As the Herald lay anchor in a small protected cover with only one small settlement on this southern peak of the world, we scanned the barely visible grouping of hamlets. The population would be barely cresting the hundreds. The few icy peaks in the distance would be the ice dragons’ lairs and a hidden field of ice and snow would be their mating grounds.
“There!” Sert called out. He pointed near the shore at a lone jutting wide spear of ice.
“And there!” Meli called back. She pointed toward a secondary lone ice spear. Before we departed the ship in a longboat, we had noted a dozen of these icy protrusions that were signs of a potential attack. The most clearly visible was a spire of ice sitting near the center of the village. Our longboat floated slowly towards the fishers’ shore by the closest spear of ice and best landing site for us. No one was there to greet us which was more worrisome as our feet touched the snowy sandy shores.
“This is wrong with how docile ice dragons are naturally.” Meli commented quietly. She clutched at her medical bag’s strap while staring at this first piece of evidence. “I believe we should examine the potential attack sites before speaking with the witness’ and town’s headman.” she suggested hushed. I nodded my head in silence agreement.
“I will arrange our lodgings in the village and meet you at that central spire of ice.” Sert informed us. He had already gathered the rest of our gear upon his back leaving me carrying my chest pouch and Meli her medical bag. As he walked away, we moved closer to the icy unnatural spikes. Clawed up timbers, soil, and icy snow seemed to be be pushing back from where the large ice shard sat with arm-sized slivers in the pathway between them. As we moved slowly from spear to spear, we noted the same odd pattern and gathered a handful of children observers.
“A dragon did that!” one of the boys stated to us.
“Did you witness it?” I asked calmly. I had crouched to be closer to their height as the group of children had formed a half circle behind the one who had spoken. I ran a hand along the furrows in the ground while waiting for his answer and to hide the real reason I had crouched.
“Aye!” the boy interjected. One or two of the other children nodded but remained silently a few steps away from his back. “It shuddered and clawed and made a funny sound as he spewed that ice chunk with a lot more pieces.” he told me when I glanced back at him. I glanced at Meli to assure she had heard this statement before turning to nod at the boy. Meli strolled over to the boy with a smile on her face.
“Thank you!” she told him. She pressed a few coins into his hand as she continued.”If any of you, or your friends, have witnessed the other dragon spots, we would appreciate your story of it.” I only half hide my chuckle as the boy’s eyes grew wide. She had assured us all the information we would need to solve this mystery much faster.
“Shall we proceed?” I asked Meli while rising. She nodded still smiling as the group of children followed us giving nearly matching stories in multiple voices. Our small contingency of helpful children grew as we neared the first hut of the village. We had already concluded that these were not attacks but signs of malaise that should be solvable once we discovered the source. Sert was waiting by the central spire of ice embedded into the side of the village stone.
“The village’s two lone guards stated that the dragon belched it out as it shot upward in a backward flight.” he told us as the children stood in a half circle behind us. A choirs of affirmations came from most of the dozen children to back his words.
“A very long and powerful burp?” Meli suggested. She had a half smile on her face. I nodded back.
“We have a case of sick dragons.” I concluded. With a happy sigh Meli nodded her agreement. Sert looked from her to me and back before nodding his head. “The headman will think us crazy from this explanation.” I added softly.
“Yes, but could he argue the words of our esteemed dragon hunter and our expert dragonologist?” he remarked with a smirk. The gasps and exclamations from the children had us turning to face them as they decided which was the hunter and which was the dragon expert. At least the reaction from the children hid the groans that escaped Meli and myself before we had turned. “May you guide us?” he asked the children that instantly formed a line for us to follow to the headman’s larger hut. The children we past fell in behind us as we marched with Sert in the lead and myself at the tail of our trio.
