Chapter 35. "The greatest value"
Oscuro was walking nervously in his room, completely lost in his thoughts. He was making small circles quickly, watching the floor. On his back, he was wearing his royal blade. Expect him, there was no one else in his room. Luna had left with Iris earlier when he said that he wanted to be alone for a moment. He was trying to think of any plan what to do in his current situation. Two weeks earlier he felt much more confident, but now, he could feel he was stepping on very thin ice. He heard knocking at the door and one of his guards entered.
"I told you not to interrupt me." Oscuro admonished him, once he came in.
"My apologize, Principe, but Princesa Leal really wants to meet you." The guard explained himself, bowing deeply.
"Let her in, if she insists." Oscuro ordered tersely.
"Yes, Principe." The wyvern bowed once more, turned around and left. Several seconds later, there entered Leal. She was wearing her spade, stepping with graceful, haughty a little step. She played confident, but Oscuro easily realized that she was quite stressed. She was on his ground now. Leal stood before prince.
"Please, sit down." He pointed her sofa and sat at the opposite one. Princess sat cozily and smiled to the wyvern.
"Anything to drink?" Oscuro suggested, pointing at table were was standing glassy jug filled with some yellow juice and two beautifully ornamented crystal glasses.
"No, thank you." Leal refused politely.
"Are you sure? It's made of the freshest fruits, straight from Soleado Valle. This is the tastiest juice in the world, I promise." Oscuro filled glass with juice, watched almost transparent liquid and sipped a little.
"I'm afraid I have to refuse." Leal was still wearing the mask of politeness. Then, prince laughed aloud, swinging his glass in such a way that wyverness was sure that he'd drop it. And yet, he didn't pour even a drip.
"It's not poisoned." He read through her apprehensions. "I wouldn't waste such a tasteful juice for poison." He explained, indignant with Leal's carefulness. "Even if it was meant for you." Princess watched him carefully and she realized that he was honest. She sighed deeply.
"Fine, pour me, but not much, please." She explained herself. Oscuro nodded with understanding and poured her just half glass. Then, he handed it to the princess, who thanked and sipped a little.
"Wow, so sweet!" Leal watched it with disbelief. "You were right about it." She said, as she drunk more of it. "Could I have a little more?" She pleased.
"No problem." He took her glass and poured her more juice. "Have you ever been to Soleado Valle?" He asked with careless voice, as if they weren't political enemies, but close friends. The wyverness shook her head quickly.
"How is it like in there?" She watched Oscuro curiously.
"Well, exactly as its name says, it's a sunny valley. It's very warm in there, they don't have real winter. It's far away at the northern west so visit in Soleado Valle took me whole year. Go there, if you have opportunity, it's beautiful place." The prince suggested.
"Well, if I have time..." Leal sighed deeply.
"So, what you brings you here?" Oscuro stopped mincing his words. The careless conversation was fun, but he lost his patience, quitted the game that wouldn't gain him anything. The princess couldn't help grinning insolently.
"Triumph, Oscuro. Triumph. Everything goes according to the plan. Dragons surrounded, Sombras already in Warfang..." She noticed.
"Those Sombras... Do you realize that it may cause war?" In Oscuro's voice, there could be felt note of anger.
"Oscuro, those are well trained elite warriors. Only four of them. They'll leave no trace." Leal argued.
"Just succeeding of both their missions will leave a trace straight to our kingdom." The prince disagreed firmly. "You've sent them two weeks ago, so right now, they're near Warfang. Don't be surprised if in next two weeks, we see the dragon army standing before our gates!" Oscuro shouted.
"Dragons are tired with all these wars. Even if something goes wrong, we'll finish this without war. And remember that Sable's companions are practically in our paws. We can use them as trump card." Leal explained. Oscuro sighed deeply.
"I don't like this at all. You're playing dangerous game." The prince watched her carefully. "You'd better quit it when you still have a chance." He suggested.
"No, you'd better quit." Leal disagreed. "Maybe you'll live, if you do so." She smiled insolently.
"I understand." He said slowly and then, princess realized that she had behaved too confidently. Once she'd be a queen, she could do so, but it wasn't time yet.
