The meal was over shortly, and then the queen spoke again. “I appreciate your courtesy in calling me by my title, Queen Matriarch, but from now on please just call me Teldaine. It is only part of my name, but I believe something you can easily say.”
“Teldaine is a lovely name,” I said. “Thank you for trusting us with it.”
She nodded then gestured toward the bowl of glowing liquid with one of her powerful talons. “This is a draught brewed for special occasions. We give it to the champions who sacrifice their lives for us each year in an attempt to retrieve the Ruby of Souls. It is called the Elixer of Flight. As you can see, the Sirrushi wyverns are not like the Fafniri. We gave up our wings long ago for our love of the deep places. This elixer grants an increase to speed. Please, both of you drink deeply.”
Pachi said mentally, But I will not be fighting. It seems wrong.
The queen spoke through her own mind, surprising us both. Your fight will be allowing your companion to venture alone. Please, accept this as an honor.
Pachi dropped her head, ashamed that the wyverns must have heard the extent of our argument. Of course, Queen Matriarch. And I’m so sorry for…
But the queen cut her off again. Hush, young one. Your concerns were valid and needed to be expressed.
Then, speaking aloud for all to hear, she explained, “This gem is worth everything to us, as it contains each and every Sirrushi wyvern soul. Without it, our elderly cannot pass on safely, and we cannot brood any young. Our people are dying out because we do not have the gem.”
I shook my head, confused. “But what about Quelten? He looks pretty young to me.”
The queen nodded, her teeth pulling back into a frightful smile. “Yes. Our eggs remain dormant until we decide to perform the ritual of hatching. Quelten was the last egg in our clutch, and he was hatched over ten years ago. We are lucky to have such a brave young wyvern, but much hope rests upon his scales.”
“And that is why you need me to get the gem: So that your people can continue to reproduce and rebuild your failing society,” I said, the obvious implications falling into place. “But wait, how am I supposed to succeed where such powerful creatures like yourselves have failed? I am no match for any of you by myself.”
“The monster you must face is not merely strong but is the oldest enemy of our kind. Vicious and gifted with many attributes that act to counter every advantage a dragon kin possesses. It is my hope that your own strengths, as limited as they are, will not be so subdued by the monster.” She raised her voice, imbuing it with a formal tone. “If the champions accept the risk and honor of their sacrifice, please drink now.”
I lifted the small bowl to my lips and drank until it was gone. Pachi lapped hers up, and though the queen’s bowl held only water, she drank as well. My body coursed with a strange energy, like fire and ice swirling within me and somehow not mixing. It made me feel like flying, if only I had wings.
“It is done!” the queen commanded. “Now let us escort the champions to the portal. Harnoth, assemble the guard!” I winced at the change in her tone. Despite the grinding booms of her voice before, the queen had been using her softest voice for our sake. Now, she was a ruler and a commander.
The sound of scaled beasts marching was even more impressive that I’d have guessed, and in short order, we were marching out of the palace and across the lake again.
We turned and continued toward the back of the enormous cavern, heading through a tunnel lined with glowing lanterns.
While we walked, I checked for any notifications, having a hunch that the draught we had been served gave a temporary buff. I just hadn’t expected it to be such a powerful one.
Status Effect: Wingless Flight
Wingless Flight: By drinking the sacred Elixer of Flight, you have been granted increased speed and prowess in battle. +50% movement speed. Duration: 24 hours. Effects last past death.
Being a recipient of the Elixer of Flight also marks you as a Sirrushi Champion. Reputation with the Sirrushi wyverns has been elevated to Honorable.
The boost to speed was staggering. This was not a normal elixir you could buy off the auction house. Even the really expensive ones only increased your speed by ten percent. Such an advantage for any Dexterity-driven class was enough to tip the scales in your favor. Fifty percent was ungodly!
But the reputation increase, I knew from experience, would mean a great deal more in the long run.
We marched onward, Harnoth and his soldiers to the front and rear of our formation. The queen came as well, but the council of elders dispersed along the way, no doubt returning to their homes. Despite the short time we’d been speaking with the queen, many of them already looked exhausted from the effort.
The tunnel continued down a gentle slope, a cylinder cut into the stone of the mountain. No turns marred the perfect descent. Just more tunnel and an endless chain of magic lanterns. I peered ahead and saw the spark of their ignition as Harnoth passed. Whatever ancient technology or magic they ran on, the power that fueled the lights was undiminished.
As last, the floor leveled out. Ahead I saw a vast mirror of light, glowing with the pale white of early morning.
Several guards were posted to either side, armed—quite literally—to the teeth. They had steel-sheathed talons and the tips of their greatest fangs were capped
