by Toni Cox
“Greetings, Commander Arkenbay. May the Mother smile on you too.”
Jagaer and Jaik clasped arms with the Commander and his second, before Maia also greeted them.
“You have made quite an entrance. Our people have been worried.” Jagaer allowed just enough accusation to colour his words to make the Commander aware of the discomfort they had created.
“I am sorry for the commotion, but your worry is warranted,” Commander Arkenbay said. “We left Thala Yll a fortnight ago. We have had more attacks, people have died and we have lost even more livestock. We were hunting the Vampyres for days, when we eventually lost their spoor in the forest. As they were already heading in this direction, we thought to fly here with haste to warn you.”
Maia grabbed her father’s arm. The Guard and Elders behind her discussed the news with trepidation.
“That is indeed ill news that you bring, but I thank you for the warning.” Jagaer’s voice was low and even, but she sensed the tension in him. “Will you stay and rest and share with us what you know?”
“Thank you, Lord Longshadow. We could do with a rest. Do you have a place for our dragons where they will not disturb your people?”
Maia felt her father hesitate. They had not visitors on dragon-back for some time. She stepped forward.
“Maybe I can help with that,” she said, and Jagaer gave her a thankful look. “If you will take the harnesses off your mounts, we will help you carry them to the storage rooms. Then, if you are confident that your dragons will allow it, Midnight will lead them to a place not far from here where they can roost for the night.”
“Midnight?” Commander Arkenbay asked, raising one of his dark eyebrows.
There was no need for Maia to answer.
Commander Arkenbay had just spoken, when all the dragons roared and clacked, pulling at their harnesses. Their riders were hard pressed to keep them on the ground. Maia could see their eyes rolling back in their sockets, the whites showing clearly.
Maia felt their terror as her own and her body started to quiver.
Midnight, calm them, she thought.
Almost immediately she heard a peculiar bugle coming from her dragon as he rose into the air from behind a low ridge about a hundred paces away. He repeated the bugle twice more and gradually the dragons settled, arching their necks to look at Midnight’s black form.
Commander Arkenbay and his second were surprisingly calm as they watched Midnight cross the field, making his way toward them. Maia wondered why they were not afraid, but then saw the look of wonder on their faces and she understood; they were dragon riders and they were aware of the honour the great, black dragon bestowed on them by allowing them so near.
Midnight had been with Maia for almost seventy years, but, until now, he had been Shadow Hall’s best kept secret.
Both Commander Arkenbay and his second dipped their heads in respect to the great dragon.
“It would be an honour for them to fly with him. Thank you, My Princess.”
Once the warriors had taken the tack off, Maia watched Midnight lead the dragons away.
Although powerful and fearsome in their own right, the Dragono Captivaris appeared as pups next to Midnights great bulk. His black, leathery, almost bat-like wings were more than three times the size of theirs, and much thicker. Midnight also had several independent membranes that moved individually, giving him more manoeuvrability in flight. Midnight possessed a longer, more powerful tail. The tail also had flight membranes, which could be opened and closed. These membranes were protected by a profusion of spikes, used during a fight. The Plains Dragons’ tails were unadorned, only their armour-like skin giving it some texture.
Their necks are shorter, albeit strong, their heads are smaller and their claws are shorter, Maia mused. And their dull brown skin does not sparkle in the sun like Midnight’s does.
Maia shook herself. She should be hurrying to the Elder Hall, not staring after the dragons, but as she turned to walk the path through the birch forest, she could not prevent the feeling of pride she had for her dragon; he was magnificent.
“Yes, Jagaer, we have been chasing them for a fortnight,” Commander Arkenbay said, “and then lost them in the forest two days ago. We circled the area for a while, but our dragons were not able to penetrate the thick foliage. We followed their scent, which led towards Shadows Peak. When we realised where they were heading, we ended the pursuit and came here to warn you with all haste.”