"Could you leave now?" Oscuro pleased. In his voice, there could be heard a threat. He wouldn't stand being threatened in his own house. Grin quickly disappeared from princess's face, as she knew in what danger she was. No one could really protect her from prince's fury in his own house.
"Of course. Goodbye, Principe Oscuro." Leal stood up and bowed. She understood the threat even too well. Besides, she didn't feel very confident in Oscuro's apartment.
"Farewell." The prince bowed not deeper than her and watched her carefully leaving. He had to figure her out the fastest he could.
Tremor and group of almost thirty youngsters in age of fourteen entered to the biggest hall in the whole academy. It was the sparring room where each class would once a week train their skills. The class he had lessons with at that moment were all youngsters with ambitions of being guards et cetera, so they all were good fighters. Everyone like that lesson. There was no boring theory, but only fight, which always was great show. Of course, Tremor had to be careful all the time. There had already happened several accidents when he had to interfere to avoid someone's death or serious wound.
"So, let's start the fights!" Tremor announced. Joyful shout from thirty throats showed him how enthusiastic about it they were. The guardian smiled slightly. "Well, the first fight will be..." All students raised their paws high. They knew that there wouldn't be time for everyone to fight.
"Remember, ladies first." Tremor noticed. All males rapidly put their paws down. Well, almost all, since one was a little too slow. "Interesting, Marx..." The guardian didn't finish sentence, as all the youngsters expect one earth dragon laughed aloud. Marx, discouraged, put his paw down slowly.
"You'll be the second to fight, Marx." Tremor recompensed this embarrassment to the young earth dragon. He knew that everyone like him so he could make a little of fun of him. "And now... Vis and Aria, come on!" The guardian chose. Two students, respectively earth dragoness and fire breather, stood in the middle. Tremor chose those girls, because he knew that they were close friends, but both of them hated losing, so it was going to be fierce and relatively safe duel. Two dragonesses started making circles slowly.
"You'd better give up, I already won." Aria suggested with ominous voice.
"My tail, you did! You won't even lay a finger on me!" Lydia riposted.
"Really? Come and try!" The fire breather shouted.
"Fine, here I..." In that moment, both dragonesses were hit in sides of their heads with little stones.
"Less talking, more fighting." Tremor ordered, smiling slightly and holding another two stones between fingers. All the class laughed aloud. Then, two dragonesses took flight and started a real fight. Tremor was watching them both carefully for all the time, ready to fly to them or shoot earth bullet, if something went wrong. Time was passing very quickly for all of them. There've already finished several duels when dragons heard knocking at the doors. Everyone turned and looked curiously the door. Even the lightning dragoness Nila and the earth dragon Olivo, who were fighting at that moment, stopped in the air.
"Have a break." Tremor ordered them. "Please, come in." He said in direction of door. It opened and there appeared some lightning dragon. Tremor easily recognized him. "Ray! What are you doing here?" He asked, surprised.
"It's a long story." The lightning dragon said tersely. Then, he watched carefully all the students. "Are those your students?"
"Yes, this my class." Tremor agreed. "Kids, this is my friend, Ray, the elder of the eastern city." The guardian introduced his friend to the class. "Well, he's kind of young, as for elder, but he's giving his best." Tremor added, grinning.
"Spoke the old guardian." Ray riposted sarcastically. Loudly, of course, so everyone heard him. All the class laughed again. They loved their teacher, just like all students who had opportunity to be taught by the earth guardian. He was always giving his best to make the lessons the most interesting he could.
"Olivo, Nila, go on. Give your best. We have a visitor, after all." Tremor said. Two students looked at each other and nodded. Then, they started fighting again. Ray sighed deeply watching two fighters.
"Honorable, aren't they? When we were fighting in eastern city and were ordered to continue fight, I didn't wait for you, but shot a lightning in your chest. If Blizzard didn't catch you, you'd spend several months in hospital with all your limbs broken." Ray recalled.
"Don't forget that I caught your tail so we were falling together." Tremor riposted. "And I won our race in the dodging room."
"We were hit there so badly that we both spent several weeks in hospital with cracked skulls. No one won." The lightning dragon noticed.
"I know how it ended up. But I made it farther." The guardian argued. Both of them chuckled silently, all the time watching two students.
"Whatever." Ray decided to give up on this pointless argument.
"So, what brings you here?" Tremor asked curiously. "I thought your vacation was over."
