Tears of a Dragon (27 page)
The lead figure strode down the aisle, his form becoming clearer by the second. As he marched up the stage steps, Martha cried out, “It’s Reginald! And he’s carrying the king!”
Reginald stopped in front of Bonnie. Billy’s arms dangled, blood dripping from his fingertips. Tear tracks striped Reginald’s blood-stained cheeks. “I brought him here as quickly as I could, though I cannot see how any hope remains.”
Bonnie grabbed Billy’s hand and pressed it to her cheek. He had no ring. How could he come into the theatre without one unless he was . . . “Oh no!” Her whole body shook. She felt for a pulse. “Is he . . .” She swallowed hard, unable to squeak out another word. With her gaze fixed on Billy’s blood-soaked chest, she begged it to take in a single breath. It didn’t move.
Reginald kept his head angled away from Bonnie, his face streaming with new tears. “Yes, my precious girl. A betrayer killed him.” He dropped a dagger at his feet, and it clanked on the floor. “But she will not kill again.”
Bonnie ran her trembling hands up and down Billy’s dark sleeve. “But he can be raised . . .” She looked back at the rubellite screen. “Right Merlin?”
“Bring the dagger to me!” Merlin ordered.
Brogan snatched up the stone blade and rushed it to the glass wall. Merlin eyed it for a moment, then clenched his fist. “It’s the staurolite dagger! Morgan’s work. It will take more than the power of the rubellite to raise the king now.”
Several people on the stage murmured. More than one began to weep. Martha fell to her aged knees wailing a vague lament.
Reginald set Billy’s body on the stage floor and knelt beside him, covering his face with his hands. “I was close by. I should have stayed with him. Now all is lost!”
“No!” Merlin shouted. “Even in death, he can still pierce the veil, but he must be carried.”
Reginald slid his hands under Billy’s body again. “Shall I carry him?” he asked.
Merlin shook his head. “Did Billy tell you your physical body is inhabited by someone else?”
“If he did,” Reginald said, laying Billy’s hands on his chest, “I was too dense to listen.”
Merlin pointed at the stage floor. “Then you must stay here until a body is secured for you. Otherwise you would disperse in the air as a cloud of energy if you tried to cross over.”
“Then who will carry him?”
“There is only one who is able,” Merlin replied, “the only other one here who is fully dragon and fully human, the only one who can split the barrier between the two worlds.”
Merlin turned his gaze to Bonnie. “You have carried Billy before, both physically and spiritually. Although he has been a valiant warrior, he could never have taken the first step, much less the next ten thousand, without your support. You are the virgin who gave him spiritual birth. It is only right that you should be his shroud and carry him on his last great journey.”
Bonnie could only nod in reply. She crouched next to Billy, her legs trembling so badly, she wondered if she’d be able to get up again. She slid her hands under his back and legs, and Reginald helped her lift Billy’s body until she could stand up and set her feet.
When Reginald pulled his hands away, Bonnie let out an “oomph.” Billy’s full weight bent her back and anchored her feet to the stage floor. Rippling pain shot through her arms as she strained to keep them curled. With no wings to help her lift and with her legs wobbling, she could barely stand, much less walk.
A young woman stepped forward from the crowd, now swollen to a hundred or more souls. “You can do it, dear angel! If not for you, I would be lost with the rest of them. You are a messenger from the Maker!”
Brogan whispered in Bonnie’s ear. “That’s my sister, Darby. I told her all about you and my dreams.”
Mr. Collins joined Darby, clutching the brim of his bowler hat. “And I, Miss, would never have believed had I not seen you.”
Bonnie shuffled her feet toward the screen. Billy’s arm fell from his chest and dangled again. She choked back a sob. “So, I just walk right through?”
Merlin picked up the hourglass and stepped to the side of the crystal veil. “Yes. As the king enters, the red in this gemstone screen will fade to white. The rest of the faithful will follow the passage to freedom.”
“Except for me,” Reginald said, backing away. “Finding a body for me is a hope beyond hope. Who would be willing to die and allow me to take his place?”
Bonnie felt as if her face was about to explode. “You can’t stay! You’re the main reason Billy came!” With her arms aching and time fleeing, she couldn’t argue. “Merlin! What can we do?”
“Nothing that I know of, fair maiden. When the prophecies run dry, all I can do is watch in wonder as God completes his master plan.” He held up the hourglass. Only a few grains remained at the top. “As for you, you have to trust and obey. There are only seconds left.”
