by C E Johnson
The creatures on her side of the field were thinning, and Emily’s confidence was building. Were-creature to your right, her ki roared without warning, shattering her hopes. She turned too late. With a sickening feeling, she felt herself lifted from the ground by the force of a rabid wolf’s attack. Snapping teeth sheared through her magical shield, protective mail and skin on her right arm, and she screamed in agony as a throbbing pain lanced from her extremity to her neck, causing her to drop her sword and grit her teeth. She smashed her left fist into the chest of the beast, but it barely moved, wild in its assault, crazed with power. As its teeth released her arm and sought the blood vessels in her neck, the werewolf reeled backwards from a well-placed crossbow bolt that lodged in its skull. It shook its head once in confusion before erupting into smoke. Emily glanced to see the source of the attack. The bolt had come from Luke, who had shaken off his initial shock. The girls were notching their longbows while Luke was shaking his crossbow triumphantly in the air.
Are you okay? Xena was all concern. Emily nodded her head. They’re learning the art of war, Xena murmured. I told you they’d be helpful.
Hoping her friends would fire their weapons to help Dr. D and Cameron, Emily gestured toward the other side of the field where several horse-clan-warriors and Dr. D were surrounded by a large force of vampires and goblins. Gingerly she stood, testing the function of her sword-arm. Xena was at her side, blood dripping from her muzzle, eyes wide with concern. Emily’s arm felt somewhat numbed from the force of the impact, but her grip was solid. I’m okay. She glanced to her father. We must help him. She kissed the top of Xena’s head before running toward the other side of the field.
Emily watched two horse-clansmen erupt into mist under the onslaught of a large vampire in black plate mail as she crossed the distance. He looked like the leader of the attack. “Cain!” A vampire screamed at the darkly mailed leader, pointing in her direction. The monstrous vampire glanced at her with a face hard as stone, cruel as ice. He adjusted his attack to start a course to intersect her path. Emily tried to breathe deeply to slow the terror rising in her heart. Many other clansmen were sustaining severe wounds as the vampire fought with an easy grace, sweeping aside blades and fighting as a grim dealer of death.
I’m close, Ammolite projected. Emily could sense her dragon’s frantic flight, but she knew Ammolite wouldn’t arrive for several more minutes.
Nearing the fray with Xena loping silently at her side, Emily screamed a war-cry that came unbidden to her mouth. The half-deads in ear-shot turned in her direction with dark eyes and darker intentions. Timed perfectly with her approach, a tight cluster of arrows and a crossbow bolt contacted the half-deads at the periphery of the mob with satisfying thuds and a small black cloud formed at their deaths. At the same moment, the pounding hooves of warhorses signaled the approach of Cameron. Horses plunged into view, thundering onto the battlefield from the opposite side of the glade while trumpeting their anger. Chaos ruled the dark night as horses and were-creatures collided in a mass of flesh and smoke.
Even in plate mail, Cain moved swiftly to challenge Emily; he had fought through all obstacles to battle with her. Emily tried to swallow the bile in her throat. She barely blocked a devastating slashing blow intended for her head. Cain grunted and swore a stream of curses at her successful defense. He twisted away from her counterattack like a black eel. They traded blows and Emily was quickly soaked with sweat, thanking her good fortune when Cain paused a moment to scan the skies.
He knows Ammolite’s on her way, Emily realized. She muttered a freezing spell taught to her on the Island of Bashan and blue bursts of magus-fire shot from her hands. At the same time, she darted forward with an offensive sword maneuver. Cain didn’t appear fazed by her magical attack. The spell only frosted his armor; half-deads weren’t susceptible to many spells. He parried her sword without difficulty. Back and forth they fought through scattered patches of death-smoke that hung in air like transient tombstones. Blows were raining down in their deadly dance, each attacking so hard that sparks formed when steel touched steel. Parry, backslash, hack, swing, roared her ki as her sword sang.
