The path down further into the cave, seems like his best option. He runs for it. Two tails sweep down, stingers rustling the hair of his arm. He swings across the two with the tusk, slicing them off. The beetles wail out. White blood splattering and igniting all around him.
A set of tusks clamp around his waist, and squeezes. His dragon leather jacket is still working, runes or no, but he can still feel the pressure. He feels his insides getting squeezed, and doesn’t want to impersonate a human toothpaste tube. Tentacles start lashing at his back, but he can’t turn to swing at them.
He flips over the tusk, and jams it behind him finding the face of the beetle that’s holding him. More blood ignites, as it drops him to the ground. Falling to his knees, his breathing is heavy. The light is starting to take its toll on him, but he can’t do anything else but use it. There is one more thing, he remembers, reaching into his coat pulling out the .44, and pours light over his left hand again.
He yells, “I’m not going down without a fight you friggin bugs!”
Pulling the trigger, bullets covered in light fly out of the gun. The beetles hit with the bullets get the same red spots as the first did, falling to the ground motionless, but vibrating.
A stinger lands in his left wrist.
He drops the gun to the ground, and swings his head around. His wrist starts throbbing with a fiery pain. There was another beetle there, that must have been from behind the other two at the entrance. The nerves in his arm feel like they are being set on fire.
His arm falls limply to his side, not listening to his commands, but causing a considerable amount of pain.
Swiping at the tail still connected to his wrist cuts it off, and pulls back the beetle. Vernon falls to one knee again. His light is the only answer he has, but if he uses too much he will just pass out. He thinks it’s either that or let them chomp me down awake. Taking in a deep breath, he reaches deep past his inner door, pulling forth more light than he has ever tried to use in training. He runs it down his left arm, which brings him to the ground in pain.
He quickly gets off the ground, which as quick as he wanted. A beetle charges him, throwing him into a wall. It wraps it lips around his leg, digging its fangs in. His feels the fangs go in, and fire erupts in his leg.
He plunges his tusk into the beetle that has him, dealing a killing blow.
More beetles show up with other friends similar to the mountain lion cat thing he killed at the entrance. Each rubbing at the legs of the new comer beetles, never taking their eyes off Vernon.
He grits down on his teeth, and stands through the pain. There wasn’t much he could do in the open, so he needed to the path that lead down, and starts to make his way there.
A cat leaps at him, mouth open spitting and he cuts the cat in two. Three more leap at him, as he swings landing blows on two and getting claws across his back, the coat still holding up. Hopefully.
He turns and runs downs the path, or as best of a run he could hobble. He can hear the clicking of the beetles behind him, but is moving faster than they are. Ahead in the distance, he sees a point of light flare up and go away. He keeps running toward it, hoping it’s not something worse than what’s behind him. He exits the path way to another chamber, which looks like the first.
Piles of corpses are littered across what he can see. The smell of death lingering worse here than any other spot he has been in this god forsaken cave. There are growls coming from up ahead from where he was, but can’t see what is making it. The clicking noises getting louder behind him, he starts to walk further into the chamber.
He sees the flare up again, and it’s fire.
In the distance he can make out two tiny lizards in front of eggs twice their size. There is a drigh towering over the two, circling them. Vernon runs toward the larger drigh, pushing the pain in his leg away. He plunges the tusk into the side, and gets a better look at what he just attacked.
It was seven feet tall, standing on two legs. It’s arms looks like a body builder on steroids with pincers for hands. There were eight eyes surrounding a trunk, with tiny tusks protruding at the end of it.
Vernon regretted stabbing this thing immediately, but what was done was done. It had not noticed Vernon until then, and looks down at him, grabbing onto the tusk with it’s trunk, and punches Vernon with a closed claw. It makes a few clicking noises, and some other audible noises. Then throws aside the tusk.
The two lizards, spread wings, and breath fire at the wound of the monster. It screams. Vernon gets back on his feet, as a rainbow of spots fill his vision. The monster grabs the two lizards with its claws, lifting up its trunk revealing its mouth.
He knows he shouldn’t risk his life to save lizards, but this might be his only opening. He could tell he was already at his limit, he wasn’t going to be able to do anything else after this. He takes a deep breath, drawing forth what light he can. His anger and frustration fill his thoughts, as the light turns black.
Bracing himself, he runs it down his left arm, and he doubles over in pain. He grits his teeth, pushing it into his wedding ring. A four inch blade of black light extends out. He pulls himself up and stabs the monster at where its heart should be, if it were like a human.
The monster pulls the lizards away from its tentacles, and looks down at Vernon.
It speaks in clicks and pops.
What Vernon believes is anger the beast snarls takes a few steps back, as it releases the lizards which hurry to Vernon’s side. It falls to the ground. Smoke flowing out of its mouth and trunk. The two lizards butt against Vernon’s leg, and he falls on his butt.
Dots are covering his vision rotating through the colors of the rainbow falling like rain drops. He looks down at the winged lizards, into their eyes. The white one has blue eyes, while the brown lizard has red eyes. They look back at him, and he feels like he’s seen their eyes before.
He says, “You two ok?”
