The Dragon Healer of Tone (World of Tone)

by Adams, A. D.

  “Fienna, it’s dying. I can’t let it die,” he said as he pointed to the creature with one hand and one tentacle.

  “No Terra, it tried to kill you.”

  “I know, but I still must help it. I don’t understand why, but I can’t just leave it dying.”

  “I know you well enough that I won’t win this argument. All right, but be careful.”

  Terra climbed down to the creature and touched its head where the wound was. His hand started to glow orange, and the wound began healing. It awoke and started to move away, but Terra reassured it mentally, and it stayed still until he was done healing the wound.

  “Why did you help me after I tried to take you?”

  “It is my way,” Terra said.

  Once it was healed, he lifted the female form and threw it back into the sea and climbed back to Fienna.

  “Terra, if you ever scare me like that again, I’ll, I’ll. Well, I don’t know what I’ll do, but don’t do that again. “

  Terra said with an impish grin, “I won’t.”

  Over the next several weeks, Fienna and Terra did not return to the cove. Instead they went to their secret cave and small lake in the giant crevice. Finally, one sun-rising Terra wanted to go to the cove, and he promised that he would not approach any strange creatures. As they were lying on the beach, five heads popped up out of the sea. They started to move toward the shore. When they reached the water’s edge, they started emerging from the water walking on legs. Fienna was standing and even though she was not to her full size, she was an impressive creature. The five included the thing that had attacked Terra on the rocks, and three others as well as what appeared to be much older one than the other four. He stood in front and began speaking.

  “I am Sedoc. I have come here to give my thanks to the one who healed my daughter.”

  Fienna did not understand his language at first, but then with the help of Terra’s mind, she slowly understood what he was saying.

  He continued, “No land animal has ever helped a sea nymph before.

  They always try to kill us, so we return the hatred with our own type of justice. But this man that stands here instead of trying to kill my daughter saved her life. We owe you a debt that cannot be repaid.”

  “I helped her because it is my way, and I don’t seem to have a choice in this type of matter. So you owe me nothing.”

  “I am the king of the sea nymphs, and you shall always be safe in my kingdom. You will have our friendship as long as you live. I have brought my daughter Setilan and the others that attacked to make their amends.”

  Setilan stepped forward and bowed, her beautiful golden hair falling over her bare shoulders. “I am truly sorry for what we did, and I wish to be your friend.”

  Fienna came forward and said, “I don’t trust you. You can be our friends, but if you ever try to hurt Terra again, I will boil the sea with my fire until you all die.”

  “Fienna,” Terra said disapprovingly.

  The old one said, “I understand,” looking at Fienna.

  He then turned to Terra and said, “You must be a very special human to command such devotion from a great dragon. It would be better to have such a one as a friend rather than an enemy. You shall never have a reason to doubt our friendship from this time forward.”

  From that time on, the sea nymphs protected Terra and Fienna, and Setilan would often come and play with the two.

  Chapter 25 - Growing Up and Its Problems

  (Growing Up, There’s Always Problems to Solve.)

  345 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

  Over the set of seasons, little Terra’s body grew and changed. This seemed normal, but one-sun-rising Fienna noticed something strange.

  Terra seemed to be growing hair on his body. This worried Fienna; she did not know if it was normal or odd for Terra’s body to change. She asked her mother, and Dawra didn’t know either. Terra wasn’t worried; he felt fine, and he became stronger by the sun-rising. Fienna finally asked Lowlack to find out if this hair was normal. Lowlack as always went to watch the humans. He saw many humans at different times in their lives, and he could see that the young males and females did indeed grow hair as they grew to adulthood. He returned to the cave and informed Fienna of what he saw.

  “They all grow hair on their bodies like Terra. The men even grow it on their faces as they get older. I don’t think Terra has reached that point yet.”

  “Are you sure this is normal?” said Fienna.

  “Yes, I’m sure. He should start growing this face hair soon.”

  “There is one thing I did notice that is different.”

  “What?”

  “Terra is larger and more powerfully built than any of the humans that I have seen. None of them even approached his bulk and size. He is different in that way, and he has so much more endurance than normal humans. I think he is better than they are.”

  “I guess that’s good.” Fienna said with a questioning look.

  “Yes, I think it is very good.” Lowlack said with a great smile.

  Later that sunset as Fienna and Terra slept, Lowlack and Dawra had a conversation.

  “What did you mean Terra is larger than the other humans.”

  Well, even though he is young, he stands as tall as a full grown male, and he is still growing.”

  “You think it is from living with us.”

  “I don’t know, but I doubt it. I think it is from those healing powers of his. He’s never sick.”

  “There’s more than that to it. He is very strong and strangely attractive. I always thought humans were ugly little creatures but not him. His body becomes more pleasing by the sun-rising, and the hair simply adds interest.” Dawra said in an oddly low tone of voice.

  “I think your right, now that you mention it. He is more attractive than the other humans.”

  With that Lowlack left for the sunset, and Dawra stood in the cave’s entrance looking at her daughter and Terra lying together. They truly did belong together in mind and body.

