Chapter 21

The hero proves himself by finding a bit of metal

Rose and Clarissa found out something new and exciting about themselves in the first few moments of our flight from the town. With the dragons gently tugging on the basket at first, and then more and more strongly, we rose into the air and begin to move south. The townspeople cheered and waved as they saw their hard work actually pay off, but neither was waving back as the town disappeared behind us. Instead they were holding onto each other for dear life, eyes squeezed shut and whimpering about falling. It seemed they each had a deathly fear of falling from high places! Who knew that was a thing? They sure did now! Alita and I were not exactly comfortable, one hand gripping the edge of the basket and the other holding the other's hand, but we looked down at the dragons now swimming around "Dragonlord Island" far below. The ropes (in both directions, to tie the dragons to us and the basket to the hot air bag above) seemed to be holding, the sails were full, and we hadn't smashed into anything so we were off to a good start. I wasn't sure if I was more nervous about tumbling to the ground from this height or the Dragonlord seeing us and launching some kind of attack, but I did know I would breathe easier once we were well away from this place.

"Are you sure you don't want to look at the view?" Alita teased the others. "It's pretty great!"

"I saw all I wanted to see!" protested Clarissa. "Thank you very much."

"You can't stay like that the whole trip."

"We're going to try!"

"Your loss. Whoops, we almost ran into that bird!"

"Oh that poor bird! It must have been as frightened as we are," Rose managed.

"The… No, there was no bird, Rose. I was just joking."

"Thank goodness!"

"She is no fun at all," she told me with a smile.

"She'll come around," I hoped. "Give her some time."

The two eventually did come around a little, sitting in the back of the basket looking less like they were going to die at any minute and more like they just wanted to. I had to admit, they were missing out. The view from above was unlike any I had ever seen, and I couldn't help but think that this is how birds see the world. Or I guess winged dragons, no wonder one thought they could take the whole thing over. It does make everything seem smaller.But more importantly than that this is actually working. We're on our way to the southern part of the continent and we're not flying there on some magical bird we hatched with orbs somehow found scattered about. Rather in a device we ourselves had built. Well not us, specifically, the townspeople built it we just paid for it. But the design he came up with works, and only took a little magic to complete. Make enough of these and simply tie them to the ground and you have floating lookout posts, messages could probably be sent between them with flags or something if you had good enough telescopes. If you could make really long ropes you could probably fly them without dragons, going between towns far more quickly than walking. I wonder if you could make some kind of "oar" that worked in the air? Or maybe a better way to set the sails to go where you wanted to go.

We stopped for the first night as the sun was setting, the dragons hauling us down after we opened a few of the vents sewn into the upper part of the bag. There were several ropes we could pull that opened flaps on the other side of the bag to let some hot air out. Of course they couldn't have known how many we would need so there were some spaced around the whole thing. We simply opened one at a time until it seemed we reached a good equilibrium where the bag stayed inflated but also floated low enough to the ground it wouldn't get blown away. Of course we secured it with some metal spikes and ropes into the ground, using tools the blacksmith loaned us. But as we worked to secure it (and after Rose and Clarissa celebrated being back on solid ground) I talked to the dragons.

"How was it from your end?"

"We'll need to redesign the harness a little, if we can," Kethrinax told me. "It doesn't fit quite right. So I don't think I'm able to pull as well as I might be."

"If you can describe what changes you want made I'm sure we can do it. It's basically just tough strips of leather and rope, after all. How about you two?"

"I'm fine," Fredelistorn said, and Tompkoner agreed. "No problems on our end. It's a bit of a workout don't get me wrong," he went on. "We can really tell when the wind is cooperating or not. We decided to be a little more flexible about it, as long as we're heading generally south it's fine, it's better to work with it than against it."

"Makes sense. We can always walk a day or two if we can only get close in the basket. Save your strength, we have mountains to go over after all."

"Yeah, that should be interesting," Tompkoner told me. "I don't know if it'll be easier because the basket will want to go up anyway, or harder if the winds aren't right."

"At least it isn't a monster drawing near every fifth step," Alita said, stretching. "We should actually clear this area out before we settle in, as we just sat around all day. No 'levels' for us today."

"We'll watch the basket," Kethrinax told us. "We have better night vision. Be back by dark and we'll go out hunting and you can watch the basket."

"Sounds fair," I decided. "Rose? Clarissa? Want to see what sort of monsters roam around here?"

"May as well," Clarissa decided. "We'll need firewood anyway, we can grab some from around here I'm sure."

