MOST OF THE TREES IN the forest were tall, with dark leafy crowns, along with the occasional spruce or pine. At least Anwen thought they were pine or spruce. Their coloring was wrong. They were bluer than any she'd seen, more like the Lake's water, or Tyler's eyes.
Anwen's whole body felt heavy after only half an hour's dodging around various trunks and bushes. Despite being exhausted, she tried to hide it from her friends. Tyler said speed was necessary and she would try to comply.
Knowing Anwen still needed some time to recover, Tyler tried to keep the pace as consistent as possible. Unfortunately, he also knew they needed to hurry. With the Fallen awake and on the hunt, they had to be more careful.
If he'd thought it would be a good idea, he'd transform into his dragon form. But he knew the moment he did, both the Fallen and the mages would come flocking. He couldn't risk it. Not yet. Just using his dragon fire had been risky.
Courtney did what she could to help Anwen, keeping close by her side in case she should stumble. That way Tyler was be free to scout the path ahead. She didn't talk much outside of small chitchat. Instead, she focused her energy on keeping her new friend on her feet, with an open ear for sounds that shouldn't be there.
Anwen was grateful when they finally stopped for lunch. The hike to the Ruined City hadn't felt this arduous. She found a seat on a large stone and sipped from a canteen of water, wiping the sweat from her pale face. “How much further,” she asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
Courtney said nothing as she poked at the dirt with a stick she'd found along the way. After helping Tyler cast a minor glamour around them, she'd opted to gather her strength in case she was needed for another spell. She munched on a sandwich in silence, waiting for Tyler's answer.
Tyler looked up to judge the sun's position in the sky. “About the same we've traveled so far,” he finally answered. He was well aware of the reaction his announcement would create. “We'll have to be more careful on this stretch, though, since we'll have to go out in the open a bit.”
Raising a brow, Courtney felt far from sure about where they were but guessed they were somewhere on the far side of Lake Wyvern. It was a good fifteen miles from where they'd started. “I thought the whole mountainside was covered in trees,” she commented.
Tyler confirmed her words with a nod. “Yes, but we have to follow the next curve near the Lake because of a deep ravine I don't think Anwen's up to tackling.” He glanced over at the recovering girl.
Anwen munched on a few crackers Tyler had given her, washing them down with water from the canteen. She'd been offered more but refused, giving her egg sandwich to Courtney. Her coloring was still off, despite the exercise, and sweat beaded on her forehead. She looked up upon hearing her name.
“I'd rather avoid any climbing,” Anwen confessed. The idea of scaling a ravine made her shudder. She was glad Tyler had found an alternate route.
The dragon let out his breath. “I can't promise anything, but I’ll do my best to avoid it as much as possible. We will eventually have to climb back to the Ruined City. That's where the Gates are. In the meantime, we have to reach the path and figure out where the key is.”
Courtney looked between Tyler and Anwen, shifting to see both of them. “Maybe if we knew what this key looked like, it would help.”
“To be honest, it's been such a long time, I’m not sure I remember. Or if I ever saw it,” he confessed as he scratched at the back of his neck.
Anwen perked up at his comment, eyes more focused than they had been all day. “What do you mean it's been a long time? You can't be that much older than I am.”
Both Courtney and Tyler exchanged glances. Even though they both knew Tyler's real form, Anwen did not. Tyler cleared his throat. “Well funny you should mention that. You see, I’m not really--” he paused, looking around with sudden intensity.
The hair on the back of Anwen's neck prickled. She felt her heart begin to pound and found herself looking around too. “Something's coming,” she half whispered, muscles taut.
Tyler's eyes went wide for a brief moment before he was scooping up their equipment and dumping it back into his pack. “We have to leave. Now.”
Courtney zipped her bag back up, brushing off crumbs as she reached for her stick. She uttered a charm that extended its length to a razor sharp point. “Can they see through the glamour?”
With a shake of his head, Tyler urged Anwen to her feet. “It doesn't matter. They can smell us, and that's good enough.”
Grabbing Anwen's hand, he rushed into the undergrowth, Courtney following. Twigs broke behind them as the glamour dissolved. The heavy breathing of an animal seemed to fill the air, along with the soft pad of many feet.
Courtney took off like a shot, following behind Tyler and Anwen, trying to prepare a fire spell, just in case. She tucked her wooden spear under one arm, ready to throw it should the need arise. “How did they find us?”
When Anwen stumbled, Tyler scooped her up into his arms and kept running. “Doesn't matter! We have to get to the Lake!”