Bonnie gulped. It became so quiet, she could hear Billy’s blood dripping onto the stage. She leaned back, slid her arm up higher on his shoulders, and blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. With her weight creaking the planks, she slid one shoe forward, then the other. The gemstone screen pulsed its red beacon signal as though warning her to stop, go back, never return.
“One more step, Bonnie!” Brogan shouted. “You can do it!” A chorus of cheers erupted.
Merlin faded away at the side of the screen. In the center, she could see Walter holding Excalibur, its beam blazing. As she took the final step, the crystalline barrier flashed with white light.
When the smoke cleared, the army of demons had dispersed. Morgan half stood, half floated next to the biggest Watcher. Two other Watchers remained behind them along with twenty or more of the snake demons.
Excalibur vibrated in Walter’s grip as if it wanted to fly into battle. He gazed at his hand on the hilt, then slowly followed the blade up to the point, staring at it with wonder.
Morgan screamed, “They’re still alive! Samyaza! Gather the forces and strike them down at once!”
Samyaza blasted a single bass note that vibrated the ground at Walter’s feet. The snake demons assembled into formation again, flying down from the sky, their black bodies shimmering like polished obsidian. While they congregated, Samyaza barked orders. Walter glanced at his friends. Most were now on their feet, but it seemed that the dragons were still groggy, their bodies swaying as they tried to keep their balance. There was no way they could survive another assault. The knights seemed dazed as well, but at least they were up, encouraging the dragons to dig deep for one last battle.
Ashley knelt with Professor Hamilton next to Marilyn. With her body propped up against a tree, Mrs. B’s arms hung limp, her head tipping to one side. Blood painted a wide circle under her neckline, staining her gray sweater.
Walter’s heart ached. That was Billy’s mom, and somehow Billy was inside the pendant that lay on her chest, having no idea that his mother was dead. He was probably in there spilling his guts to do anything God commanded him, and if he ever made it out alive, he would find a new tragedy. Walter wrung Excalibur’s hilt with both hands. It was up to him to prevent it.
Ashley waved at Walter. “Bring Excalibur! I’m feeling stronger, so the professor wants to try again before it’s too late!”
Ashley’s cry echoed in Walter’s brain. Excalibur vibrated, sending a tremor into his heart that echoed with a surge of power from deep in his soul. His muscles flexed on their own, extending the sword into the air. Power erupted from his chest and into his arms, ripping upward toward the blade. When the energy hit his hands, the blade ignited into an explosion of brilliant light, much brighter than he had ever seen it.
“Stand back, Prof!” Walter yelled. “I’ll do it.”
As the professor crawled away, the knights and dragons perked up their heads. Shelly, Shiloh, and Karen stood like statues, their eyes bulging. Walter’s dad hugged Shelly, and his mom stooped between the younger girls and drew them close. Ashley pulled Marilyn’s body into her embrace, then nodded.
Walter slashed the beam downward, sending a streak of light shooting across the ground. A series of sharp pops erupted in its path, and tiny puffs of smoke dotted the line like black toadstools. The bolt slammed into Ashley. Her arms locked around Marilyn. Her hair turned bright white. Laser beams shot through her eyes, and her whole body shook.
Ashley pointed the beams at Marilyn’s heart. They struck the pendant, sending a huge splash of bright sparkling crimson all around, a constantly exploding fireworks display that nearly shrouded Ashley in red flares.
Walter kept the energy going, not knowing when to shut it off, and not really sure how. The sparks turned from red to pink, then to white, like a constant storm of shooting stars.
Ashley cried out, her voice shattered by the streaming flood of high-voltage light. “S-s-s-stop, Walter. S-s-stop!”
Walter swung the beam clear, letting it rocket into the sky. He glanced back at the army of fiends as they formed rank again. Devin flew in and landed gracefully next to Morgan, completing their front line.
Ashley’s laser eyes flashed off. The gem pulsed white, still sending streams of sparks into the air. Suddenly a huge burst of light popped through the rubellite, a million flashing molecules that formed a walking statue in the air. The collection of energy floated to the ground and materialized into a winged female holding a large mass.
Within seconds, the figure transformed into Bonnie Silver carrying Billy in her arms. She set him on his feet, and he walked in place as if testing his legs. She lunged at him and threw her arms around his neck, her wings fluttering. “You’re alive! Praise the Lord, you’re alive!” The shower of sparks from the gem continued, throwing sequins of celebration on their heads.
Walter choked out a gasp. His chest heaved. The beam died away, and he ran to Billy and Bonnie, dropping Excalibur and wrapping both his friends in his arms. They wept together, laughing and crying at the same time.
