by Linda McNabb
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
DRAGON VALLEY
Toby turned away from the stone archway and looked at the illusion of the blue dragon then he looked at the trio of wet, exhausted travellers who stood before him. Rhonan noticed that the boy’s eyes were an unusual colour. They were a deep purple that looked almost black.
‘That’s a pretty impressive illusion,’ Toby said, hunkering down to pick up the stone, completely ignoring the blue dragon who hissed and bellowed at the dragons through the archway. ‘I’ve never seen runes used like this before.’
Nor I, the dragon mused, leaning in close to see.
‘But it’s very noisy. How do you turn it off?’ Toby asked. ‘We’ll have the whole village up here soon to see what’s going on.’
Toby tossed the stone to Rhonan and with a deft flick of his thumb he rubbed out part the rune on the back and the blue dragon vanished. He slipped his arm back into the belt-sling but the pain did not ease. It was much warmer on this side of the frozen waterfall and now that he was getting some feeling back in arm it was getting much more painful.
You bring Tryx home. Thank you. The larger golden dragon turned to the stunned group who stood a few paces away.
‘You’re lucky we were passing and saw you,’ Toby said with a grin. ‘We didn’t even know which gateway Tryx and Ryena had gone through. We’ve been watching them all for weeks.’
‘My father is still there,’ Kheron muttered, walking right up to the stone archway now that Toby had let go of his arm. ‘I’m going back for him.’
Toby and Klel exchanged an unreadable look that didn’t fill Rhonan with much hope of rescuing Falh.
‘Where exactly are we?’ Dyahn asked. She was looking around the valley and Rhonan followed her gaze.
They were looking down on a lush green valley, with small flat-topped mountains dotted randomly across the floor of the valley. Each of the mountains were identical and Rhonan instantly knew they weren’t naturally formed. A large golden dragon lifted off from the top of one and began to fly across the valley. All around the small mountains were houses, clustered in groups here and there.
‘This is Dragon Valley, the home of dragons and sorcerers,’ Toby said with a grin.
Ryena still missing, Klel mused, looking back through the gateway.
They all turned back to the view through to the blue dragons. The waterfall had frozen over completely now but the dragons continued to butt against it, hissing angry flames in an attempt to melt it.
‘Was Ryena there?’ Toby was staring at the blue dragons.
‘Who’s Ryena?’ Kheron asked.
Bad dragons hurt Mama. Tryx hung her head and Rhonan was sure he saw a tear slip down the small golden dragon’s scaly snout. Mama gone.
‘She asked us to bring Tryx home,’ Dyahn said when everyone fell silent and looked upset. ‘She gave us the band of gems.’
‘Ryena was the queen of the dragons here in Dragon Valley,’ Toby said with a sad sigh and then took a deep breath to get control of himself. ‘But thank you for bringing Tryx home. You are welcome here for as long as you wish.’
‘We won’t be staying,’ Kheron replied with a shake of his head.
‘As soon as those dragons aren’t looking we need to be getting back to rescue Falh and return to our own homeland,’ Rhonan agreed, looking a little unsure as he looked around the valley again. ‘We don’t belong here, and we have to save our village.’
Blue dragons watch for very long time, Klel said with a shake of his golden head.
‘They saw the gateway open once a hundred years ago and have sat waiting for it to open again ever since. They will be watching for another hundred years or more,’ Toby said sadly. ‘It could be hard to sneak you back through,’
‘But we have to!’ Rhonan insisted. There was no way he was going to leave his mother and father to the mercy of the Shadow Hunters. Falh had no idea where they had gone and he might stay for a long time trying to find them. If they could get back to their own homeland they could take back some of the black elf stone and save the entire village of Shaldoh.
Just then a klaxon rang out through the valley. It pierced the tranquillity of the valley and dozens of golden dragons rose instantly from the many small mountains.
We must go, Klel said and Toby almost leapt onto his golden dragon’s back. A gateway has been breached.
