Dragon Kin 2

03

Vlad

"To the King!" Ocean and I shouted in unison, while charging through the gate and into the arena. A gunshot is a distinct sound. Once you've heard one, you can't mistake it for anything else — not with our hearing. Perhaps humans might wonder what the big bang was, but for the dragons, there was no question. That the gun shot was a direct threat was also without question.

Guns were not allowed in any form in our world. Not for military, research, or even medical. Decades ago, when the death toll from that ballistic weapon was seen by our people, it sicken them. And the growing want of them on the Drinem's side of the Curtainwall, the major countries on this side made a pact that: they would never want them or allow them to be utilized, nor tolerate their development: Anyone discovered with the smallest of pistols, was to be executed and the object destroyed.

It was the only time in record an accord between all nine major countries was met with unanimity, or that ratification by their respective legislations arrived after further unanimous acclaim. Drinem's first, and only unilateral contract.

With that in mind, a weapon of that nature being used in high daylight in a crowded arena, meant outsiders. That or mad men. I was certain humans were involved and that escalated this: imminent danger. Immediate, hostile actions were unavoidable. My hearing caught a snatch of Uncle Max's gravel voice and articulation saying:

"...keep the head and spine level. Keep that pressure on the wound. Good, now, into the coach..."

"Ocean?" I summoned, my wings pushing aside my shirt-jacket fans.

"I heard," he growled and leaped.

We were still at the middle point of the field. I didn't leap with him. My rage was more than enough to unfurl my wings but I left them as they were. A dark shadow passed, I caught it in my peripheral vision, and then Alexis of the Iron dragons landed on the wood fence posts that made the wall before the royal awning. His wings were huge, and spread out to block and shield the royal seating area.

"To the King!" he roared, and fire blazed in his mouth. "I got this."

The guards standing before the wall, correctly assessed the situation and ran through the gate to add themselves to the king's coach guard.

Three more shots blasted from the same point of origin as before — from the bleacher stands at the west side of the arena. The stands were empty except for one man, wearing a long thin coat and a hood of some sort which put his face in deep shadow. Only one of the shots reached Alexis, hitting him in the chest — the other two were caught out of the air by Ocean — using his hand.

What was he made of?

I've been shot in my armor three times. Into my chest. Each of those impacts were strong enough to halt my charge. To catch those bullets in the palm of your hand?

Ocean cleared the post wall, and landed on the bleachers before the hooded figure tossed a ball to him. Ocean caught it, just as I cleared the wall and landed further down the steps behind him. Then came the detonation.

Never had I felt such power blast into me. Ocean was holding the thing in his hand, examining it when it exploded. The dark figure had backed up to the top row of the seating bleachers, and leapt off to land on the dirt below near an exit in the stone wall, which led to the street, right before the bomb went off.

All that I could hear was a single tone humming loudly in my head. Like a blazing brand the tone burned through every other thought. The damage to my ears affected my balance as well. I fell in awkward ways trying to stand and walk. Then two more explosions ripped up from under the bleachers, tearing the wood apart in several areas, and entombing me under beams and shrapnel.