by Eric Vall
Valerra had a dark glint in her eye as she recalled her past revenge.
“What did you do?” I asked as a similar bloodlust curled in my veins.
“I was young, but I was strong. I climbed to the top of my volcano and spotted the human settlement. I waited a few more days to give them a false sense of security. Then I attacked at night, just as they did for us. I burned their village to nothing. The men who had killed my father pleaded with me to spare their wives and children.” She grinned maliciously. “So, I burned their wives and children first. Only once the men begged and pleaded for mercy did I finally grant them their wish. My flames licked across their bodies and incinerated them in seconds.”
“Good,” I hissed, even though my claws still ached to tear apart these fuckers who were long dead.
Valerra stood from the hammock and stretched her arms.
“Once the human settlement was nothing but ash, I returned to the volcano for my sister’s egg. Then I carried her out of the volcano and to safety. As I traveled, I began to hear tales of a mage who could offer assistance with dragon infestations. It was said he could grant any man the power to defeat the beasts. The mage could make them great and powerful soldiers. I knew it had to be the same man. Soon, dragon hunting became a commonplace thing. Kings would send their bravest and most noble knights to destroy the innocent creatures.”
“Bastards,” I growled, and by the look in Valerra’s eyes, she felt the same.
“My rage burned in my blood,” she snarled as she stood there with her arms crossed. “I hunted the mage for years before I finally found the Crimson Canyon. I wanted to continue my search, but all my leads ended up as dead ends. To protect my sister’s egg, I finally settled in the canyons and made them mine. Anyone who dared to trespass in my territory was slaughtered. Eventually, everyone learned to never cross through the canyons. Several different human cities surrounded the canyons, and occasionally they would ask for my help or protection. I’d learned my lesson, though, and each city that asked was quickly destroyed. Hatra, ironically, was one of the few cities content to leave me in peace. For three thousand years, I believed I was the only dragon that had survived the Dragon Massacres until one day, a foolish black dragon appeared in my canyons and somehow managed to escape my claws.”
She gave me a pointed look, and I laughed as I stood up.
“Well, you’re no longer alone,” I told her, “and for what it’s worth, I’m glad we found each other. I’m sorry you had to wait three thousand years for me, though.”
“I wish I could say you were worth it,” Valerra scoffed, but then her lips twitched into a small smile.
“Ouch.” I winced dramatically and rubbed my chest. “That hurts.”
The crimson dragon rolled her eyes, but that soft smile was still on her lips. Then we sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.
“Valerra,” I started, and she turned her golden eyes to me. “I know you have had a terrible time with humans, but … ”
“No,” she interrupted as her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“You didn’t even hear what I was going to say,” I protested.
“You don’t have to say it,” she replied flatly as she walked to the other side of the tent and glared at me. “You want me to get along with your precious humans, but I learned my lesson. I will never trust a human again. I know how you feel about your humans back in Hatra, but to me, humans will never be anything more than repulsive vermin.”
“I’m not saying you have to trust them, but trust me,” I argued. “I know Alyona. She would never let anything bad happen to your sister’s egg. Remember how hard she worked to break the death curse on you? She’s a good person. You have my word, okay? So please, try to not worry so much about it.”
Valerra was silent for a long time. I assumed her golden eyes glared at nothing, but her back was turned to me, and her tense shoulders were the only visible sign of her annoyance. Eventually, her shoulders relaxed, and she turned around.
“If she allows my egg to be injured, I will burn her,” she growled, and then she stormed out of the tent into the sandy desert.
I could sense a pulse of magic, and I knew she had shifted into her dragon form, probably to go to sleep. I shook my head in slight annoyance.
“Good night to you, too!” I yelled at the dragon when I left the tent and returned to my own.
I fell into my hammock and laid back as my thoughts raced with the facts of Valerra’s life. Maybe once we returned to Hatra, I could ask Ruslan or Alyona if they knew anything about the Dragon Massacres. I could help her find out who the mage was that gave humans the power to slaughter a dragon family. I could help her make peace with her family’s deaths.
As my thoughts continued to think of ways to aid Valerra, I could feel the exhaustion from my earlier session with Chief Fiyero and Ravi, and sleep overcame me.
When I finally woke up, the sun was nearly in the center of the sky. I emerged from my tent and blinked at the sudden brightness. No one seemed to be around, but I could hear Ravi’s snores from her tent. I left her to sleep, though, and walked toward the center of the village.
Chief Fiyero was there and seemed to be in deep conversation with Kiran, the phoenix I had met the night of Ravi’s burning celebration.
The same phoenix who was now glaring at me as I approached.
“Dragon, this is phoenix business. You can go play hero with your other dragon friends.” Kiran looked upward, and I followed his gaze to see Valerra, in her dragon body, pass by as she flew around the sky.
“Peace, Kiran,” the chief scolded him. “Lord Evan is a friend of our people. If he is to help us fight the monsters, he should hear this as well.”
“Thank you, Chief Fiyero.” I nodded in respect and smirked at Kiran.
“Of course, Chief.” Kiran glared at me, but continued on. “The echidnas were seen about fifty miles to the north. This colony has thousands. If we wish to stay out of their reach, we need to move tonight.”
