by Fandy Adams
“Damn the girl.” cursed Iceberg.
***
Scarlett bending her bow with eyes looked at the woods far away. The winged shadow flew above the forest and it looks crossing the motionless mountain. Seemed the enemy wouldn’t let them get away, especially after her arrow scratched her back.
Her eyes gazed sharply and her fingers firmly grip the feather as the Wyvern flies by. But then a great horror fell upon her as she caught a glimpse of white light on the dragon’s throat. Once it had seen in her past, it was dreadful flame that no Dragon Rider would command their winged steed except in the extremity. Terrible and dangerous it would be, not only for her but everyone inside.
Scarlett ran and teleported till she stops on the windowless car, the second rearmost car. She stood as if challenging the enemy and his flying steed to shot at her, though an extreme fear looked in her eyes, gleamed by the white light of the dragon.
The Wyvern unleashed the white flame. It was bright like a little sun but fast like a meteor. With a flash of blinding light a great blast tore the car and smote the land to hollow. Entire train was shaken, bottles and other goods scattered everywhere while the rearmost car derailed to crash the woods.
Coldly the black-jacketed rider stared at the destruction and he smiled as if proud at the power of the Wyvern. But then to his surprise she found someone stood looking at him over the train with her red-hair swaying in the wind.
Scarlett survived and she felt relieved to see that no life scattered behind other than bottles and boxes. Moreover, it doesn’t blow where her friends were. She took a deep breath and at once all fear and tense was gone from her. This time he will bring down the dragon and the rider forever.
She drew another arrow from his shoulder and then set something at the tip. Soon the Wyvern came and flying closer, but the winged beast shot no fireball instead it blows a great breath of flame to attack her. Scarlett just smiled, didn’t stepped back or shows a fear against the infernal wave that came to her. She remains steady on her stand and fit the arrow to the string. But she did not aimed at the winged beast not even her eyes seek a spot to shot, she just bending the bow downward with strong pull.
At last, when the flame was ready to engulf her, she suddenly appeared behind the dragon, step on the air and shot the beast on the left wing. But now the shot wasn’t common arrow – as the arrow hit the dragon a giant web spread out and ensnared them, cast them out of the sky to crash the woods with the sound of crack.
The red-haired woman stood above the car with the bow clutched in her hand. Keenly she stared into the forest which looks getting away. The forest got ruined and no sign that they will rises.
Chapter 15
To the Unknown Darkness
Scarlett jumped down to the car. Then she found those kids halted behind the car door as if they’re held by something.
“What happened?”
“See for yourself!”
Rey ensnared in the green gel at the ceiling, unable to move at all except shake his head back and forth to vain. Before them Marius and Iceberg staring cold each other separated by thousands of ice needles that couldn’t be passed by, except one. Scarlett appears beside him in suddenness and swiftly Iceberg swung his sword to fend off her blade.
Suddenly the train was shaken by the great blast from behind. Both of them were fall with their weapons off, while Marius and those kids just shocked by the blast. Then three of them rushed out to see what has happened. And there, under the clear blue they saw a black winged shadow haunted them with the black-jacketed rider sat on it like reaper on his winged steed.
“Not him again, I thought Scarlett had already done with him.” said Eorin.
“Believe me those brothers wouldn’t dim their Spheres till their target is dead.” replied Marius.
“You know him?” asked Aska.
“His name is Flamberg, older brother of the ice man inside. He’s proficient in using all Spheres of fire element and his valia was the greatest among the other, that’s why he never sheathed a sword, yet." said Marius as he thought of something.
“Any idea how we deal with them?” asked Aska.
“Why don’t you turn into Gryphonite and go fight with them?” said Eorin.
“Ten years we’re together, what makes you think I could beat something like that?” said Aska, as he pointing the Wyvern with his thumb.
“I think that’s pretty good idea.” said Marius.
“It is?” said Eorin.
