Dracon and the Edge of the World

by Michael T Payne

  “I don’t understand. Why do I need a mother?” Talila asked, “What does it mean?”

  Kalla laughed.

  “That child you carry, it needs a mother, same as you. You are new to the world of the Vordalyn, reborn, free, powerful! You need to learn the world from the eyes of the ancient. The all-powerful. You are one of us now, Princess Talila, you need to learn what it is you are capable of. It will help us find your place among us.”

  Talila laughed aloud, she had no intention of staying in Taranath. She could hardly imagine Dracon wandering the halls of Taranath, unless like a caged lion. That’s where she wanted to be, at his side. She remembered, not too long ago, talking to him in his palace kitchen, “Adventure well into our old age, and set the world afire!”

  “What did you say?”

  Talila shook her head and smiled. Kalla watched her suspiciously a moment then arced toward the ground. They flew through a forest just above its treetops at first, then lower, navigating their way through the trees. Talila could tell Kalla enjoyed herself with the obstacles, the way she arced around trees, sometime circling one entirely before continuing her flight. They landed in a small clearing on the edge of a crack in the earth, that became an immense canyon to the east of where they landed. Kalla whistled. It made Talila smile, she understood the whistle. It was a perfect imitation of a little bird, more than an imitation, she was speaking the language of the bird, a specific type of bird. Kalla held her hand out and a bird, a very little bird arrived, landing on Kalla’s finger. Kalla asked it to come to her, in its sweet little whistle chirp of a language, promising it no harm.

  “Can we talk to everything?”

  “Have I piqued your interest, little princess?” Kalla whistled again, and the bird flew to Talila, who quickly stuck her finger out for it to land on. Talila found great joy in that little creature on her finger, so delicate, so small. It was beautiful. “Some of us can speak to anything, but all of us can understand them. When you first realize it, it is overwhelming. The creatures of the night, the creatures of the day, the constant talking, one thing to another. Sometimes it’s horrible. Hearing the deer scream for help while the wolf devours it. It takes a long time to learn to ignore it once you start to listen and understand the tongue of everything.”

  Talila looked passed the bird at Kalla.

  “Not if you don’t care, if the wolf eats the deer. Then, it’s not hard to listen at all.”

  Kalla cocked her head at Talila.

  “Are you such a creature? One who does not care?”

  “I care, but not for things such as that.” Talila returned her attention to the little bird on her finger.

  “I sense anger and resentment in you. It’s no wonder she asked me to be your mother.” Kalla chuckled, she held her hand up and the little bird flew from Talila’s finger back to Kalla’s.

  “My mother,” Talila repeated walking to the crack in the earth, “And what does that mean to me? You are going to teach me what I already know?”

  Kalla walked just behind Talila who stretched her wings as far as she could then ruffled them back into place.

  “I admit, you are different from your sisters. Your skill in flight surprised me.” Kalla smiled.

  “Sad you weren’t able to kill me?” Talila spun on her.

  “You are my daughter; no harm will come to you in my care.” Kalla maintained her smile. Talila scoffed instantly.

  “Why are we here then?” Talila walked away from her, circling the clearing, inspecting the area.

  “Training.” Kalla answered watching her carefully while she walked around. Talila looked ready to fight, Kalla could see it, “This is not combat training, young princess.”

  “What if that is all I want from you?” Talila stopped suddenly, facing Kalla, “I know my power is beyond measure, if I can think it, I can do it!” she paused watching Kalla for a reaction, Kalla was like a statue, still, emotionless, “Limitation’s, do we have any?”

  Kalla did not answer for a long time, so long, Talila walked around the area again.

  “We all have limitations, daughter.” Kalla whispered.

  The world changed around Talila; she was suddenly in a glass bubble. She stopped walking and looked back at Kalla, then laughed at her.

