Hi everyone, those that have read the first two books thought I should throw out a teaser for the third book. I am hard at work on it and will finish up the trilogy.
I would love to post the cover. Not sure how to post a .jpg on here though. it wants a link it seems
And now the work starts.
Return of Saris
Chapter 1
2200 BC - The black crystalline claw raked hard across his platinum scales as he refused to let go of his bite, holding deep into his opponent’s shoulder. The dragon before him roared in anger as they both beat their wings trying to stay aloft. The midnight dragon raked his claws again against his chest, this time the force loosened his bite as his opponent pushed away.
Saris started to inhale as he readied his breath weapon, but his opponent was too fast. With lightning speed, the Obsidian Dragon closed their distance and attacked. Black talons ripped through his platinum wings. Saris tried to defend, but his opponent was just too strong. Fang and claw tore deep through his protective scales, the assault was relentless. Pushing back, he tried to get more altitude and hopefully some leverage over his adversary. The move was a mistake, and his opponent took full advantage of it. Pulling Saris forward, the black dragon opened his mouth wide and bit deeply into his platinum-scaled neck. They both spiraled out of the sky as the Obsidian Dragon kept his death grip on Saris. Moments before the ground, he released his prey, his massive wings pulling him up as Saris slammed into the rocky terrain.
Coughing up purple blood, Saris tried to raise his horned head to see the dragon landing lightly to the side of him. The dust from his opponent’s wings blurred his eyes, but he could still make out the black shape slowly walking towards him. Saris tried to get up, but he was too damaged from the fall, his legs twisted underneath him.
“I warned you not to come for me, old friend.” Said the Obsidian Dragon who now stood over him. “Neither you, nor your little followers can match my power.” The glow of undead runes radiated from a harness that circled his chest and neck.
Saris coughed again, “You can’t do this, you are destroying all we built.”
The Obsidian Dragon laughed. “What we built? What we built was a travesty. We helped them and they turned and attacked us. Now the only way is to annihilate them all.”
With a sorrowful sigh, Saris replied. “Then we are no different from those we used to have to call masters. We left to find a new way, a way without war.”
The dark dragon replied in contempt. “We are different. We are the masters now. The humans are a threat to our kind. I do this for our race, what are you doing for them as you hide in your cave with your followers?”
Saris couldn’t reply, both from his wounds and that he had no argument. Everything his old friend had said was correct. There had to be another way, but he couldn’t make him see reason.
Without another word, the Obsidian Dragon reared onto his hind legs and with powerful wing beats, quickly flew into the air, heading back to his army. There was no stopping him now.
Return of Saris - Book 3 in the Crystal Dragon Trilogy
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Dram
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Re: Return of Saris - Book 3 in the Crystal Dragon Trilogy
The Rest of the Chapter
Time seemed to stand still as he lay on the ground. The mistakes of his past going over and over again in his mind. He believed in his naivety that a new world could change the very nature of his people. That they could work together with the humans to build something amazing. He coughed as fluids started to fill his lungs. The pain subsided as he began to fade from his wounds. In the distance, he thought he could hear the soft beat of wings as he gradually gave himself up to the darkness.
“Hurry, use your energy...” The last he heard as he went unconscious. Two silver dragons rushed to his side as they tried to heal his wounds. The damage was extensive. The Obsidian Dragon was nothing if not thorough in his attacks.
“Gently now, we must get him off the ground.” A golden glow started to surround Saris as his apprentices used their magic to lift his great form off the rocky ground. The dragon’s twisted legs showed bone and purple blood as they were freed from under his body. Still unconscious, his followers started to take to the sky. The still form of the Platinum Dragon floating slowly behind, enveloped in the orange protective aura.
The flight took them over the vast sea towards their home. Their power was almost depleted as they landed at the cavern near the water. Gently they lowered their mentor into the sea, his limbs would not be able to support his weight for some time. As he floated on the water, they started to use their magic to help him heal. He would need to be awake for their assistance to be fully effective. As talented as they were, there was only one Saris.
Slowly he began to revive, the power from his followers infusing his cells. Gradually the blood stopped oozing from his open wounds, and they started to heal. Hesitantly the bones started to straighten and bind to themselves. His arteries flowed as new life was infused into his being.
Saris tried to stand but he was still weak from his ordeal. Healing would take weeks. Painfully he turned to the two dragons near him. They had stayed out of the conflict at his direction. Their powers were limited, and he didn’t know what the Obsidian Dragon would do to them. He wasn’t sure what would happen in their battle, but he was alive. That was his only hope as he went to confront him. His voice was heard, and he had given it one last try. Now he would have more work to do stopping his old friend and most likely killing him. Such a waste.
“Rest now, we can handle everything from here.” Said one of his two saviors. There was so much work to do but he knew their wisdom. First, he must heal and get focused. Reluctantly he let the darkness take him as his body healed.
Several days later Saris woke. He was no longer in the water but now laying in his laboratory on hard stone. It felt like home, he had been working in it for years. His mind raced at the events of the recent days. He had no idea his old friend would take things so far. He was creating a war unparallel since the days before they came to Earth. The devastation was unthinkable. He had never realized that Skadira would take things to this level. His lifelong friend had taken the betrayal as a personal offense. Now he was going to wipe out the human race to avenge that. It was beyond Saris’s deepest understanding.
Slowly he tried to get up, but his legs betrayed him. Painstakingly he crawled to the opening of the large cavern. The sun shone brightly down the cave hallway to the outside air. He could smell the salty wind of the sea in the distance as it pushed its way down the tunnel. It was nearly sunset, but he enjoyed the subtle light as he fell into a deep sleep again.
Two days later he awoke as his friends moved into the cave. The silver of their skin was glowing from the morning light outside. Slowly he raised his head to look at them, for years they had followed his teachings. Not from blind faith but a real understanding of his philosophy. His biggest regret was that he failed them so much.
“Come back to the lab Saris, our energy is restored. We can continue to help you heal. Maybe then, you can fix this conflict.” Said Nadirah. The silver dragon looked sadly down on the form of the Platinum Dragon as she tried to find hope in her own words.
“There isn’t anything we can do now. He alone is more powerful than all three of us, with his army, the combined dragons left could not take them on.” Sighed a defeated Saris.
His Nadirah turned a pleading look at Kattastik, her lifemate, as they continued in silence, sharing their energy with the platinum dragon. Both of them had been disciples of Saris since before their skin was the bright silver it took on now. Soon Saris was fully healed, although his energy was still drained. Turning to the dragons before him, he commented. “Thank you for everything you have done, I need to be alone now with my thoughts. You are right, there has to be something we can do. Let me dwell on it.”
Remaining silent, the other two dragons moved out to the cave mouth. Once at the edge, they launched into sea air, their massive wings lifting them high into the sky.
Saris brooded in the dimly lit cavern, frustration overwhelming his normally positive outlook on things. Giving up on his pity trip, he moved to the opening of the cave. The salty air was refreshing as its cool mist worked its way up the cliff face onto the ledge where he now stood. The sun was high in the sky as it shined warmly down on his platinum scales. A new outlook on things came with the change in scenery as the dark caves of his laboratory seemed to match his depressed mood. Now out in the open air, he started to have a new outlook. Maybe there was a way to defeat his old friend before things got even more out of hand. He looked up to the sun as its brightness seemed to push the darkness from his soul.
Staring intently at the round orb he wondered about its power. He understood the theories of stars and how they worked. His people and their former masters had traveled among them. But he couldn’t comprehend the amount of power it must possess as it pushed its energy out into the darkness. What if someone was to capture all that energy? Then he would be able to defeat the Obsidian Dragon and his army? An army that used the dead of their own race to wage war against humans and the dragons protecting them?
An unexpected thought raced through Saris’s mind like a lightning bolt. He didn’t need to capture the power of the sun. He needed to capture the power that made his old friend invincible. Without that, he was just another dragon, a very powerful one, but not indestructible.
His mind raced as he moved back into his lab. If it was possible, how would he even begin to achieve it? Lifeforce was a powerful thing and it’s not easily manipulated. The runes that held it in place would be hard to overcome. Then what to do with the power released? He continued to dwell on the problem as he came up with more issues to solve than solutions.
He thought back to the sun and how apparently small it looked but the power it possesses. What if it was something in reverse? A container that would magically draw all undead dragon lifeforce to it. An energy orb like the sun but how would he power it? Maybe with the power of the lifeforce itself. But then he would need to jumpstart it somehow and that would take a lot of power in its own right. Almost giddy and back to his old self he used his mind speech to call back his apprentices. They were still close enough to hear his mind speak.
The orb that was Saris’s inspiration had long set as the three dragons continued to invent what could be the end of the war. Kattastik changed the direction of the conversation. “If we build this thing, it will become an object of great power. Even more than what Skadira now possesses. How do we protect it?”
The dragoness next to him commented first. “It sounds like a graveyard for the dragons. Secrecy would be the only way to protect it. There is no place on earth that a dragon can’t reach. There are a few places that are really hard to get to though. It’s going to depend on the range of its power.”
