Sands of Time - 15. Chapter 15

“What in the hell!” Madelyn cried out, her eyes rapidly shifting between the place where the dragons had appeared and the direction they had flown off.

The camp was in utter chaos. The central part, where the fire pit and sitting area around it had been, was totally gone, having been trampled into oblivion by two agitated and out-of-control dragons. Malachi’s cart was flipped on its side, spilling the contents everywhere. The side of Xavier’s tent, which was facing the fire pit, was in flames. Syth’s tent was nearly engulfed in flames, too. One of the dragons must have swiped the forge with its tail at some point since it was now sitting at an entirely new angle but otherwise looked to be undamaged.

As she watched in shock, Lucas reached deep within himself and cast a spell that created an airless bubble around Xavier’s tent, extinguishing the fire before it could go any farther. Watching his friend’s actions and seeing the flow of magic, Killian instinctively understood what Lucas had done and then did the same thing himself, to Syth's tent, although, by that time, there was little left of the tent. Fortunately, most of the content had not caught fire and was safe.

Madelyn heard something to her left and saw Thane using all the skill he had as an animal adept to calm the sand skimmers that were threatening to bolt and stampede while Malachi did what he could to help calm them. That’s when she realized that she was bracketed by a very agitated Bruin and Faelwin. She reached into herself and then out to them with calming thoughts and feelings to help them realize that she was safe and that they could relax.

“MOM!” She heard, and it brought her focus to the one being that mattered more than any other… Her son…Her injured son. “DID YOU SEE? DID YOU SEE THAT!” The boy cried out, almost in… joy?

“Are you okay?” She demanded as she rushed to his side.

“Yeah, I’m fine…” He responded absentmindedly, his eyes still trying to find the dragons that were, by now, long gone. “Did you see how BIG Xavier was? He’s HUGE!” She could only groan as she looked around, counting heads as the others started to pop up.

“Dat be’s da biggest bigun mes ever seen!” Sigvat excitedly added. Grima had never left her brother’s side as they followed Madelyn. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates as she nodded her agreement while protectively holding her dog.

“Is everyone here okay?” Syth asked as he jogged over, Olpha right behind him with her med pouch.

“I… I don’t know… Maybe… I think so,” Madelyn said softly, still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

“Aegir.” Olpha said forcefully, “Let Syth help you take your armor off.”

Aegir nodded, then yelped, “Ouch!”

“Sorry, Aegir…” murmured Syth.

“I will be surprised if you do not have a broken rib.” Olpha continued.

“OwWW!

“…Or four… And a nasty bruise to go with it.” She concluded. Off to one side, Lew surveyed the damage in shock as he petted Nimbi. He offered silent prayers of thanks to every god he could think of that his grandmother was not still here to see the mess.

✶✶✶✶✶
 

Syth had taken command of the group, as was their official chain of command if both Xavier and Garnet were not around. Truth be told, he hated it. It had only happened twice before, and everything had worked out. He actually received praise from their instructors after the situation was over, but Syth hated it. No, he loathed it. It went against every fiber of his being. He wanted and needed to be out of the limelight, free to slip away if needed, someone easily overlooked and forgotten about. Being noticed was NOT always the best way to protect Xavier, yet he could find no fault in the King naming him as third… And in any event, finding fault with the King was never a good idea.

He growled in annoyance as he kicked at a charred piece of tent. He would have to get a new tent if Olpha wasn’t able to repair his magically. It really wasn’t that big a deal; he never needed anything as fancy as what he had, but it was expected.

He grunted as he kicked debris off of his Ironwood trunk and breathed a sigh of relief that it was undamaged. Frankly, he would have been surprised if it was damaged, given how quickly Lucas and Killian were able to put the fires out. With any luck, he wouldn’t even need to use an auto cleansing spell to remove any smoke odor.

He glanced over and saw Killian, Lucas, and Thane helping Malachi right his wagon and then starting to reload it. Nodding to himself, he searched for Olpha and found her just standing up from tending to Aegir. ‘Good, now maybe we can get some answers.’ Syth thought to himself as he moved to where she was speaking with Lew, Madelyn, and Aegir. “I can not help protect Xavier if he is not here,” he muttered and resigned himself to the situation at hand.

“So,” Syth started when he got close enough, “Can you tell us what happened?” He noticed everyone else stop what they were doing and moved closer to listen.

Olpha looked at Syth and sighed deeply. “I know what happened, but I have no idea HOW it happened or even why.” Syth thought for a moment, then nodded to her. She gave another deep sigh and moved over to where Sigvat had just returned two of the logs they had used to sit on. The third was in pieces strewn over most of the campsite. She took a moment to organize her thoughts, then sighed deeply another time before she started to speak.

“As you know, the first magical wave was from the death of Pyrothermal.” she began, and everyone nodded in agreement. “Well, the second wave was the death ENERGY, not the physical deaths, but just the energy released by the death of thousands, possibly tens of thousands of… Sand Dragons.”

“What?” Syth asked, completely confused. “So you are saying that that wave of magical energy was somehow the combined magic of thousands of Sand Dragons?” When she nodded, Syth shook his head in denial. “But the magic is released when they die; how can it be released later?”

“I have no idea,” Olpha said as she looked down, then raised her head and met eyes with Syth, holding the contact for the next five heartbeats before speaking. “Somehow, Xavier’s Mother, the Queen of the Sand Dragons, was involved, as all the energy was tied to and riding on HER death Energy.”

Syth just stood there, his mouth opening and closing, having no idea what even to think, let alone say. “I have no clue how this would be possible,” Olpha began after a few moments, “All I know for sure is that the signature on that energy blast was a combination of several thousand Sand Dragons tied directly to the Queen’s Death Energy. That caused both Xavier and Garnet to lose all control they had over their bodies and revert to the Dragon’s base instinct to destroy the cause of so much pain and grief.”

