Here's chapter two. Hope you all liked the first chappie.
Possible Pell/Kira pairing in the future.
2
2013
The Day Dragon set his body down, allowing the girl riding him to dismount. Kira didn't like the look of this new rider, sizing her to be the exact same height as Elian. The Dragon she rode was taller than Firestorm and more muscular. Elian stepped between the girls, knowing exactly what was going through Kira's mind. "Kira, this is Thrace and Flamesaber. The Oracle asked me to find them to help with our new task. Thrace, this is Kira and Pell." "Really? These are the two riders who helped you complete the Great Quest? Don't make me laugh." Thrace's attitude immediately set Pell off but luckily for her Shadow restrained him. Kira was just as angry but she controlled her rage with balled fists. "Come on Thrace. Don't be so harsh. I went through a lot with these guys." "Wasn't there a fourth member? I see no Day Dragon here." Elian swallowed thickly, trying not to choke when he answered. "You'll find out soon enough Thrace. For now Pell needs to wake up and have some breakfast. I'm guessing Kira hasn't eaten either." The Racafian tribeswoman shook her head to say no, stirring up the fire. "Then that settles it." "You haven't eaten Elian?" "No I was too excited to see you again Kira. Pell too of course. Though it shocked me to learn you're actually getting along with each other." Both Pell and Kira stuck their noses in the air and turned away from the other. Elian smiled at their behaviour, grabbing his bag from Ra's back. Thrace didn't care to join the reunited trio, going for a walk with her Dragon.
Nothing really interesting happened during breakfast. Pell and Kira completely ignored each other which did not surprise Elian. Thrace hadn't been hard to find when it was time to set off for the Oracle's cave. Fang led the way, mainly to keep Kira away from Thrace and Flamesaber. The Orupee Mountains greeted the quartet with a blast of wind that almost knocked the Dragons off course but they ploughed on ahead. Fang had the decency to warn Kira before they entered the strong down draft, giving her time to prepare. Elian and Pell received similar warnings but Thrace didn't seem to care and neither did her Dragon. One by one they landed in the cave mouth. All the riders dismounted and walked beside their Dragons toward the sentry post. As always, the Oracle's Guardians were doing their duties loyally. "Halt. Who goes there?" Kira stepped forward, her eyes fierce. "We were summoned by the Oracle. It has a special task for us to perform." Both guardians nodded their approval, allowing the young riders passage into the Oracle's Chamber. Kira, Pell and Elian remembered the first time they walked down the lamp lit ramp. "Feels like it was only yesterday that we were last walking to our destiny doesn't it?" Pell nodded a little but Kira remained silent. "Kira?" "Not now Elian. I don't really feel like talking about it." The Dawn Dragon rider understood, holding his silence. Taking a glance back, Kira saw Nolita and Firestorm in Thrace and Flamesaber's place. She closed her eyes and shook the memory away. 'We'll see her soon enough.'
The Oracle's Cave seemed a little darker than the last time Elian and Kira had been there. The room brightened up as a blue mist writhed up from the gaping hole in the floor. Anxiety welled up in three stomachs and Thrace's wasn't one of them. Pell almost stumbled back at the slight feminine hint in the Oracle's voice when the ghostly figure spoke. "Ye have come back. Thank ye. It's been awfully lonely in this dark pit." The look in Pell's eyes was priceless. Shadow had a similar emotion painted on her face but to the Night Dragon, the Oracle's voice was masculine and very familiar. For Pell, it was more feminine with every word. Thrace and Flamesaber were unaffected. "It has been a long time, Pell. Rider of Whispering Shadow. Claimer of the Dark Orb of Death. Does thou not recognise me?" "N-no. It can't possibly be…Nolita?" "Surprise, Pell. Shadow will be hearing Fire's voice not mine." "Did it hurt? When you died?" "No. With the speed Fire and I were falling at, we died on impact with the ground. Or perhaps our physical forms passed into a different dimension." Pell looked at his former comrades to see they were fighting back tears. Pell didn't realise he was crying until Shadow wiped a tear away with her sharp claw. 'Curse it.' "Crying isn't a weakness Pell. Remember that. Sometimes it's a sign of strength." "You're right Nolita. Or should I be calling you Oracle now?" "I don't mind either way." This admission made Pell smile. He soon had to ask, aloud for the sake of everyone. "Why are we here? I wasn't given the full details." The Oracle sighed, gazing over the Dragons and their riders. "Ye are to deliver a statue to North Cemaria. To the village where Nolita grew up. The statue is a monument to commemorate the bravery she and her Dragon portrayed." The words echoed in Pell's mind until he understood what was to be done.
