Chapter 14
Captain Gavonn Viox
I sat in the large black vehicle as it moved away from the apartment building where Noelle lived. I was going to go along just to get away from her building. She needed a distraction in order to leave safely, and I was going to be that distraction.
I sat quietly in the chains even though I could easily bust out of them. I was playing along. I watched as the vehicle drove several blocks, each block decorated with Christmas lights.
I was waiting for the right time to make my move. It was still dark out, but there were small bits of daylight coming through between the buildings. The sun was about to make its appearance. I was glad. It was going to help me immensely. I had a plan.
It was almost time. I stared at the building to my left. The sun began to bounce off of it. It was a very bright light. It was time.
I took a deep breath and then in a flash shifted into dragon form. My wings spread out behind me hitting the warriors on either side of me.
“He is shifted! What do we do? Pull over!” the warriors shouted at each other. But the commotion was what I wanted. I pulled my wrist apart and broke the chains. I reached forward and punched the back of the driver’s head. It hit the steering wheel, and he passed out. The car went out of control. It bounced off of cars in traffic until it rolled over. It went better than I could've expected. I jumped at full speed toward the windshield. It shattered around me, and I flew out of the vehicle. I could hear the shouting behind me of the warriors. I flew straight up along the wall of the building and then flew straight toward the sun. Now no one could see me. Anyone staring in the direction of the sun would be blinded. They would not be able to make out my shape. This would also let anyone that saw me know that I was headed west; it would throw them off my track when I finally went in the direction that I meant to go to: north.
For now, I continued toward the sun until I was over the sea. I stopped and dove straight down. When I was a few feet above the water, I changed direction and skimmed across the surface. The waves would provide a good camouflage. No one on a boat would be able to see me in the sky. I was too low for them to be able to see exactly what I was. I blended in with the ocean. Now I could head north.
I hoped that Noelle had heard me. I hoped she understood that I wanted her to go to the cabin and that I would meet her there. I flew until I could no longer see the city. I could see large trees in a forest. It would be a good cover. I flew toward the forest and landed between very tall trees.
“This is a good place to take a break,” I said looking around. It was isolated forest. I walked around making sure that there were no roads or homes in sight. Then I sat down on a tree trunk that was laying across the snow.
I looked at my armband and pressed a few buttons. The information for the cabin appeared. It gave me coordinates to follow from where I was to get there. I had to make a choice. I could not fly there out in the open. I needed to stay under cover. I would have to make my way there through the forest. It was better if I walked for now and then once the sun began to set, I could fly between the trees. It was going to take me all day to get there, but I wasn't going to let anything stop me from seeing Noelle again.
I started tracking through the snow. It was good to take a break and just take a leisurely walk through the woods. I did like the forest of Earth. They were almost as beautiful as the forest of Mooreah, but not quite. Still, in the isolated forest where there were no humans around, there was a beauty to it. There was no destruction of the natural world in this area. I breathed in deeply. I could hear the running water of a nearby creek. I headed in that direction.
The creek had small chunks of ice in it. I scooped up water into my hands and drank a little. It was good. It tasted clean. I continued moving on. When I was separated from Noelle once more, I knew that I would do anything to see her again. We had been separated for too long. I thought that she was dead. Now that we had enjoyed some brief time together, I was not going to let her get away from me. Not ever again. I wanted to make my life with her now more than ever.
I pulled up the map on my armband. There were still many miles to go. I shifted out of dragon form and continued to walk in the forest. There was too much daylight in order to not be seen. So I walked as fast as I could.
Hours later, the sun began to set. I checked my map once again. I was about an hour away if I flew. That was doable. I had spent all day walking, and my wings were well rested. It was time to change my mode of transportation.
I shifted into dragon form. I ran and then took flight. I stayed low, flying between the tree trunks. It was actually a fun game, and I would be having a good time if I wasn't so worried that Noelle might not be waiting for me at the cabin. It was all that I could think about.
I flew hard and fast. More than half an hour went by, and it was completely dark now. I was able to fly faster and more recklessly knowing that I would not be started.
Then I heard a loud thunder. I looked up into the sky. Was a storm coming? That would not be good. It would be blizzard-like conditions in the snow, and that would create a challenge for my flying. I didn't have to worry about the temperature. I was a dragon. I was always hot, and I could create fire. But I would be stopped if the flying conditions were not good.
The thundering grew louder. It was then that I realized it was not coming from the sky. The sky was so clear I could see every single star. It definitely was not a storm, and I was glad for that. But what was the source of this thunder?
I followed the noise flying low between the trees. Then I saw the source. A large animal herd was rumbling through the forest. I got closer. They were this animal known as deer.
“Beautiful,” I said to myself as I watch them run together through the forest. They were headed in the same direction that I was. So I joined them. I flew over them, joining the herd. It made me feel very primal, like my most animal self. It was a thrilling experience.
Finally, I had to part with my new friends when they ventured off to the east, and I continued to go up north. I could see light at the head. It was a break in the tree line where there was no more forest. I flew to the tree line and got to my feet. There was a large field covered in snow and beyond that was a small cabin. There was smoke coming from the chimney and the warm glow of light.
“Noelle.”