The Dragon Savior of Tone: World of Tone: Book 2 (27 page)

“What news do you bring?” Her father said as he released her.

She told her father of what had happened at the dwarf’s village. She then described what had occurred with the elves and Terra's plans. She informed him that Terra wanted him to open the tunnel to the dark side of the mountains. Finally, she explained the preparations needed after the tunnel was opened.

“How does he intend to eliminate the avalanche debris?” Naron asked his daughter.

“I wanted to explain that separately from what I told you earlier about the fight at the dwarf village. As I said, Terra led the fight by flying out first. He said a word and whatever stood in the direct path of his voice was vaporized into dust. It didn't matter what it was, dwarfs, rock walls, soil and weapons turned to dust. Living creatures turned into a mist of blood. It was frightening to watch. Nothing survived. The ground shook and the air stood still. I never felt, heard, or saw anything like it. The dragons called it death by word, I called it utter destruction,” she told her father.

“I assume he intends to use this magic to destroy the rock and soil of the avalanche?” he asked.

“Yes, I believe so. He made it clear that he wants no more of us to be harmed than absolutely needed. There was one other thing. He plans to take all the deaths upon his own spirit. He wanted no one else to take that much death upon themselves. He's not like any leader that I ever met. I, and all those who follow him, have become devoted to him and his cause. Yet he has no desire to command anyone,” she told all at the meeting.

“Such individuals are rare. There have only been a few in the history of Tone. We are very fortunate he is here to help us, not destroy us as that dark wizard,” he told her.

“Can we meet his deadline?” Rammy asked.

“Yes, we can break through in less than one sun-rising. We have the food lined up in the tunnels and our fighters are ready,” Rubbo explained.

“I think we should build some barriers to seal off the valley's entrance,” Rammy thought out-loud.

“I think I could come up with something. It would have to be moved through the tunnels and set up as soon as we break into the valley,” Nolla said.

“Good, you work on that and we will prepare the fighters and the movement of the food,” Naron stated, as he looked over the ancient maps before him. The maps had been copied and recopied over the long seasons. Naron did not know if they were still accurate or if they could be of use. Much effort had been made to keep them for the time when they would return to the far side of the mountains. Naron would bring them, needed or not.

Chapter 48 - Trees Fight Back

(All living things can defend themselves, even trees.)

- The Time of the Draman -

Another sun-rising of walking had been completed. The sun began to drop below the tops of the mountains as Fienna returned to her human form. The trees were now within twenty dragon lengths of the edge of the mountains. It was barely enough space for the fighters to walk through.

The leaves upon the trees were now nearly full size. It was incredible to watch the trees leaf out before one's eyes. The dark clouds were close to the mountains, perhaps three thousand dragon lengths away. As they settled into their sleeping areas Terra noticed a few lightning bolts off in the distance, but the thunder seemed different. It sounded like it was echoing, but the land was flat without valleys that normally were needed for such sounds.

As the light faded, the trees showed a low green glow that flared each time the thunder rolled across the land. Terra had noticed as they traveled that there seemed to be larger trees scattered through the thousands they passed. Terra wasn't sure if they grew during the sunset or they had always been there. The larger trees were growing taller and did not seem to have normal leaves. Instead, these trees had thousands of green, thin, sharp blades on each branch.

The fighters watched the darkness come upon the land. The blades upon the larger trees were glowing brighter than any of the others. The lightning slowly increased and grew closer to the mountains as the darkness overtook the light.

As they all watched, the large green trees began to glow brighter and small greenish sparks flickered at the ends of the green blades. Suddenly, a large bolt of grayish-white lightning exploded toward the trees from the dark clouds. A large tree flared and formed a green bolt of lightning, which reached up into the sky and struck the descending sky bolt. A huge explosion of light and sound came from the clash of the two great bolts. The entire area lit with blinding light, as all movement froze in an instant of illumination. Small, harmless greenish sparks showered down like rain from the explosion.

During the sunset, this scene repeated itself time and time again. No one slept that sunset, due to the thunderous sound rolling across the land, which then reflected back off the mountains. The continuous flashes of blinding light also made it near impossible to sleep. Toward sun-rising, the lightning finally subsided and slowly moved back away from the mountains.

The leaders met with Terra at first light, seeking his thoughts of the sunset's activities.

“I believe it was an attack by the dark one. He must have thought he could get the lightning close enough to strike at us. He didn't count on the trees developing a defense against his lightning. Life seems to be able to learn and the trees now can protect themselves and fortunately us,” Terra told the group.

“Do you think he will try again?” the elf king asked.

“Of course he will. We are reclaiming the lost land and now the trees have come back to life. He must realize that he is in a fight that could end with his death,” Terra replied to the king.

“Nothing will stop the elves from fighting until all of Tone is freed from his influence,” the king said as the others looked at him with doubtful expressions on their faces.

“We have two more dwarf villages to eliminate. After that, I must personally deal with the dark one. No one can help me with that.” Terra said in an oddly sad voice. Killing was still obviously loathsome to him.

“Do you think the trees will continue to help us?” a fairy asked in a small squeaky voice from a dark enclave in the rocks.

“They will help, as they can. I can feel them gaining strength, but they have limits,” Terra answered.

Chapter 49 - A World Returns - An Old Wizard Panics

(As an enemy advances, an old wizard fear grows.)

