The day that Tarun, Krall, and Piggy arrived at Lake Vedion was the hottest it had been since they parted ways with Shon and Solimar. They had been walking nonstop at a steady pace since sunrise, and sweat was beginning to accumulate and run down the side of Tarun’s face. When he saw the sun shining off of the clear blue water of Lake Vedion, Tarun thought it was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen.

The lake itself was surrounded by thin pine trees and scraggly-looking bushes. There was very little grass or undergrowth around the lake, so the air was fairly dusty in the heat. Behind the lake there was a flat-topped mountain that was gray and bare of trees. To Tarun it looked like a large mountain that had lost its pointed peak somehow, and was now much shorter than it should have been.

After finding a suitable area, Tarun and Krall began setting up camp while Piggy tended to the tauroks and his boar. “When will we begin looking for the Vedionite?” asked Tarun.

“We’ll begin gathering Dragon Stone just as soon as I’ve taught you how to swim,” said Krall.

“Why do you need to teach me to swim first?” Tarun asked.

“Because most of the stones we’re looking for will be in or near the water,” Krall said, “and I don’t want you nearly drowning like you did at that other lake. Now finish setting up that tent, change into some britches, and I’ll teach you enough to keep your head above the water if you fall in.”

***

Tap… tap… tap… CRACK!!

The nearby fire crackled and popped in the clear night air as Tarun focused his attention on the large flat stone across his lap, trying in vain to ignore Krall’s constant grunts of disapproval. Despite the cooling temperature of the evening, Tarun could feel sweat accumulating on his forehead. The pressure of the task in front of him would have made him nervous under normal circumstances, but the current argument with Krall seemed to significantly enhance the tension Tarun felt.

The long piece of Vedionite was starting to take shape. Tarun was surprised how easily he had been able to shape the incredibly sharp tip, but the further along he went down the side of the stone, the more likely it seemed that the whole thing would be a big shattered mess before morning. The last blow he had dealt to the stone had broken off a larger portion than he had expected, and he didn’t know how sturdy the blade would be if he took off many more pieces that size.

“I don’t understand why you’re being so stubborn and selfish about this,” growled Krall, for what seemed like the hundredth time to Tarun. “I’ve told you again and again that Dragon Stone is not good for making swords. It’s perfect for making arrowheads, and can even be used for the spikes on Piggy’s club and the occasional knife or dagger, but a sword just isn’t practical. What you’re doing is a waste of our time, and time is something we simply don’t have to waste.”

“How am I wasting our time?” asked Tarun, not even looking up from the stone on his lap. “It’s too dark out right now to be looking for more Vedionite, so it’s not as if I could be using my time to do that.”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” grumbled Krall. “That is the largest piece of Dragon Stone we’ve found this whole trip. If you just gave it to Piggy, he could probably make enough arrowheads and spikes out of it that we would be done here by tomorrow.”

“You mean it’s the largest piece I’ve found,” Tarun said. “You didn’t even want to search inside that cave. I had to go back by myself during lunchtime just to look around in there, so I’m going to use it.”

“That isn’t how this works!” shouted Krall. “We didn’t come here so you could collect a pile and I could collect a pile. Everything goes in the hunting party’s pile. I never expected to hear something so selfish come out of your mouth!”

“Calm down,” Tarun said, his attention still fixed on the task before him. “I’ve found a lot of Vedionite since we’ve been here, and everything else has gone directly into the ‘hunting party’s pile,’ as you call it, for Piggy to work with. It’s just that there’s something… special… about this stone.”

“That’s an understatement,” said Krall. “That’s got to be the largest piece of Dragon Stone I’ve ever seen. When you brought it back to camp I thought we would be able to end here four days early and go help Solimar and Shon. You do still care about your friend, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” replied Tarun. “But even if we did finish early here, we would have no way of finding them until they arrived back at Alderfold. We’ve still got four days before they’re expecting us to head back to meet them, and that’s still plenty of time for me to find more Vedionite for you.”

“Besides,” Tarun continued, “all I’m asking for is a chance to work with this stone. I’ve watched Piggy working with the Vedionite every night since we arrived here. I’m well aware that every time I hit the stone to shape it, I could very well break the whole thing in half, anyway. If I do, then I would give it to you and Piggy to make anything you want. But until I break it like you think I’m bound to do, I’m going to keep trying to make this sword blade, and ask you to be patient.”

“Well you certainly are trying my patience,” said Krall, shaking his head. “What I don’t understand, is why this whole idea of making a sword is so important to you in the first place.”

Tarun held the rock in his hand, about to bring it down to hit another piece off of the Vedionite to shape it, but paused. He finally took his eyes off of the stone to look up into Krall’s face. “You’re always encouraging me to trust my instincts,” said Tarun. “What I’m doing here with this stone feels right, Krall. It feels like something I’m supposed to do.”

Tarun then turned his eyes back to the stone on his lap before he spoke again. “But there’s something else too,” he said. “For the last couple of nights, I’ve seen things while I’ve slept.”

“You mean a dream?” asked Krall, his tone and expression suddenly shifting.

“Is that what a dream is?” asked Tarun. “I can’t recall ever experiencing that before. Usually I fall asleep, and then experience nothing but quiet and darkness until I wake up the next day.”

“This is the first time you’ve ever dreamed?” Krall asked. “Tell me about it. What did you see in your dream?”

Tarun hesitated, as if he were afraid or embarrassed. He wished that Shon was there so his friend could simply read his mind, instead of having to talk about the dream. Suddenly the task of shaping the Vedionite seemed easy in comparison to telling Krall about his dream. “I’m not sure how to begin,” he said. “So much of it didn’t make any sense to me.”

“That’s often the case with dreams,” said Krall. “Just start by telling me what you can remember seeing. Where were you?”

“I was standing on top of a wall,” said Tarun. “There was some kind of fight or battle going on all around me, but I wasn’t fighting anyone. Except for the dragon.”

