Without hurry Hobble rose to his feet. “Oooaaah!” he moaned in a winching voice, as he pressed his hands against his lower back. “Next door we use thee Lynex ta eh open it!”
“POP,” erupted an abrupt blast from Hobble’s lower end, followed by a resounding series of, “PIPPITY POP KABANGS.” Waiting until his harmonious flurry came to a conclusion, Hobble stood red in the face staring back at the group. “It tis me uncle wanting ta eh know if we tar safe,” he finally said.
“What has that got to do with your foul gas?” complained the Lynex, pinching his nose. “Admit it dwarf, you just exerted yourself to much and it squeezed out.”
Ignoring the Lynex Hobble picked up his pack and reached inside, yanking out a bottle of Celser Whiff. He quickly pulled the cork off and took a swig. “He should eh rejoice twith this,” he said, recorking his bottle. “I twould not expect eh stupid Lynex to eh know about such valued things!”
The Lynex stuck out his tongue and Hobble ignoring the affront took back the dwarf torch from Jacob.
“Master prince,” then asked the Lynex, “do I have to go with you when you talk to the dragon?”
“No you may remain here if you want, there’s no need for you to come,” replied Jacob.
“You are most kind, most kind. But no—no—no!” responded the Lynex, showing a renewed determination. “I shall be brave like you and go to my death. After all, if they eat us, think of my glory of being consumed with the prince of the realm. I will be famous above everyone else, as the only Lynex to have the honor of being personally chosen by the prince to be eaten together as his companion in death. In future books I will be mentioned as the bravest of all, and children for generations to come will talk of me with a tear in their eye while they bow their head in humblest respect.”
“Let us go!” exclaimed Hobble, shaking his head with a grumble and mounting his pack and axe on his back. “Only eh lynex twould say eh stupid thing like that!”
The Lynex looked at Hobble with a scowl and again stuck out his tongue, while angrily shaking his tiny fist. Hobble leered back and then turned, stomping through the doorway.
“I shall be famous, I shall be famous, I shall be famous…” muttered the lynex. He tightened his pack’s shoulder straps, and reached into his pack removing a small glowing stone. With a trembling hand he held up his light.
Hobble lifted his bright torch up high, clearly lighting the steps ahead, and boldly started down the spiraling stone stairwell. The brave team followed close behind, with the Lynex bringing up the rear. Round and round they turned as they descended the circling steps, ducking under dangling cobwebs that were still remaining from the blaze of Hobble’s consuming torch. After several rotations, the circular motion of the stairwell began to take its toll, and Jacob began to feel dizzy. Cautiously he reached out and ran his hand along the smooth stonewall to help steady his balance. It wasn’t long before they had descended several hundred steps into the deep well, and despite the ease of the downward descent, he was already feeling winded. But undaunted Hobble continued to lead them on without seeming strained or stopping to rest. The grueling passage seemed to double each step’s measure, and the relentless stairs continued to emerge out of the eerie darkness, as if there was no end in sight. They had only just begun, but already Jacob’s legs were aching. He began to wonder how far into the depths of the earth they had descended, and found himself hoping against doubt that it wasn’t much further to ground level. His suffering directed his thoughts towards Mr. Pitts’ ordeal. Most likely his own hardships were only trifling in comparison to what Mr. Pitts was currently going though. “Will we be able to find him in time? And can we really rescue him?” he questioned to himself. A nauseous smell was coming from the torch’s burning fuel, and as it drifted back up into his face it caused his stomach to turn sour. The dreadful fumes forced his thoughts back to his unpleasant situation. Ever so shortly he would be facing ferocious dragons spewing out deadly dragon flames, and oddly he found himself torn between wishing that the long stairwell would continue to draw out their journey, and wanting to quickly reach their destination and rest.
Deeper down into the murky pit they wound until at last the steep steps ended at a narrow opening to a pitch-black tunnel. Exhausted the group entered in and took their first well-earned break. They sat down on a bumpy cold floor and leaned their backs up against a rough dark pumice wall.
