* * *
Even clutched in Kyrien's claw, Catrin could see the demons below on their inexorable climb toward the top of the hollow mountain. The holes in the side of this mountain were larger, and it was apparent that these were not man-made halls. There were no decorated arches, straight lines, or right angles. The way this mountain had been hollowed out spoke of claws and jaws doing the work, and Catrin shivered at the thought of jaws powerful enough to crush stone and claws sharp enough to part granite. Kyrien's firm but gentle grip on Catrin was a marvel. Surely he could crush her without even exerting himself. She knew she was safe in his grasp, but the fact made her feel small and powerless.
I cannot make the decision. I simply cannot. You saved my life!
Catrin was unsure what he meant, but he either did not hear her or chose not to respond to her questions. It seemed he was so overwhelmed by his inner conflict that Catrin had almost ceased to exist. This would have been all right if his anxiety were not causing him to tighten his grip on Catrin a little bit more with each passing moment. As Catrin's mental shouts became screams, he realized what was happening and relaxed his grip. In his effort to let her breathe, the startled dragon overcompensated and loosened his grip too much.
In a gust of wind and the blink of an eye, Catrin went from catching her breath in Kyrien's claws to free-falling. She'd have screamed if there had been enough air in her lungs, but it was all she could do to breathe. Kyrien caught her before she took her next breath, and the impact took what air she had. It was thus that she found herself suddenly thrust into the uppermost hall, barely able to breathe and completely unprepared to face an enormous and unfriendly dragon.
I'm sorry. I could not choose. Now you must. I'm so sorry.
Kyrien wept in her mind, and Catrin reeled at the possibilities, trying to understand what he meant.
Coward! came a new voice in Catrin's mind, and it pounded until she thought her head would crack open. Traitor! Failure!
The words came from what Catrin now knew was the queen of the regents--the only queen of the regents. How she knew this, Catrin was unsure, but she knew it like she knew the sun would shine. Still she had no idea what choice she had to make. She knew it was important, but she didn't know why, and she had no idea what to do about it. Standing in front of the largest regent dragon she'd ever seen, Catrin desperately tried to catch her breath. The dragon looked down on her with a clear lack of patience, but Catrin had no choice but to take time to compose herself.
Cowed by the queen's words to Kyrien, Catrin quavered and wondered what he had done to deserve such an indictment. He'd fought so hard to save Catrin. How could the queen talk to him in that way? The more she thought about it, the angrier Catrin became. Soon she snarled at the regent queen, power flowing through her.
Moving like a giant snake, the queen made an aggressive move that brought her closer to Catrin. The huge regent looked down her snout at Catrin, poised and ready to snatch her up in her jaws.
I should just kill you myself. I should do what Kyrien failed to do.
Given the greeting she'd received, Catrin was not surprised by the communication. "Then perhaps I should kill you now and finish off what the demons are taking so long to do."
Catrin could almost feel the dragon laughing, but there was no humor in that laughter, only derision and something Catrin sensed beneath it, something she was shocked to find: fear. This magnificent and powerful dragon, queen of her kind, was just as afraid of Catrin as the human was of the dragon. It was difficult to believe, but she reminded herself that she was perhaps the most powerful person in all of Godsland, and perhaps this queen of dragons had good reason for fear.
You should not be here. This should not be happening.
"I don't want to hurt you or the other regent dragons. I don't understand why you hate me and why I shouldn't be here. If you want my help, then you are going to have to tell me what is going on!"
You cannot help me unless you cease to exist.
Catrin gaped. "Surely you can't mean that."
The bones have been cast. The choice is not mine; never has it been. The choice, instead, lies upon you, and may you have more wisdom than any other of your kind. May you find the dragon's wisdom in this pivotal time. The rest of this age rests upon you.
Never had another creature held Catrin's attention so completely, and yet the effect faded and Catrin sensed things around her, powerful things--very powerful things.
I have seen the future where the humans survive, and I've seen the future where the dragons survive. It is one or the other, you see. There can be no coexistence. Kyrien knew this and still he brought you here. He left the choice to you. In doing so he betrayed and most likely doomed his kind, unless, of course, I can convince you to take a nice jump from this ledge?
Catrin did not move. The words made no sense.
Kyrien is every bit the traitor and fool I say he is. He could have let you die, could have killed you himself, yet he'd rather doom his entire species, and for what? Love?
"Then kill me."
I cannot.
"Why not?"
The dragon managed to look exasperated, as if speaking to a dense child, I cannot kill you because I have seen that future as well, and the only thing worse than a future without dragons is a future without dragons and humans. Now there is no other way. You must choose. I have seen the future if you live, and mankind will not stop until the entire planet is consumed. Is that what you want? The future without you is far less creative, but the world will continue to flourish, and balance will be maintained. Don't you see why it must be you that dies and not the regent dragons? Do you not love Kyrien? Do you not wish to save his life and let his kind flourish? Are you so selfish that you could let him die, just so that you may live? Is there no charity in your heart? Did your mother not teach you what it is to be selfless?
The questions pounded against Catrin's resolve, and she took a step back. The last question, however, raised her hackles and put her on the attack. "Don't you dare bring my mother into this or I'll turn you inside out, right here, right now. You got that? You might think you can threaten and intimidate me, but I'm not afraid of you. At least I'm not so afraid of you that I won't fight you if I have to. And who says both of us can't survive? Maybe if we worked together, we could defeat the demons and the ferals. Then what would that future look like?"
That is the same path that leads to the death of us all. The chances are too great. There is no room for uncertainty when the fate of the world is at stake.
"No," Catrin said. "When you are unwilling to face the risk, you take away the chance for hope. Let's fly away from here now--"
Before she could finish, the dragon queen shifted and her pupils narrowed.
You either have no eyes or you wish to mock me. Which is it?
Involuntarily taking a step backward, Catrin took a good look at the rest of the dragon queen. Long and thick, her body was bloated and her wings small. A cold feeling washed over Catrin. The queen couldn't fly. When the demons arrived, she would be mostly defenseless, forced to hold her ground against the massive horde. There was no way she would survive such an attack.
Looking over the interior of the cavern, Catrin saw it was lit by only small holes that dotted the walls and outer edges of the ceiling. Most of the lair was smooth floor and nothing else, but here and there were neatly organized piles of massive stones. Some were little more than vertical columns, but others seemed to form something like a sleeping platform. Besides barricading themselves in, there was not a great deal to work with. It was only a matter of time before the demons reached this level.
Fool! You waste time when it is the most precious thing we have. You must choose. Now!
The thought of condemning the dragons to extinction made Catrin physically ill, and she couldn't keep from thinking there was some way they could all survive. Still she remained silent, and still more time passed.
Kyrien was a wretched fool to bring you here.
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