by LJ Davies
"You're right." A smile broke out across my muzzle. "Star dragon," I uttered, aware she deserved to know the title. "If I was going to have an element, that's what it would be."
"Like starlight?" She paused, thinking deeply. "You really are something special," she admitted jokingly. "But you’re still Blaze, and I know he'd do what he thought was right."
Will I? I had to think. All I'd wanted was to rescue Tarwin and keep them safe. Now it's so much more, if it comes down to it, what is right?
"We should probably catch up with the others," she suggested, nudging my wing with hers before turning to the exit.
My strength had slowly recovered, or at least enough to allow me to stumble forward. In the corner of my eye I could see the roblin remains, their scorched chests gaping where the burning spears had struck them. I diverted my eyes.
The disfigured ice under me was marked by four, paw-shaped holes where I'd stood. I glanced away from those too, my gaze firmly locked on the only hope I had left. She waited by the exit, peering into the tempting glow beaming in from outside.
"I won't tell anyone, I promise," she assured me.
I hopped up to join her. "I–I know... And... Thanks."
She simply smiled and nodded as we stepped outside. The sun’s intensity triggered an instinctive response as I shielded my eyes with a raised wing, dropping my temporary shield once they'd adjusted. Despite the daylight, the return of the cruel arctic wilderness wasn't something to celebrate.
It might have been a welcome escape from the confined catacombs, but it also marked the return of the bitter wind and its piercing chill. Nor did the sun’s presence offer anything more than an impression of warmth as it reflected from the ice like a blinding mirror.
At least the storm had subsided, leaving a pure blue sky dotted with ribbons of wispy white cloud under lit by an orange glow, instantly revealing the time of day. It was late morning, although being this far north I couldn't imagine the day would hold for long. I saw Ember and Boltock sat next to each other, waiting in the fresh snow. The latter seemed to relish every moment he was alone with her, despite her ignoring his subtle attempts to communicate. The fiery soldier seemed to prefer looking out over the scene stretching out beyond the edge of what appeared to be a small cliff before her.
Trudging through the layers of snow carpeting the frozen expanse we moved over to join them. As we drew nearer, I noticed a slight oddity in my surroundings, it was a lot darker than I would have expected. Intimidated by the thought of something casting a shadow of such magnitude, I turned to see a huge cliff reaching up behind us, its immense surface coated by a sheet of ice. The giant monument reached high into the sky, its vertical surface covered by the ghosts of great waterfalls and crumbling ruins of broken structures frozen in time.
Boltock and Ember peered over the ground in front of them at a second, smaller cliff. Dropping steeply before levelling into a gentle slope, it marked the edge of a large expanse, creating an enormous circular barrier, like a monstrous crater carved into the ice. At equidistant points of the rim stood nine towers, each one reaching high, the sheer sides glimmering like diamonds. On the sides facing away from the crater, long streaks of ice stretched back like horizontal icicles, while their inward faces held the remnants of balconies and windows.
It's like there's a whole city frozen behind the cliffs.
A dark crack sliced through the endless wall to our right, a sinister line marking what seemed to be a thin canyon leading up toward the frozen desert. The immense scale of the scene was magnificent and sinister at the same time.
Menacingly positioned within the depressed centre of the crater stood what was unmistakably our destination, Ilivar. A great fortress stretching up from the ice, the frozen material darker than the surrounding landscape. The blackened structure loomed high into the sky, forming four great spires, each one rivalling those that sat upon the cliffs. Their sharp peaks slicing effortlessly through the thin, wispy clouds. Its presence was a blight on the landscape, no longer the beautiful fortress it may once have been. It now resembled a collection of gruesome stalagmites forcing themselves through the ice from the depths of the frozen ocean.
An instantly recognisable sound broke through the howling wind, its roar echoing around the cliffs. I dropped to the floor, the others following as my eyes fixed on the sky. Two wyverns approached, the beat of their leathery wings like thunderclaps. I hoped they were too distant to notice us as they landed on top of the tallest spire and disappeared into the frozen hive.
