The Dragoso Series 2: Strength in Darkness
Chapter 1

1940. A year that was nothing but war. Humans knew it as the second year of World War II. The dragons, however, knew it as something far worse.

The birth of the Dragon Hunters.

It started with an attack, then a psychotic break.

And it ends with possession.

~oOo~

Trevor flapped his wings as he chased Brenda around the track, his eyes on his sister. Trevor gave his wings another hard flap and inched closer to Brenda before he was in range. With a deep breath, he released icy water on her wings, instantly freezing them and Brenda fell to the ground, sliding to a stop. Out of the corner of his eye, Trevor spotted the familiar white scales of Aya and he barrel-rolled away from her snow before hitting her with his breath element as well.

Something collided with Trevor’s back and his breath was knocked from his lungs, but he flew higher into the air, resisting the force on his back. He stopped his ascent and let himself fall, his back to the ground. The resistance was gone after a moment and Trevor twisted himself in the air, facing David and flapping his wings to speed up his fall towards his brother and he grabbed him. David struggled for a moment before Trevor opened his wings and pulled out of the dive mere moments before hitting the ground, slowing his speed and dropping David to the ground.

Trevor let his claws hit the ground and he slid to a stop in the grass, grinning. He looked to the Flight Class teachers, waiting for their analysis. Tikimune looked up from the clipboard and tsked, shaking her head.

“Too close on pulling up from that dive, Trevor. You almost ate it,” she announced and Trevor threw his head back, groaning.

“First it was too soon, now it’s too late, come on Tikimune, I can only do so much when trying to get my brother off my back, plus he just had a growth spurt!” Trevor complained and David stood proudly nearby.

August had come and the four Williams kids would’ve been in school at this point. But due to discovering they were dragons a few months ago, they had been attending the Voutneth Academy school for dragons. It certainly wasn’t a typical life for them, already they had gone to the Underworld, dragon hell, and faced the chaos and unholy demons that existed.

“Have you been doing those exercises?” Sonar asked, he stood beside Tikimune not looking directly at Trevor, considering Sonar’s clouded pupils signifying his blindness, everyone was used to him not looking at anyone he spoke to.

“Yes, we all have. But it’s not exactly easy to carry my body weight AND my brother’s on my wings,” Trevor argued. Tikimune opened her mouth to argue, but closed it abruptly and looked passed Trevor. Trevor looked over his shoulder and smiled. He spotted the Academy’s headmistress, Kathey Royals, with her two youngest kids perched on her shoulders. Tyrande and Ayassa.

“Looking good guys. Tikimune, lay off on Trevor, he’s doing his best,” Kathey commanded and Tikimune bowed her head slightly, looking at her clipboard. Trevor approached Kathey and looked between Tyrande and Ayassa.

“You two here to fly?” Trevor asked and Tyrande nodded.

“Mom said we can start learning how, Mr. Trevor!” Tyrande squeaked and Ayassa nodded silently.

“Sounds like fun! I gotta talk to your mom so I can’t help right now, but maybe Ms. Brenda and Aya can help you out?” Trevor suggested. Ayassa and Tyrande nodded with excitement before running over to where Trevor’s sisters stood waiting. Trevor looked back at Kathey and his body began glowing with a soft blue light before he stood in his human form. Shaggy blond hair and light blue eyes, wearing a football jersey, jeans, and gym shoes.

“I need them distracted,” Kathey said, her voice held a touch of venom in it.

“Any news?” Trevor asked, crossing his arms and turning to watch Tyrande hover in the air next to Brenda, watching Ayassa attempt to get off the ground.

“Last outpost that they found was abandoned last night. The scouts lost the Hunters, they had Wind Dragons, they couldn’t stay on them for long,” Kathey explained and Trevor ran his fingers through his hair.

“Damn, that was the last one too, wasn’t it?”

“That we know of.”

Dragon Hunters had been abandoning outposts without explanation, something the team was keeping tabs on. But all leads come to an end, good or bad. This lead had turned bad and they were back at square one. The Hunters were planning something and nobody knew what it was.

“Did you ever figure out who it was that was working with Brokenstar?” Trevor looked to Kathey, her eyes remaining on her kids.

“No. I honestly don’t remember any of the encounters I had during my...let’s just say teenage rebellion at being a Compass Dragon,” Kathey smirked and Trevor chuckled. “I was eighteen, just finishing high school, had a life set up, living like humans did. Suddenly approached by three powerful dragons telling me I’m one of them. It can make even the most rational of dragon do things they eventually regret.” Kathey looked up at Trevor.

“Do you regret the kids you had while this was happening?”

“Not even for a second. They’re my kids, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat just to have them in my life.” Kathey smiled and looked back at Tyrande and Ayassa. Trevor looked at them as well. They were the youngest two out of all fifteen of her kids. Kathey never mentioned any of the fathers that sired her kids.

“Are they Mykau’s?” Trevor asked. Kathey sighed and nodded.

“Yeah. I was hurting after Gemini left and Mykau was there for me. If I had to be honest, I needed an out with the relationship I was in with Mykau. His anger was a danger to everything occurring and sometimes mates just...drift apart. I thought what I had with Gemini was a Soul Mate. Hell even with Kyrus I thought he was my Soul Mate.” Kathey looked up at Trevor. “I’ve seen and experienced a lot in my life. More than a twenty one year old dragon should have ever experienced. Soul Mates are just a superstition, but sometimes you replace the one and you’ll never let them go.” Trevor’s mind jumped to Amy, his now ex-girlfriend. Because of his powers, he had to break up with her for her safety.

“Amy and I probably wouldn’t have lasted. She was so busy with college and I would’ve been going to Wyoming, a full ride for a year. Football landed me the scholarship, I would’ve been busy and we probably would’ve drifted apart.” Trevor paused. “Is it easier to be in a relationship with a dragon when you are a dragon?”

