Ramaeka (The Ramaeka Series Book 1) (18 page)

“Can’t blame
him,” Ramaeka said.  “There’s some scary stuff out there.”

“Like Amar,”
Stripe replied with a grin.  “He scares me a bit sometimes.”

“Me too,”
Ramaeka grinned.  “But I know that he’s good, probably more good than I am.”

“Definitely
better than you,” Stripe agreed laughing.  “He doesn’t steal fruit out of my
bag when he thinks I’m not looking.”

Ramaeka
grinned at him.  “Oh no, I know that you’re watching, I just don’t care.”  He
laughed as Stripe spluttered.  Despite the decision to head to war, things were
beginning to look up.

Of course just
as everything began to work out, things took a turn for the absolute worst. 
They set out on a north east route, on a shortcut that Amar knew, heading out
of the ancient forest and into open land.  Around midday just as they were
discussing a short break, Shady gave a shout and ran back to the group, shadows
sweeping over the land behind him.  The six of them stopped, looking around
wildly; there was no cover in the open fields around them.  Parrit immediately
armed her bow, while the others scrambled for weapons themselves.

With a growl,
three immense stone coloured dragons swept to the ground, surrounding the small
group.

Chapter Eight

Ramaeka ducked
behind Stripe, hiding out of sight of the dragons.  The other five stood back
to back, trying to keep their weapons trained on the encircling dragons.  This
isn’t good Ramaeka thought desperately.  They were up against three adult
dragons; Shady and Amar were not armed with anything better than knives and
slings.  Peeking around his friends, Ramaeka looked the dragons over.  Two of
them were his siblings, the other a dragon he recognised from the fortress, and
all three of them were Naight’s, the eighth level of draconian evolution. 
Really, really not good.  There were only twelve stages that a dragon could
attain, most only made the seventh level.  Gelber, the tallest in their group,
barely stood as high as the smallest dragon’s knee.

The largest of
the three reared back on to his haunches.

“Well, well
what do we have here?” he growled softly looking the group over.  Ramaeka’s
heart stuttered for a moment, they were talking not in draconian, but in human.

“They can talk?”
whispered Gelber to Parrit who merely tightened her hold on her bow.

“Yes we
understand your disgusting language little animal,” one of the smaller dragons
said coldly, her tail flicking idly.

“We’re not the
animals, you are,” Stripe yelled at her.

“I marvel at
your witty rejoinder human,” sniggered the dragon.

The other
dragon, the darkest in colour, moved restlessly, his tongue flicking out as he
inched closer. 

“Can we eat
them or are we taking them back for Ramanae?” he asked eagerly, eyes hungrily
sizing them up.  The largest looked them over as well.

“We’ll take
the females back; we can use them for breeding.  One of the bigger ones each to
eat and we’ll take the smaller one with us too,” he decided.

“You will not
take either of us alive,” Parrit growled fiercely.  Gelber bared her teeth at
the largest dragon.

He laughed
exposing his huge fangs, each the size of one of Gelber’s arms.  “Excellent, we
need some stock with a bit of spirit; my father will be most pleased with both
of you.”

Ramaeka gulped;
there was no way he could allow any of his friends to be taken back to his
father.  But the terror of what his friends would say if he transformed kept
him frozen to the spot.  Even if he did change he wasn’t strong enough to beat
one Naight let alone three.  He was only a Skaire, the first level of draconian
evolution.

“Come now
little friends, let’s make this easier on all of us,” the largest dragon said
smiling toothily at them. 

Out of the
corner of his eye Ramaeka saw the female dragon pounce forward, trying to take
advantage of their distraction.  Parrit responded instantly aiming and shooting
from her bow.  It was a lucky shot hitting the dragon between two of her claws,
a painful weak point.  The dragon snarled with pain dropping back onto her
haunches.  The other two both jumped to the attack as well, the smaller dragon
leaping at Amar and Gelber. 

