Dragon's Claws

by Bri Sailor

Cora shot him a look and led the twins deeper into the temple. The architecture never failed to inspire the princess. The ceiling of the atrium was nearly thirty feet high and was painted a bright blue with twisting vine-like patterns of gold inlays that sparkled in the torchlight. The atrium opened up through a pointed arch into a great hall that was triple in size. The hall was lined with massive glass windows that allowed for the bright moonlight to pour in. Their footsteps echoed in the silent chamber. The princess’ heart fluttered. In the center loomed a towering white marble statue of the Goddess that nearly touched the ceiling. Her arms were open as if she were welcoming all into the temple, her hair and dress seemingly flowing over her perfect figure. Around her stood four dragons twice the size of a horse. Each with their wings folded, all looking up to the Goddess Ailana in reverence. Their eyes were each made of precious gems; sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and deep amethyst. At her feet lay a fifth dragon that appeared to be sleeping. However, on closer inspection it was revealed that the dragon was dead.

  Atreyis sighed deeply as the group made their way towards the statue, passing kneeling followers and priests. They paused at the foot of the statue and bowed. The princess felt an odd tingling sensation in her head but attributed it to nerves and shook it off. She followed Cora to the small door behind the statue that led to the dormitory in the tower. The rooms were small and simple but to anyone that needed a place to rest, they were perfect. They bypassed the rooms as Cora led the way to the kitchen and there they found a hot meal waiting for them. Atreyis inhaled deeply, the food was spicy and she couldn’t wait to dig in. Exercising some restraint, she refrained from shoveling food in exchange for polite conversation about what all had transpired in their lives in the months that they had been apart. As the night progressed they found themselves yawning more and more and decided to retire to their rooms.

  #

  Atreyis tossed and turned in a fitful sleep. Her dreams were plagued with the visage of the Goddess staring her down with her marble eyes. Suddenly, the princess heard a loud voice in her head.

  “Atreyis! Go now!”

  She jerked awake, feeling like she had been hit by a bolt of lightning, every inch of her skin was tingling and her hair stood on end. She sat up in bed and rubbed her face, suddenly feeling the urge to leave. To run. She could still feel the Goddess’ gaze through the walls. Out of the corner of her eye Atreyis swore she saw something move. Unease crept up her feet to the top of her head. Someone or something was watching her. Her heart raced and her breathing became shallow as the walls started closing in on her. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins as she leapt out of bed, grabbing her clothes and boots as she stumbled out into the corridor. The sound of her bare feet slapping against the stone floor rang in her ears as she sprinted like a madman running for her life through the temple. She tried to dress herself as she ran, tripping as she did so. The panicked girl crashed through a wooden door and collapsed into a heap on the grass outside. Her heart was pounding in her ears. Cold sweat dripped from her forehead and her chest heaved with every desperate breath. She felt totally disconnected from her body, as if she were floating, watching herself from a distance.

  “Atreyis…” whispered a familiar voice that carried on the wind.

  #

  Cora smiled as she lay in her comfy bed. It was so great to see her friends again. Atreyis looked a lot stronger than the last time the priestess had seen her. And Ehren. He looked good too. The small blonde cuddled her pillow and blushed. She was grateful that he hadn’t noticed that she had spent most of the night staring at him. She giggled to herself and shook her head, it was childish but she couldn’t help it. The priestess fell asleep with a smile playing on her lips.

  “M’hé lééh’m só mé’áwé…”

  Cora’s eyes snapped open. She was in the temple garden somehow and staring up at the sky. A thick fog blanketed the area and the sky glowed a soft pink as if the sun was setting. The priestess felt like she was floating.

  “The princess needs to leave…”

  There was that voice again, soft and breathy. The priestess looked for the source but found herself completely alone. She tried to find her voice.

  “Who’s there?” she rasped.

  Silence.

  She struggled to her feet. “I said, who’s there?”

  The ethereal voice carried on a breeze. “Thóyu nyuml méms hér mé’áwé…you must let the princess go…”

  As Cora tried to figure out where the voice was coming from but her mind started to become fuzzy. Her eyelids grew heavy and she felt like she was falling asleep. Her body felt like it was fading away.

