by Liara Woo
At last the sensation faded; Katie felt her pulse slow down to its normal rate as she gasped for breath. Bitter cold replaced the emptiness, and Katie felt her feet sink deep into something soft, wet, and ice-cold. Her face was seared by a fierce wind despite being pressed against Halthren's solid chest. Shivering, she opened her eyes. Snow was falling heavily; she saw a vast expanse of white heading on in all directions. In the distance there was a large, dark figure that Katie guessed was Loriina.
"This w-way," Halthren called over the rushing wind, wrapping one arm around her shoulders as he led her through the blizzard towards Loriina. "For s-some reason I am al-always a little off o-of my int-t-tended destination."
Katie said nothing; trembling, she held onto Halthren. The snow numbed her feet so that she could hardly walk.
Loriina was sitting like a gigantic cat, her tail wrapped around her paws and her head held high. It was evident from the puddles of slush around her that the cold didn't bother her one iota. "I don't suppose you brought anything that I can burn," she said to Halthren. "Because we could have a nice warm fire if we wanted to. Then all of you poor non-dragons wouldn't have to freeze to death."
At the mere mention of a fire, Katie felt a great sense of longing. How is it that just a few seconds ago I was standing on the nice, toasty beach in Dralantia?
Halthren shook his head. "We w-will have to k-keep m-moving once I bring R-R-Relenthus. We c-cannot af-f-ford to waste any t-time here. I will return in a m-moment." With a flash of light he vanished, and Katie climbed up Loriina's shoulders to sit on her back. She clung as tightly as she could to the warm, toasty scales. For the next few moments all she could think of was how grateful she was that Loriina was a dragon and had such warm scales. Then she heard Relenthus's voice.
"Well, you've brought us to a land full of snow, but I see no unicorns."
Katie looked down. Halthren, his cloak drawn tightly around his shoulders and his feet literally blue, was shivering violently and looking uncertain. "Th-they are h-h-here," he said. "W-we j-j-just have to f-find th-them."
"W-we don't have the right supplies f-for that," Relenthus snapped, trying hard to conceal his own trembling. It was clear from his irritable behavior that the journey through the void had deeply disturbed him. "We have n-no food, and no water, th-thanks to you. No warm clothing, either."
"I can't help that a roc took me," Halthren responded, anger warming his soul. "Am I to be blamed for something that I had no power to change?" Instantly he grimaced, regretting his outburst. Come on. If you want to have friends, treat them the way you want to be treated. Isn't that what Nelaara said? Shape up. He took a deep, shuddering breath and tried again. "Please; let's try this place. For one day only. If we can't find the unicorns in that time, I'll take you all back."
"We ought to get going, then," Relenthus stated decisively. "Loriina, will you carry us?"
"Of course," she answered. The two elves climbed up behind Katie, and Loriina took flight with Joran in her paws. The storm thickened, and the temperature dropped swiftly. Katie tried watching for unicorns, but before long the icy wind made her head hurt, and the sharp ice-shards being blown into her numb face forced her to lower her head. She closed her eyes; despite her magic she felt like a Thanksgiving turkey that had been in deep-freeze for so long that it had become as hard as a rock.
"I can't fly anymore," Loriina called after several minutes. "There's ice on my wings…flying against the wind keeps them cold and negates the heat of my scales. We'll have to go on by foot."
Katie frowned grumpily. Now it would take hours to find the unicorns—if indeed they were really here. At least the color of Halthren's bare feet was no longer purple, thanks to Loriina's warm skin.
Loriina landed, pushing her way through the snow. The wind was just as fierce, and the snowflakes fell even thicker.
"I can see nothing," Relenthus yelled over the wind. "Even if there were unicorns here, we'd never be able to see them through this storm. We are lost. We must get out of here, Halthren!"
Halthren squinted into the storm, shaking like a leaf. There were snowflakes on his eyelashes. "I…I don't understand," he said in a trembling voice. "They have to be here somewhere…"
"You are surrounded!" a deep voice called out, resonating with pride. Katie straightened. "And do not try to escape. There are arrows directed at your hearts."
She stared towards the source of the voice. Suddenly the wind dropped, and the torrent of snowflakes slowed down. She saw a tall young man with long, snow-white hair and a short white beard on his chin. He wore a crown on his head that looked very much like icicles pointing upwards, and he was clad in a long, thick white robe and a white cloak. The man's eyes were black, as dark and heartless as obsidian. In one hand was a huge sword with white blades on both ends of the hilt.
The storm weakened even more; soon Katie could see that there were hundreds of men behind the first one, all with long white hair and small beards, all with black eyes, all with huge white weapons. All were similarly clad, but instead of crowns, they had chains around there necks. Some were old, and some were young. One was so young that he didn't have a beard.
"Unicorns!" Halthren gasped, awed. "In human form."
"You were right," Relenthus whispered.
"Get off of the dragon, elves. Get off and allow your hands to be tied," the crowned unicorn called. "And the dragon's wings and mouth must be bound if she is to live. Or she may transform into a human. If she refuses, you elves will be killed by my archers."
