The Wings of Dragons: Book One of the Dragoon Saga (39 page)

The former general turned to Iren. “I think
I understand you a little better. Now I know what you suffered,
abhorred by the very people you wanted to recognize you. I fear my
reception in Lodia, but what I learned from you gives me hope. This
world has things worth risking your life for.”

Iren put out his hand and said, “Commit to
what’s most important.”

Balear smiled and took Iren’s hand. “I
promise I’ll do just that. I’ll bring peace to Lodia, and not the
‘peace’ Amroth sought, using force to crush all resistance. I’ll
bring a genuine peace, where Lodia and its neighbors forge new
alliances better than our old ones, and where we replace mistrust
and ignorance with knowledge and understanding.”

Minawë beamed. “I see that Amroth’s crimes
do not represent Lodia’s true character. For centuries, my people
have avoided humanity, but who knows? Perhaps you shall lead our
nations, Balear, on the path to mutual understanding between
Kodamas and humans. Please return and visit us.”

“
When I restore peace in
Lodia, you may count on it.”

The new queen turned to the two Kodamas who
had escorted Iren and Balear and asked them to lead the Lodian back
to his country. The trio departed eastward.

When they fell from sight, Rondel gave a
little cough. “I guess that means I’d better head off too.”

Iren turned in shock to face her. “What do
you mean? You’re not staying in Ziorsecth either?”

Rondel grunted. “Do you have any idea how
much of a pain you’ve made my life these past six months? You know,
I led a pretty leisurely existence for many years before you and
Amroth arrived on my doorstep. Then I had to go and decide to teach
you. Pretty soon, I’m fighting for my life against bandits, Yokai,
Oni, and even a dragon. And what reward do I get out of it? I have
to deal with some slacker with an attitude!”

Scowling, Iren replied, “I see you’re still
the same stupid old hag you were when I first met you stumbling out
of a horse stall.”

“
Respect your
elders!”

“
Be kind to your
student!”

“
Brat!”

“
Fogey!”

The pair gave a loud “Humph!” and then
refused to look at each other. After several seconds, though,
teacher and apprentice simultaneously began cackling so hard tears
formed in their eyes.

Minawë turned her head back and forth,
alternately focusing on Rondel and Iren, clearly confused.

As their laughter ended, Rondel walked over
to the pair of graves she and Minawë had visited every day since
the battle. She raised her right hand and formed the Kodaman
friendship gesture, saying seriously, “Aletas, in the end, you
lived up to Otunë’s legacy as Forest Dragon Knight. I’m glad you
two can rest together in this place. You have much to be proud of.
You defended the Kodamas, and you raised a fine daughter.” She cast
her eyes at Minawë, who, along with Iren, had come to the graves as
well. “Make sure you take care of this boy, Minawë,” she gestured
at Iren. “He’s utterly incapable, you know.”

The Kodama nodded sadly but didn’t
respond.

Suppressing tears, Rondel left the graves
and took a few steps into the forest. Over her shoulder, she waved.
“Take care, slacker,” she said.

“
See you, old hag,” Iren
replied. Rondel could hear his voice catch.

When she’d just about reached the limits of
where she knew the others could see her, Iren suddenly called to
her, “What about your nightmares? If you leave me, won’t they make
you unable to sleep?”

She craned her head around to face him,
answering confidently, “I’m not concerned. I think they just wanted
to tell me something. It took me longer than it should have, but I
finally heard the message.” She gazed through the canopy at the
patches of sunny sky beyond, and then, without another glance back,
disappeared into the forest.

* * *

For a few minutes Iren stood there, unable
to tear his eyes from the spot where Rondel had vanished. Finally,
Minawë shook her head. “She might be crazy, but I’ll miss having
her around.”

For the first time since Rondel announced
her departure, Iren remembered that Minawë stood right next to him.
He gave her an odd look, but she dismissed it with a wave.

“
Never mind,” she said in
answer to his expression, chuckling.

Iren looked over the graves before them to
the gargantuan crater that dominated the scene. “What will happen
to Ziorsecth?” he asked. “You told me the forest is a single tree,
originating with the Heart. With the Heart gone, will Ziorsecth die
too?”

Minawë replied, “Without Ziorsecth, the
Kodamas would all perish. But Ziorsecth will outlive us all. True,
the forest is one plant, but plants and animals are different. If
you remove a limb from a tree, that tree will still grow. The same
holds true for Ziorsecth. It will draw from its countless stems,
and that energy will birth a new Heart of Ziorsecth.” She pointed
to the crater’s center. “Look down there, if you doubt me.”

Iren stared hard. At first he saw only brown
earth, but then, at the center of the crater, he noticed a flash of
green. A foot-tall seedling had sprouted from the soil.

