Chapter 11

Salt and heavy moisture overwhelmed Benjamin’s senses. He dragged his feet through the tunnel, weighed down by his soaked clothes. Wringing his shirt, he contemplated ways to elude the Faiyan girl and her beast to return to Evelyn.

His sister's choice hurt him, but given their discussion earlier in the morning, he figured she panicked and was overwhelmed by her naiveness of the situation. She said she understood the danger of the situation, but staying in a cave open to a world full of people who wanted her dead accompanied by a man who looked like a wind blowing away from crumbling clashed with that sentiment. As much as she denied it, Evelyn’s best chance at survival, let alone any semblance of a normal life, was to get away from that dragon as soon as possible.

He thought of many ideas to escape, but none were viable enough. If he made any movement that was not following the girl directly, the creature behind him would stare him down, and if his hand swayed near his holster, it would growl.

With a grunt, he accepted that escape was impossible at that moment.

Back in the base he saw people setting up tattered stalls around the central statue; boxes of various goods were scattered on the ground, ranging from fruits to clothing. There were even childrens toys and frivolous trinkets being displayed. While the structure was foreign to Benjamin, the market seemed to be functionally identical to Main Street in Banrigh or more similarly, Cove. Though the more luxurious items were exotic compared to what he was used to seeing.

They reached the training yard and the girl opened the gate for him and her beast. Benjamin was surprised to see multiple squads already in formation, each one with a varying number of the weasel-like monsters.

With all of the malicious and nervous glares him and Evelyn received upon arrival to the base, he expected a similar reception from the troops. To his surprise, not a single Faiyan or beast risked even a quick glance at him while in formation or mid exercise. In the Empire Guards Corp, there would be at least one or two troops that would break attention if something unusual passed by them. He would be lying if he said he’d never done that himself. Their discipline unnerved him.

The Faiyan girl led them to the wall in the back, turning to her pet and nodding. They carefully switched places, making sure there was no opening for Benjamin to attack or flee. I have to admit, these two are extremely coordinated together. Benjamin thought.

He stifled a gasp as he witnessed the wall open as the beast placed his paw on the ground before it. He suspected as much from previous interactions, but seeing it this close left no doubts in his mind that they could manipulate the stone around them. It would explain how all of their carvings were so detailed and smooth.

Beyond the opening was a dimly lit room, guns mounted on the wall, most he recognized as standard issue for the guards or were shown in catalogues, some more complex for specialised units, and some he had never seen before.

A Faiyan man sat behind a desk cleaning the barrel of a rifle. He looked up without stopping his chore and raised an eyebrow. “Heba and Xire? I never expected to see you two here,” he said.

She scoffed. “The general’s orders. I have to babysit him for the day. His first assignment is weapon training per Isak.”

The man looked Benjamin up and down. He narrowed his eyes. “Former Aonachan guard?” Benjamin knew it was more of a statement than a question.

He remembered he had never been given a change of clothing, so he was still in his dirty, shredded guard uniform. Hopefully they have decent clothing prepared in whatever room they put me in. He gritted his teeth and replied, “I am a guard. I’m just… on an unexpected leave.”

“So you’re AWOL. How kind of you to join us,” the man said, making Benjamin wince. By technicality he was, but he firmly believed that if he found a way to save Evelyn and inform his superiors of this rebellion, he’d not only be allowed back, but possibly promoted, hailed as a hero even.

“You could say that. But yes, Excire here was told by Isak to bring me here because I needed ‘training’,” Benjamin said, pointing his thumb at the girl.

The girl groaned. “I am Heba. He,” she said, gesturing to the beast, “is Xire.”

“Whatever. I am assuming there is a range behind a wall?”

“There is, but first you need a gun.”

”I have my standard issue-” As he reached for the pistol holstered at his hip, he felt the soggy, warped leather that held it; the air left his lungs in a slow sigh. Pulling his pistol out, he watched as salt water poured from the barrel. With a quick tap of a button and pull of the slide, he released the magazine and ejected the chambered round. He looked inside the chamber through the ejection port. The metal walls were covered in moisture and salt residue, quickly determining it was out of commission for the time being. “Yes, I need a gun.”

