Carnesîr frowned. “What about you, Amandila?”
The female elf was silent for a moment. She felt uncomfortable with the growing animosity between these two and didn’t want to be the one in the middle. “I’m sorry, Carnesîr. I agree with Fëanor. We should not wait.”
“I see,” said Carnesîr. “It appears that I’m outvoted again. If you want to leave tonight, we shall leave tonight. But don’t complain when you don’t have the energy to continue. I’ll ready my things.” With that, Carnesîr left the rooftop and returned to his quarters within the castle.
As soon as he reached the room, he locked the door behind him and collapsed on the bed. He had taken the brunt of Vosper’s counterspell, and the attack left him shaky and nauseated. It had been eons since he’d been caught off-guard like this.
Carnesîr closed his eyes and immediately felt his dinner rise up in his throat. He barely made it off the bed in time to vomit in a nearby chamber pot. He continued to heave until there was nothing left in his stomach. Then he fell back on the bed.
He didn’t want to alarm the others, so he waited in his chambers until he felt well enough to stand without feeling dizzy. He knew he would have to fabricate an excuse for the delay.
Carnesîr felt an overwhelming sense of dread. This was the most dangerous threat they had ever faced, and he knew it. He couldn’t help thinking: How in the world did Vosper ever get so powerful?
Hanko's Return
Sisren, how could you bring this traitor here, to this sacred place?” Rali said. “This man can’t be trusted!”
Hanko shrank back, his eyes rimmed by dark shadows. The disgraced rider looked as though he’d aged twenty years.
Sisren raised her hands. “Rali, relax. I didn’t have any choice. Charlight agreed to transport me here, and Hanko wants to make amends.”
“Amends?” said Rali. “You can’t be serious. He’s nothing but a traitor. Is he going to bring back Riona or Stormshard? He tried to murder Elias!”
“I know that,” said Sisren. “But the fact is we need his help. We could use the skills of another dragon rider, even if it’s him.”
“How can we be sure he won’t cross us again?” said Elias. “I can’t be looking over my shoulder every five minutes.”
Islar stepped forward. “Maybe I can help. I have Hanko’s dragon stone. Sela asked me to smuggle it out of Morholt.” Islar reached into his pocket and drew out the stone, carefully wrapped in brown paper and tied with a hemp cord. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it earlier. I was so tired and hungry I forgot about it.”
Sisren accepted the stone from Islar’s outstretched palm. She unwrapped the paper carefully, and the ruddy stone began to glow.
Hanko’s eyes grew wide. “I knew it! I felt it was here! Oh, thank the goddess!” He reached out desperately for the stone.
Sisren yanked it away from his reach. “Not so fast, Hanko. I may have allowed you to come here, but you’re still my prisoner.”
Hanko fell to his knees. He clasped his hands together and begged. “Please, Sisren, have mercy!” he cried. “Please give me back my stone! I’ve been so long without it. It’s been torture!”
Rali faced Hanko, his eyes filled with disgust. “Get up, you fool. What do you know of torture? Look at Chua. Look at Starclaw. This is what happened to riders who were captured during the war, Hanko. My mother was almost killed because of traitors like you.”
Hanko hung his head in shame. He couldn’t meet Rali’s eyes. Finally, Hanko spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry,” he said. “What can I say?”
Sisren wrapped Hanko’s stone back up and tucked it in her pocket. “I don’t think you deserve to get this back. Perhaps later, after you’ve proven your loyalty.”
Hanko cried out, reaching for the stone again. It was excruciating to know the stone was so close and still out of his reach. “Please, Sisren. Reconsider! I promise—I won’t…” he said, but Sisren interrupted him, putting a finger up to her lips.
“Shush,” she said, as though she was chastising an unruly child. “That’s enough, Hanko. I’m not giving you the stone, and that’s the end of it. Please don’t ask me again, because the answer will be the same.”
Hanko’s lower lip trembled. He rose up from his knees and walked away from the group. He joined Charlight at the edge of the clearing, where she sat alone. The dragon nuzzled Hanko’s neck.
“Sisren, how are we going to control him?” said Rali. “What’s to stop him from betraying us again?”
