The Dragons of Decay

by J. J. Thompson

  Simon got up and motioned for the little guy to follow him as he headed downstairs. Kronk kept talking as he hopped down the steps.

  “One reason, master, is a cautionary one. You remember that the water elementals have allied with the dark gods and the dragons?”

  “How could I forget?” Simon said with an edge to his voice. He was still seething over that betrayal.

  They reached the main floor and crossed to the kitchen area. Simon filled the kettle and set it over the fire while Kronk jumped on to the table.

  “Well then, master, can you imagine the kind of havoc Anaposus could have caused if she had been given permission to negate your wards and enter the tower whenever she wished? The results could have been catastrophic.”

  The wizard took a cup out of the kitchen cabinet, added a teaspoon of dried tea to it and leaned back on the counter, waiting for the water to boil.

  “Ana. Yes. That's a valid point, for sure. Damn it, I actually really liked her, you know?”

  “As did Aeris and I, master. And to be fair, she had to obey her leaders. An elemental's loyalty is always, first and foremost, to their ruler.”

  “I suppose so.”

  “And another reason that elementals shouldn't be allowed to enter and leave whenever they choose to is that they could lead danger back to the wizard who summoned them. That could be very bad, master.”

  Simon watched the little guy intently, fascinated.

  “What kind of danger?”

  “Once there were supernatural creatures who could track their prey across vast distances. Evil creatures whose names I never knew, but who could use magic to follow others. An elemental could, in theory, lure one of these monsters back to their master. That would be an unforgivable breach of trust between one of us and his master.” Kronk shook his head mournfully. “Unforgivable.”

  The water was boiling and Simon made his tea, adding a large dollop of honey. Then he sat down at the table and took a few sips before continuing his conversation.

  “What kind of creatures are we talking about here? Dragons?”

  “No master, not dragons. As I said, I do not recall ever hearing their names. But certain malevolent monsters could use magic almost as well as wizards, although not by using spells. They were horrors back in the ancient world. There have been no signs that these things have emerged into this new world, but the planet is large and, well, you never know.”

  “Great. That's all we'd need,” Simon muttered into his cup.

  “Indeed, master. These areas that Aeris and his compatriots are going to explore are new to us. Who can say what dangers wait for them. It was wise of you to admonish them to be cautious as they scout.”

  “Let's hope they all listened. I don't want any casualties; I just want information.”

  “They listened, master. You are their summoner, after all.”

  Kronk grinned widely.

  “And although I do not believe that you understand their language, I do, master, and Aeris was quite firm in reinforcing your orders.”

  “Was he?” Simon drained his cup and answered the little guy's grin with one of his own. “Well, what do you know? I think our friend may actually be growing up.”

  Chapter 10

  Simon had tried to keep track of the months of the year since the old world had fallen, even though he knew that his dates were shaky at best. But he'd guessed that it was late November or early December when he sent off the air elementals to scout out possible locations for the people of Nottinghill.

  A few days later, he and Kronk were in the study early one morning, talking about the earth elementals and the possibility of them helping to build a new town for Clara and her people, when Simon mentioned his guess at the date.

  “I really do think that the winters are getting worse each year,” he told the little guy, who was standing on the desk next to him. The wizard nodded at the windows in the room, both of which were so thick with frost and ice that the sunlight was broken up into rainbows as it struggled to penetrate the glass.

  “It's so cold out there that the snow is like a skating rink. I fell on my ass this morning when I visited the outhouse.”

  He rubbed his hip gently and winced. There was a bruise there that was rapidly becoming an interesting shade of purple.

  “I'm sorry to hear that, master,” Kronk told him gently and Simon smiled at his concern.

  “No big deal. I just have to watch my step from now on. My point is, I can't remember it being this cold this early before. Kronk, you're a lot more in touch with nature than I am. Is it getting worse every year?”

  “I would say yes, master. Back in the old, old days, the seasons were very extreme. Summers were quite hot and dry, winters were bitterly cold and often filled with violent storms. Spring and autumn were the seasons of growth and decline. It was all very organized.”

  “But what is causing this?”

  “Magic, master,” Kronk answered simply. “Magic has a profound effect on the natural world. Since the dragons returned, magical energy has been pouring into this world from the Void, sent by the gods of Chaos and, to a lesser extent, by the lords of Light. It continues to do so even now. That is why the weather is getting more extreme with each passing season. The world is still not saturated with magic. That will take many more years.”

  “And the weather will just get worse and worse?” Simon asked him. Kronk nodded. “Great. Something else to look forward to.”

  “The good news, master, is that in regions that have temperate weather all year long, that weather tends to stay quite gentle with little change. Again it has to do with the nature of magic.”

  “Huh. That's actually good news.”

  Simon looked at the window again and grimaced.

  “Too bad I can't just move the tower to a warmer climate,” he said whimsically. ”I really do hate the cold, you know.”

  “I know, master. I know.”

  Chuckling at the little guy's dry comment, Simon flipped open the atlas on the desk yet again and stared down at the detailed map of Florida.

  “I wonder how Aeris is doing?” he said to himself.

