The Third Red 1: The Enemy Within

When Eric returned from the goblin tunnels with Myra, they found Chosan, the Presteegs, Arvis and Rubara there waiting for them in front of Soyagone.

Chosan let out a sigh of relief when he saw them. “Oh, thank Spirakus! I was just about to send a party down to the tunnels after we noticed Myra missing! We figured she must have followed you.”

“Myra, are you alright?” Vikal asked running to his daughter.

“I’m fine Papa,” Myra said. “I healed my injuries, and Eric’s.”

“Injuries?” Vikal repeated with concern.

“Little one, were you hurt?” Rubara asked Eric in equal alarm.

“I’m fine now!” Eric told his grandmother. “Myra healed me.”

“Young lady!” Lorala snapped looking at Myra. “I can’t believe you actually went into those tunnels! That’s it! You’re going to the Suffering Sisters!”

Myra’s mouth fell open. “But mother-”

“No buts!” Lorala said. “You are going into places where you are bound to get hurt. Well, you can hurt yourself in a way that will help others!”

Eric grit his teeth

“Wait, you can’t-“

“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do, Lord Eric,” Lorala snapped. “I’m her mother! It is my duty to teach her to behave like a proper lady and sorceress. I told her if she continues trying to learn to fight, she would be sent to the sisters!”

“Now hold on!” Eric said. “You said that if she tries learning to fight! She wasn’t! She just wanted to see the goblin city!”

That was true, though Myra did want to learn to fight in time.

Lorala was unable to deny that. But her glare did not ease as she looked at her daughter.

“You go to your room! You’re not to leave the castle except for school in two days! Oh, and I’m disabling your sorcery in case you get any ideas about making yourself invisible! I may have taught you to do that a little too well.”

She put a hand on Myra’s chest, sorcery shined on her fingers. Myra winced as she felt the spell take effect. Eric remembered the stinging sensation he felt whenever Margery did that to weaken his sorcery before training. Myra then walked off to her room while Eric and the others went to have lunch in the Great Hall. As they sat down with their meal, Chosan asked Eric about what happened in the goblin tunnels.

“Well, I got ambushed by a group of them. They brought me before the chief. Then I managed to free myself and impress them. I had to get my weapons back, that was when I found Myra. Dargin, his mother and I had to rescue her from goblins. Oh, and I’ve agreed to recommend Dargin as a candidate for Soron Knighthood.”

“What?” Grella asked, dropping the basket of bread she was passing around.

“Grella!” Gilber scolded his granddaughter.

“Sorry grandfather!” the servant girl said before looking at Eric. “You can’t recommend a goblin for a knight!”

Eric frowned at her. “You know you shouldn’t blame Dargin because he’s a goblin. He is not the one who killed your parents!”

“They’re all the same, murdering savages with no honor!” Grella screamed angrily.

“Dargin has honor,” Eric stated. “He defended me and Myra when those Dishonored attacked us! He’s a strong fighter, and I trust him.”

“You trust him?” Chosan repeated.

Eric nodded.

“Very well. Tomorrow I shall write up a recommendation and send it to Sir Weldar of House Armanos to enter him.”

“What about me?” Eric asked.

Chosan hesitated. “Well, you’ve demonstrated good skill in weapons according to Orvalor. Though I’ve heard nothing of your progress with sorcery yet.”

“That would be because I have not practiced with Lord Eric yet,” Arvis said. “We might have done that if not for him spending time with friends the previous two nights. Ah well, he did have Casting Class, so we shouldn’t use up too much sorcery.”

“Arvis, you see what his skills are with nature and core sorcery then advise me,” Chosan said.

Arvis lead Eric to the docks where they kept the Yagaro ships on the lake. There he asked Eric to demonstrate a variety of spells from both core and nature sorcery. Eric performed the same procedure as he did with his mother on Dragoran. The sorcery stingers and talons flew from his fingers, a red blade of light formed in his hand, beams and balls were thrown into the sky, a shield appeared in front of him, ball and manifestation. Then it was onto nature sorcery where Eric demonstrated something of each element.

“Litar, Fyra, Flor Grakas! Aga Levras! Fris! Stens Morsu!”

Sparks of lightning and fire flew from his hands, grass nearby grew, water rose from the lake and froze, stones on the shore merged together.

“Hmm. You are certainly skilled with each, your mother taught you well,” Arvis said.

Eric felt a mixture of pride and sadness. Glad his mother taught him well, but also sad she wasn’t here. He looked down.

***

“We’re going to go into Sortar tomorrow to deliver food to the Dishonored,” Chosan told Eric at dinner.