“Are you mad? Few days ago I had being chased to almost death by Zimeth I don’t want that happened again by different dragon.”
“Chill kid! Just take me close to them, after that fly wherever you like.” said Marius “And you young lady evacuate all of them to the foremost, though I believe they’ve already moved with the Wyvern shooting back all the time.
“How about Scarlett and Rey?” asked Eorin.
“Scarlett can deal with him. I’m sure they both will safe.” said Marius.
Now the floor filled up with shattering ice. Scarlett tried to get up while Iceberg rose and fall. His leg wounded by the sharp ice of his own which now began to melting red due to his blood. But something concerned him more rather than ice in his feet was his ice scimitar lying beside her feet along with her strange sword.
Scarlett took both swords at her feet and with ice sword she thrust green blob on the ceiling to the green gel frozen. Rey wrapped in cold till Scarlett break the green ice and he fell to the floor with a bang.
“Are you all right?” asked Scarlett. Rey who was slumped on the floor looked up and before him stood dashing a woman in black outfit wielding two swords like heroine in the great epic.
Suddenly the windows shadowed by the Wyvern flying beside them. Flamberg was shocked when he glanced inside the windows. Looked in his eyes a red-haired woman wielded ice sword which belong to his brother and before him someone lied down with shattered ice around. Flamberg thought that his brother was already killed by that woman, he doesn’t know that the one lied before her was Rey. He was furious and mad, all the Spheres glowing on his arm as if he wanted to unleash all fire he had. The dragon he commands without a word and once again the white flare arose in the throat. This time he will devastated the train within the woman who, he thought, killed his brother.
Suddenly, the darkness came upon them and the white flare became brighter under the dim shadow. The black-jacketed rider looked up and he saw a great bird eclipsed the sun. And behold, out of shadow Marius jumped out at him, and he stabs his curved sword swiftly downward. Strong the thrust was, the sword pierced through the saddle and went deep into dragon’s back and with a cries the white flare unleashed to the bridge where the train crossing.
A great blast destroys the rail-bridge and tore the second-last car to split apart. And the last car, where Scarlett and Rey were, derailed to the edge and fall down into the ravine. All inside the car was shaken as the car bounces down until it halted by two sides of the cliff, but as it happens, both Rey and Iceberg thrown out of the windows and falling down. Iceberg immediately threw something at the cliffs and at once a great slab of ice stretched forth of two cliffs to create an ice plate. Both of them fell on the cold surface, wounded and fatigued, so fatigued that Rey slipped at the first stand.
At the same moment in the sky Flamberg has kicked Marius to fell. But Marius seems doesn’t want to give up easily, as he lying down on the wind he shoot a spark of lightning, not to the rider but to the sword which stuck in the saddle. The Wyvern cried in pain which filled across the sky and with that the winged beast swirl down unsteadily. Into the woods the dragon fall and lied over the broken trees with wings outspread.
The great eagle broad his wings and gave his back to catch Marius. Aska flew over the train which has slow down its speed while Marius looked back towards the broken woods. No sign of Flamberg nor sound of his dragon but he knew that the enemies wouldn’t give up till they finished their target.
***
>
Scarlett stood with pain. For a moment she was confused about where she is with all the darkness before her eyes. Then she recalls for what was happened before, an hour ago she was sitting at the table with three teenagers and peoples with cheerful faces and bright as the morning light that pierce through the windows. Until one man came and tried to kill them, assist by black-jacketed dragon rider which turned everything into a mess. Now the carriage looks deserted and gloomy, all ruined with melting ice and dust. Chairs and tables stand on her right and she stood on no floor but at the frame of broken windows. Suddenly she’s surprised when looking down to the ravine below. Two figures stood over a crystal clear as if they’re floating between two cliffs, and she saw one of them shot fireballs toward the other.
