Fire & Stone_The War for Life

by Luis Robles

  “Halt! State your business in these lands,” one of the gargoyles said, unimpressed and unafraid of the dragon.

  “We’ve come to see the King,” Bliss said with a calm voice.

  Taking notice of Bliss and her violet hair, the gargoyles began to get nervous, “Are you, are you… are you an originator of magic?”

  Bliss nodded, and they bowed without question.

  “Please, come this way. We’ll escort you to the King. Please, please, right this way!” one of the gargoyles said as they took flight once again and gestured towards the entrance of the wall. The other four gargoyles sounded horns one after another, and in the distance, two more horns were heard.

  “Quite a reputation you have there. I just wonder if it’s because they are scared of you, or they are happy to see you,” the dragon teased as he followed the gargoyles.

  “Or maybe it is both,” Bliss responded with a slight smile.

  The closer they got to the wall, the bigger it looked. “Impressive,” the dragon said in awe.

  “You are only looking at a small part of it. The wall surrounds our kingdom and goes far deep into the ground as well,” one of the gargoyles said, looking back at the dragon in response.

  “The gargoyles are the great masons of our world. Their skill with stone has no comparison,” Bliss said softly.

  As they neared the entrance of the wall, the massive gate began to open upwards into the wall. And other gargoyles were lining up outside, with flags to greet Bliss and the dragon. The flags had an orange tint to them, with a hammer emblem in the middle.

  “It will be just a few minutes until we reach the Stone Keep. Is there anything we can get you? You are an honored guest of the King,” one of the gargoyles in the entrance said as he began to walk next to Bliss and the dragon.

  “That won’t be necessary,” Bliss said in a polite tone.

  “Very well, right this way!” the gargoyle said, gesturing towards a large structure with an elaborate but solid design in the middle of the village.

  I present to you the Stone Keep, and it looks like the King is already waiting for you outside,” the escorting gargoyle said when they neared the structure.

  “Hello Bliss, hello Bliss, it’s nice to see you again!” the King yelled from afar.

  “So, you’ve been here before also?” the dragon asked.

  “A long time ago, before this place was a kingdom and he a King. It has changed so much in so little time,” Bliss responded.

  When they neared the steps of the Stone Keep, the castle for the King and Queen, Bliss jumped down from the dragon’s shoulder and began walking up the steps. The dragon let Bliss lead the way, since she was the one that was familiar with the gargoyle King. The King also went down the stair steps to meet Bliss.

  “Welcome! Welcome to the Stone Keep, dear Bliss and company. Is there anything I can get you? Water…Food? Anything at all, just name it,” the King of the gargoyles greeted as they walked up the steps.

  Gargoyles had a surprising resemblance to humans: they came in all shapes and sizes, only with the color of their hair, skin, and long pointed ears to set them apart. Not to mention, most gargoyles had tails and some even wings. Their skin was the color of stone, and most had bright colored hair. The King was one of the few exceptions as he had no hair on his scalp; however, whatever hair he was missing, he more than made it up with facial hair, keeping a long, white braided beard.

  “Thank you, Bramma. It is nice to see you, old friend. So, you are King now?” Bliss said as they reached the top of the stairs.

  “That’s what the people of this village call me now, although I see myself more as helper to the people. And thus far, I have been able to help,” Bramma said, full of wisdom and a slight smile. “And who will this big fella be? He looks like quite the warrior.”

  “This is Dragon, a new Watcher!” Bliss said, gesturing to the dragon.

  The dragon nodded and gave a slight bow to Bramma. The dragon was large compared to the gargoyles and easily stood out inside the village. Some of the gargoyles would stop to stare, causing even more to join. Just a little time had passed when there was a crowd gathering outside the Stone Keep.

  “Move along! Nothing to see here! They are just some old friends of mine,” Bramma shouted in a friendly way.

  The crowd quickly began to disperse, and Bramma spoke again to Bliss and the dragon, “Well, come on in. I’m sure there is much to discuss.”