With the mission given to them, the Dragons and their riders exited the Oracle's cave and headed toward the exit. The Oracle had given them their first destination. There was a city in North Cemaria that had been tasked with erecting the monument, ensuring that it could be moved to the village Nolita had called home. Ellesmere was the city's name. Elian remembered it from his travels, filling the others in once they arrived back at camp. "Okay Elian, you're the man in the know. How do we get to Ellesmere quickly?" Thrace seemed to be taking charge and neither Pell nor Kira liked it much. Elian being who he was, didn't really notice. "Well Thrace." Elian began, swirling the warm liquid in his cup. "The absolute fastest way to get there, much to the dismay of Pell and Kira, is through one of Ra's gateways." The faces of the stated comrades visibly paled. Thrace couldn't see what all the fuss was about. "What kind of gateway?" "It's kind of hard to explain but Ra has a special ability that allows her to go to an alternate world to ours called Earth. The last time we went there, the world was at war. I almost got killed by what they call a bomb or projectile explosive." Thrace relayed this information to her Dragon and he gave a snort of disapproval. "Saber says that until he sees this other world, he refuses to believe it exists. The same goes for myself." Elian suddenly turned serious. "You'll see alright. But don't say we didn't warn you about the dangers."
After the briefing, it was decided that the group would fly towards the Cemarian continent until nightfall. Then they'd wait for dawn to arrive when Ra could open the portal. The flight east had little in the way of activity. Thrace seemed to have no interest in making friends with the legendary class riders she flew beside. There had been a moment at camp when Kira had to be restrained because Thrace said something unkind about Nolita and Firestorm. Even the Dragons had turned hostile at her words. Elian had been the mediator despite his own feelings of rage towards Thrace. Night came quickly so a miniature camp was set up to serve the travellers until daybreak. Pell and Shadow took first watch. The area in which they'd landed was known to be the home of vicious monsters. Worse still the nastiest creatures came out at night. A howl made Pell snap his head in various directions until he saw a glint of what appeared to be an eye. "Shadow? What is that thing out there?" "I can't be sure Master. It's a species of wolf I think. But there's more than one. We're surrounded. I've informed Fang, Ra and Saber of the danger." "I bet Saber called us cowards?" Pell felt Shadow mentally shake her head. "No Pell. He didn't say anything. Ra says he's rather overconfident about his fighting skills. If Saber does think we're chicken, he'll be proven wrong very soon. They're closing in. Kira and Fang have taken to the sky. Fang tells me that Kira is an excellent aerial sniper." A yowl of pain ripped through the connection, forcing Pell to face the direction it came from. Not long after the first, a second wolf went down and apparently neither of them got back up. Kira's sniping urged the remaining stalkers to move in for a quick kill. "Pell get on my back quickly! They're coming! Hurry Pell!"
The urgency conveyed through the bond startled Pell and he soon found himself sprinting towards Shadow. His hands found the hand straps of the saddle just as sharp teeth bore into Pell's right leg. "AAARRRGHHHH!" "Pell?!" Shadow screamed in sympathetic pain for her master. The beast was dislodged by an arrow through the eyes. With his leg now free, Pell hauled himself completely into the saddle. Shadow ignored the pain to stand tall and scream even louder, hoping to frighten the pack off. A burst of orange signalled a jet of fire from Saber's direction. "Are the others alright?!" "Yes. What about you? You're hurt badly." Pell couldn't help but feel guilty at how sad and in pain his Dragon sounded. "I'll be fine Shadow. Just concentrate on getting rid of these beasts." Another roar split the air with a fresh spread of fire. Together with Kira, Saber was able to catch all the mysterious enemies. Shadow moved closer to the fire so Elian could get a look at Pell's wound. The wolf had almost torn a chunk out of Pell's leg. In fact, if Kira hadn't killed the beast, Pell would be a calf short. "OW!" "Sorry Pell. What the hell are those things?!" Kira emerged from the darkness, no good showing on her face. "Wargs, Elian. Poisonous brutes. How bad was he bitten?" "Almost lost a calf." "If this isn't healed quickly Pell will die. The Warg's poison is spreading as we speak." "Saber refuses to cooperate Kira." "Selfish son of a…" "Calm down. We'll just have to find a willing Day Dragon." "But that could take days Fang! Pell won't live that long!"
