Mei'An heard the chime of the little bell, and was about to speak when she found herself in her true form, in the cave by the ice valley, and leaning on the arm of her Guard Companion. Himself a little surprised, as much perhaps as the others in the cave.
A slight tremor rumbled through the earth, stopping all speech in mid sentence. It seemed to emphasise the situation.
Antonin strode forward to meet Mei'An. Catharina and Desare behind him and Rees a few paces back.
'It's true.' Though Mei'An. 'I can feel the bond between them.'
"What's happening Mei'An?" Asked Antonin. "Is this you, or only a dream?"
At that moment Sarweio and M'belie slid down the rope and strode into the cave. M'belie carried the chest under one huge arm.
"We are all real my Lord of the Dragons. We came to assist and to guide. And to warn. The Morgoth await you in that far castle." She waved over her shoulder in the direction of the cave mouth. "So do the combined Wind Readers, although the Morgoth don't know it yet." The smile on her face was pure delight. Antonin thought that the Morgoth might be in for an unpleasant surprise.
Antonin stood on the slightly higher ledge by the fire pit. The others gathered now in front of him.
"The time has come to face our foes. We must defeat the Morgoth and retake the castle. We cannot have Morgoth gaining the Keystone. All will be lost if that happens." Catharina and Desare stood just below Antonin, Mei'An to one side of them. Sarweio to the front of those gathered in the chamber.
Mei'An stepped forward.
"Listen to me now," Mei'An paused for effect. All eyes were on her. "I will tell you this." Again she paused and looked around.
"We have only moments now. Antonin, take up The Disk of the Sun. Rees, take up the Keeper of the Blue Tower. Desare, the Moon Gate please."
Antonin held up his hand
"We can be fairly sure that the Morgoth do not yet have the Keystone. That is still in the hands of the Tharsians. Cinnabar knows that he must have Desare in order to control the Great Seal. Her presence here is to that purpose. Desare is to be guarded with our very lives." He looked around at his friends. The warrior maidens had all moved closer to Desare. They nodded their heads in unconscious agreement. They were as tense as cats on the hunt, and hefted their short spears as though looking for a target here in the cave. Desare herself looked a little alarmed.
Rees lounged against the wall, casually watching the group, the statue of the Keeper held in the crook of his left arm. The sky could be seen from where he stood, and occasionally one of the leather winged dragons would flap across the clear span of sky. Raucous cries echoed around the valley as they called to each other. Free at last from their icy prison.
Sarweio and M'belie looked out over the valley.
"Antonin. It is time to move to the castle. We will arrive in the throne room. There the combined Wind Readers wait in silence. The Morgoth are in the vaults below, and do not know of their arrival. Cinnabar will know when you arrive though, and in that instant will attack. Be ready and watch for his Gateway. The dragons will not aid you in this. They will only watch. I'm not sure, but I think they are awaiting a sign that their true Lord has returned. Your word Antonin, is not enough. Come gather around, we go now."
Sarweio spread her arms wide and a pale blue nimbus spread throughout the cave. Everything living thing was included. Even the horses.
Antonin shook his head. There was something about the horses, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Suddenly there was a lurch and the entire group came down hard on the green stairs of the castle's huge throne room. Very hard. A gasp escaped more than one clenched jaw. The horses included in the shift cried out in alarm and one skittered on unsteady legs on the wet slimy stones. The clatter of hooves echoed loudly in the chamber. The maidens were the first to recover, and whirled into a tight circle around Desare. She stood wide eyed, clutching the orb that was the Gate of the Moon. The throne room appeared to be empty. Where were the Wind Readers? No sooner had Antonin thought this than they started to appear. Winking into existence like fire flies on a spring night. Still the only sound was the horses.
The maidens signalled each other with their fingers, and a group of three moved away to begin a scout of the extremities of the vast room. They had not gone but a few paces when there was a roar like an avalanche. Morgoth poured into the chamber, roaring at the top of their lungs. The Guard Companions were engaged instantly, the Wind Readers likewise. Blue flame leapt from their finger tips, sending the Morgoth reeling, although not yet stopping them. The Guard Companions, one for each Wind Reader dealt with Morgoth warriors with sword and axe. A dozen of the maidens who had been brought from the cave had already been around Desare, and now slowly moved her to the centre of the room. Around them were Rees, Gaul, Antonin, Catharina, Elsa and Edina in a wider circle. Antonin clutched the Disk of the Sun. He stuffed it into his vest against his skin. He could not fight if he held this. Rees looped the statue through his belt. He muttered his apologies to it for the discomfit. He was none too sure that the statue wasn't actually alive. Desare held the orb in front of her in slightly shaking hands.
