章節 661: Frantic Fates are Falling Down
"I will stay up here!" Justum told Asha when she relayed Hanna's message to him.
It had taken a lot of signals and signs for the frantic Fairy to make sure she understood correctly. "After all their work, you want to decline?"
The frustrated Fate crossed his arms defiantly. "They will just have to come up with another plan!"
One of the other Fates, Salah, clicked his tongue at Justum."We don't have time for another plan. I think that scientist's idea to create a glider is perfectly reasonable to get us part of the way down. While we never could have predicted our landing before, now we have the dragons to guide us. What could go wrong?"
"Why would you say such a thing?! Has history not taught you that such words always bring doom? Now we must find another plan or we will all fall to our deaths, and it will be your fault!" Justum turned his nose up in the air.
"What is the matter Justum? Are you afraid of heights?" Ime eyed the petulant Fate carefully.
"I agree with Ime. You were the most adamant about leaving until a plan was finally formed. I can see nothing that is different except for the part about us needing to take a leap of faith." Eunomia ran her fingers through her hair as she studied the ground.
"I would never be afraid of something so childish as heights. It is the prospect of hitting the ground that I do not care for." Justum peeked over the edge and then took a step back. "Besides, someone should stay behind and monitor the crack in the pool. It is getting very bad, you know."
"You watching it will not make it better," Salah answered seriously. "And it could spell your death."
"Better to die later than right now. If you all insist on going, then go. Who will be first?" Justum pursed his lips in disgust.
As many of the Fates as could fit were crowded into the chamber with a hole in the floor. Far below, the Palace White, which would normally lead to the Storehouse, was like a white dot on a broken landscape. It was only by a miracle that it seemed intact.
Justum's question made the room go silent. Who would want to be the first to try out a never-before-tested contraption?
"I will," Salah adjusted his tunic as he straightened his back. "I was the one who first said I thought it would work. It is time to put my faith into action."
He tied a sheet of fabric to his arms and legs as Asha had instructed and then tied a sash around his waist where it was attached to the middle. Now he resembled the small creatures who flew between trees with skin pulled tight between their front and back paws. He only hoped that this poor copy would work the same way.
"Here we go!" Salah looked back one more time at his kin before diving from the platform.
The other Fates gasped and then pushed toward the hole to see the result. It got so crowded that others almost took the plunge as well before they were ready.
His eyes shut, Salah held his arms and legs as stiffly as he could. The air flew past him as he fell. One moment, then two. Then a whoosh took up the cloth and filled it like the sails of a ship.
He was still going tremendously fast, but less than he would have been otherwise. The Fate forced open his eyes.
He immediately wished he hadn't. Salah suddenly understood Justum's fear of dying by crashing into the ground. If something didn't change, he would experience that kind of death firsthand. Falling from the height of a mountain was no small thing and the longer he fell, the greater his fear grew.
But then the world around him suddenly shifted. A shadow passed overhead just as another passed underneath. His downward fall changed directions and became a lateral glide. Something solid was below him once more.
He was riding a dragon! Salah gave an uncharacteristic hoot of excitement. "It worked!" he screamed.
Above in the tower, he could not hear the cheers of the Fates. There were hugs and words of congratulations passed to every being.
As soon as the dragon landed on the ground and Salah slid off his back, Ime raised her hand.
"My turn!"
She tied the sheet exactly as her predecessor and then leapt with abandon.
Ime squealed as she fell. Having no need for flying usually, she realized for the first time how a bird must feel. It was glorious!
The dragon caught her in its arms and pulled her into an embrace as it soared. The feeling was almost as lovely as the the falling had been.
When Ime reached the ground, she smiled and embraced Hanna. "Thank you! That was thrilling. Wasn't it Salah?"
The other Fate had his back to her. He wiped his mouth and turned a baleful glance in her direction. "Sure… we will go with thrilling…"
——-
The last few Fates were the most tricky. The reason the cloth had been pulled from the window was that some of the Fates had become very ill.
Like the Dragons, disease among the blue-skinned beings did not exist.
So the last few to leave the tower were forced to do so in pairs.
When Eunomia was placed on the ground by her scaly beast, she held one of the sick ones in her arms. Her lips were taut.
"How many more are up there?" Hanna asked the lady as she neared.
"I am the last except for Justum and Asha. The fairy will come down in a moment but Justum insists someone must stay and tend to the palace.
"Foolish Fate. He is quite stubborn." Hanna spat before feeling a little guilty for her harsh words.
Eunomia smiled weakly. "Agreed. Now is there something we can do for him? He gets lighter every moment, it feels like."
"Has he been eating enough?" Hanna asked with a furrowed brow.
"He eats less than a bird…" Eunomia responded with a shake of her head.
"Food is distasteful," the male in her arms scrunched his nose.
"It is the same with the others." Hanna inhaled deeply through her nose and immediately regretted it. "You must eat until the magic returns. You have no essence to support you."
Hanna frowned as she looked at the timeless Fate wasting away. Were it not for the humans, she probably would be just like him.
"Get him to the trench." Hanna pointed to the far end of the field. "He will be taken care of there."
"Thank you," Eunomia dipped her head. "For everything. I know we likely made the wrong choice in forcing you to heal and I hope…"
"Sh, no need for forgiveness. The Maker knew and provided. Even now we are being provided for. Go and rest. You also look weary." Hanna guided the other Fate's shoulder until it was facing the correct direction.
Unable to argue, Eunomia hung her head. "Thank you again," she said softly. "All of you."
Hanna had never seen the Fate look so weak and weary. They were supposed to be powerful beings. It seemed that the need to rely on others had taught Eunomia some humility.
'I've learned that lesson as well,' Hanna admitted to herself.
Above, Asha was already beginning her descent. The fairy had wings naturally so she did not need the contraption that the other Fates had used.
That was good. It had taken a ton of extra fabric to attach the sick Fates to those helping them. Hanna doubted there was much cloth left in the Spires after so much was removed.
Edjer came and landed beside her. "I think the work is almost complete," he told Hanna with a low rumble.
"Yes and no," the Fate responded with a sad smile. "The Fates are free, but there is no one to guard the Spires from another Myrmeceleon--or worse-- from taking up residence below the Mystic Spires."
"You are asking the dragons to stay and help?" Edjer snorted as he looked at his subjects. "I do not want them to have to fight."
"I hope your numbers will make it so no fight will be necessary." Hanna looked to the sky once more. "And, Maker willing, we will not have to wait too long before the Empress arrives with more aid."
"The human Empress? What aid can the small woman possibly give us?" The King of the Dragons puffed out his chest.
Hanna shook out head. "I hate to tell you, oh mighty king, that small woman is our only hope."
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票