Kira felt utterly hopeless as she watched Elian tearing a length of his shawl to tie around Pell's leg in hopes to slow the poison down. He then ran to the bushes nearby with a bowl and plucked some plants from the ground. "Kira, fetch some water quickly. The least I can do is try to slow the Warg venom down to a crawl." Kira spared a glance towards Pell before sprinting towards the water. Elian stripped the plants of their leaves. From his saddlebag, Elian withdrew a pestle and mortar alongside some bandages. Thrace examined the symptoms Pell showed. He was sweating badly and almost writhing in pain. The veins in Pell's neck were visible, struggling to cope with the toxic assailant. Kira returned quickly with some clean water, giving it straight to Elian. "What are those Elian?" "These berries are called Warg's Bane. And for good reason. The beasts will nary tread near them without reason. Try and get Pell to eat some whilst I prepare the Mythrildate. Both are good for stopping poison. But since the Warg held Pell for a long time, there's more poison than either of these remedies can handle." Elian turned to Ra, hoping for some reassurance. "Why won't Thrace help us Ra?" "Thrace and Saber believe that Day Dragons cannot heal the rider of a Night Dragon. And besides, I highly doubt that Saber is even remotely moved by Pell's pain. You'd best gather plenty of those herbs Elian. We'll need to find a friendlier Day Dragon to help us. The best place to go would be the Day Dragon Enclave in North Racafi. Cauterizing the wound might help." "Pell isn't going to like that Ra." Said Dragon remained quiet, probably informing Shadow of the plan.
Whilst Elian prepared the herbs, Kira did her best to support Pell through the pain. Fang played a part in keeping Shadow calm. No doubt she felt every ounce of her riders' agony. She would whimper occasionally but overall Shadow was controlling herself well. It had been a struggle to get Pell to eat the berries Elian had picked. He had problems swallowing the smallish dark red fruits. He was put off even more by their ridiculously sour taste. Once Pell had ingested the berries, Kira held him close, hoping the embrace would offer the Night Dragon rider some comfort. It felt like an eternity had passed by the time Elian finished making the Mythrildate into a poultice. "Kira, try and hold Pell a bit tighter if you can. This is going to refresh the pain but it'll help ease it and lessen the poison's potency." Kira had no time to question Elian as he spread the mushed up leaves onto Pell's leg, over the deep bite wounds. It took every ounce of Pell's self control not to cry out in agony and draw in more predators. His face twisted in pain, making Kira feel even guiltier. With the poultice used up, Elian cleansed his knife in the fire. Just one look of Elian's actions made Pell squirm a lot more, trying to prise himself free from Kira's grip. She too was concerned. "Elian what are you doing?!" "Searing the wound shut. It'll keep out infection until we can find a healer. Pell, I'm sorry but this has to be done." Kira struggled to hold Pell still so Ra helped by holding his leg securely but gently at the same time. When the red hot blade touched Pell's leg he cried out in sheer pain alongside Shadow. Neither of them could hold it back any longer.
Elian apologised further whilst wrapping the clean bandages around Pell's calf once the seared flesh was cooled. Shadow found it hard to keep still, her rear right leg twitching in sympathy for Pell's right calf. "This is the best I can do Pell. I'm sorry it isn't much." "No. It's alright Elian. The pain has dulled some. Thank you." Pell's breathing was rugged, but considering the ordeal he'd just been through it was an understandable pace. Looking to the horizon, Elian felt the sun rising. "It's almost sunrise. Get ready to leave. Pell, will you be okay flying with me and Ra?" The rider in question limped to Shadow's side and hauled himself into the saddle. "Okay if you're sure. Thrace, you'll fall in behind Shadow whilst I follow after Fang and Kira with Ra. The gateway will close when Ra passes through it. It'll likely be dark on the other side so try and stick together. I'm not entirely sure how far Shadow will be able to fly in Pell's condition." Thrace and Kira mounted their Dragons and stepped into formation. Elian and Ra brought up the rear. Ra gave Shadow the signal to take off, focusing the rest of her energy on forming the gateway in front of the ailing Night Dragon. Pell took a deep breath upon laying eyes on the swirling two-dimensional mass before him. A feeling of weightlessness washed over Pell as Shadow plummeted into the grey nothingness. Looking over his shoulder, Pell identified Thrace. She didn't seem bothered by the vortex and its effects. The sky in which the Dragons emerged was deathly dark. For a brief moment Pell thought the pain had completely subsided until a renewed wave pulsed through his veins. "AAARRRRGHHH!" "Pell!"
Shadow felt Pell's pain, spiralling towards the ground. She managed to pitch out of the dive at a fingernail's distance from the field but Pell had lost most of his strength, his grip on the saddle fading and so he fell from Shadow's back. "Pell!" "Shadow!" A sharp cry informed the others that something was wrong. Ra banked to her left to try and find out what had happened. "Can you see anything Ra?!" "No! It's too dark! Shadow isn't responding to any of my calls! She's gone mad trying to find Pell." "She lost him?!" "I'd wager Pell lost a great deal of strength whilst she took a nosedive. That fool should've rode with us." Pell however had rolled a few times after colliding with the ground. Looking towards the sky he could see no sign of Shadow. In fact, he could feel her getting further away as their bond weakened. "Shadow! I'm back here! Shadow!" A blood curdling scream in the distance heralded more bad news given the new shock of pain that assaulted Pell. Shadow had likely crashed and hurt herself. "SHADOW!" Pell tried with all his might to pull himself along what felt like grass but he had little energy left to even stay awake. Human voices grew closer to Pell. Streams of light told him all he needed to know. Darkness was pulling Pell into its arms by the time he was discovered. 'Shadow. Please, come back. Sha…dow.' The people surrounding Pell watched as he gave in to exhaustion, head falling softly onto his arms. Ra grew concerned and her voice portrayed it. "Pell has been found by the humans that live here." "What are they gonna do?!" "I can't be certain. But they don't seem to be a threat. We must find shelter."
