Bastileborn - Dragon Fire Pt. 03

"Fuck no!" Gavin cried and tossed his firewood at the creature before he ran back to camp. He heard a startled hiss behind him, followed by frantic running in the opposite direction.

"Gavin! What's wrong?" Thistle asked in alarm as he ran over to her, looking over his shoulder in fear.

Suddenly, everyone heard the clank of an iron trap accompanied by a tiny shriek of pain. Everyone listened as something whimpered and cried rather pathetically for a few seconds. Then everything fell silent.

"What the fuck was that?" Plinkon asked as he pulled his throwing ax off his belt.

"I saw a dark thing in the woods," Gavin stammered as he drew his sword. "It looked like a little demon with forked ears."

"Forked ears?" Plinkon said in surprise. "That's no demon. Follow me," he ordered as he collected a lamp and hurried into the woods.

"Fuck," Gavin grumbled as he took Thistle's hand and hurried after the dwarf.

Astrum grabbed another lamp and quickly followed after them, keeping a watch on the woods behind them. They walked for less than a minute before they came upon the little black-haired creature curled up on the ground. It was crying as it clutched at its bloodied leg. It had stepped in a fox trap while fleeing from Gavin.

"Shit! Poor thing!" Plinkon gasped as he knelt by its side to examine the trap.

Thistle gasped as she stepped closer to see the strange child. It had long willowy black hair that hung far past its shoulders. Its clothes were simple and mostly black and dark green. Its face was almost white. It had large dark eyes under pointy black eyebrows. Its ears resembled a high elf's ears, but they were forked at the top, making them look wild. As Plinkon moved to touch the fox trap, the little creature shrieked and tried to get away, causing more injury to its lower leg.

"Shhh, little one, I mean ya no harm. Sey la sumly, la sumly," he whispered soothingly so the child would stop struggling. It whimpered as more blood spurted from its wound.

"What is that thing?" Gavin asked.

"It's a delphian child, ya sheltered dumb ass. Get over here and help me free it."

"You want me to touch it?" Gavin asked in horror.

"For fuck's sake, Gavin, it's just a baby."

"It's got fangs!" he protested.

"All delphians have fangs!"

"For god's sake, I'll help," Astrum grumbled as he pushed Gavin aside and stepped closer. The child shrieked again and redoubled its efforts to get away from him.

"Back off, Astrum!" Plinkon bellowed. "Dark elf children are terrified of high elves. Gavin, get yer stupid ass over here and help before it bleeds to death!" he ordered in growing rage.

"Fuck, fine," Gavin snapped as he pushed Astrum out of the way and knelt beside the child. It was still staring at Astrum in horror. "What do you want me to do?" he asked as he looked at the terrible wound on its tiny leg.

"Hold her leg steady as I pry open the trap. This is not going to be pleasant," he grumbled.

"Great," Gavin groaned as he carefully wrapped his hand around the bloodied leg, causing an immediate shriek of pain from the child. It raised up and sank its fangs into his arm. "Fuuuuck!" Gavin growled as he kept his grip on its leg. Plinkon was working fast to open the rusty trap.

"Sorry, Gavin, just a few more seconds," he grumbled as he forced it open, freeing the little creature's leg.

"There, you're free," Gavin sighed. "Will you stop biting me now?" he grumbled as he looked into its large eyes. They were full of tears as it stared back at him.

It blinked a few times before it finally pulled its fangs from his arm.

"The poor thing," Thistle said with a gulp as she nudged closer to get a better look.

The child noticed her and immediately wrapped its arms around Gavin and buried its face in his clothes. It was trembling with fright.

"Stay back, Thistle. She knows yer a high elf, too," Plinkon whispered as he examined the wound with an eyebrow raised. "What the fuck? It's healing! Gavin, let go! Yer depleting the magic in the gems!" he ordered as he quickly grabbed his arm and pulled it off the child's leg.

"Shit!" Gavin gasped as he looked at the bloodied dragon cradle on his palm.

"Is it still working?" Thistle asked in horror.

"Yeah. It's still working," he said in relief. "Shit... I didn't know that could happen."

"Ya probably lost a weeks' worth of magic just now. Her wound isn't bleeding anymore, but it still looks pretty nasty. We should clean it up and put some bandages on it. Alright, little one, will ya look at me for a second? I need to pick ya up and take ya back to camp. Can ya understand me?" Plinkon asked as he gently tapped her shoulder. She cringed and clutched at Gavin's clothes as if her life depended on it. "Well, I think yer her favorite now, Gavin. Pick her up and bring her on," Plinkon sighed as he stood and picked up his lamp.