“You’re telling me the guards use those pieces of junk?” The man chuckled looking at the gun. “Any bit of internal condensation and the N Nineteen fails. I thought the empire was better equipped. Unless you were a city guard. Yes, that would make more sense. Here, use this.” He picked a gun from the wall. Another pistol that looked identical to Benjamin's damaged weapon.

“Is that not the same thing?” Heba asked.

Benjamin placed his gun on the counter and gripped the new one, inspecting it thoroughly.

“Upon first glance, it looks the same, but it is not. It is-”

“A Magnum Three Ten.” Giddy, Benjamin pulled the slide and looked at the slightly grooved chamber. He released the slide and aimed at the wall, judging the calibration of the W shaped iron sights. “Though I would say the N Nineteen is a copy of this since the maker ripped the design of the Magnum. They cut corners to reduce cost, making it a cheaper but inferior version. But of course money talks with the government. It’s hard to tell the difference, but the grip is slightly wider and the sights are raised a hair on the Magnum.” he showed Heba what he was describing, only receiving an unenthusiastic groan in response.

“Not to mention the longer barrel for better accuracy. You seem to know your way around a pistol. The name’s Yahmi, you?”

He contemplated lying, the less who knew who he was, the better. Though that thought was immediately squashed since his escort was still here. “Benjamin.”

“Well, Benjamin, let’s see if your shot is as sharp as your brain. Xire, if you would.”

With a growl, the beast sauntered to the far side of the room and opened a hole in the stone wall. Benjamin followed Yahmi after being handed a pair of ear muffs. The muffled sound of guns firing and bullets hitting stone rang in his ears; sulfur and iron saturated the musty cave air. His mind went back to the countless sessions he and his platoon had at the range during his training.

There were five lanes on either side of the entrance, three of which were occupied by pairs of Faiyans, one with one of the weasel creatures observing them from behind.

Yahmi led them to the lane furthest on the left. Yahmi placed a couple of loaded magazines on the stand and strung up a paper target. He pressed a button on the barrier between lanes and the target was pulled down range; Benjamin judged it to be thirty meters.

With a nod from Yahmi, Benjamin picked up a magazine and loaded it into the pistol. It slid in smoothly, satisfying him. When he pulled the slide back, chambering a round, he could sense Heba and her creature become tense. His cheek rose on one side.

Intrusively, his mind wandered to how heroic and amazing he would be if he managed to take out the entire room. He had the element of surprise, and he felt he had the skill to pull it off. However, the impracticality of that plan tempered his emotions. I could do it, but I would not be able to get out of this room without one of those things. I could threaten it, but that’s too risky. No, this is not the right time. If they let me take this gun with me, and it is just Evy and I near an exit, maybe then.

Adjusting his grip, he attuned himself to the gun. His palm conforming to the etched grip, he placed his finger on the trigger guard and aimed it at the target, placing his other hand over the other to stabilize himself. He inhaled deeply through his nose and slowly exhaled from his mouth. In the stall, he was alone; just him, his gun and the target. Nothing else around him mattered. There was nothing in the world that would take his focus away. With smooth, measured movement, he shifted his finger from the guard to the trigger, caressing it with his fingertip.

When all air in his lungs was released, he fired the twelve rounds in the magazine. Each jolt of his arm after a shot sent vibrations through his body, the hair on the back of his neck raised. Once the pistol made the clicking sound of the final cartridge being ejected and the slide stayed back, he took another breath and lowered the gun. He made sure there were no more rounds chambered and released the magazine, placing it on the bench next to the full one. After switching the safety on, he placed the pistol in front of the magazines and watched the target come back to him.

With a hardy chortle, Yahmi said, “Laenat Ich, two bullseyes and the rest nine pointers. Almost beat my record.” He took the target down and handed it to Benjamin.

Almost? Benjamin thought, staring at the paper mottled by bullet holes.

“Tch, anyone can do that with a coward's weapon,” Heba said.

“You hurt my heart so. Not everyone can weave a sword and company an ichneumon like you,” Yahmi pouted.

“If you think it is so easy, let’s see what you can do.” Benjamin grabbed the gun by the barrel and offered it to Heba. She took a step back, eyes wide. Her beast stepped forward, snarling at him. Its sharp fangs made him tense, but he kept his focus on Heba, making his best effort to not let his nerves show.

