CHAPTER 64: THE SILVER DRAGON

"STOP THIS TRIAL!"

The words echoed across the city square like thunder. Every head turned toward the bloodied men approaching through the crowd. Some nails were still stickin' out of Tom and Sergeant Harwick. Marcus's whole arm was wrapped in bandages, dark stains seeping through the cloth. Behind them, their soldiers dragged several foreign fighters, and in the middle of them was General Koroth. Leg missing, covered with nails, half dead but still breathing.

The crowd gasped and pressed back. City soldiers moved to stop the approaching group, but the King's guards stepped forward and formed a protective circle, letting them through to the court.

Marcus walked directly up to Master Thymon in his chains. The old wizard looked frail, beaten, but his eyes sparked with hope.

"Are you alive, my boy?" Master Thymon whispered.

"We're here," Marcus said. "And we brought proof."

The King rose from his seat, his young face flushed with anger and confusion. "Who are you people, and by what right do you interrupt the royal court? This trial is concluded!"

Lord Varek stepped forward, his composure cracking. "Your Majesty, these are dangerous fugitives! They escaped from royal custody and attacked your allies!" He pointed at the captured soldiers. "They've murdered innocent traders!"

"Innocent?" Marcus stepped forward, his voice carrying across the square. "These aren't traders, Your Majesty. They're soldiers of Malachar."

The crowd murmured. Lord Varek's face went pale.

"Lies!" Varek shouted. "Desperate lies from condemned criminals!"

Marcus gestured to the barely conscious General Koroth. "This man is General Koroth, one of Malachar's commanders. We found him with a caravan full of iron, copper, and magnets. The same materials that have been disappearing from our mining operations."

"Preposterous!" Varek's voice cracked. "Your Majesty, this boy is clearly delusional. Look at him. Covered in blood, spouting fantasies about dark generals!"

The King looked between them, uncertainty flickering across his face. "Lord Varek has served this kingdom faithfully. Why should I believe the word of escaped prisoners over my advisor?"

Master Thymon struggled against his chains. "Your Majesty, if you would allow me to speak-"

"You are condemned for treason!" the King snapped. "Your words have no weight here!"

Alice stepped forward from behind Varek, her face torn between guilt and determination. "Marcus, stop this. You're only makin' things worse for everyone."

"Alice." Marcus looked at her with a mixture of sadness and anger. "You still think he's gonna keep his promises?"

"Lord Varek has negotiated peace!" Alice said, but her voice wavered. "The attacks have stopped. The border towns are safe."

"Because Malachar got what he wanted!" Marcus shot back. "He doesn't need to attack when you're handin' him everything he needs!"

Tom stepped up beside Marcus. "Yeah! And what about our families? What about everyone in the mines?"

Varek's composure finally snapped. "Enough of this circus!" He turned to the King. "Your Majesty, execute these criminals immediately! Their very presence threatens the peace we've worked so hard to achieve!"

The King nodded slowly. "Guards, seize-"

"Wait!" Commander Cain's voice boomed across the square.

Everyone turned to see the Commander stepping forward with several of his men, all bearing wounds from their imprisonment.

"Your Majesty," Cain said, his voice hoarse but strong. "I have served this kingdom for twenty years. Before you act, examine the evidence these men have brought."

"Commander Cain is also condemned," Varek said quickly. "His judgment is compromised by his association with the traitors."

"Then let the evidence speak," Master Thymon called out. "General Koroth bears the marks of Malachar's magic. Any court wizard can verify his nature."

The King hesitated. "I have no court wizard present-"

"You have me," Master Thymon said quietly.

The square fell silent.

"You are chained and condemned," the King said.

"Then what do you fear?" Master Thymon asked. "If I am truly a traitor, my magic will fail. If I speak truth, it will be revealed."

Lord Varek's eyes went wide. "Your Majesty, this is obviously a trap! The old fox seeks to escape through trickery!"

But the King was curious now. Marcus could see it in his young face. The desire to know the truth warring with his trust in his advisor.

"Very well," the King said. "But if you attempt any hostile magic, my guards will cut you down immediately."

Master Thymon smiled sadly. "I understand, Your Majesty."

