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David McLeod

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  1. David McLeod
    Chapter 8: Not To Make a Decision Immediately after breakfast, Phillip and Zosa flew from the encampment of the king’s army. They had scarcely gotten airborne before Phillip felt Zosa’s question. ? Phillip felt curiosity, and what he thought of to be worry in Zosa’s voice. What? he asked. It may have been a voice I have not heard in a very long time, Zosa replied. But it is no longer there. Perhaps it was just a memory. She swept her wings to gather air and magic, and then banked to follow
  2. David McLeod
    CHAPTER 7: The Army of Elvenholt Some two decades ago, perhaps longer—time had less meaning on World than on Earth—Phillip had been alone in the map room of the royal palace. The king’s High Master Mage, Olmon, had spread maps over the table. Phillip was disappointed. The maps extended only to the western marches in which lay the city of Rome. Beyond that, they were marked, ne plus ultra and terra incognita. Phillip translated silently. “Nothing more beyond here,” and “unknown land.” They might
  3. David McLeod
    Chapter 6: The Army of Barbican War must be based on righteousness. —Ardry of Elvenhold All warfare is based on deception. —Sun Tzu Maxim 1-18 Phillip and Zosa flew hi-cap, scouting the route the others would take on horseback. They returned in time to share supper and night-time bedrolls with Argon, Maranon, Javari, Brendan, and Kyle. Each morning, after breakfast, Phillip and Zosa resumed their aerial vigil. There is an army encamped, there, Zosa said. Phillip looked closely. That b
  4. David McLeod
    Chapter 5: Golden Armor Before we go farther, there is something we must do, Zosa said. Although Phillip pressed the dragon for more information, she would say nothing except, You will need a lot of rope. * * * * * Phillip gasped in the thin air. Zosa beat her wings quickly, not against the air, but to gather the magic that allowed her to fly. Phillip’s lungs burned with the cold. Zosa! I can’t— Soon, the dragon replied. That is the peak. Look. Look through my eyes. Can I do that? Phillip w
  5. David McLeod
    Chapter 11: Dreams of Dragons Darin dreamed of dragons. The Shaman had dismissed his stories even though they were brought to the Shaman by the tween, Petrus, and Petrus was an earnest young man. While not the strongest or the most gifted, he was acknowledged as the best teacher of the boys’ cohort. Neither Petrus’s earnestness nor his skill as a teacher was enough to impress the Shaman. “The magic of our people is practical magic: the magic to create, the magic to build, the magic to wrest
  6. David McLeod
    Ricky, As always, you set the bar higher than I'd planned. (I say that in a good way.) The shaman's reaction is going to be more important than I'd thought. Back to the drawing board!
  7. David McLeod
    Chapter 4: Decision—and Quest A week had passed during which Phillip and his companions considered what they might do to help their friends against these new threats—from trolls and lizard men. The boys remained at the College of Magic, although it was becoming clear that there was no real help for them, there. “I feel sadness and worry,” Argon whispered. He held Drake close and stroked his back. “Will you share your troubles as you have shared your magic?” Drake stiffened. Then he sighed.
  8. David McLeod
    Chapter 10: Dragon Comm The Valerians have no records that can tell us when was the last war, except that it was a long time ago. “We just don’t count the years,” Reagan said. “The number would be too large, and no one cares, anyway.” He and I were sitting on a bench at the edge of the village of Sumpter where we’d established the home of the Dragon Corps. Before us lay the Valley of Valeus. It was Reagan’s favorite spot for what had become our frequent and deep conversations. I wasn’t rea
  9. David McLeod
    Chapter 3: The Duke of Rome Refreshed after a night in a real bed, with a real mattress—even though it was shared with a boy whose thirst to share boy magic seemed inexhaustible—Phillip was lingering over breakfast when Ronald rushed into the refectory. “Phillip! There are soldiers at the door asking for you.” Ronald spoke quickly and ran his words together. His eyes were wide and moved rapidly from side to side as if he were looking for enemies. The excitement in his voice did not mask his co
  10. David McLeod
    Chapter 9: The Book of Quatrains When Larry and I had first arrived, we’d approached the Valley of Valeus from the northeast. We had not seen the monastery nestled in the southern mountains. Eventually, we heard about it, but didn’t give it much thought. Later, however, Reagan became insistent that we visit. By now, I’d become confident in Reagan’s wisdom and learned to listen to him. First, though, we had 80 boys and their dragons to quarter and provide for. Reagan’s father offered the sol
  11. David McLeod
    Weaving these stories together is a greater challenge than writing them. I do hope things will come together, eventually.
  12. David McLeod
    Your salute to Anne McCaffery is spot on! She is one of my most important inspirations, and I certainly appreciate your thoughts. No way, however, do I meet her challenge.
