The Dracones

We make it to Morningswood in four days, early in the morning. The sun hasn’t even risen yet. By the time we’re near the city, I’m armed to the teeth. I have my green blade attached to my hip. My knives are all lined with my boots and belt, and my bow and quiver on my back. My hair is pulled back, allowing me to be ready to leave at a second notice to fight. I hear a dragon growl as we land. It’s Gracial, she’s announcing we’re home. Trayvon runs out of the entrance as fast as he can. I jump off Alienis as soon as he lands.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

“Kit!” Trayvon yells as I run toward him.

“Tray, I made a huge mistake.” I start. Before I can say more he wraps me in his arms. Shock hits me so I’m not sure what to say.

“I’m sorry Kit. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done and said to you.” He squeezes me tighter. “I’ll train you. I swear I will.”

“Tray stop!” I shout as I push against him. “I did something bad, and we won’t have much time.”

He looks me over. “What did you do?” His cold mask is back, as well as his demeanor.

I just got whiplash from that personality switch. “Okay, we’ll talk about that whole switch later. I went to learn more about the spirit that fought Modain and…somewhat lost.”

“What!” He yells. “How do you even know where that is? I don’t even know where it is!”

“Legends. It wasn’t that hard to figure out. Anyway, when I was there I met the original Dracones spirits, and that’s a completely different story. Moving on, the three of us freed all the trapped, used-up, tormented dragon spirits. I didn’t know this when releasing them I’d weaken the dark spirits.”

He looks confused. “So?”

“Necro-the dark spirit that nearly defeated Modain-is what was making Modain insane. He’s no longer crazy Trayvon. He can think for himself again. He is himself again.”

Trayvon’s eyes widen. “Are you telling me, that the dark spirit is no longer inside Modain?”

“Yes,” I very nearly yell in exasperation. “This means he can be killed but he’s no longer mentally handicapped, Trayvon. He can heal as a dragon again. He can return to full strength again!” I grab his shoulders. “With your blood, he can be stronger than what he was.”

“What!”

“I know!” I yell. “We’ve got to go!”

“Wait, what? It’ll take months to repair that damage.” Trayvon takes a step back. “We need to train and ask the Gods for help.”

“They’re dead, and allowed us to get into this mess; so how much help can they be?” I snap. “We need to go while Mikal is healing and he’s still weaker. Every second he grows stronger.” I pull on his hand. “I need your help.”

“We need to prepare. We need to start your training now.”

“We don’t have time. Later!” I snap, urgently trying to pull him with me once more.

“Too late.” A dark voice calls through our mind. I turn and swear as I see Modain flying toward us.

“Alienis go!” I yell as I run toward him, Trayvon still rooted into place. How did he heal so fast? I climb onto Alienis’s saddle.

“Kit.” I look over and see Trayvon. “Today, we fight as partners. If we live, we’re getting to know each other.”

I smile at him. “I’d like that.” I pat Alienis. “Let’s go.”

Alienis flies into the rising sun. As we get closer I can see that Modain’s legs are still basically useless. He’s used his energy to restore the majority of his power, not his body. This will help us. I, however, have no idea how strong his actual power is. Stupid Kit. Why didn’t they stop me? I nearly smack myself as I realize. They wanted to be free themselves. I am an idiot. I wonder where their souls go. Maybe where the other dead Dracones go. I wonder where that is. If that little dragon god vision is correct, I’ll soon find out. When I do, they’ll wish they were still trapped for eternity.

“What was that?” Alienis orders, horrified by what he saw in my mind.

“My death,” I explain calmly as we continue toward Modain.

“Katarina,” Alienis warns.

My response is cut off by a fire attack from Modain. I duck as Alienis dodges. When I look up I see a swarm of Adversantem dragons. Well, I’m screwed. On the other hand, I do not see Mikal. According to my calculations of the humbling human healing rate, he’s still in a coma. I have no idea what Trayvon has in mind, but I have to trust him this time.

Alienis pulls up slightly and locks onto Modain as he rears. They grab hold of each other and start biting at one another. We’re tackled on the side, knocking Alienis from Modain and me from his back. I’m caught quickly though.

As I’m preparing for the worst a hand grabs my arm. “Don’t worry, I got you.” Trayvon pulls me up from Gracial’s claw. He pulls me behind him and Alienis takes off after the dragon that tackled him. When I look behind us, I see several of our clansmen and dragons flying toward us.

“I bet you didn’t know they are trained dragon fighters either?” Trayvon chuckles. “Now let’s kill this bastard.”

“His legs are still shriveled and still physically weak,” I say as I point at Modain as we fly toward him. “He used all his energy to bring back his power. Now what kind of power does a dragon have?”

Trayvon chuckles. “I really have kept you undertrained. Okay, Modain has mind control. There hasn’t been a mind he can’t take at full strength. He can also zap a person’s soul if he manages to bite them. He also has a way of basically causing anyone considered weak to bounce off of him in a way. His power is basically a built-in shield. Anyone who is not on his power level cannot touch him.”

I grin. “He’s still weak. Alienis touched him.”

“Then let’s get him. What is a dragon’s weak point?”

“Wings, eyes, and belly.” I know that from my fight in the North.

“Good, because we’re on our own,” Trayvon says as he rolls off, pulling me with him. We had avoided a dragon attacking Gracial by inches. We hurdled toward the ground, plummeting at such a pace that I could scarcely breathe. Air is pulling at my exposed midriff and legs.

I land on Modain’s back, and Trayvon lands on his tail. Modain growls and turns his head, trying to bite at me. I dodge him and stab him in the back with one of my knives, holding on since I know what is coming next.

“Hold on!” I yell as Modain goes into a barrel roll. Trayvon lets go of Modain’s tail and drops onto his belly.

“Belly!” Trayvon yells to confirm as Modain roars.

“Climbing!” I yell back as I take out another knife and start making my way up. Modain roars again as he turns back over. By this time, I’d made it to the base of his head. I stab him again while he tries to throw me. Trayvon does something, causing him to roar and toss his head back. I use the distraction and momentum to swing and stab the blade into his eye.

Taking an unexpected turn Modain dives toward the ground. Trayvon and I hold on tight but with the impact from the ground, we’re both knocked off. I roll as Trayvon stays pinned underneath him. Modain stands as he growls. “Your blood will heal me!” He yells as he takes a snap at Trayvon.

Trayvon ducks and Modain misses his head by inches. “Kit, I need you!” Trayvon yells as he tries to shove Modain off of him.

I stand and run at Modain, knowing I’m completing that little dragon’s prophecy. Modain swings his head wildly, striking me and flinging me into a tree. I smack it hard, pain radiating in every inch of my being. I can’t breathe and I can’t think.

“Kit!” Trayvon yells as Modain maniacally begins to laugh.

I grab my sword from my belt and start running. I dive between Modain and Trayvon, my blade lifted upwards. Modain bites down on me as my blade penetrates his skull and enters his brain, swallowing me whole. I miss his teeth by a hair, but the top of his mouth slams down and cracks against my head, making my neck bend at an impossible angle. The last thing I’m aware of is Tray yelling my name.