Eyes of the Dragon

Chapter 16

Outside the temple the mountain shook. Each tremor became worse until rocks fell obscuring the entrance to the complex. Chase stood outside the doors long after the guards had awakened from their slumber and fled. As far as he knew the entire army had fled when the tremors grew strong enough to cover the entrance.

For hours the battle continued, Chase knew from the impacts that continued to resonate through the foothills. He was forced further away from the temple entrance through the night, unable to stand for all the tremors.

Just before dawn Chase saw the battle come to a close. A crimson glow enveloped the mountain, spilling out to turn the grey pre-dawn sky red. It lasted a long moment until it was overtaken by the most brilliant emerald light that exploded like a starburst above the mountain's peak.

Chase knew that his friend had won.

Dawn was farther away from the port city of Darmane, but Kayla woke in the night and walked out on the balcony of her apartment. She was a successful member of the Thieves Guild and her home had a beautiful, and expensive, view of the entire harbor. Not for the first time since Tian had left, she looked out over the sea and wondered about his fate.

As she looked across the ocean something stirred in the night sky. It was barely visible at first, but moved with an uncanny speed across the sea and over the city. The emerald light touched Kayla Keen and she knew that Tian had completed his quest.

Peace and tranquility washed over her, calming her fears and soothing her soul. She said a silent prayer for the man she had only known for a short time, but had grown to care for deeply.

The monks of Greenspire Mountain gathered in the night as the three masters walked out on the parapets of the temple. Scattered around the courtyard the younger monks looked up to their masters with confusion and curiosity.

Time passed slowly for the crowd.

Then the night sky lit up as a wave of emerald light passed overhead, illuminating everything in its path. The light washed over them, imparting a sense of peace and tranquility to all present. Without understanding what was going on the younger monks cheered and then raised their voices in unison to praise their missing brother.

On the parapets where the three masters stood, a peaceful smile spread across the face of Grandfather Dragon.

Deep in the Rakhan Desert stood the Shav Mountains. Once the center of the great and terrible Zaaz Empire, now it was a wild and untamed land. At the foothills of the greatest mountain of Shav an army scatted to the four winds and only one man stayed behind to wait for a friend that had fought deep within the mountain.

Three days passed slowly as Chase waited for Tian to emerge from the fallen temple. He was not prepared to give up on the young man who had risked his life and soul to save the world, and though his patience grew shorter he continued to wait.

On dawn of the third day Chase woke and walked to the collapsed entrance of the temple once again. He had been clearing the smaller stones away from the entrance, but it had been slow and difficult work. There had been more than one occasion when shifting stones had nearly crashed down on the minstrel, and yet he had returned each time to continue digging.

That morning was like the others as Chase rolled up his sleeves and prepared to get to work. He grabbed a stone the size of a man's head and lifted it with some difficulty from the great pile of stones remaining. As he did, Chase heard a noise from the other side of the rocks. His heart raced in excitement as he started tossing stones away in a frenzy.

From the other side of the stones came a muffled voice, "If anyone is on the other side, please stand back."

Even muffled as it was, Chase recognized Tian's voice and shouted back, "It's me Chase! I'm here!"

"Stand clear, please," Tian said from the other side.

Moving back a fair distance, Chase stood free of the pile. To his amazement there was a sound like a giant hammer had been smashed against the pile from the other side. It struck two times, each time sending smaller stones flying and resonating through the area. On the third strike the bigger stones shifted and rolled free, creating an opening big enough for Tian to slip through.

The young monk's clothes were dirty and tattered, but he carried Kharzon's sword in a sheathe on his back and something was tied into a makeshift satchel around his waist. Despite the layer of dirt and dust on Tian his face shone with relief as he gazed upon Chase. In his hand he held the magical fan that Chase had given him. He rushed over to embrace his friend, and the two clasped forearms fiercely before pulling each other into an exuberant hug where they pounded one another on the back.

"You survived! I knew you'd make it through," Chase exclaimed, "and I knew that wind fan would come in handy!"

"That makes one of us, my friend. I woke up this morning, surprised to wake up at all, and then used this thing to get out of there. I am very glad to see you, and to be free of that temple."

Eagerly clasping him on the shoulder, Chase stared at his friend in amazement. Then he noticed something out of place. If he were not a minstrel, ever observant and noting details, then he easily would have missed it. As it was, he stared at Tian for a long moment before speaking, "What happened to your eyes? They were dark, but now they're green."

Tian looked surprised himself, "Zan-rei told me that his power would have a lasting effect on me, but I did not know that my eyes had changed."

"What other effects did he mention?"

"Nothing in particular," Tian smiled, "when he claimed his power from me, he simply said that some bit would linger on in me and my descendants to come."

"Amazing, absolutely amazing," Chase muttered, "this is going to make the best story. You have to tell me everything."

"Then come with me back to my home on Greenspire, my brothers will be honored to meet you and you can get the rest of my story."

"That's a deal," Chase said, "we'll take a ship there from Balik."

Tian nodded, "Yes, but we need to pick someone up on the way."