by Ben Hale
Grumbling to himself, he placed his swords on a dresser, but paused as his gaze lingered on their hilts. The powerful katsanas were the sole legacy he had of his parents, and would be his only weapons against his foes. Identical in design, the two blades were remarkably similar, yet their enchantments couldn't have been more different.
Engraved with the name of his father, Mazer hid the magic to cut through almost anything. Its blue gemstone in the hilt matched the one in his mothers' weapon in size and shape, but not color. Also inscribed with a name, Ianna carried an emerald in its handle. Imbued with a morphing spell, it could shift into a magnificent bow equipped with arrows of solid green light.
Taryn ran a finger down one of the black scabbards, wishing he knew more about how the weapons had been created. They had been with his mother when she'd died giving him his life, but he hadn't discovered their power until the end of his training. Although the long katsanas were two-handed weapons, he'd been driven to wield both, and had shaped his technique to do so. Only after speaking with Siarra did he learn that his dwarven heritage had given him the strength to accomplish such a feat.
Sighing, Taryn closed his eyes and rubbed his neck. Yearning for escape, he collapsed into bed. To his surprise, he fell asleep in seconds, but it didn't feel like rest. Nightmares of death invaded his dreams, so he was grateful when Siarra appeared to aid him. Ethereal, she approached him with a package in her hand. Sliding it into a pocket of his cloak, he felt something hard and round nudge against his side. Then he heard a faint whisper as the dream evaporated into other images.
"Your decision to look will affect us all Taryn. I'm sorry I don't know which choice will save us . . . and which will doom us."
"Choose wisely brother."
Chapter 3: The Journey Begins
Taryn stretched again, trying to ease the soreness from of his body. The previous night's sleep had left him stiff and weary. It felt like every time his steed moved, his body complained, and for some reason his horse was acting nervous.
Glancing behind him at the now distant Azertorn, he guessed the reason. “Easy boy,” he soothed and rubbed his horse’s neck. “I wish we could go back too.”
This journey was going to be long and difficult, and it seemed he wasn’t the only one reluctant to face what was ahead. He patted his horse and looked back once more. From the north, the elven capitol sat at the fork of a large river, and even in the pre-dawn glow looked magnificent. Soft light from magical torches glittered on the tall battlements rising out of the river, and treetops could be seen growing from behind its walls.
He sighed and turned away, wondering if he would ever see it again. A few minutes later they slipped into the shadowed forest and the city disappeared from view. Silence wrapped around him as he followed Siarra’s black mare, plodding ahead. Trailing behind him, the rest of their small party fell into line. Liri rode right behind him, with Maemi, an exceptionally short elf, beside her. He was glad Mae had decided to come with them. Her unparalleled speed with a short sword would be invaluable against the fiends. He'd known Mae since early training, her quiet reserve breaking now and again for insightful observations he had come to trust.
Trin rode behind her. Tall and broad shouldered, he rode the large roan with ease, his longsword strapped to his back. Witty with a sharp sense of humor, he seemed subdued and somber today. Perhaps it was the memory of his home in the eastern kingdom that held his tongue. Terros, and most of the kingdom of Griffin, had already been destroyed when the fiends had invaded—a sight that Trin had witnessed personally.
Jack Myst brought up the rear. He’d mysteriously volunteered for their mission, and because he’d killed Draeken’s assassin, had been allowed to join their group. An exceptional thief, Taryn could think of no reason why he would choose to come on such a dangerous journey. His sarcastic attitude irritated most of those around him, but he'd saved Siarra’s life as well as Taryn’s. Even to himself though, Taryn would admit that they knew little about Jack, or his intentions.
As they worked their way along the trail to the northeast, the sounds of the forest rising with the dawn drifted towards them. The view lightened as the sun continued to rise, brightening the poplar and aspen trees. Beams of gold cascaded through the canopy, glittering with warmth.
