A mumble escaped Perthorn’s lips, “But the Book?”
Thunder crashed against his ears. “Your Book of Days is in your keeping, it is … forgotten to the dark Magician, closed from his thoughts. You are being given time to prepare. Be wise, as you have glimpsed a Future which holds on but by the thinnest of threads, a Future only written because you have helped the Dragons. For that, your Destinies are entwined.”
Then, the winds died down, the dirt fell once more to the ground and the Ancestors vanished leaving in their stead, a drumming silence full of the thud of heartbeats.
Chapter 43
With stealth and quick reflexes, Zlemtec and Kaida entered the portal they had watched the Golden Dragons exit.
As they left the portal, they found a new world, a world of the Golden Dragons, Kaida’s father’s homeland. The sky washed everything around them in crisp tones of apple-green yet the trees glistened in hues of iridescent pale blues and silver. Every sight proved to be more breathtaking than the last. Large lakes rippled their lavender colors to gently break against shores of golden sand.
Kaida murmured, “What a fascinating world.”
“Let’s fly above to take a better look.” Zlemtec responded.
Taking to the air, Zlemtec fixed the location of the portal to his mind. They looked down upon this foreign land, noting the enormous swaths of forests and the landscape full of a bounty of broad leafed plants, lavender lakes and colonies of cities with their golden domed buildings supported by massive gleaming pillars. Mountains cut through the skyline, thousands of feet high. Large gold rocks littered the ground, the same color as the Dragons flying overhead with their wingspan dwarfing any other known Dragon Hails.
“How are we going to find my father’s family? We know some of the Dragons have rebelled against him, because he became Bonded to my birth mother. We can’t just show ourselves and ask. I don’t even know his name.” Kaida’s voice carried her doubts, tension making her stiff in flight.
“We’ll find them. You are not given a quest without the means to go about it. We will watch them and learn more of this world, soon enough the answers you need will present themselves.”
Zlemtec felt Kaida ease more in flight, knowing his words brought her the reassurance she needed for the moment.
“Fly to the mountains, let’s hunt for a place where we can overlook the buildings below. We might even find a cave where we can rest,” she suggested.
Upon closer approach, they noticed a sheen from the mountain as huge slabs of white crystal ran in towering bands with solid rivers of gold branching through the white. Most of the mountain surface was jagged with crystal spurs but there were dark voids scattered across its expanse indicating at the least, shallow caves.
Zlemtec found one where a upward jutting slab partially obscured the hole and a small platform in which to land. He guided them down and landed smoothly, all senses on high alert. They crept in. Kaida felt bumps rise from her skin as a chill crawled up her spine. They were not alone. Grating noises scratched at her ears in a punishing assault. Zlemtec pushed Kaida back as he bellowed Fire out before them, igniting the chamber in blue firelight.
Gasping, Kaida pointed to the creatures on the ground. The beetle like creatures turned to look at the intruders. They were covered in an armored gold and white swirled shell, with mandibles protruding by their mouths. They had been chewing through the rocks in the mountain, creating large dugouts all around them. Their grinding halted. They turned to seek out the intruders, their mandibles making clacking sounds on their approach. Kaida fired off an arrow which shattered on impact, still the beetles marched forward. Zlemtec gushed out a thick blue flame which was met with a shrill screeching noise that pierced their eardrums.
“It worked! They’ve stopped,” Zlemtec said, thankfully. Smoldering beetles that were knee-high to Kaida, had stopped in their tracks. Zlemtec approached, sniffed, then ate one. “Not very flavorful, but crunchy.”
“How do you know they are edible?” Shocked, Kaida asked.
“There isn’t much that upsets a Dragon’s belly. Besides, we are in the land of Golden Dragons, I imagine just about everything we come across will be edible. You did happen to see how large they are, didn’t you?” he chuckled.
“Crack open one for me, I’ll try it.”
Zlemtec picked up one and using both hands, snapped it back shattering its shell into pieces. Kaida reached inside and tore loose a chuck of meat.
