Chapter 27 （Elaine）The Lost Egg
Chapter 26 (Samantha)
The Lost Civilization
I lay in bed, enjoying Viktor’s warmth. I’d become much more attached to the vampire than I’d originally thought. He was doing everything he could to please me, and it worked. He’d told me again yesterday that he was looking forward to having children, and I let myself think that it might be nice when Alastor’s prophecy was fulfilled to become a mother. My eyes fell on the sleeping vampire. Even in his sleep, he smiled carelessly. Life as a king didn’t affect him, and I sighed, thinking how I’d love to have the same naiveté.
I got up, taking care not to wake him. I dressed and headed for the royal library.
I had put The Dark Arts of Manipulating Time on a pedestal. I’d spent several hours reading it and was delighted to see that it contained all the information about the Rod of Origins. The artifact originated from an ancient civilization that was highly advanced in magic. No one knew where they came from or who they were. Their city had many majestic walls and floated on water, but for some unknown reason, it suddenly sank. It seemed all the more strange that they were advanced, so it seemed to me that they could surely have saved their city.
Alas, the exact location of this ancient civilization was still unknown. No one ever found the ruins of their city. Some believe it to be lost in a temporal drift or an ethereal sea, but no proof has been found.
Only a few artifacts and scrolls have been found that tell of the existence of these ancient people. All that has been found comes from the Ancient Crystal Field to the east of Ichoryllia. No one was sure where these enormous crystals had grown from. Some believed the field was a defense mechanism from the old civilization that had fallen from the city before it disappeared; others still thought it had been a survival portal effort. It was a mystery, and the place was highly charged with magical powers. Anyone passing by was at risk of being altered by the magic—so much so that no one dared venture there.
Whatever the case, this was where the Rod of Origins originated. But the drawing depicting it in the book differed from the wand I held. Rather than being a long, straight metal rod with a crystal at the end, the book featured a rod with three tips in the shape of a trident. In the center was a large crystal, and smaller crystals were on the other two tips.
It wasn’t until I saw the image in the book that I noticed marks on the Rod of Origins stem, suggesting that another piece had once been attached to it. It was incomplete, which explained why it couldn’t be activated. The only way to revive Scorchfire would be to find the missing piece, and I was convinced it was at the Ancient Crystal Field. But I didn’t have enough force to get there, despite my royal powers. I needed a mage who could withstand the dangers of this place, and no one in the Mi?onblooders was powerful enough to go.
Two strong hands rested on my shoulders. “I knew I’d find you here.”
I placed the Rod of Origins on the pedestal and faced Viktor. “How many hours did you spend studying this book?”
“I came to join you in bed late last night. I just got up a few minutes ago.”
He winked. “Okay, I’ll take your word for it. It’s only because your clothes are different from yesterday.”
I couldn’t help but love it when he teased me. I liked that our marriage hadn’t changed his playful young vampire personality. He pointed to the artifact. “Have you figured out how to use it?”
“Almost,” I replied. “But a new problem has arisen.”
He nodded. “All problems are best solved when your stomach is full.”
If only it were that simple, but I nodded and followed him toward the dining room. Plates full of eggs and sausages were already waiting for us, and generous dishes filled with fruit decorated the table. It wasn’t until I started eating that I realized how hungry I was. After the meal, I felt energized and ready to tackle the world. I told Viktor, “You were right. The problems will probably be easier solved now.”
The vampire smiled broadly. But it was time for public consultations, and I went to the throne room with Viktor. The guards let people in. The room quickly filled with people who had problems or requests for us. Their numbers had dwindled since I took over, but they were there nonetheless.
People filed past us one by one. Lysander was in charge of giving us the titles and names of the vampires who approached us, but most of them were just ordinary citizens.
I’d been dreading these sessions for the past few days as orc attacks became increasingly frequent. And so, they all came to ask that we end the creature raids.
I had collected a few names for the battalion to be sent to Kelgraz. I was delighted to see that the recent change in reward had paid off. A large number of vampires had volunteered. Word had spread to the other races, and several elves had also come forward, along with a few werewolves.