The blond-haired boy pointed down to a cluster of houses. ‘Go down to the village. We’ll meet you there in a little while.’
With that the boy and his dragon leapt into the sky and charged after the golden streams of dragons heading to the far side of the valley. Tryx stared after them for a few seconds and then took to the air and followed, leaving the rest behind.
A stunned silence fell on the group of travellers. They stared at each other and the valley they were in. It seemed unreal, somehow unlikely, but they were here and they were stuck here.
‘Tryx’s wing is better,’ Dyahn said, looking surprised. ‘That was quick.’
‘My arm isn’t hurting as much either,’ Rhonan said, testing the movement in his arm and finding he could move it a lot more. He tested his sore ankle and it too was less painful. ‘It must have something to do with this valley.’
‘How do you think we can get back through the gateway?’ Kheron asked. He walked right up to the huge arch-shaped clear rock that showed the blue dragons in full fury. There was no sign of his father.
‘We need a diversion,’ Dyahn suggested, bringing out her pet rocks.
‘No problems there,’ Kheron replied, kicking at some stones on the ground. ‘We can do that.’
‘And to find out how to open the gateway,’ Rhonan added. ‘I think it has something to do with that band of gems Klel was wearing.’
‘Like the one I threw back,’ Dyahn pointed out, looking guilty.
‘Well, now we know why they had a lookout posted up in the mountains,’ Kheron said with another glance around the valley. ‘I don’t think we’ll be going back for a little while though. Maybe we should head down to the village like Toby said.’
The track down into the valley was steep but it wasn’t long before they reached the edges of the small village. It looked much like any other village Rhonan had ever seen except for the unusual houses. The warm air had dried their clothes completely and now they were a bit too hot. Their clothes were designed for the much colder weather on the other side of the gateway.
Just then the dragons all streamed back towards the mountain cones and most people in the village headed off towards the nearest cone. Tryx was among them Rhonan was a little disappointed that the dragon didn’t return to her travelling companions. Instead she followed the dragons into an opening halfway up the cone.
A dozen people from the village had seen them coming and headed out to meet them. They had well-tanned skin, like Toby, and smiled a welcome.
‘Where are you from?’ One man asked, pressing in close and looking them over.
‘Did you fight the blue dragons?’ A woman looked up at the gate in horror.
‘You could have let them in. You should not have used the gate!’
‘Did you bring Ryena back too?’
The crowd crushed around them and the young travellers stayed close to each other as the villagers bombarded them with questions.
‘Quiet!’ a single voice pierced above the rest of the crowd and they fell silent. ‘Leave them be. Can’t you see they’re exhausted? You can talk to them later.’
An older woman pushed her way through the crowd and started shooing the villagers away.
‘We only wanted to know what was going on, Merryn,’ a man said, looking a little embarrassed.
The crowd wandered off, leaving just the older woman who smiled warmly at them. She wasn’t much taller than Rhonan and she had mousy brown hair, but it was her eyes that caught Rhonan’s attention. They were deep purple, just like Toby’s.
‘We are very grateful that you brought our Tryx back. She’s grown a
lot,’ Merryn said. She turned to Rhonan and frowned as she saw the belt-sling. ‘You’ve injured your arm?’
‘It’s getting better,’ Rhonan said, taking the belt off from around his neck. ‘I thought I’d broken it but I guess I didn’t.’
‘The magic in this valley is very strong. Your arm will heal quickly. Toby stays with me when he’s here in the valley. You’re welcome to come to my home for some refreshments while we wait for Toby to return,’ the small woman said, almost herding them down a narrow alleyway.
The house she led them to was not like any house Rhonan had ever seen before. It had windows and a door, just like normal houses, but the roof was flat and low. For a second he wondered why they would make the roof so flat, then he saw a dragon glide in and land on the roof next door.
The front door led down several steps and most of the stone house was set below the ground level outside.
‘It gets very hot here,’ Merryn explained. ‘This helps keep the house cool. The dragons love the heat but us humans don’t fare so well in it.’