Her mouth chewed on the new food, chomping down and pushing it around. “All I taste is smoke and grit.” She wiped her lips on the neck of her tunic.
“Well, they are rock eaters, what did you expect?”
Kaida grinned as she looked around in their watchtower. “I expect,” she laughed, “is now we have a great place to watch the city below! It will be nice not to keep up with the Invisibility Magic. I never know when it wears off in time to cast the spell again.”
“So true,” Zlemtec agreed as he scraped a stuck chunk of ground beetle and gravel from one of his back teeth with his talon.
“Hey look, this powder by the wall … it looks like the same stuff we use on Urthe to melt into the liquid to pour into molds,” Kaida said with excitement.
“It does, Kaida. Well usually have to pulverize rock to bits and fire them until we can extract enough to use and here it’s all over the ground in piles. Those rock beetles did all the crushing for us. I’m surprised the Golden Dragons haven’t found this, every Dragon loves this shimmering metal.”
“I’m sure they have plenty, just look at the tops of their buildings! They are all covered in the same shiny gold color.”
“Then I bet this world is thick with it! That takes a lot of pulverized rock to get that amount.” Zlemtec said, gazing out over the city below them. The sky had shifted to gold with a burnish of orange spreading over the city.
“Oh, look at the sky!” Kaida pointed out from the cave, it must mean their sun goes to rest.”
“The Dragons are returning, you must be right,” he said as he watched the enormous Dragons fill the air and seek their hidden lairs.
“To think….”
Zlemtec turned to Kaida and asked, “To think what?”
“To think some of those Golden Dragons are … could be … my family.” Her eyes filled with the twinkling of excitement.
Zlemtec looked at her in a new light. Sure, he new her birth parents weren’t the Mursei, but he always considered Kaida a Mursei. His heart felt a sudden pang. It was his first moment to wonder, What if she wants to stay here, with these Dragons? What if she finds them more to her liking? A groan worked itself out.
“What’s wrong, Zlemtec?”
“It’s nothing, really. Just thinking.”
“About?” Kaida probed deeper.
“I was wondering, what if you didn’t want to return home, to Urthe, I mean. You might like your family’s world better and….”
“Oh Zlemtec, I couldn’t stay and leave you, no matter if I were to grow to love this world or even my mother’s world. You are the family I know and love….” Kaida shocked herself as well as Zlemtec by her tumbling of words. “You know, I love all my family on Urthe, even Molakei and Flower Bird….”
Zlemtec’s face softened from the shock of Kaida’s confession and his eyes danced their flashing colors. She said it, she actually said she loved me! They both turned and watched the first sunset on this new world. The sky turned from burnished orange to copper and then a deep magenta filled with brilliant diamonds. He would always remember this sunset. They stood looking out into the night, tied together with an invisible ribbon that wrapped around them and through them. A new Bond had formed.
“I think we should investigate. Most are already inside their lairs, at least that is what I think those huge domed buildings are. If we use our Magic of Invisibility, we could get close to each building to hear what their discussions are. It might even lead us to where my father’s family is located,” Kaida said.
/> “Good idea but I want to remind you, we are in dangerous territory. I know we are here to fulfill the prophecy but … if we are in danger, Kaida, realize I will fight with everything I have to protect you, protect us. We won’t have the time to ask questions. They might even be part of your family.”
Dropping her head, Kaida nodded. “I’m prepared to do the same. My first goal is the same as before: to bring about an understanding between the peoples and Dragons. With that challenge, I understand the danger we will be brushing against but I am hopeful we won’t be stepping into a full blown war.”
“Then, I say we go take a look. Let’s make sure our Invisibility Magic is strong before you climb up, Kaida. Complete your spell.”
Kaida wove the spell. Zlemtec checked her from front to back and head to toe.
“Excellent! Now, look me over.”
