The Storm
The mountain dwarves had long since fallen asleep in their caves when Firedrake prepared to set off. This time Ben clambered on his back to sit in front, holding his compass. He had spent hours studying the rat's map, memorizing every detail: the mountains around which they would fly, the rivers they should fallow, the cities they had better avoid. First they had to go several hundred kilometers farther south, and head toward the Mediterranean. If they were in luck they'd land on its shores before dawn.
With a few powerful wing-beats the dragon rose into the air. The sky was clear above the mountains. The waxing moon hung bright among a thousand stars, and only a light wind blew toward them. The world was so silent that Ben could hear Sorrel munching a mushroom beside him. Firedrake's wings rushed through the cool air.
When they had left the mountains behind them Ben turned to take one last look at the black peak. For a moment he thought he saw a large bird in the darkness with a tiny figure sitting on its back.
"Sorrel." He whispered. "Look behind you. Can you see something?"
Sorrel put down the mushroom she was nibbling and looked over her shoulder. "Nothing to worry about." She said.
"But it could be a raven?" Ben whispered hoarsely. "The rat warned us about ravens, didn't he? And isn't there a something sitting on it?"
"Yes there is." Sorrel returned to her mushroom. "That's why there's no need to worry. It's an elf. Elves love flying in the moonlight. And besides it isn't a raven, it's a hawk."
"Lindsey." Twigleg hissed. "I think that boy and brownie have spotted us."
"I know that." She hissed back. "I can see yah know." The demon then flew down lower into the darkness till she knew they were out of sight.
"Maybe we should say hi or something." She suggested.
"What?!" exclaimed Twigleg. "Are you joking?!"
"Well, they have no reason to be suspicious of us and besides I really, really, really want to meet that human kid. Please Twigleg. Pretty please."
The homunculi sighed as he knew that this would go on for a while.
Back at the ruined castle Shikyo was in the library reading books. After finishing her tenth she layed it down and looked around the room stacked full with books.
"Wow. Twigleg must be pretty bored. Living for three hundred years with only four thousand books to read."
Walking over to a shelf with books made in midevil time she found one that interested her.
"Hey look. One about me." the demon took a black book that read The demon of death. She flipped open the cover to the first page.
From a shelf behind Shikyo Gravelbeard gasped as he saw the cover and whispered to himself.
"The death demon. She's the demon of death?"
The girl suddenly answered his suspicions without looking away from the book.
"Yes. I am the death demon." She then closed the book and placed it back on the shelf.
"But sometimes," she continued, "a certain someone seems to forget that." At that statement she turned her head to the dark coarder where two red eyes watched her.
Realizing the demon girl knew he was there Nettlebrand stepped into the room, his eyes narrowed down at her.
Turning her attention back to the shelf of books as if he had no significance to her, which is exactly the way she felt.
The golden dragon growled threatening at her.
"I am the strongest being who has ever lived, it seems you have forgotten that!"
Shikyo's laugh was filled with mirth as she turned to him.
"You idiot. How many times will I have to drive this into your ignorant head. There are creatures that go way past your level of power and strength. We demons care for nothing of the insignificance of any other creature on the earth, so rarely do we show ourselves, but we are still here. Don't forget that."
"You're kind should count as extinct." Nettlebrand shot back.
"It's true there are few of use but we'll kill anyone, any army with ease." She took a step closer to the dragon. "And don't forget I am the strongest of them all."
Her dark, cold, eyes could petrify anyone who dared to challenge her.
Fallowing the dragon had been easy enough for Lindsay but once they had reached the Syrian coast the wind blowing toward them was growing stronger and stronger. Her wings were getting tired and there was no point in trying to avoid it, for the wind was everywhere. Thunder boomed overhead and lightning lit up the dark sky.
"Lindsay!" Twigleg called to her. "We lost the dragon! Just set down to wait out this storm! You can't go any farther!"
"No!" the demon assured him. "I can keep going! This is nothing! I can handle it!"
She knew the homunculus wasn't buying it and in truth she wasn't buying it either. Suddenly a powerful gust tore all control she had from herself and threw it into the depths belong. The wind tossed the hawk and her rider through the dark clouds. Both yelled in shock and fear as they plummeted down and out of the gloom a large rock appeared out of nowhere. Before she could react Lindsay was flung against the bolder, hitting her head.
Before she lost consciousness she thought. Well, I guess this little adventure won't be boring.
