Indeed, Thorn’s hide was covered with wounds from the battle—scratches, bruises, and a particularly nasty gash across his neck. As Thomas gently moved to examine the gash, Thorn trembled and whimpered.
“I’m sorry, Thorn!... Wait, maybe there’s something in your saddlebag.”
Thomas moved to the bag and unbuckled its leather strap. He rummaged through the big saddlebag that only a few days back had been his airborne home.
“A-ha!” he exclaimed, finding a container of ointment. He scooped a dollop out, then gingerly approached the wounded dragon, showing him the blob all the way. Thorn sniffed the ointment and showed his disapproval with a low growl.
“Come on, boy,” Thomas exhorted. “This is going to hurt me a lot more than it’s going to hurt you.” Holding an uninjured spot of Thorn’s neck with one hand, Thomas started to use his other hand to apply the dollop to the wound.
But Thorn would have none of it. He pulled his head back in protest, so Thomas could no longer reach the gash. This is going to be harder than I expected.
Considering the stubborn dragon, Thomas had an idea. He walked two steps toward the cave opening, then yelled in surprise: “Shadow warrior!”
He pointed fiercely, and as he did, Thorn’s head swung toward the opening—muscles taut, ready for action. But the dragon saw nothing, but the piles of brush still camouflaging the mouth of the cave… then howled in pain at the searing sting he felt as Thomas smeared the healing ointment along his wounded neck.
“There,” Thomas said proudly. “All done.” Thomas swaggered a bit as he wiped his hands on a rag. He then placed the ointment back in the saddlebag.
Thorn glared and growled at his small doctor, but Thomas wasn’t intimidated. He returned the glare and shook his head at his colossal patient. “Big baby.”
Chapter 66
Daniel Colson sat among the stacks of parchments and vellum books, scratching notes on the paper before him with his fountain pen. At least they had ink here. Suddenly his hand froze, and his eyes blinked. He shouted, “What am I doing here?!”
His question echoed off the chamber’s stone walls. Before the echo died, Daniel leaped to his feet and swept the notes off the table. Striding across the floor toward his high window, Daniel strained against his chain and gazed at his small slice of the heavens… the sky here was filled with different stars than Earth’s —constellations for which he had no name. Where in the world was he? No. Correction. Where in the galaxy—maybe the universe?
His lust for knowledge had consumed him and led him to this place. Now aware, could he make it back? He had to! He had to make it home. But how?
Chapter 67
In Thomas’s cave, a small fire crackled. Thomas threw another stick on the fire. Sparks flickered up to join the smoke that rose and spread across the rock roof.
Thomas crawled back beside his large reptilian companion, who still rested in the rear of the cave. Thomas examined Thorn’s neck. Where the gash once oozed, a cloth bandage and ointment now covered it.
Satisfied, Thomas reclined against Thorn’s side. The dragon circled his tail protectively around the boy, and the beast’s rhythmic breathing lulled Thomas toward sleep.
As his eyes began to close, he peered through an opening in the brush that hid the cave’s opening. He remembered how his dad had taught him all of Earth’s constellations, but this dark sky was filled with stars and constellations for which he had no name.
“Dad,” Thomas whispered, “Where are you? Let’s go home.” Then he drifted off into dreams of riding a giant dragon, both of them methodically searching for a lost loved one.
Chapter 68
Daniel tore his gaze from the alien constellations and turned back into the chamber. As he stepped back to his work table, a fortress sentry’s herald rang through the courtyard.
“Riders approach!”
Daniel hesitated, then peered up through the open window. He could see through the small opening shadow warriors were approaching in a dark cloud of beast and beating wings.
He watched in awe as he saw two riding side-by-side, with a large bundle slung between their dragons. What could they be transporting?
Then the bundle moved, and what Daniel imagined almost knocked him over. He continued staring at the dragon-suspended bundle as they flew past the window and out of sight.