Morning wasn't far away. Elian hadn't gotten any sleep. Kira had also stayed awake. Thrace was the only one who slept without a care. Fang had gone to search for Pell and Shadow the very second the sun broke into view. Ra stayed behind with Elian and Kira. Saber appeared not to care. His new surroundings bothered him. Not long after losing Pell and Shadow, Ra found a warehouse large enough to house all four Dragons. It looked abandoned by all accounts. The roof was in need of repair but four huge sheets of metal served as adequate protection from rain. Fang came back with nothing good to report. He'd seen a startling difference in the buildings nearby. The wheeled wagons that moved on their own were also nothing like the ones they'd seen before. "What did Fang say, Ra?" "He's a little scared. This world has changed drastically since our last visit. Several decades have passed here compared to the three summers in our world." Fang had relayed his discovery to Kira, causing her some measure of concern. She confused Elian by dressing in her darkest clothes. "Kira where are you going?" "To investigate. If the people who discovered Pell knew he was injured, they'd take him somewhere safe to be treated. As for Shadow, she's in more trouble than Pell. There has to be some way to find out where they are. Don't worry I'll be fine." Elian was allowed no time to protest. Kira left the warehouse and made a beeline for the nearest alleyway. Fang shared Elian's concern but he couldn't go after Kira. The Racafian tribeswoman surveyed the busy morning streets, being careful not to be spotted by anybody. 'Damn it's packed here. If I thought Harkesis was bad.'
Kira pushed her thoughts aside and vanished into the sea of people. Finding another alley, she blended into the darkness. Kira's hunter instincts told her somebody was watching but the crowd allowed her no insight as to whom. As if by a miracle, a newspaper landed at Kira's feet. On the front cover was a picture of somebody in a bed, strapped to various weird contraptions. Kira identified the person as Pell. He looked terrible. 'So I was right. But this writing is unfamiliar to me. Not that I could read to begin with. For now, Elian needs to see this. I keep getting the feeling that I'm being watched. It's probably just this suave of people.' Little that Kira knew, a boy and girl were observing her every step. Curious, they carefully followed Kira to the warehouse. "Maybe we shouldn't have come here Vashyron. She looked dangerous." The boy grinned in apprehension, giving his companion a reassuring hug. "Relax Karin. She seems friendly enough. Besides, she's dressed weirdly. Just like the guy that was found last night. Come on. But keep quiet." The girl named Karin gave a meek nod, clinging to the brown skinned arm of Vashyron. He was a lighter shade of brown to Kira with long dark brown hair and grass green eyes. Karin was white with extremely long chestnut brown hair and sea blue eyes. Inside the warehouse, Fang sensed people coming, urging Kira to be on high alert. "Kira were you followed?" "That's hardly possible. I stayed hidden. If somebody did spot me they've got a fabulous eye for detail. Stay back. I'll give our guests a little welcome gift." Kira unsheathed a small knife from her belt and stood at the ready.
Vashyron stopped walking just shy of the door leaving Karin to wonder why. His skin crawled with nerves. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Vashyron's green eyes caught a glimpse of Kira's cloak and he smirked. "If you think I'm that much of an idiot, you're sorely mistaken sweetheart. Why don't you come out and say hello in a less violent fashion?" Kira scolded herself for being spotted but she could turn this mishap to her advantage. These two people would know where Pell was being held. Kira slowly peered out from her hiding place, eyes full of malice. Elian wasn't far behind Kira, sword drawn. Despite having no need for the Dragon horn blade, Elian had kept it close. Kira noticed by Elian's stance that he'd been trained to use the sword better. "Come on now don't be shy. We won't bite." Vashyron wished he hadn't been so gentle about his approach when Elian came flying around the corner, swinging his sword rather violently. "Hey now there's no need for violence. Calm down pal." Thanks to Ra, Elian understood what Vashyron was saying, stepping back to stand at Kira's side. However he did not relax enough to let Vashyron closer than the tip of his sword. "That's a pretty nifty sword you have there. What's it made out of? Ebony? No that's not right. Most blades are made out of metal." Elian began to grow tired of Vashyron's mumbling, forcing him back a few steps. "Okay I get the point. Pardon the pun. But I'll have you know this is our secret little place. Tell us why you're here and we'll consider sharing it with you." Elian threw the paper in front of Vashyron and pointed at the picture.
