The Pack Rat Mage

In this story you will be surprised to find out who has the courage to pilfer from Farloft's hoard.

*****

The Pack Rat Mage

“Have you seen that pearl necklace I received from Queen Sophia?” Farloft asked, as he came into the main part of the cave.

Clearair waded out of the thermal pool in their lair. “It was in the top of the silver caldron with the other jewels in your hoard last time I saw it.”

Farloft sat down on his haunches and gazed lovingly at his beautiful blue dragoness. “You always shine so when you are wet from the pool.” He shook his head. He needed to keep his mind on the task at hand, not his lovely mate. “Have the younglings been playing in the hoard again?”

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 14

It was three days later and the dragon party sat behind a long table with the remainder of their gems spread before them. There had been no further contact with pirates on their journey through the last of the swamp to the Isles of Ryland.

The people of Ryland welcomed them with open arms. They prepared a feast and brought them presents of jeweled collars and gilded arm cuffs. The human children wove garlands of flowers to drape over the dragon’s heads and ringed their horns with bands of silver and gold.

“Is the dragon steel for trade,” one merchant asked, as he approached the table. “It would make some truly amazing crowns and pendants with the addition of a few of these fine stones.” He waved his hand at the gems scattered across the long table.

“I would like to make you a gift of mine,” Tempith said with a nod. “If I might commission a piece in return to be picked up by Rugarth on his return journey.”

Isle of Mystery - Chapter 2

The unrelenting sun beat down on Farloft as he dragged himself slowly forward. He was searching for water and shade on this wasteland his ‘jump’ had delivered him to. There was nothing on this barren land except short dried up grass and lichen the color of a fire’s day old ashes. And, there was no sign of relief. The view stretched from horizon to horizon bare and lifeless with hardly more than slight swells in the earth to give it texture.

Farloft was heading toward the only outcrop of rock he had seen in hours. It would afford him a bit of shade and allow for him to rest. He had dragged his wing so long over the rocks of this land that it was leaving a bloody trail behind him where he literally scrapped off the scales and then the skin below.

An hour later, he finally made it to the rock. He flopped down with his bad wing stretched out in as comfortable a position as he could while still keeping it in the shade. For once he was pleased he was a youngling and no bigger than a very large horse. If he had been his father’s size the outcrop would not have afforded any discernable shade for the huge dragon.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 24

I apologize for being late posting this installment. 

It is difficult at times to write the yearning of the heart and the sadness of parting.

Cras’mul and Haf’nad the two golden dragons who accompanied Graf’tal to retrieved Tal’on landed in the meadow joining the other four dragons and Delevy.

“There is a village ahead as Delevy indicated. It is perhaps one hundred wing strokes from here,” Cras’mul announced as he landed in front of the others with Haf’nad at his side.

“You’re sure they will accept you and give you shelter?” Graf’tal asked Delevy.

It had already been established that Delevy could understand them, but only Tal’on seemed to possess the power to understand her.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 23

Tal'on paced impatiently in the courtyard. He had not been able to share the cell with Delevy in months. He had grown too much to make it through the door and down the stairs. The Valdare staked him in the courtyard when he was home and brought Delevy up to him in order to keep him pacified and quiet during the days he was free from fighting their war or recovering from injuries inflicted by the same.

The jailer, who had become a friend of sorts, was fetching Delevy. Tal'on and Graf’tal landed in the courtyard. The rest of the dragons took up residence on the spires and wall of the building built around the yard. They caught the jailer on his way to take Delevy and his other prisoners dinner. He still did not speak Tal’on’s language, but he understood the young dragon’s demand for his companion. He also noticed right away Tal’on no longer wore the collar which kept him in a submissive state. The jailer hustled down the stairs to release Delevy.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 22

Tal’on was being assaulted from all sides on the battlefield. Sandcor troops surrounded him. They were doing their best to overwhelm the young dragon with numbers, because it was obvious their weapons were of little use to them. The ground shook beneath the dragon’s feet with the explosions of their extensive arsenal. Smoke and dirt was thick enough in the air it made it difficult to breathe.

Tal’on was fighting one of the most violent battles of his short career with the Valdare. The Sandcor were making a final stand in the valley before the canyon, which led into their capital. They were determined to stop the monster once and for all. They charged at Tal’on as he fought tooth and claw against them. A swipe of his paw and three men fell before him. A sweep of his wing and several more challengers were knocked to the ground. He was relentless as the Sandcor continued to pile up on him. They had formed a battle line against the Valdare, so they could not assist their ‘number one’ weapon, Tal’on.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 21

Tal’on lay on his belly with Delevy curled up against his chest in the crook of his front leg. She had finally fallen asleep.

After he surrendered in the stadium, the Prime revealed many things from the safety of his perch in the box overhead.  He explained that the collars they both wore had tracking devices built into them and if they were to try and remove them, they also had an explosive device in them that would be activated and no doubt decapitate them.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 20

Tal’on was awakened by the sun assaulting his eyelids. He had to squint when he opened them, it was that bright. How long had it been since the sun caressed his scales?