They look at each other, and they cuddle up next to him. Vernon reaches down and pets them.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but let’s try to get out of here alive.”
They butt their heads into his chest, and Vernon laughs.
“You two are pretty smart, you know that.”
He then can hear the clicking noise again from the tunnel entrance. Reaching into his pocket, he grabs his gunlet, and clips it back on. It may not close, but it can still fire. Ejecting the clip, shows he’s empty, and he puts in one of his spares with only two remaining.
The light has completed faded from him, and he feels like the gravity tripled. There is an empty feeling he hasn’t felt before. His light was always something he could feel since he started to use it, but right this instant nothing but a void. The clicking noise of the beetles starts to echo throughout the chamber. They should run and look for some other way out of this room, but points the gunlet toward the tunnel anyway. Green fire comes off the corpse of the humanoid drigh, giving some light to the room.
Beetles start to flood out of the tunnel, and he opens fire with his .75 caliber gunlet. The two lizards, step in front of Vernon adding their contribution of breath fire toward the entrance. This gives Vernon better light, as he tries to make ever shot count.
Bodies start to pile up at the entrance, making it easier to shoot each one. He drops one clip, loading another, emptying it to a seemingly endless onslaught of beetles and cats. He ejects the second clip, loading the last one. The flame breath was starting to set the bodies on fire with the walls around the tunnel a glow. The clicking noise fades away, replaced with smoldering crackles.
Vernon slumps over, still on the ground, as the two lizards tiredly walk over to him. The both flop their heads onto his lap, panting. He can tell they were pushing themselves just as much as he was. He can feel himself tear up a little, as relief replaces adrenaline.
He pets both of them on the head, “That was a good job you two.”
They both seem to smile at him, and he smiles back. He checks his clip, a
nd he has two rounds left, and one in the chamber. The dots had subsided somewhere in the middle of the gun fire, and he starts to look around for the tusk he had been using. It’s was behind him next to a pile of eggs.
He doesn’t want to move, but wants to get the hell out of that cave. Pain screams at every movement of his body, alongside the weight he feels he has to carry after using his light to the limit. There are two eggs that are broken open next to the tusk. He looks at them, and looks back at the two lizards. They had just been born. He grabs the tusk looking it over again. It was still in one piece and there were no visible cracks. This material might be the thing he was looking for.
A garbled noise of clicks and pops fill the tunnel.
At the tunnel entrance stand two more of the trunked monsters. He aims the gunlet, firing off two rounds into right one. Each hit their mark. It hisses falling into the heated stone wall. With only one round left, he aims for the chest of the other, and fires.
It lands, and only succeeds in making both of them angry. They scream out in protest, and stomp over toward Vernon. The monster with only one bullet hole slaps Vernon across the face with his trunk, scratching his face knocking him to the ground.
It then places its hoof on top of his chest, making another garbling noise as it looks back to the other. The monster shot twice, stomps over, and kneels down. It’s mouth opens, tentacles licking Vernon’s face. He tries to move, but doesn’t have the strength.
The two lizards bite at the ankle of the one that has Vernon pinned to the ground, trying to breath fire in between but nothing comes out. The monster slaps them away with its huge pincers with a garblely laugh.
Vernon looks at the two, and struggles harder. They just tried to save him, and he wasn’t going to die here today. Not caring what might happen, he tries to bring forth his light. He closes his eyes, imagining the the door. It was closed tight, and he tries to force it open. Nothing. He opens his eyes, and sees the tusk near his hand. He grabs it.
A pincer comes down, holding his hand to the ground. Another laugh from the monster sending chills down Vernon’s spine. Which only got worse as its face splits further apart, with more fangs showing further in, giving the tentacles more room to move around.
Slime covered tentacles wrap around Vernon’s head, coving it in the goop. He can feel the tingle of his face becoming numb, and starts to shiver.
6
A roar echoes throughout the chamber.
The drigh monsters look behind them, and turn toward the tunnel entrance. Vernon lifts his head to see a large scaly creature standing on two legs. It’s face looks like the two tiny lizards’, just larger.
Flame passes its lips, passing over Vernon, which feels like he just stepped onto the surface of the sun. It falls over, melting. The other rushes at the humanoid lizard, who doubles in size grabbing with its claw hand, and smashes it between its fingers.
Vernon lays his head down, not able to hold it up any longer. The large lizard walks over to him looking down at him, sniffing.
“Human, what are you doing here?” It speaks, in a familiar voice.
The two tiny lizards run to Vernon’s side, and begin a deep growl.
It smiles, “I see, so you were protecting my whelps. For that I thank you.”
Vernon replies, “You’re welcome.”
“That still leaves the question as to why you are here human. Drigh are dangerous creatures, and once they hit this stage of development they are truly a match for your kind.”
“I was ordered to clear out the cave. My name is Vernon Douglas.”
“Vernon Douglas!? Are you the one I met on Hegus?”
“Dray-Gon?”
“Yes human, it is good to meet you in the flesh.”
“But you were a dragon, and that means you’re real. Don’t tell me when you said whelps that these little ones are dragons too.”
