Eggs bounded across the stone floor, the noise was abrupt and deafening as foot and wing smashed against the surface, echoing off the walls and ceiling. I must confess I was so shocked that Eggs moved with this ferocity that I froze in place, unable to think of or do anything that could stop the inevitable slaughter to come. Except it didn't come, I was expecting to watch the Doctor disappear in a cloud of crimson and viscera, or be immolated on the spot.

  Instead, she jumped backwards, landing with her feet apart and punching two palms forward. Bands of purple light shot forth from her palms as she let out a high-pitched trilling. The light seemed to massage the sides of Eggs' head, and a glazed look fell over their eyes. Eggs stopped in their tracks immediately, staring at her with their golden eyes wide as their head tilted. Gertha, Sila and Sayo looked on in wonder at the sight, as did I. This Doctor had just stopped Eggs in their tracks, without hurting them? Eggs moved their head closer to the Doctor, who remained in position, with light streaming forth from her hands, although she had stopped trilling now. As Eggs continued sniffing, their frill opened and closed slowly, and we all just stood there in that moment, waiting and no doubt full of anxiety, except for Eggs, who looked as calm as a tranquil lake.

  “Well, I trusted your word, Tullen Fal Barraz, I'm just glad I trusted my own abilities as well.” The Doctor glared at me, her eyes narrowed.

  “Sorry, they've never done that before; they're quite friendly usually.” I found myself falling over myself to explain, to get back in her good graces.

  “I’m sure they are.” She said, and the light from her hands dulled, although Eggs didn’t move an inch. In that moment, my desire to please and ingratiate myself with the Doctor faded, and I realised I must have been feeling an effect from whatever power she was wielding. A power that allowed her to control my Wyvern. That wouldn’t do. That wouldn’t do at all.

  “How are you able to control my Wyvern, Doctor?” In that moment, I was pleased she could. I was worried Eggs was about to kill our new host and that we'd have to contend with whatever strange powers Leech had, along with whoever else was at the Hold of the Arcuzane. I’m sure if we killed one of their Doctors, they’d be pretty pissed off. However, I was concerned she could suddenly stall one of our most significant advantages, and if she could do that to a Wyvern, what could she do to a person? I have to admit, I was also a little jealous that, so far, I was the only one who commanded Eggs, and yet here was someone I'd just met who could, too. Something fishy was about, and I wanted to get to the bottom of it.

  “I'll be honest, I wasn't sure that I could; however, I had a theory in mind when your Wyvern charged at me, and I'm just glad that my hypothesis was correct.”

  “So you did it on a hunch?”

  “In layman's terms, yes.” She grinned and I hated the fact I liked that.

  “I suggest in future that you don't restrain Eggs, you thoroughly pissed them off, I think, and that could have ended bloody.”

  “Well, now that I know that there's a way to deal with them, I won't have to… but you can hardly blame me for exercising a little caution. They’re a bloody Wyvern, they shouldn’t exist, and nobody really knows how they’re going to act, do they?”

  “No, I understand why you did it, I'm just saying in future, best not.”

  “I can release them now unless you think they're going to be a further problem?” She said, as the light faded from her hands just a little more. I raised an eyebrow, she was making out that she would release Eggs now she made her point but she’d perhaps held them in place for a minute, maybe two and her power was fading. Good to know. I filed that away in case such a time arose, and I needed to take her out. If you’re unclear what I mean, I don’t mean for a charming meadow walk as you would with a sweetheart.

  “They’re probably pissed off, but still let me stand in front of them first. I'll let them know that you aren’t a threat, yet” I let the last word hang for several moments. She had great power this one, as did Leech. I was conscious we were on their ground, and although we’d now conveniently arrived at the Hold of the Arcuzane, I knew nothing about these people.

  Peevan always said to try to make the power dynamic shift in your favour as soon as possible, so by letting the Doctor tire out, and being the one to ensure that in the long term, Eggs didn’t harm them, they wouldn't try anything funny. That’s what I hoped for at least, and if these people proved to be untrustworthy, well…that's what a sword is for isn't it?.

  Don’t judge me like that. I have people to protect, just like most people.

  I stood in front of the Doctor, my back to her as I faced Eggs. I cupped their face with both my hands and placed my forehead against their snout. Thankfully, Eggs had been able to move their head lower to me despite the Doctor’s stream of light. Eggs and I just stood there in that moment, inhaling and exhaling together, and then I murmured.

  “These people are not threats, we need them for now and I need you to behave, will you do that for me?”

  Of course, Eggs wasn't able to answer me, but I looked into their eyes, and I felt like I saw understanding there. Their pupils dilated, and their frill opened and closed even slower than they had with the Doctor, which I took as a victory.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Okay, drop your magic now,” I said without looking around to the doctor. Instead, I focused all my attention on Eggs.

  Suddenly, Eggs started shaking their head vigorously, and they spat a huge glob of saliva, about as large as my head, onto the stone floor. They snorted once or twice before pacing around the room, looking pointedly at the Doctor, then Leech, before settling near the entrance in a humph. They sat on their Hind legs, their wings on either side of them as they watched the room, perking up whenever I glanced in their direction. As they sat, their posture made them look like someone trying to get out of a large chair but unable to do so. I tried to put the image out of my mind. This wasn't the place to laugh and snigger like a child.

