Backyard Hero

Chapter 8: Charlemagne

The first floor of the dungeon ... was rather pleasant.

Gentle rays of sunshine warmed Nina's face as they filtered through the thick canopy of green leaves. Around her loomed the trunks of gargantuan trees that stretched into the sky and had trunks as wide as a bus. The trees were widely spaced, and there was almost no undergrowth to wade through. It felt almost like walking through a park, just one designed for giants.

Not bad, Nina thought, as far as dungeons go.

George sat on her shoulder purring, his slender tail wrapped loosely around her throat. He nuzzled her face as she slipped him a strip of jerky. He'd stayed close to her ever since the escape and ... everything that had happened after. He still refused to talk and had reacted violently towards most strangers. Nina worried about him, but she had no idea how to socialize a child as unique as he was. She would focus on keeping him safe. Finding the boy a proper caretaker would have to wait.

Max seemed to be the only exception to George's distrust of strangers. He had not warmed to the man, not exactly, but neither did he hide or grow aggressive when Max approached.

"We've been walking for an hour," Nina said. "Do you know where you're going?"

"We're almost there," Max said, "Took me days to find it the first time, so you should consider yourself lucky that I'm here to show you the way."

"My white knight, little ol' me would be helpless alone. That better? I'm more concerned with getting out of here than stroking your ego."

George chirped in agreement and sent a puff of smoke towards Max. The man turned towards the dragonling and smiled, showing two rows of white teeth. George yelped, and wound his tail around Nina's waist as he disappeared behind her back, clinging to her armor. After a few moments, George risked peeking one eye above Nina's shoulder.

"I see you little lizard," Max said. "Just make sure you aim that fire in the right direction when it counts."

George responded with what he probably thought was a mighty roar but came out more like a kitten's mewling. Nina couldn't help but laugh. This was the most animated she'd seen the child in days.

"I think he likes you," she said, rubbing her hand across the bony ridge behind George's ear.

"Of course he does. What's not to like?"

"Well, for one —"

The sun grew brighter as they stepped out of the trees and into a wide-open field of golden grass. Wind brushed through Nina's hair, and she felt a slight chill tickle at her nose. She drew her eyes across the field and her mouth dropped in awe.

"There it is," Max said. "I call it Yggdrasil, but Eve refuses to acknowledge the name. She just calls it 'Trial Dais One.' She's not much fun, if you haven't noticed."

A long gorge cut through the plain, carving a line towards a large crater surrounded by jagged rock. A large plume of crystalline branches rose up above the cliffs like diamond spears thrusting into the heavens.

"That's ..." Nina said.

The sun refracted through the branches of the crystal tree, splitting the light into shimmering rainbows and sparkling reflections. Nina felt George's weight as he climbed on her head and stretched his neck forward to get a better view.

"Yeah," Max said. "I had the same reaction. It's breathtaking — Also, it's full of traps and spiders, so don't go getting too enamored."

"Wait," Nina said, subconsciously drawing her arms around herself. "Did ... did you say spiders?"