"What do you mean?"
"Lorit will be damaged. I do not know how, but without your help he will be rendered impotent. The future that awaits him will not come to pass. I cannot see more than this."
The dragon shifted its weight on the mantle as if impatient. "There are many paths; only this one is open to my influence. If you render aid to Lorit, this path may yet be open. If you do not, it is certainly closed."
The dragon took a step towards her. "I have pledged to come to your aid in times of great need. This is all I ask of you, that you take your army and help Lorit. It is of great import with consequences far beyond any you can imagine."
"You sound like a Wizard." Ukina sat down in her chair, facing the fireplace and the dragon. "Why should I believe you? Why take my army out against an unknown foe at your word alone?"
The dragon curled his head around and breathed fire into the fireplace. "Witness the paths that lie ahead."
The fireplace shimmered and sparkled as the dragon's breath mingled with the fire that already danced on the burning logs. The Queen could see the city of Veldwaite take shape in the flames. The castle stood tall above the city, but it looked somehow different. Light came from within, but not the usual light of the castle folk about their business. This light was brighter, flickering, casting strange shadows on the ground behind it.
Flames licked out of the windows high atop the towers at first, then gradually working their way down to the lower reaches of the castle. The stones themselves started to glow, a dark red at first, but growing brighter as she watched.
The tower turned a brilliant yellow, almost as bright as the sun, and then exploded in a massive wave of destruction. It cast fiery stones down onto the city below. Wherever the stones fell, the buildings shattered beneath the impact and burst into flames, until the city was ablaze and the castle a pile of shimmering rubble.
Ukina held up her hand to ward off the sight. "Tell me this is not certain."
"It is not certain. But it is possible. If you fail to save Lorit or arrive too late to prevent the harm that is to befall him, this will be the fate of your realm." The dragon inhaled once more and blew a second burst of flames.
This time the flames revealed the castle as she knew it today. She was sitting in the reception room. Beside her was a young boy about five summers in age. Somehow, she knew it was her son.
Two figures in robes approached, knelt and then stood before her. They drew back their hoods to reveal Lorit and Chihon. The boy recognized them and ran to Chihon, giving the Sorceress a hug. Chihon lifted the boy in the air and twirled him around, laughing.
"What is this?" Ukina asked quietly.
"Another path. The one I am trying to bring about."
"How can I bring this to pass?"
"Save Lorit."
She nodded her head. "How will I find him?"
"You are connected to Chihon; follow that connection. When you get to the red city, prepare for battle. You will know what to do when the time comes."
With that, the dragon leapt from the fireplace and flew towards the window, but it vanished in flight.
Queen Ukina called for her personal guard. "Go find Sir Adane and bring him to me."
The knight arrived shortly. He was dressed in the hard leather armor he wore on the battle field. He dropped to one knee. "Your Grace."
"Sir Adane, the dragon tells me that the Wizard Lorit is in desperate need of our assistance. How quickly can you get your men assembled and ready to leave?"
"They can be ready by morning, Your Grace."
"Provision the army for a month in the field. We head out at first light."
"May I ask where to, My Grace?" Sir Adane rose, towering over her.
Ukina always felt a little safer when Sir Adane was close by her. It comforted her to know that her faithful protector was near. "To save Lorit," she said.
"And where might Lorit be?"
"I don't know, but I am assured that I will know in time. We must move quickly, the fate of the Realm rests on our actions this day."
Sir Adane bowed his head. "My Queen. You know I have sworn to protect and serve you, but are you chasing fancy? Following the word of a dragon?"
"You question my word? So soon after pledging your allegiance to me?" She smiled up at him, knowing he was as faithful a knight as there ever was, but she didn't want a long discussion about her decision to help Lorit.
"I do not question your word, Your Grace. I question the dragon."
Ukina was disturbed by his question, but she knew he would understand. "That dragon broke the spell that the Temple had placed on me. That dragon saved my life more than once. Without that dragon I would not be here."
