Legon Restoration (33 page)

Sara stayed with Penny, Sasha by her side until Elves brought a new dress for her to be placed in and Sasha grew a casket, with Penny's favorite colors and flowers decorating it. Sara placed her friend in the coffin, shutting the lid with a faint farewell.
 

Four of Sasha's guard personally carried Penny back to the base.
 

Sara stood next to Sasha who took her hand. "Are you going to be OK?" Sasha asked.

Sara nodded. "I'm sorry for being scared of you," she said ashamed.

"Don't be, you should have been scared, when I'm like that it's not really me fighting."

"But still, I shouldn't have been...and thank you for Penny. I will cover the costs..."

"When have we ever asked you to cover any costs?" Sasha asked. "Besides, had we ended this war two thousand years ago when we should have Penny would have never died."
 

Before Sara could say anything, Sasha squeezed her hand and walked away.

* * * * *

Iselin glided over the fields that separated Salez from the base. She looked at the blackened landscape and wondered if this is what all of the land had looked like during the War of Generations.
 

She flew toward Salez's north hill and fortress. Only a few Iumenta Ascended still held unable to jump out of the area, long ago had the fortresses jump crystal run out of power, and soon the buildings other defenses would collapse under the constant pressure of attack. Iselin wanted to be there when both fortresses fell. Long had Salez been one of the Iumenta's top strong holds.

"Did Salez even fall in the War of Generations?" Legon asked in her mind.

"No, it didn't. The city was abandoned eventually, but Pawdin forces never took it with force, we had several cities like that as well."
 

The north hill lit up with magic and Iselin recognized the sound of wards failing.

"It's happening!" she said speeding up.

Elvin ladders grew over the walls and Iselin watched as Elves and human surged into the fortress.
 

Sydin's voice rang in her head, "Iselin we need you to help secure the building with the jump crystal in it for Sasha and Edling's people."
 

Stacy had told Legon where the jump crystal was thought to be and Iselin focused on that section of the fortress. There were no more Iumenta dragons in the area to defend the air and what little anti dragon flack remained was being abandoned. On the south side of the fortress was a tall square building with no windows. Iselin came in on the building, touching down on the roof. As soon as she did Iumenta spilled out, attacking her. She took back off.
Well, I'd say there is something in there
she thought.
 

She reached out to her guard, "We need to end this before they are able to destroy the crystal."
 

Members of her guard converged on the buildings, raining down flames and death. Special units from the Pawdin army jumped off of dragons, running into the building to secure it. Iselin stayed in command until one of the ground units came on the roof, telling her that they had secured the building.
 

Her mind reached out to Sasha and Edling who were close by on a dragon’s back. "Sasha, you two are up, the building is secure," she said.

The emerald dragon, Cynta, landed on the building and Sasha and Edling dismounted.

* * * * *

Sasha stepped down on the roof of the building and turned to her husband. She didn't need their mental connection to see that he was uncomfortable. The area they were in was far from being free of battle.

"Are you OK?" she asked.

"Not really," he responded honestly. "How can you be?" he asked.

In reply she broadened her connection with him allowing him to feel her connection with Legon. "The more connected with my brother I am, the less fear I feel." She felt Legon's mind reach out to Edling and he seemed to calm.

"How does he do that?" Edling wondered as they walked to a door on the roof.

Iselin spoke into their minds. "Legon is inherently a violent person, combat doesn't scare him and that's why you feel better," then in a bit more of a rushed tone, "Hurry please, we need to know if the crystal is still working."
 

Sasha rushed inside and down a set of stairs littered with bodies. She focused on the Mahann trying to keep any unpleasant emotions from her mind. They entered a vast room.
 

Elves were moving around the room and around a giant square crystal that sat above a circular shaft. Edling seemed to forget his fear and jogged up to the crystal, placing his hand on it.

He frowned, "It's functioning but it won’t respond to me. That's no surprise, ours will only respond to Elves."
 

