They hiked for hours, pushing themselves beyond their physical limits. Jared almost called a stop multiple times but decided to wait until at least one person could go no further. When the complaints and angry thoughts started up again, it was almost enough to stop, but only a few moments later Marie sank to her knees. It was good enough for one day’s travel. Hopefully, it would be a while before more robots risked the tunnels. They didn’t need to sleep or rest, but Jared imagined they weren’t easy to manufacture, and the cities had already lost a lot.
Just to be safe, he and Ballog took up a spot in the group’s rear while Carla and Elle took the front. If anything tried to follow them, they’d be ready.
Jared announced a six hour rest and took turns with Ballog keeping watch before he got the group moving again. Everyone had a little extra pep in their step, and they made good time following Scarlet. Occasionally, the tunnel branched into smaller ones, some too small for even a human to traverse. Jared kept a wary eye on these for any lurking creatures. A few times, they saw scorch marks around the entrances. Jared assumed it was evidence of Scarlet and the others destroying and warning off predators hiding in the shadows.
The gradual descent they’d made since leaving home eventually leveled out and branched yet again. One branch led north, the stream following along its path. The other led south. There was a symbol etched into the ground in front of the left tunnel. It was the symbol he’d followed in New York that had changed his life forever. Scarlet must’ve seen the tag during one of their mind meld sessions. It was a nice gesture, and Jared appreciated Scarlet taking the time.
Jared pressed ahead and finally caught up to Scarlet and her brothers. They’d reached a dead end with no room to even turn around. For the past thirty or forty minutes, they’d traveled uphill. It was impossible for him to know how close to the surface they were. If it was too far, the heat would suffocate them when Scarlet made a path through the earth and rock.
“Scarlet! It’s good to see you.” Jared squeezed his way past her brothers and joined her at the front. He didn’t want everyone to hear the conversation he was about to have. “Do you know how far we are beneath the earth?”
“I guess between fifteen and twenty feet. You see the roots there? We are close enough that it should not take long to burn through.”
“How long exactly? Once you start breathing fire, it’s going to suck the oxygen out of the air and superheat this small area.”
Scarlet didn’t respond for a time as she thought it through.
“I cannot say. However, I can have my brothers block the passage with their bodies. It will not last long but should sufficiently shield everyone from the heat.”
“Okay, let me get everyone together and back up a way. Hopefully the oxygen loss might not impact everyone as much. I’ll shoot a thought over when we’re ready. Oh, if there’s any drop ships when you get out, please take them out and move south as fast as possible. We can’t backtrack these tunnels anymore. I don’t think everyone can handle it and already they question our choices.”
Jared made his way back to Vanessa and let her know what was about to happen. Together, they herded everyone back a few hundred yards.
“We are ready.”
“Prepare yourself.” Scarlet’s voice thundered in everyone’s head.
“Cover your face with something!” Jared yelled.
As the words left his mouth, Scarlet unleashed her fire on the rock, sending a wave of heat and roiling smoke over everything. The heat was extremely intense even from so far back, and several people cried out in surprise. It wasn’t enough to harm anyone, but it was uncomfortable. The smoke was the worst of it, invading people’s eyes, nose, and mouths, even covered as they were.
It didn’t last long before Scarlet called him over. After the smoke cleared, some of it escaping above the surface, Jared found a small hole, big enough for him to approach. However, the rock was so hot it glowed, and he didn’t think his protections were good enough to protect him. Instead, he and Scarlet bent their ears to listen for any signs a drop ship was near.
After determining the coast clear, Scarlet, followed by Malsour, prepared to charge from the tunnel.
“Scarlet—” Jared laid a hand on her side and whispered, “If there are any drop ships out there…”
“I know what must be done. We will take it out and head directly south.”
“I’ll find you, though it may take several days. If you’re able to fly back and guide us, please do so. We can find a place to settle later. I want to head farther southwest first.”
“We will clear the way of any dangerous predators.”
“Thank you. Obviously, you know to steer clear of humans and colonies, but maybe keep an eye out for more explorers? I’ve never been this far south, so I have no idea if there are more people around. If there’s more people like the Daggers, we definitely don’t want to alert them to your presence.”
“We will avoid them. There is no reason for us to facilitate a conflict with anyone. Not until my brothers grow stronger. We must find a way to get back to the lake of nanites. That is our most rapid path to strength.”
“We’ll figure out a way.”
“We can send Attis. If we find him again.”
“We will find him. Even if I have to hike back solo.”
“Jared—”
Holding up a hand, he cut her off. “I know, I know. We’ll talk about it when we’re safe. Let’s get this done. I want to be as far from here as possible as soon as possible.”
Jared made sure everyone stood back while the dragons lined up single file, ready to punch through into the open air. Scarlet would go first, followed by Malsour and Ballog heading up the rear. Ballog still couldn’t fly with his injury, so they’d need to traverse the ground, but Scarlet would fly cover for them. Before Jared joined Vanessa at the head of the group, he retrieved the makeshift satchels from Ballog. They planned to travel very fast, and the shoddy slings wouldn’t survive the trek.
