The Dragon Healer of Tone (World of Tone) (40 page)

The words rang through her mind. “A time, his whole life is more than ‘a time’,” she thought to herself in anger. “Why was he taken from us?” she thought to whatever gods that were listening.

She was suddenly brought back to the world as they flew over the ridge of the crevice, and she could see the incredible sight below them.

As the great dragon descended in a circular path, she could see people waiting for them. As they dismounted, the most beautiful woman Reicka had ever seen walked up with three odd-looking creatures. At the mouth of a great cave an even larger green dragon stood looking at them with suspicion in it’s eyes.

“This is my wife Fienna,” Terra said as the tall beautiful woman nodded.

“And these are Sea Nymphs, Setilan, Seana and the Old Sinut.”

They too nodded as introduced.

“The dragon in the cave entrance is Dawra.”

“You say you’re my mate’s mother, how do you know this?” the multicolored woman said in broken and very hesitating language.

Reicka was surprised at the question; Terra had not said a word to her about it.

“A great Averon carried my son away many seasons ago. He had an amulet around his neck. It had nine prongs on it with gems at the end of each. It was identical to the image on his chest and yours. His name was Terra, and he was very small. He was also the only man alive that had the power of healing.” With that, Fienna turned to Terra and began talking to him in a series of growls and other noises. Terra spoke back to her in the same language. Then both of them spoke to the dragon that had brought them to this place, in the same odd manner, and he talked back to them.

“You may be my mother, but I need time to consider what you have said. Will you look at my wife and tell us when the child is to come?”

Terra said in a warmhearted voice.

“Yes, of course, I will. My son’s wife after all is my daughter,” she said in the most loving manner possible.

They all walked toward the cave, and the dragon Dawra moved to the side and allowed them to pass. Reicka placed her hand on Fienna’s stomach and concentrated for several moments.

“It will come in four full moon risings. It is a girl child and very strong. Almost as strong as Terra was when he was within me,” Reicka said with a love that only a grandmother could have.

The dragon at the entrance had moved close, and her head was now within a man’s height from them. She began talking to Fienna. At least that is what Reicka took it for. The two talked for sometime while Reicka moved away and was again struck by the absolute beauty of the cave that her son obviously lived in. She stumbled back as her foot struck a rock, and she could feel a powerful hand come up from behind and support her. She could feel a presence within her reaching deep into her memories of the past. The presence was so gentle and loving she felt no fear when she realized it was Terra. She allowed him to find what he wished. Then he was gone. He stood in front of her with Fienna and now eight of the spokes on his chest were lit.

“You are my mother,” Terra said as Fienna stepped forward and hugged her with the strength of ten men her size. She could hardly breathe, and when Fienna realized what she was doing, she released her grasp.

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You didn’t; I just need to get my breath back.”

“Perhaps the two of you should sit down,” Terra said to both Reicka and Fienna.

“You see,” he continued. “I came to the dragons very young. I remember virtually nothing of my life before I came to live with Fienna and her mother Dawra,” he said as he pointed to the great dragon above them.

“But Fienna’s a woman not a dragon,” Faray said in a confused tone.

“Right now she is, but she is really a dragon. She became human at the full moon, but the last time she never changed back. Now we know why. She was with child.”

Terra went on to describe his life with the dragons and how he met the nymphs. As he was finishing, darkness began to creep across the crevice floor. He did not tell them everything only what he felt important. His mother made a point of asking about the lake’s color, and he reluctantly explained what had happened. The two had grown tired, and Terra felt they should stay the sunset. They agreed, and the nymphs arranged bedding. Terra and Fienna walked to the back of the cave as the ceiling crystals slowly lost their light.

Chapter 74 - New Clothes

(Men Care Little About what They Wear.)

357 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons

In the morning, Faray awoke just as a single ray of light struck the first ceiling crystal. It slowly lit up like a brilliant torch causing the ones around it to also light. It was the most incredible thing she had ever seen. What a world her brother lived in. She remembered the stories Terra had told them and wondered how anyone could have survived such a life. Her mother stirred at her side and opened her eyes to the rainbow of light igniting above them. It was breath taking.

