As darkness descended upon our camp, instead of taking
out my sleeping mat like I usually did, I slung my pack over my shoulder, and
with a nod to Kirin, I started on my way towards Jown's H.Q. I had expected
to undergo this mission alone, but Kirin ran up to me. "Like I have said before,
I have come this far to keep you safe, and I can't quit now."
I did not even bother arguing with him, for
all that mattered now was to save Dorono. Our capes fluttered in the wind as
we ran towards the luminous fort. Besides the pat patting of our feet against
the cold ground, they were the only noise to be heard in the silent night. We
reached Jown's H.Q. in no time, and stood starring up at its mass. I walked
around a bit looking for a way to enter, and when I found none I turned towards
Kirin, "I guess that we will have to climb over the top."
"Well if that is our only option, we mu
st do it." But then Kirin's face grew harsh, "The only problem is that once
we reach the top, Jown's archers will fire at us. They might even as we climb
the wall."
"I take the risk then," I said, and I slid on my gloves, and looked for a
handhold on the fort, and then I started to climb. Kirin shrugged his shoulders,
and then with a sigh started to climb up after me.
Slowly, we made our way up the fort. Had it
been made of anything else but logs piled on top of each other, this feat would
have been impossible to accomplish. Soon I reached the top, and when no barge
of arrows rained down upon me I let out a sigh of relief, and then I gave Kirin
a hand up onto the wall. Then we started on our way down the other side of the
wall. Then the arrows flew in at us. A couple were close calls, but most of
them just stuck into the logs on ether side of me giving me fine hand and footholds,
making the climb all the easier to perform.
At the bottom of the fort was a large courtyard,
and once Kirin and I made it there we would have to run for the cover of the
castle. So with several feet remaining until I reached the bottom, I jumped,
and made a break for the castle, jumping right then left to avoid arrows that
flew right at me. I let a mouthful of air whoosh out as I made it to safety,
and then I turned just in time to see Kirin dodge an arrow, and make it to safety
right next to me. "For Dorono," he said panting.
"For Dorono."
***
Jown and Dorono were sitting in their main chamber when a guard came running
up to them, "Sirs, excuse me, but there are two zafara's attempting to storm
out fort. They both have capes and tunics on, but one is green, while the other
is red."
"Just shoot them down," Jown started, but Dorono
Bowed before him.
"Forgive me master for not agreeing with your
logic, but I have a better idea. Those two must be Kirin and Zarrel Charmain;
the two that I swore to have revenge upon. Why don't we just let them in, and
I will let them discover me, and when they come running up." Dorono rubbed his
paw against his throat.
"I like your idea Dorono. Guard, tell my archers
to let the two zafara's in, but not look like they are letting them in," Jown
said with a snicker.
"Yes your greatness." And with a bow, the guard
was running towards the archers.
"Before I send you down, I shall fit you with
a sword," Jown said, eyeing Dorono. Jown took down a sword, and a green
belt made to fit an eyrie, with Jown's sigh on it, a kougra skull on a snowflake.
Jown handed Dorono the sword, which he took in his paw, and placed it in his
belt.
"Now… I can have my revenge!" and Dorono ran
off out of the room towards the entrance of the fort, in order to meet Zarrel
Charmin.
***
"Through the door Kirin!" I said pushing open a large door that I took to
be the entrance to the fort. As I ran inside, a burst of hot air him me almost
knocking me back, for I was used to the cold air outside. I hurriedly regained
myself, ready to go search for Dorono, but I did not have to look at all, for
there he was right in front of me. He had defiantly grown more muscular since
I last saw him, but what mattered is that I saw him. "Dorono!" I yelled running
up to him, but what happened, I never could have imagined.
As I ran up to him ready to embrace my friend
in my arms, he swung his paw, smacking me into a wall, knocking the air from
my lungs. "I knew that you would come." But the smile on his face was not one
of glee, but one of destruction.
"What has happened to you?" I asked open mouthed
at Dorono.
"Silence!" he yelled, and he pushed his paw
against my throat pinning me to the wall. I tried to pry his paw off of my throat.
