by Jordan Baker
The three dragons, Borrican, Storm and Lexi, flew toward the center of the clouds, amazed at what they saw. Though the giant vortex, which was visible from the ground was impressive enough, once they rose above the forest, they could see hundreds of whirling vortices across the land, reaching down from the blackening sky and touching the land, like swirling tendrils. As they neared the opening at the center of the vortex, they also caught the scent of the dark smoke that had already poisoned much of the forest, and though they knew it would not kill them, they could feel its effects weakening them. Brimming with the power she had taken from her brother, Lexi used her energy to move faster than her wings alone, though in dragon form she not accelerate to a blur of light, but she made it to the center of the vortex before Borrican and Storm, and she burst up through the clouds and found Ehlena surrounded by thick swirls of cloud and black smoke. Lexi flew up above her and saw that her skin had turned a sickly shade of purple, and she remembered how the blue potion had affected her until Aaron and Kasha were able to take it out of her, but Ehlena seemed to be drawing the poison toward her.
"Stop," she said. "It is hurting you."
"I cannot," Ehlena told her. "If I let go, then the poison will fall upon the world."
"What can we do?" Lexi asked as Borrican and Storm appeared through the clouds and flew over to where Ehlena stood amid the dark swirls.
"They are coming," Ehlena told them. "I cannot defend myself."
"We will protect you," Borrican said, and he scanned the skies. In the distance, he saw the movement of wings and he took off toward them. "They come from the north."
Storm and Lexi followed and Ehlena breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she could call upon dragons for help, and hoping they would not have much trouble. It was not long before she felt them returning toward her, and Ehlena was worried at first when she felt how fast they were moving, and with other sets of wings in pursuit, but her panic turned to joy when she saw that it was not the winged Darga, but dragons. She was even more pleased when she caught the familiar scent of earth and brimstone, and saw a figure perched atop one of the dragons, and she was amused when she saw his face, smiling at her.
"Ehlena!" Brian yelled as Vale spread her wings and circled around above her, though his excitement turned to concern when he caught sight of how sickly she looked.
"You have brought friends," Ehlena said, smiling weakly as she continued working the clouds.
"Arya," Brian said, his voice now rumbling with the power of the earth as Vale stopped and hovered, flapping her giant wings, while the other dragons circled above them. "It has been over a thousand years since I have seen you command the skies in such a manner. Why do you not burn this foul poison with truefire?"
"I have not the strength," Ehlena told him. "I am not as I once was."
"Neither of us are," Kroma said. "But I not as weak as before, and these dragons have the power to help with this task." He leaned down and spoke to Vale.
"We would be honored to help," Vale rumbled, then she looked to the four younger dragons, who had accompanied her. "We will burn it with our fire."
Vale flew up and joined the circle of dragons, and the eight of them began blasting the clouds with flame. At Kroma's urging, Brian leapt from Vale to Storm and he pressed his hand against the white dragon's neck.
"Fear not, friend, this will help you," Kroma rumbled, and Storm began to choke and cough as his body filled with a warm fire and a foul tasting lump of bile rose in his throat. A moment later, he spit a clot of thick, black pitch from his mouth, and Vale flew by, searing it from the sky with blazing hot fire. Storm took a deep breath of the clean air above the clouds and let out a blast of flame, hotter than he ever had before and he turned his flames to the dark, poisonous clouds, joining the other dragons as they lit up the sky.
*****
Laurana walked out of the wooden palace and looked up at the blazing sky, joining the many elves who had stopped what they were doing and stood watching the clouds burn as evening fell across the land. From the darkness and the flame, a white shape flew down toward the red forest and Laurana recognized the dragon, Storm, as he approached the makeshift city where the elves and the people of Kandara and Maramyr had taken refuge.
A young man, wearing ancient jeweled armor and two battle axes at his shoulders leapt from the dragon's back, and Laurana could see that he carried someone in his powerful arms. As he drew near, she saw that it was the young goddess, Ehlena, and her pale skin was sickly with blotches of purple, the telltale sign of the poison smoke. Storm shifted from his dragon form and followed the armored warrior as he walked toward the elven queen.
"You are Queen Laurana," the young man said with a voice that rumbled the earth. "I am told your healers have some skill against the poison of the shadowstones."
"Yes, please bring her inside," Laurana said. "How did she come to be like this?"
"She drew the poison from the land, bringing it to her," Storm answered. "The dragons now burn it from the sky."
Laurana knew from the reports of the elven scouts that winged Darga had flown out across the forest at the start of the battle, but there was nothing that could be done to stop them and she had feared that much of the forest would be destroyed. She knew the goddess was powerful, but the thought of covering such a vast area was beyond imagining. She led them into the wooden palace, past the many injured elves and humans, who were being tended to upon makeshift pallets in the main hall by healers, and she brought them to a small room down a side passage that had just been cleared. The young man laid Ehlena down in the simple bed, upon fresh sheets, and Laurana was surprised at how small and fragile she looked. The healers came and Laurana led the two young men out back out to the main room of the palace.
