The Inner Kingdom: Quest One (Dragon Quest Book 1) (14 page)

“What did you do that for?” Ashley exclaimed, running to
Rṓ
gaire to see if he was still breathing.

“I had to make it believable. Now, let’s go.”

Standing on the celta, I held my hands out to my sisters. Ashley quickly grabbed my hand, but April hesitated as the battle sounds seemed to grow louder.

“Come on, we need to hurry.”

Slowly she began to walk toward the celta. “I’m scared.”

“Me, too,” I admitted as I activated the celta that swiftly led us in the middle of the battlefield.

All sounds ceased as everyone realized our presence.

I instantly spotted Leo, the angry guy with a flaming sword coming our way. Before he could make it to us, we were confronted by the creatures.

“You have finally decided to come out of hiding,” the largest of the creatures bellowed, stepping closer to us making the ground tremble underneath my feet. “I will make your death as painless as can be.” Without any warning, the unicus opened its mouth, causing fire to shoot out at us.

Instead of feeling afraid, the warmth coming from the fire seemed to give me strength as my energy began to merge with it, giving me complete control.

With the wave of my hand, the fire changed directions, surrounding the creatures in a wall of fire.

“I can’t hold them forever! Someone needs to think of a way to destroy them!”

“April, you can control the earth. Try making a hole in the ground or something.”

“I can’t,” April murmured backing away shaking her head.

“Yes, you can,” Ashley assured her, drawing water from the grass around, leaving an entire area barren, but the liquid weapon she created worked perfectly as she threw it at the trapped creatures in my fire wall.

“I can’t! I just can’t! April continued to chant as she stooped down on the ground hugging her knees.

Slowly I saw the ground moving around her, encasing her in a cocoon of hardened dirt.

The Destination

Location: The Battle Ground

◑
Apri
l
◐

My world became silent and gloomy as I found myself lost in my fear-filled thoughts. I just wanted to return to Earth, I missed the safety of my home, and even though I wasn’t popular in school, I even missed my teachers and the sense of normalcy.

I began to drift deeper and deeper into the memories I had on Earth, with my sisters and parents. Then my memories started to change.

Pictures of Mina, Pearl, Nolin, and everyone else I had met since arriving, swirled around in my head. Causing me to debate with my inner self. “I need to get up. I need to help everyone who is depending on me.”

“Why should you help them? They are the ones who lied to you,” a dark voice whispered in my ears.

“No, my sisters need me. I have to get up”

“You mean the sisters, who turned their backs on you when you needed them most?”

“We made an agreement, one that I agreed to.”

“Did that agreement include isolating you, and laughing along with others at your expense?” the voice drawled as images of Ashley’s smiling face, while the other students made fun of me, flashed through my mind.

“My sisters love me; they’ll give their all to protect me,” I said fiercely remembering the way Angie stepped toward the fire that was coming at them. “They have even helped me when I was injured."

The memories of Ashley healing my wound began to resurface. “It is my turn to help them.”

Then I remembered what Nolin had taught us.

Arrogance, fear, jealousy, and anger… these emotions can take over your energy and taint your heart.

“I will not let that happen to me”

Allowing my energy to flow, I could see the unicus breaking through Angie’s firewall and moving closer toward Ashley as she pierced their sides with her water spears.

As I looked closer at the creatures, I could see something glowing inside their neck, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing; I had to let Angie and Ashley know. Opening my eyes, I was met with more darkness. Feeling the energy flow through me, I broke free from the dark bubble I was in.

“Stop throwing the spears! I know how to stop them!” I yelled out loud at Ashley.

“Welcome back. Just in case you have missed what’s going on. These beasts are trying to kill us,” Angie stated manipulating the fire to keep the unicus away from them and the guards.

I saw Leo out of the corner of my eye sneaking up to stab one of the creatures in the legs with his sword. Manipulating the ground under his feet, I moved him far away from them.

“Have you lost it? What part of
they are trying to kill us
do you not understand?” Angie yelled, still concentrating on controlling the fire, keeping the unicus from attacking.

“It’s not them,
Rṓ
gaire was right. This is not like them, they are being controlled.”

