The Dragon's Scale (COMPLETE, EDITING)

19.1 || Ghost Town

"SO LET ME get this straight. That young boy may be an incarnation of a man who helped seal away Sheol?" Cale asked after Josh and Mara finished explaining what they had learned in Ioana's meeting.

"It would seem that way," Mara said. "At least, I cannot imagine the name being pure coincidence."

"Could he have heard the name before and just remembered it?" Josh suggested. He stared at the young boy—Aharon, if he was to be believed. Aharon leaned against the stone wall, cupping his chin with one hand and using a stick to draw with the other.

Cale rubbed his face. The full color had yet to return to his skin, making the dark bags beginning beneath his eyes more prominent. "I don't know if that would make things simpler, but I doubt it. Something about this all feels almost structured."

"You mean like we found the objective of a game level and proceeded on to the next?" Josh asked. "Because yeah, I got that feeling, too."

"Do you only understand things in game terms—you know what, never mind. It doesn't matter." Cale sighed and crossed his arms. "What matters is that now we are playing into the temple's hands."

"No chance that we just escaped? No?" Josh said when Cale shot him a sideways look. "More likely we will see the reaper again or worse?"

Cale slowly nodded.  "I don't know why Aharon would have monsters chasing him if he's the one who created this place, but I don't think they're going to stop. Meaning until we get out of here, we are walking targets."

Mara worried at her bottom lip and tapped her fingers on her thigh. "So now?" she asked.

"One step at a time," Cale said. "It seems we don't know enough about how these temples work to make very extended plans. For right now, I think step one is exploring this ruined city."

"And find a place for actual rest," she said, looking him up and down. "I can continue to create water, but what do you think the chances are of a bird flying overhead?"

"No idea, but we can look while we move. Josh," Cale said, "could you carry the kid—Aharon?"

"Of course." Josh jogged over to Aharon.

The boy flinched when Josh drew near, the stick swerving and leaving a slice through his picture—a dragon soaring through the sky.

"Nice picture," Josh said. He kneeled in front of Aharon and gave him a large grin. "Have you ever seen a dragon?"

"I can imagine it," he said. "I don't remember where I saw it or how I know about it, though. But... I think I know what you are." He studied Josh, frowning. "Soul-bound to a Mighty Dragon. A Paladin."

"Right." Josh nodded. "See? Like I said. I'm basically a superhero. Would you be okay riding on the superhero's back again?"

"I can walk," Aharon protested.

"We know you can," Mara said, appearing at Josh's side. "The closer you are to us, though, the harder it is for any monsters to get you."

"How about we let you walk after we explore first?" Josh offered. "That way, we know there's nothing around here dangerous to you."

"Okay."

He didn't sound very enthusiastic, but a few moments later, Aharon rested on Josh's back while Cale bore the shield once more. With a quick glance between themselves, they headed into the run-down city.

Perhaps it was because of the reaper encounter, or maybe the night played with his mind. Either way, Josh couldn't shake off the feeling that spirits lingered among the run-down stone buildings. This city had become a graveyard of tombs.