Dragon Frost (12 page)

“
Have no
choice in what . . . ?” begins Vingreth. I place my hands before me
and a green expel of energy is released from my hands and surrounds
Amandale’s form. His body slowly begins to unwind, in fear of
losing concentration, I try and disregard the small things that
would normally draw my mind from my task. With the last amount of
energy he manages to detangle himself and I slowly remove my
energy, looking at him questionably. The crowd collectively inhales
waiting for my spell to unwind. When nothing happens I relax. He
stands and rubs his sore muscles.

Later
that day, as I wonder the well-kept garden of the Order and sense a
presence nearby. I place my small pocket book on a bench beside me,
where I can return to it with a book mark. I step to the right,
small curled fists are launched towards me and I catch both. “Maybe
next time you boys shouldn’t cause so much noise.” I say eyeing
Zannan and Theo. The two ten year old boys, Orphans they are, taken
in by the Order with the potential to become accommodators of a
Gazric similar to ours. There’s however is only bonded through
energy and can be detached. The people of Zylaria were taught about
biological weapons from the Nefaliem.

Yet over
the centuries, just like Earth they manage to abuse what knowledge
or power they’ve gained and use it on their own. So our monarch
declared at that point for all Gazric Spouters to be programmed to
not harm that of their own world, depending on their brain waves.
Resulting in the Zylarians having more control over themselves with
intense discipline and certain gene groups which are expressed
readily within certain individuals. “No fair!” complains Zannan as
he yanks his slender arm from my grasp and crosses his arms. “You
always get the best of us.” he mutters, his lips pulled into an
evident pout as if he’s had a piece of chocolate taken from
him.

“
I agree
with Zannan. Why don’t you go easy on us?” cries Theo. I shake my
head. 
They have a lot to learn.
 I smile down at them for some reason
children seem to bring out a more maternal side, I never thought I
had, especially these two and Tessa who seem to be the very few
young cadets at the university.

“
If I
went easy on you all the time you wouldn’t try hard.” This catches
their attention, I turn from them and take a seat on a nearby stone
bench that is nestled before a tranquil waterfall the atmosphere of
the place made me relax a little more it made me feel at ease even
if it is just for a small amount of time before I’m placed another
mission. The boys look at me confused and I fight back a
grin.

“
What do
you mean by that?”

“
I mean .
. . you won’t try if it’s easy, am I right?” They reluctantly nod
their heads. “Good, now get out of here.” I demand.

“
Why? We
want to spar!” they plea. I shake my head.

“
Not now,
this is my RNR time.” The boys give me a blank stare and I sigh.
“I’ll tell you some other time, now go and run along, play with
kids your own age.” I say and turn back to my book thankfully they
leave and I return to the world of my imagination. I don’t know how
many hours had passed that I spent captivated by the words on the
countless pages. I only had just noticed the sudden dim in lights.
I look up, the tall garden lanterns are lit and I can’t believe I
didn’t even notice who lit them. 
Time sure does fly when you’re
busy.
 The thought
of it made me turn to the time, the large circular clock sits high
on the end wall overlooking the garden and displaying the time.
Realizing it is late, I end my book there and return to my room
knowing that my day off was well spent.

The next
day arrives like a blur, I sit on a large boulder, snow at my feet,
my uniform remains the same since I’m not affected by the cold.
Even though the majority of Zylarian stories were written in
Zylarian characters, over a period of time it practically becomes
like English. Simple and easy to understand, once you get your head
around the small tricks here and there. Still, the Chief hasn’t
informed me about what the package is or if Varden is the true heir
or not. I didn’t press and whenever I saw him I tried not to think
about the tasks. I just wanted some time alone, some time to gather
myself.

That’s
when it occurred.

The city
bells echo in the distance. The same very bells used to warn the
city of a demon attack, a raid or an invasion. My gaze turns to the
sound and smoke meets the blue sky, it’s black—too black. I hear
screams and cries and racing hearts that only I can hear from five
kilometers away and I sprint through the peaceful meadow and
towards the city, leaving my book behind in the forest not that it
mattered. If people died because I wasted time trying to find a way
to preserve the well—written scripture, I couldn’t live with
myself. Their screams of pain and fear fill my ears. Their hearts
hammer against their chest as their lungs desperately fight to
breathe. If they don’t burn, the smoke will kill them.

I glide
down the streets my cloak whipping in the wind behind me, as I pass
people, their faces masked with sorrow and pain, masked with loss
and defeat. Several buildings were set alight and the heat it
radiated could be smelt miles away by a wild boar or deer. I haul
myself over wooden fences, abandoned crates and carriages, under
excited horses where at one point I was sure I would be killed. To
be stomped alive will be a mockery on my death certificate. Still I
made sure my life was insured since I don’t know when I will die
but just because I can die doesn’t mean I was going to give up to
easy. I’m stubborn like that, always moving forward—never looking
back.

I manage
to roll out of the way in time when I slid under a horse mounted by
a man who is desperate to leave rather than help. But even from
under the horse, I saw it, the fear in its large black eyes, its
brown muscles twitching with desperation to survive. Many people
were hurt by me and now that I’m no longer in that darkness of
sorrow and emptiness, now that I better than before, I’m more
strict with myself now knowing I have no excuse should I lose
control. Men, skin scorched with ash and soaked with sweat scamper
towards houses where several were trapped, their well-tailored
suits, now destroyed. As some throw snow onto the blaze to burn it
out while others throw pills of water at the blazing
horror.