“A dragon?” interrupted Krall. “Was it the dragon we’re hunting now?”

“I don’t know,” Tarun said. “The dragon seemed to be very far away, but somehow I was fighting with it. I was holding a large sword in my hand, and when I pointed the sword at the dragon, it flew away. I had defeated it somehow.”

“You killed the dragon by pointing a sword at it?” Krall asked.

“I don’t think I killed it,” Tarun said. “Just defeated it. It started to fly away, and that’s when I woke up.”

“You said you’ve had this dream for the last couple of nights,” said Krall. “How many times exactly have you had this dream? How similar were they?”

“I’ve had the dream twice now,” said Tarun. “Both times was exactly the same. It always begins with the battle, and it ends with defeating the dragon, and a feeling of great… weight. It’s as if the eyes of everyone in the world were looking at me and expecting something important out of me. I always wake up feeling both strong… and afraid.”

“When do you think the events in your dream take place?” asked Krall. “Do you think these might be images from your past?”

“I don’t know,” Tarun said. He hadn’t considered this idea before. “Since I can’t remember anything about my past, it may be possible, but I have no way of knowing for sure. All I know is that the whole encounter seemed very… distant.”

Krall sat for a long moment, staring into the fire in front of him. At length, he turned back to Tarun and spoke. “Keep working on your sword,” he said. “We’ll find more Dragon Stone in the next few days. Perhaps we can even search in that cave of yours again.”

“You changed your mind about this quite suddenly,” said Tarun. “Why?”

“I’ve learned that dreams are often more important and more powerful than most people tend to believe,” Krall said. “After all, it was a dream that eventually freed me from Vdekshi’s grasp.”

“What do you mean?” asked Tarun. “How could a dream free you?”

Krall squinted at Tarun in the firelight, as if he were measuring Tarun from the inside out. “Realize that what I’m about to tell you is very personal,” Krall said. “Even sacred, in a way. I’ll have to insist that you never tell anyone else about it without my permission. Is that understood?”

“Of course,” Tarun replied.

“Years ago, when I was still owned and controlled by Vdekshi, I had nearly given up my will do live,” said Krall in a somber voice. “I wished only for the suffering and horror to end, and for death to visit me, as it had all the other orcs in Vdekshi’s service.”

“That night, I had a dream that I was in the middle of a huge untamed forest, and I was visited by Nomad, the Orc Immortal. He was riding on his companion dragon, Wander, and they had come to set me on the path of the nomad.”

“The dream lasted for what seemed like hours or maybe even days as Nomad spoke to me of orcs and our race’s true place in the world,” Krall continued. “He told me that we could never be whole or happy staying in one place for too long. It would always lead to orcs who become malcontent, territorial, and bloodthirsty. That was why he had always tried to teach our race to live as nomads, like himself.”

“When we finished speaking and walking through the woods, he told me that it was unnatural and unhealthy for Vdekshi to bind me to one place for so long, and he had come to give me the gift of Wander. That is when his great dragon stood before me, breathing an enormous blast of green flame at me. As Wander’s flame washed over me, I could feel all of Vdekshi’s enchantments and hold over me burn away, even as I remained whole.”

“When I awoke from the dream, I simply walked out of Vdekshi’s fortress never looking back,” said Krall. “Somehow I knew that looking back or trying to return for vengeance would undo the gift that Nomad and Wander had given me. Because even though I was one of Vdekshi’s prized slaves, he has never sent any of his servants or minions in search of me. Those ties have been severed, and the only one who could bring them back is me.”

“That’s an incredible experience,” Tarun said. “I didn’t know that the Immortals were still involved with the affairs of mortals.”

Krall chuckled a bit. “Funny you should mention that,” he said with a smirk. “Nomad actually told me that the Immortal’s king had forbidden them from interfering with mortals hundreds of years ago. But then, Nomad has always had a difficult time following rules like the other Immortals.”

“But I didn’t meet an Immortal in my dream,” said Tarun. “And you’re still willing to change your mind based on that dream?”

“You may not have met an Immortal, but I still believe your dream has some meaning to it,” said Krall. “Besides, it was Nomad who taught me I should follow my instincts. I’ll trust you to follow yours.”

“Thank you,” said Tarun. He looked back down at the Vedionite across his lap. He eyed the spot that he intended to hit with his rock to break off the next piece to shape the blade. He tapped the spot a couple of times, and as he raised his hand to bring down a hard strike, he felt something grab his wrist to stop him.

Tarun turned around to see Piggy holding his wrist. The dwarf said nothing, but brought a thick finger down to a specific spot on the Vedionite shaft. Piggy tapped the spot a number of times with his finger for emphasis.

“You want me to strike the stone there instead?” Tarun asked. The dwarf nodded. Tarun raised his rock high and struck the Vedionite at precisely the spot Piggy had pointed to.

CRACK!

A long, flat shard fell away from the stone, leaving a sharp, polished looking edge along the length of the blade. Tarun smiled. It was really starting to look like a sword.

Shon ran through the forest, nearly out of breath. He darted past trees, ducked under branches, and leapt over roots, all without slowing his pace. He was miles away from any road or manmade path, yet he was acutely aware of his position and surroundings. He moved past his surroundings and obstacles like wind through tall grass, leaving little more than sound in his wake. Shon was amazed at the freedom he felt as he experienced the world through the senses and perspective of Solimar Silverbow. The feeling was so exhilarating that he nearly forgot his terror at being pursued by a crazed and ferocious black bear.

Of course the first three days that Shon traveled with Solimar had been nothing like this. Knowing that Solimar didn’t appreciate company, Shon had tried to be the best traveling companion that Solimar could ask for. During the first day, he had tried to make friendly conversation with the elf, asking questions about Solimar’s past and conveying how willing and eager he was to learn how to track like a real dragon hunter. Solimar’s responses to the friendly banter were curt replies at best, and total silence at worst.

