Lynol had been surprised at the disclosure from Malcon that she would have to go to Firestorm Mountain. Under intense questioning, she learned why the trip had to be made. Before Malcon Sylvar died in his final confrontation with Gilmreth, he had learned of an unbelievable secret concealed deep within the mountain. A secret so breathtaking he hadn’t dared to reveal it to any of his surviving relatives, not even his brother or son. However, the simulacrum of Malcon in the dais knew part of the secret and had explained to Lynol that it would soon become necessary for her to explore beneath the mountain. The secrets it contained could very well tell them how to defeat the dragon and the evil sorceress in Draydon. It seemed Firestorm Mountain still held and protected many of its ancient secrets.
From what Lynol understood Malcon, on one of his distant journeys, had found the home of one of the ancient sorcerers who had helped to create the dragons. It was the home of the sorcerer Ramael, who had been banished. The small stone house had been crumbling with age, but beneath it an underground room had survived. In this room, Malcon had found the sleeping spell to put Gilmreth to sleep. But more importantly, he discovered that Firestorm Mountain was where the dragons had been created.
Deep within the mountain was a labyrinth of corridors, rooms, and mysteries from the Golden Age of the ancients. In the diary written by the long dead sorcerer it was revealed that many of the secrets of that time were preserved in stasis deep within, similarly to how the crypt beneath the Sylvar Stone had been preserved. Somewhere inside were the secrets as to how Gilmreth and the other dragons had been created.
If Lynol could get into the complex under the mountain and find that information, perhaps a weakness could be found that would allow them to defeat Gilmreth and perhaps even the other sorceress. Malcon’s simulacrum had been teaching Lynol much about the Golden Age. His library contained several rare books describing that magnificent time. They had also translated Ramael’s diary, though the sleeping spell and a number of other pages were missing from it. What was left was a detailed description of the complex of the ancients beneath Firestorm Mountain.
With relief, Lynol sensed Gilmreth returning to his lair. Lightly touching his mind, she recoiled in horror at what she found. The dragon’s thoughts were full of death and destruction! With a heavy heart, Lynol knew the dragon had destroyed yet another village on the western side of the mountain. For several long minutes, Lynol wondered how Jalene could send the dragon to do so much killing. She felt tears run down her cheeks and was more determined than ever to stop both the dragon and Jalene.
The old rooster crowing loudly at the rising sun interrupted Lynol’s thoughts. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Standing up, she went back inside to prepare breakfast but her appetite had gone away.
Chapter Eleven
Fall, winter, and spring passed fleetingly by. It was early summer and Lynol stood determinedly before her father. She knew what she was about to propose wouldn’t set well with him, but she had discussed it with Malcon’s simulacrum and the trip to Firestorm Mountain could no longer be delayed. Events in Draydon were unfolding too fast, and if they didn’t move quickly, they might never be able to make the trip. She stood before her father with a new confidence and maturity forced upon her by the chilling reality of the situation.
“Malcon says I must go to the mountain and explore the ancient complex that lies beneath. Inside it I might find the secret to defeating Gilmreth.” Lynol paused, seeing the worry that instantly appeared upon her father’s face. They had discussed this trip before with her father soundly against the idea “I know you think it’s too risky, but the longer we put this off the more dangerous it becomes!”
“Malcon has told me about the complex,” replied Damon, running his hand through his graying hair with a worried frown crossing his face. “He also told me that he didn’t know what type of shape the place is in or if it’s even safe to enter!”
“Gilmreth goes in and out whenever he feeds,” Lynol replied, her eyes focusing on her father. “Getting in shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Why take such a risk? It will put you in extremely close proximity to Gilmreth. What if the dragon senses you and comes out from his lair? You still have a lot more to learn from Malcon. I just want you to be stronger in your abilities before you try something like this. No, Lynol; I just don’t think the risk is worth it,” said Damon, shaking his head and looking into his daughter’s eyes. “You need to put this trip off; it’s just too dangerous!”
