214 - “Last Questions” - Thissraelle - A Tale of Heroes

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“I have more questions.” Thissraelle interjected, as she reached for an apple on the blanket before her.

Heathrax nodded his huge head toward her. “And I have a few for you.”

“Ah. Okay.” She hesitated and sat back. “Go ahead.”

“You told me how you were instructed to find me, but not how you came to actually find me.”

“Oh. Yeah. Well, that’s a long story, too.”

The dragon, with just a bit of sarcasm in his smile, raised his head and flexed the tendrils on his face. He tried to speak with a mocking high female lilt to his voice, “Well, I don’t think we’re going anywhere anytime soon, and time doesn’t seem to matter here, anyway, so...”

Thissraelle rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She began her story with when she met Granthurg and Karendle, telling how they had all battled the slavers in the manor near Dirae. Eddiwarth and Karendle interrupted with their own embellishments and points of view. They talked about their time in the monastery, and the visitation of St Ivarr. They talked about meeting Parith and Korr in the battle at the Cathedral, and spending time in The Vast with the Seekers.

“They said they knew you, that you had helped to found their order.” Thissraelle said to Heathrax.

“Yes, I did.” Heathrax affirmed. “Many years later, I tried to get Jaxil to join, but he was too concerned with the Guild and their machinations in the City.” Jaxil sighed and nodded.

Thissraelle continued, “They told us they thought you were in the Emberfire mountains, so we all began the journey.”

Eddiwarth interjected with a wink at Thissraelle, “We really like your poetry, by the way.”
“My poetry?” The dragon looked surprised.

“Yes, they gave me a book of your poems,” Thissraelle said, “but they never mentioned that you were a dragon. That might have helped us.”

Heathrax laughed again.

“Hey!” Karendle exclaimed to Thissraelle, “Couldn’t they have just portaled us here? If they knew him and all. That would have saved us a lot of trouble.”

Heathrax shook his head. “I have been isolated for many, many years. I don’t believe any of them know where to find me. I’ve been quite content to be alone.”

The story continued. Korr told of the party traveling through the forest, of being attacked, and ending up in TreeHaven. Thissraelle told him about the shrine, and their efforts to find out more about him there.

“That is a remarkable journey.” Heathrax confirmed.

Korr nodded. “My master teaches that all things are connected, and the world is one, a whole, a complete round. Any road that you walk will eventually lead you to where you need to be.”

Heathrax chuckled. “Your master is wise, but he always makes me laugh.”

Thissraelle smiled. Yes, the long road got us here. Who could have foreseen all of this? We had no idea where we were going. She looked at her friends with gratitude. She reached out and took Eddiwarth’s hand, then Karendle’s. Each of them took Korr’s and Parith’s as well. “Thank you all. You each risked so much for me, and I have learned so much from each of you. Thank you.”

Karendle embraced her. “I’m with you, sis. I’m with you!”

Heathrax nodded to them. “This could be why Ivarr came to you.”

Thissraelle sat back. “I don’t understand.” I’ve been saying that a lot in the last few months.

“You said you had been troubled not knowing why you had been given this task. Look around you. Look how you have all become so close, how much you have obviously all grown. You might have thought that the task was to bring me a vitally important message of the dangers in the world, but The Creator is often very involved in helping small changes in the lives of seemingly small people. Sometimes that’s how big things happen.”

Thissraelle looked around at the others and breathed deep.

A thought jumped up in her mind. “I still want to know how you and my father knew to come save us at the shrine. We were all set to die. How did you know to help us in the fight?”

Her father answered, “Well, I was contacted by Heathrax. He told me you were about to be in trouble and told me where. Years and years and years of nothing, not a ‘how do you do’, and suddenly, he’s telling me that my daughter’s about to get killed. I have no idea how he knew.” He looked over at the dragon.

Heathrax exclaimed, “Why, you told me!”

Jaxil frowned. “No, I didn’t.”

“Not you, Jaxil. You didn’t.” Heathrax gestured at Thissraelle. “However, you did.”

“What?” Thissraelle face was twisted in confusion.

“I received a message to my mind that you would be there, and that you urgently need my help. I reached out to your father immediately, then hurried to my portal.”

“But I didn’t know you.. I had no idea how to communicate with you! And how would you know who I was and that I would need your help?”

“Time is funny. It marches along very strangely here in The Vast. You obviously didn’t know me then. But now you do. And someday I imagine you will know how to send me that message.”

Thissraelle took a deep breath, her mind reeling a bit, then slowly bit from the apple she had held in her lap. There was no logical response to that statement. She looked at the blank and surprised faces of the others and had no answer for them, either. “So,” she munched, “what do we do now?”

Her father slowly stood. “You four,” he gestured to all of Thissraelle’s friends, “should rest. You should all come with me to Emberfire City and be honored guests in my home there. Stay for the Winterfest. It is amazing here in the mountains.”

“And what about me?” Thissraelle pressed.

Jaxil sighed deeply. “I can no longer command you as your father. You need not obey me. I hope, however, that you will also come home, at least for a time. Please. If not for me, come to comfort your mother.”

Oh. 

Yes. My Mother. 

That’s going to be an... interesting visit.  

She looked at Karendle with pleading in her eyes. “Maybe we can go on another quest...?”

The End of Part 15, and Story Arc 4

The End of A Tale of Heroes, Book 2: Of Wizards and Dragons

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213 - “The Dragons Stir” - Thissraelle - A Tale of Heroes

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“The dragons stir.” Thissraelle said, sitting on another floating rock. This one was significantly bigger than the others they had been on, with a large flat space some thirty feet across. It was mostly a deep red, but had veins of green and black running through it. “That’s my message for you. I have no idea what it means, but I would really like to know. That’s just what I was told to tell you.”

Heathrax hummed deep in his throat and nodded. He floated in The Vast just a few steps away from the rest of the group, who all relaxed in a semi-circle next to Thissraelle on the stone. Eddiwarth had used his power to start a fire in the middle, more for relaxation and emotional comfort than for warmth or cooking. Thissraelle’s father had retrieved some food from Emberfire, back in The Great Reality, breads and fruits, and it was all spread out at their feet on cloths between each of them and the fire.

“Jaxil?” The old dragon wheezed, “What do you think?”

“It probably has something to do with the Dragon’s Flame.”

“Are they still around?”

“Apparently, and becoming more active.”

Thissraelle interrupted. “Yeah, just who is this Dragon’s Flame group?”

Her father said, “They’re a strange cult that--”

“--that worships dragons, I know that, but who ARE they? Where did they come from? What do they want?”

“Shall I tell you the short version? Or the full story?” Heathrax looked at her with what might have been the draconic equivalent of a smirk.

Thissraelle leaned back, tucked her chin, and raised her brows. “Well, I don’t think we’re going anywhere anytime soon, and time doesn’t matter out here, anyway, so...”

Heathrax growled a chuckle out of his throat, then he coughed. “Excuse me, I’m very old, and not fully well.” he said. “About 400 years ago, when I was a much younger dragon, we ruled the land of Wynne. You’ve probably heard of that time. The great Dragon Kings lived in the western mountains and ruled all of the land. Most of the records of the dragons note that it was a time of great civilization and great learning. Dragons were everywhere.

“Some of us, however, began to feel that using our power and strength to dominate the humans, elves, dwarves, giants, and everyone, was not right. There was a philosophical movement among the dragons toward hominid self-determination and liberty. Since we, as dragons of the ruling class, enjoyed freedom to share our thoughts, even though the people did not, some of us began to speak out. The debate at times became heated, and there were some clashes. At first, they were just clashes of words, but they soon escalated.”

Thissraelle nodded. “Is that why you’re called the DragonFriend?”

“Yes.” Heathrax got a deep, almost nostalgic look on his face. “The elves of the forest first called me that. I rather liked that name.”

