The power that bound Clandestiny faded. She immediately took a seat on the side of the bed and placed a hand on Medolas’ cheek. “Oh, Meddy! Oh, my Meddy!” The emotion of the moment consumed her, and she began to wail.
Northern Grayham
The Healer’s Vestry—With the priestess now lying on a freshly chiseled slab of ice, her body is being prepared to be sent back to Harvestom so that those who loved her can celebrate her passing. Gage and Gallrum have offered to travel with the body.
Upon hearing about the priestess’ demise, Shiver ordered Gabs to place the Tear about his neck until the king can find the moments to meet with the council to decide what to do with it.
Clanny has retired with Medolas to the undercastle. Medolas is exhausted and needs sleep. Clandestiny refuses to leave his side.
The ranking officers of the Tormalian army have left Hydroth. Six harugens have been attached to a large sled, and they are pulling the block of ice that was harvested from the battleground near the edge of the chasm. The block will be taken to Gesper so the families of the fallen may celebrate the passing of their loved ones.
Southern Grayham
The United Kingdom of Southern Grayham—The tournament is underway. The minds of the populace have been successfully diverted. There is no longer word of the royal family’s disappearance on any of the message boards throughout the kingdom. More than a million beings roam the streets of Brandor and are enjoying the festivities.
Harvestom
The Merchant Island—Mosley’s crate has been prepared for transport by the Merchant Angels. He will enter it just after Late Bailem. He is estimated to arrive on Southern Grayham in 2 Peaks.
Hell
Sam—The new King of Hell stormed the Temple of the Gods after his General Absolute arrived with the rest of her legions. To the king’s surprise, the temple had been abandoned, but the structure was in pristine condition, and its kitchen was full of food.
When Sam addressed Narasay, his general, to determine why the temple would have been vacated, the Swayne Enserad had no answer, and it was further clear that she had no knowledge of the temple’s existence prior to the army seizing it.
Rather than allow Narasay to see his confusion, Sam ordered the army to begin construction of the walls that would fortify the territory surrounding the temple to the west and to the south. The army was further ordered to create a tunnel through the mountains to the north that would end just south of the stronghold. The army was to use the rock that would be pulled out of the tunnel in the construction of the wall.
While Sam has been spending his moments with the army, Kepler has been searching for Pydum at the king’s request. The imp’s presence has created curiosity in Sam’s mind, and the demon-jaguar has been asked to bring the grendle-imp to the temple when he has been captured.
Lasidious—After being informed by Alistar that he had needlessly given up the power he had over the Collective, Lasidious decided to refocus. Though the revelation had been a blow to his ego, sacrificing his godliness had been a part of his plan all along, so it changed nothing.
No one knows the extent of Lasidious’ entire plan. The Mischievous One decided long ago that it was important to keep certain things to himself—even from his brother.
Since his arrival on Hell, the Mischievous One has been enjoying his hunts with Yolan, and the moments he has spent with his son to acquire Garrin’s and the Prince of Brandor’s trust. There have been moments when the boys have allowed Lasidious to play with them, but Garrin has erected a barrier of protection on a number of occasions to keep his father at bay when the Mischievous One’s thoughts were not pure. Lasidious is beginning to realize that his own mind has been betraying him.
On another negative note, the Mischievous One has found his duties as Vampire King to be taxing to his nerves. He regrets the switch, but he knows the moment is coming for his reascension. When this happens, he will be stronger than he ever was. Despite this unnecessary detour, the Mischievous One has confidence that he will rule all that has been created on this plane, and he believes he has found a way to get back to the plane of the Almighty where he will beg for forgiveness.
George, Kroger and Maldwin—After speaking with the rat, Maldwin chose to travel to Hell with George and the ogre.
The trio is no longer searching for Garrin. After speaking with Alistar, Celestria returned to Hell and informed the warlock that his assistance would no longer be necessary to find her son.
Because George has treated Garrin well while under the care of his family, the goddess agreed to keep her promise and return George to Luvelles after he found Kepler and restored the cat’s memories.
Since Lasidious is protected by the laws written on Gabriel’s pages, the goddess has asked George for his help. She has pleaded with the warlock to become her assassin.
As expected, George agreed to seek the power to destroy Lasidious once the warlock realized the Mischievous One no longer possessed the power to retrieve his daughter’s soul from the Book. Celestria explained how Lasidious foolishly abandoned his seat at the table of the Collective and sent Tardon to his demise in an effort to hide his identity from the Book. The warlock also knows the Mischievous One has plotted to have him murdered. For George, the decision to seek the power to end Lasidious was an easy one.
To help in his search for Kepler, Celestria pointed the warlock in the right direction. The goddess has informed George that Mosley is also searching for the same power that he will be seeking, and George will need to set aside his differences with the wolf and become his ally during the fight against Lasidious.
The goddess also issued a word of warning. After Kepler is found and they are taken to Luvelles, Celestria has deemed it wise for George to leave the jaguar behind. The vengeance Mosley seeks against the cat for the loss of his Luvera will never be set aside, but the wolf’s disdain for George can be dismissed.