  “Thank you for your help Tullen Fal Barraz, you're all already proving to be the most respectful house guests, now I must be an exemplary host and deal with your wounded friend. Please follow me.” I followed after the Doctor as we made our way over to the others.

  I caught brief glimpses of the rest of the room, and what I saw amazed me. Strange apparatus and equipment were all over the walls and tables, there were of course the collections of glass tubes of vials that you would see in any apothecary, but there were also strange devices that looked like sundials except the dials themselves moved around the face at regular intervals.

  I could also make out what looked like glass plates held in small platters with metal tubes pointing at them next to racks of lenses. My tongue fizzed as I looked at them, and I could tell that they held some arcane power. There were also tomes, books, and scrolls, stacked carefully underneath the tables, bound in all manner of strange and exotic leathers that I assumed were some form of Dragon or Drake skin.

  What was most curious, though, was that the room seemed to get more complicated. It seemed fuller and richer the more I stepped into it. As we first entered, it was both mesmerising and strange to look at. Now I felt like the scales were falling from my eyes as the true nature of this room was revealed to me. There was a deep, deep magic here, which was to be expected. The polished metal panels of the walls seemed iridescent, almost rippling with colour. The gem in the centre of the room hurt my eyes to look at, but I wanted to lose myself in it at the same time. Some books had sigils and signs on that beckoned me closer, whispering promises of knowledge, growth and help.

  I shook my head. I needed to keep my focus. While these distractions probably wouldn’t get me killed, I doubted a book would be much use to me.

  “Right then! Let's get you fixed up, young man.” The Doctor said as she placed a hand gently on Sila’s chest and the other on his forehead. She looked into his eyes and seemed to study them for just a moment.

  “I don't think a poultice is going to do this, Doctor. I've broken ribs before, you just have to let them heal, right?” Sila said smiling

  “Don't you worry, you’re in the best pair of hands there is!” She chuckled.

  With that, the Doctor closed her eyes, and I could see her fingers turn white as she gripped hard onto Sila. He winced with the pain, and I started forward, but it was Gertha who held up her hand at me. I stopped immediately, standing and watching as a blue glow emanated from the Doctor’s hands and slowly started to spread over Sila’s body as well.

  He grunted in pain, and it was Sayo’s turn now to start forward, but Gertha just hissed a hushed word of silence to her, and Sayo held still.

  I noticed her hands hung near her blades when what sounded like tree branches cracking and groaning filled the room. I heard bird song, then the flutter of wings and the humming of bees. The room was filled with the sound of water lapping; it was such a strange, real sound that I actually looked around for the source, but there was none to be seen.

  There was the sound of a cracking egg and the cheep of chicks, culminating in Sila screaming, before he fell silent as the glow faded and the sounds stopped.

  The Doctor pulled her hands to one side, and I saw Gertha dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve. Sila lay peacefully as the Doctor wiped sweat from her brow.

  “Ok, he's done for now; he just needs some more rest, and then we can see how he's feeling, but I was tired when I started, so he’ll need another treatment. I've got some of it at least.” The Doctor sounded like she'd run up several flights of stairs, she pulled out a small flask from her jacket and took a swig I wondered if it was true water but I highly doubted it she didn't seem the type oddly enough.

  “Thank you, Doctor, you truly have a gift. Thank you for taking pity on us.” Gertha said, her voice thick with emotion, and I wondered if witnessing the Doctor’s style of magic had unsettled her.

  “Not only is it my pleasure, but it is my purpose. If Leech had deemed you to be any form of threat, then you wouldn't be here, and I've made a vow to help people if I'm ever able,” The Doctor said before smiling.

  “What were those noises?” I asked the Doctor.

  She paused a moment before answering, “When you manifest great power. Sometimes your inner self bleeds into reality. What you hear is a reflection of the mind.”

  A reflection of the mind? I felt a strange unease in my chest as I thought back to the weird noises and effects Gertha’s magic often came with.

  “Your mind sounds quite relaxing,” I said, as the Doctor chuckled.

  Whether she smiled or not, I couldn’t tell. I was looking at Gertha, who stared back in turn, her gaze giving nothing away.

  “I’m glad you liked it, Tullen, it’s quite tiring for me! Anyway, we should eat, and you should meet some of the others while Sila recovers.” The Doctor clapped her hands together.

  “Come, follow me, Eggs too!” She said, and a portion of the wall began to glow and open before she stepped through.

  I motioned to Eggs, then pointed at Sila. I wasn’t going to leave him unattended in this place. Nobody would mess with a Wyvern bodyguard. Eggs chirruped, which I knew was their way of saying yes, and so I went to Gertha and Sayo’s side.

  “Gertha, are you okay?”

  “Not here.” She growled.

  “Fine.”

  With that, three of us followed The Doctor into the Hold of the Arcuzane.

  We’d finally arrived.