Dragon Spirit- Bond of Vengeance Read online

  She approached the railing and saw a deep hole in the ground. A basketball court could have fit across it and the drop was hundreds, or maybe even thousands of feet deep. It was hard to tell. It was all lit up and she could see more railings on levels further down, but it was too far down to recognize anything at the bottom. There was faint smoke coming from several different parts of the humongous hole. She couldn’t believe that this place even existed.

  “Where are we?”

  “We’re still in Kentucky, it’s just underground Kentucky. Come on, Billy.” A duck waddled past Morgan as the girl took off down the walkway. “What’s your name, Wannabe?”

  “It’s Morgan.”

  “Yeah, I know. I just wanted to see if you lied about that too.”

  “How do you know my name?”

  “I looked at the questionnaire you were filling out. Come on.” Morgan was still feeling too much shock to feel insulted.

  They walked down a sloping path that began as stone but became concrete. They reached the next level down, another landing full of doors that snaked around the entire perimeter of the hole.

  “This is the first year classroom level. There are many different levels on the way to the bottom, but we only have access to some of them.” Morgan stepped over to a door and peered into a room. There were desks and tables, a whiteboard and several bulletin boards around the room. Besides the stone walls, it looked like a regular classroom. Morgan turned to see the girl and the duck heading down the path to the next level and she hurried to catch up.

  The next level down was a huge mess. Books were scattered everywhere and several boxes of glass vials had been scattered all over the ground.

  “What happened?” asked Morgan.

  “The rumor is that a witch got into the school last night and made a huge mess. I’ve never seen a witch in person, but I didn’t know that they could do anything like this. They will clean it up eventually, once the fires are all out.”

  “Fires?”

  “Yes, can’t you smell the smoke? It was really annoying. The night classes were over and I was in the shower when the fire alarm went off. We all had to head outside until they got it under control. Even with the vents up in the ceiling, there was a lot of smoke in here.” Morgan looked up and saw dozens of large vent screens on the ceiling of the cavern. Then the girl was headed down the next walkway.

  “Hey, what’s your name?” asked Morgan as she followed.

  “I’m Max, keep up please. Now I could show you the next two levels, but you won't see anything new, so we’ll head down to the student levels.” Morgan gazed around in amazement as they continued downward. They walked past a man with a cat and something hit her.

  “Hey, it's midmorning. Where is everyone?”

  “Oh, they're probably waking up by now."

  “It's after 10. Isn't there class?”

  “Classes don't begin until one o'clock, right after lunch. Then there's dinner and then night classes before the midnight meal.”

  “What's the midnight meal?”

  “It's kinda like breakfast, but it's at midnight.”

  “So when is breakfast?”

  “There isn't any breakfast here.”

  “But I thought you asked the woman upstairs if you would have to miss breakfast.”

  “Yeah, I was joking. We're training to be warriors of the dark, right? So they keep us up at night.”

  “But we're in a cave, right? Isn't it dark anytime they shut off the lights?”

  “Sure, but that doesn't train us to stay alert in the middle of the night. I hear that when you get to the U, they don't begin classes until 6pm.”

  “What's, 'the U?’

  “The University. Seriously girl, I think you’ve convinced me. You really are a freshman, aren't you?” Morgan didn't reply.

  They reached the fifth level down and stopped at an arched double-doorway. There was a large ring engraved into the doors and when she looked closer, she saw that it had fins and a head.

  “This is Seaborne level. This is one way in, but there's also another way that most people don't know about.” Max and her duck had turned down the next walkway.

  “Your duck seems to be really well trained.”

  “Ha, I wouldn't say that again. He'll go after that pretty hair of yours.”

  “I'm just surprised that he follows you so well without being told to.” Max stopped and looked back at Morgan.

  “You aren't even a freshman, are you Wannabe? What are you doing here?” Morgan chose again to keep her mouth shut. Max began to walk again but Morgan could have sworn that the duck had also stopped to glare at her.

