Sapphire Kingdom: Quest Two (Dragon Quest Series Book 2) (9 page)

Disaster

Location: Drysta
n’
s Pool

◑
Ashley (Cordelia)
 
◐

My heart felt as if it was going to jump out of my chest. I was trembling with fear, and yet I knew it must be done. I can’t rely on Angie strength or April wisdom, for this task there will be only me.

I quickly showered and dressed in the loosest outfit I could find. If I was going to find a dragon I do not want to have to worry about my breathing being constricted.

I wished I would have thought to bring my backpack from the carriage with me. I don’t know what might be in store for me once I get to Drystan’s Pool. What if I am actually supposed to bring back a real dragon? What if it’s not friendly? If I voiced all of my concerns to Nerissa, it would be a dead giveaway to the truth of the matter. I don’t know anything.

Nerissa was silent as she led me from our room down a series of hallways. I don’t see how anyone can navigate through these corridors, there was nothing marking them to tell them apart. After we had been walking for about fifteen minutes, she finally stopped in front of a massive door.

“This is it, are you ready?”

I would be lying if I said yes, so I just settled for a simple nod. Once the door to the room was open I recognized it to be very similar to the room where we entered Sapphire Kingdom.

“I know this room,” I admitted as I slowly entered in behind Nerissa.

“You should, anytime someone leaves or enter the Kingdom they will have to come through a transport room." Nerissa muttered as she started feeling around on the walls. “You should be okay using this one since it is the closest one to Drystan’s Pool. I do not believe it has been used for quite some time.”

For some reason that did not comfort me, I keep getting a feeling that there is more to Drystan’s Pool than what Nerissa is telling me, but then again there is a lot that everyone in Eupai is keeping secret from me.

“How does the transport room work?”

“I am working on it. Here it is.” Nerissa announced as she held the palm of her hand against the wall.

Underneath her palm glowed as the entire back wall to display a picture of above the water, and off in the distance was a piece of land that looked different from the beautiful white sandy beach that led to the kingdom. It actually looked a little dreary and dark.

“I see celtas aren’t used in the kingdom that much.” I construed out loud based on how long it took her to activate one.

“No, there not. Celtas are only used in the royal section of the kingdom, for everything else we use our raw energy. Now do you have your map?”

I responded by holding up the refolded paper.

“Good, this transport room will lead you to the edge of Drystan’s Pool, you will have to walk the rest of the way there.”

I quickly placed the map back into the deep pocket of my khaki dress, before I could ruin it by my sweaty palms. At the moment there was nothing more I wanted, than to contact Nolin and ask him to guide me through this, but that would just raise more questions on why I am by myself.

“Okay, I am as ready as I will ever be. Now how do I get there?” I asked pointing to the picture displayed before me.

“Once I am out the room, just put your hand on this wall and say the name of the place you want to go, good luck.”

Nerissa gave me no time to respond as she hurriedly exited and closed the door behind her.

The scenery before me never changed as I paced back and forward debating on whether I made the right choice. Once I transport myself I will have no choice, but to go through with it. Before I could talk myself out of it I quickly pressed the button and uttered the name of my destination.

That’s strange, nothing is happening.
I thought as I waited for the room to transport me. Suddenly the room began to become smaller as the walls liquefied and started to close in on me.

Remembering the way I was transported into Sapphire Kingdom, I instinctively held my breath and closed my eyes, as I tried to calm my breathing. I kept my eyes closed for a minute as I waited to be submerged under water, but nothing happened. When I opened my eyes I found myself standing in the same place I saw on the wall.

There is no turning back now Ashley. You can do this.
I coached myself, as I tried to get my legs to move. Pulling the map out of my pocket I saw that Drystan’s Pool was at the end of the narrow inlet I was standing on the left side of.

As I begun to walk the path following the inlet of water it seemed as if this place was not just uninhabited by people, but also by anything that breathed. There was no life inside of the waters that flowed inside of this inlet, nor birds flying high in the sky. It felt as if even the sun showed its fear of this place by hiding behind darkened clouds.

With every step I took inside of the inlet the walls encasing the stream of water became higher, as the water seemed to darken to an inky black. The stream ended where a small lake began, and at the very end of the lake I could make out someone laying on the sand with their body partially submerged under the murky water.

I was afraid to say anything as my feet seemed to move on their own, the person laying on the bank did not move, as I made my way closer. I don’t know what I was expecting, but what I see is a bare chested man with long black hair that stopped a little pass his shoulder blades, one thing that did frighten me a little was that his nails were more like talons, as they curled into the sand.