Cain’s weapon was moving faster and faster, while Emily’s began to feel heavy in her hands. Small searing episodes of lancing electricity stemming from her wound began to grow in intensity. Thankfully, Xena was everywhere around her, preventing other vampires from helping their captain, leaping wherever Emily needed assistance. Emily’s shields were depleting as rapidly as the energy in her right hand. Her shields were being damaged by attacks upon herself, Xena and her Earth friends. Emily felt panic clutching her heart. Blood wept from a multitude of small cuts that formed on her body as her magus drained away. The crimson liquid merged with the force of gravity, dropping toward her lower body in growing streams. She fought her growing dread, nearly blind with tears that were threatening to fall.
I’m in trouble, Z, Emily groaned. Her arm was becoming stiff and her grip was loose as blood flowed down her fingers from her werewolf injury. Her heart was hammering in her throat. She took a second to wipe the blood from her sword hand on her leather armor and in that second Cain threw his sword at Emily with his right hand while simultaneously swinging the mailed gauntlet of his left hand toward her head in a coordinated lightning-fast attack. His sword missed, but his gauntlet connected, and Emily fell to the ground with a cry of pain. Sneering, Cain picked up his sword. “Samil wanted me to give you his regards.” He lifted his glimmering weapon above his head, preparing for a killing blow.
Emily cowered below him, her dazed mind was reeling. She was ready to roll when he attacked, to dodge the steel tip of his sword. I have to keep fighting. I have to protect my friends. She reached out, her fingers raking helplessly over the soil moist with blood, hoping to find something to help her up.
You will not die, Ammolite roared in an icy tone. The camouflaged multi-colored dragon became momentarily visible as she shot out fireballs at Cain. Cain’s sword never descended. Instead of attacking, he screamed in agony, anguish, and sheer frustration as he realized his failure. He had taken too much time. A second later, he turned to smoke. In the area where he once stood, only a ghostly black mist remained.
Thank you. Emily’s mental voice was shaky. She sent a flood of thoughts of appreciation and love to Ammolite, sensations no words could hope to convey.
How’s your injury? Xena appeared noiselessly. She took up a guarding position over Emily’s supine form.
My energy’s low. Emily weakly reached up a hand to rub the black fur on the chest of her bondsmate; Xena’s hairs were wet with blood and gore. Watch over me. She closed her eyes, set her head down on the bloody ground, and everything went black.
After Cain’s death, the enemy forces began to dwindle rapidly. Without an able leader, the coven became defensive. Luckily, Ammolite had no qualms about destroying half-deads. Cloaked in invisibility and relentless in her pursuit, she descended upon the remaining creatures time and again, her dragon teeth ripping them apart. Their death-mist added to the smoke gently wafting over the field, and the final half-deads fled or were dispatched.
With the battle won, Dr. D rushed to Emily’s side to stop her bleeding. Once she was stable, he turned his attention to the warriors with the greatest injuries, saving several more lives with his advanced medical knowledge and magic. Although half of the horse-clan warriors were killed, his quick use of healing spells prevented the deaths of many more.
Emily eventually awoke to find herself in a makeshift tent, on a bed in their camp with Xena lying next to her. Good to have you back, Xena projected, licking her face with a warm tongue.
Emily didn’t even protest her unsanitary bath. Good to be back. Thank you both.
We’re always here for you. Ammolite was high above Emily’s location, patrolling the area for other half-deads.
Emily turned her head to find Luke was sitting at her side. He looked crestfallen. “I’m sorry I didn’t do more.” He studied the blood still
oozing through her many bandages. “So much blood.”
Don’t forget our first battle against the yapoks. Xena felt for Luke. Remember how difficult it was for you to fight.
“I’ll heal.” Emily sat up and ran her hand lightly along Luke’s cheek. “Thanks for that crossbow shot, you saved me.”
“I should have done more … you saved all of us.” He glanced at her wounded arm and gave her a wry half-smile. “I guess at least you’ll have another scar to boast about … like the one on your leg.” Emily gave him a dramatic roll of her eyes.
“You’re awake?” Elizabeth sounded pleased as she entered the tent with Anna, Isabelle, Dr. D, and Cameron. Emily stood with their help. She studied her Earth friends’ dirty faces which were streaked with tears. “This was your first battle,” she spoke to them proudly. “You don’t have to be directly in the middle of every conflict to make a difference.”