After her initial hesitation, she reluctantly took the pistol by the grip and traded places with Benjamin. Instead of Yahmi grabbing it, the beast took a fresh target with its mouth and to Benjamin's surprise, walked it down the range while other lanes continued firing.

Yahmi must have seen his confusion, so he explained, “It is customary for an ichneumon to ferry the target down range if their companion is shooting.” The creature placed the target on the floor, and with no discernible effort, erected a stalagmite from the ground, hoisting the paper where Benjamin’s was. Even more perplexing, it sat next to the stalagmite and watched its owner. “They also stay down range. It is for them to become accustomed to enemy fire.”

While he did not particularly care if the creature perished or not, Benjamin’s curiosity got the better of him. “What if she’s a bad shot and hits it?”

“Just watch.”

Benjamin snickered as he watched the Faiyan fumble with the magazine; she adjusted the angle of the magazine multiple times before she finally loaded it. Her movements chambering a round were stiff and clunky and her form aiming the gun left much to be desired. On her first shot, the recoil of the pistol sent her arms to the side, causing an inadvertent second shot. The first shot hit the edge of the target. The second shot, however, veered horrible to the left and hit the creature above its eye. In shock, he gasped. He waited for them both to run to its aid.

His eyes widened as he saw the creature flinch, blink a few times and shake its head before returning to its rigid sitting pose. Heba lowered her chin and sighed, refocusing before firing the rest of her rounds. Once finished, she mimicked Benjamin’s technique rendering the gun safe and placed it on the bench. The beast, seemingly unfazed, retracted the stalagmite and brought the target back to the trio.

Words eluding Benjamin. How? That thing took a bullet to the head? How is it alive, let alone walking around? He thought.

“It seems like you did not know ichneumon, like dragons, are impervious to normal bullets,” Yahmi said.

Dragons are bulletproof, too? Suddenly, most plans to get rid of Evelyn’s dragon evaporated.

When the beast returned, it presented the paper to Heba, who groaned. Benjamin counted only six holes. “Look on the bright side, Heba, you still technically qualify,” Yahmi said.

After she took the target from it, the creature growled and grumbled. Heba sighed and said something in its direction in the Faiyan language. So they believe they can actually talk to their pets, too? Benjamin thought.

“Give me another chance. I shall improve upon that attempt,” she said, holding her hand out to Yahmi. He pulled out a clip from his pocket and placed it in her palm, a second clip falling onto the bench without him noticing. She struggled to refill the magazine, fumbling around with the strip of bullets. Yahmi tried giving her tips, only to receive grunts of annoyance as thanks.

While they were distracted, Benjamin swiped the extra clip and placed it in his pocket. Watching them, he was confident neither noticed.

After finally refilling the magazine, she clicked it in place with more confidence than before and took aim. Her beast had already obtained another target and hung it from another stalagmite it created.

This time she took a deep breath before firing. Her arms resisted the recoil better, but Benjamin noted several other flaws in her technique. None of the bullets hit her beast, but he could tell she missed the target a few times as well.

As she rendered the pistol safe, her beast returned with the target. Eight hits, one of which just inches from the bullseye. An improvement, but far from anything Benjamin would expect from any guard or soldier.

She muttered a curse while Benjamin snickered. “So close. One day you might improve enough to qualify for basic infantry.”

Heba snapped at him, her brows touching. She growled something in Faiyan before returning to Aonachan. “Let us see how you would fare in martial combat. You will not be talking then.” She took a step toward Benjamin, clenching her fists.

Instinctively, he reached for his gun. His stomach sank when he did not feel it at his hip.

The beast growled and clicked its tongue. Benjamin swore the Faiyan girl was going to burst from frustration. She gritted her teeth then groaned, turning away while handing the pistol to Yahmi. He checked the safety and placed the gun in his own holster.

“My offer still stands, I could train you,” Yahmi said.

Heba shook her head. “My time would be best utilized with things other than… this.”

Her glare at Benjamin told him that she was not just referring to firearm training. You act like I am happy with this, Benjamin thought.

After another noise from her beast, she sighed and said, “But if we must be here, then perhaps I could use the practice as well.”

“Good, good. I was hoping you would stay for a little bit. I predict Benjamin will enjoy seeing other weapons. I wish to compare our skills.”

