The Dragon's Bounty

Chapter 15

Kai and Duros lied in bed awake, staring up at the ceiling.
"This bed is way too small." Duros said.
Kai nodded. "Couldn't you just like hang from the ceiling?" He asked.
Duros rolled his eyes. "I could rig you up a hammock, but I hate them."
Kai sighed. "Better than this situation." He said. Suddenly, he was yanked upward in a twirling of threads, hanging on a small hammock from the ceiling in a matter of moments.
"This as big as you can make it?"
Duros glared at him. "I refuse to sacrifice any more of my blanket."
Kai sighed and sank down into the hammock. "Hey, Duros?"
"What?!" Duros didn't open his eyes.
"Have you ever done something so terrible, that you were afraid no one would trust you once you told them?"
Duros chuckled. "Hello? Dragon's Bounty, buddy."
Kai shook his head. "That's different. None of those were our faults."
Duros nodded. "True. So you're implying you did something that bad without Mr. Big Grin?"
Kai looked down at him. "No, I, uh, was just asking, ok? Good night."
Duros shrugged and rolled over. "Good night, I guess." Later that night, once they were both asleep, there was a thud and a shout. Duros jerked awake and looked around. "Kai?" He whispered. "Did you hear that?"
Kai sat up. "Not only that, I felt it." Duros looked over to see Kai sitting on the ground, an irritated look on his face. "Hammock's too small." He said.
Duros laughed. "Or maybe you're just a restless sleeper."
Kai sighed. He flopped down on the ground. "I'm too tired for this." And with that, he started snoring. Duros chuckled and drifted off to sleep himself.
That morning, the two awoke to a magnificent smell of bacon cooking. They took a quick look at one another before making a mad dash to the stairs, nearly tripping on the way down.
"Surrender the food!" Kai shouted.
Emma jumped and almost dropped the pan. "Don't scare me like that!" She shouted.
Kai scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, I'm hungry." Emma rolled her eyes and continued to cook.
Khan waltzed down the stairs and yawned. "Good morning." He said. Kai waved with a gleeful smile. Dagger appeared in a chair.
"Please don't tell me you slept in your armor again." Emma said.
Dagger shook his head. "No, just didn't feel like walking down this time, so I didn't." He propped his feet up on the table in front of him. Andrew and Aro were quick to get downstairs upon smelling the bacon. Elliot cautiously tiptoed down the stairs.
"And here's our esteemed guest!" Khan gestured to Elliot, who froze.
"Why are you sneaking around?" Kai asked, twirling a circle of flame around.
"I wasn't sneaking! I was just being cautious!" He smiled.
"Did YOU sleep in your armor?" Emma asked.
Elliot shook his head. "I just dress quickly." He said, sitting down across the room.
"So, when will breakfast be served?" Andrew asked.
"Almost finished." Emma said with a smile. Kai smiled as he simply watched her move the bacon around in the pan.
After breakfast, Khan looked out the window. "Look! There's a town straight ahead! Maybe it's where Lance is!"
Kai popped up beside him. "Well, I sure hope so. It's getting pretty boring around here. Maybe him moping around will make it better."
Khan laughed. "I highly doubt he's been moping around this whole time. It's been 15 years. I'm sure he's got a grip by now." Kai shrugged. He walked out into the porch. When the tavern set itself down, he jumped off and jogged down into town.
"Freedom!" He shouted.
Khan smacked his forehead. "That idiot."
Aro rushed out after Kai. "Kai, Wait!" He shouted. Khan slammed his face down onto the windowsill.
Emma walked out next. "I'm going to get groceries." Duros weaved himself a hood and swung off down into town. Elliot waltzed down after them.
Khan looked up. "Dagger, will you help me run the tavern?"
Dagger laughed. "No chance." And with that, he walked out the door as well.
Khan groaned and walked down after them. "No point hiding our identities now, I suppose. We are about to fight a major battle out in public."
Elliot peeked into various houses, finding no one. Emma looked around the market, finding only spoiled and rotten food. Duros landed on the tallest building and looked around, seeing no one. Kai slipped down the streets, seeming to know which way he was going. Suddenly, he fell face first into the ground.
Aro walked up to him. "Um, Kai? You ok?" Kai didn't answer. Aro shrugged and attempted to pull him up. "Wow. You're heavier than you look." Dagger strutted past them. "A little help?" Aro asked.
Dagger shrugged. "He's just overcoming one of his emotions. He'll be fine soon." Aro dropped Kai's arm and followed Dagger down the street. The bowl appeared in his hands and he glanced down at it. After taking a good look, he simply tossed the bowl aside and started walking the way it pointed. He kicked down the door of the house he had been led to.
"Hey, what if someone lives there?" Aro asked.
"That's what I'm hoping." Dagger replied, walking inside. He opened the door to the bedroom, sighing as he looked inside. Lying on the bed was a man with a bottle in his hand, sound asleep. Dagger used a bit of dark power to whip the man's back.
"Ah!" He shouted, jumping to his feet. A sudden blast of red energy sent Dagger through the wall. Aro looked between the man and the hole. "Who's disturbing me now?" The man asked.
Aro put his hands up. "I don't want any trouble!" He shouted.
The man looked over to him. He scratched his long scraggly beard. "Then why are you here?" He asked.
"Well, we're looking for-"
"Lance?" Khan walked through the hole Dagger had created. "You look awful." He said.
The man slumped over. "I feel awful." He fell to his knees and began sobbing. "She's gone!"
Khan sighed. "So much for getting a grip." He said. He grabbed Lance and towed him outside into the light, throwing him against the ground.
Lance simply continued to sob. "I can't believe she's really gone!"
Aro simply stared at him. "This is the Butterfly?" He asked. Khan nodded.
"What's up with him?" Andrew asked.
Dagger sighed. "I'm sure he'll have enough energy to tell you his tale of woe."
Lance sniffed and nodded. "I can. It all started 16 years ago."