Aathis Prequel Part 2

The second chapter of the prequel, Aathis the Redd Dragon. Here is the previous chapter in case you missed it.

Aathis’s mother, Orella, urged him to fly ahead, and faster.

“Keep up Aathis! They’re getting closer!” Being a full-grown Redd dragon, Orella was faster than her teenage son. She had to do something to help him get to safety. And there wasn’t time to grab him. Aathis lowered his head and pumped his wings, as both hid behind a mountain.

“Mother, why are doing this? We must we hide?” Aathis griped. Orella looked around to make sure that they were safe.

“The number of humans that are here, it’s too many. Come, let’s consult with your father.” They flew directly upward then once they were too high to be seen by humans, they made way for their cave within the white cliffs.

Adalbert looked from inside his family’s cave. His wife and son arrived, somewhat hurriedly. Perhaps a few freshly cooked Aurochs would calm them down.

“Are you alright?” asked Adalbert. He moved toward them, but crawling was not easy, now that he was a three-limbed dragon. In spite of losing his left front arm however, Adalbert had adapted. The father now proudly wore a six-foot scar that was as hard as stone.

“Yes, we are my love,” answered Orella. “But something is afoot out there.” Seeing what was for dinner that night, Aathis could not help but complain.

“Roast Aurochs, again?! Why?”

“Son, roast Aurochs is delicious, and we must be appreciative for every food we have. Why, these beasts might even go extinct one day.”

“Humans would never let a giant steak like this go away!” Aathis countered with. Adalbert just shook his head.

“Now onto more important things, why did you hurry home?” Orella took a deep, non-fiery breath.

“Our human neighbors have taken to the coast with all of the weapons they have. They are desperate and ready to fight what seems to be a superior force.” Adalbert was concerned.

“And if the Britons are defeated, a superior human force might come here to our home.” Orella nodded. Adalbert stopped to think. Aathis however, spat out seven or eight Auroch’s ribs and gave his plan.

“Let them come! I don’t care how many of them there are! There is nothing that we can’t handle.”

“Son-” Adalbert started with. Aathis continued unwaveringly.

“Let’s meet this new group out there when they come! In fact, I’ll find them right now!” Aathis moved to the cave without any hesitation. Orella quickly put a claw on her son’s right shoulder.

“Aathis, no!” The youthful dragon still moved for the cave entrance, zealous for a quick end to the oncoming battle. The boy nearly got away but his father grabbed the boy’s tail and put all of his weight on it.

“Stop!” yelled Adalbert. “You are strong and so are we, but with this many humans and who knows how many are on their way.” Aathis still writhed to get away. “How many humans so far?”

“The coast is full of men on horses, each man carries sword and javelin.”

“The javelins are no match for us, but these other humans — we need to find out who they are.” Adalbert turned to his still wriggling teenage son. “AATHIS STOP! PLEASE! We will defend our homeland, but we have to do it right!” Aathis planted his claws and looked at his parents, then nodded calmly.

Aathis could have breathed fire on his mother and father, but a dragon family would never do that to each other. Against dragons who are not family, however…

“I have come to a decision. Orella since you are younger and fly faster than I do, you will go ahead and find out who is on their way. And not just where they come from, but get me the names of their commanders.”

“I understand,” said Orella with a grin. Orella moved toward the rear of the cave then took a short sprint to the cave entrance and leapt into the air. She flew as fast as any dragon could and flew to the east, as that was where the Britons were expecting the attack to come from.

Figuring out what the humans were saying would be no problem for dragons, as they are and always will be, the most intelligent creatures on earth.

“Father, what can we do while mom is out?”

“We wait. But son, Aathis, do I really need to remind you that we are not invulnerable?” Aathis looked away. “I mean, I was born with two arms and now I only have one!”

“Yes, father.”

“And don’t forget the time the humans convinced your cousin, Kushim, to help them hunt for whales in the land of ice and snow.” Adalbert could not help but smile on that, same with Aathis.