The other apprentice spoke up again. “Whatever we do we need to do it soon. Atlantis is about to fall, and we know what that means if it does. It’s the last power that can hold him off. After that, he will pick off human cities until there will be nothing left of them but those living in caves.”
The hours were long as the three of them tested different ways of binding life force remotely. Gradually after many failures, their tests started to show promise. Saris would draw his own energy and create a sphere the size of a melon. Once activated, it would slowly draw power from those in the room. Soon as Saris quit powering the orb, its effect would stop. There wasn’t enough in it to keep it self-sustaining. They would need a larger power to get it to start and continue to draw life energy.
A few days passed as they got the news that Atlantis was lost. The Obsidian Dragon and his army still battled the remaining forces of dragons and humans. Now led by Bor, they were now down to the remaining defenses of the island. While considerable, it was only a matter of time before it was lost.
Their experiments were just about complete, but one thing was still missing. They needed an initial energy that was going to allow the orb to self-sustain from the dead that it would bring inside itself. There was only one solution for what they were going to achieve.
Saris turned to his two assistants, “I will sacrifice my power to start the orb. It is the only thing that will get its core to begin.”
“No.” The voice from his apprentice was steady and finite. Before Saris could interrupt, he continued. “Nadirah and I have discussed this already and you are needed to maintain the orb. It’s not finished yet and will have to be adjusted as it is infused with power. Our lifeforce together should be enough to equal yours. That way you can still protect the world. Our sacrifice is nothing compared to your contribution.
Saris was stunned by the willingness of his apprentices to give their lives for his cause. The war was a great scar on their race but largely for the fact that it was the dragons’ own self-interest that caused it. Seeing the determination in his young friends, he gave in. “It shouldn’t take all of your powers and there might be still a use for you if you want.”
The two silver dragons before him nodded with acceptance. This was new territory for all of them and they were ready to give whatever it took to stop the war. Dragons warring with dragons was a thing unheard of in their history. Battles yes, they were a passionate and fiery race, and there was always a fight and a loss. This was a new level of destruction they had never seen before, both humans and dragons were getting killed in numbers unheard of in their history. Now they must stop it by any means necessary.
“We must find a place to safeguard it as you mentioned. I think I have an idea. The southern slope of Montagne Maudite, near the peak, is a large cavern. The air is too thin for a dragon to fly, and the distance is deep into the mountains. To even find it, even if you know where it is, can be a challenge. We can set up there and finish our final evolution of the process. Why don’t you two go now and enjoy your last moments, I will make ready to travel.”
Without another word, the two apprentices moved out to the ledge overlooking the sea. Saris continued his work as he gathered the items around his laboratory. There were never enough things to bring. Lost in his thoughts he paid no attention to the dragons outside.
“I hope you know what you have gotten us into. We have no idea if this orb will do what we think it will. Now we will risk our lives to test it?” Said the male dragon.
The dragoness turned to her lifemate. “If Saris thinks it’s ready then I trust him. He would not put us in jeopardy unless he was sure. One of the reasons I wanted us to do it, he might take a risk himself but not with us. If we can end the war, then it is well worth the sacrifice.”
The male dragon grumbled as he leaped off the ledge and floated on the updraft from the warm sea. Hovering before his mate, he could only see the determination on her face. She was all in and that meant he was too. He floated just a wingspan in front of her as he nodded to her wisdom. “Let’s go spend the day like we were young and had no troubles in the world.” The toothy grin on his lifemate’s face was all he needed as she playfully leaped at him. Barely missing his large body, she opened her wings and flew out over the open sea. Letting her take the lead he turned and followed after with a grin of his own.
Quickly she banked to the right and started to gain altitude and speed. Now the game was on. Using his magic, he accelerated his speed to match hers. “That’s cheating!” Said Nadirah as she used her magic to increase her own speed. The playful chase continued over land as she led him higher and higher. Her power was certainly a match for his, but that wasn’t going to dismay him. Feeling the fire burn from his lifeforce, he accelerated keeping on her tail.
Abruptly she dove, heading for a set of canyons to the north. Not to be outdone he followed closely behind. It was a mating flight, but both were too old or had time to foster a hatch of eggs. The thrill of the chase still excited them both. Using more of his lifeforce, something he had recently learned from their experiments, he rapidly flew above the canyon she was flying down the middle of. The thrill was exhilarating.
Nadirah banked up to find Kattastik hovering in front of her. With a toothy grin, she rolled to the left barely avoiding her lifemate, their wings nearly colliding. The chase was still on. Quickly he turned to follow her again. A trick wasn’t going to win her in the old way, he must use all of himself.
Bringing to focus her own magic, she instantly accelerated up into the sky, heading towards a bank of thick clouds. Her mate quickly followed as she dove into the heavy mist and disappeared. Switching to his inner-sight, he could see her as she banked left. Leaving her original path, the dragoness continued to follow the edge of the cloud bank, then to his surprise vanished from his inner sight. Pulling up, he hovered in place as he scanned everything in front of him. There was no sign of her lifeforce. Now confusion turned to worry at what happened to her.
Nadirah trembled at the feel of the chase, the cold misty air of the cloud tickling her nose. Her lifemate didn’t know all her tricks. Suppressing her lifeforce was a new technique she had developed in their recent experiments. She folded her wings tightly to her body and dropped like a rock towards the earth, the cloud hiding her path from her lifemate. Nearing the ground, she opened her wings and used her magic to propel herself north towards a small range of hills.
Seeing the flash of life force far below him, Kattastik pulled his wings close and dove towards the bright light of his lifemate. She was racing ahead of him, but he had the angle of decent while she was flying along the terrain. He had her now, he thought as he followed her course. There was nowhere she could go that he could not follow from his vantage point.
Nadirah could sense her mate coming closer from above as she weaved through the small depressions that flowed between the hills. Just ahead was the spot she was heading for. She hunted here as a young dragon and knew the area well. A large grove of trees came into her view as she banked around the hillside. The area was extremely thick with foliage, nothing could be seen within. Pulling her wings forward to slow her speed, she landed hard as her talons dug into the soft soil, and quickly headed into the dense thicket. Once more, she hid her lifeforce as she slowly crawled deeper into the trees.
Kattastik pulled up his hurried flight as he floated over the small stretch of forest. Now he could see her plan. If he entered, she could escape in any direction. He used his inner sight again but there was nothing but animals and growth below. If he wanted to win this little contest, he would have to go to her. Lightly he landed outside the thicket and silently crawled into its dense woods, listening for any sign of movement.
Nadirah made her way to an open grassy clearing in the center of the woods. A small waterfall entered on the far side and wound its way along the perimeter, leaving a large patch of grass in the center. Quickly she moved to the other side and back into the trees. Circling to the right she crouched in a spot where she could overlook the clearing, hidden behind several thick bushes.
Kattastik kept moving deeper into the woods, scanning with his innersight. His mate might be able to hide her lifeforce if she was staying still, but flying took a great amount of energy. The silver dragon figured it should be easy to see if she tried to escape out of the forest. Soon he came across her tracks and hurried his pursuit as they led through a small clearing and out the other side. Rushing forward Kattastik was confident he was close now.
Abruptly from his side came a large crash as Nadirah launched from the bushes, tackling her mate as they both rolled on the soft grassy ground near the stream. “I got you!” Shouted Nadirah as she playfully perched on top of her mate, her wings outstretched over them both.
Kattastik laughed, “This is not how the game is to be played.”
Nadirah raised a scaly eye ridge at her mate, “This has always been how it’s been played. We just let you think you caught us. This time I got tired of waiting.” They both laughed in a soft growl as she lowered herself to lay on her lifemate’s warm body, their necks sliding against one another in a soothing motion.
They rested in the warm sun for hours, neither wanting to bring up the conversation they must have. Finally, Kattastik broke the silence. “Are you determined to go through with this? It is a big sacrifice for both of us. I am not even sure we have the right to interfere like this.”
Nadirah was shocked by the comment. “Not the right? It was our fault that my brother was able to gain the power he did. He feels it’s his right to wipe out or enslave the humans of this world, even to the death of dragons that don’t agree with him.” Her anger and hurt were rising at the comment, how could he think like that after all they had been through?
“Don’t get upset, I was just asking for your resolve on this. Many wars have been fought by those that think they are right. Our kind is both the aggressor and defender in this one. Your brother thinks he is just as right as we think we are. One power falls and another rises, that is how it has always been. The next one may be more than all the dragons put together.”
Nadirah took a pause and thought about what her mate said. “We are not taking sides on one power over another, we are removing an abominable thing that is being misused to the utmost tragic of ramifications. If my brother wants to continue his war, we are not stopping him. Just his ability to destroy on an unheard-of scale. Let him fight the world without the help of our dead.”
“Good, that’s what I wanted to hear. I am fully with you on this. Let’s go back to Saris.” Nadirah gave a scaly-headed nod to her lifemate and then leaped into the sky, her massive wings carrying her quickly into the sky. With a sigh, Kattastik followed after.
Nadirah landed on the ledge outside Saris’s lab, her wings creating strong winds as she halted her descent, her claws digging into the clay-like ground. She moved to the side as her mate landed next to her, carefully drawing his wings above her as he settled. Together they moved into the darkness of the opening in front of them. The brightness of the day they had might never be seen again.