Jacob noticed a warm foreboding sensation burning in his bosom, and tensely he gazed down the tunnel into the blackness. “I—I think we’re getting closer to the dragons,” he said, feeling very nervous.
“Ye’re perhaps correct, ye hab thee blood of eh master enchanter en’ ye, enn’ can sense such terrible things,” replied Hobble.
The Lynex began to tremble and then nodded his head in agreement as he silently stared ahead with the others into the darkness. Before long the foursome arose and proceeded to make their way onward, shuffling deeper into the foreboding passageway. The tunnel began to slope downward and their pace naturally quickened.
Only a minute had passed since they had started into the tunnel, and the Lynex with his voice cracking called out from behind, “Master Prince—”
“What is it Lynex?” responded Jacob.
“How much farther does your great enchanter blood tell you it is?”
“Humphhh!” grunted Hobble in response, “How did we come ta hab eh Lynex tas eh companion!”
Immediately the Lynex retorted back by sticking out his tongue and blowing a splattering buzz. Hobble sharply stopped and turned in time to catch the end of the Lynex’s jeer. “Humph,” he grunted, as if unperturbed. Ignoring the vulgar insult he turned back and bravely continued leading them onward, but within minutes Hobble began to slow his pace, and Jacob immediately noticed that the air had turned foul.
“It’s getting very smelly in here, isn’t it,” said Emalynn, holding her nose.
“Yeah, where do you think it’s coming from?” responded Jacob with his hand also cupped over his nose.
“It smells dwarfish to me,” snickered the Lynex. “Hobble did it again!”
“Humphhh!” grunted Hobble crossly. “Tis dragons nearby! Ye twould not question thee source if I did it, it twould smell like thee sweet fragrance of eh rose.”
“What is sweet to you is still stink to the rest of us,” snapped the Lynex. “No matter what you say we all know that you are the real culprit!”
Instantly Hobble whirled about, and with a heated glare he abruptly stuck his tongue out at the Lynex. Then taking a mighty breath he blew, “PLUUUUUU,” and tiny gobs of spit showered the tunnel.
“Hobble!” screamed Emalynn, “Stop it! You’re spitting all over me!”
“Shhhh,” sounded Jacob sharply. “Everyone quiet. There’re dragons up ahead!”
The Lynex eyes went wide and he began to tremble. In dead silence Hobble quietly turned back and continued to slowly creep ahead. In the somberest state possible, they rounded a bend and saw that the passageway had widened. The light from Hobble’s torch instantly cut through the thick darkness unmasking a huge opening to a cavern. Terrified they approached with slowing steps, and into their view appeared a massive subterranean chamber packed with hordes of dragons. The dormant monsters were everywhere, crowding the chamber to overflowing. Sprawled out over every inch of floor, stretched out across every protruding ledge, curled up in all the wide crevasses, and tucked away in every pit, not even a small space was left open. The monstrous creatures had thick round green scales, smooth yellow underbellies, and enormous heads encircled with sharp spikes. Their muscular legs were footed with sharp claws, and folded up tight against their scaly sides were giant bat like wings. At last they had found them, and Jacob knew that he should be pleased with their success; but instead he was feeling worse than ever. For the first time in his life he was truly terrified and sorely tempted to quit, abandoning their adventure completely. He had never suspected they would be so big and scary, and even the smallest dragons were bigger than anything he had ever imagined possible. He gapped in awe at the humungous heads and closed eyes, knowing full well that even with them locked in a deep hibernating slumber they were still not safe. Their ferocious faces appeared cunningly alert, and he began to wonder if they could snap out with their powerful jaws in their sleep, swallowing up anyone who carelessly wandered out onto the cavern floor. The group stood speechless and in awe, deeply stunned from the horrible scene that played out like a monstrous nightmare before them.
