The Fifth Element

Part 2 Chapter 38

Amber nodded, "I'll be right out," she said, "I need to grab something."

"Alright," I responded.

As soon as I was once again under the blue sky I reached down under the collar of Emily's pink shirt and felt around until I was able to find the gold chain around my neck. I tugged on it until the tiny gold whistle emerged. Then, I brought it up to my lips and blew hard on it.

In the distance I heard the faint sound of a dragon roaring. A couple seconds ticked by and I saw a shape flying towards me. Another couple of seconds and Deception was in front of me and had my hands wrapped around his head, while he nuzzled underneath my arm. I pulled back from him and saw that his wings had a sort of wooden splint attached to his delicate black wings

"My boy I missed you," I cooed to him while I gently examined his wing with the hand that was not holding the channeling weapon and wondered if this little adjustment would possibly allow him to take my weight.

I heard the door open from behind me with a squeak "Where did he come from?" Amber said and walked over and placed a hand on Deceptions gold speckled neck. Deception pulled back from me and stared at Amber with his cat like yellow eyes before he gave her a quick sniff and brought his head back and continued to stare at her with an almost uncertain look.

"Through the portal in the sky," I replied and began to rub Deception's neck gently. Deception closed his eyes and began to purr, "He was just lurking in the shadow's behind us while where gathering the channeling weapons and must've seen me ..."

"Get thrown into the portal?" Amber interrupted me. "Yeah, he let out the loudest roar when Arnold's creature tossed you into that portal and it got the whole camp's attention and a whole bunch of people showed up and we had to rush through the portal without strategizing," she said bitterly.

I gave her a sheepish smile, "Sorry me and this guy have an unbreakable bond, and we aren't going to be separated without at least a little fuss," I replied and that's when I noticed that she was holding the gun in her hand. I felt like telling her it was a very useless weapon to be using on the things that we were fighting, but I figured she would find out for herself.

"Yeah I notice, but I wonder why he didn't dive into the portal immediately after you, but now I can see why. You see that blue stuff under his chin?" Amber asked.

I looked and saw that Deception indeed had some blue powered under his chin, "Yeah?" I responded.

"That's called goddess dust. Animal healers use it to sedate dragons while they treat them for medical purposes. Otherwise, no one could possibly care for a dragon that is in pain."

"I'm amazed that he was able to come through and keep his soul," I said and brushed a black curt out of my face, "There must be something special about dragons that allows them to slip through worlds like that. Or maybe it's just intelligent life that has a problem traveling between the worlds. But anyways, since it seems that you know a little about a dragon's medical care, could you tell me what you think about Deception's wings?" I asked and gently took the delicate black wing in my free hand and ran my fingers along it until Deception unfurled it.

Amber crouched down on the ground so she could see it at a better angle, "Well," she began and stood back up straight, "I think that they have just been badly broken and need some serious work done to them. But I think what you're asking me is if he could hold your weigh?"

I nodded.

"I think he could but only for a short period of time, but only with that splint on, but I'm like talking less than an hour and no turning. Any more than that could stress his wings out too much and he might loss his ability to fly for years."

I cringed at the prospect of him not being able to take flight again, but I needed to be in the sky. It would make finding Arnold three times as fast, "That's good that he can fly and hold me," I said reluctantly. I walked around and gently whispered a command for him to get down so that I could easily climb on his back, which he did.

I somewhat clumsily scrambled onto the leather saddle still attached around his middle, and when I did, he made a small sound of pain that absolutely tore at my heart. "I know I'm sorry boy! This is truly hurting me more than it's hurting you," I said apolitically and rubbed his spines right behind his ears and he leaned in to it and closed his eyes. I stopped rubbing and placed my two hands on his back and tilted forward a bit in the saddle, so I was closer to his ears. "But you're going to have to fly with me just for a little bit."

I looked down at Amber who was standing on the ground, looking up at me, "I'll be back. Can you wait here for a moment?

Stray strands of brown hair that had escaped from her ponytail clung to her face while she stared into my eyes, "Okay, but I still don't know what this "plan" is, and I never like to be kept in the dark about what is happening," Amber said, and I noticed that she sounded somewhat exasperated.

"I need to just clear some things up before I'll be able to tell you exactly what I have in mind," I said, "But I'll tell you as soon as I see you next, promise." I smiled at her. She did not return the smile.

Without another word, I gathered the reins in my hands, which was somewhat difficult while trying to hold the channeling weapon at the same time. Once they were in a tight knot in my fist, I tugged them and we, somewhat unsteadily, climbed into the sky.

Once we were leveled out I could try see the horror of this town. There were bodies scattered everywhere on the street, as well as injured. Some were trying to drag themselves to safety, while others stared helplessly into the sky. They all looked at me with a mixture of confusion, amazement, and fear when Deception passed over them.

After about another three minutes of flying I was able to see where the distance banging sounds had been coming from. The soulless were trying to enter some of the buildings lining the various roads that crisscrossed through this town. And I had no doubt that it was because they were trying to get to the people that were trapped inside.

The worst though was seeing the soulless chasing terrified people on all fours through the streets, while I watched helplessly from above, unable to do anything to help the intended victioms. Some managed to get away, but others weren't so lucky. I watched while one of the soulless pounced on a lady and dug its teeth into her shoulder while she screamed for help.

Deception was already barely able to fly in a straight line, and I didn't want to try and push my luck with trying to maneuver him and end up getting us grounded. If we were grounded, I wouldn't be able to help anyone.

When I finally found Arnold, he was marching down the streets surrounded by his clay men. He looked like he was a general of an army surrounded by his loyal soldiers, which in a sense he was

He had moved from the park, where I had last seen him. The park was the first place I had checked when I was looking for him, and I didn't find him, but I did find numerous body positioned in a somewhat of a circle, the center of which him and hid clay dolls had been standing.

Arnold must've sensed me because he tilted his head up and started up at Deception and me in the sky.

I gave him a small wave and went to land. And I was so preoccupied with that motion I didn't see the soulless women scuttling along the build wall beside me until it was too late, and it pounced onto Deception.

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