  “You could just call him, master,” Kronk told him.

  “Yeah, I know. But I don't want to distract him. If there's trouble, he'll pop back and tell us, right?”

  The earthen stared at him silently.

  “I mean, he would just come home, wouldn't he?”

  “Probably, master. Yes, probably.”

  They looked at each other for a long moment and then Simon grabbed the mirror that was lying next to the atlas. He raced through the Magic Mirror incantation and invoked it.

  “Aeris, can you hear me?” he said loudly into the clouded glass.

  His heart was in his mouth as Simon waited for a response. Aeris was not one to take orders to heart the way the other elementals probably would. He was an independent thinker, which the wizard appreciated. Most of the time.

  “Yes, as usual my hearing is intact,” came the irritable reply and Simon grinned in relief. “What's the emergency?”

  “No emergency. I just wanted to check in and see how you're progressing.”

  The mirror cleared and Simon could see the air elemental floating several feet above a sandy beach. Behind him, breakers were crashing on to the shore and the waters of the ocean were a rich mixture of blue and green. The wizard suddenly longed for the warmth of southern climes.

  “Everything is fine, my dear wizard. I would have returned if they weren't. Those were your instructions, were they not?”

  The foggy little face was frowning at him and Simon tilted his head slightly as he returned the look.

  “Aeris, you and I both know that you tend to deviate from instructions when you feel it is necessary, right?”

  The elemental hesitated and then nodded slowly with a bit of a sheepish grin.

  “Perhaps. But only when absolutely necessary, as you said. So far though, things are looking hopeful. My brethren and I divide
d this, state was it? Yes, this state into five equal sections. I am scouting the east coast and, in fact, I'm almost finished. There are several locations that are promising and I will draw a detailed map of them when I return.”

  “Any signs of life? Any humans?”

  “None, I'm afraid. But the native animals have bounced back nicely. Rabbits, deer, some squirrels. And I have even seen several packs of wild dogs. So hunting will be available if the people of Nottinghill decide to move to this area.”

  “Dogs?” Simon asked with interest. “Wow, that's great. None of them seem to have survived up here. If some puppies could be gathered up, they would be great companions for our people, both for hunting and guarding and just for their value as friends.”

  “Yes, I thought the same thing. By the way, I've scouted every small town and village that I've run across. I even made a pass through the main city. Miami? Nothing. No sign of Changlings. Also, happily, no dragons darkening the skies. At a guess, I'd say they swept through this part of the country and hunted down any survivors, then moved on.”

  “Bastards,” Simon hissed through gritted teeth. “They're efficient, I'll give them that. Okay then, I'll let you get back to it. So what, a few more days?”

  “Say two more, barring any incidents. If I haven't returned by then, feel free to call and badger me again.”

  “Our master is not badgering you, Aeris,” Kronk protested as he moved across the desk to peer into the mirror. “He is concerned. Show some gratitude once in a while.”

  The air elemental stared wide-eyed at the earthen for a moment and then nodded.

  “Yes, of course. No offense meant, my dear wizard,” he said contritely.

  “None taken. Don't worry, Kronk. We both know that Aeris has a habit of hiding his feelings behind a big mouth.”

  The little guy burst out laughing while Aeris' face darkened.

  “Now wait just a minute,” he began and Simon cut him off.

  “Oops, sorry. Gotta go. See you soon,” he said and broke off the connection as Aeris spluttered in indignation.

  Kronk was still laughing.

  “That was marvelous, master,” he finally managed to say.

  Simon grinned at him.

  “Thanks. I rather liked it.”

  He put down the mirror and thought about what he'd learned.

  “It sounds encouraging, don't you think?”

  The earthen's expression became serious.

  “I agree, master. It is sad that no Changlings survived in the area, but if there is game and Aeris has found no obvious signs of danger, then this Florida could be the correct choice.”

  “We'll have to wait to hear from the others that are exploring the state, but I think you're right. I wonder how things are shaping up in Mexico?”

  He opened the atlas to a marked page and examined the map of northern Mexico. He tapped the illustration.

  “I was never under the impression that this country was the best place to grow food, although my knowledge of such things is pretty thin.”

  Kronk looked at the map.

  “Ah, but that was before, master. With steady good weather, that country could very well be lush and fertile. We won't know until the scouts return.”

  Simon closed the map with a quiet sigh of frustration.

  “Patience. The one thing I've never had in abundance.” He rested his arms on the atlas and stared, brooding, at the rainbows sparkling and flickering through the windows.

  “We could you know, master,” Kronk said suddenly into the silence.

  Simon turned his head to look at the little guy.

  “We could what?”

  “Move your tower, master. My brethren and I could move it, anywhere you wanted to go.”

  The wizard stared at him in disbelief.

  “You're kidding?”

  “Of course not, master. I don't really know how to kid, I think; whatever that is.”

  Simon had to smile at the little guy.

  “No, that's true. But Kronk, you actually could move,” he waved at the room around them, “all this? In one piece?”

  “Oh no, master, not in one piece. But we could disassemble it, move it to a new location, and rebuild it exactly as it is now.”

