The Sorcerous Prince - 23. Chapter 23: Andarak's Sacrifice

Chapter 23: Andarak's Sacrifice

Mihai's eyes snapped open, and he automatically focused on the window. He got out of bed and went over to it. The skies over Atlanta were dark, and rain was cascading down from the heavens. It had to be close to noon, because he had not gotten back to the Ducal Palace until about 3 AM. It had been a wild ride, one he would not soon forget. The night before he was about to go to sleep in his own bed at Hollindor Palace, but sleep had not come as it should have. Instead, he was off to Atlanta where nobles from all over the Kingdom of the Southeast and the Interim Chancellor of North and South America had been exposed to a potion of epic destruction, one that could have consumed the entire planet.

This new potion had an ingredient so powerful that it made Mihai cringe even though he now possessed another version of it. Dragon's breath was one of the most powerful forces known in magical society. A dragon of the dark had blue dragon's breath, which could destroy an entire army, leaving nothing but bone dust. A dragon of the light possessed red dragon's breath, which could be equally destructive but was the only magical substance that was capable of neutralizing its blue counterpart. A tear fell from Mihai's eyes, for he knew that he was now capable of using this destructive force, even if only a few times in a given day. Mihai's body could not handle repeated use of the powerful dragon's breath, which could kill almost any creature but could also heal the gravest of injuries, including deadly ones. He could use it to transport himself from one side of the universe to the other in an instant just by exhaling this powerful substance from his body.

Above all, Mihai felt a sense of responsibility, for he was to be the future Emperor, of that he now knew for sure, indeed the most powerful Emperor in the history of the Empire of Magic. His journey had already been filled with excitement. In the past two months, Mihai Rousseau had gone from being a youngling yet to ascend, to someone who would probably be the most powerful sorcerer on Earth. For him, it was still only the beginning of his journey. It was overwhelming. He finally understood just how powerful he was. His aunt had been referring to an ability to use his manipulation of electromagnetism to destroy an entire terrestrial planet or moon. The consequences of such an act could begin a chain reaction which would mean destruction for an entire solar system.

How could he be capable of causing such a catastrophe? Surely it would harm him as well. Still, the idea of destroying Venus' terraformed moon known as The Underworld was like a piece of Belgian chocolate dangling over his head. But what if there were something else he could do instead that would destroy The Underworld without affecting Earth? This idea would have to wait, but he hoped that Jeradu's Bracelet of Wisdom would one day reveal the answers he sought.

Turning his attention back to the bed, Mihai looked at the sleeping form of his familiar, Fabian, so peaceful and so gentle. He must have had an exhausting night, for he had fallen asleep before Mihai and was still sleeping. Mihai climbed back into bed. Under the blankets, Mihai caressed Fabian's body, hoping to awaken him. Fabian barely stirred, so Mihai focused on two of his favorite parts, Fabian's neck and penis. He planted gentle kisses on Fabian's neck while gently stroking his cock. Meanwhile his own hardening dick was between Fabian's butt cheeks. “Oh, that feels good,” Fabian cooed.

“I couldn't wait a week,” Mihai whispered. “I want you now.” Fabian opened the drawer of his nightstand with his mind. Some lube floated in the air toward Mihai, who snatched the items from the air. Mihai began lubing his dick along with Fabian's hole. It had been several days for Fabian, so Mihai gently probed. Once he was in, he established a gentle rhythm. This was the first time Mihai had tried the spooning position, but he loved it already, because he could wrap his arms around Fabian as they made love.

Mihai eased himself deeper into Fabian as he massaged his familiar's chest and continually kissed his neck. “I love you,” Fabian moaned.

“I love you too, baby,” Mihai cooed. “You feel so good. I've missed you so much.”

“I've missed you too,” Fabian growled. “I want it harder.” Mihai, always wanting to please, plowed him harder. Mihai also tweaked Fabian's nipples, making him groan in pain and pleasure. He could feel Fabian's muscles begin to spasm and before long Fabian pushed back into Mihai as he climaxed intensely. Mihai thought he even saw some of Fabian's spunk on the wall. Mihai pumped harder and harder until the state of Nirvana overtook his body and wave after wave shot deep inside Fabian’s bowels.

