Chapter 8
A Mighty Return
[Six months later]
Waking up in early morning, Kelly once again thought of Crystaldawn. She had been gone for more days than Kelly wished to count. Getting up and looking at the calendar, Kelly noticed that tonight the Restlessknights would have their Friday meeting. Every Friday the clan would discus something, whether it was something they did during the week or more important business, it didn’t really matter. The meetings were just the time to have fun. The meetings were usually held in the back of the fortress.
That night they all sat around the fire in silence. It seemed that Kelly was not the only one thinking about Crystaldawn. Suddenly a loud roar echoed off their surroundings. Jumping to her feet Kelly looked out across the grassy land. A large black shape appeared, on either side of the beast great wings flapped strongly. A dragon? Kelly thought squinting. As the beast got closer, what appeared to be an elf was seen sitting on its back. Suddenly the dragon was only a yard away, the elf on its back was now very visible, and that the rider’s features were just as visible. It was a female elf, she had long golden hair that flowed down to her shoulders, powerful armor covered her body, and she looked at least level eighty. But then Kelly suddenly recognized the elf, Crystaldawn had returned.
Here we are home sweet home Rinack Crystaldawn said to the great wyvn. Yup, let’s just get rid of our pursuers before we land he replied. Crystaldawn looked behind them once again, the great monsters, had black wings and were just as big a three year old wyvrn. Is it just me or do we have more buddies following us? It appears we do Rinack said glancing quickly back. Well ready? She asked? Yup! He said and began to fly faster and faster, then starting with a lopty-lope the two starting their attack. About half way into the lope Crystaldawn slipped out of the saddle, down towards their fast approaching enemies. Pulling her swords out with surprising speed, she slashed forward with her right sword and then pushed her left sword forward and back to the left in a 90 degree swing. But then she pulled her swords up in front of her, pointing towards the oncoming ground. Suddenly they began to glow with a blinding blue light, Crystaldawn crossed her swords in an X, then pushed her swords outward and back to her sides, arms still outstretched. A blue light rushed towards the mob and exploded with an incredible blast. Still falling Crystaldawn flipped and, just as Rinack was passing beneath her, landed on his colossal head. She landed on her right foot, with her left nee touching Rinack’s scaly head, unsheathing her swords she back flipped into the saddle again.
“How long have they had their mouths open like that?” Crystaldawn asked, looking over to the Restlessknights.
“I’d say about ten minuets“ he responded.
“MAKE ROOM!!! GET OFF THE RUNWAY!” Crystaldawn shouted. When everyone was a safe distance away, Rinack landed on the soft grass.
“You might want to leave now”, Crystaldawn said so quietly only Rinack could hear, once she’d dismounted.
“Yeah, I’ll see you later” he said and disappeared.
“Hi, guys! Missed me?” she said cheerfully.
Silence, then “CRYSTALDAWN!!!!!!!” and they all rushed over for a group hug. After they’d squeezed the life out of her Crystaldawn asked, “Hey, where’s Styx?” Before anyone could answer a loud howl echoed off the fortress and a big grey wolf lunged at Crystaldawn. Moving the wolf’s tong away she asked in a strangled voice “Who’s this?”
“It’s….Styx…” Kelly said,
“Yeah, don’t ask” she said when Crystaldawn just gave her a questioning look.
“Come sit, I’m sure that I’m not the only one that wants to know where you went and why you left” Sheri said.
“So, where‘d you go off to?” Reshi asked when Crystaldawn had taken a seat.
“Um…I’d prefer to keep that secret…” she said.
“Ok, why did you leave?” Xalvigar asked.
“Secret” Crystaldawn replied.
“…why’d you leave?” Kelly questioned.
“Secret” she said.
“…” After a moment of silence, with nothing but the chirping of crickets in the distance, Crystaldawn shifted her feet once more and said; “What?”
“Will you tell us anything?” Kelly asked.
“Um…no” she said, scuffling her feet in the dirt. Sighing Sheri said, “Alright, you’ve been on a rough trip, why don’t you go and rest.”
“Thank you,” Crystaldawn said gratefully, and walked toward the fortress with the rest of the Restlessknights.
Walking into her old room, Crystaldawn set down her heavy load and sat on the bed. She took out her book, and the history book she was reading, and set them on her nightstand. She then removed as much dust from the bed as she could, and fell into a deep, much needed, sleep.
