Tail of the Dragon

by Timothy Reihm

  Chapter 13

  ‘Gadreel, are you sure about this?’ Ariel asked as they crept out onto the platform overlooking the large gymnasium.

  Gadreel motioned for Ariel to be quiet as they walked along the exposed path leading to the scoring booth. They continued on above the heads of a small group of spectators. Once inside the small structure, they relaxed slightly. From this vantage they watched the combatants practice without any real danger of being seen. The shadows of the unlit box provided the perfect cover for clandestine observation. The two friends took seats at the scorers’ table.

  Helel and Gabriel sparred in a corner of the gymnasium, with Pharzel working out nearby. Pharzel was practicing with the short telmid that they had seen get taken down by a neglected rucksack several weeks prior. It soon became apparent that the bag had been a bigger challenge. Every frantic attack that their housemate attempted resulted in a red or yellow scoring blow for his diminutive opponent.

  Helel and Gabriel were much more evenly matched. Their skill was obvious to even the untrained observer. Long, ferocious sequences fell between sporadic scoring blows, which appeared to fall equally for each opponent. Soon they had attracted more than a few observers, some of who cheered after particularly intense exchanges.

  ‘So this is your plan Gadreel? Sitting up here for hours?’

  ‘Patience. Helel said something about tonight and he made it apparent that he didn't wish to be overheard. If they are heading to Azazel’s, we are not going to miss them. They will have ordered a chariot if they are going there. We just have to watch and wait.’

  ‘I hope you are right. We will feel pretty silly if we end up spending the whole evening spying on Azazel as he sips yayin.’

  Given how little they knew about the meetings, they had to take a chance. They didn't have a schedule, format, or even a definitive location. But they were determined to find out what was going on. Since he had seen Azazel attempting to sabotage Ariel in class, Gadreel thought of nothing else. What would cause a trainer to do that to one of their students? And the fact that their own housemates excluded them from this made it all the worse? It gave him a strange sensation to know that the friends they lived with were withholding useful knowledge from them.

  Below, Helel and Gabriel began removing their protective gear and packing up their equipment. After several minutes, Pharzel did the same.

  'This is it,' Gadreel said and leapt up.

  The two retraced their steps back down the walkway to the corridor that ran around the wall at the top of the auditorium and offered access to the numerous balconies that rimmed the exterior of the structure, providing great views of the campus below. As they exited the narrow bridge, a loud voice caused them to stop short.

  'You two. What are you doing up here?'

  They turned in unison and watched as a lean angel approached them with a quick stride.

  'Observing practice,' Ariel answered. 'We were curious about the sport and interested in seeing some live sparring.'

  'There are thousands of seats below. Why are you creeping around up here? This area is off limits.'

  'We didn't realize,' said Gadreel truthfully. 'We just thought there would be a better view up here.'

  'Are you interested in competing?' the angel asked, tone changing suddenly.

  'We’re considering it, sir. We’re sorry if we trespassed where we shouldn't.'

  'And you are Ariel and Gadreel. I am Dartinel and I help manage the rapinere program at the academy. I would be happy to show you the rest of the facilities and introduce you to some of the participants.'

  'Sir, that is kind, but we are late for an appointment. We would love to get a tour some other time, however,' Gadreel answered and grabbing Ariel's arm, began walking toward the balcony that they had marked out earlier.

  'I hope we didn't miss them,' Ariel said.

  As the two scanned the courtyard far below, it did appear that they had missed their opportunity. Although the open area was full of telmid and angels congregating in small groups, their housemates were nowhere to be seen. Just as he started to suggest they give up, Gadreel spotted them boarding a chariot near the main entrance of the library. He let out a long whistle and within seconds their chariot was hovering next to them.

  They hopped in and headed off to the south. If their housemates were heading toward a secret meeting, they would most likely travel directly towards the western gates, then straight north to Azazel’s estate. Gadreel flew them further south and did not make the turn until they reached the wall. His plan was to approach the estate from the mountainous side. That should provide the safest route without being seen.

