Chapter 6: Enter the Dragon
The humming of tiny green wings bounced off of the stone walls that descended deeper and deeper into the mountain. The tiny humming bird, though fast, took what little time he had to examine his surroundings with awe and wonder. Something that stood out the most to him was that the walls appeared to be very smooth, as if it was carved out completely by hand, thus adding to the majesty and wonder that he was experiencing. This of course ended the further he got into the mountain. The walls appeared to be colored a dark black, much like coal, as if someone had taken a hot flame to the mountain. This told him that, at one time, a fire-breathing beast had lived here.
Maybe . . . they moved out? He wondered nervously.
The air around him began to get a bit colder the further he went, but strangely it wasn't getting any darker. Just ahead of him he could make out a faint glow, like the flickering lights from a candle.
Sweet. He mentally celebrated. Almost . . . . there . . . He quickly realized that it wasn't fire he was seeing to light the mountain. "Oh . . . man . . ." His voice was barely above a whisper; so there was no way he was disturbing anything that was sleeping. Coming to the end of the hallway he shifted into his human form, taking a look around with his bottom jaw on the ground and somehow managed to utter a breathless, "Whoa."
High above him were a multitude of cracks and openings that were allowing rays of sunlight to reign in from the heavens, illuminating the darkened cavern below. However these miniscule droplets of sunlight would do very little had it not been for the various mountains of treasure that was the light was bouncing off of. Stone pillars stood tall throughout the cave, and though it was a magnificent sight to behold, Beast Boy couldn't take his eyes off the mounds of gold, silver, rubies, pearls, gems, sapphires, and any and all different kinds of treasure that littered the cave floor.
And luckily for him there wasn't a dragon in sight.
His gaze lingered on the trove longer then it should have, his inner animals wanting to touch the shiny objects, before he shook his head. "Focus Gar, your team is counting on you. Gotta show them you don't need to be babied and that you're just as good as 'Damian the great'." Weird, since when was he jealous of Damian? He was just as awesome as the "Son of the Batman". He could turn into any animal in the world for crying out loud and Damian was a powerless human. A powerless human who could hold his own with a bunch of super powered kids. Once again he shook away the thoughts and lept into the cavern and shifted into a small sparrow. He remembered what Donna had said, that the heart/gem would have life, so it shouldn't have been that hard to find.
Right?
Beast Boy fluttered towards the ground, after an hour into his search, to rest his wing/arms. "Oh you've got to be kidding me." He breathed. As he flew about the mountains of gold, resisting the urge to touch it all, he kept himself low to the gold so as to feel any "life". He lifted himself up, gold coins shifting beneath him, and glanced around the cave. Fortunately he still had a lot of ground to cover. Unfortunately, he still had a lot of ground to cover. He exhaled slowly and got to his feet, more gold shifting beneath him, before beginning to move all on their own. He fumbled, swinging his arms to keep his balance as the very ground beneath him began to move until he finally leapt onto a patch of treasure that seemed to be stagnant. He spun around to look back at the moving patch and found that some of the gold and slipped off of something black, and scaly. He froze, not making a sound or movement, then an explosion of air that Beast Boy could see was a pair of nostrils.
"Crap." He realized that he was looking, into the closed eye, of the dragon that guarded this cave. Its nostrils twitched a couple of times taking a few sniffs of the air, sniffing for him. He gulped when he heard shifting from the treasure coming from behind him. "Double crap." The shifting was obviously its tail and was at least a mile and a half long. He spun his head back around to the closed eyelid that slowly began to open.
Thinking quickly, Beast Boy shifted into a stag beetle, hoping and praying that it's shinning shell would camouflage him amongst the other gems and jewels and froze. The gold began to part like the Red Sea revealing a long and scared neck, triangle shaped head with four pointed horns, and glowing hazel eyes that moved all around the area that Beast Boy was hiding, but luckily was unable to find him. Its nostrils flared again, sniffing the air, before growling and hissing with frustration. Beast Boy didn't move a muscle, but was tempted to jump when he heard the dragon begin to speak.
"I smell you. I hear your breath. I feel your air. I know your there." Beast Boy could feel the dragon looking directly at him, but couldn't find him as he hid beside the gemstones. Slowly the dragon's head moved into a different direction. "Where, are you?" It sang. While it was distracted, Beast Boy took to the sky, still in his Beetle form, and headed for the exit. Instantly, at the sound of the buzzing, it's head jerked in his direction, not being able to see Beast Boy due to his size, but he knew something was heading in that direction. The dragon slithered atop the sea of gold and silver until its body had blocked the way out, still unsure where the intruder was, but with the door blocked Beast Boy wasn't going anywhere. Beast Boy changed directions and headed for the nearest pillar and settled on top of it. Maybe he could wait him out?