Chapter 9
Catching Up
Crystaldawn opened her eyes. Getting up she brushed the curtains away, releasing the light of early morning. Guessing by the sun, Crystaldawn guessed that it was about five-thirty-five P.M.
Quietly leaving her room, after showering, and dressing herself in her armor, Crystaldawn went to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. Just as she was about to take a bite of the waffle she had made, she heard a small whimper, sighing she said “comer’ Styx,” the small looking gray wolf crept out of his hiding place, his ears flat against his head and his tail down. Crystaldawn put the plate on the floor and grabbed the eggs she had made, just in case.
After eating, she went back to her room with Styx still following her and began to unpack. She heard a strange noise behind her and judging by the sudden decrease of space she guessed Styx had gone back to his true form. Her suspicions were confirmed when she took out book, and heard Styx say, “Ooh, what’s that,”
“It’s a history book I got,” Crystaldawn replied, taking out scroll and putting it in the in the small drawer below her desk.
“What’s that?” Styx exclaimed. Taking the scroll and inspecting it as well.
“A quest” she replied, placing the other scrolls in the small box too. After a few more minutes of Styx asking “What’s that?” every time Crystaldawn took something new out of her bag Reshi finally came to her rescue.
“Um, Styx lets let her unpack in peace.” Reshi said walking over to Styx and grabbing his collar.
After Crystaldawn finished unpacking, she walked to the dinning room, to say good morning to everyone who was up.
“Morning Cry, “Suena greeted warmly, pulling away her fork that contained piece of waffle, which Styx was lunging for. Falling on the floor in front of Crystaldawn, Styx whimpered, patting him on the head, Crystaldawn asked how everyone was, and they responded with, “fine”. Later, when everyone was awake and had satisfied their hunger, the clan sat outside in the back, in the middle of the training course.
“Soooooo, what’d you guys do when I was gone?”-Crystaldawn asked-“anything…exciting?”
“Other than Styx turning into a wolf for the first time, I’ve got nothing” Suena said.
“Well Crimson got to the bear about a week ago, he ended up trying to eat a brick…I guess when Great Wolves get drunk it’s different than when we do, I think he ate the coffee too ” Reshi added.
“I guess that explains why I couldn’t find anything to drink last Monday” Goodancer commented. Then everyone started laughing at the thought of Crimson, the big, giant tough dog gnawing on a brick.
“Well I have a lot of things to say about what happened when I was gone,” Crystaldawn said, after she’d stopped laughing.
“But for the one I’m about to tell, I need someone here, just a sec” walking over to the edge of the training grounds, Crystaldawn got out a bugle and blew it. The sound stayed at one note, but was still as beautiful and musical as a song of the best musicians. Suddenly a loud roar sounded and in the distance a red figure came hurtling towards the small group. As the figure got closer, the clan realized that it was the same dragon that Crystaldawn had been riding when she’d first returned the day before. The great red dragon landed beside Crystaldawn, digging deep gashes in the earth and sending a strong wind over the field.
“Everyone, I’d like you to meet…Rinack” Crystaldawn said. The Restlessknights just stared at the great dragon for what felt like hours. Finally, Rinack couldn’t take it anymore what? He said aloud in a strong metallic voice.
“Well…you’ve gotten so big!” Xalvigar said his eyes wide.
“Why is that surprising, don’t all six year old dragons get this big?”
“Sorry to disappoint you Rinack but, no they don’t” Sheri said.
“So the funniest thing happened with me and Rinack,”-Crystaldawn said-“One morning I woke up to find Rinack gone. I figured he’d just gone hunting and got myself something to eat. After a few hours later I see him coming…followed by a very large mass of angry farmers…”
“Apparently Rinack had eaten all of their stock animals in one go, I managed to get them under control and gave them a bit of my money so they could buy at least one horse each”
Silence, then everyone burst out in laughter. Kelly was laughing so hard she was crying.
Later, when the laughing had stopped and more stories had been shared, Crystaldawn decided that she was going to bed after noticing the sun had dipped below the earth. After giving Rinack permission to leave, she said good night to everyone and walked back inside the great fortress, with everyone following.
After Crystaldawn had gotten herself ready for the night and had climbed into bed. She got out a book and had begun to read when she thought she heard a whisper of fabric against fabric. Turning to Styx, she discovered that he was fast asleep. Crystaldawn sighed and put her book away; the she leaned over and blew out the bright candle that illuminated everything in the room. Next she lay down and made herself seem to be asleep as much as she could. Opening her mind up, Crystaldawn looked around the room for a trace of red, yellow, and orangish smudge that indicated the thoughts of an enemy. At first look there was nothing, but when she opened her mind up more she noticed a flash close to the room next to her, which was Kelly’s room.
