Fires of Invention

by J. Scott Savage

  “At this time, you have a decision to make. You may destroy this box and go on with your life. Cove—or Discovery, as you probably know it is really called—is far from perfect. But at the time of this writing, it is safe, at least. The information inside this box will likely change your life in ways that make going forward as before impossible. I know it changed mine.”

  Trenton heard Kallista sniffle. “We can take it down below and finish it later, when you’re more . . .” He didn’t know what the word was. He couldn’t imagine how she was feeling at that moment.

  “No,” she whispered, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. “Finish reading.”

  He turned the letter over and continued.

  “I collected the enclosed documents over a period of years. At first I didn’t understand what I was seeing. As the pieces came together, I realized that our history as we know it is a badly twisted version of what really happened. It was my hope that the leaders of our city would, if not embrace, at least accept my discoveries. (Pardon the pun, but at the moment, puns are about all the humor I can muster.)”

  Despite the urgency of the message, Trenton couldn’t help smiling. Maybe Kallista’s father had a sense of humor after all.

  “Instead, they have branded me deluded at best, and quite possibly a traitor. They see my continued presence in the city as a threat. That makes me a danger to you and all those close to me. I left you clues to what I found in the hopes that you would learn about the deceptions we have been taught and decide for yourself how you would respond.”

  Trenton scanned the last few paragraphs, then read them out loud.

  “If you choose to open the box, do it knowing that you will remain in extreme danger as long as you live here. What you will find inside is hard for me to believe even now.

  “If you choose not to open the box, I will not think less of you, but please destroy it so that its contents do not put innocent people in jeopardy.

  “When I realized that my presence put your life in danger, I descended into a pit of darkness so black I could see no light. If everything crumbles around you, and you should find yourself plunged into such darkness, know that I have always, and will always will love you, and that hope continues to shine even in the dark.

  “Love, your father, L. B.”

  Kallista snatched the letter out of Trenton’s hand and read it silently. Tears rolled down her cheeks, splattering the dusty floor. “He loves me!”

  36

  From the other side of the blocked entrance, the wind had picked up, roaring like a great beast. Trenton thought he heard rocks tumbling down the side of the mountain. He stared at the metal box. “Do we open it?”

  “I have to,” Kallista said. “Not opening it would feel like a betrayal.”

  Trenton chewed on his thumbnail. He felt as if a poisonous snake was coiled in front of them, and they were about to set it free. “He said he wouldn’t think any less of you if you didn’t.”

  “The betrayal wouldn’t be to him,” she said, straightening her shoulders. “It would be to myself. Ignoring the truth would be like sticking my head in the ground. I’d be accepting the lies. I can’t do that. You don’t have to stay, though. You can go back down and I’ll read it myself.”

  “And live the rest of my life with the knowledge that you know something I don’t?” Trenton shook his head and grinned. “I don’t think so.”

  Kallista smirked. “Don’t let that stop you. In the ocean of things I know that you don’t, this would barely make a ripple.”

  “Keep telling yourself that.” Trenton nodded at the box. “Let’s open it.”

  The box had no lock. The very fact of where and how it was hidden was lock enough. Kallista slid the box across the floor until it was right in front of them, then lifted the lid.

  The first thing they saw was a series of black-and-white pictures that looked more real than anything Trenton had ever seen. He touched the glossy surface of the first one. “It doesn’t look painted.”

  “It isn’t,” Kallista said. “They’re called photographs. My father told me about them. They’re images captured with something called a camera.”

  She took the photographs out of the box, and they studied them one by one. Most showed people carrying equipment into a mountain cave.

  “The founders,” Trenton said. “That must be the entrance.”

  Kallista flipped to the front of the stack again and worked her way through them. “Look at all of the food and supplies they brought. They look scared, but none of them look sick or starving.”

  She was right. The paintings in the museum showed men and women with gaunt faces and barely any flesh on their bones. But here, he saw only a few people with slings or bandages, and even they looked well fed and otherwise healthy.

  Outside, the sound of the wind grew stronger, but Trenton and Kallista hardly noticed it.

  Trenton took several large pages out of the box. They were printed on rough paper, yellowed with age, and folded in quarters. Newspapers. He’d learned about them in school. He carefully unfolded the fragile pages.

  The first pages were from 1906—thirty-three years before Cove had supposedly been founded. The stories described earthquakes in cities called Columbia, San Francisco, and somewhere called Chile. Something called Mount Vesuvius had also erupted.

  He turned to the next page, dated 1908, looking for stories about sickness and pollution. Instead, everything was about finances, sports, and various political events.

  The only unusual thing at all was a small story at the bottom of the page saying that a new animal had been spotted in a place called China. The story seemed to be a joke, with the writer suggesting that the report was a hoax or a prank.

  Where were the stories about technology and poisoned air?

  “Let me see those pictures again,” he said. Kallista handed him the stack, and he thumbed quickly through it. “Look at the sky. Does it look polluted to you?”

