Seafer

Chapter 1

What Hides in the Night?

A Water Dragon swims under the feared portal as they have every night since the day Marcus was born. The bond between the toddler and the dragons was strong even before his birth. From the moment Marcus became self-aware, he was a constant shadow in the back of every dragon’s mind. As he developed, his control did as well. Before long, Marcus could choose who he contacted. Then, the desire to learn about the creatures he spent a considerable amount of his time with sparked. At his birth, Marcus’ knowledge of dragons expanded all Grandelites and some dragons.

This dark night is Seafer’s turn to watch for intruders. She is a younger dragon, but not so young she is not mindful of the danger all Grandel teeters on. The dragon keeping watch here is the first to encounter an invasion and will be the first to fall. Seafer looks out across the dark, empty sea.

At night, the water appears black, but when the sun rises, it shows its actual color, red. The Red Sea is home to all Water Dragons and other wondrous creatures. Some people on Grandel Isle used to patrol with the Water Dragons. This form of travel stopped after the Darkness sent a vial of poison with one of its soldiers. The witches engineered the toxin to spread and devastate the island, but the Midlanders found a way to stop it from getting past the Outer-lands. They had plenty of notice to put their plan into effect, thanks to the future seeing Queen Grandel Isle possessed at the time. The many creatures that call the Red Sea their home found the poison harmful and found refuge in the deeper waters. Some still perished before they could adapt to the poison. 

The Water Dragons did not have to adjust. Unlike other creatures, they can live in any environment except high temperatures. Their bodies can also withstand any poison, and they can break down any substance.

Water Dragons travel in small groups, and Seafer is finding guard duty a little unsettling. Jaystream visited her earlier, but he had to attend to his obligations.

The evening is moonless, making it hard to see, even for a Water Dragon. Seafer does her best, but she never glimpses what hides in the night. As she makes a pass under the portal, something falls on her from above. Before Seafer can barely register that something is sliding down to her face, her airway becomes blocked, cutting off her air supply. At first, her mind panics. Then she calms herself, even though she cannot hold her breath as long as some of her kind. She can go without breathing for quite some time. Seafer knows without air she cannot send out the song she is supposed to when an attack comes. So, she reaches out to the only person who can help her now. She also rushes to Grandel’s Crimson Canal, needing to be as close as she can to the child that has brought the dragons back together.

Marcus takes in her panic and relays it to the only ones who might be able to help.

When Seafer reaches the canal, she can feel her body already beginning to break down whatever has invaded her throat.

Seafer turns to her right, where she is sure she saw movement.

Nothing.

Even with more of the substance dissolved, she still cannot breathe.

A sound behind her.

Again, Seafer whirls around.

Again, nothing.

Seafer’s heart races. She knows help is coming; Marcus has told her. She fears it will not arrive in time. Something besides what sits in her airway has arrived in their world. Whatever has come is dangerous and fast. At that moment, she misses the slightest movement to her left.

Unseen, a dark figure with yellow eyes and white teeth attacks. Its teeth sink into the long pearly neck of the only witness of its arrival.

Seafer whips back and forth, attempting to throw the thing that has sunk its teeth into one of her major arteries. The only thing she accomplishes is tearing the superhighway for her blood further. It does not take long for her motions to become weak and useless. Slowly, she lies down. The last thought to go through her quitting mind is the regret she and Jaystream were never given a chance to make more out of their friendship.

Deep inside her mind, she hears a small voice telling her Waterlily is near. It informs her that she is not alone. Seafer can hear Waterlily’s song fill the dark, damp air around her. For the briefest of moments, her and Jaystream’s minds connect, and they know what could have been. Then she moves beyond where the voice, the song, and Jaystream can reach her, and because of Marcus’ connection, all dragons feel the loss as one.