So we made quick work of the monsters in the area, and when the sun was about gone headed back. We made a camp, started a fire, and had our dinner while the dragons were out hunting. They came back and we bedded down, the basket to one side, the dragons forming a ring around us. I was pretty sure nothing would climb over a dragon in the night to try and get to us, but still insisted on a watch. With the seven of us it was only a little more than an hour each, as best as the person on watch could tell. The night passed uneventfully and in the morning we climbed into the basket again. Some of us more reluctantly than others, it was true, but the other two didn't refuse nor did they seem as worried today. They didn't look happy about it, of course, but as we closed the vents so the hot air built up again they didn't cower in the back like they had the day before.

"Getting used to it?" Alita asked them.

"Not at all," Clarissa replied. "But you're right. We can't be terrified the whole time. We have to face this fear."

"Speak for yourself," Rose told her. "I had nightmares about falling off of things all night."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Maybe next time you can invent a machine that makes tunnels, and we can just walk through a long tunnel behind it."

"Go underground? With no way out?" Alita asked, looking worried. "No thank you. I prefer the open sky."

"But falling!"

"Don't relish getting crushed underground when your tunnel collapses around me either."

"Oh, I guess that could happen. Still, if it wasn't for you three I never would have been able to do this. If I was the hero of the world, I would have just walked to the swamp, no matter how long it took me."

"But you are one of the heroes of the world," Alita protested. "Believe me, songs will be sung of the bravery of Rose, who soared in the sky like a… a… What's a bird that rhymes with Rose?"

"Sparrows?" Clarissa offered.

"Like a whole group of sparrows!"

"I'm not brave, I'm just too scared to be left behind at this point. I have no choice but to go on."

"Oh Rose," she sighed. She went over and hugged her. "You have no idea how much courage you posses, do you?"

"Stop moving around, you're rocking the basket!" she cried.

"Uh oh, uh oh!" she cried, wiggling so the basket rocked back and forth. Rose let out a high pitched moan and held on tighter.

We laughed.

We continued like this for twenty days. It took us three days to finally leave sight of Dragonlord Island, sticking close to the east coast of the land. The dragons dragged the basket across the hills but decided to swim around the mountain range that blocked their path on the second day. On the third day it was flatland, with a bit of swimming. At the end of the sixth day we had a choice to make. We were looking across the channel at the forest on the other side, and the mountains beyond that.

"According to the map," Rose told us, unrolling it, "the land beyond here is either forest, hills, or those high mountains you see. We can either work our way directly south, try to climb the mountains, then have mostly plains here, forest, and then the most swampland to try and slog through."

"We could swim around it here though," Alita pointed out. "Go completely south to the ocean, then directly east past the 'choke' of the 'hourglass' and then we'll know we'll be close to the token."

"That's at least several days travel though," Clarissa cautioned. "Were would we stay for the night? We can't stay in the swamp! And it's all swampland along the coast according to this."

"It's a problem," Rose admitted. "The other option is the long way around. Go east following the mountain range rather than going over it."

"You think this trail really exists?" Clarissa asked, pointing to the trail marked on the map through the mountains. "This map is pretty old."

"But mountains don't really move all that fast," Alita reasoned. "And it's marked as being a good trade route. That means wagons and horses can make it through."

"But that's what confuses me," Rose protested. "Is this map wrong? The only town nearby is Cantlin, but how would you get there though this route? It's surrounded by mountains and forests to the east. The only way to get to it according to this map is from the one bridge north of town."

"Hey you're right," Clarissa admitted, looking at where she was tracing on the map with her finger. "Wait, that tiny spec, could it be a fishing town there? There's not much good land between this forest here, the mountains to the west and the ocean to the east but a small town could be there."

"Who would walk for days through that mountain pass, see a tiny strip of land, and say 'yes, this is where I want my town' though?" Alita asked.

"Someone who didn't like neighbors?"

"I guess."

"Town or not, which way are we going?"

The three stood a moment, looking the map over. "I don't like it," Clarissa said at last, "but we'll have to go the long way."

"I agree," Alita mused, nodding. "It's not ideal, but it's better than making our dragon friends swim for three days straight. We can camp at the base of the hills, just outside the swamp, and if we get an early start the next day we can hopefully reach the center and get back out before dark. Rose?"

"Could we head south west from here, cross the mountains, cross this lake, head around Cantlin, cross these mountains and head into the swamp from the north west?"

"Butts right up against the swamp," Alita told her. "And those mountains are pretty thick. I'd rather not risk it, as we're not really in any sort of hurry anyway."

