by Trevor Booth
The water in the shield started to recede. As the water washed away, Te’oma’s grip on the pole loosened. As he let go, he fell to the ground in slow motion. ‘The whole world is connected,’ echoed throughout Te’oma’s mind as he closed his eyes.
“Every creature, no matter how small, can make a difference.”
Chapter 15
A Leap of Faith
Julius sat on the edge of a large, well-worn rock near the mouth of Drake’s lair. He looked out at the distant plains below, contemplating the world. The mountain he was on, which had seemed so average in size just a few days earlier, sat high above the Yen-Gyle jungle. The rocky plains that surrounded the mountain stretched on forever. The trees of the Yen-Gyle blurred in the distance. The bridge they had crossed was not even visible.
Julius picked up a hot cup of tea. He took a sip, burning his mouth in the process. Drake stepped out from the tunnel and stretched his mighty wings out wide, casting a shadow over Julius. “It’s a glorious morning is it not?” said Drake, his deep voice echoing.
“That it is,” replied Julius.
“Are you enjoying that?” asked Drake.
“Yes, I have not enjoyed tea this fine in many years,” said Julius.
“I thought you would like it. I got that from my personal collection – a tea that is no longer made and best served hot,” said Drake.
“Well it is delicious, and certainly hot. Thank you,” said Julius.
“You are not from around here are you, young man?” asked Drake.
“No,” said Julius, staring into his cup. “I come from a place very far away.”
“I sensed something different about you. Your friends in there, do they know of your past?” asked Drake
Julius got to his feet and looked at Drake curiously. “They know the man I am; that is enough,” replied Julius.
“I meant no offence. Let us not dance around the subject. Would you like to know what became of her?” asked Drake.
Julius’s heart missed a beat. “Her?” said Julius cautiously.
“You know of whom I speak? Jade,” said Drake.
Julius stepped forward and looked out at the plains below. “I have not heard her name spoken aloud for many years,” said Julius.
“Why do you hide your past from the people you care about?” asked Drake.
“What would be the point in telling them? The past is gone,” said Julius.
“You are wrong. The past lives inside us all, as does the future. Do not be so naive as to believe that this is all there is. There is a fire that burns not far from here. It is said that the fire can show you things you desire, or people,” said Drake.
“No!” said Julius. “She is gone by my own doing – a mistake that I must suffer the consequences for, as long as I live,”
“Very well, but you should know that she never stopped loving you,” said Drake, as he turned around and wandered back into the cave. Julius stood upon the edge of the rock. A soft breeze passed over him. The pain of his loss had not dulled in all these years, nor had his love for her.
***
Ariana and Sky sat beside the small fireplace in the middle of the room, cooking what appeared to be a small rodent on the end of a stick. The smell from the creature was enough to make their stomachs turn, but they were so hungry that even such a small creature seemed like a feast. Drake walked in to the room carrying a large boar between his huge teeth. He threw the boar down beside the girls. “I think you will find this more satisfying,” said Drake.
The girls smiled with delight. Sky whipped a small knife out from under her clothes and immediately tore the boar apart. The efficiency with which she gutted the animal was quite disturbing.
“When is Te’oma going to return?” asked Ariana.
“I cannot say. Some go in and come straight out again. Some never return,” said Drake, knowing full well that most people never came out.
“He’s been gone for days now,” said Sky.
“You must be patient,” said Drake.
“I still don’t understand why he had to go,” said Ariana.
“The world is ever changing. Nothing lasts forever. I have seen this. Te’oma is a small but very important part in a larger picture,” said Drake.
“If he’s so important, then where have you been this whole time? Why haven’t you helped us until now?” asked Sky.
“I have done what I can. You must remember, it is not the destination that is important, but the journey. The paths we take shape who we are. There are no shortcuts,” said Drake.
Julius burst into the room with a rather disturbed look on his face. “Come quick,” said Julius. Drake, Ariana and Sky followed Julius back out the tunnel. Sky and Ariana shielded their eyes from the sunlight as they stepped out of the entrance.
“I don’t see anything,” said Sky.
“Look at the trees,” said Julius. As he pointed, Sky and Ariana squinted their eyes to get a better look. The trees were shaking ever so slightly side to side, but not just a few of the trees, hundreds of them.
With a puff of smoke and wind the Shadow suddenly appeared in front of Drake. Sky and Ariana jumped back in fear. “I am sorry to startle you,” the Shadow said. “Master, you must leave. They are coming for you.”
“The boy has not returned. We must wait,” said Drake.
“They will be here by morning,” said the Shadow.
“Do what you can to hold them back,” said Drake. The Shadow disappeared as quickly as he came.
“Who is coming?” asked Julius.
“My brother,” said Drake. “Now come quickly. We must be there when Te’oma returns,” said Drake.
They waited, and they waited. Drake sat in the middle of the hall, watching the doors intently. Sky, Ariana and Julius quietly ate the boar. It was the tastiest meat they had eaten since they left Yen-Dori and a welcome distraction from the danger that loomed below.
