Realms of the Dragons II/Freedom's Promise

"Freedom's Promise" is a short story by Ed Gentry published in the 2005 anthology Realms of the Dragons II.

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Freedom can come at a high price, but no matter how much you're willing to pay, never try to buy it from a dragon.

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Summary[]

Kinase Bronihim, a wizard from Chavyondat, intrudes in Gerinvioch's lair to demand that the dragon tell him where the Evise Jhontil, a powerful artifact, is. Unknown to him, the ancient blue dragon has disabled his lair wards to let him in without a fuss, and the wyrm enjoys the conversation with the arrogant human. Rather than slay him on the spot, the dragon appears to grovel, and hesitatingly yields the location of the artifact. Before he leaves, the wizard hears the wyrm calling him "Gruanthe", which the dragon admits is someone he reminded him of. The wizard heads for the location immediately, and stumbles out of the blue on a hut. There, he is attended by a young woman, Moriandro, who informs him he has reached Lliiress. He learns that the sought-after artifact is in the center of town. He prepares to barter for it by casting a spell, and she immediately stops him, in a panic. Then she relates the story of the town's founding.

In the Year of the Slaying Spells, 976 DR, Aniolon Gruanthe had led a number of spellcasters out of Estagund into the Raurin to found a town of their own. Looking for protection from the Raja's mercenaries, Gruanthe sought out the wyrm Gerinvioch. When they enter his lair, Gerinvioch slays all but two of them with his breath. Gerinvioch manages to interest the dragon, and after a conversation where the man insists he sought only freedom, the dragon is skeptical, but offers to cast a spell to keep them hidden and protected if they can retrieve an artifact from a ruin. As a down payment, he keeps the dead for food, and even an injured survivor. Gruanthe leaves behind the survivor, and Gerinvioch explains to the dying man that he finds humanity's pursuits worthy of scorn and contempt before eating him.

Gruanthe sends people to retrieve the artifact from a temple of Set, at great cost in lives; when they return with it, Gerinvioch casts a spell, which Umbeso, a rival of Gruanthe, is somewhat skeptical about. After the wyrm leaves and the spell is in effect, there is a long celebration; after the celebration, everyone who casts a spell finds it perpetuated forevermore at the cost of their life force, and then dies. Initiates die from casting gust of wind, dispel magic and even intensify sensation. The use of magic from wands is attempted, finding that the artifact causes them to self-destruct just like magic-users; none of their magical items can thwart the artifact. As they discover a barrier now surrounds the town, a mage named Sohj tries to teleport out to look for help, but his spell is thwarted disturbingly, freezing him between the moment of departure and the moment of arrival, forevermore blinking in and out of his spot. Finally, Gruanthe can't help himself, and scries on Gerinvioch, realizing the dragon is laughing at him. The scrying slays the wizard.

Kinase adapts to life in Lliiress, but he still finds himself craving freedom sometimes, staring at the artifact every night, reminding himself that there is always a way.