The Quest for the Lost Shards of Power

by F M Andrews

  The dragon elegantly descended to fly beside the skittish horses and in that instant the storm slammed into their protective bubble. Hezrill peered forward, seeking any sign of Dissan, subconsciously holding her breath. Had he made it in time? Unexpectedly the knights began to slow until they eventually come to a halt. The horses danced nervously as the dragon finally landed next to them. Looking around at the faces that surrounded her, it was impossible to tell if they had reached Dissan in time or not. These were hardened men, not given to showing emotion, and it wasn’t until she saw his tall fair head making its way towards her that she knew he was safe.

  The storm was furious and fast, passing overhead to race across the hill and out away from the boundary at a pace faster than the wind could blow. However, in the short time it had howled overhead, Hezrill and Syran had explored each other's minds, viewed each other's experiences and felt each other's hopes and fears. Knowing Syran was a shard’s host changed everything. Suddenly it became imperative to take him to Errin. The thought of another flight, this time longer and probably higher, made her feel a little queasy, but also, she had to admit, a little excited.

  Dissan now stood below, hands on hips, gazing up at her.

  “Enjoying the view?” he asked, a wry smile on his lips.

  “Dissan, I would like to introduce Syran. Syran is one of Errin’s shard bearers and a friend of Turrin.”

  Dissan bowed. “A pleasure to meet you,” he intoned formally, grinning up at the huge shimmering dragon before him. Hezrill passed on his comments and the big silver lowered his head to stare directly into Dissan’s eyes. It was slightly unnerving and he had to force himself not to take a step backwards.

  “I am here to bring my shard of power to a woman named Errin,” Syran said through Hezrill. “Time has been lost and I need to find her and Turrin now. Hezrill will guide me,” he concluded.

  Dissan looked shocked. “But... but…”

  Hezrill looked down at the prince below her in sympathy. “I’ll be all right,” she said, trying to reassure herself as much as the prince. “He says that he will not let me fall and that he has practiced quite a lot with Turrin.”

  Dissan laughed. “Has he now? Well, I can see that all that remains is to wish you good luck and good speed,” he said, stepping away to allow Syran to spread his glorious wings. Hezrill couldn’t help herself, and another squeak escaped her as Syran jumped into the air. By the time she had regained her composure again, Dissan and his men were so far below that they looked like mice in a field.

  #

  “Stupid bastards!” Zail thought, looking down at the line of trolls running in the wrong direction. “Can’t they even get one simple instruction right?” He sighed in exasperation. The order had always been ‘attack the boundary, run towards the trees and fight anyone you see.’ How difficult was that to understand? The Telft had been a useful, if somewhat blunt, weapon, but now he needed a little more precision. He knew he should just let them go and continue to pursue the witch but his anger got the better of him. He needed to shout at someone, kill a few as a lesson to the other stupid fucks. Landing in front of the advancing line of dimwits, he searched for anyone who looked like they were in charge. They all looked the same.

  In frustration, he raised his arms and ordered them to stop in a voice amplified with talent in both volume and coercion. Nothing happened. His blood pressure was rising and he clenched his fists at his side, breathing loudly through his nose until he simply lost all control and blasted one of the forerunners, flinging him high into the air. Satisfying as that felt, it had no effect. The trolls were still running towards him; indeed, it appeared that he was their target now. Was it a worship thing, he wondered? Would they fall to the ground before him? He was curious but not concerned until a Telft loomed above him, its face twisted with rage and its axe raised.

  Casually he sent a blast its way, only to receive another surprise. The troll was shielded and Zail’s energy only danced across the protective barrier and disappeared harmlessly into the ground. The troll kept coming. Zail shook his head in bafflement, forced to take evasive action. Truly furious now, he released a blast of pure energy across the entire troop. It was enough to incinerate anything it touched. About half of the trolls vanished into a cloud of ash but the shields held for the rest. Zail did not have time for this. Every moment wasted meant the She was getting closer to that cursed boundary. He would just have to deal with these arseholes later.

  Excruciating pain hit him. Looking down, he was surprised to see an arrow had punctured his left thigh. Stupidly he had not thought it necessary to raise a shield. His vision swam as he fought to stay conscious, panicking with the understanding that if he were to black out he would be easy prey for these monsters. Another arrow sped towards him; however, this time he managed to incinerate it before it reached him. Feeling nauseous, he belatedly erected a shield and rose into the air. Annoying as these trolls were, they were not his priority.

  It very quickly became apparent that he was not going to get far until he fixed his leg. The pain was making him weak and draining his energy. Coming back down to the ground behind the line of Telft, he began to concentrate all his talent towards healing his wound, a process that would only take a moment, albeit a very painful one. What he hadn’t counted on was the trolls turning and rushing towards him once more. This was becoming beyond annoying. He did not want to have to contend with these crazy bastards when he finally encountered his real enemy. Somehow they had to be stopped.

  With a wince of pain, he drew out the arrow and sealed the puncture with a wave of his hand before standing to face the oncoming threat. It was time to use one of his favourite methods of disposal. Smiling, he watched in delight as the ground opened up beneath the raging trolls, swallowing them whole as if they had never even existed.

