Ascension

by Selena IR Drake

  The water was cold when a loud knock on the door pulled me back into reality. I did not even recall falling asleep. I quickly gathered a towel and wrapped it around me before I answered the door.

  Kitfox took one look at me and blushed completely before closing his eyes tightly. “I’m so sorry! I was only coming to tell you that dinner is ready.”

  I laughed and caressed his cheek. He cracked an eye slightly to look at me. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be down in a minute.”

  “O-okay.” He chuckled nervously.

  I watched for a moment as he briskly walked down the hall before I closed the door. I dressed in one of the dresses the maids had left me and brushed my hair before I left my room.

  I managed to find the dining room on my own this time. Kitfox looked up at me as I entered and blushed again. I smiled sweetly at him.

  “You look good in dresses, Xy,” Thera said as she looked between Kitfox and me.

  “Thank you.”

  I took a seat at the table opposite her just as Shazza and two of her aids walked into the room. To my surprise, the queen was still dressed in the clothes she had worn on the journey to the Tomb of the Lost. She sighed as she took a seat at the table and waved her aids away.

  “I apologize for my appearance. I have been too busy catching up on matters of the state to get washed up for dinner.”

  “It is perfectly all right, Shazza-sortim,” I said with a smile.

  She dipped her head in a nod, and the cooks stacked mountains of food on the table.

  “How go the translations of the next part of the riddle, Thera?” Kitfox asked, placing a good portion of meat on his plate before passing it on.

  Thera groaned slightly. “You are not going to like this part of the riddle.”

  “Oh?” I glanced at her as I dropped some vegetables on my plate. I even snuck a few onto Kitfox’s plate, making him stare at me in disbelief. “You should eat them. They’re good for you.”

  He snorted and moved the vegetables back to my plate. “You eat them for me.”

  I moved them back. “Just shut up and eat them.”

  He frowned and pushed them to the side of his plate. “I am a carnivore, Xy. I don’t touch vegetables.”

  “You two are getting weirder and weirder the longer you are together,” said Shazza. “Thera, what were you saying about the riddle?”

  “The next part is four lines, two dragons. I’ve managed to translate most of it, but the rest will take a little while longer,” Thera answered as she continued looking between Kitfox and me. “I should have all four lines done by morning.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Kkorian said between bites. “Say, Shazza, how did your guards do against the huge crowd at the gate?”

  “I had to send out fifteen more to calm the people down. They spent almost the entire hour explaining to them that the Dragon Keeper was in fact back. Now there are even more people gathered around the gate.”

  Kitfox whistled. “Wow. Xy’s getting popular.”

  I frowned. “That is what worries me.”

  Kkorian looked at me, confusion burning in his blue eyes. “Why? Don’t you want to be popular?”

  “I want news of my presence to spread, but I’m not sure if it is a good idea to have so much attention. I’m worried about how Dimitri will react to this.” An image of the Festival of the Phoenix flashed in my mind. “I don’t want him to murder more innocent people.”

  Kkorian frowned. “What did he do?”

  I sighed as I met his gaze. “He cast a fire storm spell on the people gathered at the Temple of Five Souls during the Rising of Zahadu-Kitai.”

  Kkorian was shocked at this news, even angry.

  I looked down at my plate. “He killed thousands with that spell.”

  “I didn’t think he was that powerful,” Shazza said quietly. “That settles it, then.”

  I looked up at her. “Settles what?”

  “I’m coming with you.” She smiled at me. “I wasn’t sure if I should, given my responsibilities here. But with a madman like that running around, I think it would be wise to assist you in taking him down. That is, of course, provided you’ll have me.”

  “Are you kidding? I’d love to have you join us.”

  “Me too!” Kkorian exclaimed.

  Kitfox rolled his eyes as he chewed on a piece of meat. Shazza chuckled.

  “Well then, we’ll rest here tonight and decide what to do tomorrow once Thera has had a chance to finish the translation.”

  I smiled. “That sounds good to me.”

  I looked at Xyleena – really studied her– after the ordeal in the tomb Helios called home. She was changed. Stronger. I do not mean physically, but mentally. Her will to overcome these hardships had grown stronger; she would be the Dragon Keeper.

  – FROM “THE SECOND KEEPER” BY THERA ONYX

  I thanked the maid as she closed the door behind me. I turned to see Kitfox, Thera, and Shazza standing at a table in what I figured to be Shazza’s office. They waved me over and pointed to the map spread out before them. When Kkorian finally joined us, Thera read off the translation.

