The dragon snorted uncomfortably. Kade realized he was daydreaming again. He mentally told himself he would have to do less of that since it’s what got him into this trouble in the first place. Had he just stayed on the protected path, nothing could have threatened him. No animal was able to pass the barrier unless Zayle allowed it.
Kade dismissed his thoughts and regarded the dragon. It was looking at him while tilting its head back and forth. He realized the dragon was waiting for him to do something. But, what? Zayle had never thought to teach him what to do with a dragon. Why would he? No one has ever encountered one and lived to tell or brag about it. At least, not like this. It was said in the days of old that dragons were more abundant, but that was a long time ago when the Ancients still walked the land.
Without warning, the dragon flexed its mighty haunches and launched itself directly at Kade with a deafening roar. The look in its eyes was of killing as it came at him. The fear lanced through Kade‘s body as he threw himself down, waiting for the crushing weight to drive him into the ground. The dragon sailed just over his head. And then the nagging feeling exploded in his mind as he heard the dragon collide with something just behind him.
Kade mentally kicked himself for not realizing whatever had caused the injuries on the dragon could still be in the area. As he was regaining his feet, he heard a shriek so loud and penetrating that it stood the hairs up on the back of his neck, setting every nerve in his body on fire. There came a second crash as the dragon, and whatever it was fighting, landed just behind him. The ground shook, causing Kade to stumble before catching his balance. He forced himself to run, but after just a few steps, he turned, hoping he would not regret his decision.
What could really threaten a dragon? he thought, but he knew, after seeing the injuries on the dragon, it had to be at least as large.
His heart leapt into his throat as he focused on the two combatants. He was very wrong. The beast was not only as large as the dragon but larger by quite a bit. Kade considered turning and running again but quickly felt shame for the thought. That thing must have been in mid-leap, coming directly at him when the dragon had intercepted it. He could not live with himself if he left the dragon to die when it had just risked its life to save him. Maybe it was not specifically for him, but if it had not intercepted the creature, the outcome would have been the same.
Looking on in horror at one of the few fabled beast reported to actually be able to kill a dragon, Kade fought to control his panic. Here, standing directly in front of him was a grimalkin. It was not as he had seen in the books he used to read. This thing looked wrong. It was not the cat-like image he would expect. No. It was a grotesquely twisted form of what looked to have been feline at one time but now was something completely different. It had wings with feathers that looked dirty and decaying. It had a hooked beak that was brown and jagged with chips broken out of it. Its eyes were sunken and shallow. But one thing was certain; this creature was meant for killing, and it meant to kill the dragon. At half again as large, it was clear that the grimalkin had the advantage.
The dragon was fighting furiously and even caused a deep gouge in the monsters chest, causing blood to flow. But, it was not slowing the massive animal, and Kade knew the dragon was not going to win this fight. It only had a few new wounds, but it was obvious which one was going to parish and which one was going to survive.
His indecision was tearing him apart. He knew if he tried to help the dragon, he would draw the monster’s attention, and that would mean death. He also knew if the dragon lost, he was most likely the next target. But, one thing he was certain of; if he attacked the grimalkin, he was next, if he did nothing, the dragon was doomed.
He considered turning and running again but immediately felt shame for the second time. Anger flared in him so strong that he shook. Nothing else mattered now. All he could see was the deadly battle being waged in front of him. All concern for his own life evaporated and was instantly replaced with fury. He accepted that he was going to die, and now he was going to do it fighting. Kade felt his heart pound hard as adrenalin raged through his system.
The dragon tried several times to leap back and draw on its dragon’s breath only to have the grimalkin close the distance rapidly. The dragon tried over and over to get distance to use its fire, but the grimalkin always charged in, giving the dragon no chance to use its natural weapon. They were tangled once more in their deadly embrace. The dragon was taking injuries quickly. It staggered and barely dodged a killing snap of the grimalkin’s beak. The creature was going for the dragon’s neck with almost every lunge now. Again, it launched, and this time, it nicked the dragon, drawing a small amount of blood. If not for its lightning quick reflexes, the dragon would already be dead. Time was running out.
