“I don't have long,” he said. “Neither do you.” Faylen’s face screwed up, her defiance showing. “You have to go, now.”
Another pulse ran up Asher’s spine and he roared into the cavern, his every muscle tensed on the verge of convulsion. The power flowing through him now was magic in its purest form, begging to be unleashed. The ranger’s eyes snapped open again and he saw Nathaniel’s blood-shot eyes looking back at him. Where the idea came from, Asher couldn't say, but the magic flowing through him wanted out and he knew exactly what to do with it. The ranger reached out and gripped Nathaniel by the face and released a small slither of magic. Asher directed it through the knight’s body, infiltrating his vessels until every inch of him was humming with power.
Unleashing just a portion of the magic broke the dam he had been holding up. Now it all wanted out. The next pulse of energy was only moments away and it would be the end of him.
“What was that?” Nathaniel asked, still gasping.
Asher looked at Reyna and the knight. “Now you have forever.” He could tell they didn't know what that meant yet, but in time, they would. “You have to live. Live for me…” Every word was a strain.
The cavern was rocked by another quake and several pools were buried under the tons of rock that surrounded them.
“I can’t find the crystals!” Galanӧr was running his hands over the rocky ground, searching for the crystals Valanis had taken from them.
“There’s not time! We have to go!” Gideon pulled at them, but it took all of them to pull Faylen away.
Asher watched them run back into the halls of Kaliban before he sank back into the depths. The next convulsion would be upon him in moments. Inside the cocoon, the ranger stretched out the last of his supernatural awareness, making sure his friends made it out alive before he finally perished. The fluid that surrounded him was a lightning storm, but still, he held on. His sight pierced the cavern, though whether it was real or just another dream was impossible to tell.
In the void between worlds, Asher smiled. Kaliban crumpled around him, burying the evil that had resided there for eons.
The ranger at last gave into the magic, finally at peace with his place in the world…
Nathaniel ran, pushing Reyna and pulling Faylen down the stone corridors. Putting one leg in front of the other was all he could do. The halls were collapsing around them, reducing the fortress to dust under the mountain’s reclamation. The knight’s mind was numb, fixed on his lasting image of Asher, his friend. The ranger’s final touch had left him with an unusual feeling in his chest, as if he had been given a new heart and its unique rhythm was thundering in his ears.
“This way!” Gideon shot down the hall to their left as the corridor to their right imploded.
Nathaniel was forced to roll out of the way before he could be squashed by a falling slab of stone. Reyna’s strong hand hooked under his arm and dragged him back up to speed.
“Keep running!” Gideon called from the front.
“Where are we going?” Galanӧr shouted over the falling debris.
Nathaniel had the same burning question on his mind. All of Kaliban was coming down on their heads and there was no way on or off the mountain.
“Trust me!” Gideon replied as he thrust his hand out, shielding them with magic from a collapsing wall.
Faylen ran beside the knight but her expression was vacant. At least she was following them now, having required a lot of arms to remove her from the cavern.
“Down here!” Gideon thrust out his hand again and blew the door to Valanis’ bedchamber off its hinges.
Nathaniel was hesitant to enter the dead end, but anything but rushing through the threshold meant certain death. The Dragorn quickly led them back onto the balcony and the bitter chill.
Now they were doomed, the knight was sure.
Kaliban was almost gone behind them and the balcony on which they stood would soon be gone with it.
“Now what?” he asked.
Gideon ran to the edge and peered into the thick clouds beyond, an impenetrable fog. The Dragorn appeared unsure for a moment, but his thoughts remained his own. When the balcony shook and the rock supporting it became loose, Nathaniel demanded answers, fearing more for Reyna’s life than his own.
“Jump.” Gideon’s command was met with five questioning expressions. The balcony shook again. “Jump!” the Dragorn shouted, taking a step over the edge.
