Wayward Tail: The Mortal Realms Trilogy, Book 1

Together Again

Kazgoroth sent forth a blast of necrotic energy into the sky that struck the dragon. Artifax fell hard into the beach. Before he could recover the demon straddled the neck of Artifax and began to squeeze.

Muted flames shot forth out of his mouth as he struggled to free himself from the fiend. Artifax was losing contact with the world around him. It was only partially physical to him before he grappled with Kazgoroth, but after the air stopped coming into his lungs, the blue light seemed thick to Artifax. And though it was only visible to him, it blanketed all of his dragon senses.

Again he heard the familiar feminine voice. "Come home Artifax."

Throk and Gargos saw what was happening down on the beach. Gargos let out another deep bellow and the giants rallied to his side. He held onto his beloved Greta in one hand, and with the other he pointed to the demon.

"For the dragon, "he spoke in the common tongue. The line of giants charged. Throk raised his massive blade and charged with them.

Brother Belgeras, who had stormed the beach and fallen back when the beasts collided, rallied the soldiers around him and charged.

The Eladrin rangers, who had apparently found the Oman Moonwell in the Iron Keep, had sent for reinforcements, and the rangers from Shinaelestra poured down the hill and onto the beach.

Jameth, and the others from Balder's were reeling form Kazgoroth's attacks, but they also rallied to Artifax's side. Everyone who Artifax had ever met and helped, now fought to be by his side.

Amid all of these rally cries, no one saw the wounded female figure approach the beast slowly from behind. With her she carried the gnarled staff of Queen Connomae. She had a slight head start on the others. With all of the strength she had left, she swung the Orb at Kazgoroth and struck a mighty blow.

A ripple of magical energy echoed out from the beast and the Orb shattered. Kazgoroth dropped the head and neck of Artifax and fell to his knees. He turned as if to strike the woman, but by then the mobs of men and giants were upon him. Their blades pierced the Lord of Lycanthropy and he fell dead on his hallowed isle.

Artifax had but a few breathes remaining in that material form. He felt his spirit trying to escape that physical body and ascend upwards. As the world lost focus, he felt a body press into his.

The form was blurry, but the smell could not be mistaken. Layla had wrapped her cold arms around his neck and her blood stained tears fell onto his amber scales.

Artifax could feel the pressure of her arms around his body getting weaker. The last sense Artifax remembered was the pounding of their heartbeats as they became one. Together they slowed, and eventually stopped.

The blue light pulled Artifax up into the sky. He saw the peaks of Celestia, and the chorus of his brothers standing before him. Then, the voice began again, and the voice was attached to a body. A young female dragon stood before him. She repeated the words she had said already in another time and place. Now he recognized her.

"Come home, Artifax," the voice said. "I love you."

Back in Faerun, hundreds raised torches to their fallen comrade. Though the dragon and the woman were no longer there, their deeds and the lives that they had touched would remain for all time.