“Only for a little while,” Lynol replied with a weak smile. She hadn’t totally recovered from her exertion of sorcery during the attack. They had already stopped several times to allow her to rest, eat more dried fruit, and take several large drinks of water. “But you can’t tell anyone. I’m not ready for people to find out, there is still so much I need to learn, and I’m not a very strong sorceress. Actually, I can’t do much at all, just a few simple spells like the fire spell you saw earlier.”
“That looked like a pretty powerful spell to me,” said Kalvin, knowing Lynol had saved their lives.
“What can you do? What’s it like?” Dresdia continued with wide, questioning eyes. She was bursting with curiosity and excitement. There was so much she wanted to know.
“I’m still learning. I can barely control fire and a few other insignificant spells,” Lynol explained, looking over at her friends. “It’s pretty hard, and the spells make you feel exhausted afterward. You saw what happened with the fire spell I used earlier. I passed out completely from the exertion. I just barely managed to drive those cats away.”
“But you did drive them away,” replied Kalvin, recalling how ferocious the cats had looked. “You did what you had to!”
Kalvin knew that if not for Lynol they all could easily have died at the altar site.
“It still sounds exciting!” Dresdia commented, not wanting to be reminded about the cats back at the altar. “Could you make Kalvin do something funny?” she asked with a mischievous smile on her face. “Make him stand on his head or walk backward? Or even turn him into a squirrel? We could keep him caged up somewhere and feed him nuts when he does tricks.”
“No,” Lynol replied with a tired smile, gently laughing at the thought. Leave it up to Dresdia to make her feel like laughing. “I can’t do anything like that.”
Kalvin was quiet for awhile as they continued to walk. His brash action at getting the girls to go to the altar site was really bothering him. In the distance, the canopy of green protective trees at the swimming pond was finally visible. They would soon be home.
Kalvin had always dreamed secretly of a possible future with Lynol, but now that future had been inexorably grasped away by powerful forces beyond his control. Kalvin was still stunned by her actions at the altar site. He had never expected something like this in his wildest dreams. Kalvin stopped and turning to face Lynol, drew back and gazed down into her eyes, their rich light blue color a beautiful contrast to her dark brown hair.
“The prophecy on the wall said you will have to face this other sorceress and probably Gilmreth some day,” he said slowly with worried constraint in his voice. “Is that true?”
“We’ve always known the dragon might awaken,” Lynol said gently, suspecting the emotions that were running amok in Kalvin’s mind. Gazing into the caring depths of his dark brown eyes, she continued softly. “Who else but a Sylvar should be there to stand before the last dragon?”
Kalvin’s brow furrowed and he gazed down at the ground, slowly shaking his head. Lynol and Gilmreth; just the thought made him feel queasy! He could remember as children playing sorceress and dragon in the musty haystacks in Lynol’s barn, but it had always been him coming to the rescue, not the reverse. He feared greatly for Lynol’s safety. “So it’s true then, Gilmreth is going to awaken. The rumbling from the mountain is this other sorceress trying to awaken the dragon.”
“Yes,” replied Lynol, trying to sound calm. “Even my father doesn’t know about this other sorceress. It’s something I will have to tell him shortly. Sometimes I can feel her use of sorcery when she uses it on Gilmreth, that’s how I know she is trying to awaken the dragon.”
“This sorceress is causing the rumbling?” Dresdia asked, worriedly. She had been afraid of the rumbling from the mountain since it started.
“Most of it,” admitted Lynol, nodding her head slowly. “Some of it has been avalanches of rock and snow, and sometimes her use of sorcery on the mountain has caused the avalanches.”
“How long before she succeeds and awakens Gilmreth?” asked Kalvin, finding it hard to believe that anyone would want to awaken the dragon.
He was finding it difficult to accept that the dragon was going to wake, that someday soon he might lay his eyes upon the dragon. It was like a nightmare coming to life.
“I don’t know,” replied Lynol, looking at Kalvin and seeing the concern and worry in his eyes. “Malcon’s spell is very strong and still holds Gilmreth within its power.”