After a shower and brunch, Mihai and Fabian joined everyone in the entrance hall of the palace. This was going to be a busy Saturday for everyone. Mihai knew this better than anyone as he had seen the location of the Dark Dragons' headquarters in vivid detail during his shower, including the room where Princess Ashtar was being held prisoner. Luckily Fabian was there to keep him steady and wash his body during his vision, or he may have lost his balance. Everyone was supposed to go to the royal palace once again in about an hour.

Mihai decided to seek out Pavel, whose presence was still a source of irritation for his mother. Pavel had returned to his own temporary bedchamber. When Mihai knocked on the door, Pavel shouted, “Go away!”

“It's me, Mihai,” he replied. “May I please come in?”

“No!” he snapped, “Just leave me alone!”

“Pavel, this is important,” Mihai said calmly. “This is no time for a temper tantrum.”

“Fine!” Pavel grumbled, “But I'm not talking to you or anyone!”

Mihai entered the room, and what he found was surprising at first. Pavel's eyes were red. Mihai sat on the bed beside Pavel and put his arm around him. Pavel reciprocated and rested his head on his shoulder and started blubbering. “It'll be alright,” Mihai whispered. “It'll be okay.”

“No, it won't!” Pavel lamented. “I... I... took advantage of it, the immunity from Cheryl's blood. I looked into Konstantin's mind. All I found was emptiness! It's as if his mind is no longer in his body. I just wanted to know what he was thinking. I followed the path with my mind and it led to a gate. The clouds are so dark, and there's a wall, a wall that is as endless as the sky. There are two doors. One leads to the world of the living, and the other leads to the world of the dead. I know I haven't mentioned it, but I care about Konstantin very much. He's a good friend, and I miss him, maybe as much as you do. How... how do you hold yourself together?”

“I'm better at hiding my emotions,” Mihai reasoned. “Didn’t you see me upset about Fabian and my parents other than the night it happened? No, you haven't. I've buried my emotions for the most part. It is the way of the imperial family. You of all people should know this.”

“I'm just weak,” Pavel agonized.

“I have my moments,” Mihai replied. “If I had not been so tired last night and I hadn't had Fabian in my bed, I would have cried myself to sleep. Do you think I'm not worried about him? I've never been so worried. If Cheryl is at all delayed, all of them will be trapped forever in that prison. Their bodies will be released from their virus, but the souls will remain trapped forever in limbo. I need you to look up now. I need to show you something.”

The two princes let go of each other and Pavel sat up. “What is it?” he said, wiping away his tears. Mihai extended his right hand over to Pavel and showed him the bracelet. “Wow! That is beautiful. It has to be very expensive too! Did you buy it?”

“No,” Mihai replied. “This is Jeradu's Bracelet of Wisdom. It not only reveals useful information. It allows me to think at a level of analytical ability beyond any other magical person. You've heard of Jeradu, right?”

“Yes! And I've heard of the bracelet too.” Pavel's emotions had shifted from sadness to shock. “It does more than that. You can use dragon's breath! That is amazing. You can fly too, and anyone holding your hand can fly with you.” Pavel opened the window with his mind. “Take me please! Take me away from here for a while.”

Mihai took Pavel's hand, and they flew out the window. Pavel could fly short distances with his telekinesis, but the speed at which they took off made the entire palace disappear from view within seconds. “We're flying at mach ten,” Mihai said. “No mortal aircraft on this planet can travel with such a velocity, or any normal human. It is eleven-thousand two-hundred fifty miles per hour.” The g-force, which was well above 10 G’s, would eventually kill a mortal, but between the special advantages of being magical and the added protection of the bracelet, this was not a concern for Mihai and Pavel.

It was not long before they were flying over the Atlantic Ocean. “This is beautiful,” Pavel gasped. “I've never flown like this before! Does this mean you will never need to use a pod again?”

“No,” Mihai said firmly. “There's only so much of this we can withstand. Traveling to Africa, for example, is not possible. My body has to produce extra magic for this. Eventually, the magic in my body will not be able to keep up with the demand. In fact, we should probably go back. “Mihai slowed his speed gradually as he needed more control over this new ability. Once stopped, Mihai teleported normally, and the two of them were back in the same room they had left.