For most of the morning silence stretched between them with each wrapped in their own thoughts. Taryn found himself dwelling on what they had to accomplish. Siarra had said they had just over six weeks before Draeken’s army would arrive at Azertorn. During that time, they would travel north through the dwarven mountain range before turning east. From there, they would journey around the Blue Lake and attempt to find—and then defeat—Draeken. Along their way they would also warn the northern races of the impending war and try to convince them to gather with the elves.
Their first stop would be the druid village. Humans with animal magic had been gathering at the settlement for centuries. Nestled in the forest, it sat close to the Blue Lake a couple days ride from Azertorn. It would be their first attempt to convince someone to join the elves.
They took a short break for lunch before pressing onward. In mid afternoon they reached the Lake Road and turned north. With the forest to their left, and the cliff dropping to the lake on their right, the Lake Road was the only large highway that connected the elven kingdom to the dwarves. Wide and hard packed, it provided enough room for wagons to pass with ease.
Spreading out as they turned onto the highway, Taryn nudged his horse to catch up to Siarra.
“Do you mind if I ask a few more things about my mother?” he asked, taking advantage of the opportunity to continue their conversation from the previous evening.
She sighed at whatever she had been thinking and flashed him a small smile. “You mean our mother?”
He winced at the oversight and nodded. Mentally chastising himself for the lapse he hoped she didn't feel offended. She had known about him for longer than he had known about her.
“What would you like to know?” she asked.
“Why did they take me to Sri Rosen?”
Siarra pursed her lips before responding. “Before Ianna got pregnant with you, she foresaw a future which I did not understand until we learned of Draeken. The last time I saw her, she told me she had seen a shadow being cast on the world of Lumineia, a shadow that could only be destroyed by the ‘races united.’ She then said that this unity would come from the west.
Siarra sighed, her tone sorrowful. “I thought she was talking about a coming battle, but I have come to believe in recent weeks that she meant you.”
She glanced at Taryn’s puzzled expression and her features softened. “I think she knew that you were going to be someone special, and because she would lose her magic by having you, you were going to have to be trained by someone else. I believe she thought that Sri Rosen would be a place of freedom for you to be raised.”
Taryn nodded and chewed on the new insight into his mother. It was hard to imagine her giving up so much power to have him, but it did explain why she'd wanted him to be trained. “What about Draeken?" he asked. "How exactly are we, or am I, supposed to defeat him?”
Siarra smiled knowingly at him. “I have an idea about that. Remember Sirfalas, the chief historian for the elves?”
“The elf that knew about Draeken during the elven high council.”
“Yes. When I spoke with him, he mentioned something very interesting. He said that when Lakonus went to kill Draeken 10,000 years ago, he had several allies. One of which was a young white dragon.”
“An ice dragon?” Taryn asked in surprise.
She nodded, her eyes sparkling. “This dragon’s name was Israke, and he apparently fought a couple of red dragons that had joined Draeken. While Lakonus entered the fortress of Xshaltheria, Israke succeeded in killing both the reds.”
“Why should we be concerned with a dead dragon?” Taryn asked.
“Because he is still alive.”
“How is that possible?�
� Taryn asked, his eyes widening.
“Dragon’s tend to have a long life-span, and ice dragons live even longer due to their colder environment. It slows down their growth. As you know, dragons never stop growing, and they die when they become so large they can’t find enough food.”
Taryn heard an odd tone from his sisters' words and asked, “Where is this dragon?”
“In the northern mountain range above the desert.”
Taryn sank into his saddle and pondered the new information. There was so little known about the battle between Lakonus and Draeken. A first-hand account would be priceless, and might mean the difference between success and failure.
“Do you think we have time to find him?” Taryn asked.
“I . . . think so,” she said. “I believe he lives in the high mountains to the north of the eastern kingdom. Since we are going to pass there anyway . . .”
“We find out where Israke is and stop if possible.”
“Exactly,” she said with a smile.
