Greenstone

by C E Johnson

  After a week of traveling through forests, the land features began to shift from hills toward plains and eventually desert. With Ammolite’s guidance and hunting ability, they knew they would not have to worry about getting lost or needing food. Instead, she warned them that their main concern would be from attacks by desert-dragons.

  Emily had read about these strange beasts, and thought the creatures might be distantly related to an ant-lion on Earth, with evolution to a massive size on Acacia. In their adult stage, they looked like a large dragonfly, almost the size of a young dragon, but with a thinner body and smaller wings. They laid eggs in the desert which hatched into a larva, an intimidating and ferocious beast in itself that could grow as large as a mammoth. The larva crawled on the ground, had six legs, a large head, and enormous jaws, with scythe-like teeth, with small spear-like projections at the tips. Each tip was barbed and hollow centrally with powerful venom that could paralyze their prey. Once their prey was incapacitated, the creatures would share their plunder amongst their various forms. They would inject saliva to liquefy the insides of their victims and suck them dry even more quickly than higher forms could change into death-smoke. Their favorite prey was the lizard people of the desert, the Lacerta, and there were many wars between the two. The Lacerta would challenge the desert-dragons, often riding on a buffalo-sized horned lizard called a Chitahuri or on corsairs.

  The desert-dragons’ intelligence allowed them to create fairly complex plans. The flying desert-dragon adult forms and smaller desert-dragon larvae would herd prey toward large funnel-shaped sand-traps where the larger larvae creatures would await. Once a creature fell into a trap, the prey would fall toward the center of the snare where the jaws of the desert-dragon larvae would await to paralyze their quarry.

  Ammolite was able to scare away many of the adult forms of the desert-dragon, but they did see evidence of eggs and larvae as they rode. The leathery eggs were often on the surface of the desert, apparently dug up by the lizard people for some use. The larvae left narrow, undulating canals through the sand as they moved across the surface like someone doodling with a large marker.

  After several weeks of travel across the desert without incident, the land began to change, and a great walled city became visible in the distance, with sentries looking like black specks moving in precise patterns atop guard-stations. “We’re approaching the city of Citlaltzin, the city where Hadrian was once the king.” Dr. D slowed his mare to a walk next to Emily. “I’ve never entered a Javan city.”

  “I pictured the Javan cities in lands like the Middle-East on Earth.” Emily stared at the beginnings of verdant plant-life. “But instead the land is becoming almost tropical.” The city was perched on hills above a great bay that stretched out towards an ocean. A small contingent of twelve riders on horseback approached her squad. Ammolite flew above, camouflaged, silently watching the approach of the soldiers, ready to help if needed.

  The ten male and two female copper-skinned warriors approaching were well organized, and Emily could tell they were excellent riders.

  They’re armed, Xena warned, taking a step in front of Emily’s warhorse.

  Wearing yellow-gold chainmail with iron-gray daggers at their sides in stained leather belts, the warriors reined to a halt just in front of Emily’s group. They slowly spread out along their path. Black leather scabbards housing solid longswords were strapped to their backs. Brown eyes flecked with color studied Emily’s contingent warily.

  “I’m the captain of the guard.” One rider snorted at them dismissively. There was a trace of contempt in his voice. “My name is Chimalli. What is your business?” His black-and-white stallion stomped one hoof on the ground restlessly.

  Dr. D spoke with polite courtesy, “We’ve come across the great desert seeking counsel with your ruler. I’m King Dalton of Angkor, and this is my daughter, Princess Emily, arch-mage of Acacia, daughter of the elf queen, Elaina.”

  A murmur of confusion arose from the warriors of Citlaltzin. Although Emily couldn’t conceal a small smile at the flowery titles Dr. D was using, she could tell the warriors were impressed by his words. Chimalli’s expression changed and he gave a stiff bow. “Welcome to our city. We’ll escort you to our ruler, Achcat Tat.” Wheeling his horse around, he led the way.

