The Dragon Liberator: Escapee

POV: Fendrel

Night was approaching quickly.

After backtracking to Wing’s Caress for Thea and Oliver, the travelers settled for the night in the dusty plains near the valley.

Fendrel’s hair stood on end due to the lack of cover but settled with Venom’s words.

“We’re alone.”

It’s a good thing there aren’t any rain storms tonight.

Thea scooped some dirt into a mound, took a vial out of a dress pocket, and smashed it on the dirt pile. The glass and dirt turned into a strong fire.

The group gathered around the fire.

Fendrel sat near the fire and stared at the warm glow. “Hey, Thea?”

“Yeah?” Thea looked over at him.

“What exactly can you do as a mage? How did you do… this?” He waved at the fire.

“Are you asking because you’re curious or are you trying to find an excuse to talk to me?” Thea grinned like a fox.

Fendrel rolled his eyes at her. “I’m asking because you’re my friend and we might be able to use your skills later on.”

“Well, here I just enchanted the glass to use whatever it landed on upon shattering as fuel for a fire. Did you have a specific spell in mind?” Thea propped her chin on her fist.

“I don’t know.” Fendrel shrugged. “Maybe a speed-enhancing potion or something?”

“Ha! Yeah right.” Thea crossed her arms.

Fendrel furrowed his brow. “What?”

Thea chuckled. “I’m not that kind of mage.” She noticed his confused face. “Okay, okay. Let me explain.” She held up three fingers. “There are three different types of mages. Only one of them deals with consumables and ointments, those are uncommon mages. My type is enchanting objects, which is the most common. And the rarest can do both and a few other things.”

“Why’d you choose the most common one? You don’t usually like to conform to the norm.” Fendrel gestured at her.

“Wow.” Thea gave a short laugh. “You really don’t know anything about this.” She clapped her hands. “You don’t get to choose which type of casting you want. You don’t even get to choose if you want to be a mage or a normal human being. It’s just thrust on you and you have to deal with it.”

“So, how do I know if I’m a mage?” Fendrel pointed his thumb at himself.

“Do you frequently have visions of the past, present, or future in your sleep?” Thea tapped her temple.

“It’s possible to have visions of the present?”

Is she pulling my leg?

“Yeah, but they usually take place somewhere far away from where you are now.” Thea waved her hand dismissively out toward the distance.

"Wow, isn’t that helpful?” Fendrel widened his eyes in feigned amazement.

Thea threw up her hands. “Hey, I’m not the one who created the rules. Anyway, do you feel a strange connection with other mages, like you can trust them despite not knowing them?”

Fendrel shook his head. No one can trust that easily.

“Congratulations! You’re not a mage. Have fun being normal.” Thea smiled.

“So, what can you see?” Fog inched closer to her.

“I can see the future. Don’t get too excited. I can only see things that will happen centuries from now, like our descendant’s descendants. Nothing that’s useful to us.”

“Great. But you said you’re a common mage, so can you enchant anything?” Fendrel leaned forward.

“Almost. I can’t place spells on living things.” She held the jar of dead leaves above her head. “I can enchant this jar or the leaves inside, clothing, jewelry...”

Oliver peered at the fire fuel, leaning toward it. “So, you put the spell on the glass.”

Thea gently pulled Oliver away from the flames. “Yes. That’s pretty much it. What about you?” She looked at Fendrel.

“Me?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re my friend and we might be able to use your skills later on.” She crossed her arms triumphantly over her chest.

“Wow, okay.” Fendrel tilted his head. “I rescue dragons, there isn’t much else to know.”

“Well obviously you rescue dragons.” Thea rolled her eyes and gestured at the two floral dragons. “But how, usually?”

Fendrel thought for a moment. “Sometimes, not very often, I’ll end up at the same base as a friend of mine who’s stuck working for the dragon hunters. He lets me free the dragons they have there and only sounds the alarm once I leave.”

Venom’s ears perked up. “A helpful dragon hunter?” He tilted his head quizzically. “First you tell us not all of them hate dragons, not you tell us that some of them want to help dragons.”

With a sigh, Fendrel looked Venom in the eyes. “Trust me, he doesn’t have ulterior motives. Sadon threatened his family. Charles doesn’t have a choice on whether he can leave or not. He had to join to keep his family out of harm’s way. Besides, if it weren’t for him, I’d probably be dead by now.”