Eric looked at him in surprise.

“Deliver food to them? They attacked Myra and me! We could have been killed if not for Dargin!” Eric said.

“Yes, they are all criminals who have done bad things. But that does not mean we should leave them to starve,” Chosan said.

Eric couldn’t argue with that. It was the duty of the Yagaro family to help those in need and protect them. Even if they were no longer innocent, that didn’t mean they should be left to die. Still, he would have preferred training over that. Chosan hadn’t let Orvalor or Arvis teach him any new sword or sorcery techniques since the day before School started.

***

The next morning Eric accompanied Chosan as they brought out extra food from their gardens. Barrels were filled with fruits and vegetables then loaded on to the back of five horse drawn carts. To protect themselves and guard the supplies, Chosan ordered a number of their house guards to come as well. Onro and Bragar were among the archers. Servants also came to help with the distribution. Four soldiers walked alongside each carriage. Eric carried his sword, shield, and dagger in case of an attack. He mounted Snowshine then Chosan lead the way across the bridge to Sortar on his dark stallion. They took the Safe Path to the Lower Market Sector.

As they entered, they passed the shops as commoners cleared a path for the Yagaros. But many gave them looks of disdain, one person even called out at Chosan, “Traitor!”

Someone even yelled at Eric, “Traitor survivor spawn!”

A spark of anger lit in Eric’s heart. He looked through the crowd but was unable to determine who shouted. With a growl, he looked away. He felt a primal desire to hunt down the one who insulted him and his family, but he knew he couldn’t do that. He had to avoid any trouble, or Taro Volk would use it as an excuse to draft him.

They made their way to the Dishonored camp. Karia and her friends were already there with a wagon full of vegetables from Nedela’s farm. Eric spotted Belena as well, she passed bread and soup out with a smile.

“Karia!” Eric called as he approached.

“Belena!” Rikal called as well to the other girl.

Both the girls waved as Eric dismounted and walked over.

“You made it!” Karia beamed. “And you brought fruit with you.”

“Aye!” Rikal said as he set the basket down before looking at Belena. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she said to Rikal then to Eric. “Thank you for taking over for me. You saved the play.”

“Saved the play? What do you mean?” Rikal asked.

Eric felt a shiver run down his spine.

“Belena!” Karia exclaimed.

“Oops,” Belena covered her mouth. She was obviously not a good secret keeper.

Rikal looked from Belena to Eric, putting the piece together.

“You… took over for her… in the play? But that is forbidden by law! Lord Chosan!”

Chosan walked over, “Yes Rikal? Something wrong?”

“Yes! Lord Eric was in the play for Oserus and Verida! Belena just said so!” Rikal said pointing to Eric.

Chosan was silent for a moment as he looked at his nephew. “What? But Eric was with me in the audience! That’s…” he stopped. Obviously connecting the dots as well. “You used a flesh manifestation!”

“Yes,” Eric admitted. “I was the girl who played Oserus.”

He was sure Chosan was about to punish him somehow. But Chosan merely looked at him for a few seconds then grinned.

“Did you enjoy it?” he asked.

That surprised Eric. He recalled how he had been smiling at the end of the play. It had been a dream of his to actually be in one for a long time. “Um-yes.”

“Good! You know I’ve been thinking that it’s just not fair for boys to be excluded from plays! We’ll keep this between us. If Taro Volk found out about this, he would surely use it as an excuse to draft you.”

“You’re not mad?” Eric asked, surprised.

“Not for you partaking in the play, merely that you didn’t trust me,” Chosan told him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that I could,” Eric said. “I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”

Chosan hesitated. “Everything I do, I do for the good of my family. I want you to be happy, something that Derair never was until he met Margery.”

“But Lord Chosan-” Rikal started.

“Not another word, Rikal!” Chosan said. “Eric has done nothing wrong. I saw him smiling brightly while he was up there. You will not be punished, Eric. You helped the play and brought joy to not only yourself but many others as well. Well done.”

Eric let out a breath of relief. He looked around and saw Yagaro servants distributing the food among the Dishonored who crowded them, pushing and shoving. The soldiers and knights stood close by, ready to see off any acts of greed. One occurred soon when a large tubby Dishonored man took an armful of fruits greedily.

“Too much! Put some of those back!” Vikal told the man.

“You said we can take as much as we can carry!” the man protested.

“There are others who need to eat also!” Vikal pointed the tip of his spear at the Dishonored’s belly.

“Stop!” Karia screamed. “Don’t hurt him!”

“I won’t so long as he behaves himself,” Vikal stated. “Now return those fruits.”