"They will do what they can," she told them. "They are very skilled."
"I would burn the poison from her," the young man rumbled. "But she is not a dragon and my rough power would do her harm."
"You speak with a strange voice," Laurana said. "Who are you?"
"I am the mountain and the earth below, though you see before you a young man, who has graciously allowed me to take form in this world, once again," he said. "Brian of Ashford is his name, and I am Kroma."
"Then it is our honor to have you as our guest," Laurana said. "It is strange that you should have two names, but I understand this from the Lady, who has become one with the girl Ehlena."
"They are one, we are not," Kroma said, then he closed his eyes and opened them again, this time speaking with a different voice. "Kroma is part of me, but I am still me. It is an honor to meet you, Queen Laurana, uh, highness." Brian bowed awkwardly and Laurana smiled at the noticeable change in his demeanor.
"You are welcome here, Brian of Ashford," she said. "You and Kroma are both welcome, and we are grateful for your help in saving our home."
Laurana saw a commotion by the arched entrance to the palace and a strange group entered the hall. Borrican and Lexi walked ahead of an odd group of people, one young woman with golden skin in the lead of four young men, and not one of the strangers was wearing a stitch of clothing. The people in the hall, both the healers and the wounded, were noticeably shocked, but the girl and the four who followed her paid no attention to them as they followed Borrican and Lexi toward Laurana.
"Where is Ariana?" Borrican asked.
"She is fine, Borrican," Laurana told him. "She is resting in a private chamber of her own creation. I can take you to her."
"Please," Borrican said. "Through the battle, I could tell she was in pain, but Ariana told us not to come."
"Of course," Laurana said. "She fought her own battle, and though she is weakened at the moment, Ariana is strong and will survive." She looked at the group of visitors. "May I ask who are these people?"
The young woman bowed her head, though unlike the young warrior, Brian, she kept her gaze fixed upon Laurana, who noticed a strange predatory quality to her eyes, then she smiled, revealing tiny, pointed fangs at the
corners of her mouth.
"I am Vale, Queen of the Aledra," she said. "These are my vassals, Crag, Kiva, Raz and Kaz. We are dragonkind, and we would see the Queen of the Akandra."
Laurana looked over at Borrican, and he nodded his assent.
"Follow me, and I will take you to her," she said, and she turned and led them to the passage at the end of the room, and down the short flight of stone steps that led to another passage, which opened up into the large chamber that ran with water.
Stones embedded in the roots of the trees and behind the fountains glimmered with soft, white light, illuminating the room. A healer stepped aside from the stone platform, which was now covered with clean sheets and cushions, as Laurana approached with the group of visitors. Her eyes closed, resting peacefully, Ariana stirred as they neared, and she opened her eyes and immediately stared at Borrican.
"Go away, Borrican," she said, and she turned her head away from him. "I don't want to see you right now."
"What?" Borrican was confused. "I was worried about you, Ariana. Are you all right?"
"I am fine now, no thanks to you," she said. "Now please get out."
"Do you truly want us to leave?" Vale asked.
"No, just him," Ariana said, pointing at Borrican without looking at him.
Storm barely stifled a laugh.
"What did I do?" Borrican asked, not understanding why she wanted only him to leave, then Laurana motioned for him to follow her past the stone bed where Ariana lay. The others also looked past the bed and they saw three large dragon eggs sitting upright upon the stone floor. Borrican's eyes went wide and, without saying another word, he promptly turned around and walked out of the room, but as he left, he caught a flicker of a thought from Ariana, one that was angry yet pleased and frustrated yet proud, all at the same time, and he knew that she was not truly angry with him, or at least her temper might cool at some point, he hoped.
He walked back up the stone steps, through the hall, past the healers and the many wounded, and out into the cool night air, and he found the two Maramyrian commanders, Nathas and Kaleb, on their way to the palace to find Laurana.
"Prince Borrican," Kaleb said with a grin as he reached out and clasped his arm. "You fight with the strength of a hundred men. We are glad for your help."
"Lord General Kaleb, General Nathas," Borrican said, clasping Kaleb's arm and nodding to his former Senior Captain, noticing that they both appeared stronger than when he had last seen them, and it was obvious they had seen some battle that day.
"Are you all right, Borrican?" Nathas asked.
"I am fine," Borrican said, staring up at the stars. "It truly is a wondrous night."
"Yes, it is," Nathas said, looking at the young dragon prince. "We received word that the princess was with the healers. I gather you have just been to see her?"
"The dragons are with her," Borrican said. "Ariana is a little upset with me right now."
"But she is fine," Nathas said.
"Very much so," Borrican replied.
"I see," he said, then he looked over at Kaleb and gave him a nod. "Perhaps we will visit her and pay our respects on the morrow. In the meantime, our quarters are not too far from here, and Lord Kaleb managed to procure a bottle of Maeran sweetwater. Would you care to join us for a sip or two of the strong stuff?"
Borrican turned and looked at the two men.
"I cannot think of a better idea," he said.
