“What do you want Trista, I am not in the mood to play nice, be cooperative, or otherwise participate in whatever planning is going on at this moment. I am tired, I am frustrated, and all in all I just don’t care about whatever you came to talk to me about. And if Kane sent you, I really don’t care so don’t even bother.”
As Trista took a deep breath, prepared to give him grief for his attitude she noticed something she had never noticed before in all the times she had gone in search of him to try to smooth things over between him and Kane. Darian had a look of pain briefly cross his face when he had said Kane’s name, it was just a brief, fleeting look, but it told Trista something she would have never known if she had not been looking at Darian at just the right moment. And in that moment Trista wondered what it would be like to have one of her Lyra treat her as Kane treated Darian. For just a second she felt pity for Darian, really for his entire Lyra, it seemed they would never know the true bond possible between the members of a Lyra. Oh she knew they were close, she knew they were bonded, she even knew that most of the time they got along well. It was just, sometimes Darian did not think and those times usually caused problems for the rest of his Lyra. Squaring her shoulders Trista decided the best thing to do would be to worry about the problems in the Lyra Taricasia later. They had a race to save and feelings took second place to the race.
“I do not really care what you want, we have a race to save and you are needed. Whatever problems you are having with Kane will have to come after the problems we are having with our dragons and saving our race. You are needed and you will be the leader our people need whether you feel like it or not. Your mood is not really my problem. We have a plan to get information from the watchers and it requires your help.” Trista paused to gage whether she was getting through to Darian before she continued, a sly smile forming on her lips when she saw she had his complete attention from the moment she mentioned having a plan. “You can even bring Merriam and Carissa if you would like.”
“Ok, you have my interest, what is the plan?”
“Well, you know how much watchers hate having people around the tower? Except for the ceremonies we have been involved in the watchers tend to get uncomfortable when we show up near the tower.”
Darian, who was intelligent despite his impulsiveness and his illogical logic, began to laugh as he realized just what Trista was proposing. “When would you like us to gather around the tower?”
Trista smiled an evil smile, “Oh, I thought, well actually Hered came up with the plan, to have a picnic in the tower meadow and perhaps we could camp around the tower tonight. And since all the Lyra will be in the meadow perhaps we should bring our most trusted Elite with us to guard us as we sleep. And of course our mates and children and well those of us who have grandchildren, just have a nice little party in the meadow. Maybe a campfire or two, some fine alcohol, and music.”
“Why would we need to have Elite to watch us sleep? There is absolutely no one outside of Lyra and Dragons and of course the watchers that even know where the tower is located so no one could step to us during the night.” Darian stopped as it finally occurred to him just why Trista was suggesting they take their Elite with them, and mates and children. Not even Elite had ever been invited to the tower before. If members of the Lyra made the watchers uncomfortable, what would having the members of three Lyra, their families, and their Elites do to the watchers. Darian did a quick calculation and concluded that the minimum amount of people Trista was arranging to descend upon the tower was going to be in excess of thirty, well in excess of thirty. He began to laugh, sputtered a moment and finally, through his laughter asked the all important question, “What time would you like us to meet up, and where?”
“We thought perhaps we could meet in the park at my house two hours before dark. Oh yes, do call to Sarian to return, Kane said he had gone to speak with the Lyriants, and make sure Patro is on board with the plan also.” Trista stood up and just before she took the step that would take her to Kervin’s home she gave one last bit of advice. “Make sure you bring two of your Elite, if something happens and we need to leave, we need to make certain your child and mate can be returned home and neither are strong enough to step that far.” With that Trista stepped away.
Moments later Merriam came dancing into the room happily singing, “I get to see the tower, I get to see the tower.”
Darian smiled to see his daughter so happy and, as he grabbed her up to hug her and swing her around the room he thought to himself, She makes everything worth doing.
Chapter 5
Trista looked around at everyone gathered in her park and smiled. If this many people descending upon the watch tower did not get them some information nothing would. Motioning to Darian and Kervin to join her she walked a little away from the group.
“With myself, my Lyra will be moving twenty-three people to the meadow. Do you both have a count of how many people will be coming with each of you?”
Kervin shrugged and with a slightly evil grin volunteered, “We will have twenty-one people, counting myself of course.”
Darian looked back at the group of people mingling and swiveling his head back to Kervin he could not help but wonder, “Why does Trista have more people than you do. I expected both of you to have more than my group because we just do not have the children or grandchildren yet to have the numbers both of your Lyra have, but Trista has more than you do.”
Kervin gave a short little laugh, and rolling his eyes just a bit replied, “Our mates do not need a back up Elite to get them out of the meadow if everything goes sideways. With age comes strength and the ability to step greater distances. In reality we only needed to bring four Elite with us, but I made the call to bring an extra three just in case.”
Darian’s eyes widened, “Do you think I should have brought more? I brought thirteen people with me, so fourteen people including myself but only five Elite. One for each of our mates and one for Merriam.”
