Page 38 of Drakhana's Treasure
Twenty-Five
Kirralee
As I wait in the underground parking lot my uneasiness becomes full blown anxiety. Rastus sent me special orders to be here and I’m sure it’s some kind of mistake.
He’s sending me to the desert with the front lines.
I’m terrified and confused. Why would he do this to me? I haven’t even been able to speak to him in days. I asked the other men and they said yes, this is correct. Rastus wanted me on the front line.
There’s a group of about twenty and the three guys in charge—Gregor, Tarnan and Yancy—keep giving me nasty looks. I put on the combat gear they gave me and the weapons even though I have no idea what to do with them. Tarnan ran me through some martial arts moves and this just seemed to upset them even more.
I shift from foot to foot, looking at the ground. A truck is on its way to take us out. We are supposed to fight in human form for as long as possible before switching to flame. Ice and flame dragons are fairly well matched, given that our powers directly oppose each other. In human shape we can have the upper hand if we are better planned and faster at executing our moves.
Dragon arrogance usually demands shifting, so it’s a matter of strength and discipline. Guns, knives and spears are very effective against dragons if you know how to use them. All dragons are only just bigger than their human shape and even though they are far stronger, it’s not as impossible for a shifter in human form to wrestle down a dragon as you might think.
I start to tremble as the truck arrives. The guys look at me in surprise as I move forward, as if they didn’t expect me to actually go through with this. What else can I do? I have my orders the same as anybody else.
I’m so torn that I haven’t seen Rastus. I keep looking around fearfully as if he’s going to appear and explain everything. How can he do this to me?
I climb up into the truck and sit miserably in the back with the others. I try to listen to their conversation about ammunition and basic maneuvers but I’m totally lost. I just want to cry. What am I supposed to do here?
Of course, I know I have a power over flame that no one else has. I can’t believe that Rastus put me here for that reason. It’s erratic for a start. If I get weakened, I won’t be able to call it up and I could easily die. I could use too much and get tired, passing out.
I might lose control of it and burn a great scorching crater in the earth. I could form a new volcano.
I take a deep breath and hold it, willing my hands to stop shaking. Maybe, the essence of flame wanted me brought out, but I’m so afraid. Even if the ancient gods want me to bloom, I can’t believe Rastus has put me in so much danger.
The truck bumps and sways as it heads up the dirt track. The others don’t seem to notice, even though the wind is blowing in cool from the desert and the heavy metal seats are uncomfortable. The truck begins to slow down and my fear increases tenfold. Now there is no need to hold my breath, because I can’t breathe.
I follow the others like a lost puppy, hanging at their heels. I look around nervously but there is only some low hills around us and the stars to see.
We move into the center of the little basin and the guys start laying charges up the nearby hills. Two of our company head out to scout. I just stand there, arms wrapped around myself, wondering what the hell I’m meant to be doing here.
There is a muffled cry nearby and all the guys stop. It’s almost uncanny the way they freeze in place and turn their ears towards the sound. I turn to look in that direction and my foot crunches a tumbleweed. One of the guys looks so pissed I think he’s about to hit me with his gun.
They pull in slowly, their backs together. I end up in the center of their circle, trying to see past their shoulders. I can’t see a thing except darkness.
“Was that Roger?” One of the guys whispers.
“I think so.”
“Brad hasn’t come back either.”
“What’s the next move, boss?”
All the men shift from side to side, guns trained into the darkness.
“I think we should fire a flare.” Gregor says.
“Risky though.” Tarnan answers. “They’ll see us, even if we see them.”
“The other option is to just shoot into the darkness. I don’t want to do that in case our guys are out there.”
“Okay, flare then.” Yancy pulls out his flare gun and points it high. Everyone braces themselves.
The flare booms from the muzzle of the gun and goes up high very fast. It spreads light from our inner circle out further across the nearby hills. For a few seconds I think it’s clear and almost breathe a sigh of relief.
Then, just as the light starts to die, I see a seething mass at the edge of the light.
