Chapter 8

“Kill the Orcs! They are driving the Goblins forward,” Dan yelled as several, water, dark and fire bolts took out most of the Orcs.

The Goblins, seeing this, turned in mass and started to flee. They actually stomped over an Orc still trying to use its whip.

Down to the last two, Dan’s hands went blue, then the last two were encased in a globe of ice. With that, the last of the Goblins turned and escaped.

Dan breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the last high tail it out of there. Dan went to each of his companions to make sure they were alright, then slumped down exhausted.

Dan was amazed that he didn’t pass out this time. He then checked all his companions’ spells. So far, it appeared that En’tra was in the mid-range spells.

Then his eyes went wide when he saw that Ella had gained her fourth spell. {witch has gained Incinerate}

Dan nodded as he walked to Ella. With a big grin he said, “Have you checked your status?”

Ella said no, then checked as her eyes went large, “Incinerate? Holy crap! Is that the one you used in the woods?” When I nodded, she just stood there with her mouth open.

I then turned to Bell. “Have you checked?” I asked as I saw the message: {witch has gained ice}

Bell’s mouth dropped open, “I have never been able to do ice!”

Dan had checked En’tra, seeing that she had:

- Shadow Step
- Shadow Blindness (Impenetrable Darkness)
- Shadow Death
- Shadow Shield

Dan had hoped that Shae’ten might go up, though he was just glad that she was with them. At least now they were starting to move into the mid-range spells.

They all took a rest though all of them kept their senses open. No sense getting killed after what they had just survived.

Dan thought that after the Trolls he was glad that they hadn’t gone against a bunch of them. Even though he was glad that both he and En’tra had shadow shield he was still being cautious.

They did, after all, have a freaking dragon that was chasing them. God only knew what the Dragons wanted with him. He assumed that they were all after him.

Then there was the Elven king, if he had to guess, the king blamed all humans. According to the others, this seemed to be the case. They also said that he should have memories.

He just shook his head memories. He wasn’t that old, how the hell could he have memories of then? The longer this went on, the more mysteries that appeared.

Then there was this pulling compulsion, where the hell was that from? Even now, he could feel it pulling on him.

Whatever was going on, he just hoped that he survived to see it through. He got them together as they discussed what they were going to do.

“As we know, we are moving along the edge of Orc and Goblin territory. The appearance of the Trolls does worry me though, as it took so much to defeat them,” Dan said.

“That hopefully shouldn’t be that much of a problem,” En’tra said. “They don’t band together that often.”

“I think that something has changed,” Shae’ten spoke up. “We have noticed more activity in this area recently. You said that you got here about a week ago? That’s about the time that this all started.”

Dan stared at her for a moment, then started to nod. “Yeah, that clocks with what we’ve been hearing. It seems that almost all of this points back to the Elven King. Though the Dragons getting involved makes me think that I am a marked man. Can any of you tell me about this legend or prophecy?”

“I only know bits and pieces. It all comes down to the fact that a human will reappear here in this world. He will right a great wrong and help to make the tyrant see the way. The how and the way though was never told to any of us,” En’tra said.

“It is said that the Dragons and the White Elf Royalty know most of it but aren’t talking about it. It has been said that the prophecy foretells the end of a great many things. Also, the start of a different world. I believe that this has many scared,” Tygan said.

The light and dark elf along with the Harpy then turned to look at Ella and Bell. The both of them shrugged a little confused at them.

“What?” Ella asked. “Why are you staring at us?”

“As witches, you should know parts that we don’t,” Tygan said.

Ella and Bell looked at each other as they bit their lips. Then Ella nodded to Bell as she took a deep breath.

“Actually,” Bell started, “we aren’t from here. We are from where Dan,” Bell stopped as her eyes went wide. “They are here; I feel them!”

They all immediately came to their feet as all their hands started to glow. Not far in the distance, they could hear the powerful wings of a dragon drawing close.

“Please don’t leave, we just want to talk,” they heard. Dan wasn’t all that sure since the Dragon and Elf had pursued them relentlessly.

Dan spoke up, “the way you two have come after us, does not bode well for peaceful talks. I,” Dan started as a bolt of light comparable to a laser hit his shield.

Dan, now mad, shot a bolt of Shadow Blindness to where the hard light spell came from. A scream let him know that he’d gotten a hit.

“I think that this talk is concluded,” Dan said as he reached out, opening the shadows and drawing all with him into it. “I’m not sure why the dragons are after me, but I will not submit, so you might as well back off. I will not hesitate to fight if I and they are threatened,” Dan concluded, then stepped into the shadows.

