by E. J. Krause
"Are we sure this isn't a normal guard power?" Cassie asked. "I mean, how often are we separated from one another by an entire dimension? I'm guessing most couples would answer zero, and those that don't can count the times on one hand."
Lee opened his mouth to answer, but Andi beat him to it.
"It's not. If we're separated, we have to figure it out alone. Well, not me and Ben, it looks like, but every other dragon and guard."
Cassie nudged Ben and jerked her thumb at Andi. "See? Know-it-all."
He fought to keep a straight face. "Shouldn't we be glad she remembered to look it up?"
Cassie snorted. "I guess we should chalk one up in the win column."
Andi rolled her eyes and turned to her father. "Dragon Guards," she muttered.
"Indeed," Lee answered with a quick sigh.
"Anyway," Lee said, "Alexandria is right, which is why we should track down a teacher of sorts."
"Do you know anyone who can help him?" Andi asked.
Her dad waved his hand. "As I said, after. Let's worry about surviving this ordeal first. We have two more worlds to go, not to mention our showdown with the Nightmare Syndicate."
"I don't suppose either of you worry about eating too much chocolate," Cassie said. "That's a nightmare I could handle right now."
"I wish," Andi said. "I know what mine is going to be, and I'm not looking forward to it."
Ben frowned at that, first at not knowing what her nightmare would be when he should, but also at having no clue what his own would be. Andi clutched his hand, and he decided not to dwell on it for the moment.
They took the path back to the wall, and this time it proved even shorter. They bypassed an open treasure chest filled with gems and jewelry, though Ben felt the strain and turmoil inside Andi as they did. He thought for sure he was going to have to grip her tight to keep her moving forward, but she did a great job in restraining herself. Once they bested the treasure, a young couple with two infants in their arms stepped out of the woods and begged for help against a blood-thirsty tribe of goblins. Their cries and pleas continued until the gigantic wall came into sight. Lee pulled out the map, and the gate appeared.
"Everyone ready?" he said, and they nodded. As soon as they were through, movement assaulted Ben. They were on a train, and not any train, but one that looked like it belonged in the old west.
Oh, crap.
"What is it?" Andi asked, gripping his arm and looking around for trouble.
"This is my nightmare. We're heading at top speed towards a cliff."
"Great," Cassie said. "More cliffs with no dragon safety net."
Lee stepped over to the window and peered out. They were in what Ben figured was the caboose of the train. It looked like a sitting room that wasn't decorated much or kept all that clean, but it was a luxury here with its carpeted floor and loveseat-sized couch, threadbare though it was.
"No sign of the end of the line," Lee said. "But we do seem to be moving at quite a clip."
"Where are we?" Cassie asked.
"We're in the middle of a desert landscape with nothing in sight but sand, cacti, and rocks. The engine looks like I remember from back in the 1800's. A new antique, you might say."
"Waxing poetic now?" Cassie asked.
Despite the fact that he knew the end of the line was coming, Ben couldn't help but grin at the lazy, happy smile that crossed Lee's face. "I always loved this time period. Remember when we visited Tombstone, Andi? We rode a train just like this to get there."
"You were in Tombstone?" Ben asked, looking at Andi. "Did you see Jessie James or Billy the Kid or anyone like that?"
"Let's just say the stories spun now are exaggerated. It was a sleepy little town when we were there."
"Pretty much," Cassie said. "I even bought a pair of pearl-handled six-shooters for the occasion, but they never saw the light of day."
"And I'm still not sure if you're happy about that or not," Lee said.
"I'd be a part of the Old West lore if I had needed them, I can tell you that much."
Ben had a feeling this reminiscing could go on for hours, and as much as he'd like to hear about it, this wasn't the time. "Guys, remember, we're heading for a cliff."
"I still don't see it," Lee said, "but I suppose you're right. We should get moving."
Andi put an arm around his waist. "How come this is your nightmare? I've never heard you wake up talking about something like this."
