“You have to grab it, lady Venalina,” Kerym yelled out from behind her, “You have to take the power stored within it, my lady, only you can do it!” he continued. Dracon regained his senses, remembering where he was as he heard Kerym’s words to Venalina.
“No,” Dracon said barely audible, then hurried trying to stand, “No!” he yelled to her. Venalina looked at him, as she did, her eyes returned to normal, her horns and wings disappeared. The face that looked back at him was the woman he loved. He heard her in his mind while she smiled at him warmly, I love you, my mighty Dracon. Venalina’s eyes turned black again and she was again her Vordalyn self. She stepped to the stone and grabbed it with both hands, “Venalina!” Dracon yelled.
The stone flashed brightly as her hands touched either side of it. Everyone in the room had to turn away from it as the room was filled with electricity, heat, and light. It was unbearable for them all. Venalina’s voice echoed through the room, with a booming volume, words of her dead language, only she could understand, pour out of her mouth like she was possessed by another of her kind. She screamed as waves of heat filled the room, unable to recoil, her hands stuck to either side of the stone. Night and day changed over all Sumia, rapidly. The event could be seen the world over, even in the lands of Ganlin. It made people everywhere flee in terror as the skies of the world became blindingly bright then so dark no light could penetrate it. The world shook, shaking even the palace in Urixis. Elves, humans, dwarves all fled the palace in droves, running out into the streets of Urixis, fearful of being crushed from falling debris, then forced to witness the terror of the sky changing repeatedly. Many people fell to their knees and covered their heads.
As the world witnessed the events caused by the stones magic being drained, removing the spell over the lands of Sumia, something else happened as well. The clouds that filled the expanse of death, evaporated. Its deadly atmosphere and lightning strikes ended. Its toxic air dissipated. The stones magic had created the expanse of death, it was the border where the magic ended, separating normal lands from the spell cast over Sumia. With the spell over Sumia no more, so too was the expanse of death no more.
Suddenly, it all stopped, day and night returned to normal in Sumia. Dracon and the others were still blinded, he called out, “Venalina!” he crawled toward where he thought she would be, wiping his eyes desperate for his vision to return. It felt like hours before his vision returned, when it did, he could see there was no light in the room, the other men were crawling around, still blinded, because there was no light in the room. All the torches were out and the light that had once emanated from the stone was gone. Dracon alone could see in the dark clear as day. He quickly spotted Venalina. She was floating above the pedestal, slowly turning in a circle where the stone had once floated, and now she floated above it in the same manner. The stone itself was in pieces on the floor around the base of the pedestal.
“Lord Dracon!” Tangram called out, “What’s going on, I can’t see!” Dangelo coughed and sat up covered in dust and debris, rolling to his knees trying to gather himself. Dracon stood looking up at Venalina as she slowly turned. He could see the sky through the hole in the roof where the lightning had shot out into the world. It appeared that dawn was slowly rising upon the land, shining through the hole and on Venalina, once again lighting the room. Dust filled the air. The men gathered, joining Dracon to look up at Venalina. Her arms and wings were stuck out to her sides, her head was back, and her mouth was open in a silent scream. Her chest pointed up at the sky as the light shined down on her turning, frozen body. Dracon watched her not knowing what to do.
“Is she?” Leonid asked, but could say no more. Kerym stepped closer to her floating body.
“No,” he said, “She lives,” Kerym started to reach up to touch her. Dracon grabbed his arm, pushing him back behind him. Kerym lowered his arm, as Dracon moved in front of him. He looked at the other men then up at Venalina. He reached his hand up to her outstretched hand, slowly turning above him. As soon as their hands touched Venalina became human again and fell from the air. Dracon pulled her to him, catching her in his arms. He went to his knees cradling her in his arms, looking at her face closely. She was alive. He chuckled nervously, relieved he had not lost her. He hugged her. Dangelo and the others also exhaled, relieved she lived. Dangelo walked around the pedestal, looking up at the roof, examining it and how to reach the hole, to escape the coffin they created. All the other passageways were blocked, the roof was the only way out. Dangelo climbed on the pedestal, looking up at the hole, then looked around the room for a way up.
“My lord, if can reach that hole we can escape,” Dangelo said looking down at the others, “Kerym, come here, give me a boost.” Dracon laid Venalina on the ground.
“Come down from there, Dangelo,” He said as he stood.
“I’m sure we can do it my lord,” Dangelo said.
“Come on, let me up there,” Dracon said, waving him down. Dangelo hopped down from the pedestal. Dracon stood on the ground next to the pedestal then crouched, he popped up, jumping high. He reached the hole easily, pulling himself up and out. Dracon stood outside, looking out over the edge of a cliff, below the cliff was a lake. If not for the hole he emerged from, he would have never been able to tell that below his feet were the ruins of Taranath. The real sun was rising over the land for the first time in more than a thousand years. Dracon took in a deep breath, smelling the air. He could hear screaming from below the cliff and walked to its edge to investigate. The Gyona were spilling out of a cave below him, rushing toward boats at the water’s edge. None of them made it to the water, collapsing to their deaths in screams of torment. A flash returned to Dracon, of his arm raised over his head in victory, over a sea of rotting and diseased corpses.
