We glanced back at the corridor we had just come from to see the sickly green mist filtering into the room. And with it came a horde of armed skeletons.
“Time to go!” I shouted and quickly turned on my heel.
The four of us bolted through the gate and tried to seal it, but the mist reached us before we had the chance. We sprinted down several meters of crumbling corridor. The clamor of the skeleton soldiers echoed off the walls, and I knew they were gaining on us.
The corridor came to an abrupt end. I swore and spun around to face our enemies. Kitfox quickly began to search the bricks, while Thera, Shazza, and I prepared to fight the army of undead rapidly approaching.
An arrow split the air between us, narrowly missing Kitfox as it dug into the wall. Shazza wasted no time in firing an arrow in return and knocking another. Her arrow embedded into the sternum of a skeleton but did nothing to phase it. Thera tried a spell but only succeeded in creating sparks that slowly sank to the floor.
“Hurry, Kitfox!” I shouted as I dodged a spear. “We won’t stand a chance against those things if they get any closer!”
“One second!”
“At this rate we might not have that long!” Shazza hissed and fired another arrow.
This one plunged deep into the eye socket of a skeleton. A moment later, it collapsed and did not move again.
“I can’t…reach!” Kitfox hissed.
Suddenly a loud click echoed in the corridor. I glanced behind us in time to see the wall shift to the side. Another corridor lay beyond– this one much narrower than our current one. The stone door slowly began to move back.
“Move! Move! Move!” I shouted.
Kitfox lead the way; Thera followed. Shazza slipped in behind me just in time to avoid being crushed as the wall sealed itself.
“That was way too close,” Thera gasped as we took a minute to catch our breath.
“Makes you wonder,” Kitfox said between breaths, “just how in the names of the Five Souls we are supposed to get out of here.”
I groaned. “I really hate you for saying that.”
He grimaced. “Sorry.”
“Okay, let’s move on before those undead learn how to open that door,” Shazza muttered. “We’ll figure a way out of this place as soon as we get this dragon.”
After a moment more of resting, the four of us began our trek through the cramped passageway.
◆◆◆
The constricting passageway continued for several meters until it finally emptied out into a gargantuan room. A crumbling stone bridge lay before us, stretching over a vast chasm. The sickly green mist swirled and rolled and almost boiled as it churned in the chasm. My eyes followed the bridge to an island of ragged stone at the very center of the room. A grim-looking ancient citadel sat atop the island, and a brilliant white light radiated downward from the top.
“There! That has to be Helios!” I pointed toward the light.
“Fantastic,” Shazza muttered. “Just how do we get all the way up there?”
“Simple. We walk,” Kitfox said as he took the first step out onto the bridge. He hesitated a moment to see if the bridge would hold. When it did nothing, he took another few steps. “I think it’s safe.”
I nodded and took a few steps after him. Shazza sighed and took a slow step out. Thera, on the other hand, took flight and hovered close by. The four of us slowly advanced on the citadel. More than once a piece of the bridge gave out and plummeted into the green mist.
Roughly halfway to the island, the bridge dipped and disappeared into the mist. I watched in horror as skeletons spawned into existence within the sickly, twisting fog. The instant they were within range, they attacked.
“What do we do now?” Shazza shouted as she fired two arrows into the horde of skeletons.
“Duck!” Thera cried as she swooped down low.
She used her staff to bowl through the skeletons, knocking them out of the way to clear a path. Without a second thought, I sprinted after her. Kitfox was instantly behind me, and Shazza followed a heartbeat later.
We ran as fast as we could to escape the mist and the undead army it spawned. After a good five hundred meters, we burst out of the mist, coughing and sputtering. We slowed to catch our breath only after we were certain the undead were no longer chasing us.
“I am never coming here again,” Kitfox managed between coughs.
I chuckled and wholeheartedly agreed with him.
“Come on. Let’s get this cursed dragon so we can be done with this place,” Shazza grumbled and knocked another arrow as she marched onward.
I sighed and followed with Kitfox.
