Gilmreth the Awakening

by Raymond L. Weil

  Kalvin took Lynol in his arms, placing her head protectively against his chest. So, he thought, sorcery is back in the world to stay and he fully expected their children to take after their talented mother in that regard. The descendants of Lynol Sylvar and Kalvin Gor would someday be waiting expectantly when the sleepers in the crypt awoke to bring about the new Golden Age.

  Lynol and Kalvin held each other until morning. They emerged from the entrance at the end of the tunnel into the brilliant early morning sunlight. Holding hands, they watched the rising sun. Never had a sunrise seemed so bright, nor colors so intense, or a future so promising!

  The End

  -

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  Turn the page for an introduction to Firestorm Mountain, the conclusion to the Dragon Dreams series.

  Firestorm Mountain

  A Dragon Dreams Novel

  Chapter One

  It had been two weeks since the big fight with the Sorensons. Ashley was sitting at the kitchen table with Todd and her father. They had been talking about what had happened and what the future held. Todd was excited as the threat from his father and brother had been removed and they could now lead a normal life. They could hear Katrina and Carolyn laughing in the other room.

  “That’s the first time I’ve heard my mother laugh in quite some time,” Todd spoke with a pleased smile on his face. “I think she’s going to enjoy living in Plainview.”

  “I’m glad she’s happy,” spoke Ashley, reaching over and taking Todd’s hand.

  It was at that moment Stephen burst into the kitchen, throwing open the kitchen door. “Ashley, the dragons are here!”

  “What do you mean?” stammered Ashley, letting go of Todd’s hand and standing up. Snowden had never come to the farm before. She brushed back her shoulder length blonde hair, looking at her brother.

  “They both just landed in the yard,” said Stephen, turning around and pointing outside. “Braxam’s huge!”

  Ashley walked over to the door closely followed by her father and Todd. Looking outside, she saw Snowden and Braxam.

  “Hello Ashley,” Snowden spoke into her mind. “We need to leave.”

  “What?” Ashley said out loud. “What do you mean leave? Where are you and Braxam going?”

  “Not just Braxam and I,” Snowden responded. “You are coming too.”

  “Where are we going?” asked Ashley. She didn’t understand what was going on.

  “Cathy’s awake and she needs our help.”

  Ashley froze as she recalled her dream about fighting Gilmreth alongside Cathy Matheson and another sorceress she hadn’t recognized.

  “What’s going on?” asked Harmon, looking out at the dragons.

  Ashley turned to her father and explained what Snowden had just said. Her mother and Carolyn had come into the kitchen and were listening.

  “It’s the other prophecy, isn’t it?” Katrina stated with fright in her eyes. She had hoped all the fighting was over.

  Harmon paused and then walked down the hallway to his study. He returned carrying the ancient book with the prophecies in it. He set the book down on the kitchen table and opened it to a page he had hoped he would never have to read to his daughter.

  The dragons and the blue eyed sorceress will bring peace to the valley.

  Beneath the great mountain, forces of Armageddon arise.

  Dragon versus dragon and sorcerer versus sorcerer.

  Only the white dragon can preserve the future.

  The sleepers will awaken to a new world.

  Gilmreth will arise to destroy all.

  The white dragon and the blue-eyed sorceress will battle to save humanity.

  “That’s all it says,” said Harmon, shutting the book. “It was the final prophecy written by our ancestor.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Katrina, looking worriedly at Ashley. “Surely this prophecy doesn’t apply to her. She doesn’t have to go. Not after everything we’ve been through.” Katrina had a pained look on her face.

  Harmon took a deep breath. “From what I have read and from trying to understand the prophecy, there is a great danger arising from within Firestorm Mountain. Somehow some of the ancient sorcerers must have found a way to survive.”

  “And our Ashley is involved in some way,” Todd spoke softly. He shook his head. How could this be? Just when he thought everything was over!

  Ashley took a deep breath and stood up. “Let’s go speak to Snowden. Maybe then we’ll know more about what’s going on.”

  “You’re not leaving,” Katrina said in a firm voice. “You’re not flying away on that dragon.”

  Harmon took his wife’s hand. “Let’s hear what Snowden has to say. If this is part of the prophecy there is nothing we can do to prevent it.”

  -

  Stepping outside, Ashley saw both Snowden and Braxam. The two dragons looked fearful. Snowden was a solid white and Braxam a dark brown. Braxam was nearly twice the size of Snowden but had bowed to Snowden’s leadership. Both dragons had been extremely excited to find each other as they had both believed they were the last of their kind other than Gilmreth.

  “I don’t understand what you’re telling me,” said Ashley, looking into Snowden’s large eyes. “What do you mean Cathy’s awake?”

  Snowden slowly shook his head as if he was trying to figure out how to explain. “Cathy has been asleep. She just woke up and she’s in danger. We must go and help her.”

  “What is she in danger from?”

  Snowden looked over at Braxam and then answered. “Gilmreth and some evil sorcerers. We must stop them.”