The look of sheer determination on Elian's face told Vashyron he wasn't to be messed with. "Yeah I recognise this kid. He's all over the morning tabloids. You know him?" Elian nodded, keeping Kira at a safe distance behind him. "You can relax chum. If you want to go see him I'll gladly show you to the hospital myself. I'm Vashyron." Elian flinched back a little as Vashyron extended a hand to him. "You sure are jumpy. I mean you no harm. It wasn't easy to spot your friend here trying to keep hidden. Come on; put that sword down before somebody gets hurt." Elian was still unsure, turning mentally to Ra for help. "Is he sincere?" "Yes Elian. This boy is actually quite frightened of you. Put the sword down. He speaks the truth." With Ra's approval, Elian lowered his weapon but kept it drawn. He then accepted Vashyron's offer to shake hands. "That's more like it. So how about you introduce yourself? We won't tell anybody who doesn't need to know." "Go ahead Elian. I'll translate your words as best I can. He speaks the same language as Jack." Elian gave a mental nod, looking Vashyron in the eye. "My name is Elian and this is Kira. There's a third person with us but she is of no importance. We just want to find our friend and get out of here." Vashyron couldn't quite place Elian's accent, running nationalities through his head. "So where are you from Elian? Your accent is rather…peculiar." "What do you mean?" "I meant no offence. I just can't quite determine whether you're Australian or Canadian." Elian's eye twitched in annoyance and through that he spoke without thinking. "I'm neither of the above. I'm Racafian."
Elian realised too late, receiving two slaps. One from Kira across the face and a second mental one from Ra. Vashyron cocked his head to the side, feeling more confused. "Racafian? So that would mean you're from a place called Racafi, right?" "How'd you?" "Simple. The country you stand in is America. That makes both of us American." 'That would explain the twang. Jack never had one.' "And Kira? Is she Racafian too?" "I've already told you far too much out of irritation. If we don't hurry our friend will die." "What do you mean?" "He was bitten by a poisonous creature that only we can find a cure for." Vashyron ran a hand gently through his hair, taking note that there was no place by the name of Racafi on the world map. "Listen Elian. I've already summarised that you're not from this world. And you seem desperate to stop us going into that warehouse for a reason. What's in there?" "None of your business, other worlder." Elian raised his sword and Vashyron took a step back. Since Karin hadn't said anything, she stepped forward. Elian lowered his blade, knowing it was discourteous to point a sword at a woman. "Elian, we just want to help you." "Who are you?" "I'm Karin. Vashyron might sound harsh but he really wants to help you and your friends. We're not your enemies Elian." Looking to Kira, Elian knew she was convinced. He heaved a sigh and sheathed the sword. "Alright but on one condition. You're not to tell anybody what we're about to show you. It's bad enough Pell got discovered." Elian made sure to warn Ra before leading Vashyron and Karin into the warehouse. Thrace bolted onto her feet and drew a knife. Saber also took a defensive stance.
Karin and Vashyron looked around the warehouse in awe. First they saw Saber, then Fang's dusky scales and lastly Ra's marvellous gold sheen. Elian and Kira stood by their respective Dragons proudly. "Great Gods. Are you seeing this Karin?" "Pinch me." Kira stepped forwards with Fang at her back, a look of seriousness on her face. "There'll be no need." Vashyron was even more confused by Kira's accent. "Okay this is beyond crazy. First I'm talking to somebody from another world, see REAL live Dragons and now another accent is thrown at me." "It's not like we're doing this on purpose." The more Kira spoke, Vashyron was convinced. "You definitely have an African twang in your voice. Wait a sec. These are Dragons…right?" Elian and Kira nodded in unison, stroking the necks of their loyal companions. "Elian, I feel it is safe to tell these people more about us. If we want to find Pell then we'll need to earn their trust. They're…incomplete as people." "Incomplete? How do you mean Ra?" "I can't be certain Elian but I'm suspecting that neither of them has a family that cares for them. The place in your heart where you hold your family is empty inside them." Elian blinked, turning to Ra more out of shock than reassurance that she wasn't hurt. This in turn confused the 'American' youngsters. "Is something the matter Elian? Why'd you suddenly turn to your Dragon?" Elian turned now to Vashyron, a hint of annoyance on his face. "I think it's time you both came clean about who you are. Ra tells me there's something missing from your hearts. Something that she's seen within my own." "She spoke to you?"
