by Eric Vall
Together, we dove down through the lightning strikes, and the exhilarating descent brought us inside the silver barrier. Then I touched down lightly, almost perfectly, next to the Crimson Dragon.
I was getting better at this dragon flying stuff.
Laika slid off my back quickly, and there was a sword in each of her hands before I could even blink. Once again, spatial magic was incredible, and I truly needed to learn it or at least have an object that would let me use it.
The demons hissed and shrieked at us from outside of the barrier. They really were much more hideous this close up. Some of them looked as if they were decaying, with pieces and bits of their bodies falling off with their movements. Others had black slime dripping from their eye sockets and their mouths as they moved strangely. Their movements were almost robotic, but not exactly.
I shook my head at the sight, there was no point in paying that much attention to them right now. Alyona’s barrier would hold for however long we needed.
“My Lord,” Laika said with her hand on her gorget, “Daya is leading the Blue Tree Guild’s entire force here.”
“Good,” I huffed as I walked toward Alyona. “How long till they get here?”
“Five minutes at least.” Laika’s ears were erect as her eyes darted from demon to demon. “Ten minutes at most.”
“Plenty of time to leisurely examine a dragon,” I laughed sarcastically to myself as I sat back on my haunches next to Alyona.
The princess knelt by the Crimson Dragon’s head and put her hand right above the dragon’s snout. A silver glow tinged with black flickered around her hand as she flinched and hissed.
The Crimson Dragon was just as immense as I remembered, several times my size, and with scales that gleamed like blood. She was curled around an egg the size of a dog, and it was covered in crimson scales speckled with splotches of gold.
A sudden spike of anger rose inside of me as a single thought pumped through my mind.
I had to protect that egg.
“What’s wrong?” I brought my head near Alyona’s and stared up at the Crimson Dragon. “What’s the black stuff in her blood? It stinks like … like death.”
But it was impossible for the dragon’s body to have started to decay while she was still alive. It couldn’t have been more than half an hour since the demons poured out from the rift, and even if they’d somehow managed to kill her, that wasn’t enough time for a body the size of hers to start decomposing.
“It was a curse.” Alyona’s amethyst eyes darkened with anger as she turned to face me. “But there’s no one in this horde with the power necessary for it. I don’t understand how they accomplished such a thing, these are all lower level demons.”
“For low level demons they sure packed a punch,” I whistled lowly as I looked over all the wounds on the Crimson Dragon. “Can you break the curse?”
I wasn’t a veterinarian, but I knew, without the use of my strange analyzing skill, that most of her bones were broken, and her skin had actually been pierced through by whatever tried to kill her.
My healing power always bubbled under the surface of my skin, and I pulled it out so it would stretch over the crimson dragon. Sparkling glitter settled over her scales until she almost looked like a ruby dropped in the sand.
The torn skin sealed up, and new scales grew in the same areas that had been removed, probably by the demons when they’d attacked her. I knew how hard dragon scales were, so it was worrying to know just how badly the demons outside of the barrier had wounded the other dragon. I glanced down the line of the dragon’s body, and relief went through me when her breathing eased.
“This is beyond me, and we don’t have enough time.” Alyona shook her head as she pulled her hand back from the Crimson Dragon’s snout. “We never have enough time. I never could have imagined that of all things, there would have been someone strong enough to fell a creature as mighty as the Crimson Dragon.”
“What do you mean, not enough time?” I asked as the scales on my forehead contracted with a frown. “What is this curse?”
My experience with curses was pretty much limited to games and, once again, my Aunt Emma’s predilection for the supernatural and cursed antiques.
“She will die when the three moons are no longer full,” Alyona explained, and sorrow dripped from her voice. “It is a death curse laid on her by a Demon Lord, but there were none present in that horde.”
“They targeted her right off the bat,” I growled, and one of the muscles in my neck twitched. “That’s why the demon gate was right at the entrance of the canyon.”
