Dragon Frost (20 page)

‘
Take him to Midra.’
 It declares and I stare at it in
bewilderment.

‘
What?’

‘
Take him to Midra.’
 It repeats
. ‘There should be a man in black with a golden
tattoo of a dragon. The same man you saw today.’
 The dragon speaks and I gape at it
in shock before I pull myself short and my mouth closed. I couldn’t
believe what I just heard but then again, this dragon appears to be
able to know things that my companions didn’t even know—it is
wise. 
’You have chosen to follow Golgotha not because you want to
but because you have to . . . you know she won’t keep her word and
you know she’s very manipulative. I know there is more to you than
what you may think. Isn’t that so?’
 It questions and I nod without even
thinking. Beyond doubt it’s wise indeed.

‘
I guess.’

‘
Guess not. Know now. This is a dangerous game you are
playing and you know it. You defeated Golgotha in your last battle
and as a result have silenced your abilities as a
Nefaliem.’
 I stare
at him. How did he know that?

‘
I’ve lost my abilities.’
 I correct.

‘
No you haven’t.’

‘
What?’

‘
No you haven’t. Nothing is ever truly lost in this universe
just placed elsewhere. Energy isn’t something that can be destroyed
nor can it be created but only transferred from one being to
another. That is what your parents have done for you. You have not
lost your abilities but you may lose your life in this war. Just
don’t forget what side you stand on. Better yet, don’t
underestimate what you don’t understand, child. You may have lived
two centuries but you’re still but a child in comparison to me. You
have to see your movements before you consider it. Golgotha is not
someone anyone should trust that includes you—isolation isn’t
always the answer.’

‘
Than what should I do?’

‘
Strategize . . . your brain is your best asset given with
or without your true strength.’
 I return back to the Inn and find Varden alone in the
compartment. He turns to me—reading the expression on my
face.

“
What’s
wrong?” He stands on his feet and makes his way to me.

“
Nothing,” I lie when he’s a few feet from me. I couldn’t
look at him right now and I think he’s noticed that.

“
Look at
me. I know something’s wrong.”

“
How?” I
ask. How does he know when I’m keeping something from him or when
I’m not well or even when I’m down? Nothing seems to slip past this
man and I wonder why that is. Is he purposely trying to keep tabs
on me like everyone else or does him genuinely care? I brush away
my thoughts and move past him, making my way towards the couch. I
lean my head back and close my eyes. I feel the couch sink beside
me and his fist not too far from my face.

“
You
don’t appear to have that energy you normally have.” I lift my head
and stare at him. “You’re quiet. I’ve noticed when you don’t like
something you go quiet.” he says and I just realise than that it’s
true. I was never the one to lash out at something or someone
because it didn’t go my way instead I would allow whatever it is I
don’t like to carry on and wait for my immediate strike.

It’s one
of my many strategies I’ve learnt from Dante. His name seems to
bring an ounce of pain to my chest; I don’t know if he’s alive, I
don’t know if he’s dead. Still, either way, I miss him and I fear
that I may not be able to see him again for a very long time. I
just hope he survives long enough to reunite with me. I remain
quiet. “See, you’re doing it right now.” he points out and I glare
at him from under my faceplate. Not that he can see my eyes. It’s
really the whole idea of the faceplates.

“
So do
you.” I add remembering how he acted when I swiped the
compartment-keys from Altair by being “seductive”. It is surprising
at how easily a woman can throw off a man but I only rarely ever
use that female power of mince as I consider it to be playing
dirty. His face contorts itself into an unreadable mask and I sigh.
“You’re doing it now.” I press and he doesn’t look at
me. 
Why
is he acting so strange around me? It wasn’t like this before. He
really is an odd man.

“
Are you
sure nothing’s wrong?” he questions after some time of silence. I
conclude not telling him.