Meanwhile at the nearby hospital, Pell was starting to come around from his slumber. The lack of food in his stomach made his head spin as he tried to sit up. Pell remembered little about what had happened during the night. A throbbing pain in Pell's right arm reminded him that Shadow had taken a tumble whilst looking for him. There were other people in the ward so when he started yelling in a language they didn't recognise, the patients became distressed. Pell was momentarily silenced by the entrance of a man wearing a long white coat. "Quiet down, son. You're disturbing the other patients." Sadly, without Shadow, Pell couldn't understand a single word the man said and so started asking questions nobody understood. The doctor heaved a sigh and ran a hand through his short hair. "I can see this is going to be very difficult for both of us." Pell wasn't too fond of how the doctor looked at him, snarling viciously when he got closer. Pell fought the man until the Warg venom decided to remind him it was still running through his veins. Pell's skin beaded with sweat quickly as the pain escalated. For the sake of his reputation, Pell refused to let the poison force him into screaming. The doctor called for help, fearing Pell might go into a cardiac arrest. It goes without saying that Pell did not like being fussed over by the people of Earth, pushing the endless stream of doctors away from him. Due to lack of food, Pell tired himself out rather quickly. "Shadow?! Shadow where are you?!" No answer came to Pell's call and he saddened greatly. One doctor did the smart thing and checked Pell's right leg. "Dr. Samuel, his leg is bandaged." "How did we miss that? Unwrap it now!"
The cauterised wounds stung in the air that rushed to them after the bandage was removed, causing Pell even more pain. Dr. Samuel carefully prodded the wounds, trying not to cause Pell anymore discomfort. "What do you think sir?" A younger, handsome doctor asked. "I'm not sure Marcus. It looks like this boy has been bitten. But by what? These look like bite marks from a dog. Run some blood tests now! It's our only chance of knowing what's wrong with him. And send out word on the news to try and find his family." Since Pell reacted so violently to the doctors a nurse was called to take samples of his blood. Her warm smile calmed him and even though Pell couldn't understand the language used in America, the words she spoke soothed Pell's fear. Pell flinched at the sight of a needle since there was no such thing in Areth. At least not to his knowledge. "There, there. It's going to be alright dear. Can you understand me?" Pell instinctively shook his head to say no. "I didn't think you could. This might hurt a bit but it'll help us understand what's wrong with you. Given that last little fit I'd say you've been poisoned." Pell was grateful for the nurse's gentle touch. He felt the initial entrance of the needle but after that it was mostly painless. He uttered a small whimper when it went in and the nurse smiled. "You're a very brave young man. Almost done." Pell watched with curious eyes as the nurse withdrew the needle. His curiosity as to where the drawn blood went was slaked quickly when the nurse labelled several tubes containing a dark red liquid. "You rest up. I'll bring you something to eat in a little while. We'll cure you, I promise."
"Orphans?" "That's right." Elian and Kira could scant believe their ears. Karin clung tightly to Vashyron's arm at the story he told. Elian found it hard to understand how somebody could live without their parents. "Are there no orphans in your world, Elian?" "If there are I've never noticed. Does that mean you have no real ties to this world?" "We couldn't tell you Elian. Nobody in their right mind would ditch their child in an alternate world. Unless the method to get here is low risk." Elian wasn't sure he could explain about the portals entirely but it was worth a shot. "Look Vashyron. The gateways my Dragon can form are not easy to describe. They're like…swirling grey masses of nothingness. They're two-dimensional so looking at them from the side is futile. Overall it's moderately safe. I've been all around Areth but none of the people there have features like yours. The dark skinned people for example, only have black hair and brown eyes. And your skin is lighter than Kira's." Vashyron gave a small smile and that told Elian he was about to explain why. "That's because I was born of white and black people. Mixed race if you will. It's fairly common in this world. In the past of this world, people with dark skin like you friend here were used as slaves. It wasn't until a president called Abraham Lincoln came along that black people were free to do as they pleased. He put an end to slavery and gave them their own rights. There is another race of people that live on Earth. They're known as Asians. Well I say one. Asians come in two different colours too. There's the Chinese and Japanese who are white but the difference is their slanted eyes. Then there's Indian Asian."
Elian and Kira were amazed at how many races lived in this alternate world. Vashyron went on to describe the races separately, and how Kira strongly resembled the black skinned folk of a place called Africa. Elian suddenly realised something that had never occurred to him until now. "I just realised something. It doesn't really apply to me and Kira since we come from the same continent. But other people we've encountered would've spoken different languages to us. It didn't hit me until Vashyron started talking about the different languages of this world." Kira blinked, not sure she was following Elian entirely. "Elian, if you're from a different world; that means Pell won't understand our language, right?" "Yes that's correct." "Then why can you understand us?" "Because our Dragons translate for us." Then it hit Elian. Shadow was still missing. The look of panic told Vashyron he'd triggered something. "What's wrong Elian?" "Our friend Pell has a Dragon too. He fell from his saddle due to lack of strength. If the people of this world find Shadow we'll never get out of here." Vashyron stood from his seat opposite Elian and Karin followed. "Vashyron?" "We're gonna help you guys out. Karin, start looking around and see if you can dig up anything relating to Dragon discoveries on the internet." "Got it. What colour is Shadow? Wait a second. Stupid question. Her name gives it away." "What about you Vashyron? Where are you going?" "One of you needs to see Pell and tell him the doctors mean no harm to him. But you'll need clothes from this world so not to look too out of place." Kira stood from Fang's side. "I'll go."