“Do you like the show?” Terra’s voice came from behind them.

“It’s beyond description,” Reicka said with wonder in her voice.

As the two got up Reicka saw a man that looked like a beggar.

“You need good well fitting clothes not those rags. Can you take me to my cabin? I’ll get some cloth and make you clothes that fit,” she said while pulling at the rags he wore.

“Yes, I guess so, but these are fine for me,” he said as Fienna walked up in a beautiful glistening dress.

“You need better clothes my love. Those are only rags that we picked up after all,” Fienna said as she put her arm around his waist.

“Fine,” he said with a shrug.

“First, I need something to measure you with. Do you have a rope or vine?” Reicka asked.

Fienna walked over to a small hole in the wall of the cave and pulled out a basket used by the nymphs when they helped fit Fienna with clothes. She reached in and pulled out a knotted string.

“Is this what you want?”

“Yes, that’s perfect,” Reicka said as she took the string.

“Now Terra take off that thing you have over your head.” Terra took off the cloth that he had cut a hole in for his head.

“Now stretch out your arms even with the ground. Come help me Faray.”

Terra did as he was asked. Reicka could hardly believe the size of his body. She and Faray could barely reach his head, and his arms seemed to stretch out forever. He didn’t seem incredibly muscular, but when she touched his body, it was a hard as rock. His chest was twice the size of her husbands’, and his waist was only slightly smaller than his chest. His arms were bigger around than one of her legs and just as long. “He was a big child, but he is a massive man,” she thought to herself as she completed her measurements with Faray’s help. Both women suddenly began smelling something cooking. Two female nymphs had a fire going and had something roasting over it. They both suddenly realized how hungry they were. Terra seemed to understand what they were thinking as they looked at the fire.

“Come, let’s eat you must be hungry,” he said to them as all four of them walked to the fire.

One of the nymphs handed Terra a basket of small cakes. He held it out to the two women.

“These are called sea cakes; they are very tasty. Please try one.”

They seemed to be hesitant so Terra and Fienna both took one and ate them. Reicka took a cake it seemed heavy and slowly bit into it. It tasted very good, and she quickly ate the rest. Faray did the same. Over the fire the nymphs were roasting something that looked like a swimmer, but much larger than the ones in the waters around their cabin. They took it off the fire, broke it into four chunks, and placed them onto four large scooped shaped things that seemed to have all the colors of the rainbow in them. The two women did not hesitate this time and quickly ate all the white sweet tasting flesh given to them. Terra offered them more sea cakes, and both took several more. While they finished the cakes, Terra seemed to be eating long green leaves smelling of swimmers. They finally were full and thanked the two nymphs.

“Why did they not eat?” Faray asked.

“They only eat unfired creatures. They do not like it heated through; they say it ruins it. I don’t like the taste when it has not been roasted, so they fire it for me. Fienna will eat it either way.”

Reicka seemed to be thinking as they walked away from the fire.

“I don’t think I have near enough cloth to make you clothing. I will need much more, but we have precious little to trade for more cloth.”

“Trade?” Fienna asked in a questioning voice.

“Yes, we give the people who make cloth something, and they give us the cloth. But we have very little to give,” Faray said.

“What type of things do you trade? “ Fienna asked in a slow manner trying to say the words correctly.

“Anything. Meat, hides, baskets, even my healing powers.

Unfortunately, lately people have very little to give me when I heal them. Some won’t heal without being given something, but I can’t bring myself to do that,” Reicka said in a sad voice.

“Meat, that’s easy enough,” Terra said as he walked over to the great dragon that had brought them.

He started to make a series of noises, and it returned the noises and then took off. In a very short time, the great beast returned with a runner bigger than any she had ever seen. It dropped the dead animal in front of Terra.

“Can we trade this?” he asked.

“Yes, that would bring us all the cloth we need and much more. We could keep some for us also,” Reicka said.