“What are you talking about?” Ashley asked, straining to stay in control of the spears.

Everyone else on the battlefield was now mostly just watching as Angie and Ashley did most of the work. Looking around, I could see that Leo and the prince were keeping everyone back. Nodding my head at them, I let them know that we had everything under control… well, sort of.

“There are celtas embedded in their necks. I saw them.”

“I don’t see anything,” Angie yelled, her energy depleting fast.

“Just trust me. Remember when we overloaded the path? Let’s put our energy into breaking Jewel’s hold over them. I know it’s her.”

Angie and Ashley shared a brief look at each other before they finally nodded their heads in agreement.

As Angie let go her control over the fire and Ashley dropped the water spears, I used my newfound abilities to encase the unicus legs into the hardened earth, as we all pulled our energy into our hands and forced it toward the creatures, putting more and more energy toward their necks.

Just when I thought I wouldn’t be able to give any more energy, I heard three loud explosions before the skin on all three of the creatures began to crack and fall away, revealing a pure white horse with giant white wings, and a golden horn.

That was the last thing I saw before the little energy I had left began to leave me, and I fell into a deep sleep.

I awoke to the feeling of a wet sensation on my fingers. As I tried to wipe it, something grabbed ahold of my hand.

“She’s awake!” I heard Mina shout, calming down the fear I was beginning to feel. “Go get the king! They are all awake!”

Struggling to sit up, my joints felt like I had just ran a marathon, and my throat was so dry, it pained me to swallow.

In opening my eyes, I found that I was back in the castle in our room. Turning my head to the side, I could see that Angie and Ashley was already sitting up in the bed.

“Good morning, sleepy head,” Ashley joked, looking exactly the way I felt.

In trying to respond, I found that I could not speak.

“Here is some water,” Mina offered, holding a glass in front of me to drink.

After drinking the water, she helped me sit up alongside my sisters.

My vision began to become clearer the more I focused on my surroundings and with it my memory.

“Did it work? Are the unicus okay?” I asked, trying to sit up a little more.

“It’s okay. They are fine. Actually, they are waiting for you outside,” Mina explained.

“Really?” Angie moaned as she tried to get out of the bed.

“You just had to have things your way,” I could hear Leo’s voice enter the room.

Moving my head away from Angie and toward the door, I could see Leo, the prince; Nolin,
Rṓ
gaire, and the king enter the room.

“Yeah, like your way was any better,” Angie joked wincing when she tried to move toward the edge of the bed.

“You are looking better,” Ashley spoke up, as she saw the king stride into the room.

“It is all thanks to you. The Inner Kingdom is forever in the dragon warriors’ debt,” the king bowed.

“Wait a minute, what time of day is it?” Angie asked, causing the smiles on everyone faces around to disappear.

“You were unconscious for almost a half day.”

“Is the portal still open?” Ashley questioned, causing the king and Nolin to look at each other before Nolin, finally answered. “For now it is, but it won’t be there for much longer.”

“You said that the unicus are waiting for us?” I changed the subject, putting off the issue of returning home.

“Yes, but you can’t meet them like this. You are still needing assistance to sit up. Walking is out of the question,” Mina fussed.

“We don’t have to walk if someone would volunteer to carry us,” Angie suggested looking at the young men in the room. I saw her wince a little when her eyes fell on the dark bruise peeking from behind
Rṓ
gaire’s long hair.

“That is a great idea. We have three strong and capable young men here,” The king agreed,gesturing for the prince, Leo, and
Rṓ
gaire to assist us.”

As
Rṓ
gaire stooped down in front of me to pick me up, I was afraid he would struggle a little, but he made it seem so effortless, like I weighed nothing at all.

The prince was then able to help Ashley after I was moved. That just left Leo and Angie.

Angie was not one to just go quietly. “Don’t get too happy because I let you hold me.”

“I will try to contain my joy,” I could hear Leo’s response to her teasing.

It did not take long for us to reach the outside of the castle and spot the three unicus who were now snow white in color, with golden hooves and horn.

Galloping closer to us, the creatures bowed down on their front legs, lowering their horns to the ground in front of us.

