by Darren Lewis
“Oh yes.” He breathed. “Now that we have joined, I am complete. I can sense more and I can see more. I can see where he has flown!”
Ellie was puzzled as Cole smiled at her.
“Look up through my eyes.” He instructed.
Ellie closed her eyes and thought of Cole. The image she saw reminded Ellie of when she had tried on her Dad's glasses, it was distorted and odd, she realised Cole's eyes were placed differently on his head compared to hers . Shortly the image made sense. Her perspective had shifted. She was lower down near the ground. She could see a pair of knees. The image went dark briefly and the image changed to that of a young girl sat in front of her with her eyes closed. Then Ellie realised what she was seeing and jumped with shock.
“That's me!” and as she said it, she saw herself say it.
Cole laughed and the image bounced slightly.
“Yes, that's you. Now stop admiring yourself and I'll show you what I mean.”
Ellie smiled and saw the smile, then as a quick experiment she stuck her tongue out. Cole huffed and looked up into the blue sky. The sky though wasn't just clear blue anymore. It was filled with what seemed to be threads of all colours. Some hardly visible and fading, others still vibrant, like the trail a plane leaves behind as you watch it. There were two threads that were very strong, a gold and a black thread circled the sky above them. Cole explained.
“You are seeing where dragons have flown in the past. It's how we find each other. Many years ago, before humans, we flew everywhere on this planet, but those colours are fading.”
Ellie understood, “So the black and gold are your parents?”
The sky bobbed up and down and Cole nodded his head.
“The black line is my fathers'. The brightest one is the last one, the one when he left.”
Ellie opened her eyes and rubbed them, trying to bring them into focus. She saw Cole staring with longing at the sky. She looked up as well but could no longer see the colourful threads that wove through the blue sky. Cole looked back down at Ellie.
“When I pass into the thread it will take us, I won't need to fly anywhere.”
Ellie opened a door in her mind and looked at the memories of dragon travel.
“Wow, that's incredible! It's like jumping on a super fast train, it just whizzes you right there!” she paused and shook her head. “That's quite a time saver!”
Ellie put the memory back and closed the door. Cole looked nervous so she leaned down and placed her hands either side of his head.
“I don't know what we'll find, Cole, but I'm here.” She said gently.
Cole let out a sob.
“But he might be dead!”
Ellie touched her forehead to Cole's and whispered tenderly.
“You've still got me, Cole. You'll always have me.”
*
Ellie once again sat astride Cole's back as he pumped his wings to fly higher and higher. Ellie was now dressed in much warmer clothing. Cole had thought they might be up high for a while so taking a big risk they had swooped down into someone's back garden and Cole had snatched the entire washing line in his claws. Luckily the clothes were dry enough as they both thought it would be a bit unkind to uproot every clothes line in the area to find clothes that weren't wet. These clothes were for an old woman so Ellie was now dressed in a long white cardigan that reached her knees and long thick socks that met the cardigan when pulled up. To allay any guilt, Ellie had promised Cole they would return the clothes, and the washing line, and the uprooted poles with a note of apology. Cole had huffed a laugh and said he looked forward to reading it.
As they neared the black thread they both saw a green one above it, hidden from the ground but definitely following the same direction as the black. Maybe they were about to find two dragons! Nervous, excited and a little scared, Cole beat his wings and moved closer to the black thread. Ellie had been watching through Cole's eyes.
Are you sure it's this one, she thought. They had quickly discovered that talking while flying was pointless as they couldn't hear one another.
I think so, Cole thought back. If not, it's a start.
Ellie could feel through her legs and mind how tense the red dragon was and rubbed his back between her legs.
Shall we? She asked.
Cole was silent for a moment. An updraft of warm air lifted him higher and closer to the thread. Then with one beat of his wings he plunged them into the black thread. It went dark.
*
“Aha! There you are!”
