Chapter 5: Flying on Dragon Wings
- Fenton Works -
The wind screamed outside. It sounded like a tornado and it very well could have been. This storm had come out of the blue, literally! Danny had watched as it came rolling out of a clear blue sky. It was a freak of nature, a lightning storm of a size and power that hadn't been seen in years. The sound of thunder rolled almost constantly.
Danny flinched as another bolt of lightning hit nearby. He sighed and looked at Ember who was sitting on his bed reading some book. He didn't even know were Draconum was, some were downstairs he guessed. He turned back to the window as another bolt of lightning turned the pitch black night into an creepy illuminated landscape.
Danny blinked. 'What was that?' He thought to himself.
He squinted into the darkness attempting to penetrate the inky darkness. He couldn't see anything, so instead he decided to wait for the next lightning flash. The bright flash that lit up the night revealed the object he had seen before.
on a nearby building, his massive bat like wings folded on his back and face turned into the raging storm stood Draconum. Danny could see that the powerful wind wasn't having any effect on him. As the flash ended Danny could see his friends two burning green eyes clearly in the darkness, like to beacons in the night.
"Hey, Ember?"
"What?" She asked in an annoyed voice. She hated to be bothered when she was really into a book.
"Come here for a sec." Danny waved her over with a hand not taking his eyes away from the two green flames.
"What?" She said asked again getting up and moving to stand next to him at the window.
He didn't answer, just pointed into the darkness at the two small pin points of green light.
She blinked, "What is that?"
Almost as if in answer a flash of lightning once again revealed Draconum. Ember stared.
"What is he doing out in that?!" She asked aghast.
"I don't know, but..." He transformed into his ghostly self, "I am going to find out. Want to come?"
She stared out the window at the raging storm. Then nodded.
"Someone has to make sure you two don't get yourselves killed in that."
"Right then lets go!" Danny responded with a grin.
They phased out the window and took off using Draconum's glowing eyes as a guide. The storm that seemed so untamed inside was a thousand times more powerful then Danny had thought and it took all his effort just to keep flying. How was Draconum just standing in this? And what the hell was he doing out in it to begin with?!
'Guess we will find out when we get to him.' He thought.
A bolt of lightning struck barely a yard away.
'Make that if we get to him!'
- Amity Park -
Danny and Ember landed on the building that they saw Draconum was standing on and ran towards him. As soon as they got within six feet of him the storm seemed to vanish. The darkness remained and in a lighting flash they could see the rain and the bent trees, but they could no longer here or feel the wind and rain. Draconum didn't look at them.
"What are you doing here young ones?" He asked.
"We could ask you the same thing! We were worried so we came to see what you were doing out in this!" Ember fumed.
"I was... remembering..." Draconum responded quietly.
"Remembering?" Danny asked he squinted into the darkness trying to see his friend, but the darkness was so absolute he still could only see Draconum's eyes.
"It's nothing to concern yourselves with..." He paused and the flaming eyes turned to regard them in the darkness, it was creepy looking up at two flaming eyes and not being able to see the body they belonged to, "though I am thankful for your concern."
The lighting flashed again, revealing Draconum in his dragon form. He seemed in his element in this chaotic darkness, he seemed to be part of the storm.
"Damnit!" Ember cursed to Danny's right, "I can't see anything!"
Draconum chuckled, "Such is the limitation of your human eyes, but I may have a remedy. Somhuss Orbane Corsanor!"
A small sphere of green light appeared over Draconum's upturned palm.
'That's the same thing he showed to Vlad.' Danny realized.
"Light!" Draconum ordered. The slightly glowing orb suddenly pulsed and gave off a steady bright green glow. It illuminated the entire area, painting everything a greenish color. Draconum released the sphere and it floated in the air.
"Hold still." He said walking up to them.
"What are you doing?" Ember asked as he knelt down in front of them.
"That orb won't last very long, so I am going to let you see how I see. I can see in the dark just fine." He responded.
"WOAH! Wait a sec, you can make us have vision like yours?"
"Yes." Was the simple response.
"Our eyes won't catch on fire will they?" Danny asked nervously.
Draconum chuckled, "No, hatchling, they will not, nor is it permanent, but it lasts until I dispel it unlike the orb."
"Your sure nothing bad will happen?" Ember asked just as nervous as Danny.
"We are running out of light, young ones." Draconum said pointing to the dimming orb.
"Alright, alright! Do it, but if anything bad happens it's your fault!" Ember jabbed a figure at him.
Draconum just nodded and raised both his hands, placing one inches from each of their faces. "Don't move." He ordered.
Danny felt something moving into his eyes! He wanted to flinch and swat it away, but he listened to Draconum and stayed perfectly still.
"Seetus Miggor Draco!" Draconum whispered.
Suddenly the world turned greenish. Danny blinked and looked around. He could see through the storm! In fact he could see perfectly! He looked up at the clouds in wonder and almost flinched as his vision seemed to zoom in on the clouds. He could see them as if they were right in front of him!