  #

  Errin concentrated.

  If anyone was watching, they would have wondered exactly what was happening. It would have looked extremely odd, all of them touching one large tabby cat-like creature in their midst, all walking as fast as they could. Lutex had explained Tubble’s extraordinary skill to make them invisible, which was now amplified here on Feld, and he had also explained that for it to work, they all needed to be in contact with the cat. The beauty of it all was that Tubble’s talent was undetectable, so Zail would not be able to sense it. Such was their faith in Lutex and Tubble that they had turned their back on Zail and his clash with the trolls and were now making slow but steady progress toward the boundary. Every league they travelled gave Errin more hope.

  They had not expected the Telft to hold Zail up for long; however, the terrifying sounds that carried surprisingly well across the treeless plain told them that he had more of a fight on his hands than they would have imagined. A particularly loud percussion caused Myssan to turn, and in doing so, a large silver bird caught his attention, its wings catching the sunlight. Alarmingly, it appeared as if it were making its way towards them. Its flight path would pass off to one side of Zail’s battle yet there was no doubt that it was going to fly directly over their heads. Squinting against the sun, he kept track of it and issued a warning. As one, the group stopped and, hands raised to shield their eyes, they looked to the sky.

  “You know, I think that is the silver dragon.” Errin whispered in disbelief. “Yes! Oh my word, it is! And I think that Hezrill is riding it!” she breathed, her mind racing. Somehow they needed to let the dragon see them without showing themselves to Zail. It was impossible. It would be a miracle if Zail failed to spot a large, shining dragon flying this close. Still, she would never give up believing in hope and the strange mind meld they were experiencing through their touch provided a possible solution.

  Pritt, who was very glad to be off that damned four-legged beast, was staring back at the conflict. His eyes, used to scanning vast horizons, were able to see detail much clearer than anyone else, making it easy for him to discern if Zail was looking in their direction or not. It was good to be able
to help. So far he had felt like a spare part, something you needed to take along just in case, but something that was just extra weight until needed. It was going to take a lot of coordination but it was worth trying.

  Pritt watched carefully, nervously nibbling his lower lip, as the dragon flew closer and the wizard fought. Zail was out of sight for a moment, hidden behind a circle of Telft and the dragon was close enough to be able to see them. The closer it came, the faster it seemed to be travelling, their window of opportunity was very small. Steeling himself, he was just about to give the ‘all clear’ when Zail popped up out of the melee and flew over the top of the trolls to land directly behind them. He appeared to be in pain but he was staring straight towards them. Their chance had gone.

  Pritt gritted his teeth and kept staring at the man who was the cause of so much misery throughout the universe, wanting desperately to punch an arrow through his worthless carcass. Annoyingly, Zail seemed quite unconcerned about his situation. Pritt saw the trolls turn before Zail did, and realised immediately that this might be their second chance. Warning everyone to be ready, he willed Zail to look back at his attackers.

  “Now!’ he cried. “Now’s our chance.” Immediately Tubble released his hold and they became visible once more, just as the dragon was about to fly past them. As one, they waved frantically, trying desperately to get its attention. Anxious eyes followed the glistening creature. A huge concussive thud shook the ground, snapping their attention back to Zail and the Telft just in time to witness the very ground open up and swallow the entire troop. Mouths open, they tried to grasp the enormity of what they had just witnessed. Both Lifen and Brack let out identical cries of anguish as they watched the last Telft vanish.

  “Watch out!” Tubble called. He had been staring in the opposite direction to everyone else and quickly projected an image of the incoming dragon bearing down on them. The silver dropped like a stone to land with a backwash of wings and a resounding thump next to Lutex. Almost automatically and totally without fear, the small boy reached out and touched its tail to incorporate it and Hezrill in Tubble’s disappearing trick.

  As he was coming into land, Syran had thought that the small boy might have been Turrin, which made his heart soar and although bitterly disappointed to find out the truth, he felt a strange affinity for this ruffle-haired child. Bending his head low he gave him a companionable huff, making the boy’s hair sit flat for a moment before it sprang back to its normal, spiky mess. Lutex was fascinated by the beautiful animal. He had never in his wildest dreams imagined that any living creature could be so perfect, so mesmerizing.

  Errin, however, was experiencing her own delight. Her whole body was now thrumming. Astoundingly, at long last and against incredible odds, she was in touch with all four shards of power. With the dragon's unexpected arrival the chance to become whole once more sent shivers up and down her spine. There was no time to waste, no time to marvel at what the fates had provided. No time for explanations or preparations. She had to make the most of it, and she had to be quick and crude.

  She knew that her brutality would be painful, and that it would cause her a certain amount of guilt down the track, yet she thought she could live with that easier than with failing them completely. They had all sacrificed too much for that. Quickly she asked Pritt, Syran, Lifen and Eva if they were willing to hand over their shards’ energy to her. It was vital that the shard bearers willingly gave up their power or she would be hit with a backlash that would kill them all. One by one they nodded and came to stand beside her, each touching her outstretched hands. Swallowing nervously, she prepared herself.

