Chapter 39 -- The Stone of Life

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"Mind those rocks!" Alyx warned Rhoz, striving to quell his breathless excitement. There would be ample time for emotional outbursts in the unlikely event that the Azure Dragon and his mystical treasure proved to be more substantial than a figure of speech.

As they scrambled over the rubble, he marveled at his new leg. Once Utor had cast the necessary spells with the help of the Helionese mages Erythe and Kaia, the magical leg functioned in every way like the one Alyx had lost, save for the fact that it was cool to the touch and felt no pain. His body had accepted the new limb without difficulty, and he had no further need of the pain-suppressing amulet Utor had given him in Praxenkyr. When he awakened each morning, his first thought was to touch his leg. He worried that his magic resistance might block the power that kept it joined to his body; but, as each day passed, he became more confident that the healing spells would hold.

His life had changed so much that he could hardly fathom it. His solitary tears had dried, to be replaced, at unforseen times, with tears of joy. With Rhoz and Ghugo Fairaight by his side, he had spent several days touring the villages of Dys, grinning unfeignedly at the cheering crowds. The High Duidd had put aside his superior manner, and gladly listened to what the visiting mages had to teach him. All that Alyx lacked now was to wake the dragon and recover the Circlet of Flame and the Armour of Righteousness. Then, surely, Dys would be safe, and he could devote himself to the joys of being a husband and a father. Unless. . .

Unless Rhoz refused to marry him.

He had meant to ask her many times, but the words stuck in his throat. Her mind seemed to be entirely occupied with the matter of waking the dragon. She shared his bed and spoke soft words, but not the ones he most longed to hear -- that she would stay by his side forever. Fearing that she would slip away from him once more, he strove to suck the sweet joy out of each moment, afraid to ask the question that would determine his fate.

They had reached the highest point of the rubble around Headless Mountain, and began to pick their way around it, looking for some sign of an opening. Alyx racked his brains, trying to recall the configuration of the rock face in his dream.

"Do you see anything?" he asked Rhoz.

"No. But the Dragon's Tears are getting warmer."

Alyx looked back at his escort, which he had left camped on the grass a half mile from the mountain. The search would go much more quickly with their help. But he wanted to be the first one to see the cave, first to see the dragon.

"There!" Rhoz pointed.

"What?" he asked, squinting. He saw nothing.

"An opening etched in blue."

He looked again and still saw nothing. However, the rocks seemed hauntingly familiar.

"Show me. I lack your Sight."

Rhoz moved forward and stood before a vertical cliff. "Right here." She touched the rock, but nothing happened.

"Maybe you need the Dragon's Tears," he suggested.

She took her rune pouch from her neck and touched it to the rock. The cliff glowed blue.

Alyx could not restrain himself. "I see it!" he shouted, leaping into the air. He narrowly missed knocking Rhoz over when he landed on a loose rock.

His enthusiasm was premature. Rhoz and Alyx tried everything they could think of; however, except for changing its appearance when the Tears touched it, the cliff remained unchanged.

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