To finish off my protective gear, the Healer handed me a riding helmet. Again, Eshshah’s scales were between the outer leather and the lining. There was enough room to tuck my long hair inside, without any bulk showing. Gallen showed me a small lever near my temple. When I pushed down on it, a pair of connected dragon scales, treated and polished to be completely transparent, lowered over my eyes. They were of perfect clarity and would shield my eyes from the wind and debris when we flew. Pushing up on the lever hid them from sight.
Then Dorjan selected an object from the table. It was spherical in shape, about the size of a small apple, constructed from the scales of at least three different dragons, judging by the three colors. There was a small brass ring at the top with a leather thong threaded through it.
“This,” he said, “is my prize creation. Gallen isn’t the only rider to invent something from our dragon’s scales to use in our cause.” He looked at Gallen in a good-natured taunt. “This is my lightning ball.”
These are scales from Torin, Unule — my dragon — and Salama. Thunder, Wind and Lightning. It’s a one-time-use-only device and will disintegrate into nothing — no evidence remains after its use. I only had the time to make one, so you must choose the occasion wisely. Ideally, you should take full advantage and wield it to incapacitate a group, possibly guards in the guardroom. It won’t kill them, but they’ll wish it did when they wake up hours later. They’ll have a headache that will make their worst hangover feel like a soothing massage. You need to remove the brass ring and then say or whisper the three dragons’ names as you toss it toward your targets. The noise, the wind and the flash will knock them on their rears — out cold. Remember to put your eye shields down or look away, but the noise and wind will not harm you, only your opponents.
“Wow,” was all I could think to say. I was relieved that this device would not kill. Doubt still remained in my mind that I could actually take a person’s life. I didn’t voice these doubts, however, because it contradicted the adamant instruction these three had been instilling. They pressed into me that in any given altercation I may engage in, the result would find someone resting with their ancestors. The preferred outcome — that it would not be me.
“I have a couple more things on my wagon for Eshshah, if you’ll join me outside.” Dorjan led the way to the courtyard where Eshshah waited.
The items left on his cart were covered in a thick cloth, which he flung back to reveal a double saddle. It was of dark leather with designs similar to the ones on the single seat we used from the Dorsal Outpost — the same style of long distance saddle, only it was for two riders. Two sets of belts, and two sets of boot pegs completed the equipage. The other item was a breastplate for Eshshah. Besides a few of Eshshah’s interspersed in the inlay, Dorjan used scales from many different dragons, judging by the multiple colors of nearly indestructible scales. These were attached to a leather lining to protect her most vulnerable part — her heart.
The Healer had loaded a leather satchel with some other necessities. A helmet and some warm clothing for Ansel, some rope, a water skin and some travel cakes with special grains and nourishment for me as well as for Ansel — not knowing if he been fed by his captors. She also packed two small vials of a dark liquid in a small pouch to hang on my belt. It was important he drink one of the vials as soon as I found him. It would give him the strength he would need to make it to the other side of the castle where Eshshah would be waiting.
“How do I even know if I’ve found the right man? What does he look like? How is he expected to trust who I am?” In all of our preparations the last few hours I was surprised these questions had just occurred to me.
Expecting him to be in his thirties, forties, or older, being the Healer’s nephew, I was quite surprised when she said he was only seventeen. The Healer gave me a brief description that he was tall, had long dark hair and green eyes. She then took a chain from around her neck that held a man’s ring and placed it over my head.
“He knows this ring, give it to him and tell him his aunt has sent him help. Let me just tell you that he can be a bit headstrong, like someone else I know,” she raised an eyebrow. “So don’t lose this ring, or he may not trust you.”
At the midday meal we went over our plan. With our permission, the Healer was to ride with Eshshah and me to the Dorsal Outpost where she would wait for our return. It would be daylight when we arrived with her nephew and we wouldn’t be able to fly straight into Dorsal. She needed to be at the outpost in case Ansel required medical attention. We were to leave here as soon as it got dark. It should take around three hours to get to Castle Teravinea from the Dorsal Outpost. I had to be in and out of there before daylight, which gave me less than seven hours to find him, convince him I was there to help him, and then navigate the maze of tunnels and passageways to the Castle Outpost where Eshshah would be waiting.
After we ate, I worked on the pell and decided which pole arm I preferred. I liked the glaive — the one with the cross-guard and the longer blade. I practiced with the Healer, Gallen and Dorjan to get in some final pointers from each of them.
The Healer gave me another cup of her relaxing tea and told me I must get a few more hours sleep. Fatigue would not figure in to my already precarious quest.
A couple hours before dark, the Healer woke me with enough time to eat something and then make my final preparations for our trip. I dressed slowly in dark tights and a dark tunic. Pulling on my new boots, I marveled at their comfort. I twisted my hair and pinned it at the top of my head, then headed to the kitchen.
A large leather satchel leaned against the wall, already packed with the Healer’s herbs and concoctions — whatever she felt she would need to treat Ansel, should he need it. There were also provisions in case we stayed at the Dorsal Outpost for longer than expected.
