Chapter 6: Growl, From the Depths of the Earth

   "Is it really such a good idea for me to be the one leading the way as we crawl through some dusty and dark vents?" Danielle asked quietly, pushing herself through the ventilation shaft, Rico right behind her. She had to resist the urge to sneeze what felt like every ten seconds, and she was starting to feel claustrophobic, the darkness closing in on her and making her heart race.

   "Yeah, the thought occurred to me just a little too late." Rico spoke up. She had kept talking to make sure Danielle was holding up okay in front of her. "Are you holding up okay though?"

   "Well, I could be better. I want to hurry up and get out of here. You think we're close to an exit or something?"

   "We should be."

   Danielle took a deep breath, hoping she was right as she continued to push herself forward. But after another push, she suddenly felt herself pitching downwards, her hands grasping at empty air. There had been a junction in the shaft, and her uneven balance sent her plummeting down the dark shaft with a scream. She tried to find something to grab and stop her descent, but the smooth metal had no handholds. Her hands were raw from the metal brushing against her bare skin as she tried to grab something, and the metal actually began to feel hot.  She gasped as the shaft suddenly leveled out in a curve, light abruptly filling her vision as she slammed through a metal grating and landed hard on solid rock, skidding and rolling several feet.

   She gasped slightly in pain, every square inch of her body aching or burning in pain. She didn't need to look at herself to know that her arms, legs, and face were scraped up from her landing, and she was still trying to catch her breath from the shock of the impact that had knocked all the breath out of her lungs. She just laid there, eyes squinted shut as she silently hoped she hadn't broken anything. Danielle was about to open her eyes and try to stand up when the ground shook slightly from massive footsteps, footsteps that were coming towards her.

   What in the world could be that big? Not even a Hildebear has that loud of footsteps from what I can remember!

   Danielle kept her eyes closed as the footsteps stopped, breathing slowly and evenly as heavy sniffing sounds filling the air just to the left of where she lay. Suddenly, something hot and slimy ran along her arm, turning it over and running along where the skin was scraped. The pain abruptly intensified, and Danielle struggled not to cry out in pain and fear. Something large pushed her side and turned her over onto her back. The hot and slimy thing ran along her other arm, and Danielle risked opening one eye slightly. What she saw nearly made her scream in terror. A massive dragon straight out of the legends on Coral she heard as a kid stood over her, its head down near her left arm, its long pink tongue lapping up the dark blood on her arm. Its yellow eyes locked with hers, and Danielle quickly shut her eyes, desperately hoping it hadn't actually seen that she was awake and alive.

   The dragon's tongue wrapped tightly around her forearm, pulling it slightly as its jaws closed on her all the way up past her elbow. Danielle's eyes jumped open and she pulled the Handgun from her waistband, just as the dragon jerked on her arm and flung her into the air with ease. Danielle screamed in pain as her shoulder was wrenched from its socket, the dragon's jaws opening and closing on her body instead around her midsection. Danielle felt its razor sharp jaws biting down slightly, its deep growl filling her ears. She managed to aim the Handgun into its mouth, feeling relieved that she at least managed to hold onto it. Taking careful aim, she fired the weapon, its green Photon bullets slamming into the back of its throat.

   Danielle was flung to the ground, landing hard on her injured left arm as she rolled slightly, the shrill roar of the dragon hurting her ears. She managed to look up, catching a full glimpse of the massive beast. A curved horn rose from the middle of its forehead, its scales a tan color with patches of dark green. Its two legs ended in three massive, deadly talons on each foot, its bat-like wings having two claw-like "toes" on the forward-most part. Its long tail split into two smaller sections near the end, each section having a deadly spike on it. All it even needed to do was step on her and she would be finished.