Down there Rey tried to fight Iceberg. Many flames he shot but that man easily repel his magic with just a hand as if swaying small insect. From how he shoot Iceberg realized that the young man in front of him was an amateur, no he was less than that, he was just a kid who could be pushed around. However it doesn’t made his desire to kill become lesser. No matter who he are, whether pros or just little kid he wouldn’t hesitate to kill them. From his hand a long chunk of ice sticking out like blade, rough and irregular but sharp at the edge and point.
That man stride like an angel of death who would drag him into the dark and cold world. He was trembled, whether by the cold ice he stepped on or by the tremendous fears he felt. For the first time in his life he ever felt close to death. But he doesn’t surrender easily, all lightning and fire he cast to stop the enemy but all were in vain. All his fire nullified in his cold hand and the ice he wielded seems sharper as he got closer. Rey didn’t know what he had to do to stop the man in front of him, till he stumbled and saw a knife sticking in the cracked surface. Saw that something come up to his mind, down he look at the ice surface which look like glass floor then he look behind. What he will do may stop the enemy but it will also endanger him if he made a mistake. He then took the knife and hiding it behind his back, slowly he retreated to make more distance from Iceberg till his preparation complete.
On the other side Iceberg just smirked seeing his opponent cornered. And like he expected that boy desperately throw a glowing knife at him, and his throw was frail and lousy so he just step aside to evade it. But strange, the young man before him doesn’t look fear at all like he showed before instead he looked at him with courage, and it wasn’t the courage by despair like people who trying to survive on the verge of death but it was a true courage, a courage that arise by confidence. Suddenly he was startled by the sound of boom behind him. It was little blast just like big fireworks, however that’s not something he concerned about but the crack spreads under his feet which at once broke to bring him falling down. For a second everything as Rey expected till the crack going further and chasing him. He tried to run but it was in vain, just few steps and the ice he stepping on brought him down into ravine.
However, when death seemed certain for him, under the interstice of the sky Scarlett flew down like angel down from heaven to save him. She dives fast among cliffs and winds followed by tens of tons carriage above her.
Even as he falling down, even when the death waiting below, his pride won’t let him to lose in the hand of a boy. And so with all dignity remains on him Iceberg gather all his magic into one palm and created one blue crystal of frost as the last present for his enemies. He threw it upward into a boy upon him, it glowing soft in blue but the air surround become heavier and colder as if there’s ethereal snowstorm.
But in the slick chance and time – before the blue crystal touch him, Scarlett managed to capture Rey’s hand and at once bring him teleport with her. Both of them vanished in the air before his eyes and the blue crystal hit the falling car to the entire car rapidly covered with great hoarfrost like thousand of frost blades spread on it.
“Hell we go!” said Iceberg with bitter smile looked at the car which falling toward him now.
***
All of sudden everything turned dark. The face of red-haired woman under the gleam of sunlight and beautiful blue suddenly turned into nothing but blackness, and at once he loses her hand and rolled up to hit something, don’t know what it is but it looks like rotten wood and damp. Soon he felt the ground was shaken, and yet it was not earthquake but like something hitting the earth as though there’s meteor fall far away. After that he felt soft tremor on the ground beneath him with the clanging sound of metal and clinking glass around him.
“Scarlett! Are you there?!” shouted Rey.
“I'm here.” replied Scarlett. Her voice came from behind him.
Scarlett then used one of her Sphere and so the glowing light of the Sphere illuminate the room till appeared on their eyes an old kitchen. Various cookware of metal hung on their right, shaking and made clinks, so was the glasses and ceramics, it rattling as the tremble seems unending.
“Where are we?” said Rey.
“House maybe and looks like it has been long abandoned ... gosh it stinks.” said Scarlett while covering his nose.
The red-haired women then took a Sphere from her pocket. Something like tulip was sealed inside and in the dim light his eyes like caught some luminous spot inside it, wonder what creature sealed inside. She detached one Sphere in her gauntlet and replaced it with that Sphere. Then she raised a hand and suddenly a blue orb of light kindled out of her hand, floating over her palm like a big blue firefly and illuminating them in the bold darkness.
