THE PATH WAS EASY TO navigate for a while as Tyler skirted the Lake's edge, careful of any potential sinkholes nearby. He ran as light as a feather, pausing only long enough to look back and make sure Courtney was still in range.
If she'd been further advanced as a mage, he could have shown her a tracking spell that was less likely to attract attention. But such was not the case. Tyler could only hope their current method would work. At least it would get them as close to their destination as possible before one or the other passed out from exhaustion.
The sun began to set on the western horizon as Tyler stopped for yet another rest. This last leg had been longer than anticipated, but necessarily so. The Fallen had begun to close in again. He'd sent Courtney on an alternate route while he took an even more evasive one. He often doubled back on his own progress to see just how far the creature had come. Even so, both he and the blond haired girl were wearing down as they met up once more.
The Lake was less wide where they took a momentary rest. The water tapered off towards the cataracts that spilled down into the next valley. Courtney would have appreciated the view more had she not been doubled over, trying to catch her breath. Her clothes were soaked with sweat and her hair was in desperate need of washing.
Tyler set Anwen down on a bed of ferns. She hadn't so much as stirred since her brief wakefulness after drowning. He began to examine her, checking pulse and respiration, hoping no complications had set in.
After several minutes of just trying to catch her breath, Courtney took a much-needed sip of water from her canteen. “How much further,” she gasped while wiping her mouth. Her hands shook as she tried to take another swig.
Tyler looked up from his ministrations. “No more than a couple of miles,” he responded with weariness. “With luck, we can walk them.”
He hadn't done so much running in a long time, especially not in human form. And while Anwen wasn't all that heavy, over time, she had begun to feel like a small boulder in his arms. He was just glad she was still breathing and hadn't developed any further symptoms. At least, not that he could tell.
Courtney groaned, trying to dislodge a stone from underneath her chosen seat. “Can't wait,” she said, rolling her eyes. “And you're sure they won't find us there?”
“About as sure as I am of anything right now.” Tyler closed his eyes. “It's a little known guard post from back in the day, just above the cataracts. The wards are still in place, even after all these years, so we should be safe for the night. I guess you could say that it's one of my 'homes away from home'.”
Thinking about it, Courtney decided that made sense. Before she'd know about his draconic heritage, she'd wondered where he disappeared to all those times. No one seemed to know where he really lived, though it was believed he had a small hermitage somewhere outside the village.
“When are you going to tell her?”
Tyler opened his eyes at Courtney's question. “Tell her what, exactly?”
Courtney didn't meet his eyes as she rummaged in her pack for something to munch on. “About what you are.” She pulled out a packet of granola and opened it.
Tyler's eyes went amber for a brief moment, but returned to their usual blue. “I don't know. One thing at a time, I guess. She's already been through a lot. I don't want to overwhelm her.”
“It’s a bit late for that, don't you think,” Courtney understated with a roll of her eyes. “She's been attacked, knocked out, drowned, and who knows what else. I’m sure hearing you're a dragon will hardly make a dent in the bucket, if you know what I mean.”
Tyler smiled at that. “True. But what if I’m not ready to tell her?”
Courtney shook her head. Boys. She looked up at the ridge where the sun was fading from sight. “If you want me to traipse a couple more miles before full dark, we'd better get going.”
With a glance to confirm the hour, Tyler agreed and swung his pack back into place, removing the flask of dragon mead from it. “Here,” he offered. “Just a sip, though. “Dragon mead is strong stuff and shouldn't be played with. You can put it back in my bag when you're done.”
While Courtney unscrewed the cap, he lifted Anwen back into his arms.
Courtney took a sip as instructed and felt liquid heat flood through her body. She was so surprised she almost dropped the bottle but managed to keep her grip. It reminded her of hot apple cider, mixed with plenty of cinnamon.
Putting the lid back on, she slipped the flask back into Tyler's pack. She was fairly certain she understood why so many of the locals yearned for just a taste of that strange brew. “Ready when you are,” she said.
Settling the sleeping girl more securely, Tyler headed towards the tree line and way from the lake. Ahead, a boggy section made it a bit more treacherous. But it was short in comparison to the other obstacles they'd encountered so far. There were a few spots that proved problematic, caused by rockslides for the most part, but they managed to navigate around them without too much trouble.
