“So you see, my dear, the fate of all luminary-kind rests on the shoulders of the one individual in this world that I trust wholly…you. To find and rescue my baby, you will need the help of others. One item that I never shared with you is that all Aurics are blessed with the gift of second sight, a very powerful gift. On my way here to write this, I set a series of events in motion to help you with this task. It is a quest, and like all good heroic quests, you will need to acquire friends and guides for the journey. I know this is a foreign concept to a construct, but you have the capacity to be more than your stone parts. Let your heart be your pathfinder.
“Once you have found the egg, assuming the hatchling inside is still viable, it will fall to you and your new friends to raise it. You must protect it at all costs until it is able to defend itself both mentally and physically. Have no illusions, even if my child manages to save luminary-kind, the evil side of our species would love the chance to kill the last golden. You must find it a safe and secure home with strong protectors until at least it has moved beyond juvenile stage.
“Diori, I know I have given you a daunting task. Please understand I had no choice. Blessed be the path you walk, my friend and child. I love you both, goodbye.”
Kailemora
“P.S. His name will be Donatello.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kerrik
“Andi, you’re taking us in circles!” I barked, looking at our map. “We’re no closer to Northfield than we were a week ago.”
“Patience, Brother,” she smirked with a wry smile. I had noticed in this past week that my sister’s mood had lightened considerably and she was beginning to enjoy life a bit more. I think the camping and the travel reminded her of better days on the caravan circuit, where at least she was free of her handicap. She and Daffi continued to bond, and the pooka made sure that she included Andi in most of the mundane tasks around the camp. “Have some faith that this is where we need to be right now.” She sighed happily, breathing in the scents of the campfire and the forest beyond.
Still checking the map, I decided that where we were…was most likely lost. Somewhere in the foothills of the mountain range we had been skirting for days. I had found some likely-looking passes and even over-flown a few to scout them, but Andea vetoed moving forward every time.
“Need I point out, Sis, that we are running out of food and we have heard the hounds in the distance at night twice this week? They have to know they have us pinned up against these mountains. How long will it be before they flood these foothills with their thugs?” I shook my head and looked around none too happily; we were camped along a small stream next to a birch thicket. The stream was a plus because we could use it to hide our trail if necessary. We had released the donkeys days ago, fearing that they were too recalcitrant, slow, and easily tracked. Of course, that meant we had to lose a large part of the gear we had been gifted by the elves as well. I tried to make good use of the bag of dimensions as best I could for the essentials. Without the donkeys, that meant that Andi rode on Daffi in her pooka horse form and I walked. Daffi insisted she was strong enough to hold us both, but I promised myself to save that for an emergency, if at all.
The pooka cross had been acting strangely, changed somehow, ever since that first night when she rejoined us. She lost all pretense of coquettishness, worked hard and was unflaggingly cheerful on the trail. She kept Andi’s mind occupied by asking question after question about what life was like in the human world, seemingly fascinated by it all. Around me, her behavior became almost shy, even going so far as to conceal herself when she changed forms.
When I mentioned this to her, she looked down self-consciously and replied, “I have come to realize that my previous behavior was born of need, envy, and desperation. With Andea’s help, I have resolved to become more than just a tree wench or a mischief-making freak. I am turning over a new leaf.”
“Really? I’ll match you idiom for idiom, a leopard can’t change its spots.” As soon as I said it, I knew I had made a terrible mistake. Instead of being funny or clever, it came out as just plain mean. I instantly saw the reflected look of sharp pain and sadness in her eyes.
She took a short, ragged breath and glared at me defiantly. “My birthright may define what I am, but it will not define who I am, Oh Great Wizard!” Tears streaming down her face, she turned abruptly and marched off into the woods, head down, defeated, and leaving me too shocked to say anything.
“You should be nicer to her, Kerrik,” Andea announced coldly from where she was sitting by the fire. “She is trying so very hard…fighting against her own nature.”
“I don’t know what to say, Andi. I didn’t intend for it to come out like that, I mean, I think she is adorable. But I promised Ryliss I would treat her like a sister, and besides, how can I know how much of her infatuation with me is real and how much is just her nymph half acting out? Is there any kind of long-term relationship even possible with a half-nymph, half-pooka? Neither of her sides is even remotely human, after all.”
“Men…” Andi clicked her tongue dismissively. “Don’t they say that love conquers all obstacles, Brother? Daffi has all the emotions of any human girl and then some. Truth be told, Daffi is a much better match for you than Ryliss, who, by the way, isn’t human either.”
“Well, we’ll never know now, will we?” I said bitterly, still smarting from the last time I saw the dark elf woman, reliving her death at the hands of the Canna. I walked over and sat closer to my sister, hands spread out to the warming fire. The only sounds were made by the crackle of the flames as night settled its comfortable cloak over us.
Chapter 13
Ryliss
Donatello? Diori and I both stood up and backed away from the table in shock. It didn’t help the situation that we were both watching the Auric’s letter char and turn to ash in the construct’s hand. What? Another quest? What is this, my third already this trip? I seriously need to talk to Rosa about a raise when I get back…if I get back.
