Drake walked into the inn. His steps were determined. The thoughts of the battle played through his mind like a virus, spreading fear and worry for the future. His gleaming emerald eyes focused on his friends, who were sitting at the small wooden table. Sandwiches that were stacked like a small mountain on a large plate were in the center. Mike and Chad were each eating one of them as he entered.
Drake lowered himself into the chair at the small table. After grabbing a sandwich, he turned his head slowly and looked at his friends. There was a slight hesitation in his tone. "I think our quest to find the cave of valor is going to have to wait. We can't leave these people until we know that those monsters aren't coming back. I have a hunch that the gargoyles left to get reinforcements. We need to eat quickly and get some rest." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "I know you want to find a way home. I do too. Everything in me says we will be able to get back if we complete the quest, but Something in me wants to help them. I can't just walk away from them."
There was no argument from the two boys. They agreed with their friend's decision. Nodding in agreement, the boys finished their meal quickly, the small mountain of sandwiches quickly disappearing. After the plate was empty, the trio went to their rooms to wash up and sleep.
When they got into bed, they were fully dressed. Their boots were beside their bed, positioned to slip on quickly if the warning bell was rung while they were sleeping.
Chad and Mike quickly fell asleep; they were too exhausted.
Drake lay silently in the dark, staring up at the raw wood ceiling. He knew his friends wanted to go home. He felt like he was letting them down. The image of the little girl Nelly, flashed through his mind. It was the image of the moment he had found her. She was hunched in the cage with blood and flesh around her. The walls were painted with the blood of those the gargoyles had slaughtered. Tears ran down her cheeks as she clutched her doll for comfort. Her little thumb was in her mouth.
He wondered if she had seen the gargoyles slaughter their prisoners or if they had rescued the innocent little girl in time. She was too young to witness such violence. He would never know unless Nelly indicated herself.
In the short time he had known the child, he had grown attached to her. He didn't want to see her get hurt or be scared if he could prevent it.
Drake slowly closed his eyes, letting sleep take him. His last thoughts were about how he was going to save this town. The threat was far too large and dangerous. He had just received what small powers he had. He knew it wasn't enough. The look in the leader's eyes told him that his current powers were not enough. He needed to get stronger…and fast.
***
Back in Drake's room back home, in the real world, the Dimension Master and the two men beside him were watching the flat screen.
"The life tokens were a good idea," The dimension master said aloud. "It saved Chad's life. Drake only has two remaining. I can't give more than I have already given him. I am only able to give one for each of them."
The man to his right spoke softly, his voice subdued. "Thank you. I am grateful."
The Dimension Master nodded in acknowledgement, his green eyes shining as he watched the boys finish their meal.
The man on the Dimension Masters' left side spoke next. His voice was quiet. Worry laced his every word. "When will the gargoyles attack again? Will the boys have time to recharge?"
The Dimension Master's gaze did not waver from the three teenagers. His tone was calm, quiet. "The screen only shows the boys. It will only show Drake if Mike and Chad are not near him. As a cohort, they stick together. That is a good thing. It allows us to watch them all. It won't show anything else," he answered.
The man on the Dimension Master's Left spoke again. His tone was pleading. "This battle is beyond what they are supposed to be doing. Can we go in and help them? This should be our battle, not the boys," he pleaded. "We can help them fight, then leave so they can continue with their quest."
Sighing deeply, his eyes gleamed with a bright green light as he focused on the young heir. A small smile spread on his handsome face. "That is not possible. We can't fight for them in their coming battle. However, it gives me an idea…"
***
As the trio slept, the twin suns disappeared, turning the day into night. The streets of Draco town were silent. The residents were hiding inside their cellars, locked in from the inside. Each hunched in dark corners, clutching those with them, their fearful eyes staring at the locked door above them.
Some tried to sleep; others were too afraid.
The cellars were large, underground rooms inside the homes of the town's residents. Each home was locked, windows barred with rusty, locked shutters on the inside of the house. Small bells hung like clusters of grapes from the locks and doors. They served as warnings to those hiding inside. A warning that the threat had made it inside.
Outside in the night, sinister shadows played in the soft glow caused by the flicker of light of the oil lamps that lined the empty streets.
In the watchtowers, men stood, staring at the sky. One with his bow held tightly, an arrow notched, ready to shoot. The other, his hand gripped the long rope attached to the bell. He was ready to alert the soldiers the moment the threat was upon them. The men peered into the darkness, watching for movement amongst the stars. Their expressions were grim.
In the barracks, a row of beds held sleeping men. Their arms clutched tightly to their weapons. Each man was fully armored, ready to fight as soon as the warning was given.
All the windows in the barracks were shuttered, locked tightly. Bells hanging from their rusted locks. There was no way inside, only the windows. The small door led to a front room. There were several men scattered. Their weapons in hand. The windows were shuttered, bells hanging from their locks.
There were two doors to the main room. One led to the sleeping soldiers, the second to the outside, where the danger would be coming from. Unlike the homes in the small town, these doors were locked on the inside, barred by a long metal bar through two hoops. It was the fastest lock to open. The soldiers needed to be able to exit quickly if they were attacked by the flying monsters.
If they couldn't get out of the building to defend the townsfolk, the people they protect could be taken or killed.
Mayor Ivan, locked inside the inn, paced the dining room in the dark, his sword at his back. There was not a single flame to light his way. Mary had left him food. She was hiding like most of the townspeople. Lying on a cot in the corner of the inn's cellar, she tried to sleep. Her eyes moved unconsciously to the small cluster of bells hanging from the lock on the cellar door.
The entire town was silent; no one spoke. They were afraid to be heard.
The night grew still. The silence lingered. Not a single sound could be heard. Even the insects appeared too afraid to make a sound. It was as if the entire town was holding its breath, waiting.
A single figure dropped lightly to the ground, not making even the hint of a sound. The figure was cloaked in darkness, invisible in the night. After turning its head left and right, it surveyed the area before looking up at the twinkling sky above. There was no movement.
Staying in the shadows, the figure walked silently, circling the small town. Every few feet, it dropped a stone. Runes carved into the surface of the stone glowed softly from its smooth surface. The figure continued.
Every few moments, the figure looked up into the stars before continuing its work. Silently, it made its way around the small town. After placing the last stone around the perimeter of the small town, the cloaked figure made its way to the center.
The figure stood silently in the exact center of the small town. Placing a large glowing stone in the center, it caused those surrounding the town to turn dark. A burst of energy extended from the many stones and rushed toward the larger one. Once the energy was reached, a burst of light flashed, then the center stone turned dark. The light of the rune was completely gone.