We trudged along the remaining portion of the bridge in silence. At long last, we stood at the base of the dreary citadel. I craned my neck to see the apex and the white light that burned there. I followed a stairway that wound its way around the girth of the citadel from top to bottom. Though some of the stairs were damaged or missing, the way up looked sturdy.
My attention was stolen by a low growl. I looked to Kitfox. He looked back at me, his face contorted in fear. He swallowed and slowly looked over his shoulder. I followed his gaze and gasped.
A great rotting beast glared at us with glowing green eyes. It snarled, revealing sharp teeth, and took a step toward us. Pieces of dangling, putrid flesh swayed to and fro at the movement.
“Here we go again,” I said softly as I slowly inched away from the dire beast.
“Get to the stairs,” Kitfox whispered as he moved to stand between the beast and me. “Go. Now.”
“Not without you.” I grabbed his arm.
He smiled at me over his shoulder but kept his eyes on the beast. “I’ll be right behind you.”
I nodded and turned away to lead Shazza and Thera up the stairs. The beast roared. I glanced back in time to see it tackle Kitfox to the ground. I screamed his name.
“Run!”
“He can handle it!”
Shazza yanked my arm, while Thera shoved me. Together they half dragged me up the stairs. I took another glance back at Kitfox to see that he had morphed into his fox form and was leading the dire beast away from us.
“Stay ahead of it, Kitfox. I’ll come back to save you,” I whispered. I broke free of Shazza’s grip and sprinted up the stairwell as fast as I could.
Several hundred meters above the base of the citadel Kitfox suddenly sprang onto the stairs in front of me and slumped. He lay there, whimpering from a deep wound that ran the length of his body. I cried as I picked him up and cradled him in my arms. Filled with anger and desperation, I ran on.
The dire beast was hot on our heels when the stairs finally ended. The apex was empty, save for a white glowing crystal in the center. Shazza swore as she and Thera turned to face the beast. I fell to my knees.
Hugging Kitfox close to me, I cried out, “Helios!”
The white light exploded. It washed over the citadel like a raging torrent, turning the beast to dust. An instant later, the light faded away, leaving only a regal white dragon where the crystal once stood.
Helios’s blue eyes focused on me, and the dragon bowed. “Well met, Keeper Xyleena.”
I completely ignored the dragon, choosing instead to devote my attention Kitfox as he whimpered weakly.
“Don’t you dare die on me, Kitfox.” I sobbed.
Thera knelt in front of me and let her hands hover over Kitfox’s wound. A moment later, her hands glowed with golden energy.
“Medícté!” The cry of her spell echoed in the colossal room.
Seconds passed like hours as the spell began to take its effect. Slowly but surely the wound running the length of Kitfox’s body healed. Thera moved her hands away with a sigh. Kitfox’s amber eyes fluttered open, and he yipped. I hugged him even tighter, making him grunt.
“I hate you.”
I laughed as he licked my tears away. I finally released him from the hug. He took a few steps and morphed back to his near-Hume form.
“I hate you
, too.” Kitfox smiled and rubbed his side.
Shazza walked up behind him and smacked him soundly with her bow. He swore loudly and clutched the back of his head.
“What were you thinking, you idiot? That thing almost killed you!”
“You don’t say? I never would have known that without you here to explain it to me!”
“Those two seem to be getting along fine,” Helios said flatly.
I sighed and turned my attention to the dragon.
“I am never coming here again.”
The dragon snorted at my outburst.
“Ever!”
“I can’t say that I blame you.” Helios sat on his haunches and glanced about his surroundings. “This place makes the punishment pits of Havel look like paradise.”
“Hey, dragon, explain something to me!” Kitfox strode right up to Helios and stared him down. “How in the names of the Five Souls do we get out of this place?”
Shazza crossed her arms. “I am more curious to know how it is Thera can suddenly use magic again. I thought the ward placed on the tomb prevented it.”
“Uh…the…um…the crystal was the ward,” Thera stammered. “As soon as it shattered, I felt the ward lift. And it didn’t shatter until after Xy broke it by summoning Helios.”