I intended to round them up soon and get them going. So, today’s session was easy, as I could reassure the worried vampires that we’d soon be retaliating.
A vampire stepped forward, and I felt like I’d seen him before. He was tall and wore a long black trench coat. His blue eyes were piercing, and his long black hair was tied back in a man bun. At his side was a woman, a human. Her black hair was neatly combed, and she wore a black dress of refined lace. The only hint of her status was the necklace she wore, adorned with a black gem attached to the leash the vampire held in his hand. I thought the vampire had a rather refined care for his pet.
Lysander cleared his throat. “This is Lord Dumoulin and his human pet.”
I turned the name over as the vampire and human bowed to me. Lord Dumoulin. Where had I heard that name? It was only after a short while that I remembered he was the one who had repaired my broken grand piano a few weeks ago. The man had a good reputation among the vampire nobility.
“Lord Dumoulin,” I acknowledged politely.
The man looked up at me while the human accompanying him kept her eyes on the ground. It was unusual for a vampire to visit me with his pet, but at least he had trained her well.
He stepped forward. “Your Majesty, I humbly ask your permission to turn this human into a vampire.”
Viktor stared at me at these words. I glanced back at him. He was as surprised as me by the request. I then looked at the man before me. Turning humans into vampires was a delicate procedure. There was a risk of failure; the human could die, but there was also a threat to the general population. If the newly transformed vampire wasn’t properly cared for, it could turn rogue and kill countless people. This had happened in the past and was feared by all.
“It’s forbidden to turn humans,” I replied.
“That’s why I’m asking your permission,” replied the vampire.
He was right. Only royalty could authorize the turning of a human. But it was still a very odd request, and I wasn’t about to say yes just like that.
The vampire continued, “Given the services I have rendered to the crown and the people, I was hoping you would be able to accept my request.”
“The crown well appreciates the services rendered by your family, but they seem insufficient to justify turning your pet into a vampire.”
The man took a deep breath. “She’s not just my pet, Your Majesty. Esmeralda is my mate.”
I froze. Sure, I knew about fated mates, but I’d never felt the need to search for my own. Marriage served a purpose—if you were lucky, love flourished within it. The reverse was not true.
But I knew that many vampires believed in love and that there were records of fated mates everywhere. Still, it seemed cruel to be married to a human since they lived for such a short time. I didn’t agree with hybrids either. Turning this woman into a vampire seemed like a good idea, after all. She’d live longer and give birth to pure vampires, even if she wouldn’t be as good a quality as a born vampire.
“I understand and will grant you an exception to turn this woman into a vampire. But I expect you to take all the necessary steps to ensure it goes smoothly without a hitch.”
The vampire understood what I meant. He clasped his hands together and bowed. “You have my sincere gratitude,” he expressed before leaving.
I watched the vampire leave with his mate, hoping he could be happy with her. My thoughts turned to Viktor. Since I’d married him, he’d done everything he could to keep me happy. I’d been so preoccupied with the kingdom and Alastor’s prophecy that I hadn’t realized how much I liked him. But seeing Lord Dumoulin and his pet reminded me there was more to life than power. Maybe one day, I’ll take the time to appreciate the simpler things. I knew Viktor wanted that too.
The few vampires who passed by afterward were a mortal bore. I refused some requests and approved others.
We were almost at the end of the session when a man shouted, “Let me through! I want to see the queen! ”
I was surprised to see a human running into the throne room, my guards following him. He was a slender man with long black hair. Viktor stood up, ready to seize the individual, but I stopped them all with a gesture. I wasn’t afraid of a human, and the situation was rather unusual.
Viktor sat back down, and the guards stopped, staying close to the human to intervene if necessary. The man stopped dead and stared at me before bowing slightly.
I began, “Well, you have great courage to come to my court. There’s nothing to stop me from having you caught and sent to the slave stores.”
The man clenched his fists but kept his cool.
“The reason I’ve come will ensure that you won’t do that, Your Majesty,” he replied.