“Why did you teleport instead?” Pavel asked.

“Because it requires less magic,” Mihai insisted. “As it is, I will need to let the flow of magic return to normal. You know we all have limits. I know you've gotten the headaches too from overusing telekinesis. This bracelet gives me extra power, but it is not unlimited. At most, I could fill a room with dragon's breath three times a day. As I grow stronger, I will be able to do more, much more. Our bodies may be physically mature by my age, but I'm still not at my apex of power. In fact, we reach our apex of power, a few years before we die of old age, which is said to be around six-hundred years old because of the longevity potion. Then again...”

“Then again what?” Pavel inquired.

“I don't know for sure, and I'm not supposed to reveal this, not even to you,” Pavel explained. “We should get downstairs. We'll all be headed to the royal palace soon,. I can sense that Cheryl has almost completed the potion.”

“How is she going to return?” Pavel asked.

“It's a surprise.” Mihai winked and smiled at his cousin. “We should get going.”

Mihai and Pavel went to the entrance hall of the palace, and it was not long before they were donning magical hazmat suits and making their way to the other palace. Two more hours or so passed, and a flame appeared in the air. The fiery outline of a woman appeared along with that of a phoenix. The flames disappeared, and Mihai could see Holly and Cheryl. Soon after, a cauldron appeared in a red plume of dragon breath, complete with a protective lid. Holly dropped to the floor as Achilles, another phoenix appeared above them. Threads of phoenix energy flowed from its body, and before long no one was wearing a magical hazmat suit, which horrified many.

Before the virus could infect anyone, Holly shed a single tear into the cauldron, and a much thicker red mist appeared everywhere, filling the entire palace. Mihai concentrated on finding the signature of Konstantin's mind, and before long he found it. He teleported to the conference room and knelt over Konstantin's body. Konstantin was gasping for air, and Mihai held his hand as his breathing slowly calmed. “I've missed you so much,” Mihai whispered as a tear streamed down his face. “I was so scared. Do you remember what happened?”

“All I remember...” Konstantin's voice was faint, and he seemed somewhat confused. “I remember struggling to breathe, and there was a sharp pain all through my body. The pain was excruciating, but I couldn't even scream. Everything went blue in front of me. It happened quickly, but it felt like everything was in slow motion. I could not move at all, and soon all I could see was a blue glow and then darkness. When light returned, I was being dragged to a horrible place by a dark force. The wall was so high. All I could see was a blood red sky directly above. The doors were sealed, and there was no way to escape until the door back to this world opened.”

“That sounds scary,” Mihai sympathized. “I shouldn't have let you come here!”

“You couldn't have stopped me, Mihai,” Konstantin said firmly. “I can be stubborn, and once I set my mind to something, it's very hard to stop me.”

“That's true, but I could always use a sleep powder potion and magical binding if I have to,” Mihai shot back.

“You know I would be mad at you,” Konstantin retorted. “I am still determined. Has Ashtar been rescued yet?”

“No,” Mihai grumbled. “We've been working to bring all of you back. I went to Mentai in search of a dragon. Holly the Phoenix, my animal familiar, took me to Jeradu.”

“And now it's time to take you to him again.” Mihai was caught off guard. “Konstantin and Pavel are coming too.” Before Mihai could respond, he was once again surrounded by the phoenix's glow. It was like fire, but instead of burning, it sent all of them back to Jeradu's cave. When Mihai looked around, he noticed that Achilles, the phoenix who had stripped away the hazmat suits and Pavel's animal familiar, was there as well. Jeradu, however, was missing.

“Where's Jeradu?” Mihai inquired.

“He'll return soon.” The male voice could only have been Achilles', because it was neither Konstantin's nor Pavel's. “I can feel it. He has just eaten a troll, and he has picked up speed since we arrived.” Before long Mihai felt the rumbles and heard the swooshing of dragon wind. Jeradu entered in a flash, and perched himself in the middle of the platform.

“It's nice to see you again, Mihai,” Jeradu said. “I had not decided to bring you all back here until just about an hour ago when I had a vision. The task ahead is too dangerous for me to put it off. I'm going to tell the three of you a story.”