Shon changed tactics the second day, deciding to keep absolutely silent and to only speak when spoken to, hoping that Solimar would open up better if Shon didn’t come off as so over enthusiastic. This approach did lead Solimar to speak more, but only to criticize Shon for how slow he was going, for walking too loudly, or for just holding Solimar back in general.

By the third day of their journey, Shon had lost his patience and decided to confront Solimar about how he felt he was being treated, and asked what he was supposed to do to earn Solimar’s respect and guidance. “How am I supposed to help you track this dragon if you won’t take the time to explain anything to me?” Shon had asked.

This strategy had yielded the worst result of all. Solimar had angrily replied that “Some things just can’t be explained,” before running off alone into the woods and not returning until hours later with a freshly killed deer for their dinner. After eating the venison, neither of them said a word to the other for the rest of the night.

On the fourth day of journeying together, Shon was starting to miss Tarun’s company terribly, and began to wonder how he could possibly endure two whole weeks spent alone with Solimar. As he walked silently through the forest behind the elf, the idea seemed to bother him so much that he started to develop a headache. When the headache abruptly became increasingly severe, he realized it wasn’t actually his own.

Shon had barely had time to shout, “Look out!” before the black bear came crashing through some nearby bushes. Fortunately the warning was enough to allow Solimar to jump out of the way, spin around, and fire an arrow into one of the bear’s front paws.

Solimar had expected the shot to scare the animal away, but the bear had instead lifted its injured paw to its mouth, snapped off the shaft of the arrow with its powerful jaws, and then growled at both of them through large teeth covered with purple foam and drool.

At that moment, Solimar looked directly into Shon’s eyes, and something inside the wizard’s mind had clicked. There was fear in Solimar’s eyes, but also a strange kind of acknowledgement as well, almost like permission. In the same moment, Solimar had shouted, “Run!” and darted away into the trees.

Shon had immediately started running after Solimar, not even sure if the black bear was pursuing them. At first Shon had been too frightened to notice anything different about the way he was running and moving through the woods. Then he had looked over his shoulder to see if the bear was chasing them, and found to his horror that it was. Despite the fact that it was running with only three paws, Shon was amazed at how fast the large animal could run. When he turned his head back around to look at where he was going, he saw a branch that his face was about to smash right into.

And yet, Shon had managed to duck his head just in time to avoid hitting the branch. As he continued running, in disbelief at his own reflexes, he noticed that he wasn’t stumbling or running into any of the usual obstacles that typically slowed him down in the forest. At one point, he had grabbed a branch and instead of using his strength to push it out of the way, he had grasped it firmly and kicked his legs in the air to suddenly make a sharp right turn. It was at that point that Shon realized that he was moving in a way completely foreign to his body.

Somehow he had connected to Solimar’s mind and was allowing it to drive his movements and actions. He wondered for a moment if the elf had somehow taken over his body, but when he raised his hand in front of himself and wiggled his fingers, he was certain that he was definitely still in control of himself. Rather, it was like his body was a boat floating along in a stream, and as long as he didn’t fight the current, he continued to run at a pace that kept him out of the jaws of the bear.

As the exhilaration of the experience began to set in, Shon started to realize what Solimar had meant about being unable to explain some things. As Shon felt himself move through the forest, he knew that if Solimar had tried to tell him how to maneuver like this there was no way he would have understood. It was all so strange and alien to him, and yet every muscle and instinct in his body was telling him that it was right. Until, that is, his heart and lungs began to tell him that he couldn’t keep up his current pace for much longer.

Just as Shon was beginning to think that he couldn’t run any further, he saw Solimar standing in front of him with a drawn arrow, and steely gaze. “Duck!” Solimar shouted, but Shon had already dropped to the ground and rolled to one side of where the elf was standing. Solimar let loose the arrow, which lodged firmly into the shoulder of the oncoming black bear.

The bear roared defiantly at them, but then made a strange sort of snorting sound, rolled its head back, and stopped moving. Shon laid on the ground, gasping for breath, and felt the intense pain from the beast’s mind slip away, and he realized that the creature was dead.

“Good shot,” Shon said between great gasping breaths.

“That shot shouldn’t have killed it,” said Solimar flatly. “I was only trying to slow it down some more and make it mad enough to chase after me. It was obvious you were just about to collapse.”

“I can’t argue with that,” said Shon. “But if you didn’t kill the bear, what did?”

“I believe those are what actually lead to the bear’s death,” said Solimar, pointing to several long black and purple quills sticking out of the bear’s back.

“Oh no,” Shon said. “Not more of those freaky quills. Do you think that means that crazy dragon is around here somewhere?”

“I’m sure she must be somewhere in the area,” said Solimar, “but it’s impossible to know how close she is at the moment.”

“Do you think we should pull out some of those quills and take them back to Krall to look at?” Shon asked.

“No,” Solimar replied, “I think that is the absolute last thing that Krall would want us to do with those quills. He believes they are poisonous in some way. In fact, I believe we should avoid touching the entire bear, if possible.”

“Well, what should we do then?” Shon asked. “Just leave it here, and keep walking?”

Solimar considered this for a moment, but then said, “No, I believe we should find a suitable hiding place and wait for the dragon to come eat the bear. I believe this dragon may only eat creatures she has first poisoned them, so waiting for her to come here may be our best chance to see the direction she will head next.”

“Aren’t you worried she might catch us by surprise?” asked Shon.

“I thought that’s why you’re here,” said Solimar. “So make sure you don’t put your hood on or take a nap.”

Solimar moved a good distance away and began constructing a rudimentary shelter out of branches and leaves where they could hide. Shon wanted to help with building the structure, so he tried reading Solimar’s mind to figure out how to build it. To Shon’s frustration, he found that the harder he focused on Solimar’s thoughts, the harder it became for him to distinguish what the elf was thinking.

