The Dragons of Ice and Snow

by J. J. Thompson

  “But this?” he carried on, his expression bitter and his mismatched eyes glowing. “This...abomination cannot be allowed to continue! So I need ideas, folks. Suggestions. A plan of attack. Anything. Because one way or another, I'm going up there to try and stop it.”

  He paused again, his shoulders slumping, looking, if he'd known it, as vulnerable as the young teenager he appeared to be.

  “And I need your help,” he added simply.

  There was a long moment of silence.

  “Of course we'll help you, Simon,” Daniel said finally. “I've met with the elders since you and I last spoke of this. There are some elves who want to join the fight, your friend Ethmira among them. I think we can promise you at least fifty archers to aid in your attack.”

  He winked as Simon caught his eye.

  “You just tell them when and where to meet you and they'll be there, I promise you.”

  “Thanks, Daniel. I didn't expect the elves to get involved in this, but I'll gratefully accept their help.”

  His old friend nodded and smiled grimly.

  “So let me get this straight,” Tamara said stiffly, her expression still cool. “You are going to attack this mutated primal white dragon?”

  “I am.”

  “And how many dragons are up on that mesa? Dozens? Hundreds? Besides this unholy magic that the primal can use, and that Gate spell, what else can it do? Can it cast other spells? Can it Gate in reinforcements if it's attacked? Does it have any weaknesses?”

  “I don't know.”

  “Is there a way up to the top of that mesa or do we need to sprout wings? Will the prisoners even be alive once you attack or will they already have been turned into monsters? Or will they be killed the moment you appear to save them?”

  “All good questions,” Simon said levelly.

  “Look, if you don't have the stomach for this, why not just say so instead of attacking the one person on Earth who has actually killed a primal dragon?” Liliana asked, her voice as sharp as glass. “Two, in fact. If you want to stay in your city and protect your people, that's fine. We'll do this without you.”

  “We?” Simon looked at the paladin, startled.

  “Of course we. These beasts have taken my people, used perverted magic to alter them, changed them into monsters.”

  She looked around the empty room she was sitting in. Simon thought it looked like a destroyed shop of some kind. Liliana was sitting on a stool in front of a counter.

  “I am alone now,” she said with a suspicious catch in her voice. “I can no longer protect my people, but by the gods, I can avenge them.”

  “Thank you, my friend,” Simon said gently. “If nothing else, we'll give them a fight to remember.”

  “That we will.”

  She stood up stiffly.

  “Call me when you are ready, Simon. I want to be alone until then. Thank you for the opportunity to take the fight to the dragons.”

  “Thank you for agreeing to help. It will be no more than a few days before we strike. Be ready.”

  “I shall be.”

  Simon waved a hand across the sheet of mica and watched the paladin's face fade away.

  “Clara,” he said, “I called you because I wanted to keep you in the loop. At the moment, Nottinghill is in no danger, as far as we know. If you have any ideas that might help though, I'm all ears.”

  The cleric looked at him compassionately and smiled a bit.

  “I'm no tactician, as you know. I can't help plan an attack that I honestly think is futile.”

  She held up a hand as Simon began to protest.

  “I'm not saying that you're going to fail. I would have said the same thing when you took on the primal green dragon. And I certainly thought it when we faced the leader of the black dragons. So perhaps my doubt is a good luck charm.” She winked. “I hope so anyway.”

  Simon had to chuckle.

  “I do too.”

  “But I do have two things to offer. The first is that if you somehow manage to rescue any captives up there, Gate them back here. I will do my best to heal them. I think the gods of Light will be generous with their healing power for victims of draconic torture.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate the offer. What's the second thing?”

  The cleric looked past Simon and waved at someone. He involuntarily looked over his shoulder and then reddened. Obviously she had been signaling someone on her end of the communication spell.

  A moment later, Clara was almost crowded out of the mirror's view by a handsome black face grinning broadly.