Outside Jeradu's Cave- November 28, 1982

Three Mentai Thorntail's were sitting on the ground. Luckily, all creatures in the area had fled quickly to avoid being crushed. “Now that we're all here, we need to talk about my vision,” Jeradu said firmly in Dragone, the language of dragons. To anyone watching, it would have seemed like roaring, and it would have been the last sound the person heard as a dragon roar would rip a person to pieces. It was for this reason, that telepathy was one of the few forms of communication a magical person could have with a dragon, whether through natural ability or through a wand. All magical people had the ability to decipher any language, but most needed to place a wand beneath their chins to do so.

“What vision?” one of the other two dragon's asked.

“Andarak, three princes will be born, two in four years, and another four years after that,” Jeradu replied. “I keep having visions of them. They will all be powerful. Two will be cousins, and one will be a distant cousin of the other two. Their names will be Konstantin, Mihai, and Pavel. The magical items we have created shall go to them. They are the only ones who shall be able to control them, at least to the extent required. However, I see situations where that will not be enough. In order for them to live, they will need one more protection, a powerful form of magic never used before.”

“I'm impressed,” the third dragon piped in. This one was the only female. “What is the magic, father?”

“Sanuda, do you remember what I said about magical humans transforming into dragons?” Jeradu asked his daughter. She allowed her eyes to glow slightly, confirming that she did. “It is advanced magic, and it requires the soul of a dragon. It is said that it must be split between at least three magical people. Otherwise, the person will die during the transformation. Therefore, I am willing to sacrifice myself so that my soul can be placed within the three items.”

“No!” Andarak roared. “Neither of you will do this! It is I who must make the sacrifice. Neither one of you could survive without the other, and the two of you are too important as leaders of the White Dragon Corps. I have lived for one-hundred thousand years, and that makes me the eldest of the Great Dragon Brothers. Jeradu, despite being 20,000 years younger than I am, you are more powerful, and so is your daughter. You must lead the White Dragon Corps until the end of time.”

“Very well,” Jeradu replied. “I will miss you a great deal, but I respect your wishes. You are my elder, and I must respect your decision.”

December, 2002

“Wow,” Mihai gasped. “Does that mean a piece of your brother's soul is in this bracelet?”

“Yes,” Jeradu lamented. “The Pendant of Andarak and the Ring of Sanuda also contain pieces of his soul. The bracelet is the only one that has been used by anyone else, and he became obsessed with the power bestowed upon him. That is the reason others know about it. He was killed almost five-hundred years ago. That is the second function of my brother's soul. Even in small pieces, it can consume and kill all of you. If you turn evil, it will, so keep that in mind. So long as you are not evil, that won't happen, and you will all live until the end of time, for the third function is immortality.”

“That's impossible,” Mihai gasped. “Even with dragon's blood, immortality is impossible!”

“Dragon's soul is another story,” Jeradu replied prosaically. “Our immortality comes from our souls and passes through our blood. The longevity potion works for about six-hundred years. The soul of a dragon can keep ten people alive forever. Thus, three parts is over three times more than what is required. There is a mental strain to living forever though. The three of you will require a great deal of mental conditioning. After thousands of years, you'll realize that your magical abilities will be virtually endless, and you'll have to remember that my brother's soul will consume any one of you who fall into darkness. This is a fail-safe, one that is required. Keep things in perspective.”

Jeradu looked directly at Pavel. “You are the most susceptible to the dark path, and you must avoid it all costs.” Turning to Mihai, he added, “You are the least susceptible under all but one circumstance. Should someone harm someone you love, you may set out on a path of revenge. You must find another path if that is the case. Your objectives are more important. Always remember that.” Next he turned to Konstantin. “Like Mihai you also may seek a path of revenge, and that must not be. You are going to possess the potential for the greatest level of pyrokinesis of all. That is a big responsibility. Your ancestor's mastery of the fire hurricane is nothing compared to your potential. You and Mihai must seek one another for comfort when times are difficult.”

