Dragon Tide Chronicles: Dawn Rising

Chapter 7: Darkness of the Unknown

Chapter Seven: Darkness of the Unknown

When I woke, a fire was going. I was inside some dark cave. All around me, I heard dripping noises. I look around for my squad, but only Ore is left. Ore, thank goodness. I was so worried… I lie my head down, and try to rest, but then I notice a red glint coming from the shadows. What? Is that…? Him? I attempt to stand, but a hand forces me down. It’s Alexander. “Let go of me! You bastard! Let- OWW!” He touched my leg, which was apparently broken.

“Oh my. Your leg is broken. How unfortunate. Hold still, or I’ll break the other one.” He reaches into one of many pouches attached to his belt, and takes out a blue powder.

I eye it warily. “What is that?”

“Healing powder. Now shut up, pixie.” He takes water from a puddle, wets a cloth with it, and sprinkles the powder on it. The cloth glows bright blue. He wraps the cloth around my leg and then squeezes. I wail in pain from the pressure, and then from the bone forcibly repairing itself. When he’s finished, I let out a long gasp, and I try desperately to calm myself. My brother apparently didn’t understand what Alexander was doing, because he tried to punch him.

“Let my sister go you scumbag!” Ore yelled. He aimed for Alexander’s face, only for Alexander to block him with no effort, and then tosses him into the wall.

“Calm yourself, fool. I was merely lending medical assistance. Now then, I think it’s time we sat down and talked. No more attempting to slit each other’s throats. If you will, I would like to tell you why I went through all that trouble just to rile you up enough to chase after me. However, I did not anticipate having to meet here. I actually had some preparations in order for a more comfortable meeting place but…”

Ore cuts him off. “Get to the point. Why did you attack Danica, and why have you been pestering us!?”

Alexander gives him an evil stare that if he could, would literally ignite Ore. “Just shut up, and maybe I WILL tell you. It began… never mind. I’m just going to cut to the chase. The Chromatic Dragonlings were recently banished from the Chromatic Isles, our place of refugee after we ‘allegedly’ attacked and destroyed the flying city of The Towers of Torik. We were sent to a great desert continent. You may have heard of it as, ‘The Chaotic Desert’. There, our government’s hatred has been boiling until it cannot be contained. Recently, I discovered that the military is planning to use a super weapon to destroy the Gem Dragonlings. They called it, the Destruction Bomb. YES, very original, I know, pixie. Its power is estimated to be more then enough to destroy, and I literally mean, destroy a whole continent. I am attempting to warn the Gem Dragonlings, but I need someone to help me, should things get….” He paused.

“You mean if things get messy. I see. So we’re human shields huh?” Ore says in a low tone.

Alexander growls. “I may be a lot of things, but I’m not one to carelessly throw aside someone like that. I’m not a heartless demon, like your cracked up old geezer says I am.” Immediately, Ore attempts to punch him, but I hold him back.

“And what do we get if we help you?” I ask sharply.

He smirks. “I will get you out of here, and back home to where you all can prance around and act like little dorks.” This peeves me off, but I just glare at him. “Ok, fine. You don’t want my help; I’ll just be going now, leaving you in this cold, dark cave.” He immediately starts walking off. Both me and Ore grind our teeth, we can’t stand taking risks like this.

“FINE! We’re coming!!” We both yell at him, and scramble to catch up. We manage to catch up with Alexander, and as I look at him, his face is set like marble, he has a kind of determination, though I don’t know what he’s driving for, I know the only way out of this is if we work together. For now, at least. We walk silently, for about an hour, before I finally decide to ask him a question. “Alexander, can I talk to you?”

He gruffly responds, “I don’t know, can you? I guess if you TRIED…”

I groan. “So anyways, why DID you try to kill Grandpa Quin? Did he do something to get on your bad side? Does he owe you money or…?” He growls menacingly at the mention of Quin’s name.

“I tried to kill him because he killed millions of innocent women and children. People who had nothing to do with him were meaninglessly slaughtered!! THAT is why I tried to kill him! To avenge all who died because of you and your wretched family!”