Evacuation

by Sherry Foster

  He watched the others discussing the situation and wished he could hear what they were saying. Finally he watched as, with one last look at Tresimiaset and himself the Lyra all approached the ceremony stones and, one at a time, did something he could not see before each one stepped away and gave room to the next in line. Finally each member of all three Lyra stepped away from the ceremony stone area and rejoined Darian, who had not moved the entire time.

  Tresimiaset moved away from him and approached the stones. He could not see from his vantage point exactly what she did and from the way the others were craning their necks to see he did not believe they knew exactly what she was doing either. Maybe they did, they were bonded to dragons themselves.

  After a moment Tresimiaset returned to the spot she had been occupying since she had arrived. Malory could feel her displeasure but he had no idea what had caused it. Before he could ask her about the emotions he could feel through the bond she spoke. He knew she spoke to all the Lyra and not just him this time.

  Take your supplies and find a place to camp, further out from the tower, you cause it unease this close. You need not go far, I have to examine these memories you have shared. I am sure you will want to eat, I am even more sure you will want to drink. When I better understand what we are dealing with I will be able to plan. Until then, you can not leave here. Your families and Elites you were foolish enough to bring here do not expect you to return from your meeting for a few days. Now go, I will call you when I am ready. Leave food and a bedroll for my bonded. He will sleep where he is tonight.

  After some shuffling around the Lyra, all twelve members, began to move further away, taking the supplies with them after leaving Malory a bedroll and food. They even thought to leave him a bottle of wine, not knowing Malory had never been in a position to buy wine, and therefore had never had any. He thought he better leave it for another day.

  As he watched the others leave Tresimiaset spoke to him. I know you have many questions but I need to sort these memories I have now. You can go ahead and eat and you should get some rest. You will find you are more tired than you might think after what you have been through. The memories do change you to a degree.

  As she spoke she settled into a better position while curling her tail around Malory like a mini barrier. She knew being around her gave him a feeling of safety and belonging and she was large enough he could stretch out comfortably in the safety of the enclosure she had created for him with her tail. She also knew from the past that her bonded always ended up using her for a pillow. It was just one more thing that had always been.

  Chapter 10

  Darian was not happy, none of the Lyra were happy. They were worried about their dragons, they were concerned about the new dragon. The were battling a mixture of hope and dismay. The new dragon had caused both emotions in them by her appearance, her story, and her claim she had their dragons. No one knew just what to say and everyone was reluctant to be the first to say anything.

  As they set up camp Kervin finally began to speak. The others paused what they were doing for a moment to listen. When they realized Kervin had not stopped setting up camp but instead was working and talking they followed his lead and continued to set up camp while they listened.

  “I do not know what is going on. Nothing in our history has prepared us for one such as that. I don’t know if our dragons knew and did not tell us, but I do not see how that is possible. I thought our bond would have kept them from keeping such a secret. They did not even say anything to us when they found out about the portal. Actually, they were not even the ones to tell us of the portal, it was Sarian who told me. By the time I found out the dragons had disappeared. I can feel Tervintis only faintly, I can not tell where he is, how he is or speak to him. I just feel our bond is there. What kind of power does this dragon possess which lets her hide my dragon from me? What does she really plan for our race? Can she save us or is she our doom? Were we wrong to give our memories to her?” Kervin had began to ramble with his questions.

  He was still strong but he was aging, he was one of the elders of the race at almost nine thousand years. Sometimes the elders rambled a little.

  Now it was Nalia who gave comfort to Kervin. She leaned against his shoulder and whispered to him for a moment. Kervin’s face lightened and he smiled.

  Nalia motioned Hered and Sarian over to her and began to speak to them. Darian could not hear what was said, no one could hear what was said but in a moment Sarian and Hered both smiled, turned and headed back to their fire-walkers.

  “Darian, you can see soul threads, turn and look at her and tell me, what does the soul of that dragon look like to you?” Sarian really hoped what Nalia had suggested would work. If anyone could see the soul of the dragon it would be the fire-walkers. Even though no ice-walker or shadow-walker could see the soul of another they trusted their fire-walkers when it came to how pure a soul looked. No one had even thought to look within the dragon to ‘see’ if she was pure of soul.

  With narrowed eyes Darian turned to ‘look’ at the dragon called Tresimiaset. All three fire-walkers had turned their attention to the strange new dragon and as one all three gave exclamations of surprise and stepped back.

  Gripping Darian’s shoulder Kane demanded “What, what does she look like? Is her soul pure? Come on talk to us.” Kane began to shake Darian in an attempt to get his attention. Patro and Sarian, watching became concerned when they noticed all of the fire-walkers appeared to be captivated by the dragon. No one could get the attention of the fire-walkers though each one had someone trying.

  Giving a shout Hered told the others, get between your fire-walker and the dragon to break the gaze. Sarian saw Hered was supporting, or trying to support Trista who had sank to her knees with a dazed expression on her face. Turning back he saw Patro step in front of Darian in an attempt to break his fixed gaze while Kane still shook him to try to bring him out of what was beginning to look like a trance.