  “Exactly?” Simon asked skeptically.

  “Exactly, master.”

  Kronk looked at the tightly-fitted heavy stone blocks of the walls with what could only be called affection.

  “It is what we do, master. We know rock and stone. We are, after all,” he tapped his small, rough chest and it made a ticking sound, “made of the earth too.”

  “That's a good point. Huh.”

  Simon leaned back and looked at the room. He frowned at the thick ice on the windows and the constant shriek of the wind that he hardly heard anymore. How great would it be to wake up in the middle of the winter, open a window and feel a warm breeze blow past him instead of a bitter blast of cold?

  But then he thought of his roots. The tiny cottage that he'd first bought here with his life savings. How Daniel had offered to build the tower and then had designed the entire place, hired the contractors, and had made their shared dream come true. The beauty of the little lake behind the tower on an early summer morning, wisps of steam rising above its mirrored surface. And Ottawa. A ruin, yes, but his hometown nevertheless. Could he just pull up stakes, abandon his country and move south? Would it be that easy?

  Simon looked back at the elemental and smiled sadly.

  “I can't leave, Kronk. I'm tied to this land with chains that are too thick and heavy to break. Even the winter has its own unique beauty. Thanks for the offer, but no. I stay. And if wights come knocking, if the forest becomes infested with evil things, well then, we'll see what the true worth of being a wizard really is.”

  The earthen just nodded calmly.

  “I suspected that you would say that, master. I too love this land. The bedrock goes deep, the dirt is old and full of memory. It is...soothing to me. I am glad we won't be leaving it.”

  The wizard rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, or maybe it was a tear or two, and stood up.

  “Let's go out and say hello to Chief and the girls. I know it's bitter out there, but I think they should be let out to stretch their legs.”

  Kronk perked up immediately.

  “An excellent idea, master! It will be good for Sunshine to move around a bit. She should not stand idle all the time, with her delivery so close.”

  The two of them spent the next couple of hours with Chief, Tammy and Sunshine. The brooding mare was huge by now and even Simon, not exactly an expert on such things, could tell that she was getting close to delivering her foal.

  But Sunshine was still lively and the three horses were exuberant when the wizard let them out of their stable, opened the back gate and allowed them into the field between the tower and the frozen lake.

  Chief raced through the crisp snow, throwing up huge divots behind him as he ran. Tammy was almost as lively as she ran down to the shore of the lake and cantered along its edge, tossing her head in the bright winter sunlight and snorting with glee.

  Sunshine was more sedate, ambling agreeably after her two stable-mates, snuffling along the top of the crust of the snow and occasionally blowing out a loud blast of foggy breath.

  Simon stayed just outside of the gate, huddled in his coat and shivering in the deep cold. The wind was calmer away from the tower, but it was still bitter.

  He noticed that neither Chief or Tammy got too far from the waddling mare and were constantly circling back to pace along beside her, as if reassuring themselves that she was okay.

  Yes, he thought as he watched the display, his cheeks going numb. They really are a lot more intelligent than they were before they Changed.

  After he let the horses get as much exercise as they could before he froze solid, Simon called them back to the gate and led them into their stable again. Kronk had cleaned the place from top to bottom, laid out new straw in each stall and fi
lled their water buckets and hay boxes. Both wizard and elemental watched them for a while, each pleased with how well the three beautiful creatures were doing.

  “Do you really think that there are others out there somewhere, master?” Kronk asked him as they observed the horses munching hay contentedly.

  “Other horses? I sure hope so. Even if Sunshine's foal is healthy, that's only one more horse. Tammy could give birth as well, but you couldn't breed the offspring to continue the species; they would simply be too close genetically.”

  “Then I hope that you are right, master,” the little guy said and Simon looked down at him. He was watching the horses with a look of undisguised love. “I would hate to see horses fade from history.”

  “As would I, my friend,” the wizard agreed softly. “As would I.”

  They made their way back to the tower shortly afterward. Simon was dying to sit next to the fireplace with a cup of tea. His shivering was constant now and his fingers and toes were numb.

  As they entered the building and Simon closed and locked the door behind them, he heard Kronk gasp in surprise.

  “We have a visitor, master,” the earthen warned him.

  Simon spun around, his coat half off, and saw a misty shape standing on the kitchen table. Actually, it was slumped over and weaving a bit.

  He threw off his coat, stomped his feet to knock off the snow and walked over, still wearing his heavy boots.

  The figure turned out to be one of the air elementals. Simon looked closely at it, but the only one he was ever able to identify by sight was Aeris. This individual was vaguely shaped like a woman and he assumed that the little figure was female.

  “Hi there,” he said as he sat down at the table. Kronk leaped up and moved to stand next to the wizard. “Welcome back.”

  The little figure turned slowly and looked up at him. Simon caught his breath. He had never seen such a look of complete despair on the face of an air elemental before.

  “Thank you, sir wizard,” came the reply. Her voice was delicate and very high-pitched. She sounded absolutely exhausted.

  “Did the earthen let you in?”

  “Yes, sir, they did. They recognized me and opened the gate. I hope that is acceptable?”