“Well, hang on to that instinct then,” she said with a crooked smile. “We may need it in the future.”
“Speaking of futures,” Virginia said as she looked at the tunnel. “Do we even have one? I mean, how the hell do we get out of here with a dragon squatting at the exit?”
“Ethmira, is there another way out of here?” Simon asked.
“Naturally,” the elf replied. “I would never choose a refuge without an emergency exit.”
A roar echoed down from above and Anna shrieked. All of them looked up at the holes in the ceiling just in time to see fat droplets of dark liquid begin to rain down into the cavern.
“Acid!” Simon bellowed as the sand below the ceiling began to bubble and fuse into pools of scummy glass.
He turned to the elf.
“Let's get out of here, right now!” he told her.
She didn't hesitate.
“Follow me!” she barked and raced to the opposite end of the cavern and down the tunnel that led to the meeting room.
The others followed quickly, Simon lagging behind so that he could stay close to Daniel in case he needed any help.
His old friend smiled at him grimly, obviously aware of what the wizard was doing, and ran as quickly as he could.
The others got further away and turned a corner, disappearing from view, as the two friends tried to keep up.
“Go on ahead, you idiot,” Daniel gasped as he trotted along unsteadily.
“Not without you, dumb ass,” Simon replied.
The two of them exchanged broad grins and kept moving gamely along.
Shouts and screams from up ahead brought them to a stumbling halt and Daniel leaned against the wall of the corridor, gasping for breath.
“Go and see what's happening,” he wheezed. “And don't argue! I'll be along as soon as I catch my breath.”
Simon squeezed his thin arm and then took off down the hallway.
At the end, the tunnel took an abrupt right-handed turn and he literally bounced off of the wall with his shoulder as he took the corner and then stopped, skidding on the sandy floor.
Ethmira and the others were backing down the tunnel toward him, almost tripping over each other as they scrambled to retreat from a narrow opening about fifty feet ahead.
Simon could see the trunks of trees through the gap but a moving shadow darkened the exit and a low rumbling reverberated in the air.
“Let me guess,” he said quietly as the group backed up to his position. “Dragon?”
“Got it in one,” Gerard said under his breath. “We saw it landing just as we reached the opening, but the noise it made as it crashed through the trees must have covered our reaction, because it hasn't attacked. It's just...waiting.”
“God, it's like a cat waiting at a mouse hole,” Eric muttered. “What the hell do we do now?”
Simon looked at all of their faces, gauging their emotional state.
Virginia looked calm, as always. She was the rock of her group and he'd never worried about her ability to face any challenge.
Anna, like Gerard beside her, was shaking, but she kept glancing at Virginia. It seemed that she took strength from her friend's calm demeanor and was staying in control because of it.
Eric wasn't calm. Instead, he looked furious and scowled darkly at the distant shadow.
Better anger than fear, Simon thought. At least I hope so.
Ethmira and Liliana were both poised and waiting, taking in the situation but in control of their emotions.
“I have an idea,” the wizard said after his assessment.
Everyone turned to look at him, most of them looking hopeful.
“But it's going to be up to you four to decide if you want to go through with it,” he added.
Virginia looked at him levelly.
“Go ahead, Simon. I've come to realize that you're a fairly decent tactician, from what you've faced in the past.”
Daniel limped around the corner at that moment, saw them all standing in a bunch and looked past them to the end of the tunnel.
“Ah, a welcoming party,” he said flatly. “I wish I could say I was surprised.”
“I would like to know how they found this exit,” Ethmira said angrily. “From outside, it is very hard to spot.”
“Doesn't matter,” Simon told her. “We have to deal with the here and now. And right here and now we have to get out of this place. It isn't a refuge now; it's a trap.”
“Agreed. So what's the plan?” Virginia asked.
