Lyzbeam: The Prophesy ~ Chapter 5

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reality and fantasy2

IT WAS DARK AND STILL.  ALL YOU COULD hear was the patter of water dripping into a hidden spring.  Dark magic loomed over the shoulders of Earstine and Dimitri as they crept through the mildew smelling cave.3

Earstine cautiously followed Dimitri for Dimitri had the ability of Nocturnal Noche Vista, enabling him to see in the dark.  Earstine squinted for he wasn’t sure…yes, he was sure!  A dim light could be seen up ahead.  Three candles were lit revealing the small table by the bedside of the troll who, as they had hoped, was fast asleep.4

Earstine was shivering and frightened.  He recalled the first and last time he had fought a troll.5

*****6

It was night.  Earstine, the Colonel of a troop of young dragons, approached a deeply delved quarry off the border of Deacon.  He gripped his tiny dagger in his left foot and ordered the troop to lye low with his right as a crack of thunder gave way to a bucket of pelting raindrops.  Nearby was another troop and to the west, three more.  It was an army of seven hundred.7

TigerEye the Assassin had ordered all seven hundred to kill the Rock Troll who lived in the quarry.  Under no circumstances should they ever retreat!8

Earstine wiped sweat from his forehead as Captain Negistrate trotted up from the nearby troop.  He too was perspiring and showed no signs of fear.9

He saluted and took a look back at Earstine’s group, Troop 43.  Shaking his head he turned back to Earstine.  10

“Troop 46 asks if Troop 43 is ready for a charge.”11

“Vhat!” Earstine exclaimed. “A charge is unezzezzery!  Tell choor Colonel he’z rong!  Ve do not charge until allz ez ready on zee upproach!”  Earstine rolled his eyes and continued to watch the entrance embedded in the limestone wall surrounding the quarry.12

Captain Negistrate shifted from foot to foot.  Quietly he whispered to Earstine, “Your troop is scared!  I can see it in their eyes.  Their not ready!”13

“Zay are,” answered Earstine. “if TigerEye zayz zay are!  Et ez not our plaze to jooge the dezijons our Lord makez, Captain.  Now, if choor finished, take my mezzage back to Colonel Bayne.”14

Captain Negistrate turned to leave but hesitated.  “Um, Colonel, eh, I would consider it an ‘onor if…if we could fight side-by-side in battle.  Not as a Captain and a Colonel, but as friends!”15

Earstine stared down at the ground then regained his posture.  “I think choo shood git backz to choor troop now.”16

Captain Negistrate nodded and took his leave, running through the bomb-like raindrops.Colonel Earstine motioned to his troop to march towards the quarry entrance.17

The ambush had begun.18

*****19

Dimitri stopped and put out his arm to assure himself that Earstine stopped too.  He grimaced as he sniffed the air that smelt of rancid BO.20

Bending down on one knee he whispered to Earstine.  “You have the quieter footsteps (even though he is walking on his hands).  You see those candles?  In amongst them is a small box made of beech wood.  You must take it and go to the back of the cave to the spring.  Once back there, whisper “trampa”.  The echoes will carry it back to me.  If our luck holds, the troll will remain undisturbed.  Okay?  Voin, trofe, gree, go!”21

*****22

Colonel Earstine watched as the last dragons of Colonel Bayne’s troop marched through the east entrance.  The other troops at the west entrance would just be ending their march in also.23

Through the soldier lines, Earstine could see Captain Negistrate giving encouragement to the first-timers through the soldier lines.  Then his attention turned to the three scouts who had returned from locating the troll.24

Liff spoke first.  “Sir, the troll was no where to be seen.  Not one torch, candle, or match was lit sir.  It was as if he’s been expecting us, sir!”25

An extremely bright sun yellow dragon was next to speak.  His name was Ilsefire but everyone called him Lemon Drop.  He stepped forward abroad Liff and a fire-truck red dragon.  He often got nervous when speaking to upper ranks.26

“He i-i-is right, sir.  The troll w-wasn’t anywhere in s-s-sight! The m-moonlight didn’t reveal anything of use either, sir.”27

