It was then Sinjin saw his mother and Pelivor standing, silent, staring at the stone god.
"I tried to spare you this," Trinda said after appearing nearby. "No matter what you think, I wish you no ill. If you turn back now, you might be spared his direct attention."
The presence of something in this place was undeniable, and Sinjin had no trouble believing a powerful being waited there. What were his mother and Pelivor doing? Every part of him was drawn there. He wanted to join her, to stand beside her no matter what she faced. He wasn't afraid of some ancient statue, even though history told him he should be. When something behind the falls moved, however, he adjusted his assumptions.
A huge dragon revealed himself, shifting his mass on a too-small resting place.
"Last chance," Trinda said. "Go back now or face him."
For once in his life, Sinjin believed Trinda, but that didn't mean he would take her advice. If his mother and Pelivor faced the dragon, then he and Kendra did so as well.
"Thank you, Trinda," Sinjin said.
"Consider my debt paid, Sinjin Volker. I wouldn't cross me again if I were you."
With those words, the child queen slipped between the trees, scaled a section of rough-cut rock with bare hands and feet, and disappeared into the rock wall itself. That girl was as mysterious as the wind.
She'd been right about one thing. This was his last chance to walk away, and he did one of the most foolish things he'd ever done. For his mother, he took a trembling step forward and drew a breath. Kendra did the same. Somehow she knew what he planned and stood beside him. Sinjin could not count the ways he loved his wife. Endangering her went against his every desire, but safety had long since fled. If they all died as a result of his actions, then he probably would have saved them some other imminent death.
When he spoke, his voice had Istra's strength, revealing to Sinjin he had some power in the stone god's presence. "If you wish my mother harm, then you'll have to deal with me!"
The words left him before he could fully consider the consequences. Water showered the plains as the dragon reacted. Echoing pops and creaks accompanied the sudden movement. More joints snapped and shifted as mighty wings spread for the first time in who knew how long. The dragon's wings were constructed of thin, frail-looking bones supporting membranes like overstretched leather. Light shone through tears in the membrane, and the claws on the ends of the bone structures gleamed under a patina of ages.
Water thrashed the plains when the dragon flapped his massive wings, sending the waterfall soaring across the cavern, fish included. Sinjin was distracted for the slightest instant when he saw the silver fox grab a fish from the lush grasses and run off looking like the cat that caught the bird.
With two more flaps of his wings and a single leap, the feral was upon them, seething with fury.
Who dares challenge me?
Anyone bent on living would have been digging a hole to hide in or running for his life, but Sinjin had already resigned himself to death. He could think of no better way to go than protecting those he loved. Opening his mouth to issue a taunting response, Sinjin froze, the words never leaving his lips. He'd been a fool to think he could resist the most powerful sorcerer ever to live. The thoughts were no longer his own. Mael's influence--for he knew the name as well as his own--blotted out his will, and that which was Sinjin was nearly lost as the dragon's eyes focused fully on him.
"Leave him alone!" Trinda Hollis shouted, and even in his stupor, Sinjin was surprised.
Taking advantage of the sudden shift in Mael's attention, Kendra grabbed Sinjin by the shoulder. "You're a brave fool," she said, pulling him back the way they had come. When it looked as if Mael would swallow Trinda in a single bite, though, Kendra stopped, picked up a fist-sized rock, and threw it with all her might. Her aim was uncanny, but Sinjin had to wonder who was the brave fool now.
When the rock struck Mael in the eye, the ancient dragon could not hide the pain. With an angry roar, the massive head swung back toward Sinjin and Kendra. His wife had done what she had to do, but it was too soon for their sake. Given the dragon's speed in spite of his age, they would never make it to shelter. Not to mention the fact that they would take time squeezing back into the hall.
Mael proved just how potent a foe he was. As his head lowered, blue-orange fire danced around the cavernous nostrils. Words of warning never left Sinjin's lips before Mael issued a stream of blue flame. Sinjin ran and pushed his wife ahead of him. She stumbled, but he propelled her forward with the full strength of his will and every measure of physical prowess he possessed.
