Chapter Three: The Dragon and the Kraken

As soon as the previous sentries had returned, Zircah leaped into the sky to set out for her own watch. Stone Tree nation was roosted on one of the smaller Copper Isles, the province of a lord by the name of Mahil Eddace. Eddace, an ally of Carthak, had ordered the Stormwings to keep a watch on the Tortallan coast, not only for Tortallan ships but for the queen and her Rider groups and trainees. The Stormwings were willing - that group of mortals had beaten them and they wanted to repay that debt.

When she was a little over eight miles out from the Buzzard Rocks, Zircah circled to gain height and hovered in the midst of a convenient cloudbank. Not exactly the best camouflage in the world, but it was as good as air-camouflage got. Unless, of course, I feel like painting myself blue.

The day was fine and hot - she had no need of her magic in order to hover in the one place. Her wings fanned back and forth briskly on the pillars of hot air that rose, even from the water, to keep her aloft.

She kept her eyes trained upon the shore. Behind a hundred yards of trees and sand dunes, there was a trail that ran south. That was the trail the Riders would be following, she was certain. She couldn't believe all the time they were putting into this. Surely it would be much simpler to attack and take Thayet hostage while she was on the road, rather than go to all this extra effort of waiting to take the castle, Pirate's Swoop, further south. I suppose Eddace wants the children, as well. She scowled at this and reached out with her mind for the shore.

She was very surprised to find a pair of griffins and their cubs nearby. Steeling herself, she called to them.

Sister griffin, will you not speak with me?

A startled mind-squawk rose in Zircah's mind and a large silver-grey female griffin lifted into the air.

Eater, did you call?

I did, wing-sister.

Never have I met with an Eater who speaks the tongue of Beasts. The griffin was suspicious.

I know only of myself, wing-sister. What news? Are your cubs healthy? Zircah asked, hoping to elicit some information from the other immortal.

There are mortals near our nest. We have warned them to keep far away from our cubs. They will not be taken for human shields.

Warned? Do they understand you as I do?

No. The griffin snorted. Only message they understand is fear - they have fled to a stone house. They will not return soon.

Zircah smiled. I hope not, wing-sister. Tell me, have you seen a company of mortals with ponies? Some have magic. She briefly flared her own to make her meaning clear.

No. Only those from the mortal den.

Will you tell me if you see them? I will be on the islands with the other Eaters. Send out a call if you see them, and I will hear you.

The griffin was puzzled but agreed. I shall. Farewell, Eater.

My name is Zircah. The dark-haired Stormwing offered.

I am known as Sleet. The griffin pawed at the air and circled back towards land. I will call if these mortals you seek pass.

My thanks, wing-sister Sleet.

Sleet glided back to her eyrie, leaving Zircah alone with her boredom. So, the Riders had not reached this part of the coast yet? They could not be far off.

However, at the end of her shift there was still no sign of them. Zircah reached out with her magic, wondering what could possibly take so long. The vision struck her so suddenly, she barely had time to realise she was falling.

Two half globes, one of air, one of water. Below the water lurked a dark power. She could feel it searching for her, but its reach was limited to below the waves - in the air, she was safe. Then another shape that blazed with the light of the Gift descended upon her from above, She screamed and dodged, but the light streaked past, blazing with righteous anger, and crashed into the depths. The creature of light gave the darkness the extra reach it needed. It extended a slow, deliberate tendril of blackness that latched onto her throat and tightened...

Zircah's eyes snapped back into focus and she gasped for air. The world swam before her eyes as though she watched from behind steamed glass. A rippling face came into view.

"Bladewing, earth to Bladewing. Come in Bladewing."

Zircah yelped in shock and reeled backwards, panicked. She swung her bladed wings wildly and Rikash ducked and back up.

"It seems every time I run into you you're asleep or ill, Bladewing. Calm down." His cheerful calm was too much for Zircah.

"What are you doing, you dolt, you almost killed me!" She shrieked, hysterical. "Don't you know not to wake a Seer?"

Rikash scowled. "I didn't, Bladewing. Jokhun-"

"Fuck Jokhun!"

Rikash sighed, keeping his eyes trained upon the shore. "Bladewing, you've been out here for hours. It's almost the end of my watch, now. Why don't we just fly back to the Copper Isles and you can tell King Jokhun all about what you just Saw." His mouth twisted wryly. "Although you may wish to leave out the part where you scream profanity at him."

