The Gates of Night_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [106]
Daine considered this, and then he nodded. “Very well. I thank you for your wisdom, great eidolon.”
“Our business is not yet done,” the burning dragon said. Its voice shifted, and with it, color and form. Dragons of copper and bronze, fierce red and baleful green. Lei caught a glimpse of a vast dragon skull formed from fire as white as bone, just before the flame shifted to black deep as any shadow. “The way has been prepared. Take our gift, and walk the world once more.”
The shimmering dragon’s jaws opened wide, and it breathed. A prismatic column of flame engulfed Daine, and his scream echoed across the chamber.
Pierce charged across the cavern, intending to slam into Daine and push him out of the flames. For all his speed, Pierce wasn’t fast enough. The brilliant fire faded, and as it did, so did the chamber around him. Crystal walls dissolved like sand blowing in wind, and by the time Pierce reached Daine’s fallen form, they were back in the desert, and the Ring of Siberys was nowhere to be seen.
Lei and Jode knelt over Daine, Jode pressing forward to bring his healing touch to bear. He reached for Daine, then paused in confusion.
Daine was unhurt. Despite the scream and the fury of the flames, there were no burns or any other signs of injury. Shira swiftly confirmed the evidence of their eyes, and almost on cue, Daine stirred, pushing himself up with one arm.
“Thanks for the gift,” he groaned. He shook his head, blinking several times. “Next time, just give me the advice.”
“Daine!” Lei dropped to the ground and wrapped her arms around him. “Are you hurt?”
“Don’t think so,” he said, his voice stronger with every word. “The pain … agonizing, but now …” He slowly stood up, surprise entering his voice. “I feel … good. Better than before.”
There has been an infusion of spiritual energy, Shira informed Pierce. At this time, I am unable to determine the precise nature of this phenomenon or what effects it will have.
Jode reached up and took Daine’s hand. “Yes,” he said. “You are stronger than before. It seems the dragons gave you a gift, after all.”
Daine looked down at Jode. “You said we had power. What sort of power? If we’re going to war, I need to know what resources are available.”
“I don’t know exactly,” Jode said. “Our strength comes from our unity, and I’ve been here on my own. But if we’re together, close to one another, you should be able to overcome the limitations of the physical world. In Dal Quor, anyone can do this to a limited degree. This is a world defined by imagination. But we have the strength of two.” He looked at Daine with an appraising gaze. “And now, perhaps more. The most important thing is to believe. You’re as fast and strong as you can imagine. I’m afraid you’ll find it’s difficult to shed your belief in your own limitations. Just try. You’ll be surprised by what you can do.”
“What about this?” Daine drew his dagger, a weapon of plain steel. “Why does Pierce have that golden flail, while I have this old thing?”
“We arrived in a dream plucked from your memories. You have the armor and weapons you had at that time.”
It was true. Daine was wearing a shirt of plain steel chainmail and a gray cloak pinned with a brooch bearing House Deneith’s chimera seal.
“Concentrate,” Jode said. “Remember the moment at which you left Eberron, what you wore, what you carried.”
Daine closed his eyes, and his armor changed. Within moments he was wearing the gifts he had received from the faerie queen, and the dagger in his hand was Cannith adamantine. He opened his eyes and shook his head in amazement. “How far can we take this?” He closed his eyes again, but this time there was no change that Pierce could see.
“It’s easy to reclaim your memories,” Jode