by A. D. Adams
The fog flowed around the two Solans.
“He has used the ninth! The Dark One is no more,” the voice of the many exclaimed.
“Yes, Terra has done all this world, and we have wanted him to do. He is and shall always be the Draman. How are you?” the Solan asked the fog.
“We are stronger and even more vital.”
“Good, I think Terra will need us for now he must rule this world.”
In the crystal cave below the water, Cardana sat on her grandmother's lap as the walls lit up. Cardana smiled in the light and her small body glowed green. Terra's mother looked down at her granddaughter and knew the world had been saved from the darkness.
By the time Terra arrived at the mountains, all knew of what he had done for Tone and all those who lived upon her. His strength had improved to the point where he could walk half a sun-rising. The fighters all looked to him as their leader. Those who came in close contact with Terra still had difficulties looking into his extraordinary eyes.
Chapter 64 - Peace
(A final peace and those who keep it.)
- The Ninth Sun-rising of the World Reborn -
Terra rested for two sun-risings. On the third sun-rising, Fienna flew him to the mountains where he had a long discussion with all the dragons. On the fourth sun-rising, he walked into the trees with Fienna. He left his guards behind, telling them he needed time alone with the trees. They saw no harm in this for the trees had protected them all from the lightning.
Finally, on the fifth sun-rising, he called a meeting with all the leaders. They arrived at a small clearing among the trees, just before sunset and sat facing Terra. There was great tension in the air, as the leaders seemed to be oddly quiet.
“I have brought you together to discuss what will happen now that the dark one is gone. We now have choices to make that will not only affect all that live on Tone, but all those who will come after us,” Terra told all those present and the ghostly images of the sea nymph king and the Old Sinut hovering above a small fire.
The old land nymph wizard stood and faced Terra. “I have been chosen to speak for the leaders. We have been discussing the very issue you have brought to us. We feel there is only one that can lead us into the future, and that is you. You alone can command the respect and love of all those on Tone, you must be our leader.”
“Do you all agree with this request?” Terra asked.
“Yes,” they all shouted.
“I thought you might ask this, but understand, you may not like what I will do. Once you do this, you cannot change your minds. The dragons and the trees will not allow my removal from the leadership of Tone. So, I ask one final time, do you wish this?”
“Yes,” was once again shouted by all.
“So be it,” Terra said as he looked over them.
“What will you have us do?” Naron asked the new leader of Tone.
“First, I know of the traditional lands that each of you controlled before the fighting. Naron brought me ancient drawings of our world as it once was. You shall all have those lands once again. I will not interfere with how you and your kind control your lands except for one thing. The trees will not be harmed. I have talked to them and they have agreed to allow large growing areas. They will leave enough space to grow several times the amount of food your populations need,” Terra said as he looked about and saw nods of approval from all.
“The dwarfs' lands and the mountain will belong to me. No one will enter there without my permission. It will be left alone; no one will live within its boarders. Too much death has come from that land. It needs to heal itself.” Terra stood and walked around looking at each leader.
“This world has seen too much fighting. To prevent future fighting, all the leaders will come to a meeting each season. I have asked Rammy to set up a permanent location near the coast. We will discuss any problems or disputes and if no agreement can be reached, I will resolve the problem. My decisions will be final.
“In the case any fighting does break out, the dragons will settle the fight by killing all those involved. They will not determine who is in the right or who is in the wrong. They will simply kill. The dragons have agreed to act as my representatives. They will patrol the borders for me and will act in my name. I will not permit fighting for any reason. Fighting will result in the death of those involved. Attacking a dragon will also be as if you attacked me. I hope you can imagine what I will do if attacked.” They all looked concerned, but they understood the need of this.
“Rammy has said she is willing to be my representative and will visit each land several times each season. She will be accompanied by at least ten dragons. Treat her and them as you would treat me. She will report back to me on any problems I must deal with. She will also create a group of individuals to represent me in each of your lands. If you have a major problem, I will help you. Simply make a request to my representative. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, but remember I expect you to deal with your own problems as much as possible. Treat your populations fairly and with respect for I promise you, if you do not, you will answer to me.
“Naron, we must expand your tunnels so humans can move to their old lands. We also must move as many different types of beasts from the coastal valleys to the central lands as possible. The dark one destroyed all life within his reach. We must help life to return to where only death once resided. The dragons will help as much as possible,” Terra told the human leader.
“We will begin working on the tunnels immediately. I will come up with plans to trap and move beasts through the tunnels. I will need Rammy to help,” Naron replied.
