“Good man.” Aron left Gad to sleep and climbed a tree to survey their location. They were not as far down the mountain as he had hoped, but they had traveled further than he feared. A warm, miserable drizzle began to trickle through the leaves and he dropped to the ground just as the other men returned from gathering food.
“We found some fruit and Asram got lucky with his spear in the stream. We can eat the fish tonight when we stop,” Shrad spoke quietly while eyeing Gad sleeping against the tree.
“Good. We’ve rested long enough. If we push hard the rest of the day, we should make the ruins by nightfall.” Aron headed out and the men followed him, each glancing back briefly at Gad with mixed expressions. Thom glanced up at the grey sky and noticed a dragon circling above the clearing.
“Dragon!” Thom took off running past the others and they followed fast on his heels. They slowed as they veered off into the dense trees to use the foliage for cover. Shrad took the lead, looking up for a glimpse of the dragon in pursuit, and when he came to a sudden halt, Thom collided with him. Shrad stumbled and disappeared over the edge of a sheer cliff as the other two men skidded to a halt. Thom managed to gain his balance and skipped back from the precipice. Aron swore loudly and glanced over the edge. He growled angrily as he turned back to Thom and landed a fist in his stomach.
“You worthless piece of dragon dung! You are the curse in this forest.”
“He stopped right in front of me. What was I supposed to do?” Thom glared at Aron in defiance, holding his stomach and catching his breath.
As Aron took another step toward Thom, a dragon soared over their heads and air from its wings buffeted them. They ran back into the forest, more concerned for themselves than Shrad.
They ran, avoiding clearings and streams, until they reached a path heading downhill. They pushed themselves to the point of exhaustion before finally stopping to rest. As they came to a stop, Asram stumbled over the edge of a flat stone. Aron knelt down and brushed dirt and leaves from the rock and smiled. The smooth, stone surface was a remnant of an ancient road.
“We’ve reached the edge of the ruins.” Aron’s voice was resonant with relief and fatigue. “We will camp here tonight, and tomorrow we will try to find Aridis. The crazy old man is bound to be in the woods nearby. Make me a fire. I can taste that fish already.”
Chapter 6
____________
FireFalls Bound
Machai clung tightly to the leather straps that secured him in his seat on Treethorn’s back. He had not had many chances to ride on dragons, and she was, by far, the fastest creature he had ever encountered. Their first day in the air, they covered twice the distance Machai had expected. Seven days into the journey from Braya Volcano, they were crossing above the last stretch of the sea and Machai was anxious to be back over solid ground. He glanced over at the dragon’s other passenger and grinned widely.
“Ye be looking a bit green.” Machai laughed at the expression on Thamas’ face.
“I have never been fond of flying, and this dragon is absurdly fast.” The former Contege of the Stanton Vigiles grimaced as Treethorn banked suddenly to the left.
“There is nothing absurd about my speed. I would travel much faster, but I fear you walkers would be unable to hold your seat.” The dragon’s singsong voice drifted back to them.
The sun was descending rapidly toward the horizon as night approached.
“Treethorn, can ye be getting some rock under me feet before it be dark?” Machai asked.
“Only if I go faster. Do you think you can take it?” Treethorn laughed with her response. “At this pace, we will be landing after nightfall.” Machai and Thamas exchanged looks of mild trepidation, but both nodded and gripped the restraining straps tighter.
“Aye, girl, do what it be taking to get us over this stretch of water. Ye will be swooping down to catch us if we be falling, yes?”
“Of course. A dragon would never let her passengers fall to their deaths if she can help it.”
Machai grunted. Since Osric had freed Treethorn and the other elder dragons from their caged prison on Braya Volcano, the dragons were no longer compelled to provide transportation for Archana’s inhabitants. However, Osric had asked them to continue to fly walkers where they needed to go to maintain the element of surprise. Prior to their liberation, the dragons complied with the demands to fly passengers out of fear that their kin at the volcano would suffer otherwise. With the malicious motivation severed, Machai hoped that the dragon’s loyalty to Osric would be enough to ensure them safe passage to his home. So far, Treethorn had shown only the best of intentions toward her passengers, and her free spirit and quirky sense of humor made for pleasant company. The trip to the Dwarven realm was Treethorn’s first long flight since being released from her cage. She was enjoying the freedom immensely, and she did not seem to mind sharing her journey with a human and a dwarf.
