Culmination Read online

  Culmination (Dragon Diaries, Volume Two)

  Copyright © 2019 by Selena IR Drake

  All rights reserved.

  Except as permitted under the US Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

  The “fiction dragon” logo is a trademark of Drake Books & Media.

  Book design copyright © 2019 by Drake Books & Media

  Cover design by Selena IR Drake

  Author photo by Robert Berry.

  Drake Books & Media

  901 62nd Avenue NE, Suite B, Minot, ND 58703

  Visit us online at www.DrakeBooksMedia.com

  Published in the United States of America

  First published: October 2013

  ASIN: B07W4D3KHV

  ISBN: 978-1-312-83341-8

  Previously...

  Shortly after the start of a new year on Ithnez, a young girl named Xyleena – Xy affectionately - began having strange dreams. The phoenix form of the Spring and Fire Goddess, Zahadu-Kitai, appeared in these dreams and forewarned Xyleena of dangers to come. Strange things began to occur in the days that followed, most notably was the sudden appearance of an ancient-looking book in Xyleena’s hip sack.

  While Xyleena and her friends tried to figure out the meaning of the book, a man claiming to be High Prince Valaskjalf Za’Car arrived at the Temple of Five Souls. He was there for the Festival of the Phoenix, but his intentions laid elsewhere. In truth, his name was Dimitri DéDos and he was after the hand-written diary of Amorez Renoan, the Legendary Dragon Keeper.

  Unable to locate the diary, Dimitri blew up the festival with a massive fire spell. He managed to spot the book he was after when Xyleena tripped and spilled the contents of her bag. He immediately sent his two Dákun Daju cohorts after Xyleena. A battle ensued in which Xyleena’s friend and first love, Ríhan, was murdered. Xyleena fainted after casting a massive spell and was sent adrift on the Anakor River.

  While Dimitri and his cohorts continued to search for the girl and the diary, Xyleena was discovered by Teka Loneborne. Pulled from the water and nursed back to health, Xyleena accepted Teka’s help in finding a path to take with her life. Teka sailed Xyleena to the Sorcerers’ Isle to get Amorez’s diary translated.

  While on the Sorcerers’ Isle Xyleena was introduced to Thera Onyx, the daughter of the Necromancer who helped create the Dragons of Light. Thera managed to translate a portion of the diary that included a complex riddle to unearth the twelve dragons. Xyleena, Thera, and Teka set out to find the first dragon, Vortex, whose lair was nearby.

  Meanwhile, Dimitri and his team were able to find the Sorcerers’ Isle. They wove a series of lies and managed to turn the Feykin against Xyleena. Thera’s younger sister, Pox, fell under Dimitri’s mind control and led his team in pursuit of Xyleena.

  After battling Dimitri and his team in Vortex’s Sky Castle, Xyleena obtained the first dragon. She, Teka and Thera then set out to find the second dragon, Kkaia. Weeks went by at sea and Xyleena’s team finally landed on the Shaking Isle. They were ambushed by Dimitri’s team and the fight ended only after Kkaia herself appeared and killed one of Dimitri’s team members, Luna.

  Dimitri’s team retreated to Zadún, the capital city of Arctica. While dealing with his teammate’s death, Dimitri stumbled upon Xyleena’s team. He followed them as they teamed up with a Fox Demon named Kitfox Latreyon, who led the team to the third dragon, Atoka.

  Once Xyleena obtained Atoka, she and her team set out for Kamédan to team up with Shazza Hoshino, the Dákun Daju Queen of Katalania. Shazza led Xyleena and her team to the Tomb of the Lost where they faced many perils and barely managed to acquire the fourth dragon, Helios. Upon leaving the tomb, Xyleena and her team met Kkorian McKnight, a pirate who wasn’t trusted by Kitfox.

  Xyleena’s team returned to Kamédan to rest and to translate the next portion of the riddle in the diary. A few days later, the five of them set out for the next two dragons believed to be hidden beneath the Dragon Head Bay.

  With an alien sky overhead, we had decided to create some new constellations by which to navigate. It took over a year to observe the stars and pick out these constellations. Eventually, we created a long list that included Seraph the Slayer, Camena the Muse, and Lisica the Fox. Finally we could find our way at night.

