Fenet quickly pulled his head back and shook his head violently from side to side. Hayden had thrown both knives to rake across his eyes, and as he looked up at the silver dragon, he could see the scales on either side of his head covered in blood.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” Ricen screamed, his voice cracking as the words ripped from his lips.
“I blinded your dragon,” Hayden said. His heart sank, and his stomach turned as Fenet fell to his side and made a noise that pierced Hayden’s soul. It was a sound of fear and pain coming from a dragon. Blood continued to fall down Fenet’s face as the dragon tried to open and close his eyes and open them again, hoping that it would somehow restore his sight.
Hayden got up and walked to where Ricen had been crawling to, Fenet falling around over the burnt buildings in pain and darkness. Hayden found the rider laying there waiting for him.
“Kill me,” Ricen said, his voice hoarse and almost nonexistent. “Please, Fenet is scared. A dragon shouldn’t feel that. Kill me now and end his suffering.” Hayden starred into the fallen rider’s eyes. He didn’t see remorse for what he had done, all he saw was pain.
Hayden pulled his sword out of the Ricen’s leg and ended both his and his dragon’s suffering with one quick movement.
Hayden had blocked out Draek in order to focus on what he had to do, and for the first time since the fight had started he reached out to his dragon, his friend.
It is finished, they are dead. Hayden turned and picked up his shield and helmet, walking back to where he had left Draek. Leaving his throwing knives, his enemies and his past behind him to stay where they fell.
Klarack removed the fur cloak that he had draped over himself. He wore his fur boots, long woolen trousers, and a loose-fitting shirt but nothing more. No armor at all. There was no formality in the fight. They did not wait till sunrise or even for more Frost Fangs to show up. When Klarack issued the challenge, it was time to fight.
The crowd that had been there when the challenge was called had formed a ring around Klarack and Shanry. Klarack was a large, hairy man covered in muscle from head to toe. Shanry was a frail elder who looked like she had a hard time walking up stairs.
“I would like to call my right of a champion.” She smiled a crooked grin, showing off her discolored teeth with more than a few missing. A bearded Frost Frang began to walk out from the crowd and made his way to Shanry.
“No, she must fight!” A voice rose from the crowd with no way of hearing who yelled it.
“Then ya might as well just kill me now. He is younger and stronger then I am. There is more to leading then strength.” Shanry said, the smile still dancing at the corner of her mouth as the lone Frost Fang that had begun to walk to her now returned to his spot in the crowd.
“If ya wish to accept Klarack’s challenge for leadership then ya must be the one to defend yourself.” One of the elders said after speaking with the other elders. “But ya raise a good point; it would hardly be fair to pit the two of ya against each other in open combat.” The elders put their heads together and spoke quickly.
Shane and Cass, along with all those present, looked on as Klarack and Shanry stood across from each other. The elders came to an agreement and called for a group of young dragon riders that were standing about to run to the dungeon and bring up two shackles with stones on the ends.
They attached each of the shackles to one of Klarack’s arms. The stones did not stop him from moving, but the rocks were large enough to slow him down greatly. They were almost the size of a helmet, and the chains were long enough to allow Klarack to move a little before he had to move the stones.
“That’s not that bad,” Shane said as he eyed the stones. If he were in Klarack’s position, he would stay close to the stones and when Shanry came in to attack he would lash out at her.
Klarack seemed not to mind that much either. Instead, he held out his arms to make it easier for them to attach the shackles. He kept his eyes straight and focused on Shanry. Until they undid his sword strap and removed his weapon.
Shane shouted his disapproval as did many of the Frost Fangs that were standing by. Klarack reached to take his sword back, but his arms were stopped by the chains.
“Klarack, Shanry does not carry a sword into this fight, neither shall ya.” One of the elders stated, backing up to make sure she was out of reach of Klarack.
“Ya’ll fight with ya hands; ya’ll kill with ya hands.” The same elder replied. “So it begins.” She waved her hand to signal the start of their challenge. Klarack tried to speak, but before the words could form on his lips, a crazed screech ripped through the air as Shanry suddenly sprinted to Klarack and scratched his face. Tearing at the flesh around his eyes and drawing blood.
Klarack roared like a bear and reached out to grab her, but she dodged to the side. Klarack reached again, but the chains stopped him. Klarack roared a second time and pulled on the chains, moving the stones on the ground.
Shanry backed away slowly, a dark, menacing smile stretching the wrinkled skin of her face. Her hands hocked like talons smeared with red. She backed slowly towards the entrance to Ice Keep where snow was still falling out in the dark Frozen Tundra.
Klarack growled deep in his chest, the sound echoing off the walls making it sound like a pack of bears was closing in around them. He tightened his grip on the shackles attached to his arms and continued to drag the stones across the smooth floor.
The crowd followed them as Shanry led Klarack into the darkness, she all but disappeared with the thick snow falling in the moonless night, the sound of her cackling seemed to be coming from everywhere. Klarack pulled his stones into the almost knee-deep snow, steam rolling off of his body and his breath looking like smoke from a dragon.
