Chapter Twenty: Shattered

It was mid afternoon by the time Reign packed up and headed out.  The sun was already high in the sky, which didn't contain a single cloud.  It was a long journey back to her homeland, one that would be less lonely for the elf now that she had the dragon with her.  Not that Cypress was boring, but he spoke nothing but horse; so you can't blame Reign for wanting someone to communicate with.  The trees wrapped tightly around the travelers, and so the dragon was forced into the air.  He glided just above the treetops, keeping careful watch over his two smaller companions.  It was not a treacherous journey back to her homeland, but with Reign, anything could happen.

As the second day of her journey drew to a close, Reign and her comrades conveniently found a large cave in the base of Mt. Uniché--which wasn't even a 'mountain' at all, but an enormous plateau that sat out in the middle of the Great Plains.  The three weary travelers made their camp inside one of its caverns.  Instead of Reign making the fire that night, the dragon gracefully suggested that he do it instead, which made sense--he was, after all, a fire-breathing dragon.  After they were settled, Reign's mind began to wander again.  She kept thinking about the potion she and the creature had made.  How could she possibly rid herself of it?  Just because she was no longer at Hogwarts did not mean that Voldemort could still find her and take it.  Her eyebrows turned downward in a scowl as she thought long and hard about her predicament.  She looked at the dragon, who was sound asleep; his great body moved up and down as he slowly breathed in and out.  Reign studied him for a long time, somehow thinking--nay, knowing--that he had the answer.  But her lack of realizations caused her to become so irritated that she got up and started to pace around the cave.  Only the embers remained from the fire that the dragon had created, and even they were now losing their glow.  Cypress lay in the corner, his breathing also causing his body to float up and down.  The elf looked from one to the other and was envious of their sleep.  She looked at the larger of the two, and was all-of-a-sudden jealous of his carefree life.  He did not have to worry about a thing (except being murdered by a knight, which was rarely the case in those times).  He was so graceful, so magical, so powerful.

And then it hit her.  It struck her so hard she nearly threw herself into the wall for not realizing it before.  It was the most obvious solution and yet all had failed to notice it.  Reign rushed to her pouch and pulled out the cursed potion.  Before waking up the dragon she laughed in spite of herself.  How could one little bottle cause so much trouble?  It didn't matter, because hopefully now it would cause no more.  She rushed over to the sleeping beast and flicked him on the nose.  His head shot up like a cannon, and he looked extremely agitated.

            "Yes?" he asked irritably.  Reign held up the vial for him to see.

            "I think I've finally figured out a way to get rid of this."  She paused for dramatic effect, which just annoyed the dragon more.

            "Well?  Get on with it."

            "This potion is made from your blood--dragon's blood.  You were born with an immunity to all other magic, and there is none in the world more powerful than a dragon's magic."  Her opposite now looked curious and a bit confused.  "So if you drink this, it won't have any affect on you!  Do you see?"

            "Unfortunately yes, though I am ashamed to have not thought of it sooner."

            "As am I, friend, as am I," Reign replied, remembering all the results of their experimenting.  She walked over and placed the vial in the creature's hands, who then put it up to his lips and let the potion pour down his throat.  When all was consumed she stepped back, waiting for a reaction.  Luckily none came--with the exception of a small belch.  Reign could hardly believe that it was finally over.  She could have slapped herself for being so ignorant, but as stated before, it didn't matter anymore.  The next morning she climbed the plateau and stood at the top, admiring the sunrise and all the wonderful colors she brought with her.  The most brilliant of these colors was red.  No matter how beautiful it was it reminded Reign of blood--blood that seeped from a broken heart.  With all her might she threw the bottle into the sun, and was content when she saw it shatter into a thousand pieces on the ground below.  And when they were all packed up once more and began the last leg of their journey, the pieces were still there--shattered, like her heart.

***

NOTE: I am fed up with editing this story and I have too much homework to continue shredding it up and adding more detail.  Besides, I need to get started on the sequel (so many ideas I think my head may implode.  Or explode.)  But for now, the journey is over.  I hope you enjoyed it.  If you didn't catch the note at the beginning, or even if you did, here is a reminder: there will be a sequel (for those who think that was a lousy ending for a romance with Severus Snape).  HOORAY!

A/N: Now that you've read this, may I suggest:

The Return: The sequel to "The Stranger", but can be read by itself-not yet complete.

Eye of the Enigma: A story about a very powerful wizard who travels to Hogwarts.  You can just imagine how things may unfold.

Visions: Sequel to "Eye of the Enigma"-not yet complete.