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  “You took his offer, too?” Lord Martin asked, his voice soft and defeated. Face to face with the Deceiver, he could not hold back his words and had spilled everything he knew about the castle, about the Elves, Conner, the Dragon. He told even more than he really knew, embellishing his words to make sure that when the conversation was over, he was still standing. As he spoke, he knew his words were treason, but he continued to have the belief that in the end, he would still be able to be a leader of his people. A man as powerful as the Deceiver would not want to rule an empty world. He would want to rule a world that was full of people, and those people would still need the type of leadership that he could provide.

  Rufus’ smirk spread to a smile. “I was one of the Deceiver’s first recruits, and he did not need to offer me anything. This world is full of pretentious windbags and cowards who pretend to be important men. It needs a change, and the Deceiver is just the one to make the necessary changes. He has promised me nothing other than that I will be justly rewarded for my service. You probably think it was you that sought me out to help you, but in reality, it was me that sought you out. From the beginning, I have been using you.” Rufus laughed. “How does that feel?”

  Lord Martin shivered in silence as he recalled the day when he had found Rufus huddling hungry in a dark corner of the cavern. He replayed their first conversation in his head several times, and as he remembered it, he had given a magnificent and persuasive speech. Rufus had been on the verge of starvation and in desperate need of a good friend. Outcast and unliked, no one cared to talk to him or pay him any attention, so he was able to move about the castle grounds without being noticed. Always doing as he was asked, he seemed the perfect collaborator to help Lord Martin reach his goal of attaining more power. The betrayal stung him, and he wavered between anger and despair. No words could express how he felt, so Lord Martin kept his jaw clenched, and his lips squeezed shut.

  Before long, they reached the wide central corridor that opened to the outside courtyard. Bright light from the overcast day gave them enough light to see by but provided them shadows in which they could disappear from anyone looking through the castle doors. The courtyard was littered with the dead. Most of them were goblins, but many of them were Karmon farmers, merchants, and soldiers. Men and boys alike had fallen, having given their lives to defend the castle. Lord Martin was truly saddened by the death that he saw, but knew that if only they had all listened to him and left the castle, they would still be alive.

  “Where is Hargon?” A new voice said.

  Lord Martin jumped, his heart racing at seeing the Deceiver standing next to him, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.

  Stuttering, Lord Martin squeaked out, “I don’t know. I’m sure he’s nearby.”

  Although the Deceiver appeared like a normal person and was even dressed in dirty, simple clothes, his eyes were dark and sinister. There was a clear aura of evil around him. Even Rufus had taken a step away and stood behind them.

  “Then I think you should find him.” The Deceiver’s voice was deep and soft, but they sent a chill up Lord Martin’s spine.

  Lord Martin shuffled forward, unsure where to start looking. The fighting was over, but the courtyard was still full of chaos. Between the bodies that were on the ground and the fighters that were stumbling around in a confused stupor, he could not see anyone that he recognized. He started to pant as panic came over him. If he could not find Hargon, he knew the Deceiver would become angry, and he could only imagine what might happen to him then.

  His voice cracked as he said, “I don’t see him. I don’t see anyone. Wait!” His gaze had drifted up to the top of the wall and finally recognized someone. With excitement in his voice, he continued, “Look! On the wall! That his Hallenedrielle, Glaerion’s wife. She will know where he is.”

  Lord Martin started to walk away, but a firm grasp on his shoulder stopped him. He turned to see the Deceiver towering over him, his large hand holding him back from moving. His knees shook, and his teeth chattered in fear. He almost wet himself.

  “Where are you going?”

  He squeaked out a feeble reply. “To Hallendrielle.”

  “Not alone.”

  “What if they recognize you?”

  The Deceiver laughed. “Only you and Rufus know who I am. Lead the way. And quickly, for she seems to be in a hurry.”

