Sky Riders: The Rising Sun
Beneath the Mountain

“Come on, Eliana,” she heard a quiet voice urging her. “Comeon, wake up.”

She moaned, pushing away the hands that brushed her face andshoulders. Why couldn’t they just let her sleep? She was so tired.

“That’s it,” the voice said, responding to her movement. Thehands gripped her shoulders firmly and shook her gently. “Come on, dear, wakeup.”

She grudgingly opened her eyes to replace herself gazing intoher mother’s worried face. Ispera sighed in relief and hugged her.

“Thank goodness,” she sighed quietly.

Eliana rubbed at her eyes groggily. “What’s wrong?” sheasked, sitting up. “What happened?”

She glanced around. The sun was beginning its descent overthe tops of the mountains. She was lying on the grass, close beside Oriens. Sherealized with surprise that she must have fallen off his back. The dragon wasjust beginning to stir as well, blinking his large, green eyes in confusion.

“You fainted,” Ispera answered, helping her to her feet.“Both of you did. Iocus said you were likely both exhausted from your flight.”

Images of the lake bottom flashed through her mind. “Raena,”Eliana breathed, her heart beginning to race again. “Is she okay?”

Ispera pressed her lips together in a grim line. “She’sstill unconscious, and she’s very weak. I don’t know if we’ll be able to reviveher. Laurus is with her now.”

Eliana looked at Oriens as he lifted his head. “Go on,” he said with a nod. “I’ll wait here for you.”

She turned back to her mother. “Take me to her, please.”

Ispera nodded obligingly. “This way.”

They skirted the edge of Amiscan and entered a hut that wasslightly set off from the others. The small room inside was crowded withpeople. Raena lay on a bed, Laurus and Barus hovering on either side of her.Iocus and Caelum stood against one wall, talking in low voices; they looked up asIspera and Eliana entered.

The anxious lines in Caelum’s face disappeared momentarilyas he moved quickly to meet her. He pulled her into his chest, breathing a sighof relief against her wet hair. “You’re okay,” he whispered.

“Of course,” she answered, pulling back and looking towardsthe bed where the pale woman lay. “How is she?”

Laurus looked up at the Rider’s question, shaking her head.“Not good,” she answered grimly. “She is on the very edge of death, and… Idon’t think I can bring her back.”

Eliana stepped up beside the Healer, looking down at thepale face. Her hair and clothes still clung to her face and body with moisture.Her skin held the pallor of death. Eliana swallowed hard, fighting back theunexpected emotions that rose inside of her.

As she stared at Raena’s limp form, she felt somethingsoftly prodding at the walls she’d learned to put around her mind. Briefly, shestrengthened the wall, stiffening at the presence in her thoughts. Then, shesensed something familiar about it. Slowly, cautiously, she lowered herdefenses.

“Eliana,” a weakvoice whispered, sounding tired and distant. “Rider Eliana, I must speak with you.”

“Raena?” she askedcautiously.

“Yes. Please, enter mymind. There is something I must show you.”

Eliana hesitated, then reached out with her right hand andplaced it to Raena’s forehead.

“What are you doing?” Barus asked.

Eliana was plunged into Raena’s mind. She could sense howweak it was, barely hanging onto the threads of life, struggling to keep fromdrifting into blackness. As soon as she was submerged in the elf’ssubconscious, Raena spoke to her again.

“When I was banished,I knew that I could not go back to Iterum; I couldn’t face my family’s shame. Iknew that, if they discovered what I’d tried to do to their Rider, they wouldhave never looked at me the same way again. So I stayed near Amiscan, hiding inthe forest on the west side of the mountains.

“There is no need forme to lie to you—not now—so I will tell you that my intention was to wait foran opportunity to finish what I started. I wanted nothing more than to killyou, no matter the cost.”

Images from Raena’s memories began to play themselves outbefore Eliana’s eyes as the woman continued to tell her story.

“After a fortnight, Iwas discovered by human soldiers. They took me prisoner. I expected them toquestion me, to try to force information from me, but for some reason, theynever did. None of them even spoke to me. So I watched, waited, and listened.

“I learned much, withoutthem knowing I had learned it. They’ve been planning an attack on Amiscan formonths, Eliana, just biding their time until they received the signal toattack.

“A week ago, theyreceived a messenger from Vereor. He told them Emperor Corpanis had died, andNocens now rules. It was the signal they’d been waiting for. They begandigging. They’re digging now, even as we speak, tunneling beneath the mountain.They plan to surface outside your quarters. I heard them talking and planning.”

“How do they know wheremy quarters are?” Eliana asked.

