Warrior (11 page)

“It now carries a painful shock,” Arxad said. “She will suffer during the process.”

“True enough. In fact, as the sphere drains her energy, she could die. Yet, we should all be willing to permit such a sacrifice in order to gain the survival of our planet. When the black egg arrives, the Creator will send us another Starlighter.”

Arxad growled. “You would try to manipulate the Creator? Does your foolishness have no bounds? There must be another way.”

“Then name the alternative, Arxad. Otherwise, I will suggest to Magnar that we proceed as soon as possible. First, however, since there are other green-eyed redheads, I suggest that you test Cassabrie to see if you can learn how to identify her distinctive attributes.”

“Are you saying you want to locate other Starlighters so you can kill them as well?”

Zena halted. “I am willing to sacrifice this Starlighter for the sake of our land, but we must be ready to capture and control the next one. When the black egg appears, her cooperation will be crucial. You know this as well as I do.”

After glaring at Zena for a long moment, Arxad lowered his head. “I will do as you ask.”

“After your tests,” Zena said, “have her put on the Starlighter’s vestment. She must be at full power when the absorption takes place. And let there be a public procession so that every slave will believe that Cassabrie caused any climate change that comes about.”

Jason mopped sweat from his brow. This story was so real, his heart thumped. Again the air seemed to ripple, and when it cleared, Cassabrie stood with her back to the crystal, chains wrapped around her body. The domed ceiling had opened, and sunlight beat down upon her. The sphere captured Solarus’s rays and reflected them into her body.

Now dressed in a white gown and a blue cloak, sweat poured down her cheeks and dampened her clothes. The cloak’s hood covered her head, allowing only wisps of her flaming red hair to peek out, and her eyes sparkled with green luminescence, a bright mimicry of the pair of embroidered green eyes on the front of her cloak.

Dozens of people filed past, some looking on with disdain. A few displayed sadder frowns, while Brucilla couldn’t look at Cassabrie at all. She wept bitterly as she staggered by.

Uriel sat within a few steps of the sphere, also bound in chains. Whenever Cassabrie groaned, he winced, as if sharing her pain. Soon the last human witness disappeared, and two dragons stood in front of Cassabrie: Arxad and Magnar.

Sweat no longer seeped from her pores. Her hood had fallen to her shoulders, exposing her face fully to Solarus. With her head leaning back against the radiant sphere, stringy hair stuck to her cheeks, and cracks covered her bleeding lips. She licked her bottom lip with a swollen tongue but made no sound.

“If the heat kills her too soon,” Magnar said, “the crystal will not absorb enough energy.”

Arxad laid a foreclaw on the chains. “She is suffering greatly. Either kill her now or let her go. Mercy demands one or the other.”

“Mercy?” Magnar swiped Arxad’s claw away. “If we lack the energy to keep our region fertile, then dragons will die, and they are of more value than this runt of a human.”

After shooting a glance at Uriel, Arxad thrust his face close to Magnar’s. “You are the one who decided to rely on the crystal rather than natural cycles, and now we are all paying the price.”

“Those natural cycles brought about our loss of pheterone,” Magnar replied, his cadence stilted, as if he were reading from a script. “If not for that, we would never have returned to Darksphere and enslaved humans.”

“There was nothing natural about it. Fear destroyed our pheterone source, and only faith in the prophecy will restore it. You trusted in your own devices. You have forsaken faith in the Creator.”

Magnar swung around and smacked Arxad in the face with his spiked tail. Arxad winced but stood his ground, blinking away blood that oozed from a cut on his brow.

Pointing a claw at Arxad, Magnar bellowed, “You are fortunate that you uttered these insults with condemned prisoners as your only witnesses. Your evil words will die with them. If not for your ability to warn the miners of coming quakes and flooding rivers, I would have dismissed you long ago.”

“I prefer dismissal. I made my vow in ignorance, and I wish to be released from it.”

Magnar set his snout near Arxad’s and stared at him, eye to eye. “The only release from your vow is death, and you know why I cannot allow that.”

Backing away, Arxad lowered his head. “Yes … I know.”

“Now adjust the sphere and your retractable dome, or whatever it is you do, so that it kills the Starlighter more slowly. I want every bit of energy you can strip from her body before she dies.”

