DragonFire: Sphere of Eternity

by LJ Davies

  She returned her focus to the treetops, waiting patiently. I peered down, seeing nothing but the canopy rustling in the breeze.

  Then, in a sudden whoosh of air, she plummeted towards the vegetation. I watched her slicing through the air like a blue arrow speeding down with no sign of stopping. I lurched forward, suddenly feeling the urge to rush down and stop her before she collided with the trees, until she pulled up sharply, narrowly avoiding a collision.

  The blast of turbulence from her wings disturbed the leaves and the sound of small twigs falling echoed through the canopy. I focused on the sounds, but there was still nothing to suggest this was as exhilarating as she was making it out to be.

  She came to another hover beside the trees, and I swiftly glided down to join her.

  "What was that all about?" I questioned once again.

  "Just watch," she replied, gesturing a forepaw towards the trees.

  There was a loud rustling among the undergrowth seconds before a huge flock of animals erupted from the dense foliage.

  It took me a moment to study them, and even longer to realise what they were. Birds, I immediately dubbed them ‘earth birds’, mainly because they didn't fly. They were much larger than any bird I'd seen in the village. Each one had a pair of short, stumpy wings tucked up against a plump, round body, and ran on two long, powerful scaly legs. A curved, black beak protruded from a small head, held up by a slender neck.

  Two small eyes flanked the formidable looking weapon, darting around in search of the disturbance.

  Twenty or so emerged from the trees, the only distinction between them being the feathered crest at the back of their heads. It was an array of larger, longer feathers arranged in a white frill, much like the horns of a dragon. The flock continued their panicked stampede onto the plains, moving as one body.

  Meanwhile, Risha looked at me with a grin, and unable to hold back, I couldn't help but smile too. It seemed she wasn’t finished and I quickly followed as she resumed her flight over the stampeding mass of fast-moving feathers.

  The rabble beneath us moved like a river, kicking up a thick cloud of dust in their wake. We swooped as low as we could, soaring like two aerial hunters on the swirling air displaced by their movement; it was like riding on a pillow. The cluster of earth birds gradually began to fan out across the plains, until the dispersing blanket of air faded and we pulled up into another hover.

  "That was amazing!" I shouted over my excited exertions.

  Risha appeared quite pleased with the results as she called back through her panting.

  "Told you!"

  It felt good to enjoy myself again. Although, I didn't know why, she'd managed to brighten the otherwise dark feelings dwelling in my mind.

  Maybe having her here really isn't the worst thing in the world?

  Resuming our flight over the grassy sea, and noticing the satisfied grin on Risha’s face, I took one last look at the birds settling into several groups.

  Earth birds, birds that can't fly. The thought made me laugh quietly to myself. I wonder what other surprises this unknown land has for me.

  *

  The rest of the day was uneventful. The sun slowly sailed across the sky, passing over our heads before dropping down beside us. Occasionally, I glanced down to see different landscapes passing by. The seemingly endless plains eventually gave way to dense pinewood, and in between the pointed treetops the ground began to change. Large rocky outcrops rose up from the dense forest, appearing from the dark-green blanket like colossal stone trees.

  Unable to combat my wondering curiosity, I watched Risha flying gracefully beside me. I didn't understand why, but I actually felt something for her, something I hadn't recognised in all of the confusion and doubt that lingered in my mind; deep down I was truly glad that I didn't have to do this alone. No sooner did it feel like we were getting somewhere, than the evening came racing in, and just as the sun had claimed the day, the darkness now clawed back its lost territory.

  Large rocky cliffs enclosed the pine trees on either side of us, creating a natural valley. Cracks and crevices littered the jagged stone and the atmosphere began to change as a murky grey covering of rain-filled clouds consumed the sky. We flew further, trying to get as far up the valley as we could before the weather and darkness would inevitably force us to stop. It wasn't long before I felt the first light taps of rain on my wings, increasing until they covered my body.

  "We'll have to find some shelter before it really starts to pour," Risha proposed with a wary eye on the darkening sky.