  Emily’s company followed the warriors through the outskirts of the Javan city, where farms and fields with orchards rich in olive groves and fruit trees began. As they rode in through the outermost city gates, Chimalli slowed his stallion to match strides with Emily and Dr. D’s horses. “Were the desert-dragons active during your journey?”

  “No, we saw traces of them, but we weren’t attacked,” Emily said as she angled her steed closer to Chimalli.

  “You’re lucky then. They’re aggressive lately.” Chimalli exchanged a solemn glance with Emily. He led them through a series of stone archways, horseshoes clattering on cobblestones, to emerge at the base of a hill that led to the castle. The magnificent structure overlooked the bay and scores of large ships dotted the harbor with colorful sails.

  They dismounted in a courtyard and Emily’s Earth friends formed their usual pattern encircling her. Her father walked by her left side and Xena loped immediately adjacent to her right leg. Cameron and the horse-clan waited in the courtyard while Chimalli led the rest of their group into the greeting room of the castle where they were introduced to the ruler of the city, Achcat Tat. He wore silver ringmail with a heavy gray cloak inlaid with gold and gemstones and high boots of a deep black leather. He had almond eyes, a strong jaw and curling black hair glistening with oil. Emily saw a weak yellow aura appear briefly around Achcat. She and her father bowed. “Are you the king of the city?” she asked.

  “No, arch-mage, I’m not the king, I’m the overlord of Citlaltzin. There hasn’t been a true king of Citlaltzin for thousands of years.”

  “Since Hadrian?” Could my brother have been their last king? she wondered hopefully.

  Achcat gave her a quizzical look. “Yes, since Hadrian. Our laws are complex, and the body of our last king, Hadrian, wasn’t ever recovered. Until someone passes a series of tests to become a king or until we have his body and his chosen successor, we’ll only have overlords.”

  “The reicio,” Emily whispered.

  Achcat nodded. He studied her for a moment with raised eyebrows. “Chimalli tells me you’re both from Angkor. Why have you come across the great desert to counsel with me?”

  Dr. D fingered the hilt of his sword. “There’s a war on the mainland started by an arch-mage named Samil. He’s using Mavet raa, half-deads, and magicians bound to him through dragon-oaths to attempt to conquer all lands east of the desert.”

  “And you’re challenging him?” Achcat yawned, appearing uninterested in the war. Emily moved past him to a window overlooking the bay. Merchant ships were unloading, and she became lost in thought, remembering her days on the Elisabet.

  “Currently Samil plans to fight against the multi-colored dragons and all the kingdoms on the mainland that aren’t under his control.” Dr. D’s voice had gone cold. “I believe he will come here next.”

  A shadow of a smile played on Achcat’s lips. “Have you come to warn me?”

  He thinks this is a game, Xena advised. Give him the truth.

  Emily whirled from the window. She answered succinctly and honestly. “I’m hoping you’ll lead your warriors in this war and join with our forming armies.”

  Achcat couldn’t suppress a laugh. “This sounds like a war that has nothing to do with our city. Why should we get involved at this point? Why risk the lives of our men for a war in which we have no skin?”

  Emily moved close to Achcat. “You do have skin in this game, Overlord. May I project several scenes to you? I have information that I’d like you to evaluate.”

  “I will listen to your presentation, arch-mage, but I would like it done formally, in one of my meeting rooms. I’m not a strong magic-user, and I want my highest order of magicians to f
lank me along with my ruling counsel.” Emily nodded. She watched as Achcat left the room to prepare his council, the scrape of his boots echoed down the hallway.

  Her group was taken to a large conference room. The walls were fashioned from marble with tables made from a brown stone that looked like granite. They waited patiently until Achcat’s team was fully assembled, magicians with much more powerful auras than Achcat, with auras of blue, yellow, green, and red. There were tendrils of confidence, experience and caution in their essence. Emily stood. “May I merge the minds in this room in a dream-link?”

  Achcat nodded. “We’re prepared to receive your images.”