  “This is Landborne level. No secret way in that I know of but I’m still looking. Our level is one more down.” As they passed, Morgan noticed that the ring on these doors had a circular wolverine. They reached the seventh level down and stopped just outside the entrance.

  “Welcome to Airborne. Your home for the next four years.” The double doors on this level had a large engraved ring with a circular dragon. Perfect. How many other dragons were there around?

  “Does everyone in Airborne have a dragon?”

  “I wish. No, nobody has a dragon. Why? Did you hear the story about the dragon at the bottom of the school?” Morgan shook her head. “As far as I know, it’s just a story that parents use to scare kids. Nobody has ever seen a dragon anywhere around here. They do keep some animals down there, though. I’ve seen them taking cows and pigs to the bottom." Morgan was intrigued, but before she could ask any questions, one of the double doors opened and she was knocked to the ground by two boys who toppled on top of her.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “HEY I’M SORRY!” said one of the boys as he jumped to his feet. He extended his hand and helped Morgan as the other boy got up. They both had red shirts with the same round dragon emblem. The boy shook her hand before letting go.

  “Hi, I’m Jordan, and this is Frank. Are you a transfer from one of the other schools?”

  “I already asked her. The Principal is certain that she’s in Airborne, but for now she’s a Wannabe,” said Max.

  "Oh, that sucks. Don't worry, you'll figure it out soon," said Jordan. Frank just shook his head.

  “Why do you keep calling me that?” asked Morgan. It was finally getting to her now that she was being insulted in front of two other boys.

  “Wannabe? That’s what we call a kid that hasn’t figured out their proto yet,” said Max.

  “Maxine, are you playing school guide?” asked Frank.

  “Yes Franklin, it’s my sentence for being caught out during curfew.”

  “Are you done? Jordan won’t give up the idea of pranking Landborne and I need a shower.”

  “This time it’s going to be legendary,” said Jordan.

  “Yes, I’ve done my job,” said Max. “I would love to get back at Landborne for the mess they made last week. Count me in, and the Wannabe also.”

  “My name is Morgan, and I probably shouldn’t.” Jordan and Max each grabbed one of her arms. “What about my bag?”

  “Frank will take it to the girl’s dorm rooms for you. It will be safe there.” Frank scooped her bag up off of the ground and waved goodbye as he stepped back through the doors to Airborne. She thought about her sword in the bag as the doors closed with a sort of finality.

  “I think it’s initiation time,” said Max.

  “Don’t worry, this will be easy,” said Jordan as they walked Morgan along with them up to Landborne level.

  “Really guys, I don't think,” said Morgan before she was cut off by Max.

  “Yes, don't think, just act. Plus you won't want to miss your only chance to get past the entrance to Landborne.”

  “She doesn't really need to go far past the entrance,” said Jordan.

  “Then what are we doing?” asked Max.

  “You'll see.”

  They reached the closed doors to Landborne and when Jordan approached, they magically opened.

&nbs
p; "How did he do that?" asked Morgan. Jordan pulled a small card out from his pocket and then stuffed it back in.

  “They got one of ours a couple of weeks ago, and it's been hell ever since. I just got this last night in the frenzy.”

  “And you didn't waste any time thinking of a way to use it,” said Max.

  “I thought of this a while ago, I just didn't have the card yet. Now be quiet.”

  Jordan kneeled down in front of the double doors with a clear piece of string and tied it to the hinges on each side of the door. Then he did it again with a second piece of string.

  “Fishing line?” asked Max.

  “Tripline. Now we just need someone to trip over it.” The three of them stepped over the twin lines, past the carved wolverine at the entrance, and headed down the walkway. They left Billy the duck waiting at the entrance. Morgan looked over the railing, it was a long way down. Hopefully this would go as planned. Jordan whispered to them.

  “Okay, each of you choose a door and follow my lead, and remember to jump over the tripwires.” Morgan and Max crept further down the walkway and positioned themselves in front of different doors. Jordan held up three fingers, then two, and then one.

