Faith Of The Dragon Tamer (Book 2) (35 page)

Neki stared at him. “But what are we supposed to do?”

“Wake him. Do something to wake him.”

“How do we know what will wake him?”

Nigel placed a hand on Neki’s shoulder. “Think about it. What wakes you? Something tickling you perhaps? Being too hot? Too cold? We’ve kept the wizard well covered and relatively comfortable. Maybe that’s part of the problem.”

Neki released a guffaw. “Galvin drug him out of the Obelisk, the Druidonian almost ate him, and he was dragged across half of the Maker’s forsaken country. ” Neki waved his hands in the air. “What do you mean he’s been comfortable?”

Nigel grinned. “Relatively. I said relatively.”

Ren felt helpless. “You two need to wake him. I can’t do anything that simple.”

Grauss peered at Ren for a brief time before he nodded. “Yes, that makes sense. The synergy is so strong the simple things evade him. That’s what keeps him strong, and that’s why he needs the three defenders. Yes, that makes sense, but why didn’t I see it before?”

Grauss wandered off, intent on the new information.

Neki picked up the bag of silver dust and heaved a tremendous sigh. “Wake a man who hasn’t slept in almost four centuries, Neki. It won’t be hard, Neki. Burning cinders on dragon’s tails.” Neki paused to run a wary hand through his thick black hair. “The Adderiss may be more pleasant than this.”

- - -

Neki peered down at Zorc. “I think I burnt him.”

They had tried everything they could think of but the wizard hadn’t even stirred.

Ren stepped closer. Sure enough, red welts were beginning to appear on the wizard’s exposed skin.

“Well eternal damnation!” Neki stepped back and crossed his arms. “What’s going to wake him if that didn’t?”

“I don’t know, but we have to keep trying.”

Neki sighed and nodded. He stepped back to the table and touched one of the red sores on Zorc’s neck. “I don’t think Zorc will be too pleased with me when he wakes.”

Although Neki grinned, Ren could sense his exhaustion.

“Why don’t we take a break and get something to eat?” Ren suggested. As soon as food was mentioned, his stomach growled. They hadn’t taken the time to eat a full meal in almost two days.

Neki nodded, visibly relieved, and walked over to the small smokeless fire Grauss had lit. After heating some water he tossed in some herbs and dried chicken. Soon a savory scent of basil and dill wafted through the air.

Zorc moaned.

Neki dropped his spoon. Nigel and Ren glanced at each other as wide grins stole across their faces.

“Hunger,” they said in unison.

Neki picked up the kettle and hurried over to Zorc. “Well, we don’t need magic to help that along.”

Neki dribbled some of the broth into the wizard’s mouth. Zorc’s stomach made a horrible grinding sound. Before Neki could dip the spoon back into the kettle, Zorc’s eyes flew open.

Neki grinned down at him. “You’re one tough wizard to wake. I nearly turned your robe into cinders.”

Zorc pushed himself up. “The Chosen?”

Neki pointed to Ren. Zorc turned.

The wizard’s eyes were just as Markum described: timeless, and filled with ageless understanding and depth. Ren felt like one of Grauss’ experiments under the watchful gaze of a master.

Then Zorc did something unexpected – he grinned. Zorc grinned to such an extent it was comical. Ren smiled back, too relieved to move.

“You’re whole?”

“Yes, I’m whole.”

Zorc drew in a deep breath. “I’ll be staggered. Tell me how. The Druids seemed to have closed you already. How did you escape?

“No, no,” Zorc said, shaking his head as an afterthought. “Start from the beginning. I haven’t heard everything.”

Neki forced a bowl of the chicken stew in front of Zorc. Zorc grabbed it and without bothering to cool its contents shoved a spoonful into his mouth. His pointy eyebrows rose to meet his widow’s peak as he swallowed and sat where he stood. “All these years I thought I’d imagined food tasting this good. But I was right,” he said, raising his spoon in the air for emphasis.

He motioned for Ren to begin as he held his empty bowl out to Neki. During Ren’s recount, Zorc mumbled curses directed at Ista under his breath, but didn’t interrupt. He only nodded on occasions when he agreed with Ren’s chosen course. Zorc hesitated when Ren had said he had met the Quy, raising his eyebrows even higher, in respect if nothing else.

When Ren mentioned the Oracle, Zorc leaned over and grabbed his hands. Pulling him forward, Zorc searched his eyes. A current of energy passed through Ren. Zorc’s eyes shone with intense power, but when the wizard released him they softened.

