by Jean Rabe
“Fight me!” the older man bellowed. Sweat clung to his upper lip, dripped from his chin. “Stop playing with me and fight! Or did your commander not teach you well enough? Hmm? Perhaps you’re not playing at all? Perhaps this is the best you can do!”
The taunt powered Dhamon’s next thrust. The young knight’s long sword, issued to him by his commander for bravery in battle, was a fine blade, keenly balanced, with an ornate black pommel set with a perfect ruby. Now the blade bit into the older man’s side as a punishment for the verbal jab. The Solamnic retaliated, not even bothering to glance at the wound, and drove his own blade toward Dhamon’s abdomen. The young knight effortlessly stepped aside and laughed.
“They taught me to fight, old man! And they taught me very well. But did your commander teach you how to die?” Dhamon rushed the Solamnic then, swinging high to his left and then down at the older knight’s chest. The Solamnic raised his shield, as Dhamon had expected, but he brought the shield down quickly, knocking away not only the first blow, but the second, killing stroke aimed at his stomach.
The older man was moving swiftly now, stepping toward Dhamon and using his shield to parry a succession of the younger knight’s frenzied blows. The Solamnic’s sword thrusts were no longer sluggish. He moved like lightning, flashing in and cutting, then flashing higher.
Too late Dhamon realized it was the older man who had been toying with him, studying his weaknesses. The young Knight of Takhisis now put all of his effort into avoiding the Solamnic’s dancing blade. Sweat ran down Dhamon’s face, and for the first time in his life he felt his confidence melt away. He began to truly worry.
He’ll tire. He has to tire, Dhamon told himself as the contest wore on. He’s three times my age, and he can’t keep this up. Watch for an opening. Watch. “No!” Dhamon cried as he felt the Solamnic’s blade slide between his ribs, felt the warm stickiness of his blood flow out. The young Knight of Takhisis dropped to his knees as the older man pulled free his sword. Then Dhamon felt the ground rush up to meet him as his knees and thighs refused to support his weight. His face slammed against the ground, and the wind rushed from his lungs. He tasted blood in his mouth. He was dying. The Solamnic rolled him over, stood above him. There was compassion, not hate, in the older man’s rheumy eyes.
“Finish me!” Dhamon spat at him. Finish this, he prayed to Takhisis, the Dark Queen, his absent beloved goddess. Grant me a quick death. Don’t let me linger in front of my enemy.
But a quick death didn’t come, and the Solamnic bent closer, hoisted Dhamon over his shoulder and snatched up the young man’s blade. The Knight of Takhisis felt cold, so terribly cold. It was a summer day, and he’d been sweating from the fight But now his limbs felt like lead weights, and he was freezing, the warmth rushing from his body as the blood continued to pour from his wound. Darkness enveloped him, and he continued to pray for the release of death.
*
Dhamon felt so very cold – and to his amazement, alive. His eyes shot open, and he gasped for air. A pair of enormous emerald eyes stared back, practically filling his vision.
“You wake, at last. I was worried that you might sleep forever, that I might have to bury you or feed your corpse to the fishes.” The words came from the owner of the eyes – a massive creature, with an almost equine face covered with coin-sized bronze scales and jagged ridges along the jowls. It hovered mere inches from him. The emerald eyes, wide set and rimmed by tiny, seemingly identical scales, blinked several times and seemed to soften and become a shade paler.
Dhamon noted at once that the head was attached to a long, serpentine neck. The belly of the creature, which Dhamon could easily see from his prone position, was covered with horizontal bronze plates that shimmered in the meager light. Its long tail twitched lazily back and forth, and was crowned by a spiky ridge that ran to its very tip. A similar ridge ran down the center of the dragon’s back.
The bronze dragon pulled its wings to its sides and eased a few yards away to give Dhamon room to sit up. He tried to take in his surroundings – an immense cave with smooth gray walls and a flat, almost slippery floor. Faint light filtered down from a patch of luminous lichen overhead. At his side was a dragon’s scale, inverted so it resembled a large, scalloped bowl. It was filled with water. Dhamon ran his tongue around the edges of his lips. They weren’t cracked, and he didn’t feel overly thirsty. The dragon must have been forcing him to drink somehow. But his head pounded and his stomach ached. He felt dreadfully hungry.
