The Fires of Starpoint Mountain

by Bill Albert

  “There something I need to get first.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: SPOT FIRES

  Gallif had suggested that it wasn’t the best time for Novelevon to be seen in Spring Field with them. The fall of the Giant Lords and the rebirth of the fairies had already created a cascade of emotions that would take some time to settle. The sudden appearance of Novelevon would only make things more difficult.

  Novelevon complemented her on her wisdom and admitted the opportunity to investigate the Bridge of Immortality appealed to him.

  She didn’t know if it was the way the casts worked, the influential casting properties of the bridge itself, or something Novelevon had read in his books but she and Jakobus stepped out of the shimmer only a few moments after she had left. To her surprise things had only gotten worse without Krove. The Ninth minister, who did not see them appear behind him, was holding a wooden tube pointed into the air identical to the one Krove had used. Worse than that he had already signaled for another volley as another section of Spring Field was in ruins.

  Luvin glanced quickly at Gallif and Jakobus but did not react to their presence or change. They were in front of the Ninth minister and the Eighth minister and two of the heavily armed guards.

  Out of habit Gallif reach for the frost sword, was reminded that she no longer carried it, and lifted her flame sword alone in the air as she approached the Ninth minister.

  He was facing away from her and speaking but she cannot clearly hear his words. She saw the way he held the wooden tube that he was about to fire another signal.

  She ran forward and swung the flame sword side to side and struck the wooden tube. The signal fired as planned but his aim was off and a dove straight into the Great Wall behind them, fizzled briefly, then vanished. “Your King is dead!” Gallif informed him standing directly in front of him. All eyes on the platform, the crowd on the ground beneath them, and the fairies in the air were on her. “How many Giants have died today?” She asked through clenched teeth. “How many more need to die before you are satisfied?”

  “No more,” he spat back at her. “Surrender now, honor King Krove, and we will have peace again.”

  Gallif looked at him sadly knowing there was no way to talk him off the path of destruction now.

  She was about to step away when a searing pain cut through her. The Eighth minister had taken advantage of the distraction. He had slowly slid a 12-inch-long dagger from beneath his robes and drove it into Gallif’s back. With the other hand he popped the cloth bubble of flat black powder against her armor. The red tint faded as the cast were extinguished. It no longer had the power to heal her.

  The Eighth minister pulled a knife out of her back and turned hoping to go after Jakobus. An angry, powerful dwarf with the cast ax was more than he expected, and he only got two steps before the ax was planted into his chest. He fell to his knees and Jakobus was pulling his ax back for another strike when Luvin’s hammer and did the Giants life.

  Gallif lay on her back in a rapidly spreading pool of her own blood. She was still stunned by the pain so it didn’t seem odd to her that she could look down at the execution stage now and see where the dagger had cut through here.

  The Ninth minister had drawn his massive sword and took a swing at Kellis and Tuttrup. Kellis ducked and Tuttrup countered the swing with her own strike. In the brief second they were deadlocked Kellis pierced his side with the sword.

  One of the other guards came forward with his own sword ready to fight. It was clear by his actions and aim who cite he was on. One of the Ninth minister’s guards try to intercept him, smacked their weapons together several times before the Ministers guard was stabbed through the chest and fell off the platform. Gallif Sauk Kellis extract her sword from the Ninth minister side and swung in a circle to strike him again. The Minister managed to punch her in the side of the head with a mighty blow. Kellis fell to the ground lifeless and Luvin’s hammer soon finished the Ninth minister.

  Gallif cried out at the loss of Kellis and felt no joy over the loss of the Ninth minister.

  The remaining guard of the Ninth minister realize that he was badly outnumbered and took no chances. He’s tossed his weapon to the ground and, without seeing Gallif above him, asked for forgiveness.

  Tuttrup told him to quickly run down and tell the others he had cited with to stop fighting. Many of the others on the platform went down as well. Even the fairies left to try and tell everyone that the war was over.

