Thankfully, no one else questioned Isabel or Helen over where they disappeared to. When they returned to the rest of the group with Jess, they continued with the plan. Once everyone had regrouped, they set a course for their next destination. The storm outside had stopped, and Isabel kept her ears open, just in case any giant locusts decided to make another appearance. They travelled through the damp, derelict city and stared in awe at what remained of the buildings around them.
Everything was eerily quiet as they wandered through the streets. All they could hear was the slight gust of wind that accompanied them on their trip. It felt strangely soothing. Isabel circled around the Crew a few times. Whenever she would come back to the front, she would watch her mother teaching Jess how to read the map. She was still amazed that her friend continued to associate with them despite what she knew about their relationship. Sometimes, Jess would catch Isabel looking at her, and she would smile back. Although, Isabel could detect a hint of sadness behind her smile. Every time it seemed like she was about to open herself up, she would hide away to give Isabel and Helen more time together. While Isabel appreciated that, she didn't want to forgo her feelings for Jess.
After striding across the landscape for most of the day, until their shadows had turned around them, Isabel rushed over to her mother and Jess. ''Should we stop to rest soon?''
Helen nodded. ''We might be able to soon.''
''It looks like there's a bridge a few spaces ahead,'' Jess said, looking over the map carefully. ''We can find a spot to rest and then we can cross it tomorrow.''
Just ahead of them, Cruise stopped and turned. ''Unless the bridge decides to come to us.''
''What do you…'' Isabel began to question until she looked ahead and saw what the Crew had spotted.
Everyone stopped in their tracks and stared out into the distance with disbelief plastered across their faces. Sprawled out across the land was the wreckage of the bridge on the map, torn from where it once stood and left to rot in the middle of nowhere. Rust and dirt riddled its metallic structure. The walkway was beyond repair. There was no hope of crossing this bridge. Now, it was just a relic that was wasting away.
''Gods,'' Giovanni gasped. ''How did it get here?''
Cruise hummed. ''I'm going to take a wild guess and say that it was moved by something big, scaly and in need of a good kick up the ass.''
Helen quickly retrieved a spyglass from one of the Crew's bags and inspected the wreckage. Isabel could see the damaged details from where she stood, but she waited to hear her mother's verdict. ''It looks like it's been here a while.''
''Hopefully, that means we won't have any company,'' Isabel said.
She wanted to be sure. She dashed forward and listened for any unnatural noise. At first, everything seemed to be as it should be, but then Isabel could faintly hear conversations near the bridge. Judging by the harsh tone, it sounded like someone was shouting and barking orders, but she was too far to understand what was being said. The main takeaway was that the bridge was not devoid of life.
''There are people over there.'' She told the group.
Giovanni sighed. ''We don't know if they're friendly. We should go around…''
''That will add days to our trip,'' Cruise said. ''It's most likely another group of Vipers.''
Thane scoffed. ''You say that like it's a good thing.''
''It's not. But it's also not the end of the world,'' Cruise smirked, gathering his Crew together so that they would take the lead. ''If we play nice, we can get permission to pass.''
Helen didn't look convinced. ''That might work for other Viper groups near you, but we're far out of our territory. They could treat us as hostiles…''
''If that's the case, your daughter can convince them.''
Isabel flinched. ''You want to convince them we're not a threat by making me threaten them?''
''Only if they threaten us first. They will most likely want to trade to allow us passage. We'll strike a deal with them and then be on our way.''
While Isabel's small group were hesitant about this plan, Cruise had managed to rally his troops together. They followed him without any doubt, striding next to their charismatic leader. On the one hand, it made sense and Isabel could get them out of trouble if things escalated, but that didn't mean she enjoyed the idea of going back to fighting other humans again. She did have to defend Erika and her girls against cannibals, but after her fight with Lacron, these seemed like petty scuffles in the grand scheme of things. Isabel wanted to take the fight to the Dragons, not other groups of humans.
As they walked to the bridge, Cruise tied a sheet of white cloth to a stick and waved it above his head.
''What's he doing?'' Erika asked as she kept Jasmine and Naomi close to her.
''The white flag used to be a sign of surrender or submission in the old world,'' Helen answered.
Jon gulped loudly. ''Hopefully, that's knowledge not limited to just us.''
Isabel kept close to the group as they got closer to the bridge. She glanced up and saw scouts settled at specific points across the remains, watching them advance closer. They allowed the Crew to get closer, always vigilante and weary. Isabel was expecting to hear the trigger of a gun at any moment. But, they managed to get quite close to the bridge without any trouble. More Vipers emerged from their hiding spots, surrounding the Crew. The numbers were not in the group's favor. Isabel bounced on her toes, ready to leap into action if needed.
''Stop where you are,'' a booming voice called out.