✶✶✶✶✶

Mablin was pushing the wagons hard; thankfully, there was a somewhat solid road under him, or he would be going dangerously fast. As it was, that was precisely what he was doing anyway. They were still negotiating the quagmire of slums outside the city walls. It had taken them nearly a day to get through them on their way into the city, and it looked like it would take just as long to get back out again. All he knew was that he needed to get back to the teens as quickly as possible. He didn’t understand what or how they were involved in the death of Pyrothermal, but somehow, he knew they were.

It helped that his new lieutenant of the guards had put a flying wedge of five mounted guards at the front of the caravan to clear the way. It was an effective technique, but their shouting, “Make way for Sir Mablin!” and “Get out of the way for the Dragon killers!” left Mablin feeling a bit irritated. How long would it take to live down that epitaph and get back to just being a successful merchant? Even so, it had the desired effect of pushing the crowds to the side of the road where they could gawk at him and later brag that they had seen the famous “Dragon Slayer” with their own eyes.

Another irritation was the Moose Camels that were pulling the wagons. Their plodding strength was perfect for the long haul. In an emergency, they could manage a trot for a short while, but that was it. They were not racehorses by any stretch of the imagination, and he had been pushing them to the limit.

Gradon brought his horse up alongside Mablin and reigned it in to keep pace with the wagon. “Mablin, we must slow down or we will kill the draft animals before we ever get clear of this damned..” He waved his arms, pointing at the crowded street. “…endless slum!” He paused again to look at the crowd on the sides of the road. “It is pure luck that we have not killed one or two people yet!!”

Lieutenant Ardi, Gradon’s new second in command of the guards, was very good at her job. As soon as she saw Gradon pull up beside Mablin, she moved to the other side of Mablin’s wagon to hear what they were talking about, although she could just as easily hear Gradon’s raised voice from where she had been. When they had worked together the last time Gradon told her that he thought she had eyes in the back of her head. She just laughed and replied, “Of course I do! I’m a mother!” As soon as she was in position on the other side of Mablin, Gradon approvingly acknowledged her presence with a single nod.

Mablin looked at his long-time friend and growled menacingly. “You think I do not know that?” He grabbed at his stomach. “I feel it in my gut. I do not know what is happening with the kids, but I can not shake the feeling that they had something to do with Pyrothermal… Even if I can not imagine what!” Even as he was speaking, Mablin was pulling back on the reins to slow the Moose Camels to a walk… But he didn’t come to a stop. “I need to get to them as fast as possible. They are in trouble… I can feel…” Without warning, Mablin lurched to one side as another powerful wave of magic washed over everyone, completely disorienting anyone with a strong sense of magic.

Gradon grabbed Mablin to keep him from tumbling off the side of the wagon while yelling out, “WAGONS HALT!”

At the same time, Lieutenant Ardi was yelling. “GUARDS! DRAW WEAPONS! FORM UP ON THE WAGONS! …NO ONE IS TO APPROACH! …NO ONE IS TO TOUCH ANYTHING!” With that, she spun her horse around and raced down the line of wagons, making sure everything was as she had ordered. As she came to the next-to-last wagon, an old man stumbled and fell onto the road directly in front of her. With lightning-like reflexes, she spurred the horse and leaped over the terrified man, yelling as she did so. “GET HIM OFF OF THE ROAD… NOW!!” She circled the last wagon and raced back to the front of the caravan, coming to a halt at Mablin’s wagon. “Everything is in readiness, sir!” Gradon nodded that he heard her as he helped a rapidly recovering Mablin climb down from the driver’s seat of his wagon.

Mablin was shaking his head to clear it. “That tears it!” He locked eyes with his second in command. “Give me your horse. You are in charge here! I am riding ahead to see what the hell is going on with the kids!”

Gradon was starting to nod his head in understanding when Lieutenant Ardi spoke up. “With respect Sir Mablin… I can not allow you to go on your own without a guard!” Mablins glare would have melted a glacier, but it didn’t deter Ardi from continuing. “If you insist on going ahead on horseback… I and another of the guards will go with you! This is my job, to protect you, and it is not negotiable!”

Thankfully, Mablin did not see Gradon’s smirk, but he did see the set of Ardi’s jaw and came to a snap decision. “Fine! Since you insist.” He scanned the mounted guards around him and saw the boy he had helped to get on his feet when they had felt Pyrothermal’s death. He pointed at the boy. “Him. We will take him with us!”

This was a totally unexpected turn of events, and Ardi suddenly lost some of her starch. “Slaygo?” She nearly stuttered as she continued. “But, Sir! I think someone else…”

“Young lady… I am not in the frame of mind to have my decisions questioned just now. Nor am I interested in negotiating details!” Mablin locked eyes with the Lieutenant. “Now then… It will either be you and… umm… Slaygo, did you say? Or, the both of you can stay here, and I will proceed… Alone!” Without waiting for an answer, Mablin turned to Gradon. “As I was saying before being interrupted, I need your horse, and you are in charge. Make the best speed you can, and when you get there, set up camp for the night. With all the pets they have, I am sure that Madelyn and the kids will know where you are as soon as you get there. Unless something else comes up, I will see you in the morning!”

Mablin mounted and barely turned in the saddle. “Lieutenant? If you are ready?” Mablin spurred Gradon’s horse and set off at a trot.

Ardi wasted no time. “Slaygo! You’re with me! Hurry up!”

“Me?” Slago was stunned by this sudden and unexpected development. “Yes, Ma’am.” Then his face split into a grin. “YES, Ma’am!” This was what an adventure was supposed to look like, and he was ready for it.

✶✶✶✶✶

After Olpha had magically healed his injuries and explained what had happened to drive his Mentor and Xavier nearly insane, Aegir needed some time to think about everything. “What would Mentor want me to do?” he quietly asked himself out loud. Without actually thinking about it he let his feet lead him through the camp and down the short path to the clearing where Garnet had first taken him into the Spirit realm and where most of his subsequent training had taken place.

