Chapter 7

They arrived at the valley they were seeking late in the afternoon of the third day. The group moved in cautiously. Aldren had been feeling a sense of dread since they had rode into the mouth of the canyon. He could not place a name on the fear, just a nagging feeling that something was not right.

The camp was quiet that night. The hares that Ameni had killed that day were roasted, and the wineskins were passed around. They set a watch with Aldren and Ameni taking the last watch. As expected, there was nothing moving and there were no night sounds except the sound of night creatures following the ancient dance of survival, the hunter seeking his prey. Aldren watched his bondmate as she moved silently on the opposite side of the camp. The grace and fluidity with which she almost floated from place to place still astounded him.

As he continued to scan the area, he took stock of the direction his life was moving. As much as he fought against becoming some kind of hero, he was gaining the reputation of one. Add in that the Dwarf Seer, the old healer Belwin and even the voices in the tower were proclaiming him to be some sort of savior. It was against his will to become what they proclaimed him to be. All he wanted to do was survive and live his life with his bondmate. Yet in the back of his mind, a small voice that sounded vaguely like his mother's was telling him that he will have little choice in the path he was following. The person he was would come through when it was needed the most and he would do the right thing. These were the things that would push him along his path.

Aldren looked into the camp to see someone stirring. From the height of the figure, he knew it had to be Vabryn. He would soon be rousing the rest of the camp so they could continue the mission that had been assigned to them. Sunrise was less than an hour off and they could soon be on their way. This mission seemed to be of little matter. From conversations with Kendrich, he was assured that any assault was an impossibility.

He was still trying to make up his mind about Kendrich. The man was likeable enough, but he seemed to be hiding his plans. Maybe the man did not trust him as a newcomer. Not that it really mattered since he had no plans for rising in the ranks. All Aldren wanted was a place where he would not have to be constantly on guard. Someplace where he and Ameni could establish themselves and live in relative peace.

Aldren's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a stirring in the grass. He turned to see what it was when he heard Ameni's voice shout in Elvish, "We are under attack! We are trapped! To arms!" Aldren turned to see a huge garrison of the king's men rising up from the grass blocking the only escape route. They must have moved into the mouth of the canyon following their trail. Or, and Aldren shuddered at the thought, they had been waiting for them. Someone in Kendrich's court was a spy and gave them the information.

Aldren could not waste any more time on speculation, for the scene was about to erupt into the chaos of battle. Vabryn had heard Ameni's shout and had seen the troops. He grabbed his shield and sword kicking and shouting at the others to move or die. To their credit, they all were up and looking for the enemy within seconds.

Ameni was already taking down the closest troops with her bow. The advancing troops slowed as those in front went down. This gave Vabryn and the others enough time to get their boots and armor on. Soon though, she was out of arrows and dropped her bow, drawing her knives. What power that still resided in her race showed in her as she stood at the ready. Standing on a large rock, there was almost a shimmering aura surrounding her. Aldren thought she looked like an ancient warrior princess. He shook his head to remove any stray thoughts. This was not the time for idle musings; he had to focus on the enemies that were approaching.

As he readied himself for battle, Aldren felt the rising of the power of the elements within him. The numbers of the enemy were so great he knew they could not win. Regardless, he was going to go down taking as many as possible with him. As soon as the enemy came close enough, he attacked.

As leader of the King's garrison, Vorlkim thought this should be an easy capture. The word had come that the traitor who had killed the priests and fled from the court would be in this canyon. All they had to do was let them in then follow. Capture should be fairly easy. He had argued that they did not need the full garrison, that a troop should be sufficient to capture or kill a few men. Now as he saw the first troops fall he was glad that his superior had insisted on emptying the keep where they were stationed.

Aldren and the rest of the men of the tower were more than holding their own. Kaldon was to Aldren's right using the large broadsword that he preferred to full advantage. He was trying to protect Ameni but there were enough for them both. Vabryn and the recruits were to his left using the tactics that had been practiced over and over to the best advantage.

Aldren was holding the middle. They were all backing slowly to the back of the canyon leaving a bloody trail of corpses in front of them. But the battle was taking its toll on the small group. They were tiring and most had cuts that were slowing them further. In desperation, Aldren released the restraints he had been holding upon himself. The tingling within him increased and he felt the power rush through him once again. Time seemed to slow as he felt the fire spreading through his body and into his limbs. At the same time, he began to chant in his mind some of the ancient words. He was vaguely aware that the words had to do with the dragons of Melagon, but had no time to contemplate it further.

