Empty Fireworm Nest
The Riders of ICARIS were all flying around and admiring the Fire Realm. Edelweiss and her dragons were watching from a cave in one of the stone pillars. Alex had finished making fire suites for herself and the other riders. So now they could all explore the Fire Realm. They were weary of the Flamethrowers, after Tom and Jun told them about their trip into the Fire Realm. But so far the Flamethrowers were no where in sight. Apollo and Black Widow were snacking on slugs which Heatwave, the Monstrous Nightmare, had told them were eatable for dragons. Apollo looked over at Edelweiss who was watching the Riders.
"Have you told these guys your two big secrets?" He asked.
"No I haven't," said Edelweiss. "I hope to soon though. Although Jun did notice my scar." She ran her figure along the thin scar on her chest. "I just told her I got it in a bad fall."
"Which you did," Apollo agreed. "Jun seems to have an interest in magic."
"She'd get along with Avalon," said Black Widow. Apollo agreed as he ate another slug. Edelweiss watched silently, and sadly. So far they hadn't found anything for her to eat in the Dragon World. So she had to head to the surface with Black Widow to hunt, and risk getting captured by the scientists of ICARIS. Lately she'd been eating a whole lot of duck, goose, sheep, berries, and fish.
Once her dragons finished their slugs, they got up and Edelweiss mounted Black Widow. They took off and joined the other Riders. The only one not flying was Alex. She looked very nervous as always. Edelweiss landed Black Widow beside Feathers.
"You guys okay?" She asked. Alex looked at her.
"How are you not bothered by the heat?" She asked.
"My grandfather was a volcanologist," Edelweiss explained. "He would on occasion fly me into the craters of very active volcanoes. It wasn't much hotter than this." At that moment the others hovered in front of them.
"Come on Alex it's beautiful here," Jun encouraged. Alex looked doubtful.
"We'll look around, but keep an eye out for those Flamethrowers," said Tom.
"If it starts to get too hot for you, we can leave," Edelweiss said. Alex sighed and took off on Feathers. Edelweiss followed with her dragons. They all spread out more throughout the Fire Realm, Jun carried her dragon forged shield. They saw many wild dragons, but luckily no Flamethrowers. Just then Alex spotted a bright light high above, heading for them.
"Guys what's that?" She asked, alerting the others. They all looked as the light came closer. Everyone panicked except Edelweiss and her dragons. But it wasn't Flamethrowers. It turned out to be a swarm of brightly glowing dragons the size of baby alligators. Edelweiss saw that the others were tense.
"It's okay guys," she said. "They're just Fireworms."
"You've seen this species before?" Tom asked, interested.
"Yes," said Edelweiss. "They're pretty harmless, just don't touch them with your bare skin." The Fireworms soon surrounded them. Some showed interest in the bigger dragons and their Riders. They chirped with curiosity. One hovered in front of Thunder's face. The Nightlight beamed at it, then it tapped him on the nose and flew off again. They were heading down to the stone pillars and bridges. They moved like a single unit.
"They operate like a flock of birds or a swarm of bees," Edelweiss explained. "Sensing each other, where they want to go and working together as one unit."
"You guys sensing where I want to go," said Alex, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"Air conditioning?" Jun guessed. Alex nodded. It was getting late. So they headed back towards the Crystal Realm. But Alex failed to notice the small Fireworm crawling into her bag. Edelweiss and her dragons returned to their cave, while everyone else returned to the surface.
Alex entered her dome. Carla was at the sink washing dishes. She looked up as Alex set her bag on the table and sat on the sofa.
"Oh there you are," said Carla, beaming. "Did you see that i made you treats this morning." She held up a plate of cookies. Alex smiled back. "Set your bag aside and I'll bring you some milk." Alex was about to move her bag, but the bag moved by itself. Startled she went after it, but whenever she bent to pick it up it moved again. She followed it right up to Carla. Alex grabbed the bag. Carla was startled to see her there as she clutched the bag to her chest. But then they both were startled by the little glowing dragon perched on the faucets. Carla shrieked and dropped the plate, scattering the cookies. Alex froze, realizing that the Fireworm must have smuggled itself into her bag. Carla looked at the dragon in amazement.