  Ashley felt a cold chill pass over her. Gilmreth was evil and the most powerful dragon ever created. He had hunted down and killed most of the other dragons. “How long will it take for us to get to where Cathy is?”

  “She’s inside Firestorm Mountain. It is far away and will take us many days to reach.”

  “Are there other people there?”

  “I don’t know,” replied Snowden. “There once were but that was a very long time ago.”

  Ashley was unsure what to do. Snowden had showed her numerous visions of Cathy Matheson while he was training her. However, those visions were of a time several thousand years ago. How could Cathy still be alive?

  “What’s he saying?” asked Harmon.

  Ashley switched her gaze from Snowden to her father. She spent a few moments explaining what Snowden had told her.

  Harmon took a deep breath and gazed at his daughter. “I can’t go against the prophecy. Too much may be riding on it. However, I don’t feel comfortable with you going by yourself.”

  “I’ll go with her,” volunteered Todd, looking over at Braxam. “If Braxam will allow me to ride him.”

  “I will,” spoke Braxam in Ashley’s mind. “I will enjoy having a rider.”

  “He will,” said Ashley, looking over at Todd.

  Katrina looked with narrowed eyes at her husband. “You’re actually going to let the two of them fly off on the dragons? We may never see them again!”

  Harmon took Katrina’s hand. “Ashley and Todd can protect themselves with their sorcery plus the dragons will not allow any harm to come to them.” Harmon took a deep breath and then continued. “Our family has protected Snowden for generations. We always knew he had a destiny. We cannot avoid that. The prophecy clearly says Snowden and Ashley must go to Firestorm Mountain.”

>   “We’ll be okay,” said Ashley, stepping closer to her mother. “As soon as we’re finished with what we’re supposed to do we’ll return home.”

  “I’ll keep her safe,” promised Todd.

  Katrina gazed into the blue eyes of her daughter. She knew Ashley was a very powerful sorceress. “I still don’t like this.”

  Ashley smiled. “You wouldn’t be my mother if you did.”

  Harmon looked up at Snowden. “When will you leave?” Harmon looked over at Ashley for a response since he couldn’t hear the dragons.

  “Day after tomorrow,” replied Ashley. “Both Snowden and Braxam will need to feed first before they’re ready to fly over the desert.”

  “Will there be people where you’re going?” asked Katrina.

  Ashley hesitated. “I’m not sure. I think so.”

  “Todd, you be careful,” cautioned Carolyn. “You’ve never flown on a dragon before.”

  “It’s safe,” promised Ashley, grinning. “I do it all the time.”

  “I’ll make Todd a harness, like the one Ashley uses,” said Harmon.

  Katrina looked at Ashley, a look of deep concern on her face. “How long will you be gone?”

  Ashley slowly shook her head. “I have no idea. A couple of weeks at least, maybe longer.”

  Carolyn let out a deep sigh. “I guess we’d better start packing some supplies.”

  “How much can the dragons carry?” asked Harmon.

  Ashley turned toward Snowden and Braxam. “How heavy a load can the two of you carry?”

  “Each of us can easily carry double your weight,” replied Snowden. “If we get tired we can always land and rest.”

  “I can carry more,” said Braxam.

  “You are bigger,” answered Snowden, looking over at the larger dragon.

  Ashley laughed. Sometimes the dragons sounded almost childish. She turned toward her mother. “Pack us enough supplies for several weeks. The two dragons can easily carry everything we need.”

  Harmon turned to go back into the house. “I want to examine that old book of prophecies and see if there is anything else in it I might have missed.”

  Ashley watched her father go inside followed by her mother and Caroline leaving her and Todd with the two dragons. Ashley stepped forward and put her hand on Snowden’s neck. “I guess we’re going to Firestorm Mountain.”

  “Cathy will be there,” replied Snowden with a hint of excitement in the thought. “You will like her.”

  “So will Gilmreth,” sent Braxam, showing some anxiety. “He has killed many dragons.”

  “We are together,” replied Snowden. “I have fought Gilmreth in the past. I have no fear of him. Together we will bring about his end.”

  “Go now and feed,” said Ashley, looking affectionately at the two dragons. “We have a long journey ahead of us.”

  Both dragons took to the air and were soon out of sight.

  “They’ve gone to feed,” she explained, turning toward Todd.

  Todd stepped forward and took Ashley’s hand. “I can’t believe we’re going to do this.”

  Ashley squeezed Todd’s hand. She couldn’t either. She really hadn’t had time to think over what just happened. Was she really going to Firestorm Mountain and would Cathy Matheson and Gilmreth actually be there? With a deep sigh, she led Todd up the porch steps and into the house. They had a lot to talk about before setting out on this new adventure.

  -

  One week earlier.

  Deep beneath Firestorm Mountain in the complex of the ancients, a timer in a secluded chamber reached zero. When it did geothermal energy powered up the various systems in the small, hidden facility. Lights came on, machines began to hum, and three stasis chambers began the process of awakening their occupants.