  “It’s hard to tell for sure,” Kallista said, holding up the black-and-white pictures. “But it does look clear. That’s supposed to be good, right? The museum paintings have dark skies filled with smoke.”

  She pulled other another newspaper out of the box, and they both spotted the same story at the top of the front page: Giant Winged Reptiles Appearing Across Asia and Europe.

  Giant winged reptiles? Trenton looked at Kallista. “Please don’t tell me this is another one of your father’s made-up stories.”

  Kallista stared at the page. “No. He was obsessed with fantasy creatures, but he wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble for a story.”

  Trenton slammed his fist against the stone floor. “The paper talks about dragons. It’s another one of his fairy tales.”

  The next thing in the box was no fairy tale, though. It was a large color ink drawing of a great, green creature with broad wings, a scaled body, and a ferocious-looking snout. A jet of flames was shooting out of its fang-filled mouth. Except for the fact that it was alive instead of mechanical, it could almost have been Ladon’s twin.

  Handwriting on the back of the photograph said Miami, Florida.

  “No,” Trenton shook his head. “That can’t be real.”

  But the more they saw, the harder it was to believe all the pictures and articles could be fakes. Dozens of pages documented a story that became impossible not to take seriously. The accounts were horrifying.

  All over the world, dragons had appeared in vast numbers. No one knew where they’d come from, only that they were multiplying faster than anyone could believe. Their numbers and strength overpowered any defenses the humans attempted.

  The last article showed entire cities destroyed and residents fleeing homes that were in flames.

  The truth stared them in the face. The earth hadn’t been destroyed by technology. Pollution and disease hadn’t driven the founders into the mountain.

  Impossible as it seemed, actual dragons were responsible for it all.

  Trenton stared at the
pictures. “These can’t be real. It has to be some sort of joke.”

  “My father wouldn’t joke about something like this,” Kallista said, her face pale.

  The box was nearly empty now. Trenton pulled out several sheets of paper covered with handwriting. The heading at the top of the first page read City of Discovery Articles of Incorporation. Reading the page, he found nothing about wheels and cogs, nothing about a magnificent machine. No bans against inventions, creativity, or technology.

  “They didn’t build the city to hide,” Kallista said, clenching her hands until her fingers turned white. “They built it to protect themselves from the dragons until they could figure out a way to fight back. They weren’t against technology. They were trying to come up with better technology.”

  “But why did that change?” Trenton asked. “Why did they give up trying to fight the dragons? And why haven’t we heard anything about the dragons until now?”

  The next set of papers explained everything. They looked like pages from a journal. Trenton recognized the handwriting immediately; it was the same as in the first pages of the Book of Chancellors. The writer had been the first leader of Discovery. The story was told so bluntly and clearly that it made Trenton’s stomach churn.

  The people of Discovery hadn’t given up. For nearly thirty years, they’d developed a plan of attack and built weapons inside the mountain. Then, twenty-nine years after sealing the doors, they were opened, and the citizens fought for their freedom.

  What followed could only be described as a slaughter. Badly underestimating the strength and number of the creatures, the people quickly found that their weapons were no match. Again, the dragons forced the people to retreat, but this time the monsters followed them into the mountain, killing hundreds of people and destroying nearly everything on the first level. Homes were razed, machinery melted. Over half of the people who went into battle never returned.

  Hiding on the second level, the survivors waited until the dragons left, then sealed the city for good. That’s when they made a pact to remove all mention of dragons, along with every other mention of fantastical creatures of any kind.

  Paranoid and afraid, they devised a new plan to ensure that no one ever went outside again. After swearing an oath of secrecy, they sealed off the upper levels and told their children that the outside air would kill them. They even changed the name of the city from Discovery to Cove. Instead of a place of learning, it would be a place of hiding.

  “That’s why they returned to old technologies,” Trenton said, laying the last few sheets on the cave floor. “They did it to make sure that no one would ever again try to fight the dragons. The books and paintings we saw aren’t from someone’s imagination. They’re history.”

  Kallista nodded. “Everything was changed, from machinery to clothing, to an earlier time. They started the city all over again. Banned stories and pictures so no one could create an account of what had happened. Banned changes to equipment to keep us from ever repeating history.”

  She rubbed a hand across her face. “The chancellor must have realized that my father knew it all. That’s why he was in danger. If the city finds out we know too, they’ll lock us up—or worse.”

  “There’s one more thing in the box,” Trenton said. He reached inside and pulled out another letter written on the same paper and with the same handwriting as the one in the envelope.

  “It is now the eleventh hour. You have seen what I have gathered and know what I know. Understand that I am sure everything in these documents is true. I have been traveling outside secretly. The air is clean and fresh. But on three occasions I have seen real dragons for myself.

  “More than thirty years ago, when Discovery was built by our founders, no one expected it to last this long or grow to such degrees. Huge piles of dirt and rock have built up outside to the point they are impossible to miss. Smoke plumes like a beacon. No doubt they both draw the dragons to our location. I have seen the beasts circling our mountain as though called here. I do not know whether they smell our scent, see our debris, and hunt us, or if killing is simply a part of their nature.