  Walking quickly through the courtyard, they dodged the fighters who were walking around in a dumb-founded haze. The fighting was over, but many didn’t seem to know what to do. Some just dropped to the ground and sobbed, their lives shattered as loved ones had not survived the battle. Others wondered aimlessly, wondering what was next. Lord Martin moved his legs as fast he could get them to move, skirting both the living and the dead. Rufus and the Deceiver easily kept pace.

  They met up with Hallendrielle in the middle of the courtyard. She was walking purposefully with her head down and did not notice his first three attempts at getting her attention.

  Finally, he stepped right in front of her and asked, “Hallendrielle? You are Glaerion’s wife?”

  Hallendrielle’s mind was not in the moment, so it took her a second to gather her thoughts and answer. “Yes.” She looked at him and Rufus. They had been together since they arrived at the castle and didn’t think anything of their presence. “What do you want?”

  Lord Martin cleared his throat. “I am looking for Hargon.”

  She tilted her head, looking at him closely as if she were deciding whether or not to answer him. “I am heading to him now. You were not here when the Dragons came?”

  “No,” he replied as confidently as he could. “I was inside the castle.”

  She did not reply with her words, but her eyes told him what she thought of him and his answer.

  “Follow me,” she said. “And you better keep up, or you won’t make it in time.”

  “In time for what?” Lord Martin asked.

  Hallendirelle did not respond. She turned and jogged towards the big double doors that led into the cavern.

  Lord Martin glanced back at the Deceiver, who had let his lips curl up into a smile. He gave a sharp nod, and the three of them trotted after Hallendrielle.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Conner and Glaerion followed Elissa through the voluminous underground chamber and straight to one of the side tunnels that led toward a small cave that had been carved out millions of years ago by a trickling underground stream. They stepped over the stream and went straight to the back of the cave. Elissa knew there was an illusion cast by the Elves that covered the back half of the cave, making it appear smaller than it really was. She walked right through it without hesitation. Conner paused only a moment before he walked through. His mind knew that there was not a wall there, but he had a hard time convincing his eyes. He closed them as he stepped through.

  Their torches lit up the large blue-speckled Dragon’s Egg that sat on a bed of straw near the far wall. Silently, they walked up to it. Elissa bent down and set her palm against the hard shell.

  “It’s warm,” she said. Then she let out a gasp and smiled. “I can feel it’s heart beating.”

  “She,” Conner said. “The baby Dragon is a she. Myllia named her Melissa.”

  “Strange name for a Dragon,” Glaerion said from behind them. He stayed several paces away, wary of the power that connected the baby Dragon to the Web of Magic, and he was not going to take it granted.

  “Where is Myllia?” Elissa asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “She and Immerallis are scouting the Deceiver’s new army,” Conner replied. “Once they reach the mountain passes, they will let us know.”

  Elissa put her other hand on the egg and closed her eyes, trying to absorb the presence of the baby Dragon. She said, “You are sure she is okay with this? Does she know what it means?”

  Conner nodded his head. “She knows what all of this means.”

  Elissa stood, setting her hands on her belly. Her robes were loose and f
lowed about her body, but it was evident that she was with child. “I don’t think I could do it.”

  “Even to save the world?” Glaerion asked.

  “I would gladly give my own life,” Elissa replied. “But an innocent life? One that has yet to be born? It is a cruel twist of fate. Could the One God really let this happen?”

  “Many more thousands will die if we do not do this. The whole world will be lost if we do not do this. I also question why the One God has allowed all of this to happen, but what I do know is that he is supreme and we are not. We can question and judge all we want, but in the end, we can only do what we believe is right. Not only what is right for us, but what is right for the whole world.”

  “Evil and death have been a part of the One God’s creation from the beginning. That is the balance that He put into his universe. People live. People Die. Some are good. Some are evil.”

  “If there is always this balance, though, then won’t the One God step in and make sure there is a balance and that the Deceiver won’t win?”

  “We are the One God’s balance to the Deceiver,” Conner said. “You, me, Glaerion. The Dragon. The Elves. Sir Marik and his Knights. We are all the One God’s answer to the Deceiver’s evil. It is why we won’t fail.”