The dragon moved its neck around the base of the pillar, flicking its tongue and sniffing the air. "Come now. Don't be shy." Its deep, singsong voice practically shook his hiding spot. "Step into the LIGHT!" It slammed its neck into the base of the pillar, the resulting shockwave knocking Beetle Beast Boy right off and sending him hurtling to towards the ground. He painfully skipped against the pillar until the jade beetle changed back into the green pointy-eared boy and landed with a slam onto the treasure-covered ground. He groaned, thankful that the mound of treasure was high enough that the fall didn't kill him and rolled over to get to his feet, but was quickly met with the enormous reptilian muzzle of the guardian of the mountain. It's large hazel green eyes staring hungrily at the changeling with a scaly grin spreading across its lips. "There you are."
Beast Boy's blood ran cold. The dragon's head alone was larger then at least two of him and teeth longer then his own arms. Come on Garfield! Think!
Finally he spoke, saying the first thing that came to mind.
"Oh this is YOUR cave?!" He quickly looked around, putting on his best "stupid and embarrassed" face, "Argh that's right!" He got to his feet and started pointing in random direction, the dragons not once taking his eye off of him. "I have a game station over there and an air hockey table against that wall, and I also have a poster of Zatanna hanging up over there. I'm so embarrassed. This is just one big misunderstanding," Like a child that was in trouble he started shifting on the balls of his feet, "So I will be, erm, leaving now-"
SLAM!
Gold coins flew into the air as the beast slammed its claws into the ground. Beast Boy stopped instantly, his black planted against the wall and stared up at the dragon. It's eyes narrowed down at Beast Boy as he growled. "The only reason your still alive is because I find your stupidity to be mildly amusing."
Beast Boy gulped, something that his dry throat was having difficulty doing, but noticed that the dragon was staring at him oddly. "Um, do I have something on my face?"
The dragon moved its head looking his unwanted guest over. "Odd. You appear as if you belong to the elven clans of the forests, yet you smell of man and Beast flesh? Who-what are you? May I ask?"
Beast Boy began to relax. If there was one thing that was going to save him now, it was the one thing he was most proficient at.
Talking.
He puffed his chest out a bit, trying to show off as much bravado as possible. "Well, I don't mean to brag, but I have the ability to change into any animal I can think of."
It's brow raised, as much as a reptilian brow could, "Impressive. Might I see a demonstration?" The cocky changeling thought for a moment before changing into a giraffe, but even this animal dwarfed in comparison to the fire-breathing behemoth. He changed a few more times to other animals such as a rhino, gorilla, and elephant before changing back into his human self. "Interesting," it hissed with genuine admiration, "And by what manor or sorcery is this? Elvish? Dark magic?"
Beast Boy took a seat and leaned against the pillar, getting comfortable by placing his hands behind his head. "It's not sorcery, dude, its science."
The dragon tilted his head. "Science? Dude?" It said the both words slowly, saying both for the first time.
"Yeah you know . . . science? Experiments? Study of living things and the world around you?"
The dragon got into a more comfortable position, sitting on its legs and its tail swinging around to keep Beast Boy close, giving Beast Boy the chance to look it over. Besides the fact that it was huge, it walked on four legs with huge black wings protruding from its back, its body littered with missing and chipped scales. From battle most likely. "And how did 'science' do something like this to you?"
Beast Boy cleared his throat as bravado gave way to a strange feeling. A feeling that had long since been buried. "Well, my parents were scientists and . . . they were the ones who did this?" He gestured to his green hands.
It's head tilted again with curiosity and an odd cough/laughing noise was produced from its throat. "So your parents experimented on you with science?" Beast Boy shifted uncomfortably in his spot, something the Dragon picked up on instantly, producing a large grin on its long face. "Ah. A dark place I see. Now you have to tell me the tale."
"Well I don't like to talk about it." He tried to sound brave, but his nerves, combined with the fact that he could be killed at any second, made it difficult.
It chuckled. "As you wish, then I guess I'll just kill you now."
Beast boy sat up straight. "Wow would you look at that, I feel super chatty now." The dragon chuckled at his victory. "Well this happened when I was six. Like I said, my parents were scientists that studied animals and I used to travel with them through India, Asia, until we came to Africa. While we were there I was out and about playing, until a monkey bit me, a green monkey and I contracted a disease called sakutia." The dragon made another noise in its throat, but Beast Boy continued. "I was quickly dying and my parents, out of options, injected me with an experimental drug that was able to cure me. But this was the side effect. Lucky me right."