I looked back up at his face only to find a pair of sharp grey eyes looking back at me. All of my training went out the window as my common sense screamed at me to run.

“Speak the reason for your presence?” The man asked sliding down from the bank and into the water, never going further down in the water.

“My name is Ashley and I am here for the Sapphire Dragon.” I tried to calmly say but failed, as even I could hear the tremble in my voice.

The slow rise of one his eyebrows was the only clue he gave me, to show that my request was a surprise.

“I have never had anyone ask for the Sapphire Dragon before, that request is no good, you wouldn’t be able to do anything with the dragon anyways, and only the Dragon Warrior of water can command it. I know, how about gold and jewelry.” The man smiled, bringing his cupped hands out of the water filled with diamonds and gold coins of all sizes.

“I am the Sapphire Dragon Warrior, and I am here for the Sapphire Dragon.” I muttered trying to peel my eyes away for the treasure in his hands.

“Come on there must be something that you would rather obtain.”

The feel of something around my ankle made me look down to see a tentacle of water wrapping around it. I didn’t know how, but I knew that the water was being controlled by the man in it.

“What are you doing?”

“You are a complicated one, even you do not know what you truly want. Interesting.”

“Who are you?” I managed to say, after the water released me.

“How rude of me to not introduce myself.” He said dropping the jewels to rake his hair back with his hands. “My apologies my name is Drystan, and welcome to my pool.”

“Drystan, are you able to give me the Sapphire Dragon?”

“There is not much I am not able to obtain and trade.” Drystan said still wearing the same grin he has had plastered on his face since he opened his eyes.

“What do you mean by trade?”

“Haven’t you heard of the tales of Drystan’s Pool? With one wish I can make anyone’s dreams come true, with a fee of course.”

Great, I don’t have any money on me, I don’t know how I am going to get the Sapphire Dragon now.

“Don’t fret little one, I do not desire anything of monetary value. You see I get very lonely here, what I desire is the souls of the people who wish upon my waters.”

Souls? I knew Nerissa was hiding something, this must be why my parents were prolonging telling me the location of my dragon. Nerissa must have wanted my soul to be taken away, and to think I actually wanted to become friends with her.

“I sense some dark thoughts coming from you.” He closed his eyes and inhale as if he could smell my thoughts.

“Do you take the soul of everyone who comes to you for something?”

“What’s wrong little one, have you changed your mind already?” He said suddenly leaning at the bank about a foot away from me. “Since, I sense something in you I like, I will go easy on you. If you can solve my riddle I will give you anything you ask me for.”

“You promise?” I asked feeling a little bit more hopeful.

“You have my word, I never break a deal. Listen carefully for I will only say this once.” His eyes never left mine as he spoke the riddle. “If you solve this riddle then you will go free. If you fail, you become my slave for all eternity. What is my true name? You will have to look within for the answer.”

“That’s not a riddle, you have already told me that your name is Drystan.”

“Is that your answer?” He sighed, as if he was a little disappointed in my logic.

That made me reevaluate the entire way I was approaching the riddle. It is true that if I do solve the riddle I get to keep my soul and obtain the dragon. On the other hand he will have my soul, if I guess wrongly. What is his true name?

“I forgot to tell you that you have only three minutes to answer.”

Three minutes! How am I supposed to figure out his true name in three minutes?

I had to turn away from him, I just couldn’t think seeing his piercing gray eyes mocking my every thought. Could everything be a ruse, a diversion to protect the Sapphire Dragon and keep people away? If I look within my heart tells me that he is not evil, and if he is not here to grant wishes, but to guard the Sapphire Dragon. Then that would make him not evil, but a…”

“Time is running out little one, have you figured out my true name yet?”

“I believe so, you are the protector of the Sapphire Dragon.”

The wind seemed to cease as I waited for him to tell me whether or not if I had solved the riddle. My heart begun to do a happy dance when he looked up at me with the biggest smile.

“Did I get it? Was that the correct answer?”

His bright smile slowly faded as his voice came out barely above a whisper, but I heard it as if he had yelled it.

“You have failed, prepare to be my slave for all eternity.”

Hotter

Location: Royal Corrido
r
s

◑
Angie
 
◐

The pounding inside of my head begun to subside as I drunk the bitter medicine Leo had prepared for me.

“See, aren’t you glad that Leo came with us?” April smirked as we made our way to Ashley’s room. Today I was going to get some answers and no guard will be able to stop me.

According to April, Ashley apparently explained everything last night, but my memory of the entire evening yesterday is choppy at best.