Saris raised his head as his two assistants moved into the cavern. A large crystal egg-shaped orb stood upon a pedestal in the center of the room. A soft glow came from deep inside the sphere that seemed to pulse with some inner life.
“It’s ready. It can’t draw lifeforce yet, but it is stable.” Saris commented as he overlooked his new creation. It was the culmination of weeks without sleep and constant testing of every aspect they knew about lifeforce. It was the most advanced technology ever invented by their race. It wouldn’t stop the war but would stop the abuse of dead dragon remains to commit war. Maybe that would be enough to keep the war from going on.
Suddenly the ground shook as the dust of ages fell from the ceiling. The three dragons looked at each other with disbelief at what might have just occurred. There were no earthquakes in this part of the Mediterranean, at least none since they came to this planet. Their fear was that the attack on Atlantis was more than just the defeat of the city. A tremor like that could only mean the devastation of the whole island.
Their concern was confirmed as a large red dragon landed outside the cave. His mindspeak was faint as he tried to warn those within. “Atlantis is gone. He destroyed the whole landmass, there is nothing left but ocean. I must rush on to warn the others. Bor and his warriors have retreated to the mainland as the Obsidian dragon’s army moves towards the coast. He plans on destroying any resistance and eventually the humans’ whole civilization.” His speech faded as Saris and the others raced to the opening just to see the large dragon flying to the north. The blood from his wounds covered most of his crimson skin. Soon his hazard flight steadied, and he flew off to the next stop on his warnings.
“Now we have to act, there is no more time to waste.” Saris said as he raced to the lab where the orb remained. His two apprentices followed close behind. “Kattastik, I need you to fly to the remaining dragons and tell them what we are doing. They will need to prepare for the outcome either way. This may not stop Skadira, but it will definitely slow him down to where the others will have a chance. After that, meet us at the mountain. We should have everything prepared.”
The silver dragon gave a longing look to his lifemate and headed to the opening of the cave mouth. Spreading his wings, he used his powerful legs to launch out over the ocean. Increasing his speed with magic, he headed to the west where he believed the remaining forces resisting the Obsidian Dragon were held up.
“Nadirah please help me with this. The flight will not be easy.” Saris grabbed the orb in his claw as she grabbed the pedestal and followed him out to the cave opening.
“Is this all we need? What about the rest of your lab?” Nadira said as she looked back at the darkness of the cave.
“This is all we need. If we do what we plan, there will be no use for anything but a place for us to rest,” Saris said with a bitter tone. “Come, let us fly.” Without another word, they both launched off the ledge and headed north to the snowcapped Alps.
Hours later they landed on an icy glacier several hundred feet from the mountain’s peak. The sun was starting to set on the western horizon as long shadows were cast from its massive ridgeline, darkening the terrain ahead. The cliff wall rose from the glacier to a ledge high above them, close to the mountain's summit.
“That is where we are going. We will have to climb from here. We need to save our magic for bigger tasks.” Said Saris as he delicately placed the orb in his mouth and started to climb up the granite wall. Nadirah followed closely behind as they started to scale the steep cliff, their sharp talons digging into the hard stone.
They reached the ledge together as Nadirah looked at the empty wall before them. “I thought there was going to be a cave, I don’t see anything but more rock.”
Saris gave a slight chuckle as he replied. “There is a cave, it’s just not in this world. The power of the orb would be easily seen when it was activated, which would allow any dragon to know its location. Even with our defenses in place, we would be overcome by one force or another. With the orb being outside of this space in our reality, there will be no way for it to be detected from this one.”
Nadirah looked skeptically at the platinum dragon. “Won’t that diminish its power? How will it be able to draw the dead to it?”
“I will have to stay with the orb as a sort of guide. Before you object, I am not sacrificing myself. You and Kattastik have made that more than clear and I have figured out how your lives don’t need to be a total sacrifice. The three of us can start the orb, and then we all will stay to defend it in one way or another. I will explain more when your lifemate gets here.” Said Saris as he turned to the cliff wall before him.
A low-sounding rhythm vibrated from the rocks as Saris focused his energy on the surface of the granite face. Slowly a dark shape the size of a small melon formed in the air on top of the very rock itself. Slowly it grew to a size that a dragon could easily walk through and started to stabilize. The blackness inside had depth but there was nothing that gave the impression of something inside.”
Saris turned to Nadirah, “I made this when Skadira first started his ascension to the obsidian he wears now. I was hoping to help him turn from his darkness, but his pain was too great. I only reminded him of what he considered a failure and resented me for it.”
Nadirah said nothing as she followed Saris as he moved into the dark tunnel. She knew well his sorrow for it was akin to her own. Skadira was her brother as well as a close friend to Saris. His fall to darkness was something neither of them could prevent. In the end, it was her brother’s choice to take the path he did, no matter what the humans or dragons did to bring about what happened. Soon the darkness swallowed her as she moved after her mentor.
Quickly warm lights came to shine through the room as Saris used his magic to excite the glass globes scattered around its perimeter. Nadirah was amazed by the size of the cavern. The walls rose to a height that even the light could not reach.
“This is impressive, how did you do all this?” Asked the silver dragon with awe.
“The cavern has been here for ages. All I did was create a portal to it from our world. It was something I stumbled across in my travels years ago. Let’s get set up and keep your senses alert for Kattastik. You should be able to feel his energy farther out than I can.” Said Saris as he pointed to the middle of the room. Nadirah took the pedestal and set it up in the middle of the room. Saris gently placed the orb on top and adjusted it to be perfectly upright.
“Now we need to focus our power into the orb. If we charge it too fast it will crack the crystal and we start all over. The more power it holds the faster we will be able to add more to it. At a certain point, it will start to draw power on its own. That is the point of no return.”
Silently, both dragons went into a meditative state that they had been practicing for weeks. The flow of power could easily be seen without their inner sight as they gave up their lifeforce to the egg-shaped crystal before them.
Kattastik hovered over a small valley filled with dragons and humans. The opposition to the Obsidian Dragon’s forces was taking a beating. The array of colors astonished the silver dragon as he landed in the middle of the surviving forces. From the white emotionless ones to the fury of the great reds, even the darker colors of the black dragons had all allied together to take on the Obsidian dragon’s army. Humans scurried between the larger dragons as they hurried to cure the wounds of his larger race. Their skills with magical items were growing and already were more adept than all but the most knowledgeable of dragons like himself. Small auras of energy could be seen with his inner sight as they used the magic of their items to heal the larger dragons. The symbiotic relationship worked for both sides. This was the downside of the Obsidian Dragon’s war. Like a talon, there were sharp edges and then a strong center that supported it. The point gets all the action and glory but it’s the claw behind it that is the true force of the weapon or society, yet they all have to combine together to make it work. The humans were the claw while the dragons were the talon. Skadira didn’t understand that or didn’t accept that, and his belief was a danger to them all.
The silver dragon slowed his approach as he started to land in an area filled with gold and silver dragons. The area was tight as a few moved away to give him room. He folded his wings just above the other dragons and landed hard on the muddy ground of the field. Turning to the nearest silver dragon he used his mind speak to talk to him so the others would not overhear.
“I need to talk to Bor, privately.” There was only a faint glimpse of understanding as the large silver moved off through the group of dragons.
Kattastik surveyed the remaining dragons with sorrow. They were scared, hurt, and with little hope, but they were not beaten. Wings healed, claws sharpened, and the riders were mounting new harnesses onto his people to regain the conflict. The humans acted as navigators and protection for their larger friends, calling out enemy dragons and using their rune-engraved shields to protect them from attack from above and behind. It was a tactic that allowed them to have some advantage against the massive force of the dragon-only army of the Obsidian dragon.
A voice booms behind him, “What brings a disciple of the great Saris to our little gathering?"
The silver dragon turned his head to find a large red dragon walking up to him. His size was massive compared to his own. Kattastik wasn’t intimidated by much but the dragon before him had an intensity that made him cautious. He would have to be careful how he handled the situation. Saris was not well-liked by the dragons fighting the Obsidian Dragon, they thought he should be fighting with them, along with himself. They blamed their losses in a way on that fact. The greatest of them stood apart while dragons died on both sides.
“Bor, I came to talk. We have a plan to stop all this but need your help.” The silver dragon nearly cringed as the look of anger grew on the face of the red dragon in front of him.
“My help? My help is not what was needed to stop your old mentor.” He started to say more but calmed himself before continuing. “My patience is short these days, not that it was ever that good to begin with.” Bor sighed as he took a breath. He may not like the way Saris and his followers didn’t join the war, but they weren’t his enemy either. There was still only one Platinum dragon, and this was his emissary.
“What is your news? I have a million things to do before the sun sets and a million more after.” Bor’s voice was tired. He was losing a war and any hope would be greatly appreciated.
Kattastik went through the story of Saris taking on the Obsidian Dragon and the resulting strategy to use the power of the dragons’ lifeforce to strip him of his powers.
“So, the old goat took on Skadira one on one and still lost. That must have been an impressive fight. Why haven’t I heard of this before? I believed along with most others that you were held up in your cave trying not to take sides.” There was surprise, and a bit of awe in Bor’s voice as he commented.
