Quest: The Clans of Arcadia

by Arwen Chandler

  The pale blue light of the sun’s first rays illuminated the camp, and Lilia stirred. Karn sat on a large boulder beside the water, lost in thoughts, while Ian made spiced coffee.

  Ian handed Lilia a cup and carried one to Karn. “Are you ready?”

  Karn shrugged. “I don’t know. I sometimes forget what I’m even doing here.”

  Ian lifted his eyebrow. “How so?”

  “Brother, I almost feel guilty facing the trials, sitting here with you, and Lilia, drinking spiced coffee while so many in Arcadia are under the thumb of Fridtjof and Magnus.”

  Lilia rested her head on his shoulder. “My love, you are where you need to be, where the goddess has called you to be.”

  Karn gently kissed her forehead. “You’re right.” He glanced at the water. “I guess it’s about time.”

  The sound of beating wings erupted overhead, and they looked up. Aslaug entered the clearing. Her purple scales glistened in the dawning light. Karn took a deep breath. “She is beautiful.”

  Lilia smiled. “Yes, and your companion. I’m slightly jealous, you know.”

  Karn traced the dragon tattoo on her arm. “No need, once these trials are over. You’ll be joined with one, too.”

  Her heart beat wildly. “I wonder what it’s like to soar through the sky, over the water and the sea?”

  Aslaug landed beside her. “Would you like to find out?”

  Lilia’s eyes widened. “Yes, more than anything.”

  Aslaug gave a Karn a sidelong glance. “Karn, it would be better for Lilia not to be present when you call the water dragon. Perhaps I will take her on a flight?”

  Karn nodded. “Yes, I think that’s an excellent idea.”

  Lilia hugged Karn. “Thank you.” She crossed over to Aslaug, how do I ride your back without a saddle?”

  Alsaug lowered her neck. “I will watch for you. If you fall, I’ll catch you.”

  Lilia swallowed hard, and her palms started to sweat. “I trust you, Aslaug.” Fear flashed in her eyes. “But, I don’t like the sound of falling.”

  Aslaug chuckled. “I promise you'll be fine. Climb over my neck and sit in front of my wings.”

  Lilia threw a leg over and slid up Aslaug’s back. “Is this good?”

  Aslaug nodded. “Yes. Now hold on tight with your thighs, lean forward and wrap your arms around my neck.”

  Lilia did as she was told. “Okay.”

  Aslaug lifted her wings. “Are you ready?”

  Lilia gulped. “Yes. I’m ready.”

  In one smooth motion, Aslaug lurched into the sky, Lilia astride her back.

  Karn watched as the pair flew off into the distance.

  Ian took a deep breath. “I’m not quite sure what I think about that.”

  Karn grinned. “I do. I’m jealous. She’s riding my dragon, and I haven’t even gotten to do that.”

  Ian chuckled. “You’ll get a chance.”

  “As will you, brother.”

  Karn bit his lip. “Let’s call a dragon.” He stood, wiping his hands on the front of his pants. “Go stand behind that tree, out of sight, but be ready just in case this dragon tries to get the best of me. If I call you, come out. If not, stay put.”

  Ian unsheathed his dagger. “I’ve got your back, brother.”

  Karn waited for Ian to hide just outside the clearing before he walked to the water’s edge. He loosened the staff at his waist and transformed it to its full height. The twisted cage finial at the top held the blue flame securely in its confines.

  Karn slid the birch bark ring onto the ring finger of his right hand, and closed his eyes, channeling the blue flame into his palm. He cleared his mind until the only sounds he heard were the beating of his heart and the buzzing of the flame.

  He opened his eyes, now full of the flame. “Trawutt, dragoni.” The flame shot from his palm and into the center of the water. The water swirled counterclockwise, causing giant ripples to lap over the confines of the embankment. The water parted at Karn’s feet, towering on each side of him as the dragon emerged.

  The lower half of the albino dragon coiled like a viper, his wings papery thin and large opened as if he were fixing to take flight. He slinked toward Karn, his red eyes blazing.

  “What do you want, wizard?” He slithered around Karn, looked him in the eye, and sniffed. His tongue flicked the air, tasting the magic encompassing Karn. “You are a child of Lorna.” His tongue flicked again. “Ah. Descendent of Caladain.” A smile formed on his lips. “You have come for the test.”