"What is that?" She asked. Alex said nothing. Carla found a jar and opened it. She carefully came at the Fireworm with both the jar and its lid. The Fireworm looked confused, he didn't know what was happening. Before he knew it, he was trapped in the jar. Hazel had hear the commotion and came running.
"Carla, what happened?" She asked. Carla showed her the Fireworm.
"Look," she said. "It's some kind of insect like lizard." Hazel gazed in awe at it. The Fireworm looked back at her.
"It glows," she observed. "I've never seen anything like it." Her eyes lit up with excitement.
"We should get it to the lab," said Carla. They both left, leaving Alex frozen in place. Now she had the task of telling her friends.
The next day the Riders and their dragon met up in Edelweiss's cave. There Alex told them the bad news.
"That's it," D'Angelo said. "The secret's dead, Rekke Corp. knows about the dragons."
"Not really, just my moms," said Alex. "They think it's some sort of glowing lizard. They haven't told anyone yet."
"Good, that means we have time to get it back before they realize what they have," said Tom.
"And I thought Eugene telling me he'd seen a dragon would be the worst news of the day," said Jun. Tom whirled to look at her.
"When were you going to tell us this!?" He exclaimed.
"I was going to tell you when we all got here," said Jun. "But then Alex had worse news." Just then another Fireworm flew through the cave, followed by a few more. The Riders got to their feet as the Fireworms surrounded them.
"The swarm," said D'Angelo. "What are they doing here."
"They must be looking for the one that's lost," said Tom. He looked at Alex. "Your moms have him, think you can get him back?" Alex opened her mouth to answer, when Jun came up beside her.
"I'll help her," she volunteered. Then she turned to Edelweiss. "We could use your help too Edel." Edelweiss suddenly looked terrified.
"Roam around Rekketown in broad daylight?" She asked.
"That Fireworm won't last until night fall," said Apollo. Edelweiss slowly blinked, and the Riders noticed for the first time that her eyes had each had a third eyelid like a lizard. She still looked terrified, but took deep breath.
"All right," she said. She got to her feet and went to her table. She picked up what looked like a bright red pistol.
"What's that for?" Tom asked.
"It's a gas pellet gun," said Edelweiss. "It shoots pellets of knock out gas. Will knock a person out for a few minuets, long enough for an escape." She loaded up the gun with the gas pellets, then put packs of more pellets into her utility belt along with gas grenades, and smoke bombs.
"Isn't that going a bit overboard?" Jun asked.
"I'm determined to keep myself and Feathers out of captivity as well," said Edelweiss. "It'll be dangerous for us up there." Feathers chirped nervously. Edelweiss put the gun in its holster on her belt.
"We'll stay down here and help wrangle these other Fireworms," said Tom. Everyone nodded in agreement. Jun and Alex got on Feathers's back and Edelweiss mounted Black Widow. They headed out of the Crystal Realm and headed for Rekketown.
They flew out into the fissure. Feathers could sense that Edelweiss was just as anxious as Alex usually was in the Dragon World.
"Don't be afraid," she said. "We can keep to the shadows where we'll be harder to see."
"I know," said Edelweiss. "I just hope that little Fireworm is doing okay. I feel so bad for him. I know how horrible captivity is."
"If you guys get him out in time he'll be fine," said Black Widow. "I'll drop you off near the town then go back down." Edelweiss nodded and hugged her friend from behind.
"I hope nothing goes wrong," she said.
"Me too," said Black Widow. The two dragons sped up.
