The Dragon Healer of Tone (World of Tone)

by Adams, A. D.

  During these sun-risings, Dawra and Lowlack brought Fienna fresh killed beast, so her strength would return. Each in turn would watch over Terra so Fienna could rest, but she always seemed to have one eye on him. Several dragons kept guard over Terra and Fienna at all times, plus the hundreds of Nymphs swarming around. The dragons, especially Dawra, found them at best an annoyance at worst possibly dangerous. Dawra tolerated them for Fienna’s sake.

  For the next two mornings, Fienna did the same as she had done the first sun-rising. Each time she placed Terra into its waters the lake lost its red color, which slowly returned by the next morning. Fienna also gave her own energy to Terra, at least as much as she could spare. On the morning of the fourth sun-rising, she felt something tickling her nose, which was pressed against Terra’s body; she lifted her head, and scratched her nose. She heard the deep laugh of Terra. She opened her eyes and found his eyes open and alert, and he was smiling at her with a mischievous grin on his face. She immediately snuggled her nose into him, and he groaned with a little pain.

  “Be careful, love I’m still pretty sore,” he thought to her.

  “I’m sorry. Are you all right?”

  “Yes, my love I’m fine. Who are all these nymphs and dragons around our cave?”

  “Somehow, when you were hurt they seemed to know and came to your help. Setilan, her father, and a group of other nymphs came.

  Including that strange old one standing in the corner asleep.”

  “He’s asleep!”

  “Yes, he’s been here the last three sun-risings, and that’s the way he seems to sleep. Do you remember what happened?”

  “I remember the fliers attacking me in the lake, and I remember trying to stay afloat. I then remember waking up and seeing you in my mind going after some hideous black flier with that strange figure on its back. I then remember a black bolt and stopping it.”

  “You did more than stop it my love. You created a force greater than any that has been seen before on Tone. You saved my life for the third time.”

  “What else could I do but save the only thing I love on this world.”

  “I am very hungry. Can I get some food?”

  “Of course, my love, I will get it immediately. You just lay there and rest, and I will arrange for some food.”

  Fienna quickly moved to one of the nymphs, standing close by. She told him to get some of the sea cakes that Terra liked so much. He ran out of the cave entrance and to his officer who in turn ordered several other nymphs to get the cakes. Terra was still tired and in pain; Fienna could feel it. When he moved too much or too fast, pain would shoot through his body like bolts of lightning. This did not seem to stop him from repositioning his body. Terra did not try to stand or even sit up; he was moving his arms and gently stroking Fienna’s foot, which he was now laying against. Setilan then came running into the cave with a basket of sea cakes, and she went straight to Terra. There she looked up at Fienna before approaching him. Fienna nodded her head to let Setilan know it was all right to approach her love.

  “You finally have awakened.” She said in a sweet and gentle voice to Terra.

  “Well, I guess. How long have I been out?” He asked in a tired and somewhat painful voice.

  “Enough time to heal,” she said as she pulled a sea cake from the basket and handed it to him. His arms moved slowly, and it was obvious he was in pain when he moved.

  “So this is pain. I don’t really like it much,” he said as he bit into the cake.

  “You have never felt pain?” she asked with a surprised look on her face.

  “Well once, but only for a few moments. One of those bolts of jagged light from a storm hit me,” he said as he repositioned himself again. Setilan looked at him in amazement.

  “Those bolts kill when they hit,” she said.

  “It did not kill me,” he said unconcerned as he once more moved with pain showing on his face.

  Fienna was watching everyone and everything as Setilan talked to and fed Terra. No one was going to hurt him again. Her mind was continuing to search for any possible threat to her man.

  “Fienna, Fienna!” Terra thought to her.

  “Calm down everything is fine. Please come closer I want you.”

  Fienna heard his thoughts and bent her great muzzle down to him.

  She brought her nose within inches of his face, and he pushed his body up and kissed her. The pain he suffered for that one kiss was greater than any she remembered ever feeling.

  Setilan moved back as Fienna nuzzled Terra, for even she felt uncomfortable that close to a dragon. The sight of him kissing her was very odd. No non-dragon had ever touched a dragon and lived let alone kissed one. Fienna moved her head back up to continue watching the cave and all of the activity that seemed to be sparked by Terra’s awakening. Setilan handed Terra another cake as he slumped back to his original position. Just then, the odd very old nymph that had been sleeping standing up seemed to awaken, and he approached Terra.

  Fienna swung her head toward him and began to snort. He stopped and only proceeded after Fienna backed her head away. She still did not trust the old one. He approached Setilan and Terra, who was eating another cake. Setilan moved back away from Terra in deference to the old one, but Terra told her in perfect nymphan language to stay.

  “Who are you?” Terra asked.

  “I’m the old Sinut. The only master wizard left to the sea nymphs,

  “ he said with a willful pride and arrogance.

  “I am Terra your better,” Terra said without arrogance nor seeming concern. It just seemed a statement of fact to him. The other nymphs seem awed by the statement of Terra.

