Firestorm

by Mark Robson

  ‘Look at this! Look what those barbarians are using to hunt with,’ she stormed, beckoning.

  At close range it was easy to see why the weapon jutting from the dragon’s flank had not worked loose during the flight. It had wicked barbs carved into the point to ensure that it snagged in the victim’s flesh. To pull it free would cause more damage. He was appalled.

  ‘The women of our village use this to treat bad wounds,’ he said. ‘The juice slows bleeding. Let’s hope it works on dragons.’

  Elian folded the leaves into a tight bundle and then twisted until milky-white sap began to seep from the wad of green. He dribbled the fluid into the top of the wound, working hard to extract every last drop by twisting and retwisting the leaves.

  Gently, he changed the angle of the spear in the wound to allow the juice of the leaves to penetrate as deeply as possible. Fang let out a long sigh of pain. But Elian’s joy, the sap acted quickly and the blood flow slowed to a trickle.

  ‘I don’t think we should take out the spear until we have something to help block Fang’s pain,’ he suggested. ‘And his rider’s,’ he added silently.

  Kira’s eyes went distant for a moment and Elian realised she was relaying this information to her dragon.

  ‘Fang says to go ahead and remove it. He promises not to flinch.’

  ‘You want me to do it?’ he asked, surprised.

  ‘You seem to know what you’re doing,’ she replied defensively. ‘I’m not good with this sort of thing.’

  Elian held her gaze for a moment. The barriers were still up behind her eyes, but he was not blind to the opportunity she was offering. This was a chance to impress – a chance to show his worth. But when he pulled the spear free, she would feel Fang’s pain. He was not sure he wanted to cause her any more hurt.

  ‘You will do fine, Elian. Remove the weapon. It is giving Fang a lot of discomfort. Kira is strong. They will both recover quickly once it’s out. Tomorrow we will seek a day dragon and arrange for the wound to be fully healed,’ Ra interjected.

  ‘So it’s true then?’ he asked aloud. ‘Day dragons have healing powers? Brilliant!’

  Kira, who was still staring at him, raised her eyebrows in surprise. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘I’m surprised at you, Elian. I thought you knew this, at least, of dragonlore. Day dragons are fire breathers, but dragonfire does not always burn. They can use their fire for healing if so moved. Tomorrow we shall seek a day dragon who is willing to breathe a healing flame over Longfang’s wound.’

  ‘I can see three-way conversations are going to get a bit annoying!’ Elian said, looking up at the sky in frustration. ‘Kira, Aurora says that we’re going to look for a day dragon tomorrow. Apparently day dragons can breathe healing fire.’

  He turned to his dragon and spoke aloud for Kira’s benefit. ‘Ra, I told you I don’t know much about dragons . . . but I do know something about herb lore. Dragons aren’t the only ones with useful skills. Watch.’ He turned and looked Longfang in the eye. ‘I appreciate your bravery, Fang, but it’s unnecessary. I noticed some ripe peppers growing not far away. As the broadleaf worked on you, I think that rubbing cut pepper into your wound will work to numb the pain as well. Give me a minute.’

  Kira’s eyes had gone wide with stunned shock when Elian had addressed Ra with a tone other than worshipful respect. That he went on to address her dragon in the same manner left her speechless. Silently she relayed his words to Fang as Elian marched off and recovered several peppers. When he returned, he used Kira’s belt knife to split them lengthways into quarters. He scraped out the pips, then rubbed the moist interior of the pepper around and into the wound as best he could. Longfang’s leg twitched several times, but considering how painful it must have been, Elian marvelled at the dragon’s self-control.

  After allowing some time for the numbing effect of the pepper sap to take hold, he took hold of the spear and braced himself against the dragon’s haunch. If he had been able, he would have tried to cut or break off the barbs before removing the spear. But Ra said this was impossible, as the spear’s tip was made of dragon horn, a substance far harder than any metal. Instead, Elian was forced to use Kira’s belt knife again – this time to slice a clean path through the dragon’s flesh for the barbs to pass. Even so, withdrawing the spear was not easy and the sucking, tearing noise it made as he pulled it free was horrible.