Feeling somewhat foolish, Shon began picking up leaves and sticks that he hoped he could offer to Solimar for the structure. Once he began to collect the sticks and allow his mind to wander, however, he noticed that he was picking up specific branches and arranging them on the shelter along with Solimar. Shon began to realize that in order to connect with Solimar’s thoughts, he had to be doing something that could be influenced by them. He pictured Solimar’s thoughts as a river current again. If he wanted to be lead by the current, he would need to be in motion like a boat, rather than stationary like a stone.

Once the shelter was built to Solimar’s satisfaction, they both crawled inside and waited. The canopy of the shelter leaned against a nearby tree, and was just large enough to fit Shon and Solimar if they laid flat on their stomachs. A small hole in the leaf covering allowed them to see out to the body of the bear.

Shon was tense and ready for a confrontation with the dragon, but after several minutes passed and nothing out of the ordinary happened, he began to grow restless. He tried to calm himself by taking in his surroundings the way Solimar did. He heard the birds chirping above him, and the buzzing of flies that were starting to gather near the bear. A minute later, he was able to make out the sound of a distant stream.

Shon observed the shadows on the ground from nearby leaves and trees. He noticed that the shadows that had been so long and stretched earlier in the morning were now much shorter and almost directly below the objects casting them. He wondered if that meant it was nearly noon. He wondered just how long he had actually been running away from that bear.

For the first time since the bear had stopped chasing him, Shon became aware of just how exhausted he was from the exertion. Now that the rush of excitement and terror had left him, his legs ached and burned intensely. He closed his eyes and listened again to the peaceful sounds of the forest around him. He was vaguely aware that he could no longer hear the flies buzzing around the bear.

***

A loud squawking sound woke Shon up with a jolt. He was not sure how long he had been asleep, but his body felt stiff and achy. He looked over at Solimar who was staring ahead intensely. “I’m sorry,” Shon stammered, “I didn’t mean to doze off-“

Solimar immediately shushed him. “Forget it,” the elf whispered, “it was only our lives at stake.”

Shon looked ahead at where Solimar was staring. He saw two large black crows sitting on top of the bear’s corpse. They were cawing at one another and occasionally picking at the bear with their beaks.

“Should we try to drive them off?” Shon whispered.

“Why should we?” Solimar whispered back. “They are just doing what crows always do. I know that humans have a problem with death and decay, but it will be better to just let the birds continue until the dragon arrives to eat the main portion. All plants and creatures must return to the life cycle eventually. Let them play their part.”

Somewhere in Shon’s groggy mind, he could feel himself begin to move along the current of Solimar’s thoughts again. Rather than trying to focus on any particular thought, he allowed his still-waking brain to lazily drift along and gain what he could from the elf’s consciousness.

Shon saw the bear in front of him and thought of all the berries, insects, fish, and other living things the bear had eaten throughout its life. He thought of the smaller plants and animals that had been consumed by the bear’s prey, and how many living things had supported the life of the large creature. He now thought of the many animals and plants that would be sustained by the nutrients within the bear’s dead body. Shon’s mind drifted further, and for just a moment he began to see the entire forest as one great interconnected web of nutrients, meals, birth, death, and everything in between. And in an elusive flash of insight, Shon glimpsed the great magical energy that connected them all.

Just as quickly as the insight had come, it had fled from Shon’s mind. He tried to chase the thought, but he harder he focused on it, the further it fled from his memory. He turned to look at Solimar, trying to figure out what had disrupted the current of the elf’s thoughts, and saw an expression of great concern on Solimar’s face.

“Something is very wrong,” Solimar said with furrowed eyebrows.

Shon looked at where Solimar was staring and saw that the two crows now seemed very agitated, and began cawing at one another much louder than before. They began to become aggressive and peck at each other, and Shon could faintly sense a growing pain in his mind. “I think they may be poisoned like the bear was,” Shon whispered. “We should be careful.”

As soon as Shon had spoken, the two crows erupted in a furious clash. Black beaks and claws flashed and darted as each crow tried to finish the other off. The fight was brief, but it was intense and unsettling. When it was over, one crow stood above the other, furiously pecking at its lifeless body. Shon turned to look at Solimar and saw a look of horror and disgust on the elf’s face. “This has to end now,” Solimar said.

The victorious crow finished mangling the body of the other bird, and spread its wings as if to fly away. Solimar stood up from the middle of the shelter, sending leaves and sticks scattering around. Solimar drew back an arrow aimed at the crow, but before the bowstring could be released, the crow’s wings contorted and it fell straight to the ground below.

Shon crawled out from what was left of their makeshift shelter, and ran to join Solimar next to the body of the now-dead crow. They were both unnerved to see purple foam around the bird’s beak, and purple blood seeping from wounds caused just a minute before in the fight between the crows.

Shon and Solimar walked back to the body of the bear, where the other crow lay dead and bloodied. They observed that the murdered crow also had purple blood, and still had a bit of the bear’s purple-stained meat in its beak. As they looked more carefully around the body of the bear, they saw countless dead ants and flies that had apparently tried to eat the bear and been poisoned by its tainted flesh as well.

“This poison is worse that we thought,” Solimar said. “It isn’t just the dragon’s quills that carry the toxin. It’s in the blood of anything it touches. And its effects seem to be almost immediate. And it would appear the smaller the animal is, the quicker it will die from it.”

“What do we do?” Shon asked, remembering the great web of life in the forest. “We can’t just leave it here, or it could contaminate the whole forest.”

Solimar looked surprised at Shon’s statement, but nodded in agreement at his conclusion. “No,” said the elf. “No, we can’t.”

“Should we bury the poisoned animals to keep anything else from eating them?” asked Shon.

“Digging a hole that large would take too long,” Solimar said. “And that would require touching the tainted animals, and we could risk being poisoned ourselves. Besides, there are lots of creatures underground that would try to eat the animals down there. I think we’ll have to burn them”

“Won’t building a fire that large take almost as long as digging the hole?” asked Shon.

“Perhaps,” Solimar replied. “But we still have to do it. I don’t dare leave these creatures in the open where they could poison others. Let’s just hope that the fire will neutralize the poison.”