"It's from a movie I saw with my parents when I was a kid. Mom and Dad loved it and said it was from their childhood."
"What movie?"
"It was the scene near the end when the train hit the end of the tracks and crashed down into the rocky canyon below."
"And the movie was?" Cassie asked, drawing out the "was" to get him to answer.
"You guys are going to laugh at me."
"Better than the smack upside the head we're going to give you if you keep this up," Lee said.
"It was Back to the Future 3."
No one laughed, but they all wore bewildered expressions. Cassie was the first to speak.
"Ben, honey, you know that was a comedy, right?"
"How could Back to the Future give you nightmares?" Andi asked. "Those movies were awesome."
"I don't know. I was young. The train sequence freaked me out."
"No matter," Lee said. "Let's get this over with." He pulled out the map and they examined it. In addition to the caboose, there were two passenger cars, a baggage car, a coal car, and the engine. The exit looked to be through the smokestack or right underneath it.
"Somehow I'm guessing this won't be an easy jaunt to the front and out," Cassie said, and everyone murmured their agreement.
Ben glanced at the door that led to the next car. His powers buzzed, telling him there was danger, but nothing imminent. He took that to mean if they were careful, they'd be okay. He relayed this to everyone, and they crowded around the door. Lee pushed the caboose door open and reached across to open the one that led to the passenger car. He jumped inside, followed by Cassie, then Andi, and finally Ben.
Most of the seats were filled by scared passengers, though he couldn't see why. That answer didn't take long to materialize. Two burly gunslingers, both with black cowboy hats and red bandanas covering the bottom half of their faces, sauntered into the car from the front door, their guns pointed at Ben and his group.
"I suggest you sit down before we make an example out of you," one of the gunslingers drawled. There were two unoccupied bench seats in the back, and they took them. Though they needed to hurry to the front, there was no reason to be foolish about it. Once they were down, the gunslingers gave a nod and turned their attention elsewhere.
Cassie leaned forward and whispered something into the ear of the gentleman in front of her. He whispered something back. Their conversation went on for about half a minute, and then she brought the news to them.
"He says it's a band of vicious train robbers. They're notorious for robbing passenger trains. Sounds like there are a bunch of them right now in the baggage car taking everything of value. I asked why they'd rob passenger trains instead of bank and commerce trains, but he didn't have an answer."
"That's the Realm of Dreams for you," Lee muttered.
"What are we going to do?" Andi asked.
Ben flicked his wrists, and his sword and shield transformed into a pair of six-shooters, though he had a feeling they'd shoot a lot more than six shots. The same would go for the bad guys, too, so he'd have to be careful.
"We need to get out of here before we plunge off the cliff. Hold tight. I'll take care of the two up front."
Before anyone could protest, he fell to his belly and crawled under the seats. Though there was a forest of legs in his way, he had a path to the front. He tried not to touch anyone so he wouldn't alarm them, but when he did, they quieted down quick enough. They wanted this band of outlaws taken out, too.
Once he reached the front seats, which were unoccupied,
he found he had a clear shot at the bandits. All he had to do was push himself out from under the seat, get into position, and pull the triggers. These guns were still his sword and shield, so he should be an ace with them. Hopefully. He took a deep breath, rolled onto his back with his feet towards the bad guys, and fired at their chests. Both shots went wide, though luckily didn't hit any of the innocent passengers. So his proficiency with his weapons didn't cross over to these guns. Good to know. Hopefully he'd survive this to make use of that knowledge.
Both bandits unholstered their guns and aimed at him. He got off two more shots, but this time the bullets blasted through the roof. More shots rang out, and Ben clutched his eyes shut and grit his teeth. Pain didn't hit. The passengers let out a collective gasp, and he allowed himself a peek. The two bandits lay dead, their brains dripping down the front wall of the car. Cassie winked at him and twirled one of her pistols around her finger.