“I’m truly sorry you had to learn what you did, Ren. It would have been better if you hadn’t known what needed to occur before it did, but it seems what you did was necessary. Although I don’t know why, you’re whole, and now you know how to unlock the door. This will help you defeat the darkness.”

“You read my mind?”

“Not exactly, but close.” Zorc’s voice sounded almost as ageless as his eyes appeared. It was hollow and slightly deep, but soothing. The knowledge it conveyed contrasted greatly with Zorc’s young appearance, although some streaks of gray did frame his face and run the length of his hair.

“I read your emotions and those emotions brought me images. I may not know exactly what the Oracle told you, but I have an idea. Emotions tell us more about a person than the person’s own thoughts. Emotions are stronger than thoughts. They bring pictures of feelings instead of just words. Although pictures, like words, can be interpreted many different ways, if you know the emotions of the person, images take on a life of their own. For instance, because you know Markum’s personality, his emotions, you are able to interpret his dreams easier than you would written prophecy. Written prophecy is without images and can be interpreted a billion different ways. The written word’s interpretation is based on the decoder and the decoder’s opinion of what the words bring to mind, which won’t be the same as the emotions of the seer.

“The internal elements are the driving force of the Quy, and learning to use them will be your first lesson. The love inside you was strong already, now the pain inside you is intense, and the anger is waiting to be released. The path you have walked may have been a tool to show you how to elicit these emotions. You need all emotions to be in balance, to be strong. It’s my job to show you how to use emotion wisely.”

Ren frowned at the thought that everything he, his friends, and the Lands had suffered had only occurred to teach him emotion.

“Will we be able read someone’s emotions?” Nigel asked, interrupting Ren’s thoughts.

“Maybe, depending on your strength and your talents.” Zorc turned back to Ren. “Continue.”

When Ren had finished, Zorc stood, pulled something from his robe, and tossed it on the floor. There was a silent impact to the air as three shining silver dragons rose from the ground in a circular configuration, necks stretching in a roar, wings billowing up and out, and blue sapphire eyes shining with brilliance. The pewter creatures stood as tall as Zorc’s waist. Ren half expected the dragons to come to life, but they remained still, watchful. Zorc placed a small round globe in the midst of the stand. It immediately exploded to full size, cradled among the dragon’s wings.

It was the Silver Eye.

Grauss hastily began scrawling notes on a parchment. Morrus, clearly uncomfortable, took a step back.

Zorc cleared his throat and looked at each in turn. “The Eyes contain the extremes of the Quy, one holding good, the other holding evil. Long ago they resided in the Oracle, kept by Choice, Chance, and Fate. The Oracle guarded the Eyes from all who would covet them. As you know, the Oracle appears to who it will, but it wasn’t always so. The Oracle used to be a temple where everyone could go for answers. If questions were asked without malice or greed the guardians of the Oracle gave direction to those who entered. At one point they were deceived and the Eyes were taken. It was then the Oracle disappeared and was only accessible as you know it today, guarding its knowledge and its power to all but a chosen few.

“When the Eyes were taken a mage named Magnus went after the one who had betrayed the Oracle. The Silver Eye was recovered and given to the wizard leader for safekeeping. The Red Eye was hidden until the time of the Wizard War, when the Red Eye was given to the Maritium for protection.”

Zorc’s words were hypnotizing. Even Grauss remained silent. It felt as if Choice, Chance, and Fate were watching them, ensuring the story was told true.

“Ista was an avid follower of Barracus. She knows about the power of the Eyes and has probably been searching for the Red Eye since the Wizard War.”

The wizard creased his brow and gazed into the crystal. There was a sizzle as the ball began to glow with a brilliant light.

“Yes, Zorc,” came a monotone voice.

Ren blinked in shock. Grauss wrote a hurried note on his parchment, mumbling to himself. The crystal sent a sheen of milky light over Zorc, but as Ren gazed into the crystal he didn’t see an image as he expected. All he saw was swirling mercury, billowing as if a mass of clouds were trapped beneath the surface.

“Krov, you’re in the Silver Eye. Can you detail its function?”

“It’s called the Dragon’s Eye and was forged in ancient times. It can be used to create life.”

Zorc mumbled something under his breath. “Can you use it for anything else, Krov?”