  I nodded in agreement and we swooped down closer to the cliffs, scanning the jagged contours for suitable shelter. Meanwhile, the weak pitter-patter gave way to a heavy deluge, its growing anger expressed by the intense roar of rain hitting the forest canopy. Small cracks and crevasses were all I could see, until I spotted an opening in the base of a rocky outcrop.

  "Down there!" I hollered over the hammering rain, pointing out the small cave.

  Risha nodded, seemingly as keen to get out of the deluge.

  We descended to the ledge protruding from the cave opening and I was instantly reminded of what a natural cave really looked like: dark and gloomy. A curtain of rainwater running from the rocks draped over the entrance, and I cautiously approached, peering into the secluded darkness. Risha moved beside me and was about to enter when I spread out a wing to block her path.

  "Wait," I instructed in a muffled whisper.

  Surprised, she took a few steps back before fixing me with a confused glare. I didn't want to leave her out in the rain, but we were no longer in the safety of the city and in this weather I had to assume that any shelter might be occupied. For a moment I thought she might be better suited to checking for danger; after all, she could simply torch anything that might be lurking inside, however I wasn't willing to risk anyone's safety but my own.

  I crept in, eyes scanning the gloom, claws ready to slice anything that might be lurking. I couldn't see anything; I was just about to declare it clear when noises sounded from deep inside. I instantly poised myself to lunge, rear legs and tail coiled, forelimbs and teeth ready when a swarm of shadows rushed towards me. I had no time to react, snapping my mouth shut several times to defend against whatever it was, each bite missing its target over and over. I turned, ready to continue my fight, only to see a silhouetted colony of large bats flying out into the rainy night.

  "Is it okay to enter now, hero?" Risha cooed, upon entering the cave.

  "A–all clear," I announced, nervously.

  "Good," she chirped, settling herself down on the floor and magically shaking off the rainwater.

  I looked out into the night, forming a list in my head of how to spend a night outdoors. I'd done it before with Tarwin, on hunts that lasted for days, she'd taught me how to spend nights ‘under the stars’, as she'd described it. To my disappointment the stars weren’t out on many of those nights, and they certainly weren’t visible tonight.

  "We’re going to need a fire," I declared, remembering the first thing on my slowly forming list.

  "Well, you go get some wood and I’ll light it," Risha proposed, while gathering a few stones into a ring.

  Great, she wants me to go outside? I couldn't say no, especially as I now felt obliged to do some of the more unpleasant tasks, plus she was the only one who could light the fire.

  I walked over to the opening, peering out into the rain and what little daylight remained. Through the gloom I could just make out the stone platform and the dense trees beyond. Tucking my head beneath my wing, I set out searching. It seemed reality had other ideas, there were no trees or branches up on our ledge. I scoured the edge of the platform, just able to make out a small stone path leading down to the forest floor.

  The darkness intensified as I crept further from the cave, and a small ember of fear began smouldering inside me. It wasn’t the gloom that scared me, it was what it could be hiding. It took a while for me to finally pluck up the courage to climb down, sc
urrying along the rocky path while being careful not to slip. The trek was made all the worse by the increasingly heavy torrents of water cascading like miniature waterfalls.

  With the rain blocking out the scent of danger and its roar disguising any sounds, I turned my eyes to the forest’s darkness the moment my paws squelched in the damp earth. The fact that I saw nothing but tree trunks standing like a motionless army sent another chill down my spine.

  The stench of wet bark and rotting wood filled the air, and the tight canopy hemmed me in like a dungeon. While the thundering deluge kept up its battle cry, it truly seemed that the sky was at war with the earth, its endless bombardment flicking droplets across my scales.

  Streams of defeated rivulets trickled harmlessly down through every available gap, cleverly infiltrating the forest's defences. I trudged through the thick carpet of pine needles, patches of damp moss and mud-filled ditches. A vast network of roots sprawled out from the base of every tree, the tangled patchwork creating hundreds of waterlogged pools in what seemed like another futile attempt to hold back the sky’s assault.

