TerraFlame (The New Journey Book 1)

by Alexis González

  That was when he heard the voice.

  “Linex…” the voice was rather clear and deep.

  Linex rolled on his bed and groaned loudly. “Uhhh mom it’s too early, I don’t want to…”

  “Linex...” the voice repeated. He listened carefully, that most certainly didn't sound like his mom. But he was still too sleepy to bother, perhaps he was having one of those weird dreams again.

  “Linex wake up!!” the voice ordered shrilly.

  Linex sat up quickly, definitely not his mom's voice. He glanced around his bed, there was no one; yet he could hear the sound of heavy breathing. “Huh what, where, who… who was that?” the question almost sounded stupid.

  “Down here, you little fire baby” the voice replied.

  Linex looked down his bed, standing on its hind legs, not too far from the lampstand was a small dragon.

  He was most certainly dreaming. Linex blinked twice again and squinted his eyes to examine the strange creature.

  If he had seen it from afar, he would have concluded that he was actually looking at a small lizard. The dragon's body was spiked with scales, the color of its body was dull red, and it also had a pair of small wings which it flapped as it stared back at Linex with slitted eyes.

  “Aww... it’s so cute” Linex sighed looking at the dragon.

  “Who are you calling cute?” the dragon demanded sending a ball of fire into Linex's face.

  “Ahh my face!! What was that for?” Linex asked rather surprised. The fire had burnt off a lock of his hair.

  “For calling me cute. However, pardon me but my name is Urilion” the dragon replied, it flapped its little wings and floated in front of Linex.

  “Weird name, why not Dray?” Linex suggested. "Dray's a way cooler name"

  Urilion paused to consider that for a moment. “That was random… ok then maybe I could get used to it” it replied in agreement.

  Linex got out of the bed and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

  Urilion flew after him, staring at the toothbrush in utmost wonder. “Is that a weapon?” it asked.

  “No, just an object to keep the teeth clean” Linex replied. He squeezed some toothpaste on the brush and proceeded to floss and brush his teeth while the dragon watched with fascination.

  “Say, where did you come from?” Linex asked.

  “From you” Urilion replied abruptly.

  “Sorry, what?” Linex gaped at the dragon in surprise.

  “I came from your body”

  “Ok! I’m so confused now”

  “We Flaredragons are born when someone possess an orb as it’s user, which our objective is to be the guardian of this power, I was with you all along Linex” Urilion explained. It had a rather wiry smile on its face that sent a chill down Linex's spine.

  . “I can’t believe this…" Linex mumbled shaking his head. "Does that mean…"

  Urilion interjected. “yes I know the girl you like too”.

  Linex screamed and bolted downstairs.

  “Hey, you can’t leave me behind, it's too dangerous to do that, what if you lose control of your power!” Urilion called after him.

  “Dray don’t let mom discover you” Linex warned.

  “What would she do? she’s nice” the dragon noted thoughtfully.

  “Sometimes” Linex agreed.

  “Uh… probably true, ok then I’ll go inside of the temple” Urilion said.

  “Wait… what temple?” Linex asked quite confused.

  Urilion transformed into fire and merged with Linex.

  “Oh Lord, this is awesome!” Linex whispered under his breath, he looked around to be sure that no one had saw that happen.

  Urilion went to his conformable place called the Garden of Peace inside the Fire temple.

  “Linex you can come over here and have a good conversation” the voice was quite clear in Linex's head.

  “How? I’m already here with you” Linex replied in astonishment.

  “Not exactly, what I mean is to a secret and peaceful place for you, you need to lose yourself in your mind. You spirit will automatically come over here” Urilion instructed.

  “Ok then” Linex agreed. He closed his eyes slowly and focused. At first, nothing happened. Then slowly, his body grew warm and calm; merging him with his inner self and he soon eventually enters the Fire temple, he sees Urilion there, but the dragon has grown rather huge.

