by J. Axbridge
“Yes Arthur, the stone on the left is simply a cover and once moved you’ll see a tunnel we can use to escape.”
The six largest GuDra walked and stood in front of all of us and opened their wings. Two more stood near the open entrance ready to breathe a wall of fire and the remaining GuDra flew up to the ceiling and began pushing the stone cover away revealing a narrow escape tunnel that disappeared into pitch darkness.
“Young humans, there is no time for fear. As each of your GuDra escorts takes off, you must grab their feet and hang on, it’ll be a dangerous ride straight up and very fast. There are only a few openings where we can spread our wings enough to push us further up the tunnel. If you let go, you’ll block the rest from escaping and we don’t want that to happen . . .” Ravot walked around patting each of his GuDra on their shoulders. “Now let’s go, I’ll lead!” Ravot took off in a blast, creating clouds of sand and dust as his powerful wings lifted him off the ground with ease.
As the GuDra standing guard began to shoot fire out the door, the rest of the GuDra took off carrying us one by one heading straight up. Lawrence Karayan didn’t wait for our departure to attack, we heard him order a group of werewolves and vampires to go in through the flames to protect him.
The GuDra with us in tow were already flying high in the air towards the opening, easily carrying our weight, when I suddenly saw Lawrence Karayan enter.
Caelyn and Victoria were following up the rear and were about to enter the tunnel behind me when Lawrence leaped far and high off the cave wall, grabbing hold of Caelyn’s foot and pulling her along with her GuDra escort down causing them to smash into the GuDra carrying Victoria. The next thing I saw was pure darkness as I was whisked through the tunnel climbing higher and higher, the cool breeze whipping my hair straight back as I held onto my scaly GuDra escort for dear life praying the twins were OK.
Chapter 58 – Stuck
Victoria
Luckily, the GuDra carrying me was able to bank sideways and make a safe although rough landing, protecting me after Caelyn and her GuDra crashed into us. Sadly my twin sister fell fast, dropping head first towards the cave floor. She barely let out a yelp before her head slammed into the hard ground made of solid stone, slipping into a fast sleep. I tried on my own to shield the both of us with a bubble of protection but it was useless without my twin sister conscious to help, I just wasn’t strong enough on my own yet. The GuDra protecting the entrance whirled around to help but hesitated, afraid to breathe their fire realizing they’d possibly hurt one or both of us and their fellow GuDra who’d been injured in the fall. Their hesitancy proved fatal. The instant they turned, the rest of the vampires and werewolves rushed in biting at their scales and tearing them apart limb by limb taking revenge on their losses. It was a grotesque scene, one I did not want to witness, but now I’ll have those images stuck in my head for the rest of my life. With no other options left I closed my eyes to try and protect us once more, willing any power I had from deep within to shield my sister and me, but again my efforts were useless because nothing happened and we were now at the mercy of the very large and very angry vampire.
“It seems your family and their new found dragon friends have left you to die,” Lawrence Karayan said approaching me calmly. “So if you would, please hand over the Book of Symbols and I’ll spare you and your sister’s life. That is IF she’s still alive?” He looked down wickedly at Caelyn who was laying on the cold rock floor, a stream of blood trickling down her face and I couldn’t help but begin to cry.
Chapter 59 - Time to Fly
Arthur
Ravot still shooting up the dark escape tunnel with amazing speed, crashed through a thin layer of rock and earth sending it sailing into the night air like fireworks. Close behind him flew the GuDra carrying Mayumi, Adelaide, Ethan and I. Ravot waited only seconds before realizing Victoria and Caelyn weren’t on their way. “Something went wrong. I’m going back down.” He hissed and prepared to dive.
“Take me with you,” I yelled and in a swoop he threw me on his scaly back then determinedly shot back down the escape hole at full speed just in time for us to see Lawrence rip off the heads of the two GuDra who had been carrying the twins. Realizing the situation was dire and there was nothing he could do, Ravot shot fire, turned quickly and flew back up before Lawrence could grasp onto him also. All I could do was cling tightly to his rough neck as we spun around heading back to the escape tunnel leading out.
