The Dragon of the Eastern Night--Chapter 16: The Legend of the River of the Dead and the Silver Dragon

Chapter 16: The River of the Dead, the Legend of the Silver Dragon

The nights were calm and cold. Dense dark clouds completely obscured the moonlight and starlight.

There was no rain, no wind, only a strong sense of oppression. Lolana felt as if the heavens and the earth had pricked up their ears and waited wearily. The elves behind her, asleep in the hatred and fear they had weaved. Lorana's mind drifted, not knowing what terrible monsters would appear in their dreams.

The group slipped through the elven guards with ease. The guards recognized it as Telos and talked to him unsuspectingly, while the others sneaked through the cordon. They arrived at the river before dawn.

"What are we going to do to cross this river?" the dwarf looked at the river in front of him with a worried heart. "I don't want to take a boat, but it's better than swimming. ”

"That shouldn't be a problem. Bonos turned to Lolana and said, "Ask your little friend!" he nodded at Siyovara.

Lolana and the others looked at the wild elves in amazement. Seeing so many people staring at her, Siyovara couldn't help but blush and bow her head deeply. "He's right!"

She said ex-south. Waiting here, hiding in the shadows of the woods, she left them, and ran briskly to the river, full of wild beauty, and it was hard to take your eyes off it. Lolana noticed that Gilsenas had been staring intently at the wild elf.

Siyovara brought her finger to her lips and let out a burst of birdsong. She waited for a moment, repeating the same sound three times. A few minutes later, there was a response from the other side of the river, and the same sound floated over the river.

Siyovara returned to the group satisfied. Lolana noticed that although she was talking to Telos, her eyes were constantly looking to Gilsenas on the side. As soon as she noticed that Gilsenas was also watching her, the girl blushed and quickly turned her head to look at Telos.

"Kaga. Sagaron!" she hurriedly said to Telos, "My countrymen have arrived, but you must come with me to explain the situation. ”

Lolana could clearly see Siyovara's large blue eyes glancing at Stone and Drake in the moonlight. The wild elf shook his head slightly. "They will not be happy if we bring these humans into their territory, let alone these elves. She looked at Lolana and Girsenas with apologetic eyes. "I'll explain it to them. ”

Telos said. He looked across the river. "They're coming!"

Lolana saw two dark shadows cross the dark blue river. She immediately realized that the Kaganasti elves must be watching them all the time. In a matter of moments, they could discern the signal from Siyovara. It is extremely unusual for a slave to have such freedom. If it was so easy to escape, why did Siyovara stay with the Sivanasti elves......? Unless, unless she wasn't going to run away at all.

"Kaga. What does Sagaron mean?" she asked Telos suddenly.

"'The man with the silver arm'. Tegus replied with a smile.

"They seem to trust you. ”

"Yes. I told you I spent a lot of time wandering around. Actually, that's not quite right. I spend most of my time with the Kaganasti elves. The blacksmith's swarthy face furrowed. "I hope I didn't offend you by saying this. But, miss, you may not know how hard your people make life for these elves: driving away or taking their prey, tempting their young men with gold, silver, steel, and jewels. Telos sighed angrily. "I've done my best. I taught them how to forge weapons and tools for hunting. But I'm afraid this winter will be long for them. Prey has begun to become less and less prey. In the end, there may be a famine or a tragedy of the wall of compatriots. ”

"Maybe if I stay. Lolana muttered. "I can help"

She immediately realized how unrealistic that idea was. What could she do? Not even her own people would accept her!

"You can't be in so many places at the same time. Stone said, "The elves have to solve the problem on their own. Lolana, you made the right decision!"

"I know. She sighed. She turned her head and looked at the Quilingnasti camp behind her. "Actually, I'm no different from them, Stone. She trembled and said, "I was obsessed with the beautiful little world that revolved around me, and I always thought I was the center of the universe. The reason I ran away with Tannis, it was because I thought I could make him fall in love with me. Why wouldn't he? Everyone else would. In the end, I realized that the world didn't revolve around me. How I'm going to be irrelevant to it! I've seen people die in pain and helpless. I was forced to kill. She looked down at her hands, "Otherwise, you'll have to die at someone else's hands." I also saw the so-called true love, the love of the river breeze and the golden moon, the kind of love that is willing to sacrifice everything for each other. I understood my insignificance. Now my compatriots treat me with the same attitude. I used to think they were perfect, but now I realized what Tannis was in, and that's why he left. ”

The boat of the Kaganasti elves reached this side of the river. Siyovara and Tyros went to explain to the rowing elf. Tyros gestured, and the group walked out of the shadows of the forest to the bank of the river, their hands away from their weapons. In this way, the Kaganasti elves can be sure that they are not hostile. At first, there seemed to be little hope. The elves conversed to each other in their rudimentary language, and Lolana could only understand a fraction of it. It is clear that they refuse to have anything to do with this group.

