Dragon Charmers Trilogy, page 18
‘But we can help,’ Myles was protesting as the blue dragon obediently turned towards the city and flew off.
Logan had to stop himself from asking his grandfather exactly how they were supposed to stop the dragons entering Radolk Falls. The red and gold dots were clearly visible dragons now — three red and two gold.
‘Just hold us here, Silverhorn,’ Zared instructed the white dragon. ‘Can you shrink as small as you can without us falling off?’
Logan felt an uncomfortable sensation run through him as the white dragon shrunk. Surely it would be better if Silverhorn grew to his largest size? It might at least make the intruders rethink their plans.
‘What do we do?’ Alyxa asked. Logan was surprised to hear a small shake in her voice. He wouldn’t have thought she would be scared of any dragons.
‘We’ll ask them to leave,’ Zared said in a totally serious tone.
‘That’s it?’ Logan queried. ‘And if they don’t want to?’
‘Then we think of something else,’ Zared, clutching his staff in one hand, said with a small shrug. ‘I’m sure we can convince them they don’t want to stay.’
There was no more time for discussion — the five dragons were flying straight towards them, then stopped, hovering, a dozen dragon lengths away.
This is the valley, the smallest of the three reds said excitedly.
Logan recognised the red dragon instantly as it was the one whose wing was partly deformed.
It doesn’t look like much, Half-Wing, and it’s very cold here, the largest golden dragon replied in a tone that said it wasn’t impressed. All of them were staring at the small white dragon before them.
It was our home, Fireheart, Half-Wing replied a little defensively. He pointed a clawed foot at Zared. At least it was until that pesky wingless human ruined it all.
Where are your fellow banished kin? What sort of trouble has befallen them? The largest red asked. We do not care about the wingless ones. They are not worth our time.
That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Flamerider, Half-Wing said with a hint of impatience. The wingless ones blew up our mountain and trapped them all inside with magic.
Half-Wing pointed to the blue haze around the mound of rubble and at the dragons who could be seen inside, desperately trying to get out.
They attacked you? Flamerider was suddenly far more interested in the tiny humans on the white dragon.
‘We defended ourselves,’ Zared said firmly. His voice carried easily across to the dragons and they responded with a howl and a large burst of flames.
Dragons rule this world. We may do whatever we wish, Fireheart snarled. We allow you wingless ones to inhabit the cold surface as it is of no use to us. We can destroy you any time we want to.
‘We do not wish to fight you,’ Zared replied, not looking in the least intimidated by the angry golden dragon.
It would not be a fight, Flamerider stated coldly. We are five dragons — you are only one small dragon, and a white one at that.
I am not so easily dismissed, Silverhorn rumbled. He began to grow at an alarming rate, causing his passengers to grab for a back ridge to hang on to. Now he was easily twice the size of the largest of the intruders and Logan could see twinges of doubt in their eyes. This was an unknown enemy now.
What kin are you from? Fireheart asked. Where are the rest?
I have no kin, Silverhorn snapped back.
The little ones are not stuck inside the spell, Half-Wing said, pointing at the baby red dragons who were now throwing rocks at the blue haze, then pausing to watch as the rocks went straight through and struck the dragons inside.
Release the spell that binds our kin, Fireheart demanded. We may even let you live — for a short while.
Zared did not reply, nor did he make any move to remove the spell. Silverhorn kept hovering with an effortlessness that showed his immense strength.
Now, wingless one! Flamerider ordered angrily. We will be obeyed.
‘If we release your kin, will you leave this place and never come back?’ Zared asked calmly.
A sharp bark of laughter told Logan that that was not an option.
Every being here will be destroyed as a warning to others, Fireheart said slowly. We will find a way to free our kin even if you do not remove the spell.
Zared jumped up to stand on Silverhorn’s back, his staff extended and he glared at the five dragons. ‘Go back to where you came from or I will trap you as I did your kin.’