“Go!”
Scarlet needed no further prodding as she burst from the ground. The crashing rocks reached his ears as she launched herself through the partial opening. Malsour widened the hole further as he rocketed into the open air. One by one, the dragons disappeared from view. Once he was certain the tunnel would hold, Jared led the group in their wake, pausing at the threshold only to determine the coast was still clear.
“Let’s move.”
Everyone rushed for the exit, enjoying the fading sunlight on their skin. It was nearing dusk, and they wouldn’t have too much time left to travel on foot before visibility became an issue. They occasionally came across a few obvious scenes of carnage. Scarlet, true to her word, had had her brothers eliminate any possible threats in their wake. Pools of blood and the limbs of a random assortment of creatures were the only evidence leftover.
They hustled for another two hours before it became impossible for the water folk to see. It was no use to stumble around in the dark. They’d rest for the night and set out at first light with everyone refreshed. He chose a small tree band to make camp. It didn’t afford much protection, but it was better than sleeping in the open.
Jared, Elle, and Kitty were the only ones who didn’t sleep. They patrolled the perimeter of the camp. They’d gotten a few hours the night before and didn’t need much rest.
The night passed slowly. Jared expected to see a drop ship at any moment and didn’t allow himself to relax. His heightened awareness proved unnecessary. Maybe they really had made their escape. It was too early for him to celebrate, but hope wormed its way into his heart.
The moment sunlight peeked over the horizon, Jared woke everyone. Sleep addled and groggy, they began their trek south.
The journey took them three days to reach the spot where Scarlet and her brothers had stopped. It was the same story every day. March from sunup to sundown with onl
y a short break around midday to recuperate. Scarlet came back to check on them twice during the journey and corrected their trajectory both times. They’d needed to skirt around smaller colonies, but largely, the area was a barren wasteland. A couple wild dogs and a few rats that migrated to the area after the dragons passed by provided the only interruptions. It was simple work, and Jared let those with less experience handle clearing them out. Then he had Carla and Pete absorb any nanites from them. They needed them more than he and Elle.
The entire time they traveled, Jared forced himself to remain vigilant. By the end of the third day he finally let himself believe they’d escaped the wrath of the city, at least for a time.
When everyone caught sight of Scarlet and the dragons, they cheered. Jared let them have the moment. He didn’t want to stay more than a couple days before they continued. If he told them that right now, they’d flay him alive.
The place Scarlet chose was in the middle of nowhere. A single cluster of buildings stood vacant in the center of barren fields. Enclosing the large area was forest as far as he could see. There was one two-lane road bisecting the plot. It was drab, lifeless, and isolated, exactly what they needed.
Before Jared let anyone rest, he cleared the buildings and made sure it wasn’t home to any creatures. Like its surroundings, it was absent anything of note.
“Okay, it’s safe to go in. Make yourself comfortable. We’ll hole up here for a while.”
Relieved, everyone dashed for the building to stake their claim and get off their feet. Jared shrugged, it was plenty big enough for everyone, and he didn’t really care where he slept. When he only slept a few hours a night, all he needed was a place big enough to stretch out, and he was good.
Finally, the tension left Jared’s shoulders. They’d made it safely away, and now they could take their time. He walked over to Scarlet and sat with his back to her.
“Are you and your brothers going to dig into—”
Scarlet nudged his side, making him look up at her. She jutted out her chin in the direction of the open field.
Her brothers lay in deep depressions all across the field. He hadn’t seen them on first glance, but their backs were nearly flush with the ground.
“Sorry, I should stop assuming you aren’t already aware of these things.”
“Do not be sorry for double-checking all is secure and safe. You have many people under your charge and every right to be concerned.”
Jared smiled and leaned against her side. They sat in silence for a time while Jared spun some ideas through his head. A part of him wanted to dive into his feelings for Vanessa, but it seemed like such a trivial thing to discuss when they had more pressing matters.
“So, I’ve been thinking about our lack of strength problem. I’m wondering if there’s any reason for us to find companions other than dragons?”
“We do not know—”
“Hold on a sec. I know we don’t know where they are exactly, and that’s the first puzzle we have to solve, but think about it. What did Carla bonding with Attis gain us?”
“Believe me, I have. Currently, he is a liability and nearly spelled our doom. Not entirely his fault because he does not have the understanding to comprehend.”
“Exactly, plus think about how long it’ll take Carla and him to improve sufficiently to really add to our capabilities. I mean, it’s cool and all, but…”
“I share your hesitation, but if we—” Scarlet paused to collect her thoughts.
He experienced a strange sensation as she rapidly processed a bunch of thoughts at once. He didn’t know if it was their physical connection or if they’d grown more attuned to each other, but he caught snippets of her thoughts and emotions. She rummaged through her mind, looking at trajectories, locations, and distances from her mother’s perspective. It was extremely confusing for him. Not only did he not understand all of the viewpoints from Alestrialia, he also didn’t understand the calculations Scarlet made in rapid succession.