“When we were first looking for you, I assumed that it was the name of a man who was a friend to dragons, not the other way around.”

Heathrax smiled and continued, “There were some among the people that were loyal to the dragon kings. For some reason that I will never understand, they believed we were ordained to rule all, by the Creator himself. Then, they took it even further, implying that the Creator had made us dragons to be deities from the beginning, and that since our ancestors had even helped create the world, according to the legends, we should be worshipped.

“Unfortunately, some of us rather liked being worshipped. I always found it oddly awkward.” Heathrax shook his head sadly. “Anyway. Other groups of the people did not believe us to be gods, and instead wanted to overthrow the rule of the dragons. They bounded together into armies and tried to fight, but between the dragons themselves, and the loyalist armies, there was little hope for them. Just a lot of blood. Some dragons were killed, but it was mostly the blood of people, I’m afraid.”

After a moment’s pause, Thissraelle encouraged, “So, how did the reign of the Dragon Kings end? Did you eventually convince the others to allow the people to be free?” She had never really been interested in historical things before, but now found herself fascinated. Granthurg would be loving this talk!

“Oh, no! That was a bizarre twist of fate. Soon after the wars, the dragons were struck with a pox, a disease. It ran through our populace like a grass fire through a meadow. It ravaged us, killing most. Easily two out of every three dragons succumbed. Magic couldn’t cure it, and none of us knew any arts of natural healing. Most of those left were sickly and weak. That was my fate. That is why I still breathe and talk like I do.”

“People in the cities sensed that our rule was weakening, and formed their armies with renewed excitement. What remained of us after the pox were killed or driven from our holds and palaces, scattered away. I flew here to the Emberfire mountains, along with a few others, to establish ourselves in hiding. It was easy enough to do. These mountains are difficult to climb. Others left the land of Wynne entirely.”

Eddiwarth asked, “Are you still dying off?”

“Oh, no. The pox is over. But we are few, and very solitary. Once a year or two we might fly to find a mate and have a small clutch of eggs, but as a group, we have no leader, no society, no way of knowing how many of those hatchlings survive.”

Jaxil picked up the story. “After defeating the dragons, the people fought among themselves for a time, until the Mage kings of the high elves established order and civilization again.”

Parith and Thissraelle exchanged saddened glances.

“So,” Jaxil continued, “the logical conclusion here is that some descendant of one of the old dragons has raised its head, begun to rally the old cult, and stir up trouble. It has happened before.”

Karendle swallowed a bite of bread. “Does this have anything to do with Granthurg and that dagger?”

Heathrax’s head turned quickly, startling Eddiwarth. He dropped his cup with a clatter. Heathrax whispered, “A dagger?”

“Yeah.” Karende went on between bites, “It was short, white, curved, and had a lot of carvings. There was a dragon design cast into the pommel. He said everyone was trying to get it from him.”

The great dragon drew in a breath in wonder. “Yes, in fact, it does have much to do with that. Does he still have it?”

Karendle looked at Thissraelle. “Yeah, I guess so. What is it?”

“It’s a relic I, actually, had hoped had been lost. It was made by human mages in the early days of the uprising, from the tooth of a slain dragon.” Everyone went quiet. “It was legendary, and, after the great pox, helped the humans to kill many dragons. That was its only power, to kill dragons.”

“So, if you happen to worship dragons...” Thissraelle began.

Heathrax inserted, “or if you ARE a dragon...”

“It would be very good to have it in your control.”

<<<>>>

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211 - “Here With Friends” - Karendle - A Tale of Heroes

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Where did Thissraelle go?

Karendle paced around a tiny, almost round worldlet as it twirled slowly in the vast. It was rocky and uneven, floating nearby to the main stone platform that they had appeared on when they had all first stepped through Heathrax’s portal. There were a lot of these floating chunks of stone all over, and Karendle suspected that they had been gathered there, or created in place more likely, by Heathrax.

Where is she? She was really upset when the fight ended. Then she just flew off.

I get it. By the Creator, those first two dragons were huge. I thought we were all dead. Then she had to deal with her father.

Karendle thought about the first time Thissraelle had talked about her life before they’d met. That night had been back in their dormitory room at the monastery, with DeFrantis. Thissraelle and DeFrantis had giggled and talked like sisters. Karendle had been a little distant, like a neighbor girl that wasn’t quite in the club. It had been strange to hear Thissraelle’s story, though. She’d had it pretty posh there as the daughter of the Twynne Rivers Wizard’s Guildmaster. Karendle had wondered why she’d left that life. Of course, my life in the mountains with my family wasn’t too bad, either. Not as nice as hers, but not bad. But I left it, too. I guess you just have to get out on your own. We really had a lot in common, considering how different we are. 

 I was such a jerk to her, then.

The sight of someone else’s feet in her downturned field of vision startled her, and she stopped walking. Parith was walking around the rock from the other side.

Karendle smiled, “You’re on your feet! You look like you’re doing much better.”

“Yeah. I’m still a bit stiff, though.”

“Well, considering that just a few hours ago, you were almost broken in two, I think you’re in fine shape.”

He smiled back. “Was it just a few hours ago?”

Karendle stepped aside and sat down on a nearby bump of rock. She gestured to Parith, but he shook his hand, saying, “It’s good. For now, I like being able to stand. How’s Thissraelle?”

“Don’t know. She went off alone. Eddiwarth went to look for her, and her father did, too. I should probably go back her up, but... Oh, I don’t know, she's pretty upset.”

“She’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

Karendle laughed and dropped her head.

Parith pressed, “No, seriously. I’ve seen you fight for her. You’re relentless. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that kind of loyalty.”

“Really?” She set her head to one side. “Never seen it? What about you? Weren’t you right there, sticking arrows in the dragon? What was that for? It was all for her.” She paused, “And she would do the same for us.”

“You think so? She and I fought quite a bit in the forest.”

“Yeah, well, she and I fought a lot before the cathedral, too. But she came looking for me. She fought for Eddiwarth, and she also helped you fight off the high elves.”

“True. And in the end, saved my life.”

A peaceful silence settled between them.

Finally Parith broke the silence. “These last few months have really changed me. I’ve always worked alone, guiding all the traders back and forth through the forest. I was by myself in the city until I met Korr, then the rest of you. I’ve never been a part of something like this. Heathrax’s Heroes!” He laughed, “It feels strange, and good.”

He took a deep breath and shifted his feet. “It was weird. I was at home in TreeHaven, but I didn’t feel like it. Even when the captains let me visit my family. They asked me to stay there with them, but I felt a pull to follow Korr and the rest of you.”

“Yeah. I know it,” Karendle agreed. “I keep feeling like, at some point, we’ll figure out what’s going on beyond us, though. What’s with the dragons, right? I have this sense that something is happening out in the bigger world and we’re just walking right past it.”

“Or maybe I just want to watch Eddiwarth embarrass himself trying to impress Thissraelle more.”

Karendle laughed and leaned back. Suddenly her thought jumped to her voice. “Hey, where’s the little drake?”

Parith took a sharp breath and looked away.

What? What did I say? Wait... Did the dragon...? “Oh, no! No. I didn’t see...”

Parith just nodded.

“I am so sorry...”

Parith shrugged. Or was that his shoulders shaking? Karendle jumped up and embraced him.

“I’m so sorry...”

<<<>>>

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203 - “Stones and Rocks” - Karendle - A Tale of Heroes

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Oh, Creator! Save me! We’re all gonna die! Karendle huddled low behind a stone broken off of one of the pillars lining the bridge. Her breathing was shallow, and her hands and forearms covered her head. Heat and smoke from the flames down the walkway blended with the steam drifting from the pools and the cold winter wind flowing down the canyon. It all made her sweaty face shiver. Her legs shook, curled up to her chest, unable to stand and run. Another growl from the dragon’s throat chilled her spine and made her cower tighter against the stone. It didn’t really provide much cover, but it was all she had.