For the next hour, Benjamin, Yahmi and Heba alternated firing various weapons, competing on accuracy and timed events. While Benjamin and Yahmi alternated victories, Heba fell short on every event. She was subtly improving each time, but never enough to hope to compete with the two gunslingers. Over time she grew more frustrated. Yahmi tried to give her tips, but her own stubbornness got in her way, Benjamin observed.

After a round with a semi-automatic rifle Benjamin had always wanted to use, Yahmi called an end to the training, a broad smile on his face. “It has been a while since someone has competed with me so well,” he said with a chuckle.

“I haven’t had a session like this in a while. It feels good to let loose.” Benjamin turned and realized a small crowd had gathered around their stall. The Faiyan onlookers whispered with each other as they studied the targets used in their impromptu competition.

Heba took notice as well, shifting uncomfortably. Her beast pet let out a growl and hiss and the crowd began to disperse.

As Yahmi stored the last gun, he said, “I must return to my duties, but I can clean your duty pistol for you while you go about the rest of your day.”

Leaving unarmed was out of the question. In enemy territory, he was exposed and not safe without his gun. However, if it was not functional, he would be in the same situation.

He responded, “That would be great. What will I be given to replace it for now?”

Yahmi shook his head. “Technically, only authorized personnel are allowed to carry weapons outside of designated areas. It will be stored and kept safe for you. However, you can make a request to Fukayna to carry your weapon freely.”

Feeling his blood boil, Benjamin bit his tongue in order to not speak out. I knew it, Isak sent me here to have my gun confiscated. There is no way she’ll grant. That request, and I can’t roam around without protection. He nodded and followed Yahmi back to the reception area, Heba and her pet trailing behind. As Yahmi returned to his desk and the beast opened the wall, Benjamin noticed Heba was looking at the exit and took his chance. Once Yahmi reached for something under his desk, Benjamin turned and swiped a Magnum Three Ten off the wall and quickly secured it in his belt, covering it with his bloodstained jacket.

His chest tightened and his breath halted as he looked around. None of them seemed to notice. Taking a deep breath, he acted as naturally as he could, walking to the exit and thanking Yahmi.

Heba led Benjamin across the training yard to a rectangular building carved from the stone wall. It was basic and uniform, identical to the barracks he stayed in for boot camp. This building, like the tower Fukayna resided in, had a normal door. The inside continued the theme of the exterior: plain stone walls with no decorations or color with wooden doors every ten feet. The floor was padded with a cheap, thin carpet that was uncomfortable to stand on, but muffled the sound of their footsteps and dampened any echo the stone would create.

At the end of the hallway, they went up a staircase to the second floor. They climbed the stairs and walked to the end of the second floor hallway. She unlocked the last door on the right and dangled the key in front of Benjamin.

“This is your room. Do not lose this key as you will not be given a spare. There is a uniform prepared for you in the wardrobe.”

“Understood, ma’am,” he responded sarcastically, swiping the key from her grasp.

“Our general is being kind to you, overly so if you ask me. She does not wish to upset your sister who is of greater importance. So mind your tone, Aonufaya.”

Benjamin did not know its definition, but that last word felt like an insult given her inflection, but he elected to ignore it. “Whatever,” he said as he closed the door behind him, entering the single room dormitory.

After a deep inhale, Benjamin let out a sigh carrying the weight of days of travel, paranoia and despair. His body ached all over, telling him he needed to rest, that he needed to relax, that he needed to break down. He lost his home, his life, his father. A whirlpool of emotions beat and crashed against the walls of his mind, trying to burst out. He brought his hand to his cheek and realized a tear had escaped.

He quickly wiped it away and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was not the time to lose focus.

If Evelyn was near anyone involved in this criminal activity, she was in imminent danger, whether it be from the harm the criminals would bring, or when the Empire Guard came crashing in to eliminate the threat. No matter how long he had to stay focused, he was going to make sure that his sister could get back to a normal life… as normal as it could be.

Despite thoroughly thinking about the laws surrounding dragons, he could not find a way for Evelyn to escape severe punishment. The government might go easy on her if she turned the dragon in, but from what Benjamin heard, the dragon corp was prideful and vain. Evelyn sneaking that egg away surely embarrassed Captain Oliver and whoever was with him. Benjamin was sure that they would make sure Evelyn and by proxy, Benjamin, would face the highest penalty possible.