Machai could sense the power of the creature as Treethorn’s muscles tensed beneath them in preparation. She pulled her legs tighter to her body and let out a sharp cry as she pumped her wings back nearly to the sides of her body and streaked across the sky. Machai felt the force of the air press him down and backward against the seat, straining the leather straps holding him in place. The leathery skin on his face stretched over his bones and his eyes watered relentlessly in the wind, causing tears to stream from the corners of his lids and dry rapidly to a stiff crust. A cry of surprise escaped his throat, but in the rush of their flight, the sound eluded his ears. Within moments, the rocky shoreline appeared ahead of them and Treethorn angled downward slightly to the coast. They dove toward the water at an alarming rate, and just when Machai was sure that it would be impossible to avoid the depths of the sea, Treethorn spread her wings and leveled out just above the waves. She laughed joyously as she dipped the tips of her wings into the water and caused a shower to rain down on her passengers. She slowed their flight as she neared the rock cliffs, and glided gently down onto a sandy shelf of beach enclosed completely by water and cliffs. As she landed, Thamas quickly untangled himself from his harness, leaped down from her back and stumbled to the water’s edge. He proceeded to empty the contents of his stomach into the sea foam while Machai roared with laughter from his seat. He unlashed their gear and dropped it to the sand before clambering down Treethorn’s tri-jointed wing to the beach.
“Aye, ye be the swiftest creature alive, Treethorn. Me friend willn’t be keeping his strength up if ye be doing that again, though. We best be traveling at an easier pace, for his sake, of course.” Machai grinned up at the dragon with a wink. He was glad to be on solid ground, but he was quite sure his stomach still resided in his throat as he began sifting through their gear to find food and blankets. Checking to see that Thamas was still busy near the water, Machai whispered, “It may be that I should be teaching ye a faster way to travel, without the ill effects of the wind, eh?”
Treethorn looked down at him in doubt and said, “I find it very hard to believe that you can teach me anything that would make me faster, dwarf,” and she flew off to find herself a meal. Machai and Thamas quickly set up camp under an overhang of rock and built a small fire. They spoke little while they ate, and soon darkness surrounded them. They both started when Treethorn dropped back onto the beach.
“I must admit it is nice to have a dragon in camp, so we can both get some sleep. However, my nerves are still very much on edge from that last stretch. Perhaps you could train me further in the use of weapon and wand, Machai?” There was a hint of excitement in Thamas’ voice, and Machai rose to his feet and drew his wand.
“Aye, ye are learning quickly. It be much easier to instruct ye than Osric, and I nearly took off Kenneth’s head ‘fore he caught on. How would ye like to be trying me axe this time?” Machai hefted the heavy weapon in one hand and offered it to Thamas. The man looked a bit intimidated, but he reached out and grasped the handle firmly. The strain on his face was evident as he attempted to adjust his grip on the axe.
“All that time locked up at the volcano seems to have taken its toll on my strength, friend. I will stick to my short sword until I have regained some of it.” He smiled wryly at his own inadequacy as he handed the weapon back to Machai.
“Aye, it will be coming back swiftly training with me, don’t ye be worrying,” Machai reassured him, and they walked out onto the open stretch of sand lit by the flames of their campfire. Treethorn watched them warily as they exchanged blows and used their wands for both offensive and defensive spells. She may have enjoyed their company on the flight, but she had a severe distrust of metal weapons. Machai blocked most of Thamas’ sword attacks easily. When Thamas managed to cast an offensive spell that tangled seaweed around Machai’s ankles and advance with several rapid strikes at the same time, it caught him off guard. Just as Thamas grinned, thinking he had finally bested the dwarf, fire sprang up between them along the sand and Machai roared with laughter. He hooked Thamas’ blade with his axe and leapt back, pulling the sword from his grasp and through the wall of fire. Treethorn tilted her head to the side and watched with an amused expression as the fire dwindled, leaving no mark upon the sand. “Ye be getting much better, but ye must never be having more faith in ye’r own abilities than ye’r opponent’s.” Machai handed Thamas his sword and returned his wand to its pouch on his belt.
