Legends of the Dragonrealm, Vol. III

XIX

“Whaaat do yooou want, ssssorcerer?”

Cabe, who had just materialized, was taken aback by the horrific change in the Crystal Dragon’s voice. His voice was now more reminiscent of a true Dragon King.

Undaunted, the warlock replied, “I came to see how you were. I think I know something of what you went through, wouldn’t you say?”

The Crystal Dragon was a hill of gemstones pressed tight against the far end of the chamber. There was little light and the walls were dull, opaque things. Cabe could not even see the drake lord’s countenance.

“I . . . sssurvived. You need know nothing morrre.”

It would do no good to press the point, Cabe decided. He was disappointed, but knew that there was nothing he could do. Instead, he asked, “What will you do about your kingdom? Legar is in ruins. If my help would be of any value to-”

From the darkness rose the head of the lord of Legar. An inhuman rage controlled his draconian visage. Narrowed eyes with only a hint of crystal in them glared at the presumptuous little figure. “Caaan you not undersssstand? I want nothing from you, huuuman! I want only ressst! Privacy and ressst! Why did you persssissst in coming here?”

“Because of Logan Tezerenee.”

His words doused, for a time, the flames of anger. The Crystal Dragon recoiled into himself, looking much, much smaller. “I know the name . . . myyyy name . . . it isss me . . .”

“Logan,” the warlock dared use the name. “Your kingdom is in chaos and you risked yourself in the end. By no means will I forget that it was all in your own self-interest, but what you did affected the rest of the Dragonrealm, too. Your subjects will need help in rebuilding Legar. There are prisoners and wounded from the wolf raiders who might be best turned over to other humans. Perhaps my friends and allies will be willing to aid you. Instead of the wreckage you now rule, there might even be a chance of turning the peninsula into a land of life. They could meet with you and perhaps-”

“No!” It was not anger this time, but rather fear that drove the Dragon King. His eyes widened and he hissed madly. “No. If I allow them so close, they will discover the truth and then I would be in danger! They will be furious that I have tricked them all! I might be forced to leave this place and I cannot! I cannot! I have exhausssted myssself more than I ever dared! The outside world in any form isss now a danger to me! Only here and alone am I ssssafe!”

Cabe could not believe what he was hearing: “You’re wrong! Listen to yourself-”

With but a terrible glance, the glittering leviathan silenced him. “Your aid wassss mosssst appreciated, Massster Bedlam, but you will leave now! My ssssubjectssss will ssssee to your needsss all the way to Esssedi! Now go! I mussst ssssleep!”

“Logan-”

“I am the Crystal Dragon!” the behemoth roared. Draconian jaws opened wide . . .

Cabe teleported away before the Dragon King did something either of them would regret.

He found the Gryphon and Darkhorse waiting for him, the latter, to the warlock’s surprise, once more in his favorite form. A short distance from them, their reptilian escort waited in growing anxiety.

“What happened?” asked the Gryphon, lying atop the shadow steed. Darkhorse, the warlock would discover later, had not trusted the drakes. His obsession with Shade was at an end; now his greatest concern was for his living friends, including the Gryphon. Drawing upon his incredible will, he had not only succeeded in re-forming, but then had shaped himself so that the lionbird could rest comfortably on his backside. It was a peculiar sight, but one so welcome because of that peculiarity. Almost the mage was able to forget his meeting with the Crystal Dragon.

“We should leave. We may have just outstayed our welcome.”

“What happened?”

Cabe shook his head. “I can’t be sure . . . not yet.”

The others did not understand, but that was probably for the best because even Cabe was not certain that he understood. He only understood that more than ever the line between Logan Tezerenee and the Crystal Dragon had become blurred. Which way, if either, the lord of Legar would eventually turn was anyone’s guess. The only thing of certainty was the fact that be he drake or man, the lone inhabitant of that darkened sanctum would not leave that place no matter what happened. It went beyond the precious safeguarding of one man’s mind; the Crystal Dragon had been in seclusion for so long that he could not bear either the thought of leaving his chamber or allowing the world inside.

One of the warriors offered him a beast. Cabe took the proffered riding drake and mounted, hardly paying any attention to what he did. The warlock continued to stare at ruined Legar, picturing in his mind the Dragon King dreaming of the face he had once worn in a world that was forever barred to him . . . by himself.

The drake duke signaled for the party to commence eastward. Cabe allowed everyone to precede him, even Darkhorse and the Gryphon. Only with reluctance did he finally urge the dragon beneath him forward. Legar still haunted him. If not for the Crystal Dragon, even what little remained intact would no longer have existed. Alone, the warlock doubted that he could have succeeded.

So much power and so long a life, he thought, finally having to turn his eyes to the path before him. Yet, despite that, he’s forever a prisoner of himself, fearful of losing a humanity that he might have already lost long, long ago.

The notion was enough to make him ride in brooding silence for the rest of the journey to Esedi . . . and for some time after.