slowly at first, slipping into a canter and then a gallop as his beautiful wings unfolded and he rose into the blue skies of Belmair.
On either side of him for a brief time two dragons flew. The larger had iridescent scales of sea-blue and spring-green. Its crest was purple and gold. Its wings gold, its eyes dark with swirls of gold-and-silver edged with thick purple eyelashes. Its claws were painted a vivid shade of pink. Its companion was just slightly less showy as would befit the mate of the Great Dragon of Belmair, with scales of sky-blue and gold and silvery gold wings. And then the two dragons hovered for a long moment as Dasras climbed higher and higher into the skies of Belmair. Their dragon voices called out in unison
“Dasras, stop for a moment, and turn,” Kaliq said. Certain that Nidhug and Cirillo had reached the blue of Belmair’s skies once again, he spoke the spell that would keep Belmair safe from predators for all time.
“’Tis a wonderful spell,” Lara said as she looked to where the bright star that had been Belmair had been. There was nothing there now to her eye, but Lara knew Dillon’s world still existed, and on it all that had been good in Hetar. She turned her head to look at Kaliq. “Are we ready now?” she asked him.
“Gallop on, Dasras!” Kaliq called to the stallion, who once again moved forward.
To their right Lara could see the world of Hetar now cloaked in a dun-colored atmosphere of gloom and darkness. “Look, Kaliq!” she said. “Our beautiful Hetar is truly gone now. The darkness has encompassed it, and Kolgrim rules.” But then something caught Lara’s eyes. A tiny pin spot of blinding, flickering light that darted across Hetar. She looked at it, and then with certainty gave a pained cry.
Lara was weeping.
Then Dasras leapt forward into the velvet dark Cosmos. Quickly Hetar disappeared from their sight. Around them were twinkling stars and great swirls of color in which there were stars now being born. They rode for what seemed hours, and suddenly Lara saw a smooth dark space ahead of them. She knew what she wanted to do, but she wasn’t quite certain how.
It never occurred to Lara that they would fall. If the Cosmos would hold Dasras up it would certainly hold them.
He nodded, and took her into his arms.
Lara nodded. Her lips met his in a tender kiss, and she felt them beginning to spin faster and faster and faster. For a century or two they rotated like this in the Cosmos while about them a new world began to form. Its shape was round, and at first it was covered in water and mist. But then gradually it became more visible to the eye. Finally Lara and Kaliq emerged from the center of the sphere, sealing their exit carefully. They stepped out into the Cosmos again. A bright yellow star shone above them illuminating the new world, and there were several companion worlds revolving about the same star.
Lara thought for a small time, and then she smiled.
’
Lara smiled a blinding smile of happiness at him. Her destiny had been met. A blue-and-green Earth now hung in the Cosmos spinning about the bright yellow star that would nurture and warm it forever. A new and hopefully safer refuge for a better race of mortals one day. An eternity lay ahead for her, and for Kaliq. Together, as it had always been meant to be.
And with a toss of his proud head Dasras, the great white stallion, galloped off through the stars and across the Cosmos toward Forever, a faerie woman and a Shadow Prince upon his back.
Bertrice Small