Dark Stranger

Avriel - Part 7

Sorry about some of the descriptions in this one Lovely Readers. If you can't handle descriptions of wounds and medical procedures, you might want to skip this one. :)

Case 3 - "Dragonfire"

Avi started to leave, but I needed to know who the other dragon was. Was it that guy Ezra or someone else? What did they look like as dragons? It blew me away that I was really talking to someone about dragons in the first place. I was meeting so many different creatures because I was with Zass. Some totally freaked me out, and others were sweet, like Amy. I wanted to see what Avi looked like as a dragon, but I didn't want him to eat me. After his last comment, I guess I was pretty much 100% convinced that he wasn't the one leaving the bodies behind. But I hadn't been able to see anyone else's motivation for the deaths. They were literally the cause of his family's near extinction but there was something else going on.

At that moment, Zass lifted his face and breathed in. The air that passed by his nostrils was blowing from the West. "Everyone get down." He said loudly and I dropped to the ground immediately. Avi's reflexes weren't quite as quick and I saw the impact of a projectile strike him in the shoulder. He quickly dropped to the ground clutching one hand to the injury so I couldn't tell how badly hurt he was. We ducked behind a convenient concrete planter and Zass pulled a set of throwing daggers from his boots. I didn't have my Glock, but I wished it was in my hands at that second. As I watched, Avi's eyes started to change from green to black, when the pupil completely covered the iris, it shot through with gold and turned into a slit surrounded by green and gold flames.

He looked at me through the change and I saw his skin start to mottle. I thought he must be changing form, but he stayed human sized, I saw fine scales run down his face in a wave, yet it remained a human face. He bristled and larger plate sized scales popped up on his back like a line backer's protection pads. His hands grew large claws and they were razor sharp. I could understand how someone might try to kill such a creature without thinking twice, but I could also see the expression on his face. It was the same guy I had just been talking to. The same guy showing concern for his family and if I had to guess, the same guy who was about to put his life on the line to protect mine.

"Stay here." Zass said forcibly to me. "You don't have a weapon Scott. Just keep your head down."

Avi looked towards where the arrow that was stuck in his shoulder had come from and noted that there was more than one attacker. He pulled the arrow from his flesh and handed it to me. I guess it was better than nothing. Dark blood glistened in the moonlight, dripping from the head and I knew if we made it out of this alive, he'd need medical attention.

Zass leapt into the air, and towards our attackers. He twisted in the air and came down far closer to the men with weapons than us. Running faster than anything I'd ever seen, he struck out at the first opponent, using one dagger as a weapon feinting towards his head, then dipping into a spin towards his rear and cutting the guy's hamstring, before rising and throwing the same blade at another's throat. That one missed by the barest margin as the Ascalonian ducked. He was obviously a highly trained fighter, because as he started in to face off against Zass, he pulled out a sword, twirling it in his hand before raising it to strike. Zass bent like a twig in the breeze and the strike missed its target. He countered with his smaller knives and managed to connect with the other's face, leaving a line of blood running from the new injury. Zass's strike made his opponent angry, and he started slashing at him, making Zass retreat before he could make another move against him.

We were unlucky in that there were still two more adversaries approaching. Avi leapt from behind the planter and took on the both of them. When I saw them raise their weapons I knew he wouldn't be likely to be victorious. They were armed to the teeth. I didn't have my sidearm, but I did have an arrow. I couldn't fire it at them, but I could throw it. Zass was handling his assailant, wearing him out so he could get closer to use his shorter weapons. Avi was slashing and blocking the attacker's moves, but with his injury he was tiring quickly. I needed to get closer so I could make a move without missing them and injuring Avi. I crept around the planter and used the darkness and distraction of the fight to remain invisible while I stayed out of the way of the fighting men.