Legends from The Warlock's Chair - Prequel - Nightfire

Chapter Six - Escape

But somehow they reached the cave without incident. Nightfire ushered the children inside and turned to confront the onrushing enemy. Dotty watched him, wondering what he was going to do. She saw him glance quickly upwards. The large Qrill waved his staff, urging the warriors to advance on the dragon. Nightfire waited, then at the last moment, he swung his great tail. It smashed into the rock face above the entrance. 

Dotty just had time to see an avalanche of rock come crashing down upon the Qrill, some skittered away, others were brutally crushed beneath the falling boulders. Then complete darkness enveloped them. She felt Nightfire gently scoop her up in his claws, using his body to shield her Henry and Alice from the shock wave of water, sand and gravel that the rock fall had created.

She offered a silent prayer as they were pushed ahead of the raging waters. Nightfire had curled his body around them, trying to save them from the buffeting he was receiving from the cave walls.

Suddenly like a cork from a bottle, they were thrown clear. Tumbling head over heels the dragon and the children were deposited on a large flat shelf of rock. Dazzling shafts of light replaced the darkness and once again the open ocean spread out before them.

Dotty quickly scrambled to her knees, Henry and Alice jumped up beside her, both shaken but unhurt. To one side Nightfire lay. The dragon did not move as Dotty crawled over to it. She put a hand against his great chest trying to sense any signs of life.

Is he...? A worried-looking Alice started to ask. 

Dotty smiled. No, I think he is just dazed. 

Henry leaned close stroking the dragon's head. Thank God! 

Out of the corner of her eye, Dotty caught a movement. She swung around and gasped in horror.

One of the Qrill crouched there. This one was even bigger than the one back in the cave. Its torso and shoulder were crisscrossed with wounds both old and new. Dotty noted it only had one eye. Where the other one should have sat, was a dark hole crossed by a ragged scar that had been sewn together with some sort of thread. The thick carapace was pitted and scarred, covered in fronds of flowing seaweed, among which darted shoals of small sharp-toothed shrimp-like creatures.       

It stomped towards them its six barbed legs digging into the seabed. 

This is undoubtedly the Qrill King that Mirrorglow had mentioned earlier, Dotty thought, though she could not recall its name.

The Qrill King waved the staff it carried, signalling to the hundreds of warriors that flanked him. As one, they moved forward.

The children crouched by the dragon. Desperately they tried to rouse him, shaking and calling his name, but nothing worked.

The King towered above the children and reached for them.

It is too late, thought Dotty. They had lost. She pulled her brother and sister closer. 

It is never too late child, came the voice in their head. You have done well.

The children looked up. Mirrorglow!  

There was a flash of silver, and she was among them. The Qrill scattered before the mighty water dragon's charge. Tooth and claw rent apart their lines. Many were slain or severely injured in the first pass. Mirrorglow turned and attacked again. She lashed out with her tail sending more of the warriors to a bloody death.

Soon only the King remained.

Mirrorglow settled before him. Gularg-Zsth, I should have taken more than your eye the last time we fought. You took that which I hold dear and tried to bargain. But thanks in part to these children you have failed.

The King cowered, uttering something that only the dragon understood.

No, I am not going to kill you...this time. Mirrorglow reached out for him, lifting him up until he was in front of her jaws. She bit down and dropped him. 

Gularg-Zsth now only possessed five legs.

Mirrorglow spat out the offending limb. Let that be a lesson to you Qrill King. The next time I will collect the rest of you. 

She noticed the shock on the children's faces. Do not worry, unlike his eye; it will probably grow back. 

In seconds, the King was nowhere to be seen. Even minus a leg, he was gone. Scuttled back to his citadel to nurse his latest wounds.

Thank you. Mirrorglow told them while she checked on her son. Nightfire had recovered and was glad to see his mother.

You did well, but now it is time to get you home.

Dotty sighed with relief. It had been a great adventure. But now they needed to get back home. The dragon had told them of the time difference, but how long had they been away? She did not know for sure. Had father missed them yet?

The dragons bore the children back across the great sandy plain which they had traversed on the way in. They reached the dark pillar of rock, and Mirrorglow led them to the entrance of the glowing tunnel of light, the portal that opened the way between Wyr'anthos and their world.

They swam through and soon found themselves back in the pool. Above them, a circle of light marked the surface, they relaxed and gently floating upwards.

One moment, Mirrorglow warned. I need to reverse the magic that I used on you. She reached out with one great claw touching each on the forehead.

Will we see you...? Dotty started asking.

I am sorry, Mirrorglow whispered.

Then Dotty's world went black.