Titans nest, p.14
Titan's Nest, page 14
I watched the ancient trees on my right with an uneasy suspicion. Gerard must have noticed.
“Nothing to fret, lad. They won’t bother us none,” Gerard said with a confident grin. “Especially with a young hatchling like this traveling with us,” Gerard gently patted the sleeping dragon swaddled against his chest.
“Why’s that?” My voice sounded rough and alien from disuse. I realized I hadn’t spoken since we left the gulf.
“The people of Nerium respect the dragons more than any other culture. The Bitten Knights that come from that thur forest often teach the courses on Draconic Harmony at the Nest.”
“Draconic Harmony?”
“Aye, all young Bitten Wards must learn to become one mind with thur dragon.”
One mind… with a dragon? I squinted. That sounded almost unpleasant.
“I think Maximus and Tenebros were doing that,” I said as I stepped across a log that blocked our path. Moss blanketed the uprooted tree and felt soft beneath my boots. “At times it felt like they were whispering to one another, but without words.”
“I’m sure they were,” Gerard nodded, he stepped over the log. “The Bitten Knights share a bond with the dragons that we could never understand.”
I nodded.
The air near the Emerald Veil felt unusually sweet, as if each breath cleared my mind and quenched my body. The woods of Eclipto had a similar effect but certainly not like this.
“It’s beautiful,” I admitted, staring at the sage green wall that spread across the country like an unmoving sea. The forest that surrounded the Hunt's Burrow sat dark and gloomy, shadows and wolves around every corner. Here, the Emerald Veil seemed bright and whimsical, and I imagined it overflowed with clear streams, fluffy bunnies, and vibrant lilies.
A soft hum above my head vibrated in my ears. I peered up at the sky through leafy branches as the humming grew into a steady buzz.
“Ah, the Royal Guard,” Gerard said casually. He continued marching on, but I stood frozen in the path, my jaw hung low.
In the sky in a tight wedge formation, flew seven giant and armored hummingbirds. A single bird led the pack with three more closely in tow on either side. A soft gray color covered the belly of the birds, straps made from vines strung around their puffed chest. The feathers around their necks were a fiery magenta and their wings beat so viciously all that could be seen was an iridescent shaking of silver and pink. Their beaks were like mighty jousting spears, also a dazzling magenta color.A sleek wooden helmet covered their brow and cheeks. It fell into layers around the bird's neck and an intricate plate of green and silver shielded its breast.
Their riders were armored in matching emerald plates, made from a variety of natural materials. Just like the bird’s, their hand painted armor glistened like fish scales against the sun. The riders were all tucked tightly against the birds back and leaning forward so they could better cut through the sky. The birds were just large enough for a single rider and they moved at a sickening pace.
I felt my excitement fade when they vanished over the Emerald Veil and I could no longer watch them zip through the clouds, the humming of their wings still shaking the air.
“Gerard, did you see that?” I asked. “They were moving so fast. I barely could track them through the air. Who are they? Where are they going?”
Gerard laughed from his belly and readjusted his pack. He continued down the path, cool shadows washing over him from the tree line.
“The Royal Guard of Nerium,” Gerard said proudly. “I imagine they are heading back to their queen after escorting their Bitten One to the Nest.”
That’s right, Maximus was supposed to arrive today or tomorrow as well.
I placed a hand over my brow and raised up on my toes, hoping to catch one last glimpse of the birds and their riders. “What a miserable way to travel,” I said, imagining how sick one must feel after riding upon something so swift. “I’d rather be back on the Wraith.”
“You mad?” Gerard laughed. “I reckon the only thing better than that is sitting between the spikes of a dragon’s back. I imagine they would need about four of those hummingbirds to carry me, though.” He chuckled barbarically as he shook his belly.The trail we took remained peaceful and quiet. Brightly colored flowers sprouted amongst the path, vines and moss covered over every rock and stump. Song birds whistled and squirrels and other small things chased each other gleefully amongst the branches. Under any other circumstance, I might have found this place a delight.