The dusk dragon let out a long breath, his eyes still trained on Fendrel.

“He’s the one who taught me how to fight.” Fendrel thought for a moment. “Both humans and dragons, actually.”

“You know how to fight dragons?” Thea pointed at him. “I can tell you were starting to think I was making some stuff up when I was explaining being a mage. But fighting dragons? You have got to be kidding.”

“I’ve told you about that rogue fire dragon. How do you think I’ve survived him for so long?”

“Wait.” Fog flared out her wings. “So you use dragon hunting techniques?”

“Only on rogues.” Fendrel pointed at her, feeling his ears burn.

“Is there a chance we may run into your friend?” Venom tapped the ground with his claws.

“Maybe. The last time I saw him was when I met your king. But the last time I actually talked to him was at the hunters’ training base in the desert, the Stronghold.” Fendrel glanced at the sky. It was pitch dark. “We should get some rest before tomorrow.”

Thea stretched. “Sounds good to me.”

Venom rose and nudged Fendrel with his wing.

He followed Venom a short walk from the others.

The dusk dragon faced away from Fendrel. “This friend… how did you meet him?”

Fendrel took a deep breath, dread filling every ounce of his body. “My brother and I figured we’d try to get a job at a village, and while there we met Charles. He offered to give us shelter for the night.”

“And?” Venom looked over at Fendrel.

“And… I don’t know if I can say it.”

There was a beat of silence.

“You know too much about the hunters to just be a dragon rescuer. You know where their bases are, how they rank their soldiers, how they fight, and you’re even personal with one of them.” Venom turned around. “You used to be one of them, didn’t you?”

Fendrel stared ahead, unable to move. “I’m not proud of it, if that’s what you’re wondering. I wish I could change it, but there’s nothing I can do now to atone except fight against them.”

Venom sighed. “Is redemption the only reason you became the dragon Liberator?”

Crouching, Fendrel resting his chin on his folded arms. “I started because I was looking for my brother. I left the dragon hunters before they gave me a rank, but he didn’t.” He grabbed fistfuls of his hair, then took a deep breath. “I’ve been all over this continent several times over and never saw a sign of him, Venom. I think he might be dead… And I’ve never admitted that out loud before.”

The dusk dragon stayed silent.

“If I can’t find one human in five years, how am I supposed to find Mist in one search? The only way I can even think of finding her is if she was taken by dragon hunters, but what if she did run away?” Fendrel looked up at Venom. “Listen, I know none of this excuses my actions, but can we have this conversation some other time?”

“We will be finishing this discussion. For now, get some sleep. You can’t function without rest.” Venom turned and headed back to the camp.

Fendrel stayed crouched. “I guess this isn’t what you meant when you said you wanted to get to know me.”

Venom stopped for a second. “No, I suppose not.” He continued on.

<~><~><~>

In Fendrel’s dream, he found himself sitting on a log beside a frozen lake. Dainty snowflakes swirled around him, covering the lake in a sheet of white that made it seem as if it was part of the snowy ground. He was visiting his adoptive parents for a few days, deciding that a small break from chasing down dragon hunters could do him some good.

His adoptive parents were back at their den, sleeping. It was early morning, the sun hadn’t risen yet, but the sky was starting to light up a hazy pink.

Snow crunched behind him under the feet of a dragon.

Is Blizzard up yet? He didn’t turn around, keeping his eyes on the expansive hidden lake and the ravine ahead of him.

The snow crunching stopped. The morning now seemed eerily quiet.

If Blizzard were here, he would say hello, he wouldn’t just creep around until I talked to him.

Maybe it was just a curious ice dragon who had never met him before. Fendrel turned his head around and immediately wished he hadn’t.

The fire rogue was there. Crouched low, white eyes bloodshot, maw smoking, claws kneading. He shot forward. His talons were outstretched.

Fendrel barely had enough time to duck under the log just as the rogue’s jaws snapped at where he had been sitting.

Snarling, the fire dragon pushed down on the log with his forelegs.

Panicked, Fendrel rolled out of the way toward the rogue’s back legs before the log could split and impaled him.

Fendrel’s hand instinctively went to his bag. A wave of dread washed over him. He had left it at the den. He glanced around quickly, trying to find an escape.

The lake. But the dragon was facing the lake.

Fendrel rammed his shoulder into one of the rogue’s hind legs.

