The Dragons of Ice and Snow

by J. J. Thompson

  “Oh, okay. So to help these folks, I need an effective way to attack a white dragon.”

  “I see. How about fire?”

  “No, that won't do much good,” Simon told her. “All dragons use fire as a weapon. I'm sure it would do some damage, but I doubt if it would deal a lethal blow. No, what I believe is that intense cold would do far more harm than fire.”

  “Because the white dragons breathe frost, yes.”

  She's quick, Simon thought with approval.

  “Exactly.”

  The wizard held up his old spell-book.

  “Unfortunately, except for Ice Spear and Ice Storm, I don't have any spells that can deliver an extreme jolt of cold damage. Ice Spear is a penetrating spell, really, and Ice Storm attacks with hail. I don't think it would even chip their scales.”

  “Oh, I don't know, my dear wizard,” Aeris said. “It might do damage to their eyes, if you hit them just right.”

  “Good point. Maybe. But I need to use deep cold spells and the only people that I know of that use cold as a weapon are water elementals.”

  There, he'd said it. Now how would she react?

  Anaposus became very still, her shifting form rippling more rapidly, looking like small storm waves crossing her body. She looked at Simon with a small frown.

  “You want me to divulge the secrets of my people?” she asked him thinly.

  “Only if you think you should,” he said quickly. “As I said, you owe me nothing. If this knowledge is out of bounds, then just tell me and we'll leave it at that.”

  The water elemental began to wander around the tabletop. Simon was almost mesmerized by her movements. Unlike Kronk's walking gait or Aeris' floating, Anaposus glided on a layer of water. Her legs never moved at all and it almost looked like she was sliding across an icy surface.

  She returned to her original position and appeared to nod to herself.

  “Very well. As you have dealt with me, so I shall deal with you, Simon.”

  Her tone was firm and business-like.

  “I will do this much. I will add to an existing spell that you already know,” she glanced at the spell-book lying on the table, “so that it is based on intense cold, rather than what it used originally. I will leave the choice of spell up to you.”

  Simon was more than surprised.

  “You can do that?”

  “I can. The air elementals aren't the only ones who learned of spells from wizards back in the old days of magic.”

  She exchanged a look with Aeris, who smiled amicably, then looked back at the wizard.

  “That is the best that I can do, Simon. It would be unforgivable for me to share more of my people's power, and I would be punished if I did so.”

  “Would you? Are you sure that even doing this much isn't risky? Don't get into trouble on my account.”

  She made a reassuring gesture.

  “This is permissible, sir wizard. I am certain of it. So,” her tone because brisk, “what spell would you like me to alter?”

  Simon picked up the spell-book and flipped through it. Which one would deliver a blast of sub-zero air to a dragon?

  His mind felt fuzzy again and he was having trouble concentrating. Which one? Which one?

  Suddenly the book was gently but firmly pulled out of his hands and he saw Kronk toss it aside.

  “Kronk? What...?”

  “Forgive my master, Anaposus. He has over-exerted himself today and needs to rest. I hope you will allow him to choose a spell when he is more alert?”

  “Yes, of course,” the water elemental said, looking concerned.

  “Kronk, I'm fine. What are you doing?”

  “You are tilted in your chair, master. Your eyes are so red, they practically match my own. You need to sleep. Right now.”

  Simon knew that tone. The earthen could be as stubborn as a stone when he made up his mind and he'd obviously decided that the wizard was going to get some sleep and that was that.

  With a resigned sigh, Simon looked at Anaposus.

  “Sorry. When he gets like this, it's easier to just go along with him.”

  The water elemental nodded silently, apparently amazed by the sight of a fellow elemental ordering a wizard around. If Simon wasn't so tired, he would have thought it was funny.

  “Now, off to bed you go, master. You may speak with your new friend later.”

  Kronk pointed imperiously at the door and Simon stood up meekly, swaying a bit.

  “Fine. I'll go. Bullied by a sentient rock,” he mumbled. “Unbelievable.”