In the next instant, Sinjin held his breath. A sheet of flame washed over them, but then it was gone. It left Sinjin stinging, smoking, and overwhelmed by the stench of burning hair. Thunder boomed as greenish lightning struck Mael from behind. Sinjin caught sight of Pelivor as he and Catrin, released from compulsion, came to his rescue. Mael swept his tail through the trees as Kendra and Sinjin ran, and the ancient dragon bore down, once again, on Catrin and Pelivor. Both retaliated, making their way closer to Kendra and Sinjin.
Not allowing Sinjin to watch, Kendra grabbed his jacket and dragged him away.
"Wait!" Sinjin said. "We have to help my mom!"
"We need to get out of here," Kendra responded. "Or your mother's and Pelivor's efforts will be for nothing. We aren't strong enough to face Mael."
"Sinjin? Kendra? Is that you?"
The voice reached out from empty air, and Sinjin spun in circles. "Durin! Where are you?"
"At the bottom of the Black Spike," Durin said. "Creepiest place ever. Your mom sent us here."
"Whatever you do," Kendra said, "don't do anything Catrin asked you to do!"
"What?" Strom's voice asked. "What do you mean?"
"There's a dragon sorcerer in Dragonhold manipulating us all!"
Those were the last words Kendra got to say before another wash of fire gushed toward them, despite the thunder of Pelivor's attacks. Kendra must be right, Sinjin realized. If Mael had been influencing them, his mother's instructions could well have been part of the dragon sorcerer's plan.
"What do we do?" Durin shouted across the massive distance, and his voice echoed throughout the cavern. Sinjin and Kendra were in no position to respond. Running as fast as they could, they barely outran the flames. Catrin and Pelivor redoubled their attacks to give Sinjin and Kendra time to escape. Trinda was nowhere to be seen.
Sinjin crouched in the darkness, presumably safe from dragon fire, and his mother's voice rang out. "Do as I've asked, Strom!" Her words were audible even from a distance. Sinjin had no doubt she was filled with Istra's power but also that her will was not her own. A more terrifying thought Sinjin could not imagine; that was until his wife gasped. She was closer to the opening than he was, and she could still see back into the chamber. Sinjin wanted her to come away from the threat of dragon fire, but she stood captivated and, by the look on her face, horrified.
"What is it?" Sinjin finally asked.
Benjin and Wendel walked into the open, moving toward the dragon, followed by Chase, Morif, and others.
"The rest of the exploration party has arrived."
* * *
Durin, Strom, and Osbourne moved deeper into the Black Spike. Greenish light split the darkness ahead, and resting in a pool of light waited something akin to a herald globe but different. Strom reached the stone first and picked it up. Durin wished he hadn't. The two had been at odds ever since leaving the twisted stone forest. Durin had a closer relationship with Sinjin, and Strom had always been loyal to Catrin. Given the conflicting information, it was impossible to know what to do. For Durin, it came down to his trust in Sinjin. He suspected the same was true for Strom with regard to Catrin.
It was an untenable situation that had placed a wall between them.
"Maybe we should just wait and see if we can get more information," Osbourne said, once again trying to bridge the gap. "We need a better understanding of what's happening. Too much
is at stake to blindly act."
"Inaction is also a hasty decision," Strom said, his jaw set. Durin and Osbourne both knew that look, and neither tried to argue the point any further.
A sigh escaped Osbourne, and they stepped into the light. What they found there was unexpected. So much of what surrounded them was derived from madness, but this was a place of order, symmetry, and adherence to the natural world--at least to a greater extent than the rest of the Black Spike.
The cavern formed a perfect circle. At the center was a ring of carvings like those in the stone forests. This was another keystone by Durin's estimate; except this one was more elaborate and had an enormous lever in the middle. Standing at an angle, the lever was taller than Durin, as if made for a giant.
Motion was the next thing to catch the eye, and Durin turned to see what new threat waited. Instead, he found more orderly movement. A shaft as tall as fifty men oscillated in a way that gave Durin mental glimpses of what must lie out of sight. Its top and bottom encased within stone, the shaft moved up and left. Then at the top of its mighty stroke, the angle shifted to the right, and it moved just as swiftly downward only to repeat the cycle.