“
Yes,” I
lie. Why I seem to be lying to him in this way is something I’ve
never done before but I don’t like the painful expression in his
eyes it’s almost too much to bare. I turn away and move from the
couch. At that moment Altair enters. You know how there’s people
with unintentional but exceptional timing. Altair is one of
them.

“
I’ve
brought someone who would like to meet you.” Altair steps aside to
reveal a man well-dressed; brown breeches and leather boots. Green
vest and white tunic; his spiky brown hair sprawls across his
tanned, middle-aged features.

“
Hello
Commander Rodregas, I presume. I thought this man beside me was
Commander Rodregas. But I was mistaken.” he says as he pulls over
his brown leather jacket.

“
I am.
You are?” I demand not caring about how rude I sound.

“
Jacob
Avongale, the Mayor of this town.” Later we find ourselves in the
Mayor’s Office. He speaks us about the reason why we are here. He
declares, “I sent word to your Order for assistance. There have
been kidnaps of women. Several times a week demons in uniform come
to take young unmarried women.” His eyes regard me with an
impassive expression. “We believe the Covenant is involved. There
is a camp on the far side of the valley on the base of the eastern
mountains?”

“
We’ve
taken them out.” cuts in Altair.

“
The
abductions are new but not uncommon.” I say. The Mayor is a bit
taken back by the news but nods at my words. “It’s their way of
trying to repopulate. Your women if not raped are eaten from the
inside out.”

The Mayor gasps
and so does Varden.

“
My god!”
gapes Varden.

“
It’s the
main reason really; there was a time when the demons would come
after our women. But we fought them off.” comments Altair as he
glazes at me, blankly.

It was
the night of the winter solstice. I stood under the full moon in a
very spacious clearing. The sound of whispering demons flooded the
darkness around me; I didn
’t stop to find out what it was. My senses told me to flee
and I did, without hesitation, I ran through the forest. The twigs
snapped under my boots while I glanced over my shoulder, every now
and again, their paws pounded on the earth after me at a fast pace.
I didn’t slow down. I couldn’t. Once I made it back to camp, I
found the other female students were gathered closer to the burning
fire—that tingled with the desire to live on—like us. The air was
silent and I run to stand beside Trinity.

“
Kal!
There you are!” she said, scared at my long departure.

“
I
thought you were dead!” cried Mya. Her blue eyes shimmered with
concern and fear.

“
Something’s here.” whimpered Leanna. I turned to her and
wrapped my arms around her. She seemed so small, so frail, I was
determined to protect her at all costs. I glanced back at the
shadows of the trees. I had no idea what to do. I couldn’t run back
to the main camp where the other Instructors were. I couldn’t even
make it to the male camp without going through the forest. Then
again I knew that there was nothing that I could do but I feared
the worst, I turned to the tent where Lady Milique was to sleep but
when I arrived she wasn’t there.

“
Where’s
Lady Milique?” I questioned with fear and annoyance. She was always
around when I didn’t need her and when I did she was nowhere to be
seen.

I ran
into her tent and nothing, I searched the other tents and around
the campsite. The girls had told me that they had searched
everywhere but I didn’t believe it until I finally ended up giving
up. The screeching in the surrounding trees didn’t help. I stood my
ground and watched the darkness; their forms began to slither out
of the shadows their transparent forms are now solid and they
approach us.

“
Run!” I
screamed and I turned my heel and ran through the thick forest.
Trinity and Leanna not too far behind from me as we sprinted as
fast as our bodies could take us. Why we had to where the stupid
bands didn’t help the fact that we couldn’t change—didn’t help the
fact that we couldn’t transform. We were in danger and what was the
point of being a weapon when you couldn’t defend yourself. The
thought utterly annoyed me.

“
Kal!”
cried Leanna as she tripped over and fell hard on the earth before
her. She didn’t notice what wound around her legs and her arms.
Trinity stopped and turned to her, pulling and threading at the
black transparent vines that seem to pull Leanna down into the
earth bit by bit until her head was just above the ground. “Kal!”
Even now as I stand in the Mayor’s Office I can still hear her call
out to me, only if we knew what had reached our boarders only if we
knew what had infiltrated our defenses.