Trumpets sounded in the woods behind them. Gilcenas and Lolana looked nervously at each other. Telos turned back to point his silver finger at the group behind him, his other hand to his chest, vouching for them with his own life. The trumpet sounded again, and Siyovara vouched for everyone. The Kaganasti elves finally reluctantly agreed.

Everyone immediately rushed into the water, everyone knew that their escape had been discovered, and the pursuers must have set out to search.

One by one, they carefully stepped into the boats carved out of empty tree trunks.

Everyone but Flint walked up. The old dwarf shook his head helplessly, lay on the ground and refused to move, and fed himself in the dwarf language. Stone looked at Flint, worried that the tragedy that had happened on the shores of the Crystal Lake would happen again, but luckily there was Tassohoff. The Kanders teased him desperately, and it was only then that they pulled him up from the ground half-coaxing, half-mopping.

"We'll make you a seasoned sailor!'" said the Khandman pleasantly, poking the old dwarf incessantly with his Houpak staff.

"You won't! don't stab me in the back with that thing again!" the dwarf yelled. He walked to the water's edge, stopped, and nervously played with a piece of wood in his hand. Les jumped into the boat, expectant on his face, and stretched out his hands to meet the dwarf.

"Hurry up, Flint, jump into the ship!" Telos ordered.

"Let me start with one thing. The dwarf swallowed. "Why do they call this river 'River of the Dead'?"

"You'll find out soon. Tiger muttered. He stretched out his strong black hand and threw the dwarf into his seat like a bag of potatoes. "Sail!" the blacksmith told the wild elf, who had been prepared for it, and his oars had been eaten deep into the water.

The wooden boat soon drifted down the current, heading west. The tree-covered banks of the river flew back as if they were huddled at the bottom of the boat, for the cold wind on their faces was almost impossible to resist. They saw no life on the southern shore of Quelinnati. But Lolana could see the northern shore with a constant presence on the shore. She knew immediately that the Kaganasti elves were not as innocent as they might seem, and that they were relentless in spying on their cousins. She couldn't help but wonder how many of the Kaganasti elves disguised as slaves were spies?

The current carried them swiftly to the meeting place of the two tributaries. One came from the north, and the one they sailed was from the east. The two rivers merge into one and flow south into the sea. Telos pointed abruptly ahead.

"There, dwarves, is the answer to your question. He said solemnly. Drifting along the river to the north was another boat. At first, they thought the ship had drifted out of the harbor because they couldn't see the people inside. Then they found that it was too deep for an empty boat. The wild elves steered the boat to the shallower bank of the river, let them stop smoothly, bowed their heads and prayed silently. Lorana understood.

"A funeral ship. She muttered.

"Yes. Tyros said with a sad look in his eyes. The boat continued to drift forward, and the current brought it closer to the group. They could see a young wild elf inside, presumably a warrior from the rudimentary leather armor. His cold hands folded in front of his chest clenched an iron sword. A bow and a bag of arrows were placed beside him. His eyes were shut, and he fell into a deep sleep that would never wake up.

"Now you know why this place is called East Sararian, the River of the Dead!" said Siyovalra in her deep, melodious voice. "For centuries, my compatriots have returned the bodies of the deceased to the sea, to the place where we were born. That's why Kaganasti and our cousins are in conflict. Her gaze turned to Gircenas. "Your compatriots feel that this is an insult to the river and force us to stop this custom.

"Someday, the corpse floating on this river will be the corpse of a Quelinnastic or a Sivanasti elf, with an arrow stuck in it. Telos prophesied. "Then there will be a total war. ”

"I think all the elves will soon have more deadly enemies to deal with. Stone shook his head and said. "Look!" he pointed.

The shield at the warrior's feet, the armor of the enemies he had faced. Lorana recognized the abominable symbol on it and gasped.

"Dragonman!"

The journey against East Salarian was long and arduous because the river was very fast. Even Tess had to bring an oar to help with the rowing, but he accidentally dropped the oar into the river and almost fell into it in order to retrieve it. Drake grabbed him by the belt and pulled him back with all his might. The Kaganasti elves used hand signals to tell them that if he gets into trouble again, they will throw him down.

Tysokhov soon got bored, and looking at the rushing water outside the boat, he wanted to see the fish in the river.

"How?" said the Kander suddenly, holding out his little hand into the river.