The dragon took a step forward, and the bridge shook underneath her. It’s a dragon! We are all gonna die! I can’t look. When it had landed on the bridge, it had knocked over several of the pillars on the side like they were candles on a tabletop. Its wings had swept over her and sent her sprawling. As panic gripped her, she had crawled toward the fallen column to hide as best she could.

Now, she just lay on the cold stone of the bridge and felt waves of fear rush over her. Her heart was racing. Or is it stopped? She couldn’t tell. She kept her eyes closed tight and tried to suck in a breath. Her chest muscles were too tense, and she only gasped and coughed. Her hands were clenched so tight that her fingers ached. They each gripped something, but she wasn’t aware of what. It was hard and cold, like stone.

She brought her hands forward, before her face and opened them slightly, looking in her palms. My oculi! She held her two stones, one blue, the other a mix of green and brown.

She could hear shouting, now--  Thissraelle’s and Eddiwarth’s voices. Thissraelle’s father was calling out again as well. The bridge stone below her shook again. Karendle raised her head over the fallen pillar to look. Way up above her was the scaly chest and neck of the beast. Where’s Thissraelle? I can’t see her!

Off to her left was a conflagration making a thick, dark smoke blow her way. Across the bridge, through the smoke, she saw Parith standing with his bow drawn. His aim was fluid, in motion, trying to track the movements of the dragon’s head. He shot, and Karendle saw it bounce off the scales of its face. Parith quickly drew another and loosed it, making the dragon blink. It turned its head and snarled at him, lifting a foot to try and sweep him off the bridge.

Karendle rolled onto her back and focused her will on the boulder she’d been hiding behind. She thrust her arms out and the stone flew up under her power and caught the dragon on the underside of its jaw. Its head jerked back, then snaked toward her, it’s angry eyes flaring and its fanged mouth wide open. She quickly launched a second stone at it, which it easily dodged. A dark greenish-gray fog began to form in its mouth, burping and bubbling out from around its tongue.

Oh, that’s not good. She scrambled to her feet, then reached out with her will to one of the pillars that still remained standing. With a grunt she tried to move it with the mental oculus, but was surprised when it held firm in place.

The dragon sucked in a breath. I can’t break it off!

In a sudden flash of inspiration, she swept the nature oculus forward, cleanly slicing the pillar off near its base. With blue mental oculus in her other hand, she swung it like a giant club at the dragon. It hit the neck, just below the head, knocking it sideways and making it stumble.

It coughed and sputtered. Karendle was gasping for air as well, and the smoke from the fire was burning her lungs. She stepped away to find cleaner air.

The dragon lifted its foreleg and snapped it forward, trying to grab her in its sword-claws. Karendle jumped back to avoid the blow, but slipped on a loose stone and lost her balance. She fell, and her thigh hit the railing of the bridge. She felt herself tumble off the bridge and twisted, trying desperately to grab for the railing. She was already too far off, and her oculi flew from her hands. She fell spinning, screaming into the canyon and the steamy cloud below.

<<<>>>

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202 - “A Rival” - Thissraelle - A Tale of Heroes

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“Thissraelle! Hurry!” her father called out to her. “Come to me!”

Thissraelle’s eyes narrowed and her fists clenched. Why is he here? He’s come for me, of course. She looked around at the fear in the eyes of her companions. He set us up. Heathrax, St. Ivarr, it was all to get me here, wasn’t it? And Eddiwarth? 

“You!” She pointed at Eddiwarth. “Did you tell him we were coming here?” He gasped and tried to speak, but the deep horrified frown on his lips told her what she needed to know.

“I... I didn’t...”

She cut him off. “Save it! He probably played you like he played me! Now we’re trapped. We can’t fight dragons. What can we do?” She spun back around to face her father. Without his Guildmaster robes, he didn’t look as commanding. He reminded her more of the fun-loving Dad she’d played with as a child. But I’m not playing games anymore! 

Thissraelle saw Karendle getting out her oculi. Parith readied his bow and jumped up on one of the railings by a column on the side of the bridge. Eddiwarth stood, confused, beside her, looking for some sort of hope in her words.

“No! You can't fight.” Thissraelle hissed at them. “It’s me he wants. I’ll distract him. All of you rush past him and get down the mountain as fast as you can. Wait—I’ll make you a portal!” She started to summon her will and held her hands forward.

Karendle grabbed her hand. “You’ll come with us, right?”

“Thissraelle!” Her father called, even more urgently. “Hurry! Come now!”

Thissraelle looked at her father, then back at Karendle. “No. I’m done with running. I’ve got to face him. Let go of me.”

“I’m not going through any portal unless you go first.” Karendle tossed Thissraelle’s hand aside. She stepped back and took her oculi, one in each hand. “We might not win but we can keep the dragons busy. You deal with your father.” Eddiwarth stepped back as well and ignited each of his hands with raging flames.

“Better hurry, they’re coming back!” Parith shouted out, drawing his bow.

Thissraelle turned back to the terrace. Well, if he wants to capture me, then he won’t actually kill me, right? Let’s see how he plays this.

“You want me?” She shouted at her father, “Then come and get me!”  Vivid shafts of dazzling light appeared in her hands as she strode toward him. Her long white hair flowed out behind her as she picked up speed. She swung her arms, throwing the bolts of light hard at him. He waved his hands and deflected them easily. She pulled her hands back as she ran, summoning more light and more will.

“Don’t fight me, m’little girl, it’s not safe!”

“If you’re so worried about me, where were you at the cathedral? Oh! Yes, you were the one that burned it down around me!”

A thunderous roar shook the canyon and an enormous dragon dove toward the bridge from the narrow slice of sky above, its open maw snarling and growling. Its expansive green wings flexed wide to break its dive and turn its massive scaly body over the bridge. Its claws, each as long as Thissraelle’s arm, crunched into the rock of the bridge as the dragon’s forelegs slammed down. The bridge shook as its muscular back legs landed. The body was big enough to block the entire walkway of the bridge. The long tail, jagged with sharp scales, swung behind and wrapped around a pillar. The hard, scaly green skin reflected the daylight. It raised its horned and spiked head up high above them and screamed a horrifying roaring shout.

Instantly, Thissraelle’s heart stopped and fell deep into her gut. Her wide eyes were bound to the face of the horror snarling some 20 feet above her. A scream sliced its way out of her chest, by way of her throat. Her feet turned her body around and she ran. I’m dead. I’m already dead. She suddenly became aware of her heartbeat pounding in her head as her feet pounded the stones.

“Thissraelle! Stop!” It was her father’s voice she heard, through the noise. Her first instinct was to stop, to obey her father, like she had done many times as a small child. This time, however, stopping was difficult and she stumbled and fell to the bridge, tumbling and rolling. As she raised her eyes to look at her father again, a second dragon, a deep red, swept over the bridge, coughing, hacking, and spitting. The walkway before her erupted in an explosion of flame, spraying burning and smoking retch all around her. The heat was unbearable. She rolled over and began scrambling on scraped hands and bruised knees back toward where she came from.

Eddiwarth knelt beside her and helped her up. She looked into his eyes. He was bleeding from a cut on his left forehead.

The dragon on the bridge roared again, this time dripping flaming drool from his tongue and teeth. He growled, forming garbled words with his mouth. “Wherrre isss...” he snarled, as he spat out smoking drops. “Where iss Heathhhraxx? Tell me now, before you die!”

<<<>>>

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201 - “Beauty and Fear” - Korr - A Tale of Heroes

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“...And vast are the works of His creation.” Vast, and so very beautiful. Korr moved to join the others that had stepped around the bend in the path. They all stood in silence, enraptured by the springs and waterfalls before them. Pungent steam filled the warm and wet air breezing down the canyon.