  Gallif looked down to see that Luvin and Jakobus were the only ones left on the platform and they were trying to stop the bleeding using cloth from the Ninth minister’s robes. The pale, ashen look on her own face was undeniable. Her body would soon be dead. Without fear or surprise she became aware that there was someone next to her. She looked over and saw JS floating nearby watching her. They made eye contact. His lips moved but she could not understand his words. “Thank you,” she said instinctively. “You saved Luvin.” JS nodded and when he spoke this time, she could clearly hear him.

  “Volusia has given me a way to redeem me for my sins,” he said calmly. He pointed at her then slowly shifted his hand towards her body. For brief second Gallif saw others join him. Rosario was there, Kellis nodded at her, then the ghost of the first minister and Mekon joined the two women and walked away.

  Gallif sudden rush back to consciousness was so fast in shocking she woke up gasping for air. Luvin looked at her in disbelief and Jakobus prayed to his God.

  Gallif’s hand went to where the dagger had pierced her body. There was no bruise, puncture, or even blood there now. Her armor was torn and was now just a dull leather color.

  “I don’t understand,” Luvin said. “He pointed to the dagger that the Eighth minister had driven through her. It lay discarded on the platform covered with Gallif’s blood.

  Gallif looked at the dagger in awe and sighed deeply. She could see that the dagger had completely gone through her and, though the wound was healed, she shuddered as she remembered the shock of the impact.

  “I think I understand what happened,” she said affectionately putting a hand on his shoulder. She looked into his eyes and he trusted her enough not to ask more now.

  The three of them quickly turned to the Southwest sky when they heard a sudden, shocking rumbling. The sky was clear, it was the storm, and they suddenly remembered one of the Ninth minister last attempts to maintain rule.

  “Look at the sky!” Gallif yelled as they rose and darted to the southern end of the platform. “Where will it hit?”

  “May Ha’dar protect those in its path,” Jakobus prayed.

  They could see a bright glow on the peak of one of the rainbow mountains where the earlier projectile had come from. The hearts were pounding as they stared at the sky desperate to see where the terrible menace was going to crash

  “What’s going on?” Blinks asked as he joined them on the south edge. He looked at the horizon and asked, “Do you think, if we were a little higher, we could see all the way to the coast from here?” He waited a full minute staring southward before he realized the others were looking at him. “What?” “Just how did you get here?” Jakobus asked as mystified as Gallif and Luvin.

  “He brought me,” blinks said pointing behind them.

  They heard a snort and turned back to see a dragon watching them. It was large, almost the size of a house, with green scales and massive wings.

  “He’s just a little one, of course, but I think he was really young when he got trapped near the library. Can’t figure out why he didn’t grow old, something about the casting I expect.”

  “You flew him here?” Luvin asked.

  “Well, I just serve asked him politely. He may be small, but he can move incredibly fast and packs quite a punch. If he rears his head back stand clear because the flames are pretty intense. Strong enough to mint down those metal tubes all along the mountains.”

  “You melted them down?” Jakobus asked in shock. “Well, not me really,” blinks answered point
ing to the Dragon. “I gave them a name, too. I was first going to call him Junior, but I figured he deserves something more majestic and legendary than that. Gallif, Luvin, Jakobus, I’d like you all to meet Dragon.”

  “You named him Dragon?” Jakobus said forcing himself to remain calm.

  Gallif walked forward and scratched Dragon on the nose. It sniffed her and gave her a big wet lick.

  “You are brilliant,” she said to blinks. “Probably insane, I don’t doubt, but brilliant.”

  “I was thinking of taking him around the country a few times,” blinks said. “Just let him get the lay of the land. Period maybe he’ll remember things. Unless, of course, you want to,” he offered to Luvin.

  “Me?”

  “Well, yes, you are Luvin the Dragon Rider and I figured you’re better at it than me.”