“If this prophecy is true you will someday have to face Gilmreth,” Kalvin said slowly, his eyes focused on Lynol.
“But not even Malcon could slay Gilmreth!” Dresdia wailed upset at the thought. “What are you going to do? I don’t want you to sacrifice yourself as Malcon did. Do you have to face the dragon?”
“We don’t know what the future will be,” replied Lynol, looking at her two friends and seeing the concern on their faces. “We don’t know when Gilmreth will awaken. It could be years, the prophecy could be meant for my descendants; we just don’t know. I don’t relish the thought myself of facing the dragon. My dad and I have even discussed maybe trying to trap Gilmreth in his lair in the mountain. If we could find the cave entrance that leads to his lair and then collapse the roof some way, we just might be able to seal him in.”
“That sounds better,” Dresdia said, relieved not wanting to think about Lynol facing Gilmreth.
“But the prophecy could be about you, couldn’t it, Lynol?” Kalvin persisted. “From what you have said, this sorceress on the other side of the mountain is trying to awaken Gilmreth and you also have sorcery powers on our side of the mountain. It sounds to me like you are indeed the one mentioned in the prophecy and not your descendants!”
“Perhaps,” replied Lynol, knowing Kalvin had seen through her attempt to calm down Dresdia. “We will just have to wait and see. The dragon still sleeps for now, and hopefully he will continue to sleep for quite some time.”
Kalvin stayed quiet. He suspected that a lot of what Lynol was saying was just to calm Dresdia. If the dragon could have been sealed in the cave, then Malcon Sylvar would have done that during his days, but he never had. Kalvin doubted that any type of physical barrier would be strong enough to hold the dangerous dragon.
“The prophecy mentions this other sorceress,” Dresdia said worriedly, thinking about what she had just heard. “I don’t see how you can face both the dragon and this sorceress if she succeeds in awakening Gilmreth. Why would she want to awaken the dragon anyway, Gilmreth is just too dangerous; doesn’t she understand that? I don’t want to ever see the dragon, not ever!”
-
Lynol had never answered Dresdia directly. She didn’t know herself what she was going to do, and she didn’t want to worry her young friends any more than she needed to. Standing up, Lynol walked out onto the back porch thinking about Kalvin and Dresdia. They were her best friends and extremely concerned about the prophecy on the wall of the altar site. They had continually begged her not to take any unnecessary risks as they walked home. She had asked them to promise not to mention her abilities to anyone, not even their parents. She looked up seeing her father walking across the yard from the barn; he was almost to the porch steps.
“Lynol, I’m going to Galvin,” her father said with a warm smile, walking up the steps. “Want to come along? It’s been awhile since you’ve been to the village.”
“What do we need in Galvin?” Lynol asked curiously. A trip to the village might help take her mind off recent events.
The journey to the altar site, her use of sorcery against the cats, Dresdia and Kalvin’s numerous questions, and now the other sorceress up on Firestorm Mountain had left her nerves on edge. Her total exhaustion after casting the fire spell had really frightened her. If she were so weak after casting a spell of that strength, what would a really powerful spell be like?
She began to understand why Malcon had died when he put Gilmreth to sleep. A truly powerful spell woul
d be totally consuming, draining all your strength. It made her realize just how careful she needed to be when casting spells.
“The Mystols asked for some fresh milk and eggs for their store. We have some extra, so I thought we might run them in, and they’ve been asking about you.” Damon knew that seeing Gwen would be very helpful to Lynol; Gwen had helped raise Lynol. Damon didn’t know what he would have done without Gwen’s help.
“Sure, I’ll go. I’d like to see Gwen,” replied Lynol.
-
Several hours later, Damon led their creaky, two-wheeled cart into Galvin. The small village consisted of stone and wood houses spread out haphazardly over a small green meadow. Most of the homes had small gardens and the four hundred or so people who called Galvin their home were a close-knit group. Several hundred other families lived out on nearby farms and did their trading in Galvin. Any extra crops, when they had extra, were loaded on wagons and shipped to Draydon to sell in that town’s larger markets.