The woman that received us at the door of the hut quickly ushered us in while thanking the children for helping us find our way here. She was polite and friendly but a hint of nervousness vibrated her voice as she explained that the headman was injured and unable to meet with us. She informed us that she was his wife and would relate any information to him upon whatever matter we had to discuss with him. She stood by a box-like desk smiling as she waited for our reply. Her face clouded for but a moment as we mention we were the delegation sent from Atlantis to assist with their ice dragon problem.
“With my husband injured, I have been filling his shoes to the best of my abilities.” she repeated with the same casual calmness. “I can handle this business in his stead.” she added more directly. I derisive snort of a laugh had my companions turning to face me. They leveled dark glares at my odd and impolite reaction. The woman had stiffened ready to debate her right as his wife but my raised hand stopped her speech.
“Lies never become an intelligent woman.” I stated plainly to her. The hint of a blush and her shyly looking away from my eyes proved she understood what I had read from this small exchange. No special abilities required when a wife is too calm about an injured husband. “There has not been a headman in this village for a very long time while you are the head-woman we should deal with directly.” I explained quickly. Sert tilted his head before nodding. Meli closed her eyes as I read her reviewing the short conversation from this woman. She sighed realizing she had missed the signs that were very clear.
“True.” she interjected calmly. “Now what do you have to tell me?” she added business like. She had moved to sit behind the desk while motioning us to take seats. My companions moved to the desk with Sert standing behind the main chair while Meli sat in the secondary one. I took my place with them sitting facing this woman directly.
“You have very sick ice dragons.” I stated without wasting time. Her shoulders relaxed but did not slump as a relieved sigh came from her. She smiled in earnest towards us at my direct words.
“I am glad to hear a reasonable answer.” she replied. “Ice spires without injuries seemed to not be any form of attack to me.” she continued without us explaining our judgment in this matter. “I am Morag, head-woman and widow of the former headman.” she concluded. She held out a hand to me. I shook her hand while making introductions.
“I am Kestrel, sent from Atlantis with my guard Sertian and healer Mekiliean, to investigate as you requested.” I told her.
“Very well received you all are.” she answered shaking each of our hands in turn. “Now, how can we solve this problem and return peace to my village?” she asked. She was taking this matter seriously forgoing any other formalities to hinder our work.
“We have no solutions until we discovered what is the source of this ailment.” I admitted. A sadness filled her eyes.
“Once we know the source, we can take steps to either create a cure or find a natural solution.” Meli added in quickly. “We will visit their territory to continue our research.” she continued. Morag seemed to wilt at this.
“I pray you hurry since most of the hunters are considering activating a more permanent solution.” she returned slowly. I could see the pain this caused her and her nervousness hinted at how quickly those hunters wanted to solve it themselves.
“Sert, delay them without being seen.” I ordered quickly.
“And we go cure the ice dragons.” Meli interjected before I could say it. I nodded with a smile on my face.
“I thank you in advance for any assistance you can give us.” Morag stated before Sert had left the hut. She was already moving to throw on a thick fur mantle as we moved towards the door. I glanced at her as she seemed to dress to leave with us. “I must inform the hunters helping to delay them from heading out to hunt dragons.” she told me.
“And our silence about your situation here is our thanks for you seeing wisdom and reason.” I returned. We left the head hut to rush in different direction with our missions and duties firmly in mind. The land seemed to understand our need for speed as it pulled back to give us the fastest route to the mountains hiding the dragon caves. We passed more evidence of sickly dragons increasing in amount the closer we got to their lairs. As we reached the plateau, we still had not discovered the source but now a stench hit our nose before we saw the ice bull dragon sitting guarding the entrance of their caves. It roared once as the miasma wafted over us stronger. A loud series of burbs and convulsions made the large dragon shutter as it still glared at us. I ignored the stench of rancid dragon breath, striding forward while Meli held back affixing a breathing mask to her face.