“Yes. Whoever controls the Eye can call good spirits into the Eye and speak to them, but the Maker forbids this. It can also seep goodness into the Lands. It can do so in a slight way or in a great way. If used incorrectly or by someone weak or untrained in magic the crystal could drown the world with moral righteousness. It’s so powerful it would change everyone in the Lands. Evil would be defeated forever.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad to me,” Neki said.

It didn’t sound bad to Ren either, but as he looked at Zorc he knew the wizard wasn’t satisfied.

“Krov, how would the crystal drown the world? Describe in detail please.”

“Those inherently good would become better, those bad would become good,” Krov replied. “All would agree. No pain would ever be felt.”

Neki raised an eyebrow and looked at Ren. “Looks like we’ve found a solution.”

Zorc stepped closer to the Eye. “Do you mean there would be no killings, no picking of crops, no work, no lust, no sin, and no leadership?”

“That’s correct.”

“So, no one would eat, no one would be born, and in time all would die?”

“Correct.”

Nigel’s smile withered. Ren felt the hairs of his neck stand on end. Neki gave a low whistle and mumbled that it wasn’t the solution after all.

Zorc raised a bony finger. “But you said
if
it’s used incorrectly. If someone is powerful enough he can control the Eye and not release this destruction. That is, if someone is powerful enough he could use the Silver Eye to create life or release what goodness they desire?”

“Yes.”

“So the Silver Eye could release destruction, but it doesn’t have to be so?”

“Correct.”

Zorc began to pace. He turned back to the Eye after a brief span of thought. “Are you guessing this time, Krov?”

“No.”

Ren glanced at Nigel and Neki, unsure of what had just passed between the crystal and Zorc. Neki shrugged and turned back to the wizard, undisturbed. Ren felt a little uncomfortable. Guessing?

“Tell me about the Silver Eye’s twin, Krov. What can the Red Eye do?”

The crystal grew a shade brighter as Krov began to speak. “For the Silver Eye to be formed, the Red Eye had to be made. The Red Eye is the Dragon’s Fire.”

Ren glanced at Zorc. The Adderiss had wanted his fire. Could she have meant the Red Eye? Zorc held his gaze for a few heartbeats before turning back to the Silver Eye, but Ren didn’t miss the worried glint in his eyes. Although they didn’t have the Red Eye now, they would.

“What can the Red Eye do?”

“The Red Eye holds the power over death. It can call forth evil spirits. Again, this is forbidden by the Maker, but many who use the Red Eye will care little for the Maker’s commands.”

Ren knew that to be true. Ista’s entire plan hinged on calling to evil spirits. He shivered. It amazed him how much one person could affect an entire race, but Ista’s disobedience could be the Land’s undoing.

“Unlike good spirits,” Krov continued, “evil spirits want back into this world. The Red Eye can release them into a vessel. Hence it can create death.”

“If all the Red Eye’s power was released what would happen?” Zorc asked. Ren didn’t want to hear the response. If the Silver Eye could destroy the Lands the Red Eye should be able to do so as well, and its destruction wouldn’t be as kind.

“As the Silver Eye is good to the extreme, the Red Eye is evil to the extreme. If used improperly, the Red Eye could wreak havoc on the Lands. It calls to evil and can twist righteous minds to be suspicious and jealous of others, causing brother to rise against brother. Evil would prevail. There’s no love in a world controlled by the Red Eye, only lust and desire for more. Soon all would be destroyed by their own destruction.”

“But this Eye is also like the Silver, is it not? If someone is powerful enough it can be used for its true purpose. In other words, the Red Eye’s power can be controlled?”

“Yes.”

“If someone were to release either crystal’s power to the extreme,” Zorc said, phrasing his words carefully, “is there any way to stop the destruction?”

“There’s no controlling what happens if an Eye’s complete power is unleashed. There’s only chaos.”

Zorc began to pace again. Ren knew what he was thinking. If Ista used the Red Eye would she be powerful enough to control it?

Grauss stepped forward and cleared his throat. “If I may,” he said to the wizard. Zorc waved his hand in frustration, indicating for Grauss to ask what he would. The sage stepped forward and bowed to the crystal.

“Grauss the Sage at your service, Krov the Silver Eye.”

The crystal didn’t respond.

Grauss smiled, unaffected by the crystal’s silence. “If someone unleashed the chaos you described, could the other Eye be used to counterbalance the destruction?”