"Greeeaaat..." Gavin groaned as he looked down at the child's black hair and pointy ears. She seemed more tiny and helpless when she wasn't biting him. "Hey, you. Look at me," he ordered as he tapped her on top of the head with his finger.

She timidly raised her eyes enough to see Gavin's face.

"I need to pick you up and carry you back to camp so we can help you. So, for the love of all that's holy, please don't bite me again, okay?"

She blinked at him a few times before she slowly nodded in understanding.

"Thank you," he sighed as he very carefully unlatched himself from her arms so he could pick her up. She was incredibly light. It was more like picking up a cat than a toddler. She cringed from the movement as he shuffled her into his arms. "Sorry," he whispered as he followed Plinkon back to camp. Astrum and Thistle were following at a distance to keep from scaring the little girl again.

She peeked over Gavin's shoulder and stared at the elves in fear. It broke Thistle's heart, knowing the tiny thing was scared of her. Gavin continued holding her as Plinkon and Astrum got the campfire burning bright. Then Plinkon sat down on a log close to the fire to clean the child's wound. Astrum and Thistle had to sit on the other side of the fire so the child would stay calm long enough for them to help her.

"Astrum, why are the delphians so afraid of us?" Thistle asked.

"King Fumarus and his father have done some pretty terrible things to them over the years," he sighed. "Delphians are a lot like us, but the king calls them abominations. He considers them to be a corrupted race. According to legend, delphians came about in the ancient days when a group of high elf maidens was kidnapped by a band of rebel dragons. They forced them to bear their children. The offspring were strong, but they were shunned because they were hybrids. They fled into the darkest parts of the forest to live out their lives in hiding. That's the story every young elf sentry is told before we're sworn into the king's service. We're bound by law to kill delphians on sight," he whispered.

"That's terrible," she whispered as she stared at the little girl. Gavin was cradling her as Plinkon poured whiskey over her wound, making her cringe.

Once her leg was wrapped in clean linen, Gavin gave her a piece of bread and some water. She devoured every bit of it before she fell fast asleep in his arms. He groaned tiredly as he stared at her little pale face.

"Cute, isn't she?" Thistle whispered as she walked over and sat next to Gavin.

"In spite of her fangs and demon ears... yeah, she's cute," he sighed.

"I think she likes you because you accidentally healed her. Sidian's magic feels so comforting. It relaxes me just thinking about it."

"Probably. I'm glad I helped her, but I fear what it did to the gems," he whispered as he looked at his palm.

"Astrum said delphians are ancient descendants of elves and dragons. Maybe they know some magic that can help."

"Maybe... I'm not going to get my hopes up about it, though. How am I supposed to sleep now? Every time I try to put her down, she latches her nails into my clothes and won't let go," he grumbled as he looked at Thistle in distress.

"Just make yourself comfortable and be careful of her leg. I'll get your blanket," she said with a smile as she stood to retrieve it.

By the time she located it under the bags in the wagon and came back, she found Gavin curled up on his side, fast asleep. The little girl was curled up against his chest under his arm. She had her tiny thumb in her mouth. Thistle smiled as she carefully placed the blanket over them and wished them both a good night's sleep.

First Attack

Back in Carus, news about the king's murder by the prince shocked the citizens. They didn't have a chance to despair over it. War was upon them, and their new young king was respectably taking command. He graciously welcomed the villagers into the palace walls and assured them of their safety. The citizens stared in wonder at the beautiful dragons that were constantly in Wesley's company. They didn't know what these strange things meant, but they agreed having dragons on their side was a good thing.

Sidian began investigating the purpose of the dark convoy they witnessed on the east road. A commanding officer confirmed the wagons were sent north by Fumarus, and they held explosive liquid in great quantities. They would be driven into the Blue Delph Forest and set on fire. The fire was intended to destroy the secret city of Sheth. Sidian assumed Fumarus was hoping to force the delphians into the battle on the southern front, allowing him to massacre them. Thistle and the others would likely get caught in the crossfire.

Wesley's heart was pounding with anxiety as he watched the Daylith army lining up in the fields beyond the palace walls. He sat down with his mom to collect his nerves as night began to fall. Reports were pouring in about the numbers they were facing. Carus had enough arrows to hold Brimsly's army back for many days, but they were outnumbered ten to one.