“But Father,” Lynol persisted, turning her light blue eyes to meet her father’s. “Malcon says that the deepest parts of the complex are protected from decay by some type of science of the ancients and that once I enter that section Gilmreth won’t be able to reach me even if he does become aware of my presence.”
“Gilmreth!” Damon muttered with a grimace looking intently at his daughter. “You will be so close to the dragon. He has killed thousands of people over the years. I don’t want you to be next!”
“I don’t like the idea any better than you do, but what other choice do we have?” asked Lynol, wanting her father to understand. She brushed her dark brown hair back from her eyes and then continued. “What if the secret to defeating the dragon is in the complex and we don’t go? We know that sorcery alone can’t defeat Gilmreth. Lys and Malcon both tried that. Look what happened to the two of them. I don’t want to meet the same fate. This may be our only chance, my only chance, and I have to take it!”
“I know what’s at stake,” Damon replied quietly with growing concern on his face. He wondered if he was being too overly protective. Lynol was only doing what she thought she had to do.
“Father, you must trust me in this,” Lynol pleaded. She knew her father was hesitant. He greatly feared the path that Lynol was on. But she was a Sylvar, the only Sylvar sorceress! What else could she do? “Without going to the mountain, we may never find a way to destroy Gilmreth!”
Damon stood up from the chair he’d been sitting in at the kitchen table. Walking over to the large window, he gazed out pensively at Firestorm Mountain. He knew Lynol had learned a lot of sorcery from Malcon. She was rapidly becoming a powerful sorceress, but there was danger in going to the mountain; he just wasn’t convinced it was worth it. “The only way I would let you go is if I go with you. I don’t believe you should be upon that infernal mountain alone, no matter how strong your sorcery has become.”
“No Father, you must remain here. I can get Kalvin to go to the mountain with me. I would be just as safe with Kalvin as I would be with you,” Lynol spoke in a determined voice. She had already decided to make the trip, even without her father’s permission. She hated the thought, but she felt she had no other choice. Events in Draydon were just too frightening. Very soon, something would have to be done about Gilmreth.
“Kalvin,” Damon said, his tone slightly reproving, knowing that Aldin wouldn’t like that idea either.
He turned away from the window, facing Lynol. He knew that Kalvin had very strong feelings for his daughter, and he suspected Lynol felt the same about Kalvin but had never voiced it. Now was not the time for romance; too much was at stake. The two needed to understand that.
“Yes, Father; Kalvin!” Lynol replied firmly, folding her arms determinedly across her chest. “You know Kalvin would never let anything happen to me. I have already talked to Malcon about this and he agrees that Kalvin would be an excellent choice.”
Damon knew from the determined look on Lynol’s face that there was nothing he could say to dissuade her. “When would you go, if I agree to allow Kalvin to go in my place?”
“We would leave tomorrow afternoon,” replied Lynol, knowing her father was about to give in. “I have already spoken to Kalvin and he’s supposed to meet me at the lower meadow. We will camp at the base of the mountain tomorrow night, and from there we should be able to reach the entrance to the mountain complex by late morning the next day.”
“You already have all of this planned out, do
n’t you?” Damon said uneasily, realizing just how much Lynol had grown up the last several years. “As much as I would like to say no, I don’t see how I can, particularly if Malcon says this has to be done. If you and Kalvin aren’t back when you’re supposed to be Aldin and I will come looking for you. I don’t know how Aldin will take the idea of the two of you going up on that mountain alone.”
“I've already talked to Aldin,” replied Lynol, lowering her eyes and recalling her conservation the day before with Kalvin’s father. It had taken a lot of convincing from both her and Kalvin before he finally agreed. “He didn’t like the idea either, but I assured him that Kalvin and I would be quite safe.”
“That must have taken a lot of convincing,” said Damon grudgingly, realizing that Lynol was one step ahead of him. He was still trying to think of a legitimate reason to stop her from going.