That last attack was too close. This was all Kade could stand. His anger consumed him completely.
How dare this thing attack such a magnificent creature that I had just healed! Kade thought as he felt his pulse racing. As valiantly as the dragon fought, it was going to die, and that would just not do. The grimalkin had the dragon in its claws, trying savagely to get its hooked-beak into the dragon’s throat. Seeing this was the very last thing Kade needed to launch into action.
“Not today!” he screamed as he charged forward “NOT TODAY!”
Kade opened himself up to the Divine Power and its full might, calling on the seething, blue fire and hurled it with all his anger. His words may not have caused the creature to hesitate, but when the Divine Fire exploded on the beast's hide, he knew he had its attention. Fear tried to force its way back into his heart. The grimalkin looked directly at him and paused, but…only for a moment. Kade felt fury more intense than ever as he gritted his teeth so hard in such fierce determination that he could have bit through brick. His hands balled into fists so tightly that he was shaking. He curled his lip in a snarl and hissed, “You intend on dismissing me that easily? Then ignore this!” Kade yelled as he lit the cat up with another blast of the blue fire. The flames were getting larger with each calling, but Kade did not notice. Unknown to him, his Divine gift had come alive. Kade’s gift of unlimited Divine Power had him pulsing with power.
The dragon took advantage of the distraction and sank its teeth deeply into the grimalkin’s flesh, tearing out a large chunk. The creature roared and attempted to renew its attack. Kade unleashed another Fire Calling just as the cat-like creature tried for a killing blow. Fear of watching the dragon die, along with rage at this beast, brought on a desire to destroy another living creature stronger than Kade had ever felt in his life. He willed death into every Fire Calling he threw, and each time it was just enough to throw the beast off before it found its mark.
Kade continued to yell as he threw blue fire over and over, doing everything he could to draw its attention. He had no idea what he was going to do if it turned on him, but right then, he did not care. He only knew he absolutely must save the dragon.
The grimalkin decided the man had caused it enough problems. With a mighty screech, it came off the badly injured dragon and leapt toward Kade with death in its eyes. His arm back with yet another Fire Calling, Kade froze in terror as the massive beast bore down on him. It was only when he was staring death directly in the eye that his anger faltered, and he became paralyzed with fear.
Without warning, when the beast was just several strides from him, it came down hard on its chin with enough force to cause Kade to stumble. Not knowing what had happened, he let loose the Divine Power directly into the grimalkin’s face. It screeched in pain and anger as it attempted to rise. It was then that Kade saw the dragon had fastened its teeth into the grimalkin’s right, hind leg and was holding on for all it was worth. The cat-like creature kicked out with its left, hind leg, knocking the dragon back, causing even more wounds.
Kade darted around the beast to get to the dragon. The grimalkin screeched again and made a swipe with its massive paws directly in front of itself where, seconds before, Kade had stood. It dawn
ed on the Apprentice Chosen that the grimalkin’s vision had been affected by the Divine Fire. Hope flooded through him. The grimalkin tried again and again to find the man that had caused it so much pain and confusion. With every passing moment, the beast’s actions became more violent as it screamed in rage in its desperate attempt to crush the man that had taken its sight.
Kade slid to a stop next to the dragon that was lying on its side and started the Healing Calling. He focused on the vital areas first, making sure its life was not going to wink out right before his eyes. Too much blood was gushing out, and the dragon was having a hard time breathing, but not for long. Kade fired calling after calling into the dragon. The breathing quickly eased and the dragon stabilized. Working as fast as he could, Kade healed the broken leg, then the wing, and finally two other deep gashes that were oozing too much life. He did his best to ignore the thrashing, wild beast, but he was afraid at any moment, through sheer luck, it would stumble upon him and the dragon. His heart beat wildly as he continued to focus on the dragon without so much as a glance at the deadly grimalkin.
