As the door shut, Myrdinn turned his attention back to Davin. He placed his hand on the boys chin and turned his head, pulling Davin's eyes to his own. "Where did I see this before?" He said as he looked into Davin's bright blue eyes.
He turned about quickly letting go of Davin. He walked over towards the cases of books that lined a half circle wall and reached up to the ceiling. Their were three levels and a spiral staircase ran up the center of them. Myrdinn began climbing the stairs up to the top level. Davin watched as he walked about the books, running his fingertips across the spines as he read their names softly to himself. He continued for several minutes, scanning up and down the shelves. He finally stopped and pulled a large leather bound book from the shelf. He walked down the stairs slowly paging through the book as he walked. He stopped for a moment as he read something that had caught his attention. He quickly walked over to Davin and handed him the book. His expression was like that of a stone statue. No movement and serious. Then he spoke.
"Davin. I must go as I have some sudden business to attend. You should take this book and read it." That was all he said as he ushered Davin out of his chamber. Davin stood confused as the door closed behind him. He had his dragon in one arm and the large leather bound book under the other. He walked back to his room and didn't stop till he got there.
Davin placed the small dragon down on the floor and walked over to the table and placed the book down. He went over to the cupboards and opened them up. He grabbed a large container from the bottom shelf and set it on the table. Grabbing a small metal dish from the same cupboard and setting it next to the container. He took the lid off and scooped some of the contents into the dish. It was a mix of different dried plants the dragons fed from. He set the dish on the floor and the dragon instinctively ran over and began to eat. Davin stood and looked at the cover of the book. He leaned over and began to examine it closely.
The front door flew open and Chloe barged in. Behind her was Derrick the wood elf. Chloe briskly walked over to where Davin was and saw the book on the table. Her mouth dropped and looked back at Davin. "Where did you get that? It's the same...."She paused and turned to look at Derrick and then back to Davin. "It's the same book from that night."
Davin hadn't realized it and finally made the connection. He opened the book and again just as he had that night, began flipping through the pages. He paid more attention to what the notes scribbled on the side read. They had not been notes scribbled, but instead were a translation of the book.
"Something in this book made Myrdinn suddenly have to rush off. There has to be something in here about what has happened."
Derrick stepped forward. "Your dragon is quite astonishing Davin. I am sure my father would love to hear about this. Maybe even meet you two."
Chloe cut in. "Derrick's father is a researcher of sorts. He has devoted his life to the history of dragons. He said he may be able to help us figure out what this all means."
Davin nodded as he leaned down to pick up his dragon. He picked it up and placed it on the table. Chloe and Derrick both had their dragons with them as well. Chloe had her gold hatchling clutched in her arms and Derrick's black dragon sat perched on his shoulder.
Chloe reached over to Davin's dragon and stroked it's side with the back of her hand. It turned and rubbed the side of it's head against her hand. The dragons were no larger than a small sized cat.
"Have you given it a name?" She glanced over to Davin. Who had a blank look on his face.
"I haven't yet. What about you?" He replied.
"I am calling him Tesla." Chloe said as she began to smile. "So Davin. Since Myrdinn rushed off to attend some sort of business, why don't we see if that book you have can tell us anything."
Class would not be starting up again for four weeks. They had been given time to get acquainted with their dragons and also to allow them time to grow some, before training would begin. They had been instructed on how to care for them and would be left to their own, unless assistance was requested.
Davin, Chloe and Derrick had spent the next few days meeting at Davin's and taking turns looking through the book and taking notes. Derrick had been quickly accepted as their friend, along with his black dragon Calypso.
Davin also had picked out a name for his dragon. He had been watching it the night before and the light was reflecting off of it's scales and on to the ceiling. It made a beautiful ring of color. It displayed all of the colors hidden within it's scales. It looked like a halo on the ceiling. That is when he chose to name it Halo.
There had been much to read and Chloe finally blurted something out from within the pages. "Blue eyes of the Ancient one." There was a partially translated passage that read only those words. The part that bothered Davin was the next page. It was missing. Chloe and Davin looked at each other in disbelief. Chloe reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded up piece of paper.
"Is that what I think it is?" Davin asked.
"It is." She slowly unfolded the paper and laid it out, lining up the tear marks on the side of the page. It was the page that had been ripped out years ago. She flattened the page out in the book and began reading.
It was a ritual of sorts. It read that blood of a specific dragon was required. It only referred to it as the "Ancient One". It was not clear but it appeared that this ritual was somehow supposed to combine man with dragon. The three of them decided to try an find out more about the dragon referred to as the Ancient One. It had to have some link with Davin and Halo.
CHAPTER NINE
ASTONISHING DEVELOPMENTS
Two months had gone by. Myrdinn had come back and hadn't said a word to Davin or the others. He simply locked himself in his chambers and didn't come out. They didn't see him arrive, but did witness his things being unloaded from his coach. Several large trunks had been taken off of the coach and carried to Myrdinn's quarters.