  Emily put the group into a dream-link. She first projected to them the scene of Hadrian talking to her in Washington D.C. She revealed the story of his life and his upbringing in the lands of the Javan as surprised chatter began to form from the council. When Emily projected images of Hadrian’s tattoo and scars on his back, the group began to talk with greater excitement, especially when he revealed she was his sister and King Andrew Dalton was his father. The revelation of his sacred words, Chi Exusia, left complete turmoil in the room.

  “Is King Hadrian somehow still alive? Do you know where he is?” Achcat’s ringmail made clinking noises as he stood.

  “I do. This is the final scene I have for you, a dream-link from several months ago.” Emily then projected the last contact that she had with Hadrian, showing that he was miraculously still alive. She pointed out Samil in the background of the dream-link and Dr. D translated the rapid eye blinking. They could hear the truth in his translation.

  The room reacted with anger at the sight of the abuse their king endured with a blow to his head at the end of his message. “Who would dare to strike our king?” Achcat pounded the table with his fist.

  “Samil, arch-mage of the Island of Bashan,” Emily answered succinctly. She let the scenes sink in before speaking again. “I again ask if the Javan will raise an army to assist me. I hope my father and I can help crush those who threaten your king, my brother.” Achcat stomped to the corner of the room to stare out an open window.

  He probably has the gift of knowing the truth when it’s spoken and shown to him, Ammolite whispered. She was watching the scene through Emily’s eyes. The Javan prize reading the truth. It’s the most important skill to the rulers of Citlaltzin. Well done.

  “I must talk in private with my counselors, arch-mage.” Achcat gestured toward the doors. “Please leave us.”

  Dr. D gave Emily an encouraging look as they departed the room. “That was a wonderful speech and display.”

  Chimalli bowed low to them and led them into a different area of the castle, gesturing to the lone occupant as they entered. “This is Lady Tat.”

  A willowy female stood before them with hair as dark as an onyx gemstone. She had copper skin and black eyes streaked with flecks of cream and white. She was dressed in a cloth-of-gold gown that shimmered in the shafts of sunlight. The room was several stories up and had a commanding view of the bay. Fountains flowed in each corner of the room, which was decorated with scores of murals with gold, silver and gemstones incorporated into the works. Tapestries were hung, and statues of marble were artfully placed amongst the sumptuous décor. “Please eat with me.” Her voice was silky soft. She gestured to food being placed on great wooden trestle tables. Workers scrambled to bring in great joints of rich meat, breads and butter, pineapples, raspberries, blackberries, and a great variety of beverages. There were salads, wheels of cheese, clusters of carrots, spinach, and small onions.

  Luke walked over to a dessert area where apple pies sprinkled with cinnamon, and dark cakes frosted with sugar awaited him. “I think I’ll take a bite of these first to be polite.” He winked to Emily as he passed her.

  “We’re being treated a little differently all of a sudden.” Dr. D gave Emily a pleased smile. Cameron and his warriors were also ushered into the room and they ate and relaxed together while they waited for Achcat’s decision.

  Eventually Achcat returned to join his wife, appearing somewhat more composed. “We’ve compared the symbols and words with those in our Boken, our great book. I don’t understand how King Hadrian still lives, but he does. He’s asked us to aid him, and that’s the duty of every able-bodied soldier in our city. I will raise and lead an army that’s never before been seen in our lands. I’ll talk to the King of Durhabareth, our ally, and ask for more troops. Give us a week, and we’ll be ready. Will you sail with us?”

  Dr. D bowed low to Achcat. “I have to decline your offer. We need to return to Acacia through the desert to go to Angkor and the elf-lands to form our army and rally our own troops from the mainland.”

  Emily felt like jumping for joy. “Thank you for your assistance.” Her heart was bursting with hope. We have an army! “I wish we could sail with you.” She spoke wistfully, glancing out the window at the vessels in the harbor. “Your ships remind me of a journey I took with a man from your lands named Kwan Tat. We journeyed on the great rivers of Acacia together.” She wrinkled her brow. “He told me that in his time there were few great ships in your lands, but that has obviously changed.”