  – FROM “THE CHRONICLES OF ITHNEZ, VOL. II” BY ADJIRSÉ DÉDOS

  Dimitri shielded his eyes from the late afternoon suns as he peered out across the Dragon Head Bay. The water was as calm and pristine as a sheet of glass; its mirrored surface broken only by an occasional insect daring to land. He could see the world around him reflected upon the tranquil surface, so at peace. So quiet. So beautiful. He felt its serenity wash over him, soothing his troubled soul and quieting his rampant thoughts. He found himself wishing that he could stay here forever, just enjoying the peace. But he was on a mission and knew he could not afford to falter from the path before him.

  I have to find the Shadow Dragons. He thought, fighting to stifle the mix of emotions that swelled within him as he focused upon his goal. I have to avenge my mother. I promised her I would make all these retched Humes pay for the blood they cost us. A terrified scream ripped from a memory long thought naught but a ghost echoed through his mind. In that instant his serenity was forgotten, and he was back home in Drún F’Zrahl-Tokai. Strange how clearly he could remember things from centuries so long ago, almost as if those tragic events had happened only just yesterday. And even when he longed to forget every last detail and pain the memory wrought, he only remembered it all that much more clearly….

  ◆◆◆

  It was late summer of his twelfth year. Life so far had not been easy for him. Being the half Dákun Daju bastard son of a Hume, he was constantly harassed by the purebloods and treated worse than the lowest slaves. His dear mother, Solahnj, was not immune to the abuse, but being a pureblood meant even she was treated better than he. But things were beginning to look up. This day was to be the day he became a M’Ktoah, a proud and honorable standing amongst all Dákun Daju and the first step to becoming a true warrior. If he could become one, he would restore his mother’s honor and he would finally be counted as one of the clan. He had spent every waking minute over several years refining himself and mastering the techniques his mother drilled into him. All of his strength, his wits, his endurance, everything would be tested during the Sango Tuurik – the Blood Hunt – this day. He had everything to prove, and he’d be damned if he failed.

  So it was that long before first light this morning, when the sky overhead was bejeweled with stars and moons, Dimitri found himself seeking out Viktohn, the teacher, and other M’Ktoah disciples that were to be tested. He knew the designated meeting place, and walked briskly over the ancient stones that formed the many bridges and platforms of the cliffside city known as Drún F’Zrahl-Tokai. He listened to the enormous Thundering Falls, which surrounded the city and kept it partially hidden in its mist, and took comfort in the familiar sound as he navigated the maze of unlit walkways by memory. It took him only a handful of minutes to find Viktohn and the potential M’Ktoah, all gathered around the shrine at the heart of the city. Realizing he was not the last to arrive, he took it upon himself to utilize the shrine and quietly pray to his ancestors for guidance and strength. For once, the others did not ridicule him for his actions, and remained silent. When at last the final disciple arrived, Viktohn called for them to move out. Dimitri lingered at the shrine just long enough to fall at the far back of the progression, as was proper for one of his standing. As the group moved northeast, towards the bridge that connected to the mainland where the hunt would begin,
Dimitri studied each of the disciples.

  Féca, though only in her tenth year, was the strongest and fastest of the six potential M’Ktoah. Dimitri had always thought that her spiked, sunset orange hair and golden eyes were attractive. He knew better than to tell her so, for she was the daughter of the clan’s Zoloekuhl – the Elder. His compliment, though expressed with innocent intentions of admiration, would be taken as an insult, and she would have the right to kill him for it. And if she didn’t kill him, the Zoloekuhl would. It was not Dimitri’s place to say such things. Féca’s place, however, was right behind Viktohn, leading the potential M’Ktoah on the Sango Tuurik, a fact that made her father very proud.

  The second in command of the potential M’Ktoah was Pikal. He was a strong, proud, and tall for being in his twelfth year, standing at just under two meters in height. His hair was pine green, worn long and tied in multiple, thin braids adorned with hand-carved beads made from the bones of Humes and Wakari. Pikal already wore scars from his many scraps with the other Dákun Daju children. He was looking forward to winning a few more during the Blood Hunt, and did not care who or what he would have to sacrifice to win those scars.