- The Time of the Draman -

The next several sun-risings went smoothly except for the lightning attacks each sunset. The trees seemed to become stronger every sunrise. The attacks stopped on the third sunset. Although a few lightning bolts happened during sunlight, they were fewer and weaker. The sun seemed to lighten the clouds causing the lightning to lose its strength.

The trees now had a full leaf cover. The low green glow from the trees had disappeared, but the trees were now so green with leaves that the sun reflected green colors onto the land. Small plants had started to come through the soil below the trees. The once damaging rain from the dark clouds now fed the trees with needed water.

At first light, Terra turned into his dragon form. He took off with Fienna to look over the fighters and dragons. He flew high and could see the trees had greened for as far as the eye could see. He also saw lightning explosions in the distance. The trees were still fighting the lightning attacks. They seemed not only to be holding their own, but also perhaps winning.

He landed and changed to his human form. Terra, with Suti at his side again led the fighters on their long walk.

The dark wizard sat in front of his small fire. Above the fire was an image of the landscape surrounding his mountain home. He could see that only about a third of the millions of trees had started to green. Unfortunately, each sun-rising thousands more showed life. He had no idea how this was happening. He could not penetrate the magic that shielded that being.

He moved in to view the lightning attacks. He saw the large sparkling trees shooting green lightning up to meet the sky lightning. Even when a bolt of sky lightning made it to a tree, it only caused mild damage. On top of that, the damaged trees were completely healed by the next sun-rising.

“Do you see what is happening?” the old wizard said to the darkness.

“Yes, I see,” the voice said from the darkness without its odd laughing tone.

“How is it possible? Did he do something?” the wizard asked.

“ I assume he is healing the trees.” The voice replied in a concerned tone.

“Do you know how much power that would take? It's more than I have.”

“Yes. I would say he is significantly more powerful than you are. What do you plan to do?” the voiced asked with a little of its laughing tone returning.

“Me! You have more power than I.”

“True, but he does not know I exist. He is coming for you, not me,” the voice replied with the sarcastic laugh returning.

“Perhaps the dwarfs can stop him,” the wizard said in a mumble.

“They will delay him, not much more,” the voice replied.

“The Dark Solan is on her way. She can help.”

“The witch will never make it, the trees will deal with her. They have already cut her path off. You will have to face him alone,” the voice said with an ugly laugh.

“Trees can't kill a Solan,” the old wizard said. The voice just laughed in response.

Chapter 50 - A Solan Meets Her Victims

(Those you harm may come back to harm you.)

- The Time of the Draman -

The Solan had left the dwarf village and moved toward the dark mountain as soon as she could. She feared meeting the one who had destroyed the other Solan. She had to stop each sunset due to the rough terrain. At first, there was no change in the land. The trees were as dead as ever. She had come to the gap between the curved mountain range and the large black mountain in the distance. She moved into the dead trees that lay between the coastal mountains and the home of her master.

She had helped-no-led the effort to kill the trees. She always hated trees, since she had fallen from one as a child and broke her arm. Each sunset, she ordered the dwarfs to clear the dead trees away from where they stopped.

A few sunsets previously, she had noticed an orange light in the distance. She knew it must have been incredibly bright to be seen by her eyes. Since then, she had noticed a low greenish glow reflecting off the clouds.

As they traveled the next sun-rising, the trees had changed. Small green leaves began appearing. She walked to a tree and broke off a twig. It was not dry and dead as before. It was supple and a leaf was budding from it. Every time she looked at the trees, they seemed to be greener.

Near sunset, they came upon a large clearing surrounded by the trees. She noticed four large trees that towered over the others. They were spaced almost evenly around the clearing. As the light faded, a low green glow came from the trees. The Solan was uneasy with these changes. She spaced the dwarfs around the clearing to guard her. After what seemed to be an eternity, she fell into a troubled sleep.

She woke with the dwarfs yelling and a bright green glow in her eyes. When her vision finally cleared, she saw the four large trees, sparkling with green light. Numerous other trees were also sparkling with energy. Then, small bright arcs of lightning began to jump from various trees to the four large trees that created a box about the clearing. She stood and formed a shield about herself. She grasped the amulet to her breast as she realized the trees were attacking her.

In the large tree in front of her, a sparkling light began to form into a ball among its top branches. Suddenly, a green bolt of lightning exploded from the ball and struck the Solan's shield. Instead of the bolt being a single blast of power, it continued. She was able to hold her shield, but the lightning was draining her. She had never been as strong as her sisters, and now her weakness was showing.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a second tree form a ball and it sent a bolt toward her shield. She was barely able to hold back the energy. She concentrated all her magic into the shield. Then a third bolt hit. She fell to her knees.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the amulet. The fourth bolt struck and for an instant, she remembered all the pain she had caused. Her shield collapsed and the lightning struck with full force. Nothing happened for a moment, then the four lightning bolts combined and the Solan was gone. The lightning ended and what remained was a burnt area with an amulet buried in a small pile of ashes in its’ center.

The trees then directed their attentions to the dwarfs. As the dwarfs scattered, the trees let loose bolts of lightning, killing dwarf after dwarf. Two dwarfs managed to escape, finding a small cave to crawl into. There they hid, terrified of being found. At first light, they ran toward the black mountain, hoping they could reach it before the trees killed them both.