“That’s a bold statement for a human, but you’ve piqued my curiosity. Speak.”
The man took a deep breath. “I heard your call for volunteers. I want to go to Krelgraz.”
My lip curled. This man never ceased to surprise me.
“You understand it’s dangerous,” I mentioned, wanting to ensure the human understood the risk. “It’s possible you won’t return.”
It wasn’t much that I cared about the man’s life. Curiosity drove me to ask the question. Only people with a minimum of magical power were likely to return alive. The only humans on the team were criminals or slaves who had been offered freedom if they survived.
“Of course,” the man replied gravely. “But I’ve got to go,” he added quickly. “My sister is kept prisoner there.”
I raised an eyebrow. What were the orcs up to? It didn’t sound good. All the more reason to send the squad out as soon as possible and hope they’d sort out the orcs. If things got any worse, I’d have no choice but to intervene with the army, and I wanted to avoid that at all costs.
“What’s your name?” I asked the man.
“Darryl,” he replied. “A simple herbalist. At your service.”
“Darryl, welcome to the squad.”
The man relaxed, relieved at my decision. I told the guards, “Take him to the barracks where the others stay. Show him how things work around here. They’ll be leaving in a few days.”
Darryl bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Turning to Lysander, I added, “Close the doors. That’s enough for today.”
The servant complied. Viktor stood up and offered me his hand. “Would you like to come for a walk in the gardens?”
He knew how much I enjoyed the gardens. I took his hand and smiled at the feel of his skin. He kissed the top of my hand, his lips lingering. I stood up and nodded. I could use a moment’s rest, and Viktor’s company would be more than perfect. Once I’d relaxed, I would return to finding a solution to find the missing piece of the Rod of Origins. My heart pounded at the thought of being alone with my husband as I followed him to the gardens.
Chapter 27 (Elaine)
The Lost Egg
I returned to the mage’s tower, dumbfounded. I knew the king was tainted with dark magic, but still couldn’t believe he said that resurrecting dragons was secondary. Why was he sending me to take a prisoner to the vampire queen? He could send any soldier.
Darkness had won over the king far more than I had feared. I had no choice but to tell him about the elves losing their magic. He would have known anyway. But I was glad I didn’t tell him about the heart or the artifact.
I’d felt an incredible unknown force throughout the throne room. It was my duty to guard the magical balance of our world. With elven magic disappearing and new magic coming from the king, everything was in jeopardy.
I had to restore the balance of magic, but I couldn’t do everything at once. I had to start with restoring the draconic race. After that, I’d have to address what was happening with the king. I dreaded this moment. That elf who brought me up in the castle and always believed in me was no longer the same person. I no longer trusted him.
Oswald was in the back of the big library with the young recruits. The children listened attentively to lectures on the magical history of our world. They drank in his words, their eyes fixed on the high elf. It was beautiful to see their innocence and purity. There was a time when I was like that. I couldn’t remember when I’d become aware of the world’s corruption, but I envied them.
I sat in an armchair and waited for Oswald to finish his tale. He explained the differences between fairies and nymphs, even mentioning the now-extinct air nymphs and the role of each in the magical ecosystem.
The children went off to play, and Oswald’s orange eyes locked on mine. “What’s going on? You wouldn’t come to my reading just for fun.”
I stood, half smiling. “You know me well.”
The elf smiled back, friendly but apprehensive. There wasn’t much to hide, and he knew something was up. “The king is sending me to the vampire city.”
“What?” he asked. “Are you serious? What about the dragons?”
I scoffed. “It looks like dragons are secondary. I have to deliver a prisoner to the vampire queen.”
“A prisoner,” he repeated .
I nodded. “Soldiers will accompany you as well.”
My friend looked discouraged. “Okay, and the fact that you’re here right now means I’m involved somehow?”
I bit my lower lip. “You’re coming with me.”
“Did the king request it?”
I shook my head. “No. He asked that I bring a mage with me. I’m the one who wants to have my friend with me on the trip.”
A wide smile spread across his face at these words, his eyes shining with fire. “Then it will be my pleasure to accompany you.”