It was quiet at the table. I could hear each of us chewing and swallowing. I’m not sure how I actually got any bites to go down. My mouth was dry and my stomach was ready to refuse anything offered. But the Healer stressed again I had to be at my best. For that I needed the nourishment — so I forced myself to eat.
At last it came time to leave. We went out to the courtyard, and while Dorjan put the breastplate and double saddle on Eshshah, Gallen and the Healer helped me with my gear. They eased my breastplate over my head — Eshshah’s beautiful scales were now completely hidden. As they buckled it, my teeth began to chatter, although it was a warm night. My muscles twitched and I started in uncontrollable spasms. My stomach went into knots.
Gallen took my face in his hands and looked into my eyes. “Amáne, you are having pre-quest jitters. It’s completely normal. I was starting to worry about you not showing any emotion for the last couple of hours.”
He placed his hands on the top of my shoulders and exerted downward pressure as he continued to talk. “But, you need to control your nerves. Will yourself to relax. Breathe in, breathe out.” He kept the pressure on my shoulders and, truthfully, I could feel the calming effects. I started to pay attention to my breathing. Before I could ask for Eshshah’s help, my shaking subsided. Gallen slowly let up his pressure.
Over my breastplate I put another dark tunic that was of a lightweight material but made for warmth on higher flights. I buckled on a thick belt that held both my sword and my dagger in their scabbards. It had several loops in which to attach other objects, such as the lightning ball and the medicine vials for Ansel. I noticed another item hanging from one of the loops on a leather thong. It was a dragon scale, carved into the shape of a key with a flat brass head on the end. Decorated with swirling etchings, the word ‘Aperio’ was inscribed.
“This key will open any lock that may bar your way. Say the name of the late dragon, Aperio, and it will open for you,” explained the Healer.
Lastly, I pulled my helmet over my pinned-up hair and buckled it at my throat. Gallen made sure not a wisp of hair strayed.
“How do I look?”
“Like a very dangerous young m
an on a serious mission.” Gallen tried to make light in this tense moment.
“It’s time, Amáne,” said the Healer.
With somber faces, Gallen and Dorjan stood straight and gave Eshshah and me a sharp salute. They bestowed their blessings, each giving me a kiss on my forehead.
Adding on a positive note, Gallen said, “We will see you tomorrow night. We expect to hear the details of your successful mission.” It did lift my spirits to believe I would be telling my tale to them soon ... I hoped.
I hoisted myself in the front of the saddle, then held my arm down and locked wrists with the Healer as she swung up in the space behind me. We buckled in and I gave Eshshah the word.
She gave a powerful push off the ground and effortlessly made her first downstroke. We were airborne — the added weight of the Healer and the extra gear we carried was nothing to her. I heard a slight gasp from the Healer. As Gallen and Dorjan’s clothing whipped in Eshshah’s downdraft, I turned and watched them until they were no longer visible.
The night flight was refreshing, and on any other occasion would have been enjoyable. Instead, we rode in complete silence. Just the soft beating of Eshshah’s wings as we sailed smoothly through the moonless sky. I concentrated on the plans we’d tried to perfect in such a short time, mentally going over the route I was to take through the bowels of the castle. The names of the dragons to ignite the lightning ball and the one to activate the key were ingrained in my memory. My spear was in its holder to my right. I touched it lightly as I went over some mental strikes and parries. I noted the Healer was also lost in her own thoughts.
In what felt like no time at all, we arrived at the Dorsal Outpost. Eshshah knew exactly where to find the push-rock that opened the outer door. The rock slid open noiselessly and Eshshah flew into the large entry cavern landing perfectly — so unlike the landing we experienced when we first found this place. It seemed like so long ago.
I whispered “Sitara” to turn on the light shields and offered my hand to the Healer as she slid off Eshshah with her satchels over her shoulder. I started to dismount so I could show her around what I considered Eshshah’s and my second home, but she stopped me.
“Amáne, there is no time. I can find my way around here. You must leave now. My blessings are upon you. May your ancestors smile upon you and ensure your first quest be a success. You’re a noble and brave dragon and rider pair. I thank you. I’ll be forever in your debt.”
“Thank you, Healer. You will owe us nothing.”
With that, Eshshah turned back toward the entrance and leaped off the ledge. She unfolded her wings after a short free-fall. Our first quest had officially begun.
My mind reeled with the gravity of what we were about to attempt. Quite a contrast from my childhood desires to have a quest, a mission in life — this was not practice with wasters, not sparring with Kail at my cottage, nor was it the training bouts with the Healer, Gallen and Dorjan. We were going forth with real weapons to use on real people, with every likelihood that any given confrontation may end in death — even that of my own. I began to see our success was of more consequence than I had ever thought.
We turned toward the north and flew almost parallel with the eastern coastline, heading for the point that juts out at the center of our kingdom — the City of Teravinea. We flew high but not at the height where the cold was unbearable. Eventually, we would swing wide around the point and come at the castle from the sea. We hoped Dorjan was correct in his assumption that the battlements on that side would no longer be guarded. There, we would find the Castle Outpost. Under Dorjan’s instruction, Eshshah knew how to find the push-rock to open the stone door.