  “I know you are my better, but by how much is the question. I have knowledge from my years in this world that could cause you problems in any battle of magic,” The old one said with pride.

  “Not likely,” Terra said with no emotion.

  “Are you here to threaten me or to help?” Terra asked.

  “To help, of course.”

  “Then stop bating me; I’m too tired for such things now,” Terra said in a tired voice.

  “Yes, yes, you’re right I do apologize,” The old nymph said as he pulled a small bottle of liquid from a small bag that hung from his waist. “Take this; it will help with pain.”

  Fienna’s great head seemed to come from nowhere as the Old Sinut extended his hand, and she immediately started sniffing the bottle. Her nose wrinkled from the nocuous smell of the liquid. The old Sinut opened the bottled and took a sip showing her it was harmless.

  “Terra, it smells terrible. Don’t drink it,” Fienna thought to him.

  “Let me see it first,” he reached out, and the old one handed it to him.

  Terra smelled it, and he could somehow tell it would not hurt him, so he drank the whole bottle.

  “Terra!” Fienna thought to him in an angry tone.

  “Don’t worry; it won’t hurt me. I can tell.”

  Fienna looked at the Old Sinut in such a way as to tell him if anything happened to Terra due to his action, he would die for it.

  The liquid did ease the pain, and Terra was in a little while able to prop himself up against Fienna’s claw with the help of Setilan. Slowly, during the rest of the morning, Terra ate and began to gain some strength. Dawra came and watched over him as Fienna went out to exercise her wings and take a swim. By evening, he seemed better and had fallen asleep on the bed of sea plants that the nymphs had remade for him that sun-rising.

  The next sun rising brought a stronger Terra, and his hunger was beyond belief. He ate everything he could, and by mid sun, his strength was returning fast. Fienna was near the cave entrance when Terra pushed himself to a seated position, and the pain was much less. Fienna could not stop him mentally when she realized what he was doing. He was much better. Within the next few sun risings, he was able to stand for short periods of time, and finally he took a few steps.

  Chapter 61 - Privacy

  (Love Needs a Private T
ime to Grow.)

  355 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

  Fienna watched the moon change and realized that soon it would be full again. She had no idea if the change would happen again, but she wished to be alone with her love if it did. Terra was now walking around the interior of the cave. Fienna would not let him outside until he could move normally. She feared that if another attack occurred that he would not be able to move out of the way. His strength had more or less returned, but even his vast recuperative powers could not instantly bring him back to where he was before the attack. He was still sore, and his back hurt if he moved around too much. Considering that only seven sunrises before he had two gaping holes in his back and would have been dead if he was a normal human made his present health a feat of magic beyond any ever seen on Tone. The lake was still red and had healing powers. Terra would bathe in it once a sun-rising with more protection than any creature had ever had. No less than ten dragons and over two hundred nymphs stood guard in the water and sky. This was the problem; they had no privacy.

  Fienna for some unknown reason, even to her, did not want anyone on Tone to know she changed to a human. Perhaps because she felt weak in that condition, she didn’t know. Even with the ten or twenty nymphs and several dragons running about their cave, she had kept the back cave with the waterfall a secret by making it off limits to every creature including her mother. All did as she wished and never ventured back into the cave recesses.

  “Terra, the next sun rising will bring the full moon,” she thought to him.

  He was a bit surprised. He had lost track of time and really did not know how long it had been.

  “It is.” he thought.

  “Yes, we must do something. I may change again.”

  “Tell everyone we need some privacy and have them leave the cave after each sunset. We will go to the back cave and stay there, where no one will bother us.”

  “All right my love,” she thought.

  Fienna informed all the dragons and nymphs they were not to come into the cave at sunset because they needed some privacy. No one seemed to question this, and it became the rule. The next sunset the full moon rose. The yellow orange light filtered into the cave lighting the crystals in the ceiling. The cave glowed in a pale luminescence as Fienna’s great body began to glow in a similar manner next to the waterfall in their private sanctuary. Her body again began to decrease in size until she was once more the beautiful woman that was Terra’s mate. They melded into one on the shore of the small pool. Their love blossomed into a physical act of beauty. Terra seemed to forget his pain in the arms of his lover, and the two became one once again. As the moon sank beyond the rim of the crevice, Fienna once again returned to her normal size.

  They now both knew that this was not a one-time occurrence, and soon Terra would grow into the great white dragon he had been before.

  They could not hide this in the crevice, and the two knew they needed another place for Terra’s change. The next sun-rising after she made sure Dawra was watching over Terra, over his objection, she went looking for a location that they could have the privacy they needed. As Fienna flew along the coast, she saw a cave that was not used by dragons for living because during storms the winds were too furious for even the strongest dragon to fly through, but at all other times, it was a beautiful place. She thought that this would be perfect. All the dragons knew of it, but because of its dangers never really used it for anything.