“Thank you, Commander Arkenbay.” Jagaer inclined his head toward the dragon rider. “We run patrols around the city day and night and have been taking extra precautions while going about our daily business. So far, no attacks, but I will double the patrols again, now that we are aware there are indeed Vampyres near.”
Maia settled down on the bench next to Jaik. She hurried here after seeing the dragons off and it seemed she had not missed much. The Guard from Thala Yll had taken their armour off and were now gratefully sipping on the ale provided for them. Her father and Commander Arkenbay sat on the speaker’s platform facing the men. Although it was an informal arrangement, the seriousness of the subject matter was not lost on anybody.
“We have started to arm the people,” Commander Arkenbay now said. “Everybody knows how to handle a weapon, even if we have not had war for hundreds of years. And they feel safer for it. Our Spring Feast champions have taken it upon themselves to train everyone that wishes to learn more and it has done wonders for the moral of our people.”
Maia chuckled. They had done much the same here. Every year, on Spring Day, they held a Spring Feast and one of the most anticipated events were the War Games. Archery, sword fighting, jousting, tracking, trapping, as well as duelling with staves, axes, maces and even knives. The Guard and the Commanders of the Warrior Houses were not allowed to participate, as everyone already knew they were the best in their field, so they were the judges. Only Maia now received personal training with Jaik. Everyone else took lessons from the Spring Feast champions.
“Indeed, as we have here, but I still feel we should be more proactive. Why must we hide in our homes in fear? This is our planet and it is being invaded. We should be doing something other than just defend ourselves.”
Commander Arkenbay nodded to Lord Longshadow’s words.
“We have posted guards by the Gate, but nothing has come through there in the last two Moons. Either they are aware we are watching that site, or they are all here already. If we knew how many we are actually dealing with, then we could prepare accordingly.”
Commander Arkenbay nodded again. His second, Commander Hollowdale, walked over and sat beside his commander.
“If we could capture one,” Commander Hollowdale grimaced, “we might be able to extract the information we need.”
“It is an ugly thought, but I agree.”
Maia watched her father frown. It was not in his nature to conceive of torture, but if it was to the benefit of his people, she knew he would not hesitate.
“May I then maybe suggest that you and your men stay a few days? If the Vampyres are close to Shadow Peak, then we can find them. No one knows this part of the forest better than we. Would you agree to accompany us on the hunt?”
“We would, indeed, Lord Longshadow.”
Before Commander Arkenbay continued, he exchanged a significant glance with Commander Hollowdale. He cleared his throat before he spoke.
“Given the status of your daughter, we didn’t at first think anything about it, but now I feel I should mention it.” He paused briefly. “We saw a Death Wolf within a day’s ride from Shadow Hall. He was tracking something or someone, but at the sight of the dragons, he disappeared into the forest and we didn’t see him again.”
Maia didn’t wait for her father’s reply. She trembled, and almost stumbled, as she ran out of the hall. She barely heard Jaik as he called after her. Wolf sat outside of the hall and bounded after her as she ran along The Garland, down the Fleeting Steps and across the Gathering Grounds.
Only when she reached Silas’ cave, did she realise where she was and took a moment to calm herself.
For reasons she did not understand, people not of Shadow Hall knowing about his existence, terrified her. It made everything more real and she suddenly felt a terrible premonition steal over her. His presence might have something to do with the greater events in motion and she sensed horrible acts to come.
She started a fire and stared sullenly into the pot as she brought the water to boil. Once the tea was made, she sat on the cushions and watched the flames as she sipped her tea. It seemed like hours before she finally heard Silas come down the tunnel. She put the pot back onto the fire and waited for him to emerge into the cave.
“Maia,” he said simply and nodded in her direction, before he went to his alcove to remove his coat.
The water boiled and Maia had Silas’ tea ready by the time he joined her by the fire. She handed it to him silently.
“Jaik was looking for you after the meeting. You should see him before they leave in the morning.”
“So they are going then?” she asked, her hands shaking.
