Chapter 21: Going home

I glanced at Aveline as we walked out of the highlands and headed northwest. She had been quiet for several days as we recovered. I finally reached over to touch her shoulder, “Talk to me.”

She did not smiled as she looked around and then at me, “I tire of killing.”

I nodded as I looked at the north plains awakening from their winter, “I am tired of fighting and always moving.”

She smiled and moved a little closer, “Perhaps it is time to start a different campaign.”

I looked at her as she looked everywhere but at me. She was blushing and I finally understood and blushed too, “I am a man.”

She looked at me before smiling softly, “Have you looked at yourself? You have touched all the elfstones and your spirit holds them still. You were born a man but you are an elf now.”

I thought about her words as we walked and perhaps she was right. Once across the plains we headed west. Aveline had once told me of an ancient city that had been here before the elves had come. It was mostly ruins and rubble beside the cold western sea. The closer to the ruins the more orcs we saw, there was also the feeling of someone watching us or following.

It was almost a month after leaving the highlands that we saw the edge of the ruins. Orcs were everywhere and as it became night there was a glow like we had seen in elvenhome. It took a long time to work our way around and into the ruins without being seen. We crawled along the top of a tall wall until we were looking out at a huge arch filled with a swirling gate.

Aveline hissed and nodded to one side and I stared. A huge black dragon lay on a large scattered pile of gold and orc bones. It was sleeping now and all the orcs walking from the gate and going past the dragon were trying to be very quiet. I kept looking at the arch and finally touched Aveline before moving back.

It seemed to take forever before we were out of the ruins and clear of the orcs. We were kneeling in a shallow gully and I looked at Aveline, “There is a crack in one of the arch pillars holding the gate.”

She snorted, “With all the orcs and that dragon we would never get close.”

I grinned, “The way that dragon sleeps I could put a spear through its ear to distract it.”

She grinned, “It would eat you.”

I turned at a chuckle and Elvandar slipped out of a bush, “Or any and all the orcs that were close.”

Aveline shifted, “What are you doing here?”

He knelt beside us, “We were heading west and south when I saw you.”

I looked at him, “We?”

He smiled, “The other lost ones.”

I looked at Aveline, “Lost ones?”

He put his hand on my shoulder, “The feel of the stones was enough to bring them back.”

Aveline smiled, “You should have gone to Green Heart.”

He shook his head, “We have a debt to pay.”

I looked at him for several moments, “I think the only ones that think that are you.”

He shrugged before gesturing, “What are you going to do?”

I looked at Aveline as I thought of both the gate and the dragon and sighed, “You go around and when you see the distraction move to the western arch pillar. Find something to break the crack and make it wider.”

I looked down as I thought, “I will slip around to the west and find a spear to use on the dragon.”

Elvandar cleared his throat, “And us?”

I looked from him to Aveline before smiling, “Keep watch and attack any orcs trying to escape.”

I touched Aveline’s hand, “Be careful. I do not want to have to hunt you in another realm.”

She grinned and gave my hand a squeeze before turning to slip away. I watched her go before looking at Elvandar and then silently moving away. I had to dodge and move around through the ruins until I was to the west and between the dragon and a cliff. Below were rocks and the western ocean.

I looked over the edge carefully to see a narrow tiny ledge going to the north. I looked at the sleeping dragon and the pile of bones and gold before I saw one of the ancient long spears. It was in and under the bones and I crawled closer and slowly pulled it out as I kept looking towards the dragon’s head.

I checked it carefully before looking towards the gate as another large group of orcs came through. I waited until they began moving past the dragon on his other side and moved towards its head. The head was turned and I looked at the huge ear that was angled. I shifted my grip and changed my stance as I pulled the spear back.

Like in Farintine I thought of my magic and threw with everything I had. I staggered and went to my knees as the spear vanished in the huge ear. The dragon jerked and spasmed and began thrashing as its tail lashed out. I rolled towards the cliff and went over as I caught the edge. I hung and looked down and preyed I could stand.

I dropped the half pace onto the narrow ledge. I swayed but stayed on my feet before I began moving to the north. I could hear shouts and screams and I thought I heard the clashing of swords. That made me think of Aveline and start looking for a way to climb up. I finally managed to use a few rocks and climbed up to look over.

The dragon was still jerking a little but there was a battle between the orcs and the lost ones who were moving through them easily. I pulled myself up as I looked for Aveline and found her hitting the arch pillar with a large heavy battle axe. I grinned as I moved towards her quickly. She glanced at me and grinned, “Dumb luck.”