Chapter 8: The Savior

I couldn't believe it! We had a dragon on our side. This was definitely going to be a big advantage.

He told us to hop on to his body and brace ourselves as he took us to Fairyland. Frankly, I think I was looking forward to the aerial view of the forest and the ride. I felt like I was about to enjoy a ride in an amusement park.

We walked out of his cave and stood on the precipice of the cliff and the sight just took my breath away. We scanned the lush green landscape that was spotted with other brilliant shades of red, blue and yellow. The Enchanted Magus Forest was truly magnificent. Somewhere to the left side, was a village. "Is that the homeland of the fairies, to the left?" I asked.

He confirmed it and pointed out to other villages at various distances as well - the villages of the elves, the gnomes, the ogres...and there was a glass-like blue lake as well that glistened in the sunlight.

He took off, gliding smoothly into the air, and started to relate his tale. "My name is Archon. When my father was young, he was greatly revered as a promising prince, who eventually succeeded my grandfather as the beloved King of the Skies. We lived in harmony with the land dwellers. Until...Selene started to slowly gain power."

As his story went, he was a fledgling, when she started to create trouble between the dragons and the other creatures of the land - the giants, the ogres, the dwarves, and others. I think she feared the strength and power of the dragons. She maligned them as evil and malevolent.

There was a greatly feared giant called Balor. She manipulated and hypnotized the one-eyed Balor into believing that the dragons are going to kill him. Balor was known to wreak mass destruction with a just look of his eye. When angered, the pupil of his eye would enlarge to the size of his iris and emit a poisonous, incendiary beam, reducing everyone and everything in its path to ashes.

"One day," Archon continued, "when my father was called upon to appease the rain gods for the ogres, Balor saw opportunity and attacked my clan. He felt that offense was the best form of defense. He unleashed his terror on the dragons and killed and wounded many."

Archon became a little emotional. "In the mayhem, my mother was also killed. I was playing near the path of his roving, killer gaze. She rushed to get me out of danger and got caught in his deathly stare."

Now he was nostalgic. "Suddenly, Titania, the Fairy Queen came and picked me up just in time, as Balor turned towards the spot where I stood. She ran with me and hid inside the nearest cave, waiting till the bedlam was over."

"What happened when your father returned?" asked Roy.

"When my father returned, he was aghast upon seeing the burning embers of death and destruction. He went after Balor, and after a horrible and bloody battle, he managed to kill the giant with some intelligent strategy.

"Once it was all over, the survivors slowly walked out of hiding and Titania handed me over to my father. Both of us felt deeply anguished when we saw my mother's lifeless body. He shed silent tears as he held me close."

We were shaken to hear about his heartbreaking story, as he ended his tale. "My father was profoundly grateful to Titania for saving my life and pledged to protect them for life. When he was breathing his last, he made me promise to honor that pledge."

We reached Fairyland and Archon touched down, so we could get off. We were greeted very cheerfully by an ethereal, silver-white unicorn, with a mane of pastel pink, blue and purple, and a long spiraling golden horn on its forehead. It was the most beautiful creature anyone could ever see!

"Hello strangers! What brings you here?" She glanced at Archon, "Ok, I know that thing brought you here," she said grimacing and half-hiding behind Roy, "he scares me to death."

Archon snorted a laugh and almost missed searing Roy. Roy and the unicorn let out a unified 'ouch!' and everyone burst out laughing.

"Come, let's go and meet Queen Titania," Archon said. "I don't need to seek her audience, she's like a mother figure to me, and I'm always welcome."

We could see the care in his eyes, and his pride at being special to her. We walked into the Fairy Castle, so dreamy looking, the kind that little girls love. A portly soft-faced Queen Titania lit up as she saw Archon and seemed to recognize us instantly.

She welcomed us, with a little surprise glistening in her eyes, "Hello boys! How is it I see you here with my dear Archie?"

As we introduced ourselves and told her we had to leave our hideout, she asked her staff to summon Flora. "It's good that you're in the cave with Archie now. There can be no safer place for you. Meanwhile, I have to tell you that the gnomes are joining us in our crusade against Selene Kouris."

We were overjoyed that things were working out in our favor.

"Oh wonderful!" piped in the unicorn, and then with some comedic concern, she quietly whispered to us, "Are you sure, he won't burn you when he snores?"

Queen Titania continued, "Dulcea can take you anywhere you need to go, in case Archie is too big to go, right Dulcea?"

The unicorn acceded, "Yes of course, my Queen, I would be delighted."

Just then Flora walked in, and she looked relieved upon seeing us. She respectfully curtseyed in front of the Queen and turned back to us. "Boys, do you know that Gibel had seen you and alerted Selene? And she has her army scouring the entire area with a fine toothcomb."

"Yes, we accidently met him. I tried to convince him to help us, but we couldn't persuade him. So, we immediately fled," I informed her. "Flora, I'm curious, where has she kept your family?"

Flora's expression quickly saddened as she thought of her kin, "She has all the people she's holding in the basement of her mansion. They're locked up together with food that she replenishes every two days. The entrance is chained and padlocked and, as usual, she has put a spell on it."

I winced at the information, as she spoke, "Anyone who tries to tamper with the lock dies. We have, unfortunately, lost a few people who tried to save the captives."

"In that case, our first course of action should be to get everyone out of that basement." I was determined to get the hostages freed.

Having their families with them, would definitely give the forest dwellers confidence to oppose the witch. Also, she will not be able to harm them if she feels defeated and without leverage.

"Operation Freedom. Tomorrow!" I boomed in announcement.