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Two Years Ago

The Trap Seven

When Hannah and Ema reached the breach in the wall, Anahita and several other haltia were already there, trying the stem the flow of outlanders streaming through the gap. The chief councillor looked at them as they rushed around the corner with Sean on their heels.

“What are you doing here?” she asked sharply. “You’re our guests. You should have stayed in your apartments where it’s safe.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Two Years Ago

The Trap Five

Karen paced the room as they waited for the all clear. Even through the thick stone walls, the sounds of a pitched battle coming from beyond the inner walls of the city were all too clear. They were gradually coming closer and it didn’t sound like it was going well.

It was making them all tense. Hannah sat in the corner hugging her knees. Sean was beside her with his head resting on his forearms. Kyle was leaning against the wall, scowling worriedly and clicking his tongue against his teeth in a way he only did when he was upset. Read the rest of this entry »

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Two Years Ago

The Trap Four

“But why the Core Gate?” Chief Councillor Anahita said as platters of meat were brought into the central palace that evening. “It’s not like dragons can use it.”

The silver-haired air haltia had done most of the speaking since Aodh had brought them to meet the ruling council of Elapyron. She seemed friendly enough but something about the rest of the council was grating on Hannah’s nerves. They were so quiet – only addressing Anahita when they did speak – and only a couple had introduced themselves.

“No, but humans can,” one of the others – a daoine who hadn’t introduced himself – said. “Perhaps they mean to send these Dragon Knights through. It wouldn’t be the first time that one of them has tried to get to the Core.”

“We don’t think so, councillor,” Sean said. “They seem to be targeting things of power as energy sources to form some sort of grid. There’s no real pattern to what they are targeting.”

“A grid,” Anahita said sharply. “What are the other things they’ve targeted?”

“The Gaia gate at Esen Peak, an object called the key-” Sean began.

“From the fire affinity zone in Talora.” Anahita paled. “Damn. Tell me the others quickly.”

Sean listed them off carefully. Anahita looked more and more confused and worried. By the time he finished she had her head in her hands.

“Councillor?” Aodh asked. “Do you know what they’re doing?”

“I’ll need a few more attack details to check, but yes, I think I do.” Anahita stared at her hands. “What I can’t figure out is why. What good would the Heart wards do a dragon?”

“What are the heart wards?” Sean asked.

“Ah… that is… What were they would be a better question. They were part of the weave of the world. They were powered by the Heart, so when it was destroyed they went inert.” Anahita sighed. “There was a lot of the Heart’s energy flowing through them, which is why that gate to Gaia was built at Esen Peak. Even without the Heart’s power flowing through them, the nodes in the heartlands remained points of stability and power. That’s why we have a Core Gate. All of them are at former nodes.” She shook her head and frowned. “I still don’t see what use it would be to the dragons.”

“And the key thing?” Hannah asked.

“The extra stability makes former nodes good places to secure things,” Anahita said. “Perhaps your grid pattern is because it underlies their hiding places, not because the dragons intend to use it.”

“It’s possible,” Sean said hesitantly. “Except I’m sure they want these places and things to power something. I think we’re missing something.” He cocked his head at her. “How come you know so much about this?”

“I researched the wards while attempting to find some way to hold back the outlanders. It was a dead end, but I learned a lot.” She wrung her hands some more then took a breath. “Whyever they want it, we have to stop them from taking control of the gate. You have a pla-” She broke off as a sharp alarm sounded throughout the city.

“Sounds like we’re about to find out out,” Kyle said, but Anahita shook her head.

“No, that’s the alarm for an outlander attack. It’s not your problem, warriors. I’ll have Aodh escort you back to your chambers.”

 This installment is dedicated to memory of Candace McBride, author of web serial “Tattoo”, who sadly passed away on Sunday. 🙁

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Side Story Three

Two Years Ago

The Trap Three

“Welcome to Elapyron City, warriors.” The tall, mail-clad fire haltia who met them at the city gates bowed. “The Council sends its apologies for not being here to greet you personally, but they’ve been in emergency session since the Life Warrior sent us notice that the Core Gate may be the Dragon Knights’ next target. I am Aodh, the city’s warden. I have prepared chambers in the central complex for your use. Please follow me.” He turned and strode back through the gates towards a second wall in the centre of the city.

Though city didn’t seem the right word. From what Karen could see, the entire place was barely larger than a large village. She’d be very surprised if more than a couple of thousand people lived here. Then again, none of the settlements they’d seen had been that big. Read the rest of this entry »

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Two Years Ago

The Trap Two

“Yes,” Sarah said. “We think we have a way for you to banish them back to Earth, lock them out and stop the dragons finding them and letting them back in again. But it’s dependent on us being right about how they found them in the first place, and on them not knowing their heart friends. Otherwise it’ll be impossible to keep them out if they do even if you banish them and block the dragons from finding them.” She hesitated. “And I doubt it’ll be very comfortable for them, either.”

“Better than killing a bunch of kids. Apart from that grey-haired girl I think they are all younger than us,” Kyle said. “And has anyone seen her recently? She seemed to be holding them back until recently.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Side Story Three

Two Years Ago

The Trap One

“I just wish we knew what they were up to,” Karen said, a few weeks later. “It feels like we’re being lead about by the nose.”

