Stuck in the Land Of Dragons

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Theo walked around to the other side of the mountain, where there was a small cave. He settled himself inside it and waited. He looked up at the sky. It was 2:48. Theo sighed. There was still an agonising twelve minutes to wait. He looked around in boredom and saw a red rock on the ground. He picked it up and drew a large circle on the wall. Inside the circle he drew a strange type of stick figure which represented Atholia. Then he drew a jagged triangle to the east of the circle, which represented the mountain. Then he drew a small circle at the bottom of it and drew a stick man inside it, representing himself. Next he drew a line starting at the Atholia-figure and ending half way around the cave walls. Then he drew a line starting at the Theo-figure and ending in Atholia's cave. Finally, he drew another line starting from the inside of Atholia's cave and ending at their cave. Theo looked prously at his game-plan, and then, remembering what he was here for, looked back up at the sky.

It was 2:59. He kneeled on the hot sand outside and looked for Willow. He spotted her and smiled. Then he sat and waited for the signal. But the signal didn't come. He looked back up at the sky. 3:05. Where was Atholia? Theo stared at Willow and could just make out a confused expression on her face. At 3:10, Theo was starting to get worried. What if she didn't come out? If Atholia didn't come out, his plan would fail and he wouldn't get the stone. Then he wouldn't be able to go back home. He'd never see his family again! Theo stared at Willow, who was still staring at the cave, looking crestfallen. Then she perked up, turned to Theo, and waved frantically. Theo looked up, and there was Atholia, flying right over him. He curled up in a ball, trying to make himself as small as possible. He waited until he couldn't see Atholia anymore, and then he stood up. Then he went back inside, grabbed the potion, and drank half of it while walking back outside.

It tasted absolutely awful, like fish guts or something. Theo stood there, waiting for something to happen. Then it did. First he felt his right arm get all tingly. Then his left. Then both his legs. Then his whole body was feeling weird. And then with a pop, he just grew. It happened so fast he didn't even notice it until he was 20 feet tall. He looked down at his purply-red coloured scales and thought 'Wow. This is really happening.' He tried to fly. He didn't know how to, it just came to him naturally. He rose into the air and flew to the ledge of Atholia's cave. Two guards were standing t the front.

"Why are you back so early, O' Lord Atholia?" One asked. Theo growled and the guard backed off, letting him go through.

"Well, she's in a feisty mood today," Theo heard one of them mutter. He turned back a roared as loud as he could. That scared them right down the mountain. Now he just needed to find the stone. He knew it wasn't in Atholia's bedroom or the room full of prisoners, so he took a different path. He walked down a long tunnel which lead to a kitchen. There was blood splattered on the floor, walls and all the jagged rocks. There was obviously no stone in there, so he turned and headed back. There was only one tunnel left, so Theo stomped down that one. He came out into a large room where he was greeted with the shouts of "Mummy!"

Now Theo knew why Atholia had taken longer to leave her cave and hunt. Inside the room was a large nest full of miniature versions of the feared dragon. They all jumped out of the nest and crowded around the dumbstruck Theo.

"Why are you home so early, Mummy?" One cried.

"Where is our food?"

"I'm hungry!"

Theo had to think fast.

"Well, my dears, I had to come back early because in needed something," Theo explained as the baby dragons went quiet. "Now, I've forgotten, so can one of you tell me, where is my special stone?"

There was silence for a moment, and Theo prayed that the babies knew what he meant. Then they all started talking.

"One at a time please," Theo asked. One dragon stepped forward.

"It's under our nest, Mummy, remember? You put it there two weeks ago."

"Thank you. Now, everyone off the nest. I need the stone," Theo ordered. The baby dragons scattered and Theo walked forward and lifted up the nest. There was a long wooden staff and on the top was a shining, sparkling stone. Theo bent forward and picked it up.

"Thank you my dears. Now, I must be off," Theo said as he tried t leave. But the mini Atholias swarmed around him.

"I want some spitatalas!"

"I want a crantola!"

"I will have anything. I'm starved!"

"I want to have-" That young dragon was cut off by a distant shout.

"Darlings! I'm ho-ome!" Theo froze. Atholia was back early. He quickly tucked the staff under his wing.

"Guess who got back early!" She said as she walked down the tunnel. "I got an easy catch. Look here, kids Mummy brought you-" She stopped when she saw Theo, who still looked like Atholia. Then the two guards from the front ran in.

"So sorry, O' Lord Atholia," One said, addressing Theo. "We tried to stop this one. It must be someone disguised as you."

"But I'm Atholia!" Atholia cried.

"No! I am Atholia. What are you talking about?" Theo shouted.

"Well, which one of youse is the real Atholia?" One of the guards asked.

"I am!"

"No, I am you fool!"

Theo turned towards Atholia.

"I am the real Atholia, you buffoon! What are you thinking, pretending to be-" Theo stopped as he started to shrink. Soon enough, he was himself again.

"YOU!" Atholia screeched. Theo tried to run, but the guards were blocking the door. He was trapped. Atholia and the guards slowly advanced on him. The guards got to him first, grabbed him, and started to force him towards the door.

"No," Atholia said. "I have a better idea. Give him to me."

The guards turned and forced Theo towards Atholia. She grabbed the collar of his shirt in her mouth and walked forwards, towards the nest full of the baby dragons.

"Darlings!" She sang. "Dinner!" And with that, she dropped poor Theo into a pit full of hungry baby dragons who Theo now found to be taller than him.