“Hold it right there,” said a gruff voice. From behind one of the throne’s legs, a stout black-bearded figure stepped out.
“Brenwar!”
“Aye,” said the dwarf. “No need to get all emotional.”
“I’m just glad you’re well,” Nath said, leaning down. “I was worried.”
“Humph.” Brenwar lowered Mortuun to the treasure floor and rested his hands on the butt of the shaft. He stood at attention, eyes forward. He didn’t blink.
Nath looked at Selene and gave a shrug.
Her eyes were fixed on the gigantic mural behind the throne.
The painting always changed. The dragons and clouds in the sky moved in an endless and timeless scene. The changes were slow and subtle. It was like watching a very slow and massive hourglass with the sand draining. It took its time, but eventually it changed.
“So, I guess the waiting part begins. Say, Gorlee. Gorlee?”
The changeling was nowhere to be found.
“Well that’s just great,” Nath said. “He probably has the right idea, though. Wouldn’t surprise me if we stood here for days.” He tapped his claw on the treasure-coated floor. “Or weeks. And just when I was about to close in on my mother.”
“Always be wary. Plans change. Be prepared for the unexpected,” Selene said.
“I suppose.”
I wonder what Father has in store for me now. He told me it would be fine to chase after Mother. Perhaps I should have completed the mission by now. Of course, I would have if Brenwar didn’t slow me down.
“So, Brenwar, as I understand it, you teleported, but you won’t fly? Didn’t you use the old ‘Dwarves don’t teleport’ line on Gorlee?”
Brenwar didn’t move.
Oh great. He’s assumed the position. Guzan, I’m liable to be standing here for weeks.
Nath gazed around the treasure room. There was nothing worse than waiting, even though he was a dragon and extremely patient. But this was different. He was waiting on his father—again—and he couldn’t help but feel like he was in trouble. Still, he was looking forward to seeing his father again. He realized he might not see him again for a long time. It did his heart well.
But for Balzurth to come back, there had to be trouble.
Oh, I’ll just give him a hug. Certainly he’ll be as happy to see me as I am to see him.
Selene’s tail swished into his. “I’m not sure I like this. Her eye grazed the vaulted ceiling tops. “Reminds me of my days with Gorn—”
“Let’s not utter his name here,” Nath interjected. “He shouldn’t ever be mentioned in these hallowed halls.”
“Noted,” she said. “Let’s just pray this has nothing to do with him or his ilk.”
“I’m certain his existence is entirely wiped out,” Nath said, with a sneer. “I felt it myself.” He locked his eyes on Selene’s. “You haven’t sensed him again, have you?”
Flatly, she said, “No. But evil is so hard to destroy.”
“As if we didn’t already have enough of a problem with the wurmers.”
The mural warbled, and a massive dragon stepped through. Balzurth came. The great horns on his head seemed to stretch to the top of the ceiling. The great muscles underneath his deep-red scales, flecked with gold, appeared more powerful than ever. His voice had as much thunder as it ever had. The room quavered, and the piles of coins shifted when he spoke.
“Welcome home, Son.”
Nath pulled his wings back. “It’s good to be home, Father.” He stood eye to eye with Balzurth and butted horns with him. “You look as grand as ever.”
“And you are quite the specimen of a great dragon yourself.” Balzurth turned away and faced the other dragon in the room. “Hello, Selene. How are you?”
“Quite well, King Balzurth.”
Balzurth’s golden eyes examined her black-scaled body. “I sense that is not entirely true.”
“What do you mean, Father?” Nath asked with surprise. “Selene is just as spirited as ever.”
“No, no she isn’t, Son. That’s one of the reasons I brought you here.”
“It is? Why, what is wrong?”
With a sad look in his eyes, Balzurth said to Nath, “Your friend Selene is dying.”
CHAPTER 22
“Dying?” Nath said. He swatted her gently with his tail. “I’ve never seen her better. You’re fine, Selene. Tell him.”