  “Good day, sir wizard,” Malcolm said heartily. “I hear you're planning a little hunting trip.”

  Simon had to laugh at the warrior's choice of words.

  “Yes, you could say that. How are you? And how's Aiden?”

  “Good as gold, thanks to you and our fearless leader here.”

  “Now Malcolm,” Clara said sternly.

  “Oh, come on, lady cleric. You are our leader, like it or not. Now accept the term graciously. It's much more lady-like,” he added, giving her a wide-eyed look of admiration.

  Clara made a retching sound.

  “Lady-like, my butt! I've never been a lady, thank you very much. At any rate, we can discuss this later. You and Simon need to talk.”

  “We certainly do,” the big man said, becoming serious.

  Simon watched as the cleric handed her mirror over and moved aside to let him speak face-to-face with Malcolm.

  “So what can I do for you, my friend?” the wizard asked. He glanced quickly at the other two mirrors. Daniel was writing furiously while Tamara was listening to someone whispering in her ear. He looked back at the big man and nodded.

  “Sorry, we're on a four-way conversation here. What's up?”

  “We want to join your attack on the dragons,” the man said bluntly. “I've been eavesdropping during your meeting, with Clara's permission by the way, and I think you could use a couple of able warriors.”

  Simon looked at him closely.

  “Did you hear the part about twelve foot tall dragonoids? And a humanoid primal white dragon? That didn't escape your attention, did it?”

  Malcolm grinned.

  “That was the best part. Look, sir wizard, you can use all the help you can get, right? Aiden and I wear enchanted armor. It's fireproof, among other things. Our weapons can cut through steel. I'm guessing that they'll have the same effect on dragon scales. And, just in case you've forgotten, unless those dragons are using silver weapons, we can't be killed.”

  Simon sat back and held up both hands.

  “Whoa there, Malcolm. I suspect that dragon-fire could reduce even Lycanthropes to ash if a blast hit your directly.”

  “So we'll be sure to duck. Simon, you need us. Now be polite and say yes. Don't make the two of us slog all the way to your tower and camp by the gate until you let us in. I warn you, we'll sing.” He frowned. “I actually like Aiden's singing but he has reduced people to tears and it wasn't because of the love song he was screeching at the time.”

  The wizard broke up. He began to laugh and caught a glimpse of Tamara's almost scandalized expression. It only made things worse.

  “I'm...I'm sorry, everyone,” he gasped finally, wiping his eyes. “Malcolm, that was just mean.”

  The big man grinned.

  “Okay, okay. Fine. You can come along. Did you need me to Gate down and get you or...”

  “Not at all. I know you need a few days to prepare. We'll get our stuff together and join you two days from now. Is that enough time?”

  “It had better be,” Simon told him, the laugher dying in his throat. “Those people may or may not still be alive, but the dragons are probably capturing others as we speak. This has gone on long enough.”

  “Good. We'll see you then. Clara's waving goodbye from the other side of the room, so you go ahead and deal with the others. And Simon? Thank you for this.”

  “Don't thank me,” the wizard said, shaking his head. �
��The odds are against us and, if anyone falls, it's on me.”

  “No it isn't. We're volunteers. Remember that. Take care.”

  The wizard cut the connection and looked at Daniel and Tamara.

  “Old friend,” he said. “I'll call you in two days, my time. Aeris will give me the coordinates of that mesa and I'll relay them on to you. Hopefully there's an entrance nearby from your world to ours.”

  “That sounds good,” Daniel replied. “Get some rest while you can. You're looking a little pale.”

  “Thanks, I will. Talk to you soon.”

  At Daniel's smile and nod, the wizard canceled the spell.

  “And then there was one,” Tamara said dryly.

  “True. So as you've heard, I've got some help in the upcoming, what shall we call it? Battle? Rescue mission? Both, I suppose. You and your brother take care. Whether this works or not, the dragons are really going to be pissed. Keep your people undercover for a while until things calm down again.”