He stood at the edge of the clearing for a moment, letting his eyes take in the view. It was a pleasant place that suggested a quiet serenity that was protected by the surrounding forest. It was perfect for being alone and still within the camp's earshot should he be needed.

Unbidden, he thought that Mentor would suggest that he meditate on what had happened. He selected a large Sycamore tree that seemed to be most inviting and sat down cross-legged with the trunk to his back. His staff was lying across his lap as he looked out into the clearing and began to clear his mind the way Mentor had taught him to do.

Meditation is a funny business and takes a bit of getting used to. Mentor said that oftentimes the best way to think about something is not to think about it at all. Just relax and clear your mind of every rational thought. Then clear away your emotions and focus on your feelings, the five basic senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Sight can be the most distracting so in the beginning, it is easier to close your eyes while keeping the image of what you had seen in your mind. Once mastered, there was no need to close your eyes at all, but Aegir was still a beginner and closed his eyes.

Within the amount of time that it took his heart to beat fifty times, Aegir was at peace with the world around him. He felt the earth beneath him and even the Sycamore at his back. He could smell the forest and the grass, and the air held the slightest flavor of honey from a bee hive somewhere nearby. He felt the heat of the sun and the cool of the shade. He felt the breeze that rustled the leaves around him, and he could hear the faint trickle of a small stream. Everything was in harmony, and he was one with it.

Then something unexpected happened. He felt a small breeze that rustled his hair and almost tickled his ears as it danced by. It was the breeze whispering in his ear that was unexpected. “Greetings young warrior… I’ve been hoping for a chance to meet you… Is now a good time?”

If Aegir was surprised by anything right now, it was the fact that he wasn’t surprised at all. In his current frame of mind, whatever it was that was deep down inside of him, the something that made him a spirit warrior, let him feel and recognize the presence of a wind spirit… And that there was no threat. The gentle vibration of the staff in his lap felt like a cat purring, which seemed to confirm that there was no danger. If anything, this unexpected sprite seemed to be more interested in play than anything else.

With his eyes still shut, Aegir saw a thin, wispy form take shape in the remembered image of the clearing. He instinctively knew that if he opened his eyes right now, he wouldn’t see anything but the clearing. He smiled and nodded his head. “Yes, please. I think now would be an excellent time… What should we talk about?”

“Well, actually, I was hoping that we could play a game… We can always talk later if you still want to… Let’s play ‘Chase and Dance.’ That’s always fun!”

“I don’t know how to play that game. Can you teach me? And can I bring my staff?”

“Of course, I can teach you, and you will want your staff too. Let’s go to the middle of the clearing, and we’ll start there.” The sprite giggled. “You can open your eyes, too. You don’t need to see me. This is all about feeling me move as we dance.”

Aegir opened his eyes and stood up, then, still smiling, walked to the center of the clearing. “Is this the right place?”

“Oh yes. Yes, it is a very good place indeed. Now, close your eyes again and imagine that you are a willow that stays in one spot but sways and moves as the breeze touches it… It’s very easy. Try it and see.” And it was very easy. Aegir gracefully swayed to and fro, letting the breeze guide his movements. The spirit giggled. “I think you’ve played this game before! You are very good at it.”

“No, I haven’t, but it is fun!”

“I’m having fun too!” A short time later, the wind whispered. “You know how to dance. Now imagine that the willow has grown legs and can move about. It still dances with the breeze. Walk in a big circle as we dance.” Aegir let the spirit-driven breeze guide his motions as he moved in a large circle, sometimes walking backward or sideways but always in a circle, gracefully swaying as the breeze guided his steps.

When they finished going around the great circle the wind spirit was almost laughing. “You dance very well, young warrior! It’s been a very long time since I’ve had someone to dance with. Now, let’s go around the circle again, but this time, add the motions your dragon mentor has taught you to use with your staff. Don’t worry about me. You won’t be able to hurt me as long as you are not in the spirit world.”

Aegir danced the great circle with the breeze guiding his motions, but this time, the staff helped guide his actions, too. Twirl, parry, thrust… Block, duck, lunge, roll, and leap all melded into the dance. As he moved to the dance, Aegir had slipped into a meditative state of perfect clarity and awareness, which was not cluttered with unnecessary thought. He felt energized and exhilarated all at the same time. “This is fun!”

The wind spirit laughed. “Yes, it is! Now, let’s add the really fun part. Let’s play chase! Catch me if you can.” Aegir wasn’t quite sure what to do until a little whirlwind appeared. “I’m over here!” laughed the playful sprite, who waited until Aegir had almost caught him before disappearing and popping up somewhere else.

It had been nearly a full turn of the sand glass since the dance started when the Wind spirit whispered in Aegir’s ear. “Perhaps it is time to take a break and catch our breath. Besides, three of my friends are here and want to meet you too. They’d like to dance with you as well… if you want to.”

Aegir was breathing heavily and had to admit that taking a break was a good idea, but his curiosity was peaked. He reached out with his heightened senses the dance had brought about. “Do you mean the Earth Spirit, Fire Spirit, and Water Spirit that I can feel? My staff can feel them, too.”

“Yes, yes, yes. They are the ones, young spirit warrior. Would you like to meet them?” Aegir couldn’t help but grin as he nodded his head. The rest of the afternoon flew by as Aegir learned to dance with the elemental spirits. When they were done, it was nearly dinner time. “When your dragon mentor gets back, be sure to tell him about us… I think he will want to meet us if I don’t miss my guess… After that, I think we can play and dance together whenever you would like.”

✶✶✶✶✶

Gasping for breath, Hontel once again pushed his way through the briers desperately looking for a place where he could hide. He had no idea how long he had been on the run. He was in an ancient forest filled with huge gnarled trees but they offered no help. All he could do was push his way through the dense undergrowth that had shredded his clothes and left him covered with bleeding scratches.