Walter socked Billy on the arm. “What a bum, letting Bonnie carry you like that! She ain’t your personal flotation device!”
Billy punched him back, then gazed at Bonnie’s sparkling eyes. “No, but she’s a life saver!”
Walter roared, “I love it!” He slapped Billy’s back. “I’ll have to steal that joke from you.”
“I got a pulse!” All three spun around. Ashley was pressing her fingers on Marilyn’s wrist. She drew the limp arm up and kissed the back of her hand. “She’s alive.”
Chapter 18
Billy ran to his mother and gripped her hand. “What happened?”
Amidst a continuing shower of energy, Ashley touched a nasty wound on Marilyn’s throat. “A dog attacked her—Morgan’s devil dog.” She patted Billy’s shoulder. “I think she’ll be okay now.”
The sparks from the pendant died away for a moment but quickly returned, erupting in a series of punctuated bursts. Each burst expanded into an enormous mass that floated above the ground like a glittering ghost. The first mass sprouted limbs, then what looked like a pair of wings on its back. A half dozen others followed, each one slowly morphing into a dragon shape. The eyes of the first “pendant dragon” glowed a brilliant blue. It dipped its head as if bowing politely. In its sparkling, disembodied form, it seemed unable to speak, but somehow Billy knew who it was. He smiled and bowed in return. “Welcome, Brogan!”
As the features of the other pendant dragons clarified, Billy thought he recognized Martha and Mr. Collins, but he couldn’t be sure. Only the color and shape of their eyes differed from one shining dragon to the next. An army of pendant dragons slowly took shape, but with non-physical bodies of pure light, would they be able to help in the battle?
A tuba blast sounded. Billy jumped up and joined Walter and Bonnie. “What was that?”
Walter kicked dirt toward their enemies. “Samyaza’s calling the troops. He’s so full of hot air, he has to get rid of it somehow.”
The demon army, hundreds of viciously ugly vermin, coiled on the ground like vipers ready to strike. Ten Watchers lined up in front, looking taller and stronger than ever.
Morgan lifted her thin arm into the air. “Attack!”
Each Watcher shot a stream of darkness from his eyes. The professor snapped up Excalibur and sculpted a photo-umbrella over his human and dragon allies. The energy field deflected the black jets into the air.
The Watchers halted at the edge of the professor’s strobing dome. The vipers surrounded the sphere and stopped, their tongues flicking madly. Morgan floated to a spot in front of the professor. Only a few feet of earth and a shield of light separated them. “That was a quick move for an old man, Charles Hamilton, but you’ll see that I have more up my sleeve than a dram of poison for your sweet wife.”
The professor’s face turned red, but he stood erect, unflinching.
Morgan picked up one of the winged serpents. As she looked into its eyes, it curled its six-foot-long body around her waist. “Time for your feast, Zimsko. Strike the one with the sword first and devour him slowly.” She set the serpent down, and it immediately dug its snout into the soil, burrowing furiously. Hundreds of other demons joined in, each one picking a spot around the dome and digging underneath the shield.
The professor’s arms trembled. “Any ideas, William?”
When the snakes’ bodies disappeared underground, Billy turned to the dragons. “They’re coming across! Get ready to blast them!”
Seconds later, Zimsko’s ugly head popped up inside the barrier, his tongue flicking over the professor’s shoes. The professor stomped its head, splattering black goo under his soles, but dozens more popped up, hissing loudly. The humans in the group stomped on the openings, but there were far too many heads to squish. The dragons shot blasts of fire, engulfing several demons until they burst into flames, but the heads kept appearing. The dark thick bodies squeezed through their burrows until the ground was blackened by writhing serpents with fluttering wings.
Ashley stood in front of Marilyn, her feet set for fighting. More bursts flew from the pendant, joining with the others—twenty dragons . . . fifty . . . too many to count—but they still had no substance, just pure energy in dragon form. The first few now had red eyes, pulsing like the rings they once wore in Dragons’ Rest, and they began testing their wings with great fervor, like old soldiers reliving days of glory.
Two demons struck at the professor’s legs. He deftly leaped over them and lowered the beam, swiping it across the ground and frying at least six snakes. The photo-umbrella collapsed, leaving nothing to protect them from the Watchers.
Morgan’s shrill voice pierced the commotion. “Kill them all!”
Streams of darkness flew toward them. Four of the pendant dragons blew blasts of energy that cut off the black streams, vaporizing them into clouds of smoke. Several more pendant dragons launched a salvo of electricity balls, each ball grabbing a serpent with a pair of sizzling, claw-like arcs of energy and devouring its flesh. When the snake disappeared, the ball crumbled into gray ashes.