Earstine nodded.  Clearly something was sketchy about the situation.  Looking at the fire-truck red dragon he said, “Vell done my zolders!  Choo shall bez revorded if choo lazt zee night, vhich I’m zure choo vill.”28

Staring into the eyes of the red dragon he said, “Don’t choo have anythink to zay, Andimar?”29

The dragon shook his head.30

“Okay, choor dizmizzed!”  Earstine checked the edge of his dagger.  Andimar had said everything to be reported had been said, but the Pygmy Dragon was hiding something; he could feel it.  It was written all over his face.31

“Colonel,” Colonel Bayne had come up beside Earstine.  “It is time!”32

“Yess!” replied Earstine. “Et ez!  Okay troopz!  Voin, trofe, gree, charge!”33

*****34

Earstine walked towards the table on the tips of his fingers.  The candles were vanilla, a scent that made Earstine’s stomach turn and his nostrils flare.  As he inched closer and closer the snoring of the troll grew louder and louder.  Its chest heaved up and down and he often reached up and scratched his bulbous, warty nose.35

Earstine could see clearly now and the small box was visible.  It was no bigger than his thumb and had a sun and moon carved into its top.  Earstine reached out to grab it, but the troll turned over onto his side and blew one of the candles out just as Earstine knocked the second over.36

Earstine gritted his teeth and set it upwards.  Quietly, he blew an orange flame out of his mouth onto the charred wicks where it perched and danced.  He looked over at Dimitri who was motioning over to the box.  37

Quickly, Earstine reached out and grabbed it.  He then began running.  He ran around the bed and through a dark hallway.  The voice of Liff from so long ago drifted back into his mind.  Sir, the troll was nowhere to be seen.  Not one torch, candle, or match was lit sir.  It was as if he’s been expecting us, sir!38

Sweat trickled down his left cheek as he found the hidden stream.  No!  Pool yourzelf togezzer! He thought as he turned around.  Then he remembered Dimitri.39

“Trampa!” he whispered in a shaky voice.  And he waited as the story of his past wafted back into his head.40

*****41

“Charge!” answered all the soldiers to Earstine’s call.42

Led by Earstine and Bayne, the whole army swarmed right in.  They met in the middle with the three other troops of Colonel Tork, Airb, and Slazz.43

“Halt!” Colonel Airb cried.  The army of seven hundred nearly filled in the whole quarry as they stopped their charge and warcries.44

“What is the meaning of this?” Colonel Slazz exclaimed. “He’s not here!  Earstine!  Explain yourself!”45

Colonel Earstine’s eyes were closed and he now stood on his feet, his long lank arms at his sides. 46

“Vools rush in!” was his only remark.47

“Earstine, what are yo---” Colonel Slazz was cut short as a series of furious roars pierced the night.48

“Choo nevair know zee end ez zo near…” Earstine said.49

All the focus of the dragons were directed on him as they awaited the approach of the army of trolls.50

“…oontil et hitz choo right in zee faze!”51

The ground shook as the trolls drew near.  Roars and rants of troll laughter resounded off of the wall of the quarry.52

“Proudly and carelessly they walked toward the battle.53

Not seeing any danger; their wariness was tossed.54

But as they approached to the sea of blood,55

Nothing occurred to them; the war would not be lost.56

The moon shown above them giving enough light.57

To ambush and charge was left to choose.58

But silently, unknowingly they were laughed at59

As they parted the trees to battle; they would not lose.60

They charged and cried as wolves do at night61

Thinking they were victorious, thinking the enemy was bossed.62

But, alas, to their surprise and to their puzzlement,63

No one was near at hand; bravery was lost.64

Then a screech and a snarl slit the silent night.65

Swords flashed, arrows flung, blood stained the once green moss.66

An ambush on the reckless turned the battle around.67

Fate brought them there; victory was a loss.68

Cowardly and unwarily they walked to their deaths.69

Not seeing any danger; their lives were tossed.70

Dead soldiers swimming in a massive sea of blood.71

The night the stars and moon cried, the war was lost.”72

“Captain!” Colonel Tork cried.  All eyes were on Captain Negistrate now.  Colonel Earstine pushed his way through the crowd to stand by Captain Negistrate.73