Kaida looked from one side to the other and said, “I would not have known you stood here, if I were a stranger. I’m glad that we can still see each other, though. I would hate to drop the spell if we got separated, so you could find me.” She dug her feet along his scales and positioned herself for flight. “Ready when you are.”
They soared out into the magenta evening sky, first circling the city from high above, looking for any lingering clusters of Dragons. Having found it safe to land, they chose to land in an area that offered enough space to escape if they were discovered. They were a short walk away from one of the domed buildings. As they approached they could see it was lit up to the point, even the dome glowed warmly in the night sky.
Kaida raised her hand to pause movement. She slunk around a pillar and approached the entry, waving Zlemtec forward, they peered inside. A fire pit stood in the center, its embers still flickering, but what was most unusual were the torches held by blackened metal prongs along the walls in front of the chambers. The torches were long silver branches that were not in flames but a pale blue light that burned from within. Not finding any gathering of Dragons, they selected another building.
As they crept up from the side, they heard voices. They halted in their steps. Scanning all around, not seeing any Dragons, they used great caution not to kick up loose stones.
The voices became louder the closer they got to the entryway. They became an invisible backdrop to the front wall. Kaida’s eyes bulged as she looked in. There were three Golden Dragons clustered inside, huge beasts whose heads were adorned in a full crown of elongated spikes, growing shorter as they ran down to near their eyes, where they took the shape of twisted horns. Kaida’s eyes followed the horns to the side of the neck where the spikes held together a webbing of scales, which fanned out to where the shoulder blades began. Even the underbelly was ridged with armored scales. The pointed spikes carried down the back to the tail where they stopped, giving way to a long thick smooth tail. At the very tip of the tail it split into five pointed barbs, a whip that could easily deprive an enemy of its flesh.
A vibration surged through her staff which was held tight in her hand. She whipped her head to look at it making sure it did not cast a glow through her Invisibility Magic. It did not. The Dragon rumbles became words. Zlemtec and Kaida leaned in closer.
“Yes, I saw them take the gateway to Paradys! They are intent on bringing us all into battle. They should be punished for what they are doing,” spoke the one on the far side of the fire pit.
“And you think the Paradysians shouldn’t be punished? They came here, to our World of Amas, and killed one of our own, said the second Golden Dragon.
The third Dragon bellowed so loud it rang outside like a deep clanging bell. “You know that isn’t true, Drengor! We killed our own! Do you hear me? A Zentoor Dragon killed its own!”
“He was driven to do it by chasing down that … that Paradysian woman, the one who brought the troubles to us,” retorted Drengor.
“Kiayla had been a friend to the Zentoor Dragons always.” Krelen’s eyes glared at the second Dragon.
Kaida clutched her staff with such force it restricted blood flow to her fingers. They knew my birth mother, her mind echoed. Zlemtec placed his palm against Kaida’s shoulder, partially in support but ready to clamp down in the case she decided to stomp into trouble.
“A friend?” Drengor spat the words, looking fiercely at Krelen, “A friend does not bring us to the brink of war because she fled her own planet to hide amongst us, Krelen. A friend would not throw a whole family and now our whole planet into chaos by coming here.”
Krelen replied, “Drengor, you know as well as all of us do, she came to warn us … she came for Braaf. They were inseparable, they were….”
“Do not say it, Krelen,” said Drengor, “How could a Paradysian and a Zentoor Dragon become Bonded? It is an abomination to say so. We are two completely different lifeforms, don’t you get it? If that were to happen, it would mean the end of Dragons!”
Kaida pressed hard against Zlemtec, fighting back both tears and a growing rage.
Krelen did not back down. He addressed the second Dragon, Drengor. “Yes, I completely ‘get it’ but I fail to see how you can make such an assumption. You must know what happens when you make assumptions? You prove yourself an ass!”
Muwert, the first Dragon, exploded into a fit of flames, the room shook with his bellow. Krelen snorted plumes of smoke, his laughter snaking up from the pit of his belly, soon the others joined in.
