The Dragon Savior of Tone: World of Tone: Book 2 (22 page)

The nymphs split into two groups at the order of their leaders. The first group moved in small units and engaged in fights with the dwarfs in what was left of the village. The other nymphs ran in a very structured group around the crater to fight those dwarfs that had been outside the village. The nymphs quickly killed the remaining dwarfs. A few were captured, and they were tortured by a small group of nymphs. Terra saw this and flew toward the group. He landed on the dwarfs killing them.

“Kill them if you must, but no creature shall be tormented to death. I will not turn into those I fight,” Terra snarled at the nymphs. They backed away as the old wizard came up behind them.

“They will not do such things again,” he told Terra. Terra took off to heal those that had been injured and then left to see if the dragons were well after their first fight. The wizard waved the nymphs and their leader to him. He sent one of them to bring the main commander of the fighters. The old wizard sat on a rock until he arrived. He gathered them all around him.

“I told you all not to seek revenge. Terra is not going to stand for such things.”

“What happened?” Commander Xillal asked.

“These nymphs were torturing some dwarfs before, I assume before they plan to kill them,” the wizard replied. The commander looked at them with total disgust.

“Were you not told how to act by your leaders?” Xillal asked in a low angry voice.

“Yes, sir. We were told.”

“So you decided to ignore your direct orders, did you?” No one responded to his questions.

“Get back to the valley. I will deal with you later. Move now!” The nymphs ran back to the wall in a single, straight line.

“Was he angry?” Xillal asked the wizard.

“He was not pleased. We must never antagonize him; you saw the power he possesses. He is the one to save us all, we must follow his leadership and that means no revenge,” the wizard responded.

“I will apologize to him. What do you think happened here?” Xillal asked as he turned and looked at the gaping hole.

“I don’t know. I need some of your fighters. We need to search for the Solan's amulet.”

“Yes, of course. I will have them here shortly.”

They searched until high sun. Finally, two small pieces of shiny metal with the remains of three jewels were brought to the wizard. He looked at the pieces and saw the remnants of the stones had lost their deep colors and had turned clear. Xillan walked up behind the old Wizard and was about to interrupt his examination when the wizard asked what he wanted without turning around.

“I have come to tell you Terra wishes us to meet with him at three-quarter sun. He will be in front of the wall. We must leave soon to be there on time.”

“Yes, that's fine. I don't think we'll find much more here,” the wizard said as he turned toward the commander. Xillan saw two small pieces of gnarled metal in his old hands.

“Is that the Solans amulet?”

“What's left of it.”

“I thought the amulets were indestructible with incredible magical power. That's the reason you gave me for not attacking them before this,” Xillan said, a bit irritated.

“That's what I thought until now. No one has ever been able to even scratch an amulet, let alone destroy one,” the old wizard said with an odd almost amazed tone in his voice.

“How were they made?” one of the other nymphs asked.

“No one really knows. Some say over one hundred Solans would gather and then imbue a new amulet with all their magic. Then it would be presented to a new Solan. The amulet would align itself with the wearer. If a Solan died, the amulet would be retrieved and given to another new Solan,” the wizard explained.

“Where are all the amulets?” Xillan asked.

“I think the remaining Solan on the other side of the mountain has them all. We must be going, it's time to go to see the Draman,” the wizard said as he dropped the pieces in a pouch around his waist.

Chapter 38 - The End of an Amulet

(What happens when the indestructible is destroyed?)

- The Time of the Draman -

As the amulet exploded, the world’s magic reverberated with a powerful surge and an equally powerful contraction. It was like nothing that had ever occurred before. The old Solan was staggered. She had to support herself with a table. Faray rushed to her side and helped her to a chair. Faray had felt something but was not yet experienced enough to understand what had happened.

The fog rushed in as the chest, filled with the amulets, initially raised off the floor. A massive flash of light shone through the chest's wood sides. Finally, it fell to the ground, causing the floor to shake. An odd voice that sounded as if hundreds of voices were combined into one came from everywhere, but nowhere.

“An amulet has been destroyed. It is impossible. It cannot be,” said the voice of the many.

“He has apparently done the impossible,” the old Solan gasped, placing her hand on her chest.

“One of the black Solans is gone,” the voice said with a bit of relief.

“He has started the fight,” the old Solan said with a bit more strength.

“What is happening?” Faray asked with concern.

“Your brother has destroyed an amulet such as the one you wear. It has always been thought that the amulets could not be harmed in any way, but he has done the impossible,” the Solan replied as Faray looked down at her amulet.

“Is he alright?” Faray asked, with fear in her voice. The Solan concentrated on the fire in the hearth and a picture of Terra in his dragon form slowly appeared in the flames of the fire. The image quickly faded.

“Yes, he is fine,” the Solan replied to Faray in a weak voice.

Many thousands of dragon lengths away in the Old Sinut's underwater cave. He was watching the dwarf’s village disappear in a huge burst of light when it suddenly seemed as if a massive wave struck him. The Old Sinut drifted in the water, physically stunned by the wave of magic. He was barely able to move back to his black pool. He concentrated and managed to get an image to appear. Terra was on the ground by a fallen dragon, then “No” erupted from his throat as he saw a mountain top turn to dust.

He realized Terra must have destroyed an amulet. He tried to find his friend, but there was just too much commotion. He then concentrated on the village, which was nothing more than a great hole. He had to rest, so he allowed the images to fade as he fell into a light trance.