“Fi-finding the right dragon,” stammered Emalynn, at last interrupting the stillness, “is going to be really hard.”
“With only one torch that works,” said Hobble, glancing back at the trembling Lynex holding his tiny light, “it should be I that search.”
Jacob nodded in agreement, admiring Hobble’s courage. Hobble was far more sure-footed than the rest and could easily move about the cave quickly and quietly without waking a dragon. Silently Hobble acknowledged back Jacob’s approval with a short nod of his own, and then with his torch held high he walked off, disappearing into the dark hellish nest. Anticipating the possible need of a quick escape the group remained at the foot of the passageway, wide-eyed and alert. Still in shock, they sat down on the floor’s entrance staring at the dragons, while the Lynex held up his tiny light quivering a dim glow over the area. Unfortunately the time passed quickly, and before Jacob had a chance to rest and calm his nerves Hobble re-appeared out of the shadows.
“I believe I’be eh found imm’,” said Hobble, as he approached. “There tar two dragons with eh white spot on their tails, eh young’un enn’ en ol’one. Me choice twould be thee elder, I suppose he twould be thee kinder one.”
“Let’s go then,” said Jacob, masking over his fear the best he could by trying to sound as brave as possible.
Slowly they set out behind Hobble, warily trudging between the dragons as they stepped over and around bulky appendages. Jacob was careful to softly place his feet so as not to make a sound. The thought of being swallowed up whole by an angry dragon more than terrified him. “Golly, how’d I ever get myself into this fix anyway,” he nervously thought, as he looked up at a dragon’s giant green scaly back. It was only a couple of days ago that his teacher and classmates had labeled him an oddball-freak, and now after that horrible experience he was about to attempt to talk to a real man eating dragon. “What a week it’s been! For sure, things can’t get any worse than this!”
“KER—CHOOOOOO!” suddenly exploded from behind, an earsplitting sneeze resonated like a loud trumpet blast. Jacob jumped forward and Emalynn clasp her hands to her chest, as the loud discharge echoed throughout the cavern.
“Excuse me,” apologized the Lynex, dripping snot from off his nose and lips.
“That lynex twill prove our doom,” whispered Hobble angrily shaking his torch.
Emalynn reached into her pack and passed the Lynex a tissue, while they apprehensively scanned the area for any waking dragons. Nothing seemed to stir, and relieved Hobble resumed leading the group onward. His path continued to zigzag in between and around the enormous beasts, ending their short trek in front of a sinister looking monster. Stunned, Jacob stared up at the colossal dragon, it was definitely the largest of all the dragons, and its visage was by far more menacing than any of the other beasts. He wished the Lynex’s choice had been a small puny dragon, one with a very kind look.
“Prince hab yer chat enn’ then let’s be gone. Tis not right fur eh dwarf ta hab associations twith dragons,” said Hobble nervously. Holding the torch up high, the light flickered over the green giant, showing scarred gashes crisscrossing the monster’s face.
Timidly Jacob stepped in front of the small group and stood within a few feet of the dragon’s snout. He could feel its hot breath blowing back his hair. The time had finally come and within a matter of moments he would either be talking with the dragon, or else be a lifeless gobbet inside the monster’s belly. He couldn’t help but shake uncontrollably, as he attempted to muster up enough courage to raise his voice. Cracking out a hushed greeting he finally said, “Hello t-there b-b-big fella, would you kindly—er a wake up so we can have a w-w-word.”
The daunting dragon remained motionless, still locked soundly in a deep slumber. Hobble gave off an annoying grunt and then swiftly stepped forward to join Jacob. Using the flat side of his axe the brawny dwarf threw it forward giving the dragon a firm thump on the tip of its greenish-purple nose. “Now that’s how ye wake eh dragon!” he exclaimed, quickly stepping back with the others to leave Jacob frightfully alone again to face the demon.
