Chapter Eleven: And Here it Ends
Icefire continued to fly in the direction of the finish line. The sound of many wing beats reached their ears, signaling that the other racers were catching up. This encouraged Icefire to fly faster. "You can do it Icefire!" Chiro cried.
His faith caused a new form of energy to flow through her veins. It flowed through her aching muscles, relieving her of stress. She felt completely refreshed, and some how she knew how to release that immense energy in a concentrated from.
Icefire pulled her legs close to her body for less wind resistance. "Lean forward and lie against my neck for less wind resistance." Chiro complied, and Icefire stretched out her long neck. She folded her large wings close to her body and shot forward. A violet transparent shield formed in front of her.
She shot passed the finish line. When Icefire snapped out her wings the shield vanished. Icefire shifted her weight so her tail almost touched the ground, and the rest of her body was aligned with her tail. She beat her wings forward and up to stop her forward momentum.
Once she had halted she flew back to the finish line, and landed on her hind legs first then brought her forelegs down. Simon was there along with the racing comity chairman. "As winner of this race you have won these strange and foreign beasts." the chairman said, as he gestured to the cage containing the five bionic monkeys.
"We're not beasts!" the red monkey cried indignantly. Of course every human other then Chiro thought he was chattering nonsense.
Chiro un-strapped himself from the saddle with haste, he slid to the ground and ran up to the chairman. "Where are the keys to the cage.?"
"Here, my dear boy." The man handed over the keys.
Chiro instantly ran to the cage and unlocked it. The monkeys scrambled out of the cage and surrounded him. They chattered excitedly and hugged the boy one by one.
"Do you mind removing the chip they implanted in our heads?" the red monkey asked.
"Chips?" Chiro tilted his head. "What are the chips for?"
"They put the chips in to prevent us from activating our weapons." The blue monkey explained. Chiro quickly removed the special chips from their heads.
"Hey, Chiro," Icefire called. "If I recall correctly I promised you something." Chiro looked at her, a confused expression on his face. Then it lit up suddenly and he mounted her. Icefire waited until he was strapped into the saddle before she took to the air.
She flew around the stands, being careful not to stray to far. She tucked her wings to her body and rolled through the air. Chiro laughed and whooped the whole time. When Icefire righted herself and landed Chiro was disappointed. "Aww is it over already?"
Icefire chuckled, "Yes, my friend. You're going to have to leave soon." Chiro dismounted and rejoined the monkeys.
Icefire turned her attention to Simon. He had a satisfied smile on his face, this confused her. She went to him and lowered her large head, and nudged him in the chest with her large snout.
Wordlessly Simon removed the bridle from her head. Then went and removed the saddle. Icefire thought he was just doing as the other racers did, but boy was she wrong. "You're free Icefire."
Icefire and Chiro were taken aback. "Icefire you're free!" Chiro exclaimed. Icefire only appeared to stunned to do anything. "Hey, Simon what does it mean if a dragon talks to you using telepathy?"
Now it was Simon's turn to be surprised. "I don't know. Dragons hold many strange powers and abilities that even they don't know of. I've honestly never heard of a dragon speaking through telepathy or seen one use that strange power she had at the end of the race. Dragons are very mysterious creatures."
Icefire sighed and turned her head to the boy. "What do you say to riding a dragon bare back?"
"Really?" Chiro began to bounce up and down with excitement.
"Really, really. Hop on I'll bring you to your ship. You can guide me to your ship with your mind."
Chiro nodded, and was about to climb onto Icefire's back but Antauri's voice stopped him. "Chiro, how is your cut? Can I take a look at it?" Chiro was startled that Antauri remembered it. He knelt and the silver monkey brushed some of the boy's wild hair out of the way. Chiro flinched when the metal fingers brushed the cut. "Gibson can you take a quick look at it?"
"Sure." the blue monkey came over and the silver monkey stepped aside. Gibson stared at the cut and traced it with his fingers. Every time the metal fingers brushed it the boy would flinch. "It appears to have become badly infected. It should have been cared for the minute it was discovered.
Icefire came forward. "I can heal that I think." they looked at her in surprise. Chiro who trusted her with his life did not hesitate, he turned to face the female dragon. Icefire lowered her head and touched the infected cut with her snout. Chiro flinched but did not move.
Icefire drew her dragon power to her. She closed her large yellow-green eyes. She felt a tingly feeling envelope the part of her nose that touched Chiro's forehead. When the tingle had ceased she opened her eyes and moved her head. The cut was gone. Chiro smiled at her, "Thanks."
Icefire crouched so her passengers could climb aboard. Her large head rested on the ground. Her body still ached from their long race, but she didn't really feel it. "I call shot gun!" the green monkey cried and scrambled onto her head and sat as Chiro had when they were in the swamp.
About 4 days ago she never would have imagined doing this, but the past isn't what mattered to her. What mattered is what was happening at that moment. She knew her new and only friend was soon leaving her, but it was his destiny. She had to let him go, no matter how hard it was on her.
Once everyone was settled Icefire stood. She turned her head to look at Simon. "I'll be back so keep my stall open for me." A surprised expression etched it's self into his features. Icefire grinned and leaped into the air. Her wings beat at the air and Chiro used his mind to guide her.
After a little while Chiro asked, "hey, Icefire can I ask you something?"
"Ask away."
He lied along her neck and watched the now pink clouds roll by. "Would you hum like you did the first time we flew?"