The Sinut was not able to contact his friend until after sunset. He was obviously tired and shaken by what had happened.

“Are you alright, old friend?” The Sinut asked.

“Yes, just tired. I have something to show you,” the old wizard said as he took the small bag out and dropped the remnants of the amulet into his palm.

“Is that the amulet?”

“What I could find of it. The odd thing is that what's left of the stones have lost their color and are perfectly clear.”

“I have no idea what would cause that. I never even considered the possibility of him being able to destroy an amulet. I cannot even imagine the power it took for him to obliterate this amulet. Was he tired after the fight?” the Old Sinut asked.

“No, he seemed fine. Why do you ask?”

“When I first met him, using his magic tired him, but now it has no effect upon him.”

“I see. I now understand your comment about him being opposed to killing. The power I saw this sun-rising, terrified me. If he was power hungry, no one could stop him.”

The darkness was complete. The small fire before the dark wizard was snuffed out as all the world's magic flared into non-existence, then flooded back and rolled over him like some great boulder. He swayed on his throne from the blow.

“What, what has happened?” he asked the darkness in a strained voice.

“An amulet was destroyed,” the voice replied in a weak unsteady tone.

“Impossible, those amulets are indestructible.”

“The Draman apparently did not know they could not be destroyed.” The darkness replied with the strength and sarcastic laughter returning to the voice.

“What of the Solan?” the Wizard asked.

“Gone!” the voice replied.

“He is coming?”

“Yes, his journey has begun,” the voice answered in a serious tone.

The dark Solan lay on the floor. She lost consciousness but was regaining her senses. She slowly got to her knees and then with the help of her staff managed to get to her feet. The other dark Solan and her amulet were gone. She could feel the absence of her old friend. The power that had washed over her had overwhelmed her mind and body.

She knew that she could not possibly stand against such power. She obviously needed to leave as soon as possible. She sat until she recovered, then she summoned the dwarf leader and ordered him to form up two thousand dwarfs to guard her. She then left immediately for the dark one's mountain. The only orders she left for the dwarf leader was to defend the village to the death, for if they did not their deaths would be long and painful. The dwarfs knew she met what she said; they had seen what she was capable of in the past.

Chapter 39 - The Journey Begins

(A journey towards death is never simple.)

- The Time of the Draman -

As the wizard and Xillan approached, they saw a naked Terra lying against Fienna's chest. She was on a large flat rock just in front of the wall, watching the nymphs approach. The nymphs thought Terra looked sad. They, in contrast, were excited about the destruction of their ancient enemy.

“It was a great victory,” the wizard said to Terra.

“Victory, I would not say victory. Killing thousands and losing a friend is not a victory. It's a terrible necessity,” he responded with no joy in his voice.

“Yes, of course. I simply met that our losses were much smaller than what they could have been.”

“Well, yes, at least we can say that,” he replied. “I would like to start moving down the edge of the mountains upon the next sun-rising. Can you have the nymphs ready?” Terra asked the two before him.

“We have been preparing, but first light is a bit soon. We could be ready by high sun,” Xillan replied. Terra had met Xillan the sun-rising before. He had shown Terra his fighters and their training techniques. Terra had been impressed by how well prepared Xillan and his nymphs seemed to be.

“Good, high sun it is. I will have the dragons ready. I plan to have two Flights follow the land nymphs while the rest will fly ahead and create a sunset stop point for all. The first sun-rising they will only go a short distance, perhaps five thousand dragon lengths. That will allow me to gauge how far the nymphs can travel in one sun-rising. I will travel with you. I know you said it would take sixteen sun-risings, but I would like to make sure of the timing. I need to tell the humans when to be ready.”

“We have much to do, but we will be prepared to move at high sun. We could cut the travel time if we move during sunset,” Xillan suggested to Terra.

“I know that, but the dangers are too many and could collide with each other in the darkness. I also wish the fighters to be rested in case we encounter groups of traveling dwarfs. So we will travel by sunlight.”

“As you wish. I would like to apologize for what happen earlier. You were right; this is not a fight of revenge but of need to save our world. I assure you it will not happen again,” Xillan said truthfully.

“Good. Killing will not save this world. Only life will do that.”

“Could we have Rammy help until sun-rising? She is an exceptional leader.”

“Have you asked her?”

“Yes. She is willing to help us if you agree.”

“I will need her back before high sun.”

“Of course.”

The old wizard came forward and shook out the two pieces of the amulet from the bag he carried. He held his hand out.

“What's that?” Fienna asked.

“It is what is left of the Solan's amulet. These amulets are known to be indestructible.”

“Apparently, no longer,” Fienna replied with a small smile.

Terra stood up, and Fienna rose to her feet. He climbed onto her back. “I will see you at first light,” Terra said to the two as Fienna took off.

It was the first time in a long time that Terra had flown on Fienna's back. It was as if this was the right way to fly. The way they should fly together. Since they were young ones, they had shared their thoughts, pleasure, and pain. They grew up with Fienna flying while he rode. This was the way things should be. Fienna had missed the warmth of Terra's legs against her neck. It was where he belonged.

Fienna flew around the mountain to look at the huge bowl-shaped hole where the village had been. In the distance, they could see the dark clouds and the almost continuous lightning, but that would be dealt with another sun-rising. He could see the bottom of the bowl filling with water. Tone was creating a new lake for new life from the utter destruction. After looking over the area, they flew off for a short flight back to the dragons. It would allow them the experience of long ago joy, before they returned to the reality of this fight.