Free World's End by Will Elliott Page A

with those mechanics which elevate a man to the stature of a god. That beyond all else is forbidden. Too little is known of those sciences, even to the dragons.’
    â€˜Don’t the dragons like what became of Vous?’ Eric said. He’d had no idea the question was a dangerous one, but anger seemed like a burst of heat pouring from her, so hot he stepped back in surprise. That was answer enough for him: whether or not the dragons had somehow had anything to do with creating Vous, the result had not met their expectations.
    Shilen said, ‘All knowledge of those arts will be destroyed and never sought again. If you, as lord and firstborn of your kind, ever work with the gods
against
the dragons, know that this is a violation of the laws of their Parent. If you do service to the gods against us, the Eight will ride across World’s End to swing the Pendulum high on purpose, and so waken their Parent. Allhumanity, even the Favoured among you, will be destroyed. You are warned.’
    These words shook the cavern and sent him staggering backwards. He closed his eyes, but when they opened she was a woman again, with flaxen hair stained by a wound he had caused.
    She said, ‘Gifts you shall have, if you will take them. Blessings of protection and luck you shall have also. Together the dragons and your people shall preserve this world, and Otherworld, from the danger in Levaal South.
    â€˜And hear this: it is rumoured some of your kind seek to awaken Inferno. Do not let them! Levaal has gods enough. If Otherworld would be defended, Levaal must set its dragons free. For the dragons and Otherworld share certain enemies, and we will fight those enemies with fury.’ She said all this softly, conjuring pictures in his mind of humans riding dragons across fields of battle, enormous wingspans casting shadows on hordes of armies, fire pouring from the dragons’ mouths to glint on thousands of spear tips below. And Eric rode the dragon leading their march.
    Shilen said quietly, ‘Accept the gifts you are now offered, Favoured one, firstborn, lord of men. Accept the dragons’ blessing. You do not yet know your privilege. You among all of your kind who ever walked, breathed, or toyed with fire and magic. Go, be with your mate. When you both wish to, you may leave this place and claim your throne. You are invited to return here as you wish, and bring with you whoever among your kind you choose.’
    She stepped out into the dark and was gone. The door had vanished, leaving only the slab of stone it had been set into. Eric stared about, not knowing which way to go to find Aziel,when the faint glimmering light of an Invia roost in the distance glinted as if switched on to guide him back. Further away, high above, so far he could only faintly hear it, was the ominous noise of heavy weight shifting. With the sound the very slightest shiver ran through the stone where he stood. Eric hurried his steps.

6
HAUF
    Long before he reached the Invia roost he heard laughter, so high and sweet it seemed some enchantment was in play. He ran the rest of the way back. As before, the roost seemed to get no closer till he was upon it.
    He had expected to find Aziel still asleep, or perhaps shivering in the dark. She’d be clutching her ripped dress to cover her nakedness as best as she could, maybe weeping, wondering if what had happened to her had been a horrible dream. He felt
he
was the one dreaming when he came into the roost and found her sitting high on a ledge between two pillars, with Invia on either side of her, looking as if she had become one of them herself. The laughter was hers. Threads of her dress hung freely from her shoulders and waist. Her necklace poured forth gleaming radiance, making solid the otherwise flickering dreamy light of the roost.
    Invia on nearby structures – he counted them: eight – watched her with cocked heads, big eyes and what seemed to be amusement. He had never seen