by Ritu Ghosh
“Where is she anyways?” asked Ony. Aaron looked down on the floor; he couldn't believe the Defenders had left her behind to save their own lives. How could they have left her alone with those Lurgs? He had to go back to get her.
Ony looked at Dan puzzled when Aaron didn’t answer. Dan reached into his bag and pulled out a few herbs.
“Here! This should help” said Dan and handed the herbs to Bo. Grind it and apply it on the wound; it will stop the spreading of the poison further”
Bo quickly took the herbs and went to grind them.
“It’s Arthium leaves. Jane said it will cure Flynn” said Aaron.
“Yes! It is. She gave them to me” said Dan coming closer to Flynn and checking his wound.
“Why did you leave her there? She takes care of everything so well? Why don’t you care for her?” Aaron said bursting in anger.
Dan was taken aback for a second, even Ony looked at Aaron.
“You left her to die, so that you could escape and save yourself” said Aaron and stood up.
“I can’t take this anymore, I am going back to save her” Aaron was ready to leave.
Ony laughed aloud “Is that what you think boy? You think we left Jane alone to fight with those Lurgs, so that we could save ourselves? Then you know nothing about the Defenders”
Dan was not speaking anymore. He sat next to Flynn and was applying the herbs on his wound.
Flynn made some grunting noises as the herbs touched his wound. Bo was standing there with a handful of dressing clothes.
“She is one of the best witches I have seen since a long time kid! She is our pride, we probably won’t even be alive, if it was not for her” said Ony.
“Then why you didn’t wait for her?” asked Aaron puzzled.
“Because your friend here needed immediate attention kid, this is not a common sword wound. Lurg swords are very dangerous for humans. A wound from such a sword would cause the victim to die slowly and painfully. It has a poison which will kill eventually if not treated immediately. If we wouldn’t have brought him here on time, we would have lost him” said Ony and Aaron fell silent.
‘Did Jane sacrifice herself because we had to save Flynn?’ thought Aaron and felt his insides go numb.
A horse neighed into the silent day. Aaron went to look outside the window, who could that be? Were more Lurgs coming to attack them? Or was it a spy?
“Why don’t you go out and see who that is?” said Dan as he finished tying up Flynn’s wounded shoulders and Ony smiled.
Aaron came out through the front door to see who was coming. He kept one of his hands on the sword’s hilt in case the Lurgs were coming back. There was no way he would let them harm Flynn again.
The horse's gallops came nearer and nearer. Aaron still couldn’t see anything but he didn’t dare to move, if it were the Lurgs he needed to alert the others.
Soon, the horses came into view, both of them were white, and one horse was empty. The blood returned to his face in a second as he recognized Flynn’s horse. Jane was riding behind it. Aaron couldn’t hold onto his happiness, he ran outside towards the horses. Jane stopped as Aaron came nearer.
“Jane you are alright!” said Aaron exited.
Jane came down from her horse and Aaron hugged her.
Jane was startled but she hugged him back.
“I thought...” Aaron stopped.
“What is wrong Aaron? What did you think? Of course I am alright” said Jane puzzled.
“I thought those Lurgs got you. I was scared” said Aaron and hugged her again “I am never leaving you alone again, never”
“Aaron, I am alright, the Lurgs could never have harmed me anyways” said Jane.
Her smile reminded him how happy she made him feel. For a moment, he thought he had lost her forever. Jane walked both the horses as they walked towards the house.
“But I don’t understand, there were so many of them, how did you escape. Are they following you?" Aaron said looking behind them and examining.
“Aaron, they didn’t follow me. They couldn’t because I have put an invisibility charm around us. The Lurgs could neither see nor hear us. For them we just disappeared. Actually I had cast the charm on Flynn long back. The Lurgs could not see him” said Jane.
“But why did it take so long for you to come? I thought something happened to you” said Aaron and held Jane’s hand.
“Oh that because I was looking for some special herbs to treat Flynn” said Jane and showed Aaron a very rare flower.
“How is he doing now?” asked Jane. Aaron withdrew his hands from Jane.
“It doesn’t look good, Jane. He is hardly breathing, he has lost much blood, Dan has applied the Arthium leaves but we don’t know how much the poison has spread” said Aaron looking very sad.
“Don’t worry Aaron; I will do everything I can. He will be fine in no time” said Jane and placed her hands on his shoulders assuring him. Aaron nodded and led her to Flynn’s room.
Dan and Ony received her with open arms and Dan said many appreciating words to her and patted her back. But her sole attention was on Flynn. She knelt next to Flynn and pulled out the bottle of warm sparkly liquid called the Corsynth and poured it slowly in Flynn’s mouth and then she and Bo were busy making several potions from different things.
Bo was running to and fro from the old chambers to the room where Flynn was resting.
