Abruptly, a figure of a man bolted from the mire directly beside them. His motion released the spell that subdued the swamp. Everything thrust into motion at once. Snakes slithered in all directions underfoot.
Lyra jumped back, yet Cullen never let go of her hand. After one snake slipped over her bare toes, she screamed. Insects buzzed and whirred in a frenzy, colliding with her as if in a mad dash to get where they were going before being bewitched again.
The wild man stepped closer, if he was a man. Although he appeared human, nothing else seemed normal. Bluish-gray skin blended with his long hair, a matted tangle of wiggling tendrils. He wore no clothing, covered only by seaweed around his genitals. This being had not appeared before in her favorite childhood book.
In the distance the Phoenix sang sweetly, calling to Lyra. If only she could get away from this gruesome company.
Then, the man extended his arm, fist closed. Turning his hand over, he opened his palm and a small bottle appeared. “Take!” he grunted with a deep, guttural tone.
Lyra trembled. Maybe Cullen would comply with his request.
The man persisted, forcing his hand toward her. “Take! Adalyra! Take!” His blackened, thick fingernails curved like claws. She grimaced in disgust.
Cullen put his arm around her and gently but firmly pushed her a step closer. “We may need that later. Accept it.”
She resisted, her back pressed against Cullen’s arm. At this distance, the swamp man’s pungent odor made her stomach want to retch—decay and body odor.
“Take!” the man insisted, moving yet nearer. “Potion I made for you—dark magic—kills enemies—for you tastes good, is safe. Take!”
Understanding he meant to help, she accepted the bottle, but took care not to touch his hand.
He grunted and submerged back into the black slime.
Cullen stored the bottle in his pack and wrapped an arm around her. “I could feel your fear. You were brave, my lady.”
Lyra still trembled and wanted to be away from this miasma. The putrid stench unnerved her. “Let’s move on, please.”
“Yes.” He led the way down the path.
Before they reached the edge, eerie stagnation again spread across the bog. The wild man must have recast his spell. Lyra picked up her pace and walked ahead of Cullen until they reached the border of a small meadow that was unaffected by the bog’s magic. Songbirds flitted and tweeted amidst swaying flower stems. Strangely, the Phoenix did not sing. At the entrance to the clearing Lyra stopped.
Chapter Six: The Fire Guardian
Ahead stood a congregation—thousands of humans and creatures, all shapes and size.
Cullen placed a reassuring hand at Lyra’s elbow and whispered, “The Meadow of Peace. We’re among friends; most you met before. This assemblage is to greet and assist you.” His breath at her ear made Lyra shiver, remembering his kiss. They watched as residents gathered at the center of the Meadow.
There the Phoenix hovered, with her majestic tail dripping sparks into a bonfire below. At least a thousand villagers formed a circle around the Lady. Some appeared to be craftsmen or farmers, the men dressed in clean but worn, wide trousers and tunics of coarse linen. The women dressed in long, loose skirts and sleeveless blouses of similar fabric. Some noticed Lyra and Cullen, which brought a wave of whispers and glances in their direction.
A few dozen nodded and smiled as if they knew her. Those people dressed in finer fabrics, adorned with braided trims and tooled belts. Her memory strained, darting from face to face.
A herd of deer, numbering at least a hundred, mixed among the humans. The coat of each was a different shade of blue, and silver tipped their antlers. One royal buck assumed the position of their leader. He held his muscled chest proudly and carried the largest rack in the herd, encased in silver velvet.
Amidst his points perched a great owl, apparently half asleep with eyes closed. The variety and beauty of these magical animals intrigued Lyra, and her eyes riveted on their slightest motions. As the buck turned to look at her, the owl’s huge ice blue eyes snapped open and jarred her memory—Cullen’s assistant, Kenzo, the silver tiger owl.
Then the chase of dozens of gray squirrels commanded her attention. They chattered and cavorted, tails fluffed. Colored light outlined their bodies, boasting the strengths of their magical auras.
A flock of sleek navy swallows glided serenely across the Meadow. Bluebirds sailed overhead and then dove to land. Each flower face turned toward the Lady. At times a bluebird upset the seat of a blossom sprite who shot out with a puff of glimmering magic, scolding the bird as she flew to another floret.