"Yup, me too. But I yelled at Ardora so much that when I asked for two weeks of holiday more, no one had doubts if they should agree." The elder explained.
"Why did you do it?" The earth guardian had never heard of his friend shouting at anyone.
"Ardora really wanted to know where's hidden Douten's tome about elixirs. You know, the one about transmutation and elixirs. Forbidden Alchemy. If not it, Douten would never create Venganza." Ray said.
"Oh... Only you and Itara know where is it hidden, right?" Tremor recalled.
"No, only me. We decided that it would be better. The more dragons have the information, the easier it can leak out."
"True." The guardian agreed. "So I can't count on it that you'll tell me where is it?"
"Oh, have you finally realized how perfect element lightning is and want to have it?" The lightning dragon guessed half-jokingly. "Don't count on it. For the rest of your life, you'll have only your miserable earth."
"Didn't this miserable earth hit you straight in your jaws every time we sparred in the childhood?" Tremor noticed, grinning.
"Just one or two..." Ray tried to disagree.
"Hundreds times." The guardian was faster. "So, where will you stop? Have you taken Lyrian, Maggie and Livia?" He asked.
"Yes, they're with me. They went to... Stella, I think? Or maybe to Lyrian's cousin? Well, I'll have to look for them. Anyway, staying in Sable's house is out of question and you have Flush already. I guess I'll spend a night in Flame's house, unless Lyrian comes up with something." Ray explained.
"I guess that's the best idea." Tremor agreed. "Flame has really spacious house, it will be just perfect for you. Will you stay to the end of lesson?" He suggested.
"Oh, no, I'm afraid I can't. I have to find my girls." Ray refused. "My girls... And as child, I thought that my greatest happiness would be becoming the guardian or elder." He noticed, grinning.
"Yeah, we were so young and naïve." Tremor agreed giggling. "Are you hurrying anywhere?" He asked doubtfully.
"Yes, leaving Lyrian all alone with any female and especially with Stella is kind of dangerous." Ray explained. "At least for my pride. You know that Stella's rather curious one and once Lyrian starts telling all these stories..." He sighed deeply. Tremor laughed silently.
"You'd better run." The guardian advised half-jokingly.
"I know." Ray agreed. He bided goodbye Tremor and all his students and left quickly. Ray left academy to enter street full of dragons. He stood still and took deep breath enjoying fresh air and warm sunlight of midday. Then, he started walking carelessly. Despite what he said earlier, he didn't hurry at all, he wasn't in mood to do so. He just walked, enjoying beautiful view of Warfang, smiling to other passersby, once he even started some careless conversation with dragoness a little younger than him, having walk with her little son. Ray couldn't help smiling all the time. Oh, he was so happy like never! The lightning elder was just about to enter Stella's house, when he heard someone calling him.
"Ray! Ray!" He heard calling of young male. He turned around to see not very old fire breather. He was twenty, or so. "You are Ray, right?" He asked, as he stopped before the elder.
"Yes, my name's Ray." The lightning dragon confirmed. "Do I know you?" He asked curiously.
"No, no. I am Primo. Some ice dragoness asked me to give you this." The fire breather explained and handed to him some sheet of paper. It was a letter. Ray watched it carefully. "Who gave you this?"
"Some ice dragoness, your age." Primo explained shortly. "Can I go?" He asked. It looked like he was in quite hurry.
"Yes, yes. Thank you." Ray thanked him.
"No problem. The fire breather replied, turned around and disappeared in crowd of other dragons. The elder opened his letter and smiled slightly. Yes, it definitely was Lyrian's writing. She wrote there that she had left kids in her cousin's house and she offered him going to some place where they could have some intimacy, precisely describing that place, even drawing little map. Ray giggled. She couldn't just take him there. No. It would be much more romantic, if he had to look for her a little. Well, why not? He simply couldn't refuse. "Give me fifteen minutes and I'll be right there." Ray said to himself.