“I think that it's time for you guys to use your powers the way they were meant to be used. Eric, your Shield spell is stronger than mine, which means that it will protect you all from the dragon's acid attack for at least a few minutes, if necessary. Anna, I don't know if the dragon can see through your Invisibility spell or not, but I'm guessing it can't, so we can use that as the element of surprise. And Gerard, your Force spell is what we need most now. You will use it on the dragon and turn its own powers against it. All dragons are vulnerable to their own strengths; I've learned that much over the past two years. So now, we use that knowledge and kill that thing.”
The four of them were staring at him, Anna and Gerard open-mouthed. Eric was actually smiling in anticipation while Virginia looked thoughtful.
“Do you actually believe that Gerard's spell can kill a dragon?” she asked in a level voice.
“No, I don't,” Simon answered. “But I do think that it can do what I said it can, turn the dragon's powers against itself.”
“How?” Gerard asked nervously.
“Like this. You four link up as usual. Eric casts his shield and then Anna turns all of you invisible. You exit the tunnel and get as close to that monster as you can. Hopefully it won't detect you. I recommend moving as quietly as possible. When you get within range, say ten yards or so, Anna will drop her spell.”
“What?” Anna squealed and then clapped her hands over her mouth as she looked fearfully down the tunnel. When there was no reaction from the unseen dragon, she dropped her hands and stared at Simon as if he'd lost his mind.
“Are you kidding me?” she asked in a harsh whisper. “If I cancel the Invisibility spell, we'll be exposed and that thing will attack!”
“Exactly,” Simon told her with a grim smile. “And when it does, Gerard, you will send its acidic attack right back at it.”
“I like it,” Eric said after a long pause. “Simple, direct, like all the best plans are.”
“Oh yeah?” Anna turned to glare at him and the young man stepped back warily. “It's also crazy.”
“Again, like the best plans,” he said with a gleam in his eye.
Virginia held up a hand to interrupt the argument and then looked at Simon closely.
“And you're sure this will work?”
“Honestly? No. That's why this is all up to you guys. All for one and all that. If you decide not to try it, I won't think any less of you. Instead, we'll have to go with option number two,” and he nodded significantly at the bows that Ethmira, Liliana and Eric were holding.
“Oh gees,” Gerard muttered hopelessly.
“There is a third alternative,” Daniel said as he watched Simon.
“Which is?” the wizard asked while everyone looked at the older man hopefully.
“We could just Gate out of here, couldn't we?”
There was a moment of silence and then Simon sighed and shook his head.
“I'm afraid not, old friend. I may have enough energy to Gate once, but then I'll probably collapse. And just where would I Gate to? The only location I know of in this world is the point where we entered the elven realm. And the last time we did that, we were attacked immediately by a dragon. That time I was able to fight it. But the next time? I won't have enough strength left to do anything.”
There was a collective sigh from Anna and Gerard and Simon smiled at them in sympathy.
“Add to that the fact that I can only Gate six people at a time, maximum. Which means I'd have
to leave one of you behind. And I'll tell you all right now; I won't do that. Sorry.”
A rumble from the end of the tunnel made them all look in that direction nervously. The shadow of the hidden dragon moved for a moment and then was still again.
“It may be able to smell us,” Daniel whispered as he watched the distant shadow.
“Possibly. I think we need to make some decisions right now,” Ethmira said. “I'd rather attack while that thing doesn't know we're here. If we're lucky, we may get a few arrows in its eyes. Might give us a chance to slip by it.”
“Doubtful,” Liliana said as she held up her bow and examined it. She nodded in approval. “But it's worth taking the chance. Even if we fall, Simon and the others might be able to get out while we have the beast distracted.”
“That won't be necessary,” Virginia said firmly. They all looked at her and she smiled calmly. “What is the point of having these powers of we don't use them for the good of others? Guys,” she turned to her friends. “We have to do this, don't we? If we don't try and Ethmira and Liliana die because of it, will any of you be able to live with yourselves afterward? Because I won't.”