"Fine," Loriina growled in a hostile voice. "When my friends dismount, I will transform."
"Dismount, elves," the crowned man—probably the king—commanded again. "If you struggle, you die."
"Wouldn't you kill us anyway?" Halthren asked boldly, sliding into the snow below him. It was many feet deep, rising to his thighs. He gasped in pain. The snow seemed so cold that it burned him as it came into contact with the bare flesh of his calves, knees, and feet.
"No, actually. I have other plans for you," the king said in a patronizing voice as Relenthus dismounted to stand beside his kinsman. Katie stayed seated on Loriina's back, unsure whether or not she should dismount. By no means was she eager to jump into the snow.
"Gorion, tie them," the king ordered one of his men. "Make the ropes as tight as you like. I am not opposed to having to amputate one of these savages."
Katie saw both Halthren's and Relenthus's faces turn red with anger. She knew that it was testing the limits of their patience to simply stand still as unicorns tied their wrists and ankles and gagged them. The only reason they complied was because they needed to get on the unicorns' good side, and fighting them was definitely not going to accomplish that.
The man named Gorion attached the ropes binding the elves to one of the links in his chain necklace, and then he transformed into a horse-like form in which he had a long, lion-like tail and a narwhal's horn on his forehead. His silver hooves were cloven.
"Elf-girl, get down here," the king ordered.
"I'm not an elf," Katie said, her voice quavering from fear.
"Dragon-girl, then. Come down."
Katie frowned. "I'm not a dragon, either. I'm…umm…"
She hesitated. I'm about to call myself the very thing I hate to be called, she realized. She continued with as much confidence as she could muster. "I am an Earthling. My name is Katie."
The unicorn leader looked at her with new respect. Katie liked the look on his face. He was pretty handsome…the chiseled cheekbones, the strong chin…
Then the king's expression lost its awe. "Prove it."
Katie swallowed nervously. She could feel the eyes of all the unicorns on her, along with the gazes of her companions. "W-well, on Earth, there are seven continents…"
"Name them," the unicorn demanded.
Katie blinked. "But…when you were on Earth, they probably weren't known by the names I know them as…"
"We've been keeping loose tabs on Earth for millen
nia. We know everything about it," the king said. "Name the continents."
Hope rose in Katie's chest. If they had a way to spy on Earth, then surely they could send her home! "Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Antarctica, and North and South America," she answered.
"Do you know why there are no unicorns on Earth today?" the king asked, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of his lips.
Katie smiled. She liked that look on him. "Because when Noah gathered all of the animals onto his arc, the unicorns were too prideful to listen. They perished in the great flood."
"And now that you are in Allagandria, what do you think happened to us?"
"You threw magic into the storm that caused the Great Flood," Katie guessed. "It took you into the Ocean of Storms."
"Correct," the unicorn smiled. His teeth were whiter than the snow. "Come; ride with us to our white halls beneath the snow. For it is true that unicorns love the touch of a virtuous maiden. Will you ride me?"
He transformed into a beautiful white stallion.
Katie blinked in astonishment. Ride a unicorn? He certainly didn't have to ask twice! "Of course!" she answered, sliding into the snow. Instantly a unicorn scooped her up, out of the cold, and placed her on the unicorn king's back. Katie turned back and saw Joran fall off of Loriina's back, and Halthren tried to go to his friend's side, but a unicorn in horse form kicked him in the fork of his legs, sending him to the snow-covered ground with a brief cry of pain uttered through the cloth over his mouth. "Hey!" Katie protested, as Halthren knelt in the snow with his head bowed from the hurt. The unicorn kicked him in the groin again.
"Don't do that!" she exclaimed. But the unicorn only laughed.
Halthren was hauled to his feet, while another unicorn tied Joran to the back of a second unicorn. Loriina turned into a human, and the unicorn king turned his head to look at her. "Gorion, bind her and have her ride you. I don't care what you do with the other two as long as they make it back somewhat alive. Katie, allow me to introduce myself. I am Rune, king of the unicorns."
Katie grinned, her attention entirely focused on him again. I was right. He's the king. Gently she stroked the horse's silky white coat, softer than anything she'd ever felt before. Rune. Why is that name familiar?
Behind her, Halthren was struggling against his bonds, a panicked look on his face. He recognized the king's name, which brought terror to his heart. Relenthus gave him a curious glance, as if to say, What's gotten into you?
"Let's get back before midday," Rune whinnied, and in a flash all of the men became white horses with horns and lion tails, and they galloped across the white expanse so fast that their cloven hooves barely seemed to touch the ground. Katie, from her position on Rune's back, looked back and saw Halthren and Relenthus being dragged behind Gorion through the snow, desperately trying to run fast enough to keep up, and an ache of pity filled her heart. There was a dark feeling in her heart—a feeling of foreboding. Of danger. But something was clouding her mind, making her feel tired, dazed, and confused. She shook her head, trying to clear it, and held tight to Rune's long, white mane, enjoying the thrill of riding an actual unicorn.
