Chapter 118: Dragon Ball F

Chapter 118: Dragon Ball F

Flossie had her legs wrapped around the dragons neck so tight I was surprised she wasnt choking it.

Where are we going? Jenny shouted above the roar of the wind. We were really booking it, each flap of the dragons wing creating a blur around us.

Were going to die, I replied.

Do you have a plan?

No.

Jenny squeezed my arm with both of hers. Youll think of something.

I have no idea why people think encouragement and positivity is a form of contribution. You arent helping. Heres an example of real help:

Bad guys are trying to kill us, do something.

Like what?

Here, take this laser gun. It has two settings, stun and kill-every-fucker.

Oh, thank you very much.

See? Much more useful than shouting, You can do it! when clearly you cant.

I looked up at Hitokag who was still standing on the dragons back with us and hadnt stopped staring at Flossie.

Arent you going to stop her? I shouted at him.

He glanced down at me like he hadnt realised I was still here. It is the prophecy.

Well, we were in a world of magic and dragons, there was always going to be a prophecy, I guess. I never really understood why, though. If its all been foreseen, whats the point? They always seem to come true.

What is the prophecy, exactly?

First the Worm King will rid the land of the jabberwocky menace. Then the Dragonrider will own the sky. Last, the Bride will appear.

Okay, standard prophecy bullshit. I looked out past the dragons head. In the distance, the wasps were a cloud of specks. We werent gaining on them much, but we werent losing ground either.

Who made this prophecy? Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

It came with the first Visitors. It almost came true once, but it was prevented.

Prevented by who?

By the Seven Spires.

So perhaps not all prophecies did come true, if you happened to have a weapon the size of a city.

Before I could ask any more questions, Hitokag flared out his wings and immediately blew off the dragon. He soared behind us for a moment and then shot forward until he was level with Flossie. They had what looked like a heated exchange.

Ahead of us a mountain range was quickly approaching. It went from squiggle on the horizon to dominating the skyline.

Hitokag flew away from the dragons head and towards his men. The dragon started to slow and descend. We came to a juddering stop in the middle of an open field at the foot of the copper-brown mountains. The wasps and their riders were no longer in view.

I staggered off the back of the dragon, my legs weak and unsteady. The others were in much the same condition.

A tremor ran up leg my like there was a mild earthquake, and then it was gone.

Hitokags eyes narrowed to yellow slits. You do not have any on you. He turned and stomped away. So much for that idea.

Flossie walked over to me. Please help Dudley. That was it. Big, wet eyes; nice short emotional blackmail. She turned and got on the dragon, which had eagerly lowered its neck for her.

We got on board the dragon and Flossie launched us into the air. Shed really taken to the whole Dragonrider thingno doubts, no questions.

It didnt take long to get up to the mountain peaks, although the ascent was fairly terrifying. If forty-five degrees had felt near-vertical, this was like being sat on the nose of a rocket. The Mezzik held onto the side of the dragon, their claws lodged in the dragons scales.

When we finally levelled off, and my stomach returned to the middle of my body, I saw what was beyond the mountains. More mountains. But in between there was a circular area with high mountainous walls on each side.

Hitokag led Flossie down to a landing spot between some jagged peaks and we disembarked. Keeping low, we made our way scrabbling and slipping to the rim.

Looking down, it was an almost vertical drop, deep in shadow. Lizardmen of the Intui tribe ran around arranging large stone slabs around a central stone table, on top of which lay a lanky, slightly podgy, posh bloke. His hands and feet were tied to each corner of the table.

Near his head was a large pillar with a troll tied to it. It looked like Kungen, although the distance and my inherent racism made it hard to be sure. Standing beside him, noticeably unfettered, was Keezy talking to an Intui. Possibly the one who had ordered Dudleys abduction, possibly not.

Flossie looked about ready to dive head first down the side of the sheer walls. I pushed Jenny towards her. Sit on her and make sure she doesnt do anything brave.

Both Claire and Jenny grabbed Flossie and began whispering in her ears.

Is this something to do with the prophecy? I asked Hitokag who was crouched beside me. How exactly is the Worm King supposed to end the tyranny of the jabberwocky?

There are a number of interpretations. Classic. Some believe the Worm King will command the jabberwocky to do his will. Others that he will destroy them.

What about the Intui? What do they believe?

They hate jabberwocky the most. Their lands are in the heart of the jabberwocky killing grounds. They think we do nothing to stop them because we prefer the Intui population be kept in check.

And do you?

Yes.

I pointed down at the activity below. And how does this help them?

Hitokag creased his brow in thought. It is possible, just possible, that they intend to disperse Kungens body throughout the land, making it impossible for the jabberwocky to live here.

So the Temple could not only send you anywhere, it could send you everywhere. I wondered if it could send us home. Ticket price: one human life.

Keezy and the Intui seemed to be having an argument. I had thought he was in league with the Intui and had planned to use us all along, but I doubted if he would have chosen this particular method of crowning the Worm King. But then, what did I know? Perhaps he considered it a glorious death.

The Intui, less than half Keezys height, kicked him in the leg. Keezy fell to one knee. Now that his face was in range, the Intui slapped him. Then he pointed a stick with an orange tip at him. Brass.

Hitokag sucked in his breath. Vile, he whispered.

Keezy bowed his head, then slowly got to his feet. Possibly not as willing a participant as I first thought.

At least there were no wasps. We just had to figure a way of getting down there and grab our boy.

The ground trembled again, although this time my legs were feeling shaky. It felt familiar.

The lizardmen below us all stopped and looked around. The walls of the mountain burst apart as three jabberwocky thrust out, their open, gaping mouths weaving from side to side. Rock and debris fell into the Temple and the lizardmen ran for the centre to get away from the protruding jaws.

It appeared the jabberwocky had got wind of the plans to forcibly evict them and had decided to do something about it.

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If you like my sense of humour you might enjoy my other story on RRL, Grin the Cheat. Short stories with endings!