Trista snorted in laughter and looked back toward the group. After a moment of thought she looked back at Darian and Kervin, “By my calculations we have twenty-one Elite, fifty-six people total.”
Kervin interrupted her with the correction, “Fifty-eight people.”
Trista appeared to be deep in thought for a moment, nodding she continued “Fifty-eight people of which only twelve are at all authorized to be around the tower or even know where it is located.” A cynical twist on her lips she barked a laugh, “If forty-six unauthorized people descending upon the meadow does not work,” her shoulders drooped for a moment as she considered the plan may not work, “nothing will.”
Kervin reached out to lay his hand upon Trista’s shoulder in comfort, but at the last moment caught himself. A fire walker could touch anyone in the race except another fire walker. The magic of their fires did not react well together when they came in contact with each other. Every fire walker learned this lesson at an early age. And as far as Kervin knew, every fire walker immediately scoffed at such a notion. He knew he had, so the fire walker before him had braced himself and reached out to smack him upside the head. The end result was both he and the fire walker who had trained him had gone flying through the air to land half a room apart. He had not faired as well as his trainer. In return he had repaid the favor by treating Trista to the same demonstration. He found out bracing did not help, at all. However, such a demonstration did keep your trainee from ever walking up to you and touching you. It was a painful lesson.
Kervin looked at the other two fire walkers and then back at the group they had gathered. Shaking his head he muttered, “I have a bad feeling about this.” Taking a deep breath, and with a final shake of his head he closed his eyes. A moment later he opened them and headed back toward the group calling for everyone to gather around for last minute instructions. Trista and he had discussed the best way to approach the meadow with that many people in tow, but neither one had discussed it with Darian or his Lyra.
Looking around to m
ake sure he had everyone’s attention Kervin began, “What we are going to try has, to my knowledge never been done before. Never in our history has anyone not Lyra been to the meadow around the watch tower. Well, except once, two weeks ago but that was only one person, and was authorized by one of our bonded dragons. But, never have we been so desperate for information before. I am going to be honest, we do not know what to expect. Since no one can step to where they have never seen before each Lyra member will take two Elites with them when they step, then everyone step back here immediately. We have twenty-one Elite so my Lyra will step with their mates and back here. Once back here each Elite will take the family member they are assigned to and we will all step back to the tower meadow. Does everyone agree to this plan.” Kervin looked around but everyone was nodding, “In that case may the Shadow Goddess have mercy upon us and guide our travel. Trista, send one of your Elite through with Sarian.”
With a nod Trista turned to one of her Elite who soon made his way to Sarian’s side. Each member of the three Lyra grasped the arms of the ones they would carry with them until each one had two people. Finally Kervin, satisfied everyone was ready gave a nod, “Let’s go.” Taking a step the thirty-six people disappeared and just as suddenly stepped back into view. Most wearing a look of awe upon their faces they spread out, with the Elites going to their assigned charges to begin the next step of the plan.
Looking around to make certain everyone had the items they were suppose to bring to have a party and stay the night Kervin gave the nod for everyone to step to the meadow.
Chapter 6
Kervin looked around at the people filling the meadow and laughed. He began to walk toward the tower along with Trista and Darian and the other members of all three Lyra. Glancing back he noticed everyone was gazing in awe at the tower. They were still a distance from the tower when Kervin heard Darian start to speak.
“You know, I have been here a few times and I am almost certain that the tower has never pulsed that color before.”
Kervin glanced back at the tower, eyes widening before turning back to the rest of the people and shouting, “Get everyone to safety! Step back, step back!”
The Elites and the mates to Kervin’s Lyra all had a bit of a grimace upon their faces as Elite Bryol shouted back, “We can not step, it does not work.”
Kervin muttered, “I told you I had a bad feeling about this.” Who exactly he was suppose to have told was not clear.
From the distance wing beats could be heard and everyone in the meadow turned toward the sound, most with relief that finally they would see one of their dragons and get some answers. What they saw though was not what anyone expected. Not only was this not a Lyra bonded dragon, it was not even a dragon they had seen before. Not that they had ever seen any dragons but Lyra bonded dragons. No, this dragon was larger than any seen before and still a good distance away.
As the dragon drew closer Kervin was busy trying to step his mate back to safety. He thought that maybe, since she could not step by herself, despite being strong enough, maybe if he added his power and strength to the task, but it was no use. Swallowing a knot in his throat he told his mate and the others to stay close to each other and he strode forward to meet this new dragon. He had to stop once and motion his Elites back but that was nothing the other Lyra were not also dealing with.
Finally all three Lyra, twelve members in all, stood in front of the tower near the place of ceremonies. The Elites were busy moving the crowd of family members further away from the tower.
Darian was the first to give voice to what everyone could see, “It came through the portal.” Everyone had gone to Darian’s to see Bowser after that fateful day and everyone had seen what happened to anything thrown through the portal and dragged back to this side. This dragon did indeed look as though it had come through the portal. The only problem Kervin saw with Darian’s observation was the fact this dragon had to dwarf all of their dragons by such an enormous amount he was not sure it would have fit through the doors. And how such a dragon could have gotten past everyone around the portal was also a question.
