Chimera: A Fablehaven Fanfiction

Chapter 7

Seth realized what was happening and pulled at the sheets. "HELP! HELP!" He screamed. Then he heard frantic yells and people sprinting up the stairs. His captor finally yanked him off the bed and almost out the window when Seth grasped the window frame. The door opened, and Seth saw the other's frantic faces as they searched, obviously not seeing him at all. So he reached back and punched the air, hitting the invisible face of his captor... He fell still grasping the window frame while wondering how the being got into Fablehaven and why he couldn't see it... "HELP!" he screamed again abandoning his questions for a later date. The others looked and saw him just as an invisible claw wrapped around his waist and yanked him into the sky. He screamed, "KENDRA!!!" only to remember she wasn't there, and he may never see her again...Then he heard a faint chorus of "SETH!" as he was dragged higher and higher into the atmosphere towards his doom.
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Bracken's side hurt along with everything else as he tried once more to roll toward Kendra. She looked so sad...he had to get to her. Even though it was extremely painful, he had to get to her. But Navarog made it first. He yanked her arms into the air and cuffed her swollen wrists.
"Let go of me!" she screamed. But he ignored the command and dragged her toward the exit while she pulled and grunted.
Bracken gathered his strength and shouted furiously, "You heard her!" Navarog stopped and turned around. "Let go!" Bracken continued.
Navarog chuckled darkly. "And what are you gonna do about it?" He asked with one last yank that sent Kendra flying through the door to land on her stomach.
"Navarog!" Bracken shouted lunging in his direction only to land on his face just before Navarog slammed the door. Not Kendra...she didn't deserve this at all! Where was Navarog taking her? Bracken couldn't help but think this was all his fault...Then tens of men wearing metal armor entered the dome. They looked oddly familiar, and then Bracken realized they were the men from the night Kendra was taken...the night he could have saved her. The night she was helplessly taken in her sleep from him...He wasn't gonna let them get away with it this time. Gathering all his strength, he made it to his hands and knees sobbing and then slowly too his feet.
One of the men chuckled and held up a hand. Bracken assumed this man was the leader.
"You can walk already? Perhaps we didn't beat you enough." The man said. A chorus of dark laughter followed the remark.
Bracken took a step forward and replied, "It's gonna take more than a light beating to get rid of me." He took another step.
"You're walking too?" The man asked. "Very impressive. I guess we should have seen it coming though. You're no mortal." Bracken took another step. The man continued. "You do seem to be healing slower than a general unicorn, but that may be because you do not have your first horn." Another step. Another ten steps, and Bracken could probably reach out and touch the man. "This is because you gave it to a mortal, correct?" Without replying, Bracken took another step. Nine more. "Do you hear that everyone?" The man turned around to the others behind him. "The boy loves a mortal, and gave her his first horn!" The crowd of men laughed again. Eight more steps. "What a foolish mistake that was."
"It was not foolish, I love her!" Bracken blurted. Seven more.
"Oh, of course you do. That's why you're here, you know. Because of love." Six. "Love lost your horn, love brought you here, and love got you into this state. Beaten and weak, only able to bear a few steps." Five. "Do you see why it was a foolish mistake?"
"No." Bracken said. Four more. "Love got me to feel the way I feel around Kendra. It got me to see how strong and capable a human can be. I love Kendra and do not regret, not even for a single second, what I've done for her." The men went silent. Three more steps.
The leader replied, "In that case, it really is a shame." Two. "It's a shame we have to do this to you." One. Just before Bracken could take his last step, he was lifted up by four of the men. Each man took a limb, and two more stood at his sides. Bracken tried to pull loose, but every time he did, both the men at his sides pushed down with all their strength into Bracken's bruised and probably sprained, if not broken stomach. Bracken's screams could be heard echoing through every hall.
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After around a minute of being dragged back through the halls and to her cell, Kendra could here Bracken painfully screaming somewhere else in the halls...
"What else could you possibly do to him?" She cried. Navarog didn't look down. "Leave him alone! Please!" No response. "Navarog!" Kendra shouted. Then Navarog stopped and turned quickly to Kendra. She screamed as he shoved her into the wall and yelled while holding her shoulders painfully, "Nothing you say is going to stop any of this princess! So cooperate and stop talking, or I'll make his pain worse!" Swallowing saliva, Kendra nodded. Then Navarog let her go and began pacing even faster through the halls.