  “Let her go, Cora. Més hér thó.” Said the voice as the priestess faded. “Now…wake up!”

  The high priestess woke with a gasp. She was back in her room in the temple. What just happened? She rubbed her face and sat on the edge of her bed. Was it all a dream? No, it couldn’t have been, she was just in the garden. And that voice, it was speaking Ílóáthé, the language of the gods. She looked out her window at the starry night. It was a dream, wasn’t it? The sound of running footsteps interrupted her thoughts. She ran to her door in time and saw the princess sprinting. The priestess threw on a silver outer robe and chased after her. That was no dream.

  #

  The cool night air breezed through her chestnut and white hair as a bead of sweat dripped down her back. Atreyis tried to slow her breathing down. Rolling on her back she fixed her gaze on the full moon and concentrated on it. Slowly, she felt herself return. She could feel the weight of her body settling on the dew covered grass. After a few minutes she had finally stopped shaking, but her heart was still pounding. Her mind cleared. She sat up and realized she was in the garden behind the temple. Weeping willows encompassed a small pond that reflected the moonlight. On one side of the pond was a small open-air pagoda. A stream of fresh mountain spring water snaked its way from the pond through the garden to a small fountain in the far wall. Towards the front of the garden near the temple stood a small wooden stable. The old wooden door creaked open and she cautiously stepped into the darkness. Lux was in the far stall. He started snorting and neighing the moment her caught his rider’s scent.

  “Hey, boy. Hey, I know it’s late, but I need to get out of here.” She whispered as she stroked his muzzle. She began saddling him up and checking her supplies. Everything was still there, weapons and all.

  “Be careful.” Came a small voice.

  The princess jumped and looked at the doorway. Cora was standing in the moonbeams, the silver of her robe shone brightly. She looked like a goddess.

  Atreyis breathed a sigh of relief. “Cora! It’s just you. You nearly gave me a heart attack…”

  “I apologize.” The priestess cast her eyes down and fidgeted with her hands. She looked up into the princess’ blue eyes.

  “Where are you going, Atreyis?”

  The princess’ heart began to pound in her ears. She swallowed hard.

  “I…uh…w-well…” she stammered. “I don’t know.”

  Cora walked up to the shaking girl and enveloped her in a hug. Tears welled up in both of their eyes.

  “I know that you have been having trouble at home, Atreyis.” Cora pulled back from the hug and held the princess’ hands. “From the moment I met you fifteen years ago I knew you were a wandering soul; even as a child you were trying to find where you fit in. I’m not sure what you are looking for, but I hope you find it. You deserve happiness. I must admit I do have trepidations, but I’ve decided I’m not going to try and stop you. My whole life I’ve been putting my faith in the Goddess and she has yet to give me a reason not to. I believe that Ailana meant for you to come here, and I think she was speaking to you in your dreams. She was the one who woke you tonight, the one who woke me as well.”

  The priestess looked into the lost sapphire blue eyes as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Atreyis gently brushed the tear away and swept the priestess’ hair out of her face.

  “Y
ou are one of my dearest friends, Cora, and you know I don’t have many. Goddess knows I want to stay here with you and recapture lost time, but something is telling me that I have to leave. I don’t know what it is, but it’s strong. The more I ignore it the more I feel as if I’m dying inside.” She kissed the blonde’s hands and hugged her tight once more.

  “I promise I will return.” She said as she led Lux out of the stables and left the teary-eyed priestess in the dark.

  “Be careful.” Cora whispered into the night. For the first time in her life the priestess felt her faith waver. An overwhelming sense of foreboding took root in her soul and brought with it, fear.

  The princess slipped around the temple and through the main gate. As she climbed into the saddle she looked back. A single hot tear fell down her cheek.

  “Forgive me, brother.”

