by J. Axbridge
“Vampires,” I fumed under my breath.
“Yes, vampires now own the lands from the east to here and beyond.”
“What do you mean ‘and beyond’?” Adelaide questioned, shifting uncomfortably on the ground.
“I will explain, please let me finish!” Ravot said, seemingly annoyed by my sister’s interruption. “Meten here traveled southwest and found some groups of pure humans and he believes werewolves living together. He was not sure if they were friendly with each other but definitely they were together.
“Dako headed northwest and similar to your Canada area, this land was mostly destroyed and gone, very few of the living left. Still, what he did see were what he could only describe as, giant bugs? Or so that’s what he believes.” Ravot looked to Dako for affirmation and Dako nodded. “Yes, it’s no surprise he thought the insects were giant, him being so small for a male GuDra.” Ravot and the other GuDra hissed with laughter.
“Dako though the smallest, is one of the bravest GuDra I’ve ever known.” Ravot gestured towards him approvingly after the laughter died down.
“Myself, I flew straight west to the land’s edge and where the waters began. What I saw surprised me most. There were many boats, as I believe you call them floating in the waters near land and a large population of humans. They had weapons, many weapons with them and lived in an enclosed city. I am not sure if there were any werewolves among them, it’s hard to tell but it is possible. I could not risk the chance of speaking to them; they would most likely see me as an enemy or at the least a threat at this time, understandably.”
“That must be the group of humans Shawn was telling us about, that safe area. Remember on the back of the map to find the Book of Symbols he had written notes on how to go west safely and what we would find when we get there.” Mayumi said.
“Chirin is the GuDra who traveled east if I remember correctly?” Adelaide asked in a hopeful tone. “Did she see any sign of the twins or any clues as to where the vampires may be keeping them?”
Ravot hissed in dragon tongue to Chirin, a language none of us had ever heard before, and after a short conversation with her he turned back to Adelaide. “She saw a large group of the vampires heading west mixed in with werewolves, along with a large group of humans marked with ‘Black Eyes’ following not too far behind.”
“Victoria and Caelyn must be with that large group. But where would they be taking the twins?” Mayumi pondered, “Excuse me, but Chirin meant ‘Red Eye’s, not ‘Black Eyes’, is this correct?
Ravot looked to Chirin who shook her head confirming Mayumi was wrong, then hissed in broken English, “Not Red Eyes, Black Eyes I saw.”
“Shit, the vampires must have figured out a way to change the ‘Red Eyes’ to their side, and in the process turned their eyes black. The doctor told us that’s what that damn vampire was trying to do. Now his army might be unstoppable.” I uttered, trying to keep fear from entering my body with every ounce of mental strength I had. I needed to stay positive no matter what for myself and our group, I carried the mark of strength under my nail after all, and I could and would not consider defeat.
“You’re right Arthur and if it’s true, if he’s figured out a way to turn Red Eyes to his side, then we’re in trouble. How can we beat all of those monsters fighting together to kill us? It’s impossible!” Adelaide kicked the rocks that surrounded the fire pit sending them skidding in all directions.
“Doesn’t matter who they have, we can’t worry about what’s happened already. What we must focus on now is that those monsters are trying to take over what’s left of the human population and this country,” I said. “It seems obvious to me that with the last human populated areas being out west, that’s their one and only target. There’s nothing like fresh blood and meat to those bloodsuckers. . .” I chattered my teeth annoyingly like a zombie, “We just have to beat them to the enclosed city and warn those people.”
“Mr. Ravot, we’re safe up here though, right?” Ethan asked, not blinking.
“Yes young Ethan, they are not climbing mountains, they seem only concerned with heading west as quickly as possible,” Ravot replied soothingly.
“It’s great to have all this information but how in the world are we going to find the twins?” Adelaide interrupted, “That is our number one priority, don’t forget that people and dragons.”
Our discussion went on for hours; we fought, we argued and we discussed what each direction looked like in more detail, trying to figure out exactly where the twins might be and other possible reasons as to why the vampires were heading west.