  “You think this can hold me?” she asked chuckling, “Fieda!” Talila yelled and a fire, hot and bright, filled the bubble. It did nothing but light up the night around the two women. Kalla walked to the bubble and touched it. Talila snarled expecting Kalla to draw back a burnt hand, but she did not. Kalla smiled warmly at her. “Fieda!” Talila screamed even louder, and again, fire filled the bubble. When the light of the fire finally faded, and Talila could see again. There was Kalla, still standing next to the impenetrable bubble, with the same warm smile upon her lips, motionless. Talila flung herself against the inside of the bubble, slapping her open hands against it. It was glass.

  “I will break you, my daughter. You will first learn to respect me. You will call me mother.” Talila screamed unintelligible insults at Kalla, making her chuckle at Talila’s rage. “Sit a while, ponder an eternity, here, in a bubble, never to be seen from again.”

  Kalla vanished before Talila’s eyes. She did not leave, only made herself invisible to Talila. She watched her, raging against the bubble of glass, for hours. Until Talila could hardly lift her arms to strike against it anymore.

  “Years.” Kalla whispered.

  Inside the bubble, time sped up. Days went by, the sun rose and fell, over and over again. Talila lived the span of time within the bubble. Days, months, years. She raged, she cried, at one point she lay still, for what was days inside the bubble. All the while, Kalla stood, not far, watching her. Every action, every tear, every form she turned into. Kalla was impressed that Talila taught herself to become anything she could imagine. Eventually, Talila became a disheveled mess, alone in the middle of nowhere, never seen from again, just as Kalla had promised. Not a single being, not so much as a fly to keep her company, only the rising sun and sometimes moon, were her friends. Four years. Kalla watched the beginnings of madness in Talila. She was becoming crazed. Contemplating a way to end her own life. It was then, Kalla walked to the bubble and allowed Talila to see her again. Talila was in her human form, she did not recognize Kalla. She pushed herself against the glass.

  “Can you see me?” Talila asked in common tongue, her face pushed against the bubble.

  Kalla did not answer her, cocking her head, then a smile spread across her lips as she realized Talila did not recognize her. Talila’s eyes were tired, drained of life, sunken. Her hair was in knots, matted in some parts, her clothes were tattered.

  “Can you hear me?” Talila tapped her fingernail against the glass bubble.

  “Have you learned to respect your mother?”

  Talila winced hearing her speak the tongue of the Vordalyn. She recoiled, covering her ears with her hands. She turned away from Kalla and fell to her knees, still covering her ears. She shook her head, slowly building her sorrow to rage.

  “Kalla!” She yelled, “Kalla!” she yelled again, “Kalla!” she yelled in the Vordalyn tongue, “You took my life!” Talila rocked back and forth, clutching her head with her hands, “My child! My love! My life!” Talila screamed.

  “I took nothing from you, Princess Talila.”

  Talila spun on her, leapt to her feet, and ran toward Kalla. Talila transformed as she collided with the bubble, horns first. She bounced off making Kalla smile.

  “I think you need more time to consider your temper?”

  Talila did not acknowledge her and crashed against the glass bubble again, and again, and again, her horns started to glow, then again, she bounced against the glass bubble. It flashed, then cracked. Kalla took a step back, surprised. Talila continued to bash her head against the glass bubble screaming in anger all the while. Before Kalla could do or say anything the bubble shattered and Talila was free. She was instantly disoriented and fell to her knees. It was day
time inside the bubble, but it was still night outside, in the reality of true time. She panted shaking her head.

  “Hear me, princess,” Kalla rushed to say, “Calm yourself, it was but an illusion, your life is still as it was. You never left it. Your child is still within your belly and your-”

  “Fieda!” Talila yelled and fire flashed out, so hot, it melted the earth around them, turning the ground to black glass. Trees turned to ash in the blink of an eye. Kalla fled, teleporting a safe distance from Talila. When the fire was no more, Talila sat in a forty-foot crater of ash and black glass. She wept and held her belly, considering that she was about to take her own life inside that bubble. She did not hear what Kalla had to say, still thinking years had passed. Talila’s anger subsided and she sat wondering what to do next, where she would go, now the she was free. How much of her life could she recover?

  “Princess…” Kalla returned and stood on the outer edge of the crater.