"Agreed," she allowed with a nod. "The long way around it is."

"What's in the swamp?" Fredelistorn asked at last.

"Yeah, I thought we were just testing this basket out," Tompkoner added.

"We think there's treasure," I told them. "We thought we would check it out, being in the area anyway."

"Not dragon treasure, I hope?" Fredelistorn asked, a hard edge to his voice.

"No, no, something left there long ago. Nothing to do with dragons." Dragonlords, yes. Dragons? No.

"That's okay then. I guess you weren't kidding when you said it would take some time. Well, whatever, we go where you tell us."

"Glad that's settled. Let's set up camp for the night."

And so the next day we crossed the ocean to the other shore and stayed on the edge of the forest to rest for that day. The next saw us nearing the path, which thankfully did exist, and the next few days saw us winding our way through the mountains. We were slowed by various old rockslides needing to be cleared, but the dragons proved invaluable at that, and we pressed on. Finding the forest days later showed we were almost out of the mountains, and a day later we came to the plains again. Another few easy days of following the coast (we saw no towns but there was the wreckage of one along the way) brought us to the hills. Several days of going up and down them brought us to our ultimate destination- the south swamp.

Alita had the bright idea of changing the rope configuration a little, tying all three dragon harness ropes together into one long rope we secured into the ground as best we could. Then we let the basket go as high as it could (Rose and Clarissa stayed behind on the ground) and used the spyglass we had brought to look over the swamp.

"It's a swamp all right," Alita told me, looking through it. "Check out just there, do you see something?" She pointed and handed me the glass, so I tried to point it where she was pointing.

"Something stone?" I guessed, not really able to tell. "There's something sticking out of the ground there I think."

"Yeah, I thought so too. Looks like the center of the place, so that's where we should head in the morning."

"Should we all go?" I asked. "Breathing those fumes isn't pleasant. And there are monsters roaming around, of course." How did they get all the way down here? Have they just been walking to all corners of the world this whole time?

"I guess it depends on which is going to weaken us fastest," she decided. "If you think it's the swamp, then no. Carry as many herbs as you can and move as fast as you can. Heck, leave your armor behind so you can move even faster. Avoid the monsters and get in and out. If you think it's the monsters, then yes. Having all four of us spreads out the damage we take, and increases the damage we can dish out. So hopefully we take less damage in the first place. We would need four times the herbs to counteract the swamp but would also have four times the healing magic. If we reserve our magical power strictly for that."

"That is the best use of magic. I hate to go in alone, if I got into trouble that would be it for me. Maybe we'll split the difference..."

"Just take one of us?"

"Exactly. And think of it this way. If we should fail the other team still has a chance. Learn from our mistake (if you can see us from here) and don't repeat it. Get the token and get back. Get the armor and deal with the Dragonlord as best you can."

"So you're saying one of us could be the real heir?"

"And I was just here to get you this far. Yes. The journal even says the token is really just to prove you have the skills and I guess 'levels' to have found it. Not that you really are related to him. If you can get into the swamp and back, that means you have a good chance against the Dragonlord."

"Then we have our plan," she decided. "We all go in. But we go in as two teams, not one big team. That way if one team runs into trouble the other team can help. But we all prove ourselves by making it to the center and getting out again. We've all come this far, after all. It's a test for all of us."

And if we all fall, the dragons cut the basket loose, head back to town on their own, and at least tell everyone what happened to us. The basket proved itself so others can make another, we will have at least improved the world to that extent. "Very well. Let's open the vents and head back to the ground."

The next day our group rose early, checked our equipment, and said farewell to the dragons.

"Risking your lives for the promise of treasure," Tompkoner said to them when they explained they would be back by nightfall, or probably not at all. "I didn't realize dragons and humans had that in common."

"Maybe there is more common ground between us," Fredelistorn agreed. "I hope you find it, and don't get dead. It's actually been nicer than I expected, traveling with you. I've learned a lot about human behavior."

"Not so nice we're going to take less gold when we get back," clarified Tompkoner quickly.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean that," Fredelistorn agreed. "Just that I thought… Well, never mind what I thought. Good luck."

"Thanks," I told them. "Kethrinax, if we don't make it back, I think you know what you have to do. Our task falls to you. I think you know what I mean."

"I do," she agreed. "Something has to be done. If you puny humans, no offense, can risk your lives how can I do less? You have my word, I'll figure something out if you fall. This world will not remain how it is."

The other two dragons looked at her very curiously, but I nodded. "Thank you. Clarissa, you ready?"

"Ready."