With the dragon's life once again brought back from the brink of no return, Kade raced to its head. Its eyes were rolled back, and its tongue was hanging out in the dirt. He willed the Divine Power into the dragon and the healing took hold. He held his breath, hoping the dragon would recover before the grimalkin found it. He forced himself to ignore the deadly creature, even though he could feel the cat-like being getting closer through the pounding on the ground. Another healing and the dragon’s eyes cleared. It shook its head and then locked its huge, golden eyes with Kade’s. His eyes lost focus for just an instant as something caressed his mind. It was only a moment and then he was brought back as the grimalkin let out an ear-splitting screech.
Now we have a chance, Kade thought as exhilaration raced through his body. Kill, he thought…or…were those his thoughts?
Determination flooded through him in a rush as he stood and turned to face the grimalkin. The cautious side of him knew he should coax the dragon into turning and running. He knew they should flee so they both could live, but he discarded the more prudent plan and let his anger explode as he filled himself to overflowing with the Divine Power. He danced through the moves for the Fire Calling and lit up as blue fire sprang into existence. Working faster and faster, he blasted the creature over and over, causing it to howl in pain. A malicious smile crept across his face, and with every cry from the creature, it grew. He let out a yell of blind fury at the evil beast as he attacked, showing it no mercy. The dragon followed with its own deafening, violent roar that was so fierce it shook. It renewed its attack, leaping at the grimalkin with a vengeance.
The Fire Callings were definitely having their effect. The area smelled of burnt flesh and hair, but Kade barely noticed. The dragon tore over and over with its claws and rent with its teeth in a mad fury. It leapt back, spun in the air, and before it landed, took a deep breath and blasted the creature with such a torrent of flame that Kade could feel the heat wash over him, causing him to cough and stagger back. The grimalkin howled in pain, and then renewed its attack, desperation controlling its moves. It fought like an animal that was cornered, knowing its life was in peril. With a lucky strike, it knocked the dragon to the ground.
Kade was amazed at the amount of damage the beast had taken but was still coming. He knew it was far from over, but if he and the dragon could just keep working together, he was more than certain that they would prevail. Twice, the cat had knocked the dragon down, and once, even got a hold of it, but with the help of the Fire Calling, the dragon was able to get loose.
The dragon saw its opening, and with amazing ferocity, launched at the evil beast, sinking its teeth into the grimalkin’s neck as deep and hard as it could while latching on with its claws. The time for darting in and out was past. The creature tried desperately to dislodge the dragon that was attached to its side but failed. It tried repeatedly to crane its neck and get its hooked-beak into its attacker, but the dragon was wrapped too close to its hide. It wailed loudly, sensing its end was closing in and fought with desperation that shook the ground dangerously. It flipped onto its side and kicked furiously but the dragon was not coming loose. Kade continued to deal blow after blow, showing no mercy. The dragon bit down hard with its teeth that were still fastened in the grimalkin’s neck. Every muscle in its body bulged as it strained to bring its jaws together. And then…something snapped. The grimalkin twitched hard, and then its eyes half closed as the breath hissed out of it. The thrashing slowed moment by moment, as its life force quickly waned. Finally, it lay motionless on the ground, twitching slightly as the spirit of nature reclaimed its essence.
When the grimalkin was finally still, the dragon did something that shocked Kade; it started to feed. He looked on in awe. His mind started to whirl and the ground seemed to move, even though he was standing still. He was soaked with sweat and breathing heavily but he hardly noticed.
Kade sank to his knees, finally able to give in to his fatigue. Sweat dripped off his arms as he wiped the blood from his face. He looked at his hands and was surprised to see them shaking terribly. He tried to steady them but to no avail. An uncomfortable warmth crept up his back, and his stomach started to feel queasy. He tried to calm himself when he noticed how strange the grass felt on his face. That was the last thought he had before he passed out.
