Chapter Five
Jawn wasn’t happy. Not
angry, no, he was only “not happy.” At least, that’s what he kept telling
himself. The red he saw was just some odd reflection of light, and the only
reason he was clenching his fists so tight had nothing to do with any barely
suppressed rage. Anger was dangerous, when it consumed him. Anger made him make
mistakes. He always held himself above anger, separated himself from the
emotion. It was a great advantage in battle, the calm that it allowed, in fact
it was when Jawn let his anger go that he finally overtook and dispatched his
former “owner”. Since that day he had only given into his anger one time. That
was... more than enough.
So what he felt now couldn’t be anger. He must have been annoyed at Uta’s stupid
pledge to help Eruscki and his people. Just slight frustration that she would
endanger his mission that was supposed to mostly be over after he’d defeated
Xama. It was merely minor irritation that she risked her own life for complete
strangers. Nothing more than exasperation that she had set off to fight two of
the most vicious breed of dragons with an injury. No, none of this could be
making him angry.
He wasn’t angry.
He repeated that again and again as he followed the stout Governor and Uta to
small underground weapons store.
Uta looked around the small
basement arsenal. Dark and dusty, the limited space was packed to the brim with
all sorts of weaponry, but most of it was for hand-to-hand combat, and would be
little use against two flying enemies many times their size. Black Optis dragons
were fairly small, as dragons go, but their ferocity was legendary. While a few
breeds of dragon were civil to humans, but this type was decidedly not; in fact
they were allegedly responsible for the disappearance of an entire colony of
young True Vampire cultists, creatures not known to just roll over and die in
any instance. The Optises were renown for their thick, dinosaur-like spinal
ridges, their poison claws, their high tolerance for pain and injury, and most
importantly, their telescopic sight from which they derived their names.
So, what would they need? Perhaps, a distraction was in order. She leaned over a
pile of bows, finally selecting a darkwood one, with a finely carved handle. She
held it before Cade and Etoma, “Can either of you use this? Normally I would,
but my injury prohibits it this time.”
The slender Angili curled her lip and turned up her nose, “My kind does not use
such a weapon,” she cocked her head,” Spears perhaps, but those are the weapons
of those who cannot fly for themselves.”
Cade sneered, “Yes, and we know that people don’t really count unless they’re
born with wings, isn’t that right?” He turned to Uta, with a great show of
obedience, “I am a fine archer, I would be happy to use this in your service.”
The brunette internally groaned a bit at the ever-present, tense hostility
between her two companions, then quickly nodded, hiding her disapproval, “Good.”
She turned back to the glowering Angili, “Etoma, there seems to be a pile of
spears over there, why don’t you select a few for your use?”
“Yes, my Lady, I’d be happy to,” she narrowed her eyes at Cade and then walked
to the spears and studied them intensely, occasionally letting her eyes slide
toward the shien.
Uta shook her head before looking back to her protector, and pleaded with him
with her eyes, “Please, Jawn, understand why we must help them...”
The half-elf looked down, and came closer to her. “Uta, I understand your wish
to help the people here,” he spoke half a tone under his normal voice, so that
the plump Governor couldn’t hear, “But, you should not put yourself at risk.
I’ll tell Eruscki that I’ve changed my mind, and I’ll even take Cade and Etoma
with me, but you should at least stay here.”
Uta shook her head gently, “No, it is my duty. It is what I was trained for,”
she sighed with heavy emotion, “If I can’t even do what my life was devoted to,
then what’s the point?” She moved away; inspecting a store of explosives.
Jawn studied her back, “I suspect that you will get the chance to do that very
soon, no matter what you do now.”
If Uta heard him, she didn’t reply.
“So, as far our earlier
dragon- erm... hunters, could tell us, you follow the north trail, and then go
east at the ruins, and go to the cliffs, and you should find their lair.”
Eruscki looked nervous and fidgety.
Uta put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “Do not worry, we will not allow this
threat to continue to terrorize you and your people.” She tightened the hunter
green woolen cloak that Ryfaonte had given her around her, and smiled warmly,
“We will depart now on our quest.”
The Governor grinned and waved until the forest obscured their view. The group
walked in single file silently for about ten minutes before Etoma made her way
up the narrow, winding dirt path and matched Uta’s pace.
“So, are we just marching blindly to our doom, Lady?” the Angili looked quite
amused, and adjusted the pack of spears on her back.
The brunette smiled back, “Oh no, I have a plan.”
Cade jogged up beside the women, “And when were you planning on letting us in on
it?”
“After we actually found the dragons, and could see what the terrain is like.”
She craned her neck back at Jawn, “But when the time comes, I’ll need you all to
do what I say without any hesitation.”
The half-elf smirked, showing his fangs. “When the time comes, I will do what I
have to.”
Uta looked pleased, and quickened her stride. Cade fell back into line, but as
Etoma started to do the same, the Temple Maiden grabbed her arm, “Etoma, I was
wondering, how was it that you came to devote your life to killing Sa’ame?”
