“She's quite convincing, isn't she?” Aeris whispered.
Simon had to agree.
Daniel walked across the cavern, picked up a bedroll and found a spot along the wall to open it. He sat down on it and leaned back against the rocky wall with a sigh.
“You can talk now,” he said in a weary voice. “We're alone.”
“So you can still feel it when I'm trying to communicate?” Simon asked, not very surprised.
“Of course. Strangely enough, I don't believe Ethmira can. At any rate, you've called back quickly, so I assume that you and your friends have made a decision?”
“We have and, as you might expect, they've all elected to join me in the coming battle. What I need to know is where and when you want me and my friends to be so that an elf can escort us across to the elven world.”
Daniel remained silent for so long that Simon thought that he might have dozed off. But the man finally stood up, slowly, and walked across the cavern to the nook where Ethmira had said there was a well. As the wizard and Aeris watched, the man drew up a bucket of water from the shallow well, poured some into a cup that he'd grabbed from a low shelf nearby and then re-entered the main cave.
There was a click inside of Simon's head and then he was staring directly at Daniel's face.
“There you are,” his old friend said. “Hang on and let me sit down again. I'm quite tired.”
“Of course.”
Once he was comfortable, Daniel glanced around the cave and then met Simon's eyes again.
“Now, before we make any arrangements, why don't you tell me what's going on?”
“Going on? What do you mean?”
“Don't look at me with those big innocent mismatched eyes and try to con me. I've known you too long, old friend. It's obvious that you don't want to speak in front of Ethmira and I'd like to know why.”
He might have been tired, but there was steel in Daniel's voice and Simon knew better than to prevaricate.
“Okay then, since you've asked. But first, answer me this. Did Ethmira or another 'elder' cast a glamor on you two before you left for your recent scouting mission?”
“A glamor?”
Daniel stared at him blankly for a moment and then smiled.
“Oh right. Didn't I mention something like that to you once? If I did, it must have been an idea that I drew from old legends. I mean, come on, Simon, you know better than that. Elves can't cast spells.”
“Damn it,” the wizard muttered. He looked away from the mirror toward the ocean again, trying to remain calm.
“So why ask me about a glamor? What's this all about?”
“Are you sure you're alone?” Simon asked in a low voice.
His friend turned his head in the direction that Ethmira had left and nodded.
“Completely,” he replied, but Daniel also dropped his voice almost to a whisper. “So what is happening?”
“I believe,” Simon hesitated and then rushed on. “I believe that Ethmira is a traitor. And I think that she's been one for a very long time.”
Daniel stared at him with wide eyes and then looked back toward the far side of the cave, checking to make sure the elf hadn't returned.
“So you think that an elf, an elder of her people, would side with dragons?” he hissed.
The wizard only nodded silently and then his friend sighed and closed his eyes.
“How did you know?” he asked simply.
Simon's mouth dropped open.
“Wait a second,” he gasped. “You believe me? I mean, you know too?”
Daniel opened his eyes and glared at his friend.
“I may be many things, Simon, but stupid isn't one of them. The elves could never conceive of one of their own betraying them and siding with the dragons, but we humans have a long history of betrayal behind us, don't we? And of course there was the turning of your herb witch neighbor, Heather, against us to teach us a lesson. Yes, I know. Or at least I've suspected. Little things betrayed her, but it was the attack of the brown dragons directly on the elves that sealed my belief.”
“I don't understand. What about the attack?”
Daniel sighed.
“Simon, not even a dragon could enter this world without elvish aid. The primal brown and its servants were allowed to cross over with the compliance of an elf. Ethmira, I would assume.”
He turned his head sharply, staring across the cave for a tense moment, and then relaxed again.
“Nothing. But look, this is neither the time nor the place to discuss this. Let's do so face to face. I will arrange for an elf to meet you there in Florida tomorrow, your time. They will bring you all across and then transport you here.”
“Who are you speaking to, Daniel?” a voice called from across the cavern and Simon felt a swooping feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was Ethmira.
His friend simply glanced up from looking into the cup and waved her over.
“Simon's called back,” he said calmly. “He and his friends have decided to join in the fight.”
He shifted slightly and then Ethmira was looking out of the mirror at Simon.
“Ah, hello, my friend,” she said warmly and the wizard forced a smile on to his face.
“Hi Ethmira. Sorry if I'm calling at a bad time but...”
“Not at all. As you may have noticed, we've moved to a new location. It's much more secure and I'd say we could hold off a dragon attack for quite some time.”
“That's great news. Anyway, I'm late for another meeting here, so I'll leave you and Daniel to make plans for our trip to your world. It was good to talk to you again.”
“And you. Simon. Hopefully we'll be speaking face to face soon.”
“Hopefully. Take care, Daniel,” he said with a significant look at his old friend, who smiled neutrally in return.
“You too. See you soon.”
Simon broke the connection and put the mirror into his lap. It was only then that he realized that he was shaking like a leaf from head to toe.
“Are you okay?” Aeris asked him as he noticed the wizard trembling.
