Yes, and if we see that thing again, I’m burning it to the ground.
Come on, he said, and they dove off the ridge, speeding down toward the canyon below. Anders and Zahara passed over the tops of the trees looking for any sign of Dawks or the wraith. Extending their search over the peaks and crags along the mountain front, they failed to find any sign.
It’s almost dawn; let’s turn back, Anders said.
Zahara turned and began climbing into the sky over the mountains. Anders felt a touch on his mind, faint and distant. He might have missed it, but he’d been paying close attention to every tingle he felt since receiving the wooden box. Before thinking it was Ivan, Anders looked over his shoulder to double-check that he wasn’t being followed. In the dark cloudless sky behind him, he saw a violet-scaled dragon. Zahara instantly swung back around to face it. She stopped, hovering in the cold air and they stared at the unmistakable figure sitting on its back.
Alright, Zahara. Let’s not let him get away this time, Anders said, and she lunged forward.
Flying at top speed, Anders suddenly realized the dragon and his rider were not running away from him, they were hovering and waiting. Anders and Zahara walled off their minds, protecting themselves from a mental attack. Drawing closer to the dragon, Anders touched on magic flowing within him and felt the warmth rise into his chest. He prepared to use a number of different methods of attack or defenses as he came within range of the other rider.
Why aren’t they attacking? Anders asked Zahara.
Or fleeing? she asked, just as confused.
They slowed to a hover, close enough to fight with magic, but far enough away that Zahara could outmaneuver the dragon if they came at them. Though it was dark, Anders could see the rider wore battle armor and a helmet masking its face. The rider seemed small in stature, but that perception could’ve been skewed by the dragon’s size. The armored rider sat straight in the saddle presenting a stern presence. In one hand, it held a round shield and spear, similar to those used by many of the Rollo warriors. Anders noticed that a sapphire at the shield’s center did not glow. The dark purple dragon hovered effortlessly as it eyed them. Their mental defense was as solid as any Anders had felt. He could tell that Zahara couldn’t get a good read on whether they were going to attack or not.
Anders yelled across the space between them, “Who are you?!”
The rider did not reply. He sat motionless on his dragon not breaking from the statuesque pose. After several tense moments, the rider moved his free arm slowly out in front of his body. Anders started for Lazuran, keeping his magic at his fingertips, but stopped when he saw a limp body rise from behind the two horns extending out of the back of the dragon’s head. Anders squinted. He could just make out that it was the soldier he’d been looking for. It was Dawks, his body anyway. Anders instantly jumped to the conclusion that the rider had killed Dawks and summoned a swell of energy from within.
Do not attack him, Tarron said emphatically.
Why not? He killed our man.
I don’t believe so. Why would he return the body to you if he meant us harm? Tarron suggested.
I think Tarron is right; they are making a show of peace, Zahara weighed in.
Anders mulled over the idea, then thought, Where did they come from and why are they doing this?
You’re going to have to take a chance to find out, Tarron said.
Anders motioned for Zahara to move closer. She slowly came closer to the purple dragon and his rider. The armored rider held his spear sideways, motioning for them to stop. Apparently, the pair was just as wary of Anders and Zahara. The soldier’s body floated between the two dragons, suspended by magic. Anders used his to cradle Dawks’ body, momentarily bumping up against the other rider’s magic. It was strong, as strongly powered as his. The rider withdrew as soon as Anders touched it.
Bringing the soldier’s body in and down across the saddle, Anders stared at the dragonrider. Shouting at him again, he asked, “Who are you?” The dragonrider did not respond. “Where did you come from?” Anders asked again.
The dragon flapped twice more and turned to fly back across the mountains to the north. As they turned, Anders saw the blue glow of a crystal shining from an exposed crack in the rider’s saddle bag. He took our crystal, Anders said to Zahara.
She’d been noticing the same details as he unconsciously pointed them out to her as well. Zahara started out after them.
Don’t do this, Tarron warned.
We can’t let them get away from us, Anders said.
The purple dragon and rider noticed they were being chased at once and dove down into the mountains. Curving hard to the left and following them down toward the canyons below, Anders had to hold onto Dawks’ body to keep from losing it. Keeping the pair within sight, Anders continued to trace the rider’s presence with his mind. Though the rider had blocked his mind, Anders could still feel the void of space where their bodies should be. The rider rounded a massive cliff wall before them. They disappeared out of sight around the sheer mountainside. When they flew around the cliff, Anders felt the rider halt. The dragon and his rider’s presence suddenly melded into a crowd of others just like it.
