He muttered too quietly for Simon to hear the spell, then raised his arms and waited.
“You've got to time this just right,” Tamara called out.
“I'm aware, sis,” he replied loudly. “Now please stop distracting me.”
Simon was amused at their constant banter, even in the midst of a pitched battle.
Sebastian's calm demeanor suddenly changed and he scowled as he looked up. He jerked his arms forward and twin streams of dazzling lightning blasted from his fingertips at his unseen foe.
A deafening screech of pain was followed by a blast of wind that drove the mage to his knees amid swirling snow and particles of dust.
The screams continued but faded into the distance and then were gone. Sebastian stood up, dusted off his robes and looked back as Tamara walked out of the ruined building to join him.
“Well, that was effective,” she said with some relief. “Simon? You still there?”
“Right here, Tamara,” he answered. “Am I right in guessing that you drove one of the dragons off?”
“The second one, actually,” her brother answered with some satisfaction. “Big sister here hurt the first one so badly with her Magic Missiles that it barely managed to fly out of the city. Lovely sight.”
“Thanks,” she told him with a light punch on the arm. Both of their shields had flickered and died as soon as the battle was over.
“Now, what's going on, my friend?” Tamara asked as she scanned the sky.
Simon was taken aback by the casual attitude the siblings were showing after successfully fighting off two red dragons.
“Um, you guys do this often?” he asked.
The brother and sister exchanged glances and then both laughed.
“Hardly. We haven't seen a dragon in months; not since we helped you defeat the primal white,” Tamara answered and then added heavily, “And it's cost us the life of one of our own. It's a hard price to pay for complacency, let me tell you.”
“We weren't complacent,” Sebastian protested, giving his sister a stern look. “Who would have believed that a red dragon would venture into the skies over London in the middle of winter, let alone two?”
“Well, we know now. And we'll take precautions. Now, Simon, it's cold and we aren't exactly dressed for it. So while we head back home, why don't you tell us what's going on?”
The wizard watched as the pair made their way down the street, ducking around wrecked cars, jumping over fallen bricks and weaving in and out of piles of frost-covered debris.
“I wanted to tell you what's been happening over on our side of the ocean lately,” he said and then proceeded to explain recent events.
He avoided mentioning his death and rebirth but did tell the siblings about the wight attacks.
“Any big storms come your way lately?” he asked as he finished his tale. It had been a long explanation and the mages had walked several blocks by the time he was done.
“Not yet, but there's still several months of winter left,” Tamara answered.
They were crossing a large square now that was fairly clear of wreckage and making better time. Both were shivering with the cold and had recast their shields to stave off some of the wind. Obviously they had rushed into battle without grabbing their winter gear.
“Is your home secure enough to hold off a horde of wights? If not, I'm sure that Clara and her people would welcome you here, at least for the winter.”
“Tempting, my friend. Very tempting.”
Tamara stopped walking and she and her brother looked at each other for a moment. Sebastian shook his head and she nodded.
“But this is our home, wights, dragons, winter and all. We have a dozen Changlings to care for and we are doing well, all things considered. We've even built an underground greenhouse and are growing fresh vegetables all winter long now. And we have some chickens and geese for eggs and meat. No, we're fine. Our refuge is, for all intents and purposes, impregnable.”
Before Simon could make a comment, she raised a hand and pressed on.
“I can't see your face, but I can guess what you'll say to that statement. Yes, I know nothing is totally impregnable. But, while Bastian and I aren't wizards, we can more than hold our own against the dangers that threaten our people. At least for now.”
“Considering what I just saw, you'll get no argument from me. Just the same, I wanted you to know that if things get really bad, you have a place to retreat to. Just concentrate on an image of Clara if you need to Gate away in an emergency, and it will bring you here.”
“Thanks, Simon,” Sebastian said with a tired smile. “It's always good to have a back-up plan. I'm more worried about you and those brown dragons. If you cross over to the world of the elves, you'll effectively be trapped there until the dragons are defeated, won't you? I mean, if I'm understanding you correctly, only an elf can take you through from one world to the other.”
“Yes, that's true. But it's worth the risk, I think. Imagine, if we can neutralize the browns, that will leave only the red dragons. They will have a hell of a hard time eliminating humanity on their own, don't you think?”
“Don't underestimate them, my friend,” Tamara said darkly. “Their queen remains as well, and wherever that monster is, I'd guess that she's really the ultimate threat.”
“One impossible quest at a time, guys,” Simon said with grim smile and the siblings chuckled appreciatively.
“Right. Well, thanks for the call. We really want to get indoors now.”
A few flakes of snow had begun to float down around the mages and the sky was darkening into evening.
“Okay, guys. Listen, all the best. Remember that you have a refuge over here if you need it. Hopefully we'll talk soon.”
“You take care, Simon,” Tamara replied earnestly and Sebastian nodded, his expression one of concern. “And if you do cross over to take the fight to the browns, give them hell.”
“I will. Goodbye.”
Simon canceled the spell, tossed the mirror on to his cot and leaned forward with a sigh, resting his elbows on his knees.
