by Mike Shelton
I know. But we have to stop somewhere for the night. So it might as well be where they have a library! Bakari said through the bond.
A roaring laugh ensued. Just one night, Rider. Time is short.
Soon they spotted buildings with tall domes just inland from the Blue Sea. A bright, white wall surrounded the sizable city.
Bakari took a deep breath. He didn’t know if these people had ever seen a dragon before or had heard of himself yet. Breelyn had visited Gildan, just to the southwest of here, but that was as far north as she had flown.
They landed between the Blue Sea and the walls of the city. Before Bakari even dismounted, a group of soldiers surrounded his dragon. The largest man—and, presumably, the captain—approached them with his sword drawn.
“We mean you no harm,” Bakari said. He couldn’t imagine that he appeared very threatening to them. The captain was looking more at Abylar than at Bakari, though, and Bakari realized that he had grown so accustomed to having his dragon around.
Bakari dismounted and took a few steps toward the group, saying, “I am Bakari, scholar wizard of Alaris and a dragon rider of Mahli.” He intentionally left off any mention of his status as the Dragon King—one title that he still wasn’t even quite sure of himself.
The captain ordered some of his men to encircle Abylar. But the young dragon growled, and they backed away.
“Abylar, be good,” Bakari said in his mind but also out loud, for the benefit of those gathered.
They look good for eating, came Abylar’s reply to his mind.
Bakari tried not to smile. He knew that his dragon was joking—at least, he hoped he was.
“The dragon will obey you?” asked the captain, his language the same as Bakari’s but his accent somewhat different.
“He will,” Bakari said.
Abylar lifted up off the ground with silent words to Bakari that he was going in search of more food.
The captain gave a short bow to Bakari. “I’m not one for magic, sir, but our king is. And it so happens that his best friend, our governor, Kelln El’Han, is here today. I will take you to him.”
Bakari nodded. “I would like that.”
Bakari followed the soldiers through a gate and into the city. Not as spacious as Cassian, Belor was of good size nevertheless. And the city was bustling with evening activities. Vendors hocked their wares, and people were gathering for their evening meals. Meat roasting somewhere grabbed at Bakari’s senses.
As a dark-skinned teen, Bakari stood out against the predominantly pale-skinned and red-haired Belorians. Bakari knew they were part of a kingdom called the Realm, but he didn’t know much else about their heritage.
But I bet they have a substantial library! he thought to himself.
The captain led Bakari into a palace with a sizable dome in the center and four smaller domes around it. Inside, the walls were tall, and the floors were a smooth marble.
Servants eyed him carefully, but soon Bakari and the group of guards stood before a polished wooden door. The captain excused himself for a few moments before returning to usher Bakari inside while the rest of the guards stayed out in the hallway.
Sitting behind a desk was a man in his mid-thirties not much taller than Bakari. He had red hair, a thin build, and a smile that immediately put Bakari at ease.
“Welcome to Belor, Stranger,” he said. There was a glint in the man’s green eyes, which seemed to be holding back secrets. “I am told that you brought a mighty dragon with you.”
Bakari bowed his head to the man. “My name is Bakari, Scholar Wizard of Alaris and Dragon Rider. And, yes, I did bring a dragon; Abylar is his name.”
“That’s fantastic!” the man said as he stood up, clapping his hands together. “My name is Kelln El’Han, governor of Belor.” The governor led Bakari over to a small sitting area. “Have a seat. You must have a tale to tell, and I do love a good adventure story.”
Bakari took a seat and immediately felt at ease with the governor—a man Bakari believed he could trust. So, after partaking of some refreshments, Bakari told the governor all about Alaris, the barrier, the dragons, and the problem with the Chameleon.
After Bakari had finished, the governor sat in silence for a few moments.
“You do believe me, don’t you, sir?” Bakari asked, knowing that the tale sounded tall. But Bakari would need the help of all the surrounding kingdoms to rid the land of the Chameleon and his so-called brothers.