He was being hunted and couldn’t remember how it started, but somehow, he had disturbed a nest of dragons in this dark and ancient woodland, and now they were hunting him. He could hear the snarling beasts behind him as they crashed their way through the thick undergrowth. He turned around desperately trying to find somewhere to hide. That’s when he lost his footing and fell into a dense tangle of briers whose thorny stalks clutched at him and held him tight. He thrashed around in desperation trying to escape but they did not let go of the hold they had on him. He was trapped!

“There you are, my little intruder, and would-be thief.” Hontel’s blood turned to ice when he heard the growling words. Then he saw the face of the illusionary dragon push its way through the undergrowth. “The chase is over and I win the prize.” With those last words, Hontell saw a massive mouth filled with dagger-sharp teeth that would be his death move toward him! All that was left was to die screaming.

Hontel woke in a cold sweat. His dreams had been plagued with dragons. Most of the dragons in his nightmares resembled the one he saw the day he fell. ‘Whoever made that illusion made it entirely too well.’ He thought to himself as he sat on the side of the bed panting.

He quietly listened to see what was happening in the camp, half expecting to hear a dragon’s roar at any moment. Thankfully, everything sounded normal, except it looked to be relatively bright out. He thought he would only sleep a few hours, but that must not have happened. About then, his bladder, rather urgently made itself known, and let him know that he had indeed been sleeping too long.

After a quick run outside resulting in a sense of profound relief, Hontel was back in ‘his’ room, ready to get dressed. He couldn’t help but, again, stare in awe and disbelief at the weapons that were not just given to him but forced on him. He was not refusing them; he just couldn’t fathom anyone giving away so much wealth to a stranger. Especially one that admitted to being there to spy on you. “Who were these kids?” He quietly asked himself for the millionth time, and for the millionth time, there was no answer.

He picked up his watch pin and fingered it gently. Finally, he knew he had to report, so he sat clutching the pin tightly in his hand and opened his mind the way he had been taught and had done several times in the past. He didn’t have to wait long for a response.

“It’s about time you checked in! I was getting ready to send someone out to find your body… And after they bury it, take over your mission… I take it I can cancel the burial detail for now?”

Hontel couldn’t help the smile that came to his face. “Yes, Sir Sasex, you can cancel that. I’m alive… Barely.” He spoke softly, still not mastering the gift of allowing just his thoughts to flow and be transmitted.

Hontel could almost see the older Pantherling in his mind, his face tightening in concern. “Explain.” came the terse reply.

Hontel knew he didn’t want to hear an abridged version, so he started at the beginning, back when he first saw the group. The elder Watch Member did not interrupt him until he came to the part where Garnet summoned the illusionary dragon.

“For someone to have such a detailed illusion is strange, but from the sounds of it, the entire group can be said to be strange.” Was his reply which caused Hontel to giggle.

“It gets better… Or worse, depending on your point of view.” Hontel was still giggling which caused an involuntary smile to grace Sasex’s muzzle. “According to their Healthman, a large Illorc Female teen, they used a great deal of magical healing on me. I’ve felt it before, and yeah, they used at least some.”

“I see.” Sir Sasex said softly. After a moment he sighed, “Continue.”

“Garnet, a large Illorc teen, and the one who cast the illusion, gave me a present after I woke. He is a Priest of Rovnar, and decided to have one of the others, a Dwarf named Malachi, craft a new holy symbol for me.” Hontel took the medallion from around his neck so he could describe it.

When he was done, he waited several moments before Sasex replied. “Had that come from almost anyone else, I would have had my doubts, but I know you well enough to know you are not lying. That… gift… besides being extremely expensive tells us much about this group, but also begs many more questions.”

“And that ain’t all!” Hontel said excitedly. “Malachi, the dwarf who made the holy symbol, did not like that I was wearing bronze weapons.” The boy giggled thinking back. “Some of the language he used reminded me of Master Lannett. He made me give him my weapons and then replaced them. He gave me a long sword of Dwarven Steel, a light mace made of Gnomish Steel, and finally, he replaced my throwing daggers with Elvin Steel ones.”

Hontel was again made to wait as Sasex processed what he had been told. Finally, a reply came to him. “I know you have spent more than enough time with Aster to know those different metals on sight. So I will not question the validity of what you have said, but… well I find it beyond difficult to comprehend the level of wealth these children seem to possess.”

“Try being on this side. They even talk rich!... I mean educated like rich folk do.” Hontel snorted, then got serious and meekly asked. “Will I have to give all of this to the Watch when I return?”

Hontel heard a snort of amusement through the link before the reply came. “All of this will be treated as spoils gained during a mission, meaning they are yours to do with as you wish. Of course, it is customary to give something to the watch, so that there is something to give to others when needed.”

“Okay… Yeah, I can do that.” Hontel’s head was spinning with the fact that he now knew he could keep most of what he had. For the first time in his young life, he was rich!

“Do you have anything else to report?” If the boy did, his shock kept him from remembering it. “I take your silence as a no. In the future, I expect regular reports, even when there is nothing to report. Stay alert.”

After the connection was broken he still sat there absently fingering the gems on his holy symbol, and thinking about how many of his friends back in Junsac he could get out of the orphanage with what he was holding.

✶✶✶✶✶

Lucas found Killian sitting with his back against a large Cedar tree, seemingly staring out at nothing. Worried, Lucas moved over and stood in front of his friend. It took Killian a moment before he shook his head to clear it and looked up at Lucas with a sad smile. “You okay?” Lucas asked, to which Killian simply nodded, then shrugged.

After a moment Lucas lowered himself to sit next to Killian. “You know…” Lucas started. “I was impressed with your quick reaction when Xavier and Garnet shifted. Especially with you copying what I did, which was not an easy thing to do.”

Killian just shrugged. When he spoke, he didn’t look at Lucas, but kept his eyes straight forward, focusing on something only he could see. “I just did as I was taught… ‘Don’t be bogged down by what you think you know. Watch and see what others do. You’ll find out that what you know ain’t the only way.’ He told me that.”

