A Dragon's Bond (13 page)

"
Thank you sir."Davin said.

Demetrius reached into his coat pocket and pulled out three tickets. He handed them to Derrick who was sitting next to him. "These are for the train in the morning." He reached into his other pocket. "This is for the trip." He handed Derrick a small fold of money.

"
Thanks Dad." Derrick tucked the tickets and the money into his pocket.

Finished with his meal, Demetrius stood up from the table and headed towards his study. "A coach will be here tomorrow to take you to the Train. I have spoken to the train master and informed him of your cargo. He has assured me that accommodations will be made for the three dragons." Demetrius then disappeared from the kitchen, heading in the direction of the study. The three kids finished eating and went outside for some air and to check on their dragons.

The morning came quicker than the three kids wanted. They all got up early even though they could have slept hours longer. They met downstairs in the entryway where Demetrius was waiting for them.

"The coach has arrived and is waiting outside." He said as they approached him. "There is a basket of food for you in the coach. I had it prepared for your trip. The train master informed me that their would be some dragon feed available for you in the cargo hold where the dragons will be as well."

The three climbed aboard the coach and they set off for the station. The dragons walked alongside the coach as it was pulled down the road. They were surrounded by fields of green grass that covered the small rolling hills on either side of them. The thick trees lined the top of the hills and the large house slowly vanished behind them as they went further down the road.

It wasn't long before they came to a small town. "This is Brentwood." Derrick said. "It's small, but has everything we needed. Not many people though. That's why my father built the house here. He does like his space from other people."

"
I didn't see your mom at the house. Is she traveling?" Chloe felt the lump in her throat when she saw Derrick's face turn down.

"
She left us about five years ago." He said. "She said, she couldn't handle family life anymore and that she had to leave. No further explanation, just that." Derrick turned around and fell silent as he stared off into the horizon.

They were met by the train master at the station. He took them to the back of the train where they loaded the dragons into a cargo car. It was empty except for the dragon feed that had already been loaded.

"
Your seats are in the car just in front of this one." He pointed to the next car up.

"
Do you mind if we ride back here?" Davin Asked.

The train master scratched his chin. "Well, I guess it really makes no difference to me where you ride. Demetrius paid for the tickets, so I guess it really doesn't matter."

Davin nodded and they all climbed into the cargo car with the three dragons. The cargo car wouldn't have the amenities of the passenger cars but it suited them just fine. The door closed behind them and the first whistle blew notifying the remaining passengers that they were about to take off. A couple of minutes went by and a second whistle blew. With a slight jerk the train was on it's way, headed towards the large city of Seaport.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE CITY OF SEAPORT

Seaport was a large city indeed. Davin and Chloe were amazed at the number of buildings that lined the streets. They could see the crowds of people hurrying along as they passed by. The streets were filled with people, much like Keep town was during the festival.

The train pulled into a large station in the center of the city. The train master had waited until all of the other passengers had cleared the train before opening the cargo door. Davin, Chloe and Derrick hopped down on to the platform. The dragons followed out in a playful manner. Stretching like cats awakening from a long lazy sleep.

Derrick walked over to the train master. " Can you tell us where to find..." He pulled out the letter his father had given him. "Lord Eldenwood?"

The train master let out a smile. "You will find his estate on the north end of town." He answered and then turned to continue on with his business.

Davin grabbed the food that Demetrius had given them and they headed off in the direction the train master had motioned towards.

"
You can't miss it." The Train Master called. "The large gray house at the very end of Port road."

Port road was the road that ran north and south through the middle of town. It ran parallel to the tracks they had come in on and was right in front of the station. They wandered up the road towards the edge of town. It was true that they couldn't miss the house the train master had spoken of. It was in fact large and gray. The outside had a sort of eerie feel. The courtyard was filled with brown dried up plants and didn't appear to be well kept. They entered the gate and walked up to the front of the house.

Davin reached up and knocked on the door a couple of times. Loud enough to easily be heard by anyone inside. They heard footsteps coming quickly towards the door. It flew open quickly and a short plump man with a bushy beard stood before them. His hair was bright orange and his eyes were pale blue. "How can I help you?" He said abruptly.

"
My father Demetrius sent us. He said you might be able to help."

The man looked over the top of his glasses at Derrick. A small smile sprung to his face. "Ah. Derrick. I didn't recognize you. You were only this big the last time I saw you." Holding his hand to his waist. "Please come in. I am afraid the dragons though, will have to wait in the courtyard."

"Sure. T
hey'll be fine out here." Derrick said as Lord Eldenwood ushered them through the door.

"
Now. What brings you all the way here. I thought you were at Dragon Keep Academy."

Derrick didn't respond immediately and simply handed him the letter from his father. Lord Eldenwood looked at him with questioning eyes. "What is this?" He questioned as he opened the letter. His eyes widened as he read. "This is troubling." He muttered to himself. "Come let us sit. It seems you have much to tell me."

In the time it had taken the three and their dragons to travel on the train to Seaport, the imp and the twelve minotaurs tracking them had made their way to Demetrius' house. They had traveled nonstop until they reached the house.

Luckily they had found it to be empty. Demetrius sensing the trouble had sent all of the servants away and had left himself. The house was ransacked and torn apart. The minotaurs turned up all the furniture and brought down a few walls. One wouldn't have thought it had just been recently lived in, the way the minotaurs left it. The imp stood furious. Knowing they had just been there. "Burn it down!" He yelled. The minotaurs worked quickly and the house was engulfed in a blaze of fire. The smoke rose high above the trees as piece by piece it began to burn away and fall apart. The group of minotaurs and the imp were hot on the trail once again, fallowing the road up to the train station.

