Fall of the Tamer

Tagori awoke with a start, a result of a bad dream. He went to check on everyone else, seeing Arrow had already left the room. Dago and Tarin had already woken, but Enro’s bed seemed to have been untouched. Tagori walked to the lobby to find Arrow, Tarin, and Dago. “Where’s Enro?” Tagori asked. “He never came back,” Dago said. “I’ll ask if he has been seen,” Tarin said. He walked to the desk and spoke with the woman behind it. She said a few words to Tarin then searched under the desk for something, producing a note and handing it to Tarin, who read it as he walked back. “Enro has been captured,” Tarin said definitively. “Taken, to a tower in the North.” “That can’t be,” Dago said grabbing the note from Tarin to read it. “We have to get him out,” Arrow said. “Our objective now is to get Tagori to the… the alliance,” Tarin said not wanting to mention the Gilrund in such close quarters. “What? Are you just going to abandon him?” Tagori asked. “No, we will leave immediately after we deliver you,” Tarin said. “Who’s to say what will happen to him in that time. How much farther do we even have to go? A few days? He could be dead by the time you find him,” Tagori said. “Tagori, drop it,” Dago said. The pain he experienced from that simple phrase was evident in his face. “We’ll get you to where you’re going and then we’ll save him.” “Fine,” Tagori said defeated. “Then let’s get going.” They gathered the few things they had left and left the city, heading North along the river. The land began to become more rocky and rough, and soon, to one side of them was a sheer fall down to the river below and badlands to the other. Tagori scanned the landscape looking for any sort of civilization, but found nothing, save for a single white pillar off into the distance. “Tarin, are there any castles around here?” Tagori asked. “None that I know of, why?” “What does that look like?” Tagori said pointing to the tower. Tarin followed Tagori’s finger to the tower, staring at it with wide eyes. “We will explore it later.” “That note did say that Enro was taken to the north, didn’t it?” “What did we already explain to you?” “Are you ready to fly?” “What are you up to?” the dragon asked. “We have to look. Standing around won’t save him.” “Why are you so intent on saving him?” “He protected us and he is Dago’s brother. We have to.” “Alright, whenever you’re ready.” “I’m going to see if he’s in there myself,” Tagori said. Tagori wrapped his hands around Emrila’s neck as she leapt into the air. He almost fell off as she flapped her wings to gain altitude. Once she was high enough she glided off towards the tower, flipping to help Tagori get in a better position on her back. “Tarin, we have to go after them,” Arrow said, “They don’t know what’s in that tower.” “Are you saying that you do?” Tarin asked. “I have a better idea than they do.” Tagori was enjoying the feeling of the wind in his face. He spread his arms to get the full feeling of the wind. Everything felt amazing, from the cool air to the feel of the strain on the dragon’s wings. “Enjoying yourself?” “I am.” “Remember why we’re doing this.” “Right, we need to get Enro back.” “How are we going to get inside?” She asked as she circled the top of the tower. “What do you mean?” “The entrance will be guarded. You won’t be able to just walk inside.” “Right… what do you suggest?” “I suggest we land so I can rest my wings. I’m not used to your weight.” “What are you trying to say?” Tagori said jokingly. She landed on the top of the tower to give them a moment to look around and think of a solution to their problem. Perhaps there was a window that Tagori could use to slip in. That wouldn’t work because he would still have no way to escape. An escape would be the largest problem. There are plenty of ways to enter the tower, but only one way to exit unless they had help. Would the easiest way be to come in from the top? “Think we could come in from here?” Tagori asked. “Where?” “The roof here.” “Do you have an idea to pass through stone?” “We make one.” Tagori pulled his sword out and held it in front of him. “Evolve, hammer!” As he said this his blade began to morph, changing into a large hammer. He swung it over his head and brought it down on the tower, breaking a chunk of stone off. He swung again, this time breaking a larger piece off. With each successive hit, Tagori came closer to breaking through the stone. Finally, a section fell away allowing him access to the chamber that lay below. “You will have to carry us out of here, are you alright with that?” “I am, as long as you live.” “Then I’m going. I’ll be in contact.” With that Tagori looked into the hole, into the chamber