Wrath of the dragon 5, p.4
Wrath of the Dragon 5, page 4
“That’s rude,” Cyra said as she folded her arms. “We all went through the same hell when the gods left. You can at least not be a massive bitch to us.”
The huntress’ eyes flared as she moved to step toward my fire angel, and Cyra gladly did the same, but I swiftly placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her back.
“Whoa, let’s take this all down a notch,” I tried as I eyed Fianna. “You must have so many questions about all this, and we need to work out how to save the Jungle Lands. We can help–”
“I am saving this land on my own,” Fianna said in a dangerous tone. “This is my realm, and I am the huntress. I protect my people without help from a human man with a group of delusional angels.”
“I’m not trying to stop you,” I said calmly. “But I think you can agree that taking down the demons is bigger than a one-person job?”
“We can explain everything,” Ruby added. “Just take us to your tribe.”
Something roared far off in the trees, and Fianna’s eyes narrowed as she scanned the jungle around us. We waited a beat to make sure we were still alone, but a creaking vine reminded me that there seemed to always be evil nearby in this land.
“There are dangerous things out here,” Fianna said quietly. “Even a group as annoyingly delusional as you shouldn’t be left out in the open for too long. I don’t care if you die, but I don’t want predators sniffing around so close to my people.”
She looked at me with a frown for a moment before she gestured behind her.
“Hurry,” she said. “Try not to get eaten. I won’t defend you if anything attacks, though. My arrows are for those who truly need my help.”
Ruby rolled her eyes as we followed after the huntress, and I shot her a grateful grin.
“Old friends, huh?” I asked quietly.
“Something like that,” the crystal angel said coyly. “She really does care about her people. I’ll give her that.”
“She needs some anger management,” Brooke whispered. “We’re fellow angels! Shouldn’t she be losing her mind with excitement to see us? I’d be so super happy if I was trapped in this mean jungle and you guys showed up to help me…”
“Maybe her god really hurt her,” Nisha said softly. “Taking care of her people is probably all she’s had to hold on to.”
“She seems unhinged,” Cyra muttered, but she grinned like she kinda appreciated this. “What’s not to love about a manic angel who runs around with a bow and arrow?”
Fianna didn’t speak to us, and she stayed a few steps ahead as she gracefully danced past vines and hanging branches. All angels were light on their feet, but the huntress seemed to have an extra level of expertise in stealth. Her legs moved over the moss like she was flying, and it was almost like the jungle moved out of the way for her.
The green feathers in her wings blended in perfectly with the emerald tones of the jungle, too, and her well-toned legs looked strong enough to kick the life out of anything that stepped in her path. Her arms were slim and carved with muscle as if she had been an athlete her whole life, but I figured years of hunting in lands like this was more than enough to build a figure that impressive.
A deep groan of breaking glass echoed out above us, and a few yellow birds erupted from the nearest tree in panic. Fianna looked up but didn’t stop walking while the creaking sound continued.
“The dome’s shattering,” I said quietly. “Do you know why?”
Fianna glanced over her shoulder to give me a piercing stare before she looked ahead again.
“Clearly it is weak,” she hissed. “Just like the will of the god who left it.”
“Asshole god.” Cyra nodded. “I know that story.”
Fianna remained silent as she led us up a slope that was covered in deep brown moss and twisted roots that snaked along the ground. The trees were a brighter shade of green along the wide hill, and the hanging vines were thankfully not moving with life.
Clearly the demons hadn’t taken over every plant in the jungle, but I still kept a wary eye on the canopy above.
A deep growl echoed out around us, and I swung my sword up as my angels froze. Fianna kept walking and didn’t even raise her arrow, but she made a cooing sound as something emerged from the trees.
Then a tiger-sized feline walked up to the huntress with a gentle purr. It had light-green fur with brown stripes, and its claws were razor sharp. The creature’s muscular body dwarfed Fianna, but she showed only adoration as she stroked the cat’s side.
