She ran at the dragon. Even though time stood still, or nearly so, she couldn’t help but feel like the dragon was still staring her down as she approached. It was so big, she couldn’t reach its head, or Cain where he sat on its shoulders. So instead she took her spear and stabbed downward at the thing’s front claws.
The spear tip bounced off the carapace like it was hardened stone.
She tried again, aiming for a gap in the thing’s scales. But the gaps would not allow anything to penetrate them.
She looked around frantically, trying to find a solution. Of course nothing could penetrate its hide. It had laid in hibernation for countless years in a giant pool of lava. There was no way she could harm it with a simple spear. And most of her brands would be useless.
She tried shocking it with her Thunder brand, but that had little effect. She tried pushing at it with Telekinesis, but that did nothing as well.
Suddenly a wave of nausea passed through her, the feeling she got when the Pillar of Eternity didn’t like what she was doing. Like when she tried to kill.
But this was Cain, and a dragon. If she didn’t kill them, she had no chance of survival. She tried to communicate that fact with the Pillar of Eternity somehow, but to no noticeable effect. These sentient Relics could be stubborn.
She backed away from the dragon. They had only one option now. She couldn’t attack. They could only run. And if they ran they would most likely be trapped further up the mountain, but it was all they had open at the moment. Perhaps once the dragon took flight again, she could use the Pillar to slip back down with the others.
Something was happening with the dragon. Its torso was beginning to glow, and its mouth was opening. Even with the power of the Pillar of Eternity, she could still see its jaws opening, slowly by her perspective, but what must have been incredibly fast in the real world. Light shone from deep within its throat.
It was about to spew fire at them. Perhaps she had been using the Pillar of Eternity long enough for Cain to realize she had disappeared. So now he was attacking.
Indeed, fire flew out of the dragon’s open mouth, moving at a visible speed even for her. It was about to envelop the others.
She turned and ran back to her mother, Marek, and Seph. Taking her mother by the arm first, she brought the Shadow Elf into her time bubble.
“What...” Karlona said.
“No time,” Jak shouted. “Grab the others, and run!”
Not stopping to argue, Karlona grabbed Marek who was closest. Jak’s childhood friend blinked before realizing what was happening. “We have to get out of the way!” he bellowed, looking truly frightened for the first time that Jak could remember since his reappearance. “He’s going to kill us.” He looked like he couldn’t believe it.
“Come with me,” Jak tugged at her mother’s hand. She couldn't move as fast when connected to the others, and they still had to get Seph. Seph was closest to the dragon, and several paces away. And those flames were moving with a speed Jak couldn’t imagine. Even with the power of time, it would take only seconds before Seph was enveloped. She had to get to him and bring him into the time bubble so they could escape.
Even though not much time had passed in the real world, Seph had slowly brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the flames. Not that shielding oneself would do much good.
Though actually, now that she was closer, she saw that his arm wasn’t out to shield his face, but was raised up in something like defiance. Like he was about to launch his own magical attack. But Seph had no brands. There was nothing she could do. The flames were almost on him, and she wasn’t close enough to stop it.
As she closed the distance between her and Seph, something curious began to happen. The flames that emanated from the dragon cut off, and what was about to reach Seph simply began to fade in an instant, visible even to Jak as she sped through time. What was happening?
Finally, she grabbed a hold of Seph’s arm, bringing him into the time bubble.
He glanced at her, distracted. “Jak, it’s okay. I don’t think it was going to kill me.”
“Why on Earth would you think that?” Jak said, tugging on his arm to get him to move. But he held his position.
“I don’t know, I felt it the moment he came close. I can almost hear what it’s thinking.”
“Cain just wants to kill us and take the Pillar of Eternity off my corpse. I could have told you that.”
“No, not Cain. The dragon.” He began pulling back at Jak. “Let me go, Jak.”
“What? Of course not, don’t be crazy.”