"By the gods," Wesley sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "Brimsly brought enough soldiers to wipe out Carus and Luria."

"That was his intention," Sidian said as he paced in front of the window.

Ragos was sitting in a chair in the back of the room, drinking a bottle of whiskey. Lacia was sitting with Wesley and Ellora, watching Sidian pace.

"When do you think aid from Talfane will arrive?" Lacia asked.

"No more than two days. We can hold them off until then."

"What if Brimsly sent armies north to meet them?" Ragos asked.

"Then, our aid will be delayed for a few more days. All of Luria should be marching east by now. Aid will get here one way or another. We have the high ground and plenty of supplies. We will still be going strong when they get here," Sidian insisted.

Suddenly, Carus battle horns began blowing from the walls, echoing throughout the city. Daylith had initiated the first attack. Everyone scrambled to the balcony to see what was happening in the field. A Daylith arrow barrage was peppering the south wall. The Carus archers had no problems deflecting the arrows with their wall-mounted shields. Sidian had inspected the beautiful iron shields himself. They were seven feet tall and three feet wide. They were mounted every three feet along the palace walls. Each shield had the Carus archer symbol emblazoned on the front. It was a simple arrow pointing up with a distinctive Carus longbow laid over it.

As soon as the Daylith arrows subsided, Carus archers launched their own deadly barrage. Carus war-line archers could mow down a small army in a matter of seconds. Everyone in the war room waited anxiously to hear news from the field. The messenger looked pale and green as he rushed into the war room with the report. Not one Daylith soldier was killed in the attack. Their shields and armor proved remarkably resilient.

"No armor in the world can resist Carus arrows! What is this devilry?" Wesley demanded as he looked at Sidian for answers.

"I don't know, your majesty. I wasn't expecting this either."

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the hall as another young messenger ran into the war room to find the king.

"Your majesty," he announced. "An enemy soldier rushed to the gate without weapons to surrender himself. He fought his own comrades to escape. He was beaten rather severely. He says he knows how to defeat Daylith. He's begging to speak to you as a representative of the Shadow Guard. Does that mean anything to you?"

Sidian and Lacia gasped and looked at each other in surprise.

"It does mean something to me," Sidian said as he motioned for Wesley to follow the messenger.

They went together to the infirmary to speak with the soldier. Nora was tending his wounds. Thistle's dwarven nurse had volunteered as a front-line medical nurse since she was strong enough to lift a grown man on her own. Lacia cringed when she laid eyes on the man she was tending. His face was beaten and bloody. He was hunched over on a cot as Nora wiped blood out of his eyes. He quickly stood when Wesley approached him.

"Your majesty," he said as he attempted to bow, but he lost his balance and staggered to the right. Sidian quickly grabbed him and helped him sit back down.

"Please rest, soldier," Wesley ordered as he looked him over. The spiral chain-mail on his chest was an impressive bit of engineering.

"What's your name, and what area of the Shadow Guard do you serve?" Sidian asked as he knelt beside him and placed his hand on the side of his head.

"I'm Knox. I serve under Commander Rana of Daylith... what the devil?" he gasped when blue fire filled Sidian's eyes.

"It's all right. Hold still for a moment," Sidian whispered.

Knox moaned softly as wonderful healing heat flowed into his head from Sidian's hand.

"That's incredible," he whispered as the swelling around his eyes vanished, allowing everyone a better look at his handsome face.

"Thank you, Sidian," Wesley said in approval. "Welcome to Carus, Knox. What is it you wanted to tell us?"

"The spiral armor was sabotaged by Commander Rana. It will start to degrade within the next three days. If it rains, it will degrade even faster. Save your arrows until then. The soldiers will be sitting ducks."

"Thank the gods," Sidian breathed. "That's the best news we've heard all week."

"Indeed. Thank you, Knox," Wesley said as he approached him and shook his hand. "When this battle is won, you'll be greatly rewarded for your bravery."

"Thank you, your majesty, but I can't take all the credit. The Shadow Guard got me here. My heart goes out to the friends I left behind in Daylith. When Brimsly realizes Rana betrayed him, there will be hell to pay."

"We will aid them when we can, but our first priority is Carus," Sidian said as he helped Knox to his feet. He looked at Sidian in disbelief after that comment.

"How could we possibly reach them in time with Brimsly's armies between us? What makes you so confident? And how did you heal me?" he asked in bewilderment.