Kervin motioned everyone to back away a bit when he saw the dragon was going to be landing near the ceremony stones. Everyone had begun to step further away when Kervin noticed Darian had not only not moved, he seemed to be approaching the dragon who was in the process of landing. Eyes wide Kervin grabbed Sarian’s arm and, with a jerk, pulled him closer.
“What by all that is holy is Darian doing?” Kervin quietly demanded.
Sarian, watching Darian, muttered “I do not know, but at a guess, trying to get us all killed knowing Darian.”
“Well ask him, quietly, mentally, to join the rest of us in giving that dragon some room.” Kervin pleaded with Sarian. Kane and Patro, easing closer both whispered “We can’t.”
The others, hearing what was said gathered even closer. Kervin, still watching Darian, spared a brief moment to look in incredulous disbelief at Kane and Patro, before turning his attention back to Darian and the colorful dragon now settling down just mere feet in front of Darian.
“Why?” Kervin finally whispered.
Sarian whispered back, “Can you talk to your Lyra? Mentally?”
After a few seconds of silence a whispered “No.” Was heard from both Trista and Kervin with other mutters of “no” coming from different people in the group.
Kervin thought hard for a moment before coming to a decision. Squaring his shoulders he called to Darian, who seemed to be paying no attention to him at all. In fact, he seemed to be having a serious discussion with the dragon if all the hand gestures were anything to go by. Closing his eyes Kervin said a brief prayer to the Shadow Goddess Ariannia for safety for his people. He could hear others around him doing the same thing.
Sarian glanced over at Kervin and asked, “Can you hear what they are saying?”
Kervin shook his head as did everyone else, “Not a word, if I did not see his mouth moving I would not believe he was saying anything.”
Kane gave a shudder of unease, “I recognize those hand gestures, Darian uses almost the same hand gestures every single time he tries to tell someone they are wrong.”
Patro and Sarian both had almost identical looks of unease on their faces. With a deep breath Sarian agreed with Kane, “His stance is not good either, that is definitely his I am right and you are wrong stance. Look at his body language, I swear that is the stance he takes just before he starts shooting fire balls.”
Almost before the words were out of Sarian’s mouth the first fireball left Darian’s hand headed straight for the head of the new dragon. Eleven men and women tensed as they watched the fireball approach the head of the strange dragon. For two of the members the sight was one that would replay in their nightmares for many thousands of years as they watched their death warrant fly from the hands of their fire walker.
The sight of the dragon exhaling a puff of air and causing the fireball to vanish caused more than one gasp from the watching Lyra. Eyes wide the eleven members of the three Lyra decided as one and without speaking that they had not moved far enough away. A quick glance around assured Kervin that the Elites and family members had moved a considerable distance and looked to still be moving further away. He hoped they were able to move a safe distance away but if Darian was going to shoot fireballs at an unknown dragon with unknown powers it might turn out no place on the planet was safe. Not for the first time Kervin cursed the gods who had given once such as Darian the power to lead their race.
Kervin was not the only one cursing the gods, and Darian. Kane was steady cursing not only the gods but clenching his hands over and over as he swore to beat Darian within an inch of his life. Suddenly Kane swallowed hard and fell silent staring at the dragon. Kervin, who had momentarily taken his eyes off the dragon to access everything else jerked his head back to the dragon to find the dragon was staring at them, all of them, and she did not appear to be happy if her body language was anything like the body language o
f their dragons. In fact the dragon seemed to be ignoring Darian, who had his arms crossed and appeared, from this distance, to be glaring at the dragon. The dragon, who was glaring at them.
Closing his eyes briefly Kelvin thought, This can not be good. “What do you think Darian said to her that would cause her to ignore him and glare at us.” He asked aloud, not really expecting anyone to be able to answer him.
Sarian gave a deep sigh, “You are talking about Darian, no one ever really knows what he is going to say or do. His logic is, different. I can not shield. Has anyone else noticed we can not move further back or is it just me?”
Trista, fear in her voice, whispered, “I was hoping I was just so scared my feet quit moving.”
Nalia, Shadow Walker for Kervin, with a whimper in her voice volunteered “I can’t move any further away either.” Kervin reached over to rest his hand on her shoulder in support while his two ice walkers moved closer to her. Kervin and his ice walkers were very protective of their petite shadow walker. The movement to close ranks around Nalia at least proved to them they could move as long as they did not try to move further away.
The group stayed huddled together, fear thick in the air around them as each and every one realized just how badly they had erred with this plan. If the dragon in front of them chose to attack they had no way to protect themselves. Their shields were not working, they could not communicate mentally, they could move no further away, and based on what they had just seen Darian do, attacks against the dragon would not work. If the dragon in front of them attacked, it would doom their race to a quicker death than the change going on in the environment around them. Without the Lyra, their tapestry would begin to wither and the race would slowly die.
Evacuation Page 3