She looked up at Nath with weak eyes and shook her head. “No, I’m not. My time in this world has run its course.” She turned and faced Balzurth. “How did you know?”
“I’ve always known. It’s what Gorn does. If he goes, all of his closest acolytes go with him. It’s in their bloodstream.” Balzurth stretched his tail out and brushed it over her cheek. “You’ve been living on borrowed time, and now your time has come.”
Nath’s heart sank in his chest. “What? No. This cannot be. What are you talking about, Father?”
“Selene is a dragon the same as most, but more gifted, born black. Gorn found her at birth and took her under his wing.” Balzurth cleared his throat. “He cursed her blood and blended it with his. She can’t live in this world without him.”
“I thought Gorn was a spirit.”
“He was, but all evil spirits can taint things.” Balzurth stepped around the throne and put his wing over Selene.
Tears dripped from her eyes.
Nath’s eyes started to water. “What are you going to do?”
Balzurth then said to his son, “She’s made the right choice: good over evil. She’s one of us, and I’m taking her with me where she can live well—beyond the mural.”
Nath was numb. Despite their battles, he’d become as close with Selene as anyone. Now she was going to be gone! He probably wouldn’t be able to see her again for at least a thousand years. He turned and faced her. “Is this what you want?”
“This is the only choice I have.” She shrugged. “But it’s hardly a bad thing. It’s just happening so suddenly. Quite frankly, I’m not ready. I feel my work here on Nalzambor isn’t finished. That’s why I’ve been working so hard to eradicate those wurmers. I’m partially responsible for that mess, and I knew I needed to clean it up. Now, it’s going to be a burden for you and the rest of the world to deal with.”
“Does she have to go right now, Father?”
“We need to be prudent about it, Son. I sense the poison could strike her heart at any moment. Can’t you sense it as well?”
Nath shut his eyes. His heightened senses reached out. Selene’s heart fought for every beat. She was strong, but the fight in her was weakening. There was a deep sadness in her, too. “Can we not heal her?” Nath suggested. “Perhaps the Ocular of Orray can help? It removes curses.”
Selene brushed his cheek with her tail. “It’s been tried. It worked for a time, but that time is up. Nath, don’t be so sad. Without you, I never would have made it this far. I’d have been dead with no hope of life beyond the mural.”
Nath stomped his paw. “Why didn’t anyone tell me this until now? We could have been searching for a solution.”
“Nath, you have to live your life and I have to live mine,” Selene said. “Just let it be.”
“Come now, Selene,” Balzurth said. “We must go now. A new life will begin beyond the mural.”
“Can’t she leave, be cured, and come back?” Nath said to Balzurth.
“Only I can leave and come back, Son. And it’s quite taxing to do so. Now, say your goodbyes so you can resume your quest.”
Nath clasped Selene’s claws in his. “We can beat this, Selene. There must be a way.”
“This is my choice, not yours,” she said. “And I fear I’ve done much more harm than good in this world.” A giant teardrop dripped from her eye and splashed on the treasure. “Will you rid Nalzambor of the wurmers for me?”
“No!” Nath retorted. “You need to do that yourself. But I will help you.” He turned on Balzurth. “Father, you’ve told me countless times that there
is always a way to solve anything in this world. So tell me how to solve this. Please. What can I do to help my friend?”
Balzurth’s voice darkened. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.”
“So there is a way?”
“One that comes at too great a price,” Balzurth said.
“No price is too great, Father. I’d give my life for hers.”
“Nath!” Selene said, gasping.
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Son.” Balzurth rolled his eyes. He leaned over and poked Nath in the chest. He ran his paws over Nath’s horns. “You are as fine a dragon as there ever was, Son. Are you willing to give that up?”
“What do you mean?” Nath asked.
“Oh, you say you’ll give up your life, but let’s qualify that. Will you give up your life as a dragon?”
Nath swallowed. “I can’t stop being a dragon, can I?”