Thissraelle moved first, trying to step along the path but her snowshoes were clumsy on the stone. “Look! There’s no snow on the path here!” She leaned on the rock of the canyon side and reached down to untie the webbed shoe flats from her boots. Others began to do the same.

“These shoes,” Korr mused while taking his off, “were a big part of the struggle that we had to go through to get here to this place. It is interesting that they were both very difficult and even painful to use, and yet without them, the trek would not have been possible.”

“Hey, come back here!” Parith shouted at the drakeling. It had jumped from his shoulders and crawled down the path toward the terrace. Parith jumped after it, but had only removed one snowshoe, so he stumbled to his knees.

Korr carried his snowshoes under his arm and moved along the path. When he got to the terrace with the bridge, he unslung his pack and set it and the shoes down against the nearby canyon wall. He stretched his back and shoulders. Karendle and Thissraelle followed close behind.

“I’m amazed,” Korr said, “at the beauty shown here. The combination of the natural pools and the constructed shrine and path is truly artistic.”

“It is!” Thissraelle agreed.

“I wonder how it was engineered. The latticework on the bridge supports would have required...” Korr let his thought trail off.

“It was probably done magically, rather than manually. Rock shaping mages using nature powers, I would guess. It would still have been a lot of work, anyway.” She stepped toward the bridge.

“Woah, easy, hold on there!” Karendle held her arm back.

“What?”

“You’re just going to stroll across it?” Karendle looked at her in disbelief. “A little caution, please. Every old story they tell kids has trouble on bridges! Something’s below it, ready to grab you, or something’s above it, waiting to swoop in on you. Or it’s ancient and ready to crumble as soon as you step wrong. Meanwhile, halfway out, you’re caught, and vulnerable.”

Thissraelle laughed, but still hesitated.

Korr looked across the chasm. “Those stories might be nothing more than just that: stories to enthrall children. Or they might all be true. However, one thing is certain, that being that the shrine is our goal, it is on the other side of the canyon, and the bridge is the simplest way to get there.”

Eddiwarth and Parith nodded to each other. “It is what we’re here for,” Parith added as he started to cross the bridge. “Isn’t it?”

Korr followed, gesturing to the others. Thissraelle glanced at Eddiwarth for confirmation, then Karendle. Finally, she shrugged and followed.

As they moved out into the center of the canyon, they felt the wind rushing through from higher up the mountain. It was both cold from the deeper snow and higher altitudes above and a bit warm and damp from the steaming springs nearby. Korr looked forward past the others and stopped, calling out. “Hold!”
At the end of the bridge, in the shrine itself, a man stood. He was dressed in black and dark brown and carried a spear, and he had a posture like he was blocking or guarding the way. His dark brown cloak billowed in the wind. His face was hidden in the cowl. He said nothing and issued no commands. Even though the man stood defensively, and the spear was pointed to the sky, Korr instinctively moved his feet and arms into a firm and ready combat stance.

Parith’s hand went to his bow. “What...?”

Before any of them could react, there was a flash behind them. “Thissraelle!” a man’s voice called out.

Korr stepped aside and turned around to look with the others. Another man stepped onto the bridge from the terrace where they had just stood. He was older, with a light-colored and flowing robe. Thissraelle’s face was distorted with recognition, surprise, and anger.

“Oh, no. Not him!” She spat the words into the mist. “By the flames of the Creator...”

Korr returned his focus forward to the man in black. The man had not moved, nor spoken. He didn’t seem to have any reaction to the appearance of the other.

“Who is that?” Eddiwarth asked Thissraelle, gesturing at the man in the robes.

Thissraelle made a deep disapproving grunt. “It’s my father.”

“Your father?” Karendle interjected. “The one you’ve been running from? The one who sent Eddiwarth to catch you?”

“Among others, apparently.”

Karendle grunted. “No wonder you have issues.”

The small drake screeched loudly, startling everyone. It sat on the stonework of the bridge between them, staring up into the sky and flapping its wings in fear. It ran toward Parith and jumped into his arms, and crawled onto his shoulders under his cloak. Korr followed its gaze upward. A very large dragon flew through the canyon, silhouetted against the narrow slit of sky above them. It flew much lower than the one they had seen before did, and they heard its roar shake through the canyon. A second one, slightly smaller, flew close behind it.

“See?” Karendle said, “ Nothing goes right on bridges.”

<<<>>>

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200 - “Arrival” - Korr - A Tale of Heroes

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<<<>>>

“There’s something different on the mountain today,” Karendle wondered.

Korr looked up into the clear mid-morning sky. The sun was rising slowly higher, reflecting off the snowy mountainside as they trudged slowly up the winding path. He turned around to her. The others followed the trail behind them in a line. “I believe it seems a little warmer.”

Karendle paused her steps and sniffed with her nose in the air. “Something smells a bit odd, too.” Korr pulled down the scarf that he had wrapped across his sunburned face. He breathed in the air, trying to determine what he was also smelling. It had a slightly acidic edge, unlike the sweet clearness that had so far surrounded them from day to day in the mountain.

“That’s probably just Eddiwarth’s breakfast coming back to haunt him.” Parith called out from a little farther back on the trail.

“That’s not me!” Eddiwarth protested. Thissraelle laughed.

“That’s it!” Karendle exclaimed. “You’re limited to only three pieces of jerky tonight.”

While they stood resting for a moment, Korr surveyed the path ahead. He looked up the steady slope of the snowy rock above them. Just a bit beyond where they stood was a turn, inward, into a large crevice in the mountainside. It looked to Korr as if some long forgotten half-god had grabbed the peak and split it in half all the way down to the foothills. He adjusted his pack and moved forward again.

"Is that what I think it is?" Thissraelle's voice drifted forward.

Korr turned around to explain the canyon and the path up ahead and saw Thissraelle and Eddiwarth looking high up the side of the mountain, pointing. "I think it is..." she murmured.

"We might want to get to cover, quick." Eddiwarth added. The drakeling hissed.

Korr followed their eyes. Way up in the cloudless sky, not too far from the peak of the mountain, a large dark bird circled. No, that’s too big for a bird, isn’t it? He squinted and shaded his eyes with his hand. No! It’s..

“A dragon!” Karendle shouted. “See? I told you!”

“This way!” Korr balanced his pack and lifted his snowshoed feet in a vain attempt to run. It momentarily threw him off balance, so he paused and centered himself low, then began lurching forward more methodically. He could hear the others hurrying behind him.

“Do dragons have good eyesight?” Eddiwarth wondered between his heavy breaths. It didn’t take them long to get to the canyon and follow the path inward. The mountain slopes up to the peaks on either side of the canyon were much steeper, almost like walls, and there were a lot of jagged outcroppings overhead. They all pressed against the canyon wall beside the path to take advantage of the cover and the shade.

Korr felt an odd breeze blowing across his face. Why is it warm? No—it’s not really warm. It’s just less cold.  He sniffed. And this is where that smell is coming from. 

The canyon crevice was not too wide, maybe only an arrow shot across at its narrowest. The sunshine illuminated the rocks on both sides, but not directly, instead reflecting down off of craggy outcroppings of stone frosted in snow. He stepped to the side of the path and leaned over the drop. It wasn’t as deep as he’d expected. At least, it seemed that way. A dozen or so yards down there was a dense haze of fog. He could hear running water a little farther below that.

Suddenly remembering the dragon, he glanced up and saw only sky above the crack. He nodded to the others and they all continued down the path.

The canyon and the path zigzagged several times as they moved onward, inward, and slightly upward. The snowpack on the ledge became gradually thinner and more dense as the air around them continued to warm slightly. The sound of running water became steadily louder as well. Parith kept an uneasy eye upward, but each time he looked saw only rocks, snow, and sky.

