The Dragon Liberator: Escapee

POV: Fendrel

Venom and Fendrel stormed up to Fragrance—still being preened in the clearing with his children—in tandem. Fragrance worriedly inspected his scales. Fendrel would have smirked if he weren’t so furious.

Fendrel had the stone tucked under one arm and the wood slab under the other.

“Fragrance, you have some explaining to do.” Venom stopped mere feet before him. Fendrel stood beside Venom and glared with hatred at the floral noble.

“Mist isn’t here, must I prove you wrong once again?” Fragrance’s eyes traveled to the objects under Fendrel’s arms. His neck arched. “Where did you get those?”

Sour and Divine’s ears perked, and their necks arched as well.

“I should be asking you the same thing.” Fendrel held out the stone.

Fragrance snorted. “A rock? What are you trying to get out of me?”

Fendrel’s fist clenched the stone. “I used this as my mother’s headstone after she died. Why did you take it and hide it by your house?”

The floral dragon’s eyes narrowed. “What were you doing snooping around my personal quarters?” He flexed the talons on one of his front paws. His claws lit up with an eerie brightness.

Other floral dragons appeared from the trees to inspect.

Fog and Birch trampled twigs as they ran to the clearing. Thea, Viper, and Oliver appeared soon after.

Fragrance’s head snapped up to glare at Venom as the dusk dragon growled. “We told you we would be inspecting Fresh Grove. We’re not the ones in the wrong here.”

“You came here looking for Mist and you found nothing. Now, you must leave.” Fragrance stood and flared his wings in agitation.

“We aren’t going anywhere until you explain yourself.” Venom began to flare his own wings. “Why did you take Axella’s headstone?”

Fendrel held out the slab of wood with the message written into it. “And who is this creature that told you to take things from Stone Edge?”

Fog gasped. “Fragrance is this true? Did you grave rob?”

Fragrance’s ears flattened against his head. “I sent my scouts out there to collect a few things. I never told them to steal from the dead.”

Fendrel clenched his teeth. “Everything there belongs to the dead.”

The yellow dragon whipped his head toward Fendrel. “Listen well. You have been nothing but a nuisance to me since you’ve arrived. If you don’t leave now, there will be consequences.”

Venom roared and bared his fangs. “Don’t threaten my son!”

Fragrance jumped away.

The clearing went silent.

“Your son?” Fragrance laughed in incredulousness. “Venom, he’s a human. He’s vermin.”

Venom stretched his neck higher, even though he was already taller than Fragrance. He opened his abyssal wings more. “I swore to his mother that I would protect him with every ounce of my being. The next time you speak to him that way, it’s your life that will be in danger.”

The lemon-colored dragon shoved his nose in Venom’s face. “If you kill me, Cloud will strip you of your position as a noble and as the commander of the royal army. You can’t do anything to me.” He kneaded his claws into the dirt. The strange light in his claws grew more intense. “Meaning, if I have probable cause to hurt your son—” he raised one of his talons “—such as trespassing on private grounds, then I’m obligated to take matters into my own claws.” He slashed Fendrel’s face.

Fendrel cried out. He dropped the wood and stone, clutching the side of his face.

“You heathen!” Venom lunged at Fendrel’s attacker.

Thea gasped while Fog rushed to Fendrel’s aid. She pulled him away from Venom and Fragrance.

Birch stood in shocked silence, clutching Viper to his chest.

Fragrance batted at Venom’s snout while the dusk dragon dug his claws into his shoulders and forced him to the ground. “Shields!”

At Fragrance’s command, three large floral dragons whose rough scales were like oak tree bark slammed into Venom, driving him off their leader.

Venom growled, getting back on his feet to charge the newcomers. He grappled with the larger of the three.

The second went to Fragrance’s side and helped him up.

“Hold still.” Fog took Fendrel’s hand away from his face and winced.

Blood dripped into Fendrel’s eyes.

“I need to clean it before I can heal you.” She looked around, her paws scrambling for anything to help.

“Oh, stars it burns.” Fendrel grit his teeth.

“Quit crying. You’ll be fine.” There was an edge of worry on Thea’s voice. She tore a strip of clothing from her dress and shoved it into Fog’s paws.

“Fragrance’s body imitates a lemon, so his claws must have some sort of acidic venom that makes cuts hurt more than they should.” Fog wiped away at the blood then quickly exhaled a steady stream of mist on the wound. The cuts began to heal, and the stinging stopped.

Fendrel clenched a fist.

That dragon needs to pay.

He got to his feet and rummaged through his bag, pulling out a restrictor he nabbed from a dragon hunter base a while ago. The tool was a short chain with a clasping cuff on each end. Fendrel threw his bag to the side and ran at the third oak dragon with the tool.

Oliver, Viper, Thea, Birch, and Fog huddled together on the outskirts of the clearing, wings and tails and arms overlapping each other.

Venom roared in victory when his opponent backed away, wings dragging in shame, or perhaps because they were both broken. He advanced on Fragrance who was scratched and bloodied from Venom’s attack.

The third oak dragon turned to Fendrel. He dug his talons into the dirt and slammed his tail on the ground with a roar.