  She gave Lux a kick and spurred him towards the gate of Stone Shield, running parallel to the mighty wall. The sound of beating hooves and Lux’s quick breaths filled her mind, quieting the chaos inside. Torches dotted the massive wall that stretched endlessly into the distance. Every pinpoint of light meant that there were at least two guards keeping vigil. As she neared the gate the gaps between the torches grew narrower. There had to be at least fifty guards at the gate, maybe more. Each of them would be heavily armored in leather and steel with large swords that hung from their sides, every other one carrying a spear and the rest armed with bows and crossbows. If Stone Shield itself wasn’t enough to deter enemies, the sight of so many trained killers that constantly watched over it would do quite well. Atreyis’ mouth dropped open when she reached the gate. It was nothing like her brother described. It was as tall as a giant oak tree and made of ironwood banded by solid steel and at least three feet thick. The cold metal shone in the moonlight. Her heart pulsed in her ears as she drew closer. A guard met her gaze. There was no going back now.

  “Halt!” commanded the captain of the guard.

  Atreyis froze. The woman was dressed in a long black leather battle skirt with navy blue pants and black boots. Underneath her silvery armor she wore a long sleeved navy blue shirt. Over her right shoulder was a blue and silver cape embroidered with the royal crest, a dragon with its wings spread.

  “It is dangerous for such a young girl to be out here alone.” Said the woman sternly. “What is your business here?”

  The princess’ mind raced for an answer.

  “I-I have been sent by the king on royal business, and I require passage beyond the wall.” She feigned confidence.

  The captain eyed her and drew her sword. “I’ve never seen you before, you aren’t one of the regular messengers. Who are you? We have strict orders regulating who passes through the gate.”

  Atreyis was taken aback that no one recognized her. She threw caution to the wind and provided the guard her hand that bore the royal signet ring and held her breath. Upon recognizing the seal the captain immediately sheathed her weapon and bowed to the girl.

  The princess cleared her throat. “As I said, I have been sent by the king. If you would let me pass, I won’t make him aware of your insolence, Captain.”

  “M-my apologies. Is my Lady sure that she wishes to leave?” stammered the guard. “There has been an increase in rogue attacks over the past few weeks and the roads are dangerous. I would advise to be careful. Maybe take a few of my men as protection. The king would be most displeased if I let one of his messengers go alone.”

  Atreyis puffed out her chest and shook her head. “That will not be necessary. I have every confidence in myself. And as for those rogues, they have more reason to be afraid of me.”

  “But...my Lady…” protested the captain. “There is also the possibility of war parties left behind by the Black Army. There are reports…”

  “Captain, I am ordering you to let me pass.” Growled the undercover princess.

  The captain reluctantly gave the signal. As the gate slowly groaned shut behind her, the princess breathed a sigh of relief. She pressed Lux and he raced for the forest. The cool night air whipped through her hair and she felt like she was flying, it was pure exhilaration. Never before had she felt so right in all her life. She did it. She was finally on her own and free; the battle-worn wall faded behind her. They tore down the slope and through the open field. Soon the edge of the forest came into view. When they reached the trees Lux slowed and suddenly reared, not wanting to go any further. The moonlight and shadows twisted the trees into evil looking beings. The princess gulped. She gathered her courage and forced Lux to follow the lone dirt road into the inky black. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the increased dark and she inched her way along the trail, determined to make it as far as she could before stopping for the night, trying to put as much distance as she could between her and anyone who would and probably will come after her. Ehren was not going to like the fact that she dared leave the safety of their lands. She refused to allow herself to even dare to think what her parents would do. She inhaled deeply. The scent of pine distracted and filled her senses as she looked up at the sky. The moon had nearly traversed the expanse of the night sky. She had been traveling for a few hours now, she figured. A yawn threatened to engulf her head. Stopping for the night would probably be a good idea, she thought. She veered off the trail and a ways before stopping Lux and tying him off to a tree and began unpacking her supplies. The princess figured it was nearing dawn but her heavy eyelids were preventing her from going any further.