“And what of the other prisoner?” Arxad asked.

“After I have interrogated him, I will let Zena kill him. She will enjoy that.”

“Must she? His only crime is wanting his people set free.”

“He has served his purpose,” Magnar said. “His story is preserved.”

As if summoned by Magnar’s words, Zena appeared, a dagger again in hand. Arxad and Magnar were nowhere in sight, and Uriel sat close to Cassabrie, still bound by chains.

“Have you come to cut out my heart?” Uriel shouted. “Thirteen days I have suffered under the cruel sting of this viperous globe. You will do me a service to end my life, for I will go to be with my dear family who already rest in the glory of our Creator.”

Zena’s smile seemed to crack her face. “You will not be so brave when my blade slices into your skin.”

As Zena stalked past the sphere, Cassabrie took in a deep breath and called out, “Look at me, foul sorceress!”

Zena stopped and turned. Cassabrie stared at Zena, parched hair dangling in front of her reddened face.

“What is it, Starlighter?” Zena crooned as she drew near.

Cassabrie pushed against the chains and, with a puff from her bleeding lips, blew back her hair. “What do you see in my eyes?”

Zena bent closer and stared. “I see the green of envy,” she said in a mocking tone, “envy of a woman who will continue to live in luxury while you die a horrific death. I see anguish that although you possess tremendous power, you are impotent. You cannot save yourself or your friend. And, finally, I see despair. You will die young, never loving a man, never holding your own baby in your arms, and never seeing the liberation of the slave race.”

As she riveted her stare on Zena, Cassabrie’s voice exploded with passion. “Then hear my prophecy, sorceress of the underworld:

This view of light will be her last;

Her eyes will darken, sight is past.

Unless she holds my hand in faith

She staggers blind, a hopeless wraith.”

Beams of light shot out from Cassabrie’s eyes and into Zena’s. The blistering rays locked in place, and when they finally turned off, Cassabrie’s head and shoulders slumped.

Still clutching her dagger, Zena stumbled backwards, smoke rising from her eyes. She fanned them with her hand and screamed, “What did you do to me?”

Cassabrie stood limply. If not for the supportive chains, she likely would have crumpled to the floor.

Zena charged toward her, swinging her dagger violently. “I will cut your eyes out! I swear it!”

“No!” Uriel struggled against his chains. “Oh, great Creator, send us aid! I am helpless to save her!” He jerked and squirmed but to no avail. “Arxad!”

The sound of beating wings filled the room, and a draconic shadow covered the floor. Uriel looked up. A white dragon descended from the sky. As he landed, he knocked Zena down with his tail.

Arxad flew in from the corridor. When he saw the white dragon, his wings faltered, and he dropped to the floor in a slide. He quickly scrambled to his haunches but kept his head low. “My king!”

The white dragon grasped Zena’s arm with a foreclaw and jerked her to her feet. “Begone, sorceress, before I give you everything you deserve.”

With a sweep of his wing, he pushed her away, and she vanished from the scene.

“Arxad,” the white dragon said calmly, “the happenings of late are not beneficial to our cause.”

Arxad kept his stare aimed low. “I have been unable to convince Magnar of our strategy. He trusts in powers from an inferior source.”

“And what of this Starlighter? Why did you allow her to suffer?”

“I made a vow, foolish words uttered in my youth. I am a priest in a cage, constructed with iron bars that I put in place, and only Magnar or the power of death holds the key.”

“Indeed. Your ill-advised vows have brought you troubles and heartaches.” The white dragon set a wing under Arxad’s chin. “Rise and look upon me, my faithful servant.”

Arxad lifted his head and gazed into the white dragon’s bright blue eyes. “What must I do?”

“You will continue in service to Magnar, thereby keeping your vow, but when it comes to choosing to save an innocent life, you are bound to a higher calling: that is, your vow to serve me. You can have only one master.”

Arxad shuffled toward the sphere. “Then I will release the Starlighter immediately!”

“There is no need.”

Arxad halted and stared at the king. “No need?”

“It is too late for her.”

Arxad drew close to Cassabrie’s body and set an ear next to her mouth. “Has she drawn her last breath?”

The white dragon lowered his head. “Yes … she has.”

“No!” Uriel moaned. “Oh, my dear girl!”

