Of Both Worlds

Chapter 12

Ace opened his eyes to a world much different from the one he was just in. Fluffy Butt was not sleeping next to him and it was bright and sunny out, not a storm cloud to be seen. Ace gasped at air. 

 "Ace? Thank god." Ace sat up to see Sam leaning over him.

 "Sam? What are you doing here?" A wave of nausea hit Ace like a title wave. Ace turned away from Sam about to hurl, when he saw thick hooks attached to blue wings with splats of white here and there. Ace craned his head up to see Paramonos looking down at him. 

Bile rose to Ace's tongue and Ace tried to turn away from everyone as he lost his lunch. Sam looked disgusted but Paramonos remained impassive. "Sorry Ace, I tried to help you as soon as I could but when I saw where Dylan was leading you, I kind of held back, this is poison dragon territory, and has been for as long as I remember."

 Ace nodded, but he felt out of place, out of spirit, felt like his head was going to explode. Ace also felt sick to his stomach. Ace closed his eyes and tried to lay back down. "Paramonos, Sam..." Ace slurred, "What's wrong with me?" Ace felt a hot breath on his neck, Ace was lifted into the air by Paramonos's strong jaws that latched on to the back of his shirt. "This is nice shirt Paramonos...you'll ruin it." 

 "Ace, Ace what's going on?" Sam said rushing to his feet. 

 Ace listen to me, listen to my words, focus on my voice. The trees blurred around him, warping into bright red trees and then back to the Douglas firs that always were there. The venomous dragon bit you, its poison is affecting you. 

 "No way, Eitri is cool. You would like him." Ace frowned as Paramonos started running as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast because wyvern were made for flying, not running. Sam easily kept pace with the wyvern, which was saying something. 

 Eitri, I should have known. Eitri is older than me, and I knew and feared him when I was very young. Best to stay out of his way, hopefully he won't bother us again. Now listen here Ace, I'm going to take you back to your camp, but you've been poisoned, what you see isn't real, what you feel isn't real, what you hear... Paramonos broke off and skidded to a halt, and Ace swung forward and his shirt ripped sending him flying to the ground.

 Weak from the venom, Ace struggled to get up, but collapse again. Aureliana yelped in surprise and reared up. Ace squinted at the forest dragon, but the more he tried to focus, the less sharp she seemed. What is going on here? Aureliana asked.

 Ace relaxed his face, and lay his head down on the pine floor. "That tiny, tiny, tiny..." Ace drifted off, holding out his thumb and his pointer finger to show how small the purple dragon was. "...worm bit me, and now I can't see." Ace giggled, amused with the fact that he couldn't see, and it was humorous how wide Paramonos's eyes widened. "You look scared." Ace said, dropping his hand to the ground. "You don't look so big and tough now." 

Aureliana looked completely shell shocked. Start explaining. Aureliana commanded. 

 It was Eitri. This boy... Paramonos jerked his head over to Sam. Has the 'ability' to heal minor wounds, which is why Ace isn't dead. 

 Well how are we supposed to heal him?

  My thoughts exactly. Paramonos paused. Maybe we should take him back to camp.

 With the people who tried to kill him? Aureliana made a noise that was half between a snarl and a laugh. 

 I'm open to suggestions. Plus, Sam can tell them what happened and who did it. Justice will be served and Ace will be taken care of.