The attack was swift and should have been terminal to any normal human. The glacier spat out from the dragon landing squarely upon me and around me. I did not dodge or avoid the attack, allowing it to encase me in ice. I did sense the sudden shock and fear mixture of emotions flooding Meli’s mind before I moved bringing the dragon’s attention back to me. A crack sounded clear in the air before the ice shattered into shards of ice from the vibrations I formed in my throat. To onlookers, I had not stopped and barely paused between my steps moving me directly at the ice bull dragon. It attempted a swipe with it’s large clawed frontal paw which I grappled easily holding it safely in my gloved hand. As I released slowly the absolute cold of deepest empty space, sparkling frost spread along the scales of it’s clawed hand as it howled in pain it’s never faced before.
“Taste the coldness of my domain and understand.” I howled back at it. “We are here to help and not harm your kind.” I continued in a softer tone. My face was inches from the bull dragon’s massive maw. The stench became stronger and more distinct to my assaulted nasal passages. Penguins was the cause of this indigestion issue for the ice dragon who rarely if ever eat that for meat.
“Penguin indigestion.” I yelled back to Meli.
“I do not think we have enough peppermint leaves to cover even a single dragon.” she replied as she now moved to join me. “And none of the local flora nor fauna would be of help.” she added. Even with the face mask in place, she breathed through her mouth to avoid the rancid stench.
“What about a mineral version?” I asked calmly. I still held the claw in a tight grip but had pulled back the cold I had been forcing him to feel. “Calcium or sodium based carbon deposits might do the trick since it is part of their natural diet, correct?” I suggested as we both planned a quick effective solution. I looked back at her seeing her standing with her eyes closed and feeling her earth senses vibrating into the ground surrounding us. Even with her abilities limited, I sensed she was using these limitation more effectively in her search for a mineral cure.
“We have a limestone veins sitting near the village and stretching out under it.” she announced with a sigh. “It explains why the ice dragons have been more often in the area of the village.” she continued. I sensed she was still searching if other sources of limestone were available nearby but it seemed in vain. “They have been trying to solve this problem themselves but something must be preventing them.” she added mildly annoyed.
“Finding why they have been feeding on penguin should put all this to rest.” I replied softly. I knew this could be a mistake from those that were shocked seeing dragons close to their village but why decide to feed them penguins. “Can you start pulling the vein closer to the surface for them to claw it out?” I asked fearing this would be beyond her limited abilities this far from Atlantis. “I am going to find their penguin provider with the help of our big friend here.” I continued casually. I release it’s claw and patted the side of it’s massive face. With grumbles, the bull dragon nodded. It slowly flexed it’s claw as the flakes of frost fell away from it.
“I will try but miners might be a better solution in the near future.” she answered haltingly. “I will ask Morag if they have miners within the village to assist me.” she concluded before rushing back towards the village. I allowed myself another mild abuse of my powers by bathing the ice numb claw of the dragon in liquid fire to return it to proper use quicker.
“Shall we be off?” I asked the ice bull dragon. I walked beside him noticing the traits of this creature. From his size and coloration, I knew this was the lead dragon for those residing here. Their wings would rarely be used unless they were trying to rush back to their lair preferring to walk on all four like oversized dogs. Our path curved wide but did slowly turn back towards the outskirts of the village. We stopped at the treeline looking towards what could only be a mining operation. As one of the other ill dragons moved to collect limestone from a stockpile present, humans rushed out to shove penguins into their mouth until they backed away. This was a cycle that only made the ice dragons getting sicker while the cure was sitting being protected by humans that may not know what they are causing. As the second dragon got feed penguins, the bull dragon beside me growled and hiss as it started moving forward. I moved to be diagonally in front of him.
