Dragon Guard

by Devonnie Asher

  I ducked into the left most hallway before she could change her mind. Climbing the stairs two at a time, my mind was ablaze with scenarios of what it would be like to see Avek again. He was so close now. After all those weeks, I'd be seeing him a matter of minutes.

  Shrugging off the curious glances from the staff, I made my way to Avek's room. This deep in the infirmary, the air had changed. The flowery smell had gotten stronger, mingling with the stench of sickness. The fact that Avek was on the highest floor heartened me. It meant that he wasn't too sick, for the lower floors housed the soldiers who were knocking on death's door.

  The image of him from last night flashed into my mind then. With my enhanced vision, I had seen him clearly, and he didn't look like the Avek I remembered. Hopefully, my eyes had been playing tricks on me.

  It took me a few minutes of pep talk before I had the courage to enter Avek's room.

  Room 3010 was a private one, tucked away at the end of a long hallway. His room faced the Great Pyralian Sea, bringing a cool breeze through the open windows. It was sparsely decorated—velvet curtains were tied by the windows, and apart from a cot there was just a simple desk and chair and a nightstand in the room.

  A figure lay on the cot, covered from neck to toe in blankets.

  I inched closer.

  The world was quiet. I couldn't even hear my own breathing, just the sound of my footsteps as I approached. My mind was whirring with things I didn't want to think of but was powerless to stop. What if the nurse didn't want me to see him because he was in such a bad state? Would he even remember me? I still had time to turn around and run away.

  But Ignimitra's words surfaced in my mind then. I needed to see him. It was the closure I needed. How could I be a soldier if my feelings got the better of me like this? How could I be like my father? I bit my tongue and crossed the distance between us.

  Avek was almost unrecognizable.

  His rich walnut colored skin had faded to an ashy grey, and his cheeks were so gaunt I could make out the shape of the bones in his jaw. Cuts and bruises were in various stages of healing all over his face and neck—a yellowing scar under his eye, a bloodshot bruise that stretched from his lip to his chin, and fat welts snaked around his neck. His dark blue hair had grown out of its usual style, and fell around his head in a limp mess of tangles.

  I didn't want to see the rest of him.

  Tears stung my eyes. His injuries told the story of what he'd endured—and it so easily could've been me. Part of me wished it was. I would've preferred it. My heart felt like someone was squeezing it in an iron glove.

  "Avek...I'm so sorry," was all I could get out before the tears started streaming down my face.

  My sadness was tinged red from how angry I felt. At myself. And at those wretched Astraphotians. They had nearly taken Avek from me.

  Small squeaks broke the hurricane of thoughts building in my head.

  Avek's eyes had opened, and I was heartened to know that at least they hadn't changed. They were still warm pools of black that calmed me inexplicably.

  "Kaos..."

  HE WAS TRYING TO SIT up, and I rushed to help. The way he grimaced; I knew it was more painful than he let on.

  "Kaos," he said my name again. He sounded like he had been chewing on gravel.

  On the nearby desk, there was a jug and glass. I poured him a glass of water, bringing the chair closer so I could sit beside him.

  His eyes were wide and glued to my every move, even as he took the water. He drank it quickly, each time asking for more. I poured him five cups of water before he spoke again. In the end, I took a glass of water myself, for it felt like all my words and feelings had evaporated, leaving just the version of Kaos that didn't know what to say to him.

  Avek cracked a smile—a pained one—and warmth flooded me.

  Gosh, I had missed him.

  "You're a soldier now?" He croaked. "Have I been out that long?" A slight chuckle passed through his lips.

  I shrugged, twiddling my fingers.

  "No, this is...new. The Headmaster promoted me." Talking about him made my stomach flip. I didn't want him here in this intimate moment with Avek. He had already ruined my relationship with Solra and Irikai.

  Avek seemed impressed, but didn't press. I was thankful.

  All at once, the realization that I was sitting and talking to Avek flooded me. I'd visualized this moment so many times. And still, nothing I'd ever thought of came close. I reached out and took one of his bandaged hands in mine.

  My vision swam, and I couldn't control my smile.