But before any of this can happen, George must first face the demon-jaguar and keep from being slaughtered before he is able to remind his old friend of their past relationship.
Western Luvelles
George’s Family—To keep Athena’s mind off of George’s absence, Brayson has taken the entire family to Southern Grayham for the remainder of Michael’s tournament.
Mary was excited to go. She could not wait for Brayson to see her old home and her inn in Lethwitch. The family has been staying at Mary’s farm while Brayson and Gregory teleport everyone to Brandor each morning so they can enjoy the festivities of the tournament.
At night, after the family returns, Gregory has been using his magic to improve the appearance of Mary’s estate and her place of business.
Appreciation has also been extended to her neighbors and trusted employees who took care of her home and inn during her absence. Many of these people have been loyal to Mary for more than 15 seasons.
The family was unable to stop laughing at the reaction of the help after they touched the new walls of the inn and felt the structure’s new pulse.
King Henry Dowd and Chancellor Boyafed Methelborn—The bridge crossing Lake Lavan is still under construction. With it moving forward as planned, King Dowd and Chancellor Methelborn have been doing a lot of fishing. Their lives have been peaceful since the unification of the kingdoms.
Upon hearing that his old flame as a younger elf had recently been widowed, Boyafed sought her company. Jennikas is still as beautiful as she ever was, and she has been with Boyafed most everywhere he has traveled since. The possibility of a union could be in their future, and since Boyafed has never wed, the union would be grand.
Ancients Sovereign
The Book—Gabriel has yet to reveal his true self to the rest of the Collective. He had intended to do so at the last meeting of the gods, but just prior to the meeting, Michael appeared to Gabriel and instructed the Book to maintain his secret. Gabriel has also met with Celestria. Garrin’s addiction to the Vampire Queen’s milk was discussed, but Lasidious’ possession of Tar
don’s body was not.
The Archangel Michael—After making his appearance to those who claim to be gods, Michael informed the Collective of the new Heaven that was being created and the restrictions that would be placed upon its magnificence. The archangel did not, however, speak of Anahita and her role as per the Source’s wishes.
As expected, the Collective was outraged by the Source’s decision to take an active role in the creation of a world where the Book would release the souls who had managed to live a good life.
When confronted with the question, “Why is the Source breaking his promise to remain out of their affairs?” Michael informed the so-called gods that the dragon was acting upon the Almighty’s wishes. He further reminded them that they should consider themselves blessed that they were allowed to escape their eternal torture in the first place.
Because of their failure to heed the Almighty’s laws on their old plane, the Heaven on this new plane will not be allowed to rival the glory of the old. The new Heaven will not be allowed to have pearly gates. This was yet another punishment for failing the Almighty.
By the moment Michael was finished speaking, those present after Alistar vanished with Celestria finally realized that their eyes would never again witness the glory they chose to abandon. They also realized that no matter how much power they sought to try and find their way back, their effort would result in failure. At best, their Heaven would be no better than just another beautiful world. There would be no streets of gold, and it would most certainly not be without imperfections.
The New Heaven
Anahita and Dorick—The angel and the dwarf are no longer enjoying the company of the Source. The Ancient One returned to the dragon world as soon as he felt Fosalia abandon the body the priestess was told to occupy.
The Source will call for a meeting of the dragon council. The Titans must determine how to handle the failure of the High Priestess.
Thank you for reading the Crystal Shard
CHAPTER 18
A Chastised Dragon
3 Peaks of Bailem have Passed
Southern Grayham
The Home of Cadromel
Beneath Griffin Falls, Early Bailem
FELLOW SOUL ... AFTER SPEAKING WITH CELESTIA, Mosley teleported to the Merchant Island of Harvestom, but his departure was delayed since the dock foreman did not have a crate capable of carrying the wolf to Grayham. When one was acquired, it took 2 Peaks to make the journey. As soon as the Merchant Angels set his crate on the ground, Mosley teleported to Cadromel’s home inside the mist. When he appeared, he was standing next to the body of water that pooled at the base of Griffin Falls.
With the mist being so thick, the wolf’s keen eyes were unable to see the sun as it danced through Early Bailem on its way to the Peak. Instead, all he could see was the large pond that stretched in front of him. Its far side remained hidden, and its familiar, greenish glow that emanated from the water was the only reason the wolf was able to see a fair amount of its surface.
In the distance, the intensity of Griffin Falls could be heard as it crashed against the rocks. The wolf closed his eyes and listened to the force of the water. Though he was anxious to speak with the wisp, this place offered peace of mind, and he smiled as a memory of Luvera filled his thoughts—a memory from just over 400 seasons ago.
“You must promise to love me anyway, Mosley, despite how I appear,” Luvera said as she looked up from drinking the water. Her coat had been saturated by the mist, and she appeared as dreadful as any other wet mutt. Yet her eyes, oh those deep, green, beautiful eyes were intoxicating to look upon no matter how matted her fur was around them. “I know I look frightful. But you must remember, this was your idea to come here.”
“It wasn’t my idea,” Mosley had rebutted. “It was Cadromel’s. The wisp has a gift for us. Besides, you could never look frightful to me, my love ... no matter how the mist attacks your coat.”
