The Dragoso Series 2: Strength in Darkness
Chapter 7

Garrett paced back and forth in front of his throne. The Tech Dragon was watching him, its head turning to follow his path.

“Permission to enter, sir,” a voice asked at his doorway. Garrett waved the hunter in and climbed up to his throne and sat down. “The Glacier Dragon in the corner with the Divine, Paradise, and Coral is coughing up blood. Permission to sedate him and see what the problem is?” Garrett groaned and massaged his temple with two fingers.

“No, bring the lizard before me. He’s caused me enough problems as it is and it’s time he learned real pain.” The hunter nodded and stepped out. Garrett snapped his fingers and the Tech Dragon stood.

“Volcanic world, no water, no life.” The Tech looked towards the wall beside it and an orange and blue portal appeared. It stepped through and the portal disappeared.

It was only a few minutes before the cage was rolled into the room with Ractor laying unconscious, the tip of his tongue poking out of his mouth. A puddle of blood pooled around his mouth, ignored by the hunters. The Tech Dragon appeared from its portal that reopened and stepped away from it. Garrett pointed at Ractor and the Tech moved to shove the cage into the portal and seal it before returning to its spot beside Garrett’s throne.

“Sir, the rest of the prisoners are all riled up. We think Dragon’s fledglings are the cause of this,” one of the hunters present stated. Garrett pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Then shut them up! We have lances for more than just flying into battle and tossing them at dragons. Make an example out of anyone that gives us problems. GO!” Garrett pointed towards the door and the two hunters that had pushed Ractor’s cage in ran out quickly.

You’re losing it, Garrett. You will make mistakes if you do not keep a clear head.

“You think I care about what you tell me, thing? I do things my way, nobody else’s.” Cenod phased out of Garrett’s body and stood before him.

“Don’t be careless, human. You answer to me, with a master that has no remorse for humans. He’ll kill you without a second thought.”

“Do you really think I’m scared of a myth? The Council of the Underworld is just a stupid tale you lizards tell your vermin offspring to make them behave at night.” Cenod crept closer nonchalantly.

“Oh but it is true, Garrett. Agony, Lust, Wrath, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Envy, Pride, they all exist. As does our true master, Ra-”

“Sir!” Cenod stopped short and looked over his shoulder at the Hunter panting in the doorway. “Sir, our generators are down and our weapon stash is destroyed! Dragons have been spotted by the hills heading right for us!.”

“Is Dragon with them?” Garrett asked.

“Sir?”

“Is that stupid pink scaled freak with them?!” Garrett stood from his throne, voice raised.

“Yes, sir, she’s leading the attack.”

“Get every armed hunter on the roof.”

“Garrett, that’s what she wants. To draw your men outside where the dragons have the advantage,” Cenod stated and Garrett glared at the Wyvern, no matter how right he was.

“Who’s on the roof now?” The hunter listed off a few names and dragon breeds. “Get the rest of the armed men inside the entrance, place a few in the warehouse by Dragon’s brats. We’ll bring those vermin inside to us, it’s time we end this once and for all, Dragon.” Garrett pulled a special blade from the side of his throne and gazed at the metal.

It was tougher than any sort of metal normally found on Earth. This was a metal found on the planet the extinct Metallic Dragons once dwelled.

“What’s that you got there?” Cenod asked after the hunter ran off.

“Metallic Dragon metal. Can pierce dragon scales. I’ve been saving this beauty for Dragon ever since she escaped me the first time.” Cenod rolled his eyes -not that anyone could tell- and phased back into Garrett’s body.

I know how she fights, let me take control and destroy her for you.

“Be my guest, Cenod. We will kill her, no matter what it takes.” Garrett’s eyes became pitch black, even the whites of his eyes. He grinned at the door to his room and sat on his throne, waiting for his target to walk through.

~oOo~

“You know what you have to do,” Anna stated, looking at Salem adjusting his gloves while he sat on Darkness’ back.

“I will alert you when I have destroyed the generators and weapons,” Salem replied and he gave Anna a kind smile. Anna nodded and looked at Darkness for a moment before the Shadow Dragon phased into the ground and glided across the ground and over the hills.

Anna turned towards the group and sat back on her haunches.

“And now, we wait.”

~oOo~

Darkness phased out of the ground on the side of the base and Salem’s eyes scanned the windows near the top of the warehouse before he dismounted.

“See which window is the best option for us, if you please. As much as I’d love tasting hunter blood, we have to stick to the plan,” Salem requested.

Darkness nodded before phasing into the ground and gliding up the side of the warehouse. Salem pulled a small object from his pocket and flipped it around, revealing a butterfly knife. He flipped it around some more before Darkness’ very slight whisper caught his attention.

“Got it!” Darkness whispered and Salem looked up to spot the dragon on the very end of the warehouse. Salem took a step and was where the dragon stood in an instant. “I always forget how fast you vampires are.” Salem chuckled.

“Assistance please,” Salem asked and Darkness moved to put his front claws on the wall and stretched his neck as high as he could towards the window. Salem climbed his way up Darkness’ back and stood on his head.

