“A year?”
Simon leaned forward abruptly, almost dropping the mirror in surprise.
“My God, is that all? A year for the dragons to conquer an entire world?”
“Yes, a year,” Daniel answered with an abrupt nod. “The brown dragons aren't like the other types of dragons. The acid they spew is like a form of rot. It spreads like a cancer, infecting every living thing it touches. The elves have had to burn entire swathes of forest to stop it from spreading, although harming trees breaks their hearts. It is a horrible thing to see, Simon, a wave of this infection consuming everything in its path. Truly terrifying.”
“I can't even imagine it. Any word on the primal brown?”
“Nothing. That damned monster is laying low, obviously, letting its servants do its dirty work for it. We have scouts out searching high and low for the beast but so far, no sightings.”
Simon sipped some tea and thought fiercely.
“We know that the primal is the key,” he said, thinking out loud. “Cut off the head of the snake and all that. It's obvious that destroying it is the only chance the elves have.”
“We're aware,” Daniel said dryly. “Naturally that's why we're searching for it. Of course, finding the primal and killing it are two different things. Any ideas on how we could destroy it?”
Simon shook his head.
“To be honest, things have been so crazy that I haven't given it a lot of thought. Now though, while I'm forced to stay close to home to recuperate, I'll make it my main focus.”
“Please do.” Daniel smiled then. “It's good to know that you're okay, Simon. Take my advice and don't overdo it until you rebuild your strength. And don't worry. Time races there compared to here. You'll have plenty of time to recover before deciding whether to cross over and join us here. And who knows? We may stop the blasted dragons ourselves.”
“I hope you do, to be honest. But if not, my decision has already been made; I will join you in the fight. You can count on that.”
He drank more tea and watched while Daniel picked up some papers and slipped them into his pack.
“Anyway, I'll let you get some rest,” his friend said. “Call me back whenever you wish. I doubt that there will be much change here for weeks or months, Earth time, but call anyway if only to say hello.”
“Oh I will, believe me. Your advice is always good and, to be honest, you keep me in touch with my past. Sometimes I seem to need that stability.”
“Always glad to help,” Daniel said with a wink. “Take care of yourself.”
“You too. Keep your head down and we'll talk again soon.”
With a smile, Simon shook the mirror to break the connection and then put it down as he drank his tea.
“What do you think?” he asked Aeris, who'd been listening intently.
“I think that we had better get you healthy quickly. The elves may have some time to spare, but this world does not.”
He flew off toward the door.
“I'm going to make you a sandwich.”
Chapter 20
After he ate, Simon felt strong enough to cast Magic Mirror again. This time, he decided to get in touch with Clara. He was very concerned about the former inhabitants of Nottinghill and he wanted to reassure the cleric that he was alive and well.
Kronk rejoined them in the study. The horses were well and the earthen was in a jovial mood, almost gushing about how adorable the little filly was. Simon and Aeris exchanged tolerant looks and the wizard tried not to laugh. For a little person made of stone, Kronk had a big heart.
“You are calling the lady cleric, master?” the little guy asked as Simon chanted.
He nodded as he cast the incantation.
“Yep, I am,” the wizard said as he finished casting the spell. He held the mirror up so that both elementals could move around on the desk to watch the surface with him.
“That is good, master. She was very upset when we...lost you. We all were, actually.”
Simon patted his friend gently.
“I know, Kronk. I know. Trust me, I'll never put you guys through that again.”
“See that you don't,” Aeris said pertly but winked when the wizard glanced at him.
Simon focused on the mirror and waited nervously while the surface misted over.
Was Clara okay? What about the rest of the townspeople? If they had had any problems, the cleric wouldn't have used her lodestone; after all, she thought he was dead.
“Is this taking longer than usual?” he asked anxiously to no one in particular.
Aeris just shrugged and Kronk made a unidentifiable sound deep in his throat as he stared at the mirror.