  13. David McLeod
    Chapter 8: Boys and Their Dragons Reagan was a tween, who had been introduced to us as the valley’s storyteller. “I’ve been thrust into my role untimely,” he said. “My master died suddenly after eating a mushroom to which he was allergic. The healer did not reach him quickly enough. “I know all his stories,” Reagan asserted, somewhat defensively, I thought. “I am happy to hear that,” I said, without trying to sound conciliatory. “And I will gladly trade our story for one of yours.” oO
  14. David McLeod
    Chapter 7: The Valley of Valeus Larry and I cleaned ourselves and our clothes in a mountain lake. Although spring had officially begun—at least by the solar calendar—the water was frigid, and we were glad we had been able to buy blankets and a change of clothes before Dakota had met the female dragon. “How often is that going to happen?” Larry asked, after we were clean, warm, and huddled beside a small fire. As often as possible, Dakota replied. I relayed his words and what I heard as a l
  15. David McLeod
    Chapter 19: Diplomacy is War by Other Means We offered Chang’s father the same honors we would have offered a member of our Fleet Council, including donning seldom-worn dress uniforms complete with swords. I don’t know what the Chairman expected, but was pretty sure he was impressed, as were the members of his staff—civilian and military. Danny had reviewed our plan with Chang, who had relayed it to his father so the man would not be surprised. He wore a dark, civilian suit, and displayed a
  16. David McLeod
    Chapter 18: It’s Hard to Keep a Secret We could not hide our invasion of the Reverends’ territory for long. The destruction of Mt. Zion should have stirred things up; but as far as we could determine, the only people who really understood what that meant were some survivors of the Arcana and the scientists in Chicago and Miami, and even they weren’t sure what to believe except that they were under attack. Whether he personally believed it, or not, the Scudder proclaimed that it had been an
  17. David McLeod
    Chapter 6: Slipping the Surly Bonds of Earth We had been in Rome for only a month when I had learned all I could from Casey’s books and maps. I talked to Larry; together, we decided that it was time to leave. We told Alan that we must depart for the west. I thanked Alan for his hospitality both on the journey to Rome and while we were in that city. “But even more,” I said, “thank you for breaking me free of the doldrums—” “Another new word!” Artie interrupted. There was a catch in his voic
  18. David McLeod
    Chapter 5: Urbis Romana The same forces that make a man an Anglican in London and a Mussleman in Medina, will make him a Confucian in Cathay. —John Stuart Mill, Earth Analogue VIII and others We have lived for several decades at the monastery-that’s-not-a-monastery called the Community of Light. At least, I think we have. Time means so much less to the people here than it did to us on Earth, and I’ve fallen into the habit of not counting years—or decades, it seems. Larry is a quick a
  19. David McLeod
    Chapter 4: To Fly Paul’s Journal It has been six months since we found ourselves on what we now know to be a different world in a different universe from our own. That would be six long months—the months are 40 days, based on the phases of the larger of two moons. There are however, 12 months, making the year 480 days. I talked to one of the monks about their lunar calendar and wasn’t really surprised to learn that they adjusted their solar calendar to account for the slight difference betw
  20. David McLeod
    Chapter 2: Always Before, Riders Mean Death The terrain had grown more rugged and the air colder as the caravan climbed into the mountains. The older wagoneers said they smelled snow in the air. The gray clouds that hung flat over the mountains did not contradict this. On the morning that marked the beginning of the fourth ten-day of the journey, Phillip and his companions brought their breakfast to where Kyle and Brendan sat, huddled against a wagon wheel. “Centurion asks that you ride in the
  21. David McLeod
    Chapter 1: All Roads Lead to Rome Three very angry boys surrounded the dragon. “I saw what you did! Why?” Maranon demanded. Phillip slid from the dragon’s back. “It’s okay, Little One,” he said. He was still breathless, but his face shone and his eyes glistened. “Zosa and I took each other’s measure.” “Well, I don’t understand it,” Maranon said. “And I don’t like it!” “It’s about trust, isn’t it?” Javari asked. “Yes, it is, but how did you know?” Argon said. “I mean, I could feel it. But ho
  22. David McLeod
    Phillip has found his dragon; now, he must decide whether to become a dragon rider or fulfill his oath to take Argon to his home, a place that lies perhaps 40,000 years in the past—or the future.
  23. David McLeod
    Yes, King Arthur represents the classic tragic figure pioneered by Greek drama, as well as the flaw in Campbell's "Heroes Journey." Tyler, of course, is young and idealistic. And I do love a happy ending, so I left him with that. Thanks for an astute comment. David
  24. David McLeod
    Lots has happened since that chapter. And yes, Noah was at just the right place at the right time, more than once.
  25. David McLeod
    Chapter 17: Roll Up and Rebuild Wednesday, USF Charleston “Comm? Secure link to Admiral Davis, please. Flash.” As soon as Jonathan said the link had been established, I reported the attack on Mt. Zion, including the estimates of civilian casualties. There were several seconds of silence as Admiral Davis digested the information. His reply was terse. “Understood, Commodore. Davis out.” Oh shit, I thought before a light signaled that a private, secure link had been activated to my position.
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