Ra convinced Elian that sending Kira was a wise choice since Fang could camouflage himself atop the hospital or somewhere nearby so he would be able to help Kira communicate. "Alright. Ra says that it's better for Kira to go given Fang's exceptional camouflage skills." "Camouflage? He can vanish?" Kira nodded and signalled for Fang to give Vashyron a preview. The Dusk Dragon vanished before Vashyron's green eyes and he was amazed more than terrified. "You guys really are something else. Kira, you're with me. I'd say your clothes aren't too bad. It's summer here so nobody would really bother to notice your sense of style. But I must insist that you remove your face paint." "What?! Absolutely not!" "Kira, people around here don't take well to that kinda thing. Wait a minute. Karin did you bring that girly stuff of yours?" Karin turned at the door as she had been about to leave. "A bit. Why?" "I think Kira needs some help. Listen Kira. In our world, girls wear something called makeup. It's very similar to face paint." "How similar?" Karin stepped forward since makeup wasn't Vashyron's area. "Well Kira, allow me to show you. I'll need you to sit down first." "Fang, might we use your legs? This cold floor is hurting my rear quarters." "Of course Kira." Fang said with a small toothy grin, setting out his forelegs for the girls to sit on. "A little closer together Fang. Karin's arms aren't that long." Fang did as Kira requested, shifting his legs until they were at a suitable distance. 'I'm not going to enjoy this.' "Relax Kira. Pell will be stunned to see you not only out in the open, but with different markings on your face." "Shut up."
Karin didn't take long, only about five minutes. Kira's impatience had been unbelievable. Elian didn't know she was so antsy. Once Karin had finished, Kira's eyelids were painted light brown, eyelashes curled and lips a dark cherry red. There was even a hint of pink on Kira's cheeks. Karin held up a mirror causing Kira to bolt back behind Fang's leg. "Don't worry Kira. It's only a mirror. You've seen one before." Kira shivered at the memory. "You're right Elian. I've seen way more mirrors than I care to remember." When Kira looked in the mirror, it was like looking at a different person. "So what do you think Kira?" "I'm not sure what to think. It's almost as if I'm looking at somebody else." "Yeah that can happen sometimes. But you look very pretty. I'm sure Pell won't know what to say when he sees you." Elian grinned widely and Kira knew what he was thinking. "The look on Pell's face is gonna be priceless." Kira groaned, clipping Elian around the ear. "Ow!" "Can it wise guy. If his reaction to my growth spurt is anything to go by then he'll get the same punishment as last time." Elian slunk back with a whine leaving Vashyron mildly amused. "Well I must say Kira; you know how to keep a guy in line." "Get used to it. Trying to save the world beside two naïve boys tends to harden ones' air of independence. Elian rarely posed a problem." "And Pell?" "Don't get me started on him. Let's go. I'd rather not be in this world for longer than necessary. Thrace looks ready to pounce on the next cockroach that goes by. Seriously. You call yourself a Dragonrider." Saber didn't take well to Kira's taunt, growling at her.
Kira felt extremely awkward sitting beside Vashyron in his wheeled wagon. It had a sleek body design and dark blue colouration. Vashyron noticed Kira's unease, hoping to calm her with a conversation. "So Kira. When were you in this world last?" "Decades before this time. The technology they had then is far inferior to what it is now." "Was there a lot of fighting?" "Yes. The world was at war. Turns out a man from this world was destined to be a Dragonrider. A man called Jack Miller." Vashyron slammed his foot on the brakes in time to stop at a red light. "Is something wrong?" "Back in World War 1, there was a pilot by that name. Not long after the Red Baron was taken down, Jack Miller went missing. Nobody was able to find him." "I was against him going to our world after he shot this Red Baron. He was helping us to complete our quest but wouldn't tell us what we needed to know without helping him first. Fang and I were the ones he needed help from because of Fang's ability." "You must've felt horrible." "Yes. Jack only intended to bring the plane down but something went wrong and he ended up killing the Red Baron." Vashyron remained silent this time, pulling up outside a large building. "Here's the hospital Kira. I need to pay a parking fee before we can go inside." Out of the blue, Vashyron took Kira's hands in his own. "He's going to be alright Kira." Said girl snatched her hands away from Vashyron and gave him a red mark on his cheek that he'd remember for a while. "Keep your hands to yourself." "Okay I'm sorry. You looked like you needed some comfort that's all." Kira stuck her nose in the air and got out of Vashyron's vehicle.
