The Legend- Revealed

by Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait

  The King of Mursei asked the older man, “Where is your homeland?”

  He replied, “It is not this world but another far from here. Our lands are known as The Seven Sisters. There was a strong uprising and battles broke out. Our queen was taken from us and our king sent us to take his daughter far away from harm. Her name is Kiayla.”

  The King of Mursei wore a face of sudden revelation, confirmed by what dangled from the man’s neck. A white glistening orb, the same style as the woman wore who gave birth to Kaida. The same type of orb he gave to the Queen for her to protect. The orb that held Kaida’s secrets that he was now sure, the Queen of Mursei had already discovered.

  The King of Mursei asked slowly, “Did you bring Kiayla here?”

  “No,” the man responded, running his pale hand through his yellow hair. “There were many of us. We all took different tunnels from the palace, each leading to a different gateway. Gateways are special places that lead to other worlds. Once we entered our Gateway, we disarmed it to stop the intruders from opening it. The group with Kiayla were supposed to send out a signal, so we could find her and all come together. Several years ago we thought we at last, found her signal. It grew weak and we lost it before we could go any further.”

  The King of Mursei nodded with full understanding. He was there when the soft glow of the orb had stopped. He stood conflicted with the knowledge he held. He thought, What if their agenda meant them taking Kaida away from us? I cannot let them take her away, no matter the cost.

  “This girl is not the one you seek,” the King of Mursei finally answered. “I can see how it would seem like it with her hair and eyes but she had been with us from day one. She is a Mursei.”

  The old man rubbed his heavy lidded eyes. He answered,“I suppose you make sense. Our Princess Kiayla would be much older than this girl. It is only … perhaps it is nothing more than an old man’s wishful thinking. We grow old and weary but cannot lay down our task. We have traveled many gateways here, searching for Kiayla. We have stayed in this location the longest because we had hope that the faint signal might repeat again.” He ran his hand through his thinning long blond hair and let out a heavy sigh that took with it, his hope of the end of his search.

  The King of Mursei nodded and asked, “You said your homeland was in battles. Did you battle Dragons?”

  The man quickly responded, “No, they are or at least, were our friends when we left our homeland. We would journey to their world and they, to ours. We shared ideas and commerce between our worlds. The battles came from within. An uprising took a foothold within our ranks. They sought to stop interplanetary travel and communication. They asserted that our heritage was being threatened by having close relations with others from different worlds.”

  “What if you were to go back?” The King of Mursei asked hopefully and followed up with another thought. “Perhaps you no longer hear a signal because the one you have searched for is no longer here. What if her and her guardians returned to your homeland? Do you receive signals from there?”

  “No, we are too far from home to pick up any signals from there. That is why we were sure Kiayla was here. We heard a signal.”

  “I understand your thoughts. It is only….” the King of Mursei paused as if in a deep reflection. “I’m sure Dragon ways would vary greatly with your ways. Always when we have lost our bearings on what we seek, we return to the beginning. To find some missing piece. It has always made our way more precise.”

  The man conferred with those around him before he answered. “There is much truth in what you say. We have stayed here, waiting on an answer that did not come. As much as we hate to return to our homeland without Princess Kiayla, it could mean she has already returned with her guardians. If not, we may gain important knowledge by returning.” He looked at Kaida and rubbed his hand across his chin. “We hope to meet you all again. We will make our way to our homeland. A gateway is nearby. Where does your journey take you?”

  “We too, journey home. Good journey to all!” The King of Mursei said smoothly. “Come Kaida, we have to make ready to travel.”

  Kaida, a little startled by hearing her name, slowly turned to go. She had been staring so intently at the white orb the man was wearing, she seemed to be coming out of a trance. She answered, “Coming!” She took one last look at the strange looking peoples, looking somewhat like her but different somehow. She looked fondly at Zlemtec and said, “Let’s go home.”

  Zelspar returned to the shoreline to speak to Pravietis. “Many thanks we give for directing us to land. Tell me, are we close to our home?”