“Very wise words,” Lucas said, although he knew by the way Killian spoke, his mind was a long way away. After a few moments of silence, Lucas knew if he wanted the conversation to continue, he would have to be the one to do it.

“When I first met Xavier, it was after I had a long conversation with his father. Now, to be honest, I had no idea he was the King. I knew he was someone important because he was a Supreme Sorcerer, but I never dreamed that someone as important as the King himself would actually take the time to talk to me.

“At first, he told me that he knew who I was, and that I had killed a Great Brass Dragon. Then he told me, if I wanted to, he would mentor me, much the same way that Garnet is mentoring Aegir.” Lucas drew a deep breath. “I tell you this because he once told me something very similar to what you just said. He told me that the key to a truly great Sorcerer is to not be blinded by what you know or what you think you know. Always keep your eyes open and you will find that Magic itself will show you everything you need to know.”

Lucas’s words hung in the air for several minutes, and he was just about to stand up and leave when Killian spoke. “If I tell you something, can you keep it a secret… From everyone?”

Lucas sighed heavily. “You know I can not make that promise. I have sworn fealty to Xavier. However, what I can promise is this. If what you tell me does not present a danger to Xavier, or the others, then yes. I will keep it to myself.”

Killian held his words for several more moments before he spoke. When he did it was soft, and he didn’t look at Lucas. “I know him.” he paused for a moment before he continued. “He was the first real friend I ever had.”

After another lengthy pause, Killian glanced at Lucas, then looked away. “Several summers ago, Uncle Mablin sent me to a camp. It was mostly for the children of the wealthy and powerful who had magical abilities and skills that needed to be developed. That’s where I met him. He was older than I was by a year or two. He was a halfelf and had the most remarkable red hair. Even with the age difference he chose to become my friend and like I said, my first real friend.”

When the silence drew out again, Lucas finally had to ask. “Who?”

This time Killian did turn to look at Lucas. “The kid Xavier talked about… Kandric.”

“Really?” Lucas asked, his voice tinged with confusion. “Why would that be a bad thing?”

Shock and uncertainty played across Killian’s face before he spoke. “Well… Xavier hates him!”

Lucas recoiled in shock. “What? Why would he hate him? He has never even met him.”

Now it was Killian’s turn to be confused. “I heard what Xavier said, how he never wanted to meet Kandric, and how he called him the offspring of Rovnar and some hellspawn.”

Lucas couldn’t help but snicker as he spoke. “That does not mean he hates this Kandric, it means he is scared of him. By all the Gods, I AM scared of him too…

“But see? That’s what I don’t understand. Kandric is the nicest person I’ve ever known.”

“Um… why does that matter? He may be a nice kid, but he’s still dangerous! I mean from what we heard, he has killed two MAJOR demons, and if I counted right, at least 4 dragons, three of them being Greats. Only someone who is insane would NOT be scared of him.”

“But he’s not a bad person. He kept the bullies away from me at the camp. He helped push me when I wanted to give up. He was the first person to believe in me.” Killian had tears streaming out of his eyes. “And you guys are scared of him!”

Lucas was silent for several moments before he sighed. “I think you are under the wrong impression. Just because we are scared of some being, does not mean we hate them.” Lucas paused for a moment before he continued. “Let me ask you this. Are you afraid of the gods?”

“Yeah,” Killian slowly answered.

“So you hate the gods?” Lucas said seriously, then let his face crack into a smile. Before Killian could answer, Lucas continued, “Because, if Kandric has actually killed everything that has been credited to him, your friend is no longer truly a mortal.”

“You mean he’s like a spirit or something?” Killian asked befuddled.

“Oh no… not a spirit,” Lucas said with a grin. “You, my friend, are friends with at least a godling, maybe even powerful enough to ascend if he so chooses. Kinda like we were with Rovnar.”

Killian stared at Lucas in stunned silence for a moment. “You know Rovnar… like the actual god? Personally?”

Lucas rolled his eyes dramatically. “Regrettably…yes” Then he smirked at Killian. “... But it’s true.”

✶✶✶✶✶

When Hontel was fully dressed, armed, and armored, he stepped out of the cottage. He would have come out a few minutes earlier, but he could not help but stop at the unbelievably clear mirror, and stare at himself, and how… Well frankly, how rich he looked. He raked his fingers through his hair trying to bring some order to the unruly mop, then stepped through the door.

The first thing that met his eyes was Olpha standing a few feet away, wearing a smile. “Sorry, I did not mean to eavesdrop.

“And frankly, I could not hear well enough to understand anything, till the end. If you would like, we can give you something to give to The Watch, that way you can keep everything you have.”

“Ummm…” Hontel had to fight himself to not shout out. ‘You’re an Illorc!!! You shouldn’t be so damned nice!’ Thankfully, his better judgment won the fight. What he did say was, “We’ll see what happens.”

“As you wish.” Then changing the subject without warning “You are looking well and rested. How do you feel?”

“Ummm, fine?… I think.”

“Good.” She said with that smile, then her face clouded over, and she scowled down at him like he imagined only a Demon Lordess could do. “Now… I wish to discuss your willingness to follow my orders when it comes to your medical care.”

“I’m willing!” He exclaimed, cowering back.

“Oh really?” She asked, before returning to the deathly calm voice she had a moment ago. “I distinctly remember telling you to SIP the tea I made for you, not gulp it down like you did.”

“I…I…” He stuttered trying to figure out if he should answer her, or turn and run. “Yes, Ma’am!... Sip!” was all he could manage to squeak out.

Thankfully he was saved from running by one of the others. “Olpha! Quit scaring the poor kid! Besides, I do remember Xavier making a royal decree that you were never to use that look on anyone but me, and only when we are alone in our tent.”

