by Mark Robson
Elian exchanged glances with Kira.
‘Pell rides a night dragon, sir,’ Kira said quickly. ‘He didn’t come because he was worried about stirring up old troubles between the day and night enclaves.’
Barnabas pursed his lips into a tight line. ‘It’s sad that such misunderstandings are still spread by members of the night dragon enclave. We have no love for the night dragons and their riders, it’s true, but we would never seek to hinder any dragon or rider who is seeking to fulfil his life’s destiny. To do so would be to deny all that we are. Where is he?’
‘He’s gone to his enclave to look for the night orb, sir,’ Elian replied.
‘Then the urgency of your mission is greater than you know,’ Barnabas said gravely. ‘If the leaders of the night dragon enclave discover that the Great Quest has begun again, they will do everything in their power to prevent you from achieving your goal. Members of the night dragon enclave caused the previous quests to fail. Come. We shall discuss this further over some food. You will face the first part of your quest at midday tomorrow, so you would do well to eat and rest now. You will need all your strength over the coming days. Which of you is Firestorm’s rider?’
‘I am, sir,’ Nolita replied softly, her face still pale after the terrifying flight.
Barnabas raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, but said nothing. He acknowledged Nolita with a slight nod and turned to lead the way into a labyrinth of caves.
The young riders quickly lost track of the way as they zigzagged through numerous caverns and tunnels, which all looked the same. But the old man led the way without hesitation, as if their path were marked with clear signs.
‘Do not worry, Elian,’ Ra assured him. ‘All is well. All say Barnabas is an honourable dragonrider. He and the others of this enclave will want us to succeed in our quest. You need fear no one while you are here.’
‘That’s good to know, Ra,’ Elian replied. ‘Thank you. Enjoy your rest. I suspect we’ll need your strength to take us through a gateway back to the Oracle if we’re to stand a chance of getting all four orbs in time.’
‘I’ll be ready,’ Ra assured him. ‘It all depends on Nolita now. If she cannot gain the first orb, then we will fail before we begin. Listen carefully to Barnabas’s words. He is considered wise even by dragon standards.’
High praise indeed from a dragon, Elian mused – particularly from one with such strong notions of dragon superiority. The old man looked the part of the wise old dragonrider, but appearances could prove deceptive. Nolita was a prime example.
He automatically turned to look at her and she met his eyes with an expression full of fear and distrust. He gave her an encouraging smile, but when Nolita’s expression did not change, he looked away hurriedly. The last thing he wanted was to make matters worse. If their interpretation of the Oracle’s words were correct, then something was going to happen here that would test her bravery. Nolita needed all the encouragement that he and Kira could give.
Please let it be enough, he prayed silently.
Barnabas led them to a huge underground hall. Long lines of tables were set with cutlery, ready for a meal. A few men and women were already taking their places as a huge gong was rung to announce the meal. The three young riders were led to a special table set aside from the main lines.
‘Please, take a seat,’ Barnabas urged them. ‘Anywhere at the table will be fine. Other, senior riders will join us shortly.’
As if on cue, a stream of riders poured into the huge dining hall from every entrance. The tables filled rapidly, including theirs. When all the places were taken, Barnabas got to his feet and the assembled riders fell silent. With simple dignity he offered a short prayer of thanks to the Creator for the food they were about to eat and the diners muttered ‘We agree’. There was a momentary silence as Barnabas took his seat. No sooner had he sat down, however, than lines of serving men and women entered bearing platters of steaming food and the buzz of animated conversation and laughter built in a rapid crescendo.
Elian could barely contain his excitement at being in the presence of so many experienced dragonriders. He had a myriad of questions about flying and about what it meant to be a part of the dragonrider community, but he was desperate not to show his ignorance in such revered company. As he struggled to frame a worthy question, he caught sight of Nolita out of the corner of his eye. She had chosen a seat at the end corner of the table, as far from the centre of conversation as possible. Her head was down and she was pushing at her food with a fork. Elian felt a rush of sympathy for her as he tried to imagine what was going through her mind.