  “You have a long journey yet. Follow the shoreline and head north. You will once again see your home,” he said.

  “Pravietis, will we meet danger on our way?”

  “There is danger. I see it much closer to your home.”

  “By all that is Dragon, is there an attack against our Hails?” Zelspar’s sudden burst of anger made his face flush red.

  “No, Zelspar. The danger is not brought to the Hails of Dragons, but to the Magician who travels with you. Be on guard. Flegmorr has followed the Master Magician and seeks to take his revenge.”

  “I will be on guard and warn Perthorn of this Flegmorr. We have not seen him yet.”

  “It is because he altered his course and took another route. He will reach the area close to your home soon after you arrive. Do not let him steal the Book of Days. He seeks to alter the Book which would alter the Future. Just as one stone cast in a lake produces large ripples, Flegmorr could greatly change the Future of the Magicians if he succeeds in stealing the Book.” Pravietis replied.

  “We will not allow that to happen. Whatever magic he tries to use, we will use stronger magic. I have a great interest in the Magician and his apprentice. There is much we can share and learn from one another.”

  “Yes, Zelspar. Your interest in them has been foretold. During this season of Change, ideas need to be shared. Urthe has lost many and with the loss a void is created. You know as well as I do, voids must be filled. It is the nature of things. Be sure to have the strongest seeds to fill those voids.”

  “It will be so, Pravietis. Once home, my teachings will begin again.”

  “Your Healer, Traylethon is doing remarkably well.”

  “Traylethon? Yes, well he has yet to shake all the yolk from his feet.”

  Pravietis splashed his tail through the water and said,“You would be surprised at how well your instructions have already set seed. His journey shall be long, just as your journey has been. With your instructions on Healing and Magic, he will be a great asset for the Hails and the peoples of Urthe.”

  Zelspar felt a cold tingle travel the length of his back. His brows lifted. “Are you trying to tell me something, Pravietis? Speak plainly!”

  “All is well, Zelspar. You are at the right place at the right time. I only wished to remind you of the continuing legacy you are giving to the Dragon Hails. In times such as these, when you are away, you have left your Hails well-tended.”

  “Ah, very well then. Thank you for bringing us back to land, we will be continuing our journey home. I’ll help Perthorn and his apprentice too. This Flegmorr that you have warned about, he will discover he came to the wrong place.”

  “Safe journey, Zelspar. Do not become overzealous in your plans of attack against him. He may not hold the title of the Master Magician but he is not one to take lightly.”

  Zelspar nodded and returned to his group who had made great strides in their departure preparations. He was fastidiously attended to by Kaida and Flower Bird. They made sure to bind the strapping on tight to hold the provisions securely during their travels.

  The King of Mursei gathered the air beneath his wings and became airborne. The others followed suit. As they rose above the hilltop they saw the blonde haired people stop in front of an enormous tree with its trunk hollowed out.

  Each had an arm outstretched in a farewell salute. The Dragons responded by dipping to their side
to raise a wing in response. The people disappeared. One by one, it appeared that the enormous tree swallowed them whole.

  The Dragons circled the tree once before setting their heading in a northwest direction. All made note of this location and of the tree that towered above all others. Another portal to distant lands.

  Of all the Dragons, Rynik, the King of Mursei paid special attention. He knew the people which looked like Kaida would not give up their search. He had never imagined peoples would be looking for Kaida’s mother. He wondered, What would it mean to them to learn their Kiayla gave birth to a child? Kaida is a princess by her birth mother. He liked Kaida’s peoples but even if Kaida was not born a Dragon, she has been raised as one. He felt a deep ache knowing he must tell Starleira, his queen, of these people.

  He wondered if Kaida was questioning how much she resembled them? What if she asks the question? What do we tell her? His thoughts were as many as the miles they traveled towards home. He needed time to discuss this with Starleira and Zelspar. They had to be prepared for what could come from this chance meeting.

  Chapter 27

  It took two more sunrises for the Dragons to spot familiar territory. The land had been altered by the recent quakes leaving deep slices in the ground. Still, a smile and a surge of energy drove the Dragons homeward.