“I must say, I am quite glad we are on the same side, Machai. I would not want to cross blades with you in battle.” Thamas sheathed his sword and sat down near the fire. “How long do you think it will be before we get to your mountains?”
Machai looked at Treethorn and thought for a moment before he replied. “Perhaps it be only a day, as fast as she be.” Thamas looked at him in shock. The Dwarven Realm was far to the north and he had expected the dwarf to say another five or six days. Even as fast as the dragon was, he could not imagine that they could cover that distance in as little as a day. “I be anxious to arrive at me home. Ye should be getting some sleep. We’ll be leaving ‘fore the sun rises.”
Thamas looked as though he would ask more, but instead he just nodded and curled up in his blankets with his sword in easy reach. Machai waited until Thamas was deep into sleep and then walked out onto the beach. Treethorn watched him with big, swirling eyes as he approached, her head resting gracefully on the sand.
“I be thankful for ye’r willingness to be carrying us to me home.”
“After all of the years I spent locked in that dreadful volcano, I am happy to be flying again. You and the human make pleasant enough companions.”
“Aye, I believe he be a good man.” Machai sat in the sand near Treethorn’s head and his tone indicated his hopefulness. “I be wanting to share a new magic with ye. It will allow ye to travel much faster than ye can be flying, and I am feeling that I should be home as soon as be possible.”
“No creature can travel as fast as I fly. Is this new magic dangerous?”
“Aye, it be dangerous, but it will’nt hurt ye. Some people will be wanting to use it for evil, so we must be careful who we be teaching it to. The High Wizard be trusting ye, so I be trusting ye too. Would ye like to learn?”
Treethorn’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Yes, I would like to learn this new magic very much.”
*
Thamas awoke and looked around in confusion.
“Machai, this is not where we were when I fell asleep. What happened? And why does my head pound so?”
Machai looked over at him from across the small campfire and a tinge of guilt crossed his features. He added some more wood to the flames and avoided Thamas’ gaze.
“Eh, I think ye may have hit ye’r head. Do ye not be remembering camping here last night?” Treethorn perked her head up and snorted, swishing her tail and turning her head away from the campfire.
“The last thing I remember is going to sleep on the beach. I feel like I have been spelled.” He rubbed his temples as he spoke. “Where are we?”
“We be a short flight from me home,” Machai said, indicating the steep mountains rising up to the north. Thamas looked at him suspiciously and walked past Treethorn to get a better look at their surroundings. The sky was just beginning to lighten and the land stretched out beneath them in a sea of glittering snow. Icicles swayed from the tree branches like crystal chandeliers and Thamas’ breath drifted away from him in visible clouds. He stared out over the landscape with an expression of deep concentration, and when he turned back he smiled and joined Machai at the campfire.
“Well, I must have hit my head, like you said,” he watched Machai closely as he spoke, “I am sure I will feel better soon.”
Machai was surprised that Thamas had been convinced so easily that his memory had failed him, but he was glad to shift the conversation away from his deception.
“Aye, breakfast should be helping.” He dished a bowl of oats and berries from the pot simmering at the edge of the fire and passed it to his companion. “We’ll be leaving shortly.”
“Wonderful, I look forward to meeting your kin.”
They finished their morning meal in silence and loaded their gear back onto Treethorn’s rigging. After they were securely strapped in, Treethorn took flight with a rapid ascent into the crisp air. The chill wind stung their cheeks and made their eyes water as they huddled in their seats for the brief flight. Treethorn approached the mountains and Machai directed her to circle around a sharp peak and land in the small valley beyond.