After a time, Korr, still in the lead, came to yet another bending zag in the canyon wall and turned the corner.  He froze for a moment, unable to speak or even think clearly.  Finally, he gathered his wits and stepped aside. “I think we have arrived.” He gestured for his friends to pass him.

The canyon opened up into a wider hollow. Ahead of them the far side was layered with many flat pools of hot, bubbling, steaming, blue and green water. Each pool overflowed in a sparkling waterfall down onto the staggered terraces of pools below it. Along the side of each waterfall was a cascade of long crystalline icicles where droplets had splashed to the side and been frozen to the rocks. Next to one of the larger pools just slightly below their level was a large and ornate stone porch protruding from the mountain. It jutted out a good twenty feet and was at least that wide. The ornate shaping of the pillars and the roof showed that it was obviously not naturally formed. It’s farthest edge was the steaming and burping pool itself, and the other faces were protected by a silver railing between the stone posts at each corner.

From the longest side of the porch a wide and gently sloping stonework bridge crossed the canyon gap over a latticework of stone arches whose feet stretched down into the fog. The bridge was wide enough for many people to walk side by side, and edged by a railing with tall columns every twenty feet or so, pointing up into the air. The bridge reached a similar, but smaller terrace on the near side of the canyon, and the path they were all on led up to it.

“I believe,” Korr said to his awestruck companions, “that we have found the shrine.”

<<<>>>

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198 - “Blessed Steps” - Thissraelle - A Tale of Heroes

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<<<>>>

“Thissraelle...”

“Thissraelle,” the voice whispered again. Someone shook her gently. She felt the cold air of the night on her face and opened her eyes. Karendle hovered over her. “Sorry, sis. It’s your turn for watch.”

Thissraelle nodded and yawned. Her cheeks were warm and a bit painful. She reached up out of her blanket and touched them gingerly. Karendle leaned back. “Yeah. Sunburn. Funny, huh? In the dead of winter, even.”

Karendle unwrapped her blanket from her shoulders and spread it on the snowpad in the space next to Thissraelle. “There’s some brew in the bowl on the stone. It’s not as hot as it was earlier, but it’s still good.” She sat down on the blanket then lay flat and pulled the other half over her. She shifted a few times underneath before lying still.

Thissraelle got up and wrapped herself in her own blanket. She stood by the warm rock for a few minutes, trying to encourage her mind to become alert. The night seemed very bright, even as late as it was. She shook out her cup and poured some brew from the bowl. She sipped and made a face. Ukhgh! Still good? Ow! Making faces hurt. OK, I’m awake, now.

She stood for a moment, sipping from the cup. The moonlight seemed to draw her away and she stepped carefully over the trampled snow to the edge of the rock overhang. She followed a little of yesterday’s path and came out onto a ledge, catching her breath. The full moon hung bright in the sky, illuminating the snow all around with a ghostly silver glow. Far below, she saw the deep expanse of the Umbrawood Forest, a lumpy sea of brown and white. They were not even a third of the way up the side of the mountain, but she could see mile after beautiful mile away. Above her was a clear sky of stars. Many were overpowered by the brightness of the moon, but there were still innumerable others that shone brilliantly through. The expansive void above her reminded her of The Vast. She smiled and sighed.

...Vast are the works of His creation. The words Korr had cited rolled through her mind.

In moments like this, I feel lucky. 

She felt something twist tightly around her leg and boot. Surprised, she jumped and flipped her blanket open. Parith’s little drake had wrapped its tail and body around her right leg. It squawked twice and looked up at her with big, expectant eyes. Then, it rubbed its head softly against her knee and trilled.

Thissraelle blew out a misty breath of relief and squatted down to skritch its head. It closed its eyes and pressed back against her hand with a contented thrumm. It looked back up at her and turned its head one way, then the other.

“Sorry, I don’t have anything...” she paused, remembering, “Oh, wait.” She stood so she could reach the pocket in her leggings. She fumbled for a moment and pulled out a piece of jerky. “Here you go!” She stooped again and held it out for him, and he gobbled it immediately.

So, why do I feel lucky? This has been a very hard time for me. I’ve got people chasing me, wanting to kill me, capture me, or use me, and I’m not even sure where I’m going. She stood.

But what did I expect? I left a nice, comfortable home because, well, I wanted to see things. I wanted to get out. And here I am. Out. If I had stayed, I would have never seen this beauty that’s before me now. I would never have found friends like these, like DeFrantis or Granthurg. I would have never found Eddiwarth.

I’m a much better wizard, now. I can do more things, and I know more of when and how to use it, not just what tricks I can do. It’s a big world, with big players, and I’m just starting to see a place in it.

She took another drink of the horrid brew.

I’m not lucky. I’m blessed.

The Creator has blessed my steps.

<<<>>>

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197 - “A Stroll Up the Mountain” - Thissraelle - A Tale of Heroes

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Thissraelle had heard stories from her parents about snows this deep in the mountains, but by her memories of Twynne Rivers, anything higher than her ankles was a harsh winter. Now, here, on the path up the mountainside, she found herself slogging through snow banks that could have literally swallowed her up were it not for the webbed snowshoes the wood elves had given them. Though they kept her from sinking deep, they were big and awkward and they made her walk with a wide waddle. She had to heft her knees up high with each step just to keep moving forward.

Korr was marching in front of her, a huge pack on his back. He had been willing to carry the larger of the team’s packs. The smaller one, which was still quite large, was swapped back and forth between Parith and Eddiwarth. Karendle and Thissraelle had volunteered for a turn but Eddiwarth wouldn’t allow it. Thissraelle also noticed that Parith’s cloak had some rather large holes in it. She wondered how they had come to be, then laughed as she noticed the drake gnawing on the folds of his hood as it sat comfortably on Parith’s shoulder.

The sun was bright and almost blinding as it reflected off the white snow on the rocks around them. Every so often, Thissraelle would turn her eyes from the path ahead and look out over the forest stretched out below the slopes. Each time, the view was deeper and further below.

They had left TreeHaven three days before. Illariel had been eager to guide them to the foothills of the mountain. Three elven scouts of the garrison had been assigned to accompany them, presumably for their protection, though Parith had grumbled that they were there to make sure the party actually left the forest.

It had been hard for Thissraelle to part with Illariel. They had become good friends during their time in TreeHaven, and they had laughed together as they had dashed through the tree branches on the way through Umbrawood to the mountain path. It had been difficult for Thissraelle at first to gain her balance on the snowy branches, but she adapted, and soon was moving quickly along. Korr and Karendle had struggled to keep up. Finally, the forest ended in the lower hills of the mountainside, and Illariel had said goodbye with a hug.

The day’s struggle trudging along the winding path up the mountainside wore long. They came to a spot with a flat space under an overhang of rock. As the sun dimmed low over the horizon far off to the right, they set up their encampment. The muscles in Thissraelle’s legs and hips hurt in ways she had never thought possible. Karendle used her oculus to call up a large stone a few feet around, and Eddiwarth heated it with magical fires until it radiated warmth all around them. They each rolled out their thick and soft elven blankets, folded over once. They sat on the blankets facing the warming stone as the darkness fell, eating crusts and dried meats from their pack. A small bowl on the stone was melting snow and heating the water for them to make a dark brew.

“This is exhausting.” Parith took a bite of bread, as he looked at Thissraelle. “Let me ask: If you can open portals and flip through The Vast, from one place to the next, why are we walking? Why not just flash through a portal? We’d be at the shrine, bing!”

The look on other’s faces showed that they’d been wondering about this as well.