“We will do our best to avoid the dark path,” Mihai said reassuringly. Konstantin and Pavel gave Jeradu a thumbs up. “I was wondering though. Why is it that my aunt, The Empress thought only of two of us when there are three?”

“I'm not really sure,” Jeradu said honestly. “The seeing eye of a dragon is beyond that of any sage. Of course, the most powerful sage is King Sebastian as of right now. However, Pavel will one day surpass him. Mihai, you will be more in-tune with right now. When you concentrate hard enough, you can find the answers to most questions. Do not be mistaken in the belief that being able to answer most questions means that no one can teach you anything. True wisdom comes to those who never lose a willingness to learn from others and who apply what they have learned to their everyday lives.”

“You are still young, and there is much to learn. Do not overuse dragon wisdom. It can provide you with information and data, but you must use your own mental abilities to understand the meanings. Keep an open mind and learn from mistakes that you make. Of course, what I'm telling you applies to everyone. The three of you will have a unique opportunity. Just remember this. There will come a time when each of you will want to end it all, a point where you feel as if you have lived too long already. That is a decision that the three of you must make together. Removing the items once you reach an age above the normal lifespan will kill you, in some cases leaving nothing but a skeleton. The process, however, will not be instant. There will be pain and suffering in the process.”

“I can see that,” Mihai agreed. “My mom once said that even her age is too much sometimes. She said she might not keep taking the Longevity Potion, that she may decide to allow the rapid aging at some point in time.”

Jeradu laughed. “Even I feel that way sometimes. Eighty-thousand years is a long, long time. However, I have decided that I must try to live until true peace comes to Earth and Hebalon. Now... Shall we get started?” The three of them nodded, knowing what he meant. “Alright, don't forget to cool them, Mihai.” Another flame came out of Jeradu's mouth, and Mihai formed a large bubble full of water above Pavel and Konstantin's heads. A ring, and a necklace with a pendant with a dragon breathing fire descended. Once the items fell into the bubble. Both bubbles got smaller and smaller as they descended toward Konstantin and Pavel's hands.

“Konstantin, you now possess the Pendant of Andarak,” Jeradu stated. “This pendant will give you three powers. The first is dragon's fire. It is not like normal fire. Most beings are consumed instantly. You can burn a palace to the ground if necessary. The second power is the dragon leer. This power is a good compliment to your memory manipulation. One look into those eyes will cause the victim, even a demon, to be consumed with paralyzing fear. The third is just as terrifying. The dragon's roar can kill. Using a soft roar can cause hemorrhaging, broken bones, torn tendons, and other painful injuries. A loud roar can rip a human body apart completely or break down a wall.”

Jeradu turned to Pavel. “You now possess the Ring of Sanuda. There are three powers. The first is dragon's ice mist, which is extremely powerful. You can literally freeze everything in sight. Aiming it into the air will cause an entire area to become cold. This can be a good combination when used with the hydrokinetic abilities of Mihai and the aerokinetic powers of Konstantin as the combination creates a blizzard. The second is dragon claws. They will allow you superhuman strength. The third is the dragon tooth saber. It will come out of the ring, where it is held in an alternate universe. It cannot be contained in any scabbard. There are also two spares swords for both Konstantin and Mihai, but only when your life is in danger.”

“They can act as an ordinary magical sword, so feel free to infuse them with telekinesis or healing abilities, but remember not to touch the person when healing. Hold it several inches above the body. Otherwise, severe injuries can occur. There's an additional abilitiy. You can surround the sword with a special red aura that can possess any victim. Just remember to heal them as soon as you stab, or else he or she will die. There is also a drawback of the sword. It can only be used for three minutes, or you will run out of magical energy, so use it wisely.”

“Wow!” Pavel gasped. “That's a lot of power even with a three minute limit. But what good is possessing someone for less than three minutes?”

“That affect lasts as long as you so desire,” Jeradu retorted. “There's one more thing. There is a combination power, one that is to be a last resort. I do not want to tell you what it is. You must figure it out. It is not something for the three of you to do just to practice or have fun. It's some serious power. Mihai will figure it out when the need arises. I also don't want anyone to know what it is until the time is right. It must be kept a secret for as long as possible. Let's call it an ace in the hole. I think that covers everything. The three of you will figure out these abilities. Just remember to use them sparingly, or else they will cause long-term damage, so no more leisure flights, Mihai. You are not a dragon. All of you have other abilities. Exhaust them before tapping into these magical items with one exception.”