Ginger jumped and knocked her head on the underside of the bed. She had dozed off and was annoyed. She looked around and saw Dad's face at the foot of the bed.
“Hey kitty, there's a good kitty. Time for some food yeah, oh you'd like that wouldn't you?” he made clicking noises with his mouth and rubbed his fingers together trying to entice her out.
“You've found her then?” Ginger heard Mum call.
“No.” Dad responded grumpily.
“Alright, no need to be sarcastic.”
Ginger saw two pairs of feet enter the room. Mum's and Jack's. Jack toddled over to his Dad and looked under the bed.
“Hey, Jack Rabbit, want to help me with this cat?” Dad asked. Ginger looked at Jack. As he couldn't talk properly yet he was the only one who listened to her. He even knew her name. Maybe Jack could help. She meowed her request and Jack nodded. He got up and went out of the room. Ginger saw a hand come in after the string and she took a swipe at it, claws in of course, she didn't want to hurt anyone.
“There might be some twine downstairs.” Mum said.
“No.” Dad responded. “This is personal now.”
Mum sighed and Ginger could imagine her rolling her eyes. It was a look every Dad got when he was being silly.
“I'm going to give Jack a bath and then Ellie can have one.”
Just as Mum said this there was a lot of clumping and thumping noises from another room. Mum gasped and ran from the room. Dad's face and hand disappeared.
“All okay?” he shouted.
“Sort of. Bath time has been put on hold.”
“Why?”
“The bath is temporarily full of Jack's toys, all of them.”
Ginger purred her thanks to Jack.
*
Ellie clung onto Cole's back as hard as she could. Her eyes were shut so she could see everything the dragon saw. The feeling was strange, they didn't seem to be moving at all. A fierce wind blew silently past them causing Ellie to cling on in fear of being blasted off Cole's back. In the darkness through Cole's eyes she saw small flashes of colour that shot by at high speed. Cole had said they were paths of others dragons that had crossed this one. If they wanted to they could leave this thread and travel another, taking them on a new path.
How long will this take? Ellie asked Cole in her mind.
Cole shrugged his big shoulders. I don't know. I've never done it before.
Ellie noticed in the silent darkness that Cole sounded a lot older than his speaking voice. She wondered if hers did as well.
Yes. Cole thought at her. I think we all sound much more grown up in our own heads.
Though still maintaining a strong grip on the dragon, Ellie had become accustomed to the sensations around her but still worried about where she would end up if she fell off!
Cole noticed and then Ellie a second later that the darkness up ahead was lighter, almost in the shape of a square. Maybe a doorway? A few seconds later and details began to emerge from the lighter area. A dirt brown floor, rocks! More light revealed stalagmites and stalactites. Then something seemed to ripple on the floor. Dark and black, a liquid that moved gently against the dirt floor.
A cave! Ellie thought. A second away from emerging from the black thread, Ellie and Cole both realised what they were landing on. It wasn't rock, grass, dirt or mud. It was a massive underground lake!
There was a whoosh of air as they emerged. Cole frantically beat his wings and his body strained upwards in an attemp
t to avoid the lake but it was impossible. Their speed and angle sent them plunging head first into the black water. The shock of the freezing cold water nearly made Ellie gasp for air but she managed to stop and avoided taking in a lungful of water. She kicked her legs and swung her arms in a frantic effort to reach the surface but the cardigan was full of water and very heavy and it began dragging her down into the blackness.
Panicking she screamed for Cole but there was no answer. She tried to taking off the cardigan but the fabric seemed to tighten further around her, trapping her inside. Ellie's lungs were burning. She would have to get some air soon. Her body would not allow her to keep holding her breath. Though she fought it her mouth opened a fraction and the water came in. She screamed and her mouth flooded with water. Then she heard it in her mind.
There!