“You’ll always have a dragon’s blood, as you did before you changed. But what if you gave up all of your other powers? The gift of flight. Your iron hide. Your humongous girth and awesome power. Hmmm?” Balzurth poked him again. “Can you give all of that up? Not to mention the crown of the dragon kingdom?”
Nath shrank inside his scales. “I can’t give that up. I’m the Dragon King now.”
“A Dragon King that has only spent minutes on the throne,” Balzurth said. “You know, I was seven hundred and fifty-some years old before I assumed the throne from your grandfather, and it took another five hundred years to get used to it.”
“But, it’s my destiny to be king, is it not?” Nath said.
“Oh, destiny can wait. In the meantime,” Balzurth said, taking a seat on the throne. “I can keep an eye on things.”
“Nath, you can’t do this. Not for me. I’m not worth it,” Selene said, stroking his cheek with the back of her paw. “You love all of your dragon powers. It wouldn’t be right for me to be restored and you to be the lesser of what you were before.”
“You don’t want to leave, Selene. I can feel it. And I don’t want you to leave, either. Deep down inside, we both know we aren’t to be separated.”
“But it wouldn’t be fair for me to have my powers and you to not have yours.”
“Ahem,” Balzurth interrupted. “Oh, but you would pay just as big a price as he, Selene. You both would be affected. You both have to want this. There is no other way.”
“So, we’ll be made human again?” Nath said to his father.
“I can’t say exactly how it will work out. All I can say is that your powers will be severely limited. Notably so.”
“Does this mean I can never be king?”
“You’re a king already, Son. Always have been. Always will be. But, if you do this, you’ll have to assume the title of Dragon Prince again. At least for now. And that won’t be easy.”
Nath looked down at Brenwar. The dwarf’s eyes glanced up at him and quickly looked away. His friend seemed so tiny. Vulnerable. Nath didn’t want to feel that way again: mortal.
“Now’s not my time, is it, Father.”
Balzurth sat there, deep in thought. His thinking lasted for days.
Nath and Selene stayed right there with him, figuring it was a good thing Brenwar had frozen, or the dwarf might have become bored.
At long last, the old Dragon King made his pronouncement.
“As a man, Nath, you defeated Gorn Grattack and ended the Great Dragon War, but I think Nalzambor still needs you, as a man. And the world needs Selene, too. And … you two need each other, I believe.”
Nath’s eyes found Selene’s. “As I understand it, life is awfully nice beyond the mural.”
“And life as a king can be just as delightful,” she replied. “I wouldn’t give it up for the likes of me.”
“Well,” Nath smiled and stared deep into her eyes, “then it’s a good thing that you aren’t king. Father, I’m ready.”
Balzurth nodded. “What about you, Selene?”
“Can two bad decisions produce something good? I guess there’s only one way to find out. I’m ready.”
Balzurth leaned forward. “So be it. Now, clasp hands, close your eyes, and repeat after me.”
CHAPTER 24
Nath’s heart pounded in his skull. Darkness surrounded him.
Guzan! What’s happened to me?
The last thing he remembered was his father saying some words. Ancient and mystical. Powerful and transforming. The words had felt like they were separating his bones from the marrow. They penetrated his very core. The essence of his being. He struggled. His eyes wouldn’t open. His limbs wouldn’t move. His entire body was hemmed in by warm goo.
How am I even breathing?
His heart beat faster and faster. It thundered in his ears.
Settle down, Nath. Certainly your own father wouldn’t do you in. Would he?
Blood racing through his numb limbs, his body started to tingle. His strength grew. He pushed with whatever part he could feel. He hit something stiff. It was smooth to the touch.
What sort of prison is this? What has become of me?
Feet gathered into his chest, he stretched out. He kicked at the wall that held him fast.
Something cracked.
He kicked again and again.
The ooze around him began to spill out from the hole, and light crept over his eyelids.
Excited, Nath unleashed all of his limbs at once. Busting out of the strange shell, he started into a fit of coughing.
Yuck! What is this?!