But Ramaeka
had little time to pay attention as the largest lashed his tail out at Shady
and Stripe.  Shady dodged quickly to the side while Stripe leapt on top of the
dragon’s tail.  Ramaeka backed away quickly, tripping over in his haste to get
out of the way.  Stripe ran up the dragon’s body, stumbling as his opponent
twisted frantically, snarling as he attempted to capture Stripe in his jaws. 
Shady took the opportunity to run in and slam two of his knives into the
dragon’s side.  He hung on grimly as the large dragon roared in pain and
twisted frantically.

Tearing his
eyes away, Ramaeka turned to check on the other three.  Amar, Gelber and Parrit
were holding their own against the other two dragons which were circling them,
looking for a weak point.  While Gelber spat curses at the growling dragons,
Amar spun a glittering web of magic around the three of them.  It hovered
around them protectively, sparking where the dragons touched it.  The holes in
the web were small enough that the dragons couldn’t break through but big
enough that Parrit could easily shoot her arrows through them.  Ramaeka
couldn’t help but be impressed by the efficiency of Amar’s magic casting.

“This is too
easy,” Gelber smirked making a rude sign with her hands at the dragons.

“Don’t say
that,” murmured Parrit as she put another arrow to her bow.  “Every time you
say that something bad happens.”

Sure enough
the female dragon took that moment to prove Parrit right.  Leaning back she
drove her tail into the ground and murmured in her own language.  The smaller
dragon fell back licking his lips in anticipation.

“What is it
doing?” Gelber asked nervously.

“I don’t know
but it can’t be good for us,” Parrit replied eyeing the dragons uneasily.

There was a
crackling roar and suddenly the ground beneath them ripped open.  The women
fell back in surprise as sharp cones of rock burst through the earth.  The
protective web of magic faltered then disappeared as Amar was thrown backwards
by the emerging rock.  He quickly rolled to his feet.

“Get away from
the rocks,” he yelled out to Gelber and Parrit, his calm demeanour broken for
the first time.  He dodged back as the smallest dragon bound towards him.

Parrit grabbed
her friend by the wrist, spurred on by the boy’s tone of voice.  The female
dragon croaked another command which made the earth shiver.  Before Gelber and
Parrit had taken more than two steps, the rock liquefied and wrapped itself
around their feet.  It seeped up their legs, stopping at their waists and
firming completely.  Both women struggled wildly to no avail.  Gelber pulled
her axe up away from the clinging rock.

“You just try
it,” she yelled furiously at the grinning dragon.

“I suggest you
drop that,” the female dragon replied sinisterly lowering her long muzzle to
Parrit whose weapons were caught in the stone. 

“Or I may just
decide to eat your friend instead of taking you both back alive.”

Gelber
hesitated, her face red with fury.

“Put it down
Gelb,” Parrit said.  “It will be easier to think of a way to escape if we’re
both alive.”

Frustrated her
friend threw her weapon down in defeat.

Both Stripe
and Shady hung on to their immense opponent as he writhed and clawed at them. 
Ramaeka crouched back in shame, he desperately wanted to go to their rescue but
he was terrified.  There was very little chance that his siblings wouldn’t know
him once he attacked.  It was sad really that he was more afraid of his
friends’ reactions to the truth than fighting three immense dragons who could
easily eat him for a snack. 

Unable to move
he watched the struggle helplessly.

The dragon had
finally thought things through; he dropped to the ground and rolled.  With a
yell both of the boys threw themselves clear, Shady landed lightly on his feet
and scrambled backwards, new knives already in his hands.  Stripe bounced and
rolled as he hit the ground, he clambered slowly to his feet as Shady backed up
beside him.  Ramaeka watched on in horror as the largest dragon was joined by
the female.  Together they began to advance on his exhausted friends.

The smaller
dragon lowered his head menacingly as he slowly advanced on Amar, keeping his
eyes on the magic that flowed around the boy’s hands.  Amar backed up slowly
until his back hit someone else’s.  Flicking a quick glance around he found
himself back to back with Stripe and Shady.

“You put up a
decent fight,” the female dragon told them condescendingly.  “Now why don’t you
give up your weapons and we’ll make this quick and painless.”

The other two
dragons sniggered their eyes gleaming as they leant in. 

Suddenly the
smallest screamed in pain and reared back.  An immense column of stone and
earth protruded from his chest.  He grappled with it for a moment before slowly
toppling over sideways.  The remaining dragons pulled back in time to avoid
similar spikes.

