Lotus

Chapter 23

I spent most of each day in the library, reading mainly scrolls about plant varieties in the different climates on Pyrrhia. It was nice to be alone--it made me feel like I was back in the rainforest, hiding in the uppermost branches of a large tree so I wouldn't be interrupted by anyone.

Only a few of us actually stayed at the school, so Sulfur, who stayed to chaperone, let us do pretty much whatever we wanted, so long as we didn't make a mess of things. I wasn't sure where Tombolo, Shadowglide, and Sunbreaker went off to, but I didn't ever see them in the healing center, and very rarely in the library.

On the fourth day or so, I hunched over a scroll in a small corner near the front of the library. In the corner of my eye, I saw Tombolo come in and start browsing through some of the scrolls on the racks.

After several long minutes went by, he spoke to me. "Did...did you feel that?"

I looked up at him, confused. "Feel what?"

I had barely gotten the words out of my mouth when I felt the ground beneath me shudder. After a moment, it stopped, and I looked up at Tombolo. I could see that he shared my confusion and worry about what that was.

Before either of us could say anything, a large shadow crossed over us through the leaf-covered ceiling, and we felt another vibration, much stronger this time. Just as soon as that one ended, another began, then another, and another. Scrolls began falling off their racks, and a small pot of ink tipped over and shattered on the ground. Tombolo and I both stood there watching, too confused to wonder if we should do anything about it. 

"What's going on?" I muttered.

I had just started to wonder if this was some sort of earthquake, when all of the sudden, sheets of ice ripped through the leafy ceiling and started barreling through the room. Without a second thought, I grabbed Tombolo and pulled him behind me as I rushed out of the library.

I picked a hall at random and started rushing down it. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I knew that I had to find the others.

The large vibrations were becoming more and more frequent, with barely a pause before the next one. I watched the lights set into the walls fall and shatter on the ground, and heard the grinding of stones as small cracks began developing in the floor. I stumbled every few feet, but I didn't stop, worrying at what would happen if I did.

We finally bumped into Sunbreaker and Shadowglide, with Sulfur only a few feet behind them. "We need to get out of here. Now. I think the school's under attack," she said.

My overworked nerves flared up at that, buzzing faster than they ever had before. I wanted to roll up into a tiny ball and sit there until everything went away so desperately that I almost did. Looking at the four dragons around me, though, I knew I couldn't. Steeling myself the best I possibly could, I followed close behind the others as they hurried to the front entrance.

Trying to take my mind off of my nerves, I listened to Shadowglide's muttering in front of me. "...came true. What I saw..."

We rounded a corner, and there was the front entrance, right ahead of us. We all picked up our paces, trying to get there as fast as possible. We were just about to go through when a massive, pale blue dragon landed heavily in front of us, snarling. Her black eyes sparkled as she took the five of us in. 

"Well, well," she said, grinning. "I wasn't expecting any other dragons here. Why don't you come with me?" She pounced at that, and Sulfur shoved us to the side, raking her talons across the Icewing's snout. She let out a loud shriek as Sulfur pushed us back towards the hallways.

"There's a back exit," Sulfur said, breathing hard. "You'll have to travel through most of the mountain, but it'll take you out."

She directed us through passageways I had never been down before, going deeper into the mountain. The vibrations were still constant, causing all of us to trip at one point or another. One of my stumbles was so bad, I ended up with a large scrape across my left side and arm. I didn't feel much pain in the moment, but I knew I would later on.

It wasn't long, however, before the pale blue IceWing from before finally caught up with us. "Where do you think you're going?!"

She lunged for us again, this time clawing Sunbreaker in the shoulder. He cried out in pain and clutched it, blood seeping through his talons.

The IceWing took a breath in, preparing to exhale her frostbreath. Sulfur then slammed into her from the side, shoving her head towards the wall next to us just as the ice ripped out. "Keep going," Sulfur yelled at us as she struggled to pin the IceWing down. "Don't look back, and don't let them catch you!"

We all hesitated, not wanting to leave without her. "But, Sulfur…" Tombolo started.

"Go!" She looked at us pleading in her eyes. "Please, you have to go. I'll...catch up in a minute."

After another hesitation, we did go. As we did, a loud scream came from the IceWing, and we hurried forward. We kept moving forward, the sound of their fighting fading behind us.

The last thing we heard from them was a long cry of pain, fading into moans, then into nothing.