The Dragon Eaters

by Duke Kittle

  Chapter 19

  While the tunnel itself had been large, the chamber beyond could be called massive. Tina could see the deposits of the golden, glowing ore scattered over the walls. The glow provided only faint illumination, but it was enough to light up what would have otherwise been pure darkness. She ran her fingers over the ore. “This must be what Methystra spoke of, Malidath's blood.”

  Kravek's attention was on the rest of the chamber at the moment. “This place is much bigger than Kaelus's cave. Was Malidath that much larger than Kaelus?”

  “I wouldn't doubt it.” Tina moved her hand toward her face and had to stop herself from trying to adjust glasses which weren't there. “He was the elder of the two and much older than Kaelus. I suspect we're standing in his stomach.” Her attention turned to the ceiling of the chamber. “If I had to guess, he was probably fully grown while Kaelus was somewhere between adolescence and adulthood.”

  “A teenaged dragon?”

  Tina shrugged. “Something like that, though teenaged for the Maldavians would be somewhere in the area of a hundred-and-fifty years old. They're a long-lived race.”

  “A hundred and fifty years.” Kravek rubbed the back of his neck. “I don't think I could imagine living that long.”

  “It's not all it's cracked up to be.” Tina looked around the large cavern. Though the chamber itself was open, there were boulders ahead of them which blocked their view of the floor and much of the lower part of the chamber. “Those must have fallen after the mining of this place started.”

  “What did you want to come here to see?” Kravek asked Tina.

  “Well, at first, I just wanted to see if what Methystra said about the mine was true. If the deposits we're seeing are really formed from dragon's blood, then the aetherium would be valuable to any magic user.” Tina wiggled her whiskers. “I wanted to confirm Governor Keldo's motivation. But with the only remaining entrance protected by magic and a magic suppression field sustained within this mine, more questions arise.”

  “You're wondering if the wizard might have used this cave too, right?” Kravek moved to one of the fallen boulders. He rested his hand on it and pushed firmly.

  Tina eyed Kravek. “I know you're strong, Kravek, but I don't think even you could budge one of those things. It's a wall unto itself.”

  “You never know.” Kravek moved his hand off the boulder. “I kind of wanted to see if it would get up like those boulders did in the other cave. Walking around and all that.” His tail swept around to slap the tuft of fur on the end against his side.

  “You mean the ones who tried to kill us?” Tina walked to Kravek's side and looked up at the boulder. “Remember that I can't use my magic right now, Kravek.”

  He nodded. “I do. Speaking of which,” he looked down at Tina next to him, “why did your clothing and all that grow with you?”

  Tina grinned at him. “No free peeks, Kravek.” She let her grin slip to a simple smile. “It is extremely difficult to craft items and clothing of a size suited for me. I'm no seamstress. With the exception of my glasses, everything I wear was crafted at a normal size, then shrunk down for my figure.” She touched her necklace. “So when magic is suppressed around me, everything grows. When I was my proper size with Luna, I had just taken a pill which serves the same function. But the pill only affected me, not my clothing. That's why I was wrapped up in a sheet.”

  Kravek flicked one of his large ears. “I can understand that. Will you be all right staying in this place for long?”

  Tina looked up at the boulders lying in front of them. “I'll be all right. With my gift suppressed, I do admit to some discomfort. But otherwise, all it does is make me a mundane Mateesh female.” She stepped up to the boulder and tried to find some hand grips. “I wonder if this magic suppression field is a result of the ore, though.” Once she had a firm grip, Tina pulled herself up and found a foothold.

  “Do you want a hand?” Kravek stepped up behind Tina.

  “I'll be all right. I've had a lot of practice climbing.” Tina pulled herself up to the top of the boulder and peered over it. “There isn't much ore in the middle of the chamber. There are some large boulders down there, but I can't see much.” She looked down at Kravek. “Will you be able to make your way over?”

  Kravek nodded. “I'll manage.” He rounded the boulder and found where it rested against the one next to it. Wedging himself between them, Kravek pulled himself up until he could sit on the boulder next to Tina. “Why would Malidath's blood suppress magic?”

  “We've always believed the Maldavians are magic incarnate.” Tina slid down on the other side of the boulder and dropped to her feet. “Magic from one as powerful as Malidath could suppress the magic of another being who isn't either attuned to him or allowed by him to use magic.”

  “Is your magic really that much... well, weaker than his?” Kravek slid down the boulder and landed on his metal shoes.

  “I may be a wizard, Kravek, but an adult Maldavian, even a dead one, is on an entirely different level.” Tina seated herself on the edge of the large, bowl-shaped dip in the floor. “Come on. It'll be easier to cross right through.” She scooted herself off the edge so she could slide down the side.

  Kravek looked down at the pile of boulders in the middle of the bowl-shaped floor. He scratched the side of his neck in thought, then seated himself and slid down next to her. Reaching the pile of boulders, Kravek put his feet against one to stop himself, then stood up. “Tina, it's pretty dark down here. Are you sure we can find our way around?”

  “They're just in the middle, Kravek.” She reached back and touched his arm. “Put your hand on my shoulder, if you like.”