The physical dragons spewed fireballs, like bursts from a cannon, into one of the Watchers, pounding his chest until he exploded in a titanic blaze. The Watchers levitated as if on a high-speed elevator until they were nearly out of sight. Devin flew to join them while the serpent demons continued their assault.
The knights mounted their dragons. Edmund whistled a shrill note. “We’ll take on the Watchers. Whoever these other dragons are, they can handle the snakes! Fly!” The physical dragons vaulted into the air and zoomed upward, following the path of the Watchers.
Half of the serpents took to the air and struck at the remaining men from above, ignoring the women and girls. The pendant dragons fired their electric snake-eaters, but they weren’t always quick enough. One viper bit Sir Patrick on the ankle. He grasped the serpent by the tail and slung it away.
Bonnie squished the crawling demon with her foot and yelled at Shiloh. “Keep stomping! I don’t think they can see us!” Shiloh smashed her foot down on one of the biggest serpents. Catherine, Shelly, and Karen hopped from snake to snake, raising splashes of black goo.
Ashley, still without a cloaking halo, stayed at Marilyn’s side, hugging Pebbles close to her chest while pressing her hand on Marilyn’s throat. One of the pendant dragons guarded them, spewing energy balls at any demon that dared to draw near.
Billy helped Sir Patrick hobble toward Ashley. Patrick sat down heavily, clutching his ankle. Billy pulled up his cuff and examined the wound. It was nasty, already swollen and dark red. “I’ll be all right,” Patrick said. “Tend to someone else.”
Billy shifted to his mother and laid a hand on her cheek. “How is she?”
Ashley pressed harder on Marilyn’s neck. “She’s breathing, but now that her heart’s pumping, she’s losing more blood. I’m trying to slow it down, but it’s pretty bad.”
“Speaking of bad.” He nodded toward the field where Morgan stood. Devin had flown to her side again, now a sparkling rusty color. Billy squinted at the glow. What was that stuff on his scales?
Morgan yelled a strange word, and the serpents drew back, flying and slithering into a mass around her and the dragon.
Billy clutched his mother’s hand. “How did Devin get out?”
“I let him out.” Ashley gazed at him through pitiful eyes. “Will you forgive me?”
“Forgive you?!” Billy leaned over and kissed Ashley on the forehead with a loud smack. “When this is over, I’m gonna knight you!” He braced Marilyn’s back and pulled her forward, careful to keep her head from flopping, then lifted the pendant over her head. After leaning her back again, he pointed the rubellite, now as white as bleached wool, at her face. “Dad!” he yelled. “Since the Great Key opened the gates between the two worlds, I’m guessing you can probably hear me now.” He drew the pendant back slightly to encompass his mom’s slumped body. “This is Marilyn, your wife, and she needs you. Be ready to come out, but wait for my signal.” Billy stood and draped the pendant around his neck, then marched quickly toward Walter, his muscles flexing as he steeled himself for battle.
Devin flew toward the professor, his mouth and nostrils blazing. The professor deflected his fire with Excalibur, then slashed across the dragon’s body with the beam. The laser sizzled against his scales but immediately died away. With a mighty flap of his wings, Devin swooped low, but the professor ducked to the side.
Devin pulled up and made a sharp turn. He dove again, this time aiming straight for the group of girls. As the dragon leveled off, the professor leaped into the air, hooked his arm around Devin’s neck, and swung himself to the top, losing Excalibur in the process.
Bonnie pushed Shiloh and Karen to the ground and lay on top of them, spreading her wings for cover. The professor wrenched the dragon’s neck with both arms, forcing his scaly head back and making him fly blind.
Devin swerved away from the girls, roaring and spitting balls of flames. Billy ducked under one of the fireballs, grabbed the sword, and finally joined Walter. With Devin careening like a drunken driver only a few feet off the ground and the professor sitting on top, Billy couldn’t get a clean shot at him. Would the beam work at all? Devin seemed unfazed by the professor’s blasts.
The professor jerked the dragon’s neck again. With a sudden heave, Devin slung him away, sending him tumbling across the ground. Devin soared into the air and banked full circle while Carl, Catherine, and the girls surrounded the fallen teacher.
Walter held out his fist toward Devin. “Dad gave me the candlestone. Let me take that critter out.”