This question took her by surprise. "I'm afraid I'm too depressed..." She could sense his disappointment. "But I'll do it one last time." joy flowed through his side of the link.
Before Icefire started to hum Chiro asked, "Why are you depressed?"
"Because I won't be able to see you again and I'll miss you..."
"Don't worry Icefire, we'll come back and visit. I promise."
Icefire felt happier and allowed waves of gratitude and happiness flow the link. Like before she began to hum deep in her chest. Without thinking she switched from humming to singing in dragon tongue. The others listened, no one made a sound until they were sure she had finished singing. "That was beautiful...I didn't understand a word you sang, but it was beautiful." Chiro said in awe.
"I can sing it your language if you'd like."
"I'd like that, and let me guess: its even rarer to hear a dragon sing then hum."
Icefire chuckled and began to sing:
How can you see into my eyes like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb without a soul
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home
Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life
Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring... me... to... life...
Bring... me... to... life...
Frozen inside without your touch without your love
Darling only you are the life among the dead
All this time I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Without a thought without a voice without a soul
Don't let me die here there must be something more
Bring me to life
Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring... me... to... life...
Bring... me... to... life...
"Wow that sounded as good as if it were in dragon tongue. Could you explain the meaning of it though?" Chiro said.
"It means you can tell what I'm feeling and that before I met you I felt empty. Almost as though I was missing a part of myself."
"Oh..."
"Look there's the Super robot." Gibson said.
Icefire made her decent, and carefully landed, so she wouldn't shake her passengers too much. Icefire crouched, and the Monkey Team climbed off her back. "Dose your "Super Robot" have any power?" she asked.
"No," the green monkey replied, "by the way I'm Otto."
"I'm Nova," the yellow monkey said.
"The name's SPRX-77, but you can call me Sparx." the red monkey said.
"And you're Antauri, and your Gibson." Icefire said as she pointed to each one in turn using the hand-like appendage on her wing. The two monkeys nodded. "Okay now, lets see what I can do about your powerless robot."
"But what can you do?" Chiro asked.
"Didn't you hear what Simon said? He said that we dragons have power that we don't even understand. But for your information, people are always using the dragon fire as power sources. Stand back." the Hyper Force did as she ordered and stood behind her.
Icefire shout a bright blue fireball that entered the robot's hyper armor. The robot glowed blue for a minute before it's colored returned to normal. Icefire nodded to herself and snorted a smoke ring.
"You're able to leave any time you want now." the monkeys headed toward the robot, but Chiro didn't move. The monkeys stopped and turned to see Icefire and Chiro facing each other. Icefire lowered her large head.
Chiro wrapped his arms around her muzzle. "I'll miss you Icefire."
"I know, little one, I'll miss you too." Icefire shed a single silver tear. Chiro reached out and caught the tear as it fell. It landed in the center of the palm of his hand. The moment the tear made contact with his skin it hardened into a glassy like substance in the shape of a teardrop. Inside the teardrop a small flame burned.
Chiro closed his hand over it. Warmth spread through his body. He realized that the warmth he felt came from the teardrop. It was a symbol of Icefire's love. He opened his hand again to look at the smooth, silvery surface.
Chiro's eyes widened as a silver string formed at the smaller tip of the teardrop. Chiro slipped the silver string over his head. He tucked the teardrop inside his shirt. It felt warm on his bare chest.
"Consider it a gift." Icefire said, and Chiro redirected his attention to her. "It will keep you warm when you need warmth. It will give you light in the darkest abyss if you need light.
Chiro nodded to show he understood. "Thanks, Icefire."
Icefire licked his cheek with the tip of her tongue and he understood. "Go now, little one, you need to be on your way."
Chiro kissed her snout, and then, with tears in his eyes, he ran to his monkeys, who had been watching him silently. His monkeys filed into the robot. He stopped in the doorway and looked back. Icefire made a motion with her head telling him to go on. He understood the motion perfectly and stepped sullenly inside. the door closed automatically behind him.
Icefire stepped back and the giant robot took off. Icefire leaped into the air and flew along side it until she could go no higher. Then she was forced to watch it disappear into the starry sky. Once the robot left her line of vision she flew slowly toward the city.
She flew passed the buildings and went directly to the stables Simon owned. She landed about 10 feet away from her stall. The door was open and there was a fresh pine shavings on the floor. Simon stood there leaning on the doorframe. She walked up to Simon and lowered her head.
Simon stroked her violet muzzle, "Why do you want to stay? I thought you wanted to be free."
"I did, but now I don't think I can go without human contact." She admitted sheepishly.
Simon smiled, "I understand. I'm glad you met someone who changed the way you feel toward us, humans." He stepped aside. Icefire immediately stepped inside and turned around so she faced the door. She lied down and made herself comfortable on the padded floor. "Would you like me to leave the door open?"
"Yes, thank you. I'd like to watch the stars as I await his return." Simon didn't need her to specify who "him" was. It was rather obvious. Icefire rested her head on her paws and closed her eyes. Though it had only been 4 days since she had last slept she was still weary. The race left her feeling sore and exhausted. She easily drifted of to sleep. Where her dreams were of Chiro's return.
"Goodnight, Icefire." Simon said. He glanced up into the starry sky just as a shooting star streaked across the sky. He smiled to himself, he knew that was no ordinary shooting star, containing one extraordinary boy and five monkeys. Simon walked away, leaving a dragon to her dreams.
End