The Phoenix surveyed her followers. She acknowledged Lyra and Cullen, lowering her wings and head in a shallow bow.
“She beckons us to enter her circle,” Cullen said.
As they moved toward the outer assemblage, an unexpected visitor arrived—a tawny fox. A flurry of squawking, squealing, and pounding hooves greeted him. The couple held up, waiting for the commotion to settle.
The Lady called out in a firm, but soothing, voice, “Silence! Be stilled! No harm shall come to anyone while in my circle of friends.” Her tone and message instantly quieted her followers, as though imbued with magic.
She dipped a wing toward the fox.“Sire Tama is my invited guest. Honor his presence and do not turn away. He is here as an aide to our cause and does not uphold the intent of evil as some of you would believe.”
He smiled a wry grin and extended the long outer hairs of his coat, lit by his rust-colored aura to display great power. This gesture made Lyra think he was a show-off, but the squirrels scampered away as if frightened.
“Sire Drake, our Imperial Sorcerer, present your guest to the Council of The Lady of Peace. Everyone, please give welcome to a most special lady.”
Lyra stayed beside Cullen as they stepped inside the circle. She looked cautiously at all the creatures.
“I present to both the Lady of Peace and her council, Adalyra McCauley,” he replied, bowing first to the Phoenix and then to Lyra.
All followed his lead and bowed. Lyra swallowed hard, unsure what to say. “Thank you for the kind welcome. I don’t know what is expected of me, but—”
A whoosh of silver and white striped wings interrupted and startled her. She leaned into Cullen’s side.
The enormous four foot wingspan caused many to step back. Once landed, the tiger owl stated, “On behalf of this council, I accept the goodwill of your visit, Adalyra, and also of yours, Sire Tama.” He winked at Lyra and made a low and graceful bow to each, his wings grazing the ground. Upon folding them into his sides, he ruffled the tips of his feathers very slightly, almost indiscernibly. However, Lyra saw pinpoint shots of magic whip at the fox, who yelped, not seeing them coming. “Oh, pardon me, Sire. I must fold in more carefully.”
Under watch of the Phoenix, the fox could only cast a beady-eyed glare and snarl at the owl.
Cullen muffled a snicker. “Thank you, Kenzo.”
“Sire Kenzo, if you please,” replied the owl, slowly blinking one eye at him and then the other.
“Yes, of course, we are in council…Sire Kenzo it is.”
Lyra worked to restrain a grin at the cheeky owl, especially after she noticed the Phoenix’s glare.
“I expect you all will work together to assist Adalyra. Cooperation is paramount,” the Lady stated, gnashing her beak at them. She then flew around the inner circle, dangling her fiery tail feathers inches above the heads of Cullen, Kenzo, and Tama, who each shook in genuine fear of her touch.
Cullen raised an open palm to the Guardian. “You have my word, I will mitigate any unrest.”
“Yes, we will put aside our differences for the quest. You have my word, Lady,” the great owl whimpered, despite being three times her size.
The fox chimed in. “And mine too.” His fur now close to his body, he looked surprisingly small and meek.
“Thank you for your support, Sires,” the Phoenix replied.
Lyra shifted from foot to foot, growing ill-at-ease with all this formality when curiosity burned in her mind. Timidly, she addressed the Phoenix. “Lady, may I ask a question?”
“Ah, Lyra.” Her tone softened. “Pardon my interruptions. Yes, I have much to explain to you. But first, what is your question?”
“What is my task? Cranewort mentioned I’m to be a Scribe who saves Dragonspeir. I don’t understand.”
“That is correct. You were chosen as a young girl. Our world is in danger of destruction by the Black Dragon. You must seek him out, learn his dark magic, and journal your quest into a book that will exist in your world. Only when it is completed, and a single human reads your book, will the dark forces be limited.”
Lyra drew a sharp inhale. “How am I to find the Black Dragon and learn his ways?”
“I have appointed Sires Cullen, Kenzo, and Tama to be your guides, with occasional assistance from other council members or allies. You will travel across Dragonspeir to the lair of the Black Dragon in the dark forest we call Silva Nocens.”