I pressed on a step or two behind Gerard. The blisters that formed at my heels or the aching in my shoulder gave me no discomfort, for the pain in my chest burned far greater. Gerard pointed out countless landmarks, recounted wild tales, and even sang an old ballad or two. But, I retained none of his words or lessons. I stumbled behind my guide lifelessly, like an empty shell drifting across the ocean floor.
The ocean floor… Where Max— , the thought raced in faster than I could stop it and I felt tears press to the corners of my eyes. I bit hard on my lip to keep the tears from escaping.
The nights we made camp I hardly slept. Each time I closed my eyes I suddenly found myself forty feet beneath the ocean’s surface. The crushing weight of the water. The frigid bite of the deep. The anchor plummeting down upon Maximus. I would snap my eyes open and force myself awake. I spent my evenings tending to the fire and feeding crickets to Popper, who often snuck out of Gerard’s pockets as he snored.
As I stared at the dancing fire, my mind wandered to faraway places, far away from the Shattered Gulf at least. Mother’s songs. Stories of the Bitten Knights slaying unbeatable monsters. Dusty and cracked maps I had seen with all their rivers and mountains. Or, I’d simply
stare up at the moon, which seemed to stare back like an unblinking, silver eye. The priests of the Lunar Temple often prophesied that the moon would one day hatch, releasing a seventh Verdour. This forgotten Primal Dragon would come upon Dazawrath and devour the world as we knew it. The more I thought about this grim prophecy, the more I longed for it. Like a wounded animal, I wanted the unbearable pain in my heart to cease. I wanted my mind to fall blank, my guilt and shame to be swallowed up by some godly force.
“Mornin’, lad,” Gerard would say softly at dawn. “Been up long?”
I’d shake my head as if I had just rolled awake, poking stiffly at the firewood with a charred stick. I didn’t want him to pity me anymore than he probably already did.
Tenebros didn’t seem to sleep much either. On the nights that he had enough strength, he would weakly climb up the trunk of a tree and perch himself upon its branches. The dragon would keep a keen watch on the path behind us in a longing stare, his eyes reflecting the glimmer of moonlight. I knew he was watching for Maximus, hoping he would come striding down the path after us.
“You wouldn’t leave me behind, would ya?” I imagined him calling out from behind his stoic grin. Even the memory of his voice made a knot twist in my gut.
Will I ever sleep again?
After almost three whole days of hiking along the forest, we made camp on a ridge that over- looked a dry plain. Tomorrow we would follow a trail that switched back and forth across a cliff that could lead us down to the desert and away from the lush shade of the Emerald Veil. From the edge where we camped, I could see the Chasm.
The Chasm is a massive canyon that stretched across the majority of Dazawrath from north to south. From my reading I had learned that the first Bitten Knights had created the gorge when they had battled the Queen of the Swarmborne.
“The Nest is on the other side of the Chasm, isn’t it?” I asked Gerard, who had just used Popper to start a small campfire beside me. I watched as the salamander dragged its molten tongue against the roof of its stone-like mouth in two quick snaps, creating sparks. The lizard’s canary eyes flashed at me, he flicked his burning tongue, then scurried back into one of Gerard’s many pouches.
“Aye, it is,” Gerard responded without looking up from the flames he fostered.
“Then don’t we need to head to the northern or southern coast to get around it?” I thought as I recalled some of the maps I had studied upon the Wraith.
“At the heart of the gorge there is a bridge that leads straight into the Capital. We just have to reach the bridge, then it's smooth sailing from there. Titan’s Nest sits just on the edge of the canyon.”
“How long will it take to reach the bridge?”
“The desert is a tough march, but a quick one. We could reach the bridge in a few nights if we are quick,” his voice fell even lower than usual and tension filled his words. “I have to warn you though…”
My stomach felt a little queasy. Please, no more excitement. I don’t think I can handle any more on this adventure, I thought nervously.
“This stretch of desert is home to a small tribe of Swarmborne that has evaded the Bitten Knights since the beginning. The Scorpion Tribe of the Scarab’s Pass,” Gerard said in a tense growl.
“Of course it is,” I muttered as I rubbed at my eyes and sighed.
