The Dragon Healer of Tone (World of Tone)

by Adams, A. D.

  After the sun set, the three women came out of the cave. Fienna was wearing a robe of luminous seaweed. It was quite beautiful in the moonlight. The two nymphs said their good-byes and returned to the water. Fienna and Terra returned to the cave and gave in to their love.

  Chapter 66 - All Learn of the Change

  (Few Times in the History of a World Does a Single Change Make Such a Difference.)

  355 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

  The old Sinut did not talk to the king as they reentered the water. He seemed to vanish as soon as the red water surrounded the two. In the underwater cave, the gaunt old nymphan wizard floated. His body was still, but his mind was racing. How could he have no fear? How could he be controlled? Suddenly, from behind him, he heard the voice of a woman.

  “You old fool. Do you think you or anyone can control him?”

  He swiveled in the water to see a ghostly image of an old human woman.

  “Who are you?” he said in utter amazement.

  “My name is unimportant, but you would know me as one of the Solans of Tycarr,” the ghostly figure said.

  “That’s impossible; they are all dead!” he said with a bit of disgust in his voice.

  “Not all. I tell you now; stop interfering with him.”

  “Stop interfering with who, you old witch.”

  “Don’t act so inane, or perhaps it is not an act. You wizards are none too bright,” she said with an obvious sneer.

  “What do you want, witch?” the old Sinut said with a glare and a bit of hatred.

  “He is the only one who can save us all. He is the one who is to be and has always been. If you interfere, destiny will not be fulfilled.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “You know our powers. I assure you we can stop you and will if necessary.”

  “I’m not trying to interfere, but he needs help. He has no idea who he is or what he will do. He doesn’t even want or care to do anything.

  I want to push him into his destiny.”

  “You can’t push him. He must find his own way. His power is beyond your understanding.”

  “But, not yours, I suppose.”

  “Do not interfere with him again; even you bastard wizards will be restored to your old glory.” With that, her image seemed to dissolve into the water from which it was formed.

  The Old Sinut was amazed that one of those witches was still alive, on top of that, to have the gall to warn him off. Perhaps though, she knew more than he did since they did have a library that went back to the ancients, and if she had, it she knew much more than he could even imagine. He would have to tell his old friend after he thought through everything.

  Dawra didn’t really want to tell the other dragons of Fienna, but what choice did she have. It was time to leave for the gathering. She walked to the edge of the cave and launched herself into the air. She moved with grace and ease as her great wings slowly pushed through the air. Then she moved up and entered the great winds that would propel her to the gathering. She landed on the edge of the extinct volcano and watched as others slowly spiraled into landings on various cliffs throughout the bowl-shaped volcano. She noticed that a great deal of talk seemed to be going on and what seemed to be odd looks directed at her. This made Dawra uncomfortable. It was bad enough what she had to tell them without all the looks. She perched quietly and waited for the gathering to start.

  After what seemed to be an eternity, the old dragon in charge asked if any others would like to speak. Dawra spread her wings and launched herself into the air and slowly drifted down landing on a small peak just below the old one in the center of the bowl-shaped extinct volcano. She lifted her head and started to speak.

  “I am Dawra, mother of Fienna. My daughter and Terra are the inseparable pair who fly our skies. A change has occurred to Fienna.

  She is now human.” With that, the entire assembly of dragons seemed to talk at once. The old one finally got them quiet.

  “She and Terra are now full mates, and as you all know, his power is as great or greater than any dragons. I do not know how this happened or why, but it happened. She is now dragon made human. I have no answers to give you to the many questions you must have, for I myself have no answers to my own questions.” With that Dawra was going to fly off and end this, but just then the old dragon she had met in the cave of the ancients seemed to appear in the sky from nowhere. He drifted down and landed on the floor of the volcano just in front and below Dawra.

  “You all know me as the old fool who moved into the cave of the ancients. I am no fool. I have been studying the writing on the walls of the cave. Many of you have seen them. They tell a story of the one who will save Tone from the evil of the darkness. He will be a human that mates with a dragon. The human will become dragon, and his dragon mate will become human. They will be called the Draman and the Wogan. There will be no others like them.” he then turned to Dawra.

  “I ask you. Does Terra become dragon?” The bowl erupted in the sounds of dragon voices. Then from his perch on the highest rim, Lowlack answered for Dawra.

  “Terra becomes the greatest of all dragons. He becomes a white twice the size of any here. He has a ridge and teeth of crystal. He is truly magnificent,” Lowlack’s voice drowned out the sounds of the others, and when they heard what he said, a quiet fell over the volcano like none before.

  “Dragons once flew over the whole world. We kept the world in peace and no one dared oppose us until the bastard wizard came and destroyed all that was,” the old dragon said in the soundless volcanic bowl.

  He continued, “Our great ancestors foretell that two will come. The two are Terra and Fienna. They will bring us back to our past glory. A glory you have all forgotten. I am the only one who has kept up with the old knowledge. You can see what I say is true; you can hear for yourselves the change of dragon to a human and human to dragon. This has never happened before.”