Kelln smiled and waved his hand in the air. “Oh, yes, yes. Of course I do. I had quite magical adventures myself, at your age. Of course, we don’t have dragons here in the Realm. Darius will be excited to learn about them, though.”
“Darius?”
“I’m sorry,” the governor said. “I forgot that you were closed off behind the barrier. King Darius DarSan Williams, a wizard of the heart and my best friend.”
“Ah,” Bakari said as he thought back. “I remember that one of my dragon riders met Emperor Mezar Alrishitar of Gildan, and he mentioned to her that your king was a wizard. We may have need of his services to help us against the evil powers of the Chameleon.”
“Yes,” Kelln continued, “Mezar and Darius go way back. Not as far as he and I go, but… well, we are all old friends. If we have time later, I will tell you my story. But, for now, what can I do for you?”
“I would like to see your library,” Bakari answered.
“Ah, a scholar you said, right? I think that’s what Emperor Alrishitar is—a wizard of the mind,” Kelln said. “Not me, I haven’t had much use for books. I prefer real-life adventures.”
“Daddy,” a young boy said as he came running through a side door and grabbed the governor’s legs.
The governor blushed, his face almost turning the color of his hair. “Excuse me,” he said. “This is my three-year-old son, Caeden.”
Bakari laughed and smiled at the young boy.
A woman followed him into the room. Her dress looked comfortable and serviceable, but she wore it with a regal bearing. She gave the governor an adoring smile.
“Sorry, Kelln,” she said. Turning to Bakari, she greeted him and explained, “I am Marianna El’Han, the governor’s wife.” As she gave him a brief curtsy, her auburn hair swished around her head, framing her soft face and pert nose. Her lips smiled generously with the greeting.
Bakari stood and said, “Ma’am.” Then he gave a short bow.
Kelln stood also and put his arm around Marianna. “The only lady that could ever get me to settle down. And now we have a young one running under our feet and another one in the oven.” He winked at Bakari.
Bakari was confused for a moment, until the governor patted Marianna’s stomach.
“Oh!” Bakari gasped, understanding his meaning. “Congratulations.”
“Now, about that library, Bakari,” Kelln said as he moved toward him. “It’s not very extensive, but you can read whatever you like. The best library has been established on White Island, the home of the wizard school.”
Bakari felt hopeful that he could find information to counter the Chameleon’s magic in one of the libraries.
“It’s north of here, off the coast of Mar,” Kelln said.
With those words, Bakari felt a definite tug inside him. A pull on his powers. “That is where my dragon and I will go next. I am here to find another dragon rider.”
“Amazing and fantastic.” Kelln smiled again. “This reminds me of the old days. We didn’t have dragons, though. We had Cremelinos.”
“Cremelinos?” Bakari’s eyes opened wide. “The magical horses?”
“Yes, yes,” Kelln said. “You will find a lot of them on White Island. That is where the herd is raised.”
Bakari could hardly contain his excitement.
“You’re not thinking of going there, are you, Kelln?” Marianna said.
“Well…I…uh,” Kelln stammered in response to his wife’s question. “We’ll talk about it later.”
Marianna rolled her eyes
at her husband. “Kelln is a wonderful governor,” she told Bakari, “but he does love going off and causing a bit of mischief now and again.”
Turning back to Bakari, the governor laughed and said, “Nothing wrong with having some excitement in your life, right, Bakari?” He paused and then got back to business. “Now, let me get someone to take you to the library. Then, you will meet with me for dinner. I will have rooms prepared for you this evening.”
Kelln began barking out orders to nearby servants. Then he asked Bakari, “What about your dragon?”
Bakari sent a quick thought to Abylar then answered, “He will go and hunt, then return for me in the morning.”
“You can communicate with it?” Kelln asked.
“Yes.”
“Just like the Cremelinos,” Kelln said, almost jumping off the ground with his apparent excitement. “You have to meet our king, Bakari. You really do!”
“Maybe I will,” Bakari said. “First, I need to go north.”
With that, Bakari left, walking with a steward to the library.