The young hatchlings had grown substantially. They were all now easily the size of a full grown large dog. Of Halo, Tesla and Calypso, Halo had clearly grown larger than the other two. She was different than the other dragons. She stood more on her hind legs than most and her body structure supported it. She had a slightly more humanoid posture. She had long muscular front arms which provided additional balance for her. Unlike the other dragons though, she had not begun displaying her ability. Calypso was the first to begin showing his skills. He could change the color of his scales and blend in to his surroundings. He also blew a pretty hot flame. Chloe's Tesla was slower to come along, but he too was soon shooting blasts of energy. Chloe had gotten to the point where she could create a ball of energy and was able to hurl it through the air like an explosive, projectile ball of electric energy. Halo however did not exhibit anything special as of yet, which also meant Davin hadn't received an ability.
It wasn't until one day that Chloe and Derrick joined Davin in Halo's stable. He said that she had been acting strange and wasn't eating much. They all stood around Halo, who other than seeming quite restless looked OK.
Suddenly before the three of them, something strange began to happen. Halo started into a series of fits and became irritated. Her scales began to change colors. She went from shades of blue and greens and she even went completely black for a moment. She started to cough violently and you could see ice forming at her mouth as the cold breath of a blue let out. Her stable was completely covered in a thin layer of frost. Again she started coughing and this time smoke began to bellow from her nostrils and finally released a heavy flame against the ceiling. Davin, Chloe and Derrick stood soaked entirely head to toe from the frost that had melted onto them. Then, Halo sneezed. The room was filled with shocks of electrical current. Davin, Chloe and Derrick stood, stunned from shock. They all stared at each other, looking up and down one another. They were wet, singed and their hair stood on end from the static charge that was created.
"What the heck was that?" Davin gasped.
"I believe Halo just went through all of the other dragons abilities." C
hloe said as she looked at Halo in astonishment.
Derrick chimed in. "Yeah it's like she had a bowl of mixed dragon soup and threw up all over us."
"We need to tell Myrdinn." Chloe said. "Surely he'll want to hear this."
Davin, Chloe and Derrick stormed out the door, Davin only stopping long enough to lock up. They rushed down the halls towards Myrdinn's chamber. Once at the large door, they all began beating on it frantically. A couple of the other bonders stopped to see what the fuss was all about. Turning their attention away once the large door opened. Myrdinn peaked out the door with a scowl. He was clearly upset that somebody was rudely interrupting his studies. Myrdinn had been locked up in his chambers since he had returned. Nobody saw him out at all.
"What is it!" He said sternly. "What has happened?"
The three spoke simultaneously, rambling on in different directions.
"One at a time. Please"
"Go ahead." Chloe said softly nudging Davin.
"You see Myrdinn, Halo has done something strange."
"Who?" Myrdinn interrupted.
Davin apologized and continued. "My dragon Halo. She has done something strange."
As soon as Davin began describing what had happened Myrdinn began ushering them in. Just as they entered Davin blurted out, "Could it have something to do with the Ancient one?" Unfortunately, his statement hadn't fallen on deaf ears.
It wasn't until they were inside that Myrdinn had told him what he had found. He went on to tell them about the dragon that had been referred to as the Ancient one. She was thought to be the oldest of the dragons. Nobody new if she really existed any longer, or ever at all for that matter. People had written of a dragon that possessed all of the different dragon's abilities. She had the brute strength of the greens, the flight and heat of the reds. She could take to the sea like the blues and could control gravity just like the browns. She even possessed the more rare abilities of the black dragons and the golds. The ability to morph her colors to blend to her surroundings and create great bursts of electric energy. There was not much in the way of what she looked like other that her glowing blue eyes. The blue eyes of the Ancient one.
The kids could tell that there was something that Myrdinn had not been telling them. He was very reserved and paused before speaking almost as though he was trying not to divulge too much information.
Davin finally got the courage to ask Myrdinn about the book. Now that it wasn't a secret that he had read it. "Myrdinn." He paused. Tell me about the book you handed me before you left." Davin's mind went to the picture of the man drinking from the dragon. "Tell me why a man would want to drink the blood of a dragon?"
Myrdinn looked at Davin instantly. He had a very bewildered yet angered look. "First, you tell me how it is you read a page in that book, that had been lost from it and has been missing for years." He snapped. "How is it that you know of such things?"
Davin's stomach turned as he realized his mistake. Davin put himself in a position which he couldn't back out of. He had to confess to Myrdinn what he had done. Chloe looked at him with worried eyes. Davin only smiled as to reassure her. He did not however have to involve Chloe. He ran through the whole story with Myrdinn leaving out no detail, other than Chloe. She sank in her chair the further into the story he got, knowing deep down that she was the one to blame.
Though Davin feared the worst, Myrdinn didn't do much more than lecture Davin on morals and honesty. He seemed to be rather understanding based on the circumstances.
After being dismissed they felt a little more informed but not much. Davin decided to spend some time alone with Halo. He spent the evening playing with her in the stable. She had a very playful personality and quite enjoyed wrestling around with Davin, like a great big puppy. It would not be long before he wouldn't be able to play with her so roughly, due to the sheer size difference.