He charged ahead, putting on greater speed, leaving Courtney several strides behind. Chances were good the Fallen would go after him and leave Courtney alone. After all, he was the one carrying the Keeper.
Anwen found it hard to duck her head as they sped through the trees. Even with her precaution, a branch grazed her cheek, causing blood to well up. She threw up one hand to keep any other branches from repeating the incident. “Why are they following us?” she yelled.
Tyler increased his speed yet again. He turned to look behind and saw one of the creatures, a panther-like cat, erupt into flames. Courtney’s doing, he was sure. “Because they want you dead.”
Eyes wide, Anwen tightened her grip on his shirt. Images of the night her father died filled her mind. The pouring rain of that night sounded like their fast passage through the trees. The low light from dark clouds at night. The report of a gun firing. Her father falling to the ground.
Something tore in her heart, letting out the most awful sound. After a moment, she realized the sound was coming from her lips. “Why? Why!”
Tyler saw another Fallen catch fire out of the corner of his eye as he made a sharp turn around an old rockslide. He followed the length of the trail downhill at breakneck speed.
He had no words for her and knew there were none he could offer to comfort her. Not yet. Instead, he focused on getting her safely away, knowing more Fallen were closing in around them. They would have to make a stand somewhere.
Courtney followed as best as she could, firing off flame enchantments that set various Fallen on fire. It wasn't enough though, and she knew it. Tyler was out of sight, whether from the trees or because he'd moved fast, she wasn't sure. One thing she did know, though, was that there were more Fallen than she could deal with alone.
Abandoning her defensive tactics, she conjured a spell to quicken her feet. It was something Tyler had likely done to help his own pace. With luck, she could at least try to catch up with him.
The trees finally fell away and Tyler had to backpedal or face plunging into the blue waters of Lake Wyvern. Looking around, he realized they'd come out a little further north than he'd planned. They had run right onto an outcropping of rock that jutted out over the calm waters below. The decision had trapped them on the lone peninsula of stone.
Courtney came behind them, out of breath as the low growls of the Fallen filled the air. Looking out over the water, her eyes went wide. “I hope this isn't what you meant by getting to the Lake,” she said, turning to face the way they'd come.
“Not exactly,” Tyler replied, setting Anwen down and moving in front of her. “I admit I wasn't paying as much attention to our location since I was trying to get us out of harm's way.”
Anwen peered over Tyler's shoulder and pointed at the tree line. “Look.” Tears streaked across her face and her entire body shook, but her voice was calm as she pointed.
Everyone looked in the directio
n Anwen pointed. Dark shadows emerged from the tree line. Each had a different shape, some more cat-like than others. All were darker in color and displayed menacing claws and dripping fangs.
Tyler pulled the bone knife from his pocket and used a spell similar to the one Courtney had used on her wooden spear. The fossilized stone transformed into a long but thin sword.
“There are too many of them,” Courtney hissed. “You'll have to transform!”
Shaking his head, Tyler moved to stand beside her. “No. That would only bring more of them, not to mention the Mage Circle, which we're nowhere near ready to deal with.”
Tyler expertly hefted the sword in one hand, swinging it back and forth almost experimentally. “We'll have to deal with this as best we can." He looked directly at the young mage. "I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”
Looking into his eyes, Courtney shook her head. Maybe she had started out on the wrong foot, seeking her own personal gain, but no longer. She glanced back at Anwen, standing behind them. The teen was trying to look brave but failed miserably. Whoever this girl was, whatever her past had been like, she was someone worth protecting. Her decision made, Courtney turned back to face the front.
A howl ripped through the air, followed by the echoed replies from at least a dozen other animal throats. Before the sound had finished, they launched themselves forward, bounding towards their prey.
“Here they come!” Courtney swung her spear around, ready to pierce as many as possible with the sharp point. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it. Tyler was definitely the more experienced fighter. But, worse to worse, she would defend her friend from any who got through Tyler's defenses.
Tyler sprang forward. His bone sword blazed a trail of white light as he swung at the approaching creatures, taking one down with the first swing. Before he had a chance to take a second down, they were upon him, cascading like raging water.
Courtney braced herself, hands almost slick on the smooth wood, knees bent should she need to move quickly.
Behind her, Anwen stood almost petrified at the grotesque creatures' appearance. There was nothing natural about them.
Several more Fallen went down under Tyler's sword as he managed to break free from the pack. He pierced yet another with a backward stab, berating himself for not being more active during the past century. He'd grown soft in his old age and it showed as more Fallen came swarming over the rise from the tree line. He let out a guttural snarl and leaped back into the fray.
