Cassandra Pendragon

We finally got up when the sun was already past its zenith. Surprisingly, nobody had disturbed us, and while I appreciated the consideration shown by the dwarfs and the kids, even though I imagined that it had taken quite the effort to keep the latter out of our hair, I was beginning to feel anxious when I stumbled from the tent and saw a clear, blue and dragon free sky. Viyara should have been back by now and time was ticking on. While I appreciated the additional hours I could spend in Ahri’s company, the elves didn’t have that luxury.

“Should I try to contact them,” I asked quietly while we made our way towards the centre of the camp where I hoped we would still find something edible for breakfast… or lunch. “I’m starting to get worried…”

“I wanted to ask you the same thing. Do you think you can reach Viyara?”

“Maybe, I’ll have to try. Oh great, there comes trouble. Could you keep them distracted? Only for a few minutes?” Reia, Archy and Estrella had apparently laid in waiting and as soon as we had emerged from our sanctuary, they had taken their chance and were now sprinting towards us.

“Sure, with a little luck I might even be able to convince them to fetch us something to eat. Take your time, I’ll manage.” She took my hand and squeezed it lightly before she turned away, arms spread wide to hug Estrella.

I quickly cast a glance around, but most of the dwarfs, who had already managed to wake up from their alcohol induced hibernation, were busy packing. The smithy and most of the tents were already gone and the furnaces on the ships were filling the air with streams of smoke. Here and there, I saw some stragglers roll around in the mud where they had apparently collapsed after last nights festivities, busily trying to get their rebelling limbs to work. The scent of mead was still thick enough to make me drowsy and the stale smell of sweat didn’t help at all.

With a sigh I turned my concentration inwards and reached for the spark of energy that connected me to the golden dragoness. It was still there, I could feel her presence easily enough, but as soon as I tried to gain access to her mind, to push my thoughts into hers, nothing happened. I tried again, more forcefully this time but the result remained the same. Every time I thought I had her, her presence slipped from my grasp like water, tangible but not quite solid enough to form a functioning link. At first, I didn’t think much of it, magic was seldomly straightforward unless you tried to blow something up, but the longer I stood there without getting through, the more worried I became.

After the tenths attempt, I finally realised that something had gone wrong and while I still clung to the hope that it was my own inaptitude which caused the connection to fail, I somehow knew that it wouldn’t be that simple. Something had happened and judging from experience, it couldn’t be good. My eyes flew open and I took a deep breath to calm myself, shoving away the tendrils of fear that, once again, gnawed at my insides. I could fret later, for now, I had to get moving.

“Reia,” I called, “have you seen Mephisto?”

“He has retreated to the forest sometime last night. Why? Is something wrong?” They hurried over to where I was standing, the kids excitedly and Ahri with a frown on her face. Unsurprisingly she had been able to add two and two together. I contemplated lying to them, but what would have been the point?

“I don’t know for sure but I think so. I can’t get through to Viyara and it feels like she’s… like she’s behind a wall, or maybe… drugged?” Fuck, I hadn’t thought of it before, but that might actually be the case. “Could you do me a favour? Could you run and fetch him?” When the kids nodded I added: “and tell him to bring his toys, everything he needs for the elves. He’ll know what I mean. Thanks.” They scurried off and I felt Ahri’s tails snake around my waist.

“That bad, huh?”

“Maybe, but I’d rather overreact now than regret later. I’ve got to go, will you come?”

“You’d have to tie me down to stop me. They’re also my family now, not to mention my friends. Reia already told me that Xorlosh is onboard, overseeing the preparations. I’ll go and ask him if he can lend us some money, we might need it.” I kissed her briefly.

“Thanks, I’ll try to find Pete. He should be asleep somewhere, if I’m not completely mistaken. We’ll need someone to guide us, once we get there.”

“Can’t you feel where Viyara or even your mother are?”

“Probably, at least in Viyara’s case, but I’d like someone with us who knows the city. If I’m right, they might have been taken and I can’t find anyone of the others in case they were split up. Having a pirate with us who has friends in Free Land will help tremendously.”

“You’re right, but how do you imagine we’ll bring him along? Mephisto can travel in his emblem but Pete…”

“I’ll carry him, if I have to. We’ll work something out. Maybe the dwarfs can rig up a harness of some kind?”