After another hour of steady hiking, the sun's light faded completely and they had to rely on a light orb Tyler conjured. It floated a little ahead of them, like a witch light, giving off just enough light to see where they were going.
The dragon mead's effects wore off after a while and Courtney felt the exhaustion returning. They had reached another boggy section of the path, almost next to the lake's shore. Not watching her footing, Courtney misjudged and fell into a hidden shallow, the dirt giving way around her. Completely soaked, she managed to grab hold of a root and pulled herself back onto the path.
Tyler, half a dozen feet ahead, turned at the sound of splashing water. He was about to put Anwen down and help her when she flopped back onto the path. “You all right?” he called.
With water dripping everywhere, Courtney managed a shallow nod. “I'm ready for a hot shower,” she joked. “And maybe a decent meal.” Her stomach growled.
Tyler nodded, wishing for a nice shower as well. The grit on his face made his skin itch but he couldn't do a thing about it with his hands occupied. “Not much longer now,” he assured, more than ready to be done with the day.
Anwen stirred in his arms, mumbling something incoherent. Her eyes opened for a brief moment before closing once more. A slight sigh escaped her lips as she settled back against Tyler's chest.
Getting back to her feet, Courtney swayed her way over. “It better be that close,” she warned. “I'm sick and tired of mud and dirt.”
“This way,” Tyler indicated as he cradled Anwen. He turned back to the invisible path and kept walking.
Before long, the sound of rushing water overwhelmed the night's noises. Water gurgled in the lake as it made its way to the falls. Tyler deviated from the shore once more, pressing back into the trees a bit. After a couple more minutes of steady walking, the trees opened up. A small glen met their view where a low hut pressed up against the now raging cataracts.
Almost ready to drop, Tyler indicated the hut with a nod of his head. “There. That's the outpost.”
Courtney almost rushed ahead but checked her pace. The lake had constricted back into a river and the swift water sprayed over the stony ground, making the hut look like a cave. Stepping with caution, she followed Tyler, feeling an almost static charge running up her spine as they reached the threshold. As Tyler had promised, the wards were still in place.
Sending a light orb inside, Courtney admired the simple construction. The outpost looked like it had been carved right out of the river rock. She noticed there was a small hearth at the far end. There was wood already laid inside it, just waiting for a flame to set it aflame. Close to the fireplace, a stone table rested against the wall, along with a stone bench.
“Cozy,” Courtney noted as she looked around. There was enough room to accommodate five large men.
Tyler set Anwen down on the far side of the hearth and rummaged near a low shelf. After a moment, he found what he was looking for, an old-fashioned flint and steel. "Better save our stre
ngth," he reasoned. Expertly using the flint and steel, he soon had a decent flame going in the firebox. Not too long after that, the small quarters warmed up considerably.
Courtney moved as close to the fire as she dared, feeling the welcome heat against her skin. “Much better,” she sighed in contentment.
“You're going to want to take those wet clothes off and let them dry,” Tyler warned. “I hope you have an extra change in that bag of yours, one that isn't wet.”
Turning red, Courtney pulled her bag over and rummaged inside. Unlike the food that had been packed in waterproof containers, her extra clothes were soaked. She groaned as she pulled them out for inspection. “Drat.”
Busying himself with Anwen, Tyler made sure her vitals were stable. He pulled a blanket from his pack and set it next to her, taking out an extra blanket, which he tossed over to Courtney. “Here. You can wrap up in this until your clothes are dry. Promise I won't look.”
Grabbing the blanket, Courtney retreated to the furthest corner of the room. She snuffed out her light orb as she went. With the firelight, it wasn't necessary anyway. Once out of sight, she took off her wet garments and wrapped up in the blanket, hoping Tyler had kept his word to not look.
Tyler smiled to himself as he pulled out a pot from the same shelf where he'd found the flint and steel. Locating a swinging hook over the hearth, he attached the pot and filled it with water from their canteens. They could be refilled later. “How does soup sound?” he asked.
Courtney shuffled back over with her wet clothes, one hand holding the blanket around her. “Soup sounds amazing,” she smiled as she tried to arrange her wet clothes in front of the fire. “How's Anwen doing?”