Gradually the dragon’s eyes slid open, and he began to work himself into a standing position by pushing his massive front legs under his monstrous torso, boosting the huge frame into a sitting position. He towered over Jacob like a vertical mountain, leaning slightly to the left as if still unsure of things. The monster next casually glanced down at Jacob while spreading open his wide gapping jaw in a long drawn out yawn, followed shortly by extending his front legs in a long stretch. As he finished his stretch he wobbled side to side, reminiscent of a waking dog after a long night’s sleep. Appearing totally relaxed, the monster’s hind thigh muscle tightened and he rose to a cumbersome stand on all fours.
“Mister d-d-dragon—we want t-t-to—er a—um f-f-find our t-t-t-trainer—will you er—h-help us?” stammered Jacob, terrified with his eyes shut tight in anticipation of being swallowed. Feeling no pain and still very much alive he took a timid peek, squirming open an eye to see the dragon scratching his yellow underbelly with his rear foot.
“If that’s what you call talking to dragons, than I can do that!” shouted Emalynn, now standing a good forty feet back.
In addition to being terrified out of his whits, Emalynn’s criticism had cut deep into Jacob’s pride. He decided to at least prove himself brave and shout out. Emalynn would then have to take notice of his courage. He took a deep breath, and half stuttering he roared, “MR. DRAGON, I—ER A WOULD LIKE TO T-TALK WITH YOU. WOULD YOU P-PLEASE TALK TO ME?”
Appearing bothered by the tumult, the dragon stared down at Jacob and irritably blew a dark plume of smoke from out of both nostrils.
“We’d better be eh moving back moore,” suggested Hobble, seeming uneasy. “I think its good temper tis aboot used up.”
They hurriedly began putting more distance between themselves and the dragon, as Jacob bravely remained quivering before the monster. He couldn’t feel any of his special powers yet, and he began to panic that the Lynex had been right; he was too young to pull this off. “I’m a goner for sure,” he thought, uncontrollably distressed, “This time I’ve bought the farm.”
Suddenly the dragon stretched open his mouth and before Jacob had time to react a bright shower of flames blasted over him, instantaneously sending towards the others a scorching wave of hot air. As the blistering gust hit, they shielded their eyes with the backs of their hands and began stepping further away. Emalynn screamed and turned away in terror, while Hobble and the Lynex gaped between their fingers at the searing flames engulfing Jacob. As quickly as it started so it stopped, and a veil of black smoke lingered over Jacob’s smoldering remains.
“NOOOOO!” shrieked Emalynn sobbing. “IT CAN’T BE! JACOB?”
“He twas a brave young lad,” cried Hobble, his voice trembling.
“If only it had been me instead,” sniveled the Lynex. “I could have been forever famous for selflessly sacrificing myself to save the prince!”
Within several tense seconds the smoke began to dissipate, and from out of the dark shroud a blurred form faded into view.
“Look, he tis still standing!” exclaimed Hobble, sounding shocked.
“Is he alive?” sputtered Emalynn, turning back to look.
“I knew I should have brought my burn cream,” added the Lynex.
Dumbfounded Jacob lowered his arms and carefully looked himself over. He felt no pain, except for a slight burning sensation in the palms of his hands that he had held up over his head. He appeared to be unscathed, and was astonished to still be alive. “It was my fuddazzle power again,” he thought, truly amazed. “Somehow I must’ve used it to protect myself!”
“I see you are a great one,” suddenly emerged an unknown voice in his head. “Why did you wake me?”
“I-I—am?” thought Jacob, as he looked around to see who was talking. Seeing nobody except his friends standing in the far distance, he stared up at the dragon wondering if it could be his imagination, or was he really communicating with the dragon?
“I asked, why did you wake me?” came the voice again in his head, and instantly he knew that it was real, he had heard the dragon. Amazed at how easy it was to converse, he gave a reply by using a thought, “That’s right I am a great one. My name is Jacob Frost—,” he paused hesitating, as large drops of steaming dragon drool splashed down in front of his feet. “And-er-ah-I’ve come seeking help from the dragons,” he nervously continued, “my sentinel trainer has been captured by the dark warriors and we need to rescue him. We want to know where they took him.”
