The power between them disappeared before the evil creature’s upper half could slide all the way over to Chureal's corner. It fell straight down, landing a score of paces away from its bottom half.
Braxton saw that the remaining ogres were fleeing, and the last hellish manta beast was now being blasted and sizzled and drug from the sky by several of the dragons that remained. The only thing he didn't see was the smaller red dragon that had been carrying Cryelos, and his bright glowing staff. As he scanned the ground looking for his friend, he spotted a few of the darkons fleeing through the new blackened brambles the evil thing had formed. The sky was starting to clear, but beneath the black smoke and clouds that had come with Drar, it was nighttime.
His heart began to ache for the elf had been his friend since this all started. Cobalt came gliding over, and Chureal was crying and clinging to the young blue wyrm for emotional support, more than to keep her seat.
"That was gross." She sobbed. "And all those poor gothicans and dragons are dead now."
Braxton didn't want to disturb her further, but he had to ask, "Have you seen Cryelos? His staff was glowing and I don't see it anywhere."
"He's-he's—" Chureal stopped and wiped at the mucus under her nose. "He is on the Summit with Sir Jory and the gothicans." She pointed.
Braxton was suddenly filled with relief when he saw the smaller red dragon flying away from the mountain’s peak. The few gothicans who survived were sitting or lying there, trying to catch their breath, near what looked like a scabbed over melted crumble of pillars and debris that had sealed closed the boundary. Oddly, the mess reminded him of a scar formed over a wound.
Cryelos's silver hair was unmistakable, and though the Staff of Aevilin wasn't glowing anymore, it was lying right beside him.
"The balance has tipped to the side of good so far that we have to do what must be done to force it back the other way," Zyken-Whay said as he and Daisy came to a hover near Braxton's black wyrm and Cobalt. "Drar's expanding ring of destruction has ceased, but what has been tainted by his evil must now slowly be cleansed."
"What do we do?" Braxton asked.
"We must spread out Braxton Bray." Zyken gave him a look he didn’t understand. "Before Nixy's child is born and the dragon you have chosen is hatched, you must take her somewhere the darka can never sense her. There is a place called Xwarda in the distant land of Highwander. The power of the Wardstone bedrock the city is built upon will keep the darka from finding and killing her. Until then, Chureal will begin healing the land, and we will watch over you from afar."
"What? Why do I have to leave Narvoza?" Braxton asked. "I don't want— Wait, did you say her?"
"Your daughter,” Zyken said. “You are being granted a gift that none of us could ever hope for. Just think. You can take off Taerak's medallion for a while. Doing so will even up the balance a little."
"You'll get to raise your baby with Nixy, Brax," Chureal chimed in, sounding far older than she looked. "You can spend your daughter's youth being a father, and Nixy's husband and, for a time, forget your duty as a Warrior of the Void." Chureal was clearly both happy and sad at the same time, and she was still crying. "I only wish my father could have had the same chance."
"Beside's," Zyken spoke, "Xwarda is a city built on magic, and I believe you and your daughter will need to learn all of it you can. She will be born there, and as a child conceived in the void, she will possess great power. You need to learn, as well. It will be a dozen years before your dragon has hatched, and nearly a dozen more before Emerald has taught he and Cobalt all they need to know. That means you can share Nixy's love and life, and raise your girl until she is a woman grown, but after she has come into her own, you must return to your duty. It is the only way to keep the balance from staying too far tipped."
Braxton didn't know what to say. Since he'd heard them say the name Nixy, all he'd been feeling was the need to be near her. He'd made her a promise, and the idea that he could actually keep it, and raise their child with her, instead of fighting to protect the world from evil without them, was as incredible as anything that had happened to him thus far. There was no way he would refuse.
Five Years Later
"Come little, Willa the Witch." Braxton grinned at his young daughter, who was holding a twig as if it was a wand of great power. "Prism is getting hungry. We must get him back to the stable so he can get some oats in his belly"
"Alright, Father." She giggled. "I'm not really a witch, though. I am a witch queen."
"I know, love. You are no doubt my queen."
"I thought mother was your queen." Willa's angelic voice filled Braxton's heart with an incomparable joy. The only thing that came close was the feel of Nixy's warm body pressed against him at night.
"Can't a man have two queens?" he asked with mock seriousness. "I'm a pretty good guy. Shouldn't I get two?"
"I suppose." She let him sit her in Prism's saddle, and then he climbed up behind her. "But I'm a good queen," she said over her shoulder. "I'm not a mean one, so I should get two pieces of cobbler after dinner."
"Ahh, well," he had to admire her quick wit. "That isn't up to me, dear. Since I'm not the king, you will have to ask the other queen if you can have two."
"She will say no." Willa's voice grew sad, but only for an instant. "Maybe Master Dahg Mahn will teach me how to make pie out of bread. He could do it, you know. I’ve seen him turn a pear into an apple and make fire out of air."
