novelxo Chapter Chapter Three
After sixteen hours of traveling, Tanis arrived at the great cave harboring the greatest of dragons. He hesitated just a moment as he looked at the entrance to the great lizard’s lair. The sprawling opening nearly forced him to retreat, until the thoughts of Charina in the Tree made him steel his courage and enter the great darkness before him. Tanis believed that all the light in the world had been swallowed by that darkness at the opening to the cave. It was darkness like the deepest night and as quiet as the deepest sleep. As Tanis progressed, he felt the hot breath of the creature wash over him in waves as the creature breathed. As that breath grew warmer his resolve also began to buckle, but one thought of Charina was enough to force him to continue on. He must return with a scale.
It was not long before he neared the fearsome beast. As he approached, he sensed that something was dreadfully wrong. He heard the movement of the great beast deep inside his lair and Tanis felt the blood freeze inside his veins. But the young man continued undaunted. He paused for a moment to tighten the straps of his armor and draw the Holy Avenger. As he finally approached the ancient creature he realized that he had forgotten to place his shield on his arm. It now hung uselessly from his back. The creature lifted its great head and gazed upon the now terrified Tanis standing before it.
“SO YOU HAVE COME TO SLAY ME HAVE YOU, YOUNG WANT TO BE DRAGON SLAYER?” roared the great dragon. “OR ARE YOU ANOTHER OF THOSE LOVE BLINDED FOOLS COME TO STEAL ONE MY PRECIOUS SCALES TO PROVE YOURSELF?”
Young Tanis squared up his shoulders and raised the sword before him. He trembled under the gaze of the great beast, but he still spoke as steadily as he would have to any one of his friends growing up. “Sir Dragon,” he began, “I have not come to steal from you nor do I mean you any harm. I seek your permission to borrow one of your precious scales so that I can prove myself worthy of a marriage that a great beast will not permit. If you can find it in your wisdom to allow me this favor, I will return to you your scale. I will hold myself in your debt for the rest of my life.”
“Noble words young man.” Said the great wyrm. “You are really in love with this young woman? Even coming here is risking death or worse, come into the light so that I may see you better.”
Young Tanis did not know what to do or say so he took a step forward. He stiffened his back as the dragon moved down to peer at him. Its breath stank of sulfur and the boy almost grimaced as the great maw came ever closer. The dragon’s great eye never blinked as it passed over the young warrior. After a close examination, the dragon reached out and grasped Tanis and lifted him into the air. The dragon carried the young man to the edge of the nest and set him upon it. The great beast turned around in his nest and reached into it. When the dragon withdrew his great hand in it stood a single sparkling scale.
“For your courage and your manners, I will give you this scale. It is the only one I have ever lost and I soon recovered it. The young man was a good thief but his remains sit at the bottom of that pile of want to be dragon slayers and scale hunters that have tried since.” The dragon snickered as he pointed to the pile of bones in the corner. “There are not many any longer that make the attempt and it pleases me that at least they still teach manners to their young out there. I find that law of your precious elven people to be revolting. All any of them had to do was ask for a scale as you have and I would have parted with one. All that death and destruction, for what? Let no one take that scale from you. It will be stronger in your defense than that one of iron on your back there.” At that the dragon giggled again, a sound like the rumble of a volcano before eruption. “Now, tell me of the new elven king. Tell me of the world outside; it has been a century since I have left the confines of my cave. Do your people still fight amongst themselves outside? War is another of the great wastes you know. Tell me what you know of the world and I will give you another great gift, the aid of the dragons whenever you have the need. Maybe the dragons and the humans can once more share knowledge between each other as we once did at great length with your ancestors.”
The great wyrm sat and fastened the scale to the shield on the boy’s back with his own breath. “Fusing metal with the scales of a dragon. I never thought I would see the day. It was always forbidden but now that the old pacts are gone-maybe some new ones can be forged just as we forged that shield and scale. It is definitely worth a try.” Said the dragon.
So the young man sat with the dragon and they discussed the news of the world that the boy knew. The two spent most of the day and part of that night sitting and talking of the world in general, and of the world as it once was. A world of peace and tranquility. A world in a constant search of knowledge instead of power. That night both dragon and boy slept in the dragon’s nest and at sunrise yet another surprise came to pass.
“Climb up on my back boy. I need to get out and stretch my wings how about a ride into your village. Today you will ride like the Kings of Old!” The dragon lowered his head and the boy climbed up onto the back of the dragon and the great beast began the short flight to the young man’s village.
Back in the village, the elders ran for weapons and called for all those with them to form a line for a dragon approached. They looked on in amazement as the dragon lowered his head and the boy jumped from his perch on the dragon’s back. “Be still old men. You asked for a scale but instead I bring you the whole dragon!”
This brought forth many cheers and cries of admiration from all those who had gathered and they quickly began a multitude of questions to both the boy and the dragon. Tanis ran for the Tree of Confinement as he heard the rumbled replies of the dragon behind him. If dragons could smile, this one was grinning from ear to ear.
