The Dragons of Ice and Snow

by J. J. Thompson

  Chapter 29

  As Simon was propelled into the putrid, suffocating throat of the dragon, he gasped out the word of command.

  “Invectis!”

  Immediately he felt his skin harden and tighten, as it turned into a metallic substance as thick and dense as steel. He had enough breath to chant one more spell as he fell and then he was sliding down the dragon's gullet, slime and sticky fluid covering him like a second skin.

  “Shield.” he wheezed and the air became breathable again.

  The flesh around him convulsed as the primal swallowed and he was pushed downward until he landed with a muted splash into what he had to assumed was the dragon's stomach.

  He staggered upright in the pitch blackness and chanted again.

  “Light,” he said and a magical orb of white light appeared and floated up to hover over his head.

  He looked around and almost wished he was standing in darkness again.

  The stomach was the size of a small room. The walls pulsated and throbbed constantly and were dripping with a putrid green goo that stunk.

  But it was the stomach acid that Simon was standing in up to his knees that was worse. There were bits and pieces of semi-digested food floated in it. Most was unrecognizable but he saw what looked like an arm and part of a foot.

  He somehow managed to keep from throwing up but it was a near thing. Determinedly he kept his eyes away from the liquid and tried to think.

  What spell did he know that could do enough damage to the inside of a dragon to kill it?

  The Blizzard spell would hurt it, no question, but would it be enough? Fireball? No, probably not. It wasn't hot enough. All those spells would probably do would be to make the primal vomit, and Simon would be right back to where he started, only slimier.

  He heard a soft hissing sound and looked down to see that the stomach acid was starting to eat through his Steel Skin spell. Oh crap. He didn't have much time.

  While he was thinking, and melting, he looked up at the tube above him. He could vaguely see several small openings just outside of the stomach itself.

  I wonder if that's where its fire and ice breath come from, he thought vaguely.

  A burning sensation below his knees snapped him back to reality. Think, Simon, think. What spell could do enough damage...

  He grinned as a crazy idea popped into his mind.

  Oh, they're not going to like it, but desperate times and all that.

  He stepped back to the nearest undulating wall of the stomach and stared at the center of the acidic pool.

  “Aethos, I need you,” he said firmly.

  There was a momentary pause and then the misty, man-shape of the air elemental appeared, hovering above the foul liquid.

  “What the...wizard? Is that you? You've alive!”

  “So far. Let's see how long that lasts.”

  Simon gestured at the grim scene around them.

  “Welcome to my nightmare,” he said with a weak grin.

  Aethos spun slowly in place.

  “Are we actually inside the...”

  “The dragon. Yes, we are. Is it all that you hoped it would be?”

  “You're mad,” the elemental said flatly. “I am pleased to see that you still live, but what are you doing?”

  “Killing the bastard, hopefully. Listen, I'm starting to get digested here so I don't have a lot of time. I need you to do enough damage to this monster to kill it from the inside.”

  “Really? An interesting idea, but I doubt that my winds can harm such a powerful creature.”

  “Ah, but you won't be alone. Hang on a second.”

  Simon looked at the center of the stomach again.

  “Incendus, I need you,” he said, feeling a bit more nervous this time.

  A burst of fire ignited in the middle of the air above the acid pool and a living flame grew there, its crackling energy echoing around the small space.

  “Well, well, the wizard lives.”

  Simon watched as the flame swirled, apparently looking around, although it was difficult to really tell. He noted with interest that Aethos hovered close to the fire elemental and showed no averse reaction to his heat.

  “So, we're in the belly of the beast, I take it?”

  “We are. I'm glad you aren't upset. I was worried you might be a little...angry.”

  “I am inside a dragon, wizard. Of course I'm angry. I'm also intrigued. You are planning something, yes?”

  “Yes. Look, we aren't getting anywhere attacking this monster from the outside. What we need to do is kill it from in here. So tell me, Incendus, could you generate enough heat to do a fatal amount of damage to our host here.”

