The Remains of the Mirror

Fire and Ice

Bam!  A rotten tree that has been set on fire missed me only by a few inches. My horses hurried away from the next attack, to the right, to the left and again to the right. Fire rained down and washed over the treetops and left them smoking and burnt black. Snow swirled up as the horses hooves clomped hard on the ground. »Away, away!«, I prayed and gripped the reins tighter. The wind cut icy in my face but getting away with my life was truly worth it.
»Gods be good«, I whispered as a dark shadow came across and covered the sun. The splinter in my heart stung as fiery dragon breath came down on us. Wheter it was luck or destiny we made it into the cave that saved our lives. Wearied my horses crashed down. One of them kicked nervously with it's legs in agony. I smelled burnt hair and flesh. In about an hour both of them would die a painful death. They deserved a quick one. »I thank the gods for giving me two of their best and fastest creatures that saved my life. I will give them back now with my greatest thanks and the promise to avenge their lives. I will hunt the Dragon Emperor and his servants down, come what may!«
A gash later my sleeves were drenched with hot red horseblood. »Back to where you erstwhile came, to piece.« I felt really sorry for I couldn't do any more for them, but bizarrely calm although I heard the dragon's leathery wings beating up and down as they were looking for us.
It was then that I finally noticed my frantic pulse and the nervous trembling that seized my whole body. I would leave my sledge in this cave for I would come back. Through the cave led a hidden path directly at the back of that mountain where the village I lived in lay.

»We must look for help. We can't beat him alone«, I announced as everyone was quiet. »Even if we had an army we could not. His are the dragons. His alone«, replied Alvarr, our village elder with his sonorous voice. »When I was young our village elder told us stories. Stories of the children of the gods. Halfgods with strengths we could only dream of. What if we could find them?«, I asked. »They must be a hundred and thousand years old by now, more likely they are dead«, he then said. »Given the opportunity that some of them are alive, would you join our battle?«, I asked and tried to look everybody in the eye. Silence. My heart sank and I bit my lip. Tears welled up in my eyes. Would this be our end? Would we wait until he finally turned on us? Would we die like flies?
»Aye!«, snarled Keid 'Wolvesban' and raised his fist. His lead following every fist in the room was raised, accompanied by barbaric bawling.

Out in the woods I thought of my quest. Finding the children of the gods ... How should I ever find them? I kneeled down in the fresh snow. Why on earth did I say that? 'Because I wanted to live. And if I had to die, I wanted to die a free woman. Die standing straight looking them in the eye.'
I fished a few pieces of straw out of my bags, a flint and the dried grasses wrapped in tissue paper I always carried around with me - the last present I received from my mother before she passed away, my most precious property. She said they were some kind of magical. As a child I believed her stories. As a grown-up I forgot about it. But now, in this desperate hour, it came back to me. »If you ever need to speak to the gods, look for a silent sacred place and burn them. Use them wisely«, she had said.
It wasn't much of a sacred place, but silent. This must do. With my hands I  digged a small pan, covered the ground with straw and set it on fire with the flint. As it smouldered I layed the grass on top. But nothing happened. Only a more than just pleasant smell surrounded me. It smelled like spring after a hard and long winter. At least that was what I knew of the Other World. It smelled like fresh fallen snow, like baked apples with cinnamon and honey, like the first kiss, wet and wild, inexpierenced but full of desire.
»You never asked us to come, but still we know your heart desires to speak to us«, someone said right behind me. My heart almost skipped a beat. I turned on my heels. But no one was there. »You were here to speak and not to see, child«, the voice, unmistakable the voice of a woman, said. I cleared my throat. »I ... My mother once told me a story ... A story of the children of Gods.« I paused. Was she still there? »Go on, child«, she demanded mildly. »She told me they had strengths we do not have, we could only dream of ...«, I began with a sudden shiver in my voice, but continued much stronger, »we need them to end the Dragon Emperor's reign. He burns the woods, he burns the fields, he burns the cattle and even his own species - us. Can you tell me where or how I could find them? It is my imposed task and I need to fulfill it.« »What you call a task, I call a mere impossible quest. It is not in our nature to interfere the skills of humankind. But this Dragon Emperor, you call him, does not even spare the sacred. This is why we Gods decided to help you. Now, child, rise up and receive our gift. Close your eyes.« I did as I was bidden and stood there with wobbly knees, a ghastly cold breeze dragging on my clothes. Soon the sun would vanish behind the treetops, but a light caught my innermost. It warmed the splinter in my heart and with it every part of my body. »Open your eyes.« And there she was. Shrouded in golden light that seemed to come from nowhere and still from everywhere there stood a beauty of a woman. High cheekbones, a smile that would melt even the last heart of stone and eyes of such a warm mildness one could lose their heart on.
»Now you can see the Remains of the Mirror. And more ... you can see if it's carried by a god's child.« And with this her voice faded as her body until there was nothing more than silence and fresh snow.