Ariana walked to Drake and offered him some food. “No, thank you,” said Drake. Ariana sat down at the dragon’s side. She was dwarfed by his mighty stature. His head was nearly as large as she was, but she did not fear him. She remembered what he had done for her.
“Do you remember me?” asked Ariana.
“I do,” replied Drake.
“Why did you save me and not my family?” asked Ariana.
“Fate can be cruel sometimes,” said Drake.
“But why me? I’m nobody,” said Ariana.
“I am not a god. I do not choose who lives and who dies. But I do know this – there is a reason you four have been brought together. It is one that will turn the tide for many years to come,” said Drake.
Suddenly, Te’oma burst out of the doorway. His clothes were all wet and soggy. Water poured down his face and he looked exhausted and frightened. Ariana stepped forward to greet her love and, as she did, he fell to the ground unconscious.
Julius and Sky rushed to Te’oma’s aid. Drake leant down and picked him up. He carried him over to the fireplace and laid him down. Ariana grabbed a small rag and wiped the water from his face.
Te’oma slowly began to regain consciousness. He mumbled incoherently with only the occasional word making sense. “What’s wrong with him?” asked Ariana with panic in her voice.
“Give him a moment,” said Drake.
Te’oma’s words slowly became coherent. He looked at Ariana with adoring eyes. To him, it felt like an eternity since he had seen her face. “Where have you been?” asked Ariana.
“I have seen paradise,” said Te’oma. Sky brought a cup of water to Te’oma. He drank it quickly and asked for another. “Was it real?” he asked, as he sat up.
“Yes,” replied Drake.
“So this whole time you knew we were coming,” said Te’oma.
“I have waited a long time for this,” said Drake.
“I still don’t understand,” said Te’oma.
“In time it will become clear,” replied Drake.
Sky looked on with jealous eye
s. “What did you see?” she pleaded impatiently.
“What I saw was paradise. The world was warm and fertile. There were rolling hills of green grass, running rivers with crystal-clear water, food, and comfort – enough to satisfy all,” said Te’oma. He felt ashamed of how long he had stayed there, knowing full well where his friends had been.
“Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s all go there,” said Sky.
“You cannot,” boomed Drake. “These doors lead to many places. Each of you may land in a different place. I’m sorry, but your place is here,” said Drake.
Te’oma wrapped his arms around Ariana and embraced her tightly. For all the warmth he felt in that place, none of it compared to holding her in his arms.
“So we must suffer here?” snapped Sky.
“What Te’oma saw was real, but it was a very, very long time ago, before my brothers’ hearts turned cold,” said Drake.
Drake breathed new life into the dying fire bed. “You see, the world of Sentari and its creatures are more connected than you realise. How you feel and what you do affects the world around you. Some creatures have more of an effect than others, the dragons most of all. The world is cold, because we are cold. Everything is connected,” said Drake.
“What happened? What caused the dragons to turn cold?” asked Julius.
“Now that is a long story. There was one creature that had more effect on the world than any, including the dragons,” said Drake.
“the Phoenix,” said Te’oma, interrupting.
“You saw him?” asked Drake.
“Only briefly. The world shook in his presence,” said Te’oma.
“Yes it did. When he left, everything changed,” said Drake sadly.
“Is he still alive?” asked Ariana.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I have prayed for his return for many years,” said Drake.
“So what now?” asked Sky, impatient as usual.
“You have come a long way, but I’m afraid you’re only starting out. Now you rest, for tomorrow you are going to find the last of the Intari and bring hope back to this world,” said Drake.
The night was long and cold. Drake kept watch over the entrance intently. Te’oma and Ariana slept side by side, holding hands. Te’oma’s love for her had grown in the time they were apart. For her it had been but a few days; for Te’oma it had been months.
Julius could not sleep at all. The talk of Jade and the Intari had his mind racing. Sky was consumed by thoughts of Oonuk and his insistence that she was special.
The night passed and the daylight was beginning to shine on the nightmare that faced them. Te’oma, Ariana, Sky and Julius stood side by side on the rocks at the front of the tunnel entrance.
Across the bridge far below, stood thousands upon thousands of hybrids and death hounds, all waiting for their chance to attack. The Shadow waited alone in the middle of the bridge, keeping watch over the hordes in front of him.
“It’s a bit much for just the four of us, isn’t it?” asked Julius jokingly.
“Denius has waited many years for this opportunity. He will not leave it to chance,” said Drake, as he walked out of the tunnel.
The mighty figure of Denius appeared on the horizon, flying over his army below. His wings stretched out wide, casting a shadow across the valley. He swooped in fast, and landed with a crash in front of the Shadow. “Where is he? Where is my brother?” demanded Denius in a deep forbidding tone.
“You are not welcome here. I cannot let you past,” said the Shadow. Denius stepped forward and eyeballed the Shadow.
“And what are you going to do to stop me?” asked Denius. The Shadow suddenly turned into a puff of smoke and faded away.
“Just as I thought,” said Denius.
Denius flapped his wings and jumped into the air but, as he did, he came crashing back down onto the bridge with a thud. The Shadow reappeared in front of him. “What have you done?” Denius demanded.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said the Shadow with a smile.