Thissraelle sighed, “The Vast is pretty unpredictable, and it’s not always stable. If you don’t have a clear vision of where you’re going or who you’re trying to catch up with, there’s no telling where you could end up. Some places, like the Seeker’s temple, have been made stable by the mages that live there. The portals there and back are well-established. That’s why we had to come back out of the Vast into Twynne Rivers, right by the old cathedral.”

She thought for a minute. “In the forest, when I blinked away from the fight, I was in a panic and completely unfocused. I was pretty lucky, really. I ended up hung up in a tree a few miles away. I might have easily ended up thousands of miles away, or even up in the air, falling out of a cloud. I could have gotten swept away in a Vast storm, or lost forever. Unless you know where you’re going, it’s very risky.

“Dimensional wizards with a lot of experience and deep pools of will can drive their way through and find the right moments of exit back into The Great Reality.” She dropped her gaze. “But I’m not that good at it yet.”

They ate more, trying to shiver off the awkwardness of the moment. Eddiwarth looked at the other’s tired and worn faces, coughed, and mused, “I’ve been thinking a bit about this Heathrax guy. I’m trying to figure out how old he would be. From the sounds of those legends, they were hundreds of years old.”

Parith nodded. “He’s probably dead.”

“Could be,” thought Eddiwarth. “Maybe we’ll find his descendents.”

“My master,” Korr said, “when he gave me the task, told me to find his friend and give him greetings. While it could be that this shrine is his memorial, and my instructions are to leave greetings there, the more sure implication is that Heathrax himself is still alive.”

Korr reached for the bowl, then wondered, “He could be elven. How long do elves live?”

Thissraelle settled back on her arms and uncrossed her legs, stretching them out before her. The motion both hurt and felt good. She leaned over to rest her head on Eddiwarth’s shoulder. “There are some family lines of high elven royalty that have lived that long, I’m told. Most of us don’t. What about the wood elves?”

“I don’t know.” Parith shrugged. “A hundred, maybe a hundred-fifty. More than most humans, but not by that much.”

Karendle added, “Maybe someone could have used magic to live longer. Or been turned into a tree or something.”

“There’s a point we’re all kind of missing, here.” Karendle blurted out, “Are we killing ourselves to climb a mountain named ‘Dragonspine’ to look for a guy named ‘Dragonfriend’ and not expecting to find dragons? I mean, DRAGONS, people. We fought drakes at the cathedral and that was bad enough. I’m not so sure I want to meet a full dragon. Maybe Heathrax is a dragon’s friend, but that doesn’t mean WE are.”

Their discussion was interrupted by a high-pitched hacking and coughing sound. Thissraelle looked to her left, away from the warming stone, and saw the small drake sitting in the snow. Its tummy shook and its snaking neck heaved in waves toward its wide open mouth. It lurched once, then again, and with a loud hack, hurked a thick blob out of its mouth that burst into flame the moment it hit the open air. It splattered out of its mouth onto the snow where it sizzled and melted until it steamed itself out. The drake hissed and spit a few more small smoking droplets, then shook its head from side to side and licked its nose with its smoldering tongue.

The party all looked on with surprise. The drake finally stopped coughing and looked back at them all, cocking his head to one side with a questioning gaze and trilling.

“Well.” Parith said, “He’s never done that before.”

“Let’s...ah...” Thissraelle added, eyes wide, “let’s keep him away from the blankets.”

<<<>>>

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195 - “Together” - Thissraelle - A Tale of Heroes

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<<<>>>

“Well,” Karendle said, turning away from the railing, “this is all nice and happy and everything, but I’m cold and hungry. We held off on lunch waiting for you. I’m going back inside.” She smiled and slapped Thissraelle on the shoulder, then stepped through the circle to the house behind them. Others voiced their own agreements and moved that way as well. Thissraelle quickly reached out and grabbed Eddiwarth’s hand, holding him back. She drew him to the railing, looking out over the town in the trees.

“I’m cold.” she said, and squirmed her way inside his cloak. She felt his warmth against her back and leaned her head up against his ear. She pulled his cloak as tight as she could in front of her, and his arms reached across her waist. “I’d like to come back here someday, when all this is over.”

In a moment, her mind raced through the memories of the last year. Last winter, I was still stuck in my tower of the Wizard’s Guild, planning my escape. So much has happened since then. I’ve seen poverty and slavery, I met great friends, like Granthurg and DeFrantis, and fought alongside them. I’ve learned so much from Karendle, and now Parith. Things I had lived with for so long are just not true. I’ve had to really grow up. Now, here I stand with Eddiwarth. It feels so nice.

“Yeah, it does feel nice.”

She jumped out of her thoughts. “Are you in my mind?”

“What?” He shifted his head and looked at her. “No! You said that.”

“Out loud?”

“Yes. You said, ‘It feels so nice’, and I said, ‘Yeah.’”

“Hmm.” She looked out over the balcony again and snuggled back up against him. “So I did. And it does.” She could feel his breathing up against her back and see the mist in the air mingling with her own breath.  She smiled, feeling the warmth in her heart and the cold on her face. The snow had all but stopped. Sounds from all around wafted past her in the breeze. Birds in the trees chased what seeds they could find. The elves on the walkways carried on, busy with their tasks, unnoticing. This feels so nice.

After a moment’s hesitation, he said, quietly, “So, ah, where do we go from here?”

She blinked. “We’re going to climb up to Heathrax’s shrine in the Emberfire Mountains. Dragonspine. Weren’t you just cheering for that?”

“Ah. Yeah. I was. But that’s not what I meant.”

Thissraelle smiled again, then answered with badly faked surprise. “Oh, you mean us!”

“Yes, that’s what I mean. It’s been wonderful being close to you these last few days. It’s been nice to have lots of time together while we waited for them to make up their minds about what to do with us all. Still, it’s left me to wonder what we’re doing.”

She turned around in his embrace to face him, and reached her arms up around his shoulders. How can this silly boy who used to irritate me so much be the man that makes me feel so... so light? She looked into his eyes. Well, we’ve both done a lot of growing up, I guess.

“I don’t know. I really don’t. I don’t know where I’m going, and I’m not really sure why I’m going there. I don’t know what will happen up on the mountain. But I love being with you, and I love how you make me feel.” She leaned into him and kissed him. Surprised, he held her tight and kissed back. She settled her cheek next to his and pulled him in tighter. “So let’s just see what happens up there. Together.”

“Together.” He echoed, nodding.

<<<>>>

The End of Part 14

<<<>>>

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194 - “Prisoners and Friends” - Parith - A Tale of Heroes

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<<<>>>

“It just keeps on snowing, day after day,” Parith offered, as Eddiwarth and Korr stepped up to the ornate wooden railing of the balcony. Flakes drifted between the tree branches before them. “Day after day.”

Eddiwarth leaned back for a moment and took in a breath. “You grew up here, right? This place is pretty amazing. Homes, shops, paths, roads, all built up in the trees.” He pointed out away from the balcony, to other buildings and structures, scattered out above and below them. Each surrounded the trunk of an old enormous tree, or supported by its branches. A vast network of bridges, ramps, and walkways connected them together, each filled with the bustle of an active city.

I grew up here. This is my village. Flaming lot of good that’s doing for me. 

“At least the snow has slowed down considerably since we got here.” Korr offered. They looked out past the nearby treehouses and into the forest. It was early afternoon, but between the deep tangle of tree branches all around them and the cloudy skies, it was still pretty dim out. The wind was only a chilling breeze chasing the light snowflakes around, so the house on the branch barely moved at all. He leaned over the railing, presumably trying to see the ground.

He continued, “Hopefully, it will slow down even more and we’ll be able to get on our way.”

Parith snorted an angry laugh. “It’s not the snow keeping us here.”

Eddiwarth raised an eyebrow and frowned.

“Keeping us like prisoners,” Parith sulked. “This is my home!”

