The Flame Inside Him

Serpents

At the bottom of the cliff, or mountainside, Vencutio and Icarion shifted back into their closer to human self and asked Noah for their cloaks. As Noah handed the cloaks to them, Garrett examined their surroundings.

"The place is completely empty!" Garret exclaimed, and so it was.

There were no trees or any other kind of vegetation, the plains were free of anything but sand, and there was no person nor animal in sight, safe for the carrion crows circling the airs above their heads.

"That is correct." Vencutio said, putting his cloak on.

"That's how they like it in their desert." Icarion continued.

"Who's desert?" Garrett asked.

"The Deserters." Icarion answered. "They rule the Terminea Desert."

"The Deserters?"

"Their name has two meanings. One is that they live in the desert, as you may have guessed yourself with a bit of imagination and a sparkle of intelligence." Icarion said, looking at the ground. "And the second is because they are indeed deserters."

"Deserters from where?" Garrett asked, seemingly interested in all this.

"From Pratos."

"Pratos?" Garrett seemed confused. "But it is specifically rumoured that anyone that betrays the King of Pratos is dealt with immediately."

"It is not a rumour. It's reality. It is said the King of Pratos hunts down his turncoats and, eh, treats to them himself." Icarion explained.

"Then how do they have deserters still?" Noah asked, feeling quite the outcast in the conversation.

"Well, being able to escape from the grasp of the King of Pratos shows just how strong and skilled they most likely are, eh?" Vencutio said, and gave a light chuckle, one that he seemed to get embarrassed of, because his face became serious afterwards.

"But." Noah thought for a moment. "Aren't we in danger then?"

Icarion laughed. "You humans never do grasp the intensity of a situation, do you? Of course we're in danger. From the moment we left the Cathedral we were in danger. This little walk that we are taking into Pratos could get us murdered as soon as spotted. Don't underestimate this task, Noah Crowshire, son of the Belroar, leader of the-"

"Icarion, that's enough!" Vencutio broke his fellow spy's sentence off abruptly. "We must all be careful, at all times. Especially..." He looked far off into the horizon, where the sun was going down and its light dying. "Now."

"What? What now?" Garrett sounded worried. " Is the desert more dangerous at night?"

Vencutio smiled, showing off his sharp teeth while his green eyes glowed brightly. "Everything is more dangerous at night."

"Except for the heat of the sun." Icarion mumbled, laughing.

"How is that supposed to tell me anything?" Garrett frowned. "Vencutio, Icarion, how much do you know of the Terminea Desert?"

"Well I know close to nothing of it, safe that it suits me not to fly above it at night." Icarion said, scratching his head. His red eyes looked brighter, even a bit white.

"I was born in the desert." Vencutio said calmly. "As a young man I left, though. I know how dangerous it could be here. Night is all the more to fear of Terminea Desert."

Suddenly it became dark, and not just dark, but pitch black dark.

The stars were hidden, nowhere to be seen, and the moon a deserter herself.

Suddenly, the four comrades heard movement in the sand.

It wasn't steps, however, but as if something was swimming in the sand, carelessly and elegantly gliding through it. As though slithering over it.

"Serpents!" Vencutio said bitterly. "Agh, I hate them!"

Icarion began unbuttoning his cloak. "Flight?"

"Yes indeed." Vencutio agreed. "Noah, transform."

Noah looked at him. "Are we flying? Can't we take them on? They're just snakes!"

"Just bloody transform! Quickly, before he sends more."

"Before he-"

"Just listen to Vencutio, Crowshire." Icarion said, and shifted into his birdlike self as he jumped once more.

Vencutio passed Garrett Icarion's cloak and Garrett put it away in his bag.

Noah touched the blood red book that he still had tucked in under his belt and looked at Garrett.

"It's going to be okay, Noah. You can control it." Garrett smiled. "You have controlled it before. You are his master, and him your servant. No other way."

Noah nodded calmly.

Then he shifted.

Fire in his snout, tail protruding from his back and waist, and wings shooting out from his shoulderblades, the Belroar was a terror of the night.

"Look at that. Second time I get to see him in one day." Vencutio grinned. "Well, Priest, hop on then."

Garrett nodded, and ran to Noah.

Just as he was reaching the dragon, Noah reached out his claws and grabbed Garrett.

He threw him in the air ferociously, Garrett screaming of fright and of surprise and of panic.

But then the Belroar opened his wings wider still, took flight and flew direction of the falling Priest.

Garrett's screams ended abruptly as he landed on the Belroar's back.

Vencutio laughed as he got a glimpse of Garrett's pale face as the young Priest took in the sight of the desert from such a high vintage point.

"Icarion, down here friend, allow me to be in those skies of yours, brother!"

And with a high pitched, melodious screech, Icarion dove down and Vencutio jumped on the back of the huge red bird.

As they soared upwards, Vencutio looked down.

He stayed silent as he looked down at the giant black serpents slithering around the same spot where the four of them had been standing but a moment ago.

And in the far back, he could hear the song of his brother, the song of the Piper.