Chapter 3: A New Quest
Ever since Lurja had killed Fafnir, the little town had been in an uproar. People whispering in corners about how they thought it had gone. But only Lurja would know how close she had come to losing something she cherished dearly. It had been three days and Lurja was still feeling that same guilt. Myrra was still asleep in her corner of the shelf. Lurja figured she had chosen that place out of fear of being dragged away again.
"Will you stop feeling guilty already? I am okay. I didn't get that badly hurt, just knocked out." said Myrra sleepily. Lurja couldn't help but smile though as the little dragon fell off the shelf in the attempt of getting down. Myrra grinned sheepishly after landing in Lurja's arms.
"Myrra, what in the heavens would you do with out me?" she paused as she saw a council member waving to her to follow. "Myrra, you stay here, okay? I will be back."
When they had gone out of the little dragon's sight, the council member spoke softly. "My name is Sardonil. You and Myrra are being sent on a rescue. Deep in the mountains, there is a thicket of fearies. They have been terrorized by an Ice Draconis. The terrible creature has frozen the fearies thicket and they have no way to survive. The council has been pressured ever since to do something but, there is nothing we can do. But, I have made the decision to ask you for help. We are in no position to make demands so; anything you need is yours if you agree to…" Lurja cut him off before he could finish. This was the chance she had been waiting for since she was almost as small as Myrra.
"We will go." She said happily. Sardonil stared at her as though it had been too easy.
"Y…you will? This is absolutely fanta….wait we?" he paused, eyeing her.
"Yes, we….Myrra is coming with me and we will find another to go with us." She said, and Sardonil, who apparently thought she meant he was going, let out a sigh of relief.
Sardonil then asked quietly. "Who do you have in mind?" Lurja just smiled and said nothing.
Myrra yawned again for the umpteenth time since Lurja woke her up. She said they were going to get repayment for a favor. But how did the woods have to do with a favor? "Matinai! Are you here?" called Lurja. Myrra jumped and almost shrieked when a boy jumped down from the tree tops.
"What do you….Lurja? It's been a while!" He said. Lurja asked him if he wanted to help them with a rescue. "Are you kidding? That Dragon has been getting on my nerves. I just have had no way to get to him."
"By the way, Matinai, this is Myrra. I met her in Yldendar." Myrra jumped onto the boy's shoulder. If Lurja trusted him, so could she.
When they got to the path that was supposed to lead them safely to the thicket, Myrra had a bad feeling that something wasn't right. They started down the path anyway; after all, it was their only way to the thicket. Matinai obviously felt the same until Lurja ushered them both onto the path. Myrra noticed Lurja's hands shaking and guessed they were all feeling a little bit, cautious.
After a while Myrra thought she was hearing things. She thought the bushes were rustling when they passed. Myrra looked again and realized she wasn't imagining things. She bit Matinai on the shoulder and looked at the bushed on either side of them. His eyes widened and he looked at Lurja, who was at least five feet in front of them. "Wait, Lurja!" whispered Matinai. He went forward and grabbed Lurja's shoulder to keep her from going on. He looked at the bushes again and Myrra shivered.
"What is wrong with you two? The thicket is right there!" said Lurja before rushing forward. She stopped when an arrow whizzed past her cheek making a cut. She turned around and yelled to Myrra and Matinai. "It's an ambush!"
When they caught up to Lurja, they saw she was right. Council members and dragon slayers of the council stepped out of the bushes. "What?" Lurja had looked at the nearest one. He was the same one who pulled her aside and sent them to the thicket, right into the ambush.
"You planned this, why?" asked Lurja. Sardonil looked a little ashamed but then looked at Myrra.
"Yes, I did, because that dragon is still a dragon. She will grow, and she will kill us all. Do you not see, Lurja?" he said to Lurja. Myrra was shocked; she knew Lurja had nothing to do with this. But she was getting in deep, what if she turned Myrra in?
The look on her face betrayed her thoughts to Matinai, who shook his head and whispered. "She would never do that to you or any one she cared for."
Lurja couldn't believe this was happening. A woman council member handed her a spear saying, "You can redeem yourself by killing it. Lurja, you are the best slayer we have set our eyes on, please do not throw it away for a dragon." Lurja looked at the woman then at Myrra before taking the spear. She looked at the ground as she turned and walked towards Matinai and the little dragon.
She looked up and caught a glimpse of Myrra. The little dragon looked betrayed, and from her point of view, she likely was. The look vanished though when Lurja turned and threw the spear at the woman who had handed it to her. The flying weapon hit dead on in the heart and the woman dropped, leaving the other council members stunned. Sardonil looked at her. "You can not possibly know who you are dealing with Lurja. You have condemned yourself and that boy." He spat before walking away, the others followed.
Lurja looked at Myrra, who looked a little relieved but, still a little fearful. The little dragon made her way to Lurja and asked. "Would you really have…." She stopped herself, unable to finish and Lurja didn't let her continue.
"No, I would not have. You are my friends and those people….well, they can drop dead for all I care." Myrra jumped on the shoulder of her friend.
Lurja knew what she wanted to do now. The council had put a seed of doubt between Lurja and Myrra that could never be removed. She was going to hunt them down, one by one and make them regret it to their bones.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." She said to herself so not even Myrra could hear her. They would regret and pay dearly.