The Dragon Healer of Tone (World of Tone) (21 page)

Dawra told her that sometimes mountains blow up and very hot bright red and orange material came out of them. When this material cooled, it turned into this rock. The rock was good for one thing, polishing surfaces. Dawra showed them both how to polish the area they would be sleeping on. The rocks broke into dust as they were rubbed against the surface that they would sleep on. After doing this for what seemed to be an eternity, both Terra and Fienna came out of the cave. They were both covered with dust. When they looked at each other, they both started to laugh. When Dawra turned and saw them from where she was relaxing, she also started to laugh at their odd appearance. Terra ran to the lake saying “I’ll beat you.” Fienna took off leaving a cloud of dust in her path. She dropped into the lake just before Terra jumped in, “I beat you,” and they both started splashing around and laughing. It took another three sun-risings to finish the polishing. At the end, there was dust everywhere in the cave.

“Mother, how do we get all that dust out of the cave?”

“Come with me; I’ll show you.”

The three of them moved to just beyond the sleeping area then turned toward the cave opening. Dawra stood to one side, stretched her wings out, and started to beat them. The wind started to blow the dust toward the cave’s opening. Fienna started to do the same thing within a short time almost all the dust had blown out of the cave and was settling on the sandy path that Fienna had made.

Several sunrises later, Fienna and Terra had went to their new home to bathe in the lake. Dawra decided to join them after hunting. As she flew over the crevice, she saw a third creature on the beach with Terra and Fienna. She began her descent when the three of them saw her; the third one jumped into the water and disappeared. Dawra landed next to Fienna, and the two knew what she wanted to know.

“Mother, I know you want to know who was with us. I’m going to tell the story of how we all met. It may take a while, why don’t you get comfortable.”

Dawra decided to let Fienna tell her story. Fienna started by telling her how they liked to lay on the coastal beach in the afternoon to sun themselves. This was fairly normal, for many dragons did this. She went on about how one sun-rising she was sleeping, and Terra was near the water when he heard something and then saw a creature like himself. So he went over to this apparent female. As he approached, her arms turned to tentacles, and she tried to grab him.

“Sea Nymphs. I told you to be careful of them,” Dawra said in anger, not at Terra but at the nymphs.

“I know mother but let me continue before you judge.”

“All right.”

Fienna continued with Terra’s body glowing orange and repealing the tentacles. The Nymph fell from the surprise and hit her head badly.

She was in fact perishing. Then Fienna wanted to leave her, but Terra could not, and he healed her. It turned out she was the daughter of the king of the Sea Nymphs, and he was very grateful to Terra for his daughter’s life. Since that time, the sea nymphs have considered Fienna and Terra as true friends and always treat them with great respect. The one that just dove into the water was Setilan; the one Terra had saved.

After Fienna’s explanation was over, Dawra said nothing for a short time. She was thinking. She now knew that Terra was more than she had ever suspected. No living land creature had ever made friends with the sea nymphs. Yet, he not only made friends, but they owed him the life of their ruler’s daughter, a debt that would be impossible to repay.

Terra amazed her. He seemingly wanted nothing but to live with Fienna and here he was a friend with both dragons and sea nymphs.

“Fienna, Terra. It’s all right; you can be friends with these Sea nymphs but don’t trust them completely.”

“Why mother?”

“They have been known to be untrustworthy, be careful.”

“We will mother.”

“Terra promise,” Dawra said.

“I promise.”

“Good, now can you call your little friend back? I would like to meet her.”

Fienna hit the water lightly with her tail, and the little creature came walking out of the water. She was two heads shorter than Terra and physically much smaller. Dawra had never paid much attention how much bigger Terra was than other creatures since to her he was so small. She now realized that he was much larger than other humans.

Well, that didn’t matter; he would never leave Fienna. Dawra moved her great head close to the sea nymph and carefully looked her over and sniffed her small body. She smelled a little like a swimmer and a little like Terra. Then she told Terra to tell her that she could be their friend, but if she or any of her people ever hurt either Terra or Fienna, the sea nymphs would have to deal with the wrath of the dragons. Terra didn’t want to say it, but Dawra stared at him with determination, and he finally told her. Terra said she understood and that her kind would protect Terra and Fienna with their lives if need be. That seemed a little extreme but was an acceptable answer.

That sunset Dawra told Lowlack the story.

“He is something more than just a human with magic. I am not sure what but more. Each time we think he cannot gain anymore power he does. He also seems to possess the rare art of befriending others in such a way that they are ready to die for him without question,” Lowlack said in a serious voice.

“I believe you’re right. Do you think Fienna’s in danger being with him?” Dawra said with concern.

“I think Terra could protect her from anything. She is safer with him than anywhere on this world. I haven’t seen this new cave; can you take me to it tomorrow?”

“Yes, of course.”

The next morning Dawra, Lowlack, Fienna, and Terra flew to the crevice. The cave and the lake impressed Lowlack. It was indeed a perfect place for the two of them.

Chapter 44 - A Teacher Needs Help

(Everyone needs help Sometimes.)

351 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

Terra’s lessons continued as the sunrises passed. Seana slowly became larger as her child grew within her. Soon she would no longer be able to come and teach Terra, but she promised that as soon as she could she would start his lessons again. Seana wanted another to take over during her absence, but Terra refused the offer, preferring to wait for “his teacher” as he had started to call her. She was very pleased with his decision.

