A shriek tore through the air, causing Cloud's heart to leap in his throat. He swiveled his head, scanning the flooding hoards of panicking villagers for the source of the cry. A hatchling, he knew, somewhere near the initial source of the chaos and the fire as it licked the sky venomously. Something had exploded, that much Cloud had been able to deduce, but what and how were still beyond his comprehension. All he could piece together were blurred fragments of confusion and hysteria and he could not distinguish where his own ended and the civilians' began.
What is going on? his mind screeched on repeat. Where is everyone going? What is happening?
He didn't understand. Had no one heard the cry for help? Why was no one else turning back?
He hesitated, allowing the residents to continue shoving past him at the risk of exposing his secret. A life was so much more important than his own well-being. He would be able to escape if he were put in danger for his actions, perhaps this hatchling couldn't. Either way, he knew he couldn't leave her behind. He hadn't been raised as a hero for nothing.
"Help me, please!"
The call came again, muffled and disoriented. Cloud's legs propelled him forward, his wings already billowing from underneath his cape, masked by the darkness of the night and the shadows of the lamplight. "Everyone, get back!" he roared and the reaction was instantaneous. The crowd, shocked by his outburst, leaped away from his sprinting form and watched, dazed and bewildered, as he took off above the rooftops, hopping from gable to gable and clinging haphazardly to the thatched vines before swinging onto the next series of buildings.
"What's going on?" someone below whispered.
"Who is that guy?" another hissed. "And what does he think he's doing?"
Cloud ignored this. He had more pressing matters to worry about. The flames, upon discovering the extreme flammability of the poorly constructed water-front huts, grew rapidly, and by the time Cloud had managed to heave himself across half of the village, the fire was already lapping toward the town square.
He was too late.
No! I can still find her! She could still be alive! "Hey!" he bellowed, skidding to a halt and searching wildly through the torched streets for any signs of life. "Is anybody here?" The flames were getting closer. He could feel their heat against his scales. He was running out of time.
"Hello?" he called again and now a swarm of onlookers had gathered just outside the ring of danger and he grimaced. This was already difficult enough without the added pressure of everyone watching. Well, it couldn't be helped. It wasn't going to stop him from being a hero; from doing what needed to be done. He just needed to be careful about his next steps.
Okay, okay, you can do this. Breathe. Just--He gagged, reeling back and choking over blackened smoke. Okay, never mind, maybe don't breathe on this one Cloud. He groaned, sucking in a lungful of fresh air and narrowing his eyes, scanning the alleyways desperately for movement. Any movement. Anything.
What would Clouddusk do if he were here? he wondered. How would he approach something like this?
Even without crazy superpowers, his mentor always knew what to do. He'd trained Cloud to respond to dangerous situations with a relaxed and open mind. This was supposed to be a simple walk in the square.
Right now, Cloud felt anything but relaxed.
"H-help! I'm scared!"
The scream again. His head swung around and, this time, he recognized where it was coming from. There! Between the market stalls and the huts lining the edge of the village! That had to be it!
YOU ARE READING
Forgotten Legends | Defenders Book #1 (FINAL VERSION)
Fantasy"The prophecy may say you're a hero, but you'll never be what the universe needs to survive." "A war is coming and Dragnaple is going to need more than freaks like you to save it." Cloud Star had always known he was different. He had known from the...