“Hallo!” He said and stood erect, saluting the Captain.  Slowly, the army in the quarry brought their hands to their brows, saluting the Captain they now held in great standard.74

Suddenly, the trolls burst out of the hallways inside the wall.75

Behind Earstine, the army waited.  He motioned to Captain Negistrate to come stand by him.  “Remind me to promoot choo if ve git oot of here togezzer.”76

Captain Negistrate nodded and looked to the doom before them.77

“Today,” Earstine cried.  “Ve don’t fight for TigerEye!  But for ourz livez, ourz famileez, and ezpeshally, ourz friendz right here!  Charge!”78

The army took up the cry and rushed after Colonel Earstine and Captain (soon to be Colonel) Negistrate as the trolls swung at them with their giant clubs.79

*****80

“Earstine, Earstine!  Are you alright?”81

Earstine suddenly realized that Dimitri had been trying to talk to him.82

“Wow!  I thought you were in a trance like one of my buddies back home.  Anyway, we have to go swimming and…Earstine, what are you looking a---” Dimitri reached for his neck and gasped for air.  He now realized what Earstine was staring at.  The troll had awakened and had a firm grasp around Dimitri’s neck.83

“E-E-Earstine!  H-help!” Dimitri rasped.  He could see a smirk form across the charred face of the troll.  He had a huge nose but tiny pee-like eyes that were spread so far apart.  And his nails were long and jagged.84

This is it… I’m doomed! Dimitri thought as the troll’s grip on his neck tightened.  His eyes started to blacken from the loss of air when a blue light filled the room.85

“Letz ‘im go or choo gitz choorz!”  It was Earstine.  He was holding an orb of blue and white flame ready to throw at the monster.86

The troll’s nostrils flared and he reached out to grab Earstine (who, by the way, was standing up straight holding the orb in his hands, not his feet.) when Earstine made his move.  He threw the orb at the troll’s arm.  Barking in both rage and pain he forgot he had a hold of a tasty morsel and Dimitri crashed to the floor.87

“Dimiterz!  Are choo alrightz?” Earstine asked as he helped Dimitri up.  Dimitri clambered back up onto his feet and nodded as he fumbled for his sword.  The troll grabbed for Earstine’s tiny tattered ears but was unsuccessful.  Earstine did a three-sixty flip and landed on the monster’s wrist.  Hurriedly, he clamped his mouth shut on the underside of its wrist while he hung upside-down and bit at the artery.88

Finding it was a difficult task for the troll’s skin was clammy and thick.  But he instinctively knew its place and the troll roared in pain.89

Forest green blood poured out of the wound and fell onto Dimitri’s cloak.  He knew he must buy Eartine time to get to the neck.  Thinking fast, he began to hack at the thing’s sock-covered feet. 90

Forgetting the fatal pain rushing up his arm, the troll grumbled as he tried to grab the parasite biting at his feet.  If only it would leave him alone! He was tired and need only to retrieve the little box so he could fall back into a REM cycle.  Yet, the thing at his feet would not keep still.91

Suddenly, the pain in his wrist increased as a new pain clamped down at his neck.  He couldn’t breathe and his blood was running down his thick hairy chest.  His eyes began to mist over as he saw a scarred dragon smirk at him.  Then it was over.92

*****93

Colonel Earstine swung himself up onto the massive hand of a troll clad in blue.  Frantically he ran up to the wrist and locked his claws into the warty skin of the troll.  He flipped under the hand and tore at the artery while Captain Negistrate and his friend Mouse slashed at the troll’s knees with their weapons.94

Earstine scrambled up the monster’s arm and then the shoulder making his way to the neck.  The giant fell down dead with a deep gouge in his throat.  Earstine jumped off his shoulder just in time and landed by Mouse.95

Mouse, who was the tiniest dragon any of them had ever seen, poked at Earstine.  “Colonel, yess, Colonel.”  Once he got the Colonel’s attention he began to chatter un-controllably.  “They’re picking us off like flies, yess flies are good.  But bad trolls, nasty trolls, too many trolls, yess!  Green blood everywhere, tastes yucky!  Blah! Not like flies. Flies tastes good, yess!”  Mouse stuck his tongue out in disgust.96