The hollow was protected from the wind, and the air seemed a bit warmer as they dismounted. A swift flowing stream snaked down the mountainside and cascaded over a small ridge behind them. Machai unloaded their gear and Thamas stretched his stiff limbs and stood in awe at the beauty of the landscape. The trees were dusted with snow but there was abundant greenery on the most sheltered side of the valley. Towering evergreen trees stood like sentinels along the mountainside, with the branches nearest the ground many paces over Thamas’ head. A strange vine climbed the mighty trunks of the trees, with silver sheened leaves and delicate white flowers. Thamas reached out his fingers and touched one of the blossoms, and he was startled to hear Machai’s voice from directly behind him.
“Fairie tears.”
“What?” Thamas turned toward Machai in confusion.
“The flowers be fairie tears. They be full of power, to be healing and to be harming.” Machai eyed the vines with a mix of wonder and pride. “The harvesting process be tricky. It be a fine line between healing essence and wicked poison.” Thamas took a step back from the dangerous sounding plant and Machai laughed, his deep rumble echoing off the nearby peaks. “I’ll be teaching ye. I need to be refilling me salve.” Machai hefted the gear and gold he had unloaded from Treethorn and nodded at Thamas to follow him toward a shaded path beneath the boughs of the largest trees. Frosted grass crunched beneath their boots as they walked along the thin trail to a narrow crevice in the mountainside. After several paces down the natural stone tunnel, Machai paused for a moment and set the bags on the ground. He stretched his arms to either side and placed his palms against the cold stone walls. The sky was a slim, blue streak far above their heads.
“It be good to be home.” Thamas smiled at the dwarf’s sentimental action and then reached down and hefted one of the bags Machai had been carrying. Machai pulled his wand out and lit the tip to give them more light to see by. He picked up the bag of gold in his free hand and continued through the narrow tunnel. The path twisted along into the mountainside and then began to broaden. They came to a halt before a massive, bronze door. The metal was aged and weathered, and there were no hinges or handles to be seen.
Intricate carvings covered the surface, depicting scenes of the mountains, trees, animals, weapons, and a stronghold of some sort with a dragon perched on one tower. Thamas eyed the detailed images with awe, having never seen such delicate work emblazoned on what was obviously ancient metal.
“Who carved these images, Machai?”
“I be not knowing who, but it be m
e ancestors who be settling in this mountain.” Machai looked up at the door with pride. “They be telling the story of me clan, if ye be knowing how to see it.”
“I would like to hear that story sometime.” Machai nodded at the respectful tone in his companion’s voice, and he lowered the bag of gold to the ground and held up his wand. Machai placed his free hand against the cold, bronze door and closed his eyes. Thamas watched as the light from Machai’s wand grew brighter and his fingertips on the metal began to glow. After a moment, he drew his hand away, leaving a luminescent print of his hand upon the door. The glowing handprint flared briefly, then faded away, and the door swung open silently to admit them.
Machai stepped through the entrance, nodding his head at Thamas to follow. They walked only a few strides when a cool rush of air caused Thamas to glance back as the door swung closed behind them. The only light came from the tip of Machai’s wand so Thamas stepped carefully over the unfamiliar ground. The passage was wide enough for four men to walk abreast, and the stone beneath their feet was smooth and seamless. Thamas reached out and touched the wall to his left, surprised at the warmth of the stone so near the wintry ice outside.
“It’s warm.”
“Aye, ye’ll be warm enough, so long as ye be staying inside.” Machai grinned at the look of shock on Thamas’ face. “Me home be full of surprises, eh?”
The walls were as smooth as the stone floor and stretched up beyond the light of Machai’s wand, leaving Thamas with the feeling that he was stuck at the bottom of a great chasm. A few more strides down the passageway, Machai stopped, holding his arm out to keep Thamas from progressing. Thamas glanced down and saw that the floor ended just ahead of them. The walls were continuous, but the floor just stopped, leaving an inky, black gap at their feet.
“What now?”
“Now, ye be seeing the true ingenuity of me dwarven ancestors.” Machai held his wand out over the great chasm and placed his palm on a well worn space along the right wall. He focused his thoughts on the spell, and again a glowing handprint flared momentarily on the wall. A subtle rumble could be heard from somewhere beneath them, and soon a large, stone platform rose up to fill the gap ahead of them.
The High-Wizard's Hunt: Osric's Wand: Book Two Page 8