“Prisoners?” Karendle stepped up from the path. “This is a lot different than the last time I was a prisoner. Maybe it’s the good food and whole not-being-chained-to-a-pillar thing.”

Eddiwarth smiled with recollection. “Oh, yeah! You and DeFrantis. I rescued you!”

“Rescued?” Karendle smirked, and waved her hand dismissively. “Sure. Ok. If that’s how you want to remember it—“

Parith snapped, “Look, they aren’t letting us leave, right? We’re just sitting here while the captains and lords decide if we’re trustworthy or not. Three days! I can’t even visit my family!” He rubbed his hands across his face. “This shouldn’t be how it’s handled. We’re just travelers, walking up the established trade lines. Why is this a problem?”

The others exchanged glances, but nobody answered.

“High elves, humans, even dwarves,” he gestured toward Karendle, “used to travel back and forth from Twynne Rivers to Umbrawood City and even on to EmberFire! I know! I used to guide them. That was only a year ago. Now, all of a sudden, nobody trusts anyone.”

The awkward silence blew through the air like drifting snow. Parith leaned back on the balcony railing and blew out a foggy sigh.

Eddiwarth put his hand on Parith’s shoulder. “Well, for what it’s worth, I trust you.”

Parith shrugged and looked out over the town in the trees. To their right was a long walkway that angled between several strong, large trunks as it zig-zagged between buildings. It wasn’t as well traveled, being only wide enough for two abreast, and it was still covered in snow. Someone was walking on it toward them, kicking chunks of snow off the path and into the depths below. In a moment, he recognized Thissraelle, dressed in a heavy green wood elven tunic and skirt and thick furred boots. Behind her strode two men, soldiers, obviously escorting her. They were both well-armed with bladefern swords and bows, but at the moment all of their weapons were sheathed and stashed. Hmm... She’s even acting like a wood elf and they still keep her under guard.

When she noticed the group had seen her, she smiled and waved. Eddiwarth quickly waved back and called out to her.

She came off the path and onto the balcony platform where they all waited. “Thank you.” She exchanged nods with the soldiers who then walked away, back along the path. She shook the snow out of her hair. “I have good news! I spent the first half of the morning meeting with the captains and army people, and the council of the city. I know we’ve all been meeting with people these last few days, and--”

“Meetings?” Parith interjected, “or interrogations?”

Thissraelle shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, either way, with what all of you have said, and Illariel’s help today, they’re finally convinced that we’re not a threat, and they’re going to help us get through the forest and up to the mountains.”

“So, they’re escorting us out of their country.”

Thissraelle hesitated. “Sure. That may be. But we’ll get where we’re going either way, and if they go with us, we’re less likely to get attacked again. And...” She jumped ahead before Parith could interject again, “they’ve decided to stand the guards down. We’re free to come and go as we please, and can stock up on supplies for the journey.”

Parith raised his eyes at this news, a bit surprised.

“That also means that you’re free to visit your parents.”

He nodded. Well. That is good news. Alright, then.

“There’s more good news.” Thissraelle continued. “I spent the latter half of the morning talking with their sages in their schools. It was a very eye- and heart- opening experience. I’ve learned a lot about the wood elves that I would have never--” She took a deep breath, then blew out fog slowly. She gestured to Parith. “Well, I’d love to talk to you about all that someday, maybe as we travel. But right now the exciting news is that they told me of a legend of someone named Giatrice DragonFriend, who lived in the side of the mountain that the wood elves call ‘Dragonspine’. I guess it’s because of the shape of its ridges.”

Parith thought out loud, “I remember those stories. I didn’t make the connection. If you translate the sounds of the name Giatrice from old elvish into common...”

“Exactly. It comes out as Heathrax. They say that there’s a trail at the foot of the mountain that leads up to an old shrine. They’ll take us to the trailhead. I’m hoping we’ll find some clues there.”

Korr nodded. “This will bring us closer. This is truly good news.”

Thissraelle paused again, and looked around the circle at each of her companions. “I have to say, I’m very grateful for everyone’s help on this journey so far. I’m not really sure why we’re doing this, but I have a feeling that there are bigger things going on somewhere beyond our understanding. I’d love to have all of you with me, and I need you all with me, but nobody will be forced to follow me up the mountainside. Honestly, I’m a bit scared. I wouldn’t blame anyone for turning back.”

Eddiwarth’s hand jumped up. “I’m in! Creator help us, I’m in!”

Korr laughed softly at the outburst, and added, “I, clearly, must continue as well.”

Karendle and Parith nodded their agreement.

“Thank you all!” Thissraelle smiled. “And may the Creator bless our steps.”

<<<>>>

This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing. If you like this story, support us at our Patreon!
Thank you: Chet Cox, Genevieve Springer!

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191 - “The Rescue” - Karendle - A Tale of Heroes

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<<<>>>

Karendle stood, patiently waiting, just inside the ring of dim light around the encampment. The light shone from the fire and from three glowing white oculi on posts arranged in a triangle around the site. As soon as she had entered the area, the soldiers around the fire had leapt to their feet and grabbed for spears and swords. The two elven soldiers escorting her by spear point had instructed them to stand at the ready, and to alert Illitharin.

One of the two guarding her had been called quickly to the center tent, where a hushed conversation had ensued.

Karendle shifted her stand to favor the other leg in an effort to keep its knee from shaking. Ok, now. Breathe slow. No fear. Her breath fogged before her, mixing with the snow.

She glanced at the soldier to her right, then down at the spear point aimed at her heart. “Be careful where you’re pointing that thing. It’s dangerous.” He raised a confused eyebrow at her and she laughed quietly. How are we going to do this? How will we start? Did we even make a signal? We should have thought it through more completely. 

Karendle noticed a movement to the left. The flap of the far tent parted and a face appeared in the glow. She couldn’t make out who it was, though.

Finally, the soldier stepped out of the main tent and Illitharin followed. The tents and the fire ring were down a slight slope from her, and she noticed that the angle made his thin build look quite small. She smiled as that realization boosted her confidence. She said, as smoothly as she could,“I have a gift for you.”

The corner of his lips turned up a bit, but he still tried not to show a smile. “Very nice,” he said with sarcastic politeness. “Show it to me.”

Karendle brought her right hand out from under the cloak and held up her granite entrapment oculus. “Here she is. Just like we agreed.” Her left hand, damp with nervous sweat, clenched the nature oculus.

“Really?” Illitharin gestured a wave before him. “Let’s see her, then.”

Stones! I can’t show her! She fought down the panic in her rushing heart with a laugh. What do I do? Play it off... “Oh, no, no, no. You don’t want me to loose her here. She was none too happy when I trapped her. It wasn’t easy!” Karendle breathed. “She’s a full wizard of mind and light, now! Not like the novice I sent you before. Do you really want me to set her free here?”

Illitharin thought for a moment, and replied. “Suit yourself. Throw her to me.”

“Then I can join you?”

“Yeah. Then we’ll talk.”

Karendle nodded and glanced from side to side at her guards. They seemed to have relaxed a bit during her interaction with their leader. “Sure. Here you go.”

Now’s as good a time as any. I hope the others are ready! 

She turned her hips and shoulders slightly to toss the stone to him. The moment seemed to stretch out for her as she watched it sail through the falling flakes toward him. Her arms and legs flexed with the surge of will inside her. She crouched down, under the spears, drew her left hand out of her cloak, and swept it low across the ground. The earth under her hand rose up high and surged forward across the encampment in a rippling wave, like she had just dropped a huge stone into a lake. Roots, stones, burning cinders, tents and soldiers shook and tossed in its path.