“I don’t know how theydiscovered it, but they know. They know its precise location.”

Suspicion nagged at Eliana’s mind. Ater would have knownexactly where her quarters were.

Raena continued, “Whenthey surface in Amiscan, their orders are to send their strongest soldiers tocapture you. If they fail, they will send a Rider. Eliana, they have a Rider!”

“Yes, Oriens and I sawthem. Do you know when they will surface, Raena? How much time do we have?”

“I escaped from my bonds.I think it was a day ago, but I’m not certain; time was hard to follow at thebottom of the lake. But when I escaped, I snuck into their tunnel, marking thedistance they had covered. I believe they will surface in Amiscan within twoweeks. Their numbers are not large. Nocens has underestimated the power of theelven army; he sent only two thousand men.”

“But we just scoutedthe area. How did we miss them?”

“They have a sorcererconcealing their presence. He is the same who kept my magic bound in my mind,keeping me from fighting them.”

An image of Peior’s black eyes and pale face appeared inEliana’s mind, and her heartbeat quickened with fear.

“The soldiers found meas I left the tunnel, and knew that I had learned of their plans. They neededto get rid of me or risk me escaping and warning you all. They tied me to a stoneand threw me into the lake. Once away from the sorcerer, I was able to summonenough magic to breathe and put myself into a protective sleep, and I survivedthat way for a day, until you found me.”

There was a brief pause, and Eliana felt Raena’s strengthwaning. Finally, she continued. “You mustprepare the armies. Tell Caelum what I have told you. I know you can defeatthem. I don’t have much time left. I can feel it. This coma can only protect mefor so long. I am going to awaken, and I will have but a few minutes to say myfarewells.”

Eliana pulled back from the weak mind and opened her eyes,lifting her hand from Raena’s clammy forehead. She found all eyes in the roomstaring at her, wide with curiosity.

“What happened?” Barus snapped. “What were you doing?”

Before she could answer, Raena’s blue eyes opened,fluttering weakly. “Barus?” she whispered.

The burly elf’s attention darted from Eliana to his sister.He quickly reached out and took the hand that she was extending towards him.“Raena! Thank the gods, you’re alright.”

She shook her head weakly. “No… I’m not… I love you, Barus.You have always watched over me. Watch over our family when I am gone.”

Eliana saw Barus swallow hard, but tears began to slide downhis cheeks as he shook his head in silent denial of Raena’s words.

Raena peered weakly around at those who surrounded her. Hergaze fell on Caelum, who stood just behind Barus’ shoulder. “Caelum,” shebreathed. “I am sorry for any pain I caused you. But I hope that you know how…how much I loved you. And I will always… always love you, though I know youcould not love me.”

Caelum nodded, but said nothing. At last, the bleary, blueeyes turned to the Rider sitting on the edge of the bed. “Rider,” shewhispered, her voice growing weaker each moment. “I won’t ask you to forgive mefor what I did… for what I tried to do… I was blinded by my foolish envy. But Isee now… I see now that you are the one hope we have left.”

Eliana smiled weakly through the tears she did not fullyunderstand. “You don’t need to ask my forgiveness, Raena,” she said hoarsely.“It is already given.”

She smiled back weakly. “Thank you.” Her gaze returned toher brother, who wept silently, clutching her hand. “Be strong, Barus,” shebreathed. “I will watch over you, as you have always watched over me. I loveyou.”

The pale lids slid back down over those soft blue eyes. Asigh escaped Raena’s colorless lips, and her hand went limp in her brother’sgrasp. Barus pressed the hand to his lips, his body shaking from suppressedsorrow. The room was silent, except for the ragged breathing of Raena’sgrief-stricken brother.

Eliana’s hands trembled as she continued to fight againstthe sorrow in her heart—sorrow and guilt. Raena had been banished for her sake.For Eliana’s safety, Raena had been sent into the arms of death. Her life hadbecome forfeit to preserve the life of the Rider.

Eliana was not the only one who seemed to share thisthought. Barus’ blood-shot eyes leapt to her face. “You,” he rasped, his lipsdrawing up in a feral snarl. “You did this.” She stared back at him, unable todeny his words. “Get out!” he screamed. “Get out! Get away from her!”

She quickly stood and ran from the hut, heading for thesafety and comfort of Oriens’ presence. She hadn’t yet managed to escape theedge of the city when a firm, gentle hand stopped her. Caelum turned hertowards him and pulled her into his arms, holding her trembling body close tohim.

“Don’t listen to him,” he whispered as he stroked her damp,dark hair. “This was not your fault.”