Kira felt extremely exposed as she waited for Vashyron to pay for the parking. Kira could feel Fang nearby but couldn't see him. "Okay let's go. If we're lucky, my buddy Marcus might be working today." "You know somebody who works here?" "Yeah. He and I went to grade school together. Said he felt sorry for kids who had no families. Karin and I were well looked after. Is Fang nearby?" "Yes. I think he's located Pell and landed near the room outside. Don't worry; he can still reach me in terms of our mental bond." Vashyron nodded and strode confidently into the building. He immediately saw the handsome young doctor who had discovered the bandage on Pell's leg. "Hey Marcus. How's work going?" "Sorry Vashyron, I'm a little preoccupied today." "Well your John Doe has a visitor." Marcus looked at Kira with a little scepticism. "Relationship?" "Close friend." "I suppose that's good enough. He's having dinner right now. Poor guy can barely relax for a second without being assaulted by more pain." Kira stepped forward, her eyes hard as steel. "Then there's no time to waste. Before you ask, pretty boy. How I can understand him is none of your concern." "You have quite a…" "Enough idle banter. The longer we postpone the closer Pell draws near to death." Marcus stroked his chin, taking note of how unusual Pell's name was. Kira had made it very clear that she wasn't to be messed with. By the time they arrived, Pell had just finished his lunch, the nurse beside him. Marcus kindly asked Kira and Vashyron to wait outside a moment whilst he informed the dutiful member of staff at Pell's side. "Okay you can come in now." "About time."
Kira grinned at the face Pell was giving her but before he could explode, she lifted a hand to silence him. Vashyron kept his distance, unsure of how Pell would react to his presence. "What are you doing here?!" Pell's voice was hushed but also very annoyed. "For your information Pell I'm here to save your ass. So show some respect. Have they done anything to you?" Pell took a moment to fight against the pain shooting through his leg before answering. "Well they can't understand me for one thing…" "They can now." Pell's eyes were even harder now as Kira leaned in close to whisper in his ear that Fang was outside the window. To the doctors and Vashyron, Pell's accent was far different from Kira's. 'He sounds very much like a Russian man.' Vashyron mused, thinking that Pell had come from a place similar to the largest country on Earth. Marcus soon cornered him. "Is something wrong Marcus?" "What's going on Vashyron? One minute he's talking gibberish and now we can understand every syllable." "It's…complicated. Kira has a special little device that can translate any language and allow anybody within hearing range to understand it. If I were you though, I wouldn't dare to try and look for it. There's only one place she could store an item so compact." Both Vashyron and Marcus went a shade of pink. Luckily for them neither Pell nor Kira was paying attention. "What's that in your arm?" "Not sure. But I feel better with it. Especially after they took a blood sample from me. Well several actually." "They what? How?" Pell indicated towards a tray housing a lot of needles. Kira seemed more than a little horrified.
Vashyron looked at his watch and sighed. "Hey Marcus. What are the chances of you letting Pell go?" "What?! Are you insane?! He's been poisoned, Vashyron. And until we find a way to cure it, Pell must stay here." Kira interrupted before Vashyron had time to even open his mouth. "You won't find a cure. Nor the creature that poisoned him. Pell's only chance of surviving the poison is to be released. I'm not his only friend. There's another. But I refuse to go into details about them for my own reasons. Have you administered any sort of anti-venom?" "No not yet. The toxicity of the poison is startlingly close to that of a scorpion if stung multiple times. With your permission we'd like to try it out." "Absolutely not. What about those blood samples you took? Why not test it with one of them first? For all you know, the cure to a scorpion sting might accelerate the poison in Pell's blood." Marcus cringed and shrunk back a little. He knew Kira was right. "Very well, Kira. We'll run a test first. If the antidote works, even a tiny bit, may we have your permission to give it to Pell? I just want to help him recover in any way I can. Seeing that last fit left an open wound in a lot of us. Pell fought rather viciously." "Well I'll make sure he knows you intend no harm. I'm going to stay awhile, Vashyron." "Alright Kira. I'll come and collect you in about an hour. Marcus, since Kira only knows you, I request that you and that nurse be the only ones treating Pell. It'll make them both relax a little." "Okay Vashyron. I'm guessing you'll go and see this other friend of his?" Vashyron nodded, waving to Kira as he walked away. Pell was glad to see him go.
Oh no! Pell and Shadow are hurt and separated! Whatever will our heroes do?! Can their new friends help them get home in time?