Kattastik was surprised at Bor’s change in attitude. He didn’t realize how much their work on stopping the Obsidian Dragon and his army would be taken as staying out of the conflict.
“We are in this as much are the rest of you, we are just attacking this from a different direction. Taking on Skadira and his army straight on would just lead to thousands of deaths on both sides.” Kattastik said as he tried to defend their position on the war.
“You don’t need to tell me! I lost those thousands, both dragons and men!” The anger was rising again in Bor’s voice.
Now Kattastik had his scales up. “And look where that has gotten you. You started this war with the best intentions but in the end, you are not winning. There should have been another way, you just didn’t want to see it. The glory of war is what dragons on both sides were after from the start!”
Bor was taken aback by the bold behavior of the silver dragon, whose color were usually more reserved than his own fiery self. “So, what do you need of me?” Again, the weariness of the war could be heard in his voice.
The silver dragon calmed his scales as he replied, “We need you to hold off your next attack until we have the orb in place and activated. Then an all-out assault aimed at the Obsidian dragon himself. His powers will be diminished but still very formidable.”
Bor was shocked at the statement. “That will cost a lot of lives. We have avoided taking him on directly, he’s too powerful. It’s the only way we have been able to take on his army this long.”
Kattastik nodded in understanding. “I know it will, but in the end, we are hoping it will save lives. Without the dead lifeforce helping his army and without Skadira’s leadership, we are hoping the army will disperse, ending the war.”
“That is a lot riding on hope. What if this orb of yours doesn’t work the way you think? Or worse, doesn’t work at all? We will be committing suicide.” Before the silver dragon could respond he continued. “If it was just me, I would say we do it. I am tired of this war, and it doesn’t look like we have any chance of stopping him. But there is more to consider than one tired old dragon.”
The silver dragon before him paused to consider what Bor had just said. He hadn’t completely thought through the ramifications of what he had proposed. So busy they had been creating the orb and getting it ready for use, the war seemed like a distant thing. Now seeing the injured and dead, both humans and dragons, filled him with a feeling of sorrow he didn’t quite understand. Morally he felt he was right in his view of the war, but here he could sympathize with Bor’s side of the argument. If it wasn’t for them, there would be nothing standing in the way of the Obsidian’s Dragon’s army. Whether both sides wanted it or not it was going to happen one way or the other. The army before him was the only thing saving the humans from annihilation.
“What about a diversion? Maybe you could get most of his army distracted enough to be able to pull this off. The orb can slow his progress but not stop it” Kattastik wasn't sure if what he was saying made sense. He wasn’t a battle tactician, most of his experience was from teachings, not actual combat.
Bor was quick to reply, “Remember we use relics also. Not to the extent that his army does but it will also hamper our abilities. I do have an idea.”
Bor called several of his commanders together, both humans and dragons. They talked long into the night as they formulated a plan to coordinate with the orb's activation. Soon the first grey of the morning started to dim the stary night.
Bor and Kattastik perched on a bluff overlooking the valley and the army recovering down below. The camp was busy setting up for what could be their last battle against the Obsidian Dragon. There was a new excitement among both dragons and men as they prepared for what was coming next.
“I have to go, it’s a long flight back to Saris and the orb. Things should be ready there soon. Once the dragon relics disappear you will have your signal to attack. Let’s hope it’s enough.” There was a solemn tone in the silver dragon's voice, this would be the last time he would see his people, there was nothing more he could do that wasn’t already done.
Bor laughed with a deep growl lightening the mood. “You are not as stuffy as I first thought. I understand the sacrifice you are about to do, I am about to do the same. In a way, it’s a relief. One way or another this will be over, just make sure that orb of yours works. I would at least like a fighting chance at this, whether we win or lose.”
The silver dragon nodded his scaly head to the leader of the army defending the humans with a newfound respect. “I hope you are successful with the plan. If we get through this, remember you can’t let any but your most trusted know the location of the orb. It will be well protected but Skadira, even without the undead lifeforce he uses, may be able to overcome it.”
“I have three of my most trusted, all silver dragons staying behind with all the knowledge we have talked about. No matter what happens, they will be the new guidance for our people. A sort of council that hopefully keeps this type of war from ever happening again.” Said Bor with a note of dedication in his voice.
With an approving glance, Kattastik turned and launched himself off the bluff. His powerful wings ascending his massive form into the sky. Quickly the soft glow of magic surrounded his form as he used it to accelerate himself back to Saris and his lifemate.
Hours later an exhausted Kattastik reached the bottom glacier of Montagne Maudite. He had never been this high in the mountains before and the air was thin, causing him to pause to catch his breath. Nadirah had been guiding him with mind speech since he came within sight of the mountain. Their bond was something unique and could reach miles farther than most, even those that were lifemates.
Resting for a few minutes, he moved his way over to the granite cliff Its face rising from the ice and snow seemingly straight to the sky. Slowly he worked his tired body up the cliff arriving at the ledge that his lifemate had shown him in his mind.
Resting again, he viewed into the darkness of the large opening before him. Nadirah had told him of the tunnel but nothing she had mentioned could prepare him for the sheer blackness that now confronted him. Light itself didn’t seem to penetrate into it, even with the sun high above.
Kattastik could feel a teasing voice in his head daring him to enter the darkness. A toothy grin was his only reply as he moved into the tunnel. His wonder at Saris’s power never ceased to rise to a new level. One that he could never hope to achieve, but that also put a chill down his scaly spine. Whether enhanced by undead lifeforce or not, the Obsidian Dragon was still more powerful. However, the silver dragon found comfort in the fact that their power as a team was more about knowledge and working together. Something that Skadira with all his might did not have. Finding a new resolve, he continued down the tunnel as it lit up and opened into a cavern bigger than the top of the mountain itself.
As the silver dragon approached, Saris and his lifemate both stirred from their prone position in front of the orb. He would have thought them asleep if he hadn’t been in mindspeak with Nadirah the whole time.
Saris turned to Kattastik. “Nadirah has filled you in, are you ok with the plan?”
“Now more than ever, I would love to tease my lifemate about the situation but the somber realism of what we are about to do makes me feel a bit overwhelmed. So, she mentioned we will be able to communicate with each other?” The silver dragon was full of conflicting emotions at what they were about to do.
Saris sadly replied, “Yes, as long as the orb is in this, for a better term, graveyard, while you stand guard your minds will be connected.”
“Now I am not so sure…” Kattastik joked as he dodged a tail swipe from Nadirah. The look in her eye was deadly but playful, he could never resist those eyes. “Bor’s army is ready, we should get this going before they lose their resolve. Their morale is barely holding.”
Saris nodded to his apprentices and friends before him. “Head out to the ledge outside, there you will stand vigilant against any that might attack if Bor’s army fails. I will hold open the doorway and funnel all but the last of your energy into the orb. Let me give you two a moment alone.”
The two silver dragons moved through the dark tunnel and out into the bright sunlight. Together they moved to the edge overlooking the glacier far below.
Turning to her lifemate Nadirah said. “Sure you can put up with me for all that time in your head?”
“You have been messing my mind for this long, what’s another couple thousand years?” Nadirah didn’t even pretend to be annoyed at Kattastik as she pushed her body against his, gently nudging his neck with hers.
“Let’s just hope that all this is worth it.” She said with a bittersweet voice.
A voice from behind them stopped their discussion. “Sorry, but we must start it now. Not sure why but I feel that something is about to happen between the two armies.”
Kattastik and Nadirah nodded in agreement. “Let’s do it.” They both said in unison.
Saris didn’t wait as he started to channel their lifeforce into the orb. Both silver dragons moved to positions on either side of the tunnel, sitting down on the hard granite they faced each other as they could feel their energy drain, feeding the salvation of their race harnessed inside the crystal orb.
Slowly as the two silver dragons started to feel the last of their lifeforce begin to fade, they turned and looked to the sky. The new role as defenders of the graveyard was now taking shape as their very flesh turned hard as the granite they stood upon, leaving two life-like statues in their place.
Saris turned and walked back into the center of the cavern. He laid down, protectively curling around the pedestal as he started to meditate. Reaching out he could feel both of his apprentices, he needed just to say a word and they would answer. He left them to their own devices as he continued to use his own power to accelerate the orb's infusion of energy. Now it was ready, one more little push and …….
His energy completely drained, Saris fell into a deep meditative sleep. His dreams showed him the world at war and the final battle against his old friend. Bor’s forces were victorious but at great cost. The orb worked as intended, now all the lifeforce from the dead dragons were being pulled into the crystal, never to be used for war again. A familiar energy passed his perception, one of the Obsidian Dragon.
The war should be over but deep-down Saris knew his people wouldn’t stop there. A lone tear fell down his cheek as he moved deeper into his slumber. The slight hope of a better age in his thoughts.
771 AD- Saris crouches on a bluff overlooking a small alien village. A primitive people, struggling to have even a fire outside their small mud-thatched huts. They reminded him of the humans they found on Earth when they first arrived hundreds of years ago.