Come on, Nolita, he thought, willing her to be strong. Hold yourself together. You’ve come too far to fall apart now.
Nolita had never felt so wretched. Feeling so alone, like a solitary island in the midst of a sea of riders, rated as the worst moment of her life. Her fears had always set her apart – yet, curiously, the feeling of isolation that gripped her now was not the sort of fear with which she was familiar. For once the gut-twisting terror that so often ruled her life was not the issue. This fear was more of a deep worry – a concern that even if she did attain the orb and vanquish the fears she still might never feel at home with these people.
A gentle touch on her arm made her jump. The rider next to her was a woman of middle years. She had strong, angular features and was sitting proud and straight in her chair.
‘Are you all right?’ the woman asked.
‘I’ll be fine,’ Nolita mumbled. ‘Thank you, anyway.’
‘Is it the fears?’ she whispered.
Nolita’s eyes snapped up to look at her. What did she know? Who had told her? Nolita glanced swiftly around the table for Elian and Kira to see if she could identify which of them had told tales behind her back.
‘What do you mean?’ Nolita asked quietly, her tone wary as she brought her attention back to meet the woman’s sympathetic gaze.
‘The trial – the test of bravery required to claim the orb,’ the woman answered. ‘I hear you’ve come on the Great Quest. You are Firestorm’s rider, aren’t you? If so, then I salute you. I wouldn’t like to have to face my worst fears. I don’t think I’d fare very well. I don’t blame you for being daunted. It’s a huge responsibility. Particularly this time, as failure will mean the end of dragonkind as we know it.’
‘Thanks for the reminder,’ Nolita said sourly, though no sooner had the bitter words passed her lips than she regretted them. This woman knew something about the orb and how she was supposed to get it. Any information she had might be critical.
‘Sorry! I didn’t mean to make it worse,’ the woman rider said quickly, her hand flying to her mouth. ‘That last bit slipped out before I could stop it. I just wanted to say that everyone here is willing you to succeed. I apologise if it didn’t come out the right way.’
‘Forget it,’ Nolita replied, forcing a wan smile. ‘No harm done. Do you know anything about the trial? Is it a secret, or is there anything I can do to prepare?’
‘How can anyone prepare against coming face to face with their worst nightmare? All you can do is steel your heart and do your best when the time comes. I’ll be there. We all will, though we won’t experience what you will. All we’ll see is your success or failure. I pray it will be the former.’
‘Thank you. Do you know when the trial will happen?’ Nolita asked nervously.
‘Tomorrow at noon in the Chamber of the Sun’s Steps, but they’ll have to do an assessment of your fears tonight in order to give the dragons a chance to prepare.’
‘They?’ Nolita did not like what she was hearing. ‘Who are they? And what are the dragons going to prepare?’
‘If you don’t know yet, then it’s not my place to tell you,’ the woman answered, looking around furtively as she realised she might have said too much. ‘Don’t worry, dragonrider. I’m sure you’ll do fine.’
That’s easy for you to say, Nolita thought, clenching her teeth to prevent an outburst she knew she w
ould regret later. You won’t have to face the dreaded trial.
For the rest of the meal she sat in silence. The isolation she had felt when she first sat down became more complete, yet more bearable. Her thoughts and feelings swung wildly. One moment she felt a sensation of contentment in her solitude and the next she wallowed in the loneliness and vulnerability associated with treading her own path.
Did she want to be a part of this society? Yes . . . and no. She did not know. There were too many factors to consider. To be a dragonrider like these folk meant riding regularly on a dragon for the rest of her life. The thought made her stomach churn. Yet, like it or not, she was bonded to one of the creatures. There was no escape, save through death. She had briefly considered suicide after running away from home, but had soon decided she was not ready to give up on life so easily.
The meal ended after what seemed to her like an eternity. Barnabas rose from his seat, and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘follow me.’ Amidst the confusion of the after-dinner rush for the doors he began to lead her across the hall to one of the doorways on the other side.