“You may have her, she can coordinate the help from the dragons. It will take many sets of seasons to return to the central lands. The dragons and I will help. Even though the trees have returned, it will take many lifetimes for Tone to recover.
“The plans I have given you are only the start. Many details need to be worked out. I expect all of you to assist in this planning. To that end, I wish you to go back to your homes and consider how to slowly return to your traditional lands. We will start small and slow. You will need to coordinate with me and the others here. In thirty sun-risings, I will send dragons to collect you and your advisers to meet with me. We will discuss much, please expect to stay seven sun-risings.
“I am tired and need time to rest. This is your world not just mine. You and all those that live upon Tone need to help. Every living creature on Tone is depending on all of us to make the correct decisions for our world. Please keep this in mind as you tell those you lead of our victories and our losses.
“We will all leave here at first light. You all have much to do and much to consider. This world is finally at peace, and I need all of you to help me keep it so.” With that, the meeting ended and they all went back to their fighters to explain Terra's plans and rules. The fighters did not simply support what Terra had in mind, but they celebrated his leadership of the world of Tone.
As the light faded, Fienna returned to her human form. They lay together in a small private crevice at the base of a mountain. A small pool of water, fed by melting mountain ice lay at their feet. The last light filtered in, shining upon the pool. The center of the pool began to swirl and the water rose above its surface. The water began to form into a woman's shape.
“You have saved me,” the woman said in a gurgling voice.
“Is he dead?” Terra asked the woman.
“Yes, he is.”
“Can you recover?”
“Time heals all. I protected many beasts lost to the dark one. I hid them upon an island far from here. I will push up land so they may come back to their homelands. It will take much time for them to spread across my skin, but they will.”
“I will help if I can.”
“You have done enough. Rest, my savior.” The woman's image collapsed back into the pool.
Chapter 65 - Returning Home
(Finally, a time of joy.)
- Season One of the World Rebor
n -
Terra and Fienna traveled with the fighters until they reached the human tunnels. There, Terra changed into his dragon form for the first time since he had collapsed of exhaustion. They flew directly to Cardana and took her and his mother back to their crevice home.
Over the next few sun-risings they rested, finding joy in their daughter's laughter and love. They took time to fly together and love. The world sparkled anew and all lived without fear for the first time in an uncountable number of seasons.
One morning, Terra was lying by the small lake; he was looking around his crevice home. He saw his mother and the young one coming out of their cave. The cave was built for them on the opposite end of the crevice. Suti was jumping around wanting to play with Sifar. He then looked into the sky and saw a lone dragon. Upon the dragon's back was a human. His new vision allowed Terra to see that it was Lowlack and his father. His father waved and Lowlack made a loop. They flew up toward the sun and disappeared. Fienna knew of their original visit, but he had not told anyone else. He thought they would not believe that he talked to the dead, but now would. He told his mother, Dawra, and Hectise of their visit and that they were happy in their new existence.
The dragons and sea nymphs still protected the small family, even though Terra felt it was not needed. Suti stalked the crevice ever vigilant, protecting what she considered her new cub, Cardana. One sunset Fienna did not return to her human form. Terra was worried, but Fienna seemed unconcerned.
“Are you sure you are feeling well?” Terra asked her with a worried tone.
“I'm fine. Don't worry, my love, everything is as it should be.”
“What do mean?”
“I am with egg,” she said with a small smile on her face.
Terra kissed and rubbed her side as they lay together with Cardana sleeping in his arms.
Two of the dragons protecting the family sat on the edge of the crevice looking down at the happy little group.
“What are you thinking?” the blue dragon asked the brown.
“The Dragon King has finally come.”
Epilogue
(Sixteen Set of Seasons since the World Reborn)
This manuscript finished my history of our world's intertwined relationship with the Draman, Wogan, and, of course, the dragons. There are many stories and adventures I have left out to complete this basic two-book history. This history gives a backbone to all the future writings I hope to do. I plan to write additional individual histories of each race and important individuals as time allows. I have narrowed these writings to cover Terra and Fienna’s lives. They were and are the core of our history for without them we would have nothing.
I know I have not covered the major fights as extensively as some would like, but this is a history of the two beings that gave us all a future. The fighting was only a means to an end not an end in itself.
You may have noticed I have mentioned Terra's hatred of violence a number of times. He wished this point be made as often as possible in my history. You see, he believes a life lost to violence diminishes us all, and that fact should not be lost on those who read this history.