“Lord Dracon!” Dangelo called from the hole, it shook Dracon from the images and reminded him he needed to get them out of the room below his feet.
“I’ll be back, tend to Venalina, I’m going to find some rope,” Dracon yelled back down into hole. He knew there should be ropes down by the boats.
“Rope?” Dangelo looked around at the others, “Where is he going to find rope?”
Venalina began to stir. Leonid hobbled over to her and dropped down hard barely able to stand as it was, “My lady,” He said helping her sit up, she looked around for Dracon.
“Where is he?” She asked, “Where is Dracon?” Venalina shot up to her feet.
“It’s ok, my lady,” Dangelo said hopping down again from the pedestal, “He is safe. He climbed up through the hole to find a way out.”
“I am the way out!” Venalina snarled. She snapped her fingers and they were all suddenly out of the room and on the cliff above. They were all startled, Leonid was still on the ground like he was in the room below. Tangram walked over and knelt to Leonid, helping him again with his wound. He began casting a healing spell. Venalina paced the area near the cliff’s edge looking for Dracon.
“I can heal the surface wound, but the poison, I’m afraid, is beyond my skill,” Tangram said looking at Leonid, then to Venalina, who continued pacing, oblivious to his words.
“Dracon!” She screamed, “Dracon!” she screamed again desperately.
“My lady, I’m sure he is fine,” Dangelo walked over to calm her, “He is looking for rope.”
“I’m here,” Dracon came walking up the ridge into view. Venalina disappeared and reappeared in front of Dracon, then leapt on him with a hug. Dracon caught her, returning her hug. She kissed him repeatedly on ever spot of his face. She held his face then looked him over inspecting him for any injuries. “I’m fine, my love, it’s you I’m worried about.”
“I want to go home,” Venalina whispered, “Your home. I’m ready now,” she hugged him again, “I don’t need to see anymore.”
“Well that’s it then, let’s get our friends home, then ourselves,” Dracon said.
“Come, this way,” Dracon called over to the men, “The lake is down here, and there ar
e boats.”
“My lord, Leonid needs help,” Dangelo said standing with Tangram next to Leonid, who was still sitting on the ground.
“I can make it,” He said wincing, climbing to his feet, Kerym stepped up from behind and helped him stand. Venalina walked over to the men with Dracon. She looked at Leonid’s wound, lifting his shirt, the area on his ribcage was red. She could see the poison spreading.
“It’s close to your heart, Leonid, you’re lucky to still be alive,” She smiled at him.
“Can you help him, my lady?” Dangelo asked hopeful.
“Of course, I can,” She smiled then looked at Leonid still smiling, she put her palm on the area and closed her eyes, “Be careful now, the poison is gone, but it will a take you some time to get your strength back,” Venalina looked at the other men, “Help him down the hill.”
“Thank you, my lady,” Leonid said. Dangelo put his arm around Leonid and they followed slowly down the hill. They arrived at the beach below the cliffside. At the base of the cliff face were ruins that went into the cliffside. Bodies littered the area from the entrance of the ruins all the way to just before the boats. They died before they could make it. The bodies were diseased and covered with sores, blood stained every orifice.
“What happened to them?” Kerym asked disgusted and fearful. Dracon chuckled, then laughed.
“Maybe it was something they ate,” He said still laughing. The others started to laugh with him, “Let’s check out these boats,” Dracon said after they had a good laugh. They found a boat large enough for all of them. Dracon thought about the people, dead on the shore; as their boat crossed the lake. He did that to them when he stabbed his sword in the ground. He also realized he left the sword in the floor of that room, with the stone and the Naga. He wasn’t sure whether he should miss it or not. Dracon chuckled to himself.
“What is it, my lord?” Tangram asked.
“It seems my sword has been left behind, buried with that creature,” Dracon said.
“But, my lord?” Tangram chuckled, “It’s there, at your side.” Dracon looked down at his waist and the sword was indeed sheathed, safely at his side. Dracon said nothing looking out over the lake as they made their way across it. He thought about dropping the sword in the lake, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was magical, and came when he called the armor, he could never be rid of it. Venalina pulled his arm, shaking him from his thoughts, bidding him to sit to next to her, when he did, she cuddled herself under his arm. It took hours to cross the lake, as they neared the other side they could see a village ahead of them. There were people fishing and many boats were in the water, all of which docked when they spotted the group arriving. It was a small village, many of the men gathered around putting on bits of armor and grabbing weapons. The women and children took cover in their homes as the group reached the edge of the dock. Dangelo stood up and stepped on the dock, tying off the boat. Dracon stepped up after him, assisting Venalina off the boat.
“Greetings, from Qinkas, we represent Queen Jenzenya and are here on her behalf,” Dangelo yelled to the people who lined the shore. They all began whispering among themselves.