The Queen reached out and laid her hand on his shoulder. His armor was stiff beneath her hand, but she was sure he could feel her touch. "Adane, I have always trusted you. You have never given me reason to doubt you. My fate is intertwined with the Wizard and the Sorceress. I must help them or I myself will be destroyed along with them. I ask you as your friend, not as your Queen. Please help me in this."
Sir Adane looked down at her. "I understand. Wizard's business frightens me more than a clean battle. I do not know how to fight a Wizard, but I do know how to fight men. I will do this for you, and if you need me to stand before a Wizard, I will do that for you, too."
Sir Adane raised his hand in salute. "Your Grace. I will have the men assembled and ready for your command at first light."
Rothen woke Ukina while it was still dark. The fire warmed her room and the candles lit the table where her clothes had been laid out. There was a rough but serviceable set of hiking boots, pants suitable for riding and a shirt of the same material.
"I don't think it wise to advertise the fact that the Queen of Veldwaite is running around the countryside with her army. It's quite unbecoming." Rothen held up the shirt.
"I see what you mean." Ukina grabbed the shirt and pants and stepped behind the dressing screen. She quickly donned the travel clothes. "We're leaving at first light."
"So I heard." Rothen sat down on the floor and held out one of the boots.
Ukina grabbed his shoulder to steady herself and pushed her foot into it. She repeated the same motion with the other boot.
"Do you think it wise?" Rothen asked.
"Do I think it wise?" Ukina laughed. "No, I don't think it's wise. But I do believe I have no choice, so wise or foolish, we leave at first light. Come see me off."
Queen Ukina finished dressing for the road, adding a heavy cloak to keep her warm until the sunrise. She grasped Rothen's arm and walked with him to the stables. She shared her concerns with him about the trip, and he shared his support of her.
When they arrived at the stables, the Wizard Hatther was waiting for her.
"Are you coming with us?" she asked.
"No, I have other tasks. I just came to see you off and to remind you to be careful. Lorit and Chihon are in dire danger. You will be, too. Do not take this lightly."
"Do I have a choice?" she asked.
"Not really, no."
"Then let's get moving. The sun is almost up."
There was a flash and a pillar of smoke formed in her path. It coalesced into a figure in a robe. The figure took on shape and definition, becoming solid. It was a young man dressed in priestly robes. He tossed his hood back to reveal his face. "Good morning, sister."
It was Price Ghall.
Queen Ukina felt her heart race. She was glad to see her brother alive, but he was dressed in Temple robes. She worried about what that meant. He was such a sweet brother. Had the Temple changed him? Would he be the same as she remembered or was he someone else now?
"What are you doing here?"
Ghall ran his hand over his shaven head. "As you've probably already guessed, I am now a Priest of Ran. I came here to see you, and to let you know that I am well. I also came to caution you. Turn back from this. Do not do this thing. Lorit and Chihon are not your concern. Leave them to the Temple."
"I owe them my life," Ukina said. She looked at the harshness in the boy's eyes. He had changed and not for the better.
"They're not worthy of your help. Let them be, they are nothing to you."
"No. I owe Lorit my life. Lorit removed the spells that the Temple placed on me. That
your
priests laid on me."
Ghall took a step towards Ukina. She could see the coldness in his eyes even more clearly. She was filled with sadness to see that the brother she had known and loved was gone. The eyes that so reminded her of her mother's, were as hard as ice. No trace of her beloved brother remained in them.
Hatther stepped between them and lowered his staff. "Be gone."
Ghall stepped back and raised his hand to cast a spell. Before he could complete it, Hatther spoke words that froze him in place. He turned to Queen Ukina. "Go now, before the spell wears off."
"What did you do?" Ukina demanded.
"I simply froze him. He won't be able to hurt you."
"You haven't hurt him, have you?"
"No. I'll release him as soon as you are on your way. I will prevent him from interfering with you while you are on the road, but you'd best get going."
Athestow Pass
It was dark and empty and Lorit dreamed of water, cool clear water, but he knew it was a dream. There was no water here, he was in the desert. The burning sun had raised blisters on the back of his neck and exposed arms and only the frigid cold of the desert at night gave him any relief as he lay there exhausted and defeated.