“I am so sorry,” Delevy said.

He realized his head was lying in her lap. When he looked up above her concerned face he could see they were in just another type of cage. This one had a huge barred dome high above their heads. He lifted his head and it swam away in a dizzying wave of images. He heard a roar of voices and the sharp clapping of thousands of hands.

“What’s happening?” He asked Delevy, as his eyes began to focus.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 19

“You will train the beast!” the Prime ordered. “If he did not come from the Sandcor then we shall turn him on them.”

“His is not a beast to be trained, my Prime,” Delevy tried to explain once again. “He is a thinking, reasoning being. Why would he fight on our side if he does not even come from here? He has no stake in our war.”

The Prime came from around his desk and grasp Delevy’s chin in his powerful hand. He raised her head so she could look into his angry, dark eyes.

“He has become quite close to you,” the Prime hissed.  “You will convince him to fight for us and we will see what he is worth.” 

He gave her chin a powerful squeeze which ground Delevy’s teeth together in her jaw. He dropped his hand. “You may pit him against the Sandcor prisoners. He will fight or he will die. Prepare him. I give you one full turn to make him ready.” The Prime swept back around his desk and flopped into his chair. “Go!”

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 18

“Let’s take a break,” Rudd’ard said. “Mul’drak and I will go get us all something to eat.”

Rudd’ard rose and swiftly mounted Mul’drak. He reached down and affectionately patted the larger dragon on the neck.

“We’ll be right back,” he assured us, and then promptly disappeared.

“Whoa,” Jake said with an exhale of breath. He looked toward Arr. “What are you getting out of this?”

“The non-verbal exchanges between the two seem to confirm what they are telling us,” Arr told his partner. He smiled in a conspiring fashion. “It will be interesting to see what they return with. I caught a glimpse of where they were going as they locked minds. I do love the sunglobes from Muldavian.”

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 17

Tal’on could hear Delevy’s voice. He felt a gentle touch stroking his ear and then a bit of a scratch that felt so good it made him drool in his sleep.

“Yuck, Tal’on,” Delevy wiped at her sleeve. “Have a heart,” she pleaded. “I have been sitting her for most of the night. You won’t let me go even to relieve myself. The least you could do is not make a further mess of me.”

“Hum?” Tal’on said, as he slowly began to come around.

It was as though someone or something had blown all the smoke and ash out of his way and he could see again. In his half-dream he was winging his way through the clouds. Yes, he was flying and there was a weight upon his back. Did he have his own charge? A companion to assist through the stasis as Graf’tal had assisted him? But no, Graf’tal wasn’t here. He couldn’t feel the elder dragon’s presence. Who was with him? He curled his neck up over his shoulder to see who was seated on his shoulders. He saw a booted foot and then a green leg. It was Delevy. His keeper was here in his dream and it seemed right, as though she belonged here with him.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 16

“Delevy told Tal’on later that she watched him from the safe place behind the bars of his prison as he seemed to crumple down over himself. She saw him quake and heard his moan as he drifted down into stasis. He collapsed over on his side and seemed to go into convulsions,” Rudd’ard explained. “That was when Delevy took the chance and went into see if she could help Tal’on.”

*****

He was so cold, his teeth were clacking together. Delevy could see he was unconscious. She took the chance she would be able to sense when to run and have the time to get away.  She pulled his blankets over his shivering body and when that wasn’t enough she fetched hers and more from storage to cover Aon. When she returned she could swear he was larger than when she left. His feet and hands stuck out from beneath the covers, but perhaps her mind was just playing tricks on her, or he had moved.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 15

The Prime had his guards escort Delevy to his chambers. She thought the ruler had heard about her caring for the beast and was going to punish her.

“Have a seat,” the Prime said and waved her to a chair in front of his desk.

Delevy had never been in the Prime’s office. In fact, she had never been in the assembly itself. She had been appointed keeper to the Sandcor by the head jailer based on her work, not by royal decree. She could feel the sweat trickle down her back as she took a seat on the most expensive looking chair she had ever seen. The cushion was red velvet with gold tassels. The chair itself was hand carved, by a talented artisan. It had the royal seal carved in its back. She tucked her booted feet under the chair and tried to make herself as small as possible. The Prime was all powerful. He could declare life or death for his subjects.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 13

Delevy pushed the platter, of what Tal’on could only assume was food, toward him with her handy broom handle. She had been in and out over the last few hours. The young dragon decided she had been assigned as his guard. She lengthened the chain that was attached to his neck by flipping a lever on the wall which allowed the ring in the floor to detach and rise up on its own length of chain. The young dragon could now stand and stretch his legs.

            Tal’on reached out and fingered the ‘food’ on the platter. It was some sort of vegetation – multiple colors and textures. There was no meat visible on the tray. Nothing that Tal’on would actually term as food. He pushed the stuff around with a claw. He was ravenous. He had no idea how long he had been without food…long enough to feel a bit dizzy when he stood…long enough that if he were home he could have eaten a full grown Crazar without difficulty all on his own. He looked up into the green’s smiling face. She encouraged him by signing an eating motion with hand-to-mouth.