Earlier that day we had forced ourselves to discuss my possible demise. I fervently begged her to not take her own life, but to choose another rider for the good of Teravinea. My death would not be in vain. It was a short conversation neither of us wanted to bring up again.
We had a three-hour flight. I knew I would do better than to worry and agonize over all of the ramifications should we fail. I pushed out of my consciousness any thoughts of what my death would mean to Eshshah. Nothing negative was allowed in my head or my heart. I avoided any unfavorable influence that would affect the success of our mission.
I closed my eyes and began even breaths before panic could rise in my chest. Once I started the actual search for Ansel, it should go easier for me. Adrenaline would kick in and my mind would be occupied instead of imagining unpleasant scenarios.
“Amáne, I see the castle,” Eshshah said at last. Her eyesight was far superior to mine, even with my added abilities. A few minutes later I saw the fortress majestically rising from the towering cliffs — the water churned white foam at their base far below.
Eshshah slowed her pace to study the castle from this angle as it appeared to grow before us. I had never seen nor imagined such a massive structure. Suppressing my awe and small twinges of fear, I clicked into fight mode. Training my eye on the battlements, I searched for any sign of a guard. Thankfully, as Dorjan had predicted, this side was not patrolled. They had no need to keep watch, as any ship would have been sighted from another part of the fortress. This area was only accessible by dragon, and everyone assumed there were none left to worry about.
We came to the corner of the cliffs that towered above a rocky beach at the mouth of a river. This was the landmark Eshshah was looking for. She turned in. We flew only a short distance. At about the same height as our Dorsal Outpost, she spotted the push-rock.
The stone door slid open silently and we landed in a large entry cavern. It was a similar layout to our Dorsal Outpost, hewn into the cliff. But unlike Dorsal, the wall to our right had a door that connected to a passageway leading into the corridors of the castle. It was through this door I would return with Ansel.
As we surveyed our surroundings, our hearts sank. We could see there was truth in what Dorjan had said when he marveled at its extravagance. There was certainly evidence that at one time it must have been lavish. As we took it all in, it was obvious not much remained of its former beauty. The hooks were still on the walls where tapestries had hung, and there were areas where it looked like paintings had been removed. Anything of value was no longer at the Castle Outpost. Broken pottery lay in shards at our feet. Dorjan would be sorely disappointed.
My anger was immediately directed at Galtero, who, I was sure had played a large part in the looting of this outpost. I had a good idea that whatever he didn’t want from here, he gifted to foreign kings to impress them. Maybe one day I could help bring the Castle Outpost back to its grandeur.
Pushing my disappointment aside, I slid from Eshshah’s shoulders with my spear and my pack, landing silently. Both of us sniffed the air to make sure the outpost was not occupied. Like the Dorsal Outpost, a faint dragon scent was present. Eshshah detected a trace of human presence, but she assured me there had been no one in this place for a long time.
Our first task was to create a ruse. We needed to make it appear we had escaped with the castle’s prisoner by a rope down to the beach and made our getaway in a small boat. There had to be no hint a dragon was involved.
I retrieved a small grappling hook from my pack with a long rope attached. Searching for a suitable spot near the entrance, I wedged the hook to make it look like it had been cast up from the ground below. I threw the other end of the rope over the edge. It was just long enough to be believable that someone could both enter and escape the cave using this method.
Leaving my pack in the entryway, I leaped back onto Eshshah and tied another rope to an anchor on the saddle as she dove out of the cave. She hovered while I climbed down, and dropped to the beach at the mouth of the river. Eshshah stayed airborne and circled low — we couldn’t leave dragon prints. This part of our plan required that I run back and forth between the beach and the rope dangling from the cave entrance. It would appear that rescuers had come in from a boat, taken Ansel and escaped the same way. The only bad part of this plan was that my f
eet are small. If anyone actually thought about the prints or were skilled in reading them, it might not be wholly believable. But what would their other conjectures be? I was sure a dragon would not figure into their theories. Lastly, I dug a trench at the waterline where a small boat would appear to have landed and been drug up onto the beach.
Satisfied I’d set the scene as well as I could, I caught a hold of the rope hanging from Eshshah, climbed up to the saddle, and we flew back to the cavern.
I dismounted and retrieved my pack. Removing the lightning ball, I secured it to my belt along with the pouch that held the two small medicine vials. I hoped I would not find him in poor condition. If I did, I trusted the contents of the vials would be enough to aid in Ansel’s escape. I doubted I would have the strength to carry a man all the way out. The last loop held a small skin of water.
I closed my eyes and took long slow breaths until I could unclench my hands and still my shaking body. Taking hold of my glaive I turned to my dragon as she softly hummed to me. “Okay, Eshshah, this is it. Are you ready? Will I even be able to do this?”
“Yes, Amáne. You can. You must. I will be with you in open thought transference. You’re not alone. Remember that. Please be careful.”
She put her face down to me and grabbing her fangs I pressed a kiss on her nose, then leaned my forehead against her for one last comforting breath.
Amáne of Teravinea - The Chosen One (The Teravinea Series Book 1) Page 14