Storm Dragons

Chapter 4. DAWN

OUTSKIRTS OF THALDERAN

Lit by the first rays of sun, bare feet run in the narrow alley, splashing on the rain puddles on their way. Holding hands, two scared street girls pass by Zairos, awakening him. They briefly stop on the street corner and look back with fear on their faces.

Unnoticed by her, the boy's eyes freeze as he sees MINARA, a girl of his age, beautiful with her bright blue almond-shaped eyes and long, unkempt black hair. She turns in the corner, pulling the six-year-old LITTLE GIRL after her.

Two seconds later, a slightly older boy, ORGATH – neatly trimmed red hair, fine clothes – runs through the alley. Scared, he looks back sometimes and seems to be running from the same thing the girls were. An instant later, he disappears at the same turn.

Screams! Zairos grabs his branch and lurks at the corner to investigate. At a small square, CHUBBY, a fat teenager, holds Minara and the Little Girl by their hair.

Another three youths surround Orgath. With an evil grin, their leader, ROCK, a Forest People's muscled youth, examines the cornered fancy kid.

Rock: "Seems the beautiful girl made you get lost."

Minara moans as Chubby makes his grip tighter, pulling even more of her hair. Frightened, Orgath stares at Rock. BIG BOY, a very tall teen, rips Orgath's exquisite necklace and admires its silver wolf-head-shaped pendant and its emerald eyes.

Big Boy: "The Axengardian symbol of nobility!

Rock: "Night Eye will like this!"

Zairos glares at the mention of the name of his father's killer. His face contorts and his breath quickens.

Rock makes a gesture to slit Orgath's throat. The teenagers nod in agreement. Chubby still holds the girls by their hair with all his brutality.

Chubby: "And the girls?"

The teen's leader gives his team a mischievous smile.

Rock: "They're all yours. Help yourselves."

The teenagers laugh maliciously, but a caw makes them stop. A raven flies over their heads, distracting Chubby. Minara takes the chance, bites his hand. With a cry of pain, he releases the girls. Minara spits the teen's blood from her mouth and shouts to her little friend.

Minara: "Run! Quick! Run!"

Rock: "I'll get these damn gir--"

Orgath sprints, getting rid of the other youths and leaps on Rock. He is still in the middle of his jump when the teenagers' leader moves fast to grab his collar and throw him on the ground.

Chubby goes after the Little Girl, but Minara climbs on his back and grabs him around the neck in a chokehold. The Little Girl escapes to a side alley.

Orgath tries to stand, but the last aggressor of the group, SUNNY, an athletic youth with the features of Sunphire's people, kicks his face, knocking him down again. Big Boy joins in the assault. They crouch to punch nonstop at a defenseless Orgath.

The fat teen throws his back against the wall behind him, smashing Minara against it. She slides to the ground, dazed. In the same way Night Eye would have finished Torius, he raises his right foot, ready to stomp on the girl's head. Then something tackles him to the floor. Zairos and Chubby roll over the stone pavement. As soon as they break apart, the corpulent youth tries to get back to his feet, but Zairos kicks his face, sending Chubby back to the ground.

Zairos charges the other teens. He whacks the branch on Big Boy's knee, and then hits Sunny in the groin. He turns toward Rock, who stops him with a punch in the chin. Zairos counterattacks, breaking the branch across his foe's face. and then starts to punch him over and over. Sunny stops him with a knee in the stomach. Rock follows with an elbow in Zairos' head. The boy falls, moaning at his attacker's feet as blood drips down his mouth.