  Karn took a step forward. “Yes, dragon, I have.”

  The dragon pushed backward and stood on his tail. He towered over Karn.

  “I am the gatekeeper to your destiny.” The dragon extended his wings, from tip to tip. They were greater than twelve-feet in length. He exhaled, and red and orange flame shot into the sky. Karn shivered.

  “To continue your quest, you must be worthy.” The dragon puffed out his chest, then folded his wings against his body. Suddenly he appeared much more snake-like than dragon.

  Karn took a step back. “And how do you know that?”

  The dragon squinted and swayed forward. “I have my ways.”

  Karn knit his brow. “Well, begin, dragon. What are you waiting for?”

  The dragon reached a clawed hand in front of Karn’s chest and cut a four-inch gash across Karn’s heart. He groaned but remained standing.

  “The pain has just begun, wizard.”

  The dragon placed its palm over the wound, and it glowed orange. “If you are worthy, you will survive. If you are not, you die.” The dragon swayed backward, watching.

  Karn fell to his knees writhing in pain.

  From behind the trees Ian watched. He sheathed his dagger and withdrew his broadsword. Ian started to run to Karn’s side but willed himself to remain still.

  The water dragon leaned in close to Karn, whispering in his ear, “You think yourself worthy, wizard?”

  Karn’s pupils disappeared, and his eyes grew opaque. Sweat poured from his forehead, and his body shook.

  The dragon coiled around him then slid back. “Ha! Perhaps I will eat you.”

  The pain in Karn’s chest exploded into a white light in his mind. Unable to move, he lay helpless as the dragon’s open mouth lunged at his head.

  Ian sprinted from behind the trees, sword in hand, and stopped between the dragon and Karn. “Back off, dragon, or I’ll have your head.” Ian’s sword glistened in the sunlight.

  The dragon growled, drool falling onto Ian’s face. Ian grimaced but ignored the putrid liquid sliding down his cheek.

  The dragon snapped at Ian, lunging toward him with an open mouthful of razor-sharp teeth, and Ian stepped to the side, barely escaping the dragon’s lethal bite.

  Ian slashed at the dragon with his broadsword, but it slid harmlessly in front of the pearlescent scales that formed the dragon’s smooth underbelly.

  The dragon swayed back and forth, slowly moving toward the water. “And what makes you think you can kill me, child of Lorna?” He hissed.

  Ian chuckled, tossing his sword back and forth between his hands. “I don’t have to kill you. I just have to help Karn get away. He’s all that matters.” Ian slid between the dragon and Karn, holding his sword ready for the attack.

  The dragon laughed, backing up again until he sat at the water’s edge.

  He glanced down at Karn. “So, the loch-rognaif is worthy enough that you would sacrifice yourself to save him.” He snapped his claws. The orange light disappeared from Karn’s chest, and the wound closed.

  Karn took a labored breath, and Ian pulled him to his feet.

  The dragon studied Karn through half-closed eyes. “Descendant of Caladain, last chieftain of the clan Elohite, chosen of Lorna, you have been found worthy.”

  Karn knit his brows. “How?”

  The dragon pushed forward close to Karn’s face. He pointed at Karn’s heart with a single claw. “I judged you are a man of honor, and I have lear
ned the character of your friends. You are a man that another would give his life for. That is not something that can be said of many. Your clansman risked his own life to save yours, and I can see why.” He closed his clawed hand and leaned back on his tail.

  Karn glanced at Ian, then turned back to the dragon. “So, is that it? You’ll give me the first clue of my quest?”

  The dragon smiled. “Only, if you can solve my riddle. I know you are true of heart, but how is your intellect? A dragon rider must be wise, and able to make judgments without haste.”

  Karn crossed his arms over his chest. “Let’s have it then, dragon.”

  The dragon pulled back, crossing his arms, mimicking Karn’s movement. “From Lorna's words I awoke.” The dragon swayed back and forth as though trying to hypnotize him. “A glittering armor for my coat” He splashed the water underneath him. “My quilted chest burns like a light.” He slid across the surface of the water. “A fiery vision within the night.” He twirled on the lagoon until water spouted into the air. “When I speak your knees quake.” The dragon dipped his body under the water, and sped back up, stopping short of Karn, and staring him in the eyes. “I leave mounds of rubble in my wake.”