Aaron was watching Jane anxiously. Ony and Billy left the room and Dan started to leave too. But he stopped next to Aaron.
“Aaron we never leave one of us behind, we will guard the others with our lives if we can. I left because one of our lives was in danger, and Jane knew the code well. If we ever have to pull back from a fight, its Jane’s work to put the invisible charm around us so that we were well hidden and we could go as far as possible” said Dan.
Chapter 6
The Dragon Eggs
Aaron felt really ashamed, he should have known that the Defenders never leave each other’s side.
“I am sorry Dan, I misunderstood you” said Aaron but Dan didn’t seem to care. He patted his back and gave him a weak smile. Dan left and Aaron sat next to Flynn, again watching Jane trying everything she knew to save Flynn.
“Can I be of some help?” Aaron asked finally, not being able to be silent anymore.
Jane lifted her head and looked at Aaron with her kind eyes.
“Aaron, I have given him enough medication. I think we should let him rest now, he will be fine” said Jane, but Aaron did not feel convinced.
Jane got up from the chair and sat next to Aaron.
“Aaron, I know this must be very hard for you” said Jane.
“Jane, I feel like this was all my fault, I dragged him into this. He could have been a simple village boy living happily in Brinsar with his father, but I ruined everything for him” said Aaron as sadness filled his voice.
“Do not say that Aaron, everyone has their own fate. If Flynn’s was to be with you and become a Defender to fight against the Evil Force, then you were just a medium for him to reach here” said Jane.
Aaron looked at Jane, he had never thought about it from this perspective.
Jane continued “Flynn is very brave at heart, he doesn’t know it. He will be alright and will be up and about in no time. Don’t blame yourself for anything Aaron. Our destinies have brought us all here together”
Jane’s assuring smile and words were soothing for Aaron. He nodded slowly.
“You should go and help Dan and Ony guard the house. I will be here to take care of him. I will make it all right” said Jane and clutched on Aaron’s hand “It’s a promise”
Aaron smiled as her words felt so real. He got up and slowly walked out of the room. Jane checked Flynn’s forehead and got busy making more medicines.
Aaron walked towards Dan and Ony. They were outside the house keeping an eye out for the Lurgs. They were busy speaking among themselves. Aaron reached there and silently stood next to Ony.
>
Seeing Aaron, Dan came to him.
“Don’t worry kid! Flynn is in good hands. Jane is our best hope now” said Dan sympathetically.
Aaron nodded and tried to push out a smile.
“How long will it take for Flynn to get better?" asked Aaron.
“It’s hard to say Aaron, but he will be able to ride with us in a few days for sure” said Dan.
“The Lurgs might come back anytime, what if we can’t go back because of that kid?” Belster interrupted.
Dan’s stare stopped Belster from saying anything further. He walked away to the other side near the stables.
“The Lurgs do not know that we are here and without their leader, I don’t think they will come here again” said Dan to Aaron.
"Why did the Lurgs come here anyways?" Aaron asked suddenly. “Were they looking for Alfadon?"
“It’s really hard to say Aaron, the Lurgs tried to destroy this place. It might not have taken them long to know that Alfadon is not here” said Dan.
Billy came out from the house and stood next to Ony and Bo. He tried to listen to what Dan was saying.
“You mean to say that they were not looking for Alfadon? Then what were they looking for?" asked Aaron in surprise.
“Even I want the answer to that question Aaron. I would like to know what is going on. The Lurgs of Kora have travelled all the way across the sea and have come to the Blue Mountains. There has to be something of much importance here, but what could that be?" said Dan as though speaking to himself.
“It’s a wizard’s house Dan, there could be thousands of magical things that they would have come for” said Ony joining in.
“May be we should have brought Alfadon along, he would have known what the Lurgs came for” said Aaron.
“No, there is no need for that. I myself have stayed in this place for over a year. I am very familiar with this place. If there is something missing, I would know it nevertheless” said Dan after a bit of thinking.
“We should start looking then” Aaron said and walked inside the house.
“Ony. I think you are right, if the Lurgs have come so far to a wizard‘s house, they would be looking for something magical. I think we will look in the magic chambers and rooms. Belster, I want you to guard the gates. I and Aaron are going to check inside the house".
Billy moved closer to Dan to get his attention, but Dan pretended not to notice him.
“Bo, you come with us, you are an expert of this place” said Dan and Ony nodded. Bo happily followed Dan and Aaron inside the house.
They reached the grand halls, but everything was untouched there.
“The Lurgs haven’t even bothered to go through anything here” said Dan and walked ahead. They came to the white corridors and looked straight. The rooms stretched on both sides.
Towards the beginning of the corridor they did not find any of the rooms searched.
Dan stopped in the middle of the corridor and turned towards Bo.
