The Ardent and The Bard

Chapter 7: Rage and Confusion

The Lake of Dreams. It glittered in shades of soft pink and deep purple. The surface was stilled to opaque glass. The trees surrounding the lake weren't the autumn ones of the Prince's court. They were imposing pine trees of midnight green. Shade had to blink a few time when he realized just how dark it had gotten. Had he even noticed? The light here seemed tinted blue.

"It's smaller than I thought it'd be" Shade said.

"It's about what I thought" Cole shrugged "I suppose 'Pond of Dreams' lacks the same ring."

Behind the lake was the dragon. Razcoreth slept just at the edge of the lake. Though his breathing was heavy, it caused no ripples on the water's surface. His emerald scales shimmered in the faint light lake produced. He had a pair of horns that extended straight out from the back of his head.

"Something is wrong" Cole said his eyes narrowing as he focused on the dragon.

"What?" Shade was caught off-guard by the bard's sudden serious tone.

"What do your psionic abilities tell you about him?"

Shade focused. He zeroed in on the dragon's essence.

"He's fast asleep. He's dreaming."

To Cole this was bad news. "Razcoreth doesn't sleep. I mean...he does, but not deeply. Think more in line with a quick nap. To sleep any longer or deeper would make him a poor guardian."

"So what do we do?" Shade was uncertain, his hand hovered just above his psiblade's trigger.

Cole contemplated the situation. The silence in the air broken only by the dragons snoring.

"We go into the lake" he finally said.

He took off his pack and pulled out the Masks of Lucidity. He handed one to Shade. The mask felt warm. Cole instructed that the mask was essentially a blindfold and only to put it on as they were about to enter the lake.

They approached the Lake of Dreams. Slowly. Stealthily. The tall, purple grass shifted to their presence. The glowing lake looked more enticing with each step. The even breathing of Razcoreth acting as a metronome, their steps working in time with it. Shade heard a shift from Cole. He glanced over to see Cole removing a polished bolt-action rifle from his pack. Cole caught Shade's glance and gave him a wink. Just in case.

Then came the sound of something bigger shifting. Both looked on as the dragon raised his head and slowly opened his yellow eyes. The dragon's serpentine neck swayed from grogginess as he surveyed the two fuzzy shapes before him. When he realized what they were he instantly regained his composure. His eyes narrowed.

Cole straightened his stance "Greetings o' Razcoreth, guardian of the Lake of Dreams. Lord of the Emerald Greens."

The dragon did not reply. It was limbering its body from the stiffness of sleep.

"We are guests of the Prince of Hearts" Cole shot a glance at Shade "a message was just sent allowing us access to the lake."

"There has been no message" The Dragon responded. His voice was a rasping whisper. Like trees in a harsh wind.

"But there has been a rash of unwelcomed access to the lake. Intruders sneaking past me..."

"...And you think we're them?" Shade finished the dragon's thought. He could read the situation as plain as a wanted poster.

"Indeed." The trees quacked as the dragon shifted his massive body from its prone position.

Normally Shade would just talk out such cases of mistaken identity, but his senses told him that the dragon was irrational. Something about his sleep had disturbed him and he wasn't thinking clearly.