“Yes they are, and it seems they have taken a liking to you. First you have been exposed to a lot of venom. I will need to treat that before it spreads any further in your system.”
“How are you going to do that.” Vernon asks, but isn’t really sure he wants the answer.
“Dragon’s fire.”
Yup, he definitely didn’t want to know. Before Vernon could protest, he could feel the pressure of magic flowing toward Dray-Gos as golden flame flows out of his mouth. It bathes Vernon in fire. The flame is hot, but in a warm bath feeling and not the melting skin kind he thought it was going to be. Vernon’s eyes roll back, and he drifts to sleep.
As his eyes open, the sun hits his face and he can see the two tiny dragons standing over him, and they start to lick his face. He smiles, and pets them on the head. Everything feels stiff, but stiff was better than searing pain so he went with it. Sitting up wasn’t as hard as he was expecting it to be. He finds Dray-Gon sitting on a rock under the tree outside of the entrance. He raises his head and looks over to Vernon.
Out in the sun, Vernon can finally see Gon. He looked large even sitting down, his scales were a blueish green with metal sheen, his face was a mixture of what a humans and lizards would be, and his eyes were the same deep mahogany he remembered.
Gon says, “You are a strange one human.”
“I think I’m going crazy, so yeah, that could be pretty strange.”
“Why do you think you are crazy.”
“I’m talking to a dragon, I almost died to creatures I didn’t know existed, and if this isn’t all a dream you just breathed fire on me without leaving any burn marks.”
“Yes human you are correct, but the fire was meant to heal not hurt. You may also address me as Gon, Dray-Gon is my full name and title.”
“I hope this is a dream.” Vernon says, rubbing his face.
He was confused by everything that just happened, and it wasn’t getting any better. There was a dragon in front of him, in a human form. There are drigh, that are dangerous, and in human form. He just wants to go back home, get in bed, and start this day over.
Gon says, “It is not a dream Vernon Douglas, and you have performed a great deed for my kin. For that I thank you.”
“Call me Vernon, and what deed is that?”
“You saved two of my children from death. The grix eat our eggs, and young. You killed one, and a score of rollers. Not many humans can do this.”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about. What is a grix”
“These were the names given to the different drigh by you humans. Do you not know the names?”
“This is like my honeymoon all over again. No Gon I don’t, but I do believe you’re real this time.”
“As I you Vernon. Those metal machines you humans fly around in can be confusing things.”
“It’s like that for humans too. So what are you doing here?”
“I am here to search for my son. After our talk on Hegus, I flew here.”
“Right, you did say that didn’t you, but why are you here?”
“Ah, I was following the scent of my mate’s eggs. The trail took me to you, and my children here. The two little ones here told me what you did in the cave, and they want to thank you.”
They butt against Vernon’s arms, wiggling their heads onto his lap.
“It does seem that way doesn’t it?”
“I would ask a favor of you Vernon?”
“What’s that?”
“I will need to move the few eggs that are left here to a safe place, and continue my search. Can you look after the little ones for me?”
“I’m not sure if I’m qualified.”
Gon laughs. Its deep and full of joy. “Do not worry, this will be an exception to our traditions, but I will impart my knowledge upon them. It will let them eventually speak, and know how to take care of themselves for food and other bodily functions. I just want to make sure they are in a safe place since they are not yet strong enough to come with me.”
“I guess, but what if someone sees them. They won’t think they are just some large lizard
like I did, they might try to kill the tiny dragons.”
“You do have a point… I will also teach them to shape shift. They can hid themselves as another animal or pet of yours.”
“Alright if you can do all of that sure.”
Gon beckons the two tiny dragons over with a look. They raise their heads and walk over to him. He begins to speak in a language that Vernon doesn’t understand, and the two whelps sit at attention, listening. Gon takes in a deep breath, and Vernon can feel the air shake. Gon takes in another breath.
Vernon can feel the energy Gon is pulling into himself, It feels as strong as Tyler when they were practicing only more raw. He finally felt like this was really happening. Something about how the energy was flowing around him made him realize this was not a dream, and not something he was going to wake up from.
Gon speaks, “He-Nu-Luido,” and a slow rolling cloud of green flame exits his lips. Spilling onto the ground, and covers the two little dragons. The flame absorbs into their scales, and enters their mouths.
With the flame gone, the two look at each other and then to Vernon, each with smiles on their faces. Vernon smiles back, as Gon slow sits.
“It will take a few minutes for me to stand again. The ritual of knowledge does not usually impart that much at once.”
“Will they be ok?” Vernon points to the little ones.
“Yes, they should be just fine. They both are strong, and have a fighting spirt within them. The knowledge will just be new to them, and they won’t know what to do with it all, at first. If they ask, just guide them to the best of your human judgment. You did save their lives, so I would trust you have good intentions.”
Vernon looks at the little ones. He didn’t mean to risk his life for them, but he did all the same. This was without realizing they were anything but creatures from the nearby wilderness.
He replies, “I guess I did. I wasn’t originally planning on it but I did it all the same.”
Gon nods. “Not many human do that, even in your Order.”
Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy Page 42