by Paul Heisel
Feln hopped down, his stiff legs and muscles aching now, his skin chaffed from riding the dragon. He stretched and paced, then walked toward the dragon's head. The dragon plopped in exhaustion, shaking the earth. It was spent. Feln came closer in the darkness, the light of the moons was enough for him to see the reddish creature. A massive eye looked at him. It blinked.
"Rest my friend," Feln said. He wasn't sure what the protocol was with dragons or why this magical beast was helping him.
"For a moment," the dragon replied, the voice deep and strong. "I'll find food and we'll resume our flight. We must be certain we're clear of Emesia." Wisps of smoke trailed out of the dragon's nose. Nicks and cuts covered the beast, and shafts of arrows stuck in its wings. None of the wounds looked mortal.
"My name is Feln-en-Xialao-Narneth," he said, bowing.
"I'm Slieen-thothk," the powerful dragon spoke. "My name means 'Father of the Rose Dragons.' I've been searching for you, Feln-en-Xialao-Narneth. I've worked with your family for a long time."
"Please, call me Feln."
"You may call me Sli."
"Very well. I have many questions."
The dragon grumbled and the ground shook as it moved its massive body. "I have few answers. Most will have to wait until we reach our destination."
"Safun?"
The dragon wiggled as if to become more comfortable. His long neck stretched forward and he put his head on the ground. He exhaled, which reminded Feln of a sigh.
"Did Suun send you?"
The dragon's eye focused on him. "No. I'm attuned to your belt through magic. I've been trying to find you for weeks. I was soaring over Furawa when I felt your belt. It has been missing for countless years and the presence of it was strong when it returned to Pyndira. I thought I had found you, but each time I came close to finding you - you weren't there. Frustrating." Sli stopped speaking.
The different appearances of the dragon through his travels made sense now. Sli had been searching all along, and it wasn't random appearances of a dragon. This was another time he needed Iristi, she would be able to decode what this beast wanted or needed, wouldn't she?
"Why are you looking for me?" he asked.
"The belt disappeared twenty years ago, and I was given the task of finding it and bringing the wearer safely home." Sli shot his head up.
The movement startled Feln. The dragon was massive and moved with overbearing strength. Without a doubt, Sli was the most incredible creature he had ever seen. Feln took a step back.
"I must find food," Sli said. "I'll return to this spot. Don't wander."
"Wait a moment," Feln said. "I can get the arrows out of your wings."
Sli hesitated. He settled back to the ground at Feln's urging. He unfurled his wings and put them low to the grassy ground. Feln moved methodically along the underside of each wing and removed the arrows. After breaking the shaft, he would push it up and through the tough leathery hide. When he had finished, he had discarded over one hundred shafts. With a mighty shake, Sli tossed the remaining arrows off his body.
"Thank you," Sli said. "That was uncommonly kind for a Most Favored."
"Thanks for saving me. I was trapped. They were coming to execute me."
"Ha!" the dragon laughed.
The sound carried everywhere. If someone were nearby, they heard him for sure. Sli raised his body up, extending his head and neck into the air. The wings spread out fully. Underneath the red body, the talons tore into the earth as he prepared to launch upward.
"I met Chang a long time ago when he was young," the dragon boomed. "In no way would he ever harm another Most Favored. It's inconceivable. He has too much respect for others."
"Chang is dead," Feln said. "I stand accused of his murder, though I didn't commit the crime. Assassins and a Fury attacked him. I couldn't save him. I did try."
"Only a member of his family would stand to gain from his death," Sli said. "Only one of his bloodline can use the belt of the Most Favored. This does not bode well for Emesia if the family has turned against itself. And a Fury? Are you certain?"
"Yes, it was a Fury. I suspect Hiru is behind this, the Favored One. I believe Chang was about to name a successor to the belt, so something had to be done to ensure he got it." Feln paused as Sli dipped his head closer. "There's more to this story of course," Feln said.
"There must be."
