Tales from the New Earth: Volume Two Read online

  “Ah, she sounds wonderful,” Aeris said wistfully. “Will I ever get to meet her, do you think?”

  Even Kronk smiled at this question.

  “I wouldn't be at all surprised,” Simon told him gently. “I get the feeling that Esmiralla will want to be part of the battle to come against the red dragons and their evil masters. Exactly how, I don't know. I suppose that will be up to her.”

  He got up, freshened his tea and sat down again.

  “She mentioned contacting someone recently, one of the Changlings. I'd really like to know who that was.”

  “One of your people, master? Why would the silver dragon do that?”

  “For information, I think.” Simon sipped his tea. “She seemed to know quite a bit about me. She even knew that I had elementals working for me. So whoever her informant is, she knows me, possibly personally.”

  “She?”

  “Yes, Esmiralla said she when we spoke. But she wouldn't tell me who.” He shook his head with a smile. “She did say that it was up to me to find out who this person was, so obviously she won't mind if I do. But who could it be?”

  Aeris tapped his chin, a puzzled look on his face.

  “Make a list, I suppose. How many female Changlings do you know? There was Clara, of course.”

  Simon winced.

  “Sorry,” Aeris said quickly. “Err, there is Tamara, Liliana, Virginia, Anna.”

  “There are many more than that, if all we're talking about are women who know about me,” Simon told him with a shrug. “I mean, it's not exactly a secret that I work with elementals, is it? Esmiralla didn't say that her informant was a friend of mine, just that she was a Changling. Could be anyone.”

  “What about Ethmira, master?” Kronk spoke up.

  “But she's an elf,” Aeris told him.

  “The silver dragon said she'd spoken with a human,” Simon told him with an affectionate smile.

  “Oh, I see. I am sorry, master.”

  “Don't be. We might have to think outside the box on this one. After all, the dragon could very well have spoken with more than just this one Changling. And an elf might be an interesting choice. Ethmira would have a unique point of view on our war with the evil dragons after the primal brown and its servants attacked the elven realm.”

  “Hmm. That's a good point,” Aeris agreed. Then he sighed loudly. “It might be impossible to discover this person unless they come forward and actually tell you that they've spoken with the silver dragon.”

  “Yeah maybe.”

  Simon got up and put his cup in the sink.

  “Anyway, I wanted to tell you guys about Esmiralla. I hate keeping secrets from my friends, always have. And now that you know, I can carry on with the rest of my day.”

  “Doing what, my dear wizard?” Aeris asked as Simon walked to the stairs.

  “I think I'll talk to some of the folks at Nottinghill Castle. I'll ask about trading with them and see what they say. And who knows,” he added brightly. “Maybe someone will mention the silver dragon.”

  Chapter 15

  Simon spent the last hours of the afternoon speaking to his friends in England. Malcolm and Aiden had been the first on his list of people he wanted to contact and they were both thrilled when he called.

  “It's great to hear from you, Simon!” Malcolm exclaimed when the wizard connected with his Magic Mirror spell.

  The big man and his partner were standing on the wall of the castle, as Liliana had been when the wizard had spoken with her. It was already nighttime there, but fortunately the moon was full and he could see both warriors fairly well by its light.

  “You guys too,” Simon replied with a smile.

  Both men were wearing their standard plate armor; plain and functional. They wore it as easily as the wizard wore his robes.

  “Are you even bigger?” he asked them. “You're both too old to still be growing, you know.”

  Malcolm rumbled a laugh while Aiden rolled his eyes.

  “Tell that to my body,” he said and tapped his breastplate. “The blacksmith has had to adjust my armor twice in the last few months.”

  Simon looked at both men appreciatively.

  Malcolm was still the largest man that he'd ever seen. He was black, with fine features and an open, almost innocent expression. He kept his shoulder-length hair in braids to make it easier to wear a helmet when needed.