  In a short time, hair did appear on Terra’s face. He hated it. His face itched, and he was always complaining about it. Lowlack said he had seen the humans scrape the hair off, but they often cut themselves doing it. It looked quite painful to him. Terra had nothing to scrape it off with, and it was not a very appealing idea to him. One sun-rising as he and Fienna were lying in the sand of their sea cove Terra started to scratch the face hair again.

  “What’s wrong Terra?”

  “Oh, it is this hair; it’s terrible. I wish it would just go away.”

  Terra’s face started to glow orange.

  “Terra your face is glowing. I think.” Fienna paused.

  “You think what?” Terra asked excitedly.

  “I think the hair on your face is disappearing. Yes, it is almost gone.”

  Terra felt his face, and the hair was gone. From that time on, the hair never returned.

  Chapter 26 - Exploring the World

  (To the Young the World is always interesting and new.)

  346 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

  Fienna wanted to explore. She was now stronger than ever, and the world seemed so big and mysterious. Every sun-rising Terra and Fienna would find new things. This sun-rising was no exception. They were flying along the coast and decided to stop on the beach to sun themselves. After a while, they noticed spouts of water far off shore.

  This was new, and they decided to go look, so Terra mounted Fienna, and they took off. When they got to the spot in the ocean, they could see large forms below the waves. Every few moments one would come to the surface and blow water out of a small hole in the top of its head.

  They looked liked swimmers but were larger than Fienna or her mother. There seemed to be fifteen or so of them from small to very large. Fienna and Terra decided to go to their cove and talk to Setilan their sea nymph friend. They landed and waited. Within a short time, a small head popped out of the water, and then the fig
ure waved to them.

  Setilan always liked it when her friends Fienna and Terra were on the beach. She had a chance to play with others not of her kind. It was boring to always be hunting for food and learning the ways and history of her people. She was expected to be a great queen and had many things to learn. She wasn’t sure how, but she always seemed to know when Terra and Fienna were in the cove. She would usually be able to get away from her lessons and join them. This sun-rising she was learning the history of the great sea wars. It was a time when the sea nymphs were divided. Two kings fought a great war, and one finally destroyed the other. The victor took control of all the sea nymphs and became their king. He was Sectic, her great, great-grandfather. Setilan much preferred to play with her two new friends than learn this boring history. This sun-rising she swam toward them in expectation of a full sun-rising of play. As she approached the shore, she had to change her fins into legs. She knew this was the one bit of magic that all sea nymphs could perform, but she disliked it. It wasn’t really painful just not very pleasant. As she concentrated, a greenish glow formed around her rear fins, and they slowly transformed into legs and webbed feet.

  After the change was completed, she stood up and walked out of the water.

  “Setilan, we’re glad you could come. We have a question?” Terra said.

  “I’ll try to answer if I can.”

  “Well, we saw these huge swimmers blowing water from their heads far off shore. Do you know what they are?”

  “Oh, you must mean the Musicas. They’re the biggest things in the sea. They’re harmless; they eat small plants that float in the water. They play off the shore this time of the year. I often ride them. They tell me of the far distance places they go to every year. This one place is mostly frozen water and very cold. They say the world is beautiful, and all should be happy to be alive. They will be here for another moon rising.

  They are a little sad this time. One of the small ones, just born last year was hurt on their way here. He is dying. They have no way to help him.”

  “If they can get him close to shore, I’ll try to heal him.”

  “Give me a little while, and I’ll see.”

  With that Setilan ran back into the sea to search for the Musicas.

  Fienna was frowning at Terra.

  “You shouldn’t always try to help everything that is hurt. You don’t know if you can heal that thing.”

  “I know, but I like to heal things; it seems to be part of me. I was once stopped from doing it, and I didn’t like it.”

  “Who stopped you from healing? I don’t remember ever actually stopping you.”

  “It wasn’t you; it was my mother I think. I, I can’t quite remember.”

  “Well, just be little less giving in the future. I worry about you. I don’t want anything to ever happen to you. I don’t think I could stand that.”

  Terra walked over to Fienna and hugged her leg. They both felt an odd feeling swirl through their bodies. It couldn’t be put into words.

  No, no words could describe what they felt.

  Soon Setilan returned riding on a very large Musica followed by at least one hundred more with their blowing spouts of water. Setilan jumped off and swam to shore. She said the hurt one was by a large female, just behind the one she had been riding on. Fienna waded into the water with Terra on her back. She followed Setilan to the spot were the small one was swimming slowly and with obvious difficulty. Terra could see a large gash on its side. It was not healing, and this creature would soon be gone without help. Terra let go of Fienna and swam to the little Musica. The mother eyed him with suspicion but what other choice did she have. Terra touched the little creature and was immediately hit with a wave of great pain. His hands started to glow orange, which slowly spread over the creature’s body. As they all watched in amazement, the gash started to close, the bones came back into position, the muscles came together, and finally the skin closed over the great wound. He was healed. Just as before. The Musicas were beyond joy. They began to make a sound that was very beautiful. It passed from one Musica to the next until it was almost overwhelming.