  “Wildfire the Blaze will come back when water falls upon attack. Riptide the Torrent points the way to fire beneath dragon bay.”

  “Wow, Amorez certainly didn’t make it easy to find her dragons, did she?” Kkorian muttered and crossed his arms.

  “I wrote the ‘Riddle of the Twelve,’” I replied as I looked at the map on the table.

  Kkorian blinked at me in utter disbelief.

  “If you wrote it, then why don’t you know the answers?”

  “She fell and bumped her head. Now she can’t remember anything from about four years ago and back,” Thera replied as she turned to the map in Dragon Diary and placed it in front of me. “Xy, do you see any differences between the maps?”

  “Hang on.” I took the next few minutes to compare the two maps.

  Kkorian scratched his head. “Why would she see any differences?”

  “She can see the dragons’ hiding places, but no one else can,” Kitfox answered.

  Kkorian nodded and quieted down so I could concentrate.

  After a few more minutes, I sighed. “I don’t see anything different.”

  “Bugger.” Kkorian crossed his arms. “Hey, what was that riddle again?”

  Thera quirked her eyebrow at him. “Wildfire the Blaze will come back when water falls upon attack. Riptide the Torrent points the way to fire beneath dragon bay.”

  “Dragon bay, you say?”

  Thera nodded.

  Kkorian looked at the map and smiled. He pointed to a body of water on the continent of Katalania. “This is Dragon Head Bay. I bet you a million bits that that is where you need to go. It is not a very safe place to sail a ship, though. Too many shallows.”

  Kitfox gawked at Kkorian. “How did you figure that out?”

  “Simple.” Kkorian smirked. “Years ago there was a rumor of untold treasure somewhere in the bay. I took me ship and me crew there in search of it. It proved to be a very bad idea.”

  Kitfox laughed. “You really are an idiot.”

  “Enough, boys.” I sighed and looked at the Dragon Head Bay on the hand-drawn map in the diary. Though nothing appeared as I watched it, I had a good feeling about it. “Kkorian is right. That is where the next two dragons are hidden.”

  “So what is the plan?” Shazza asked as she rolled up the map and placed it in a drawer.

  “I thought that was obvious,” said Kitfox. “We take the dragons to the bay and figure out how to get under it to find the other two.”

  I focused my thoughts inward until I felt the presence of the four dragons. Do you guys mind flying us again?

  We live for flying. Vortex replied a moment later.

  Yes! Let’s fly! Let’s fly! Atoka laughed.

  “The dragons are ready to fly us again,” I announced. “When do you guys want to leave?”

  “I have some tasks that require my attent
ion before we can leave,” Shazza replied. “Maybe by either late afternoon today or early tomorrow.”

  “I actually like that idea,” Kitfox said. “We can rest up a little bit more and think of some battle tactics should we run into Dimitri again.”

  “Or more undead,” Thera said in an undertone.

  I heartily agreed with her.

  “Okay, one more day of rest before we head out again. Sounds good to me,” Kkorian said with a smile.

  Thera, Kitfox, Kkorian, and I left Shazza to her work.

  We gathered in the library to discuss battle plans and other things. We met late that night for dinner and revealed our plans to Shazza. She seemed impressed and told us that she had everything set up for her departure from the capital. She even had her aids gather the various supplies needed for the long quest. Everything was set for our journey.

  ◆◆◆

  After a hearty breakfast the next morning, the five of us strode out to the royal gardens. I summoned all four of my dragons again, drawing attention and cheers from the people who passed by the castle gates.

  I waved to the people as I mounted Helios. With a great flourish of wind and wings, the four dragons took to the air. We circled the crystalline castle once before turning southward toward the Dragon Head Bay.

  About the Author

  Selena Inali Raynelif Drake is an American author best known for her paranormal mystery series, The AEON Files. Drake is a martial arts enthusiast, a Wiccan with Cherokee roots, and an award-winning artist. Her love for writing started when she was eight, and she has won a number of Editor’s Choice awards and a Shakespeare Trophy of Excellence for poetry. Her works have been published in Thrice Fiction Magazine, Emerging Authors 2018, and Emerging Poets 2018.

  She currently lives in Minot, North Dakota with her dog, Pipsqueak, where she continues to work on more books.

