by C S Harrop
“If I was meant to be anywhere near this amount of water I would be a fish,” replied Willow to his mockery whilst looking over her shoulder watching the two sailors pushing off their boat as fast as they could back towards Captain Uldrik’s ship wanting to get far away from the island as fast as they possibly could.
They climbed up a small rise from the coast to a patch of bright green grass, which was a nice change from the wooden deck of a ship although the rocky landscape ahead was not look very forgiving. A mixture of dark mountainous jagged rock and outcrops embedded with huge boulders and rock faces that protruded tall enough to touch the dark grey clouds intertwined with patches of green grass.
They carried on across the uneven surface avoiding the larger stones but aiming for the softness of the grass. It seemed they were not the only ones moving from patch of green to another. A group of goats huddled together eating the luscious green leaves that sprouted from the dirt moved throughout. Unaware the companions were approaching the goats looked very tasty for Riven his eyes became focused has he singled out the unfortunate one to the rear and made himself fade away to the point he disappeared. Willow nicknamed this stealth mode to Riven’s dislike as it sounded like words a child would say playing with a toy. Willow always looked away at this point she never could get used to the sight of her friend tearing away chunks of flesh from fresh pray.
When Riven sees prey with an empty stomach to fill there is no stopping him except for a loud noise of a rushing wind drawing closer with speed raising the heads of both Willow and the goats. Just as Riven was going to pounce a huge dragon with a faint red breast and long spread out webbed wings swooped in picking off a goat with its front claws then disappeared back up into the low clouds send the remaining goats scarpering in all directions in fear. Riven reappeared with an unbelievable and shocked look on his face knowing the dragons could of easily picked him off if he was visible. From then on, they kept close to the mountainous wall and large boulders reducing the chance of another flyby snack and carried on deeper into the depressive looking rocky terrain of Angar.
They had been walking most of the day with little rest, their feet were sore and their energy drained. The sun began to set on the three companions all acknowledging now was a perfect time to rest for the night. No sign of a cave of any kind had been seen in all the time they had been travelling so they couldn’t expect to find any up ahead either especially as the sun has already begun to set slowly casting the whole region into more shadows and darkness. They needed somewhere soon to rest their heads for the night that would protect them from the ever-increasing roars and screeches of the dragon’s as silhouettes from high above fading in and out of the silver lined clouds.
Willow pointed out ahead partially up the blackened rock of the mountainside, an imprint in the surface from where a large boulder had come free and smashed to the ground below. They would not be fully out of site for the night and the possibility of a fire would be out of the question to avoid attracting unwanted attention, nevertheless, it was a roof over their heads for the night.
It rained hard most of the night making the loose rocky surface slippery and unstable Relg nearly had few unfortunate accidents as the rubble beneath his feet gave way has he descended down. Once on the ground the early morning sun shone down on the glistening wet landscape that poked through the clouds warming their bodies a few degree, which helped a little with the miserable sight and journey they saw ahead of them.
Riven took no more than two steps with his huge paws when a dragon swiftly appeared from above and landed with force that shock the very ground. The dragon raised up on its hind legs, and spread out its long webbed wings and let out a long drawn out roar. Riven and Willow took a couple of steps back only to be faced with the rock slope they had just descend from while Relg quickly hid behind the safety of a small boulder. The trio were trapped, thinking fast on their feet the only chance Willow and Riven had was to run in different directions hoping the dragon would target only one of them leaving the other two to escape.
“Looks like this is it my old friend. We’ll meet again in Darkshore,” Willow said softly with a sadness in her voice. Riven nodded unable to speak a single sentence but his eyes spoke a thousand words. Willow beat Riven to the first move waving her bow in the air and shouting at the dragon trying to get its attention before making a run for it giving Riven the chance to go stealth. She got no more than seven strides when the dragon backed away its scaled body and lowered its green tinted underbelly until all four of its massive clawed feet were firmly on the ground.
A rider sat atop the beast in a specially designed saddle that looked to be bolted into the very scales of the dragon. Willow noticed the armour and helmet the rider wore matched the same texture and colour of the dragon scales he was riding and in one hand the rider held a long spear made of what seemed like melted rock that widened out at the end to a jagged point where normally the metal blade would go.
“We have been watching you since your sails first appeared on the horizon. Tell me why I shouldn’t just let my dragon here feed on you and your pet?” Asked the rider aiming his question at Willow in a straight no nonsense tone.
“We seek an Angarian named Kailan Bourn,” replied Riven with the rider clearly taken aback by the talking animal.
“Take this as the only warning you’ll get, turn around and leave the way you came,” ordered the rider moving his dragon closer not taking his eye off the large cat.
“We have been sent by the Elder council to update Kailan Bourn on a personal matter, I don’t think he would be too happy finding out a message of such high importance got sent away,” replied Willow playing on Kailan’s reputation.
“What is this message,” asked the rider. “I shall pass it on.”
“No this message must be given to Kailan Bourn directly if you have problem with that then we shall leave as you requested. Then you can answer to him yourself,” Willow said trying her hand at a little reverse psychology.