The dragon eyed him curiously, before snorting black smoke from its nostrils. "Of course, they saved your life. So why did you enter a dark place?"
The haunting memory overcame the changeling, the dragon seeming to relish in his apparent pain. "Not long after I got my powers. We went for a trip, canoeing along the river. We came to a waterfall, we couldn't get away, they told me to change into a bird and fly to a branch . . . I did, but . . . they . . ." He hung his head, completely forgetting that he was in the presence of a dragon as the anguish washed over him. He was so lost in his pain he hadn't realized he said, allowed, "It was my fault."
The dragon scoffed so loudly that it echoed throughout the cave. "You didn't slay your parents."
Beast Boy looked up at the dragon before getting to his feet, shaking and growling with anger. "I could have saved them both. I coulda changed into something bigger and-"
"Shoulda, woulda, coulda, didn't." The dragon hissed. "Your parents saved your life, not once, but twice and you spend your days with their gift blaming yourself? How selfish." The dragon then swung his head to the side looking suddenly forlorn at the cave wall. "Although your circumstances are not something with which I am without sympathy. For I too have lost those whom I have loved." Beast Boy suddenly relaxed. "My mate and hatchling were taken from me. And so I have locked myself away from the world in sleep." Its eye moved towards him, "Not unlike yourself."
Beast boy waved him off. "Come on man. I'm a hero. I save people. I'm here now to help save the world, I'm not locked away. You're the one that locked yourself in this cave."
The dragon's head turned totally to him and moved until it was up close to his own. "You mean to tell me that those who await you outside know the dark places you travel to?" His heart, and bottom jaw dropped. "Yes. I can smell them. The wind is pushing their scents into this cave. There are six of them correct?" Beast Boys face told the dragon the answer. "I see. You can't lie to an old dragon, young shape shifter." The dragon got to all fours. "Now, before I end your life, I have one more question. Why ARE you here today?"
Beast Boy gulped again, his mouth speaking the first words that came to mind, hoping it was the right thing.
"I'm here to find the heart, gem thingy of Drakull Karfang?"
That was the wrong thing to say.
Its eyes grew feral, it's belly scales glowing a furious red, and orange before unleashing a stream of red-hot flame into Beast Boys direction. He shifted into a dragonfly and, barely, buzzed out of the direction of the flame. The beast roared. A sound of pure anger and hatred.
"YOU WISH TO RAISE THAT CREATURE!? I WILL BURN THIS PLANET TO THE GROUND IF IT MEANT THAT WRETCH WOULDN'T SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY!" With his jaws releasing more flames, he swung its head in every direction, spraying the air with its blaze. Beast Boy zipped as fast as he could, but wasn't fast enough when the flames burnt his wings.
"GAH!" He screamed changing back into his human form. Once he hit the ground, even with a burnt back, he shifted into a jackrabbit and bolted for the nearest shelter he could find. But the dragon was right behind him, each word it spoke dripping with venom.
"SHE IS THE REASON FOR MY SELF IMPOSED EXILE! SHE IS THE REASON THAT I SLEEP!"
Beast boy was quickly running out of breath as he ran as fast as his rabbit legs could take him. "I'm not trying to bring her back!" He shouted. "We want to take her gem to a safer location. That's all!"
It roared. "It will stay here! The Amazon left it in my charge because of my hatred and you will not ruin it!" Once again, fire erupted from its jaws. Beast Boy could practically feel the flames coming right at him forcing him to shift into an armadillo before allowing the fire to engulf him. He was pushed back against the wall of the cave, a wall that somehow gave way, letting him inside before shutting closed and hidden from the dragon.
He changed back into his human self, his hair and skin singed from the attack and exhaustion weighing him down. "Well this isn't working." He whispered. While still sitting on the floor he got into a seated position and scooted back against the wall to rest. As far as he could tell, the dragon was still looking for him, but for now he could rest. At least for a second. "So recap. I'm trapped in cave with a psycho dragon, I need to find a gem, heart thingy all while not getting burnt alive." His head thumped against the stone behind him. "Yeah I've. Got this." He focused on his abilities, tapping in to the lizard, starfish, and octopi to help heal his injuries and regrow skin and muscle tissue all the while he glanced around the room in which he found himself.
A room filled with urns, weapons, portraits, and against the walls were a series of large sarcophagi.
"Oh . . . . poo."
This wasn't just a treasure cave. It was a tomb.