I was pleased with his reaction. “We leave today. There’s only time to prepare what you need for the journey.”
He nodded and began walking toward the rooms with me, the warmth of his body close to mine. I was glad he’d agreed to come. It would make the trip more pleasant.
I didn’t need much clothes. Only the ones I was wearing were sufficient. It was a studded leather robe enchanted with a protection spell. I loved how the neckline fitted almost perfectly with my embedded jewels.
I sucked in a breath, my green eyes staring back at me. I’d made up my mind. I couldn’t risk the king finding the heart. It was too powerful magic to be kept in the hands of a single elf.
I got my large leather bag out and stuffed my spell bag in it. It’s not that I needed it—I knew most of my spells by heart—but I preferred to have it just in case. I opened my magical laboratory’s door and took the amber glass vessel. Scorchfire’s claw emitted magic from the sealed container. I put it at the bottom of my bag. I carefully got the obsidian urn from my shelf. It was larger than the one carrying the claw. Ironically, it looked like the urn the Shadow Weavers used to conceal the heart at the cathedral—my heart sank at this thought, reminding me of Mitra’s sacrifice. I wanted to find a different container for the heart but couldn’t settle on any other one. It was like the heart had chosen the container for it, and I had no choice but to obey.
“You’re bringing it with you, aren’t you?”
I gasped at Oswald’s voice and turned, holding the urn tightly against my chest. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t hear him enter. The elf burst out laughing.
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone,” he added heartily.
I relaxed at his words, stuffing the urn in my bag before adding a hooded tunic. “I can’t trust the king with the heart.”
I searched for more words, trying to justify further, but Oswald nodded and said, “I understand, and I agree.”
“I’m glad you agree,” I answered, relieved. The last thing I wanted was for my friend to doubt me.
I closed my bag, and we headed for the castle entrance. Oswald wore light leather armor and had two daggers at his belt. He was one of the few mages I knew who liked to fight with a weapon. I’d always found his preference curious but respected his choice. I much preferred magic, but I had to remember that not all mages had the same strength as me. I was born with a gift for magic—God’s mage if I were to believe the castle servants. I had always laughed at the title they gave me, but something tugged at my soul, telling me it was true.
At last, we reached the entrance. The king had come himself to see us off. At the king’s side were two heavily armed guards and a dwarf bound in chains. He may have been small, but the courage of the world shone in his brown eyes. His red hair and beard were dirty and unkempt, but I could still make out the trace of royalty and honor he carried within him. He glared hatefully at us as we came up.
“Elaine, I’ve been expecting you,” said the king.
I bowed to the king, and the prince called out, “You scum! You’ll pay for this! The dwarves haven’t said their last word.”
I was startled when a guard slammed into the prince, blood pouring from his nose from the impact.
“Shut up!” he growled.
It was wrong—so wrong. Guilt gripped my stomach. I was against the war. It was bad enough, but to take a prisoner? Was it not sufficient to kill the king and queen? The king’s greed disgusted me.
The king pointed to the prisoner. “Deliver him personally to the queen. Is that clear?”
It was the second time he’d insisted on this, and I wondered why but nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
He gave me a stern look, studying me. Any trace of benevolence he’d once had was gone. He was grim, and I dreaded him now.
“If you fail, you will be killed.”
The king’s words struck me, and I stood there, mouth agape. I’d never thought he would threaten my life. I swallowed my saliva and nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
He gestured with his hand. “Now go. I don’t want to see you anymore.”
He turned and walked back into the castle. The two guards pulled the prisoner forward as he burst with laughter while Oswald and I were nailed to the spot in stupefaction.
“You told me he had been tinged with darkness, but I never imagined it would be that bad,” whispered my friend, fright filling his voice.
We walked together, following the guards and the dwarf. The sun was low on the horizon, and I was pissed that we were leaving in the evening. Ichoryllia wasn’t that far, but leaving at this time meant we could only walk so much before stopping for the night. I preferred to avoid walking close to the river, so we took a wider path to the west, closer to the big chain of mountains and caves near the Valley of Nysa.