The few things I can remember, I wish I could forget them. No matter how much medicine I took to ease my headache, it did not help in taking away the memory of me jumping on Leo?
Why him of all people?

“Are you okay? Did your migraine come back?”

“No, I just had a very bad thought. I should ask you the same thing. You have been sighing all morning.” I informed April, as she just sighed louder. “See? Did something happen while I was incapacitated?”

“There was a lot that happen while you were incapacitated as you so put it.” April laughed, as her smile quickly faded into a frown again.

“Okay, spill it. What is wrong?”

“I contacted Nolin last night.”

I couldn’t stop my eyes from widening as I completely halted dead in my tracks. “You did? What for?”

“You don’t remember, but Nerissa made a remark that my family was close by. I just wanted to confirm it with him.”

I already knew that they were unable to tell us about our families until we reach the land of our birth, but the words just escaped my mouth. “Did you?”

“No,” April sighed. “I lost my nerves, it’s just bothering me so bad, what if me seeing Nolin as a grandfather is actually due to him being my grandfather.”

“Well, once Ashley retrieve her dragon, and I travel to Ruby Kingdom for mine, I promise I will be the first one to contact Mina and Nolin, as soon as we reach Emerald Kingdom.”

April finally laughed wholeheartedly as she hugged me. “You know exactly what to say in order to cheer me up.”

“Good morning.” A deep male’s voice called out.

“And he know exactly how to show up and ruin my mornings.”

“I can hear you.”

“I didn’t know I was supposed to be keeping that a secret.”

Leo just stood there and smirked at me in the most annoying way. “Did my home remedy help your head any?”

“I guess it helped a little.” I impatiently stated wanting to get far away from him.

“How about your memories? Do you remember anything from last night?”

“I can’t say that I do.” I lied not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing that I remembered how I held on to him like a life line.

“So, are you telling me you don’t remember our kiss?”

“Kiss? Angie is there something you haven’t told me?” April blushed holding her hands up to her face.

“No, he is lying. We never kissed, only hugged.” I confessed before realizing what I had done.

“I thought you said you couldn’t remember?” Leo smirked in the most annoying way possible.

“Maybe I need to leave you two alone.” April muttered backing away slowly.

“No, you stay,” I yelled pointing to April. “And Leo you get far away from me.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to hug me instead?”

I could feel my body heat up, and I knew that my dragon tattoo was visible, as charged for him.

“My, aren’t we a lively bunch, so early in the morning.” Nerissa sneered, sashaying toward us in a long beautiful sheer green gown.

“What do you want Nerissa?” I asked shifting my anger from Leo toward her.

“Am I not allowed to walk the halls of my own kingdom? It was just so noisy, I was wondering who would dare cause such a commotion in the royal corridor.”

I could feel the mark burning my skin as I stared at a face that was more annoying than Leo’s.
I did not have time to play games with a spoiled princess.

“Where is Ashley?” I demanded, not wanting to spend another minute looking at her.

“Do you mean Cordelia? How am I supposed to know? I am not my sister’s keeper.”

Before I could respond to her, I felt a feeling so dreadful down in my stomach I had to lean against the wall, it was even more powerful than when Queen Jewel awakened. This feeling was awful, and it rendered me breathless. This feeling was pure and raw. It was fear, and I knew there was only one person this emotion was coming from.

“Are you okay?” Leo asked running back and forward between April and myself. “Stay right here I will go get Rogaire, I hate to say it but he will know what’s going on.”

I quietly obeyed as he hurriedly disappeared down the corridor. As soon as I wasn’t able to see him anymore I finally spoke what was on my mind. “What did you do to Ashley?”

“I have done nothing, but it seems that my little sister has failed in her quest.” Nerissa smiled, which was all it took to get me to my breaking point.

“If anything has happened to my sister, I will make sure that you will never be able to smile again.” I warned producing a ball of fire in my hands.

I was almost close enough to see the sweat on her brow when I felt something wrap around my waist.

“Angie, don’t do it. Can’t you see she wants to make us angry?” April yelled, as she controlled the vines that I never noticed decorated the top of the halls.

“Let me go April.”

“No, I am not going to let you play her games.” April shouted struggling to stay in control of the plant that held me back.

“Cordelia must be wishing that this was a game right about now. Since she has obviously failed, you will never have to worry about seeing her again.”

“You keep saying that Ashley has failed. What do you mean?” April asked as she still maintained a firm grip on me.

“Oh, didn’t I tell you, thanks to yours truly. Cordelia discovered the location of her dragon and went to obtain it.” Nerissa grinned looking pleased with herself.