  Kravek rested his hand on Tina's shoulder as she led them around. He looked up at the ceiling. “I don't see any tunnels leading into this chamber, but I can't see that far right now. They must not have dug this deep before Belthazuul collapsed the mine.”

  Tina nodded. “You're probably right.” She stopped in front of a protrusion from the pile of boulders and climbed on top of it. “I doubt they had very lo-Eek!”

  Tina felt the protrusion suddenly shift under her and rise up a few feet. She felt it shake back and forth under her, and the shaking sent her tumbling to the floor. The mouse woman landed flat on her back with a loud thud, and pain shot through her head as it struck the stone. She curled up tightly and put her hands on the back of her head. The pain, so sudden and surprising, forced her tears out in an instant. “Ahhahhaoww.”

  Before Tina realized it, Kravek was suddenly scooping her up in his arms and holding her protectively. “Tina,” he spoke quietly, “those aren't rocks.”

  As Tina lifted her head and looked up, she could see a massive shadow slowly coming into the light of the glowing ore in the higher part of the chamber. The yellow light cast by the ore shone onto scales which matched it in color. The figure illuminated was easily as tall as Methystra's true Maldavian form and even appeared feminine. Her body looked similar in build, and the long claws on her hands were each as long as a curved sword. With her jaws open wide, they were lined by teeth as large and as sharp as spearheads. Form-fitting plates covered her hips, shoulders, and the top edges of her muzzle. The same, stone-like plates protected her forearms and thighs. Horns like those of a Maldavian protruded from above her forehead and swept back to frame a thick, flowing mane. As she breathed, holes in the sides of her chest opened and closed in a slow and steady rhythm.

  “Dragon... Eater.” Kravek carefully started walking back up the side of the bowl.

  Tina felt her limbs trembling as she looked up at the looming beast so close to them. When the Dragon Eater's eyes opened and revealed a pair of green, glowing orbs, Tina felt the blood drain from her face. She put her shaking hand on Kravek's arm. “K-Kravek... get us out of here.”

  Kravek didn't need to be told again as he turned and ran up the side of the bowl-shaped flo
or. He almost reached the lip of the bowl when one of his metal shoes slid on the incline, and he turned to put his shoulder against the ground as he fell. When he and Tina came to a stop, he remained crouched over her as he looked over his shoulder at the Dragon Eater. “Tina...”

  “Kravek... I...” Tina watched as the Dragon Eater's head came down at them, and she closed her eyes. With all certainty, she didn't wish to see what was about to happen.

  To her surprise, the Dragon Eater's muzzle pressed to the floor behind Kravek and swept upward. The monster pushed Kravek up the side of the bowl and dropped the two of them onto the lip. The Dragon Eater perched over Kravek and Tina. She nudged them both with her muzzle, and Tina swore she heard some kind of whimper coming from the beast.

  Climbing out from under Kravek, Tina stood up to look at the Dragon Eater. To her surprise, the monster's eyes looked both sad and pleading as she nudged Tina with her muzzle toward the wall of boulders behind them. Tina put her hands on the Dragon Eaters muzzle to stop her, and the Dragon Eater lowered her head. “What... is she doing?”

  Kravek looked at the creature's eyes and suddenly looked shocked. “Tina, I've seen those eyes before.” He stepped toward the creature and put his hand on top of her muzzle. “You're Leilani, aren't you?”

  The creature turned her head to look at Kravek and suddenly seemed surprised. But she quickly nodded in reply to his question. She then pushed her muzzle insistently against both of them to urge them toward the wall of boulders. The sound of shifting rocks made Leilani turn her head to look back over her shoulder. Another whimper came from her, and she turned around and spread her jaws.

  Tina squealed as Leilani took both of them into her mouth and practically lunged over the wall. Perching with her hands on top of them, she dropped Kravek and Tina down on the other side. She shoved them back toward the water and then disappeared into the bowl-shaped floor.

  Kravek looked down at himself covered in saliva and shook his hands. “She wants us out of here, Tina.”

  Tina was confused by the Dragon Eater's behavior, but she shook her head. “How are we supposed to get out? Malidath's Maw closed when we triggered the trap.”

  The sound of stone rumbling rose through the water and drew their attention. A loud snap could be heard before the ice shattered upward, and Methystra's head appeared. She looked down at Tina, but immediately seemed unsettled. “Tina, what--”

  Before she could get another word out, an ear splitting roar shook the chamber.

  “We have to leave right now!” Tina shouted.

  Hearing the roar from within the chamber, Methystra immediately scooped up Kravek and Tina. “Deep breath.” She gave them only a moment to get their breath before she dived back into the tunnel.

  Kicking with her legs, lashing with her tail, and using her free hand to pull herself along the wall, Methystra was able to carry them through the tunnel and make it to Malidath's Maw before they heard heavy splashes in the water behind them. Grabbing the top edge of the tunnel, Methystra pulled herself up on top of it and climbed her way out of the water. She then leapt off the northern side of the tunnel and scooped up a handful of earth. She tilted it to drop Kravek's backpack and Tina's glasses into her other hand and cast the earth away as she ran.

