World Of Fire (Arula: Five)

Chapter 5

Dumon had gone up in flames. It was the only thing that Karma could comprehend at that very moment. It was too much to take in. "Oh no." She heard Jason beside her. Oh no was right. There was nothing that could have predicted this. Nothing. "Karma?" Jason asked, not even he knew how to react. He was sure that Karma would have done or said something by now, but she just... stared. Karma swallowed and shook her head.

"Come on," she said to Jason. "Let's see what happened here." Though Karma had a good guess of what could have happened. Dragon attack. They entered Dumon a few minutes to see the aftermath. Dark, heavy smoke wafted up into the sky. Buildings were crumpled and ashes drifted through the streets. The townsfolk huddle together in fear. They were covered in cinder from head to toe. Their clothes were black and torn. In a word? Disaster. Karma hopped off Pepper and walked up to man who looked less distraught about the situation. "Can you tell me what happened here?" Karma asked the man. The man looked at Karma with tired and scared eyes.

"They came out of nowhere." The man said. "They flew down from the skies and spew their hot flames on our town. Once it was in flames they crashed to ground and went on a rampage like rapid saber-tooth wolves." The man closed his eyes and took in a deep sorrow breath. "It was like they were searching for something or someone. They didn't exactly hurt anyone, mostly just scared everyone out of their wits."

"Who are exactly they?" Karma asked. "The dragons?" The man's eyes grew wide and he nodded.

"Aye," he said. "They left us with nothing. Nothing." The man shook his head is dismay. Karma looked at the man in sympathy.

"Give me a moment," she told the man and went over to her horse, Pepper, and started to rummage through the saddle bags until she found a piece of parament and pen. She smooth the parchment on her thigh and roughly wrote on it. When she was done, she handed it to the man. "Here," she said. "Take this to whoever is in charge here and tell him or her to take this to Shurli and to the Councils. This explains what had happened here and that an immediate supply drop should be made here by the order of the Creator." As the man took the parchment, his eyes grew even wider.

"Did you say the Creator?" Karma smiled sweetly at the man.

"Take it and help your village." Karma said and jumped back on Pepper. Karma looked at Jason and motioned him to follow. "Come on, we still need to meet our friends." Karma and Jason turned their horses leaving the man. Going through the village made Karma feel sad. This once great village had thrived so well, and now it had been burned down to a crisp. She just hoped that Argo didn't look this bad. Karma and Jason made their way through the village looking for their missing companions. After what seem like an eternity, Karma saw two familiar faces. Ahead of them was Omar and Mika. They were crouched down in front of a group of people giving them some water and bread from their own supplies. Karma couldn't help but smile. Not from them being caring, like they always are, but because she hadn't seen her elven friends in months.

Bringing her fingers to her lips, Karma blew a high-pitched whistle. Omar and Mika looked up at the sound and saw Karma. They both smiled and made their way to their old friend. Karma and Jason met them halfway and jumped off their horses to greet them. The tall she-elf embraced Karma with open arms. "Oh, it is great to see you, mon amie."*1 She said and let go. "It has been too long!"

"Agreed." Karma said and hugged Omar. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," Omar said. "Though not so much anymore. Not with the news you had sent us." Karma nodded. She knew the feeling. "I am assuming that is what happened here?"

"Pretty much." Karma said. "I've already sent out a note to the councils to send out supplies here as well as Argo. I don't know why these attacks are happening, but they are." Omar nodded.

"Well the man that Karma talked to said that it almost seemed like they were searching for something." Jason said walking up to the group.

"Searching?" Mika said. "Well that seems odd. But so does their attacks. The dragons were always a quiet clan. They normally caused little to no trouble."

"And that's why we're going to Argo and Dragon Mountain." Karma said. "If we don't find out what's going on and how we can stop it, then all of Arula could go up into flames." It was grim thought, but an important one.

"Then what are we waiting for," Omar said, "we better start heading out."

"Actually we're waiting on Dagner." Karma said. "We can't go anyway without him."

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO!" Came a loud voice from across the square. The companions turned to see Dagner coming up on his ryder-wolf, Hanley. "Because am right here!" He said once he came closer. Hanley skidded to a stop right in from of them. "I came as quickly as I could, lass. There was no way I was going to miss out on this adventure." The small, half drunken dwarf looked around the village and asked, "what in the name of Thor happened here?"

Karma grinned and shook her head. "I'll explain everything to you on the way." As the group was making their way out of Dumon, Karma couldn't help but noticed a small, brown furry critter cured up on Omar's brown mare. The more she looked at it, the more familiar the critter became. "No," she said to Omar. "Please tell me you didn't bring THAT thing with you." As if it heard her, Shari, the saber-tooth ferret, lifted its very sleepily head up at Karma and blinked its small black eyes. Omar laughed.

"Oh come on, Karma," Omar said. "I thought that you two would have become friends by now." Karma snorted.

"More like acquaintances, and hardly even that!" Karma huffed and kicked Pepper in the side to make her go faster. "Fine, but you're responsible for it." By now, Omar was dying of laughter. Once his laughter subsided, he pick Shari and petting its head with his fingers.

"Are you that much trouble?" He asked the ferret, but Shari didn't give much of any reply. "Oh well," he said and followed his companions on the long journey ahead of them.

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*1 "mon amie" ~ "my friend"