“No need, I will get you as much as you need,” Terra said in a calm and unconcerned voice. It was almost impossible to get runner meat from where they were from. But when it was available, one and all sought it.

Reicka was ready to leave with Terra, but Faray insisted that she go with Terra, and Reicka remain behind to rest. Terra picked up the runner as if it weighed nothing and casually tossed it up to the dragon who caught it in it’s great taloned hands. She had seen three men struggle with smaller animals, so his casual use of his strength still surprised her. The dragon lay down, and the two mounted. It leaped into the air with amazing power and seemed to be out of site in moments. Fienna walked up to Reicka and put her arm around her shoulder.

“They are flying over the scrub area and soon will be approaching the green.”

“How do you know this?” Reicka said looking up at her.

“We share our thoughts. It doesn’t seem to matter how far apart we are; I know what he is seeing, thinking and feeling.”

Reicka looked at her in amazement. No humans could share thoughts. She could not imagine the closeness of these two. No wonder Fienna knew what was happening without ever speaking to Terra and that must be how she learned Reicka’s language.

Terra and Faray dismounted Lowlack after again landing in the open field. Suti bounded onto Terra with a force that would have knocked any other man to the ground, but he just grabbed the great cat and hugged it while his face was being licked. Terra told Suti to stay by the dragon as he took the runner and threw it across his shoulders. They then made their way to the road. Faray led Terra to the village. In the center of the oddly made caves was a place where many people were milling around among small covered caves that had numerous things, none of which Terra had seen before. As he entered, everyone turned and looked at the huge man dressed in rags carrying the biggest runner they had ever seen. Faray led Terra to a place that meat hung in. The man standing behind a wood box looked up at the massive man in front of him with fear in his eyes. Faray asked Terra to put the runner down.

Terra dropped it with little more effort than dropping a feather. Faray started to talk to the man, but Terra paid little attention, for he was looking at all the people and things around him. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his arm, and Faray led him to another small cave. Here there were all sorts of cloth, and Faray picked out several pieces and had Terra hold them. They visited several more of these caves and picked up other things including a net that Terra put everything in which he swung over one shoulder. Then they started to walk back to Lowlack.

As they reached the place to leave the road, Terra heard some noise behind them. As he turned, he saw a long straight stick flying at them.

He snatched it from the air as it was about to hit his chest. He saw ten men spread across the road with that fool Wistack behind them. Terra now stood facing them with Faray slightly behind him, and he was holding the stick in his hand. He looked at the stick and saw it had a metal tip like the knife that the fool had. He flung the thing toward the ground. It hit with an explosive force, and as the dust cleared, only a hand’s width length of the shafts protruded from the ground. Suddenly, a small man began to run toward them and then leaped into the air with his feet plunging straight at Terra’s chest. Terra’s arm moved with an unseen speed. His hand was now stretched out, and an orange rope of light extended from his palm to the man in the air. The rope encircled the man’s body, and he was held in mid air three or four paces from them. Terra flicked his hand, and the man was thrown across the road hitting a tree about the diameter of a man’s thigh. As his body struck the trunk, a hideous sound of breaking bones could be heard. It was as if dried twigs were being crushed but much more excruciating. The tree bent back as the body impacted it and then snapped back to its normal position throwing the man’s broken body back into the center of the road. You could barely hear death moans coming from his tortured soul. Faray was frightened beyond description and put her hand on her brother shoulder; her fear melted away like frozen dew in the sun. She felt a power surging through his body so great that it nearly knocked her to the ground, but she managed to stay on her feet and somehow kept her hand in place. From the corner of her eye, she saw another man raise a large metal ax, but before he could throw it, a cat leaped from the dense green forest knocking the man to the ground. Before Terra could raise his voice to Suti, the man’s throat was torn out, and he lay dying with his blood running onto the road. Terra called Suti and with blood dripping from her fangs she loped over to him and sat down stroking her head against his leg and purring like a contented pet. Faray saw an arrow flying right at them, but before she could warn Terra, a bolt of white lightning from a single overhead cloud pierced the air striking it.