Once back above ground we flew for miles in the gloomy darkness before finally landing on one of the few mountaintops that still had tree cover. Adelaide, Mayumi and I protested the whole journey wanting to return to save the twins but Ravot had flown on without a word until he found a suitable place to land.
“Dammit Dragon! Those are my sisters you left behind; we NEED to go back and save them before it’s too late!” I yelled, standing up and brushing dirt off my clothes.
Adelaide and Mayumi were also now yelling at the GuDra to fly back but none of them moved they just listened until our shouting finally ceased.
“What the hell are you going to do, just stand there? No WONDER your race was wiped out.” Adelaide spat and I knew by the look in her eyes that she regretted saying it but she was upset. Yet even those cruel words had no affect on Ravot or the other Guardian Dragons.
Ethan quietly cried alone to the side, unnerved by the attack, the escape and being separated from the twins. Mayumi, treating him as if he were her own little brother walked over and sat down on the ground putting her arm around him. “No matter what I have to do Ethan, I will track those vamps down and get Victoria and Caelyn back, even if it means my life to do it. That is a promise!” Mayumi told him, while hugging his shoulders. “You are my family now and I will give my life to protect and save my family!”
“Gushiken, don’t be so naïve and stupid and talk to the boy that way, you know what we’re up against and false hope is not a good thing to give at this time.”
“What is wrong with you Ravot? They are his sisters, and we never leave family behind. And there’s ALWAYS HOPE!” Mayumi spat back with piercing eyes.
“Did you see what transpired Gushiken? DID YOU? They killed four GuDra . . . FOUR, and now there are only six of us left in this hellish world. I witnessed the Ancient rip off two of my fellow GuDra’s heads and the two GuDra I ordered to protect the door had been ripped apart by savage werewolves and those things you call ‘vampires’. SO YES, I UNDERSTAND THE LOSE OF FAMILY!” Ravot furiously hissed. “Still, they did not harm the twins and I do not believe the Ancient would do such a thing. He needs them, they can read the book. The book we still have in our possession. So your sisters are safe at the moment.”
“I hate to admit it, but I think Ravot is right.” Adelaide said, “. . . to have rushed in after them with so many vamps and werewolves inside the cave, would have been suicide. Of course standing here arguing isn’t helping matters either, we should be making a plan to rescue them.” Walking to a nearby stream with frustration Adelaide scooped water into her hand and drank, then poured more over her head and turned as water dripped down over her face and neck. “OK, now let’s make plans for their rescue. Where do we start?”
“ADDIE, WE MUST . . . GO . . . NOW!” I shouted. Her speech was great but we still had to save the twins and the sooner the better in my book.
“SHUT UP ARTHUR!” She shouted back at me, “You’re strong but I’m the leader and we need to think this through before we do something stupid like rush in there without any idea of what we’re up against! That’s exactly what Lawrence wants us to do!”
“Arthur . . .” Mayumi looked sorrowful, “Addie is correct. As hard as it is to swallow, we need an excellent plan to rescue the twins safely.” Resting her strong hand gently on my shoulder I unwillingly withdrew my anger. Then curiously she stared at my little brother.
“What? What did I do?” Ethan looked around unsure if Mayumi was actually staring at him.
“Ethan, what do you thi
nk?” Mayumi asked.
“Me?”
“Yes you Ethan, you are a member of this family, you are the tail of the werewolf, remember it is your duty to keep the beast stable. So, what are your thoughts on this matter? It is important to know how you feel, and do not forget you three have a creature bond and must work together.”
My little brother’s face lit up, he was beyond thrilled to share his ideas and jumped up off the ground, slapping the dirt off his pants. “First we need to think of survival. We haven’t eaten in a while. We need food because I already feel dizzy from hunger, don’t you?” He waited for an answer yet none came, “Anyway, we also need rest, just a little but we need rest for our bodies to function properly, that’s a must. But most importantly, I think we need to use what that big vampire wants more than anything else, and that’s the ‘Book of Symbols’.” Ethan was so excited to share that last part that he hardly took a breath. “I mean, in all the fantasy books I’ve read there is always something to bargain with that’s important to a villain.”
