The Dragon's Embrace

Chapter 5: On the Run

Alara gazed upon the knife in the stranger's hand with horror in her eyes. She then turned her gaze back to the hand that peered out from behind the couch. "K-Ken...?" she choked out with fear in her eyes. She then looked back at the stranger, taking a deep breath before sprinting towards the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you... That is... If you don't want your foster mother to pay the same price..." The stranger jeered with a keen smirk.

Alara gasped and looked back at him gulping in fear, water rimming at her eyes. "Who are you? W-what do you want with me?" she asked as tears fell from her eyes.

The man chuckled, "You may call me agent Xander, and I'm afraid that is classified. Now, if you intend on keeping your precious Janice from dying, you will come with me, calm and quiet." He said, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping the blood off of his knife.

Alara sniffled, trembling as thoughts ran wild through her head. Why does he need me? Will he try to kill me? What will happen to Janice?

"Come now, don't keep me waiting." He said, holding a hand out to her. Alara stared at the hand, her heart beat ringing in her ears. She slowly made her way to agent Xander, but just as she was about to take the man's hand, she heard noise coming from upstairs. Almost immediately after, something fell down the staircase and there was Janice, blood covering half her face from a cut on her forehead and her hands tied behind her back. Janice then saw Alara and a look of fear came to her eyes "Alara! Don't listen to him! Run or he'll kill you!" she shouted just as another agent came running down the stairs, grabbing Janice and pinning her against a wall.

Alara gasped and looked back at agent Xander, backing away. Xander then shook his head. "What a loud mouth... you couldn't keep quiet for two more seconds could you... oh well..." he said, smirking as he nodded to his coworker. The second agent then nodded back to him, pulling out a gun and placing it to Janice's head. Janice then met the gaze of the terrified girl, "RUN!" she shouted. Then the gun was fired.

Alara stared at the blood spattered walls with horror, then gasped and shook her head, running out the door as fast as she could and not looking back. She then heard another fire and felt a sudden pain in her right ankle, causing her to collapse. The pain was excruciating but she knew she had to keep moving or die.

She struggled to her feet, making her way to the forest a little ways from her house. As she entered the forest, her tattoo phased into her skin and she took her dragon form. She knew that if she could get into the sky then she'd be safe, but the forest was so dense that it was nearly impossible to take off without breaking a wing against a tree. She looked around desperately for a clearing, praying that one wouldn't be too far. She looked behind her, seeing lights a little ways back. She then noticed the wound in her back leg was creating a trail of blood and giving her hunters a path to follow.

She then looked ahead of her, seeing a few small trees. She then got an idea and threw her weight against them, making them topple. She then climbed over them, leaving an obstacle for the agents who were chasing her. She then continued to run, seeing a clear area ahead of her. She gasped and a burst of adrenaline flooded through her veins as she dashed for it. When she got to it, she opened her wings and took to the sky, flying as high as she could until she was covered by the clouds.

Alara panted heavily in exhaustion, her back leg throbbing in agonizing pain. There was only one place she knew would be safe.

The female dragon then flew towards the lake a few miles from her school, searching for the dragon island. Storm clouds gathered among the skies and she hurried along before the rain started. When she saw the island come into view, she dove down to it. She limped on her back foot as she searched for the den. As she walked, small droplets fell from the sky and onto her scales. It wasn't much longer before the pouring rain was obstructing her vision.