They landed in the woods that bordered the town. Edelweiss dismounted and Black Widow took off again. Jun and Alex dismounted and headed into the town. Feathers stayed behind with Edelweiss. The two of them kept to the shadows following Jun and Alex. Feathers cloaked herself but kept within touching distance of Edel so they wouldn't loose each other. Jun and Alex reached the entrance to ICARIS. They hesitated, then went inside. Making sure no one was around; Edelweiss and Feathers slunk around the outside of the building peeking through windows. Soon they spotted Carla and Hazel in a lab. They were looking at a small round glass tank that held leaves, twigs, and stones. The Fireworm was perched on a twig. His glow had dimmed slightly. Alex and Jun were hiding under the counter. No one was looking at the window so Edelweiss and Feathers could look through it without being spotted. Luckily there were no other scientists in sight.
"His light is dimming," said Feathers. "That's not good is it?"
"No," said Edelweiss. "Fireworms rely on each other's heat. If one is alone their heat eventually goes out and…" She didn't finish. They both looked back through the window. Carla and Hazel picked up the tank and left the lab. Alex and Jun followed soon after. Edelweiss and Feathers snuck back around to the front. They followed the group back to the Gonzales dome. Feathers laid in the grass under a window and Edel sat next to her. She kept an eye out for passers by.
"Looks like those two adults really like that Fireworm," Feathers observed. "They don't seem dangerous."
"But they will hand him over to others who are dangerous," said Edelweiss. Her eyes darted around the area, looking for any one who might spot them. Feathers sensed her fear.
"You're afraid of these humans up here," she said. It wasn't a question.
"I am," Edel admitted. "They don't seem to have any weapons. But I'm sure they have things that can restrain you or me." She shuddered.
"I bet they couldn't catch me," said Feathers. She disappeared then reappeared.
"Don't underestimate them Summer," Edelweiss said too quickly.
"Summer?"
"Sorry Feathers," Edelweiss corrected herself. She looked embarrassed. Feathers looked at her curiously. "Sorry you do kind of look like a young water dragon named Summer that I once new back in the Viking times."
"You've lived a very long time?" Feathers asked.
"I have," said Edelweiss. "Due to my dragon DNA, I don't age like humans do." Feathers considered a moment.
"This water dragon," she said. "You said sort of look like her."
"Yeah, same colored scales, and same colored eyes," Edelweiss said. "But she had more yellow in her scales than you do." Feathers looked at herself.
"Was she by chance a Fast Fin?" She asked.
"Yes she was," said Edelweiss looking surprised.
"I have heard of her," said Feathers. "I'm a very distant descendant of hers." Edelweiss stared at her.
"You!?" She exclaimed softly. "Really?" Feathers nodded.
"I've heard her stories about her group of friends, two of them human, rescuing others," she said.
"Dak and Layla," Edelweiss said. "I remember them. They were the only other humans I'd met that could talk to dragons like me and my parents. I sort of broke contact with them after a few years when dragons were fading more and more into mythology. Pretty cool that you're a descendant of Summer."
"Yeah," Feathers agreed. She looked back through the window. "The adults are coming out." She disappeared again and Edelweiss looked towards the door. Carla and Hazel came out and headed towards ICARIS. A few minuets later Jun and Alex came out with the Fireworm in his tank. Edelweiss was about to join them but then the tank was intercepted by Eugene, and she stayed hidden. Eugene ran off with the Fireworm, towards his dome. Alex and Jun ran after him.
"It's only a matter of time now," said Edelweiss. She and Feathers hurried after Alex and Jun, still in the shadows. They reached the Wong dome. Edel and Feathers looked through the window. Alex and Jun were arguing with Eugene.
"Maybe he'll join the group," Feathers suggested.
"That will be impressive," said Edelweiss. She spotted the poor Fireworm in the tank. He was even dimmer now. "He's not looking good in there." They waited until Jun and Alex managed to distract Eugene and get the Fireworm again, then they came back out. Edelweiss and Feathers joined them, though Feathers stayed invisible. They headed towards the edge of town.
