DragonStone- Fatal Winds

by M A Bernier

  “It looks like I will have to set the ship down, the aperture of the funnel appears to be quite high above whatever ground exists.” Eryyn said as he looked at the captain and the others. Seconds later the ship shot out of the end of the funnel, Eryyn had braced himself to take control of ship, however he felt another power taken hold and lowered his partially raised hand. He looked at the others, they felt something as well, he had assumed those who lived here in the past used their own power to guide the ships downward, that assumption now appeared incorrect. On the ocean floor below Eryyn saw a city glowing with hundreds of small lights some flickering and some steady. Immediately he stretched out with his own mind, he found no life as he looked at Alys, she confirmed what he too had felt. Eryyn nodded to Syl. Understanding Eryyn's unspoken intention she launched herself into the air and began flying high above the city.

  “Who would have thought.” Ardant murmured. The others turned in response to his comment. “A magic docking system.” He said matter of fact. Alys and Eryyn smiled at one another as they held hands. It was interesting and odd to hear Ardant apply scientific terms to magical events. He saw what they took for granted as something new and wondrous. Eryyn's world and Ardant's spent the last five years learning from each other but, it would take several generations to truly understand each other. Each culture still found new discoveries about the other that moved them to such expressions as Ardant's.

  “It’s beautiful Eryyn.” Alys looked more intently at the city, it seemed almost pristine even having been abandoned it appears for who knows how long, perhaps forever it you count by the years a mortal lived. The city stretched for miles in all directions with a single tower in the center overlooking it all. There were nine sections. Each section was a circle with the next inner section higher than the one before. The only visible evidence so far that no one was here was the light brown patches of land that resembled farmland on the surface. Much of the other areas appeared constructed of polished marble stone, so were the paths between farming plots. “It looks so much like the old fortresses on the surface, only much larger.”

  “There has to be some connection between the designs.” Ardant was switching between looking at his scanner pad and looking at the city. “I am trying to feed the images for comparison but I am not able to contact my ship’s information systems, the signal is being blocked.” He looked Eryyn who looked up at the ceiling of water far above.

  “There is great power here my friend.” He walked to the edge of the ship, it was nearly to the ground and approaching a groove in the land that appeared designed to hold a ship in placed. The groove changed shape to accommodate the vessel as it settled into the ground. Once the ship stopped moving a portion of the ground, a ramp, formed up to one side of the ship providing a departure point.

  “Eryyn?” Ardant placed a hand on his shoulder as he was getting ready to step off the ship. “Exactly how do we leave here?” The others looked at him as well.

  “Do you see the arches along the far wall circling the city?” As they looked outward they could see some arches were only large enough for a person to walk through. Others appeared large enough to allow a ship twice the size of theirs to pass. Within each arch a funnel of water could be seen, like a vortex, leading somewhere out into the ocean. “I presume those are exits, but to where I do not know.”

  “And if they're not exits?” Asked Ardant.

  “Then we might get a bit wet.” Replied Eryyn. “Either way I am confident we can leave this place.”

  “Where should we go?” Alys asked Eryyn as she, Jaymee and Ardant walked down the gentle slope of sand to the marble path below. Eryyn had suggested the captain may want to take a small group to explore the city. At first he had disagreed until assured by Eryyn felt this place held not hostility toward them. If anything Eryyn and the others felt a sense of welcoming, as if invited.

  “Let’s check with Syl first.” The dragon flapped her large wings several times and settled down to the ground a short distance and walked to the group.

  “The city does appear abandoned, except of course for the lights.”

  ”Were you able to see any access to the tower in the center?” Eryyn asked.

  “Not from the outside, but I could not approach from the air, there is a strong magic with protects it, but I felt no hostility. The feeling I get is that we are supposed to be here, but we should walk through the city to get to the tower. There is some great force here still protection this place and guiding what we must do. It is not one I am familiar with.”

  “I think I am.” Eryyn rubbed his ribs lightly.

  “You think it’s the same force which ‘objected’ to my presence in the flow. It’s only a feeling but I am sure our answers lie within that tower, and to get there we will need to walk.”

  “If there is a straight path it should not take us more than a couple hours to reach the center.” Ardant turned to Syl. “Were you able to confirm any direct paths?”

  “There are many archways and ceilings over some of the walkways, it was impossible for me tell. It does appear I can walk unhindered, most of the walkways are forty feet or wider.”