Sasha ran her hand along its smooth side, "That's fine, we aren't interested in the data it holds, just its makeup." She pointed into the shaft, gold bars running into water with blackened filth in it. "It looks like they killed the algae."

Legon's mind came into hers, "Algae?"

Edling responded, "Yes, magic comes from life, we use plant life to power everything. While the Iumenta cannot grow plants at will like we can, any Venefica can affect plant life. The Iumenta grow algae to sustain their crystal’s power supply. They dip gold into the water the algae is in to conduct the plant’s life force to the crystal."

"Ah, that's why their crystals don't charge as fast as ours, algae doesn't produce much power," Legon said.

"Correct," Sasha said. "I suspect they killed the algae just to slow us down."
 

"Why would we care about that?" Legon asked.

Sasha rolled her eyes. "I don't know, so maybe we couldn't develop a spell that would wipe out the algae powering dragon domes…maybe…" she said like he was a moron then added, "I would like to send some samples to Seeon and have you look at them, you are a biologic after all."
 

She leaned in looking at the crystal in amazement, "Dear, are you seeing how it’s constructed?"

"Yes, it's so perfect, almost like it was produced by a master," Edling said.

She looked at him, "Of course!"
 

"Of course what?"

"Think about what you just said! Iumenta can't grow crystals like us. That means there has to be a handful of master builders and I bet they all use the same techniques."

Edling's face lit up, "So their crystals will likely have the same weaknesses!"

Sasha reached out to Emma. "Emma, we are going to need all of the samples we've collected since the war started and we need the rest of the team here, have them jumped in from the Capital," she said peering back at the crystal.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Salmont

"I wondered what it would be like going home, returning to the land of my birth. When I arrived however, I found that while home had not changed, I had."

-Excerpts from The Diary of the Adopted Sister

Emma relished the cold bite of the morning air. This was one of the things that she missed the most about her homeland. Next to her stood Sasha, and with them were Keither and Sara, along with Legon and Sasha's guard. Sara's friend’s home town had been destroyed, so now they stood in a small mountain co-op. The season was changing, the aspen were turning gold and leaves scattered the ground.
 

Before them was a tree with the whitest bark, Legon's claws dug into the ground around it. Flowers the shade of Penny's favorite colors bloomed, their petals catching the breeze and floating around the tree.
 

All of the Elves had their heads bowed in prayer. Emma looked to Sara and whispered, "Do you understand the tree?"

Sara looked at her, eyes shining and shook her head no.

Emma explained, "The tree planned above her will have her name, and when she lived, etched into the tree forever. It will never grow taller and always keep its shape. The flower petals grow quickly so that they can fall and drift in the breeze, but this tree will only bloom on the day of your friend’s death. Every Elf that passes this tree will impart some of their strength to it keeping it alive for millennia. A mark will be on the tree indicating that she was human."

"Does her being human matter?" Sara asked almost sounding hurt.

Emma nodded, "Yes, for a human to be buried in this manner is a great honor, not many humans have that honor. All Elves that pass this grave will know that your friend was unusually special."

"But they didn't know her," Sara wondered aloud.

Sasha's voice soft and gentle interrupted them. "But we know you, come with me," Sasha said taking Sara's hand.

Iselin took Keither's and Opes took Emma's.

Emma walked inline as Elves came and pressed their palms to the tree. Sara looked confused as they stood next to Sasha and she closed her eyes and touched the tree. Then Sara gave a slight sob. It was Emma's turn. Her mind joined with Opes' as he touched the tree. She felt life run from her own body to the plant, with it a prayer in her heart weaving itself with the energy and love of others before her.

Emma stood off to the side as people walked up to the tree. She felt something bump against her leg and looked down to see Sasha's ruby familiar, Princess. She picked the cat up scratching its ears. "Hey girl, how are you?" she asked as the cat rubbed its face against her neck.

"We are about to leave," Cynta's voice came from behind her.
 

Emma turned around, looking up before she remembered that Cynta was in her Elf form. "It’s been awhile since I've seen you in that form," Emma apologized.