He glanced at Ember and saw she was looking around with a stunned look on her face, her eyes glowing softly. He looked back at Draconum to see he had a sharp toothed grin on his face.
"Is this how you always see?" Danny asked.
"Yes. So what do you think?" Draconum asked.
Ember answered. "Breath taking." She said quietly, staring up at the clouds.
Draconum just laughed. Danny stared at him, he was one of the most amazing creatures on the planet when you really thought about it. Stronger then an elephant, faster then a cheetah, eyes better then a hawk... he seemed almost perfect.
'Hardly, though my race was closer to perfect then your is that's for sure.' Came the friendly taunt.
'Hey, besides you being able to see better I am almost as good as you!'
"No, you are not." Draconum said out loud and laughed.
"Yes, I am!" Danny snarled back.
"What?" Ember asked looking between the two, "Guys? What is going on?"
"I am faster, stronger, smarter..."
"HEY!"
"...and I can fly..."
"Ember and I can both fly!" Danny shot back!
"Whats going on?!" Ember asked getting a little peeved at being left out.
Draconum snorted. "You two can just glide fast. You don't know what flying is!"
"Oh yeah and you do?"
"Indeed."
"Then prove it!" Danny growled.
Draconum smiled, "How about I show you then?"
Danny blinked. "What?"
Draconum appeared behind them and wrapped one arm around each of their waists.
"Hold on hatchlings! I'll show you what real flying is!" He roared.
"What are you talking abo...AAAAHHHHH!!!!" Ember screamed as Draconum kicked off the ground with one powerful shove.
"Holy..." Danny shouted as they rose into the air.
Draconum laughed. "That was just the take off, just wait! And relax, I won't drop you."
Danny looked back at the ground. They were already really, really high. Amity Park was a small speck on the ground. He looked back up. The storm clouds were rushing to meet. Danny closed his eyes in panic. He was sure it would be like hitting a wall or something, the clouds looked so solid.
'Open your eyes little brother...'
He slowly did as he was told. Cracking one eye open a little then the other. Draconum was flying straight now the thunder clouds inches above them. Draconum's massive wings touched the bottom of the clouds on every wing beat and lightning flashed away from the spots that they touched the boiling sky. Suddenly he did a half roll so that they were facing the clouds.
Danny stared in awe at the storm just inches from his noise. Slowly he reached out towards the clouds. The second he touched them a bolt of lightning ripped across the sky from were he touched. He flinched and yanked his hand back expecting it to be burning or just plain gone. He stared at his hand. Lighting crackled in his palm.
"When you are with me..." Draconum whispered as Ember reached out to the clouds too, "nothing will ever harm you."
Danny laughed spreading his arms. It was like the first time he had ever flown, it was the same feeling of freedom. Lightning played around them and when he glanced at Ember he saw she was doing the same thing with her eyes closed.
"Should we go higher?" Draconum asked playfully.
"Higher!" Danny shouted pointing up at the clouds. He felt like he was in a dream, but it was real. He was a kid again! Draconum was right he hadn't know what real flying was like, but he did now!
Draconum pulled straight up into the boiling storm and electricity cracked all around them. Danny's cloths began to glow blue with the built up charge and when he glanced at Ember he saw lightning dancing around her arms. A massive clap of thunder echoed away from them as they pierced to the other side of the clouds.
Danny stared straight up at a clear starry sky. The moon glowed above them, so close he was sure he could touch it. Still they rose into the sky. The stars glowed brightly all around them and the storm fell away beneath them.
Suddenly he felt his hair moving weightlessly around his head and felt his cloths moving without and wind. His eyes widened. There was no gravity! They were in space! How could they be in space?! Draconum just laughed and started to do slow spins. Ember stared up at the sky reaching out to the stars. Danny couldn't help but smile up at the enormous moon. It had never looked so close before, like a huge glowing disk of pure white light.
"Hold on tight, hatchlings." Draconum said quietly.
They wrapped their arms around him as he slowly did a loop in the air and brought them facing the storm again.
"Now lets see how fast we can go!" He said and unleashed a thunderous roar.
Danny heard Ember scream like she was on roller coaster. Fire appeared all around them as Draconum hit the atmosphere again. He felt the fire on his skin, it tickled like thousands of tiny feathers. He held out his arm and saw flames moving on his skin like rushing water. He stared in awe at the fire until he noticed the clouds getting closer again.
An explosion erupted away from them and the clouds rushed up the greet them. Draconum plunged straight through them the fire dieing away as the broke through the other side in seconds. Draconum rolled over again so they could look behind them. From the storm clouds a massive twisting funnel began to follow in their wake.
Danny laughed and spread his arms again. Draconum rolled back over as the ground rushed up to them. He pulled up suddenly and the ground below them became a blur. Danny looked back over his shoulder and saw the funnel cloud turn up to chase after them. The storm suddenly began to dissipate. The clouds rolled away as the funnel cloud began to vanish behind them.
The moon broke through the clouds as Draconum began to slow back down and landed back on the roof of the same building they had left from. They stared up at him as he gently sat them down again.