His muscles flexed, Billy shook his head and relit Excalibur’s beam. “No! This is my fight. But stay close and keep it ready, just in case.” He jumped up and down and screamed, “Devin, you mongrel coward! You yellow lizard! Come down here and fight!”
Walter shook his fist. “Yeah!” He pointed at Billy. “What he said!”
Devin zoomed toward the ground, looking like an armored battering ram ready to splinter the two teens like a pair of balsawood doors. Billy muttered, “He thinks that coat will protect him.” He set his feet in a battle stance. “Gotta time this just right.”
Walter held out his fist. “Just say the word.”
The dragon spread his wings and streaked across the ground, no more than five feet in the air. Billy pushed Walter out of the way and yelled into the pendant. “Now, Dad! Now!” He dodged left, bent low, and thrust Excalibur upward into Devin’s soft underbelly, driving the blade in to the hilt. The dragon fell, and they both tumbled over and over, finally coming to a stop with Billy prostrate on top, Excalibur still in his grip and the blade wedged deeply in the dragon’s belly.
Devin lay on his back, his wings splayed underneath. Billy strangled the hilt of the sword, summoning every ounce of energy he could into the laser beam. Bright sparks spewed from the wound. The dragon’s carcass flooded with light. Energy streamed back into Billy’s quaking frame, shooting up his arms and covering his body with red arcs of electricity that swept up over his head and sizzled into the air.
A new stream erupted from the pendant, flowing down Billy’s arms and back into the wound. Pain ripped through his chest like lightning bolts piercing his heart, each one worse than the plunge of Elaine’s dagger. He shuddered, every bone rattling from head to toe. Fire shot out of his mouth and surged into the sky, a rushing torrent greater than any he had ever seen. After what felt like endless torture, the flames sputtered, and Excalibur’s beam died away.
Dazed, he slowly climbed to his feet atop the dragon’s belly. He grasped the hilt for balance, then, when the world stopped spinning, he withdrew the sword, bringing a flow of sparkling blood with it. He leaped off, bending his knees to soften his landing, then backed away, watching for signs of life.
A strange sound from above caught his attention, and he searched the sky. A narrow cylinder of red sparks hovered in the air, swirling like a crimson dust devil of pure energy. It glided to the ground, emitting a high-pitched squeal and a foul-smelling wind, then inched toward the people gathered around the professor, its lower end stirring up the soil.
Billy, with Walter on his heels, headed off the tornado. He halted in front of his friends and stood his ground. Carl knelt beside Professor Hamilton, his arms under the teacher’s back, as if preparing to carry him to safety. Catherine and the girls jumped from place to place, stamping out demons.
As the twisting light drew closer to the professor, Walter crept closer to Billy, his head high. “Think it’s Devin?” he shouted.
Billy raised Excalibur, the wind whipping his hair. “Yeah, it’s Devin, and I’m through running from him.”
Walter opened his hand, exposing the candlestone. “Want me to use the dragon slayer vacuum cleaner again?”
Billy tried not to wince, but the gem seemed to bite through his heart like the jaws of a pit bull. He ignited the sword’s laser, but the light seemed dimmer than usual, flickering weakly. He could hardly catch his breath. “I don’t know.” As the cyclone drew within inches, the disgusting odor nearly made him retch. “Keeping him prisoner hasn’t worked before.”
Walter made a fist around the stone and retreated a single step, his heels touching the professor. “Better make up your mind. That tornado makes the Tasmanian devil look like Cupid doing the twist.”
“Let’s go for it.” Billy nodded toward the ground. “Put it at the bottom of the swirl.”
Walter stooped and placed the glittering candlestone just ahead of the swirl’s funnel. The candlestone latched onto the light and drew it downward like a fisherman reeling in a prize marlin. The swirl struggled, stretching up and thinning out, its squeal growing louder.
Within seconds, the final stream of red slurped into the stone. Billy raised the sword and sliced through the gem with the bloody blade, splitting it cleanly in half. A dazzling explosion erupted from within, and a shower of sparks fell to the ground and twinkled into oblivion.
Billy stared down at the broken gem and took in a deep draft of air, now clean and fresh. Devin was finally gone for good. He marched back to the dragon’s body and laid his palm on the scales. The body jerked. Billy backed away while the dragon rolled upright. It swung its head around and blinked at him, each blink revealing a red flare of nobility in its eyes. A low rumble sounded from its throat, stuttering, as if it were just learning to speak. Finally, it said, “Well done, Billy . . . my son.”
The dragon rose to his haunches and lowered his head close to the ground. “We have work to do, so I bow my head to take a rider.”