She led them into a small sitting room and directed them to sit down before rushing off to the adjoining kitchen. In the middle of the comfortable room was a spiral stairway leading right up to the roof. Rhonan couldn’t help but stare at the white stairs, wondering just what they were for.
A minute later Merryn bustled in with a tray of drinks and food. Rhonan was about to ask what the stairs were for when a firm thud on the roof made Merryn smile. It was followed by a much lighter thud.
‘Ah, Toby is back,’ Merryn said, rushing off to get another glass.
Part of the roof lifted just above the stairs and the young man that had saved them from the blue dragons ran lightly down the stairs. He left the trap door open and two dragons peered down into the room. Tryx shoved her head right inside and tried to squeeze the rest of her body down as well but only succeeded in getting stuck.
Tryx too big! the larger dragon said, pulling the small golden dragon away.
‘Brax and Jerrik have called a meeting in the central cone,’ Toby said as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
‘Brax is Tryx’s father. Elder and leader of all the dragons,’ Merryn told Rhonan as she came back with a drink for Toby. ‘And Jerrik is the Elder of the humans who live in the valley.’
‘We are all to meet there when the meeting bell rings. Several older dragons are not here in the valley at the moment and Brax has sent a rider to find them,’ Toby added. ‘They insist that the visitors attend the meeting.’
Merryn looked surprised by this announcement but covered it by pretending to check the drinks. ‘They probably just want to thank you for bringing Tryx home.’
After a cooling drink Rhonan felt his eyelids drooping and stifled a yawn. He knew it was rude but he was having trouble staying awake.
‘You could all do with a rest,’ Merryn said, standing up and ushering them through a doorway. ‘We’ll be sure to wake you for the meeting.’
The room they were shown to had two beds and a small sofa. Dyahn, being the smallest, curled up on the sofa and was asleep before Rhonan had even laid down. He sank into the feather mattress, wondering how something could be so comfortable. His eyes flickered, feeling heavier with each blink and he sank into a blissful sleep.
He woke some time later and felt rested and calm. It took a few seconds to remember where he was and a bell chiming in the distance brought it all back suddenly. It was a different bell to the loud sharp bell that had rung just after they arrived in Dragon Valley. He sat up and worked his arm around in a circle. He was surprised to find that it didn’t hurt at all now and when he stood up his ankle was also completely healed. He roused the others just as Merryn came in to wake them all.
‘You’ve all slept a long time. It’s well into the afternoon,’ she said as they followed her down the hallway. Toby was waiting by the low-framed door to the street and he opened it for them as they arrived.
‘The dragons have gone on ahead,’ Toby said as he shut the door after them. The streets were full of people, all heading in the same direction. The bell had fallen silent but the buzz of conversation in the crowd made talking difficult. They followed the crowd for a few minutes then Toby pulled Rhonan off to a small side street and the others followed. The rest of the crowd was heading into a large opening at the base of a huge earthen cone.
‘We are to go up to the gallery,’ Toby told them. Again Merryn seemed surprised but said nothing as they re-joined the crowd but veered off just before the entrance. A narrow set of steps had been cut in the side of the mountain and Toby led the way up them quickly.
The steps wound around the side of the great cone and Rhonan was grateful for the small railing which gave some sense of safety. They were a long way off the ground now and they finally reached a human-sized archway that led into the cone. They all paused as they stepped inside.
Rhonan had expected it to be dark and he was surprised to find it was brightly lit. Balls of light hung high above them but they only held Rhonan’s attention for the briefest of moments. The walls of the cone drew his attention and held it. Inside the cone hundreds of perches were chiselled and on each one sat a golden dragon.
Far down below were the crowds of villagers, all peering up to the heights. In the centre of the cone rose a single huge stalagmite and upon the tip of it a narrow slice of rock was balanced to form a platform. A man stood on it and seemed to be waiting for them. He stood with his arm clasped in front of him. A white cloak blended with his long white hair and he held a silver staff in one hand.