“Ryliss,” Diori said quietly, plainly saddened by the ashes sifting through her stone fingers. She wouldn’t even be allowed the comfort of keeping the last words of her mentor. “May I call you a friend? I perceive I really need a friend right now…”
Humans always seem to offer consolation at times like this, usually in the form of holding the other person or a hug of some kind. I put my arms around her, and it was immediately awkward because I don’t think she was used to being touched at all. But it didn’t take her long to bury her head in my shoulder and let the tears pour out. I expected her to be cold, hard and rock-like, but not at all. In fact, her body movements and spasms from the sobbing were amazingly human.
Finally, she straightened back up and attempted to dry her face with her hands, speaking in a whisper, “I’m sorry, I did not intend to presume that we had a friendship. If the physical contact was distasteful to you, I sincerely apologize.”
I took a deep breath and waved off her concern. “I remember how I felt when my mother and unborn brother died, Diori. Sometimes, you really do just need to know there is someone who cares. Now, it seems we have a young dragon to find.”
Diori searched my face with her eyes, which in itself was a little disconcerting as she has no pupils or irises, but still her face could still come alive with expression. “You would be willing to accompany me on this quest?”
“Well, it seems your quest and my missions are intricately tied together so, yes, of course I will help you. Do you have any idea where this egg chamber might be?”
“Thank you, Ryliss. But to answer your question, sadly no, she had laid a number of recent clutches in a special chamber here in Anorthosite, but she had a string of bad luck and they were all infertile. Knowing what I know now, I believe it is possible that it wasn’t bad luck at all, but murder. Judging by the tone of the letter, I am reasonably sure Donatello is not within the Anorthosite complex. The Auric’s letter made it plain that she felt security here was compromised
. Knowing how Kailemora’s thought processes worked, the egg is probably in a location that she discovered centuries ago and kept secret. Close enough so she could keep an eye on the site, but revisiting it only once to lay her egg. She would have been wary of showing too much interest in a spot in case she was being watched.”
“So we have no credible clues for a place to even start looking? How long do you think Dawn and Dusk can sleep before they begin to die? It’s already been months.”
The construct tilted her head as if in thought. “Strong, vibrant luminaries like your silvers should be fine up to the six-month point. Beyond that, they would start to enter the first stages of inertness…”
“Death,” I interrupted. “Humanoid races on the topside call it death.”
“Thank you, Ryliss; I will remember your correction. The very young and wounded or weak dragons could face death sooner, possibly as early as the four-month mark.
“We’re running out of time and answers, then.”
“Agreed, we will need to act quickly, but Kailemora also implied we would need to recruit others to our quest to succeed,” Diori said.
“Your Auric was a powerful seer. The events she set in motion foresaw this unique situation for us or she wouldn’t have followed that path and left us without direction.”
“Meaning?” Diori coached.
“Meaning my presence here is not an accident. As you originally surmised, outside forces were at work, just not one you expected…your own Auric. I was brought here by a strand of fate that Kailemora separated with great care over five years ago and set to run its course.”
“And what brought you here was another seer!” the construct interrupted excitedly. “According to the books, they are extremely rare. One to three of them are born in a generation on the entire planet, almost non-existent…what are the odds?”
“Ahuh… She’s still young and nowhere approaching the peak of her powers, but Andi is very good at finding things. She could lead us to the egg the same way she led me to you…well, hopefully, not the exact same way.”
The stone version of me paced back and forth for a few seconds, contemplating. “Ryliss, we must find this Andi and hopefully recruit her to our cause immediately.”
“I know. Unfortunately, the last place I saw her and her brother was in the green elf village above. As you know, our last meeting didn’t go well, but it’s a place to start looking. If we are very fortunate, they may have already found their way to Xarparion, where we can recruit some really top flight help for our search.”
Diori put away the last book and motioned for me to follow. “We have much to get ready for, Ryliss; let us begin.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two small black dots, which could easily have been mistaken for rodent eyes, followed the dark elf and construct as they left the library. Shifting a book from a high library shelf, it stepped out onto one of the heavily-built shelves. It appeared as a small, twisted, misshapen human with a face as gnarled as its legs and arms. Barely six inches tall, dressed in ichor-stained rags, it shook with silent malevolent laughter as it turned and skipped away to report to its dark master.
Chapter 14
“A golden dragon egg? Surely you’re joking, Lebahn,” Verledn snarled as he slid out of bed in his private chambers. As before, a large red spot had appeared on the wall, its blood-red edges scintillating like the air over a hot fire. He threw on a robe and hissed at his bed companion. “Get out!”
The dazed, peasant girl nearly collapsed on the floor as she scrambled painfully out from under the covers. She hurriedly gathered up the remnants of the clothes she wore when she was dragged from her frantic parents earlier in the evening. The young woman managed to keep her tears at bay until the solid wood and steel door snapped shut behind her, but then they came in a deluge. The armed guard outside the room leered at her suggestively but, apparently, couldn’t leave his post and made no move to stop her from escaping down the hallway. Still sobbing and shaky on her feet, it was a long trek down cut stone circular stairs that ringed the outside of the tower, this being the public entrance.