  It took them just over an hour to cover the distance. They traveled just above the tree line as they approached Azazel's property and found a small clearing by a stream to land in.

  The tall trees grew so thick on the foothills that only small glimpses of the sky above peaked through. Ariel, who had an exceptional sense of direction, led the way.

  ‘Once we reach the top of the hill, we should be close,’ Ariel whispered.

  The only sound, besides the muffled rhythm of their footsteps, was the wind through the treetops. They reached the top of their climb, but found that the trees limited visibility to just a few cubits in any direction. They navigated a flat section on top of the hill, and then began to descend the other side.

  ‘There! Over by those hedges. That is the border of Azazel’s yard.’

  They slipped up to the edge of the tall bushes.

  ‘I can’t see through this thing. Let’s go down it until we find a gap,’ Gadreel said and led the way. They crept along examining the fortress of dense foliage, probing carefully every few feet. After traveling several cubits down the hedge without success, they spotted a small opening, along the ground. Ariel dropped on all fours and began crawling into the bush. It was just high enough to allow him to crawl through with minimal scratching. He crawled inside until entombed in the shrub, when a wall of green confronted him. He pushed gently on this obstacle and smiled as it gave way.

  'I think this goes all the way through,' he whispered back over his shoulder.

  He detected a grunting noise that sounded like it was coming from the other side of the bush. He paused and held his breath, straining to hear. Nothing. He raised his hand and began pushing on the fir bough. He stopped, listening intently. He heard the sound again, but found it difficult to isolate the direction, or its authenticity. Perhaps it was his imagination. He pressed forward and pushed the overhanging branches out of the way.

  Gadreel was just bending to follow Ariel into the hedge when his friend jumped out of the small passageway, knocking Gadreel backward.

  'A dragon,' Ariel hissed and raced away, down the path they had followed.

  Gadreel cautiously approached the tunnel that Ariel had just exited. He listened for a second before bending. He looked into the darkness of the passage, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim interior. He noticed a slight movement ahead, but couldn't make it out. Suddenly, a large scaly head pressed through the thicket and a forked tongue shot out of the toothless mouth.

  He caught up with Ariel, sitting at the base of a tree. 'I met your friend, the dragon,' he said with a halfhearted chuckle.

  'Where did that thing come from?'

  'It is probably Azazel's pair bond.'

  'Seems appropriate to me,' Ariel replied. 'Do you think he will give us away? I mean, how smart are those things?'

  'Not sure. But I don't know if we will get another chance at this, so I guess we will have to risk it.'

  'Fine. But how do you suggest we get a view of what is going on in there?'

  Gadreel thought for a second before pointing above them. 'Want to climb a tree?'

  Gadreel climbed first, finding a fat branch several cubits above the level of the hedge that offered a view of most of the yard and onto the back patio. Ariel followed and found a branch just below his friend's.

  ‘Shhh. You are making t
oo much noise.’ Gadreel whispered. ‘There they are.’ He motioned towards the porch as a group of arella filed out of the house. Azazel led the way, followed by Helel, Gabriel, Pharzel, Molochel and three others.

  'Who are they?' Ariel asked.

  'Baal, Marduk, and Ornias,' Gadreel answered.

  'When did you meet them?'

  'I didn't. It's just getting easier to see auras.'

  They spent a few minutes standing in a group around Azazel, though the pair could not overhear their conversation. Before long the group descended the stairs leading off of the back porch and spread out in a large circle. Azazel handed Gabriel a softly glowing disk that he extended out in front of him. Gabriel walked into the circle and stood solidly. Helel walked to the opposite side facing his friend, a slight smirk appearing on his handsome face. Suddenly, Helel clapped his hands together once and a bright bolt of lightning split the circle between the two. The blast cracked like a loud whip as it struck the shield Gabriel held. The force of the blow sent Gabriel reeling, knocking him violently onto the ground.