‘That’s the gallery,’ Merryn said, pointing to the platform.
Rhonan hesitated when the elderly woman went to urge him forward. It wasn’t the unstable looking platform that bothered him, nor the hundreds of dragons that watched them with interest. It was the fact that there was a huge gap between them and the gallery. Stretching out across that gap was a rope bridge identical to the one back on the mountains in Shaldoh.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
NO WAY HOME
‘Do we have to cross it?’ Dyahn said in a small voice as she pressed against his side and wriggled her smaller hand into his for comfort.
‘I don’t think we have a choice,’ Kheron said, taking Dyahn’s other hand.
Rhonan gulped down the unease that rose as he remembered the last time he had crossed a rope bridge like this. He told himself that this one was far better maintained and looked far stronger.
‘Do we have to go one at a time?’ Rhonan asked.
‘No, it would hold ten or more,’ Toby assured them and stepped out to lead the way.
Rhonan knew he could not refuse to cross. He looked up and saw Tryx perched on the wall just a few dragon lengths above them.
‘Will catch you,’ Tryx said softly.
‘Can’t Tryx carry us?’ Dyahn tried again to find another way to avoid the rope bridge.
‘Dragons are not for transport,’ Merryn said with a shake of her head. ‘Only when there is no other way will we ask for their assistance.’
Toby was already a dozen steps out onto the bridge as the three visitors stepped forward slowly. Rhonan and Kheron remained holding Dyahn’s hand as they made the long walk across to the platform. A cold sweat broke out on Rhonan’s forehead and he wiped it away with his free hand and was surprised to see his hand shaking a little.
A shiver went down Rhonan’s back as he reached the platform. A few moments ago it had looked unstable and very uninviting but after a rope bridge it felt like the safest place he’d ever been.
They had barely stepped onto the slice of rock perched on the top of the stalagmite when a dragon flew down from a perch high up in the light. It was a deep bronze colour and it landed right on the edge of the platform. He dipped his head in what was probably supposed to be a bow.
‘That’s Brax,’ Merryn whispered.
Thank you for bringing Tryx home, Brax rumbled.
‘You’re welcome,’ Rhonan said, feeling odd
talking to a huge dragon. ‘I’m sorry we could not help his mother.’
Tryx told what happened’ Brax said, nodding his head sadly. When he remained silent the old man stepped forward.
‘She told us the gateway failed as they were passing. Tryx was only few days old but dragons remember everything as soon as they hatch.’ Jerrik took up the story. ‘Ryena was carrying Tryx, showing her the valley she will one day rule. A blue dragon came through to Dragon Valley, catching Ryena off guard. She fought valiantly and drove the dragon back through the gate but it grabbed Tryx and took her. Ryena was badly hurt but could not leave her child and there was no time to raise the alarm. She followed and closed the gateway. She rescued Tryx from blue dragons but her injuries were very bad. She knew she must recover before trying to return home. Her magic was so low she would not be able to open the gateway. She flew to your forest and died there.’
The entire cone was silent for a few seconds when Jerrik finished. Then a buzz of conversation erupted among both the dragons and humans below. Jerrik came over and shook hands with each of the travellers.
‘We cannot repay you for the deed you have done. You will always have our gratitude,’ he said with a tear in his eye. ‘Is there anything we can do for you?’
‘We just want to go home. My uncle, Kheron’s father, is stuck on the other side waiting for us.’
Jerrik stepped to the edge of the platform and raised his silver staff. Silence fell instantly. Jerrik walked over and spoke quietly to Brax.
Brax turned and stared at Rhonan, Kheron and Dyahn for what seemed a very long time then his eyes looked sad.
This valley magical place. All worlds lead from here. Our responsibility guard them – seal if danger of being breached. The huge bronze dragon paused and looked sadly at them all. We have lost loved ones. Gateway not safe. Gateway sealed tomorrow.
Rhonan was still working out what that meant but Kheron stepped forward so he was only a hand span away from the dragon.