‘Wait! We want to come too.’
The voice was Kira’s. Nolita’s heart leaped. Once again her companions were sticking by her. They never gave up.
‘That’s not permitted. Go with Leto. He will see you to the guest rooms,’ Barnabas replied, his voice stern.
‘Why can’t we come?’ Elian asked. ‘There’ll be others there, won’t there? We won’t interfere. We just want to support our friend.’
‘There is a strict protocol involved with the orb. I dare not break it. To gain the orb, Nolita must prove herself worthy. This is her task. If she’s successful, then your turn to face trials will come soon enough, dawn dragonrider. Go. Your friend will be fine. You have my word that no harm will come to her before the trial of bravery tomorrow.’
‘And at the trial? What about at the trial? Will you guarantee her safety then as well?’ Kira asked, her eyebrows knitted together in a deep frown.
Barnabas met her frown with an even expression. ‘The trial should not involve grave physical danger, but Nolita’s safety will depend on the nature of her deepest fears. Once the trial begins, the outcome will be dictated by her strength of mind.’
‘Then she’ll pass it easily,’ Elian said firmly. ‘Don’t worry. You’ll do it, Nolita,’ he added, looking her in the eyes. ‘You’re stronger than you think.’
Nolita gave a weak smile in return, but held her silence. She did not feel strong. She felt nervous and her knees felt so wobbly that they might give way at any moment. Her two companions gave a final wave and turned to follow their guide. Barnabas placed his hand gently on her shoulder and steered her across the hall and out into the maze of tunnels.
The assessment did not take long. She stood quaking in the middle of a large chamber with Barnabas at her side while three blue day dragons regarded her with baleful stares. Mingled with the usual feelings of fear and revulsion, which she struggled to control, there was a tingling sensation inside her skull, but yet she felt no pain. Were the dragons looking into her mind? Firestorm could do that, but his presence in her mind was some-thing tangible. This was strange, as she could not identify another consciousness.
A minute passed in silence before the dragons turned and looked at one another. The tingling stopped and Barnabas squeezed her shoulder.
‘All done,’ he said kindly.
‘That’s it?’
‘They have what they need from you,’ he said. ‘They’ll assess Firestorm separately.’
‘Firestorm?’
‘Yes,’ he said, smiling in his gentle way. ‘You will not be alone. Did you think attaining the orb was just your responsibility? You seek a dragon orb. Both dragon and rider must be found worthy to claim it. Come. I’ll take you to your room now and you can get some rest. I know you’re nervous, but try to get what sleep you can.’
Chapter Twenty-Two
A Test of Bravery
A vast cave within the volcano formed the Chamber of the Sun’s Steps. Enormous shelves of rock, many times the height of a man, climbed from the centre of the cave with remarkable regularity to the opening at the upper end. It was easy to see why they were referred to as steps, though one would have to be a giant, far larger even than a dragon, to make use of them.
With a bare few minutes until midday, Nolita stepped from an entrance on one side of the giant cave. As she entered, she saw Firestorm appear through a much larger entrance diagonally across to her right, on the far side of the chamber. Nolita’s heart seemed to pause in her chest as she saw the dragon move into the centre of the cave floor. Just the sight of him made her stomach begin to knot.
Gods! she thought. How am I going to get through this?
‘I will be with you,’ Firestorm said firmly. ‘We will get through it together. Do not panic. I know how hard it is for you to accept that you are my rider, Nolita. But nothing you say or do can change that. I know you are frightened of me, but try to see past that today. I’m sure we will both make our companions proud.’
Although brave and full of confidence, the dragon’s words brought little comfort.
Barnabas was waiting for them. On a vast shelf of rock to one side of the great cave, all the dragon-riders presently staying at the enclave were standing in orderly lines. If Elian and Kira were among them, Nolita could not pick them out. On the other side of the cave, crouching on tiers, were a host of day dragons. Despite herself, Nolita could not suppress a shudder at the sight of them. Aurora and Longfang were in prime position on the lowest tier, their colours standing out against the lines of blue dragons.