Pulling out some dried meat from his pack, Tyler glanced at the sleeping girl. “She should be fine. More like as not, she just needs some rest. I’m sure she'll be up and about tomorrow, ready for more,” he smiled dryly. "You'd probably better put your spare clothes out to dry too."
Courtney nodded and moved to do as he'd suggested. From the corner of her eye, she saw him put different ingredients into the pot and wondered where they'd come from. After a moment, she realized there were several low storage bins near the fireplace. “Potatoes? Carrots? Looks like a decent meal tonight.”
“Along with a few herbs,” Tyler added as he stirred. “And in about half an hour, if we're still awake, it should be ready.” He stifled a yawn.
“How do you do it,” Courtney asked as she finished putting the extra clothes out to dry. “Day after day? Pretending you're something you're not?” She stared at the firelight to avoid his eyes.
Tyler rubbed at his face and put the ladle down. “Humans and dragons aren't all that different,” he finally answered after thinking over his reply. “We both have vices, ambitions, and emotions. Dragons are just more prone to patience, thinking things through. And, having a much longer lifespan, they tend to gain more wisdom.”
Courtney shook her head and went to remove Anwen's clothes so they could dry. “You're hedging,” she accused. “I know about the fundamental differences. Dragons have no need for constant change like we do. They don't make sport of those lesser than they are, if they do at all.”
The sound of bubbling water came from the pot as steam sent a pleasing fragrance into the air. “Maybe,” Tyler conceded. “Compare us to a more noble form of nature and you'd have it about right. Though not all my kind are that way. There are some who are not.” He lapsed into silence.
Anwen rolled to one side, pulling at the blanket Courtney had placed on her. She settled back with a half sigh, causing both to look her way.
Tyler's eyes lingered longer than necessary, outlining her form against the firelight. “There are some aspects of pretending to be human that are harder than others. And there are still many that I don't understand. Like rage for rage's sake. Or a need to purposely mentally and emotionally destroy someone because you don't like them or understand them.
“Fear, I think, is the biggest difference. How we react to fear.”
Courtney glanced over at Tyler, wondering what was going through his mind. There was more to it than that. All the tales agreed that dragons were something outside of human understanding. They were nothing like them. Except, perhaps, maybe in some fundamentals. Every living creature shared some attributes with all the others.
“As to how I do it, pretending, as you say, for all this time,” Tyler continued, “I don't know. Back when humans and dragons existed together, it was not necessarily uncommon for our kind to take on the appearance of yours. Not all could do it, mind you. In fact, most dragons are unable to transform. Only those with a deep well of magic, I guess you could call it, are able to do so. I fall into that category. But that doesn't make it easy.
“Of course, I've also been accused of being too human at times, so there you have it. It's something I chose. Beats being stuck as a bird for hundreds of years.”
Courtney turned the damp clothes over, trying to avoid putting them back on the wet spots they'd left behind on the hearthstone. More questions buzzed around in her head, but she was tired. She rubbed at on eye, trying to stay off sleep. “Soup done yet?” she asked.
Tyler tested the thickening mass in the pot and threw in some salt. “Just about. There should be some bowls under the bench.” He indicated the stone seating near the table.
Having retrieved the bowls, Courtney held them out while Tyler ladled. It was not, perhaps, the best meal ever created, but it was more than enough, considering the circumstances. She savored the broth, surprising herself by eating three bowls of the simple stew. Her clothes were dry enough to put back on by the time she'd finished eating,
While Tyler tried to coax Anwen to drink a few spoonfuls of broth, Courtney changed back into her clothes. They weren't the cleanest, but it was better than relying on a blanket. “I still want a shower,” she informed him.
With a shrug, Tyler looked at the open doorway. “There's always the waterfall, if you really want one. Just don't come crying when the water sweeps you off your feet and downriver.”
Courtney rolled her eyes, deciding against another wetting that night. Instead, she curled up with the blanket in a corner. It didn't take long for her eyes to close and sleep to claim her.
Anwen felt as though she were back in the water, trying to push her way to the surface like some slow moving creature. Above her, a murky sort of light filtered down, interspersed with dark shadows.