CHAPTER FIVE
Once Bakari had reached the library, he studied in it up until dinnertime. Then, after a pleasant meal with the governor and his family, Bakari returned to the library to see if he could find anything else on dragons or on the power that the Chameleon had used against them.
Soon he found that the more he studied, the clearer his mind became. He let out a great sigh.
“My powers are back,” Bakari said in a whisper.
“Sir?” the head librarian asked, turning toward Bakari.
Bakari waved his hand in the air and said, “Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself.”
“It is getting late, sir.” The librarian yawned. “I am sure that you don’t want to be flying up in the air on that dragon tomorrow and fall asleep.”
Bakari chuckled at the librarian’s attempt to get him to leave. The mention of Abylar prompted Bakari to reach out through his bond to the young dragon—somewhere to the west. Abylar had hunted and taken his fill and was now flying over a range of huge mountains, trying to find a good place to rest for the night.
Bakari had noticed that dragons liked heights and enjoyed staying in caves whenever they could. Silly dragon! he let slip through the bond.
Even at this distance, he felt Abylar’s humorous chuckle.
Bakari stood up from his chair and moved over to a window. Even though he couldn’t see much outside—other than a few late-night lanterns, scattered throughout the dark streets below—Bakari did enjoy looking in the direction where Abylar was. Leaning on the sill, he took comfort in their bond.
Without warning, he felt another presence, intruding into the bond. It was quiet and small, scarcely discernible there at all. At first, Bakari thought it could be one of the other dragons.
Abylar, great dragon, the voice whispered, come to me.
Bakari stood up straight.
“Everything all right, sir?” the librarian called out.
“I don’t know.” Bakari put his fingers on his forehead to concentrate more deeply. “There is someone else out there.”
“Out where?” the librarian asked, walking up to join him at the window.
“Someone is intruding on my bond with my dragon,” Bakari said.
“I have only heard about the bond with the Cremelinos.” The librarian seemed more awake now. “Is it like that?”
“I’m not sure.” Bakari shook his head. “We can share thoughts and feelings over a great distance, and he shares his power with me.”
Abylar? Bakari reached out to his dragon.
I feel it, Abylar whispered back into his mind. It’s up ahead, in a great cave.
Feel what? Bakari couldn’t feel anything.
Something powerful, Abylar said. It must be the other dragon.
Bakari tried to concentrate harder. Was there a dragon to the west? He didn’t think so. He still felt a pull northward. So he reached his mind out stronger within the bond.
What are you? he called out to the stranger.
There was no answer.
Abylar, where are you? Bakari asked.
Somewhere in a large mountain range, in a deep cave. There is great power here. It was made for dragons many, many years ago.
Abylar, don’t go in any farther. There is no other dragon in there. Bakari had a bad feeling about what might be happening, for his young dragon was sometimes impetuous. Come back, and we will go and investigate it together tomorrow.
It’s beautiful, Dragon Rider, Abylar said, his voice growing weaker.
What’s beautiful, Abylar? Bakari asked, fighting to keep the bond intact. Stay with me.
Come to me, you beautiful blue creature. Feel my power, said the unknown voice again, just strong enough for Bakari to hear the words.
Abylar! Turn around now! Bakari yelled in his mind. He felt the dragon stumble and stop. A command from the master dragon rider carried a lot of weight. Come back to me.
I am here, closer to you, Abylar, the other voice said. Come to me, and feed upon my power, reiterated the stranger.
Bakari merged his eyesight with Abylar’s and found himself standing next to a beautiful underground lake inside a spacious cavern. The depth was lost in shadows.
“Sir, are you all right?” The librarian grabbed Bakari by the shoulder. “You’ve been staring out the window. Did you fall asleep?”
“What did you do?” Bakari reeled around, staring at the librarian. “I’ve lost the bond.” He tried to establish the bond again but couldn’t find it.
“I can’t find Abylar,” he cried out with dismay.
“I’m sorry,” the librarian whispered from next to him and then took a step back.
