The Dragon’s Eye
As Ulanoma flew across the spirit realm, with Promi on top of her head and Kermi perched on the young man’s shoulder, nobody spoke. Although Promi was near enough to the dragon’s ears to be heard easily above the constant wind, there was really nothing to say. The plan had been hatched, the commitment made, the warning given. All that remained now was to try—and hope—to survive.
Misty air blew across Promi’s face as they flew, sometimes offering glimpses of marvelous, endlessly varied worlds. He caught sight of one world in the shape of an upside-down tree sprouting from a deep blue cloud. Its fruit, hanging upward from every branch, glittered like newborn stars . . . and smelled, somehow, like the fresh passion fruit he’d tasted in the Great Forest. With a pang, he wished he could show this place to Atlanta.
Then he saw a bubbling cloud of mist that gave birth continuously to worlds in different geometric shapes—a flat triangle, a squat pyramid, a quirky polygon, a perfect sphere, and more. At the moment of each world’s birth, the bubbling cloud released a different sound, like the chime of a bell, that ranged from deeper than the deepest roll of thunder to higher than the first peep of a newborn robin. As a result, the cloud literally bubbled with sounds—a celestial symphony that knew no beginning and no end.
Most of the time, however, Promi just watched Ulanoma’s ocean-glass earring as it swayed and jostled with their journey. Though the magical crystal stayed dark, revealing nothing specific about their ominous future, sometimes Promi caught glimpses of what looked like tiny pieces of complete darkness, blacker than the rest of the crystal. Did they foretell the black sparks of mistwraiths? Or did they result from the dragon’s own dark thoughts?
Do not trrrrry to rrrrread the futurrrrre frrrrrom my earrrrring, Ulanoma cautioned him telepathically. It is harrrrrd enough forrrrr me to sense its many meanings, even afterrrrr all these yearrrrrs.
Onward they flew, soaring on dragon wings across the limitless expanse of the spirit realm. Ulanoma’s turquoise scales flashed and rippled with each wingbeat or turn of her massive head.
Finally they reached a massive gray cloud punctured with ominous, lightless pits. The air around them grew sharply colder; Promi could see the dragon’s breath as she flew. He knew without asking that they were passing the Caverns of Doom. The dragon’s earring, now utterly dark, made a sound like ice breaking. A web of tiny cracks spread across its surface.
Clenching her enormous jaw, Ulanoma flew even faster. She wanted to move past this place, as quickly as possible.
Not long after that, all the companions suddenly tensed. The dragon slowed her flight, gliding on the cold wind. For there, dead ahead, was a jagged cloud in the shape of icicles.
Suddenly Ulanoma banked to the right. For her golden eyes had spied, hidden in the crack between two icicles, a rectangular structure made of solid vaporstone. Compact and impregnable, the structure gleamed darkly.
Narkazan’s fortress.
It is time, the turquoise dragon told Promi and Kermi telepathically. Do not trrrrry to enterrrrr until I have drrrrrawn off all those miserrrrrable warrrrriorrrrrs.
Promi placed his open hand on the scales of her immense brow. May you succeed, my friend. And may you survive this day.
Deep in her dragon’s throat, she growled. I wish you the same, Prrrrrometheus.
Promi leaped off the dragon, carrying Kermi on his shoulder. They flew off to one side where a swath of gray mist provided cover. Just before they hid themselves, Promi caught one last glimpse of the dragon’s eye. Within its diamond shape, he saw a mixture of rage, determination, and revenge.
Plus one more quality—something he recognized immediately. Something he’d never seen before in a creature as immense and powerful as a dragon.
Fear.
Then Ulanoma roared, loud enough to shake many distant worlds. Her roar echoed across the icicle clouds.
Instantly, a horde of shadowy beings poured out of the fortress. At least fifty mistwraiths flew in tight formation, swiftly pursuing the dragon who had dared to approach their hideaway.
With another powerful roar, Ulanoma beat her wings hard. She flew off into the mist, trailed closely by the deadly mass of shadows.