  “You really believe that?” Elissa asked.

  Conner sharply nodded his head. “Yes. I have to. Without that belief, there is no hope, and if we don’t have hope, why would we bother fighting? We cannot think of ourselves. We must think of those who will come after us, and if we don’t fight now, there will be nothing after us.”

  Tears came to Elissa’s eyes, and she could say no more. She knew Conner was right, but she did not have to like it. She was tired and angry at all of the death and the dying. She wanted the peaceful times of her father’s castle to return. Life was safe and comfortable, then. Never would their lives be the same, but that didn’t mean they had to spend the rest of their lives fighting, either. This war needed to end so that her people, and their world, could find peace once again.

  She took a step back, let out a long sigh, and nodded her head sharply. “Okay. Let’s finish this.”

  Conner stepped forward and squatted next to the egg. Gently, he touched the shell with the tips of his fingers and felt the radiant warmth that was coming from it. Then he put his palm against the shell and let comfortable and soothing heat fill him with peace and energy. He closed his eyes and envisioned the baby Dragon flying high in the sky, soaring through a crisp and clear blue sky. As the Dragon banked, she turned her head to look downward, and Conner saw what the Dragon saw. The ground below was scorched and smoldering. Forests had been cleared and burned up. Mountains had been cast down, their rocks spread across fields and plains, filling lakes and ponds, and covering villages and cities. The seas churned and boiled. Sea creatures floated dead, unable to live in the boiling hot water. Tall towers filled the landscape, rising high into the sky. Streaming from within the towers were unimaginably evil creatures, spreading death and destruction all across the globe. No land animal survived. No sea creature survived. There were no birds that flew in the air. Only the Dragon was left alive. Conner felt the loneliness and despair that the Dragon felt. His heart sank and ached.

  Glaerion pulled Conner away. He looked up and saw Elissa’s face was full of fright, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “You were screaming in pain,” Glaerion said. “I thought it was killing you.”

  Conner looked down at his hands, which were bright red. If there had been pain, he did not feel it now.

  “No,” Conner said with a slight shake of his head. “I didn’t hurt. I think I saw what the world would be like if the Deceiver won.”

  “I think we all know what that will be like,” Glaerion said.

  “I think it will be worse,” Conner replied softly. He turned to Elissa and said, “We cannot imagine what the world will be like. We all have fought so hard and for so long. We cannot stop now, even if it means the ultimate sacrifice.”

  Biting her lip, Elissa nodded.

  Conner crouched down again and looked at his hands before wrapping his arms around the egg. They were still bright red, and even though they did not hurt, he hesitated at the thought of picking up the egg.”

  “Maybe I should carry it,” Glaerion asked.

  “No!” Elissa said with almost too much force. “I want to.”

  “Elissa,” Conner protested. “It is too heavy for you.”

  Her eyes narrowed, knowing that if she were not pregnant, he would not have questioned her. “It is not. I can carry it, and I think it wants me to. She gave you a vision that scared you. She filled me with thoughts of peace and joy. I think she’s telling me she wants me to carry her to the end.”

  Conner stood and stepped back so Elissa could step forward. She bent over and gripped the sides of the Egg, and instantly a smile crossed her face. A gentle warmth spread through the egg and into her hands, filling her with a comforting bliss. For a moment, she feared that she would see what Conner saw, or felt what he felt, but she did not. Confidently, she lifted the Egg and then cradled it in her arms. The sparkles on the Egg’s shell twinkled, and a light came from inside the Egg, casting a light blue brightness around the shell and onto Elissa’s face.

  “See,” she said with a smile. “It’s very light.”

  “Do you see anything?” Conner asked. “Visions of the world being destroyed?”

  Elissa shook her head. “No, nothing like that. But, I do feel warmth and love coming from her. There is no anger or fear, only peace.”

  “She really knows what’s going to happen?”