Pull up! Anders shouted telepathically.
Zahara turned abruptly and Anders felt the soldier’s weight slipping from his grip. His limp body slid around Anders and fell off. He reached back trying to grab hold of him, but it was too late. Dawks rolled, tumbling down the length of Zahara’s back and out into open space.
Zahara’s climb arched back around as she, too, felt the dead soldier fall. As she tucked under the falling body, Anders guided him back onto the saddle, holding him firmly with magic as Zahara quickly spun around again. When she banked through her turn to flee, Anders looked over his shoulder. Along the snowy mountainside where the lone rider had gone, he could see a group of other riders surrounding him. All dressed in similar plate armor, Anders guessed there must have been twenty or more. Staring in shock, he expected to see them chase after him, but as Zahara carried them through the turn around the cliff wall and out of sight, not one had moved to fly after them.
Flying as fast as she could for fear they would come hunting from within the mountains, Zahara sped over the Frozentip Mountain front and down over the Riverlands. She stayed low near the trees while Anders continually glanced over his shoulder. The light of a new day cracked over the horizon, but the group of riders never came after them. With a large group of soldiers guarding the town’s perimeter, Anders and Zahara returned safely to Brookside. She landed behind the wall of soldiers where Maija, Raffa, and the other leaders of the Revolution stood waiting for him.
Jumping down with Dawks’ body, Anders was met by Maija and Rune’s concerned faces. “You came in like damnation itself was chasing you. What happened out there?” Rune asked, kneeling down and checking the dead soldier’s body.
With a sigh Anders said, “Sadly, you won’t be saving him. Besides, we have much bigger problems to address.”
“What did you see out there?” Helga asked, coming to stand between Maija and Hensal.
“I met another dragonrider,” Anders said flatly.
“You saw one of Merglan’s riders?” Maija asked.
“Not just one, a couple dozen at least.”
They gasped and Rune stood looking serious, “We’re lucky this wasn’t worse. When can we expect their next attack?”
“The riders weren’t related to the fairnheir and wraith’s attacks,” Anders said. “At least I don’t believe they were coordinating with them. These riders seem to be independent. I don’t know where they came from, but they didn’t attack me when we saw them and one of them returned him to me,” he nodded at Dawks’ body.
“And the crystal?” Maija asked.
Anders shook his head as Bert, Alistair and Tony, the remaining leaders, pushed their way through the soldiers to the impromptu meeting. Anders could tell by Tony’s glare and Bert’s frown that they weren’t in a mood to believe anything he said. At their demands, however, he and Maija described in detail all that had happened since the moment Zahara and Raffa warned them.
Tony spat at Anders’ feet when he’d finished, “And it was just a coincidence then that the two soldiers who were assigned to your squad just happened to be on guard when the attack came.”
Before Anders could defend himself, Bert added, “And both of you left the soldiers to defend themselves against a pack of evil beasts.”
“We did what we could,” Anders growled. “If it weren’t for us, the wraith would have killed them all and probably gotten you next.”
Tony stepped toward Anders with balled fists. Anders had had enough of the disgruntled leader. He summoned a surge of magic and pushed it into his hands, causing them to glow an electric blue. “Don’t test me,” Anders said through gritted teeth. He could see fear in Tony’s eyes and knew the man wouldn’t follow through with his actions.
Rune pulled Anders back, “Calm down, you two. There are plenty of soldiers to back what the riders are telling us. Keep in mind it was our decision to stay when Anders warned us what was coming. This is still just the beginning.”
Tony rolled his shoulders, backing away from Anders and said, “We can’t stay here any longer. If there is more of his filth out there, we must get on the move. I say we start toward the heart of the plains at once.”
“We agreed we wouldn’t begin our march until the others arrive,” Helga said.
“Which could be days from now. Who knows how the ships are faring? We might be ash by then,” Bert said, stepping to Tony’s side. “I say we move out today.”
“And what of the rest of the citizens still arriving to board ships to flee to safety?” Rune asked. “Are we going to abandon them?”
“We’ll leave enough people behind to see them off,” Hensal said. “I think we’ve waited out this storm long enough. It’s coming to our borders faster than we anticipated. It’s time to move before the evils strike again.”
Anders looked to Rune, who sighed. “Who else thinks we should start our move to the heart of the plains?” he asked.
Tony, Bert and Hensal raised their hands. Anders watched Hensal give Alistair a nudge and he slowly raised his hand as well. Rune looked to Helga, “What do you think?”