Andi rushed to his side and helped him up. "Maybe you should stick to swords and magic."
He scowled. "I'll be fine. I know how they kick now."
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You and Mom take out the bad guys in the next car, while Dad and I get these people out of the line of fire."
"Sounds like a plan."
"And Ben?"
"Yeah?"
"Try not to shoot yourself." She was kidding (mostly), but he still shook his head at her.
He and Cassie opened the door leading to the next car while Andi and Lee herded passengers into the caboose to make room for the rest. As soon as Ben stepped in, a bullet whizzed past his head and lodged into the door frame. He ducked into the laps of a man and woman sitting in the back row, while screams rang out from all over the car. Cassie fired off a half-dozen shots in quick succession, and then ducked down with him. The couple whose space they invaded didn't argue since both sat frozen with fear.
"I got two, but there are two left," she said. "They ducked behind the front row of seats. You rush up there and flush them out before they start shooting. I don't want them hitting any of the passengers. Some might be real people dreaming this. I'll cover you. Stay low, okay?"
"Got it." He rolled off the laps of the people in the seat and said, "Sorry about that."
The woman, a pretty girl probably not much older than him, blushed and smiled, while the man, likely her husband, though he was at least ten years older, grunted something indecipherable. Ben kept his head below the top of the seats and prepared to dash to the front, his hands gripping his pistols tight. He looked to Cassie to see if she was set.
"Ben, don't pull your triggers unless absolutely necessary. We don't need your bullets obliterating an innocent skull, either."
He sighed. No one had any faith in him. Instead of arguing, he said, "Ready?" and she nodded. He dashed to the front as fast as he could in a crouch, spun, and skidded on his butt into the front wall of the car, his guns pointed out to both sides of seats. It startled one bandit, who leapt to his feet and was promptly put down with a head shot from Cassie. The other kept his cool and moved his gun on Ben. Instead of firing a bullet, a burst of energy transferred from Ben's hand into the gun and blasted the bandit. He slumped over, dead.
Cassie rushed up and saw the outlaw laid out with a burnt chest. "Good, you're better with magic than that gun. Maybe you should turn those back into your sword and shield. That shield will stop any bullet."
"Really? What's it made of?"
She gave him a look. "You want that story now?"
Before he could fire off a comeback, an apologetic wave flashed from Andi. He looked up, saw her at the back of the car, and then his head exploded in agony.
"Sorry, but you need to know this. There are four more plus the leader. The four will be in the baggage car, while the leader is up in the engine. Good luck."
"Thanks," he said, and the headache went away.
"Well?" Cassie asked.
"We can expect four in the next car and the leader in the engine."
"Good." She gave him a wink. "I'm glad Andi relayed the message instead of Lee."
"Yeah, it was terrific."
Before they moved to the door, he flicked his left wrist and had his shield back. He kept the gun in his right, confident he could be effective with it, despite what Cassie thought. She noticed, but didn't say anything.
As they moved to the door, Andi and Lee pulled the remaining passengers out to the back car and caboose. They'd be up here with him and Cassie soon, and he wanted to make sure these bandits were dead before that. He had no clue what bullets would do to the dragons' scales, and didn't want to find out.
"They had to have heard the commotion," Cassie said, "so they'll be waiting to ambush us. Go in with your shield up, and I'll be right behind you, blasting away."
They burst into the baggage car. Somehow these bandits hadn't heard anything because each looked up in surprise from the luggage they were pawing through. Cassie opened fire and all four dropped dead. They picked their way to the front of the car, which had bags, clothes, shoes, hats, and all kinds of other things strewn about. Good thing this was only a dream world because the real nightmare for these people would be getting all their belongings back. As they reached the front, Andi and Lee joined them.
"I'm guessing the gang leader will be a demon or some other sort of tough-to-beat being," Lee said.
Cassie nodded. "And bullets to the head probably won't be enough to stop it."
"So what do we do?" Andi asked.