She pressed her lips together, holding back the denial ofhis words. She knew that Caelum would neither hear nor understand if she wereto tell him the guilt she felt. She allowed him to hold her for a long momentas she gained control of herself, and the tears were no longer an imminentthreat.

She took a deep, steadying breath and pushed away from hisgrip. “Thank you, but I need to see Oriens.”

He nodded understandingly, though concern still filled hisblue eyes. She turned away from him, taking deep breaths so that she remainedcomposed. At last, she returned to the field where Oriens still lay, waitingfor her return. His emerald eyes met hers, filled with deep understanding andsympathy.

“I am sorry, littleone,” he said quietly.

“Please, just take mehome, Oriens.”

“Of course.”

She numbly climbed back into the saddle, resting her headagainst the golden scales as Oriens lifted them into the air. He carried herback to the cave, where he landed on the stone floor so gently that she hardlyfelt the impact.

She slid to the ground and slowly, mindlessly removed thesaddle. Without bothering to put the saddle on its rack, Eliana slipped out ofher damp, sticky clothes and drew the water for a bath. She slid into thesteaming water from the hot springs below her, letting the heat seep away ather pain.

Oriens watched her silently, still looking worried, as shesoaked in the tub. She allowed her mind to become completely open, holdingnothing back from him. She felt him sift through her thoughts and feelings, allowinghim to replace the answers he was seeking without her having to explain. Hiscompassion welled up inside of her, filling her senses. He understood. Healways did.

“You must tell Caelumabout the soldiers,” he said at last. “Evenif the army is small, there is much preparation that will need to be done.”

“What’s the point ofall this, Oriens?” she asked bitterly.

“What do you mean,little one?”

“It feels like we justface one battle after another. Constant pain. Endless bloodshed. How can wejustify this war when it seems to cause more pain that it will end?”

Oriens sighed and rested his head on his front legs, stillwatching her with his wise green eyes. “Eliana,do you remember the people you saw in Vereor?”

Images of the starved, hollow-eyed skeletons in the citystreets filled her mind. “Yes… Iremember.”

“They, and millions ofothers, have been forced to live that way for five centuries because of thecruelty of Nocens and his ancestors. Would you let that continue?” When shedidn’t answer, her dragon went on, “Andwhat of the slaves? You saw one of them as well. They’re sold like livestock,ripped from their families and forced into lives of servitude and abuse—this,too, because of the emperors.”

Eliana thought of the young girl with the collar around herneck—a symbol of her slavery. She had seen others like her from time to time,brought through Vegrandis by traders and trappers from the city.

“Villages are raidedat the emperor’s leisure to supply his armies. You have seen this yourself in Vegrandis.Would you allow these things to continue?”

“No,” she sighed. “We can’t let that go on…”

“Then that is how wejustify this war. Yes, there will be pain and bloodshed, but we can end thesuffering of thousands, even millions of people.”

She nodded in agreement, then took a deep breath and slippedbeneath the hot water.

~*~

Eliana scratched a crude map into the dirt before her as Caelum’seyes watched closely. She drew a jagged ridge for the mountains, then carved alarge X, directly across the peak from Amiscan.

“Here,” she said, tapping the X with the stick she used.“This is where Raena showed me they were digging. She said we had two weeks, atmost, before they broke through my quarters.”

Caelum scratched his chin in thought for a moment, thennodded and said, “It should be easy enough to defeat them once they arrive. Wehave more than three times that amount of soldiers, now that the humans arehere, and they’ll be funneling themselves, making them easy to handle.”

Eliana nodded and lifted one shoulder slightly. “True, butwhy let them come to us and realize how much stronger we’ve become? If Nocenswill continue to underestimate us, we can’t be defeated. We should take fivehundred elves here—” she tapped a spot on the mountains, “—and drive them backto Vereor within a few hours.

“They won’t be expecting humans to be in our ranks, so weshouldn’t show them that we have any. We can have the elves collapse thetunnel. That will take out a large portion of their forces. Then the majorityof our ranks come over the lower ridges here and here.” She indicated two spotson the mountain, which bordered the location of the army’s tunnel. “We takethem from both sides, and we fight for as long as it takes for them to retreat.”

Caelum looked up at her with a teasing grin. “When did youbecome an expert in battle strategy?”

She simply smirked and shrugged, then stood, drawing herright foot across the map, obliterating it from the forest floor. “So you thinkit will work then?”

Caelum nodded, straightening as well. “I think it’sbrilliant. But I have one suggestion to add.”

“And what might that be?” she asked, suspicion rising.

“You stay here.”

She scowled. “Absolutely not!”

