First Light-Asetheran Chronicles

The Summons

Dalhannah sat crosslegged in her room. The elegantly carved windows were left open, and the whisper of the leaves helped keep her calm and centred.

The soft woven rug beneath her kept her grounded. And the two men seated opposite her kept her present.

"Well?" She questioned.

Alfius sighed. She knew where he stood, and she appreciated his dissenting opinion. She clasped his slender fingers with her own.

"My heart is troubled at your burden, my love. I still believe the Drakyr to be our greatest hope. Perhaps there is something in their histories that will shed more light on the vision."

Alfius had spent many years among the Drakyr as an ambassador, and had a great respect for their wealth of knowledge stored and maintained in the great library. She couldn't explain why, but something about the idea gave her pause.

"Xil?" She looked to their companion.

They were like Dawn and Dusk. Both tall and fair of form, with delicately pointed ears, but where her husband had hair of midnight and eyes like the shadowy twilight sky that contrasted with his moon pale skin, Xilander was broad and tanned with hair that shimmered like beaten gold and eyes that glowed with a literal inner fire.

Xil smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry brother, but I fear Dal is right."

Fear. How quickly the word had become a part of their every day vernacular.

Dalhannah stilled her husbands objection. "I've spoken to Helvinnia. And she to Janaferin. They are among the first people. They lived those histories. If they have not the knowledge, then how could the Drakyr? Their knowledge is great, but their individual lives so short."

Alfius nodded his head in agreement.

Xil sighed and stood. "Very well. I will call my Breatherin, we will call a Conclave."

Dalhannah and Alfius thanked their friend, who went onto the balcony. He smiled once, his longer canines flashing in the sunlight, and he shifted to his true form and launched from the wide platform into the afternoon sky.

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Dalhannah waited in the Cardinal Hall, deep in the heart of the Red Mountain.

Alfius stood at her side, tall and strong, his hand clasping hers. His presence was ever reassuring to her and she was grateful to the Goddess for giving her such a steadfast partner. Beside them stood their children. Galantriel stood to her left. She was only 30, and still a child by their standards, not fully grown, and her ears still unfurling. Dalhannah stroked her pale blue hair that fell in waves down her back, and her daughter smiled sweetly up at her. Alfius had opposed bringing her, she was still innocent and he wanted to spare her the details of Dalhannas vision. But she had insisted. This would effect everyone, and as much as she would wish it otherwise, she knew that Galantrial and Aldontis would need to be prepared. Aldontis stood beside his father, a small carbon copy but for his lavender eyes that he got from his mother. She was proud of both of her children. Aldontis was approaching his adulthood at 58, and was near as tLl as Alfius, but his shoulders were broad and his arms far more muscular. It had been too many years in her eyes since he had been home. He had spent a decade as Ambassador to the Dwarves of the South, learning from them and sharing his knowledge in turn. Now he was serving in the Great Library and learning from the engineers and keepers. Galantrial had just completed her specialist training in Elvanador, and could play her flute with such heart and passion it could bring a tear even to the eyes of a Dragon.

Helvinnia stood behind them, her snowy hair braded and her eyes radiating wisdom.

The hall slowly filled.

Below them to their left was the Mer pool. Seated in the centre was Ajax, his webbed ears adorned with golden rings, his tail shining in the crystal lamp-light, predominantly blue, with a rainbow iridescence. Behind him his daughters Mirra, Adira, Karra and Ebriella splashed and played in the water, earning an indulgent smile from their father.

Beyond them the Dragons alcove. She could see Xil, far larger than any of the others, the first being, he radiated knowledge and power with the slightest movement of his body or slow blink of his glowing amber eyes.

There were seven dragons in total, one for every race of Asethera. Some, like Ametea- the Zrallen Dragon, were in their humanoid form- amethyst scales adorned her body, and her serpentine tale swayed behind her as she spoke animatedly to the Dragon next to her; Spheno, The small, emerald dragon who resided with the dwarves. There was Narhish, the sapphire Mer Dragon, and Tahli, the quartz Fae Dragon, whose wings seemed to be made of pure magic. Xil, was the embodiment of fire, but served as a guide to the Elves, some of who, like Helvinnia, had had known since the beginning. Then there was Xeokat. He was small and silvery, little bigger than an elf. The only Dragon who came after the beginning, a hatching gifted to Xil by the gods themselves. She smiled at the little Dragon who lounged impishly on the back of his father. He had grown up in Dalhannahs house, as close to her as a brother. Rontix was conspicuously absent, the onyx Drakyran Dragon, but he and his charges had the furthest to travel from the far southern jungles.

Opposite the Elves sat the dwarves, the four Chancellors seated on beautifully worked bronze thrones. Two swarthy bearded men she recognised as Bruin and Vron, and two plump women, Guilda and Vendia. They laughed raucously among themselves, and Dalhannah smiled. She had spent many years with Bruin and Guilda in Taldanimir in her youth, and the dwarven penchant for both revelry, and hard work, was unrivalled.

Directly to her right were the Fae. They were smaller than the Elves but still taller than the dwarves and drakyr. At their head stood Ilyennia, a beautiful woman with auburn hair, and her husband Denfis, whose shaggy brown locks gave him a wild and carefree air. Their enterage was strangely quiet and Dalhannah noticed that only one of their two daughters was in attendance. They lived such short lives, she had never met either of the girls so she couldn't be sure which had stayed behind.

Past the Fae were the Zrall. Their envoy was the largest with one of each of the tribal leaders in attendance. They were an eclectic group, with animal features melding with human forms. Some had tails and ears, others scales or fur. She recognised Sabi'nar, the high priestess of the Feline clan, and Tarak, the Bear Chief, and she thought she could make out the ears of one of the many, many rabbit clan leaders.

Slowly the hall began to hush as the midday sun reached its zenith above the Red Mountain. Everyone was in place, except the Drakyr and their Onyx guardian. Dalhannah looked in askance at Xil but he simply shook his large head. What could be taking them so long.