  “Um… am I dreaming?” Linex asked lost in wonder.

  “No Linex, and of course this is my original size” Urilion informed him.

  "awesome… anyways what is this place?” Linex asked, he was moving around this ethereal place, looking shocked.

  “This might be complicated but it’s your mind in a paradise. This is how you have to maintain yourself if you get in some big mental problems” Urilion replied.

  “Ok? So, if I lose myself mentally…” Linex furthered.

  “You’ll probably become an undead smoke monster like the ones you saw before” the dragon coughed, emitting a ball of flame.

  “Would I come back if I put myself together?”

  “No, well I have never seen that happening, but if you die that’s it and you are having difficulties with that”

  “Hahaha, don’t remind me it…”

  They went outside. There were two large dragon statues looking one each other, glowing orbs of fire, just outside the Fire Temple.

  “Linex have you met your father?” The dragon asked as they moved down the stairs.

  “No, but I saw a vision about him” Linex replied.

  “yes, I saw it as well, your father bonded the Scarlet Orb inside you for what I can see” Urilion explained.

  “Wait the Scarlet what… what is that? And do you remember something about my dad?” Linex's eyes shone with curiosity. Here was an opportunity to know all about his father.

  “Well I don’t know anything about your father nor about what happened before, but I remember that your race was training really hard to protect their home, there is something that went wrong after that, but the memory went blank… I can’t remember much all I know is about the Scarlet Orb which has a tremendous flame powers” Urilion replied.

  Linex was still curious. But didn't push further. He emerged back to his body, only to find that he was presently still standing in his room.

  “Well, back to myself” Linex heaved a sigh of relief.

  “Anyways… where is your mother?” Urilion asked popping out of Linex's body again.

  "Probably downstairs” Linex grunted.

  Urilion flew down the stairs and Linex went running after him.

  “Don’t let mom see you!” Linex shouted after the dragon, trying to keep his voice low. He wondered the look on the face of his mother, if she eventually saw a real dragon in the house.

  “Why not? Well she is human I don’t know how she will react but let’s try…” Urilion grinned morbidly. “Hello there” he said addressing Jennica who had her back turned to him.

  But before his mother turn around, Linex grabbed Urilion and held the dragon behind his back.

  “What was that voice” Jennica asked looking rather surprised.

  “Oh mom, that was me” Linex replied.

  “You sure? That was a deep voice young man" his mother said regarding him suspiciously.

  “Well I’m practicing it that’s all hehe…” Linex insisted, trying to keep a straight face.

  “Oh well then… forgot to tell you that Joe have called so that he can be with you around the city” his mother informed him.

  “Ok, can you give me a moment” Linex went to his room again to talk to Dray.

  “What you were thinking...?!” he retorted lowering his voice, so as not to attract the attention of his mother.

  “What? It’s just a human how bad can it get?” Urilion asked grinning.

  “It can get really bad
, and I can’t explain because there are so many reasons. I don’t know how she will react! Just please don’t let her find you” Linex warned.

  "Well why not give it a shot for once” Urilion suggested.

  “Nope" said Linex. "Not happening"

  “Very well, I’m heading back to my temple” Dray disappeared into a puff of smoke and entered Linex’s heart only pop out again for a few seconds again.

  “Oh and by the way I know you're so in love with Lysie” the dragon grinned and popped right back in.

  “Return back Dray!!!” Linex ordered. But nothing happened.

  Linex trudged downstairs to find that his mom had already fixed breakfast.

  After eating breakfast, he headed out of the house.

  “Don’t forget to get early here for dinner” his mother called after him.

  “Alright, bye” he replied closing the door behind him.

  As he walked down the road, he found himself suddenly surrounded by a thick fog. And out of the thick fog came a pair of purple eyes that made him cringe back in terror.

  But the eyes disappeared as abruptly as they had made an appearance.

  Linex looked around carefully. “What was that… well if it appears again I’ll be ready for it, right now I have to find Joe” he muttered and continued his walk down to Joe's.