Finally after hours of intense deliberation a decision was made, “I will do it,” Ravot exclaimed. “I will find The Ancient One or as you call him, Lawrence Karayan. He will not dare harm me. Once I find him I’ll inform him we will trade the book for the girls and then we will find out what he wants,” Ravot hissed.
“But doesn’t he need Victoria or Caelyn to read the Book of Symbols? There’s no way he’ll agree to this exchange, otherwise he’ll just have a useless book,” I pointed out the obvious.
“Arthur, we don’t know if he can read the book or not, maybe he has a symbol allowing him to read magical books? That’s always a possibility,” Adelaide said, sliding her hands into her back pockets.
“What we cannot do is sit here discussing this all day. Let Ravot go and see what he can find out and then we can make a decision on the matter,” Mayumi was fidgeting unable to sit still before standing and pacing around the fire, the flames bouncing off her body giving it a supernatural-like quality.
“Ravot,” Mayumi yelled over the flames towards the leader of the GuDra. “Would you like me to go along, I am a tracker as you know, I am Gushiken and maybe I could be of some assistance in finding them?”
Ravot did not hesitate, “Very well Gushiken . . . we will fly together.”
Mayumi bowed to the lead GuDra hastily then turned to me, “Get over here Arthur!” She pulled me close and kissed me firmly on the lips before I had a chance to process what was happening. “Arthur, I will be back soon, do not worry,” she whispered softly as I stared starry-eyed into her almond eyes. Then as she turned to leave, I grabbed her arm pulling her close to my body once more; kissing her again, then holding her tightly to my chest. My heart pounded so fast and hard I thought it was going to explode and I knew she could feel it, and I also knew she understood my sincere feelings for her ran deep.
“Time to go Gushiken,” Ravot hissed, motioning for Mayumi to hold onto his back. Mayumi ran over to the large dragon, adjusted her quiver on her back, wrapped her hands around Ravot’s thick neck and jumped up. They shot up in a flash flying through the air, disappearing swiftly into the cool, dark, moonless night in search of Lawrence Karayan, the vampire responsible for destroying what was left of humanity.
Chapter 60 - The Deal
Mayumi
Ravot flew closely above the sparse treetops as I held tightly to his scaly back, my long hair whipping in the wind. Mostly I saw charred remains of what was left of the earth as we sped east through the cool night searching for Lawrence Karayan and the twins. We had flown hundreds of miles in all directions following scents, trails and groups of Red Eyes without any hint of the large vampire or group of organized monsters and I began to let worry take hold.
Then as the horizon began to slowly brighten, beating back the darkness, we spotted a small group of vampires and werewolves camped together near a large body of water with tree coverage around it. As we flew nearer we noticed there was enough shade for a large contingent of vampires to take cover in the daylight hours.
“That must be them,” I eagerly yelled into Ravot’s ear. Without warning Ravot dove, heading straight for the group and my grip tightened, so tight that I thought I was choking Ravot’s thick neck. The wind whistled from our speed as we approached the ground head on. Hearing the high pitched noise from above, the vampires and werewolves looked up in shock as Ravot opened his large leathery wings an
d landed within feet of a young group of vampires and werewolves just outside the protection of the trees. Before saying a word and to keep the vampires at bay, Ravot shot a large stream of flames from his mouth causing the evil beings to step back in fear.
Quickly, those who had been sitting stood and stumbled backwards as Ravot closed his wings, his eyes flickering with intense fire. The newly changed vampires were scared; surely remembering their previous encounter with the dragons in the cave and they scooted even further back. Ravot hissed loudly eyeing them from left to right and back again as I stood confidently behind him, darrow in hand, ready to shoot if need be. For a moment I had doubted we were in the right location. That was until I heard the all too familiar voice of the large menacing vampire known as, Lawrence Karayan.
