by D K Drake
Kisa didn’t appear to be bothered by the sudden change in location. Her focus seemed to be on her reflection in the shimmering rock walls of the cave.
“See,” Taliya said, walking to the nearest wall and pointing at Kisa’s image, “you look as amazing as always. Even you can’t tell any of your scales are missing.”
Kisa studied her reflection from all possible angles before looking at Taliya and nodding her agreement.
“Now that you see you are just fine, can you take me to my home? I want to see what’s left of it and salvage what I can.”
Kisa nodded and reached out her leg. As soon as Taliya touched it, her body tingled again as it teleported across the forest to the tree that once held her home.
Chapter 11
Javan’s Discovery
Agrowl jerked Javan out of his sound sleep. He sat up and instinctively drew his swords. That’s when he realized the rain was no longer falling and the growling was coming from his stomach. “I need food.”
He put his swords away and crawled out from under Varjiek’s wing. The sun had returned with a vengeance, having already dried the grass and plants and causing drops of sweat to form on Javan’s forehead. He wiped the sweat off his face and tapped Varjiek’s wing. “Hey, V. Thanks for the shelter.”
Good. You are awake. Varjiek shook out his wing and folded it against his body. My wing was growing stiff.
“Have Kisa and Taliya returned yet?”
Not that I am aware.
Javan checked the time: 4:11pm. “It’s been nearly an hour. They should be back soon.” His stomach grumbled again, reminding him he needed to eat. “Do you see anything around here that is edible?”
No, but I did find a patch of blackberries when I was hunting for my meal earlier today. I can take you there.
“Can you go get them and bring them to me? I need to make sure I’m here when Kisa returns.”
Sure. I need to stretch my wings anyway. Varjiek extended his wings and lifted himself in the air. If they aren’t back by the time I return, I’ll fly you to Fralick.
“Thanks.”
Varjiek nodded his head and flew north.
Javan suddenly found himself alone in the middle of the rain forest. No Taliya. No Micah. No dragons. Just him amid the chirps and howls and hisses of the animals he couldn’t see all around him. “This is rather unsettling.”
He drew the stalker sword hanging on his right hip with his left hand, knowing he was now invisible thanks to Varjiek’s scale in the triangular space between the handle and the steel blade that was a bright golden yellow on one side and a dark midnight black on the other side.
“Hmmm.” Javan studied the scale. If it made him invisible, would Kisa’s scale give him the ability to teleport? “That would be so cool!”
Javan retrieved one of Kisa’s scales from between his belt and his back. He switched it with Varjiek’s scale in the sword. He wrapped his fingers around the handle, closed his eyes, and pictured Taliya’s house. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes.
“Oh well.” He hadn’t moved an inch. The river still flowed in front of him, and the poison berry bushes still dangled beside him. “That’s disappointing.”
He swapped the scales back and resheathed his sword. As he did so, the sun bounced off the golden side of the blade, temporarily blinding him. And giving him an idea. “I wonder…”
Javan drew both swords and studied the blades. The golden/black blade represented the Noon and Midnight Stalkers, and he became invisible when Varjiek’s scale was inserted between the blade and handle of the Noon Stalker side. The blade on his other sword was a beautiful mix of colors: red, orange, pink, and purple for the Dawn Stalker on one side and pink, purple, blue, and green for the Dusk Stalker on the flip side.
He assumed they were called Stalker Swords because of the colors of the blades, but what if that wasn’t the full meaning? What if they allowed him to take on the same abilities of Dragon Stalkers if he had a scale from each Stalker to insert in the triangular gap just under the blade?
“That’s why I can become invisible when holding the sword with V’s scale in it, and that’s why Kisa’s scale didn’t work with that sword. I bet I’ll be able to teleport if I put her scale in the Dawn side of the blade of the other sword.”
He once again put the golden/black blade away and recovered one of Kisa’s scales. He took in a deep breath as he inserted Kisa’s scale under the swirls of the red, orange, pink, and purple blade.
