Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 05 Pt. 02

The shield kept that way for days to ensure the ones who lasted the longest died from starvation or killing each other for food. The giants, orc, and ogres died in mass from aerial bombardment with dwarven explosives. Including blowing holes into the Eastern mountain range caused the lava field to spill into the land bridge they tried to cross upon. The Draco-lich showed during this aerial bombardment. Nirman got a hold of him and his touch even hurt this lich.

He had no protection from the dragon champion. Out of the water emerged a black and shadow dragon hybrid who laid waste to a good portion of the alliance front line at the edge of the land bridge.

Jarronus's daughter Janell, the second champion, teleported into his mouth before dying with the bow in hand. When her holy symbol went off it blew them from the sky taking the hybrid down with her. Nirman Sent a message, "Fly off. I got this guy. Get clear." Jarronus backed off of him and teleported away.

Nirma's holy symbol went critical and he trapped the Draco-lich's soul in a radiant prison before exploding across the area. It sent what few dragons and half-dragons from the opposing forces that remained scattered from the effect, most fell into the lava. The metallic forces had losses as did every ally but every allied kingdom escaped largely unscathed. Jarronus was one of two champions to survive this war of days. The other being the Champion of Tyr.

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Jarronus took the time to visit the Tyr Order. It was the Order of the Rose and Jarronus pointed out an old grave marker. He went over and cleaned it up some. He looked at it, "Brunt, you did well in watching my ancestors back in the day. Without Silver Rose from your order, I would not have been here to watch over your people in these latest challenges."

The other champion looked at Jarronus, "You knew that commander?"

Jarronus shook his head, "Knew of him. He worked with Brannar Silvertree, a hero but not a champion. They found the Eternal Forge and recovered it. Brannar and Silver both respected him. Brannar died from being poisoned. Silver died as well from poison decades later.

Why you got the necklace from me that you got. Never to be poisoned."

He nodded, "I will be taking a group out after the dragons that fled. You did well. Better than expected in bringing this to a close so fast even."

Jarronus nodded, "The Gods took the restraints off to try and let me deal with the problem. Somehow I do not feel that it is over."

He nodded. He shook his hand and mounted up to meet with the Dragon riders in a camp a few miles from his destination that he had to fly to, He had not been to this one before. He was airborne when the alert hit an hour later, "Danger." He summoned his sword but was hit broadside by a flying half-dragon that teleported in. He was knocked unconscious and off of his horse as his sword fell from his hands and his hat from his head. He awoke in a cell only the Gods knew where.

Jarronus thought, "Was this expected?"

He got no response. He listened to the conversation down the halls from his cell, "The Lord of Bones said this might happen. If it did, we could only retrieve his soul by sacrificing the one who took it. Did you strip him of everything?"

The hissing voice snapped, "Except that fucking holy symbol of his. I cut him and he heals. We have to get it off of him. Damn him for getting his sword out before I could knock his ass out. If I had not gotten spotted by those four dragons riders, I might have been able to get to it. Instead of having to teleport out with just him. His horse followed the sword for some reason."

He looked around and found nothing to work with. He could not even get his fingers under the edge of his holy symbol. The manacles restricted his movement and no leverage in how his hands were positioned. He tried to summon his sword but appeared to be out of range or the manacles prevented it from happening.

He sighed, "A hundred and four, younger than the Knight Paladin."

He decided to try and sleep to save on strength as he was hungry but not being fed. He was at the falls for the first time in decades. He looked around and waited. Corellon Larethian appeared with the Lady of Dreams. He smiled as he looked at them, "72 children, and I fulfilled my promise to you."

He nodded, "Your solutions were inventive. Your wish will be granted if you can keep your spirit from being trapped."

Jarronus nodded, "What relic are they using?"

He sighed, "They captured Moon Bow and her blade. They want to use it to power the experiment. It is the most powerful of the Moon Blades but it does not have all of the runes locked in. Only 10 and soon to be 11 out of 19."

He nodded, "If we both died would her sword be recovered?"

He looked at Jarronus, "Eventually."

Jarronus looked at him, "I want to see Neria Moon Bow. Can you bring her here? If she is alive."

He nodded, "She looked up from between some trees and looked over and bent a knee." Jarronus looked at her, "They have us both but only your sword. You are not able to summon it?"

She shook her head, "No they want to keep me around to use my parts to create another. A shadow dragon. Parent to the champion."

Jarronus smiled, "Dead champion."

She smiled, "Then the battle happened?"

He nodded, "Jannell my daughter killed it. The dragon champion killed the Draco-lich. They want to sacrifice me to get the Draco-lich back. They think I killed it, but I did not. I want you to make it known that you hate my guts. You blame me for getting captured. You know how to get the holy symbol off of me. You can cut it off with a Moon Blade.

Only way. Their dragon can do it but if his magic resistance does not hold the Sword will kill him. If they are successful in doing what they want other Draco-liches made from your sword will come. You cut it off and we destroy them. The blade will survive. I asked to take over for the spirit of my blade. To guide the wielders of the future."

She looked at them, "Can I do that as well?"

They nodded, "Your stone in your blade will be safe and shielded. We cannot get to you where you are at. You are in extra-dimensional spaces. Sound familiar? You cannot be tracked. They would have to do this in the main dragon's chamber. If he does it or you make no difference who. It would be near the Draco-lich's phylactery. Your plan is sound and selfless. Both of you."