  ‘Did you see that?’ Ariel looked shocked at what he had just seen. ‘How did he do that?’

  ‘I don’t know, but it looks powerful. Why would they be learning things like this outside of class? What are they training for?’ Gadreel had more questions in his mind, but now at least one of his had been answered. This was no social event at their instructor's estate. These were skills more advanced than anything they learned at the academy.

  Another cracking sound and bolt of energy shot out from Helel’s hands, this time pulverizing a large boulder that Azazel had placed on the lawn. Ariel edged out further on the branch, trying to get a better view. He peered intently at his housemate, trying to understand what elements created that maelstrom. He thought he sensed some type of hydrogen-based reaction, but didn't comprehend how the molecular bonds were being manipulated. A loud crack sounded, but this one came from underneath him, and the branch gave way.

  Gadreel heard the sound of the branch breaking and reacted instantly. His hand shot out, fingers closing around the fabric of Ariel's collar as the branch cracked. The full weight of his friend hit his clenched fist. For a moment, his arm threatened to give way under the pressure, but he recovered and pulled. Ariel managed to grab a branch and their combined efforts allowed him to ascend.

  The disturbance did not go unnoticed by the group in the yard. They all began looking around, trying to pinpoint the noise. Gadreel and Ariel stayed still, hoping the thickness of the vegetation and the increasing darkness would conceal them.

  'Quiet everyone,' Azazel commanded.

  They watched as Helel walked up and said something to Azazel. The pair reacted instantly to the distraction and began climbing franticly. They ignored the scratches and scrapes that the increasing density of the canopy caused. As several voices approached the hedge near the tree, they again froze in place, peering below them.

  The group on the ground disappeared beneath the thick covering of leaves, but the sound of Molochel and Gabriel arguing was audible.

  'It must have been an echo,' Gabriel said.

  'Someone or something is out there,' Molochel argued.

  Suddenly an explosion of air shot up from the ground below. The limbs that they clung to moved violently at the onslaught. Gadreel almost lost his hold at the suddenness of the gale, but recovered himself. Leaves tore free of the branches in the whirlwind that surrounded them. The two clung to their perches as the onslaught began stripping away their covering.

  Gadreel began to focus on the leaves around him, trying to hold them in place with his mind. Ariel seemed to sense what he was doing and did the same. Gadreel discovered that it was fairly easy. Once he had the image locked in his mind, it required little effort to maintain. Their protective covering held.

  As suddenly as it started, the gale receded. Azazel castigated Molochel for trying to destroy his tree, but they did not relax until the group resumed practice.

  The sound training went on for at least an hour. Gadreel and Ariel perched on their elevated roosts unable to clearly hear or see the activity. For some time after the noise of the group had disappeared, they sat in the darkness, afraid to descend into a trap.

   

  Eventually they agreed to risk the descent. They climbed down slowly, careful not to disturb the quiet environs. Instead of backtracking the way they had come, they entered the woods and put as much space between them and the estate as possible. After several minutes of walking, Ariel broke the silence.

  ‘What do we do now? Should we approach them about it or ask one of our trainers?’

  ‘I don’t believe there is a rule against outside training, so I'm not even sure what we would say about it. They may be bothered more by the fact that we were spying on one of the other trainer's houses than about one of their own helping students outside of class. As far as approaching the others, I definitely think we keep quiet about this for now'

  They had no problem finding their chariot and before long were speeding to the south on their way home. It was late and Ariel realized he still had an assignment to complete, but couldn’t get the sight of those energy bolts out of his mind. So far in their training, they had learned things that he imagined being helpful for the protection of others. Being able to manipulate the elements would serve them well in their future careers, but he saw no possible use for the skills being practiced at Azazel’s estate. He recalled the times that Helel had confronted him. He had never once felt threatened. What if that agitation was backed up by the power he had seen this evening? How could anyone guard against such an attack if it ever came?