The coldness was leaving him, though not entirely. He was naked, and the air that only faintly stirred around him – the dragon’s breathing – was undeniably chilly and stale. For an instant he felt self-conscious and looked around to find something to cover himself with. He guessed he must have been resting here for quite some time. His muscles were stiff, and it felt as if he’d lost quite a bit of weight. The hunger continued to gnaw at him.
“Who are you?” Dhamon asked. His voice cracked, and his tongue felt a little swollen. He cupped his palm and dipped it in the water. It was cool and felt good in his throat.
“You may call me Shimmer,” the bronze dragon replied. “My true name is too complex for your tongue.”
“You saved me.” It was a statement. Dhamon was certain the dragon must have rescued him from the lake.
“I watched you battle the blue.” The dragon studied Dhamon’s expression. “I was a fish in the water, for such is my ability to manipulate my shape. I did not intervene then. It was not my fight, and you were both strangers to me. But when it was finished, and when you fell into my domain, I watched as you struggled to the surface for air. I felt your blood seep into my water, and I pulled you under and brought you here. I cared not if the dragon died, desired it in fact, for blues are creatures of corruption. But you seemed brave and worthy of life.”
“This cave is under the lake?”
“A safe lair,” Shimmer continued. “Safe from the eyes of the overlords and from Krynn’s inhabitants who seem to fear all dragons now.”
Dhamon’s fingers explored his chest and his legs, where he’d been sliced by Gale’s sharp scales. There were no scars, and only a few tender spots. His palms were healed, too. He reached his hands up to his face, where a short, uneven beard grew. His fingers combed through his hair, which was a little longer than he remembered and much more tangled. He glanced again at the dragon.
“I peeled your clothes from you, healed you “Shimmer explained. “I have such talents. But there were serious injuries beneath your flesh, and those took a long while to mend.”
“How long have I been...”
“You have slept for a month or more, as humans count the passing of time. I was able to feed you some, but I suspect you are hungry. Yes?”
Dhamon nodded.
“I will return with something for you to eat.” Shimmer slipped into the darkest shadows of the cave, and Dhamon heard a splash. He pulled himself to his feet, using the cave wall for support.
“A month,” he whispered. “Feril must think I’m dead “He felt a little lightheaded as he forced himself to walk. His legs protested, but he pushed himself to explore the cave. The floor sloped downward to his right and the passage narrowed. Too narrow for the dragon, he thought, but not a dragon that can turn itself into a fish – or likely other creatures. Blackness engulfed him for a moment, but he followed the passage, until it widened and brightened. Luminous lichen covered the ceiling of a chamber that was filled with piles of steel pieces, gems, jewelry, weapons and shields, urns, golden candlesticks, and more. So my savior dragon is covetous, Dhamon thought. But then all dragons were said to crave wealth.
He slowly returned to the scale and drank his fill, then sat and leaned back against the wall to wait for the dragon. He did not have to wait long. Shimmer glided into the cave, moving quickly and quietly despite her bulk. She opened her mouth and three large fish spilled out, flopping onto the cave floor. Dhamon quickly grabbed one and struck its head against the stone wall
to stun it. He sliced open its belly on the edge of the scale, careful to not let its entrails spill into his drinking water. Gently prying the fish apart, he tugged at its flesh and began to eat. “Feeling better?” the dragon asked when Dhamon had finished all three fish. “Yes, thank you.”
“I would know of you, then. What you call yourself, what you are about. Then I will decide just what to do with you.”
Dhamon’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t considered the possibility that the dragon might not let him go. Bronze dragons sided with the forces of light, and in decades past they had aided Krynn’s humans and demihumans. But times were different. Naked and without a weapon, he could do little to stand up to Shimmer. He was at her mercy. Dhamon took a deep breath and stared into the dragon’s emerald eyes.
He told her briefly of his youth, of how he had been recruited into the Knights of Takhisis, lured by thoughts of pomp and battle and his admiration of the knights in his town. He had distinguished himself in battle after battle, and finally was paired with a blue dragon, Gale.