Dr. D smiled gently. “You were all experts with your bolts and arrows.”
“I can see traces of your medical expertise in these bandages and in the condition of my wounds,” Emily gave her father a hug. “Thank you for your healing touch.”
Cameron’s green eyes remained focused on Emily. “Em, you were wonderful in the battle … you turned the tide.”
Emily felt slightly embarrassed by his attention, by all of their attention. She turned to her Earth friends. “Remember, in every encounter with the enemy, you’ll always be under my shield, my umbrella of power.” She bent down and picked an arrow up off the ground near to her, flipping it in her hand. “Even if an arrow comes to your head, you won’t be hurt. When a weapon contacts my shield, it simply drains a portion of my energy.”
“So as long as you’re alive, we’ll survive?” Elizabeth asked. Emily nodded.
“I guess that’s convenient for you.” Isabelle flashed an impish smile at Emily. “With that in mind, we’ll have to do everything in our power to protect you.”
Emily laughed. “Yes, we’re a team. I will never let you down of my own free will.” Emily threw the arrow playfully at Isabelle.
Anna stepped close to Emily and stared at the small cuts scattered over her exposed skin. “But how can you take so much pain?”
Emily gave a weak smile and glanced at her father. “Someone taught me to block out the pain.” She flexed the fingers in her sword hand experimentally. “I will shield you until my last drop of magus-energy, and then I’ll faint. Don’t fear getting into a battle. Just try not to get hit by the enemy’s attack. Use your shields and speed whenever possible. Dispatch your enemy rapidly and it will help preserve my energy.”
“Help where you see an opening to give assistance,” Dr. D suggested. He looked over Emily’s exposed wounds, whispering spells.
Anna nodded slowly, with growing understanding. “Even shooting our arrows helps you because if we eliminate the enemy that’s attacking you, we help save you and save your shields from damage.”
“Exactly. Next time, we’ll do even better.” Emily squeezed Anna’s hand. “I remember how scared I was during my first battle against some yapok.”
“Tell us about your first battle,” Luke requested as he helped Emily exit the tent and take a seat by the campfire. The bloody, dirty, tear-stained friends sat with her. They listened raptly as Emily began to tell them about her first conflict. Their bonding, which was already strong, was becoming forged in steel.
C H A P T E R 2 5
The Journey
During their days of travel, Emily healed. She rode on horseback the majority of the time to be near her friends. They would sing together songs of Earth and soldier songs of Acacia taught to them by her father and the horse-clan warriors. Other times she and Xena would fly with Ammolite who would answer her questions about Acacia, teaching from her vast dragon knowledge-base.
I regret that I’m not able to always remain with your group, Ammolite spoke apologetically in Emily’s mind. Dragons grow rapidly and I’m at a stage where I must continually think about food. I often need to hunt. There will be times in the desert where I’ll have to leave you unguarded for long periods of time. Large food is much scarcer in the desert, and I’ll have to fly far from your contingent.
Emily enjoyed the wind in her hair, the flap of dragon wings, the melding of three hearts hurtling through the sky over Acacia. While I’m on Acacia, you’re never far from me, Ammolite. You’re always in my mind. It was early in the morning and Emily watched the last moon, a rust-red behemoth, dip beyond the horizon as the bold sun sent its questing rays to touch her upturned face. She was quiet for a moment wanting to ask her dragon other questions, but wondering if she would somehow offend her bondsmate.
Ask your question, little one, Ammolite urged. I can sense your curiosity spilling over the edges of your mind.
Emily laughed, feeling emboldened. Can you tell me about other things your species hunt? Do the dragons really eliminate possible threats to their existence and destroy inventions that could cause harm?
Ammolite’s scales glittered in the rising sunlight, royal blues where Emily made contact, with whites and gold by her head that were deepening in color as they grew warmer with the sun’s heat. For as long as dragons have been the caretakers of this planet, we’ve patrolled it. I can see in your mind that on Earth you have those who keep order. We try and keep the order on this planet.