“Well, thanks to Islar, we have his dragon stone, so Vosper no longer has any way to manipulate him. That’s a plus,” said Sisren. “And Hanko agreed to accept a runestone implant. Komo put it in his chest as a condition of his release.”
Elias’ mouth dropped open. “A runestone? You mean, like the ones that the Balborite assassins have implanted in their chests?”
Sisren nodded. “Yes, Elias. And only I know the words that trigger the runestone. If I suspect any foul play, I’ll activate the spell.”
“What will happen to him?” asked Elias.
“It’s not a black runestone, so the spell won’t kill him. But it will incapacitate him,” said Sisren. “He’s effectively under my control.”
“What about Charlight?” said Tallin. “How can we be sure she won’t escape?”
Sisren shrugged. “She hasn’t thus far. Throughout this whole mess, she’s stayed deeply loyal to Hanko. Our evidence against her was lacking, so at one point, the High Council offered to let her leave. She refused, choosing instead to remain at Hanko’s side.”
Elias watched the interaction between the dragons. Starclaw and Nydeired turned their bodies away from Charlight. It was subtle, but they were snubbing the young female dragon and her rider. Charlight hung her head in shame. Hanko, accustomed to his treatment as an outcast, simply sat down and stared into space.
There was a moment of silence and then Elias felt a familiar itch on the back of his neck. A foreign mind touched his own—it was Amandila, the female elf.
“Elias?” she asked, her voice unsure.
Elias had only spoken to her once, and only briefly, right after the elves had arrived at Parthos. Elias accepted the communication, but strengthened his wards, just in case. He didn’t have any reason to suspect Amandila of anything, but it was better to be cautious. She was an elf, after all.
“I apologize, but I must make this brief,” she said. “Carnesîr didn’t want us to contact you, but I felt that it was necessary. Vosper plans to attack Mount Velik. The emperor’s troops are moving down the Orvasse on barges loaded with supplies. The first troops will arrive in Ironport within two days.”
“Are you certain?” said Elias.
“Yes,” said Amandila. “I saw them with my own eyes. We did a group smoke-scry, and the visions were very clear.”
Elias was impressed. The elvish spell must have been powerful indeed.
“Fëanor contacted the dwarves. Hopefully, it gave them enough warning. We’re leaving for Mount Velik tonight.”
“Is that all?” asked Elias.
There was a pause. “No… I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but something happened while we were scrying. We found Vosper. You probably already know, but he’s taken the oath. He’s a necromancer. But that’s not all. He could see us, Elias! He could see us watching him during the scry. Then he attacked us using our own spell—he sent an ancient curse through the smoke. It disrupted the spell and drained our powers. There was no permanent damage, but I’ve never experienced anything like it. A mortal spellcaster probably would have been killed. Be warned.”
“Thank you for this,” said Elias. “I shall notify the others.” They ended their communication, and Elias exhaled deeply. He gathered his strength and then relayed the message to the others.
“So, what should we do?” said Rali.
“If what the elves said is true, then Vosper’s strength has increased a hundredfold,” said Sisren. “The emperor i
s our primary target, and he’s still in Morholt. We need to go to the capital city.”
“It is as I have foreseen,” said Chua quietly. “Vosper must be stopped, or all the mortal races of Durn will fall like dominos before his armies. This is our last stand. I never thought I would see this day.”
“Sisren should lead us,” said Elias. “She has the most experience.”
“No,” said Sisren. “It is neither my place nor my desire to lead us into war. The prophets chose Elias for a reason. He should lead.”
“But I’m not even a true dragon rider,” said Elias. “I haven’t had my binding ceremony yet.”
“I suggest we solve that problem immediately,” said Chua. “It is customary to wait until the dragon is a little older, but these are special circumstances. Sela should be the one performing your binding ceremony, but her condition prevents it. Therefore, as the senior dragon rider and Master Spellcaster present, the honor falls to me. I shall bind you to Nydeired, my son.”
“Chua… are you sure you’re strong enough?” asked Sisren. “It’s a challenging spell, even for… a healthy spellcaster.” She chose her words carefully, but the implication was clear. No one thought Chua was strong enough.