  Kira stood by the entire time, anxiously watching as Elian worked. When he finally managed to remove the spear there were tears in her eyes.

  ‘Fang says to thank you for your gentle touch. He felt very little pain,’ she said.

  ‘That was well done, Elian.’ There was pride in Ra’s tone.

  Elian nodded. He felt sick. From his perspective there had been nothing gentle in what he had done. He had never had to deal with such a nasty wound before. It had felt more like butchering raw meat than anything connected with healing. He squeezed more of the milky broadleaf sap into the now gaping wound and the fresh flood of blood gradually slowed to a trickle. It looked a mess, but it was the best he could do. They could not bandage the dragon’s thigh – it was so big that any material they could cobble together from the clothes they were wearing would not be sufficient.

  ‘Do dragons ever lie on their backs, or their sides?’ Elian asked Ra silently.

  ‘Not very often – it’s most uncomfortable,’ she replied.

  ‘Can you ask Fang to roll over onto his left side, please? He’ll need to stay that way as long as he can stand it.’

  ‘Might I ask why?’ Ra inquired loftily.

  ‘The bleeding will slow if his heart is lower than the wound. It’ll allow a scab to form more easily.’

  ‘Oh! Very well then.’

  Kira looked momentarily surprised and worried to see Fang rolling over, but a quick mental exchange with him put her at ease again. After giving him an affectionate pat on the neck, she turned to Elian, and he could see the cold barrier settle back into her eyes.

  ‘Come,’ she ordered. ‘Let’s find something to eat.’

  Elian nodded. He was a bit peeved that she had not offered a word of thanks on her own behalf, but he buried his disappointment deep inside. It was a long way to central Orupee. There would be plenty of time for her to get to know and like him.

  They moved a short distance from Fang and cleared a space on the ground to make a fire not far from the water’s edge. Elian gathered some rocks and placed them in a small circle, leaving a gap on the windward side for air to feed the fire.

  Kira scavenged for material to burn. There was not much around. A dead bush offered enough kindling and wood to build a short-lived fire. They set to work breaking and sorting the wood from the bush into piles of thin twigs for kindling, small sticks to build a base, and larger sticks. The small stuff would be great for lighting and establishing a flame, whilst the thicker bits would fuel it for a while. When he saw how little they had, Elian offered to take Ra on a quick trip to the nearest trees to get some proper logs.

  ‘Do it after we’ve eaten,’ Kira replied. ‘We won’t be able to move again today. Fang needs to recover. We’ve got plenty of time before dark.’

  She was right. A short while later, they had water boiling in a small copper pan from Elian’s backpack over a crackling flame that danced and popped as it hungrily consumed their stockpile of sticks. The dry wood gave off little smoke, but the smell of it was heavenly.

  Elian cut a potato into small pieces and added it to the water with a few pinches of dried herbs. Kira took an apple from her pack and diced it in similar fashion, adding it to the broth with some ground sweetroot. Each let out sighs of contentment as they took their first taste.

  In the afternoon he rode off on Ra to collect wood for a more substantial fire to keep them warm through the night. In the meantime, Kira roamed the immediate area in search of edible plants.

  After her trip to scavenge for firewood with Elian, Ra went off hunting alone. Her trip was successful and she ret
urned clutching a whole antelope in her talons. When she and Fang had eaten their fill, they left a succulent rear leg for the two riders. It was huge, with so much meat on the bone that the meal was like a feast. Elian and Kira roasted strips over the open flames in the early evening half-light.

  Although Elian and Kira spent the evening sitting opposite one another at the fire, conversation was sparse. Elian tried a few times to spark her into talking, but she seemed to have a way of killing any topic with her first response. The spells of silence felt awkward to Elian, but not hostile. In the end he gave up and leaned back against a rock, gazing up at the millions of stars that lit up the cloudless night sky.