Earstine looked around.  Mouse was right.  Out of the seven hundred soldiers who were originally here, only about three hundred remained.  Only six trolls lay dead.97

Suddenly Earstine fell to the ground out cold.  Captain Negistrate ran to his side.  A stone had left a deep gash on the back of his head, obviously from a slingshot.98

Wait, the Captain thought.  Trolls don’t use slingshots!  He whirled around to see---99

“Goblins, yess.” Mouse replied, eyes widening.100

“Goblins, goblins!” Captain Negistrate cried above the melee.  Turning to Mouse he said, “raise the alarm and go find July.  She may be able to help us.  I’ll hold them back as long as I can!”101

Mouse nodded and took off running, dodging swords and clubs.  Captain Negistrate watched the dark green colored dragon disappear into the night then turned his attention to the goblins.102

They sneered at the Captain, their tiny beady eyes squinting evilly in his direction.  Their charred hands grasped their curved swords ready to kill.103

The Captain stepped forward, bringing his sword to his nose and then, without warn-ing, jumped into the mob.  He sliced at their necks and arms that weren’t covered, in their crude armour.104

They stabbed at him but he didn’t seem to notice.  He just kept killing until Mouse arrived back with July.  As July tended to Earstine, Mouse stared at Captain Negistrate.  Scores of goblins covered the ground at his feet.  Green blood stained his once blue jacket and brown pants.  His own maroon blood gushed out from the ominous wounds on his face, back, and arms.105

“I’m coming, yess, I’m coming!” Mouse cried as he drew his daggers and ran to his Captain'’ aid.  The tiny dragon was an expert with daggers and among his robes, boots, and belt he had twenty-eight daggers.  Spinning the daggers in his hands expertly, he be-gan slicing the goblins to ribbons.106

Then reinforcements arrived.  The troll’s were dead and the only dragon’s remaining came to kill.  July helped Earstine to his feet and he too joined in.107

Yet, the goblins still outnumbered the dragons ten to one.108

*****109

Earstine’s chest heaved up and down as he gasped for breath.  Dimitri lay beside him resting and cleaning his sword.110

Earstine picked up the box that was sitting upside-down next to him.  He flipped it over and ran his fingers over the intricate carving.  He then drew open the lid and before him, shining with an awesome blue flame, was the sapphire key.111

“Don’t lose it.”112

Earstine looked over at Dimitri.  It was the first thing he had said after the fight.113

“Oh, right!” Earstine replied shutting the box and clasping it.  “Choo should hold onto etz.  Choo have pocketz.”114

“Sure.”  Dimitri looked at his sword as if searching for some hidden speck of blood and put the box in his pant pocket.  Yet, he couldn’t help but ask, “Earstine, what made you so nervous about the troll?”115

Shocked, Earstine looked at Dimitri.  He could tell him the story but not the whole story.  Leaving out the fact that they were assassins and that TigerEye sent them, he told Dimitri the story.116

“By zee end of zee battle, only tvelve of uz remained.  Me, Negger, Billy, Julyz, Leftyz, Posh, Mouze, Chile, Dom, Vasha, and Zcap.”117

Dimitri counted on his fingers.  “Hey, that’s only eleven.  Who was the twelvth?”118

Earstine sighed and his eyes flamed.  “It waz Andimar.  He’z zee one who betrayed uz.  He made a deal with zee trollz zat if they zpared ‘im, he’d tell of ourz comink and planz.  He ezcaped before zee battle began.”119

“Wow.  Now I understand.  Hey, we’d better get moving, eh?  I almost forgot your friend!”  With that they got up and hovered over the spring.120

“Follow me.” Dimitri assured him and he jumped in. 121

*****122

Something long, slimy, and cold to the touch swam past Dimitri’s right leg.  Looking back, he saw Earstine swimming right behind him.  Assuring himself that all would be okay, he turned his focus forward.  123

Up ahead was a luminous glow outlining a very ancient magical door.  The wood was made from the Scyven tree, which magically stays dry in water.124

Dimitri waited for Earstine at the door.  Both their air was almost used and Dimitri’s ears began to pop.  He reached for the doorknob and pulled the box out of his pocket.  As he fumbled around to get the key out, Earstine took a look at his surroundings.125

