The Magician Within Chapter Four
The Dragon's Keep
The mountain rumbled under their feet as Lilah and Tristain made their way into the Dragon's Keep. The cave's mouth was narrow and long with loose rocks that could come crashing down at anytime and imprison them inside a rocky tomb. They moved slowly and quietly so not to disturb anything around them. As the path widen a glow of reddish orange began to show Tristain caught a familiar musky smell and a blast of heat hit his face. Lilah held her hand over nose to keep the horrid smell from creeping up her nostrils.
The next cavern they entered was lit by a large fire pit in the center; on the walls were ancient writings. "These look like spells" Lilah whispered to Tristain. He nodded at her in agreement and removed some paper and a pencil and began copying down what he could as quickly as he could.
"Fire burn for eternity, Protect and guard that of the Glowing Lily." "Dawn draws the dragon to it's keep, to survive, trust you must meat"
"What do you think that one means?" Lilah ask. Tristain looked at it and answered "It's a riddle. Someone else lived here and wrote these spells and also left behind clues for how to survive the dragon." This puzzled Tristain even more why place spells to surround the cave but leave clues to survive it? He continued to write down the rest of the spells and clues that were chiseled onto the stone walls. Just as he finished another rumble came from beneath their feet and they quicky made their way toward the next opening but something stop them; a low growl from the next entrance and a small burst of flame of warning that they may not enter.
Lilah went back over to the entrance and grab her bag and pulled out a piece of fish that she had planned to cook for their dinner that night and turned to walk back to where the small fire balls were coming from. "Lilah, what are you doing?" Tristain said jumping in her path. "Think about what the clue says "Trust you must meat." Meat is spelled wrong he means you have to feed the dragon." Lilah said with confidence and scooted around him and walked forward. Once she reached the entrance she took a deep breath and stepped directly in full sight of the dragon and showed the fish to him. Another low growl came but when Lilah did not move and held her ground the dragon slowly moved out toward her. Tristain's body was frozen with fear as he watched the dragon smell Lilah's body as if she could be his next meal, but the dragon took it's forked tongue and gently wrapped it around the fish Lilah had in her hands and swallowed them whole when they were gone the dragon stepped up to Lilah and placed his head on her hand.
"Tristain will you come here please?" Lilah asked very calmly not wanting to upset the dragon. Tristain walked up and touched Lilah's shoulder and the dragon looked at him with eyes of a father for his daughter. Tristain knew that look and he stood his ground for his feeling for Lilah were no different they both were there to protect her. The dragon moved his head from Lilah to Tristain smelling him and then he stopped right at his face and bowed his head in respect. Tristain paid the same respect to the old dragon.
"May we pass?" Lilah spoke to the dragon hoping he would understand. He bowed his head and turned to lead the way down the cavern to the opening in the mountain. There hidden among the rocks was the White Lily that glowed purple. However the spell kept Tristain from removing the three pedals from the flower. "How do we break the spell?" Tristain growled with frustration. "What did the spell say?" Lilah asked trying to be the calm one. "Something about a fire burning and protecting the Lily." He said waving his hands in the air dramatically. Lilah couldn't help but giggle at him "Let me see the rest of the spells and clues you copied please."
"forgive thy enemy, love thy friend give all tears to thee, and set the dragon free"
"I know what to do hurry." Lilah called to Tristain as she ran back into the cave. Tristain was caught off guard and by the time he arrived inside she was standing at the glowing fire pit where she looked as if she was in a daze. Lilah began to speak the words from the wall and all her past came rushing around her like she was reliving it all over again except Tristain could see it all too and it was something he couldn't imagine anyone person could have survived alone for so long. Her tears began to flow long and hard and she began forgiving her enemies as they came through to her and then the only friend she had she had no problems telling him she loved him. Now it was time for Tristain which at first seemed really easy because he really didn't have any enemies, but when it came to the Love thy friend, well he really was in LOVE with her and with that the tears flowed because he was afraid she would never love him the same way. With those tears though the fire that had been burning for an eternity had finally been put out and a golden light began to shine where the dragon once sat.
When the light lifted all that was left was of the dragon was a golden scale and a tooth. Lilah and Tristain returned to the Lily and removed the three pedals and began their descend from the Dragon's Keep.
