“Thanks guys. I am going to wait but,” he glanced up at the dragon, “I have a feeling it won't be long now.”
He stood up and motioned for the two elementals to move back toward Clara's group. He wanted some room to move.
Aeris and Kronk had just reluctantly rejoined the cleric and the others when the dragon emitted an ear-splitting roar and turned away from the island. It increased its speed and headed west along the river until it faded to a small glowing speck.
“What's going on? Is it leaving?” Clara asked loudly.
No one spoke for a moment. They all watched the small spark in the darkness until it disappeared.
Several of the villagers cheered but Simon heard others, including the elves, call out in dismay.
The dwarves, up the shoreline, were coloring the air with curses and Simon couldn't blame them.
Clara rushed toward him.
“Do you think it's left? Maybe we scared it off by killing those drakes.”
Simon shook his head, not taking his eyes off of the darkness to the west.
“Not a chance. We pissed it off, Clara, but we didn't scare it. Would you be scared of a few dozen ants? That's all we are to that creature.”
He could see her face in the rising moon's light. She frowned at him.
“You may be selling us short, Simon. It was stung by the arrows and it saw you destroy its servants with magic. Maybe that was enough...”
Simon's eyes widened and he reacted before Clara could finish her sentence.
He grabbed her arm and yanked her toward the spot where the four Changlings and the two elementals were waiting.
“Shield!” he shouted at them. All of them jumped and gaped at him.
“Shield, damn it. Now!”
And as Simon pulled Clara into the midst of the group, Eric nodded and grabbed his friends hands.
“Now,” he snapped at them and suddenly the air surrounding them turned opaque and rippled as if they were covered by a dome of thick water.
They were just in time.
A wash of brilliant flame raked the island from one end to the other.
What Simon had seen was the glow of the dragon suddenly racing up the river toward them, belly almost touching the water. It blasted fire across the island and then turned to follow the shoreline, its fiery breath targeting each raft in turn.
There were shouts of surprise, screams of agony and loud splashes as the archers who managed to react quickly enough dove for their lives.
Simon heard the dwarves cursing and by the bright light of the few burning trees and bushes on the island, he could just see the group of heavily armored figures leaping into their digging machine. He watched with regret as the arbalest sagged and partially melted in the intense heat.
The shield around them was holding steady and Simon smiled grimly at the four young Changlings who were desperately holding hands, their faces stiff with concentration.
“Well done, guys. Good reaction speed there.”
“Thanks,” Eric replied thickly, obviously straining to hold the spell together.
“How long can you keep up the shield?” Simon asked him.
Eric only shrugged.
“Look at the heat of the fire, Simon,” Clara told him and pointed beyond the shield.
The wizard's eyes widened as he saw the sandy soil begin to liquefy, turning to a crust of glass before their eyes.
Just like what I saw in Ottawa when I went back, he thought with some despair.
“Those are not normal flames,” Clara said. “That's dragon-fire. It burns longer and hotter than ordinary fire and will consume any organic matter it touches.”
Simon stared at her.
“How do you know that? I've never read anything about dragon-fire in the books that I have.”
She shrugged.
“It didn't come from a book, my friend.” She tapped the side of her head. “It was in a vision I once had. Just a snippet that the gods chose to share. At the time, I paid little attention to it. Now, well now it's become relevant, wouldn't you say?”
“No kidding.”
The dragon raced around the island, its heavy head weaving back and forth, obviously looking for survivors. Through the shield, Simon could see bits of burning wood bobbing sadly in the turbulent river. He thought he could see some pale faces reflected in the scattered pieces of fiery wreckage, but he couldn't be sure.
They could all be dead, he thought with despair. What was I thinking, going up against a dragon?
The monster had flown off a ways up river and now banked around and shot back toward the island and belched fire down on them again.
“All right, you've made your point!” Anna screamed at it as it passed. Her voice sounded tiny in the rush of air that followed the dragon.
“Easy, Anna,” Clara said calmly as she gripped the girl's thin shoulder. “Don't waste your strength. Concentrate on holding the shield together.”
Anna bit her lip, gave Simon a look of despair and then nodded silently.
“They won't be able to keep this up forever,” Clara said to Simon quietly. “Any ideas?”
“If they drop their shield, I'll replace it with one of mine,” Simon said. His tone was bitter. “It's the least I can do.”
“You can cast a Shield spell?” Gerard spoke up in surprise. “I didn't know that.”
“I was hoping I wouldn't have to,” the wizard answered as he watched the dragon fly off again. It bellowed out a triumphant roar.
“I've only got enough strength in me for a few powerful spells, so I hoped to cast them and take out the dragon before it had a chance to attack any of us.”
He laughed humorlessly.
“I overestimated my abilities,” he told them. “But if you can hold this for a few more minutes, I'm going to at least try to give that bastard a black eye.”
“We can hold, Simon,” Virginia said in a trembling voice.
“Damn right we can,” Eric agreed. “Strike back at it, if you can. At least give the survivors a chance to swim back to the river bank.”
