weakened the crystal? Has your meddling in our affairs wrought this result?”
“How little you know.” Zena glared at Arxad. “We should speak no more about this in front of these two. Let them be locked away until we consult with Magnar.”
Like a splash in water, the scene rippled, and when the surface smoothed, only Zena and Arxad remained.
“It is because of my arts that Starlight has survived this long,” Zena said. “I have searched for this Starlighter for weeks. Since she already knows how to use the cloak, she is too powerful to contain for long. For now, it seems that her encounter with the sphere has overwhelmed her. Otherwise she would have used her tricks already.”
“Tricks?”
Zena waved her arms. “Conjuring phantoms, scaring her captors, making them flee from realistic but merely gaseous opponents. I do not fear her ruses, but many dragons do.”
“If this Starlighter is so powerful, then is she the fulfillment of the Exodus prophecy?”
“Can there be any doubt?” Zena ran her fingers along her black sleeve. “Now we must persuade her to refrain from her foolish notions and work with us to resurrect Exodus.”
“And if we are unsuccessful?”
Zena stalked toward the wall and returned with a dagger in her grip. “Then we will terminate her, so that she doesn’t continue to drain our world’s power.”
Arxad glared at her for a moment before offering a nod of surrender. “If that is the only option remaining.”
“What other options do you think we have?”
“We can try to buy some time. Remember, since we have a Starlighter, the black egg will not be long in coming.”
Zena looked at him for a moment before lowering the dagger. “What do you suggest?”
“The sphere absorbs energy. Perhaps if we tie her to it, it will be restored.”
“Perhaps.” Zena touched the sphere but quickly snatched her hand back. “The light stings.”
Arxad set a wing near the globe. “I feel it as well.”
Dragon and human stared at each other, anxiety obvious in their scowls. Finally, Arxad shuffled away from the sphere, his ears twitching wildly. “It has lost its life-giving power!”
Her body trembling, Zena stepped slowly backwards. “But … but how?”
Now side by side, the two stopped at the edge of the sphere’s aura. “I can draw only one conclusion,” Arxad said. “Cassabrie absorbed it.”
Swallowing hard, Zena looked up at the ceiling. “Our region will be devastated. Even our climate might change.”
Arxad’s scowl returned, more menacing than before. “Magnar never should have listened to you. Stealing energy from the star was bad enough, but infusing the crystal was worse. You have traded blessings from the Creator for personal control and brought a curse upon us.”
Zena clenched a fist and shouted. “Superstitions! Nothing but superstitions! You explain everything with spiritual rhetoric, while I speak with rationality.”
“Is that so?” Curling his neck, Arxad drew his head back. “Then feel free to provide your rational solution.”
As she paced slowly in front of the crystal, Zena pursed her lips. “The stinging sensation proves that the sphere no longer possesses life-giving energy, so the Starlighter will be unable to harm it. We should employ your suggestion and tie her to the crystal.”
“It now carries a painful shock,” Arxad said. “She will suffer during the process.”
“True enough. In fact, as the sphere drains her energy, she could die. Yet, we should all be willing to permit such a sacrifice in order to gain the survival of our planet. When the black egg arrives, the Creator will send us another Starlighter.”
Arxad growled. “You would try to manipulate the Creator? Does your foolishness have no bounds? There must be another way.”
“Then name the alternative, Arxad. Otherwise, I will suggest to Magnar that we proceed as soon as possible. First, however, since there are other green-eyed redheads, I suggest that you test
“How little you know.” Zena glared at Arxad. “We should speak no more about this in front of these two. Let them be locked away until we consult with Magnar.”
Like a splash in water, the scene rippled, and when the surface smoothed, only Zena and Arxad remained.
“It is because of my arts that Starlight has survived this long,” Zena said. “I have searched for this Starlighter for weeks. Since she already knows how to use the cloak, she is too powerful to contain for long. For now, it seems that her encounter with the sphere has overwhelmed her. Otherwise she would have used her tricks already.”
“Tricks?”
Zena waved her arms. “Conjuring phantoms, scaring her captors, making them flee from realistic but merely gaseous opponents. I do not fear her ruses, but many dragons do.”
“If this Starlighter is so powerful, then is she the fulfillment of the Exodus prophecy?”
“Can there be any doubt?” Zena ran her fingers along her black sleeve. “Now we must persuade her to refrain from her foolish notions and work with us to resurrect Exodus.”
“And if we are unsuccessful?”
Zena stalked toward the wall and returned with a dagger in her grip. “Then we will terminate her, so that she doesn’t continue to drain our world’s power.”
Arxad glared at her for a moment before offering a nod of surrender. “If that is the only option remaining.”
“What other options do you think we have?”
“We can try to buy some time. Remember, since we have a Starlighter, the black egg will not be long in coming.”
Zena looked at him for a moment before lowering the dagger. “What do you suggest?”
“The sphere absorbs energy. Perhaps if we tie her to it, it will be restored.”
“Perhaps.” Zena touched the sphere but quickly snatched her hand back. “The light stings.”
Arxad set a wing near the globe. “I feel it as well.”
Dragon and human stared at each other, anxiety obvious in their scowls. Finally, Arxad shuffled away from the sphere, his ears twitching wildly. “It has lost its life-giving power!”
Her body trembling, Zena stepped slowly backwards. “But … but how?”
Now side by side, the two stopped at the edge of the sphere’s aura. “I can draw only one conclusion,” Arxad said. “Cassabrie absorbed it.”
Swallowing hard, Zena looked up at the ceiling. “Our region will be devastated. Even our climate might change.”
Arxad’s scowl returned, more menacing than before. “Magnar never should have listened to you. Stealing energy from the star was bad enough, but infusing the crystal was worse. You have traded blessings from the Creator for personal control and brought a curse upon us.”
Zena clenched a fist and shouted. “Superstitions! Nothing but superstitions! You explain everything with spiritual rhetoric, while I speak with rationality.”
“Is that so?” Curling his neck, Arxad drew his head back. “Then feel free to provide your rational solution.”
As she paced slowly in front of the crystal, Zena pursed her lips. “The stinging sensation proves that the sphere no longer possesses life-giving energy, so the Starlighter will be unable to harm it. We should employ your suggestion and tie her to the crystal.”
“It now carries a painful shock,” Arxad said. “She will suffer during the process.”
“True enough. In fact, as the sphere drains her energy, she could die. Yet, we should all be willing to permit such a sacrifice in order to gain the survival of our planet. When the black egg arrives, the Creator will send us another Starlighter.”
Arxad growled. “You would try to manipulate the Creator? Does your foolishness have no bounds? There must be another way.”
“Then name the alternative, Arxad. Otherwise, I will suggest to Magnar that we proceed as soon as possible. First, however, since there are other green-eyed redheads, I suggest that you test
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