I have come to understand that although Terra killed thousands, he did it for different reasons than one might think. He wished no glory or even acknowledgment. What he desired was to save Tone for all those who live upon her, especially his own family. To do this he had to decide to kill to save, a decision that was enormously difficult for one like Terra. In this world, there are those who live with violence within their hearts and those who only have love in that most intimate of places. Terra was one who loved but had the strength to perform the acts of violence necessary to save our world.
He now lives with the death of thousands upon his spirit. The love of his family and his world has somewhat overcome the pain of all the deaths he caused. We who live under his generous and kind rule know we owe the Draman for the peace that exists upon our world.
The Draman, the man, the dragon is owed an unimaginable debt, for he has saved us all.
A Thank You to the Reader
Thank you for being part of my world of magic and dreams.
For one's dreams can from time to time become another's.
My dragons live within my dreams and I hope they may live within yours.
May the white dragon always be with you.
Thank you for visiting my world of Tone where dragons roam and humans hope.
A. D. Adams
Other Books Available from A. D. Adams
The Dragon Healer of Tone (Book 1 of The World of Tone Series)
Death on Lake Ice
“A Spy with a Trunk” and Other Imaginings
Author Profile
A. D. Adams has compiled a long list of achievements since he earned a degree, in engineering, from the University of Akron. His career-related accomplishments include finite element engineer, computer system administrator, software engineer, patent holder, and draftsman. He has worked for Babcock and Wilcox, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, and Veyance Technologies. After having engineering articles published in technical journals, he made the transition to writing novels. His first novel "The Dragon Healer of Tone" was a successful fantasy that has been downloaded thousands of times. His second novel was a mystery entitled "Death on Lake Ice.” He has also published a compilation of fantasy and science fiction short stories called “A Spy with a Trunk and Other Imaginings”. A. D. is also an accomplished wood artist whose creations have taken various forms from wall hangings to six-feet tall Christmas trees.
Table of Contents
Prologue - The Writer
Chapter 1 - The Age of the Draman
Chapter 2 - The Request
Chapter 3 - The Visitors
Chapter 4 - The Gathering of Power
Chapter 5 - The Slaughter
Chapter 6 - Visits
Chapter 7 - Justice
Chapter 8 - Knowledge
Chapter 9 - Change
Chapter 10 – Exploration
Chapter 11 - Lonely
Chapter 12 - The Village
Chapter 13 - Meeting the Draman
Chapter 14 - Old Friends
Chapter 15 - Unknown Becomes Known
Chapter 16 - Dark Mountain
Chapter 17 - Old Enemies Emerge
Chapter 18 - The Many, Start to Become One
Chapter 19 - Humans Start a Journey Home
Chapter 20 - A New Life for Faray
Chapter 21 - The Dragon Assemblage
Chapter 22 - A New Home for Cardana
Chapter 23 - The Human Meeting
Chapter 24 - The Sisters
Chapter 25 - Rammy and the Dragons
Chapter 26 - Terra Plans, Fienna Makes Arrangements
Chapter 27 - Meeting the Land Nymphs
Chapter 28 - An Old Wizard Panics
Chapter 29 - Preparations
Chapter 30 - A Time of Peace before the Storm
Chapter 31 - Fienna the Dragon Returns
Chapter 32 - Preparations End
Chapter 33 - Plans Finalized
Chapter 34 - Time to Start
Chapter 35 - Travel to the Unknown
Chapter 36 – The First Fight
Chapter 37 - The Land Nymph's Attack
Chapter 38 - The End of an Amulet
Chapter 39 - The Journey Begins
Chapter 40 - The First Sun-Rising of the Great Journey
Chapter 41 - The Story of the Elves
Chapter 42 - Finding Elves
Chapter 43 - Elves Join the Fight
Chapter 44 - A True Leader
Chapter 45 - The Dwarfs and Elves Prepare, The Trees Wait
Chapter 46 - The Trees
Chapter 47 - Rammy Returns Home
Chapter 48 - Trees Fight Back
Chapter 49 - A World Returns - An Old Wizard Panics
Chapter 50 - A Solan Meets Her Victims
Chapter 51 - Terra Reaches the Humans
Chapter 52 - The Next Step
/> Chapter 53 - A Time to Rest
Chapter 54 - Traveling Once More
Chapter 55 - The Fight Planned
Chapter 56 - Death of a Village
Chapter 57 - The Aftermath
Chapter 58 - A Gift Used
Chapter 59 - The Journey into Darkness
Chapter 60 - Flight of Lightning
Chapter 61 - The Ninth
Chapter 62 - Finding Terra
Chapter 63 - The World Learns
Chapter 64 - Peace
Chapter 65 - Returning Home
Epilogue