“We have to get her back to Hatra.” Alyona stood from where she knelt and dusted off her pale dress. “There might be something in the archives, some forgotten spell that can break this curse.”
“Let me die here,” a rumbling voice announced, and the Crimson Dragon cracked open one great amber eye to stare at us morosely. “Let me die under the open sky where I can see the stars and the three moons.”
“We won’t let you die,” I growled resolutely. “You’re going to live, Crimson Dragon. Whether you knew it or not, you saved the people of my city by drawing the demons here and fighting them.”
“Valerra, I was once known as Valerra.” The Crimson Dragon blinked languidly as she shifted her body into a more comfortable position. “Remember that name. Remember that name to the stars and to the three moons when I pass, and give my body to the sky. Let no scavengers and poachers tear me to pieces.”
“There will be no need for that,” Alyona murmured as she gently stroked Valerra’s scales. “Dear dragon, you shall live.”
“Can you swear this to me?” Valerra looked down at Alyona with critical, amber eyes. “Swear to me on the lives of everyone here?”
“I cannot.” Alyona shook her head as she folded her hands in her lap. “I dare to swear only on my own life and not involve the lives of another, though, if that is acceptable, dear dragon.”
“Ha, just as I thought.” Valerra’s seemed pleased by Alyona’s answer because she closed her amber eyes again and sighed peacefully. “Just swear to me you will honor me when I die.”
“She won’t swear it, drama queen,” I laughed at the other dragon. “Because you’re not going to die.”
“You are a stubborn one, aren’t you?” Valerra chuckled lightly as she opened her amber eyes again. “Such a stubborn little dragon, no wonder I wasn’t able to kill you.”
“You’ll be surprised at how stubborn I am,” I replied dryly. “And the name’s Evan, not little dragon. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you die on my watch. You’re going to live for at least another three thousand years.”
“Little surprises me anymore.” Valerra bared her teeth in tired amusement as she curled tightly around the egg. “Life is the same monotone color. Even now, it is dyed in nothing but the same crimson that did nothing but bore and taunt me.”
“Then let us take you back to Hatra,” Alyona said as she leaned against Valerra’s scales. “Let us show you new colors, new worlds in which you can spread your wings and soar.”
Valerra glanced at the divine princess and hummed lightly.
“Hatra?” There was confusion evident in Valerra’s voice as she glanced in the direction of Hatra. “The city of mortals? Wasn’t it destroyed?”
“Well, not anymore.” I bared my fangs in a feral smile as my tail swished behind me. “We’re building it back up, bigger and better. Hatra will never again be destroyed, not by anyone.”
“Fine,” Valerra huffed as she tucked the dragon egg under her cheek. “I will go with you to this Hatra that you say will never fall. Perhaps this child will have a far better future in your city than she would have in these canyons.”
“Dear dragon,” Alyona said gently as she stroked Valerra’s crimson scales. “Can you bear to change forms? I’m afraid we have no room large enough for you in Hatra.”
“Ah?” Valerra blinked for a moment before her lips lifted in a wry smile.
“Yes, perhaps that will be easier.”
Valerra let out an exhale, and her body shifted in both shape and size. She became smaller and smaller until she was in the same human body I had seen her in once before. Crimson hair hung down her back in long locks that barely protected her modesty, and her skin was perfectly pale, if covered in ash and dirt.
“This is familiar.” The dragon smirked at me, and one of her ivory white fangs peeked out over her lips. “Soon, you’ll need to tell me how you escaped from the cave the night we met.”
“You’ll have to live if you want to know,” I replied to her as I glanced over at the raucous demons outside the barrier. “Alyona, you need to get out of here now. Those demons are going to head to Hatra if we don’t take care of them soon.”
The priestess nodded and then took a deep breath.
“Make a path to the distant place in my memory, transcend both time and space.” Alyona lifted her hands as her eyes glowed silver. “And make both places the same.”
Alyona’s words formed a magical circle in the air that glowed a bright silver as she linked the canyon to Hatra.
“What a clever girl.” Valerra stood with my help and carried the crimson dragon egg in her arms gently.