She felt claws wrap around her and lift her up out of the water. On breaking the surface she spat and coughed out the water in her mouth. Ellie wiped her eyes. She was being carried above the water towards the dry floor of the cave. She saw something there that made her eyes go wide and her heart pound. There was Cole, dripping wet, looking up at her with a grin on his face. She looked down at the claws that held her, they were huge, each easily the size of her leg. On reaching Cole Ellie was set down. The dragon rushed over and Ellie hugged him.
She could sense the wonder in Cole's mind and he whispered out loud.
“Take a look.”
Ellie let go and turned to see who or what had plucked her out of the water. Still standing in the shallows of the lake was a large dragon, easily five times the size of Cole.
“Cole?” she whispered, “Is that?” she didn't finish as she felt the sadness but also a strange sense of relief.
“No.” he replied, “It's not my father.”
The larger dragon strode forward, its huge paws sending up large splashes in the lake. Closer up and Ellie could see that this dragon was an emerald green, the same colour as the thread next to Cole's father!
It lowered its large head to the dragon and girl on the shore of the lake and asked in its deep voice.
“WHO ARE YOU?”
Chapter 6
Cole began the same story he had told Ellie. The green dragon looked at them both in amazement but Ellie felt coldness from the dragon every time his eyes met hers. She tried to ignore it. Maybe he had been down here by himself for a long time and he was shocked.
As Cole continued his story Ellie had a good chance for a look around and wring out her wet clothes. The cave was about the size of a football pitch. The lake made up about two thirds of that size. The rock walls above the lake on the far wall looked strange. There seemed to be large bulges spaced around the walls of the cave. Ellie counted twenty but maybe there were more hidden in the dark corners. As far as she could see there was no entrance to the cave meaning the black thread they had travelled had actually allowed them to move through solid rock as easily as air. The cave was lit from a large pit to their right, it glowed orange and made the shadows and rocks dance. Cole recounted more of his tale and the green dragon lay down and swished his tail in the water behind him causing gentle ripples to play on the shore. Every so often he would glance over at Ellie and she would feel something not quite right. She saw those eyes were old and filled with knowledge but there was something else.
Cole fell silent after describing their journey here. The green dragon stood and walked to the lake for a drink. Ellie looked at the red dragon. He was trembling with excitement at meeting another of his kind.
Cole. She thought. Be careful.
Cole blinked and frowned at her.
What do you mean?
Ellie glanced back at the green dragon still lapping up water.
I'm not sure. Something isn't right. She shrugged.
Cole felt her unease through his own elation and nodded.
I'll be careful. He promised.
The green dragon returned but stayed standing. He looked back and forth from Cole to Ellie, his expression unreadable. He finally nodded to himself.
“Very well.” He said, his deep voice echoing through the cave. “Your arrival is the sign I have been waiting for these many years, the sign I was chosen to see. I am Malachite, guardian of the sleepers. The one chosen to watch over them.”
Malachite turned and strode quickly into the centre of the lake. He gazed at those strange bulges in the walls and whispered. “It is time my brothers and sisters.”
He turned and faced Ellie and Cole.
“After the battle with the humans I was born, I was given the memories of all who had survived. My task was to wait for the right time to awaken my brethren and seek revenge on those who would enslave and kill us. Revenge on mankind!”
As Malachite had been talking Cole had moved up close to Ellie. Both sensed each others rising fear.
“I searched this world for what was left of dragon kind, and brought them here to sleep. Sleep until the day I chose to strike back. To rid the world of the human plague and reclaim it for our own!”
Malachite's voice had been rising as each word left his mouth. The echoes seemed to clash together, vibrating the cave like some awful bell striking the hour. Ellie had heard of people called horrid names like crazy, mad or insane and in a way she felt sorry for this dragon who had lived alone for so many years with nothing but the thought of violence as his companion. She also recognised the incredible danger they were now in.
Malachite continued, his tail thrashing the water, his eyes gleaming with unshed tears as emotion overtook him. He lifted a leg and pointed a claw at Ellie and Cole.