  Karn scratched his head, his thoughts turning to the dragon’s words. He ran them through his mind over and over again. “From Lorna's words I awoke, a glittering armor for my coat, my quilted chest burns like a light, a fiery vision within the night. When I speak, your knees quake. I leave mounds of rubble in my wake.” The corner of his mouth turned upward. “Oh, dragon. I know the answer to your riddle. It was far too easy.”

  The dragon snarled. “Easy. Ha! What’s your answer then?” He lifted his open hand in front of him, tapping a long claw against his palm. “I’m waiting, Loch-rognaif.”

  Karn’s eyes danced. “The answer is a dragon.”

  The dragon grinned, showing his teeth. “Ah, very good, child of Lorna. You have answered correctly.” The dragon slid forward; his hand grasped around something. He reached toward Karn and dropped it in his outstretched hand.

  It was a gold chain and hanging from it was a diamond pendant. The center diamond held a water droplet contained inside. The water sloshed back and forth against its stone confines, as Karn turned it in his hand.

  The dragon’s voice rumbled. “This is my gift to you. Remember to be balanced, and flow like water.”

  Memories of his childhood with Fergus popped into his mind, and he nodded. He slipped the necklace over his head.

  The dragon gently touched Karn’s arm below the words, “loch-rognaif” that had been tattooed on his arm. His flesh burned, as the waning moon symbol appeared on his skin. “This key will get you into the kingdom of the fae. Southwest you go, and close to the sea, a city lies, that’s where she’ll be.” The dragon slithered backward, jumped into the air, and dove beneath the water.

  Karn admired the new artwork on his arm, before looking up at Ian. “Guess it’s time to pack up. Aslaug and Lilia should be back before nightfall. We should leave at first light.”

  Chapter Seven

  ABDUCTION

  Annielie sat in a rocking chair next to Lorna’s bed. She just felt calmer in her presence, even if the goddess still lay unconscious. It’d had been months since Ian had left with Karn, and her belly had grown more pronounced.

  She gently rubbed her stomach, feeling the child move beneath her touch. She smiled, wishing that Ian could have been there, and hoping that he would return in time for the child’s birth.

  She opened the book on her lap and started reading, A History of Dragons. She hadn’t realized how much she would love the magical creatures that lived around her, but now she had a great affinity for them and even once had been given a tour of the dragons’ nursery. Her heart leaped as she thought about the life she had felt through the egg when she laid her hand on it. She read a little longer, then drifted off to sleep.

  The book tumbled to the floor with a thud, and the door cracked open. Cantwell quietly crossed the stone floor and checked to see if the potion had taken full effect. He touched her shoulder, trying to nudge her awake, but she didn’t move.

  He motioned to the door, and Sig crept into the room. Cantwell carefully removed the blanket that rested atop Annielie’s lap and folded it. He placed it at the end of Lorna’s bed.

  Sig scowled, “What are you cleaning for?”

  Cantwell whispered, “We don’t want to draw suspicion until we are long gone from here.” Cantwell took a step, and a floorboard creaked. He paused, and Sig put a finger over the front of his mouth.

  Cantwell scowled. “I know. Come on.”

  Sig cradled Annielie in his arms and followed Cantwell into the hall. They slipped down the corridor, and out into the night

  Annielie’s eyes fluttered open, but she didn’t recognize her surroundings. Fear gripped her by the throat when she realized she was no longer at the dragon’s keep but in a rocking dragonship. She sat up. Cantwell stood at the bow, talking with a tall man she’d seen a few times at the keep. “Cantwell, what’s going on? Where am I?”

  Cantwell crossed the vessel and sat down beside her. “We had to leave the dragon’s keep by night. Lucca received a letter that someone was going to kidnap you, and we’re taking you somewhere safe.” He motioned to a man to his right. “Get the lady something to eat.”

  The man nodded and left in search of food.

  Cantwell gently touched Annielie’s hand. “You’ve been asleep for a few days now. You passed out when you heard about the kidnapping plot. I’ve been very concerned.”