“Is this your pet?” I asked, and the huntress threw me another glare.
“She is nobody’s pet,” Fianna said. “This is a creature of the jungle with her own life to live and will to follow. She is my friend.”
The tiger purred, and the huntress carried on walking with the creature by her side.
“You want to cuddle that animal?” Cyra asked Brooke, and the water angel grimaced.
The green-and-brown tiger walked quietly beside Fianna until they both came to a stop outside a rock face that was covered with dark moss. There was a thick layer of brown vines that twisted down in front of what looked like a cave entrance, too.
I took a moment to make sure they weren’t moving in case this was somehow an elaborate trap.
Fianna whistled deeply, and two pairs of hands suddenly pulled back the vines at each side to create a doorway. The huntress stepped through with her tiger friend right behind her, and I looked at my angels with a grin.
“We’re in,” I said. “Let’s see what we can find out about the demons of the Jungle Lands.”
I strode in through the pulled apart vines, and I glanced to each side to see two large men holding them open. Both had darker skin with green pants and bare chests, and one of the men had a thick scar running over his abs. They had spears at their sides, and their brown eyes studied me curiously as I nodded at them.
“Thanks,” I said quietly. “I’m Ryan.”
The rest of the angels followed in behind me, and the two men exchanged shocked glances.
“Fianna,” the shorter man said. “These are your friends?”
“No!” the huntress scoffed. “But they are fellow angels. They won’t survive if I let them stay outside, and they’ll end up attracting trouble.”
The scarred man nodded silently as he let the doorway of vines fall back into place. Both men then patrolled slowly across the closed entrance with their spears held close.
We were inside a small area that had one tunnel leading downward. The walls were lined with flickering torches, and blue spiders scuttled over the stone. It was much cooler in here than it was out amongst the humidity of the trees, and I was grateful for the temperature change.
Fianna didn’t speak as she walked down the corridor with her tiger friend following behind. Her slim hips swayed with each step as she silently descended out of sight.
“She’s not very chatty,” Brooke hissed. “Should we just follow her?”
“I don’t think she’s going to try anything,” I said. “If she really wanted to attack, then she would have. This is a pretty awesome spot for a safehouse, so let’s see what the rest of it’s like.”
We followed the huntress down a very steep decline, and I knew we must be far underground inside the tunnel. Fianna stopped at the bottom of the walkway in front of a huge boulder that blocked our way.
The huntress whistled again, and the stone suddenly rolled aside with several grunts of effort coming from behind it. We stepped into a huge cavern that was bustling with life as four more men pushed the boulder back into place. Most beings inside were humans with similar skin tone and features to the guards at the doorway. But there were also a couple more green tigers, and several people with an orange tint to their skin sat around skinning meat.
There was an area without any lit torches that was used to store meat on blue rocks, and I figured that was the cooler area for keeping food fresh. Beds made of tightly packed leaves and moss were at the back, and arrowheads were being sharpened by a group who sat cross-legged on the floor. There were men, women, and children all living in the space, and I spotted bowls of fresh fruit being passed around.
“Some other tribes had to hide here,” Fianna said without looking at me. “They got separated from their people, and it can be too dangerous to cross back to their colonies.”
“It’s good of you to take them in,” I said. “This place looks like it’s got everything. Your people are well fed with that fruit and meat.”
“The Jungle still provides for us,” the huntress said stiffly. “Even if demons are claiming its resources.”
She stroked the tiger before the beast slinked off to join the others of its kind.
People looked over at my angels curiously, but I could tell everyone was dedicated to their various jobs. Some were carefully skinning what looked like a boar, and others were crafting new spears from wood and flint.
I was impressed that Fianna had kept such a functioning colony amidst all the chaos of the demons. It was much more civilized than our introduction to the Fire Lands had been.
“Fianna,” a small boy said as he hurried over to the huntress angel.