“I can do it,” said Chua. “I’ll perform the spell tomorrow at sunrise. In the meantime, please make yourselves comfortable and enjoy my hospitality. I must admit that I’ve never had this many visitors at once, and it’s been a bit tiring for me. I will retire to my chamber to meditate and prepare for tomorrow. Good day.” With that, Starclaw gently picked up Chua and carried him back inside the Elder Willow, where he could rest.
Rali followed Chua inside the tree, choosing to return to his injured mother’s side. Sela’s condition had not improved. Sisren walked away from the group to join Hanko and Charlight. She started talking to Hanko in hushed tones. Elias watched their exchange. Hanko seemed to hang on Sisren’s every word. She placed her hand on his shoulder, and Hanko smiled faintly—the first time Elias had seen any cheer from him.
“Nydeired, look at them,” said Elias. “Hanko and Sisren are so friendly with one another. They despised each other before. I wonder what happened between them, and why Sisren really chose to bring him here.”
Nothing’s changed, said Nydeired. They still hate each other. I can feel it. But Sisren has Hanko’s dragon stone, and he’ll do anything to get it back. He’ll do whatever she asks, if he believes it will get him the stone back any quicker.
Elias nodded. “You’re probably right. Sisren has a dragon rider under her direct control, something she’s always wanted. Be careful around them, Nydeired. Those two bear watching.”
The Binding Ceremony
The next morning, Elias awoke at sunrise in his familiar position, tucked inside the crook of Nydeired’s tail. His eyelids fluttered open, and he stared across the clearing. He caught Hanko watching him with hollow eyes. The other rider met Elias’ eyes for a moment before looking away.
Elias got up, and he and Nydeired walked over to the nearby creek to relieve themselves and wash.
Are you nervous? asked Nydeired. His black eyes glittered with excitement.
“No, not really,” said Elias. “I thought I would be, but I’m not. I’m not nervous or afraid. I’ve never felt so ready for anything in my life.”
Me too, said Nydeired.
Just then, Hanko appeared. Elias saw him out of the corner of one eye and tensed. Nydeired growled, low in his throat. The dragon knew that Hanko had tried to kill his rider just a short time ago, and he wasn’t about to give him another chance. Elias put his hand up reassuringly. “I’ll be okay, Nydeired. What do you want, Hanko?”
“Can I speak to you for a moment?” he asked.
Elias shrugged. “Sure.”
Hanko paused, looking down at the ground. He struggled to find the right words. “I know it doesn’t erase the past, but I wanted to apologize… for what I did. I was so desperate during that time, but there’s no excuse for it. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I just wanted to tell you how I felt. That’s all… I guess.” His voice broke at the end, and he fell silent. Hanko’s shoulders were hunched. He ran his fingers through his thinning hair and sighed. He was a broken man.
Elias bit his lip. He hadn’t expected this. After everything that happened, he was unsure how to respond. Hanko was still unable to meet his eyes. Then Elias remembered the look on Frogar’s face when he had confronted the old man.
It was the same look.
The sadness… the humiliation… the regret. Deep down, Elias felt that the gods were testing him. Not his bravery or strength, but his ability to feel sympathy and compassion for others.
If I can pardon Frogar for his role in my grandmother’s death, then I can do the same for Hanko, he thought.
“I don’t agree with what you did,” said Elias. “And I still believe that you should be punished for your actions. But I believe in my heart that people can change. So I forgive you.”
Hanko’s chin trembled as he struggled to contain his emotions. “Thank you… I hoped that you would understand.” He tried to continue, but couldn’t. Instead, he clenched his fist and pressed it to his mouth, choking back tears.
Elias said nothing else. Instead, he left the creek with Nydeired. He knew that Hanko would stay behind while trying to recover his composure. Elias looked back over his shoulder.
Hanko was kneeling by the creek. Even from a distance, Elias could see Hanko’s shoulders, shaking with sobs.
Why did you do that, Elias? Aren’t you still angry? said Nydeired.