  "I'm so happy you're alive," I whispered to him, afraid that if I raised my voice I'd start crying again. "I was so afraid..."

  Avek gave my hand a weak squeeze.

  "Throughout it all I never stopped thinking of you," he smiled, but in his eyes, I could see the sadness he was trying to hide from me. "I knew you were alive. I saw you before they took me. Maybe that's what kept me going. Trying to get back to you."

  In any other situation, those words leaving his lips would've made me scream from the top of Pyra Volcano. Now, they only filled me with a deep, murky sadness that made me want to hug him for hours. The few hours I'd endured in captivity were eating me alive. He'd been there for weeks...I couldn't imagine what he was feeling.

  I searched his face, and my eyes settled on the welts on his neck.

  "They were preparing to hang me," he said, realizing what I was thinking. "They'd tortured me for weeks, trying to get information out of me. When they realized that I wasn't going to cave, they were going to kill me."

  His words took my breath.

  "The recon team found me just in time."

  I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to get the thoughts swirling in my mind to leave me alone. I was so...angry.

  "Hey, hey..." A rough hand on my cheek made me look at him. "I'm here now. Isn't that what matters?"

  "Yes, but," I took a deep breath. "They shouldn't get away with something like that."

  "That's why we fight, isn't it? To right the wrongs?" Avek said.

  The fire in his eyes had returned, and it was infectious. I felt a similar fire kindling inside of me. Perhaps it was a good thing that the Headmaster had promoted me. Now, I had the chance to make everything I did count towards what was right.

  And I wasn't going to squander it. I could still help Avek now, though.

  “Do you mind if I untangle your hair?”

  AFTER LEAVING THE INFIRMARY, I stopped by to see Nurik. He was already healing quickly, and looked much better than what I had seen of him last night. My visit was short, but I knew it heartened him. We were all rooting for his recovery too.

  My morning visits renewed my confidence.

  Talking to Avek gave me clarity to take on the day. And it was right on time, for that afternoon I had an advanced training session. I would be training with a new group of soldiers—those who were doing their final few months of post-graduation training.

  I found Ignimitra in the throes of sleep in our backyard. In the hour that I'd spent at Avek she hadn't budged, despite the heat pelting down on her. Soon she would wake up desperate for water. With more difficulty than I expected, I lugged her wooden trough closer to her and filled it with water from the outdoor hose.

  Afterward, I made myself breakfast. There wasn't much in my kitchen, but it was enough to make a filling meal—hard boiled eggs and bread slathered in berry jam. And the fact that I was able to get this food without the stares and cold shoulders of the mess hall made it taste even better. Since our morning was free, I figured it was best to spend it preparing for what was to come, even though I had no idea what it was.

  With my sword in hand I went back into the backyard, determined to make good on my promise to myself.

  AREN'T YOU HAPPY YOU went?

  Ignimitra's knowing tone made me smile.

  Yes, I am. Thank you.

  What was he like?

  I sighed sharply, leaning closer to her in my saddle. We
were in the air, killing time before our first training session.

  Weak...physically at least. But his spirit was strong.

  We had been flying in lazy circles above a quadrant of the Administrative District for a few minutes now. I had my eye on the training ground where our class would be held—it was still empty, and I didn't want to be the first ones to show up.

  The visit has changed you. You feel purposeful.

  Chuckling under my breath, I stroked Ignimitra's thick neck.

  He was the missing piece I needed to put everything into perspective.

  She didn't say anything in response, but I could feel the tendrils of her thoughts swirling in my own head. And somehow, Solra and Irikai were involved. Shelving those thoughts as quickly as I could, I turned my attention to the training ground below us.

  Soldiers were starting to gather.

  Noticing my focus, Ignimitra angled towards our destination. She landed smoothly, setting us down by the stone seats at one end of the training ground. Unlike the clearings in the Academy District, these training grounds had huge stone benches, bullseye targets and even a refreshment station that was replenished between classes.

  I sat on the bench furthest from the front. Ignimitra found a space right behind me.