He had hoped this planet was without intelligent life. The mountainous landscape was perfect for his people. Vast open plains were filled with all kinds of prey for his kind to hunt. His population could grow and be at peace, at least with those outside his race. The fire in his people tended to make its own conflicts, but those were minor compared to the wars of the past. They would grow and become what they were in the old days. But that would not happen on this planet. The nature of the dragons was an aggressive one. There would be no room for a competitive race on a planet that would be their new home. It would just lead to disaster, and that wasn’t something he could chance, not with this world or his own race.
A lone tear falls down his scaley cheek as he looks to the sky. A deep fire burns in his core as he opens his tooth-filled mouth. White hot energy blasts from within as he focuses his power into a focused spot in the air before him. Slowly the very fabric of the universe seems to pull apart and form a large oval in the middle of the sky, just big enough for Saris to fly through. The portal pulsed with counteractive energy from the universe fighting his magic. Finally stabilized, the platinum dragon could see his next objective through the whirling energies. Another green world filled with life and hopefully a new home for his people. Leaping into the air, he pulled down his powerful wings, propelling him towards the opening in space.
As the last of Saris cleared the energy barrier it snapped shut with an earth-trembling explosion. The aliens in the village came running out of their small huts to find out what happened. Seeing no danger from predators, they slowly started their day of hunting and gathering. Still weary of what had made the booming sound just moments before.
Time seemed to stand still as he lay on the ground. The mistakes of his past going over and over again in his mind. He believed in his naivety that a new world could change the very nature of his people. That they could work together with the humans to build something amazing. He coughed as fluids started to fill his lungs. The pain subsided as he began to fade from his wounds. In the distance, he thought he could hear the soft beat of wings as he gradually gave himself up to the darkness.
“Hurry, use your energy...” The last he heard as he went unconscious. Two silver dragons rushed to his side as they tried to heal his wounds. The damage was extensive. The Obsidian Dragon was nothing if not thorough in his attacks.
“Gently now, we must get him off the ground.” A golden glow started to surround Saris as his apprentices used their magic to lift his great form off the rocky ground. The dragon’s twisted legs showed bone and purple blood as they were freed from under his body. Still unconscious, his followers started to take to the sky. The still form of the Platinum Dragon floating slowly behind, enveloped in the orange protective aura.
The flight took them over the vast sea towards their home. Their power was almost depleted as they landed at the cavern near the water. Gently they lowered their mentor into the sea, his limbs would not be able to support his weight for some time. As he floated on the water, they started to use their magic to help him heal. He would need to be awake for their assistance to be fully effective. As talented as they were, there was only one Saris.
Slowly he began to revive, the power from his followers infusing his cells. Gradually the blood stopped oozing from his open wounds, and they started to heal. Hesitantly the bones started to straighten and bind to themselves. His arteries flowed as new life was infused into his being.
Saris tried to stand but he was still weak from his ordeal. Healing would take weeks. Painfully he turned to the two dragons near him. They had stayed out of the conflict at his direction. Their powers were limited, and he didn’t know what the Obsidian Dragon would do to them. He wasn’t sure what would happen in their battle, but he was alive. That was his only hope as he went to confront him. His voice was heard, and he had given it one last try. Now he would have more work to do stopping his old friend and most likely killing him. Such a waste.
“Rest now, we can handle everything from here.” Said one of his two saviors. There was so much work to do but he knew their wisdom. First, he must heal and get focused. Reluctantly he let the darkness take him as his body healed.
Several days later Saris woke. He was no longer in the water but now laying in his laboratory on hard stone. It felt like home, he had been working in it for years. His mind raced at the events of the recent days. He had no idea his old friend would take things so far. He was creating a war unparallel since the days before they came to Earth. The devastation was unthinkable. He had never realized that Skadira would take things to this level. His lifelong friend had taken the betrayal as a personal offense. Now he was going to wipe out the human race to avenge that. It was beyond Saris’s deepest understanding.
Slowly he tried to get up, but his legs betrayed him. Painstakingly he crawled to the opening of the large cavern. The sun shone brightly down the cave hallway to the outside air. He could smell the salty wind of the sea in the distance as it pushed its way down the tunnel. It was nearly sunset, but he enjoyed the subtle light as he fell into a deep sleep again.
Two days later he awoke as his friends moved into the cave. The silver of their skin was glowing from the morning light outside. Slowly he raised his head to look at them, for years they had followed his teachings. Not from blind faith but a real understanding of his philosophy. His biggest regret was that he failed them so much.
“Come back to the lab Saris, our energy is restored. We can continue to help you heal. Maybe then, you can fix this conflict.” Said Nadirah. The silver dragon looked sadly down on the form of the Platinum Dragon as she tried to find hope in her own words.
“There isn’t anything we can do now. He alone is more powerful than all three of us, with his army, the combined dragons left could not take them on.” Sighed a defeated Saris.
His Nadirah turned a pleading look at Kattastik, her lifemate, as they continued in silence, sharing their energy with the platinum dragon. Both of them had been disciples of Saris since before their skin was the bright silver it took on now. Soon Saris was fully healed, although his energy was still drained. Turning to the dragons before him, he commented. “Thank you for everything you have done, I need to be alone now with my thoughts. You are right, there has to be something we can do. Let me dwell on it.”
Remaining silent, the other two dragons moved out to the cave mouth. Once at the edge, they launched into sea air, their massive wings lifting them high into the sky.
Saris brooded in the dimly lit cavern, frustration overwhelming his normally positive outlook on things. Giving up on his pity trip, he moved to the opening of the cave. The salty air was refreshing as its cool mist worked its way up the cliff face onto the ledge where he now stood. The sun was high in the sky as it shined warmly down on his platinum scales. A new outlook on things came with the change in scenery as the dark caves of his laboratory seemed to match his depressed mood. Now out in the open air, he started to have a new outlook. Maybe there was a way to defeat his old friend before things got even more out of hand. He looked up to the sun as its brightness seemed to push the darkness from his soul.
Staring intently at the round orb he wondered about its power. He understood the theories of stars and how they worked. His people and their former masters had traveled among them. But he couldn’t comprehend the amount of power it must possess as it pushed its energy out into the darkness. What if someone was to capture all that energy? Then he would be able to defeat the Obsidian Dragon and his army? An army that used the dead of their own race to wage war against humans and the dragons protecting them?
An unexpected thought raced through Saris’s mind like a lightning bolt. He didn’t need to capture the power of the sun. He needed to capture the power that made his old friend invincible. Without that, he was just another dragon, a very powerful one, but not indestructible.
His mind raced as he moved back into his lab. If it was possible, how would he even begin to achieve it? Lifeforce was a powerful thing and it’s not easily manipulated. The runes that held it in place would be hard to overcome. Then what to do with the power released? He continued to dwell on the problem as he came up with more issues to solve than solutions.
He thought back to the sun and how apparently small it looked but the power it possesses. What if it was something in reverse? A container that would magically draw all undead dragon lifeforce to it. An energy orb like the sun but how would he power it? Maybe with the power of the lifeforce itself. But then he would need to jumpstart it somehow and that would take a lot of power in its own right. Almost giddy and back to his old self he used his mind speech to call back his apprentices. They were still close enough to hear his mind speak.
The orb that was Saris’s inspiration had long set as the three dragons continued to invent what could be the end of the war. Kattastik changed the direction of the conversation. “If we build this thing, it will become an object of great power. Even more than what Skadira now possesses. How do we protect it?”
The dragoness next to him commented first. “It sounds like a graveyard for the dragons. Secrecy would be the only way to protect it. There is no place on earth that a dragon can’t reach. There are a few places that are really hard to get to though. It’s going to depend on the range of its power.”
The other apprentice spoke up again. “Whatever we do we need to do it soon. Atlantis is about to fall, and we know what that means if it does. It’s the last power that can hold him off. After that, he will pick off human cities until there will be nothing left of them but those living in caves.”
The hours were long as the three of them tested different ways of binding life force remotely. Gradually after many failures, their tests started to show promise. Saris would draw his own energy and create a sphere the size of a melon. Once activated, it would slowly draw power from those in the room. Soon as Saris quit powering the orb, its effect would stop. There wasn’t enough in it to keep it self-sustaining. They would need a larger power to get it to start and continue to draw life energy.
A few days passed as they got the news that Atlantis was lost. The Obsidian Dragon and his army still battled the remaining forces of dragons and humans. Now led by Bor, they were now down to the remaining defenses of the island. While considerable, it was only a matter of time before it was lost.
Their experiments were just about complete, but one thing was still missing. They needed an initial energy that was going to allow the orb to self-sustain from the dead that it would bring inside itself. There was only one solution for what they were going to achieve.
Saris turned to his two assistants, “I will sacrifice my power to start the orb. It is the only thing that will get its core to begin.”
“No.” The voice from his apprentice was steady and finite. Before Saris could interrupt, he continued. “Nadirah and I have discussed this already and you are needed to maintain the orb. It’s not finished yet and will have to be adjusted as it is infused with power. Our lifeforce together should be enough to equal yours. That way you can still protect the world. Our sacrifice is nothing compared to your contribution.
