Amantha and the Last Song

Chapter 7 - End of the Song

"We have to fly down," said Ceil.

Earthsinger beside them remained absolutely still, looking at the meteor.

"He's in a trance. There's nothing he can do about it," the boy continued.

Amantha put a hand on her dragon. He didn't respond. She willed some of her magic to flow into the dragon, as if to touch the dragon's magic with her own. Earthsinger jolted, as if shocked. The dragon shook its head as if trying to clear it. Then he looked at Amantha rapidly blinking. Her hand still lay pressed against his blue scales.

"We need your help," Amantha told him.

The dragon shifted, allowing the three children to sit on his back. He was a young dragon, and the weight of three children was the most he could carry. But he would just be gliding down, which made it easier for him. Once the three children were seated, the dragon spread its wings.

Amantha constantly touched Earthsinger's magic by poking it with her own. She could feel the dragon's battle to remain conscious. The trance emitted by the meteor was overwhelming.

They launched off the end of the tunnel and began spiraling down, along the wall of the vertical hole, slowly spinning downwards.

Ice and thick branches of blue energy was what lay to one side of their vision.

"So where are the dragons?" Samuel asked.

"Underground," Ceil said.

"Beneath the meteor."

"What do you mean, beneath the meteor?"

"The base of the entire mountain is hollow. Not just the mountain, even the regions close to it. There are a series of tunnels there. It's like a very large network. The tunnels are almost as wide as the one we are in now."

"How do you know this?" asked Samuel again.

"I told you, I caught glimpses of Subzero's visions.

He dreamt about the meteor."

"So are all the dragons all asleep or something?" asked Amantha.

"Yes, they're asleep."

"But then they must go out to hunt. Or something. They wouldn't live otherwise."

"They don't need to. They feed on the energy in the ice."

He pointed at the numerous lines that branched up the walls of the tunnel, and that began to pulsate gently as they reached the meteor.

"This is pure dragon energy. It's all they need to stay alive."

"But you have dragon magic right?" asked Samuel.

"Yes. So?" asked Ceil.

"Why don't you absorb some of this energy then? You would go back to normal. At least for now. We'd have more time to find out what the prophecy really means. Even if it is about you."

Ceil remained silent.

"I had thought about that," he said.

"Back in the cave, and even wen that wall of ice disappeared in front of us, I tried to. But it didn't take. I guess just because I have dragon magic, it doesn't mean I can play with it the way a dragon can. And I don't have much time left, till what I have runs out."