"Wyverns," Boltock hissed. "I've got a few rocks I'd like to introduce them to."
After what they'd done to his wing, I expected he’d acquired a hatred for them that may even rival my own. As much as I wished they could, angry thoughts alone couldn’t hurt my enemies. After waiting a while longer, I edged cautiously to the rim of the incline. Peering across the flat expanse for any other creatures that might be making their way through the lower entrances. Thankfully, it was clear.
"This place is cold, and not just in the icy way?" Ember observed, ruffling her wings. "Halfbeak told me to be wary of Ilivar, but by the creators, this isn’t what I imagined."
Her comment brought the same sensation to my attention. The snow and ice weren’t the only frozen things here, the very aura of the place seemed to chill my soul.
"Either way, it's where we need to go," Risha interjected.
Boltock agreed; in fact, he appeared enthusiastic about an opportunity to get his revenge on those who had mauled his wing. After seeing what he was capable of, I believed he could defeat a wyvern, provided they weren't able to take him completely by surprise.
Ember, on the other paw, appeared slightly more hesitant.
"Is this really the best idea? I'd sure be a lot more confident with some armour and wing blades on, maybe an entire wing of dragons at my back."
"Look, I don't know what is in there, but..." Risha's speech faltered. "But we've come this far."
Ember looked up at her friend. She was scared, they both were. Deep-rooted guilt hit me with the knowledge that they'd go so far not to let me down. I’d no doubt that I’d charge headlong into anything for Tarwin, but that wasn't what was holding me back now. I knew what had to happen, all our fates would be decided and my life as I knew it would no longer exist – my identity and any previous normality would ultimately be destroyed.
Even so, I managed to offer a confident look to the others as they glanced my way. True to what Risha had warned, I didn't know what we would face: Acrodan, whatever was locked within the sphere, and whatever other monsters served him?
I can't let them down. I have to do this and do it fast. He's got to know we're coming by now, why else would he have sent monsters to stop us?
Redirecting my eyes toward the Dark Guardian's lair, I stared into the ice between the fortress and us, watching the trails of white dust whipped up by the wind at the base of the crater.
"Are you ready?" Risha asked, walking to my side as she tried to mask her trembling.
I should have been the one to ask that question, despite every part of me screaming to run. No, I must face the truth.
"Yes," I replied, betraying my emotions and attempting to bury my dread. "Let's go."
*
We trekked around the lower rim of the crater until we came across a dip where its steep edge formed a gentle slope of hardened snow that we could use to drop down onto the base. The sight of the dark fortress made our descent into the lower level even more unnerving as it loomed upward like a frozen mountain. I felt so small and vulnerable, as if the whole place was a trap just waiting to snap shut.
Despite the increasing trepidation, my determination to find Tarwin forced me across the barren wasteland. The landscape was featureless in all directions, the barren scene broken only by a scattering of snow-covered boulders that could have once been buildings. Even the wind seemed too frightened to blow, its howl fading as we got closer to the unearthly structure.
; As the air grew still, the more the presence of the evil sealed within the fortress drained the land of all hope. Worse still, the vast expanse seemed to go on forever; our destination had looked so close when I first saw it. Each time I glanced, I would lift my head a little higher until its shadow engulfed most of the sky, every step revealing how deceiving my first impression was.
Hours of tireless trekking began to take their toll; nevertheless, we made no attempt to rest, and this time I made no offers. It wasn't pleasant to watch my friends work to exhaustion, but it wasn't safe to stop. My eyes continually scoured the cliffs, jumping rapidly across the ridge while checking for any signs of danger.
If the ghauls find us down here, at least we'll see them coming.
Eventually we came to the base of the fortress's outer shell, a complex sprawl of icy catacombs. The columns weren’t neat or ordered; rather, they resembled a giant spider's web, each support standing at randomly placed angles, underpinning the immense tower.