“It could work.”
Jared couldn’t help but smirk in satisfaction. “Like I said, I spent a while thinking about this. I understand that we’ll need to convince them to join the fight, but I think if you consult with their matriarch, you’ll be able to share your experiences and get them on board. We’ve got forty-four people here. Well, forty-three, since Pete’s already bonded.”
“There are approximately fifty-three dragons remaining, besides myself and my brothers.”
“See that leaves quite a bit of wiggle room in the event others of your kind didn’t survive the millennia. Razael—”
Scarlet cut him off with a snort, unhappy with that line of thinking. However, Jared would be remiss if he didn’t consider the possibility that other dragons had died along the way.
“I know it’s a hard topic but think about it. If we randomly stumbled on Razael, isn’t it possible?”
“I suppose…” Scarlet’s tone expressed her grudging acceptance of his rationale.
“I truly hope that Razael was the only one, but we must consider all angles here. If we do this, we’ll need to split up. I don’t think you should go yourself. Nor do I think any of the water folk should go even if they bond between now and then.”
“My three eldest brothers.”
“That is what I was thinking, provided they’ve regained their ability to fly. They will travel thousands of miles, not to mention having to find a way beneath the earth to awaken those that yet slumber. I honestly don’t even know how they will reach the water dragons. Can they just, I don’t know, fly over and shout for them?”
“Honestly, I do not know. It may be futile, but I can see this will provide us the highest chance of success against the cities. If the dragons united into one front, nothing could stand in our way.”
An edge of defiance crept into her thoughts, and Jared watched the idea take hold. The more she thought about the idea, the more determined she became. The only thing left to do was get her brothers on the bandwagon, but Jared hardly thought that would take any convincing at all.
“Brothers, come.”
Scarlet waited until they’d all assembled around her.
Though he’d been around them for some time now, the massive creatures arrayed before Scarlet was still unbelievable. It was straight out of a fantasy story he’d read as a kid. Seeing it with his own eyes was surreal.
“Jared and I discussed a plan you should hear. We—”
“We must find our kin,” Ashazad interrupted, nodding his head in agreement. “We heard your thoughts, sister. You think so loudly, you may as well shout to us.”
Chagrined, Scarlet lowered her head.
Embarrassment flooded into Jared, and his cheeks grew warm. Scarlet’s emotions bleeding through him so strongly surprised him. The more time they spent together, the more attuned they became with each other’s thoughts and emotions.
Jared smiled and patted her side. “It’s okay, Scarlet. You haven’t needed to shield your thoughts from anyone since you were born. I wouldn’t let it get to you.”
Scarlet lifted her head and stared at each of her brothers. “What is your verdict?”
A chorus of agreement exploded through his head, instantly giving him a headache. He wasn’t the only one to experience the psionic pressure as several cried out from the nearby buildings, and people stumbled from the door holding their heads.
“Um, maybe a little less on the vocal projection next time?”
“Apologies.” Malsour sounded abashed. “I must remember to soften my thoughts.”
Scarlet spent a few more moments discussing the plan with her brothers, but Jared was left out of the conversation.
Seeing things well in hand, Jared went into the buildings and made sure everyone was okay after the mental pressure exerted by Malsour.
“Vanessa.” Jared beckoned her over. “We’ll stay
here for a couple days to let everyone recover. If people are ready, I’d like them to bond while we’re here too. Have you thought more about the bond with Malsour? As far as I can tell, there’s no one else he’s considered.”
“If he’s willing, then yes.” Vanessa’s voice cracked, and she looked apprehensive.
“There’s no reason to get scared. It will hurt, but the benefit is well worth the experience. You’ll know and understand things about yourself and the dragons that words alone cannot convey.”
“I will do it as soon as he is ready.”
“How about now?”
Vanessa blanched, but nodded her head.
“Can you please round everyone up who wants to bond? If someone doesn’t want to, we’ll respect their wishes. The same is true for the dragons, though I believe they may have changed their minds after seeing the threats we face.”
“I’ll round everyone up.”
“Oh, after we leave here, we’re going southwest until I’m confident we’re far enough away from the city. Once we’ve settled someplace new, I’ve got plans to make us as strong as possible, but it will take time and luck for everything to fall into place. I’ll explain later. For now, let’s get this bond going so that everyone becomes familiar with their companion before we set out.”
Vanessa left to collect those who wished to bond while Jared fetched eleven boosters, hoping all of Scarlet’s brothers joined them. If they didn’t, a mature dragon was already immeasurably stronger than most—if not any—other creature on the planet, so they still had a formidable team. On the other hand, the phase cannons had torn right through Ballog’s scales. If they didn’t enhance themselves like Scarlet, there was no way they’d survive a volley from an armada of the ships. Especially if they faced pilots that predicted their every move like the soldier he’d fought on the ground.
Radioactive Revolution: A Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic Adventure Page 25