  “Fire! Fire!” screamed Jordan as he pounded on the door. Max copied him, pounding on the door and screaming but Morgan hesitated. Was this really the way that she wanted to begin her time here? She decided that she didn't want to be pushed into a second initiation because she failed to act at the first.

  Just as she began pounding and shouting, Max and Jordan turned to run toward the exit doors. She cursed and began running also.

  Just as she reached the final door before the exit, it opened and a tall girl with brunette hair ran out. Their eyes met just as Morgan barreled into her. She looked furious. Just like on Airborne level they fell to the floor, but this time Morgan jumped back to her feet and kept running.

  “Stop!” yelled the tall brunette from the ground as more people came out. Morgan just had to remember to jump when she reached the doors, but not too high or she would give it away.

  She timed her steps and when she reached the doorway, she took an extra big step to make sure she cleared the tripwire. It was too late when she saw Max and Jordan laying on the ground just outside the door. Her foot landed on top of Max and she collapsed on top of her and Jordan.

  “What the hell?” she yelled.

  "That sucked," said Jordan from beneath Max.

  “I think something broke,” said Max while her duck watched from the side.

  “Everything except the tripwire,” said Jordan. Morgan recognized a sharp pain in her ankle. She had twisted it. Several students stepped through the Landborne doors and began to laugh.

  “Good one you guys. You definitely got us back,” said one of the boys. The girl that she had ran into walked up and kicked Morgan in the knee. It wasn't a hard kick but it still hurt. She got to her feet as another girl grabbed the brunette by the arm and pulled her back toward the door. She hadn't noticed before how tall the brunette really was. She must have been 6'3” and built like an Amazon.

  “Tabby, I think she's already had enough,” said the girl using a lot of effort to pull the girl.

  “Nobody touches me without getting touched back,” said Tabby. Morgan didn't like it, but this was a moment that she had learned to recognize at many of the schools she had been to. Either she stood up for herself or they would try to push her around for her next four years.

  “Tabby? Like, 'tabby cat'? I don't think you have to hold the little kitten back.” It wasn't Morgan’s best line, but it would do. The tall girl just looked confused, like she had never been talked back to. Max was on her feet now, but she shook her head at Morgan with a look of horror.

  “Yeah, little kitty. Ha!” said Jordan.

  “Dude, are you nuts?” asked Max.

  “It doesn't matter. Is she going to sic her little cat on us just for a prank?”

  “What if she snaps and she does?” asked Max.

  “Who cares,” said Jordan with the same attitude as he crawled to his feet. The prank had completely backfired and he was laughing like it had been a complete success. Tabby and the others began to look more than annoyed.

  “Let's get out of here. Can you guys walk?” asked Max. Morgan and Jordan hobbled over to the elevator door in the stone wall. As they limped inside with Billy the duck, Tabby drew her index finger across her throat. Morgan had just made her first enemy at the school.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “SERIOUSLY? Tabby’s little cat is a mountain lion?" Morgan was second-guessing her decision to take a stand against the girl. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. “Where was it?”

  “All of the students keep their spirit animals locked up in other rooms. That way nobody can bother them,” said Jordan. Morgan looked at Billy the duck.

  “What about him?” asked Morgan.

  “I don’t believe in any of that crap. Billy doesn’t leave my side,” said Max.

  “I keep telling you that you that he would be in better hands if you left him in the room. They get treated like royalty. My hawk is relaxing right now, waiting for lunch to be served.”

  “Yeah, and right now Tabby wants to feed you to her mountain lion for lunch,” said Max to Morgan.

  “She’s the head of a gang of Landborne kids that call themselves, ‘The Headhunters,” said Jordan.

  “She’s the princess. Not because of her spirit animal, there are tougher animals in the gang. It’s because she’s the toughest in Landborne by far. She wins most of the night fights for Landborne. You definitely know how to make some enemies,” said Max. Morgan sighed and wondered if the day could get any worse.