“You want to wear a saddle?” She asked incredulously.

“I don’t want to fly to a filthy human city in the first place, but I’ll do what I can to get them back.”

“So, you’re sure they aren’t just… lost?” I slowly shook my head.

“No, something is meddling with Viyara’s magic, the longer I think about it, the surer I am. They’re in trouble.”

“If they are, we’ll get them out. I’ll be back in a moment.” She hugged me briefly, the tension palpable in the hard lines of her body, unfurled her wings and shot into the air, a steak of crimson against the unbroken blue sky. I watched her go, unable to explain how I had gotten lucky enough to have her in my life. With an effort I returned to the present and sent a trickle of energy towards my throat.

“Pete!” I screamed, my voice easily carrying over the ruckus around me. “Pete, where are you?”

Everyone close to me flinched but when I waved apologetically they quickly returned to their tasks, some of them mumbling into their beards under their breath. A second later I heard muffled curses coming from behind one of the bushes close by. My ears twitched when I focused on the sound only to see a disheveled human scramble out of the greenery while he tried to pull his trousers up with one hand and wiped the spit from the corners of his mouth with the other.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“What,” he croaked. “It’s not even sundown. Do you have any idea how much I had to drink last night?”

“No, and frankly, I don’t care. It’s time for you to earn your keep, I need your help. Viyara hasn’t returned from Free Land yet and I can’t reach her. I’m going after them and you’ll come with.”

“Right, I thought there was somebody missing last night. It isn’t just her, is it? I can’t remember seeing Erya or the cute fox either. Care to tell me what’s going on before you drag me off?”

“I’d like to know, as well,” a deep voice chimed in from behind me. When I turned around I saw Mephisto striding towards me with a wooden crate under his arm and the three kids in tow.

“Viyara carried the elves, Erya and my family to Free Land to get the missing ingredients for your ritual. Thanks for confiding in me, by the way. They should have been back by now and when I tried to contact the dragoness, I couldn’t get through.”

“Are you unable to sense her at all?”

“No, I just can’t form a connection. It feels like she’s there but not quite, if that makes any sense.”

“Unfortunately it does. Let me try something. Can you reach out for her again?” I did as the demon had asked and as soon as my mind focused on the tiny spark of light, I felt his magic wrap around the connection, tightly enough to follow it but without touching the strands of my own energy. His face contorted in concentration and a second later he whistled through his teeth.

“She’s under. Her brain is shut off, I can’t tell if she’s unconscious or drugged, but you can’t get through because there’s no consciousness on the other side. Who do you want to take along?”

“Just us three.”

“You’re going to leave us behind?” Reia complained. “We want to come, too. It’s…” I didn’t have time for this…

“No, even if I wanted to bring you lot with us, you can’t fly on your own and I can’t carry you all. You’ll stay here, end of discussion. And I swear, if we get back and Xorlosh tells me that you caused any trouble, I’ll tear your ears right off, is that understood?”

Reia seemed on the verge of arguing but Archy stomped on her foot before she could reply and said over her yelp:

“Crystal clear. Don’t worry about us, we’ll do what Xorlosh tells us to. Just… bring them back, please. I don’t want to lose anyone else.” While he spoke, I felt a lump form in my throat and my eyes tingled with suppressed tears. Damn it…

“I will, a bunch of pirates won’t stop me, you know that. I’m… I’m sorry, I don’t want to leave you, none of you, but I’ve got to go. Take care of yourselves while we’re gone, will you?” I dropped to my knees and spread my arms, offering them a hug. Estrella and Archy immediately fell against me but Reia hesitated. When she finally decided to take a step forwards, I could clearly see that she was struggling with something she wanted to say.

“Out with it,” I said and pulled her into my arms. “We might not see each other for while, spit it out.” She bit her lip and leaned into me to whisper in my ear. “When Viyara sent us running around camp yesterday, I left a small token behind, one I had enchanted before. I heard most of her conversation with Ahri. I don’t want to be alone again, after I’ve found… a family. Please, come back to me. Will you… will you promise?” I was stunned but I still managed to mumble:

“Of course, gods, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” While I tightened my grip around the girl, another band of energy settle in around my core and Reia sniffled:

“You weren’t supposed to. I didn’t want to say anything but now… are you sure you can’t take me with you?” Even more so than before, but I could hardly say that, now, could I? I pushed her to arms length and studied her face. She was brave but I could still see her lips trembling and tears rise in her eyes.

