The Dragon Hunter

20

Quin raced down the street towards the source of the explosion, Mendax on his heels. The sky was burning, golden light setting roofs aflame. He could see figures, black shapes with arms outstretched before him. Eerie chanting reached his ears as Quin forced his way though the wall of heat. Mendax yelled for him to stop, but Quin didn't yield. He tripped over something and glanced down. Nothing, nothing but golden light leaking between the paving stones so when he looked down all he saw was light. The wind howled, whipping around pieces debris in and out of the flames.

He continued to run.

~

Luna stood, rocking the boat back and forth as the sky to their left exploded. Axel's eyes widened, only the comand "get down" making it past his lips before golden fire turned the surface water to steam, raining down like arrows from every direction. Minx threw her good wing over Jags, shielding him from the embers. Axel lay flat at the bottom of the boat, water lapping at his face. Luna had fallen overboard. Her fingers clawed at the hull, trying and failing to gain a purchase as she came up for air, sucking in smoke before vanishing once more beneath the waves.

~

Minx heard Axel shouting, but couldn't make out the words. The noise was too loud, intense roaring and spitting brought on my the heat. The boat groaned under the pressure but, thankfully, refused to catch. Beside her, Jags whimpered.

The river was awash with golden fire, dancing across the surface as though the water were mixed with oil. Minx risked a glanced upwards into the burning sky and her heart stopped.

Amongst the clouds a long, snake-like shadow twirled around, ribbons fluttering behind a mane of silky brown fur. She shook her head; this couldn't be happening. But now Minx realised the roaring wasn't coming from the fire. The fire itself was completely silent, only the boiling water spat and hissed. The roaring came from the sky, from the shadow. Minx gulped.

"Meden help us," Axel murmured. He'd worked it out. Jags placed a paw on her hand, looking up at her.

The final known guardian had emerged.

~

Tein-lung's eyes opened, irisis the same colour as blood. He snarled, rows upon rows of teeth catching the golden light so that they appeared to glow like jagged stars.

He saw a Pyron, running blindly through burning streets. He saw a mystic, laying motionless. He saw a human and a lycanthorope and a dragon and a tanuki struggling to keep a tiny boat from capsizing. He saw the shadows that danced in the streets and his eyes narrowed. Slowly, Tein-lung began his descent from high in the ozone towards the earth. As he got closer, he heard the voices that had summoned him, the girl with pink hair, arms outstretched, chanting. Her eyes were cloudy and white, unfocused, yet somehow settled upon him as he landed.

"Who dares summon me?" he roared, lifting off of the burning ground, floating so his eyes were level with the girl. She smiled, taking a step towards him.

"The falling sky," she laughed, her voice rough and masculin. Tein-lung bared his teeth, shaking out his mane.

"Pasirima, I take it this vessel is the eigth?"

The girl, Pasirima, laughed again, holding her hands behind her back and walking towards him. "You're quick to catch on, aren't you? Sundragons always are."