Courtney sent out a few fireballs, helping Tyler ward off the more serious blows. One Fallen broke free from the pack and headed her way. She dispatched it with a thrust from her spear, sending it over the side of the cliff and into the water below. Steam billowed up from where it had disappeared.
Anwen watched, transfixed. She felt like she was watching a movie, except she had a front row view of everything. When the jackal-like creature attacked Courtney, she found herself closer to the edge of the drop behind her.
Why were they after her? And why were her new friends defending her? She shook her head, trying to make sense out of everything, but it was all happening too fast.
Two more creatures broke off from the pack, moving towards the two women on the precipice, one from each side. Courtney feinted towards one, then the other, not sure which to expound her energy on. They were both closing in at the same pace. “Back!” She waved the spear in front of her, trying to ward them both off.
One Fallen jumped forward, growling menacingly to distract her as the other raced for the other side. Courtney pierced the one through the heart and heaved it away as the other sped past her, towards Anwen.
Courtney turned to offer warning, hoping to check its flight with her weapon. Instead, she heard a scream, and then a loud splash as something fell into the water below. She turned in time to see another bout of steam billow, noticing Anwen was missing. Courtney called out to her, running to the cliff's edge.
Hearing the cries of both girls, Tyler looked up in time to see Courtney race to the stone's end and lean out over the water. Realizing what had happened, white-hot anger filled his chest and he sucked in air.
Fire spewed from his mouth as he exhaled, scorching the remaining Fallen to a crisp. Fire still trailing from his mouth, he ran to join Courtney at the end of the natural pier. Below them, the water spread in large ripples.
“I'm sorry,” Courtney sobbed as she stared out over the edge, unable to move from the sheer shock. “I couldn't get to her in time!”
Tyler dropped his bone sword. It reverted back to its smaller knife form as he dove into the water, hoping he wasn't too late.
Anwen felt an almost icy coolness as she sank below the water's surface. Everything had happened too quickly for her to realize she'd fallen until she was underwater.
With eyes wide open, Anwen could see everything with crystal clarity. It was almost as if time itself had stopped as she floated towards the bottom of the lake. Bubbles swarmed around her head as she exhaled, arms raised as her hair trailed with the downward movement of her body. She was surprised to feel calm as the water darkened around her.
It reminded her of the dream, a dragon streamlining towards her in the water as she reached out to grab silvery horns. Only this time, there was no dragon. Instead, a vaguely familiar person swam before her eyes, the same man from the Sacred Grove who had shown her the world. She reached out for him but was unable to make contact.
Kern stood with arms down at his sides, untouched by the water, a faint white glow surrounding him. Anwen, you have come far, and yet how far you still have to go. They will continue to seek to destroy you. You must be prepared, even if it means you must give up your own life.
Anwen's eyes went wide at this thought and she opened her mouth to speak but couldn't. Water filled her mouth and throat, coursing down to her lungs.
From around her neck, both chains seemed to float of their own volition, exposing the ring and pendant. A ray of light shown down through the water, glinting off the stone. It sent thousands of blue shards of light dancing in the liquid around her.
You have the key, Anwen. Use it. Open the Gates. Return to Tarragon. Wake the Sleeping Ones. Restore balance.
The water grew darker around her and the man dissipated like smoke. She reached out to him with limp hands that fell back, the muscles going slack. More bubbles filtered up from around her and her eyes closed.
Tyler thrust from the water like a dolphin surfacing, water spraying all around. He held Anwen tightly with one arm, paddling with the other as he made his way to the shore, trying to keep her blue-tinged lips above the water.
Courtney waved from the lake's shore. After Tyler had jumped in, she'd made her way down to the nearest flat stretch of sand. She hoped he'd head that direction, bringing Anwen back with him. Seeing him surface had lifted a weight from her heart, especially when she saw he had Anwen in tow. She splashed out to help bring her in.
Reaching the shore, Tyler set Anwen down and checked for vital signs, hoping he wasn't too late. She just lay there so unresponsive. So cold. He pounded on her chest, the chains around her neck jingling. Water had trailed from her mouth as he'd walked towards the beach, though he had no way of knowing if all the water had come up from her lungs.
After thirty compressions to her chest, he tilted her chin to try and open her breathing passage. After a moment with no response, he put his mouth over hers, plugging her nose as he sent life giving air into her lungs.
He breathed for her once more, and then began again with the chest compressions. “Come on, Anwen! Come on! You've got to fight!”