“Come out and fight me ya old hag!” Klarack yelled. He pulled his left arm forward to move further into the darkness, but the stone was stuck in the snow. He yanked on the chain a few times, but when it refused to move, he roared again and began digging it out.
Shane moved to help him, but Cass put a hand on his chest to stop him. “I don’t think you are allowed to help him.” She said sadly.
“She is right rider. We cannot intervene at all; they must fight this fight on their own.” One of the Frost Fangs said.
“But she tricked him, we all thought she was a frail old lady, but she seems to be doing just fine to me.” Shane protested. The elder was about to speak when Klarack screamed again. They turned to look back at their friend and were horrified to see Shanry had jumped on his back while he was digging out his stone and was biting him on his neck. Klarack shouted and tried to grab the old woman, but she jumped off of his back and scurried away into the darkness like a rat.
Klarack put his hand to his neck and came away with blood on his hand. “Ya demon!” Klarack roared and quickly lifted up the stone and threw it into the snow.
“I would agree that Shanry’s technique is dishonorable, but the fight has started. The snow falls where it may.” The elder said sadly as Klarack searched in the darkness for Shanry. Blood covering his face and eyes as well as the left side of his neck.
Another cackle echoed around them, seeming to be carried by the wind. “Ya are not willing to do what it takes Klarack.” Her high-pitched voice echoed around them. “Ya are not strong enough to lead.”
Shanry ran out of the darkness and lashed out and Klarack’s face again, this time he punched at her with his right fist but the chain stopped him short of making contact with her and her nails dug into his face for the second time. He yelled again as she disappeared back into the darkness.
“Ya have forgotten our people,” Klarack shouted as blood dripped from his face. “Ya have forgotten our ways. Ya have grown comfortable in ya warm hut, and ya have forgotten the cold.” Klarack’s voice sounded like thunder booming in the night.
Shanry ran out of the darkness screaming with her talon-like hands in front of her, ready to strike. Klarack ducked out of the way instead of trying to attack her, but
as she passed harmlessly by, he pulled the chains around his wrists tight and spun with all his strength, screaming in pain and anger as he did so.
The stones attached to the other end of his chains lifted off the ground and spun towards Shanry who was trying to scurry back into the darkness. The stones collided with her hip and legs with a wet thud. Lifting her off the ground and flipping her head first into the snow-covered ground. She landed with a thud and didn’t move, didn’t make a sound.
Klarack walked to her, pulling the stones with him. No one moved or made a sound, they all just watched in shock of what was happening.
“Ya may have forgotten the cold Shanry,” Klarack said as he stepped beside her, lifting up one of the large stones onto his shoulders. “But the cold remembers ya.” He said, letting the stone fall from his hands and ending the challenge.
“The cold always remembers,” Klarack said as he fell backward into the snow and closed his eyes.
Chapter Thirteen
Hayden walked to where he had left Draek and was surprised to find his dragon had crawled all the way to the edge of what remained of the buildings. Draek was covered in ash and mud, and although his eyes were closed he was still trying to crawl.
Draek, rest. The fight is over. Hayden said as he neared his dragon and rubbed the ridges of his eyes. Draek stopped moving and went completely limp on the ground, no longer able to hold his head up.
But… I have to help you… I am your dragon. Draek protested. Hayden smiled at hearing Draek’s thoughts.
You are always here for me, and you have always helped me. The best thing you can do now is rest. We have to get back to the Ice Keep as soon as we can. Hayden thought as he looked around at the wreckage that was now his old home. Draek did not respond, and when Hayden looked back at his dragon, he saw that he was sound asleep.
“You did good, rest now,” Hayden said aloud, afraid that his mental voice could disturb his sleep. Hayden undid the saddle and fought to get it off Draek.
When he finished, he took off his armor and began cleaning it, piece by piece. He knew that he should rest, but his heart still hadn’t slowed down.
With his armor finished being cleaned and put back in the saddlebags Hayden made his way around what had been Erskine until he found the river that he used to play in when he was a child. Hayden removed his shirt and waded out into the water until he was almost waist deep in the cool, slow-moving water.
Hayden closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the running water and the birds giving chase to one another, singing along the way. Hayden felt the warmth of the sun and coolness of the breeze over the river. The water against his legs was cold enough to sting, but it was refreshing still.
Hayden remembered standing like this when he was younger after he had finished a long day working under the hot sun. The other children laughing and playing up and down the river banks. Hayden thought for a second that he could almost hear their laughter off in a distant memory.
He slowly opened his eyes and saw where the houses used to stand, where the old mill used to have its water wheel turning with the river. All of it was gone. All the buildings and people had been burned. The largest structure left in Erskine was a giant stone dragon with its eyelids shut tight. Hayden could see one of the stone wings outstretched towards the sky from where he stood in the river.
His heart was broken in a way that his mind couldn’t understand yet. It was like losing Fendrel a thousand times over. His eyes remained dry as he looked over the destruction of his childhood home.
Hayden’s heart began to beat a little faster in his chest. It wasn’t sadness or fear that was pouring into his heart. It was anger and rage. A thunderstorm of anger swirled within and threatened to burst. Hayden realized what had to be done, what their next course of action had to be.