It was
peaceful yesterday, how can flames incinerate a whole city? Were
arsonists involved? I had no idea, all I knew is that I need to see
if everyone back at the Order were alright, not that they were my
responsibility but because I have to a degree an attachment to the
place and to the people. I may not show it at times but I do
care—they were my comrades at arms, it just became difficult to
show it and at times like this when lives are threatened I realise
that regardless of how empty and lost I feel, I still care. As I
run towards the Order I am stopped by a watch tower, the two that
were positioned between the busy Market Streets of this city, the
Central Business District, the stone tower collapses before me and
catches fire, I cough as ash suffocates me.

I stand
on my feet once more. My path is completely blocked when I turn to
the sound of tumbling stone, and heavy stomping. It takes me longer
to register what is happening by the time I do, I’m sent with the
pole of a metal street light over houses where I unfortunately land
on the hard, warm tiles. My body feels hefty and locked into place.
The sight of everything around me is blurry and my head rings an
unbearable high note. With my head heavy, I’m unsure what just
happened. As I go to move my support collapses and I fall into a
room, now engulfed in fire. The snow surrounding this building
doesn’t even help.

The
crackling flames pop in my ears, so loud I feel my drums are about
to burst. My ears soon adapt to the flickering flames around me. I
sit up, in a scorched floor where the flames are no more but are
instead around me, the walls, the ceilings, smoke pours out of the
hole in the roof where I just fell through. The wall adjacent to me
is knocked down, the stones are sent towards me and I impulsively
shield my eyes even though my face plate is strong as my helmet and
armour. There I see it; it is a large man in size, its skin a blood
red with veins that pop, raggedly out. He doesn’t wear any clothes
as his waist, feet, hair and arms were all set on fire yet he
remained unharmed. “Spawn of 
Krylancello
.” it growls,
Krylancello? 
Did he know my father?

I want to
say something but my mouth didn’t seem to respond, the world still
spins around me nevertheless, it slowly, bit by bit returns until I
find myself standing on my feet. His yellow glowing eyes stare back
into mine, obvious resent is present and I
glare. 
Whoever he was or whatever it was, it had just attacked the
wrong person!
 Sure
I may be a doormat at times but I won’t hesitate to defend or kill
if necessary. I don’t 
do
 threatened, I 
am
 a threat. Wretchedly, this 
thing
 didn’t understand that. It turns to
completely face me, stones tumble down around his form as his eyes
burn with range. Its mouth opens and flames are sent my way. My arm
covers my face which regenerates, the pain is evident but I brush
it off, my scales soon form around my lower jaw and
head.

I’m
completely covered and indestructible.

“
Wrong
move!” I growl under my veneer and walk against the flames. I
clench my fist and send it towards him, the flames stop as his jaw
is sent to the side. I punch his opposite jaw with my contrary
fist. My hands radiate pain but I don’t stop, if it meant I lived
another day, I 
would
 break
more of my bones just to see him immobile. While in momentum, I
clench my firsts together and send them across his opposite face,
where my first impact was. He stumbles back enough; his back is
against the flaming walls that streak to the heavens. Not taking
the chance for him to recover I leap feet first into his face,
forcing him through the weak walls. I land hard on my back and roll
away from him. The sound of people’s shrilling screams reaches my
ears and I know only then, they have witnessed the cause of this
whole disaster.

The
monster stands on its feet and glares at me. I may not have my full
strength but I’m not completely weak and I refuse to be defeated. I
hear the sound of distant hooves and turn towards it, I just notice
the fuzz of silver on white. The growl of the flaming man before me
brings me out of my trance as he runs towards me, his heavy stomps
echoing under each step and I stand feet apart, bracing myself for
the painful impact when he’s forced from me, he slides along the
ground. With Altair above him.

His fists
battling the beast before his forearm blade gleams under the light,
he brings it down. I cannot see where he stabbed him but I can see
the beast—the monster doesn’t move. He stands from where he is, his
silver cloak falling around him as his blue eyes are trained on me.
Marks are also on his face, four blue stripes on his high
cheekbones two on either side of his tanned skin.

It’s 
our
 identity. It’s 
our
 war paint.

He makes
his way towards me, his long silver hair down to his waist like
mine falls behind him, his armour gleaming like mine only more so
as his blue scales are drunken by the sun. His toned physique makes
most women swoon but I don’t bother going there since he’s been my
friend for as long as I can remember or a friend in a way. I don’t
know how but when people tell you he’ll be the person you’ll settle
down with it’s kind of hard to believe. His uniform the same design
as mine, his armour engraved in an ancient language but he’s just
broad shouldered and well built, his scales cling to his sculpted
his form subsequent to years of training. “You all right?” he
asks.

“
I could
have taken him.” I suggest but my tone wasn’t bitter, his eyes
lighten as he knows that’s the only “thank you” he’ll get from me.
He nods.

“
Keep
close. There’s more.” he admits. His horse is now being used by a
man and women but he doesn’t seem to care, not that it’s his horse
any way. With the brace around its neck, of the Order’s insignia,
the horse definitely belonged to the Order. So the people had
access to it in times of crisis like now. They mount the horse,
nodding their heads to me they turn and gallop away far from the
danger zone. 
Just protect your child,
 I think as I eye the light brown skin scrawny girl in
between them, her eyes black as mine in my human form. She reminded
me of me. 
Just protect her.
 A luxury I was never able to have when I was her age.
Even then I was fighting to survive.

“
Let’s
go.” I suggest and he nods. We were on the move and I hear the same
thundering steps and Altair stops, he hears them too and we both
look at each other, a silent glance, an unspoken voice echoed my
head. 
’Take the one on the right. I’ll be here if you get in
trouble.’
 I hear
his voice in my head, one of the many abilities of the Nefaliem. I
nod.

‘
You too.’