“Watch the snout,” Darkness warned and Salem observed the window before using his knife to pry it from its frame. He held it down to Darkness who took the window in his mouth and Salem jumped to perch in the frame of the window, looking around the warehouse. No hunters in sight, and with a deep inhale of the room, he caught the scent of Ayassa and Tyrande.

Salem dropped to the floor and rolled to absorb the impact before he started for the small cage where Tyrande and Ayassa laid. Salem smiled at the sight of the two curled around each other like cats.

“Tyrande, Ayassa,” Salem called softly and Tyrande lifted his head swiftly.

“Uncle Salem!” Tyrande exclaimed quietly and he nudged Ayassa.

“Are you two alright?” Salem asked, Ayassa having popped awake and they both moved to the bars of the cage where he stood.

“We’re ok. Is Mom here?” Tyrande asked. Ayassa looked up at Salem with big eyes.

“She’ll be here to get you two soon, I assure you. She’s not too far, but I have to do something to help her. I need you two to keep quiet, ok? Once their leader is gone, she’ll get every dragon out of here. I shall return.”

“Nnnno!” Ayassa cried and reached her claws through the bars to grab his cane that hung from his hip.

“Ayassa it’s ok, we’re not alone, Mom will be here to save us soon,” Tyrande comforted her and she let go. Salem smiled and knelt down, reaching his hand through the bars of the cage to lift Ayassa’s head by her chin.

“I have to help your mom in her mission, Ayassa. But I promise that she isn’t far, you’ll see her soon.” Salem watched Ayassa carefully before she nodded and Salem stood. “Stay safe.” Salem scanned the wall before locating the vent and started for it. He pulled the grate from the vent and set it on the floor before climbing up.

With Salem’s eidetic memory, a talent every vampire had, he navigated the vents with ease before he found himself in the generator room. He waited for two hunters to walk out, having been checking the generators’ condition. Once the door closed to the room, Salem pushed the grate out and pulled it into the vent with him before he slid out and landed almost silently on the floor. Salem looked around the room, spotting the weapons in an alcove of the room.

“A little bit of black anarchy should do the trick,” Salem said to himself and pulled his gloves off. He shoved the gloves into his pocket and held his palms up, dark balls of magic appeared over each hand and he looked to the weapons. He aimed one palm at the weapons while the other aimed right for the core of one of the generators. Salem launched his magic at his targets and held his arm to his face as the generators exploded, spraying sparks everywhere, igniting what was left of the weapons. Salem lowered his arm and looked at the flames that started on the debris. It was almost like the fire could be seen in Salem’s eyes as he stared at the orange flames.

“Hey! What was that?” someone shouted in the hallway. Salem shook his head, fending off the insanity and looking towards the door, pulling his gloves on and pulling his cane from his hip, resting the end on the floor.

Generators are destroyed, as well as the weapons. I’m about to be found, do hurry. Sometime today would be preferred as I can hear my stomach. Salem thought and he felt Anna chuckled in his mind.

Don’t hurt them too badly, Salem. Remember the plan, Anna replied as the door slammed open and lances were pointed at Salem. The vampire chuckled.

“Who are you? How did you get in here?” One of the hunters demanded.

“Gentlemen please, didn’t your mothers tell you not to point sticks at things you don’t understand?” Salem taunted and pulled the top of his cane, revealing a rapier hidden inside of it. “En garde!”

~oOo~

“Move!” Anna commanded. Trevor jumped to his feet and launched himself into the air after the rest of the team. “Focus your attacks on the roof of the base! Scatter!”

Trevor barrel rolled out of reach of some arrows that were aimed at him and he started for the warehouse. With a quick inhale, he felt the sting of cold in his throat and he released his breath element on some hunters aiming at him. The hunters froze in place from their necks down, unable to shoot any more arrows. Trevor shifted his direction as the hunters’ dragons took to the air after Trevor.

“Someone get these dragons off my tail!” Trevor shouted. Sonar flew up between Trevor and the dragons pursuing him and blasted the dragons away. “Thanks Sonar! Tikimune!” Tikimune saluted Trevor before Sonar dove down towards some more hunters.

“Trevor!” Trevor’s head whipped around to see David being chased by a hunter on a Fire Dragon.

“Hang on, little buddy!” Trevor shouted and started for them. The dragon managed to get close enough to close her jaws around David’s tail. David screeched and Trevor swiped his claws at the hunter, knocking him from the Fire’s back and Trevor snapped his jaws right behind her head. The Fire roared and tail whipped Trevor’s wing, causing him to lose his balance in the air and escape to save her rider.

“Are you ok?” David had regained his wings and was hovering next to Trevor. His tail was bleeding, but nothing too serious.

“I’m fine, go!” David replied and Trevor nodded before diving back into battle. Most of the hunters were frozen or unconscious. Their dragons were dazed and unable to fight. Trevor scanned the battle, looking for Anna, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“She already went after the Leader,” Trevor mumbled before he cursed and flew at the entrance of the base. The team had been hitting the roof and nothing was happening. “They’re not budging, let’s move!”

“Trevor, no!” Zoymey shouted, but it was ignored as David, Aya, Brenda, Vena, Kano, River, and Shadow followed Trevor into the base.