Galanӧr and Adilandra were the first to accept Gideon’s order and followed him over the lip. The three vanished beneath the cloudbank, their fall as silent as a raindrop.
“You heard him!” Faylen ran for the edge and dived over.
Nathaniel grabbed Reyna’s hand and the two jumped together. The stone under their feet broke away with their last step, joining them in their fall. The clouds masked everything, including their proximity to the ground, or even an outcropping of rock that might spell their end. They continued to drop for a few more seconds before the fog disappeared and the landscape of The Ice Vales was revealed. Had they not been falling it would have been the most incredible of views.
The panic that had found itself a home in Nathaniel’s mind prevented him from seeing the truth of their situation. The elves, along with Gideon, were not beneath them, falling a they were. That’s when a red dragon shot past them and spread out its wings, matching their descent. The knight let go of Reyna’s hand and the two reached out, each grabbing a spike on the back of the dragon. Once they were firmly attached, the dragon flapped its wings and gained altitude, bringing the others into view.
Gideon was astride Ilargo in the lead, while Galanӧr, Adilandra, and Faylen sat atop a blue dragon Nathaniel had never seen before. The knight spread his fingers across his own dragon’s scales, unbelieving of their luck.
“Ilargo brought some friends!” Gideon called back.
Nathaniel gripped Reyna’s hand again, thankful for the dragons and their timely arrival. The two shared an intense look, holding a silent conversation that spoke of their grief.
Reyna brought her head into his. “What do we do now?” she asked.
Nathaniel swallowed his grief and anger, seeing Asher’s face when he closed his eyes. “Now we live.” The knight offered his princess a smile. “We live for him…”
Epilogue
Six Months Later…
It was the clearest and warmest day that late winter had to offer. Not even a dark cloud ventured across the sky to ruin such a perfect picture. Gideon clapped his hands, beaming from ear-to-ear. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this happy or content, but right now, on the cliffs of The Shining Coast, watching two of his friends get married, was a moment he would cherish forever.
“To Mr. and Mrs. Galfrey!” Jonus Glaide shouted over the applause.
It was a far more private gathering than should have been granted to an elven princess, but it was what they had wanted and there were few who dared to challenge two of the most famous heroes in the realm. Gideon counted himself lucky to have spent so much time with them over the last six months, helping to rebuild Velia. It was an honour to be counted as a friend, and not just to the few gathered on the cliffs today, but also to the elves.
The Dragorn glanced at Queen Adilandra, a proud mother. Faylen, beside her, appeared just as happy for the couple, though a sadness still lived deep inside of her. It was the same sadness they had all carried since that night in the caves of Kaliban. Gideon hadn't felt Asher’s loss quite so keenly, but it was still hard to see his friends suffer the loss.
“Let us raise a cup to the happy couple!” Doran Heavybelly roared.
Gideon raised his cup and knocked it cheerily against Galanӧr’s cup.
Nathaniel and Reyna walked back down the aisle of petals, thanking everyone for coming. Tauren Salimson, now a leading member of the new ruling council in The Arid Lands, embraced them both. The southerner had made the trip just for the occasion, stating that he wouldn't have missed it for the world.
Gideon glanced up at the green dragon. I think Tauren has already done a good job of that. You just want to burn some more stuff…
Ilargo sat up a little straighter, adjusting the regal pose he had taken from his mother. I just want to rid the world of all its evil.
I wouldn't worry about that. You'll get your chance...
Gideon looked at the young woman beside Tauren. Hadavad took her turn embracing the newlyweds, leaving her staff to stand perfectly on end. For months he and the mage had held private discussions about the ancient scroll King Elym had brought back from Ayda. The black handprint at the bottom of the scroll had been of particular interest to Hadavad, as well as Atilan’s grimoire, though both the scroll and book now belonged to Gideon, a gift from Adilandra. His priority was the new Dragorn order, but his mind had been plagued for months with thoughts of what else was out there. Seeing the happy couple, however, he knew the mysteries of the first kingdom would have to wait.