“If that’s so, sir, why do you come from the north, across the lake, from the dead city?” A man at the base of the dock called out. It was obvious the people were terrified. Dracon started to walk slowly to the man at the base of the dock.
“We have been on a terrible adventure,” He said, “We were taken by the denizens of the dead city, we have escaped,” Dracon said still walking toward them, “We are here now, lost, we were with a caravan. We would like to find them, is there one among you who can direct us?”
“That is quite a tale sir,” The man said, “None have ever returned from the dead city.”
A woman came from one of the houses behind the men, “Did you see a little boy?” she said and pushed through the men, walking out onto the dock to face Dracon, “Please sir, a little boy,” She said and showed his height with her hand.
“I’m sorry,” Dracon could only imagine the fate of the child, “I saw no children in that horrible place,” The woman lowered her head and turned away from him, wandering back into the crowd behind her.
“What did you see there?” The man at the edge of the dock asked.
“Death,” Dracon said, he didn’t have the heart to be specific in front of the woman who lost her child, “Take heart, the evil that lived there will bother no one ever again.”
“I am called Strom, you are welcome here, if you come in peace,” He said motioning to the men to spread out, they were standing very close to him, like scared children. Dracon and his men joined the villagers for a meal and learned from them that the Gyona stole people from the village. They also learned that there were many other villages around the lake. The villagers helped them find the caravan and reunited them with the representatives. They were led back to the village and shared with them the delights of Qinkas that the representatives had brought with them, specifically for just such a meeting. Night fell the way Dracon was used to, it pleased him. It was a new world for the rest of them. The caravan created its little village next to the actual village. The arrival of armed men, soldiers, was a welcomed sight by the villagers who had no protection. It made the villagers feel safe for once, and made for a celebratory feel to the visit. There was a lot gained with the discovery of the village, if trade routes were developed, this village would be the first stop and would become a hub to the other villages around Cold lake. The representatives were relentless with their talk of trade with the leaders of the village. The very fact that they would be able to meet friendly people was incentive enough for the villagers to agree to anything, trading their goods with Qinkas was widely embraced. The days were spent examining trade items of exotic origins, and goods that Qinkas was already familiar with. The access to a bounty of fish topped the list.
Dracon spent time overseeing the meetings between the villagers and the trade savvy representatives of Qinkas. He was determined no one would be taken advantage of. That fact, and the fact he stopped the dead city from ever taking another one of their people again, quickly made him respected by their newfound friends. The representatives wanted to begin meeting with other villages making Dracon consider how much longer he would remain. He was ready to go, but was obligated to see to the safety of the representatives. When the villagers discovered he was King Dracon and Queen Venalina, they began showering them with gifts. It was hard for Dracon to accept gifts from people who had very little. He entered his carriage on the evening of the fifth day. He went in early right, after dinner. Talila and Saida were in his carriage when he entered.
“My lord,” They both said kneeling, they had just finished transforming the carriage into a bedroom. The girls were giggling and sharing some type treat.
“What do you have there?” Dracon asked as he joined them in the carriage.
“They call it rock candy; do you want some?” Talila showed Dracon the chunk of candy resembling a chunk of glass, it was no more than cooked sugar, but Qinkas didn’t have sugar. He smiled at the girls, shaking his head no. Saida started to unbutton Dracon’s jacket for him. He considered stopping her, but decided if Venalina wanted these women to serve him, he wouldn’t fight it or make them feel unwanted. Talila assisted Saida, taking his jacket and folding it up neatly, putting it in its place. Talila began to make up the bed as Dracon sat down. Saida pushed Dracon back against the carriage wall and pulled his soft boots off his feet. It made Dracon laugh. Saida smiled at his amusement. Both girls were extremely happy to see Dracon allowing them to attend to him. The carriage door opened and Venalina entered.
“You are leaving us early?” she asked.
“Yes,” He said, “I am weary of what still lies ahead of us on this trip. I want to go home.” Venalina entered the carriage and went to Dracon.
“My love,” She said taking his face in her hands and kissing him, “Then let us go.”
“We can’t leave them unpr
otected,” Dracon said, “I have to see them safely home.”
“We can summon more of our men from O’on, to see them all safely home,” Venalina suggested, “I can take us away from here while the others travel on?”
“You should make Janouc stay with them until they get all the way back to Qinkas,” Talila said almost spitting when she said his name. Saida nudged Talila to be quiet. Dracon and Venalina could tell the girls didn’t like Janouc.
“Why do you say that?” Venalina asked. Saida looked at Talila with her eyes wide, scared what she might say.
“You can be afraid of him, but I am not,” Talila said to Saida, “He is an ass and he doesn’t like us,” Talila started, “He hurt Alyndra grabbing her so hard, he said we are only here to assassinate you or something like that.” Venalina looked at Dracon.
“If it isn’t one thing it’s another,” Dracon said shaking his head.
“He’s good for you my king,” Saida said.
“How can you say that?” Talila said angrily.
“I know,” Saida said trying to appease her sister, “I’ve watched him closely, he serves them, he just doesn’t trust us and rightfully so!”
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