“Yes, it was decided. Seven Guard, including Jaik, have been assigned. Jagaer will accompany them. They will be on foot, as the forest is thick towards the east and the dragons will not be able to fly there. For now, our guests have gone to the lodge to get what rest they can. They will be leaving before sunrise tomorrow.”
“NO!” Maia shouted and Silas nearly dropped his cup.
“What?”
Maia ran down the tunnel. Seven Guard from Shadow Hall, eight Guard and twelve warriors from Thala Yll, plus Jagaer himself, was no small group. Nevertheless, Maia had a terrible feeling that something would go horribly wrong. She could not shake the feeling that Death had something to do with it and, the more she worried about it, the more real it became to her.
Outside, the sun had already set and there was a chill in the air. She wrapped her shawl tighter around herself as she made her way to the Training Grounds. Jaik wasn’t there and it took her a while before she finally found him by the Armoury.
“Maia, what is the matter?”
She gazed into his eyes and took his hands. How did he always know what she was feeling? “I don’t want you to go,” she said.
“I will be fine, Maia. This is my job. This is what I am good at. You need not fear.” He raised a hand and gently stroked her cheek.
“I know you can handle yourself, Jaik, it is just … I don’t know how to explain it to you. I have this feeling that something will go wrong and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Jaik now took her into his arms and held her for a while. “This needs to be done, for the safety of everyone. We will not be gone long.”
“But …”
“Are you worried because of the omen? No, don’t look so shocked, everyone is talking about it now. He is also only a person, just like you. I do not fear falling pregnant just because you are near, so I will not fear dying just because Death is near.”
Maia tried to follow his logic, but failed, and it seemed to show on her face, for Jaik continued.
“If it makes you happy, I will take Wolf with me. He can sniff out the Vampyres quicker than we can and he can warn us should anything other approach. Anyway, there are only two of them and there are twenty eight of us. Nothing will go wrong.”
Maia paced. Every time she passed the window, she looked down at the forest. They had been gone for three days and she was worried.
“Maia.” Jasmin put a hand on her arm.
Maia stopped her pacing.
“It will be all right. Archer told me they took a bird and would send it should anything happen There are almost thirty of them. No one would be foolish enough to attack. And they have Wolf.” Jasmin gave her a crooked smile.
Maia appreciated her words, but they did nothing to calm her. She needed a distraction, desperately. “Would you like to see the dragons today?”
Maia had told the Humans about the warriors’ steeds. At the same time, she also told them about Midnight. Although they were all put out at first that she had not entrusted them with the information before, they were excited about the fact that they had real, live dragons on Elveron. They were apparently the subject of many a fable on Earth.
“Oh, I would like that very much. Can we go now?”
Maia looked into her hopeful eyes. She loved this girl. She was almost shocked at the strength of her feelings for Jasmin.
She smiled. “Go get your brother and your father and put on your boots, we might have to do some climbing.”
Jasmin darted away without comment. Maia put on her own boots, strapped on her hunting knife and slung her bow over her shoulder and a few minutes later met the Humans on the veranda. They were excited, even Aaron.
“We’ll take Lofty Run until it meets with Sky Pass. From there we will follow Stony Lane out of the city. It leads directly to Blackwood Drop, the path that circles The Crags.”
They nodded and Maia stepped out, leading the way. They were delayed briefly when they reached High Bridge, the bridge that connected Lofty Run to Sky Pass. The Sentinel did not want to let them pass, afraid for their safety, but Maia eventually convinced him to accompany them, so that he might protect them. It took another moment for him to find another to take his place in his absence, but eventually they were on their way towards The Crags.
The Crags were a formation of granite that poked out of the forest canopy like a lone watchman, keeping watch over the city a quarter mile away. It had sheer sides, but the top formed a shallow bowl and, during the rainy season, it was one of Maia’s favourite places to swim. Inaccessible for most people, Midnight liked to spend his nights there when he slept close to the city and often took her up to spend time with him.