A ripple of doubt ran through the dragons, then as one they charged at Silverhorn with flames belching and a battle-roar that sent shivers down Logan’s spine. Silverhorn rose suddenly, easily evading their clumsy charge. The dragons, now incensed, turned for another attack and Silverhorn was forced to drop almost to the ground to avoid them. On the third attack there was nowhere to go, and Zared, who had been forced to sit back down to remain safe, stood up again. He aimed the staff at the lead dragon, Fireheart, and let loose a string of fireballs.
Logan half expected the dragon to fly sideways to avoid the fireballs. Instead the fireballs seemed to bounce right off Fireheart and came straight back at Silverhorn. Several stopped right in front of the invading dragons and hovered there.
They have a protective shield, Silverhorn muttered. They are powerful dragons.
Zared lost his balance as the white dragon swung up steeply out of the way of the fireballs. His staff went flying into the air, and he grabbed at a back ridge to steady himself but missed. Logan, seeing what was happening, leaned forward and grabbed for the wizard. His hand closed on the wizard’s cloak, but the material slipped between his fingers as Zared tumbled off the dragon’s back.
‘Silverhorn, Zared is falling!’ Logan shouted.
Hang on, Silverhorn rumbled as he executed another sharp turn and a steep dive to rescue the wizard.
The golden dragon’s laughter could be heard, even as they dived. We are indeed powerful.
Logan was the first to see Fireheart releasing the fireballs back towards them. He tried to warn Silverhorn, but the speed of the descent took his breath away. Just as the white dragon reached the wizard and scooped him up out of the air, the fireballs struck.
The first one struck Silverhorn’s right wing and he tipped sideways with his wing curled up in agony. The second hit him on his underbelly and Logan saw the ground racing towards them at an alarming speed.
‘Hold on,’ Alyxa yelled. Logan didn’t need telling twice. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the impact. It seemed to take far longer than he expected, and he opened his eyes just as the injured dragon landed on the snowy slopes of a mountain with an almighty thump.
Both Logan and Alyxa were thrown off into a large snowdrift where they lay for a few seconds, stunned. Logan thought he was seeing spots again as he sat up slowly, but quickly he realised that it was Braveheart returning with the rest of the blue dragons. He knew the blue dragon would not have been able to leave them to fight on their own.
‘Get them to go back!’ Alyxa shouted as she pushed her way up out of the snowdrift and began running up the mountain.
‘Why?’ Logan asked, confused. Surely they needed all the help they could get? He looked over and saw Silverhorn was lying unconscious on the ground. Zared lay next to him, still gripped in the dragon’s claw. The old man wasn’t moving and Logan felt a shiver of fear run through him.
‘I’m going to try to charm them, and if Myles doesn’t want the blues charmed again they’d better keep back a fair way,’ Alyxa called back. She was already slipping a leather necklace out from under her tunic as she climbed.
The five intruders were hovering a short distance from the remains of Red Mountain, obviously having decided that their enemy was well and truly defeated. They looked up as the formation of blue dragons came closer, only mildly annoyed and not seeing them as a threat.
‘Myles, take them back!’ Logan yelled up to the prince who was on Braveheart at the head of the blues.
‘Why?’ Myles swung Braveheart down closer and Logan climbed on his back.
‘Alyxa is going to charm them. They’re not as weak as the ones who were here before. They have magic of their own,’ Logan explained. ‘Even all these blues would not defeat them.’
Myles gave the signal to retreat and the golden dragon simply turned back to its examination of the blue shield surrounding its fellow kin.
‘We have to check out Zared and Silverhorn,’ Logan said, pointing to where Silverhorn was blending in with the snow.
‘Drop us there and get back to where you can’t hear Alyxa,’ Myles told Braveheart. The blue dragon obliged, and, as they rushed over to check on the old wizard, Logan heard Alyxa begin to sing.
The haunting, pure notes got the attention of the red and golden dragons instantly. They swung around towards Alyxa and flew right up to her, drawn by the sight of the crystal she was swinging in a wide circle.
‘Do you think she can do it?’ Myles asked, carefully turning the wizard over and checking his breathing.