Solimar decided that before they started gathering wood and fuel for the large pyre, they would first create a small controlled fire around the bear’s body so that the larger fire wouldn’t spread to the plants and trees around it. After clearing away some of the longer weeds and digging a shallow circular dirt trench around the bear’s body, Solimar used small pieces of flint and steel to create sparks to ignite the dry grass and leaves within the circle.

Much to Shon and Solimar’s surprise, the moment that the small flames licked against the bear, the purple blood burst into bright hot flames. The heat and intensity of the flames reminded Shon of the lamp oil Uncle Grodin would sometimes use when working into the night. The smell however, a mix of burning fuel, flesh, hair, and feathers, was nothing at all like his uncle’s lamp oil.

Shon was glad that they had first dug the trench and pulled the weeds around the bear, as he was sure the intense and unexpected fire would have otherwise quickly spread to the rest of the forest. After a few minutes had passed, Shon was relieved to see that despite the volatile heat from the blood fire, the poisonous fuel was quickly consumed, and before long nothing but bones and ashes remained.

When the last of the flames had died down to a few small embers, Shon put his hands on his cheeks to feel the heat on his face, and noticed that one of his eyebrows was now a bit shorter than the other. “Well that was unexpected,” he said to Solimar.

“Yes it was,” agreed Solimar. “But it should make disposal of bodies much more convenient in the future. My only regret is that now we have no bait to lure the dragon back here. I’m afraid we’re back at the beginning for tracking her.”

Shon felt disappointed at the setback in tracking the dragon, but he was glad that they had protected the web of life in the forest. He shuddered to think what would have happened if the web itself had been poisoned. At that thought, there was a tickle in the corner of Shon’s mind, and he could feel an idea begin to form, just outside of his consciousness. Rather than try to pin the idea down, he decided to flow with the current and see where the idea would take him.

“Actually,” Shon said, “I think we may not have to start from the beginning. Follow me!” Shon ran off into the thick growth of the trees around them, with Solimar following closely behind.

There was no time for long goodbyes the next morning. Tarun awoke at sunrise, with the others joining him soon afterward. Though Shon was obviously the groggiest of the group, he still joined the others in packing up the campsite, and afterwards everyone sat down to a quiet breakfast of cold mutton from the night before.

Tarun had felt a rush of excitement the night before when Krall had proposed his plan to split up the group, but he also felt nervous for Shon, and a bit guilty for leaving his friend with Solimar. As Tarun thought more about the plan, he realized that this would be the first time in his memory that he had been away from Shon, and suddenly the mutton he was eating tasted a bit more dry.

Tarun wanted to talk to his friend in private before they parted ways, but thought it would be rude to pull him aside. As they sat eating, Tarun made an effort to establish eye contact with Shon, and then thought as directly as he could, Shon! Can you hear me?

Of course, Shon mentally replied, You don’t have to think so hard at me. Is everything all right?

That’s what I wanted to ask you, thought Tarun. Are you going to be all right with Solimar as your companion for two weeks?

I think so, Shon thought. Solimar doesn’t seem as bad as when we first met. I think I was being too harsh. Actually, I think I was being too harsh on everyone. These dragon hunters really are on our side. Besides, out of the whole group, Solimar is obviously the one with the most knowledge and experience with magic. Maybe I’ll pick something up.

Tarun and Shon continued eating their breakfast, and then Shon mentally asked Tarun, You’re not upset are you?

Why would I be? Tarun asked. He could feel the anxiety in Shon’s thought.

You were the one who wanted to learn about dragon hunting the most, but I’m the one doing the tracking with Solimar, Shon replied. I was afraid you would think I was stealing your glory or something.

Tarun chuckled, but immediately stopped when everyone turned to look at him. “What’s so funny?” Krall asked.

“Sorry, it’s nothing,” said Tarun, feeling embarrassed.

So you’re not mad? Shon asked a short time later.

Not at all, replied Tarun. I mean, I would love to learn how to track a dragon, but I’m sure that will come in time. Right now I’m just excited for the chance to spend some more time learning from Krall. Maybe he’ll even teach me how to make my own weapon out of Vedionite!

Shon smiled, and Tarun was glad he had remembered to use the name that Shon had come up with for the Dragon Stone.

Just then, Krall stood up, wiping his hands on his pants and letting out a light grunt. “Well,” said the orc, “are you two done saying your goodbyes? We’ve got a lot of road to travel today.”

Tarun and Shon looked at Krall surprised and tried to stammer out a reply. Eventually, Shon merely asked, “How did you know?”

“For one thing,” said Krall, “that may be the longest I’ve ever seen Shon sit quietly at one time. For another, nobody uses that much facial expression when all they’re doing is eating. Not even humans.”

“I’m sorry, Krall,” said Tarun, feeling very ashamed. “We didn’t mean to be so rude.”

Krall waved a hand at the comment. “No apology necessary,” he said. “I can appreciate the value of a private conversation. Just try not to make a habit out of it. For a minute I thought one of you might be choking.” Krall winked at Tarun, and his guilt immediately faded.

With the wagon loaded, and Shon and Solimar’s packs filled with gear, there was little left to be done other than head off in opposite directions. “We’ll see you back here in two weeks,” said Krall. “You two watch out for one another and be safe.”

With that, Solimar and Shon began walking back in the direction of Alderfold, while Krall led the wagon along with Tarun and Piggy heading north. None of them looked back.

***

Once on the main road, Krall let the tauroks determine their pace, which was very steady, if not particularly fast. Tarun and Krall walked beside the wagon, while Piggy rode along on the back of his boar. After about an hour, Tarun looked over and noticed that Piggy was slumped over on the bristly animal.

“Is Piggy asleep?” Tarun asked, with disbelief in his tone.

“Looks like it,” said Krall with a chuckle. “He does that sometimes when we have to head out early. He’s not much of a morning person.”

“I’m surprised he can sit on that boar at all, let alone sleep on it,” said Tarun.