Jarronus looked at her, "If they ask why you know this, tell them because you had a champion in the last millennium who died of old age. It had to be removed with a Moon Blade to keep from exploding. ONLY if they ask."

She shook his hand, "It has been a pleasure champion."

He nodded, "Into the next life."

He looked at the Gods, "This works and the Draco-lich will be lost forever?"

They nodded.

He woke while being drug out of the cell and punched in the mouth. He looked over and two half-dragons had her with one hand holding each arm. He looked at her, "You're helping them?"

She nodded. He glared at her, "You bitch!"

She smiled at him with a wicked grin and a glint in her eye. A third held his head off to the side. He felt the impact but that was all he remembered of that. He heard, "You have your memories but your name in life is not the same in death.

You will never be able to tell them your name from life, is you. Your wives and the others have never been able to articulate the deal you made. Even in private. Your personal journal destroyed in the blast. We mix the letters of your name to generate a new name Varinor'Jaus."

He sighed, "No. Shorten it. Give them no reason to suspect who I am then. Varus'Nor."

He heard a chuckle from the Lady of Dreams, "'Faith unlost.' Often questioned but never lost. Very well champion. Your ancestor Sarik'Tor Silvertree has joined his wife. He sends his thanks to you as does she. You can choose this once. Which of your first four eldest did you want to use you?"

He smiled to himself, "Serius Silvertree. Son of Brima. The first mother to find me."

He heard her chuckle, "Good choice; they are all good choices as you know. Been a while since we have had the blade in the hands of that class. He is a gestalt of course but there are not many with that one class these days."

It felt like years of silence. Finally, he felt a battle of wills going on as he went through his own child's head and found him extremely honorable. He asked him, "Why do you seek the blade?"

He heard from his mind, "I wish to have a destiny even a fraction as good as my father's destiny was."

He thought to him, "You swear to work to keep corruption out of your own house no matter what? Even if it means working to disown or potentially having to kill a family member because of their actions? To face my wrath if you fail to act?"

He heard back, "I know my father's efforts in this regard. I will not let him down. I will not let you down. I swear it."

He smiled to himself, "I find you worthy Serius Silvertree. I am Varus'Nor. I have the following abilities locked in over the years. Intelligence, telepathic, and Moon Fire. Built into the blade at the beginning and unchangeable.

Summon to either hand, immunity to mind control. Immunity to fire, electricity, and poison. Evil dragon and undead bane. Spell turning, Dragon vision, Danger telepathic warning, teleportation circle, and a lay on hands ability added by your father. All locked by the Gods or a former wielder. Also, the God ability added which I do not have access to and cannot confirm."

He heard back, "I thought your name was Karti'Ros?"

He smiled internally, "The Gods gave me a new name and purpose. To ensure your father's wishes for his house are followed. To never let it fall into that level of corruption or disrepair again. As such, visit with the Queen and let her know clause seventeen and nineteen are in effect."

He heard him sigh, "What can you tell me of his death?"

He thought, "Selfless as was the wielder of the Moon Bow Blade. They wanted to use the Moon bow Sword for creating Draco-liches. It is the most powerful of the blades.

It should be recovered with all haste. Ask the dragons to track it. Speak with Majisa in private with the Queen. Tell her you know of the ability to track magical items. He was captured to be sacrificed to recover the spirit of the Draco-lich. Tell them it was a plan formed under the eyes of the Gods. To have Dame Moon Bow strike off the champions holy symbol.

A ploy in how to remove it without it exploding. They both died to keep this threat from being a possibility. That destroyed the Draco-liches phylactery for all time. It killed the necromancers wanting to use her blade to power the procedure and the Shadow dragon parent of the hybrid killed by your sister; the other champion.

The Shadow wanted to be the next Draco-lich. His journal was lost, but I will transcribe them back to you once you set your course on this task. You can add it to the main book from there. Always keep the blade wielders journal in a safe place for future generations. When you become of age you need to find a fertile wife or several. Find the Moon Bow heir apparent. The Queen can help you with the latter."

He asked the blade, "My Mother wants to know did he suffer?"

He smiled to himself, "Tell her he loved them all. He loved all of his children and hoped they would live up to his ideas for the house. He felt the blade impact the symbol and then nothing. Instantaneous and painless. Tell her of the promises you made."

It was a few months later when they returned with the blade of Moon Bow in its new wielder's hand. Done with the aid of a certain paladin of Tyr, Brima, and several Silver Dragons. The only pieces of gear found from Duke Silvertree were his highly magical armor and Blade Singer ring with the Master Trainer band. Found in a partially shattered chest. His sword and hat recovered from the field.

Passed back to his widows. His one remaining former student returned the ring to the Council. In accordance with his final will the Master Trainer ring went to Master Trainer Moon Ray. No challenges were issues to this decision as he put a clause in his will that any challenges should be played out to the death as this would be the third challenge to that ring in defiance of the Gods' will.

His other two apprentices were fighting on the line when the Dragon champion devastated it. He had asked them to be trainers but they all refused. The Silver Moon Family Moon Blade, his apprentice had it for five years, was recovered from the field. Black Light was destroyed, as was the Champion's longbow.