“Bo, I think you should lead us to the rooms where things of magic are kept. I don’t think we should waste any time searching the other rooms” said Dan and let Bo lead them.
Bo first opened the door of Alfadon’s room turning left from the corridors. The room was still kept neat and was decorated with colorful furnishing. Aaron’s eyes immediately fell on the huge collection of portraits that were hanging there. He found the picture of his mother and father among the other portraits.
While Dan carefully observed the room walking around it, Aaron just stood and stared at the portrait of his parents. The smiling picture of his mother made him long for her. For a moment, he felt that he could give anything on this planet if he could see his parents again. But then he took the wish back. There were many more people who had lost their loved ones and he knew their pain. He knew it wouldn't be fair to them if only he could get his parents back.
“They didn’t come in here” said Dan and walked out of the room.
This broke Aaron’s concentration and he looked at Bo who was now standing beside him and smiling at the portraits.
“You look like your mother” Bo said and Aaron smiled.
“She was very intelligent and beautiful and your father was one of the best Defenders ever" said Bo.
“Thanks Bo. It means a lot to me” said Aaron “I wish I could see them again. A hint of tears formed in his eyes, Bo’s smile vanished, he didn’t want to offend Aaron and he didn’t know what to do. He thought for a moment and said in his high pitched voice. “You can see them whenever you want to”
Aaron looked at Bo with surprise “What do you mean?"
Bo jumped closer to Aaron and touched his chest
“Here, they will be always here, with you” Bo said and grinned.
Aaron grinned back “I know Bo.. I know”
Dan called out to both Bo and Aaron and they hurried out.
“We still have plenty of rooms to check, lets’ go” said Dan and Bo ran to the next room of potions.
The room of potions was searched; everything was fallen here and there. The liquids were spilled on the shelves and on the ground, many bottles were shattered and many were fallen with potions pouring out of them.
“They made such a mess” Aaron blurted out but Dan was carefully observing the room. Bo was visibly upset and was trying to keep the bottles back in their place.
After sometime, Dan asked Bo to move to the next room, they went to the Nomes’ chambers and the magic supply rooms. Similar scene was seen there too. Everything was thrown around and torn or broken. Bo kept his hand on his head and sat on the chair.
“They were looking for something. I don’t know what but Ony seems to be right. It must be of great importance. They have not left a single place unsearched. Every possible hiding place have been searched"
Dan paused for a moment. ”Bo, do you know of anything that Alfadon was hiding from others? Something unusual”
Bo scratched his head for a while and then there was a sparkle in his eyes. He got up and asked Dan and Aaron to follow him.
Bo came back to the Nomes’ chambers. He began to move some stones on the wall behind the fireplace. He kept moving them until a clear path was visible. The pathway had stairs going down.
Dan looked at Aaron in surprise “I have never known this secret chamber before. What is in it?"
Aaron shook his head.
Bo had already started to go down the stairs. Dan and Aaron followed him quickly. Aaron expected it to be dark downstairs but surprisingly there were many lamps on the walls to keep the chamber well lit. Bo was going at a fast pace. Dan was trying to see what lies in front of them.
Finally they reached a room full of shelves. Bo was running crazily from one row of shelves to the other.
“No, no this can’t be happening” said Bo in his shrill voice.
“What’s wrong Bo?” asked Aaron, trying to calm him down.
“The eggs, they are all gone” said Bo and stood with his head hung down.
“The dragon eggs?” asked Aaron but Bo didn’t say any more.
Dan’s expressions became stern again “The Lurgs came for the eggs then, they were looking for the dragon eggs in the rest of the house”
Dan started to pace the room.
“But why did they come all the way for the dragon eggs? I thought there were dragons in Kora too” said Aaron.
“No, there aren’t enough dragons in this world Aaron. After the big war among the dragons, most of the dragons were killed and there were only a very few left” said Dan.
“Mordok attacked the fairy land and he took all the dragon eggs they had there” said Bo.
“How do you know that? Alfadon never told me anything like this" said Dan in surprise.
“Back in Fairyland, when everything was chaotic, I hid under a table. I saw the Lurgs carrying the same sack we brought the dragon eggs in. Then there were many more Lurgs carrying similar sacks with eggs in them” said Bo. He shook off the feeling that came over him from th
inking about what had happened at Fairyland.
“If the Lurgs already took the dragons eggs from the Fairyland, then why do they need it from here too?” asked Aaron.
Bo stared at Aaron and then Dan.
Dan was pacing faster in the room now. “This can’t be happening” he murmured to himself.
“What can’t be happening Dan? Do you know what is going on here?” asked Aaron and came closer to Dan.
“If Mordok has been collecting dragon eggs that could only mean that he is up to no good” Dan paused and looked at Aaron, who was now looking at Dan curiously.