“Eliana,” he sighed in irritation, “what good will it do foryou to come? We can do this without you. There’s no point in risking you in asmall skirmish. You are the only advantage we have over them right now, andit’s not worth the danger to bring you along.”

“But Raena said she sawPeior. He’s concealing their presence. He’s probably with them.”

He shook his head slightly. “All the more reason for you notto come. He will pick you out, target you. She said they are coming for youspecifically. Why lead you into their waiting arms? Let our five hundred elves,with all their magic, handle him. We’ll be fine.”

She clenched her teeth, glowering at him, but she recognizedthe sense in what he said. As much as she wanted to be there amid the soldiers,she knew that she didn’t need to be. With their plan, the five hundred elvescould easily defeat the two thousand soldiers, whether Peior was still withthem or not. She didn’t need to risk injuring herself or Oriens, or beingcaptured by the enemy when there was a much greater battle to come.

“Fine,” she hissed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Butyour protective habits are really beginning to nettle me.”

He put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.She turned away from him, annoyed by the fact that he was absolutely right. Hejust laughed softly, the sound like the quiet music of swaying wind chimes.

“We will need you to help plan and coordinate the attack,”he said after a moment. “It is your strategy, after all.”

It was an obvious attempt to get back on good ground withher, and she smirked. “Alright,” she answered, doing her best to still soundput out. “I might as well be of some use.”Oriens’ consciousness prodded gently at her mind, reminding her that she hadsomewhere to be. “I have to go. My mother wanted to speak to me.”

With a teasing grin, she dodged his attempt to kiss her andtrotted out from between the trees. Oriens and Ispera were waiting for her inthe field between the village and the trees where the elves now lived. Thespring sun was bright, chasing away the last of the winter’s snow, leaving onlya white cap high on the mountains.

Her mother embraced Eliana when she approached, smiling downat her brightly. “Ah, there you are,” she said happily. “Now we can begin!”

“Begin what?” Eliana asked in confusion.

“Now, I can begin teaching you the art of Healing.”

“But why? Laurus was already your apprentice.”

“Yes,” Ispera answered with a smile, “but you are my daughter. And, our traditionsmandate that a mother should teach her trade to her daughter. Of course, it’s alittle different for you, since you are a Rider and will always be more than aHealer, but I still have the right to teach you, do I not?”

Eliana smiled, excited at the prospect of becoming hermother’s pupil. “Well, what are we waiting for?” she asked.

Ispera sat cross-legged on the grass, a woven basket filledwith salves, tinctures, potions, and herbs beside her. She gestured for Elianato sit across from her, and she did. Oriens rested his head on the grass,watching carefully with his bright eyes. She could feel his interest minglingwith her own.

Her voice filled with enthusiasm, Ispera began to explain toher the basics of Healing. There was much more to elven Healing than humanremedies. Magic of one kind or another was involved in nearly every kind oftreatment, and there was a treatment for nearly every kind of malady.

Eliana’s instruction in her mother’s art continued forhours, though she barely noticed the passing time. She soaked in every bit ofinformation she could, fascinated by Ispera’s vast knowledge. More than that,she absorbed her mother’s presence. She relished in every hour she could spendwith her, making up for the lost years they’d spent apart.

Ispera was just beginning to explain how to create a potionto heal broken bones when a young human boy interrupted.

“Rider Eliana, Oriens, Lady Ispera,” he said, bowing to eachof them in turn. “I’m sorry for interrupting, but Captains Teleas and Caediswould like to speak to Rider Eliana as soon as possible.”

Eliana sighed. It seemed that those two always needed herfor one petty thing or another. The day before, they’d summoned her from amagic lesson to ask about the way in which elves buried their dead. Sheunderstood their curiosity, considering Raena’s funeral two days prior, butthere were much more important things she needed to tend to, especially withthe approaching army, which neither of the men knew about.

“Did they say what it was regarding?” she asked the boy.

“No, my lady,” he answered with a shake of his shaggy, brownhair, “just that it was of the utmost importance.”

“Very well,” Eliana replied with another exasperated sigh.She stood. “Where are they?”

The boy gestured for her to follow him. “Just around theother side of the village. I’ll show you where.”

Oriens stood, rising to his full height and causing theboy’s face to turn a sickly shade of gray. “Iwill come as well,” he said to his Rider.

Eliana nodded, then turned to Ispera. “Can we continue thelesson later, Mother?” she asked.

“Of course, dear,” the Healer replied, placing her variousobjects back in her basket with a smile. “As I said before, you will always befar more than a Healer.”