"
Now lets discuss that book you seem to need so badly." Lord Eldenwood paced the room puffing on an old pipe filled with vanilla Cavendish. "You do know that a lot of what my father wrote about was superstition in my opinion. He did write a lot about his travels in one of his books. It's more of a journal really. There is a whole section on the Ancient One as they call it. My father was a very strange man and did lose his mind a few years before he passed. I never knew what stories of his to believe. But he was always adamant about this one."

"
Is it very detailed?" Chloe asked.

Lord Eldenwood smiled softly and took a puff from his pipe. "
Let me get it for you and you can see for yourself. You are more than welcome to borrow it. I just ask that you return it when you're done with it." He walked over to a large book shelf and immediately grabbed for one of the books. He dusted it off as he picked it up and set it down on the small table in front of the Chloe. Derrick and Davin leaned in to look as well. Chloe started slowly turning the pages until she got to the section they needed. "The Ancient One", was written in large print on an otherwise blank page. The three studied the book for about thirty minutes.

"
Do you mind if we stay here tonight? We will leave early tomorrow morning. We don't mean to be a bother." Davin said as he stood up from the table.

Lord Eldenwood had continued to smoke his pipe and was reading from another book he had picked up. "Oh, don't you worry about it. Demetrius is a very dear friend of mine. I am most honored to be able to do him a favor. You may make yourself at home. My room is at the end of the hall upstairs. That is the only place I ask that you not enter. As for the rest of the house, feel as though it is yours."

To the kids surprise, Lord Eldenwood didn't ask any questions of what had happened or even why they wanted his father's journal. He seemed to be somewhat of a quiet and reserved person. He was very much willing to answer any question they had asked as they perused the journal. Other than that, he seemed to just sit quietly reading and going on about his business as though they were not even there. He was quite intelligent and very well spoken. He seemed to have an answer for all of their questions. Speaking as though he had rehearsed the answer a thousand times.

The rest of the day The kids continued their research. They just had a feeling the journal would tell them where to find the Ancient One. There were many references to different land marks throughout the journal. It was like a map. They had borrowed one of the many atlases that were amongst the books and were carefully cross referencing everything. Finally they came to a conclusion. They had located the position of the cave, where Lord Eldenwood's father said he saw the Ancient dragon. The last part was a riddle. It simply read, "In the cave beneath the sea but not.". The final location was not exact. But based on what he had written and looking at the maps and land marks, it was off of a beach on the far eastern end of the Forgotten Forest. Passing through it would be a task of it's own.

The three rose early that morning. The train they were going to have to catch was not until two o'clock. They were going into town to get supplies for the travel.

Davin walked over to Lord Eldenwood, who was already sitting in his chair in the study sipping on a cup of coffee. "Thank you for your help sir."

"
Again boy, no thanks is necessary. It has been my pleasure. I much enjoyed hearing you three talking about my father's work. It was almost as though he was here among us once again."

"
Time to get going Davin." Chloe came running across the room. "We have a bunch of things we need before we go." She turned towards Lord Eldenwood. "We appreciate your hospitality."

"
Again, My pleasure."

Derrick came running down from up stairs. "Let's go, let's go." Calling as he hurried to the door. Derrick was in such a hurry to get into the city he didn't even give a proper thank you or farewell.

Davin and Chloe gathered the books up that Eldenwood had lent them and followed Derrick to the front where the dragons were waiting. Lord Eldenwood didn't get up from his seat. He just kept on reading and sipping away at his coffee.

The three headed down the street back towards the center of town and the dragons followed along.

"
Well I think we should get some packs and some spare clothes, along with a few other things." Chloe elbowed Derrick in the side. "How much did your Dad give you anyway?" She smiled.

"
He gave me quite a bit actually. We should be able to get all of the things that we need. There is a bag shop up here on the corner."Derrick pointed down the road a couple of blocks ahead.

They each got a backpack at the bag shop and Derrick led them off one of the side streets to a small clothing store. They each found a couple changes of clothes and a coat to wear during the night.

After getting the required supplies they stopped at a cafe in the square a couple of blocks from the train station. They each ordered something to eat, planning on relaxing a while before having to board the train.

The streets suddenly became strangely quiet. It was as though the movement of the town had come to a halt. Faint screams began to fill the air from a couple of streets over. Halo, Calypso and Tesla stood on edge and began to snarl and hiss.

The side of the small shop on the corner suddenly burst into pieces, as three minotaur plowed through the wooden building and stopped in the middle of the street.

"
Let's go, let's go!" Davin shouted jumping up from the table.

The three ran over and stood next to their dragons, urging them to flee. The dragons wouldn't budge. Halo stood and let out an enormous roar. Sending a stream of hot fire towards the minotaur.

"
Get them Davin!" Chloe yelled as she began building a ball of energy.

Davin stepped in beside Halo and began throwing alternating balls of fire and electric energy. The first minotaur fell to the ground and Tesla let out a large stream of electrical current frying it where it fell.

The second minotaur charged towards Davin. Chloe let the burst of energy go, hurling it towards the charging beast. It crashed into it's side and sent it tumbling. Halo took charge and rushed in to attack the minotaur standing furthest away. It began to scrape it's hoof against the ground, as to accept Halo's challenge. It turned down it's head and barreled towards Halo. The two crashed together and Halo grabbed the minotaur and flung it to the ground, immediately smothering it in flames.