“As for leaving this tomb, it is much easier than entering it,” Helios said. “This citadel’s apex is a special platform that will lift all those atop it to the surface with but the uttering of a simple spell.” Helios looked at Thera. “I believe you know the one to which I am referring.”
Thera thought about it for a moment then smiled. “Anybody want to vacation here? No? Good. Let’s go!”
She uttered the spell, and the platform rumbled, shook, and then slowly rose.
I watched as the triplets – now merely a great mess of pitted bones and tattered ligaments– began to stir. And then, with a horrid cry, the undead rose again; an invincible force from whom the living would suffer.
– FROM “AN ONLOOKER’S JOURNAL” BY THERNU ONYX
Warm sunlight, fresh air, and the annoying buzzing at the back of my head that signaled the presence of the three dragons– when these three things fell into place, I cheered. We were finally free of that wretched tomb! Kitfox, Thera, and Shazza all laughed at me, but I could tell they were just as happy to get out of there as I was.
Thank Khatahn-Rhii you are safe!
We were so worried when we felt you disappear, hatchling.
What happened in the tomb?
I scratched my ear and shook my head as all three dragons spoke at once. They continued to rant while I got my bearings. We may have made it out of the Tomb of the Lost, but we were still in the cemetery surrounding it. I sighed. Relax. Everyone is fine. The tomb was a nightmare, but we made it out, Helios included.
“You okay?” Kitfox asked, helping me off the platform as it finally came to a complete stop.
I pointed to my head with a smile. “Dragons.”
Kitfox rolled his eyes at my answer.
“They were worried, huh?” Shazza inquired as she watched Helios step off the platform.
“Oh! Immensely.”
We heard that! Atoka snorted indignantly.
I giggled. I know.
Are we wrong to fret over you, hatchling?
No, Vortex. But laughing is the best way to relax after such a stressful– I froze when Kitfox stopped suddenly and sniffed the air. “What is it?”
Kitfox turned his head and continued to sniff the air. Then he looked at me. “I recognize this scent, but I can’t remember where.”
“Is it Dimitri?”
“How could he have followed us here?” Thera asked.
I shrugged and kept my eyes on Kitfox.
“No. No, it’s not Dimitri.” Kitfox breathed in deep. “It smells Hume, though.”
“Maybe a bandit here to rob the graves?” Thera offered.
Shazza quickly knocked an arrow. “If it is a bandit, I will skewer him and feed his guts to the undead!”
“Do not be so hasty,” Helios muttered and sat on his haunches. “The intruder could be an innocent bystander.”
“Right,” I muttered and flared my tessens. “Forgive me for being a bit paranoid. You see, I have this Shadow Keeper following me around, trying to kill me.”
Helios snorted. Kitfox growled and sunk low to the ground. He crept his way across the ground without a sound, making it at least five meters before he dropped behind a grave marker. There, he waited. A moment later, he pounced. A man screamed in surprise and swore. Minutes passed to the sounds of a scuffle in the dirt. Finally, Kitfox reappeared, dragging a blonde man unceremoniously over the ground.
“Oi! Come on, mate! I did not mean anything by it! Lemme go!”
I watched as Kitfox threw the blonde man into a headstone and pinned him there.
“What are you doing here, Kkorian?” Kitfox snarled as he rested his claws against the man’s throat.
“Take it easy there, Kitfox. You know I don’t mean any harm.”
“Do I? Last time I saw you, you were all buddy-buddy at the bar with the Hume-aju who’s been trying to kill me and my friend over there.” Kitfox jerked his head in my direction. “Why should I trust you?”
“Crikey, mate! You think I liked that whacka? I was just being nice to him since he bought me a few rounds. I swear it!”
“You left with him!”
“Sure. We left at the same time, but I do not know where he went. I haven’t seen him since that night!”
Kitfox snarled.
“Okay! Okay! I lied! I have seen him. He’s with a hot little Dákun Daju sheila somewhere near here.”
“What?” Kitfox dropped the man and leaped to the tallest tomb he could find.