Daniel stepped back. Leaning against the table, he pulled off his glasses and ran his fingers through his hair. What was that? What had they caught? Could it be an animal? No, he knew enough now to wonder not what but who they had captured, and what would this poor soul’s fate be?
Chapter 69
“No... no...!” Thomas whispered in anguish as he scanned the valley floor below him. The sun, low in the sky, had trouble penetrating the smoke that hung in the air, from fires that still smoldered. Bodies lay in twisted heaps, like broken rag dolls. Nothing moved. A deathly stillness lay over the valley.
“Deacon! Ellie! Loren!” Thomas shouted as he brought Thorn in low for a landing. Seeing what he thought had once been Loren’s dwelling, Thomas jumped to the ground before Thorn had even touched down. The boy ran to the ruins, calling out as he searched desperately: “Ellie? Loren? Deacon?”
He pushed through the debris and rushed through the destruction, pulling aside this and that broken or burned piece of furniture or wall.
“Loren? Please, somebody... somebody be left.”
Nothing.
Finally, exhausted from the search, and scuffed and skinned from digging through piles of wreckage, Thomas hung his arms limply and made his way out of the decimated building.
It had been Loren’s house, he was sure. He looked forlornly back one last time, then walked his return path to Thorn.
Thorn, sensing and understanding Thomas’s despair, sat back on his haunches, raised his massive head to the sky, and let out a mournful howl.
Thomas wiped a tear off his cheek with the back of his shirtsleeve. And that’s when he heard it—almost imperceptible between Thorn’s grieving howl: a low groan. He froze, listening. Thorn began his lament again.
“Shut up!”
The big dragon clamped his mouth shut mid-howl.
“Sorry, Thorn. I thought I heard something.” Thomas strained to listen.
Again he heard the groan.
Thomas followed the sound through the smoldering wreckage, praying that someone was alive. He finally came to a huge table that was on its side right up against a remaining wall. “Loren?” The groan came in response, and Thomas hollered: “Thorn! Over here!”
Bending and straining, Thomas tried with all his might to right the massive table, yet the table barely rose six inches, and Thomas was about to drop it.
But just then, Thorn shoved his nose under its edge and rolled it upright to reveal… Loren. The elder of Home was semiconscious and in bad shape. There was a jagged ugly cut along the side of his head.
“Loren!” Thomas exclaimed as he rushed to cradle his old friend. “Oh, Loren.”
The old man opened his eyes, straining to see. “Ellie?”
“No, it’s me, Thomas. Thorn is with me. Loren, I can’t find anybody... I don’t know what happened. Ellie told me to run, and I just ran, and, and...” Thomas’s voice cracked, and he buried his head in Loren’s chest.
“I saw her fall!” Thomas sobbed.
“Shhh... Thomas, you could have done nothing for her.”
“But I left her.”
“There isn’t time for that now. You must listen to me. If Darcon discovered this stronghold,” Loren gasped, “he must know of the others.”
“Others?” Thomas responded, again wiping his face on his sleeve.
“Yes, there are many of us.” Loren struggled as he reached to touch Thomas’s face. His eyes regained some of their brightness. “You must warn them.”
Thomas pulled back. “I can’t... I—”
“Thomas, you must!” Loren insisted, cutting off the boy’s protest. “If they are not warned
, what happened here will be repeated again and again… until Darcon’s grip has squeezed the very life from our land.”
“You can go with me!” Thomas pleaded pathetically. But even as the words left his mouth, his realization of Loren’s injuries assured him there was no way.
“Thomas, I cannot.” Shaking his head, the old man looked up at Thomas with love. “I have another journey to make.”
“No! You can get better. I’ll help you!”
Ignoring Thomas’s protest, Loren reached into his tunic and pulled out a pendant that hung from his neck. He attempted to take it off but was too weak.
“Take it.”
“I can’t, Loren; it’s yours.”
“I won’t be needing it. Take it, and remember us when you get home.”