  You can find out more about Selena by visiting sirdwrites.com

  Glossary

  A note from the author:

  I realize that the language of Dragon Diaries is extremely confusing. Most readers will probably just glance over the words, but for those (like me) who enjoy learning new things, here is a little bit of a guide to the language known as Kinös Elda. Hopefully it will help.

  Kinös Eldic Phrases

  Tabiki ni heile. –– Wall of fire

  Esté imlít lerra rité mertuác jidó. Arx et cólaz ni Kohnbenai rahn. –– This great world will die soon. As the acts of Darkness spread.

  Meo resuko. –– My diary

  Meo namae wa Agasei DéDos. Esté buko wa meo resuko bó et tel né rité sterim et Nírigone Súl. –– My name is Agasei DéDos. This book is my diary and the key to finding the Dragons’ Gate.

  Sortim –– Sister

  Kahs gözandí –– Good morning

  Ja lah shikenó –– You are welcome

  Iríjhon Resuko –– Dragon Diary

  Kahs gözandí, fratime. Eo ík Teka Loneborne. –– Good morning, brothers. I am Teka Loneborne.

  Aké la ja chee? –– Why are you here?

  Kíen la ja süm, Teka Loneborne? –– Who are you with, Teka Loneborne?

  Estéz karétez la meo micallaz, bó et kanójo wa Xyleena. –– These men are my friends, and the girl is Xyleena.

  It ja nan hakaní estéz tantúre? –– Do you not understand these words?

  Hoko bemum Thera Onyx –– Please call Thera Onyx

  Núl wa de ja du bemum meo po, Ujak? –– What did you call me for, Uncle?

  Meoja ker dumakunga –– We have decided

  Iríjhone Reshé –– Dragon Keeper

  Vero –– Yes

  De wa et nena ni Amorez –– She is the (female) child of Amorez

  Shíkai ja –– Thank you

  Gratíe –– Thanks (informal)

  Eo du capel ja nan lig Kinös Elda –– I thought you did not speak Kinös Elda

  It ja hakaní? –– Do you understand?

  Ja lah tarlé, Pox. Da du la ja? –– You are late, Pox. Where were you?

  Kíen la déoja? –– Who are they?

  Eo dur ir né et izvucí tig Tarik bó Valadri –– I went to the river with Tarik and Valadri.

  Siminea –– Lion

  Kahs nóc –– Good night

  Tanda –– Hello

  Tíc it eo lig “standard words” den Kinös Elda? –– How do I say “standard words” in Kinös Elda?

  Meo namae wa Dimitri Renoan. Kíen la ja? –– My name is Dimitri Renoan. Who are you?

  Eo ík Habanya-Ürg. Aké la ja chee? –– I am Habanya-Ürg. Why are you here?

  Eo nan lig Kinös Elda. Eo ík guídes –– I do not speak Kinös Elda. I am sorry.

  Meo namae wa Xyleena. Eo ík et Iríjhone Reshé –– My name is Xyleena. I am the Dragon Keeper.

  Na –– Zero

  San –– One

  Sku –– Two

  Teh –– Three

  O –– Four

  Ven –– Five

  Mé –– Six

  Im –– Seven

  Lin –– Eight

  Bin –– Nine

  Ra –– Ten

  Sanra –– Elven

  Skura –– Twelve

  Tehra –– Thirteen

  Ora –– Fourteen

  Venra –– Fifteen

  Méra –– Sixteen

  Imra –– Seventeen

  Linra –– Eighteen

  Binra –– Nineteen

  Skucóra –– Twenty

  Mehnt –– One hundred

  Shréva –– One thousand

  Kahs gozavé –– Good afternoon

  Tanda, Kínashe. Eo din ormá né alú sa amyíac –– Hello, Kínashe. I would like to rent a boat.

  Tic kahl wah –– How much for

  Nai –– No

  Nír irím bó kerím ska –– Now go and have fun

  Infé –– Open

  Tanda, Zahadu-Kitai. Núl cistrena ja chee? –– Hello, Zahadu-Kitai. What brings you here?

  Núl wa et shríldu ni esté? –– What is the meaning of this?

  Ja lah tído guídemavet –– You are all forgiven

  Tic la ja? –– How are you?

  Byö – Cousin

  Eo rité res meo ligto. –– I give my word.