The group had spent the last few weeks bouncing back and forth between Earth and the other world as they split their time between trying to anticipate the next attack by their enemies – who were rapidly becoming known as the dragon knights – and keep up with their lessons. But with summer coming up, they’d be moving more or less permanently to the other world for the next few weeks. Maybe that would help; they still hadn’t found out anything about these dragon knights and why they were working with the dragon. They had, however, started to work out a pattern to the attacks. Read the rest of this entry »

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Two Years Ago

Hannah Six

The next morning, Hannah sat with Matthias and Sarah in a large room at the Storm Palace while the Life Warrior examined the Key and the strange bond it seemed to have formed with Hannah.

Valeria hadn’t been there to greet them when they got back but Matthias had told her about the terrible events at Esen Peak so she wasn’t surprised.

“This thing is really extraordinary!” Sarah said after a long moment. “Our ancestors had some remarkable skills.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Two Years Ago

Hannah Five

Hannah woke slowly to find herself lying in another cave. She pulled herself to her knees and looked around. It was much cooler than the lava caves where she’d found the key. In the dim light cast by the luminous moss growing over the interior, she could just make out that it was a cathedral-like space.

Not far away from where she was kneeling stood a circle of boulders surrounding a natural platform. From the center of the platform, a pillar which was certainly not natural rose to the ceiling. At first blush it looked like it was just intricately carved but then she saw that it was moving, the carvings writhing as if alive. Read the rest of this entry »

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Two Years Ago

Hannah Four

Hannah ignored the boy’s ultimatum as she extended her mind in to the rock beneath her feet. Without taking her eyes off him and the dragon, she carefully drew herself a mental map to search for escape routes. At first she sensed nothing useful. Then, as if a fog were clearing, she felt a path down the opposite side of the mountain which she would have sworn wasn’t there a moment ago. Something reached out from the rock and touched her mind.

Get moving, Earth Warrior. I will distract him until you reach me. The red one must not get the key. Destroy it if you have to.

Who are you? she asked as she cast a pile of rock shards at boy and dragon to distract him before racing towards the path. Behind her, she heard the dragon scream and the boy give an angry yell as her attack pierced his hastily erected shield and sliced into both of them.

Ah, yes, you wouldn’t know. I am the Earth Guardian, he replied. Once you reach my shrine, I’ll be able to keep you safe until rescue comes. I doubt the red one will want to keep too many troops around here for long, anyway. It’s too close to silver territory.

Well that explained the massive rock in the middle of a fire zone, Hannah thought. She glanced back to see that the boy had leapt off the dragon’s back and the dragon had taken human form. The two were talking earnestly. The dragon had a stressed and pained look on his face and his fingertips were showing claws.

Hmm. If you choose to attack that dragon again, be sure you can take it out in one shot. He’s on the verge of frenzy; one more wound could tip him over.

And then we’d be screwed, Hannah agreed. Matthias and Sarah had shown them the damage a frenzying dragon could do when they’d first been called. I probably can’t, so I’d better concentrate on the boy if I have to fight. I hope I don’t.

Indeed. I’ll close the path behind you and give you some shelter from the above. He gave a deep sigh in her mind.  I wish that the Core wouldn’t do this. You shouldn’t be placed in combat without preparation and at least your heart friend to help.

 It doesn’t understand that, I guess, she said as she continued down the path. She glanced back again and saw that it was vanishing behind her, replaced by impassable boulders and cracks. Spines of rock were reaching out of the ground and spiking into the air above her, giving some shelter from the dragon – although so far, she saw no sign of him or the boy. She didn’t like that but she couldn’t afford to stop and find them. Instead, she just put her head down and kept running.

Watch out! The Guardian’s shout gave her just enough warn to slide to a halt as a huge fireball flew past her and hit the path directly in front of her, opening a chasm she would never be able to leap.

“Now, give me the key,” the boy said. She turned and found him standing on top of one of the boulders. There was a flapping sound and the dragon landed on the other side of the chasm.

You’re close now. I need you to trust me. Jump.

What? Hannah was sure her shocked confusion showed on her face.

 Just jump into the chasm. I’ll catch you.

Err… Hannah stared into the chasm, she could see lava at the bottom.

“Give Logan the key or I’ll make sure you scream for days before you die,” the dragon said. “Cooperate and I’ll make it painless.”

“Lishian!” The boy snapped. “What sort of a bargain is that?”

“It’s not your call, Logan. Gerian-mirian wants her dead. She knows about the key and we can’t let them learn of it.”

Hannah snorted softly to herself. “Way to make my decision easy!” she said. “If I’m going to die anyway, I have no reason not to try the route I might survive.” She closed her eyes and leapt.

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Side Story Three

Two Years Ago

Hannah Three

It really ought to be dark, Hannah realised as she started down the tunnel. Especially since she’d sealed the entrance. But such was the strength of the fire essence flowing through the rocks that they were glowing red-hot. She could hold most of the heat at bay, but as she made her way deeper in to the tunnels she began to sweat profusely, her jeans and blouse sticking to her skin. Her fire affinity wasn’t enough against such intensity. She wouldn’t be able to stay in here for long. She needed to find the thing and come up with a plan to get out again without being caught as quickly as possible. Read the rest of this entry »