The Dragons of Argent and Silver (Tales from the New Earth #6) (60 page)

“
You seem to be in a
great hurry, wizard,” said a familiar voice that crackled like
flame.

“
Indeed, I do not
believe I have ever seen a wizard in such a rush,” a voice like
a gale agreed.

“
Hey there,”
Simon said loudly, not turning around. “I wonder if I could ask
a favor?”

“
Do be careful now,”
Incendus said with some concern. “You wouldn't want to run into
a tree. By the way, why
are
you racing through the forest? Some new type of human game perhaps?”

“
They do love their
games, do they not?” Aethos told him.

Simon was already panting
and sweat was beginning to run down his forehead into his eyes.

“
It's not a game.
I'm being chased by someone. Well, more like something,” he
gasped as he quickly rubbed the sweat out of his eyes.

“
Do tell. And you'd
like us to, err, intervene?”

“
That would be
lovely, thanks. But I have to warn you, the thing has already
attacked Aeris and Kronk, and I'm not sure if they're still alive.”

With some relief, Simon
spotted a game trail that was leading in the right direction. He
slowed down and then stopped, trying to catch his breath. As he
panted, he turned his head to look behind him.

Incendus and Aethos were
there, side by side, watching him curiously. As what he had said sunk
in, the shifting shape of Aethos' face darkened.

“
What creature would
dare harm one of my people? A dragon? A caster of some sort?”

Simon took a deep breath,
stood up straighter and leaned on his staff.

“
No. According to
Aeris, he's kind of a...god.”

“
A god?”
Incendus repeated and grinned. “You are joking, aren't you?”

The wizard looked back in
the direction of the tower but saw no sign of pursuit yet. He was
sure that wouldn't last.

“
I wish I was. They
claimed that he's a minor relative of the lords of Chaos. How he even
entered this world is beyond me, when they are still trapped outside
in the Void.”

“
And who is this
so-called god?” Aethos asked angrily.

“
His name is
Lacertus.”

The reaction of both
powerful elementals was identical, but it wasn't the fear that Simon
has seen from Kronk and Aeris. Rather it was dark fury.

“
Lacertus!”
Aethos spat. “Demon. Destroyer of the innocent. Monster!”

“
He's here? Now?”
Incendus asked roughly, his fiery body going from red to orange to
almost blue as his form became hotter.

Simon nodded and stepped
back as the heat washed over him.

“
Yes. He was
pretending to be friendly but I saw through his tricks. Then...”

“
I know you are
near, you traitorous wizard!” a cry carried through the trees.

Simon moved to the left to
look past the elementals and saw the sparking, misty form of
Lacertus.

“
There. That's him.”

The demon seemed to see
him at the same time and howled in triumph.

“
Now I have you. And
you summoned other insects for me to play with. Good, good! I will
squash them as I did the others.”

“
Run, Simon,”
Incendus told him. “Get to wherever it is you are going. Leave
him to us.”

“
Can you beat him?”
Simon asked, desperately hoping for a yes.

The fire elemental just
shrugged as Aethos' form altered and he began whirling like a
miniature tornado.

“
Well, he is a god,
after all. Now run, and good luck to you.”

“
To you two as
well.”

Simon turned, got his
bearings and began to run, following the game trail. Behind him he
heard Lacertus howl in anger and then his voice was drowned out by
the high-pitched shriek of a gale. Aethos had gone on the attack.

I'm not worth that kind of
sacrifice, the wizard said to himself as he raced along the trail,
frantically looking for the clearing where the portal would appear.

He glanced up at the
brightening sky.

Had appeared, he corrected
himself. It had to be there by now, but how long the elders could
keep it open was anyone's guess.

A stitch formed in his
side and stabbed him painfully with every stride as he ran ever
slower. Where is that damned clearing, he wondered frantically as his
run turned into a staggering trot and then an unsteady shuffle.

Where are you? Where are
you?

He burst into the open so
suddenly that he tripped and fell to his knees.

“
Simon! What's
happened?”

Strong hands grasped his
arm and helped him to his feet. He leaned on his staff and used his
sleeve to wipe the sweat out of his eyes.

It was Ethmira. She was
looking at him with concern as she helped him stay on his feet.

“
What's going on?”
she asked quickly.

“
I'm...”

He took a few seconds to
try to catch his breath, his side burning with pain.

“
I'm being chased.
We have to go, right now,” he managed to say in a wavering
voice.

“
Chased? By whom?”
she asked but helped him to walk into the center of the glade.

Something unsteady
flickered in the air, moving like waves of heat rising from the
ground. The portal.

“
Some kind of a
demon, or minor god, or something. I don't really know. All I know is
that he fought with Aeris and Kronk and may have killed them. And
he's fighting two more powerful elementals right now. I don't think
they can beat him or even hold him for long. So can we leave?”

The elf nodded silently,
and led him forward.

“
Just step into the
portal when you are ready,” she told him. “It won't hold
for much longer. I'm so glad you showed up when you did. We're almost
out of time.”

“
You are out of
time, elf,” a voice rumbled from the forest.

Lacertus stepped out of
the trees. He was denser, taller and more terrifying looking than
ever. He was also missing an arm and his other hand.

“
Halt, wizard. Your
servants have failed and I am here to stop you.”

“
You don't look so
good, demon,” Simon shouted at him.

“
This? This is
nothing. I have all of eternity and it will heal. And now it is time
for my vengeance.”

“
No, it is you who
are out of time,” Ethmira said with disdain. “You are
trying to distract us, but you are too far away to stop Simon from
entering the portal.”

She smiled mockingly.

“
It is you who have
failed,” she said. And then her smile widened. “Lacertus.”

The demon howled and
leaped forward and Ethmira wrapped her arms around Simon and lunged
for the portal at the same time.

The wizard saw Lacertus
reaching for them and just missing. If he had still had a hand, he
would have caught them.

Then with a agonizing,
wrenching sensation, the elf and the wizard were sucked out of the
realm of Earth and were gone.

The End

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