He held out a bowl of chopped-up fruit that looked like pink pineapple, and he smiled widely as Fianna crouched down.
“Givafruit,” the huntress said. “Did you chop this yourself?”
“Yes,” the boy said proudly. “I know it’s your favorite.”
“You did a good job.” Fianna smiled as she took the bowl. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” the boy said as he bounced from foot to foot. “I love you!”
I was shocked at how adoringly Fianna looked at the boy as he hurried off, and there was no doubt that she was worshiped by her people.
“We should talk,” Fianna said with her grudging tone returning. “Come.”
We followed her through the cavern toward another tunnel that led off to the left. People waved and smiled at the huntress as she passed, and she responded to each greeting with a sharp nod.
“They love her,” Nisha said. “She must protect them all really well.”
“Or she scares them,” Cyra snorted.
We walked into the tunnel and followed Fianna around a sharp bend. The stone corridor was only a few feet long and led us into a much smaller cavern with a river running through the middle. Water poured in from a low opening on one side and flowed right out through another gap on the left.
“Whoa!” Brooke gasped. “This is gorgeous!”
“The river passes through the caves before it flows downhill,” Fianna said. “It means we don’t have to go above for fresh water, and we can fish here if needed. The supply isn’t always huge, but it was life-saving back when nobody could go outside.”
The huntress led us over to an area beside the water that had been covered with a mossy rug. We sat around in a circle, and Fianna shoved pink fruit into her mouth before she placed it in the center to share.
Angels didn’t need much food to survive, but they still enjoyed eating it from time to time, and I was pleased to see she’d at least share her resources with us. Even if she did seem to like glaring. A lot.
“Why couldn’t people go above ground?” I asked as I took a piece of fruit.
“The bears,” Fianna grunted as she looked at the river. “They would slaughter anyone who stepped out into the open. That was one of my god’s parting gifts. Taking away his protection from apex predators.”
She spat out a seed and glared at me with unblinking hazel eyes.
“That’s shitty,” I said outright. “We’ve seen a few of those kinds of ‘gifts’ in other lands. I’m sorry he did that to you.”
“Don’t say sorry,” Fianna said coldly. “It’s nothing to do with you.”
I shrugged as I tried the fruit, and it was like an explosion of sugary mango inside my mouth. The delicious food quenched my thirst as well as hunger, and I took another handful as I waited for Fianna to speak again.
I could tell she was fiercely loyal and proud of her people, and with good reason. They had really built something special despite the fucking horrible odds they were up against in this jungle.
It made sense to me that she wouldn’t trust strangers, too. There were plenty of mutants in her lands, but I was a little confused why the sight of fellow angels hadn’t been a relief to her.
My angel companions had all been relieved to be among one another, no matter what circumstances they’d been in when I found them.
“You’ve done amazingly,” I said. “This place is incredible. A source of freshwater, a hidden doorway, and enough room for people not to feel cramped.”
“Yes, we clearly don’t need a god,” Fianna firmly replied. “I did all of this myself. When the God of Hunting abandoned us, I had to step up. Those bears would have slaughtered every tribe in the land if I hadn’t stopped them. Every day I stalk those beasts and hunt them down. So we live in this version of peace here.”
“I haven’t seen any bears yet,” I said.
“Yeah,” Fianna snorted. “You’re welcome.”
“Good point.” I grinned. “You clearly are a skilled hunter.”
Fianna’s plump lips curled into a hint of a smile, but she quickly furrowed her brow back into a scowl.
“I’m surprised you found your way here,” the huntress said. “That void seems endless.”
“I navigated,” Ruby said coolly. “But I always did have skills that you could never understand.”
“You two!” Brooke scolded and clicked her tongue. “What’s with all of this sass? We’re all angels and have to help each other.”
Fianna rolled her eyes, but Ruby offered the water angel a smile.
“It’s just teasing,” the crystal angel said. “I met Fianna a long time ago when I traveled here to visit.”