Seaweed of various colours reached up to the surface.  The sun’s reflection glittered like it was stained glass.  The sand beneath their feet was rocky yet soft and tiny seashells poked their painted faces out of their hiding space.  Rainbow trout and bass swam in-between the rising weeds, their mouths bobbing with every breath.  A kingfisher broke the surface and caught an unfortunate flying fish.  The scales of the fish flashed like rainbows as they turned towards the sun.126

Suddenly, a blue flame caught Earstine’s eye and he could magically breathe!  Dimitri had finally unlocked the door and it squeaked open on its hinges.127

They walked through the door. No water seemed to pour in.  Then their mouths just dropped.  There before them was the most wonderful thing they had ever seen.  It was as if they were in a dragon child’s dream!128

A river of strawberry, rainberry bubble juice trickled down a rocky bank.  Out of the green, green grass grew dragon drops, fairy stars, and snow chains.  Rainbows stretched across the blue sunny sky and birds flew left and right along with phoenix’s, basilisks, and pegasi.  Mountains rose to the highest clouds and waterfalls poured out their strength, feeding the bubbly river.129

Across the lively meadow was a sight that made the two dragons shiver.  Peaks and shards of sapphire shot up into the sky creating a fortress beyond belief.  The sapphire glow, though bright, made everything seem shadowed.  Some new devilry was brewing in the core of its walls.130

Dimitri shut the door and hastily tucked the box back into his pocket.  He sighed and eyed the land carefully before saying, “Okay, Earstine.  We’re here.  Just let me do the talking.”131

Earstine raised an eyebrow.  “Tooz hoom?” he said puzzled.  Just as if on cue, the clouds parted and thunder reverberated off the mountains.  A particularly big cloud drifted down towards the travelers and revealed a very young purple fairy and a black unisus whose sleek coat shimmered dark blue.132

The fairy glowered down at Dimitri and Earstine.  How could they have possibly gotten past her troll and the lake?  All well, she thought.  They got past the first two obstacles, I’ll give them that, but that is just the beginning.  Her grimace quickly turned to a smirk and she began to clap her childish hands.  133

“Bravo, bravo!  You’ve made it to my domain!”134

Startled, Earstine looked at Dimitri whose face was a sickly pink.  He opened his mouth to talk but nothing came out.  He hoped Dimitri knew what he was doing.135

“Hello, my dear!  Could you possibly spare food and drink for two weary travelers?”  Not what Earstine expected and obviously not the correct answer to the unisus.  His nostril’s flared and he swung his head about making his horn glimmer.136

“Do you have any idea to whom you are speaking?  Show some manners!” he said this with such force and anger that both Dimitri and Earstine took two paces back.137

“Enough!” the fairy child squeaked.  “Ronal, it’s alright.  I can handle this!”138

“As you command, my Queen.”  The unisus, whose name was Ronal, replied as he slunk back into the shadows.139

The Queen rose from her seat on the cloud and pointed at Dimitri never once losing her composure.140

“You!  You say you want food?  I’ll give you food.”  Closing her eyes and stretching out her hands toward their feet she searched through her mind to see what to feed her guests.141

Rapidly, at the two dragons feet lay to platters and two goblets.  Two roasted bass with a strong sea seasoning lay on the platters and strawberry, rainberry bubble juice filled the goblets to the rims.  Earstine and Dimitri, without question, began eating greed-ily.142

“So,” the fairy maid asked them.  “…what really brings you to my kingdom?  I mean, you obviously didn’t kill my troll and swim down here just for food.”143

“Course not, my lovely!” Dimitri replied keeping his cool.  Earstine could hear the unisus hoofing the ground behind them.144

“Of course you didn’t!  Well what is it!  Wish it and it may be granted to your benefit or…your own destruction!”  Her eyes flamed and her voice became mysteriously menacing.  “This is the Land of Dreams you know!”145

She seemed to watch them as if waiting for them to slip.  Dimitri quickly changed the subject as he squeezed a lemon on the fish’s body.146

“So, beautiful, what name do you go by!  I mean, it must be lovely right, you look quite like a goddess!”  Dimitri’s strategy was flattery and it seemed to work.147