Karendle herself hit the ground hard, knocking her own breath away. She heard shouts of surprise, confusion, and pain. She gasped for air and rolled over, trying to scramble away. A spear point stabbed into the back of her leg and immediately sharp shocks of lashing pain surged through her, dropping her flat on her side. She looked up through blurry eyes and saw a soldier raising a bloody spear for another thrust, this time aiming for her heart. No. I’m not going to die here. She shoved her hand forward, gripping the brown oculus tight, and a stone the size of her fist shot up from the ground. It crunched into the soldier’s jaw, throwing his head back and dropping him onto his back, unconscious.

Wincing with pain, she crawled to a nearby tree and used the unearthed root structure to lift herself up.  Ow! I really didn’t think this though.

The soldiers around the fire were hurrying to get away from the scattered coals and burning debris, some of which had landed on the surrounding blanket of dead leaves. Tongues of flame were starting to lick up into the air, like children, trying to catch the snow. Other soldiers jumped to their feet and picked up their spears as arrows flew in from between the branches in the trees. Tree roots reached up out of the earth and leaves, tangling around their legs and holding them tight. Illariel? Must be.

A screech sounded, followed by a scream, as the young drakeling wrapped himself around the head of one of the trapped elves and began clawing at his face. A loud blast blew a flaming hole in the side of a tent, blowing burning shards of canvas in a wide circle. More shouts and screams followed.

The wood elf commander had crawled over to one of his patrolmen and was struggling to cut their bindings. They had all been tousled and shaken in the wave.

Karendle took a deep breath and hung her head for a moment. She felt weak, dizzy. She lifted her hand from below her thigh where she felt the pain and saw it dripping in red. Her head felt light. She looked past her hand and saw one of the collapsed tents was becoming engulfed in flames. Figures were moving behind it.

“You!” A familiar voice shouted. Karendle jerked her head up. Illitharin stood a few steps below her, a sword in one hand, and the glowing entrapment oculus in the other. He shouted, “You are far more trouble than you are worth!” He thrust his hand out, pointing the oculus at her. The silver light around it brightened.

“No!” She frantically looked around her feet. The ground was littered with dirt and stones that her wave had shaken loose. She held her oculus up and a dozen of them leaped up into the air and formed a line.

“I’ll trap you in your own stone and leave you buried deep, here in the forest!” The silver light swept over her. She felt herself being drawn toward the heart of the stone.

No! This is not the end!

She focused her will on the stones she had lifted up. She willed them to stretch, to merge into a new shape, a long spear with a sharp point. Then with all the strength inside she hurled it at Illitharin. It flew true and pierced him at the base of his throat. He gasped and grasped it, dropping the oculus and his sword.

The silver light around her vanished and Karendle fell to the ground with a painful thud. She closed her eyes and blackness overwhelmed her.

<<<>>>

This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing. If you like this story, support us at our Patreon!
Thank you: Chet Cox, Genevieve Springer!

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Start the whole story from the beginning. Start from where this current story arc begins. Start from where the current story part begins

190 - “The Plan” - Karendle - A Tale of Heroes

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<<<>>>

Two elf sentries on watch. Side by side, Karendle thought, as images formed in her mind’s eye.

They’re just standing there, not moving around. The others have probably set up camp. But only two? I’ll bet there are more on the other side. 

Karendle, Thissraelle, and Korr sat low, hunched up in a hollow beside two tree trunks growing tight together. Rannlethin crouched nearby, clutching a high elven spear. The evening had come on, and the snow was falling steadier as well. Karendle pulled her cloak tightly around her, but not so much as to shelter her from cold or wind. The trees were doing that well enough. She needed to hide the light blue glow of her sapphire mental oculus as she projected her awareness forward into the camp. She swept her distant vision over the heads of the soldiers.

Ah! There’s the camp. A small fire- three tents. 

One, two, three... seven soldiers. Where’s Eddiwarth? Let me see...

She let her focus dance through the encampment, between the soldiers huddled around the fire, into the tents. There’s Illitharin, in the middle tent. It figures. It’s the nicest one. Destroyer take him. Next one: two more soldiers, and there’s Eddiwarth! Her mind’s eye saw him sitting cross-legged on the floor of the tent, his chained hands holding a small bowl of boiled meal. His head jerked up, then quickly lowered again.

Karendle sensed his voice in her mind, Who’s that? He quickly hid his surprise from the guards by licking another mouthful of gruel off his fingers. Is it Thissraelle?

No, it’s Karendle. I’m using the oculus. Thissraelle’s saving all the will she can. We’re close, and we’re coming for you. I’ve got to go, now. Stay alert! 

I’ll be ready! His voice was clear in her head. Karendle broke the connection, nodded to Thissraelle, and dropped the dull blue gem into her pouch.

“There are a lot of them, so this will be tricky,” Karendle whispered. “There are three tents. Eddiwarth is guarded in the westernmost tent. He’s awake. I alerted him that we’re coming.  Most of the soldiers are around the fire. Runnely, whatever your name is-- I saw three of your wood elves bound up away from the campfire.” She dug her hand into her pouch, and pulled out the brown and green nature stone, and the cold granite entrapment oculus.

Rannlethin nodded, and tightened his jaw, along with his grip on the spear. Karendle eyed him with care. His head suddenly perked up and he looked toward the camp, listening. “There it is. Did you hear it?”

Thissraelle and Karendle shook their heads. Karendle raised a brow. “The signal? It’s all just birds to me.”

“That says that Parith and Illariel are in place, now. Oh!” The wood elf smiled, hearing more. “That one means my boys heard it, too.” He drew his lips thin and made a few quick chirps.

Karendle stood up and pulled her hood back. “Well, then. Wish me luck!”

“Although I do want good fortune and the Creator’s aid for all of us,” Korr said, and followed her to his feet, “it isn’t luck that you need. You are courageous and powerful. That will carry you through.”

Powerful? She looked down at the oculi in her hands. Korr waved his finger over them. “No. I don’t mean the stones. I mean you are powerful. I have not known you long, but I have seen it.”

Powerful?

Thissraelle threw her own cloak off her shoulder and took Karendle in a quick embrace. “It’s true, Karendle. Go carefully. Bless your steps!”

“Yeah, for you, too.”

Thissraelle and Korr crept away, to circle the western side of the camp. In a matter of moments, the darkness of the night and the shadows of the forest had swallowed them up.

Powerful?

Rannlethin reached for her and took her wrist in an elvish shake. She reacted with a jerk, but after a moment, she returned the gesture. “I’m sorry,” he said, “and thank you.” Karendle nodded. He tugged his cloak tighter and moved away toward the eastern perimeter.

Powerful. She savored the relative quiet. The snow was starting to build on the leaves on the ground, and it was muffling even the birds. Karendle looked at the stones in her hand. Alright. Time to make this happen.

She stepped around the tree trunk. A cold breeze stung her nose and made her squint. With determined steps, she moved forward, carefully climbing over fallen trees and the humps of roots. She shuffled through the fallen leaves, making no effort to muffle their sound.

“Hold!” A voice said, with an accent that sounded like he didn’t speak common very often. She didn’t stop. In a moment, she saw a high elf soldier in a defensive posture, pointing a spear with a long blade. At the base of the blade, a ruby was mounted, and it glowed menacingly. “Step no further.”

Karendle paused, then continued toward him. “You won’t kill me.”

He shifted. “Hold!”

She steeled herself, trying to appear courageous and powerful. “You’re going to take me to Illitharin. Tell him Karendle wants to see him.”

A second soldier stepped up, also pointing a glowing spear at her.

“Tell him,” Karendle added, holding up the granite oculus, “that I have a present for him.”

<<<>>>

This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing. If you like this story, support us at our Patreon!
Thank you: Chet Cox, Genevieve Springer!

Previous Scene, Next Scene
Start the whole story from the beginning. Start from where this current story arc begins. Start from where the current story part begins