“
Ziorsecth’s Heart is
already reborn,” Minawë said, “and aided by the forest, it will
grow rapidly. One day, this harsh scene will again become the
glorious sacred grove of my people. Besides, it has more than just
the forest to help it. Come with me, and I’ll show you.”

Together the pair made their way into the
crater until they stood beside the new Heart of Ziorsecth. Iren
gasped. Next to the seedling lay the Chloryoblaka.

“
After the battle, Rondel
wanted me to take Dendryl’s bow and become the Forest Dragon
Knight. I refused. Mother didn’t want that power; she took it
because she had no other choice. I want to honor her decision.
Besides, with Feng defeated, the Kodamas don’t need a Forest Dragon
Knight. Here, perhaps its magic will flow into the earth and aid
the Heart of Ziorsecth’s growth. I hope it can remain here until
the Heart’s trunk buries it, and it forever becomes part of the
forest itself.”

Iren knelt before the Chloryoblaka, honoring
the sacrifices of those who had carried it into battle. After a
moment, an idea came to him. Standing, he pulled the Muryozaki from
his belt and laid it alongside the bow.

“
What are you doing?”
Minawë asked.

“
You heard what Rondel
said. This sword is useless to me now. Let it stay here too, and
maybe it can also aid the Heart’s recovery.”

Minawë hugged him. “Thank you, Iren.”

The pair lingered beside the Heart for a few
more minutes before making their way up the far side of the crater,
Minawë helping Iren negotiate the steep slope. When they reached
the top, they both collapsed from exhaustion on the rim,
overlooking the Yuushin Sea.

When they’d caught their breath, Minawë put
her hands under her chin and said, “You know, my people call this
place sacred, but I don’t see it that way. I feel no joy here, only
sorrow and loneliness.”

She peered over her shoulder at her parents’
graves in the distance. “We Kodamas have never been numerous, and
Ziorsecth is vast. Defending its borders spreads us thin. Rarely do
we gather, and when we do, it’s more often for grieving than for
celebration. I never knew my father; he died in battle before I can
remember. Mother, though, was always there for me. I never felt
alone as long as I knew she was nearby. Now she’s dead, along with
so many others, and you and everyone else are leaving too. I can’t
bear the solitude.”

With a long sigh, Iren asked, “What are you
talking about, moron?”

Minawë crossed her arms. “Who are you
calling a moron, moron?”

Iren rolled his eyes. “Who said I’m going
anywhere?”

She looked shocked. “Aren’t you going back
to Lodia? To your home?”

He shrugged. “I don’t have a home in Lodia.
The only place I ever lived was the Tower of Divinion, and I don’t
know if that still stands. Even if it does, I can’t call it a home.
I hated every minute there. Frankly, nothing remains in Lodia for
me. I’m not like Balear. I made no oaths to king and country.” He
gave her a wry look. “Besides, I have a far more important promise
to keep.”

Minawë raised an incredulous eyebrow.

“
Don’t you remember?” he
asked. “Just before the fight against Amroth, you called to me,
‘When we win this battle, let’s go home to Yuushingaral
together!’”

A wide grin filled her face, and joy
enveloped her until her radiance surpassed any light Iren had
created as the Holy Dragon Knight. Excitedly, she leapt to her
feet, saying, “Iren, ever since you came here today, I’ve wanted to
tell you something.” She held out her hand.

“
Welcome home, Iren
Saitosan.”

For a long time he couldn’t answer. His
heart thudded as it never had before, even in the deepest, most
desperate throes of battle. He breathed deeply, his lungs filling
with the satisfying combination of loamy scent from the woods
behind him and the salty air of the ocean waves breaking below him.
At the last, he took Minawë’s hand, pulled himself to his feet, and
kissed her softly. As they separated, he gazed deep into her
emerald eyes and replied, “Yes, I am home.”

Josh VanBrakle is an
unrepentant lefty who is overjoyed to live in an age when authors
can type their stories instead of handwriting them. His love of
fantasy and science fiction, kindled by
The Lord of the Rings
and
Star Wars
, led to a dream
of publishing a novel that refused to let itself get pushed aside.
A late-bloomer to writing professionally, Josh first trained in
forestry and economics. In his day job, Josh works for an
environmental non-profit promoting rural land conservation.
Originally from Hershey, Chocolatetown USA, Josh now lives in the
Catskills region of upstate New York with his wife Christine and
their two ill-behaved cats.

The Wings of
Dragons
is Josh’s first novel, so if you
enjoyed reading this book, please leave a review wherever you
purchased it! Share what you loved as well as what can be improved.
Josh reads every review and strives to incorporate those comments
to help him grow as an author and make his future books
better.

To stay up to date with the
latest news about Josh’s upcoming titles in
The Dragoon Saga
, please visit
www.joshvanbrakle.com
.