  “Whichever is the case, I can tell you that they will discover us shortly. The great beasts come closer with every passing month. They will discover our city soon, and they will not stop until they get inside.”

  Trenton looked up. “Real dragons. What should we do?”

  “We could leave,” Kallista said. “Find somewhere to hide. You know enough about farming for us to survive on our own.”

  “How would we get out?” Trenton said.

  “My father found a way.” She pointed at the box. “He must have squeezed through the vents or found a way through the air-exchange pipe.”

  Trenton shook his head. “He went out, but he came back.”

  “And look what happened to him.” Kallista put everything back in the box and slammed the lid closed. “You think we should warn everyone, don’t you? Offer to protect them. Don’t you understand? They wouldn’t listen to my father, and they won’t listen to us. They’d kill us, too. They’ll fight change until it’s too late. Our only chance is to leave.”

  Outside, the growling sound rose to a fever pitch, and the walled-over entrance shook. They both spun and stared at it. The wall shook again, and this time, several rocks broke loose, leaving a small opening. Immediately, icy wind blasted through the hole, carrying small, white flakes inside.

  Kallista snatched the box, and the two of them stared at the hole, waiting for something more. When nothing else happened after several minutes, they crept to the hole. Shielding their eyes against the frigid wind, they peered through the opening. At first their lights revealed nothing but a swirling world of white.

  “I think it’s snow,” Kallista said.

  Something rumbled outside again, and before they could pull away, a huge shape appeared. It was so large they couldn’t tell exactly what it was, but their lights clearly revealed rows of shimmering green scales.

  They stumbled backward.

  “A d-d-dragon,” Trenton stuttered.

  “Run!” Kallista shouted, pulling him from the wall.

  “Did it see us?” Trenton called, racing to the coal chute.

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s going to realize we’re here and break down the wall.”

  He stopped. “We have to warn the city!”

  “So they can do what? Send it to retraining?”

  Kallista shoved him into the chute opening. “Once the dragon gets in the city it will start killing. We have to get Ladon into the air. He’s our only chance of fighting that thing.”

  Falling and sliding, they scrambled down the chute. The growling sound faded with distance, but Trenton had no doubt it would be back.

  Hand in hand, they ran toward the lights of the foundry. A hundred feet from the building, they stopped. People were all around the mechanical dragon, shining lights on it and talking.

  One of them spotted Trenton and Kallista. “There they are!”

  “What are you doing here?” Kallista shouted.

  A girl broke from the group and raced toward them. Long, red hair flowed behind her as she ran up to them.

  “Simoni,” Trenton said. “What are you doing here?”

  Kallista turned to gape at him, betrayal written across her face. “You promised you wouldn’t show anyone.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Simoni clutched her hands to her chest. “I had to tell them. It was for your own good.”

  A pair of security officers led by Marshal Darrow stepped forward, roughly grabbing Trenton and Kallista and yanking their hands behind their backs. “You are under arrest,” the marshal said, “by order of the chancellor.”

  As the men dragged the two of them toward the foundry, Trenton—sick with guilt and shock—looked back at Simoni and whispered, “I trusted you.”

  37

  Bring them forward,” Chancellor Lusk said. He stood at the base of the dragon, which was covered by men busy undoing bolts
and removing parts.

  Marshal Darrow and his security team pushed Kallista and Trenton through the entrance of the foundry.

  “You’re all in danger!” Trenton shouted. “You—”

  An officer rammed an elbow into Trenton’s stomach, sending a burst of pain through his broken ribs. “Speak when you’re told to,” the officer grunted.

  “Leave him alone!” Kallista said, struggling to get free, but the marshal had her arms pinned behind her back.

  “You promised you wouldn’t hurt them,” Simoni sobbed.

  “So I did,” the chancellor said. “And I intend to keep that promise, so long as they do what they’re told. This will be a civilized proceeding, and shouting is most definitely not civilized.” He turned to Kallista and Trenton. “You will speak when I tell you to, or you will be imprisoned immediately.”

  Kallista glared but held her tongue. Trenton clutched his stomach, gasping for air.

  “Much better.” The chancellor looked up at Ladon. Holding out his walking stick, he tapped a wing, which had already been removed. “This is . . . something.”

  “It’s the city’s only hope of survival,” Kallista spat. A security officer stepped in front of her, his fist pulled back, but the chancellor raised a hand.

  “In deference to the fact that you are a girl, I will allow this one mistake.” He adjusted his monocle. “You are a girl, aren’t you? It’s hard to tell with your spiky hair and those boyish clothes.”

  “Looks like a boy to me,” an officer shouted, and the others laughed.

  “Be that as it may,” the chancellor said, “I will not accept any further outbursts from either of you. For the moment, you are guaranteed safety as citizens of Cove. Should you disobey again, I will be forced to remove that citizenship, and with it, any guarantee of your physical well-being. Understand?”

  After they both nodded, he continued. “I have several questions for you. If you answer completely and honestly, you will have the opportunity to speak further. Is that clear?”