  “I will kill you!” Talila wiped away her tears and stood up.

  “Your child is safe!” Kalla yelled, “Get a hold of yourself! It was an illusion, time did not pass, we are here, same night as when I trapped you in that bubble, only hours have passed.”

  Talila stopped her march toward Kalla, “We…” she started to say then shook her head in disbelief and ran at Kalla, leaping into flight to attack her.

  Kalla flew straight up, into the night sky, flying as fast as she could. At first, she thought she left Talila far behind but when she glanced behind her, she could see Talila was almost close enough to reach out and grab her. It fueled Kalla to a panicked flight, again, surprised by Talila’s speed and adeptness with her newly gained ability to fly. The chase lasted until they came upon the men, still mining away, and toiling through the night. Talila spread her wings, catching the wind and halting her pursuit of Kalla. She hovered above the men, watching, remembering. Maybe it was true after all? Kalla continued on, flying for her life. She was a mile away when she finally discovered Talila had stopped her pursuit. She arced around tentatively, then retraced her flight looking for Talila. When she found her, Talila was perched upon a treetop standing on a large branch of one of the tallest trees in the forest. She was human. Kalla landed next to her.

  “I’m still Talila?”

  “We are not all powerful, princess,” Kalla answered, “We can be hurt, we can even be killed. Knowing yourself and what you are incapable of, will make you powerful.”

  Talila looked from the mining men to Kalla.

  “I am incapable of much.” Talila looked back down at the men, dejected.

  “I will teach you. If you let me?”

  Talila glanced at Kalla then back down. She nodded her head once.

  “I will learn… mother.”

  “Let’s go,” Kalla said, “Away from here.” She let herself fall off the branch then caught the wind with her wings and arced upward.

  Talila took another long look at the miners, then transformed and dropped from the branch. She heard a familiar voice coming from the miners and it piqued her curiosity. Instead of flying up after Kalla, she let herself drift through the trees toward the voice. It was Durlan Olana. An associate of her fathers. What was he doing there? She transformed into a little bird and flew into the camp unseen.

  It wasn’t a miner’s camp at all. They were bringing artifacts out from their cave. Talila flew through the camp and into Durlan Olana’s opulent tent. It was large and well-guarded, against human’s anyway. Talila recognized Vordalyn artifacts scattered around the tent, books, statuettes, jewelry. On a table was a map that charted their way into the tunnel and what lay beyond. It was a map leading to Taranath. They were still miles away but eventually they would reach the center, where the few Vordalyn had made a home. Talila was suddenly concerned. She flew out of the tent quick as she could and left the area. Did Venalina know? She wondered. Did anyone?

  Kalla was high above the clouds circling like a vulture while she waited for Talila. By the time she found Kalla, she was Vordalyn again.

  “That’s a way into Taranath,” Talila exclaimed upon her arrival.

  “It is, princess, but they are in the slave city, they cannot reach Taranath from there.” Kalla smiled unconcerned, “Come with me now, time is our friend and you have much to learn.”

  Kalla led Talila back to Taranath, they did not burst through the earth like they had done to leave Taranath, but instead, when they were close, Kalla teleported the two of them to the city. There, she taught Talila what was to come and what she would learn. Talila struggled with submitting to Kalla as her mother. She spent so much time in that bubble thinking Kalla had killed her child, she developed an instinctive hate for her. It was hard to hide, or control. When her first training session ended, Kalla could see their relationship would be strained and she may have gone too far testing Talila.

  Chapter Ten

  In a conference room in the palace of Emperor Alden Marwood, in the sister city of Ferranot, the emperor was hearing council on the state of his empire. He sat at the head of a large table, surrounded by representatives from each territory and city in his empire. They took turns giving a state of affairs for each city and region. When they had gone around the table, the emperor’s military gave an assessment on outstanding campaigns and security details. Emperor Marwood was disturbed to hear about the death of Lord Kerin Advin and his entire township.

  “Have we any details about the manner of death? Should we be wary of a plague?” Emperor Alden asked.