I needed air. But his grip was too strong. I really needed air. Dots sprung
across my line of vision, and I felt that I was going to pass out before being
destroyed by my friend. "Now I destroy you, for you betrayed me." And Dorono
pushed as hard as he could.
"Let go of her eyrie!" Kirin said bashing into
Dorono knocking him to the ground, but only for a split second, for Dorono was
soon back on all four feet growling. As I sat gasping, and clutching at my throat,
Dorono kicked me, and then walked over to Kirin who slid out his blade, "Dorono!?!"
he looked in disbelief, "What have you become?"
"I have only grown stronger Kirin. Much stronger
then you or that stupid Zarrel Charmain ever was. Now do you have any last words,
for I shall destroy you for stealing she who I used to consider my friend."
Dorono pulled out his blade, and swung it at Kirin. Kirin was fighting hard,
but he could not bring himself to destroy Dorono, but Dorono would not even
think twice before he was ready to impale Kirin with his blade, so Dorono was
at the top of this match. I would have gotten up to help Kirin, but I was still
seeing spots, and I felt my head pounding from loss of air. It was then that
Jown walked in, and started to watch the battle from a safe haven on top of
the stairs. Dorono swung his blade at Kirin, and at the last second he turned
the blade sideways crashing into Kirin's knees bringing him to the ground.
"What is wrong with you Dorono? We come here
expecting to save you, but instead we meet…" Kirin started, but Dorono silenced
him.
"You should very well know what is wrong Kirin!"
Dorono said, spitting. "Zarrel Charmain was my partner. No… she was my friend,
or so I thought. I would have done anything for her, and yet she never did anything
in return for me. Then she meets you. She hardly even knew you, but she was
willing to leave me behind to be captured in order to save herself and you.
I know that she likes you, and more than a friend, for she was willing to leave
me behind for you. You suffer from the same thing Kirin. Otherwise, why else
would you have stayed with Zarrel Charmain when you could just as easily leave,
and live life?"
Kirin seemed taken aback at first, but then
he looked towards the ground. But before he could say anything, I had struggled
up to my feet, and staggered up to Dorono. I could not argue with him, for deep
down inside of me, I knew that he was right, but I could try and calm him. "Dorono,"
I softly said. "I never had told you before, but you mean the world to me, as
both a partner and a friend, and no matter what happens, there always shall
be a spot in my heart for you." I reached behind my back, and pulled out the
feather of his that I kept. "Friendship?"
Dorono's mouth was open, but he had no idea
of what to say. It was then that Jown realized he was loosing his apprentice.
He jumped down from the stairs, and before Dorono could take the feather, Jown
slashed his paw across my back raking up blood. "Don't listen to her Dorono,
for she was trying to get your guard down so that she could destroy you. She
can't do much right now, so destroy her, and take your revenge upon the zafara
who betrayed you. Do it now!!!"
Dorono growled, and walked up to me lying sprawled
on the ground. "You wear the symbol of Jown," I said as I saw the figure on
his belt, and then watched as he lifted his sword. "It is really you who betrayed
my trust… Dorono."
Right then, Kirin jumped in front of me, making
so that Dorono would have to destroy him in order to get to me. "You are right
Dorono, I do care for her. I care for her as she cared for you. As she risked
her life in order to come out and save you, only to find that the same one she
wanted to save wanted to destroy her. So if you want to destroy the one who
only wanted to make things right, you will have to take me first!"
"But she didn't come here to save me, but to
destroy me!" Dorono screeched.
"No," I said smiling, "I came here to save you."
Dorono then noticed for the first time what
he had become. He looked down at his paws holding the sword that he was planning
to use on Kirin and I. At the belt he wore with Jown's symbol. He had become
a monster. Dorono looked down at his two friends, a wave of shame coming upon
him. He may have become powerful in his new state of mind, but he had lost his
soul to the powers of evil. With those thoughts, Dorono knew that he had to
undo past wrongs; that he had to stand for his friends no matter what they thought.
So Dorono swung his sword towards Kirin and I, but at the last second, he turned
the blade, and spun around to catch Jown's tail on the blade severing it in
two. Then with the yell of Jown, he ran down towards the dungeons hopping that
Kirin and I would be able to hold our own until he returned.
