05/14/01
Denigoddess2001@aol.com

Saints In The Night Part III
"When The Heart Burns Brightest"
Chapter III

Disclaimer...read chapter one.


Thoughts...[brackets, folks!]

The light of the four moons shone brightly upon the lush forest. A thunderous roar came from the mountains to the North. They turned to drink in the imposing terrain framed by towering, steep, jagged mountains of burgandy and wine. Kirn dismounted his dragon and joined them. "These are the Nasla Mountains. This is some of Ainran's finest beauty. Rarely in this world will you find anything as breathtaking as this."

"Agreed." Demetrius nodded to their traveling companion. "And the roar we hear?"

"The falls that lie beyond the first mountains and between them." Kirn pointed to the North.

Wren and Demetrius cast their gazes to the large cascading waterfalls between the first two peaks. The water seemed brilliant as moons' light reflected on the droplets. The falls sparkled in a kaleidescopic rainbow of color and light. Wren hoped that she and Demetrius would be able to see the falls before their departure from Ainran.

"Milady Sojourner and Lord Champion, we must move swiftly. We have little time before my son, Beloche (PRONOUNCED BELL-LOKE), divulges our plans to LuKasha."

"Of course." Demetrius agreed. "Lead on, Kirn."

The sturdy Minotaur led them uphill through some extraordinarily thick branches. They entered a quiet glen where only birds sang and crickets chirped in harmony. The amalgamation of Ainran's Magick, its otherworldly beauty, and the fantastic sights and creatures stole their breath from them. Demetrius ponded the notion of staying here.

He thought of staying here in this paradise. The darkness certainly was not horrible. Beauty and life were to be found in great joy here. He loved his clan, yet, knew there was so much beyond the shores of Caledon. Yet, he refused to contemplate further the thought of staying unless he had someone to share it with.

No one, no friend, touched his heart like Wren.

Why her and why now?

Demetrius hastily pushed away the whimsical thoughts. He pondered the notion that he required rest. Without the sun, there was no stone hibernation. Yet, he felt no fatigue.

They stood in the quiet rustling grasses of the glen. The forest surrounded them in every direction. In the trees just beyond the grove, something flashed and caught Demetrius' keen eyes.

"I think that well may be the Altar you spotted from the air, Wren." His enthusiasm was infectious. Wren felt her heart pulse faster in time with the rushing rhythm of the falls and the lilting whistle of the breeze.

In the midst of the glen was a grassy plateau. Upon it was something akin to gray granite monoliths. They stood like stone sentinels in the looming darkness. They reminded Wren much of Stonehenge in Great Britain. In the center was a perfectly cut cylander of solid granite that stood waist-high to Wren. It was as wide as she was tall. Engraved deeply within the rock were archaic runs and glyphs consisting of stark lines. Floursihing script paralleled the stark lines along the sides and the top surface of the Altar. Wren languidly traced her fingers along the carved symbols, runes, and heiroglyphs. They gave her a numinous awareness as she touched them.

At the right of the stone circle was located a group of approaching individuals. Two dwarves with flaming auburn beards beat upon drums in a sycapated cadence followed by four elves strumming lutes. They strummed merrily a cheerful marching tune that cause the three the desire to dance. Three satyrs danced merrily around the procession as they plated their pan flutes. Next behind the satyrs were several Gargoyles carrying the the flowing bannor of Skylaris. Upon the flag was a violet field. In the center of the banner was the image of a verdant roaring dragon. Around this entourage skipped a few Diminuans (some would call them Halflings or Hobbits) throwing red and white rose petals from white wicker baskets.

In the midst of the ensemble walked a creature that captured the glory of heaven and the fires of Hell. With batlike wings that easily expansed several yards and the length of half a city block, it was an unbelievable and astounding sight to behold. The Dragon's wings were of the deepest emerald. They reflected the light so that each scale seemed like a precious gem. Every scale seemed dipped in liquid gold and diamond dust. The struts of her wings were dipped in deep burnished gold. The inner skin of her wings glimmered like bright amethysts. Her brow sported the head plates found on most European dragons. She sported two gracefully spiraling horns like those of a gazelle. As she approached, Wren notice that her eyes were also of the deepest violet. She was grand beyond imagination and frightening.

Wren thought that if she were standing next to St. Peter that it would be nothing compared to the creature clawing the ground before her. She felt short, shallow pants contort her chest as she fought for breath. Her blood drained from her and air refused to fill her lungs. She had no voice as she tried to speak to Demetrius. Her hazel eyes widened in sheer panic as the large massive saurian drew closer to her.

Demetrius caught Wren in his arms when she swooned. "Easy, Milady. The goddess means you no harm."

The Dragon came within a few feet of the Gargoyle and the panicky Mutant. She said nothing but cocked her head. She leaned closer to the duo and studied the pair more carefully. As she did so, Wren found her voice long enough to emit a shrill piercing scream. Even the Dragon seemed taken aback by Wren's panic attack.

"Peace find you well and safe, Daughter of Gaea." The Dragon's voice rumbled low into the ground. The sweet peaches and cinnamon of her breath was quite unexpected for Wren. As the Dragon breathed upon Wren, she found a sense of calm returning to her. With that, the Dragon turned from the Gargoyle, the Mutant, and the Minotaur and made her way to the sacred Altar. She waited.

"Demetrius, th-th-that's a DRAGON!" She managed to gasp.

"She is magnificant." He dared to breathe.

"She's your Goddess?" She asked.

"Aye, that she is, Milady."

"You need to go and talk to her." Wren urged him.

"You know the Tome of Tacitus better than me. I am merely a warrior." He countered.

"She's your Goddess, not mine."

"Will you two quit quibbling and simply address her?" Kirn sharply interjected. "Time is paramount."

