Fell Dragon
Greetings Readers
This has been a rough week. We're taking my partner's father back home for a few days to get some business sorted. This means my week has been cut short by one work day. Unfortunately, as a freelancer, this is devastating to me as I had to squeeze in five days worth of work in four days. This would have been fine if I didn't have training on top of trying to get a project finished.
To say the least, I am exhausted. At least I'm not in charge of driving two hours. However, I still have training to complete over the weekend. But enough about me! Here is the next part in the epic saga that is Fell Dragon!
Myla had re-joined her daughter later that evening only to find her asleep behind Jarah as the doctor was writing a report of some kind.
“Is she doped?” asked the Queen as she sat next to Saita.
“No, Beatrice sang for her, comes in now and again to let her rest a little more.”
“Did she hit her head?” Myla queried the bandages.
Jarah explained what he had done, and Myla immediately wanted to explode at him. He simply raised his hand and said softly. “Myla, she is not a little girl anymore. She is over 21 years of age, she asked me, and I complied. I did not need parental consent.”
“But she is still my kid,” she whispered.
“I know.”
Myla lay a hand on her daughter’s sleeping face and struggled to say. “I am so happy but terrified. I felt the scars on her neck. I feel the thing moving inside of her, what is it?”
“I’m still trying to understand it myself. It is a machine but not from our time, not our people. Hell, it wasn’t even designed to work on humans but here it is, working inside Saita because she was made for it.” Jarah continued to type on a report.
“Are you and Doran going to tell me anything?”
“Saseric found her in a destroyed lab. She had killed the doctor within. Her serial number is what gave her that name. S-AY-8-A, say it enough times and it does sound like Saita. Doran went to pick her up and she is here now.” Jarah would not tear his eyes away from the screen. “You do not need to know more.”
“She killed someone?”
“Hmm, she was trained that way. You remember how she saved you all those years ago.” Jarah typed a little more then hit one more key before saying. “I sent you a report. If you really want access to anything else I can give it to you but Myla, you do not want to see what was done to your daughter.”
Saita mumbled and pulled an arm from under the blanket to cradle a pillow again. Myla looked at the tendrils of energy that were snaking down her upper arm. She could almost feel the energy radiating from them. She frowned as she ran a finger down a long one.
“Have you told Karesh yet?” Jarah turned in his seat.
“I don’t know what to even tell him,” she said softly. “We haven’t spoken in so long and…”
“You are concerned over what he will want from Saita now that she is complete.”
Myla shuddered at the words the doctor had chosen to use. Complete. Saita had been designed to carry what was inside of her and now that it was there her purpose had been realised. She was a super soldier. With the concentration of these tendrils, the amount of force she would be able to generate would be devastating.
“I will have to tell him. I can’t stem rumours and Aleux deserves to know his sister lives.”
“How are the twins handling everything?”
“The little dears are confused as to why their sister is here and not at home. They want to know now that she is back will their father return. It is so difficult to explain to them what is actually going on.”
“Perhaps Karesh will stop if he knows Saita is back.”
“We both know this stopped being about Saita years ago,” she said sadly.
Her consciousness was slow to come to the surface but once it was there the terror sank in. It was a gentle hand on hers that eased her into waking without more fear. She blinked a few times before realising it was her mother next to her.
“I’m sorry Saita,” said Jarah from the opposite side of the room. “I needed you to rest a little. I had Beatrice keep you under for a few hours. How do you feel?”
“Hmm.” she sat up and rubbed her head.
For a moment she was confused as to why there was a bandage around her head then she remembered. She had been asleep, completely asleep, for the first time in ages. Not unconscious, not drugged but asleep. And better yet? Zero pain. Absolutely nothing. Nothing sharp, nothing dull. Her skin felt warm, but it didn’t ache.
“Saita? You’re holding your breath dear,” said Myla.
“It’s stopped, for the first time in days I don’t feel like I want to chew my wrists open,” she said happily.
“Oh, thank god.” Jarah breathed a sigh of relief. “I don’t know what I would have done had you still been feeling pain.
Saita fell back on the bed and laughed and laughed until she felt sick to her stomach. Pain-free, this was amazing. Myla looked at her in concern, but Saita just grinned and said. “All I remember is pain.”
Myla gripped her face and kissed her forehead. “What else is there that you remember?”