“Yeah, that what I was thinking.”
Simon had a feeling that if he could see the elves and humans who were now swimming slowly away, the dragon could as well. He felt a surge of gratitude that some of them had survived. He only hoped that Ethmira and the townspeople were among them.
He had the flash of an idea as he watched the retreating swimmers.
“Aethos! I need you!” he called out suddenly over the crackle of the surrounding flames.
Within the shield the air became muggy and then with a crack of sound, the man-sized, foggy outline of the air elemental appeared.
Aethos looked around and then stared at Simon.
“Things aren't going too well, it seems,” he said calmly.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Simon replied bitterly. “Look, I was wondering if you could help us with something?”
“Certainly. But I cannot go up against a dragon,” the air elemental said and looked in the direction of the soaring monster.
“I know that.”
Simon pointed out at the river and the swimming shapes retreating in the distance.
“Could you help the survivors get back to the shore? There may be some who are injured and might not have the strength to make it.”
The misty figure nodded once.
“Of course I can. I see that you care about these people, wizard. It shows great character on your part.”
Aethos swept them all with a glance and then disappeared with a loud pop.
“Thank you, Simon,” Clara said quietly.
“Don't thank me, my friend,” he replied bleakly. “Their injuries and deaths are on me. This was the very least I could do.”
The dragon passed overhead again. This time as it scanned the island, Simon thought he heard a satisfied chuckle fall from those flaming lips.
It's laughing at us, he thought in a daze. A daze that quickly faded to be replaced by anger.
<
br /> He stood up straight and held up the staff. Let's see if the beast would still laugh if an ant like him could actually hurt it.
“Simon,” Clara said urgently and he looked at her with a frown. “Can you cast your spells through the shield?”
He stared from her to the shield and back again.
“Oh crap,” he muttered. “I don't think so.”
The fires around them had died down to a few scattered flames. The island was now naked of any plants or other flammable material and glowed in the moonlight as the new glass hardened on its surface. The dwarven drill had retreated underground.
Wise, Simon thought. Better to know when you're over-matched and live to fight another day. I just wish we had that option.
“Okay, guys. When I tell you, drop the shield and I'll try to do some damage to that arrogant beast.”
The Changlings didn't answer, but Eric nodded, indicating that they were ready.
The dragon had swung around and was now flapping slowly across the river, belching flames in short bursts. It was obviously hunting for survivors and Simon felt his anger redouble.
It's playing with us, like a cat playfully hunting mice.
“Okay, drop the shield. Its far enough away now that you're safe for the moment.”
The shield collapsed and he heard several gasps of relief, followed by coughing as a bitter haze of smoke wafted over them.
The dragon had moved across the river toward the south bank and for the moment it was out of range. This moment of calm gave Simon a chance to think and he had an idea.
“Clara, I just had a thought.”
The cleric was kneeling next to the two young women. In the moonlight, Simon thought that they looked wan and exhausted.
She looked up at him silently.
“While that thing is occupied, I think I can Gate the five of you to safety.”
“You can?” Anna asked hopefully but Gerard frowned and Eric shook his head stiffly.
“Not a chance, Simon. We're not running away and leaving you to face that monster alone.”
Eric hesitated.
“Unless you're leaving as well? In that case, then we'll go.”
Simon smiled bleakly at him.
“I'll take you to your village and return. This was my idea. Any deaths are on my hands and I have to try to finish this. But you guys and Clara will survive.”
“For how long?”
Clara jumped to her feet and glared at him.
“For how long, Simon? Do you think that creature will ignore us, now that we've had the audacity to attack it? You've killed some of its drakes. We've wounded it, however slightly. It will hunt us down now, no matter where we go.”
She stepped forward and gave his shoulder a firm shake. Her tone softened.
“No, my friend. Running won't solve anything. And spending whatever time we have left waiting for that beast to find us and burn us to ash isn't exactly a future to look forward to. We make our stand right here, right now.”
The burden on Simon's shoulders suddenly felt even heavier.
He caught each pair of eyes and saw agreement in all of them, if a little reluctant in Anna's.
The two elementals didn't comment. He already knew what they'd say.
“Okay then. I think you're all nuts, by the way,” he said with a sad grin. A couple of them chuckled.
“But then, I guess I am too. Fine, get ready. I've got to get its attention so that the survivors have a chance to reach the shore.”
Simon looked down at the ground around them. The shield had made a circle in the sandy soil. The rest of the island was coated with glass. Oddly, the material was already cool and when he tapped it with the end of his staff, the thin glassy crust shattered like brittle ice.
He walked carefully away from the group, crunching footprints into the ground as he went. When he was about twenty feet away, Simon turned and looked to the south at the hunting dragon.
It had to be half a mile downriver now, searching for targets in the water.
Do I have anything that can hit it that far away, he wondered. He rifled through the spells in his head and found nothing.