  “Then I suggest we go.” Eryyn took Alys’s hand and led the others to the main gate. It took less than a minute to reach it. The gate was very much like the surface fortresses only larger. This gate stood about eight feet high and fifty feet wide. It was made from large timbers held together by a black substance that was no longer sticky to the touch. Iron hinges as large as a person lined each side of the gate and made no noise when opened after Eryyn had placed his hand on it. Everyone had almost expected to see giant sized doors and homes reflecting the main gate, however once they entered they found everything to be human sized. The walls were white, but not so bright that you could not look at them, it was an off white. The solid and flickering lights were spheres attached to the building. There were no discernible oils keeping them lit. The golden light felt very much like sunlight. Eryyn and Syl confirmed this to be the case. Without natural sunlight the inhabitants had constructed the devices to channel the sun from the surface to the ocean depths. An hour had passed before they came to a section that no longer was direct route to the center. They turned right and continued walking until they came to an area designed similarly to an outside market. This one however had been long abandoned. The empty carts and stands with their many shapes indicated they had been used to house a variety of stock. Judging from his own experience and the fields outside Eryyn felt this society was primarily agriculturally based. The society here felt very elemental to Eryyn. The sun globes, the farm land outside, and whatever natural force kept the water dome hinted at society that had mastered much of the elements of the Earth. It was these signs and symbols that he and Syl had noted on some of the doorways of homes and shops that led him to believe the base form of magic here was elemental magic.

  “You see these symbols?” Eryyn pointed to the group as they continued past the open area and into the next walkway. “Syl and I recognized them and believe this society practiced regular use of elemental magic controlling earth, fire, water and wind.”

  “I don’t remember learning about these symbols.” Alys replied. “Is it the council legacy of knowledge that helps you recognize them?”

  “No, I think it was my time with Syl’s father, when we joined souls we passed knowledge to one another.”

  “What makes you think they practiced elemental magic Eryyn?” Ardant walked a bit closer to join the conversation. He still held a staff in one hand and a scanner pad in the other passing it in front of everything he saw to record the images.

  “The symbols relating to skills like leather-working, weaving or woodworking are on the same type of shops as those of the four elements. The homes we have seen have family names and crests.” Eryyn walked for a few moments in silence, the looked it Syl. “It feels right doesn’t it?” She nodded also sensing what Eryyn felt. He let go of Alys’s hand as they made a left turn and found themselves standing
within a large archway leading to a garden of trees and crystal formations. The trees were the same type that formed the staffs they held, the same type of staffs that allowed new and experienced apprentices access to the Rootsource, the magic that they use. Although experience apprentices no longer required the use of the staffs as a conduit to that energy they still used them to signal one another over long distances. Apprentices were given staffs to use until they could learn to master and control the dangerous energies of the Rootsource.

  “Stay here for a moment." Eryyn walked to the closest tree.

  It had no leaves and looked dead until he laid his hand upon it. He sensed movement and turned. Eryyn watched the edge of limb sprouted forth a smaller foot long version of his staff and then touched the crystal for a moment. The limb moved closer to Eryyn revealing a smaller club-like staff with a crystal embedded at the end. He reached for it and plucked as he would an apple, it released easily into his hand, he walked back to the others.

  “This is how they used the Rootsource, only it’s different.” Alys could see the excitement in his eyes as he looked back and forth between the smaller staff he had plucked from the tree and his friends.

  “In what way?” Asked Ardant.

  “Watch.” Eryyn said and held the short staff with the crystal in front of him. The others watched as four different events occurred. The ground below them momentarily moved upward then settled down again. A small flame erupted from the crystal on the staff. After the fire dimmed a cloud moisture formed only to be swept away by a small burst of wind from nowhere. He placed the staff within his robes. “The inhabitants here used them to master the elements in the same way we use our staffs to master the Root Source.”

  “This society had its roots in the elements.” Syl spoke next. “As a dragon I can feel it, the sensation is even stronger here in this grove.” She turned to Eryyn. “I believe we should continue to the tower.” Syl could sense the temptation he felt to stay here in the grove, she doubted he actually would though.

  “Yes, I agree.” As Alys looked at Eryyn their eyes met and she could tell he was tempted to stay in this grove, he looked as if he felt at home.

  They continued walking for another hour following the main path that Syl and Eryyn were. They stopped only a few times while Eryyn placed a hand on one of the symbols on a door and closed his eyes for a moment. As Alys watched it seemed to her that Eryyn was absorbing every bit of information about this place through seeing, hearing, smelling touch and other world senses. As the turned the last corner they found themselves at the beginning of a quarter mile open walkway almost two hundred feet wide with several layers of seating along either side. The walkway led to the base of a large castle. A single tower rose high from its center. Alys was certain this was where processions of king, queens or other stately matters were observed. Every ten feet a small flag was hanging flat against the wall that separated the seating area from the path they walked. Each flag was as large as a person and divided into four squares. Each square on the flag held a symbol of one of the four elements. In the center of the flag, where the four corners met, the symbol of a golden crown was embroidered into it.

