Mageborn

by Michael DeAngelo

  Chapter Seven: Examination

  A cool breeze whipped by Adelia’s face, carrying the scents of Folly’s Glen past her. Her eyes were closed, as if she was trying to summon some arcane power to her bidding. In truth, in that comfortable spot just east of the forest, she was only barely fighting off signs of fatigue. Neither she nor Gaston had slept much that night, knowing the journey required.

  “Are we going to go in there, or are you just going to sit here and daydream?”

  The young lady’s eyes fluttered open, and she passed a glance at her companion. Trevor was hunched low against the ground, as she was. In that close proximity, she could see his features more clearly than the day before. There was not a proud, arrogant boy sitting before her. The dark-haired, fair-skinned lad was visibly shaken, worried for many reasons.

  In the morning, Gaston had informed Adelia of the company she would keep. Because the interrogators would be coming to Hawthorne Keep, the sage would have to stay behind. He chose Trevor to go in his place because he wanted to spare the boy from the line of questions – questions that would have insisted he almost brought death to his father.

  The journey to Folly’s Glen had not been easy on him either. He remained silent for most of the trek, and whenever he did speak, it was usually a snide remark or a curt reply. Adelia learned quickly that she’d rather keep her mouth shut than receive any unnecessary abuse.

  They were not alone. One more companion had joined them, walking up between them and turning toward Adelia. Merlin lifted his haunches, his tail whipping across Trevor’s face. The archer sneered and looked away from the cat’s rump.

  “So?” he repeated, facing away from Adelia. “Are we heading in there or not?”

  “Of course,” she said, finally rising to her feet. “I should warn you, though. There are some very… ponderous things in there. If you don’t go in there with an open mind, your head might explode.”

  Trevor sat upon his knees, furling his brow in incredulity.

  “Come on Merlin,” Adelia said, paying her other companion no heed. The feline meowed in reply and pranced ahead. “No. We needn’t worry about the dragon,” she continued.

  The archer shook his head as he stood and slowly followed in the young lady’s footsteps. When he crossed the threshold into the forest, his forward momentum immediately stopped.

  “It’s incredible, isn’t it?” Adelia said, looking back at him with a smile on her face.

  She didn’t afford him much time to dawdle. Her path was set out before her, exactly as she recalled from the prior night. Gone were the caterpillar and the hare, however. Instead, as Adelia proceeded into her land of giants, she was surprised to see an enormous owl in one of the lower, sturdier branches of a nearby tree.

  How easily that owl could snatch up Merlin, she thought. Always defiant of the dangers around him, the cat bravely pressed forth.

  They arrived outside of the cave shortly after that. Trevor had his bow in hand, an arrow at the ready should they need it. Adelia hesitated, though. Above the cave, there was no writing, name or otherwise. There wasn’t even a red smear where the words would have been.

  “Is this the place?” Trevor asked.

  “It is,” she said. “But something is different.”

  The archer nocked the arrow to the bow. “Is that a bad thing?”

  “I’m not sure,” Adelia admitted. She didn’t wait to collect her thoughts or ruminate on the minute changes. She simply plunged into the darkness.

  No fire burned, leaving shadows upon every wall. Their eyes adjusted slowly, but the depths proved to be too strong for them.

  “You didn’t happen to bring a torch, did you?” Trevor asked.

  “No,” she replied. “But I didn’t come unprepared.”

  She stepped back into the meager light that shone within the cave. Falling to her knees, she removed the satchel from her shoulder, placing it on the ground. Reaching inside, she removed a tome, and then another, and another, until they were stacked nearly higher than she. Trevor’s brow furled as he considered the queer sight.

  Finally, Adelia gathered a pile of crinkly old papers beside an old, gnarled cudgel. She sorted through them before she found the one she was searching for. A smile forced its way to her face as she stood.

  “Could you put those back in there for me?”

  Too confused to argue, Trevor took her place on the ground. When he opened the satchel, he was surprised to see its depth. It was like opening the way to a giant pit, yet all of the supplies Adelia had prepared were right there.

  The young lady began muttering quietly. The letters on the page shifted and turned until she was able to read it. The formless muttering became more tangible, words that sounded like the common language exiting her lips.

  Suddenly, the cudgel on the floor in front of her began glowing with a blinding white light. Both humans averted their eyes, though the spell did gradually begin to dim.

  Trevor finished replacing the tomes and pages in the extra-dimensional satchel. He was eager to rise and see how deep Gypsy Hollow went. Both were surprised to see the cavern twist out of sight before they could witness its end.