They chuckled at the look of consternation that crossed his face, and the three of them walked from the palace together, and the two generals caught Borrican up on the fighting in the forest and kept him occupied with thoughts of what to do about the thousands of prisoners they had taken. As they disappeared between the thick tree roots, Laurana exited the palace and she walked over to the trunk of the great tree and touched her hand to it, listening to its whispers, then she set out through the forest, in the direction of where the trees had told her she would find her son, Quenta.
As Laurana walked through the trees, tiny little lights appeared around her, like hundreds of candle flames, flickering and glowing in the darkness and lighting her way. One of them landed on her hand, and she saw that it was a small beetle, then it flew off again, joining the hundreds of others that followed her through the forest, lighting her way. She came to a place in the forest where the ground was littered with dark shapes that she knew from the scent were slain Darga, and sitting alone at the center of the carnage, was a horned figure, with sharp, bone like limbs and an angular face beneath an elven mask that she recognized when it turned to look at her.
"Quenta?" she called out his name as the flickering flies gathered around him, many of them landing upon his body and coming to rest upon the horns that protruded from his head.
"Mother," he said, his voice sounding strange and distant.
"What has happened to you?" she asked.
"I have taken the power of our enemies," Quenta replied. "It has changed me."
"Why do you not come back and let the healers look at you?"
"I do not need healing," he said. "I speak to the forest and I am content."
"You will be needed at court," Laurana told him. "There will be much to discuss once this night has passed."
"If I am truly needed, then I will come," Quenta told her, then he rose to his feet, standing almost twice as tall as her. "The trees will let me know."
Quenta walked away from her, with a trail of flickering flies following him as he disappeared into the darkness of the forest. Laurana looked down at the sword she carried, the jeweled blade the goddess Ehlena had give her, and she wondered if she had used it as Quenta had, if she too would have changed in such a way. The trees told her that Quenta was fine, that they were pleased that he could talk to them, and they promised to let her know where to find him, so she turned and walked back toward the palace, realizing that she was very much in need of rest. Now that the immediate danger had passed, whatever problems there might still be in the forest, could be dealt with by the light of day.
EPILOGUE
The seas were completely calm and it was as though the wind itself had fled the skies, but the small, fast ship and the pirate fleet that followed her, moved with the powerful current toward a place where the sea was deep and cold, and yet steam rose from the surface, filling the air with a dense and murky fog. The ships stopped at the edge of a place where the currents were askew, twisted by a powerful vortex that swirled in the water, where the bottom of the sea dropped to depths that were beyond any anchor.
Carly took a deep swallow from the bottle of sweetwater and handed it to one of the men, who took it gladly. Much to the surprise of the ship's crew, she pulled off her loose shirt, kicked off her boots and dropped her trousers to the deck of the ship, then, wearing only a long dagger strapped to her thigh, she leapt up onto the ship's rail, with one hand hanging from a rigging line.
"Wait here. I won't be long," she said, then she dove into the dark water.
The crews of the ships all leaned out over the rails and those lucky enough to possess a spyglass thought they saw their beautiful captain, the leader of their people, turn into one of the mythical ladies of the sea as she disappeared into the depths.
"I sure hope she won't be long," said one of the men. "I could look at the Cap'n all the long day and night."
"Cap'n catches you starin' at her, you'd be a sorry wretch," said one of the women of the crew.
"'Mayhaps," the man said with a grin. "But it'd sure be worth it."
"Well, why don't you strip down past yer skivvies an' see how you like bein' stared at?"
"Why? Would it wet yer decks?"
"It just might," she replied with a sly grin, and the pirate crew broke into boisterous laughter.
Deep below the sea, Carly swam through the icy cold water, following the twisting jets of steam that bubbled toward the surface, and as she moved deeper, she noticed the water growing warmer, which was strange but not surprising, given what she expected to fi
nd. The pull of the vortex grew stronger as well, and she drew her power to calm the water around her as she swam deeper and closer to its center. Many leagues beneath the surface, where the water would be dark and cold even during the full light of day, the sea was bright and the water boiled from the intense heat emanating from the center of the swirling current. Carly gathered a greater amount of her power than she had used in many long years, using the sea to disperse the heat and her fins turned back into legs as she stepped onto the dry, and blazing hot ocean floor, that swirled with a blazing inferno.
Even with her power protecting her from the heat, Carly was surprised at the sheer amount of truefire and though it was painful she pressed forward until she reached the center of the fiery vortex.
"Zachary," she yelled over the rushing of the flames, and he tilted his head down and looked at her with his eyes full of fire.
"Get away," he rasped through gritted teeth, then he turned and looked upward.
Carly saw that he was holding his left arm up over his head and the flames of his power were coming from his right hand, blasting away at the dark shadows that covered his left hand and his wrist. She realized what he was trying to do, and she was astonished at how long he had been here in this place, burning his power.
"You can't do this forever," she said.
"I have no choice," Zachary told her. "I won't let it have my power."
Carly stared at the dark shadow that covered half his arm and though it was almost imperceptible, with her power she could see that it was slowly winning.