  As he slowly walked to the door, Aeris called after him.

  “Would you like me to tuck you in, my dear wizard?” he asked. “Get you some warm milk? Another blanket?”

  “Be quiet, Aeris,” Kronk snapped and the air elemental subsided.

  Simon was too tired to even come up with a smart retort and he waved weakly at Anaposus as he left the room.

  He hoped that it was just marking his staff and summoning the water elemental that was causing his weariness. He didn't need to get sick again.

  Chapter 7

  Simon slept the rest of the day and all night. When he woke up the next morning, his head felt like he'd been drinking for a week.

  Oh damn, he thought. I am sick. Great.

  Kronk must have heard him moving and entered the bedroom. He hopped up on the night table beside the bed and watched until Simon caught his eye. The wizard quickly covered his head with a pillow.

  “Good morning, master!” the little guy said heartily.

  Simon grunted, keeping the pillow over his face in a vain attempt to stop his head from pounding.

  “How are you this morning?” Kronk continued.

  “I'm sick,” the wizard mumbled through the pillow.

  “Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, master,” the earthen said, suddenly concerned. “You seem to become ill on a regular basis, don't you?”

  “Yeah, I noticed.” Simon groaned faintly. “My skull feels like something's trying to pound its way out of it.”

  “You must rest today, master,” Kronk said firmly. “Stay in bed until your head feels better. I will make you some tea.”

  Simon shifted the pillow a bit until he could just peek out at the little guy.

  “Thanks, Kronk. That sounds nice.”

  By the time the earthen had returned with a steaming cup of tea, Simon was sitting up in bed, a couple of pillows propping him up, and reading his spell-book. He hadn't remembered bringing it to bed, but it had been sitting beside him on his night table.

  “Here you are, master,” Kronk said brightly and held up the cup.

  The wizard reached down, wincing slightly as his head throbbed harder for a second, and gratefully accepted the tea.

  “Thank you, bud. I just wish I had a spell to cure head-colds. But all I have is time and rest.”

  Kronk hopped up on the bed and stood near Simon's legs.

  “If our friend the cleric was closer, she could probably ease your discomfort, master.”

  Simon sipped the tea, letting the honey-sweetened warmth trickle down his throat.

  “Maybe she could. But I don't want Clara to have to travel a couple of hours just to use her powers to cure a cold.” He sighed heavily. “I'll live, as usual. But I don't envy you and Aeris. I'm a bit grumpy when I'm sick.”

  “You, my dear wizard? Grumpy? Why, I never noticed.”

  The air elemental flew into the room as Simon was speaking and joined Kronk on the bed.

  “Very funny,” the wizard said as he sipped more tea. “Aeris, did wizards back in the old days get sick more often than most people? I seem to get the flu and catch colds a lot more than I did before I Changed.”

  Aeris' expression became thoughtful as he floated on top of the blankets.

  “You know, now that you mention it, they did. Wizards are powerful magically but weak physically. I recall one young wizard complaining to her father about being so delicate.” He shot Simon an amused glance. “The m
an was rather stern and told her firmly that her powers were worth her weak constitution. She wasn't convinced.”

  Simon chuckled a bit painfully.

  “Well, it's nice to know that I'm not much different than they were. Damned inconvenient though.”

  He put the cup on his night table and settled deeper into his pillows.

  “So where's Anaposus this morning?”

  Kronk nodded toward the window. Simon noticed that the day was quite gray and a light rain was drumming on the glass.

  “She's outside, master. She noticed the rain falling earlier and basically raced out of the tower to stand in it.” He looked puzzled. “I believe she's dancing out there at the moment.”

  “Dancing?” Simon grinned at the thought, even through his headache. “That's something I never thought I'd see an elemental doing. But it's not a surprise, I guess. Water elementals love water. That's a given.”

  Aeris sniffed.

  “She isn't a child. It's beneath the dignity of a being as old as an elemental to be acting so...immaturely.”