The rider contemplated for a few moments before subduing and taking his dragon out of biting range. Looking over towards the northeast, he pointed the two companions towards a large mountainous mass of black rock poking up through the low clouds.
“There you will find path, I advise you not to divert from it. I will inform Kailan to expect your arrival. Be warned if you or your beast are lying I will personally feed all three of you to my dragon,” the rider stated directing a steam of fiery breath from the enormous dragon’s mouth at Relg’s hiding place devouring the face of the boulder he hid behind. The rider took off with a gust of downward wind Willow walked to Riven and stroked his huge cat furred face in realisation of how close they were to becoming breakfast.
“That was too close this time Riven.”
“Let’s hope Kailan Bourn is more hospitable,” rubbing his face against Willow’s body in affection for his friend.
Relg appeared shakenly from behind the boulder looking at the black scorch mark feeling a little singed himself. The three set of across the rocky landscape quite confident they were not going to be eaten, still if they passed a large boulder they would without thinking stick close to its shadow.
It was around noon with a drizzle of rain in the air by time they reached the rock face the rider rudely pointed towards earlier that morning. As they walk along the mountainous base, a staircase within the rock appeared leading high above that their position until it was out of sight. It did not take Riven and Willow long to work out the route of the steps as they ascended. The steps appeared carved into the very rock possibly many thousands of years ago; Riven could see the stairs gradually spiral up and around the mountain with little to no protection from the drop below or from the elements, which consisted of persistent wind and rain.
Riven had always been fine with heights maybe having four feet had its benefit when it came to balance. Willow on the other hand did not mind heights either climbing the giant trees of Elwood as a child but this took heights to
another level, looking over the ledge hundreds of feet below made her heart stop. If not for Riven’s guidance and unwanted moral support from Relg to take her mind off the sheer drop she would still be half way up clinging to small rock crevasses with her eyes shut.
Relief in Willows face spoke a thousand words when she finally set foot on top of the mountain, to all of their surprise the ground was flat as a table- top carpeted with the same bright green-grassed surface seen dotted around Angar. Clouds surrounded the mountains edge providing a no walk zone, which helped Willow’s current mental state after her traumatic climb.
The evening sun dipped down over the wooden and thatched roofed village that spread spaciously round the whole surface with a sunken area in the centre surrounded by wooden benches arranged around in rows. Willow waved Riven’s and Relg’s attention to the left, looking across the silver and orange clouds they could see similar dwellings scattered atop separate table-top mountains cohabiting with dragons of many different breeds, shapes and sizes flying freely within the communities.
“You made it I see,” stated the same dragon rider they met earlier in a dry tone but this time on his own two feet without his helmet revealing his dark wavy hair and long gaunt face. “Follow me,” eyeing Relg suspiciously at close range for the first time.
“Man of many words,” whispered Willow sarcastically.
“I don’t trust him,” worried Relg knowing he would be dragon feed if they found out he was a goblin.
“We have your back,” responded Riven in a tone giving Relg little comfort. They followed the rider deeper into the village passing many Angarians going about their daily lives. Willow noticed they looked nothing like the dragon riders in their scaled armour but more your normal village folk wearing the usual cotton and wool clothing. All eyeing up the three strangers, a woman from the woodland realm carrying a bow with no quiver and her enormously companion who was clearly the talk of the village. Word had gotten around of a talking beast larger than a human with fangs the size of an arm no doubt spread by their displeased dragon rider.
Dragons swooped in freely to roam the grounds some towering over the bigger buildings, some fed on gated livestock whilst people of the village tended harmoniously to other dragons with water and scrubbing brushes. With dragons rising through the clouds, refilling sizable gated areas using the giant wingspan to hover and release their sharp claws holding captured sheep and goats that seemed to Relg to be shared for food between both human and dragon in a symbiont circle. Riven and Willow could clearly see there was a deep bond etched in history between them, Relg on the other hand kept close wrapping his hood tighter.
They came to a stop at the furthest point of the village standing in front of the same type of large wooden building that situated nicely on the very tip of a protruding part of land that extended outwards thousands of meters above the surface of Angar. A man with his back turned towards them wearing a basic greyed cloth garments similar to the villagers stood towards the back of the barely furnished room finishing a conversation with a person who faded away and vanished. Riven and Relg both caught a glimpse of the stranger, recognising the person instantly from the metal mask and the engraved markings.
“That was Lore,” both Riven to Willow said in harmony shocked to see him here.
“He was the person who helped you fight the Goblin King at the Noose,” whispered Relg.
“I wander what he is doing here, he can’t have been sent from the Elders as it would make no sense sending us here as well,” replied Willow with a gut feeling something was not quite right.
“Lore has always done things his own way and not necessarily in the name of the Guardians either,” inputted Riven. “The Elders never know where he is most of the time or what he’s been up to, but he is handy in a fight I will give him that.”
“He has been coming to Angar for years seeking advice and refuge. I believe it’s the only place he can find peace up here in the mountain,” spoke a middle-aged man in a mournful tone tucking one side of his dark thick hair around his ear that hung below his stubble jawline revealing his piercing grey coloured eyes.