Dhamon was apart from Gale when he met the old Solamnic Knight – Sir Geoffrey Quick – in the woods. The Solamnic had carried the grievously-wounded Dhamon to his home, and during the next few months gradually nursed the young man back to health. During that time, the Solamnic’s words eventually swayed Dhamon away from the Knighthood of Takhisis, made him realize that the Order had little to do with chivalry and honor anymore, and had grown into an organization of armored bullies striving for power and the accomplishment of dark goals.
The day Dhamon left the Solamnic, he buried his black mail armor and the sword with the ruby in its pommel, and set about trying to cleanse his spirit.
“I am not proud of what I was,” Dhamon concluded. “But I am not that man anymore. I owed the Solamnic for saving my life, and now I owe you as well. But do not think to keep me here.”
The bronze scrutinized Dhamon’s tanned face. “No. I do not think you would reveal my lair. You are free to go.”
Dhamon grew silent. A month had passed – at least. Rig, Feril, and the others would no longer be in Palanthas. Once they had contemplated going after the White in Southern Ergoth – perhaps he might find them there. Or perhaps they were on their way back to Schallsea. He wanted desperately to see Feril again, to explain about his past. He’d need clothes first, and a weapon, as well as a way to get to Schallsea island.
“Join us, Shimmer,” Dhamon said simply. “We stand against the overlords and we could use your help. If good dragons were to join forces and fight against the evil dragons, then we...”
Shimmer emphatically shook her head. “Most of my brethren are in hiding. There are more evil dragons than good now, and the evil ones are ruthless. It is impossible to save all the people from the overlords. If we tried, if we fought for you, we would be dying with you, not saving you. We will pick our own battles, in our own time.” The dragon glanced toward the darkest part of the cave. “You are free to go. I will take you above the lake. I’ve invested too much effort in you to see you drown. You can go wherever you wish.”
Dhamon paused. “A weapon,” the former knight said. “You’ve several in your cave. Could you spare one?”
Shimmer’s eyes narrowed. “The glaive. You can have it. Take it from my treasure chamber. But take nothing else.”
Dhamon hurried through the passage. He had no intention of taking any of Shimmer’s wealth. He had no intention of risking certain death for a bit of treasure – even though a couple of coins would buy him something to wear. The glaive leaned against the farthest wall. Dhamon picked his way over a mound of coins and gems. The weapon’s curved edge glinted in the light from the lichen. It had a long haft, nearly five feet in length and was intricately carved with the images of birds of prey in flight. The blade secured to the top resembled a large axe head, and it was crowned with a spear point. The glaive was light and well-balanced, its metal a silvery-blue.
He returned to Shimmer and ventured to ask another boon. “It would take me a long time to walk anywhere. Would you take me to the healer Goldmoon on Schallsea? The island?”
He heard a gentle rumble, the dragon laughing. “You ask much; that is near Sable’s realm.”
“Yes.”
“No. Name another destination.”
Dhamon thought for a moment, then named another possibility. The dragon nodded. Her emerald green eyes bore into his, filled his vision. The cave seemed to melt around him, the grays and browns of the rock melding with the green, swirling about him like wind-whipped leaves. Then the stone floor vanished beneath his feet.
Chapter 14
A DANGEROUS REUNION
Gilthanus tugged the cord free from the neck of his bright indigo tunic and tied back his hair, tucking the loose strands out of the way behind his prominent elven ears. Then, without slowing his stride, he straightened the tunic and brushed at a couple of loose threads. It was one of the garments Rig had bought for him not quite a week ago in Gander, where most of the Northern Waste refugees had been sent on their way – thankfully easing the severe overcrowding on the ship.
The mariner had purchased colorful clothes for everyone, and gave each passenger a purse of steel coins. Gilthanas remembered that Feril was pleasantly surprised by Rig’s generosity, but that generous act wasn’t enough to save the dark-skinned man from the Kagonesti’s tongue-lashing several minutes ago.
