Protector

by J. A. Armitage

  “I’m not happy about this,” my father huffed to me as the rest of the group planned a route up to the trail we could see in the distance. “I agreed to come up here to atone for what the Slayers of our village did. For what I did. I didn’t pledge my allegiance to the dragons, nor did I agree to help them with further quests. Their problem with other Slayer villages is not a problem I share, and it shouldn’t be a problem you share. This has nothing to do with us.”

  “Daddy,” I cajoled, using a name for him I’d not used since I was about six years old. “This is my problem. You know it is. There’s no one else that can free the dragons but me.”

  “That’s another thing,” replied my father. “I came up here explicitly to find another way to free the dragons. I did it to save you any more suffering. All we’ve accomplished is finding more excuses for you to draw blood. I’m your father. My job is to protect you and if that boyfriend of yours had an ounce of decency, he’d not let you hurt yourself in the way you have been. Not that I expect anything else from the dragons.”

  “Actually, Sir,” said Ash, coming up behind us and making us both jump. “I would do anything to stop Julianna from hurting herself. Just because I’m trying to find all the swords to free my ancestors doesn’t mean I’m not committed to finding a way to free them without Julianna’s help.”

  Father and I both watched as he picked up the bag he’d left on the ground.

  “I forgot it,” he said holding it up. “I need it to put my clothes in.” With that, he raced back around the rock.

  A minute later, I retrieved the same pack along with two others filled with the dragons’ clothes. The three of them—a red dragon, a green dragon, and a sapphire blue dragon—soared majestically into the sky. Spear pointed toward the path we would be taking and Ash nodded before disappearing over the mountain’s peak.

  My father stomped off ahead, leaving me walking up the mountain with no one to talk to. I noticed that yet again, the group was split into three distinct sets. The Slayers, led by my father, took the front, Spear led the rest of the dragons in the middle, and the Wolvren, along with Morganna, brought up the rear. I decided to wait and walk with them as I’d had enough trying to mediate the bickering between the other two groups.

  “Your father is quite a character,” Morganna said with a wry smile. “I remember him from years ago. He was always a...”

  “Blustering idiot?” I cut in.

  Morganna laughed. “I wasn’t going to use those words exactly, but yes, it was always important to him that he get his own way.”

  The path we were taking was extremely steep, and with loose rocks beneath our feet, it made the going rough. However, the crest of the hill wouldn’t take long to reach, and then it would be downhill all the way to the other village.

  “What did you make of the Goblins?” I asked her, but it was Alpha that answered.

  “The Goblins are not to be trusted. I agree with your father. The issue with the dragons is not ours, but we will keep going because it is Morganna’s will. As soon as Morganna no longer wishes to continue, she and my fellow Wolvren will head home. I see no need for us to be here.” Morganna kissed his cheek.

  “You have been more than generous with your time and assistance,” I replied. “We would not have been able to do this without you.” It was true. The Wolvren were strong creatures and as so, they could carry more than the rest of us. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to bring the supplies we needed.

  Morganna squeezed Alpha’s hand. “I have to admit, I was not expecting to be away from the Wolvren forest for so long. I have asked so much of you, my love, and yet you’ve been so supportive.” She kissed his cheek again and I could see his chest swelling. It was obvious to me why he was climbing this mountain and it had nothing to do with saving dragons. Alpha would follow Morganna to the moon and back, but would the other Wolvren? So far, they had not complained, but now that our mission had extended, how long could I realistically expect that to last?

  I remained silent as we carried on up the hill. I ached right down to my bones; the hike was grueling as the path ahead grew steeper and steeper. The trail that Spear had seen from below was barely a trail at all, but more a patch of small rocks between the giant boulders.

  Just before we made it to the crest, a red shape flew over the horizon.

  “Ash!” I exclaimed as the flaming red dragon landed beside me.

  He nodded his head and then moved it toward his back.

  “You want me to get on?” I asked, trying to interpret his motions. He nodded.

  I climbed on his back, glad to have an excuse to get away from everyone. I’d listened to enough bickering to last a lifetime. The Slayers, dragons, and Wolvren watched us as we flew overhead and disappeared over the ridge. I was not prepared for the view on the other side of the mountain. A verdant valley stretched on for miles, kept green by the clear river that cut through the mountains, winding as far as the eye could see. Flowers grew abundantly along the banks, creating a tapestry of color below. The source of the river came from the mountain we’d just climbed over in the form of a huge, gushing waterfall which could only be seen from the other side.

  A sharp gasp escaped my lips as I took in the spectacular vista beneath us. It was a view so idyllic that it barely seemed real.

  Ash fell into a swoop, and I held on tighter lest I fall off. My heart pounded with adrenaline at the speed of our flight. I let out a scream of joy, feeling free for the first time in days. With all the walking we’d been doing, I’d missed this—the freedom of the air. I could tell that Ash was also enjoying himself as he performed rolls in the air, veering right then left.

  Up ahead, Nenno and Fox flew steadily, crisscrossing back and forth, looking for the village that Krikor spoke of.