“It’s in pain,” he said, oblivious to her protests. He pulled away from her, stretching his free hand in the direction of the dragon.
“Seph, what are you doing?” But Seph pulled too hard, extracting his hand from hers.
Of course, with the power of time in her grasp, all that happened was that Seph stopped moving the moment he escaped her touch. She could have reached out and taken him again. But something stopped her. Something strange was definitely going on. The dragon had stopped shooting fire out of its muzzle, and she’d never seen Seph like this before. Curious, she let the power of time drop for a moment.
Seph took one step forward, then another. His arm extended to the reptilian monster ahead of them.
“There you are, Jak.” Cain finally laid eyes on her. “I see that you’re putting that Pillar of Eternity to good use. But you won’t get past me up here. You have only one way to go, and sooner or later I will wear you down.”
Jak swallowed, he was right. She had already figured that out. Though Cain wouldn’t stay put if she continued up the mountain, towards where the second Pillar of Eternity supposedly lay.
Something clicked as her brain finally landed on a problem that she hadn’t realized was bothering her. Why wasn’t Cain trying to block her path to the Pillar?
The dragon roared and reared itself onto its hind legs. Its throat began to glow again and Cain gave it a light tap on the side, like one would when comforting a horse. Yes, now was not a time to think. Now was a time to survive.
With Cain’s attention fixed on Jak, he had forgotten about Seph. The brandless preacher was making his way closer and closer to the dragon, his arm still extended as if offering it for a dog to smell, to gain its trust. But this was no dog. Shouldn't she call out to him, warn him that the beast would likely bite off his hand if it did not roast it first? But if she did that, then Cain might remember Seph was there, and do something about it.
Yet something did appear to be happening. The dragon had forgotten about its rider, and instead kept its gaze fixed on Seph. Ever so slightly, it cocked its head, mesmerized by something no one else could see.
She had to keep Cain distracted or he might ruin everything. She met the demon king’s eyes and shouted, “I’m not afraid of you, kinslayer. I’m not the helpless little girl you met in Mt. Harafast.”
“As I have seen,” he said. “But I know your biggest weakness.”
And in that instant his eyes flew towards Seph. He beat his hand against the dragon, causing a shock of some kind to fly through the beast. It roared, and its belly glowed as it prepared to send a fiery inferno hurtling at them. It would consume Seph first.
“Your weakness is that you care,” he called, just as the dragon opened its mouth to consume Seph.
She had to get to him fast. If those jaws did not crush Seph’s defenseless body, the flames would consume him.
She prepared herself to activate the Pillar of Eternity again. Stupid Seph, why couldn’t he have stayed behind like she wanted? She couldn’t fight Cain and think about him too. In a way, Cain was right. Of course caring was not a weakness, but it did mean that she needed to get everyone out of harm’s way before she could properly deal with Cain.
But before she could activate the Pillar, Seph’s hand flew up until it touched the underside of the dragon’s jaws. Instantly, the flames in the beast’s belly extinguished themselves, and the dragon paused its aggression.
F
or a moment, Jak forgot all about Cain, or using the power of time to stop him from killing Seph. And it would seem Cain felt the same way. They both stared at Seph in a new light, who gently patted the dragon’s muzzle. The enormous reptile seemed to...soften. Its muscles uncoiled and its eyes slid out of focus. It almost looked like it was enjoying Seph’s touch.
“What is this?” said Cain. There was genuine bewilderment in his voice. “Get away!”
Cain raised a hand and a globe of fire began forming there. Like the one Jak had created to destroy the eastern village during her test, but smaller and more concentrated.
Just as he hurled it at Seph, Jak dropped her spear and reached out an arm. Her telekinetic abilities burst from her, slamming into the fireball as it was about to reach Seph’s face. It veered off course and slammed into the dragon’s neck.
With a roar, it reared up onto its hind legs, more from surprise than pain. Cain clung to its neck to avoid being thrown off.