"Easier to say than do." The lightning dragon noticed with annoyance, as he read the description for hundredth time and watched the map once more. There was nothing wrong about those. The only reason were elder's really doubtful skills of reading maps. Ray cursed silently once more, as he raised his head and watched around. "This tower. It's here. It must be here." He said to himself. "The northern side of the city..." He read text once more. "It's north, isn't it?" He wondered. "It must be north." He tried to convince himself. The lightning user shook his head with annoyance. He made another turn and then, he saw a small wooden door with big black stain on it. Exactly as described in the letter. He smiled to himself. He found it. Ray walked to the door and opened it slowly. It was completely dark in there, there could be felt specific, kind of pleasant smell of old wood. He stepped inside and wood creaked silently under his feet. Then, he heard noise of something swinging and felt dull pain at back of his head. The lightning elder fell on the ground, unconscious.
Ray woke up an hour later, in exactly this same house. The first thing he noticed was that he was tied. Strongly, so he couldn't release himself, but he could feel his paws. Anyone did that, he wasn't an amateur. He wanted to say something, but his jaws were gagged. He looked around. It wasn't dark anymore. His eyes grew wide, as he saw two little dragonesses and one much older. Those were Livia, Maggie and Lyrian. All of them were tied and gagged. Only his mate was awake, both their hatchlings were sleeping. He sent her asking sight and his mate shook her head intensively. She wanted him not to do anything until they do something. Right, who were those they? Then, he heard male voice.
"Ellos son despierto, compañero." His voice had hissing, characteristic accent. Ray knew that it was wyvern language, he knew that the male said that dragons were awake. In his mind appeared thousands questions. Who were they? Who sent them? What did they want? Why did they have to involve his family? Then, a wyvern stood before him, so Ray watched him carefully. He was old. Very old, at least as for kidnapper, covered in many scars. He was wearing black, very light armor covering only his shoulders, head and not whole chest. There was a dark blade hanging on wyvern's side. He recognized that armor. He was Sombra, elite soldier from Celeste Tribu. "Wait, Viola's in Celeste negotiating the alliance right now, why are those wyverns here?" The elder asked himself in mind.
"We'll release your jaws, but if you try to shout or use lightning, you'll lose your daughter." The wyvern said. Then the second one, not more than twenty years old Sombra, touched Livia's throat with edge of his blade, confirming his companions words. Ray nodded with understanding. His gag was taken off.
"Release my family. Now." Ray ordered angrily. He felt his blood was boiling.
"You're not in a position to negotiate with us, dragon." The scarred Sombra noticed, smiling slightly. "One so insolent word more and we'll shed some blood. We have three hostages, so it won't be a problem for us." The wyvern noticed. The lightning dragon wanted to say something but he bit his tongue just in time.
"What do you want?" He asked, lowering his sight. He knew that submissiveness was the only way to save his family. The younger of wyverns giggled silently.
"Looks like we've humbled such a proud dragon, huh?" Sombra laughed in his face.
"Quit it, kid." The scarred one admonished him. "He's proud, but not arrogant. Oppositely to you." He admonished him. Young Sombra muttered something, but didn't oppose. "Now, listen to me, Ray. Five years ago, a former elder from your city, Douten, had an old tome called "Forbidden Alchemy". After Venganza's fall, it disappeared. You were the one to hide it." Ray's eyes grew wide. If wyverns got that tome... It could cause another war.
"You want me to bring it to you?" The elder asked with disbelief.
"Yes. You'd better be fast." The younger of Sombras suggested.
"You have five days. We expect you in the midday at the Well of Tears. Do you know where it is?" The scarred Sombra watched him carefully. Then, Lyrian hissed angrily at her mate. With sight, she ordered him not to agree. Younger of Sombras put blade on her neck, but she ignored it. Ray looked deeply into his mate's eyes. She was watching him angrily, but then elder pointed with sight at their kids. Lyrian's eyes grew wide for a second. Then, she lowered her sight, she wasn't angry now, but sorrowful. If it was only about her and Ray, she'd never forgive him giving wyverns that tome, even, if both of them made it alive. But when Livia and Maggie were involved... She understood that Ray felt exactly this same way. Their two were ready to die for their kind. But they would never sacrifice their children.
"Dragon? Don't make me repeat myself." The scarred Sombra suggested. He perfectly understood how great dilemma the elder had, so he was patient, pleasing for an answer, but not forcing it, in fact.
"I will do it." Ray agreed.