“There’s a lot about Piggy that’s surprising,” Krall said. “You’ll get used to it. Especially when we start working with the Dragon Stone.”

“How long have you two been traveling together?” Tarun asked. “How did you first join up?”

“Solimar and I first met Piggy when we were hunting a dragon up near the border of Dragon Country,” Krall said. “It was a particularly ravenous dragon, and from what we’ve pieced together, we think it ate Piggy’s whole tribe and he was the only survivor. Every time we tried to sneak up on it while it was sleeping, Piggy would come charging in on his boar and drive it off again.”

“That sounds inconvenient,” said Tarun.

“You have no idea,” said Krall. “Solimar and I considered coming up with a plan to drive him off back to Dragon Country where he came from.”

“What stopped you?” Tarun asked.

“The fact that the dragon was actually fleeing him,” Krall said. “It made no sense. It was like a bear fleeing from an insect. That’s when we realized that he was actually able to hurt the dragon, as unbelievable as that was for a half-naked hairy little dwarf with no magic, no armor, and no battle plan.”

“We decided that instead of trying to drive him off, we would track him down and try to discover his secret,” Krall continued. “That first meeting between us was… eventful, to say the least. But eventually we were able to come to an understanding, he was able to teach us how to craft weapons with Dragon Stone, and we were able to help him get his revenge on that dragon.”

“How long ago was that?” asked Tarun.

“About four years ago,” replied Krall. “It was soon after Piggy started traveling with us that we decided to get a wagon to carry our gear. Especially since we started using Dragon Stone, which isn’t light. At first we tried to convince Piggy to let us hitch the wagon up to his boar, but he wasn’t happy about that. He treats that thing like his own brother.”

“A couple of days later, Piggy came into camp with two wild tauroks and hitched them up to the wagon,” Krall said. “Solimar and I thought he was crazy, but Piggy was persistent and he eventually got them to go in a straight line without stopping every five feet. He certainly does have a way with animals.”

“What about Solimar?” Tarun asked. “How did you two first meet?”

“That’s a much longer story to tell,” said Krall, and his smile immediately vanished. “First you have to understand I was a very different orc in those days. And I was not my own master, like I am today. Those were very dark days indeed.”

“I’m sorry,” Tarun said quickly. “I didn’t mean to bring up an unpleasant topic.”

“It’s alright,” Krall said. “It’s important for you to know. I’ve told you before that there’s evil in this world, and you should know just how bad it can be. My master back in those days was as close to evil incarnate as I can imagine.”

“If he was so bad, why did you choose to serve him?” Tarun asked.

“I didn’t have much of a choice,” Krall said, scratching an old itch on his wrists. “I was one of his slaves. My master was a powerful necromancer named Vdekshi.”

“A necromancer?” said Tarun.

“A practitioner of death magic,” said Krall. “He could reanimate dead bodies, summon spirits and undead beings, and even give supernatural attributes to living beings who served him willingly. Worst of all, he had the power to siphon the life force out of living creatures at the moment of their death.”

“Is that how he became so powerful?” Tarun asked.

“I believe so,” said Krall. “But I think there was something more than just power that motivated him. There was something wrong with him. It wasn’t just his mind that was evil, it was as if his whole body was corrupted by something inside. I watched him drain the life force of countless creatures, and it always seemed like he… needed it.”

“Like he was hungry for it?” Tarun asked.

“Perhaps,” said Krall, “but I don’t think so. It never seemed like he was satisfied after doing it, like you would be if you were hungry. Rather, he seemed almost relieved. As if he had postponed something terrible.”

Tarun and Krall continued to walk along in silence next to the green wagon. As they walked, Tarun heard the sound of Piggy snoring on his boar’s back and the squeaking rotation of the wagon wheels. He looked behind them and saw the long line of wagon tracks they left, even in the packed earth of their trail.

Tarun looked around at the bright sunshine falling on the trees and grass around them. There seemed to be a hundred different shades of green along their path. In the midst of such a bright and peaceful day filled with so much life, Tarun had a difficult time grasping the kind of death and darkness that Krall was describing.

“Did he have many slaves like you?” Tarun asked.

“Vdekshi had many slaves,” replied Krall, “but none like me. I was still somewhat young when his minions captured me. At the time they had captured some other orcs for slaves as well, but none of the others lasted very long.”

“Were they killed?” asked Tarun.

“Some were killed,” said Krall. “Some gave up their lives willingly to escape the constant nightmare of their existence with Vdekshi. Others became part of Vdekshi’s experiments.” Tarun noticed Krall’s shoulders give a slight shudder after his last sentence.

“What kind of experiments?” Tarun asked.

“Terrible ones,” said Krall. “They always involved pain, madness, death, and a strange purple liquid that he possessed. He never revealed where it came from, but he would administer it to all manner of creatures, animals, and even people to see how they would react. No matter what the creature or how big or strong it was, the result was always the same. An incredible burst of strength accompanied by an uncontrollable rage and unbearable pain, followed by an inevitable death. I once saw a human man break iron shackles, bend his cell bars, and knock over an undead ogre as he tried to flee after the poison was administered.”

“Wow,” said Tarun. “So did he escape?”

“He escaped the fortress that night,” said Krall, “but not the poison. I was sent out the next day to retrieve his body. The poor fool didn’t even make it out of sight of the fortress walls before his heart burst from the strain. Of course Vdekshi didn’t mind. It seems a heart isn’t all that vital for a reanimated corpse, so Vdekshi still got a slave out of the deal anyway.”

“If all the other living slaves died,” said Tarun, “why did you survive?”

“Because I wanted to live more than I wanted to escape,” said Krall. “And because I was very good at the job Vdekshi gave me.”

“What job was that?” Tarun asked.

“Hunting dragons of course,” Krall replied. “Vdekshi had the idea in his head that a dragon is the only creature capable of surviving a dose of his purple liquid, and he obsessed over the chance to experiment on a living one. Vdekshi may have had a sizable army of undead and supernatural servants, but dragons can smell that kind of foul magic a league away. That’s why he captured us orcs. He needed slaves who weren’t personally touched by his death magic to hunt the dragons and try to bring them in alive.”