“But, Ginny,” Anna began to say.
Virginia shook her head.
“No buts, sweetie. Time to grow up and do our part. If any of you say no, then it's no. But think of the consequences before you do.”
Simon and the others watched while the four friends exchanged uncertain glances. Eric finally just rolled his eyes.
“Can we just get on with this please? That thing out there is going to sense us eventually and then we'll lose the element of surprise. Anna, we can do this. All together.”
The slight woman frowned at him and then let out a long sigh.
“Fine then. I still think this is nuts but I trust Virginia.” She smiled shyly at Simon. “I trust you too. If you think that we can do this, then maybe we can. Let's get on with it, guys.”
Virginia gave her a one-armed hug and then looked questioningly at Gerard, who grinned nervously.
“Okay, why not? Who wants to live forever anyway, right?”
Eric gave him a clout on the shoulder and grinned.
“That's my boy,” he said and Gerard managed to chuckle a bit.
“Before we do this, Simon,” Ethmira said. Everyone quieted down to listen. “I'd like to know what happens if this works. Where do you want to go afterwards?”
“If it works,” Simon said grimly, “the dragon will be dead. The primal brown will know instantly that one of its servants has been killed. Remember, it thinks that the biggest threats to it have been eliminated. I would guess that the primal will be shocked, then enraged. It will come here to find out what happened.”
“Okay. And that's a good thing?” Virginia asked, her face suddenly pale.
“If the plan works, yes. Ethmira, is there a weak spot between the worlds nearby? The one that we came through is too far to reach on foot.”
“And it's on the wrong side of the hill anyway,” the elf answered. “I doubt if we'd be able to cross the main cavern now with the fumes that must be thick in there.”
She closed her eyes and bowed her head, her expression one of intense concentration. After a moment, she looked up at Simon with the ghost of a smile on her face.
“Yes, there is. I sense one several miles,” she pointed ahead and to the right of the far end of the tunnel, “in that direction.”
“Several miles,” Simon muttered. “Well, that's specific. It's going to be a hell of a run, I'm guessing. Oh well, it is what it is.”
“What's your plan?” Daniel spoke up as he watched his friend intently.
“My plan. Yeah well, it's simple enough, I suppose. When the primal brown arrives, I'm going to lure it to the site of the crossover point. Ethmira is going to open a portal and I'm going to go through with the dragon hot on my heels. Ethmira will immediately close the portal, trapping the primal on Earth while its forces remain stuck in this realm.”
“Simon, that's crazy!” Virginia said, aghast.
He shrugged.
“Told you it was.”
“But what are you going to do if that even works? The primal brown is still an incredibly powerful creature. What are you going to do when you're stuck with it on Earth?”
Simon's smile became vicious and Anna actually backed away a few steps.
“I'm going to kill it.”
Chapter 29
“I still don't understand how you're going to kill that monster, if we even get it here,” Daniel whispered to Simon as they watched Virginia and her friends getting ready.
Eric handed his bow and quiver to Ethmira with a tight smile while Anna and Virginia spoke quietly together for a moment. Gerard was nervously pacing up and down, looking at the end of the tunnel constantly.
“I'd love to explain it, old friend, but frankly we don't have the time,” Simon whispered back. “When they start their attack, I'm going out to lend a hand.”
He gave Daniel a hard look.
“You, mister, will stay in here and out of harm's way. Clear?”
“Hey, who's the old guy here anyway?” Daniel protested.
“Well, technically I'm older than you are, so me,” Simon replied and grinned.
His friend rolled his eyes and then gripped his hand tightly.
“Be damned careful out there,” he said even more quietly. “I don't relish the idea of the elves sealing all of us in this world with the brown dragons.”
“You bet,” the wizard said, squeezing his hand in return. “Okay, looks like they're ready. Here we go.”
He moved forward to stand next to Ethmira and Liliana. Virginia caught his eye, nodded once and then took Anna's hand. The smaller woman clasped Gerard's hand tightly and he grabbed Eric's.