  No more distractions, I told myself firmly. Get some wood and get out of this squalor.

  It was hard to focus, however. I had to force myself not to jump at every drop of water that hit me or every rodent I caught scurrying for cover. Avoiding the sprawl of roots and waterlogged pools, I began to make out the outline of a large shape.

  In between the tangled mass was just what I'd been looking for. I thought for a moment about how I would get such a large timber back to the cave, it wasn't a pleasant idea. I hesitated before grabbing it in my mouth, and just as I’d assumed, it tasted awful.

  Removing the log from its resting place, trying not to gag at the pungent taste, I turned back to the ledge. I moved quickly, almost not caring about what might be out there – I just wanted to spit the disgusting thing out. Climbing back to the cave with some haste, being careful not to slip, I clambered over the wet rocks.

  The moment I reached the top I rushed through the opening, shaking off most of the rainwater. Peering around the log I could see that Risha had finished her neat circle, and placing it in the centre, I finally spat out the last of the rotten splinters coating my tongue.

  "I guess it's my turn," she declared, rearing up and lunging forward to exhale a torrent of bright-blue flames.

  The magical fire ignited the rotten wood, spectacularly flooding the cave in a majestic sapphire light. It sent shadows dancing across the walls before settling into a calm, waving rhythm. She looked at me staring, unable to hide my amazement. That bewilderment didn’t stop me from desperately seeking the flame's warmth, however.

  I glanced at her appreciatively, but she appeared to be in deep thought.

  "Hmm, you're not going to warm up all wet like that."

  At first, I didn’t understand what she meant, until the mark on her forehead flashed. As she concentrated, I glanced about, searching for the source of power she was conjuring, until I felt droplets of water gently lift from my scales. It was like rain in reverse, the liquid levitated and merged into a spinning ball, which she duly catapulted out into the night.

  "Thanks," I said, looking over my dry wings and legs like an amazed child.

  "Think nothing of it," she responded, easing her focus and settling down beside the dancing blue flames.

  I lay across from her, positioning my head to face the cave entrance, fixing my eyes on the stormy gloom.

  "So, are you just going to go to sleep?" she queried, subtly tapping one folded forepaw on the other.

  I lifted my head and she fixed me with a positive expression.

  "What else is there to do?" I questioned, my eyes desperately fighting to stay on her, and not wander back to the cave mouth.

  "We could talk," she proposed, momentarily glancing away.

  "About what?" I asked, with my forepaws fidgeting.

  "Well, I still don't know that much about you. You never did finish telling me how you came to be raised by a human."

  I cocked my head curiously. "Well, if it's that important..."

  She shifted closer and I saw no harm in telling her more, especially because she'd proven that she could keep her promises.

  "It was about thirteen winters ago when Tarwin found me," I began, still reluctant to call her human, even though I knew Risha didn't care.

  "She always told me she found me in the woods as an egg inside a frozen rock that fell from the sky in a ball of fire."

  Assuming that she knew where dragons came from far better than I did, I didn't offer any further explanation.

  "Anyway, she took my egg in and waited for me to hatch, I suppose the village where we lived, they'd never seen a dragon before."

  I thought for a moment at how ridiculous it all sounded, but her interest had not waivered and her eyes glowed with enthusiasm.

  "At first, they thought I might be dangerous, I'm pretty sure some of them wanted to get rid of me. Tarwin wouldn't let them, though. She's the one that showed them I wasn't going to hurt anyone. I guess I was her... Pet."

  I hesitated, reluctantly mumbling the final word. I didn't know for sure, but to say openly I was a pet didn't feel like the best thing to share. Risha didn't seem to mind though.

  "They gradually began to accept me, even her father, the chief."

  "Wait," she interrupted, "what's a ‘chief’?"

  "It's the leader of the village," I replied.

  She retained a confused look, and I thought for a moment, trying to think of anything that might make sense to her.

  "Like the human version of the Elders?" she pressed.

  "No, more like the Sovereign," I explained. "The village had elders too though."