  The soldiers didn't even turn to look in our direction. Minutes ticked by, and one by one the seats filled up. Very few of the soldiers spared us a glance, and when they did their gazes reeked of disdain.

  They always made it clear that they felt we didn’t belong. After all, I had barely been in the Academy a year and ended up training alongside them, even though they had been put through rigorous training and dangerous missions for more than two years.

  Anxiety rolled off Ignimitra in waves. The dragons of the other soldiers were probably treating her the same way their tamers treated me. They were bunched up in groups, far away from her and me. She stuck out like a sore thumb with her white scales and sinewy body. Most of the other dragons had rippling muscles and scarred hides that told the tale of their conquests in battle. To them she was untried.

  The seat beside me was the last to go.

  The soldier who took it looked down his nose at me as he settled into his seat. Then he turned his attention away and it was like I didn’t exist anymore.

  None of this was different from what I expected. But that didn't stop the bile rising in the back of my throat and the prickling of heat that grazed my scalp. I hated being underestimated.

  I would show them, just like I would show Solra and Irikai.

  A piercing screech shook the training ground. Immediately, the other soldiers rose to stand at attention. I stumbled to my feet, looking up to see where the sound had come from.

  A dragon circled above us, descending in a tight spiral. The creature glimmered green and gold in the bright sunlight, and even from this distance I could see a healed scar on its underbelly stretching from its neck nearly to the base of its tail. From its coloring alone I knew that it was a Majestic Firewing, which could only mean one thing.

  This was our Commander.

  The dragon landed almost imperceptibly despite its size—something I had only ever seen Slavidi do. The man on its back descended just as smoothly. He was dressed in a similar black uniform to the Headmaster, but he wasn't nearly as decorated. He had warm umber skin, with a shock of kinky black hair that was held back in a ponytail with a few braids that framed his face. Piercing gold eyes surveyed us as he approached.

  "Relax, soldiers," He shouted, and at once every one settled into their seats.

  I followed—a bit late—and made a mental note to brush up on my etiquette as soon as this session was over. It was still hard to adjust, especially when every commander seemed to have their own rules as to how they wanted their classes to behave.

  With his hands folded behind his back, our commander stalked across the front line. Good thing I'd chosen to sit at the back, his gaze alone seemed like it would've melted me. There was an austerity to his presence, like he could have beheaded you with just his gaze.

  "To those who are new here, welcome." His voice was anything but. When his gold gaze settled on me, my mouth went dry. "As most of you already know, I am Commander Ofisi and this is Tactical Advanced Class VI."

  A rush of heat snaked up my back. If anyone didn't know that I was new before, they would know now. I was joining their training in the middle of the year, with an obvious disadvantage. The last installment of this class I attended was Tactical Advanced Class I, before I had been captured. My stomach churned; I had missed four whole modules of this training branch.

  "I'd love to coddle the newt with an introduction." The sneer he wore made me believe he was lying. "But time is against us. Get on your dragons and follow Ladonne."

  He left us with those words and went back to his dragon. I turned to Ignimitra whose gaze was fixed on Commander Ofisi, or Ladonne. I wasn't sure.

  This isn't going to be like our other classes, huh?

  Her voice was tinged with the anxiety that I was desperately trying to stifle.

  Definitely not, angel. Definitely not.

  WE FLEW IN A LOOSE formation with the Commander and Ladonne at the apex of our group. Our flight path took us behind the Pyr Mountains and into a dank forest that hugged the base of the mountain range. The forest seemed to have its own weather pattern—we had left sun and a stiff wind in the clearing to find a foggy chill and clouds hanging over the forest. Even the smell of the air had changed. It smelled like when I left my sweat-soaked socks in the laundry room too long. Ew.

  Commander Ofisi signaled our descent, and we slipped below the cloud cover.

  Can you see well enough?

  I nodded, though the overcast skies limited my visibility. The clouds and fog covered the forest like a cloak, its own natural protection. The hair on my neck stood. As far as I knew, forests needed sunlight to grow. What kind of creatures lived here?

  Can you sense any creatures living in the forest?