“Only to spill an entire shipment of oil at once!” said Aathis. They laughed at that. Every time Adalbert laughed a puff of fire exited his mouth, this time was no exception. Aathis continued, “And then our impractical, unthinking relative rolled on the ground to shake the oil off of his scales, and in so doing was encased in ice and snow for years!” They laughed even harder at that. This time more than a few puffs of fire escaped and lit up the whole cave.

A passing Briton reluctantly guided his horse alongside the caves, above the coast. Normally this British tribesman would not mind doing this but currently the temperature was beginning to drop, and a cold wind made him long for home. Still, the soldier carried on and checked each cave.

Hope was given to the soldier as he saw that there was fire going in there! He quickly dismounted and made way for the cave. A relief from the cold! The Briton paused however, as he did not know if the fire was being made by his fellow British or someone else. Why, it could be the invading Romans in there! He crouched against the cave wall and listed attentively. Then he immediately found out that he had to go inside the cave, there were two men in their speaking his native language of Common Brittonic!

“Greetings men,” said the Briton, who had not made eye contact yet, “Do you mind if I sit by your fire for a moment?” He was still looking at his horse when he spoke. “Just a bit of warmth, my hands are colder than a Gallican’s heart and, AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” It was then that he knew what he had walked into. The Briton recovered from his initial fear and tried to run, only to slip and fall, as both Aathis and Adalbert pinned his shoulders to the ground.

“Sir,” said Adalbert as gently as a full-grown dragon could speak, “No one can know about us, and we prefer to be left alone. Do we have an understanding?” The man nodded immediately. It was then that Adalbert realized that he could have asked for this man’s gold, home, and memories and it would have been granted him. The dragons released their unexpected human guest.

The man got up and slowly walked away, keeping his eyes on the dragons. He looked for his horse, but the noble beast had long since run off. He turned to go just past the cave and leave peacefully but was not able to. It was at that moment that a third dragon landed on the ground directly in front of him. The British soldier shrieked in fear and passed out.

Orella stepped past him and went to talk with her family. No time to deal with guests.

“Sorry it took this long, someone tried to harpoon me in the eye, and I had to take the long way.”

“Who are they mom?” Asked Aathis.

“A human is on his way ready to fight like he has nothing to lose. He calls himself Julius Caesar.

“Julius Caesar?!” said both men.

“Why, do you know him?”

“He is leading Rome currently; their nation will become great one day. He and his people have that ability. But today is not that day!” said Adalbert.

“It’s a good thing I got here when I did,” Orella added, “His people are here now. The Britons are holding off the Romans with javelins, but that won’t last forever.”

“We have to get the Romans out of here,” said Adalbert. “And make it seem like it was not us, but an act of God.”

“But how?” asked Aathis. Adalbert lowered his head wondering and stared at his scarred shoulder. The father then remembered his concern for his wife and looked at her, grateful that the harpoons had not pierced her eyes or face. She had recovered.

Recovered!

Adalbert smiled broadly and said, “The air! Our greatest ally and natural healer of Redd dragons is the air, and that is what we shall use!” The other dragons were confused. Adalbert motioned toward the humans fighting beneath the cliffs. “The Romans arrived by boat, wind-powered boats. A massive gale will delay their efforts, harass them and-” Adalbert deliberately paused here.

“Convince them to quit!” said Aathis. Everyone nodded in agreement. “Let’s go!” The dragon family took to the air. The adults took the lead as they were faster, Aathis stayed in the rear. Before they left however, Aathis saw the British man wake up and go running toward his people. He would have to tell his parents about that later.

“Follow my lead!” called out Adalbert. The dragons flew in circles on the opposite side of the cliffs where the humans were battling. At first, they flew in small circles, then wider circles, small again, wider again, and kept alternating. They flew faster and faster, and as massive beasts they naturally forced air against the cliffs and created a wind tunnel. They kept at it until they were tired and once again being dragons, that was a long time.

The Romans appeared to be facing another British gale force wind, nothing more: an act of God and a common occurrence in this area. Caesar withdrew his forces back to Gall, determined to come back another time.

The dragons had flown for days and had it not been in the air, that amount of exhaustion could have killed them. Still, they needed to rest. The family gingerly made way for the cave and once they were halfway home Aathis reminded his mother and father that today was also, moving day.