It was in this pool the woman you speak of emerged into Darkenfel. During her stay underground, before she was allowed free roam of the surface, she drank from this pool many times a day, swam in it, bathed in it, and lived beside it. It somehow changed her, became a part of her, and she now has the power of Darkenfel coursing through her. It was the main source of her power in trapping the dragons within the orb. I believe the orb itself is formed of this power, which is why the dragons cannot break free from it…
“How did you learn all of this?” Dax questioned.
From the woman herself, the dragon said. He rose up slightly on his hind legs and, using one massive claw, removed something from under one of the scales on his belly. Ever so gently, he set it before the small party and stepped back to allow the light to shine upon it.
Trakon gasped as he realized what he was looking at.
Before them was an oval of what looked to be frozen fire. Not entirely translucent, it was still clear enough they could see the form of the woman inside, curled up in a fetal position, her eyes open and staring and her mouth frozen in a terrified scream. In her hand she held a staff they all recognized, but the Dragon Orb was missing from its tip.
“What happened to the Orb?” Dax asked, turning back to the ancient black dragon.
During our fight, when it became apparent to her she may not escape, she sent it away. It now rests under Daegonlot, but it is much too powerful for me to destroy alone.
“What about her?” Trakon asked. “What is wrong with her? And what is this substance she is trapped within?”
It’s dragon fire, Drakthira put in. Crystallized dragon fire.
The great black dragon nodded his head in approval and confirmation.
You are correct, Granddaughter. As you know, dragon fire can destroy nearly any magic. But, not the Blood. Even my dragon fire, the oldest in this land, could not destroy it. But, it could contain it. During our battle, when this foul woman tried to trap me within her ball of light, in my desperation to escape I bathed her and the orb within my fire. The orb protected her, not a single flame got through to singe her skin. When I realized this, I called forth the hottest fire I could produce and crystallized it around her, but just before it was complete, she released the orb, which disappeared. Once it was gone, the fire licked upon her skin and she shrieked in pain before the crystallization was complete, trapping her like this for all these years.
“Is she aware in there?” Trakon asked, tears in his eyes.
Yes, she is aware, human. The Blood within her sustains her, but it cannot free her. She didn’t speak for many moons, but eventually loneliness overcame her and she told me much of what I have told you. Our last conversation was many years ago, however, for I have been asleep, ensuring she does not escape and complete her vile mission against the dragons. Her mind broke long ago from the darkness and loneliness. There is little left of the woman she was.
He looked Drakthira in the eyes and finished, And that is what has sustained me all these years. My purpose. To ensure the dragons of Daegonlot are not completely enslaved by this woman’s evil.
Trakon ran his hand across the surface of the smooth, crystallized flame coffin that held Jessa. He could see her eyes move to follow the path of his hand and a tear escaped his eye and ran down his cheek. To see the woman he had loved all those years ago in such a predicament and knowing the torment she had been through broke his heart. He held no animosity towards the black dragon; he understood why such a creature, created to protect the world of Darkenfel, would have no compassion for a person such as Jessa. But he had known her before she became the deranged woman hell bent on enslaving dragons and bending them to her will. He had known the kind, loving, scared, naïve woman who had first entered the world.
“Can you release her from the fire?” Daxon asked.
Why would I ever release her? the giant dragon asked, his head cocked to the side like a curious puppy.
“We believe she may be the key to saving Darkenfel,” Dax said. “We will need her to undo what she has done. She is the only one we know for sure who can. If we have to try and undo what she has done we will be taking a huge risk. Only she knows exactly how the Orb was created. Only she knows the magic involved, as well as the intent. We stand a much better chance of succeeding if we have her help.”
What makes you think she will help you? She has never shown any remorse for what she has done. Not in the many years she has been trapped here. Even asleep I maintained a link with her to make sure she didn’t escape, and never have I felt any remorse for her actions.
“She is still our only real hope,” Dax began. “Look, you said she was broken. Maybe we can get her fixed. Not just what broke here, but what broke originally to make her want to do what she has done. I know it’s a long shot, but it’s the best shot we have,” he finished.