“Hold my hand, and I’ll lead the way for us,” Alyona said as she offered her glowing hand up to Valerra.
The screeching of the demons reached an ear splitting crescendo as they threw themselves furiously against the princess’s barrier.
“Alyona, go,” I snarled as I bared my teeth at my opponents.
“Daya and the others should be here soon.” Laika’s ears twitched as she shifted her grip on her dual swords. “We will be fine, Milady.”
Alyona nodded at both of us before she looked at Valerra again, and the crimson dragon smiled sardonically as she wrapped one clawed hand around Alyona’s delicate one. Then they stepped through the portal together, and the magical circle disappeared with them.
But the barrier didn’t disappear, it remained just where Alyona left it, and I couldn’t help the way my lips curled up in a fierce smile.
My princess was pretty awesome even if her savior complex was worrisome.
When Daya arrived with the warriors from the Blue Tree Guild, we were a fierce group. Together, we ripped the demons apart until their numbers started to dwindle. Since the demons were disgusting and decomposing, I did my best not to sink my teeth into their bodies as Asher’s lightning continued to fall from the sky and burn the ground.
We fought for hours, and even as I continually healed my comrades during the battle, the demons were ravenous beasts with an almost unstoppable energy. No matter how many of their bones we broke, the demons kept fighting until their heads were lopped off their bodies.
But, as I fought, I couldn’t help the niggling fear that had settled in my chest.
There was something wrong, but I wasn’t sure what. It was like a siren blaring inside of me, and it was telling me to get back to the city and check on Alyona.
But I couldn’t just leave the battlefield. We were fighting to protect Hatra, and I served as both sword and shield.
So, I buckled down and focused on tearing the demons to bloody shreds.
When we returned tired but victorious to the city hours later, the citizens were waiting with food ready for us to feast on after the battle. Even though I was famished, I made some careful hellos to everyone who had been waiting for us until I realized Alyona was nowhere to be found.
Laika and I exchanged worried glances as she slid off my back. We had assumed the divine princess would have been waiting for us.
“My Lord, I’ll go speak to the council,” Laika said as she wiped off some of the black demon blood that dripped from her face.
“I’ll go find Alyona and the dragon.” I brushed my snout against Laika’s shoulder as I checked her for any wounds I may have missed earlier.
Laika pressed her forehead against my snout before she darted off toward the tent we had the first council meeting in.
Faintly, I could hear raised voices from the tent, but that didn’t matter to me right now. I needed to know Alyona and Valerra were safe.
I shifted out of my dragon form and into my human form. Thankfully, my clothing wasn’t covered in demon guts and blood as I’d feared.
“Where are they?” I asked the first person I saw, and it turned out to be little Afra from the farms. “Alyona and the other dragon.”
“My Lady has taken the Crimson Dragon into her room,” the fox Demi-Human replied as she carried a basket of food in her arms.
“Thank you,” I muttered before I spun around and began to march toward Alyona’s quarters.
“Wait, My Lord!” Afra called out behind me. “The young master was asking about you!”
Maybe it was rude, but I didn’t stop. I just kept going until I darted up the staircase and into Alyona’s room. It was there I found Alyona, Valerra, and the dragon egg.
Valerra was curled up in Alyona’s bed. I could see she’d been lent some clothes by the princess, and they fit nicely on the dragon. The sleeveless cerulean robe perfectly showed off Valerra’s toned arms and the iron muscles beneath her skin.
The dragon egg was wrapped up in blankets next to the dragon and, on the edge of the bed, was my princess.
Alyona had one glowing hand on Valerra’s forehead as she used her other hand to write in a notebook with a charcoal pencil. There were smudges of charcoal on her cheeks and the very tip of her nose.
My heart finally slowed to a steady beat. I hadn’t even noticed that it had been about to burst out of my chest. Just seeing Alyona was enough to reassure me after such a large battle. I just needed to know she hadn’t disappeared when she’d gone through the portal, that the curse hadn’t swallowed up both Valerra and her.