No matter who was right, there would be consequences--perhaps global. The keystones were intertwined in a way Durin didn't understand, but he knew they were connected. The fact that this keystone lay at the bottom of the blackest pit Durin had ever known should give evidence to its nature, but Strom was determined to satisfy Catrin's request. The man owed Catrin his life, just as Durin owed both Catrin and Sinjin his.
When Strom took another step toward the giant lever, Durin did the only thing he could think of. He ran out and faced the powerful smith. "I do not wish to fight you, but I cannot allow you to do this. Too much is at stake."
"Step aside," was all Strom said. He outmatched Durin in every way. He had physical prowess, strength of will, access to Istra's power, and the spider stone Catrin had left him. He could easily defeat Durin, but the smith had one other thing Durin was counting on: a conscience.
"Kendra and Sinjin are no fools, and they would not defy Catrin without good reason."
"Unless it was they who were coerced or tricked," Strom said. "I must place my faith in Catrin Volker, the Herald of Istra and my friend. And Sinjin's mother, I might add. I don't want to hurt you, but you will let me pass."
Sinjin had always told him to stand up for what he believed, and there was no one he believed in more. Sinjin Volker was his best friend, Al'Drakon, and son of the Herald. Durin held his ground.
"I cannot allow this," Osbourne said. "Catrin would not want this. There are three of us. We will put it to a vote."
Durin swallowed. His vote was already cast, as was Strom's.
"Do as Catrin asked." There was no joy in Osbourne's words.
Durin allowed Strom to pass despite yearning to stop him.
* * *
Keeping up with Allette proved almost impossible. The girl was in prime physical condition and an apparent rush. Fear built up in Kenward's belly when they encountered demons, and those creatures stepped out of Allette's path in deference. Kenward wanted even more to catch up just so he did not fall out of her sphere of influence. He had no idea how far her protection extended and no desire to find out.
Sprinting ahead would leave Onin behind. Kenward genuinely liked the man, and his honor simply would not allow it. He considered asking Allette to slow down, but her body language made it clear she would not be deterred. When they broke into a gigantic chamber filled with unusual sights, he felt as if they were late to the party. Most of those searching Dragonhold for a way to destroy the Fifth Magic gathered along the shores of a frothing pool. The waterfall above defied description.
What they had walked into, Kenward did not know, but he liked it not one bit. The dragon proved his instincts by breathing fire at the fleeing Sinjin and Kendra, which didn't make him feel much better.
Beside him, Onin cursed between ragged breaths.
Allette stepped into the cavern and walked toward the massive dragon. The girl feared nothing, Kenward thought, lacking the courage to follow her.
"What's she doing?" Onin asked.
"Whatever it is," Kenward said, "she's a better person than me for doing it."
Onin grunted. The Black Queen did something then that Kenward had not considered, and it chilled his blood. This girl was a dangerous flower. After stepping between the dragon and the stone god, Allette summoned the demons.
Glaring down at her, the dragon practically sneered. Who dares challenge Mael?
Giants and demons alike hesitated. With a single gesture, Allette obliterated that hesitation. A dangerous flower, indeed.
* * *
Reaching physically toward the gem wells, Allette gathered energy, creating a visible wash between them. A diaphanous river twisted and churned with captivating beauty. Demons converged from every direction, their numbers shocking. How had so many come to be in the hold? Knowing how many people had been living so close to such evil and corruption made Kenward shiver.
No matter what he felt for Allette, and he had no real understanding what that was, he could not abide the presence of demons. These creatures desecrated nature. For a moment, though, he had to ask himself what he would have done. Allette had not created these aberrations. Sometimes a tool is a tool no matter its nature or source. In this case she used her control over the demons to try to accomplish something for the good of them all, except perhaps Mael.
Despite his reasoning, fear gripped Kenward in the presence of so many agents of darkness.
Mael reared up to his full height before Allette and her approaching army. There was something akin to laughter in his ancient eyes. Catrin and Pelivor continued to make their way toward where the dragon stood, wings extended and flames coursing around his nostrils. Kenward knew not what they sought, but he wished them luck. This was like no foe any of them had ever faced.