As stalwart as the King's troops were, they recoiled from the sight of the fiery warrior before them. It was no longer a man that they were battling, but some kind of demon. He was coming into their ranks swinging wildly, killing all who were within his reach... Defense seemed to be useless. Any weapon that got close would be sent flying or simply dropped because of the heat that surrounded him.

Even with his power unchecked, he could not protect the rest of his companions. The King's troops that were not completely terrified made their way around Aldren and attacked the rest of the small band. Vabryn had brought them into a loose group with their backs close to the wall of the canyon. One of the recruits had become separated and was down, and another was faltering from fatigue. They all were coming close to their limits of endurance. Aldren was making his way back toward the band when Vorlkim called his troops back to form ranks for a final assault to finish off the rebels.

Friend and foe alike heard a deep roar that reverberated throughout the canyon. The very rocks seemed to tremble with the sound. The King's men fell to the ground in panic when a shadow passed over them in the pale sunlight. Looking up, they saw a huge beast diving toward the main part of the garrison; it's huge claws showing talons as big as a man's arm. The ones that were mounted found their horses in a total panic and were soon scattered. The talons of the beast picked up two of the troop members and with its huge wings beating the air, moved toward the clouds dropping the helpless men upon the rocks below. Some of the bravest troops took aim at the beast and unleashed their arrows. One arrow tore through the membrane of its wing causing the dragon to bellow in pain and anger. The dragon then turned and made a pass through those remaining, blasting them with both fire and magic. What few were left fled back up to the mouth of the canyon, scrambling to avoid certain death.

Aldren slumped to his knees as the power drained from his body, returning to the elements from which it came. He sat down on an outcropping exhausted, but without the severe cramping that had always come after his use of that much power. The others in his party kept their distance forming a loose group a little distance away. Ameni came to check on him, but the others hung back, still not quite believing what they had seen. They were fearful of Aldren's powerful magic. It was not the minor tricks that they had seen him do before. The very thought that a man who they thought they knew had sprung into flame and then returning unharmed was simply impossible. This was something that came from times long ago forgotten.

Vabryn moved to dress the companions' wounds. Most were minor cuts with the exception of a deep wound in the thigh of Peryn, one of the recruits. Peryn had survived his first real battle and had done well. The praise that Vabryn gave as he dressed the wound was more healing to the young man than was the binding of his wound. As he worked, Vabryn was thanking the ancients that they had only lost one of their troop. The man who was killed was little more than out of childhood. In his zeal and blood lust, he had pushed too far into the enemy line and they had surrounded him. Vabryn knew that in battle men died, but he still mourned the loss.

All movement stopped as the group felt the inrush of air and a shadow that foretold of the dragon coming toward them. They watched, terrified, as the creature came to rest on the ground very close to the rocks that Aldren was sitting on with Ameni.

Aldren was frightened but he was just too exhausted to move. The monstrous bulk of the dragon had settled close enough for Aldren to look directly into the great eye. He suddenly felt like his very life force was being drawn into this creature from the ancient legends. He felt the touch of the dragon's mind on his. He found his head filled with pictures and he understood what the creature was telling him. Foremost in its mind was that it (he) had been injured more than the tear in his wing. Ignoring the fearful glances of his companions and the low warnings from Ameni, he stood and approached the dragon.

Moving slowly with Ameni's support, he walked to the left side of the beast. Looking under the huge wing, he saw the broken shaft of an arrow. The head was buried deep between the scales and obviously into the muscle. Speaking out loud but mostly to himself Aldren muttered, "I can remove the arrow, but I don't know how to repair the damage."

Into his head came a deep voice. A voice that was filled with pain. "You will know what to do. Trust what you have learned and what is in your heart."

Aldren stood in a state of shock for a moment. He looked down into Ameni's face. She glanced at the shaft and then nodded. Taking a deep breath, he gripped the remainder of the shaft and pulled. There was a hand's width of the shaft buried under where the scales had separated. It was coming out but slowly. He gave one final tug and with a loud bellow of pain from the dragon, it slid free.

With the arrow removed, the wound started to bleed freely. Both of the humans were covered in the thick liquid. Aldren put his hand under the scale and pushed his palm against the wound trying to stop the blood. He was afraid that he would not be able to stop the flow of the blood and the beautiful creature would die. He dug deep into his memory but could not find a healing spell that would help. In a final attempt, he relaxed his mind.

Aldren felt the powers from the elements coming into him again. This time, the powers felt different than anything he had experienced before. The power was becoming concentrated in his hand. Aldren could almost feel the muscles and veins healing within the dragon's body. Suddenly he felt very tired. His last thought before he blacked out was "He will live."