One sun-rising as Fienna and Terra lay on the shore of their private little lake, Setilan surfaced and started to frantically swim toward them waving her hands. Terra stood up and greeted her as she emerged from the water.

“What’s wrong Setilan?”

“It’s Seana, her baby. “ Setilan had to stop and catch her breath before she could continue.

“She’s having trouble; the baby may die the healers say. She wants you to come.”

“Can they bring her here?”

“No, it’s too dangerous. They may both die if she is moved.”

“Fienna will you take me to her?” Terra said.

“Underwater again! I didn’t like that.”

“Please, she is in danger, and I like her.”

“For you, my Terra, I will go.”

Terra mounted Fienna and told Setilan to meet them at the entrance of the palace. Fienna took off. She flew to where the palace was and circled for a time giving Setilan time to arrive. Then she dove toward the water and entered it as if it were air. As they entered, their bodies started to glow orange. At the entrance of the palace, Setilan was waiting; she waved them to follow her. She swam as Fienna flew through the water. They came to a small building were Setilan swam to the opening in the top.

“Fienna, I’m going to swim into the building. You come and put your head through the hole after I enter it.”

“Will I keep the air around me? You generate this glow for the two of us.”

“I didn’t think about that. Let’s try. I will stop touching you for a moment, and we will see what happens. “

Terra slowly allowed himself to float free of Fienna and then let go of her. He kept his hand close, so he could touch her if anything happened. A thin orange rope started to form between the two. The glow still protected her, and he floated a little farther away with the rope of orange ever lengthening.

“It’s all right; you are still glowing. I’m going to swim to the hole; follow me.”

Terra swam through the hole and down to a seaweed bed that Seana was lying on. Setilan followed, and Fienna stuck her head through the hole to watch. He had promised on the flight here not to ever be out of her sight. Seana was in great pain, and two surprised healers were around her. They floated back as Terra approached, half watching him and half watching the great dragon’s head above them. He placed his hand on her swollen middle. As Terra touched her, he could see in his mind’s eye the baby and its surroundings.

“The baby is strangling. A cord of some kind is around its neck.”

“That’s the life cord. It can’t be cut, or the baby will die,” one of the healers said in a high-pitched frightened voice.

Terra concentrated, and slowly he felt the cord move. At first, he had a hard time controlling the movement, but it slowly became easier. He was able to move the cord from around the baby’s neck, and then he healed the small bruise that had formed.

“This baby wants to come out,” he said to Seana.

“I know, but it will die with the cord around its neck,” Seana said in great pain.

“I have moved the cord. She can come out now. You two help her,”

Terra said in an authoritative voice.

“Yes, sir. Yes, sir,” they both said in unison.

The two healers had a great deal of experience in the birthing process. They knew that this child would die during the birth because of the position of the life cord. When a healthy crying baby emerged, they were amazed. No healer could have done what he did. It was simply impossible. They wiped the baby off of its birth fluids and handed it to the mother. Almost together, they turned to stare at this human. They said nothing, just stared. Then Terra approached the mother and child.

“You will be fine now. I don’t think you need anything else,” Terra turned to swim back to Fienna.

“Terra wait,” Seana said.

Terra turned his head as Seana spoke.

“You have done more for me than anyone on this world could. I owe you my child’s life twice over. She will be named Terrafienna, and you will always have me as a teacher and a friend.”

“Don’t talk; you need to rest. Tell Setilan if you need me again.”

“Terra swam back to Fienna and mounted her. As they flew off, a crowd had gathered and watched as the great dragon flew through the water with ease and grace.

The healers reported what they saw to the king and his advisors. The king now realized that this human’s powers were beyond any being that they had ever encountered. They must make sure that he always remained their friend.

Fienna and Terra returned to the small lake to rest.

“You are a skilled healer my Terra. You can heal anything can’t you?”

“Yes, I guess I can.”

“You’re tired I can feel it. Keeping us safe underwater drained you.

The healing didn’t seem to fatigue you like it used to.”

“No, I think I even feel better after I heal.”

“I never saw the birth of anything. It was strange to see something alive come out of Seana.”

“Yes, it was. I never saw anything like that either.”

“You did something different this time. You actually saw and moved that cord. I saw it with you. How’d you do that?”

“I don’t know. I just thought if I could move that cord the little one would be all right, and it happened. “

”Maybe you should try to move something in the open. Let’s see,”

Fienna looked around and spotted a branch that was floating in the water and pointed at it.

“Try to make that stick rise out of the water.”

Terra concentrated on the stick and pictured it rising. As he did this, the stick did rise completely out of the water. Then Terra stopped the thought, and the stick dropped back to the water’s surface.

“I’m tired. I need to rest.” Terra said in an unusually strained voice.

Fienna felt him lose a lot of energy moving the stick. He could do it but it took a lot out of him. Fienna curled up on the shore and told Terra to lay in his accustom place. He got comfortable and Fienna pulled her wing over him. He fell asleep almost immediately.

Chapter 45 - Someone’s Watching

(You’re not invisible when You’re Watching Someone.)

351 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

As the black pool cleared of the images from Seana’s birth bed, the Old Sinut stood back.

“That’s four, but there’s five stones glowing,” he said to himself while scratching his head in bewilderment. He returned to the viewing pool, and it began to focus on the bleak and desolate landscape outside the great stone wall. He focused on the old one now sitting outside his cave on a low rock. The hot bright sun was baking him as he held a staff that seemed to support him. He was breathing hard as if he just returned from a difficult walk. The ghostly figure of the Old Sinut formed in front of him.