  “We should probably help look for the village,” I shouted, laughing at the same time. I glanced behind us to see my father and the others finally reaching the ridge. We’d already flown so far, they looked like tiny dots coming over the hill with the very top of the peak to their left.

  The sun shone, glaring off the crystalline whiteness of the snow that still hugged the top of the mountain. Snow that covered the peak year-round. With the world below in disarray, I was glad to be up here in the fresh air, tasting freedom. I tore my eyes away from the stunning mountain range behind me to the beautiful valley below. I was up here to do a job, not to have fun. Despite the abundance of water, there was little sign of civilization down there. The grass below was wild, not hemmed in by small wooden fences. The only animals I spotted were a group of wild deer.

  Furthermore, I saw no signs of houses nor any type of abode. I even looked at the sides of the hills to see if there were cave-style houses like the people of Frokontas used, but there was nothing. In front of us, Nenno and Fox looked to be faring not much better.

  “We are too high up!” I shouted to Ash. “Go lower!”

  No sooner had I spoken than he dropped into a swoop again, this time not leveling out until his feet grazed the fast-flowing water of the river.

  Ash flapped his giant wings and skimmed the river beneath us as I kept an eye out for houses on the banks at either side. After ten minutes of this, Nenno swooped down to meet us. Ash veered right and landed on the river bank beside him.

  He roared something to which Ash nodded in reply. When Nenno took off, Ash followed behind. Fox soon joined us as we headed back to the mountains and our group. Without knowing what Nenno had said, I could only hold on and wait until we were back with the others. Everyone had managed to cross over the top of the ridge and were now making their way back down the other side. When the three dragons landed, I hopped down from Ash’s back and joined the group, waiting as they turned back into their human forms.

  “Did you see the village?” asked Spear. Behind him, my father arched a brow, silently asking the same question.

  “I didn’t see anything, but I think Nenno did,” I answered truthfully.

  Two minutes lat
er, the boys appeared fully dressed.

  “What did you see?” my father demanded brusquely.

  Nenno ignored his rudeness. “I saw the village in the valley,” he said, pointing toward the horizon. “But it’s too far to walk in one day, and even if we could walk that fast, the terrain is too difficult to walk over. We are going to have to turn back.”

  Chapter Five

  I could already feel tempers flaring before anyone spoke. It had been a difficult journey up the mountain. We couldn’t turn back now. The three groups were hardly the best of friends, but at least they were talking to each other. Once we were back down the mountain, I had a feeling that our new found truce would crumble after our fruitless adventure.

  “So we don’t walk!” I said before my father had a chance to speak.

  “Are you suggesting we fly?” asked Spear, casting an eye over the large group. “It’s going to take a long time to transport everyone down there one by one. It’s going to be tiring, too. There’s a lot of people and only a third are dragons.”

  “Not strong enough to carry two people on your back, then?” my father said condescendingly.

  Spear bit back. “You wanna try carrying two people on your back and walking down the mountain?” argued Spear.

  I got between the pair of them. “Actually, if we go my way, no one will have to carry anyone on their backs. Look down there.”

  I pointed down to the beginning of the valley. The waterfall had created a large pool filled with clear water which overflowed into the river that wound toward the horizon. At the edge of the pool was an old boat. I’d spotted it earlier when we flew above it, but it was only at this angle I could see exactly what it was. It wasn’t the biggest boat, but if we squeezed in, and the dragons flew ahead, we’d probably manage to fit the Slayers and Wolvren on board.

  “The river can carry us.” I gave the two men a satisfied smile and started down the steep path into the valley. I felt someone take my hand and turned to see Ash walking beside me.

  “If it wasn’t for you, those two would have killed each other long ago. They are worse than children.”

  I nodded. “Neither of them is used to letting other people be in charge. Once we sort this out, I’m hoping they become more civil to each other. I can’t be there, stopping them fighting forever.” I sighed at the thought of it. Maybe I’d been too optimistic when I thought that all the tribes could get on together.

  I cleared my mind of the past and looked out over the beautiful valley. Despite the bickering and the pain wracking my body, the view was enough to make me feel happy.

  “If I could build a house right up here and live in it for the rest of my life, looking out at that view, I’d die happy,” I said, a smile on my face. The sun beat down, warming my face. Even the weather was better at this side of the mountain.

  “If I lived in it with you, I’d die happy, too,” responded Ash. We needed no other words as we traveled down the dusty path. The pair of us was content to hold hands and enjoy the reprieve from the fighting. Even Spear and my father had quieted down.

  It took us over two hours to get down to the lake, but we managed it without incident. The noise of the waterfall thundered in my ears as we hiked around to get to the boat. It was smaller than I imagined, but it was sturdy. The dragons waited as the others got in. When it was full, those left over had to ride on the dragons’ backs. I helped push the wooden boat out and watched as it drifted lazily in the current. The dragons changed into their dragon forms while the rest of us waited. I hopped up on Ash’s back, and the others—a mixture of Wolvren and Slayers—mounted the others. Nenno took the lead and we followed, flying in formation over the river.

  Ash kept low, skimming his feet through the flowing water. My own legs were too short to reach, but the water looked so tempting I made a note to come back here one day and swim. I almost envied those who had gotten a spot in the boat. We swept past them as they lazily drifted downriver, letting the current pull them along.

