Esmeralda of Dracosia: Chapter 16
By: Christina Relich
Staff Writer
Chapter 16
* * *
“I am old, but I see visions. Visions and premonitions. But that is not what worries me. ‘On the fullest of moons’, said he. Nymaul first rose on a blue moon.
The next one is in three days.”
* * *
Esmeralda watched Orion as he rose slowly. He turned, saying nothing, and walked out the entrance. Esmeralda nodded to Zhishi in thanks, then raced to catch up to the golden dragon.
“Orion!” she called. “Orion, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said, his eyes closed.
Esmeralda’s concern grew. “Orion. You just walked out of there without saying a word. I know you must by stressed, with the odds seeming to be against us. But I’ve never seen you like th—”
Orion’s eyes flicked open, reveling pupils that were so thin Esmeralda could barely see them. Orion’s breath was coming heavily as his lowered head began to slowly rise.
“O-Orion…” stammered Esmeralda.
Orion’s eyes were glowing. “Cover your ears.”
Esmerelda leapt back as Orion shot into the sky, spiraling towards the Great Tree. Wisps of golden light, the aura of his magic, trailed behind him. Even from where she stood at the edge of the canyon, she could see the energy rippling off Orion’s muscles. In seconds he had reached the top of the Tree, his wings like firelight in the midday sun. The gold energy that converged around him surprised Esmeralda, for though she knew all dragons had power, she had never seen Orion use an ounce of magic since they had first met. However, now he seemed to be surrounded in it. All the dragons at the Tree were looking up at him with wide eyes, and were covering their ears. Esmeralda thought she might want to do the same, but suddenly, Orion threw back his head in a thunderous roar. The air rippled with the waves of sound, so deafeningly loud that they were visible in the buffeted clouds. Esmeralda scrambled to block out the noise and shield her eyes, for the air around Orion grew brighter as the roar got louder. After what seemed like eternity, Orion gave the loudest battle cry in Dracosian history:
“UNITE FOR DRACOSIA!!!!!”
* * *
Burn’s head shot up as soon as he heard the noise. The young Lindworms around him screamed and huddled under him. “What is it, Daddy?” whimpered the littlest one. “What’s happening?”
Burn’s gaze hardened as he saw the sky. Waves of clouds rocked in it, but something else lay there, as well. Far off on the distant horizon, just above the barely-visible Black Mountains, storm clouds were forming abnormally fast.
Behind the red-scaled Lindworm, the stone ground clicked with the sound of sharpened battle claws. King Scalder, clad in his golden armor, fixed his one good eye on the horizon. “Great Dragon be with us...” he muttered.
* * *
Aurora stood perfectly still, balanced on her hind legs with her wings outstretched to the choppy ocean waves. Her nostrils brought in the scent of rain; distant, but coming, none the less. Something was not right. As if on cue, a roar echoed across the sky, followed by a shout: “Unite for Dracosia!” There it is, thought Aurora. She lowered herself back onto her folded wings, turning in the direction of the tree. With a final nod to her lonely cave and seashore, she took to the sky. The Prophecy draws closer….
* * *
Orion? Orion, oh please wake up. It’s been a whole day. Please. What you did…I’ve never seen anything like that. But you must wake; dragons are showing up from everywhere. They need you………I need you………to get up. Orion. Orion? Esmeralda sighed as her mind reached no connection.
“He’ll be asleep for quite a while, I’m afraid,” Sarafina said, walking up behind Esmeralda. She nuzzled her son gently, concern showing in her eyes. “He used a great deal of energy; much like you did once you got control of your powers.”
“But he can’t be unconscious for two days! The blue moon rises in three, no, two days, and with all these dragons showing up; Lindworms, Wyverns, Lungs; they need a leader!” Esmeralda explained, pacing the ground around Orion’s nest.
Sarafina watched with amused eyes. “And you do not think that you would make a good leader?” she retorted to the younger dragon.
“Wait, what?” exclaimed Esmeralda.
“Orion told me that if ever he were unable to lead, he would appoint Nightingale, myself, and most importantly, you, to lead the dragons of Dracosia. He has great trust in you, dear,” explained Sarafina.
Esmeralda’s heart leaped at the thought of Orion greatly trusting her, but worry still clouded her features. “But, but, I’ve barely just gotten here! A few months back, I was the only dragon that I knew existed, and now I’ve got to lead an army?!?”
“My, Esmeralda, *cough* I never imagined you getting this *cough* flustered,” came a mummer.
Esmeralda’s worry instantly melted. “Orion,” she breathed in relief, nuzzling him gently. “Are you all right?”
“Truth be told, no,” Orion smiled. “I need your help. Esmeralda, there is both bravery and guidance in you, once you get past the worry that you so eloquently exhibited just now.”
Esmeralda playfully slapped him with her tail. “Stop it.”
