We Fight Dragons (Volume 2, Chapter 15) "Summer Term"
A few days after the Dragon had fled, the Marshal returned to Blacken Green. All of the Woods were asked to be there to witness when the Marshal undid the Torquar ritual on Tobes.
Afterward, when the Captain had her power returned, Jam wondered if she would be able to trust her leader again. She didn’t seem to hold a grudge, at least not as far as he could tell, but it might have been hidden beneath her cool Torquar exterior.
Tobes returned to hanging around with his friends, but things were different. Instead of being the one in charge, he was more subdued. All the Dawson’s were. They had a lot to work out together, and with the other families. Jam overheard Dad and Mum arguing with Mr Dawson who said his family was considering leaving town. Dad and Mum both wanted the Dawson’s to stay, and they said they would work something out.
As the Summer term rolled to its close, the Academy sent out the end-of-year reports which Jam dreaded, although they were not in fact dreadful. In Writing he actually overtook Zach this year. Jam wondered how much of that was due to him studying more, and how much was due to Zach spending so much time with Tracey.
Tracey had become such a part of the group now, that the others hardly had a moment when they could talk about Knightly things, and they always had to watch what they said around her, just in case.
The odds that Tracey would end up being the Maiden that Zach was destined for seemed catastrophically low, and in Zach’s happiness Jam saw what must have happened to Mr Dawson when he met the woman he ended up marrying.
If this was the fate of his people, to gutter out like candles one-by-one, Jam could understand why the Torquar felt the way they did. He could only hope that the god of light would take his feelings into account when the time came.
Over the holidays Oli sketched colour drawings of all of his friends, including Mels. They were unframed, but they looked like a real artist had created them. The sketch of Mels was with her ‘strawberry’ haircut and colours, and it was so realistic that Jam thought it looked like a photo. Apparently, Oli posted the sketch to Mels, and Jam had to admit that he was jealous because he wished that he was able to draw her like that, and he knew that Oli had a talent that he didn’t have. When Mels wrote back to the Woods she never mentioned receiving any drawing, so Jam never found out if she liked it or not.
When Summer was over, and Fall was well begun, am unexpected parcel arrived addressed simply to ‘The Wood Family’. Mum asked Jam to do the honour of opening it at the dinner table. What was inside made no sense.
It was a patchwork of leather straps, woven together so that the overall shape was a very rough circle. The leather was pinned with copper wire to stop it from fraying apart, and each leather strip had dots randomly hammered into it. It looked like something from a rural handicrafts store.
Dad called it a ‘corded sun’. He carefully untangled the leather strips, and as they unravelled they lined up in order. Apparently, the dots were code for a set of map references that only made sense if you took a map and turned it so that ‘west’ was ‘up’.
Apparently, it was an invitation to a gathering of the similar families, all Knights and Maidens who shared their part of the world, although Jam had no idea who any of them might be outside of his own town. They had to exist, because Mum and Dad said they had met other such families in their travels when they were younger.
This was a once-in-a-generation event. Dad didn’t know who had called it, but he could understand the coded message and he believed that it was genuine. It was for Knights and Maidens, and Mum wanted Mels to come with them. It was unusual for such a young Maiden to be discovered, but they had discovered her and Mum was intent that she should be there for such a special event. Mum immediately got on the phone and spoke with Mels mother about the upcoming ‘camping trip’. After a couple of days Mum got a call back, and it was good news. Mels was looking forward to the trip, and her parents would use the opportunity to go on a holiday of their own.
Jam was glad for Mels, but he was worried about Tobes. His friend was not a Knight after all, and his mother was not a Maiden, so they were not allowed. Mr Dawson would be expected to attend, and it was going to raise a lot of awkward questions and judgements about him as a Knight when his family wasn’t with him.
One day, Jam had an inspiration. A way to repair his tarnished friendship with Tobes, and show the Dawson’s that they were still included.
'Mum. Dad. I've got an idea... just hear me out... no one outside of Blacken Green knows that Tobes isn’t a Knight, right? So, what if we… keep pretending… just until this thing is over?'
Nambodius had escaped from Blacken Green, but in its panicked flight it was quickly caught by a greater power. As strong as it was, it could not escape its own creator.
It was dragged deep underground, and now it screamed.
Sheer entropy and chaos clawed its scales apart, and cold darkness crept inside and chilled the Dragon’s very essence. If this continued for long the Dragon would dissipate, and vanish forever.
This was how its master punished those who failed it.
Brutally.
‘Dread chaos…. I beg you… your servant begs you…’
The chaos and darkness moved in ways that only a Dragon could comprehend. But the punishment did not stop.
‘Agh! I have already laid plans. The clans meet. They will be together for once in a generation.’
The elements around it seemed pleased by this, and the torment abated.
‘I have the perfect weapon… believed lost by the Knights years ago… they will not be able to resist…’
The darkness took form in the air, and its vibrations created unnatural noises.
‘How do I know that this event is happening, Master?’ The Dragon’s eyes narrowed into pure destructive intent. ‘Because I sent the invitations.’
The Dragon’s tormentor released it, and Nambodius understood that it was being given a chance. It bowed and scraped as it backed out and away from the deepest cave that the world didn’t even know about.
Taking flight, Nambodious soared through underground tunnels, and through the seams of minerals that it could pass through, until it arrived back in its own lair.
Chained to a rock wall, in stone shackles, was the piteous form a man in rags. The man was emaciated, and little more than skin and bone. Just by looking, it was impossible to tell if he were dead or alive.
‘Ah… my favourite guest… as I promised… the time has arrived when you will be of use to me….’
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