  Luvin stepped forward and gently scratched the dragon’s ears. He ran a hand along the scales from his four head, down his neck, and all the way to the tip of a wing. He remembered the thrill he had had riding the Dragon they had found and Starpoint mountain. The thrill of flight and the admiration and rewards he had been offered in Dakteria afterwards.

  “No, thanks,” Luvin said stepping away and moved back to Gallif. “This is where I belong. You’d probably handle all that better than me, anyway.”

  Gallif reached over and held his hand tight.

  “I know what you mean, Luvin,” blinks said.

  He made the offer to ride the Dragon to Jakobus who shook his head and stepped away.

  “So, what will you do with him?” Gallif asked.

  “Not sure. I suppose a few quick flights and then let him go free,” blinks said as he climbed onto the dragons back. “Then I’m headed back to the library. Madrassa almost destroyed it, it’s sad how much has been lost. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to replace it.”

  “We?” Luvin asked. “Yes, we,” blinks said to him “I know where I belong, too.” He was about to take off when he stopped and suddenly leaned over to face Gallif. “Thanks, for letting me tagalong after saved your life in the forest,” he said. As odd his he was there was no sarcasm in his voice and Gallif couldn’t help but laugh. “No offense, but when things settle down, you might want to switch back to your casts protective armor. It’s dangerous out there,” he said and with a flourish he and the Dragon were often to the sky.

  The three of them looked out of the area around them. The last attack had destroyed more of Spring Field and had torn away the massive wall gates. Those outside had flooded in trying to rescue the Giants who could be saved and mourn those who couldn’t.

  “It’s going to take a lot of work to put the city back together,” Jakobus speculated.

  “Not just the city,” Gallif pointed out. “The rule of the Giant Lords is ending, but there is so much left to be done. A lot of people are going to want to have a say in what happens next.”

  They looked across the land in silence for a while then Gallif caught the first signs of sunrise on the Eastern horizon. “I need to find our horses,” she said to them. “Will probably need something for you to ride,” she added to Jakobus. “Hopefully they’ll be near here. Find what you can but be careful. Don’t take any risks. Then go to a spot in the woods to the Northeast. I will find you,” she instructed them.

  “Where are you going?” Luvin asked.

  Gallif didn’t answer and just walked down the steps out of sight.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: GENTLE GRAVES

  Gallif had walked deep into the forest outside the wall as quickly as she could. The sun was over the horizon it was still very dark in the Western lands and she relied a great deal on her natural tracking skills to find what she wanted. It was a bald spot in the forest filled with soft grass, a gentle flowing creek, and dozens of colored flowers. She used her hands to shovel out a small grave and filled it with petals from the flowers.

  When she could see the light of the eastern sunbathing the tops of the trees she gently, and reluctantly, removed her backpack. Knowing it carried the gentlest thing in the world she later carefully on the ground, slowly flipped open the top, and remove the rep cloth that she had placed Lincilara inside. She laid it on the ground and unfolded it so she could see the dull size body of the littlest Angel.

  She picked Lincilara up with both hands and laid her flat on the soft petals in the grave. “I wonder if you ever realize just how important you were to me. How many things happened and changed in me after I met you. Your energy, your spirit and your enthusiasm touched me. It reminded me of what I lost over the years. Somewhere in another life, before the fires, and the school, and the fall of the mountain I was you. You still have the wonders innocence that I lost.

  “My mom, Neita, would’ve loved you. I bet you and her could have sat in saying day in and day out. Dad would have even put down his tools and let the farm be for a while just to hear you and her sing. As rough and as tough as he tried to be even Veret would have let out his little girl laugh and sang and danced with you.

  “I don’t know if the heaven you go to is the same heaven we go to, but I sure hope it is. Because as long as I live all never forget you, and always find comfort in the fact that I’ll see you there with the rest of my family.”

  Gallif took more handfuls of petals and covered Lincilara completely she couldn’t bring herself to cover the ferry with dirt yet and decided to just sit quietly at the edge of the clearing and wait a while. Let Lincilara get the warmth of the sun one more time.