  The sound of the Dragon Eaters bursting from the water like a trio of stalking striders reached Tina's ears, and she looked up at Methystra. Still not back to her own proper size, she could feel the magic suppression field moving with them. She shot her attention to Kravek. “It's the Dragon Eaters! They're suppressing magic around themselves!” She looked up at Methystra. “Can you outrun them?”

  Methystra shook her head, and Tina could see she was already panting. “I cannot.”

  Tina felt a sudden chill of fear for Methystra. If she couldn't use her magic, she wouldn't be able to fly away, and the strain of not being able to draw in her magical manner of breath was going to wear her out. Even dragons with their greatest span of wings couldn't fly without the aid of their own magic. They were simply too large. Her mind raced for a possible solution, but without the ability to use her own magic, there was little Tina could do. Even if she had her magic, the Dragon Eaters were protected.

  The sound of the monsters' pounding feet drew closer and closer as Methystra ran for their lives. When she heard them drawing closer, she planted one foot and let all her momentum turn her about. Her tail swept around, and the end of it slammed hard into the head of one of the Dragon Eaters. She had managed to catch it off-guard, and it jerked to one side which slammed it into another. The two of them tumbled to the ground.

  But the third one, whom Tina recognized as Leilani, leapt at Methystra! The Maldavian let the momentum of her turn carry her as she ducked low and cast her hand to the ground and let Kravek and Tina roll out of it. But she hadn't ducked low enough. Leilani caught Methystra's shoulder in her sharp claws and tackled her to the ground.

  Methystra struck the ground hard, and Tina could hear her roar in panic. Her tail swept up from the ground and slapped the sun-colored Dragon Eater in the back, but she couldn't put any real force behind it. Though the Dragon Eater had a firm grip on her, Methystra managed to get her hands around the Dragon Eater's muzzle to keep it clamped shut.

  Tina felt helpless to stop what was happening as she watched the other Dragon Eaters untangling themselves and rising to their feet. “Kravek! We have to help her!”

  “How?!” Kravek grunted as he looked about for something, anything he could use as a club, even if it would be futile against such monstrous beasts.

  Tina's jaw tightened. She returned her attention to the Dragon Eaters and clutched her hands together. She suddenly felt so helpless. Having to watch Shalizan die was nothing in comparison to being forced to stand there and watch as the Dragon Eaters prepared to tear her friend apart. Leilani, for all the concern she had shown for Tina, was violently raking her claws over Methystra's forearms. Tina realized the monster's green eyes had turned red.

  A shadow passed over Tina and Kravek, and Tina looked up to see a boulder the size of the Thorn's Side suddenly crash into the pair of Dragon Eaters who had just managed to untangle themselves. Her eyes went wide in surprise, and Tina whipped around to see from where the boulder had come. Like a colossus at the edge of the woods, Belthazuul was raising another massive boulder from the soil. Lifting it over his head, the titanic, stone dragon cast the second boulder with all his strength.

  It sailed out toward Methystra and, with a shattering impact, slammed into Leilani. The force of the impact sent the Dragon Eater tumbling off of Methystra. Deep cuts had savaged the sky dragon's arms, but at least her limbs were still attached. She rolled up from the ground and started running again right away. With the Dragon Eaters dazed by Belthazuul's boulders, Methystra would have a chance to escape. The ground in front of her rose up in a slope, and as Methystra ran up it, she quickly took to the air. The ramp collapsed back to the soil once Methystra had the distance to fly again.

  Tina felt a sense of relief wash over her as she let out the breath she realized she’d been holding. She looked up at Kravek. “Methystra's safe. But if we don't get out of here, we'll be far from it.”

  Kravek scooped Tina up and carried her in his arms as he ran straight away from the Dragon Eaters and headed for the edge of the woods. By the time he had reached them, Tina was sitting in the palm of his hand with her glasses back on the bridge of her muzzle. The Dragon Eaters were still chasing Methystra, but in the air, she was far out of their reach and out of range of the magic suppression around them. Tina put her hand on the side of her muzzle and closed her eyes. Methystra had come dangerously close to death, and Tina felt tears of relief trickling into her fur. “She made it.”

  “Thank Shahdazhan.” Belthazuul's voice came from above Kravek and Tina, and they both looked up to see the massive, stone dragon towering over them. “We must not linger. I will carry you away from
here.” He set his stone hand onto the ground. Kravek stepped onto the hand, and Belthazuul raised it. He turned, and his body pressed to the ground. Everything but his head and hand submerged into the soil, and all the speed Methystra had in the air Belthazuul displayed moving through the soil.

  Tina slumped back in Kravek's hand and put her own hand on her forehead. Her eyes closed, and she let out a heavy sigh. She moved her hand under her glasses, felt the warmth flooding her face, and wiped away the water on her cheeks. Her gift was coming back to her, and Methystra's life had been spared. She wondered why Belthazuul had returned so quickly, but it didn't matter. Tina would not have to witness the dismemberment of a dear friend. For that, she was truly thankful.