  The cave was in the middle of a tall cliff at the end of a point of land that jetted out into the sea. There was a small ledge that looked to be good for landing. She decided to fly in and investigate the place. As she landed on the ledge, she noted that it would be big enough for her and Terra to take off from. The cave itself was enormous inside and could easily hold the two largest dragons on Tone. She felt quite pleased with herself, and Terra agreed through their mental connection that it would be the perfect place for the two to escape the prying eyes of all those who wished to protect them. As the sunrises passed, Terra’s strength grew, and Fienna finally felt it would once again be safe for the two of them to go flying. In only three more risings, it would be time for Terra’s change, and it had to look normal for the two to be flying off.

  Even now, they were followed by a group of dragons wishing to protect them. She knew she would have to tell them to leave them alone the sun-rising of the change. She hoped they would heed her words and not follow.

  The morning of the change, Fienna and Terra arouse from their sleep before the sun rose. They left the cave and just outside the entrance, Lowlack was sitting as several other dragons flew overhead on guard.

  “Where are you two going?” he asked.

  “Oh, just for a morning flight,” Fienna said as she stretched her wings.

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “No, No that’s not necessary we’ll be all right Lowlack.”

  “I think I should come. Are you sure you wish me to stay here?” he asked with genuine concern in his voice.

  “Yes, we would like to have a bit of privacy once in awhile. You just rest old friend.” With that Terra climbed onto Fienna’s back, and they were off.

  They flew into the air, and Lowlack trumpeted commands to the guarding dragons not to follow the two. He was suspicious though and decided to follow them at a discrete distance to both find out what they were doing and protect them.

  Fienna flew straight to the cave she had chosen because the sun would be rising soon. She landed and hopped inside just as the first rays of the sun came out of the dark moonless sky. Terra’s body began to glow as it had before, and in only moments, he had become the magnificent white dragon. Lowlack had followed and watched the two fly into the storm cave. He was surprised because Fienna knew of its dangers. He landed behind a large boulder and watched the cave entrance. He noticed a glow seemingly emanating from within the cave, and soon after Fienna and the great white dragon came out to the ledge, and the two took off. They were magnificent. Words could not describe the beauty of the two flying together. As soon as they were out of site, Lowlack landed on the ledge that they had just left. He called Terra’s name and walked in. Terra was no longer within the cave. In a flash of memory and understanding, Lowlack could see the carvings on the walls of the great cave, and he now knew whom those drawings depicted. He quickly left the cave and flew off to find the pair. It was not hard for the sun was dazzling as it reflected from the white skin and crystal ridge down the back of the great white. They were climbing for a mating flight, and as Lowlack watched, they merged into an arc of love so amazing he was awestruck by it. Then they flew off to feed. He followed them the rest of the sun-rising until they returned to the cave, and he saw the glow. This time from the cave Terra emerged riding on Fienna’s back as they had left that morning. Lowlack said nothing about what he had discovered. It was not his place he felt. The two went back to the crevice and fended off questions about where they had gone as they bathed in the red lake. No one could get anything but vague answers about where they had gone.

  Chapter 62 - Old Friends Talk

  (Hope Grows Brighter as a Young Man Matures.)

  355 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

  The Old Sinut returned to his cave after Terra had awoke from his unconscious state. His mind was reeling from what had transpired in the odd crevice home of a dragon and a human. He was now convinced Terra was the one foretold. No other living thing could have survived the injuries that were inflicted on Terra’s body. In fact, he should have died instantly. Instead he lived and defended the dragon only a few sun risings later. He floated to the black pool and concentrated on its’

  service. The images of the vast and dead land formed into a great wall, and finally, the ancient figure of a land nymph appeared. His old friend was as usual sitting at a fire, but this time several young nymphs were also sitting listening to the old one. The old Sinut contacted his friend mentally, not wanting to appear and frighten the young ones. T
he old one understanding sent the young nymphs off to look for herbs. He was obviously teaching them healing magic. As they disappeared from sight, the Old Sinut’s image began to form in front of the old one.

  “What has been happening? There has been an enormous flux in the planet’s magic,” said the old one.

  “I know. The boy is the one we have been waiting for. I saw him survive wounds that would have killed anyone else. He can also pull power directly from Tone. His power is beyond even what I suspected,”

  the old Sinut’s floating image said.

  “What happened?” asked the old one.

  The old Sinut started at the beginning with Terra’s injuries and went through the entire story. The old land nymph was amazed by the power described to him.

  “When do you think he will start his odyssey? I think he has started.

  He may have killed that witch. I couldn’t be sure. Those damn birds took the body.”

  “Don’t count on her being dead. The darkness possesses her.”

  “I know.”

  “How long do you think it will be to the war and our liberation?”

  “I don’t know. He has no idea of his future or even who he is.”

  “Tell him. We can’t hold out too much longer. Maybe ten sets of seasons.”

  “I know, but it’s out of our control.”

  “Yes, I know. It’s in his hands now,” said the old one with a tired sigh.