  Getting inside the Stone Keep, the dragon had a bit of trouble entering the main door but was able to keep up with Bramma and Bliss. After a few movements of walking through a long corridor, they were able to reach the great hall of the Stone Keep.

  “So, dragon…What is your name? What should I call you?” Bramma asked, touching his beard as they sat down by a large wooden table.

  “Name?” the dragon repeated almost bewildered. “I guess, I don’t have a name, or I forgot my name when I turned into a Watcher,” the dragon answered absently.

  “Then, we should give you a name! How about Maranga, Ignis or Incendium? Which name do you fancy?” Bramma asked in a friendly tone.

  Bliss looked at the dragon with a smile, hoping he would choose a name. But the dragon was blushing and fell short of words.

  “Maybe we’ll talk about names once the dust is settled and we can relax. For now, we should focus on other things,” Bliss chimed in.

  “Yes, of course! I know you did not come all the way here just to see me. Please sit, my friend. Anywhere you wish is fine with me,” Bramma said as he gestured to the dragon and across the hall.

  The dragon sat down next to a pillar with a soft thud that made the ground move softly.

  “It has been ten years now since the creatures we call ‘shadows’ began attacking our village and the nearby towns. It’s hard to tell when they are coming and if they are coming at all. There is no defense against them; they are stronger, bigger and faster than us. It takes around four of our strongest soldiers to fend one of them off and usually is at a great sacrifice. We did everything we could to fend them off at first, but they were winning all battles. It wasn’t until we began to expand our wall that we began to have the upper hand. This wall has allowed us to get rid of the shadows with almost ease. Despite their growing quantities, we have been so successful that we have grown as a village, and the nearby settlements have prospered as well. However, how much longer will this last? That is unclear to me and the gargoyle warriors. Their numbers are multiplying faster than before, and they do not get tired of conflict. They seem to crave for it, to thrive in it! Our situation is becoming dire. Bliss, you couldn’t have come at a better time,” Bramma explained the current situation with a grave tone.

  “Have you heard about the Gate creatures or the Dark Emissaries?” Bliss asked.

  “Yes, I have. They are the force behind the calamities happening to the world, so they say,” Bramma responded.

  “They speak the truth of these creatures. They are responsible. Thus far, we have been able to slay four of the five known to us,” Bliss said.

  “There are five of them? I thought there would be two or at the most three… The situation is worse than we thought,” Bramma said in a low voice, trying not to interrupt Bliss or make a point.

  “Despair, Meager, Malady, and Greed have been slain,” Bliss said and stopped her train of thought because she noticed the dragon shift awkwardly, almost as if something had poked him. But the dragon waved his hand and Bliss resumed.

  “They have all been slain by the dragon. The last one is still unknown to us, since they have only been revealing their names as we confront them. But we believe that the last one might be the one behind the relentless conflict you face. We also know that this will be by far the strongest one of the Gate creatures,” Bliss said, pausing for Bramma to speak.

  “We know that someone is ordering the shadows around. The shadows themselves do not think. They can easily be outsmarted. We know that they all come from a small forsaken
village north from the wall, about a three hour walk by foot, a village called Allmentana. We have tried to survey the area with our winged gargoyles, but every scout we have sent thus far does not make it back,” Bramma said with an obvious weight in his heart.

  “This is going to be one tough fight,” the dragon chimed in.

  “You aren’t planning to go there, are you? You might be strong, not to mention the dragon, but going there is futile. There will be at least a whole battalion waiting for you there. And if those Gate creatures are as strong as they say they are, and you say that this one is the strongest, you’ll stand little chance of victory going there.”

  “I was strong before, not anymore,” Bliss said in a low voice.

  “When was the last time they have attacked the wall or the nearby villages?” the dragon asked.

  “In a few hours, it will be eight days since their last attack. They usually attack in the middle of the night or during heavy storms,” Bramma responded, looking at the dragon and wondering where he was heading with the question.

  “And how often do they attack?” the dragon asked and Bliss smiled, already having figured out where the dragon was heading with the questioning.