“How many dragons did you hunt for him?” Tarun asked.

“More than I care to think about,” Krall replied darkly. “That was how I first met Solimar. Vdekshi had grown so desperate that he sent me up into Dragon Country to find him a dragon, despite the possible consequences for breaking the truce. Solimar belonged to one of the elf tribes that had tasked themselves with maintaining the border to Dragon Country and enforcing the truce. Our first meeting was… not a peaceful one.”

“Is Solimar the one who helped free you from Vdekshi?” Tarun asked.

“No,” said Krall. “My escape from Vdekshi’s power didn’t come until years later. Still, Solimar did play a direct role in making sure that one dragon I was hunting didn’t make it back to Vdekshi alive, and I’ll always be grateful for that. You see, for all the power Vdekshi had over me, I always managed to bring him dead dragon pieces and plausible excuses. I never did deliver a living dragon to him.”

“What do you think he would have done with it if he had gotten one?” asked Tarun.

Krall hung his head and let out a heavy sigh. “You know,” he said, “ever since I gained my freedom from Vdekshi, I thought I would never have to find that out. Now it looks like I was wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Tarun asked, feeling the hairs on his arms stand on end.

“You remember that cougar with the dragon’s quills in its leg?” Krall asked. “The one that attacked you and Shon, even though it was injured? You said the foam coming from its mouth was purple, didn’t you?”

Tarun felt an ominous chill run down his chest and settle in his stomach. “The poison?” he asked.

Krall nodded. “That’s why this hunt is so important to me,” Krall said. “It looks like Vdekshi finally got his dragon.”

That night, Shon smiled more than he had since he and Tarun had left Life’s Edge. They had cleaned up the mess left by the other dragon hunters, and they had a roaring fire going by the time the stars came out. It was larger than the fires Krall had usually built each night on their way to Alderfold, and Shon enjoyed hearing the loud pops and crackles from the wood as it burned. It almost seemed to him like the fire was enjoying the night as much as he was.

For the first time since he had met the dragon hunters, Shon did not feel intimidated or uncomfortable around them. He did not feel as if he were being watched for weakness, nor was he being compared to Tarun’s stature. For the first time that Shon could remember, he felt not only respected, but needed.

Though Krall had been upset about the attack, he also thought they should celebrate their victory over the rival dragon hunters. Since Shon was the least conspicuous of the party, he was sent back into town to purchase some meat from the town butcher. The aroma of the mutton roasting over their campfire was magnificent, and Shon and the others sat in silence and enjoyment while they ate.

After finishing their meal, Krall wiped his mouth on his sleeve and turned to Solimar. “Well,” Krall said, “did those thugs manage to steal anything valuable?”

“I don’t think those idiots even knew what was valuable,” Solimar said, scoffing in derision. “But the dumb oafs did manage to shatter most of our supply of Dragon Stone.”

“What’s Dragon Stone?” asked Tarun.

“Well, I don’t know if that’s its real name,” Krall replied, “but since Piggy is the one who first showed it to us, he can’t really tell us what it is. It’s a very special kind of obsidian, and we call it Dragon Stone because it is one of the few materials hard enough and sharp enough to pierce dragon scales if you know how to work with it.”

“If the stone is so hard, why not make a whole suit of armor out if it?” Shon asked.

“I said it was hard, not durable,” Krall said. “Dragon Stone is also very brittle. I’m not surprised Jarkt and the others shattered most of our supply when they were rummaging through the wagon, but that does pose a problem for us. The blade of my dagger, the spikes on Piggy’s club, and several of Solimar’s arrowheads are all made from Dragon Stone. We rely on it a lot, but we also have to replace it frequently because of its brittleness. If most of that supply is gone, then we will have to get some more.”

“We don’t have time for that, Krall,” said Solimar. “If we’re going to find the center of that dragon’s feeding area by the time she lays her eggs, we have no time to waste at all. Considering the size of her hunting area, it may not even be possible.”

“I agree,” Krall said. “But even if we do locate her in time, we can’t very well expect to win a fight if we’re not properly armed, and Dragon Stone has always been our most reliable option. It’s not as if we’re going to resort to using shadow slip arrows.”

“What are shadow slip arrows?” asked Tarun. “I heard Jarkt’s archer mention them, and Solimar didn’t seem to think very highly of them.”

“They are considered very dark and foul magic,” Solimar said. “The front half of a shadow slip arrow works like a ghost. It is invisible and intangible in the light, and becomes solid only in the dark.”

“Why would that matter?” Shon asked.

“Because it allows the tip of the arrow to move past any hide or armor,” Krall said. “Only once the tip has reached the soft and dark inside of its target does it become solid. It is wicked and cruel because once a shadow slip weapon is in you, the only way to get it out is to pull it out in total darkness. For that reason, it was one of the types of magic banned in the truce between Dragon Country and our land.”

“Even if it weren’t illegal, it would still be incredibly hard to obtain,” Solimar said. “It requires a very powerful magic user to create shadow slip weapons; more powerful than that witch of theirs. On the black market just one shadow slip arrow could sell for more than we stand to make from slaying this dragon.”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” said Krall. “So if they have some, why would they bother using them on this dragon for the money instead of just selling the arrows? There’s a lot of things about these other dragon hunters that don’t add up.”

“What do you mean?” asked Tarun. “What other things?”

“Well, for one thing they’re all idiots, but they’re still alive,” said Solimar.

Shon laughed at the comment, but Krall waved a hand at the comment. “No, Solimar is right,” said Krall. “Amateur dragon hunters never last very long, and these men obviously don’t know what they’re doing. It’s not uncommon to see a few ragtag groups when the prize becomes large enough to make people lose their senses, but the bounty on this dragon is neither large enough nor prestigious enough to make people crazy. We’re not accustomed to running into amateurs on this kind of job.”