“I cannot direct your way,” conveyed the dragon with a quick reply, as it lowered its head level to Jacob.
Apprehensively Jacob stepped back, carefully eyeing the dragon’s jaw, half expecting it to snap him up. Inescapably he visualized the dragon chomping on him like a slice of beef jerky and swallowing him down in a single gulp.
“To locate the missing we dragons use the elements of life,” continued the beast. “We are the only creatures that have the ability to communicate with the elements of life, as it has been from the beginning. But now the dark matter has destroyed the elements; the power is no longer gifted to us. But don’t give up young Frost, as there are other ways to locate lost ones, and I may be able to help you. I owe my life to a Frost once, so today my allegiance is yours.”
“Any help you can give us is welcome,” replied Jacob, feeling a little more encouraged from the dragon’s positive response, but completely disgusted from staring deep into the beast’s wet and gooey bugger coated nostrils.
“I am known as Trarekeal, oldest of all the dragons.” Abruptly the dragon opened its huge mouth showing its tall sharp fangs and instinctively Jacob jumped back with a gasp. Trarekeal then yawned and more drool splashed out over the rocky floor.
Jacob continued to force a grin as he nervously backed away, while cautiously watching Trarekeal’s salivating mouth.
“Jacob!” angrily scolded Emalynn, as he approached. “How come you never told us that your powers had awakened? You shouldn’t frighten us that way! We thought you’d been burnt to a crisp!”
“But I didn’t know I could do that,” responded Jacob, embarrassed over Emalynn’s mothering reprimand.
“Well anyway you should have shouted out right away that you were safe, instead of scaring us half to death like that!” she exclaimed in an angry tone.
Trarekeal turned his massive frame around and began stepping on and over the other slumbering dragons, making his way across the wide cavern toward the far end. Jacob quickly recounted his conversation with the others and together they then rushed to follow Trarekeal through the mass of stirring of dragons. In spite of Jacob’s cursed luck, they somehow managed to cross the grotto without a single mishap, reaching the other side well behind the quick moving dragon. Without waiting for them, Trarekeal had passed on through a gaping crack in the wall, already disappearing off into the dark gloom. Jacob turned to take one last look back across the wide cavern, and to his dismay he saw many of the troddened on dragons awake and standing.
“Er—everybody, hurry!” he said in a quivering voice.
“You don’t have to say a thing,” replied Emalynn, nervously watching the same scene.
Hobble held up his torch, and cautiously they entered into the wide fissure, all knowing full well that their way back had now been closed off. Within a short distance they came to the edge of a gigantic hole that tunneled straight up towards the surface. Trarekeal was standing near the rim of the shaft waiting for them.
“Ahh an ancient volcano,” said Hobble, looking down into the shaft’s dark tunnel and then up at a small round circle of dim light. “So this tis how the dragons entered.”
“You and your friends shall ride on my back,” conversed Trarekeal. “We go to the Valley of the Phoenix and if there are any great birds left, we will find a direction for your search.”
“On your back?” questioned Jacob, nervously staring up at Trarekeal’s expressionless face.
The huge dragon blinked his eyes and then crouched down low for his passengers to mount.
“We’re to ride on his back,” said Jacob, uncertain over Trarekeal’s unexpected offer. “He wants to take us to the Valley of the Phoenix.”
“On his back!” cried Hobble. “No respectable dwarf twould eber ride on eh dragon!”
“I don’t think you have a choice Hobble,” said Emalynn, glancing back towards the cavern full of stirring dragons. “Besides, it’ll be fun.”