You two are a lot of help, the wizard thought irritably.
“It is clearing, master!”
The little guy was right. The fog on the surface of the mirror slowly, seemingly reluctantly, rolled back and the three of them were watching a remarkable scene.
Bright sunlight was beaming down on the new settlement and Simon felt his tension melt away as he saw the people of Nottinghill moving around, working, laughing and generally looking happy and well.
The mirror zoomed in to focus on Clara, who was holding one of the settlement's three young children while she spoke to the little girl's mother. Both of the women were smiling as they spoke and the child was giggling because the cleric was bouncing her in her arms.
“They look well, master,” Kronk said brightly.
“They do, don't they?”
“Can you pull the view back?” Aeris asked and pointed to the left side of the mirror. “I'm curious about those structures.”
Simon adjusted the picture by moving the mirror and he saw what Aeris was talking about.
“Tents,” he said. “Huh. I wonder where they found tents?”
“They look very fragile, master,” Kronk observed dubiously.
“Temporary shelter, obviously,” Aeris told him. “The weather down there is fair enough to make such things viable.”
“Yeah, and with your wall around the village, Kronk, they really don't need to build houses right away for protection, right?”
“Yes master, I suppose so. But now that you are back, perhaps we can travel down there soon and I and some of my brethren can build their homes for them?”
“I'm sure they'd be grateful. I just wish I was strong enough to go today.”
“You aren't,” Aeris told him quickly. “So don't even think about it.”
Simon glowered at him and the air elemental returned his look.
“Don't try to intimidate me, my dear wizard. We both know I'm right.”
“Yes, I know. I hate that by the way.”
Aeris just chuckled and looked back in the mirror.
Clara was handing the child to her mother and Simon zoomed the image in to focus on the cleric.
“Good morning, Clara,” he said loudly when he was sure that she was alone.
The reaction to his voice was startling. Clara looked around wildly, her short brown hair whipping across her face and her eyes wide with surprise.
“What? Who is that?” she exclaimed.
“It's me, Simon. Come on, it hasn't been that long since we last spoke, has it?”
“Simon?” She shook her head again. “What evil sending is this? Who speaks? In the name of the Light, reveal your true nature, demon!”
“Well, this is awkward,” Aeris muttered.
The wizard had to agree. He'd forgotten for a moment that Clara thought he was dead.
How do I prove I'm me? he wondered.
“Clara, I swear it's really me. Look, find something reflective to look into and you'll be able to see me.”
The cleric was scowling, looking angrier than Simon had ever seen her. But after a moment's hesitation, she nodded once and strode off through the scattered tents to a large pile of boxes and supplies that was sitting in the center of the community.
She poked around inside one of the crates and eventually withdrew a hand mirror similar to Simon's o
wn, except that it was bright pink and looked like something a child would use.
The cleric looked around, took a deep breath and stared down into the mirror. There was a loud click and Simon was staring directly into her eyes.
Clara caught her breath as she saw the wizard. Her eyes darted from him to both of the elementals and back again several times.
Kronk waved and smiled, while Aeris nodded a greeting. When she looked at Simon again, he smiled broadly.
“Yes, I'm alive and no, you aren't hallucinating. I hope that Aeris and Kronk being with me will help to convince you.”
“By the gods, Simon,” she whispered, swaying on her feet for a moment.
He watched as she sat down abruptly on a crate and closed her eyes, breathing heavily.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You look like you've seen a ghost.”
Clara opened her eyes and laughed. It sounded too high-pitched and brittle but at least it was better than the anger she had shown a moment before.
“Seen a ghost? Of course I look like I've seen a ghost. You're supposed to be dead! I felt you die, my friend, and it's not something I ever want to experience again.”
Now she was examining his face eagerly. She smiled a real smile as she noticed his extremely short hair but frowned as her eyes trailed across his features.
“You are much too skinny, Simon. And your new haircut makes you look so young. Not sure if that's good or bad. What on Earth happened to you? How are you back among the living?”
