Wayne Batson - The Door Within

“What ceremony?” Aidan asked, still rubbing sleep from his eyes.

“What ceremony?” Kaliam echoed. “Why, tomorrow is the last day of Minuet, what you call July. Ere dawn, we will go to the fountains to celebrate many things and to remember.”

With that, Kaliam was gone. A bath had been drawn for him, so Aidan bathed. And in the washing away of those stains, it seemed a great burden was lifted from Aidan’s heart. He was rid of the filth, rid of the evidence of the evils he had lived. But not all reminders had been washed away. Wounds, there were still. Some would be treated and vanish. Others could not be healed by salve or bandage, and scars would remain.

Aidan’s spirits lifted more as he dressed in the silver of Alleble. And he was amazed at the armor that was left out for him to wear. For upon his new breastplate, engraved with careful artistry, was the symbol of the sun rising between the two mountains. He was equipped also with a new belt for his sword. And as he slid Fury into its sheath, he discovered that it did not feel as heavy as it had. In fact, the blade did not drag the ground any longer. It was as if the armor was custom-made just for him.

Moments later a small feast was delivered, and Aidan ate. He ate a lot.

With a contented, overstuffed grin on his face, Aidan sat at a table in the cottage until Gwenne came in.

“Good evening, Sir Aidan,” she said. “I’m glad you’ve eaten, for it is time to go. Kaliam has saddled several dragons for our return trip to Alleble.”

Aidan nodded and stood. And it seemed that Gwenne was awestruck. She stared at Aidan and went pink in the face.

“What’s the matter?” Aidan asked, feeling like he’d put his armor on wrong again. He checked his couters, just to be sure.

“Nothing, Sir Aidan,” she replied. “It is just that you look different in your new armor.” And she would say no more.

They left the cottage, and as they walked through the courtyard, Aidan looked around with amazement. The last time he had seen Mithegard’s courtyard, it was soaked with blood and littered with the bodies of knights from three armies. But now, it was totally cleared. The Knights of Alleble, led by Tal, had been busy reforming it from a place of horrors to a place that could be rebuilt.

There was much evidence still of the tremendous battle: stone was cracked and shattered, buildings were reduced to rubble, and anything wooden was charred or rent. And worst of all, the once-proud Castle of Mithegard lay in ruins, its seven towers laid low.

Kaliam, Nock, Farix, and Mallik greeted Aidan and Gwenne when they entered the stables and pens behind the remains of the castle.

“Ah, Sir Aidan and Lady Gwenne, good evening to you both,” said Kaliam, bowing low. Mallik, Nock, and Farix simply stared at Aidan.

Mallik seemed especially affected, and he turned and whispered something in Nock’s ear.

Kaliam spoke again. “We have a long journey ahead of us this evening. Let’s mount up, shall we? Gwenne, your own dragon, Gabby, is here for you to ride. And Sir Aidan, if you will, join me on Blazewing. I would like to hear of your adventures since we parted the day of the battle.”

“No fair!” said Mallik, his coppery brows in a knot. “Sir Aidan was to ride with me! Indeed, I am in need of something to distract me from the smell of the beast I must ride!”

The dark green dragon near Mallik flexed its wings and growled.

“You see?” exclaimed Mallik.

“I will ride with you,” said Nock with a wry grin. “I have tales to tell you of my brother Bolt that may distract you from your fear of flying.”

“What! Fear of flying?” Mallik objected. And he mumbled something inaudible.

“What say you, Sir Aidan?” asked Kaliam.

“Gladly, Kaliam,” Aidan replied. “But first, have you heard any news of the King of Mithegard? Did he make it to Alleble? Or was he. .. was he killed in the battle?”

Gwenne and Kaliam exchanged odd glances before Kaliam answered hesitantly. “The King of Mithegard was not found among the dead, Sir Aidan. But many have passed between here and Alleble since the siege.”

It wasn’t totally disheartening news, but it didn’t guarantee anything about Aidan’s father.

So Aidan tried to put his anxiety aside for the trip. After all, he had never ridden awake on a dragon before! He had been unconscious when Gabby had brought him to Alleble, so this time he planned on enjoying the ride.

T he creatures began to extend and flap their awesome batlike wings. Dirt and dry grass swirled beneath them, and one by one the dragons went airborne. Watching the ground fall away so quickly stole Aidan’s breath, but he kept his eyes open as the recognizable trees, hills, and mountains shrank into a patchwork quilt-colored crimson by the setting sun. And as the light faded, stars began to blink to life in the vast night sky. Aidan stared at the stars and wondered how anything could be so beautiful.

Kaliam interrupted Aidan’s thoughts to ask him how he had rescued Gwenne, so Aidan told him the entire tale, beginning with the terrifying walk down Falon’s Stair and the secret of the labyrinth.

“You mean there is no maze?” Kaliam had asked. “It was the creature itself?!”

“An amazing creature,” Aidan had replied.

Kaliam listened in awe to Aidan’s adventures. His tale lasted for several hours, and when it was over, Kaliam had simply replied, “Well done, servant of the King… well done.”

Kaliam began to tell of his own adventures, but the rhythmic beat of the dragon’s wings pulled Aidan into a deep, peaceful sleep. And Aidan slept through the rest of the trip.

After the landing, the knights dismounted. Kaliam carried Aidan to his chamber and laid him, armor and all, on his bed.

There came a soft knock at Aidan’s door. It was Gwenne. Her armor was gone and she again wore the beautiful jewel-studded lavender dress she had worn the first time Aidan had seen her.

“I let you sleep as much as I could,” she said. “But come now, for we do not want the sun to rise without us.”

It was all rather mysterious, and as he trotted down the stairs, Aidan wondered what to expect from the celebration. Gwenne would not tell him anything. She simply smiled and said, “Come and see.”

Finally, they left the stairs, turned the corner, and walked out of the gatehouse into the blue-gray before dawn. And Aidan stood as one turned to stone. He gazed out into the main thoroughfare of Alleble, but it was not the Seven Fountains that made him still. For such a crowd was gathered there as Aidan had never seen. It seemed that every Glimpse in Alleble must be there, shoulder to shoulder, side by side, all around the fountains and upon every foot of available space along the entire expanse of the road. And all were absolutely silent-even the tiniest of children seemed to know the reverence of the moment and made no sound.

There, before Aidan and Gwenne, standing on a podium con- structed in the heart of the dry seventh fountain, was a tall Glimpse. But his back was turned so that he could face the gathering.

He seemed to know that someone was behind him, and he turned his head and smiled.

Aidan was stricken with gladness, for it was King Ravelle of Mithegard. He had survived after all. He gestured for Aidan and Gwenne to come closer, and the crowd parted and let them through. When they stood near, King Ravelle began to speak.

“Good people of Alleble, Glimpses young and old,” he said, his voice like thunder announcing rain after a drought. “This is a solemn occasion, and I do not feel fit to speak to you who know what I have only just learned. But if for no other reason than gratitude, I will speak.”