Chapter 15

Flying is quite a wonderful feeling. Just when you think your stomach is about to burst through your throat, the beauty of the world, as seen from above, hits you. The roaring of the wind in your ears and the rustling of your hair and clothes make complete the sensation that you are more alive than ever before.

They fly up and above the fog. Every now and again Tracer can see a peak sticking up out of the fog like a bastion of evil. He sees them fly over the Great River. The leagues fly by in minutes. Up ahead of them Tracer sees a huge structure sticking up out of the fog. It stands on a peak that is two times higher than any other peaks nearby, and on top of it is a city.

Goliath tells Tracer, "It is the city of Drearson." he then tells him, "Actually, it isn't a city at all, but a temple to the dark god." The fact that a dragon is speaking with a southern drawl accent when he is speaking common is very strange, but amazing.

They fly down into the fog to mask their passage, and Goliath tells Tracer, "We will fly past the city for three leagues. They won't expect somebody to be coming from the direction of Hitherroam. From there, Tracer, you should be able to make it to the mountain peak without any problems. Beyond that you will have to find a way to get inside the temple." Goliath's powerful voice is calming.

Goliath lands in a bowl-like clearing, and Tracer walks down on his out spread wing. When Goliath flies off, it feels like a part of Tracer's soul goes with him. One good thing comes from it.

Tracer asks him, "Great King, please take Ram to Katiely and to tell her I love her and that I will soon be home," Tracer hopes it is true.

Life is so much easier when you don't have anything to lose. Each day may be empty and filled with self-pity, but you don't feel anxiety about your life being cut short. In truth, death would be welcome. Anything would be welcome if it will take away the loneliness. Now that Tracer has found peace and harmony in the love of a lady, all he can think about is caution and making it back to her. Tracer has never been in this position before, so he doesn't know if it will take away his edge or if it will sharpen it to a fine honed edge.

In a battle for power or money, or even just survival, you rely on your physical know how. In a battle for love and peace, you fight with something deeper. In a battle you must sometimes take extraordinary risks to win. But if you are concerned about dying or others dying through your defeat, will you be willing to take those risks or will you wait until dominance is shown. Once it looks like you can't win, will you run away to fight another day?

Of course, Tracer has no such delusion about the coming battle. It is victory or death.

"There will be no running away to fight another day."

In his heart he knows there is no way a mortal can kill a god. Like Goliath said, "The best you can hope for is to banish him from this plane of existence."

Tracer wonders if he cannot beat a god in battle, then how is a choice between light and dark going to send this Supreme Being back to where he came from?

A year ago Tracer did not know the rest of the continent existed. He did not believe in dragons or gods. The only magic he had ever seen was from charlatans who entertained the kids at fairs. He has since met a dragon; in fact it saved his very life. Upon his return to the world he will officially make a sorceress his wife. Now Tracer is expected to face a god. Not in a battle of physical strength, but in a battle of minds. In a battle of physical strength it will only be his life at stake, but in a battle of willpower and of mind the stakes are much higher. Tracer's soul will be taken to the abyss to be tortured for all time.

None of that matters now, for he has known peace, harmony and love. Long has Tracer searched and long has he suffered. He can't believe now that he's found it that it is meant to be taken away. Goliath gave him back his physical life, but before that Katiely gave him back his spiritual soul.

At last Tracer becomes resigned, "God or not, apparently this is what I am destined for."

To sing the song of harmony

To live a life of tranquility

To know what it is to be at peace

To share in a love that seems like destiny

To fly on the wings of a dragon seems like a dream

To conquer fear and despair seems unreal to me

Into a world of the surreal do I journey

Into the unknown do I willingly go

Into the heart of darkness a decision awaits me

Beyond my capability, we will see

Beyond my comprehension, most definitely

Beyond that I only see darkness for me

Tonight only a single light shines

How wonderfully bright her love shines for me

The time is near. Tracer can feel it deep within him. The three leagues that await him pale in comparison when you look back on a trail that stretches a lifetime. Neither fear nor hope has a place here. Perhaps that is the real hell. Maybe it's not a place you go to when you die if you haven't lived your life up to the standards of the divine. Maybe it's always with you waiting and watching for a time when you don't know what life is about. Waiting for that time when your emotions die. Be it love or despair, at least they are both something you feel.