Meanwhile, inside the Tree of Confinement Charina was settling in for her two day stay. The interior of the tree was spacious enough for some comfort but not for a lot of movement. She felt the darkness pressing down on her inside the tree and figured it was just her imagination. As Charina settled in, her eyes began to lose focus and before her spread the lives of those around her. First it was her mother’s life. It was noticeably missing the end after the wedding of Charina and Tanis. Charina did not understand and did not care to. The relationship there was strained at best.
Then the life of her father was revealed to her and again many segments were missing. How was it that she should not be able to see the lives of herself and her family in detail? Why not show all? Why tantalize with small tidbits of information? She was thinking of these things when her life was shown to her. As she watches the events that were to unfold, Charina fainted into sleep.
After what seemed an eternity, she was awakened by the feel of a hand on her arm. Startling awake she figured her time inside was complete and was to leave. Charina looked around herself and saw that the door was as firmly sealed as before. Leaning back against the trunk again Charina tried to fall back to sleep. Again she felt the hand on her arm and opened her eyes looking at the shimmering figure before her. “Who are you and what would you have of me?” asked Charina. “Speak to me! Tell me what it is you seek!” she screamed at the apparition before her.
“Be still friend. I am a friend. I have lain where you lay. I have been here where you are. Fear lies inside this place waiting for you. If you give in to that fear you will never leave as I have not. I would spare you that fate if I can child. Listen well. Many of the spirits that inhabit this tree are not as kind or benevolent as I. Listen to none of them for their advice can mean death or worse for you. I cannot linger but heed my warning young one. The tree is full already with the souls of those who have passed before and since I have and I wish no more be trapped here with us. Remember! DO NOT FOLLOW ANY THAT MAY COME TO YOU! Especially Him. I must go. Be well and remember true love will get you through.” Said the spirit.
Charina called after the ghost, “Please do not go. Who are you? Who is the him you speak of? Please do not leave me. Tell me more.” But her pleas were to the air for the spirit had already faded away to nothing with only a parting wave and a smile. Other ghosts where to come thought Charina. She hoped the rest would be a little more forthcoming than this one. She had already forgotten the warning of the ghost.
After a short time Charina was again awakened by another ghost. This one was a man who looked down at her with a great smile and a shine to eyes and his body. Where the first spirit had appeared as a mist, this spirit looked more solid and appeared to be no more than a man with glowing eyes and a glowing body. Well shaped this ghost was as attractive as any man she had ever seen. Holding out his hand he bid her follow him. “You seek to rise above your station in life, child, don’t you?” spoke the spirit with a voice so velvety that the words were almost missed by Charina. “You wish to marry not for love but for ambition. You wish to be greater than yourself don’t you? You figure marrying a prince will solve all your problems don’t you. Do not try to lie to me. I know all child. I can help you win your prince. Follow me and I will show you the way to gain your prince for life. You do not believe that he really has gone to the lair of the great wyrm do you? He would not risk his life for you child. A peasant woman with nothing, a prince wants you only for one thing, he will not risk everything for you. He sees only a lover, not a woman. He wants you for a toy no more. Follow me. I will show you what you must do to prevent losing your prince.”
Suddenly the first spirit’s warning rang into her ears, “Beware of the other spirits especially him.” Charina asked the spirit, “Sir, if you speak true, then why did another come to me and tell me to be wary of you? Do you lead me to danger? What is it that you require of me? Speak and I will follow you but not until then.”
The spirit laughed and pointed to a path leading down from where she stood inside the tree. At the first it looked sturdy and safe, but as she came closer she saw the damage done prior by those who had attempted the path before. Large stones gave way beneath her weight as she shifted near the path. It was definitely a dangerous way to go she and decided not to go. “Spirit is what you lead me to beneath these roots? Where do you take me? Who are you?”
“Child do you really not know me? I am the stealer of souls. I am He Who Would Take You to Death. I am the Betrayer of Fools. I take you to my master, Death, so that he would feed me your soul. A tender treat it will be too. That is the secret of this tree. It houses those who failed to realize the dangers they were in. You will follow me to my master and belong to me. It is too late for you to do otherwise. The few that come out of this tree come out because they were strong enough to resist my charms. I see your looks upon me. I see the dazzle in your eyes when I speak. You will follow me. Another victim of the tree.” Spoke the spirit in the silky voice that held Charina in sway.
Charina took a step toward the path and the spirit moved forward looking and trying to draw her on. Suddenly the words struck Charina. Startled, she leaped to the roots on which she was placed upon entering the tree. “You almost claimed me spirit! But I am wise to you now and will not fall for your pretty face and velveteen voice. It will take more from you to lead me to my death. I have seen the future and you are not in it. Tell your master to come for me if he wants my soul so badly. For he will have to fight to get it from me. You are powerless now spirit. Be gone from me. I have no desire for you, only for my prince for whom I wait. Be gone!”
Outside the Tree, Tanis had just arrived.