The red dragon roared with fury and pushed his head upside-down under the log, snapping at Fendrel.

Now the fire dragon’s front legs were putting on enough pressure to trap his own neck between the fallen tree and the ground. Hissing, he stepped off the log and swung his head up, knocking the fallen tree to the side. The rogue drew in a deep breath.

Fendrel rolled out of the way as a stream of blue fire raged from his attacker’s jaws. He sprinted for the lake, taking advantage of the rogue’s need to catch his breath after that attack. His feet carried him over the ice.

The fire beast took one bounding leap after Fendrel and crashed through the ice. A shower of freezing water went up around him as he struggled to claw his way out.

Cracks spread from the hole in all directions. Fendrel didn’t stop running until he was sure he was off the ice at the other end of the lake. He looked back at the rogue, still thrashing in the water. The dragon’s haunting cries carried through the forest around them.

Just when Fendrel was about to sigh in relief, the rogue hauled himself out of the water and pounded across the lake, ice breaking under his paws and cutting into the skin under his scales.

The rogue chased Fendrel until his legs gave out under him and his wings became heavy. Hissing, the fire dragon breathed another jet of blue flame at his wings, chest, legs, and tail. The ice stuck between his scales that was slowly freezing him melted. His red and purple scales steamed and glowed from the heat as he continued the chase.

Fendrel ran until he was mere feet away from the ravine. He stared, wide-eyed, at the beast coming to kill him.

Steam still rolling off his scales, the dragon leapt at Fendrel once more. His talons snatched empty air as Fendrel rolled out of the way again. The rogue fell head-first off, the cliffside into the ravine. Wingbeats told Fendrel that the beast had righted himself and was flying back up to catch him.

The rogue rose above the edge and slammed his paw down on Fendrel, pinning him. The rogue’s other three paws found purchase on the cliffside.

A different dragon’s roar along with thundering wingbeats came from behind Fendrel. The other dragon landed, sending up a spray of powdery snow into the rogue’s eyes.

Fendrel looked up.

Blizzard!

The older dragon raked the rogue’s snout, ripping scales off his face. Blood mingled with the already red scales.

The rogue roared back. He lifted his paw off Fendrel to attack Blizzard only for the furred dragon to ram him in the belly.

Fendrel’s attacker fell backwards into the ravine. Once again, his wings caught him, carrying him to the other side of the ravine. He looked back at Blizzard and snarled. A look of fear took hold of his white eyes and he flew off. Flurry, Blizzard’s mate, flew after him, snapping at his tail.

Blizzard wrapped Fendrel up in his wings and pulled him to his chest. The furred dragon nuzzled the top of Fendrel’s head. His heaving chest rocked Fendrel back and forth as he stood. “Are you all right?”

Fendrel’s fists grabbed clumps of ice-blue fur. “I don’t know.”

<~><

The sun had barely risen when Fendrel awoke to Venom’s pacing.

Is he still mad at me?

“Why are you worked up?” Fendrel sat up.

“I was hoping we would be able to arrive at our next destination sooner, but our ‘adventure’ from yesterday tired everyone out. And now we have another child to take care of.” Venom swept his tail across the ground behind him.

Oh good, it’s not about me. At least, he’s pretending it’s not.

Fendrel clapped his hands a few times. The others shot awake. “Come on, everyone. The sooner we leave, the sooner Viper, Birch, and Sour can get back to their homes.”

The birch-patterned dragon gazed timidly at Fendrel. “How did you know my name?”

“I didn’t. I just guessed your name would be Birch since that’s what your attributes mimic.” Fendrel shrugged.

Fog stretched. “So where are we going next?”

Venom crouched. Thea, Oliver, and Fendrel clambered on. “We’re going to Fresh Grove, the domain of the floral dragons.” There was a hint of disgust in his voice as he said “Fresh Grove.”

“We’re going to see Fragrance!” The end of Fog’s tail twisted excitedly.

“Hooray.” Venom gritted his teeth.

“Who’s Fragrance?” Fendrel cast a curious glance at Venom’s displeased face.

“He’s the noble of the floral dragons.” Birch stared down at his claws in disdain. A single white scale dropped from him and landed in the grass. Birch let out a deep sigh.

Yep, only fifteen years old. He’s starting his first shed. Where are his parents? He should be going through this with their support.