It’s hard to tell. Not a large number. I think it might be a transporter ship that’s carrying a group to Southland. She paused briefly while Anders authenticated her speculation. Yes, they’re nearing shore. It doesn’t look like it’s meant to be a trap, she said. I think if we can turn away from them, they’ll never know we were here, and we can, she cut off as a bright flash of light pulsed through the darkness.
Anders drew on the energy pulsing within him, the combination of hatred and anger blinded him to rational thought. He couldn’t let Zahara take them away from his chance to get justice for all the wrong these creatures had caused in his life. Acting on impulse, he released a fraction of light that shot forth from his palm. The light blue beam shot through the darkness, illuminating them in the night sky, turning just above the water. He wasn’t sure what kind of magic he’d used, but he refused to let these evil creatures get away. The small piercing light pulsed from his palm, hitting the stern of the small ship.
The light emitted from the attack caught the attention of the orcs on board. The stealth with which Zahara had been flying was given up in a flash. Shouts went up from the ship’s deck. The back half of the wooden boat burst into flames. If there had been any possibility of moving away from the orcs unseen and without causing a commotion, Anders had now ensured that it was no longer an option.
Anders!What did you do?! Zahara shouted. When he didn’t respond, she tried to communicate through her emotions where she’d always been able to reach him with her feelings. His presence was cold and she felt distant from him.
We need to take them out before the fire gets large enough that the orcs on shore see the blaze and sound an alarm, Anders said to her in a distant, almost unrecognizable voice.
Zahara’s instincts told her to retreat to the armada and alert Ivan and Nadir of the orcs’ location and Anders’ action, but Anders was right. When the ship became fully engulfed in fire any enemies on shore would be alerted to their presence whether they’d seen the dragon and her rider or not. She knew it was wrong, but she turned sharply to the right and headed as fast as she could toward the orcs’ ship.
The flames licked up the sidewalls along the outer lining on the small ship as Zahara and Anders descended. With no warning, Zahara felt Anders rise from his saddle. She glanced over her shoulder as she came closer to the ship. She caught a glimpse of him as he leapt down off her back, the deadly elven sword in his hand. Zahara’s eyes widened. Anders crashed into the middle of the orcs aboard the ship. Zahara shrieked in surprise at his reckless actions.
Anders no! she roared, but she knew now that he was consumed with rage. She flapped her powerful wings and rose high enough to bank a turn, falling with speed toward the burning ship. She watched in horror at the feats Anders had taken to bring destruction to the orcs.
Anders spun and twisted like a flash of crimson and silver as he cut down the surprised orcs. They were taken by such surprise and terror that they didn’t know how to respond. Zahara swooped down over the ship attempting to scoop up the orcs with her claws and help Anders come out of the situation alive. But when she saw the reaction of the orcs aboard the ship, she could see that many didn’t have time to defend themselves, unable to strike out at this human’s unnatural speed. By the time Zahara could attempt to do anything, Anders had already cleared the ship. As she came close, Anders used his magic, pulling a wave up to extinguish the flames on the boat. Zahara passed low next to the ship and Anders jumped off the ship, driving himself with a surge of energy and binding himself to the saddle, landing firmly in his seat.
She couldn’t feel any emotion coming from him and he said nothing as he sheathed the sword and gripped the saddle handles. The only sound he made was that of heavy breathing after launching such a physical task. The silence persisted for the remainder of their short flight back to the elven armada. She didn’t dare attempt to reason with him in this state. He might do something more that he would regret when the rage passed. Zahara knew it had something to do with the energy from the crystal, but she didn’t want to risk damaging their relationship by fighting about it now. She would talk sense into him later.
When Zahara and Anders returned to the ships, Ivan and Nadir inquired about the small flames they saw. Before Zahara could speak, Anders covered his actions with a lie, saying they found an orc ship making an offering to their gods of war. He assured them they passed by without notice and had returned to the elven ships unseen.
By his reaction, Zahara knew Ivan didn’t believe him and suspected something, but he, too, thought better than to get into it with Anders in his current state. Instead, they would have to keep an eye on him until the crystal’s energy ran its course before confronting him.
Chapter 40
Lumbapi Resistance
Zahara flew alongside the ships carrying hundreds of elf and dwarf soldiers, sneaking through to Southland. Her concern for her bonded rider grew, a gut-wrenching worry about what the crystal had done to him tugged at her during each flap of her massive wings. She stayed silent, waiting for the storm raging in Anders to subside. She knew that she must remain calm and keep her concerns for him hidden while they flew. Hours passed as they carried on in silence, the anger in Anders showing signs of dwindling. Zahara could sense remnants of Anders’ consciousness starting to return as his feelings of what he’d done became mixed.