  A grin crept to Adelia’s face, for just before that turn, she could see the fire pit, long since burned out. She led the way, though Trevor was not eager to follow. As the light trailed away from him, he realized he had no choice.

  Adelia came to a halt at the campfire, scrutinizing it intently.

  “Why have we stopped?” her companion asked.

  She bent down, looking carefully at a pair of logs that rested on the dirt outside the fire. “I was just waiting for you. But look at this.”

  “Yes, those are logs,” Trevor said. “I’ve seen plenty of them; they come from trees.”

  The young lady shook her head and clicked her tongue. “That’s not what I meant. Look at them. There’s one on either side.” She stood, a twinkle in her eye. “I don’t think Thoro was alone here.”

  Grasping his bow ever tighter, Trevor breathed out a quiet sigh. “Do you think he’s here now?” he whispered.

  Adelia looked deeper into the cave. “I don’t think so. He’d have heard our approach and taken us off-guard. Come on. We came here for answers, not more mysteries.”

  They proceeded deeper into Gypsy Hollow, Merlin’s yellow eyes shining back at them every so often. The cat proudly paced at the end of the cave, where a wide clearing had been made. A table sat nearby one wall, that portion of the earth raised just slightly to overlook the rest of the area. The black feline alerted his human companions to the large mahogany chest that sat behind him.

  “There we go,” Trevor said.

  He rushed to the box, intent on finding any evidence readily available. Adelia was not so anxious to see that. Her attention was drawn toward the table and the strange device upon it. She walked up the ridge, coming to a rest just at the table’s side.

  The chest opened with a hearty crack. Most of its contents had been removed, but some weaponry and a cloak still remained. Trevor set each aside, looking to see if there were any hidden treasures within obscured by the equipment. Merlin stood on his hind legs, peeking inside as well.

  Adelia’s hand hovered just above the odd device. A perfectly round pan lay on the table, covered with sand. A long metal rod was fixed to its side so that it sat taller than the pan’s diameter. At the top of that rod, an arm was fashioned, which dangled a length of string. That string was tied around a beautiful crystal, the end sharpened like an arrowhead. Symbols had been drawn into the sand, looking like an archaic message of sorts.

  Trevor growled then. “There’s nothing here. Just a few swords and a worthless cloak. We came here for nothing.”

  “Put what you found in the satchel, and then bring it to me,” the young lady said.

  He obliged but couldn’t suppress a scowl. “And are you faring any better up there?”

  “May
be,” she said. “Whoever we’re dealing with, I don’t think they knew who they were after. Thoro didn’t know the difference between your father and Edric. They may have only been given names.

  “Their numbers might be greater than I thought as well,” Adelia continued. “That chest is much too big for two people to carry alone, especially if it was filled to the brim with weapons.”

  “If there are more, then we risk much by being here,” Trevor said, setting the satchel down on the table. Though it wasn’t heavy, due to its magical properties, the way he dropped it caused the furniture to wobble.

  “Careful,” Adelia scolded.

  “What, you’re worried I’ll mess up their sand?” he sneered.

  “As a matter of fact, yes. The patterns on this might be important. I can’t read them, but there’s a good chance Gaston can or he knows someone who will be able to help us.”

  She opened up the satchel, looking for items inside.

  “You really think some drawings in the sand are going to help us at all?”

  “Looking into a flame was what brought us here,” she insisted. The young lady produced a large tome with many blank pages within. She also acquired a quill and some ink, setting them all down before her. “Now don’t distract me. I want to try and copy this as accurately as possible.”

  “Just as well,” Trevor said. “I haven’t seen that silly little cat of yours in a while. I don’t want your wizard friend to turn me into a toad.”

  As he went off in search of Merlin, Adelia began carefully sketching the appearance of the sand. She tried to capture the sense of height in some places, but when she was finished, the page simply looked like it was covered in scribbles.

  “This will have to do,” she said.

  She heard the wind whipping past the entrance to the cave and nodded at her previous sentiment. After filling the satchel once more, she turned to follow after Trevor and find Merlin.

  Adelia continued out of the cave. The archer waited just outside.

  “He doesn’t seem to like me much,” Trevor offered. “He’s right over there. I didn’t want to spook him.”

  The man pointed south and led Adelia’s gaze to the small black cat that sat comfortably within the clearing. She smiled and began her approach.

  She heard the wind again.

  No, not the wind, she realized. It was like the buffeting of wings. Adelia swallowed hard as she expected a giant owl to swoop in on the lone feline.