They arrived far to the north, not far from where they had met Marlena. Dan breathed a sigh, glad that they had escaped.

Much further north Gre’ta watched as Kim’ta writhed in pain. Obviously, it was far stronger than the elf had thought it would be.

“I tried to warn you, though, as always no one wants to listen to the Dragon,” Gre’ta said.

“Shut the hell up you damned lizard,” Kim’ta hissed between gritted teeth. “If I wanted your opinion I’d beat it out of you!”

Gre’ta smirked as she watched Kim’ta finally start to stop shaking. She sat as she waited for the elf to finally still.

“I guess that he was far stronger than you thought, eh?” Gre’ta said.

“I thought I told you to shut up. I made a mistake that won’t happen again,” Kim’ta said, though she had doubts as she was sure Gre’ta did also.

“Well, at least I got to talk to him before he vanished again,” Gre’ta said with a sigh.

The human had used a mid-low-end dark spell. He obviously had a whole lot more power than they thought he did. To damage as powerful an elf as Kim’ta would take a lot.

Gre’ta shook her head as even now she had felt as the human had vanished, the other aspect of light was with him.

She shook her head; he had the life aspect and the light? He had both not that good, she needed to report to Queen Ad’ella.

What she had seen and heard from the human the Queen needed to know. She took a step to the side, concentrating.

Queen Ad’ella, she started. I have distressing information. A moment later a vision of the Queen appeared.

Arise my child, what has you so distressed?

My Queen, she thought as she arose. I actually managed to talk to the human for a moment. He said, “The way you two have come after us does not bode well for peaceful talks. I”, then the elf tried to hit him with a light blast.

Was the human harmed? The Queen asked, worried.

No, my Queen, he had a shield of light that rendered it harmless. He returned her blast with shadow blindness; it was far more powerful than we’d thought it would.

The Queen let out a breath of relief, that is good please if you can talk to him again, just ask.

Ask? Gre’ta asked, what am I supposed to ask?

The Dragons need his help, we, myself included, are in great distress, we need him to alleviate this. Please ask him if he could provide aid to us. Has he gained any more aspects of magic yet?

If, as I suspect now? I believe that he now has six aspects, two of them: life and light. I am not sure how he has gotten them, but I can feel them.

The image of the Queen nodded her head. He appears to be on his way to becoming a grand mage. As it is now, he is powerful.

That’s the thing: my Queen, the Light Elf assassin, seems set on destroying him. Though, as she saw, that might not be possible now, Gre’ta thought.

The Queen’s visage nodded as she was deep in thought. Was that all?

No my Queen, after striking her, he said, “I think that this talk is concluded. I’m not sure why the Dragons are after me, but I will not submit, so you might as well back off. I will not hesitate to fight if I and they are threatened,” he then pulled into the shadows and was gone.

The Queen’s eyes were wide after hearing what the human had said. Well, it appears that he was willing before the elf lashed out. Continue on and try to talk to him more, and yes, you can reveal what I said. Also, I believe that the light elf is hiding an agenda of her own, separate from the King.

With that, the Queen vanished, leaving Gre’ta to her thoughts. With a sigh she sat as Kim’ta had finally succumbed to the pain.

Gre’ta knew that it might be a few hours before the elf recovered. Gre’ta set about making a meal of soup. They weren’t the best of companions per se, though Gre’ta had been ordered to work with the elf.

Back in the Queen’s residence, she watched the last of her eggs. She wiped a tear from her eye, they had to have his help, or the Dragon race was doomed. Her six daughters and son were all that was left of the royal line, she was worried the eggs wouldn’t hatch.

She had seen the great promise that Gre’ta showed. She hung her head as she thought of Gre’ta’s parents. Her sister and brother-in-law they had perished in the last great war. How she missed the both of them. Gre’ta never knew them her being so young.

All the clan was depending on her far more than the Queen had let on. The hopes of the last of the Dragon race was depending on her. There was no sense in worrying about the young female dragon more than she was at present.

The Queen knelt to pray to the god of the Dragons, that Gre’ta’s mission would be successful. Then she prayed for the god to watch over the young female dragon.

Dan was surprised that they had traveled as far as they had. He recognized just where they were. They started to head further north ‘til they could return to near the Harpy village.

They had just drawn even with where they had met Marlena, when Dan heard something. A huge male Mer person arose from the water. Next to him, he saw Marlena.

Marlena tugged on the male’s arm and pointed at Dan. The male bent down as Marlena whispered in his ear.