A Dragon’s Tale

Hailey felt a little better.

Not a lot better, but the immense knot in the pit of her stomach had loosened somewhat. She was still haunted by the champion's eyes and they still didn't leave her whether her eyes were open or closed. However, the effect was slightly muted.

Talking about it the previous night had helped, though certainly not completely. She hadn't touched the dry crust of bread or the pail of muddy water they'd given her. Instead, she opted for sitting on the cold stone floor of her cell, her back resting against the equally cold stone wall, staring at the opposite wall.

She had finally killed him, so why didn't she feel better?

She thought that killing him would deaden the pain of missing Jason or the loss of her baby. It didn't. Vengeance was hers and she had repaid him for his sins, but it didn't help.

Quite the opposite in fact.

Her reverie was broken by the sound of the prison cell door's lock sliding open. Alana, Rachel, and Ethan -- the latter with his disguise gem activated -- stood there, all with conflicted expressions. She stood up trying to think of something to say, but Ethan beat her to the punch.

"We have a problem Hailey. Do you know what it is?"

"No." She shook her head.

"You're still officially a slave, and that makes your owner -- me -- responsible for your actions."

"Oh." Was all she could think to say.

She hadn't thought about that when she'd left to kill the bastard. They had been so nice to her and now she'd gotten them in so much trouble. The knot in the pit of her stomach clenched tighter and she felt like she was going to throw up. Her throat suddenly felt tight and she could feel herself begin to break out in a cold sweat.

What had she done?

"I can either let you be executed at dawn and let them take the Argo to pay my fine, or fight against God-knows-what in The Arena tomorrow in trial by combat for your freedom."

Hailey sank to the floor.

She had doomed them.

Her worst fears about what might happen if she killed that bastard hadn't come close to this. The pain she felt and the devastation she'd brought upon them hit her full force and she could feel her eyes getting moist.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I didn't think and I... I'm sorry."

Ethan, Rachel, and Alana all glanced at each other. Then he knelt down in her tiny cell and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm going to fight, and I'm going to win."

"Really?" she looked at him.

"Really." There was no cocky overconfidence in his voice. This wasn't bravado, pride, or arrogance; it was confidence.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

A knot formed in her throat.

She wanted to sink through the floor.

She had betrayed him. She had not only betrayed him but worse; she'd also put everything he owned, everyone he loved, and the man himself in danger. And yet he would still fight for her? The liquid at the corners of her eyes stopped defying gravity and her attempts to hold it in, and traced wet lines down her cheek.

"I'll set you free Hailey, but I need something from you."

"Anything. Anything you need; you name it it's yours."

"I need to know where I can find some Elven steel for enchanting somewhere in the city." He said. "I need a weapon I can enchant as soon as possible."

"Um, that would be Graflex the dwarf over in the Market District. He has a shop just south of the Boar's Head Tavern on the main drag. He hates Magistrate Halglath more than I do. Tell him I sent you and what it's for, and he'll give you a good deal."

"Thank you." Ethan said, "Now, we need to hurry."

"Wait." Hailey called as he stood and turned to leave, but she didn't know what to say. Saying 'thank you' seemed woefully inadequate.

Alana slipped past Ethan and knelt in front of her with a kind smile. "We know; it's okay. You already said you're sorry and I can tell you are. We can talk more later, but time is tight and we need to hurry. Will you be okay until tomorrow?"

Hailey nodded.

After they left, Hailey resumed staring at the opposite wall of her tiny cell. It seemed impossible that someone in this God-forsaken world would be that noble. She allowed herself to hope that maybe, just possibly, she would escape with her life. She sat on the stone floor and tried to collect her thoughts. She went through several Yoga breathing exercises that Jason had taught her. Slowly, she began to calm down.

Someone knocked on the prison door, then it opened.

The elderly fellow from the previous night -- who she just realized she hadn't gotten his name -- entered carrying a bowl full of disgusting-looking soup and a pail of water.

"Was that your friend?" He asked. "The dragon you told me about last night?"

She nodded.

"What did he want?"

Hailey explained what he'd come for.

"Oh." He said as if he'd just understood something he'd been missing. "That explains why..."

"Why what?"

The old man frowned, then looked out the door after him. "I don't suppose you have a way to contact him, do you?"

She shook her head. "No."

He looked at her for several moments with a pensive stare. "Is he really as good as you say he is?"

She nodded yet again. "I think so."