“We have to kill them all.” He said aloud. He realized the Metallic Nation would never stop on their own and there was only one way to stop them. He had to kill all of them.
The sun was beginning to set, and Hayden already had a small fire going. He didn’t bother making a shelter because with Draek’s snoring he was sure no animals would bother them. Hayden had wandered into the burnt fields and had found enough half-ripened food to hold him through the night. He had done his best to not think about which farmer’s field he was stealing from.
Hayden heard a deep grown like a giant waking up behind him. Hayden smiled as he turned to face his dragon who had rejoined the world of the awaken.
“Well good morning,” Hayden said with a smile. Draek opened up his eyes and his giant maw as he yawned. His mouth opened wide enough for Hayden to easily put his upper body in.
If it is morning, why is the sun setting? Draek asked as his body began to move and stretch.
“I am sorry, would you rather me say goodnight?” Hayden asked, happy to have someone to talk to.
Draek thought about it for a second while he got up and stretched out his wings. It would be correct. Draek said sarcastically.
Please tell me I was only asleep for a day. Draek said as he surveyed the damage of Erskine without actually walking over to the town.
“No, you slept through the entire war, it’s over, and we won,” Hayden said with a laugh.
Draek shook his head and finally started taking steps towards the town. Hayden didn’t want to go with him, but he didn’t want to be alone more.
“There is nothing there anymore. Just burnt down buildings and bodies.” Hayden said with a disgruntled voice. As they made their way down what had been the main street, ash kicked up at their feet, and shiny black birds screeched their anger at being disturbed by the pair. Hayden didn’t want to think about what they were eating.
Finally, they came to what Draek had wanted to see. The stone remains of a rider and his dragon. Fenet had been flailing around in pain when Hayden had killed his rider, so his body had turned to stone in a strange contorted way.
The dragon’s back was arched, his head twisted back, while all four limbs seemed to be thrashing out. Fenet lay on his side on his left wing while his right was outstretched into the air like a giant stone sail. His tale was bent up in the air like a serpent rearing back to strike.
Hayden couldn’t see the body of Ricen, but he knew where the two pieces of the rider’s body lay. Draek slowly moved around Fenet’s body as if the dragon was still alive.
“He is dead Draek; you don’t have to be scared,” Hayden said.
I am not afraid. Draek replied, not taking his eyes off Fenet as he made it to the dragon’s head.
“Then why are you moving around like you are scared?” Hayden asked, kicking over ash with his foot.
You mistake fear for respect. Draek corrected.
“Why do you respect Fenet? He was our enemy and look what they did to Erskine.” Hayden said with a little spit flying from his mouth as he spoke. He didn’t mean to yell, but as the words escaped from his mouth, he got louder and louder.
He was still a dragon, a silver at that. He was a large and powerful opponent who out flew me. He had to die for what they did, of that there is no doubt. Draek said, staring intently at the stone remains. His tail turned up ash as it moved from side to side.
And yet you somehow killed them. Draek said as he turned and walked back to where they were going to spend the night. Darkness had fallen completely by the time they made it back to Hayden’s dwindling fire.
“So, we sleep tonight and fly back tomorrow?” Hayden asked as he sat back down on the ground. Draek coiled around the fire protecting Hayden from the wind and outside view. The light from the small fire danced and reflected off Draek’s scales sending flickers of light all around Hayden.
I think that is a good idea. A good night of sleep will help, and as long as we don’t fly back as hard as we flew here, I shouldn’t be exhausted when we return. Draek said. The way Draek was laying his head was resting on his tail, and only one side of his face was toward Hayden. Draek’s left eye was transfixed on his rider.
Why are you not speaking with your mind? Draek asked. You still seem far away like you are keeping me out. Hayden could hear the concern in Draek’s voice.
“I don’t want to be in my own head right now let alone have you there as well,” Hayden admitted. He had debated lying to his dragon, but he knew that Draek would see through it.
I understand, when you are ready. Draek closed his eyes while Hayden laid back and looked up at the stars. The Starlight plains were named that for a reason.
The next morning Hayden woke up to Draek already being gone. He panicked for a heartbeat until Draek’s voice boomed in his head.
Good morning, since it is actually morning now. His voice full of energy and anticipation.
Where are you? Hayden asked, ignoring his cheery mood.
Hunting and it is good to see you talking to me like a rider again. Draek’s voice echoed in his head.
You left me to fend for myself, and you are probably leagues away, how else was I supposed to talk to you? Hayden got up and stretched out his sore muscles. His mind already racing towards what they had to get done.
You mean to tell me you can stare down a silver dragon and defeat it, but you are worried about being alone in a field? Hayden could feel the laughter in Draek’s voice. He wanted to answer, but he knew there was nothing he could say.
Hayden got up and made sure the saddlebags were packed and that his furs were all still there. He didn’t want to make it back to the Frozen Tundra without anything to keep him warm. By the time he finished going through all the packs and making sure everything was ready for flight Draek returned.
You ready to go? Hayden asked, grabbing the saddle and dragging it over to Draek. Draek lowered himself to the ground so Hayden could work the saddle onto his back.
The Dream of Shadows (The Dragon Riders of Arvain Book 3) Page 10