“Some dragons would argue that it is, no secrets to be kept, no dangers to worry about. They can be dragons but live the human lifestyle if that’s what they want. I’ve seen some dragons do that.”

“Mom! Look at Ayassa!” Tyrande exclaimed. Kathey and Trevor looked over to see Ayassa hovering about two feet off the ground.

“There you go, Ayassa!” Trevor cheered, clapping his hands with Kathey. Ayassa landed and grinned at her brother. Tyrande landed and bounded towards her when something whistled through the air and hit the ground between the two fledglings. Tyrande skidded to a stop and stared wide eyed at the object.

Kathey’s smile fell and she ran forward, scooping up Ayassa and Tyrande flew up to perch on her shoulder. Trevor started forward and knelt down to observe what was sticking out of the ground. He recognized the thin shaft and vanes of an arrow. Taking adventure gym had its perks. Trevor gripped the shaft of the arrow and pulled it from the ground. The arrowhead wasn’t a simple point, it looked like a shark’s tooth.

“Hunter arrow, that’s a dragon’s tooth,” Kathey explained and Trevor poked the tooth with his finger lightly before spotting a note attached to the base of the tooth.

“Looks like they have a threat,” Trevor observed, pulling the folded note from the arrow. He unfolded it and read it, Kathey reading it as well.

Your end is on the horizon.

“Trevor, take your siblings and my kids and get inside,” Kathey commanded, passing Ayassa to Trevor. Tyrande jumped to Trevor’s shoulder. “Sonar! Tikimune! Fly the perimeter! Not taking any chances with kids.”

Trevor led his siblings inside and they stood in the Mess Hall. Tyrande and Ayassa remained perched on Trevor’s shoulders, the arrow and note still in Trevor’s hands. Aya stared at Trevor’s hands.

“What’s the note mean?” she asked. Trevor looked at her before looking at the note.

“It could be for anyone really,” Trevor started.

“I don’t think so, Trevor. Hunters don’t miss on purpose,” Brenda argued. “It almost hit Tyrande, that’s gotta mean something.”

“A threat towards a fledgling? That’s not right.” Trevor leaned back against a table, crossing his arms. Tyrande and Ayassa dropped from his shoulders and sat on the table.

“Am I in trouble?” Tyrande questioned. Trevor looked over at him and shook his head.

“No, you did nothing wrong. Has your mom told you about Hunters?” Trevor asked.

“They don’t like dragons. They’ll kill us if they catch us...” Tyrande looked at Ayassa. Trevor wasn’t too surprised Tyrande had an understanding of death, the dragon world was unforgiving. Brokenstar and Demise were proof enough. Everyone looked up when the Mess Hall doors swung open and Kathey walked in.

“Nothing. No signs of Hunters, I want everyone on their toes when outside. Eyes sharp, no going out alone. It wasn’t an ambush, just a warning. They probably won’t be happy if we deviate from our normal routines, so keep to your schedules. Trevor, I need you to stay with these two from now on, I can’t watch them and run Voutneth.” Trevor nodded and Tyrande looked up at him. “I need to talk to Malice about getting the griffins out on the grounds for guard duty, you know what you all have to do.” With that said, Kathey walked out. Trevor turned to his siblings, looking at his watch.

“Next class starts in five minutes. There’s nothing we can do about this situation right now, so do what she says. Stay on your schedules until we know what’s happening,” Trevor advised.

“What about you?” David asked. Trevor looked at Tyrande and Ayassa as they watched him with big eyes.

“Guess I’m babysitting,” Trevor chuckled.

~oOo~

Trevor followed behind Tyrande as the fledgling led Trevor through the Academy. Ayassa was perched on Trevor’s shoulder.

“I wanna go fly...” Tyrande whined and Trevor nodded.

“I know, big guy, you were having a lot of fun out there earlier.” Tyrande sighed and Trevor frowned. “You guys follow your mom’s rules to the letter, don’t you?” Tyrande stopped and looked back at Trevor before shrugging.

“With so many of us, it’s easier to follow the rules, then we get more time to have fun.” Tyrande tilted his head. “Why?” Trevor didn’t answer, he only picked up Tyrande and started outside. “But...but...Mom said-”

“You’re not alone, are you?”

“No?”

“Then it’s fine, besides, your mom said not to change our routines. This is part of your routine now, so get to it.” Tyrande and Ayassa’s faces lit up and they ran for the track, Trevor following them.

“Fly with us?” Tyrande requested and Trevor smirked before his body glowed and he changed to his dragon form.

“Can’t keep an eye on you two in my human form as well, now can I?” Trevor hurried forward and pushed off the ground, his wings opening and catching the air, keeping him a few feet off the ground. “Get up here you two, you can do it!” Tyrande got into the air easily, but he stayed close to Ayassa as she struggled to get off the ground. Ayassa made a noise of discouragement and huffed.

“You can do it Ayassa! You did it earlier,” Tyrande encouraged and landed beside his sister. Trevor made his way back to the ground and approached them.

“You’re trying to copy others wing beats, Ayassa. Only you can set your pace to stay in the air,” Trevor advised, remembering the lessons he received from Flight class. Out of all his siblings, he struggled the most with flying, he knew what Ayassa was feeling.

“She copies me a lot,” Tyrande explained.

“You’re her big brother, of course she’s gonna copy you. You know Brenda, Aya, and David are my sisters and brother. I’m the oldest, I know what it’s like for little siblings to copy you, but that’s how they learn.” Trevor nudged Tyrande with a claw and chuckled. “Show her how it’s done.” Tyrande nodded and flapped his wings.