“Oh, wow, a goddess?  Are you sure?  I didn’t think the color of my wings captured the purples in my eyes!”148

Nodding his head multiple times while swallowing Dimitri replied, “Oh yes, a goddess indeed!”149

“Oh, well, in that case, my name is Queidiar!  Hey!  You’re laughing!  You and your upside-down friend are laughing at me!”150

Earstine couldn’t help himself.  He choked back laughter as he tried to swallow the delicious bass.151

Queidiar scowled with anger down upon the two travelers.  She knew exactly why they came to her.  She had been spying on them with her little glowing puffball, a tiny floating orb that acted like a looking glass.  They wanted their friend and her most trusted slave back.  With a swish of her hand, the food before Dimitri and Earstine vanished.152

Both looked up at the fairy child, astonished at the rude hospitality.  Great, she thought, now I have both of their attention!153

“Ronal, take them to the Stone Balcony.  We’ll see who’s the last one laughing!”  With that she disappeared in a mist of thick fog.  The unisus strode forward and beckoned them to step onto the cloud.  Dimitri obeyed and Earstine followed.  Ronal leapt up after them and the cloud effortlessly lifted off the ground.154

Soon they were flying high above the whipped cream clouds and basilisks dove and flipped through the fluff.155

Then the clouds parted and before them rose the tallest peak of the sapphire fortress.  The giant shards reflected the sun’s rays and the blues danced across the cloud’s surface.  156

The cloud landed on a balcony like one you’d see by a princess’ window.  Ronal stepped off and briskly showed the dragons inside.  The unisus closed the double door windows and pulled a curtain over it, blocking the lemon sun.157

This new room was entirely dark.  No sound could be heard but Earstine’s hands, tap, tap, tapping on the stone floor.  Dimitri’s sword clanked against his thigh every time he took a stride.  Suddenly Queidiar’s voice echoed off the walls that enabled them to tell that the room was monstrously large.158

“You dared to cross my threshold, eat my food, and enter my fortress!” the voice boomed.  “All this to rescue a lost companion from my entrancing lake?  He must be very valuable!  Would you like to see him?”159

“Yes!  What have you done?” Dimitri cried.  Then, from up above them, a dim light began to glow and come near them.  It floated down to Earstine’s eye level and the colours began to swirl in a mix of blues and white.  The mist parted and before them they saw Neggi, leg bound in chains, arms too.  His wings were slit so that the slightest movement would be excruciating therefore he was grounded.160

Earstine leapt to his feet.  “Vhat do choo vant?  Comez down here and meet me facez to facez!”161

Queidear laughed.  “Ha!  You think that I would be that stupid, but you’re wrong!  I have powers that you have not yet even conceived.  If I wish it, then it is done.  If I want to create it, it will be done.  If I want to make the world your standing in, it will be done!  So, I wouldn’t be so hasty to such a challenge!”162

Dimitri tried to hold Earstine back but he pulled away from Dimitri’s grasp.  “I’ll fight choo any day choo stoopid zee zprite!  I’ll fight choo choor pony, or anyvone elze choo may have oonder choor  handz.  Choo just have to zay vhere and vhen!”163

“Well,” the fairy chimed eerily.  “In that case…now!  And I hope you don’t mind…” She paused and a beam of light like a spot light hit the floor before the two dragons.  “…Fighting your own friend!”  A tall dark figure stepped into the light.  He was black, had a huge wingspan, and had horns protruding out from above his eyes.  Real Golden claws grew out from his hands and glimmered in the light.164

It was Neggi!  165

Dimitri’s eyes flamed and he roared out in anger.  “What is this?  You said you’d fight!  You cheating two-faced brownie!”166

“Hush!  Temper, temper!  Your distorted friend there said that he would fight anyone under my hand.  Well your old friend is my most trusted slave, brainwashed to perfection and exactly the opposite of what you thought he would be.  Not only is he free of bonds and free to fly, he has special new abilities that you shall perceive in just a moment.”167

At that very moment, Neggi lurched at his two old companions.168

Teeth bared and glimmering, Neggi prepared to bite at their throats.  Earstine rolled up his sleeves and put his hand in the air, muttering words of a long lost language.  Neggi stopped in mid-air, frozen in place.169

