The Spirit Tree Read online

Chapter 6

  “We don’t know any magic,” Michael said suddenly feeling close to tears.

  “There is no magic that can change this!” Billy interjected. “Don’t you think we’ve tried?”

  The dragon looked at Billy and its eyes glittered with anger. “Did none of you think to come here and ask me? I am the oldest living creature in this land. I have seen your kind come and go and yet you think you know everything! It was your arrogance that allowed this to happen!”

  “Our arrogance?” Billy spluttered, “Who refused to help us when we needed you? Who stays in their cave and ignores everything that goes on in the world? You’ve never helped in the past why would we think you would now?”

  Michael and James took a step back in alarm as the dragon suddenly reared up, opening its wings and bellowing out a blast of flame that engulfed the roof of the cave. It lowered its head and brought it close to Billy, staring at him while tiny flickers of flame escaped from between its teeth. Billy didn’t move nor look away and Michael couldn’t help admiring his bravery.

  The dragon startled them by suddenly laughing and settling itself back down on its belly again. “You are a brave one, Billy Blin, I give you that. You also speak the truth, not all of it of course, just what you know. Let’s just say that perhaps both sides have been to blame, shall we?”

  Billy watched the dragon and Michael could see he was trying to decide on whether or not to trust the dragon. A moment passed before he nodded his head and relaxed a bit. The dragon watched him for a moment longer and then turned back to Michael.

  “If you want my help I will give it,” the dragon told him, “but it comes at a price.”

  Billy snorted, folding his arms and turned his back but remained quiet refusing to join in the conversation but still listening.

  “Despite what your friend here may think,” the dragon continued on, amused, “We dragons never ask for the impossible. I think what I am about to ask you for would be more than reasonable.”

  Michael waited a moment for the dragon to continue but it remained silent, merely watching them. James nudged Michael and mouthed something to him when he turned around. Michael frowned in confusion and shrugged to show he hadn’t understood.

  James rolled his eyes and said quietly, “Ask him for help!”

  Michael’s face cleared as dawning realisation came upon him. He turned back to the dragon and tried to look suitably needy. “We need your help. How can we heal the Tree?”

  “There is only one thing in this world that can reverse the evil that has been done here,” the dragon replied enigmatically. “Something only I can provide.” He looked at Billy a bit haughtily before continuing on. “The only thing that will work is Dragon Tears.”

  Michael waited a moment expecting the dragon to say something else. “Dragon tears?” he finally repeated.

  “That’s right. Only Dragon Tears are pure enough to work.”

  Michael looked first at James and then at Billy. “So, how do we get some? Do we have to make you cry or something?”

  The dragon laughed heartily, his whole frame shaking with mirth. “I’m sorry young ones,” it finally said when it caught it’s breath, “I didn’t mean real dragon tears. Dragon Tears is a water found only in the most northerly parts of this world. There is a pool that legend says is where the first dragon was born and it cried to find itself alone until the Gods took pity and created more. A most magical place it is!” The dragon paused and looked wistfully off into the distance.

  “Well? You don’t happen to have any, do you?” Billy asked loudly, interrupting the dragon’s reverie.

  The dragon sighed and looked at Billy with a slightly surprised look on his face. “Why, as a matter of fact I do! But you don’t really think I will just hand it over for nothing do you?”

  “What do you want?” Michael asked it bluntly, growing a little tired of the dragon’s games.

  The dragon shuffled a little and shifted its wings almost as if it was embarrassed. After what seemed a rather long time it finally looked at them and said, “I would like a kitten.”

  Michael’s eyebrows rose in surprise and he repeated, “A kitten?”

  “Yes,” the dragon said. “I happen to like cats.”

  “To eat?” James asked appalled.

  “Of course not!” the dragon snapped, offended.

  “Then why to you want a kitten?”

  The dragon fidgeted a little more then sighed quietly, “Because it gets lonely in here when everyone is afraid of you! Cats seem to be the only animals that don’t seem to mind the heat as long as they’re fed.”

  Michael blinked a few times as he turned this over in his mind then smiled, “I think Andrew’s cat has just had kittens. We could get two if you want?”