Cynta's brown eyes warmed as she smiled, "It's OK, when you're as short as I am you get used to people having to look down on you." She winked.

Emma approached Sara and Keither, who spoke. "Are you leaving?" he asked.

Emma nodded, "Sara, once again, I’m sorry for your loss. Are you going to be in Salez long?"
 

"We will be for some time, yes," Keither said. "I don't think the Pawdin Empire is going to be pressing as hard on this front until the northwest has fallen," he added.

"I wouldn't know," Emma said honestly.

She looked around her, "This place is so far in the mountains, it reminds me of home."
 

Keither nodded, "We are close to Salmont; well, close if you're on a dragon. It would take you a couple of weeks with the terrain around here, but on dragon back I would guess you're not more than an hour or two away."
 

"About an hour and a half," Cynta said, "We have cleared most of the air space in this area. Emma, are you ready?"
 

Emma waved goodbye and joined Cynta. "Are we going directly to Salez?" Emma asked.
 

Cynta shook her head, "No, there is a battle being fought too close to here, we will head northeast, if you can believe it."

Emma raised her eyebrows.

"To the south west of here it looks like the Iumenta had a hidden jump crystal; well, we think they did, but at any rate they were going to drop in ground units. Pawdin forces headed them off, it's a small fight but one that we will avoid until we are able to confirm if there is a jump crystal or not," Cynta explained.

Emma met up with Sasha who was waving goodbye to Legon and Iselin's retreating forms. Emma watched them flying off. "Are they going to go join the fight?" Emma asked.

Sasha frowned. "Of course they are, Cynta are you ready?"

Emma turned to see Cynta in her dragon form. She climbed on to Cynta's back and felt herself stick in place.
 

Cynta crouched to the ground, stretching her wings skyward. She leapt, climbing in the air. Emma closed her eyes to the rushing wind. She didn't mind flying anymore, and in a way it was almost relaxing to her now. When she was in the air nothing could bother her. She opened her eyes, looking back at the co-op they'd been in as it shrunk away.
 

They angled north east moving at a steady pace. She watched Sasha's eyes scan the horizon, her gaze rested in the distance and a frown appeared on her face.

"Cynta, to the north, is that smoke?" Sasha asked.

"Yes, it appears so," Cynta responded.
 

Sasha's eyes went out of focus, "There are no reports of combat in that area, let’s check it out."
 

Cynta paused for a moment before saying, "Yes Un Prose."
 

As they flew Emma could see that there was smoke in the distance, columns of it rose in a tightly packed area.

"What do you think it is?" Emma asked.

"I can't see yet, there are too many trees in the way, but that’s to much smoke to be a caravan and the only things in this area are small mountain co-ops. They may have a barn on fire or something," Sasha said.

Emma felt uneasy. She didn't like getting closer to the front of the war, but at the same time she figured Sasha was correct.
 

"It's a co-op," Cynta said.

As they came over head, Emma gasped. Below them were the burning remains of a co-op. All of the buildings were on fire and in pieces.

"Where are the people with buckets of water?" Emma shouted.

"They are dead," Sasha said in an icy voice. "Cynta, get us in closer to the ground, I want to know what did this."
 

They descended. Emma could see bodies, none looked like they had been cut with a sword and she couldn't see arrows.

"A dragon did this," Sasha said.

Cynta responded, "Yes, one, maybe two."

"This just happened, Cynta go high," Sasha ordered.

Emma clung to one of Cynta's spikes as they soared higher and higher. Sasha whispered a spell, helping her eye sight.

"Can you see anything?" Emma asked.

Sasha shared her vision with Emma and she saw smoke all over the horizon. Then there was a flash of red and flame. Emma could make out the shape of an Iumenta dragon incinerating some town or co-op.

"Un Prose?" Cynta said.

"Take it out!" Sasha ordered and then looked north to a column of smoke that even Emma could see "that must be Salkay...which means-"