  She nodded steadily in acknowledgement.

  "Anyway, even the chief," I repeated. "After that Tarwin and I were inseparable until... well until..." I stuttered, coming to a stop.

  There were many memorable things in those years I could tell her about, but my mind became fixed on one.

  "Until she was taken by the wyverns?" she asked softly.

  "Yeah," I muttered, happiness fleeing from my voice.

  At that, I really wanted to change the subject, and I looked across the fire to her.

  "Well, enough about me, you haven't told me anything about you." I hoped she wouldn’t reject my proposal or think it intrusive.

  "Actually, my story isn't much different," she responded before I could fret too much. "Well, apart from the falling from the sky part," she added with a laugh.

  What does she mean? Isn't that where all dragons come from?

  Of course not! I scolded myself. That's ridiculous!

  Risha shuffled stealing my attention away from my thoughts when she muttered. "By the skies, where do I begin?"

  I considered telling her she didn't have to go on, but before I could, she continued.

  "I was part of a clutch of three eggs. I’m sure you can probably guess, one was Boltock, the other I was told never hatched. My mother was an earth dragon called Amethyst and my father a water dragon called Tsunami. I hatched in Blizar, the most northerly of the draconic cities beyond Dardien, on the fringes of the frozen wastes."

  So, she'll have been through the bitter winters like me? I wondered. Probably worse winters that far north.

  "My brother and I were raised there; it was an amazing city. We would spend hours flying across the frozen sea and my father would take us to the ice-fire peaks of Valcador. I was never happier," she reminisced, her wings rustling like she was living out a dream

  "It was very different from Dardien. The buildings were made of a magical ice called blizarium. Lighter than metal, but stronger than dragon scale – the buildings needed it, to stand up to the harsh conditions." She chuckled, looking at one of her forepaws. "Only the most adept water elementals could mould it, I never really got the chance to learn."

  She paused again, so lost in her nostalgia she seemed to fall into a hypnotic state.

  "Our li
ves... we were happy there, until one night in late winter."

  She glanced down at the cave floor and I could sense that whatever came next wasn't a good memory. I raised my head, ready to tell her she didn't need to continue, but she swallowed, returning her eyes to the blue flame like it was a lifeline.

  "It was late when the guards saw them," she continued. "The lights approached from the sea, they looked... they looked beautiful, the calm waters reflecting them like stars. The sense of beauty was dismissed when we realised they were attached to enormous wooden beasts, piercing the water like knives. They hit the beach and unloaded mobs of two-legged monsters. The city was overrun within minutes. They were unlike anything I'd seen – not the Orkin we knew to fear, nor wild beasts."

  Two-legged monsters? Surely, she can't be talking about what I think she's talking about?

  "Boltock and I became separated from our parents, I remember being trapped in an ice nest, while the monsters were outside. One of them burst through the doorway with an axe and I thought that was it. I closed my eyes and curled up around him preparing for the worst."

  I felt my head drop, it was almost as if boulders had been tethered to the tip of my muzzle. Her description made me feel like I had in the forest with Tarwin, wanting nothing more than to keep the one I cared about safe.

  "It was our father who took our attacker by surprise, I can still see it... trapped in his jaws. The last time I saw him…"

  Her words escaped as though she wanted to rid herself of what she so vividly remembered, when her eyes started to glisten.

  "The last thing I remember, was being swept up into the arms of our mother. That was the last we saw of Blizar; I still see the sky glowing red with flames, feel the choking pressure of the smoke. Dragons were mercilessly shot out of the sky by hails of arrow fire. But mother escaped and flew so far that there was no ice."

  The blue dragoness gave a sniff, shifting her left wing and glancing back, as if checking it was okay.

  "I remember noticing there was something wrong. A large wound beneath mother's wing. Despite her injury she didn't stop until her weakness forced her to. With the last of her strength she set us down in the ruins on top of the cliff. I remember the moment she died, it was sunrise and the light set the ruins ablaze with oranges like dragonfire."