"I believe he could make pie out of just about anything." Braxton rubbed his daughter's head, mussing up her hair a bit before he urged Prism to carry them back to their cottage. "For such a young wizard, Dahg Mahn is quite the teacher."
"He isn't just a teacher or a wizard," Willa informed her father as if he didn't know. "He is the greatest wizard in Highwander. If he ever gets his stupid tower built, we can have a real study. He has far too many texts to keep using mother's dinner slab or the king’s annex."
Braxton found it impossible to disagree with her. The wizard, Dahg Mahn, was able to do things with nothing but arcane knowledge that Braxton, or even Chureal, couldn't do with their medallions. Well, Braxton changed his opinion. Chureal could do most anything. It was only he, according to Dahg Mahn, who was lacking.
The idea of being called back into duty as a Warrior of the Void someday saddened him. He did miss seeing Chureal and Cryelos, and the dwarves, but Chureal was supposed to come visit when she had time. She would bring news of the elves, Prince Gruval, and Davvy.
Knowing how hard it would be on them, Braxton decided to let his mother and sister think he'd died in the battle for Camberly. It was a hard decision, but he knew his father would have understood. If the darka ever found out who they were, she would kill them for vengeance alone. Besides, they were living in the lap of luxury in a house outside of Narvoza, well-supported by the dwarves and the new alliance that ruled there.
The cottage at the end of their small acreage on the outskirts of Xwarda came into view, and Bolt came across the pasture to trot alongside Prism. For now, Braxton decided he would enjoy the gifts he'd been granted and let the rest slip from his mind.
The two horses wanted to run, so Braxton let Prism have his head.
Willa squealed with delight when the cool spring wind whipped through her hair. Braxton grinned, too, remembering the first time he'd raced Davvy out of Uppervale on Prism's back. He wondered if his daughter would ever feel what it was like to ride on the back of a dragon? Then he saw Nixy up ahead, leaning against the cottage with one hand on her hip, watching them.
As amazing and tall as they were, Xwarda’s great golden topped towers and wondrous palace, with its colored glass depictions of the past glowing in the dusky evening beyond their small property, wasn’t what caught his eye. Nixy's smile was more beautiful than any magical city, and more compelling than all the wonders within. The gleam of love in her gaze stole all his thoughts, and he found himself urging Prism toward her all the faster.
The End
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br /> Author’s Note
Many generations later, after the need for the Warriors of the Void faded, and their three medallions were lost or hidden away, Braxton and Nixy’s daughter’s offspring, would come to power in the magical land of Highwander. Willa Bray’s great, great, granddaughter would truly be known to the world as Willa the Witch Queen. Her story is part of the author’s greater epic, The Wardstone Trilogy, which is available now in all book, and eBook formats.
Other titles by
M. R. Mathias
Fantastica
Book One – Taerak’s Void
Book Two – Sapphire of Souls
Book Three – Demon of Destruction
Book Four – Warrior of the Void
*Fantastica - The Complete Four Book Collection
The Wardstone Trilogy
Book One - The Sword and the Dragon
Book Two - Kings, Queens, Heroes, & Fools
Book Three - The Wizard & the Warlord
*The Complete Wardstone Trilogy (Three Book Omnibus)
The Dragoneer Saga
The Confliction Trilogy
Book One - The Royal Dragoneers
Book Two - Cold Hearted Son of a Witch
Book Three - The Confliction
*Confliction Compendium – The Complete Confliction Trilogy
The Royalty Trilogy
Book One - The Emerald Rider
Book Two - Rise of the Dragon King
Book Three - Blood and Royalty
* Royalty Trilogy – The Complete Royalty Trilogy
The Legend of Vanx Malic
Book One – Through the Wildwood
Book Two – Dragon Isle
Book Three – Saint Elm’s Deep
Book Four – That Frigid Fargin’ Witch
Book Five – Trigon Daze
Book Six – Paragon Dracus
Book Seven – The Far Side of Creation
Book Eight – The Long Journey Home
Book Nine – The Tome of Arbor
Book Ten – A Gossamer Lens
The Legend of Vanx Malic Collections
*Collection One - To Kill a Witch – Books I-IV
*Collection Two –The Legend Grows Stronger – Books V-VIII
*Collection Three – The Tome and the Lens – Books IX and X w/ bonus content
Short Stories:
Crimzon & Clover I - Orphaned Dragon, Lucky Girl
Crimzon & Clover II - The Tricky Wizard
Crimzon & Clover III - The Grog
Crimzon & Clover IV - The Wrath of Crimzon
Crimzon & Clover V - Killer of Giants
Crimzon & Clover VI – One Bad Bitch
Crimzon & Clover VII – The Fortune’s Fortune
Crimzon & Clover VIII – The First Sarax
Alpha Sint-Holo
The Girl Who Slayed a Dragon
To hear about new releases, sales and giveaways, follow M. R. Mathias @DahgMahn on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit http://mrmathias.com/
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