Liri spoke up behind them. “Won’t a dragon just eat us?”
“I am not sure,” Siarra said, glancing back. “But he did help Lakonus, so whatever motivation he had, he didn't ally with Draeken."
Liri appeared dubious. “I don’t know, gambling our mission on a dragon that thousands of years ago might have had a conscience? Seems a little risky.”
“But if he can tell us how to defeat Draeken . . .” Taryn said.
She shrugged, unconvinced. “I guess we'll find out.”
The rest of the group rode up to join them and the conversation shifted to other topics, but Taryn continued to mull over the revelations about Israke. If they could find him, he wondered what he could tell them. The extra details might just give them an edge that they desperately needed.
Trin’s next question broke into his thoughts.
"Would the druids know how to talk to a dragon?"
Siarra's lips twitched but she answered doubtfully, "A dragon isn't the type of creature that the druid's bond with."
Her tone made Taryn think she'd sidestepped the question, leading him to wonder what she had left unsaid. Recalling the tenor of earlier conversations, he frowned at the idea that Siarra held back more than she revealed.
"What do you mean bond?" Trin asked.
Siarra shifted in her saddle to answer, “Long ago humans that saw energy in animals were just good farmers. At some point someone thought to try to manipulate that energy and the first joining occurred.”
“What’s a joining?” Taryn asked.
“When a human demonstrates the ability to see animal magic, they are traditionally sent to live with the druids. Within the druid settlement of Keilera, they are taught everything there is to know about animals. During their instruction there is a point when they are sent into the forest by themselves. The youth will then journey alone and make a solitary camp. From this camp they perform what is called the summoning, where they mentally invite an animal to join with them. Usually within a couple of days an animal appears and the two link their minds, permanently. The new druid can sense that animal’s thoughts and has the ability to communicate with them. Their joined one, or Joré, meaning ‘to be one,’ then stays with them for the rest of their lives.”
Taryn shook his head. “Wait, which animal appears?”
“Whichever best matches their personality,” Siarra responded. “Many of the women end up bonded with passive animals, such as deer. Men ordinarily join with animals such as wolves or bears, or other predators.”
Liri smiled and joined in the conversation. “It’s amazing how alike the Joré are to their human companions. Many times the druids will take on physical characteristics of their joined one, such as strength, speed, or agility.”
From behind them Jack asked, “Does a joined one ever kill another Joré?” His tone caused Taryn to look back at him, but the thief's expression was inscrutable.
Siarra threw a sharp look at him. “It is expressly forbidden, and once a joining has occurred, the animal can sense other Joré.”
Trin leaned forward. “What about stories of druids turning into animals?”
“The tales are half true," Siarra said. "There are cases where a joined pair will become a Joreia, meaning ‘truly one.’ Usually later in life, a joined pair can literally become of one mind. This means that the animal gives up its form and joins the mind and body of their companion. It is considered the highest form of devotion between man and beast.”
“What happens to them after they become a Joreia?” Trin asked.
Siarra answered with a smile, “If they do become a joreia, then they can shape-shift into the animal form, but their mind is permanently linked to the mind of the animal. It means they will lose some of themselves while gaining attributes of the animal.”
“Why would anyone do that?” Trin asked.
Jack Myst replied before Siarra could, his tone bitter, “Because they love their Joré more than anything else.”
Taryn wasn’t the only one staring at Jack, and for several long moments they rode in silence. In the entire time that Taryn had known the thief, he had never revealed much about himself. Abruptly he seemed to be aware of their attention and sniffed, “That's what I hear anyway.”
Taryn snorted and listened to the talk turn to lighter topics, but his mind lingered on Jack. The way he’d spoken had been too personal. Had a family member or friend been a druid? What had happened to them? It would be a question to ask the druids if he got the chance.