He felt Chihon beside him. Her magic was weak and insubstantial, but at least she was alive. He wondered if she was in better shape than he was. He reached out to her, but he could not rouse her. He wanted to let her know how sorry he was that he had failed her, but he didn't have the energy. He lay his head back down in the sand and felt the cool of it on his blisters.
As he lay there wondering what it would feel like to die, Lorit felt something land on his back. It was light, almost insubstantial, but it was there. Had some desert animal decided to make an evening meal of him, thinking him dead? He tried to lift his head and look, but he was too weak.
He heard a hissing sound and smelled the stench of rotten eggs, then the fire came, hotter than the sun on his back had been. It burned so hot, it peeled the skin from him; the agony of it was mixed with a pleasure so great, Lorit could barely keep from crying out.
He felt it wash over him at first, then sink into his flesh. The fire didn't burn, it cleansed, cleansed him from then pain he felt, cleansed the sunburned skin on his neck and arms, cleansed his despair and fear.
The fire subsided and Lorit felt refreshed. The weight leaped off of his back and Lorit turned to see the mini dragon repeat its fiery healing on Chihon. When it was finished, it jumped to the sand and sat there, head tilted, looking at him with that quizzical expression it always wore.
Before Lorit could react, the mini dragon bowed its head and leaped into the air, leaving him wondering what was coming next. Lorit heard a faint screech far overhead and turned to see a flock of birds circling directly above him, barely visible in the pale moonlight.
One of the birds broke free of the flock and dropped down near him. As it got closer, Lorit could see that it was not a carrion bird, but the mini dragon. It was in the company of a mighty eagle whose wingspan was almost as wide as Lorit's own outstretched arms. The mini dragon swooped silently towards him, adjusting its flight to come to a standstill and settle onto the sand right in front of Lorit.
It was Kal'ryni. "Thank you, my friend," Lorit said.
The dragon just looked at him, but said nothing. It hissed at the Eagle beside it, spread its wings, and launched itself into the dark night sky.
The mighty bird raised its head and screeched. Its voice was echoed from a dozen eagles still on the wing. The flock dropped to earth like so many stones. As they reached the sand, each one flared for a landing, repeating the grace of the mini dragon.
One of the birds clutched something in its clawed foot. It looked like a stick until the eagle raised its foot, hopping towards Lorit.
It was his staff.
Lorit reached for it, happy to have it back in his hand. He could feel the power of it combining with the magic of the mini dragon. It restored him and refreshed him.
Another eagle screeched and stepped back. Lorit crawled over to where it had stood on the sand to find his pack resting there. The eagles had collected his gear and restored it to him.
Lorit nodded his head, saluting the bird. "Thank you kindly."
Chihon's pack and its contents were delivered in the same manner, as the eagles came forward one at a time and presented their find. When they had their belongings back, the eagles ascended to the heights, where they circled once more and disappeared into the night sky, leaving the mini dragon behind.
"You have a task before you." Kal'ryni said. "Do not fail. Free the Wizard Zhimosom, restore the Council."
"What about the Prince?" Lorit asked.
"He has been turned. He is your enemy." The dragon turned its back and spewed flame before spreading its wings and vanishing into the night sky.
The Athestow pass was the final leg of their journey. Crossing the Swion Mountains meant that they were only days away from Gritton and Amedon. At first the ground was level, but soon started to slope gently towards the mountains. Chihon walked the trail ahead of Lorit. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts for a while. She needed to take a break from the normal routine and spend some time considering everything that had happened to them.
She took in the wild flowers that grew along the small brook they followed through the woods. All she really wanted was to settle down in Amedon with Lorit and to learn magic. Both were important to her, but she knew that the more magic they brought into their lives, the less likely they were to have a quiet, peaceful future together.
Was it worth it? Could she endure the constant troubles that seemed to plague every Wizard? Was her future going to be one long adventure, or could she look forward to settling down to a more normal life? She really didn't know, and she wasn't sure which she wanted more.