"And Iristi…" He had forgotten her. Feln's insides became hollow. The hunger he had went away. He couldn't imagine what Hiru would do to Iristi. Would he hurt her? Would he imprison her? Or would he force her to marry now that Chang was out of the way and he was gone? The latter was the most logical, but how would he find out her fate? It was then he decided that he would have to rescue her. It was his duty and he was responsible for her. What he needed to do first, though, was go to Safun and get Suun's help.
"I'll return," the dragon announced. "Stay in this spot. Don't move."
With powerful flaps and an earthshaking leap, Sli ascended into the night sky and disappeared into the blackness, his presence only seen because he blotted out the blanket of stars. Soon the dragon was gone. Feln sat down and closed his eyes, letting the chi of the belt flow into him. The prospect of finding Suun and getting home to Waskhal made him smile, yet it didn't last long as he thought of the events that had occurred only hours ago. He would be accused of murdering Chang, and Iristi was captive. What he didn't know was what he could do about it, or who would believe his claim of innocence. He could still see the Fury staring at him, deflecting the dragon's breath to the side in calm defiance. They would meet again, he was certain of it. And when that happened, he would be ready.
#
They flew the next morning after resting, taking wing at dawn and flying east. They covered mile after mile at great speed. The night before, Feln reviewed his travels with Sli and told him about Iristi and what had befallen them since their journey from Hou. The dragon listened intently and made wise comments. Sli, though, was reluctant to speak freely of current events, so Feln stopped asking questions that he wouldn't get answers to. Instead he talked about his monastery, described Caleth and Owori, and talked about his life in Malurrion. At the end of the night, Feln realized that Sli was sleeping soundly, too worn out to stay awake, so the storytelling ended abruptly.
The next day the wind tore at him and Feln passed the time thinking about Owori, his home, Iristi being captive, and Pyndira. He longed to return to Waskhal; nothing would be better for his spirits than to see Owori - his friend, the woman he should be with. He missed her smile and directness, and the time they had spent together as friends was more precious to him now. He wondered what she was doing and hoped she was in good health. His heart told him that she was, and his intuition would have to be sufficient to get him through each day without her. No matter what he hoped, though, he was still far from being back with her.
On his mind was Iristi as well, now a prisoner of Hiru. His conscience told him that he should go back and help her as he was responsible for her safety. Feln expressed his thoughts with Sli and tried to create a plan, but the dragon told him the number of Furies they would face would increase if they thought a dragon would come back. It would be suicide. Sli told him there would be another time to save his love, at which Feln tried to explain the situation that she wasn't his love, but fell short of convincing Sli otherwise. Iristi was enchanting, true, and he felt responsible for her that was all. She was a friend who needed his help.
Halfway through the day they stopped by a river and took water. Sli went off to find food to feed his endless hunger, while Feln foraged in the nearby forest for something to eat. There were sour cranberries, hardly filling, and mushrooms that he didn't dare eat for fear of poison. He drank more water and sat on a rock, awaiting Sli's return. While he was waiting, a panther slithered out of the forest to the water's edge and drank. He felt disappointment, knowing his journal was in Chang's palace, now in the possession of Hiru. He wondered if Hiru, or others, would go th
rough it. There was no sense dwelling on it, there was nothing he could do about it. If they read his journal, they read his journal. When he arrived in Safun, he would have to get another book and pick up where he had left off. He needed to sketch Sli. He never imagined a dragon would look like this.
As if instinctual, Feln looked skyward and saw a dark speck descending. The dragon banked and flew down the middle of the river, tail dragging on the surface of the water. Sli pulled up quickly, flapping his wings, and landed. The splash was enormous. The river was several feet deep, reaching partway up Sli's stout legs. The long neck stretched toward Feln.
"Did you find anything to eat?" Sli asked.
"A little. How far are we from Safun?"
"Still quite distant, but I have nearly healed from the battle and will be able to fly swifter."
"You've healed already?"
Sli unfurled his wings and showed them to Feln. The holes made by the arrows had reconnected, leaving behind pebble shaped scars, one for each arrow that had been stuck in his wings.