  Ignimitra's thoughts were briefly painted with fright, no doubt transported to the last time we were sent into eerie surroundings with little explanation. We had been tricked into thinking it was our Mid-Year Test, when it was actually just a life-threatening mission that was supposed to force our Fusion Bond to surface.

  Ignimitra and I had failed, almost ending up as food for the wild dragons that inhabited Firesabre Peaks.

  Apart from the regular things like snakes, birds and rabbits...no. No dragons.

  The good news relaxed my shoulders.

  Our group landed on the outskirts of the forest.

  It was a cavern of darkness. Tall trees with thick, black trunks stretched into the clouds overhead, laden with lush leaves. This could've been a portal to another world for all I knew. Despite Ignimitra telling me that she could sense creatures, everything was silent—except for the sound of my breathing and the dragons around us. That awful smell got stronger.

  "Today's training session will strengthen your Fusion Bonds," His voice cut through my thoughts, ringing out in the silence. "Each of you will navigate Hiddenbrook Forest blindfolded."

  What? It felt like I didn't hear him correctly.

  "This forest is a mile long, and filled with plants and creatures of every kind. Some of them are harmless, and some of them can kill you with just a touch. The first six soldiers who make it to the other side get extra points and pass this assignment. Everyone else will have to make up for it some other way."

  A rumble of laughter echoed among some of the soldiers, enthralled by his revelation. Our group had more than thirty soldiers. The odds weren't in my favor at all. Especially when these soldiers probably had stronger Fusion Bonds than Ignimitra and I.

  "Your dragon cannot enter the forest; else you will be disqualified. They are only allowed to fly overhead. I will be waiting for you on the other side."

  Commander Ofisi retrieved a bag from Ladonne's saddle.

  "Your blindfolds." He gestured to the bag.
>
  I had so many questions. Couldn't our dragons just lend us their eyesight too? What was the point of the blindfold? Were we being timed? It all seemed simple...too simple for the kind of class this was supposed to be.

  Beside me, Ignimitra was stiff.

  I don't like the idea of this.

  I joined the line of soldiers collecting their blindfolds. The soldier in front of me asked Commander Ofisi the question that I was too scared to.

  "Sir, why do we need blindfolds if our dragons can lend us their eyesight?"

  The Commander's golden eyes dazzled as he laughed at the question. It was then I noticed that they had an odd luminosity to them—like they were glowing.

  "These blindfolds have been soaked in powdered ore," he addressed the entire assembly of soldiers. "The same ore that your swords were smelted from. It suppresses dragonic power." He laughed again. So even if our dragons did lend us their eyesight, we still wouldn’t be able to see. "Don't even think about cheating," he pointed to his eyes. "I can see everything."

  I didn't doubt him.

  We assembled in a straight line at the edge of the forest. The tall grass brushed my ankles, and a sudden breeze caressed my cheeks. It was cold and taunting, as if the forest knew we were about to enter and was beckoning us to our deaths.

  I swallowed hard.

  I’ll help you as much as I can, Kaos. The surety in my dragon’s voice reassured me enough to compose myself.

  I trust you, angel.

  My heart was hammering away in my chest. For a moment it felt like I was back in one of my nightmares, with an Astraphotian chasing me through the barren landscape of the wastelands. Electricity crackled in my arms and legs.

  I'm lending you my power now.

  Ignimitra's dragon power had only begun to sizzle in my veins when Commander Ofisi spoke. The tendrils of energy wrapped around my muscles and joints, warming me from the inside.

  "Fasten your blindfolds, soldiers!"

  In an instant the world went black.

  Shelving the flurry of emotions that had begun to rise, I focused on the feeling of Ignimitra's power coming to me. The silence began to fade away, leaving in its wake sounds that I recognized but wasn't sure how, like the flitting of a bird's wings and the tiny song of a beetle. A steady, soft breeze rustled the leaves of the trees ahead of me, and I could tell which direction it was coming from. The air didn’t even smell as pungent, instead I realized that it was a mixture of all the flora and fauna that lived in the forest—I could tell which note came from a dung beetle and which was from drying tree sap.