New Wings: Part 21

Part 21. Enjoy.

   The bell rang, the sweet sound reflecting throughout the cave. Mark was reminded of Rain's voice, beautiful and melodious. The note was so heart-rendingly lovely that tears welled up behind his eyes. Looking over, he could see the same emotions he was feeling reflected onto Ada's face.
   Stone chips rattled at their feet as the ground behind the structure groaned and split. Moving forwards, Mark could see a pedestal rising from the depths of the Earth, a pathway grinding its way out of the ground to meet it. Something atop the pillar was glowing, but he couldn't see what...
   The last echoes of the bell died away as the rocks ceased to shudder. A moment passed as the shock faded away, then Ada dashed forwards, jumping gracefully down from the structure to the newly emerged pathway below. Mark scooped up the bell that she had so carelessly left on the ground, racing after her. "Wait!" he protested, grasping her arm as he caught up to her. "This is reckless. We don't--"
   "Don't tell me what it is and isn't!" Ada snapped, ripping her arm from his grip. "I know that this was left for us by someone, someone who was here hundreds--maybe THOUSANDS--of years ago." She paused, then continued in a softer voice. "I just know that it will be okay. I think that when I was bonded I developed some sort of...sixth sense. This just feels like it should be. Trust me. Trust the instincts of our kind. Let's see what this is...together." With that, she started back towards the light-crowned pillar.
   Despite all of his reservations, Mark somehow...detected the same thing. Walking beside Ada, the two approached and stood in front of the pedestal. Three cylindrical pieces of metal rose up from the stone. "They're like hilts," Mark remarked, reaching out. "Like of swords."
   Ada wasted no time in wrapping her fingers around one of the pieces of metal, drawing out a sword that's metal was a strange, glowing orange. The color was distorted due to the violet-hued torches, but it could be told.
   Seeing nothing bad happening, Mark grasped the second hilt, pulling it out of the stone. "Holy balls," he breathed, examining the blade attached to it. It was grey, but a different sort of grey than a normal steel sword. The soft shades rippled across the metal like the current of a river. This sword was practically the sword embodiment of Rain. It was meant for him.
   Ada produced three sheathes from behind the stand, encasing her sword and handing the matching sheathe over to Mark. "The real question is...who is the third sword for?" she wondered, examining the object of her questioning.
   Drawing the final sword out of the stone, Mark felt a strange sense of loss, like the feeling you get when you've forgotten something, but can't remember what it is. The metal was a dark, night-shade purple, but with a blue sheen that flowed across its surface. "Our group...it isn't whole yet." he murmured to himself, absently taking the sheathe from Ada and putting away the strange sword. "There's one more..."
   "Wait, there's something else in here."
  A small scoop in the back of the pedestal held the something else Ada was referring to. Picking it up, Mark squinted at it. It was a piece of paper, but the lighting was too inconsistent for him to read what it said. "I can't read it," he said. "I think we should get out of here...something tells me we'll need to be out soon."
   They set off swiftly, Ada carrying the unknown third person's blade. A foreboding feeling had settled over them both...it was reflected in their quickened stride, and the anxiety portrayed on their faces. Getting out of there as soon as possible had become the most important goal. The dragons would be waiting.


  The warm-golden-gentle sun seeped under Rain’s scales. Her eyes drooped, drowsiness taking over. A cicada hummed somewhere, adding ambiance to an already beautiful day. They had been lying in wait for at least twenty human minutes. But Serafeina poked her with a claw, jolting Rain out of her daze. We need to move, now, Serafeina commanded, spreading her wings. It just came out of the canopy.
   Still half-asleep, Rain took off, wings fluttering. As her eyes readjusted, she could see the dark form of the monster soaring off into the mountains summits. Letting Serafeina pull into the lead, Rain corrected her speed and angle, blinking the sleep away. Will we just be following them? she inquired.
   What did you think we would do otherwise? Attack them? Serafeina said, amused. A bold thought, little one, but we know not yet what are enemy’s strengths and weaknesses are. As I stated prior, our mission is scouting and scouting alone.
   A real emphasis on my idiocy, Rain grumbled to herself.
   They were silent, the seriousness of their mission settling over them. The black blur flew far ahead of them, leaving traces of its filthy stench behind.  At least it is not difficult to track, Rain thought dryly, wrinkling her nose. This would be ridiculous if it was.
   After around ten minutes of flight, Serafeina’s keen eyes spotted the beast diving into the depths of the trees. Accelerating, the two eagerly looked over the ridge, but they were not prepared for what was there. Rain’s eyes flew open as the two saw what lay beneath them. CLIMB! Rain mentally screamed, attacking the air with her wings in a frantic climb upwards.
   Once they were fully in the air, Serafeina looked down. I do not think they noticed us, she said with relief, observing the spectacle. Too preoccupied, I imagine.
   Below them, what had appeared to be forest from behind the last ridge was a massive cave entrance. There was not just one creature outside it, but three, each with one of those strange, humanoid companions. They had been talking in loud voices, so Rain assumed that they hadn’t heard...but she swore she saw those beady eyes staring at her, striking overwhelming terror into her heart.
   A silent communal decision sent the two back towards their home cave. We need to prepare, Serafeina said. They have another dragon with them, hopefully still alive. We must rescue them.
   We need to come up with a plan of action, Rain objected. You are usually much calmer than this. What is going on?
   Serafeina whipped her head around, staring at Rain with piercing eyes. That dragon has to be rescued, she growled. If it is a male, it is the last hope for our race. We cannot let them die, at any cost.
   Rain was silent for a moment, then she said, It would only be us three dragons. How is that hope for our race? There is not enough, and you know it.
   We have to try.