Pael’s voice was like a distant macabre chorus howling in Gerard’s ears. He had had a thought, a hope, for a fleeting moment, but it slid from his mind when the icy cold, ghost-like form of the demon rose up through him.
Its evil had filled him for a moment, was filling him again. With each pulse of his dying heart, a little more of himself was forced away. It wouldn’t be long now. His life blood was nearly gone. He wondered absently about what had changed the future that the old fortune-teller had seen. Shaella was too close to him to have betrayed him, and Gerard didn’t think she had. He was supposed to be brokenhearted, and climbing down the steps underneath him to seek out some great power. The seer had almost seen the right future, but not completely. He had to admit that he was glad Shaella hadn’t betrayed him. In a strange way, that would have been worse than this. He could face death. He would rather die than feel his heart crushed by the woman he loved. The old crone had gotten part of it right. He had known and felt true love. What else had the woman said? He had been thinking of it only moments ago when he was climbing up the Dragon Spire, but now the train of thought eluded him. He forced open his eyes, hoping that he might be able to see the thought lurking in the dragon’s lair somewhere, as if it were some tangible thing.
It took some time for his eyes to work. The world was a collage of blurring splotches, but it all slowly came back into focus: green flames dancing crazily, spittle flying from the black robed, egg-headed sorcerer’s mouth, as he chanted and circled. Then the light of the cavern suddenly blacked out, eclipsed by some huge, glittering scarlet thing. Then – then he saw Shaella.
“NOOO!” she screamed, as she slid down the side of the newly collared dragon’s neck. Her heart hammered at the sight before her.
“HELP ME!” a terrified voice called out.
One of the deckhands, from the barge they had pirated, was clutched gingerly in the dragon’s jaws.
“OH! PLEA –” His voice stopped abruptly, as the dragon gave him a warning squeeze with her teeth.
“Stop it!” screamed Shaella. “I have your sacrifice right here!”
She stormed over towards the ring of flames, pulling her sword from its sheath as she came. Around her neck, was a collar similar to the one she had put on the dragon. It linked her to the beast, and her anger caused the dragon to let out a low, rumbling growl, which made the cavern tremble.
When she was close enough to see Gerard, she froze. There was so much blood. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She had just left a feeding ground full of gore that was strewn with dozens of dragon-torn bodies, but she was still shocked. How could Pael have done this? He was supposed to have waited until the dragon was collared. She had promised him a sacrifice, but she hadn’t wanted it to be Gerard. It felt like her heart was being squeezed by some giant icy cold fist. Why hadn’t Pael waited? She had his offering clutched there in the dragon’s jaws. Oh, Gerard!
Her rage at the wizard melted away as she met Gerard’s eyes. His eyelids were fluttering closed. He was so gaunt, and sickly looking, so close to death. She looked back at the wizard, and was about to make a plea for the life of the man she loved, but Pael’s expression sent a tidal wave of fear and anger washing over her.
The dragon dropped the trembling deckhand to the cavern floor and loomed in close behind Shaella, ready to attack at her command.
As Pael came around the circle he was pacing, still singing his binding, and still entranced in his ritual. Shaella charged him with her sword held high. The outer ring of flames leapt up like a shimmering emerald wall before her. The power radiating from them gave a clear warning. Unlike regular fire, demon fire would burn her flesh for ages. As angry, and as scared for Gerard as she was, she dared not passed through those flames.
“I hate you!” she screamed at the wizard. Then, she broke down, and fell to her knees, letting her sword clatter to the floor beside her. She put her face in her hands and cried for Gerard. It was all she could do.
Gerard heard her sobbing voice through the exotic symphony that Pael’s spell had created around him. She had truly loved him, she was truly sorry, she hadn’t meant for any of this to happen. Had she somehow betrayed him? He wondered. It seemed more as though the wizard had betrayed her. Gerard wanted nothing more than to run to her and comfort her in his arms. He wanted to tell her that everything was going to be all right, even though he knew that it wasn’t. He didn’t even have the strength left to open his eyelids. The coldness of the black thing was moving through him again.