Someone’s here she thought, expanding her mind out so it covered the entire fortress she discovered that there were many more people in the fortress than meant to be. It seemed that an entire clan had come to the clan fortress. A raid!! She suddenly realized, Crystaldawn was so focused on the intruders that she didn’t notice the stranger that had crept into the room…
Chapter 10
The Fortress Invasion
The new comer’s dagger rapidly came down at Crystaldawn’s head but before it had a chance to reach its target, Crystaldawn thrust herself into sitting position, grabbed the man’s arm, twisted it and stabbed him in the heart with the dagger she kept beneath her pillow. Leaping to her feet, her night armor clinking, she grabbed her duels, woke Styx and ran out the room, and into Kelly’s room. Bursting into the room Crystaldawn found the assign already dead and Kelly standing over its corpse.
“It’s a siege” Crystaldawn informed her. Kelly said nothing as she grabbed her swords and then nodded to Crystaldawn. Next room was room was Reshi’s, just as Crystaldawn was about to open the door, it flew open and Reshi stood, swords ready.
“Well at least I don’t have to tell you what’s going on!” Crystaldawn exclaimed. Running on light feet, they tiptoed to DrWatson’s room. After gathering the cleric, the four of them then headed to Suena’s room. Suena’s door was wide open, and soft voices could be heard. Reshi peaked around the frame of the door and after a few seconds turned and nodded. Crystaldawn walked in and found Sheri, Xalvigar, Goodancer and Suena in fighting position. Relaxing when she noticed that they weren’t the enemies Sheri said “Well now that we’re all together, it would be best to get ourselves ready for battle”
“So we need to get to the underground tunnels, and grab our armor in our rooms” Xalvigar said.
“But that’ll take to long, and they might’ve taken the armor” Reshi said.
“We need a way to look without being seen…” Kelly said.
“I can try and summon something” Crystaldawn suggested.
“Good idea!” said Suena. Crystaldawn smiled and began to chant a phrase in an unknown language to all but the other mystics. Suddenly there was a pop and Crystaldawn stopped chanting. A trill was sounded somewhere in the room. Looking at Crystaldawn, a blue light could be seen by her right ear. The blue ball trilled again and floated over to Reshi. Making loud, surprised trill that sounded like it was mixed with a high squeak, the blue ball began going over one of Reshi’s wounds and then the ball came up to level with her eyes. It began shaking like it was about to explode, when suddenly it popped and the heavenly healing spell was casted. The blue ball floated back over to Crystaldawn and landed on her shoulder with a satisfied squeak.
“This is Auqam, a little summon creature that can be very…irritating sometimes, he will go and retrieve our weapons” She said, pulling the blue ball off her shoulder and shoving it quickly out the door. As Aquam floated up to the ceiling, like he was some dead animal, Goodancer asked “are you sure he’ll be able to find them?”
“Of coarse he will” Crystaldawn said. Suddenly a loud crash sounded from outside the door, followed by a soft nock. Before anyone could stop her, Crystaldawn walked over to the door, and Aquam entered with swords, and armor floating above him. The blue bubble placed the armor on the ground and laid them out.
“How did he-“Kelly began, but decided that it wasn’t important. Grabbing her armor Crystaldawn put it on over her current clothes, as did everyone else. When finished, Crystaldawn unsummoned Aquam and summoned Merrow and Life summon Fireheart.
“Where are they, I would’ve thought they’d attack by now” Xalvigar asked, activating his soul shots.
“Well we’ll find out when we go out there” Sheri said. Walking over to the door Xalvigar asked “Ready?”
“Yup!” the clan said and he opened the door. But nothing was there, the hall was dark and empty and but only one candle light the hall. Suddenly there was a creak and the flash of a blade. Running forward, Crystaldawn blocked the blade just before it could make contact with Xalvigar’s head. Crystaldawn turned her arms to the left, scraping her sword off her opponents and stepping back quickly to avoid getting a deep wound from the quickly falling blade. Then as fast as light she lunged forward and stabbed the shadowy stranger in the heart. The figure fell into the light of the candle that hung on the wall.
“Is that…a Bot?” Kelly asked, looking closely at the corpse.
“It looks like it” Sheri replied.
