The Dragon of Charred Scales

And the Pieces Fall

Jheecu

They say strength dragons are not good with magic. That our minds are not built to understand that which we cannot do. That we cannot multitask well or do complex spells. We have the same vast well to draw upon that all other dragons have, but no way of using it rapidly. And while we do have a lesser ability than other dragons, it does not make us weak. It does not make any of us incapable of working beyond our boundaries.

It does not stop me from shielding all six of us while simultaneously opening the one cell and placing the duo on my back. All with magic.

More gunshots bounce off my shield bubble. An elf and a fairy come running, the gun in the elf's hand pointed at Neihai. I glanced down at her, then covered her with a wing. No one else here needs to see her in her current state. And trapped as she is, Oculeera can do nothing to save her. Nor can I.

"Back away, Jheecu. You shouldn't be here," said the elf, not lowering the gun.

"No," I said. Of course, they would resort to human weapons. Those have no Turn.

"Neihai was going to release dangerous prisoners. Where did they go? Who was in there?" asked the elf.

"It was the duo, and they are on Jheecu's back," said the fairy, using its wings to see the two clinging to one of my spikes.

"Jheecu? You had a hand in this?" asked the elf.

"Release Karomba," I growled at them both, not looking away. I cannot transform into human form to grab the keys myself. They would shoot me dead the moment I tried.

The elf pointed the gun at my head. "I cannot do that. Put the duo back in the cell."

The elf and the fairy likely have a similar shield bubble as me, so attacking them will get me nowhere. I can run, but that means abandoning Karomba and her cell mate. The longer I wait, the more time there is for others to come, adding chaos to the situation. And the longer I wait, the more Neihai bleeds out.

"Don't think he wouldn't shoot," said the fairy. "Put then in the cell, and we can talk this out."

"Don't think you can hurt me with a little fire stick," I growl. "You've already failed."

"Jheecu, just listen," said the elf. "Put them in the cell and we can explain to you why they are here. Then you can go back to your room and all this will be behind us."

"Behind me? Harogbas will die before I let this be behind me. Release Karomba and the other and let me leave with them and Neihai."

"Jheecu, run while you can. I'll guard Karomba," said the dragon with Karomba. I did not acknowledge her. She is in the same predicament as the rest of the dragons here.

"Don't make me bind you here," said the elf. He must have realized the gun was going to get him nowhere, and he holstered it.

"Go, Jheecu," whispered Neihai. "Leave me here. Save the duo. Save yourself."

Both guards began to chant. That is a situation I did not anticipate. I can do a lot with magic for what I am but they both are much more capable than me. I cannot fight the binding spell they are chanting.

I can do only one thing. Run. Abandon Karomba again. Abandon Neihai to die here after she opened my eyes to the reality of Oita and Harogbas. I can save one of my hatchlings and his friend. I have to run.

So I did. And it hurt to do so.

I turned us three invisible and ran as fast as I could. Much faster than the smaller legs of an elf, much faster than the puny wings of a fairy. I have to trust in my memory of this tunnel, where it led to on the main tunnel. And trust that their spells cannot catch me.