The lamps in the library had all burned out except one. How long had he been connected to Abylar?
“It’s dark in here,” Bakari said. “What’s wrong?” Bakari flicked his hand out, and a mage light appeared. “Something was calling Abylar away,” he said to himself.
Bakari closed his eyes and concentrated, digging deeper into the bond, searching along the lines of magic—pushing west, where Abylar had last been. Bakari jumped once, his mind brushing up against something else, something wrong and evil. But he pushed this aside with some work and then continued looking for his dragon within the stream of magic.
Abylar! he called once again, pushing as much magic as he dared through the bond. A flicker flashed inside his mind. Then he was seeing through his dragon’s eyes once again.
Ahead of Abylar was a churning lake. Bakari could hear a rumble, and then rocks collapsed into the water. Abylar turned his head and roared but couldn’t seem to break away as a dark presence filled the cavern, emanating from the lake itself.
Abylar took another step, bringing himself closer to the water. He was so thirsty after eating, and the water looked inviting to drink and maybe even to rest in until morning.
Come closer, and rest your weary bones, said the voice again. It was louder now, as Bakari’s mind was melded with the dragon’s. There was a strange compulsion in the words. Bakari felt Abylar moving forward despite Bakari’s warning and pleas to turn back.
Even in the murky gloom, Bakari could still see the water somehow through Abylar’s eyes. The dragon took another step forward, his front feet splashing into the cool liquid. As he did, burning pain scorched Bakari’s mind, and Bakari cried out.
He steadied Abylar’s mind and tried to dig deeper into Abylar’s intellect. There were times in the past when Bakari had taken control of animals. Once, with Abylar himself, when the guardians of Celestar had died. But Bakari had taken control then to keep Abylar’s sanity.
He tried it again now, but this time it didn’t work. Something else was pushing against him. Bakari gritted his teeth and pushed harder.
“Dragon Rider!” the librarian yelled as the mage light blinked out, plunging the library into darkness.
Bakari paid no attention to him and pushed more magic into the bond. The building sho
ok with his efforts, books falling off of the shelves. But Bakari had barely registered this havoc in a far corner of his mind.
He needed to get to Abylar.
The dragon took another step forward into the water, his rough skin feeling its cool touch. But Bakari’s mind blazed once again, and he had to pull back from taking control. He was losing the bond.
Abylar knelt down at the edge of the water, the slight waves lapping against the side of his body. Then he gazed ahead, into the water.
Sleep, said the soft, deep voice. Sleep.
Bakari felt the dragon’s eyes closing, so he shouted one last time for Abylar. But the vision in front of him was shrinking as the dragon’s eyelids drooped. Just before they closed, a light flared within the water, and Bakari gasped.
“No!” Bakari screamed, grabbing his head. As the bond broke, he crumpled to the floor. Then he heard a loud crash outside the room and voices yelling.
“Sir! Are you all right?”
Bakari could hear the librarian’s voice but couldn’t open his own eyes yet. It was too much. The bond was gone.
“It’s him,” Bakari whispered.
“What?” the librarian said, trying to get Bakari to sit up. “What did you see?”
“Him. I saw the eyes of the Chameleon or someone like him,” Bakari said in despair as he opened his eyes.
The librarian gave him a look of confusion. “The Chameleon? Who is that?”
“Someone trying to bring an evil magic back into the land. He stole the bond with my dragon!” Bakari screamed, and the building shook again.
Then a group of guards entered the library and formed a circle around Bakari. They wore armor of leather and steel and had their swords drawn and ready. The apparent leader reached down and brought Bakari to his feet.
“Captain, this man must be the cause of the destruction,” another guard said as he helped the first. They held Bakari between the two of them, the second one bringing out a rope and tying Bakari’s hands behind himself.
Bakari was confused. “What?” he asked. His head was killing him, and he was mourning the loss of his bond.
“Lamps blinking off, buildings shaking,” the captain said. “People are afraid. So they are blaming the dragon rider for bringing destruction to our city.”