Cruise halted and lowered his flag. ''If this is the leader speaking, I would like to have a few words with you.''
The Crew waited for a response. Isabel was the first to notice movement coming from above. At the torn end of the bridge overlooking them by a hundred meters, a figure stepped into view. A tall man with dark skin and scars riddled across his face, he looked like someone who had been through his fair share of brawls. He stared down at the group with suspicion evident across his stern, sharp features. Isabel couldn't see him carrying any weapons, but she wasn't about to let her guard down yet.
''If you are looking to trade with us,'' the leader spoke. ''I'm afraid your voyage has been pointless. We only have enough for ourselves. If you value your lives, you will turn back to where you came from.''
''Tempting offer, but I'd like to make my own,'' Cruise replied with no sign of fear in his voice. ''We can spare you some of our food if you would allow us to pass through here.''
The leader narrowed his eyes at Cruise. ''That offer seems almost too good to be true. Where is it that you are going that's so important to you?''
Before Cruise could speak, Helen decided it would be best to pass without telling a rouge group too much about their mission. She stepped forward in front of him, holding up her hands as a sign of peace. ''We are travelling to a place that will keep us safe. We only wish to cross through your bridge because it is the shortest path. We've already had trouble with creatures, we just want to avoid any needless casualties.''
''If this place is so safe, maybe I want to hear about it.''
Helen sighed. ''I'm afraid that I can't properly explain what it is without…''
''What's your name?'' Cruise suddenly called out.
The leader seemed amused. ''Dominic!''
''Well, Dominic, maybe you've heard of me and my Crew? You may call me Cruise.''
The smile on Dominic's face faded. His Vipers began to share whispers amongst themselves. Even with their leader tried to regain control, they still continued to talk to each other and constantly stared at each member of the Crew. Helen glared at Cruise, but he didn't bat an eye at her.
''Which of you is the Dragon Slayer?'' Dominic asked.
Isabel thought about keeping quiet. It would be what her mother would want. However, something compelled her to stand tall and speak out. At least, if the Vipers were focused on her, that might make it safer for everyone else.
''I am!'' She shouted.
The Vipers stared intensely at Isabel. Some laughed. Some scoffed. Only a few of them looked truly convinced by her declaration.
Dominic didn't appear too sure. ''You may be more well-built than some, but I don't see how you could be the one to kill a Drake.''
''You'll find that I have a knack for turning heads.''
Cruise snickered at Isabel's remark before stepping forward to talk with Dominic again. ''As you can see, we are very important people on a very important mission. So, if you would be so kind as to let us pass, that would be greatly appreciated.''
''How do we know she is the one?'' Dominic questioned.
Anger and frustration began to flare up inside of Isabel. She was about to give Dominic a piece of her mind when her mother stepped in front of her and reached back to grasp her arm. Isabel could feel the anger seep out of her body thanks to Helen's soothing touch.
''I understand this is a lot to take in,'' Cruise continued. ''But we speak the truth. We are a fellowship on a quest.''
''A fellowship?'' Dominic chuckled. ''Like the stories from the old world?''
Helen was taken back by the comment. ''You're referring to movies?''
''Movies?'' Dominic inquired.
''Stories that humans created to show the world. They would use film to capture scripted events to tell a story. That's what Cruise means when he speaks of quests and fellowships.''
She felt Cruise bump her arm with his elbow. ''I'll have you know every story I tell really did occur. Does the historian not believe the legend of a man who took on the shape of a bat to save his city?''
At this point, Helen wasn't sure what to say. It was bad enough she had to convince Dominic, but now she had Cruise's beliefs that contend with.
''Historian?'' Dominic called out. ''These movies you speak of…can they show us glimpses of the old world?''
''I suppose,'' Helen answered. ''Some could even document real events that transpired. Why do you ask?''
Dominic glanced around at his Vipers before his eyes fell back on the Crew. ''Because we may have found something like that here.''
XXX
The atmosphere was tense as the Crew were welcomed into Dominic's base. Only with the promise of being allowed to keep their weapons did they enter, though they were constantly being watched by their hosts. Dominic led the group further into the wreckage of the bridge where he and his Vipers had made a suitable home for themselves. They moved out of the light and into the darkness with only some lit torches to guide their way.
Isabel always kept her eyes peeled, ready for the first sign of trouble. Although, she was more than a little curious to see what Dominic was referring to. She could tell that her mother was just as interested. Helen could hardly wait to see what they had discovered. As the corridor narrowed, the numbers of the Crew dwindled. Eventually, it was up to Isabel, Helen, Cruise, Jess, Pitt and Giovanni to travel the rest of the way with Dominic while the others waited behind.