“Doesn’t mean we will run into em, of course. They keep to their burrows mostly. But, it’s possible we could see a Scarab or two, we just gotta give em thur space and stay outta sight.”
“Knowing my luck we will walk straight into their Hive.”
Gerard grinned and then his face softened, “We can’t afford to do that. Especially not with this little scale-butt,” Gerard ran a soft hand over Tenebros’ spine. The black dragon sat curled tight against Gerard’s thigh. He hadn’t seemed to have much energy to do anything except sleep and occasionally Gerard would hand feed him a slice of salted meat from his pack. Tenebros would hum softly then snuggle up against the large miner and drift back to sleep.
“Nobody hates a dragon like the Swarmborne,” Gerard continued. “They’d still rule all of Dazawrath if it wasn’t for these wee lil drakes.” Again, he nuzzled Tenebros. “We will have to be careful. Tenebros is very vulnerable without Maximus.”
So am I, I felt a nervous heat flush over my body. Maximus had defended me from the few dangers I had seen in my life. My heart ached knowing he wouldn’t be crossing the desert with us tomorrow. I felt like a warrior marching to war without his shield. I wish I could have returned the favor… just once, my eyes shook as if water wanted to escape, but I had no more tears to shed.The air was drier than the stale loaves we sold at the Bat Belly. Dust clung inside my nostrils and coated my tongue. The sun beat down on us with a fierce heat and long waves distorted the air far off in front of us.
The red clay at our feet cracked in large panels like poorly placed tiles and large, orange rock formations lined our path like watchful stone giants.
My home in the north had been damp and cold, the edge of Nerium had been crisp and vibrant, the Scarab’s Pass was hot and miserable. I soon found myself brainlessly watching the heels of Gerard’s boots every long step of the journey. The only sound had been the soft breaking of clay and the heavy breathing of the stout man in front of me. I occasionally would pull my eyes from the path and survey the area; nothing but orange lifeless rock as far as I could see.
“This heat is no good for the little one,” Gerard said, pulling on the fabric to peek at Tenebros against his chest. “The dragons of Eclipto are cavern dwellers.” I heard Tenebros release a dry and weak exhale from his nostrils. “The sooner we get out of this desert the better.”
“Agreed,” I moaned as I dragged the sleeve of my shirt across my brow, sweeping away a streak of sweat that would have eventually trailed into my eyes. This was our third, and hopefully final day pressing through the Scarab’s Pass.
We had left our camp early that morning, before the sun rose, to hike as much as we could before the blistering heat took over the land. But now, it was past noon and the heat be- came unbearable. I tied my hair above my head because it felt like a sticky mess against my skin, but now my neck stung and burned from the sun’s relentless glow behind us.
My lips were cracked, the tip of my nose and beneath my eyes felt uncomfortably warm and tender, and my heels blistered in my boots from walking non-stop since we left the Shattered Gulf. I could have quit at any moment, but Gerard’s blissfulness kept me moving forward.
The large man whistled an upbeat tune as we walked and had a childlike sway in his step.
Every now and again he’d say, “Oh, Darren, look at that rock. Ain’t it handsome?” or he’d say, “Look how big that one is! Bet ya there’s some fine opal beneath all that clay. Maybe even some silver. I could use some silver when we get back in town… Oh, no, best keep moving. Don’t have time to mine the earth when Tenebros needs care.”
Nearly every large boulder we passed or rocky hill side Gerard would have to talk him- self out of stopping to smash his hammer into the earth and see what hid beneath. His passion for the minerals of Dazawrath brought a smile to my face, even though I didn’t understand his ob- session.
Maybe I could work with Gerard? I thought as we walked. In our short time together, I had grown terribly fond of the man in our travels. Live in the Capital and trade rocks and gems. Aye, I could do that... But he travels so much. I certainly have had my fill of traveling. Maybe I could run his shop while he was away! Someone needs to look after his things while he’s gone, right? I’ll ask him once we reach Titan’s Nest...