Davin had worn Halo and himself out. Davin lay on the ground with his head propped up against her. It was not long before they both drifted off to sleep.
It had grown late. The stable had become pitch black with the night. There were no windows to let in the light from the moon outside. Davin woke suddenly. There was a large crash upstairs in the apartment. It sounded like Halo had gotten into something and knocked a pot off of the counter and onto the floor. He sat up and jumped to his feet. He gave a long tired stretch as he headed up the stairs. "Halo what have you gotten into now?" He said loud enough to be heard upstairs. When he reached the top of the stairs he paused when he heard something else. It wasn't loud and that's what bothered him. It was quiet. "Halo." He said softer in a very cautioned voice. Then he heard it. The faint hiss of a whisper. Suddenly hid head hurt and his ears rang violently. He felt his knees begin to buckle and he fell flat to the floor. A drop of blood hit the floor after it had rolled down his head from behind his ear.
The soft voice hissed again. "You better not have hit him too hard. If he's dead you may as well be too. Our Master has warned us. He is to be kept alive." The two dwarf like figures picked up Davin's limp body and placed him in a large cloth bag and carried him back down the stairs. The two strangers had left as quietly as they had come. The apartment and the stable stood empty as somebody had already taken Halo and now were in the process of taking Davin.
Davin woke up once again. His head throbbed and his vision was blurry. He was being held in place by shackles suspended from the ground by chains. The rough metal cut into his wrists. His toes were barely even touching the ground. All of his weight was pulling the shackles deeper into his skin. There was a bag over his head. He couldn't see anything and could only smell the blood and sweat that soaked the bag. He hung there for a moment, as he was too weak to yell even if he could. A gag had been tied around his mouth as well, keeping him for screaming for help. Then the fear of his situation set in and he began to panic. Davin started swinging and kicking his legs frantically until her he heard a door open. A familiar voice spoke softly in his ear. "The master wants me to ask you some questions." The voice hissed. He couldn't forget the eerie sound of the imps voice. It was the same one he had seen in the egg chamber so many years ago. The memory came back to him as though it had only happened minutes ago.
Davin heard the rattling of the chains and felt himself begin to be pulled up higher off of the ground. His feet were no longer able to touch at all. He began to swing slightly as he felt himself being moved around suspended above the ground. His body jerked with a sudden stop.
He heard the voice again. "Now, I am going to ask you some questions. But first, I am going to pursued you to be honest with me." The imp let out a hoarse laugh. Then Davin could feel himself starting to be lowered. The cold water hit his bare feet. He began to panic and thrashed about as he was slowly lowered into the water. He was all the way to his chest when he could feel the weight of the chains begin to pull him under. He began to scream from behind the gag. It was not loud like he had hoped and was only wasting the precious breath he had in his lungs. He took a quick and final breath before his head went under. He tried to calm himself, so he could try and conserve his breath. It wasn't until his lungs began to burn, aching for a large breath of air that he began to thrash about again. Just then he felt his face clear the water as he was lifted out again. He took another deep breath before being sucked back under.
This went on several times. Each episode under water feeling like it was longer. He did not think he was going to be able to wait to take a breath the last time he was under the water. His lungs burned so very badly and they were screaming for him to take a breath. He was lifted out of the water and again was fully suspended over the ground.
The bag was pulled from his head and the gag pulled down from his mouth. He took several very deep breaths before speaking. "Where is Halo?" He cried. "Please don't hurt her."
The imp slapped him in the face. "I am going to ask the questions. Not you. Now what do you know about the Ancient one?"
After a while longer, Davin didn't even hesitate to an
swer. He told the imp everything he knew. It wasn't much but apparently the Imp had been satisfied. He left the room and Davin was left to his pain. Not only had the imp half drowned Davin, he had scalded him, whipped him and hit him repeatedly. He was not far from unconsciousness when he heard someone else enter the room. His vision was blurred from the pain and he couldn't seem to focus. He could only make out a dark figure and a pair of red eyes. They were glowing like a bonders eyes, but blood red. The figure placed a damp cloth over his face and Davin could feel himself drifting into sleep. He fell deeper with every breath he took until everything went black and again was unconscious.
Davin's eyes strained to open. He was woozy. His head was swimming and his body hurt all over. He was laying in the stable again.
Had it all been a bad dream. He thought to himself.
He reached up to his head and winced as he felt behind his ear. It clearly had not been a dream. He struggled to get to his feet as his legs were like rubber underneath him. Panic set in again and he quickly began limping upstairs. He was worried, scared and furious. He couldn't find Halo. Whoever had taken him, still had Halo.
CHAPTER TEN
BUILDING ANGER
Davin stormed through his place in a fury. All the pain had ceased as he was now fueled by anger. He burst through his door slamming it shut behind him. Fiercely, he raced down the hallway to Chloe's place, ignoring the pain that had previously caused him to limp. He began beating his fist on her door until she opened it in a panic.
She looked Davin up and down. "What in the world happened to you?" She said with a gasp.
"They took her. They took Halo."
"Who did?"
"The imp. It was the same one we saw that night in the chamber."
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