  Dasum meo… –– Show me…

  Dasum meo nishi. –– Show me everyone.

  Kahs gözandí, Xy-sortim. –– Good morning, my sister Xy.

  Nevoa cäipe –– Fog disperse

  Et Sleiku ni Sango –– The Dance of Blood

  Meo sortime, meo fratim, illam durus. –– My sisters, my brother, live strong.

  Iktanilla –– Immortal

  Silentium –– Silence; Be quiet

  Symbilla et Illa-Arnaxu sornipé; Ten Sutétim isila con strujaz ni ponet –– Symbilla the Life-Bringer dreams; On Southern isle with golden streams.

  Ja la mishi, nena. –– You are lost, child.

  Ja la nan mert. Iram ger. –– You are not dead. Go back.

  Ligam ni Skura bó inferom. –– Speak of Twelve and enter.

  Hyerjam –– Shatter, break

  Spells

  Aero bíraw (air-oh bee-raw) –– Wind gust

  Daréta esso (da-ray-ta eh-so) –– Thunder ball

  Daréta suahk (da-ray-ta soo-awk) –– Thunder bolt

  Dasai nagarésayo (da-sigh na-guh-ray-say-oh) –– Sight reflection

  Dasum meo (da-soom may-oh) –– Show me

  Heile esso (hail eh-so) –– Fire ball

  Heile pricé (hail pree-kay) –– Fire storm

  Heile suahk (hail soo-awk) –– Fire bolt

  Hydíca semít (hi-dee-kuh sem-eet) –– Ice spike

  Hydíca tabiki (hi-dee-kuh ta-bee-kee) –– Ice wall

  Hydor esso (hi-door eh-so) ––Water ball

  Hydor sibatín (hi-door see-bat-een) ––Water spear

  Kósa sibatín (koh-sa see-bat-een) ––Chaos spear

  Levítum (lay-vee-tum) – Levit
ate

  Medícté (med-eek-tay) – Heal

  Nagaré (nah-guh-ray) – Reflect

  Nan dasai nevoa (non duh-sigh ney-voh-uh) –– Blinding mist (literally “no sight mist”)

  Nan vocé (non voh-kay) –– Silence (literally “no voice”)

  Luminös (loo-mihn-ahs) –– Illuminate, Light

  Uerto palaso (oo-er-tow pah-lass-oh) –– Poison arrow

  Names and Places

  Aadrian (ey-dree-ahn) (city) –– Lesser capitol city of Mekora-Lesca

  Aadrian Ithnez (ey-dree-ahn ith-nehz) (person) –– The man who ultimately saved the human race from extinction and helped found the planet which bears his name

  Adoramus (ah-dohr-ah-muhs) –– Shadow Dragon of Light who was killed in the final battle between Amorez and Agasei

  Agasei DéDos (a-guh-sigh day-dose) –– The original dark Dragon Keeper and creator of the Shadow Dragons

  Aidana Wovril (ahy-deyn-ah wohv-ril) –– Feykin Elder and one of the Generals leading the Army of Light

  Aissur (a-soor) –– A major city on Katalania

  Amorez Renoan (ah-more-ez ray-no-ahn) –– The original Dragon Keeper and creator of the Dragons of Light

  Aruvan (ah-roo-vahn) –– The smaller, yellow sun

  Atlidmé (at-lid-may) –– God of water, death, and winter (giant serpent)

  Bakari-Tokai (buh-kar-ee toh-kahy) –– The grand capital of Ithnez

  Bangorian Mountains (bahn-gohr-ee-an) –– Prominent mountain range running the southern spans of the Mekora-Lescan continent

  Bedeb (bay-deb) –– Ithnez’s ringed sister planet

  Beldai (bell-dahy) –– One of the twin cities on the banks of the Anakor River

  Breccia (bresh-ee-uh) –– Shaman of the Wakari Corundum Tribe

  Cah (kaw) –– A city in the Southern Stretch

  Cosín (coh-seen) –– A small town on the Southern Stretch

  Dákun Daju (day-koon da-joo) –– Extreme race of elven-like beings

  Djurdak Za’Car (jer-dak zuh-kar) –– Amorez’s husband and the former high prince

  Feykin (fay-kin) –– Preferred name of the Sorcerers

  Freya Latreyon (fray-uh luh-tray-in) –– Wolf Demon and teacher to Xyleena