Olpha’s scowl faded to a frown. “Damn!” she quietly cursed. Then her face lightened, and the demoness shifted to a happy girl. “Sorry!” She said as she turned to face the other boy. “I did not mean to scare him, only to impress upon him the importance of following the directions of the healthman treating him… Besides, Daddy could do that so much better than I can.”

“Yeah right!” Lucas said with a little shudder as an image of Olpha’s father flashed through his mind. “I remember…” he said as he brushed past her, and threw his arm over Hontel’s shoulder. “Do not let her scare you. We would not allow her to actually harm you. Well, not much anyways.” He explained in a whimsical tone that matched the grin on his face.

Lucas started to walk and forced Hontel to go with him. “Besides, I was hoping you could help me with something.” He was leading Hontel to a small group of the others who were hanging out by the campfire ring. They were watching Sigvat and Grima pushing two more logs into the seating circle.

When Lucas spoke next, it was loud enough to be clearly heard by those in the group. “Am I correct in assuming that this fine land would have some Dagger Boars inhabiting the forests?”

The group stopped and started to laugh, all except the one with dark curly hair. Killian threw his hands in the air and exclaimed with a hint of underlying mirth. “I am never going to live that down, am I?”

“Nope!” Everyone else chorused.

Hontel, not knowing what was going on, or what to say about it, answered the question as best he could. “Well, as far as I know… There are Dagger Boars in these here woods.”

“GREAT!” Lucas exclaimed. “How about we go out and get a couple.”

“Ummm. Sure… I guess.”

“Great!” he turned to the rest. “Anyone that wants to go along, go get your gear, we will leave in half a sandglass turn, finish your midday meal.”

“You can count me in!” Thane called out. “I’m definitely ready for a change of scenery, and a hunt will give me a chance to stretch my legs.”

Half a turn of the sandglass later, Hontel led Lucas, Killian, Thane, and his animals out of the camp, and deeper into the woods.

“Amakiir… To the air… We’re looking for Dagger Boar.” Thane called out, then silently added, “Let me know if you see Xavier and Garnet returning!”

✶✶✶✶✶

Lew and Nimbi quietly walked through the woods listening to the various sounds of the forest. Syth had asked Lew to keep an eye on the road since, from what Lucas and Killian had reported, they were expecting Mablin to return today or maybe tomorrow.

This seemed to be a perfect excuse for Lew to practice some animal magic and even though the road was not visible he could hear any passerby, by listening through the panther’s ears. It was interesting the way she could even hear mice scurrying through their icy tunnels under the snow.

Lew had long prided himself on his ability to move through almost any type of terrain silently. But now that he could hear what Nimbi heard, that bubble had been popped. No matter how hard he tried to move with stealth, he could still hear each and every one of his own footsteps.

Seemingly by mutual consent, the pair of them came to a halt on the edge of a patch of briar roses that had yet to turn green. Lew looked at Nimbi and he could feel her amusement at his predicament.

“OK! So you can hear every step I take… I’ll just have to try harder… Won’t I?” Nimbi just purred her contentment with this particular game. “What do you think? Should we go a little further or should we turn back now?” By way of an answer, Nimbi turned around but rather than follow their own footsteps, she took a slightly different path through the forest.

A short while later Nimbi stopped in her tracks with her ears pointing toward the unseen road to their right. “I hear them too. Horses… Three of them… Moving fast.” Lew paused in thought as he looked at the woodland around them. “The trail to the camp is just ahead of us. Let’s go there and take a look.” Nimbi altered her path slightly and led the way.

✶✶✶✶✶

Mablin stopped at the campsite they had used before he and Gradon went into Silverton. Taking a deep breath after the hard ride they had just made, he looked around until he saw the faint trail of wagon tracks that would guide him to the new campsite.

He turned in his saddle and settled his piercing gaze on Ardi, his lieutenant, then her son Slaygo, before returning to Ardi. “Since you insisted on coming along, there are a few things you need to know and understand before we reach the camp.”

He looked at the forest on either side of the road for a moment as if expecting something. “We might as well dismount and stretch our legs a bit while I try to get you up to speed.” Following his own advice Mablin dismounted and stretched.

Ardi’s only response was to nod. Then she dismounted, waiving for Slaygo to follow suit.

For his part, Slaygo was relieved to get out of the saddle. Being his mother’s son, he could ride pretty well. She insisted on it. However, there weren’t really all that many opportunities to practice. As a result, right now his butt was sore and definitely in need of a break. It wouldn’t surprise him at all to learn that he already had a bruise.

“OK, gather around. There are some things that you will need to know before we go into camp. First, let me ask…” Mablin looked at Ardi. “Since you have worked with Gradon, can I assume that you have met his wife Madelyn and their son Aegir?”

Ardi smiled a genuine smile. “Yes we have met, but we didn’t have the time to get to really know each other. Aegir was still a baby then, not much younger than Slaygo.”

“Good. I know Madelyn will enjoy the company of another adult female. It is my sincere hope that you will get to know her better and follow her lead in dealing with the others. As for the others, they are all children in their teens, but whatever you do, DO NOT treat them as children. They are a great deal more than they seem and life has made them not only wise beyond their years but more than capable. They are not to be underestimated. Most are from either noble or royal lineage.”

Mablin paused to take a breath. “They represent a number of races including Human, Halfelf, Dwarf, Elf, and Orac… ummm… I mean Illorc. Having said that there is one in particular that you need to prepare yourself for and that is a boy named Syth… He is of noble birth and one of the nicest boys I have ever met. However, he is also Drow… and one of the most dangerous members of the group.”

Both Ardi and Slaygo gasped out, “DROW?” at the same time.

“Indeed he is… And Sir Mablin’s words are sage advice which I hope you take to heart.” All three of the horsemen whirled to their left at the sound of the unexpected voice and saw a grinning pantherling archer casually leaning against a tree with a panther sitting beside him.

“LEW! I was wondering if anyone would be here to greet us,” exclaimed Mablin in delight. “How long have you been lurking in the bushes?”

