The Dragon Realms Saga

The musty scent of the sewers floated in the stagnant air as Elucard and his companions stalked through the damp and dank prison walkways. The Devil Jumpers did not get a moment’s reprieve from the stench of sewage as they entered the pungent odor of unwashed prisoners and festering wounds. Brutally tortured captives with bony hands clawed at Elucard’s cloak and garments, pleading that he free them, but the elf paid them no mind. He was only set on freeing Koda, Calsoon, and Wildeye.

Regret of leaving the three behind wore heavy in his mind with each step he took in the dungeon. How could he let this happen to his king—to his friend? How much agony did his actions cause Koda and Calsoon?

It did not matter anymore; he was here now and that was what really counted.

The sound of footsteps arose from around the corner. Elucard signaled for his team to hide in the shadows. He drew a small blade from his belt and waited for the person to appear.

The footsteps belonged to a tall, thin man dressed in finer clothing than the average Estinian soldier. He wore a gray tunic with a red bandolier. His mustache was freshly trimmed under his slender nose. No, he was not a soldier, but perhaps a warden.

Elucard leaped from the shadows and snatched the man’s wrist, twisting it behind his back and torquing it up. Elucard slipped his knife against his prisoner’s throat.

“Scream and I slice you without a second thought,” Elucard hissed.

The warden gasped and whimpered, but did not scream. “Please, please, I know who you are after. I don’t know vhat happened to him. I svea—” the man babbled all in one breath.

Elucard pressed the knife further into his neck to cut him off. “King Dawnedge, tell me where I can find him.”

The man gave him a low whine. “Please. I am Dalg Abnathen, the varden of this dungeon. I svear upon the Raven God that I know nothing about the Dawnedge’s vhereabouts. One minute he vas in his cell, the next he vas gone. The same vith that elf bodyguard of his. Please don’t kill me!

Elucard lowered his knife but tweaked Dalg’s arm some more. “Take me to the king’s cell!” he barked.

The warden gave no resistance as he ushered Elucard and the other Devil Jumpers to a gritty cell in the corner. Only one other cell neighbored it and they were told that it belonged to Calsoon, which as Dalg explained, also laid empty.

Koda’s cell was dark and depressing. Blood stained the stones from his hourly beatings. Heavy, rusted shackles gave Elucard a sense of dread that his king had to endure months of hopelessness while he waited for a rescue operation that may have never reached him.

Elucard shoved Dalg into Bruce's arms so that he could inspect the cell for clues. He fiddled with the still-intact locks of the shackles and largely undamaged walls and barred window. If Koda did escape, it wasn’t by any normal means. Could the Magi be at play here? Elucard knew next to nothing of Koda’s mysterious powers, so it could be a possibility that Koda used them to escape with Calsoon. He slowly scanned the rest of the prison cell and nearly stumbled backwards when he rested his eyes on a large slumbering wolf in the corner.

“Wildeye!?” exclaimed Elucard in both excitement and confusion. Was the wolf alive? If she was, that would mean Koda was too, right? Like the Magi he wasn’t sure how a familiar actually worked, but the prospect of the two sharing a single life did give him a shred of hope.

“Wildeye, are you awake?” Elucard patted the wolf on her back. Her fur was smooth and soft; it felt warm to the touch and also gave him the feeling that he was back at home. Standing free on the Lost Dawns clocktower without a care in the world. Elucard couldn’t help but smile and shed a tear.

Wildeye lifted her head and licked Elucard on the face. Elucard stifled an uncharacteristic giggle but didn’t hide the fact that he was greatly relieved that she was alright.

“Dalg, unlock Wildeye’s collar,” demanded Elucard.

Dalg fumbled with his keys until he found the right one and shuffled to the beast. He winced and stretched his arms as far away from Wildeye’s furious teeth as he possibly could.

The key clinked and the collar fell with a clunk to the ground. Wildeye snapped her jaws, chasing Dalg into the corner of the dank cell before jumping into Elucard’s arms.

“What should we do with the warden?” asked Mave.

“He’ll give us away if we don’t silence him,” Elucard said.

Dalg’s eyes grew wide with fear. “Please, sir. You won’t hear a peep from me.”

“Where’s Tashna?” Elucard growled. “Take me to her.”

Dalg rubbed the back of his hand. “I don’t actually know where she—”

In one clean motion, Elucard sliced his sword across Dalg’s throat. “Useless,” Elucard sneered.

Wildeye nudged Elucard’s hand and yipped.

“Of course!” Kyzo exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. “Wildeye’s like a hound, she can track Tashna’s scent!”

“Can you find Tashna, girl?” Elucard asked the wolf.

Wildeye's eyes flared with a bright ultraviolet glow as she stuck her nose to the ground. She walked in a circle around Elucard before taking off into a dead sprint out of the dungeon. Elucard and the others dashed after her at full speed just to keep up with the animal.

Wildeye’s nose led the Devil Jumpers up a flight of stairs and down corridors decorated with oil paintings of Meric’s Morass and the Blood Bog. Finally the hallway ended with two large double doors.

Elucard waited for Wildeye to sit down in front of the entrance before placing his elven ear against the wood, attempting to listen to what was on the other side. The sound of rustling papers, scraping chairs, and a quill scratching along its lines told Elucard that the room was a library. He strained his elven senses further and heard the voices of Tashna and her brutish draconian.

“According to this map, Ro’Tan, the city vould be right here.”

“Your majesty, that is only three miles from Aric City!”

“Yes, ve must be quick, my loyal Dragon.”

“What of your parents?”

“My father vill see to the city’s defense, finding Koda is my priority!”

Elucard looked at Mave and lowered his voice. “Tashna and her bodyguard are in that room. I think they are preparing to leave. If we are swift we can take her by surprise and capture her. She knows where Koda is, so he must still be alive.” Elucard looked at Wildeye’s ragged and tired state. “You stay here, girl. Koda would strangle me if I got you injured.”

Mave nodded. “Okay, on the count of three.”

One… two… three!