  Dawra felt uncomfortable and took off. She did not land but flew directly up and into the high winds. She was soon home and tried not to think of what might happen. Dawra walked over to her sleeping area and lay down. As she drifted in and out of sleep, her mind seemed to be swimming in thoughts of Fienna and Terra. Then she felt a touch on her tail. Her eyes opened to see Fienna’s father.

  Dawra pushed herself up and in a surprised voice said, “Why are you here?”

  “My daughter is apparently more than just a dragon. At least, that’s what the old one says. “ he said in a rather gentle voice for a male dragon.

  “I know I’m not supposed to care about my children, but I do. I have from time to time seen Fienna in the skies and have admired her great strength and beauty. She has seemed to have become more than simply a dragon,” he continued.

  “She apparently is, but what I don’t know,” Dawra said in an unsure and tired tone of voice.

  “I would like to see her if possible, but I have no idea where to find them. I know Terra could stop me if he wishes. We have all seen what he is capable of, but I would still like to try,” he said.

  “I don’t think he would care, and I’m sure Fienna would like to meet you. Let us go now, I should have flown straight there from the gathering, but I was very tired and wanted to rest,” Dawra said.

  The two hopped to the rim of the cave and took off.

  Chapter 67 - The Visit

  (Truth is often hidden.)

  355 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

  As the two dragons flew, Dawra had a strange feeling. She could not quite grasp what it meant. She knew that it was strange for a male dragon to be interested in its offspring, but it had happened in the past, usually when the mother died, and a young dragon needed care. The father would reluctantly step in and raise the dragonette, but something seemed strange about this. But what?

  As they peaked the crevice walls, Dawra could see Terra and Fienna sitting on the flat rock just outside the cave’s entrance. They seemed to have a favorite way of sit
ting together with Fienna supported by Terra’s arm, which was invariably around her back and cupping one of her breasts. Terra looked alarmed as they landed. Suddenly, from behind her, Dawra felt a massive blow that knocked her down and to the side.

  It was so powerful she could feel her body actually sliding across the rocks’ flat surface. The pain traveled through her like lightning. She looked up helplessly as her once mate advanced on the two. She saw Terra raise his arm with his palm pointed at the advancing dragon. The orange glow from his arm was almost blinding. Fienna had to turn her head to shield her eyes. A thin rod of orange light came from the center of Terra’s palm and struck the approaching attacker. The beast stopped, and the entire outside of the dragon instantly turned orange. The dragon shape seemed to waver and then vanished and was replaced by the form of a hideous creature of a type that Dawra had never seen before. It was as big as a dragon with feathered wings and a great hairy body. Its mouth was massive, three times greater than a dragon with irregular teeth of various sizes, some as big as Terra’s whole body and streaked blood red. It had a tail with scales and a body with four huge legs and metallic looking claws half the height of Terra.

  Terra’s eyes narrowed, and the thin orange rod expanded. The creature was lifted off the ground and began to screech in pain. It opened its mouth and tried spitting a clear liquid, but instead of hitting Terra and Fienna, it was deflected back onto the creature. It screamed in pain as the liquid burned the hair off part of its upper left leg. Terra lifted it halfway up the crevice walls and over the lake. He then started to close his hand. As he did, the creature was being crushed by the orange glow. It screamed in pain and then suddenly went limp. As Terra’s hand closed to a fist, the creature’s bones cracked and broke as it was crushed into a bloody ball. Then Terra thrust his closed fist forward, and the bloody ball was thrown into the sky never to be seen again.

  Fienna twisted to see if Terra was all right. She had felt his use of power before but not like this. She normally was only slightly aware of a vague border around his mind that seemed to be a force or strength that was slightly out of her reach. She could never quite touch it, but this time the border broke down, and she felt the full force of his magic through his mind. It flooded her with awe. The power available to him seemed limitless and overwhelming to her, but to him it felt as if it was nothing more than another part of his body. There to be used when needed and using it was part of his nature. He was the power, and the power was him. As she looked into his eyes, she did not see the tiredness that sometimes accompanied the use of the magic. His eyes were bright, and his body seemed as strong as ever. No words were needed any longer between the two. Terra protected Fienna; that’s what he did, and she protected him. Suddenly, the painful moans of her mother came into her mind and brought her back to the outside world.

  The two moved quickly to Dawra’s side, and Terra hands began to glow. Her left wing was crushed, and her left shoulder looked broken.

  As Terra placed his hand on her shoulder, she felt almost instant relief of the pain and a gentle warming of her body. This time she could feel the presence of his mind. It was almost overpowering. Dawra could feel the power from his body flow into hers. He was infinitely more powerful than he was as a child. She could actually feel the bones knitting together, first in her shoulder, then her wing, next her muscles, and finally the skin. She could feel his words forming in her mind.

  “You will be fine now. Don’t worry about bringing the beast to us.

  You had no idea what it was.”