“Long enough to be waiting for you to get here… Greetings Sir Mablin… And welcome back!” He casually looked at the two people with Mablin. “What has happened to your caravan? I thought surely you would have at least one wagon and more than two escorts… Where is guard Commander Gradon?… Madelyn will be quite displeased if you have somehow misplaced him.”

Ardi couldn’t help herself and laughed, partly at the thought of Madelyn’s displeasure but also at her employer suddenly becoming flustered. At the same time, she took note of the change in his brisk down-to-business demeanor.

“Err... Ummm…” Mablin cleared his throat. “Well, Gradon is still with the caravan. They should be arriving here in four or five turns of the sandglass… As long as they do not run into any problems.” Then regaining his composure he continued. “Lew, come over here and let me introduce you to my protectors.”

Lew’s smile grew as he and Nimbi walked the short distance. “Everyone is going to be happy to learn of your return. It sounded like everything was going well when we saw you in Silverton.”

Mablin returned the smile. “Indeed it was a most successful venture.” He turned to look at his escorts. “Lew, this is Lieutenant Ardi, she is in charge of the guards and drivers that I hired. Next to her is her son Slaygo.”

He turned to look at Lew. “And this is Lew and his companion, Nimbi. They come as a pair. Whenever you see one, the other is not far away. They joined the caravan about three weeks ago after running afoul of bandits on the road. In fact, we were set upon by bandits that same day… Which is when a certain Green Dragon, who was working with the bandits, became merchandise, and his companions were put down.”

Lew immediately understood that Mablin was using the cover story they had come up with, and knew he would have to be careful of what he said. He nodded to each. “Pleased to meet you.”

Ardi smiled and returned Lew’s nod. Her trained eye took in everything about the archer in a single sweep. She gauged him to be in his early thirties. His clothing, armor, and weapons were all of the highest quality, but the bow he was carrying was extraordinary. It was of exquisite craftsmanship and was made of dragon bone if she didn’t miss her guess. The quiver on his back appeared to be filled with an impressive array of magical arrows. Taken as a whole, she was impressed.

Mablin’s tone of voice changed. “Lew, is everyone alright?... And did the kids have anything to do with the death of Pyrothermal?” Maybe now wasn’t the best time to ask the last part, but Mablin’s sense of dread at what the answer could be forced him to ask.

If Lew was surprised by the question, Ardi and Slaygo were stunned. Ardi had been briefed, at least in part by Graydon when she was hired. With what he had told her, and what little Mablin had said they were still a mystery. Mablin obviously thought they could… and possibly would, take on a demon like Pyrothermal… ‘Who were these kids anyway?’

“No sir! We weren’t involved with that at all! The surge of magic knocked us all down, but everyone is fine…” Lew paused when he saw the look of profound relief on Mablin’s face. “To be honest though every one of them would have liked to be involved. I could see it in their eyes. I don’t know what it was, but I think they all have had some personal experience with him… And it wasn’t good.”

“Thank all the gods! I was almost certain they had something to do with that… Everyone is fine, you say?” Lew just nodded. “Good. I’m anxious to see them all. Let us walk the rest of the way and we can talk.” With that Mablin picked up the reins of Gradon’s horse and started walking up the trail with Lew and Nimbi at his side, while Ardi and Slaygo followed closely behind.

They walked along, each in their own thoughts for a short while until Lew decided to break the silence. “Not everyone is in the camp right now.”

“Oh?” Mablin inquired.

“Yeah, Lucas, Killian, and Thane have gone hunting. They’ve set their hearts, or maybe it's their stomachs, on a Dagger Boar for dinner this evening.” Lew deliberately didn’t mention Hontel, or The Watch, deciding that bit of news could wait until they were in camp and sitting comfortably around the fire circle. He decided to be especially careful with the next bit of news that needed to be shared.

“Xavier and Garnet left camp shortly after the second surge of magic hit us… I’m really not sure where they are. I think maybe they are on a spirit walk, or something like that, trying to sort out what was going on with that second wave of magical energy. Olpha can probably fill you in on that a lot better than I can.”

“Hmmm… That is interesting. I look forward to talking with her.”

Mablin could tell from Lew’s carefully phrased statement that he wasn’t telling him something. He looked over his shoulder and guessed that it might be because of them that Lew was being so circumspect, and decided to let the subject drop for now. “What else has happened while I was away?”

Lew sighed inwardly at the change of topic. He was certainly not in any position to bring up the whole business with dragons. “Well… Let me think… Oh yeah. Xavier had me look up a Pantherling Elder while we were in Silverton. For some reason, he thought Prince Milan might be interested in something he learned from his mind scan. You know that we Pantherlings have a special relationship with the Silver Dragons right?” Mablin just nodded, now more certain than ever that Lew was picking his way through the facts. “Anyway, The Elder followed us back from Silverton and took charge of the prisoner… So he’s gone now and we don’t have to deal with him anymore.”

Not wanting to deal with any questions about that right now, Lew changed the subject. “While we were in Silverton I think Killian bought every sweet stick they had in stock. You should have seen the size of the bag he filled. It was huge!”

Mablin couldn’t help but laugh. “I was afraid that would happen. That boy’s sweet tooth needs a leash of its own!”

Lew had to chuckle at the memory. “While we were there, Madelyn had us pick up a couple of dogs for Grima and Sigvat. She thought that Grima would benefit from having something that was all her own to take care of. The other dog was for Sigvat to learn some animal magic. She is mentoring him as an Animal Adept.”

“Well, all of that sounds good, except for the sweet sticks. I’ll just have to get used to seeing Kilian with one of those sticking out of his face!” As he said this they made one last turn in the trail and found themselves looking at the camp. “Well, this is impressive… Just two buildings? Where is Thane’s Lodge?”

“Not enough space. It wouldn’t fit.” Lew replied with a chuckle.