Saris was stunned by the willingness of his apprentices to give their lives for his cause. The war was a great scar on their race but largely for the fact that it was the dragons’ own self-interest that caused it. Seeing the determination in his young friends, he gave in. “It shouldn’t take all of your powers and there might be still a use for you if you want.”
The two silver dragons before him nodded with acceptance. This was new territory for all of them and they were ready to give whatever it took to stop the war. Dragons warring with dragons was a thing unheard of in their history. Battles yes, they were a passionate and fiery race, and there was always a fight and a loss. This was a new level of destruction they had never seen before, both humans and dragons were getting killed in numbers unheard of in their history. Now they must stop it by any means necessary.
“We must find a place to safeguard it as you mentioned. I think I have an idea. The southern slope of Montagne Maudite, near the peak, is a large cavern. The air is too thin for a dragon to fly, and the distance is deep into the mountains. To even find it, even if you know where it is, can be a challenge. We can set up there and finish our final evolution of the process. Why don’t you two go now and enjoy your last moments, I will make ready to travel.”
Without another word, the two apprentices moved out to the ledge overlooking the sea. Saris continued his work as he gathered the items around his laboratory. There were never enough things to bring. Lost in his thoughts he paid no attention to the dragons outside.
“I hope you know what you have gotten us into. We have no idea if this orb will do what we think it will. Now we will risk our lives to test it?” Said the male dragon.
The dragoness turned to her lifemate. “If Saris thinks it’s ready then I trust him. He would not put us in jeopardy unless he was sure. One of the reasons I wanted us to do it, he might take a risk himself but not with us. If we can end the war, then it is well worth the sacrifice.”
The male dragon grumbled as he leaped off the ledge and floated on the updraft from the warm sea. Hovering before his mate, he could only see the determination on her face. She was all in and that meant he was too. He floated just a wingspan in front of her as he nodded to her wisdom. “Let’s go spend the day like we were young and had no troubles in the world.” The toothy grin on his lifemate’s face was all he needed as she playfully leaped at him. Barely missing his large body, she opened her wings and flew out over the open sea. Letting her take the lead he turned and followed after with a grin of his own.
Quickly she banked to the right and started to gain altitude and speed. Now the game was on. Using his magic, he accelerated his speed to match hers. “That’s cheating!” Said Nadirah as she used her magic to increase her own speed. The playful chase continued over land as she led him higher and higher. Her power was certainly a match for his, but that wasn’t going to dismay him. Feeling the fire burn from his lifeforce, he accelerated keeping on her tail.
Abruptly she dove, heading for a set of canyons to the north. Not to be outdone he followed closely behind. It was a mating flight, but both were too old or had time to foster a hatch of eggs. The thrill of the chase still excited them both. Using more of his lifeforce, something he had recently learned from their experiments, he rapidly flew above the canyon she was flying down the middle of. The thrill was exhilarating.
Nadirah banked up to find Kattastik hovering in front of her. With a toothy grin, she rolled to the left barely avoiding her lifemate, their wings nearly colliding. The chase was still on. Quickly he turned to follow her again. A trick wasn’t going to win her in the old way, he must use all of himself.
Bringing to focus her own magic, she instantly accelerated up into the sky, heading towards a bank of thick clouds. Her mate quickly followed as she dove into the heavy mist and disappeared. Switching to his inner-sight, he could see her as she banked left. Leaving her original path, the dragoness continued to follow the edge of the cloud bank, then to his surprise vanished from his inner sight. Pulling up, he hovered in place as he scanned everything in front of him. There was no sign of her lifeforce. Now confusion turned to worry at what happened to her.
Nadirah trembled at the feel of the chase, the cold misty air of the cloud tickling her nose. Her lifemate didn’t know all her tricks. Suppressing her lifeforce was a new technique she had developed in their recent experiments. She folded her wings tightly to her body and dropped like a rock towards the earth, the cloud hiding her path from her lifemate. Nearing the ground, she opened her wings and used her magic to propel herself north towards a small range of hills.
Seeing the flash of life force far below him, Kattastik pulled his wings close and dove towards the bright light of his lifemate. She was racing ahead of him, but he had the angle of decent while she was flying along the terrain. He had her now, he thought as he followed her course. There was nowhere she could go that he could not follow from his vantage point.
Nadirah could sense her mate coming closer from above as she weaved through the small depressions that flowed between the hills. Just ahead was the spot she was heading for. She hunted here as a young dragon and knew the area well. A large grove of trees came into her view as she banked around the hillside. The area was extremely thick with foliage, nothing could be seen within. Pulling her wings forward to slow her speed, she landed hard as her talons dug into the soft soil, and quickly headed into the dense thicket. Once more, she hid her lifeforce as she slowly crawled deeper into the trees.
Kattastik pulled up his hurried flight as he floated over the small stretch of forest. Now he could see her plan. If he entered, she could escape in any direction. He used his inner sight again but there was nothing but animals and growth below. If he wanted to win this little contest, he would have to go to her. Lightly he landed outside the thicket and silently crawled into its dense woods, listening for any sign of movement.
Nadirah made her way to an open grassy clearing in the center of the woods. A small waterfall entered on the far side and wound its way along the perimeter, leaving a large patch of grass in the center. Quickly she moved to the other side and back into the trees. Circling to the right she crouched in a spot where she could overlook the clearing, hidden behind several thick bushes.
Kattastik kept moving deeper into the woods, scanning with his innersight. His mate might be able to hide her lifeforce if she was staying still, but flying took a great amount of energy. The silver dragon figured it should be easy to see if she tried to escape out of the forest. Soon he came across her tracks and hurried his pursuit as they led through a small clearing and out the other side. Rushing forward Kattastik was confident he was close now.
Abruptly from his side came a large crash as Nadirah launched from the bushes, tackling her mate as they both rolled on the soft grassy ground near the stream. “I got you!” Shouted Nadirah as she playfully perched on top of her mate, her wings outstretched over them both.
Kattastik laughed, “This is not how the game is to be played.”
Nadirah raised a scaly eye ridge at her mate, “This has always been how it’s been played. We just let you think you caught us. This time I got tired of waiting.” They both laughed in a soft growl as she lowered herself to lay on her lifemate’s warm body, their necks sliding against one another in a soothing motion.
They rested in the warm sun for hours, neither wanting to bring up the conversation they must have. Finally, Kattastik broke the silence. “Are you determined to go through with this? It is a big sacrifice for both of us. I am not even sure we have the right to interfere like this.”
Nadirah was shocked by the comment. “Not the right? It was our fault that my brother was able to gain the power he did. He feels it’s his right to wipe out or enslave the humans of this world, even to the death of dragons that don’t agree with him.” Her anger and hurt were rising at the comment, how could he think like that after all they had been through?
“Don’t get upset, I was just asking for your resolve on this. Many wars have been fought by those that think they are right. Our kind is both the aggressor and defender in this one. Your brother thinks he is just as right as we think we are. One power falls and another rises, that is how it has always been. The next one may be more than all the dragons put together.”
Nadirah took a pause and thought about what her mate said. “We are not taking sides on one power over another, we are removing an abominable thing that is being misused to the utmost tragic of ramifications. If my brother wants to continue his war, we are not stopping him. Just his ability to destroy on an unheard-of scale. Let him fight the world without the help of our dead.”
“Good, that’s what I wanted to hear. I am fully with you on this. Let’s go back to Saris.” Nadirah gave a scaly-headed nod to her lifemate and then leaped into the sky, her massive wings carrying her quickly into the sky. With a sigh, Kattastik followed after.
Nadirah landed on the ledge outside Saris’s lab, her wings creating strong winds as she halted her descent, her claws digging into the clay-like ground. She moved to the side as her mate landed next to her, carefully drawing his wings above her as he settled. Together they moved into the darkness of the opening in front of them. The brightness of the day they had might never be seen again.
Saris raised his head as his two assistants moved into the cavern. A large crystal egg-shaped orb stood upon a pedestal in the center of the room. A soft glow came from deep inside the sphere that seemed to pulse with some inner life.
“It’s ready. It can’t draw lifeforce yet, but it is stable.” Saris commented as he overlooked his new creation. It was the culmination of weeks without sleep and constant testing of every aspect they knew about lifeforce. It was the most advanced technology ever invented by their race. It wouldn’t stop the war but would stop the abuse of dead dragon remains to commit war. Maybe that would be enough to keep the war from going on.
Suddenly the ground shook as the dust of ages fell from the ceiling. The three dragons looked at each other with disbelief at what might have just occurred. There were no earthquakes in this part of the Mediterranean, at least none since they came to this planet. Their fear was that the attack on Atlantis was more than just the defeat of the city. A tremor like that could only mean the devastation of the whole island.
Their concern was confirmed as a large red dragon landed outside the cave. His mindspeak was faint as he tried to warn those within. “Atlantis is gone. He destroyed the whole landmass, there is nothing left but ocean. I must rush on to warn the others. Bor and his warriors have retreated to the mainland as the Obsidian dragon’s army moves towards the coast. He plans on destroying any resistance and eventually the humans’ whole civilization.” His speech faded as Saris and the others raced to the opening just to see the large dragon flying to the north. The blood from his wounds covered most of his crimson skin. Soon his hazard flight steadied, and he flew off to the next stop on his warnings.