They continued north until darkness began to fall and they stopped for the night. Lighting a fire, they enjoyed a dinner of roast quail that Liri had brought down when their passage had startled the birds into flight. As conversation began to lull, Taryn slipped away and crossed the road. Settling into a comfortable seat at the edge of the cliff, he let his feet dangle and looked downward.
Several hundred feet below he could see the water brushing up against the rock and he couldn’t resist dropping a stone. It took longer than he expected for it to disappear into the waves. He chuckled to himself, recalling the effort required to climb the cliff next to Azertorn.
A soft footfall brushed behind him and he turned to see Liri approaching.
“Mind if I join you?” she asked, and he nodded with a welcoming smile. Sitting, she leaned back and said, "It's a nice view, don't you think?"
Bright silvery light from the rising moon blanketed the lake and the plateau, and in the distance an island rose out of the water near the horizon. Above them the stars glittered in the inky night, twinkling around the few clouds floating past.
“What’s on your mind Liri?” Taryn asked, feeling a rush of warmth at the proximity to her.
“What makes you think there is something on my mind?” He heard a smile in her voice, but he couldn’t see her mouth.
“You are quiet, and that only happens when you have something on your mind,” he replied with a grin, grateful that his inability to understand social nuances did not always extend to her.
She flashed a smile at him before returning her gaze outward. After a moment she asked, “Why do you think Jack responded that way?”
He shrugged. “I am not sure. Perhaps he had someone close to him that was a druid, someone that may have abandoned him when he was young.”
“It was odd. I have never seen Jack so unsettled. He always seems either bored or mischievous, but never upset.”
“I know, but that’s not as strange as him wanting to come with us.”
She chuckled. “Oh, now that’s obvious.”
Surprised by her response, he angled his body to look her in the eye. “What do you mean?”
Liri’s grin widened and she blew out her breath. “Oh Taryn, that’s because you don’t see certain things.”
“See what?” Taryn asked, even more confused by her answer.
She laughed again and then spoke in an undertone, “He’s here because of Siarra.”
Taryn’s brow furrowed, “I
don’t understand . . .”
Liri snorted, her expression shifting to sad. “I’ll let you figure it out.”
Taryn shook his head, still bewildered as she touched his arm. “You’ll see it eventually, Taryn.” For some reason her tone kept him from pressing for more information. Instead he let it drop and returned his gaze to the lake before them. He frowned, frustrated with himself. Why would Jack risk his life for Siarra? What did he want from her?
His annoyance preoccupied his mind enough that he wasn't paying attention to the rest of Liri's comments, so he was surprised when she rose and departed. The look she gave him left him even more irritated. Did he say something wrong? It wasn't the first time he felt he had, and just as before, he wondered what he should have done differently.
He wished he had Murai to talk to. His adoptive uncle and the other masters of Sri Rosen would certainly be called in for the coming war, but Taryn would not be there to see him. While Murai would be coming to Azertorn, he would be traveling to Xshaltheria. For the first time he realized that if he failed, it would kill Murai just as much as if he'd wielded the weapon that slew him. Then his mouth went dry as another idea struck.
If he failed . . . Liri would die as well.
Chapter 4: Newhawk
Taryn snapped awake when Mae touched him on the shoulder. Alert, he scanned his perimeter to find they were still on the Lake Road. Seeing no danger he yawned and checked his weapons just in case. Around him the rest of the group were already breaking camp.
Throughout the morning Taryn listened to Liri share stories of her time before Sri Rosen—and before the plague of fear that Draeken’s assassin had spread. The picture she painted brought sorrow to his heart, even though he’d never seen it.
“This road used to be a major throughway,” she said at one point, indicating the empty road before them. “Dwarven caravans, brimming with weapons and armor, traveled south to market in the human kingdoms. Humans from the south, so prone to wander, traveled north and were welcomed into the druid and dwarven cities.” She sighed. “There was a time when the three races mingled without fear, when it was not uncommon to find a dwarf, elf, or human, almost anywhere.” Her tone saddened. “It is a time I fear we may never see again.”