   The dragon growled, and with a flap of its mighty wings it rose into the air, glaring down at her with its yellow eyes. Danielle stumbled to her feet, feeling light-headed and dizzy. The dragon hovered high above the floor, and it was just then that Danielle realized she was within a massive cavern beneath the Central Dome. She squinted slightly as the dragon opened its mouth, flames rushing forth towards her, eager to consume her. Danielle's eyes widened, her entire body paralyzed with fear, unable to move out of the way as the flames eagerly closed in on her…

   Danielle felt arms wrap around her waist, and she was pulled down to the ground, a wave of heat washing over her. She cringed in pain as she hit the ground with her right side and dropped her Handgun, hearing Rico's voice over the roar of the flames and the beating of the wings. "Danielle, how bad are you hurt!?"

    Danielle felt weak with relief, but she was still in pain. "M-My arm…" she began, but the dragon cut them off with a mighty roar. It flew to the top of the cavern, tucking in its wings to its side and diving down towards the ground while spinning rapidly. It tore into the ground with ease, magma splashing out onto the ground, casting an eerie orangish glow over the ground near it. Danielle stood with Rico's help, her eyes searching for her weapon. She quickly spotted it on the ground, stumbling over to it and crouching to pick it up.

   "Danielle! It's underground!" Rico shouted as a deep rumbling filled the air.

   Danielle looked up, the burrowing shape of the dragon speeding towards her, the ground rippling. Danielle was slammed backwards into the cavern wall, pain shooting through her body as she collapsed to the ground. She could barely breathe, the pain sharp and unbearable. She had never taken a beating like this before, and she was worried that something was broken with that last hit. Danielle winced in pain, trying to pull together enough strength to get her good arm and her knees under her, but she just couldn't manage. She could barely make out Rico dodging the dragon as she ran over, slinging Danielle's good arm around her shoulders and helping her to stand. "There's no way we can beat this thing! We have to get out of here!"

   Danielle blinked rapidly, dimly wondering where they could even go. As her vision cleared slightly, she spotted a door all the way across the area, built into the rock of the wall. It was Pioneer 1 technology, and it was there only chance of escape. "D-Door…" she managed to say, nodding in the direction of it across from them even as the dragon burst from the ground and hovered in the air. As if anticipating their escape path, the dragon landed on the ground in between them and the door and let out a deep growl.

   Instinctively, Danielle tightened her grip on the Handgun in her right hand as Rico got a better hold on her. "We'll have to run by it. You ready?" Rico asked, looking over at Danielle. Much to her surprise, Rico looked slightly nervous.

   "To be honest… no… but oh well…" Danielle looked back at the hunter, her entire body hurting. It wouldn't be easy, but they had to try. "Let's go."

   The dragon roared at them as they ran forward as fast as they could manage, flames building up in its mouth. "Can you run on your own?" Rico asked quickly as she watched the dragon.

   "I think so!" As the dragon reared its head, they separated, Danielle managing a shambling run past the dragon's left flank. Flames scorched the ground where the two had just stood seconds before, the dragon missing them completely. Rico reached the door first, her fingers flying over the controls as Danielle joined her. The door wasn't opening. "Rico?"

   Rico had her teeth bared slightly, a look of frustration and worry on her face. "It won't open!"

   An incredibly loud roar came from behind them, a wave of fetid, hot breath washing over them both. Danielle felt her blood run cold as she and Rico glanced over their shoulders, the dragon's head right behind them. "Rico, you get the dragon…. I'll try and open this door."

   With barely a nod of her head, Rico drew her Red Sword. She spun around, swinging the blade with ease at the dragon's head. Danielle tried to focus on the controls, her heart pounding in her chest as she went over in her mind what she knew about messing with electronics. Praying she knew enough to get the door open, Danielle went to work. Both of their lives were at stake.

--

   Rico stared up at the dragon, sweat trickling down her face. She had barely arrived in time, saving Danielle from the dragon's flames. Now she was alone, trying to hold off the beast while Danielle attempted to get the doors open.

   Rico gripped the hilt of her Red Sword, swinging the heavy blade at the dragon's left leg. The Photon blade seared through its flesh, cauterizing the wound as soon as it was made. The dragon growled and snapped at her with its jaws, barely missing her. Rico swung up at its neck, her muscles straining slightly as she managed to land a light hit. The dragon spread its wings, lifting itself up with such a mighty flap that the resulting gust of air nearly knocked Rico off balance.

