Alex felt the power of the Shadow Wraith fading from the chamber, but not entirely. Now that power centered on thwarting Alex’s attempt to seal the bridge between this realm and the one that imprisoned the Shadow Wraith.
“Stop,” Alex said to Ben and Daphne as he stared at the glowing rune on the wall.
“Is it over?” Daphne panted.
“No,” Alex said. “But only I can finish this.”
Beside Daphne, Ben moaned and collapsed, sinking to the floor as the flame of dragon fire flickered out. Alex’s heart leapt with concern for his friend as he watched Clark bend down to gently pick Ben up from the floor of the chamber. He wanted to rush to Ben’s aid, but he knew he must finish the task before him.
Following the same instinct that had guided him so many times in the past few days, Alex stepped toward the still glowing rune on the wall and began to chant the rune-spell of Spirit sealing again. As he walked closer and closer to the wall, he could feel a barrier of invisible energy pressing back against him as though he were walking into the heavy waves of a stormy ocean. Alex leaned forward and concentrated on the rune and the rune-spell, filling his mind with the image of the rune as the rune-word filled his mouth.
Finally reaching the wall, he extended his hand toward the cracked rune. It was like trying to force together two powerful magnets of opposing polarity. Alex willed his hand to touch the center of the glowing rune as he concentrated on the flow of magic coursing through him. As the flesh of his palm came to rest on the smooth rock of the glowing rune, Alex was surprised to find that it felt cool. As he repeated the rune-spell again and again, he could see the fractured rune on the wall slowly knitting itself back into wholeness. When the rune was complete, there was a flash of light so bright that Alex thought he might be blinded.
Then there was darkness.
Alex stopped chanting as he lowered his arm.
Silence.
It was gone.
For the first time in days, Alex could not feel that faint whisper in the corner of his mind. The Shadow Wraith was sealed back in another realm once again. But for how long? Alex wondered. How long would this patched rune seal hold? Would it break again in a hundred years or a hundred days? Or would the Shadow Wraith find another way back into this realm?
Alex sagged with fatigue and felt two strong hands grasp him and turn him around. Victoria was looking down at him as she held him steady. “Are you okay?” she asked, her brow furrowed with worry.
“I'm fine,” Alex said, happy for Victoria's arms to steady him. “How's Ben?” he asked, turning to where Clark held Ben and Rafael gently patted his cheeks while Daphne held his hand. Beside them, Mei had returned to consciousness, rubbing her head and looking confused as she leaned against Anna.
“We've tried healing him,” Rafael said.
“But nothing gorping works,” Daphne spat. “His heart beat is very faint.”
“What's wrong with him?” Nina asked as she hugged Alex.
“Too much dragon fire,” Alex said, stepping over to where Clark held Ben. Alex stared at his unconscious friend and felt his chest constrict like hot metal dropped into cold water. Alex placed his hand on Ben's forehead. It was cool and clammy to the touch. In that moment, Alex hated himself for having asked Ben to carry the dragon fire. It was too much. Too much for Ben's body to handle. Ben could die here if Alex didn't release the dragon's fire soon. Even that might not help. If Ben dies, Alex thought, it will be all my fault.
Alex looked up into Clark's distraught face and opened his mouth to try and say something comforting when the cave shook like an earthquake was engulfing it. The ground and cave shook again and Alex spun around to check the rune on the wall, but it was unchanged.
“What in the name of Vulcan’s vomit is that?” Daphne growled as the ground shook again and a sound came echoing down the tunnel from far above and through the chamber entrance.
“Is it the Shadow Wraith again?” Nina said, her eyes going wide.
“It’s not coming from here,” Anna said, examining the room.
“Hmmm, it’s coming from up above,” Clark said as the sound from above filled the chamber and the ground shook yet again.
“What is it?” Victoria asked, her grip on Alex’s shoulder tightening.
Alex listened to the sound rolling down the tunnel from above and knew exactly what it was.
“That is one very angry dragon,” Alex said, glancing at the others and seeing their looks of fear even as he felt a smile break across his face. “And Ben's best chance.”
