The Last Flame - Crystal Bow

Chapter 12

Cliffton blinked as chaos raged through the castle. The Dragons were back? He'd heard word that they'd formed an alliance with them, but something within Cliffton didn't sit right with this. He needed to speak with The King.

The young boy walked through the halls. Despite only being in the castle for four months, he walked over to the King's quarters and knocked softly on the door. King Saphaer answered, looking tired. "Come in. I've been expecting you, actually."

Cliffton nervously walked into the King's quarters; he hadn't actually been inside the room before and, looking around, he found that it was strangely normal. "Excuse my ignorance, Your Majesty, but how come?"

"You've never quite liked the dragons. I take it you oppose my alliance with them?" Saphaer asked.

"I'll stand with you whenever. You practically saved me." Cliffton wasn't even fourteen; he was in no place to be advising kings. "But no, I don't like them. Not after they killed my family. Not after they destroyed my home."

"I know." Saphaer sighed. "But right now, your loyalty to me doesn't matter." He placed a small, round, pink seed in Cliffton's hand and he stared at it in confusion. "Cliffton, I need you to decide what to do with this. You can take it far away and restore the Faerie Tree, or, if you'd like, you can discard it, hide it, do whatever. Of course, replanting it would be a direct challenge to the dragons." The King met Cliffton's gaze. "But since you are making the decision, I can't exactly take responsibility for your actions."

Cliffton's eyes widened. This was the King's way of saving the fae from this alliance, perhaps even saving the world. If the dragons went after the elves next-and they likely would-then the elf crystal would be stolen. Without it, they wouldn't have the power to lock them up again. But if Cliffton planted the tree, the fae wouldn't be able to lie anymore and it would likely dampen the effects of the Blight. The next step would be...

"I...I can't possibly." Cliffton looked up at Saphaer in shock. He would put the King in danger; replanting the tree could be seen as a direct threat to the dragons, and even keeping the seed with him could have the Dragon King breathing down Saphaer's neck. But the fae's violet eyes bore into Cliffton. "You owe me a favor, for saving you, Cliffton."

The boy's heart sank; he knew where this was going.

"This is my favor. I don't care what you do with it...take it." Saphaer handed Cliffton the seed and he nodded. "If...If I do go...will you give me supplies?"

"And someone to help you protect yourself along the way." Saphaer nodded and got up, walked off, and returned not long after. Cliffton's eyes widened as he saw a brand new sword and quiver with orange wood and cloth. It carried fresh arrows that were tipped with what looked like poison. 

"Sir, I..." Cliffton bowed his head. "I apologize, but I cannot take this. The bow and arrows I have now...they're my father's. They're all I have left of him."

"I understand." Saphaer nodded. "At least let me enchant your remaining belongings."

Cliffton reluctantly gave Saphaer his bow, quiver, and arrows-he always carried them with him-and watched in amazement as purple magic spread over it, staining the wood and cloth and beautiful lavender. The arrow's tips became almost crystalline, and Cliffton's eyes widened. "I...how can I repay you for this?"

"Do the right thing." Saphaer nodded and straightened, then left the room. Cliffton hugged his bow to his chest and returned to his room. There, a fae was waiting. She was tall-far taller than Cliffton and maybe Saphaer-and had dark hair that was such a dark blue that it was nearly black. Her eyes were also blue, but darker than any human's could be, and her antlers were a brilliant gold and towered above her head.

"Who're you?" Cliffton asked casually as he moved to pack his things. The fae sighed. "I'm only here because I have to be. Do I have a job to do or not?"

Cliffton sighed. "Let's go." He slung his pack over his shoulder and slid on his quiver. "I'm Cliffton."

The fae studied him for a moment. "Moone. Don't wear it out." She walked past him and Cliffton sighed before he followed her, leaving the room. The two left the castle and Cliffton studied the air; there were a few dragons and Cliffton handed Moone the seed. "I trust you'll be able to hold this?"

"Yes, unlike you I am not an insolent child." A thread materialized from the seed, making it into a beautiful necklace. Moone slipped it over her head and tucked the seed beneath her armor, which appeared to be Firestone.

"I'm not that young." Cliffton protested. "I'll be turning fourteen in two months now."

"You're a baby," Moone drawled, but Cliffton saw the quiet smirk on her face. She was teasing him. Cliffton looked away, his face red. "I'm pretty old for a human. How old are you?"

"Two hundred and twenty-two years young." Moone said, staring at him pointedly as she did. Cliffton looked away, huffing. "Not fair."

"It's plenty fair." Moone began to speed up. "Hurry up, I'm hoping to get there some time in this century."

Cliffton sighed and climbed over a fallen log. He fell to the ground and let out a grumble, pushing himself up. He looked over to see Moone staring at him. "We'll work on that."