Mael issued a torrent of fire directed at the approaching demons, which sent Allette, Catrin, and Pelivor scrambling. Even as they ran, Kenward saw the herald globes in both Allette's and Catrin's hands steadily growing brighter. With every attack, Mael charged the air in the cavern, and those nearby did everything they could to capitalize on it.
Taking the brunt of Mael's attack, the demons scattered.
We should have destroyed the Noonspire before it could corrupt the world so completely. Mael's thought echoed around him and thundered in Kenward's mind. He didn't know what the Noonspire was and didn't have time to consider further. A high-pitched tone, loud but not unpleasant, rang through the chamber.
I am well pleased. You've performed admirably, Herald of Istra.
Kenward could not see Catrin's face, but he'd have wagered everyone around him heard the words. Those who'd been a part of Catrin's exploration party now sought shelter from dragon fire, and they, too, reacted to Mael's thoughts.
Light poured from the circle of stone within the trees. Colors danced in streaks like misty wraiths, and Kenward could feel the energy. He knew how it felt to be in the presence of great power, and this dwarfed anything he'd ever experienced, as if the entire planet were being charged.
Like others in the chamber, Kenward was drawn to the keystone. Everyone and everything still alive and conscious within the chamber gravitated toward the shimmering and now singing artifact. There was a striking harmony, as if all the most talented singers in the world worked together. The beauty of this event was unmatched in Kenward's experience, and he prayed it would be for the good of the world. It was unlikely as Mael made his way to the stone. He did not rush, apparently relishing the experience. It had been a long time since he had been in power, and Kenward could see the conqueror for what he was. If unleashed on the world, Mael would subjugate them all.
That was when Kenward learned the keystones' true nature. Before him stood a gateway to anywhere, allowing him to see the other side. At first, he saw the mighty pillars amid the shallows, and as he shifted his pe
rspective, the Grove of the Elders appeared, new greatoaks eagerly reaching toward the sky. The more he turned, the more he saw. Some places were familiar, but most were not. Some were dark and twisted, and in one such place, he saw his friends. There stood Durin, Strom, and Osbourne, looking as if they'd been struck dumb.
Mael's laughter was overwhelming as he crossed the final distance separating him from the portal.
"No!" Kenward screamed, hoping Strom and the others would hear him and undo whatever it was they had done. "Close the portal, Strom, or we'll all be doomed!"
Those were the last words Kenward uttered before Mael's tail blotted out the light. From one side came a flash. Allette was trying to distract the dragon. Just before the tip of Mael's tail smashed Kenward into the mossy soil, a blast of frigid air thrust him aside. The dragon turned his attention on Allette, the more dangerous foe, and Kenward prayed for her.
Running faster than he would have thought her capable, Allette darted through the trees, dodging dragon fire, claws, and the monster's tail, the demons remaining at her command too far away to be much use. The blinding glow of her herald globe, though, gave evidence she was anything but a frightened child. Recognizing the threat, Mael roared. Stones broke loose and dropped from above, the cacophony deafening. A flash of white within the trees caught Kenward's attention for an instant. He could just make out Trinda Hollis, and he prayed for her, no matter her evil deeds.
Some three strides from the keystone, Allette leaped into the air, her herald globe held before her, leaving a blue streak across Kenward's vision. Mael whipped around and lunged toward the flying girl, but he was too late. The herald globe never actually struck the stone. An instant before it would have, the object Catrin and Osbourne had crafted released its charge.
The shock wave caught Mael in the face and turned his head to one side. The initial blast triggered a far larger explosion that sent gouts of fire and lightning gushing from the keystone. For a brief instant, Kenward caught sight of devastation spread across the planet. Pillars amid the shallows fell and snapped in pieces. The black stone at the center of the Grove of Elders cracked open and spewed forth white-hot magma. The scene probably would have continued if not for the portal collapsing inward on itself, sending one last energy wave blasting through the cavern. Kenward could not see where Allette had ended up, but he doubted anyone could have survived such destruction.
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