“To snoop!” Fianna spat. “You always wanted to make sure you were the best angel around. I bet you loved checking that everyone else had lesser powers than you.”
“That’s not true,” Ruby said with a raised eyebrow. “I wanted us all to come together as a sisterhood.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Fianna sighed. “Because of your Elite visions blah, blah, blah.”
“Not visions,” Ruby said. “But I sensed that something big was coming to the world. I wanted us to be ready.”
The two angels looked at each other for a moment, and Fianna shrugged as she glanced back at the river.
“You were right,” she mumbled. “Happy? The gods left, and Ruby got to prove to everyone that she was right.”
“She had a horrible time, too, you know,” Nisha said firmly in defense of her friend. “Ruby was in a deep sleep, trapped in bloodstones, until Ryan saved her. She’s been so brave and guided Cyra through becoming an Elite angel, too.”
The huntress’ eyes narrowed as she looked at the fire angel’s golden feather.
“That’s not possible,” Fianna said. “You need your god to perform the ceremony of the gift.”
“Ryan did it,” Cyra said proudly. “He’s Dracoria’s new dragon god, and he’s done more for us in a few months than our old gods did in centuries.”
Fianna studied me with her piercing hazel eyes, and the gentle flow of the river was the only sound in the cavern. I had a suspicion that the angels singing my praises would do more good than me doing it myself, so I just let the huntress study me as much as she wanted.
“He’s saved my homeland,” Cyra added after a moment. “Ryan has freed the Fire, Water, Night, and Crystal Lands of their demonic captors. Ruby had a prophecy that a new god would save us, and here he is.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Fianna muttered. “How can a human be a god?”
“I was as surprised as you,” I chuckled. “Trust me, this has all been a serious learning curve. But I have the best angels by my side to keep me on track, and I wouldn’t have been able to do this without them.”
Brooke flicked her curls happily as she wiggled her shoulders, and she got up to move toward the river. She stared at the water intently before she dipped a toe in, and the surface suddenly gleamed with turquoise sparks.
“It’s perfect,” she sighed. “Do you mind if I have a dip?”
“Sure,” Fianna said without interest. “Just don’t let the snappers get you.”
“Snappers?” Brooke frowned.
“Small fish,” Fianna said. “They don’t have much meat on them, but their little teeth can do some real damage. Shoals of them drift by sometimes.”
“Hmm.” Brooke pursed her lips. “Maybe I’ll just admire it from here.”
I ate another piece of fruit as a green eel drifted along the river and lazily swam along with the current. The small cavern was extremely peaceful, and I spotted a few wooden cups that suggested people came here when they needed a break.
If Fianna cared that much about her people, I knew she would have to come around to helping us eventually.
“A demon overlord escaped the Fire Lands,” I said without preamble. “We thought he might have come here since it’s the closest realm. Have you got any idea if he’s arrived?”
“An overlord?” Fianna frowned. “I haven’t seen anyone arrive, but the Jungle Lands are one of the largest realms. It’s impossible to keep track of the whole dome at once.”
“Do you know other tribes?” I asked. “If we could speak with people around the land, then we can get an idea of where to search.”
“I know all the tribes,” Fianna said with a hint of pride. “But traveling through this land is too dangerous. Even for you.”
“The jungle has hybrids?” Ruby asked. “Creatures that have been bound with demons?”
“Yes.” Fianna nodded. “So much of the jungle has been taken by evil. There’s no promising other tribes would even let you in without shooting you down, either.”
“We have to try,” I said firmly. “These demon fuckers are powerful, but we can defeat them. Everyone who is able to fight will need to help us, so we have to unite everyone to the cause.”
Fianna had gone back to glaring at me, and I reckoned she didn’t like the thought of someone saving her land if it wasn’t her. But we had already gotten more information from her than I thought we would, and I was confident we were close to her agreeing to help.