“It matters not,” said Denius as he literally walked through the Shadow and across the bridge. The hordes of hybrids screamed out in applause as they streamed onto the bridge, following their master across.
The wind whipped up into a small tornado on the land ahead of Denius. The Shadow waited inside the tornado for them to pass.
Te’oma looked down at the hordes below. He could not help but feel that this was all his fault. He was the one who had led them here. Everywhere he went, death and destruction seemed to follow. He started to wonder if this was a task he should perform alone.
“There are so many of them,” said Julius.
“the Shadow will fight well, but I fear you may be right. There are too many of them and you are not ready to face this test yet,” said Drake.
“What can we do?” asked Ariana.
Drake looked at Julius. “There is a portal at the summit of the mountain. Take them. From there you can find the last resting place of your people,” said Drake.
“Wait. Your people?” Ariana asked Julius.
“There’s no time. I promise I will tell you everything, but we must leave now,” said Julius.
“Grab your belongings. I will hold them off for as long as I can,” said Drake.
Ariana, Sky and Julius ran inside. Te’oma stayed back, staring at the evil masses. “I’ve doomed them all, haven’t I?” asked Te’oma.
“What do you mean?” asked Drake.
“I’m the reason they’re here. I should not have brought them,” said Te’oma.
“I do not envy the path in front of you, and only you can choose who follows. But I will say this – they would not be here if they did not want to be,” said Drake.
***
The Shadow was quick and near impossible to hurt. He struck the hybrids with deadly precision. One after another he ripped the limbs from their bodies and slashed deep cuts in their throats and chests – but they kept coming. The more he fought, the larger the army seemed to grow. The whole time he fought, the Shadow knew in the back of his mind that it was only a matter of time before Denius began to fight too, and he knew that Denius’s power rivalled his own. But Denius did not fight the Shadow. He had eyes only for Drake. He looked up the mountain with burning desire. He had longed for this day and would not stop until he claimed his prize.
While the Shadow was busy fighting the hordes, Denius took the opportunity to move on Drake. He slipped past the Shadow and started the long walk up the mountain.
Denius trudged his way up the mountainside. It had been many years since he had walked any great distance. There were very few beings in this world, powerful enough to stop a dragon from flying, but he knew that he would not have to deal with the Shadow if he could defeat Drake.
***
Te’oma turned to join his friends in the cave. “Wait, there is something I must do,” said Drake. Te’oma turned around. Drake was on his hind legs, stretching his wings out far and wide. He puffed out his mighty chest and smoke started to pour out of his nostrils. Te’oma backed away in fear. “You must trust me,” bellowed Drake. “Open your heart and meet your destiny,” said Drake as fire roared out of his mouth. The fire engulfed Te’oma, spinning around him like a tornado. The heat was incomprehensible; the fire whipped around him so fast that he could not see anything except the flame.
Suddenly Te’oma’s arms were flung out and his head was tilted back as he was raised off the ground. His arms and legs were pulled out to an excruciatingly painful length. His mouth was ripped open and the flame poured down his throat. The pain of the fire going down was like nothing he had felt before. More and more flame was rammed down his throat until Te’oma felt like he was going to die and, in that very moment, when he could feel the life draining from his body, the flame stopped. Te’oma fell to the ground and Drake dropped down beside him exhausted.
Drake gradually got to his feet as Te’oma lay unconscious next to him. He looked down at
his brother storming towards him with vicious intent. Drake lifted Te’oma up and hid him inside the tunnel, then turned around to see Denius standing in front of him.
Denius slowly walked around him, sniffing the air while looking down his nose at him. “My old brother,” said Denius.
“I may be old but my heart is free. Can you say the same?” asked Drake. The two walked out onto the jagged rocks of the mountain side, eyeballing each other with every step.
“There’s something different about you. Something’s changed,” said Denius. “You have no power,” concluded Denius with a grin.
“I may have no power but I can still give you a fight,” said Drake with anger.
***
Te’oma slowly regained consciousness just as Julius, Sky and Ariana came running down the tunnel.
“Are you ready?” asked Ariana.
“Yes,” said Te’oma, still a bit shaken by what had happened. The four of them quickly snuck out of the entrance and, as quietly as they could, they made their way for the top of the mountain. Their movement caught the eye of Drake; he smiled as they escaped.
Drake spoke a language that was foreign to all that lived save for the Shadow. The words were deep and incomprehensible, but they bellowed throughout the valley so loudly that the Shadow could hear them as if Drake were standing right next to him.
The Shadow looked up at Drake and sighed in disbelief; reluctantly he disappeared into nothing, leaving the hordes below and at the same time freeing Denius to fly once more.
Julius hurried up the mountainside and saw the platform at the top, which was covered in dust and rocks. He quickly cleared away the rocks and as much dust as he could. He stood in the middle of the platform with his hand on the pole. Ariana, Te’oma and Sky watched on bewildered.
“Quickly, you must stand next to me,” said Julius.
“What’s going on, Julius? How do you know what you’re doing?” pleaded Ariana.
“There isn’t time. I promise you, I’ll tell you what I can after,” said Julius, reaching his hand out to them.