Reyna and Nathaniel pulled him into an embrace that spoke of genuine love to Gideon. More than that, the Dragorn could feel the magic that emanated from them both. It wasn't unusual to feel such a presence among elves, but Nathaniel had an aura to him that was entirely unnatural for a human. Gideon had a feeling he would have the pleasure of calling Nathaniel Galfrey his friend for a long time to come.
As the sun reached the highest peak it was going to find in late winter, the party sat down at a long table that had been set up by King Rengar’s servants earlier that morning. The pavilion and small fires kept the chill and wind at bay, leaving just enough space for Ilargo to fit his head through the tent flaps. They ate and drank together, pausing only once to toast the empty chair beside Nathaniel. The knight had taken the silvyr short-sword from his belt and placed in against the chair.
“To those who gave their life… so that we might have life.”
Gideon lifted his cup of wine, taking a moment to remember his own losses. Adriel... Abigail… Even the dragons who had perished in the battle of Velia clung to him.
The day began to wane and night eventually found the white cliffs of The Shining Coast, but still, they drank and laughed, enjoying the celebration they all so deserved.
“So what are ye to do next?” Doran asked, his question posed to the Galfreys.
Reyna and Nathaniel met each other’s eyes with a smile on their face, having already discussed that very question openly with Gideon over the last six months.
“It turns out that during our time in Lirian,” Nathaniel explained, “Asher went to a bank of Stowhold and changed some details regarding the piece of land he was promised by King Rengar. It was part of his deal to escort Reyna and Fallen to Velia.”
“He left it to us!” Reyna interjected. “To the Galfreys,” she added with an affectionate smile for Nathaniel.
“Full o’ surprises that one!” Doran replied.
“Where is this piece of land?” Glaide asked.
Nathaniel laughed. “You’re sitting on it!”
Tauren’s eyes went wide. “At least you’ll have a view!”
The table fell into various discussions, mostly about what the future might hold, though Doran was determined to tell tales from his two centuries of life. Old habits, Gideon mused.
The Dragorn had the honour of sitting next to the queen of elves. Adilandra was still very much the warrior he had met in the south of Ayda, but after six months of peace, the queen had settled back into life as royalty, and her appearance was what he would ordinarily expect from a jewel such as her. Gideon was thankful to have seen not only her transition to the head of the elven nation, but also to see her let go of some of that rage. The Darkakin had awoken something inside of her, a feral animal that perhaps lived in everyone. It seemed, however, that there was nothing Adilandra couldn't overcome for her people.
“How do you feel about Reyna living in Illian?” he asked amid the hubbub.
I'm not sure you’re supposed to ask a queen such questions, Ilargo warned.
Gideon instantly regretted it, reminding himself that they weren't squatting on some rooftop in Malaysai anymore. He now spoke to the head of a nation.
Adilandra hesitated. “I will miss her, and Nathaniel. I have no doubt they will be the ones to form a bridge between Illian and Ayda.” The queen’s features softened. “I just wish they could do it from Ayda…”
“I knew you wouldn't miss the wedding,” Gideon said, “but I am surprised you have yet to return to The Opal Coast.”
“Staying on Illian soil for the last six months has had its advantages,” Adilandra replied. “As well as helping to rebuild Velia, we have had meetings with the heads of Lirian and Grey Stone. Our alliances here grow stronger every day we are here.”
“What of your own people?” Gideon asked
Adilandra sighed. “That will take time. Every warrior who sailed The Adean came here believing they were going to reclaim Illian over the bodies of every man, woman, and child. With Tai’garn and the elders behind me, the transition has been easier. For now, they obey their queen; that's all I can ask. In time we will return to the old ways.”
“I look forward to that.” Gideon offered a hopeful smile. “Has anyone heard from Elym?”