With the spear pointing at him the Dishonored couldn’t refuse unless he wanted to be skewered. He did as he was bid and walked away with less fruits.

“You didn’t need to do that!” Karia said as she continued to hand out soup.

“If you encounter resistance or disrespect, you must stamp it out!” Vikal said.

“That man didn’t mean anything! He was just hungry,” Karia protested.

“He’s obviously had his fair share by his size,” Vikal pointed out. “No doubt he’s managed to steal food without being caught.”

Vikal might have been right. But as he looked at the rest of the Dishonored Eric felt a great pity for the people who committed crimes and been thrown out on the streets because of them. Most of them very thin, including children, all of whom were very small. Some adults and elderly were as small as Myra, stunted by growing up without sufficient food.

“Where are your parents, Karia?” Chosan asked.

“My mother’s busy tending to someone who got into a fight,” Karia told him. “My father went out hunting.”

Eric recalled Betrica Calamen was a healer, and that she had delivered him.

“Look!” Karia said pointing.

Eric turned his head in the direction she pointed and saw a group of Soron Knights in red armor.

“The Scarlet Guard!” Chosan exclaimed. “What’s the Queen doing here?”

The knights walked towards them, and each stepped two paces sideways before turning, revealing the Queen. Everyone got down on their knees and bowed to the elderly monarch who approached Eric, looking at him with her violet eyes. She moved with slow but purposeful steps, every time her golden lined cane hit the ground it seemed to ring with the force of a hammer. Razana might have been old, but she emitted the feeling of an immensely powerful sorcerer. Eric had a feeling that if anyone here were foolish enough to attack her it would be nearly as bad as going up against Corgo.

As she drew closer to him, Eric felt as though the sky was coming down on him. Razana bade him to rise.

“Your highness,” Eric greeted curtly.

Even though it had been Taro’s decision to label his mother as a traitor survivor, the Queen had agreed to it. Eric knew his mother’s failure to take her own life would result in hundreds of people dying, but he couldn’t suppress the feeling of loathing when people disgraced her name. She’d died taking the blow meant for another, saving Chosan and allowing him, Eric and Rubara to escape certain death. It wasn’t fair for Margery to be remembered as a traitor.

“Eric Yagaro, I am happy to see you are out helping those who are in need. Your father would be proud,” Razana said.

Eric’s expression softened only slightly. The Queen then glanced at Chosan.

“Lord Yagaro,” she greeted curtly.

“My queen,” Chosan replied.

“How goes the boy’s training?” Razana asked. “Well, I hope?”

“My Knight Captain Orvalor and Head Sorcerer Arvis have seen what he is capable of. His core, nature, and weaponry skills are quite fine. Though there have been difficulties with the other powers.”

“Well, I hope these difficulties will come to pass,” Razana said. “The Proving Times are almost upon us, and I expect that he will have at least one silver badge by then.”

“Oh, he will your highness. I have no doubt of that,” Orvalor said. “Arvis and I have examined his skills and we both feel he is ready to earn a nature badge and skilled arms belt buckle.”

“Good. I look forward to seeing him in the Proving Times. Do you have any others that are entering?”

Chosan looked at Orvalor, “What do you both think Sir Orvalor? Any recruits that are ready?”

Orvalor shook his head. “Not at the moment.”

“But Grandfather! We are ready!” Rikal and Dikal said together. “We can do it!”

“Not yet,” Orvalor told them, causing the bear boys to look down in dismay.

“Pity,” Razana said.

Chosan looked at Eric. “But I believe my nephew has someone he wished to recommend?”

Eric nodded. “Dargin of the Goblin Clan Saru.”

“A goblin?” Queen Razana repeated in surprise. “Well, you surprise me! Not many here in Sortar trust goblins enough to give them recommendations to be Soron Knights.”

“He saved my cousin Myra and I when we were attacked by some Dishonored and helped me recover my weapons.” Eric put a hand on his sword and dagger. “He has my trust, and I’ve seen his strength firsthand.”

“Very well, I shall send a messenger down to the goblin tunnels and inform Clan Saru that this Dargin has been named as a candidate,” Razana said. She looked at Karia for a moment as though there was something she wanted to say to the girl. But instead, the Queen turned and went back the way she came.

“Well, that was a surprise,” Karia said. “I never thought the queen would look at a simple peasant like me!”

“Oh, you shouldn’t be surprised my dear!” Chosan said. “You are a lovely girl. You care a lot about others and work to make them smile. I’m sure the Queen would have enjoyed the play you did as Verida. And you are a gifted young sorceress as well.”