  Simon raised a hand to cancel the spell and the woman sat up abruptly.

  “Hang on a second there, mister wizard! You mean, after this lovely chat between friends that you aren't going to ask for our help?”

  The wizard looked at her in confusion.

  “I thought I already had?”

  “Well, okay, technically maybe. But that paladin spoke before I had a chance to clarify my position. Sir wizard, I brought up the dangers that we are facing because we must go into this venture with our eyes wide open. You've fought dragons, including the two primals that you struck down. Good job, by the way.”

  “Um, thanks?”

  “You're welcome. Anyway, if you want my input, after hearing about what you saw through you little friend's eyes there,” she smiled a bit at Aeris, who returned it, looking startled, “then here it is. I think that the top of that mesa has been covered with a spell nullifying magic.”

  “Nullifying...really?” Simon frowned in thought. “I hadn't thought of that. It's certainly possible, I suppose.”

  “More than possible. I know that your powers are geared toward dealing with the elements, and elementals. Mages, on the other hand, do things a bit differently. I can cast a spell to block magic. So can my brother. So we are familiar with such things.”

  “And?”

  “And, I think that it is quite likely that you won't be able to Gate in and attack those dragonoids, or whatever you call them.”

  Simon felt like he'd had the wind knocked out of him.

  “Oh. Oh damn. Well, maybe there's a trail or somewhere we could climb up.”

  “There isn't,” Aeris said reluctantly. “And before you jump down my throat, I didn't tell you because it didn't seem important at the time. I circled the entire mountain before you contacted me. It's basic scouting, after all. Besides, I was bored. It is sheer all the way up on all sides. And the sides rise up almost a thousand feet, give or take.”

  “You look a little woozy, wizard,” Tamara said, sounding amused. “Don't worry. I'm sure that you'll think of some way to get us up there.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Simon said, thinking hard. “Let's hope it's not misplaced.”

  “Let's hope. But supposing you do find a way to reach the top, there is still the matter of the null spell. If it is active, the dragons will still have their breath weapons, not to mention their fangs and claws. And if, as I suspect, that primal dragon is the one who cast the nullifying spell in the first place, it will be able to use its magic against us.”

  “Great. This just keeps getting better.”

  Tamara leaned forward until her face was almost touching the mirror on her side. The wizard barely noticed as his mind seemed to be going in twenty different directions at once. He felt like a hamster on a wheel, spinning in place.

  “Simon!” the mage shouted.

  Simon flung himself back on his chair and almost tipped over, while Aeris actually shot across the room in surprise.

  “Holy crap, Tamara! What was that for?” he asked shakily.

  “To get your attention. I think you were on the verge of having a panic attack.”

  “Is that what that was? I've never had one. Ugh.”

  “Okay, are you back with me now?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I'm with you.”

  “Great. Now then, here is my suggestion. By the way, you're going to hate it.”

  “Oh goody. Don't want to get my hopes up, I suppose.”

  “I'm glad you're keeping your sense of humor. You'll need it. So, if you do manage to get to the top of that mesa, you're going to have to do something to get the primal's attention. You are going to have to divert it so that the null spell is broken and then you'll have to keep its focus on you until the rest of us arrive.”

  “You're right, I hate it. So, let me see if I'm getting this. You want me to go to the top of dragon central, somehow, then do something to get the primal dragon's attention, like, oh maybe juggle some balls or something, and then keep it focused squarely on me until the cavalry arrives. Does that about cover it?”

  Tamara folded her arms and stared at him directly.

  “That just about does it, yes.”

  “And if I can do that, you and your brother will lend us a hand?”

  “Precisely.”

  Simon looked at Aeris who was floating cautiously back to the table. The elemental was out of Tamara's line of sight and was shaking his head frantically. The wizard smiled at him and looked back at the mage.

  “You've got yourself a deal.”

  Chapter 25

  “Are you out of your mind?”