Ramaeka gulped
and forced himself to look away from the confused expression on the dead
dragon’s face.  Remembering Amar’s lesson on controlling magic, he had drawn
upon his own earth magic, copying his sister’s actions with the rock.  Rather
than using a spell though he had simply shaped and forced a spiral of earth and
stone up with spectacular results.  Though that was a little lost on him at the
moment as he struggled not to be sick.  He just couldn’t allow his friends to
be eaten or worse.

The female
dragon howled in fury and launched herself at him.

 He
frantically gathered his magic up.  It’s not enough he thought desperately, as
she swiped an immense claw at him.

“Stop,” the
largest dragon suddenly commanded.  The female pulled back in midstrike,
looking at her remaining companion in surprise as he stepped forward.  Ramaeka
saw his friends looking at him in wonder.  He edged towards them.

“What on
Amaria is this?”

The larger
dragon growled flexing his wings and leaning towards Ramaeka.  He scented the
air thoughtfully and looked at him intently.  Recognition flickered in his
immense green eyes and he roared with laughter.

“What is it?”
the female demanded looking between the two in furious puzzlement.

“Don’t you
recognise our little brother?” the largest dragon queried lazily flicking his
tail in amusement.

Ramaeka heard
his friends gasp, but kept his eyes on his siblings.  He would have to deal
with that later.

The female
leant down and peered closely at him, he scowled at her, his fists clenching
involuntarily.

“I don’t
believe it,” she said in surprise.  “It’s the little traitor.  But I thought he
was dead.”

“I believe we
all did,” her brother replied in amusement.  He looked down at Ramaeka.

“I’m very
impressed little brother” he said.  “You survived our father, that fall into
the river and you managed to kill a higher ranked draconian.  You even managed
to blend in with the natives.  Perhaps I could persuade our father to take you
back?”

“I never want
to go back there again,” Ramaeka growled at his brother.

“Wait a moment,”
Stripe interrupted suddenly.  Ramaeka turned to his friends slowly, dreading
what he would find.  Stripe and Shady were staring at him in horror and
disbelief as were the two women from where they were trapped.  Amar met
Ramaeka’s gaze steadily and nodded at him slightly.  Surprised Ramaeka dropped
his eyes.  Perhaps he would have one friend who would stand by him after all.

“Are you
telling me that you’re one of them?” Stripe demanded.

Ramaeka
hesitated a moment, but it was time to come clean, he couldn’t avoid this
forever.

“Yes,” he
replied quietly.  Stripe stared at him for a moment longer with growing hate
and anger before turning away in disgust.  Ramaeka flinched; it was almost like
a physical blow.

“But you look
like us,” Shady stated glaring at him.

“Dragons have
two forms,” Amar murmured softly.  Stripe looked at him sharply but didn’t say
anything.

“You’re a
monster,” Shady said in horror.  “I can’t believe we let you stay with us.  You
slept next to us!”

“Being a
dragon isn’t catching,” Amar told him calmly as Ramaeka flushed and hung his
head.

“As touching
as this is,” the largest dragon drawled.  “I think it’s time to bring this
comedy to an end.”

He and his
sister stretched gracefully and moved forward. 

Finally
thought Ramaeka, finally I can take my greater form without worrying.

With a growl
he stretched out loving the feel of his body smoothly transforming.  His green
eyes glowed as they changed to slit pupils, becoming flecked with gold.  His
powerful brown wings spread out wide as his long tail slid out to balance him.

For the first
time in his rather short life, and he meant no pun by that he thought
humorously, he felt really connected to the world around him.  There were no
more cold desolate mountains between him and his earth, no more of the
limitations of his lesser form or his father’s orders.  He was free and he felt
powerful.

With this new
rush of feeling, it didn’t surprise Ramaeka in the least when his siblings
stepped back slightly in surprise.  They lowered their heads and growled
softly, tails twitching as he stepped in front of his human friends.

“He’s really
small, I mean compared to them,” he heard Shady whisper behind him.  That
brought him back to his senses instantly.

‘I’m not that
small’ he thought to himself grumpily.