The roaring and bellowing increased as more and more Morgoth poured into the room from the many surrounding passages. The clash of steel was deafening and it was added to by the hissing crackle and booming of the work of the Wind Readers.
The Maidens were darting through the throng, selecting Morgoth targets and cutting them down. they were hard opponents though, and the count of dead and wounded on both sides slowly mounted.
Across the plain the massed warriors could hear the battle. The water was not entirely gone from this part of the valley. The low plains still held enough water to bar access to the warriors. All they could do was calmer at the water's edge and wait for the levels to drop.
Every boom and roar from the castle lifted the perched dragons into the air, wheeling and screeching. They made no move to join the battle, though they could clearly see it raging below them as the battle spilled out onto the ramparts. It would still be some hours before the warriors could join the battle. The Morgoth outnumbered the massed Wind Readers and their Guard Companions, and it started to show. Slowly the circle was tightening. Cinnabar had not yet shown himself and Antonin knew that he would. A Wind Reader near to Antonin went down, a cruelly barbed spear embedded in her heart. Her Guard Companion went into a frenzy as he stood over her body. The onrushing Morgoth were sliced to pieces before they knew they were dead. With a last look at his fallen companion, he strode directly into the oncoming Morgoth, his sword and axe whirling blurs before him.
Antonin watched in awe as the man cut a path to where a small group of his fellows stood in battle. With his arrival they moved to positions at arms breadth from each other and began a circuit of the chamber. A dozen killing machines loose on the enemy. They had no companions to guard now, and cared not a whit for their own lives. A wide swath was being cut through the Morgoth. Antonin could see that more and more guards were joining their ranks. The Wind Readers were being decimated. He had to help. Suddenly it came to him. Why else had he been burdened with these thing from the chest. He dragged out the Disk of the Sun from under his rough tunic. It pulsed with a strange yellow light. Antonin almost dropped it in surprise. Above the din he called to Rees.
"Rees, Rees," he got his attention. "Hold up the statue. Face it to me. Hurry man."
Antonin held the Disk of the Sun high above his head.
"Desare, " he shouted. "Hold the Orb high, as high as you can."
Desare lifted the orb high above her head, almost on her finger tips. Rees dragged the statue from his belt and held it up facing Antonin. Nothing happened. Rees looked up at the statue above his head. "Ellenaria, if you are going to help, now would be a good time." He muttered. He jumped as the statue winked at him. "Don't do that!" The eyes of the statue focused on the Disk of the Sun above Antonin's head and a radiant bar of pure white light poured from both eyes in a steady stream that built up and
slowly reached out to the disk above Antonin's head. Suddenly it met the surface and in an instant flashed out to the Orb above Desare's head. It struck the polished surface and was scattered in thousands upon thousands of beams, each one shooting out to attach to one of the Wind Readers. Suddenly the bolts of charged fire they had been hurling at the Morgoth turned crackling blue, and the Morgoth struck with them exploded. Literally. Exploded in a red mist. The ozone in the air could be tasted. It stung the nose. The Wind Readers were now untouchable. No spear could get near them. Nothing could touch them. The Morgoth were being destroyed now in their hundreds. At this rate the battle would be won. Antonin lowered the Disk of the Sun, and the others, Desare and Rees did likewise. The power had been transferred to the Wind Readers.
There was a gurgling scream to Antonin's left. To his horror he was watching two halves of one of the Maidens fall to the floor. She appeared to have been sliced in half by a razor sharp blade. Then Cinnabar stepped out of nothing. Antonin realized he was looking at a gateway edge on. Cinnabar had eyes only for Desare. He stalked across the stones in a half crouch, sweeping aside the Maidens rushing to meet him as though they were moths. Antonin could not wait. He drew his sword, and at that moment Desare faced Cinnabar alone.