  Just as she was reaching for her bedroll the sound of voices penetrated the silence. Atreyis froze. Her heart began racing as it was shocked to life by a sudden surge of adrenaline. Her mind had to playing tricks on her. She waited and listened; her whole body shook and vibrated as she remained on high alert. Silence. Her hands continued to shake almost violently as she attempted to shrugged it off and started gathering some firewood. She had barely picked up a stick when screams rang out through the trees. Blood rushed to her head and her stomach dropped. Her muscles tensed and quivered. She didn’t think, she just reacted. Grabbing her sword off of Lux’s saddle she bolted in the direction of the screams as if her feet had a life of their own. She cut through the tangle of trees, dodging low branches and exposed roots as best she could. The glow of torches quickly came into view just off in the distance. At the last second her better sense stopped her from running headlong into the unknown. As she neared the lights she slowed her pace and tried to sneak up as best she could. Camouflaging herself in a large bush she took in the scene before her. A deep shiver nearly took her off her feet.

  A small caravan of travelers was making its way towards the Aznurro kingdom and had been attack by some angry looking men. There were sixteen people in all, five of them children. They had been herded into a small area and were guarded by six men with swords. Five more men were raiding the wagons with one more overseeing the raid. This man was more like an ogre than an actual human. He was tall and very large with a gut that threatened to break free of his shirt. His skin was covered in dirt and his face was dark and heavily scarred. A cruel smile revealed blackened and missing teeth. His clothes were almost completely black from wear and Atreyis could practically smell him from where she lay hidden.

  The ogre laughed at the cowering people. “Ha! Scream all you want! No one is going to hear you! Ha! You should have thought twice about coming through here. Don’t you know I own this road?”

  The hostages trembled at his words, one of the men dared to speak up. “Please! I beg of you! Let us go. You can have anything you want, but just let us go! We are poor and have very little and we are miles away from help. No one will come after you! Please! Just let us go!”

  The ogre stopped smiling and scowled, he stormed up to the man and swung for his face, connecting hard with his jaw and knocking him out. The children screamed and were hugged close by the adults. The evil men just laughed and the ogre went back to inspecting and watching over his loot.

  Atreyis tried to slow her breath and braced herself. Her fo
cus narrowed on the man as she tried to remember her training. She hoped that by attacking the leader she might stand a better chance of the men retreating.

  “Goddess help me, I’ve gone mad.” She whispered.

  She took one last shaky deep breath and with a white-knuckle grip on her sword she charged. The sound of her racing footsteps caught the men’s attention. They turned in time to see a girl running at their leader with a raised sword. The ogre turned as well and barely dodged his attackers swing.

  “The hell—”

  He quickly readied his own weapon to defend himself and charged at the crazy girl. Their swords met with a thunderous clash. It took everything Atreyis had to not drop her sword from the sheer force and stinging vibrations. Black eyes met blue as the two fighters stared down each other. They struggled but the man was stronger, he shoved her hard and swung for her head. The princess tried to dodge it but wasn’t fast enough and the blade slashed across her abdomen. She yelped in pain and doubled over holding her stomach. It felt like it was on fire. She slowly removed a shaky hand. It was bright red and blood slowly oozed through her shirt. Her breath was coming hard and she prayed that it was a superficial wound. The man smiled wickedly at her.

  “You must be lost little girl.” He laughed.

  Ignoring the pain she gritted her teeth and lunged at him. Even wounded the two seemed equally skilled as they shared blow for blow. His men took in the crazy spectacle before them.

  “How dare you attack innocent people!” Atreyis shouted.

  The man just laughed and lunged at her again. The sounds of metal against metal rang out in the woods. Unseen by all, a pair of eyes studied the deadly dance from the shadows above. Atreyis pounced and the ogre evaded her attack and connected between her shoulder blades with the hilt of his sword. The impressive blow knocked the wind out of her and she crumpled to the ground. She desperately sucked in shallow breaths and rolled over, disoriented, and saw the man raise his sword to strike. He brought the blade down with deadly accuracy, his eyes burning. Atreyis threw up her sword in an attempt to block but the man’s blade slid off of hers and caught her thigh. The princess screamed as the searing pain nearly overtook her senses. She reached for her bloody leg as blackness swirled in her vision. The man seized the opportunity and grabbed the defenseless girl by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Her eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her head from the pressure. She kicked and clawed at the death grip, gasping for air. Fear gripped her and panic took over her mind. This was it. This was how she was going to die. There was nothing she could do. The man laughed as he squeezed the life out of her. Atreyis could feel herself slipping and started to go limp in his hands.