"I'm Captain Sid of the Black Wing. I'm good friends with Rachel and Alex. I'm also a dragon."

"Holy shit! You're Sid? The same Sid I've heard so much about from Alex? Wait... why is the king of the elves friends with a dragon pirate?" he asked as he looked between them.

"It's a long story that we don't have time to discuss. We need to spread the word about the armor," Wesley said before he hurried from the room.

Knox looked between Sidian and Lacia in amazement for a moment.

"Holy shit," he chuckled as his eyes settled on Lacia. "You're Queen Tolimire's youngest daughter. I met you in the Swaying Valley a long time ago. You grew up nicely," he said in admiration of her beauty.

"Thank you, Knox. So did you," she said with a smile.

A few seconds later, Ragos staggered into the infirmary to see what the commotion was about.

"Ragos, I have a mission for you," Sidian announced.

"Yeees?" he asked with a grin as he leaned against the door frame.

"Are you in any shape to look for Thistle and the others? That convoy should be drawing close to them, but you should still have time to find them. Things are looking better for us here, so I don't mind you leaving now."

"Eh, my war form should sober me up enough for the search. Do you want me to destroy the convoy when I find it?"

"I'm not sure. The wagons are highly flammable. Can you contain the fire with magic if it breaks out in the forest?"

"Yep, that's easy. I actually paid attention during my fire management training. I'm going to enjoy another drink before my flight. Will I see you and Lacia in Talfane when the war is over?"

"I don't know if the war will be over or not, but I do plan to be in Talfane in three weeks to help Gavin."

"Sounds good! See you, crazy kids, later. Goodbye, my future sister-in-law," Ragos said with a smirk as he staggered over to Lacia and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Ugh, thanks, Ragos. Be safe," she chuckled as he stumbled out of the infirmary. "I hope he doesn't screw this up," she whispered in concern as she stepped over to Sidian.

"He looks like a fun guy to know," Knox said with a smirk.

"Looks can be deceiving," Sidian sighed.

The Delphians

Thistle couldn't decipher the time of day anymore. It was almost constantly dark in the Blue Delph Forest. She was the first person awake, so she decided to make breakfast. The blackness around her slowly turned to gray as she rekindled the campfire. She walked over to check on Gavin. He had rolled on his back sometime in the night, and the delphian toddler had crawled onto his chest. She was still fast asleep with her tiny thumb in her mouth.

"Gavin," Thistle whispered as she gently nudged his shoulder.

He slowly opened his eyes and reached up to rub his face. Then he looked down at his chest with his brow furrowed.

"Great... it's still here," he grumbled as he dropped his head back in the grass and sighed.

"Would you like some eggs and toast?" Thistle asked with an amused smile.

"Yes, please," he mumbled as he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. He kept an arm around his tiny cargo so she wouldn't roll off his chest and hit the ground.

Thistle stepped over to Astrum and shook him awake to take his breakfast order. Then she turned to Plinkon. As she reached to shake his arm, she froze in confused horror when her eyes settled on a pair of legs standing just a few feet away from Plinkon. They blended perfectly with the surroundings. It took her mind a few seconds to realize they weren't supposed to be there. She gasped in fear as she looked around their campsite. Many camouflaged figures were slowly stepping closer to them with spears, bows, and swords.

"Plinkon... Plinkon!" Thistle hissed as she shook his arm frantically.

He quickly sat up and cursed as a spear pressed against his neck. They were completely surrounded by dark elves. Plinkon raised his hands in surrender, prompting everyone else to do the same. Gavin raised one hand and kept the other one tight around the delphian toddler.

There wasn't a lot of variation in delphian looks aside from their fangs and hair. Some had two fangs, while others had one prominent fang. The fangs could only be seen when they spoke or smiled. Their hair varied from dark black to greenish-black and went as light as smoky gray. Males and females wore their hair long and straight. There were a few rebels with short hair. Thistle assumed they all had similar smokey-white skin.

"Forgive us, friends," Plinkon announced. "We mean ya no harm. Sey la sumly," he said as he motioned to Thistle, Gavin, and Astrum.

"Silence, dwarf," hissed a young male as he stepped forward to look between Astrum and Thistle.

Thistle could tell by his elaborate clothing he was likely their leader. His hair was long and solid black. He kept it tucked behind his tall forked ears. His dark shirt looked to be made of a thousand leaves sewn together in an elaborate pattern.