The Elemental Chain Saga Book Two: Dragons Ascending

Chapter Five: Cooper's Promise

Shadows. Surrounding him on all sides. Leering over his crouched body, hoping they wouldn't notice his injured form. Light spilled from his mouth and darkness rushed up into his nose. He gasped as his form shuddered and he lurched to his side, clutching his body. And as he slipped from consciousness, the shadows closed in and a roar split the air like cannon shot.
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"Max!"

Max bolted upright, his chest heaving with his quickened pulse and respiration. His head swam and the nightmare burned into his eyes, that ghastly image seared into his mind's eye. He tried to shake it from his mind as he focused on Cooper. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the tent, he could just make out Cooper's small frame. 

It was the fifth time. Once everyday since they had set camp at the edge of Alerdreamia, the dream had stabbed its way into his slumber. And it was so vivid. He could feel his final breaths and hear the whispers of the shadows. He couldn't hear all they said but every time he would catch a word or two. Death...song...promise....danger...shadow....and the most terrifying of all, his own name, the one word he heard at the end of every dream as their terrifying whispers became a frenzied song and they descended towards him.

The nightmares were even worse than the vision he had during the Battle of Astral Castle of himself dying. At least that didn't taunt him by repeating itself. He shivered and tried to hear Coopers words.

"You have to calm down. I could see your chest heaving when I went to wake you up. Another nightmare?"

Max nodded slowly. He and Cooper shared a tent at the army's camp. He knew how Max would be awakened in fear from the nightmares. Max hadn't told Cooper what he saw that woke him up every night, in fear that he would begin to worry about him even more than he already did. Max wished Greg was with him to seek counsel from, knowing that he was very levelheaded when it came to stuff like this. Max was just a fighter, Greg was the one with both the skill and the knowledge of these things.

Max gave his young friend a weary smile "I'm fine, Coops. Thanks. What was it you woke me for?"

Cooper looked into Max's eyes for a long while. Max could see the worry in them and it made Max feel both happy to have such a caring companion and frustrated to think an eleven year old was so worried about his well being. After awhile, Cooper dropped his gaze "Oh, alright. Enemies have been spotted over in the distant hillocks. We are part of a group that has been assigned to intercept them before they get here."

Max gave a curt nod as he dressed. He wasn't bothered changing with Cooper in the tent. Max thought him as a little brother he never had but always wished for. He smiled a little at that, Cooper really did take after him. So headstrong and cocky of his abilities, yet still considerate to others. They both had their flaws though...

Max turned towards Cooper as he pulled his shirt over his head. "Ready. You sure you'll be ok on this, Cooper? I don't want you to get hurt again..." Max questioned, thinking back to the battle of Astral Castle.

Almost a month ago, the castle that held the elemental warriors had been sieged upon and a furious battle had broke out. He had learned from Cooper and others that the small boy had been responsible for the death of the commander of the assault, Tempest Frost. In the process, however, Cooper had received various injuries and had almost ended up dead. Max was trying to prevent something like that from happening again.

As Max questioned Cooper, the boy flushed fiercely, turning as red as his freckles "Max, you know good and well I'm fine. Now don't be a stinker and let's go. I promise you I'll be fine. I'll see this war to the end, trust me." Cooper looked up at Max with eyes gleaming with pride, daring Max to challenge his claims.

Max let out a submissive sigh, holding back his protest against him coming, grudgingly "Fine. Let's go then, we don't want to be late."

Max and Cooper left the tent and out into the sharp night air. Max shivered, even with his cloak clasped shut. Fall had taken over Alerdreamia. The air was chilly even though no wind blew that night. The camps inhabitants were all sleeping in their tents. Max and Cooper made as little noise as possible as they made their way to the eastern side of the army camp where they were to meet. Max could see the lights of those still awake flickering in the dark night, like grounded stars. All was quiet. He doubted the vast majority of the camp even knew that there were enemies close by.

Max and Cooper walked away from the fringe of the camp and joined the group who would be intercepting the enemy forces. Max saw some familiar faces. His eyes lingered on one in particular.

Soren Shadowsoul stood off to the side of the group. His brown-green eyes were visible, even in the dark, looking forward, away from Max. His tight fitting leather shirt and greaves blended into the night and his sword was already in his hands. He drew no attention to himself whatsoever but there was no mistaking him. "Soren," Max breathed under his breath "you won't out do me again, even if we are on the same side of the fight." Max still held a grudge for having been beat by Soren during his Evaluation.

Max watched him for awhile before turning at the sound of the captain's voice. "I am Captain Kosta. Rita Kosta, to be exact. I will be leading this force to engage in combat with a small group of Andanobii. Our scouts have estimated that there is about eighty of them so we have gathered a force of one hundred and twenty, which should be more than enough. Be careful out there, I want as few injuries and casualties as possible. Everybody look out for one another. If you're all ready, let's move out!"

The group made quick progress down the hillside and very quickly found themselves in the cluster of hills that the Andanobiis had been spotted in. The group spread out at Rita's signal and they continued to move almost silently, drifting across the hillside.

Max wondered where the enemy was. The hillock was quite large and they could be in any area of it. The group continued to fan out as they advanced further on. Max made sure to keep Cooper close by, not letting him leave his sight. Soon enough, it was only Max, Cooper, Soren, and one other advancing between two hills.

The stars shone down from the heavens above, casting a faint light around them, suffusing the group with a mystical light. Max felt like the hills were quiet and peaceful, somehow too quiet. He turned at the sound of a twig snapping.

He unsheathed his sword and pointed it before him, heart pounding. A deer galloped away in fright. Max dropped his sword wearily.

"Why so jumpy?" Soren jabbed "Afraid of the night?"

"Course not," Max said heavily "why would I be?"

"Who knows what fears you're hiding, tough guy," Soren laughed hollowly.

After almost a half hour of searching, Soren stopped in his tracks and turned to Max frustratedly "Where the devil are they!? We've been searching these hills forever and we're all spread out looking for the cravens!" Soren's mouth was curled in anger.

Max had to agree with him "Where are they?" This doesn't make sense, Max thought furiously, his brow furrowing in concentration. The scouts saw them so where the hell were they?

"H-hey guys?" Cooper squeaked "I think I know where they are and you're not going to like it. This is ambush strategy one-o-one. They're going to be on top of us like a cat on a mouse any second now and it's not going to be pretty for us." And as if on cue, blurs streaked down the hills and dashed towards the group of four. The group quickly unsheathed their various weapons and took defensive stances.

"I hope you're happy, Soren" Max growled, as a ring of enemies closed around them, cutting off their chance for escape "we've found the Andanobii."
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DragonDog1: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please feel free to comment and vote because your opinions mean a lot to me. Thanks a million!