  For an hour the chambers ran through the awakening process and then the lids to the chambers slid open. The first to sit up was a young woman with brown hair who looked to be in her early twenties. She climbed out of the stasis chamber and looked around with some confusion in her eyes. She opened up a locker and put a robe on that was hanging there.

  Two men a little older than she was climbed out of their chambers and they all stood looking at one another. The woman handed each of them a robe to cover their nudity.

  “Where the hell are we?” muttered one of the men as he staggered over and sat down in a chair in front of a control panel.

  The woman shook her head, looking around the room they were in. “Stasis,” she said, recalling a memory. “We went into stasis after Adam’s revolt failed.”

  “I remember,” said the other man as he too sat down. “We went into stasis so we wouldn’t be banished from the complex as the rest of our group was.”

  “Many of us died,” pointed out the woman. “I wonder if Adam is up yet?”

  “You’re the technician,” said Karl Lyndon. “See if he’s out of his stasis chamber.” Karl was the more muscular of the two men.

  Gail nodded and sat down in front of another panel. She began pressing buttons and then turned on a computer screen. Data began to flow across it and after several minutes she turned toward the two men. “Adam’s gone. From these readings he’s been awake for nearly thirty years.”

  “Then why the hell didn’t he wake us up?” complained Karl, his face livid with anger. “We were all supposed to be woken at the same time.”

  Gail pressed some icons on her computer screen. “It appears there was a malfunction in Adam’s stasis unit and he was revived early. I have no idea why he didn’t wake us.”

  “Are there any messages?” asked Joshua Grimes. Joshua had been Adam’s primary lieutenant.

  Gail shook her head. “No, nothing.” Gail stood up and went to a cabinet. She turned off the stasis device shielding the cabinet and then opened it. She took out three containers and handed one to each of the men and kept one for herself. “These are nutrients which should restore our strength after being in stasis for such a long time.”

  Gail opened hers, which instantly heated to serving temperature. It was a thick meaty stew loaded with nutrients and calories.

  “What now?” asked Karl as he hungrily ate his food. “Adam was supposed to be here.”

  Joshua finished his stew and standing up walked over to Gail. “Do we have any active satellites?”

  Running her hands over her keyboard Gail checked for any surviving satellites she could contact with the limited power of the small facility they were in. “Two and both are just barely functioning. I’m surprised they lasted this long. It’s been over three thousand years.”

  On the large screen above Gail’s console a view of the Earth appeared. Most of the planet they could see looked arid and very dry. Only a few areas around the mountains showed any green as well as one large area near the west coast.

  Joshua pointed to the area around their mountain. “Zoom in on these green areas and see if there are any people.”

  The view zoomed in and with surprise, the three saw a number of small villages and one very large town on the far side of the mountain.

  “People,” said Karl with a grin on his face. “At least we won’t be alone.”

  “They’re pretty primitive,” commented Joshua as he examined what he could from the satellite view. “I don’t see any signs of electricity or moving vehicles. There’s definitely nothing in the air.”

  Karl stood up and stepped over to gaze at the screen. “Perhaps that’s for the best. We can mold them as we see fit. If we’re the only two people with powers then no one will dare to challenge us.”

  Joshua looked over at Gail. “What about the rest of the complex? What type of shape is it in?”

  Gail spent some time checking various systems and accessing some of the still functioning cameras in the complex. “There’s a deep section of the complex I can’t access. It is also protected by a very powerful stasis field. There are other sections that are protected as well.”

  “What about the dragon pens?” Karl had always bee
n interested in the dragons. If controlled, they could definitely have their uses.

  A camera came on and the interior of the dragon cave could be seen. Much of it lay in ruins. Walls had crumbled and even the rooms high up in the cave walls seemed to have caved in. As the camera panned over the ruins it came to a stop at one enclosure. Inside it, a massive dragon lay sleeping.

  “Gilmreth!” uttered Joshua, his eyes widening. “How did that monster get back inside?” The dragons had escaped from the complex smashing the protective doors which shielded it from radiation.

  “I don’t care how,” muttered Karl, his eyes lighting up with plans. “If we can awaken Gilmreth and control him no one in this age will dare challenge us.”

  “I don’t know,” said Joshua, shaking his head. “That dragon was hard to control. Even Adam admitted Gilmreth was dangerous. Jason was even considering having him destroyed.”

  “Well, he didn’t and Gilmreth is here. We can put an obedience collar around his neck. That should ensure control.”

  Joshua wasn’t sure if that was a good idea. An obedience collar used high voltage shocks to control a dragon. They had only been used in extreme cases. “The sections with the stasis fields; can we access them?”

  “Maybe,” replied Gail. “However, if I’m reading this data right there may be a number of functioning stasis chambers in the deeper section.”

  Karl frowned. “Those won’t be ours. That section was completely controlled by Jason’s people.”

  “We need to get out of here,” said Joshua, worriedly. “What if they detect we’ve woke up? We have no idea how many of Jason’s people are in there. Jason himself could be.”