"Leave Warfang quickly. Take the tome and meet us in five days at the Well of Tears. If we notice any dragon looking for us, we'll kill your mate." The older of wyverns said. Then, he slashed rope binding Ray. "Now go." The scarred Sombra ordered. Ray stood up and left.
The lightning dragon was walking slowly across the city. Other passersby didn't exist for him, he was slipping between them, not caring about them at all. He heard his heart hammering madly. Five years earlier he declared that he'd hide that book, because he knew perfect place for that. He never thought that anyone, expect elders of his city, guardians and several other dragons would know about it. Especially not wyverns of Celeste Tribu. Not speaking of fact that he never thought that anyone would try to get it in such a way. Was it really happening? Whole his family could die, if he didn't do something. "Damn it! Why?!" The elder screamed in his mind "Can't they just remain at the north and care only about their business?! No, they had to come here and mess everything up so badly! At first that pandemic, now this tome... Right, Viola, Tris and the others. I hope they're fine. Sable protected them, right? He has Ivory, Crag... No, they couldn't die. If only I could tell guardians, at least about Viola and others. But they would ask how do I know it. For ancestors' sake!" Ray hissed angrily. He was praying in his mind not to meet any of his friends. He knew that he looked terribly, if anyone saw him, he'd easily recognize that something was wrong. And then, he heard some cheerful voice.
"Ray, there you are!" The elder felt creeps across his body. It was Tremor. He ignored the guardian behind him, but kept walking. If he ignored him, Tremor maybe wouldn't follow him. At least Ray hoped for it. But the earth guardian ran after him. "Ray, wait for me!" The earth dragon stood right next to him and watched his friend carefully.
"Hey, Tremor." Ray whispered.
"Hey, are you alright?" Tremor asked with worries. "Where's Lyrian and your kids?"
"They're..." Lightning dragon's voice trembled, but he controlled himself just in time. "They're heading to the home. Lyrian has completely forgotten about doing something in there and she returned." The lightning dragon sighed deeply. "She could at least wait for me, but she left me only a note." He noticed with sham calmness and annoyance. He couldn't believe that he was really so self-possessed. But Tremor still was suspicious.
"Are you sure everything's fine?" He asked him carefully.
"Yes, yes, it's just... I hate her to disappear just like that. Anyway, I've got to go or I'll never catch up with my girls." Ray explained himself. "So, I'll be going. See you!" He bided the guardian goodbye and walked away.
"See you." Tremor replied, watching his friend suspiciously, as he was disappearing in crowd of dragons.
Two days later, Ray was in the middle of some dark forest. He was really tired, since he had been flying madly since he left Warfang. But finally, he was there. Ray walked to some old stone and watched it carefully. Once he noticed engraved letter "S", he was sure about that place. He never knew what it meant, he only knew that anyone built this place, he had abandoned it hundreds years earlier. He entered small, inconspicuous cave, the same as thousands of others in that area. No one ever bothered himself with investigating those, there were simply too many of them and many could collapse, if anyone entered. But Ray knew that this cave wouldn't fall. It was special. He entered it slowly and moved some stone. Behind it, there was hidden torch and flint. Ray set small torch on fire and walked deeply inside the dark cave. With one paw holding torch, he couldn't walk very fast, but he couldn't do so anyway, because he had to look around all the time, not to miss that place. Cave's walls were irregular, so it looked like any other, it was quite narrow. The corridor was quite often turning, all the time remaining at this same height and width. After five minutes, the lightning dragon stopped rapidly, even though the corridor was still much longer. It was already there. Ray put torch so it would light floor and one of walls. He found a small mechanism very low at the wall, only half a meter above floor. It had five gaps for five talons and drawn schematically paw. Any average dragon would just put all fingers in it and turn the circle. Ray had already heard about such mechanisms. If you put fingers in wrong gaps, it would rapidly spin, making two full circles, damaging wrist so badly that it couldn't be even healed, but only amputated. Well, if you were lucky and had powerful medical wizard, you could save your wrist. But only if you were lucky. Ray took deep breath and focused, recalling the correct combination. He hadn't been using it for years, after all. The elder put fingers only into first and third holes from left and made half of circle. Then, he heard some disturbing crack and his heart skipped a beat. But just a second later, there could be another one, which meant that the mechanism was locked. Ray sighed with relief. He still remembered how scared he was when he was guessing the correct combination for the first time. There were so many combinations, but he was so lucky that he still could declare himself as proud owner of two paws. One could say that he could make talons made of stone and guess the combination as many times as he wanted. But hey, it was Ray, the lightning dragon; far too proud for such cheating. Once mechanism was turned, Ray made several steps farther and pushed some rock. Then, he saw a little door, which he opened quickly. Ray had always been very proud of that hideout, finding it took him very long time. The lightning dragon took great book and watched it carefully. It was very heavy, written with ancient, ornamented beautifully letters. It was the only existing book of "Forbidden Alchemy", the only copy, belonging to wyverns of Celeste Tribu, had been burnt in fire of royal library's secret archives two hundred years earlier. The key of turning wyverns into dragons and giving them elements. The knowledge so dangerous that it should remain in darkness. The only way to save his family. Ray cursed silently. "What to do? What to do?" He asked himself. "If I don't give it them, my family dies, if I do... Damn it!" The elder hissed angrily. "Is it really happening?" Then, he heard some steps. The lightning dragon stuck torch in some hole in the wall, so he could see the newcomer. The mysterious person appeared from behind corner and Ray's eyes grew wide as he recognized him.