There was only one thing that Benjamin could think of that would alleviate them of that. They had to uncover this rebellion and turn them into the Empire. It would be easy enough for Benjamin to do, but his sister seemed to buy into the nonsense Fukayna and Isak spouted.

It irked him that they used their parents to manipulate them into believing their lies. Their mother never mentioned her heritage, so she couldn’t have been proud of it. Plus her fairer skin made it hard to believe she was Faiyan to begin with. If she and his father were involved in this rebellion, why would they encourage him to join the guard, push Evelyn to join the healers?

No answers came to him. When he admitted defeat, he realized he was just standing in the room and staring at the wall. He shook his head and took off his shirt. He then went to the sink at the far end of the room and washed his face. The cold water against his coarse, dirty skin made him shiver. After splashing the water once more against his face, he cupped his hands and poured water over his head, scrubbing his shaggy hair. Resting his arms on the side of the sink, he looked in the mirror for the first time.

“Man… you look like garbage,” he told himself. Dirt, bruises and scratches covered his arms and torso. He looked, and felt like he went through basic training all over again. A nice, warm shower would have felt great, but he would take the cold cave water over nothing. He couldn’t do much about their situation now, so at the very least, he could clean himself enough to be presentable. While he held little to no respect for these people, if he wanted their trust, he knew he could not look like a homeless bum.

Once he was satisfied, he went to the wardrobe next to the slim bed and swung the doors open. As Fukayna promised, a change of clothes hung inside. To Benjamin’s dismay, they were akin to traditional Faiyan clothing. A long sleeved shirt that flared out at the wrists with a green vest and brown leathered pants; the same outfit he saw the soldiers training in. With a groan, he changed from his tattered guard clothes into what he assumed was the uniform of the resistance.

Surprisingly, the new clothes fit comfortably, though he felt ridiculous. The best thing he found about the outfit was a hidden pocket on the inside of the vest where he could stow the gun he swiped from the range. After loading its magazine with the clip he stole, he looked in the mirror to make sure it was not noticeable, practicing his draw speed. When he was comfortable with it, he tossed his old clothes in the hamper by the sink and reopened the door.

Heba and her beast sat in the corner of the hall, her head leaning on its shoulder. When she noticed him, she jumped up and scowled. “That took you long enough… You look unworthy of our uniform.”

For the first time, he noticed she was wearing a variant of the uniform he was given. Her shirt was more form fitting and the vest had short sleeves covering her shoulders in contrast to the sleeveless vest he was given. Her vest also had a golden insignia in the shape of a triangle embroidered over her chest with a claw-like symbol hovering over it. He wondered if that was an indication she had an ichneumon, similar to how the dragon riders had different rank insignias from the Guards Corp. He glanced down at his vest and noticed he too had an insignia, but it was a single diagonal line.

“Why are you still here?” Benjamin asked.

“Until I am ordered otherwise, I am to babysit— escort you through the base. Do you really think the General trusts you enough to wonder on your own?”

“Irritating, but I guess I can’t blame her. How long until someone relieves you?” She stayed silent, narrowing her eyes. I guess I’m not privileged to have that information. “Can I at least see my sister now that we’ve done Isaks' task?”

She thought for a moment. Then she nodded and ushered him into their escorting formation.

They exited the barracks and made their way through the training yard. Before they got to the gate, a taller woman shouted at them. They stopped and watched as her and the weasel beast at her side briskly walked toward them. Benjamin’s hand twitched. His instincts told him to reach for his gun, but he remembered the things resistance to bullets. Contrasting its human’s stern look, it bore a confident smile, making Benjamin's gut churn. It was an unsightly creature and its face looked more monstrous with that face.

The beasts exchanged growls and Heba saluted the woman. When Benjamin did not, Heba gestured with her head to urge him to follow along. She seemed ready to scold him until the woman saluted her back and shook her head, saying something in their native tongue. He finally noticed the insignia on this woman's vest was a star. That, along with Heba’s salute, made him suspect she was a superior of some sorts.