  Simon was sitting in his easy chair in front of the fire, his bare feet on a ragged old ottoman that he'd had for years, since his days before the dragons came. His eyes were closed and he was trying to think. It wasn't easy.

  “How many times are you going to ask me that?” he said as he leaned his head back against the chair. “I've already said yes about ten times.”

  “I know that. Obviously you aren't taking this plan of yours, to attack the primal white dragon, very seriously.”

  “On the contrary, Aeris. I'm taking it quite seriously. I'm trying to think it through and your constant barking at me is not helping.”

  “That's enough,” a deep voice interrupted. It was Kronk. “If the master wants to think, then let him think. He will need all of his wits for the battle to come.”

  “I understand that,” Aeris said a little less shrilly. “But it's crazy. I've told you what he's planning. Don't you think it's crazy?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  Simon opened his eyes and looked over at the kitchen table where the two elementals were standing, speaking face to face.

  “It is crazy, to you and me. But not to our master. He would not put others in harm's way unnecessarily. You know that. Which means that his plan, whatever it might be, isn't insane.”

  Thanks Kronk, Simon thought as he closed his eyes again.

  “Merely desperate,” the earthen added.

  Simon stifled a groan. So much for confidence.

  He spent the rest of the evening thinking and dozing in front of the fire. It might be the last respite he'd get in a long time and he tried to enjoy it.

  Tamara had been right, of course. There was no way to move a lot of people to the top of the mesa if he couldn't Gate them there. They might be able to climb to the top, maybe send someone ahead who was a good climber to attach ropes or something. But he didn't know anything about scaling mountains and he was quite sure that they'd be spotted long before they reached their goal and then they'd be blasted with dragon-fire while hanging helplessly off the side of a sheer cliff. Stupid idea.

  He woke from a doze and looked around groggily. Kronk was standing beside the ottoman, staring into the fire, his little face calm and a bit thoughtful.

  Why I ever thought that he couldn't show emotions on that rocky face of his, I'll never know, the wizard thought as he watched his friend fondly.

&nb
sp; Aeris was nowhere to be seen.

  “Where's our chatty friend?” he asked, still a bit sleepy.

  “He's decided to take a spin around the tower, master,” Kronk answered without turning. He too was speaking quietly. “I told him that it might clear his head.”

  Now he looked over his shoulder.

  “He's worried about you. So am I.”

  “I know. But what else can I do? I can't leave innocent people to a fate out of nightmare, can I?”

  “Of course not, master. I told Aeris that, and he understands but,” he shrugged, “it's in his nature to argue. You know how he is.”

  Simon closed his eyes.

  “I know. And for all his whining, I do appreciate that it's because he cares.”

  “What are you thinking about, master? Do you want to talk it out? Without an argument?”

  The wizard opened his eyes again and looked at the little guy with a smile.

  Kronk returned it and one glowing red eye winked.

  “I'm thinking through the mission one step at a time. And the first hurdle to overcome is getting up there. I can create a diversion, yes, but it won't do us any good if the group can't actually make it to the top en masse. One or two at a time won't do it. It has to be an attack with all of our forces at once.”

  “Understandable, master. Perhaps it would help if you figured out how many people will be in the war party?”

  Simon sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to focus.

  “Okay. Let's see. Daniel promises at least fifty elven archers,” he said as he held up one finger. “Then there's Liliana. She's worth twenty people alone. Let's see, there's Malcolm and Aiden. And of course Tamara and her brother. And me. So, fifty-six?”

  Kronk's eyes narrowed.

  “Fifty-six people, master. But what about elementals?”

  “Elementals?”

  “Master, you're an elementalist,” he said, sounding a bit exasperated. “You have power over earth, air, fire and water. And you can command those like me. So why aren't you using that power?”

  Simon sat up and leaned forward, staring intently at the little guy.

  “I don't know,” he said honestly. “At the risk of sounding stupid, would you believe that I didn't think of it?”