"Follow us in after a few minutes," I told Rose and Alita.

"We know the plan, I helped make the plan," Alita protested. "You just focus on keeping yourself alive. Both of you keep the other safe, okay? We all come out of here."

"Agreed."

We headed inside.

The swamp was a terrible place. The fumes made it hard to breathe and seemed to sap our strength. The monsters, who seemed to have no trouble wandering around, attacked in force, slowing us. I realized too late that perhaps I should have asked if the dragons were immune to the worst effects of the swamp and if I could just ride one of them to the center, but then I thought better of it. No, this is my quest, and my trial to overcome. I mean, if I use what resources I have that does mean I'm smart enough to reach the center. I don't necessarily have to be 'the strongest' to defeat the Dragonlord. Just clever enough.

But we pushed on, and finally, about mid-day, we came to a stone sticking out of the ground unlike any other we had seen. In fact, we hadn't seen any stones, just weird plants, mud, an icky green haze, and monsters. None were near the stone and the air seemed clearer, so we got close. It stood slightly taller than myself and seemed to be a worked block, with four sides straight and smooth. The only real feature we found on it was an indentation of a hand, and given my experience at the tomb I was pretty sure what that meant.

"So what are you waiting for?" Clarissa asked.

"Rose. She should be here to see this. She decoded the poem and led us here. She's earned that."

"I guess that's reasonable. We'll wait, at least I can breathe here."

"It's odd, the tomb that held the journal didn't have any monsters in it. Apparently there's protection magic of some kind that was put on things in the past."

"That would be nice to know."

"You can say that again."

We didn't have long to wait before the other two joined us, and I turned to face them. "Clarissa, Rose, Alita? Thank you all. I don't know if I could have gotten here without you, and you have been steadfast companions since our meeting. It is time for this portion of our quest to be done, and so, before you now, I will place my hand upon the stone and see what destiny has in store for me."

They nodded and I turned, resting a hand on the indentation.

Nothing happened.

I cleared my throat, figuring there was another part to this after all. "I am a descendant of Erdrick, here for the token of proof," I announced, feeling a little foolish in front of the others but it had worked before. It worked again. Part of the stone vanished below the hand print and as I stepped back I saw a small alcove had been created. Laying inside was a hand sized golden disk, engraved with some sort of symbol, that I immediately knew was Erdrick's token. I didn't know how I knew, it could have been anything really, but even despite the fact it was what I was looking for it didn't strike me as just a golden disk, but an object of power. Looking at it gave me the certainty of "this is Erdrick's token" in a way looking at a tree I knew "this is a tree." I reverently took up the token and spun, grinning and holding it up for the others to see. "It worked!" I told them. I heard a grinding noise and looked back, the alcove was gone, and it seemed a solid stone again. The others crowded around me, exclaiming over it, and I let them hold it.

"Let's start back," I told them, when I got it back again. I put it away, there would be time to look it over when we weren't in the middle of this very dangerous swamp.

"Same teams?" Alita asked.

"I guess," Rose told her, distracted by the stone. "It's weird, don't you think it's weird?"

"What is?" Clarissa asked.

"This whole thing. How does the magic know who somebody's great, great, great, great grandson is?"

"It's magic, isn't that the explanation for anything magical? How do dragons breathe fire? I can't do that, but they seemingly can. It's magic, it's not supposed to make sense."

"I don't buy it," she complained, putting a hand on the stone. "I am a descendant of Erdrick, here for the token of proof." We were all floored when the stone alcove reappeared, and there, sitting on it, was yet another token! She stared at it, we all did, and I got mine back out to compare them. Looking at mine I got the sense it was the token, but when I looked back at hers I got the sense it was the token. I looked at her. "Are we related?" she asked.

"One way to find out," Alita decided. She yanked the token out of the alcove and the chamber sealed again. She handed Rose her token, bumped her out of the way with her hip, and put her hand on the stone. "I am a descendant of Erdrick, here for the token of proof." The chamber opened again. A third token was there. "Yup, as I thought," she said, taking it. "Clarissa, may as well get one for yourself. This isn't some one of a kind item, it's proof that the trial has been passed. This stone just magically makes tokens when you announce who you are. It doesn't check, it's not smart. Rose was right all along."

"We're going to do it," Rose said softly, gripping the gold coin like object tightly in her hand. "We're going to free the land from the Dragonlord."

"You bet we are," Alita replied, pulling Clarissa to stand in front of the stone. "You completed the trail with us, get your token too!"

"I am a descendant of Erdrick, here for the token of proof."