No one really went to the old ancient battlegrounds of the valley anymore. Some said the spirits of fallen warriors haunted it. But I knew it wasn’t true. Nature ruled the valley, now home to the wood nymphs and fairies. I liked to venture there once in a while. The fairies were friendly, and strong magical force emanated from the valley, allowing my embedded jewels to harness it fully. It was safer than going into the forest near the river anyway. There had been way too many recounts of people disappearing for me even to desire venturing in.
I appreciated the scent of wet grass as we stepped on it. Owls hooted in the trees, and frogs croaked as the sun fully set, the light from the day making way for the beauty of the stars. Fireflies flew by as we walked, lighting our path.
But the magic of the evening was ruined by the prisoner we were bringing along. The dwarf kept fighting and cursing all the way. One of the guards motioned to hit him again, but I stopped him.
“What’s your name?” I asked the dwarf .
“What does it matter to you?” he asked, grimacing.
“If we’re going to travel together, I would like to know your name, unless you prefer that I call you dwarf ?”
He pondered, staring away, then looked back at me. “My name’s Yugrid. I’m the proud prince of the dwarven kingdom.”
The dwarven kingdom. It didn’t exist anymore, but I understood his fury. I would react the same way if someone were to attack the elves. Even if the castle fell, it would still be my kingdom, and I would stand by it and give my life to restore it.
“Listen, Yugrid. I don’t like doing this, but it would make the trip more enjoyable for everyone if you could cooperate and stop fighting.”
“Why are you doing it then? Set me free and return to your castle.”
His words shocked me. If I was to release a prisoner . . .
“We will be killed if we do this,” answered Oswald sternly.
I was glad for my friend’s intervention. Oswald was right. Yugrid didn’t answer anything, and we started walking again. This time, the dwarf cooperated and followed.
The sound of branches snapping under the footsteps of animals scurrying as we passed broke the silence surrounding us. We walked like this for hours, a light mist forming in the tall grass, like a blanket of clouds caressing the flowers before they set. We were close to the mountains of the Nysa Valley when the moon was high in the sky. We were about halfway there, and Yugrid started complaining that he was tired. We decided to camp for the night. We could reach Ichoryllia by the end of the day tomorrow, and we’d be done with this task.
Oswald gathered twigs and branches, and I lit them with a spell. The guards sat around the fire, keeping a close eye on the dwarf. Joining them was inviting, but my friend beckoned me to follow him a few yards further.
“What should we do with Yugrid?” he asked.
“What about him?” I asked, wondering what he meant.
“Should we cast a paralysis spell on him?”
The idea hadn’t crossed my mind. “The spell’s effect won’t last all night,” I thought aloud.
“That’s true. But it’s always an option.”
“I wouldn’t want the prisoner to run away and for the king to kill me, but I think the paralysis spell is a bit overkill. It’ll take mana, and we’ll have to cast it several times throughout the night. Plus, the spell will keep him awake.”
“So what?” asked Oswald casually.
“The dwarf needs to sleep if he’s to walk tomorrow. Plus, he’ll be of better company if he can sleep. Let’s just take turns standing guard.”
Oswald’s orange eyes studied me for a moment, glowing with a fiery gleam. “It’s almost like you want to make friends with the prisoner,” he chuckled. “All right, let’s settle for guard duty,” he replied gently.
We joined the others around the fire. The guard tours were decided, and everyone settled down to sleep. Yugrid was close to the guards. Oswald was on one side, and I was on the other. All in all, there were people watching the dwarf from all sides. I lay down but kept my eyes fixed on the prisoner. After a while, I was delighted to see that he was dozing off .
I may have been tired, and the night was quiet, but I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned but never managed to doze off. The kingdom’s worries tormented me, preventing me from sinking into dreams. I needed to find a way to save the king. I had no idea what would become of me after this journey. Seeing how the king was when we left, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to return to the castle anymore. I was filled with worries about the elven magic disappearing. Then, there was the matter of resurrecting dragons. It was like my brain wouldn’t shut up. How I wish I could have Mitra’s arms around me right now.