A single tear on Arxad’s cheek glistened. “What must I do now?”

“We have discussed another of the sphere’s properties before. Just as it absorbs energy, it has also taken her spirit. After I leave, examine the crystal. You will see. Let wisdom guide you from that point.”

“Wisdom?” Arxad said. “I have none. I have proven it time and again.”

“You have much more wisdom than you realize, but your use of it has not always been consistent. If you will let love and light guide you rather than fear, then your path will be straight.”

The white dragon beat his wings and lifted into the air. After orbiting the room once at a low altitude, he swooped down, grabbed Uriel in his claws, and hoisted him into the air, his chains crumbling into dust. “I have need of this one.” He ascended through the open ceiling, and seemed to float for a moment in midair. “I trust you, Arxad,” he called. “Do not fear. Do not doubt. You will need your faith, for the collapse of protection here will prevent me from returning for a long while.”

With a great flapping sound, the white dragon flew away.

Instantly, the entire scene melted. Koren stood where Cassabrie had been, her blue cloak flapping in the breeze. Above her head, a white dove flew into the trees and disappeared among the branches.

Uriel sat next to Koren and let out a long breath. “Whew! You must be tired!”

Koren let her shoulders slump. “I am. I have never told such a lengthy tale, and the details have never come to life so vividly.”

“Your power is increasing,” Uriel said, pointing at her. “Soon you will be as capable as Cassabrie was.”

Koren held a corner of her cloak between her fingers. “Did I tell it accurately? The scenes and words just flowed from my mind, so I had no idea.”

“My memory is not as good as it used to be, but it seemed that every time I thought about the words that ought to be spoken next, they came to pass in one of the ghosts, though you spoke them yourself. However, I might have embellished my role a bit. I’m sure I added the part about thirteen days and the viperous globe and whatnot.”

Koren smiled weakly. “Thank you for your help. It must have been a horrible experience, and to relive it again …”

Uriel waved a hand. “It was nothing. I have relived it hundreds of times during my captivity.”

Jason reached out and helped Uriel to his feet. “So the white dragon never told you why he took you prisoner?”

“He told me very little, only that he had further use of me and had to keep me alive until that time.” Uriel spread his arms. “So here I am, wondering what this future use is. Since he released me, I should be doing something, don’t you think?”

“You already have done something,” Koren said. “Pulling us up to the boulder probably saved our lives.”

“I think you would have survived without my pitiful aid. In any case, even as valuable as your lives are, I think the white dragon might have something bigger in mind. Don’t you think he could have arranged a rescue in a way that is simpler than keeping a man alive for many years past his normal life’s span?”

“You act like he’s some sort of deity,” Jason said. “He’s just a dragon.”

“Perhaps. Arxad certainly treated him with great respect, but I think his reverence fell short of worship or prayer. You might call it admiration or high esteem.”

“Have you ever seen a dragon pray or worship?” Jason asked.

Uriel tilted his head upward. “Not that I can remember.”

“I have,” Koren said. “Well, heard, not seen. I have walked by Arxad’s room in the middle of the night and heard him praying. Most of the time it was just mumbling, but once in a while I could make out words. He talked mostly about his mate and his daughter and asked for their safety, which confused me, because his tone made it sound like something terrible could happen at any moment.”

“Did he ever give his deity a name?” Jason asked.

Koren shook her head. “None that I could hear.”

Jason stretched out his arms and yawned. “Well, that story wore me out, and I was just watching. I’m sure you must be exhausted.”

“I am now. I didn’t feel tired while I was telling it. I almost didn’t feel anything at all.”

Jason walked back to the tree and sat down. “Speaking of prayer, it’s about time I did some praying, and then I’ll sleep a little while.”

“You should.” Koren untied her cloak, folded it, and pushed it behind his head. “It’s damp,” she said, smiling, “but so are you.”

“Thank you. This will help a lot.”

She stooped and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank
you
for all you did in the flood. I have never seen anyone act with such chivalry. I’ll never forget it.”

Jason gazed at her sincere face, barely visible in the darkness. Her kindness needed no answer. Adding anything to her words of grace would spoil the moment. He just smiled and closed his eyes. With every muscle spent and his mind awash in dizziness, sleep would come soon, so his prayer would have to be quick.