  “Well, it’s hard to give you an exact date, but I can tell you that there has not been an attack with a minimum of five days in between or a maximum of nine days. If you stay in the village, you will surely witness an attack. As we speak, the gargoyles guarding the walls are getting ready for an imminent attack. I think I see where you are going with this,” Bramma said.

  “If we wait for them to attack the walls, then we’ll have the upper hand when going to Allmentana. That’s if the wall can withstand the attack,” the dragon said.

  “The walls will stand, and we will do our best as we have been doing all these years. You don’t need to worry about us. But I do worry about you two. Please allow me to give you a group of warriors to escort you to Allmentana. They can be of great assistance to you, and they are highly skilled in combat.”

  “We won’t be putting anyone else’s life at risk here. This is our burden to carry, Bramma, and no one else’s,” Bliss said with a firm voice.

  “Very well then, it’s settled. We’ll work out the detail over supper, shall we?” Bramma said, trying to change the tone of the conversation.

  “What do you say, Dragon, want to have supper with the King?” Bliss asked, looking at the dragon.

  “We should eat while we are alive… we can’t let the Gates win over our hunger too!” the dragon said with a smile.

  “Very well then, supper it is,” Bramma said as he clapped once loudly over his hair, and another gargoyle soon appeared. “Please, tell my wife to get ready for supper and have the table readied for our guests.”

  Soon after, the table of the great hall began to fill with peasant but delicious smelling food. Almost simultaneously, as the last dish was laid on the large table, the Queen of the gargoyles walked into the hall. Bliss and the dragon noticed something they have not seen before on a gargoyle—it was a large bump in her belly.

  Bliss got up from her chair and walked over to the Queen. As she passed Bramma, he said with a smile, “I Have to keep the lineage going. Bliss, that is my wife Laila. Laila, this is Bliss and the dragon, a new Watcher.”

  As Bliss got close to the Queen, she bowed slightly and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my Queen.”

  “Oh no, the pleasure is all mine. You are an originator of magic after all.” the Queen said as she bowed awkwardly to Bliss, feeling embarrassed.

  “Oh, quit the formalities! We are all family here,” Bramma yelled from across the hall.

  “May I?” Bliss asked softly and with a smile as she extended her hand towards the Queen’s belly bump.

  The Queen nodded and blushed, though not out of embarrassment: it was out of warmth in her heart. Bending half ways, Bliss rubbed the belly ever so softly.

  “A girl, a wonderful girl,” Bliss said. “She is blessed with the courage of her father and the looks of her mother,” Bliss added as she looked up towards the Queen. “Would you like me to bless her?”

  The Queen agreed and nodded warmly. Bliss smiled, and magical pressure filled the hall, turning the fire burning on the torches violet, and dimming them at the same time. Bramma and the dragon looked at each other and then at Bliss as they were feeling a little on edge.

  “Blessed, you will be with perfect control over your body, stamina and strength. If the land should ever need it, you will be able to defend it. This is my gift to you,” Bliss uttered softly and once the last word came out of her mouth, the room returned to normal.

  “Come on, let’s eat. The food is getting cold,” Bramma yelled once again. Everyone chuckled.

  As they all ate together, hope was alive in them once more. And it was in that moment that Bliss knew what it was like to have a family. She looked at everyone’s faces as they ate the delicious food, and she smiled warmly. They looked happy. The dragon had in his hand a large bird that he could eat with one bite if he wanted to, but he too chose to spare the moment.

  A few minutes into supper, Bliss put down her spoon and stopped eating. The dragon noticed first, then Bramma, then Laila; they too fallowed.

  “Bliss, what is wrong?” Bramma was the first to ask, everyone else just waited for her answer.

  “We are not ready for this…” she said, staring at the table blankly. “The last of the Gate creature is coming our way; the magical pressure it is exerting is well beyond everything we have faced before.” Bliss said as she rolled her hands into fist, and she stared towards the direction of the wall. She continued, “But that’s not all. It’s bringing an army of shadows with it!”

  “Why haven’t they sounded the alarm?” Bramma screamed at the nearby guard as he stood up from the table.