He quickly stood, healed enough, and headed for the piece of the wall that he was sure he came from. If the dragon was this tombs guardian than it was only a matter of time before it would search this area, but before that could happen he thought of something that caused him to pause. Pharaohs would be buried with their most precious gemstones in pyramids with the best of the best right there with them, and if that was the case.
"Then maybe what I'm looking for is right here." With as much respect he could muster he began searching the contents of the tomb going through boxes and urns, hoping that he wouldn't have to actually go into the stone sarcophagi. "Can't they be like me and leave everything on the ground-"
"WHERE ARE YOU!?"
"Okay running out of . . ." His hands wrapped around the last box, small and hidden well beneath the clutter. A box with, as Donna put it, Life. He pried the lid open revealing a variety of small gemstones, but two got his attention. One, silver and about the size of his hand that resembled a dragon wrapping itself protectively over a smaller red ruby. The other, smaller and fit perfectly into his palm, was a sapphire dragon pendent connected to a long chain. He put both into his hands, feeling the same energy flowing from both of them, but was unsure which was which. "Crap."
BOOM!
"Out of time!"
The dragon slammed its claw into the wall, blowing pieces of rock and debris into the tomb, and began scrapping around feeling for him. He tossed the two gemstones into the air, shifted into an eagle and took both of them into his talons. He zoomed from the tomb through one of the cracks the explosion had made, zipping past furious hazel eyes, ignoring its snarls and roars of anger and headed for the exit, making sure to zip side to side in a serpentine fashion. This proved useful seeing as how the dragon was now shooting its breath blindly in his direction. Beast Boy bobbed and weaved, avoiding each strike, but still felt the heat and still felt its rage even as he flew through the exit and towards the outside of the mountain.
He flew as fast as his wings could take him, up the mountain halls and didn't relax until his eagle eyes were able to pick out the first ray of daylight. He sighed with relief as sunlight washed over his verdant feathers.
"Get ready to love me!" he shouted as he changed back, "Cuz Garfield just SCORED!" With the two gems in his hands he stood triumphantly.
. . . Until . . .
"Triple crap."
Warriors, armed with swords, spears, shields, helmets and armor, stood surrounding his team who were on their knees. Nightwing, Damian, and Donna relieved of their weapons while Starfire, Blue Beetle and Raven were heavily chained. A blonde haired woman stepped between him and his team, helmet under her arm and eyes narrowed angrily.
"You are either very brave, or very stupid green one." She growled.
He ginned nervously. "Can't I be both?"
"Garfield," Starfire scolded, "Do ask they ask." His eyes snapped in her direction in disbelief. She's surrendering?!
Boom!
The mountain shook, but none of his teammates made a move to escape, once again puzzling him. "You woke the beast?!" The woman shrieked, although glancing at his teammates he could see they weren't that surprised. Gee thanks guys. The mountain shook again, a small explosion coming from the other side of the mountain. One of the armored men approached the woman.
"Atmar, we must leave-"
"No!" she scolded, "This is a rare opportunity." She moved to the wall of the mountain, removed a small dagger, sliced her palm and began to wipe her blood onto the rocky surface. "Remove the gems from him, and then chain him like the others." The other soldiers did as they were instructed, taking the gems from the changeling and chaining him down, all the while Starfire begged him not to fight back. Reluctantly he agreed, looking to his confused teammates as to while the "Warrior" was giving up so easily.
The skies erupted with the dragons furious roar, its wings beating against the air with a deafening whoosh, bending trees with thundering cracks and blowing rocks and debris into the air. "SHAPE SHIFTER!" It called as he swooped around the mountain.
"CAPTAIN!" One of the soldiers called again. Atmar finished with a strange sigil on the wall, but kept her palm hovering over it.
"Wait . . for . . it." She keeps her eyes on the sky, waiting, waiting, until the dragon suddenly appeared overhead. Its angered eyes glaring hatefully at Beast Boy, but once he saw the soldiers, his eyes widened and was too late for him to turn back. Atmar slammed her bloodied hand against the sigil, which released a stream of white light into the air, washing over the soldiers and the Titans, but left them unharmed, however the dragon roared it what seemed like pain, before falling out of the sky crashing into the mountainside below. Atmar grinned smugly as she walked to the cliffs edge, peering over the side, but could no longer see the dragon.
"Captain, where is it?" one of the soldiers asked.
She snorted a laugh. "Can't you tell? He's right there." She gestured to a young, unconscious man sprawled naked onto the snowy ground. "Collect the Dragon Knight. We will take him, along with these others to her. To Thia."
GO check out Thia DC comics and you may find out where I'm going with this. Read and review and well see ya next time.