  “No, your Holiness,” an advisor answered, “it was death magic.” He announced to the disturbed murmurs and grumblings from the collective of representatives.

  Emperor Marwood looked around the table, “Where is Lord Vette?”

  The lords around the table looked at one another, no one had an answer.

  “He has yet to arrive your Holiness.” An advisor informed him.

  “Does anyone know what happened in Advin’s township?” the emperor asked, looking around the table.

  The doors to the conference room opened and Lord Vette entered.

  “I apologize for my tardiness, your Holiness, I was detained, reassessing the finances, an accounting error.” Lord Vette smiled as he made his way to his seat.

  “An accounting error? Really, Lord Vette? Is that why you’re late?” Emperor Marwood asked, “I hear tell you were embarrassed by some charlatan and have been hiding your face in shame. I also hear your famous wizard was duped by a young girl with parlor tricks. No doubt you were both blinded by your cocks.” The room chuckled.

  “Your Holiness…” Lord Vette started.

  “I don’t care about your debaucherous parties, Cosik, or your wild guests, or even that you traffic in magical beasts and pit them against one another for entertainment. I care that you are on time and do the job I appointed you to do! Now, maybe you can answer the question before the council, what happened in the township of Midvein and Lord Advin? I understand he was a lesser lord, but he was a lord of this court none the less!” Emperor Marwood again looked around the table then back at Lord Vette.

  “I may have an answer.” Lord Vette said after a moment of collective silence among the council.

  “Well then, please… enlighten us?” General Dacozo challenged, looking around the table at the other lords with a smirk on his face.

  “Are you sober yet, Cosik, can you formulate two words?” General Trendam asked, smirking along with General Dacozo.

  Emperor Marwood waved his hand dismissively of his two generals.

  “Do you have something to say, Cosik?”

  “When was the last time you were in Midvein, Cosik?” Lord Dillard asked.

  “Enough!” Emperor Marwood growled.

  “As you all know, we have games at my parties…” Lord Vette started.

  “We all know about your parties, Cosik, get to the point.” Emperor Marwood urged.

  “Of course, your Holiness,” Lord Vette nodded his ascent, “In any case, we sco
ur the kingdom in search of combatants for our tournaments.”

  “I once saw a griffin fight an orc,” Lord Javac commented, “Later that night, me and Lady…” Lord Javac stopped speaking when Emperor Marwood shot him a glare.

  “I was contacted by one of my sources about a lady who wished to wager eleven gold in a fight, a similar tournament as my own, in the town of Rethland.” Lord Vette explained.

  “Rethland? That’s months away from here, are you using forbidden magic, Cosik?” General Dacozo asked.

  “Forbidden magic?” Lord Vette chuckled, “You are a buffoon, aren’t you?”

  “How dare you!” General Dacozo growled.

  “That’s enough!” Emperor Marwood slammed his hand against the table, “The next one to interrupt will lose his head! Is that clear!?!”

  Everyone was quiet instantly.

  “To answer your question, my man Kazar, my sorcerer, he helps us keep in contact with other parts of the kingdom. You are well aware of this, your Holiness,” Emperor Marwood nodded in agreement, “I was alerted to this lady, and of course, she piqued my interest, I had never heard of her and Lord Advin was the nearest lord in the region. His Lady Heathre died years ago. So, I matched her wager, no one else could, of course. She had gold; she must be a lady of one of the houses? I assumed a runaway daughter or the like. But still, whose daughter?” Lord Vette turned his attentions to the lords and generals around the table, “We all know gold is only held by the crown and members of the court, unless stolen. I felt I had to investigate.”

  “Who was she, Cosik?” Emperor Marwood asked intrigued.

  “Well she certainly carried herself as a lady of the court. I ascertained that she was raised in a court, but not ours. She claimed to be a lady from a foreign land, and I believe her. She travels with a motley group, for protection I assume. One was a bugbear, the likes of which I had never seen before. She claimed him as her champion, and he demolished my champion with a single blow. I lost an insignificant amount of gold but gained an introduction to further investigate her and the man she called her lord, a Lord Dracon.”