  Aiden was Korean and even more handsome than his partner. He was as muscular as Malcolm, but hadn't been quite as tall after he'd Changed. Looking at him now, Simon thought that he might have almost caught up to Malcolm's height. His straight, thick hair hung down below his shoulders and was fluttering in the breeze. He preferred to keep it loose, despite teasing from his partner.

  “You both look good,” the wizard told them. “Aiden, you may actually be as tall as the big guy now.

  “Hey now, don't tell him that!” Malcolm protested. “He's already getting a few too many admiring looks from our new townspeople.”

  Aiden chuckled and poked him.

  “Don't be jealous, you twit. As long as you don't lose interest or stop paying attention to me, you have nothing to worry about.”

  “You see what I have to deal with?” Malcolm growled as he pretended to glare at Aiden.

  Simon wasn't fooled. The affection between the two men had been obvious from the first time he'd met them.

  “By the way, how are you doing this?” Aiden asked.

  “Doing what? Speaking to you? It's just the Magic Mirror spell. I've used it before; don't you remember?”

  “He means, how come we can actually see you?” Malcolm said. “It's like you're standing right in front of us. Granted, you look a little...misty, but other than that, it's like you are actually here.”

  “Wait. What?”

  Simon finally realized that both men were staring right at him, something that they shouldn't have been able to do without looking in a mirror. What the hell?

  “You can actually see me?” They both nodded. “And it looks like I'm standing with you?”

  “Exactly. It's pretty awesome, to tell you the truth,” Aiden said appreciatively.

  “Well, that's frigging weird. I'm sitting at my desk in my study, not standing. And I certainly don't know how to project my image using the Magic Mirror spell.”

  “Well, however you're doing it, it's great. Much easier than talking to you as a disembodied voice. I've never liked that, to be honest.”

  “Hmm. I'll have to investigate this when I get the chance. But for now, I'll call it a bonus and move on. So, I wanted to talk to you both about maybe setting up some sort of trade between your people and me.”

  “Trade?” Aiden asked. “What kind of trade?”

  “Oh, you know. From my side, vegetables mostly. Possibly beef as well. From your side, I don't really know. I could use some clothing and other things like that. Knitting, sewing. You know, stuff that I can't do for myself.”

  “Never learned to sew, Simon?” Malcolm asked, amused.

  “Nope. I don't have a clue when it comes to that sort of thing. I've tried to repair holes in my clothing but it never goes well. Apparently I was born with ten thumbs when it comes to fine needlework.” He laughed at himself. “Thank God magic doesn't call for knitting something. If it did, I'd be dead by now.”

  The warriors both chuckled.

  “I think we can set something up,” Malcolm told him, becoming more serious. “We've got some cattle, sheep and goats here now, but more meat would be welcome. There are a handful of our people who do amazing work when it comes to making clothes. One young guy has a knack for making quilts, actually. They are amazing and quite colorful.”

  “Huh. Sounds good. Kronk and I are going to increase the size of our garden and grow extra produce just for trading purposes. We should have something to offer in a few weeks. My earthen friend has a way of encouraging plants to grow quickly.”

  “Just call us whenever you want to trade, Simon, and we'll wor
k out an equitable arrangement.”

  “Thanks guys, I appreciate that. So how's everything else going? What's it like living in a castle?”

  Aiden turned to look below at the darkened courtyard.

  “Like a dream, to be honest. I mean, Malcolm and I were raised in a small town. Neither of us had ever even seen a castle in person until we came here.”

  “Yeah, but we couldn't use swords or fight undead before either, could we?” Malcolm asked him with a small smile.

  Aiden snorted and frowned.

  “We didn't need to, did we? Anyway, the castle is awesome. It even has working plumbing; a system that was set up in the middle ages that still works now that technology has failed.”

  “Really? That's great. I have to admit, I miss having a flushing toilet,” Simon told them. “Outhouses....ugh.”

  “Tell me about it,” Malcolm said. “But this system works well. And the place is huge. We have close to a hundred and fifty people here now but when you walk around, you'd never even know it. There's room to spare for a lot more folks to join. Unfortunately, this may be as many Changlings as there are left in the world.”