Eric smiled at all of them. “Let's get him, guys,” he said firmly and made a small gesture with his free hand.
A globe of force sprang into existence, shimmering around the quartet and Eric nodded in satisfaction.
“Okay, sweetie,” he said to a nervous Anna. “Your turn.”
She looked up at Virginia, took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
And then they faded into invisibility as if they'd been wiped out of existence.
“Amazing,” Ethmira said under her breath. “I've never seen anything like it.”
“I doubt that there's ever been a group like them,” Liliana said with admiration. “I just hope it works.”
“We all do. Okay, give them a minute to get in position and then we'll move forward. Just because they're initiating the attack doesn't mean that we can't give them a hand, right?”
Both women smiled, Liliana looking almost gleeful.
“I absolutely agree,” she said and gripped her bow tightly. “Just say when.”
Simon watched the floor and pointed at the movement of the gritty sand. They could actually see where the four friends were walking forward as a group.
All four of them followed the motion of the sand. Simon was holding his breath and, once the movement reached the opening at the end of the tunnel, he motioned to the two woman and gave Daniel a quick wave. Then they began to creep toward the exit, listening tensely for any sign that the dragon had spotted the invisible foursome.
“I think it's working,” Ethmira said under her breath.
Simon just kept walking, waiting for the quartet to begin their attack.
He stopped several feet away from the end of the tunnel, listening.
The breathing of the dragon was a loud rasping sound that made the hair on the back of his neck stand straight up. It sounded like the creature was no more than inches away, but the long shadow of the lurking monster showed that it had to be crouched a dozen feet from the exit or more.
“What are they waiting for?” Liliana breathed, her voice barely audible.
And then the shadow was gone. A deep bellow of surprise shattered the air and in response Anna's shriek of fear sounded almost child-like in compariso
n.
Simon leaped forward, turning to look in the direction of the roaring dragon.
The brown dragon, fifty feet in length from snout to tail, with a head as long as Anna was tall, was rearing up on its hind legs, wings spread out and entangled in branches from the surrounding trees. Below it, Virginia and the others were staring up at the monster, hunched down and waiting for it to attack.
Simon was relieved to see the sparkle of Eric's shield still pulsing strongly around them. He'd been afraid that it would drop once the invisibility spell was cast, but apparently both spells meshed easily.
Gerard was gaping up at the immense creature, his eyes wide with fear.
God, I hope he isn't frozen in shock, Simon thought frantically.
The scaled jaws opened as if on a hinge and he heard the dragon suck in a lungful of air.
Here it comes, he thought. Be ready, Gerard.
Eric gripped his friend's hand strongly and gave him a little shake. The smaller man blinked rapidly and then seemed to break through his fear and scowled up at the monster.
The dragon's head lurched forward and a blast of black liquid spewed from its maw. Gerard yelled something that Simon couldn't hear over the screeching dragon but he saw the results.
An invisible blast of force slammed into the corrosive liquid and sent the sticky fluid splashing back directly into the dragon's face. The results were all that Simon could have hoped for and more.
The creature screamed in an ear-splitting bellow as its own acid soaked its entire head. Smoke billowed up from its scales and Simon watched in horrified amazement as the dragon's eyes literally melted like jelly and ran down its face. The scales peeled back revealing red flesh and yellowed bone and the monster reared so violently that it flipped over and landed with a crash on to its back, thrashing and screaming in agony.
The four friends raced back toward the tunnel, their faces white with fear. Simon and the others moved to the side to let them retreat into the shelter of the cave but stood and waited to see if the dragon was, in fact, mortally wounded.
The monster continued to writhe in torment, slamming into trees, causing a shower of leaves and branches to rain down on it. The ground around it smoked and rotted as it spread its acid in its violent death throes.
Tales from the New Earth: Volume One Page 158
