Dragon Alliance: Rise Against Shadow by J. Michael Fluck Page A

in open competitions on the plain between the town of Draden and Draden Forest. His staff/crossbow cannot see at night and was not as fast to fire as Mkel’s, but it was still powered by a sapphire dragonstone given to him by Gallanth. This dragonstone focused his magical and spell casting abilities and also allowed him to hit an opponent in a close melee, doing enough damage to kill an orc with its intense power. His mithril woven lined robe gave him the same armor protection as full plate, along with heavy magic resistance capable of absorbing several offensive spells.
    Jodem had a giant bald eagle named Vatara, which he utilized as his mount. It had a twenty-five-foot wingspan and stood over seven feet tall, with claws that could slice an orc apart and fell an ogre on a diving attack. Its beak could bite for enough damage to almost cut an orc in half, and it was as fast as a dragon for a short sprint and very maneuverable. Several pairs of eagles share a commonality with the elves and both protect the Weir and are protected by it, nesting on the upper ledges of the mountain.
    “Yes, greetings, Gallanth, Ordin, Mkel,” Jodem said. “Ordin, I hear we got lucky down in the southwest tunnel?”
    “Yes,” the burly dwarf replied. “It should be a major find and produce many good weapons and tools.”
    “I hear we might need it soon,” Jodem said.
    “Keeping a secret in this place is impossible,” Mkel thought to himself, but Jodem had a way of finding information out, and keeping secrets from a wizard was very difficult.
    “Jodem, are all the preparations for the Battle Point visit in place?” Mkel asked to change the subject until the command group meeting actually started.
    “Yes, I talked with the Battle Point wizard on his seeing crystal. He said that he, the legion commander, and the town mayor will be ready for us the day after tomorrow. They have several concerns regarding a great deal of activity on almost all their fronts, as well as trouble between the Kaskar horse clans and the Northern Ontaror kingdoms,” Jodem replied.
    “Sounds like there is an undertone of great proportions, and a Morgathian or drow plot to destabilize the region,” Gallanth added.
    “A good point, Gallanth, we shall see when we get out there to address their concerns, for we may have to bring them up to the Dragon Council, and the premier as well as the senate when they convene later this month,” Jodem commented.
    “Gentlemen, Gallanth, good afternoon,” Toderan said as he, Lupek, Pekram, Watterseth, Tegent, and Colonel Wierangan all walked into the room. Mkel got up as Colonel Wierangan entered. Toderan and Lupek walked over to shake Mkel’s hand and give Gallanth a respectful nod. As they made their greetings, Dekeen, the elven clan leader, entered the room and gave his salutations to everyone after bowing to Gallanth. The elf clan located in Draden Forest, which lies off of the southern and western slope of Keystone Weir Mountain, had always been protected by the Weir and aided in its defense.
    Elves tend to be aloof if not arrogant in some regards, likely because of their long life spans and the way they considered everyone else (save dragons) less experienced. Mkel and Dekeen had attended lessons together in Draden, which elves take on occasion to keep abreast of human ventures. He was actually a young elf, being only three hundred years old, give or take a couple of years, to be in a position of authority.
    He was given the leadership of the clan after the former leader was killed in the last Great Dragon War. Dekeen was especially talented with a long bow and had made an almost impossible shot, taking out a death knight before he could deliver a killing blow to an injured brass dragon. In making this shot he had exposed himself to orc return fire and took an arrow in the leg. Gallanth and Jodem awarded him Elm, a dragonstone-empowered bow, as a gift for this act of heroism.
    Dekeen stood approximately five feet eight