  “How is it possible that all this has remained intact?” Jaymee remarked to no one in particular.

  “I have a partial answer for you.” Replied Ardant as he looked at his scanning pad. “Something here is renewing everything from moment to moment, however I cannot tell you why.”

  “You have been silent for some time Jaymee.” Alys slowed her walk a bit so that she now walked between Ardant and Jaymee. He too seemed to be absorbed almost entirely as much as Eryyn, but somehow his fascination seemed different.

  “It’s hard to explain, but even though I don’t understand it I feel comfortable here, almost at home like I belong here.” She took his hand and walked with him the rest of the way until they reached the soft golden portcullis that led to the inner court of the castle. Syl moved to lift it however was surprised that her strength, as impressive as it was, was useless. Eryyn then tried to use the power of the Rootsource, the golden portcullis glowed whiter and whiter, but nothing happened.

  “Father, try the elemental staff in that indentation in the ground.” Jaymee was the first to notice that four small blocks at the base of the portcullis had a symbol of each element. On the corner where the blocks connected was a small indentation about the size of the staff Eryyn had obtained from the grove. Eryyn removed the staff from his robes and placed it into the indentation but nothing happened. He tried summoning each element and even tried in combination with the Whitefire; still nothing happened.

  “Well, this is interesting.” Replied Ardant, he turned to Syl. “Was there no other way in?”

  “No, I tried but there is a very powerful form of ancient magic preventing entry to the castle itself.”

  “The four elements have to be summoned at once.” Jaymee spoke almost without realizing it. Eryyn tried to summon them at once, but he could not. He turned to his son. He did not need to ask Jaymee to explain further but he recognized he had some intuition. Jaymee continued without needing to be told to do so. “Only the king can summon the four elements, only he can gain access.”

  “What makes you think that?” Eryyn asked, his voice sounded very probing, as if forcing Jaymee to reach inside and provide an explanation from an unknown source.

  “The flags.” He pointed to the banners on the walls and the flags on each side of the portcullis. “Each one has the four symbols of the elements with a kings crown in the center.”

  “Jaymee, try to summon four elements with the staff.” Syl spoke softly and stepped aside. “It’s all right.” She said seeing his hesitation. “The staff will not harm you or anyone; it simply will not work unless the right person uses it.” Jaymee glanced at the others as they stepped aside to let him pass. It seemed like a mini procession of one through a tiny welcome of royal subjects. He knelt in front of the staff on one knee and placed his hand not on the staff but on the tip where the crystal was embedded. At first he felt a soft wave of warmth wash over him, then he felt each element in turn surround his hand upon the staff, but it did not harm him. One by one the elements emerged each after the other.

  Eryyn watched as Jaymee walked between them and then knelt as if in obedience. He watched as Jaymee placed his hand upon the crystal. In moments he felt a gentle warmth emanating from him. From his hand on the tip of the staff each element displayed itself once, then again in succession. Only the second time did each element overlap the previous one until all four were present. Fire and water were interspersed with mists colored white like the clouds and dark like the earth. The portcullis creaked and groaned and then began to open. It split from the center and began sliding into the large walls on either side. Once the portcullis had disappeared into the walls Jaymee stood with the elemental staff in one hand and his regular staff in the other. Syl automatically lowered her head.

  “My allegiance to the king and sorcerer of Tre’El.”

  “I am not the king.” Jaymee’s voice was hesitant. He did not know how to react to Syl as he tried to hand the elemental staff to Eryyn.

  “The staff is yours my son. By your own words, and I believe you are correct in your assumptions, only the king who can master the four elements may gain entrance.” Eryyn then too kneeled before him as did Alys and Ardant. When they stood again Alys moved and hugged Jaymee.

  “I am so proud of you.” She whispered in his ear.

  “I don’t know what I am supposed to do mother.” Jaymee Replied.

  “You will.” She whispered back and released him. “I think you should lead us the rest of the way.” Jaymee looked at the two staffs he held.

  “I will take your regular staff for you.” Eryyn held out his hand, he took the staff and held it to his own, in a few moments there was one staff where the two had been. “Lead on my son.” Jaymee led them along the main path through the outer edge of the castle. It shortly led from a large courtyard into the ma
in building. It was an easy path to follow as it led directly to the center and into a large throne room. Along the way they had passed several smaller areas that looked like gathering places or small meeting rooms. On either side of the throne a large set of stairs led to behind the wall. The same globes that lit the outside also lit the interior of the castle emitting light only after they entered a specific area. Behind the wall there was an entrance to the central tower via a staircase along the other wall spiraling upwards.

  “If we can cheat this would be a good time.” Ardant looked at the winding stairs he knew led to the top of the tower.