  She laid her hands flat on the grass hoping its natural properties could heal the wounds in our heart and soul. She removed all her thoughts and let herself fall into nature’s grasp.

  Somewhere she heard a bird sweep down to some open grass. It was a large bird with strong wings, probably a hawk, and was sure it had found food. It was wrong. The mouse it had been eyeing turned in one direction when the hawk swept in another. They were both live to fight another day.

  Further away she heard a doe lapping water from a stream. Its fawn was nearby and sniffing some berries on a bush. The doe snorted and snorted as it warned the fallen away from the poisonous plants.

  Further away yet a squirrel sniffed its way through rotted tree trunk. It had sensed that there were some seeds are kernels there that it could take back to its nest to have later. The smells in this case were false, there was nothing there, but it soon was tracking another sent and found plenty.

  Nearby, incredibly close, there was a gentle sneeze followed by the familiar sound of fairy wings.

  Gallif’s eyes snapped open as Lincilara yawned, stretched, and looked at Gallif with sleepy eyes.

  “The yellow petals make me sneeze,” she said and sneezed again.

  Gallif looked at her with pure joy. There was no doubt in her mind that Lincilara, with her messed up black bushy hair, and transparent wings, was before her. The only change was the color of the glow she emitted. There was now a light blue tint to it but other than that she knew the ferry was alive and well.

  “You were hurt,” Gallif couldn’t help but say.

  “I had to stop him from hurting you. I knew I had to go into a trance like that. It takes hours, sometimes days, but we can heal ourselves that way. The petals helped wake me up. I thought you knew.”

  Relieved, Gallif rolled flat on her back and roared with laughter. She shook her head and brush her red hair back not afraid to show her emotions.

  Lincilara fluttered over her and looked down.

  “I figured you’d take care of the rest after that.”

  Gallif smiled at her and nodded. She gently put a finger on Lincilara’s head and brushed her hair.

  “Maybe you’d better tell me what else you can do,” Gallif giggled.

  “I can fly sideways,” Lincilara said and proved it. “I can also fly on my back the way a person can swim,” she said and lazily fluttered in a circle.

  They heard footsteps approaching and stood as Luvin entered leading Sparks and Snow on reins.

  “Wha
t happened to Jakobus?” Gallif asked.

  “There are about a dozen dwarves he joined up with examining the wreckage of a temple in Spring Field. They felt, since dwarves could build a city underground, they could teach everyone else a few things about dwarven construction and architecture.”

  “I’m sure they could,” she said as Lincilara flew over her head and dropped flower petals in her hair.

  Luvin put a hand on her shoulder and leaned in so they could kiss. They held each other for a moment, then leaned back and smiled.

  “There’s much to be done in Spring Field and wherever else was damaged,” Luvin said. “The Second Minister and the Sixth Minister have ordered the morning bells to start ringing at noon. They want the word to be spread that this is for everyone that was lost last night, not just the giants.”

  She was pleasantly surprised at that, it was a large change, and admitted that she was in no hurry to return to the city

  “Maybe we could stay out of their way for a while, let things start to come together again. Hopefully we will hear from Novelevon by then and be able to work on removing the curse on the elves.”

  “He can’t do it,” Lincilara chirped as she flew in a figure 8 around them. “But we could. The song we sang last night. It was a song that could do it. Want to hear it again?” She was so excited she didn’t wait for them to answer and just started singing.

  EPILOGUE: STARPOINT SUNRISE

  Midge turned into the alley and a full run and jump for cover behind a filled water barrel. She crouched down as low as she could and held her breath so there was no way they could hear her. She tensed his thundering footsteps approached her area and didn’t relax until well after they passed. She decided to just wait a while and rest as she looked up at the night sky.

  She had been only three years old the day Starpoint Mountain fell but she had very strong memories of it. Those early years were still much of a blur to her but there was something about the terror of it that still haunted her. She had no celebration for her 11th birthday, except some food she’d stolen, but was at the point that she didn’t really care.