“Styx?” Crystaldawn said in a worried tone. Styx sniffed the air, moved forward and touched his nose to the floor. He barked and looked up at his slightly confused companions. Styx barked again and followed a sent into the darkness beyond the light of the lantern. Reshi looked at Crystaldawn, who shrugged and followed Styx into the lurking shadows. Xalvigar followed, grabbing the lantern as he passed it. The rest of the Restlessknights followed closely.
After a long while of walking through what felt like space, Styx stopped and pointed his nose to the big meeting hall. Walking over to the massive doors Kelly, Reshi, Goodancer and Xalvigar began to try pulling the doors open. But the doors wouldn’t budge, and after a minuet of struggling Reshi stepped back and said “Forget this” and summoned Crimson. The doors where opened quickly and everyone stepped inside the pitch black room.
“It’s too dark” Crystaldawn said.
“What you scared?” Suena jeered playfully.
“No”-Crystaldawn said smiling-“I just don’t want to accidently chop off your head” casting Firestrike at the direction of the mantle and lighting the room. Out of the corner of her eye, Kelly saw a flicker of movement and heard what sounded like a click and a gurgle mixed. But before she could say any warning, a hoard of bots appeared.
“Bots?!” Reshi exclaimed. The mass of bots filled every corner of the room, pinning the small group before them against the large door. Quickly Reshi ordered Crimson to the door but before he could obey, Xalvigar stopped him.
“Reshi there’s no time!” He said.
“Do we have another choice?!” Reshi retorted. Suddenly, before the two could start an argument, Crystaldawn began to cast a spell. A huge mass of fire flew towards the great wooden door. With a explosion of fire the ball hit its target and left a gaping hole in the wood.
“Yes” she said, putting her hands on her hips and looking at the two stunned clan mates in front of her.
“No time for questions, go, go, go!!” Sheri said, gesturing to the broken and splintered door. Following in after the rest had gotten through. And the bots flowed through after them.
“There’s not enough room for a fight, go to the training grounds!” Kelly shouted over the clicks, gurgles and other strange noises coming from the bots. The group ran through the twisted halls, looping around corners and twisting in and among themselves to confuse their attackers. Finally the door to the outside came into view. Crimson ran forward and burst through the door with the force of his heavy body.
Once out, and in the center of the open field, the Restlessknights whirled around to confront their attackers. But to their surprise, the army of bots had vanished. All was silent.
“Where’d they go?” Goodancer said, puzzled “they can’t have just vanished”
“I’ve never known bots to have the ability to disappear like that” Sheri said puzzled.
“They have maaaaaaagical powers” Suena said in a ghostly tone, leaning towards Sheri.
“Yeah right” She said and wacked Suena on the top of the head.
“Well, they’re quite loud and right? So did anyone notice a sudden silence? ” Crystaldawn asked. The group looked at each other for a moment and Kelly said “well I didn’t hear them disappear…in fact I didn’t hear anything at all” Crystaldawn sighed, remembering that she how different she’d become. Suddenly Styx, who was sniffing at the dirt, switched to barking at it. Crimson came over and began to bark as well.
“What is it?” Kelly asked Styx, but before Styx could answer, a loud shriek that anyone could hear within six miles burst forth into the air. The ground, at least three to four feet away, burst up into the air sending dirt and grass flying in all directions. Crystaldawn whirled around and was met by a gigantic mass of Bots…
Chapter 11
The Bloody Battle field
“They…they were hiding in the ground?!” Reshi exclaimed in surprise loudly. But before anyone had a chance to even breathe a response, the bots came down on them like a tidal wave. Crystaldawn blocked a blow from an on coming sword with her own blades. Swerving her right sword to the left while keeping the other locked with her opponent, she sliced the bot in half. Whirling around on her toes she slashed down the chest of another. She heard a thump behind her and turned around to block another bot from her its target again. Killing it with a swift blow to the head she turned and looked for anyone who might need assistance. Reshi and Crimson were battling four bots himself by a birch tree to the east of the fortress. Kelly and DrWatson were both fighting together close to the fire pit they had been circled around only moments before. Suena Goodancer and Styx were all fighting together North of Crystaldawn. Then she saw Xalvigar and Sheri struggling south of her. The two clan mates were utterly surrounded by bots that were closing in fast. Quickly summoning Merrow, Crystaldawn and the blue horse fought their way to the two struggling clan mates.
