Ramaeka (The Ramaeka Series Book 1)

by Corin, G.

  “Okay, Alekra.”

  As she grinned at him, he remembered the other important part of the conversation he had heard. The spell. With that, he and Alekra could have proper conversations and figure out what to do. He would find a way to get it, no matter what.

  Ramaeka kept an eye and an ear out the next day for any information on when the dragon would be arriving. However no one seemed aware of what was happening. When he tried to follow his father, Ramanae had immediately spotted him and given him a severe clip around the head that left his ears ringing.

  I guess I’m not as good as I thought at sneaking around, he thought sadly cradling his aching head. Which was unfortunate really since sneaking was the only thing he seemed to be really good at. He spent the evening with Alekra as usual playing word games and attempting to have conversations. As he stood to leave, she grabbed hold of his wrist.

  “Ramaeka friend?” she asked gravely, her blue eyes serious.

  “Yes,” he replied solemnly and impulsively grasping her hands around the bars. She squeezed his hands, smiling back at him.

  The stranger arrived during the morning meal the next day. His luck was definitely holding up, he thought happily as he watched his father leave the hall with the rather small and skinny female. Impatiently he scoffed down his porridge and a loaf of fresh bread, before grabbing a piece of fruit and leaving the hall. He had a history lesson in fifteen minutes, which gave him a little time to make his first attempt. Sadly his luck decided to fail him and his history teacher caught sight of him and asked him to carry several objects to class for him. Unable to disobey the order of an older dragon he grumpily took the objects and headed to class. He was so annoyed at his bad luck that he did not notice his father and the strange female dragon until they were almost right next to him. He glanced up quickly as he heard their voices. They didn’t notice him as they walked through the other dragonets heading to class.

  “So I will be able to understand it now?” his father asked.

  “Yes sir, but I must warn you Isahn is already investigating the matter,” the strange dragon replied in a hoarse voice. “There is already an investigator on the way now.”

  “I don’t understand why, it’s a human not a dragon”

  “Be that as it may sir, it is still illegal to bring a live human into Amaria.”

  His father looked thoughtful.

  “Very well we will have to change our plans slightly and let his suspicions die down. Let us go talk to this animal.”

  They swept away further down the corridor leaving Ramaeka to hurry on to class wondering what they were going to ask Alekra.

  As soon as class was over he slipped away again, this time with more luck. The way to his father’s cave was completely clear. Even better the cave itself was empty. Looking around nervously to double check that no one was coming, he crept inside. The room looked almost enormous without his father in it, the shadows flickering eerily in the light of the torches. Ramaeka walked over to his father’s desk. If they had just used the spell it was bound to be somewhere on top. Sure enough one of the parchments on the very top of the messy desk was entitled Zer Humane Apoki, or The Human Voice. He grabbed it quickly, scanning its contents. It was a fairly simple spell done in three sentences and requiring one drop of blood on the tongue and a swish of blood on each ear. Eagerly he drew upon his core of magic, smiling as he found it glowing deep within him. He intoned the spell and with a quick prick of a fang he cut his finger and ran it gently over each ear making them burn. He then squeezed a drop of his own blood onto his tongue. A shudder immediately ran through him and his tongue seemed to swell, almost choking him. He clutched at his throat. And then it stopped. He opened his mouth experimentally, everything seemed normal. With a sigh of relief he scanned the parchment one last time, memorising it in case it hadn’t worked properly. He carefully replaced it on top of the desk and ran to the door. Just as his father walked in.

  Ramaeka wasn’t sure who was more surprised, him or his father. His father recovered faster however and grabbed him in one huge claw.

  “What are you doing in here,” he snarled, holding Ramaeka up to his face. Mind racing Ramaeka grabbed at the first story that came to mind.

  “Message from watch point two, Sir,” he squeaked. His father frowned, and then tossed him to the ground.

  “What is it?”

  “Sign of either a dragon or a wavaki in the far distance Sir, a small group sent to investigate.”