Karia seemed to blush. “In my core and illusion spells yes… but I can’t summon any spirits of my ancestors!” she said.

Eric looked at her with sympathy. It felt terrible to lose a member of your family. But never even getting the chance to know them. That seemed even worse.

“What are you doing tonight, Eric?” Karia asked.

“Um- I was thinking I could practice my sorcery powers,” Eric told her.

“Oh no! You should spend time with other things! Be with your friends,” Chosan said. “Spend more time with Karia.” He added with a grin.

“You’re welcome to come to dinner Eric,” Karia said.

Eric looked at Chosan, who nodded.

“Thank you, I will.”

After a time of distributing food, Karia led him to her home in the Peasants Peace Sector. It was small like all the other houses here, with only a small garden to grow what food they could to feed themselves. Eric saw a few patches of carrots, wheat, cabbages, and lettuce. There were only two big trees, one of pistachios and the other apples. They entered the house, Betrica Calamen and Danas were busy at the stove. Karia’s younger sisters (Eric couldn’t’ recall their names) played on the floor with cloth dolls, laughing. As Karia entered, they looked up and ran to their sister.

“Karia!”

The two girls laughed while hugging her. Karia bent down and put her arms around them.

“Oh, Lord Eric!” Betrica Calamen exclaimed.

“Hello Mrs. Calamen,” Eric said.

“I invited Eric to come and sup with us,” Karia told her mother. “I hope that’s alright.”

Betrica looked at Eric hesitantly.

“Well, he is welcome. Though I’m not sure my hospitality would be worthy of a noble. We can’t even afford to send more than one of our daughters to Castle Scholar right now.”

Eric shrugged. “Until just a week ago I lived on an island. I’m sure it will be fine.”

Betrica smiled. “Well, if you insist. We are a simple family, but I always feed my guests.”

Karia passed time playing with her sisters, chasing them outside the house. Then they sat down at the table. The Calamens had humble silverware made of wood. There wasn’t nearly as much food as there was every night at Soyagone, only one loaf of bread, some apples slices, lettuce, bowls filled with pistachios, and some steaming soup. It was a lean meal.

They passed him the bread first, Eric’s fingers wrapped around two slices, but he quickly decided to take just one seeing as there were only six slices, just enough for every person. He passed it on and then buttered, he also had apple slices, nuts, the soup.

“You should try the lettuce, Eric!” Karia said.

Eric looked at the giant, green leafy food. It didn’t look appetizing, he would have preferred some fleshy protein. He took a small bit from it. It didn’t have any particular taste but it wasn’t bad, Clauwing of course didn’t agree.

This is disgusting, what are we, herbivores?” the inner opinicus said. Spit this disgusting stuff out.

Eric felt his lips ready to and pressed his teeth close.

“Eric, are you alright?” Karia asked, noticing his cheeks were round.

Fighting against the opinicus trying to make him spit the lettuce out, Eric managed to swallow it.

“Is there any meat?” Eric asked sadly.

“Afraid I couldn’t catch any today,” Danas said. “I hunt every now and then when I’m able. But haven’t had luck for a while.”

“I hate living like this!” the middle sister suddenly shouted.

“Veronica! Calm down!” Karia told her sister. “I’ll become a full sorceress soon, then I can earn actual silver, and you can go to Castle Scholar!”

The middle sister pouted.

“I hope so. If only you’d had sorcery Mother we might not be living like this!” Veronica said.

“Veronica that’s enough!” Betrica scolded. “I was not born luck enough to inherit sorcery from whoever my parents were. But I will make due with what I can. Besides, if I hadn’t been sent to the Sortar Orphanage, I might never have met your father in that orphanage.”

The wife took her husbands hand in a show of love. Eric smiled, but wished he could have seen his father and mother doing that. He took another bite of lettuce.

This is disgusting. We need meat. Clauwing said in Eric’s head.

Under the table, Eric’s left leg suddenly jolted, and kicked the table. Everyone looked at him.

“Sorry,” he said.

“We all do little things we don’t mean to do now and then,” Danas said.

Eric took a third bite of lettuce and thought, Stop it Clauwing! You better not make a fool of me in front of Karia and her family!

You’re always a fool!

Eric frowned, and pressed a hand full of sorcery to his stomach to suppress his magic. The opinicus’s voice faded, unable to speak to him or control him while his sorcery was suppressed.

Once they were done with the meal, Karia escorted him to the door.

“Well, thank you for the dinner, Karia,” Eric said.

It was far from the fanciest dinner Eric had in Sortar, but that made it different. Something calm and simple rather than the small feasts Chosan had every night.