“It did,” admitted Lynol, letting out a long breath. “But once I explained how important it was, he relented.”
“Are you sure that I shouldn’t go with the two of you?” asked Damon, knowing he would be worried stiff the entire time until the two young people returned.
“No Father, only Kalvin and myself. The fewer people I have to worry about, the better,” Lynol persisted, not wanting to argue with her father anymore. “My sorcery is strong enough that I can protect both Kalvin and myself from any danger. Malcon and I have discussed all of this in great detail. Look Father, I don’t like the idea of going to the mountain very much either. If there was any other way, I wouldn’t do it. Nevertheless, our best chance of defeating Gilmreth and possibly this other sorceress may depend on what we find inside Firestorm Mountain. This is something that has to be done!”
Damon and Lynol spent several more hours discussing the trip to the mountain. In the end, he reluctantly agreed to allow Kalvin and Lynol to go. It was just something they had to talk out.
-
Later the next day, Lynol met Kalvin in the lower meadow. She carried a small pack and sleeping bag, while Kalvin carried a much larger pack. He also had his large hunting knife strapped to his belt.
“So it’s back to Firestorm Mountain,” Kalvin spoke softly, looking at the towering mountain miles away, a few puffy white clouds partially screening the high summit.
“Yes,” Lynol replied, trying to sound calm. “Just the two of us this time.”
This trip worried her, and she felt terribly uneasy. She would be so close to Gilmreth. It would take everything she had not to show Kalvin how nervous and frightened she was.
When Lynol first mentioned this trip Kalvin had tried everything he could think of to talk her out of it. He had no desire to go that close to the mountain again, especially now that Gilmreth was awake. Malcon’s simulacrum said it was necessary, that Lynol’s very survival might depend on this trip to the mountain. Who was he to doubt the most powerful sorcerer ever to live?
They hadn’t gone near the mountain since they had found the sacrificial altar. The only one that knew about that trip and what had transpired with the two deadly cats was Malcon’s simulacrum. They had never told their parents about that little trip of theirs or how it had almost turned into a disaster for the three of them.
This would also be the first time that he would have an opportunity to spend some time alone with Lynol in months; his sister always seemed to be hovering around when they were together. It was almost as if Dresdia was making sure they had no private time for themselves.
They walked towards the mountain talking about the weather, the gardens, Lynol’s sorcery training with Malcon, and finally just normal things that all young people would discuss. Lynol was interested in how Kalvin was making out with WhiteStorm and how soon they would all be able to ride him.
“Soon,” replied Kalvin, adjusting the straps on his pack slightly. “That horse is highly spirited and is going to make a fine animal. I've been working with him every day for a few hours. Maybe next time you can get away we can try you and Dresdia in the saddle.”
“That would be great!” Lynol exclaimed with some excitement entering into her voice.
She loved horses, but the ones on their farm were workhorses. They were used to work the fields or to pull their wagon. The horses could be ridden and occasionally were, but for the most part they were only used for fieldwork.
“I can’t wait to see you ride him,” replied Kalvin, smiling, pleased with Lynol’s enthusiasm.
-
Several hours later, Lynol looked up apprehensively toward Firestorm Mountain as they steadily drew nearer. Soon they would be at the foot of the mountain and would have to set up camp. Every so often she would use her sorcery to see if she could sense any wild animals, but she could find nothing.
It was early evening when they reached the foot of the mountain and the area they wanted to camp. They were several miles to one side of the cleft that led to the sacrificial altar. After searching for an hour, they chose a small outcropping of rock that provided some shelter yet shielded them from direct view of the mountain.
“This should do just fine,” said Kalvin, satisfied as he looked around at the location they had chosen.
It was a sandy area strewn with a few rocks and several large boulders. There was a small cliff with an overhang they could camp beneath for the night.
“This should give us some protection from the cold, and the overhang will keep us shielded from view in case Gilmreth ventures forth,” spoke Kalvin, hoping the dragon stayed asleep on this night.