"Tremor..." He whispered with disbelief. The guardian watched him and the book he was holding carefully.
"Ray, what are you doing here? Is that book..." Tremor asked.
"Yes, this is Douten's "Forbidden Alchemy". And I..." Ray sighed deeply. "I'm wondering, if should I betray my own kind or only my whole family." The elder explained.
"What do you mean?" The guardian didn't understand anything at all.
"Two wyverns, Sombras from Celeste Tribu, kidnapped Lyrian, Livia and Maggie just two days ago. In exchange for their lives, they want me to give them this book. And so, here I am, wondering what should I do." Ray said with sorrow.
"Ray..." Tremor sighed sadly. "You know that I can't let you give this book to wyverns." The earth guardian explained carefully, not sure how his friend would react. "This tome must remain hidden."
"It's so easy for you to say now!" The elder shouted, as in his eyes, there appeared tears. "It's not your family that is in deadly danger! What would you do, if you were me?!" Ray's voice was filled with despair. He already felt bad about what he was doing and now, Tremor was only making it worse.
"I would tell others and save my family." The guardian replied. Ray snorted silently.
"Sometimes you really live in completely different world." He noticed. "Don't you understand? They are Sombras! If they notice anything suspicious and if we try, they certainly will, they'll kill my family!" Ray shouted.
"Just put this book down. Trust me." Tremor advised his friend. Still, there could be heard threatening note in his voice. "I am a guardian, you're an elder. Together, we can deal with those wyverns without letting them get this. Come on, we can do it." The guardian pointed at Douten's tome, trying to use against Ray one of his greatest weaknesses; pride.
"And what can I do now? There's only one other solution, letting my family die!" The elder hissed at his friend and Tremor watched him with disbelief. Ray always would be proud, convinced that he's one of the strongest dragons in world. He would always call his element the best one. He was sure that for him, nothing was impossible. And now, he doubted in himself? He was so scared about his family that he didn't want to take risk, even though not taking it could mean threat to whole his kind? Tremor would always find him proud, maybe a little arrogant and definitely, mentally strong, not bowing to anyone. Now he understood that if attacked at his weak point, family, Ray could be bent to enemy's will really easily. Tremor understood him well. But still, he couldn't let him go. The elder hissed angrily once more.
"Out of my way. Don't try to stop me." Ray warned him, preparing for fight.
"Sorry, I have to." Tremor apologized and made defensive pose. "Give up, Ray, put this book down. We can do this another way, without risking future of whole dragon kind." The guardian pleased.
"I apologize, friend, I didn't want it to end up like this. But those wyverns are Sombras, elite of their own kind. They don't do mistakes, they can't afford to do it. Neither can I. I can't lose my family. Just step back or I'll kill you." The elder warned his friend.
"Come and try." Tremor replied. He didn't mean to kill him, only wound seriously.
"I hoped you wouldn't say that." Ray said sadly, as between his teeth, there jumped small lightning. Then, he jumped to Tremor. Two dragons, guardian and elder, but first of all, close friends from childhood, started their battle, putting on the line all that they cared about at the most in the whole world.