“Ethan that’s brilliant. We broker a trade,” Adelaide turned to me for agreement. “Arthur, what do you think?”
“No, we can’t give him the book, that’s too much; you remember what the Elder Werewolf said. With that much power in his hands he’ll kill us all for sure,” I scoffed maybe a little too harsh at my sister’s idea. “We need a better plan than that, we need a battle plan.”
“Do you want our sisters back or not? We use the book but we don’t necessarily have to give him the ‘real’ book?” Adelaide finger quoted, “We can fake it somehow to get him out in the open with Victoria and Caelyn and then save them.”
“You do realize that if he agrees to trade the book for the twins that he will not come alone, he will have an army of the dead with him,” Mayumi said, as she checked her pile of arrows one by one before placing them gently back into her leather quiver. Looking up when she was finished, she noticed my gaze, “What, a good warrior always has their weapons checked, ready and prepared at all times.”
“Umm, OK,” was the only response I could come up with and I smiled at her. Thankfully she smiled back and I let out a sigh of relief.
The GuDra had been unusually silent the whole time we’d been arguing and talking, hissing only with each other in a small circle listening to us converse.
“Enough,” Ravot hissed standing up. “We cannot go into a battle or trade or do anything blind; we must know what is happening in this ‘new’ world of yours and then we make a decision on how to proceed.”
“What are you thinking Ravot?” Mayumi asked, sliding her quiver over her shoulder, before walking over slowly to me and wrapping her arm around my waist then squeezing my side causing me to grin. It had been a while since my Manga Princess showed me signs of affection like this and realizing her warm touch, my face turned red like a school boy on a first date and my heart began racing. I knew instantly that she also needed my touch and we needed some alone time to cuddle and rest before going to war once more. I think she believed that if she didn’t initiate contact with me that she’d spend another night alone trying to keep warm by herself. Of course if that’s what she was thinking, then she’s figured me out, I’m way to chicken to make a first move with her. Yes, she’s my Manga Princess and all but most of the time she seems way too mature for me and that crushes my teenage confidence a little too often.
“Before any rescue attempt is even considered I want to see, with my own blazing eyes, what is happening?” Ravot continued, “The remaining GuDra and I have made plans to fly in different directions to get a better look at the world out there, strictly to survey. Upon our return we will make arrangements for your sisters’ rescue and the killing of the Ancient!” Angry fires danced in Ravot’s eyes as he spoke.
“Won’t our sisters be in more trouble the longer we wait to find them?” Ethan asked, his eyes still a bit red from crying earlier.
“Young Ethan, it’s natural to worry about your sisters, family is most important. But rushing to save them and getting killed yourself will not do them good. You need to practice your skills, see if you three can learn how to use your symbols while we’re gone. Unfortunately our only readers of the Book of Symbols, your sisters, are captured, so I wish you luck.” Ravot turned to Mayumi. “You, Gushiken, you obviously never finished your training.”
“What . . . Why are you picking on me? What do I have to do with this? Plus how do you know I did not finish?” Mayumi said defensively.
“The Gushiken as I told you, were great hunters. Yet you have no symbols under your nails? I do not understand why you do not, but the addition of the right symbols will not only make you a better hunter and tracker, they’ll also make you a more skilled fighter and killer. We could use those extra skills from you as the battle for the twins nears.”
“Ravot, I have never seen symbols on my parents or other Gushiken relatives. Although they did curiously want me to search out the Book of Symbols, so maybe . . . ., maybe there is something to this. I just do not understand why I was never told of those symbol powers.”
“Keeping the secrets of the book is important, but maybe now you see that the book has a connection to you also and is important to each of us in its own way. It is fate we are together in this fight for this book, it must be protected. You Gushiken are being entrusted with keeping it safe while we are gone.”