‘She has to,’ Logan replied. ‘I can’t see any other way to defeat them.’
‘Zared’s alive, but not in good shape,’ Myles said, resting the wizard back on the ground with a mound of snow pressed together to support his head.
‘Silverhorn is breathing too,’ Logan said, putting his hand on the dragon’s chest. Silverhorn had shrunk to what was probably his natural size, which was still bigger than most blue dragons. ‘He’s burnt in several places.’
‘Put some snow on the burns,’ Myles suggested, and they piled snow on the burns they could see, while Alyxa continued singing high above them.
‘I think her charm is working,’ Logan said, gently sprinkling a little more snow on Silverhorn’s burnt wing. The huge dragon twitched in pain — to Logan that was a good sign; his friend was not dead.
The boys looked up and saw that the intruding dragons were still staring at the crystal as Alyxa’s voice reached the range only dragons could hear. Gradually she rotated the crystal slower and slower, until it hung motionless. The huge dragons simply stared at the crystal. Logan couldn’t see their eyes from here, but he was willing to bet they would be glazed and unfocused as all dragons’ eyes are when they are charmed.
‘Now what do I do with them?’ Alyxa called down to the boys. She was sounding relieved that her charm had worked. ‘I don’t know how long the charm will hold as they are very strong-minded.’
‘Send them into Red Mountain!’ Logan shouted back. It was the only thing they could do. It would risk weakening the spell that bound the others inside, but there was no other choice.
‘Join your fellow kin!’ Alyxa commanded, and pointed to the blue haze. Obediently the five dragons flew directly towards the rubble and went straight through the haze. The tiny red dragonets, seeing them do so, followed them in. When the dragonets turned and tried to come out again, they bounced back off the blue haze and stayed trapped within. The spell was holding.
Alyxa came hurrying down the mountain, tumbling as she tripped on a rock and landed a short distance from Silverhorn. ‘Are Silverhorn and Zared okay?’
‘They’re alive,’ Logan reassured her. ‘But not good.’
CHAPTER FIVE - ABANDONING RADOLK FALLS
Braveheart returned within a minute of the other dragons entering Red Mountain. He landed as close to the others as he could, considering the slope they were on, and leaned closer to see if he could help.
‘You could carry Zared back for us,’ Myles suggested when he saw the dragon’s eagerness to help. ‘We need to get a healer to look at him as soon as possible.’
They carefully sat the old wizard on the blue’s back. Myles sat behind him and Erik in front, to stop him falling again.
‘I’ll stay here and see if I can help Alyxa with Silverhorn,’ Logan told them. He was worried about his grandfather, but he knew there was nothing he could do.
‘We’ll take care of him,’ Myles called back as Braveheart leapt gently into the sky.
Silverhorn twitched and groaned just then, and Logan turned his attention to the white dragon — he knew Zared was in good hands.
‘Where does it hurt?’ Alyxa was asking as she gently moved first one of his front legs and then the other.
My wing, Silverhorn said shortly. And my head.
‘It’s actually a lot easier with dragons that can talk,’ Alyxa said, abandoning her methodical inspection and going straight to the dragon’s wing. It lay spread on the ground, covered by the snow Logan had piled on it. She gently brushed most of the snow away and then blew the rest off. A nasty burn, about the size of Logan’s head, had burned away most of the tough leathery hide that covered Silverhorn’s wings. ‘You did the right thing by putting snow on it, Logan. It has stopped any more damage being done.’
I will be fine in a day or so, as I heal very fast, Silverhorn said, gently moving his wing out of Alyxa’s reach and standing up slowly. How is Zared? Did I catch him?
‘Yes, you caught him. He was knocked out, just as you were, but I’m sure he’ll be fine too,’ Logan said, hoping he was right. Without Zared the valley had no defence against the red dragons if they escaped Red Mountain. Alyxa may be able to charm dragons, but he doubted that she could charm that many at one time and in the middle of an attack.
Where have Fireheart and his friends gone? Silverhorn said, looking around the valley as he stretched out his wing and tested its strength.