A sea of white snow covered the floor, the sloping waves piling high at the base of each column, creating a smooth white surface undisturbed by any of the larger chunks of ice. Like a gateway, each pile gently sloped into the nadirs of the labyrinth. The ruin of a frozen archway formed what seemed to be the entrance, walls and windows barely visible in their icy tomb. A small patch of pure ice formed a distinctive pathway, cobblestones poking through and snaking down into the depths.
I forced myself to step forward, brushing the soft, powdery snow aside with a few gentle sweeps of my paw. It seemed strange that at such a critical point, I was still so unsure of the task that lay ahead.
How can my desperate rescue mission have turned into this?
Trapped within my thoughts, my eyes fixed on the darker reaches of the labyrinth. The claustrophobic walls suppressed my senses and the lingering silence intensified to the point that the only sound I could hear was that of my racing heart and the rasp of my breath shrouding me in a plume of instantly cooling vapour.
"Hey, are you okay?" Risha asked, moving beside me.
"I–I... I'm fine," I replied shaking free of my trance.
I wanted to tell her, I knew that if I failed, she would too, despite her having a willingness and determination to rival my own. If I lead them into this abyss, I've no idea what may happen to them.
The Ethereal said nothing about their destinies.
"You don't have to come with me," I proposed.
Her eyes didn’t brighten with relief; instead, she turned away slightly and sighed.
"I... We... none of us can leave now," she declared, glancing back at the others. "We'll do it together, all of us."
"Thank you," I responded quietly.
She gave no obvious response; she didn't need to. With my vision filled by the sprawling ice I stepped forward and took my first wary step into the heart of darkness.
*
The deep confines of the maze were very different from the cold wilderness outside, and significantly different to the natural passageways under the frozen sea. Wherever I looked, I could see a web of ice columns randomly placed and angled, supporting each other like the intricate branches of a frozen tree, so vast and endless that staring at them made me nauseous with vertigo. Ruined archways, halls and columns littered the place, as if the ice had sprung up around them. Meanwhile what sounded like unnatural vestiges of sound and distant whispers reverberated through the air.
It's just wind. I assured myself, only to recall how still the air had been outside.
Moving deeper, the echoes became more sinister, their distant cries more like the shrieks of distressed voices. My legs grew reluctant to push on, the others close behind me fared no better, huddled together like the seals I'd often seen on icebergs. Like the frosty desert outside, the sprawl went on for longer than I anticipated. Down here it was almost impossible to judge proportions, scale or distance.
After moving through the mangled maze for some time it finally appeared to be ending, gradually turning to something more orderly. The dark ice appeared to become neatly crafted, smooth and chiselled, almost like the temple back in Dardien. A large corridor emerged from a wall, curving round in front of us, before disappearing into the depths. Lying in the centre was a huge open door, guarded by two pillars, each one engraved with strange symbols. Each demonic rune glowed eerily with a faint blue aura, while a new cacophony of spine-chilling howls echoed from deep inside the passageway.
This must be the true fortress, or what's left of it? I observed, spying more petrified ruins in the ice.
A gust of wind seeped out from the doorway, carrying more faint voices. I raised a wing to shield my eyes from the chill and the others did the same. Peering again, I saw the doorway remained unchanged, I stood there for a moment longer, thoughts of Tarwin helping to build my confidence and determination.
I can't give up now. The words nestled themselves foremost in my mind, defending their position from any thoughts that might usurp them.
Stepping into the new passageway I got my first good view of the orderly, neat and symmetrical architecture. The sharply featured walls formed a long, straight corridor, the chilled faces leading down into a shallow river of white mist lingering at the base.
Glowing inscriptions of an unknown language covered the face of each carefully crafted column, and every opposing surface hosted a series of frozen pillars. Only one half of each support protruded from the ice, while the others were withheld, purposely modelled into the translucent surface. The roof reached up high, curving gently between the supporting walls, the ceiling hidden by another eerie layer of mist. The perfect symmetry was only broken by the occasional cluster of hanging icicles clinging to the ceiling like crystal spears.