  “Alright,” his father growled looking at him suspiciously.

  Ramaeka edged towards the door, where two dragons were standing. One was the skinny female who had arrived earlier; the other was a newcomer. She was tall and stocky with a fierce, determined face. She looked at Ramanae with disapproval but didn’t say anything as Ramaeka slipped by.

  As he left he heard his father talking to the newcomer.

  “As you can see, Yamari, I have absolutely nothing of interest for your investigation.”

  But he does, Ramaeka thought fiercely rubbing a bruised shoulder. This dragon must be the investigator he realised suddenly; this might be the only chance he had to get Alekra out of here. If only he could get a message to the investigator, surely she would take Alekra to safety. He turned and ran back the way he had come. Soon he heard footsteps in the distance, if his luck was still good then his father would craftily instruct one of his younger, weaker children to escort the investigator out. By doing so he was saying, look where you want I have nothing to hide, you do not worry me enough to give you a decent escort. At least Ramaeka hoped that’s what he would do.

  Looking down the corridor he grinned as he realised he was right, Ramanor was escorting the Investigator out.

  Ramaeka strolled towards them casually.

  “Hey firepants,” he called to his brother. Ramanor’s face tightened with fury while the Investigator looked on with interest.

  “What do you want lizard,” he snarled.

  “Mother wants you,” Ramaeka said with a bored look. “But you can take your guest out first if you want.”

  His brother hesitated.

  “Where is she?” he asked suspiciously.

  “Third tower,” Ramaeka told him with a yawn knowing his brother would be too lazy to want to take the dragon all the way to the front and then have to go to the furthest part of the fortress.

  “Here lizard,” he growled, insolently gesturing at the Investigator. “You take her to the entrance.”

  “No way,” Ramaeka whined. His brother immediately hit him on his sore shoulder, causing Ramaeka’s eyes to fill with tears.

  “You’ll do what I say little lizard,” his brother said cruelly before turning and walking away.

  Relieved Ramaeka looked the Investigator over.

  “If we could go now?” she asked impatiently.

  “Yes Lady, this way please,” Ramaeka told her, leading her down a side tunnel.

  After a few minutes of travelling, she stopped and scowled at Ramaeka.

  “Where are you leading me little one?” she asked abruptly.

  He looked up at her pleadingly.

  “You have to help my friend escape and take her to Isahn,” he said in a rush, terrified she would get angry and leave.

  She ran a hand through her hair frowning.

  “I didn’t come here to get mixed up in a dragon’s debate.”

  “Not a dragon,” he interrupted her. “A human.”

  She looked at him intently.

  “Tell me everything as we walk,” she said calmly.

  So he did, from the arrival of Alekra to his talk with Isahn. He explained his father’s plans and his visits with the human prisoner. Through the whole thing the investigator listened silently, nodding to herself occasionally. When he was finished, she looked at him.

  “Let’s get your friend to a safer place.”

  Ramaeka beamed and hurried along the passage.

  Upon reaching the cell they discovered four guards lounging about ou
tside it. They were joking and talking, never even noticing the approach of the sleep spell that the Investigator laid on them.

  Ramaeka was thoroughly impressed; he hoped he would be half as efficient one day. His companion gesture him forward.

  “She’s your friend,” she said calmly. “Tell her she must come with me.”

  He moved forward and peered into the small cell.

  “Alekra,” he whispered.

  The human clambered to her feet her anxious expression clearing as she saw his face. He felt the Investigator move to stand beside him. Alekra frowned and looked at him nervously, now was the time to see if the spell worked.

  “This is a friend,” he told her pointing at the Investigator. “You have to go with her.”

  Alekra’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “I can understand you!”

  The Investigator put her hand to the bars of rock which melted away before Ramaeka’s eyes.

  “Come,” she told the human firmly.

  Alekra hesitated then walked out of the cell. Ramaeka grinned happily and hugged her. She hugged him back fiercely, pulling back to look at him anxiously.