*CH2*
With a mouth full of grimalkin, the dragon looked over and saw Kade lying on the ground. It stopped chewing and raised its head slightly to focus on the prone body. With a huff, it abandoned its feast and bounded over to the man. Becoming agitated, the dragon nudged Kade several times. It sniffed rapidly in Kade’s face and relaxed when it sensed breathing. Relieved that he was still alive, it protectively laid down next to him, nudging him every so often.
Over the next few hours, many animals had come for the feast. The dragon just looked on as it lay next to the unconscious form. Only once during their rest was an animal careless enough not to notice the deadly dragon as it prepared to feed on the helpless man. It was the last mistake the animal ever made. Every other creature was wise enough to give the dragon a wide birth.
As Kade slowly started to awaken, he noticed an extremely unpleasant smell and wondered what Zayle was concocting. He heard the odd sounds of some type of animal but tried to ignore it and return to the world of dreams. All of a sudden the stench increased along with a warm blast of air. He opened his eyes and blinked as the puff hit him in the face again. His eyes burned instantly, causing him to squeeze them shut, as he gagged and coughed roughly. He moved back and opened his eyes to find a large golden disc not more than two feet away.
It only took another moment and then panic hit him as the memories of a giant cat-like beast slashing at him formed in his mind. The dragon, sensing his panic, leapt to its feet and spun around looking for the danger. Its body was tense as it looked for whatever had caused the man fear. It spun to the right, then the left, then spun completely around, expecting an attack from behind only to find nothing. The dragon huffed several times from the tension of getting ready for battle.
After a few more moments, all the memories came back and Kade looked around, noticing the beasts feeding on the large, toasted carcass. His eyes then fell on the one unfortunate animal that had come too close to him, and he was certain that the dragon must have torn it apart defending him. He dizzied at the thought of being so helpless. The animal could have easily killed him while he was passed out. He got that feeling of stopping at the edge of a cliff just before falling off.
“You did this,” Kade said as he rose shakily. “You kept me safe while I was out,” he said with awe in his voice.
Kade was staring at the dragon in fascination for a lot of reasons. The first was that this was a real, live dragon and it was not eating him. He felt gratitude and smiled. He walked up to the dragon and ran his hand over the supple, strong hide in amazement and noticed fresh wounds that were still unhealed. The
dragon flinched several times but then relaxed quickly. It did not take Kade long to put the Divine Power to use once again.
The dragon showed its appreciation for the healing by giving Kade an affectionate nudge with its muzzle. This was hard enough to set Kade down a little roughly on his backside. He looked at the dragon and laughed for the first time that day. Its mouth hung open casually as it breathed, but those teeth gave Kade pause. He got to his feet and patted the dragon on the neck. He marveled at the power and strength he felt rippling through its muscles.
Suddenly, a different kind of panic raced through his body as he noticed the position of the sun. I have been out here for hours, Kade thought as his pulse quickened. Zayle is absolutely going to flail me when I get back if he does not flat out send me on my way. He felt the urge to race back to the cabin. In all the years of training, he had never missed more than one session, not to mention leaving and staying gone for hours.
Kade frantically looked around the clearing, trying to find the way he had come and spotted the rock his first Fire Calling had hit. Before he could start to move, he felt the dragon nudge him from behind, causing him to stumble a step or two. He turned to see his new found friend staring at him, as if to ask, “What?” The dragon made a short growl that might have seemed like a threat, if you had just met it, but Kade knew better. He understood it was the dragon’s way of asking what was wrong. He was not sure how he knew, but he was certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was correct.
“I have to get back,” Kade said in a rush but of course the dragon only tilted its head as its ears swiveled back and forth. “I have to…ah you don’t understand,” he said in frustration. “What should I do with you?” he asked out loud as he raked his hands through his hair.
The Divine Apprentice (The Divine Series) Page 3