“Thank you, if it wasn’t for you, we would of remained slaves to Queen Jewel.”

“I’m just glad that you are okay."

The main unicus took his horn and rammed it into the ground, breaking it off. “I want to offer you this, as a token of our gratitude," the creature offered pushing it near us.

“I don’t know if I can take your horn. It’s so beautiful. Won’t you miss it?”

“I insist,” the unicus said, nudging the horn closer. “This will be a way for you to communicate with us whenever you may need us."

“There’s something inside,” I said aloud to no one in particular.

“Many have tried to kill for the medical miracles our horns can bring about. If you drink from the horn, it will heal your wounds and replenish your energy.”

“Let me see that.” Ashley demanded extending her hand out. “It doesn’t look poisonous. I believe it is safe.”

“To be given the horn of a unicus is a high honor indeed, and it is very rude to call their gift poison,”
Rṓ
gaire whispered to us.

“I’m sorry; we didn’t mean to offend you,” I apologized.

“Given your circumstances, your suspicion is warranted,” the creature answered in a thunderous voice, which could have been mistaken for a laugh.

“There is only one way to find out,” Angie stated taking the horn, and drinking a little from it.

“How is it?” Ashley wondered out loud.

“If you are looking for it to taste exceptionally well, you are going to be very disappointed. It tastes like plain water.”

“I don’t care about the taste. How do you feel?”

Stepping away from Leo, who silently watched everything along with everyone else. Angie’s smile told me all I needed to know.

After Ashley, I drank from the horn as well. I also noticed that it seemed to shorten in length. “Is it just me or did this horn just shrink?”

"The horn can be filled to heal only four times, gradually decreasing in length as it is used. You have a choice though; the horn can also be used to call us, whenever you find yourselves needing our assistance. No matter how small the horn maybe, as long as there is something left, we will hear your call.”

“I’m sorry, but we find ourselves needing your help now. Do you mind taking us down to the weeping willow tree near the castle’s wall?”

“That would not be a problem,” the main unicus said, bowing even lower to the ground to allow us to get on their backs.

Leo, the prince, and
Rṓ
gaire ran with the creatures, until we finally came to a stop nearby the tree.

“Apologies warriors. This is as far as we can take you. The ground around that tree is very sacred, not even we can touch it.”

“This is close enough, thank you.” Grateful to the unicus, I hugged their necks.

“Don’t forget to use the powers of the horn wisely,” the main unicus warned, spreading its wings to fly off.

“Wait, what is your name?” I remembered to ask at the last minute.

“You can call me Vale.”  The giant unicus took off with the smaller ones trailing behind him.

“That can’t be,” I heard
Rṓ
gaire and the others with us mutter in disbelief.

“What? Have you heard that name before?”

“Yes, it is the name of the most infamous fighter in all of Eupai that fought alongside the previous dragon warriors, after they died. He just seemed to vanish.”

“Legends have it that he was blessed with the ability to assume human form," the prince continued. “There was also, a rumor that he was quite the womanizer.”

“Wow, if Jewel can trick a mighty warrior like Vale in her weakened state, I hate to think what she will be capable of once her strength is fully restored,” Leo added, looking toward us. “Are you sure you want to leave?”

There were no words to express how torn I was at the moment. So, I didn’t answer him as I grabbed my sisters’ hands and began to run toward the tree where the vortex was beginning to shrink.

“If we are going to leave, we have to do it now,” Angie muttered tightening her grip on my hand.

As we ran toward the opening of the portal, it was like we hit a rubber wall, which bounced us back a good four feet through the air.

“What just happened? “Ashley voiced what the rest of us were thinking.

I walked slowly to the portal again and tried to put my hand through, but it just bounced back. “Maybe it won’t let us go through.”

“Having problems ladies?” I heard
Rṓ
gaire behind me standing alongside Leo and the prince.

“Why can’t we leave?”

“It is because you secretly want to stay,”
Rṓ
gaire said nonchalantly. “This tree is also called the Tree of Truth. That is why we use its image on the celtas that hide things because it is known to reveal the truth to others.

At that moment, I realized that I was not the only one, not wanting to go back. “So, are we just going to stand here and watch it close?”