  The fire elemental flew close to the wall of the stomach, then rose up to examine the tube leading upward. He returned to his original position and his flames died down a bit.

  “No. No, I do not think so. Oh, I could damage it, doubtless. But kill it outright? No.”

  “So now what, wizard?” Aethos asked him. “You can't stay here much longer. Your magical skin is dissolving.”

  “I know. Look, I have an idea. I figured that neither of you could do enough damage to kill this thing...separately. But what if you work together?”

  “Together?” Incendus sounded intrigued and Aethos lifted one misty eyebrow. “How?”

  “A firestorm,” Simon said simply. “Incendus, you hover in the center of the stomach, where you are now, and generate the most intense heat that you can. Aethos, you create a vortex around him. The high winds will fan the flames and you can increase the amount of heat and damage the fire does by an incredible amount. It may be enough to literally fry this thing from the inside out.”

  “Interesting,” Aethos said. He looked at Incendus. “What do you think?”

  “I think our young wizard is wiser than he looks.”

  “Um, thanks. I think. So, do you want to try it? It is your choice to make.”

  “And if we say no?” Aethos asked, watching Simon closely.

  The wizard shrugged.

  “Then I stay here and do as much damage as I can until I either run out of energy, the dragon expels me or the acid gets me. It may not stop the monster, but it might wound it badly enough for our people to retreat and live to fight another day.”

  “Ah, I see. Well, I for one would like to say that I had a hand in bringing down a primal dragon.”

  Aethos looked at the flames.

  “What about you?”

  “I love a challenge. Of course I will do it. If nothing else, it will make a good story to tell the lesser elementals when I return home.”

  “That's fantastic! Thanks, guys,” Simon said gratefully.

  “Thank us when this monstrosity is dead. Now, I think you'd better leave, wizard,” Aethos said and nodded at Simon's legs. “You are about to take significant damage.”

  “I'm going.”

  He chanted the Gate spell and then paused.

  “Good luck to you. Here's hoping it works.”

  “Agreed,” Incendus said. “Now go, quickly!”

  Simon pictured the mesa and the boulder that he had hidden behind earlier and invoked the spell.

  It was probably the fastest Gate he had ever used. One second he was inside the dragon and the next he was standing on the flat ground of the plateau.

  His Steel Skin spell shattered as he appeared, thankfully splattering the goo he'd been covered with on to the ground.

  He canceled his shield and then crept around the boulder to see what was happening.

  The primal dragon was once more encased in rock from its knees down, but it didn't seem to care. It was actually laughing with horrid glee.

  “Why do you continue to fight?” it roared at the elves who were shooting wave after wave of arrows at it.

  Simon saw a dozen bright missiles slam into the monster as well as a streak of lightning and knew that the mages were still in the battle.

  “Your champion is gone. Your cause is lost. Soon, I will have his p
ower added to my own and then, I will be truly unstoppable.”

  The wizard snuck from one boulder to the next, keeping out of sight. He didn't want the dragon to realize that something was wrong.

  He finally reached a position close to where Tamara and Sebastian were standing. Both of the siblings looked drained and were barely able to stand. But they kept on attacking. It was heart-breaking.

  “Tamara, you have to stop,” Sebastian told his sister as she fell to her knees. She had launched more missiles but then had collapsed with a weary cry.

  “You're going to kill yourself! We've done all that we could.”

  “Have we?” she asked as he pulled her to her feet. “That...that thing ate Simon! He gave his life to try to save the world. Can we do any less?”

  “I know, but...”

  Simon stepped out of the shadows and walked toward them, moving slowly so that he didn't catch the primal's attention.

  “Yeah,” he said quietly. “About that...”

  Tamara gave out a little shriek and turned so quickly that her brother had to grab her arm to keep her from falling again.

  “Simon? You're alive?”