"Look, everyone!" he said excitedly, his hand covered with a layer of shining silver light, glittering in the morning light.

"Water glows!, you see, Flint. He shouted at the dwarves of the other boat, "Look inside the water."

I don't want the dwarf to grit his teeth as Flint paddled hard, for other reasons, of course. He was adamant not to look into the water, and he was oblivious to what was happening.

"You can do it, Kander. Siyowala said with a smile. "In fact, the Sivanasti elves named the river East Sagan, which means 'Silver Road'. The weather was unfortunate when you came, and once the silver moon was at its full, the river would look like a river of silver pulp, and that was the real beauty. ”

"Why? what caused it?" the Kander looked excitedly at his little hand.

"No one knows, though there is a legend among my countrymen" Siyovara suddenly closed her mouth, her beard crimson.

"What legend?" asked Giresenas. He sat across from Siyovara, that is, on the side of the boat, and his rowing skills were on par with Flint, because he was more interested in Siyowara's face than in rowing. Every time she looked up, she must have noticed that Girsenas was looking at her. As time passed, she began to get confused.

"You're not going to be interested. She looked at the silver-gray river, trying to avoid Gilsayers' gaze. "It's a fairy tale about Shuma"

"Shuma!" Stone said from behind Flint and Gilcenas, his smooth movements making up for the clumsiness. "Tell us about the legend, wild elves!"

"That's right! Tell us your legends. Girsenas kept a smile on his face.

"Alright!" she said, blushing and clearing her throat, "according to the legend of Caganastie, in the final days of the War of the Dragons, Shuma wandered the world, trying to help those who were in need. But he was helpless to find that he did not have the power to stop the dragon from killing and destroying. He prayed to the gods for an answer. Siyovara looked at Stone, who nodded solemnly.

"Yes!" said the knight. Paladin answered his plea by sending out the white elk. But no one knew where it took him. ”

"My compatriots know. Siyovara whispered, "The white elk, after many trials, took Shuma to a quiet forest here, where he met a woman. Beautiful, with noble manners, soothed his pain. Shuma and her two fell in love with each other. But she rejected his courtship again and again. In the end, she finally couldn't deny the burning fire of love in her body, and the woman accepted Shuma's love. The joy of the two is like the bright moonlight piercing through the darkness of the night. ”

Siyovala was silent for a moment, her eyes looking into the distance, absentmindedly touching the cloak that covered the Dragon Balls at her feet.

"Go on!" demanded Gireenas. The elf completely let go of the boating errand, and was completely intoxicated by the beautiful eyes and pleasant words of the earth.

Siyovara sighed. Dropping the cloak in her hand, her gaze crossed the water and landed in the dark forest. "Their happiness was short-lived. She whispered. "Because the woman has a terrible secret: she is not a human, but a dragon. She uses her magic to remain in human form. But she loved him too much to deceive Shuma anymore. She fearfully told Shuma the secret One night, she appeared in front of him in the form of a silver dragon in her true form. She hoped that he would treat her and even kill her. Because she was so miserable that she even lost the courage to live. But he rode up and looked at the glorious and majestic dragon in front of him, and saw in her eyes the noble soul of the woman he loved. Her magic transforms her back into human form, and she prays to Paladin that she will give her a true human body. She is willing to give up the dragon's magic power and long life to marry Shuma in the human world. ”

Siyovara closed her eyes, her face painful and pale. Girsenas looked at her, wondering why he felt so much. He reached out and touched hers. Like a frightened beast, she quickly retreated, and the whole ship rocked with it.

"I'm sorry. Gircenas said. "I didn't mean to scare you. What happened? What did Paladin say?"

Siyovara took a deep breath. Paladin let her go, but on terrible terms. She gave them both a glimpse of two possible futures. If she keeps the dragon body, she and Shuma can have the power of the dragon slayer spear and can defeat the evil dragons. If she becomes a human body, she and Shuma can happily marry, but the evil dragon will take over the world forever. Shuma swore that he would give up everything, including his honor and his knighthood, to stay with her for the rest of his life. But she saw the light in his eyes fade as she said this. She understood the answer she was supposed to make. She must not allow the evil dragons to take over the world. And this silver river is said to be the tears she shed when Shuma left her to look for the dragon slayer. ”

"Good story, but a little sad. Tysokov said with a yawn. "Did Shuma come back later, and does the story have a happy ending?"

"Shuma's story doesn't end happily. Stone frowned at the Kande. But he died honorably on the battlefield, defeated the leader of the dragon, and was mortally wounded himself.

I heard," added the knight thoughtfully, "that he was riding a silver dragon in battle. “

"We also saw a knight riding a silver dragon in the glacier. Tess said happily, "He gave it to Stone."