Jak prepared a fireball of her own, fueling it with Flamdancing, but containing it with Telekinesis. But just at that moment, figures shot into the sky to her right. They were people, tiny people.
Sky Fae.
Small rocks and even balls of snow began raining through the air, peppering Cain and the dragon. The Sky Fae zipped around them, throwing what they could at the beast and his rider. What were they thinking? They couldn’t possibly think that stones would have any damaging effect.
But it soon became apparent that hurting the dragon was not their intention. Instead, they were distracting it. Its head swiveled from one side to the other, snapping at Sky Fae that got too close, and roaring in frustration when he couldn’t catch any of them. Now Jak could finally see the Sky Fae’s greatest power. They were fast.
Each one maneuvered through the air using its wings like a great bird of prey, one that managed to duck and weave out of the way of the dragon’s jaws or beating wings.
“Focus!” yelled Cain. But he wasn’t talking to Jak anymore. He was talking to the dragon. He sent a jolt of Thunder into the dragon’s hide, but that only seemed to aggravate it further. With a rush of wind that nearly blew Seph and Jak over, the dragon beat its wings and rose into the air, chasing after the Sky Fae. They were providing the perfect distraction.
Despite Cain’s protests, the dragon retreated, flying towards a column of Sky Fae, who led it away to the west, back in the direction it originally came. By now the sun had mostly set, and twilight limited her vision, but it wasn’t long before the dragon was nothing but a dark spot in the sky, its roars echoing across the mountains.
21
“That will not keep him for long,” Perchel alighted on the ridge next to her. “If you use your Pillar of Eternity, you can make it down the mountain and away before he can find you again.
She stared down at the little man. “What will you do?” she asked.
“We will make do. We may have to flee and join you as you offered. The enemy will not let us remain in peace after this.”
“And what of the Pillar of Eternity that you are meant to protect,” said Jak, though she knew the answer.
Perchel’s face fell. “We were never capable of defending it from an enemy like him.” He waved a hand in the direction of Cain.
“But if I couldn’t pass the test, how is the Pillar in danger of being taken by him?”
Perchel gave a soft shrug. “The Pillar grants its abilities to the user of its choice, but it is not immune to influence, or to destruction. It may take time, but he would be able to corrupt it eventually, or destroy it to prevent it from falling into anyone else’s hands.”
“He wants it too much,” said Jak. “He won’t destroy it.”
“He might, if he thinks you are on the verge of taking it,” said Marek. “I don’t think we should rule out that possibility.”
“But I’m not about to take it. I failed the test.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t know that,” said Karlona. “Regardless, the Pillar is in danger.”
Jak glanced at her mother, meeting those knowing green eyes. She knew what her mother was thinking. Even if she couldn’t retrieve the Pillar, they had a responsibility toward it.
“Can the Pillar even be destroyed?” she asked no one in particular, though she looked at Perchel. This one—” she brandished the polished black shaft in her hand. “—was trapped in a pit of molten rock for years without a mark.”
Perchel was shaking his head. “The elements, though seemingly powerful, are yet nothing when compared to some magical abilities.”
Seph spoke. “Cain managed to survive the lava as well, though not completely unscathed. I think we could probably assume that he can create something far worse than molten rock.”
Perchel nodded. “Indeed. This Cain, if he is capable of taming a dragon, is capable of destroying the Pillar if it suited him.”
Again, Jak faced her mother, trying to communicate silently with the woman. When Karlona gave her the barest of nods, Jak rolled her head back and closed her eyes. Why did she always have to do the right thing?
She opened her eyes. “We don’t have a lot of time. The moment Cain gets control of the dragon, he’ll be back to claim the Pillar for himself. We need to get there before he does.”
“We’ll need to move fast,” said Marek, with a satisfied smile. This had been what he wanted all along. Well, they had come this far. They might as well do what they could to retrieve the Pillar of Eternity, even if Jak couldn’t wield it. At least they could keep it from Cain. And if they couldn’t retrieve it for whatever reason, then this would be their last stand against their greatest enemy.