“I’m glad you liked it, I’m sorry we didn’t have meat for you,” Karia said.

“It’s alright, going a night without meat won’t hurt anyone,” Eric said. “Good night.”

She hesitated as she put her hand on the door. “Um- would you mind accompanying me on a walk?”

He looked at her, considering for a moment. There wasn’t any reason for him to refuse.

“Sure.”

She beamed and opened the door for him. He stepped outside and waited while she went back inside to retrieve something. She returned with a book under her arm and led him to one of the stairs leading up to the top of the walls.

“Why are we going up here?” Eric asked.

“I want to show you something,” Karia said.

She looked westward. The sun was very low on the horizon, getting ready to vanish into the trees to the west. Eric had to cover his eyes as he looked.

“The sun?” Eric asked. “I see that every day.”

“But do you ever watch it go down?” Karia asked.

“I never paid attention.”

“You should really watch the entire setting,” Karia said. “It’s one of the most beautiful things there can be. I come up here whenever I have time and read.”

She showed him her book, Eric looked at the cover and noticed the author’s name.

“Another Willard Spearpen play?”

She nodded. “Taras Andorocus. Not my favorite one, it’s very bloody but I thought you might like it.”

She sat on a nearby bench and read the play telling the story of Taras Andorocus, a general who returned from a war with another kingdom. Upon his return his king asked for the hand of Taras’s daughter in marriage, but she was promised to another and declined the king. The king married the queen of the kingdom that had been conquered, but she wanted revenge on Taras for killing her firstborn son. She had her remaining sons murder the husband of Taras’s daughter and then torture her. Taras took his revenge on all of them only to be killed by the king, who in turn would be killed by Taras’s son. A bloody tale indeed.

By the time Karia finished the sun was fully set. It had been a beautiful sight to glimpse while reading. The sun gradually lowered itself and slowly turning from bright yellow to a great orange and vanishing down past the trees and mountains in the direction of the Mystery Lands.

Eric smiled at Karia.

“Well, I better get home, my uncle said to be back soon after dark. But… thank you. This was… nice.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Eric.”

She smiled at him and he smiled back, his heart thumping in his chest.

“I did enjoy it. You are a nice girl. I’m glad to have you as… a friend.”

Her smile seemed to lessen a bit. “Yes, I’m glad to have you as a … friend… as well.”

He made his way off the top of the wall and headed for the Safe Path, spotting a couple of people nearby. Eric silently hoped that no one tried to rob him tonight. He was without sorcery since he’d suppressed it. He still had the sorsteel sword and shapeshifting dagger on his belt, but he still felt vulnerable without his sorcery. If some thief with magic came by, he’d be at an overwhelming disadvantage.

Add to that, Clauwing was probably screaming somewhere in his head right now. Eric would have to keep his sorcery suppressed for the rest of the night. He didn’t want to take chances that Clauwing might take over his body and make him go for a hunt in his sleep again.

Eric thought back to waking up in the jungle, finding it hard to believe that had been just over a week ago. So much had happened since that day when he’d sleep hunted and met his Aunt Liteera. They’d had the best night soon afterwards, even if had involved Eric being bitten by several baby dragons while looking after them. But that best night was quickly followed with the worst day. He wondered whether Liteera and the other dragons were alright, hoping Corgo hadn’t harmed them.

Impossible, he told himself. That demon didn’t know where the nests were. Corgo spent all that time in Margery, and she’d never been to any of the nests. Eric had only visited Liteera’s nest once, and not Ametha’s or Firoars. The rest of their family had to be safe. Eric wished now that Margery had agreed to accept their help. Maybe with the help of all those dragons they could have defeated him. The dragons were immune to Corgo’s power to freeze people that were nearby with his mere presence, at least Rubara was. Even if they couldn’t destroy him with their breath, they might have been able to prevent him from knocking Eric out. Margery had been too concerned with their safety.

Someday, Eric would visit his dragon family again, maybe he would go with Rubara. He also had the promise he’d made to stop Dragon Hunting. A promise he would work to fulfill, someday. Eric stopped for a moment as he recalled another promise he’d made. To never to let Rubara leave, that he would never have children so that she would stay with him forever. That had been a childish and selfish one he now realized. Liteera had missed her mother, just as Eric now missed his. He’d be denying them time to be together.

Eric shook his head. When the time came, he would let Rubara return to her dragon family. He would still have time with her. At least two more years he hoped. That was the time when he came of age and could marry. Of course, it might not take longer, and then his child would have to be born. Only then would Rubara leave.

Ah well, no need to rush.