Ben flicked his wrist, transforming his gun back into his trusty sword, and shrugged. "Wing it," he said, and started for the front of the train.
"Yes, what the boy said," Lee said.
Up ahead, in the train's engine, the leader of this so-called notorious gang stood, and, honestly, Ben wasn't impressed. He didn't look like a demon or any other supernatural creature. Looks could be deceiving, but he had figured on more.
As they climbed along the edge of the coal car between the engine and the rest of the train, a sign blasted by that caught his attention. "Bridge out. End of the line. Ten miles." At the rate they were traveling, they'd cover that distance in a matter of minutes.
The leader tipped his hat. "Congratulations on besting my crew. If you four would like to join forces, seek me out. If you survive, of course. Good luck." With that, he lifted his fingers to his lips and blew a shrill whistle. A horse, running faster than should be possible, positioned itself beside the train, allowing the gang leader to jump onto its back. They peeled off and out of sight.
"What was that about?" Cassie asked. "And how was his horse moving so fast? That's impossible."
"So is turning your knives into pistols with the flick of your wrist," Lee said.
She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Did anyone else see that we have less than ten miles before the end of the line?" Andi asked.
"Yeah," Ben said. "Let's hurry and stop this thing. Then we can get out of here."
They climbed into the control deck of the engine and found the engineer crumpled against the controls, his brains splattered all over from a point-blank gunshot. Though Ben knew nothing about how trains worked, even he could tell these controls were wrecked beyond fixing. It looked like an axe had been taken to them. Everyone else came to the same conclusion. There was no stopping this speeding train.
Lee pulled out the map and they saw the exit was for sure down the smokestack. He and Cassie were closest.
"Go," Ben said. "We'll be right behind you." They nodded and climbed up. Ben looked out, and though it was still a ways in the distance, the incomplete bridge was coming up fast.
Andi pulled on his arm. "Come on, we need to get out of here."
"No, wait. What if these are real people having nightmares. If we bail out, they'll still plummet to their death. We have to save them."
She opened her mouth to protest, but then let out a deep breath. "Okay. What do we do?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe we can unhook the cars from the engine.
"
"Do you know how?"
He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and zipped past onto the coal car. "Not a clue, but we'll figure it out."
They moved past the coal car and landed between it and the baggage car. Ben was well aware how fast the end of the line was coming, but this needed to be done. He looked down to where the cars were hooked together. There had to be a way to separate them, an easy way if movies and television shows were to be believed, but at first glance, he didn't see the answer, and he didn't have time.
"Can you see how it's done?" he asked.
"No. Hurry. We're almost to the bridge."
"I'm being stupid," he muttered, and grabbed her in an embrace. He had powerful magic at his disposal, so why not use it? "Concentrate on breaking them apart. We might be able to stop the cars, too."
She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder, the trust emanating from her. He hoped it was warranted. His subconscious voice hadn't whispered this would work like it usually did, but it felt like the right move. Who knows? Maybe it meant he was gaining a handle on this magic thing. He told the cosmos to unhook the baggage car from the coal car and to keep the passengers safe. An energy exploded off the two of them, and the unmistakable click of the cars unhinging greeted them.
"You did it!"
"No, we did it. I couldn't have done it without your added power."
"Whatever. Look, the cars are even slowing down."
He reached out with his thoughts, and something told him the passengers would be fine. As far as he knew, it was his own imagination, but he didn't think so. He grabbed her hand, and they hurried back to the engine and its smokestack.
As they climbed to the roof of the engine, they were seconds away from the unfinished bridge. Andi transformed to her half-dragon self, saying she was stronger and more agile in that form. She leapt, grabbed the edge, and pulled herself up. She dropped to her scaly belly and put out her arm for him to grab onto. "Hurry," her voice sang into his mind. They hit the bridge and roared on towards the end. The bridge went out about fifty feet over a steep canyon and then stopped.