“Reia, listen to me. You know as well as I that I can’t. I’m… I’m responsible for you, in more ways than one, and there are a million reasons why I shouldn’t. Here,” I took the cherry seed from my pocket. “Hold on to this. I’m going to want it back when we meet again, so don’t lose it. Do you know what it is?” She studied the seed closely, a spark of curiosity igniting under her morose demeanour.

“A part of our home. But not only that, it feels like… like something more, like a living being.”

“I think it is, or at least I hope so. I think it will protect you, if you take good care of it. With a little luck, it’ll soon turn into an even mightier tree than Boseiju has been. She’ll watch over you in my stead. I’m sorry that I have to leave you, there is nothing I’d rather do than spend some time with you, but I have to get our brother back, don’t I?”

“Of course you do, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it, does it? Cassy I… I’m scared… for you.” It was the first time she had used my pet name. The simple word made me shiver and I had to smile when I realised just how much she already meant to me. By the gods, I truly had to get a grip, I had family and friends to save.

“Want to know a secret? So am I, most of the time. By the Great Fox, I imagine you’d have to be a complete moron to not be afraid of what’s happening to us. But you’re more than just one of them now,” I said and nodded in the direction of Archy and Estrella. “They’re your people, just as much as mine, and even when you’re scared, you have to take care of them, you have to give them hope and the strength to continue. Do you think you can do that for me?” She nodded and tightened her small fist around the cherry stone, but now, she couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. With an herculean effort, she bravely smiled through the salty streams and replied:

“Of course, until you get back. Fair winds… sister.”

“The same to you, little one. I… I’ll miss you,” I said and pulled her back into my arms. “Go now, or you’ll make me cry, too. We’ll be back before you know it and then, we’ll start making up for all the time we’ve lost. Take care of yourself… and the rest of the rascals.”

“I will.” She blew a kiss against my cheek and hurried off, already brushing away the tears on her face. Archy and Estrella followed, pestering her with questions what we had been on about since we had spoken quietly enough that not even their hearing had been able to pick up on our conversation. I watched them go with a heavy heart, my intuition telling me that I wouldn’t be seeing them again for quite some time. Hopefully, I’d be proven wrong.

“It’s never easy to leave someone you care about behind. But it’ll get easier and, I’m sorry to say, you’ll get used to it, sooner or later.” Mephisto’s voice was low and sincere, something I hadn’t heard very often before.

“Not if I can help it. I don’t want it to get any easier, otherwise I might just get… lost. Anyways, what’s in the bag?” I asked, in a blatant attempt to change the topic but he let it slide.

“The ingredients I have prepared for the ritual and my sanctuary, or do you want to fly me around in a princess carry? Not that I’d complain, mind you, but I can’t imagine that it’d be practically.”

“No, I’m not really keen on trying, either. Thanks, by the way. For a misanthropic, grouchy demon you’re awfully close to a hero. Saving people, helping out… if I didn’t know better, I’d say your starting to care about mortals. But that can’t be true now, can it?”

“Of course not, I just don’t want to deal with your misery in case something happens to your so-called friends. You’re difficult enough to deal with when you’re happy and in love, I don’t want to see you depressed on top of that. It’d make for a handful of awful years.”

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that…”

“Before the two of you go for each other’s throat, would you kindly explain… what the fuck is going on?” Pete interrupted. “I haven’t understood a single word in the last two minutes and I’d like to know where I’m going to be dragged off to, before we actually take off.”

“Oh, I forgot you were there for a moment, human. Try to keep up…” Mephisto replied while I rolled my eyes, sorely tempted to smack the back of his head, the demon’s that is.

“Viyara, Erya, Aspera, Astra and my family have gone to Free Land to procure a handful of rare ingredients. They haven’t returned and it seems like they’re in trouble. We’ve got to find them and since you’re the only one who knows his way around the city, you’re coming with.”

“And how are we going to get there? With one of the ships?” I shook my head.

“Look up.”