After a lengthy discussion, Drakthira was finally the one who convinced the ancient dragon to release Jessa. Although he still didn’t think she would help undo the damage she had done, he understood the magic of Darkenfel enough to know she truly was their best chance at succeeding. The only condition he had was that he accompany them on their quest so he could keep an eye on the woman and prevent her from doing any more harm. The party readily agreed. Having such a powerful ally could come in handy for more than just trouble with Jessa.
Gathering around the woman trapped within the frozen fire, they all watched as the great black dragon took several deep breaths, the fire within his belly burning so hot they could see its light shining through his scales. After just a few seconds, he bathed the crystal coffin with his intense heat, and shortly after the crystal began to crack, and small fractures marred its smooth surface. After a few short minutes the fractures had created a spider web pattern across the entire surface, and the coffin abruptly disintegrated into dust.
For a moment nobody moved or said anything. They simply stood and stared at the broken, wild-eyed woman lying before them. Her mouth worked, yet no sound escaped, and her eyes darted quickly from one face to the next. When her eyes landed on Trakon he thought he saw a glimmer of recognition, but it was soon gone, replaced by fear when her eyes landed on Drakthira’s draconian face.
She tried to scramble away from the young dragon, but in her haste she ran squarely into the ancient black dragon. Looking up at her captor, fear turned to terror, and she finally found her voice long enough to release a blood chilling scream before fainting.
“Looks like we have our work cut out for us,” Dax said finally. The party looked around at each other, exchanging uneasy glances at the unconscious woman lying on the floor. Finally, Trakon bent to pick up the prone woman, gently laying her across Drakthira’s back.
“Then let’s get started,” he said quietly.
Epilogue
Trakon stood at the top of one of the remaining peaks of what used to be the Crimson Peak Mountains. Vaguely he wondered what they would be called now when word spread the peaks were gone and a good portion of the mountain range decimated.
He pushed those thoughts from his mind. That’s not what he was here for.
Gently he fingered the crystallized tear within his pocket. It had been almost two weeks since they had freed Jessa from her prison. True, she was awake and no longer screamed in terror when she saw a dragon, but aside from this, little progress had been made. Most of her time was spent staring off into the distance for hours at a time, looking at something only she could see. Her eyes were no longer bright and lively as they had been in her past life, years ago when he had known her. Instead, her entire being seemed dim and lost, not even responding when her name was called out loud. She consumed whatever food and drink they gave to her, but not once did she speak, and never showed even the slightest recognition of anyone or anything around her.
Although nobody actually said it, Trakon knew they had all but given up hope on helping the woman. Helping her would be impossible if they couldn’t even get through to her. The only progress that
had been made was that she no longer screamed and fainted at the sight of a dragon. But in all reality, they were no closer to determining what was wrong with this shell of a woman, or how to go about fixing her.
Once more Trakon ran his finger over the smooth surface of the crystallized tear and thought back to the words the Whisperwood woman had said to him, “Keep this safe. When the odds seem insurmountable and you see no other way out, throw the tear to the ground. It will summon me, no matter where I am.”
The last thing he wanted to do was summon the Tree whose very presence struck fear within his heart, a fear so overwhelming nothing else could compare. But he couldn’t help thinking the Tree was Jessa’s only hope. Although he didn’t, nay, couldn’t, understand the true meaning of the Tree’s existence, he knew it (she?) traveled freely along what she had called the ‘currents of time.’ Maybe she could take them back to the time before Jessa became so… broken.
Trakon suppressed his fear and doubts. He could see no other way to help Jessa. He knew his biggest concern should be the quest to free the dragons of Daegonlot from the Orb, and it still was, but he had no intentions of leaving the woman he used to love a broken shell of herself if he didn’t have to. Before he could change his mind, he threw the tear to the ground and took a quick, involuntary step backward.
For a long moment nothing happened. Trakon, thinking the tear must not have worked, took a step forward to pick it up from the ground where he could see it glittering in the early morning sunlight. Before he could pick it up, however, he felt a faint rumbling beneath his feet and had just enough time to leap backwards before the ground ripped open and the Whisperwood Tree surged from the destroyed earth.
The Tree’s form was one he had never seen before, and its beauty took his breath away. Clear crystal leaves clung to branches of gold, silver, and bronze, each metallic limb looking as if it had been crafted by a skilled metal-worker and braided together. The Whisperwood woman, this time covered in a garment of light gold, once more sat in the forked branches. Once the Tree had fully emerged, she leapt lightly to the ground and stood before Trakon.