For several minutes the unicorns charged through the snow. At last they arrived at a massive structure made either of crystal or ice, and it looked a lot like Rune's crown: icicles pointing upwards. As they approached, two massive doors creaked open, revealing a cavernous passageway. "Down here lies my kingdom," Rune declared proudly. He led his men onwards, into the passageway. The clatter of hooves echoed, rattling around in Katie's mind. But as she focused more on the beauty around her, the pounding vanished.
The pathway sloped ever downwards, occasionally lit by enchanted glowing stones that were pink, blue, or purple. The stones cast shimmering light on the unicorns, and the crystalline walls took in the light and refracted it. At times the two elves were the only source of light, and their beautiful goodness had such an amazing effect on the walls, illuminating glorious fractals all around them, that Katie's mouth hung open for several moments out of wonder. Their pure, white Light seemed to gleam on the inside and the outside of the walls, penetrating deep into the crystal. It was both reflected and taken in by those walls. And even after they had passed, the Light remained within the crystal, slowly fading as the elves were dragged farther away.
Eventually the tunnel opened into a large cavern with five tunnels leading away from it. Two on the left, two on the right, and one directly ahead of them. This cavern was lit by torches, so Katie concluded that the vast palace was indeed made of crystal instead of ice. Or if it was ice, then it was enchanted to stay solid and not melt.
"Please dismount," Rune said cordially. Katie slid to the ground, and the king transformed back into a human. "Come with me. Gorion, you know what to do with the others."
"Yes, sir," Gorion said, dragging the two shivering, bruised elves through the first tunnel to the left. Loriina cast one final, panicked glance at Katie before turning away, her head bowed. Katie watched them while worry filled her heart, and then Rune laid a hand on her shoulder. Her worries vanished, replaced with the now-familiar confusion in her mind.
"Come with me. I will show you to your room," he said kindly, holding his hand out to her. With a hesitant smile, Katie took it, feeling rather shy, and Halthren, who was struggling against being taken away, watched her leave with a wounded expression on his face. Katie didn't even look back at him as the unicorn king took her through the first tunnel to the right. He led her through the crystalline halls into a room sealed by a door decorated with beautiful carvings of unicorns and snowflakes on it. The room behind the door was also a welcome sight—and it wasn't just the crystalline walls and warm torchlight. It was the bed—the real bed. Katie hadn't slept in an actual bed since leaving Velana. That had been…a week ago? She wasn't even certain anymore.
"Thank you," she murmured, stunned by Rune's kindness.
"I had it made specifically for an Earthling, just in case one should ever visit," Rune informed her. "You can stay here forever if you wish. Leave your friends; they are doomed. Darkness will surely conquer their infinitesimal forces. But we will remain here, safe forever, in these halls of beauty and peace."
"That sounds amazing," Katie said, trying to think straight. For a moment she was tempted—but then she remembered Joran, trapped in the Dream Kingdom. "I'd love to, but we came looking for you because our friend, the one who's unconscious, is trapped in the Dream Kingdom. We were hoping that you could free him."
"I see," Rune said with a frown. "Yes, we can help you, but I require something in exchange. My older sister is not far from death. Only the Light of an elf, freely given, can save her. Of course…it is rare that an elf is willing to give up even a small amount of Light. Is there not one among your companions who would give up his Light for your unconscious friend?"
As he spoke, he slowly inched forward, looking deep into Katie's eyes. He took both of her hands in his own…
…and placed his mouth to hers, gently moving his lips against hers and releasing a cold breath into her mouth, completing his spell of confusion.
Katie's heart pounded and her eyes widened. She gasped and took a step backwards.
"I will not hurt you," Rune assured her, blinking slowly…mesmerizingly. "Is there anyone selfless enough to give up Light?"
Katie blinked. One of the elves…Halthren, right? Was that his name? He'd told her that he'd give up his Light for Joran, hadn't he? "Yes. Halthren, the one with silvery eyes. He told me he'd do anything for Joran."
Rune smiled attractively. "Very well. I will have Gorion bring him to my daughter's room. You, of course, are required to come as well."
"Alright," Katie said uncertainly. The sense of foreboding in her heart grew stronger—but she still couldn't quite place its cause. Rune's magic was too powerful. And that kiss… pleasant shivers trickled through her body.
A Corrupted Ruler
A Corrupted Ruler
Halthren lay on his side in the ice-co
ld cell he shared with Relenthus and Loriina. His groin still throbbed painfully from when that unicorn had kicked him. Relenthus had been kicked as well, but not in that particular place.
"Those unicorns," Relenthus griped, his breath steaming in the cold air. "I think I have a few broken ribs."
"You're lucky," Halthren told him. "The unicorn that kicked you was in human form. The one that kicked me was a horse. A horse with two sharp points on the end of his hoof."
Relenthus grimaced sympathetically. Both of them had been beaten by the unicorns; now their entire bodies were bruised and sore.
Loriina sniffled. Halthren sat up, wincing, and looked over at the dragon girl. She seemed to be trying very hard not to cry.