  “Because you're always so dignified,” Kronk said with a sly grin.

  “What? I'll have you know that I'm always...”

  The air elemental saw the looks on the others' faces and rolled his eyes.

  “Fine. Most of the time I act my age. At any rate, she seems happy to be here. The three of us spent the night patrolling the wall and spoke quite a bit. She's definitely more approachable than Aquamastis. Clever too,” he added.

  High praise coming from Aeris, Simon thought.

  He flipped through his spell-book, trying to decide which spell he wanted the water elemental to alter.

  “No. No,” he muttered as he flipped the pages. “No. Darn it, I...hmm, hang on a second.”

  He stared at a spell that he'd never used before.

  “What is it, master? You found one to turn into a cold spell?”

  Simon nodded and turned the book around so that the others could see it.

  “Fire Blast?” Aeris read with a frown. “I don't know it. Have you cast it before?”

  “Nope. Never,” the wizard said as he read the spell again. “It just seemed so, I don't know, impractical I suppose. It basically does exactly what it says it does. You cast it at a spot and it explodes in a burst of flame.”

  “But that sounds useful,” Aeris said. “Why haven't you used it?”

  “Because you don't aim it at an opponent,” Simon told him. “You aim it at a point that you hope your target will be. Fireball, Magic Missile, those spells will track whatever you cast them at. This spell won't. Not too useful if you cast it and by the time it kicks in, your target has moved.”

  “Hmm, I see your point,” the air elemental agreed. “Rather impractical indeed. So why choose that spell to alter?”

  “Well, it's the only one that I can see that would strike with intense cold. It's a temperature-based spell. If Anaposus can change it, I'll just have to learn to anticipate where my target is going to be and cast it at that spot.”

  “And if you make a mistake, you'll have wasted the spell.”

  “I know. But if deep cold is a white dragon's weakness, then this is the best choice, I think.”

  Aeris looked dubious and Simon offered him the spell-book.

  “Look, if you have a better alternative, I'm all ears.”

  The air elemental stared at the wizard suspiciously, as if he thought he was joking. But Simon continued to offer him the book.

  “I'm serious. Anaposus will only change one spell. We'd better make sure it's the right one, because we won't get another chance at this.”

  Aeris took the book, opened it and laid it on the bed. Both he and Kronk leaned over and went through each page as Simon picked up his cup and sipped more tea. He watched them and smiled.

  Who would have guessed that an earth and air elemental would become this close, he thought affectionately. And if I mentioned it, they'd both totally deny it.

  His smile widened. When the two had finished going through the book, he put the cup to his lips to hide his grin.

  “Well, what do you think?” Simon asked when he'd finished his tea.

  The elementals exchanged a look.

  “We think your choice is the correct one, master,” Kronk told him.

  Aeris nodded slowly.

  “He's right. But in a fight with a fast-moving dragon, your attacks are going to have to be timed perfectly, my dear wizard. One miss and you could be dead.”

  Simon felt the skin on the back of his neck tighten up and goosebumps lifted the little hairs on his arms.

  “Yeah, I know. I wish that Bene-Dunn-Gal was still around to write spells on. Instantly casting a spell like that one would be a life-saver.”

  The three of them stopped talking as they heard a light humming coming from the stairs. A moment later Anaposus entered the bedroom. She was gliding across the floor and Simon was fascinated once again by how she moved without using her legs.

  “Good morning, sir wizard,” she said respectfully from inside the doorway. “May I enter?”

  “Morning, Anaposus. Yes, of course. Please, join Kronk and Aeris.”

  She slipped across the floor and up the side of the bed, strangely leaving no wet marks on the floor behind her.

  She gave a pleasant nod to the other elementals and they returned it.

  “We were just discussing which spell would be the best choice for you to alter,” Simon told her.

  The water elemental glanced at the spell-book lying on the bed and then at the wizard.

  “Yes, I thought you might be. Have you made your choice?”

  Simon picked up the book, turned the pages until he found the right one and handed the spell-book to her.