“What exception is that?” Mihai asked.

“I was hoping you'd be the one to ask,” Jeradu said. “Because it's one of your new abilities that is the exception. Dragon wisdom is a skill that you must hone. It is imperative. To gain information, you need to think. Not only that, but you need to use your heightened senses. I want you to start with sight. Concentrate on my body. You can take a look inside where you will find my magic network as well as any weak points of my body and all my major organs. You can even see the cellular level. Focus! I want you to start with something simple. Find my liver. When you do, send a large ball of water and splash it against the skin that is over my liver. Make sure that it is the exact same size and shape as my liver.”

Mihai concentrated. He had a pretty good idea of the liver's location, and he focused on the part of the body where he thought it might be. He felt a change in his eyes, and for anyone who had been looking, they had changed from blue to green with slit pupils, ones just like a dragon would have. As they began to glow around the pupils, they peered into Jeradu's body. Meanwhile he had already been collecting water vapor from the air that was in and outside the cave. This ability to multitask was part of the power too. Once he spotted the liver, he shaped the water like an exact replica of Jeradu's liver, and launched it.

When it hit Jeradu's skin, Jeradu said, “Well done! Your accuracy was dead on! This ability will help you with your duties in the summer as well as help you in the future. I want all of you to join the White Dragon Corps one day. It is a choice for all of you individually, but I strongly recommend it. Things will be dicey over the next ten years, and I can sense a great threat. The White Dragons take on the Order of Dark Dragons and demons alike. As some or all of you may already know, the organization does not answer to the empire. I am the leader. You'd be working with elves, fairies, fellow magical people, and a variety of magical creatures including dragons, both large and small. In addition, the skills you will learn can actually replace the need for rhyming spells and music. It is not a widely accepted form of magic, even though it is just as strong. That is because it was discovered centuries before the other forms of magic.”

“I'm definitely interested!” Mihai said with enthusiasm.

“Me too,” Konstantin and Pavel said in unison.

“Well, I sincerely hope that interest remains,” Jeradu laughed. “The three of you will also increase your martial arts skills tenfold. You all need to experiment with magical martial arts. It just so happens that you have a teacher at your disposal. Charles Levesque is well-rounded in all magical techniques. One could say that he is among the ten most powerful wizards on Earth. Because his gift is limited and because he hates the Order of Dark Dragons, he joined the White Dragon Corps after he went to college.

“I want the three of you to do the opposite. I want you all to become masters of magical martial arts! Magical martial arts teach you to use the magic in your bodies at higher levels, ones that none of you can currently use even with a wand. All of you must cross-train. See if you can alternate between traditional teachings and magical martial arts techniques. Learning wandless magic as part of a martial arts regimen is imperative for all of you. Traditional magic has its advantages, but the three of you need a skill set that is anything but traditional. Tonight, when the three of you are part of the battle at the compound of the Order of the Dark Dragons, I want you to see what the White Dragons do with the first wave. You will see the aftermath of what they do, and it will help the three of you decide.”

“I doubt my mom will allow me to go,” Pavel grumbled.

“I already sent a message to her that she should allow you to go,” Jeradu replied. “Your ability to sense energy will be key to the entire operation. There are few with that skill available right now. I only have two available, and a third is required.”

“That's awesome!” Pavel exclaimed. “I have always wanted to go into one of their compounds. I can rip them apart with telekinesis too!”

“Indeed you can!” Jeradu said firmly. “You have the potential to move entire mountains!” Pavel thought he was exaggerating. “You're wrong, Pavel. It is true. You will be able to do that in time. Now I think we've covered everything. I will now return the three of you back to the Royal Palace of the Southeast as long as there are no more questions.” None of them spoke up, so the dragon sent them on their way in a cloud of red dragon's breath. Turning to the phoenixes, Jeradu added. “Watch over them with even more caution than usual.”

“We will,” Achilles and Holly said in unison.

“Very well,” Jeradu replied. “You are dismissed!”