How do you know what’s truly good and what’s bad? Emily asked. The underlying decision seems so difficult. For instance, in my own mind, I feel I was totally justified in destroying the attacking half-deads, but I’m sure the half-deads who attacked us thought they were correct in their actions. The ones keeping order have to decide which creature is truly correct … who is truly good.
Ammolite didn’t immediately answer, instead she flapped her wings, gaining altitude until they were entirely encased in soft white clouds that blotted out the world below. Dragons have magus coursing through our bodies, given to us by the planet, from the very core … from the creator. We detect many patterns and act when we sense a confluence of harmful destiny, something that would drastically hurt or change life on Acacia. Only then do we eliminate a threat before it grows too large for us to control. Tiny water droplets formed on Ammolite’s scales, meeting in tiny rivulets to stream away. We sense doom like an evil aura, and we alert Tiamat. My mother ultimately decides our actions. If an invention could kill thousands of innocents, we’ll destroy it. If we determine the builder wanted to do harm, we’ll destroy them also.
The water droplets were also collecting on Emily, dancing through her hair with a cool pleasant sensation. She asked the question that didn’t make sense to her, How is Samil allowed to live?
Ammolite exited the cloud and plunged toward the land below, banking just above the treetops to glide effortlessly above the forest. If we discover truly evil creatures, they’re eradicated, such as any Acacean who would take pleasure in hurting or abusing children or murderers who take pleasure in the act of murder. For those who wish to war and conquer, though, we usually don’t get involved. This is a pattern that’s so prevalent, we would have to wipe out the majority of creatures in this world to destroy this basic urge. Emily could see a pack of dire wolves in a clearing below, chasing a giant elk. War is ingrained in many races; it’s not something we can cut away, so we tolerate it. Even though we know Samil would like to change the balance of power on Acacia, he’s following his urge to conquer. Ammolite turned her head to look at Emily as they flew. What do you think of the secrets of dragons?
Ammolite banked over the clearing and the wind whispered through her great wings. Emily could see the dire wolves below slamming into the elk, attempting to drive it to the ground. Snarling and snapping, they dove at the creature’s legs with jaws dripping with blood. The lead wolf howled, looking strong, monstrous and grim all at once. I’m at peace with the dragons governing. Your link to the planet and creator are comforting to me. I listen to my adoptive parents talk about governments on Earth, and even though
many are founded on great principles, there always seems to be an element of corruption and problems. I would hope that if we had a higher power on Earth, we would choose to be guided by the wisdom, but I don’t know if we would. Humans haven’t achieved … dragon-consciousness.
You’re an intelligent half-elf, Ammolite teased. I believe my dragon wisdom must be taking hold inside you. You do realize I want to make you the smartest human in the universe, strong, and wise to help you to prevent your untimely death. I must preserve our bond at all costs.
I hope there’s a little more in your heart than just trying to preserve a bond, Emily teased back.
Ammolite became serious. Having so much knowledge and links to the planets is a heavy burden that no one human should have to shoulder. I’ll shield you from as much as I can.
And I will always be here to add to your shield, Xena’s words were reinforced with her strength and undying dedication.
Emily placed her cheek against her dragon’s cool scales, fully opening her mind to her bondsmates in their clear and unfettered link. They bathed in a three-way sea of love.
* * *
On their journey through Western Acacia, they rode past herds of bison that were occasionally chased by saber-toothed tigers and small packs of dinosaurs such as corsairs. There were herds of twelve feet tall wooly mammoths lumbering along and scores of enormous moose with intricate antlers.
In the evenings, they would practice with their swords and bows. Luke was a huge hit among the horse-clan with his massive broadsword. The fighters of the clan continually challenged him, amazed that the tall skinny boy could best their strongest warriors. Luke urged the men to teach him their favorite moves, and he learned several techniques from the horse-clan. One forceful attack, called the stampede, involved a lightning fast series of thrusts. Anna, Isabelle, and Elizabeth, with the power and accuracy of their bows, also impressed the fighters. With so much attention bestowed, the confidence of Emily’s friends continued to grow.