“No, I’m not,” said Elias. To his surprise, it was the truth. “It’s more exhausting to sustain one’s anger than to release it. Even if I wanted to stay angry, I couldn’t. I have to think about what’s best for our cause. There are too few of us, and we can’t afford to quarrel among ourselves. I care too much about the dragon riders. If we’re going to have a chance against Vosper, we have to fight as a united front. I believe that with all my heart.”
I understand, said Nydeired. It was amazing how much Elias had changed. The once-frightened boy had become a man.
They walked back to the clearing, where Chua was waiting for them. Chua had exchanged his plain, undyed tunic for an ornate robe, specifically for this occasion. A chalk circle had been drawn into the grass and Chua sat in its center, his body propped up against a stone. Starclaw waited nearby, just outside the circle.
Sisren and Islar arrived and stood off to the side. They would keep a respectful distance during the ceremony. Hanko and Charlight did not appear, choosing to stay away.
“Elias, do you have my dragon stone?” said Chua.
“Yes. I always carry it with me,” he replied.
“Return it to me now, so that we may begin.” Elias reached into his pocket. He withdrew the stone that he had carried faithfully for over a year.
Elias placed the stone into Chua’s outstretched hand. He jumped, feeling a bolt of electricity as the transfer was made. Chua smiled and breathed deeply, savoring the familiar sensation. He rubbed the stone blissfully with his thumb.
Chua opened the neck of his tunic and placed the flat side of the stone against his chest. Then he said a short spell under his breath, and two ribbons of skin rose up and encircled the stone, gripping the stone back in place. Chua had reset his implant. There was some blood, but Chua wiped it away with his sleeve.
The stone glowed brightly—a beautiful, fiery green. Starclaw’s stone was glowing, too. Chua and Starclaw could communicate telepathically again. Elias smiled. This is how it should be. His father’s stone had saved his life many times, and although part of him was sorry to part with it, he was glad that it was back with its rightful owner. After today, he knew that he wouldn’t need to borrow anyone’s dragon stone again, as he would soon be the rightful owner of his own.
“Please kneel,” said Chua, and Elias obeyed. “Nydeired, come forward.” The white dragon complied, craning his enormous neck. He stepped inside the
circle and gently nuzzled Chua’s arm to let him know he was ready. Chua placed his left hand on the dragon’s snout and his right hand on Elias’ forehead.
“Are you ready?” asked Chua. “This is your last chance to change your mind. Once the ceremony begins, it will be impossible to stop.”
I am ready, Nydeired replied.
“I am too,” said Elias.
Chua began the incantation. “It is the destiny of these two beings to be joined forever. By Kuros, the father god, by Golka, the goddess of war, and by Baghra, the mother goddess, I sanctify this union between Nydeired and Elias.” Chua’s voice echoed, as if coming from far away.
The effect was immediate. Elias shuddered; his limbs were on fire. Nydeired struggled to breathe.
Chua’s voice grew louder. “Tilkall-sveipa-lidr,” he cried. There was an explosion of light, so bright that Elias couldn’t see. Elias reached out blindly with one hand and touched Nydeired’s trembling flank. The diamond on Nydeired’s throat glowed so brightly that it was impossible to stare at it directly. It was like a miniature sun.
“Elias, it is time. Reach out and accept your half of the dragon stone,” said Chua.
Elias obeyed, touching the glowing diamond. It felt blistering hot to the touch. Instantly, Elias felt the touch of Nydeired’s mind. They could sense each other’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions. “It’s working!” said Elias joyfully.
There was a loud “pop!” and half of Nydeired’s dragon stone dropped into Elias’ palm. He looked at the glowing diamond with wonder.
“It is done,” said Chua, who collapsed on the grass. He was deathly pale.
“Father!” said Elias, rushing to his side. Elias lifted Chua up and the old man’s eyes flickered open.
“I’m fine, boy,” said Chua weakly. “Just tired. I need a few minutes to recover. Stop worrying about me and go enjoy your new dragon-friend.”
Elias nodded and set Chua down in a comfortable position. Then he walked over to Nydeired and touched his friend’s enormous jaw. Elias closed his eyes. “Can you hear me?” he asked silently.
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