“EVERYBODY LOOK!... UNCLE MABLIN IS HERE!! HEY UNCLE MABLIN LOOK AT WHAT MALACHI MADE FOR ME! AND GUESS WHAT…”

“AEGIR! STOP RIGHT THERE!! NOT ANOTHER WORD!!! WAIT UNTIL I GET THERE! YOU HEAR ME YOUNG MAN??”

Aegir left skid marks when he came to a sudden stop. When his mom used that tone of voice there was absolutely no choice but immediate and complete obedience. “Yes Ma’am,” came the somewhat deflated reply.

Madelyn quickly caught up with her son and whispered urgently. “I know you’re excited and have a lot you want to tell Mablin, but for right now don’t say anything! Let me do the talking… Alright?”

“Oh All Right.” A thoroughly deflated and disappointed Aegir replied. Especially since he had a lot of important things he wanted to share with Mablin.

Madelyn reached down and took the disappointed boy’s hand. “Come on! Let’s go say hello, and see who Mablin has brought with him.” Madelyn’s voice was as bright and cheerful as she could make it, but truth be told, she didn’t really feel it. The moment she had been dreading was fast approaching… ‘Where to start? How to start? What to say? When to say it?’

When the pair got close to the growing group of people around Mablin, Madelyn saw someone who was totally unexpected, and all of her immediate concerns melted away. “Ardi? … ARDI! Is it really you?” Madelyn hurried forward dragging a rather resigned to his fate Aegir with her. “You’re the last person in the world that I expected to see! What are you doing here?”

A laughing Ardi gave Madelyn a hug when she was close enough. “Your husband and Sir Mablin hired me to look after the guards and drivers he hired for the caravan. Gradon should be here with all of that in four of five turns of the sandglass. That might be just enough time for us to get caught up on everything… Slaygo is here with me too!” She glanced down at the boy that Madelyn had a vise-like grip on. “And this must be little Aegir? My word but you have grown up since the last time I saw you!” For his part, all Aegir could do was turn the color of a red dragon’s scale.

“That’s wonderful. I know Aegir will be glad to have someone near his own age around. I know I’ll love having another woman help maintain order in this male-dominated group.”

“Uh Hum… Uhh Humm!” Mablin had to clear his throat again for the second time before he got the women’s attention. “If you ladies don’t mind, I, as the supposed leader of this male-dominated group, would like to make a request… If I may?”

“Oh Mablin, I’m sorry…” Madelyn turned and hugged Mablin. “I’m so glad you’re here! I’ve got so much to tell you I hardly know where to begin!”

“Can it wait just a moment while I ask Aegir and Slaygo to picket the horses, and ask them to get Grima and Sigvat to make sure they are watered and…”

WHOOSH! Mablin’s sentence went uncompleted as all heads snapped upward… And chaos broke out.

Madelyn closed her eyes and groaned. “Oh no… Not now.”

At the same instant, Mablin and Ardi screamed “DRAGON!”

Mablin began groping his pockets searching for his spell book and Ardi drew her sword. Slaygo tripped over his own feet and fell on his already sore butt, which didn’t stop his feet from rapidly scooting him backward. He did manage to squeak out one word. “Dragon?” Syth, Olpha, and Malachi called out “THEY’RE BACK!” and immediately headed in different directions. Lew said nothing but he and Nimbi raced after Syth. The horses bolted, nearly trampling Slaygo in the process. Sigvat and Grima ducked into the treeline, while Bruin, and Faelwyn moved to protect Madelyn. Aegir, free of his mother’s grip at last, was bouncing up and down. “Mentor!”

One heartbeat later, a massive Great Dragon landed at the edge of the camp causing Mablin, Ardi, and Slaygo to nearly faint. For the life of him, Mablin couldn’t understand why he couldn’t find his spell book, little realizing that it was Madelyn grabbing at his hand while yelling something in his ear that he really didn’t have time to think about just now. That something was “No Mablin! It’s OK! It’s Xavier and Garnet,” as a slightly smaller Dragon settled in next to the Big one.

Aegir was off like a flash sprinting for the latest dragon to arrive. “Mentor! You’re back!” Ardi saw the small boy armed only with a staff, racing toward certain doom and immediately gave chase in a desperate attempt to save his life. She was so focused on Aegir that she failed to see what was happening with the dragons. Then the unexpected happened catching her totally off guard.

Aegir looked over his shoulder just long enough to see a woman with a sword in her hand running in the direction of Xavier and his mentor. He spun around, crouching down in a fighting stance, and yelled at her. “You are not going to hurt Xavier or my mentor! I won’t let you!!” She was so surprised by this that she faltered and stopped. That’s when she heard another voice, it was Madelyn.

“Ardi! Stop! You don’t understand!”

Ardi turned around to look at Madelyn and try to make some sense of all the confusion. What she saw was Madelyn holding Sir Mablin’s arm while he stared slack-jawed at something behind her. She turned again to see what Mablin was looking at and found herself staring as slack-jawed as her employer. There were no dragons… None at all!

All she could see was a naked halfelf on his knees with the Drow at his side… And a large Illorc with Aegir, who had taken to his heels as soon as she stopped focusing on him. “What in the name of all the gods is going on?” she demanded of no one in particular.

“Mentor? Are you alright? You can lean on me if you want to… I’m strong enough if you need me.” Garnet just looked at the boy in front of him and stared for a very long moment. There was something different about him. It was something subtle and easily missed. He shook his head to clear it. He was tired. Maybe that was making him see something that wasn’t really there. He shook his head again.

“Thank you Aegir… I am tired… And nearly worn out. I’d appreciate a little help. Will you walk with me to the fire circle so I can sit down?”

Slaygo managed to get to his feet again. He had seen it all. He had seen dragons… Real dragons! He had seen them in the air and on the ground. He had seen them shift and change into something else. Even though his heart was still pounding he was grinning. This really was turning out to be the perfect adventure.