The wizard had to sigh. He had a feeling that he was going to have to tell the story again and again before people accepted his presence as real.
Maybe I can just write it out, make copies and give one to each person who asks, he thought wryly.
“You can thank your gods,” he told her. “They gave me a chance to come back. One chance. If I die again, then I'm dead and that's it. So, this is what I remember.”
He recounted what had happened and Clara listened closely. She stopped him several times to ask questions, mainly about the goddess, but mostly she just sat quietly as he told his tale. When he was finished, Simon felt weary again and settled tiredly into his chair, waiting for her reaction.
“A remarkable story, my friend,” she said when he was done. “Remarkable. It is good to know that the gods still watch over us. I never knew that souls could avoid joining with a newborn who was doomed to die soon after birth. And that poor woman, to die alone, not knowing if her child would survive. How sad and yet, how courageous. She held on long enough to give you life.”
“I know. It breaks my heart that I never got the chance to know her,” Simon said sadly. “Surviving all this time from the original dragon attack with only one companion? They must have thought that they were the last people on Earth.”
“Tragic,” Clara agreed. “But you are her legacy, my friend. That has to count for something.”
The cleric wiped her eyes hurriedly and stared at him with a fond expression.
“I can't tell you how good it is to know that you're alive and well, Simon. We, all of us here, mourned your passing. After everything that you'd done for us, to die just as we found a new sanctuary, seemed so cruel, so senseless.”
He shifted uncomfortably, aware that Aeris was grinning at him.
“I did what had to be done,” he said shortly. “You would have done the same. Anyway, I'm back now and I wanted to make sure that you were all okay. Are you?”
“Better than we could have hoped. We found a small town several miles away that wasn't totally leveled. That's where we dug up these tents and a bunch of tools and other useful things.” She grinned. “Including this mirror. I'm not sure who brought it back, but I set it aside for some reason, not even thinking. Now I'm glad I did.”
“Me too. So, no sign of goblins or dragons or God knows what else?”
“Nothing. Malcolm and Aiden have gone out exploring several times now. They found several wonderful groves of oranges, grapefruit and lemon trees not too far away and the fresh fruit has been a blessing. We've begun tilling some fields for planting and our blacksmith has set up his shop and created some farming tools. We left most of ours behind when we evacuated Nottinghill, so new ones are a priority.”
“It sounds like things are going well,” Simon told her. “The idea to use tents was clever. When I'm feeling a bit stronger, though, Kronk wants to come down with some friends and build you more permanent housing, if that's okay?”
She smiled gratefully.
“That would be much appreciated. And forgive me for not greeting you both,” she said to the elementals. “I was so shocked to see Simon in the flesh that I totally ignored you.”
“Understandable, lady,” Kronk said with a bow. “And thank you. We earthen want to help in any way that we can.”
“I'm not surprised at your shock,” Aeris added. “We were, um, rather surprised to be summoned back by our dear wizard as well.”
“I can imagine,” Clara said with a laugh. “Now I'm going to have to call a town meeting and try to convince twenty people that Simon has come back from the dead. That should be fun.”
The wizard laughed.
“I'm sure you're up to the task,” he said. “And if I'm strong enough, they'll be able to see me for themselves in about a week or so.”
“Good. Malcolm and Aiden, along with Virginia and her friends, were especially devastated by your death. I'm sure they will be thrilled to know that you've come back.”
She paused for a moment and frowned.
“You know, when I say it out loud like that, it still sounds insane, if you see what I mean.”
“Hell, it sounds nuts to me and I went through it! Anyway, if you still want them, I'll be calling Liliana tomorrow about moving from Moscow to join you.”
“Of course we do. I was worried about them after you...fell. There is simply no way for anyone to cross the oceans now without magic.”
“You're right. At least I won't have to explain my death and rebirth to her. She has no idea of what we went through during that last attack by the wights.”