Gagging, he spat up fluids until he could spit no more. Using his hand, he wiped the goo from his eyes and squinted them open. The light was painfully bright, and the surrounding sounds were muffled. A stiff breeze chilled his warm bones. Using his fingers, he cleaned out his nose and earholes. He rubbed his lobes.
“I have ears!”
“Yes you do, sleepy head,” said a muffled voice. “And a tongue, too!”
Nath shook his head like a dog and wiped all he could from his eyes. On opening them up, he found Brenwar. “You’re much bigger than before,” he said, spitting ooze from his mouth. “So I guess that means I’m much smaller?”
“Well, you certainly aren’t any smarter,” Brenwar added, “but if I were ever happy, I’d be happy to see you.”
Nath took in a deep gust of air. He was in the woodland, and a stream trickled nearby. His feet stood on large chunks of reddish-green shell and goo that reminded him of an … “Was I in an egg?”
“It looked like an egg to me, hatchling,” Brenwar said with the grimmest of smiles.
Nath stretched out his arms and hands. They were that of a man, but they still had scales. Black scales and golden-yellow claws. Eyes wide, he twisted his head over his shoulder and spun around. “No tail. No wings.” He thumped his chest with his fist and forced out more coughing. “I feel so weak. Vulnerable.”
“If you were smart, you would’ve asked to come back as a dwarf. We never feel that way.”
Nath stared at his hands. His body. His chest was skin with a slight mix of scales. The same went for his legs. He felt his face. His sensitive touch revealed nothing but smooth skin on his face. He smiled when he felt his long hair.
He let out a breath and gazed up at the birds chirping in the trees. One darted into flight, and others followed. He became aware of a hole inside of him. He used to tower over the trees. Over everything. Now he looked up to it all again. He held his head and sat down.
“What’s wrong?” Brenwar asked.
“This will take some getting used to, that’s all. Where are we, anyway?”
“South of Dragon Home.”
“Say, where’s Selene?”
“Getting something to eat,” Brenwar said, eyeing the streams. “Been gone since dawn.”
Nath jumped up. His head spun and his legs turned to jelly. He crumpled down on the ground. “Oof. I am weak.”
“And whining. Now get up.” Brenwar offered his arm. “Get up now.”
Nath took Brenwar’s arm. It was like grabbing an iron rung that pulled him up. “Hah. I guess my strength will come back soon enough.” He surveyed his colorful surroundings. “So Selene is well, then? How long has she been up?”
“Two days.”
“She got out two days before me? Really?”
“It hardly matters. You always slept too much.”
Combing his fingers through his hair, Nath then asked, “So how long since we left Dragon Home?”
“A few weeks?”
“Brenwar …”
“Give or take a few months.”
“Are you jesting?” Nath said in shock to Brenwar.
Brenwar eyed him.
“Guzan! A lot can happen in a few months.” Strolling over the grasses, he noticed he had toes and not clawed feet. He waded into the waters and rinsed off. The goo was quickly shed from his muscular frame and washed away with the waters.
Brenwar handed Nath an off-white suit of commoner’s robes and some boots.
Once he was dressed, Nath scooped up a handful of water and drank. “I guess I’ll have to get used to drinking from cups and goblets again.”
“And routine bathing will probably be in order,” replied a voice much softer than Brenwar’s.
Nath whipped around and found himself staring at Selene. She stood on the bank wearing commoner’s robes like his. Her hair was long and jet black, her eyes violet fire. Behind her back, a long black tail swished over the grasses.
“How do you feel?”
Shrugging her eyes, she said, “As mortal as I ever felt.”
“Yes,” Nath agreed, “me too. Exciting, isn’t it?”
CHAPTER 25
Traveling on foot, Nath, Selene, and Brenwar made it within a league of the Lost City of Borgash. Standing atop an overlook, Nath squinted his eyes toward the distant city. Its once-tall spires, now rubble, lay all over the barren and broken land.
Tail of the Dragon Page 8