Ameni caught her bondmate's body and gently let him down on the ground under the dragon's wing. She felt him breathing, but he was completely limp. She looked up as the dragon craned his neck around and sniffed the unconscious form. She heard a deep voice in her head. "Do not fear Elf woman. The Clan-Brother will be well in a short while. He has healed me and I will protect him until he awakes."

Ameni gave her head a shake. "How is it that I can hear you?"

"It is my wish to speak to you, Elf-woman. You are concerned about the one who lies sleeping. It is proper for me to reassure you that he will recover. The fact that you have been anointed with my blood makes it easier. For being touched by the blood of a dragon, you will find that the magical abilities that you possess from your race will be heightened. Also there will be a bond between us that can only be broken in death. You will hear me, as I will be able to hear your call, no matter the distance between us.

"Is that what brought you to our aid? Did Aldren somehow summon you?"

"Yes. He is Dragon Clan. He is already bound to my entire race. He gave a call for aid that had not been heard in many ages of men. I heeded that call. Know this, Elf-woman. Your life as well as his is now entwined with the survival of my race. How you two follow the path that has been laid before you will decide the fate of the world. Heed my words Elf-woman. The clan brother now awakes. I will leave you and move up the canyon to heal" Aldren was indeed starting to stir. The dragon backed away, moving further toward the mouth of the canyon. Ameni understood that even though the wound had been closed, he would need to rest in order to regain his strength.

Aldren sat up and allowed Ameni to help him move to the rock wall. He still felt the strain of what he had done, but was recovering. Taking a huge swallow of the wine that Ameni had offered, Aldren sat back with a sigh. Of all the things that had happened to him, this had to be the most difficult to understand. The blood of the dragon had dried leaving a thick, black crust that covered most of his torso. Under the crust, he could feel a tingling that was not exactly unpleasant, It was less than the feeling he had when he called the elements but along the same lines.

Aldren lifted himself up and after checking for wounds, moved toward the pool that was at the back of the canyon. He shucked his mail and tossed his tunic and leggings into the pool. Then, he lowered himself into the cool water. The difference in temperature served to clear his thinking and restore his strength. He did not know how, but he was sure of what had happened. And he somewhat resented what the fates had done to him. He was being pushed into a role that he had not sought out or wanted. He could not change what was happening, but he didn't have to like it.

Ameni soon joined him in the pool. For the elves, nudity was not something that bore much thought. As soon as she started to strip off her tunic, the three men that were still dressed stared at the beauty before them. All had seen women unclothed but none with the almost flawless beauty of the elf. Her light skin glistened as the water cascaded off of it. Elves retained their fairly pale complexion even after living out in the elements. Only the scar on her side disrupted the perfection of her skin, giving credence to the fact that she was not a goddess but a living breathing creature.

Eventually, Vabryn came to his senses and berated the others for staring. He left the couple in the pool and gave orders to Peryn to start a fire while he and Kaldon went to retrieve their supplies. They all hurried to their tasks while trying to hide the growing bulges in the front of their leggings.

His bondmate's figure was not lost on Aldren either. As soon as she had washed the blood from her skin and hair, he pulled her into an embrace at the deeper part of the pool. He had always had feelings of lust after recovering from a battle and the sight of her naked body had set him on fire. She was in need of him as well and willingly allowed him to grab her by the waist and lift her body up until the head of his manhood was poised to enter her. She let out a deep groan as he slid into her. Aldren started to thrust into her slowly allowing the water to buffer their movements. Ameni arched her back trying to force him deeper into her. He took advantage of her position to bend his head down and suck on her hard nipples.

Between the abstinence of the trail and the pent up emotions of the recent battle, they both were close to climax. Aldren went first shoving hard into her and then grinding his pelvis against hers as he shot his load deep inside of her. The pulse in his member triggered her own climax and she let out a muffled whine as she held him against her breast.

As they came down from their orgasms, they slowly slid apart. Remembering that they were not alone the finished up rinsing out their blood soaked clothing and moving out to allow their skin to dry. The warming rays of the sun reflecting off the walls of the canyon soon had them and their clothing dry enough to dress again. They then joined the rest of the troop.

Vabryn and Kaldon returned shortly before the lovers' arrival with what they could salvage from the previous night's campsite. There were enough supplies to last them a week or so if needed. The pool where Aldren and Ameni had bathed was fed by a spring that came out of the canyon wall so water would not be a problem. This was as safe a campsite as one could want.