After a brief exchange and lowering their arms, they switched to Aonachan. “Heba, it was unfortunate that you could not be at formation this morning. Your insight was missed during combat training.”

“I apologize, commander. As you can see. Xire and I were placed on escort duty.” Benjamin noticed her voice was more rigid and formal than before, even more so than when she was around Fukayna.

“Do not fret, I was informed of your post for today. I expect all has been well.”

“Yes, commander.”

The commander then looked at Benjamin. Her eyes were stern, though less intimidating and friendlier than Fukayna’s cold stare. “Benjamin, I presume?” She asked. After he nodded, she continued, “Jalibamawt tells me your sister came by earlier. He directed her to the library, assuming you were looking for her.”

He was surprised by her unprompted helpfulness. “That sounds like her. Your assumption was correct, thank you.”

“I will not keep you from that, I just wanted to come and meet you before tomorrow. We look forward to watching your progress.” With a final glare at him, she turned and told Heba something in their native language and left with her beast.

Once they were out of earshot, Heba snapped at Benjamin. “In this uniform, you salute an incoming commander. Is the Guards Corp so undisciplined?”

“You think I know your ranks? Even if I did, I really don’t care. Where is this library? My sister is waiting.”

With a sigh, Heba said, “just follow me.”

They walked across the diameter of the base, circumnavigating the market and heading to the residential area they had passed on their way into the base the night before. As they approached, he saw the wall between that and the dragon pen open. A person walked through, waving at someone behind her. Benjamin recognized the blonde ponytail.

Evelyn watched the wall close and turned, smiling as she noticed them. She jogged toward them gleefully. Benjamin hoped this meant she forgot, or at the very least got over their disagreement earlier. Hope filled him as he did not see the dragon with her. If they separated already, convincing her to leave might be easier. Though he realized she would most likely not be in such a good mood if they were permanently split.

“Ben! You won’t believe this, but their library has mom’s books,” she exclaimed.

“Haven’t you read those like a thousand times?”

She shook her head. “You don’t understand, those were censored copies. What they have are the originals. There is so much more information about dragons I never knew. For example, each dragon type has special abilities like Isak said, and each documented ability has a name. Unsurprisingly, the ability Lumin used was ‘Flash’. Not a very flashy name, huh?”

Flooded with information, Benjamin couldn’t process her corny pun. Usually he’d at least force a small laugh to help her save face.

After a brief pause, she looked to the side and muttered, “Oh shush, he usually laughs. I swear puns are a real thing.”

When he processed the information dump, he said, “I know puns are a thing. My mind is tainted with your excessive use of them.”

“I do not use them that much! Wait… I said that out loud, didn’t I? Sorry, I was responding to Lumin. He doesn’t believe me that puns are a thing.”

“Wait, that thing’s around here?” Benjamin looked around to find the hidden dragon. First I learn it’s bulletproof, now it has super stealth or something?

“Yes, in here.” She pointed to her heart. “We are fused right now. I can speak with him in my mind.”

Heba groaned, “You were there when Isak explained what they were doing, Aoahmaq. Do you have the memory of a fly?”

Once again ignoring the insult Heba used while hiding behind her native language, Benjamin said, “So I take it training went well?”

Evelyn opened her mouth to speak, then the glow in her eyes faded as she slowly closed her mouth. Her shoulders sunk and she looked at her feet. “It went fine.”

His heart wanted to reassure her and encourage her to keep trying, but his mind intervened with the prospect of her flunking out of training. If that happened, the dragon might be forcefully removed from Evelyn, which would make her safer. This is necessary… She needs to go through this to be safe. That is the ultimate goal.

When he did not respond, Heba spoke up. “Did Isak have further instructions for you following training?”

“He wants us to rest and stay fused until we meet him again this evening.” Evelyn’s voice was low and breathy. Benjamin could clearly see whatever happened in the training ate at her, which pained him.

“Well what do you want to do until then, Evy?” Benjamin asked, hoping he could still cheer her up.

She thought for a moment, making gestures with her hand as if she were talking to someone. When she opened her mouth to speak, her stomach made a loud gurgling sound. With her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, Evelyn said, “Maybe we could find some food?”

Relieved it was not the dragon angrily growling at him, Benjamin felt his own stomach beg for food. “Alright, go eat.”