  Rynik saw the towers of their mountain home, dazzling with the Sun’s rays splashed against them. Natural instincts took hold. A Dragon’s call ripped through air. One after another, his companions joined in.

  Kaida filled with her longing for home, repositioned herself. She crouched on Zlemtec’s back, slipped her feet under the bindings, and stood. Her lungs filled with air and she exploded a bellowing roar, which startled the peoples much more than the Dragons. Even so, Zlemtec craned his head backwards to look at his Kaida, as pride flashed in his eyes.

  The call of the Dragons brought the Hails out of all their caves. They flew down to the open ground below and congregated in a large mass, each excitedly answering the call. Out in front of them all, stood Starleira, the Queen of Mursei.

  She first saw her Bonded, her king, leading the others home. Then, Kaida … is that our young hatching standing upright on Zlemtec, she questioned her own vision as she stared at the girl. How could that be? Her thoughts suddenly deterred as the next view came in sight. She caught her breath. All others saw too. An eerie silence replaced the deafening roars the Dragons had just made.

  All flying Dragons were carrying riders! They brought strangers to their home. The silence was broken by astonished whispers which buzzed from Dragon to Dragon. The Queen of Mursei lifted an arm to quiet the noise.

  The King of Mursei landed a few Dragon lengths away and allowed King Togar and his Faery folk to dismount. As the other Dragons landed, the King of Mursei greeted his queen.

  “Starleira, it has been too long!”

  She responded by embracing him and held tight to his arm. “My King!” She looked behind him and then back to his sparkling eyes. Before she could ask more, Kaida had jumped to the ground and ran to her.

  “Sipta! I am home!” Kaida ran and threw her arms around the Queen, which brought tears and smiles to them both.

  “My little Kaida,” murmured the Queen, softly caressing her before lifting up her chin. “How is it you have grown so much in such a short time?”

  Kaida, in a whirlwind of excitement and flooded memories, spewed out snippets of her story which included a quick introduction of the peoples assembled behind her. “I thought I would never again see you or the rest of my family after the mighty quake that swallowed us whole! It is so wonderful to be home again.”

  The Hails of Dragons had begun to shake off their shock and welcomed their Dragons and Kaida home again.

  Perthorn and Kiel approached Zelspar.

  Zelspar saw the look he first remembered seeing when they met. “Do not be worried. They will not harm you or any we bring to our home. You are a curiosity to them and I might add, they have only seen Zlemtec and Kaida fly as One. It isn’t everyday you see Dragons in the sky with riders. Or for that matter, Dragons bringing peoples into our homeland. Give them time. I will address them all shortly. You may wish to stay close to me. They will accept you knowing I have.” Zelspar had to swallow the temptation to burst into laughter as both Perthorn and Kiel quickly flanked him, leaving him scarcely any room to walk.

  He called to Starleira, “Dear Queen, come meet our new friends.”

  Starleira and Rynik turned and made their way to Zelspar.

  “Old dear friend,” Starleira said as she leaned in for an embrace. “I see you have brought friends.”

  “Yes, indeed. Please meet the peoples from the down below, they lived in Inner Urthe, where we had to go to bring Kaida back. The tall older one is called Perthorn. He is the Master Magician of his peoples. The younger one is called Kiel. He is his apprentice, sort of like Traylethon is to me.” He paused as the Queen of Mursei nodded to each one. “The two over there,” he said as he pointed towards Galdean, “are the peoples who took care of Kaida. Molakei is the Elder of his peoples. Next to him is Flower Bird, his daughter. We could not have asked the Ancestors for better peoples to care for our Kaida.”

  The Queen of Mursei was filled with warmth as she looked at the people whom had taken care of their Kaida. She sent a silent blessing to the Ancestors for finding Kaida good peoples to learn and live amongst.

  “Did the King make introductions of his travel companions?” Zelspar asked.

  “My Queen,” Rynik said, “This is King Togar. He is the King of the Solteriem folk, a few which you see darting around him. They are Faery folk which were living deep down under in a whole Inner world. King Togar helped us greatly in finding Kaida.”