Nolita and Firestorm walked forwards into the chamber until they were facing one another about forty paces apart in the centre of the great cave. Barnabas raised his hands in a gesture to stop them where they were. He then bowed to each of them in turn. Firestorm dipped his head upon his long neck to approximate the motion of a return bow and Nolita followed his lead by giving an awkward bow of her own.
‘In a few heartbeats your trial will begin,’ Barnabas announced in a strong, clear voice. ‘Last night the Council of Senior Dragons looked deep into your minds to find that which you fear most in this world, or any other. When the sun’s rays strike the first step, the Council will seek to test you, projecting what you most fear into your mind so that you are forced to confront it. The experience will feel very real, but will not be shared by anyone else present. Your joint objective is to overcome your fears and retrieve the orb. As part of your test the plinth on which it rests has been moved to the peak of the sister volcano a few miles to the south of here. It is on the most southerly rim of the peak. You will find it clearly visible. Good luck.’
He bowed again, and stepped briskly away towards the long lines of fascinated riders. It took a moment for the full implications of the instructions to filter into Nolita’s conscious thoughts. The orb was on the peak of a neighbouring mountain. The only way she could get there was . . .
She looked at her huge blue dragon and her stomach convulsed. Firestorm had been fitted with a dragon saddle. It was as if the jaws of a huge trap had just sprung shut around her. She would have to ride him to retrieve the orb – ride him on her own.
Somehow she restrained herself from being sick on the spot, but she knew that one more convulsion would see her heaving what little food she had managed to eat onto the rocky floor of the cave.
‘Peace, Nolita. Be calm. You have ridden on Aurora. Riding on my back will be no different. The sister peak is no more than a few minutes away. It will be over before you realise it.’
Firestorm’s attempt to play down the significance of what was being asked of her did not work.
‘No different!’ she thought back, her anger momentarily swamping her fear with its burning power. ‘No different! Of course it’ll be different. When I rode Ra, Elian was behind me. This time I’ll be alone – alone on you! Don’t tell me there’s no difference betw
een riding Ra and riding you, because you feel it as much as I do. I know you do. I feel your thoughts. I feel your . . .’ Nolita paused. The shock of what she could feel emanating through the mental link with the dragon sent her mind spiralling into confusion. ‘. . . fear! Oh, gods, what fear! But that’s not . . . I don’t understand.’
A sudden beam of light stabbed down from the roof of the chamber, striking the lowest step like a great golden spear. Even with the backdrop of the open sky at the end of the cave, the shaft of light seemed a solid column of amber fire. It was beautiful, yet it was also terrifying. Nolita knew that this must be the signal for the beginning of her trial.
She looked around nervously, half expecting to see hordes of screaming monsters materialising in every corner. She took a deep, shuddering breath and held it for a moment. Nothing. She expelled her breath silently, not wishing to make any noise in case it triggered something horrible around her.
‘Everyone fears something, Nolita. It is ironic that you embodied my fears, as I have embodied yours. I have lived in fear ever since I met you, for you were not what I expected. It is quite likely that our fears have fed on each other, as our bond allows emotion to pass between us.’
Nolita turned and faced Firestorm, looking him properly in the eyes for the first time. The pain and hurt there were clear to see. The thought that she had been the cause of that pain touched her deep inside. It did not lessen her fear of him, but a tiny piece of understanding seemed to click into place within her.
‘Are you telling me that some of my fear isn’t mine at all?’ she asked.
‘I would say that is likely, yes.’
‘But what can you possibly find to be frightened of in me?’ she asked, wondering if he was somehow making it up to make her feel better.
‘I fear that you will not find me worthy of acceptance,’ Firestorm replied, his mental voice suddenly timid as he opened his heart to her. ‘I fear rejection. I fear that other dragons will see me and say, “Look, there’s Firestorm – the dragon so pathetic his rider would not acknowledge their bond.”’