  She gaped at him in disbelief and he shrugged ruefully.

  “So far I am. But the night's not over yet, so you never know.”

  Sebastian stepped forward and grabbed his hand.

  “How? How did you do it? And why?”

  Simon glanced up at the dragon and then motioned for them to move back out of sight.

  “It was something Ethmira said to me earlier. Basically, we can't beat this thing from the outside. It has to be attacked internally.”

  “But you're here,” Tamara said in confusion. “So you're saying it didn't work?”

  “No, I'm saying it may be about to. Sebastian, could you go to the elves, find Ethmira and tell her to pull her people back? They're wasting arrows and I don't want any of them getting hurt. If she asks why, just tell her that I sent you.”

  “Yeah. Sure, of course. I'll go right now.”

  “Watch yourself,” Tamara called after him. She looked at Simon.

  “So now what?”

  “Now we wait. It shouldn't be too long, one way or another.”

  They stood shoulder to shoulder in the shadows and watched. A few moments later, they saw the elves pulling back en masse and moving to the edge of the plateau. The primal laughed mockingly.

  “So, you listened to my advice. Good. Now scurry home, little rats. When next we meet, you won't have a hole left to hide in.”

  “I'm getting really sick of listening to that thing talk,” the mage said with disgust.

  “Really loves the sound of its own voice, doesn't it?” Simon commented. “Maybe the transformation involved merging itself with a politician?”

  She giggled and poked him sharply with an elbow.

  A distant rumble shook the ground slightly and the primal looked around with a frown.

  “What is this? More attackers? Haven't you had enough?”

  Another rumble followed and Simon saw the breastplate on the dragon suddenly move upwards and then back again.

  “What?”

  The dragon looked down at itself and this time its entire torso seemed to inflate and press against its armor. It growled and slammed a hand against its chest.

  “Is that you, little wizard? What are you doing in there? Just die already and give me your power.”

  There was a long pause and then the white scaly skin of the primal began to glow. The luminescence began in its chest and then moved down to its belly and out to its limbs. The white scales began to sizzle and darkened to an ominous red color. In minutes, the primal dragon was a bright yellowish red in color.

  Steam rose from its skin and it began bellowing, first in anger and then in fear.

  “What are you doing? You cannot hope to defeat me! I am the strongest. I am the fiercest!”

  Simon stepped out of the shadows and moved forward. He summoned a light globe and it rose to dance above his head.

  The primal turned its head and looked down at him. It was now glowing so brightly that the plateau shone as if from the rising sun.

  “You! You are alive! What have you done to me?”

  “Me?” Simon yelled up at it. “Nothing. You did this to yourself. If you hadn't sacrificed our people, you might have lived for years. So if you're looking for someone to blame, blame yourself. Oh and say hello to the black and green primals when you see them again. In hell.”

  “Why you...”

  The primal dragon ripped its feet loose and stepped toward Simon. It raised its arms to smash him to a pulp and then stood there, eyes wide, frozen in place. It made a small sound of surprise and then the immense form glowed as brightly as the sun, and exploded.

  “Everybody down!” Simon shouted as he threw himself flat behind the closest lump of rock. The shock wave from the explosion sent dust and rocks flying everywhere.

  Simon was struck painfully several times and he kept his hands covering his head until the danger had passed.

  Finally the last of the shaking subsided and the winds died down. The wizard looked around cautiously and then slowly got to his feet. A stab of pain from his lower back, and one from his thigh had him limping as he tried to see if everyone was all right.

  “Tamara? Sebastian? Are you guys okay?”

  The dust began to settle and Simon saw the mages helping each other up, coughing and brushing the dirt off of their coats.

  'We're okay, Simon,” Tamara answered weakly. “You?”

  “Better than I expected, to be honest. I half thought I'd be digested by now.”

  The three of them turned and walked toward the body of the primal dragon.

  The smell of burnt flesh and bone was revolting and Tamara pulled out a handkerchief and held it over her mouth.