He kept a tight grip on the handle with his right hand, closed his eyes, and pictured Taliya’s face.
◊◊◊
Taliya spent an hour searching the perimeter of the treehouse she had called home for the last eight years. All she found was half of a book cover, a fork, and a handful of feathers from her mattress. Everything else was gone, carried away by the white winds that had taken her, Javan, and Micah to South Keckrick weeks ago. The only thing that the wall of white winds hadn’t blown away was the tree itself along with remnants of the floor and roof of the treehouse that swayed from the tree like extra branches.
This treehouse had been a lonely home, the place she had retreated to after the volcano wiped out her village and killed her grandparents. But it was her safe place. Her learning space. Her laboratory.
She operated with a clear purpose when she lived here. She woke up every morning eager to protect Kisa; experimenting with plants to develop medicines and healing ointments turned out to be a nice bonus.
Now that Kisa was no longer hers to protect, she wasn’t sure who she was or how she fit on Javan’s team. Until she found a new purpose of her own to pursue, she would have to be content helping Javan fulfill his duty.
“I’m going to need more darts for that.” She dropped to her knees at the base of the tree and opened a small door that gave her access to the hollowed-out tree. She crawled through the hole and stood inside the dimly lit space that was wide enough to let her stretch her arms and tickle the smooth bark with her fingers.
Years ago, she carved shelves in the thick walls to hold her most important treasures: her darts, the poison she tipped them with, the antidote for the poison, samples of her medicines, and a collection of the scales Kisa had shed over the years. Most of the shed scales were buried in specific spots in the area around the tree, but Taliya had kept some on hand to use in her medicinal experiments.
“I think I’ll miss this place the most.” She took a slow last look around the inside of the tree, then got to work stuffing darts in her dart pouch and filling a leather bag with a variety of her medicines as well as the poison and antidote for the darts. Then she carefully added five scales, knowing they would prove valuable assets in Zandador.
She flung the bag over her shoulder and was about to exit when the tree shook. The shake was followed by a grunt, and she heard someone yell, “Ouch! Where am I? This isn’t good.”
Taliya crawled through the door and looked up to find a man swinging by one arm from a thin branch fifteen feet above her. “Javan?”
“Hey! Umm…is Kisa around? I could really use her—” A snapping branch prevented Javan from finishing his sentence.
Chapter 12
Limitations
Javan’s legs caught a sturdy branch on his clumsy plummet to the ground. He wrapped his legs around the scratchy bark and searched for Taliya from his upside-down position. “Taliya?”
He felt light-headed, dizzy, and confused. Why had he ended up in this tree? He intended to teleport himself to the ground in front of the treehouse where he, Micah, and Taliya were standing when the white winds whisked them away. Instead he found himself in the tree that used to hold Taliya’s house. His teleportation technique obviously needed some work.
“I’m here.” Taliya appeared below him. “I would suggest you let go so I can catch you, but we both know that wouldn’t work out so well.”
The image of Taliya attempting to catch him brought a smile to his face. “Right you are. Is Kisa around?”
“I’m sure she is since she just brought you here.”
“She didn’t bring me.”
“Did Varjiek fly you here?” Taliya molded her face into a scowl and crossed her arms across her chest. “Did you not trust me to come back to Nahat?”
“No. I mean yes. I mean--” Javan shook his head and started over. “I figured out how to teleport on my own and somehow ended up in your tree.”
Taliya’s eyes grew wide. “You have the ability to teleport? On your own? Without the aid of a portal? That’s unheard of.”
“Not anymore.” He hoped she would still be impressed once she learned he needed his Stalker Sword to teleport, a sword that was no longer in his hand. Where had it landed? Or did it vanish on the way here? Was it only good for one teleportation jump?
“Prove it. Take me back to Nahat.”
“In case you haven’t noticed,” Javan said, scanning the ground below him for his sword, “I’m kinda stuck in a tree.”