  “That one. The Fire Blast spell.”

  She scanned the page carefully and nodded slowly as she read it.

  “I see. A logical choice. An area effect spell is risky though, sir wizard. If you miss...”

  “We've thought of that,” Simon told her. “But none of the other spells has the potential to do the deep cold damage that this one does.”

  “Of course.” Anaposus looked at the other elementals. “Would one of you be so kind as to get me something to write with and some paper, please?”

  Before Kronk could volunteer, Aeris floated toward the door.

  “I'll get it,” he said and left the room.

  Simon and Kronk looked at each other in surprise. It wasn't like the air elemental to be so quick to volunteer.

  “Once I write down the altered spell,” Anaposus said to the wizard, “you can add it to your spell-book at your leisure. If I might ask, have you managed to permanently memorize any spells, Simon?”

  “More all the time,” he answered with some pride. “The more I practice, the more my memory for spells seems to increase.”

  “Yes, that is how it works. Then if you will allow me this impertinence, I would suggest that you attempt to lock this spell into your mind as soon as possible, if you are going to use it against the white dragons. An area effect spell is imprecise. If you do miss your target, at least you can recast the spell more quickly if it is permanently available.”

  Aeris was right, Simon thought. She is very clever.

  “Agreed. Unfortunately I'm going to have to wait until I feel a bit better.”

  He massaged his temples gently. The pulses of pain shooting through his skull were beginning to blur his vision.

  “Oh dear, I had no idea that you were ill,” Anaposus said with some dismay. “Perhaps we should wait until you are well again before doing this?”

  Aeris flew back into the room, paper and pencil in hand. He offered them to the water elemental, who accepted with a warm smile.

  “My being ill shouldn't matter in this case. You're the one altering the spell, aren't you?” Simon asked shortly.

  “Please forgive our dear wizard,” Aeris said to Anaposus. “He's cranky when he's sick.”

  Simon sighed loudly
and leaned back against the pillows.

  “He's right. Sorry about that. But please, go ahead and create the new spell. I'll study it when I can focus again.”

  “Yes, sir wizard. If you're sure.”

  She sounded a bit dubious, but Anaposus put the blank paper down on the book, beside the Fire Blast spell, and began to write.

  The room grew quiet as the water elemental slowly inscribed the new spell. Both Kronk and Aeris were surreptitiously looking over her shoulder while Simon closed his eyes, trying to will his headache away. No such luck. It just seemed to make it worse.

  “And what would you like to name this new spell, Simon?” Anaposus asked as she was writing.

  He opened his eyes and shrugged.

  “Well, if it does what we hope it does, how about Blizzard?”

  She looked up from the paper and smiled widely.

  “Very apt, sir wizard. I believe that that is exactly what it will look like. It will, however, be a lot more deadly.”

  She picked up the paper and handed it to Simon.

  “As promised, your new spell.”

  He took it with shaking fingers and wiped his eyes so that he could focus on the writing.

  As always, he had no idea how he could read what was clearly no language that he'd ever learned in his life, but he could.

  Magic, Simon thought with resignation. Go figure.

  The spell was simple, short and to the point. At the top, Anaposus had actually titled it 'Blizzard' and the wizard smiled a bit.

  “Can you see what it does in your mind, Simon?” she asked diffidently. “Is it clear?”

  As he read the spell again, the wizard did seem to grasp the shape of the magic. It was a swirling, twisting violent mass of bitter cold and he shivered as he felt it in his head.

  “Yes, I can. Nasty and chaotic, exactly what I needed.”

  He put the sheet down beside him and smiled crookedly at the water elemental.

  “Thank you for this. I'm pleased that you could find a way to help me without revealing anything you shouldn't.”

  She bowed gracefully.

  “It was my pleasure, I assure you.”

  Simon wiped a shaky hand across his brow.

  “I hate to sound impolite, but I wonder if you could all give me some quiet time. I think I'm about to pass out. Sorry.”