  Annielie squinted and scratched her head. “I don’t remember.”

  “That’s no surprise. You’ve been through a lot, but don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

  Chapter Eight

  HUNGER

  The island of Langerhorn held a vast area of geographical landscapes, and the differences between the heat of the water dragon’s lagoon, to the kingdom of fae, was remarkable. Not only was the air cooler in the south, but the land was also open and grassy. The slithering vines were nowhere in sight, and the cross-country trip had been pretty uneventful.

  Lilia held the map. She walked beside Aslaug, who translated the ancient words that were printed on the cracked paper.

  Ian stopped in the clearing ahead to readjust his pack. “How much further do you think, Lilia?”

  She ran a finger along the paper. “Maybe, a quarter of a league, then we turn left. Believe it or not, we’re almost there.” She inhaled deeply. The scent of wildflowers permeated the air. “It’s lovely out here, don’t you think, Aslaug?”

  Aslaug took to the sky, hollering over her shoulder. “Quite lovely, Lilia. Lovely indeed.” Aslaug twisted and glided on the air currents. Her eye caught movement, as she scanned the field below.

  A small field mouse ran through the grass. She followed it until it dropped into a hole in the ground, then returned to Lilia’s side. “It feels wonderful out here with the sun shining brightly.”

  Lilia grinned and rubbed the top of Aslaug’s head. “It’s enough to make you think everything’s right in the world, isn’t it?”

  Karn stretched. “I wish it were that easy. This trial is ever present in my mind. I could use a few days of rest, though.” He clapped Ian on the back. “Come on, brother. It won’t be long now.”

  Ian’s stomach rumbled, and anger flashed in his eyes. “Hold on. I’m famished. Let me get a snack first. We’ve time.” He slung his pack off of his shoulder

  Karn furled his brow. “Really? It hasn’t been that long since we’ve eaten?”

  Ian shrugged, his voice on edge. “I know, but I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.” He dug through his pack and pulled out some dried meat. “Let me get a quick bite, and I’ll be ready.” He took a bite, speaking with a mouth full of food, he muttered, “promise.”

  Karn huffed. “Okay. Fine.” He dropped his bag on the ground and shot a look at Lilia. “I guess we’re resting.” He sat down beside his pa
ck, near a large shade tree.

  Lilia reclined beside him against the tree trunk and took a swig of dark bitter root from Karn’s wineskin. She watched Ian eat; suddenly her stomach cramped violently. She leaned over massaging her abdomen, trying to alleviate the pain. “Oh, I’m so hungry. I can’t stand this! I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.”

  Karn frowned. “You, too?”

  Lilia’s green eyes flashed, her voice low and mean. “Yes, me, too. If I don’t eat, I’m going to die.” She slid her hand into her knee high boot and withdrew a bone-handled dagger intricately carved with a Maekel griffin. The blade glinted in the sunlight, as she lunged toward Ian. “Give me your food.” She swung the knife wildly, each time barely missing Ian’s flesh.

  Ian pushed her away and stumbled. “You can’t have it. Get your own!” He pulled the dagger from his waist. The sapphire hilt caught the light, momentarily blinding Lilia.

  Karn rushed over to them, forcing himself between them, and settling the fight. “What’s wrong with you two?”

  Lilia fell to her knees, dropping the knife within reach. “I’m hungry, Karn. If you love me, you’ll give me Ian’s food. I need to eat!”

  Ian growled. “You can’t have it. It’s mine.” He tore a chunk off with his teeth and chewed it with his mouth open. He kicked at Lilia, and Karn punched him.

  Ian stumbled backward, but pushed forward again, grasping for Lilia.

  Karn growled. “Stop it, Ian. Now.”

  Lilia grabbed her knife and plunged it into Ian’s thigh.

  Ian shouted in pain, his green eyes wild.

  Lilia snarled, “If you won’t share your food, I’ll eat you.”

  “Not if I eat you first.” He pulled the blade from his leg, and Karn knocked it from his hand. It hit a rock and bounced out of reach.

  Karn summoned the flame and shot tendrils of blue energy from his hands, securing both Lilia and Ian in place.