  Unconsciously, he started running. Not looking up, he crashed into Lysie again.

  “Really Linex again!” Lysie said more out of surprise, feigning anger.

  “I’m so sorry Lysie” Linex apologized.

  “Hey Lysie, what are you doing with that?” Linex asked noticing the drugs that Lysie had in a cellophane bag.

  “I was taking this to my aunt, she is really sick” Lysie replied.

  “Ok then, I’ll help you get over there” Linex offered smiling.

  “Are you sure? You been in a rush now” Lysie asked quite shocked.

  “Yeah, I was heading to Joe’s house but don’t worry he will get mad but don’t worry really” Linex replied.

  “You know Joe’s going to kill you right?” Urilion whispered in his head.

  “Shut it” Linex grunted.

  “What?”

  “Oh nothing just talking to myself hehe…”

  “Good going Linex” Urilion chuckled. But Linex only ignored the dragon.

  “Anyways let’s go quickly” Linex stated and Lysie nodded in agreement.

  After ten minutes, they soon arrived at the house.

  “We're here” Lysie announced as they trotted up the steep stairs that led to the front porch.

  “Wow, the house is huge” Linex commented.

  They found Lysie's aunt in bed, she was quite delighted to see them.

  “Thank you dear, say hello to your mother for me ok, love you” her aunt said after Lysie had handed over the drugs.

  “Alright aunty loves you too, bye” Lysie replied. They got outside the house.

  “Well we are done… so, where are we going?” Lysie asked.

  “I was going to Joe’s place; he might be out because we took long here” Linex noted.

  Then let’s go find that cocky boy” Lysie declared excitedly.

  “Ok then” Linex agreed blushing.

  “Hey, don’t get too blushy” Urilion commented.

  “Stop it Dray” Linex replied back, but this time he used the telepathic link between himself and the Flaredragon.

  As they walked, Linex had that weird feeling of being watched. “It’s that feeling again, Dray…” Linex communicated telepathically.

  “Yes I know, stay alert I think it’s the same fog from before” the dragon advised.

  “Did you see it?” Linex asked.

  “Not completely, what have you seen?” Urilion whispered.

  “Some purple eyes in it, what do you think what it is?”

  Urilion was rather quiet, then it hit the dragon and its voice became croaky with panic. “Purple eyes… Oh no… Linex you better get out of there quickly!”

  “Why?” Linex asked in confusion.

  The fog came out of nowhere and someone, or something ran towards Linex.

  “Oh no!!, Lysie get out!” Linex screamed unleashing his fire aura to block the attack directed at him.

  After he had blocked it, the wind blew away the fog and the face were revealed, it was a Smokeling like the once before.

  “Dang it, these ones are very stealthy and intelligent watch out Linex” the dragon advised.

  “Don’t worry I got this” Linex said staring intently at the Smokeling. "Stay behind me, Lysie"

  “Be careful Linex” Lysie said standing right behind Linex, she had never seen anything like what she was gaping at now. It didn't look like a human.

  “Don’t worry I’ll…” he hardly completed those words. The Smokeling sent a punch into his face.

  “You let your guard down, I told you to be careful, not careless!” Lysie shouted at him. She had hidden behind a garbage can.

  “Ouch, ouch… that really hurt! You’re really strong” Linex said and attacked again.

  The fight continued but the difference in power was really high. -

  “What is this! I can’t lay nothing… not even a scratch, ok well time to let more heat unleash” Linex wondered.

  He unleashed more power from his arms and attacked the monster again, but no matter how much he managed to fight, nothing seemed to affect the monster.

  “There is nothing you can do, let’s go!” Lysie called to him.

  “No, I can do it… I can win…" Linex insisted trying to stand back to his feet. "No… I… I… can’t”. The monster ran towards Linex to finish him. But a red blur came out of nowhere and blocked the finishing attack.