   Rico scowled and swapped the weapon for her Red Handgun, firing shots of yellow Photon energy at the beast. Much to her surprise, it began to spin rapidly in mid-air, somehow managing to keep itself hovering as fireballs shot down from it and rained down on the area. Rico strafed while firing at the dragon, shouting over her shoulder. "Danielle, how much longer!?"

   "I'm working on it! I just need a few more seconds!" Rico glanced back, the teen working on the door controls with a focused look on her face.

   "We don't have a few more seconds!" Rico looked towards the dragon once more. They were getting nowhere fast. At this rate, it would wear her out before moving in for the kill. Flames filled the dragon's mouth once more, and Rico turned and ran as a blast of hear washed over her back. It had been a very narrow miss. "Danielle!" she shouted, the flames building up again.

   There was a slight hiss from behind now. "Got it!" Rico spun on her heel, running towards the door and pumping her arms for speed. Danielle stood at the door, Handgun in her right hand as she fired at the dragon to cover Rico. As Rico sped past, she grabbed Danielle by the back of her shirt and jerked her through the door while slamming her fist down on the controls. The door hissed shut, just as the dragon's flames had raced towards them.

   Danielle was gasping, sweat running down her face, her left arm limp by her side. Blood covered the right side of her face and her arms, bite marks on the top part of her left arm, her chest, and her upper legs. Her pants were tattered and ragged, skin showing through on some parts, the grey cloth stained red in some places. She looked like she was about to collapse from exhaustion.

   Rico looked around slowly, sweating herself from the intense heat of the area they were now in. It was a cave, rivers of magma flowing around them. There were large doors there, apparently installed by Pioneer 1. But why hadn't they been told about these caves? She never remembered hearing anything about them. What was Pioneer 1 hiding?

   "Danielle, sit down for a second. You're as pale as a ghost." The area seemed clear, so they could afford to rest a bit. She was worried for the teen, who nodded shakily and sat on the ground as Rico kneeled beside her, gently rolling up her shirt sleeve. It was as she thought. Her arm had been dislocated, pulled right out of socket. 'I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner," Rico apologized quietly, feeling guilty as she took some bandages from her storage unit. She used some of them to clean the injuries, wishing she had thought to bring more. Her supplies were limited. If they ran out, they would be in major trouble. "You're lucky to have survived that long against that dragon."

   Danielle looked up at her, dazed slightly. "I almost didn't…"

   Rico had her arms bandages, using a Resta technique to help with her injuries. She gently gripped her left arm, looking into the teen's blue eyes. She had done this before a few times, and she always hated it. "This is going to hurt, okay?" she warned in a soft voice. Danielle nodded shakily, looking scared. Tightening her grip, Rico cringed as she pushed the joint back into its socket. Danielle screamed in pain, her body quivering under Rico's grip as she tried to soothe the team. "Calm down. It'll be okay…" Rico whispered, Danielle's scream slowly dying away. She was holding her arm now, gasping heavily.

   "Ow… I-It hurts…"

   "I know, but it'll go away soon…" Rico sighed softly, rising to her feet. She wished she could do more to help, but she had to conserve supplies and the strength to use techniques.

   Danielle was starting to calm down now, slowly looking around. "Where… are we? What is this place?" she asked finally, apparently trying to take her mind off the pain.

   Rico shook her head, helping Danielle to stand. "I don't know. We're somewhere under the Dome, though."

   Now Danielle frowned, confusion in her eyes. "The government had to know about all this, right? So why didn't they tell us?"

   Rico went over the question in her mind. A dragon, underground caves… Why had the government hid this? Apparently they were conducting some kind of secret operation. That much had been gathered when she and the others had investigated the matter. But what was it?

   A hiss came from deeper within, followed by several more. Something was waiting for them from within the caves, and they had no choice but to go deeper…