Adilandra sat back and let Faylen answer that. “Rumours mostly,” she said. “It’s believed he was seen leaving Velia the same day we arrived back from Kaliban. Some say his heading was north, but others swear he continued west.”
Gideon could see that the topic made Adilandra uncomfortable. “And how do you fare, High Guardian?”
Faylen’s smile wasn't quite genuine. “I fear my loss of Reyna will see me stealing crystals from the elders and portalling back here every other day to see her.” They laughed together, Adilandra included. Faylen finally offered a serious answer, if a little strained. “I see no better way of honouring the fallen than by helping to usher in a new age of peace. Peace was all he wanted…” she added quietly.
Galanӧr has left the tent, Ilargo said.
Gideon looked across the table and noted the empty chair beside Hadavad. The Dragorn excused himself, raising a cup to Reyna and Nathaniel as he stood up to leave. He stroked the scales of his favourite dragon on the way out.
The waves of The Adean roared below the cliffs, battering against the white walls. Above the ocean was another ocean of heavenly proportions. A crescent moon shared the sky with a host of stars, a beautiful backdrop to the silhouette of a lone elf. Galanӧr stood by the edge of the cliff with his hands cupped around his face.
“I'm not sure what’s a stranger sight,” Gideon announced. “You with a pipe in your mouth or you without a single blade on your belt.”
Galanӧr lit his pipe, illuminating his angelic features. “I blame the rangers,” he replied. “Glaide and Doran smoke these things all day.”
“Your help in Velia has been noted by many,” Gideon said.
Galanӧr nodded his head absently. The two stood in silence, taken in by the rhythmic waves that crashed below.
“You’re leaving aren't you,” Gideon finally said.
Galanӧr blew out a puff of smoke. “Aren't you?” The elf looked to the north, where the faint torches of Velia could be seen on the horizon. “The city is almost back to normal, Valanis is dead, The Veil destroyed. I thought you had an order to build?”
Gideon looked down at the palm of his right hand. The skin was still scarred with the ancient glyphs of The Veil, burned into his flesh when he plunged it into the pool. Even Ilargo’s healing had failed to rid him of the burn. The Veil might have been destroyed, but the Dragorn would take its mark with him forever more.
“You know what I mean,” Gideon replied. “The elves are to set sail for Ayda in the next few days. You aren't leaving with your kin. I get the feeling you're walking away from everyone, me included.”
Galanӧr took a long drag on his pipe. “You're ann
oyingly perceptive these days, do you know that?” The elf blew out the smoke. “I don't belong among them anymore. Adilandra is going to change them for the better, have them return to days of old. I can’t just wipe my conscience clean and move on. I'm also not foolish enough to believe that a quiet life will settle my soul. For a time I dreamt of living in The Evermore or The Amara, living off the land without ever taking another life.”
“And now?” Gideon asked.
“I've had six months of listening to tales of Asher, whether it be the rangers or the Galfreys. He did a lot he wasn't proud of, but he tried to atone for it. Maybe there's something in this ranger business.”
Gideon didn't entirely agree. “I would say you've already atoned for the path your father put you on, but I have to admit, the life of a ranger would seem well suited to an elf of your talents. You could do a lot of good in Illian.”
Galanӧr dropped his pipe to his side and turned to face Gideon. “It might make finding me a little hard.”
I will always find him…
Ilargo’s words brought a smile to Gideon’s face. “That won't be a problem.”
The two enjoyed the starry horizon for a moment longer. They had come a long way together, across the world and back.
“What will you do next?” Galanӧr asked.
Gideon had given that question more thought than anything else. “Most of the dragons, the older ones included, have already returned to Dragons’ Reach. Their time among the free folk has come to an end. There are those, however, who have chosen to stay, sharing my vision for a new order of Dragorn.” Gideon laughed to himself. “I have no idea what that looks like yet. I thought I might start with The Lifeless Isles and seek out this alcove of treasures you found.”
Galanӧr nodded eagerly. “Seems like a good place to start.”
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