“No,” the chief said in a strong and determined voice, and Kiran and I both turned to him in surprise. “We have run for long enough. The time has come to stand up and fight against these beasts.”
“Chief Fiyero, with respect sir, we cannot fight them,” Kiran argued with a frown. “They are immune to nearly all forms of our attacks. The few times we have managed to injure one, the phoenix responsible was hurt worse than the beast. To fight this many of them would be suicide.”
“That was until we had two dragons to help us.” Chief Fiyero looked at me, and I nodded.
“You can count on us, Chief Fiyero,” I promised him. “I’ll make sure the echidnas never bother you again, you have my word.”
“Then I believe we will be saved,” the chief said and held out his hand.
I grabbed his forearm, and we stood in a comfortable silence for a second before our arms dropped and the chief turned to Kiran.
“Kiran, tell the others to prepare to fight,” he instructed. “Take the eggs and provide them with the best guards we have. Then find whatever weapons you can. Do we have any idea when the colony will reach us?”
“Within a week sir, I would estimate around six or so days,” Kiran answered.
“Then we have plenty of time. Oh, and Kiran?”
“Yes, Chief?” the phoenix answered sullenly.
“Ravi is under your protection,” Fiyero said as he leveled the other man with a stern look. “I do not want any harm to come to my daughter when these beasts reach us.”
“Yes, of course.” Kiran nodded. “I will make sure the princess wears not even a scratch after the attack is over.”
The chief nodded in approval and turned away. Then he walked to his tent and slipped inside. A few phoenixes, I recognized them as the Elders who nearly died in the rain, waited in front of the chief’s tent and went inside after him.
Ravi emerged from her tent a moment later. She looked at her father’s tent curiously before she turned toward me, smiled,
and waved. She began to make her way over while Kiran turned, and he took a few steps past me before he paused.
“If you know what is good for you, stay out of my way,” he told me in a low voice. “The princess will be mine one day. It doesn’t matter how long it takes because unlike you, I have an eternity to wait.”
He smiled smugly when he finished, and my anger surged to the surface in an unstoppable wave.
My fist collided with his mouth before I even realized what had happened, and Kiran fell to the floor and cupped his jaw. Then he jumped up and swung at me, but I quickly dodged his fist and grabbed it. The martial arts skills I learned on Earth were still engraved in my head, and I acted on instinct as I flipped him over my shoulder and onto his stomach.
“You can threaten me all you want,” I whispered in his ear as I dug my knee into his spine. I also held his arms behind his back with my right hand while my left pressed his face into the sand. “You and I both know you could never do anything to actually hurt me. But if you know what is good for you, you’ll listen closely. Ravi is mine, got it? And if you ever try to hurt her again, I will burn you myself and drown the ashes. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” he gritted out as he struggled pitifully in my hold.
I released him, and he stood quickly. Then he sent me one last glare before he walked off and joined his friends.
Ravi ran over to me as Kiran and his posse looked back at us and scowled.
“What happened?” She frowned worriedly and grabbed onto my arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” I told her as I continued to glare at Kiran. “And it was nothing. That guy is just a prick and needed to be taught a lesson.”
She looked hesitant, but seemed to believe me.
“Okay, then. I saw my father retreat into his tent. His advisors are in there with him now. What happened before I got here?”
“Your father has decided that your people will fight the echidnas with Valerra and me,” I replied.
Her eyes grew wide, and her jaw dropped.
“How did you convince him of that?” she gasped. “My father has been adamant to stay as far away from the echidnas for as long as I can remember.”
“I didn’t say anything to him.” I shrugged. “The decision to fight them was his own.”
“I can’t believe it!” she exclaimed with a wide grin. “My father has done nothing but run since we were sent here a thousand years ago, but you somehow managed to ignite his flame and convince him to fight for his people again. Thank you, Lord Evan of Hatra. My people and I will never be able to repay you for what you have done for us. You continue to amaze me.”
Ravi’s eyes darted to my lips for just a second before she blushed and stepped away.
I smirked at her embarrassment.
“Are you okay?” I teased.
Her face turned a few shades darker.
“I’m fine. I just need to … ” she trailed off and looked around in a panic. Then she quickly turned back to her tent. “I have something I need to do in my tent.”
“Ravi, it’s fine,” I told her and grabbed her hand. “You don’t need to be embarrassed around me.”
“I’m not embarrassed!” she argued. “I’m just … ” She seemed to think for a minute with her nosed scrunched in concentration before she finally settled on a word. “Flustered. You make me feel flustered.”
“Flustered?” I repeated with a laugh. “Why do I make you feel flustered?”
“You just … ” she trailed off again and sighed heavily. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.” She frowned for a second, but it was soon replaced with an overly bright smile.
She opened her mouth to say something when a pretty phoenix girl called Ravi’s name. We both looked behind me as the girl waved at Ravi and beckoned her over.
“I suppose I have been summoned. I’ll see you later, Lord Evan.” She bowed and walked past me quickly to meet up with her friend.
I frowned, and I sensed Valerra land and shift into her human form beside me.