Something was happening above the surface. She was suddenly not sure if she wanted to reach that level, or let herself sink back into the oblivion below her.
Ahead, a dark ribbon slithered in an almost zigzag pattern, rapidly approaching her location. Transfixed, Anwen arrested her efforts and watched the progress of this unknown shadow. Before long, the slithering creature reached her. It looked like a python with a feathery hood attached to its head.
She tried to back peddle in the water but couldn't. Bubbles escaped her mouth and nose as she exhaled in fear.
The imugi dragon swirled around her like the serpent it was. Instead of squeezing her in its coils, it maintained a hold so loose she could have escaped had she had the inclination.
Having fully circled her body with its long scaled one, the dragon brought its head close to hers. It was easily three times larger than hers. Sea green eyes contemplated her before it pushed its long snout towards her face, touching her just above her brow.
Long whiskers tickled Anwen's ears, as they brushed past, feeling the current in the water. Her lungs burned, begging for her to inhale much needed oxygen, but she couldn't.
The water around her felt timeless, the surface so far away. Light and dark streaked across the top as she stared at the feathered jaw of the giant creature.
Key Keeper, you have much fear in your heart. Fear clouds your vision, keeping you from seeing the truth around you. You must learn to dismiss this fear if you are to succeed. And succeed you must.
The journey will not be easy, but is
necessary for you to become who you are meant to be. Learn from your past. Embrace your future. Abandon your fears. Fulfill your potential and take joy in your journey. It is the only way you will survive.
Anwen blinked, trying to understand what this creature had just told her. Before she could process his words, she felt herself being propelled upward. The next moment, she was breaking free of the watery prison around her.
Out in the open air, fire seemed to streak across the sky, trailing orange and red streamers of destruction. All around, she could see dragons and men fighting against each other. Some humans worked with the dragons. A great many humans fought against them, herding them towards the mountain city, where a massive gate stood open.
A man stood alone in front of that gate. He held a crystal sword in his hands. It glowed a brilliant blue color. The hilt reminded Anwen of a dragon, with its wings spread to form the guard. The dragon's head formed the pommel. The metal reminded her of pewter. The blade was an elongated crystal of blue with razor sharp edges.
The man holding the sword looked almost like her father, though she knew that wasn't possible. This was a dream, nothing more. But the man held his sword high, the tip pointing heavenward.
A sudden flash of lightning filled the sky, crackling out as if from the blade. He yelled as thunder rumbled through the air, covering his words from Anwen's ears.
Whatever he said spurred the dragons towards the Eternal Gate. They came in a rush, almost like water swirling towards the nearest outlet in a flash flood. As the last dragon sped past him into the Mountain, the man reversed his grip on the sword, pointing the blade downward. With a mighty heave, he thrust the blade into the stone in front of him, causing the ground to quake.
Cobalt blue lightning filled the sky like a pyrotechnic show, lacing around the mountainside. The man looked as though he was struggling to keep upright, holding to the hilt with all his might as wind swept up the Mountain. The massive stone gates shut with a rumble that rivaled the thunder filling the sky.
The light that filled the expanse temporarily blinded Anwen. When she could see again, she noticed many men and women lying prone on the ground. The buildings that had once been a city lay broken, roof beams cracked or fallen to the ground, crushing stone walls and statues. It reminded her strongly of the Ruined City.
Blinking, Anwen noticed the man from before was now kneeling in front of the closed gates. In his hands, he held a pendant that looked like the sword he'd just wielded. The difference was that the dragon's now folded wings enclosed its body, with the tail wrapping around the crystal. The wedge-shaped end of the tail jutted out from the end, reminding her of an old fashioned key.
She watched the man hide the key in his pocket as he stumbled to his feet and made his way past the shell-shocked masses on the ground. He disappeared behind an outcropping of stone. The Dragon Moon broke free from behind the clouds, bathing the world in a cold blue light.
Anwen found herself standing at the gate, staring at the smooth stone that had once opened to the dragon realm. It looked like a blank slate, with no cracks or lines to show that a doorway had been there.
She turned to look at the Ruined City below her, smoke billowing from fires further down the mountainside. She closed her eyes against another bright flash of light.
EIGHTEEN