  That idea was depressing and Simon felt a touch of despair as he considered it.

  “Imagine,” he said softly. “From seven billion people to less than two hundred. How the mighty have fallen.”

  “And we did think that we were mighty, didn't we?” Aiden said sadly. “Top of the heap, masters of all we surveyed. Now? Now we huddle together against the darkness, waiting for some abomination to come shambling out of the shadows to finish us off.”

  “I hear that.”

  “Okay, you two. Knock it off,” Malcolm said with a fierce glint in his eyes. “We aren't done yet. You, Simon, have been instrumental in killing four primal dragons. Don't forget that.”

  Simon started to protest and the big man cut him off.

  “And don't give me that 'aw shucks' routine either. If it weren't for you, we'd all be dead. End of story. That is the reality.”

  He glanced at Aiden.

  “But we aren't dead yet and, for my money, we're going to survive this. So why don't we proceed on that assumption and think positively about the future. Okay?”

  After some hesitation, Simon nodded and Aiden clouted Malcolm on the shoulder, making his armor ring.

  “Fine, Mary Poppins, we'll do that. My man, the optimist. Go figure.”

  Malcolm smiled a bit.

  “Well, why not? Doom and gloom is easy. Optimism these days? Not so much. Simon, give us a call whenever you want to trade and we'll proceed from there. Oh and drop by soon, why don't you, and we can give you the grand tour.”

  “I will. Thanks. It was great to see you both again. I'll talk to you soon.”

  Both of the warriors smiled and waved and Simon canceled the spell.

  He was buoyed by the big man's attitude and felt a surge of happiness.

  He's right too, the wizard thought. Depression is a killer. Life might not be all rainbows and unicorns, but a positive outlook couldn't hurt.

  Plus it was just heart-warming to see his friends again. He missed human companionship sometimes, even though he had Kronk and Aeris to keep him company. He'd have to Gate to Nottinghill Castle soon.

  Simon was tempted to call Tamara and Sebastian but, as he stared at the blackness outside of his windows, realized that it was quite late in England now. He decided to wait until the next morning.

  Instead, he got up and walked across to his bookshelf, looking through his old fantasy books.

  “Ah, there you are,” he muttered as he pulled out a large, leather-bound tome.

  The title along the spine read: Mythical Beasts and Monsters. Although it was a book of fiction, many of the descriptions had turned out to be remarkably accurate.

  The wizard sat down again and began to flip through the thick book.

  “Dragons. Dragons,” he murmured. “Where are the drag...ah, there you are.”

  He had several of these reference books that mentioned dragons, but this one had always been the most descriptive. Just how the authors had come up with such accuracy was a mystery, and a little creepy, but there it was. Simon was just happy to have the book to help him out.

  “Okay, silver dragon. Where are you?”

  Neither Malcolm nor Aiden had mentioned a dragon but then Esmiralla had said she'd spoken to a woman, not a man, so that made sense.

  The illustrations of the many kinds of dragons were detailed and colorful and Simon felt a touch of anger as he found pictures of black, brown and green wyrms.

  The picture of the red dragon gave him a chill though. If the primal red looked anything like this armored monstrosity, he was in for one hell of a fight, if and when he met it.

  He flipped the page over quickly and felt a bit of relief at the sight of the next pictures. The illustrations of the good dragons were like a soothing balm on his nerves.

  Brass, copper, bronze, the lawful dragons were laid out in glorious display. Somehow the artist had caught a kind of nobility in their features and Simon was saddened knowing that they had all been destroyed.

  All but Esmiralla, he thought. He felt suddenly protective of the silver dragon, as absurd as that seemed. If she was the last of the dragons of Light, she had to be defended. They couldn't lose her.

  Simon thought of what a symbol the silver dragon could be for his people. If the other Changlings learned that a dragon was actually on their side, a creature that up until now they had feared as an enemy, that could send morale soaring. And that could only be a positive for everyone.