The thought of work and life after our adventure suddenly made me feel ill, and my face grew even hotter as I realized something… With Maximus gone, who is going to pay for Mother’s new villa? Bat dung. No matter what job I get I’ll never be able to pay for a villa in the city for her… let alone the maids he had hired... we would have to go back to the tavern… Would Father
even let us come back? I shook my head trying to free myself of the thought and sweat flipped from my hair and brow.
“Gerard,” I called, trying to take my mind off the subject, “how much longer do you think? I need water soon or Tenebros won’t be the only one who needs saving.” I flopped the empty waterskin that hung strapped across my torso against my side.
“Water?” Gerard asked, “Why didn’t ya just say so, my lad?” Gerard said with an excited spark in his tone. He pulled off the path to the left and he began to shimmy his meaty arms free of his pack. Once we were in the shade of a large rock ledge, he took a knee and spun his pack around in front of him, careful not to pester Tenebros. I came and knelt beside him.
On the right side of his pack hid a cylinder-shaped pouch, fastened with two leather straps. He undid the straps and removed a circular wooden tube.
“I’ve never seen anyone carry water in something like that before,” I commented. Gerard just grinned beneath his dusty beard. He popped open the canister with a satisfying PLOP. “This here is Cirrina.”
Over the lip of the tube came a thin and long finger that unraveled down the side like a sapphire vine. Then another uncoiled, and another. I inched away through the dirt. Soon a large and slick, bulbous form pulled itself free of the canister with an odd sucking noise.
Clinging to Gerard’s thick forearm dangled a brightly colored octopus. Against the dull desert background, the sky-blue squid-like creature looked like a wild painting. Its strange eyes were a swirling turquoise, its skin a spotted light blue, and each one of its suckers on its tentacles shined a vivid pink.
Its head seemed far too large for its thin and slimy tentacles. The circular head bobbed back and forth as if it were top heavy, and could not keep itself balanced over Gerard’s arm.
“Your waterskin,” Gerard said, holding out his hand. I tentatively removed its strap from around my body and handed it to Gerard, never taking my eyes off the creature. “Here you go, sweetie,” Gerard said gently to the octopus.
The creature pulled itself onto the waterskin, its massive head flopping back and forth.
With one of its pink-bellied tentacles it suctioned to the lid and pulled it off with ease. I grimaced as the slimy creature dragged its boneless body over the nozzle where I place my mouth. The creature’s eyes opened wide, then with a wiggle through its whole body, the head began to com- press. The liquid filled head grew smaller and smaller as a torrent of something sprayed into my waterskin. I stuck out my tongue and shook my head. Soon, the creature’s head finally looked properly proportioned, even a little saggy, and my water canister became full.
“That’s a good girl,” Gerard said sweetly as he itched at the side of the octopus. Its turquoise eyes seemed to brighten and it wrapped a tentacle around Gerard’s pudgy finger. The ball of slime and tentacles then, on its own accord, buried itself back into the wooden canister. Gerard dropped a small treat, a dried sardine, into the tube before resealing it. He then handed me back the full waterskin.
I waved my hands in front of me trying to force the canister away. “Suddenly I feel quite hydrated.”
“You won’t find a fresher, or cleaner, spring in all of Dazawrath,” Gerard assured me. “I think I could,” I gagged.
Gerard released his usual roar of a laugh. “The aquapuss is a rare and extremely valuable creature. She came from a reef deep below Cy’ann. They are able to create and release fresh water. By tomorrow her head will be completely full again, and I’ll need to milk her like a cow,” he said proudly, tapping the wooden canister that contained the monster.
“That thing could piss hot gold and I wouldn’t want it anywhere near me,” I said, still not taking the waterskin from him.
Gerared laughed deep and loud again then looked at me with a raised bushy eyebrow, “You’ve already drank that skin dry four times since I found you… where do you think I got the water?”
My face squirmed and my tongue twisted in disgust. The water tasted noticeably crisper and cooler than any I had had before, but I imagined he had gotten from a stream in Nerium. I reluctantly snatched the leather container from his grip. I plugged the lid, not willing to take a sip yet, and slung it back over myself.
“If it lives in the ocean,” I said, “why does it need to create water?”
