17
Adan
—
Late into the night, the glow from the lights outside the den shuts off.
Then there is an uproar.
I could not sleep as thoughts of Xia leaving pestered me, so I’m alert instantly, lurching to my feet.
I race outside my den. Even though it is dark, my vision is still good enough to witness the horror of a swarm of the bloodsucking monsters filling Vyaka. Somehow, they’ve managed to destroy our light source and now they flourish, creating havoc.
There are several other draki breathing fire on the monsters while the Unshifted fight with weapons or use a safur to keep the monsters back. Kaha fights in her dragon form too, breathing fire on any of the vampires that get close.
She remains seated with a wing curled to her side, the standard position of a dragon mother protecting her drakila. Zavi is there and is safe. There are other dragons nearby helping her too. Comforted by this, I fly to the den Xia shares with Tess.
The cacophony of screaming, shouting and the creatures’ earpiercing screeches is awful. I kill several of the monsters on my way to Xia’s den. But there are so many of them. As some die, a new batch appear, rising up from out of the depths of the large pool below. That’s where they’ve been hiding all this time? No wonder my efforts searching tunnels have been in vain. The thought disgusts me and reinvigorates me to kill them all.
I return to my primary form and charge inside. Xia and Tess are wedged into one corner with a lit fire pit between them and a group of the monsters. The monsters snarl and screech at Xia and Tess, unable to advance any further because of the light from the pit.
“Adan,” Xia says, relief in her features and I feel just the same to know that she is unharmed.
The monsters turn, perhaps sensing a much easier meal to attain behind them. They charge at me until the safur I create gives them pause. Their unnatural features is unsettling. They howl, trying to retreat, but I push as much of my energy as I can afford into the ball of light, ensuring it is as bright as it can be. A usual safur gives off a pleasant heat, but this one is scalding hot in my palm, alive with my energy.
The group of monsters vapourize under the brightness and as soon as they do, I carry the light to the fire pit, laying it down amid the fire.
“Did they hurt you before you were able to protect yourself?” I ask them.
They both shake their heads, but Xia speaks.
“I was awake and saw the lights go out. So I knew something was wrong. As soon as I got the fire going, they stormed in.”
“Our little smartypants here saving the day once again,” says Tess, smiling. But it dims. “It sounds bad out there.”
“We will defeat them.” I turn to leave, anxious to return and help the others. More of the monsters surge forth into the den, then immediately retreat when they see the light. I look back, my gaze holding Xia’s. “Remain where you are behind the pit. The light will last for some time.”
“The transformer,” Xia says, completely disregarding my order and coming out from the corner toward me. “I think that’s how they cut the lights. It’s the only vulnerable thing they could have gotten to. I had to store it out of the way in the dark. Maybe if I see what they did I can fix it and put an instant end to them all.”
“They were hiding in the pool. It could have been the turbine they destroyed.” I soften my voice. “I don’t want you out there, Xia.” When she opens her mouth, ostensibly to insist, I interject. “Please. At least give me the peace of mind to know you are safe before you leave.”
She swallows and nods silently before grabbing my arm.
“Don’t die.”
“I will not.”
“Good or I’ll be pissed,” she says bossily, but the genuine worry in her gaze warms me.
I head out into the chaos, anxious about leaving Xia with such little defense. However as I shift, the monsters all scurry away to the midst of the pool. They join with each other grotesquely, coalescing and becoming larger. A towering giant monster made up of countless smaller ones.
It roars, the high, discordant sound deafening. It’s fast on its feet despite its size, swatting draki out of the way like insects. It’s seemingly impervious to our fire too.
But perhaps if we all joined together?
So I join Figor as he adeptly dodges its attacks. Wherever he breathes fire, I do so too. Soon more draki follow my example. The monster’s screeches are awful as it begins to evaporate under our combined attack.
My energy is draining, especially since I’ve contributed so much of it to the safur that keeps Xia and Tess safe. But I can’t give in to the weariness.
Just a little longer, I ask my dragon because it wants to retreat and recuperate from the drain on our energy and on our fire. Several other Secans are forced back into their primary form falling to the floor as their dragon demands rest.
But the rest of us who remain persist. We fight until the monster’s terrible wails hit its highest point and it explodes into a thick dark cloud floating in the air.
I manage to fly to solid ground before I too am forced into my primary form and lose consciousness.