The knight slew the Kanders. It was too late, and Tess remembered that it was a secret.

"I don't know what about the silver dragon. Siyovara shrugged. "My compatriots don't know much about Shuma. He's a human after all. I think they will pass on this story only because it has something to do with the river they loved, which cares for the deceased. ”

Just then, one of the Kaganasti elves pointed at Gilsenas and said something in a loud voice. Gireenas looked at her, not understanding the meaning of the words. The elven woman said with a smile. "He's asking you if you're too noble to row, and if so, he's going to ask you to swim yourself. ”

Gilsenas smiled wryly at her, and quickly picked up the oar to get to work. That evening, even Tysokhov picked up the oars again, but despite their efforts, the journey against the current was still very difficult. When they landed, everyone's muscles were aching and their hands were covered in blood and blisters. With the combined efforts of the people, they reluctantly dragged the boat ashore and hid it on the shore. "Do you think we've gotten rid of our pursuers?" asked Tygus, exhausted.

"Does that answer your question?" he said, pointing downstream.

In the darkening sky, Lorana clearly saw several black figures downstream. Although they were still far away, Lolana knew that there was not much chance to get a good night's rest tonight. One of the Kaganasti elves said a few words to Telos, comparing them downstream. The tall blacksmith nodded.

"Don't worry. We are safe until tomorrow morning. He said they also needed to rest on the shore. No one dared to travel in the river at night. Even the Kaganasti elves, who knew every tributary, were unwilling. He said they would camp against the shore. At night strange creatures appear in the forest: people with lizard heads. Tomorrow morning we will go as far as we can, and we will soon have to abandon the water route and take the land route. ”

"Ask them, if the elves of Quelinasti chase him into his territory, will they stop them?" Ston told Telos.

Telos turned to the Kaganasti elves, clumsily speaking elven language that he could barely understand. The Kaganasti Elf shook his head. He was a savage, seemingly savage.

Lolana could understand why her people felt that these people were just a thin line away from the beast. His face has traces of human blood on it. The Kaganasti elves have a very good bloodline, so they probably don't have beards. But he reminded Lolana of Tannis' confident and decisive way of speaking, his strong frame, and his vivid gestures. She turned her face away, her heart full of memories of him. Telos explained to them. He said, "The Quilingnasti elves still have to ask the elders of Kaganasti for permission to enter the territory to search for you, as is customary. The elders should allow it, and possibly even help them.

They also dislike the presence of humans on the continent of Goth in South Asia, just like their cousins. In fact, "

"He made it clear that the reason he and his friends were willing to help me was simply to repay my kindness and help Siyovara. ”

Lorana turned her gaze to the girl. Siyovara stood on the bank of the river and spoke to Gilsenas.

Telos saw that Lorana's face sank. Seeing these two people, Telos could roughly understand her thoughts.

"It's really unusual to see jealousy on your face, especially since according to rumors, you eloped with my old friend and became his lover. Telos added, "I thought you weren't the same as your countrymen. ”

"It's not because of this!" she immediately felt the burning on her face. "I'm not Tannis's lover. It doesn't make a difference whether it's or not. I just don't believe the girl.

What do she say, she is too eager to help us, it doesn't make sense. “

"Your brother may have something to do with this. ”

"He's a nobleman," Lolana said angrily. Then she realized what she was going to say next, and she immediately changed the subject. "How much do you know about Siyowala?"

"Very little. Telos looked at Lolana with a look of disappointment, causing her to sulk for no apparent reason. "I know she is very respected and popular among her kind, especially for her medical abilities. ”

"And her spy abilities?" asked Lolana coldly.

"These elves fight for their survival. They have to do it. Telos said solemnly. "You said the same thing on the beach at that time, Lolana, I almost believed you. ”

The blacksmith walked over and helped the Kaganasti elves hide the boat. Lolana was angry and ashamed, biting her lip full of grievances. Was Telos right? Was she jealous of Gilsenas's attitude? Did she think Siyovara was not worthy of him? Gilsenas had always looked at Tannis that way. Is this time different?

Trust your own feelings, Leslyn told her. It sounded reasonable, but she had to understand what she was thinking! What did her love for Tannis teach her?

Yes, Lolana finally made up her mind. She didn't mean to say that to Telos. If she didn't believe in Siyovara, it had nothing to do with Gilsenas being attracted to her. It's something unspeakable. Lorana regrets that Telos misunderstood her, but she must trust Reslin's advice and trust her instincts.

She'll keep an eye on Siyovara's.

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Sits in the book city scanning and proofreading