Her surrounding guard were down, Catharina and Elsa were engaged and Edina was not to be seen. Rees and Gaul were too far away now to help, leaving only Antonin in striking distance.
Desare screamed, her arms held out the Orb. "Antonin" in a high wailing call, death facing her only a stride away.
The bell that had rung so often before sounded now with all the force of the world behind it. As it had done before it brought the Wind Readers to their knees. The Morgoth fared much worse. Those in the hall itself simply dropped dead in their tracks. Those outside reeled about in a daze, being cut to pieces by Guard Companions and those warriors still alive to fight.
Desare had feinted, a crumpled form on the cold stone floor. Cinnabar tried to reach her, but he too was Morgoth, and the tolling of the bell had badly damaged him. Still he struggled forward, trying desperately to reach Desare. He looked down in surprise as the blade of Antonin's sword appeared out of his chest. Antonin withdrew the blade and with a whirling swing designed to take off the head of Cinnabar, began the stroke. With a supreme effort Cinnabar opened a gateway and fell through. The closing gate snipped Antonin's blade off as though it were a blade of grass. Antonin was stunned and off balance, his sword now only a stub in his hands. He almost fell as he tried to regain balance. There was quiet in the room. A few groans from the dying and wounded. All the Morgoth were dead. Those within the great hall. Those outside were on the run. They had felt the loss of their leader, and no help was forthcoming. As they fled the castle grounds the dragons were making sport with them. No Morgoth would survive this encounter.
Antonin had no idea if Cinnabar would survive. Desare was safe, and the battle over for now. Antonin sat on a fallen statue and rested. The girls were gathering around Desare, helping her to her feet. Rees and Gaul squatted on their heels near Antonin. They surveyed the carnage around them silently.
The Wind Readers were gathering in the centre of the hall. They counted their numbers, and found a good half missing. There were many Guard Companions now standing alone. Desolate looks settled on their faces. There was a feeling that the battle had been won, but at a terrible cost.
"Where is Edina?" Asked Antonin, looking around. Elsa was on her feet looking around the hall. There was no sign of Edina but then the mounds of dead would hide much. Elsa was just about to start moving bodies when Edina sauntered into the great hall from the courtyard.
"There isn't a Morgoth in sight!" She said brightly. Stepping over bodies she made her way over to the group around Desare as though she didn't have a care in the world. Blood wept from the nicks and cuts that seemed to cover her from head to foot, and she casually wiped a trickle from her eye brow. Antonin looked at her with raised eyebrows. Edina looked back with a steady gaze.
Elsa came over and clapped her on the shoulder.
"A good battle Edina. Such as we haven't' seen in many a year." Elsa herself was a patchwork of cut and grazes as were they all. Elsa paused a moment.
"We were worried Edina. We couldn't see you." Her voice was gruff, as though to admit such emotion as concern was not done.
"Ha!" Laughed Edina. "I pursued a couple of Morgoth who thought they might leave all the fun to others," with a smile she added. "They didn't get far though. I had to chase one of those skulking dragons too. It thought to take the Morgoth from me." Edina looked at Antonin directly, and with challenge in her voice said. "And what of your dragons, Oh Lord of the Dragon Armies? A fat lot of help they were."
Everyone looked at Antonin. the question had quite obviously occurred to them as well. Antonin was at a loss for words. He didn't know the answer. He was moving from moment to moment himself., Trying to learn as he went. The dragons were supposedly at his command, but so far had shown little inclination to communicate with anyone. The first visit in the cave had been all the connection there was so far.
"Desare, you know as much about the dragons as I do it seems. Perhaps more so. I have no idea why they did not help."
Antonin was not altogether happy. Cinnabar had almost laid hold of Desare. It seemed at least half of the Wind Readers and their Guard Companions were dead. All of his friends were wounded, although alive thankfully.
Where was Mei'An? Had she survived? He looked toward the gathered Wind Readers.
"Mei'An?" He called hopefully. To his great relief she appeared, stepping to the front of the small group. "Yes, my Lord? You called?" Her voice was distant and cold. Antonin took a step back in surprise. He looked carefully at the faces. Mei'An's Guard Companion was missing.