Fendrel rushed at the floral dragon.

Even if this is harmless, floral dragons hate any kind of physical nuisance.

As the oak dragon tried to thrust his wings out in front to stop the human, Fendrel ducked under them and cuffed one end of the tool to the dragon’s nearest horn. He cuffed the other end to the thumb of the dragon’s wing. Fendrel dashed away from the dragon who yelped and flailed around.

The oak dragon hobbled sideways and fell over, continuing to thrash and holler.

Fendrel heard a snarl behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see the last oak dragon barreling toward him. Before he could react, a raging jet of blue flame burned the side of the charging dragon, leaving the floral dragon screaming and writhing in agony. Seconds later, a fire dragon burst into the clearing, limping with one of his wings dragging behind him.

The oak dragon whimpered and ran off into the woods.

Fragrance hissed and fled with his children and the other bystanders in tow.

The fire dragon roared at them, a haunting cry that often plagued Fendrel’s dreams.

Venom stood between the newcomer and Fendrel, who broke into a cold sweat.

That’s him. That’s the rogue who attacked us earlier, who’s been following me for as long as I can remember. But why are his stripes gone? And why isn’t he trying to kill me?

<~><~><~>

The fire dragon turned to face the others. He was missing quite a few scales from his fight against Venom, and his chest heaved as though he had been running for hours. He locked eyes with Fendrel, then broke contact to meet Venom’s gaze.

“I understand that a simple apology won’t make up for the atrocities I’ve committed. I also don’t expect you to forgive me any time soon or at all, for that matter, but please understand that I will do the best I can to redeem myself in your eyes.” The fire dragon gave an awkward bow, lowering his head and stretching out his good wing.

“Venom, I thought you killed him.” Fendrel stayed frozen.

The dusk dragon shook his head and spoke so only Fendrel could hear. “Sometime during our battle, he collapsed, and slowly his stripes faded until they were completely gone. He was still asleep when I left him. I apologize, I planned to ask Fragrance to put guards around him for me, but I became distracted.”

“We can’t just leave him here. We don’t even know what happened to him. He could still be dangerous.” Fendrel’s heart pounded.

He isn’t dead. I’m still in danger.

Venom nodded. “We need to continue our investigation elsewhere. The rogue will travel as far from you and your human friends as possible. I promise you that.”

Fendrel gulped, but his throat felt completely dry. “Okay.” He still had his eyes trained on the fire dragon. “I’ll tell the others.”

He relayed the message to the other humans, Fog, Birch, and Viper. Fendrel turned to Venom. “We’re leaving now?”

Venom nodded. He threw out his wing to point out of Fresh Grove, and winced from the cuts covering his body. “Go on, and head for the Black-Brick Ruins. We have to bring Viper back to her family. I’ll stay behind you all to keep an eye out.”

Leading the way, Fendrel headed to the visitor’s area. Once there, he picked up the saddle and fastened it to Fog.

“What are the Black-Brick Ruins?” Thea looked at Fendrel. “And what was all that about?”

“It’s dusk dragons’ dominion. We’ll be safe there.” Fendrel gave her a look. “And Fragrance is even worse than we originally thought.”

Thea raised her eyebrows. “Okay, well next time you brawl with a dragon make sure it’s clear what you’re fighting for. Oliver isn’t going to let me get a wink of sleep with all his questions.”

Fendrel snickered. After a glance over his shoulder, Fendrel led the group toward the bottom of Fresh Grove.

“Well, this is one step closer to finding Mist.” Fog had a small smile.

Sighing, Fendrel looked up at the vapor dragon. “What do you mean? We didn’t find any clues.”

And now my stalker is joining us.

“No, we didn’t, but—” Fog poked his back with the thumb of her wing “—we did check one more hiding place off our list.”

Birch slunk up to Fendrel, his wings drooping. “I’m sorry I didn’t step in, even after you rescued me.”

“It’s fine. You might have gotten hurt.” Fendrel looked back again. Venom and the ex-rogue had just begun to follow them. “But why would you think of helping me? You’re Fragrance’s servant.”

The birch mimic’s wings lifted as he shrugged. “I don’t want to be anymore. I wouldn’t be a burden if I stuck around, would I? I don’t want to return until Fragrance calms down.”

Fendrel gave their group a long look. “Sure, you’d fit right in.”

<~><~><~>

The moon was rising. Outside Fresh Grove, the travelers were now back in the plains.

Fendrel looked over his shoulder and came to a halt. Those with him followed suit.

Venom kept a steady pace as he trotted toward the others while the fire dragon limped a few paces behind him. Every so often, he glanced behind to keep an eye on their previous attacker.

“Wait, I left Mother’s headstone back in Fresh Grove.” Fendrel groaned.

“Nope. I put it in your bag after you ran off to help Venom.” Thea lit up with a self-satisfying grin.

Fendrel reached his hand in his bag and pulled out the headstone. “Oh, thank you.” He waited for Venom to catch up.

“I was wondering if I could bring this back to Stone Edge.” Fendrel held the stone up once Venom rejoined them.