Orion laughed, then coughed some more. He waited a moment before continuing, “Esmeralda. Mother is right. I will not be back on my feet for at least another day; even now I feel myself slipping. But you have to tell them what is happening. Traveling to and from here will be faster for the next few days, due to the spell, so everyone should be here by evening….” Orion began to doze off again, but caught himself. “Tell them…..about the shadows…..and Nymaul. Prepare them for battle. Make sure the armor is fitted…..the training…..don’t forget that……..and…..most important, I………I……..”
“Orion? Orion, you what?” prompted Esmeralda, inches from his face. But it was no use, for Orion had slipped into unconsciousness again. She sighed, gave him a quick nudge on the cheek with her snout, and walked out of the chamber. Sarafina followed.
“He was right, you know,” said the blue dragon.
Esmeralda looked up at her. “About what?”
“About you.” With that, Sarafina flew off to talk with some guards.
* * *
The sun was going down, painting the sky red in its decent. Hundreds of dragons were gathered at the base of the tree, chaos and disorder erupting everywhere. Esmeralda watched them all from the large chamber in the Tree’s thick branches, her practiced words swimming in her head. Nightingale and Sarafina stood at either side of Esmeralda, giving the green dragon nods of encouragement. Esmeralda nodded back, and all together the female dragons roared. It was nowhere as loud as Orion’s magic roar, but it was enough to gain attention. Heavy silence fell on the dragons of Dracosia as the three flew down and landed on one of the Tree’s great roots.
“I am Sarafina of Blue Scales, mother of the Leader Orion, who has summoned us here. As you all know, his magic has cost him a good deal of energy, and he cannot be here presently.” An outburst of protest erupted for all of two seconds, but was swiftly ended with Sarafina’s yell of, “SILENCE!”
“Nice one, Mother,” murmured Nightingale.
Practice, Sarafina mouthed back. She then turned to address the crowd again. “Now then. I know that many of you are in the dark about what is happening—”
“In the dark is right!” exclaimed a brownish-red Wyvern, leaping onto another root and out of the crowd. “The horizon is brimming with the shadows, and they will be coming soon!”
“Aurora!” exclaimed Esmeralda.
“Yes, child, it is I. But I will not be the one to tell of the enemy; that is your task.” With that, the elder dragon bowed her head to Esmeralda.
“Dragons of Dracosia,” announced Nightingale, “Your curiosity will be settled very soon, so please turn your ears to the Magic Wielder of the Great Tree!”
Esmeralda stepped up as the crowd gave a quick roar of applause. She stood still for a moment until everyone was quiet, then began. “I am Esmeralda of Green Scales. Several months ago I arrived at the Great Tree, and from there I have grown in the knowledge of this land. Aurora has taught me my capabilities, and I hope to be of much service to you. I fear that we need all the help we can get, however, for Dracosia approaches dark times. I will not coat this in lies or glory; only truth. A very old legend is returning, and this legend is one dragons have feared for a great while. Creatures known as the Shade Stingers have amassed into an army, and there leader rises on the blue moon. This leader is Nymaul, the Nightmare Dragon.”
A chaotic uproar exploded everywhere around her. It was so out of control that even Sarafina could not stop them. Esmeralda slapped her tail on the ground in frustration; she, nor anyone else, didn’t have any time for this. The emerald dragon threw herself into the air above the crowd, illuminating her wings with gold light and roaring fiercely. The commotion stopped below her. “I know that this news sounds overwhelming, but Nymaul plans to destroy all of this land. Our Home! Orion called you here because he believes we can win. It won’t be easy, no. And it won’t be fun, or glorious, and not at all safe. But think of what you fight for: This land of our birth. The sick or injured who could not make the journey. The mothers and chicks as well—all will die if we let the shadows win! Do you want that to happen?!?”
Cries in the negative responded to Esmeralda’s question.
“Then we must have courage! Whatever little time we have, we must prepare. This threat involves all of us, not just a few. Not just the ones that stand here today.” What Orion had said to her earlier resurfaced in Esmeralda’s mind. “Though you may worry, we all possess bravery. Bravery is just a fancy word for having the courage to do what is right and take a stand. And that is what we shall do!”
Esmeralda lowered herself back onto the root as the crowd flapped their wings and tails in applause. Nightingale gave her a congratulatory smile, then announced, “Separate leaders and elders, please meet us in the branch chamber at the top of the Tree tomorrow morn! For now, please go to your reserved quarters and have a safe night.”
Esmeralda flew back to the top of the Tree with Nightingale and Sarafina, stretching her back in an arch as they arrived. “I’d like a nice night myself,” smiled the green dragon.
“You did brilliantly out there, Esmeralda!” said Nightingale.
“Sleep well,” nodded Sarafina.
Esmeralda began to walk away, but then turned back to the Queen. “Do you think Orion will be awake tomorrow?” she asked hopefully.
“The faster you get to sleep, the faster you’ll know,” Sarafina said in a motherly tone. Esmeralda couldn’t help but have a twinge of longing for Steleona, but Sarafina continued to smile knowingly. “Goodnight, Magic Wielder.”