The air was still and motionless and the sound of voices had ceased. I would have once taken their absence as a good sign, but I knew better. My senses remained primed, as without any obvious reasons, the atmosphere grew more sinister. The mist completely consumed my view of the floor, the only evidence that it existed at all was the continued tapping of my claws on the ice. The sight of the spectral substance shrouding my view made me increasingly wary, for all I knew there could be traps hiding within the shroud. Soon enough another wall emerged out of the mist, marking a point where the path split.
The junction of two corridors – one left and one right – conjured up feelings of delight and dread in equal measure. Anything could be waiting just around the corner, as for what it might be, was anyone’s guess. My attention turned to the walls, which now housed more than just ghostly inscriptions and frozen pillars. There were several rectangular grooves leading off from the main walkway, each one a few paces wide, equally deep, and housing odd shapes.
My eyes jumped between what appeared to be frozen figures suspended in the ice, namely the skeletal remains of humans, hundreds of them. Allowing my gaze to delve deeper I made out the contorted skeletons of numerous beasts: the remains of griffin’s and ghauls were obvious, but most others were unrecognisable. I stopped, the others immediately pausing behind me as their eyes also set upon the frozen remains. The longer I peered, the more a new fear manifested into existence – she could be in there. Even to consider using Tarwin’s name while looking at the skeletal remains felt like a painful curse.
No, these bones are too old. I told myself.
Turning to the others, another thought struck me. Do any of them know who or what creatures most of these bones belong to?
None of them spoke, although I already knew what Risha might have thought of the human forms frozen in the icy mausoleum. Even so, she showed no emotion, her thoughts remaining securely locked away. Regardless, I was sure that the sight of the frozen statues had made each of them consider what might become of us. That thought lingered for a moment, as did a concern about how they would react if I were to find and free Tarwin.
What consequences are there going to be when they discover she's human? My only confidence lay in the fact that Risha already knew. She's way
better at keeping things calm than I am.
Dismissing the idea for now, I peered deeper into the ice, making out the remains of more bony figures. Each held some sort of weapon – a sword, a spear, a bow or a weapon crafted for some other cruel purpose their motionless masters were unable to achieve. Some of the skeletons held shields while others wore protective armour, chest plates and helmets hung loosely with no flesh left to support them. Many of the skulls featured scars, empty eye sockets and lipless mouths lined with chipped, loose teeth or fangs. Some even bore the remains of hair, each individual strand suspended in the ice, like they were caught in the wind.
I peered around the first skeleton, looking deeper into the ice as the ghostly silhouettes seemed to peer down at me. Glancing back, my focus slowly moved around to the other side of the corridor to see another cove with yet more bodies. A whole legion of dead soldiers, all locked within their frozen prison.
This feels wrong.
"Get back!" Risha suddenly shouted.
Rushing back towards them, everyone's rapid movements swept the mist into a thick cloud. Within seconds I lost sight of them and cried out.
"What's wrong!?"
A ghostly howl surged through the halls, carried by a gust of wind that stirred the mist into an even thicker fog, leaving me barely able to witness the frozen prisons closest to me as they started to crack. I could hardly make out Risha and the others as fire and magic flashed and the skeletal forms stirred, in no time at all the first soldier started to break free. With a rough jolt of its limbs it shook off its frozen shell, sending fragments of ice in all directions.
Despite being devoid of life it stumbled from the remains of its prison, placing one bony, boot-clad foot clumsily before the other, its legs sinking into the mist and metal clad soles clanking upon impact with the ice.
I blinked in disbelief, as, almost as suddenly as its reanimation had started, it stopped.
Resuming its soulless stance, the only thing that remained were the faint ghostly sounds emerging from its broken jaw. Its head rested on one shoulder; its once empty eye sockets glowing with an unearthly spectral fire; as blue as the ice around me.