  The other three M’Ktoah disciples were Venli, Temala, and B’Lenditonair, who preferred to be called Bone. The three of them were triplets, girls all. They could all be easily mistaken for Humes due to their chocolate brown hair, but their brilliant turquoise eyes and lust for battle betrayed their true heritage. Though not as strong or proud as Féca or Pikal, the triplets were formidable in their own right. They specialized in group tactics, and seemed to have developed their own hand and body language for use in choreographing their attacks to bring down foes. Dimitri had actually spent some time watching the trio in their training, and had managed to memorize some of their signals; an advantage he knew he would utilize later.

  Dimitri knew all of this about his fellow M’Ktoah, yet they knew nothing of his strengths or weaknesses – and he had several surprises in store for them once the hunt began. He also knew that they would probably use him as bait, a fact that he was prepared to exploit to his advantage to make the first kill. After all, it was the first kill of the Sango Tuurik that won the most glory for the M’Ktoah.

  So Dimitri and the other five disciples followed Viktohn across the long, stone bridge that stretched over the Thundering Falls, connecting Drún F’Zrahl-Tokai to the northern mainland. There, a small group of Dákun Daju greeted them with weapons of their choice to use on the hunt. Dimitri waited his turn while the others had their pick of the weapons. When at last it was his turn to chose, he went straight for the one weapon he knew no one would bother with – the beat up, old double-edged swords that had been fused at the hilts. He referred to the odd weapon as the dual sword, and was quite fond of it. His choice earned him a few snickers, but the group was otherwise quiet.

  Viktohn ordered them onwards.

  They marched through ever-thickening woods for nearly an hour, until Viktohn pulled them to a stop in a small clearing. There, the teacher looked to Féca, who nodded and promptly took command. Dimitri listened closely to her instructions as she divided up the team. As expected, he was to wait in the middle of the clearing to act as bait while the others vanished into the trees to drop in on the kill at the perfect moment – probably when the beast was distracted by tearing him to pieces. So Dimitri calmly walked past the other disciples and sat upon a boulder situated near the center. He watched as the others took up their positions in the surrounding trees, making sure to memorize their locations for the future. He had to be prepared to defend himself from them, for he knew his plan would throw them into a fury once it was revealed.

  Silence spread through the clearing.

  They waited.

  Hours crawled by as if they were days.

  Morning turned to afternoon.

  Leaves rustled.

  Every muscle in Dimitri’s body tensed in preparation. His hand gripped the hilt of the dual sword laid by his side. Féca suddenly dropped down from the canopy to land on a low branch. He had to force himself not to glare at her in his frustration. She ordered him to venture further into the woods in search of the appropriate prey. Dimitri sighed, nodded. He took a minute to stretch before hopping down from the boulder. He got his bearings and then started walking northward, towards the foothills of the mountains where he was sure fierce predators like wyverns gathered for their own hunt.

  He could not tell how long he had been walking before he heard strange noises coming from the forest further ahead. Carefully, silently he made his way towards the noise. The forest came to a sudden end, and Dimitri tucked himself behind the thickest tree trunk he could find in order to observe the area beyond. Countless trees had been cleared away, leaving only stumps or deep ruts in the ground. Several meters away from the tree line stood the beginnings of a stone wall. Within the infant barrier sat many small houses built from the felled trees. It took Dimitri only a moment to realize that Humes had moved into the area, and they were hard at work building their own village. It disturbed him that their settlement was so close to Drún F’Zrahl-Tokai, for Humes had been known to lash out at Dákun Daju without provocation. Should this band of Humes stumble upon his home, he was sure there would be a battle. Knowing that he should alert the Zoloekuhl about the encroaching Humes, Dimitri made a mental note of the town’s location. Then, like a creature of the wilds, he vanished into the shadows of the forest.

  He skirted the Hume town, travelling further eastward, towards the mountains. The shadows of the forest were beginning to grow long, and he knew he would soon have to turn back or face the wilds of the forest after nightfall. He did not want to return to the others without prey for the Sango Tuurik. If he did, the other disciples would be scathing mad at his failure and see fit to kill him for slowing them down. Driven by his hatred of failure, he pushed on.