Anwen's body shook with his efforts, small amounts of water trailing from her clothes as she lay there. After the second round of compressions, the water gurgled up in her throat. She choked, heart beating out with the sluggish rhythm Tyler had described with his efforts.
Turning her to lay on her left side, Tyler moved back enough to let the water come up. He held her with one hand as her b
ody spasmed from coughing. Pushing her wet hair from her face, he was relieved to see some color returning. After another minute or two, Anwen's coughing subsided and he lifted her until she was resting against his chest.
Courtney retrieved Tyler's backpack and rummaged around for an emergency blanket. Finding one, she took it out and helped Tyler wrap it around Anwen and himself. He pulled the soaking girl closer so his body heat would help raise hers.
“I can't believe this happened,” Courtney said as she knelt next to them.
Tyler looked up from watching Anwen's face. “It's not your fault,” he said, trying to comfort her. “If you want to blame anyone, blame the original mages. The prophecy was right."
Courtney raised a brow. “What prophecy?”
Shifting to relieve the pressure of Anwen's limp body on his legs, Tyler sighed. “It's well known by my people, though less so by today's mages. It was given by the head mage, member of the Dragon Council, before the Mountain was sealed.”
He closed his eyes, quoting softly. “'One must journey from afar and risk in full else all be lost. Fire and water, earth and air, the last of the Keepers all shall bear ere the Gates be opened wide and the Sleeping Ones awake, restored to their silver thrones from the cold heart of hate.'”
Courtney picked up a stone and threw it at the water, the stone skimming across the surface before it disappeared. “That's a terrible prophecy,” she commented. “But seems dead on so far. Except I’m not sure where the fire fits in.”
Tyler didn't comment, thinking back to the events of the night before and Callum's words that morning. Her soul has tasted of dragon fire. He shook his head. “Who knows? But I’m not looking forward to learning what the other elements will do to her.”
Courtney raised her brow. She felt sure he was keeping something from her. “Why don't we just walk away? We could leave the Mountains. Go far from here and not look back. The Fallen won't follow us.”
Tyler shook his head. “Now that they know a Keeper lives and was here, they won't stop until they hunt her down and kill her, no matter where we go. Our safest course of action is to reach our goal and open the Mountain.”
Courtney stood and kicked at the sand. “Hard to do without the key,” she retorted. “After all, we're not even sure she has it.”
Tyler was saved from having to reply by Anwen groaning in his arms, eyelids fluttering. She coughed some more and moaned. “Why’s it so cold?” She pulled the thermal blanket closer around her with limp fingers.
“Morning, sleepy head,” Tyler chuckled. He felt more relieved than he wanted to admit.
Anwen opened her eyes and looked around, blinking up at Tyler's face. “Hey. What happened?” She looked down and realized she was in Tyler's arms, soaking wet. “Why am I wet?”
Helping her to a more upright position, Tyler transferred the blanket to her shoulders, folding it around her. “What do you remember?”
Anwen rubbed at her brow with one hand where a headache pounded. “I-- I was under the water. I must have fallen in. There was someone there. Someone else was in the water with me. A man.” Anwen blinked, trying to remember. “He said they will keep coming and--” She shuddered.
Courtney dropped to her knees. She watched closely as Tyler put a reassuring arm around Anwen's shoulders. “What did he say? They'll keep coming and what?”
Anwen shook her head, trying to remember. “There was something about having the key and maybe something about Tarragon? I don't remember.” She drooped to one side, her eyelids closing. "I don't remember." Her head lulled against Tyler's chest as her body went limp.
A howl filled the air, coming from somewhere further along the lake's shore. Both Courtney and Tyler looked over, searching for the source.
“We can't stay here,” Courtney observed. “They'll regroup and we'll be back in the same kettle as before.”
Tyler nodded. “You're right. We have to move. I'll carry Anwen,” he said as he reached for his bag. “I can move quickly, but can you keep up? I know you're tired.”
Courtney bit her lip with a worried expression. “I don't know. I’m not used to using so much magic. And you and I both know how taxing that can be. But I can try.”
With a sigh, Tyler scooped Anwen back up into his arms. “I'll try to keep you in my sights. If you get into trouble, shoot off sparks or something.” He shrugged, trying to adjust the position of his pack. Courtney stepped in to help him settle the bag.
She watched him go; realizing at the last moment that she still had the bone knife he'd dropped at the cliff. Shoving the weapon into her pocket, she made sure she had everything, then started after her friends.
SEVENTEEN