"Alex!" came a stern voice. Carla and Hazel came storming up to them. Edelweiss quickly dashed out of sight before they saw her. Jun and Alex froze.
"You are in big trouble," Hazel barked. "You lied to us and you stole Glowmer." She took the tank. "What's gotten into you?"
"I just wanted to set him free," Alex explained. "He's not doing well in captivity. He wasn't meant to live in a tank. He needs to be released back to his natural habitat." Carla and Hazel considered this, looking at the Fireworm. He was looking very unhappy and lethargic. Just then an off road vehicle with Linda driving it rolled up to them. Edelweiss watched and readied her gas pellet gun. Linda dismounted the vehicle and ran over to them.
"Dr. Sledkin sent me to find you," she said. "She's interested in seeing the insect specimen you found." Hazel hesitated. She looked at the Fireworm, he was barely glowing now.
"It seems to be in distress," she said. "We need to keep a close eye on him."
"That won't be necessary," said Linda. Jun saw Edelweiss raising her pistol toward the adults. Jun waved her hands and shook her head. Edelweiss saw it and lowered her gun scowling. They all headed back towards ICARIS. Linda took the tank inside, there was security everywhere.
"I think I can get him out of there," said Feathers. "I just need a diversion." As if Alex had been thinking the same thing; she pulled out her tablet and used it to tricker an alarm. Sirens blared all over the building. Everyone came outside, looking confused and annoyed. Edelweiss saw Feathers disappear again. With all the commotion no one noticed when the tank came floating back outside and towards Alex and Jun. Edelweiss snuck over to them as well. Feathers reappeared and Alex patted her snout affectionately. They were about to head off again when the tank was again intercepted by Eugene. Edelweiss stayed out of his sight and pulled out her pistol.
"Looks like your secrets about to come out," Eugene sneered. He ran off towards where Dr. Sledkin was arguing with Chief Baker. But before he got there Edelweiss fired a gas pellet at him, making him fall to the ground unconscious. The tank rolled away, and Dr. Sledkin spotted it. She started to head towards it hungrily. Edelweiss readied her pistol again, her eyes not leaving the enemy. But then Carla and Hazel came out of no where and blocked her. Dr. Sledkin tried to push passed them, but they kept blocking her. Edelweiss was just as surprised as Jun and Alex did. This gave them a chance to grab the Fireworm and head out of town. Once out of sight they both got on Feathers and rode into the woods. Edelweiss holstered her pistol and ran at full speed after them.
They soon arrived back at the sleep cave. Tom, D'Angelo, and the rest of the dragons were sitting in the dark looking defeated. Black Widow and Apollo were there as well and looked much happier when Edelweiss came up to them.
"We got him back," said Jun. "Where are the others?"
"They gave up," said Tom sadly. "Moved on. How's he doing?" Alex opened the tank and they all looked inside. The Fireworm was dark and motionless. They all gasped. Alex gently picked him up and held him in her hands.
"We're too late," she said, near tears. "I'm sorry little one, I tried." It grew very quiet and still. Thunder hung his head. He out of all of them knew what it was like to be separated from his family, and left alone. If he didn't have such good friends now, he'd end up like that Fireworm. Suddenly he felt something tap him on the snout. He looked up to see another Fireworm, and another. They burned like embers from a campfire. Thunder beamed at them. The two Fireworms chirped happily and flew over to Alex and their fellow. They hovered over him. Everyone watched them hopefully. The two Fireworms hovered closer to their friend. One gently nudged him. At once their sick friend started glowing again and came around. He looked up and smiled at the sight of the other two. They chirped happily to each other. Then all three of them took off and headed off together back towards the Dragon World.
"I hope my family comes back for me someday," Thunder said to his friends.
"Oh, I'm sure they will," said Feathers. "I'm sure they miss you as much as you miss them." Thunder smiled. They all watched the three happy Fireworms fly out of sight.