Ashar'an Rising (Nexus Wars Saga) (20 page)

The Dragon lowered its ridged head to a level with Valdieron, showing no signs of discomfort. Its huge eyes were unblinking as they regarded him, their emerald depths flecked with pinpoints of light, reminiscent of stars.

“
Why do you let yourself be sacrificed?”

It was an accusation more than an answer, as if the very act of letting oneself be sacrificed was unheard of by the Dragon, though Valdieron knew the creature was testing him somehow.

“
By what power could I resist? I was bound.”

The Dragon drew back slightly at this, its nostrils flaring with possible surprise or doubt. “Powerless you are not, Kay'taari, but you were indeed bound, it seems, by more than physical restraint. Still, to concede one's life with such composure and resignation, especially when you know you are without fault, takes some courage. And foolishness.”

“
How do you know of that?” asked Valdieron sharply, taking no insult from the Dragon's words, but surprised at its knowledge. The dragon drew back further, perhaps caught by Valdieron's tone, and for a moment Valdieron felt he had gone too far, but a slow chuckle began to reverberate through the chamber, a sound not coming easily to the big creature.

“
Knowledge is easily acquired, young Kay'taari.”

Valdieron regarded the Dragon bemusedly. He had thought the creature to be harsh and edgy, but this sudden humor made him refine his judgment. “I am not a Kay'taari,” he stated irritably, though in the back of his mind he wondered what he was, for even he did not know yet. That he was Dak'marian was obvious, for even the Darishi Equinary had called him such, and Nortus the Blademaster had called him cousin, though he had also been told by Llewellyn that his blood ran with Elvin heritage, something both incredulous and mysterious. He knew by the gift of the Dragon's eye and the mysterious letter, his mother had been somehow different, but he did not think a horse breeder in southern Tyr would have an opportunity to marry a woman of Dak'marian and Elvin blood.

The Dragon regarded him silently, eyes still unblinking in the mystical light, though finally he seemed to sigh and lower himself to lay down, causing Valdieron to scramble out of the way or be squashed. Its head remained before Valdieron, however.

“
Your mind is filled with indecision and confusion, Valdieron, but what you have seen and heard during recent times is merely a prelude to what will come. You have questions, your eyes show that, and although I have many answers, there is only one place these answers are given without taint or cause for disbelief.”

“
The Glade of Truths!” The Dragon's eyes flicked slightly as Valdieron spoke, as if he had waited for Valdieron to show that he knew. “But I am not ready for the test yet.”

“
How can you be sure, Valdieron? It is not a test solely of might, but of every aspect of Kay'taari life. Despite any doubts you might have, these powers and actions are inherent in you, and will only need the right circumstances to bring them out. The Test will do that.”

“
What if I fail?” asked Valdieron desperately, clutching vainly at the remaining link binding him to Garrik Ketherson. To admit he was Kay'taari would severe any thread that held him to the man who had indeed been his father, if not in blood. “The Master has said many do not return from the test, and of those who do, some are never the same.”

The Dragon was silent at this, but his visage softened slightly as if he empathized with Valdieron's feelings, and Valdieron wondered if the Dragon could somehow read his thoughts. “Your dilemma brings to mind a saying once written by a Kay'taari scholar. ‘That which is gained without struggle or confrontation must be viewed with caution, for struggle and confrontation are the harbingers of power and success. Without these, granted power is hollow and without meaning, and will one day bring about one's downfall.’”

“
Is that supposed to console me if I fail?” asked Valdieron humorlessly after a long pause.

The Dragon did not answer the rhetorical question. “Look back on what has befallen you since your first meeting with Astan-Valar. Every step of your journey has been fraught with travails and pitfalls. This is all part of the test, Valdieron, not the test of Kel'Valor, but the test of life. Up until now, you have shown you can stand up to these challenges and face them, even when the situation appears helpless.”

Valdieron winced as the memories of his recent past flooded back to him, as he had dreamed many nights. “That was necessity. Survival!” he pleaded disconsolately. “I do not need these answers. What if the answers are not what I want? What then? Will I find I have been living a lie up until this point?”

The Dragon's answering silence was infuriating, and Valdieron rose with a cry of anguish. He did not go anywhere, however, knowing those questions he had voiced had been for him to answer, not the Dragon. Finally he turned, the Dragon unmoved, and he gave a relenting nod.

“
I will take the Test of Kel'Valor. Let me sleep.”

The Dragon snorted and settled back slightly, as if to say that he had known what would happen from the start. “There is a quicker way, Kay'taari. Take out your amulet and hold it before you, then close your eyes.” Valdieron did as he was instructed, feeling the Tear to be warm and softly glowing, a happy feeling as if greeting an old friend.

“
Concentrate on Kel'Valor, then open your eyes. Only by doing it this way can you take the test.”

Valdieron again did as the Dragon instructed. With the image of the Dream Plane in his mind, he focused before opening his eyes. With a start, he found himself in Kel’Valor; surprised the Dragon's method had worked. Shrugging away the enigma, he scanned the plaza, searching for something, not knowing what, but knowing there was something he had to find. There was no sign of the Master, and the Combat Hall and Ambit were without light. The grey luminescence of Kel'Valor reminded Valdieron of a cemetery, and he shuddered.

Then it struck him, like an answer coming long after the question after the subconscious has time to dwell on it, and he turned to peer up into the lighter hue of the 'sky' above.

There above the Hall of Combat loomed the bulk of the Dragon as he had seen him many nights before, but this time it no longer rested atop the needle  thin spire, but squatted atop the ledge over the archway of the Hall, taloned feet seeming braced against the precarious position. The Platinum dragon was obviously real, something he had speculated on but never known for truth, having never seen it shift. Settled in the crook of its shoulder and wing ridges was the Master, sitting atop an ornate golden saddle. A long Lance was clutched in one hand, pointing skyward, and Valdieron recognized it as the spire the Dragon had originally been perched upon, only much smaller.