Smiling at Earstine, Neggi broke free of his spell.  “Nice try, but it was in vain.”  Neggi’s sword suddenly appeared in his clasp out of nowhere.  “I’d slice off your head if it stood yea high off the ground!”  Without hesitation, he swung at Earstine’s unprotected body.170

A loud clang echoed off the walls as blade met blade.  Dimitri had intercepted the blow just in time and now stood between the once good friends.171

As the two tried to outdo the other, Earstine sat down and forged through his mind for the one spell that would make Neggi regain his memory.172

“Puzzled?”  Earstine remembered his surroundings.  The young fairy fluttered before him.  How could something so small have so much power?173

“Perhaps Ronal could assist you.”  The unisus bowed his head.  Apparently he had wanted to fight Earstine from the start and had no thought of wavering.  Dodging Ronal’s horn and hoofed feet, Earstine desperately tried to think of the spell.  He looked over at Dimitri’s battle.  Neggi had sheathed his sword and was throwing balls of fire at him.  Dimitri was blocking them with his sword as much as he could.  Queidiar’s laughter reached his ears from afar.174

I’ve got it, he thought.  “Narnalee oxfenheld!”  Earstine cried and everything came to a halt.175

“What?  What is wrong?”  The sound of Queidiar’s anger reached Earstine’s ears.  “What have you don’t to my servant?  Oh, no!  Ronal?”176

Ronal was a solid piece of ice.  “You’re a magic-user?”  Queidiar asked, lips quivering.  “Change him back!” she snapped.  “He’s my only friend!”177

Dimitri walked over supporting Neggi.  “I thought you said if you wished it, it would be done?"178

Tears streamed down Queidiar’s cheeks, her glowing began to fade.  “Ronal granted all my wishes.  He came to me in a dream after my parents died.  He promised to grant my every need and wish.  He is the only reason why I remain living.  Don’t you see, without Ronal, I am nothing.”179

Queidiar collapsed on the floor in a sea of tears.  Ronal was her whole world, not the beautiful landscapes and everything fantasy; those only made her happy when she was bored.  Ronal was what truly fulfilled her heart.180

Queidiar felt a nudge of love caress her cheek.  She opened her eyes to see if it was those two wretched dragons but her tears clouded her vision.  Struggling to wipe them away she heard a soft whinny.  “Ronal?” she gasped and quickly embraced the joyous unisus. 181

“Oh, Ronal!  I don’t know what I would have done without you!”182

*****183

Dimitri and Earstine received lodging and food that night in an elegant suite in the middle of Queidiar’s castle.  They had no right to complain after she gave her sincerest apologies (also the new cloaks and the satin sheets were beyond compare) and quickly agreed to stay the night and leave after breakfast the following moring.184

*****185

“Why didn’t you just leave me?  What about Lyzbeam?”186

“She’z not important rite nowz!  Vhat ve needz to vorry aboot ez Dimiterz finink oot aboot ourz zecret!”187

Earstine and Neggi were sitting by a crackling fireplace in two dark blue recliners.  Dimitri was fast asleep in the next room within the suite.188

“What does he know about…you know?”  Neggi asked impatiently.  All this talk made him uneasy and he was tired from earlier that day.189

“Choo knowz how I killed zee troll.  It brot back mem’riez of zee ambush zat one nite in zee quarry.  He knowz zumthinkz vrong, I knowz et!  If he knowz zat ve vere azzazzinz…” Earstine took a wary glance over at the door across the room, half-expecting Dimitri to walk out of his room raving.190

“Don’t you worry.  Our secret is safe.  If, and when we get Lyzbeam back, we’ll have to worry about her breaking away.  But there’s something about Dimitri that makes me feel eerie like he’s more powerful than we expect.”  Neggi looked down at his gold claws.  Queidiar had taken back his special abilities that he had never gotten to use in his battle with Dimitri, but she let him keep one thing.  She had wished that his golden claws were real and as a gift, had let him keep them.191

The next morning they ate a hardy breakfast and promptly left thereafter.  Never did any of them ever see Queidiar or Ronal again.192