"Don't look at me." Wren quipped. "I'm allergic to Dragons."

"Come with me, Wren." Demetrius gently placed her on her feet.

"Where you go, I go?" She asked. "That's what friends do for one another, isn't it?"

"It is the Gargoyle way." He said neutrally. "I understand if you wish to remain here."

"No!" Wren declared vehemently. "I don't want to go, Demetrius. I want to hide. I want to go home. I don't want to be here anymore. This is too much. BUT- you never left me. You are always with me. I must stay with you. I fail at many things, but, I won't fail you now. Just hand me a bucket if I piss from sheer panic."

"I've never heard you speak so crudely."

"I've never been this close to a fire-breathing, human-eating Tyranosaurus Rex." She retorted. "But, where you go, I go. Just drag me kicking and screaming."

"You have the spirit of an eagle, Milady." He beamed at her. He thought his heart would burst at that moment from the happiness of knowing Wren's loyalty. "Where you go, I go, Wren."

"Understood." She nodded. They looked at one another. Wren inhaled deeply to calm her twitching nerves. She took hold of Demetrius' much larger, trembling hand. She took on staggering, halting step forward. She hoped that some of his bravado and bravery seeped into her by osmosis. Together, hand in hand, they stepped forard to the waiting Dragon Goddess.

"Lady Skylaris," Demetrius greeted her with his resounding Baritone. "We bid thee Merry Meet."

"Brightest blessings upon you, my son." She nodded in acknowledgement. "Saluations and greetings, Wren Summers. Welcom Kirn, Minotaur of the clan Valkyn."

Her voice flowed liked the cascading roars of the falls. It lilted with a rich otherworldy melody that seemed betwiching to the trio. It stilled Wren's inner anxiety. It quelled Demetrius' anxiousness. It simply felt right and natural for them to be standing before Skylaris.

"I hear one of your own, Kirn, has fallen to LuKasha's Magick." She said gravely.

"Yes, Lady Skylaris." He sadly replied. "My son, Beloche, succumbed to teh Warlock's powerful spells. He is one of LuKasha's minions now."

"All that has occurred will reach it's natural conclusion."

"Come with me, Son of the Dragon and Child of Gaea. I have much to share with you before the upcoming battle. You must be prepared to act when the battle draws nigh."

"Battle?" Wren gulped.

"Child, we must strengthen your mettle." Skylaris said softly. "I know your life leaves you with little. I know that your heart is timid because of loss. You feel that your life is nothing and that you bide your time until death. No more, Wren Summers, are you to do as such."

"Yes, Ma'am." She said in a small voice.

"Harken to my words, Child of Gaea. I feel for the loss of your mother in the spirits and your father's untimely accident. The Powers-That-Be have brought to you a new family. You need only to accept it."

"I don't understand."

"Take love in whatever form it finds you. The Divine loves you and guides you though you know it not."

"I will."

"You don't comprehend yet, Child, but you will." The Dragon said warmly. "Now, to the matter at hand! A battle will commence on the morrow and you must be ready to act swiftly and well."

Wren fought the urge to fling herself from Demetrius' strong arms and run as far as her feet would carry her. She longed to recite the incantation on the Annulus and return to Caledon. She wanted to see one moon and one sun and a blue sky. She longed for too much paperwork and cramped office space.

"What we fight for is worth every belief and each struggle." Skylaris told them. With those words, she expanded her wings. A golden aura surrounded her massive being. She glowed as a mirage in the great desert heat. A blinding glared caused the trio to shield their eyes from being blinded. The majestic winged serpent knealed before them.

"On my backs, Dearest ones." She urged them. "You must see where the Princess slumbers."

They quickly climbed upon Skylaris' plated back. She let her wings catch the soft current and they soared upwards in the direction of the falls. As they flew, Wren pondered the concept that their involvement seemed unwise. They landed on the shore to the left of the falls. Sklyaris let the three dismount. She then shimmered as a mirage does in the hot desert sun. She became a blue of color and brillance while hues danced around her. She then folded her wings.

"Look and see where the Princess dreams no dream. That, my children is the place where she sleeps. With in the grove of the castle, the Princess lies upon a crystal bed surrounded by white lilies. I show this castle to you because you will bring all into right while I engage LuKasha in battle."

"How do we free here from her sleep?" Wren asked the elder goddess.

"It is said that only the purest can free her." Skylaris sighed sadly. "It was not made known to me by the Sovereign-Allfather-Beyond-The-Stars. It has been said that the purest heart will free her."

"Indeed, it makes little sense to me this night." Demetrius shook his head. "Falls of sadness from the purest heart is a cryptic turn-of-phrase."

"No once was it ever said that it would be simple, my son." Sklyaris gently reminded the stoic warrior.

"So we go to the castle, find the field of lilies, and wake up the Princess." Wren surmised. "Nothing out of the ordinary. It's just the average fairy tale."

"Be brave, Wren." Demetrius told her.

One of the winged Gargoyles from the entourage soared above them and circled overhead. "Lady Skylaris, LuKasha and his army approach from the East. Our troops await your return and your command."

"I shall be there soon." She nodded to the gliding Gargoyle. "Champion and Sojourner, the time nears when I shall no longer be with you. Let nothing stop you from reawakening the Princess. Our armies will soon encounter LuKasha and his minions."

"Are you sure this will work?" Wren asked.

"Champion, take the Sojourner to the castle and the field of lilies. Free the Princess from her long repose this night. Restore the light of day to our shadowed realm."

"As it will be done, Goddess." He knealed before the Draconic deity.

They watched silently as Wren heard the clanings of metal over the roar of the waterfall. She dismissed it from her mind as Demetrius brought her into his arms and lept from the side of the clife to gain altitude.