“Your little phoenix princess seems to be having a hard time with her affections for you,” the dragon mocked as she glanced at me and smirked.
“Let her be,” I said. “You have problems with your feelings for me as well.”
Valerra’s lips formed a straight line, and her eyes furrowed, but she didn’t say anything to deny my claims.
“I told you,” I laughed. “You and her are opposite ends of the same spectrum.”
“Do not compare me to that child!” Valerra hissed.
“She’s not a child, she’s nearly one hundred years old,” I corrected.
“Fine, then she is just like you and is simply an annoyance,” she shot back.
“I really don’t think you find me annoying, or you wouldn’t be here,” I scoffed and turned away.
I decided to walk along the village, and, despite her words, Valerra followed close behind me. We walked around to the small dining area for breakfast, well more like lunch, and tables were set up similar to the way they were for Ravi’s burn celebration party. We walked over to the tables, and Valerra grabbed a small pink fruit and took a bite. The juice dripped down her chin and throat, and it stained her pale skin a light pink.
My eyes followed the movement of the small drops, and I swallowed thickly. The crimson dragon was dressed today, which was both a disappointment and a delight. The red gown she seemed to favor looked tighter than usual, though, and my eyes roamed over her body. Then I noticed her hands had stilled, with the fruit still grasped firmly in her right one. I looked into her golden eyes as she grinned wickedly, and then she took another bite.
“You alright, Evan?” she asked with her eyes locked onto mine.
“I’m fine,” I said as I broke eye contact and let my gaze continue to roam down her body. “I just didn’t realize how hungry I was. I feel like I haven’t eaten in ages.”
“It has been said dragons have an insatiable appetite,” she flirted as she took another bite of her fruit.
I laughed and shook my head.
“You know the answer to that just as well as me,” I replied, and my voice was husky with desire.
“Maybe I do,” she said, and then she leaned in close enough to whisper in my ear. “But I still want you to show me your answer.”
Her voice sent blood straight to my cock, and I had to adjust myself to hide my excitement.
Valerra smirked, and then she ran her free palm down my chest, and her hand sank lower and lower until it hovered just above the tent in my trousers. She applied a slight pressure before I came to my senses and pushed her away.
“Valerra, not here,” I lightly scolded. “We are in public.”
I knew there were a lot of different rules here in Inati than back on Earth. Hell, I was currently with three different women right now, which no one seemed to be bothered by, but I was pretty sure exhibitionism was still frowned upon here.
“So what?” Valerra scoffed as she stepped away, and I groaned when she pulled her hand off me.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I whispered to her as a group of phoenixes came out of a tent and walked toward the food table. “This is your fault.”
She grinned wickedly before she turned away and walked back out toward the open desert.
“Find me later, whenever you deem the time and place appropriate,” she said over her shoulder, and her red hair blew slightly in the wind as she walked away.
I watched her as she sauntered into the desert. Her hips swished seductively, and I shook my head to clear the images of grabbing her firm ass and fucking her wildly. Then I cleared my throat and walked around the table of food.
It wasn’t too much longer after Valerra left me alone in my discomfort that I decided to go and practice with my new fire magic skills.
I walked into the open desert, away from Valerra and her distractions, and summoned my flames. They obeyed immediately, and red and orange fire burned across my arms and hands. I
could feel their warmth as I watched them flicker and pop across my skin. I pressed my hands together, closed my eyes, and pictured a sword. Then I ripped my hands apart, and I could sense my magic respond.
The flames formed into a new shape, and I could feel the hilt solidify in my hand, so I gave the sword an experimental swing. The weapon was lighter than I expected, and it swung easily. I slashed around the air for a few minutes before I closed my eyes again. The sword was cool, but since I was the wielder of the Sword of Hatra, it seemed redundant to create a blade of fire to use.
So, I pictured a whip in my hands, and when I opened my eyes, each of my hands held the fiery handle of a burning whip. I gave the whips a hesitant flick and smiled when I heard dual cracks snap through the air.
“This is so fucking cool,” I said to myself as I snapped the whips against the ground. They cracked loudly, and small flames burned the sand for a moment before they died in small puffs of smoke. The sand was black where my whips connected with it.
I smiled, and the whips cracked again.
Those echidnas didn’t know what was about to hit them.
Chapter 10
If Kiran’s calculations were to be trusted, I only had around five to six days to completely master my phoenix fire skill. So, I continued to practice with the whip for a few more hours, and when I was finally satisfied, I created a spear and a bow with arrows. I needed to make sure I covered all my bases, but this proved to be more of a challenge than I thought. If I lost concentration for even a second, the bow would morph into an inferno of flames and burn out, or the arrows would peter out into nothing.
I was so absorbed in all the different weapons I could create that I didn’t even notice when someone snuck up behind me.
“I’ll have you know I trained for ten years to master the skill of our fire magic,” Chief Fiyero’s voice rose from behind me, “and you have nearly surpassed me in only a day. You are really something unique, Lord Evan.”
I pulled my flames back into my arms and dismissed them. The warmth of the fire vanished quickly as it disappeared, and then I turned to see the chief behind me with his arms crossed.