“Good point. You know, I do have a whistle that summons Kisa.” Taliya tugged on a long, thin black string around her neck and held up what looked like a dragon’s tooth attached to the end of the string. “I suppose I could blow it if you ask nicely.”
“Are you serious right now?” The branch creaked, and Javan had a hunch it wasn’t going to hold him much longer. “My life is in danger, and you’re harassing me about saying please?”
“If we’re going to be working together, I want to know I can expect you to be polite and respectful no matter the situation.”
He could tell by the amusement underlying her words that she was simply enjoying his precarious predicament. Nevertheless, it was in his best interest to play along. “Please blow the whistle.”
“Was that so hard?” Taliya smiled and blew the whistle. Javan didn’t hear anything, but Kisa appeared in the clearing ten feet away from the tree seconds later. He needed to get himself one of those whistles.
“Hey, girl,” Taliya said. “Your Collector wants some help getting to the ground without breaking his neck.”
Kisa cocked her head and studied Javan. Why are you hanging in the tree?
“I’m not really sure. Can you please just get me down?”
Kisa walked over and lowered her nose underneath Javan. He walked his hands up her long snout, unhooked his legs from the branch, and plopped on the dragon’s head. She dropped her nose to the ground and let Javan slide off. He planted his feet beside Taliya and wobbled slightly until the blood that had rushed to his head while hanging in the tree redistributed itself throughout his body.
If it’s time to go, Kisa said, tell Varjiek to make himself visible. I can’t teleport him back if I can’t see him.
“He’s not here,” Javan said, kicking the long grass under the tree searching for his sword. “One of your scales enabled me to teleport myself here when I put it in my sword.”
Kisa took a step back. A human can teleport?
“Yup. I’ll show you as soon as I find my—aha. There it is.” A glint of sun reflected off the rainbow-colored steel on the other side of the tree. He picked it up with his right hand, walked back to Taliya, and offered her his left hand. She didn’t take it.
“I think you’re forgetting I can’t hear Kisa’s side of the conversation. I’m not sure what you’re wanting to do.”
“I’m wanting to show you and Kisa I can teleport. Please take my hand, and I will return you to Nahat.”
“This should be interesting.” Taliya placed her hand on his palm and wrapped her fingers through his. “Let’s go.”
Javan liked the way her hand fit his and squeezed back. He smiled, closed his eyes, and pictured the bridge in Nahat. He waited for that whirling, swirling sensation that accompanied his first teleportation trip, but that sensation never came.
“If you wanted to hold my hand,” Taliya said, breaking his concentration, “you could have just asked.”
Embarrassed, Javan opened his eyes and dropped her hand. “I…I don’t understand. I got myself here. Why couldn’t I get us back?”
Your mind isn’t strong enough yet, Kisa said. Teleportation requires intense mental focus, and it’s especially hard when you are trying to teleport someone else that has a mind of her own. It will take time and practice to learn.
“What’s she saying?” Taliya asked.
“She’s saying she’s going to teach me the fine art of teleportation. Since we don’t have time for any lessons right now, though, she’s going to take us back to Nahat herself.”
I said all that?
Javan glared at Kisa.
Of course I said all that. I’m your dragon. I’ll be happy to teach you how to teleport. It will be fun taking you to my favorite places by the waterfall and—
“Kisa! Nahat. We need to get back to Nahat.”
As you wish. Kisa lowered her neck to the ground. Javan helped Taliya up, then let her help him climb up behind her. A heartbeat later, Kisa whisked them back to the clearing near the gate of the city.
Chapter 13
Liberate Nahat
With dusk approaching, Micah’s mood darkened. He was forced to haul humminglo plants from the storehouses to the portal while Javan and Taliya escaped the grunt work to play with dragons.
What was taking them so long? All they needed to do was get a few scales from Kisa. During the hours they had been gone, he managed to capture a soldier, strategically place the crew from the Iria around the portal so they would be ready to capture the remaining soldiers, and carry countless numbers of plants to the portal through a torrential rainstorm.