  “Will you come too, Ramaeka?”

  “No,” he told her sadly. “My father would hunt me down; you definitely wouldn’t be safe if I came along. But I’ll show you out.”

  “Alright then Ramaeka,” the Investigator interrupted. She looked at him with respect. “Show us out of this snake pit.”

  He did so gladly, whispering quietly to Alekra in delight. He could understand everything she said and she could understand him!

  It was possibly the best ten minutes of his life.

  His heart ached as he led the two of them out of the fortress and into the open. The investigator transformed into her greater form and waited patiently for the two to say goodbye. However before he could say anything Ramaeka heard a roar reverberate through the fortress. He grabbed Alekra and shoved her up onto the dragon.

  “Go,” he shouted at them. With a bound the dragon was in the air, and shooting away at an incredible speed.

  He had no more time to think after that. With a snarling roar his father bound like an immense shadow from the mountain.

  “You!” Ramanae snarled at his son. “Do you know what you have done?”

  Ramaeka cowered away from his father, terrified. He transformed quickly, forcing himself to concentrate mind racing. It would take a lot more skill and power than he had to stay alive in a fight against his father let alone beat him. But if he could distract him long enough for Alekra to escape it would be worth it.

  “Months of planning have been for nothing.”

  Flecks of saliva rained down around Ramaeka, his father was so furious.

  Ramanae bared his teeth at his son in fury.

  “I should have killed you when you were born you earthbound little lizard.”

  As the great black dragon towered above him; he crouched low to the ground trying to draw power from the meagre amount of earth that collected in the cracks of the rock. With a roar his father launched himself at Ramaeka; he dodged, swinging to the left. With a bound he leaped up the cliff face narrowly avoiding the razor sharp end of his father’s tail. With incredible swiftness his father turned and shot a spell at him causing him to drop down the cliff as the stone exploded around him. Rocks battered his body, stunning him temporarily allowing his father to grab him with one massive claw. His claws ripped through Ramaeka’s side sending him spinning onto the cliff edge in front of his father who promptly pinned him with his claw. Ramanae roared in triumph as Ramaeka struggled desperately, his side burning in agony.

  Frantically he looked around for any way of escape as his father leaned forwards, his immense fangs bared. Twisting his head around he bit deep into his father’s middle claw, his jaws meeting in the middle. With a yell of pain his father released him, drawing back momentarily. It was long enough, Ramaeka rolled across the ground and over the cliff edge. Clutching his side he managed to half open his wings, slowing his fall before hitting the icy cold water of the river.

  Weak from blood loss he struggled to the surface, gasping for air. As the fuzzy black edges of his vision began to close in he looked back to see the cliff rapidly falling back, his brothers and sisters launching themselves over the side of the cliff as his father roared at them. Turning away he let the river carry him away as he relaxed into unconsciousness.

  Chapter Three

  Ramaeka awoke to blinding pain. His entire side felt like it had been trampled by a wavaki then munched on by a giant flesh eating cave worm. He groaned and tried to touch his ribs, however before his hand got close a strong hand grabbed his wrist.

  “Easy there kid,” a warm voice said from somewhere above him. Opening his eyes he found himself staring in to a pair of grey eyes. Which were rather unsurprisingly attached to a face. He blinked as the face pulled back slightly and into better focus. The face was attached to a dragonet just above his own age; he had a strong, kind face and blond hair which was marred by a single black streak that ran down over his eyes.

  “Hey there,” the dragonet said smiling at him. “It’s good to see you awake. Those are some wicked scratches you’ve got there, looks like you tangled with a dragon or something.”

  Ramaeka blinked again and looked closer at the figure above him. He was human. Suddenly everything that had happened came rushing back to him. Alekra! And his father had tried to kill him. He sat up, gasping as pain hit him.

  “Where am I?”

  “Hey easy,” the boy said gently pushing him back down. “You’re in the Capri Mountains, north of Talok city.”

