United Dragons
Page 29
SHADOW OF THE DAMNED
TERROWIN
ONLY AN HOUR OR TWO after I had reached the palace grounds, did Adrian catch up with me. I was honestly surprised to see him there, but agreed to listen to what he so urgently needed to say. He had told me that Carlaylin was safe and well on her way to find Gravis.
I was also strictly informed not to go after her, for she wished solitude and frankly, a bit of me-time. I wasn’t about to argue, though my thoughts kept urging me to go after her.
There was much I needed to say to her, but I guessed it best that the matter could rather wait.
Even though I might or might not like Adrian, I knew him well enough to know that he was an honest man. No less. I believed him, hands down. He told me that Carlaylin told him that I should fetch the group and make straight for Elimor.
We said our goodbyes. I thanked him and went straight to Fargo’s. We had decided it to be best to take immediate leave. From early this morning at three until late we had travelled back to ‘home base’ – the entire day devoted to journeying back home. Honestly, I was excited to reach Elimor. I needed to get away from all of this. And besides, I had nowhere else to go. I had no home. I had no family. All I had was my companions.
The night was cool and the breeze of the Krean shore still haunted us. We were well on our way back to Elimor, as eager and as tired as we were. We hadn’t gotten far, but far enough. In only a day’s time did we manage to get close to the Bouncing Monkey Inn, though we had yet to reach the crossroads, but we were on our way and closing in, fast. The stars spread across the midnight sky like a sheet of glistening lights. Truly, it was amazing and soothing for the soul to see.
The coastal breeze gently rustled through the trees all around us.
Nemtris and Ramses walked up ahead, feeling it best to take the lead. On the other hand, I found it wise to keep at back, watching them from behind. It was both the safest and all together the shrewdest. I had my intensions set on keeping them safe and keeping an eye on them from behind to prevent whatever mischief they might try.
Behind me there was a pair of footsteps closing in at a faster pace. It wasn’t long until Justin passed me, rapidly shooting me an exhausted glance. He had all the reason to be, too. He was giving Nicolas a piggyback ride all the way from Krea. Nicolas’ smile was bright, eyes dancing in the moonlight. Justin, on the other hand, felt different about the situation. No doubt his back must’ve been aching by now.
“Alright, Nick,” he said as he bent down for Nicolas to climb off. “Time to get off. You’re getting heavy.” Nicolas swiftly yelled, “Nic!” before scampering off on all fours, joining Nemtris and the tiger. He seemed like a happy man, dancing and hopping around like that. It occurred to me that Nicolas’ alternative, Nick, must have been his exact opposite, for when I met the real man behind the hermit, he seemed like one of the most profound men I had ever met in all my life.
No matter. Everyone seemed content, and that was satisfying enough. Only, I wished that Carlaylin were here... If anything, it was she who was the life of the group. And I see where she gets if from. Nicolas can be quite jolly himself, but every spark has to die out somewhere. Nicolas looked tired and for a first, Ramses allowed him to sleep on his back. I couldn’t fight back the urge to grin.
Even Nemtris was silent for a change. Justin and Ramses seemed closer than ever before, too. Fargo must’ve taught him a few tricks in order to tame a wild animal. After a moment of great hesitation, Justin gently, but painstakingly, tried to touch Ramses, hands sinking into his thick, soft pelt.
Ramses allowed it. Justin smiled and kept his hand on the great beast’s back for the time being. The crickets chirped and the wind rustled through the abundant foliage. I was happy. It was peaceful. It was silent. What more can a man want? I only hoped that Carlaylin had the same or better luck than we.
The time flew by as we wandered onward, so close to the Bouncing Monkey Inn that I could already see the lights in the far distance, faintly breaking through the many trees blocking its way, but a slight disturbance had me stopping on the spot. The others noticed and looked back at me with questioning faces.
“What is it?” Justin asked apprehensively.
“Did you feel that?”
“Feel what?” Nemtris questioned most profoundly.
“The rumbling.”
The group exchanged glances. Within the silence, I had also noticed the crickets to have gone all silent.
“No, we did not feel it,” Nemtris started, taking a step forward, “We’re not all as sensitive as you are.”
I frowned, “It’s not sensitivity. It’s instinct. Keen sense, if you will.”
After another passing moment of absolute silence, there was another rumbling beneath my feet, only this one was slightly worse and more noticeable. The others were startled and tried to keep their balance, though it took no effort in trying. It was no more than a mere rumbling.
“Now that I felt!” Nemtris yelped with widened eyes. Even Nicolas was awakened at that very instance. He was quick to leap forward and hug Ramses’ neck for support. He seemed scared.
“What was that?” Justin spluttered.
“I-I don’t know…”
Another moment of nothingness passed before the ground started to shake immensely.
“Earthquake!” Justin shouted.
We tried to keep our balance, but this one was too much. The ground shook at full force, like never before.
“Everyone, get down on the ground! NOW!” I ordered, yelling over the audible quake. Everyone dropped to the ground. Justin lay flat. Nemtris knelt down. Nicolas had Ramses’ neck as support and Ramses lowered his body as close to the ground as possible. I joined Nemtris in instantly falling down to my knees on the ground. Yet, keeping balance still proved to be a great effort.
The earth shook for quite the while. The whole earth moved underneath my feet and nearby I could hear a creak before an entire forest tree was brought down. It fell towards me and I leaped and rolled out of the way, facing the fallen tree as I came to a stop.
Close by, the very earth burst open, sending gravel flying into the air. I felt the earth trembling even worse underneath me and I rolled to the side before the ground could burst open right beside me. I covered myself with my arms to ward off the falling debris, rocks and dirt. Honestly, after two minutes I felt like a live fish, busily flopping restlessly in a frying pan.
It was a terrible disaster, more chaos following than what was supposed to. Trees fell in the distance and birds retreated into the air in the form of massive swarms. A thick layer of smoke smeared across the night sky and all stars faded away. I tried to stand and back away to see what was going on. All my focus was placed on balance, but my efforts didn’t go without a flaw or two. Sometimes I would fall, but I went on. Looking back the way we had come, I could see the Rocky Mountains, stretching into the sky. Smoke emerged from the caldera of the volcano hidden within. The air hung thick with smoke and the earthquake continued to threaten Ysellian.
I could only imagine the disaster occurring within the cities and villages, especially those located close by. People must be in panic. Buildings must be collapsing and gigantic waves must be terrorizing the shores, for there was no better element in creating tsunamis than your typical earthquake.
Worst of all, the pressure within the volcano must be immense. The erupting smoke grew more and more before the earthquake finally stopped. I was breathless and in terrible shock, eyes undyingly fixated on the volcanic reactions at the Rocky Mountains in the distance.
There was a moment of absolute silence that had me waiting in suspense before a shrill shriek filled the sky. My expression screwed up with pain as I pressed my hands against my ears. The piping sound grew worse until a colossal figure burst out the top of the volcanic mountain in an explosion of fire and disaster. A cloud of flaming fire coated the sky in red. Molten volcanic rock and debris rained from above and set fire to numerous parts of the surrounding forests.
T
he fire, accompanied by an immense heat wave, spread at an alarming rate. It was carried by the strong wind of the coastal regions.
The black silhouette darted into the sky until spreading a pair of two enormous wings and giving a loud and dominant roar that shot right through Ysellian in the form of a catastrophic sonic boom, carrying destruction to whatever stood in its way as it blasted straight through the land, fanning out around the dragon of fire – Thorodan.
~The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step – Lao Tzu~