  “Ah, there you are,” the wizard said quietly. “The silver dragon. Argentum draconem. Huh. Was their primal named after the Latin word for silver or vice-versa, I wonder? Weird.”

  The picture of the dragon was magnificent. Taking up a whole page, the creature's silver scales seemed to glow and shine like hundreds of little mirrors. The horns spiraled up above the heavy brows and, like Esmiralla's, appeared to be carved from crystal.

  “The silver dragon is second in power only to the gold,” he read aloud. “Using the power of nature, the silver dragons attack with wind, lightning and deep cold, surpassing the evil white dragons with whom they are often compared. These dragons are also the only ones known for their power to heal and are often found accompanying other dragons into battle specifically as healers.”

  That's interesting, Simon thought as he rested his chin on his palm. So they can heal as well as harm. Versatile.

  “Unfortunately silver dragons are vulnerable to intense heat and do not fare well against fireballs or other fire-based attacks.”

  Oh crap. That means that Esmiralla should avoid any fights with red dragons. He frowned in thought. On the other hand, the red dragons could be harmed by cold attacks. Huh. Sounds like they cancel each other out. So it's either a win-win or a lose-lose. Damn it.

  But he also knew something about dragons that the writers of this book didn't: all of them were vulnerable to their own strengths. The primal black dragon had basically fried itself with lightning, its own weapon. The primal green had choked to death on its own poison. So the red dragons had to be damaged by fire.

  He smacked the book lightly with his palm. Didn't know everything, did you, boys?

  Simon sighed and closed the book. He rubbed his eyes, feeling a little disconnected and then stood up slowly. He had a lot to think about but it would have to wait until the morning; he was just too tired to focus at the moment.

  With a wave of his hand, he extinguished the candles in the room and summoned a globe of light. Time for bed.

  The next morning was much more promising, weather-wise. The sun was shining through the windows as Simon woke up and apparently one of the elementals, he guessed Aeris, had opened the windows to let in the morning breeze.

  He stretched slowly and lay there enjoying the smell of the sweet, fresh air blowing into the room. He stared up at the ceiling blankly, not thinking about anything in particular. T
here was a list of chores and problems a mile long that he needed to deal with, but for this short time he just wanted to savor the simple pleasure of a new day.

  “Good morning, my dear wizard,” came a voice from the doorway.

  Simon sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. And so it begins.

  “Morning, Aeris,” he said and turned his head to watch the elemental float across the room, holding a steaming cup with both hands. A delicious smell filled the room and Simon sat up with a smile.

  “You made coffee?” he asked as he accepted the cup.

  “Certainly. You need the pick-me-up. You aren't exactly a morning person, are you?”

  “Not exactly,” Simon responded with a chuckle. He sipped the hot liquid carefully and savored the strong flavor.

  “I take back everything bad I ever said about you,” he told Aeris with a wink.

  The elemental snorted with derision.

  “I doubt that. Anyway, did you want to head down south and check out those cows later today?”

  “Yes please. The sooner the better, don't you think?”

  “I do. If you want to get them used to a new home, and to being domesticated, starting early in the season would be best. Especially since several of the cows have calves. Raise the young in captivity and by next year, they will feel at home here.”

  “Good point. Calves? Excellent.”

  Simon slipped out of bed and stood up, shivering a bit in the cool morning air.

  “Think the water in the lake is warm enough for a swim this morning?”

  “It was steaming a little while ago, so I'd say yes. Just make sure you put on a robe and shoes before you leave the tower or Kronk will get all maternal and chase after you. Again.”

  The wizard laughed under his breath and went over to rummage in his cupboard for an old robe. He found one, grabbed his soap and a towel and headed for the stairs.

  Aeris had been right. The morning air was cool but it made the water in the lake feel that much warmer. Simon washed up and then swam a few laps, watched with some interest by the horses. He guessed that Kronk had let them out early so that he could begin working in the garden.