From the path that circled it, the view to the top was inhibited by the forest canopy, but if one walked a little further to a clearing a bit higher up the slope, then one had a perfect view of The Crags. and that was where Maia led the Humans now.
With her thoughts, she let Midnight know they were on their way. She felt him acknowledge her and received images of him rousing the other dragons to present themselves. She smiled to herself. The Humans would be impressed with just seeing a dragon, even if it was sleeping, but Midnight did have a bit of a flair for the dramatic.
“We’re almost there,” she said, and pointed ahead to the clearing just visible through the trees.
Her family walked a little faster.
“What is that strange sound?” Luke asked.
“The clacking? That’s from the Plains Dragons. It is how they talk, but they can also roar and bugle, depending on what they are trying to communicate.”
“Does your dragon also clack like that?” Jasmin asked.
“No, Midnight has a vast repertoire of roars and rumbles and, on certain occasion, he will also bugle.”
“Wow.”
The clearing opened before them and Maia led them out into the sunshine. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the brightness, but soon the air was filled with oohs and aahs as the humans beheld the dragons standing on the rim of The Crags.
About six of them were visible from where they were. The dragons shuffled their wings, preening them and shaking them out, or rubbed their muzzles against the stone, generally doing the pretty ordinary things dragons did.
The glory of the six was nevertheless not lost on the Humans. Even from this distance, it was plain to see how large the animals were and how fearsome they appeared. Even Feynris, their gallant Sentinel, watched them with fascination.
Fixated on the towering stone formation, not even Maia heard the others approach. They all ducked, gasping in surprise, as four more dragons swooped low over the clearing and settled upon The Crags.
The arrival of the newcomers caused a stir among the dragons already on the top and, within a few heartbeats, the sound of twenty dragons clacking, roaring and bugling built to an almost unbearable cacophony. They watched
in enthrallment as the dragons shoved and bit and snapped at each other, vying for space. Then, just when they thought it could not get any noisier, a terrible roar, louder than anything they had heard before, silenced the squabbling dragons and, one by one, they cowered down as if they were bowing.
Huge, black and menacing, Midnight rose to his immense height, towering above the hunkering dragons. His hide gleamed in the sunlight. He opened his wings, spreading them to their full width, and they spanned almost the entire Crags. He beat them a few times, wafting the heavy dragon smell over the people.
Aaron sank to his knees beside Maia. Jasmin grabbed her arm and held fast. Luke helped his father back to his feet, but Maia noticed that he, too, was shaking.
Midnight roared again.
The Humans quivered. Maia whistled.
Midnight flapped his wings and then, with one powerful lunge of his great hind legs, he was in the air. One wing beat later and he was circling above them. With ever decreasing circles, he descended and finally landed in the small clearing, leaving not much space for them to stand. They had retreated to the tree line, but Maia had to stop them from running back into the forest.
“He will not hurt you,” she told them. At least I hope not.
Midnight shuffled his wings and folded them tightly to his body. He held his head high and peered down at the small forms before him. His tail twitched, shaking a tall pine tree behind him.
Maia ran to him and he lowered his head. She hugged his muzzle.
“No smoke today, all right? They are already frightened enough,” she whispered.
He rumbled his agreement, but she sensed the playful mood he was in and she was not sure if he would listen.
Maia’s heart pounded as Jasmin hesitantly stepped forward. Would he allow her to touch him? Maia wasn’t sure. With shaking steps, Jasmin made her way towards Maia, glancing nervously between her and the dragon. Maia thought her incredibly brave, but when she held out her hand for the last few steps, Jasmin took it gratefully. Shaking, she stood next to Maia and looked up at the great, black bulk of the dragon. This close, only part of one of his red eyes was visible, but it was obvious, even to Jasmin, that he was looking at her. Maia lifted Jasmin’s hand and placed it firmly on Midnight’s left foreleg.