“
I am Valdieron, Kay'taari and student, come seeking the Glade of Truth. Will you grant me passage or seek to deny me my right?”

The question came out as a threatening challenge, though it was formal and somehow right, though why he had said them he did not know. It felt like the right thing to say, for some reason.

The Master's nod was imperceptible, and the Dragon lifted its head menacingly, making Valdieron think he had erred, but the giant emerald eyes continued to regard him.

“
We have no power to keep you from that which you desire, Valdieron of the Kay'taari, but know there is a price to take the test. Will you pay it?”

Valdieron nodded, knowing without knowing this price would come in the form of understanding and commitment to that which he discovered, which would amount to nothing if he were to fail the test and spend the rest of his life searching for the Glade. “That which is capable of being paid shall be agreed!” More formality, and he had to shake his head in wonder this time, for the words had come without thought.

In the distance, there was a low rumbling, and the Dragon's faceted eyes shifted towards the source of the noise, as if he could see through the very stones, though there was no doubting the source. “Go and seek that which has eluded you, Valdieron, and remember, knowledge always has a price.”

Valdieron turned without further word towards the stairs that led to the testing ground. Silently descending the dark stone stairs, he could see in the distance the arched doorway, which had previously been closed, was now open. Beyond it he could see nothing but a pale orange glow, like the ambient light from a window on a foggy night. His gaze locked onto this as he strode forward, his skin itching with nervousness, but his steps were unfaltering. Three paces from the doorway he slowed slightly, casting a fleeting glance over his shoulder, not knowing what he was looking for and finding nothing. Turning back, he squinted against the dim glow of the veil that hung inside the archway like a curtain of fire, and with held breath he stepped into it.

There was a moment of darkness, followed by a glimmering swirl of lights of varying hues, and then his vision was back to normal as he found himself in a dark passageway. To either side rose fifteen-foot walls of flat dark stone, unmarred by crack or vine. Spinning, he found his way blocked by wall, and a moment of panic overwhelmed him as he wondered if he was stuck in this place forever, with no way to return. He quickly quelled this uneasiness and turned back to stare down the dark passage, which was hidden in darkness fifty feet ahead. Overhead, there was no roof; only what he thought was the veil of the night sky, though there was no moon or stars and no light.

He moved his hand to the hilt of his sword, expecting it to be there and giving a sigh of relief when he found it was. He was naked from the waist up, however, the thin leather of the baldric running over his chest and shoulder. He wore no shoes, and his hair was as it had been since meeting the Darishi, several braided lengths running through it.

His first step echoed hollowly through the hall, making him pause and listen for the reverberations and possible repercussions of so much noise. He did not know what sort of challenges he would be met with, but he had his sword, so he was sure some would not be to his liking.

As careful as he was, every step he made echoed through the passageway like a beacon, and it was with a sigh that he clutched his sword tighter and continued on, hoping that if he made so much noise when he walked, then so should anything else he might meet.

He was wrong.

The passageway extended for about fifty paces before coming to an intersection, equally dark passages springing off in every direction. He cautiously peered down each and made to continue straight ahead when a shadowy form emerged from the darkness ahead. He saw it was a large cat, and for a fleeting moment he thought it was Kaz, until he noted its sleek black hide resembled smooth leather rather than fur, and its eyes blazed with an orange fire that was all too familiar. The great cat leapt from twenty feet away, soaring easily above the high walls. Its trajectory was straight at him, and with a start that almost cost him dearly, he dived forward under the beast.

He saw as he did the creature was not a true cat, though he had heard of dark  furred great cats from the south. This one had an almost horse  like head, its maw extended and opened to show rows of razor  sharp teeth like dagger points as it screamed a cry. Its claws clicked on the stone floor behind him as it landed, scraping to show it struggled to turn and slow, and he wondered dimly why he heard it now and not before.

He rose lightly and turned, his sword held to his left side, point high in a double  handed grip. The cat had turned and was lunging at him, this time rearing with a great hiss as it shuffled towards him on its hind legs, its forelegs swatting at him.

With a challenging cry, Valdieron stepped forward then back, feinting to get the cat dropping forward, then brought the Dragonsword up and then down in a diagonal arc that caught the rearing beast above the shoulder. There was a brief coruscation as the blade dug into the tough hide, startling him but seeming to double the pain the cat felt as the blade sheared its flesh and then bone. The blow should not have been as effective as it was, slicing through the other side of the beast with a lasting hiss. As if propelled by some force, the cat was thrown back where it lay unmoving for several moments, dark blood seeping onto the stone from the cut, which seemed shallow, but had obviously bit deep.

Breathing heavily from the rush of the fleeting encounter, Valdieron glanced around, searching for others waiting in the darkness beyond his vision, but there were no more that he could see. Turning back for a final look at the creature, he found it had disappeared, leaving no traces of it ever having existed, not even the dark stain of blood.

“
What in blazes was that?” he asked softly, thankful his whispered words were not enhanced as his footwalls were. The creature reminded him of the Devil from the Temple in Northern Ariakus, and it seemed to have been affected in much the same way when hit with his Dragonsword.

The passage continued on for another twenty or thirty paces. There were no distinguishing features to give him any indication he was getting anywhere, and even another four  way intersection had him turning to see if he had been turned around, but there was no way to tell, so he turned back to make a decision on which way to go.

This time he opted for left, realizing one way was as good as another seeing as he did not know which direction to go. He carefully stepped into the intersection, sword held at the ready, so that when the second dark figure appeared, running at him from the darkness, he was not as surprised.

At least not by its presence.