They were guided into a large room that left most of them wondering how they could describe it. Three Vipers were working frantically around a large contraption hooked together by tape and leading towards a small screen in the corner of the room.
Helen gasped when she saw what they were tinkering with. ''Is that an old camcorder?''
''Is that what it's called?'' Dominic asked. ''We found this device and the instructions when we came here. We've spent weeks trying to find the power to switch it on, even for just a few seconds.''
One of the Vipers raised their hand. ''And you're in luck, I think we're about to crack it.''
There was a buzz of excitement in the room as they saw the Vipers tinkering with the device for a few more minutes. Isabel caught her mother wincing and flinching every time the device sparked. It was an adorable sight.
Suddenly, there was another bright spark and the tapes connecting the camcorder with the screen started spinning and moving. The screen flickered. Grainy spots bubbled for everyone to see, but they couldn't get a clear picture of what was going on. This was one time where Isabel's sight wouldn't be of any use to her, she was as clueless as everyone else. They waited for something to appear. For almost a minute, they feared that the footage captured on the camcorder was truly lost forever. The screen shifted to black with only blurred lines rolling across the screen standing out.
Helen sighed in disappointment. ''It was too good to be true.''
Isabel clutched her ear when she heard something akin to a sharp whistle. It didn't sound human, and whatever it was, it was emanating from the screen. When she turned towards it, black turned to white and then shapes were beginning to form. There were three children playing with a ball. They appeared to be laughing. It was difficult to tell as there was no sound. The group held their breath whenever the screen threatened to fizzle out, but it played on, showing the children skipping across what looked like grass. Real grass. Other humans were wandering around minding their own business. It looked surreal to view.
''Is that the old world?'' Jess gasped. ''It looks so green and blue. Is that really how it used to look?''
Helen nodded as she tried to hold back tears. ''Yes, it's better than how the books described it.''
They all stood and watched in silence. Even though there was still no sound from the video, they could imagine the birds chirping and the sound of people laughing and talking. For some, it was more difficult to imagine than others. Isabel shared a look with her mother, happy to see her so happy. After so many years of trying to get a vivid picture of the old world through relics and books, this was like stepping into the past and catching a glimpse of what the world was like before fire and death.
However, the color on the screen began to change. The view shifted towards the sky which began to blacken. Then, everything turned red and before the screen turned down, the head of a Dragon broke through the sky and descended upon the earth.
''That was right before the Dragons attacked,'' Isabel whispered.
Dominic stepped to the front, staring at Helen. ''Is this one of those movies? Or did we really just witness the beginning of the end?''
Helen fought back tears and regained her composure. ''I believe that was genuine. The world once had life and color. That's what we're fighting for. We want that world back. We want children to play again without fear. That is why we have to go where we need to go. I hope that you understand.''
For a moment, Dominic's face was expressionless. His gaze lowered to the floor as he looked hopelessly defeated, concerning Helen greatly. ''I'm sorry.''
''For what?'' Helen asked.
Suddenly, Cruise burst forward, grabbing Dominic by the throat and pinned him to the wall. The other Vipers were ready to free their leader, but he didn't struggle or fight back against Cruise's grip. ''What did you do?'' Cruise interrogated.
''I had no choice. It was the only way to protect my clan.''
Isabel shuddered as a familiar sensation made her skin crawl. She turned and focused on something far away approaching them at great speed. It was a feeling that she wasn't going to forget any time soon. But this time, it felt darker and more overwhelming. Her heart almost stopped when she finally realized what was coming towards them. ''He called a Drake.''
Dominic slowly shook his head. ''No…Albatox and Baerock. Brother and sister. Two Drakes are on their way here to kill you.''
XXX
HELLO MY SWEET SUPERSTARS. I HOPE THAT YOU LIKED THIS BRAND-NEW CHAPTER AND THE CLIFFHANGER ENDING. YES, IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, ISABEL WILL HAVE TWO DRAKES TO DEAL WITH. WILL SHE AND THE OTHERS BE ABLE TO STAND TOGETHER OR FIGHT? OR DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS TOO MUCH FOR THEM TO WIN? THE NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO BE QUITE ACTION-PACKED AND EXCITING. IN THE MEANTIME, I LOVE HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND SEEING YOUR COMMENTS AND REVIEWS FOR EACH CHAPTER. I KNOW I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, BUT I MEAN IT WHEN I SAY THAT YOUR SUPPORT HAS MEANT THE WORLD TO ME. I WISH YOU ALL THE HAPPINESS AND GOOD WILL IN THE WORLD. EVEN WHEN I'M FEELING DOWN AND STARTING A NEW JOB, I WANT TO DO MY BEST FOR YOU ALL BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN THE BEST TO ME. THANK YOU ALL. STAY SAFE. AND TA-TA FOR NOW.