The guards unlocked his chains with visible reluctance. Master Thymon rubbed his wrists and walked slowly toward the unconscious General Koroth.

"Don't let him near the prisoner!" Varek shouted. "This is madness!"

But Master Thymon had already knelt beside Koroth. He placed his weathered hands on the general's forehead and closed his eyes.

The air shimmered.

Suddenly, dark shadows writhed around Koroth's unconscious form. The shadows had substance, reaching out like hungry tendrils toward the crowd. Several people screamed and backed away.

"Malachar's corruption," Master Thymon said, his voice echoing with power. "This man has been bound to the dark wizard's will for years. No innocent trader bears such marks."

The shadows faded, but their message was clear.

The King stared at Koroth's form, then slowly turned to Lord Varek. "Explain this."

Varek's face went through a series of expressions. Panic, calculation, then cold fury.

"You want an explanation?" Varek snarled. "Fine. Yes, I made a deal with Malachar. Yes, I've been trading resources for peace. And it's worked! How many lives have been saved by preventing open war?"

The crowd erupted in shocked murmurs.

"But you've doomed us all!" Master Thymon said. "Malachar doesn't honor treaties. He uses them to gather strength!"

"Naive old fool!" Varek spat. "You think your little academy lessons apply to the real world? I've protected this kingdom!"

"By sellin' it piece by piece!" Tom said angrily.

"By being practical!" Varek shot back. "By accepting that sometimes we must choose the lesser evil!"

The King looked stricken. "Lord Varek... is this true? Have you been... trading with our enemies?"

"I've been saving your kingdom while you played at being king!" Varek's mask had completely slipped now. "You're a child! You know nothing of real power or real responsibility!"

Alice stepped back from Varek, horror dawning on her face. "You... you said you were negotiating peace..."

"I was!" Varek turned on her. "And it would have worked if you fools hadn't interfered!"

Marcus saw the moment Alice realized she'd been used. The pain in her eyes cut deeper than any wound.

"My King," Master Thymon said formally. "Lord Varek stands revealed as a traitor to the crown. I ask for your permission to place him under arrest."

The King nodded mutely.

But Varek laughed. A harsh, bitter sound. "Arrest me? You think this ends here?"

He raised his hands and began muttering under his breath in a language that made Marcus's skin crawl.

"He's castin' something!" Tom yelled.

"Guards!" the King shouted.

But Varek's spell finished first.

The air split open with a sound like tearing cloth. A massive portal opened behind him, and from its depths came a roar that shook the very foundations of the square.

A giant kraken arm, thick as a tree trunk and covered in writhing suckers, shot out of the portal straight toward Marcus.

"Silver FOX!" Varek screamed. "You and your minions will pay for destroying everything!"

Marcus dove sideways, but the tentacle was too fast. He was going to die-

A massive silver wing, covered in gleaming scales, appeared between Marcus and the tentacle. The wing deflected the kraken arm with a sound like ringing steel.

Marcus rolled to his feet and spun around to see Master Thymon changing. The old man's body was stretching, growing, silver scales rippling across his skin as he transformed into something magnificent and terrible.

A silver dragon.

The dragon that had been Master Thymon reared up on its hind legs and roared a challenge that shook dust from every building in the square. Then it lunged forward and bit the kraken tentacle, severing it completely. Dark ichor sprayed across the stones.

Varek stumbled backward, his concentration broken. The portal flickered but didn't close.

"Impossible," Varek breathed. "You're too old... too weak..."

The silver dragon spoke, its voice like distant thunder. "I have been many things, Varek. Old, yes. Weak? Never."

Varek snarled and raised his hands again. This time, a portal opened above the square and flaming rocks began raining down like meteors.

People screamed and ran for cover. The King's guards formed a protective circle around him, but the rocks were falling everywhere.

"Tom!" Marcus shouted, pulling out his last bomb from his pack. "Get people to cover!"

Tom nodded and began pushin' people toward the buildings, his enhanced strength letting him move them quickly to safety.

The silver dragon morphed, shrinking down to a hybrid form. Still draconic but more human-sized. It spread its wings and began deflecting the falling rocks, but there were too many.