“Now we have to act, there is no more time to waste.” Saris said as he raced to the lab where the orb remained. His two apprentices followed close behind. “Kattastik, I need you to fly to the remaining dragons and tell them what we are doing. They will need to prepare for the outcome either way. This may not stop Skadira, but it will definitely slow him down to where the others will have a chance. After that, meet us at the mountain. We should have everything prepared.”
The silver dragon gave a longing look to his lifemate and headed to the opening of the cave mouth. Spreading his wings, he used his powerful legs to launch out over the ocean. Increasing his speed with magic, he headed to the west where he believed the remaining forces resisting the Obsidian Dragon were held up.
“Nadirah please help me with this. The flight will not be easy.” Saris grabbed the orb in his claw as she grabbed the pedestal and followed him out to the cave opening.
“Is this all we need? What about the rest of your lab?” Nadira said as she looked back at the darkness of the cave.
“This is all we need. If we do what we plan, there will be no use for anything but a place for us to rest,” Saris said with a bitter tone. “Come, let us fly.” Without another word, they both launched off the ledge and headed north to the snowcapped Alps.
Hours later they landed on an icy glacier several hundred feet from the mountain’s peak. The sun was starting to set on the western horizon as long shadows were cast from its massive ridgeline, darkening the terrain ahead. The cliff wall rose from the glacier to a ledge high above them, close to the mountain's summit.
“That is where we are going. We will have to climb from here. We need to save our magic for bigger tasks.” Said Saris as he delicately placed the orb in his mouth and started to climb up the granite wall. Nadirah followed closely behind as they started to scale the steep cliff, their sharp talons digging into the hard stone.
They reached the ledge together as Nadirah looked at the empty wall before them. “I thought there was going to be a cave, I don’t see anything but more rock.”
Saris gave a slight chuckle as he replied. “There is a cave, it’s just not in this world. The power of the orb would be easily seen when it was activated, which would allow any dragon to know its location. Even with our defenses in place, we would be overcome by one force or another. With the orb being outside of this space in our reality, there will be no way for it to be detected from this one.”
Nadirah looked skeptically at the platinum dragon. “Won’t that diminish its power? How will it be able to draw the dead to it?”
“I will have to stay with the orb as a sort of guide. Before you object, I am not sacrificing myself. You and Kattastik have made that more than clear and I have figured out how your lives don’t need to be a total sacrifice. The three of us can start the orb, and then we all will stay to defend it in one way or another. I will explain more when your lifemate gets here.” Said Saris as he turned to the cliff wall before him.
A low-sounding rhythm vibrated from the rocks as Saris focused his energy on the surface of the granite face. Slowly a dark shape the size of a small melon formed in the air on top of the very rock itself. Slowly it grew to a size that a dragon could easily walk through and started to stabilize. The blackness inside had depth but there was nothing that gave the impression of something inside.”
Saris turned to Nadirah, “I made this when Skadira first started his ascension to the obsidian he wears now. I was hoping to help him turn from his darkness, but his pain was too great. I only reminded him of what he considered a failure and resented me for it.”
Nadirah said nothing as she followed Saris as he moved into the dark tunnel. She knew well his sorrow for it was akin to her own. Skadira was her brother as well as a close friend to Saris. His fall to darkness was something neither of them could prevent. In the end, it was her brother’s choice to take the path he did, no matter what the humans or dragons did to bring about what happened. Soon the darkness swallowed her as she moved after her mentor.
Quickly warm lights came to shine through the room as Saris used his magic to excite the glass globes scattered around its perimeter. Nadirah was amazed by the size of the cavern. The walls rose to a height that even the light could not reach.
“This is impressive, how did you do all this?” Asked the silver dragon with awe.
“The cavern has been here for ages. All I did was create a portal to it from our world. It was something I stumbled across in my travels years ago. Let’s get set up and keep your senses alert for Kattastik. You should be able to feel his energy farther out than I can.” Said Saris as he pointed to the middle of the room. Nadirah took the pedestal and set it up in the middle of the room. Saris gently placed the orb on top and adjusted it to be perfectly upright.
“Now we need to focus our power into the orb. If we charge it too fast it will crack the crystal and we start all over. The more power it holds the faster we will be able to add more to it. At a certain point, it will start to draw power on its own. That is the point of no return.”
Silently, both dragons went into a meditative state that they had been practicing for weeks. The flow of power could easily be seen without their inner sight as they gave up their lifeforce to the egg-shaped crystal before them.
Kattastik hovered over a small valley filled with dragons and humans. The opposition to the Obsidian Dragon’s forces was taking a beating. The array of colors astonished the silver dragon as he landed in the middle of the surviving forces. From the white emotionless ones to the fury of the great reds, even the darker colors of the black dragons had all allied together to take on the Obsidian dragon’s army. Humans scurried between the larger dragons as they hurried to cure the wounds of his larger race. Their skills with magical items were growing and already were more adept than all but the most knowledgeable of dragons like himself. Small auras of energy could be seen with his inner sight as they used the magic of their items to heal the larger dragons. The symbiotic relationship worked for both sides. This was the downside of the Obsidian Dragon’s war. Like a talon, there were sharp edges and then a strong center that supported it. The point gets all the action and glory but it’s the claw behind it that is the true force of the weapon or society, yet they all have to combine together to make it work. The humans were the claw while the dragons were the talon. Skadira didn’t understand that or didn’t accept that, and his belief was a danger to them all.
The silver dragon slowed his approach as he started to land in an area filled with gold and silver dragons. The area was tight as a few moved away to give him room. He folded his wings just above the other dragons and landed hard on the muddy ground of the field. Turning to the nearest silver dragon he used his mind speak to talk to him so the others would not overhear.
“I need to talk to Bor, privately.” There was only a faint glimpse of understanding as the large silver moved off through the group of dragons.
Kattastik surveyed the remaining dragons with sorrow. They were scared, hurt, and with little hope, but they were not beaten. Wings healed, claws sharpened, and the riders were mounting new harnesses onto his people to regain the conflict. The humans acted as navigators and protection for their larger friends, calling out enemy dragons and using their rune-engraved shields to protect them from attack from above and behind. It was a tactic that allowed them to have some advantage against the massive force of the dragon-only army of the Obsidian dragon.
A voice booms behind him, “What brings a disciple of the great Saris to our little gathering?"
The silver dragon turned his head to find a large red dragon walking up to him. His size was massive compared to his own. Kattastik wasn’t intimidated by much but the dragon before him had an intensity that made him cautious. He would have to be careful how he handled the situation. Saris was not well-liked by the dragons fighting the Obsidian Dragon, they thought he should be fighting with them, along with himself. They blamed their losses in a way on that fact. The greatest of them stood apart while dragons died on both sides.
“Bor, I came to talk. We have a plan to stop all this but need your help.” The silver dragon nearly cringed as the look of anger grew on the face of the red dragon in front of him.
“My help? My help is not what was needed to stop your old mentor.” He started to say more but calmed himself before continuing. “My patience is short these days, not that it was ever that good to begin with.” Bor sighed as he took a breath. He may not like the way Saris and his followers didn’t join the war, but they weren’t his enemy either. There was still only one Platinum dragon, and this was his emissary.
“What is your news? I have a million things to do before the sun sets and a million more after.” Bor’s voice was tired. He was losing a war and any hope would be greatly appreciated.
Kattastik went through the story of Saris taking on the Obsidian Dragon and the resulting strategy to use the power of the dragons’ lifeforce to strip him of his powers.
“So, the old goat took on Skadira one on one and still lost. That must have been an impressive fight. Why haven’t I heard of this before? I believed along with most others that you were held up in your cave trying not to take sides.” There was surprise, and a bit of awe in Bor’s voice as he commented.
Kattastik was surprised at Bor’s change in attitude. He didn’t realize how much their work on stopping the Obsidian Dragon and his army would be taken as staying out of the conflict.
“We are in this as much are the rest of you, we are just attacking this from a different direction. Taking on Skadira and his army straight on would just lead to thousands of deaths on both sides.” Kattastik said as he tried to defend their position on the war.
“You don’t need to tell me! I lost those thousands, both dragons and men!” The anger was rising again in Bor’s voice.
Now Kattastik had his scales up. “And look where that has gotten you. You started this war with the best intentions but in the end, you are not winning. There should have been another way, you just didn’t want to see it. The glory of war is what dragons on both sides were after from the start!”
Bor was taken aback by the bold behavior of the silver dragon, whose color were usually more reserved than his own fiery self. “So, what do you need of me?” Again, the weariness of the war could be heard in his voice.
The silver dragon calmed his scales as he replied, “We need you to hold off your next attack until we have the orb in place and activated. Then an all-out assault aimed at the Obsidian dragon himself. His powers will be diminished but still very formidable.”
Bor was shocked at the statement. “That will cost a lot of lives. We have avoided taking him on directly, he’s too powerful. It’s the only way we have been able to take on his army this long.”
Kattastik nodded in understanding. “I know it will, but in the end, we are hoping it will save lives. Without the dead lifeforce helping his army and without Skadira’s leadership, we are hoping the army will disperse, ending the war.”