Luvera had grinned and placed her head against Mosley’s. Her mouth had been close to his ear when she whispered, “Being your mate brings joy to my heart.”
Recalling the smile that appeared on Luvera’s face as she pulled away, Mosley remembered the love that filled his heart on that Peak. His Luvera had joined him in howling their vows the night before, and the ceremony had been held inside the Temple of the Gods. Bassorine had attended, and after their union, they had said goodbye. They spent the majority of the night descending the steps inside the cliffs, and then they raced each other toward Cadromel’s home.
The song Cadromel sang to them that afternoon had been the perfect gift. It left Luvera in an amorous mood, and that night, their first litter had been conceived inside the den that Bassorine had provided at the base of Griffin Cliffs.
Mosley’s memories of the past were interrupted as Cadromel ascended from the depths of the pond. The wolf recognized the wisp’s light as he approached. A period of silence passed as Mosley stood with his head bowed while sheets of water cascaded from Cadromel’s sphere. The wolf knew not to speak until after the air had been filled with song.
As always, the wisp’s sound was beautiful, heavenly, and it spoke of Cadromel’s delight in seeing the wolf. “It is good to see you again, Mosley.”
“And you as well, Cadromel. I bring good news.”
Again, the wisp’s song filled the morning air. “I can only hope that you’ve returned with knowledge of the Tear of Gramal.”
Mosley nodded and told Cadromel everything Celestria had divulged about the Tear prior to leading him to the power of the Ancient Mystics and the Swayne Enserad.
The energy that moved inside the wisp’s sphere slowed down significantly, almost as if Cadromel was searching for a response. “Then you have returned without need of my help to acquire the power you sought. You are truly a kind being. You did not have to divulge your findings since you’ve found the power without my assistance. Yet you did it anyway. Why?”
Mosley pondered for a response. “Because I know you are bound to the mist and cannot venture to find out for yourself.”
The air filled with a harmonious chuckle. “Indeed. But there is another reason why you’ve shared the knowledge of the Tear.”
Mosley dropped his head and stared at the water beneath the wisp’s mass. “I offer the knowledge of the Tear as payment. I need your help.”
“Your eyes dropped. You must be seeking something grand.”
The wolf nodded, but he did not look up. “I am. I don’t feel it’s my place to ask for a favor of this magnitude. Yet I have no choice.”
Again, the wisp’s harmonious melody sounded like a chuckle. “The desire for vengeance often makes the meekest being bolder. I do owe payment for the information provided, do I not?”
Mosley looked up from the water. “The knowledge I seek would require many of your moments to be spent with me. I feel it’s an unfair trade. However, I wish to learn the language of the Titans. I ask that you teach me how to release the power of the words once I understand how to utter them.”
As the heart that beat at the center of the wisp’s core began to race, the energy inside the sphere moved at a rapid pace. “What would make you think that I have this knowledge?”
The wolf lowered his head back to the water and dropped his eyes again. “I know that you’re a Titan, Cadromel. You don’t need to hide your form from me any longer.”
A fair series of moments passed before the wisp responded. When he did, he no longer spoke in song. Instead, his voice was deep and powerful, like a controlled thunder. “When Celestria approached, she didn’t divulge the nature of your visit. She simply said she had been sent by Alistar and that you’d be coming. Was it she who told you my identity?”
“Celestria knows your secret is safe with me.”
“Yet it was not her secret to reveal. I would not have allowed her to share it.”
“Perhaps the goddess should apologize,” Mosley responded. “But now that I know, would you prefer that I address you in some other manner?
I don’t wish to insult you.”
All movement inside Cadromel’s sphere stopped. “Close your eyes, Mosley. You may want to lower to the ground and shield them with your legs.”
Mosley quickly did as instructed.
Satisfied with the wolf’s compliance, a soft-white light emerged from the center of the wisp’s being as he began his transformation. The mist directly around the pool gravitated toward the light as the sphere’s surface cracked. Cadromel’s wings, legs, head and neck sprouted from the orb and quickly consumed a vast area.
As the overall size of the dragon’s body increased, the majority of his mass submerged beneath the pond. The water that should have been displaced because of his enormous size did not run over the banks. Instead, the moisture was absorbed and used to hydrate his body.
By the moment Cadromel’s transformation was complete, the dragon stood at a height of almost 45 paces above the surface of the pool with an additional 60 paces beneath it. As his wings extended, their tips traveled far enough the fog consumed their ends.
As Mosley’s eyes gazed upon Cadromel’s glory, the energy that had moved inside the wisp now radiated throughout the mass of the dragon’s body. It was as if a storm of lightning existed beneath his skin. His scales were thin enough the wolf could see through them, yet Mosley was under no illusion that they were not hard and battle worthy.
“My eyes have never seen such splendor, Cadromel. Your beauty is without equal.”
Cadromel’s laughter was deep. “Over my seasons, I’ve grown accustomed to hearing the voices of men profess my beauty when in the form of the wisp. However, I prefer the word aristocratic. Beauty doesn’t speak to the stature of my lineage, and it feels a bit sensitive when it comes out of the mouths of men.”
The Tear of Gramal Page 57