“No. No, I don't think so. Betraying your friends, your family? It's just about the worst thing that I can think of, especially if it can lead to their deaths. And yet, there's Ethmira all sweetness and light as she secretly twists a knife in the back of her own people. Frankly, it's sickening.”
“It will only get worse,” the elemental told him ominously. “How will you react when you meet her in person?”
Simon stood up with a grunt and slipped the mirror into a pocket of his robe. He brushed some loose grass from the material and turned toward the town.
“I have no idea. Play it by ear, I suppose. A more pressing question is, should I tell Liliana and the others about my suspicions?”
Aeris floated to the wizard's left as they walked back.
“What possible good would that do?” he asked practically. “They will only be distracted at a time when they should be focused totally on the mission to come. If and when it becomes necessary, you can tell them then.”
Simon rubbed his eyes, waved to the guard as they entered the town and nodded.
“Yeah, I guess that's so. Okay, I'll hold off for now. Let's go ahead to the hall and start casting the wards. That way I'll have a chance to rest longer before tomorrow.”
“And whatever that may bring,” Aeris added bleakly.
Chapter 27
“Run, damn it! Run for the forest! I'll hold it off!”
Virginia and Anna didn't wait; they bolted for the trees while Eric and Gerard stood behind Simon, looking up at the immense silhouette of a brown dragon as it arrowed down toward them out of the sun.
Liliana stood next to the wizard, her sword in one hand and a plain wooden shield on her other arm.
Simon looked at her and then back at the two young men.
“For God's sake, will the three of you move! I can't concentrate if I have to worry about you too. Now run!”
The pal
adin hesitated, looked at his face and then turned, pushing Eric and Gerard ahead of her.
“You heard the wizard; move your asses!” she barked and almost carried them out of the clearing.
With a sharp stab of relief, Simon cast his Shield spell, raised his staff and waited.
The brown dragon roared as it dropped like a stone out of the sky, its jaws wide.
“Eat this, you bastard,” he muttered and cast the Magic Missile spell.
Eye-searing globes of silver light burst from the end of his staff and hit the target he'd been aiming for; the gaping maw of the descending monster.
Five, ten, a dozen bolts of pure magical energy slammed into the dragon, shooting down its throat to explode deep inside of it. The creature literally exploded in mid-air, torn apart from the missiles.
Simon flinched away as large pieces of dragon rained down on him, along with huge droplets of liquid that immediately began to dissolve the grasses and small plants around him.
Fortunately his shield held up under the gruesome rain and he turned back to scan the skies for more dragons.
There was no sign of any other enemies though, and he turned away and followed after the others, canceling his shield once he was under the sheltering branches of the trees.
“Holy crap,” Eric exclaimed as Simon caught up to them. “Where the hell did that thing come from?”
“It's like it was waiting for us.” Virginia said with a frown. “But that's not possible, is it? I mean, it must have been a random patrol or something, right?”
“So it would seem,” Liliana said tersely but she was staring at Simon as she said it, a probing look on her face.
“I'm guessing this area is under the dragons' control now,” he said as he caught his breath. His hand was shaking as he rested on his staff, not from fear but from the energy drain and excess adrenaline. “It probably was just a case of bad timing.”
“But to lose an elf like that?” Anna said with tears in her eyes. “All he was doing was bringing us across. I mean, we didn't even see that dragon until it had scooped him up and...and tore him apart.”
She covered her eyes and Virginia quickly put an arm around the small woman and hugged her tightly.
Eric and Gerard were white-faced but calm. Liliana looked around them at the surrounding forest, her expression grim.
“So now what do we do?” she asked Simon. “Without a guide, we're basically on our own.”
The sunlight that was trickling through the branches above them was cut off for a moment by a passing shadow and they all ducked instinctively.
“Oh damn!” Virginia exclaimed as she looked up through the trees. “Another one?”
Simon heard a high-pitched cry, like the note from an enormous flute, reverberate down through the forest and he smiled in relief.
“No, I don't think so. I think our ride is here.”
He hurried back toward the clearing and the others followed him hesitantly.
“Our ride?” Eric asked dubiously. “What ride?”
They stood at the edge of the opening in the forest, looking at the remains of the dragon and the smoking wreckage that used to be living plants. The rot that had sprayed the ground when the dragon had been killed was spreading slowly, consuming the grass as they watched, appalled.
Simon looked up and saw an enormous shadow winging downward, spiraling toward the ground.
“That ride,” he replied and nodded upward. “It's a creature called Pharra. She's an ally of the elves. I guess that she was supposed to meet us here with our guide.” He shook his head sadly at the thought of the lost elf. He hadn't even known his name.
“Well, at least she made it here.”
Pharra floated gracefully to the ground and landed with a neat flip of her massive wings. They choked a bit from the smoke that was blown around the clearing and then Simon led the others forward.
He approached the enormous swan and bowed. Then he looked up and, wondering if she could understand, began speaking.
“Hello Pharra,” he said carefully. “My name is Simon. I'm a friend of Ethmira and Daniel. As you can see,” he gestured at the gruesome horrible remains, “we were attacked by a dragon. Our guide was killed. Are you here to take us to our friends?”