“That is a lot riding on hope. What if this orb of yours doesn’t work the way you think? Or worse, doesn’t work at all? We will be committing suicide.” Before the silver dragon could respond he continued. “If it was just me, I would say we do it. I am tired of this war, and it doesn’t look like we have any chance of stopping him. But there is more to consider than one tired old dragon.”
The silver dragon before him paused to consider what Bor had just said. He hadn’t completely thought through the ramifications of what he had proposed. So busy they had been creating the orb and getting it ready for use, the war seemed like a distant thing. Now seeing the injured and dead, both humans and dragons, filled him with a feeling of sorrow he didn’t quite understand. Morally he felt he was right in his view of the war, but here he could sympathize with Bor’s side of the argument. If it wasn’t for them, there would be nothing standing in the way of the Obsidian’s Dragon’s army. Whether both sides wanted it or not it was going to happen one way or the other. The army before him was the only thing saving the humans from annihilation.
“What about a diversion? Maybe you could get most of his army distracted enough to be able to pull this off. The orb can slow his progress but not stop it” Kattastik wasn't sure if what he was saying made sense. He wasn’t a battle tactician, most of his experience was from teachings, not actual combat.
Bor was quick to reply, “Remember we use relics also. Not to the extent that his army does but it will also hamper our abilities. I do have an idea.”
Bor called several of his commanders together, both humans and dragons. They talked long into the night as they formulated a plan to coordinate with the orb's activation. Soon the first grey of the morning started to dim the stary night.
Bor and Kattastik perched on a bluff overlooking the valley and the army recovering down below. The camp was busy setting up for what could be their last battle against the Obsidian Dragon. There was a new excitement among both dragons and men as they prepared for what was coming next.
“I have to go, it’s a long flight back to Saris and the orb. Things should be ready there soon. Once the dragon relics disappear you will have your signal to attack. Let’s hope it’s enough.” There was a solemn tone in the silver dragon's voice, this would be the last time he would see his people, there was nothing more he could do that wasn’t already done.
Bor laughed with a deep growl lightening the mood. “You are not as stuffy as I first thought. I understand the sacrifice you are about to do, I am about to do the same. In a way, it’s a relief. One way or another this will be over, just make sure that orb of yours works. I would at least like a fighting chance at this, whether we win or lose.”
The silver dragon nodded his scaly head to the leader of the army defending the humans with a newfound respect. “I hope you are successful with the plan. If we get through this, remember you can’t let any but your most trusted know the location of the orb. It will be well protected but Skadira, even without the undead lifeforce he uses, may be able to overcome it.”
“I have three of my most trusted, all silver dragons staying behind with all the knowledge we have talked about. No matter what happens, they will be the new guidance for our people. A sort of council that hopefully keeps this type of war from ever happening again.” Said Bor with a note of dedication in his voice.
With an approving glance, Kattastik turned and launched himself off the bluff. His powerful wings ascending his massive form into the sky. Quickly the soft glow of magic surrounded his form as he used it to accelerate himself back to Saris and his lifemate.
Hours later an exhausted Kattastik reached the bottom glacier of Montagne Maudite. He had never been this high in the mountains before and the air was thin, causing him to pause to catch his breath. Nadirah had been guiding him with mind speech since he came within sight of the mountain. Their bond was something unique and could reach miles farther than most, even those that were lifemates.
Resting for a few minutes, he moved his way over to the granite cliff Its face rising from the ice and snow seemingly straight to the sky. Slowly he worked his tired body up the cliff arriving at the ledge that his lifemate had shown him in his mind.
Resting again, he viewed into the darkness of the large opening before him. Nadirah had told him of the tunnel but nothing she had mentioned could prepare him for the sheer blackness that now confronted him. Light itself didn’t seem to penetrate into it, even with the sun high above.
Kattastik could feel a teasing voice in his head daring him to enter the darkness. A toothy grin was his only reply as he moved into the tunnel. His wonder at Saris’s power never ceased to rise to a new level. One that he could never hope to achieve, but that also put a chill down his scaly spine. Whether enhanced by undead lifeforce or not, the Obsidian Dragon was still more powerful. However, the silver dragon found comfort in the fact that their power as a team was more about knowledge and working together. Something that Skadira with all his might did not have. Finding a new resolve, he continued down the tunnel as it lit up and opened into a cavern bigger than the top of the mountain itself.
As the silver dragon approached, Saris and his lifemate both stirred from their prone position in front of the orb. He would have thought them asleep if he hadn’t been in mindspeak with Nadirah the whole time.
Saris turned to Kattastik. “Nadirah has filled you in, are you ok with the plan?”
“Now more than ever, I would love to tease my lifemate about the situation but the somber realism of what we are about to do makes me feel a bit overwhelmed. So, she mentioned we will be able to communicate with each other?” The silver dragon was full of conflicting emotions at what they were about to do.
Saris sadly replied, “Yes, as long as the orb is in this, for a better term, graveyard, while you stand guard your minds will be connected.”
“Now I am not so sure…” Kattastik joked as he dodged a tail swipe from Nadirah. The look in her eye was deadly but playful, he could never resist those eyes. “Bor’s army is ready, we should get this going before they lose their resolve. Their morale is barely holding.”
Saris nodded to his apprentices and friends before him. “Head out to the ledge outside, there you will stand vigilant against any that might attack if Bor’s army fails. I will hold open the doorway and funnel all but the last of your energy into the orb. Let me give you two a moment alone.”
The two silver dragons moved through the dark tunnel and out into the bright sunlight. Together they moved to the edge overlooking the glacier far below.
Turning to her lifemate Nadirah said. “Sure you can put up with me for all that time in your head?”
“You have been messing my mind for this long, what’s another couple thousand years?” Nadirah didn’t even pretend to be annoyed at Kattastik as she pushed her body against his, gently nudging his neck with hers.
“Let’s just hope that all this is worth it.” She said with a bittersweet voice.
A voice from behind them stopped their discussion. “Sorry, but we must start it now. Not sure why but I feel that something is about to happen between the two armies.”
Kattastik and Nadirah nodded in agreement. “Let’s do it.” They both said in unison.
Saris didn’t wait as he started to channel their lifeforce into the orb. Both silver dragons moved to positions on either side of the tunnel, sitting down on the hard granite they faced each other as they could feel their energy drain, feeding the salvation of their race harnessed inside the crystal orb.
Slowly as the two silver dragons started to feel the last of their lifeforce begin to fade, they turned and looked to the sky. The new role as defenders of the graveyard was now taking shape as their very flesh turned hard as the granite they stood upon, leaving two life-like statues in their place.
Saris turned and walked back into the center of the cavern. He laid down, protectively curling around the pedestal as he started to meditate. Reaching out he could feel both of his apprentices, he needed just to say a word and they would answer. He left them to their own devices as he continued to use his own power to accelerate the orb's infusion of energy. Now it was ready, one more little push and …….
His energy completely drained, Saris fell into a deep meditative sleep. His dreams showed him the world at war and the final battle against his old friend. Bor’s forces were victorious but at great cost. The orb worked as intended, now all the lifeforce from the dead dragons were being pulled into the crystal, never to be used for war again. A familiar energy passed his perception, one of the Obsidian Dragon.
The war should be over but deep-down Saris knew his people wouldn’t stop there. A lone tear fell down his cheek as he moved deeper into his slumber. The slight hope of a better age in his thoughts.
771 AD- Saris crouches on a bluff overlooking a small alien village. A primitive people, struggling to have even a fire outside their small mud-thatched huts. They reminded him of the humans they found on Earth when they first arrived hundreds of years ago.
He had hoped this planet was without intelligent life. The mountainous landscape was perfect for his people. Vast open plains were filled with all kinds of prey for his kind to hunt. His population could grow and be at peace, at least with those outside his race. The fire in his people tended to make its own conflicts, but those were minor compared to the wars of the past. They would grow and become what they were in the old days. But that would not happen on this planet. The nature of the dragons was an aggressive one. There would be no room for a competitive race on a planet that would be their new home. It would just lead to disaster, and that wasn’t something he could chance, not with this world or his own race.
A lone tear falls down his scaley cheek as he looks to the sky. A deep fire burns in his core as he opens his tooth-filled mouth. White hot energy blasts from within as he focuses his power into a focused spot in the air before him. Slowly the very fabric of the universe seems to pull apart and form a large oval in the middle of the sky, just big enough for Saris to fly through. The portal pulsed with counteractive energy from the universe fighting his magic. Finally stabilized, the platinum dragon could see his next objective through the whirling energies. Another green world filled with life and hopefully a new home for his people. Leaping into the air, he pulled down his powerful wings, propelling him towards the opening in space.
As the last of Saris cleared the energy barrier it snapped shut with an earth-trembling explosion. The aliens in the village came running out of their small huts to find out what happened. Seeing no danger from predators, they slowly started their day of hunting and gathering. Still weary of what had made the booming sound just moments before.
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Ktul
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Re: Return of Saris - Book 3 in the Crystal Dragon Trilogy
You think Cadira could say something like this without making it sexual =p