"That was..." Danny couldn't find the right words for it.
"Magical..." Ember said quietly.
Draconum just smiled happily at them as the last of the clouds vanished and moon light bathed the world in pale white. He turned away from them a started heading back home.
'Perhaps, just perhaps, I can inspire joy instead of fear.' Draconum's thought echoed in Danny's mind.
Danny couldn't even contemplate how that had felt. Ember was right it had been magical. Nothing else could even begin to describe it, nothing really could describe it. As long as he lived... even it if was for a thousands years... he would never forget that feeling.
He looked at Ember. She was gazing up at the sky, at the stars that had been so close. Slowly she reached up towards them. A look of wonder in her eyes.
"Magic..." She whispered again.
Danny smiled and raised his own hand lacing his fingers with hers. She look at him. The look in her eyes... it almost made seemed unreal... her eyes had a light in them that he had never seen before.
'Something magical...' He thought to himself again as he wrapped his arms around her. Joy... that word was too weak for what you can inspire Draconum... no word could ever describe it. She hugged him back, this moment could last forever as far as Danny was concerned. He wanted it too last forever.
Draconum gazed upon the couple silently, a small smile on his lips. It made him happy to know that he could inspire such feelings. He turned and silently took his leave. They deserved to be alone. He owed them both a debt he could never repay, but he was going to do whatever he could for them. They deserved happiness and he would do anything in his power to give that too them.
"Danny..." Ember said quietly into his chest, "I love you."
She didn't need to tell him, he already knew just from the light in her eyes.
"I love you too." He whispered into her ear. She turned her face up to him and slowly drew closer.
They had kissed before, but this kiss was... more. Magical... that was the perfect word to describe it all... it was something magic. It was something magic and it was just for them. He would remember this night, this feeling, for the rest of his life...
- Amity Park -
Vlad Masters Snarled as the two teenager kissed. How dare they enjoy themselves while he suffered! How dare they be happy while he was miserable! He would make them suffer for wronging him soon! The power that Sypher had given him was enough to crush anything! ANYTHING! He was sure of it. He could defeat that monster just like Sypher wanted him to do! He could defeat that monster and his two pathetic little friends. He could even defeat Sypher if he wanted! He knew it!
This is what a being a god must feel like! Vlad smiled bitterly to himself. He would crush them all! He would batter down the gates of Hell itself to gain more of this power! It would all be his! HIS! It was his right!
'First things first though. I want my revenge!'
'We should kill them now!'
'No! I want Draconum to watch them die! I want him to see them suffer and burn in my hands and know there is nothing he can do!'
'But it would be so easy! Fly n and kill them, then when Draconum comes too late to save them kill him too!'
'Aaahhh but vengeance is so much sweeter when you can see the horror on their faces! We will wait and then we will kill all three of them together!'
Vlad laughed madly to himself. The chilling noise echoed away from him, but it didn't reach Danny and Ember. Draconum did hear it however and when he turned to look at the source he found nothing. His eyes flashed as he focused, searching for any nearby sources of power, he found nothing. He snarled and turned back to the Fenton Works. He would find out who it was sooner or later and then he would enjoy ripping this person apart! He would make it as painful as he could too and he could make it very, very painful.
On a roof not far away 'Sypher' stood and watch it all play out. The affection the two teens shared touched his heart. It was amazing that Draconum could inspire such feelings in humans. Even one of his own kind would be hard pressed to match that performance. It almost made him sorry they all had to die... almost.
He then turned his attention to the nightmare himself. Draconum was searching for Vlad, he could tell even from this distance. He could feel Draconum's powerful senses touch him and even he shivered. The power that creature possessed... was terrifying. He actually had to use strategy and not raw power for once. It was unfortunate that Draconum was Vlad's target, he might of made a good servant if he hadn't been driven insane by the Power.
Vlad appeared near by.
"Are you ready?" He asked a hint of madness touching his voice. The mans thoughts were chaos, nothing intelligent left just impulse and instinct.
'Sypher' smiled behind his white hood and shadowy mask. To defeat an opponent stronger then you required that you weaken that opponent first. Vlad would make the perfect sacrifice for him. Then after Draconum was tired and maybe even injured he would just come in and finish off the ancient monster, kill his two young friends, and head back to the Golden Gates.
Vlad thought he was getting redemption. It almost made him laugh. Vlad's own acts damned him almost as much as his ancestors did. 'Sypher' almost shivered at the very thought of Vlad 'The Impaler' Dracula. Another mortal that had achieved infamy beyond his own world. Then again sacrificing your soul for power often earned you the respect of demons and the hatred of his kind.
"This is your battle. You may start it when ever you desire and I will offer my support when the time is right."
"Very well, oh mighty one!" Vlad said laughing insanely. The mortal's laugh was chilling, almost as chilling as Draconum's though for other reasons. The laugh of the mad always unnerved others. 'Sypher' shook his head as the insane half-ghost, half-demon vanished. Redemption was beyond that one, of that he had no doubt...