“Alyona, how is she?” I pressed my forehead to the princess’s and sighed. “Do you know anything more about the curse?”
“She’s stable for now,” Alyona said as she pulled her forehead away from mine and glanced at the prone dragon. “But I don’t know what more I can do. The curse is eating away at her heart and power until there’s nothing left.”
The other dragon was so deeply asleep in the bed, I would have thought she was in a coma. In fact, she probably was in a magical coma induced by Alyona so the priestess could try and break the curse. Or at least slow its progression while she studied it.
“Can’t we pour more power into her?” I frowned as I sat down on the bed next to the two women.
“No.” Alyona shook her head briefly before her shoulders tensed. “I attempted that already, and the curse tried to latch onto me.”
“What?” My eyes widened, and panic bloomed in my chest. “What do you mean it tried to latch onto you?”
“Do you remember how the miasma is capable of spreading its corruption?” Alyona drew in a deep breath as she straightened and kept my gaze.
“Yeah.” I gritted my teeth as I looked the priestess all over.
“Evan, don’t worry.” Alyona leaned forward and kissed me before she stood up. “I’m perfectly fine, but it was strange. Just like the miasma, the curse attempted to drain my power and life. It wasn’t like it was hopping from host to host, but as if it had been set up to contaminate anyone who tried to break the curse.”
Alyona did a small twirl, and I saw that while her bare legs were covered in somewhat sparkly ash, there were no bruises or cuts on her body.
“Promise me you’ll be careful.” I grasped Alyona’s hand and pulled her close to me so I could bury my face into her waist. “I don’t know what I would do if anything happens to you.”
“I promise.” Alyona ran her fingers through my hair as she bent to press a kiss to my forehead. “Will you watch over her while I go and bring us some food?”
Alyona took a step back, and I reluctantly let go of her soft body. She tilted her head at me, and I nodded. Then I had to bite back a smile as I realized that, through all of this, Alyona was still in her n
ightgown.
She followed my line of sight, and a dark blush spread across her beautiful face.
For a moment, Alyona’s gemstone eyes darted over to the dragon behind me, but she let out a small sigh of relief. Then a mischievous expression came to life behind her eyes, and just as Alyona stepped backwards through the doorway, she lifted her nightgown.
I breathed in sharply as my eyes drank in Alyona’s naked body before she let the fabric fall and cover it once more. She giggled as the door closed gently behind her, and all I could do was rub the bridge of my nose and draw in a deep breath to maintain my control.
I had no idea if that was supposed to be a reward or some sort of punishment, all I knew was that it was both, and I really hated the fact I had agreed to stay and watch over Valerra. All I wanted to do was chase after Alyona and pin her down, maybe in the baths, as I showed her just exactly what I wanted to do with that gorgeous body of hers.
Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled, and I could feel Valerra’s gaze on my back. I so hoped she didn’t see Alyona flashing me, and technically, her as well.
“I thought you were in a coma,” I remarked as I turned to face Valerra.
The crimson dragon’s mouth twitched in a smirk. “Your princess might be powerful, but I am far older than she is. I know some magic she does not.”
I opened my mouth to reply, but then she held out the crimson dragon egg to me.
“Take the egg.” Valerra’s amber eyes glittered fiercely as she gently placed the egg on my lap. “I can’t protect this child anymore.”
The dragon egg was warm in my hands, like inside of it was a ball of fire just waiting to emerge.
“Is it yours?” I asked as I looked from the egg to the other dragon.
“Ha, perhaps that can be said, black dragon.” Valerra gritted her teeth as she slowly sat up in the bed. “This egg is all that remains of my family. I have watched over her for thousands of years, waiting for her to emerge from the egg. Now, I will never see her. Ironic, isn’t it?”
“You were keeping everyone out of the canyon to protect this egg.” I looked at Valerra with newfound respect as I realized how deep her dedication to her family ran. “Everything you’ve done is to protect this child, am I right?”
