The Dragon Hunter

16

Luna sat by the river, dangling her legs into the crystal clear water as around her the others discussed their plans. She'd already told them everything she could remember, but the decision to head north had still been well fought by both sides. Minx and Luna had wanted to take the path through Penen so they could meet up with the others, but Axel and August had told them that the fastest route was to follow the river through the forest, missing Penen altogether. Eventually they had agreed to find this Vienna person first then head back to join with the rest of the society.

The society scatterers.

In her stupor Luna shuddered; this was related to the prophecy, she just knew it. The fire...the prophecy had something about fire, but she couldn't remember what.

They were good people, your parents.

Her Great uncle had know about her, he was the one who persuaded them, good people, to give her life to Meden. He knew she existed yet did nothing when her parents burned.

You are sworn to me.

What if she didn't want to give her life to Meden? He'd said it himself; he wasn't an all powerful god. So why did he and his stupid brother act so proud, so above the problems of mortals?

"What you thinking about?" Minx asked, snapping Luna from her daze. She shrugged, skipping a pebble across the waters smooth surface.

"Nothing much."

Luna glanced at her friend. She'd changed so much; larger, gossamer wings tucked against a lean body, muscles outlined in streams of faintly glowing blue scales, horns tucked behind short triangular ears. Spines that had once been just a thumbs length now as long as her forearm. She supposed most of them had changed.

Quin had grown up and had taken pride in what he was.

Gemma had become an academic.

Charlie was...well. Still Charlie.

Nyx had been more serious. Less inclined to make decisions based on his emotions, more on logic.

Nyx.

She missed him, just thinking about him made her stomach twist in knots. At least he was safe, Minx had of course told them all about Mendax's group heading to Penen. If anything happened to any of them...

"You're doing it again," Minx stated, dragging a claw through the water. Luna frowned.

"Doing what again."

"That face. I know that face. It's your thinking face."

Luna unconsciously touched her cheek, already the scar had faded to almost nothing. She chuckled to herself. She stared at her reflection in the water.

"You caught me. I'm just worried about the others is all."

Minx shrugged. "Me too. How's your face?"

"It's fine."

Luna touched her face again, feeling the fading scar that decorated her cheek. The skin was rough and hard.

Like dried clay.

~

Nyx arrived back to the deserted town and his stomach dropped. There was no one, nothing but silence broken by their footfalls against the pavement as they walked beneath the gate. Quin whimpered quietly as Charlie pulled off down another street, mumbling something about gathering the gangs for a meeting. After glancing at Mendax for confirmation Winston jogged after her. Nyx raised an eyebrow and Mendax smiled reassuringly.

"She's going off on her own and the townsfolk have vanished. I'm not willing to lose anyone else without a fight."

Nyx just nodded and squeezed Quin's hand reassuringly. Mendax glanced back at them.

"Where can we set up a base?" He asked.

Nyx gulped. "We can go to my family farm. There's plenty of room for us to plan our next step."

"You're parents will be ok with this?"

Nyx hesitated before answering. "It's safe to assume if the rest of the town is gone they will be too."

"Ok then. Lead the way."

~

Charlie knew he was following her. The one from the society. She knew they couldn't be trusted. She tried her best to lose him, heading in arching loops towards the pit. As soon as she was sure he was gone, she made a b-line for the ratty tavern.

Charlie threw the doors open and sighed in relief. They were all here, just like he'd told them. Like Jags had told her. She had her own agenda, she had things she needed to do and that didn't involve the others. The voice had told her what to do.

The cluster of kids looked up. The homeless, the misfits, the rebels. One stepped forwards, a stone dragon at his heels.

"He told us you'd come back. What do we do now Eight?"

Eight. That's what the voice had told her. They all had numbers now; he'd told her that too.

"Are you ready to take this place back for us?" Ramsipia asked. From the reaction of the rest of the gathered they heard it to. He was in their heads, and had been for close to six months now. "To save the ones you love, you will do my will?"

"Yes master," they all replied, moving through chips of clay on the floor. Charlie took her place at the head of an old, rotting table where maps were laid out.

"You will find the last ones? Those who betrayed me?" He purred. Charlie nodded.

"We'll find the shadow walkers and restore the peace. There will be an even number once more," she stated, pointing to a spot on the map depicting a large, jagged mountain. "We swear it."

~

"I can see them."

The thing that was once Jashalock stood in the thickets, his scales beige stone and his mind gone. Beside him Seafoam stirred.

"Do we attack?"

They shared a hive mind now, effectively talking to themselves. Talking to him.

"We sent in the foot soldiers. Changelings. The lycanthrope knows they are his friends. He will hesitate to harm them."

Seafoam nodded. "Let it be so then."
She shifted her weight, her tail thumping against a nearby tree. Instantly loud inhuman screams rang out from the west, getting closer and closer with each passing second. "We approach."

"Yes," Jashalock replied. He turned to go. "We must deal with the other four."

"Then let us make haste," she agreed. The two of them vanished into the vegetation as the screams got louder and more terrible, closing on on the group of six resting by the river.