  It was one of the clearest nights he had ever seen. The chirruping chorus of crickets blended with the nocturnal noises of amphibians, building in a slow crescendo until the occasional snap and crackle of the fire was all but lost. The air felt swollen with sound. A combination of wafting wood-smoke and the aroma of leftover roasted meat mixed with the earthy, grassy smell of the savannah. The scent filled Elian with a sense of warmth and adventure. Thoughts of danger and his trauma at the hands of the hunters faded. As his eyes relaxed their focus, the brightest stars seemed to fly down and surround him. It was a magical feeling.

  Elian was not aware of drifting off to sleep, but when he woke, he did so with a start. It was before dawn and still quite dark. The fire had burned out and he felt cold, stiff and slightly damp.

  ‘Get up, Elian. The hunters are here. We must go.’

  ‘You’re sure? How close are they?’ he whispered. ‘Will Fang be able to fly?’

  ‘He will have to. They’re close. Gather your things. Get Kira. I will carry you both. Try not to make any noise.’

  ‘Where are you? I can’t see you.’ Elian rubbed his eyes and scanned the area around the water hole. The pre-dawn glow was just beginning to light the eastern sky.

  ‘I’m here.’

  A large shadowy head suddenly appeared out of what looked like thin air. Elian blinked a few times to make sure his eyes were not deceiving him, but then realised what had happened. From where he was, Ra was behind Fang, who had automatically camouflaged himself on sensing danger. The angle between Elian and Ra meant that most of the dawn dragon was shielded behind Fang’s invisible body. The result looked bizarre.

  ‘I see you,’ Elian hissed.

  He scrambled silently over to where Kira was sleeping and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Her response was so fast that he did not see her move. Before Elian realised what had happened she had her knife blade pressed against his throat. For an instant he froze, frightened that any move he made might cause her to use the knife.

  ‘Back off!’ she growled, her voice soft and dangerous.

  ‘Relax, Kira!’ he whispered anxiously. ‘It’s me. The hunters have found us again. We need to go. Aurora will carry us both.’

  Kira did not need telling twice. She was up in an instant, the knife disappearing as fast as it had appeared. Sure-footed and silent, she did not take long to gather her belongings. Elian was not so fast, but he managed to find his things without making much noise and together they moved around the invisible Longfang to where Ra was waiting.

  ‘Which way should we launch?’ Elian asked silently.

  ‘Take your pick,’ Ra offered.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I mean it will make no difference, Elian. We’re surrounded.’

  ‘I have you now,’ Kasau breathed, pleasure coursing through his tired body. ‘Your glowing hide won’t save you this time.’

  They had pushed the horses to the limit, riding with minimal breaks throughout the day and on through the night. Despite the bright, starlit sky, the going was slow once darkness fell. Even at a walk it took only a single unfortunate step for a horse to fall lame, or worse.

  Some of the hunters had questioned the sense of taking such risks, but Kasau brushed aside their concerns and pushed them on. He knew this was likely to be their last opportunity to kill the dawn dragon before she and her rider flew beyond their ability to catch up. The hunters were all in position. The signal had been given. Each of them was armed with a weapon tipped with dragonhorn, the only substance hard enough to penetrate a dragon’s scales with ease. Dragonhunters of old had hunted with swords and spears made of metal and stone. The chances of surviving an encounter with weapons of such materials were negligible. This was why successful hunters from past eras were revered so highly.

  Kasau crept forwards through the dew-soaked grass, his spear held ready. The warm, moist air filled his nose with the heady scent of the savannah as the eastern sky lightened with every passing minute. The dawn chorus was building, a blend of birdsong adding to the constant cacophony of insect and amphibian noises. They were cutting it fine. He wanted to strike before the sun peered over the horizon to prevent the dawn dragon from gaining access to her full powers. If camouflaged, the dusk dragon would be difficult to locate in the half-light, but the men had been well briefed on the telltale signs to look for.

  He looked to his left. Some distance away he could just make out a shadowy figure, spear in hand, easing through the long grass. A glance to his right revealed another silhouette, more obvious this time, but making no discernible noise. The circle was tightening. In just a few more minutes the dragons would be theirs for the taking.

  ‘Damn!’ Elian swore. ‘They’re all around us. There’s no way out. What shall we do?’