Later they exit the room and walked down the corridor. The floor look made from marble, broken vases and pieces of sculptures scattered on the floor. The walls are filled with various painting and unique chandelier, old but timeless. And each door had carved with the finest shape though few have moldered.
That house was spacious enough, long way of corridor and many doors, seems they weren’t step on the common size of house but more to mansion. Suppose not abandoned certainly it was very beautiful and luxurious.
Later they found themselves in the main hall. It was great in size and contained many different types of ornaments, relics and artwork, though few of them become nothing but ruin and shards. Red carpet, worn and dirty, filled with mud and dirt, covered the entire floor and lined along to the wide curved staircase which lead to the balconies on the upper level. Facing the entrance there’s a large painting in the wall, a picture of fat man with red chevron sitting on the chair of luxury. Although it was only painting in the dimness but his eyes and grin shows that the man in the frame has a bold cunning on him.
“This is strange.”
“What’s strange?” asked Rey
“This house.” answered Scarlett.
“Except dirty and ruined, I thought there’s nothing strange about this house.”
“Not that. We fall off from the cliff right?”
“We did, even the feeling still on me.” replied him, as he couldn’t let off his tense and tremble.
“Did you ever see a house within ten meters when we fall?” asked Scarlett.
“No, why?” replied him.
“Silverhare Sphere that bring us here could only do teleportation as far as ten meters, couldn’t be more than that. But now we stranded in a big haunted house which impossible to exist around the cliff.”
“Then where we are now?”
“Don’t know but we’ll find out soon.”
Chapter 16
The Lost City
The train had stopped and the crowd ran out of the train to see what have happened. The bridge has broken, one car torn apart with the part still left on the train and one other falling down to the ravine, fortunately all passenger there had been evacuated.
Suddenly they startled by piercing voice at the sky, above them a giant eagle swoop down with a man on his back. Aska flying low very close to the ground and with sudden move he spins to drop Marius down. Then he flying up to the sky with a long shrill piercing the winds and again he swoop down with the wings stretched a
s if cleaved the ravine. Deftly he flew between both sides of the cliff which getting narrowed for him.
As he flew between two sides of the cliff suddenly he transformed into Amarok. The big horned-wolf jumped down on the edge of the cliff, swiftly and agile as if he was against the gravity. When he reached the bottom of the ravine he found the wrecked car, chunk and shards scattered all around it and the ground covered by melting ice. His wild eyes searching around the car, and suddenly he ran with worry as he saw a hand beneath it. But soon he felt relieved, for the hand was too big and muscular both for Rey or Scarlett. However his heart felt uneasy once again as something troubled him, for he didn’t also find the signs of both of them.
Fear and prejudice fell upon all passengers especially those who sat in the same car with Eorin and friends. They talked and asked one another about what had happened. They told about an ice man with his ice scimitar and wolves of his summoning, their finger pointing to the sky telling how Wyvern flew above them and cannoned their train. And like the one who carried a problem on them, they also pointed at the young girl whom stands at the edge of the cliff while she calling her friends.
And when Eorin looked down into pressing cliffs and a seemingly bottomless ravine, suddenly Aska jump out of the cliff. That huge wolf make people ran in panic and they’re crowding to get into the train first.
“Did you find them?” asked Eorin with worry.
The great wolf like vanished into dust or turned into haze of blackness, so was in their sight. At once appears of it, a young man with spiky hair. Passengers whom has been scared and panic get calm when they knew that it was just a beast shape of the Volk tribe, some of them even shouted 'It's just Volk!’ to relieve the others.
“I couldn’t find them, they’re gone.” said Aska.
“What do you mean? Are they dead?” Eorin looks worried.
“I don’t think so. I just found that ice man at the bottom, piled by the carriage. While Rey and Scarlett they’re gone somewhere.”
“Gone?”
“Their smell … I don’t know, it’s like their being vanished in the air.”