His voice was oddly soothing, and Zircah's panic subsided. She frowned thoughtfully and bowed her head as she hovered a little way behind him. Slowly her mind wandered through the vision.

"A dragon," she muttered softly to herself. "A dragon and a... a kraken? And when... when the dragon dies, the kraken will rise up and slaughter us. Yes. But... what dragon? What kraken? What can they symbolise...?" She gave a snort of irritation that made Rikash turn to look at her. She shook her head, lips pursed. "Perhaps I will relate this vision to Jokhun. Let him make of it what he will - I certainly can't make it out. Perhaps he knows of a dragon and a kraken."

"Uh. Right." Rikash raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Well, that's my watch. Stay out here if you want, but keep in mind that there won't be anyone to see you fall until Qur'an gets here. And he's no great magician when it comes to hovering spells." He turned and started to flap back towards the Copper Isles.

Zircah came after him, blue eyes wide and disbelieving. Is he implying that he saved me? What in the name of the Graveyard Hag...? She sighed in annoyance. Why couldn't people just stay the same as they had been all her life? Everything was changing, and it made her doubt her own opinions.

When they reached the eyries, Zircah held in a grimace. It appeared that Jokhun was officially Not Happy, and it was her fault. Damn.

"Bladewing!" Jokhun snarled. "Where in the name of the Black God were you for the last twelve hours?"

Zircah resisted the urge to say something snide and answered truthfully. "At my post, my king."

"Your shift lasts only six hours, Bladewing, then it was Lord Rikash's turn." Jokhun pointed out with a glare.

You've obviously decided to put your intelligent hat on today, Foulreek. "Yes, my king. I Saw towards the end of my shift, and the trance lasted for... a long time. My apologies."

Jokhun's expression softened slightly. "And what did you See?"

Zircah took a deep breath. "I Saw... water and air, at first. Below the water there was a kraken. He reached for us to destroy us but he could not reach past the water's surface. Then a dragon died and crashed into the water, and the kraken's reach was extended. He destroyed us."

Jokhun nodded thoughtfully. "Do you know what it means?"

"I can think of nothing that it relates to, my king." Zircah said stonily.

"What sort of Seer are you?" Jokhun's tone was scornful. "You can't even make sense of your own prophecies!"

Zircah resisted the sudden strong urge to decapitate him and rule the flock herself. Instead she held her tongue and allowed her rage to build behind her eyes until her powers were fuelled by it.

"If you have nothing further to report, then you're dismissed." Jokhun waved a wing condescendingly. "I shouldn't have expected any more from a female."

The Stormwings that were standing behind Jokhun backed away from their king. He was clearly crazy if he was insulting Zircah so readily - they had no wish to be in the firing line. But to their surprise, Zircah closed her eyes, took several calming breaths, and flew off to her own eyrie, out of the king's sight.

Rikash, in his own eyrie, watched her land with apprehension. Even without the magic that allowed Zircah to sense emotions, he could feel the rage rippling off her. He stared as she raised her wings as though she were summoning something.

A ball of swirling scarlet and black magic appeared before her, twisting like a whirlwind. He could hear the rushing of its magic from where he sat.

Slowly, from the talons up, a miniature of Jokhun formed. He looked both smug and imperious as he said, "I shouldn't have expected any more from a female."

Zircah's face twisted with hatred, and she brought her wings closer together. The copy of Jokhun writhed and gasped for air as Zircah determinedly compacted the space he was allowed.

Then the copy began to scream and scream in a horrifying shrill voice. Rikash shrank back from the edge of his nest to try to escape the sound, but despite its low volume it carried to him. He shuddered convulsively as Zircah slowly and deliberately crushed the miniature Jokhun, watching with a sort of fascinated terror as the screaming, writhing copy was destroyed. His green eyes were full of fear of Zircah and her magic. He knew she hated him as much.

He hunkered down in his eyrie and shivered. It had been bad enough watching Jokhun's copy die. It would have terrified him even more had the shrieking, agonised voice been his own.

In the wind and the rain of a summer storm, Zircah dispelled the magical corpse of Jokhun's copy with a satisfied smile that bared all of her silver teeth. Soon, she promised it as it dissolved. Soon I will do the same to you, Jokhun Foulreek. Lightning flashed, illuminating the skies, and a sentry winged his way back to the Copper Isles. The mortals had found Pirate's Swoop.

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A/N: I know Ozorne does this to Numair in The Emperor Mage, but I really couldn't think of any other way to show just how pissed Zircah was. ^^; Sorry for the lack of creativity, guys. Please review!