  The dragon looked surprised and Michael couldn’t tell if it was smiling or not. It was hard to tell on it’s reptilian face but he could sense that it was very pleased and couldn’t help smiling himself.

  “Why, that would be wonderful!” the dragon exclaimed gratefully, “Two kittens!” The dragon looked off into space lost in his thoughts until a voice interrupted him.

  “Now can we get the Dragon Tears?” Billy asked in annoyance.

  The dragon eyed him silently then shifted a little so he could look at the back wall of the cave. “Do you see that ledge half way up the wall there?” He waited until Billy nodded then continued, “Jump on to my back and I will lift you up with my tail.”

  Billy paused and looked suspiciously at the dragons long, powerful tail then back to its face. Sighing resignedly he clambered up the dragon’s back leg until he could stand on its back then he carefully made his way along the tail, being careful to avoid the sharp looking spikes that protruded from the centre line. As he travelled along the tail the dragon lifted it higher so Billy could leap nimbly on to the ledge.

  “Now what?” Billy called down, “There’s all sorts of stuff up here!”

  “Towards the back there is a small wooden chest with a gold tear drop engraved on the lid.”

  There was silence for a while but Michael could hear Billy moving around as he made his way to the back of the ledge. He appeared at the edge of the ledge a moment later holding up the wooden chest with a grin on his face.

  The grin disappeared as he eyed the dragon’s tail again but he stepped back on and slipped and stepped his way back down to the ground, triumphantly handing the box to Michael.

  Michael couldn’t help admiring the little wooden chest. It was made from a rich golden wood that had darker whorls in it. The golden teardrop engraved on the top was just the right shade to compliment the wood and as Michael ran his hand over the top he couldn’t even feel it it was so smooth.

  “Well? Open it!” Billy said impatiently, fairly hopping from foot to foot.

  Michael undid the little catch that held it closed and lifted up the lid until it was folded right back. Inside, the box was lined with a strange dark material that seemed to shift colour when the light hit it but the bottle itself, or rather what it contained, was what caught the attention.

  It was basically a plain crystal bottle with a long thin neck and a rounded bottom, stoppered with a tiny crystal dragon on a cork. The liquid inside, however, shone slightly with an iridescent glow that shifted colour like the material did but was always pale in shade.

  “It’s beautiful!” James breathed in awe as he stood at Michael’s shoulder.

  Michael nodded in agreement then looked at the dragon. “This will work?” he asked it.

  The dragon sighed, a little sadly, “I’m not sure. I don’t know if it’s too late to reverse the taint or if it would never have worked in the first place. But I do know that that bottle is the best hope we have.”

  Michael smiled grimly and closed the box before slipping it into his bag, making sure it was protected from being knocked about. He looked at the dragon for a long moment and stepped forward so he could lay a hand on its muzzle. The dragon had to lower its head so he coul
d do this but seemed to accept the gesture of friendship.

  “Thank you,” Michael told it as he stepped back.

  “You are welcome human child. Good luck on your quest.”

  Michael began to walk towards the tunnel entrance followed by James and Billy when he suddenly thought of something and turned back. “What’s your name?” he asked the dragon.

  The dragon looked surprised for a moment then said with a smile in its voice, “My dragon name is incomprehensible to humans but my mother used to call me by a much simpler name. She called me Sol.”

  “Sol?” James repeated, “As in Sun?”

  The dragon nodded slightly and the boys smiled at each other, thinking how perfectly the name suited a red and gold fire-breathing dragon. Turning away again they entered the tunnel that would take them away from the dragon and back into the forest.

  Billy was in the lead when they reached the entrance and he gestured for them to crouch down behind him against the wall as he peered out into the gloom of the forest. This part of the forest seemed to be darker than where they entered on the other side and when Michael mentioned this to Billy the forest guardian simply shrugged and explained it was because they were further in. The closer they would get to the Tree the worse it would get.

  Satisfied the way was safe Billy slid down the little slope that took them to the forest floor and waited for the other two to do the same. Just as the boys all stood together readying to go forward a terrible cacophony of shouts and screams rang out and torches leapt with flame as they were lit. Frozen in shock the boys could only catch a glimpse of the King as he stepped into view with a malicious smile on his face before a net was thrown over them and they were knocked to the ground.