The Shield Bearer

Chapter 22

The countenance of Rysor the Frost Dragon, continued to transform, revealing himself to be a strikingly beautiful woman with long flowing golden hair, that framed a face that would have taken the breath of any man that looked upon it. Her eyes were the same golden brown as Rene's and shaped in the same way. As a matter of fact, their was no denying the resemblance between her and Rene. The only real difference was the golden hair and the long pointed ears.

Her presence was what separated her from Rene. She was dressed in a very fine silken dress, which accentuated every curve of her body. An air of sexuality emanated from her. Rene suspected that this woman could seduce any man that she wished. But her beauty had a dark undertone, that was undeniable. Her face was twisted into a cruel grin.

"Oh, you were sooo close!" Her voice was deep, almost husky. "Just another moment, and you would have given in to the despair and been mine to control." She sighed in disappointment.

Rene looked past her, to see that all of the frost elves, that she had seen before, were a variety of mercenaries and green ones. She had been under the effects of a very powerful illusion. With a quick glance, she could see that Lawrence was at least real. But the expression on his face was that of a man who had just lost something very important to him.

Unable to resist the urge to see, what it was behind her, that was so horrifying to him, Rene glanced over her shoulder. Her insides felt like they froze as her eyes took in the horror that had been behind her. There were piles of dead bodies, some looked like the very frost elves that she had seen, in Arianna's illusion. And beneath them, was the still form of a once beautiful frost dragon, Rysor....

The ice that had briefly filled her veins, melted away as something else began to warm her core. Rene turned back, to look at her mother. "So, just how did you manage to make me? How did you figure out how to defy nature, itself?"

Rene's question seemed to catch Arianna off guard as she gave Rene a surprised look. "Just a moment ago, you were about to go mad at the thought of the truth. And now, you want to know it, anyway?"

Behind Rene, she could feel Astra's light warming her. All of the dead frost elves, had been wearing Astra's symbol, in one form or another. They were Astra's children. She had read of a lost race, that was said to be Astra's favorite, in the realm. The stories said that she gave them a home, hidden from the cruelty of the world. She had even created a blessed sun, that would grace only their home. Her children were reaching out to Rene, across the weave. And Rene could feel them.

Rene said something that made Arianna's eyes light up with glee. "I understand it all now. I understand why you did it. You didn't want to let go of your power. But now, you don't have to. I am here, ready to learn, ready to have your knowledge passed on to me. Tell me how you did it. Tell me, so that I might do it for myself one day."

"Ooooh! You know just what to say, don't you, my daughter. I have so many secrets that I want to share with you! With my power and yours, we could take this world for our own. But I must know that you mean it. I must know that you willing do anything to gain the power that I can offer you."

"Tell me how you made me, and I will prove to you, just what I will do for power." Rene flashed Arianna a wicked grin, that Arianna quickly mirrored.

"Very well, but after I tell you, I expect you to kill him." She pointed her finger at Lawrence, who was standing, just staring in shock. "He can't move right now. But I expect you to defeat him in battle. I will release him, when it is time."

It was hard for Rene to keep her icy cold expression intact at that statement. But she knew that she had to, it was her only chance to save both Lawrence and herself. There was no way, that they could take on Arianna and all of her servants, at least not under these conditions. While Rene knew that her powers had grown exponentially, she still didn't have the power to defeat her mother. Not yet. Rene would have to rely on a bit of subterfuge, and the power that was being channeled to her, by Astra's children, touching her, from beyond the veil. Rysor's voice was whispering in her ear.