I was just thinking about all this when I heard a noise. I opened my eyes without moving. The fire was only amber and barely lit, but I could easily make out Yugrid rising discreetly with my nyctalopic vision. The guard who was supposed to be awake had fallen asleep at his post.
I didn’t even have time to think about it when the prisoner was on his feet, hands tied, running away. The dwarf was much stealthier than I’d expected. I got up immediately and ran after him. I shouted to try and wake up the others, but I didn’t have time to wait. The dwarf was running too fast, and I had to run at full strength to avoid losing his trail. He kept changing direction, moving too fast for me to cast a spell, so following him was my best option.
He ducked into a crevice in the ground. The entrance was so small that I had to crouch down to enter. The dwarf quickly maneuvered in the small opening, but I was advancing slowly. The smell of earth and mushrooms surrounded me as I squeezed through the bits of root leading out into the tunnel. I realized there was no way this passage could have formed naturally. Someone had clearly dug it. The most important thing was to catch up with Yugrid.
As I advanced, the tunnel grew, allowing me to move more easily. But with the delay I’d experienced, I’d lost sight of the dwarf. Eventually, the tunnel opened out into a dark, rocky cavern. I was grateful for my nyctalopic vision and wondered how Yugrid navigated so easily in the dark. I guessed it was probably due to their race’s advanced cave experience.
I heard noises but couldn’t figure out exactly where they originated. I took a deep breath and cast a person-detection spell. The magic showed me precisely what I needed: Yugrid was in a tunnel to the right. I immediately went after him. Now that the cavern was wider, I dashed easily over the stone floor. The sounds grew louder, and soon, the dwarf was in sight. He rubbed his hands against sharp stones while cursing, trying to undo his bonds. He didn’t know that we’d used magic ropes and that simple pointed rocks wouldn’t be enough to break them.
Since he wasn’t moving, he was an easy target.
“You really thought you could escape, did you?” I asked, and he froze.
“How did you?” he grunted.
I scoffed. “You underestimate me, dwarf.” Then I pointed to the tunnels. “You knew about these tunnels, didn’t you?”
The dwarf grinned. “For centuries, we’ve been at war. My race has dug tunnels all over the continent. We may be small, but mines and tunnels are our art, our advantage.
“As a prince, I’ve studied every map to know these tunnels by heart. It was part of my education. I would use those tunnels to wage war on the other races.”
Yugrid was still bound and didn’t try running as he knew I would be able to follow.
I commented, “Impressive, but it won’t be enough. ”
“I almost got away,” he argued.
“Almost. But you didn’t.”
“You won’t win that easily! The dwarven kingdom will shine again.”
I let him talk. I was busy casting a paralysis spell on him, regretting not accepting Oswald’s suggestion from the beginning. Yugrid looked up at me and panicked when he realized what I was doing. He tried to save himself, but it was too late. The spell reached him, freezing him in mid-motion.
I had tried to be nice to him. I had tried to show compassion for the prisoner. And what did I get? Almost losing him. I’d need to flee my kingdom forever. Go into a life of being wanted for treason by the king.
It was over.
Too much was involved in this. I wouldn’t be nice anymore. It was supposed to be a simple task of delivering a prisoner. I needed to finish this and concentrate on the real problem at hand. The elven magic was disappearing, and I had to resurrect the dragons.
I took my time walking over to him, savoring the moment.
I spoke to him even if he couldn’t answer. “Well, now, that was quite a show you pulled out. But you see, I don’t have any sympathy for you anymore. You brought this on yourself. No more pity.
“See, it’s not that I don’t like you. But if I don’t get you to the vampire queen, my life is on the line. So from now on, no more running, no more chances. If I have to bind you with a spell until we get there, I will do it.”
A faint glow on the ground caught my attention. There was a small pile of stones, but I saw a hollow spot in the center. That’s where the light was coming from. Gently, I removed a few stones, taking care not to knock over the whole pile. I put the last stone down, my hand trembling as I saw what was in the center: eggs lay on metal stones, one reflecting a ray of light being what I’d seen. Given their size, they could only be dragons. I squealed, unable to contain my excitement. Did one of them still contain an embryo alive?