  As soon as Patro had blocked Darian’s view of Tresimiaset Darian too sank to his knees, a rapt expression on his face. Sarian saw Patro and Kane share a look then as one they turned to look at him then back to each other. Kane and Patro had knelt down beside Darian. Finally Kane looked up at Sarian and told him “That look, I have seen it before.”

  Sarian, confused asked, “What look?”

  Nodding at Darian, who was still in a daze, Kane repeated, “That look.”

  Beside Darian, Patro was nodding, “Yeah, that look.”

  When nothing else was forthcoming Sarian finally, exasperated asked, “Well?”

  Kane and Patro both replied, “It’s you.”

  Sarian blinked a couple of times and took a deep breath. Nodding he told them, “uh huh, me, yes I completely understand because that make perfect sense. I don’t suppose you might want to, I don’t know, try again maybe?”

  Kane spoke up before Patro could this time and shrugging his shoulders he told Sarian, “Darian has always said your soul is the most beautiful sight in the entire world. He claims it is more beautiful than Hered’s or Nalia’s, or even both of them put together. Sometimes, when we have been fighting, he will make sure you are not looking at him and he ‘looks’ at you. Like the sight of your soul comforts him. Your forbade him to look at you or tell you how beautiful you were when we were kids, but, well you were grown, but we were still very young. You tried to stay away from us back then, but Darian would share with us how beautiful you were. You were a man grown and he could not understand why you did not want to hear how beautiful you were, none of us understood. Now we understand but we also know it was never you, the person, it was you, the soul, Darian described. By the time we understood why a man, grown, would have problems with Darian’s description he had learned not to ‘see’ you where you could complain. But that look,” nodding toward Darian, “that look is a greater awe than your soul has ever, well, it is like he is looking at you, but more.”

  Patro, still nodding, glanced over at Trista, then Kervin
and finally back to Sarian. “And he is not the only one with that look on his face.”

  Kane and Sarian looked at the other two Lyra gathered around their fire-walkers. It was clear from the look of awe on the others faces the others had come to the same conclusion Kane and Patro had reached.

  “I see. So you are telling me that the look on their faces is because the dragon has a beautiful soul?” Sarian was trying to make sense of what he was seeing and hearing. Not having a close bond with his Lyra meant somethings did not get discussed.

  Kane shrugged, “I can only guess but until Darian snaps out of this daze he is in, that is going to be my guess. You can ask Hered or Nalia if you want.”

  Almost before Kane had finished speaking Sarian was striding to Hered to talk to him. Kane watched him pause at Hered, speak, and move on to Nalia. After a moment Sarian slowly made his way back to Kane.

  “You were right, they both agree their fire-walkers have much the same look when they look at their shadow-walkers as the one Darian is now wearing. By the way, I asked them if they could communicate mentally with their fire-walkers and they both said no. Apparently Tresimiaset, what a mouthful, I wonder if she would mind if we shortened it? Anyway, they said she apparently stopped the mental ability though they still ‘feel’ everyone in their Lyra.”

  “She glows.” Whispered Darian.

  Patro, Kane, and Sarian jerked their attention back to Darian.

  Darian was looking at the three members of his Lyra and he repeated, “She glows. It is like looking at Sarian’s soul magnified.”

  The three shuffled their feet for a moment before Kane demanded, “So you are saying we can trust her? She has a pure soul?”

  Darian glared at Kane, “Trust her? Trust her? Did you hear what I said? She GLOWS!”

  “Uh Darian, we can’t see what you see, we have never been able to see what you see, we don’t even understand what you see, so you will forgive us if we don’t know what you mean exactly?” Patro was trying to reason out why Darian was now upset.

  Gesturing to Tresimiaset with his hand, Darian repeated, “She glows!”

  Taking a deep breath Kane told him, “Yeah, we understand she glows, what we don’t understand is what that means.”

  Turning to gesture to Sarian Darian told them, “He is like a, well he doesn’t, he does but, not like, she glows, Sarian is a weak glow compared to her. And Nalia and Hered even weaker still, unless you ask Trista what Hered looks like, she, I think, sees Hered like I see Sarian. And Kervin sees Nalia like I see Sarian, but Trista does not see Nalia or Sarian like she sees Hered. We have talked you know. To each of us our own shadow-walker is like a glowing beauty, but her” gesturing to Tresimiaset again, “She makes all of the shadow-walkers almost invisible.”

  Almost before he had finished trying to explain the glowing of a pure soul to people who would never see Darian was striding away to where Trista and Kervin were standing. His Lyra jogged to catch up reaching them just in time to hear Darian ask, awe evident in his voice, “Did you see? Does she glow?”

  Trista replied, “Like a sun.”

  Kervin sounded choked up when he spoke, “More beautiful than anything I have ever seen.”

  “Do you think we can keep her? I mean forever?” Darian was hesitant when he asked the question.

  Kervin swallowed a couple of times before replying in a hushed voice, “Oh Shadows I hope so. I certainly hope so. If you upset her even one time Darian I swear I will throw you from the top of a mountain myself!” Kervin sounded rather fierce by the time he finished speaking.