  Elissa nodded her head, trying to keep the tears from coming back. She took in a deep breath and said, “She knows.” Before she could let out a sob, she turned and walked past Conner.

  Conner watched her leave, unsure if the vision of a destroyed earth or the sight of his wife sobbing was worse.

  ***

  Expectant, grim faces greeted the arrival of the Dragon’s Egg. King Illichian and Hallendrielle stood in the center of a half-circle of their companions, patiently waiting. Elissa strode forward, the Dragon’s Egg cradled comfortably and securely in her arms. Conner followed right behind, and his mood soured when he saw Lord Martin standing in the back row. He had even brought two of his cronies with him. He thought the war would have taken the fat lord’s life by now, but somehow he had figured out how to survive thus far. For a moment, he felt guilty for wishing for his death, but the guilt quickly left. Lord Martin only thought of himself, and his presence here was not only suspicious but dangerous. Even before the war started, Lord Martin did all he could to gain power and prestige at the expense of others. To this point, Lord Martin had been harmless, but there could come a time when his cowardice and drive for undeserved power would backfire not only on himself but on everyone else around him. Conner set himself in a spot where he could both keep his eye on Elissa and Lord Martin. He was also glad his swords were comfortably strapped to his back.

  “How does this work?” Elissa asked, holding out the egg.

  Hallendrielle looked at King Illichian, who gave her a single sharp-nod. She was to be in charge of the spellcasting, so she said, “We will need Hargon. Come forward.”

  Slowly, and still with some discomfort, Hargon walked to them. With each passing moment, his strength and energy returned. In time, he would be able to start casting spells, and with the help of Hallendrielle and the Dragon’s egg, he might even be able to help defend against the oncoming army.

  King Illichian cleared his throat and spoke with a loud voice so all could hear. “When the One God created the universe, he populated it with many races and many types of animals. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Dragons are but a fraction of the beings that fill this world, but they are the only ones that can think for themselves. This was a gift from the One God so that he had children who could worship him and fill his world. To two of his races, he gave the power of magic. The Elves could touch th
e Web of Magic, but the Dragons lived within it. Their very existence touches the Web at all times giving them the ability to live for eternity. Humans, though, could not use magic in the beginning. Through that first age, the Races interacted with one another, and the power of casting spells fell to Human and Elven offspring. Unlike true Elves that could always touch the Web of Magic, these offspring could only access the Web of Magic through the use of concentration and meditation. This became the spells that they learned to cast. Another side effect is that the type of spell they could cast was much more powerful than what Elves could cast. These Human and Elf offspring looked more Human than Elf, and their offspring looked even more Human. After generation upon generation, these offspring eventually looked fully Human, but they still had the power to cast spells. Humans today can cast spells, but only if they had Elven blood in their ancient history. To use it, though, they have to be taught this power. It does not come naturally to them, as it does to Elvenkind.”

  Glaerion looked at Hallendirelle with wide eyes.

  She shook her head and said, “I did not know, either.”

  King Illichian walked over to them and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “That is a piece of information I have carried with me for thousands of years since the crown was first placed upon my head.”

  “You could have told us!” Glaerion snapped. “Maybe if we knew that we were fighting our own kind, we might have been able to find peace!”

  “It was a secret that I was sworn to keep, for to reveal it would have brought civil war among Elves, tearing us apart, and dividing our own kind. Our strength has always been in our ability to live together as one. We fought together, and then we went into exile together. When Conner and Elissa came to us, their presence split Elves into two, as I feared it would. That many of our kind went further into exile because they were too afraid to help Humans confirmed to me at the time that keeping this a secret was the right thing to do. Now, though, as I look among us, those who are gathered together, I know that I was wrong to keep it a secret. From the beginning, we were truly one race, and if we had all known that thousands of years ago, maybe we could have figured out how to live together as the One God intended. It is not a mistake that I, or we, will make again. We are all here together to live, fight, and die as one.”