He hadn’t been required to haul any flowers. He wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to fall in line and help, but it did sound like a better option than sitting around doing nothing. At least it had a few hours ago.
Now he smelled like a brutal combination of sweat, rain, and dirt, and he had so many pieces of dried humminglos stuck to his skin and clothes that he was certain he could recreate an entire flower from the debris. The worst part was knowing that the longer they waited to shut down the portal, the more flowers his father would get. Judging by the almost empty storehouse at the end of the row of empty storehouses, his father would be getting all the flowers Keckrick had to offer.
He threw one of the last bushels on his shoulder and spit out a piece of a leaf that floated onto his tongue. It left a tart taste in his mouth as he marched along the path by the river toward the portal and finally dissipated as he neared the bridge. That’s where Lydia fell into step beside him carrying a few flowers under her arm to look like she was working.
“We can’t wait any longer,” she whispered. “My people are ready. We need to act now, before the last load is sent to Japheth.”
“I agree. Tell your people to move as soon as I drop this bushel of flowers. Then we’ll have to hope Javan gets back before Omri sends any more soldiers here to investigate.”
“Did I hear my name?” Javan seemed to appear out of nowhere right in front of Micah. He was holding one of his swords and had a silly grin on his face.
“It’s about time you got back.” Micah hoped his stern response helped mask his surprise. He also wanted Javan to know it was time to be serious, not joke around. “Did you get the scales?”
“Yes.” Javan nodded, put his sword away, and leaned in. “We’re ready to commence with Operation Save Keckrick from the Tyranny of Omri by Disabling the Portals with Dragon Scales Plucked from Kisa.”
“You need to work on your operation-naming skills,” Lydia said.
Javan shrugged. “It sounded better when Taliya said it.”
“I doubt it.” Micah scowled and looked around. “Speaking of Taliya, where is she?”
“She’ll be here soon. She’s riding in on Kisa.”
“We can’t wait for her to get here,” Lydia said. “Some of the soldiers will be returning to Zandador the next time the portal is activated.”
“What concern is it of yours when we return to Zandador?” A sold
ier slightly taller than Micah with wide shoulders, oversized hands, and a bushy white beard interrupted their conversation from behind. “Enough with the standing and talking. Your only concern should be getting those flowers you are holding to the portal as fast as possible.”
Micah dropped his bushel of humminglos and glared at the soldier. “We will stand here and talk as long as we want, soldier.”
“Not on my watch. I have a job to do, and I’m not going to let anyone—even the king’s son—keep me from doing it.” The man reached for his Jolt Blast, but he slumped into Micah’s arms before he had a chance to retrieve the weapon. Surprised by the weight of the large man, Micah fought to keep his balance and stumbled backwards a few steps. Once he stabilized himself, he lowered the unconscious man to the ground. That’s when he noticed a dart stuck in the back of the man’s neck.
“What is happening?” Lydia asked her question while swiveling her head in every direction rather than focusing on the fallen soldier. Micah stood, followed her gaze, and saw what she saw: every soldier on and around the portal was dropping to the ground as lifeless as the man at Micah’s feet.
“Taliya made it back.” Javan pointed to the roof top where he and Micah had faced off earlier that day.
Taliya stood there now with a slingshot in her hand, took a bow, and yelled over the crowd who had yet to realize what was happening. “Tie up the soldiers, boys. Nahat belongs to the people of Keckrick again!”
Over the cheers of the people, Micah mumbled to himself. “How did she do that?” She was a tiny little woman with a tiny little weapon, and she had taken out an entire squad of soldiers in less than a minute.
“I’m glad she’s on our side,” Lydia said as she picked up the bearded soldier’s lifeless arm and dropped it on his chest. “I want no part of whatever kind of poison these darts are tipped with.”
“She greeted me with one of those darts when we first met,” Javan said, “and I know from experience these guys are not going to be happy when they wake up.”