  Both humans nearly leapt from their bodies when the huge black dragon crashed through the forest canopy. Merlin’s limbs stiffened, and his hairs stood up on end. The scaled tyrant landed just several feet from the cat.

  A loud roar emerged from that beast, its monstrous maw coming fully into view. Adelia could feel all the oxygen fleeing from her lungs. She was reminded of Gaston’s description of the creature and its awful temperament.

  “I knew when I last met you, I should have killed you,” the dragon spoke.

  Despite that shock, the young mage merely locked her jaw, trying to fight the sudden moisture in her eyes. To her side, Trevor fell forward, spilling onto the ground.

  A snarl separated the black dragon’s scaled lips once more. Merlin began to slink away, but the monster was not caught unaware. It stepped forward, dipping low, bringing that horrid mouth full of daggers down toward the cat.

  A bolt of pure energy struck the beast then, sending those jaws chattering shut. The dragon whipped its head back and forth, trying to rid itself of the shock. As the pain subsided, the tyrant’s vision settled upon the caster. Adelia stood with her arm outstretched, in awe of the lack of damage her spell had produced.

  With another roar, the dragon charged forward.

  The young lady wasted little time, turning fast and running east. Though the brush was thick, Adelia did little to complain. Brambles and thorns scratched her skin and tore her clothes, but she knew the alternative. She kept running, pressing past the powerful grip of the forest.

  She nearly fainted when she saw the giant green eye just in front of her, on the outset of the brush. The dragon quickly whipped its head around, breathing in deeply. The young lady threw herself to the side, flattening a bush beneath her. The sound of a gusting wind resounded behind her.

  As she turned, she realized the truth of that noise. An emerald substance sizzled against the brush, disintegrating it as it fell.

  The dragon stuffed his muzzle into the brush, trying to find its prey. It scoured too long, though. The acid spit that lingered higher up struck the scales around the monster’s maw. It pulled away, grunting in pain.

  Adelia crawled desperately out of the thicket. She rose to her feet immediately and began sprinting. Every few moments, she looked over her shoulder, her focus on the massive creature that still searched for her in the brush. It sat up then, breathing in the scent of terror. The young mage watched as its neck whipped around.

  She had been noticed.

  The dragon’s ferocious stomps echoed throughout the forest, nearing her with every breath. Adelia dared not turn around again, fearful of what she might see.

  Neither could she run, however. She sputtered to a stop, just before the swamp. She could hear the quiet gasps between the tempo of the dragon’s percussion. Her breaths had ceased to work. Briefly, she brought her foot over the vile green liquid. Unable to bring herself forward, she ventured another glance.

  With its mouth agape, the tyrant charged forth. It snapped out at the girl, but she was no longer there.

  Adelia had found the strength to continue. She leapt away from the dragon’s powerfully snapping jaws and resumed her sprint. As she proceeded around the perimeter of the swamp, she heard a roar in protest. Two of the dragon’s legs were caught by the firm grip of the bog.

  She hesitated, watching the tyrant struggle. It was not left to labor long, though. With its free limbs, the dragon lifted its body out of the swamp.

  The young lady resumed her hasty flight. She could hear the beating of heavy wings and knew she was not alone in that distinction. She sped toward the east, where she had first entered Folly’s Glen the day before. The melodiously dancing lumibugs could be seen, continuing their endless choreography. Adelia lowered her head and raced in that direction.

  Just behind her, the black dragon was quick to follow. The mage could feel the monster’s immense weight shake the ground and could hear its rapid approach. There was no apprehension in her when she entered the lumibugs’ mating area. She could hear the telltale click and saw the multicolored insects spin into place. Adelia pivoted on her heel, following them in their dance.

  The dragon cared not for the queer display. It charged forth, hungering for what had so eluded him.

  A pillar of fire rushed forth from the ground. The tyrant drew back, for that noise sounded so much like the sudden breath of other dragons. It couldn’t avoid that instantaneous blaze, however. Flames licked at the scales on its chest, inducing a loud roar of painful protest.

  The monster stepped back, seething as wisps of smoke rose from its scales. It could not locate its prey then. The girl had mysteriously vanished.

  Adelia tried to steady herself, but her breaths shook her too fiercely. Every few moments, she pressed her hand against the tree that shielded her from the dragon’s view, verifying its steady trunk was still there. She felt the firm grip upon her shoulder then and let fly a loud scream. A hand muzzled that protest, and she saw a black object fall to the ground.

  Trevor was before her, subtly nodding his head. “It’s time to leave,” he insisted.