At the mention of his home, Thomas stilled. He gently took the pendant off over Loren’s head, looked at it a serious moment. Thomas recognized the symbol. The design he had seen so many times in his father’s research. But this one had a dragon entwined with the circle.
“The symbol,” Thomas whispered.
“Yes, the Creator’s symbol.”
Thomas then lifted it up and put it on. “Do you really think I’ll ever get there, Loren?”
“I know you will.” The old man nodded toward the pendant. “And this will help you find the way. There are ancient stories told of an Otherlander. One who would bear the pendant and drive the darkness from our land. He knows the secret of the pendant. It unlocks the Door through the mist and to Otherland, your world.”
“Loren...”
“Thomas, enough. It is time for you to go... Thorn knows the way to the strongholds. He will take you. You must make the second stronghold before nightfall.”
Thomas hesitated a moment, then embraced Loren for what he knew would be the last time.
“Go now, boy, and may the Creator strengthen you and guide your journey.”
Agonized, Thomas found a charred board and used it as a makeshift pillow for Loren’s head. Thomas stepped back, and Thorn shuffled in close to sadly lay his muzzle on his old friend’s chest.
“Take good care of him, old boy,” Loren said, stroking the dragon’s nose.
As Thomas climbed into the saddle on Thorn’s back, Loren gazed at them both with love, admiration, and concerned hope.
He knew he was sending a small boy on a warrior’s mission, and the risks were high. But somehow, he felt confident, this was right.
“Walk the path of the Creator. Do not turn from it. Goodbye, Thomas.”
One last time, Thomas looked down at his old friend. How could he leave him? Then, with a newfound resolve, he solemnly wiped a tear from his cheek, took a breath, set his face to the sky, and shouted: “Up, Thorn!”
The dragon hesitated a moment, then obeyed his young master. He leaped into the sky, took wing, and they flew off toward the darkening horizon.
Chapter 70
“We must have been flying for hours.” The great Thorn was single-minded in his purpose, and flew a path known only to him. They landed only twice: once because Thorn sensed danger, and hid just in time so a flying shadow warrior scout wouldn’t see them, and once for Thomas to relieve himself.
Then, as the sun was just sinking behind the mountains, they crested a canyon wall and below them spread the second stronghold.
Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. “There it is, Thorn. Take us down.”
Thorn bugled, and was answered by another dragon in the distance.
“Rider approaches!” shouted a sentry astride his dragon atop his rocky perch.
Thorn glided in for a landing as men ran to meet them. Thomas almost fell from the saddle in exhaustion, but strong arms steadied him.
And Thomas began talking as fast as he could: “The shadow warriors are coming! Hurry, get ready! They attacked our stronghold last night—”
“Let a man through!” demanded Tuncan, the burly leader of the second stronghold. The men parted and allowed their leader access to the boy. He had a mass of black hair on his head and on his chin as well.
“We were having a feast,” Thomas continued, almost delirious. “They came out of the clouds, and there was thunder and lightning, and all sorts…”
Tuncan interrupted with a rumble. “Hold on there. I know the beast Thorn, but you’re a wee bit small to be his rider.”
“I’m Thomas. Deacon and Ellie are my friends.”
At the name of their General, a solemn hush fell over the men.
“Where is Deacon?”
“I don’t know. Loren told me to warn you because—”
Tuncan silenced Thomas by laying his large hand on the boy’s thin shoulder, and said patiently: “We understand, little man.” Then Tuncan turned to his men and ordered: “Flint, prepare the men. Tal, ready the stronghold. Kalen, send riders to the other strongholds. Tell them it’s time.”
Chapter 71
“But the other strongholds!” Thomas protested as he was pushed into the living area of Tuncan’s rustic home.
“It’s taken care of, boy. You did a fine job. Now we have to take care of that dragon of yours and your stomach.”