  Up ahead, Nenno flew higher as the river meandered through a canyon. This was the part of the journey he’d mentioned, the part that would have been impossible to climb. It occurred to me then that once we passed through, those on the boat wouldn’t be able to get back. Even with the pair of oars I noticed, the river was flowing way too quickly to row against it.

  I tried shouting to Ash to turn back to warn them, but it was too late. We were already flying through the canyon. Behind us, the boat followed. We’d either have to somehow attach the boat to the dragons so they could pull it back upstream or we’d have to find another way back.

  The canyon’s steep walls rose vertically up from the water’s edge, towering magnificently on either side. Ash banked quickly to the left as the river curved, and below us, the boat picked up speed through the shallows as the river became much more rapid. Another steep curve and the river straightened out. The banks became lower and lower until they formed beaches which turned into green meadows full of poppies and bluebells and other wildflowers. A group of wild deer, chewing on the grass to our right, ignored us as we passed, and up ahead, I finally saw the village that Nenno had seen. Nenno and Fox were already there, circling the small group of houses. Even from a distance, I could see how pretty the village was. Tiny white houses with red-tiled roofs dotted the riverbank. The main part of the village was to the right, with approximately twenty cute little houses, and to the left four or five more. A small, black metal bridge connected both sides of the picturesque village.

  Great fields, separated by small wooden fences, surrounded the village on both sides, sweeping up into the nearby hills. As the village was so small, much smaller even than Dronias, I guessed that farming was the way the people here survived. Ash landed softly in what looked to be the village square, joining Nenno and Fox and the other dragons. I hopped down to join the Slayers and the Wolvren while the dragons changed back into their human forms.

  “Someone should go to the riverbank to let the others know where we are,” I said, noticing that the view of the river was blocked by a number of houses.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” replied Morganna. “Your father isn’t going to be happy when he sees this place. It might be better to let them carry on drifting.”

  I furrowed my brows, not quite understanding. “Why? What does this village have to do with my father?”

  “Look around you.” Morganna waved her hand toward the surrounding houses.

  They were beautiful, so much prettier than anything in my own village. Vibrant flowers grew in boxes at almost every window, although many were overgrown with weeds threatening to take over. Why would they grow flowers and not bother to weed the flower boxes? It was then that I realized what Morganna meant. The village was deserted. Now that I’d realized it, it was hard to believe I’d not noticed straight away. It was eerily quiet and none of the chimneys were smoking. One of the nearby house’s front doors was hanging open. Inside, the room was bare.

  I closed my eyes, wondering how my father was going to react. I didn’t have to wait long. As Spear and the other dragons emerged from one direction, now changed and fully dressed, the people from the boat came from the other.

  “Where are the swords, then?” my father asked jovially, his loud voice cutting through the terrified silence.

  Xander was the first to speak. As my father’s oldest friend, perhaps he was the only one that dared tell him. “The village is deserted.”

  My father regarded Xander as though he was joking and when he saw that he wasn’t, cast his eyes around the small square.

  “What?” asked Spear. “You are kidding, right?”

  Xander shook his head. We all watched as my father went to the nearest house and kicked the door in. I wasn’t sure whether to be glad there was no one living there or upset by his rudeness. The inevitable roar came soon after.

  My father barreled back out of the house, his face set in a menacing stare. “That’s it. I’ve had enough of this. You...”
He pointed at Spear. “This is your fault.”

  “Don’t take that tone with me. I didn’t make you come up the mountain.”

  My father stormed across the square to Spear. “I was promised we would find swords. I was also promised we’d find a way to deal with them so my daughter wouldn’t have to mutilate herself to save your people.”

  Spear puffed up his chest and raised his fists. My father took a similar stance. As he pulled back his right arm to take a swing, Alpha jumped between them, teeth bared.

  “Why don’t we look to see if there were any swords left behind before we start punching the living daylights out of each other?” It was the most vocal he’d been on the whole trip.

  When both men agreed and Alpha went back to Morganna’s side, I thanked him quietly.

  “No problem,” Alpha sniffed. “I don’t want to be here any more than your father does, but I also don’t want to end up carrying bodies out of this place because they’ve beaten each other to a pulp. No wonder your people and the dragons fought a lot if they were all like those two.”

  I had to bite my lip from laughing at his words.

  “OK, everyone,” I shouted, “let’s split up. There are approximately twenty houses here. Less than one each. Dragons take the houses on the north side of this square, Wolvren, the houses to the south. The Slayers can check the houses over the river. We’ll all meet back here in half an hour.”

  I hated separating us into groups, but it was the only way I could ensure no one started fighting while I was checking houses. Plus it meant I could keep an eye on my hot-headed father. He stomped across the bridge, sending reverberations back down to me at the back of the group. I hoped it held out long enough for us to check the houses and get back.

  My father took the nearest house, and once again, bashed down the door. I hoped the entire village hadn’t just decided to go on a group vacation because they’d be coming back to trashed houses if they did. Jasper, Morganna, and Xander each took a house, which left me with the largest house and the one farthest away from the river.