  The young lady ventured a glance to the ground, noticing the panicked feline. She swallowed hard as she noticed the fear in her companion’s eyes as well. Adelia began shaking her head.

  “What do you mean, no?” he whispered.

  “If we take to the plains, we’re in plain sight. We’ll never make it back to Forsynthia.”

  “
Then what would you have us do?” Trevor asked. “Slay a dragon?”

  She took one last breath, steadying herself. “I have an idea.”

  His nostrils flared with every step he took out of the thicket. The dragon’s odor was offensive, the smell of its acid bile thick in its mouth. Scouring the glen, the mighty black tyrant snorted and snarled and flapped its wings as if ready to take to the air.

  Trevor stepped forward, narrowing his eye. He took aim, saying a silent prayer.

  Then he let his arrow fly.

  The missile shrieked forth, snapping into place beneath the dragon’s right wing. At once, the monster stopped its search, its neck whipping around to see what would dare to attack him. It watched as the human ran around the perimeter of the glen, nearly against the mountainside.

  Gasping for air, the man’s skin became flushed. Sweat marred his brow and he could feel his head going dark.

  The dragon collided into the rock wall behind him, an angry growl parting his scaly lips. Trevor tossed his bow into the air, the weapon bouncing against the black tyrant’s face. If the creature was affected at all, it didn’t show it.

  Even though he ran as fast as he could, the man could feel the hot breaths of his predator upon his neck. His heart fluttered then at the sight of reprieve. For there, standing at the ready, was Adelia.

  Snapping forward, the dragon tried to swallow the human. With adrenaline pumping furiously through his veins, Trevor outpaced his pursuer.

  A stark bolt of lightning zapped into the dragon’s side and then into its face. The sudden jolt sent it teetering into the mountainside. That pain did not linger, however. It turned to see its aggressor, noticing the petite blonde just to the southwest.

  Adelia stood within a field of mist. It rose up from the ground, obscuring the terrain. The dragon cared not. Snarling, it charged forth. Its growl was so loud it did not hear the cacophonous crack of the ice beneath its feet.

  It surely felt the ice give way.

  A roar of surprise affronted the mage then. The dragon, in all its rage, had fallen for her trap and fallen into the swamp. Firmly rooted, the tyrant could not resume its pursuit. It snarled in protest. As its prey confidently turned her back on it, that snarl grew even fiercer. All at once, it stopped. A loud gasp was heard instead.

  “Adelia!” Trevor warned.

  She was already in motion. The young mage turned, heaving a small glass vial toward the dragon as a gob of acid spit launched forth, aimed at the proud human. The glass shattered as an explosion consumed the vial. As the detonation blasted outward, the acid was thrust back, landing upon the dragon’s face and coating its lower jaw.

  Trapped in the swamp as it was, the tyrant could do little to rid itself of the caustic substance. An angry roar gave way to a desperate howl. The beast whipped its head back and forth, but the acid sizzled upon its face until it had consumed its beautiful ebon scales.

  Finally, the pain subsided. As the furious crimson faded from the dragon’s vision, he was left with the truth of the situation. His prey had disappeared.

  One last roar echoed throughout the glen.

  “I will scour the world until I find you!” the tyrant promised. “One day, you will rot between my teeth!”

  The swamp bubbled and belched, alerting the beast that his promise was hollow indeed.

  They still sprinted forth, for that fearsome creature’s threat seemed as close as the gentle breeze. Folly’s Glen was far behind them, though, and Adelia’s pace slowed considerably.

  “What are you doing?” Trevor asked.

  A subtle grin crept to the girl’s face. “Today was the first day of my life where I did everything right.” She looked to the sky, noticing the attractive cobalt tincture, and that grin evolved into a smile.

  She was surprised to hear his meager sigh, then.

  “I’ve got to admit,” he said. “You were pretty incredible. You didn’t seem scared for a moment.”

  “I was terrified,” she insisted. “But when I saw clearly – when I really opened my eyes – I could see everything I needed to do.”

  “Well, maybe you can see to us getting home soon,” Trevor said. “I don’t trust that the dragon will be stuck for long.

  Adelia swung her satchel forward, opening the flap. “Something makes me think we’re going to be all right.” She reached inside, her entire arm disappearing within. “What do you think, Merlin?” As she asked the question, she pulled the feline out by the scruff of his neck, eliciting a halfhearted meow in reply.

  The black cat landed upon the ground on his feet, immediately licking his paw as though too much of the world had been cast upon it.

  She replaced the strap of the satchel on her shoulder and started forward again.

  “Come on, boys,” she said. “Let’s go home.”