Clara looked at him wisely.
“Don't be so sure, my friend. She is a paladin, and has a rather close relationship with her goddess. I have a feeling that she might have been informed of recent events.”
“Huh. Well, in that case, I'll still get away with not having to tell the story yet again, won't I?”
“It's inspirational, Simon. Why are you so reluctant to share it with others?”
“Honestly? It makes me sound like a self-important, um, well, fill in the blank. And I'm not. I'm just a guy who got a break, that's all.”
Clara stared at him with an inscrutable expression on her face.
“You really don't know how special you are, do you?” she asked finally.
Simon pretended to vomit and the cleric burst out laughing.
“Okay, fine then,” she said through her giggles. “Be that way. Now, get some rest and for the gods' sake, eat! You look like I could hold you up to the light and see through you.”
“Yes Mom, I'll do that,” Simon said with a grin. “And I'll call you back after I talk to Liliana. Probably in a day or two.”
Kronk poked him and the wizard looked at him in surprise.
“What?”
“Tell her about our new addition, master,” the earthen said with a smile.
“What was that?” Clara asked curiously.
“Oh sorry. Kronk just reminded me to mention that Sunshine had her foal.”
“By the gods, I'd forgotten all about that! What did she have? How is she? How are they both?”
Simon laughed at the woman's eager questions.
“Let's see now. She had a filly. She's in excellent health, as is the mare. And Kronk named her Sunbeam because she's the color of a banana, although she has a brown stripe down the center of her back.”
“That's wonderful news, Simon. Truly wonderful. I didn't think anything could make me happier than knowing you
are with us again, but I was wrong. One day, when you are back to your old self, perhaps you can bring me up for a visit.”
“It's a date. In the meantime, I'll keep you apprised of her progress. We'll talk again soon.”
“Excellent. Thank you for calling, my friend. It's so good to see you well and whole.”
“Thanks Clara. Take care.”
Both Kronk and Aeris waved and the wizard shook the mirror to cancel the spell.
“So, what did you think?” he asked as he set down it down on the desk.
“About what?” Aeris asked. “Her reaction?”
“That and just the way the town is coming together.”
“I think that they are doing well, master,” Kronk said happily. “And I am glad that we can help them some more.”
“You know, Kronk,” Aeris said to him. “Sometimes your consistently pleasant nature gives me a headache.”
The earthen snorted in disgust.
“Elementals don't get headaches,” he said tartly. “And what is wrong with you? Why must you always be so gloomy?”
Aeris rose up several inches off of the desk and bobbed up and down with his fists on his hips.
“I am not gloomy,” he stated. “I am a realist. Yes, things are going well right now with them down there, but how long can it last? Why haven't either of you mentioned the most ominous part of our dear wizard's rebirth? Are you both intentionally blind?”
Simon frowned at him.
“What are you talking about?” he asked as he looked at Kronk, who looked mystified.
“The dragon!” Aeris exclaimed. “The dragon who, oh so coincidentally, appeared several hours after your rebirth. And almost killed you, by the way. It had to have been sent by the lords of Chaos, don't you think? And if so, with your return this tower is now an even bigger target than it was before. So is the new settlement down in Florida, because they are your allies.”
“You know, that's a very good point,” Simon said slowly. “Funny, I just sort of put that dragon out of my mind. Kronk?”
“As did I, master. We have faced so many dangers that one more seemed almost...trivial.”
“Trivial?” Aeris threw his hands into the air. “We are talking about a red dragon here. They are, in their own way, as powerful as the browns. And with the primal brown and its legions in the elven lands, the reds are also the only species of dragon left on Earth. They have one mission and one mission only: destroy all humans. Oh and who just happens to be the nexus of the fight against the dark gods and the dragons at the moment, according to the gods of Light?” He pointed a trembling finger at Simon. “You, my dear wizard. Think about that for a moment.”
The Dragons of Decay Page 27