“How long do I have? Cranewort said time was running out.”
“You will have only until the eve of the red moon. That one night the crimson evil of Dragonspeir reflects into your world from the moon’s face and the Black Dragon’s powers can strengthen. Presently he is nearly able to overthrow our Imperial Dragon and his Alliance, bringing a complete end to the good of this land and its hundreds of thousands of residents.”
“The red moon is in August, correct?”
“Yes, that is correct. I shall not see you again until you have succeeded, for I represent beauty and peace, not war. My three fellow Guardians will guide you from this point. Each will bestow upon you a tool to aid your quest. As the Fire Guardian, I have a gift for you.” The Lady hovered low and a small glass sphere, about the size of a golf ball, appeared from between her extreme feather tips. “This contains one of my tail flames. Call my name to initiate its glow, and it will guide you along a safe path.”Wrapped in silver wire, a loop at the top threaded onto a satin cord, which she grasped within her beak and carefully draped over Lyra’s head.
“Thank you for your gift, Lady.” After the words of the bird’s title left her mouth, the orb lit. Lyra jumped and watched as it focused a pointed beam toward a path beyond the Meadow.
“Wrap your palm over the glass to darken its illumination. Yes, like that. You are indeed our new Scribe, capable of drawing upon the magic in my sphere. Behold how the magic of the Guardians has now accepted you.” The Phoenix bowed so low her beak grazed the ground at Lyra’s feet.
As directed, Lyra looked down upon herself. “Oh my! This dress is lovely.” Instead of her skirt and tank top, she now wore a long cerulean gown. Above a shimmering, flared skirt, the bodice fit close, laced with golden cords.
“I was honored to meet you when you visited as a child. Now I present you and your magic to the Council of The Lady of Peace. You are ready to begin your quest.” The Phoenix twirled slowly as first and then faster, until she took the form of a fireball.
“Where will I find the other Guardians if I need help?” Lyra called out. She panicked, still having many questions.
Cullen stepped close and took her hand.
The voice of the Phoenix emanated from the blaze. “Look for the Unicorn, Lyra.” Then she took flight up into the sky and out of sight.
Chapter Seven: The Screeching Forest
The bonfire quickly faded to embers. Afraid and overwhelmed, tears welled in Lyra’s eyes. Would she be able to complete the quest as they all expected? Did she want to take on the dangerous task? She could be killed. She hoped no one noticed her fear since the residents were depending on her.
Cullen placed an arm around her shoulder and drew her towards him. He whispered, “I can read your fear. I’ll be at your side through it all. I promise you. My job is to keep you safe.”
She nodded and blinked back tears, but wished to let them spill out onto his shoulder, and would have, had others not been watching.
“We’ll find a moment to talk alone.” He kissed her forehead, his lips trailing softly along her temple. “You look lovely.” He released her and bent down to his satchel.
She craved his gentleness and warmth. Since her marriage began to fail, she’d longed for those qualities in a man. This added another intense emotion to her confusion, releasing a stream down one cheek. She quickly wiped it away before anyone could see, but knew Cullen felt it happen.
He stood, took her hand, and gave it a squeeze while he studied her face.
Kenzo landed beside them. “It gladdens my heart to have you back with us, Lady Lyra. Do you remember when I taught you to fly? We had such fun making a game of it, even if you only levitated a few feet. But you probably don’t wish to play games with an owl since you’ve grown into a woman.” He nodded toward her, and his long ears twitched. The left one was festooned with a pair of dangling silver earrings. “And you’re a beauty too. No wonder Cullen stays close.”
“I loved our game.” Lyra laughed.
Cullen chuckled. “Vying for my lady’s attention you feathery smooth talker. My assistant had better get busy with his tasks or feel my magic on his wings.”
“I can fly faster than your powers,” the owl retorted.
In an instant, the wizard raised a hand holding a blue fireball.
Kenzo jerked up into the air. “Just kidding, Master. I had better get to my chores.” He called out to the group, “Let’s organize our journey. I’d like Bero to accompany us because he’s strong enough to carry Cullen and Lyra.”