“Something else that seems off is that witch,” Krall said.

“You mean besides the fact that she almost single-handedly got us killed?” asked Shon.

“That’s just it,” Krall continued. “Jarkt said that they caught her, and were forcing her to help them hunt the dragon. But if she were really their prisoner, why wouldn’t she just kill them and escape? She certainly has the power.”

“That’s true,” said Tarun. “And why would she have run off in the same direction as them after the fight? Why not just use that as her chance to escape?”

“Perhaps they have some kind of leverage on her that we don’t know about,” said Shon. “Do you think maybe they managed to get some sort of totem or other item of power of hers, and she needs to get it back from them?”

“Nice to see you’re starting to think like a wizard,” muttered Solimar. Shon blushed slightly at the comment.

“That’s a fair point, Shon,” said Krall. “But there’s something else about that witch that makes my hair stand on end. Like my brain wants to make some kind of connection, but I keep missing it. I can’t even manage to remember her name the moment after I hear it.”

“I understand what you mean,” said Shon.

“You’re experiencing the same sensation?” asked Krall.

“No,” replied Shon, “I mean I understand because I’m reading your thoughts as you’re talking about her. You’re right, it’s maddening. I keep sensing thoughts and memories trying to hook up in your mind, but they get turned aside at the last moment like one magnet coming at another from the wrong side.”

“What’s a magnet?” Tarun asked.

“Like those lode stones the merchant showed us back in Life’s Edge,” said Shon. “The ones he uses to make compasses, remember?”

“Yes, well I’m very glad you can describe how I’m feeling,” interjected Krall with a hint of impatience in his voice, “but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating. Or dangerous. I suspect she used a few more spells today than the one we knew about.”

“You think we might have been under some kind of enchantment?” Shon asked.

“We might still be, judging by Krall’s thoughts,” said Solimar. “Tell me, what do you remember of the way she looked?”

“Treshigan just looked like a young woman wearing the clothes and jewelry of a witch,” Shon replied.

“That is what I saw as well,” said Tarun.

“Use more detail,” said Solimar, leaning forward. “Tell me exactly what you saw.”

“Well, she was quite pretty despite the weird piercings on her face,” Shon said, hoping the others could not see his face blushing in the firelight. “She had brown hair and eyes, a pale complexion, and…”

“Hold on, that’s not right,” Tarun interrupted. “She certainly was pretty, but her skin was dark brown, like mine. And her eyes were blue, not brown.”

“Tarun,” said Solimar, “how many other people with dark skin and blue eyes besides yourself have you seen in this part of the land?”

“She’s the first,” replied Tarun.

“And you didn’t think that was strange enough to comment on?” Solimar asked.

“Not until just now,” Tarun said. “And now that you mention it, thinking about it kind of gives me a headache. I mean, I thought her skin was brown, but now I’m not so sure I’m remembering correctly.”

“To me she looked like a female orc, just a bit younger than I am,” said Krall. “But now that I think about it, that would have been ridiculous. Jarkt obviously hates orcs too much to let one travel with him, even as a slave.”

“I suspect that each of us perceived her in a form we would find easiest to trust,” said Solimar. “It’s impossible to know how long the effects of the spell will last, but I recommend we stop talking about her for the night. It will probably be more productive to have this conversation tomorrow after we’ve all had a good night’s sleep.”

“Then the conversation will have to wait a while,” said Krall. “Because first thing tomorrow we need to break camp and head to Lake Vedion.”

“Where’s Lake Vedion?” Tarun asked.

“It’s a couple of days north of here,” Krall said. “It’s the best place in the region to collect more Dragon Stone.”

“I already told you Krall,” said Solimar, “we don’t have time to go collecting more Dragon Stone. We’ve got to start tracking that dragon tomorrow, or we’ll lose our chance.”

“And I told you I agree with you, Solimar,” Krall replied. “That’s why we’re going to have to split up for a little while. Tarun, Piggy, and I will take the wagon to Lake Vedion to get the Dragon Stone. You and Shon are going to start tracking that dragon.”

“Is that wise?” asked Solimar. “You know I travel fastest alone. And I believe you remember what it was like traveling with me alone before Piggy joined us?”

“I’m aware of both of those things,” said Krall. “And I don’t expect this to be easy or pleasant for either of you, but we’ve got a job to do, and you’re going to need Shon to do it.” Krall waved a hand at Solimar’s expression. “Don’t make that face Solimar, you know it’s true. You could run into that witch again, or worse, be caught by surprise by the dragon. Shon is your best chance in either scenario.”

“What if you encounter Treshigan on your way to Lake Vedion?” Solimar asked. “Then you’d all be left defenseless instead.”

“I don’t think that’s likely,” said Krall. “Those dragon hunters obviously don’t know anything about Dragon Stone, so they would have no reason to go there.”

“How long?” Solimar said with a heavy sigh.

“Two weeks, then we’d all meet back here,” said Krall. “That should give us enough time to collect enough Dragon Stone, and give you and Shon enough time to start establishing the borders of her hunting area.”

“Fine,” Solimar said, “but I expect you to be waiting here when we arrive in two weeks. I’ll do my best to keep the boy alive in the meantime.”

“What do you say, Tarun?” Krall asked.

“I’d definitely like to learn more about collecting Dragon Stone,” Tarun said. “I’m alright with the plan if Shon agrees. What do you think, Shon?”

Everyone looked over to Shon and realized that the wizard was sitting with his hood over his head, and appeared to be deep in thought.

“Shon?” Tarun said, nudging his friend. “What do you think?”

“I’ve got it!” shouted Shon, pulling his hood back so fast that the others stared for a moment in surprise.

“Got what?” Krall asked.

“The Dragon Stone,” Shon said, as if it was obvious. “You said you get it from Lake Vedion, right? We should call it Vedionite! What do think?”

The others stared at Shon in the firelight. “Well,” grumbled Solimar, “at least he’s got his priorities in order.”