“Dragon and Rider! Rider and Dragon!” he spat sarcastically. “An abomination! Evil!” Malachite lowered his large frame into the water and he began to tremble, sending small waves towards the shore. Cole, his eyes wide, grabbed Ellie and wrapped his body and then his wings around them both. In Ellie's mind and out loud he shouted.
“Keep your eyes shut and hold your breath!”
The instant Ellie did this, Malachite reared back and let loose a scorching burst of flame at them. The heat enveloped Cole and he squeezed himself tighter around his rider. Malachite started turning and spreading his flame at the bulges on the rocky wall. It bounced and writhed, seemingly alive. The water of the lake began to heat and steam started to rise creating a low fog.
Apart from the roar of the flame, Ellie couldn't hear anything, not even Cole. She was safe but would have to take a breath soon.
The green dragon was no longer visible. Fire, smoke and fog had hidden him away. Using Cole's eyes she saw the flame had stopped so she took a small breath, it was hot but didn't harm her. Cole relaxed his grip and stared intently at the lake.
For the moment it was quiet. The lake hissed and there were strange cracks and pings as the rocks began to cool. Ellie breathed heavily and kept a tight grip on Cole. Then, almighty splashes from the fog made them both flinch. The lake swelled and caused waves to crash at their feet. They both stared hard into the fog, trying to see what was going on. Then Malachite's voice echoed around them.
“Welcome back, my brothers and sisters. It is time.”
Ellie heard the sounds of water shifting and bigger waves started rolling towards them. Dark forms appeared in the haze, each as big as Malachite. Then they emerged. Ellie dropped to her knees in shock and Cole let out a very human gasp. Twenty dragons were walking towards shore. There seemed to be four dominant colours and then the remaining dragons a shade of that colour. But there was only one that Cole looked at. The dragons stopped short of the shore and Malachite made his way through them to stand before Ellie and her dragon.
“This is the sign I have chosen. The joining of dragon and rider, it is a weakness, one that must be eradicated. We will no longer submit ourselves to anyone!”
The newly woken dragons nodded. Ellie cast a glance at Cole, who was trembling. She laid a hand upon his head as he stared at the black dragon that had emerged from the fog.
Chapter 7
“Come on now, that's enough.” Dad said. Ginger dropped the string hoping that Ellie and Cole had finished whatever they were doing. She had done all she could. Dad picked up the string and then Ginger. She expected a scolding but instead she was scratched between the ears, which she loved and started purring.
“Daft cat.” Dad said affectionately. He opened the door to leave the room when a large shadow passed in front of the bedroom window followed by an almighty crash from the garden. Ginger pounced away from Dad's arms and shot off down the stairs. She hoped that Ellie wasn't stupid enough to fly by the house!
She reached the hallway and bounded for the kitchen. Ginger could hear cracks and creaking from the garden and saw a large shadow turning. As she neared the door a large paw came down and flattened the old shed with a mighty crash.
“What was that?” Mum screamed.
“Stay up there!” Dad shouted as he followed Ginger into the garden.
Ginger stood on the path, tail puffed up in fear but ready to attack if need be. She looked behind her and saw Dad come outside, she ran back to stand in front of him as he stared in stupefied amazement at what was in the garden.
The large bulk turned, its tail knocking down part of the iron fence at the back of the garden and it lowered its head to the man and the cat. Green eyes studied the two of them and then it opened its large maw. Ginger was paralysed with fear as she saw the start of a ball of flame being made in the throat of the dragon.
*
“Don't you touch him! Get away!” Ellie flinched at the horrendous shout from the green dragon. Malachite started to advance on Ellie. Cole immediately came to the defence of his rider and placed himself between Ellie and Malachite.
“Would you choose a human over your own kind little one?” Malachite asked contemptuously. Cole lifted his head higher reasoning that talking was no longer of any use here and just stared back at the advancing dragon. Malachite huffed but not in amusement, he drew back his front leg to knock Cole aside.