowed respectfully before racing out. Gone are the days when they would have questioned his orders Bbale not only had the respect and loyalty of the rebellion but many where his friends.

When the generals had left a solitary figure remained. He stood in one corner of the room concealed from head to toe in a blue cloak clasped at his neck. He also spotted a long beard and protruding sideburns. “Ssekabembe have you heard?” Ssekabembe stepped out of the corner and perched himself on the edge of Bbale’s desk. “I suppose the witch told you.” His voice was calm and deep. “We must prepare a feast in honor of the princess.” Bbale declared. “No.” Was Ssekabembe’s firm answer “They must enter the city covertly, and they must be tested like anyone else; Let the city decide if they are who they say they are.” Bbale’s eyes widened in wonder “How can you think them to be spies?” Ssekabembe smiled “Just because you believe something doesn’t make it true.”

Bbale sighed “I would be a fool to shun your advice. When they arrive they will enter covertly and be tested. But just in case they are who they think they are we should prepare.” Ssekabembe chuckled “Yes the return of the princess deserves a grand gesture. I shall prepare an enchanted feast.” Bbale smiled and bid him good bye. He didn’t need magic to believe. He had faith and with faith there is hope. Finally, he thought to himself. The odds shall be even on the battle field once more.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Ntende and the girls woke up before the others. Heading downstairs they found the bar a different scene from the night before. Instead of the teeming den of thieves they had checked into, this was a civilized inn. The tables draped in white cloths, the floor swept and the place gave an overall air of peace. A small man with electric blue eyes and a well-kept white beard stopping at his collar bone stood at the bar where the scary bar tender had been the night before.

Ntende walked up to him. “Excuse me.” He said to the man who smiled at him. His smile reached his eyes and Ntende couldn’t help but smile back. “Where are we?” He asked. “The crow bar inn.” Answered the bar tender. “No its not, this place was a hell-hole last night how can it be the same place.” The bar tender laughed and his voiced seemed to echo all around the room. “You will find nothing is as it seems in this place and nothing remains quite the same.” “I believe that’s my line.” Ntende turned to see Albadeluz standing on the landing above. The bar tenders eyes widened in disbelief. Now that they stood in the same room Ntende could see that the two were quiet similar in appearance. In fact apart from Nowamani’s slender appearance they looked exactly alike.

The bar tender raced up the steps two at a time until he was face to face with Albadeluz. They appeared to be of the same height. Albadeluz and Nowamani embraced each other with joy. Both of them smiling and chuckling nervously. Albadeluz broke the embrace first and held Nowamani at arm’s length by the shoulders and examined him fondly. “Dear brother, how wonderful it is to see you again and hold you as well. It has been so long I am ashamed to say that I had nearly forgotten what you looked like.” Albadeluz’s voice was thick with emotion as he spoke and Ntende expected him to burst out in tears, but he did not. “How could you forget, we have the same face, we are twins after all.” Nowamani gazed at Albadeluz with an amused expression.

“Come brother, we have much to discuss and little time to do so.” They both walked back down the steps grinning, which gave them a dim witted faced. Ntende chuckled to himself as the thought crossed his mind. Nowamani returned behind the counter and begun fumbling around still grinning like he was a fool. By the time Mihigo and Wizard had woken up and joined them Nowamani had been brought up to speed about their mission.

Nowamani was silent for several minutes, in which time it took Mihigo to finish three helpings of breakfast. Finally he spoke. “You seek the dragons of old. Few are brave enough to wonder around their territory much less seek them. It is a dangerous mission. One that must be taken with care, the death bringer has many spies and his reach is wide. You must be able to defend yourselves when the time comes.” His gaze settled on Mihigo who held it. “I sense you have touched the mystical world of magic. Yet you did not command it as novice often do on their first spells. You actually worked with it and simply directed it using you as a channel for the power. What was your first spell?” “We cast a protection spell upon our names.” Mihigo answered “Clever, but I meant your first combat spell.” “I have yet to cast any.” “Then what spell, besides the one on your names have you cast? I can see the magic awaked in you.” “I cast a nature shield.”

Nowamani seemed surprised by this and glanced slightly at his twin who shrugged. Mihigo felt a tingle in the air as though it had been charged, quick as it had come however it was gone leaving little room in his mind for him to think about it. “I have a question.” Mihigo said to Nowamani. “Why is it we can do magic here and not on earth?” Nowamani nodded satisfactorily “A wise question. It is because magic exists inside everything from the rocks to the clouds. Magic is a part of nature just as the wind and even yourself. There are explanations I cannot give without arousing more questions, but the simple answer is this; before one can wield a sword the warrior must first strengthen his body.” “I understand.” Mihigo said

Nowamani rose from his seat and returned from his back room with an A4 sized leather bound book with intricate carvings and runes. “This is the book of elders, masters of every era have added to its pages. I was supposed to pass this down to my apprentice, alas there are not many these days that are eager to learn about magic. The spells in this book will help you along your journey and probably save your lives.” The runes and carvings on the book begun to glow as the book rose into the air and moved towards Mihigo at which point the glow brightened and the book came to rest before him.

“The book has chosen you as its new keeper use it wisely and call upon it when you need help. The wisdom of all who have added to its pages is with it. Now our time together has come to an end and you must continue on your quest. The resistance has its strong hold in the heart of the infinite city beneath the great mountains of Muhavura.” Nowamani packed for them a week’s provisions and after a strained goodbye Albadeluz turned to leave his brother once more. Wizard handed Nowamani a silver tea spoon. “This is for the night shift employee.” He said. Nowamani smiled “He will be pleased.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Gravel crunched under Ntende’s feet as he set foot on the road to the mountain. The village was now a cluster of houses in the distance behind them. The gravel road began at the first hill top after the village and continued on to the foot of the mountain. The first two days went by smoothly with them only stopping to set up camp for the night at the road side. On the third day however fatigue begun to set in; Since Ntende and Mihigo were not used to travelling long distance on foot, they were quickly worn out.

“Could we at least slow down.” Ntende complained wearily. “We have been walking for three days straight.” “Our bodies are yet to be accustomed to this kind of strain.” Reasoned Mihigo; Amber suddenly came to a halt and whirled around to face him. “Oh quit your whining will you! Alex and I are the girls here so we should be the ones…” “You’re just mad that I am the one carrying the food since you tried to eat it.” Mihigo said grinning cheekily. Amber’s gaze faltered and a light shade of pink materialized onto her smooth chestnut colored cheeks.

“I…I was just checking to see if we hadn’t forgotten anything.” Mihigo chuckled teasingly. “Stop bothering her Emma.” Ntende laid his arm comfortingly over her shoulder. “Don’t mind him; I too would also sneak off into the night with the bag containing all our food after every one has fallen asleep, just to make sure it was still there.” Mihigo chuckled again “I suppose when we found you drooling over the meat you were just getting ready to check if it was poisoned right?” Amber’s uncomfortable expression disappeared as her hair begun to prick up. “Me? What were you doing up that time anyway?”

“Had enough rest?” Alexandria asked, calmly smiling at