Chapter 25: Forgive and Regret
The mountain shook so strongly, Alex had trouble keeping his footing along the glass-smooth tunnel floor as he and the others ran up toward the surface and the raging dragon above. “Hurry!” Alex yelled above the rumble. Clark ran just behind Alex, carrying both an unconscious Ben and a dazed, but conscious Mei. Behind them, Nina and Daphne clung to Victoria’s back as she galloped up the sloping tunnel and Rafael followed closely behind. Anna ran neck and neck beside Alex. She was always the fastest girl in school races and faster than all but two of the boys. The tunnel shook again and Alex forced his legs to pump harder. He wasn’t worried about the chamber below being damaged. He was certain the mages who had constructed the Shadow Wraith’s prison had built it to withstand far worse than an earthquake. However, he was worried that the unstable cave near the surface would collapse and trap them in the tunnel.
As they reached the top of the tunnel, Alex could see that the opening of broken rock leading into the outer cave was beginning to collapse. Alex jumped through the opening and dodged a large rock that fell from the ceiling of the cave. The cave was falling down all around him and it would only be moments before it was a pile of rubble in the side of the mountain. As Anna rushed past him, he looked up through the partially collapsed ceiling of the cave and caught a glimpse of the dragon Gall’Adon as he thrust his giant paws against the ground. The earth around them shook as Clark tried to squeeze through the broken rocks of the opening to the tunnel, still carrying Ben and Mei.
“Up the stairs,” Alex shouted at Anna while he tried to help Clark by taking a still-groggy Mei in his arms.
“There’s a dragon up there, you moron!” Anna shouted back at him.
“You’ll be safe,” Alex said with a maniacal laugh. “It only wants to kill me.”
“Umph,” Clark said and took Mei back in his free arm.
“What’s happening?” Mei asked, her head rolling weakly to the side.
“You don’t want to know,” Anna said and frowned as she followed Clark up the crumbling stone stairs to the surface.
Alex helped Nina and Daphne through the opening to the tunnel. “Hurry,” he said to them both.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Nina shouted as she ran up the steps.
“Hurry yourself, hero,” Daphne said, dashing for the stairs.
“I’m happy to hurry,” Rafael said as he followed Victoria out of the tunnel and into the rapidly disintegrating cave.
“Go,” Alex implored Victoria as Rafael ran up the shaking stairs.
“You first,” Victoria said. “I’m afraid I might fall on you and kill you,” she continued. Looking at the state of the stone steps as they shook beneath the dragon’s continual pounding, Alex had to admit that Victoria falling on him was a distinct possibility. On the other hand, it was his fault she and everyone else were even in the cave and he knew he would never be able to live with himself if he escaped and something happened to her. Especially her, a part of his mind added hastily.
Alex was just about to open his mouth and explain his rationalizations to Victoria when the ceiling of the cave completely collapsed and made his thoughts obsolete. Suddenly he only had one thought. Get out! As the stone stairs fell into a pile of rubble, Alex dodged another falling rock. Victoria screamed as a small boulder the size of a melon struck her right hindquarter. As Alex reached out to her, he suddenly remembered his last time in the cave and how he had gotte
n out.
“Hold on!” Alex shouted to Victoria as he placed his arms around her and reached out to the magical energy of the land. “Grath-Ton-Alth-Kal!” Alex yelled, summoning as much magical energy as he possibly could. Although weakened from his struggle with the Shadow Wraith, Alex felt himself and Victoria catapulted skyward through a shower of falling rocks and dirt. They erupted from the pit of the cave and up into the air above the forest clearing. Alex felt the magic draining out of him from exhaustion and before he knew it, he and Victoria were plunging toward the ground. He focused the rest of his magical energy on creating as soft a landing as he could manage. They thudded to the long grass of the clearing with a thump. It was only because of Victoria’s sure-footedness and his firm grip around her waist that he managed to stay on his feet. Over Victoria’s shoulder, Alex could see a plume of dust rising up from where the cave had fallen into the ground. Then he was looking into Victoria’s deep blue eyes.
“That was bloody brilliant,” Victoria said as a purely radiant smile broke across her face. “You saved my life.”
