breathed a long sigh. “In fact, I will encourage them to forget, but at least one of us has to keep the memory of our species alive.”
Timothy held up his hand, displaying his pulsing rubellite ring. “These rings are surely a sign that the Maker has not forgotten who we are. Horses and other animals have appeared out of nowhere, as did a crop ready for harvest. God knows we are here, and he will not abandon us forever.”
Jasmine rubbed her ring’s gem. “That woman I mentioned doesn’t have one. She also has white hair, so I thought she might be an underborn.”
“Many humans have white hair,” Timothy said, “especially the older ones.”
“She is older, to be sure, and she is also very intelligent, though she remembers very little of her past. I put her in charge of archiving scrolls until I had an opportunity to ask you about her.” Jasmine nodded at the path. “Here she comes now.”
An elderly woman with a sweet smile extended a scroll to Timothy. “Here is the harvest inventory, Captain Autarkeia.”
“Captain?” Timothy laughed. “Am I now a Captain?”
“My designation for you as king of the dragons and founder of this town,” Jasmine explained. “I am establishing a hierarchy using a military system. I thought it best to maintain an orderly governing body.”
“I see.” Timothy bowed his head toward the newcomer. “What is your name?”
“Sarah.” She dipped her knee. “Pleased to meet you.”
Timothy leaned over and studied her face. “We have met before, have we not?”
Sarah rearranged the stack of scrolls in her arms and smiled again. “Not that I can remember, Captain.”
“I know we have,” Timothy said, tapping his forehead, “but memory loss seems to be affecting me.”
A popping sound made Timothy pivot. A red glow, an elliptical aura, much like the one created by the Ovulum, arose from the garden in the town’s central circle. Bordered by the only two idols remaining from Shinar’s ruins, it vibrated a tune as if strummed by a skillful hand. Entranced, Timothy walked slowly toward it.
“Where are you going?” Jasmine called.
Timothy pointed. “To the red glow.”
“What red glow?”
He stopped at the edge of the garden and spread out his arms. “Right here. Right in front of me.”
Brogan ran up to his side and whispered, “Timothy, perhaps you have been working too hard. There is nothing here but tulips and daffodils.”
Timothy pointed again. “Look! I see Merlin on the other side. And there is King Arthur. I also see a third man, but I do not recognize him.”
“Father,” Jasmine said, sliding an arm around his elbow, “you need to rest. Come with me.”
Timothy pulled away and tromped right into the flowers, reaching for the aura.
“Father!” Jasmine called.
Timothy touched the crimson surface, raising a splash of sparks. The radiant energy crawled along his hand, then up his arm, and covered his skin with vibrating red embers. When the energy reached his eyes, a dazzling flare of scarlet enveloped everything in his field of vision.
Jasmine screamed. “Father! Do not leave me!” Her voice sounded distant and warped.
Timothy felt himself being drawn into the aura, swallowed whole, as if becoming part of its pulsing red field. The town disappeared in a foggy sea of scarlet, leaving only the two idols intact as they seemed to join him in the sparkling radiance. Distorted words drifted past his ears, like a woman’s desperate cry blown about by the wind.
“Father!” the voice called. “I love you!”
Merlin strode to the portal and set his hand on top. Pushing down, he squeezed the aura into the rubellite on the ground below. As it compressed, a stream of energy popped out. It spun around Merlin and Valcor three times, then shot into the sky like a frazzled lightning bolt. Two balls of energy followed and launched over the trees in a high arc.
“What were those?” Valcor asked.
Merlin laid his hand on top of his head. “I have no idea!”
“Is it a sign? Part of the prophecy?”
“I will seek wisdom on this mystery, but for now” Merlin picked up the gem “I want you to take this rubellite. Keep it safe. When I have set the plan of redemption in order, I will make sure the way to use this gem is added to the king’s chronicles.” He laid the stone in Valcor’s palm. “I will call it the Great Key, for through it the dragons will be able to leave their prison and find a true resting place.”
Valcor drew it closer to his eyes. “Master Merlin! The