“Nothing. Pain. Nothing. Sometimes images of me, inside of me.” she said softly as all the joy bled from her voice. “And the doctor.”
“The doctor?” Myla looked at Jarah.
“Sellious,” whispered Saita. “That was his name. He and Edzeeker hated each other but they were using each other.”
She wiped at her nose and sat up once more. Her movements were stiff and unsure. As if she was no longer used to sleeping in one position for an extended period.
“Are you hungry?” asked Myla suddenly.
Saita shook her head and Jarah chipped in. “Likely not. With the excess of energy, her body is likely unable to process the need for wanting food as the energy requirements are being met. Nutrition, however, is not.”
“I really am not hungry.” Saita scratched at the old scar on her right arm. “Stomach doesn’t grumble or anything.”
“It’s been about five days since you were found. You need to eat.” Jarah came to stand at the foot of her bed. “You drank the tea with no problem.”
“I get thirsty just not hungry.” she then looked to Myla. “Did you read my letter? Did you bring dad and Furor back?”
“So many more than just that.” Myla smiled.
“And the war? Is it over?”
“A year after you were...taken. Saseric ended the war by killing off the prominent leaders of the lizards. We are in a fairly stable allyship with them.”
“Then Saseric got the throne.” Saita smiled. “I am glad. What of my brother?”
Saita paused, then corrected herself. “Brothers and sister.”
“Is this what you want to do Saita? Ask about the past?” asked Myla.
“I am pain-free and can think for the first time in I don’t know how long. Let me ask questions.” Saita exclaimed.
Myla told her and Saita listened eagerly about her family. Her sacrifice had not been in vain. Edzeeker had kept his word. That was all she cared about and nothing else. Even though she spoke Saita could tell that she was keeping something from her. Something important.
“Where is Father? Why has he not come to see me? What about Aleux?”
Myla looked to Jarah and the doctor only shrugged his shoulders.
“Sweetie, a lot of this happened when you left. Saseric was able to tell us what Edzeeker was and your father, well, you father…”
“Fought to get me back.” Saita lowered her eyes. “Saseric didn’t give you the right name of Edzeeker’s species. Edzeeker is…”
“A Kai, we know.” said Jarah.
Saita shook her head. “No, he isn’t. He’s like them but not like them. He is older, ancient in fact. He shouldn't be here. I don’t remember…”
She clutched at her head again and frowned. “He is not Kai though.”
“Wait.” she looked at her mom. “Dad isn’t warring with the Kai is he!?”
“Uh...on and off for the last two years,” confirmed Myla.
“You need to get him to stop!” she exclaimed as she swung her legs from the bed. “They have allies that will eat us alive.”
Myla grabbed her daughter’s shoulders and made her slow down. “You are not heading to the battlefront.”
“Not that she could,” said Jarah.
“Did dad even do his research? Mom! He is going to get himself killed.”
“Are you concerned over the Saith?” asked Jarah.
Saita paused and just looked at him. Jarah just turned to her and said. “There is nothing you can do Saita. The damage has already been done. The Lizard war may have been won but the war against the Kai and Saith has started in earnest. Trying to find you triggered it, but I doubt now that you have been found that it will ease any of the problems that it has caused.”
“But Dad has to listen to me.”
“Your father...is a changed man,” said Myla. “Ever since we brought him back, he has been obsessed with having the power to protect those around him. He has lost sight of why he started this fight to begin with.”
“I need to talk to him. Let me talk to him.”
“Jarah please explain to her…” said Myla softly.
“Saita, you are complete now,” he said softly.
Saita sat down heavily and looked at the doctor with a look of horror on her face. “What?”
“You were designed for a reason. That reason is now inside of you. Growing with you. Beatrice was correct when she said that I couldn’t remove what was put inside of you.”
“Someone must be able to!” said Saita harshly. “It got in there, it can be taken out!”
“It is integrated into every part of your body.” Jarah brought his scan from earlier back onto the large screen that sat at the end of the bed.
He zoomed into one disc in particular. He pointed out the wires that lead from it then zoomed in even closer and showed the filaments around the discs.
“That is inside your right kidney. If I were to remove it, then I might as well take your whole kidney. Your left kidney is the same. Those are just two of your organs that have been affected.”
Saita, pale-faced, gritted her teeth and seethed. “Then I am stuck like this? Forever?”