Tuncan marched Thomas to a rough-hewn table, forced him into the chair, and bellowed toward the home’s kitchen: “Mollye!”
Tuncan’s sturdy wife entered, carrying a massive plate of food. She placed it before Thomas, who immediately started eating, but also never stopped talking.
“I’m not hungry. Oh, mmm!... But what about Deacon? Wow, that’s good!... And what if Ellie’s still alive? Mmm!... I have to find my father, ’cause if Darcon has him, then...”
Tuncan looked to his wife with a smile. “Look after him.”
“I will,” Mollye said as she sent her husband off with a kiss. “You be careful, Tuncan.”
With that said, she sat next to Thomas, who had finally given up talking and was now ravenously eating.
Mollye raised her eyebrows. “Not hungry, were we?”
Mollye was attempting to tuck Thomas in, but the adrenaline-pumped boy sat up in the bed yet again. Used to such, the motherly woman just pushed him back down, with an, “I know, I know; you weren’t hungry, and you’re not sleepy either.”
“I’ve got to find my dad,” Thomas protested as he attempted to sit up again.
Mollye pushed him back down. And this time, she held him firmly but gently.
“You’ve had a big day. And yes, there is still much to be done. But tomorrow, because even a soldier needs his rest.”
Thomas stifled a frowning yawn and struggled to keep his eyes open.
“But—but my dad...” The exhaustion finally won, and he drifted off to sleep.
Mollye leaned over and placed a little kiss on his forehead.
“Sleep well, little soldier.”
Chapter 72
Daniel poured over his research. He felt he was getting closer, like on earth days before he cracked the code to Mairead Fhada and was able to open the door. But he was faced with a horrible decision. If he wanted to go home, then he must learn how to open the door. But if he opened the door, he would allow the evil of Darcon to slip through into his world. He prayed for wisdom and strength to make the right decision.
The familiar screech of the rusty door handle brought him out of his rumination. He looked out his high window and saw the moon in the night sky. It was the usual time now that Mia would bring his bread and water.
The door swung open, and his shy cowering friend stepped through. They actually had a few conversations over the last week. If you could call them that. He had learned that Mia was from a small village many miles from Darcon’s fortress. Darcon’s armies had swept over her land like a mighty tidal wave leaving a mass of destruction in its wake. They killed her father and brothers and took her, and her mother and sisters into slavery separating them. Mia had been serving here for many years.
Daniel was struck with the weight of her predicament, asking her if she ever thought she would be able to go home. He would
never forget the look in her eyes as she said with resignation, “I will die here.”
Mia stepped into the cell with his mug of water and bread. Her head was held customarily bowed with her eyes to the floor
“Good evening Mia, it’s good to see you,” Daniel said warmly.
The servant girl ignored his greeting and handed him his water and bread.
“How are you this evening?” Daniel attempted again to engage the young girl.
She stood stone still.
Daniel took a step toward her dragging his chain behind him.
“Is everything okay?”
Mia didn’t respond but reached toward her face slowly. Her hand disappeared for a moment behind her dark hair that hung down. She glanced up toward the door, making sure that it was closed then bringing her hand to her mouth, she pursed out her lips and drew something from out of her mouth.
Mia grabbed Daniel’s hands, pressing something small and hard into his palm. Then peered into his eyes and whispered, “For the Kingdom.”
She whirled in a fluttering of robes and was out of the door, leaving him dumbstruck.
He dropped his gaze and slowly uncurled his fingers. There, like a symbol of hope, lay a wrought iron key.
Chapter 73
Mollye finished straightening up her humble living area. She stepped to the hearth where a large iron pot hung over the fire cooking. A spicy beef aroma wafted through the room as she lifted the lid and gave the stew a little taste. “Aye, that’ll do the trick,” she said pleased with her cooking. It was the greatest gift that the Creator had given her. And she put it to good use feeding anyone and everyone that came into Tuncan’s and her home.
OTHERLANDER: A Long Way From Home Page 11