Peryn had a good fire going and Ameni took her turn at the cooking bringing a pot of stewed meat to a boil. No one dared to declare, "The woman should do all the cooking." She was a full member of the troop and better than some in a battle. It was customary for all to take a turn at making the meals unless one was much better and relished the chore. The food was good, but Ameni had to admit that in this group, the young Peryn was the best cook.

As they all relaxed by the fire, Vabryn stated that he would take first watch. Kaldon pointed to the huge bulk of the dragon that was a darker shadow in the gathering night. "You think anything would get by him?"

They all turned to look at the dragon. All that distinguished him from the rest of the night was his eyes. Those sparkled with some kind of inner fire and they were the only sign of life. Vabryn had been very cautious of going past the beast when he and Kaldon had retrieved their belongings from the previous night's campsite. The dragon did not move other than to watch them closely. They could feel his breath as they passed and could see the dagger like teeth that were exposed. He was laying much like a feline does his head resting between his front paws. Though the group felt that they were safe from him, the ancient fears as well as his recent decimation of the king's troops made them keep a respectful distance.

While the others got their bedding in order, Aldren rose and headed toward the creature. Ameni watched for a moment and followed him. They approached the beast slowly careful not to make any movements that could be taken as aggressive. When they were close the dragon raised its great head.

"Is there a reason that you have come to me?" The question flowed through Aldren's mind as if he were speaking to him.

"I wanted to be sure that you would survive."

"I will recover soon. My loss of blood has weakened me, but my strength will return within a day. It is then that I will depart back to my lands."

Aldren looked into the eyes of the beast. "Ameni has told me of what you said to her. That part of my heritage was not known to me. Now that I do know about it, I will be careful not to call upon you again."

"Brother of the clan. I can read your doubts of what has happened and the fear of what will come to pass. This I will tell you. Your road has been set. You can follow it and bring peace once again to the lands, or you can move from your path to the doom of all in the lands. The decision will be yours to make."

"This is a path that is not of my choosing. I have no wish for power or glory, only to live out my life without having it filled with matters that are beyond my sight."

"Yet it has been placed before you. For now you are the only one who can control the power that has a chance to halt the evil forces that are moving the land into shadow and despair. Your wisdom and heart can bring balance back. Even now, the forces that you oppose are massing. If they succeed, even the dragons will fall. For generations unknown to man, we have paid little attention to the doings of the other races. Now it is known to us that all the races must band together to destroy the threat. The legends of the Elves have spoken of one who will bring peace when all seems lost. You, Aldren of the Dragon Clan, are that one."

Aldren was silent as the dragon watched him carefully. In a reluctant tone he spoke. "I will undertake this task, though it is against my judgment."

"Dragon, do you have a name by which I can address you?"

"My name would be impossible for you to speak, even within your mind. Your inner self already knows it, and because of that you share my power. However for use in these talks, you may address me as Balroth."

Ameni finally spoke up. "You have our gratitude Balroth. We all owe you our lives." Ameni bowed low, her arms crossed over her chest.

"As I do to your bondmate Elf-woman. You and those with you can rest this night for nothing will enter here that could cause you harm." With that the two took their leave and went back to the fire.

The others were waiting to know what had transpired while they had been with the dragon. Aldren remained silent, but Ameni did tell them that Balroth would remain where he was for another day, and that they would be safe. About the rest of the conversation, she remained silent. Finally they all found the slumber that they had earned this day.

They rested the next day, letting Peryn's leg wound heal a bit more and maintaining their armor and weapons. It was near dusk when Balroth moved from his crouched position, stretching his wings. He gave his farewells to Aldren and Ameni... Leaping into the air, he brought his wings downward launching himself toward the top of the canyon spraying dust and small stones on the party. As the dust cleared, they spotted him as a small speck glistening in the late afternoon sunlight.

Kaldon was the first to speak. "I am one of the fortunate now. I have looked upon a dragon and lived to tell the tale. It will be a tale to tell my grandchildren if I survive to have them."

Aldren gave the big man a slap on the back. "Right you are my friend. We were fortunate that he arrived and he goes with our gratitude."

Peryn was getting around much better. He had fixed the evening meal and they all ate with gusto. Then Aldren called them around the fire to decide what to do. They knew that they could not walk back to the tower. It would take a sevenday to do so and they would be vulnerable to attack if any of the king's men had survived. It was decided to send someone to search for horses, and if none were found they would start out on foot in the hopes of catching some on the way.