“Thanks . . .” Mayumi replied, clearly unsure of what she said to get this honor, but as with any task she had been given since meeting her back at the cabin, she was going to do it even if it meant death in order to complete her mission. The GuDra handed the book over to Mayumi and she bowed deeply with respect, “I will protect the Book of Symbols with my life!”
“We’ll all protect it with our lives,” I pulled Mayumi close to my side into a tight hug and she smiled gazing up at me.
“It’s dark now. You say its six hours light and dark switching. How many hours of darkness do we have left?” Ravot asked looking up to the dark gray, cloud covered night sky.
Glancing down at my watch, I hit the glow light. “It’s currently 3 am. You have three hours of night left then you’ll have six hours of light until the next darkness comes. How long can you fly for?”
“We are Guardian Dragons, we can fly far. We can easily fly the land you call America, in two days, one day out and one day back. I am the fastest so I’ll go the furthest direction, which is west. The others will head in the directions of north, east, south, northwest and southwest as we’ve planned.” He turned to the waiting GuDra,” We will not engage with any living creature; this is only to survey the land and see what’s out there.” The GuDra he’d spoke to hissed and nodded in agreement then opened their wings. In a flash they took off, the glow of their fiery eyes disappearing into the darkness like shooting stars, leaving Adelaide, myself, Mayumi and Ethan alone on top of the dark mountain.
“Ethan, you mentioned our first order was to find water and food . . . we have a stream for water, now let’s get that food, it is time you and me did some hunting,” Mayumi adjusted her bow. “I figure there are not many wooded areas left, so wherever trees and foliage are, animals will be there feeding too.”
Of course Mayumi was right, after hiding in the trees for a short time she was apparently able to shoot a deer and two rabbits. Upon returning, Ethan carried the rabbits back in a homemade sack made of material they’d found on their hunting trip and Mayumi carried the gutted dear over her shoulder.
Mayumi proceeded to teach Ethan, myself and Adelaide how to properly skin and prep animals to be cooked and eaten in the wild. Within no time we had a crackling fire blazing and were cooking Mayumi’s catch over the open flames. The aroma was unbelievably amazing and comforting; I closed my eyes and drifted to Thanksgiving Day before taking a big bite of juicy venison off my roasting stick. My body welcomed the food as the aches and pangs of hunger melted into the night and soon, for the first time in a long time, my full stomach was the reason for m
y sleepiness. Announcing I’d lay down for a short rest, I found deep sleep grabbed me and hung on tightly, guiding me to a much needed rejuvenation.
For the next two days we took turns resting and scouting the area until the GuDra finally began to return with news of the lands near and far. By the third day all of the GuDra had safely returned to our makeshift camp and as a united group we sat down around the midnight fire for a meeting.
“Not bad fire, I do not think I could have done better,” Ravot grinned, his sharp teeth reflecting the flames, and then laughed with everyone joining in. “We have discussed amongst ourselves and now we can share with you what we have found,” Ravot hissed and we quieted down to listen.
“Before I begin, let me properly introduce the last of the GuDra. This is Goca,” Ravot pointed to his left, “He traveled to the lands north. Jaggo here on my right, flew south. Chirin, our only female GuDra, went east. The big one over there, that is Meten and he headed southwest,” Meten smiled punching his chest. “Lastly, this is Dako, he traveled northwest,” Dako bowed his head politely. “Then there’s me, I am Ravot, the leader of the GuDra and I flew west.” Ravot paused before explaining Goca’s journey. “The lands to the north are mostly demolished, says Goca, only death is existent. It seems that after the meteorites hit, fires raged through cities and the entire wilderness in the northern areas. Those areas that weren’t burnt were flooded. Few buildings are still standing and he did not see any sign of life.”
“You mean Canada is history?” Ethan said in shock.
“The lands to the north, yes, they are a waste land from what Goca saw. Jaggo on the other hand flew south and found scorched land, yet interestingly there were some relatively untouched areas though he believes they are deserted. He says there are groups of what you called, ‘Red Eyes’ by the thousands in the south and that may explain the empty cities. Next is Chirin and she flew east. She informed me that most of the east coast is flooded. She saw many things similar to the Ancient living there.”