Lynol knew that in times past many more people had lived in Galvin, but the population for generations had been steadily declining. The deadly consuming fever, which had taken her mother’s life, had substantially reduced Galvin’s population many years earlier. On its outskirts, a few boarded up abandoned homes still bore mute testimony to those deadly harrowing times.
A narrow stone street marked the village’s main market area, with a few small trading stores and businesses on each side. There was a blacksmith’s shop, a small inn, and the village tavern finishing up the short street. Primarily bartering, the trading of one item for another was how most business was conducted in Galvin. Very few people had in their possession the precious gold coins that were the accepted currency.
Damon led the horse and cart to a small, well-kept store near the middle of the street and brought the cart to a creaking halt. The Mystols were a friendly older couple who had run the store for many long years, extending credit to families during poor times and helping people in need. Sometimes, Damon suspected, the Mystols just barely eked out an existence of their own due to the generous charity they extended. Their kindness was one of the reasons he insisted on trading with them, plus all the help they had given him in raising Lynol. The world needed good people, and the Mystols were a prime example of generosity.
“Damon, Lynol, how nice to see you,” a smiling Gwen Mystol said, coming down off the steps of the store and brushing her gray hair back out of her twinkling eyes.
The Mystols had no children of their own and looked forward to the rare visits of Lynol and the Gor children. They treated them as if they were their own. Gwen had literally adopted Lynol since her mother died and done everything possible to help Damon raise her. Gwen knew that Damon had done his best, but a young girl really needed a mother to talk to on occasions, and Gwen had tried her best to fill that role. She loved Lynol as if she were her own daughter.
-
Across the street, Addison Tohr stood on the porch of his small trading store glaring at the Sylvars. He disliked the Sylvars and the way they were royally treated in the community. Their land was too good for them and their home far larger than was needed. Someday he hoped someone would put them in their rightful place.
It aggravated him immensely that they always traded with the Mystols. Food from the Sylvar farm was always in high demand, and if sold from the Tohr store would bring in a handsome profit. Turning, he went disgustedly back inside, shaking his head. It was such a waste he thought, but someday they would get what was coming to them and when that happened he would be first in line to take what he felt was his. Their farm should be busted up into smaller sections and given to some of the people in Galvin. Just the thought of the extra money he could make from what that farm could produce if worked as he would work it, made his head swell.
-
“We brought fresh milk, eggs, vegetables, smoked meat, and some jelly which Dresdia and I put up the other day,” said Lynol, smiling and swinging down from the cart with a bounce in her step, giving Gwen a big hug.
Lynol felt a strong attachment to Gwen and knew she could talk to her about anything, but sorcery and the events at the altar site Lynol knew had to be kept secret. She didn’t want to worry or frighten Gwen unnecessarily.
“Bring them in, child. I have some sweets we just received from a trader who came from Draydon yesterday. I think you will really like them,” replied Gwen, releasing Lynol and smiling warmly. “My, you sure are growing,” she went on noticing how Lynol was filling out in all the right places. “You’re looking more like a young woman every day!”
The boys would be taking notice of Lynol very quickly, though Gwen suspected, with an inner smile, that Kalvin Gor would have something to say about that. She knew Kalvin had a crush on Lynol and she was curious to see where that went. Those two would make a wonderful young couple someday.
-
Later, Lynol sat at a table in the small trading store enjoying the sweet taste of the candy that Gwen had promised. Gwen had generously credited her and Dresdia’s accounts for the jars of jelly Lynol had brought in. The candy was quite unlike anything she had tasted before. Kalvin would die for something like this she thought, with a playful smile spreading across her face. Perhaps she should use some of her credit to take some to her friends.
“You really should come into town more often, dear,” chided Gwen, enjoying Lynol’s company. There were so few children nowadays. Those there were seemed to grow up too quickly to take on adult responsibilities. “How are Dresdia, Kalvin, and you getting along?”
“Dresdia has a new colt named WhiteStorm and Kalvin is just, well, Kalvin!” replied Lynol, shifting uneasily in her chair, hoping Gwen wouldn’t notice her nervousness. Her relationship with Kalvin was entering new and uncharted waters, and she wasn’t sure how to interpret her own feelings.