  “Wait,” Bliss said and everyone froze including the guard. “Don’t sound the alarm. Don’t have everyone scramble, have everyone prepare as quietly as they can. Man the walls and wait for us.”

  “You heard her, let’s do as she says,” Bramma commanded, trying to calm himself. The guard nodded and left the hall.

  “The last of the Gate creatures is moving slowly towards the wall, almost walking. It wants us to know they are coming,” Bliss said, motionless, staring towards the wall.

  “No point in staying in here while they come. Let’s go get to know the enemy,” the dragon said, hopeful.

  “I agree. Laila, do you mind going into the vaults with the other mothers, non-warriors, and children?” Bramma asked kindly. “Please take care of everyone down there. They need to know that everything will be fine; there is never sense in worrying.”

  The Queen swiftly agreed, and her handmaid approached her from outside the hall to walk with her.

  * * *

  As they walked outside, many of the gargoyle women, men, and children were heading inside the building and into the vaults for safety. At the same time, it began to drizzle.

  While she was walking towards the wall, Bliss noticed a small pull on her cloak, and when she turned to see, she had to look down. A gargoyle boy, no more than three years old was waving at her, just with his palm and fingers half extended.

  “Good luck,” the green-haired gargoyle said. “Good luck,” almost slurring his words.

  Bliss did a complete stop and turned to get closer to the gargoyle boy. Everyone stopped and stared at her, even the drizzle seemed to have slowed to a crawl. As she approached the boy, Bliss bended to the level of the gargoyle boy and smiled.

  “Young boy, what is your name?” Bliss asked warmly.

  “My name is Hellys,” the boy answered sheepishly.

  “Thank you for wishing us good luck without even knowing us, Hellys, and you did it with your whole heart. We will really need luck this time around. You are a good omen for us today. I am grateful, and in return I’ll wish you the same when you grow up. Luck will surround you, and magic will always be watching you. This is my promise,” Bliss said,
ending with a smile.

  In that instant, the drizzle stopped for a few seconds as magic flooded the area surrounding Bliss and the gargoyle boy, creating a cold and subtle breeze. Bliss then turned to Hellys’ mother that was standing just a few steps away from her boy. “You have an amazing child. I’m sure he will bring a lot of good to this world,” Bliss said to her.

  “We won’t keep you any longer. Forgive my son, he can be very impulsive sometimes,” Hellys’ mother said blushing.

  “He is not impulsive, he is just brave,” Bliss replied kindly.

  The crowd of gargoyles and even the dragon were in awe for her show of power. Everyone fell silent, all staring at the stopped drizzle.

  As Bliss got up and continued towards the wall, and Hellys waved his final goodbye, the stopped drizzle turned into heavy rain in a matter of moments, drenching all it touched.

  7

  Tears in the Rain

  Rain fell, and the full smell of wet stone, land, and grass surrounded Bliss and the dragon as they stood side by side outside the great wall. All gargoyles’ kin of all ages that could fight stood quiet, weapons in-hand, ready for Bramma.

  “This feels oddly familiar, but I fear that the worst is yet to come,” Bramma said to no one.

  Most gargoyles thought that they knew what was coming, and with Bliss and the dragon there, the Gate creatures would not stand a chance.

  The dragon was the first one to see the mass of creatures coming their way, but he did not move a muscle. A few seconds passed, and Bliss was the second to notice, then the gargoyles at the wall, quietly alerting Bramma.

  “My sisters, my brothers...now is the time. Lend me your power, your strength and wisdom. This is not something I can do alone. Together, we are more powerful than the spell that keeps us grounded. I have faith that it will work if only for this time. Our story does not end here,” Bliss said in a low voice with her eyes closed.

  Six luminous balls of light descended rapidly on Bliss, entering her body through her chest, giving her a soft glow each time. The dragon turned to look at Bliss, and he saw thick, heavy chains appear all over her body. One by one, most of the chains broke and fell to the floor before it disappeared. Only a few of the chains stayed on her body as they disappeared from the dragon’s sight.