The swan watched him, her deep amber-colored eyes seeming to assess both the wizard, his friends and the glade around him. After a moment, she reared back and hissed, a sound that cut the ears like the cry of a steam engine.
She stood a moment as if deciding what to do and then settled down on to the ground, carefully avoiding any puddles of rot.
“I assume that's a yes,” Liliana stated.
“Let's hope so. Come on, folks. Let's get out of here before any more dragons show up.”
Simon stepped forward and Pharra watched him placidly, lowering her wing so that he could catch hold and pull himself on to her back. Her black feathers were warm and a tangy scent, like wild mint, rose from her body.
The wizard settled himself on to her broad back as firmly as he could, looked down at the others who were watching him nervously and waved them forward.
“Let's go. We can't waste any more time in this place.”
One by one they climbed up and took a seat behind Simon. Gerard helped Anna climb up and sat with her, holding her tight as she trembled in fear.
“I really hate flying,” she blurted out.
“Better than the alternative,” Liliana said darkly as she indicated the remains of the dragon.
“Okay, are we all ready?” Simon asked as he looked over his shoulder.
Some of them nodded while Anna and Gerard just swallowed noisily and grabbed handfuls of feathers.
“We are all set, Pharra,” he called out, holding on tightly. He hoped that they weren't hurting the swan, but she seemed oblivious to their collective grip on her feathers.
She stood up abruptly, raised her wings and leaped skyward. One enormous flap later and they were racing up through the trees to the open air beyond.
Simon was amazed. The giant bird's flight was smooth and effortless and his grip loosened on her feathers as he got used to the undulating feeling of Pharra's muscles under his legs. The warm air flowed by him and he looked down to watch the huge trees as they slid by below them.
“This is amazing!” Virginia cried out.
The wizard looked behind him and saw her grinning like a little kid at an amusement park. Eric and Liliana were smiling broadly as well, but Anna and Gerard were sitting tensely, eyes tightly closed and their knuckles white where they held on to the swan's feathers.
“I wonder how long it will take to get to wherever we're going?” Liliana called out over the sound of the wind and the flapping wings.
“No idea. My God, look at this place. This entire world seems to be one immense forest, doesn't it?”
Simon was overwhelmed by the view around him. Green. Green forest everywhere he looked. No buildings, no pollution, no sign of habitation. It was not surprising that the elves loved trees and plants; their entire world was covered with them.
“Look over there,” Virginia said loudly and everyone, even Anna and Gerard, turned to look in the direction that she was pointing.
“Oh my God. Is that the work of the dragons?” Gerard asked, his voice thick with disgust.
Far off to their right, the forest ended abruptly. Beyond it the green turned to black and gray and the trees were gone. From one side of the horizon to the other, all that could be seen was barren wasteland. A pall of thin smoke hung over the bleak landscape and Simon was reminded of old pictures he's seen from the moon landing decades before.
Death, he thought. Nothing but death and decay. That is what is in store for this beautiful world, unless we can stop it.
The expressions of the others had turned from wonder to anger as they obviously shared his emotion.
“Those monsters can't be allowed to destroy this place,” Anna's high-pitched voice said with surprising steel in it.
&nbs
p; Simon only nodded silently and then looked ahead, eager now to reach their destination.
The group settled down and remained silent for the remainder of the flight. Miles of dense forest passed by beneath them and Simon was relieved to see no more evidence of damage from the draconic invaders.
He kept an eye on the skies around them as well, praying that they didn't cross paths with any dragons. He didn't think that Pharra would last long in a aerial battle.
How much time passed was impossible to say; the endless expanse of trees below them was almost hypnotic and it was with a bit of a start when Simon felt the swan banking to the left as she began to spiral downward toward the ground.
He craned his neck to try to see their landing spot and noticed a huge rocky hill, like a small mountain, peeking out of the forest. There was a small clearing near its foot and the swan was carefully fluttering down to land in this cramped spot. Simon watched the surrounding trees tensely, afraid that the huge bird's wings would get caught up in the branches and send them all tumbling off her back to their deaths.
But Pharra made it look easy. One moment they were descending into the clearing and the next they had landed gently and the swan had settled down and tucked her legs beneath her.
“Well, I guess we've arrived,” he said over his shoulder. His legs were trembling as he carefully slid to the ground.
Anna and Gerard were looking a little green while the others seemed as shaky as he was. The flight had been awesome but his body had apparently been more tense than he'd realized and the reaction was setting in.
He helped Anna off of the swan, gave her a quick smile and looked up at the magnificent creature.
“Thank you, Pharra,” he said to her. “You saved our lives, you really did. Good luck out there and please, stay safe.”
The swan stood up, lowered her head until Simon was staring into her immense amber eyes, and gave him a gentle nudge with a head as long as he was tall. Then she pulled back, leaped skyward and was gone in a flash of black feathers.
The wizard covered his eyes to shield them from the wind that Pharra had stirred up and then looked at the others.
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