Wait a second, he thought. All I need to do is get its attention. And he could do that with one of the most useless spells that he had.
Simon actually chuckled to himself as he muttered the incantation. The staff twisted a bit in his hand and he wondered if it was insulted that it was being used to channel such an inane bit of magic.
The wizard pointed the staff at the sky and triggered the spell. A spark, bright and white-hot, shot up into the blackness over the island and when it reached a hundred feet in height, exploded with one of the most amazing displays of red and yellow that Simon had ever seen.
Sparkles, he thought with a laugh. It's a fireworks spell. Who knew?
The first explosion triggered a second and then a third. The Changlings gasped and he heard one of them clapping with delight. Even in the midst of chaos and destruction, the child within us isn't that far from the surface, he thought with a sad humor.
The amusement died as Simon saw the display achieve its desired effect. The dragon banked around and began flapping back toward the island.
“Master, don't do anything foolish,” Kronk said, next to his left knee.
“Could I do anything more foolish than think we could take on a dragon, my friend?” he asked bitterly as the dragon approached.
Kronk didn't answer.
“Well, Bene-Dunn-Gal, this is it. Let's give it our best shot. It could be our last.”
The staff purred. At least it wasn't worried, Simon thought. Then again, something that magical would probably survive, one way or the other.
He waited until the monster was almost over the island, its head turning this way and that, trying to spot the source of the fireworks.
The eyes, he said to himself. Go for the eyes.
He spoke the incantation rapidly, pointed the staff, and unleashed his Magic Missile spell directly at the dragon's head.
Spectacular bolts of magic blasted from the end of the staff, pushing Simon backwards as he tried to keep his right arm steady. They sizzled across the night sky in a blinding line, like tracer bullets fired from an anti-aircraft gun.
Dozens of bolts burst from the staff and slammed into the dragon, right in its face.
The creature screamed with a mixture of surprise, anger and, Simon hoped, pain. Its forward motion stopped and it back-winged away from the island, the wind from its wings whipping across the glassy surface and sending gritty sand into Simon's face.
He turned around and covered his eyes, desperate to see what was happening but blinded by the minute fragments of glass.
And then the wind stopped, cut off as if someone had thrown a switch and he whirled around and looked frantically for the dragon.
At first Simon could see nothing but the moonlit surface of the island and the blackness of the river. And then he looked up toward a small flash of red high in the night sky.
The dragon had shot straight up, retreating from the missiles of magical energy until it was out of range. Five hundred feet? A thousand? There was no way to tell. But it was too far for Simon to attack it.
Was it injured? Or simply dazed and furious that an insignificant insect had caused it some discomfort. Simon didn't know. But what he did know was that the thing would now be out for vengeance; out for blood. And this time, no spell that he had would stop it.
He ran back to the group while the dragon was still confused, or planning its next move.
“Simon, that was amazing!” Clara said with a wide smile. It faded when she saw his grim expression. “What is it?”
“I think I may have wounded it. Which will make it even angrier that it was.”
He looked up and was reassured that the beast was still hovering at the edge of sight.
“When it comes back, I think it will use all of its power. And I doubt your shield will stop it, guys.”
“I
t might, Simon. We have to at least try it,” Eric insisted.
“No. Not this time. I have one last idea. Something I was hoping I wouldn't have to attempt. But it's all I can think of.”
He looked at them all and then gestured toward the river.
“I want you all to get into the water. At least then you'll have a chance, a slim one at least, to get away if I fail.”
They all protested loudly but Simon was adamant .
“No time for discussion. You need to move before it comes back.”
As they hesitated, Simon looked up again. Was that burning spot getting bigger? It was hard to tell. But time was ticking.
He watched as all five of them, Clara bringing up the rear, walked into the water and began to wade out until they stood waist-high in the river.
“Guys,” Simon called out and they stopped.
“I just wanted to thank you all for your efforts. You gave me a chance and that's all I could have asked for. Best of luck to you, no matter what happens.”
“To you as well, Simon,” Clara replied for the group. “May the gods protect you in whatever you are about to do.”
Simon smiled wryly.
“I think that they have their own problems, Clara. But thanks. Now, off you go.”
He waved to them and then quickly ran to the western edge of the island. The river splashed and roiled, restless as the night around it had been.
The moonlight glittered off the waves and Simon raised his staff and then looked straight up.
“It's coming, Simon,” Aeris said, still with him as was Kronk.
It wasn't necessary. Simon could see the dragon slowing descending. Cautiously? Maybe. If so, at least he'd achieved something tonight. He'd taught it to take them seriously. For what it was worth.
“I can see that. Okay, my friends. This is where we part company. I need you to go with Clara and the others. They'll need your help getting home, especially in the darkness.”
Both of them began to argue and Simon cut them off.
“Look, my friends. The staff hasn't taken over, all right? I'm myself and I know exactly what I'm doing. Believe me, I do. Your job here is done. I want you both to survive and, quite frankly, you'll only be a distraction for me in what I'm about to do.”
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