  Simon stopped several yards away and just looked at what was left of the dragon. Behind him, he heard the light footsteps of the elves and the heavy tread of an earth elemental.

  Ethmira appeared on his left and smiled at him.

  “I was so happy when the mage told me you were alive,” she said warmly.

  “Thanks. I'm glad it worked. Did you lose anyone?”

  “Thankfully, no. A few broken limbs, some cuts and bruises, but nothing more. Our healers will repair the damage in no time. What about you and the mages?”

  “We're good. Bumps and bruises, but that's all.”

  He nodded at the shattered body of the primal. Its white flesh was torn open in a dozen places and its yellow eyes glared sightlessly at the purple sky.

  “This was a close one,” he said somberly and she nodded.

  “It was that.”

  Ethmira looked slowly along the length of the dragon, her brow furrowed.

  “What? What are you thinking?” Simon asked quietly.

  “I'm thinking that if the primal white dragon was this powerful, how much stronger are the brown and red? And what about their queen?”

  “I know,” he said as Tamara and Sebastian moved forward and stood next to them. “I don't know how we're going to defeat dragons that are even stronger than this bastard was.”

  “You'll think of something, sir wizard,” Sebastian said with a lop-sided grin. “After all, you always have.”

  “Yeah? I think my bag of tricks is pretty much empty at this point.”

  He leaned over to shake the dust out of his hair and then whipped it back out of his face.

  “Your hair has more white in it after this battle, my friend,” Ethmira told him with a teasing smile.

  “I kind of like it,” Tamara said. “It's sort of...cutting edge.”

  “Yeah, that's me. An icon of fashion.”

  They all laughed and then caught their breaths as a flame appeared on their left and a second shape made of mist appeared beside it.

  “That was well done, guys,” Simon said heartily to the elementals.

  “Wait a second here,” Tamara said. “You mean t
hese two are responsible for killing that monster?”

  “Credit where credit is due,” Simon said with a nod. “They combined their powers and took it out from the inside.”

  Aethos bowed slightly while Incendus just burned a little brighter.

  “That amazing!” Sebastian said. “Great job!”

  Ethmira and Tamara added their congratulations and Aethos looked very pleased.

  “We appreciate the accolades, but thank the wizard. It was his idea to combine our strengths. It has never been done before and we certainly would never have thought of it.”

  “Aethos speaks the truth,” Incendus added in his crackling voice. “The wizard has earned your gratitude. And ours. Call on us again if you need us, sir wizard. We are now your allies.”

  “As am I and mine,” the air elemental said firmly. “If you require our aid, simply call us by name.”

  “Thank you both for that. And for what you did. Hopefully though we'll get a long respite before we have to tackle the next primal dragon.”

  The elementals said farewell and then both faded and were gone.

  “You've earned the respect of the elementals, Simon,” Ethmira said. “Not an easy thing to do.”

  “Well, it's good to know that we have allies in our fight. We're going to need them.”

  He stretched painfully and looked around.

  “But not tonight. Are you heading back now?” he asked the elf.

  Ethmira nodded and looked toward her archers. Next to them, several earth elementals waited quietly.

  “Yes. The earthen have agreed to take us down to the plain before they return to their own realms.”

  She took Simon's hand and squeezed it gently.

  “Take care. Hopefully we'll see each other again soon.”

  “Under better circumstances,” he added with a smile.

  She laughed lightly, shook hands with Tamara and Sebastian and went back to her people.

  “So what about you two?” Simon asked. “Can you make it home all right or do you need a lift?”

  “Oh no, we're fine,” Tamara answered for them both. “I'm a bit knackered, to be honest, so Bastion is going to Gate us back to London. I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

  “You've earned it. Listen, I wanted to thank you for coming back tonight. You obviously guessed that the primal hadn't actually left the area. Good call. And your willingness to join in the battle was, well, awesome.”