What Lurks Behind The Trees

Escape

Gregor's arms dropped to his sides, his knees dropped to the ground, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them it would all be gone. He opened them again and gasped, they reflected an image that Gregor was too afraid to believe, everything seemed to be going in slow motion, his gasps for air echoed in his ears and his eyes just stared at the horror, unblinking, welling up with tears. He could see the other men running around frantically, but in his head, everything went slow. He breathed hard, each inhale burning his lungs as he struggled.

"Alan!" Aden yelled, snapping Gregor out of his trance.

The Vonk had its jaw wrapped around Alan, only his legs were poking out. There was no way he could escape those fangs, that's what Gregor thought, until he heard the Vonk screech loudly and thrash it's head around with Alan still trapped in its mouth.

Rowan pointed his arrow at the Vonk's eye, but it was thrashing around too much, he aimed and shot, the arrow swiftly piercing its eye. Gregor ran to its body and used his slayer arm to gash at it, Aden joined him with his swords, digging it into the thick skin of the Vonk. Rowan ran to the other side and aimed his arrow at the other eye, closing one of his eyes to focus on the moving target. He shot, and missed.

The Vonk started screeching more, and Gregor watched as the tip of a sword came piercing out of its neck. Alan?!

"Alan is alive, look!" Gregor said

"Let's keep stabbing it!" Aden said

The sword in the Vonk's neck dragged down it, making the Vonk let out one last screech before the red in its eyes disappeared and it's body collapsed to the ground in a loud thud. Its jaw was still enclosed around Alan's body, but it was slack.

Gregor ran to the Vonks head with everyone else. They lifted the heavy lips of the Vonk and pulled out a saliva covered Alan out. His eyes were shut and his body was not moving.

"He's turning purple!"

"He got bitten!" Aden said, pointing at a deep bite on his arm, it was only one of the teeth that had pierced Alan, one of the small teeth.

"Quick give me some turquoise water!" They handed Aden the water, he lifted Alan's head up and poured the water down his throat.

"If the Vonk had bitten him any deeper, he would've lost his arm," Barton said

"Yeah and it was only one tooth," Rowan said.

Alan was not waking up and Gregor was beginning to panic, "Why is he not waking up?"

"Well it is pretty deep, the venom probably already spread, let's carry him somewhere safe," Aden said sadly.

They carried him to a large tree, and laid him down beside it, using its large canopy to conceal their presence. They wrapped the bite in a cloth and placed his pouch under his head to pillow it. It reminded Gregor of the day he got bitten when his sister looked after him like this.

"These Vonks are the most frightening things we've seen yet," Rowan said

"Yeah they're really big, imagine facing more than one,"

"I don't want to imagine,"

-------------------------------------------------

"You came here yourself? I guess you've prepared an apology," Rupert grumbled.

"No, I have come to tell you of something important and I had to come myself," Cedric said, sitting on one of the luxurious sofas.

"As the master of Demondale, I demand an apology, no matter what your reasons may be," Rupert said, lifting his nose up and resting his hands over his belly.

Cedric glared briefly, before getting off the couch and going on one knee "I apologise on behalf of Cruin, master Rupert of Demondale."

Rupert smirked, satisfied with having the master of Cruin bow down to him. "Very well, now tell me, what are your reasons?"

"I think it will be better if we speak alone," Cedric stood and sat back on the sofa.

"Out!" Rupert yelled at his guards.

Cedric cleared his throat once everyone was out "I think word of this should not reach the king." Rupert squinted at him in curiosity.

"On the way to Demondale, the deliverers faced some danger, a group of magicians-"

Rupert burst out laughing, "Magicians?! Why would magicians want all those resources, do you take me for a fool?"

"No, this is the truth, my men would not lie. They said, that these magicians threatened them with magic... dragons to be precise."

Rupert laughed again, making Cedric's blood boil, "I think you take me for a fool Cedric, but let me tell you this, if you think you could fool me with these lies, I shall tell the king of your dishonesty and you shall return my coins,"

"Do not tell the king, it will spark a war between humans and dragons, do you want that to happen?!" Cedric yelled, losing his patience.

"How dare you?" Rupert hissed

"We don't know how many there are, we don't know how strong they are, we don't even know if they're real, but we are investigating, and once we confirm it, I will return," Cedric stood up "If you want to keep your head in a dump, bad things will come for you," He turned around and walked out.

Rupert grinded his teeth in anger, his face went red and his eyes went wide, "Collin!"

A guard walked in "Yes master?"

"Prepare a pigeon to send to the king! Now!"

"Yes, master!"

---------------------------------------------

Dyron shifted when he heard the cell doors clang open, he lifted his head and opened an eye, his face brightened immediately. "Darren,"

"Sir Dyron, it's good to see you again," he smiled, his brown eyes turned to crescents.

"Darren, how have you been?"

"Good, sir" He crouched down beside Dyron "I have come to tell you of good news,"

"What?"

"There may be a way to get you out of here,"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, almost thirty chapters of this story, and over 30,000 words! If you enjoyed this chapter vote and leave a comment :)