  The Queen looked at King Togar and his easy smile and returned it to him. “King Togar, I hope you will understand my words as I have much to thank you for guiding our Dragons to find Kaida.”

  Kaida walked forward and said, “All can understand now, Sipta. I was given a staff and it makes the words of all clear in understanding.” Kaida lifted her staff for the Queen to look at when Rynik spoke.

  “My Queen, there is much more to tell but first let us make our guests welcome with a fitting banquet. I’m sure we can make an acceptable array of foods for Dragons and peoples alike.”

  “Yes, my King. I was too excited to have not sent our Hails off to prepare a celebration meal. Excuse me while I set them about in preparation.”

  The Queen of Mursei issued directions to the Hails as the weary travelers found a spot to sit and rest.

  “Galdean,” called Rynik to his friend, “check those low lying caves close by to see if they would make good sleeping quarters for our guests.”

  “Would any of you like to come with me, to see if it is fitting?” He looked towards Perthorn and Kiel but they appeared to be tied to Zelspar's side, every step he took, they took three to stay close to him.

  “We will come with you,” replied Molakei. Flower Bird nodded in agreement. “We like to make our dwelling face the rising Sun.”

  Galdean turned to Molakei and answered, “You are much like Dragons. We do the same to watch our Ancestors chase the Sun across the sky.”

  Molakei smiled. “Our dwellings face the rising of the Sun. It is the direction of Wisdom. It brings us the first light of the day in a warm embrace.”

  Galdean remarked, “The more we learn of each other, the more I see how much we are alike.”

  Molakei nodded thoughtfully. He pursed his lips and said, “Many things alike. Enough different to bring better understanding. But this thing I feel to be true….”

  Galdean tilted his head. “What thing is that, Molakei?”

  “That you can make campfire much quicker!” Molakei laughed heartily and sent a sudden burst of laughter through Galdean.

  “That is a truth, Molakei! Let’s find your dwelling and I will be honored to light your first fire in your new home.” Their walk was shortened by a growing bond
between the peoples and the Dragon.

  Chapter 28

  The King and Queen of the Mursei made their way towards their lair. Zelspar, Zlemtec and Kaida stayed with their travelers.

  Zelspar addressed all those present. “We need to be alert. Perthorn, the Future Walker warned me of danger coming. Not a threat to the Dragons but to you, personally.”

  “What danger?” Kiel blurted out before Perthorn could gather his words.

  “I was told a Magician named Flegmorr has made his way here. His purpose is to take your Book of Days. Pravietis said if he achieves his goal, it will alter the Future.”

  “Thunder and Lightning! He is a brash and jealous Magician. His family had earned the title of Master Magician for generations. He feels I cheated him out of his title and angrier yet that I was an outsider,” Perthorn spat out, his eyes glaring around.

  Zelspar answered, “You will have many a Dragon by your side. I would not be overly concerned but I had to give you the warning in case you spot him before we do. What do you mean you were an outsider? You were not born in Vale of Valdross?”

  Perthorn paused and selected his words carefully. “Born there? No, no but then many Magicians were not and make their way there. Take Kiel here,” Perthorn side-tracked the attention towards Kiel, “he was born elsewhere and brought to me to raise and train. His mother saw the spark in him as a small child.” Perthorn gave Kiel a friendly roughing of his head.

  “We appreciate the warning and will be prepared if his loathsome hide decides to show up for a challenge,” Perthorn replied. “Don’t worry. We won’t let him bother you or the other Dragons. It is our fight.”

  Zelspar could not contain himself. “Bother? The day will never come that one of the peoples could be much of a bother to Dragons!” He let loose a thundering laugh.

  Perthorn was lightly pulling down on his long lip hairs and shot Zelspar a sideways glance. “I make light of Flegmorr because I disdain him. He is a disgrace to Magicians far and wide. But this I also tell you is true. He is not one to take lightly. He … he maneuvers in the Dark realms.”