Calmar III slowly opened the door of the Castle. The rain was still beating down, as it had for centuries. Everything was dark and silence hung over the town as the people continued their duties with fear.
“What have you decided?” Tashur asked.
“There is nothing to decide. We will all die soon and nothing will be left. We will be torn apart and our bones will lie here until one day they too will be gone.” He looked out across the fields and listlessly held folded and unfolded his hands.
Tashur looked uncertainly at him. “There is hope Calmar, but only those who wish to see it will see it. Aviri knows that this is only the beginning. Something great is yet to happen and you must be here to see it. There is no room for fear in this perilous time.”
“Please do not bore me with your talk. I have thought about it for a very long time and there is nothing to do.” He wiped a lonely tear from his bony cheek. Tashur looked around. There are so many young ones here, he thought. Why must we expect to die… why is there no hope? He became upset at Calmar for never doing anything for the people he so loved. When they had sat in that lonely field Tashur had imagined Calmar as a brave young king who would do anything for his people. But here he was, a coward. He buried himself in a cocoon, afraid of what the world was and yet afraid of himself.
“Calmar! You must stand up for your people and stop trying to hide behind your own fear. Face the world!” Tashur immediately regretted saying it.
“Have you turned on me also? Can I trust no one?” Calmar turned a wearied face towards the rain and sleet. They stood in silence and let the wind and rain drive over them like a hammer. It’s what Calmar had done his whole life… let the world and the darkness drive and overcome him.
Something moved in the woods. Tashur glanced at Calmar and they stood and watched. A small figure emerged from the woods. It was wrapped in a blanket and was hunched over with the rain running down it’s back. Then it came and stood before them. It was a girl. She looked to be about twenty.
“I have come for help. Is there somewhere safe I can stay?” Tashur looked at Calmar. “Yes, up in that mountain there is a cave that will be safe. But did you see anything on your way here?” he asked.
“I saw a strange bird flying high in the sky and many others were with it.”
“Was it white?”
“Yes, it was very beautiful,” she said.
“Did you see someone riding on it?” he asked quickly.
“No, I couldn’t see anyone,” she replied.
“So, he did betray us.”
“Calmar, perhaps he was somewhere else,” Tashur said.
“No, no. He is gone and we will all die.”
Days went by and nothing happened, nothing at all. The darkness still hung over them and the rain continued to fall. Fear still spread through the Falls until no one dared to come out of their homes. Calmar couldn’t bear to see his kingdom now, all darkness and fear. No happiness or light, and he knew it was all because of him and yet he didn’t do anything. It was springtime and yet nothing was done. Tashur would stare into the empty spaces where children used to sing and dance. Calmar stayed in his hall all day. Aviri looked down upon the Falls and sighed big sighs of sadness. Tears fell like rain from his tired eyes. Children’s voices would echo through his head and not one appeared. He used to think of spring as someone waking up, but they were all dying. “Will you take me for a ride Aviri? Please!” Calmar used to beg him. So Aviri would let him climb on his back and they would mount up into the clear blue sky. They flew for miles not paying any attention to the things on the ground. They talked about life and about what Calmar wanted to be when he was grown. They talked about what it was like for Aviri when his parents died. They would cry and laugh together. Aviri would tell him about how he was the only dragon who couldn’t blow fire. How when he was little the Monopods would make fun of him. How when his parents died he ventured out into the world and came across the Southern Falls. And then they would circle down the earth again and Calmar would thank him for the ride.
Then after years went by he rescued a woman who had been captured by one of Tarole’s creatures, but had escaped to the Southern Falls. They loved each other very much and spent much time together. They had a son, Calmar IV. But she fell very sick became weak as the darkness took her. And that was when she died. Her grave was still there but was slowly being washed away by the endless days of rain. Celestina Auvray. She was beautiful and Calmar loved her very much.
But that was all over… those days were gone forever. They would have many more happy days, they just wouldn’t be the same. He looked over his shoulder at the small girl asleep in his cave. Tears came to his eyes, Something great was going to happen. Then something happened. The sun came out. It came out in a burst of vivid sunlight, streaming down on the wet land. It penetrated into the very soul of everyone there. The rays of it hit the ground and bounced happily around. The children came out and played joyfully in its light and the parents smiled quietly as their children ran in happy circles around them. Aviri flew down to Calmar’s room inside the courtyard and saw Tashur standing quietly beside it.
“Isn’t he going to come out and see it?” Aviri asked.
“He is asleep and must not be wakened.”
“But it is the sun! Sun!”
“I know, but he hasn’t slept in weeks. He needs it.” Tashur looked mournfully at the ground. “He will not be here much longer.”
“Yes, I have noticed.” And then the sun left and everything remained the same as it was before. They noticed a figure was walking towards the Damarion Woods slow but determined.
“Who is it?” Aviri asked.
“It is one of our people.” Aviri began to fly quickly towards it before it entered the woods, but he was too late. It had entered and then disappeared. It was now in the Eastern Mountains. Aviri’s tears dripped on the wet ground and made marks. Tashur saw him crying.
“You should go rest now,” he said. And Aviri turned and flew back to his cave with the young girl. Tashur now stood guard and watched. The rain still fell but each droplet carried a light with it. It was like seeing the sun fall in the rain. There was more light now, but not like it had been. He watched the droplets of light come and fade into the ground. Would Calmar be able to see his father before he died? Or would he even come back? Tashur whispered a silent prayer and continued to watch… always.
The Spell of the Winterwolf 