If only she had the rest of the Fae with her. If she could link with the others, especially the trolls, she’d feel more confident about going up against Cain. But for now, they had to make do with what they had.
“I could use the power of time to get us there quickly, but I have a feeling I’ll need all my strength, and the Pillar has a tendency to use it up.”
Perchel did not skip a beat. “We can take you.”
Jak wasn’t sure she liked being carried about by the Sky Fae, but she could not deny it was the best course of action. “That sounds like a plan. Get us there, and we can take care of the rest.”
Perchel nodded, “I’ll gather a few more of the others and we’ll get you there as fast as we can.”
He stretched his wings wide and leapt into the fading twilight. Perhaps now would be a good opportunity to speak to Seph. She turned and locked eyes with him.
“What happened?” She didn’t need to specify what she was talking about.
Seph shook his head, almost like he was dazed. “I...honestly don’t know. When the dragon approached I thought I could feel something about it. It drew me to it. And I’m certain that it felt the same way. I’m not sure I could explain it.”
“It certainly doesn’t match anything else we’ve seen before.” said Karlona, coming to step close to Jak and Seph. “But dragons are something we all thought were part of a long-forgotten myth. We have no idea what to expect with them.”
“I’m not sure I like it,” said Marek.
“Why?” said Jak, turning to look at her old friend. “From where I stood the dragon’s hesitation was the only thing that saved us.”
“It fits too well,” he clarified. “First, Seph decides to come with us with little explanation, like he had some foreknowledge that he was going to be needed. And now this?”
“You’re suggesting I planned this somehow?” Seph said with a raised eyebrow.
“No, not that,” said Marek. His face was bunched up in a mixture of frustration and confusion. “It just seems too convenient, if you know what I’m saying. Too unnatural.”
“And you coming back from the dead is any better?” Jak said with a raised eyebrow of her own.
“I suppose that is a good point,” said Marek with a half grin.
Jak nodded. Of course the implication that Seph had some kind of secret was absurd.
She knew Seph, and he would never ally himself with Cain or anyone else for the purposes of deception. If he said he didn’t know what happened, then he didn’t know. But Marek was right about one thing. It all seemed a bit too coincidental that Seph had insisted he go, and only now managed to prove his worth. But she didn’t think the coincidence had anything to do with any secret motives on Seph’s part. Yet the alternatives did not confort her much.
Perchel flew back into view with seven other Sky Fae, two for each of them. Jak put Seph and his strange connection with the dragon out of her mind. Now was not the time to think about that. If they survived the night, perhaps they would have a chance to philosophize further.
The Sky Fae picked them up and, after a moment to steady themselves in the air, began speeding towards the mountain peak.
Jak watched the top of the mountain grow closer and closer while the sun finally set completely. She could still see, mostly due to a full moon and the slight advantage given her from her Sightseer brand.
“There are demons down there,” said Karlona as they drew closer. The Sky Fae carried her to the right of Jak. Apparently her Shadow Elf eyes were still superior to Jak’s at night.
The news didn’t surprise Jak. They had, after all, seen the demons run past them and up the mountain earlier that day. It was no wonder that they had already reached the peak.
“What are they doing?” she called out to her mother.
“Nothing, they’re just waiting there.”
“They will not be able to retrieve the Pillar of Eternity for their master,” said Perchel, who was one of the Sky Fae that carried Jak. “They await his arrival.”
“They’ll attack the moment we land,” said Karlona.
“Best we get it over with now,” Jak replied. “Let’s take out as many as we can before Cain arrives.”
By now Jak could see them too. Dark human-like shapes against the white of snow. They covered the peak of the mountain.
“There’s a stone platform at the top,” said Perchel. “We’ll put you down there. You’ll have more room to maneuver and fight.”
To World's Above: An Epic YA Fantasy Adventure (Roots of Creation Book 5) Page 14