“Ah . . . my little dragon friend and . . . , why my fearless young female human . . . , so nice of you to join us,” Lawrence Karayan smiled as his large body emerged from behind the group. “Would either of you care for a drink?” He held up a glass containing red liquid. “It’s only the freshest and top most quality blood, hard to come by in these, dire times.”
Ravot was doing all he could to contain himself and not shoot scalding fire at the creature who had dismembered his friends. I patted Ravot on the back, gently reminding him of why we were here so he wouldn’t start a war before we even had a chance to inquire about the twins.
“We’ve come for the twins, Ancient! Please return them to us and we won’t kill you,” Ravot hissed as flames continued to flicker in his eyes and puffs of wispily smoke escaped through his nose.
“Kill us . . . ? KILL US?” Lawrence Karayan shrieked with laughter. “You’re lucky we don’t kill you and that pathetic human where you stand, just as we did those other pathetic dragons in the cavern.”
“Excuse me Karayan, but I believe we have something you desperately need and I am sure you do not want anything to happen to it?” I smirked. “It is quite old and fragile, like you.”
“That’s the bitch that almost took off my head,” a hulking werewolf with a deep red scar around his neck appeared beside Lawrence Karayan. “Let me kill her, please,” he said, his chest heaving in and out as anger began to take over his body and mind.
“Go ahead little doggy; I am waiting for you to try it!” I provoked, slowly raising my darrow in his direction. “I promise I will not miss this time!”
“No . . . , no we mustn’t do anything hasty, they’re only here to talk my large, angry friend,” Lawrence Karayan articulated in his low voice . . . “Where’s the book, human?”
“Not here, bloodsucker! Where are the twins?” My hand gripped my bow tightly in ‘full on’ attack mode, my body fully energized.
“The fairies are safe, but they are not here. The only way you ever see them again is if you bring me the Book of Symbols.”
This was the exact deal we had wanted, the book for the twins. I now had the opportunity to play my part as planned and pull this deal off and get the twins back safely.
“I want proof they are still alive,” I lowered my weapon and hands to my side.
“Human, you have my word as an Ancient.” Lawrence Karayan looked at Ravot. “They’re still breathing.”
Ravot let out a snarling hiss and a large streak of smoke emanated from his nose. “His word is good. For now . . .”
I was a little too excited to get this trade going and said, “It’s settled then, we make the trade? The book, for the twins.”
“Great! You see young lady; it’s not hard to deal with a vampire, we are not just ignorant monsters. You bring the book here and I’ll retrieve the fairies, we make the trade tonight. Then we all go our separate ways,” Lawrence Karayan said, trying to give me as friendly a smile as he could muster, but to me it looked more sadistic than anything.
“He can’t be trusted, this trade is not right.” Ravot whispered to me.
“What? What are you saying Ravot?” I spoke silently but it was too late, Ravot had set his mind.
“THIS TRADE, ANCIENT, WILL NOT HAPPEN ON YOUR TERMS, AND WILL NOT HAPPEN THIS NIGHT!”
“You have a better place dragon?” Lawrence Karayan’s anger clearly showed as he lowered his glass to his side, sloshing out some of its deep red contents to the ground.
“I do, and this is the only way you get the book. The trade will happen in three days on the sixth nightfall, midnight. It will happen at the furthest point west called, Lands End. You will easily find the location and we will be waiting for you Ancient, on a floating human boat. It’s simple, two of you and two of us.” Ravot said as he glanced over the vampires and werewolves behind Lawrence Karayan who now seemed to be itching for a fight. “Once you two and ONLY you two are on the boat with the fairies, we will leave the dock and go out far from shore where your kind cannot harm us. I’ll have the book brought out to the boat and we make the trade there. That’s the deal. Take it or leave it Ancient, otherwise the book will disappear - forever this time!”
“Dragon, you think you can dictate the rules of the trade to me. I have the only two fairies on earth in my possession. I TELL YOU HOW THIS EXCHANGE GOES!” Lawrence Karayan bellowed in return.