Ivan. There’s something I think you should know. It’s about Anders, she said, making sure Anders couldn’t listen in on their conversation.
I knew something wasn’t right between you two. What happened back there? Ivan had a way of knowing more about their bond than Zahara often suspected.
Anders, she began. He seems different since he tapped the energy stored in the crystal from his sword. I think it affected him in a much more intense way than it did me, she spoke slowly forming her thoughts thoroughly before conveying them to Ivan.
I feared this might happen. I could tell something wasn’t right with him when you returned.
Zahara made sure that Anders wasn’t attempting to listen in on her private conversation before she continued, He cut off all communication with me. He’s never done this before. He didn’t attempt to warn me before he launched an attack on the ship.
So, Anders caused the fire?
Yes, somehow, he used a form of magic foreign to us. He shot a beam of energy at the ship, just after I told him we shouldn’t risk being seen by the orcs. I told him if they saw us, they could alert others and engaging them would be too risky for our operation. Just as I turned to fly away, he hit the ship’s rear, setting it ablaze. Once the flames sprang up, I feared our stealth would be compromised. We had to extinguish the fire before it got so large that other orcs in the area could see it. Anders agreed, and we flew closer. Once we got close, though, Anders leapt off my back, landing amid the orcs. The anger in his eyes made him nearly unrecognizable. He cut through them before I could do anything to stop him. He extinguished the flames as I flew by and then he jumped much farther than should’ve been possible, landing in the saddle again. He’s been distant and angry; something about him isn’t right.
Ivan cursed, It’s worse than I thought. I wonder, he cut off, losing himself in thought.
Zahara saw a glimpse of his thoughts, a lone rider silhouetted on the back of an enormous black dragon, fire streaming from its unhinged jaws. The vision vanished almost as soon as it had begun.
Zahara, you must keep an eye on his emotions. He should be returning to normal soon, but I wouldn’t let him summon any more of the crystal’s power. If he takes too much it could be deadly.
The longer Zahara flew, the more she felt the energy they’d consumed from the crystal draining away. Anders began to return to his senses, the fog surrounding his mind began to dissipate and his emotions began to lighten. Slowly he began to realize just what he’d done. The devastation began to sink in as they approached the northernmost reaches of the Drakeshead province. Zahara knew he would regret his actions once he’d fully recovered from the crystal’s effects. When Anders renewed his connection with Zahara, she could tell the energy that had been corrupting him had almost entirely left his system.
As the elven ships angled their bows toward a thinly outlined shoreline along the darkened horizon, Anders asked Zahara a surprising question.
Zahara, he began with the hesitation of a child trying to solve a problem for the first time.
Yes, she responded warily, not sure if Anders would express remorse or anger with his next words.
What happened after I used the energy from the crystal?
What do you mean after you used it? Don’t you remember? she asked concerned.
I remember the light as it came wisping out of the hilt and into my body and the feeling I got from it. After that, it’s a blur, but I’m having trouble believing what I can recall. Anders reached his hand up and ran it through his hair, his fingers breaking through clumps crusted together. Bringing his hand down, he examined the gunk as it stuck thickly against his fingers. Noticing his hands and arms were coated in something dark, Zahara answered him.
You scared me, Anders. I don’t know if I can trust you. Can you feel any of the crystal’s powers still? she asked.
Anders frowned, realizing as she said this that the horrible things he saw in his mind weren’t a fabrication of his imagination.
No, it’s all left me, he trailed off, eyes widening as he glanced at the sword sheathed at his waist. The brightly polished hilt no longer gleamed; it was coated in the same dark substance he’d found on his hands, arms and head. It’s, he began, thinking to himself.
Blood, Zahara said coldly, finishing his thought.
Anders’ heart pounded as the memories became clear. Igniting the ship, leaping from Zahara into the midst of the orcs trapped onboard, and the rage. He shook his head, No, no, no, he thought, seeing the fearful expressions of the orcs as he cut through them with blinding speed.
Anders, Zahara said now very serious. You acted without consulting me. You shut me out completely.
I, he began, trying to find the words to express how he felt, but he couldn’t. No combination of words could describe the horror he felt within.