But my excitement disappeared just as quickly. Most of the eggs were broken, and only one remained semi-intact. A large hole in the shell allowed me to see the embryo. It was no longer alive, but the cave environment had preserved the little being, giving me a window into the development of these majestic creatures.
The embryo was probably in one of the early stages, its skin translucent. The head was not fully developed and was more round than dragon-shaped, but cartilage could already be seen towards the front, which would eventually lengthen. A crystal-clear blue retina lay where the eyes would be, and on the top of the head were already the beginnings of five horns. The whole body was a bit bean-shaped and flamboyantly blue. It would have been a magnificent great dragon. Embryonic yellow-orange wings were already forming, veins in place, but no scales or feathers had yet sprouted, these developing last. You could still see the bright yellow link between the embryo and the egg at the bottom, besides the cartilage that would eventually grow into a tail. It was unreal to see this stage of development in such large, majestic creatures. I would have preferred it to be alive somehow, but I was grateful for the chance to glimpse the birth of life.
“It’s a shame you can’t see this,” I spoke aloud to the dwarf. It was sad that it was yet another dragon’s lair with dead eggs. We have found so many of them over the last few years. But at least it meant I could exit another way than through the small tunnel I came in, which would be useful since I’d have a paralyzed dwarf to bring along with me.
“We’d better get back if I want to sleep before the sun comes up,” I said.
Bringing a paralyzed dwarf along sounded like a hassle. The old dragon lair had lingering magic, so I decided I could spend the extra mana and refill with my jewels. I grabbed an end of the magical rope around Yugrid’s hands and cast a floating spell on him. I didn’t normally go to that extent, but I had no idea of the time I’d need to find the exit of this cave or where it would lead. Time was of the essence.
Walking around and dragging him in the air felt weird and funny simultaneously, but it was much easier than dragging his weight. I found a few small corridors that led to dead ends, but walking further, I eventually stumbled upon the main chamber. The remains of an adult dragon lay at the center. The flesh had been eaten up, and only the bones were remaining. Having seen the embryo in the egg, I could almost picture the once majestic blue scales of the beast. It would have been gorgeous.
The good news was that I also found the exit by finding the main chamber. The cool night air came in here, and I took a deep breath, glad of the change from the enclosed smell of the underground.
“I don’t know how you manage to stay in the mines for a prolonged time,” I commented to the dwarf, who couldn’t answer.
It took me a moment to get my bearings as I emerged from the cavern. I was still on the same side from which I had entered, so relatively close to the camp. It would have been a completely different story if I’d had to cross the entire Nysa Valley.
Eager to rest, I cast a person-detection spell. The spell had a wide range, and I could detect the group of Oswald and the two guards in the distance. I walked in their direction for a while, feeling increasingly tired.
I noticed that the fire had been rekindled and caught sight of Oswald yelling at the guard who had fallen asleep earlier. They all turned to meet me as I approached.
“Elaine! Are you all right? What happened?” my friend asked.
I pointed to the dwarf I was still holding at the rope’s end. “It seems a paralysis spell was a good idea after all,” I said.
Oswald burst out laughing as he watched the dwarf floating in mid-air. “You should have woken us up,” he added more seriously.
“I didn’t have time,” I began before explaining the sequence of events in detail, even mentioning the dragon eggs, even if they were broken.
“We could come back here when this mission is over,” the high elf finally said when I’d finished telling my story. “Maybe we can use the dead embryo to bring the dragons back to life.”
I doubted this could work, but I was too tired to answer. I nodded, yawning. “What time is it?” I asked.
“Too late,” he replied. “Go to bed. It’s my watch. I’ll keep him paralyzed before the next guard takes over.”
I nodded and tied the dwarf to a large rock before lying by the fire. The warmth of the flames was comforting after walking in the cool of the night. Exhausted, I fell into a dreamless sleep.