“I owed you one,” Alex said, feeling his lips curl in reflection of Victoria’s even as he began to become aware of just how tightly they were holding each other.
“I think I owe you something else,” Victoria said and leaned toward Alex.
Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by a warm and rank wind that fell about them, brushing the hair away from their faces.
Alex looked away from Victoria’s eyes to stare into the far more massive and menacing eyes of the dragon, Gall’Adon.
“You are either the most cunning and courageous human I have met in a dozen ages or you are the most ignorant and foolhardy,” Gall’Adon thundered as he glared down at Alex.
“Sometimes, I’m not sure either,” Alex said, trying to gather up every shred of confidence he had left as he let go of Victoria.
“You have committed a foul offense against me,” Gall’Adon said, his voice echoing across the mountainside. Alex could see the rest of the Guild assembling to the side of dragon, making their way slowly toward Alex. He also noticed that Anna and Mei were nowhere in sight.
“I know,” Alex said. “I am truly sorry. It was the only way I could think of to seal the Shadow Wraith back in its prison realm.”
“Give me my fire, now!” Gall’Adon roared.
“I will,” Alex said as Clark stood forward, carrying an immobile Ben. Alex felt Victoria’s hand rest upon his shoulder as he reached for the magical energy of the land and repeated the rune-spell he had used in the dragon’s lair a short time ago. “Kalis-Sone-Kla-See,” Alex said aloud. Immediately a glowing stream of transparent mandarin-colored flame rose out of Ben’s chest and floated through the air until it lodged firmly in the breast of the dragon.
Almost immediately, Ben’s eyes fluttered open and he moaned. Kneeling beside his friend, Alex’s felt his eyes begin to water.
“Glad you’re back,” Alex said.
“Dead,” Ben croaked as Clark bent down to examine him. “Am I dead?”
“Hmm, do I look like an angel?” Clark said.
“Good point,” Ben said. Then he stared past Clark. “Not the dragon again.”
Alex followed Ben’s gaze to see Gall’Adon rise back on his hind legs and breathe deeply, filling his chest until it seemed likely to burst. Then the dragon opened wide its mouth and expelled a long jet of crimson fire up into the air. After a slight pause, Gall’Adon fell back to all fours and stared again at Alex. A dragon’s expressions are hard to read and Alex was unsure if Gall’Adon’s countenance beheld anger or satisfaction. Or possibly hunger.
“I should burn you to cinders for what you have done,” Gall’Adon said to Alex.
“I sealed the Shadow Wraith back into its prison,” Alex said, stepping forward and staring up at the dragon. “I did the job you were too cowardly to do, and I have given you back your fire. You know my destiny, Gall’Adon. If you take my life today, I will only return in some other time and when I do, I will take more from you than your fire.”
Gall’Adon stared intently at Alex for a moment and then raised his head in a deep and booming laugh that sent smoke rolling out of his wide nostrils. “You are courageous and foolhardy,” the dragon said. “But you are also right. I should have helped you defeat the spirit of what was once my great grandsire. I should have helped you destroy it rather than trap it again. Its spirit should be set free once and for all. When you make your plans to slay the beast for good, Revenant, I will be at your side.”
With no warning, and seemingly no concern for those nearby, the dragon spread his wings wide and leapt into the air. Within moments, he beat his wings over the treetops and out of sight, back to his lair.
“How did you know it wouldn’t fry us alive?” Victoria asked, her hand still on his shoulder.
“I didn’t,” Alex said with a sigh of relief. “I was bluffing.”
“Bluffing,” Daphne said as she spat on the ground. “Of all the bone-brained…”
“Genius,” Ben muttered as Clark sat him on his feet. “Reckless genius.”
“Are you okay?” Alex said to Ben.
“Yep,” Ben said. “But I don’t want to conjure fire again.” Then, laughing, added, “At least not for a month or so.”
“Hmm, sounds like he’s just fine,” Clark said and patted his diminutive friend’s shoulder.
“Well, when you do make your plans to finally slay the Shadow Wraith,” Rafael said, his tone dry like kindling, “don’t bother inviting me when you invite the dragon.”