Dorono slammed open the doors to the dungeons,
fumbling the keys in his beak. "What are you doing in here?" Wintroq sneered.
"Saving you." And Dorono unlocked wintroq's
shackles, and then tossed him his shield and sword. Then Dorono ran up to Herupah
and Decorah, and undid the chains wrapped around their necks. "We have to hurry
back to Zarrel Charmain and Kirin before Jown does something to them!" and Wintroq
followed after the scampering Dorono with Herupah and Decorah close behind on
his tail.
As Dorono burst into the room, he was surprised
to find that Jown was nowhere in sight. For a second he thought that Jown had
done something to Kirin and I, but Dorono was relieved when he saw us no more
harmed then when he had left us. "Quickly, we must escape!" Dorono yelled to
us. Kirin slowly staggered up, but he was able to stand.
I started to stand, but I fell back down, the
deep bleeding slashes across my back were too much to handle. "Just go Dorono,"
I said, "Save yourself, for I will only slow your escape. I shall expect you
to take good care of Kirin, and Wintroq," I said able to put on a smile even
though the pain was unbearable.
"No! I will not leave without you." And Dorono
walked over to me and said, "Climb onto my back."
"You cannot hold that much weight Dorono, you'll…"
I started.
"Well if you will not go on yourself I will
put you on my back." And Dorono shoveled me onto his back. At first he staggered
trying to hold me, but then he gained his balance, and turning to the others
he yelled, "Follow me! I know the way out!"
I held onto Dorono's mane as he ran out of the
fort with the others following. "Don't let them escape!" I looked past Dorono's
wings to see Jown running after us with a legion of troops.
"Faster!" I yelled, my voice dying out on the
wind. Dorono dug his paws into the snow as he tried to pick up speed. All of
us were then going as fast as possible, Dorono with me on his back in the lead,
Closely followed by Kirin and Wintroq, and the injured Herupah and Decorah taking
up the back. Slowly, though, their legs were giving out on them, and they were
all panting heavily.
I am not sure how, but we managed to just stay
ahead of Jown, and reach the cliffs leading out of High reaches by sun up. We
looked over the edge of the cliffs, and then over at the approaching troops.
"There isn't time to climb down!" Kirin yelled. "What will we do?"
Dorono looked down, and then a stern look crossed
over his face. "We fly."
"How?" I asked looking at Dorono. "You cannot
fly with me on your back, and besides you, only two of our group of seven can
fly, and one of those has a fractured wing!"
"I will try to fly with you Zarrel Charmin."
Then he looked at Decorah. "Decorah, you can fly with Kirin and Wintroq upon
your back. As for you Herupah," he said turning towards the black uni, "Let
us hope that your wing has healed enough for you to fly."
"I got you now!" and we looked to see Jown running
full speed up at us.
"Now!" Dorono yelled jumping from the cliff
as Jown struck out his paw, missing Dorono by a hairs length. Kirin and Wintroq
jumped upon Decorah's back and he took flight. Then it was Herupah's turn. He
jumped from the cliff, but he started to plummet straight away.
"Herupah, my brother!" Decorah screamed, but
then with a few lopsided flaps, Decorah managed to righten himself, and start
to gain altitude.
I was amazed that Dorono could hold me in the
air, for he was not very big, but even so he was able to, and as we flew away
from High reaches I heard the voice of Jown yelling, "You could have been strong
Dorono, but you chose to be weak, and stay with that zafara. But don't worry,
this will not be the last time you see me, for I will hunt you down to the ends
of the earth until I have revenge for what you did to my tail!!!" and that was
the last I ever heard of Jown's voice.
We landed on the outskirts of Corinth's cottage.
I slowly climbed off of Dorono, and then ran over to Kirin who had just gotten
off of Decorah, "We made it!" I yelled embracing him. Then I said more quietly,
"Do you really have feelings for me?"
"I do if you do," he softly said, and with
that we both smiled at each other, and then we walked over to where the rest
of our companions were ready to enjoy our freedom.
To be continued... | 