Venom nodded. “We’ll head out in the morning. For now,” he cast a sideways glance at the fire dragon, “we should rest.” He laid down and eyed the fire dragon until the newcomer took the hint and followed his lead, laying down gingerly on his injured legs.

Despite his quaking body, Fendrel tried to keep his face expressionless. He crossed his arms and shifted his weight. He sat a little far from Venom and the fire dragon. “I think we should take turns keeping watch. I’ll go first.”

Fog joined him, wrapping her tail around herself after she laid down.

The fire dragon’s eyes closed.

Fendrel kept his voice to a whisper. “It’s like he’s a completely different dragon.”

“How do you mean?” Fog leaned her head toward him.

Grabbing his own hand to keep it from twitching, Fendrel shook his head. “He isn’t attacking any of us. He’s… speaking. Rogues don’t talk, they just act like animals. Something weird happened.”

There were a few beats of silence.

Fog leaned her head closer to Fendrel. “Are you okay? I saw you trembling.”

Fendrel rubbed his hands together. “I- that’s the dragon who attacked my home village.”

“So you don’t think we can trust him.” Fog edged away, even though she was far enough away from the fire dragon.

“No.” Fendrel’s stomach felt messy.

“Do you think him acting different is a good thing?” Fog rested her head on her front paws.

Fendrel took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I honestly don’t know. And I don’t think I want to imagine what this could mean if he’s lying to us.” He stared off into space, completely still.

Fog’s soft breathing alerted Fendrel to her sleeping state.

He looked all about him. Everyone besides Venom was asleep, and the dusk dragon was rising from where he had been laying.

Venom crept toward Fendrel’s other side and rested beside him.

“What exactly happened when you fought?” Fendrel looked at Venom.

The dusk dragon made a thoughtful noise. “I have no idea. I lunged at him, we tumbled to the ground, then he cried out suddenly and let go of me. That’s when he started speaking.”

“Do you think it could have been something you did?” Fendrel didn’t realize until then that he hadn’t stopped shaking.

“Possibly, but I’ve never heard of a rogue losing its markings or becoming… whatever he is now.” Venom glanced down at Fendrel. “Did the dragon hunters ever teach you about rogues?”

Fendrel shrugged. “They didn’t use the term ‘rogue,’ but they told us those dragons tended to be more aggressive, and more willing to eat humans. They used to paint unnatural colors on some dragons that had gone mad to teach us how to deal with them, but they pretended the markings were natural.”

Venom shuddered, the spines on his back bristling.

With a sigh, Fendrel rested his chin on his palm. He felt his eyelids grow heavy. “So what do we do?”

“I suggest we watch him for now until we get to the Black-Brick Ruins where we can contain him, but I assure you that if he acts up again, he’ll be dead before he knows it.” Venom’s claws extended, then retracted. He laughed incredulously. “The only reason I haven’t gotten rid of him yet is because he’s an enigma. Maybe he’s like your dragon hunter friend and we don’t understand rogues as much as we think we do.”

They both watched the fire dragon’s chest rise and fall.

Fendrel felt the weight of the stone in his other palm. “How did you meet her, my mother?”

“Axella.” A hint of sadness entered Venom’s voice. Suddenly, he chuckled. “She was just exploring the outskirts of the Ruins. I went to investigate and when she spotted me, she approached me. I didn’t know what to do, so I just growled at her. It probably wasn’t the most welcoming thing, but she didn’t care. She followed me to the heart of the Ruins that day.”

“Seriously?” Fendrel tilted his head up toward the dusk dragon.

“Yes. When I tried to scare her off, she got this look on her face like I called her a flea. She crossed her arms and sat down right on the floor, just staring at me.” Venom shook his head. “I didn’t know what to do with her, so I just left her there. After all, she wasn’t hurting anyone, and we didn’t have as much reason to distrust humans back then. When I came back, she was studying a sheet with our alphabet next to the hatchlings. She had the most amazed look on her face like she discovered all the secrets to the world.”

Fendrel nodded.

“She kept coming back until she could hold a conversation with me. After that, we became friends. She was around your age at that time, actually.”

“Was this while she was pregnant with me?” Fendrel leaned forward with his elbows on his crossed legs.

Venom shook his head. “This was about a year before that.” He paused. “You spent the first year of your life in the Ruins, though I don’t expect you to remember that.”

"That must’ve been interesting.” Fendrel rubbed his thumb against the stone.

“I was surprised you weren’t afraid of me when you first saw me.” Venom stared off into the distance. “I’m sorry we couldn’t keep you with us. There aren’t many places in the Ruins that were safe for you, especially once you were able to stand. The only places we could guarantee you wouldn’t fall or get lost was outside, but then you ran the risk of sunburns and being sick from cold weather. Your father’s village was the only place that would take you.”

“What do you mean?” Fendrel tilted his head.

The dusk dragon sighed. “Your mother brought you to other villages and cities, but they all refused to take you. Your only option was Stone Edge.”

The fire dragon stirred in his sleep, kicking at something.

“We should quiet down now. I don’t want to disturb the others.” Venom stretched out but kept his eyes on the fire dragon.

“You’re right.” Fendrel leaned back in the sparse grass. His eyes grew heavy. He dreamed.