“If you didn’t come along, who would be there to complain?” Alex teased.
“Fine,” Rafael said with a smirk, “as long as I can still complain.”
“Do you do anything else?” Daphne said, punching Rafael in the arm.
“How are you, Sis?” Alex asked Nina, noticing that she was far more quiet than usual.
“That was such a stupid series of stupid things that I don’t think Mom and Dad will even believe how stupid you can be,” Nina said.
Alex laughed and felt a hand slip into his and pull him from the others. He looked and saw Victoria's hand in his, pulling him to a place in the clearing where the ground slopped gently downward. As she stopped, he found himself standing at eye level with her for the first time.
“I still owe you something,” Victoria said with a mischievous look on her face.
“It's okay,” Alex said, smiling at Victoria, wondering why she had pulled him away from the others. “We're even now. A life for life.”
“Not quite even,” Victoria said as she leaned her head toward his.
And then Alex was kissing her. Him. Eyes closed tight. Kissing. Victoria.
And it was great.
As they broke apart, catcalls and hoots of laughter erupted from their friends. Alex and Victoria turned toward them, both laughing and blushing.
“Wow,” was all Nina said in a giggle.
“Blazing banshee burps,” Daphne said as she laughed and stared at Victoria. “You are so much crazier than you look.”
“Loony,” Ben said, his eyes still wide with surprise, “to kiss Alex.”
“I thought centaurs had better taste,” Rafael said with a smile.
“Well, hmmf, I didn't see that coming.” Clark said, cocking his head at Alex and Victoria like a dog faced with something new and trying to figure it out. He looked sideways at Daphne for a moment and then abruptly shook himself as though waking from a daydream, looking away before she noticed.
“I see something coming,” Victoria said, her voice rising in alarm. “Oh my goodness.”
“What now?” Alex asked as he looked at Victoria, stilling feeling a bit giddy.
“Daddy!” Victoria said and pointed to the sky south of the mountain. Alex followed the line of her hand and saw something he found almost impossible to believe. There in the sky was a tractor pulling a wagon, weaving in a zigzag pattern through the air as it approached the clearing in th
e trees.
Chapter 26: Truth Be Told
“What in the name of Neptune’s noodles is that?” Daphne exclaimed.
“That’s Daddy’s flying tractor,” Victoria said in a matter-of-fact tone. Alex could see Victoria’s father had removed the tractor’s seat and replaced it with a platform that the centaur inventor could stand upon. Victoria gasped as the tractor dipped suddenly toward the ground and then back into the air. “We should get out of the way. Daddy’s a frightfully awful driver when he’s on the ground, much less in the air.”
Alex and Victoria ran hand-in-hand across the small wooded clearing, followed by the rest of the Guild. As they reached the edge of the woods, they saw the tractor and wagon come hurtling out of the sky and slam into the ground, bouncing roughly across the open grass until it came to a halting stop inches from plunging into the pit of rocks that used to be the cave.
“Daddy!” Victoria said, releasing Alex’s hand and rushing to her father, who had been bounced off of his driving platform and now clung to the large steering wheel of the tractor as he tried to right himself.
“Daddy!” Nina said like an echo and Alex followed her gaze to see his father lowering himself from the wagon to the ground and shaking his head to clear it.
“Mom!” Nina added as Alex’s father helped his mother step down from the wagon.
Alex, Nina, and the others ran toward the wagon as more and more townspeople began to disembark from its hay-filled confines. Victoria helped her father safely down from the tractor and embraced him. Alex and Nina ran to their parents and into their arms.
“What were you thinking?” Alex’s father said, his voice hoarse and choked.
“He wasn’t thinking,” his mother said, kissing his forehead. “As usual.”
“Radcliff!” a nasal voice boomed from near the wagon. “I should have you flogged in the town square for getting us in that death trap. You said you could fly that contraption.” Alex looked around his father’s wide shoulders to see Mayor McClint, red-faced and wheezing as he leaned against his son, Dillon. Of course, no one had been flogged in Runewood for centuries, but the mayor and his family had always been prone to hyperbole.
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