Krelen gave a sharp-toothed grin. “Sorry Drengor, but you were getting so one-sided and irritable, I had to poke your scales. Even you, my magnanimous friend would have to see such thoughts are foolish. The end of the Zentoors? Impossible. We are the largest Dragons of all known worlds, we have the capabilities other Dragon Hails could only dream of. We live on a world full of riches for trade, and through our wisdom, have turned those golden shelled Jerbits into an asset by harnessing their appetite for rock-crunching into a production line for our trade. It is only one Zentoor and one of the Paradysians who chose each other, not whole planets.”
Drengor stewed over his friends words. His broad shoulders slumped as he looked into the fire’s embers. “Even you, on an occasion, have golden words,” he admitted with a half smile, “but what I said is what all the other Zentoor Dragons are saying.”
“All?” Krelen repeated, his large brow bone hoisted in question.
“Sometimes, Krelen, I could twist that muzzle of yours completely off of your face.”
“I see we have the same thoughts,” bellowed Krelen, slapping a knee. He shifted his thoughts and asked, “Do you know if any told Trezlor about the ones who went to Paradys?
Both Drengor and Muwert shrugged their shoulders.
“We should go talk to her, as Braaf’s mother, she should be made aware. If they start trouble while on Paradys, it could very easily come to rest at her entryway.” Sadness flashed across Krelen’s face, then he continued. “Last time, there had been no warning. Because of that, she lost her loved one and barely evaded death herself.”
Nods of agreement circled the fire pit. The Dragons rose and headed towards where Kaida and Zlemtec were standing.
As quickly and quiet as possible, Zlemtec and Kaida scurried to the back side of the building, barely escaping being plowed over and being discovered by the Golden Dragons bumping into things they could not see. They watched as the night sky glimmered against the golden wings, and followed behind them.
The Golden Dragons, the Zentoor Hail as Kaida had learned, lead them to the place of her father’s family. By the Dragons discussions, it was the home of Trezlor, which meant Kaida’s birth grandmother was inside. Kaida felt her stomach churn with nervousness and buzz as if she had swallowed a bee hive of the tiny warriors, fighting to get out.
Krelen stood before the entrance and called for Trezlor to awaken. Drengor and Muwert cautiously stepped backwards leaving Krelen at full exposure.
From the inner chambers, Dragons entered the central room, roaring in great displeasure. Sweat beaded up on Krelen’s brow.
The matr
iarch, Trezlor, thundered. “Krelen, the Fool! That is the name I give you for risking waking me!” Her glare burned holes through his eyes, her fury, however just, crippled Krelen’s speech and his ability to retreat.
“You risk losing a wing by disturbing me, so speak of what flew you here to suffer that consequence,” she thundered.
Behind Trezlor stood four more Dragons, broken sleep burnished their golden faces, muzzles snarled and teeth bared.
“Trezlor,” Krelen forced his words out of the steel trap which locked against his throat. “I apologize profusely for this disturbance but….”
“Fool. Spit it out, my patience left with my sleep.”
Trezlor may be old but she was one of the most fierce Zentoors Krelen had ever known. He blurted out, “The rumors are some of our more troubled Zentoors have left to retaliate against the Paradysians. They have not yet returned.”
An ear-splitting roar came from behind Trezlor. “No! Who does this attack? We have assured the Paradysians, we would only return there for the Trade Cycles. They will cause us great danger.”
Trezlor roared out, “Tell me, who?”
Krelen’s jaw came unhinged, his words spun in a dry mouth. “It … I … we don’t know. Only know, were told, many left through the gateway….”
“Shizitsus Comi!” Bellowed Trezlor, causing a shudder to ripple throughout the Dragons. It was an oath of the greatest assault. It meant, Burn the Dragons.
Trezlor turned to the still shocked Dragon who now stood next to her. “Braaf, this will bring a battle to our doorway again. Be prepared!”
The Legend- Revealed Page 21