“Since it’s this, or we go back and meet more starved dragons, I vote we try,” added Jacob. He turned and grasp onto Trarekeal’s jutting scales and began to climb up by wedging his fingers and the tips of his shoes in between the cracks. After reaching the crest of Trarekeal’s hind leg, he shimmied up the tall ribcage and mounted himself on Trarekeal’s rigid spine. Carefully he then slid forward, coming to a stop just over the wings. Emalynn followed next and was immediately shadowed by the Lynex. Reluctantly Hobble held back, stubbornly looking up at his waiting comrades.
“Ho! Ho! Ho!” chuckled the Lynex, pointing down at Hobble as he walked back and forth across the ridge of Trarekeal’s backbone. “I knew I was braver than you! You are too scared to follow my lead and ride a dragon like me!”
“Ye twill not laugh at me!” exclaimed Hobble, and with a defiant grunt he started up the dragon’s leg. But surprisingly both of his feet slipped out from under him, and “UMPH” he noised, as he rapidly slid back down over the smooth scales to land firmly back on his feet.
“Ha! Ha! Ha!” taunted the Lynex with his chest held out again. “You have no need to fear dwarf, I have already conquered this beast. Come up here scared dwarf and join with me, benefit yourself from my bravery!”
“You shall not mock me!” cried Hobble, and once more he began to scale the dragon. This time however he successfully made his way to the crest of Trarekeal’s back without incident and mounted himself with a grunt just behind Emalynn. Still giggling like a young school girl, the Lynex seated himself behind the nervous dwarf.
With everyone onboard, Trarekeal raised up his chest and crouched back low on his hindquarters. He extended his long wings, and with a mighty leap, he masterfully soared into the black hole. A gust of air surged upwards from the deep shaft below, catching the membranes of his wide wings and pushing them upwards with a jerk. Nervously Jacob peered over the dragon’s side into the deep dark pit, and instinctively he tightened his grip on the scales. The shaft’s core was smooth and round, with barely enough width for Trarekeal to fly in a tight circle, passing his outer wing tip within a few feet from the black pumice wall. Steadily Trarekeal ascended pumping his wings in strong even beats. Jacob took a quick glance back and saw Hobble with a pale face and closed eyes. The wide-eyed Lynex was clinging tightly to Hobble’s pudgy side, while Emalynn calmly clutched the scales with both hands and excitedly grinned back at Jacob. It wasn’t long before they burst into the open air, shooting out of the volcano over the desolate earth. Trarekeal continued to smoothly work his wings climbing higher, as the ground grew smaller.
“Look at how he flies so effortlessly and with such power and precision,” praised Emalynn, with her hair blowing back in Hobble face.
“We dwarfs twere never meant ta eh fly on dragons!” moaned Hobble, peering downward with one eye open.
“Do not worry guys,” boasted the Lynex, “I know how to safely steer a dragon. I have done it a thousand times!”
Without the shielding protection of the cavern walls Jacob felt the strong effects of the dark matter once again sapping away his energy. Trarekeal however flew on unscathed into the early afternoon and their flight quickly wore on to an uncomfortable passage.
As they journeyed Jacob began to recall how he had quickly grown to like Mr. Pitts. He was just starting to get used to being a sentinel’s apprentice before Mr. Pitts’ capture. But now unless they somehow pulled off a miraculous rescue his new dream to become like his father would come crashing to an end. Complete success of their mission then was his only hope, and he knew that he had to lead the team right or they would fail. A single mistake could cost Mr. Pitts his life, and for the first time in his life Jacob began to feel the unbearable pressure of real leadership. Exhausted, saddle sore, and worried, the first hour of their flight seemed to last forever. Trarekeal’s tough scales had rubbed into his skin, painfully irritating his legs, and he wished they would reach their destination soon.
“Master Prince,” called out the Lynex. “How much farther does your great enchanter blood tell you it is?”
Before Jacob could reply, Trarekeal abruptly banked into a sharp left turn and began to circle in a descending dive. Jacob could somehow feel Trarekeal’s anticipation; they had arrived at the Valley of the Phoenix.