"Good." He nodded. "Then I need to go talk to some of my fellow inmates."

"Why?"

"I'm not the only old fellow in here seeking redemption." He set down her food and water. "Your dragon friend might just be the key to helping a few old prisoners atone for past crimes, and allow us to escape this hellish life in the process."

And with that he left, leaving Hailey to wonder what he meant.

* * *

Beth was walking without paying much attention to where she was going and nearly ran into Gabriella when the other woman stopped.

"We're here." The luminous woman announced, her brilliant body standing out as the only thing on the Astral Plane that wasn't some shade of purple. She had stopped outside a nondescript two-story building in the middle of Arcanum. Something about it looked very familiar and it took Beth a moment to place it.

"No." She covered her mouth. "You can't be serious."

"Unfortunately, I am."

Beth looked up at the building from which Gabriella had freed her just over a week ago. "I don't want to go back."

"I know." Gabriella said with sincere sadness etched into her beautiful face. "I know you're scared but I promise you, no harm will befall you here. Much fear and even a little terror yes, but no harm. I swear to you on the name of Illuminar Himself -- blessed be He -- that you will be perfectly safe until you leave the Astral Plane."

Beth bit her lip and took a deep breath, trembling slightly as she did. "Do I have to?"

"Of course not. You always have a choice young one. My Lord wishes for you to return before you are missed. You can choose to disobey Him if you wish, but you forfeit His protection if you do."

"His protection?"

Gabriella nodded. "Yes. He promised to keep you safe if you listen. But advice to avoid swimming in shark-infested waters does little good if it's not heeded. Follow His directions and you will be safe. Decide to go your own way, and... Well, there are consequences for swimming with sharks."

Beth considered.

The other woman definitely wasn't threatening her. On the contrary, it felt more like a plea to follow good advice than a threat. She felt safe around the luminous woman, but to see that black creature again... she shuddered.

"Beth." Gabriella put a comforting hand on her shoulder and looked her right in the eye. "Do you trust me?"

Beth stared into the other woman's eye, noticing for the first time that her eyes were golden in color. Not hazel and not light brown; golden. Then there was her appearance; she was all white and colorful while the rest of the world was purple. Beth had been suspicious for a while now, but finally worked up the courage to ask.

"You're an angel, aren't you? You work for Illuminar, don't you?"

She smiled, but otherwise ignored the question. "Remember, on the name of the Great God Illuminar -- blessed be He -- I swear to you that no harm will befall you here on the Astral Plane. The Saidow spawn will do everything in its power to trick you and make you think it has you trapped. Don't believe it."

"Okay." Beth took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Gabriella locked eyes with Beth. "Remember, Illuminar has promised to protect you here on the Astral Plane -- at least until you leave it -- no matter what. You are His, and He protects His own. No one and nothing can change that, despite what some will say. As long as you want Illuminar -- blessed be He -- to be with you, He will never leave you."

Beth looked at the building and remembered the shadowy figure. She shuddered. "Really?"

Gabriella nodded and then repeated her earlier one: "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." Beth nodded after a moment.

Gabriella's smile widened and seemed to glow brighter. "Then may Illuminar -- blessed be He -- guide you on the path of light as you travel."

Beth felt a slight shift inside of her and then began to slowly drift upwards as the blinding light reappeared in the sky. Like before, it didn't hurt her eyes but instead had the warmth of a flickering candle and it pulled her gently towards it.

"Farewell Beth; we shall meet again." Gabriella said, before turning and walking away.

Like before, the dark tendril wrapped itself around her ankle. Like before, it slowly stopped her upward ascent before pulling her back into the hastily constructed magical lab. This time though, it looked far more complete.

All of the boxes and packing materials were gone, replaced with more equipment. Beth didn't recognize any of it though. Much of it was complex and almost looked like the sort of equipment she'd heard Ethan describe those 'scientist' people using.

Her body was still lying in the crate and the wizard was sleeping in a nearby cot. Her neck -- well, the neck on her body -- was much improved from before. The massive gash was now merely a smallish cut. Her body was obviously still in stasis, as there was a large drop of liquid blood suspended where gravity should've pulled it down long ago.

She looked around, completely bored. It occurred to her to use Aharown to cut herself free, but the sword seemed to have disappeared. She could still feel its weight on her belt so she still had it, she just couldn't draw it.

She looked around the room, completely bored already, and muttered aloud as she floated suspended in space. "Well, here I am."