  They reached the office floor and limped their way into the decoy farmhouse. Right away Morgan's attention was drawn to the counter where she saw the lion on the floor, still asleep. The office attendant stepped out of her room to greet them.

  “Welcome back Miss Livingston, and Miss Rossi, I'm glad that you came back. Did you realize that you didn't finish your paperwork?”

  “We had an accident,” said Max.

  “All three of you?”

  “Yes,” said both Max and Jordan at the same time.

  “Mr. Henley, I haven't seen you up here for a while.”

  “I try to stay away as much as I can,” said Jordan with a smile. “But I would make an exception for you.” He was just as dark as the tall office attendant, but he didn’t have her thick accent.

  “That's very flattering Mr. Henley, but Mr. Jones probably wouldn't think much of your offer. Well, come into the doctor’s office while I check on Miss Koopersmith.”

  “Seriously, is there anyone that you won't flirt with?” asked Max.

  "She's a fine African queen, I can't help it,” said Jordan.

  “She's taken, bro.”

  The woman ushered them through a door next to the room that Morgan’s dad was in. It looked like a regular doctor’s office, complete with a tall medical table. There were doors to the adjoining rooms, one was open and the other, likely to her dad’s room, was closed. Through the open door, Morgan could see that the next room was segmented by a long curtain. As soon as she saw it, she wanted to know what was behind it. The tall woman followed them in and extended a hand to Morgan.

  “We never formally met, I'm Mrs. Jones. You put down a lot of addresses on your form, but you never listed where you were born.”

  “We moved almost every year. Sometimes twice a year, so I usually stop after five or six addresses. I tell people that I was born in the Bronx, but the truth is that I don't really know where I was born. My dad wasn't there for the delivery, and I've never met my mom.”

  “Never?”

  “Nope.” Mrs. Jones and the other two were just staring at her. She wasn't sure why she was telling them the truths. She never told the truth about her cumbersome past, but it seemed like the right time to start. Something deep in her mind felt satisfied. She wasn't sure if it was herself or t
he dragon.

  The door to her dad’s room opened and a woman walked in. She had bushy hair and wasn't as tall as Mrs. Jones, but she had a presence of superiority. As the door shut again, Morgan caught a glimpse of her dad lying on a bed. His eyes were still closed. For a split second, her attention was drawn back to the other room with the curtain.

  “Hello, who do we have here?” asked the new woman.

  "This is Jordan, Maxine, and Morgan. Everyone, this is Miss Koopersmith, our resident witch.” Morgan had been leaning against a wall, but she stood straight up.

  “Don't worry, she's a healer. She's here as part of the treaty between the Benandanti and the witches,” said Mrs. Jones. Morgan tried to relax.

  “How is my dad?”

  “You're the daughter? Oh girl, I'm so sorry. It's going to take some time. I will bring him out of it, there's no doubt, but it will take some time. The adze must have had him for a little while. How many were there?”

  “More than 20, I believe. I didn't keep track.”

  “20 adze? Where did you find 20 adze?” asked Max.

  “There were more than 20 at my trial.”

  “Bull. Nobody has to face adze for a trial.”

  “I did.”

  Max frowned but Jordan looked like he was trying to puzzle something out.

  “Yes, that will take some time. A few weeks, at least,” said Miss Koopersmith. “So what’s wrong with you three?”

  “My back hurts, right in the middle,” said Max.

  “Let's take a look.” Max lifted the back of her shirt for the witch and Morgan turned to step through the open door into the next room. Even if the others were okay with it, she wasn't sure if she wanted to let a witch touch her, or her dad. So far her experiences with them hadn't been favorable.

  She stepped carefully, trying to not put much weight on her bad ankle. It was a larger room with an empty bed in the first half of the room and a large curtain across the other. What was behind the curtain? It was eating at her. She wondered, or another part of her wondered. Either way, she was going to look. She reached for where the two halves of the curtain met and felt a sensation of weird excitement.