"Sli, why is there so much fear in Pyndira?"
"Fear of what?" Sli asked.
"Fear. Everywhere I go there is fear. Conflict. Fighting."
Sli laughed. The sound carried down the river. "You are a Most Favored. I'm certain that's why everyone is fearful around you."
"Because of the power we wield?"
"Because of what you can do without anyone having any recourse. Fear though, can be a great tool. People fear dragons. Because of that fear, we can go anywhere and not be bothered."
"I would rather have respect than fear," Feln said.
Sli regarded him silently, the dark eyes staring at him. It was as if the statement had registered with the dragon. "Respect is a better word. Is that what you seek, human? To be respected?"
"I've never thought about it to any great extent, I must admit that. Pyndira is ready to explode with violence. Furawa is attacking Emesia, without any consequence for their actions, and who knows, Emesia might be attacking its own people. Hiru has Chang murdered and puts the blame on another Most Favored. It's chaotic."
The dragon was about to speak, but remained silent.
"Why do people fear dragons?"
"It's not so easy to explain."
"I'll listen to what you have to say," Feln said.
"It makes no difference," Sli said, his voice booming, "why you fear us or respect us. It doesn't matter."
The dragon was becoming defensive, and Feln knew he had struck a chord. From his own study of war, generating fear was a great weapon, but it came at a price. Fearful people weren't friendly or helpful. Those who relied on fear to get what they want were lonely souls that no one could tolerate or trust.
Respect was better.
Feln figured that the Accord of the Hand had to change its ways, he knew that now. They operated on fear. Everyone feared what they could do if there was a disagreement or if they intruded on Accord lands. Maybe it wasn't too late for the Accord of the Hand to give respect and receive it. Maybe he could take that ideal back home, respect not fear. Caleth would listen to him and at least give it consideration.
"It's time to go." Sli dipped into the river to wash off and waded out of the lazy current with powerful steps. Water dripped off his scaly hide in sheets, removing dirt. The dragon shook his head, further ridding him of the water. Feln hopped aboard once the dragon's head was low enough. He settled in, the sore spots returning. He thought it was a shame he didn't have a saddle. Reaching around and grasping the tarnished collar, Feln held on tightly. With a great push, Sli vaulted into the air.
They flew faster. Sli wasn't lying when he said that he had healed. The dragon seemed to have new energy, and it was as if something were chasing him. Below them towns, fields, forests, hills, and mountains passed by. From the air, Pyndira was a grand sight. Rivers and paved roads meandered from city to city, and Feln couldn't believe the extent of the development in the cultivated areas. Small communities were spread out along the rivers. Forests were deep and lush, dividing areas for miles and miles. Undiscovered ruins, gray monoliths covered with vines and matter, lay within these forested on forgotten roads that were choked by nature. Based on the number of cities they passed, he was certain that there had to be millions upon millions of people in Pyndira along with thousands of unexplored square miles of land. It was vast.
Toward midday they passed through a valley, traveling along a large river. Nearby was a cobbled road that followed the contour of the serpentine waterway. He could see where the river had meandered back and forth over time, causing the road to change in parallel. Stone walls now diverted the river from the road - the local leaders must have decided it was easier to divert the river than to rebuild the road. Ahead Feln could see steep, imposing mountains that had loomed on the horizon all day. The air was colder now and it was getting hard for him to stay warm without calling upon the magic of his belt. The snowcapped peaks came and went, and they descended into a hilly area. Forests and plains dotted were intermittently present among the flowing rivers. In areas it looked rocky and desolate. There was the road, a constant line, with caravans of merchants and traveling people spaced miles apart. This had to be a major trade route.