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Seth watched the scenery while pretending he was asleep. If his captor was dumb enough to believe he could sleep through this, his plan might work. Then without warning, the dragon carrying him was visible again...and Seth felt a little hope sparking inside his chest. All of the sudden a dragon head was in his face, and Seth's cover was blown. The dragon sighed.
"Not bad acting." She replied.
Seth shrugged. "Thanks." They flew in silence for a minute or so before Seth pointed out, "You haven't shielded my vision again..."
"Why bother? I don't care if you know where we're going." The dragon said.
Seth chuckled awkwardly. "Are you Chimera?" He asked.
"No." The dragon replied. Seth shifted uncomfortably. If Chimera wasn't taking him, they had no lead on finding Kendra, Bracken, or him. No lead whatsoever meant there was plenty of time left to kill them. He was sure they were doomed. "I can tell you're worried," the dragon suddenly replied shaking Seth out of his thoughts. "Kendra and Bracken are still alive."
"Really?" Seth asked excitedly. "That it such a relief!"
"And my name is Chimera."
Seth clapped. "Thank goodness." He said. This was too good to be true. "Why did you lie?"
"To show you I'm not a bad actress myself." She replied.
Seth laughed. "That's fair." They flew in silence for a few more minutes until Seth finally added, "I've heard that you're like...super evil or something." He said.
"Some say that, but I do not necessarily believe I am evil." She said.
"Then why did Agad try to kill you?"
Chimera sighed. "I help the people who I feel empathy for. I helped an 'evil' dragon that had nothing going for him years ago. You probably haven't heard of him...but according to Agad, it was 'all my fault'."
Seth laughed. "I guess that's just what older siblings do."
"Exactly!" Chimera said. "Finally, someone who understands!"
Seth shifted uncomfortably. "If what you're saying is true...why did you kidnap us?"
"Simple." Chimera replied. "I help Navarog because he has nothing else going for him."
"What?!" Seth exclaimed.
"He has nothing else but his cave, and most everyone believes he's dead. I'm all he's got. Me and his cave."
Seth sighed wondering whether or not he should trust Chimera... "He wants me to kidnap some people and bring them to him." She continued. "He promised not to harm any of you, and that's the only reason I agreed to this." Everything Chimera was saying helped with Seth's nerves. They were alive and unharmed! This conversation was just what Seth needed.
"What does Navarog want to talk to me for?" Seth asked.
"I don't know, I didn't ask." Chimera replied. As Wyrmroost came into view, Chimera slowed her pace. "Just so you know, Navarog wants me to intimidate you. I broke character because he's not watching my every move at the moment, but when we get closer, I'm gonna have to be a little meaner." That was sketchy...
"Ok." Seth replied. Then an enormous black dragon came flying toward them. Seth assumed this was Navarog. He approached Chimera and grinned sharply.
"Thank you, Chimera." He said.
Chimera smiled. "I never asked. Why did you request I bring this boy to you?" Navarog looked down at Seth.
"Um..." he started. Seth's heart skipped a beat. Something was off.
Chimera flew back from Navarog. "You don't mean to harm him, do you?" She asked sharply. "You haven't harmed the others, right?"
Navarog sighed. "Chimera, there's something I've been meaning to tell you..."
Then Chimera tucked her wings and dove toward the ground, claws still clutching Seth's waist. Navarog followed hastily. Chimera swooped up and flew faster than Seth had ever gone before on a dragon. He could see Navarog in the distance gaining speed...
"Chimera..." Seth muttered.
"I see him." She responded. "I'm so sorry Seth..." They continued racing until a forest came into view.
"The forest!" Seth shouted. Chimera made a sharp turn into the trees. As they dove, ascended, and turned, Seth tucked his head hoping it would help gain a little speed. After a few minutes, Seth looked back and Navarog was nowhere in sight..."I think we lost him!" He shouted.
"It's not certain!" Chimera replied. And she was right. Right after she said this, Navarog appeared in front of them and dove on Chimera in flight. They went down to the ground, and just before they hit, Chimera threw Seth up in an attempt to save him from the fall...but while Seth was in the air, Navarog grabbed his waist and started back toward Wyrmroost.