Xalvigar sliced down, cutting a bot in half as it lunged towards him, turned his elbow up out and then sung his blade to the right were another bot was aiming for an attack. Crystaldawn noticed a larger one of the creatures running towards Sheri, who was busy with another bot and didn’t notice the brute crashing through the bodies of it companions, towards her. There was no time to cast spell, running towards the unknowing Sheri. She pushed off the ground with her feet; summer salted in mid-air and pushed her blade into the beasts scalp. Pulling her sword out of its scalp, Crystaldawn back flipped off her opponents shoulders and landed neatly on the ground.
“Are you okay Sheri?” She called above the noise of battle.
“Yup!” Sheri called back. Merrow came rushing up to Crystaldawn and nickered slightly irritated and worried. Crystaldawn patted him on the head and directed him to Xalvigar who was facing several bots at once. Merrow gave the nearest a nice hole through the chest and kicked his hind legs at another bot behind him. The bot went flying into a brick wall used for jumping, climbing and other training tactics. Crystaldawn spoke words that seemed to catch with fierce fire. She bent her elbows and put held her hands out in front of her. Crystaldawn’s palms were facing upward and a large fire ball began to form over her upturned hands. A small ring of fire burst to life around her as the ball grew bigger.
“Xalvigar Sheri move out of the way! Merrow come here!” Crystaldawn said in an ordering tone. Once all her companions were clear of the wall of bots that surrounded them she fired the ball at the mob in front of her. Before it could even scream, the fire spread around to all bots in the circle.The battle lasted until early morning, most of the bots were killed but many still seemed cover the field. Everyone was exhausted from fighting the entire night and Crystaldawn could barley swing her swing her blade. Suddenly there was a loud roar. Everyone, including the bots, stopped to see what had made the tremendous sound. Crystaldawns face lit up when she realized who it was; it was Rinack back from his long hunt. The humongous red dragon swooped down and grabbed a claw full of screaming bots and dropped them over the side of the cliff. He flew over to her and landed on some bots behind her.
Where the heck have you been!!! She yelled.
Hunting by the Burning Swamps Rinack replied smoothly.
That’s halfway across the planet!!!!! She shouted even louder.
Well I’m here now he said defensively. Crystaldawn shook her head and began clashing swords with the bots around her again, within seconds the bots were gone.
“Well…That was the certainly the most unexpected thing that’s happened this year” Reshi said. Crystaldawn was absolutely exhausted. She could barley put one foot in front of the other. After slicing the last bot across the shoulder she collapsed. Her little Life cubic began healing her wounds while the clerics went around healing those who needed it most.
Crystaldawn looked up at the sound of fast approaching footsteps.
“Crystaldawn are you okay?” Kelly asked, helping her up.
“Yeah I’m just tired that’s all,” Crystaldawn replied.
“Some battle huh,” Kelly said, surveying the bloody battle field.
“Yup, it was a good thing Rinack came when he did. Else this battle would’ve lasted until noon if not longer,” Crystaldawn said, relieved.
“Ugh~”, came the moan from Goodancer, “That battle lasted forever!” He said walking up to the two friends.
“I’m glad it’s finally over!” Kelly exclaimed. Crystaldawn walked over to the rest of the clan huddled around the middle of the grassy land.
“Is everyone okay?” She heard Sheri ask as she walked over to the small campsite.
“Yup, Reshi has a sharp wound on his shoulder and Xalvigar has a nasty looking gash on his for-arm but they’ll recover,” DrWatson reported.
“Good,” Sheri said with a sigh of relief.
“Where is- ah there you are!” Sheri was about to ask when she noticed Crystaldawn approaching.
“Are you okay?” She asked with a troubled expression on her face, “That looks like a nasty wound there…” she said gesturing to the deep, bloody wound on Crystaldawns thigh. Before Crystaldawn could reply Rinack let out a loud roar stumbled over the corpses and shoved his large head in Crystaldawns direction, to inspect the gruesome wound. Sniffing it carefully the large red dragon studied the injury.
“I’m fine Rinack” Crystaldawn said. Rinack didn’t look at all reassured but pulled back his head and gave a snort in worried irritation. Suddenly feeling warm air against her wound she looked down to see Styx looking up at her worriedly too. She sighed and summoned her little life summon and it immediately began to heal the injury.
“There, see? I’m fine” Crystaldawn said once the little creature had finished.
“Well now that that’s over, and everyone is safe I think we should head in, it’s been a long night” Sheri said. The RestlessKnights had won the battle…but a much more dangerous battle has yet to come…