  Terra was now much stronger and was not bothered by healing the Musica. The Musicas gave him the name “The Dragon Healer” mainly because of the way the great dragon protected him, and he had healed their little one.

  Terra had another set of friends in the world now, powerful friends who lived their lives with love and in peace with all things. They sang in their songs of their friendship for Terra and that they would give him what they could whenever he needed it.

  Chapter 27 - A Moon Rising Alone

  (The Young must learn to be Independent.)

  347 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

  Dawra had decided it was time for Fienna’s first “Time of Freedom.” As her mother and her grandmother had done, it was time for Fienna to start her times alone. Dawra wanted her daughter to be independent and decided it was time to send her away for the span between the new and the full moons. Fienna was willing to go until she found out Terra could not come. After the mother and daughter argued from sun rising to sun setting, in which time Terra said nothing, he finally spoke.

  “Fienna, this is important to your mother. I think you should go.”

  “But, but, you’ll be alone.”

  “You know your mother and Lowlack will take care of me.”

  “But!”

  “But, nothing. This is your mother’s wish, and she wants you to be strong and independent. I think you should go. Please!”

  “Well, if you think I should, I will.”

  “When do I go, Mother?”

  “Tomorrow morning.”

  “So soon!”

  “Yes. It is the new moon, and you can return on the full moon.”

  “That’s too long.”

  “It will past fast. Don’t worry.” said Terra with a smile.

  “All right, tomorrow morning. I’ll leave.”

  The next morning her mother pushed Fienna toward the cave’s entrance. She looked back one last time to Terra who smiled reassuringly. Fienna took off and slowly flew from sight.

  “Fienna can you hear me?”

  Fienna was flying alone and heard her Terra.

  “Where are you, Terra?”

  “In the cave with your mother. I will always be with you. Don’t worry.”

  “I thought we had to be close for our minds to talk.”

  “Apparently not.” Fienna thought.

  From that point on, Terra and Fienna were in constant contact.

  Whatever she did Terra could see and feel, and whatever he did she could do the same.

  Fienna first went to their secret lake in the crevice. It was sunset, and she could feel Terra fall asleep. She decided to explore the area. Even though it was sunset, she as all dragons could see as well in the sunset as the sun-rising. She kept imaging this as her and Terra’s home. She imagined the cave their home and a path from the cave to the lake. This would take work. She would have to clear a path through the trees.

  Fienna decided to surprise Terra and do the work at sunset when he was asleep.

  Fienna first started to tear plants out of the ground and through them into a pile. The pile got quite large, and she was leaving huge holes in the ground. She flew the plants to the ocean and dumped them, but she wasn’t sure what to do about the holes, so she quit for the sunset. The next morning she was hungry and decided to hunt. Terra was bathing in his pool and then started to eat some of the seed rocks he liked so much.

  Fienna flew toward the mountaintop where she liked to spot running beast from. There she sat until she saw a small group of beasts moving down the valley. She took off and dove. It was an easy task to grab one of the adult beasts. She was very hungry from the work of the sunset before and quickly devoured it. She was tired and decided to return to the lake and take a nap in the sun. When she awoke in mid-afternoon, Terra was asleep. Fienna then decided to go to their cove. As she approached, s
he saw Setilan on the beach. Fienna had somehow learned the language of the sea nymphs through Terra. She never really questioned this since it was natural for her to learn from Terra’s mind.

  Fienna landed and spoke to Setilan of her plan, but her problem of the great holes made by the trees. Setilan was surprised that Fienna could speak to her, but after she calmed down from the shock, she tried to think of a way to help. She finally came up with and idea. If they could move the beach sand, it would fill in the holes. But, how would they get it there? Then it came to Setilan. They could use one of the big baskets that sea nymphs used to store shellfish in. She knew one that was not used this time of the year, but it was too big for her to lift. Setilan decided to ask the Musicas to help them. They were pleased to help when they heard the plan. Setilan led one of the Musicas to the basket.

  He lifted the basket and took it to Fienna on the shore. Fienna picked up the basket by its two edges and dove toward the beach scooping up a load of sand. She then flew back to the area she was working on the sunset before. Fienna dumped the sand into the holes. One basket filled over three holes.

  That sunset when Terra was sleeping, she began working in earnest.

  Every sunset she would remove more plants and cover the holes with sand. By the sun-rising before she was to return home, she was done.

  That afternoon when Terra was asleep, she returned to the cove and thanked Setilan and the Musica. They returned the basket to the spot they took it from. It was a bit used-looking but that couldn’t be helped.

  That sunset as Terra sat by his fire, Dawra came up next to him.

  “How is Fienna doing?”

  Without thinking, Terra said, “She’s fine.” Then realizing what he said he added, “I guess.”

  “I know you have been in communication with her. I don’t understand how, but I know you do.”

  “How long have you known.”

  “For a long time. That’s why I haven’t been worried. I knew you would tell me if she were in danger.”