“For the rest of your life,” confirmed Jarah. “The point is this. You are now complete. The marks upon your skin contain pure, crystallized energy. If you thought you were strong before you are likely a hundred times what you were before.”
Saita felt sick at the thought of what was happening inside of her body. She made to scratch at the raised tendrils that constantly itched but stopped herself.
“You are a super soldier now. I can’t let your father use you,” said Myla.
“I can stop him,” she said.
“And his soldiers? Are you willing to act out against your King?” she asked.
“Where is Pura?”
“No one knows,” said Jarah. “He stepped down and left. He and his siblings.”
“And Astec? What about him?”
Myla saw the pink in her daughter’s cheeks, and it broke her heart to tell her the next piece of news. “He wed last year and is expecting a child. He tries to stay out of the fights.”
Saita for a moment looked sad at the news then simply said. “Not like I could expect him to wait for me.”
“Saita…”
“I suppose Father pretty much gave up on me too,” she stated. “Likely gave his new boy the title of heir.”
“Saita…”
“It’s fine. Everyone must have thought me dead.” she half spat. “It’s fine.”
For a moment Myla saw the grey masked Butcher in her daughter’s words but she could do nothing.
“The rumour mill will let Father know that I am back, Mother,” said Saita after some time. “Best you do not let a rumour reach him that you hid the discovery from him.”
“You are not going to your father…” started Myla. “I already have one blindly loyal child dogging his footsteps, I will not have another.”
“Me? Fight? Heavens no, Mother.” said Saita sarcastically. “I just had major brain surgery. I couldn’t possibly leave this hospital.”
“Sarcasm is unbecoming of you,” said Myla.
“She does have a point though,” said Jarah. “Have Karesh come here. That way he cannot order anything of Saita as she is on your planet. Even if he could, as she said, she just had ‘major’ brain surgery.”
“This is not a smart idea. You have no idea what Karesh has become like.”
“You can’t hide me forever,” said Saita in a soft voice. “Doran knows and he will likely tell Father soon.”
Myla relented but said to Jarah. “I am holding you responsible for anything that happens.”
Karesh had not appreciated the interruption to his meeting with his generals, but he had not spoken to Myla in months, and he needed a break anyway. He dismissed his soldiers and asked for the data pad to be brought to him so that he could have a private conversation with her in his room. He opened the communication tab and waited for her to pick up on her end as he walked through the halls of his parent’s castle.
“Karesh, can you not swing the damn data pad around like that? You are making me nauseous.”
He grinned and brought the screen to his face. “Well, hello to you too.”
“Have you been sleeping? Eating? You look tired.”
“War keeps me awake,” he said as he pushed the door open to his room. “As much as I love to chit chat could we make this brief? I have a lot to…”
“Saseric sent word.”
“What did he find? More clues to shatter our hearts?” he snapped.
Myla seemed to take a deep breath and then said. “More than just a clue Karesh. Much, much more.”
“I’m assuming not a body because you are not crying so a solid lead. Send me the details.”
“Karesh, I need you to come home.”
“Myla, we have been over this. This is where I need to be to find our daughter and you are where you need to be to find our daughter.”
“I have.”
“You have what?”
“Found her.”
Karesh almost dropped the data pad, and his mouth went dry. The last time he had seen his daughter she had been rag dolled and had not looked to be in good shape. It had been years.
“What?”
“Saseric found her in a lab on a planet that had been up for auction.”
He swallowed hard and leaned against the wall before sliding down it with his head in his hand trying to not cry in relief or shock.
“There is a lot that we need to talk about,” she said. “Saita has had to undergo surgery to remove a microchip from behind her eye. Jarah believes it was a chemical restraint and was how she had been controlled all these years.”
“How...how is she?” he whispered.
“Please come home.”
And what do you all think Karesh will do now that his daughter is complete? Guess you'll all have to wait as the story progresses to find out. Please note, if you don't know what the Kai are, read Introduction Part 1 below to get a better understanding.
For those of you just joining us, please note that this is the follow on book from Fell Dragon. Here is the link to that book:
Fell Dragon Book 1
As the series continues, it will combine with another book series I wrote. To avoid confusion about what is happening, introductory chapters will be introduced separately so that you don't have to be lost. However, these chapters will contain spoilers. You can find these chapters here:
Part 1
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Haven't read the other parts yet? Follow these handy links:
Part 5>>You are Here>>Part 7