The day was nearly at an end and Feln had grown tired. He was exhausted from flying and weak from hunger. They hadn't stopped in a while, and he was thirsty. He was about to get Sli's attention by slapping his scales when they drifted down at a slight angle. Ahead Feln could see a massive city. To either side of the city were mountains, and nestled in between was a wide well-developed valley. Filling the valley were countless structures. There were homes, businesses, towers, and buildings everywhere. On the outskirts were farms for miles. Toward the center was a grand palace that made Chang's look insignificant. He could see where the original construction had been added to, the shorter, simpler, and newer buildings dwarfed by the obsidian monstrosity. They were high in the air, yet the four spires on the corners of the palace looked close enough for him to touch. They drifted closer to the ground, still moving easterly and staying at a high level. Sli took him farther into the city. Feln could see inns and taverns, making his stomach rumble. Finally, he would get some nourishment. Proper food.
They flew over a wall fifty feet high that encircled the palace at a great circumference, miles and miles it went around the grounds. Guards patrolled gates that led out to the city and to the palace. Feln could see the gates were open and there was a flow of people moving between the outlying communities and the palace grounds. They cleared the wall again, flying away from the palace. Feln looked down and saw more of the outlying areas, noting additional space and not many structures. Outside of these areas was another wall, not as large as the one that ringed the palace grounds, but recognizable as a dividing part of the city. It was two concentric circles, the outlying areas sectioned off as well in six equal areas, cut in pieces by the prominent roads. Beyond the outermost wall was sprawling city, Feln had never seen so many roads and structures in one area. Sli descended. Below them now was a walled and gated community, one of the six equally portion sections of the concentric circle. There was a large manor house about a quarter of the size of Chang's palace. It was a substantial structure that featured prominently here. Within the walled area that surrounded the manor were other structures, gardens, stables, and barracks. They flew around the palace wall again, following it, and it looked to Feln as if the six areas surrounding the palace were similar - each was the same size and contained a single large manor house of unique design, other structures, and lots of land.
Sli banked and soared. Turning, again they crossed the great wall that divided the six sections from the palace. Feln wasn't sure why he was getting an aerial tour, but he was enjoying the sights. Architecture of all sorts was present at the large palace, giving it a gloomy, dangerous look. Except for the gold gilded domes, the palace was uninviting. The four spires were dominant, various courtyards, support buildings, and barracks were spread out ov
er the large area. To the northeast was an area beset with hills and caves, most of the trees there had been harvested long ago. To the north of the palace, not quite halfway to the wall, was what looked to be a large shrine. From here he could see the outlines of short walls, completing circle, squares, and rectangles. He didn't know what those were. Near the shrine were hills and what looked to be a small cemetery or crypt. Sli took him past the palace one more time and continued to fly eastward. They went over the inner wall and came to another walled section just beyond the gates of the great palace.
"I appreciate the tour," Feln hollered into the wind. "Are we going to land?"
"Yes," was the reply as Sli started to descend.
The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the grounds. People were lighting lanterns along streets that looked empty. Ahead was a manor made of cut stone blocks walls and a wood roof. It was three stories tall and had a boxy look to it; gables, dormers, and balconies were spaced evenly. The roof was shingled and steep, making Feln wonder if they got snow here. There was a large grassy area in front of the manor, complete with cherry trees and green leafy shrubs. A pond with a small bridge streaked on the edge of Feln's vision. There was a walking garden too. Sli pulled up without warning and plopped on the ground with an enormous thud.
Feln dismounted, stumbling when his stiff legs and body didn't respond. He fell to his knees when he lost his balance. The insides of his thighs had chaffed more, and it would be uncomfortable for days until they healed. Slowly he stood up. He wasn't sure where they were or where Sli had taken him. The palace and city they had just passed over were large, so he was sure the palace was the Emperor's palace. They had made it to Amuyakin, the capital city of Daiwer-dar.
"Sli, was that the Emperor's palace?" Feln asked as he stood up.
The dragon turned his head and glanced at Feln, the dark eyes glittering. Sli took in a needed deep breath. "This is Daiwer-dar, the Emperor's lands. This city is called Amuyakin, but everyone refers to this as Daiwer-dar. From here the Emperor rules Pyndira."