  “Leave. Linex,” It was Sensei Aiden, covered by his fire aura.

  “Sensei!” Linex screamed.

  “The Oldman” Lysie said recognizing him almost immediately from that day at the school.

  “Um, I’m here you know” Joe added joining Sensei Aiden.

  “Where were you?" Linex asked a bit surprised.

  “I was with Sensei Aiden since he called me to get here quickly” Joe replied. “Good timing too”

  The monster stood at some distance from them and stared at Aiden.

  “What is this class doing here? And why after Linex?” a voice whispered in Aiden's head.

  “He discovered that Linex is one of us” Sensei Aiden replied.

  The Smokeling had started to charge up a big purple fire ball.

  “Enough” Aiden said cancelling the attack.

  “Well, well, well… what do we have here… so you’re the one called Aiden” the monster said grinning wickedly.

  “Who are you?” Sensei Aiden asked.

  “Well I’m the end, of your destiny” He charged up to attack them, which they got the advantage. “This is where you die!”. He blasted the beam attack, but Aiden only blocked it.

  “Is that all you have?” Sensei Aiden appeared unimpressed.

  “Nah, it was just a little part of my power, now that I see how strong you are, your power is perfect for her…” the Smokeling said.

  "Her...?" The old man sounded quite astonished. "Who are you referring to?”.

  The Smokeling only laughed hysterically. “I cannot say, soon you’ll see…”

  “You’re leaving soon, what a shame of two cowards like you!” Joe called after them.

  However, the Smokeling and the monster disappeared.

  “Who is he? And how did they manage to enter the city!” Sensei Aiden wondered loudly.

  There was complete silence for a moment. Then Aiden turned to Linex, " Linex are you alright?” he asked.

  Linex only nodded his head.

  ***

  At that same moment, the Smokelings were assembled in a gloomy place keeling before an unknown figure shrouded in darkness.

  “My roy
al highness” the Smokelings greeted bowing down.

  “Did you see him?” the dark figure asked.

  “Yes I did ma’am” the Smokelings replied.

  “Perfect, the plan will be as I expected” the dark figure chuckled, and so saying sent a single ball of fire at one of the Smokelings, utterly pulverizing it.

  “I’m getting close to you; you’ll be dead by my hands and I will get your power" the dark figure's laughter rang through the encroaching night.

  CHAPTER 9

  HEARING THE TRUTH

  “Yeah, I’m fine" Linex nodded in affirmation. "What about you?”

  “I’m ok, you’re hurt badly but thank goodness you’re alright, what about Lysie?” Aiden asked addressing Lysie who was still a bit shocked as regards what she had just witnessed.

  “I’m ok, Linex protected me at that moment, well a little” she casted a furtive glance at him.

  Linex laughed a little and stood up. “Good that the Purpureus monster left” Urilion commented, the dragon had been silent in his head.

  “Purpureus?” Linex asked in wonder.

  “There are 5 types of monsters which they are called Smokelings, there is more to those things, but I can’t remember” Urilion explained.

  “Yeah I see, so he is one of those smoke monsters, right?”

  “Yes, and my question is why would it be here? Or what is their work?” Urilion asked, it was a kind of rhetorical question. The dragon doesn’t know a lot, but he still has few memories about them, it had been almost as if that race had been extinct.

  “We should go, the police and the military are on their way to this part of the city” Lysie urged.

  “Alright, Sensei…” Linex started but his Sensei had long disappeared. He was nowhere in sight.

  “Oh well let’s go Lysie!” Linex said. Both he and Lysie bounded down the streets amidst the wails of approaching sirens.

  About ten minutes after their departure, the military arrived, and the commander got down of his military vehicle.

  “So… those people left” Commander Alderson grunted, he was a tall man with well-built body, he had a scar at the left side of his face, directly above the cheekbone.

  “Sir, the monsters have been on the move and it looks like there were two enemies and some old guy with three teenagers” one of the soldiers responded.