“Yes, and I have the BOOK, but I also have a ‘reader of books’. You see, the fairies are of no use to me, I already have what I need and once we teach the kids this book, you’ll have enemies that will be able to destroy you and your kind easily. Enemies that will want revenge for what you do to their sisters. No, Ancient you do not have a choice. If you want the Book of Symbols, you must meet us in three days, in the west.” Ravot’s eyes flickered red and yellow flames as he glared his teeth. “Until then Ancient . . .”
I was speechless, my mind was reeling, it happened so fast that I was not able to enter the discussion. Everything we had planned and agreed upon as a group had changed in an instant.
“Get on,” Ravot hissed while Lawrence Karayan looked on in deep loathing.
Returning to camp, holding tightly onto Ravot’s back once more, one question continued to go through my head over and over like a skipping record, “Ravot, can your Reader GuDra actually read the Book of Symbols? I thought it was invisible to everyone except fairies?”
Ravot laughed, “Gushiken, you’re learning. Your assumptions are correct. Only fairies can read the book but the Ancient may not know this. He presumably knows there are language symbols and reader symbols, but he does not know how powerful those who possess the symbols are. He cannot take the chance of losing this book forever and if what I said was true, if we could read the book, we could train armies to destroy him and his kind using any number of symbols and he understands the consequences.”
“There is something I do not understand, why didn’t the fairies use this powerful book to train others to fight back against the vampires when they themselves were being hunted and killed?”
“Ahh, it was suggested but the book had always been used for good, never had it been used to train others to use their symbols in a vicious and violent manner.”
“I understand, to turn something good into a conduit of evil is never a smart idea.”
“Very true Huntra, you are wise beyond your years.”
“So, the vampire still needs someone to read the book if we make the trade as planned?”
“He will.”
“That means he will try to keep at least one of the twins after receiving the book from us? He will try to deceive us.”
“I believe so,” Ravot hissed uneasily making my stomach churn, or it could have been the sudden downturn we took zooming lower to the ground.
After our conversation we flew a long ways in silence, during that time I thought over our situation trying to figure out what would be the best course of action in such a short time span. “Ravot, your plan leaves us with only three days to find an army and prepare for a fight to get the twins back . . . I do not believe that is realistic,” I said, lifting my neck off Ravot’s tough skin letting the breeze cool me further.
“Do
not lose hope Gushiken!” Ravot replied as we landed back on the mountaintop to join Arthur, Adelaide, Ethan and the five remaining GuDra.
“Well this may be second nature to you Ravot, but I never read Warfare for Dummies or took Army Building 101 in high school,” I said cracking my stiff back and neck after climbing off Ravot’s tough scaly back.
“You didn’t Yu?” Arthur walked over. “We played dodge ball all the time in gym. That’s sort of the same thing,” Arthur grinned, sliding his strong warm arm around my waist, warming my insides.
“Arthur,” I chided, “if vampires and werewolves start throwing rubber balls at us, I will know then that our chances of survival are great with you on our side!” I cocked my head before punching him rather hard in the side of the gut.
“Missed you too Yu,” Arthur said, leaning in and kissing my angry, cold waiting lips gently.
“Wait, what’s going on? Where are the twins?” Adelaide interrupted, running up beside us.
“Addie, I was negotiating to get them back tonight, the book for the twins, before Ravot changed the terms of the deal without talking to me first.”
“What did you do Ravot?” Adelaide yelled, looking up into his face.
“I saved your lives is what I did! If you believe the trade would have happened and that you would have received your sisters back, then you are fools. The Ancient can never be trusted and you NEVER make a deal with an Ancient like him on his terms. That only means he’s preparing to kill you.” Ravot hissed down into Adelaide’s face and she stepped reluctantly back away from his hot breath.
“But you said his word was good because he is an Ancient?” I asked, confused.
“His word is good about the twins being alive, that is true. But when it comes to setting terms, he’s thinking of a way to gain an advantage, most likely to kill all of you and keep the book and the two girls.”