“Bloody, stupid mongrel,” the blonde mumbled as he got to his feet and dusted himself off. He picked his hat from the ground and dropped it on his head before looking around. His blue eyes fell on me, and he cleared his throat.
“So…you two know each other?” Shazza asked.
The blonde glared up at Kitfox. “Aye. And I wish I didn’t!”
A moment later, the Fox Demon landed on him and pinned him to the ground.
“I didn’t see anyone.” Kitfox rested his claws at the blonde’s throat again. “You better come up with a reason for me to keep you alive real quick.”
“Stand down, Kitfox!” Helios shouted.
Kitfox growled and looked up at the white dragon.
“I sense no evil in this man.”
“Yeah! Listen to the bloke, you dumb bitzer!”
Kitfox snorted and slowly let the blonde up.
“You had better be right, Helios,” the Fox Demon muttered as he moved to join me.
“Thanks…mate.” The blonde’s eyes practically exploded from his skull at the sight of the dragon.
Helios chuckled and bowed his head.
“What do we call you?” I asked as I folded my tessens and returned them to my belt.
The blonde just stared at Helios wide eyed.
“His name is Kkorian McKnight. He is a failed pirate, so you cannot believe a word that he says,” Kitfox said and crossed his arms.
“There’s a difference between a failed pirate and a broke one, mate.” Kkorian finally came out of his stupor and got to his feet. “How’d you get the dragon?”
“We outsmarted a sphinx and fought off countless undead in a tomb far beneath your feet until we reached the citadel where I had hidden him a little over a century ago.”
I chuckled when Kkorian’s jaw fell slack.
“Just another normal day in the life of a Dragon Keeper.”
Thera burst out laughing. “You call that normal?”
Shazza snickered. “I’d hate to see it when you are busy.”
“Let me get this straight in me head. You”– Kkorian pointed at me– “are the Dragon Keeper. And you have a member from every race helping you? How did you pull that off?”
I shrugged. “It ju
st worked out that way.”
“The suns will be setting soon, young ones,” Helios said as he got to all fours. “I think it is best not to linger here after dark.”
“Yeah, I would like to leave the cemetery. I think I’ve seen enough of one to last me several lifetimes,” Thera complained and took the lead as we meandered our way through the graves.
“Hey, wait a just tic!” Kkorian grabbed my arm to get my attention and earned a fierce growl from Kitfox.
I put my hand on the Fox Demon’s shoulder to calm him as I looked at Kkorian. “What did you want?”
“I was just wondering if I can come with you.”
I frowned. “I don’t know…”
“Are you kidding?” Shazza laughed and punched Kkorian in the arm, making him grimace in pain. “Anyone who can so easily get on the nerves of that Demon is well worth having on the team.”
Kitfox bared his teeth at Shazza before looking me in the eye. “Don’t accept him, Xy. We can’t trust him.”
“But Helios said there isn’t any evil in Kkorian’s heart. And since he’s a pirate, I think he could be a valuable member to this team,” Thera said.
Kkorian faced her with a happy albeit lopsided grin. “Thanks, sheila!”
“What’s a… sheila?”
The pirate guffawed.
“Girl.” Kitfox said flatly. “He means girl. The idiot speaks with words no one else knows.”
I nodded and looked Kkorian in the eye. “I’ll think about your request for now. You’ll have my answer in the morning, Kkorian.” I walked away.
Kitfox sighed and followed after me. “Please, Xy. Don’t bring him on.”
“I haven’t decided anything yet.” I looked up at him. “Because you saw him with Dimitri and therefore don’t trust him, neither do I.”
Kitfox nodded and draped his arm around my shoulder as we continued to walk. “I never did thank you for saving me back there.”
“You mean when that beast nearly killed you?”
He blushed and nodded.
“I still hate you for that, by the way.”
He chuckled. “Yeah.”
We followed the path between the graves in silence, listening as Shazza and Thera filled Kkorian in on the day’s adventure. We reached the main gate of the cemetery just as the suns kissed the horizon. I watched, bemused, as Helios bounded over the gate before I passed through it.
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