“He could have saved us a journey if he actually spoke to the Elders every now and again,” Riven said with annoyance, forgetting his manners wishing Lore would just follow the Guardian code, not just when he sees fit.
“Lore is on his own path of redemption, one day maybe he might embrace the Guardians way of life but he has a difficult journey ahead for him to get to that point.”
“If you are Kailan Bourn, we were sent by Elder Fallon,” Willow stated clutching her bow tighter unsure of how to take Kailan’s dark demeanour.
“I am him and I’m not blind young woodling I know who sent you, but the question is why. Why would two Guardians travel all this way especially when Elder Fallon of all people knows we no longer have any dealings with the mainland?” Kailan asked on the verge of snapping in annoyance of the thought of the Elders blended with a deep sadness in his eyes has he looked upon the two Guardians.
“Your daughter is in need of her father,” answered Willow bluntly getting straight to the point cutting out all the chitchat and getting his full attention.
Kailan Bourn looked at the young woodland woman trying to process the words that came out of her mouth. Willow repeated her words in a more urgent tone using Asha’s name this time. The shock of hearing his daughters name spoken by strangers took moments to sink in, like a sudden change in wind Kailan Bourn’s face took on a sudden serious and deathly expression.
“Tell me everything, I want to know every detail including why you travel with a goblin companion.”
Chapter 19
The Passing
The sounds of battle hardened orcs and spear wielding goblins echoed through the chambers of the Temple of Da’Karr smashing their weapons against shields and spears thumping the waste grounds outside. The final fifth Dark Priest entered the throne room taking his position on the vacant circle alongside the other priests. On one knee with his hands held out towards Onyxia, he held the carved bone cylinder case she had searched for desperately. Onyxia rose from her throne of the deceased tree with satisfaction in her face and rejuvenation in her body as she bounded towards the priest taking the case with care knowing what is inside would change the outcome of her war.
“It has not been opened my queen,” the Dark Priest stated in a quiet but menacing voice.
“You have done well, my faithful servant.”
Onyxia slowly slid the ancient case in half throwing the top half over her shoulder discarded onto the stone floor to reveal a scroll no larger than her hand. She picked up the tanned parchment discarding the bottom section of the case in the same manner, then unravelled the scroll by the two small silver poles the parchment wrapped around at each end revealing writings not seen for thousands of years.
She paced the torch lit room pieces of metal armour gleamed from under her wrapped clothing not taking her eyes of the text deciphering every letter and symbol. Her eyes widened and a genuine smile formed from her mouth followed by an unstoppable cackle and then another.
“Prepare all our forces for battle, we’re travelling West,” ordered Onyxia.
“To where my queen?” Asked a female Dark Priest her head bent low.
“Hares Valley. It seems the green planes to the north-west are holding a secret. In short, the scroll states our beloved God Plagis hated what God Aldor had created in the world with so much colour and nature, as we know he believes our world should be solely for the Dark Bloods. In anger, he looked for a place in which Aldor would deem perfect, a vivid green valley. There he planted a seed taken off a deathly tree from the Dark Isle that grew into a tree worthy of any Dark Bloods, a tree of death to any living vegetation in the area. However, it seemed Plagis had other ideas that he secretly hid from Aldor. He knew using a seed taken from the afterlife could also bridge the two worlds by those very trees. The tree from which the seed had been taken in the Dark Isle and the other from
the seed he planted. He called them the Breachers. A doorway hidden from Aldor for an eternity until the time was right to take back this world from the west,” explained Onyxia with a pleasing smile. “And that time is now.”
The priests followed Onyxia from the throne room and along the torch lit passageways emerging into the spacious entrance hall. Overshadowed by large statues they made their way across the stone floor to the two large stone and metal framed entrance doors. With a wave of her glowing palm, the thick doors slowly opened with a puff of dust and a high-pitched creak emanating from the old rusty hinges releasing the red hue of sunlight that eventually filled the whole room as they came to rest on the inner walls.
Onyxia came to stop central of the four sculptured columns atop the carved stairs, with her six priests standing behind in union looking out across the plains of Draknar. Thousands of orc, trolls and goblins arranged into rectangular sectioned formations with a much larger orc commander overseeing each section. Onyxia held up the scroll signalling to her army for battle with the noise of thumping metal and acknowledged roars echoing across the looming mountains. The commanders shouted orders to move out, section by section they headed out vibrating the very ground as they marched towards the west.
“Elder Fallon! Elder Fallon!” Shouted a nurse of middle age her hair tied in a bun wearing a grey linen nurse’s uniform and a bag full of medical items draped over her shoulder. She ran across the courtyard of the Core clearly not as fit as her slim build would portray her lungs heaving as she came to stop by a group of four people.
“What is it Nurse Hathaway?” Asked Elder Fallon sensing urgency from her voice.
“We - we had a Guardian come in early this morning, he was in bad shape. I’m sorry to say I don’t think he will last much longer,” explained Nurse Hathaway her back slightly arched with her hands on her hips gasping for breath.
“I’m sorry to hear that miss, we are losing a lot of good warriors in this blasted war,” Elder Warrick a fully armoured dwarf said in a sympathetic tone.