Laughter.
»But it is true!«, I insisted. But no one believed me. I saw it in their hard eyes and heard it in their sardonic laughter. »You seem to be a little confused. It was a long day, tomorrow everything will be clear. Go home and have a good night's rest«, Alvarr said with a calm voice. I felt the anger boil over, a lone vein pounding on my forehead, but instead of venting my spleen I turned my back on them and left the building. I would set forth to find them. Even if it claimed my life.
As I glanced back the sight proved my quest true: I saw their Remains of the Mirror. Right there, shining almost as bright as the goddess of the forest did. But with a silvery sparkle, not with the rich gold she had been enclosed. And that was when I thought out my master plan.
It was late in the night when I tiptoed towards the stables. My horses were dead, but I would need two. No one was to be seen. Everything quiet, everyone asleep.
But wait! Something or someone rustled in the bushes! I froze and held my breath. Looking around and seeing nothing but darkness and the outlines of jet black houses against a cold midnight blue sky I only heard my own heart pounding. Again the bushes rustled. Two quarrelling squirrels ... But right there in the sparse light of the stables there was one lonely stable boy who just got up to calm one horse that whinnied piteously. »Shh, shhh, calm. That's fine, here you are ...«, he had a splendid talent in dealing with animals. I had heard before. Another thought crossed my mind. I would try.
»Asbjom.« He turned around, eyes wide open, terrified. »It is just me.« I stepped into the light and I saw his relief. »What a beautiful night, isn't it?«, he then asked, but it seemed as if he wouldn't wait for an answer. So I just nodded and got closer. He was a strong boy who has seen sixteen summers by now. His father ofttimes took him along when he went fishing or hunting.
I knew he waited for me to say something. 'Let him wait a little longer', a voice in my head told me. I saw his muscles tense. »Is there any particular circumstance for your late visit at the stables?«, he tried to ask his question as polite as never before. »Have you attended the gathering tonight in the guildhall?« He shook his head. »Has your father told you anything about it?« Again he shook his head. I smiled. Quite as I expected. Stubborn old Magnor thought his son was old enough to kill but too young to attend meetings at the guildhall, even too young to tell him what was going on.
»Are you familiar with the old stories?« He nodded. »Most of them were told by you«, he answered and grinned from ear to ear, »I always loved the ones about the Remains.« 'Great', I thought. »I know, you are a young boy, head full with stories of adventures and grave dangers. But what if I told you, I could take you on such an adventure?«, I asked. He kept silent for a few heartbeats, his face showed nothing. Then he looked me straight in the eyes. »What kind of adventure?« »The one they will sing songs of«, I answered determined and I saw the pride of not yet undergone experiences grow in him. »What do I have to do?« »We must lend two horses and lead them to the cave. I left my sledge there when I escaped the dragons.«
»Dragons?«, his eyes again went wide. I nodded. »Am I to kill a dragon? I henceforth will be called Asbjom Dragonslayer!«, he brandished an imagined sword. »Before we kill some dragons we have to find the children of the gods ...«, I told him. But he was convinced. And he would help me.

We rode back to the cave, the only thing we heard in a while was the wailing wind and the clopping of our stolen horse's hooves on the frozen ground. »They say you have gone round the twist ...«, he said and tried to look peaceable, »But I always knew they were wrong.« I smiled. Not exactly what one wanted to hear after leaving their village maybe for the last time but better than nothing at all. 'Thank you', I mouthed and ran the horse. There was much to do before the night was over.

»It is beautiful!«, Asbjom said as he watched the dragons fly outside the cave, still looking for me and my dead horses that lay right next to my sledge. Out of the corners of my eyes I saw a darting flame arrowing towards the sky. »Come back in«, I murmured grumpily and put the cart before the horses. »I will hold the reins. I am experienced in doing it out there surrounded by those awful dragons. You can hold them when we are save. Until then you keep an eye out for enemies.« Asbjom swallowed, but nodded. »Well then. Let the story begin!«

*

Thank you, everyone, for reading the first chapter. You might have noticed the title »Fire and Ice« which is not thieved (and reversed) from someone we all might know just too well, someone whose name begins with G and ends with eorge R.R.Martin. You can see this as a tribute since he was the one who finally aroused the wish in me to be published in English instead of German which is my mother tongue (No, I am not from Germany, I am from Austria, the country right next to Germany, we are famous for Strudel, Wiener Schnitzel and a whole lot of other great things.)
This novel is just a foretaste of what is to come - soon I will have my first book published - for further information inbox me or click on my profile. Thanks :) CRRSNOW