“You let her go by herself, don’t you know how dangerous that is?” I yelled trying my best to break the vines holding me back.

“I don’t know why you are so upset, I was just being a good sister. Anyways she has been training her entire life for this day, she should have been able to claim her dragon from Drystan with no problem, is it my fault that she failed? What were you all doing on Earth for so long?”

“You never answered the question. What do you mean when you say Ashley has failed?” April softly questioned never looking up from the vines she was using to hold me.

Nerissa heavily sighed “If you really want to know. Cordelia’s dragon is located in Drystan’s Pool, and the legend says that no one who enters that cursed place is ever seen again.”

This time when I lunged for her I felt no resistance as the vines loosened and retracted back to where they came from. Looking back toward April I saw the streams of tears falling down her face, as she fell to the ground.

“You are going to pay for what you have done,” I turned toward Nerissa no longer trying to retain the energy I felt burning in me.

Harnessing the anger and sadness I was feeling I created a circle of fire around me and Nerissa that reached as high as my chest, assuring that there was no escape for her.

“Are you wanting to start a war? That is what will happen if any harm come to me.” Nerissa nervously uttered trying to carefully stay away from the fire wall.

“Where is Angie?” I heard someone yell over the sound of the roaring fire.

“She’s in there.” April voice responded.

Before long I felt a pair of hands wrapping around my chest constricting my arms.

“Let me go!” I yelled struggling to get loose I saw the flames diminishing, as a flash of white light came from the arms around me instantly stopping the flow of my energy.

“Get a hold of yourself,” Leo whispered in my ears, as he slowly released me.

“Why did you stop me?” I screamed hitting him as hard as I could, and as many times, as I could while I still felt the rage inside. He did not try to stop me or move out of my way, as I noticed the blisters appearing on his arms obviously from where he reached in and pulled me out. I slowly

“What is going on here?” Prince Leev shouted appearing with
Rṓ
gaire from down the corridor. “You only have a few minutes to explain,
Rṓ
gaire was only able to hold off the guards for so long.”

“She killed Ashley,” April pointed sadly at Nerissa. “She sent her to die.”

“What do you mean? How did she kill Ashley?” Prince Leev face became icy as he turned to Nerissa.

“She sent Ashley to Drystan’s Pool to die, April and I felt her fear, and then nothing. If she is not already…then she seriously is in need of our help.” I informed them feeling my anger rising again.

“Think rationally, why would Ashley go willingly to Drystan’s Pool?” Leo asked not fully understanding the situation.

“Because that is where her dragon is located,” Nerissa smirked, as she watched the guys’ reaction.

“Do you have any idea what you have done?” Prince Leev turned his fierce gaze on Nerissa.

“It must be nice to have so many people care so much about you.” Nerissa muttered grimly.

“Is that why you convinced her to go alone? All because of your petty jealousy!” I accused. Before anyone could stop me I had Nerissa pent up against the wall by her neck. “Tell me how to get to Ashley.”

“It is too late for her, unless you want to meet the same fate as her I would suggest you forget about her.” Nerissa still sneered weakly, with a hint of fear showing in her eyes.

“The guards have broken loose from my illusion,”
Rṓ
gaire explains. “You do not want to be caught in that position when they arrive.”

“I am not moving until she tells me how to get to Drystan’s Pool.” I exclaimed determined to get some answers out of her.

I let my energy gather on the lower part of my arm creating a small fire that I controlled, as it slowly crawled up the arm I currently was using to hold Nerissa’s neck.

“If you harm me I will scream, and you will instantly be thrown in the dungeon. My parents will not take it easy on you just because you are a Dragon Warrior.”

“Angie, let go of her it is not worth it.” April voiced finally standing up against the opposite wall.

I ignored her as I felt the fire spreading closer toward my wrist.

“Someone needs to stop her,” Nerissa uttered looking around for someone to help.

“Don’t you dare try to stop me!” I commanded Leo, as I saw him sneaking closer toward me.

The sounds of feet scurrying down the hallway, alerted me to how low on time I was getting. “Just tell me how to get to Drystan’s Pool and I will let you go.”

“It’s too late anyways, you have no choice but to release me before the guards’ catch…” Nerissa smiled before she completely vanished from beneath my hand.

“What have you done Angie?”
Rṓ
gaire questioned with more curiosity than concern.

“I didn’t do anything she just disappeared.”

“That may be a lovely story, but I don’t think that they will believe you.”  Leo sighed looking toward a group of men coming at us with long tritons that glowed at the end.

“If I did make her disappear, do you think I would still be here?” I whispered as the men began to surround us.