“
Commander?” peers a voice - the voice which pulls me out of
my tormented mind—the place where I try my hardest not to dwindle
but like everything else around me it’s unavoidable. I look up to
see the Mayor giving me a confused glaze. I clear my
throat.

“
I’m
sorry can you repeat that.” I say, trying to sound interested and I
was but my mind couldn’t help but jump back—I really didn’t like
that about me right now.

“
What is
your plan to keep the women with us?” he asks.

“
We
gather them—of those young and unattached but at the marrying age.”
I say. “Take them to the town hall; we’ll take over it from there.”
He nods.

“
Will you
need any of my men?” he asks as his eyes scan between both Altair
and I with a grim but quizzical manner that almost catches me off
guard but I remain in keeping my composure.

“
I don’t
have any objections to a little bit of help.” I confess and turn to
Altair before adding, “Do you?”

“
No. I’m
fine with it, more men. The better,” he says before adding,
“right?” He tries to joke and I turn from him and regard the map of
the city.

“
Should
they end up taking the women, we’ll have traps set up around the
main exits towards the city. Your men will guard the minor ones. If
they cannot contain the demons then leave it to us. We don’t need
more bloodshed then there already is.” Nightfall approaches us,
quickly. I stand beside Altair in the Town Hall with woman of
different shades and hair colour—all of which are young and
unmarried. My eyes scan the building’s ceilings knowing that you
can never be too careful when expecting a surprise attack. That’s
one of the many strategies some people would use, wait above head
because no one ever looks up mainly because they never need to.
‘
You think
they’ll come?’

‘
They have to.’
 Altair states mentally as he wonders around the
opposite end of the building. 
’That or they’ll probably attack another
village or town.’

‘
Will we risk that?’
 I ask and he turns to me where I whip around to
glance at him he nods before returning back to his guarding route.
The women appear scared as I glance down at them some are a bit
wary of us still but even though I have my features covered these
women seem to look through my faceplate and gaze at me with such
intensity it makes my soul shudder.
 ’Why are they looking at
me?’

‘
Don’t know. Just ignore them.’

‘
Easy for you to say,’
 Immediately, Altair whisks around and glares at me. I
couldn’t help but smirk. Right now he honestly reminds me of the
teenager he once was. It’s amusing not that I’ll say anything I
don’t think he would like the idea of me thinking of him as the
child he once was—the hands on the hips—feet shoulder with
apart—his face twisted in adorable expression. I fight back a laugh
that threatens to rise. Wait did I just think that brute of a man
is adorable? There’s something wrong with this picture.

‘
Do not even get me started about how hard it is to avoid
the attention of the ladies.’
 I roll my eyes—not a very lady-like
manner.
 ’That’s what I thought.’
 I leave the conversation at that and move
from where I took my guard towards the shadows of the Hall; there
were benches where the women sat in the centre of the room under
the candlelit chandelier. I never mentioned using the Gratifier
since I wasn’t exactly sure how Altair would take it but still if
worst comes to worst I’ll have to resort to plan B. It’s a good
thing I have plans set out which I follow though. Surprisingly
though they seem to fall into place.

I make my
way down a dark corridor. Why it always seems to be so sinister
when dealing with demons is almost cliché but that’s just how it is
I guess. I move quietly, my crossbow in hand. I target my arrows at
the shadows—I grip it tightly, in my dominant hand—my right hand. I
may be ambidextrous but my right hand is more dominant than my
left. So I normally, I would use this to shoot. I was and still am
a good marksman or should I say: “marks-women”. I round a corner
and come to an old empty room, the marble floors look black against
the night sky which is present by the ceiling tall glass windows.
The moon is still full tonight and I know it will stay like that
for another night before it returns to its planetary
cycle.