"He is wounded. Badly. My Lord" Mei'An almost spat the words at Antonin. Before he could reply, Desare called to Mei'An.
"Go now to the garden of the Blue Tower. Hurry, all of you." Without another word, all of the Wind Readers, including Mei'An, simply winked out, like candles going out. Their Guard companions gone with them. Desare smiled a secret smile.
"She was about to argue with you my Lord, so I just sent them there. The Keeper will look after them all. They are hers, after all."
Antonin glanced at the others. They were all looking at Desare with their mouths hanging open. This little girl was revealing considerable power, and the twinkle in her eye said she enjoyed it.
With the Wind Readers gone, the vast chamber seemed suddenly oppressive, with its mounds of dead and its dimly lit recesses.
"Come, out into the light. Enough of this horror chamber." Antonin strode to the entrance and out onto the flagstones of the courtyard. He needed some rest. He was beginning to feel like he had been awake and without food for days. The others trailed after him, no less weary.
The old castle had been built on a rise in the valley floor. The valley itself was little but a muddy bog at present. The way was clear to the far wall, and the warriors so badly needed earlier could be seen making their way toward the castle across the boggy landscape. It would take them hours to reach the castle yet. The dragons still sat hunched on the battlements, watching the humans below through their reptilian eyes.
Edina, Elsa and the others found a clean pool and washed the blood and grime of battle from themselves. Desare stayed by Antonin's side. She could see he was troubled and tired. Antonin sat on some fallen masonry and rested his weary body against some moss covered statue. Desare wiped his face with a dampened cloth torn from the hem of her dress.
"Rest, my Lord. The others will be here before night fall. They bring food and shelter, as well as warm clothing. Perhaps a small fire will help to dispel the cold of these stones."
Desare moved away a little and reached out her hand. A flame danced just above her palm, and she carefully put it down to the flagstone at her feet. It grew in size before everyone's astonished eyes until it was the size of a good campfire. There was no doubt there w
as heat in it. The stones began to sizzle and steam as they heated. There was nothing to burn in this soggy landscape, but the flames danced and crackled merrily as though fed with dry kindling. Desare smiled with satisfaction. "Mother would be proud of me now." She murmured to herself. Everyone, including Antonin, came to stand around the fire and warmed themselves. The day was indeed growing colder.
Antonin tried to plan what needed doing. It was difficult though. So much had happened. It did seem that Cinnabar and his Morgoth warriors had been defeated for now. Cinnabar had certainly been terribly wounded, although Antonin had no idea of the Morgoth physical structure, so did not know if the wound was fatal. It would have been better to see Cinnabar dead, but surely he had been badly wounded. A sword thrust through the chest was enough to stop any man or beast. His army had been destroyed, so any new threat from him was likely to be a long time coming. If in fact he had even survived.
Still, Antonin mused, they were no closer to regaining the Keystone. He had no idea where it was, except for the vague notion that the Tharsians had taken it into their forest home. The Dark One might win yet. The Great Wheel of Sara Sara still moved. Antonin was sure that if he listened carefully he could hear it grinding the rock in its slow passage.
Warmed and restored by the fire, and with a little dried beef in him thanks to the well prepared warriors, Antonin climbed the stairs set in the wall up to the top. The picture he saw shocked him. More or less confined to the throne room, he had no idea of the scale of the battle. The entire castle grounds were littered with the bodies of Morgoth warriors, even out in the boggy ground surrounding the outer walls. Antonin noted grimly that not all of the bodies were Morgoth. He returned rapidly to the courtyard.
"We must bring in our fallen companions immediately, and see to the proper rites for them. Come now, no time yet to mourn their loss."
Quickly they organised into pairs and began moving through the castle and grounds, struggling back with the bodies of their companions. They were laid in rows in the courtyard, and Antonin grew oppressed at their growing number. Finally no more could be found. Only the Morgoth were left. Antonin could not think what to do with them, but they could not be left to rot or the smell itself would be enough to kill off remaining life. One of the dragons perched on the roof of a tower dislodged a roof tile. It crashed into the courtyard, making everyone jump. Suddenly Antonin knew how to get rid of the dead Morgoth.
The Dragons of Sara Sara Page 48