Marcus saw three of Varek's soldiers rushin' toward the King while everyone was distracted by the chaos above. He pulled the firing mechanism on his bomb and hurled it toward them.

The explosion sent all three soldiers flying, but also cracked one of the stone pillars supporting the platform where the King stood.

"The platform!" Alice screamed.

Tom was already moving. He leaped up onto the creaking platform just as it started to collapse and caught the stone pillar with both hands. His muscles bulged as his enhancement magic kicked in, holding the massive weight steady.

"Get the King out of here!" Tom grunted through gritted teeth.

But the distraction cost them. Varek had channeled more power, and now multiple portals were opening around the square. More tentacles emerged, along with floating creatures that looked like jellyfish made of shadow.

The silver dragon-hybrid roared in frustration and began fighting on multiple fronts, its claws and breath weapon cutting through enemies, but Marcus could see it was taking a toll. Master Thymon's ancient body wasn't meant for this kind of transformation.

"He's killin' himself!" Marcus realized.

Marcus looked around desperately. They needed to stop Varek, but the traitor was protected by his summoned creatures and the chaos of his magic.

Then Marcus remembered something. He pulled out his last iron beads. The ones he'd planned to use in his makeshift shotgun.

"Alice!" he yelled. "You know Varek's spell patterns! Where does he need to stand to maintain the portals?"

Alice looked confused for a moment, then understanding dawned. "The center! He needs to stay in the geometric center of his pattern!"

Marcus nodded and took careful aim. He wasn't throwing at Varek. He was throwing at the ground around him, trying to disrupt whatever magical circle the man was using.

The iron beads scattered around Varek's feet. Immediately, several of the portals flickered and destabilized.

Varek looked down in surprise, then up at Marcus with pure hatred. "Clever boy. But not clever enough!"

He raised both hands and began a new incantation. This one felt different. Darker, more desperate.

The silver dragon roared a warning and launched itself directly at Varek.

"Master, no!" Alice screamed. "He's preparin' a death curse! If you strike him while he's castin' it-"

But Master Thymon had already committed. His draconic form slammed into Varek just as the traitor finished his spell.

There was a flash of sickly green light, and both figures crashed to the ground.

The portals snapped shut. The summoned creatures dissolved. The flaming rocks stopped falling.

Silence descended on the square like a heavy blanket.

Marcus ran toward the two still forms. Varek was clearly unconscious, maybe dead. But Master Thymon...

The dragon form was already fading, leaving behind the familiar figure of the old wizard. But something was wrong. Master Thymon's skin had a grayish cast, and his breathing was labored.

"Master!" Marcus dropped to his knees beside him.

Master Thymon's eyes opened with effort. "Not... silver fox," he whispered with a faint smile. "Silver... dragon."

"Don't talk," Marcus said, checking his pulse. It was weak and irregular. "Save your strength."

"My strength... is spent," Master Thymon said. "The transformation... at my age... and Varek's curse..."

The King approached, his face pale but resolute. "Master Thymon, I... I owe you an apology. And the kingdom owes you its life."

Master Thymon tried to smile. "You are... young, Your Majesty. Youth... learns. That is enough."

"We'll get you help," Marcus said desperately. "The royal physicians-"

"No magic... can undo what has been done," Master Thymon said gently. He looked around at the gathered faces. Marcus, Tom, Alice, Sara who had appeared from somewhere in the crowd. "My students... you have learned well. Continue... the work."

His eyes found Marcus's. "All the worlds, my boy. Remember... all the worlds."

Marcus felt tears stinging his eyes. "I don't understand."

"You will," Master Thymon whispered. "When the time comes... you will."

The ancient wizard's eyes closed, and he went still.

The King's physician knelt and checked for signs of life, then slowly shook his head.

"He's gone, Your Majesty."

Marcus sat back on his heels, staring at the peaceful face of the man who had believed in him when no one else would.

Around them, the square was slowly returning to normal. Guards were arresting Varek's remaining supporters. The captured soldiers from Malachar's force were being secured. The immediate crisis was over.

But the cost...

Marcus closed his eyes and tried not to think about what Master Thymon's final words might mean.

All the worlds.

What did that even mean?