Planet Designation 014.666.2460 - Chapter 11

            Tal’on vaulted onto Graf’tal’s haunches, finding purchase with his claws between the plates of his senior’s scales.

            “Careful there youngling,” Graf’tal chided. He curled his long neck around and spied the young wingless dragon, his charge, with a shinny pair of obsidian black eyes rimmed and flecked with gold. “Why can’t you mount like any normal youngling?” He snorted smoke into the face of the lizard looking Tal’on on his back. “You scramble like a hatchling.”

            “I would board properly by wing if we were not always the last to leave the ground,” Tal’on shot back as he finally made it up Graf’tal’s back and settled on the dragon’s shoulders with his scaly legs wrapped around Graf’tal’s neck and his tail lying out along the dragon’s spine.

The Beginning of a New Adventure

I hope you enjoyed Farloft's tale these last few weeks. 

I am sure he will come up with another for us soon. 

Remember if you need a 'Farloft Fix' you can always pick up his Chronicles in the Kindle Store on Amazon or hop over to his blog Farloft's Rhetoric and listen to his free Audio Book.

Starting Saturday we will be revisiting 3su, Star Trader to the Known Universe . 

It is going to be a wild ride you will not want to miss. 

Strap on your blaster, kiss your sweetheart goodbye, and get ready for our next adventure!

Timenall & the Captive Gryphon - Chapter 16

The gryphon, and the dragons who had helped rescue them, stood on one side of the meadow. The gryphon were hesitant and appeared to Farloft as though they might take flight at any minute, but they were also exhausted from their ordeal. They stood quietly as they faced the Forest Night Dragon clan led by Vespal.

Melozzo had his wing protectively draped over Belree as she stood with Mims on her back. Jozwik had given up on following the heated discussion and flopped down on her belly to rest her injured wing. The rest of the members of the gryphon colony stood or sat behind Timenall. The hybrid huggled Weirim with a wing as they stood at Salishan’s side as he confronted his father and the other clan members.

“They cannot stay here!” Vespal growled in anger for the umpteenth time. “Their day flights will draw the humans here and put all of us in danger.”

Timenall & the Captive Gryphon - Chapter 15

Farloft was tending to Melozzo’s wounds as the forest dragon cradled one of the gryphon hatchlings in his huge multi-toed paws.

Farloft did not know the hatchlings name just that it had lost both parents in the battle with the Varda and for some reason had taken to Melozzo for comfort. Farloft continued to lick the deep cuts where the forest dragon took the lashes of Ram’s whip to protect the hatchlings. Belree, Weirim’s best friend, was sitting close to Melozzo comforting the young orphaned hatchling by meticulously grooming it. It had fallen asleep, but neither adult had noticed. They were quietly talking above it, their heads close together.

The fires from the funeral pyres Farloft set, one for the Varda, and one for the five gryphon that had died in the fight, were still smoldering below. Timenall, three of the older gryphon, Lopho, Dalfie, and Keeree, and Salishan, were huddled away from the group. They appeared from Farloft’s view to be deep in conversation, but due to the other chatter of the reunited hatchlings with thankful parents, he could not overhear whatever was keeping them occupied.

Timenall and the Captive Gryphon - Chapter 14

Timenall had freed Weirim ,and she in turn had freed Dalfie. The two gryphoness wanted to fight, but the hybrid called them back. “We need to get the packs off the rest so we can get out of here.”

“I am not going anywhere until I see that man Ram die,” Dalfie hissed in anger. She started toward the cluster of men the dragons were holding at bay.

Timenall reached out a wing and batted Dalfie in the face to get her attention. “We need to free the others,” he repeated in a firm tone. “There will be time enough for revenge.” He had no idea that Dalfie had seen her mate die at the hands of the Varda leader.

Dalfie pinned Timenall with a piercing stare. “You free them. I am going to see that these men never leave this valley.”

Timenall reached for her, but she evaded his wing. Weirim nudged him with hers. “You can’t stop her,” she said. “Ram killed Marsdon.”

Timenall & the Captive Gryphon - Chapter 13

Everything seemed to happen at once. The other dragons pushed their boulders down from the rim. Men dropped the leads on their gryphon captives and scrambled from the avalanches created by the huge rolling stones.

As soon as Farloft reached the cage he wrapped his paws around the upper bars and flapped his wings to hover over the hatchlings protectively until Melozzo arrived.

The group of men who had gathered to discuss the problem of getting the hatchling cage around the impediment were regrouping and trying to arm themselves with weapons strapped to the packs on the backs of the their gryphon prisoners - the gryphon were having none of it. They were fearlessly bucking and kicking. The heavy weighted boots on their paws were lethal if they impacted a man’s head or chest.

The other dragons descended following the tumble of rock. They grasp men with claws and teeth and flung them against rock and hard packed trail.