  The task before her was beyond difficult. It would need every drop of concentration, skill and luck she could muster. The transfer had to happen simultaneously, in exactly the same slice of time, or everything would crumble into dust. It was like building and archway of stone: it is vital to have each piece in place before you can lock them together with the final keystone.

  The energy of all four shards surged through every pore, every cell in her body and mind. It was almost too much power to hold onto, to be able to direct. She had been living in a powerless vacuum for so long that she was now struggling to resist being overwhelmed. Clenching her teeth, she concentrated on the four glowing beacons that were her shards, testing, judging, checking their release triggers. It was a dangerous time. She had to turn her focus inwards, become oblivious to the world around her and she had to have impeccable timing, just one micro moment out and all her hard-won shard’s energy would escape into the ether and her arch of power would collapse.

  She was terrified, and her hands were shaking.

  ‘Pull it together! This is your show. Time to prove your worth!’ she chided herself before she squared her shoulders and reached out to trigger the release of the vast well of trapped power surrounding her.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Dissan and his men rode like the wind. The urgency of the situation pressed them forward. Somewhere before them, Errin was fighting for her life and she needed every possible advantage she could get. They were under no illusion that they would be able to beat Zail, yet they might be able to provide a small distraction if needed. Besides, it was not in their nature to shy away from a fight even if they were up against overwhelming odds.

  #

  Zail surveyed his handiwork with satisfaction.

  The only evidence left of the Telft was a few mounds of dirt here and there and some broken ground. He grinned, inordinately pleased with his achievement. A line of small dots on the horizon caught his attention and squinting, he peered forward trying to discern if this new development was a threat or not. Quickly, he came to the conclusion that whoever they were, they were travelling slowly, easy to outdistance and he dismissed them as insignificant. He had more important problems to solve.

  Strangely, he could feel the witch but, somehow, he could not see her. Closing his eyes, he could sense a faint whiff or power off to the east. Swinging back and forth, he pinpointed her location and with a satisfied smile, he rose into the air once more and flew towards her, relying on his senses rather than his sight. This invisibility shield would be a useful tool and he considered torturing the spell out of her before he extinguished her life source forever. The idea of this caused him to shiver in delight.

  #

  Myssan was torn between anxiously watching Eva’s pain-creased face as Errin drew the power from her shard and the ominous approach of Zail. Somehow the wizard had seen them, and now he was only a few leagues away, and closing fast. Myssan had no idea how long Errin needed to complete her transfer but he knew that if she did not achieve it before the wizard arrived, all would be lost. Quickly he gathered Lutex and Ela to create a protective shield, knowing it would not last very long. All they could do was hope that it would give Errin a little more time, but it was just a stalling tactic really.

  Glancing nervously at the five brave people standing in the centre of the circle, all inwardly focused, all totally unaware of what was happening around them, Myssan found himself pleading silently for Errin to hurry. A league away, Zail released a blast that impacted their shield with brutal force, spreading across it like lightning. It was so violent that it knocked all three wizards to the ground. Miraculously they managed to hold their shield’s integrity. Slowly, they clambered to their feet again, all reeling in the realization that Zail had not known their exact position and as a result his blast had missed it’s mark. They had just been hit by a glancing blow, which unfortunately, had highlighted their location, lighting their shield up like fireworks, pinpointing exactly where they were.

  Numbly, they watched the wizard’s approach. He appeared to be in no hurry. He was probably savouring the moment, Myssan thought morbidly. Eva’s sigh grabbed his heart and it almost broke his concentration when he saw her sink to the ground. Pritt and Lifen also collapsed, Brack rushing to Lifen’s aid, but the dragon stayed upright, albeit swaying dangerously. Something had changed. He was not sure what
it was until a wash of glowing energy surged over him. Raising his eyes from the concerning sight of Eva’s prone body, he was blinded by Errin’s aura. She was whole once more, returned to her former glory, and he gasped at her magnificence.

  Her first act was to heal Ema, banishing the ugly burns that crisscrossed her body and healing her internal injuries with a wave of her hand. Ela squealed in delight, grasping her twin’s hand, her face split with the widest grin Myssan had ever seen. Errin was more than he had expected, more than he could have ever imagined, but would she be enough to defeat the evil bearing down on them? It was out of his hands now, as his talent was but a speck compared to Errin’s and she would not be needing him anymore. His main concern at this moment was Eva. She had only just regained her health. It had been such a short space of time, most of which had been spent running in terror. It was so unfair, and if anything had happened to her he wondered if he would be able to forgive Errin. His mind understood about the greater good but his heart did not. Eva was all, his reason to live, and he did not want to face the world without her. Carefully he knelt down beside her, pleading to the universe to let her live. Gently he took her small perfect hand in his. It was warm. His head bowed with the relief and tears flowed unheeded. He should have known better. Errin would never knowingly take a life.

  “Something wrong?” Eva asked, giving his hand a squeeze.

  “No. I just…” he stammered, until, giving up on trying to say how he felt, he drew her into his arms and held her tight.