The Angili took a deep quick breath, and tensed a little, “Oh. It’s a little
complicated...” she took a glance over her shoulder, “My... husband’s sister was
killed by the wolven, and he left on quest to receive vengeance,” her head
darted down, and her voice thickened, “But he died on this quest, so I took up
his cause.”
This drew a snort from Cade, “Any poor fool roped into being your husband is
better off dead.”
The look on Etoma’s face was that of a woman whose heart had been shattered. Uta
usually liked the shien, but now she just ignored his rude comment. She reached
over and placed her hand lightly on the Angili’s thin shoulder, “You hesitated
when you said husband, why?”
Etoma sighed, and tucked her diamond tresses behind her ear, “He wasn’t
officially my husband yet when he left,” she took a deep breath and looked off
into the sky above, “but I loved him as a wife, and I was dedicated to him as
much as if we were married.” She looked down and muttered, mostly to herself, “I
will always be....”
From behind came another snort.
“Well, Etoma, your loyalty is impressive. I believe your lover must have been a
lucky man to have your devotion.” Uta guided the Angili farther up the trail,
increasing the distance between them and Cade.
Jawn sped up also; pausing next to the shien, “I don’t know what problem you
have with my new ‘servant,’ but if your insensitivity causes further grief in
our company, there’ll be hell to pay.” He then moved forward, and didn’t look
back.
It was like every thing that could make their mission more challenging was
present in the area around the dragons’ lair. Jawn frowned up at the blunt shelf
where the fire lizards slept their days away, which was perched three-quarters
up a rocky peak. The very forest itself seemed to fear the ridge, even the
mighty trees only ventured a short distance up the unforgiving mountain, the
rest was bare and open.
On the hike up, a light rain had drenched the unhappy band, and there were hopes
that the clouds could hide their approach. But now, as they stood within grasp
of their foe, it was far from being dark and overcast, in fact the heavy sun
held bright vigil in a open sky. There would be no surprising these enemies.
Still, Uta moved around excitedly, examining angles, mouthing little things to
herself, ignoring the rest of the band. Jawn watched her with a curious
amusement. She spent the better part of an hour in her strange ritual, seemingly
oblivious to anything than her own plotting before she turned back to them and
proclaimed, “Really, this couldn’t be better.”
“Couldn’t be-?” Cade dashed over to her and put his hand on her forehead, “No
fever... You do realize there are dragons up there, don’t you?”
The Temple Maiden just giggled. “Of course. And they’ll be able to see us
perfectly.” She grinned at Jawn, “I was really worried it wouldn’t clear up.”
“And we want them to see us, do we?” the corners of the half-elf’s mouth turned
up slightly in response.
Etoma got up and put her thin fingers firmly on Uta’s shoulder, “This would be
the plan you were eluding to earlier, wouldn’t it my Lady?”
“Yes, of course. But it still isn’t the right time for you to know,” the
brunette stared into the Angili’s eyes, matching intensity, “You’ll just have to
trust me.” A moment passed before Etoma nodded slightly and returned to her
perch on a nearby rock.
Uta took a deep breath, and pursed her lips. “All right... see that fairly flat
spot half way up the mountain there? Just above the tree line?” A chorus of
bobbing heads answered her. “I’ll be there. Jawn, Cade, I want you just before
the edge of the woods, and Etoma, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to fly above
my position, and lure one of the dragons directly above me.”
“Fine with me, I am unafraid,” the Angili sat up a little straighter.
“Good. Then I need both you and Cade to try to pierce the beast’s skin. Just any
little clink its armor will do.”
Jawn frowned, “And what about me? And you for that matter.”
At his words, Uta seemed to turn faintly red, “Well... Jawn, all I have for you
to do really is to help me if I need it, and possibly catch me. As for me...
you’ll just have to see.”
“What? Catch you?” the blonde shook his head, and narrowed his eyes, “No. This
plan of yours seems to leave too much room for you to get hurt. Let me take your
place.” He put his hand on her elbow, and started to guide her toward the group
of rocks where the others sat.
“Stop it!” She jerked herself free, “Jawn! You don’t even know what I am to do.
You can’t do this. You’ll just have to trust me.” She pursed her lips and a
stony determined look settled into her eyes.
He stared at her for a moment, unsure, then looked to his companions. Cade
seemed to support him, wanting to protect Uta no doubt, but when he glanced at
Etoma, he received a completely different feeling. He remembered the exchange
between the two females earlier. Etoma trusts her, you should too, a small voice
inside him chastised.
“Uta,” he barely whispered, “It is my mission to bring you back alive.” He let
his eyes bear into hers, something he rarely did with anyone, “If I let you get
killed, there are some that would certainly try to see me die too. Can you take
that risk? Some one else’s life?” She was caring, considerate, he had seen this.
This was certainly the only logic she would respond to, if she would respond to
any.
She didn’t flinch at his stare, nor his words, gently replying, “I believe in
myself, Jawn. You don’t need to worry.”
With that, he knew she was resolved, and nodded slightly as he turned away.
“Fine then. Let us begin.”