  “Which world?” he gasped.

  “Looks like whatever got him rattled his brains as well,” said a sarcastic voice to his right.

  Jumping, Ramaeka looked over to see another young male human tending to a fire. This one had black hair that stood up in spikes and large amber eyes set in a thin face.

  “Aw leave him alone Shady,” growled the first boy, he looked back down at Ramaeka.

  “You’re in Skyde, which is the only world I know about,” he told him calmly. “You should get some more rest, that wound and a ride over those falls would have killed most people.”

  Ramaeka leant back obediently, his eyes already heavy. Before he succumbed to sleep, he managed a smile.

  “Thanks,” he mumbled.

  When he woke up again, the blonde human was sitting cleaning a long sharp looking knife. There was no sign of the sarcastic dark haired one. He sat up carefully.

  “You’re awake,” the blonde jumped up and rushed over to him. He felt Ramaeka’s forehead and checked the bandages on his side quickly as Ramaeka watched in fascination. He supposed he had somehow slipped into a human world while he was in the water.

  “Here,” offered the boy holding out a cup. He took it and carefully sipped at the contents, it was a broth of sorts though he couldn’t place the meat. I hope it’s not dragon he thought queasily.

  “My name’s Stripe by the way.” The boy, Stripe, was watching him with interest.

  “Stripe?” he grinned despite himself, a most fitting name he thought. The boy grinned tugging sheepishly on the black lock of hair that hung over his eyes.

  “Yeah that’s what the folk that took me in called me; they didn’t really like me too much though.”

  “My family didn’t like me much either,” Ramaeka replied shyly. “I’m Ramaeka.”

  “Nice,” Stripe grinned. “So Ramaeka what’s a kid like you doing way out here by yourself? Did you actually get attacked by a dragon?”

  “Well, yes,” Ramaeka hesitated unsure of how much to tell the boy.

  “I’m sort of on the run from my father.”

  Stripe smiled.

  “S’ok, me and Shady ran out on our families too. Where exactly are you headed?”

  “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I don’t even know how I got here.”

  “Maybe the dragon caught you and flew you here to ea
t”

  He winced at that.

  “No I don’t think so. It grabbed me but I managed to get away by jumping into the river.”

  Stripe frowned.

  “Seriously it was a dragon? We better move in case it comes back.”

  “It’s okay,” he said quickly. “I mean, I think I was swept pretty far along through the mountains.” He recalled Stripe mentioning that he only knew of one world, it might be better not to bring up the fact that there were others.

  Stripe seemed to ponder that.

  “All right, I reckon maybe it’s alright then,” he looked at Ramaeka impressed. “I can’t believe you survived a dragon attack though, that’s impressive.”

  Embarrassed Ramaeka looked down, it was better if Stripe didn’t know the truth. Rough bandages around his chest and stomach caught his attention. He ran his fingers over them wondering how bad it was.

  “You’re actually healing really fast,” Stripe told him. “In fact it’s a bit strange; I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  Ramaeka shrugged uncomfortably.

  “Really? How long is it supposed to take?”

  “A wound that size most people wouldn’t get the chance to heal from, but if they did probably a month or so at least.”

  Surprised Ramaeka touched his wound again; he could feel the skin healing together. He had always taken it for granted that wounds, even severe ones healed within a few days. Obviously this was not a trait that he shared with humans.

  “Um, my people have always healed really fast,” he told Stripe nervously.

  “Lucky, I take ages to heal up,” Stripe groaned.

  “So what exactly do you and Shady do?” he asked curious.

  “We appropriate and then we sell,” replied Stripe with a wicked grin. “It’s what most street kids like us do.”

  “Appropriate?”

  “Steal.” Shady walked out of the surrounding forest. “We steal. You got a problem with that?”

  “Not really,” he replied honestly.

  Shady scowled at him then flopped down next to Stripe who had settled back down to cleaning his big knife again.