  With that her anger and hatred seemed to leave her, and she calmed to a point of almost sleep. A peacefulness she had never before experienced fell across her mind. Then his mind was gone. She opened her eyes to the pair standing in front of her watching for a sign she was all right. Dawra could hardly help the smile she felt forming. She slowly stood up and stretched her wings and moved her shoulder. As he had done before, she was completely healed, but she also had a feeling of total peace.

  As Dawra stood, Lowlack landed next to the three.

  “What was that thing? I saw it as Terra was crushing it.”

  “I don’t know, but it does not matter for its gone and will never return,” Terra said in a calm voice.

  I was coming to tell you I found Fienna’s father badly injured in a valley not too far from here. It looks as if he was attacked by something incredibly powerful. He is beyond anyone but Terra’s power to heal.”

  As Lowlack was talking, fifty to sixty Nymphs surrounded them and faced outward brandishing their spears in a protective circle.

  “Go away everything’s fine now.” Terra said in an irritated voice to the nymphs.

  “We must protect you sir. Our king has ordered it,” said one of the nymphs in a timid voice.

  “All right but don’t get in my way,” Terra said with some understanding of their orders.

  Fienna looked at Terra, and he knew she wanted him to go help her father even though she never had met him.

  “I’ll go and help, but I want Fienna with me, and Dawra should fly us,” Terra said.

  “I’ll fly you but how? The two of you are too big to hold like when you were children.”

  “On your back like I flew with Fienna,” he said.

  “All right, get on.” With that, Dawra laid down so the two could climb onto her back.

  Dawra felt them climb on, first Fienna then Terra. Neither weighed much and carrying them would be no problem. Then she felt an odd sensation on her back where they positioned themselves. It was if something was stuck to her scales. She then realized that this was how Terra stayed on Fienna’s back. He could somehow attach himself to a dragon’s body. She could feel him but not Fienna.

  “How do you do that?”

  “What?”

  “Attach yourself like that.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I only feel you, not Fienna; how will she stay on?”

  “I’ll hold her.”

  Dawra could see Terra’s arms surrounding her daughter’s body. She had never noticed how powerful he looked, especially compared to Fienna. She rose up on her back legs and launched herself into the air.

  This was all new to Fienna, but she had always known the feelings and sensations that Terra had felt while riding on her back. She was not connected to her mother, but she was firmly attached to Terra. His grip on her was like nothing she ever felt; it seemed so gentle but stronger than the winds or the world itself. She felt totally safe in his arms.

  Chapter 68 - Help

  (Help Often Comes from Unexpected Sources.)

  356 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

  As Dawra left the ground, Fienna could feel the old exhilaration of flying. She realized how much she missed it. She was a creature of the air and that part of her came flooding back. Her mind came back to reality quickly though because of Terra’s mind wondering what her father was like. She had no answer because she had never met him.

  They soon arrived at their destination, and as they came over a small mountain, there was the badly injured dragon lying at the bottom of a rocky gorge. He was not moving as they landed. The two dismounted, and Terra carefully approached the injured dragon not knowing if he would strike out in pain and confusion.

  Fienna walked behind Terra as he stepped to her father’s side. His wings were badly broken up, and there were enormous gashes all over his body. Obviously, he put up a great battle before he was downed.

  Terra lifted both hands and placed them on the dragon’s side. Then they started glowing orange. His injuries were so great that Terra’s orange glow spread across the dragon’s entire body. It seemed as if his whole body began healing at once. The wings straightened, and the bones began to knit together. Muscles cut within the great gashes seamed together, and the gashes began to close. Scales began to reform from where they were knocked off. Within a very few moments, the dragon’s body seemed to be healed, and Terra stepped back. He slowly lifted his head bri
nging it within a breath of Terra.

  “Thank You,” he said in a powerful and deep voice.

  Hectise was in such pain that he could hardly stay conscious. That hideous beast had attacked him from out of the sun, and as hard as he had fought, it was of no avail. The beast was just too powerful. He fell out of the sky like a rock. That old dragon had stopped and said he would be back, but he knew he was already dead. His mind seemed to drift in and out of focus. Then he vaguely realized there were others around him. The pain was so great that he could not even open his eyes.

  Suddenly, warmth spread across his body, and the pain was gone. He thought he was finally dying, but there was something else. Words began to form in his mind.

  “You will be fine, stay still, and relax your body,” the odd voice said.

  His fears of death vanished, and he seemed to drop into a state of total peace and relaxation. He didn’t seem to have control; the voice did. Then he began feeling his wings straighten out, and muscle and bones all over his body began to heal all at once. It wasn’t painful, just very odd. Then the sensation stopped. He slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was the human, Terra. He had no idea what to say.

  He’d looked back at his body, and he was completely healed. He moved his head toward the human and simply thanked him. Terra did not move. As he stood up, he realized it was impossible for him to have hurt Terra. Something inside wanted to now protect him. A sun-rising before he might have tried to eat him, but now, yes now, he felt totally different. He saw Dawra and the old dragon and then behind the human stood a second. It was a female with multicolored skin. It must be Fienna, his daughter. It was true, just as Dawra had said.