  When at last the sky overhead turned deep blue, and twilight reigned over the land, Dimitri finally gave in. With a frustrated sigh, he turned to make his way back to the waiting M’Ktoah. As he walked along, he prayed to his ancestors for help; begging them to give him a worthy challenge that would bring him much honor as a M’Ktoah. For such a gift, he was willing to do almost anything.

  It wasn’t long before he came across the Hume settlement again. He lingered in the trees, eating some of the wild berries that clung to the low branches and watching the Humes as they retreated into their wooden houses for the night. He mused at how easy it would be for him to destroy the whole settlement singlehandedly. Perhaps he could use knowledge of the village as his savior for failing to bring worthy prey for the Sango Tuurik. With that thought in mind, he moved on. As before, he skirted around the village, this time heading south, to where the M’Ktoah would be waiting in the clearing.

  A twig snapped.

  He froze.

  A low growl betrayed a presence.

  He smirked.

  Slowly, he turned to scan the trees. To his left, golden feline eyes seemed to glow in the dark. His hand calmly moved to grip the hilt of his dual sword. Before he could draw the weapon, the wildcat pounced and Dimitri darted away. It roared in frustration, and immediately took up pursuit. Dimitri dared a glance back at his hunter, noting the dagger-like incisors that ended with a sharp tip below the cat’s chin, the scrolling and spiny horns that swept back over its sleek head, and the inky splotches on the pale pelt. It was a large, male Amber Crested Lion that had seen at least seven years; a predator worthy of the hunt. Dimitri whooped, both in delight and to alert the M’Ktoah disciples of his success in finding prey, and put on a bit more speed. The cat was fast and agile, and he had to make sure to stay just ahead of it long enough to draw it into the clearing else it would give up the hunt.

  Trees whipped by and branches grabbed at Dimitri’s skin and clothes. He fought his way through them, ignoring the painful scratches and somehow managing to stay just out of reach of the furious lion. Ahead several meters, he heard the sound of an obvious struggle.
The voices of Féca and Pikal called out commands in a frenzy, and he knew something else of worth had stumbled upon the hunting M’Ktoah. With no chance of jumping in to the midst of the others to claim their kill, Dimitri knew he had no choice but to face the cat alone or he would never become a M’Ktoah.

  Dimitri had only seconds to come up with a plan. He knew his dual sword was much too big to draw in the tight spaces between the trees, especially on the run. That left him with only the small bone dagger that he kept hidden in his boot, but to draw it would require a mix of agility, dexterity, and absolutely perfect timing. If he could pull it off, it would be a splendid kill that would win him much honor.

  With the lion hot on his heels, Dimitri burst into the clearing. He sped towards the boulder in the middle, and leapt upon it. He landed on one foot, jerked the bone knife from its hidden sheath, and before gravity could take over, leapt again. The lion snarled as if to announce its victory, and bounded after him. Dimitri twisted his body around to face the cat in midair and let loose a fierce roar of his own. The duo crashed to the forest floor, locked in an embrace.

  All was still.

  The lion trembled awkwardly and suddenly lifted, then slumped sideways. Dimitri kicked its lifeless body off his legs and got up. Féca’s voice released a victorious ululation, and the other M’Ktoah joined in. Dimitri yanked his knife free from the cat’s chest before adding his voice to theirs. Viktohn clapped him on the shoulder in congratulations. He was a M’Ktoah. He could now be counted as one of the clan.

  Dimitri looked around the clearing as he set about the chore of claiming the head of his kill. The ground had been chewed up, and several branches lay broken and splintered. Dark stains on grass and leaves betrayed spilled blood. It was then that he realized a large, bull wyvern had made its way into the clutches of the awaiting hunters. Féca was bent over its corpse, knife in hand to claim the head of her kill. As if feeling his gaze, she looked up at him. He exposed his throat to her as a sign of respect and congratulations to his fellow hunter. She hesitantly returned the gesture, and he fought the urge to smile.