“A powerful pair,” Aeris ventured to say.
“Absolutely. Tough, resolute, resourceful. I don't have any worries about those two. It's sad that they lost someone though.”
“Yes, it is.”
The wizard reached up to run his fingers through his hair and realized that there was very little there. He grimaced and then noticed Aeris smiling at him.
“That's become a habit, I think,” he said with amusement.
Simon shrugged irritably.
“I guess so. I miss it, to be honest. Oh well.”
He picked up the mirror again.
“Would you do me a favor and see if there's any more of that hot chocolate available? I have a craving.”
“Certainly. Are you calling someone else?”
“Yeah. I figured that since I have the time, I may as well check in with the folks down in Australia. It's been quite a while and I'd like to make sure they're okay,”
“Ah, good idea. I'll be right back with your drink,” Aeris said and zipped out of the tent.
Simon got up and peeked out, making sure that the elemental was actually gone. Then he dropped the mirror back on to the cot, grabbed his staff where it was lying next to the bureau and quickly chanted the Gate spell. He took a deep breath and swallowed nervously.
Aeris is going to be furious if he finds me gone, he thought gloomily and gripped the staff tighter.
“Invectis,” he whispered and faded to black.
A moment later he was standing on the beach, close to where he had fallen asleep the day before. He stood quietly for a moment, feeling for any weakness within himself but, aside from a slight light-headedness, he was fine.
Ha, he thought. Just like I figured. A short hop takes almost to effort at all, especially when I'm only transporting myself. But I have to be quick.
“Kassus, I need you,” he said firmly and watched as the ground in front of him
began shaking violently.
When Aeris returned to the tent, Simon was staring into the mirror with a frown.
“Sorry it took so long,” the elemental said as he handed over a steaming cup. “They were just making a fresh batch and I had to wait.”
“No problem. Thanks.”
Simon took the cup, sipped the hot liquid carefully and then sighed with pleasure. He looked over the rim at Aeris, looking for signs of suspicion, but he was just watching curiously.
“Are you having a hard time getting hold of the Changlings in Australia?”
The wizard put the cup down on the floor next to him and stared at the mirror. He nodded, frowning at the foggy surface.
“I'm getting no response, at all. It's making me nervous.”
“Do you have the coordinates of their camp? You could just use those to check out the area instead of contacting someone.”
Simon hissed in exasperation.
“Oh damn it, I don't. They're marked in my atlas but it's at home. I could Gate there and get it...”
“Bad idea,” Aeris said quickly, cutting him off. “Using your strength unnecessarily would be foolish, especially if you are thinking of heading into the elven realm soon. Conservation, my dear wizard. That should be your watchword.”
“And if they're under attack by dragons down there?” Simon snapped at him. “They might need my help.”
“I hate to say this, but to be brutally honest what good could you do them? Gating there would drain you. Do you have any spells that could harm a red dragon, considering how low your power level is right now?”
Simon glared at Aeris for a moment and then looked down in defeat.
“I hate it when you make sense, do you know that?”
“I know, my dear wizard. But remember, they have a mage, a cleric and a witch within their ranks. That is a formidable combination. As we're just seen with the mages in London, the red dragons can be beaten back by powerful humans. Hold on to that thought and do what you can do to help where you can.”
“Yeah, fine. Okay, if I can't contact Australia, I'll try to contact Daniel. He said to call every week or two and it's been over a week now.”
“Now that is a good idea. By the way, Kronk is back. He should be popping in any time now.”
Simon looked up from the mirror in surprise.
“That was quick. Did they get a lot of wood?”
Aeris rolled his eyes.
“I think they denuded an entire forest. The earthen are definitely over-achievers. There should be enough to build as many homes as the small population here will need for quite some time.”
“Excellent. Some good news for a change. Okay, let's see if Daniel is going to answer.”
He recast the Magic Mirror spell and invoked it, focusing his mind on his friend's aged face. As predicted, Kronk walked into the tent a few minutes later, waved and hopped up on to the cot to stand beside Simon's right hip.
“Glad you're back safe,” the wizard said fondly as he waited for the spell to make a connection.
“Thank you, master. I was wondering, if you are going back home today, if my friends and I could stay on another day. You can check on the horses just as well as I can, and I'd like to finish our construction.”
Simon looked at him curiously.
“You won't have enough time today?”
“No, master. Not if we want to also build a small drawbridge for the rear gate. And Mark, the engineer, told me that several of the people have asked to move their houses a little from where he has them drawn on the original plan.”
He let out a massive sigh and looked up at Simon forlornly.
“Apparently they want a 'southern view' or something. So we'll have to rearrange things and that will take time.”
“You'd think they'd be grateful to have any home at all,” Aeris stated irritably.
Simon stayed quiet but inside, he had to agree. They had their lives and a beautiful place to begin again. And now they were being fussy? He actually found it a bit sad after giving it a few seconds of thought.
“They want the place to feel like home, Aeris,” he said compassionately. “They've lost so much, is that too much to ask, really?”
The air elemental frowned as if that hadn't occurred to him and then slowly nodded.