Gwen nodded to herself, smiling. Lynol and the Gor kids were her favorites, partially because such good people had brought them up, and it reflected in their actions.
At the counter, Tohm Mystol and Damon were going over their account with Tohm adding a generous credit for the eggs, milk, and other items they had brought in. Tohm was immensely pleased with the large amount of smoked meat Damon had brought. Some he would sell and part would be given to a few of the needy families on the edge of the village who were always short of food.
Too few of the farms nowadays produced enough extra crops or meat to satisfy the heavy demand of the people who lived in the village. Even some of the farmers had a hard time just feeding their own families. Most produced just enough to trade for the supplies they desperately needed.
The Mystols felt fortunate to be such good friends of the Gors and Sylvars. They knew they could count on them to trade their excess vegetables, meat, and other farm items at the store on a regular basis. It allowed the Mystols to be charitable, even at the cost of considerable profit. Tohm knew a growing number of families seemed to be having a harder time each year just growing the food they needed. If not for the occasional handouts from the Mystols who knew what might happen to them.
“People around here are getting really nervous about that damn mountain, Damon,” Tohm said with a trace of concern in his normally calm voice. “A few people are even starting to talk about your dragon being real and the cause of the rumbling.”
“The dragon is real, Tohm,” Damon replied, wishing he could convince Tohm of that. For years, Tohm had sat in the village tavern with Damon and Aldin, listening to him tell the legends of Gilmreth and Malcon Sylvar, enjoying the stories but not believing. “I’ve always said the dragon sleeps under the mountain. It could be awakening, Tohm!”
“But after a thousand years!” Tohm exclaimed, slowly shaking his head in disbelief. “I think not. I would have to see it first to believe it; after all, a dragon! I admit that occasionally a strange animal is born from seemingly pure stock, but I just can’t believe in a dragon.”
“I just hope you never see it,” Damon replied somberly. “I no
ticed Addison out front when we arrived. Is he still harassing you about helping people?”
“Some; he doesn’t believe in charity if there is a profit to be made,” admitted Tohm, frowning slightly. “I believe he would let a family starve before extending them any credit at his store. You know, he made an offer for the Gor’s new colt. I just hope Aldin turns him down, that colt would be a fine animal for Dresdia. I wouldn’t like to see it end up in Addison’s hands, he doesn’t treat his animals very well.”
“I’ll talk to Aldin. If he is intent on selling it, maybe I’ll make him an offer,” Damon replied thoughtfully. He didn’t want to see the young colt in Addison’s hands either. “The colt is a pure blood, no trace of deformity at all. That type of stock needs to be protected and preserved!”
“You know that will only make Addison angrier with you,” Tohm added with a trace of concern in his voice. “He never misses an opportunity to put you and the Gors down, especially after he’s had a few drinks at the tavern. The man is just too greedy.”
“I’m not worried about Addison,” Damon replied with a frown, wishing Addison wasn’t so driven by greed. “I just wish he would be more concerned with the people in our community rather than with himself.”
“Addison is just Addison,” replied Tohm, shaking his head. “Every community has people like him.”
-
Later that afternoon, they returned home. Lynol was quite content with the small bag of candy she had purchased with part of her credit. She had also gotten several bolts of fabric to make some new clothes. Her father had insisted on a higher quality of material than what she normally purchased, and Lynol had allowed herself to be persuaded. Gwen had been very helpful picking out the fabric and suggesting patterns Lynol might want to use. She had also volunteered to help with the sewing if Lynol needed some assistance with the more complicated stitches. Gwen had taught Lynol how to sew and was a very good seamstress.
-
That night, after the sun went down quietly behind Firestorm Mountain, Lynol was back at her studies. She had truly enjoyed the time she had spent with Gwen; it had helped her to relax. It also made her realize just how much she missed not having a mother. Her hand strayed unconsciously to her amulet. Lynol knew she should see Gwen more often, but it was becoming expedient for her to press on with her sorcery studies.
Gilmreth the Awakening Page 18