Page 53 of Dragon Sword

The fog slithered its way through the cracks and drifted toward us. Alisa stretched her arms out toward the terror with her palms facing the creature and a green light emanated from her body. Tendrils sprouted from the wooden floor, creating a low dome over the fog. The mist was stopped but sweat began to build on Alisa’s brow.

“There’s a powerful magic in that fog pushing against me!!” she warned us as her arms began to quiver. “I can’t hold this for long”

I looked Will over. “Can you fly?”

Sylvia hurried to the low wall that wrapped around the open tower and looked over. The color drained from her face as she backed up. “That’s not a good idea.”

I didn’t need to ask why as a haze of the same evil mist floated up all around us, blocking out the sun and our last escape. Alisa flung up one of her hands and her vines shot up out of the floor, covering us in a thick wall that blotted out the light. I lit my sword and held it up. Alisa’s face was as pale as the city’s marble and her hands quivered.

“There has to be something we can do!” Sylvia snapped as her eyes darted to each of us. “Come on! Think of something or we’re all gonna die in this stupid watchtower!”

I desperately searched for an answer and noticed two ropes that hung down. I followed them up and saw they were attached to two large bells that hung above us.

My eyes lit up as I recalled something Kipu had told us. “That’s it! I might know how to save us!”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE

“Then spitit out and stop with the suspense!” Sylvia snapped at me.

“It’s the last thing she mentioned in that room!” I reminded her. “Something about a ‘watcher on high holds the bells of light which reflect the pure heart!’” I stomped my foot against the floorboards. “This must be the watcher and the bells must be those above us!”

Sylvia sneered up at the bells. “Is that it? It’s

“Do you have a better idea?” I countered as I felt Will lean even more against me.

“Nope!” Sylvia shouted as she grabbed a rope. “So let’s start ringing!

She yanked down and the rope moved with her. The clapper hit the interior curvature of the bell but the metal didn’t vibrate. Not so much as a twinkle emanated from the bell. She tried again and the same result happened.

“Why isn’t this working?” she snapped as she gripped the rope tight. She gave it another pull but nothing happened. “What the hell?” She lunged for the other rope and gave it the same treatment and was rewarded with the same results. Our companion flung the rope away from her and glared up at the bells. “Why don’t they do anything?”

Will grasped the other rope and drew it over to me. “‘The watcher on high holds the bells of light which reflect the pure heart.’” I blinked at him and he smiled. “I know of no purer heart than yours. Try ringing the bell.”

Doubts littered my mind but I grasped the rope in both hands. Will shuffled back and I looked up at the bellies of those two whales of bells. They were so huge I couldn’t fathom them moving at all, but I took a deep breath and yanked down.

The clapper struck the inside of the hood and the bell rang out loud and clear.

The whole tower shuddered as it came to life. The vibrations around the bell took the form of a pulsing red light like the glow of a friendly candle. Alisa buckled under the strain and dropped to her knees, catching herself with her hands. Her vines collapsed along with her and the fog came rushing up and inward. The brilliant glow from the bell floated down over us like a soft transparent blanket, forming a dome and blocking out the terrible darkness.

The tendrils slammed against the barrier and red sparks flew out of the friction point. The light pulsed a moment before it shot out in all directions, vaporizing the mist. I scrambled over to the edge and watched the glow cover the whole of the city up to the vali. The light faded at that boundary and the fog retreated into the forest. I couldn’t help but notice that the darkest point lurked around the stone grave.

Sylvia clapped a hand on my shoulder. I twisted my head around to face her and she grinned. “I guess we all learned something about me today, didn’t we?”

“More than I cared to know,” Alisa snapped as she eased herself onto her feet. She swayed a little and Will was quick to hurry over. He grasped one of her arms and leaned her against him. She smiled up at him. “Don’t fuss about me. I’ll be alright.”

“But willwebe alright for very long?” Syliva mused as she inspected the city and the darkness in the forest beyond the vali. Her face fell as she glimpsed the deep darkness. “That looks like a lot of trouble over there.”

“We should go there then,” Will spoke up as he limped toward the hatch.

I rushed over to stand in front of him and I grabbed his arms. “For once I’m going to be the one to tell you to stay here.”

A crooked grin slipped onto his face. “And I’ll listen as well as you.”

My eyebrows crashed down and I tightened my grip on his arms. “This isn’t funny, Will. You’re hurt.”

“Something’s coming!” Sylvia shouted.

We looked at her as she stabbed a finger in a northerly direction. Four huge shadows flew fast and high toward the city.

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