Without preamble, she asked, “Of all the infinite possibilities you could have used my tear for, why this one?”
“Because I love her,” Trakon said simply, unapologetically.
The Whisperwood woman’s eyes grew distant, and Trakon was sure she must be looking into the future, at least as far as she was able.
Finally, her eyes came back into focus and she asked, “And what would you ask of me?”
“We can’t get Jessa to respond to anything. She is still our best hope of saving Darkenfel. Allow us to travel back to the time and place where it all went wrong for her and she became bitter and angry. Give me the chance to fix it,” he pleaded.
Once more the Whisperwood woman’s eyes lost focus, but this time, as Trakon watched, the color in her eyes seemed to expand, until both of her eyes were inky black. Images began to flicker across her dark orbs, so quickly Trakon was unable to make out much of what he was seeing, until he finally turned his eyes away to avoid the confusing sight.
Finally, the Whisperwood woman said, “I will grant your wish.”
“Thank y…” Trakon began, but he was quickly cut off.
“Don’t thank me just yet. Be warned, Earth wizard, the path you have chosen stands little chance for success. All of you must go: Drakthira, Daxon, Sylas, and the original Black dragon, as well as yourself. A black dragon will be the reason this endeavor fails or succeeds. Bonds will be tested and one of your friends will not make it back to this time again. That is all I can tell you on that,” she finished.
Trakon nodded his understanding, his mind racing.
“I didn’t think your magic affected the dragons,” he said, remembering the Whisperwood’s words to him in the Myste.
“It doesn’t. The dragons can travel the currents of time themselves. But they must be willing to do so, for I cannot make them,” she said.
Once more, Trakon nodded his understanding.
“I will meet you here in three days’ time,” the Whisperwood woman said. Then she was gone. Trakon blinked, looking around, but even the Tree had disappeared without its usual fanfare, leaving him alone once more.
He looked back towards the ruined Crimson Peak Mountains, back towards his friends. The Whisperwood woman’s words rang once more in his head; “one of your friends will not make it back to this time again…”
Sadness welled up in him, and tears stung his eyes. It seemed no matter which direction he tried to go he would end up losing someone. On the one hand, if he did nothing, Jessa was lost, and possibly Darkenfel as well. But on the other hand, if the others could be convinced to go back with the Whisperwood in time, he would lose one of his friends, but Darkenfel might be saved.
Keeping that thought in his mind, Trakon decided then and there he would keep what the Whisperwood woman said to himself. He didn’t know which of their party would not be returning, so he saw no reason to alarm everyone. At least, that’s what he told himself.
Reluctantly, he started the long walk back to the Black dragon’s lair. He would explain his idea to the others and convince them it was the only way. He had to.
For Jessa. And for Darkenfel.
Acknowledgements
Thank you for journeying with me through Darkenfel once more, and thank you for reading! I can’t express my gratitude enough for all the fans that have emailed me, messaged me on Facebook or tweeted me to tell me how much they like my books. It means the world to me.
I’d also like to apologize for the amount of time it took to get this book completed. I had a lot of emails and messages asking when it would be available, and I missed the date I wanted to publish completely. I have moved to a new state and started a new life. It’s a journey, and not one we always have a good road map for, but wish me luck!
If you would like to keep up with the Dragons of Daegonlot series, or provide feedback, a review on Amazon is always appreciated.
You can also follow me on Twitter: @shanlynnwalker
Or send me an email: [email protected].
Or follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/shanlynnwalker
Special thanks to:
My children. They have been an inspiration for these stories, as well as for me as a person. Love you guys!
My boyfriend and his daughter, for helping me out with some names and ideas.
My fur-baby, Sylas, for being awesome enough to inspire one of my main characters. You are such a good boy!!
And, to you, the reader, for reading my books! You guys are awesome, and if you are reading this book, then you have journeyed with me for a while now, and I can’t thank you enough for the honor.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the next installment in the Dragons of Daegonlot series! Although I’m not yet sure of the title, I do believe it will be the last book in the series, and we will finally have a conclusion to Daxon and Drakthira’s journey. Til next time…
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