He was also a little concerned about those cats showing up again. It was only a few miles from the cleft entrance to the sacrificial altar. They were probably camping in the cats’ hunting territory.
“This will be okay,” replied Lynol, sliding her small pack and sleeping bag off her shoulders and laying them against a small boulder. “Don’t worry about those cats, Kalvin. Now that I know what to look for, they won’t be able to sneak up on us. I’ve checked and they are nowhere close.”
“That’s good to know,” he replied, feeling slightly more at ease. He had his long knife, but he knew that Lynol would use her sorcery to protect them if needed. He just hoped that it wouldn’t become necessary.
Lynol stretched, trying to ease the stiffness in her shoulders and back from wearing the pack all afternoon. She loosened the straps on her pack and took out her canteen of water. Taking several small sips, she gazed speculatively around their prospective campsite.
Kalvin began clearing off an area of ground, tossing small rocks and stones out of the way so they would have a relatively level area to sleep free of obstructions. He wanted to get their camp set up as soon as possible before it got dark. Darkness would descend very quickly once the sun passed behind the mountains. The night chill wouldn’t be far behind.
They had an hour or so before the sun disappeared and then it would be too dark to do anything. Lynol knew they would need as much rest as possible for their ascent of the mountain in the morning. Stepping back away from the overhang, Lynol gazed up at Firestorm Mountain towering above her. Snow still covered its summit, and the dark cliffs and slopes looked foreboding.
She knew Gilmreth was asleep inside the mountain; she could sense him with her mind. She shivered slightly from her slight contact with the sleeping dragon. If Gilmreth emerged from his mountain lair, Lynol didn’t want to be in plain sight. The overhang they were camping under should prevent that. Lynol would keep a close check on the dragon tonight to make sure he stayed asleep. If Gilmreth did stir, she wanted to be aware of it so they could seek better shelter if necessary.
Stepping back under the slight overhang of rock, she thought it would be safe for them to build a small campfire to shield them from the chill mountain air. It was going to be bad enough sleeping out in the open this close to Gilmreth. A warm campfire would make both of them feel more secure.
“I think it would be safe for us to build a small campfire beneath the overhang,” Lynol pointed out as she looked at where she thought a safe spot fo
r the fire would be. “It’s going to start getting cold soon.”
“Sounds great!” replied Kalvin, taking a brief break to take a sip of water.
The fire would give them some light instead of sitting around in the darkness. He still remembered very well the incident with the two cats the last time they had come to the mountain. He had no desire to experience that again in the dark, even though Lynol had assured him the cats weren’t around.
Kalvin finished clearing a reasonable size area for their camp, piling up a number of small rocks and stones in a small circle for the campfire. There wasn’t a lot of large wood available, but some of the dried and dead shrubs and bushes that were around would do just fine.
“That should do for now,” he said, surveying what he had accomplished with a satisfied look on his face. “Let’s gather up some of these dried up bushes, and I saw a few small pieces of dried wood over on the other side of that large boulder that will work for a fire.”
Lynol looked back over her shoulder in the direction Kalvin was pointing. “I’ll get the wood. Once we get a fire going, I’ll fix us something to eat.”
Lynol moved off in the direction Kalvin had pointed and found what looked like the remains of a small tree that had withered and died. The branches were easy to break apart, and when she was finished, she had a surprisingly large pile of wood. This will do just fine, she thought.
Getting back to Kalvin, it didn’t take long for the two of them to have a small fire burning. Lynol was very pleased with the reassuring warmth it was putting out. It was already getting dark and the fire helped light up the inside of the overhang. She sat on a small flat rock holding out her hands toward the warming fire. Kalvin was also sitting on another small rock poking the fire with a stick, watching a few yellowish red embers float lazily up into the night sky.
“This should keep us warm,” he said, content with the fire.
Gilmreth the Awakening Page 28