This is when I spotted Meli and Morag rushing toward the mining area. I felt the anger and power shooting from Meli as a spear of limestone knocked the penguin carrying men aside to reach the third dragon’s maw and start healing itself. Her blood lust was empowering her but she held it in a tight controlling grip with her protective nature. Morag was already pulling out an axe charging at these men to chase them away from the limestone stockpile. Other limestone spears broke through the icy surface by the other younger dragons that waited to attempt getting limestone for their bubbling tummies. Morag screams of anger and vicious slices had the miners running into the mine shaft leaving the ice dragons a chance to feed on limestone. I increased my pace to join into the fight as the one that ran into the mine returned with help to push back the dragons with barrels of penguins. I heard the roar of the bull dragon as it stomped behind me to help his brood. Between axe swings from Morag, my fists, the bull dragon’s tail swipes, and Meli moving the ground beneath the feet of the dozen miners, we quickly had them all captured while the dragons feed on the limestone they needed desperately.
“Your dragons should be back to normal and peaceful soon enough.” I informed Morag as we stood guarding the captured miners. “If this hunger for profit continues, you will be dragon food.” I told the miners. The glare Morag gave them showed that she agreed to my threat upon them. “As long as the limestone is set aside for the dragons, anything else pulled from the rock is acceptable to be claimed.” I stated to Morag.
“Keeping their greed in check and our dragons healthy is a good plan.” she returned quickly with a broad smile.
“The penguins feed to them made them sick.” Meli explained, She had joined us while the ice dragons feed and returned towards their lair in silence, except the bull dragon. It remain within a respectful distance from us but still was not leaving in his pacing at the edge of our group. “The limestone helps them digest which is what they require presently.” Meli had continued while I noted the activities around us. “Limestone is part of the natural diet which includes fishes and trees but not penguins.” she concluded with an exasperated sigh towards the miners.
“All this was caused by these miners looking to profit from selling the limestone for constructions northwards.” Morag grumbled. Her icy glare at the miners felt colder than what the dragon’s claw had felt in my hand. “Now you will mine until all the dragons are cured and keep them a supply ready for their daily meals.” she ordered them. “If you fail, you will be place in a dingy and set loose on the flow.” she concluded. This outcome for their failure meant a long painful death sentence. At her words, the ice bull dragon moved forward toward us but it’s eyes were locked on her.
I must say honestly that I was amazed at her reaction to having a massive bull dragon looking at her as it approaching. She turned to see him nearing us. She smiled closed mouth to it before performing an odd half curtsy and half bow at it without losing eye contact with him. I felt no fear coming from this woman as she stood facing a dragon that moved until it’s nose was nearly touching her. The straggled gasps from Meli matched my shock as we both felt the magic essence of the dragon reaching out to touch Morag’s spirit. We were witnessing a miracle that was truly rare even for us. We felt the soul link bond that formed between this bull dragon and Morag. She would be the second human that has ever soul-linked with a dragon.
All the benefits and problems associated with a soul-link with a dragon rushed back into my mind with memories of Arry and Skydancer. Their lifespans being matched making Morag age slower meaning she would live for few more centuries. Either her or the dragon could die causing the other to die as well but she would live as long as the dragon. The biggest difference here was that she was not a child like Arry, and her dragon was about five hundred years old unlike the barely fifteen year old Skydancer. The ice bull dragon would protect her and, in turn, protect the village knowing she would protect the him and his dragons.
Our return to the village was an odd parade. Meli and Morag walked ahead with the bull dragon following them closely while I drifted along behind. I noticed Meli glancing back while she spoke with Morag. A small shock glance from Morag at the bull dragon had him prancing and wagging it’s tail. He acted like a dog that had found his perfect owner. I did not laugh holding my mirth tightly around me as I followed. A few more glances from both Morag and Meli with the bull dragon releasing soft growls or dancing for Morag was a wondrous sight. Sert looked but hid his shock as a dragon pranced behind Morag to lay by her hut while Meli and her entered to discuss about what had happened behind Morag’s back. I informed him I would return to the shore to meditate until Meli was done instructing the newest dragon soul-linked human. He did look worried but remained to escort Meli to the shore where I would be waiting. In true, I needed to prepare myself for what I faced next with the sealed gate that I needed to recharge for the next millennium, and what lay trapped behind that monster’s chamber.
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