  ‘There’s always a way out, Elian. The trick is to know where to look for it. Fang, I’m going to form a gateway right in front of you, if I can. Get ready. It will be hard for me to hold it for more than a heartbeat or two as the sun is not quite at the horizon. Are you up to a very short flight . . . ? Good . . . You know what to look for. Don’t hesitate . .. I’ll follow you.’

  Hearing Ra’s side of the conversation she was having with Fang was strange. Elian felt as if he were eavesdropping, yet he knew that Ra wanted him to hear her words.

  ‘A gateway?’ he asked softly. ‘What sort of gateway? What’s going on, Ra?’

  ‘Would you mind letting me in on what’s happening?’ Kira’s whisper was full of frustration.

  ‘There’s no time to explain, Elian. Hold on tight and tell Kira to do the same. You might find this a little unsettling. Ready, Fang? Go!’

  Elian heard Longfang launch forwards. The first down-sweep of his great wings made a loud, distinctive whooshing noise.

  ‘Hang on, Kira. I think this is going to be a rough ride,’ he advised her.

  A heartbeat later Ra leaped forwards, her explosive acceleration rocking Elian back in his saddle. He instinctively glanced over his shoulder to make sure Kira was still behind him. She was – clinging grimly to the ridge in front of her.

  Elian could feel Ra’s intense concentration. Adrenaline surged in his stomach. She was reaching out with her mind. Whatever she was doing was not easy. They were charging at high speed towards the easternmost hunters. The spears would start flying any heartbeat. What was she thinking of? A straight charge would be little less than suicide.

  When the gateway opened, Elian sensed it, rather than saw it. His fleeting impression was of a great rent in the fabric of reality – a ghostly grey hole of swirling nothingness. One heartbeat they were barely off the ground and fast approaching a line of enemies armed with deadly spears, the next his body and mind were wrenched in gut-twisting, brain-spinning manner. For a moment he experienced a strange feeling of weightlessness, as if he were immersed in water. The sensation was fleeting, but left him reeling with dizzy disorientation. A second contorting wrench was followed by a blast of freezing air, as they emerged high into a night sky.

  ‘Where in hell are we?’ Kira yelled above the sudden roar of the biting wind.

  The question echoed the turmoil in Elian’s mind, for he knew the instant the air rammed into his nostrils that they were no longer in Racafi. Aside from the massive temperature drop, the scent of it was totally different. Wherever they w
ere it was now the dead of night, and they were high in the air – at least a couple of thousand spans up, judging by what little he could see.

  It was impossible. It made no sense. How had they got here? What had Aurora done?

  Chapter Eleven

  A Most Unusual Dragon

  Kasau saw the portal open in the air just in front of the dragons and a cry rose in his throat. Taking three swift strides, he hurled his spear with all his strength. The yell he released burned his throat as it burst from him like the roar of an angry lion. The moment the weapon left his fingers he knew he had thrown it in vain. His eyes followed its trajectory as it sailed through the air in a deadly arc, but the dragons vanished before the spear reached them. The portal closed the instant the second dragon passed through and his spear sliced through empty air. Several other spears crisscrossed harmlessly through the same space. They were gone.

  Kasau sank to his knees. The rest of the circle of hunters closed in on the spot where the two dragons had disappeared and began to mill about in confusion. Kasau could not believe it. Twice he had set traps for the dawn dragon. Both times she had slipped through his grasp. No other dragon he had tracked had ever eluded him like this. The beast had made a fool of him. He had underestimated her abilities and she had exploited his overconfidence.

  ‘We will meet again,’ he muttered to himself. ‘But next time will be the last. I’ll not let you get the better of me again.’

  ‘Where are we, Ra? What is this place and how did we get here?’ Elian asked the questions aloud to allow Kira the chance to follow at least one side of his conversation.

  ‘We’ve travelled to another world, Elian. This is the most special of a dawn dragon’s abilities. No other dragon can come here except with one of us. At dawn and dusk the boundaries between worlds weaken. At dawn, my powers are at their maximum. There is a very small window either side of that short period when I am strong enough to open a gateway and break through the barrier.’