Turning back to the boy, who was staring at Oriens with wideeyes, she said, “Lead the way.”

He shook himself, as if coming out of a trance, then turnedand walked at a brisk pace around the edge of the huts. Teleas and Caedis sooncame into view. Their eyes were already on her, as if they had been waiting forher arrival for some time. Something in their faces told her that this was notregarding more elven traditions.

When they reached them, Teleas dismissed the boy with aquick word and turned his eyes on her. Both men looked angry, which was notsomething she had expected.

“Any ideas what theproblem might be?” she asked her dragon.

“Search me,” heresponded. She could feel him tensing, instinctually preparing forconfrontation.

“You called for me?” she asked the two men.

There was a pause before Teleas spoke. “Are the elves andthe humans not equals in this war, Eliana?”

“Of course,” she answered, furrowing her brow in confusion.

“Then why would you keep vital military information fromus?” His green eyes were narrowed at her, searching for an explanation.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, though she wasbeginning to understand where the conversation may be headed.

“There’s an army approaching,” Caedis snapped, making the statementsound like an accusation. “I heard that elf captain and their king discussingit. Two thousand soldiers are burrowing their way under the mountain and youdidn’t see fit to tell us about it! Why?”

She sighed and ran a hand over her face. She should haveknown it was a mistake to keep this from the humans, but she simply hadn’tknown how to tell them they would not be permitted to fight. It seemed,however, that the situation had only worsened in time.

“Because you won’t be fighting,” she said at last, her voiceflat and quiet. “No human will.”

She’d never seen either man look so furious. Caedis took astep forward as if to grab hold of her, to shake her violently as he would havedone back in Vegrandis, but Oriens growled menacingly, making him jump back.

“And why not?” Teleas hissed. “What possible reason couldyou have for keeping us out of the battle? Our men are just as capable as thoseelves!”

“I know,” she answered, groaning inwardly. “But we don’twant Emperor Nocens to know we’ve increased our forces this much. We want himto underestimate us. But if his soldiers see we have humans, and the messagegets back to him, he will know that we are joining against him. And when helearns that, he will send his entire army to destroy us.”

Both men considered this for a moment, still glowering withindignation. Oriens crouched beside his Rider, his body tense.

“It makes sense,” Teleas admitted grudgingly.

Caedis looked at him in shocked betrayal. “I don’t care howmuch sense it makes!” he shouted. “I won’t let my men be kept out of a battlejust because some mangy elf prince and his half-breed lapdog of a Rider tell meI should!”

With a furious snarl, Oriens jumped forward, knocking Caedison his back. His right foreleg pressed down on top of the frightened man, hisrazor claws digging into the dirt on either side of his head and body, pinninghim to the ground. The golden lips lifted menacingly as smoke roiled from thedragon’s nostrils.

“Call him off!” Caedis shrieked at Eliana.

“Oriens,” she saidcalmly, “let him up.”

An emerald eye flicked to her briefly, burning with anger. “Why should I let him live?” he askedher. “I will not allow this scrawny pieceof meat to insult my Rider.”

He pressed down harder on Caedis, making him gasp in pain.

“Oriens!” she shouted aloud. “Let him up!”

The dragon hissed with displeasure and stepped back besideher, allowing Teleas to pull Caedis to his feet. Caedis scrambled behind thelarger man, eyeing Oriens warily.

The dragon lowered his head in a threatening, snake-likemanner as he glared at the brown-haired human. “You will not insult my Rider again,” he said, his rumbling bassdirected at the man. “If you do, I willnot hesitate to remove your head from your body, no matter what Eliana’sprotests may be.”

Caedis made no response, but continued to stand behindTeleas, slightly trembling. Eliana ignored him and turned her attention to theburly, red-haired man in front of him.

“I have your agreement then?” she asked him.

He nodded shortly. “Your reasoning makes sense, but I wantyour word on one thing before I consent to your plan.”

“Name it.”

“The humans will not be held back from any more battles, nomatter your reasoning.”

She nodded. “You have my word.”

With that, Teleas turned and proceeded to drag the tremblingCaedis back into Amiscan by the arm. She sighed, twisting a lock of hairthoughtfully between her fingers.

“Keeping the peacebetween these people may be harder than I thought,” she mused.

Oriens eyed the retreating forms with unconcealed contempt. “If you’d like, I could remove one of theproblems right now.”

She laughed and shook her head. Turning to face themountains, she studied their base carefully. She wondered idly where Vereor’ssoldiers were now, deep beneath the rocky monoliths. She sighed, realizing thatit didn’t truly matter. In two days, the threat and their tunnel would be gone.