Gilthanas varied his stride a bit, working to break in his new leather boots. Feril walked to his right – they had fallen behind the Majeres so they could talk a little. He had decided that the Kagonesti was a formidable person, and he was glad he was on her good side. She was someone he’d like to continue to be friends with. He ran his fingers over the pommel of his borrowed cutlass and caught Feril staring at him. She swallowed hard and looked away.
“Don’t like my ears?” he teased. “I don’t have the slightest problem with yours – though it’s almost impossible to see them under all of those curls.”
She shook her head. He was referring to the fact that she was a Kagonesti, and he was a Qualinesti – quite a bit taller and paler, almost aristocratic, in comparison with the wild elves. Historically, the disparate races of elves did not see eye to eye, though that was starting to change under the tyranny of the dragon overlords. Qualinesti, Kagonesti, and Silvanesti were banding together in some lands. One such colony was on the southern shore of Southern Ergoth.
“Your ears “she laughed softly. “No, it’s not that at all.” She paused. “Dhamon had blond hair, and he used to tie it back like that, too.”
Gilthanas gave her a sympathetic look. “I heard a lot about him from the others on the ship. A former Knight of Takhisis, but a good man from what I understand. I take it you were close.”
“We were trying to be. Fate just wouldn’t give us a chance.” Feril took a deep breath, turning her tanned face toward the sky. “Wouldn’t have worked out anyway. He was human.”
“Something wrong with being human?” Gilthanas asked just loud enough so that Palin and his son, walking a few paces ahead, could hear. Both Majeres glanced over their shoulders, and Gilthanas grinned mischievously at Feril. Ulin scowled, shook his head.
The Kagonesti blushed, offering Palin and his son a weak smile. “There’s nothing wrong with humans. I like humans – truly.” Softer, once the Majeres had turned around to continue following their guides, she added, “But they’re not like us. Their life spans are so short, burning out like stubby candles. They look at things differently. They like cities; I prefer the wilderness. They’re better off with their own kind. Things wouldn’t have worked out between Dhamon and me. And there’s no point in thinking about it now – he’s dead.”
“Decades ago I thought like you,” Gilthanas said. “I was younger, definitely more foolish, and I almost cost my sister Laurana her happiness. I doubt she would have ever forgiven me of my ignorance.”
“Laurana fell in love with a human?”
“Yes, a half-elven man nam
ed Tanthalas.”
“Tanis Half-Elven” Feril said excitedly. “I’ve heard of him. He was a hero with Caramon and
Raistlin, and he died before the Chaos War. I don’t know much more, though.”
“His mother died giving birth to him, and my family took him in. He was a playmate, a confidant. But he was different, tainted I used to think, not as good as the Qualinesti, and certainly not good enough for my sister. She was infatuated with him from the beginning. One day when they were playing together, she made him promise that they would marry when they were older. He thought it was a jest and I heard him promise, felt the blood pounding in my ears. I realized it was no game to my dear sister; she wasn’t kidding. I drew Tanis aside, intent on keeping my family’s pure elven heritage alive. I threatened him, I guess. I most certainly threw our friendship out the window by calling him a half-breed unworthy of my sister.”
Tanis left and my sister was heartbroken. I was very pleased with myself, so happy that I’d saved her – until he came back a few years later. Laurana pursued him again, with more of a passion than ever. But Tanis was wise enough to heed my words. He kept his distance, and I kept my eyes on him.”
“So, they never got together?” Feril asked quietly.
“During the War of the Lance, fate took all of us to Icewall, then up to Southern Ergoth, your home. The three races living there – your people, mine, and the Silvanesti – were at odds. Though they lived side by side, they weren’t civil to each other. And it opened my eyes. You see, I fell in love with a Kagonesti. Being with her made me realize that elves are elves, and the names and happenstances of birth are irrelevant. It’s what’s inside a person that counts. The shell isn’t what matters.”
“Where is she now? What happened to her?”
“I pledged my love to her, fell so deeply that she became my entire world, and all thoughts of Laurana and Tanis were pushed aside. But then,” Gilthanas said, pausing to stroke his chin, “she showed me her true nature. She wasn’t a Kagonesti after all, and I turned away.”