  Achcat’s eyes widened. “Can you project to me of this Kwan Tat of which you speak for I have a great grandfather whose name was also Kwan Tat. He brought back important information on ships to our land … information gained from his travels through Acacia. I was very young when he told me wonderful stories, including a story about an incredible young magician named Emily, a girl he met on his travels.”

  Emily excitedly closed her eyes to concentrate, projecting scenes of a young Kwan Tat telling stories to her and her companions on the ship, the Elisabet. Achcat Tat rubbed his face with both hands. He sighed and sat down. “Your companion, Kwan Tat, was indeed my great grandfather. I’m honored to be in your presence, arch-mage. I don’t understand your youthful appearance or the age and appearance of your brother, Hadrian, our king, but we’re at your service. There’s more at work here than simply fate. This event has been preordained … we were meant to meet.”

  Humbled by his kind words, Emily bowed again to Achcat. “Now that we’ve met, I’ll be able to contact you again through our dream-link. If you give me permission, I’ll update you on our progress, and we can coordinate our armies.”

  “Of course. Please stay with us until you’re ready to return. When we meet again, I hope we’ll recover your brother, our king.” Achcat spoke to everyone in the room, “You will all want to watch this. It hasn’t been performed in an eon.” He walked to the balcony. Warriors began to form in the courtyard below him. Agilely, he advanced along a thin plank like projection that extended without rails above the city. Without warning, he released a series of war whoops. The sounds were echoed by the warriors around his position and then were taken up by all in the castle. Steadily the noise began to spread from the castle into the adjacent buildings and slowly through the city as the signal for an approaching war was spread through the region. As her squad was escorted from the castle, Emily could hear the whoops of war echoing everywhere around her. The first steps toward saving Hadrian and Acacia had been taken.

  C H A P T E R 2 6

  Desert-dragons

  After several days of rest, they left Citlaltzin and headed back across the desert toward Angkor. Each evening Emily sat with her friends around the fire, talking about the planet of Acacia. Ammolite would leave for long stretches of time to forage for food. Other times, she would fly down in the evenings and share in the conversations. Emily would lean against her bondsmate’s great frame creating a swirl of colors wherever the two made contact.

  Xena would snuggle in, touching both of her bondsmates at once like a great wolf sated by close contact with her pack-mates. Life is good when the pack is together, she would whisper in their minds.

  One evening when Ammolite was in camp, a light flashed in the distance. The white and green flare began on the ground then shot upward towards the sky like a laser, causing Em
ily’s friends to gasp in surprise and turn in unison to study the phenomenon. Ammolite, Emily, her father, and the horse-clan knelt on the ground and bowed their heads in honor. Emily’s Earth friends mimicked the motions with confusion on their faces.

  There will be no more sorrow, crying or pain, for that one, they have received the grace through righteousness, Ammolite whispered in Emily’s mind.

  The sun and the moon make way for the light that shines like a glittering spear, Xena added. Emily placed a hand on each of her bondsmates, thinking over their words.

  “Was that a shooting star?” Elizabeth returned to sitting with furrows in her brow.

  “That was a death-light.” Emily spoke softly. “A rare event that occurs when certain people die.” She thought back to her battle with Suci, who had sacrificed herself for Samil. “The closest I’ve been to such an event was at the end of my training on Bashan.” She told her friends the story.

  Ammolite’s eyes shimmered like molten gold. “I sometimes wonder if death is the same on the multitude of planets in the universe, just more pronounced on Acacia since we are the core planet in the universe.” She gazed in the direction where the death-light had shone. “For many creatures on our planet, when their body dies, their flesh stays intact, and we can use these animals for food. But certain creatures have something inside them that is different from the sustenance-animals. These creatures are sentient, and they have an inner soul, spirit, or spark that is separate from the magus of a magician.” Ammolite turned back to look into the fire. “When they die, the spark is released, often flaming out as a death-smoke or a mist.”