Jahrra ground her teeth together, fighting back the spark of terror blooming to life within her heart. You can do this, Jahrra. Just remember all that you have lived through before. You are a fighter, a survivor. You will not falter in your will to go on, no matter what evil or hardships you might find standing in your way. And, she would make certain to hold true to that belief.
A slight rustling sound behind her drew Jahrra’s attention away from the great expanse beyond her patio. She turned to find Dervit quietly studying her from a few feet away.
“I just wanted to wish you a good night.”
He smiled, and Jahrra casually crossed her arms in front of her. The corner of her mouth turned up, and she said, “Good night, Dervit. I am glad you are coming with us.”
“Never doubt that I won’t follow you to the ends of the earth,” he vowed, removing his cap and giving a rather theatrical bow.
The limbit’s antics worked, and Jahrra caught herself laughing. Dervit turned, giving her one last wave before disappearing deeper into the room. As Jahrra watched him go, she caught sight of Ellyesce leaning against the edge of the wall. She gave him a half grin.
“Are you off as well?” she wondered aloud.
“I’m afraid so. It is my responsibility to wake you all in the morning, so I had best seek my rest while it’s still early.”
Jahrra nodded, watching the elf through half-lidded eyes. It was strange how easily she trusted him now, but then again, it shouldn’t have been that surprising. He had done so much to help her and Jaax during their journey from Lidien, as well as the escape from Cahrdyarein. There was no doubt he still harbored many secrets. She knew that instinctively by the way his eyes would drift off into another time when he thought she wasn’t watching, or by the way his face would display such sadness at odd moments. But, Jahrra knew better than to pry, and she had learned how to be patient with her curiosity through her time spent with Jaax. He might tell her his secrets one day, or at least the ones she needed to know. Until then, she had to judge the elf on his actions, and all those actions so far had been honest and brave ones.
“Then, good night,” she finally said.
Ellyesce nodded once, then followed Dervit’s example and left her to her musings.
Silence descended upon the room, and Jahrra turned back to the scenery, soaking up Felldreim’s beauty while she still had the opportunity.
“What are you thinking about, Jahrra?”
The sound of Jaax’s voice was so unexpected, it made her jump. She whirled around, her hand pressed to her heart.
“You’re still here? I thought you left with the others!”
He gave her one of his smirks, the one he loved to show off when he knew he’d gotten the better of her.
“No, not yet. And, I would have come and wished you a good evening as well.”
“The future,” Jahrra said rather blandly, trying to battle her slight irritation at his teasing.
Jaax gave her an odd look, and she snickered.
“You wanted to know what I was thinking about. I was thinking about the future and what lies ahead of us.”
“Hmmm,” the dragon hummed deep in his throat. “That can be dangerous. Thinking, that is, not the future. Although, in our case ...”
He let his words trail off, and Jahrra nodded, turning back toward the rose-stained mountains. He didn’t have to finish what he was saying. She knew exactly what he meant. Jahrra tucked her hands under her armpits and stamped her feet. The cold was starting to get to her, but she wanted to stay out here just a little longer.
Jaax came to sit beside her, silent and watchful as he, too, gazed out over the wide expanse of sky and endless mountain peaks. Jahrra studied him out of the corner of her eye, relieved to see he was back to his normal, overbearing self, those traces of hopelessness gone from his posture. She thought back to the way he’d held himself right after speaking with the Creecemind king. She had never seen her guardian in such a despondent state, and it wasn’t something she ever wanted to witness again. Jaax was unflappable, focused and an uncompromising source of strength. Her source of strength. If she couldn’t look to him for the courage she needed to take this next big step in her life, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. Oh, she knew she would find a way to persevere; she always did. But having Jaax to back her up and remind her of that fact was something she had come to rely upon, she realized.
“Are you ready to go to war, Jaax?” Jahrra asked, her voice so quiet she wondered if he heard her. “Do you think we’re ready? Do you think I’m ready?”
She turned to look at him, but he had his eyes cast out toward the east, just as she had done earlier.
Taking in a lungful of icy air, she continued on, “Life can be such a burden for some of us, can’t it? I wonder if I’ll ever be able to look forward and not see impending hardship and suffering, sadness and loss.”
Jahrra knew her life was so much more than the hardships she’d survived so far, but in that moment, she could only see more of the same.
“Sometimes, life is just something we must endure,” Jaax said after a while, his voice low and calm, reminding her so much of Hroombra, “until it gets better. And, it will get better, Jahrra, you must believe that. I must believe that. Because if we don’t, if we give in to those who wish to put us down and tear us apart, those who would let their hatred and prejudice overpower our compassion, then what on Ethoes are we fighting for?”
Without another word, Jaax stood, then turned and strode away, his steps silent and smooth against the ice and stone floor. Jahrra listened as the tall door to her room swung open then clicked shut. She moved closer to the balustrade of the terrace and pressed her palms against the frosty edge of the railing. Despite the fear threatening to ensnare her courage and tear her willpower down, Jaax’s words stirred something in her heart. She was ready to finish this journey. It made sense what her guardian had said, about surviving what life had to offer her. But, she was tired of enduring it all. She was weary of making friends only to leave them behind. She was sick of the endless worry and need for secrets. And finally, she was tired of living every day wondering who she might lose next. It was time to chase down whatever fate awaited her at the end of the road, and to triumph over that which threatened all she loved, if she could.
“I’m ready,” she breathed, her words floating away like snowdrifts swept from the mountaintops. “Whatever Cierryon has in store for me, I will face it head on. And this time, I will not let fear stand in my way.”
-Epilogue-
The Mystic’s Vision
King Dhuruhn watched with narrowed eyes as the red shrouded figure made its way down his massive throne room. Whoever he was, he kept the hood of his cloak up, concealing his head entirely. Dhuruhn clutched at his frozen throne, his claws digging into the ice. It had seemed there was no end to this torrent of visitors, first with that upstart dragon Raejaaxorix and his prodigy child, then with those sniveling elves complaining of foul weather in the north. The Tanaan dragon and his associates had left over a week ago, but the elves of Stromness had yet to crawl back to their domain and deal with their own problems. They had settled in the far northern arm of Felldreim, for Ethoes’ sake. Had they truly expected to grow crops more suited for a southern clime in a place where the ground stayed frozen most of the year? And just what did they expect Dhuruhn to do about it?