Inferno Legacy: Valor of the Dragon (Book One)

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

            As he slept, Cody dreamed about when he was no more than ten years old. The memory had all but vanished from his mind, but in his dream it was clearer than ever. He, Autumn, and Avalsmokes raced around, playing a game that Cody had invented himself.

            “The mighty eagle is going to scoop you mice right off the ground and eat you for breakfast!” Cody joked as he chased after Aval, flapping his arms as if he were flying like a bird.

            Aval yelped as Cody slammed into him, much too fast for the other young boy. They both crashed hard into the ground and wrestled for a few moments, ignoring the fresh pain they both felt and the tears their clothes now bore as they tumbled around and crushed each other. Out of nowhere, Cody felt someone bowl him over, sending him sprawling into the grass a few feet away.

            He looked up just in time to see Autumn jump on top of him, her brown eyes glistening with excitement as she pinned him down with her knee against his chest. She pretended to grab a knife out of a little leather pouch at her belt and held it above Cody, prepared to strike.

            “And now, I will save the mouse village from the eagle menace!” She howled in victory, adding a very different part to the game.

            “Gotcha!”

            Cody looked up and saw Omen, only a little older than 20, holding Autumn with two arms around her stomach as she giggled uncontrollably. The blacksmith’s hands had been calloused and toughened from blacksmithing years before, even at his young age. But even though he already worked long hours in his shop, he always found time to play with his much younger friends. He spun around in circles, still holding Autumn tightly in his grasp while she continued to wail with laughter.

            As Omen began to slow down, Cody and Avalsmokes looked at each other and nodded in unspoken agreement. The crept forward, and at the last second they sprang at Omen, knocking him and Autumn right to the ground. The four good friends rolled around in the grass, laughing equally hard. They all wrestled around, and even Autumn seemed immensely tough while they rolled about.

            Just then, Cody heard people calling from a distance. He looked up and saw his mother and father racing down a nearby hill toward them, with Aval and Autumn’s mother in tow. They slowed down when they were a bit closer, and looked at their children with joking disappointment and resignation.

            “We were looking all over for you!” Cody’s mother said. “Although, I suppose we should have known that you would be with Omen.”

            Cody noticed that the other mother nodded and whispered something t herself, as if trying to calm herself down. It was obvious that the she had been genuinely terrified about losing her children, but she did her best not to show it.

            “Come on, let’s go home,” Cody’s father said in a stern voice, meaning there was no room for argument.

            Cody immediately frowned and stood; his head drooping as he gazed down at the grass. He began to follow his parents back over the hill, until he heard Avalsmokes calling to him.

            “Don’t forget to come back tomorrow!”

            “I won’t!” Cody called back, suddenly excited again. “I’ll always come back to you guys!”

            The rider then woke, and the horrible reality came back to him as he felt Inferno’s sharp scales beneath his cheek and felt the steady beat of his wings. Cody sat up straight and removed one of his gloves to feel his cheek. It was damp with tears, and new drops flowed quickly afterward to follow the track that was left behind. He sniffled and shook himself, trying to force himself back to normal.