Leader of the herd, the sturdy royal blue buck trotted up. “Count me in, but I think you only wish a safe sleeping roost,” he snorted and pounded the ground with a massive hoof.
“An added benefit, no doubt,” cracked the owl. “Any others we need to come along?”
“I can make use of a couple talented squirrels,” said Tama.
“For a midnight snack later?” Kenzo teased, gaining roars of laughter from Bero.
“No, I gave my word. I need them to climb into small spaces for spying. If I wish a snack, I’d prefer fowl instead.” He licked his pink tongue over his canines and laughed when Kenzo’s great ears pricked so high the earrings jangled.
“Those fool things are only good for alerting an enemy you’re nearby and frightened,” Tama quipped.
“My medal for courage, given to me by the Imperial Dragon himself. But, you knew that and are only jealous.”
Cullen interjected. “Okay, enough! Two squirrels. Kenzo, find them. I have already motioned for my favorite sprites to join.” He opened his satchel, and in fluttered three turquoise fairies. “Thank you all for agreeing to help.”
Sprays of blue glitter shot from the bag in response, along with a chorus of high-pitched voices. “With pleasure, Master…Honored to serve you…Glad to help.”
Lyra looked inside with amusement at the tiny fairies.
Kenzo sailed up with two squirrels in chase. “Here we are—Tis and Taz, our best climbers.”
The squirrels chattered and hid behind the owl’s outstretched wings, peeking at Tama.
Lyra pulled Cullen aside and asked, “My aunt will need me later today. What time is it? Can I leave at some point?”
“Yes, you will need to leave here.” After he studied his watch, he told her it was one o’clock. “Time passes differently here. You will arrive on time.”
“Will this world be safe if I leave it?”
“You can resume the quest whenever you return. Like the Phoenix said, our deadline is the time of the red moon. That’s when your quest will save Dragonspeir by blocking the efforts of the Black Dragon.” He smiled at her and pulled a short metal rod from a pocket of his bag.
Lyra followed his actions intently, testing her memory by predicting what he would do next.
He waved the fingers of his other hand along its surface. “Prolato!” The rod instantly lengthened into an ornately wrought staff of six fee
t, topped with a faceted quartz orb and a large sapphire. “Do you recall what to do? Like you used to do for me?” He handed it to her.
She remembered all but the incantation. She placed both hands upon its shaft and twirled, counterclockwise once while he recited the invocation, then clockwise repeatedly. Recollection brought a smile to her lips. His wizardry still amazed her.
With her first rotation, Cullen declared, “Illustro!” Myriad refracted rays of light danced from the sphere across the company, quieting them, and drawing their attention. “We will leave now, down the path shown to us by the phoenix flame.” He reclaimed his staff and motioned toward the inky horizon.
“Head out!” boomed Bero. He turned his great rack and marched down the trail, followed closely by Kenzo and the squirrels. Tama joined up with Cullen and Lyra at the rear.
***
Within the band, Lyra felt safe even though the sky grew darker as they traveled. The initial leg of the journey took them through fields of brightly-colored flowers. On either side of the path, blossom heads turned to watch them pass. Lyra noticed the blue varieties emitted tiny jets of sparkling magic scented with delicate lavender, tea olive, and heliotrope.
Upon reaching the edge of the wood, the group halted for a short rest beside a stream. Cullen released the sprites from his pack. They flew off among the flowers, drinking nectar. Then he extended his staff over the water, proclaiming, “Purgo es aqua.” The water shimmered.
Lyra assumed this removed traces of anything harmful since the others eagerly slaked their thirsts with loud gulps. Her mouth and throat were dry, and she knelt at the edge of a slow pool. Leaning over the water, she caught fragmented reflections of herself. A golden haze surrounded her. She glanced back at Cullen and asked, “Why am I glowing?”
“That’s your aura, an outward sign of the magic you possess. Most in the Alliance show silver, white, gold, or blue.”
As she looked again, his image appeared behind hers. He placed a hand on her bare shoulder, exposed by the low neckline of her dress. She smiled at him in the water mirror. His shone brighter, of a cobalt blue hue. Then, the water commingled their auras into one brilliant glow. Lyra gasped at its beauty. “What does this mean?”
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