“That is...understandable,” he conceded and then floated over to hover at Simon's left shoulder.
The mirror began to clear at last and Simon watched as the familiar figure of Daniel appeared. He gaped at the area around his old friend and actually groaned out loud.
He was looking at a view of devastation.
Chapter 25
Daniel was standing on a low hill leaning on a gnarled staff and staring off into the distance. Next to him, Simon recognized the figure of Ethmira, the first elf that he had ever met when, a few years earlier, she had knocked on the door of his tower.
She looked almost the same as she had then, still wearing the type of mottled green leather clothing that blended in so well with the trees and plants of her home. A bow rested across her back and a quiver of arrows hung from her hip.
As he looked beyond the pair, Simon saw that the hill they stood on was jutting out of a sea of rot and decay. Where there had once been a forest, now all that he saw were stunted tree stumps, black, scummy undergrowth and wisps of acrid smoke rising from the putrid, rotting remains. It was like they were standing in the middle of a cesspool and, as he watched, Simon saw Daniel raise a cloth to his face and cover his nose and mouth.
“By the Four Winds, what has happened?” Aeris gasped.
Kronk simply looked at the sight in shock, his red eyes wide.
“Brown dragons,” Simon whispered. “My God. Daniel told me that they might not confront the dragons for months.”
“Something's changed, obviously,” Aeris observed.
“Daniel? Ethmira? Can you hear me?” the wizard called out.
Both people spun around in surprise and Simon was shocked again. His friend looked even older and more haggard than he had the last time they'd spoken. He truly looked like an old man now. His thin hand trembled on his staff and there were dark circles under his eyes.
Ethmira, ever young, simply looked grave and sad. Her bright eyes searched the area for a quick moment and then she visibly relaxed and her expression softened.
“Simon? Hello! What a pleasure to hear from you again.”
“Well, what do you know?” Daniel said faintly, pulling the cloth from his mouth. “Maybe prayer actually does work occasionally.”
“Hi guys. What the hell happened?”
“Can't you guess?” his friend said acerbically, waving a hand at the nightmare landscape below them. “Brown dragons happened. This is the result of a surprise attack.”
“A devastating attack, actually,” Ethmira said as she looked down at the surrounding countryside. Simon noticed that a haze, a miasma of choking dark smoke, cloaked the distant forest in a dense fog. He had no doubt though that the entire area had been decimated.
“Our elders were being moved to a safer location, further away from the battle front and deeper into the forest,” the woman said, her voice thick with grief. “Somehow the dragons learned of our plans and ambushed them.” She gestured toward the base of the hill. “There.”
“You mean your leaders are all dead?” Simon asked. He couldn't believe it but Daniel nodded heavily.
“They are. But they did not go down easily. The elders were powerful. Not magic-users, no, because no elves are. But they were strong warriors, armed with enchanted weapons. And the forest rose up to defend them, as it will for any elf.”
His friend turned and pointed and Simon quickly adjusted the view of the mirror to follow his gesture.
At the base of the hill, a huge mound had blocked the rot that was creeping along the ground from climbing the hill and consuming the few trees and sparse grass that grew there. As the wizard tried to peer through the haze, his mouth dropped open as he finally r
ealized what he was seeing.
Dragons. Dozens of dragon corpses. Each one fifty feet long or more from nose to tail. Their brown-scaled bodies were rent with deep slashes and gaping wounds. Some had had their wings torn off. And one, horribly, was missing its lower jaw. Masses of broken and decayed trees were wrapped around and intertwined with the corpses. It looked horrific.
“Holy crap,” Simon finally said. “The elders did that?”
“Aye,” Ethmira spoke up, her voice ringing with pride, while her expression revealed only sorrow. “Aye, the elders and the forest together. We do not know exactly how many dragons perished here, but it might have been as many as thirty, possibly more.”
“That's, well, incredible doesn't even do it justice. But it looks like they were more than holding their own. What happened?”
“Neither of us was here, obviously,” Daniel said wearily. “So we can only speculate. But you're right. The elders could have won this fight, even though they would have sustained heavy casualties. But we believe that when they began to lose the battle, the lesser dragons called for help. And that help sealed the fate of the elders...and this part of the forest.”
“The primal brown,” Simon said, feeling his throat tighten in rage. “It was the primal brown dragon, wasn't it?”
“Yes, my friend,” Ethmira answered. “Nothing less could have beaten my elders. They struck that fiend a heavy blow though. Its minions have been greatly reduced, its power lessened. But now we are scrambling, trying to think of what to do next.”
“Are you two safe for now?” Simon asked anxiously. He stood up, pushed back the tent flap and stepped outside, the surprised elementals following him quickly. The tent had suddenly felt claustrophobic and he wanted some fresh air.
“Safe? Yes, we're safe.”
Daniel looked up at the sky and smiled slightly for the first time.
“In fact, our ride has just returned. We were dropped off to scout out the area and now we're heading for what we hope is a safe haven. Of course, the elders thought they would be safe too, so who knows.”
Their ride? Simon tilted the mirror upward, curious, wondering what his friend was talking about and then smiled in delighted surprise.
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