Finally, at the four-story mark of the structure, the inner stairwell side stopped being wall and turned into railings, the better to view the grand central throne room far below. A furtive glance around showing no guards close by, she paused quietly for a dozen deep breaths or more. The expression on her young face changed from despair to resolve. With great poise and deliberation, the girl smiled at last and climbed the rail, not so different in height from the one that enclosed the loft of their landholder’s barn. It was a special place where she and her younger brothers had played games endlessly as children. She balanced expertly on the top banister, arms out to make adjustments. Images of friends and better times plastered a frozen grin on her tear-stained face, her damaged mind no longer lingering in this foul place. She spun her arms gleefully, pushing off for the last time; a child no more, but at least a soul intact.
Back in the room, the wizard was unaware and unconcerned about what was occurring far below him. He was pacing and firing questions rapid fire at the sending disk on the wall.
“So if we manage to obtain this egg, Lebahn, what would your Mistress grant me for such a prize?”
The image shifted as the fire mage’s eyes lit up in unholy glee. “You would but have to ask, Lord Wizard! Gold, more than you can imagine, tantalizing unearthly concubines, demon magics, necromancers to provide you with armies of undead at your command. There would be no limits to your power! You could leave this squalor, and after crushing the pathetic resistance, make Sky Raven itself your throne of authority on this world! All this could be yours…if…!”
Verledn’s eyes shifted greedily at the words and, unconsciously, he nodded at everything Lebahn promised. A savage grin spread over the face of the image on the wall as he knew his mark had taken the bait.
“Find the seer! Use whatever resources you need, but capture her before this day is out!” the wizard sputtered, his mind already organizing his new world order.
Lebahn nodded stiffly. “They are still at large in the Wollren foothills, My Lord, not far from the green elf forest. If they retreat back in there, it will make our job much more difficult.”
“Don’t bother me with details, Lebahn; just get me the damn girl.”
“Might I suggest this would be a good time to employ the gargoyle, Lord Wizard. This would assure success and the cost is…”
“Yes, yes…I know, fifty souls…do it!” the wizard spat impatiently.
“A wise decision My Lord; and when we have the girl, do you want her brought back to your castle?”
Verledn thought for a moment and made a snap decision. “No, finding the egg is paramount. You, Marl and the fifty troops you have should be sufficient. Take her and immediately begin the search, you know what to do if she’s not cooperative. But Lebahn…”
“Yes, My Lord Wizard?”
“I want her brought back to me largely intact when this over. That rebellious tart has much to answer for, and I will personally take great pleasure in breaking the last of her resistance. I was much too tender with her the first time. With her visions and the power of your Mistress behind us, the world will soon be ours for the taking.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kerrik
An hour before dawn, I opened my eyes. It had been a restless night and the low clouds overhead promised the possibility of rain. As was our habit, the three of us huddled near the now extinct fire with a simple blanket over us; myself, Andi in the middle, and Daphne in her goat form on the other side to preserve warmth. Daffi, for some reason, eschewed sleeping with us in her human body, and the horse was too big, and the rabbit too small. If someone had have told me that I would have appreciated sleeping with a goat, I would definitely have told them they were crazy. But the pooka was clean and fragrant-smelling, while Andi and I had definitely been on the trail far too long. Breathing in the soft scents of the forest, I drifted back to t
he land of dreams.
Dawn broke as promised, cloudy and cool; I was just about to sit up, when I felt small hands around my throat. I jerked fully awake to see my sister placing Ryliss’ protection medallion around my neck and she looked upset.
“Andi…what the…?”
“You’ll need this more than I brother.” As she finished the task, I noticed she had removed the scarf from around her neck and had tucked it into my shirt pocket, as well. By this time, I had tapped the goat and she was sitting up regarding us with alarm. I grabbed my sister by the shoulders and gave her a little shake.
“Andi, what do you know? What’s going to happen? Please tell me!”
“No time, just bits and pieces…” she mumbled. I jumped to my feet and pulled the bone dagger out of my boot. Daffi changed to human form and began frantically breaking camp, stuffing the blanket into the bag of dimensions as well as the few other mugs and essentials that were still lying around. Leaving the two of them, I ran to the edge of our camp and started to scan for any signs of our pursuers or other danger. I saw nothing, smelled nothing.
Daffi walked up behind me and put a solicitous hand on my shoulder. “We are packed up,” she whispered, placing the magic bag into my belt pouch and lashing it down. “We should leave this place. I’m strong enough to carry you both for a while, at least until the danger is past. I patted the pouch confidently and snagged her hand with mine, giving it a grateful squeeze as she turned to go. “Thank you, Daphne.” The pooka looked down at my hand and then smiled shyly; with a curt nod, she turned back to rejoin my sister. Whether it was Andi’s forecast of doom and gloom or my own senses kicking in, I still couldn’t lose the feeling that something was wrong. Yes, we should leave this place, right now. Taking one last verifying glance at the perimeter, I returned the dagger to my boot and turned back to my companions. Daffi had made the transition to her graceful black horse form and was prancing impatiently next to Andi.
Fireclaws - Search for the Golden Page 16