  “Upset her, upset her, are you crazy? I think she is the Shadow Goddess. I have never believed in gods or goddesses before, but that must be what she is, it must be.” Darian finally told them.

  Trista looked at Kervin and they both turned to look at Darian. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the look of disbelief of their faces. But before he could say anything Kervin, much to everyone’s surprise except Trista, agreed with him. “I believe you are right. I can not believe I am agreeing with you about something like this but I really think you are right.”

  Trista was nodding, “How else could she lock everyone in the meadow, hide our dragons, meddle with our abilities, and send our families home with their memories altered?”

  Sarian, eyes wide with disbelief, voice shaking, voiced the fear the others were sharing, “Do you mean to tell me we have a god in our meadow?”

  “Goddess, the Shadow Goddess, yes, that is what I am telling you.” Darian pointed out.

  “God, Goddess, does it really matter at this point? You attacked her! Are you telling me you attacked a Goddess, and she let you live?” Sarian’s voice was climbing as his fear of what the fire-walkers were telling them sank in.

  Darian looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging, “Why would she kill me, it was her fault for surprising us like she did. Besides, it isn’t like I could hurt the Shadow Goddess so why would she need to kill me? Did you think that out before you said it?”

  Trista was biting her lower lip by the time Darian finished talking while Kervin had turned away and was gripping Nalia’s shoulder, tightly, while trying to regain his composure. Kane heard him mutter, “It is about to get ugly, again.”

  It seemed everyone in the meadow, with the exception of Darian, took a deep breath. Those deep breaths so common when dealing with Darian. Then Patro made a move that surprised everyone. He tackled Kane. Just about the time Kane hit the ground Sarian was right there helping Patro hold Kane on the ground. Patro looked up at Kervin and shouted, “Don’t just stand there, take Darian somewhere else. The last thing we need is these two fighting.

  Kervin looked down at Patro in surprise, “Honestly I don’t know what you expect me to do. I can’t touch him.’

  Patro looked defeated for just a moment as he realized Kervin was right. If Darian did not want to go anywhere, the others in the meadow could not touch him. Or at least the fire-walkers could not touch him. However, there was no reason why the other ice-walkers could not help him bind Kane, or even attempt to bind Darian. If their powers were working. Which after a brief struggle Patro realized he did not have his powers, so it was not likely the others did either.

  Another deep breath and Patro started trying to reason with Kane, who had been steadily muttering “I will break every bone in his body” for the last couple of minutes. If Patro had not tackled him he would have Darian on the ground by now. But Patro knew Kane, he had recognized the look on his face and had tackled him just in time. Now he was floored as to what to do with him. Glancing at Sarian it was clear he had no idea either. Usually Kane attacked Darian, they fought for awhile, and eventually separated for days or weeks. Patro was sure fighting, with a goddess in the meadow with them, would be a bad idea.

  She may not have killed Darian before but no one knew how long her patience with Darian would last. The last thing anyone wanted to do was find out. Out of patience with Kane, Patro finally drew his fist back and punched him. Shocked Kane looked up at Patro with a dazed expression on his face. With Kane’s attention firmly on Patro, Sarian took the time to start trying to reason with him.

  “Do you really want to draw the Shadow Goddess’s attention by attacking Darian? If she did not attack Darian when he attacked her do you think she will appreciate you attacking Darian?” Sarian had no idea whether the Goddess would mind or not but he was willing to say anything to prevent the fight he could see happening. It was a good thing for all concerned that this bit of logic settled Kane’s anger. Everyone in the meadow would have been surprised at how much Tresimiaset would mind anyone attacking Darian. And one day, it would not be today, but one day they would find out just how Tresimiaset felt about anyone attacking one of Ariannia’s Chosen.

  “Well, somehow we are going to have to keep Darian away from the Goddess. You know how he is, what happens when she gets fed up with him?” Kane’s worry was the same worry as everyone else in the meadow, with the exception of Darian.

/>   Darian, to no ones surprise, took exception to this declaration of Kane’s. As he opened his mouth to defend himself Kervin surprised him, “Shut it Darian, we can not afford to fight. Just, just shut up. Not another word unless it concerns what we are going to do next.”

  Darian looked at him, startled, “What we are going to do next is whatever the Shadow Goddess tells us to do.” Everyone was stunned to hear Darian say that but his next words had everyone groaning, “Unless of course we don’t like what she says.”

  Before another argument could start, Nalia, quiet, shy Nalia declared she was hungry. Hearing her voice surprised the others into silence. Nalia very rarely talked and usually only to her Lyra. Hearing her reminded the others how long it had been since they had eaten and soon the meadow was filled with the sounds and smells of campfires and food.

  As night began to fall on the meadow everyone arranged their bedding for the night and one by one settled in to sleep. The only exceptions were the three fire-walkers who had silently seemed to come to some kind of agreement and lay propped up on elbows in the bedrolls watching the one they believed to be the Shadow Goddess. Unable to resist the beauty of the soul they had seen the three watched her with the sight only they could use. Each loath to turn in and miss even one more moment of using their gift to see a beauty they would have never believed existed. The last thing they remembered before falling asleep was a sudden bright flare of the golden glow of the soul they watched.

  Chapter 11