Call of the Waylanders

XL. The Dragon Seekers Arrive

Past the border of the Highlands, where we had first seen the village destroyed by the matadors, There was an enormous swarm of white square tents. I told everyone else what I saw, and we landed at the back of those. We dismounted and looked to find out what was going on. Luckily enough for us, we ran into Oculus after only a few minutes of searching.

"There! It's Oculus!" Jordan yelled, pointing towards the leader of the Outland Rangers. We all ran towards him, and I asked him what was going on. He didn't seem to notice me.

"Sir?" I asked. He turned and saw us six, waiting to know what was going on with all of this. He seemed mildly surprised at our appearance, but he still didn't answer our question. I tried again. "What's going on? What are we supposed to do?" I repeated.

"Ah! Right! You were looking for the dragons! Say, did you find them?" he replied, not answering my question.

"Yes, they said they'd come around chapter fifty-five. Anyway! What are we supposed to do?"

"I was getting to that. Lion, you go over there, that's where you'll find Squadron C-7. Jordan and Josie, you'll be with the archers over in the east, Sari goes with the others in A-1, Cri'Somal will be in Squadron G-9, and Raq Shinn, your uncle wanted you," Oculus finally answered.

"Sounds excellent!" I shouted, then ran over to find the tent that said Squadron C-7. I remembered from my training at the Academy that in time of war, all Rangers were organized into squadrons that combined the talents of many and formed one group. Each squadron would have a clearly marked tent so no one could possibly miss theirs at any time. I soon found the C's in general, then just looked for the one after 6 but before 8 or 9. It was easy, really.

I walked calmly into the tent. What I would assume was the entire squadron was there--there must have been fourteen or nineteen of them--including a warlock and a wizardess--making me the fifteenth or twentieth. Those numbers seemed right to me. 

"Alright, I'm here now," I declared to the entirety of the tent. "Does anyone have any idea bout what I'm supposed to do?"

"Oh, I have an idea," another Outland Ranger told me. They took of their crow's head mask and pulled their hood down.

It was Commander Talon van Rook.

Also known as the greatest Outland Ranger of all time.

*****

"But what about us witches?" Maddie asked, throwing her hands up in a mildly confused fashion. Minnie didn't seem to find it funny.

"Maddie, as you are a Cryomancer, I will personally take you to the Mage's Tent. Minnie, you just go find Squadron F-8, and they'll make use of your witchery business." Minnie saluted to Oculus, then ran off to the F-marked tents, allegedly looking for the eighth one. Meanwhile, Oculus grabbed Maddie's wrist and began to swiftly drag her through a network of tents. A right here, a left there, going straight for a few minutes, et cetera, et cetera, continuing straight on.

"Where are you taking me?" Maddie asked after a fifth left turn.

"To the Mage's Tent. Didn't I tell you?" Oculus answered, only a little peeved. 

It was funny. Maddie had only read about androids with synthetic emotions in her science fiction books back on Earth, also known as the Null World, but here Oculus was, in real life, with feelings and expressions so well done that they didn't even begin to seem fake. It may have been because of his core, which was basically like a soul in the Null World. Maddie knew there was something special about his core, but she couldn't remember for the life of her what it was. 

"So why are you, specifically, taking me to the Mage's Tent?" she asked.

"Because it's where all the 'mancers gather. Pyromancers, Necromancers, Hydromancers, you as the singular Cryomancer, Aeromancers, Geomancers, et cetera. I've even heard rumors of a Chronomancer coming into the fray," Oculus mentioned.

"Chronomancer?"

"Wielder of time."

"Ah."

"Anyway, We're almost there, so be patient. You're not wearing any nice shoes, are you? Because dragging you through all that mud may have been a bad decision on my part if you are."

"No, I was just on a journey looking for dragons. I wore my hiking boots."

"Alright. That also explains the coat, because it sure isn't cold around here. Not with the Scorch Knights tooling around everywhere." 

They reached a large tent, much larger than the surrounding ones. It was three times as tall and probably ten times the area. Oculus brought her to the door, gestured extravagantly to it, then walked away. Maddie stepped in and saw the other 'mancers.

"Hello! You must be our Cryomancer!" One female mage guessed, stepping up to Maddie and shaking her hand. "I'm Hera, the Lumancer--Wielder of Light, in case you're wondering. Somebody get this girl her shoulder plate, please!" somebody came with a metal plate that bore a glacier shape on it--the symbol of a Cryomancer, Maddie assumed. They strapped it on to her left arm, and soon she looked like the other mages, she noticed. All had a plate with a symbol that represented the power they wielded. 

"This may be war, Cryomancer," a Necromancer, with a skull on his shoulder plate, said, "But believe me, us mages will make it fun. Just you wait."

*****

Isabel looked over the map one more time. "You're sure this is a one to sixty-four scaling?" she asked once more, just to make sure.

"Yes, I'm sure! You've asked me that sixty-four times," a strategist, coincidentally named Reginald, complained. Luckily for him, he had absolutely no concern for the safety of the most powerful wizardess in the Five Lands. 

"Good. So, what is your first plan of attack?"

"Well, you see, the Wizard Slayers pose the most danger to us, as they have the ability to negate magic."

A small boy, the messenger to the officials, ran into the tent, bowed to Isabel, and shouted, "Madam Isabel! The dragons have been confirmed to arrive in our aid!"

"Do you know when?" Isabel asked.

"I believe words have been spoken about chapter fifty-five."

"What does that mean?"

"I have no idea, miss."

"Alright. You may go." The boy dashed out of the tent. Isabel turned back to Reginald.

"Back to what we were talking about," she began.

*****

Raq stepped into the his uncle's tent. "What is it, Uncle Hoz?" he asked once he realized that Hoz was the only one in the tent.

"I'm glad you've arrived, my nephew. I've arranged for you to be in Squadron V-5. Is that alright?" the Sol Prima answered.

"That's not all you wanted to talk to me about, was it?"

"No, I wanted to ask you when to perform the Call. You are the conductor, after all, as firstborn of the firstborn."

"I don't know just yet, but when I go with the squadron, I'll be able to see the situation. My best guess is we'll perform it when we need it most."

"Hopefully it won't fail like it did in 279c."

"That was the one time it did. Don't worry, Uncle, the Scorch will never be able to stop our pure dragon power."

"If you're right, we win."

"I'll see when I find the 'V' section, now, won't I?"

"That's correct. I'll see you on the battlefield." 

Raq said goodbye, then left in search of the "V" section.