‘Alyxa sent them inside the sealing spell,’ Logan replied. ‘She charmed all five of them at once.’
I never would have believed I would say this, but charmers do come in handy at times, Silverhorn said with an attempt at a laugh to lighten the situation.
‘I think we need to go back and tell the people of Radolk Falls what has happened,’ Alyxa suggested. She pointed to the blue haze where angry dragons hissed and howled in frustration: ‘They have a right to know what is sitting in their back yard.’
I’ll take you back in a minute, Silverhorn offered.
‘Are you sure you’re okay to carry us?’ Logan asked. Now that the dragon was standing, he could see a burn on the dragon’s soft underbelly that was even larger than the burn on his wing.
It takes a lot to keep me down for long, Silverhorn assured him. I have a trick that helps.
Logan and Alyxa watched as the white dragon shrunk down the size of a tiny child. They had never seen him go so small. He stayed that size for only a few heartbeats before very slowly beginning to grow again. By the time he had reached adult human size, the dragon’s wing was almost healed. The burn was so small it was barely noticeable. The burn on the tender underbelly was still pink, but looked as though it had been healing for weeks, not minutes.
‘That’s impressive,’ Alyxa said, and Logan agreed as they both climbed on for the ride back to the palace.
Braveheart was still waiting outside the palace and he looked surprised to see Silverhorn flying so soon. They have taken the wizard to his quarters, he told them as they hurried up the palace steps.
It took Logan a while to find the wizard’s rooms — it seemed he would never find his way around the palace without getting lost. Silverhorn had shrunk down to human size and was lagging behind, doing a hop-hop-fly rhythm to ease the pain to his underbelly caused by walking.
Logan had expected the old wizard to be conscious by now, but Zared lay on the bed, eyes closed. Erik stood by his side, and he looked up as Logan and Silverhorn entered.
‘The healer has been and can do nothing for him,’ Erik told them. ‘There are no injuries except for a knock to the head. He said it is just a matter of time before Zared wakes up.’
‘So he’ll be okay?’ Logan asked, hurrying over to check on his grandfather for himself.
‘I suppose so,’ Erik replied. ‘Myles and Djana went to call a meeting to tell everyone about the dragons.’
‘Shouldn’t we wait until Zared is awake?’ Alyxa asked. ‘We need to know how long he thinks the spell on Red Mountain will hold.’
There isn’t time to wait. Silverhorn shook his large head slowly. Those dragons will be expected back at The Rift soon. When they don’t return, others will be sent to see where they are. It will not be long before they find the valley again.
Logan swallowed a lump in his throat as he tried to see a way out of the situation, but nothing came to mind. It seemed likely that the red and gold dragons would be back, whatever they did.
It was a rather subdued group that went up to join Myles and Djana. They left a guard watching the wizard, with instructions to send for them if there was any change in his condition. Logan wasn’t surprised when they ended up, once again, at the throne room. King Aemon was sitting on the largest throne and looked as though he intended to stay there. Djana was leading a group of elderly men into the room, while Myles was trying to engage his father in conversation. The prince not having much luck, because the king was paying more attention to the tray of food next to him.
‘Who are all these people?’ the king asked vaguely, looking merely irritated at having his meal interrupted. ‘Get rid of them, Myles. They must make an appointment to see me.’
‘Father, I’ve been trying to tell you that we need to have a meeting with the elders of the city,’ Myles said patiently. ‘We have problems.’
‘This is the first day in my newly found palace. If you don’t want to rule, then I will and nothing will ruin my day today,’ the king said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve and turning to the small crowd with an audible sigh. ‘Say your piece — then get out.’
‘The red dragons will be coming back,’ Djana said loudly, standing at the head of the group of men from the city and the village below. ‘We need a plan to defend ourselves.’
‘Red dragons?’ the king queried then turned to Myles. ‘Didn’t you say they had been defeated?’
‘It seems there are far more of them than we thought,’ Myles replied.
‘And the spell trapping the ones in Red Mountain may not hold for long,’ Erik added.
