The miles and miles of neatly laid fields and pastures were falling away below them steadily, but Thelvyn thought the ceiling of clouds overhead remained as remote and unreachable as ever. He began to fear that the clouds were too high, beyond the reach of even dragons. He desperately needed to reach those clouds, which would conceal their escape into the wild, losing their pursuers and giving him some time to rest. The shoulders of his wings were weak and numb, and the damaged muscles all along his back were burning in pain. He had to constantly remind himself to hold his tail erect so his rear sails wouldn't drop down to catch the air and slow him.
The Veydran were no longer falling behind, expending every last bit of their strength to catch the dragons before they disappeared into the clouds. Thelvyn was beginning to doubt that he would make it to safety, but then he noticed that, by some trick of the fading light of day, the clouds had looked farther away than they were. A thousand yards or more remained, but he was beginning to hope that he could last that long. Even so, the last few minutes became a desperate race. The Veydran began to close once again as Thelvyn's strength began to fail and the dragons were forced to slow their steep climb.
Kharendaen dropped back behind her mate. If necessary, she intended to hold off the pursuing Veydrans with her flames long enough for them to escape, but then they moved up into the clouds, and the mists and the gathering night closed about them. They turned immediately to the south, not daring to level off until they were well inside the clouds. Then rhey turned once again, back toward the west, locking their wings to rest briefly while they rode the winds.
"Can you keep going for a while?" Kharendaen asked, flying close at his side so that they would not become separated in the clouds.
"I guess I'll have to," he answered, still panting heavily. "There's no place for us to hide until we get well beyond the cultivated lands. That will be another hour, at least. I can ride the wind that long."
"Do you know where we're going?" she asked.
"Back to the ruined town, I think. Perhaps we'll run into the free Veydran again. There are things that I need to know."
Tired and in pain, Thelvyn wondered with each long minute whether he would be able to keep going till the next. He began to fear there would be no point to all his efforts. Their failure to reach the large worldgate at the main stronghold before it was closed against them may have been their last chance to escape this world. Long hours would pass before they could reach any of the lesser gates, more than enough time for the gates to be closed or placed under heavy guard. Then the dragons would be trapped, condemned to wander this desolate world in a never-ending race against their pursuers.
They remained within the cover of the clouds to avoid being seen, trusting their instinct for direction. The clouds began to break up somewhat after the first half hour or so as the winds became stronger and more fitful. Their pursuers seemed to have long since given up the chase, frustrated by the speed of the gold dragons and their tremendous height. The air was cold and thin, making it difficult for Thelvyn to catch his breath, adding to his fatigue.
In time they spotted the wild, rugged land where they had found the ancient town, and they began to descend in a wide, steep spiral. It was difficult even for the sharp eyes of dragons to see much. The crumbling buildings of the ancient village were hidden by the darkness and by the fact that their appearance was so much like the color and rugged texture of the surrounding lands. Finally they spotted the remains of the ruined settlement sheltered in a deep valley, and they searched for a safe place to land, a place where they could observe the sky and the surrounding lands but still remain at least partly hidden. Kharendaen led the way now, landing in what had been the town square.
"I think it's safe to stay here for a time," she said, watching with concern as Thelvyn slowly folded away his wings, obviously in pain.
"Were you able to rest any of the time that we were held captive?" he asked.
"I had time to sleep while I was waiting for you," she assured him, though her answer seemed vague. "I was also given food and drink, but the Overlord wouldn't leave any for you. You haven't had food or drink since before we came into this world, have you?"
"No, but I'll be all right," Thelvyn said as he lowered himself painfully to the ground, stretching out his full length. "I wouldn't know where to look for water, and I haven't seen anything alive in the wild to hunt."
"The free Veydran must exist on something," she observed. "If we must, we could always return to raid the farmlands."
"I don't plan on being here that long."
Kharendaen walked over to look at him closely. Then she sat up on her haunches, bracing herself with her tail so that she could reach out and begin to rub his back gently. Thelvyn lifted his head to protest, then thought better of it. He laid down his head and closed his eyes, and after a moment he gave a deep, rumbling sigh of pleasure. Kharendaen smiled, thinking that he sounded like a gruff old dragon enjoying the hidden contentment of his lair.
"Are you fully recovered from your injuries now?" she asked.
"For the most part," he answered. "I'm in no danger of hurting myself again, but I need a little time to get back to normal."
"At least you have retained your clerical powers."
"I didn't realize at first just how much the Overlord was controlling me," Thelvyn said. "The Masters seem to be unaware that their will is subject to his control, apparently regarding themselves as willing servants, allies rather than slaves. Later I realized that something had been very wrong about that first confrontation, when he made it seem that his powers were vast compared to my own. He was controlling my responses. He wouldn't allow me to defend myself, which gave the appearance that I wasn't strong enough to stand up to him."
"You seemed more evenly matched later," Kharendaen observed.
"I'm still certain that he is very powerful," Thelvyn said. "He commands the powers that you would associate with one of the lesser Immortals. But for whatever reason, it seemed to frighten him unduly when we were able to prevent him from controlling us. He could have put an end to our escape at any rime, but instead he chose to withdraw, as if he feared for his safety. Perhaps it has been too long since he has had to confront his enemies directly."
Kharendaen rose up higher on her haunches so that she could push down harder on his back; his dragon's armor made it difficult to give him a good back rub. Then she bent her neck around to bring her face close to his. "Don't you think the Overlord also might have deceived you about your standing among your own kind?"
Thelvyn sighed heavily. "No, I don't think so. Deceit isn't his only weapon, not when he has the power to look inside your own thoughts and use the truth against you. He knows that the truth can wound far deeper and more sharply than any of his tricks. He merely put into words some ideas and impressions that I have always held,' that I thought that I was above the common faults of dragons."
"Well, if that is a failing, then it is one I share," Kharendaen told him. "I have often been driven nearly to distraction by the foolishness, the suspicion, the selfishness, and the narrow-minded beliefs of the dragons. And, yes, I, too, like to think I am above such faults. But I also prefer to think that most dragons could rise above such things, if they could only be made to believe that they belong to a wise and noble breed. Perhaps I am an optimist, but I chose to become a cleric not only to serve the Great One but also the dragons themselves. Are you and I really so different, then? I've known you to argue with the dragons about changing their ways."